Was Mrs. Batts the niece of Lucy Bell, and how was her name spelled?
Genealogy information from North Carolina, along with census and other information in Tennessee, strongly suggests that Mrs. Batts was the niece of Lucy Bell. Specifically, she was the daughter of John Williams, Jr., who was Lucy Williams Bell’s brother. This highly possible connection was discovered by Tim Henson of Adams, Tennessee. Additionally, Mrs. Batts’ husband, Frederick, was the brother of Jeremiah Batts, who was married to Elizabeth Williams, Lucy Williams Bell’s sister. Frederick and Jeremiah Batts were the brothers of Benjamin Batts, the man with whom John Bell had a dispute that ultimately resulted in his excommunication from Red River Baptist Church.Mrs. Batts’ first name is spelled with a “C,” and not a “K.” I discovered this fact many years ago while researching legal documents at the Robertson County Archives. The name in the document, where Mrs. Batts was the witness to a signature, was spelled, “Caty.” There is reportedly a document in North Carolina, which I have no
