30 Fathers in 30 Days: Jarvis Wingfield

When Peter Winfield of Mecklenburg County, Virginia, arrived to the Rocky River area of Anson County in 1782, along with a caravan of friends and relatives, he brought with him the genetics of his grandfather, Jarvis Wingfield. In the same manner, Jarvis Wingfield carried the genes of his maternal grandfather, Jarvis Dix, whom he was named after. Peter was my fifth Great Grandfather, his father, Edward, my sixth, making Jarvis Wingfield my seventh Great Grandfather, and his Grandfather, Jarvis Dix, my 9th. The first name of Jarvis's mother was unknown, we only know her as the daughter of Jarvis Hix, who married William Wingfield. 

The Wingfield/Winkfield/Winfield family is one of my most researched families, as I found them absolutly fascinating. There was also material to research, so I didn't become frustrated beating my head against a brickwall, thank to the Wingfield Society, a group formed to perserve and search for all things Wingfield. I've even attended one yearly meeting, when it was held within a reasonable driving distance. I therefore have folders upon folders, and notebooks, filled with Wingfield/Winfield information. I have two fat folders on Jarvis alone. I promise to keep this brief, or as brief as I can make it. God be with my children after I die who have to sort through this stuff and don't let them toss it aside. I hope I have one who becomes interested in their genealogy when they get older. 

The first ancestor in this line to touch ground was William, but we must first travel back to Suffolk, England.

The Wingfield Family stems from a Saxon family that are found in Suffolk, England, prior to the Norman Conquest of 1066. They were from the start an Upper Middle Class family. Several were knights and there were two known to be Knights of the Garter.

Wingfield Castle still stands in the Parrish of Wingfield in Sussex, England. It's story began in 1384 when a man named Michael de la Pole "obtained the Kings’s leave to crenelate his masum mannem Wyngefeld ” and enclose all the land belonging to the estate".

 Michael had fallen in love with a lady named Katherine de Wingifield, the daughter and heiress of Sir John de Wingfield, a favorite courtier of  Edward of Woodstock, son of King Edward III, known through history as "The Black Prince". Contrary to modern film depiction, he was not black. His nickname derived from two factors, his fierceness and lack of mercy in battle during the Hundred Years War, and the darkness of his armor. Yet, the castle was founded on a love story. 

There is little known about William, himself, other than he was born about 1636-1640 in England, migrated to Virginia. He married the daughter of Jarvis Hix. Her given name is unknown. Some sites or researchers use the generic name of Mary. Given she lived in a time and place where 90 percent of all girls were named either Mary, Elizabeth, Ann, Jane or Sarah, there's a good chance she was a Mary. About a 50/50 chance. Those are pretty good odds. If you've ever read ships records, like I have, you'll notice that Mary was as common a given name in England as M******d is now. Forgive me a bit of cheekiness.

green lined map with red underling

William died a young man, before November 6, 1667, in Charles City, Virginia. While the Wingfield family had a hand in the founding of  Jamestown, William Wingfield, the Patriarch of my branch, didn't arrive until settlement had safely and sucessfully been established as growth had spread up the James River. A map drawn by Augustine Herrman showed Charles City overtaking both sides of the river. At present, it's only an incorporated burg with a few hundred people and a deep well, and wealth, of history. Unfortunately for us, Charles City County, is a burned County. He had a Will, as it was mentioned in court records. Dr. John Coggan and John Howell ordered it to be proved on November 7th. That is how we know he died sometime shorty before that date. After William died, his young widow remarried to a man named William Dobson. Dobson, with the consent of his wife, gave guardianship of her two sons with William Wingfield, Robert and Jarvis, to her father, Jarvis Dix. "for as long as the law provides." This arrangement, which leads me to loose a little respect for Generic Mary, was registered in court in February, 1678. I realize things were very different back then. Women had few rights and fewer choices. Children who lost their fathers were considered orphans. Although, it was not the same thing as a woman 'ditching the kids for a dude', today, the fact that William Dobson did not want to take custody of the children, as happened with most stepfamilies, is telling and sad. Thank God for (their) Grandpa Jarvis.

Jarvis was the younger of the two boys, although he was his grandfather's namesake. Older brother Robert would later be associated with properties that had originally been the land of Jarvis Dix. The elder Jarvis had been born around 1616, and had arrived in the colony by about 1636.

Although the Will of William Winfield did not survive, the few recorded terms of Court did. Found in Alexandria, Virginia was the Charles City order book for 1676-1679, and found inside were a few valuable references. 

"Ordered that Dr. John Coggan and John Howell appear at next court to prove the Will of William Winkfield (another variation of the name), dec'd and tha William Dobson be summonded to give security for the estate of the orphans" 7 November 1677. County of Charles City 1676-1679 page 229.

Dr. John Coggin was a large landowner in Charles City County and one of the only Physicians in Virginia during those early years. John Howell had first patented land in Henrico County and in 1637 he patented 212 acres on the south side of the Appomatox River in Bristol Parrish. His property adjoined that of Captain Epps, Cason, and Nathaniel Tatum. Jarvis Winfields land would also border Captian Francis Epps and Nathaniel Tatum. There was much intermarriage and other connections between the families. 

Then later, "William Dobson with consent of his wife, gives his two stepsons, Jarvis and Robert Winkfield to their grandfather, Jarvis Dix, for as long as the law provides and at the expiration of their time, to give them whatever the court considers convenient." November 16, 1677.

"The above deed was exhibited in court and registered Feb 4 1678, William Archer, clerk" Page 262.

These prove the parentage of Jarvis Wingfield and his brother Robert, and the timeline shows that they were born in Viginia Colony, in America. 

 

Javis's stepfather, William Dobson, had been imported by Captain James Sturdivant/Studivant. There would become a generations long connection between the Wingfields and there associated branches, and the Sturdivants. There were several marriages between the Wynne, Wingfield and Sturdivant families. 

Charles City is situated between the James and Chicahominy Rivers, and was one of the shires established from the outgrowth of Jamestown in 1634. Jarvis Dix has obtained a land patent in Charles City County, along the James River around 1682, adjoining Williams and Barkers. Land grants show that tht the Sturdivant family lived in the part of Charles City that would becom Prince George County about 1702, on Bull Hill Creek, (it began as City Creek). This is the same area that Jarvis Dix, Robert and Jarvis Wingfield, and the Wynne Family lived.

Jarvis Dix had married Mary Tatum, daughter of Nathaniel Tatum and his wife, Anne Godfrey Tatum, my 10th Great Grandparents. 

Unlike his son-in-law, records of the existence of Jarvis Dix exist on two continents. He was baptized in London in 1616,  as "Jarvise Dick" with his father being named as Robert Dicke (Dix) and his mother, Tabitha Pickman (Pittman). 

Name	Jervis Dick
Arrival Year	1637
Arrival Place	Virginia
Primary Immigrant	Dick, Jervis

His name appears on a list of those being transported, found at the Virginia State Library, and reported in a book called Cavaliers and Pioneers: A Calendar of Virginia Land Grants, by Nell M. Nugent

He was summoned to court with Nataniel 'Tatem", which proved his status as son-in-law. Land he leased from Edward Hill Sr was sold to Col. John Gilliam, his neighbort

In  1679, Jarvis Hix was freed from paying levys due to reaching the age of 63. Jarvis and his wife had at least two daughters, Jerusha and Miss Dix Wingfield Dobson. There are no sons noted, which may be why he took in his grandsons.

In the book, "Historical Southern Families IV", Chapter "Winfield-Pettypool" of Sussex, Virginia, that in Prince George County in 1702 and 1704, that Robert Wingfield was holding 107 acres and Jarvis 100 acres.

In 1695, Jarvis married Hannah Wynne, supposedly the daughter of Col.Thomas Wynne and Agnes Stith. There was another Hannah Wynne who marriead a Malone, and they were not the same person, therefore, they are easily confused. 

 Deed, 3 November 1701,Wingfield, Jarvis, For real property in that part of Charles City County, Virginia, which later became Prince George County, Virginia, from Thomas Busby  to Jarvis Wingfield. 

A second deed to Jarvis Wingfield from Thomas Busby was recorded the same day. By 1723, Jarvis and family had removed to Surry County, Virginia. Surry was founded in 1652 by the Virginia Company from a portion of James City County that lay south of the James River.

Surry County, Virginia

Deed Book 7, p. 490, 17 Dec 1723   “Jarvis Winfield and wife, Hannah Winfield, to Stephen Housman.100 acres on south side of Joseph's Swamp and bounded by John Doby Sr., Nathaniel Tatum Sr., and Thomas Busby. Wit: Robert Wynne, Richard Huson, Thomas Wynne. Rec. 18 Dec 1723.” Among the neighbors were Thomas Busby, Nathaniel Tatum and Thomas Wynne. This would have had to have been a younger Nathaniel Tatum, perhaps an Uncle or a Cousin.

In the Albemarle Parrish Register it was reported by William Winfield (his oldest son),In Sussex County, Virginia, that "Gervas Winfield aged 87, died March 24, 1756".  Sussex County had been carved from the southwestern half of  Surry County, two years earlier, in 1754,  the part south of the Blackwater River.

The most telling record we have of Jarvis Wingfield is his probate file.

In a Chancery Court Suit titled Wingfiled Vs Wingfield dated 1757, the children of Jarvis Winfield battled it out for a fair division of property in Sussex County. The Lawsuit in its' entirety can be found at the link below.

Lawsuit link (http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/sussex/court/wingccs.txt)

From the lawsuit we get the following information on the heirs of Jarvis Wingfield and wife, Hannah. The younger Wingfield children were suing their oldest brother, William, and their mother, Hannah.

 

 “John Wingfield, John Barlow and Mary his wife, Thomas Dixon and Judith his wife, Richard Huson and Elizabeth his wife, Thomas Wynne and Martha his wife, Joel Wingfield, Joshua Wingfield, Martha Wingfield, and Peter Wingfield by Mary Wingfield their mother and protector, which said Joshua, Martha and Peter are infants under the age of twenty one years and children of Edward Wingfield deceased and which said Edward Wingfield was and the said John Wingfield, Mary Barlow, Judith Dixon, Elizabeth Huson and Martha Wynne are the children of Gervas Wingfield late of this county deceased. That the said Gervas Wingfield being in his life time and at the time of his decease possessed a considerable personal estate consisting of sundry valuable slaves and other things departed this life on or about the 24th day of March one thousand seven hundred and fifty six Intestate leaving Hannah Wingfield his widow and relict and William Wingfield his oldest son and heir at law."

In a later paragraph:

"In the year of our lord One thousand seven hundred & fifty six Administration of the estate of the said Jarvis Wingfield was committed to the said Wm. Wingfield who whereupon conceiving himself to have authority to do so, did of his own accord assign to the said Hannah Wingfield slaves as her third part-.that the said slaves are more than the said Hannah's full and equal third part of the slaves whereof the said Jervis died possessed, and that by the above recited Clause of the Act of Assembly the said William had no power to do so. "

There would be more suits to follow in 1757, in Dixon vs Wingfield, a disagreement over a slave was heard. Thomas Wynne and his wife, Martha Wingfield Wynne testified. It was a cousin marriage, not rare.

Family disputes over property, money and objects have divided families for generations. Hannah Wynne Wingfield would later even sue her grandson, Joshua Wingfield, son of Edward, for trespass. 

In this suit, we see that Edward Winfield had died young leaving minor children: Joel, Joshua, Martha, and Peter. Peter is my direct ancestor who would first settle in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, on Taylors Creek, and then later remove to North Carolina and settle along the Rocky River, primarily in Anson County, but as he lived on or near the River, there was property on both sides. Later records include another daughter for Edward, Hannah. It seems Edward predeceased the lawsuit by a brief period,  and Mary may have been expecting.

The children of Jarvis Wingfield and Hannah Wynne Wingfield were:

• William Wingfield (1694-1770)  married Sarah ?
• Edward Wingfield (1695-before 1756) married Mary Harris
• Martha Wingfield (1696 - 1759) married Thomas Wynne
• John Wingfield (1698-1771) married Anne Eustace Buckner
• Mary Wingfield (1700-1756) married John Barlow
• Elizabeth Wingfield (1700-1770) married Richard Huson
• Judith Wingfield (1707-1772) married Thomas Dixon
  

 I  was so chuffed to see that my 6th Great Grandmother, Mary Harris Wingfield, seems to have stuck up strongly for her chldren and kept guardianship of them, being called "their mother and protector".

Another fact that has alway intrigued is the fact that it was recorded that Edward Wingfield had paid "667 pounds of tobacco for Elizabeth Davis". Who was she? His granddaughter, Sarah would marry into a Mecklenburg County, Virginia Davis family after moving to the Rocky River.

Children of Edward Wingfield and Mary Harris Wingfield were:

• Joel Winfield (30 Dec 1731-1777)  Wife Unknown. At least two daughters, Martha and Mary.
• Martha Winfield (1736) Married William Faison
  
• Joshua Wingfield (1739-1818) Married 1st Jemima Freeman 2nd Rebecca Thrower Carloss.
• Hannah 1744 - ? ) Married Matthew Godwin
• Peter (1746-1802) Married Charlotte Freeman

And they removed to Anson County, North Carolina and settled along the Rocky River in the area that now covers

Thirty Fathers in Thirty Days

 

A few years back, I was recovering from an injury and had the entire month of May off. This twist of fate left me at liberty to spend a significant amount of time, which is a rare treasure in my life, on my blog. As Mother's Day was drawing nigh, I decided to start a series which I titled, "30 Mothers in 30 Days" about the female ancestors in my family tree. Of course, they were all mothers, their DNA was passed down through the generations, to me and to others, some just a few, like my own mother and others further back with descendants now numbering in the thousands. This year, I'm going to do the same thing with my fathers, and up the family tree from them. 

This time it will take much longer than 30 days, as my time is very limited. I'm still calling it 30 Fathers in 30 days, because, well, because I can. Perhaps I should call it 30 Fathers in 30 posts. 

Choosing which fathers to write about will be a chore indeed. Many I've written about before. Others, I have very little information on. As I did with my 'Mothers', I would like to represent a variety of them ,some from more recent generations, others from as far back as I can go. I'd like to feature ancestors with variety of life experiences, although I come from a great many farmers and ministers. Add names to the qualifiers. I could probably create 30 posts just about ancestors named John. I will feature a few, but not all of them. I'd like to explore fathers from different branches, from both parents, and all four grandparents. 

The ones I've chosen, in no particular order, are:

1) John Query                                                 16) Stark Ramsey

2) Connor Dowd                                             17) Francis Lowthorp

3) Andrew Dennis                                      18) Richard Pace

4) Jarvis Winfield                                     19) Job Calloway

5) Captain John Starnes                           20) Joachim Hudson  

6) Micajah Exum                                      21) Ludwell Carpenter

7) Captain James Davis                            22) Claborn Mauldin

8) Caleb Aldridge                               23)James Baldwin Atkins

9) George Washington Turner                   24) Col. Alexander Erwin

10) Rev. William Fincher                          25) Erasmus Presler 

11) Rev. William McGregor                      26) Harvey Lafayette Lemmons

12) Matt Hill                                              27) Mathias Marriott  

13) Buck Lambert                                      28) John Huneycutt  

14) Josiah Abshire                                     29) Jonah Mauldin  

15) Benjamin Gould                                  30) Rev. William Solomon

                               

Thirty Fathers in Thirty Days: Benjamin Hathcock, Sr.

 

Lloyd Hathcock Family Cemetery, Red Cross, NC

The frailty of the human condition is an inherent reality that blends biological vulnerability with the philosophical search for meaning. Genetically and psychologically, we are built with delicate physiological reserves and deep emotional capacities that ultimately shape our resilience and mortality. The Divine Mercy.

My fifth Great Grandfather, Benjamin Hathcock, Sr.  was another long-lived ancestor of mine. This trait did not pass down to all of his descendants, however. Benjamin F. Hathcock was the ancestor of my paternal grandfather. My father lived to 81, his father lived to 71, his father lived to 68, his father lived to 73, and so on. Then there was Ben. His Find-a- Grave claims he was born August 10, 1742, in Brunswick County, Virginia and he died January 18,1857, in Stanly County, North Carolina. That amounts to 114 years old, in the mid 19th Century of all times.

Do I believe this man was 114 years old? Of course not. Do I believe he was a very old man? Yes, well obviously. 

I descend from Benjamin Hathcock, Sr. through one of his younger sons, Benjamin Hathcock Jr., who married Nancy Ann Burris, daughter of Solomon Burris and his wife, Judith. I refrain from throwing a 'Franklin' in, at least on Senior. Yes, there was a trend to name a son after the Revolution for the astute and respected stateman, Benjamin Franklin, but Benjamin Heathcock or Hathcock Sr. was born well before that time. He was simply Benjamin.

He seems to have been a well-liked, but not a wealthy man, so he didn't leave too many traces in his early years, only in the recall and memories of his grandchildren, whom he lived to see grow up, which was an amazing feat. They remembered him as an old man, though, so little is known about his youth. As far as his arrival to the area in which he died, he was here by 1783, when his name appears on a Montgomery County Tax list.

Census Records

1790

Benjamin Hathcock was the only Hathcock, Hethcock or Heathcock in the 1790 census of Montgomery County, North Carolina. It counted 1 male over 16, two under 16 and 3 females in the household. Edgecomb reported 4: Frederick, Ptolemy, Isham and William. Chatham: Hosea, James, John and William. Northampton: John, Rueben and Newman. Richmond County also had just one: Thomas. More on him later.

In 1800, the name appears as "Heckcock" and there are 3 in Montgomery County, Benjamin, Young and Dempsey. Benjamin had a full house. Ten people, a man and woman over 45, a boy 10-15 and another under 10. Six girls, two in each age group of 16-25, 10-15 and under 10. Dempsey looked like a young married couple, a man and a woman, both 16-25. Young had a male 26-45 and a female 16-25, there were two children under 10, a boy and a girl. It appears Young was the oldest son, at about 26, and Dempsey was second.

In 1810, there is Benjamin, Dempsey, James and "D". Ben still has 10 people in his household, but the dynamics have changed. There is still a male and female over 45, so his wife is still alive. He has one male 16-25 and two under ten, so two more sons born between 1800 and 1810. There are two females between 16 and 25 and two in the 10 - 15 brackets. He has one under 10. Dempsy and his wife are now both 26-45, two girls 10 -15 and two boys under 10. James has now started his own household, with a man and woman both 16-25 and a little girl under 10. James is next to Benjamin, and the unknown "D" is up a few spaces next to Edward and Edmund Almond. There is a theory that "D" Hethcock was actually Young Hathcock. The ages are correct.

Dempsey is listed among Burris's, Hardy Hatley, Malachi Harwood and Ezekiel Morton, and Edward Almond Sr., several of those also ancestors of my grandfather.

There was no 1820 Census for Montgomery County. By 1820, however, Young Hathcock was one of the many young men who removed to Tennessee. He settled in Montgomery County, Tennessee. The name must have felt familiar.

In 1830, There is Dempsey, James, James H, Jesse and John. No Benjamin.

Name	Benjn Haithcock
Home in 1830 (City, County, State)	Southampton, Virginia
Free Colored Persons - Males - Under 10	1
Free Colored Persons - Males - 24 thru 35	2
Free Colored Persons - Females - Under 10	2
Free Colored Persons - Females - 24 thru 35	1
Free Colored Persons - Females - 55 thru 99	2
Total Free Colored Persons	8
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored)	8

There is a Benjamin Hathcock (or spelling variant), in Southampton, Virginia. This is not our Benjamin. He was a free person of color and that branch, and subject will be discussed later in the post.

Back in Montgomery County, North Carolina, Dempsey Hathcock is living next to Dempsey Springer and Frederick Lambert. This is intriguing to me, because I know that Frederick will soon migrate to Mississippi, and the two Dempsey's makes me wonder if there was a connection between the Hathcock and Springer families. Just a thought.

Jesse, James and James H. are living very near each other. One James is in his 20's and the other James in his 30's. Jesse is in his 50's. He may have just joined the family from another County. Jesse's oldest son, James Green Hathcock was born about 1804, so I believe he was the younger James. Jesse has an 80-year-old in his home, and it's listed here as a female, but I think that may be an error, and this was actually Benjamin, because the age is right. A decade later, he is in a grandson's house as a nonagenarian. There is also a a John Hathcock in his 20's living between Will Morton and Richard Poplin Jr., who was living near Dempsey before. I believe this John is a son of Dempsey.

Name	Jesse Hathcock
Home in 1830 (City, County, State)	West Side Pee Dee River, Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 5	2
Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19	1
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29	2 One of these could be youngest brother, Ben.
Free White Persons - Males - 50 thru 59	1 Jesse
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5	1
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9	1
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 14	2
Free White Persons - Females - 15 thru 19	1
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29	1
Free White Persons - Females - 50 thru 59	1
Free White Persons - Females - 80 thru 89	1 Error? Benjamin?
Free White Persons - Under 20	8
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49	3
Total Free White Persons	14
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored)	14

In 1840, the name is back to Hethcock and there is Ben Jr., James Jr., James, James Sr, Jesse Sr., Jesse Jr., Lloyd and Neelin. Benjamin, Sr. is obviously living with his Grandson Lloyd, as well as Lloyd's mother, Sally. The Grandsons are beginning to populate and youngest son, Benjamin Jr. is head of his own household.

Name	Loyd Heathcock
Residence Date	1840
Home in 1840 (City, County, State)	West Pee Dee River, Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 5	2
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29	1 Lloyd
Free White Persons - Males - 90 thru 99	1 Benjamin
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5	1
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29	2
Free White Persons - Females - 60 thru 69	1 Sarah, Lloyd's mother
Persons Employed in Agriculture	3
No. White Persons over 20 Who Cannot Read and Write	2
Free White Persons - Under 20	3
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49	3
Total Free White Persons	8
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves	8

I personally believe the Hathcock family is a little more complicated than it's made out to be.

And then we have the 1850 census. Benjamin Hathcock Sr made it to the 1850 census. Amazing! This actually is the most amazing fact about him. Lloyd was now 41, married, and with seven children. At the top of the page, you'll see a two-year-old Sarah M. Hathcock. Her father, Benjamin Hathcock Jr. was listed on the previous page and she was a rollover. After Benjamin was miner Calvin Hathcock, 21. That was John Calvin Hathcock, Ben Jr.'s oldest son, who married Mary Hartsell. Notice that Benjamin's age is give as 108, and his birthplace as Virginia. 

The Wife

There is no document that gives the name of Benjamin Hathcock Sr.'s wife. Let me repeat that, there is no documentation of the name of Benjamin Hathcock Sr.'s wife. There is, however, speculation. By living so long, many of the grandchildren of Ben Hathcock had the advantage of knowing him and knowing him well. You can imagine a pack of them huddled around his feet as he told them of his childhood in Virginia. So, things undocumented were passed down. David Burris was one grandchild recorded speaking on Ben Sr., and he quoted from another grandmother of his, Judith Taylor Burris. The wife of Benjamin Hathcock Sr. is named either as Sarah or Nancy. Her maiden name is given as either Taylor or Young, sometimes crunched together. If I was to guess, I believe he probably had two wives, not one, as the ages of his children stretch from about 1775 to 1802. There seems to be a gap of about a decade in between two groups, which would lead me to believe that Young, Dempsey, Martha, James and Jesse were by one wife, and Sarah (Sally), Jane, Lee, and Ben II, were by a second one. He appears to have had a living wife through the 1810 census, but she was gone by 1830, or 1840, at least. The Young surname appears to have evolved from the given name of the oldest son, Young. This group also most commonly claim Nancy. The younger ones claim Sarah. Sarah may have been some relation to Judith Taylor Burris, so Sarah Taylor. But remember, no proof of either, just vague memories of a few elderly grandchildren written down somewhere.

Personality

-Benjamin Sr. and his family were musically talented. It was recounted to David Burris by his grandmother, Judith Taylor Burris, that Ben Sr. was the fiddler at her wedding, (to Solomon Burris).

-He was said to have owned the first Buggy in Stanly County. He wasn't into collecting large swaths of land, or owning the biggest farm, but he must have liked his vehicles. 

-He was said to have won a sharpshooter contest after he was 100 years old. 

Quite an incredible fellow.

There are a few sources of where most of the information we have concerning old Benjamin derives from. First and foremost is the deposition he gave for the pension from the Revolutionary War for William Poplin and his wife, Lucy. Benjamin did not serve in the Revolutionary War. I personally believe he was born more around 1857, than 1842. This deposition is best, and most accurate we have, because it's in his own words. I'm beginning to see a group move, a wagon train forming in my mind., with Hathcock's, Poplins, Perry's and probably a few more. Individuals usually did not travel alone. There would be a collective of families, some related, others just neighbors or acquaintances, heading for the same destination. 

The other information was from a letter, and recollections from grandchildren or others, who knew Old Ben, had met him, or heard their parents, his children, talk about him and passed the information on, someone having the forethought to write it down. 

Above, the pension claim of William Poplin of Montgomery County, North Carolina, a Private in the Company commanded Captain Welch of the Regiment commanded by Col. Alston. 9 months in North Carolina. June 7, 1832, Lawrenceville, NC. Although he was living elsewhere during the time of his service, he had moved to Montgomery County, NC by 1830.

Lucy Poplin, widow of William Poplin, stated she was married about 1767 or 1768. She believed she had three children at the time her husband left for the War, and that they were married in Chatham County, NC. She was in her 80's at this time.

State of North Carolina  

Montgomery County

On this 25 day of April 1840, personally appeared before me Solomon Efird a justice of the peace in and for the county aforesaid Benjamin Heathcock aged about ninety years form what he states and on his appearance.

indicates and who being duly sworn according to law Declares that as nearly as he can state he's now about ninety years of age. that he was born and raised in the state of Virginia and came to the county of Chatham in this state before the Revolutionary War. He further states that he became acquainted with William Poplin and his wife Lucy Poplin before the war and lived in the same neighborhood that they lived in Chatham. That they then lived together as man and wife and had before the war one child or two he cannot state which but he knows that they had a child. He states that the fact...

of their marriage was never questioned and the has no doubt at this time but that they were duly and legally married. He further states that William Poplin has been dead for several years and that Lucy Poplin who now declares for a Pension is his widow and has not married since his death and from the time he first knew them they had lived together as man and wife and have raised a large family of children and no doubt of suspicion in his mind nor ever entertained that they wee not duly married. That they  .... now in Montgomery County. 

Sworn to and Subscribe before me 

Solomon Efird

Benjamin X Heathcock (his mark)

This document gives us four facts about Benjamin:.

• He was born and raised in Virginia.
• He came to Chatham County, NC before the War.
• He met William and Lucy Poplin before the War and they all moved from there to Montgomery County.
• He was around 90 in 1840.

Family Tree of Mary Catherine Hathcock

The whole matter of Benjamin Hathcock's origins and the floundering, later, of prideful grandchildren is the story of human frailty and nature as old as time. The mortar of brick walls. We'll go through the sources later, but the bottom-line was that Benjamin Hathcock, was not a Hathcock down the male line. His father was a Hamilton or Hambleton, and his mother was a Hathcock. The man named Hathcock who raised him was his grandfather. There have been multiple books written on the Hathcock, and its many spellings, clan. Quite a few contain information on Benjamin, and some of that information is pretty old. One author of it was a Dr. Thomas Alexander Hathcock, a grandson of Benjamin Hathcock, Sr. He, being a learned and austere, (insert prideful) man, had to formulate a speculative, yet believable canard about his grandfather's origins that would not bring shame upon the family, so he told a half-truth. His story was that Ben was an orphaned boy who was taken in by an old man named Hathcock, although his real name, or his father's name was Hambleton or Hamilton. 

His cousin, Mary Furr, another descendant, would recount what her mother, a daughter or granddaughter of old Ben, told her. That Ben had been born out of wedlock to a Hambleton or Hamilton man and a Hathcock girl. He was raised in the home his maternal grandfather, Hathcock. This explains a lot, like Ben's lack of property and records, and a few other details. 

Ben had the opportunity to payback the care of his grandfather, and then to receive care back in turn. His own daughter, Sarah, aka "Sally", became an unwed mother by Daniel Perry, from another family who seem to have migrated at the same time from the same place, here. She had a son named Lloyd, and possibly a daughter, Mary. That's something I have to look at a little closer. Benjamin Sr. kept up his daughter and her child, (or children). Her son Lloyd is the one who took care of Ben in his old age. Reciprocal care.

Where did Ben first settle in Montgomery County? We know he first was found on a Tax list there in 1783.

He entered a grant on Long Creek of 100 acres,  on October 2, 1799, entry # 5115. Grant # 2392 was issued on December 6, 1816, Book 130, Page 373. The tract was on the waters of Long Creek, at the mouth of a branch on James Lee's line. Later is mentioned John Poplin's line.

He appears to have entered a failed grant two years earlier, as an assignee of Wiley Carpenter, for 100 acres on Long Creek, but no matching patent was found. It was entered on April 25, 1797, entry # 3057. There is no record of it actually being issued. 

This entry, shown above is mentioned as "Beginning at Poplin's corner", then to Taylor's corner, then to Carson & Moore's line, then to Lee's corner. James Howell and James Lee were chain carriers. Knowing that Lee probably referring to James Lee and that Poplin referred to John Poplin, I looked to see which Taylor it may have been referring to. Having looked well into, I was pretty sure I knew already.

Carson and Moore spoke of the partnership of Thomas Carson and Willam Moore, land speculators who had acquired large tracts of land in Piedmont North Carolina, primarily along the Rocky River, Island Creek, Long Creek and Bear Creek, most of which was in present Stanly County. In 1795, they received a grant for 17,920 acres in the forks of the Rocky River, and along Bear and Long Creeks. A John Carson later bought them out and sold tracts out of it, including one of 67,000 acres to William Thornton, whose name is also seen a lot in these early deeds. So, Ben's grant bordered one of Carson & Moore's lines, their presence is not one to look into as they owned half the county at the time.

I figured out that the Taylor mentioned in Ben's grant was most likely Nimrod Taylor. I found him in conjunction with Jonathan Taylor. There is also a Grant that reveals Johnathan Carpenter had property connecting Wyley or Wilie Carpenter, and also John Carpenter. 

Wylie Carpenter was the name Ben was an assignee of on the failed Grant. The Carpenters are also one of my family lines. They migrated here with the Upchurch family from counties east. John Carpenter was the son-in-law of Benjamin Upchurch, and I descend from his son, James Ludwell Carpenter, who married Obedience Broadway, one of my two Broadaway lines.

Another interesting name to look into was that of William Poplin.

His entry was on Scaley Branch and ran with Daniel Perry's line. Daniel Perry was the father of Ben's grandson Lloyd, or Loyd, Hathcock by his daughter, Sally. Jonathan Poplin had a grant that bordered John Poplin and Daniel Perry. 

"The above warrant of one hundred acres of land is transferred to Benjamin Hathcock for Value Rec'd and the security is required to Issue the grant in his name as witness my hand and seal this 14th day of January 1798. Test Asa Atkins His mark Wiley Carpenter (Seal).

Where did the Hathcock's originate to start with? What did the name mean?

It's of British origin and derives from the word haeth, meaning an open Moorland and cot for cottage, Heath Cottage, or Cottage on a Heath, a place name, like Hill or Woods. It was first found in Derbyshire in the 12th Century and is of Anglo-Saxon origin.

The Hathcock name has about a dozen variations including, but not limited to Hathcox, Hatcoat, Hathcoat, Haithcock, Haithcoat, Heithcock, Heathcock, Heathcoat, Heathcote, Heathcot, Heathcott, Hethcox, Hethcock. The most common one used in Stanly and Montgomery Counites were Hathcock, Hethcock and Heathcock. Most books on the family agree that our specific line began with a Thomas Hatcock who came to America from England about 1635. He first settled in what is now Northampton County, Virginia. By 1730 descendants had moved to Prince George County and Brunswick County, Virginia. 

We can't know for certain who exactly Benjamin's kin were, but by following the real estate, we can see the flow, like a river, from where we know he came from to where we know he ended up. Greensville County, Virginia was formed from Brunswick County in 1781. Its southern border is Northampton County, NC. 

There was a Joseph Heathcock whose plantation had been located in Brunswick County, in the part that became Greensville in 1781. 

Joseph had a son, John, who would later move to Bute County, NC, the part that later became Warren.

Hosea "Ozzy" Hathcock

Recall from the 1790 census, that a Hosea Hathcock lived in Chatham County, along with James, John and William. In the 1779 deed abstracts of Montgomery County, NC, we find the below information;

"50 acres of land was granted to Jesse Wooten in Montgomery County, NC". The property was said to have adjoined that of "Ozzy" Hathcock and a Mr. Collins. 

The same year that Hosiah "Ozzy" Hathcock in noted as having land in Montgomery County, NC. Thomas Hathcock, son of Edward Hathcock of Northampton County, NC, is noted as living in Anson County, 1779, in the part that would later become Richmond County, NC. Thomas and Hosiah were close together at this time. Josiah was a member of Captain Elisha Cains Chatham County Militia in September 1772, in Chatham County, NC. He appears to have been in Chatham, went to Montgomery, then back to Chatham. Militia groups would naturally travel to various places, sometimes on a near constant move, in the years between 1775 and the early 1780's. Hosea would move to Elbert County, Georgia, and is found there in 1800. There were several Hathcock's who preceded him there, including a John, Hastin, William and James, perhaps relatives.

Edward Heathcock

Edward Heathcock may have been born in Henrico County, Viriginia sometime between 1643 and 1675. He seems to have had some kinship to Joseph and Jesse Heathcock who were in the Brunswick County area with him in the 1730's.  Edward owned land on Arthur's Creek and Norton's Branch an in the Turbyfield's Run area near the NC/ Virginia border and along the Roanoke. Joseph, (1700 -1782), who had land on Beaver Pond Creek in Brunswick County may have been his son. Joseph died in Brunswick County on his Falling Run property.  Jesse Heathcock, who lived in the same area at the same time may also be a relative. 

A Granville grant dated June 22, 1749, to Joshua Stepp tells of land on the east side of Arthur's Creek adjoining Edward Heathcock and Norton's Branch, meaning Edward had settled there by 1749

 In April 1757, Edward Hathcock, in conjunction with his wife, Catron, sold 100 acres of land in Brunswick County, Viriginia to Drury Jordan, on the north side of Ragland's Ferry Road, adjoining James Norton and other land belonging to the Heathcocks. Deed Book 2 Page 387. Catron is a form of Catherine with Welsh origins, possibly indicating his wife may have been of Welsh extract.

On November 26, 1753, "Edward Heathcock, Planter" sold 100 acres in Northampton County, NC, to James Norton, "part of a patent originally granted to Edward Heathcock". Deed Book 2, Page 129. James Norton was his son-in-law, having married his daughter, Martha. The Norton family had land holdings dating back to the 1740's and references to a place called Norton's Corner are found in the old deeds. 

In May of 1758, Edward gave "for love and goodwill", to his son, Thomas Heathcock, 100 acres on "Turbafields Run", a name that would evolve into Troublefield in our area, found in Deed Book 2 Book 476.  On the same day, he conveyed 20 acres, also on Turbafield's Run to John Heathcock, found in Book 2 Page 475. He doesn't' specify John as his son in the deed, but it's likely. 

James 

A James Hathcock (1743-1838) was born in Brunswick County, Virgina to William and Nancy Anthony Hathcock. He removed to Chatham where he married Elizabeth Sexton and had seven known children; Charlotte, Isaac, Isaiah, Hiram and Patrick. He served in the NC militia during the Revolutionary War and afterwards settled in Hillsborough. He died in Chatham in 1838, at the age of 95, continuing what seems to be a nature towards longevity in this particular Heathcock/Hathcock line. He was known as Scout or Scott. Whether that was a middle name, or a nickname, I don't know. It could have indicated a career if it was Scout, or origins if it were Scott.

Thomas 

Thomas Hathcock was the son of Edward Heathcock of Northampton County, NC, whose property seemed to have straddled the State lines. Edward was there by 1758. Thomas was in Anson, then Richmond, by October of 1777. It was a fact that River Jordan and John Jordan had moved to the same general area. River Jordan was previously a resident of Brunswick County, Virginia and would also move to Elbert County,  Georgia where Hosea Heathcock moved.

A John Jordan witnessed a Heathcock deed in Northampton County and Edward Heathcock had sold property there to Drury Jordan, who was also his neighbor. There seems to be a strong Jordan theme running through the family connections. Thomas died on April 13, 1818, and it appears he had something in common with Benjamin Hathcock than just a surname. His age was greatly exaggerated.

A newspaper article that appeared in the Carolina Observer of Richmond County and was reprinted in Augusta Chronicle out of Georgia, made the following incredible claim:

"Longevity - Died in Richmond County on 13th instant at the seat of Col. Therogood Pate, Thomas Heathcock age 125 years!

He left a numerous family of children settled in different parts of the country, two of whom live in the State of Georgia. (Elbert County?!?), One aged 93 and the other 87, and one son in Richmond County but little over 16 years of age."

His known sister, Martha Norton, was born during the 1720's to 1730. He was probably fairly close to his age, and that would have put him between 80 -90 at death. 

A quick check of the 1820 census in Richmond, finds only a Samuel Heathcock, with only Hosea in Georgia, Elbert County. His age is only categorized as over 45, so we can't know, but Hosea was probably one of the sons. There's also a Grace Hathcock in Chatham that year, which interests me, because Ben Jr. named a daughter Grace.

Recall the 1830 census of a Benjamin Hathcock family in Southampton County that were classified as "Other Free"? There was a branch of the Hathcock/ Heathcock family that were considered mixed with the Nottaway tribe. The paragraph below is from the book, "Family Connections of the Brooks, Hathcock and Nance Families of the United States, Compiled Genealogies". Authors include Bill Gullickson, Nancy Norton, Sam Norton, Marcy Stephens, June Melvin and Myrtle Stephens.

From the book 'Hathcock Family History: United States. Family Histories 1991 (no single author given, just collaborate efforts mentioned)

Holiday Hathcock was a free man of color from Johnston County, North Carolina. Born about 1760, he volunteered for multiple tours of service in the Revolutionary War. His 1834 pension application was suspended. His eventual successful fight was helped by the testimony and affidavit of Justice of the Peace, William Bryan. Byran provided that Free People of Color were drafted, volunteered and served just like white Patriots.

A timeline of Holiday Hathcock's locations show:

• 1784 in Sampson County, just south of Johnston, (Sampson Early Tax List)
• 1788 assigns his Revolutionary War Bounty lands over to his daughter Nancy Sheppard (John)
• 1790 Census Johnston County, North Carolina (6 people, Other Free Persons)
• 1800 Hillsborough, Orange County, (6 people, Other Free Persons)
• 1832-1836 Pension Application
• 1853, his son David applied for his pension in 1853, meaning he was deceased. His wife named as Sally.

Why would Holiday Hathcock be important to the story of  Benjamin Hathcock?

Many believe Holiday to be the son of Edward Hathcock. He was born in Northampton County, where Edward had moved to from Brunswick/Greensville County, Virginia, along the same waterways, as Greensville borders Northampton. There was interaction on a road crew. Had Edward, who was known to be a white man, marry a Nottaway woman or have a child with her? Or was she not a Nottaway? Who really was Edward?

I question this because Hathcock DNA studies link Benjamin Hathcock descendants with the Edward/Thomas group, only autosomal, but then again, Ben wasn't a Hathcock down the male line. Hosea Hathcock group matches with them among Ydna testing within a normal range of mutations. The Joseph Hathcock group, who was a contemporary of Edward, is also connected, but not as directly. I am coping and pasting the information below because if I just typed it, no one would believe me.

From Familytreedna.com

More on the Poplins:

In 1777 in the Chatham County Superior Court records, Sally Hathcock of Halifax County, was ordered to appear before a Justice of the Peace, to give testimony against William Poplin, of Chatham for a charge of Horse Theft. William was later convicted. Sadly, the records do not include Sally's exact testimony. Since Benjamin knew William Poplin and bore the same name, there could have been a relation between he and Sally, as we know that she also knew William Poplin and knew of his criminal act. Could Benjamin have also had a connection to Halifax County?

Of course, Halifax borders Northampton, and all arrows point to the family being in Northampton before arriving in Chatham.

Again, I link to the incredible research and blog of George Thomas, who mentions in the following post the family of William Poplin prior to his service and after, and connections to the early Taylor and Burris families. Please see below:

A Veteran's Story from They Lived Upon a Rocky River

We know from his grant that William Poplin also ended up in Montgomery (Stanly) County, along with Benjamin Hathcock. He was born about 1749 and died on June 2, 1835 in Stanly County, becoming the Patriarch of a large Stanly County family. He served under that dastardly Col. Phillip Alston who tormented my Dowd relatives. He lived in Chatham briefly after the War, moved to Moore County for a few years before removing to Georgia, finally returning to Montgomery County where he lived out his last years.

Dr. Thomas Alexander Hathcock, Jr.

Dr. Hathcock, who was the son of  Thomas Alexander Hathcock, Sr., (1824-1908), was a Great Grandson of Old Benjamin Hathcock. He published a genealogy in "Makers of America. Vol. 3, 'Biographies of Leading Men and Women. Including Family Histories and Accurate Genealogical Records" by Leonard Wilson, F.S.A.  B. F. Johnson Incorporation, Washington DC. 

Family can be biased in recounting their ancestry. That's an understatement. It particularly can apply to descendants of education and status, like those with letters after their names, beyond Jr. and such.

Dr. T. A. Hathcock, Jr.

Among the claims and whitewash in Dr. Hathcock's account of his ancestor was the exaltation of the eight Hathcock's who were soldiers along the NC line during the Revolution. Fair enough. He mentions Thomas Hathcock of Richmond County,  as being a forebear, due to his first name, Thomas. See quote below.

"Christian names are often repeated in families, and following reasonable deductions, it is possible that all these Hathcock's are descendants of Thomas Hathcock who was an early Viriginia (Stone County) immigrant. The repetitive use of the name Thomas Alexander Hathcock suggests that the original immigrant's full name may have been Thomas Alexander Hathcock".

Dude get over yourself! I take his recounts with a grain of salt. For one thing, he invented a County in Virginia that never existed. I suppose he pulled that from the name of William Stone who transported a Thomas Heathcock from England, who was an indentured servant by the way! He left that little tidbit of information out. He also attempted to whitewash the whole story of how Benjamin, whose father was a Hambelton or Hamilton, became a Hathcock. Mrs. Mary Furr's account is much more credible.

newspaper

Debra Baugh's account of the Benjamin Hathcock family seems more accurate and carefully compiled. She didn't contrive anything out of the ether due to the multiple occurrences of a common name in a family.  Ms. Baugh carefully and diligently collected information from various Hathcock families in Stanly and surrounding counties, weaving together the various patches of the spring branches of the Benjamin Hathcock tree. There were common threads that would weave into a consistent dialogue. 

Debra Baugh compiled and incorporated Mary Furr's records into her book, 'Hathcock Family History, Descendants of Benjamin Hathcock, Vol. IX (1986).

Mary Furr had written a letter in 1969 with the following information, "My mother, (Elizabeth Jane Burris), told me just before she died that Benjamin's mother was a daughter of this Mr. Hathcock".  She had admitted on her deathbed that the Mr. Hathcock known to have raised Benjamin was his grandfather and that his mother was not married. 

Also, in Mrs. Baugh's rendition of the Hathcock menagerie was the recount of an undated letter from a David Burris to an unknown person, (probably Eliza Jane Burris, she surmises). This could have been my second Great Grandfather, David Burris, (1851-1928), who married Ellen Honeycutt. He was the son of Gideon Green Burris and Obedience Hathcock, a daughter of Benjamin Hathcock Jr. and Nancy Ann Burris. There were multiple David Burris's, so I can't be sure that he's the one, but the shoe fits. 

He made several interesting observations and recollections of Old Ben in his letter, which must have come to him in the stories of older relations. One was the story of how Benjamin had been orphaned as a child and was raised by Mr. Hathcock, (his grandfather), and that his father's name had been Hamilton or Hambleton. It was David who revealed the musical talents of the bunch. He recalled, "This generation was much inclined to music. They were drummers, fifers and fiddlers and some were fine singers. I heard Grandma Burroughs, (Judith Taylor Burris) say that old man Hathcock, (Benjamin), of them all was their fiddler when she and grandfather, (Solomon Burris) married". This was probably a David Burris a generation up from my David, as, although my David was a Hathcock descendant as well, he was a Great Grandson of Solomon, not a Grandson.

Continuing quotes from the letter, "Old Jimmy Hathcock, (James Sr., son of Benjamin), your Great Grandfather on your grandmother Hathcock's side of the family said that their proper name was Hambleton. Your grandfather Lloyd Hathcock's father was Daniel Perry, but he (Lloyd) took his mother's name. As to their children, I do not recollect that they were twins. I think they died in infancy. That is all I know about them." I don't know what children he was referring to, perhaps those of Lloyd and his wife who had died young. 

"A postscript to this letter continues, 'Old Benjamin Hathcock of all, I have seen this often. He belongs to the old school Baptist, Primitive Baptist and lived to be very old - 115 years of age. They said he had a son named Benjamin who married my father's sister, Nancy Burris. (This indicates this could have been David Wright Burris, son of Joshua C. Burris), "Old Billy Whitley married one of old man Benjamin's daughters, (Martha Hathcock Whitley). " I have forgotten her name. He lived, (William Whitley) to be of great age 118 years.' (Another exaggeration) This letter was in the possession of Beatrice M. Hanson of Mesa, Arizona in 1971."  It is also in her book the claim that Benjamin had the first buggy in Stanly County. She added that even though no stone exists that Benjamin is regarded as having been buried, in 1857, in the family cemetery of his grandson, Lloyd, with whom he lived. The cemetery is located on the east side of Ridgecrest Road in the town of Red Cross, Stanly County, NC. The book reports that it's "Just before crossing Stony Run Creek." 

Summary on Benjamin

These are my own summations. We know from his own words, and the 1850 census, that Benjamin Hathcock Sr. was born in Virginia. He later moved to Chatham County, "before the Revolution". This doesn't mean he went straight there. He followed the same trail, more or less, as Thomas Hathcock and Hosea "Ozzy" Hathcock, at first. His parents were rumored to have died of smallpox, his father at least. Fatherless children were considered orphans in those days. His father's surname was Hambleton, (or Hamilton). His mother's surname was Hathcock/Heathcock. He was taken in and raised by his maternal Grandfather, Mr. Hathcock. 

Some claim descent from the long living Thomas Hathcock who moved to Richmond County. Thomas was the proven son of Edward and lived in Northampton County before moving to Anson as early as 1758. Benjamin first appears in Montgomery (Stanly), as early as November of 1782. Thomas shows up in Richmond by 1777, with a connection to the Jordans. Thomas was of an older generation than Benjamin, but he was not old enough, to have been Benjamin's grandfather. I believe he was more of an uncle, and that Hosea was the son of Thomas. There were certainly similarities with Thomas, and James, who lived to be a believable 95. 

My bets would be on Edward Heathcock being the grandfather who raised Benjamin. It all fits together. There is a consensus among the Hathcock family authors and that Ben was born in Brunswick and then lived in Greensville Counties in Virginia. I propose that he lived along the border in the part that was Brunswick but became Greensville. I can see him following his grandfather into Northampton, before moving to Chatham with relatives after the passing of Edward. An exact birth year for him would help with my theory, but alas. If Benjamin was born in 1742, like his Find-A-Grave entry suggests, he would have been a young adult of 21 when Edward Hathcock died. I think he was younger than that and may have been 10 or 12 in 1763. There was indeed a smallpox outbreak in 1759. I believe this was probably a few years after Benjamin was born. He may have traveled down this way with Chatham neighbors, or with Hathcock relatives. 

The Children

United States. Family Histories 1993

1) Dempsey Hathcock (1775- aft 1860) wife or children unknown. Died in Guy, Montgomery County, Arkansas after 1860. There were two Dempsey Hathcock's. The other lived in Moore County, NC. He also had his start in Chatham County, and ended up in Jack County, Texas. The Moore County Dempsey was older, but not a generation older. This could suggest a familial relationship somewhere up the line. 

2) Martha "Patsy" Hathcock (1776-1880) Married William "Old Billy" Whitley. They had a son named Jesse who married Reuah Perry, the daughter of Daniel Perry and Sarah "Sally" Hathcock, a cousin marriage.

3) James Hathcock Sr. (1778 - May 9, 1848) Buried at Old Freedom Cemetery. Married Esther or Easter Honeycutt.

4) Jesse Hathcock Sr. (1780-1847) Married Catherine "Katie" Whitley. There were many marriages between the two families. The prevalence of the name "Jesse" leads me to a believe a definite familial relationship between the Jesse and Joseph Hathcock families who were in Brunswick with Edward and moved down into Johnston and Halifax. 

Ten-year gap between children indicating a second marriage, possibly. A wife appears to have been living at least until the 1810 census, possibly longer. 

5) Young Hathcock (1790 -1850) Married Sarah Meredith. Moved to Montgomery County, Tennessee.

6)  Sarah "Sallie" Hathcock (1792-1860) Did not marry. Mistress of Daniel Perry had at least two children, Lloyd in 1809 and Reuah in 1818. Possibly a Mary in 1811. Reuah was an old Hebrew name that meant breeze, wind or spirit.

7) Jane Hathcock (1795-after 1870) Married John Whitley. Died in Mount Mourne, Iredell County. I have posted on John and Jane and their family while I was focusing on the Whitley family. 

8) Lee Hathcock (1798 - 1849) Married Sarah Ann Wilhelm. Settled in neighboring Cabarrus County.

8) Benjamin Hathcock, Jr. (1802 - 12 Jun 1884) Married Nancy Ann Burris, daughter of Solomon and Judith Taylor Burris. 

Benjamin Hathcock's Grant as an assignee of Wiley Carpenter bordering Carson & Moore, Poplin's corner, Taylor's corner and Lee's line. James Howell and James Lee, Chain Carriers.

John Poplins Grant on both sides of Long Creek dated 1794 beginning at James Lee's corner, to William Taylors line, Richard Thomason and Benjamin Hathcock chain carriers.

James Hathcocks 1830 Grant of 42 acres on Scaleybark Branch, running with Daniel Moooses entry. Benjamin Hathcock (probably Jr.) and Solomon Hathcock chain carries.

Lloyd Hathcock allowed $38.75 for keeping and taking care of his grandfather, Benjamin Sr.

1850 Paupers list for Stanly County. Benjamin Hathcock near bottom.

See the below book for more information on the descendants of Benjamin Hathcock, Sr. 

Thirty Fathers in Thirty Days: Hezekiah Herrin

When I began this series of posts, one feature I aimed for was to choose ancestors equally from each of my four biological grandparents. The other was to try to stay clear of too many 'Johns', as I have aplenty. The last resolution, I've kept thus far, only one, but there will be more. There's no way around it. The other has proven to be a bit more difficult. I have yet to cover the family tree of my paternal grandfather. He comes from a more insular community, intertwined in so many ways, if you cover one, you touch on all. Also, his being the line that carried the 'name', and I have covered most of his forbears fastidiously already. That said, I found a few that I have not thoroughly dissected in print, until now. This is about one of those ancestors, and his name was not John. It was Hezekiah.

Hezekiah Herrin is one of my 4th Great Grandfathers. He was the father of Telitha Herrin who married William "Buck" Lambert, my grandfather's grandfather. He was married to Amelia "Milly" Hatley, the daughter of Hardy Hatley and Isabelle Foreman, and was a bit of an anomaly in the West Stanly 'soup'.

There's been quite a bit of variance of discourse in where Hezekiah actually came from, or should I say, who he came from.  The first census he appears in was the 1830, in Montgomery County, NC, in 'West Pee Dee', which became the Stanly County half.  Born around 1794, he would have been about 36. He arrived prior to that, however. Who were his people?

Hezekiah's first appearance in records, to my knowledge, was the 1816 petition. The preface of the petition is shown below

PETITION CONCERNING THE SITE OF THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY COURT HOUSE.

To the honorable the Gereral Assembly of the State of North Carolina, the Petition of the Subscribers humbly sheweth that last Session there was an act of the legislature, for the removal of the public buildings of the county of Montgomery. Your petitioners are sensible that this act was obtained through misrepresentation of facts and that the petitions to the legislature last year for the removal of the court-house was carried on through the county under under means. It was represented that the place where the court house now stands is unhealthy and there are some citizens who have lived in the place this twenty years without any material sickness,also that water could not be procured when there is as good water as any in common with other places. The place is named Henderson and was fixed upon by commissionners appointed by the legislature who could not find a place more convenient to the center of the county at large as the river Pedee almost divides the county and Uwhary river separates the upper part of the county and is called the fork, So that the town of Henderson is situated at the confluence of both rivers convient to the people on the other side of the river and also of the people in the fork. Your petitioners dare assert that there are at least two to one of the citizens of the county who wishes the court house to remain in the town of Henderson. Now the Commissioners appointed last session have pitched upon a place, which this last summer proved to be deficient in respect to water, as the springs all went dry, for Mr. Rush one of the commissioners asserted himself that all the water of this new place could be contained in a common pail and had ceased running there. Commissioners three in number viz-- Rush, Deberry, and Davidson were so eager to complete the business that they have sold the old court house to be delivered after October court, while the new court house is not to be completed untilJuly next, which will leave the county without any court house, contrary to the meaning of the act, who, your petitioners presumed did not contemplate the removal of the court of said county, untill the new court house should be finished. Your petitioners humbly represents that in public matters the majority ought to carry any point. Therefore your petitioners humbly prays that your honorable body will be pleased to repeal the act passed last session for the removal of the public buildings of said county, and decree that they shall remain in the town of Henderson where they were fixed at first, and your petitioners as in duty bound will for ever pray. Montgomery County September 20th 1816.

The particulars were that the place of the former Courthouse had been misrepresented to the Assembly, in the opinions of a group of citizens, who were petitioning. The place had been portrayed as diseased, an unhealthy location, rife with disease due to its proximity to the river. The old Courthouse had been sold and the new one not yet built, leaving the County without a Courthouse. The petitioners declared Henderson a convenient place for citizens on both sides of the river, and for those traveling down the Uwharrie as well, being situated at its mouth. They declared the reports of illness false and asked to still use Henderson as the gathering place.

On this document was found the signatures of many familiar names, some ancestors, like David Blalock and his father-in-law, Andrew Dennis, on whom I posted a few days ago. There were names of men known to have dwelt on opposites sides of the river. About two-thirds of the way down the page was the name 'Hezekiah Herrin'. He would have been about 22 years of age.

Andrew Weaks, Hezekiah Herrin, Jacob? Fisher, Daniel Ritenhour, Nedam Green, Daniel Sides,

Further down the page is "William Heron",

I can't tell if this was a relative or not. Why the different spelling of a homophone?

The entire document may be found at this link: 1816 Petition of Montgomery County, NC

The 1820 census for Montgomery County was lost or destroyed, and the fact that Hezekiah doesn't appear in the 1820 census, at 24, is telling in itself, as it would indicate that he indeed was in the omitted county. 

Hezekiah was a man after my own heart. First, his own name was Hezekiah, not John, William or James. Then he married a girl named Amelia, called Milly, but not Mary or Martha or Elizabeth. Together, they chose more interesting and individualistic names for some of their children, my 3rd Great Grandmother, Talitha Delphia Herrin Lambert, as an example. So, where did Hezekiah come from? 

There are two trains of thought on who his father may have been, but they both lead down the same road. There are no neon lights flashing telling who his parents were, but the land can whisper its secrets, and it all comes down to a small area of settlement along Pole Bridge Creek in Stanly County, near the Cabarrus County line.

Location of Pole Bridge Creek

The surname Herrin, and its alternative spellings, originate in the British Isles, primarily in south Norfolk, and refers to a seller of fish, specifically, herring.

The Progenitor of the Herrin/Herron/Herring line that settled on the Cabarrus/ Stanly County border in the later part of the 18th Century was named John, of course. Another John. John Herring (circa 1620 - 1672) settled in the Lower Parish of the Isle of Wight, Virginia. John had arrived from Bristol, England in the 1640's. He set about a career as a tobacco farmer, and his land was located around the Blackwater River and Horse Swamp. He was also the maker of Tar.  His wife was named Marjorie, and she was thought to have been a Whitfield before marriage. That name was probably not her maiden name, but the name of a first husband. 

The Will of John Herring was proved on June 10, 1672. The below document can be found at Herring Highlights III -1642-1698.

In this, John mentions his son, Anthony, and no others. However, he leaves "the child John Whitfield", a year-old heifer.

Marjorie Herring then dies about 1675, and she, too, leaves a Will, in Isle of Wight, Virginia. In it, she leaves everything to "John Whitfield, orphan". No mention of Anthony. She designates a man named Clement Creswell as the guardian of John, or to look after John's interests in her steed. She refers to Cresswell as Johns "father-in-law". This term was as confusing the first time you see it as "next friend". 

Mr. Creswell was not logically the father-in-law as we would think of it today. There was some relationship there by marriage, however, stepfather or perhaps even the grandfather, who had stepped into an active father role. Clement Creswell wrote his own will in 1682, ten years later. Within, he transfers to John Whitfield everything from Marjorie that he was saving for him. It's my belief that Marjorie was a second wife of John Herring, and not the mother of Anthony. I believe she was a widow and that John Whitfield was her son. I am not certain what relationship that Clement Creswell held with the two of them. He could have been a relative of Marjorie, or even of John Whitfields father. 

Anthony

Anthony Herrin, circa 1648-1715) was born in Isle of Wight, Virginia and continued with his father's business of being a tobacco farmer. After his father died, he acquired 200 acres on the East side of Black water Swamp, and he paid for things with tobacco. 

Most of what is known about Anthony is through land transactions as he increased his holdings. In Volume 1 Page 64 of Seventh Century Isle of Wight County, Virginia deeds, William West Sr. and his wife, Rebecca, sold to "Anthony Herring" for 2500 lbs of Tobacco, 200 acres of land on Blackwater adjoining John Smith and Will Westwray, "being part of the land purchased from William West and William Oldis adjoining Nosworthy's and John Smith's line." It was dated April 28, 1694. In the above seen transaction between John Little and Anthony, on the East side of Blackwater Swamp, his surname is spelled "Herrin", as it is today among most descendants. 

Anthony married William West's daughter, also named Rebecca and they had a wealth of sons, any daughters unknown. Land transactions indicate the following sons; John in 1680, Samuel 1682, Abraham 1684, Joseph 1686, Stephen 1688, Edward 1690, Daniel 1692 and Anthony Jr. 1694. I am assuming the years are estimated. 

By the 1720's, the best lands of Virginia were getting full and several of Anthonys sons were migrating to North Carolina. Samuel Herring and John Herring Sr. moved down to Johnston County, NC and John became the first Sheriff of that County. Edward, one of the younger brothers would also travel to Johnston.

He had also owned land in Orange County, NC. The below transaction is found in Orange County deeds.

"To all Christian People....I, Edward Herrin of Johnston County and Province of North Carolina Planter...fifteen pounds current money of Virginia to me in hand paid by Runnell Allen of the County and Province aforesaid. 

He was wordy, but the jist of the matter was that he was selling property in Orange County on the Neuse River to Runnel Allen.

"Being fifty acres alone be the same more or less. Lying and being in Orange County and on the South Side of Neuse River.

Edward is the Herrin who migrated first to Chatham County, where he settled on Little Beaver Creek, and later, purchased land on Kit Creek. It appears the family liked living along County lines, because they traversed between Wake and Chatham, living near the lines of both. 

Seen in the Wake and Chatham County deeds with Edward, bordering his lines, and acting as Chain Carriers are Moses, Owen and Edward, Jr., assumed to be his sons. Edward Sr. dies in the Chatham/ Wake County vicinity. Portions of his estate files are indexed under Chatham County Wills and Estates

Edward Herrin was a Patriot. I can't divine if this was Jr. or Sr., but would tend more towards Jr., because of the age. "State of North Carolina Wake County. This may certify that a commissioner for the County aforesaid Had purchased from Edward Herron Seventy two pounds of  Bacon amounting to Twelve...Given under my hand this 3rd day of April (AD.) 1781 Thomas Wooten Comr."

He does not have appeared to have served in the Army, he only contributed to the cause, but that was important. Having the community provide food for the militias was an essential contribution to keep the forces strong.

 Edward Jr. and Owen will later be found in Montgomery County, and guess where they end up?

In 1792, Edward is a Chain Carrier for Thomas Motley's Grant.

And in 1795, Edward Herrin, Jr. enters a Grant for 100 acres of land in Montgomery County, south of the Pee Dee River on "the Bee Branch of Pole Bridge" Thomas Motley and Younger Wardrobe (or Waldrop), were chain carriers. 

So here is where the train of thought splits. It seemed always assumed that Alexander Herrin Sr. and his wife, Nancy Wadsworth were the parents of Hezekiah Herrin. When I first began tracing my family tree in earnest 15 years ago, I just took it in stride and not really knowing any better just followed the crowd. Don't we all? But, after an actual study I don't believe this to be correct anymore. 

Fellow Blogger and Solomon Burris descendant, George Thomas, now an amazing author, has a different theory and I tend to agree with him, that Edward Jr. was the father of Hezekiah, instead. It all makes sense.  Now, Alexander Herrin, Sr. lived in the exact same Chatham County community alongside Edward Herrin Sr. before moving down to the Rocky River area of Stanly (Montgomery) County. It is thought that Alexander could have been a younger son, or even a nephew of Edward, Sr. In any case, it would make Hezekiah a grandson of Edward Herrin Sr. Please see George's post below mentioning the Herrin family and their involvement in the 1799 petition and suit involving the University of North Carolina and land disputes. Edward and his brother, Owen, both signed it, along with connected families like the Waldrops, Motleys and Almonds. 

George's post:

RAMBLINGS FROM WAKE AND AREA CONCERNING A MOVE TO OLD MONTGOMERY COUNTY

There was a marriage in Wake County, NC in 1792 between Edward Herrin (Jr.) and Sarah Motley.

Harrison Motley was a bondsman for Edward. And then Edward is found in what becomes Stanly County with Thomas Motley. It appears to me that the Herrins and Motleys may have arrived together as family. 

There seems to have been a Pole Bridge settlement in the 1790's involving this group of related families from the Chatham/Wake border area. They settled on the Cabarrus/ Stanly border. The above map shows the flow of Pole Bridge Creek, as it follows Bridge Road and Herrin's Grove Road. 

There's even the old Herrin's Grove Primitive Baptist Church, established by the family of Hezekiah Herrin. This is exactly where they lived, from the late 1700's onward. The church is still an active congregation. The cemetery is full of Herrins and Harwoods, Almonds and Hatley's and Herrin's Grove Road crosses Lambert Road. Is it any doubt that Talitha Herrin married William "Buck" Lambert?

So, back to Hezekiah. We know his people were here on Pole Bridge Creek between 1792 and 1799. This means Hezekiah was likely born here. He signs the 1816 Petition. So, he would have been in both the 1800 and 1810 census of Montgomery County.

In 1800, Hezekiah would have been 6 years old.

Name	Edward Herlin
Home in 1800 (City, County, State)	Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10	2
Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44	1 Edward
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10	1
Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44	1 Sarah
Number of Household Members Under 16	3
Number of Household Members Over 25	2
Number of Household Members	5

The only Herrin in Montgomery County, or near, was Edward. He and his wife, Sarah Motley, were between 26 and 45 years of age. There was one girl and three boys under the age of ten.

And there he is near Younger Wardrobe.

In 1810, there were no Herrings or Herrins,  in Montgomery County, or near it, as heads of household.

Younger Wardrobe had already taken off to Kentucky. 

We were so robbed by the Montgomery County Courthouse fires. Did Edward Herrin have a Will? Was there an estate settlement? Had there existed a document with Hezekiah Herrins name in conjunction with Edwards'? We'll never know. If they existed, they went up in smoke. 

My theory is that Hezekiah, now 16, was living with his mother's people, the Motleys. There was a boy in the home of the suitable age. 

1830- We see Hezekiah Herrin for the first time in the census listing, sandwiched between John Parker and James Hathcock. Then, near the bottom of the page, between Edward Almond, Jr. and Henry Carter, is that James Herrin or James Hinson? Turns out, it was neither.

1840- Hezekiah Herrin is now sandwiched between Phillip Sell and Green Palmer. No big surprise. Once we get into the land records we will see that Hezekiah was a real estate dervish, he bought and sold property from all corners and interstices. But he was not the only Herrin in the County.

Not very far away in the listing we first find Dorris Herrin, yes, Dorris, and not a lady, residing near Loves and Tuckers. Who was Dorris?

Dorris and his wife, Bethany, lived in Stanly County and raised a family here. I will refrain from doing an entire 'who was Dorris' post here, but from what I can quickly ascertain, Dorris was probably Hezekiah's brother. I have no solid information at present, but recall that Edward had two little boys under 10 in his home? Hezekiah was born in 1794. Dorris was born in 1796. Could very well be. 

Hezekiah was an opportunist. He was not comfortable with the desiderata of the Pole Bridge kingdom he had been heir to. He purchased properties near his own, and further away from where he lived. Investments is the word we would use today. On April 19, 1831, he purchased some estate property from P. Barringer, Executor of the estate of Paul Barringer, deceased. The counties had not split yet, so this was in Montgomery, and consisted of 320 acres on 12 months installment. Hezekiah had been the highest bidder.

The document gave a trail of ownership from William Whitfields grant to Augustine Rowland and from Rowland to Paul Barringer. The property was located on Big Bear Creek (a branch called Stony Run).

Further told was that the 320 acres was actually half of a 640 acre tract.

The transaction was proved in open court on Feb. 19th, 1833.

I found this part of particular interest. The deed was attested to by Hezekiah's oldest son, Wilson B. Herrin, and also an illegible, or unreadable signature, explained as an aside, "which is John Dry in English". In 1833, John Dry still wrote in German!

There was another deed from Zach Whitley to Hezekiah Herrin that was proved by the oath of one of his younger sons, John F. Herrin.

The deed below has Hezekiah as a grantor. It is to his daughter, and my 3rd Great Grandmother, Talitha Herring Lambert

 It took place in 1851 and he sold to his daughter, for $100.00, 164 acres on Stony Run and Jordan's Branch. Now, Jordan's Branch is a new name for me, and it bordered Lamberts line, which I will assume was Talitha and her husband Buck's place.

It was proved by the oath of Thomas Rowland the following October, as Thomas Rowland and M. (Mathias) Melchor were witnesses. My curiosity is piqued by the fact that Hezekiah sold the land to his daughter, instead of his son-in-law. It was not a gift for a nominal fee. It was a profitable sale, and married women were usually represented by their husbands in transactions such as these. Did Hezekiah have an issue with Buck? I could imagine it.

On Christmas Day, 1840, Hezekiah sold to Green Palmer, a little boy named Daniel. These were those dark days before emancipation. In the 1840 census shown earlier in this post, Green Palmer was listed below the name of Hezekiah Herrin, a neighbor. Both held more than the average amount of property, although they were not considered the wealthiest men of the area. Middle class in modern terms. I wonder what became of Daniel?

I believe I know. In the 1870 census, the first in which the formerly enslaved were listed by name, there is household of freed people led by Daniel Palmer, They are living in Ridenhour Township near D. A. G. Palmer (Daniel Alexander Graham) and his wife Permelia, a brother of Green Palmer. From there Daniel's life and family could possibly be traced to present.

In 1842, Hezekiah sells to Nathan T. Starnes a tract of land on Running Creek and Poll Bridge Creek. This, I believe, is part of the old Herrin tract that had come into his hands through inheritance. The smoke from those old Montgomery County Courthouse fires still swirls in the air and insult our nostrils. The tract bordered Motleys. Motleys no doubt related to Sarah Motley Herrin, who married Edward.

The deed was proven in 1845, witnessed by Hezikiah's son, John F. Herrin and James C. Tucker, back in the days when my ancestor Samuel Parsons Morton was the Registrar, before becoming a minister.

1845 was also the year Hezekiah entered a Grant for 75 acres on the waters of Bear Creek. They may have attended Bear Creek Church for a spell. Many of the Lamberts and others neighbors did.

In January of 1840, Hezekiah Herrin and his wife Milly, joined by letter to Meadow Creek, quite a distance from where they lived.

By July of 1846, he was a church clerk.

Meadow Creek Church records are gloriously available to us. One wonderful I had discovered in them were a few facts concerning the mother-in-law of another ancestor, Frederick Fincher Starnes, when she came to live with him and his wife, primarily her first name, and where she was born, or was from. I've written quite a bit on Finch before, a third great grandfather.

Hezekiah was mentioned several times in Church records and in several of them, like the entry above, there were things that did not sit well with him. The Herrin's, children and grandchildren of Hezekiah, eventually started their own church on their own property.

The Church was called Herrin's Grove Primitive Church.  I drove through the area a few days ago, just breathing in the air. It's a glorious, rustic area as green as Ireland, with rolling, fertile hills. One could easily imagine being transported back to the days that Hezekiah and his kin walked this land. 

To drive through the georgic, pastoral valley along pole bridge creek now, you would not think there could ever have been any trouble, but Hezekiah, who seems to have been a peaceable, devoutly Baptist fellow, was not able to escape some trouble he did not court, but that pulled him in any way. In 1830, while he was still a young man in his thirties, a dispute erupted between the Motley's, his mother's people, I am supposing. It was Thomas Motley by his agent, Rufus Barringer vs. Robert and Ransom Motley. Over land and inheritance, no doubt, as those issues have historically destroyed families. Maybe not the land, itself, but the greed that simmered at the base of it. Hezekiah Herrin was subpoenaed as a witness along with John Eudy, P. W. Wooley and Thomas Rowland. As Thomas Motley was represented by an Agent, it suggests that he had moved away by then.

The issues with the Motleys would not stop, as in March of 1851, in Hezekiah's older years, he was ordered to Court with his son, John F. Herrin, for a sum of $16.05 claimed owed by Thomas Motley, son of Robert. More than one of old Thomas Motley's son had named one of their own sons for him. Hezekiah had acted as what we would consider a co-signer for his son and that is how he had gotten caught up with it. That was not the only time one of his sons would be a disappointment to him.

February 1851, a month prior to the last Court appearance, Hezekiah was in court to claim $12.40 owed him as guardians of William J. Carter and Green L. Carter. They were not his grandsons, in fact, one would become his son in law.

Hezekiah had to attend Court in Cabarrus County in a case where his son, Wylie, spelled 'Willie' here, was charged with bastardy. I do not know the name of the mother who accused him in this case, or the name of the child. This was in April 1837, when Hezekiah would have been 41 years old, and Wiley, only 18 or 19. A young man acting unwisely.

In 1842, a girl named Elizabeth Herrin was bound to David D Lentz in Stanly County This meant she was underage and either an orphan, half-orphan, or an illegitimate child. Both Hezekiah and Dorris Herrin had daughters named Elizabeth, but both men and their wives were living. Any sister they had would have been far older, not a minor. Who was she? I wonder if she was the child of his son, Wiley, who had been taken to court in Cabarrus County for bastardy. While children often took the mother's name in those instances, especially if the father was not forthcoming. Others did assume their father's surname. It's possible.

Wiley died young, in 1854. His is noted as the oldest known tombstone in the Herrin's Grove Cemetery.

I will not endeavor to include all of the land transactions involving Hezekiah Herrin in this growing, tome, as he had many, several between he and Israel Misenheimer, even the Calloway's way up in Harris Township, with the Lamberts, Motleys and Rowland, Harwood's and Hatley's, many with the Hatley's his wife's family.

The above intrigued me because of the story around it. Pleasant Almond to Hezekiah Herrin, October 15, 1831. For $25, Pleasant Almond sold to Hezekiah a property on Pole Bridge Creek, on Thomas Motley's line to his corner, along John Lamberts line to Nathan Starnes line, to George Dove's line back to Hezekiah Herrins' line, containing 200 acres.

Pleasant Almond was married to Rebecca Lambert, betrayed her, they separated, and he left town, taking his younger son with Rebecca, John Almond, and a son he had with another woman, named Barbara. The couple did not divorce, but stayed separated for decades. Some of them returned to Stanly County. I've posted on this event before. You can read more about it here. The post is called, "A Closer Look at John Almond", there are also a few others preceding it on the Lamberts that cover it.

The transaction was witnessed by Hastin Hatley and Ransom Motley.

Hezekah lived in the era when some livestock free-roamed or fencing less infallible. Ownership was noted with unique notches and marks upon the unfortunate animal's ear, called an Earmark. Hezekiah's was a "smoothe crop and two slits in the right ear and a swallow hookover and whay moon under in the left ear". Quite an intricate combination.

I conclude the land records with the above 75 acres Grant on Bear Creek adjoining William Eudy.

Hezekiah Herrin died sometime in 1856, according to his estate papers, in Stanly County, North Carolina. He was in his early 60's. His place of burial is unknown. It is supposed that he was buried near his son, Wylie, in the family burying ground, which became the Herrin's Grove Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery.

The Will of Hezekiah Herrin was a rambling monstrosity of a thing, filling 3 or 4 pages and his estate record as gangly.

He wrote his Will the year his son died. He may have figured it was time, seeing his 36-year-old son fall ill and he being a man in his late fifties. The beginning above, gives the usual preamble. I haven't included all of it.

Pole Bridge Creek 

His second bequeath was to his wife, Milly a cow and calf, her choice of wheel and cart, two horses, during her widowhood as long as she is alive. He also left her half the plantation, including the dwelling house, which was to go to youngest son, Julius Hezekiah Herrin, after her death.

The rest of the property to be divided between the rest of the children, basically.

This point was intriguing. He gave to his friend John Shinpoch, of Mount Pleasant, Cabarrus County, a merchant and farmer, the part of his estate that would otherwise go to his daughter, Isabell Herrin Fisher, plus $35.00. "for the reason that I have already advanced to each of the others."

..."this is the sole provision made for my said daughter Isabel ...as her husband be found. Away my papers after my death bearing date.. to this for thirty five dollars there the above met ...5th Should the child of my deceased Daughter Elizabeth Carter die before arriving at the age of twenty-one years it is my will that the portion said child received under the third Item of this will be divided among my children or their representatives..."

He continues explaining exact divisions, ifs, ands & buts. It's easy to tell a controlling personality. He wills that his wife, Milly, receive a child's portion in the sale of his personal estate. I love how he signs his name "Hez" in many of the documents, including this one. Henceforth, he will be Grandpa Hez.

Although written in 1852, Hezekiah's Will was not proved until May of 1858, indicating he lived several years after it was written.

His son Julius H. Herrin and son-in-law, William Lambert, were appointed administrators.

There was no consensus among the Herrin heirs and the probate case bounced around the court for years.

The children of Hezekiah Herrin and Amelia "Millie" Hatley Herrin were:

A) Wilson B Herrin (Abt 1814- aft 1880) Married Christina "Teena" Harwood, daughter of Howell Harwood and Celia Almond. Moved to Hot Springs, Arkansas before the Civil War. Ten children: William D, Emily, John M., Franklin H., Celia Anna, Evan Wiley, James W., Delitha, Jane and Sarah C. Herrin.

B) Wyley  Ephrain Herrin (1818-1854) Married Elizabeth Almond, daughter of Achilles Almond and Sarah Melchor Almond. Five children: Eli Ransom, Sarah, John Franklin, Martha Jane and Rufus "Bud" Herrin.

C) John Franklin Herrin (1822-1894) Married Sarah Blackwelder. Nine children: Omie J., Julius A., Daniel Monroe, Millie Susan, Kiah P., Elizabeth L., Matilda, Tillman M., Lucy Linda. 

D) Delphia Talitha Herrin. Married William "Buck" Lambert, son of John Lambert Jr. and Mary Margaret Almond. "Ten" children: Caleb Wiley, Rufus Alexander, Julia Leah, John William, Mary Catherine, Martha Ellen, Sarah Adeline, Josephine Talitha, Jonah M. and *"Martin Luther". * Martin Luther was an adopted, but related, child.

E) Naomi Jane 'Omie' Herrin. (1827-1910). Buried at Ridgecrest. Married Melchor Almond, son of Achilles Almond and Sarah Melchor. Seven children: Alphonso Allen, John H., Robert Franklin, Louisa, Daniel M., Sarah, Julia Ann.

F) Julius Hezekiah Herrin (1831-1913) Married Mary Adeline Lambert, sister of Buck Lambert. Ten children: Millie Elizabeth, Eli N. "Little Eli", Wiley Franklin, Mary Ann, John Wilson, Frances Adeline, Matthew Hezekiah, William Ransom.

Two daughters we don't have dates for, but they were mentioned in the Will. 

G) Isabella, married an unknown Fisher. She had a debt or other involvement with Col. John Shinpoch, a merchant, of Mount Pleasant. Unknown if she had children. She didn't at the time her father wrote his Will. There was a Jacob Fisher family who lived not that far away, in Stanly County and near the Cabarrus line. Perhaps she had married into that family or another related Fisher family.

H) Elizabeth Herrin married William Jackson "Jack" Carter on December 23, 1851.

There was one son, William Hershell Carter.

Hezekiah Herrin referred to his 'deceased' daughter, Elizabeth Carter in his Will. Hezekiah appears to have had a contentious relationship with Jack Carter. The marriage was brief. 

William J Carter married Mary Harwood on September 27, 1853.

William J Carter married Susan Burleyson on August 4, 1861.

Who were the Carter boys? If you recall from earlier in this post, Hezekiah had been appointed guardian in February 1851, of William J. Carter and Green L. Carter. This was William Jackson Carter and his brother, Green Lawson Carter. They seem to have confused a great number of people. It had begun much earlier than 1851.

In the fall of 1843, we find the first mention of the Carter brothers being brought to Court to be bound out.

 In the February 1844 Session of Stanly County Please and Quarters Court, Jackson Carter was bound to Hezekiah Herrin until he turned 21.

In the same session of Court, Lawson Carter was bound to Nelson Shoe.

In November of 1844, the Judge could not make up his mind. He first bound Lawson Carter over to Hardy Hatley. 

Then not one page over in the same Session of Court, it was revealed that Lawson had previously been bound to Nelson Shoe.

In August of 1847, in the same County and Court, Hezekiah Herrin was appointed Guardian of both Jackson Carter and Green Lawson Carter, orphans of Polly Carter decd. He gave bond of $50 with son Wilson B. Herrin as security.

In 1850, Jackson Carter and Lawson Carter were old enough to be assigned to work on the Fayetteville Road from the County line, supervised by Ransom Motley, overseer in the company of the likes of William and Nathan Lambert, John F. and Julius Herrin, Godfrey Lipe, Nathan T. Starnes and his sons, and others of the neighborhood. 

In 1852, Godfrey Lipe was appointed Guardian of Green L. Carter with John F. Herrin and William Lambert, Hezekiah's son and son-in-law as security.

In the 1850 census, the next one after, Godfrey Lipe in seen living in Stanly County. He has 18-year-old Lawson Carter living with him. Godfrey's wife, Margaret, was a Carter.

In May of 1850, in the road records, Jackson Carter was ordered to work on the road with Alexander Dry as Overseer, from the Big Pond to Lambert's Branch. The Overseer was to mile mark the road from the County line to Albemarle. I'd like to have known what road that was, did it survive to modern days?

In 1853, Lawson was a witness in the case of State vs. Nathan T. Starnes.

There are two instances in the Court records that Lawson Carter was either mistaken for a Lawson Blackwelder or was referred to as Lawson Blackwelder. In one, the name Blackwelder was stricken out and Carter was written over it.  And then, the above.

Lawson Carter married Martha Malinda Sossamon on October 26, 1854, and Wilson B. Herrin was his bondsman. And you've seen the three marriages of William Jackson Carter.

Sadly, something happened to young Jackson Carter, and he began to lose his sight. In August of 1859, he was exempted from poll tax due to his blindness. 

William Hershell "Willie" Carter, son of Elizabeth Herrin and husband, William Jackson Herrin was born about 1852. His mother may have died in childbirth shortly after his birth. He was raised by his father and two stepmothers, Martha Harwood and Susanna Burleson. He married Sarah Elizabeth Bratton on October 10, 1873, daughter of Rev. Absolom Bratton and wife, Betsy Craver.

There were two daughters, Frances in 1874 and Amanda in 1876. He died before August of 1878, when his widow remarried Levi Tucker. 

In between the row of Graves at Herrin's Grove Primitive Baptist Church, where Wylie Herrin is buried, on the right, and other Herrin's are buried on the left, are three or four rows nearly void of headstones. These rows are not empty. Within them are older graves, whose stones have not survived the ravages of time. Here may lie Hezekiah, as he died only a few years after his son, or that of Milly, who was also gone between 1856 and 1860.

We do not have a portrait of Hezekiah Herrin, but above is a picture of his youngest son, Julius Hezekiah Herrin in old age. I'm sure there was some resemblance to his father.

The verdant rolling hills of the Finger Community on the Stanly/ Cabarrus line were bucolic and tempting place for the Herrin's to settle after their move to the Piedmont of North Carolina. The steep hills and sharp curves, and vibrant agrarian scenery lush with many small streams traversing the landscape, can make one feel like they are in the foothills of the Appalachians. I rode over to Pole Bridge Road, Bridge Road, Lambert Road and Rowland Road and viewed the lands where Hezekiah walked and lived. It's an Eden.

Another post concerning the Herrin's can be found at It's Never Really Over: More on Joseph Marshall Herring alias Matthew Elmer Harwood