Thirty Fathers in Thirty Days: Rev. William McGregor

On a recent Saturday afternoon, I took my seven-year-old grandson to introduce him to our ancestor, Rev. William McGregor. It's a rare thing to have an immigrant ancestor such a short distance from where we still live, only a few miles and a bearable walk through the woods. I want members of the newest generation of my family tree know that they have a biological and historical connection to this ground, and that people who lived before them took part in their history and their creation. Know where the graves are. Know who the people were. Continue to honor your ancestors after I am gone. He is not the first grandchild I've introduced to Rev. McGregor. 

Ten years ago, I also introduced my first and oldest grandchild to the resting place of the old Scottish minister. I hope it will be a tradition. The grave is off the beaten path, which is a good thing, the fewer who know where it is, the better. The Kron cemetery, which is nearby, has tragically suffered much destruction since I was a child, some natural, like tree falls, but primarily from evil, cruel and destructive people, usually adolescents, who sometimes think doing something wrong and criminal will impress their friends. I want to influence members of the next generation to protect and preserve their own history and that of our location upon the planet. 

As I've posted on William McGregor multiple times already, I do not expect this to be a lengthy post, but there may be some details I've never shared. One post is found in the link below. 

The Solomons, the MacGregors and the Church

And he is mentioned also in the following post, linked below, concerning his daughter, Ava, my fourth Great Grandmother.

30 Mothers in 30 Days: Ava

Fellow blogger and distant cousin, Cynthia also has mentioned him in this post from her blog, Uwharrie Roots. 

Dutch John Creek

Taking the oldest of my 8 (so far!) grands to meet his ancestor, Rev. William McGregor 7 years ago.

Rev. William McGregor was born in Scotland. That much is fact. Some give his date of birth as 19 Jan 1733; however, I cannot determine where or how anyone came about with that date. Dr. Francis Kron, who later lived on his property, praised his planting of apples trees and claimed he came from "Osiaran's Glenn", which doesn't' exactly exist. Most have his birthplace as Perth. I will say Scotland, that is without a doubt.

I've not found record of when he arrived in America, but it's most likely he arrived straight to North Carolina, possibly through Wilmington, but as he is found in records of counties in the northeastern part of the state, he probably came in through New Bern, or Bath.

William McGregor is counted in the 1771 Tax Role of Bute County. He was a Junior.

Bute County, NC Record Book 7 records the Will of William Solomon Sr. on May 25, 1772.   "William Solomon to William Solomon Jr. Gift of a negro man to be his at my death." Witnesses were John Edwards, William McGregor, and Green Hill. All three of these men would soon be found later in either Montgomery or Anson Counties, NC, or both.

John Edwards is later seen in a Franklin County deed, as being "of Montgomery County" and selling land in Franklin to the Solomons. The Solomon brothers were in Franklin County, North Carolina at the same time Rev. William McGregor was for two or three years. Bennett Solomon would marry his daughter, Ava. They are my 4th Great Grandparents. They would also arrive in Montgomery County (Stanly side of the river), and two of them, William and Bennett, would become Baptist Ministers.

Rev. William McGregor is mentioned in the 1774 minutes of the Kehuky Baptist Association of Bute County. 

In 1776, William McGregor was given a license to preach in Franklin County, NC, formerly Bute. 

In February 1779, a Petition was taken to separate a portion of Anson County to form Montgomery County. Rev. William McGregor's signature was on the petition. He was also on the 1780 - 1782 Tax lists for Montgomery County.

From Genealogies of Rowan County, is found the abovemention of Rev. McGregor and his church, the "Mouth of the Uwharrie Baptist Church" in a history of the Liberty Baptist Association.

William McGregor received 3 Land Grants. 

Land Grant 1041 dated 1795, was on the southwest side of the Pee Dee River beginning on the Riverbank, Book 94 Page 73, Entered on Jan 4, 1795, and granted on July 10, 1797.  It consisted of 50 acres 'near my own land I live on', a Spanish Oak, McColoks (McColloughs) (sic) south corner, and joined the property of Jarrett Huckaby. 

Grant 1197 was for 150 acres that bordered William McGregors own residence on the south side of the PeeDee. Book 111 Page 289, Granted on November 30, 1810, but applied for in 1800.

Grant Number 1928 Began at 'William McGregor's own corner post oak in McLester's own line running west 106 poles to Bennett Solomons line, N 26 East 68 poles to Mungers old 100....back to McGregor's line.

He expanded his holdings but never moved. 

A great deal of confusion has been caused by two groups of people with similar names, who named their children similar names. There were two William McGregors and Rev. William was a Jr., before he became a Sr., as he named a son William, too.

One McGregor Clan lived in Northampton County. One was a William, with a brother, John McGregor who also lived in Northampton County. These two brothers married Flowers sisters. John had a son named Flowers McGregor. Brother William died about 1813 in Northampton County, and evidence from his will and other probate papers demonstrate that his son was William, Jr. North Carolina land records show him there well into the 1830's. 

The other William McGregor lived in Bute County, a now defunct county, part of which became Franklin. The Bute/Franklin branch moved to Montgomery County, North Carolina in the 1770's. The Rev. William McGregor was associated with a Bartlett McGregor who may have been his brother or eldest son. I personally have him down as a son due to obvious age differences.

The 1790 census of Northampton County, NC lists John McGregor, William McGregor and Flowers McGregor. The 1790 census of Montgomery County, NC list Willam McGregor, Bartlet McGregor, Thomas Huckaby and Bennett Solomon, along with Roland Ware. Two of Roland Ware's daughters, Susan and Sarah, will marry Rev. William McGregors's twin sons, Ezekial and Willis.

Name	William Megrigler
Home in 1790 (City, County, State)	Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 16 and over	3
Free White Persons - Males - Under 16	2
Free White Persons - Females	3
Number of Slaves	4
Number of Household Members	12

In 1790, Rev. McGregor (transcribed incorrectly as "Megrigler"), is shown with three males over 16 in his home, and two under 16, along with three daughters. Nearby, is Bartlett McGregor with a household of four, one male over 16, two under and three females. Subtracting the parents, this would be a possible  4 sons and two daughters, with one son, Bartlett, already out on his own. 

Bartlett McGregor will still be in Montgomery County, NC in 1800 and marries Ann Harris, probably a daughter of one of the Montgomery County Harris family. They end up in Stewart County, Tennessee, where Bartlett dies in 1842. His date of birth was roughly around 1770, and he would have been a little tot when the family arrived in Montgomery. Rev. McGregor's mother is said to have been named Margaret Scott Bartlett. There was also a Bartlett Huckabee in the area at this time, and this family also originated in the Butte/ Franklin County area before arriving in Montgomery. There could have been a familial connection between the McGregor and Huckabee's through the Barlett's.

1800

The 1800 census created a little bit of confusion with two William McGregors side by side. If you look carefully, however, the top line says William Mcgregor JUN. and the second line has William Mcgregor SEN.

Name	William Mcgreger Jr
Home in 1800 (City, County, State)	Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25	2
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over	1
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over	1
Number of Slaves	6
Number of Household Members Over 25	2
Number of Household Members	10

The household of William Senior in 1800 has one male over 45, one female over 45, and two males between 16 and 25. These were the twins.

Name	William Mcgreger Jr
Home in 1800 (City, County, State)	Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10	2
Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44	1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10	2
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15	1
Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44	1
Number of Household Members Under 16	5
Number of Household Members Over 25	2
Number of Household Members	7

William McGregor Jr., son of Rev. McGregor is shown as between 26 and 44, with a female of the same age range in his household, presumably his wife, with two boys under ten, two females under 10, and one female 10 to 15.

Name	Bartlett Mcriger
Home in 1800 (City, County, State)	Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10	2
Free White Persons - Males -10 thru 15	1
Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44	1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10	2
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15	2
Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44	1
Number of Household Members Under 16	7
Number of Household Members Over 25	2
Number of Household Members	9

Bartlett McGregor and his wife are in the same age range, with two boys under 10, and one 10 to 15, tw females under ten and two 10 to 15. 

The 1790 census suggested that Rev. McGregor and his wife had four sons and two daughters at home, and that's with Bartlett McGregor already head of his own household, so who could the extra son have been, if we count William Jr, and the twins, Willis and Ezekial. 

Some add Flowers McGregor, who I am certain belongs to the Northhampton branch of McGregors, and others add Anthony McGregor. So, who was Anthony?

Anthony McGregor

In 1790, there is an Anthony McGregor in Edgecombe County, NC, and Rev. William had actually been there for a while. Oddly, his name was almost mis-transcribed the same way, as "Megriggo". 

Name	Anthony Megriggo
Home in 1790 (City, County, State)	Edgecombe, Halifax, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 16 and over	1
Free White Persons - Females	3
Number of Slaves	4
Number of Household Members	8

In 1800, he is now in Anson County, which makes some folks tack him onto Rev. McGregor, but he could not have been the missing McGregor. 

Name	Anthony Mcgregor
Home in 1800 (City, County, State)	Fayetteville, Anson, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44	1
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25	1
Number of Household Members Over 25	1
Number of Household Members	2

There may have even been two Anthony's. Edgecomb Anthony had three females in his home in 1790, and four slaves. 1800 Anthony appears to have had one young wife, no children and no slaves in 1800.

Of course, he could have suffered some major life changes in that decade. 

Anson Anthony remained in Anson and married a Lydia. His birth year is shown as 1778, and he and Lydia are buried in the Henry-Leggett Cemetery southeast of Wadesboro. His daughter would marry a Henry.

In a land entry from 1818, Anthony is shown with three middle initials, "H. S. R." McGregor.

Anthony McGregor left a will 

He named his only son, William Lemeul McGregor, and left him land on Thompson's Creek.

He named his only daughter, Mary Ann and praised her for her "dutiful attention to me during my confinement whereby her education has been much neglected". 

He then bequeathed property to the children of his sister, Nancy Hill. There were a number of Nancy's among the records of the Northampton MacGregors, and I feel quite confident that Anthony was one of them. There could have been a distant relationship between the two groups. We will later follow the trail of the McGregor Children to see if any secrets or hints are revealed. 

Where did the good Reverend Settle?

The December 20th 1780 Grant shows that William McGregor settled upon 250 acres on the southwest side of the Pee Dee.

The written part revealed the property sat on the east side of "Ataway Mountain", joining McLester's line, to the Ataway branch, joining his own lines, or land he already had entered or bought. This is exactly where the Kron House sits today. After his death, Dr. Francis Kron would purchase McGregor's old farm, and this site is preserved for posterity at Morrow Mountain State Park today. 

This above plat shows the McGregor property meeting that of Henry Mounger's and the mouth of Attaway Branch, dated December, 1779, with Mounger and McGregor their own chain carriers. 

On a state census prior to the first Federal Census of 1790,  Rev. McGregor's name is incorrectly transcribed as "Wm McGrice", with Bartlett beside him. Other notable names near him is Neddy Pennington and Ephraim Carter, there are a number of Nobles, a family who dissipated over time, but left their name on Noble's Mountain, right outside the park. Moses Curtis is there, who is mentioned in my previous post on William McGregor and the Solomons, Daniel McLester, who may have been the neighbor, Kinchen Pennington, Peter Ware and two spots below him, possibly Roland Ware, and between them, Samuel P.? (Parsons maybe?).

In a list of Anson County Will Indexes, we find the 1824 list of Anthony McGregor's Will, but there is a 1797 list of a John McGregor with a wife named Mary.

Also mentioned in the Will of this John are Sarah Williams, Francis Sandifer, Cetchy Sandifer, Flowers McGregor, Jean Brown, William McGregor and Elizabeth McGregor. There very well could have been a relation. 

In 1796, at least 20 years after their arrival in Montgomery County, Rev. McGregor's son, William Jr. was old enough to entered his own grant, one of 50 acres on the Pee Dee River, adjoining his own lines, perhaps what his father had given him.

Religion and the ministry were driving forces in the course of life for Rev. McGregor and his kin. In my earlier post, linked above, I gave a little more depth of information on his ties to the church and the Sandy Creek Association, to which they belonged. Sandy Creek, which was located in Randolph County, had been established in 1755 by Shubal Stearnes and Daniel Marshall.

Above is a list of Churches who were members of the Association, and the delegates who had represented them at a particular conference in the later 1700's. Representing "Uwharrie", referring to the Mouth Of the Uwharrie Primitive Baptist Church, were my ancestors, William McGregor and Isaac Calloway.

There has been some debate concerning the location of the Church. The physical mouth of the Uwharrie River lies on the eastern shore of the Yadkin- Pee Dee River, and this marks the exact point where the Yadkin becomes the Pee Dee. When the Yadkin and the Uwharrie Rivers come together, you have the Pee Dee, they are the parents of it .Rev. McGregor could see the place from the Ferry Crossing near his home and named the church for it. His home was most definitely on the western bank of the river. Near the site of his home is the marker of the original site of Stony Hill Church. The Mouth of the Uwharrie Congregation would become the Stony Hill Congregation, an active church. I believe that marker also indicates in general proximity the location of the Mouth of the Uwharrie Church, also. It may or may not have been the same building. There had been recorded storm damage to the spot over the decades.

From those I know who attended the church, my ancestors, the McGregors, the Calloways and the Solomons, my ancestor, Rev. Samuel Parsons Morton, who was recorded in a later biographical sketch as attending as a youth and young man, and others who represented the church as delegates to the conferences over the years, by and large were from the western side of the river. A few were even from Cabarrus County. The one exception was Pleasant Epps, who lived on the eastern bank of the river. Most easterners attended the Fork of the Little River Church or the Pee Dee Baptist Church.

We know that Rev. McGregor died in 1804 and is buried at Morrow Mountain State Park in Stanly County, NC. But what of his children? The 1805 tax list of Warren County, Tennessee contains the names Ezekial, Willis and William McGregor (Jr). There's a Thomas McGregor in Davidson County, Tennessee in the same list and Flowers McGregor joins Thomas by 1811. Another William and Ezekial Ware end up in Maury County, TN. They're probably all related in some way or another, but the Warren County set are the only ones who are children of Rev. William of Montgomery County. By the 1820 census, Ezekial, William and Richmond McGregor are listed in Warren County. Richmond was a son of William, Jr., although some trees tie him to William Sr.. My belief is that he was a grandson of Rev. William, not a son. By 1830. Rev. Bennett Solomon, my ancestor who married Ava McGregor, daughter of Rev. William, and took over his ministry after his death, has himself passed away. Ava would join her brothers in Warren County, Tennessee, taking most of her children with her. She left behind her oldest son, named William after his grandfather, who would fill the empty shoes of his father, and also become a minister. She also left behind a daughter, Francis "Fanny" Solomon, who married a Russell. 

The 1830 census of Warren County lists Ezekial, William Jr., Willis, Ava Solomon and Jehu, Richmond, Ezekial II, and William III, the latter four all grandsons. Later generations would move westward and southward still, while leaving a handful of relatives in and around Warren as they had in the parts of North Carolina where they had dwelt. 

The children I am assured were the children of Rev. William McGregor were:

1) Bartlett McGregor (1770-1842) married Ann Harris, daughter of Roland Harris. Moved to Stewart County, Tennessee by 1810 and died there in 1842 at age 72.

Children:

A) Nancy McGregor (1791-1885) married Marmaduke Hogan.

B) Harris Valentine McGregor (1796-1854) Married Libby Herndon, moved to Trigg co Kentucky.

C) Lucy McGregor (1799-1863) married John Mann, died in Indian Mound, Stewart, TN.

D) Mary Lucinda McGregor (1800-1832) married Harrison, died Dade County, Missouri.

E) Arvila Avie Ann McGregor (1802-1880) married Willliam Morris of Anson County, NC,  1st, married Uriah Tyson 2nd., father and grandfather of "Tyson's Chicken" founders. Died in Atkins, Pope County, Arkansas.

F) Joel Henderson McGregor (1805-1870) married Emily Gay, moved to Brazos, Texas.

G) Levi Bartlett McGregor (1805-1861) married Elizabeth Mann. died in Travis, Texas.

H) Noah McGregor (1811-1885) married 1st Nellie Allen, married 2nd Mahala Duncan. Involved in the politics and government of Stewart County, Tennessee and died there in 1885.

Noah McGregor

I) John "Jack" McGregor -according to family records, died in Indian Mound, Stewart,TN at age 16.
J) Bartlett II McGregor-according to family records, died at age 6 in Montgomery County, NC.

2)William McGregor Jr. (actually III) died October 6, 1839 in Warren County, Tennessee.

        Married Martha Jane Stiles. 

A) Elizabeth Mae McGregor (1784 - Unknown) married William M. Williams, three children.

B) Willis Wallac(son of III) McGregor (1784-1861) Married Susannah, died in McMinnville, Warren County.

C) Maryann 'Polly' McGregor  (1789-1868) Married Robert Allen "Bob" Stoker III, died in Carroll County, Tennessee.

D) Sarah 'Sally' McGregor (1792-1868) Married Elijah Dodson, died in Smyrna, Warren County, TN.

E) Richmond J McGregor (1794-1858) Married 1st Mary Magdalena Myers 9 children, died in Smyrna, Warren, TN.

F) Martha McGregor (1794-1872) Married James Madison Mitchell, died in Dade Co. Missouri.

G) Jehu "Jay" McGregor (1796-1866) Married Sarah Dodson, died in Smyrna, Warren, Tenn.

H) Salina McGregor (1799 -1874) Married Raleigh Shipley, died in Dade County, Missouri.

I) William (son of III) McGregor (1805 -1839) called  "Nard". Died in Smynra, Warren County. Married "Mary".

J) Ezekial (son of III) McGregor (1810-1856) 

K) Clinton McGregor (1814-1853) Married Celcena Myers. 

L) Jason McGregor (died 1845 in Grundy, Tennessee. Was in Warren in 1838)

3) Ava " Avey" McGregor (1778-1857) Married Bennett Solomon (1773-1818) Her husband died in Stanly County, NC. She died in Warren County, TN. 

A) Tehony Solomon (1791- ?)

B) Martha B. "Patsy" Solomon (1799-1850)  Married George W. Bullen. Died in Warren County, TN

C) Rev. William S. Solomon (1801-1874) Married Tabitha Marks. Died in Stanly County, NC.

D) Frances "Fanny" Solomon (1803-1875) Married Jarrett Russell. Died in Stanly County, NC.

E) Jane Solomon (1805-1880) Married Robert H. Turner. Died in Dekalb County, Tennessee

F) Sarah A. Solomon (1805-1875) Married Hardin "Hardy" Russell. Died in Warren County, TN.

G) Mary 'Polly' Solomon (1807-1847) Married Micajah Massey. Died in Cannon County, TN.

H) Willis Lymon Solomon (1809-1877) Married Myrick Safely. Died in Warren County, TN.

I) Bennett Solomon Jr. (1812-1862) Married Anna Carlyle Morton. Died in Benton County, Missouri.

J) Hixey Solomon (1814-1885) Married Charles Hutchison. Died in Warren County, TN. 

McGregor Homestead in Stewart County, Tennessee

4) Ezekial McGregor (1784-1856) Ezekial and Willis were twins and married twins. Twins ran in the family and several of Rev. McGregors children and grandchildren would have twins. Ezekial also followed his father into the ministry He married Sarah Jane "Sallie" Ware, daughter of Roland Ware and Temperance White. He is buried in the Smyrna Cemetery, formerly known as the McGregor family cemetery, with Ava McGregor Solomon and many other family members. 

A) Ahixoam "Hixie" McGregor (1806-1865) Married Phillip Gysberti Hoodenpyl. Died in McMinnville, Warren County, Tennessee. 12 children: Phillip II, George, Nancy Paine, Mary Minerva, Miria, Susan, Sarah, Missouri Polk, Wallace/Willis, Mary E., Adalaide, Christianna.

B) Temperance Mae "Tweaky" (1807-1883) Married James Allen of Montgomery County, North Carolina. They relocated to Adairsville, Bristow County, Georgia. Like her father, she had 13 children, but no twins: Jerusha Winifred, Nepthalie Durham, Missouri, America, Ezekial M., Milton Columbus, William Calvin, Washington Jackson, Jason Franklin, Wiley Jefferson, Louisiana "Lou", James Rufus, Alexander McGregor Allen.

Temperance McGregor Allen aka "Tweaky"

C) Elizabeth "Betsy" McGregor (1810-1881) Married McGladdrie. Believe to have died in Missouri or Mississippi.

D) Willis Nard McGregor (1812-1860) Married Nettie Ellen Harrison. Settled in Pontotoc, Mississippi. Thirteen children: William Washington, Audley Harrison, Sarah Elizabeth, Jemima, George, Mexico, Wiley M. 'Bud, Joseph Jason James Clinton Henderson Pleasant aka "Coon" (seriously), Newton Ezekial, Martha Vesta Ann aka "Pink", Nettie D. and Rachel. 

E) Jason McGregor (1813-1871) Married 1st to Margaret Jane Pennington; 6 children: Mary Ann, Victory Jane, John Wesley, Romulus, Remus,Silas. Married Theresa "Tressie" Sims 3 children: Charlotte, Francis and Mae. Died in Warren County, TN.

F) Susan McGregor (1814-1850) Married Benjamin Huckabee; 7 children: Sarah, James, William, John Henry, Eva Malinda, Matthew, Lundy. Died in Bell County, Texas.

G) Minnie McGregor (1815- ?) never married. Died in Pontotoc, Mississippi.

H) Jemima McGregor (1816-1859) married William Huckabee; 11 children: Ezekial, George Washington, Calvin, Mary Susan, Ava, Sarah Jane, Andrew Jackson, William Jr, Evy Charlotte, John Bartlett Huckabee. Died in Pontotoc, Mississippi.

I) Andres Wiley McGregor (1819- aft 1880) Married 1st Sarah A. Harrison; 5 children: Martha Lill, Sarah Celeste, Elizabeth Young, Mary Catherine, William Clary; Married 2nd, Francis "Fannie" Winsett; 7 children: Andrew, Thomas, Mack, Vesta Ann, Zala, Ida, Avy. Died in Athens, Limestone, Alabama. 

J) Avey McGregor (1819-1897) Married 1st Benjamin Marks of Montgomery/Stanly County, NC; tw sons: James H. Marks, Ezekial McGregor "Mack" Marks. Married 2nd Bartlett Huckabee; 4 children: Jason T., Charlotte Ann, Mary G., Martha D. Huckabee. Died in Bell County, Texas. 

K) Henderson Seawell McGregor (1821-1887) Married Martha C. Young; 9 children; Thomas Hiram, Dosia Delia, Mary Elizabeth, Charles, Lou, Sallie F., Martha J, Bruce Edward, Margaret. Died in Irving College, Warren County, Tennessee.

L) Clinton McGregor (1824-1874) 

Married 1st to Phebe C. McGregor (Maiden name uncertainly, maybe McFerrin? She died in 1851; 3 children; McFerrin, Melissa and Joseph F. McGregor. Married 2nd Mary V. Reece; 5 children: Morphera, Martha Jane, John, James Thomas and Cynthia. Died in Warren County under mysterious circumstances. 

M) William Bartley/Barclay (Barlett) McGregor (1826-1874) Married twice. 1st to "Wisse" Mayes, 2 children: John T and Benton McGregor.. Married 2nd to Currie Swindle, three children (may have been hers previously) Margaret, Anna and Charles Swindle. 

Nancy McGregor Hunter

5) Willis McGregor (1784-1861) Twin of Rev. Ezekial McGregor. Married Susannah Ware, sister of Ezekial's wife, Sarah Ware. 9 daughters:

A) Nancy McGregor (1812-1884) Married Peter Hunter. Died in Grayson County, Texas. 6 children: John W, Vashti/Vesta, Susan Lavonia, Andrew Peter, Missouri.

B) Almira Cinthia "Myra" McGregor  (1812-1880) twin. Married James Anderson Safley. 12 children: Cynthia , Jaspar, Ann, Mary, Marion, Spencer, Nancy, Lawson Isaiah, Louisa, Laura, Lucus, Doc Anderson.

Died in Warren County, Tennessee.

C) Minerva "Mina" McGregor (1812 - after 1880) Twin. Never married.

D) Mexico McGregor (1816-1891) Married James Madison Ware; two children; Mary Susan and Willia J Ware. Died in Garland, Collin County, Texas.

E) Ahinoam McGregor (1817-1895) Married Logan Dietz; 8 children: Thomas J,, Molly, Silas, Josephine "Josie", Virginia L. "Jenny", Ira Lester "William", Amos Stone, Susan C. Died in Bogota, Red River, Texas.

F) Vesta or Vashti McGregor (1821-1889) Never married. Lived with sister Orpha's family after parents death. Died in Warren County, Tennessee.

G) Lavonia Anna McGregor (1824-1883) Never married. Died in Warren County. Lived with family members.

G) Orpha McGregor (1823-1905) Married John Wesley Mitchell; 4 children; Charles, Florence, John and Idell. Died in Warren County, Tennessee.

H) Cynthia McGregor (1827-1902) Married William Lane Swan, one child, Susan Swan. Married late (41), helped raise step-children. Died in Warren County, Tennessee.

6) Martha McGregor

Martha McGregor was one of Rev. McGregors' two daughters. Martha was born around 1780 died in 1815. She married William Boyd, a Revolutionary War soldier

William Boyd was born August 11, 1760, in Southhampton, Virginia. He died in 1854 in Washington County, Arkansas. He enlisted in the Revolution from Rowan County, NC and lived there at the time of his enlistment. According to his Revolutionary War pension, after the War he lived in Montgomery County, North Carolina, and like many former soldiers, became a worm in hot ashes. He first moved with his family and inlaws to Warren County, Tennesee. From there to Lauderdale County, Alabama. From there to McNairy County, Tennessee, and finally to Washington County, Arkansas in 1837 and died there in 1854. 

He and Martha McGregor, whom he married in Montgomery County, NC, probably just before her father's death. The couple had five children:

1) McGregor "Mack" Boyd (1804-1853) Married 1st: Lavina Oxford, 5 children, married 2nd, Charlotte Young, 1 child. Moved 1st from Tennessee to Prairie, Washington County, Arkansas, Moved lastly to Hopkins County, Texas.

2) William Daniel or David Boyd (1806-1891) Married 1st to Elizabeth Oxford, 11 children. Married 2nd to Jane Moody, Married 3rd to Jane Thomas. Settled in Washington County, Arkansas.

William D. Boyd

3) Willis Boyd (1808-1882) Married Lucinda Surratt 1st and Lucinda Watkins or Waltrip, 2nd. Father of between 8 to 12 children. Some confusion among who is who. Died in Oxford Bend, Washington County, Arkansas.

Willis Boyd and wife, Lucinda W. Boyd

4) Ezekial Boyd (1811-1841) Married Lucinda Waltrip, 3 children: Washington, Carolina and Nancy. Died in Washington County, Arkansas. His widow married his brother Willis, after Willis's 1st wife, Lucinda Surratt died. 

5) Martha Hardin Boyd Todd (1813-1900). Married Elijah Smith Todd, 12 children, listed in the below Todd family history. Died in Washington County, Arkansas. 

The children often attributed to Rev. McGregor that may have been his kin, but I don't believe were his children were: Anthony of Anson, John and a different William who stayed back east, Flowers and Sarah "Sallie" McGregor. 

Rev. William McGregor left his influence far and wide, through his ministry and through his large family. Everywhere they landed, some stayed and others removed further west. They moved in groups. Once they chose a certain town or county and several family members, along with neighbors or intermarried families moved with them. The MacGregors had interesting family trends. As usual, names floated from generation to generation, in honor of the predecessors, parents, grandparents, and siblings. Ezekial, Willis, William and Ava or it's variations like Eva or Avey, passed down through various lines and variations and over to other surnames that female family members married into. The name "Bartlett" traveled through the McGregor, Huckabee and associated lines from old Bute County, NC to Montgomery, NC to Warren, McNairy, and Stewart Counties in Tennessee, and the places in Arkansas, Alabama and Texas that the grandchildren and great grandchildren of Rev. McGregor spread to. Other recurring names were Nard and Henderson as middle names. There seems to be a connection to Joel Henderson of old Montgomery County, NC. 

Unusual girls' names were also common, like Vashti, short for Vashita, which also ran through the Isaac Calloway family, also my ancestor, and we know from church records that Rev. McGregor had a close association with Isaac Callaway, both serving as delegates to the Association meetings. Another uncommon girl's name was Ahinoam, a Biblical name meaning "my brother is pleasant", or Ahixoam, aka "Hixie". There were two in the Bible, one married King Saul, and the other was a wife of King David. It's a very rare name and I wonder if Rev. William's wife, mother or grandmother was the originator of the name in the family lines. The also liked to name daughters after place names. Rev. McGregor had multiple granddaughters and great granddaughters named Mexico, Missouri, Louisiana and America. 

There were also many marriages within several other families that had either migrated with them from Montgomery County, NC or came afterwards, perhaps by mail request, to marry into the family. Siblings married siblings from other families. Cousin marriages were not uncommon. Some of those intragenerational marriages were from the Huckabee, Ware, Harrison, Mitchell, Safely, and Young families, a lot of them with representation in North Carolina before going to Tennessee. They married who was close, as well as married who was distant and traveled to join them. Twins ran in the family and still do, according to the McGregor Association online. Rev. McGregor contributed to my Scottish genes, the largest hunk in the recipe that is me. 

The Bad Mother

Ellen Safely was called a bad mother in the above page from an 1890 court case. 

It states, omitting the unnecessary legalese, "State of North Carolina Superior Court, Stanly County,

To Ellen Safely alias Ellen Hinson 

Whereas complaint has been made to me that you have a daughter vis' Sarah C. Hinson that is not properly cared for and that you are not raising the said Sarah C. Hinson as she should be raised.....the law requires me to investigate... appear before me at my office in the town of Albemarle on the 8th day of September 1890 with the aforesaid child....S H Milton CSC".

I was familiar with the name Ellen Safely from her forthcoming appearance in another court case. In that one, she was charged with Fornication, Cohabitation and Adultery, in conjunction with widower, Hezekiah Whitley, that resulted in the birth of her second daughter, Rebecca. This case I had mentioned in an earlier post which I called Nancy of Stillwater Creek. Seeing her name again piqued my curiosity. I wanted to know more about her and the fate of her neglected daughter, Sarah.

The first question was, who was Ellen Safely, and what acts of misfortune may have taken the clay of who was once,  an innocent little girl, and formed her into one of the unfortunate women who kept showing up in court?

When researching Hezekiah Whitley, I discovered that in 1880, twelve years before she was living in sin with the much older man, she had been a young girl living with her mother in the same community of Big Lick. Her mother, Frances, was only 39 and Ellen was..23? 

Her mother had a story, too! In this setting, both were under the name, Safely. Yet, a mere three years before..

Ellen had married John Hinson on August 26th, 1878. He was 39 and the son of Joseph and Mary Hinson. She was 21 and the daughter of Frances Safely and Allen Jones. The wedding took place at the home of Mary Gurley in Big Lick. Then by 1880, she was living with her single mother. There had to be more to the story. I needed to go back, back in time before Ellen, herself, hit the scene. Who were Francis and Allen, her parents? No one seemed to know, as far as I can tell, no one had ever looked deeper.

Big Lick, itself, would provide the answers. I recall when looking at the Nancy Whitley family and in particular, Nancy's daughter, Mary. Location + Opportunity equalled answers. In the 1860 census of Big Lick, Hardy Whitley, the older son of Nancy, lived in Household no 997. Following, we had:

998 Nancy Whitley, mother of Hardy, with Mary, Pinkney and "Teller" (Taylor).

999 Sampson Hinson 70, and family

1000 William Hinson, 26, his son. * William Hinson had been brought up in a bastardy bond with Mary Whitley a few years before, a year before he married.

1001 John Hinson family.

1002 Josiah Hatley family.

1003 James Whittendon family.

1004 Jason Jones family

1005 Wiley A. Jones family

1006 Nathan Safely family.

So, there, not very far from the Whitley's I have been researching, were Jones and Safley families. Ellen Safley had taken up with Hezekiah Whitley and had a child. Hezekiah Whitley is shown in land records as having land that bordered Nancy Whitley, his likely sister-in-law. Her mother was Frances Safeley. Her father was Allen Jones. It was time to take a deep dive into Nathan Safley.

The Safley's

The Safley were a small, but efficacious family, in the early development of Stanly County. I have come across the name of David Safley, the patriarch, many times over the years, but have never researched the family. Born about 1784, in Virginia, David Safley received a land grant on Mountain Creek in 1818.

There is a book, "Some of the Descendants of Jesse & David Safley, Two Brothers Born in Virginia". Published by Joyce Hambleton Whitten, 2004, for anyone wanting to take a deeper dive into the family. The above photo was provided from the book of David Safley, who was said to have been a Jr. He appears in the 1830 and 1840 census records of Montgomery County. 

The 1850 census of Stanly County, give his birth year as 1784 and his place of birth as Virginia. A widower, he married in 1858, in Stanly County, to Rachel Fennel. He also shows up in the 1860 census, at 74 years old, but no further than that. David was a man of industry and many talents. He wasn't alone, either, He had a brother named Jesse and was ties closely to the Morris and Crowell families.

Nathan Safley was his oldest son, born about 1809 by David's first wife, Rebecca Morris. Nathan was followed by Nancy, Wiley, Nicey (Eunice), William Brady, Jesse S., Whitson, Parthenia and Margaret. Nathan is the one who ended up in Big Lick.

Name	Nathan Dafeley
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 - 5 thru 9	1
Free White Persons - Males - 30 thru 39	1
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9	1
Free White Persons - Females - 15 thru 19	1
Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39	1
No. White Persons over 20 Who Cannot Read and Write	1
Free White Persons - Under 20	5
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49	2
Total Free White Persons	7
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves	7

Nathan first appears in the 1840 census of Montgomery County, "West Pee Dee". They were a young family with small children. His nearest neighbors were Brady Morris, John Morris, Randall Howell and Edward Morris. He had not yet arrived in Big Lick and appears to have been living among his mothers's people.

Name	Nathan Safly
Gender	Male
Race	White
Residence Age	41
Birth Date	abt 1809
Birthplace	North Carolina
Residence Date	1850
Home in 1850	Smiths, Stanly, North Carolina, USA
Occupation	Farmer
Industry	Agriculture
Real Estate	227
Line Number	39
Dwelling Number	678
Family Number	681
Inferred Spouse	Harriett Safly

Household members

Name	Age
Nathan Safly	41
Harriett Safly	26
Jane Safly	18
James B Safly	16
Henry Safly	13
David A Safly	10
Sarah F Safly	8
Lucy M Safly	6
Mary M Safly	1

In 1850, he was living in Smith's District, and farming. He lived near Temperance Austin, Priscilla Austin, Harrell Hinson, Sampson Hinson. Nathan had moved to Big Lick. While David, Wiley, Jesse and William B. Safley, were all in the land records, Nathan was not. His only mention in the early court records was that he had paid a double tax in 1847, in both District 3 and District 7. This was probably the year he had moved from along the Pee Dee River, in the eastern part of the ocunty, to Big Lick in the western part along the Rocky River.

Nathan's firsst wife is reported as being Sarah Spillman Craver, (1810-1849). With Sarah he had the following children:

1832 - Elizabeth Jane Safley

1834- James Breedy Safley

1837 - Henry Ledbetter Safely

1840 - David Alexander Safley

1842 - Sarah Frances Safley

1844 - Lucy Minerva Safley

After Sarah's death, he briefly married a young woman named Harriett, shown in the 1850 census, above, as age 26.

Now, it appears, due to the 5 year age difference of Lucy and the youngest child in the 1850 census, Mary Mrgaret Safley, born January 25, 1849, that Hariett would have been the mother of Mary, however, in both her marriage documents, and on her death certificate, in 1919, her mother is listed as Sarah S. Carver.

1849 Mary Margaret Safley,  so I add one more to Sarah's list of children.

Harriett Safley died around 1851, because on December 16, 1851, Nathan Safley remairred to Mary Mildred Jones, in Stanly County, N.C. Mary Mildred Jones was the daughter of Jason and Tabitha Jones. Remember When I first mentioned Nathan Safely in Big Lick and the householdnumber extending from the 
Whitleys?

1004 Jason Jones family

1005 Wiley A. Jones family

1006 Nathan Safely family.

Nathan Safley was the neighbor of Jason Jones. 

Now, recall the parents of Ellen Safley, Frances Safley and Allen Jones? Have you figured it out yet?

Frances Safley was Sarah Frances Safley, daughter of Nathan and Sarah S.Carver or Craver Safley. You will see this as things unfold. Allen Jones? Wiley Allen Jones, son of Jason and Tabitha Jones, seen living next door to Nathan Safely. 

Ellen M. Safely was born in 1856. Her mother, Sarah Frances Safely was born in 1842. Her father, neighbor, Wiley Allen Jones was born in 1827. When Ellen was born, Allen Jones was 29 and Frances Safely was 14. You know who bore the weight and the costs of that action.

In 1850, Allen is shown as a 15 year old in his father's house.

Nathan Safely continued to support his daughter, and her daughter, at least for a time. Wiley Allen Jones, who was Nathan's brother -in- law, brother of his third wife, Mary Mildred Jones, would, like nearly all of these 18th Century scoundrels and cads, not to mention child predators,  almost immediately, marry an 'untouched' girl, and start a legitimate family.

In Wiley Allen Jones' case, he married Sarah P. Cagle, (1836-1905), daughter of George W. Cagle and Elizabeth Rosa Whitley Cagle, from a strong, Big Lick family.

To put salt to wound, Wiley Allen Jones continues to live next to Nathan Safley in 1860, as he adds children, James, Allen and Margaret to his new family in rapid sucession. The 1860 census is a bit odd for the family of Nathan Safley. Nathan and Mary Jones Safley are shown fairly accurately as 50 and 29 years old, respectivly. David Alexander, born in 1840, is shown correctly at 20, but they left the "ones" off the front of the ages of Sarah and Lucy, who should have been 18 and 16, and Mary Margaret , who would have been about 11, is shown completely wrong at age 5.

Nathan and Mary Mildred Jones Safley had also expanded their family. This listing also had errors. There was Jesse, which was accurate, but the child listed as Amos, a male, should have been Annis, a female, who would have been that age, two, at the time. Rebecca, three months old, must have died as a child, as she is shown no more. Ellen Safley, Sarah Frances's daughter is not shown, and she would have been older than Rebecca, so that is not her. I believe she was there, but hidden from sight when the count came, due to her shameful status of birth.

Nathan Safley would have an additonal six children by his third marriage

-1853 Jesse Aldridge Safley

- 1858 Annis Tabitha Safley

-1860 Rebecca

-1862 John Allen Safley

-1864 Wiley Krone Safley

-1867 William Jason Safley

I realize Mary Mildred Jones probably loved her brother, but to include portions of his name among two of her sons seems like a particularly cruel act and a jab at Sarah Frances, in light of what had transpired. She honored him with a namesake before she did her own father.

By 1870, the family ages had leveled up and Nathan had taken things a step further. Sometime between 1860 and 1870, Nathan had moved the family to Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. They are found in Long Creek Township, Martindale Post Office, named for a man named James W. Martin, which operated from 1836 to 1902. From what I can determine, this may have been near the Beatties Ford Road and Mount Holly-Huntersville Road area. There was a Mill there called Long Creek Mill, and also Whitley's Mill, the site of which has been amazingly preserved within the bounds of a Greenway.  It is unknown what spurred Nathan's departure from Big Lick, it may have had something to do with the aftermath of the War. 

Nathan is shown as a 61 year old farm laborer, and Mary as 44. Still in the home as his daughters, Sarah Frances, 27 and Mary Margaret, shown as 23. They are followed by his five surviving children with Mary Jones: Jesse 17, Annie 13, John 9, Wiley 7 and William 4. Tacked on to the end, Ellen Safley, age 13, makes her first appearance in a record. 

In an attempt to understand why Nathan Safely may have moved to Long Creek, Mecklenburg County, I wanted to take a look at the moves and fates of his older children, especially his sons, after the War. It was a sad chain of events.

Nathan Safley was named the Administrator of the estate of his oldest son, James Bready Safley in February of 1858.

The young man was yet unmarried but had established a trade of his own and was earning his way in life, enough to have an estate to be settled. He was about 23 years old, and it is unknown what his cause of death was. It may have been a work-related injury, or any number of freak accidents as peril abound from fording rivers to accidents involving horses, wagons, cattle and snakes. Illnesses took also take out young men in their prime. It's just unknown.

An egregious fact was found on the inventory list among Bready's probate papers. A line states, "1 account, Wiley A. Jones " not good  $1.65". The year was 1857, about the time Wiley A. Jones had fathered the child, Ellen, with Bready's disturbingly young sister, Sarah Frances. The debt had obviously been incurred while the neighbors were in good standing. By the time of Bready's death, there was most likely a very tense relationship. There may have even been a fight or some other kind of violent actions.

In 1862, Nathan Safley was again the administrator of a son's estate. This time, it was Henry Ledbetter Safley. This was the era of active recruiting, mustering and drilling in the rediment for battle for the Civil War. We don't know if Henry had enlisted, or if was avoiding recruitment, or if his death was related to the War in any way. His death was attributed to it, but I've not found war records for him.

Just 25, Henry had a small estate, a little cash and various folks owing him money, possibly for labor. He also was unmarried. I was astounded to see that among his debtors was again, Wiley Allen Jones. This time he is owed $4.10. Why was this family having any association with this man? What did he owe Henry for? 

Another debtor was H. A. Hunter. He was a brother in law, having married oldest sister, Elizabeth.

That same year that Nathan buried Henry Ledbetter Safley, his second son, his youngest son by his first wife, Sarah Craver, had enlisted in the Confederate army. Only 19, David Alexander Safley enlisted in Co. C, 42nd Infantry in Rowan County in February of 1862. By September of 1862, that same year, his Company had made it to Lynchburg, Virginia where David, too, lost his life. That was all of Nathan's sons by his first wife. This may have been the reason he picked up and moved to Mecklenburg County, an area where things were growing quickly and the opportunities were better. He settled along Long Creek, where his family would remain for decades.

Losing three sons may have been the catalyst for Nathan's removal to Mecklenburg, but what was Frances' motive for returning to Big Lick? What was left for her there?

Two things I wanted to look at. What were the moves Wiley Jones had taken after his marriage? And what was going on among the remainder of her family?

Oldest Safely daughter, Elizabeth Jane, had married Harry Avery Hunter in Stanly County, on December 18, 1856. In 1860, the couple was in Stanly County, but had removed to Mecklenburg with Nathan by 1870. They too, settled on Long Creek, but by 1880, the family has moved with their sizable brood to a popular destination at the time, Arkansas. The Hunters first settled in Atkins, Pope County, Arkansas. Elizabeth would die in Pine Bluff , Jefferson County, Arkansas in 1895. 

The rest of the siblings, Frankie's half-siblings, remained in Mecklenburg, except one. Lucy Minerva Safely, born in 1844, was Frankie's whole sister, and close to her in age, just two years younger. She was the exception, at least for the time being. 

Hardy Perry was an old man when he arrived in Stanly County. He had lived in Anson County for many decades, and was there in 1850 with his wife, Sarah. Before 1860, he crossed the Rocky River and settled near the Brooks family in Big Lick Township, where he was found at 65, with Sarah, 50. Sarah must have died soon after, as on 1863, Hardy Perry took pen in hand, with full knowledge of his mortality, and wrote out a Will.

He would leave everything in his Will to a new wife, Lucy M Perry, and her children with him, that had yet to be born. Otherwise, he left everything, after debts were paid, to his siblings. Hardy and Sarah, maiden name unknown, must have not had any children. Upon her death, he had married the much younger Lucy Minerva Safely. How much younger? 

In 1863, Hardy would have been 68. Lucy, born in 1844, would've been about 18 or 19. At least she was of legal age, but easily could have been his granddaughter. 

Lucy would bear heirs for Hardy, two sons. In the 1870 census, Hardy is 75, Lucy 23, and their son Hardy M. Perry was a year old. So Lucy was married by or before the 13th of January, 1863, yet she didn't have a child until May 14, 1869. Six years. A long time for a young woman. It seems as if Lucy had made the Will a stipulation of her marriage contract with the grandfatherly Hardy, but he, in his own words, made bearing an heir a stipulation of Lucy inheriting his estate.

What if Lucy, after half a decade of trying for an heir, took desperate measures to ensure an heir before Hardy, getting older and frailer and closer to death, succumbed to the inevitably of time? It has been done before. 

The estate of Hardy Perry was probated on May 2, 1881, yet Lucy is shown as a widow in the 1880 census, which was taken on June 1, 1880. A second son, William D. Perry, had come along on July 28, 1873. Lucy was living near all the witnesses to the Will of Hardy Perry, William Huneycutt, William Brooks, and Alfred Ledbetter. Alfred Ledbetter's property bordered Hezekiah Whitley's. Hezekiah Whitley would become a lover of Ellen Safely.

Lucy and her sons would join the remainder of the family in Mecklenburg County by 1897. That's the year they are found in the Charlotte City Directory.

Lucy is seen as the widow of Hardy, residing in Severville, a community in West Charlotte, that was once built around a Country Store ran by a Mr. Sever. Her son, Hardy, is noted as H. M. Perry, no occupation mentioned, at the residence and W. D. Perry, a carpenter, also at the residence.

In the 1900 cenus, Lucy is found in Charlotte as a 55 year old widow, no occupation, having had two children, with her sons, 'Hardie M.", 31, a Carpenter and William D., 36, a Railroad Carpenter. Later that year, Hardy would die a single young man, of an untold cause.

The Charlotte News Charlotte, North Carolina • Fri, Jul 20, 1900Page 1

Lucy would remain in Mecklenburg County, but in 1880, she had been in Big Lick.

As far as the rest of the Safley family, widow Mary Mildred Jones Safely is found in 1900 in the Long Creek location at 73, with Mary Margaret, 52, Annis 41, John A. 37, Wiley E. 35, and William J. 33. This family group would remain in a bundle along Long Creek and grow old together after Mary Jone Safley passed in 1905. Lucy would join them in 1920, after her younger son struck out on his own.

Youngest Safley son, William Jason, would leave the pack when he married in 1909 to Mary Sechrist and moved to Monroe, in Union County. He would have one son, William Ashcraft Sofley, in 1913,  and pass in Monroe in 1952.

The unmarried group of Mary Margaret, John Allen, Annis Tabitha and Wiley Crone Safley and widowed sister Lucy Perry would farm the Long Creek property together until one by one they would pass away.

-Mary Margarett was first in 1919.

-John Allen and Lucy both left in 1932.

-Annis Tabitha died in 1944.

- Wiley Crone was alone until he passed in 1950.

-William Jason was the last sibling, passing in 1952, but he was in Monroe.

The Charlotte News Charlotte, North Carolina • Thu, Oct 27, 1932Page 14

Lucy's obituary mentioned that she had been a lifelong member of Mineral Springs Primitive Baptist Church in Stanly County. This is the church near the Alfred Ledbetter place that I mentioned in my post, Adventures in Oakboro: Part Deaux. As seen in Lucy's obituary, the Mecklenburg County Safley's would adopt the Sofley spelling of the name.

The surviving son of Lucy Minerva Safley Perry, William D., would also never marry. He passed away in 1961. Lucy, and Hardy, would leave no heirs to carry on the Perry name. One fact I found interesting, the informant on the death certificate was one R. Neal Sofley, of Charlotte, NC, who gave his relationship as Cousin.

There was one member of the Safley - Jones group of siblings that had been prolific, that was the firstborn son of Nathan Safley and Mary Mildren Jones, one Jesse Aldridge Sofley. As his family adopted that Spelling, I will convert to it.

Jesse Aldridge Sofley

Jesse Aldridge Sofley had married Nancy Hannah in Mecklenburg County on January 17, 1875. He began farming along Long Creek, but was the breakout member of the pack. Soon afterwards, he moved to Graham Street in Charlotte and is found there in 1900 as a Stationary Engineer. He and Nancy would raise a family of six children: Minnie, Walter, Florence, Robert, William and Mary. Robert Neal Sofley was the cousin, who was the informant on William D. Perry's death certificate. It seems the family stayed close. 

The Charlotte News Charlotte, North Carolina • Wed, Dec 26, 1928Page 14

So, Jesse was the one son who left Safley/ Sofley heirs into the future, with the exception of William Jason's one son. His obituary fills us in on his life and the families locations.

Then there was Sarah Frances. What was the impetus for her return to Big Lick? Did her stepmother become the dominant parent in the home as Nathan grew older and weaker? Did Mary Jones Sofley not want the shame of an illegitimate child to overshadow the family as her own children grew old enough for marriage and, at least in the case of Jesse, began looking to start their own family with a reputable spouse? We can't say, but we do know the two, mother and daughter, were back in Big Lick before 1877 when Ellen married John Hinson. What happened with that. 

Shortly after the marriage of Ellen Safley to John Hinson, John signed an agreement indenturing a yearling calf as he owed $2.25 to neighbors Eli Cagle and William Huneycutt. (Oddly Eli Cagle would couple with another Ellen Hinson, not this one.) As Ellen signed, I wonder if the calf was originally hers, as women usually didn't join in the deeds and indentures unless it involved their personal property of inheritance or such.

It is unknown what happened to John Hinson after this, as he has passed on by 1880 and left no estate.

Who was John, the man who fathered one child with Ellen Safley and lent his name to the rest?

John Hinson, born about 1837 in Anson County, NC to Joseph Benjamin "Big-Eyed Joe" Hinson and wife, Catherine "Katy" McIntyre Hinson. He had an older sister Sarah, and a younger brother, George. They lived just across the river from the others mentioned in this post and often interacted with the Big Lick folks. 

Sarah Hinson married, and divorced, Allen Ledbetter of the Burnsville area of Anson County. Allen was featured in a recent post called The Maelstrom. These folks were all connected.

George Hinson married Mary Sullivant and moved from Burnsville, Anson to Tyson, Stanly, living a long life and raising a sizable brood. Both Sarah and George have their own stories. 

While there's no pictures of Joe, and John died before 1880, there exists a picture of George online, and above is a colorized version. It may give us an idea of why their father was called, "Big-eyed Joe". 

Sarah Catherine Hinson, the feral child that caused her mother to be dragged to court over her misbehavior, was probably the only child of John Hinson. Born February 6, 1876, she was actually born before her parents wedding date of August 26, 1877. Given the length of a typical pregnancy, this places Frankie and Ellen back in Big Lick by at least the spring of 1875, and probably back to 1874, the year Jesse Aldridge Sofley married in Mecklenburg, giving my theory that Mary Jones Sofley had something to do with their removal from the family flock. As Ellen, her step-grandchild and her niece, was a stain on the family's good name by her very existence.

Sarah Catherine was not listed in the home of her mother and very young grandmother, Francis, in 1880. They either hid her, or she may have been in the home of a neighbor or relative, either in Big Lick, or possibly in Burnsville, or New Salem, Union County, the area that bordered the Rocky River in northern Union County. In 1890, Sarah would have been an undisciplined minor of 14. 

At the age of 19, on August 30, 1897, Sarah was marrying Moses Walters, of Ford, Stanly County, which is what I suppose was the area where her grandmother had grown up and her mother had been born. Moses was 55 years old and the son of John and Sarah Walters of Union County, both dead. Sarah was the daughter of John Hinson, deceased and Ellen Hinson, living, of Union County. S. H. Milton, the magistrate who had ordered Ellen to his office in 1890, was the witness to the signature of Moses applying for the license. He was watching the wild child's life play out. The wedding took place at the office of J. S. Little, JP, in Big Lick, Stanly County. 

I'm not sure what kind of man Moses was, but at the turn of the century, in 1900, Ellen Hinson was the head of household. By this time, she was the mother of three more children. Rebecca Hinson had been born on November 28, 1880, and I know at this time, Ellen was being taken to court, again, for living in sin with widower, Hezekiah Whitley, so "Beck" was most likely the child of Hezekiah. Her twins, Fairley and Filus (or Philus), were born on March 16, 1892, and could not have been the children of Hezekiah, as he was already deceased. Nor were they the sons of John Hinson, who all the children claimed, despite his death before 1880, and probably more like 1878.

Moses, now 62 and Catherine, 21, were living in the home of Ellen in New Salem, Union County, NC. All were farm hands working for Thomas Meggs, except for the twins.

Rebecca was the next to be married, the next year after the census. On June 7, 1901, Rebecca, 18, married 45-year-old Jacob Thomas, of Silver, Stanly County, NC, son of Jacob and Betsy of Union County, both deceased. Rebecca was also of Silver and her mother was alive and a resident of New Salem, Union County. They were married in Albemarle, Stanly County, by W. K. Littleton, JP. R. E. Austin, from Big Lick, was one of the witnesses, as was Sheriff Snuggs and a Carrie Smith. Riley Austin will come up again in a moment.  

9 Apr 1903 Albemarle, North Carolina

A few years later, in April of 1903, one of the twins, would pass away of "brain fever", a catch-all term for illnesses like encephalitis or meningitis. The paper reported him as the child of Sarah C. Hinson, who was actually a Walters by then. Could the twins have been Sarah's children, and not Ellen's or had the papers made an error in his mother's name? Sarah Catherine was 16 years older than the boys, so it was possible. Fairly, the surviving twin, married, and lived a long enough life. He named his mother as Ellen on his documents, and did not list a father. He was interred into a cemetery that was near the home of Riley Austin. Mr. Austin is listed near the home of Nathan Safley in 1860, while he was still in Big Lick. 

The Riley Austin Cemetery still exists. It's located in a clump of trees in a large pasture, not close to any road and accessible only by foot, horse, or off-road vehicle, in that area south of Oakboro that I had been exploring. Not that far from Old Sandbar Road, (The Hinsons), and Rocky River Road, it's in that general area of Mineral Springs Church. This is where Ellen had been born, and where her mother, Frances, had grown up, but not where the family was currently living. Why had they crossed the river to bury the boy? What was the relationship between Ellen's family and the Riley Hinson family, besides former neighbors?

In the 1900 and 1910 census records, a question had been added to ascertain the rates of child mortality, so they asked of each woman, how many children she had given birth to and how many of those were living. I'm not sure how they asked it, but quite often, some women were confused, that easy to see. In 1900, Ellen had either not answered, not been asked, or the census taker had failed to write it down. Sarah Catherine had answered. She and Moses had been married two years and there were no children. In 1910, Ellen had answered three and thee, while nothing was given for Sarah Catherine Walters. I believe she misunderstood, as I am sure she had not forgotten Filus. She had two of her children living with her and Rebecca was alive and well tending her own household.

They had separated the pack into two families, one household. Household 191, Family 198 was Ellen, 59, a widow, and Fairley 17, her son. They were renting a farm. Family 199 was Moses Walthers, 78, born in South Carolina, and Sarah, 30. They had been married 15 years, no children. Sarah was a farm worker, Moses, not. They had moved since 1900. Now they were in Lanesboro, in Anson County, and their closest neighbors were Beachums.

Moses Washington Walters lasted one more year. He passed away on April 14, 1911, in Peachland, Anson County, at the age of 79. He was buried in what is now called the Old Smith-Walters Cemetery in New Salem, Union County. The communities are not that far away from each other, it wasn't a long distance. Moses had a whole life before Sarah Catherine. He had been born in Darlington, South Carolina before his family settled in Union County. He had served in the Civil War with Co. D 37th Infantry. He was given a military marker when he passed on, applied for by his children. Moses had married Beadie Smith and had a family of 9 children before his marriage to Sarah, the young wild child. He had children as old as Ellen, his mother-in-law and only one of his nine children was younger than his wife, Sarah Catherine. I wonder what his family thought of her, and wonder what the reason behind the union to start with. Moses may have sought youth and beauty. Ellen must have pushed the idea to calm her wild teen down before something 'bad' happened. Ellen had been dragged to court many times. Sarah Catherine never would, except as the undisciplined child.

Fairley Cleveland (or Clevern) Hinson was of the generation to receive a World War I Draft Registration, although I not sure if he ever served. It tells us a little bit about him.

He was 25 at the time, from Route 1, Peachland, NC. He had been born in Stanly County and was a tenant farmer of Henderson Davis. He claimed dependent relatives but was single and claimed his mother as a dependent. He was considered tall, and of a medium build, with brown eyes and black hair.

The 1920 census, just a few years later, gives Fairley as the head of household now, with his 70-year-old mother, Ellen and 44-year-old widowed sister, Catherine Walters, as his dependents. They were listed next door to septuagenarians, Henderson and Martha Davis, for whom he worked. Fairly didn't have all the work to himself on the Davis farm. While Henderson was listed as a Farmer at 79, it's uncertain how much he actually did, but in addition to Fairly, Sarah Catherine Walters was also a farm laborer at 44 and the Davis's single daughter, Helen, 43, was also. Their married son, Joseph, lived next door and also was listed as farm labor. It was a group effort at survival. 

August 15, 1928, was the date of the next major event in the family, the marriage of son, Failey C. Hinson. Fairley was now 36 years old, his bride, Annie Myrtle Thomas was 22. Fourteen years difference in age was not a vast cavern when compared to the other marriages in this family, but there was something different, and very disturbing about this marriage. Note that both Fairley and Rebecca had married members of the Thomas family. Rebecca had married Jacob C. Thomas. Myrtle was the daughter of Jacob C. Thomas. Not only that, but she was also the daughter of Rebecca Hinson Thomas. Fairley had married his niece! He and Rebecca could not have shared the same father, though Fairley's remained unknown, the fathers of his two half-sisters were both deceased before the birth of Fairley and Philas. Things were different in those days, but was the marriage of an uncle and his half-niece even legal?

1930 finds the family grouping with Fairley again as head of household, running a farm together, independently, although they are renting, they are operating their own farm. Fairley is a father now, they have a son, Brice. His mother Ellen, listed as, 82, and sister Catherine, 51, are still in the home. They live along the Savannah Road, in Burnsville Township, Anson County. I'm sure the road has changed since then, but it still exists, north of Peachland and near the Union/Anson County line. It lies further south in Anson County, and not near the Rocky River. 

Despite living with her son, Ellen Safley Hinson had made the pauper list in 1927. Ellen would live to be 78, despite the census listing her age as older. They often exaggerated the age of the elderly. 

Ellen Hinson died of pneumonia on December 7, 1934. Her date of birth was given as January 27, 1847, but her mother wasn't born until 1842, and all of her earlier records suggest a birth year of 1856 or 1857. She was born in Stanly County and died in Burnsville Township, Anson County. The informant was a J. F. Lowder, who didn't know much about her, but some. She was listed as the widow of John Hinson, and then someone turned around and put John Hinson as her father. Her mother was correctly identified as Frances Safley. Her burial site was listed as the Austin Graveyard in Stanly County, NC. 

Ellen was returned to the Mineral Springs area she was born in for burial, in the Riley H. Austin cemetery. Her tombstone, lying flat but still existing reads, "Gone but not forgotten". 

Ellen M. Safley Hinson was the illegitimate daughter of Wiley Allen Jones, son of Jason Jones and Sarah Frances Safley, daughter of Nathan Safely. She married an older man, John Hinson in 1877 and had one daughter with him, Sarah Catherine Hinson. She was widowed in less than three years. In the early 1880's, she was living with Hezekiah Whitley, an old widower and was convicted of Fornication, Co-habitation and Adultery. During this time, she had a second daughter whom she named Rebecca, most likely the child of Hezekiah Whitley. Hezekiah Whitley died shortly thereafter, within months of Rebecca's birth. Ellen would not remarry, but in 1892, at the age of 36, she would give birth to twin boys, Fairley and Philas, father unknown. Philas would die of "brain fever" at age 9 and was buried in the Riley H. Austin Cemetery in Stanly County, south of Oakboro. Ellen and her family would live as tenant farmers in Union and Anson County for the remainder of her life. She passed away before Christmas in 1934, and was buried with Philas in the Riley Austin Cemetery, which is thought to have also been an early cemetery for Mineral Springs Primitive Baptist Church.

Her descendants were:

A) Sarah Catherine Hinson (6 Feb 1876-15 Dec 1960). Married Moses W. Walters. No children. Remained in her brother's home after her mother's death until her own. 

She was buried at the Griffin and Old Davis Cemetery near Polkton, Anson County, NC. 

B) Rebecca Hinson (28 Nov 1880-15 Jan 1968) Married Jacob C. Thomas. Five children:

    1) William Wesley Thomas (1903-1969)

    2) Annie Myrtle Thomas (1906-1978)

    3) Claude Houston Thomas (1910-1994)

    4) Benjamin Harvey Thomas (1913-1996)

    5) Alfred Thomas (1918-2007)

Rebecca's family moved between New Salem in Union to Tyson in Stanly, to Albemarle, back to New Salem, to Big Lick to Monroe. She was buried at Smith's Grove Primitive Baptist Church near Oakboro.

C) Fairley Clevern Hinson (16 March 1892 - 3 June 1957) Married Annie Myrtle Thomas. Four children:

    1) Bryce David Hinson (1929-1992)

    2) James Baxter Hinson (1931-2012)

    3) Mary Magdalene Hinson (1934-2009)

    4) Margie Lee Hinson (1938-2023)

Fairley died at Union Memorial Hospital in Monroe at 65 years old, of cancer. He was buried at the Old Griffin and Davis Cemetery near Polkton, Anson County. He had raised his family in Burnsville Township. 

D) Philas Hinson (16 March 1892- 9 April 1903) Died of Brain Fever at age 9. Buried in the Riley H. Austin Family Cemetery near Oakboro, with his mother, Ellen. 

Ellen Safley had been born into a bad situation beyond her control. It appears that she may have been overwhelmed at times, just trying to survive in a world of circumstances stacked against her. Was she a bad mother? I can't say, although she was accused of it. I believe she was doing the best she could with what life had dished out for her. 

Denise Austin Creech photo of Riley Austin Cemetery