John Allen Hodges was born circa 1754 on the Virginia side of North Carolina. He died July 26, 1841 in Claiborne County, Tennessee and is buried at the Tazewell Methodist M.E. Cemetery. He is documented living in the Tazewell, Claiborne County, Tennessee area as early as 1789 when it was known as Hawkins County. He married circa 1802 in Claiborne County to Sarah “Sallie” McCubbins who was most likely his second wife. Sallie was born circa 1774 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia and was the daughter of Cpt. Zachariah McCubbins (1752-1834) of Baltimore, Maryland and his wife Sarah “Sallie” Lane (1754-1854) of Lunenburg County, Virginia. The McCubbins moved to Claiborne County in 1802 and resided just south of Tazewell. In the book "Old Time Tazewell" published  in 1979 by Mary Lorena Hansard Wilson is a vivid recollection of the old families of Tazewell as told by Mary A. Hansard.  Her description of John and Sallie is quiet detailed and I quote "Old Mrs. Hodge and her husband were noted for their piety. I have seen her happy and heard her shout and praise God many times. Her weight was about 250. Nevertheless, when she was happy she seemed as active as a young girl. All those good old citizens have passed away many years ago. My desire is that others as worthy as they were will fill their places."

  John Allen Hodges Sr. had the following known children: Elizabeth “Betsey” was born February 14, 1800 in Hawkins County and married first a Todd and second Archibald Cooper; Barbara was born circa 1803 in Claiborne County and married Tennessee Murgraves; Allen was born circa 1805 in Claiborne County and married Mary Jane Yost; Zachariah was born circa 1806 in Claiborne County and married Sarah Thomas; Canada was born circa 1808 in Claiborne County and married Margaret, last name believed to be a Barnett; Polly was born 1810 in Claiborne County and married Isaac Miller; Louisa was born December 8, 1814 in Claiborne County and married William Hansard; William was born December 1823 in Claiborne County married first Mariah Cloud and married second Sarah. A possible male son buried near John in the Tazewell Cemetery and referred to as “A Son of John” born circa 1825 and died in 1832.

  John’s wife Sallie was a member of the Big Spring Primitive Baptist Church which was located about 4 miles southeast of Tazewell from December 1807 until June 1828 when she joined the Methodist Church in Tazewell and John followed suit. The following exert is from the Minutes of the Big Spring Primitive Baptist Church which was transcribed by Nancy Cassada Nelson: December Second Saturday 1807. Church met at Big Spring and after worship proceeded to business. 1st Opened a door for the reception of members and received Sarah Hodges, Zachariah, Sarah and Leta McCubbin by letter. June Second Saturday 1828. Church met at Big Spring and after worship proceeded to business. 1st Sister Sarah Hodges taken under dealings by some of the church for communion with the Methodist Society. Deferred to our next meeting. July Second Saturday 1828. Church met at Big Spring and after worship proceeded to business. 1st Received George Hughs by experience. 2^nd Sarah Hodges communing with the Methodist Society and going in unto their love feast and declaring she would not be debarred from the privilege and benefit she enjoyed at such meetings the church agreeing to sit her at liberty. She is therefore excluded. John Hodges declaring himself not a member of the church and as such excluded.”

  Another member of the Big Spring Church was Bibby Hodges. Bibby and wife Sarah Brooks of Halifax County, Virginia had moved to Claiborne County circa 1810. Bibby was the son of Thomas Hodges and Susannah Bomar and is located in the Hodges FTDNA Project under “No lineage assigned or tested.” From the Big Spring Church minutes dated August 2, 1810: “Church met at Big Spring and after worship proceeded to business.1st Appointed Brethren Zachariah McCubbin, Joab Hill and Ishum Clark delegates to the Association.2nd Appoint Brethren Isaac Lane and George Stubblefield to attend the union meeting at Ritchland Creek meeting house Second Saturday in September.3rd Libby Hodges (sic) received by experience.”

  Claiborne County, Tennessee was formed from parts of Hawkins and Grainger counties in 1801. The history in the formation of these counties is quiet confusing for the normal researcher. Hawkins and Grainger were formed from Sullivan County in 1786. Sullivan County was formed from Washington County, Tennessee in 1779 when it was still part of North Carolina. In 1777 the North Carolina legislature changed the name of the Washington District to Washington County, North Carolina and this consisted of most all of present day Tennessee. The present day Washington County, North Carolina located in Eastern North Carolina was not formed until 1799.

  Since we know the early history in the formation of these counties we may have a clue as to where John originally was born and raised or lived prior to 1801. On April 11, 1776, a John Hodges Sr. purchased 330 acres of land in Washington (District) County on the south side of the Watauga River. In the modern era the Watauga River flows from Watauga County, North Carolina to Washington County, Tennessee for a distance of about 60 miles. In Pitt County, North Carolina Deed Book F, page 537 dated May 22, 1779: John Hodges of Washington (County) to Howell Hodges, brother….Power of attorney for 150 acres….sell & dispose of one hundred & fifty acres of Land Lying in Pitt County and on the North side of George Moye, Jun being the land whereon I formerly dwelt with all the houses Orchards and other improvements. The last entry mentioning this John was in Pitt County Deed Book F, page 537, dated January 24, 1780: Howell Hodges to Isaac Carrell, 150 acres for £1300. Former owner John Hodges. Wit: Drury Stokes. 

  John Allen Hodges could be a son of this John Hodges of Pitt County that bought the above property from Samuel Hargroves on December 6, 1750 and moved to Washington (District) County, North Carolina prior to May 22, 1779. Howell died the same year in which he sold his brother’s land in Pitt County to Isaac Carrell. John Little and Henry Hodges were named executors of Howell’s estate in January 1781 Term of the Pitt County Court. The only question to this theory is the 1880 census record of John Allen’s son William in which he states that his father was born in South Carolina and his son Zachariah who states that his father was born in Tennessee. From the book “OLD TIME TAZEWELL” published in 1979 by Mary Lorena (Hansard) Wilson states that the father of John was Henry Hodges from Pittsylvania County, Virginia. The following is from the biographical sketch of J.W. Hodges, a grandson of John and County Clerk of Williamson County, Texas from 1892-1898: “The Hodges family are descended from three brothers. They lived on the Virginia side of North Carolina. John Hodges, the grandfather of our subject, was born in North Carolina, but removed to Tennessee in the early days.” Recent DNA test has proven that John is related to Henry Hodge(s) and Thomas Hodges of Edgecombe County, North Carolina; closely related to Robert Hodges Jr. and Ann Branch Family of Isle of Wight County, Virginia.