John Starlin Deaton
October 1865 – February 1908
John Starlin Deaton was born to Eliza Cantrell and an unknown father in Towns County, Georgia. Eliza gave John the last name "Deyton" in honor of her deceased husband, Joab M Deyton, who had died on July 22nd 1862, while in the service with Company D, of the 24th Regiment, of the Georgia Volunteers (CSA). Joab died of Fever in the hospital located in Richmond, Virginia. It is unknown who John's father at the time of me writing this, but hopefully the answer will become clear through a lot of DNA testing. (NOTICE: the spelling of Deaton varied throughout John Starlin's life, it is someitmes spelled "Deaton", "Deyton" or "Dayton")
John Starlin had 3 half siblings, Silas L. Dayton born in 1861 who lived with his paternal grandparents after his father, Joab, died in Civil War.
A sister named Martha Ann Deaton who was born in 1870. Her father was Jeremiah Marion Osborn.
And another brother named James Wesley Dayton born in 1873. His father was Wyle Trusty.
Father: Unknown
Mother: Eliza Cantrell
Half Brothers: Silas Dayton, James Wesley Dayton
Half Sisters: Martha Ann Deyton
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First Wife: R.L. Murphy
Second Wife: Leutica Carver
Children: Reuben Deaton, David Deaton, Isaac Deaton, Robert Lee Deaton
Third Wife: Etta Icie Davis
Children: John Henry Deaton, Jacob Leander Deaton, Harve Wesley Deaton
Photographic enlargement of John Starlin Deaton
Towns County, Georiga
John Starlin Deyton grew up living with his mother Eliza Cantrell, grandmother Martha Cantrell, and sister Martha Ann Deyton. Who are all listed with him in the 1870 census.
In 1880, John Starlin Deyton was living with his Eliza, Martha Ann, and James Wesley Dayton.
Based on compiled marriages records in Towns County, Georgia. John Starlin married "R.L. Murphy" on March 21st 1886. Nothing is known about R.L. Murphy but the marriage apparently did not last long as John Starlin soon moved to Robbinsville, North Carolina sometime between 1886 and 1891.
Living in North Carolina
John Starlin Deaton was prone to fighting and drinking, he was often known as "Fighting John Deaton", he was considered the strongest man in two different counties. It is said that he helped build the second ever courthouse in Robbinsville, NC and got into a fight with another worker. This made him the first case trialed in the new courthouse.
A story told by Farley Deaton: (Grandson of John Starlin Deaton) John once made a bet in which his friends said they would give him a dollar for every foot he carried a metal railroad track. He ended up carrying it twenty feet and made twenty dollars. This is equivalent to over 700 dollars in 2023.
Farley also told me that John Starlin was so strong that he picked up a giant concrete stone and moved it all by himself while working on the courthouse, leaving everyone in awe.
This is a picture of the second courthouse in Robbinsville, North Carolina shortly after completion in 1895. It is unknown if John is in the picture or not.
Second Marriage
On August 8th, 1891, John Starlin Deaton married Leutica Candis Carver in Robbinsville, North Carolina. They were married by Justice of the Peace, TJ Wakefield. Witnesses were William Carpenter, R.L. Carver, and Elizabeth Carver.
Through the marriage, John Starlin received two new stepchildren. Etta and Cena Davis, who were the children of Leutica and James Davis of Robbinsville.
John and Tishie had four boys together. On April 28th 1891, Reuben Deaton. On November 25th 1894, David Deaton. On July 10th 1897, Isaac Deaton. On December 31st 1899, Robert Lee Deaton.
Then in December of 1900, it is suspected that Leuticia died during childbirth, as she is buried in Lone Oak Cemetery with an "Infant Deyton" beside her.
Justice of the Peace: Thomas Jefferson Wakefield
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The fate of John Starlin's step daughter Cena, is currently unknown. Is is suspected that she died sometime between 1900-1908. She was listed in the 1900 census and then suddenly disappears from all records with no named headstone.
Mysterious Disappearnce of Cena
Headstone of "Infant of John & Leutica Deyton"
Headstone of Leuticia Deyton
Third Marriage
On December 23rd 1902, John Starlin married his stepdaughter, Etta Icie Davis. They were married by Justice of the Peace, W.M. Flemming. Witnesses were C.M. Pittman, B.C. Deyton, and John Deyton.
They had their first child on February 14th 1902, John Henry Deaton. During a trip to the Graham County courthouse, I received John Henry's Delayed Birth Certificate. He had gone back to Robbinsville to obtain a birth certificate in 1943. It says the doctor that delivered the child was S.F. Howell.
Dr Swinfield F Howell making his rounds
Delayed Birth Certificate of John Henry Deaton
On March 8th 1904, John Starlin and Etta had their second son together, Jacob Leander Deaton.
On November 14th 1907, the youngest son of John Starlin and Etta was born Harve Wesley Deaton.
Killing of John Starlin Deaton
It is belived that John Starlin was shot and killed by his cousin, Grayson Garrett, near Hanging Dog, North Carolina. The story goes, "While clearing logs off a new ground with his son, Isaac, John Starlin was ambushed from behind and shot in the back of the head. Isaac Deaton followed the river all the way to Tellico Plains, TN to get help. He walked 13 miles and did not arrive until 7pm that night. When they returned it was too late and John Starlin Deaton had passed away."
For a long time, no one knew who the killer of John Starlin Deaton was. One day, Isaac's son, Jurlon Deaton, was in the hospital. A nurse came into his room with tears in her eyes and confessed that her uncle, Grayson Garrett, had killed John Starlin. Apparently, Garrett was a good friend of John Starlin's. Garrett wanted a man killed in Georgia and one of Garrett's friends wanted to John Starling killed, so Garrett killed John Starlin and the friend of Garrett, killed the man in Georgia for him in return.
John Starlin Deaton is buried in the Garrett Cemetery. He is understood to be one of the first people buried here. His original headstone was falling apart so it was replaced with a new headstone in the late 1990s or early 2000s.
In a book called Coker Creek by Fred Brown, the author talks about Grayson Garrett and his life as an outlaw. He went to prison for killing another man. The author also mentions that stories were passed down that Grayson Garrett had also killed his cousin (he couldn't remember the cousins name), which would be John Starlin Deaton.
Second Headstone of John Starlin Deaton
in August 2023
First Headstone of John Starlin Deaton
Picture from Coker Creek Book by Fred Brown
William Grayson Garrett
John Starlin's wife, Etta, packed up everything they owned onto a cart pulled by an ox to take her and her children all the way to Towns County, Georgia. Etta's half brothers, David and Robert Lee Deaton went with them too. They had to camp out over an open fire, while it tooks months to arrive in Georgia. They were welcomed by John Starlin's sister, Martha Ann Wheeler. Whom they lived with for a while until moving to Banks County, Georgia.
It is understood that Etta did not talk about John Starlin in her later years. There is only one picture that exists of John Starlin, that my great grandfather, Harve Deaton, kept in his house for as long as he lived. This original picture and frame is now in my possession. It is a photographic enlargement that was retouched with artist’s crayon (circa ≈1900).
Polaroid picture believed to have been taken sometime in the late 50s of the original photographic enlargement of John Starlin Deaton
Half Sister of John Starlin Deaton, Martha Ann Deyton Wheeler
