Alexander Womack Jr in Cocke County, Tennessee

 Many years ago, when I started trying to sort out the Womack family in the US, I discovered that the Alexander Womack in Bedford Co, TN was likely the son of David Womack and his wife Elizabeth Hawkins, going against conventional wisdom that this was Alexander Womack Jr, David's brother.

Furthermore, I discovered deed records in Buncombe Co, NC, starting in 1813 (G:267), where an Alexander Womack from Cocke Co, TN began buying and selling land; the names Henry Buckner and Buckner Womack:  http://womackgen.com/ew/other/nc_womack_records.html

I was convinced this was Alexander Womack Jr and his son Buckner Womack, but an older generation researcher insisted this was Alexander Womack III and his brother Buckner, and that Alexander III was buying land at the age of 16 (based on the belief he was born in 1797; I think he was born closer to 1800).

Cocke County, Tennessee is a 'burned county' with most county records before the 1850s gone, as well as Federal censuses before 1830. However, there were Tennessee land grants in Cocke Co which were kept by the state government, and not lost.

On 12 Oct 1807, Alexander Womack Jr and wife Sarah McDearmon sold most of their land in Campbell Co, VA (DB 8:44). Alexander next appears as an adjacent land owner in a 23 June 1808 survey in Cocke Co, TN:

Tennessee Early Land Records, Series 3, Book 45:133 (Image 88/418) - No 245. Cocke Co, TN, 6th Dist, 23 June 1808 surveyed for Hezekiah Cairy 250 acres including his improvement, both sides of Clay Creek … “a corner of Alexander Wamocks deeded land” … “Fowlers line” … “conditional line between him and Coner” ….”line between him and Henry Reece”. John Shield Ds 6th S [District 6 Surveyor]. Chain Bearers: Buckner Wamack & John Cairy. Filed in the office 17 Sep and recorded 3 Nov 1808.

Note that Hezekiah Cairy's survey was next to Alexander Womack's deeded land, i.e., land which Alexander bought.  Note also that Buckner Womack was a chain carrier.  

In 1810, Alexander Womack had two surveys of his own:

Tennessee Early Land Records, Series 3, Book 45:308 (Image 188/418) - No 523. Cocke Co, TN, 6th Dist, 17 Nov 1810, surveyed for Alexander Wamock 68 acres including his improvement, both sides Clay Creek, … “line of his deeded land” … “conditional line between him and Buckner Wamack” … “Thomas Celendenans line” … “Buckner Wamacks claim” … “conditional line between him and Bowyers” … “conditional line between him and Thomas Fowler”. John Shields DS. Chain Bearers: Buckner Wamack & John Cairy. Filed in the office 22 Nov 1810, recorded 22 Nov 1810.

Tennessee Early Land Records, Series 3, Book 45:309 (Image 188/418) - No 524. Cocke Co, TN, 6th Dist, 17 Nov 1810, surveyed for Alexander Wamock 100 acres including his improvement, waters of Clay Creek, adjoining said Wamocks “deeded tract of 150 acres”. John Shields DS. Chain Bearers: Buckner Wammack & John Cayry. Filed in the office 22 Nov 1810, recorded 22 Nov 1810.

There are other later Tennessee land records from Cocke Co that show Alexander Womack assigned several claims to Benjamin Bryant, likely he same man he bought land from in Buncombe Co, NC (DB H:277).  There are further land records referring to Buckner Womack's land in Cocke Co in the 1820s.

These records are clearly too early to be referring to Alexander Womack III, even if you believe he was born as early as 1795, which I have seen claimed on the web, though no evidence supports he was born that early.  These records clearly refer to Alexander Womack Jr.