John Murphy Trotter, (USA)

Battle Unit Name:4th Regiment, Tennessee Cavalry

John Trotter was a carpenter and a farmer known in the area as "Smokin' Joe" He and Tryphena were charter members of the Pigeon Forge United Methodist Church organized in 1880. He was a Union soldier in the Civil War, enlisting at Sevierville in Company M, Second Calvary. He recieved his discharge from service on 24 May 1865 at Vicksburg, Mississippi. Remarks on his war record state he was 5'11" tall, fair complexion, gray eyes and dark hair. [Source: Alice Blevins; Rootsweb.com] He's found in the 1880 census in Sevierville, Sevier County, TN: TROTTER, John M. (49); wife Trephena (49); children Valentine (27); George W. (23); Barbry T. (19); Asa S. (18); Nancy E. (14); Mary W. (12); Laura T. (7); father-in-law George FLIN (79). Everyone in the household was born in TN. John was a carpenter; sons Valentine and George were farmers.