Where was Boston's Branch?

Location! Location! Location!

The mantra for real estate agents worldwide has implications in  genealogy circles,too.

I recall when I was in the D.A.R., an individual attempting to prove her lineage using decendancy of land records and proof of bordering properties in a case of the lack of a Will, or estate records to prove the connection between generations. Simply put, would they accept the fact that these individuals of the same generation who owned adjoining properties and had the same Surname, qualify as proof that they had inherited it as heirs at law of the man of an older generation who  lived there prior?

I don't know if her submitted application and the hard work she had done to provide proof, or whatever ragged shards of it remained, was accepted, but it was suffice for this descendant to know who 'her people' were. 

In the case of Isham Robbins, who shows up suddenly in the first tax list of Stanly County, North Carolina, dated 1841, as owning 150 acres on Cucumber Creek, without even a trace of him before, I wondered if there could be a link in the descendacy of the land that would tie him to the Robbins family who had dwelled there decades earlier?

Isham Robbins isn't in the 1840 census of Montgomery County, North Carolina, the parent county of Stanly. Neither is his son, Solomon Franklin Robbins, despite being active in the earliest court records just a year or so later. There is no grant or deed showing how the land he was taxed for came into his hands. So my thoughts turn to the possibility of it having had been inherited, and as the Montgomery County Courthouse was known to have been the victim of arsonists several times over, any records could have, and probably had been, destroyed.

Isham Robbins estate was settled in 1843, a mere two years after he was taxed, by his widow, Frances Caroline Whitley Robbins and John Honeycutt, who was in the least, her neighbor. Two years after that, John Honeycutt was taxed for 300 acres on Stony Run Creek. Solomon Robbins also owned land on Stony Run Creek, but Fanny's property was said to be located on Bear Creek. Cucumber Creek, which still holds the same name all of these 180 years later, was located primarily in the same township, but in a different location than those two. Was the property inherited from Fanny's Whitley family,  or could they have been inherited from the earlier Robbins? 

I began searching old maps. The history room at our local museum has an excellent collection of maps. Among them were two, where a team of local historians, some years ago, had begun mapping early land grants and naming landmarks. I zeroed in on this location shown above. Little Bear Creek flows from north to south down the middle of the screen. To its east is Long Creek and southeast Little Creek. Midways near the middle of the map is Saint Martins Church. Saint Martin's Church is a Lutheran congregation that was established in the early 1820's, beginning with meetings held at the home of the Swiss Jacob Efird (Efrect or Eoforheard). Just to the left of where 'St. Martin' is labeled, you see "Exodus" for Exodus Whitley. Exodus Whitley also owned property across the Rocky River in Anson County on Richardson's Creek, which bordered that of old John Robbins. The Creek that rises north from his name is Big Bear Creek. West of the name of Exodus Whitley is Stony Run Creek. Traveling up Big Bear from Exodus Whitley's grant, crossing Hwy 24/27 is another stream, or two. The stream to the west of Big Bear shows George Whitley's grant and is called Whitley's Branch and the stream to the east of Bear is called Ramsey's Creek, or "Big Branch". Although my ancestor, Samuel Ramsey lived near, and is buried at, Saint Martin's, I believe that stream was probably named for William Ramsey, who lived early in this area. 

I keep running into my Ramsey relatives while researching my Faulkner lines, and now, by digging into the Robbins. I've never attempted to find out anything about William Ramsey, early Stanly County settler, and kept my eyes on Anson, and a little bit into Richmond Counties. This is neglectful on my part, especially since Samuel Ramsey's father, Starkey Ramsey, is another one of my brickwalls, and really didn't live far south of the Rocky River. The only clue was on one of his land grants, his property bordered that of a John Ramsey. John Ramsey was older, and shows up in the 1790 census of Anson, when Stark doesn't show up until 1800. There were a few other Ramsey's that showed up in those early years, including a Samuel Ramsey, before his son, Samuel was born. Stark, and his children, were the only ones who remained in the area. The rest disappear, probably having migrated on, south or west, as was the trend in those days. 

On March 2, 1780, John Robins recieved a 150 acre Grant, Warrant 140, issued by Benjamin Baird, on the SW side of the Yadkin River and on Boston's Branch. The border began at a Red Oak along the branch near where a path crosses "from Parmours towards Robins'. It was surveyed 5 years later, 1785, by Edmund Lilly. William Ramsey, whom I just mentioned, and John Robbins, Jr. were chain carriers. John Jr. would have been in his teens at this point. The grant, pictured below, is difficult to read, #342, issued August 9, 1786.

In all honesty, there were not that many grants given for Boston's Branch. It must have been a small stream. The other one dated 1780 was that of William Baird, for 200 acres, Warrant 292 issued on June 26, by Benjamin Baird to William Baird on Boston's Branch on the Waters of Long Creek and includes Andrew Bankston's or John Kelly's improvement. It was surveyed in 1785 by Mark Allen, on the SW side of  the Yadkin River between Deep Creek and Long Creek and began at  a pine on Parmer's line. Zachariah Hogon and Mark Allen were chain carriers. Grant 422 issued Nov. 26, 1789

There's that name, 'Parmer" or 'Parmour' again, as well as Baird. Another intestesting thing is the part where it includes the improvements of Andrew Bankston or John Kelly. John Robbins Sr. must have gotten anscious after  his young son, John Jr. was drafted into service during the Revolutionary War, and hired a substitute named William Bankston to take his place. My bets would be that William Bankston was related somehow to the above mentioned Andrew Bankston. This was a family that did not remain in the area. A quick search of just Land Grants shows grants being in 1779, the year Montgomery was cut from Anson, and the names of Jacob, Lawrence, Daniel and Andrew Bankston, with Andrew recieving a whopping 5 grants, all located in what would become Stanly County. Switch the search to Anson and I found 5 more for Andrew, beginning in 1775, all on the West Side of the Yadkin, the first on the east side of the Long Branch of theYadkin River, two on the Middle Fork of Mountain Creek and two on Deep Creek, which is in modern Anson. 

Another interesting deed, not on Boston Branch, but included here because of the date, was a 150 acre grant received of Henry 'Munger' (Mounger) in 1782 on the Northeast side of Bear Creek, and includes a springhead at the head of Little Creek, beginning at a pine, whereinThomas Reynolds and John Robins were chain carriers. This must have been John Jr. as John Sr. was declared an invalid in the 1782 tax records. 

Inspecting a terrain map, Little Creek seems to be born off the runoff from a ridge to the east of Tyson Road and begins near Western Road, fed by hills along the side of it. Henry Mounger, like Benjamin Baird, was an early land prospector. He was continually cutting grants from his larger tracts.

Next up, on Christmas Eve, 1785 was Hezekiah Dollarhide,shown above,recieving a 100 acre grant from John Crump on Boston's Branch of Long Creek and included 'young John Robbins improvement'. Grant 403 was issued on August 7, 1787 and John Pamer and Edmund Lilly, Jr. were chain carriers. It appears John Jr. was clearing and cultivating this land before Hezekiah Dollarhide recieved the grant. 

Two years later, in 1787, Hezekiah Dollarhide recieved a second grant, to property on Little River in Randolph County, NC, as an assignee of John Knight.  There were two Hezekiah Dollarhides, one born in 1745 and the other in 1783. This would have had to be Hezekiah Sr. The family left Randolph County before 1820 and settled in Wayne County, Indiana. He died there after 1830.

Hezekiah Dollarhide
Home in 1820 (City, County, State)	Wayne, Indiana
Enumeration Date	August 7, 1820
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over	1
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25	1
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over	1
Number of Persons - Engaged in Agriculture	1
Free White Persons - Over 25	2
Total Free White Persons	3
Total All Persons - White, Slaves, Colored, Other	3

When John Robbins Jr. stated in his pension application that he had lived in Indiana for awhile after his service, I wondered if that had had anything to do with Hezekiah Dollarhide, or if he had travelled with him. 

Then came the Smiths. On October 3, 1800, warrant 5391 was issued by John Neal to "Sherrid" Smith for 150 acres that began at Sherrod Smiths (also seen as Sherwood) own corner tree on Boston's Branch of Long Creek, surveyed on May 4, 1801 by Thomas Cotton. It was on the southwest side of the Yadkin River, on Bostons' Branch of Long Creek, and joined the property of Asa Smith, 'near' Castle. Sherrod and Asa Smith were the chain carriers. It then stated that on November 24, 1801 Sherrod Smith paid purchase money for 150 acres in entry #5391, signed by the comptroller, grant 1785. 

The very next grant, No 5392, was to the aforementioned Asa Smith. While his property was not on Boston Branch, I've included it because he had property that bordered that of Sherrod Smith that was on Boston's Branch.

Asa Smith recieved a grant for 200 acres on each side of "Bear" Creek, that was SW of the Yadkin River and on both sides of Little Bear Creek bordering a post oak in his own 100 acre tract. Richard Green and Sherrod Smith were chain carriers.

I kept looking for a spot where a branch off off Long Creek might lend itself to allowing joinng properties close enough to touch a 150 acres property that straddled Little Bear Creek. 

Asa Smith owned several properties. The below deed has an interesting northern border that looks very difficult to plat. This was the one that straddled Little Bear Creek.

But we're not done with the Smiths, oh no! 

In 1814, Phillip Smith received a warrant of 100 acres, issued on June 8 by Will Stone, on the waters of Long Creek, on Boston's Branch, joining the lands of Sherrod Smith and Andrew Bankston, Surveyed in 1814 by David Cochran on the waters of  Long Creek, the border beginning at a pine in 'Sharwood' Smith's line, joined Phillips own line and that of Lloyd Rowland. Sherwood and Phillip Smith were chain carriers. 

Boston's branch was becoming a regular little Smithville. 

And above is Phillip Smiths plat of land, a simple rectangle with an anchor. I am not able to tell which side of it was on Boston's Branch, and where it met the property of Sherwood Smith or Andrew Bankston. My best guess would be that 'toe' was sticking in the creek. 

Then below, we have Sherwood Smith's land on Bear Creek, meeting Whitfields line and was 50 yards east of Little Bear Creek It also met the property of William Capel and William Capel and 'Sherwood' Smith were the chain carriers

I keep coming back to this area of the county, and these creeks and roads, flipping them one way or another, and looking at the current county GIS maps to see if any shapes look familiar. As of yet, this puzzle remains scattered on the table in so many pieces. 

Asa Smith owned another tract which bordered the property of Brittain Chappel. I begin to notice that some of these mulitiple tracts to the same individuals were not that close together. This wasn't a small farmer adding to his already owned property widen his purvey, this seemed more like an investor, grabbing up property, perhaps as people moved on, and maybe capitalizing by renting it out, but they certainily were not driving that oxteam up a dirt road for 10 miles every day to plow their second field. 

Asa Smiths grant that neighbored Brittain Chappel named Elijah and David Smith as chain carriers. This was certainly a family venture. 

The Smiths seemed to have a bit of an enclave on, or near, Bostons Branch, so it is time to take a close look at who they were.

Asa Smith was counted in the 1790, 1800 and 1810 census records of Montgomery County, North Carolina.

He recieved several land grants in Montgomery County. The first, Grant Number 1786, in 1801, was located on the Southwest side of the Yadkin River, on both sides of Little Bear Creek. This grant of 200 acres included Sherrod Smith and Richard Green as chain carriers.

His second grant, shown above. 7629, dated 1817, joined the property of Brittain Chappel, joined his own property on Long Creek.

His third grant, Number 2529, Dated December 5, 1818, was on the waters of Long Creek. Elijah and David Smith were chain carriers. 

Asa may have removed to Tennesee. I can not be certain. I am also not certain of his relationship with Sherrod, or Sherwood Smith, but the chances are pretty good that they were related in some way, the most likely being brothers, as they were not parent/child. This is just a possibility.

Sherwood or Sherrod Smith, is a little better known. He was born in Viriginia and was also in Montgomery County, North Carolina by the 1790 census, but did not stay here. He married his wife, Faith "Faithy" Holmes in Mecklenburg County, Virginia on December 21, 1786. By 1830, he was in Carroll County, Tennesee and he is in Willamson County, Tennesee in 1840 and 1850. He was also on the 1816 petition concerning the county courthouse location, along with his sons, Phillip and Sherwood Jr. 

Will of Sherwood Smith

Sherwood Smith died in Williamson County, Tennessee in 1851 and left a will., menitioning two of his sons living in Illinois. One of them was Phillip.

Name	Philip Smith
Gender	Male
Birth Date	1780
Birth Place	Montgomery County, North Carolina, United States of Jo
Death Date	14 Sep 1860
Death Place	Blueville, Christian County, Illinois, United States of America
Cemetery	Taylor Cemetery
Burial or Cremation Place	Riverton, Sangamon County, Illinois, United States of America
Has Bio?	N
Spouse	Nancy Smith
Children	Nancy Ann WestIrvin Milton SmithLevi SmithEphraim SmithTilman SmithPhilip Smith

Phillip Smith was the oldest son of  Sherrod Smith. He was born in Montgomery County, North Carolina in 1780 and married Nancy Cooper, daughter of John and Elizabeth Carter Cooper. He first shows up in the 1810 census of Montgomery County, on the West Side of the Pee Dee River and recieves his grant on Boston's Branch of Long Creek in 1814. By 1820, he was in Sangamo, Madison County, Illinois, where he chose to raise his family.  He died there in 1860.

In 1810, however, the Smiths were in Montgomery County, North Carolina. The above list is the census page that Sherwood, Asa and Phillip Smith all appear on. The complete list is a little difficult to read in spots and since I am familiar with most of these names, I will retype it here:

James Casles (Cassels/ Castles)

Sherwood Smith (also seen as Sherrod)

David Rowland

Asa Smith

Richard Greene (Chain Carrier mentioned in Asa's grant)

Daniel McLester

Andrew Bankston (also mentioned in several of the above deeds. Land bordered Smith land on Boston's branch)

John Palmer  (see * note below. Very important)

Robert Stokes

Ambrose Stokes

Allen Stokes

James Coleman

Phillip Smith (son of Sherwood, on Bostons' Branch)

Henry Carter

Samuel Mann

Henry Mann

Solomon Holt

Malachi Mann

Richard Stokes, or Stoker

I thought WOW!, I know these people! No, I don't literally know them. I'm not that old. I am familiar with these names having came across them in prior research adventures. How's that?

*Note: Now I know who "John Parmer" or "Parmour" was, the dude with the path. Palmer, not Parmer. Not only do I know him, somewhere in my dna are pieces that John Palmer shared. He's my 5th Great Grandfather. John Palmer (1746- 1817)  was born in Maryland and the son of Thomas Palmer and Susanna Hunt. The Palmers were a very, very old New England family.  He married Janice Tamer and settled along the upper part of Long Creek in what is now Stanly County, and was then, Montgomery. Henry Davis, son of Job Davis, whom this blog is named for, married Martha Palmer, a granddaughter of John Palmer, as his second wife, and became my third Great Grandparents. This was at the inception of the new county of Stanly and Henry had moved from the Rocky River and purchased land on Cloverfork Creek, to be closer to his business in helping found the infant town of Albemarle.

James and Martha Atkins Palmer

I don't know exactly where John Palmer lived, but I do know exactly where his son James Palmer and wife, Patsy Atkins Palmer lived, and where Martha Palmer Davis had grown up. I also know the general location of where the Holts and Manns, listed at the bottom of the page, lived. 

Now, census takers used a methodology of taking count that I am not familiar with, but I do know they didn't count one family, and then ride 15 miles in another direction to count the next. The people listed were centrically located near enough to each other. Given, the population was sparse and neighbors could be far more than " hollering distance" away. Still, the neighborhood is suggesting a location more along the northern part of  Long Creek, an entirely different location than I was looking at. 

Could Boston Branch have been, literally, in my own backyard?

Plats assembled by George Thomas

I have a distant cousin on the Burris side who has an inate talent for assembling these little snippets of plats, and had already some of the Smiths.  Now we have a visual of  where Phillip Smith's  little point of land belonged.

Now I have new names to cut out and stare at like so many pieces of a jigsaw, and try to place them on a map.

And we are back to John Robbins barely visible grant on Boston's Branch. While in Anson County, I can find mention of properties adjoining that of John Robbins into the 1830's, long after I expect John Robbins Sr. was deceased, the latest mention of John Robbins, which I expect was John the Younger, in Montgomery County, was in 1814.

I will attempt to track his course from Montgomery County, North Carolina into Tennesee and Indiana and finally, to Spadra, Johnson County, Arkansas.

Which Branch was Boston's Branch and where did it go? Did it dry up and just disappear from record, or did it just gain a new name? Why was it called "Boston" in the first place? Did one of the early settlers upon it come from Boston? I keep looking at Gilberts Creek, shown on the left side of the map. In other deeds and records, the Robbins were very involved with a family of Gilberts, both in Montgomery County and in Anson. John Gilbert, Jesse Gilbert, Samson Gilbert, for the most part. I've found in other families that I've delved into that when two families seem particularly intwined and involved in one anothers business, that they are in fact, one family, intermarried and connected, usually, generationally, sometimes in several ways. 

William Ramsey is another man I want to look into. Maybe, just maybe, there was a connection to Stark or to John Ramsey the elder, (as Starkey had a son named John). Another little tidbit, is that signature of John the Younger, (and of even a younger John Robbins who appears to be John III) as Jno (squiggly) Robbins Jr. The squiggly is not a J, as it looks nothing like a J. I believe it might be an I.

The location of Boston' branch has not been acertained. I'm tossing this missive into the metasphere to see if anyone out there has any more information about it. Was it renamed, or did it dry up due to changes in the environment? Was it on the northern end or southern end of Long Creek? Only just a handfull of men had grants located on it, so it must have been a small, short branch. The only thing I am sure of, Boston Branch was nowhere near Cucumber Creek.

When the jigsaw is assembled, I will be back. I will be looking at those men in the 1810 census located nearest to the known occupants along Boston Branch. Until then, I'm going to Clarksville.

The Apple Cart: The Few Things I know about James Murray.

I just suffered the loss of a very lengthy post that I had been working on for weeks. What happened, I don't know, the hitting of the wrong key combination, a computer malfunction, who knows. I will return to it and start again, but at the moment I don't have the heart for it.

Instead, I will write briefly on James Murray, who plays a part in this research circle that I have recently begun.

James Murray was the oldest brother of my 3rd Great Grandmother, Priscilla Murray Aldridge. In theory, he's also the key on how a certain group of descendants of a particular wandering gentlemen relate to me.

James was a son of Jesse Murray, Stanly County Murray patriarch, who migrated to this area from counties east and first landed in Anson County, before settiling near the end of  Long Creek, just before its mergence into the Rocky River in Stanly County. I had known Jesse Murray to only have two sons, James and Benjamin, as mentioned in a 1845 land division, but Thrulines show that he may have had one or two more. Some may have migrated to other counties, whose descendants have linked themselves to my Jesse, and we are certainly related. 

Jesse also had a large collection of daughters, of whom my own GGGreat Grandmother was one of the youngest. 

Jesse Murray lies peacefully, now, in the Murray Family Cemetery, on top of a ridge overlooking Long Creek in the middle of a cornfield. 

There are about 20 plus graves in this small Family Plot in a little wooded circle atop a hill overlooking Prince Road, and the chances that James Murray is one of them are fairly good. The only legible stone is that of Murray family Patriarch, Jesse Murray, himself, and that is because two of his Great Grandsons erected the monument to him during a more recent era. J. C and A. G Murray (James Clark Murray and Aussie Gold Murray), sons of Annie Jane Murray, were the two, Annie Jane being the daughter of Jesse's daughter, Keziah or "Kizzy" Murray. The two Great Grandsons so honored the official head of the Murray family, they installed a more permanent marker.

From where my research now stands, James was the second eldest child of Jesse Murray, with his sister, Jane, being the oldest. Jane was a common name in the Murray clan, with Jesse's mother, Jane Pearce Murray, bearing the same name. James was born about 1802.

He appears, with his father and his younger brother, Benjamin, on a petition to divide Montgomery County into two, dated 1838. This happened in 1841. He's also on the Division of Property of the Estate of Jesse Murray, dated 1845. Jesse's widow, Elizabeth, is in the 1840 census, as Head of Household, with James on one side of her and Benjamin on the other side of her. Oldest Murray daughter, Jane, was not too far away, living near the Burris family. Elizabeth would live until 1853, and is buried, oddly, not with Jesse, but in the Rehobeth Church cemetery. 

James appears first in the 1830 census of Montgomery County, in 'West Pee Dee' , so he was living in what we now know as Stanly.  The family layout appears to be that of a husband and wife in their 20's, with 3 small children, two girls and a boy.

Name:	James Murray [James Morway]
Home in 1830 (City, County, State):	Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 5:	1 Son born 1825-1830
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29:	1 James
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5:	1 Daughter born 1825-1830
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9:	1 Daughter born 1821-1824
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29:	1 James's wife
Free White Persons - Under 20:	3
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49:	2
Total Free White Persons:	5
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored):	5

In 1830, the other two Murray households were his father, Jesse, and his sister Jane, aka "Jincy". Benjamin was not out on his own yet. Neighbors of James at this time were Jacob Efird, William Mays, William Nash, and George Tucker. James, Jane and Jesse seemed to be living in different parts of the County, although still south and west. Jincy is living next to Joshua Burris, by whom she would bear children, but not marry. Jesse was living near John and Nathan Simpson and John Colson. Jesse was probably upon the land near where he is buried, James nearer to the Saint Martin area and Jane near what is now Red Cross. 

Name:	Jas Murry [James Murry]  [Jas Murray]
Home in 1840 (City, County, State):	West Pee Dee River, Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 5 thru 9:	1 son born 1831-1839
Free White Persons - Males - 30 thru 39:	1 James
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5:	1 Daughter born 1835 - 1840
Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39:	1 Wife
Persons Employed in Agriculture:	1
No. White Persons over 20 Who Cannot Read and Write:	2
Free White Persons - Under 20:	2
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49:	2
Total Free White Persons:	4
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves:	4

The family setup has now changed. James and his wife are now in their 30's. I believe this is probably the same wife. The oldest daughter may possibly have been married. especially if she was 8 or 9 in the previous census. The younger daugther from the 1830 is MIA and probably not married. Child mortality was very high. The boy could possibly be the same one if he was an infant in the last one, and his age misjudged by a year. A new daughter born between 1835 and 1840 has joined the family. 

This is the census where James, Elizabeth and Benjamin are all living in a cluster, no doubt on the Jesse Murray lands. Benjamin would later acquire land closer to the modern community of Aquadale, as it was his land that was purchased for the building of Rehobeth Church. 

James appears in a list of people who bought Bibles from the Montgomery County, NC Bible Society Auxillary to The American Bible Society. 

James appears to have been battling an illness during the 1840's and loosing his land and his inability to work it. 

In the first tax list for the newly minted Stanly County, in 1841, Elizabeth Murray, the widow of Jesse, is said to have had 70 acres on Long Creek, that was probably her dower after Jesse's death. 

Benjamin, the younger son, was taxed for two tracts, 170 acres on Long Creek and 392 acres on Old Hickory. 

Just as a note, brother-in-law Richard Poplin, who married Rebecca Murray, one of the older sisters, had 59 acres on Long Creek and Stokes McIntyre, who married Elizabeth Murray, the second oldest sister, below Jane, had 202 acres on Coopers Creek. 

In comparison, James Murray was just taxed for one poll, himself, no property. 

Just 4 years later, in 1845, Benjamin has 174 acres on Long Creek, 592 on Old Hickory and 232 on Ugly Creek. James is no longer even taxed as a poll, which meant old age or ill health. Since James was in his mid-forties, I would guess it meant poor health. 

There exists in the NC Archives, a Vestry Claim Book for the years 1849 - 1854 in Stanly County, for Relief for the Poor. 

It listed the elderly and infirm, who were getting paid for their assistance, the term and amount, and occasionally, the reason.

In November 1849, Lee Burleson was taking care of Elizabeth Murray, and indeed, she is listed in his home in the 1850 census. I don't believe there to be any relationship there, as he was taking care of a Rachel Thomas the next year. That year, in 1850, Elizabeth Murray was in the care of Garner Aldridge, her son-in-law, husband of daugther Priscilla. 

In May of 1851, Benjamin Murray was paid $18 for taking care of James Murray, and for his funeral expenses. 

Just a continuation of this record, in 1851, Benjamin was now taking care of his mother, Elizabeth Murray, while his brother-in-law, Stokes McIntyre, was taking care of his own mother, Judith McIntyre.

In 1852, Benjamin was taking care of both Elizabeth and his sister, Keziah "Kizzie" Murray, who was by 1870 declared an "idiot" or insane, although she had been married, (in 1851 to Jesse Mills) and had born a child, Annie Jane. 

In 1853, Benjamin was still taking care of Elizabeth, but now John E. Ross was taking care of Keziah Murray.

The decline in state of James Murray can be glimpsed briefly in the Minutes for the Court of Pleas and Quarters of Stanly County, North Carolina. In May of 1842, James Murray was deemed insolvent and given an allowance of 50 cents. He was given $1.45 for an allowance in August of the same year.

In 1843, he suffered a lawsuit against his property that reads: Executions in favor of Frederick Staton to use of Jame Murray vs Jones Green, Tye L. Turner, vs same, J. F. Stone vs same, two in favor of J. B. Broadway vs same, David C. Lilly vs same, were levied on lands of said defendant, 21 Feby 1843 on which levy vendi exponas issued. Lands of defendant have been sold by Sheriff in favor of Fred Staton and money arising from sale of land in hands of Sheriff be paid prorate to said Staton and others as named above. 

CLIPPED FROM

Fayetteville Weekly Observer
Fayetteville, North Carolina
07 Jan 1851, Tue  •  Page 3

So, in thanks to the Fayetteville Observer, a newspaper out of Cumberland County, NC, we know the exact date of James Murray's death, December 16th, 1850. He was only 48 years old. I feel he must have been fairly esteemed in his youth to garner an obituary, albeit a brief one, in a state newspaper. There is no mention of a wife, and no loose Murray widow in the census records to be a possible widow, save one, but she could also have been a daughter. But what of possible children? It seems he did have some. 

The 1850 and 1860 census records for Tyson Township, there are a large number of  Murray children scattered about the neighborhood. I've spent the last 12 or 13 years trying to connect these children to a parent, as all of them were grandchildren of Jesse Murray. Some of them were in the homes of Aunts and Uncles, like Ben Murray, Phoebe Murray Turner, or Sophia Murray Whitaker. Others were in the homes of neighboring families.

Some of these children were called "mulatto". These were the children of  Mariah Murray, who died young, leaving 7 small children, named in her estate records. Green Wesley Simpson, a local Sunday School teacher and deacon of Rehobeth Church, was the Administrator. Green Wesley Simpson was Priscilla Murray Aldridge's brother-in-law, having married husband Garner's sister, Margaret. The children Albert, Lydia Adeline, Eliza, Mary Ann, William, Wesley and Benjamin, were the children of Mariah Murray and Henry Wilkerson, who was the slave of Jonathan Wilkerson. They had a long term relationship, but were not allowed to marry. 

There was Anna Jane, who was the daughter of Keziah Murray, and says so on her death certificate.

There was Solomon and Judith Wilmertha Murray/Burris who were the children of Jane Murray, who never married,  and Joshua Christian Burris. 

On a note, the Murray sisters were a bit of a wild bunch, often getting into fights and such and the three, Jane, Kesiah and Mariah, had children outside of wedlock. 

But there were these three unattributed children in the census records: William Russell Murray, born in 1842, after the 1840 census, Edmond C. Murray, born in 1838, and Mary Jane Murray, born in 1844. Mary Jane was bound out to Charles Cagle and appears in records as his 'apprentice'.  It was said in the Cagle family file and records that he was very fond of her. These 3 orphaned Murrays were white, and I believe were most likely the children of James, mother unknown. I will look more carefully at these children in future posts. One of them, I've made contact with  descendants of before, and we do share small amounts of DNA. 

There are two more: A Martha "Patsy" Murray marries Andrew Boone on May 14, 1851. Ironically, this is the same day that Keziah Murray marries Jesse Mills. Andrew Boone was a widower with children who is shown in the 1850 census with his first wife, Jane. Jane Boone is listed in the mortality schedules of that year. Andrew and Martha move to Alleghany County, NC and have several children together. Now, Martha was born about 1830. It's possible she was a daughter of Kizzy Murray, who was born around 1815. A fifteen year old mother is possible. But she also could have been a daughter of James Murray, which I believe is the most likely scenario. 

Then there is Winna Julina "Winny" Murray, who married Adam Pless and had one daughter, Elizabeth. She died in 1843 at age 21. Born in 1822, Winny could have been that older daughter of James in the 1830 census. She was also close in age to my Priscilla, so she could have also been James sister, which I believe is the most likely. She died 2 years before the 1845 land division, so would not have been mentioned. The reason I believe she was a sister is that my second Great Grandmother, Priscilla's daughter, Frances Julina Aldridge, was reportedly named for her. Julina was not a common name and Julina Aldridge Davis was my Grandfathers Grandmother. She lived to see the birth of his oldest three children. She may have even hinted for a namesake. What I do know is that she was named after an Aunt, to wit, Winna Julina Murray Pless. 

 To add to that, Winny was reportedly raised by Daniel Reap and while on her deathbed requested her daughter Elizabeth to be raised by the same. In the 1820's and 1830's, when Winny was growing up, James would have been raising his own children. Jesse died during this time, leaving his youngest children in limbo, as mothers were not usually seen as guardians. 

The short life of James Murray leaves many questions. I will explore these more soon. 

Lowder Reunion

The Lowder Family is one of those two dozen or so Stanly County clans that it hard NOT to find in your family tree if you have Stanly County roots.





The Albemarle Press 
(Albemarle, North Carolina)6 Sep 1923, Thu • Page 1



The above story of the 1923 Lowder Reunion gives a brief run down of the beginnings of the Lowder family in Stanly County.  The orginal Lowders supposedly came from Buck County, Pennsylvania, probably down the Great Wagon Road, and settled in what is now Stanly County during the late 1700's, when the growth in this area was really taking off.

Tombstone of Thomas Lowder, Old Freedom Cemetery, Stanly County, NC

The inscription on the above river rock tombstone says "Thomas Lowder  Died August 4, 1821 age 87.

Old Freedom Cemetery is located along Long Creek in the woods, south of Albemarle off of St. Martin's Road. A church accompanied the cemetery until the 1920's and has since collapsed and disappeared. The names on the tombstones, besides Lowders, include Coley's, Holts, Foreman's, Poplin's and Hathcocks, and Underwoods, among others.


According to the work done by several Lowder descendants, the brothers, William and Thomas traveled to this part of North Carolina along with a sister, Rebecca and Jeremiah "Jerry" Adderton.

They obviously were in Maryland for a little while because records attached to these individuals include:

The 1790 census with Thomas in Maryland:

Name:	Thomas Lawder [Thomas Lowder]
Home in 1790 (City, County, State):	Montgomery, Maryland
Number of All Other Free Persons:	1
Number of Household Members:	1

And a marriage license for Jeremiah Adderton in Maryland:

Name:	Jereemiah Aderton
Gender:	Male
Marriage Date:	8 Mar 1797
Spouse:	Mary Wise
Spouse Gender:	Male
State:	Maryland
County:	Saint Mary's

It is believed that the Lowder siblings descended (perhaps) from a Joel Lowther who was a Quaker and married a woman named Phoebe Ellis who was not. There is no solid proof of this, and may never be, so I am putting it out there as a possibility. The loss, or even nonexistence of so many early records keep some things in a perpetual and inevitable state of mystery and uncertainty.

The Lowder (or Lowther) brothers served in the Pennsylvania militia and that William served in the Revolutionary War.




1800

Thomas Lowder is now in Montgomery County and he and Elizabeth have begun their family.

Name:	Thomas Louder
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 - 26 thru 44:	1
Number of Household Members Under 16:	4
Number of Household Members Over 25:	2
Number of Household Members:	6

William is counted in the Salisbury District - Cabarrus County. While part of Cabarrus County is still counted with Mecklenburg or near Mecklenburg, the part of Stanly County that William settled in was so near the Cabarrus County line, he may have been counted by the Salisbury census taker as being in Cabarrus, while actually living in what became Stanly, or either, he was actually living in Cabarrus, near the Germans in Mt. Pleasant.

Name:	William Londer [William Louder (Lowder)]
Home in 1800 (City, County, State):	Salisbury, Cabarrus, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10:	3
Free White Persons - Males -10 thru 15:	1
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25:	1
Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44:	1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10:	2
Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44:	1
Number of Household Members Under 16:	6
Number of Household Members Over 25:	2
Number of Household Members:	9

1810

The Thomas Lowder family has increased in size to 5 children

Name:	Thos Lowder
Home in 1810 (City, County, State):	Capt Cage, Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10:	2
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 15:	1
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over:	1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44:	1
Numbers of Slaves:	3
Number of Household Members Under 16:	5
Number of Household Members Over 25:	2
Number of Household Members:	11

While the Household set up of William H. Lowder shows that in 1810, there was not an adult female in the household, indicating he may have married twice. 

Name:	W Loueder [W Lowder]
Home in 1810 (City, County, State):	Captain Gregory, Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10:	2
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 15:	2
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25:	2
Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44 :	1
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over:	2
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10:	2
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15:	1
Number of All Other Free Persons:	1
Number of Household Members Under 16:	7
Number of Household Members Over 25:	3
Number of Household Members:	13

1830

Elizabeth Lowder is now on her own

Name:	Elizabeth Lowder
Home in 1830 (City, County, State):	West Side Pee Dee River, Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 50 thru 59:	1
Free White Persons - Under 20:	1
Total Free White Persons:	2
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored):	2

Jeremiah Adderton

Name:	Lerunish Adderton [Jeremiah Adderton]  [Jeremiah Aderton]
Home in 1830 (City, County, State):	West Side Pee Dee River, Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 40 thru 49:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 15 thru 19:	2
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29:	1
Free White Persons - Under 20:	2
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49:	2
Total Free White Persons:	4
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored):	4

William Lowder

ame:	Wille Lowder [Will Lowder]  [Will Lawder]
Home in 1830 (City, County, State):	West Side Pee Dee River, Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19:	1
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29:	3
Free White Persons - Males - 60 thru 69:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 15 thru 19:	2
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29:	2
Free White Persons - Females - 50 thru 59:	1
Free White Persons - Under 20:	3
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49:	5
Total Free White Persons:	10
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored):	10

1840

Elizabeth

Name:	Betsy Lowder
Home in 1840 (City, County, State):	West Pee Dee River, Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 5:	1
Free White Persons - Males - 5 thru 9:	1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5:	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:	4
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49:	1
Total Free White Persons:	5
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves:	5

1850

Elizabeth is living alone, but next to a young Jeremiah Lowder family. 

Name:	Elizabeth Londer
Age:	80
Birth Year:	abt 1770
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1850:	Ross, Stanly, North Carolina, USA
Gender:	Female
Family Number:	816
Household Members:	Name Age Elizabeth Londer 80

Addertons

1860

The 1860 census provides a very interesting scenario. Unlike today, the census takers were not concerned where a particular person was on a particular day. They enumerated the people in the household on the day the census taker arrived and the actual accounting and interviewing took months. People who traveled around, who lived off the grid, or were afraid of census takers were often-times missed. The area was very rural. Roads, or mere paths, that led to homesteads were missed. People who were behind on their taxes, or people who did not want to be counted for other reasons, sometimes hid so the law would not interfere in their business. It was not uncommon to not find someone in one census, and for some other record or another census, to show they were there somewhere and alive. 

And then you have the cases like that of Elizabeth Lowder, those who were counted more than once. I've seen young men being counted in the homes of their families, and then again as farmhands in the household of a neighbor. I've seen families who lived near the border of two counties, or two districts, being counted more than once, by two different people, and probably in the same house. Or the same family counted in one county one year and another county, the next, where land records showed that they probably never moved, but that the census taker wasn't sure where one county ended and the other began. Rivers and other waterways made a pretty clear border, but when the border was mere woodlands or fields, it was not very definite. 

Elizabeth Langley Lowder, for a woman approaching 100, got around in 1860. Various relatives seemed to have been passing her around. Here, she appears with her son George. 

Elizabeth Lowder
[Elizabeth Langley] 
[Elizabeth Adderton] Age:98

Birth Year:abt 1762

Gender:FemaleHome in 1860: Stanly, North Carolina

Post Office:Albemarle

Family Number:574

Value of Real Estate:View image

Household Members:

Name	Age
George Lowder	66
Betsey Lowder	58
Nicy Lowder	21
George Lowder	18
Dr Jennet Russell	7
Elizabeth Lowder	98
Love Coley	34

And then, with her grandson Jacob:

Name:	Elzabethe Lowder [Elizabeth Langley - Lowder]
Age:	98
Birth Year:	abt 1762
Gender:	Female
Home in 1860:	Stanly, North Carolina
Post Office:	Albemarle
Family Number:	787
Value of Real Estate:	View image
Household Members:	Name Age Jacob A Lowder 26 Mary F Lowder 27 Thomas F Lowder 1 Elzabethe Lowder 98

Another Elizabeth Lowder,  Head of her own Household,is living  with Nancy Adderton. This, we know to be Elizabeth Eudy Lowder, the widow of William H. Lowder or the "Bill" mentioned in the above article, who settled on Bear Creek. 

Name:Elizabeth Lowder
Age:100
Birth Year :abt 1760
Gender:Female
Birth Place:North Carolina
Home in 1860: Stanly , North Carolina
Post Office: Albemarle
Family Number:910
Value of Real Estate:View image
Household Members:

Name	Age
Elizabeth Lowder	100
Nancy Adderton	45

After 1860, the original Lowder settlers were gone, but left a community of children and grandchildren to carry on the family name and tradition. 

While looking into the Lowders, I came across research that seemed to indicate that William and Thomas Lowder of Stanly County were related to a John Lowder who settled in Guilford County, and his family, probably another brother, and to a Caleb Lowder who settled for a brief time in Randolph County, before heading west, that he was a nephew who came down with them after one of their three records visits to relatives north and back. 

That is information for another time. For the most part, all of the Stanly County Lowders and those who descend from Stanly County Lowders, link back to these two brothers, William H. and Thomas A.

Thomas A. Lowder and Elizabeth (perhaps Langley) Lowder:

1) George Lowder

2) Katherine Lowder

3) Amy Lowder

4) Daniel Lowder

5) Rebecca Lowder

6) Samule Lowder

William H. Lowder and Elizabeth Eudy Lowder: 

1) Mary

2) John

3) Henry

4) Emmanuel

5) Lewis C. 

6) Barbara

7) Elizabeth

8) Catherine

9) Jacob

10) Solomon

11) Sarah

12) William J. 

13) George Gideon

14) Isaac

Fortunately, there have been several books written on the Stanly County Lowder family.

"Our Children's Heritage"  By Alberta Lowder Boggan,
"Stanly County Lowders"  By Elsie Lowder Edwards,
and "Ancestors and Decendants of Annecy Clay Lowder and Julia Ann Eudy" By Gloria Petrea Griffin,  to name a few.



From these, I garnered the following information, of which most agreed.

• Thomas A. Lowder, William H. Lowder, their sister Rebecca and Jeremiah "Jerry" Adderton came to NC from Pennsylvania in 1785.
• Rebecca married a Deese in 1787 and their family ended up migrating to Mississippi. 
• Both brothers were in the PA Militia in 1781 and in the NC census by 1790.
• Thomas settled on Long Creek, near present day Albemarle and William settled on Bear Creek. 
• William claimed land in both Montgomery (part that is now Stanly) and Cabarrus Counties.
• Their father Joel was a Quaker and was disowned for marrying a Presbyterian (Phoebe Ellis). 
• There was an Indian trail along Long Creek and a deer path leading from Long Creek to Bear Creek. The Lowders are credited with helping turn these paths into roads. 
• Jere Adderton is said to have lived in between the Lowder brothers and was said to have been neighbors. He lived one mile from the current (at the time of the book) city limits of Albemarle. 
• Jere Adderton's son Bill, married a daughter of Abraham Forrest who lived in what is present day Badin. 
• William and his wife Elizabeth Eudy Lowder were members of the Dutch Buffalo Creek Church in Cabarrus County. 
• Thomas was the oldest son of Joel and Phoebe. 
• The story of Amy: Amy Colby or Coley was said to be a stowaway on a ship from Holland, in about 1765. Thomas Lowther or Lowder was working at a port in Philadelphia. The ship captains were hiring out those who could not pay for their passage. (Called bonding). Thomas there met and fell in love with Amy. She was supposed to work as a servant for 7 years to pay for her passage. Thomas persuaded Jerry Adderton to pay for her passage so she would not have to. In turn, Thomas worked for Jerry for a year. 
• Elizabeth Langley, whose family was also residents of Montgomery County, NC, was likely a second wife and married Thomas in North Carolina. 
• Thomas's daughters Amy, who married a Cagle, and Catherine, who married a Poplin, were not mentioned in their father's will. 
• The Lowders made 3 trips back to Pennsylvania during their lifetimes to visit with family. 

The deer path from Long Creek to Bear Creek became "pretty close" the Concord Road.

The children of Thomas Alexander Lowder were:

A) George Lowder  March 8, 1788 - May 1881 Age 93, buried at Old Freedom Cemetery in Stanly County. He married Elizabeth Adderton, the daughter of Jeremiah Adderton and wife, Ursula Forrest.       Increase;
1824 - Jeremiah Lowder
1825 - Thomas II
1829 - Francis
1831 - William Preston
1832 - David Tillman
1835 - Ursula
1838- Eunice
1842 - George William

B) Katherine Lowder , b 1794 died unknown. Married Jesse Poplin
     Increase: Thomas, David, Margaret, Davidson, Jesse II, Daniel, Nancy and John Poplin

C) Amy Lowder  born 1795 and buried in the old Cagle cemetery. Married as a second wife to Benjamin Cagle, who would later marry Judith Simpson. One daughter: Talitha Adeline Cagle.

D) Daniel Lowder  24 Sept. 1800- 19 Aug. 1881  Married Elizabeth Harwood, daughter of Malachi and Mary Herndon Harwood.
    Increase:
1827- Naomi
1829 - John M.
1831 -Mary Ann (married Lindsey Hathcock)
1833 - Thomas T.
1834 - Archibald
1836 - Lindsey F.
1838 - Eben
1840 - Malachi
1842 - Abigail
1850 - Henry

E) Rebecca Lowder  1804 - Unknown. Married Bryant Dees (son of Charlie and Easter)
     Increase:
1828- Laura
1832- Martha E.
1839 -Thomas
1841- Caroline J.
1842- Mary C.
1843- Charles F.
1846-Daniel J.
1850- William
1851- Susan J.
1854- Mantra Rebecca

F) Samuel Lowder March 3, 1808 - Jan. 26, 1885 Age 76, in Albemarle. Married Nancy Mabry.
     Increase:
1830- Isaac De Jarnett Lowder (Ingram connections maybe?)
1832- Thomas A.
18334 -Jacob Angleheart
1836- Minta
1837- Catherine
1839- Sophia
1840- Mary Frances (married Isaac Turner)
1842- Nancy

Children of William Henry Lowder and Elizabeth Eudy Lowder:



1780- John  married Catherine. Increase: Jane, Mathias, Melly, John J. , Sophia, Eva Catherine, Daniel M.

1793- Henry married Mary ?. Increase: Eddison, Martha (married Elijah Sides), Harris, Davidson, Roland A. , Mary.

1795- Manuel married Edy Cassells, married Sarah Cassells. Increase; Elizabeth, Thomas, Catherine, William, John Allen Lowder, Daniel Archibald Lowder.

1797- Lewis C. Lowder married Sarah Huey, married Charlotte Sharpe. Migrated to Carroll County, Tennessee, Died in Gibson County, TN.  Increase by 1st wife Sarah; Enoch, William C, Lydia B., Thomas C., Morgan R., Minerva, Sarah Ann. Increase by 2nd wife Charlotte: Jaretha, Carilla, Dorothea, David C., Eliza W. , Jack

1798- Elizabeth Lowder -never married- 2 daughters: Eliza and Lunda.

1800- Jacob Lowder, married Celia Cooper. Migrated to Carroll County, TN and then to Scott County Missouri. Issue: John F. , Elizabeth Jane, Caroline, Tillman, Mary A., Sarah

1802 - Catherine married John Udy (Eudy) Increase: Levi Eli Eudy (another report includes daughters Mary and Elizabeth). Met Gilbert Ramsey: son Lee Lowder b May 23 1822 -removes to Arizona.

1804 - Solomon marries Annie Margaret Harkey: Increase: Jacob W,  Moses Monroe, Catherine E. , Julianne, John A., Daniel E., Caleb F., Mary M. (Mrs. Valentine Plott).

1809 - Sarah married Daniel Lefler: Increase: Leflers: William, Coleman, Elizabeth, Susan A.,  Monroe.

1810- William  marries Sarah Sides - Sophia Catherine, Esther Elizabeth, Amelia Melinda, George, Daniel Riley, Levi.

1811- George Gideon Lowder- migrates west ending up in Illinois. Some time spent in Tennesee and Iowa. Married first: Mary Serilda Bishop. Married first: Eliza Pendleton. Reported 6 children by each wife.

1814- Isaac Lowder married Lydia Smith: Increase: Laura, Susan, Milla E. , William Monroe, James Chaney, Martha L., Julia A., Moses, Elizabeth E., Alexander, Andrew, Sarah, Delia.