This
information can be found on page 94 in the book - The Heritage of Lawrence County, Tennessee.
THE BELEW/BELUE CLAN
There he stood, age unknown. The date was 1735. The
location was the Carolina
Territory. From whence
did this man come? That is not known. Many of us have theories. Some believe he
emigrated from France.
I also believe he came to America
from France
because he was considered a French Huguenot. At that time, if you had a
different religion than Catholic, you were an outcast in France. Renny
Bleue was his name.
Renny found a wife and
became parents of several children. The oldest was named Zachariah, who was
born on April 21, 1758. Between the years of 1775 and 1783, Zachariah and his
father Renny, fought in The America
Revolutionary War aka America
War of Independence.
Renny must have had an education as he was promoted to Lieutenant. Zachariah's
rank was Private. Someway and somehow, Zachariah's last name got changed from
Belue to Belew. My theory is that it was changed by mistake since I believe
Zack was unable to read or write.
Rennie died in Union
County, South Carolina of old age in 1797, however, his burial site has never
been found. I looked in all the cemeteries in that area, and was unable to find
it. Many times during those years, a field rock was left by the grave as a
marker in place of a tombstone.
Where am I going with this
story? It's leading up to my life, beginning in 1926. After the war, the Carolina Territory had no money to offer soldiers
as a bonus for their war effort, but they offered free land, which they had
plenty. After Renny died, Zachariah packed up his family and headed to Lawrence County, Tennessee,
to accept the bonus free land. It's difficult to imagine the hardship of
traveling from South Carolina to Middle Tennessee, hundreds of
miles through the uncharted trail by wagon, mules, horses, or walking and
avoiding the American Indians.
Zachariah Belew and his
family arrived in the Leoma area, Lawrence County, in early 1800s. The free
land was located east of Leoma. Farm life was about the only way of surviving
in those days. A son, William, was born in 1816. Zachariah's name is listed on
a DAR plaque on the outside wall of the Lawrence County, Tennessee Courthouse (near the flagpole) for
his war effort. I, Noah H. Belew, was accepted as a member of SAR through
Zachariah's name. Zachariah died on February 9, 1845. He is buried at the Second Creek
Cemetery in Lawrence County, Tennessee.
William Belew, born in Lawrence County on July 13, 1816, was the son of
Zachariah. He lived and farmed his land east of Leoma. William got married and
had a family. They named one of their sons, Jonathan. William died on September
8, 1884, and is buried in a cemetery east of Leoma.
Jonathan Belew was born on
June 14, 1841 in Lawrence County, Tennessee.
He became a farmer on land east of Leoma. He and his wife had a son in 1867
named Robert H. Belew. This was my grandfather. Robert and his wife (my
grandmother Matilda Cottrell Belew) lived and farmed on land east of Leoma.
They had a family and one of their sons was named George Lonnie (Lon) Belew.
This was my father.
George Lonnie (Lon) Belew,
born on June 22, 1892, married Rettie Mae Hickman Belew (my mother), born
December 30, 1996. They had six children - four males and two females. I, Noah
H. Belew, was born on August 11, 1926. Lon and his family lived on a rocky
hilly farm in the village of Barnesville, Lawrence County.
During the Great Depression it was touch and go in order to survive. This was
before tractors. Farming was accomplished with a strong back, mules and
hoes.
Rettie Mae Hickman Belew
was born in Lawrence County, Tennessee.
She was a mother and housewife, and did a lot of farm work, including milking
the cows. She lived to be 90 and died from a stroke on Flag Day, June 14, 1987.
Alonzo Junior Belew was
the oldest son. He was born to Lon and Rettie on April 18, 1917. Alonzo left
home for greener pasture around 1935. He found work in Detroit, Michigan,
with an automobile manufacture. He joined the US Army when World War II started.
Alonzo died and was buried in Benton, Kentucky on April 7,
1974.
Loyd Virgil Belew, second
son of Lon and Rettie was born on September 21, 1918. Loyd was a farmhand on
his daddy's farm until 1938, when he joined the US Army. After the war, Loyd became
a farmer and pursued other jobs until he died in Hohenwald, Tennessee, in December, 1995. He is buried
in Napier, Tennessee.
Freda Mae Belew was the
first daughter of Lon and Rettie. She was born on May 7, 1921 and died on
September 8, 1928. Her death was caused by an appendix that burst. Freda is
buried at the Barnesville Cemetery, Lawrence
County.
Claude Monroe Belew, third son of Lon and Rettie,
was born on February 20, 1923. He was a helper on the farm until he went to Michigan in 1940 to find
better work. He joined the US
Navy when World War II started. He retired from the Navy in 1962. Claude was
successful as a self employee until he died on June 10, 2003. Claude is buried
in the Barnesville Cemetery, Lawrence
County.
Opal Belew Scott, second
and last daughter of Lon and Rettie was born on August 3, 1929 and died on June
11, 1991. She is buried in the Barnesville
Cemetery, Lawrence County.
Noah Harold Belew (that's
me) is the fourth and last son of Lon and Rettie. He was born on August11, 1926
in Lawrence County. My working life: Served 20 years
in the USMC and 20 years as a motion picture filmmaker. I am still living at
age 80.
(Update: I will celebrate my 85th birthday on 11 August
2011)
Submitted
by: Noah H. Belew, 1396 Autumn
Breeze Circle, Gulf Breeze, Florida 32563
<><><><>
FOR THE LAWRENCE
COUNTY HERITAGE BOOK
The Belew/Belue Family
By Noah H. Belew
1396 Autumn Breeze Circle
Gulf Breeze, FL
32563
Email: noahbelew@earthlink.net
Web site: http://wwii-Medal-of-Honor.com
My Grandfather and Great Grandfathers
Great
Grandfather Renny Belue
Born in 1738
(place unknown)
Died in
December 1797 in South Carolina
Soldier
(Lt.) in the American Revolution War
Buried in
S.C. - Cemetery unknown
Great
Grandfather Zachariah Belew
Oldest son
of Renny Belue
Name was
changed for unknown reason
Solider in
the Revolution War
His name is
on a plaque on the wall of Lawrence County, Courthouse
Noah H.
Belew was accepted as a member of SAR through Zachariah war record
Born in North Carolina on April
21, 1758
Died in a
cemetery in Leoma, Lawrence County, Tenn.
Great
Grandfather William Belew
Born in Lawrence County, Tenn.
on July 13, 1816
Died on
September 8, 1884
Buried in a
cemetery in Leoma, Lawrence
County.
Great
Grandfather Jonathan Belew
Son of
William
Born on June
14, 1841 in Lawrence County,
Tenn.
Died on June
29, 1928
Buried in a
cemetery in Leoma, Lawrence County, Tenn.
Grandfather
Robert H. Belew
Born in 1867
Died in 1944
Son of
Jonathan
Buried in a
cemetery in Leoma, Lawrence County, Tenn.
FATHER:
George Lonnie (Lon) Belew
Son of
Robert H. and Matilda 'Cottrell Belew
Born on June
22, 1892
Died on
January 27, 1943
Buried at Barnesville Cemetery
MOTHER:
Rettie Mae Belew
Born on
December 30, 1896
Died on June
14, 1987
Buried at Barnesville Cemetery
DAUGHTER:
Freda Mae Belew
Born on May
7, 1921
Died on
September 8, 1928
Buried at Barnesville Cemetery
DAUGHTER:
Opal Belew Scott
Born on
August 3, 1929
Died on June
11, 1991
Buried at Barnesville Cemetery
SON: Noah
Harold Belew
Born August
11, 1926
Still living
SON: Claude
Monroe Belew
Born on
February 20, 1923
Died on June
10, 2003
Buried at Barnesville Cemetery
SON: Loyd
Vergil Belew
Born on
September 21, 1918
Died in
December 1995
Buried at Napier Cemetery
SON: Alonzo
Junior Belew
Born on
April 18, 1917
Died on
April, 7, 1974
Buried in a
cemetery in Benton, Kentucky
