Person Page 277

From Goodspeed History of Tennessee, 1887, Greene County Biographical Sketches

Dr. J. P. Easterly was born in Greene County, May 6, 1839, the son of Jacob and Margaret (Whittenburg) Easterly, both natives of Greene County, the former a farmer, born in 1802, and deceased in June, 1883. Jacob, Sr., the next ancestor, a Virginian, was a pioneer of Cocke County. The mother was born in 1803 and died in 1854, the daughter of William Whittenburg, of Greene County. Our subject was educated in Emory and Henry College, Virginia, and in 1864 began reading medicine under Dr. B. F. Bell, now of Cocke County. He began practice in 1866 in the county, and has continued eminently successful. He is an extensive farmer also, owning and cultivating 750 acres. May 24, 1866, Louise V., a daughter of David DeVault, of Greene County, became his wife. She was born April 10, 1844, in Greene County. Four of their six children are living. She died February 2. 1887, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which our subject is a local minister.

E. O. Guerrant was instrumental in recording early DeVault family history.

The following story was told to Newland DeVault by Russell (Frederick Russell) DeVault, son of John DeVault:

"One day, about noon, a Confederate soldier, on horseback, rode up to the DeVault Tavern, requesting food, and, as there were several bands of Union Soldiers nearby, he did not dismount. The meal was prepared by Mary DeVault, daughter of John DeVault, who owned the tavern. She served it on a tray, placed on top of her head, while the soldier ate. He thanked her; asked her name, and after the war was over, wrote to her father asking permission to call. Permission was granted, and the result was a marriage. The soldier was Dr. E. O. Guerrant, a surgeon in the Confederate Army during the Civil War." (Russell DeVault was Mary's brother.)

For several years after the war Dr. Guerrant practiced medicine in Kentucky. He then decided to study for the ministry and become a preacher. He left Mary and the children at the Tavern, Mary's old home, while he went to school. During the summer of 1875, he went over to the home of Henry's grandaughter, Louise (Dewald) Kitzmiller. Louise, at the age of 77, and all from memory, gave Dr. Guerrant the genealogy of the DeVault family. The genealogy consisted of a few remarks about Henry Dewald and wife, when they came to America (which was wrong by two years) and the cost of the journey. She referred to Henry as: "Henry DeVault, a Huguenot, born in France, and married to Catherine Marie Greaver, a German woman." She listed all of their children, whom they married, listed all the grandchildren and in most cases whom they married. The only date of birth of any of the children was that of Henry, Jr. of Salem, Indiana, for which she had his dates of birth and death. It was just a list of names only, but most remarkable, as all were given from memory. The information was taken down by Dr. Guerrant. He gave his father-in-law, John DeVault, a copy and Louise Kitzmiller had a copy.

Over the years a number of copies were made from these two. The Kitzmiller copy came into the hands of her brother's family (Daniel Dewald) of Washington County, Tennessee. This copy had probably been kept up to date more than any other. James D. Dewald had it in his possession for many years. The copy of John DeVault had been partly brought down to Frederick's branch as well as other branches he knew. Frederick Russell DeVault, Dr. Guerrant's brother-in-law, gave Newland DeVault his first copy, through his nephew John DeVault of Mexico, Missouri in the year 1935.

OBITUARY - (Jenny Young family tree; Ancestry.com):

Russell H. Guerrant

Russell H. Guerrant, 78, a former Louisvillian and brother of Mrs. Norvin E. Green, 1711 Trevilian Way, died Sunday at a hospital in Eustis, Fla. He was buried yesterday in the family plot in Lexington Cemetery in Lexington.

Other survivors include his wife, the former Martha Ferguson, a native of Chicago.

He was a son of the late Rev. Edward O. Guerrant, who was pastor of the First Presbyterian Church when it was at Sixth and Liberty on the site now occupied by the Jefferson County jail. He had lived in Umatilla, Fla., since retiring a number of years ago.