Tobias Long appears to have traveled with (or about the same time) Thomas Allred, Solomon Allred and Nathan Aldridge from Randolph County, NC to Tennessee in the 1790's. He appears with them and/or near them in several documents. His wife, Sylvania, was Nathan Aldridge's daughter, making Tobias Long the brother-in-law of Thomas and Solomon Allred.
Johnny Long contacted me October 23, 2021 via email with the following information which should be interesting and useful for anyone researching the Allred and Long families. He stated:
As I have a DNA match with descendants of Edward Long, Robert Long, and Tobias Long who migrated from Randolph County, N. C. to northeast Tennessee, I have been researching their lives for over 20 years. I do my own research and visit libraries (including Randolph County), court houses, cemeteries, universities as well as meeting "old" people who know about these families. Here's just a few tidbits I've written about these men and their migration to northeast Tennessee, including Tobias Long and Sylvania Aldredge.
Johnny also sent the following information found during his research into Tobias and Sylvania Long:
Long Family Members Move from Randolph County, North Carolina to Northeast Tennessee
Arrival in Tennessee in the mid to Late-1790’s. A Petition: The PETITION of Sundry Inhabitants of Knox County, Tennessee, 01 April 1799
To: The Honorable General Assembly of the State of Tennessee –
The PETITION of Sundry Inhabitants of Knox County humbly sheweth that their Local situation is such as renders it very inconvenient for them to attend the usual place of holding Courts, General Musters, Elections, Ect. Some of us having at least from 25 to 40 miles to travel & generally very bad roads, having sundry large Water-Courses, and Ridges to cross. Your Petitioners humbly conceive that their grievance might be much alleviated by a division of Knox County in the following manner Viz:
BEGINNING at the Cross Mountain, where the Knox Line intersects the Indian Boundary Line, Thence with that line to the River Clinch, Thence -------------------------Big Valley on a Ridge that divides the waters of Big Buffaloe from those of Little Buffaloe to the Chesnut Ridge, Thence along the extreme height of said Ridge to where the lower line of the Survey of Henderson ----crosses the same, Thence along that Line to the Top of the Copper Ridge, Thence along the extreme height of said Ridge to the Mouth of Beaver Creek & Thence to any point on the Tennessee River that you in your wisdom may think proper; Thence along the Indian Boundary Line to the place of Beginning. Among 285 signatures:
. . .
Nath’l Aldredg junr
Jn. Julin
Geo. Julin
Tobias Julian
Thos. Allred
Solomon Allred
Tobias Lang
Edward Lang
Robert Lang
Wm. Alldredge
Nathan Alldredge
Tobias Julian
. . .
George Julian’s move to Tennessee: Among 285 signatures in this April 01, 1799 Petition, in addition to Edward, Solomon and Tobias Lang (Long), were George Julin, John Julin, and Tobias Julias (Julian). These were undoubtedly George, 1752-1822, and his son John, m. 9 Mar 1797 [in Knox Co., Tenn.] to Sarah Alldredge [dau. of Nathan Alldredge & wife Hannah.
George (1752-1822) married Elinor (Eleanor) Long, then Jean Causey in 1795.There is a Bible record of the birth of this son in 1752. His date of death came after the 1820 Census. In 1790 George and Elinor were grantors to William Hinshaw in that county. And the First Federal Census recorded the family, also. Later, in 1796, George was the grantor of two parcels of land to Jesse Vestal. The sale of the Randolph County land was apparently preparatory to a move West as the subsequent records are in Tennessee, e. g. a 1799 tax record in Knox County. [Tennessee was separated from North Carolina in 1796.]
Note: George Julian, Sr. b. 1 Mar 1752, d. 9 Sep 1822, married Eleanor Long b. 14 Mar 1752, d. 14 Mar 1794. Many Julian and Long Family histories/books state that Eleanor Long was a daughter of Tobias Long; thus, a sister of Edward, Israel, John, and Solomon Longe (Long).
Deeds which appear to show that Nathan Alldredge is selling out his land in Guilford and Randolph Counties, North Carolina.
1794 Sept 2 - "Nathan Alldredge sold to Peter Smith of Guilford County, North Carolina, 200 acres for 260 pounds being part of tract Nathan purchased of Henry Pierce first cleared out of state office July 20 1786, adjoining John McCallum, Jeremiah York and Pierce's...". Book 6, pg. 8.
1794 30 October - "Nathan Aldredge sells to Jeremiah York for 20 pounds 50 acres on Mt. Pleasant Creek, branch of Sandy Creek land adjoining John Alred, being a tract that 'I bought of Absalom McDaniel and bought by sd. McDaniel of Jas. MacAlroy by deed from Granville dated 30 June 1762...' Dated 30 October 1794. Proven August Term Court by oath of John White". Book 7, pg. 26.
The following year, in 1795, Nathan is buying land in Knox Co, Tennessee:
6 May 1795 - Hiram Green of the County of Knox, Territory South of Ohio sells a piece of land consisting of 640 acres on the south side of Clinch River to NATHAN ALDRIDGE of Jefferson County, territory south of Ohio..." Witnesses: Stephen Julian and Thomas Hunter. Knox County, Tennessee Deeds. Book C2, vol. 1, pg. 81.
No records have been found for Nathan ALDRIDGE in Jefferson Co, TN. This deed shows that Nathan stopped briefly in Jefferson County, Tennessee. Nathan sold out in Randolph County in September and October 1794, so he must not have ever taken up land in Jefferson. He probably just spent the winter there.
Some Yorks, Julians, Woods, and Davises went to Tennessee early and they probably all went together. In those pioneer days a family did not travel alone through the wilderness. Nathan died on December 31, 1826 according to a newspaper item from the Knoxville Enquirer, January 17, 1827. His will was made 23 March 1818 and probated in the October Court, 1828.
Another summary from Nathan Aldridge’s purchase of land on 6 May 1795 - First Tennessee record for NATHAN ALDRIDGE shows 640 acres conveyed from Hiram Green of Knox County to Nathan Aldridge of Jefferson County. Witnesses: Stephen Julian and Thomas Hunter. (Acknowledged in open court, October Sessions, pg. 41, in Deed Book C2, Vol. 1, pg. 81.) NATHAN would have been 56 yrs. old at this time. This land is located on the South side of the Clinch River, Knox County, TN. It is probably what placed NATHAN in Knox County for the rest of his life and is several counties east/northeast from Rutherford/Bedford County where the later 1812 records for NATHANIEL and his possible second wife/widow REBECCA showed that they had sold their land previously to Malcolm Gilchrist, who was selling it to Robert Manison in 1812.
The marriage of Nathan Aldridge’s daughter, Sarah, to John Julian, in Knox County, Tennessee also confirms the Julian and Aldridge (Alldredge) families traveled from Randolph County, N. C. to Knox County (later Anderson County), Tn. in the 1795/96 timeframe.
Also, note that John Julian, son of Geo. Julian, Sr. & his wife Eleanor, b. 22 Aug 1776, d. 2 Jan 1865, aged 88 yrs., 4 mos., 11 days, m. 9 Mar 1797 [in Knox Co., Tenn.] to Sarah Alldredge [dau. of Nathan Alldredge & wife Hannah. This record is also in Knox Co. marriage records.] b. 7 Mar 1779, d. 10 Jan. 1857, aged 77 yrs., 10 mos., 3 days. Thus, John Julian, would have been a nephew of John, Solomon, Israel, and Edward Long, who were at John McGee’s Estate Sale in old Guilford County.
In Summary, these records reveal and show these Randolph County, North Carolina Longs and Families moved to Northeast Tennessee (Anderson County) sometime from 1794 to 1798. Maybe the timeframe includes early 1799, but this is doubtful due to the treacherous winters for travel over and through the Appalachian Mountains.
(also note this information about Tobias Long and Sylvania Alldredge)
Name: Robert ONeil
State: TN
County: Bledsoe County
Township: No Township Listed
Year: 1815
Record Type: Petitioner's List
Database: TN Early Census Index
Remember, Tobias Long (husband of Sylvania Alldredge) migrated from Anderson County, Tennessee around 1808 with Andrew Alldredge and other families from Randolph County, Tennessee. Then, they left in 1816 for Blount County, Alabama. Thus, Robert ONeil and his family were near Tobias and Sylvania Long for several years.
Historical records also reveal that Robert Long (who migrated with Edward Long and Tobias Long to Knox County, Tennessee about 1798) was also in Bledsoe County, Tennessee as early as 1809, probably earlier, and as late as 1813, and probably much later. Robert is found in Henderson County in 1830,as shown by the Federal Census Records. Thus, Robert ONeil and his family were not only near Tobias and Sylvania Long for several years, but also Robert Long as well.
Also, sometime between 1826 and 1830, the families of Edward Long, Solomon Long, and Squire Long moved to the southwest part of Tennessee and settled in McNairy County, which bordered Henderson on the north and the Mississippi State Line on the south. Census records show Edward Long in McNairy County, Tennessee in 1830. Solomon Long, Squire Long, and a Tobias Long are also found in the 1830 McNairy County, Tennessee Census Records.
