was one of the first settlers of Shelby County (along with James, William, and John Bettes; Gideon, Thomas, Anderson and Overton Carr; Thomas and Drewry Patterson, as well as others). He was born in NC near the VA border on Oct 6, 1788 of Irish descent and became a farmer. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church. He was married in Wilson Co., TN on May 10, 1809, to Miss Sallie Carr. They came to Shelby Co., TN in 1819, traveling on a flatboat with several other families bound for New Orleans. Upon reaching this point, they were so well-pleased with the country that they decided to settle there. The first white female child born in Shelby Co., TN was Mary Bettis, the sixth child of Tillman P. and Sallie Bettis.
His second wife, Mrs. Sallie Harkleroad Gribbin, was born in PA in 1800. They were married in AR, March 1827. Tillman owned extensive acreage laying between present-day Poplar Avenue and Union Avenue. He died at his home on Union Avenue on Feb 6, 1854 and is buried in the family plot on the grounds now owned and occupied by the Convent of the Good Shepherd.
Inscription reads: Erected by W.T., T.G., S.A., A.G., J.G., and N.A. Bettis Sons & A.L. Harkleroad, M.J. Pitman, S.?. Horne, E.W. Yarbrough and V.C. Craft daughters of T.P. Bettis.
Stone shared with Sally Bettis.
was one of the first settlers of Shelby County (along with James, William, and John Bettes; Gideon, Thomas, Anderson and Overton Carr; Thomas and Drewry Patterson, as well as others). He was born in NC near the VA border on Oct 6, 1788 of Irish descent and became a farmer. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church. He was married in Wilson Co., TN on May 10, 1809, to Miss Sallie Carr. They came to Shelby Co., TN in 1819, traveling on a flatboat with several other families bound for New Orleans. Upon reaching this point, they were so well-pleased with the country that they decided to settle there. The first white female child born in Shelby Co., TN was Mary Bettis, the sixth child of Tillman P. and Sallie Bettis.
His second wife, Mrs. Sallie Harkleroad Gribbin, was born in PA in 1800. They were married in AR, March 1827. Tillman owned extensive acreage laying between present-day Poplar Avenue and Union Avenue. He died at his home on Union Avenue on Feb 6, 1854 and is buried in the family plot on the grounds now owned and occupied by the Convent of the Good Shepherd.
Inscription reads: Erected by W.T., T.G., S.A., A.G., J.G., and N.A. Bettis Sons & A.L. Harkleroad, M.J. Pitman, S.?. Horne, E.W. Yarbrough and V.C. Craft daughters of T.P. Bettis.
Stone shared with Sally Bettis.
Family Members
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Annie Lyons Bettis Harkleroad
1811–1875
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Drury Lyons Bettis
1814–1854
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Lucy Hulen Bettis King
1818–1905
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Tillman Carr Bettis
1824–1894
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Sarah Carr Bettis Horne
1826–1880
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Shelby Alexander Bettis
1829–1864
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Anderson Carr Bettis
1833–1873
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Nathaniel Anderson Bettis
1837–1903
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Virginia Caroline Bettis Craft
1840–1912
