The surname of Broadway, also seen as Broadaway, takes me back to my British roots, my second largest hunk of DNA. The name originated in the area of Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset in the West Midlands of England. Simply put, it referred to someone who lived by a broad road or path.
Nicholas Broadway was one of my 5th Great Grandfathers. I have two Broadway lines, both through female ancestors. His daughter, Obedience Broadway, (1785-1837), my 4th Great Grandmother, married James Ludwell Carpenter, and was settled along the Rocky River near my Davis ancestors. Elizabeth "Betsy" Broadway, born circa 1804, married their son, Thomas Jackson Carpenter (1802-1877). She was the daughter of a William Broadway (circa 1772) and wife Mary and the granddaughter of Robert (circa 1752) and wife Ann Berry. This may have been a cousin marriage for Thomas and Betsey. Robert and his wife married in Philadelphia, and he is the one who brought his branch of the Broadways to Anson County.
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Nicholas, on the other hand, was the son of an Edward Broadway and Mary Pettypool. He was born in Prince Edward County, Virginia, and was found in Edgecomb, North Carolina by the mid 18th Century. He didn't tarry long in Edgecomb County, as he and his wife are found in
he is found in a Tax List for Anson County in 1763.
| Name | Nicholas Broadway |
|---|---|
| State | North Carolina |
| County | Anson |
| Year | 1763 |
Nicholas was probably named for an earlier Nicholas Broadaway, who arrived in Maryland in 1658 and was found later in Virginia. Nicholas married Elizabeth Berry while still in Prince Edward County. The couple set forth to North Carolina in their twenties.
| Name | Robert? Broadway |
|---|---|
| Residence | 1763 Tax List, Anson, North Carolina |
Nicholas and Robert the Early were the only Broadaways, as heads of families in the middle 18th Century, the earliest years of settlement of Anson County, the part of the County that remains Anson to this day. I can't help but think there is a connection somewhere, whether close or distant, I can't say.
In a transaction dated September 20, 1757, wherein Nicholas Broadway and his wife, Elizabeth sold to Thomas Tallant for 15 lbs. in Virginia money land on Smith Creek that had been granted to Joseph White and Francis McElwain on April 13, 1749, and had been conveyed to Tomas Berry by deed on July 17, 1752, and then from Thomas Berry to his daughter, Elizabeth and as such, to her husband, Nicholas Broadway. It was signed by both Elizabeth and Nicholas. Witnesses were Samuel Berry, Isaac Falkenberry and William Howell.
The above plat of 250 acres was surveyed for Nicholas Broadway in 1763, on the Southwest side of the Pee Dee River. It bordered Joseph "Whitet" and F."Mchilcherson". This was Joseph White and Francis McElwain.
This land was like a hot potato, as on July 27, 1762, Thomas Tallant of Anson sold it on to Leonard Higdon, planter, also of Anson, for L30.00, doubling his profits. It was the same land granted to White and McElwain and then to Thomas Berry, and then to Nicholas Broadway, on Smith's Creek. Witnesses were Benjamin Martin and Isaac Falkenberry.
If that wasn't bad enough, just four months later, on November 4, 1862, Leonard Higdon sold the exact same tract, with the list of owners getting longer to Samuel Flake for the same amount he paid for it. The same men, Martin and Falkenberry were witnesses.
In August of the next year, Charles Berry, Elizabeth's brother, sold his share of his father's property, on both sides of Smith's Creek, to Thomas Tallent, "175 acres conveyed to Thomas Berry " on July 18, 1752 and to Charles Berry, his son, in October of 1755. This had also been granted previously to Francis McElwaine in 1749. It was signed by Charles and Elizabeth Berry and witnesses by Benjamin Martin and James Denson.
Smith's Creek runs west to east from around Lilesville to the Pee Dee River, north of Clark's Mountain.
This is east of Wadesboro.
In 1766, Nicholas and Benjamin Bridges were chain carriers on a survey of James Hutchins 100 acres.
The Broadways were not a populous family in those days, in fact, records are sparse and fleeting. Location becomes very important. In NC land Grants we see:
- 1756 Robert on Buffalo Creek
- 1767 Nicholas
- 1791 Robert on Lane's Creek
- 1799 Robert on Cribbs Creek
- 1844 Robert on Rocky River next to Hinson
- 1797 William on Richardson Creek
- 1818 William adjoining Ludwell Carpenter and John Charactor
- 1833 Thomas adjoining his own and Wiley Polk
- 1795 John on Arnett Branch of Rocky River
- 1801 and1802 - John on Cribbs Creek
- 1808 and 1812 - John, adjoining his own and John Lee
- 1826 and 1827 - Again John Broadway
William Broadway living next to Ludwell Carpenter is significant, because Ludwell married Obedience Broadway, and William's daughter, Betsey, married Ludwell's son, Thomas.
It seems by marrying Elizabeth Berry, Nicholas had lucked up, allowing him to become freeholder. But Nicholas was not the only Broadway to marry a Berry (or Barry). Robert Broadway married Ann Berry, but not in Anson County.
According to 'Encyclopedia of Biographies' an older Nicholas Broadway, settled in Talbot County, Maryland in 1662. He had a son, Samuel, who had Ambrose, who married Mary Wilson. The book claims they were the parents of Robert Broadway, who married Ann Berry and had a son, also named Ambrose.
| Name | Nicholas Brodoway |
|---|---|
| Arrival Year | 1658 |
| Arrival Place | Maryland |
| Primary Immigrant | Brodoway, Nicholas |
| Source Publication Code | 8510 |
| Annotation | Index from manuscript by Arthur Trader, Chief Clerk in the Maryland Land Commission, 1917. And see nos. 4507-4511, Land Notes. |
When Nicholas Broadway appears in the 1763 Tax List of Anson County, who is the obliterated name below his? We see his father-in-law, Thomas Berry, below him three spaces, who is taxed for 1 poll, his sons grown. Nicholas was taxed for 5 white polls and no black polls. This means he had four males over 16 living in his household, besides himself.
Nicholas Broadway bought and sold land in Anson County between the years 1757 and 1768.
On Christmas Eve, 1760, Nicholas, identified as a Planter, bought property from John Husbands, his neighbor.
The tract was on the southwest side of the Pee Dee River and began at Caleb Howell's upper corner. This is the second time a Howell is mentioned in connection with Nicholas Broadway. This interests me, because the cove of them huddles in the same area as other ancestors of mine. I've long attempted to identify the family of Richard Howell, my 5th Great Grandmother Sarah Winfields first husband. These Howells near them is inspiring for that purpose. The survey proceeded forward to John George's corner on the Riverbank near the Grassy Island Wagon Ford, then down the Pee Dee River, then back to John Husbands'.
Six years later in 1766, Nicholas bought property from Thomas Mitchell for 30 pounds proclamation money.
Witnesses were Henry F. Falconborouh (later Falkenbury) and William Fielding, another name I've seen frequently in other family documents.
In January of 1766, Thomas Berry departed with more of his own property, to his son-in-law, Nicholas Broadway.
Later in the deed, Thomas Berry is referred to as Thomas 'Broady'.
The above sale to Thomas Tallent, previously mentioned, was in 1757, and witnessed by Isaac Falconbrough, Samuel Berry and William Howell
Thomas Berry appears to have had at least the one daughter and two sons, Samuel and Charles. If Nicholas had another wife, there is no proof of it.
Nicholas Broadway had a case in court against William Hamer, but it doesn't say what the issue was about.
Nicholas Broadaway had ventured into South Carolina on unspecified business, it is supposed. There he died on December 26, 1766. It is unknown where he was buried. However, the grave of his wife, Elizabeth, still remains to this day.
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| Tombstone of Elizabeth "Betty" Berry Broadaway |
Elizabeth Berry died in 1769, the year after her husband. She was not an old woman; her age estimated at about 44. Her husbands at 46 when he died. Some of the children must have still been minors. As was the custom, they would have been assigned a guardian, or bound, and placed in another's home. Unfortunately, Anson is one of the many Counties that suffered record loss, from fires and other acts of nature or men, so that information is lost to time.
Rocky Mountain Church sits atop the highest hill in the area surrounding it near the forks of Richardson Creek and Rocky River. The Road begins at the Anson/Stanly County border, swirls around the rich ford area, near the John Lee cemetery, where Henry Davis lies, and then bends west, where the old Turner Cemetery is, all family and ancestors of mine. It ends near Crib Creek where two other roads, one called Randall, split off. For decades it was used for random camp meetings as the itinerant ministers would pass that way. The oldest graves predate the church by 70 or 80 years, so it must have served the earliest of arrivals. The church was founded in a log building in 1852. There are many Broadways in the Rocky Mount Cemetery. Among the internments there is Elizabeth 'Betty' Berry Broadaway, and more than likely, her husband Nicholas, too.
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| Tombstone for Robert Broadway |
Also buried in this same cemetery is my 6th Great Grandfather, Robert Broadaway. It's hard to focus on one without mentioning the other. There are no dates on the ancient stone, with its' rune-like markings
There has been much speculation on exactly who Gracy Broadway was. There were 7 males in her home over 16 and 7 females. The historic timeline analysis concludes that she certainly must have been the widow of Robert Broadway, although not a first wife. Otherwise, there are no hints as to who she was.
And just above Gideon and Jacob Green.
In the 1800 census, Gracy is not listed, but there are two Broadways side by side, John and William.
Both families seem to hold a young couple, with children. Both have a man and woman between 16 and 25. William also has two girls under 10, and John has 1 boy and 2 girls under 10.
In 1810, there is only John. William may have moved temporarily, but not permanently. He and his wife are now in the 26 to 44 age range, and he's up to 7 children, four girls and two boys
By 1820, John and wife are over 45, they have 8 children, and for the first time, 7 slaves.
William is back, in the same age range as John, with 5 younger household members, three young women 16 to 25, and one under 10 and one male under 10.
There is a third Broadway household in 1820, led by a female named Lydia. There are two women 26 to 44, and a little boy under ten.
By 1830, the family starts to take off both figuratively and literally. There's Jordan, Robert, John and James and three Williams. Two Williams are in their 40's, one with a family of five and one slave, the other with a family of 8 and no slaves. Family of 8 lives near the Allens and George Turner, which puts him in the Rocky Mount Church area. Family of 5 lives near Whites, William Nash and Marshes, which puts him in Nicholas Broadaway's stomping grounds. The younger William appears to have been on the west side of the county, the part that became Union. He was between 16 and 25.
My Broadway roots definitely need a more intense scrutiny, which I plan to launch into soon. But as I descend from both Nicholas and Robert, I hope to put at least some of the puzzle together.
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