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Reference:
The Burris Family by Steven T. Hurt
Fred
T. May
Posted April 2009 
The
following map was first brought to my attention by Henry Forsyth,
who got a copy from his mother a number of years ago. Her copy came
from a lady in Catlettsburg. I later learned from David Hurt that
Steven T. Hurt had included the map in his 1991 book on the Burris family.
Marion
Tevis Burris, the man who drew the map "In Memory of Home,"
was born August 28, 1828 on Johns Creek. His map reflects his
memories of the location of the farms and watersheds along the creek
from above the mouth of Bent Branch to its confluence with [Levisa
Fork of] Sandy River. His notations are obviously based on stories he
heard first-hand from early settlers of Johns Creek.
Tevis
was the son of Rev. Milton Leslie and Rachel Burris. She was
unmarried when he was born and she later married a Mr. Horn about
1833. In 1834 Tevis was taken to live in the home of his uncle,
Pharmer Lesley, on Johns Creek where he was reared. Early in these
years with his Lesley relatives, he became a part of the Lesley
Society which built Snivley Chapel
on land donated by Martin Lesley in April 1853. The 1850 census shows
that Tevis was a farmer living on Johns Creek in the home of Thomas
Patton May, husband of his cousin, Margery Elizabeth (Betty) Leslie.
In
1854 Tevis married Agnes Spears of Daniels Creek in Johnson Co, KY.
He later became a Preacher, Teacher, Doctor, Artist and Historian. He
and Agnes reared a family of ten children. They
both died in 1904
and are buried in Hatten Cemetery at Durbin, Boyd County, KY
Some
of the notes are transcribed below, with help from Steven T. Hurt
who apparently had a slightly more legible copy when he wrote his book.
Johns
Creek flows from top to bottom on the map, in a West by Northwest direction.
The 1820 census here lists some of the neighboring families that appear on the map 
1.
The map begins a mile or so above Meta, KY where Bent Branch flows
into Johns Creek. A drawing of a panther is prominent. [Near the
mouth of present-day Bevins Branch]; "1809. Where John Lycan
killed a panther, 9 ft. in lenght (sic). It carried a yearling by the
back of the neck. Lycan was born 1792."
2.On
the valley along Bent Branch; "The pre-historic lived and
died here all over this valley. They had villages many places, warred
& died."
3."A.
Pinson" named at the mouth of Bent Branch. Probably Aaron
Pinson, a pioneer who moved from the Watauga River Valley of Eastern Tennessee.
4. "Grave
Mounds" is written and drawn on the sharp bend in Johns
Creek above the mouth of Coon Creek.
5.
Near the mounds is written; "Leslie Mill. Race cut by Tom
Davis for P. Leslie." [Pharmer Lesley].
6. "Burna
Johnson set[tled] 1811" at the mouth of Coon Creek.
7.
Other farms below Coon Creek: "Bevins, Jarrett Pinson, W.
Scott, Wm. Pinson, Henry Pinson." The next note says, "Here
Jas. Maynard settled 1803."
8.
"Tom Pinson" lived at the mouth of Joe's Creek and
further up the creek "Lead Mines" are noted.
9. "A
man was killed here" is noted on either Miller's Creek or
Cana [Caney] Creek. This death probably occurred on Miller's Creek
which was the main route over a pass and down Stone Coal Creek to
Sandy River.
10.
On Bear Fork of Cana is a note "D. B. 1792." Probably
referring to a Daniel Boone hunting camp.
11.
HOME: Brushy Run extends to a pass [Brushy Gap] that goes to White
Oak Branch of Buffalo Creek. Tevis drew hands pointing to this area
as his home and noted "ancient diggings" nearby.
This remote location is now accessable by a modern road passing
around the airport at Hatcher Field on top of the mountain.
12.
The next farm down Johns Creek was settled by "Ed Guilky -
1801," It was located just above the farm of "A.[Allen]
Leslie - 1820" on Allen's Branch [now May Farm Branch],
where Thomas Patton May lived after marrying Allen's daughter, Betty,
in 1841.
13.
The next short hollow is "Horse Pen Branch," which
bears the note "Boone 1775." Stories of the
Lesley/Leslie family tell that their ancestor, William Robert Lesley,
learned of the area from Daniel Boone.
14. Snivley
Chapel is not noted on the map. It was constructed in 1853 near
the mouth of the next branch "Wm. Cornetts Br ?"
[now named Walker Branch] flowing into Johns Creek. [This makes one
speculate that the map might have been drawn before 1853.]
15.
Martin's Branch is the location of the original Leslie Settlement and
where some of the Leslie family members are buried. Notes on the map
say, "Here Robert Leslie settled 1802. His father W.R. Leslie
died - the first buried on Johns Creek. Pharmer Leslie was born May
22, 1803, the first child born in Pike Co." [actually Floyd
County at the time]. 
16. A
significant landmark on Johns Creek was a giant tree drawn at the
mouth of "Sycamore Cr." It is marked; "Tree
camp - 15 ft. diameter." This hollow sycamore tree is where
William Robert Lesley established temperory quarters while building a
cabin for his family. In earlier years 'long hunters' from Virginia
camped there during their excursions into the valley.
17.
The next notes don Johns Creek reference:
"Horse tracks found by Joseph Skaggs & Kendricks." They probably were early hunters exploring the valley. "Mound graves" near the farm of "Dr. P.L. Jackson." Now named Jackson Branch.
18. Branches on down Johns Creek to the mouth of "Brushy Fork"
were named for families who settled there: "Job Dean's Br.,
Bevins Br. & Clay's Br." Some of these branches still
bear these names. Two others are still named "Drift Branch
& Missouri Branch."
19. Very
few notes are made on Brushy Fork, though it extends a number of
miles parallel to Johns Creek. "Small salt Reuben Clark"
is noted below the mouth of Brushy. The boundary between Pike and
Floyd County passes near this point.
20.
Bufallo Creek extends to the right on the map with a note regarding "Thomas
Wiley",
husband of the famous Indian captive, Jennie Wiley.
21. The next branches of Johns Creek in Floyd County are noted as "Souders
Br., McGuires Br., Dicks Branch, Brandy Keg & Stratton Br."
Today Jennie Wiley State Park is located in this area.
22.
Drawn on "Sandy River" [Levisa Fork of Big Sandy]
below the mouth of Johns Creek is "Block House built by
Harmans and Auxiers." This is where Jennie
Wiley was rescued in her escape from her Indian captors in 1890.
Also noted:
"D. Boone and Nathan Boone left 1796."
23.
The next creek down the river is Millers Creek and then Greasy Creek.
Noted on this creek is "Daniel Boone Camp 1792-1796." and
above there "Lead Mines."
24. Up Sandy River three creeks noted are: "Abbott, Middle
Cr. and Beaver." Prestonsburg in not noted on the map. Near
the location of the town is written:
"Here A. Harman was born 1798, first on Sandy."
25. Names of the children of Robert Leslie are at the bottom of the map.
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IN MEMORY OF HOME
by Rev. Marion Tevis Burris
by Rev. Marion Tevis Burris
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