Individual Details

Jacob was a cabinetmaker and served in the Revolutionary War. He took title to 100 acres on Panther Creek, Jefferson Co TN in 1792, probably for war service.

[Although Jacob is considered definitely the grandson of the original Quaker immigrant Lawrence Routh II, first cousin of William Penn, the father of Jacob has some confusion. "The Routh Family in America" gives the probability of Zacheus. Here is followed General Ross Routh's research. If anyone has better documentation, please add it so corrections may be made.]

Descendants of Jacob Routh (1745) [pp. 11-211] http://www.chbc-lky.org/arnettforest/rossbks.htm

[This Jacob Routh, b.1745 in Randolph Co, NC m. Martha Redfern. Ross Routh felt he was the son of Zacheus, while Lawrence Routh of NC felt he was the son of another Jacob. One also sees speculation he and Joseph were the sons of Edward Routh and Deborah Hammer. In his second book, Routh Family Revisited, Ross obtained more information about Eleanor and others]

Among the children represented in Ross Routh's "Routh Family Revisited"in family group sheets, using the sheet in the 1978 revision:

Eleanor (c.1769) m. Simon Adamson; Isaac (c.1775) m. Sarah Sloat; Joseph (1780) m. Elizabeth Murrell (John Arnett) John (1782) m. Elizabeth Mashman Jeremiah (1784); Esther (1781) m. James McCarroll Zacheus (1788) ; Jacob Jr (c.1791)

An unsourced posting from Genforum says: Jacob and Joseph Routh were sons of Edward and Deborah Routh [still another source says they were sons of a Jeremiah Routh], and they married sisters. Jacob married Martha Redfern (or Redfarn), and Joseph married Mary Redfern. Isaac Redfern, the brother of Martha and Mary, in July 1788 received 200 acres in Randolph County, North Carolina, by a State Grant, located on Flat Branch adjacent to Edwards and the County Line. [From Randolph County, NC Land Deed Abstracts, Books 1-5, 1779-1794 by Barbara Newsome Grigg. Copied at Randolph County Library, Ashboro, NC.

Jacob Routh was born in 1745-47 in North Carolina, married Martha Redfern, and migrated to East Tennessee with other families in the 1790s. In 1802, according to minutes of the Paw Paw Hollow Baptist Church in Sevier County, Tennessee, Jacob and Martha [Redfern] Routh were among the original members in 1802. This was evidently while the church was located in Knox County and before its 1820 move to Paw Paw Hollow in Sevier County, Tennessee.

The following excerpt from an article (1820 Baptist Church moves from Knox County, TN to Sevier County, TN IN THE SHADOW OF THE SMOKIES, Sevier County, Tennessee Cemeteries published by the Smoky Mountain Historical Society. Page 45) reports: In March 1820 the church members met and agreed "to move her residence to a place called Pappaw Hollow in Sevier County." Previously the church had been located in Knox County. In the minutes of Paw Paw Hollow Baptist Church for May, 1822 we find where the church appointed a committee to "view a place for a graveyard." The committee, made up of "Brothers" John Lockhert, Moses Long, Jacob Routh and Zachariah Routh, made a report in the same meeting that they had viewed and laid off a burying place. The report goes on to say that many of the early families are buried there and mentions specifically the "Ruths" and the Douglas families but it also says that none of the stones are marked and there is no exact information on those buried there. It does not reveal the exact location or the name of this church before it was moved to Paw Paw Hollow or why the congregation decided to move. General Routh says Jacob's son Zaccheus and wife Nellie joined the church in 1820. Jacob's son John and his wife Elizabeth Mashman were members by 1821 and that "Other members of Jacob's family were his brother Isaac and his wife Mary W., who were members until they were dismissed by letter in Aug. 1821." Note: Kenna Routh of Baldwin, KS has read these church records and relates that there was no specific relationship stated between Jacob and Isaac Routh in these records. Male members were all called "brother", but it was only in relation to the common membership in the congregation. Internet information indicates that the Paw Paw Hollow Baptist Church was an offshoot of the Boyd's Creek (Sevier County) Baptist Church and was formed "in the forks of the Holston and French Broad Rivers, Knox County December 22, 1802". Jacob Routh died on June 29, 1827 in Jefferson County, Tennessee. In his will written September 26, 1826, Jacob is a cabinetmaker from Jefferson County and leaves his estate to his wife, Martha, with his son John as executor. [retrieved on 3 Aug 2010 from http://genforum.genealogy.com/routh/messages/687.html]



Jacob Routh's last will: In the name of God, Amen. I Jacob Routh of Jefferson County and State of Tennessee, cabinet maker, being weak in body but of perfect mind and memory, thanks be given unto God, calling to mind the mortality of my body, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain this my last will and testament that is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God that gave it, and my body I recommend to the Earth to be buried in decent Christian burial, at the discretion of my Executors; nothing doubting but at the general Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God, and as touching such worldly estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life I give, devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form.

First I give and bequeath to Martha my dearly beloved wife etc; my whole estate during her life or widowhood. Also I constitute, make and ordain John Routh my son to be sole Executor or this my last Will and Testament, to manage and take care of my estate for the support of Martha his mother and at her death divide the balance of the estate equally among all my children, and I do hereby utterly disallow, revoke and disannul all and every other former Will and Testaments by ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last Will and Testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 18th day of September in the year of our Lord 1826.

Jacob Routh

In presence of us Jacob Routh, Jeremiah Routh

Birth	1745	North Carolina
Death	29 Jun 1827	Jefferson County, Tennessee
Marriage		Martha Redfern

Spouse	Martha Redfern (1747 - 1837)
Child	Eleanor Routh (1769 - 1860)