Nancy Ellen Shields married James Moses Cloninger on 23 February 1879 in Knoxville, Tennessee by Paschal Carter. Bondsman was A.B. Cash. Nancy Ellen told Jewell Vermillion that she met James Moses Cloninger "while she was staying with some people to help with the children and housework." I do not know where this occurred as of yet and have not found how Nancy Ellen came to be in Knoxville. James Moses was born on 8 March 1859 and died of "stomach trouble", according to his death record, on 26 March 1910. But, Jewell Vermillion, daughter of Minnie Mae Cloninger Farrington, stated that he died of TB. His death record lists him as a "Merchant." He owned two grocery stores and rented four houses. He lost all of this, plus his own house to a crooked lawyer because he believed he had everything in order in the way of paperwork, etc.

His obituary thus reads in THE DAILY JOURNAL AND TRIBUNE, Monday March 28, 1910:
CLONINGER, J.M. Cloninger, aged fifty-one years, died Saturday night at 11:30 o'clock at his home, No. 816 Leroy Street, after a brief illness. The funeral services will be conducted from the home Monday afternoon at two o'clock, after which internment will be in New Gray Cemetery. The deceased is survived by a widow and eleven children. Note, James Moses Cloninger's tombstone reads: "Now his work on earth done he is gone in peace to god."

I believe he is the son of Moses and Margaret Wilson Cloninger who both apparently died in 1859 as paupers and were most likely buried in the Paupers Cemetery here in Knoxville. James Moses, his brother William, Adam Alonzo, sisters Elizabeth and Josie ? were left orphaned. There may be other brothers and sisters not known at this time. Adam's death certificate lists his parents as Moses Cloninger and mother's maiden name as "Walker," which should be Wilson. (See notes below from Harold Cloninger)

Moses A. Cloninger and Margaret Wilson were married on 14 February 1848 in Knoxville.

Known and suspected children of Moses and Margaret Wilson Cloninger were:

1. William Cloninger born ca. 1848 and died? This William is with Moses and Margaret in 1850.

2. Adam Alonzo Cloninger born 4 Feb. 1854 and died 27 April 1914. He is buried at Pawpaw Holler Cemetery. He married Millie C. Hayes in Knox County on 27 April 1881. James Pratt was the bondsman.
3. Eliazbeth Cloninger born and died? Married James Pratt in Knox County on 30 Sept.1869.

4. Josie Cloninger born and died? This may be Sarah J. Cloninger who married William Harrison Caldwell in Knoxville on Sept. 20 1868. Notes say Sarah died in 1883. The 1880 census for Knox County (page 278, family #186, 16th district) lists S.J. Caldwell 27, Margt. A. 10, Mary I. 7, George W. 5, Moses D. 4, William H. 2, Swan 5/12, and Adam (brother.) Maybe Adam Alonzo.

5. James Moses Cloninger born 8 March 1859 and died 26 March 1910 in Knoxville. (Previous)



Nancy and James Moses Cloninger had twelve children. As my granny, the granddaughter of Nancy Ellen Shields, used to say, "They had 2 boys then 2 girls, then 3 boys then 3 girls, then a boy and a girl." According to Nancy's granddaughter, Marguerite Aretta Sliger Mode Caldwell, all of the Cloninger children, including Nancy and James Moses, had blue eyes. In an interview with granny, Marguerite Aretta Sliger Mode Caldwell, she said, "Momma's (Sarah Louise Cloninger Sliger) daddy (James Moses Cloninger) he lived up in Thorngrove and he had a farm and his brother (Adam Alonzo Cloninger) had one, but he got sick and couldn't (keep up with it) His chest bothered him and he moved to town (Knoxivlle) My grand paw (Cloninger) put three of his kids to work down there (Brookside Mills) He moved to here from Thorngrove and he sold his farm and then he bought a piece of land near Leroy Street. He moved here before I was ever born (1905) Momma (Sarah) said she cried because they didn't take her and get her a job, so he took her down there and got her a job and she said after that she didn't like it because she had to get up every morning early. They worked kids 12 or 13 years old. And then grand paw (Cloninger) he built him a home and he built a place on Marion Street. Grand paw had a home here and he had a house here and one here and then you turn out this way and he had two more. Well, that made a great big square and that's where he had all them toilets (out houses) And then down here he bought some more of the land; he started him a wood yard. He bought the wood from C.B. Atkin, but sold it by the load you know." My notes say James Moses came to Knoxville ca. 1895.