The One That Got Away

George H W Springer

My recent romp through old Court records has turned into an expose' of the Springer family. Apologies, but inconsistencies abound, and inconsistencies bother me. 

Delving into NC Land Grants for the Springer family, I don't find an overwhelming number of them. In Montgomery, the mother county of Stanly, where the Springer family I am researching lived, I find but one, and that was to George Springer, the Stanly Springer Patriarch, dated 1800, for 200 acres on the Southwest side of the Pee Dee River. In Stanly, we find 100 acres for Lewis in 1844, 27 acres on Bear Creek for Randle, (who was actually Reuben if you read the actual document), in 1846, 9 acres for Reuben in 1854 and there is one all the way in 1912 to a D. W. Springer in Almond Township. 

There's also one in Orange County in 1790 to Uriah Springer, which is related to these, because I believe they descend from this man. The one that has me flummoxed is one to a George H. W. Springer, in 1844, the same year as Lewis. The chain carriers were Dempsey Springer, a brother of Lewis who would move to Cherokee County, Georgia, and Adam, a nephew of Lewis and Dempsey, son of their sister, Barbara.

Who was George H. W. Springer? I don't find him in any other records in Stanly County. 

The deed itself describes the tract as being on Stony Run and Bear Creeks, adjoining Dempsey Springer's line and others, it met John Perry's corner, who married Margaret, one of the Springer sisters. This repitition of the family name, and the properties connecting to each other suggests that this was family land and that George H. W. Springer was a member of this Springer family. 

I do find one other mention of a George H. W. Springer, 

Name	George W. H. Springer
Enlistment Rank	Private
Muster Place	Georgia
Muster Company	F
Muster Regiment	3rd Cavalry
Muster Regiment Type	Cavalry
Muster Information	Enlisted
Transfer From Unit	F
Transfer To Unit	K
Side of War	Confederacy
Title	Index to Compiled Confederate Military Service Records

that of a Confederate soldier from Cherokee County, Georgia. Which coincidentally is the area Dempsey Springer, one of the chain carriers from the above documents, ends up in around 1845. 

Dempsey Springer was one of the sons of George Springer, the progenitor of the Stanly County Springers. Born January 2, 1804, the date carved into his tombstone, he first shows up in the 1830 census of Montgomery County, NC, in the half that will become Stanly. His property was along Bear Creek and Stony Run Creek. 

Name	Dimpry Springer
Home in 1830 (City, County, State)	West Side Pee Dee River, Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 5	1 Josiah
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29	1 Dempsey
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5	2 Marissa and ?
Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39	1 Katie HInson Springer?
Free White Persons - Under 20	3
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49	2
Total Free White Persons	5
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored)	5

He's in the same place in 1840. By 1845, Dempsey is in Georgia and by1850 his wife has passed away. Dempsey first arrived in Forsyth County, Georgia, but by 1850, and settled in what would become Ball Ground, Cherokee County, Georgia. 

Ball Ground describes itself "We are a city of 3,500 residents located in Cherokee County, Georgia — on the northern edge of metro Atlanta — nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Our quaint city is known for its historic main street characterized by unique shops and restaurants, numerous historic homes and great recreation opportunities."

The town of Ball Ground was originally Cherokee Territory, and its name is derived from its origins as a flat playing field for a game played by the Cherokee tribe. They would hold competitions there with their Creek neighbors and swap land back and forth during tournaments. 

Name	Dempsey Springer
Gender	Male
Race	White
Residence Age	45
Birth Date	abt 1805
Birthplace	North Carolina
Residence Date	1850
Home in 1850	Division 15, Cherokee, Georgia, USA
Occupation	Farmer
Industry	Agriculture
Real Estate	700
Cannot Read, Write	Yes
Line Number	23
Dwelling Number	967
Family Number	971

Household members

Name	Age
Dempsey Springer	45
Josiah Springer	23
Rutha Springer	13
Marripa Ann Springer	11
Rush Springer	9
William Springer	7
Marissa Owen	20

He has added two children, Jerusha, also seen as "Rush" or Rucy" and William born in 1844, the same year that the Confederate soldier from the same area, George H. W. Springer, was born. His daughter, Marissa, is already a widow at 20, it seems. She will remarry again.

Josiah Springer will move to Missouri and serve in the Civil War.

So, George H. William Springer joined at 18 in 1862, which again, gives him a birthyear of 1844. As the land grant in question was filed that same year, I doubt very seriously that these are the same George H. W. Springers. I've came across boys still in their teens receiving land grants, as in the case of my Half- Third Great Uncle, Peter Howell, but not one in utero. 

The only possibility for the Land Grant Springer is an unknown son of George the Progenitor and a brother Dempsey named a son for. 

Let's look at that possibility. In the 1790 census, George Springer is still in Orange County, where he was from. By 1800, he's in Montgomery County, North Carolina.

Name	George Springer
Home in 1800 (City, County, State)	Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10	1
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over	1 George
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10	4
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15	1
Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44	1 Sylvia
Number of Household Members Under 16	6
Number of Household Members Over 25	2
Number of Household Members	8

The census shows that Sally was younger than her husband. They appear to have possibly had 5 daughters and one son by this time. Miranda was born in 1789, Sarah Jr. in 1791, Mary in 1792, Margaret in 1797 and Barbara in 1800. Five daughters. The only son by 1800 was Lewis in 1794.

Name	Geo Stringer
Residence Date	6 Aug 1810
Residence Place	Wagster, Montgomery, North Carolina, USA
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10	3 Reuben (1801), Dempsey (1804) Missing boy born between 1800-1810.
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25	1 Lewis
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over	1 George
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15	3 Barbara, Margaret and Mary
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over	1 Sylvia
Number of Household Members Under 16	6
Number of Household Members Over 25	2
Number of Household Members	9

1810 has the family in "Wagster", Montgomery County. The two older daughters have married, and three sons were born between 1800 and 1810. Reuben was born in 1801 and Dempsey in 1804. There is indeed a missing son. 

George Springer passes away before 1830, and there is no 1820 census in Montgomery County, as it was lost to time.

In 1830, Syliva is the head of household. She is with her daughter, Barbara, undoubtedly, the one who doesn't marry.

Name	Sylina Springer
Home in 1830 (City, County, State)	Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29	1 Barbara
Free White Persons - Females - 50 thru 59	1 Sylvia
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49	1
Total Free White Persons	2
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored)	2

As she is again in 1840.

Name	Sylvia Springer
Residence Date	1840
Home in 1840 (City, County, State)	West Pee Dee River, Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 5 thru 9	1
Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39	1
Free White Persons - Females - 70 thru 79	1
Persons Employed in Agriculture	1
No. White Persons over 20 Who Cannot Read and Write	1
Free White Persons - Under 20	1
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49	1
Total Free White Persons	3
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves	3

By this time, Babara has given birth to her son, Adam, also a chain carrier on the Land Grant, and whom I have posted on already. This suggests that all of the sons were on their own, but only Lewis and Dempsy show up. Reuben does not show up in the 1840 census for Montgomery County, or any other nearby. Neither is there a George. Perhaps they were either missed, or working for another family, and not head of household. 

To wrap up Dempsey Springer, by 1860, Dempsey was down to four children in the home.

Name	Dempsy Springer
Age	48
Birth Year	abt 1812
Gender	Male
Race	White
Birth Place	North Carolina
Home in 1860	Forsyth, Georgia
Post Office	Cumming
Dwelling Number	266
Family Number	266
Real Estate Value	800
Personal Estate Value	2300
Cannot Read, Write	Y
Inferred Child	Rutha Springer; Eliza Springer; Riva Springer

Household members

Name	Age
Dempsy Springer	48
Rutha Springer	20
Eliza Springer	18
Riva Springer	17
Wm Springer	14

William, or George H. William Springer, was now a teenager. Eliza was Maniza Aneliza Springer, who never married and Riva, was Jerusha, who was "Rush" in the census ten years prior. There are multiple land and court records during this time. By 1870, only Dempsey and Maniza were in the home. 

There is a court case involving the two of them being robbed in 1874.  Maniza was home alone when a group of men set on stealing her father's whiskey man-handled her and threatened to kill her. I will not report on that court case her, but it inspired her father to deed property to here, in the chance of his own demise. 

Dempsey would live a long life, however. In response. I believe, to Maniza's being alone when he was on the road engaged in trade and business, Dempsey would remarry. 

On August 13th, 1874, 70-year-old Dempsey Springer married 18-year-old Martha E. Jones, and he would outlive her. 

Name	Dempsey Springer
Age	75
Birth Date	Abt 1805
Birthplace	North Carolina
Home in 1880	Cross Roads, Cherokee, Georgia, USA
Street	Innaq 4th
House Number	8
Dwelling Number	159
Race	White
Gender	Male
Relation to Head of House	Self (Head)
Marital Status	Married
Spouse's Name	Martha Springer
Father's Birthplace	North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace	North Carolina
Occupation	Farmer
Cannot Write	Y
Neighbors	View others on page

Household members

Name	Age
Dempsey Springer	75
Martha Springer	24
Anelizer Springer	35

And here they were in 1880, in Crossroads, Cherokee County, Georgia.

Dempsey Springer died on August 3, 1899. He was 95 years old. Despite being 70 years old upon his second stride down the aisle, Dempsey managed to father a child during his second marriage. Sadly, the boy passed away as an infant. 

The known children of Dempsey Springer with his first wife, Catherine "Katie" Hinson Springer were:

A) Josiah Springer (1827-1863) Died in Missouri.

B) Marissa Springer (1829-1919) Married 1st Mr. Owen, married second Newton Wilson, Died in Clarke County, Georgia. 

C) Dempsey J. Springer (1830-1889) Married Martha C. Pennington. Six children: Adaline, Martha Emma, Marion Frances, William Harrison, Henry, and Laura D. Settled in Mississippi, died in Tennessee.

D) Rutha L. Springer (1838-1916) Married Epsy M. Priest. One child, George W. Priest. Died in Forsyth County, Georgia.

E) Maniza Aneliza Springer (1839-1920) Lived and died in Cherokee County, Georgia. 

F) Jerusha Mahala Springer (1843- aft 1920) Married Thomas Butler Fowler. Two children: Allen Jackson Fowler, George Fowler.

G) George H. William Springer (1844-1864) Died in Missouri. 

H) George H. Springer (1894-1918) son of Dempsey Springer and Martha Jones Springer just discovered.

Springer row at Old Hightower Baptist Church Cemetery, Ball Ground, Cherokee County, Georgia.

Adam

It was the fall of 1844 in the fledgling 

 County of Stanly in the State of North Carolina and a young boy, of about twelve years old had been ordered to be brought to court.

Ordered by the Court that the Sheriff bring Adam Springer, a Bastard child to the next term of this Court to be bound out according to law.

And again, months later, in another term of Court, the Sheriff was again ordered to bring Adam Springer, son of Barbary Springer, to court to be bound out, according to law. Altogether, there were three orders of this kind issued involving the boy, Adam Springer.

So who was Adam, and his mother, Barbary?

Barbara Springer, nicknamed Barbara, was the daughter of George and Sylvia, or Sylvania, Springer. She was a sister of Lewis Springer who was mentioned in my last post. Born about 1800, Barbara would have been around 32 years old when Adam was born. His father remains unknown. 

Barbara's father died around 1830, and in 1847, her mother wrote a Will shortly before she died, entreating that her single, living, daughter be cared for and left with provisions.

Three years after the death of her mother, Barbara is found living in the home of her sister and brother-in-law, Joshua and Sarah Springer Burris.

Another Barbara was in the home at the time, Barbara Revels, a free person of color, as the year was 1850 and non-free persons were not listed by name. She was labeled black, but knowing that Revels is a common surname among the indigenous people of Eastern North Carolina, it's highly likely she was a Native American woman, possibly multi-racial. I have knowledge that a handful of Native persons had moved west on a temporary basis, as by this time, the surviving tribes were trying to assimilate into the dominant culture.

Barbara would be found living with her sister in the 1860 and 1870 census records. In the 1880 census, she was not to be found, leading to the assumption she died during the 1870's. 

What about Adam? There was never a mention of whom he was bound out to, if he ever was. 

The same year that he was ordered to be brought to court, Adam was a chain carrier, along with his Uncle Dempsey Springer, in a land grant for George W. H. Springer, for 100 acres that met the property of Dempsey Springer and John Perry, who was an Uncle by marriage, having married his aunt, Margaret Springer. George W. H. Springer may have been a son of Dempsey Springer, as he ends up in Georgia, where Dempsey would remove to in the next year or so, and fights in the War there.

At the estate sale of his grandmother, Silvia Springer, Adam, now 15, buys a dish, perhaps just to have something to remember her by. It seems as if his mother's family embraced him and took care of him. At some point he recieved an education and the training of a tailor. He may have been a apprentice to a local tailor,

Name	Adam Springer
Gender	Male
Race	White
Residence Age	18
Birth Date	abt 1832
Birthplace	North Carolina
Residence Date	1850
Home in 1850	Wadesboro, Anson, North Carolina, USA
Occupation	Tailor
Industry	Apparel and Accessories Stores, Except Shoe
Attended School	Yes
Line Number	20
Dwelling Number	10
Family Number	10

Household members

Name	Age
John Q McPhurson	43
Martha McPhurson	41
Adam Springer	18
Franklin Willoughby	18
Mary A McPhurson	19
Henryetta McPhurson	14
William D McPhurson	10

because in the 1850 census, he and Franklin Willoughby, 18, were living in the home of John Q McPherson, also a tailor, and appear to have been working for him as assitants, in the town of Wadesboro.

As a young man about town in the thriving southern city of Wadesboro in the 1850's, Adam began to establish himself and appears to have been well thought of and respected. He witnessed a number of legal transactions, including a tranaction between J. C. Purvis and J.P. Smith where he acknowledged the payment  in full for "Christian and Milly". Also, the gift of property from Francis Locke, of Stanly County, for love and affection, to his grandsons, William Locke Kendall and John Alexander Kendall.

On the second day of December, 1853, Adam Springer, of Anson County, pruchased his own lot in the Town of Wadesboro, at the age of 21. The purchase was made from William P. Jennings, of the County of Baker, Georgia via his attorney, Richard A. Caldwell, of Anson. The tract was of one acre on the corner of Green and Wade Street and bordered that of Walter R. Leak and near Jennigs Store House. He paid $600 for the lot. 

Later that month, on December 28, 1853, his lot is mentioned in the sale of Martha Morgan of Baker County, Georgia, via her attorney, Mr. Caldwell again, to Eli Freeman, of the lot next to Adam's.

On February 2nd, 1854, Adam Springer sold his lot to B.C. Hutchinson and Matthew Ballard for $600.

And just a few short months later, at the tender age of 22, Adam Springer was gone.

We aren't told what took the young life of Adam Springer, or where his body was laid to rest. In his brief life and in spite of  the circumstances of his birth, Adam Springer was proving to be an enterprising and 'useful' young man, as those of his time would have called him. His mothers family embraced him, raised him, and prepared him for life. A life that deserves acknowlegement.