James' parents, John and Mary Free, came with other family members from South Carolina to Tennessee in the late 1820s.

In 1830, James Free and Nancy Jane Griffin married in Cocke County.

In 1850 (census data), the Free family was living in Cocke County with these children: Elizabeth, Nancy, John, Deborah, Polly, Preston, Anna, Hendley, Marion and Eliza.

Most of James and wife Jane Free's children grew up in Cocke County where they raised families.

Elizabeth Free married William Cody.

Nancy Jane Free married the Rev. John Griffin.

Mary "Polly" Free married Calvin Hance. Their daughter Leah married John Clevenger Jr, grandson of Jackson Clevenger and Patsy Lane. A photo of Leah (Hance) Clevenger is posted on her Find-A-Grave memorial. (Leah and John's children were Samuel, Bruce, Calvin, James, Nancy, May, Mary and Austin.) Another granddaughter was Ellen (Hance) Gray. She was widowed, living in Dandridge at the time of her death. Her husband's name was not listed on her death certificate but is Robert on their headstone.

(Samuel) Howard Free married Mary Queen. Their burial sites are unknown. But they have 2 sons, Nathan and William, buried in Knox County.

Preston Free married married Sarah Richardson. They lived in Sevier County. One of their sons was James W. Free.

Jane Free (same name as her mother) never married. She lived to be 90. She is believed to be the last burial in the Free-Clevenger Cemetery.

James and Jane's sons John, James, Hendley, Sam and Marion married and raised families in Cocke County. Marion was a well-know minister.
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John Free's family (as posted on an Ancestry blog)
1812 Birth: South Carolina
1830 Marriage: Nancy Jane Griffin, TN
1831 Birth of Daughter: Elizabeth Free
1832 Birth of Daughter: Nancy Free
1834 Birth of Son: James Preston Free
1836 Birth of Son: John M Free
1839 Birth of Daughter: Deborah Free
1842 Birth of Daughter: Jane Free
1842 Birth of Daughter: Mary (Polly) Free
1845 Birth of Son: William Henley Free
1846 Birth of Daughter: Sarah Ann Free
1847 Birth of Son: Marion Francis Free
1848 Birth of Daughter: Maria Free
1849 Birth of Daughter: Maranda Free
1850 Birth of Daughter: Eliza I Free
1850 Death of Father: John Free
1851 Birth of Son: Heriam Free
1852 Birth of Son: Samuel Howard Free
1853 Birth of Daughter: Cynthia Free
1860 Death of Wife: Nancy Jane Griffin
Aug. 10, 1869 Death