Who was the "James M. Dickens" that was enumerated in the 1830 Jackson County, TN Census as being 0-5 and living in the household of William Dickens (see Unsolved #6)?

DISCUSSION:  This James was born about 1826 +/-. Although it is clear that this "James M." grew up in the household of the William of Marina who died in 1836, he apparently was NOT a son of William of Marina as he was NOT identified in the "deed of gift from Abraham Caruthers to the heirs of William Dickens" (the heirs were: Dixon, Laton, Henry, and Mary Ann [see UNSOLVED #6]). In the 1830 Jackson Co., TN Census - in addition to James M., there was also a female in William of Marina's household that was 15-20 years old; AND, also note that John Dickens Sr. is missing from the 1830 Smith/Jackson Co., TN Census. Because of the significant gap in age between this older female and the other young males and female - she too does not appear to be a daughter of William and Marina. 

John Sr.'s son John Jr. married Nancy Crosslin between 1830 - 1835 +/-; and in accordance with Smith Co., TN marriage records, James M. Dickens then married Mary Crosslin on Sep 1, 1852. Based on the June 1848 will of William Crosslin - I believe that Nancy and Mary Crosslin were sisters.

On February 1, 1859 - Mitchell Dickens (aka: M.A. who is a known son of John Jr.) married Martha Wommack, and in the 1860 Smith Co., TN Census Mitchell and Martha are living in the household of James M. Dickens. In 1870, Nancy, the widow of John Jr. who died in 1862 is living in her son Mitchell's household. 

• The Abraham Caruthers deed of gift to the heirs of William Dickens along with Mary Ann's divesture of her share of same land to Laton, Dixon and Henry - is nearly undeniable proof James M. Dickens was NOT a son of William of Marina. 

• As we have learned in the facts about "Edward G. Dickens" - it is very possible that James M. Dickens like Edward was also a son of John Dickens Sr.; and thus when John Sr. absented himself from Smith/Jackson Co., TN in or about 1830, James M. Dickens COULD have been left with William of Marina to be cared for.

  • The fact that John Jr.'s son Mitchell lived in James M. Dickens' household in 1860 strongly suggests a family tie back to John Jr. but an inconclusive one. In my opinion it is probable that James M. Dickens was an Uncle of Mitchell..

  • IF John Jr. and James M. are indeed brothers, and IF William of Marina was NOT a son of Charlotte, then it MAY be that the William of Marina who died in 1836 - was also an older brother of John Dickens Jr. and James M. Dickens - thus, all three sons of John Sr.

• Theoretically, it is possible the 15-20 year old Unidentified female in William of Marina's 1830 household was a very young widow or she may even have been a sister of James M. Dickens.

  • IF she was a young widow, then James M. Dickens could be her son.

  • By the 1840 census, this Unidentified female is no longer in Marina's (William's widow) household - but, James M. remained. 

  • Jeremiah Dickens - who was a son of Henry Sr. had 6 known daughters - yet in the 1820 Jackson Co., TN Census, there were 7 females in his household plus his wife "Rebeccah". Nothing is known about this 7th female. Could this 7th female have been the 15-20 year old Unidentified female in William of Marina's household.