I,
John Vance was the son of James Vance and Margaret Reno, and was born in Cook
County, East Tennessee, on the 8th day of November, 1794.
At the age of 2 years, my father moved to Davidson County, West Tennessee, near Nashville. Some two years after he move to Smith County, Middle Tennessee, where I had an Uncle Thomas Vance with a large family. Some two or three years afterwards my father moved to Jackson county, adjoining, where I grew to manhood and married Sarah Perkins, daughter of Ute and Sarah Gaunt Perkins, who lived in the adjoining (White) county. I married February 10, 1817 and remained in Jackson County till about the year 1824, then moved to Morgan County, Illinois, remaining there some five years. Then moved to McDonough County, Illinois, where in 1836 my wife died, having born me eight children: Isaac Y.; Margaret; William P.; Nancy Ann; James; Ute P.; Lewis R, and John Jr. (Ute P. and Lewis R. died in childhood) I then on the 2nd of March 1837 married Elisabeth Campbell, daughter of Ezekiel and Jane Campbell. She bore me three children - Martha Jane; Lehi Moroni and Mary Elisabeth. (Lehi Moroni died in childhood)
My Father James Vance was born September 30th 1764.
My Grandfather Samuel Vance was born in Ireland, but in childhood emigrated to Penn.
My mother Hannah Vance copied this from the paper that John Vance wrote himself. She said it was getting so dim she was afraid it wouldn't be readable much longer.
Agnes Minerva Vance Jackson
