Reuben2 Rose
Dates: 1779 -1860
Wife: Wife:
Martha Mason (Dec. 14, 1781 - Apr. 3, 1860)
Children: Nancy, born 1797; Berry, born 1821;
Kindred, born 1800; Reuben Jr., born 1821;
Mason, born 1805;
Elias, born 1823' Robert, born 1808;
Martha, born 1826;
Richard, born 1810; Mary Ann, born 1829;
James, born 1815;
Henry, born 1831
Profession(s): LandOwner, Tobacco Farmer
Reference: 137-145 |
Background: Reuben Rose was the
first in our line for which we have exact dates for birth and death. This record is shown
on his tombstone. Edgecomb County, North Carolina records show that Reuben made his first
land purchase on April 27, 1803. He bought 202 acres on the south side of Swift Creek. He
paid 405 round silver dollars for the land. In 1806, just three years after the purchase,
he sold his land for 252 pounds which is over $1,250, over three times what he paid. This
sale resulted in the move of Rueben Rose from North Carolina to Robertson County,
Tennessee. He was undoubtedly influenced to make the move by his father-in-law, Ralph
Mason, Jr. whose daughter, Martha had married Rueben about 1796 when he was seventeen and
Martha was fifteen. Her parents had sold their land in North Carolina in 1802. They set
out for Tennessee when he was twenty-seven and she was twenty-five. Census records
indicate that they had four children who made the trip. One daughter who was the oldest,
Kindred, the oldest son, and Mason are known to have been on the trip.
After arriving in Tennessee Reuben engaged in a series of land transactions. He
made application for state land around 1810 where he established his home. Over the years
he bought parcels adjacent to his land. Its estimated that his holdings were about
1,700 acres, but some local decedents have stated that he cultivated about 3,000 acres.
His resident was near the present community of Barren Plains. His tombstone and the site
of his home are on Route 4, Cedar Hill Pike, about five miles out of the town of
Springfield, Tennessee. The graves of Reuben and Martha are on a circular mound about 100
yards behind a large white house which was probably built after his death. His will
reflects that he had a large plantation in which he grew tobacco for the market in
Nashville. His accumulation of monies amounted to about $20,000.
Reuben Rose was a man over six feet tall and weighed over three hundred
pounds. Reuben did not name all his children in his will. We are
reasonably sure that there were fourteen children because Judge D. D. Rose, who knew them,
said in his autobiography that there were fourteen. Reuben had good fortune to live a long
life and to see an extraordinary fulfillment of the dreams of a pioneer. He and his
beloved Martha passed away just as the storm of civil war was about to break upon the
land.
Special Article and Photos:
Reuben Rose Cemetery
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