Melton Marriages: Stanly and Rowan

I looked into the marriages of the Melton family in both Stanly and Rowan, as some of them relocated to Rowan County, after the death of John Sr.

There was only one Melton marriage to be found in Montgomery County for the 19th century, and that was of James M. Melton, who was of the Moore County Meltons. There were various groups of related Meltons in Anson, descended from Jesse, and another large group in Rutherford County, as well as Moore. The Meltons seemed to have drifted into the border counties of NC from Virginia, and then from there into the other counties and westward and south. The Montgomery/Moore/Rutherford and Anson Meltons are possibly connected a few generations back, but I have not yet looked into that. Just the ones who ended up in Montgomerty/Stanly county. Some of the Rutherford ones, in particular, seem to be connected in the least, to Joseph Sr.

Melton (and some connected family) marriages: Stanly County, North Carolina

Jackson H. Bird and Sarah Smith                        Jan. 8, 1854 (son of Henry Bird)
William Bird and Charlotte Austin                       Jan 28, 1864
Almond Boysworth and Frances Smith               Apr. 7, 1864
George Melton and Elizabeth Crawford             Mar. 9, 1863
Green Melton and M. C. Melchor                     Oct 29, 1863
Carolina Melton and James Mabry                    Sept 7, 1856
Elizer (corruption of Eliza) Melton and Franklin Cauble  Aug 11, 1851
Margaret Melton and R. G. H. Huneycutt         Sept 20, 1860
Susan Melton and Joseph Mabry                     Apr. 11, 1859

The above were in the old marriage book, where the parents names were not given. The below are the postwar era marriages, which usually gave the ages of the bride and groom as well as the names of their parents.

Elisha H. Milton and Frances Marbary  Mar 13, 1862 by J. O Ross, JP
         daughter of Isaac and Tobitha Marbary (Marbary is seen spelled Mabry, Marbry, Mayberry and several other ways, but seems to have started as one family, just as Milton and Melton were interchangeable and seen spelled both way on the same individuals, not indicating a rift in families but a translastion of some record recorders handwriting. As such, Tobitha is also spelled Tabitha. Alfred Hinson bondsman. (note: Nancy Melton, aunt of Elisha, married James Hinson).

Isiah Mabry  to Adline Hinson      Jul. 29, 1855

George W. Melton (21) to Rosie E. Lampley (20) Dec 26 1898
            son of W. J. and Eliza J. Melton, daughter of BF and Mary E. Lampley
Marshall Melton (18) to Cora B. Stoker (18) Jul 21 1899
            son of John and Kate Melton and daughter of E.L. and Mary Stoker
Atlas D. Melton (35) and Mary F. Melton (22) Jan  25, 1881
           son of Joseph and Clementine Melton and daughter of Henry and Martha Melton
           note: This was the second marriage for Atlas, after his return to Stanly County after the war. It is also            a first cousin marriage as Henry and Joseph were brothers. 
D H Melton to S. A. Hearne             November 2, 1870
son of J. R. (James R.) and Mary Ann Melton and daughter of Joshua and Elizabeth Hearne.

J. D. Milton (21) and Beady Huneycutt (20)   Novemeber 30, 1888
son of Joseph and Mary Melton  and daughter of RGH and  (d) Huneycutt
     Note: This is also a cousin marriage. John D. Melton was the son of Joseph and his second wife Mary Ann "Polly" Solomon Melton. Beady Huneycutt was the daughter of Margaret Melton in the list above. J. D. was a half-brother to Atlas is the list above. 
Joseph D. Melton and Polly Ann Solomon   Sept 3, 1868
son of John and Margaret Melton and daughter of Elizabeth Solomon. No father listed.
Note: These are the parents of J. D. Milton above who would marry 20 years later. Joseph D. was the son of John Melton Sr. and Margaret "Peggy" Wilkenson Melton

J Franklin Milton (49) and Dockey Simpson (35) Oct 12, 1899
son of parents deceased and not named and John B Simpson, mother deceased, not named.

John Milton (20) and Catherine Keth (20) Dec 31 1877
son of David and Mary Melton and daughter of Jack and Mosey Keth (I've seen this surname as Keith, also)

L. D. Melton (25) and A. E. Calloway (26) Feb 28, 1885
son of Henry and Martha Melton and daughter of G.W. and Bettie Calloway

P. W. Melton (22) and Elizar Smith (16)  Mar 26, 1874
son of Joseph and Clementine Melton and daughter of James and Elizabeth Smith

S. H. Milton (27) and Paulina Harris (17)  Dec. 16, 1877
son of H. H. and Martha Milton and daughter of Richard and Kate Harris. Kate deceased.

W. T. Milton (21) and Ida Wilhoit (18)
Son of Eben and Tabby Milton and daughter of William and Polly Harris

William Milton (20) and Eliza Jane Snuggs (25) Dec 22, 1875
son of David and Mary Milton and daughter of JRD and Sally Snuggs

William T. Milton (23) and Isabelle Myers  Apr 18, 1876
son of JR and Mary Ann Milton and daughter of John Myers, no mother mentioned, deceased.

John Solomon and Martha Tolbert Aug 1 1869
son of John Bruster and Nancy Solomon and daughter of Thomas and Nancy Tolbert

Annie Melton (19) and Algie Parker (22)   April 15, 1900
daughter of WJ and Eliza J Melton and son of John and Isabelle Parker

Frances Melton and Ervin Whitley Jan 28 1870
daughter of  Isaac and Tobitha Marbry and son of George and Keziah Whitley
    Note: Widow of Elisha H. Melton

Rowan County marriages  1868 - 1900
Meltons and other (Stanly County) associated marriages.

Ellen Melton to Gabriel Kerr   Oct 11 1878
Ann Melton to Richard Julian  Dec 28,  1871 widow of Harris 
Mary Melton to Emmanuel Archy Jan 24, 1849 daughter of Elbert
Charlotte S. Crump to James Varker May 13 1872  Charlotte was a great-granddaughter of Job and granddaughter of James M. Davis, one of the many descendants of Charlotte Freeman Winfield to carry her name. 
Elbert Milton to Ferabee Hargrave Apr 7 1887 This is Elbert Jr. and her name was Phoebe Hargrave

Elisha B Melton to Daisy L. Brown Aug 6 1896
James Milton to Lizzie Chunn Dec 31 1885
John Milton to Mollie Young   Feb 2 1896
Rosa L Milton to Joe M Vanhoy Jul 15, 1907
Beulah Melton to James W Trueblood Apr 5 1903
Gladys Melton to  Willie Hart Dec 4 1921
Julia Melton to  Tom McCulloh Sept 9, 1907
Lillian Adeline Melton to Thomas Houston Kesler  Aug 8 1908
Minnie O Melton to Arch J Kearns May 24 1903
Rachel Melton to John A Robertson Jan 20 1902

Laura Melton, daughter of John Melton Jr. and Nancy Boysworth Melton married James A. Gill. 
Alene Gill  to Gilbert Hairston Feb 15 1923
Curenna Gill to Walter Parlee  Mar 19 1918
Elizabeth Gene Gill to W L Palmer May 10 1910
John E Milton to  Beatrice Mills  Jan 15 1917
Bright Melton to Laura Lee Ross Dec 7 1918
Claudy Roscoe Melton to Lena Rivers Wagoner Dec 8 1918
Elbert Melton to Vandella Belle    Jan 2 1918  This is Elbert Melton III son of Elbert Jr. 
Elbert Melton to Mary Mitchell     Jan 12 1919  I had to do a double-take with these dates. His first bride did not last long. She died June 14 1918. 
Elijah Steven Melton to Mamie A Gain Dec 23  1902
Elijah S. Melton to Catherine M. Kent  Dec 26  1916
James Ray Melton to Myrtle Brooks  Sept 2 1912


 

Gold Hill

The North Carolina Gold Rush took place decades prior to the 1849 rush on California. Much of the growth in Montgomery County around 1820 was due to this draw, the hunger for gold. The area around Swift Island was particularly rich and this was where John Melton, Sr. and his relatives originally settled. Gold could have been the reason, as John was born in Granville County, NC, made a plunge up into Virginia, as his older sons were born there, possibly just across the county/state line, before settling for the remainder of his days in Montgomery (the Stanly side) county.

Gladstone, the original Pfeiffer College, in Misenheimer, Stanly County, just south of Gold Hill

Location of the old Gold Hill Hotel where Nancy Melton became operator

One of the tombstones in the Gold Hill cemetery, Ephraim Mauney, was from Stanly County

After the death of John Sr., and Joseph Sr. , some of the Melton clan moved to the town of Gold Hill, in Rowan. There was the Reed's mine in Cabarrus county, near the west Stanly line, and other mines in Rowan, Randolph, Mecklenburg and Iredell, and several mines, some still in operation, in Stanly county in the New London/Richfield area. But Gold Hill, just a few miles from Stanly and right on the Cabarrus county border, was the center of a grove of mines and activity. During the 1840's, this tiny village, once a mile long, was larger than Charlotte and hosted a collection of the wealthy and well-dressed. After 1849, Gold Hill lost a great deal of her population, but a number of mines remained in production, professionals had settled there, balls were held and dreams were made and lost. Harris Melton and his beloved bride Ann Bird, from Albemarle had settled there by 1850, and also one of the Stanly County Solomon's, who were related to the Melton's in some way, at least to Joseph Sr., and had closr dealings with them. By 1852, according to a court document, John Jr., his wife Nancy Boysworth Melton, and their youngest daughter Laura, settled there. Laura would marry a foreigner, a skilled craftsman, named 'Gill', who had settled in Gold Hill. John would pass away before 1860 and Nancy would operate a hotel in Gold Hill for decades after. Harris Melton's brother Elbert, and a Calvin Melton, most likely another brother of Harris and Elbert, also moved to Gold Hill. The town created a number of widows. The dangerous work was likely the culprit.

Tombstone of Eliza Jane Davis Mauney, wife of Ephraim and Grand-daughter of Job Davis, namesake of this blog. She was a daughter of James and Rowena Davis

I went to Gold Hill to seek information on the hotel, and possibly of the family.

Old Assay Office in Gold Hill

One of the restored Merchantile buildings in Gold Hill

The Smithey's shop

These crows do not fly. I wonder if they attract live crows?

A stroll through Gold Hill is a true stroll through the past

Two houses on the outskirts of the restored village of Gold Hill, one remodeled, one waiting. 

Inviting store fronts in the restored mining village

The old Gold Hill Post Office and a view of the street

Gas at this station was never $3.00 plus

A view of the sidewalk from Mauney's store. Both Valentine and Ephraim Mauney married daughters of James M. Davis, granddaughters of Job. 

Montgomery's Store, across the street from Mauney's 

A plaque commemorating the Gold Hill Mining Office

I wonder if one of these men was one of the Melton and Solomon family?

A difficult picture to take a picture of. I'm intrigued by the row of mining cabins in the woods. There was a mile of these. 

A large group of mining employees, Who realized their dreams and who lost their lives trying?

St. Stephens Church Road, Gold Hill

The scene across the meadow is beautiful

A barn in back of one of the houses that dot the community. 

This church, on St. Stephens Road, is still in use. It is not the only church in Gold Hill. There are at least three.