Page 251 March 1837, Daniel Freeman and wife to Allen Huckabee, Thomas Biles, Parham Smith, John Smith, and Archibald Smith, Trustees in trust for the use and purposes hereinafter mentioned - $1.00 - Lot - "Laid out for Stoney Hill Church" - they shall erect and build thereon a house or place of worship for the use of members of the M. E. Church ---- and in further trust and confidence, that they shall at all times forever thereafter furnish such ministers and preachers belonging to the said Church or by the annual conference authorized by the General Conference to preach and expound God's Holy Word therein".
Witnesses: Arthur F. Atkins, Richard D. Biles
Signed: Daniel Freeman, Martha Freeman.
The above deed is but one of several documents that prove to reify my theory of my Smith origins, their comingled connections to my Atkins and Freeman ancestors, and how small the world was in Stanly County, NC, two hundred years ago or so.
The Biles withstanding, who came from Rowan County, NC, to this area, most of these names can hang in some place on the family tree. The Smiths named are sons or grandsons of one William Smith, who is an eidolon of the misty past, I've not claimed a full grasp of. This includes Martha Smith Freeman, who signed with her husband, merchant Daniel Freeman. The Freeman name carries over to Rev. Arthur Freeman Atkins, with his harrier appellation, carrying the name of my sixth Great Grandfather, Arthur Freeman, as his first two given names and Atkins, the surname of a female ancestor who married a Palmer, whose daughter married a Davis and became my third great grandmother.
Rev. Arthur Freeman Atkins is all over my ancient family records like the scars of a measles survivor. Our co-ancestor, Arthur Freeman of Brunswick County, Virginia, bled sons and daughters to the North Carolina Piedmont. Two daughters married Atkins, most of whom further migrated West and South, one being the mother of Rev. A. F. Atkins, and a nephew of my Great Great Great Grandmother Martha "Patsy" Atkins, who married James Palmer. Two daughters married Winfield brothers, Jemima, who stayed in Virginia with her husband Joshua, and Charlotte, who married Peter and moved to the Rocky River area, bringing daughter, Sarah, who also married a Davis.
The crossing of paths, and genetics are numerous.
There's an old standing rumor about merchant Daniel Freeman, who was not only one of the earliest merchants in Albemarle, but also in Lawrenceville, in Montgomery County, the county seat of the two counties, when they were one, before the founding of Albemarle. The story was that he was the nephew of my ancestor, Charlotte Freeman Winfield, son of one of her brothers, and therefore, also a grandson of Arthur Freeman and wife, Agnes Stokes. I believe Henry Freeman was the name most often quoted, but I can't be sure. I've found no proof of this, but there's a great deal of circumstancial evidence, and it's certainly plausible.
Then there's the veridical existence and roots of the Stony Hill Church. A very early congregation began on the Yadkin -PeeDee River in what was then Montgomery County called 'The Mouth of the Uwharrie Baptist Church '. This church was founded by an old Scottish Minister named William McGregor, an ancestor of mine. His daughter, Ava McGregor, married Bennett Solomon, of Franklin County, NC, also a minister. This congregation would become Stony Hill, although they switched from Baptist to Methodist. The old church was located in Tindallsville, which no longer exists, but was just down the way from the restored home of Dr. Francis Kron, who purchased his home from Rev. McGregor. The graves of both of these men, and the properties, are within the current boundaries of Morrow Mountain State Park.
Ava McGregor Solomon followed most of her children to Henry County, Tennessee, where she is buried. One son and two married daughters remained in Stanly County, NC. The son, another minister, William, married Tabitha Marks and their daughter, Margaret, would marry a Mauldin. A few generations later, her Mauldin granddaughter would marry a Davis and become my grandparents. That Davis was a descendant of James Palmer who married Patsy Atkins and his Mauldin wife was a descendant of Mary Smith who married James Mauldin. Back in a circle to the family of this mystical, magical William Smith.
The Daniel Freeman House, Albemarle, NC. I believe I could be related to both him and his wife, Martha Smith Freeman.
In 1987, George Michael released his song, "Faith", which would turn into one of the biggest hits for the former Wham! singer, who died tragically young at 53. The chorus of the song begins with,
"Before this river becomes an ocean
Before you throw my heart back on the floor
Oh, baby, I reconsider my foolish notion Well, I need someone to hold me but I'll wait for somethin' more
Yes, I gotta have faith Ooh, I gotta have faith Because I gotta have faith, faith, faith"
While researching my Great Great Grand uncles and aunts in Warren County, Tennesee, I came across two cousins who married each other, and had to have faith for themselves in two very different ways.
View of the Uwharries from Island Creek
In the early land records of Montgomery County, North Carolina, David and Jesse Safely both had land in the Uwharrie Mountains on the southwest side of the Yadkin River, bordering that of Bennett and Goodwin Solomon. After the death of Rev. Bennett Solomon, his wife, Ava McGregor Solomon, would relocate to Warren County, Tennesee, where her brothers, William Jr., Ezekial and Willis, had moved a decade or so earlier. With her went her younger children, while she left her older, married ones in what would become Stanly County, William, Martha and Fannie. Martha, the oldest daughter, and her husband, George Bullen, would eventually follow them to Tennesee.
Willis Lymon Solomon, her youngest son, had left with his mother for Warren. He would marry Myrick Safely, daughter of Jesse, who remained in Warren, while his brother, David Safely, returned to North Carolina.
While looking into the Safely family, I could tell there were Tennessee Safelys who had no idea David had returned to Montgomery County, North Carolina, they only knew he had left traces in Warren. Some also had no clue that they had even stopped in Montgomery. Some have them coming from Brunswick County, NC and I don't know if they were even there.
Here's what I do know about the Safelys and it has a lot to do with Faith.
Willis and Myrick would raise their families and live out their lives in Warren County, centrally located in the Cumberland Plateau of Middle Tennesee. They lived along Collins River near the community of Irving College, in the southwest corner of the county, close to the town of Smyrna, and many of the family are buried at the old Smyrna Church cemetery.
Farm in Irving College, Warren County, Tennesee
Irving College got its name from Washington Irving and was known as "one of the most suscessful male colleges in Tennesee." The school operated from 1839 to 1890 and may have been one of the reasons some of the North Carolina settlers gravitated towards the area.
In " Goodspeed's History of Warren County, Tennesee" there is a listing of early settlers by District. District 4 must have been around Irving College because among those names were those of W. J. Stubblefield, George Edwards, Jesse Safely, David Safely, Ezekial McGregor, Wylie Ware and John Meyers, those who arrived from Montgomery County, NC and those who intermarried with them. Also of interest to me was the 7th District which listed Dr. Archibald Falkner and Asa Falkner, to whom I am related, who moved from Anson County, NC to South Carolina, and then to Tennesee. There's also a John Fortner, but I don't know how he counts in, but other names there, Lewis Howell, Howell Harris and others, are seen in Montgomery and Anson early records as well.
David Safely Sr. ( b.1765) was from Virginia and settled in Montgomery County, NC in her early years. He was the father of Rev. Jesse Safely and David Safely Jr. and Myrick Safely Solomon's grandfather. Grant No. 2507, issued December 5, 1818, to Davis Safely was on the waters of Mountain Creek and was recorded in Book 133, Page 91. It's an odd looking plat of 80 acres that resembles a child's drawing of the Loch Ness monster. It was close to Joshua Carter's property, ran with Clement Carters line, met McCullough's line, and Labon Carter's line. Etheldred Morris and Daniel Biles were chain carriers. This was pretty close to where Goodwin Solomon had settled.
David Safely married Rachel, and they were the parents of : Jesse, David Jr., William Wiley, Elizabeth Jane, Nancy Ann "Nicey", Whitson, Parthena, Margaret, Alexander and Robert. Some have Rachel as an Edwards, others claim she was a Morris. The Edwards is another family name that is seen in every stage of the Solomon migrations.
In the 1830 census of Montgomery (Stanly side) County, NC, David Safely's neighbors consisted of Joshua Carter, Penelope Fulks, Minny Carter, Thomas Kirk, Edy Mann, Peter Winfield, who was the son of Edward Winfield and the grandson of my 5th Great Grandfather, Peter Winfield, who came from Mecklenburg County, Virginia in 1782 and settled on the Rocky River. Peter II married Mary "Polly" Goldston and had two sons, William and John Peter. He died in a logging incident and Polly remarried an Anson County miniter, J. R. Barber and had several more children. They settled around Brown Creek and are buried at Brown Creek Church near Burnsville. William died of thyphoid fever, unmarried, but John Peter married and had 4 sons before dying in the Civil War. All the remaining Winfields in the area are descended from the sons of John Peter.
Another interesting neighbor of David Safely in 1830 was Joseph Melton/Milton. Goodwin Solomon had posted bond to his marriage in Franklin County, NC to an Abigail Bass.Polly and Peter Styles were also neighbors.
Jesse Safely was the oldest child of David and Rachel and was born on Christmas Day of 1781 in North Carolina. He married Martha Faitha or Phatha Stiles (Styles) in Montgomery County, NC in 1808. Phatha was supposedly the daughter of William Stiles and Susan Rebecca Edwards. Relationship to Peter and Polly Stiles unknown, but likely was one. Rev. Jesse and Phatha had a dozen children and settled in Warren County, Tennesee. Jesse appears in the 1812 tax records of Warren County, so arrived fairly early.
The Safelys Church was called Smyrna, about 5 miles south of McMinnville. Most of the family is buried there, as Jesse was in 1861.
The valley they lived in took their name as well, Safely Valley.
David Safely (1784-before 1870), returned to Stanly/Montgomery by 1830.
As is shown in the 1850 census, Jesse and David named several of their children the same names. Jesse had a son named David and David had a son named Jesse.
David was in Stanly County in the 1860 census as a Distiller.
So the David Safely who married Jane, shown later in Warren County , was the son of Jesse.
Bennett Solomon Jr, born 1797, and Henry Solomon, born 1815, arrived in Warren County, where they had family already, in the latter years of the 1830's, between 1836 and 1839. Henry Solomon's children, no doubt, grew up playing with their cousins.
Willis Lymon Solomon and wife, Myrick Safely Solomon, had a daughter named Faitha, born about 1846 and named after her maternal grandmother and aunt.
Henry Solomon and wife, Tabitha Cunningham Solomon had a son named James Edward Solomon, born about 1847. Willis was the son of Bennett and Ava McGregor Solomon. Henry was the son, or grandson, of Goodwin Solomon and wife unknown, Bennett's brother, so Faitha and James were cousins of some degree.
Before 1860, Henry and Tabitha fatefully moved their family to Cass County, Missouri , a catastrophic decision I covered in my post: Henry.
James Solomon fought in the Civil War, was captured at Gettysburg, suffered illnesses and disappeared from the hospital in Staunton, Virginia. He lost his older brother , William during the war. Afterwards, he joined his mother and younger brothers in the community of Rose Hill, in Johnson County, Missouri. But he never forgot his cousin, Faitha.
James returned to Warren County, Tennessee. He'd had enough of Missouri.
He boarded with his Uncle, Thomas Cunningham, brother of Tabitha Cunningham Solomon.
On February 8, 1883, James married Faitha Solomon, both from Irving College. There's a 17 year gap between the 1883 marriage of James and Faitha Solomon and the next census in 1900. There's no way to know what happened after the wedding. What can be known is that it didn't work out.
At the turn of the new century, 1900, Faitha Solomon Solomon is seen as single again, and living in Irving College with her mother, Myrick , and her single sister, Nancy.
But, James has taken off again, as he had established a habit of doing. This time he's found in none other than North Dakota.
In Cass County, North Dakota, James has a new wife, Catherine Davis and a growing family of children.
Cass County is the most populous in North Dakota. What would lure a family there at the turn of the century? And what was Faitha thinking at this time? Was she waiting on a husband to return or had she conceded to being single again?
James Solomon was now building a large farming family within a neighborhood of primarily farmers with Nordic origins. The soil was rich, the population sparse and the winters were long.
1910, the Solomon sisters are on their own, and running a boarding house, but their boarders were relatives. Ellen Nunley was the daughter of their sister, Mary Solomon Nunley and Jesse and Orville were the sons of their sister, Ava Solomon Smith.
By 1910, James had moved his family over to Barnes County, North Dakota. Some of his older children would migrate back to Iowa, where he had met and married their mother. He was not a man to stay in one spot long.
Faitha Solomon died on Valentines Day, 1917, in Warren County, Tennesee. She was buried in the Hebron Cemetery in Irving College and shared a tombstone with her sister, Nancy. She was 69 years of age. Nancy, who was 7 years older than Faitha, lived untl February 4 of 1920. Faitha may have died with a brokern heart. She had never remarried and never had any children.
Name
John E Solomon
Age
70
Birth Year
abt 1850
Birthplace
Tennessee
Home in 1920
Carpenter, Steele, North Dakota
House Number
15
Residence Date
1920
Race
White
Gender
Male
Relation to Head of House
Head
Marital Status
Married
Spouse's Name
Catherene Solomon
Father's Birthplace
Tennessee
Mother's Birthplace
Tennessee
Able to Speak English
Yes
Occupation
Farmer
Industry
General Farm
Employment Field
Own Account
Home Owned or Rented
Rented
Able to read
Yes
Able to Write
Yes
Neighbors
View others on page
Household members
Name
Age
John E Solomon
70
Catherene Solomon
64
Mary Solomon
38
James Solomon
34
Verl Solomon
28
As for James E. Solomon, he had moved again. This time to the town of Carpenter, in Steele County, North Dakota. He kept moving toward more and more rural areas. What was he running from, or towards? James was now 70 years old.
Name
James Solomon
County
Cass
Town/City
Barnes
State/Territory
North Dakota, USA
Census Date
1925
Age
75
Birth Year
abt 1850
Race
White
Page
12
Line
16
Family Number
130
Steele County was right next to Cass County, North Dakota, the area with the most development. James would make one more move, back to Cass County, where he is shown in a 1925 State Census Record for South Dakota. He was in the town of Barnes, and was now 75, Catherine, his wife, aged 70.
Catherine Davis Solomon, who died about 1940, courtesy of the Manning family.
Catherine in found as a widow in the 1930 census in Fargo, living with their son, James Jr. and his family. James died November 15, 1929, in Jamestown, Stutzman County, North Dakota. He may have been in a hospital, as he did not live there.
From Find-a-Grave, courtesy of Sherry Riley
James Solomon
Birth Date
8 Jun 1848
Death Date
15 Nov 1929
Cemetery
Jamestown State Hospital Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place
Jamestown, Stutsman County, North Dakota, United States of America
James Edward Solomon was a rolling stone. He could not be still. He could not be satisfied. Despite his constant moves and whatever demons he was attempting to evade, he left behind a large, midwestern family.
The Solomon Family, names unknown.
James and Catherine were the parents of 12 children. Only seven of them lived to see adulthood: Mary America, Alta, James Jr., Mack, Grover Cleveland and Pearl and Lizzie.
Like any American family, the Solomons were composed of both those who stayed and those who left and that is how the West was won. You gotta have Faith.
In my previous post, I explored the family tree of the three Solomon Brothers who had migrated from Franklin County, North Carolina to the Yadkin Valley, specifically, the area where the Uwharrie River and the Yadkin River join to form the Pee Dee River, in what is now Stanly County, and was then, a part of Montgomery, and before that, Anson. When did they leave and when did they arrive? Perhaps a look at the land records from both counties can give us some clues.
Green Hill was the publisher and registrar of some of the early deed books in Franklin County. He also had interactions with some of the Solomon family. There was a marriage between a Peggy Hill and Goodwin Solomon, a younger Goodwin Solomon than the one who left Franklin for Montgomery County, NC, in Tennesee, and I have wondered if Peggy was related to Green Hill and that the family link ran back to Franklin.
Solomons appear in many records in old Franklin, some of them nominal, as witnesses or such, and I've not included all. Chosing to focus only on ones that I felt offered information, insight, or show a connection with other names, I present a list of pertinent land records that may offer up some clues for a later examination of the possibilties.
July 24, 1782 Book 5 P. 85
John Edwards of Montgomery County, NC to William Solomon Jr of Franklin County, NC, for 35 pounds current money the tract of 200 acres whereupon Solomon now lives adjoining Joshua Richards, Jacob Crocker, Collier, Hawkins, and Huckaby. Witnesses: Jacob Crocker and Gaad Pearce.
In the above transaction, we see an early Montgomery County, North Carolina connection. The Solomon Brothers did not set off randomly. They knew people who were already here. William Jr. here was William the 2nd, not the son who left for Montgomery County.
November 30, 1784 Book 4 P. 111
William Solomon of Edgecomb County, NC to William Solomon Jr of Franklin County, for 20 pounds current money, a tract of 400 acres in Franklin County on the road adjoining Huckaby and Seawell. Witnesses were Joshua Gordon and Darkis Gordon.
In the above transaction, we see a transaction between father and son, with Sr. being in Edgecomb still. The Huckaby family were neighbors and close associates. Joshua and Darkis Gordon were members of Deanna Gordon Solomons family. Darkis was a female.
June 9, 1785 Book 5 P 109
William Solomon of Edgecomb County North Carolina, to Durham Hall of Franklin County NC, for 20 pounds..a tract of 100 acres in Franklin County NC, beginning at a white oak on the road, Seawell's line, and adjoining William Solomon Jr, and Seawell. Witnesses: James Ross and John Hall.
This shows William the first selling land to Durham Hall, a property that borders the land of William II. Durham Hall will sell this property shortly.
September 10, 1789 Book 5 P.105
John Solomon of North Hampton County, NC to Evan Andrews of Franklin County NC, for 20 pounds..a tract of 100 acres in Franklin lying on the waters of Bear Branch adjoining Bustian, Hill and Hall. Signed by Mary Solomon. Witness was Joseph Andreas.
This was John, the brother of William II.
Deed 1061 Book 5 Page124 James Huckaby of Franklin County to Joseph Williams of Wilkes County, Georgia, January 13, 1791, for 400 pounds Virginia currency, two tracts of land in Franklin County, NC. One, 300 acres on the northwest side of Bear Swamp joining Charles Ivey and Wynn (formerly the property of Pearce). Two 153 acres joining William Goodwin, Michajah Davis, Isaac Gorden and Goodwin Solomon, it being part of a tract granted to William Russell bearing the date February 6, 1762. Witnesses were Bennett Hill and W. B. Hill.
In the above deed, we see one of the three brothers, Goodwin Solomon, living on a tract of land that adjoined that of John Huckaby. The Huckabee or Huckaby family was one we know was connected to both the Solomons and McGregor's. They probably migrated to Montgomery County together. Also adjoining the property was the lands of an Isaac Gordon, Gordon being the maiden name of Goodwin's mother, and William Goodwin, who may have also been related at some point back. I also highlighted the name of Micajah Davis, as this was another family the Solomons married into. With the witnesses, we again see the name Hill.
January 29, 1791 Book 5 P. 107
Durham Hall of Franklin County to John Melton of same for 18 pounds VA. currency a tract of 100 acres beginning at a white oak on the road and adjoining Bell and William Solomon Jr. Witnesses were Jordan Hill and James Ross.
This deed is important to show a connection or neighboring relationship between John Melton and the Solomons. Another will come up soon. John Melton also would migrate to Montgomery County. This is the same tract that William the first had sold to Durham Hall six years prior.
Ramblin' Man, Our State Magazine
In 1804, there was an estate sale of the property of Micajah Davis, named in a deed above. Among the buyers were Goodwin Solomon and William Solomon. Also Green Hill, James Seawell and a number of Iveys.
In an Account of the Estate of Thomas K. Wynne, deceased, final date September 8, 1804, there were mentions of the following names: John Ramsey, Goodwin Solomon, William Solomon, Baxter Ragsdale.
Sale of the Estate of Charles Ivey, deceased on April 20, 1809, listed William Solomon, John Huckaby and Jordan Hill, as buyers.
In June of 1810, William Solomon is found in a transaction with Jordan Hill. *Note, by this time the three brothers who migrated to Montgomery County were gone, so this would have had to be William II.
. By 1810, the three Solomon Brothers, William, Goodwin and Bennett are in the census for Montgomery County, North Carolina.
Montgomery County, North Carolina
January 14, 1800, John Neal to William "McGregar" Sr., 150 acres on the West side of the Pee Dee River, joins McLesters old line, and Neals. Bennett Solomon and Willis "McGrigger' were chain carriers.
Note: Bennett Solomon was Rev. William McGregor's son-in-law and Willis was his son.
Rev. William McGregor was from Scotland, and had been ordained in the Eastern part of the state as a Baptist Minister. He settled in what is now Morrow Mountain State Park, on Attaway Hill and founded the "Mouth of the Uwharrie Baptist Church", whose congregation became that of Stony Hill, still in existence. His daughter, Ava, married Bennett Solomon.
September 7, 1805 Joseph Parsons to George Crowell, 200 acres on the southwest side of the Yadkin River, on the waters of Long Creek, joined the property of Samuel Kendall, Goodwin Solomon, and John Howell and 150 acres surveyed in 1806 by James Chappelle, on the waters of Cloverfork Creek of Long Creek, began at a white oak in Edward Moore's line and joined Drake Horn. Rowland Kimball and Jesse Pickler were chain carriers.
This shows Goodwin Solomon in Stanly County (then Montgomery), as early as 1805.
December 11, 1809 Will Stone to "Benitt" Solomon for 100 acres. Joins Samuel Carter and his own lines where Goodwin Solomon lives on the southwest side of the Yadkin River. Began at a poplar in Goodwin Solomon's line, joins George Crowell, and near Samuel Carter. Samuel Carter and John Bruster chain carriers. Bennett Solomon paid purchase money for 100 acres in entry #6721.
The above is an extremely important document. It not only shows that Bennett and his brother, Goodwin, had adjoining properties, has the ongoing Carter connection, but it also has the Bruster connection. The Bruster family is a crucial link in tying some of the 'loose end' Solomons together and also shows a connection between the Stanly and Cabarrus County Solomons, as I will get to at a later date.
November 30, 1811 Will Stone to James Freeman, 100 acres joining Thomas Cox and Peter Davis on the waters of Mountain Creek. William Solomon and William Freeman were chain carriers.
This shows William Solomon III in Montgomery County, but I wonder how he ended up as a chain carrier. William Freeman was no doubt related to the purchaser, James Freeman. I wonder if Peter Davis, who is a mystery, and not connected to my Davis family, could have came from Franklin County, and perhaps be related to Micajah Davis who died there.
September 8, 1812 Will Stone to William Solomon 30 acres, joins his own land and Thomas Cox, on the waters of Mountain Creek, begins at his own corner pine on a hill on the east side of the creek. Peter Davis & Thomas Noble chain carriers.
March 29, 1813 Will Stone to Bennett Solomon, 5 acres including a small island in the Yadkin River called "The Islands land" and a rock called the sluse rock and joins William McGregor, deceased, surveyed Jan. 12, 1814 by David Cochran on the southwest side of the Yadkin River, beginning at a white oak in William McGregor, deceased 's line. James Milton and Moses Curtice chain carriers. Plat shows land includes part of the river.
This deed showed a small, but important, transaction. Bennett Solomon is my direct ancestor. The name has been in my family even into the 20th century. My mother had an Uncle Bennett whom I remember well.
I've known for decades that Bennett Solomon and Ava McGregor Solomon lived within the boundaries of what is now Morrow Mountain State Park. The Rev. McGregor,
ava's father, has now passed and Bennett has purchased this small island and 'sluce' rock. A sluice was a rock that caused the separation of the water, and was a term used in gold mining. I wonder if this spot had something to do with that. There is also the Melton/Milton mention here, again.
July 7, 1814 Will Stone to Bennett Solomon, 25 acres that joins Moses Curtice and McGregor's old place,...begins at a mountain oak ona side of a steep hill near the branch, joins side of steep hollow & Will McGregor deceased, includes an island. James Freeman and James Melton chain carriers.
So Bennett is acquiring small tracts along the river. I can picture the land and hills as they are today and the 5 old mountains that are within the park, part of the ancient Uwharries, and the Solomon family walking among them, with their neighbors, the Curtis's, Melton's, Freemans and McGregor's.
January 16, 1815 Will Stone to Sally (Sarah) Curtice for 25 acres, joins Moses Curtice deceased and included part of William McGregor's old place on the Yadkin River. Begins at William McGregor deceased's upper corner willow oak of the old plantation on the river bank and joins Bennett Solomon. Bennett Solomon and James Melton were chain carriers.
So Rev. William McGregor has passed on. Bennett and Ava Solomon lived just above where the Rev. McGregor rests to this day and saw the sun shining down upon his grave from their door. I have encountered the names of the Curtis's, (or Curtice), in other deeds involving other families. Now I can place almost exactly where they lived. They lived in Tindallsville. They were neighbors of Bennett and Ava Solomon and of Rev. McGregor. James Melton also came from Franklin County, NC. There will be more mention of them later.
May 5, 1815 Will Stone to George Crowell Jr., 100 acres joining John Kirk, Goodwin Solomon, Samuel Carter and his own lines, begins at John Kirk's corner spanish oak, east of a small branch, join Samuel Carter and Bennett Solomon. William Crowell and Bennett Solomon were the chain carriers.
The Kirks and the Carters are two families the Solomons made contact with in Montgomery County, along Mountain Creek. They also come into play later.
Beautiful Yadkin Valley, Our State Magazine
April 7, 1818 Will Stone to George Crowell, 50 acres joining John Kirk and James Watkins, southwest side of Yadkin River, begins at John Kirks Spanish Oak, east of a small branch, joining Samuel Carter, and Bennett Solomon. William Crowell and Bennett Solomon chain carriers.
By now, it's easy to see that Will Stone was a land prospector, or baron. This may have been the younger Bennett as a chain carrier.
January 1, 1821 Duncan McRae to John Parker, 18 acres joining his own line, began at Bennett Solomon's corner red oak. David Kendall and Newton Howell were chain carriers. Newton Howell became a merchant in Albemarle. One of his sons would marry into the Solomon family. I believe he may have been a son of Thomas Howell.
June 8, 1826 Duncan McRae to George Kirk, 5 acres joining his own line and that of Thomas Huckabee on the waters of the Yadkin River, includes an island in the Yadkin River, beginning at a water oak at the uppermost end of the island near George Kirks fish traps and joins the lower extremity of the island, with a plat showing land in island joins the "thurrifare" (sic), or the Fayetteville Road. William Solomon and John Marks were chain carriers.
By this time, the Kirk family are taking over the lands bordering the Yadkin in the Tindallsville area. This William Solomon was Bennett Sr.'s son, not his brother, who married Tabitha Marks, daugther of James Marks and wife Catherine Gunter, who came from Chatham County and settled on Clodfelter Hill. John Marks would have been his brother-in-law. He has his own story coming. William's mother, Ava McGregor Solomon, is now a widow and has gone with some of her younger children to Warren County, Tennesee, where a few of her brothers have already settled. Only William, who took over the ministry when his father died, and his sister, Fanny, who married Jarrett Russell, stayed in this area, that would become Stanly County.
In the Montgomery County, NC Land Warrants adn Surveys 1833-1950, there are several deeds involving members of the Carter family of Mountain Creek, all in a row.
No 4586 108 acres survey on the west side of the Fayetteville Road, joins Mark Jones, George Carter, deceased, Joseph Ingram and Marcus Carter were chain carriers. I've tried to find proof of the parents of Marcus Princeton Carter for years, with no luck Perhaps he was a child of the deceased George Carter. Marcus married my 4th Great Aunt, Nancy Marks Carter and Joseph Ingram married my 3rd Great Aunt, Nancy Baldwin Davis.
No 4587 Jacob Carter was granted 100 acres between Mountain Creek and Cloverfork Creek, beiginning with his own line and joined the property of William Noble and Samuel Carter. Watson Rigs and BarlettCarter were chain carriers.
William Noble was one of the Noble family from Noble Mountain which sits just outside Morrow Mountain State Park and north of Mountain Creek, before running into Huckabee Hill. There is Samuel Carter, the known Carter patriarch of the Mountain Creek Carters, and there was also a younger Samuel Carter. And then the name Bartlett. Bartlett was a Franklin County name. There was a Bartlett Huckabee and a Barlett McGregor. I wonder who this guy was? Was he a grandson of Samuel Carter with possibly a McGregor or Huckabee mother?
4588 Jacob Carter Jr. received a 50 acre grant in 1809 on the waters of Mountain Creek and joined Joshua Carter Sr., Labon Carter and Jacob Carter Sr. Began at a post oak near Labon Carter's corner, near George Stiles, near Chisholms corner. Littleton Fisher and John Carter were chain carriers.
There were several generations of Carters, it seems, living on Mountain Creek, connected to each other, in one big Carterville hive. Yet, look online and you will only see Samuel Carter, who recieved the original grant for his service, having 3 sons. This family was much larger than that, obviously. Who were all of these Carters and how were they connected?
4589 Joshua Carter, Jr. 50 acres on the waters of Mountain Creek, 1809, joins Joshua Carter, Sr., Harris Allen, Boler Allen, and began at the third corner of Joshua Carter, Sr's 25 acre tract. Daniel Shad and Thomas Howell were chain carriers.
4590 Finally, we have Travis Carter's 100 acres, joined his own line and David Safely's, on the waters of Mountain Creek, joining Labon Carter & David Safely. Bennett Solomon and Henry Carter were chain carriers.
This one was several years later in 1828, so this was Bennett Solomon Jr. Probably a second generation Henry Carter, as well, and not the son of Samuel. What's interesting is that in 1821, Bennett Solomon Jr. had fathered an illegitmate child with an Elizabeth Carter. Was she a daughter of Labon or Travis? Bennett Jr.'s brother, Willis Lymon Solomon married a lady named Myrick Safely, probably a relation of David.
The Solomons may have appeared in the Montgomery County Court records, but because of courthouse fires, so many records were lost. But they also appeared in the Court records of Cabarrus County. They had a Cabarrus County connection and may have went there to avoid crossing the river.
In the Cabarrus County Pleas and Quarters Sessions, on October 17, 1821, Bennett Solomon (Jr.) posted a $200 bond against the charge of a bastardy that he had fathered a child, "begat on the body of Elizabeth Carter." I am searching for more information of Elizabeth Carter and who the child could possibly be.
Also going on in 1821 was a suit between William Solomon and Joseph and John Reid. This was not my ancestor, Rev. William Soloman, son of Bennett. This was a different William Solomon. Was this his uncle, William Solomon III, or had he already gone west to join his brother, Jordan Solomon, in Lincoln County, Tennesee? This William in the lawsuit had to be the one in the census below, living in Cabarrus County, NC in 1820.
The William Solomon/ Reed brothers lawsuit continued into October Session 1822. William Solomon was also brought up on a peace warrant that year and was discharged from his bond.
Also of interest in these sessions was another bastardy bond, this one between a man named John Baugh. and Eleanor Bruster, a single woman. There was also the case of James Bruster and Culpepper Lee, who was from Anson County. James Bruster was from Cabarrus County, and may have lived in Stanly (Montgomery) for awhile. He was a chain carrier in one of the above deeds with Bennett Solomon, he was the bondsman for marriage of Drury (Drew) Solomon and Eleanor Killough in Cabarrus County and was named as the father of John W. Solomon, son of Nancy Solomon, when John married. Nancy lived in Stanly (Montgomery) county. These are names not yet mentioned, but there will be more on them later. The Brusters tie them all together.
We know Bennett Solomon married Ava McGregor, daughter of Rev. William McGregor. We know William Solomon married Harty Bridges, daugther of William Bridges of Franklin County, NC, but it's not known at this point who Goodwin Solomon married.
Back in Franklin, several Solomon marriages were recorded, but none for Goodwin.
Amos Solomon married Sally Porch in 1820.
James Solomon married Milley Upchurch in 1820.
John Solomon married Cressy Wrenn in 1795.
These were cousins of the children of William Solomon II and Deanna Gordon.
Jeremiah Solomon married Betsey Bridges in 1818. His uncle, Jesse Gordon was bondsman.
Jordan Solomon married Martha Davis in 1843. William Solomon was bondsman.
Jeremiah and Jordan were brothers of the three who came to Montgomery.
Goodwin Solomon was the bondsman for the marriage of Joseph Milton and Abbygal Bass in 1796. But his own marriage in unknown. Joseph Milton also moved to Montgomery County.
Now, it's time to look at the three brothers separately, with the question in mind, who could have been the progenitor of the three Stanly County Solomons who married the three Iredell County Dancy Solomons?
