1850 Census - Wayne County, Tennessee
6th District - 18 September 1850

  339 344
  Joseph Staggs  70 M Farmer 1500 N.C.
  Francis  64 or 44 F             S.C.  [Cannot read or write]
  Sarah          20 F             Tenn

1851 - Wills and Inventories for Wayne Co., Tenn

  p. 151 Sale of Property of John Staggs Dec'd. all purchased 
  by Clarrissa Staggs. 20 Dec 1851

  p. 158 Clarissa Staggs widow of John N. Staggs Decd. receased 
  support for one year. 5 April 1852

  p. 200 RN Staggs decd account of Sales.  Buyers:  Jas. N. Staggs, 
  Elizabeth Staggs, Joseph S. Robnett, Joseph Staggs. Jany 5, 1852

  p.172 Robert N. Staggs deceased and left no last will and testament.  
  James N. Staggs applies to be administrator. Sept 1852

  p. 331 Acct of sale of the property of Wm N Staggs Estate. 
  E.A. Staggs a buyer. 20 Nov 1852

  p. 348 James N. Staggs made admin of estate of Joseph Staggs decd. 
  No Will. 7 May 1855

  p. 360-3.  An inventory of the personal property and assets belonging 
  to the estate of Joseph Staggs deceased.  19 May 1855.  Account of Sales:  
  Fanny Staggs, E. Staggs, Joseph Staggs, James N. Staggs, Joseph Robnett, 
  M. Brewer, L. Brewer, M. Staggs, FM McAnally, Wm Staggs, A. Robnett.

  p. 367 W. Caster, Jacob Scott, and Stephen Lee pledge to support the 
  widow of Joseph Staggs dec 19 May 1855

From Garry Wayne Brewer:

Joseph Staggs, born 1780, Orange County, NC, grew to manhood in Wilkes County in the western part of
the state. William Charles Staggs, his father, born in Pennsylvania, came to North Carolina a young
man before the "old war"(Revolutionary). Joseph could not remember his mother's maiden name, he
called her Polly. Frances Nesbit Staggs (called Fannie) told her children she was born in South
Carolina, and married Joseph Staggs when she was 16 and he was 23. Joseph had one story he insisted
his children and grandchildren remember that "they were Dutch,not English like their neighbors".  His
grandparents and family members came from Holland to America "a long time ago" settling in New
Amsterdam where they build their homes. The English came, driving them out of their homes. They went
westward to the next county, built new homes and still live there today.  Joseph and Fanny settled in
Warren County, East Tennessee, soon after their marriage, living there for more than 10 years. Five
of their oldest children were born there. in 1815 several Warren County families were preparing to
move to West Tennessee where the state was advertising land grants available for families who would
build a home, and improve the land. Joseph and Fanny joined the group.  Arriving in early February
1816, the Staggs family settled in southwestern Maury County (Wayne today) on Forty Eight Creek;
so-called because the creek was 48 miles from Columbia, the county seat.  Shortly thereafter, the
State Legislature included their location in the newly established Wayne County in 1819.  Here Joseph
and Fanny lived their remaining years.  There were two distinct factions of Staggs families that came
to Wayne County from 1816 to 1820, One Clan came from North Carolina and another came from South
Carolina. The North Carolina group migrated South from New York State.  The South Carolina Group
sailed in to Charleston on a German ship, then migrated to the northern part of South Carolina,
called the upper country. Both factions, just before 1800, went over into Georgia to enter their
names in the land lotteries.  Those who did draw land remained in Georgia, whereas those who did not,
heard early in 1800 that West Tennessee was open for homesteaders. Those who would build a home and
improve the land could secure land from West Tennessee Land Operations, The first Staggs to enter
land before 1820 did so on Forty-Eight Creek: Joseph Staggs and another, James Staggs. 

Book C, page 178, records of Wayne County, Tennessee, dated 10 July 1839.  Jane Kyle to Joseph Staggs
sells: one negro man by the name of Jim about forty eight years of age of dark complexion. 
Consideration: $300 Witness: George Vansant & Andrew Jackson  Book A, page 41 of the records of Wayne
County, Tennessee,dated 12 Oct, 1820  State of Tennesssee to Joseph Staggs, assignee grants as
assignee of Issac Wright 40 acres 8th District Range 8 Section 1 metes and bounds.  Book B, page 438,
of the records of Wayne County, Tennessee, dated 13 March, 1837 & Filed 31 March 1837  John Robinette
to Joseph Staggs both of Wayne County Consideration: $150 Conveys: 10 acres in Range 8, Section 1
granted to James Kyle.  (note) John Robinette is Joseph Staggs brother in law.  Book B page 453 of
official records of Wayne County, Tennessee, dated 10 March 1837 and filed 31 March 1837  Joseph
Staggs by his mark to John Robnett, Consideration: $250 Conveys: 25 acres in 8th district in Range 8
section one.

Family Tradition on Joseph Staggs received from Mrs. Irma Plott, who received such from her mother,
born in 1873 as follows:  Joseph and Fannie came to Tennessee with one child and lived ten years in
McMinnville (Warren County) Tennessee. and then sold out and went to Western Tennessee in 1816 in
time to plant a crop. Their other children born before February 1816 were born in McMinnville. All
their sons were given the middle name of Nesbitt, their mother's maiden name.  John Robnett and wife
Margaret Bell Nesbitt (Fannie's sister) later went to McMinnville and lived in Joseph and Fannie's
home.  Joseph's daughter Jane died in the late 1840's when a second set of twins came along. those
twins were born in Feb 1844: Allen and Jane Robnett. when their mother died they were three years
old. Fannie and Joseph kept them until they started school.  The Staggs and Robnett families both
lost two sons in the 1850's with spotted mountain fever:  Irma Comments; Since three of the Joseph
sons died about that time, there is no evident or specific genetic defects in any descendants that I
have seen or heard about. All were good strong people.  Three of John Robnett sons married Staggs
girls; all were cousins, their parents objected to these marriages.  Joseph Nesbitt Robnett married
Elizabeth Staggs, John Robnett married Nancy Staggs and Allen Robnett, Sr. married Jane Staggs.