The materials listed in the Bibliography offer more extended readings on the setting for the first hundred years of the Watlingtons in West Tennessee. Here we are only able to pull together some of the more specific concerns for the first four generations in southeastern Madison County and portions of what is now Chester County. The center of the area may be considered the Big Springs Community which was the old Indian mound city, known by the immigrants as ``Mt. Pinson'' from the early post office named for the surveyor, Joel Pinson. It was well drained upland near good hunting and fishing in surrounding creek lowlands. Good water was available in all-weather natural springs or from shallow dug wells. There were also Indian trails connecting this location to the Tennessee River near Saltillo and the Mississippi River at Fulton, or Fort Pillow, passing near Jackson, Brownsville, and Durhamville, Tenn. The Pinson Mounds State Archeological Area has recently been established there to conserve the historic Indian history at this center for the early immigrants. ``Mt. Pinson'' or ``Big Springs'' was an antecedent of places later named Five Points, ``Pinson,'' Henderson, Mason Wells, Mifflin and Diamond Grove. Jack's Creek, now in Chester Co. and Bear Creek to the west were also early recognized communities. Mt. Pinson was in Old Civil District #17 of Madison Co., Tenn. Jack's Creek was in Henderson Co., Tenn. until Chester County was organized in 1882. The 17th District of Madison County was ``home base'' for the first four generations of most of the Watlingtons in West Tennessee.
The family of George Watlington lived in the Bermuda Islands, off the southeast coast of North America. There were two sons, George and William.
George Watlington left the islands and landed in Virginia. Later he married Catherine Tabler of that state. Leaving Virginia he moved with his wife and family and his wife's brother, a Doctor Tabler, to Mississippi. From there he moved again and settled in Tennessee near Pinson. The time of this last move is dated at 1831.
By the outbreak of the Civil War the family was well established and Mack C., one of George's sons was established with his family on a plantation with several Negro slaves. During the hostilities the family plantation was overrun by Yankees and the horses taken for Federal use. Mack Rob, from whom this information comes, was a lad of about nine years at the time of the Battle of Shiloh in April, 1862, and the guns of the battle could be heard from the plantation home. Mack C. was drafted for service in the Southern Army but spent his time alternately among the Army, home and prison for being A.W.O.L.
William, the only known brother of George, came to America after he became of age and received his share of the inheritance. Though he came looking for his brother they never met. William probably settled in Texas.
So far as is known, all the Watlingtons of western Tennessee are descendents of George Watlington.
-- EAW 1953-55