Nobles Mountain

The history of Nobles Mountain begins in Anson County, because our current Stanly and Montgomery Counties were part of Mother Anson when William Nobles settled on a piece of land along Mountain Creek near the west bank of the Yadkin- Pee Dee River. William claimed several land grants, expanding his property that connected to his first, and eventually the modest hill that still bears his name all belonged to him. 

George Davidson, a 'Stanly' County resident well known for his Revolutionary War service, was the surveyor of the above grant, one of many.  It's for 100 acres on the west side of Mountain Creek, near a large rock, and in "Anson , now Montgomery" County.  I don't propose to do a Nobles family tree, but before long, the deeds were separated by William Nobles "Sr." and Willam Nobles "Jr.", so a younger generation was now claiming land along Mountain Creek. 

The above portion of an ancient cursive text is part of a deed, and a little difficult to read, so I will try to transcribe it. 

State of N Carolina

              Benj (short for Benjamin) Bairds (asa Beard) Entry office and claims for land

In Montgomery County to the survey of sd (short for 'said') County Greeting. 

You are hereby required as soon as may be to lay of (ie 'off') and survey

for William Nobles a tract of land or parcel of land in the County aforesaid

Containing 200 acres begin (sic) on James Cottons line Where Jo n (abbreviation of John) Fry s2n lives and mines across Uhare (Uwharrie) River and (?) ing (may crossing) both sides and Recd for compliment.

Wherefor the Directions of an act of assembly in Such Cases made and, 

Provided, Two Just fair Grland (unknown meaning) of such Survey with Proper Certificate a mazed to each you are to Transmit with this warrant to the

Secretary's office without Delay seven under my hand and office this 

12      Day of December  1780    Benj Baird

'This plat represents fifty acres land in Anson County now Montgomery on the South side of the Pee Dee River lying on both sides of Mountain Creek.'   Dated April 29, 1779. This property joined William Nobles own line and Thomas Biles' line. It was signed by George Davidson, surveryor.

The above interestingly shaped plat is dated May 28th, 1805, and pictures the grant of Jacob Carter for land between Mountain Creek and Clover Fork Creek. It bordered the property of William Nobles in a few places. Cloverfork Creek flows north of Albemarle, into Albemarle and is a branch off Mountain Creek resulting from drainoff of the many hills. It was witnessed by Watson Ross and Bartlett Carter. 

Dated 1838, this grant is for Thomas Biles Jr. and adjoined the property of Arthur Freeman Atkins, another person of interest in my mileu or metier. It was located on the waters of Mountain Creek and Nobles Mountain. An odd looking streach of land, it also met the property of Michael Fesperman, and Isaac Biles line, formerly Jarrett Russels line. So the property of the Nobles and those who came later was close to that of Isaac Biles, of Biles Mountain. The document was signed by W.H. Randle, surveryor and witnesses by Robert M. Biles and Henry Pence.

I could explore old deeds, grants and plat maps all day that mentions Nobles Mountain or William Nobles land,  but I will spare the reader. Indulge me this one last oddly shaped plat. This oddly pointed starburst belonged again to Thomas Biles and was a mere 20 acres. It was on both sides of Mountain Creek and mentions 'the meanders', Daniel Freemans line, the intersecton of Daniel Freeman and Alexander Kirks property, on to Robert Smiths corner. I must mention here that it is appearing to me that Daniel Freeman married Robert Smiths sister, in my ongoing research of the Smith and Atkins families. Most interestingly, it was witnessed by James Cox and Gilbert Nobles. 

Enter a Will, and not a land document. James Cox, a single man, apparently with no issue of his own, left his property to his niece, Frances Nobles and the two children of his nephew, Gilbert Nobles. The two children, both girls, were named as Frances Gilbert Nobles and Eliza Ann Nobles. The Will was witnessed, interestingly enough, by Isaac Biles of Biles Mountain, and Joseph Milton, an unusual man I've posted about before in the Melton and Solomon sagas, who would eventually settle across the Pee Dee River from Norwood, in the vicinity of the Ghost Town of Edinboro or Edinburgh.

Frances G. Nobles, born in 1839, who grew up to marry Wilson Davis, would prove to be a useful clue concerning the fate of Nobles Mountain. She and her husband, along with Thomas Nobles, the last of the Nobles to live on the mountain, and judging from future land transactions, her first cousin, would sell the property around the late 1860's and 1870's. 

To get a better idea of where Nobles Mountain is located, however, I wanted to find the deed of someone who was  living there during the late 1890's, early 1900's, the general timeline of the infamous C. B. Miller map. Millerwho so graciously marked the locations of schools, churches, points of interest, included the names of certain of the larger land holders in an area. 

Enter Samuel Mosell "Mose" Stoker.

In 1903, S. M. Stoker entered a claim for property in Albemarle Township, on Nobles Mountain, on the east side of Mountain Creek, adjoining the lands of Amos F. Biles, J. S. Misenheimer, and his own property, containing 50 acres. Amos F. Biles was the owner, at the time, of Biles Mountain, and a grandson of Isaac Biles. 

Born June 26, 1858, Mose Stoker also seems to have grown up in the area of the Morrow Mountain cluster. He was the son of Robert Stoker and wife, Lucy Jane. He married twice, first to Mary Elizabeth "Mittie" Blalock and second to Laura J. Bell and was the father of six children. He was appointed the Postmaster of the community of Dowd in the 1880's, a village that was northwest of Old Tindallsville, where the Kron's lived, along the old Swift Ferry Road from Ebenezer (Badin area) to the Swift Island Ferry, where the bridge still crosses today. Mose Stoker died on June 22, 1918, at the age of 59, and was buried at the old Stony Hill United Methodist Church, a congregation that has served that riverside community for countless generations. 

X marks the spot on the C. B. Miller map, where Lowder's Ferry Road, what ran in the general direction of Morrow Mountain Road today, crosses the Swift Island Road, the direction of Valley Drive, but a very different trajectory. Stony Hill Church can be seen center map and up above, the name S. M. Stoker in three different, but near, places. On up the road, is the name J. S. Misenheimer, on both sides of the road, near a store, and a Mill and a lot of Millers, hence Millertown, a road still marking the cluster of family homes of one family, the Millers, that became their own community. 

Above is a deed marking 25 acres, which may have began with William Nobles 25 acres deed in 1779. J. S. Misenheimer and A. F. Biles are mentioned in the deed. J. S. Misenheimer being Jonas Simeon Misenheimer (1856-1928) who was married to Susan Miller. 

Using the C. B. Miller map, the old deeds and the location of Nobles Mountain in reference to Biles Mountain, I've figured out that Nobles Mountain is the hill to the south of Morrow Mountain Road, with Biles Mountain being the hill to the north. 

One more Mountain is anonymous no more. Nobles Mountain, named in honor of the family of one William Nobles Sr., where my Smith, Atkins and Solomon/Russell relatives lived near at a murky time in the distant past .

Making Connections in the Montgomery County Howells

In my previous post, I simply looked at a few land records involving Howells in the Montgomery/Stanly County area. I did not look at all of the Anson County Howells, Anson was an expansive piece of property at this time.

Mostly interested in James, John and Thomas Howell, who obviously lived in what is now Stanly County.


1790 Montgomery County, North Carolina

ame	James Howal
Home in 1790 (City, County, State)	Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 16 and over	1
Free White Persons - Females	8
Number of Household Members	9

The only Howell living in Montgomery County in 1790 was James Howell.

1800 Montgomery County, North Carolina

5 Howell households: James, John, Thomas, Jordan, Paul.  Paul went would soon migrate to Stewart County, TN along with many of the Kendall family and relatives of the Winfield family, the Manley's.

James Howell  
Born before 1755, Same for wife. One young man between 1775 abd 1784. Two young women of the same age range and three young women born between 1785 and 1790.

Name:	James Howell
Home in 1800 (City, County, State):	Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25:	1
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15:	3
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25:	2
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over:	1
Number of Household Members Under 16:	3
Number of Household Members Over 25:	2
Number of Household Members:	8

Thomas Howell

Born between 1775 and 1784 wife the same age. Two small children, a boy and a girl

Name:	Thomas Howell
Home in 1800 (City, County, State):	Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10:	1
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25:	1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25:	1
Number of Slaves:	1
Number of Household Members Under 16:	2
Number of Household Members:	5

John Howell

Born before 1755, wife younger. One male and two females born between 1790 and 1800

Name:	John Howell
Home in 1800 (City, County, State):	Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10:	1
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over:	1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10:	3
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25:	1
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:	7

Jordan Howell

Born between 1756 and 1774.  Only his oldest daughter Tabitha, had been born by this time.

Name:	Jordon Howell
Home in 1800 (City, County, State):	Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44:	1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25:	1
Number of Slaves:	1
Number of Household Members Under 16:	1
Number of Household Members Over 25:	1
Number of Household Members:	4

Paul Howell


Paul was a young man born between 1775 and 1784, with a young wife and one little girl.

Name:	Paul Howell
Home in 1800 (City, County, State):	Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25:	1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25:	1
Number of Household Members Under 16:	1
Number of Household Members:	3

1810  Montgomery County, North Carolina

John Howell
Near neighbors on this list include Goodwin Solomon, William and Samuel Kindall, Many Carters: Barlett, Samuel, John, Jacob Sr., Jacob Jr., Elijah, Labon, John Hopkins, Mary Harris, William Nobles.

John born before 1765. A possible wife of the same age. One boy and two girls, born between 1795 and 1800, Three boys and one girl between 1800 and 1810. One young woman born between 1794 and 1785.

John Crowell [User-submitted-comment]  [John]  [John Howell]
Home in 1810 (City, County, State):	Captain Kirks, Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10:	3
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:	2
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over :	1
Number of Household Members Under 16:	7
Number of Household Members Over 25:	2
Number of Household Members:	10

Thomas Howell - Who also lived on Cloverfork Creek.

Near neighbors included: Rowland Harris, both Joshua Carter's, Kinchen and David Pennington, Letty Randle, Nathan, John and Eliza Forrest, William Moss and Charles Jones. Household Members: Thomas and wife born between 1765 & 1786. 5 daughters and 3 sons under 15.

Name:	Thos Harwell [Thos Howell]
Home in 1810 (City, County, State):	Captain Kirks, 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:	3
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15:	2
Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44:	1
Number of Household Members Under 16:	8
Number of Household Members Over 25:	2
Number of Household Members:	10

John Howell the younger, also in Capt. Kirk's Company.

John Howell [John Crowell]  [User-submitted-comment]
Home in 1810 (City, County, State):	Captain Kirks, Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10:	4
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 15:	2
Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44 :	1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25:	1
Number of Household Members Under 16:	7
Number of Household Members Over 25:	1
Number of Household Members:	9

John Howell the younger fell in the same age range as Thomas Howell,  1765 to 1786. while the oldest female in the house fell in the 16 to 25 year old range. or 1785 to 1794. The household also held 1 little girl and 6 boys.

The only other Howell in the County was Jordan, and I know his family structure. He was in Capt. James Kendall company, the southern part of what is now Stanly County.



1830

Jump forward 20 years.  There is no 1820 census. There are 6 Howell families in Montgomery County. Three on each side of the river. The only one of the 1810 group left is Thomas. Paul moved to Tennessee and Jordan passed away, leaving his widow Martha. On the West Pee Dee, or Stanly County side of the river, are Martha, widow of Jordan, Thomas and a Polly, which is the Mary Howell found in land records, in association with William R. Howell. On the East side of the River, or present Montgomery side, is Newton Howell, merchant; James, who is the younger James, born in 1797 and who enlisted in the Civil War as a wagon driver at age 67 and later moved to Illinois, and a Jesse Howell, who is new to the club. 

Newton Howell was born in 1804, according to the 1850 census, in North Carolina.

POLLY HOWELL

She is 50 to 59, she has a young woman in her 20's living with her and a young boy born 1815 to 1820.

Pally Horrel [Pally Howell]  [Polly Howen]
Home in 1830 (City, County, State):	Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 14:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 50 thru 59:	1
Free White Persons - Under 20:	1
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49:	1
Total Free White Persons:	3
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored):	3

THOMAS HOWELL

Thomas between 60 and 70, giving him a birth range of 1760 to 1770, wife the same age range. With children too young to be their own, maybe a son or daughter in their 20's, and their young family.

Thos Housell [Thos Howell]  [Thos Howitt]
Home in 1830 (City, County, State):	Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 5:	2
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 14:	1
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29:	1
Free White Persons - Males - 60 thru 69:	2
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5:	3
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9:	2
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 60 thru 69:	1
Free White Persons - Under 20:	8
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49:	2
Total Free White Persons:	13
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored):	13

JESSE HOWELL

Jesse Howell was born between 1770 and 1780, but only appears in one census with a large family.

Jessee Hawell [Jesse Howell]  [Lpa Hwell]
Home in 1830 (City, County, State):	East of Pee Dee and Yadkin River, Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 5:	2
Free White Persons - Males - 5 thru 9:	1
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29:	1
Free White Persons - Males - 50 thru 59:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 14:	2
Free White Persons - Females - 15 thru 19:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39:	1
Free White Persons - Under 20:	7
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49:	2
Total Free White Persons:	10
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored):	10

1840 CENSUS

1840 brings a bunch of new faces to the census, all in West PeeDee, or Stanly County.

Martha, widow of Jordan and her oldest son John are here.There is Yancy, David and Randle. Newton makes his second appearance as does Mary Polly Howell and William R Howell shows up.

James Howell is now in Anson as well as a Matilda.

Yancy

Yaney [Yancy Howell]  [Yancy]
Home in 1840 (City, County, State):	West Pee Dee River, Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 5 thru 9:	1
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39:	1
Slaves - Males - Under 10:	1
Slaves - Females - 10 thru 23:	1
Persons Employed in Agriculture:	3
Free White Persons - Under 20:	1
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49:	2
Total Free White Persons:	3
Total Slaves:	2
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves:	5

David

Name:	David Howell
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 - Males - 30 thru 39:	1
Free White Persons - Males - 60 thru 69:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39:	1
Persons Employed in Mining:	1
Free White Persons - Under 20:	2
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49:	2
Total Free White Persons:	5
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves:	5

William

Name:	Wm Howell
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 - Males - 30 thru 39:	1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39:	1
Persons Employed in Agriculture:	3
Persons Employed in Manufacture and Trade:	1
Free White Persons - Under 20:	4
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49:	2
Total Free White Persons:	6
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves:	6

Polly

Name:	Mary Howell
Home in 1840 (City, County, State):	West Pee Dee River, Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 60 thru 69:	1
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49:	1
Total Free White Persons:	2
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves:	2

Randle

Name:	Randle Howell
Home in 1840 (City, County, State):	West Pee Dee River, Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29:	1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 14:	1
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29:	1
Persons Employed in Agriculture:	2
No. White Persons over 20 Who Cannot Read and Write:	1
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

Thomas

Name	Thomas Harvill
Home in 1840 (City, County, State)	West Pee Dee River, Montgomery, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 14	1
Free White Persons - Males - 80 thru 89	1
Free White Persons - Females - 60 thru 69	1
Persons Employed in Agriculture	2
No. White Persons over 20 Who Cannot Read and Write	2
Free White Persons - Under 20	1
Total Free White Persons	3
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves	3

Thomas Howell's name is miss-transcribed in the 1840 censu, He is in his 80's and his wfie is in her 60's and they have a young boy living with them. 

This portion of a map from Stanly County shows a few of the locations of early land grants. This one show the location of Labon Carter and Joshua Carter.

This map shows the location of Little Bear Creek in relation to Long Creek.

This section shows the 1794 "Underwood" tract and the location of Hooper's Branck and George Whitley on Lick Branch. These names were mentioned in the early records with James Howell, one of the last stated that Joseph Underwood's new property adjoined "James Howell's old line.

In 1810, James Howell moved from this area near Endy, Stanly County, according to a Grant, to a tract of land above Frances Locke and Letty Randle.

Job Callaway and Susannah Randle Calloway are also ancestors of mine. In a history of the Calloway family, it is mentioned that Job and his wife, a daughter of Colby Randle, lived in the Mountain Creek area, and in 1814, for his service in the war of 1812, recieved a grant for land situated above that of Franis Locke and Letty Randle. This land is in the "Harris" township area of the County.

From all of the information sorted through, I've been able to put together a possible scenario of the "Cloverfork Creek Howells"

1) James Howell moved from the Little Bear Creek "Endy" area of Stanly County in 1810. He was the only Howell in the Montgomery/Stanly County area in 1790.

2) Thomas and John Howell also live in the Cloverfork Creek area with the Carters, Palmers and Nobles as neighbors.

3) In the 1830 census, John Howell disappears, Mary Howell appears. Thomas Howell is still alive.

In between November of 1838 and January of 1839, a Petition was taken by the residents of Montgomery County to divide the county in two, in order to lessen the danger of crossing the Yadkin/Pee Dee River to attend court, etc. 

On this petition were the following Howells:

David Howell (shows up in the Harris area in 1850)
Newton Howell (in Lawrenceville, previously, was crucial in the founding of Albemarle in Stanly County, later. His son had several financial dealings after his death with William R. Howell and Williams son John Travis Howell.  
Richard Howell (son of Jordan Howell I)
Thomas Howell (this shows Thomas was still alive until at least 1838).
Jesse Howell (Jesse Howell only appears in the 1830 census with a large family. This shows he was at least in Montgomery County until at least October of 1838, when he signed it. He was in the company of Jacob Jordan and Duncan McCaskill, which suggests he was on the Montgomery or East Pee Dee side of the river.



4) William R. Howell and David P. Howell later show up living in the Cloverfork Creek area. William R. Howell is shown in the same land records with Mary Howell twice.
David Howell has Judith Howell in her 70's living with him in the 1850 census.

5) This is what would make sense for the Cloverfork Creek Howell's.

John, Thomas and Paul, who moved to Tennessee could have been sons of James Howell.

John married Mary, who is alone in the 1830 and 1840 census record.

Thomas married Judith, who appears twice in the 1850 census. One month, she is living with James Howell's wife Sarah Moore Howell, a few months later, when another census taker comes around on the Stanly County side of the river, she is living with David Howell.

John and Mary Howell are at least the parents of William R. Howell.

Thomas and Judith Howell are the parents of James Howell II and David P. Howell and possibly William G. Howell who married Jane Nobles.

Richard and Jordan Howell do not appear to be connected to the Cloverfork Creek Howells in any way.

This is just the beginning of a theory.

Stay tuned.