The Falkners and Neighbors of Featherbed Branch: The 1800's

 

For the past several months now, I've been trying to make head and tails of the land records involving the early Falkners who lived along Jones Creek, Featherbed Branch and Wilkey's Mill Creek, in Anson County, NC. I've yet to find mention or a definate connection to my ancestor, John L. Faulkner, who was born between 1807 and 1812. I know from DNA that he was related to them, although I have yet to connect the dots. I've found hide nor hair of him with any mention of a parent, or even a sibling, although I have discoverer his two wives and their parents, and even grandparents. 

In this post, I will continue on with the deeds of the early Faulkners, and some focus on connected families, like the Wisdoms, the Mays, the Buchanons and Chiles, whose property adjoined theres, and the Stanfields, who had migrated from Cumberland County, NC with them.

I begin with one mentioned in the last post dated Dec 2, 1800, Book H2, 250, wherein Nathan Faulkner, who was one of the older Falkners, sold his personal property, includind livestock, furniture and a corn crib, to Jonathan and Warren Falkner. Witnesses were Noah and William Rushing. This is worth noting because some people have Sarah, the wife of Nathan, as being a Rushing. I know her name was Sarah, as she and Nathan witnessed the Will of Benjamin Falkner, said to be his cousin, in 1783. His widow Elizabeth, appears only in the 1790 census, with her two small sons, John and Henry. I have no idea what happened to any of them. 

On Oct.14,1799, Nathan Faulkner, Planter, of Anson, sold to Richard Graves, of Chesterfield Couny, SC, 50 acres on Cedar Branch, which had beed granted to Phillip Dill in 1769 and through various conveyances , had came into the hand so Nathan Faulkner, or in the words of the document, "vested in" Nathan. Witnesses were John Cason, Richard Meeks, and Reddin Meeks. Below is a photo of Featherbed Branch, as it appears off of Teal Hall Road. Just past it is the old Cason Cemetery, where John Cason is buried.

As for Richard and Reddin Meeks, they're not in the 1800 census of Anson, taken just months after this transaction, but there is a Brtton Meeks and Frank Meeks, living side by side, right near Nathan and Jonathan Faulkner and next to John Cason, with Job Faulkner just above. The two were brothers, son of Francis Marion Meeks and wife Deana Darcus. Like John Cason, they were out of Pitt County, NC. Francis "Frank" Jr. would end up in Emmanuel County, Ga and Britton would end up in Baldwin County, Georgia. They had a brother named Reddin (and Britton had a son named Reddin, who wasnt' born yet), who had settled in Bladen County and had ended up in Dale County, Alabama. This could have been him, down for a visit, or traveling through. Richard had to have been related in some manner, but I'm not sure how. He may have been a family member who had slipped through the cracks. This is just one example of the diaspora that was taking place at the time, that makes it so difficult to determine who belongs to whom.

Jonathan Falkner appears in the 1800 census living near Nathan. Warren does not appear in the census. I believe he may have been living with Nathan. 

Name:	Nathan Folkner[]
Home in 1800 (City, County, State):	Fayetteville, Anson, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10:	2
Free White Persons - Males -10 thru 15:	2
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25:	1 Warren
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over:	1 Nathan
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over:	1 Sarah
Number of Household Members Under 16:	5
Number of Household Members Over 25:	3
Number of Household Members:	9

Warren may have been the young man between 16 and 25 living with Nathan. 

Name:	Jonathan Folkner[]
Home in 1800 (City, County, State):	Fayetteville, Anson, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25:	1
Number of Household Members:	2

Jonathan was already married and had a child, and head of his own household, near that of Nathan.

October 16, 1801, Book H2 P 249, a listing just before page 250 William Wisdom of Anson sold to his son, Thomas Wisdom 100 acres on the middle prong of Jones Creek to the mouth of Gum's Branch, first line of William Wisdom's 300 acre survey and was witnessed by neighbor James Childs and other son, Francis Wisdom.

The Wisdoms appear in may Faulkner related deeds. 

November 20, 1801, Nathan Falkner of Anson sold to Malcolm McCusick 74 acres on Cedar Creek for $160. Began at a persimmon tree on Rosses line, joins Cedar Creek and the upper corner of 'said' Falkner's Plantation, sold by Hugh Johnson to James Forehand. It was signed by Nathan Falkner and witnessed by Malcolm Campbell and Jonathan Falkner.  Oath Jan. 1802 by Jonathan Falkner.

In April of 1801,  Elijah Falkner witnesseed a transaction between Clement Lanier and Henry Marshall over the sale of a slave woman named Guander and her two children, in conjunction with Nathaniel Dabbs. So Elijah, who did not appear in any census, was still in Anson in 1801. Also, these were new names, not otherwise seen with the Faulkners.

On Dec 15, 1798, David Collins of Anson sold to Elijah 'Falkoner' two tracts. One was on the east side of Lowry's Branch near the mouth of the Dry Prong and the other mentioned Ready Branch, Lowry's and Collins new survey.  Witnesses were Job "Folkour", Merit Meek, and Jonathan Forkner. Book L Page 8.

On Oct 19, 1803 Elisha Falkner sold to Francis Wisdom, 500 acres, that he had been granted, on Morris's Branch. Witnesses were Elisha B. Smith and Job Falkner. Book L P 13.

Featherbed Branch and the trees around it, through a cow pasture 

February 17, 1806, Francis Wisdom to Asa Faulkner, both of Anson, 500 acres, beginning at Pleasant May's corner pine at the head drains of Morris's Branch. It joined the properties of John Falkner, Buchanon, and Asa Falkner. This property had been surveyed in 1802 for Elisha Faulkner, who had sold it to Francis Wisdom. It was signed by Francis Wisdom, witnessed by John Jackson and Elijah Faulkner, and recorded in January of 1809.

The Childs or Chiles family was another neighbor to the Faulkner collective. In Book M, P 356, we find a deed wherein James and Lydia Liles sold all of their share of the estate of Elizabeth Chiles, deceased, to James Miller Tindle, 'being land which fell to us from John Chiles estate".

On December 5, 1800, the Govenor, in Raleigh, granted (#1639) 100 acres to William Wisdom that joined his own line and that of Asa Faulkner. 

The Wisdoms were another family closely tied to Nathan, Asa, and the other associated Faulkners. William Wisdom would die just a few years from this transaction, leaving a will in Anson County, naming several children, including sons Thomas and Francis, who are mentioned in the transactions.

Book H2, p 275, dated June 16, 1801, John Ford, of Anson to Jacob Mangrem of Chesterfield County, SC sold 150 acres on Cedar Creek, bordering Abraham Jones,  Phillip Dill, that had been granted to Richard Worthen in 1779 and sold by William Worthen to John Ford. Witnesses were Nathan and Jonathan Faulkner. 

John Ford may have been a Faulkner relative. There were Ford and Faulkner connections harkening back to Maryland. Nathan's supposed Grandmother, Sarah, had been born a Ford and married a John Faulkner. They were the parents of Francis Faulker, Sr. 

Name:	John Ford
Home in 1800 (City, County, State):	Fayetteville, Anson, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25:	1
Number of Slaves:	1
Number of Household Members Over 25:	1
Number of Household Members:	3

In 1800, John Ford was living next to Abraham Rushing and near Robert Huntley, William Wisdom and several of the Gulledge family.

In Book M, Page 286,  We find a transaction between Anson County Coroner, James Johnson, and Robert Huntley. He sold 300 acres of land that was included in two tracts. The two tracts we're located bordering each other and on Lowery's Branch and Dry Prong. The property was sold due to an execution from Anson County court against Elijah Faulkner, for the bail of Thomas Stake $8.19 due to suit by Reuben Pickett of Anson. Land sold because of no goods or chattels found. Witnesses were A.H.S.R. McGregor and Lawrence Moore. 

According to "The Letter" which I posted about previously,  Elijah Faulkner was the son-in-law of Robert Huntley. The question remains, was Elijah and Asa the same person. This was late 1805. 

The Letter

Four months later in February of 1806, Francis Wisdom sold to Asa Faulkner 500 acres at the head drains of Morris's Branch, that he had not long before bought of Elisha Faulkner, with an 'sh', which was Elisha's Grant. It bordered the property of John Faulkner, the Buchanan's, Asa Faulkner and had been surveyed on March 1802 by Elisha Faulkner.  Witnesses were John Jackson and Elijah Faulkner, with a 'j'. 

This was the last deed involving this generation of Faulkners, with the exception of John, and Elijah's widow, Elizabeth Huntley Faulkner. 

John, who is aka Jonathan,  has a lawsuit against him by Pleasant Mays in 1812. He then migrates the same year to Humphrey County, Tennessee. I will post more on Jonathan later.

The next deeds involving Faulkners are a few decades later and involve Asa, which is not the older Asa mentioned in the late 1700's and early 1800's. This is Asa William Luther Faulkner, born about 1802, who married Susan Myers, daughter of Marmaduke Myers. Later deeds involve his heirs and the distribution of his property, including a son named Elijah and another named Asa W. L. Jr.

My theory is that Elijah Faulkner, who was the same generation as Jonathan, was the father of Asa W. L. Sr, Job II and Susanna Faulkner Webb, not older Asa, son of Francis Sr.  Asa W L Faulkner, Sr., said as much in the letter to his Uncle, Job, who moved to Georgia and then Alabama. Job is a young man under 25 in 1800. Asa was an older man over 45. 

Job and Elijah were brothers. Asa and Nathan were brothers, and brothers of Francis Jr. Job and Elijah may have been sons of either Asa or Nathan. But Asa and Elijah were two different people.

Elizabeth Huntley Faulkner Webb next to her father, Robert Huntley in 1810. 

 

Three Two or One?

 

My brain is still not wrapping itself around this whole Elisha, Elijah and Asa Faulkner thing.

Elisha, Elijah and Asa, where there 3 or 2 or 1?

To begin with, ELISHA 'Forkner' was issued a Grant of 500 acres of land on December 11, 1802, in Anson County, North Carolina, located 'on the head drains of Morris's Branch'. The document is recorded in Land Patent Book 100 on page 234 as Anson Grant #1750. The original request for this land was entered on April 1, 1801 and assigned Entry # 926. 

"Beginning at Pleasant May's corner pine by a pine and poplar at the side of a drain and runs south 18 east Forty pole to a stake by three pines South 40 east 160 poles to a red oak by a Post Oak and pine, south 32 west 60 poles to a stake by three blackjacks south 80 two West 58 poles to a stake by a pine and black jack in John 'Forkner's' line with it south 50 West 152 poles to his corner stake by pointers in his other line south forty East forty poles to his corner stake by 3 blackjacks South 56 East 111 poles to a stake by a hickory, Black Jack and pine in Bohannon's line Thence with it south 41 East 81 poles to a Red Oak by a hickory and pine 60 poles to a stake by two pines and red oak south 57 West 150 poles to a pine then North 81 west ten poles to 'Asia Forkners' corner with said line North 32 East 200 poles to his corner stake by two red oaks and pine - North 54 West 83 poles to a stake by a post oak and Blackjack, South 43 west 210 poles, then with Wisdoms line north 33 East 140 poles to his corner pine, North 3 east 150 poles, North 54 East to the Beginning. Entered 11th of April 1801 to hold to the said Elisha Forkner his heirs and assgins forever. Dated the 11th December 1802.

If you are one of those people who get lost with all of the poles and trees and stakes and directions, don't feel alone. What I'm able to take away from this is that Elisha Faulkner, (which is seen in various places referencing the same individuals as Falkner, Falconer, Faulkner, Forkner and even Fortner) recieved a Grant of 500 acres on Morris's Branch that bordered that of his relatives, Asa and John Faulkner and other neighbors whose property met his were the Wisdoms, the Bohannons (also seen as Buchanon), and Pleasant May.

There wasn't a grant issued for an Asa Falkner, (or any other version of the name), in North Carolina, but for John, we find one issued in 1797 on Featherbed Branch. Skipping the measurements, the blackjacks and hickorys and poles, John's 150 acres bordered that of Benjamin Buchanan (no doubt the 'Bohannon' mentioned in Elisha's grant), 

Then we find in the Anson County Deeds, Book LM Page 13, the following transaction:

"This Indenture made this 19 day of October in the year of our Lord 1805 between Elisha'Falconer'  of the County of Anson and State of No. Carolina of the one part and Francis Wisdom of the same place on the other part".

The property was on the drains of Morris's Creek and started with Pleasant May's corner, ran next to John 'Falconer's' line, 'Buckanon's' lines, to Asa Falkners corner,  Wisdom's line, Chiles corner pine, containing 500 acres granted to Elisha "Flakner"....To Francis Wisdom...etc. Witnessed by Job Falkner adn Elisha B. Smith.

So the exact same grant Elisha recieved in 1802, he disposed of in 1805.

Elisha does not appear in any census in Anson County, but Job Falkner, who witnessed his deed does, just one, the 1800. Job appears as a young man, between 16 and 25, who has started his own family, with a young wife in his same age group, and a boy under 10. On the same page with Job is Pleasant May, Robert Jerman and a little further down, Nathan Falkner and Jonathan Falkner, close to each other. The other Falkners in this census were Asa and Francis. Jonathan was in the same age group as Job, 16 to 25, with a wife, but no children. Possibly a newleywed. Francis was also under 25, with a woman of the same age, and two small boys. He was enumerated next to the Hildreths and Sampson Stanfield, a family friend, possibly a brother-in-law and several Mays. The older two members of the family were Asa and Nathan. Asa was over 45, had two males in the home between 16 and 25 and 3 females over 45, perhaps two grown (or nearly) sons, a wife and a mother or mother-in-law, or unmarried sisters. Asa was enumerated near John and Isaac Stanfield, James Chiles and Thomas Wisdom, a brother of the afore mentioned Francis Wisdom, both sons of William Wisdom, per his will.

Name:	Job Folkner[]
Home in 1800 (City, County, State):	Fayetteville, Anson, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10:	1
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25:	1
Number of Slaves:	1
Number of Household Members Under 16:	1
Number of Household Members:	4

The other Falkner's mentioned as neighbors to this grant, were Asa and John. Nathan Falkner was the other, older member of the family. He was over 45, had a female over 45, another between 26 and 45, and one under 10. He had 5 young males in the home, one between 16 and 25, two between 10 and 15 and two under 10. 

If Elisha was in the county in 1800, he was probably either living with Asa or Nathan. 

The other document that goes hand in hand with the Grant and the sell of that property by Elisha to Francis Wisdom, came the next year in 1806, and is found in Book LM Page 350, of Anson County Deeds. 

"This Indenture made the 17th day of February, 1806"  The transaction was between Francis Wisdom and Asa Falkner, For 100 pounds, 'in hand paid by Asa Falkner', Wisdom had sold 500 acres lying and being in 'County aforesaid surveryed by Elisha Falkner Mrach 18, 1802'.  The property was located on the drains of Morris's Branch and began at Pleasant Mays corner pine and blackjack, ran with John Falkner's line to Asa Falkners corner, then ran with Wisdom's line and met Chiles corner. It was signed in the presence of John Jackson and Elijah Falkner.

So here we have Asa Falkner buying the very Grant that had been issued to Elisha Falkner, who had sold it to Francis Wisdom, who just sold it back to Asa Falkner. It bordered Asa and John Falkner's lands and was witnessed by "ELIJAH" Falkner. 

Modern descendants have crunched Asa and Elijah into one person, but the old deeds say otherwise, but the second question is, was Elijah and Elisha one and the same, or were they also, two different Falkners?

Just a month before Francis Wisdom sold Elisha's Grant to Asa, he sold another tract of land to a James Moore. This sounded like the acts of a young man who intended to raise money and free himself of any incumbrances, so he could take off for parts unknown and creat new roots somewhere else. 

On January 22, 1806, Francis sold to James Moore for $625, 278 acres on Gum's Branch and the middle prong of Jones Creek, that bordered the lands of James Chiles, Meadors, and Chewning. It was witnessed by Robert Rogers, and both Stephen and John Jackson, whose names had appeared in several Falkner related deeds. It was proved by Stephen Jackson and signed by Clerk, Tod Robinson.

Another interesting land record involving the above was the 1796 Grant to William Wisdom, father of Francis Wisdom, of 100 acres that bordered a property William already owned and that of Asa Falkner.

I find no other mention of Elisha (with an 'S'), in Anson County. Neither do we find any trace of Francis Wisdom? Could they have been two young friends who set off together?

We do find other mentions of Elijah, but not in any census. 

The search continues. Were they three men, two men or just one? My vote for the moment is on three.