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. 

 

Forkners, Bohannons, Jarmans, Widsoms and Chiles, oh my!

Allow me to begin this post with a land grant. As the olde scripte is difficult to read, let me transcribe the names and location parts, leaving out the chains and pines and blackjacks.

Book 110 pages 234-235 File 5560 Number 1750 - State of North Carolina. "Know that we have granted unto Elisha Forkner (sp) five hundred acres of land in our county of Anson on the head drains of Morris's Branch beginning at Pleasant Mays corner pine....by a pine and poplar... to a stake by a pine and black jack in John Forkners line ......pine in Bohannons line ten poles to Asa Forkners corner with Wisdoms line....Chiles corner pine  April 1802... To the said Elisha Faulkner his heirs and assigns. 11 December 1802.

There are 4 places that keep coming up in deeds involving the early Faulkners in Anson County; Jones Creek, Morris's Branch, Wilkey's Mill Creek and a branch off of Jones Creek called Featherbed Branch. There are a number of surnames of neighboring land owners that also keep popping up, Mays, Jarden or Garden, Buchanon or Bohannon, Wisdom and Chiles or Childs. Likewise, as several of these surnames had various forms as they were often spelled phonectically, Faulkner can be seen as Forkner or even Fortner.

And I am going to follow that up with more information on Elisha or Elijah Faulkner found in land deeds.

Dec. 15,1798 David Collins of Anson County to Elijah Falkner of the same sold 2 tracts of 200 acres, the border beginning at a hickory on the east side of Lowery's Branch near the mouth of Dry Prong. It crossed the 'dreans' or drains of Lowery's branch, crossed the branch and that was the first tract. The second tract was one of 100 acres that began at a stake on the line of David Collins new survey. It joined Ready Branch, crossed Lowery's branch and the fourth line of Collins new survey. The witnesses were Job Falkner, Merit Meek and Jonathan Falkner. Job Falkner gave oath in Oct, 1805 Book L Page 8.

Dec 2, 1800 Nathan Falkner to Jonathan and Warren Falkner, all of Anson County for 160 Spanish milled dollars, sold all my stock and cattle and hogs, 3 featherbeds & furniture, all my other household furniture & my crib of corn. Signed Nathan Falkner, witnesses Noah and William Rushing. Acknowledged in 1802, Book H2 Page 50. Note: Nathan only appears in the 1790 and 1800 census of Anson County. This sounds like a man on the move who is selling everything he can't take with him to members of his family. Also mentions a Warren Falkner, who never appears in a census.

June 16, 1801 John Ford of Anson County sold to Jacob Mangrum of Chesterfield County, SC, 150 acres southwest of the Pee Dee on Cedar Creek. Witnessed by Nathan and Jonathan Falkner.

Nov 20, 1801 Nathan Falkner to Malcolm McCusick, both of Anson for $160, 74 acres on Cedar Creek. Begins at a persimmon tree along Ross's fence, joins Cedar Creek and the upper corner of Nathan Falkner's plantation.Sold by Hugh Johnson to James Forehand. Signed by Nathan Falkner and witnessed by Malcolm Campbell and Jonathan Falkner. Oath Jan 1802 by Jonathan Falkner. Book H2 Page 260. 

Nathan Falkner was the oldest Falkner found in the 1800 census of Anson County. In 1790, there was an older Falkner with him, Francis, and in 1800, the Francis is a young man.

Oct 19, 1803 Elisha Falkner of Anson County to Francis Wisdom of the same, for $25 sold 500 acres on the head drains of Morris's Branch beginning at Pleasant May's corner at the side of a drain. Joins John Falkner, Buchanan, Wisdom and Chiles. Granted to Elisha Falkner. Signed Elisha Falkner,  witnesses: Elisha B. Smith & Job Falkner. Oath, Oct 1805 by Job Falkner.  Book L. Page 13

ie: Here I must interject that Elijah and Elisha were obviously interchangable. There was a grant to Elijah/Elisah Falkner. The property adjoined that of older John Falkner, which probably meant a familial connection. The names of Pleasant May and the Buchanons would become very significant. Also, Job Falkner, mentioned in both deeds, gave oath to both the 1798 deed and the 1803 deed both in October of 1805. 

October 31, 1808 Asa Falkner of Anson County to John Buchanon of the same for $500, 500 acres on Featherbed Branch, beggining at a hickory in Malachi Watts line, near a drain of Featherbed Branch. Joins Wisdom, Chiles, Teak, John Falkner, Buchanon and Robert Jarmon, except .5 acres where the Meeting House stands, includes where said Falkner lives. Signed by Asa Falkner and witnessed by Richard C. Pattisall and M. Johnson. Oath on July of 1814 by Richard Pattisall. Note: This is the first mention of Asa. Again, the mention of the Buchanon property and that it borders John Falkner and Wisdom and Chiles, the same names mentioned in the Elijah Falkner transaction.

Featherbed Branch. The one grant early John Faulkner recieved was on Featherbed Branch and adjoined the property of Benjamin Buchanon. Now it shows Asa Falkner on Featherbed Branch.

The names of Jarmen or German, Bohannon or Buchanon, Wisdom, Chiles or Childs repeat themselves in many a deed or grant that belonged to the early Falkner/Faulkner/Forkner/Fortner family of Anson County. 

John doesn't appear in the 1820 census, and I wondered if some of his neighbors did but we'll look at that in a moment. He was there, I'm pretty sure and it's because of the below record. 

Dec 23, 1831 Henry Buchanan to Daniel McRae, both of Anson, on Featherbed Branch, beginning at a Hickory in Malachi Watts line near a drain of Featherbed Branch, joins Wisdom, Childs, Teal, John Falkner, Buchanon & Robert German. includes the land bought of Richard Buchanon except the 0.5 Acres where the meeting house stands. Book Y Page 92. Note; this is the same description of land Asa Falkner sold to John Buchanon and land is still in John Falkners name. 

I believe this was the older John, as my John doesn't appear until the 1840 census. However, he would have been an adult by 1831, so let's look at it a little closer.  The year is only one year after the 1830 census and mentions Wisdom, Childs, Teal, John Falkner and Robert German. Keep in mind that sometimes German is seen as Jarman or Jerman, sometimes Childs is seen as Chilles and sometimes Buchanon is seen as Bohannon, as in the many incantations of Falkner. Getting a first name in is crucial too. German/Jerman is Robert. Teak or Teal, I haven't nailed down the first name, as there were several Teal's in the area. There were multiple Buchanons, John, Henry, and Benjamin. The Wisdoms were father and son, William and Francis. I wanted to check their properties to see if there were any mentions of the Falkners

Starting with the Wisdoms, in March of 1799, Francis Wisdom received a grant of 100 acres on the waters of Jones Creek. 

1805, Thomas Wisdom, another son of William, recieved a grant of 150 acres at Turners corner and joined the properties of John Childs and John Parrett. So we have a given name to the Childs neighbor and the corner was probably that of a John Turner.

Moving backwards, William, the Wisdom patriarch, had recieved 100 acres in 1787 that bordered Malachi Watts on the McDaniels Branch and on the waters of Jones Creek. The next grant interested me most. In 1798, William Wisdom recieved a 100 acres grant that began at a pine in his own land, ran 14 chains east to Asa Falkkners corner hickory.

There are early grants for John, James and Thomas Chiles or Childs. John has two grants, one at the Grassy Island Ford and another 'including the Island fish traps and ferry place". No mention of Jones Creek, Featherbed Branch, or any of the other names. 

The Teals who may have been the ones mentioned are a Benjamin Teal, Jr., who owned land on Jones and Mill Creek in 1878 and an Emmanuel "Tull", who in 1802 lived on Jones Creek. 

Robert Jarman was all over the place, but in 1784, he had recieved a grant of 200 acres on the southside of Jones Creek and Lewis Lowery's great branch. I've seen Lowry's branch mentioned in the records of Nathan Falkner. In 1790, he recieved a grant of 100 acres on the Dry Branch on the southside of Jones Creek. Robert was obviously wealthy as he attained a total of  20 grants. Decades later, there was a John S. Jarman, probably a descendant, who had two grants on Jones Creek, one of which bordered a Samuel Teal. 

The Buchanan's, whom I thought would show up alot, did not. The Mays were the family that governed Mills and Jones Creek. They were all over it and had several mentions of Lewis Lowery and his branch in their records. 

1820

In 1820, no Falkners were to be found in the 1820 census, but I know the families of Asa Jr. and even of a John were there, at least. 

There were a number of Buchanons, but as this was the census that they listed the names of the Heads of Household in alphabetical order, we can't see the names of neighbors. They did list the names by township, however, or region. John and William were in the area called "Mays", no doubt named for the May family.

Richard, Henry and May Buchanon lived in Ratliff. 

There were no Childs, or Chilles, although they were obviously there, too. There were no Wisdoms. 

There were three Jarmans, John, William and Willie, and they all lived in Culpepper. No Robert listed. Had he died?

1830

Ten years later there are still 3 Jarmans, William, Willis (probably the same individual as Willie) and Jesse.

The only Buchanon remaining was May Buchanon, and he must have owned an enormous plantation,as he had a large number of slaves in his household. 

There were no Wisdoms, they appear to have migrated away, leaving land in their name remaining. 

There was one Chiles, James and one Falkner, Asa, and none of them lived near each other. Asa was also better off than most, as he owned 8 slaves. 

It was who did live near Asa Falkner that interested me. First there was Robert Huntley, father of Elizabeth Huntley Falkner Jones, who had been the young widow of Asa Falkner Sr. and Abner Boggan, who had a close association with the family of John and Susan Webster Falkner, my Third Great Grandparents. 

My aim is to dig deeper in the bowels of these five aligned families and attempt to discover the general area where at one time their property lines met. This in hopes I might be able to connect the dots to the various Falkners and where John would fit in, because I know, he fit in somewhere.