Namesake of his famous grandfather, General John Sevier, whose brilliant strategy helped defeat Major Patrick Ferguson at the Battle of King's Mountain. Thomas Jefferson declared the battle, fought on October 7, 1780 in upper South Carolina, "turned the tide of success."

In 1796, the general was elected the first Governor of Tennessee. The honor was well bestowed: he governed the Wautauga Settlement before the American Revolution. He and the other settlers risked everything: they did not have the Crown's permission to extend landholds. Ferguson threatened their homes if they did not return to the established boundaries. Sevier, William Campbell of Virginia, Benjamin Cleveland of North Carolina, and several others determined they could not, would not be threatened. For almost two weeks, they scoured the mountainous region of the Carolinas until Sevier's spies alerted him to Ferguson's whereabouts.

Great care must be used when tracing the Sevier lines. There are many descendants and names are constantly repeated. Families intermarry. The men were military leaders so an officer's rank does not help identify the man.

Governor Sevier was the son of Colonel Valentine Sevier. The governor was married twice. (Reference Memorial# 6364660.) John Augustus Sevier was the son of Major John Sevier and his first wife, Elizabeth Conway. She was the daughter of Henry Conway, DAR Ancestor Number A025201. Her sister, Nancy, married her husband's brother James. Her sister, Susannah, married his cousin, John Sevier, son of the governor's brother, Valentine. (Reference the Genealogical Research System of the Daughters of the American Revolution at dar.org. Membership is not required to access the GRS.)

On April 25, 1816, John Augustus Sevier married Mary Daniel in Warren County, Mississippi. She was the daughter of Thomas and Nancy Cook Daniel.

John died in 1827 at the age of 38 leaving Mary Daniel Sevier a young widow with six children. She married Noah Fleming In November of 1828. She died in 1838.

Beware: Because there is a cachet to be able to claim an ancestor fiught at the Battle of King's Mountain, many do so. Many do so in error. For the most accurate roster of actual partcipants, reference bkmnp.com.