Reverend John Justus, Sr.

"Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/QK1X-19S6 : 15 December 2015), John Justus, 1829; Burial, Edneyville, Henderson, North Carolina, United States of America, Edneyville United Methodist Church Cemetery; citing record ID 142838336, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com. The grave of John Justus Sr. was near the apple orchards on property still owned by the Justus family at the edge of the Edneyville United Methodist Church Cemetery (this cemetery). Today, there is no marked grave for him. All the old and undecipherable field stones were removed in the late 20th century. Genealogists, researchers, and descendants, including George Jones with the Henderson County Genealogical and Historical Society, and the late Julius C. "Jack" Jones, who spent more than 30 years with the Old Buncombe County Genealogical Society, state that his grave site is here.

On all early documents, the name is spelled as John Justis, not Justus. Some of his children changed the spelling of the name from Justis to Justus.

John Justus Sr. was a Methodist circuit-riding minister and owned part of the land now owned by Edneyville United Methodist Church. The earliest records are in the Ninety-Six District, Newberry County, S.C., where he married Anna Gilliam in 1791. As he had children born earlier than 1791, he was married previously. The name of his first wife is not known.

In 1795, he was the administrator for his father-in-law's estate. In 1799, he and his wife sold their land in South Carolina. On May 4, 1800, he bought 115 acres in today's Henderson County (Buncombe). He later purchased additional acreage.

Obituary: "a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and an emnent minister of the gospel, in which he labored about 50 years. He was never known to deviate from the rules during the time he resided in the church. He has left a fine family to mourn his loss and 18 great-grandchildren. His friends and relatives showed him every attention during his painful illness, which was paralytic and of about two weeks continuance. For his amiable heart and accomodating disposition, I can venture to say with confidence, that Buncombe County never produced a man that was more elevated in the estimation of his fellow citizens, than our much loved John Justis."

Please note: He spelled his last name "Justis." His children later began spelling the name Justus. There is no "bloodline" connection to the Justice family. The Justis (Justus) family is typically German (Palentine) or Swedish. The Justice family is English and traces back to Jamestown. Recent DNA results suggest he descends from the Gustaffson family of early New Sweden (Delaware).

• Residence: 1790 - Newberry, South Carolina, United States
  • Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: Jun 5 2018, 19:59:59 UTC
• Residence: 1790 - Newberry, South Carolina, United States
  • Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: Jun 5 2018, 20:01:09 UTC

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Began to appear in court records as early as 1790 in Newberry County, SC. He qualified as administrator of the estate of William GILLIAM in 1795, and was ordered to sell the estate in 1796.

Moved to Clear Creek, NC and bought 115 acres 4 May 1800. He purchased an additional 200 acres on Clear Creek 1 Apr 1823. He later purchased other acreage in the area.

He suffered a stroke and died 9 Nov 1829. He was 88 years old, a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and served as a Minister of the gospel for fifty years.

L. Ferrin Lindsey, "Genealogist," 23 Nov 1993, Richard W. Price & Associates, 9364.