JOSEPH LARGE provided by Terri Large Prizer

Joseph Large born 1761 in Pittsylvania County, VA by his statement in his Revolutionary War Pension application made in 1833 from the National Archives (attached). An addendum to his records is when his son John was requesting the widow’s pension for his mother Mary after Joseph’s death in 1842. In John’s statement he lists all the names of the children of Joseph and Mary Large: William, John, Thomas, Jacob, Elizabeth Large, Lucy Carmon, Phoebe Cook, Deborah Large, Adam and Sarah Harper.


Joseph joined the militia in Lincoln Co, NC. around 1781. In his pension application statement he states he returned there after the war then later moved to Sullivan Co, TN then on to Jefferson Co, TN. His wife Mary has been given the name Emmitt in many family trees without any sources found to prove this to be true. Several of my distant cousins and I are researching the surname Emmert/Emert. That’s a whole different story. It’s possible they didn’t meet until he reached TN. That makes sense as there are Emmerts in TN at that time. Or they could have met and married in NC. We have no sources for any proof—yet.

I have Joseph on tax lists in 1796, 1797, 1798 in Carter County TN which was carved out of the southern portion of Sullivan Co, TN. Then he is on 1804 Knox Co, TN tax. Then 1830 and 1840 census in Jefferson Co, TN. I found hints that he lived in Strawberry Plains which is an area that is on the border of 3 counties of Knox, Jefferson and Sevier Counties. Knowing how the county boundaries changed often, that and the hint explain why he shows in various counties.

How he and his brothers William and Thomas ended in NC from VA is still being researched. I’ve attached a letter I found (with no full name or address to contact them) that provides hints that their father Robert Large was a chain carrier for William Churton, a surveyor for western NC and possibly VA.




Both brothers William and Thomas joined the NC militia, and both their widows applied for pension but were denied for lack of proof.

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1995/images/MIUSA1775D_136106-00636

Both brothers married in Pittsylvania Co, VA. You had corrected the one for William Large who married Nancy Furbush on 3 Jan 1783 and Thomas Large married Milly Adkins on 8 Oct 1782 (I think he is also indexed as Sarge or Serge…..I neglected to request that also be corrected. )

I am attaching a pdf of 4 pages of a genealogy I found when researching in TN in 2019. The person’s name and address was attached so I wrote him but have not received a reply. It lists several sources for Robert Large, the probable father of William, Thomas and Joseph. I have found several.


This record is for 1767 List of Tithables for Robert Large.

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/48646/images/VATaxRecords-005116-303?pId=437769


I have an SAR application that takes the genealogy through the son of Joseph named Jacob David Large who married Elizabeth “Betsey” Dinnel. I also have their marriage bond and certificate. They moved to White County, IL and are in the 1830 and 1840 census next to “probable” brother and his wife in the next paragraph, Robert and Martha Large.
https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2204/images/32596_242393-00195?pId=1039992

All that being said, I believe I descend from Joseph Large through their son William. My father had handwritten genealogies that ended with William Robert Large married to Martha ‘Patsy’ Dinnel. I have their marriage bond and license. From there it continues:
To Thomas W. Large born TN 1819 married in IL to Eliza Jane Hoover. He died 1864 in White Co, IL. I have his probate will.
To George Franklin Large born 1855 IL and died 1831 IL married to Malissa Hutchcraft
To Lewis Franklin Large born 1888 IL and died 1964 IL married to Mary Ethel Carter
To Eugene Large born 1920 IL and died 2015 IL married to Katie Lou Walter
To me, Terry Large born 1950 and still kickin’

I say I believe I descend from Joseph as many trees have a different William listed married to a Phoebe Hankins. However, on Ancestry Thrulines, I have 140 DNA matches through 7 of the 10 known children of Joseph and Mary Large….can they all be wrong? And the census sources in Illinois with the 'proven by source' son Jacob David Large living near each other—and the sisters Patsy and Betsy Dinnel who married brothers—as well a sister of William Robert and Jacob David named Elizabeth who also moved to IL with her spouse (a cousin named Isham Large) and another brother Thomas who first went to IL (kids born there) then moved to Iowa. So many coincidences, yet no definitive source proof such as a Bible.

All that to still look for Robert Large who shows as the father in the 4 page genealogy as well as a hint on Find A Grave that said “Robert of Halifax”. I know Halifax and Pittsylvania are next to each other.

• Large Genealogy

• Hints for Joseph Large

• Joseph Large Pension Application - Transcription of his application