Thirty Fathers in Thirty Days: Benjamin Hathcock, Sr.

 

Lloyd Hathcock Family Cemetery, Red Cross, NC

The frailty of the human condition is an inherent reality that blends biological vulnerability with the philosophical search for meaning. Genetically and psychologically, we are built with delicate physiological reserves and deep emotional capacities that ultimately shape our resilience and mortality. The Divine Mercy.

My fifth Great Grandfather, Benjamin Hathcock, Sr.  was another long-lived ancestor of mine. This trait did not pass down to all of his descendants, however. Benjamin F. Hathcock was the ancestor of my paternal grandfather. My father lived to 81, his father lived to 71, his father lived to 68, his father lived to 73, and so on. Then there was Ben. His Find-a- Grave claims he was born August 10, 1742, in Brunswick County, Virginia and he died January 18,1857, in Stanly County, North Carolina. That amounts to 114 years old, in the mid 19th Century of all times.

Do I believe this man was 114 years old? Of course not. Do I believe he was a very old man? Yes, well obviously. 

I descend from Benjamin Hathcock, Sr. through one of his younger sons, Benjamin Hathcock Jr., who married Nancy Ann Burris, daughter of Solomon Burris and his wife, Judith. I refrain from throwing a 'Franklin' in, at least on Senior. Yes, there was a trend to name a son after the Revolution for the astute and respected stateman, Benjamin Franklin, but Benjamin Heathcock or Hathcock Sr. was born well before that time. He was simply Benjamin.

He seems to have been a well-liked, but not a wealthy man, so he didn't leave too many traces in his early years, only in the recall and memories of his grandchildren, whom he lived to see grow up, which was an amazing feat. They remembered him as an old man, though, so little is known about his youth. As far as his arrival to the area in which he died, he was here by 1783, when his name appears on a Montgomery County Tax list.

Census Records

1790

Benjamin Hathcock was the only Hathcock, Hethcock or Heathcock in the 1790 census of Montgomery County, North Carolina. It counted 1 male over 16, two under 16 and 3 females in the household. Edgecomb reported 4: Frederick, Ptolemy, Isham and William. Chatham: Hosea, James, John and William. Northampton: John, Rueben and Newman. Richmond County also had just one: Thomas. More on him later.

In 1800, the name appears as "Heckcock" and there are 3 in Montgomery County, Benjamin, Young and Dempsey. Benjamin had a full house. Ten people, a man and woman over 45, a boy 10-15 and another under 10. Six girls, two in each age group of 16-25, 10-15 and under 10. Dempsey looked like a young married couple, a man and a woman, both 16-25. Young had a male 26-45 and a female 16-25, there were two children under 10, a boy and a girl. It appears Young was the oldest son, at about 26, and Dempsey was second.

In 1810, there is Benjamin, Dempsey, James and "D". Ben still has 10 people in his household, but the dynamics have changed. There is still a male and female over 45, so his wife is still alive. He has one male 16-25 and two under ten, so two more sons born between 1800 and 1810. There are two females between 16 and 25 and two in the 10 - 15 brackets. He has one under 10. Dempsy and his wife are now both 26-45, two girls 10 -15 and two boys under 10. James has now started his own household, with a man and woman both 16-25 and a little girl under 10. James is next to Benjamin, and the unknown "D" is up a few spaces next to Edward and Edmund Almond. There is a theory that "D" Hethcock was actually Young Hathcock. The ages are correct.

Dempsey is listed among Burris's, Hardy Hatley, Malachi Harwood and Ezekiel Morton, and Edward Almond Sr., several of those also ancestors of my grandfather.

There was no 1820 Census for Montgomery County. By 1820, however, Young Hathcock was one of the many young men who removed to Tennessee. He settled in Montgomery County, Tennessee. The name must have felt familiar.

In 1830, There is Dempsey, James, James H, Jesse and John. No Benjamin.

Name	Benjn Haithcock
Home in 1830 (City, County, State)	Southampton, Virginia
Free Colored Persons - Males - Under 10	1
Free Colored Persons - Males - 24 thru 35	2
Free Colored Persons - Females - Under 10	2
Free Colored Persons - Females - 24 thru 35	1
Free Colored Persons - Females - 55 thru 99	2
Total Free Colored Persons	8
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored)	8

There is a Benjamin Hathcock (or spelling variant), in Southampton, Virginia. This is not our Benjamin. He was a free person of color and that branch, and subject will be discussed later in the post.

Back in Montgomery County, North Carolina, Dempsey Hathcock is living next to Dempsey Springer and Frederick Lambert. This is intriguing to me, because I know that Frederick will soon migrate to Mississippi, and the two Dempsey's makes me wonder if there was a connection between the Hathcock and Springer families. Just a thought.

Jesse, James and James H. are living very near each other. One James is in his 20's and the other James in his 30's. Jesse is in his 50's. He may have just joined the family from another County. Jesse's oldest son, James Green Hathcock was born about 1804, so I believe he was the younger James. Jesse has an 80-year-old in his home, and it's listed here as a female, but I think that may be an error, and this was actually Benjamin, because the age is right. A decade later, he is in a grandson's house as a nonagenarian. There is also a a John Hathcock in his 20's living between Will Morton and Richard Poplin Jr., who was living near Dempsey before. I believe this John is a son of Dempsey.

Name	Jesse Hathcock
Home in 1830 (City, County, State)	West Side Pee Dee River, Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 5	2
Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19	1
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29	2 One of these could be youngest brother, Ben.
Free White Persons - Males - 50 thru 59	1 Jesse
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5	1
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9	1
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 14	2
Free White Persons - Females - 15 thru 19	1
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29	1
Free White Persons - Females - 50 thru 59	1
Free White Persons - Females - 80 thru 89	1 Error? Benjamin?
Free White Persons - Under 20	8
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49	3
Total Free White Persons	14
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored)	14

In 1840, the name is back to Hethcock and there is Ben Jr., James Jr., James, James Sr, Jesse Sr., Jesse Jr., Lloyd and Neelin. Benjamin, Sr. is obviously living with his Grandson Lloyd, as well as Lloyd's mother, Sally. The Grandsons are beginning to populate and youngest son, Benjamin Jr. is head of his own household.

Name	Loyd Heathcock
Residence Date	1840
Home in 1840 (City, County, State)	West Pee Dee River, Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 5	2
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29	1 Lloyd
Free White Persons - Males - 90 thru 99	1 Benjamin
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5	1
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29	2
Free White Persons - Females - 60 thru 69	1 Sarah, Lloyd's mother
Persons Employed in Agriculture	3
No. White Persons over 20 Who Cannot Read and Write	2
Free White Persons - Under 20	3
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49	3
Total Free White Persons	8
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves	8

I personally believe the Hathcock family is a little more complicated than it's made out to be.

And then we have the 1850 census. Benjamin Hathcock Sr made it to the 1850 census. Amazing! This actually is the most amazing fact about him. Lloyd was now 41, married, and with seven children. At the top of the page, you'll see a two-year-old Sarah M. Hathcock. Her father, Benjamin Hathcock Jr. was listed on the previous page and she was a rollover. After Benjamin was miner Calvin Hathcock, 21. That was John Calvin Hathcock, Ben Jr.'s oldest son, who married Mary Hartsell. Notice that Benjamin's age is give as 108, and his birthplace as Virginia. 

The Wife

There is no document that gives the name of Benjamin Hathcock Sr.'s wife. Let me repeat that, there is no documentation of the name of Benjamin Hathcock Sr.'s wife. There is, however, speculation. By living so long, many of the grandchildren of Ben Hathcock had the advantage of knowing him and knowing him well. You can imagine a pack of them huddled around his feet as he told them of his childhood in Virginia. So, things undocumented were passed down. David Burris was one grandchild recorded speaking on Ben Sr., and he quoted from another grandmother of his, Judith Taylor Burris. The wife of Benjamin Hathcock Sr. is named either as Sarah or Nancy. Her maiden name is given as either Taylor or Young, sometimes crunched together. If I was to guess, I believe he probably had two wives, not one, as the ages of his children stretch from about 1775 to 1802. There seems to be a gap of about a decade in between two groups, which would lead me to believe that Young, Dempsey, Martha, James and Jesse were by one wife, and Sarah (Sally), Jane, Lee, and Ben II, were by a second one. He appears to have had a living wife through the 1810 census, but she was gone by 1830, or 1840, at least. The Young surname appears to have evolved from the given name of the oldest son, Young. This group also most commonly claim Nancy. The younger ones claim Sarah. Sarah may have been some relation to Judith Taylor Burris, so Sarah Taylor. But remember, no proof of either, just vague memories of a few elderly grandchildren written down somewhere.

Personality

-Benjamin Sr. and his family were musically talented. It was recounted to David Burris by his grandmother, Judith Taylor Burris, that Ben Sr. was the fiddler at her wedding, (to Solomon Burris).

-He was said to have owned the first Buggy in Stanly County. He wasn't into collecting large swaths of land, or owning the biggest farm, but he must have liked his vehicles. 

-He was said to have won a sharpshooter contest after he was 100 years old. 

Quite an incredible fellow.

There are a few sources of where most of the information we have concerning old Benjamin derives from. First and foremost is the deposition he gave for the pension from the Revolutionary War for William Poplin and his wife, Lucy. Benjamin did not serve in the Revolutionary War. I personally believe he was born more around 1857, than 1842. This deposition is best, and most accurate we have, because it's in his own words. I'm beginning to see a group move, a wagon train forming in my mind., with Hathcock's, Poplins, Perry's and probably a few more. Individuals usually did not travel alone. There would be a collective of families, some related, others just neighbors or acquaintances, heading for the same destination. 

The other information was from a letter, and recollections from grandchildren or others, who knew Old Ben, had met him, or heard their parents, his children, talk about him and passed the information on, someone having the forethought to write it down. 

Above, the pension claim of William Poplin of Montgomery County, North Carolina, a Private in the Company commanded Captain Welch of the Regiment commanded by Col. Alston. 9 months in North Carolina. June 7, 1832, Lawrenceville, NC. Although he was living elsewhere during the time of his service, he had moved to Montgomery County, NC by 1830.

Lucy Poplin, widow of William Poplin, stated she was married about 1767 or 1768. She believed she had three children at the time her husband left for the War, and that they were married in Chatham County, NC. She was in her 80's at this time.

State of North Carolina  

Montgomery County

On this 25 day of April 1840, personally appeared before me Solomon Efird a justice of the peace in and for the county aforesaid Benjamin Heathcock aged about ninety years form what he states and on his appearance.

indicates and who being duly sworn according to law Declares that as nearly as he can state he's now about ninety years of age. that he was born and raised in the state of Virginia and came to the county of Chatham in this state before the Revolutionary War. He further states that he became acquainted with William Poplin and his wife Lucy Poplin before the war and lived in the same neighborhood that they lived in Chatham. That they then lived together as man and wife and had before the war one child or two he cannot state which but he knows that they had a child. He states that the fact...

of their marriage was never questioned and the has no doubt at this time but that they were duly and legally married. He further states that William Poplin has been dead for several years and that Lucy Poplin who now declares for a Pension is his widow and has not married since his death and from the time he first knew them they had lived together as man and wife and have raised a large family of children and no doubt of suspicion in his mind nor ever entertained that they wee not duly married. That they  .... now in Montgomery County. 

Sworn to and Subscribe before me 

Solomon Efird

Benjamin X Heathcock (his mark)

This document gives us four facts about Benjamin:.

• He was born and raised in Virginia.
• He came to Chatham County, NC before the War.
• He met William and Lucy Poplin before the War and they all moved from there to Montgomery County.
• He was around 90 in 1840.

Family Tree of Mary Catherine Hathcock

The whole matter of Benjamin Hathcock's origins and the floundering, later, of prideful grandchildren is the story of human frailty and nature as old as time. The mortar of brick walls. We'll go through the sources later, but the bottom-line was that Benjamin Hathcock, was not a Hathcock down the male line. His father was a Hamilton or Hambleton, and his mother was a Hathcock. The man named Hathcock who raised him was his grandfather. There have been multiple books written on the Hathcock, and its many spellings, clan. Quite a few contain information on Benjamin, and some of that information is pretty old. One author of it was a Dr. Thomas Alexander Hathcock, a grandson of Benjamin Hathcock, Sr. He, being a learned and austere, (insert prideful) man, had to formulate a speculative, yet believable canard about his grandfather's origins that would not bring shame upon the family, so he told a half-truth. His story was that Ben was an orphaned boy who was taken in by an old man named Hathcock, although his real name, or his father's name was Hambleton or Hamilton. 

His cousin, Mary Furr, another descendant, would recount what her mother, a daughter or granddaughter of old Ben, told her. That Ben had been born out of wedlock to a Hambleton or Hamilton man and a Hathcock girl. He was raised in the home his maternal grandfather, Hathcock. This explains a lot, like Ben's lack of property and records, and a few other details. 

Ben had the opportunity to payback the care of his grandfather, and then to receive care back in turn. His own daughter, Sarah, aka "Sally", became an unwed mother by Daniel Perry, from another family who seem to have migrated at the same time from the same place, here. She had a son named Lloyd, and possibly a daughter, Mary. That's something I have to look at a little closer. Benjamin Sr. kept up his daughter and her child, (or children). Her son Lloyd is the one who took care of Ben in his old age. Reciprocal care.

Where did Ben first settle in Montgomery County? We know he first was found on a Tax list there in 1783.

He entered a grant on Long Creek of 100 acres,  on October 2, 1799, entry # 5115. Grant # 2392 was issued on December 6, 1816, Book 130, Page 373. The tract was on the waters of Long Creek, at the mouth of a branch on James Lee's line. Later is mentioned John Poplin's line.

He appears to have entered a failed grant two years earlier, as an assignee of Wiley Carpenter, for 100 acres on Long Creek, but no matching patent was found. It was entered on April 25, 1797, entry # 3057. There is no record of it actually being issued. 

This entry, shown above is mentioned as "Beginning at Poplin's corner", then to Taylor's corner, then to Carson & Moore's line, then to Lee's corner. James Howell and James Lee were chain carriers. Knowing that Lee probably referring to James Lee and that Poplin referred to John Poplin, I looked to see which Taylor it may have been referring to. Having looked well into, I was pretty sure I knew already.

Carson and Moore spoke of the partnership of Thomas Carson and Willam Moore, land speculators who had acquired large tracts of land in Piedmont North Carolina, primarily along the Rocky River, Island Creek, Long Creek and Bear Creek, most of which was in present Stanly County. In 1795, they received a grant for 17,920 acres in the forks of the Rocky River, and along Bear and Long Creeks. A John Carson later bought them out and sold tracts out of it, including one of 67,000 acres to William Thornton, whose name is also seen a lot in these early deeds. So, Ben's grant bordered one of Carson & Moore's lines, their presence is not one to look into as they owned half the county at the time.

I figured out that the Taylor mentioned in Ben's grant was most likely Nimrod Taylor. I found him in conjunction with Jonathan Taylor. There is also a Grant that reveals Johnathan Carpenter had property connecting Wyley or Wilie Carpenter, and also John Carpenter. 

Wylie Carpenter was the name Ben was an assignee of on the failed Grant. The Carpenters are also one of my family lines. They migrated here with the Upchurch family from counties east. John Carpenter was the son-in-law of Benjamin Upchurch, and I descend from his son, James Ludwell Carpenter, who married Obedience Broadway, one of my two Broadaway lines.

Another interesting name to look into was that of William Poplin.

His entry was on Scaley Branch and ran with Daniel Perry's line. Daniel Perry was the father of Ben's grandson Lloyd, or Loyd, Hathcock by his daughter, Sally. Jonathan Poplin had a grant that bordered John Poplin and Daniel Perry. 

"The above warrant of one hundred acres of land is transferred to Benjamin Hathcock for Value Rec'd and the security is required to Issue the grant in his name as witness my hand and seal this 14th day of January 1798. Test Asa Atkins His mark Wiley Carpenter (Seal).

Where did the Hathcock's originate to start with? What did the name mean?

It's of British origin and derives from the word haeth, meaning an open Moorland and cot for cottage, Heath Cottage, or Cottage on a Heath, a place name, like Hill or Woods. It was first found in Derbyshire in the 12th Century and is of Anglo-Saxon origin.

The Hathcock name has about a dozen variations including, but not limited to Hathcox, Hatcoat, Hathcoat, Haithcock, Haithcoat, Heithcock, Heathcock, Heathcoat, Heathcote, Heathcot, Heathcott, Hethcox, Hethcock. The most common one used in Stanly and Montgomery Counites were Hathcock, Hethcock and Heathcock. Most books on the family agree that our specific line began with a Thomas Hatcock who came to America from England about 1635. He first settled in what is now Northampton County, Virginia. By 1730 descendants had moved to Prince George County and Brunswick County, Virginia. 

We can't know for certain who exactly Benjamin's kin were, but by following the real estate, we can see the flow, like a river, from where we know he came from to where we know he ended up. Greensville County, Virginia was formed from Brunswick County in 1781. Its southern border is Northampton County, NC. 

There was a Joseph Heathcock whose plantation had been located in Brunswick County, in the part that became Greensville in 1781. 

Joseph had a son, John, who would later move to Bute County, NC, the part that later became Warren.

Hosea "Ozzy" Hathcock

Recall from the 1790 census, that a Hosea Hathcock lived in Chatham County, along with James, John and William. In the 1779 deed abstracts of Montgomery County, NC, we find the below information;

"50 acres of land was granted to Jesse Wooten in Montgomery County, NC". The property was said to have adjoined that of "Ozzy" Hathcock and a Mr. Collins. 

The same year that Hosiah "Ozzy" Hathcock in noted as having land in Montgomery County, NC. Thomas Hathcock, son of Edward Hathcock of Northampton County, NC, is noted as living in Anson County, 1779, in the part that would later become Richmond County, NC. Thomas and Hosiah were close together at this time. Josiah was a member of Captain Elisha Cains Chatham County Militia in September 1772, in Chatham County, NC. He appears to have been in Chatham, went to Montgomery, then back to Chatham. Militia groups would naturally travel to various places, sometimes on a near constant move, in the years between 1775 and the early 1780's. Hosea would move to Elbert County, Georgia, and is found there in 1800. There were several Hathcock's who preceded him there, including a John, Hastin, William and James, perhaps relatives.

Edward Heathcock

Edward Heathcock may have been born in Henrico County, Viriginia sometime between 1643 and 1675. He seems to have had some kinship to Joseph and Jesse Heathcock who were in the Brunswick County area with him in the 1730's.  Edward owned land on Arthur's Creek and Norton's Branch an in the Turbyfield's Run area near the NC/ Virginia border and along the Roanoke. Joseph, (1700 -1782), who had land on Beaver Pond Creek in Brunswick County may have been his son. Joseph died in Brunswick County on his Falling Run property.  Jesse Heathcock, who lived in the same area at the same time may also be a relative. 

A Granville grant dated June 22, 1749, to Joshua Stepp tells of land on the east side of Arthur's Creek adjoining Edward Heathcock and Norton's Branch, meaning Edward had settled there by 1749

 In April 1757, Edward Hathcock, in conjunction with his wife, Catron, sold 100 acres of land in Brunswick County, Viriginia to Drury Jordan, on the north side of Ragland's Ferry Road, adjoining James Norton and other land belonging to the Heathcocks. Deed Book 2 Page 387. Catron is a form of Catherine with Welsh origins, possibly indicating his wife may have been of Welsh extract.

On November 26, 1753, "Edward Heathcock, Planter" sold 100 acres in Northampton County, NC, to James Norton, "part of a patent originally granted to Edward Heathcock". Deed Book 2, Page 129. James Norton was his son-in-law, having married his daughter, Martha. The Norton family had land holdings dating back to the 1740's and references to a place called Norton's Corner are found in the old deeds. 

In May of 1758, Edward gave "for love and goodwill", to his son, Thomas Heathcock, 100 acres on "Turbafields Run", a name that would evolve into Troublefield in our area, found in Deed Book 2 Book 476.  On the same day, he conveyed 20 acres, also on Turbafield's Run to John Heathcock, found in Book 2 Page 475. He doesn't' specify John as his son in the deed, but it's likely. 

James 

A James Hathcock (1743-1838) was born in Brunswick County, Virgina to William and Nancy Anthony Hathcock. He removed to Chatham where he married Elizabeth Sexton and had seven known children; Charlotte, Isaac, Isaiah, Hiram and Patrick. He served in the NC militia during the Revolutionary War and afterwards settled in Hillsborough. He died in Chatham in 1838, at the age of 95, continuing what seems to be a nature towards longevity in this particular Heathcock/Hathcock line. He was known as Scout or Scott. Whether that was a middle name, or a nickname, I don't know. It could have indicated a career if it was Scout, or origins if it were Scott.

Thomas 

Thomas Hathcock was the son of Edward Heathcock of Northampton County, NC, whose property seemed to have straddled the State lines. Edward was there by 1758. Thomas was in Anson, then Richmond, by October of 1777. It was a fact that River Jordan and John Jordan had moved to the same general area. River Jordan was previously a resident of Brunswick County, Virginia and would also move to Elbert County,  Georgia where Hosea Heathcock moved.

A John Jordan witnessed a Heathcock deed in Northampton County and Edward Heathcock had sold property there to Drury Jordan, who was also his neighbor. There seems to be a strong Jordan theme running through the family connections. Thomas died on April 13, 1818, and it appears he had something in common with Benjamin Hathcock than just a surname. His age was greatly exaggerated.

A newspaper article that appeared in the Carolina Observer of Richmond County and was reprinted in Augusta Chronicle out of Georgia, made the following incredible claim:

"Longevity - Died in Richmond County on 13th instant at the seat of Col. Therogood Pate, Thomas Heathcock age 125 years!

He left a numerous family of children settled in different parts of the country, two of whom live in the State of Georgia. (Elbert County?!?), One aged 93 and the other 87, and one son in Richmond County but little over 16 years of age."

His known sister, Martha Norton, was born during the 1720's to 1730. He was probably fairly close to his age, and that would have put him between 80 -90 at death. 

A quick check of the 1820 census in Richmond, finds only a Samuel Heathcock, with only Hosea in Georgia, Elbert County. His age is only categorized as over 45, so we can't know, but Hosea was probably one of the sons. There's also a Grace Hathcock in Chatham that year, which interests me, because Ben Jr. named a daughter Grace.

Recall the 1830 census of a Benjamin Hathcock family in Southampton County that were classified as "Other Free"? There was a branch of the Hathcock/ Heathcock family that were considered mixed with the Nottaway tribe. The paragraph below is from the book, "Family Connections of the Brooks, Hathcock and Nance Families of the United States, Compiled Genealogies". Authors include Bill Gullickson, Nancy Norton, Sam Norton, Marcy Stephens, June Melvin and Myrtle Stephens.

From the book 'Hathcock Family History: United States. Family Histories 1991 (no single author given, just collaborate efforts mentioned)

Holiday Hathcock was a free man of color from Johnston County, North Carolina. Born about 1760, he volunteered for multiple tours of service in the Revolutionary War. His 1834 pension application was suspended. His eventual successful fight was helped by the testimony and affidavit of Justice of the Peace, William Bryan. Byran provided that Free People of Color were drafted, volunteered and served just like white Patriots.

A timeline of Holiday Hathcock's locations show:

• 1784 in Sampson County, just south of Johnston, (Sampson Early Tax List)
• 1788 assigns his Revolutionary War Bounty lands over to his daughter Nancy Sheppard (John)
• 1790 Census Johnston County, North Carolina (6 people, Other Free Persons)
• 1800 Hillsborough, Orange County, (6 people, Other Free Persons)
• 1832-1836 Pension Application
• 1853, his son David applied for his pension in 1853, meaning he was deceased. His wife named as Sally.

Why would Holiday Hathcock be important to the story of  Benjamin Hathcock?

Many believe Holiday to be the son of Edward Hathcock. He was born in Northampton County, where Edward had moved to from Brunswick/Greensville County, Virginia, along the same waterways, as Greensville borders Northampton. There was interaction on a road crew. Had Edward, who was known to be a white man, marry a Nottaway woman or have a child with her? Or was she not a Nottaway? Who really was Edward?

I question this because Hathcock DNA studies link Benjamin Hathcock descendants with the Edward/Thomas group, only autosomal, but then again, Ben wasn't a Hathcock down the male line. Hosea Hathcock group matches with them among Ydna testing within a normal range of mutations. The Joseph Hathcock group, who was a contemporary of Edward, is also connected, but not as directly. I am copying and pasting the information below because if I just typed it, no one would believe me.

From Familytreedna.com

More on the Poplins:

In 1777 in the Chatham County Superior Court records, Sally Hathcock of Halifax County, was ordered to appear before a Justice of the Peace, to give testimony against William Poplin, of Chatham for a charge of Horse Theft. William was later convicted. Sadly, the records do not include Sally's exact testimony. Since Benjamin knew William Poplin and bore the same name, there could have been a relation between he and Sally, as we know that she also knew William Poplin and knew of his criminal act. Could Benjamin have also had a connection to Halifax County?

Of course, Halifax borders Northampton, and all arrows point to the family being in Northampton before arriving in Chatham.

Again, I link to the incredible research and blog of George Thomas, who mentions in the following post the family of William Poplin prior to his service and after, and connections to the early Taylor and Burris families. Please see below:

A Veteran's Story from They Lived Upon a Rocky River

We know from his grant that William Poplin also ended up in Montgomery (Stanly) County, along with Benjamin Hathcock. He was born about 1749 and died on June 2, 1835 in Stanly County, becoming the Patriarch of a large Stanly County family. He served under that dastardly Col. Phillip Alston who tormented my Dowd relatives. He lived in Chatham briefly after the War, moved to Moore County for a few years before removing to Georgia, finally returning to Montgomery County where he lived out his last years.

Dr. Thomas Alexander Hathcock, Jr.

Dr. Hathcock, who was the son of  Thomas Alexander Hathcock, Sr., (1824-1908), was a Great Grandson of Old Benjamin Hathcock. He published a genealogy in "Makers of America. Vol. 3, 'Biographies of Leading Men and Women. Including Family Histories and Accurate Genealogical Records" by Leonard Wilson, F.S.A.  B. F. Johnson Incorporation, Washington DC. 

Family can be biased in recounting their ancestry. That's an understatement. It particularly can apply to descendants of education and status, like those with letters after their names, beyond Jr. and such.

Dr. T. A. Hathcock, Jr.

Among the claims and whitewash in Dr. Hathcock's account of his ancestor was the exaltation of the eight Hathcock's who were soldiers along the NC line during the Revolution. Fair enough. He mentions Thomas Hathcock of Richmond County,  as being a forebear, due to his first name, Thomas. See quote below.

"Christian names are often repeated in families, and following reasonable deductions, it is possible that all these Hathcock's are descendants of Thomas Hathcock who was an early Viriginia (Stone County) immigrant. The repetitive use of the name Thomas Alexander Hathcock suggests that the original immigrant's full name may have been Thomas Alexander Hathcock".

Dude get over yourself! I take his recounts with a grain of salt. For one thing, he invented a County in Virginia that never existed. I suppose he pulled that from the name of William Stone who transported a Thomas Heathcock from England, who was an indentured servant by the way! He left that little tidbit of information out. He also attempted to whitewash the whole story of how Benjamin, whose father was a Hambelton or Hamilton, became a Hathcock. Mrs. Mary Furr's account is much more credible.

Debra Baugh's account of the Benjamin Hathcock family seems more accurate and carefully compiled. She didn't contrive anything out of the ether due to the multiple occurrences of a common name in a family.  Ms. Baugh carefully and diligently collected information from various Hathcock families in Stanly and surrounding counties, weaving together the various patches of the spring branches of the Benjamin Hathcock tree. There were common threads that would weave into a consistent dialogue. 

Debra Baugh compiled and incorporated Mary Furr's records into her book, 'Hathcock Family History, Descendants of Benjamin Hathcock, Vol. IX (1986).

Mary Furr had written a letter in 1969 with the following information, "My mother, (Elizabeth Jane Burris), told me just before she died that Benjamin's mother was a daughter of this Mr. Hathcock".  She had admitted on her deathbed that the Mr. Hathcock known to have raised Benjamin was his grandfather and that his mother was not married. 

Also, in Mrs. Baugh's rendition of the Hathcock menagerie was the recount of an undated letter from a David Burris to an unknown person, (probably Eliza Jane Burris, she surmises). This could have been my second Great Grandfather, David Burris, (1851-1928), who married Ellen Honeycutt. He was the son of Gideon Green Burris and Obedience Hathcock, a daughter of Benjamin Hathcock Jr. and Nancy Ann Burris. There were multiple David Burris's, so I can't be sure that he's the one, but the shoe fits. 

He made several interesting observations and recollections of Old Ben in his letter, which must have come to him in the stories of older relations. One was the story of how Benjamin had been orphaned as a child and was raised by Mr. Hathcock, (his grandfather), and that his father's name had been Hamilton or Hambleton. It was David who revealed the musical talents of the bunch. He recalled, "This generation was much inclined to music. They were drummers, fifers and fiddlers and some were fine singers. I heard Grandma Burroughs, (Judith Taylor Burris) say that old man Hathcock, (Benjamin), of them all was their fiddler when she and grandfather, (Solomon Burris) married". This was probably a David Burris a generation up from my David, as, although my David was a Hathcock descendant as well, he was a Great Grandson of Solomon, not a Grandson.

Continuing quotes from the letter, "Old Jimmy Hathcock, (James Sr., son of Benjamin), your Great Grandfather on your grandmother Hathcock's side of the family said that their proper name was Hambleton. Your grandfather Lloyd Hathcock's father was Daniel Perry, but he (Lloyd) took his mother's name. As to their children, I do not recollect that they were twins. I think they died in infancy. That is all I know about them." I don't know what children he was referring to, perhaps those of Lloyd and his wife who had died young. 

"A postscript to this letter continues, 'Old Benjamin Hathcock of all, I have seen this often. He belongs to the old school Baptist, Primitive Baptist and lived to be very old - 115 years of age. They said he had a son named Benjamin who married my father's sister, Nancy Burris. (This indicates this could have been David Wright Burris, son of Joshua C. Burris), "Old Billy Whitley married one of old man Benjamin's daughters, (Martha Hathcock Whitley). " I have forgotten her name. He lived, (William Whitley) to be of great age 118 years.' (Another exaggeration) This letter was in the possession of Beatrice M. Hanson of Mesa, Arizona in 1971."  It is also in her book the claim that Benjamin had the first buggy in Stanly County. She added that even though no stone exists that Benjamin is regarded as having been buried, in 1857, in the family cemetery of his grandson, Lloyd, with whom he lived. The cemetery is located on the east side of Ridgecrest Road in the town of Red Cross, Stanly County, NC. The book reports that it's "Just before crossing Stony Run Creek." 

Summary on Benjamin

These are my own summations. We know from his own words, and the 1850 census, that Benjamin Hathcock Sr. was born in Virginia. He later moved to Chatham County, "before the Revolution". This doesn't mean he went straight there. He followed the same trail, more or less, as Thomas Hathcock and Hosea "Ozzy" Hathcock, at first. His parents were rumored to have died of smallpox, his father at least. Fatherless children were considered orphans in those days. His father's surname was Hambleton, (or Hamilton). His mother's surname was Hathcock/Heathcock. He was taken in and raised by his maternal Grandfather, Mr. Hathcock. 

Some claim descent from the long living Thomas Hathcock who moved to Richmond County. Thomas was the proven son of Edward and lived in Northampton County before moving to Anson as early as 1758. Benjamin first appears in Montgomery (Stanly), as early as November of 1782. Thomas shows up in Richmond by 1777, with a connection to the Jordans. Thomas was of an older generation than Benjamin, but he was not old enough, to have been Benjamin's grandfather. I believe he was more of an uncle, and that Hosea was the son of Thomas. There were certainly similarities with Thomas, and James, who lived to be a believable 95. 

My bets would be on Edward Heathcock being the grandfather who raised Benjamin. It all fits together. There is a consensus among the Hathcock family authors and that Ben was born in Brunswick and then lived in Greensville Counties in Virginia. I propose that he lived along the border in the part that was Brunswick but became Greensville. I can see him following his grandfather into Northampton, before moving to Chatham with relatives after the passing of Edward. An exact birth year for him would help with my theory, but alas. If Benjamin was born in 1742, like his Find-A-Grave entry suggests, he would have been a young adult of 21 when Edward Hathcock died. I think he was younger than that and may have been 10 or 12 in 1763. There was indeed a smallpox outbreak in 1759. I believe this was probably a few years after Benjamin was born. He may have traveled down this way with Chatham neighbors, or with Hathcock relatives. 

The Children

United States. Family Histories 1993

1) Dempsey Hathcock (1775- aft 1860) wife or children unknown. Died in Guy, Montgomery County, Arkansas after 1860. There were two Dempsey Hathcock's. The other lived in Moore County, NC. He also had his start in Chatham County, and ended up in Jack County, Texas. The Moore County Dempsey was older, but not a generation older. This could suggest a familial relationship somewhere up the line. 

2) Martha "Patsy" Hathcock (1776-1880) Married William "Old Billy" Whitley. They had a son named Jesse who married Reuah Perry, the daughter of Daniel Perry and Sarah "Sally" Hathcock, a cousin marriage.

3) James Hathcock Sr. (1778 - May 9, 1848) Buried at Old Freedom Cemetery. Married Esther or Easter Honeycutt.

4) Jesse Hathcock Sr. (1780-1847) Married Catherine "Katie" Whitley. There were many marriages between the two families. The prevalence of the name "Jesse" leads me to a believe a definite familial relationship between the Jesse and Joseph Hathcock families who were in Brunswick with Edward and moved down into Johnston and Halifax. 

Ten-year gap between children indicating a second marriage, possibly. A wife appears to have been living at least until the 1810 census, possibly longer. 

5) Young Hathcock (1790 -1850) Married Sarah Meredith. Moved to Montgomery County, Tennessee.

6)  Sarah "Sallie" Hathcock (1792-1860) Did not marry. Mistress of Daniel Perry had at least two children, Lloyd in 1809 and Reuah in 1818. Possibly a Mary in 1811. Reuah was an old Hebrew name that meant breeze, wind or spirit.

7) Jane Hathcock (1795-after 1870) Married John Whitley. Died in Mount Mourne, Iredell County. I have posted on John and Jane and their family while I was focusing on the Whitley family. 

8) Lee Hathcock (1798 - 1849) Married Sarah Ann Wilhelm. Settled in neighboring Cabarrus County.

8) Benjamin Hathcock, Jr. (1802 - 12 Jun 1884) Married Nancy Ann Burris, daughter of Solomon and Judith Taylor Burris. 

Benjamin Hathcock's Grant as an assignee of Wiley Carpenter bordering Carson & Moore, Poplin's corner, Taylor's corner and Lee's line. James Howell and James Lee, Chain Carriers.

John Poplins Grant on both sides of Long Creek dated 1794 beginning at James Lee's corner, to William Taylors line, Richard Thomason and Benjamin Hathcock chain carriers.

James Hathcocks 1830 Grant of 42 acres on Scaleybark Branch, running with Daniel Moooses entry. Benjamin Hathcock (probably Jr.) and Solomon Hathcock chain carries.

Lloyd Hathcock allowed $38.75 for keeping and taking care of his grandfather, Benjamin Sr.

1850 Paupers list for Stanly County. Benjamin Hathcock near bottom.

See the below book for more information on the descendants of Benjamin Hathcock, Sr. 

The Saga of Thomas Ellerbe

 

Dr. William Crawford Ellerbe

A South Carolina tale has a Stanly County, North Carolina connection. Poking about it the dirty laundry of history is a fascinating thing. You never know what you may uncover. 

Recently, I was digging a bit around the roots of the Farmer family tree. Several 19th century relatives of mine, including my Great Grandfather's brother, George Washington "Gus" Davis, and his cousin, John Teeter Davis, had married daughters of one George T. Farmer, the 'T' perhaps standing for Thompson, but I can't be certain. At first, it appeared that George had no apparent connections. The Farmer family seemed solitary to the Tyson Community, in southern Stanly County, where a good chuck of my mother's family roots sprang from. While I didn't work much past his parents and siblings, I've positively confirmed, for my own purposes, at least, that George T. Farmer was one of the sons of Joseph and Nancy Thompson Farmer. His parents had both passed away in the late 1840's, within about a year of each other. Not all of their children had reached adulthood by this time, in fact, most of them were quite young. A tragic beginning. 

It appears some of them were taken in by their widowed Grandmother, Mary Thompson. Mary would then pass away in 1854, leaving these poor children without a guardian yet again. The court appointed one James F. Kendall as the guardian of the younger children. A few of the older girls had married by then, and this story involves one of them, Mary Ann.

In 1850, Mary Ann was 18, and living in the home of her grandmother, Mary Thompson. Her uncle, George W. Thompson was there, as well as her two youngest brothers, Leon and Wesley. The family was in Center Township, in the southeast corner of Stanly County, NC. They lived near a few Ivey and McSwain families.

This same year, 65-year-old Thomas C. Ellerbe was living in his hometown of Chesterfield, in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. 

Chesterfield County sits along the North/South Carolina border. Anson is above it in North Carolina and Center in Stanly County was located on the northern border of Anson, so the two were a distance, but not an unimaginable one, away. 

In its day, Chesterfield, like Anson, was a place of wealth and commerce, where several families of prominent, socially and politically active continence, lived. In 1850, Thomas lived next to a young man named Ellerbe Boggan Crawford Cash, 26, whose first name was that of Thomas, and whose last name was that of Thomas's wife, Mary Cash Ellerbe, who had passed away in 1824.

 E. B. C. Cash, as he was known, was born on July 1, 1823, in Wadesboro, Anson County, NC. He was the son of Patrick Boggan Cash and his wife, Elizabeth E. Ellerbe Cash and the grandson of Col. James Ingo Dozier Cash and wife Margaret "Peggy" Bogan, tying together multiple large and important Anson County Plantation families. E. B. C. Cash married Allan Eunice Ellerbe, the daughter of William Crawford Ellerbe and Ephtha "Essey" Moore Sanders. She was the granddaughter of Captain William E. Ellerbe and Elizabeth Ann Crawford. This last-mentioned couple was also the parents of Thomas Crawford Ellerbe, the 65-year-old Chesterfield man I previously brought your attention to. This means that Thomas was Allen Eunice Ellerbe Cash's uncle. 

Ellerbe Boggan Crawford Cash

To add interest to incest, Thomas Crawford Ellerbe had married Mary Cash, daughter of Col James Ingo Dozier Cash and his wife, Margaret Boggan, making her the aunt of E. B. C. Cash. 

South Carolina College Horseshoe circa 1850

These were the educated and elite sons and grandsons of Revolutionary Patriots who had made well in the world. This was the time and age of the old South with large stately homes and large farms, fledgling industry and mercantile investment, trade and triumph. An old saying states that;

“Hard times create strong men. Strong men create good times. Good times create weak men. And, weak men create hard times.”

It's supposedly a quote from a book, but I don't know which one, but oh how true it is. I've lived long enough to see all four generations, from those that precede mine to those that follow.

As seen in the above Boggan family history, these families had Anson County origins, although they would later spread west and south with great intensity. The generations to follow were sometimes haughty and often times what we would call "spoiled".  Echoes of Scarlett O'Hara. In order to keep the money in the family, marriages were arranged among neighbors and business partners, until over a few generations, unions between cousins and close relatives were common. Brides and Grooms would be connected to each other in multiple and onerous ways. The names of the children reflected these entanglements. This was no excuse for the behavior of Thomas Crawford Ellerbe, but perhaps had some blame to it. 

On November 8. 1809, Thomas C. Ellerbe married Mary Cash, again, bringing two respected and prominent PeeDee River plantation families together. There were five children born to this union:

Ingoe Ellerbe, a son, born in 1810 and died in 1812

William Ellerbe, born about 1812, died in West Florida about 1836 or 1837.

Mary Ellerbe, born in 1813, married Hunter House 1st and John Lewis Stovall second, and was widowed twice.  With her siblings, moved to Hancock County, Mississippi. She had a large family of children, but most of them died young. 

Boggan Ellerbe born in 1818, moved to Mississippi and died in 1862 during the Civil War. Unmarried.

John Crawford Ellerbe, born Christmas Day, 1826, was the most successful of the five children, in sheer longevity, proclivity, and being philoprogenitive. He married Elizabeth Jane Trussell Head, a young, childless widow. John Crawford Ellerbe was a teacher, and he and his wife moved about Mississippi, after he started in Kemper after relocating from Chesterfield County, SC. They lived in Lauderdale, Newton and Scott Counties, where he died in 1882 at age 55. They had seven children, Theophilus Moody, Thomas John, William R., Crawford Cash, Peter Hunter, Mary Elizabeth and Laura Victoria Ellerbe.

Mary Cash Ellerbe died on July 31, 1824, and was buried at Eastview Cemetery in Wadesboro, NC. 

She was 30 years old. 

The movements after the death of his wife, or due to the death of his wife, of Thomas C. Ellerbe has been mostly lost to time.  He was 39, he had children from early teens to infancy. We know he ended up in Florida? What made him go to Florida?  

In 1824, Florida was still a new United States Territory, having been transferred from Spain in 1819 by the Adams- Onis Treaty. General Andrew Jackson, whom the Ellerbe's knew of, if not knew well, had been appointed as a Military Governor. The territory had been appointed two capitols previously, Saint Augustine in the east and Pensacola in the west. 1824 was the year that Tallahassee was chosen as the official capitol to unite the territory, which was still under much upheaval between the native population, the longtime Spanish based inhabitants, including a sizeable African population, and the constant new American arrivals from the north, who would primarily set up and live in straw cottages.

Florida settlers in the 1800's

Had Thomas taken his entire family there, or just his oldest living son? What had Mary died of, and under what circumstances? Was it from childbirth of his youngest son? All we know is from a newspaper article, that had been shared far and wide, 13 years later. 

The Newbernian

New Bern, North Carolina • Fri, Oct 20, 1837Page 2

According to the above article in the Raleigh Register, reprinted in The Newbernian, and Dated October of 1837, Thomas C. Ellerbe had arrived in the area around May of that year. He had taken up residence in an 'untenanted', or empty/ abandoned house on the outskirts of town. He must have looked a bit roughshod, and acted mysteriously or secretive, as he attracted the curiosity and attention of the townspeople, due to his lack of socialization and unkempt look. Although a loner, with no friends, no business or occupation, or relations in the community, he kept quietly and unobtrusively to himself. He was in another word, a recluse, and although the community watched him, they saw no signs of criminal behavior, just speculated on his manner of support and sustenance. 

But then, Thomas made a pivotal error. He had moved to the center of State business and trade and took a walk during an important session of Superior Court. There were in town a number of men from Anson County, who had arrived for Court. They immediately recognized him, as he had lived for a while in Anson County, and had married into the prominent Cash family from there.  He was thereafter arrested and brought before a couple of officials, and jailed, as the men knew him to be a fugitive from justice. In 1824, the same year his wife died, Thomas had been accused of the murder of a Wagoner, a person who drove a wagon and transported goods, similar to a truckdriver today. The event had taken place near Cheraw, SC, just south of Anson County, NC, and Thomas had quickly absconded and made himself vacant, and according to them, had remained in hiding until a recent report of the murder of William Ellerbe in West Florida. As rumor had been told that Thomas had ran south to Florida, and had a son named William, it was inferred that he was that Thomas, so he was taken to prison for safe keeping.

Weekly Raleigh Register

Raleigh, North Carolina • Mon, Nov 6, 1837Page 2

A few weeks after his arrest, another article appeared in the papers. In this brief report, the name of the wagon driver was told, a William Hamilton from Mecklenburg County, NC. A witness to the murder, Moses Swain, was still living in Charlotte, and he was bound over to attend court in Chesterfield County, where the crime had occurred, but Thomas C. Ellerbe had escaped. 

There was a William Hamilton, over age 45, living in Mecklenburg County in the 1820 census.

He lived beside an Alexander Hamilton in the same age group.

He had a Will, and named his wife, Elizabeth. She was the Executor of his estate, which was settled in 1825. The shoe fit. There was also a Moses Swain, or Swan, in Mecklenburg County, several generations of them, apparently. 

What had taken place in the life of Thomas Ellerbe before this? He is listed in the 1810 and 1820 census of Chesterfield County, although he married in Anson. He was a resident of Raleigh in 1837.

In October of 1820, a decree was made commanding the Sheriffs of the State of South Carolina, to bring the body of Thomas C. Ellerbe to court in Chesterfield County concerning a debt owed to Pickett and Myers of $216. 41, of which $182.87 was in arears. These people were persistent too, as you will see. 

Thomas appears to have been the black sheep of his family. His brother Michael, who married Elizabeth Wall, was a successful Planter, with lots of land, livestock and people. His brother William, shown in the heading of this post, was a doctor. Youngest brother John, was an attorney. They all had the same middle name, Crawford, as was the custom of their social group. All the sisters married well, or not at all. Thomas was the odd man out.

He had tried to make a go of it and started off well. On January 8, 1813, four years into his marriage, his father-in-law, Ingoe D. Cash, mortgaged half of his plantation to Thomas for 3000 pounds.

The same year, Isaac Lanier of Anson County, sold 700 acres to Ingoe and Thomas.

By 1820, Thomas was showing cracks. In April of 1821, The sheriff, Andrew Polk, was authorized to seize property of Hubbard Williams and Thomas C Ellerbe, as they had acquired a debt together. No goods or chattels had been found, but Thomas still owned land, and a claim was made against it. The costs were $155.38 and was recovered by William Blewett. The paper was actually written between Sheriff Polk and Anthony Williams, a relative of Hubbard.

Thomas had also acquired a debt in Fayetteville, NC, a major trading and banking hub of the day. Past research shocked me as to how many people in these counties traveled all the way to Fayetteville to buy and sell goods, and do their banking. It would be like a trip to New York by vehicle, for us today. *************************************** I can't find a transcript or newspaper report on whether or not Thomas C Ellerbe faced trial for the murder of William Hamilton or William Ellerbe, his son. What we do know is that he returned home by 1840. Thomas was is the 1840 census of Anson County

Cheraw, South Carolina · Wednesday, October 20, 1841

His sister, Elizabeth lent him two slaves, Cale and Jane, whom she reserved the right to recall at will and whim. Their brother, Dr. WC Ellerbe witnesses the legal papers. 1845

And as seen earlier in this post, Thomas was in the 1850 census of Chesterfield County, South Carolina. By this time he was an old man, yet still a rolling stone. Shortly after, he had made his way back up the Pee Dee River, passing by all of Anson, until he made it past the mouth of the Rocky River, to Stanly County. What business had he had in Center? Did he have friends and associates in Shankle or Norwood, or what was left of Allenton? Had he planned to plant roots in Stanly, hoping no one knew his reputaion and the rumours? 

We know the 66 year old Thomas met the 19 year old Mary Ann Farmer, granddaughter of Mary Thompson, and married her on November 2, 1851.

And then he died.

Thomas C. Ellerbe's estate was settled in 1852. Had he been the victim of some vigilante justice, recognized by a Hamilton relative? Had he even been found guilty of the crime at all? Or had his social standing preempted him from facing the charges ? Moses Swann had died in 1839, just a few years after the arrest. Was he the only witness, and therefore, the case was dismissed for lack of evidence, if it had ever made it to trial?

Or had Thomas just succumbed to natural causes? Many possiblities abound, diseases were often untreated and fatal.  Life was hard. Sixty-seven in 1852, is more like 87 today. Without a death certificate or newspaper article, we can't know. Or,  perhaps it was a case of having such a young, energetic bride....

Dr. Abram J. Shankle, a several 'Great" uncle in-law of mine, was the Administrator of the Estate. The court hearing on it was to take place on the second Monday in February 1852.  Mary Ann and Thomas had just married in November, three months prior. It would have taken weeks, if not a month or more to have gotten to this stage of the game, legally. This had been a very, brief, marriage.

The Estate file was over 50 pages long, mostly receipts and repeats. This one for the widow, Mary Ann "Elerby" was dated first, December 23, 1851. Very brief marriage indeed. She had married him on his death bed, nearly. Was that intentional?

Martin Reap was paid for the delivery of a coffin in 1851 and hauling it to the grave. Some of the pages were repetitive. Others, like the one above, I found interesting. 

Some of the proceedings took place at the Chesterfield Courthouse in South Carolina. Having lived there prior, Thomas had business, property, debt. There was one surviving partner in a business that Thomas owed a very old debt to, and he still had a bone to pick. The Partnership was that of A. Myers and Martin Pickett. Sound familiar? He owed a debt to them in 1820. One may escape a charge of murder, or two, but not a debt owed. It will follow you to the grave. 

"The State of South Carolina, Chesterfield District

Thomas C Ellerbe was attached to a suite to Martin Pickett & Absolom Myers in a plea that he ...to the said Picket and Myers the sum of One Hundred and eighty-two dollars and 87 cents..

second day of January in the year of our Lord One thousand eight Hundred and twenty to wit at Chesterfield C. H. in the district and state aforesaid by his certain writing obligatory 

Copy Note

Ten days after d....to pay Pickett and Myers or order One Hundred & Eighty two dollars & Eighty-seven cents being for value rec'd of these this 25 day of January 1820         Signed  Thos C. Ellerbe 

It was an authentic debt and Absolom finally got his pound of flesh upon Thomas's death. Absolom Myers is a character I've came across many times in m perusing of old records. 

Above is a list of notes owed to Thomas Ellerbe. These are Stanly County folks, many in my family tree. It makes me wonder how long a presence Thomas had in Stanly County. He couldn't have just arrived in 1851. He must have been making inquiries and visits to the north side of the Rocky River. He may have vacationed at Rocky River Springs. There was no Aquadale at that time, and development of a village, complete with street names and house lots divided, would not come along for a few decades, but the Springs were there and people had long discovered their value and were taking holiday there. 

Notes owed Thomas were from P. (James Pinkney) Floyd, R. (Richard) Poplin, L. ( Lewis) M. McIntyre, Jones Green, Celia Easley, James Crump, Ferdinand Foreman, and Lafayette Green. Most lived on the Stanly side of the Rocky, a few on the Anson, some would switch back and forth over the decades, but all lived near the river. 

During the course of the probate of the estate of Thomas C. Ellerbe, his widow remarried.

The young widow, Mary Ann Farmer Ellerbe, married John F. McIntyre, son of Malachi Stokes McIntyre and Elizabeth Murray McIntyre, my third Great Grand Aunt, on March 8, 1852. He was closer to her age. This one would stick. 

Mary Ann was awarded her year's allowance of $38.00, and one year of provisions, despite having remarried, which wasn't a common occurrence. Most widows had to wait a year to marry, or forfeit their meager benefits.

Abram J. Shankle had boarded Thomas's Bay Mare for the one month he was married. She was also shoed and the fees were $8.50, which was pretty expensive, considering Mary Ann was only given $38.00 to live on for a year. 

The above record blew my mind. Dr. Shankle received a dollar from the estate for his services of holding a 'crying sale', "of said deceased." What was a crying sale? I had to look into this, and discovered it had nothing to do with sadness or grieving. The word crying referred more to the process of announcement, like a Town Cryer, or an auctioneer, and was otherwise known as a vendue. The official explanation is below.

When someone died, their estate was first appraised by two respected community members. Then, on a publicly announced day and place, the vendue crier would “cry” the items — calling out prices and accepting bids — to sell off the deceased’s belongings, such as furniture, farm equipment, livestock, and other property 

The vendue crier was responsible for:

• Calling out prices and accepting bids.

• Maintaining order at the sale.

• Often being a respected local figure, as the auction was a public community event

Above is an invoice of what the estate owed to Cottonville resident, Celia Easley. Celia, who had some connection or relation to the Miller Easley extended family, was a free person of color, who was a wise businesswoman and owned her own property, and husband. She bought Harry Randall from his Randall owners down on the river above Allenton, after having had several children with him already. Her invoice tells us a bit more about Thomas. She was paid for having moved "goods from the Springs", which leads me to believe he may have come north to Stanly County for the rumored healing properties. There was also mention of a payment to Jones Green, the use of her wagon for moving goods back to the Springs, and cutting wood, and making food for the sale, moving goods on the last day of the sale, bringing 51 pounds of pork for the widow, along with 18 lbs. of salt. Celia Easley was an industrious lady and had helped Dr. Shankle with the auction.

Mary Ann Farmer Ellerbe McIntyre lived until 1900 and is buried in Roan's Prairie, Grimes County, Texas. She and her second husband, John Francis McIntyre were the parents of 11 children, a few who remained in Stanly and Anson Counties, while others moved to Tennessee and Texas.

Thomas Crawford Ellerbe left a lot of questions behind. His temperament may have been a family trait, and not a good one. The young relative he lived next to in 1850? He had a quiet a story and history of violence of his own. He was the subject of roadside markers, as was Thomas Crawford Ellerbes Grandfather, also named Thomas Ellerbe, who would have been EBC Cash's Great Grandfather. Read below.