WOODWARD'S REMINISCENCES OF CREEK OR MUSCOGEE INDIANS by Thomas
S. Woodward...... but it also gets involved with other Indians
including Cherokees. This book was originally a series of letters
published serially in a newspaper in Montgomery Alabama and later
republished in book form in 1859 and reprinted 1965 by Southern
University Press. He was an American General, b in the 1790's
or thereabouts, though he was not sure of the year. He was from
a fairly prosperous family but orphaned while young and squeezed
out of his inheritance by his mother's family. He did have a good
education but as a teenager he became very involved with Indians
in Georgia and Alabama. He had a small bit of Indian blood himself
from a vanished tribe: the Yamasee. He had various jobs with periods
of military service, but a good part of the time he lived with
Indians and enjoyed prestige among them. He also knew just about
everybody who was anybody if they were an Indian especially in
GA, AL, NC or TN. He was also an authority on Indian History and
complained about other Historians who gathered their history from
half breeds because they spoke English. He rose in the ranks of
the American Military to Brigadier General and was usually in
command of Indian troops and frequently shared command with the
famous Indian leaders, such as his favorite, General William McIntosh
of the Creeks, whom he considered brilliant and effective. Unfortunately,
this book concentrates on various Creek tribes. I have had this
book for some time since I was especially interested in Benjamin
Hawkins, the main Indian Agent and General McIntosh, from whom
a close friend of mine descended. General Woodward has considerable
information about both and their since he knew them well and greatly
admired them. I wish we could have asked him what he thought of
the Harrisons on the Tennessee River in Alabama. He does have
a few remarks about Harrisons and their associates.
Betty Jo Hulse is interested in John Broadnax of Autauga Co. AL,
because he left a will which named Nathaniel Harrison as an heir.
This was in Orphans Court Book 2, p 85. "John Broadnax, deceased.
Heirs were cited to appear. Nathaniel Harrison being the only
one of the heirs who put in a claim. May 24, 1830." This
could be Mrs. Hulse' Nathaniel Harrison from Buncombe to Shelby
Co. AL. General Woodward makes a number of references to Broadnaxes:
p 1. He says that most of his old friends are now gone but names
a few still living, including Col.. R. Broadnax of Alabama.
p 78. Captain John H. Broadnax, a very efficient and popular Captain,
from Putnam county, Georgia, soon raised a company of infantry
... and I volunteered as an Orderly Sergeant... I do not see a
date on this but obviously in his youth and involving violence
near Florida... p 79. The troops began to arrive at the Fort,
and the militia under Captain Broadnax and Lt. Adaroin were permitted
to leave for home (Troops from the Carolinas, I believe for whose
arrival they were performing delaying actions). It was at this
time that he became closely involved with "Billy" McIntosh,
later General McIntosh as a buddy and friend. He also got involved
with a fight with another sergeant and ended up being put in the
Stocks for a few minutes but afterwards he became a favorite of
the Captain and Colonel who ordered him there. Shortly after being
released from the stocks he carried a message for the Colonel
to General Graham at Ft. Mitchell. It had to be taken on foot
and he chose to go with him, George Lovitt, a tall half breed,
a distance of 45 miles.
p 134. In 1817 he took a trip to NC and then returned to GA in
March. He also went to Autauga County, AL where he acquired some
land. General Mitchell (the successor to Benjamin Hawkins as head
Indian Agent after Hawkins' death) told him about the threat of
Indian mischief from Florida Indians and the military was on alert.
He offered his services and was elected by the men as Major, beating
out his old friend Captain John D. Broadnax, a very efficient
officer, who had distinguished himself in General Floyd's fights.
Comment: The article written saying that his old friend Col. R.
Broadnax was still alive was in the 1850's, but he calls him R.
Broadnax. This is perhaps a different person from the other references
to Captain John Broadnax. Betty Jo Hulse's interest is in John
Broadnax of Autauga County who died by 1830, so perhaps the same
John Broadnax. Though General Woodward retired to Louisiana, he
did have some roots in Autauga County, AL since he got land there.
Good chance this is the same Broadnax family, perhaps father and
son.... his story tells about George Lovitt, a tall halfbreed.
Recall that Thomas Harrison of the Reservation on the TN River
in AL was married to a Cherokee whose first husband was a Lovett,
a white man by whom she had daughters who were heirs of Thomas
Harrison. No George Lovitt/Lovett was listed as an heir, but perhaps
the same family of Lovetts who were in the TN River area of AL,
white and half breed. (see first few pages of February 1997 Harrison
Notes).
p 32. .. an occurrence in Macon County (probably) caused the Creek
Indian War of 181314. It was the murder of Arthur Lott in
1812 by some Chetoochefaula Indians, a branch of the Tallasees.
Lott was killed near what is known as Warrior's Stand. He was
moving to Mississippi Territory. ... So soon as Col.. Hawkins
learned that Lott was murdered, he sent Christian Limbo, a German
to Cowetaw, to see Billy McIntosh, a halfbreed chief. From
Cowetaw, Limbo and McIntosh went to Thleacatska or Brokenarrow,
to see Little Prince. The Prince was too old for active service,
and sent a well known halfbreed, GEORGE LOVET who was also
a chief. LOVET took with him some Cussetas and McIntosh some Cowetas,
and accompanied Limbo to Tuckabatchy to see the Big Warrior. (This
goes on in considerable detail about conflicting interests and
intribal violence aggravated by a visit of Tecumseh who had ambitions
to wipe out all whites.) One of Tecumseh's top men was Little
Warrior also known as Captain Sam Isaacs, a name that he borrowed
from an old trader who died some years back in Lincoln Co. TN.
(The idea of borrowed names, I have heard of before and I wonder
about the full blood Cherokee eared Thomas Harrison near Chattanooga.
Did he borrow the name? Sam Isaacs, the trader was one of the
most artful scamps I ever saw among the Indians. Isaacs (the trader
or the Indian?) was married to the daughter of Alexander McGillivray,
(head chief of the Creeks noted for his high intelligence and
classic education in Latin and Greek and such, to be succeeded
by William McIntosh.
p 45. This from a note by the newspaper editor.. In the Spring
of 1818, General Woodward was in General Jackson's army in Florida
with 4000 men including regulars commanded by General Gaines;
GA militia commanded by Gen. Glascock; the Tennessee horsemen
and friendly Indians commanded by Gen. McIntosh. Major Thomas
Woodward and Captain ISAAC BROWN had a kind of joint command with
McIntosh over the Indians. (I am thinking of the Brown family
who were neighbors to Thomas Harrison, with the reservation on
the TN River, who had the daughter Catherine Brown (MEMOIR OF
CATHERINE BROWN, A CHRISTIAN INDIAN OF THE CHEROEKEE NATION).
This was a prominent family but I am not aware of an Isaac of
that family, but could be.
p 48. This is a continuation of the above story in Florida and
in their successful attack, General McIntosh managed to capture
back a white woman Mrs. Stuart (later Dill) who had been captured
by these bad Indians, which took quite a bit of bravery on Gen.
McIntosh's pert. "Brown and myself were both dressed like
Indians". p 49. Gen. McIntosh yelling above the din of the
firearms,"Save the white woman! Save the Indian women and
children.. Chulattarle Emathla (Indian name of General Woodward),
you, Brown and Mitchell, go to that woman." me group led
a charge. Mitchell tried to lead the way but he was such a bad
cripple that he could not keep up on foot, and was soon left behind.
There was a group of Indian women in the crossfire. Woodward's
rifle stock was destroyed by a bullet and he picked up a musket
of an Indian and used it until the fight ended with Mrs. Stuart
(Dill) and the Indian women rescued... I saw Isaac Brown kill
an Indian. I never saw the mother of Isaac Brown but once and
that was in Twiggs County GA in February of 1818. It was at her
house when I called there to get Isaac to come to Florida with
me, as I had been ordered by General Jackson to collect as many
Indians as I could and Join him at Ft. Scott. When we left she
said to Isaac, "Isaac my son, the Indians killed your father,
and may kill you, but I had rather hear of you being killed than
to hear that my son had acted the coward"... many have talked
about Isaac's mother. When Isaac was an infant, his father, who
was a fearless man, crossed the Oconee River near what is known
as the Long Bluff. This was the line between the whites and the
Indians ..One morning the dogs barked and as he opened the door
to look out he was shot and killed. Mrs. Brown dragged him back
inside the house and she started shooting at the Indians. She
killed two and wounded more and drove them off. They returned
and set fire to a board shelter attached to the house. She climbed
up the wall on the inside and poured a basin of milk on the fire
and put it out, but the Indians shot at her arm and broke her
shoulder. With one arm and the help of a small
boy, the son
of one James Harrison
she succeeded in driving them away again,
then escaped across the river with her children.
James Harrison
was a man of great daring and had suffered much from the Indians,
and they in turn had suffered much from him. He was the man who
killed the father of the present speaker of the Creeks, Hopothleyoholo
and Harrison was known to the Creeks as Epha Tustanugga, or Dog
Warrior and to the whites as Davy or David Cornels. Davy Cornells,
I suspect, was the cause of more mischief done to the whites by
the Creek Indians than any man that ever lived in the nation.
He was troublesome during the Revolution and long after. While
Seagroves was Agent (British, before the Revolution and succeeded
by Benjamin Hawkins, American), Cornels sent him word that he
wished to be at peace, and would meet him at Colerain, not a great
way from St. Mary's. Seagroves unfortunately let it be known that
he was expecting a visit from Cornels. Harrison heard of it, collected
a few men, and I suspect Brown's father among the rest. All had
suffered long and much from the depredations of Cornels and his
men; they knew his path; they watched it closely, and one day
as he approached them with a white flag,
Harrison killed
him....
comment: At one point here it seems that Woodward is saying that
Davy Cornells was another name for Harrison, but he must have
meant that Cornells was father of the present speaker of the Nation.
Other places in the book he discusses Cornells and it is clear
that this is not JAMES HARRISON, but James Harrison killed him
under a white flag. I wonder if this story is a version of another
story about Col. Elias Earle and James Harrison who was married
to Elizabeth Hampton of the book, THE VENTURERS, HAMPTONS, HARRISONS
AND EARLES? Could this be that James Harrison of Greenville Co.
SC whose family was massacred at Tygar River with Hamptons, by
Indians they thought were their friends
and frequent visitors to their trading post?
I have searched through THE VENTURERS and I do not find this story
. There are many references to Col. Elias Earle of Greenville,
SC an d he was in the iron business there and many other businesses.
Perhaps I am missing the story in my search or more likely I read
this in some other publication about this line of Harrisons. These
Harrisons and Hamptons , early on, were Indian traders.
I have more about this in recent information from Tressie Nealy,
but at this point I will complete coverage of this book.
p 96. Irrelevant to Harrisons but of interest to me. George, the
brother of Davy Cornells who was killed by James Harrison, had
a son Seechy. Seechy ha d a daughter named Tonger who married
SPIRE M. HAGERTY and he inherited her property. He then "put
her away" when he moved to the Red River area of Texas, and
took for another wife, a widow Hawkins.... comment: The widow
Hawkins was Rebecca McIntosh, daughter of General William McIntosh
by his Cherokee wife (he had two others at the same time ). Rebecca
had married first Benjamin Hawkins, a Princeton Lawyer and attorney
for his friend Sam Houston of Texas. This was Benjamin Hawkins
Jr., half breed son of the famous Benjamin Hawkins, Indian Agent.
He had a brother Samuel Hawkins, also a Princeton graduate and
lawyer as was their father, and Sam was married to Jane McIntosh,
also daughter of General McIntosh, but he was assassinated along
with the General in GA. Rebecca and Benjamkn Jr moved to East
Texas where they were the biggest slave owners of Texas. Benjamin
was killed, perhaps assassinated and Rebecca owned and operated
two large plantations and was one of the wealthiest people in
Texas at that time. She did very well without a man to run things.
Her half sister Jane was not far away along the Texas border,
also a wealthy woman and they corresponded frequently. But Rebecca
married again to the no good scoundrel Spire Hagerty. At the time
he had a shipping line based in New Orleans but servicing the
cotton plantations of East Texas. After their marriage he was
a drunk and wasted his fortune and was trying to start on Rebecca's
fortune when she kicked him out and spent a lot of money to get
a Texas divorce from him, even though at the time this was Spanish
land and Rebecca was a devout Catholic.
I know this partly from research of Rebecca's papers, but also
one of my best friends, now dead, was descended from Rebecca and
her second husband Spire Hagerty. His name appropriately was William
McIntosh Hindman, M.D. I also knew his fantastic mother very well,
one of my favorite people. She as a girl used to visit her grandmother
Rebecca on her plantations in Texas and heard many of the stories
about the Indian days in GA and AL. My friend had a yacht in San
Diego harbor named "William McIntosh" after the General
and had it all decorated in Creek Motif with a touch of
Highlander Scotch Plaid of the McIntosh design. According to histories,
Benjamin Hawkins Sr. did not have an Indian Family. Those histories
are wrong. History was rigged, perhaps to protect the Indian Hawkins
from assassination. But several were assassinated anyway, because
of their relationship to McIntosh.
One of Rebecca's most valuable assets for her children was land
grants in Oklahoma for both her Creek father's rights and her
Cherokee mother's rights. Her children managed to get the two
grants contiguous at the border of the Creek lands and the Cherokee
lands, and so this was much of what was to become downtown Tulsa,
Oklahoma.
FROM TRESSIE NEALY. Pages 35 and 36 from A HISTORY OF CHEROKEE
FAMILIES IN FORSYTHE COUNTY, GEORGIA. by Don L. Shadburn... Forsythe
County is in the
Northwest section of GA. m is begins with Joseph Vann, wealthy
Chief of the Cherokees at Spring Place in Murray County which
is also the site of the Spring Place Missionary School of the
Moravians for education of the sons of chiefs. This building was
on land donated by Chief Vann, later became the Murray County
Courthouse, three miles from the present courthouse at Chatsworth.
Rev. Nathan Thomas Harrison no doubt knew Chief Vann and numerous
Cherokees when he lived at Spring Place as a Methodist Minister
beginning in the mid 1830's when he moved from Buncombe. Chief
Vann had a mansion at Spring Place, which is still there and open
to the public, though the Mission School/Courthouse is gone.
Meigs was told by a Harris, "Van[n] will be implicated and
[will] stand in a difficult point of view." and that Vann
had become an enemy of Georgia and the Cherokee Nation. Vann had
been in a quarrel with his brother in law, John Fawling and Vann
shot him to death in a duel with pistols. The trouble was about
Vann claiming that Fawling was mistreating his sister, Nancy..
but Nancy had her own reasons for fearing her brother Chief Vann
(18078). Bartlett Robbins testified that he was living with
Nancy Fawling in 1806 and one day she sent him to the Blacksmith's
shop to get some plough irons sharpened, but soon after he arrived
a party of Vann's Indians seized him and under Vann's orders gave
him 70 lashes on his back at Vann's house.
Vann (who owned many of the facilities such as roads and ferries)
had a changing character and disposition. Travelers who had permits
from Agent Meigs, were no longer safe on the Federal Road. A serious
incident occurred in 1808. An agreement had been made with Meigs
in 1807 at Hiawassee when leading men of the Nation signed away
a tract of land six miles square at Chicamauga.. The national
government proposed to lease the land, almost 4000 acres, to COLONEL
ELIAS EARLE of Greenville, SC who intended to construct an iron
works at the mouth of Chichamauga Creek. But Vann, The Ridge,
and Charles Hicks rebelled when they learned of the exchange.
They termed the act treasonous on the part of a few misguided
Cherokees... On January 14, after organizing his work crew and
equipment, Colonel Earle sent the wagons on their way to the "New
Purchase" at Chichamauga. WILLIAM BROWN, a white man was
in charge of Earle's caravan and with a passport for such from
Meigs. Shortly after their departure, Col Earle learned that Vann
and a few of his compatriots threatened to stop their passage
in which case Meigs intervention would be sought in Earle's interest.
The first sign of trouble took place at
John H. Harrison's
blacksmith's shop
about twelve miles from the Cherokee Turnpike.
There Brown was approached by George Sanders, a half blood, who
insulted and abused him and made several threats against Meigs
and Earle. Brown's party was finally permitted to continue on
their way but a few miles further on they were stopped by another
gang of halfbreeds and Indians and detained for four days.
That evening Brown rode to Nancy Fawling's house on the public
road and remained the next day. She told him that he and the party
were in danger of being killed by her brother Chief James Vann
and that he had a bunch of Indians to waylay him and further he
was providing them whisky and all were half drunk. But she admonished
Brown to say nothing to Chief Vann about their conversation because
he would do her great injury and that he was her greatest enemy
since he had killed her husband and had also taken a negro fellow
and some property from her. When Brown returned to his group,
The Ridge was there and showed his displeasure and jerked Brown's
gun from his hands and fired a warning shot above his head. Another
struck Brown in the face with a Tomahawk but then he was restrained.
SENATE DOCUMENT 120, 25th Congress, 2nd Session p 853.
This names people who gave testimony in the Thomas Harrison Reservee
matter. Tressie says that since none of it appears in the papers
from the National Archives (reported Feb 1997 Harrison Notes,
first few pages), perhaps it could be found in the County Records
of Blount and Jackson Co. Alabama. She believes that Jackson County
has had some loss of early records, but she does not know about
Blount County.
THOMAS HARRISON _ me papers are the depositions of Isaiah Walker,
Wm. Smith, Robert Walker, John Coal, and William Southerland before
W.H.E. Wheeler, justice of the peace, Jackson County, Alabama
on 8 Mar 1831; of Thomas Hodgeson, the 26 April 1831, of James
Davidson, on the 15 April 1831 before the same justice; of Elijah
Bracher, before John Macky, justice of the peace, Blount County
AL, on the 21 April 1831; of John Gilliland, before Joseph Edwards
justice of the peace, Blount County AL, on the 20 April 1831 with
abstract of evidence. Comment: Since most of the information in
the Feb. 1997 Harrison Notes was from testimony in Indian Territory,
perhaps this testimony in Alabama is from nonfriendly people
who managed to get the land. This could be very interesting.
Tressie Nealy also sent brochures on two books, both by Sharon
Standifer Ashton. One is: MARRIAGES, DEATHS AND MISCELLANY 18331837:
MILITARY AND NAVAL MAGAZINE AND ARMY NAVY CHRONICLE. me second
one is MARRIAGES AND DEATHS 18381840 ARMY AND NAVY CHRONICLE.
Each is $20.00 from:
Ashton Books
3812 Northwest Sterling
Norman, OK 730721240 These records are not limited to military
but a lot of this was at obscure frontier outposts. mere are many
obituaries and biographical sketches of individuals including
Indians... I had never considered such military records for genealogical
purposes, but this makes much sense. These should make good reference
works.
In my February 1997 Harrison Notes, p 10, I reported from another
book of Sharon Ashton's, INDIANS AND INTRUDERS, about the Choctaw
family of the prominent Zadoc Harrison.
FROM MARTHA K. HARRISON. Speaking of unusual sources of genealogical
information She sent RECORDS OF ANTEBELLUM SOUTHERN
PLANTATIONS FROM THE REVOLUTION THROUGH THE CIVIL WAR, Series
J: Selections from the Southern Historical Collection, Part 5:
Tennessee and Kentucky. University Publications of America. This
was on the Web May 1996. This must be a huge project and this
a very small part of it, and this is only a synopsis of this small
portion amounting to 29 pages. Martha, who is descended from Rev.
Nathan Thomas Harrison, as is my wife, notes that Nathan is mentioned
a couple of times. I found only one mention of him, but 2 pages
are superimposed and so perhaps another mention there.
p 9. 6 August 1819, A letter to Dr. Calvin Jones, about whom this
section is devoted, from George Swain of Asheville, requesting
his assistance for the Rev. Nathan Harrison and his blind son
Thomas.
Comment: George Swain was the father of David Swain, President
of the University of North Carolina and Governor at some point.
He was a physician of Buncombe and one of its leading citizens.
He was a friend and colleague of Dr. Jones. Dr. Jones was very
prominent. He was a physician with a special interest in eye diseases,
but also a General and into all sorts of science and research
and a very big property owner. I judge from this that Rev. Nathan
knew Swain and Swain knew Dr. Jones and this was a referral to
the expert
concerning son Thomas' blindness. Thomas was my wife's gg grandfather
and his family was the only Harrison household remaining in Buncombe
in the 1850 census. Apparently all Buncombe and Madison County
Harrisons today are from Thomas, described on the 1860 census
of Polk Co. TN as blind since age 17. Since Thomas was born about
1800, this proposed consultation with Dr. Jones in 1819 probably
represents the period shortly after his blindness was established.
I am assuming that he was not totally blind. He farmed, married
and raised a family, perhaps with increasing blindness as he got
older.
This 29 page publication is fascinating. Dr. Calvin Jones is fascinating.
His family was married to the Polk family as in President Polk,
with roots in Mecklenburg Co. NC. Though he lived early on in
the Raleigh NC area, he acquired plantations in a number of places
including Bolivar, TN, not far from Memphis, operated by his son
Montezuma Jones. A daughter Octavia m Edwin Polk. Meticulous plantation
records were kept and these records are of historical value in
relationship to historical events, culture and society of those
times. Apparently much of this study involves the study of plantation
record books of various prominent plantation owners who kept such
books. Of course, Dr. Jones knew anybody who was anybody including
Presidents and foreign dignitaries, both in the scientific and
social realms. There was considerable involvement with Nashville
and President Jackson.
Of interest (p 13) Dr. Calvin Jones made a trip and kept a journal
of it in 1818 into Tennessee and north Alabama, Mississippi and
Georgia to look for land to buy. He described Cherokee and Chicasaw
Indians, individuals he met and patients he treated, chiefly for
diseases of the eye. Volume 5 contains this Journal. 1818 is the
date of the treaty, along with the 1819 treaty which created the
reservations for certain Cherokees, such as Thomas Harrison's
because of his Cherokee wife, the former Mrs. Lovett. In 1818
in northern Alabama were Harrisons also involved with land acquisition
(Michael and family from Greene Co. TN).
p 20. POLK,
BROWN,
AND Ewell Family Papers 18031839.
Also the Campbell family.. The Polk family was originally from
North Carolina. Colonel William Polk (17581834) of Raleigh,
NC owned over 100,000 acres in TN. He had several children by
his second wife, Sarah HAWKINS Polk. (As I recall, she was a daughter
of Governor William Hawkins of NC. Governor William was the younger
brother of Benjamin Hawkins, the famous Indian Agent, U.S. Senator,
etc., about whom I have written earlier in this paper, with the
Indian sons Benjamin and Samuel Hawkins. Gov. William Hawkins
was the one who rewrote the history of Benjamin having the Indian
sons, by denying that they were his sons. No doubt William knew
them all, since he had spent some time with his brother at the
Indian Agency in GA as his assistant. Wheeler wrote the history
of NC. He rewrote it, expanding it. In the first edition he gave
Benjamin Hawkins family, probably correctly but in the second
edition he changed that and said that the changes, denying Benjamin's
Indian family, were from Gov. William Hawkins. William Polk had
considerable property in Mecklenburg County, NC. There is an item
in these papers about a letter from Philomon Hawkins to his daughter
Sarah Polk, implying that her father was Philomon, but I question
this. I think Philomon was her uncle and Gov. William her father.
At any rate, there were also letters to and from Gov. William
Hawkins.
I recall a different story! In MECKLENBURG SIGNERS by Worth Ray,
he tells about Thomas Polk as one of the first white men to Mecklenburg.
He was an old friend of Thomas Spratt, the founder of Mecklenburg
and the first to cross the Yadkin River in a wheeled vehicle.
They were old friends from back home in Maryland. Polks were perhaps
the same family as Pollocks in Maryland. Of course both stories
could be true with William Polk, a later
descendant going back east to Raleigh. I believe that William
Hawkins held forth in Mecklenburg but as Governor went back to
Raleigh the Capital of NC.
Another item, irrelevant, but of interest to me... Dr. Calvin
Jones was originally from the northeast but settled in Raleigh
NC, Wake County. My mother was a Jones and we have accomplished
little on her Jones ancestry. It goes back to Montgomery County,
TN, close to Clarksville, on the TN River, close to Nashville
where they knew Polks and Knoxes and others who were well known
to Dr. Calvin Jones there. They had names like John, Lewis, Talbot
and Fanning. My grandfather was Rev. Talbot Fanning Jones, Church
of Christ and born there. His father was John Lewis Jones. I see
none of these names among Dr. Calvin Jones' family. I am pretty
sure though that my Jones also came from Wake County, NC. There
was a family of Jones there, complete with a haunted house of
Fanning Jones, a notorious Tory during the Revolution, hated by
all. There also were John and Lewis and Talbot Jones, descendants.
They moved west to TN. Sure sounds like mine! ... Once at the
Archives in Raleigh (Wake County) during lunch in a sandwich shop
there, we got to talking to two professional genealogists and
the subject of Jones came up and I got into the conversation.
They had both researched Jones but neither knew much about the
line I was interested in. They both knew about the other line
which I now realize was probably the line of Dr. Calvin Jones.
They did know about the haunted house and thought it was still
standing. Maybe my Jones line left under a cloud of hate and resurfaced
quietly in Clarksville, TN.
p 26. GEORGE WASHINGTON POLK PAPERS 17931857. Of Maury Co.
TN, Alabama and NC. (same family but later). Actually, the majority
of these papers were by WILLIAM HARRISON POLK, about 1875 of Paris,
KY. He and George Washington Polk (how related I do not know)
relating to Civil War history and childhood and genealogy... I,
of course, wonder how he got the name Harrison as a middle name.
Recall that in Mecklenburg, NC the Harrisons and Polks were related.
I believe it was Capt/Col. Ezekiel Polk who rounded up suspected
Tories and got their pledges of not to bear arms against the patriots.
Nathaniel Harrison and others connected to his family, probably
of Clarks Fork of Bullock's Creek (actually in SC) were among
those with suspected Tory sympathies. Ezekiel Polk was no doubt
a relative of these people to sore degree.
p28. Another irrelevant item. In a letter dated 13 May 1825 Lucius
Polk wrote to his father William Polk telling about meeting General
Lafayette in Nashville. He enclosed bank notes and discussed business
matters. He also suggested to his father that they endow a Professorship
at Cumberland College in honor of Lafayette and Andrew Jackson...
I happen to know a bit about this. General Lafayette in 1825 returned
to America and was greatly honored wherever he went with all sorts
of celebrations. One place he went was Georgia where General Woodward
(of the beginning of this paper) was in charge of conducting him
through Georgia with full military honors and entertainment. He
enlisted the very willing General "Billy" McIntosh who
created quite a performance with a large number of Creek Warriors
in full dress regalia. Part of the performance was to get Lafayette
across a rather large river in a dignified, ceremonious and efficient
manner. It involved a decorated barge and towing with ropes and
mounted Indians pure entertainment which was greatly appreciated.
General Lafayette went on to Nashville and there they had a great
Masonic celebration in their Masonic Hall ("everybody"
was a Mason then, including Lafayette and Andrew Jackson who was
also there and no doubt the Polks). After the Masonic celebration,
the biggest in their history in America, they marched in a parade
to the church of Rev. Phillip Fall whose sister Harriet was my
ancestor. Phillip Fall from England became
a Minister of the Church of Christ and a prominent theologian
who wrote a great deal. He seemed to specialize in taking over
Baptist Churches and persuading the congregation to switch to
Church of Christ, which was true of the church where they all
marched from the Masonic Hall to be preached to by Rev. Fall.
I wonder if they knew he was from England but giving this very
patriotic American sermon. Phillip as a boy had come to America
for a visit accompanying his father before the War of 1812, but
his father was a Major in the British Army and suddenly was thrust
into the War of 1812 They managed to return to England and then
after the War the whole family immigrated to America through New
York and down the Ohio to KY. We have a copy of their diary of
the voyage and the trip down the Ohio.
It would be nice to get that letter about blind Thomas Harrison
to Dr. Jones and other details of this synopsis. These materials
are either published or on microfilm or both, but I do not know
where. Perhaps on the Web. I will see what I can find out.
FROM BETTY JO HULSE. First, let me go into John Broadnax discussed
earlier on pages 1 and 2. She has tried to get the probate record
of John Broadnax by mail but they claim it is not there. Perhaps
it is and they did not look hard enough. This could be her Nathaniel
Harrison who was an heir of John Broadnax. If so, how were they
related? This could be important, especially in light of what
we already know of another John Broadnax, probably related to
each other.
She points out that we do not really know that any of the females
in that household of Thomas Harrison in the 1800 census of Buncombe
was his wife. She could have been deceased and he could have married
an Indian woman. Presumably Thomas was the father of her Nathaniel
and presumably he was the Thomas Harrison in Shelby County, AL
in 1820 and he had a wife who outlived him. This does not exactly
fit with Thomas Harrison with the deceased Cherokee wife and the
Reservation on the TN River, but we cannot be sure that these
are two different Thomas Harrisons of Alabama.
From CHEROKEE BLOOD NEWSLETTER, 1988 #16, by Shirley C. Hoskins
who is author of CHEROKEE DESCENDANTS, a book. She is reporting
on a letter to Governor John Sevier of TN from Silas Dunsmore,
written from Knoxville, TN March 1797. (I have mentioned this
letter numerous times but there are some variations). This is
a list requested by Gov. Sevier of all the names of whites residing
in Cherokee Country not natives of the land. The list has three
columns: Name, Nation (nationality) and Employment. This does
not say those living in the TN part or AL part but Cherokee Country.
I presume the whole Cherokee Nation. This would not preclude the
same people from having another home and wife and family, as was
common, in white country, such as Buncombe County. I count 69
on this list. I will mention several of interest:
Name Nation Employment
A collection of items from Barbara Blankenship (descended from
Pattersons).
From TINKLING SPRING by Wilson. Record of Baptisms 17401749;
Records of Rev. John Craig (Augusta Co. VA; a famous Presbyterian
Church and mother church of the Mecklenburg NC Presbyterian Churches)
Elisabeth Herison, an adult person 27 July 1744. In the congregation.
Jeramiah Herison, an adult person 3 Nov. 1740 At halfway house, evidently toward Frederick County, near present Harrisonburg,
VA
Lidia Donnel 29 May 1743 At Halfway House. Jeremiah Herison, sponsor
Nehemiah (Harrison) 5 Dec 1745 in the congregation.
Abigail Herrison an adult person 21 Jan 1747 in the congregation.
(This is the family of old Jerermiah Harrison son of Isaiah Sr.
who moved to Greene Co. TN... but I am not sure that Abigail was
a daughter, though that was his mother's name .. Abigail Smith).
On monument in Blount Co. TN in memory of soldiers and
patriots of American Revolution who settled in Blount County.
Joseph Black Sr. (who settled in York Co. SC, Clarks Fork of Bullocks
Creek?)
Nathaniel Harrison
Joseph Black Sr ca 2221747/ca 3251825 cemetery Eusebia, service from VA, wife Jane.
Nathaniel Harrison ca 1758/after 1834, service from NC, wife unknown.
(comment by Betty Jo: Not the Nathaniel who got land in SC in 176567
not old enough)
From TENNESSEE HEROES IN THE REVOLUTION. Robert Patterson was
b March 5, 1757 in PA and moved to SC when a child. He enlisted
in York Co. SC and served about 19 months in all. His officers
were Capt's McMullin and Moffit, Col. Wm River and Col. Neal and
Gen. Sumpter. In battles of Reedy River, Hall's, Iron Works, Williams
Lane, Rocky Mount and Blackstock. After the war he moved to NC
and then Rutherford Co. TN and applied for a pension in Giles
Co. TN 1832. This may be Robert, son of Robert who had a will
in York Co. NC (SC I expect). Comment: Same Pattersons of York
Co. were of an office holder in Rutherford Co. NC (not knowing
he was in SC) and from Augusta Co. VA... I believe Robert was
his name and related to Adams and Old Jeremiah Harrison's wife
was an Adams and her mother a Patterson of Augusta Co. VA.
From THE OVERMOUNTAIN MEN by Pat Alderman. List of soldiers at
King's Mountain.
Gideon Harrison
Nathaniel Harrison
CAPTAIN MICHAEL HARRISON.
(comment: The Nathaniel Harrison father of Joseph of Buncombe,
virtually lived at King's Mountain Clark's Fork of Bullock's Creek, but
he was
questionably a Tory and had Tory friends and neighbors, especially
Ponders who also moved to Buncombe... Which Gideon? There were
so many we cannot identify. Captain Michael was & Sheriff
of Washington Co. TN/ Greenville and moved to Alabama ..ancestors
of Becky Bonner and Josephine Bass.
SOME EARLY GREENE COUNTY MARRIAGES FROM TENNESSEE COUSINS by Worth
Ray.
Daniel Harrison bondsman for Daniel Ragan and Elizabeth Harrison
July 22, 1788
Michael Harrison bondsman for William Houston an d Mary Black
Nov 22, 1788.
Sarah Harrison to Joseph & Shields Oct 25, 1788. Jacob Waring
Sec.
She makes a comment: It appears that a Daniel an d Michael Harrison
were already in Greene County area when the NC Group came... I
do not know what she means by the NC Group. Jeremiah of Greene
County was patriarch of many but he was from VA. Numerous of his
numerous children were in Mecklenburg area of NC. Also, Worth
Ray stated that a bunch of Quakers came from NC to Greene Co.
TN and this probably included Isaiah Harrison, son of Jeramiah
and his family, though later Methodist. An interesting comment!
From NORTH ALABAMA VALLEY LEAVES, article NORTH ALABAMA, Decatur
County. (I do not find a Decatur County per haps extinct.
I do find such a city in north Alabama. The notation is made that
the exact location of the Decatur/ Jackson County line remains
elusive. This article is part #21 in a series beginning in 1981.
At any rate Thomas Harrison was here! These are plats in a township.
A number of lots are owned by Baker and Chandler jointly and individually. Mrs. Hulse wonders if this could be connected to Zachariah Candler of Buncombe. He was a huge land investor and lived close to Haywood County but also had big holdings near Walnut in Madison County area on the Buncombe Turnpike and on the French Broad, where he operated a large stock stand and Inn and I suspect that Jesse Harrison worked for him as a Blacksmith at Sandy Bottom. Jesse's son John F. Harrison acquired considerable property there from the heirs of Zachariah Candler for his Barytes mining. Spelled different however : Candler Chandler. He had connections to Daniel Boone and the Nethertons and the Bryans and had some Indian blood. One of John F. Harrison's daughters m a Netherton.
Township 6 Range 4 East, Section 34, Northwest 1/4 Frac to TN River, T. Murphy. (note this sheet shows a diagram of John Gunter's Reservation)
Section 7, NE 4 Harrison Reservation, except part of N 1/2 of NE 4 to D. Boshart
E 1/2 of NW 1/4 pt in Harrison's Reservation, pt to M.B. Robertson.
W 1/2 of NW 1/4 M. McCanless ?
Southeast 1/4 Harrison's Reservation.
Southwest~ 1/4 J. Martin (except for pt of E 1/2 in Harrison's
Reservation) Comment: Is J. Martin, John Martin, the very wealthy
Treasurer of the Cherokee Nation? He supposedly son of General
Joseph Martin, head of the Military presence in Indian territories,
and wife Betsy Ward, daughter of the famous full blood Nancy Ward,
Beloved Woman of the Cherokees. Rev. Jeremiah Harrison, suspected
brother of Rev. Nathan Harrison, no doubt knew Judge John Martin
because he lived and preached there where Martin lived, now called
Carter's Quarter, approximately at New Echota in then Murray Co.
GA.
Section 8.
E 1/2 of NE 1/4 to TN River. J. W. Cole
W 1/2 of NE 1/4 D. Boshart
Northwest 1/4 Harrison's Reservation (except pt of N 1/2 of NW
1/4 to D. Boshart )
Southeast 1/4 to TN River R. Boshart
Southwest 1/4 Harrison's Reservation (except sm pt of E 1/2 of
SW 1/4 to R. Boshart )
Section 1 7
NW 1/4 of NE 1/4 sm pt to TN River. H.J. CHANDLER
SW 1/4 of NEW sm pt to TN River. I. Wilborn ... I know about Wilborns/Welborns
of Abbott's Creek Baptist Community in present Davidson's Co.
NC, and to Anderson Co. SC and connected to Teagues, Ruth Bowers
has them with connections to Granthams same family. (I
have a book on the family )
N 1/4 of NW 1/4 Harrison's Reservation (except sm pt to H.J. Chandler
and sm pt to H.H. Moore.
Section 18.
Northeast J. Davis (except for part in Harrison's Reservation)
E 1/2 of NW 1/4 J. Martin (except for pt in Harrison's Reservation)
In Section 29 was S & H. Henry. (More about Henrys of Buncombe,
later)
No doubt the descriptive nature of a grid system above is more
confusing than an actual plat. It is hard to fit a geographic
description to a property which does not have straight sides,
like on kite Tennessee River. Thomas had interesting neighbors!.
From NC Genealogical Journal, an article about TREASURER' S AND
COMPTROLLER'S ESTATES RECORDS by Haywood Roebuck, p 124. John
Kirkpatrick 1792. Not a decedent. Account of debt due from James
Chambers for cow, calf, beef and 3 chairs sold to him, receipt
to William Matthews for early payment of a cash debt. No county
given. This could be the John Kirkpatrick who married a daughter
of Nathaniel Harrison, father of Joseph Harrison of Buncombe,
and therefore Joseph's suspected sister and also lived in Buncombe.
Chambers was a family of Buncombe.
WILKES GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY JOURNAL Vol 14 #3 1980. Perhaps 1792.
The minister's and Delegates of the 15 Reg (torn) constituted
churches of the Baptist order... convened at Eton's Meeting House...
Letters of several churches read which included early churches
with their representatives (I do not know them) covering a wide
area from Yadkin area/Wilkes/Rowan/ Iredell. Jonathan Boone was
Clerk (I think a close relative to Daniel Boone). There is also
a list, undated and unknown why these people were on a list. Marked
over by X marks. This rather lengthy list includes: many Coffeys,
(one of which is of interest because of the name: Welborn Coffey),
Francy Harrison, Fanny Harrison, Joseph Harrison, Nancy Harrison.
On another page is another list labeled "A list members of
Yadkin Church" Joseph, Drucilla, Daniel, Naomi and Jane Harrison
are included.
These are no doubt our "Watauga Harrisons" with Rev.
Joseph Harrison and they were intermarried with Coffeys.
Some comments by Betty Jo Hulse: Previous mention was made about
Dennis Carroll in Scott Co. KY and she cannot figure out what
he was doing there. (from Buncombe to Shelby Co. AL). His pension
application mentioned everywhere he lived but not Scott County
KY. Probably another Dennis Carroll. There was one from SC.
She is interested in the Henry family. Malcomb Henry was in York
Co. SC when Nathaniel Harrison was there and lived near him. He
also lived in Buncombe County and left there about the same time
that Dennis Carroll did, and went to Mississippi (but that was
probably Alabama later). She recalls a writeup about him in AL,
perhaps in "Notable Men of Alabama". Malcomb Henry lived
on Turkey Creek in Buncombe and sold about 1815. Malcomb Henry's
father was William Sr. and Malcomb had a brother William Jr. There
was a William Henry in Shelby Co. AL in the 1820 census, and an
Ezekiel Henry.
From YORK COUNTY SC DEED BOOK A.
pp 2456. Thomas Dickson of Tryon Co. NC to William Henry
Sr. Aug 8, 1777, 88 acres on west side of Catawba River and south
fork of Crowder's Creek, joining Ferguson's line and Rankin's
line. Wit: John Chittim, MALCOMB HENRY.
William Henry Sr. (17151819) (104 years?) had four sons
at the battle of King's Mountain, Oct 7, 1780
Malcomb Henry (17551840, son of William Henry Sr. was at
Battle of King's Mountain
William Henry (17531807) son of William Henry Sr. was a
Major of Militia at Battle of King's Mountain. Edward Byers was
a legatee of his estate.
pp 349352. John Swann planter son of Robert Swann, deceased
of York County SC to James Pinkerton surveyor of same Jan 30,
1787. 250 a Sirrates Creek in Spartanburg Co. SC being half of
500a tract in partnership between John Swann and Pinkerton, deeds
150a Clarks Fork of Bullock's Creek on Caldwell's and Gold 'a
Branches and adjoining Clark's Land, being the upper end 300a
granted by NC 1771 to Robert Swann deed. Wit: Robert Patte(rson?),
John Smith, Joseph Clark....comment: Pattersons related to Harrisons
in that Jeremiah's wife's mother was a Patterson. Swann is a common
name in Buncombe and Madison County NC (and probably own a pond
or two.. named Swan Pond?). So, another set of neighbors to Harrisons
of York SC who likely went to Buncombe
pp 352354. Another deed of the people involved above Jan
15, 1788 and it WAS Robert Patterson.
pp 364366. John Buis of Craven County, to Malcomb Henry
of Lincoln Co. NC Mar 8, 1781 500 a on headwaters of Allison's
Creek, being part of three surveys lying on the Great Road and
waters of Bullock's Creek. Wit William Moore, Thomas Janes, WILLIAM
HENRY. (Thomas Janes was mbr of 2nd Provincial Congress of SC
17751776.)
pp 8082 Malcomb Henry of York Co. to John Gordon of same
1786 500a on headwaters of Allison's Creek and Bullock's Creek
on both sides of the Wagon Road including the plantation wheron
EZEKIEL POLK formerly lived, "conveyed Ezekiel Polk to Henry
Williams, to Thomas Roden, to John Buis and to Malcomb Henry".
Wit: John Lesly, John Gordon.... comment: I am not sure about
Allison's Creek but Bullock's Creek, as I understand it, begins
at King's Mountain with Clark's Fork and goes south and is entirely
in York SC, but early on the border was vague and this "no
man's land" had the name of "The New Acquisition"
and which state it belonged to was not clear. Interesting that
Ezekiel Polk once had the above property. As I recall, it
was he who searched out the suspected Tories of the area and he
required Nathaniel Harrison and others of this area to take an
oath of neutrality, implying that they were sympathetic to Tories.
I understand he was from Mecklenburg.
pp 9193. Samuel Gordon and wife Mary of Camden District
SC to William and John Hood of same Nov 29, 1779 50a both sides
Clark's Fork Bullock's Creek, the upper part of Samuel Gordon's
tract of 225a deeded by John David to Gordon being part of a tract
of 450 a granted to William
[fright
and bounded by Joseph
Clark, and on NE by Robert Swan, deed and by lands conveyed to
Davidson to Moses Wright, heir of William Wright; including mill
where Hood now lives. Wit James Pinkerton, John Fulton, Archibald
Barron. Comment: Now we have Hoods and presumably all Hoods of
York Co. SC are from Tunis Hood who was married to a Harrison.
Lived in SC but on the border within 3 miles of Harrison Methodist
Church in Mecklenburg, NC, built by Harrison Hood. Incidentally,
I just received a family history book, GORDON KINSHIP by Nancy
McBride. It appears to be an excellent book but no index! I will
have to read the book to see if there are connections shown here.
Wrights were ancestors of Harrisons and Hoods since Isaiah Harrison
Sr. m one.
NORTH CAROLINA LAND GRANTS IN SOUTH CAROLINA by Brent Holcomb.
p 137, Tryon County. William Henry File # 183. Grant no 177 Bk
20, p 518 Plat: surveyed for William Henry, 100a in Mecklenburg
(stricken) Tryon County on water's of Allison's Creek, John Gordon's
corner Feb 14, 1769 Peter Johnston surveyor, Andrew Patrick, Alexr.Henry,
C.B. Grant issued 16 Dec 1769.
BUNCOMBE COUNTY DEED INDEX. mere are numerous Henry deeds. many
of which are grants. These are to Joseph, Joseph et al, Malcomb,
Melinda, Robert, Robert et al, and William and William L. Henry.
1030 1805 Malcomb Henry bought 200 a Turkey Creek from Robert
Newton and sold 125 acres of it to John Wells in 1815...1 found
something else interesting in this index: Three items below this
reference is Humphrey Posey selling to John Wells, two pieces
of property on Turkey Creek, 200a 1817 and 50a the same day. I
did not realize that Rev. Humphrey Posey was in this part of Buncombe.
I knew he went to Macon County and became the famous Cherokee
Missionary and later moved to GA. So, he no doubt knew the various
Rev. Harrisons and Granthams back home on Turkey Creek, though
Rev. Grantham and Rev Jeremiah Harrison also went to Macon Co.
and lived in the same neighborhood as Rev. Posey. Recall that
Rev. John Grantham and his Harrison wife named a son Posey Grantham.
ROSTER OF SC PATRIOTS IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION by Bobby Gilmer
Moss. mere are a number of Henry's listed such as John Henry from
Augusta Co. VA to Fishing Creek in York SC. Another(?) John Henry
m Elizabeth Bowers and ha served in the American Militia but his
wife was a messenger for the British (Loyalist Claims XXVI, 72)
Malcomb Henry b Dec 21 1755 Rowan Co. NC d 24 Apr 1840. He served
from York District and was a scout. He was made Captain of an
NC Unit. Battle of King's Mountain. Moved to MS, TN and NC (Buncombe)
William Henry m Isabella McKeown. From Augusta Co. VA. Lived 3
miles from King's Mountain and with his four sons he fought in
the battle there.
So, Henrys from Augusta County VA as were the Harrisons and settled
as neighbors to Harrisons in York Co. SC and Buncombe on Turkey
Creek. Some of them had questionable patriotism... but so did
a majority of the people in the back country of SC especially
in the early part of the Revolution.
Many Tories of SC became patriots later on.
Mrs. Hulse received a letter from Patricia Cothran of Asheville,
NC. She had read her article in A LOT OF BUNKUM about some of
the errors and the corrections about Harrisons of Buncombe. She
also read an article written by my wife in MADISON COUNTY HERITAGE
and a small book we wrote about Harrisons, Hawkins and Worleys
a number of years ago and in the libraries there. (It is now way
out of date and the more recent article in Madison County Heritage
was to bring it more up to date).
She is interested in the same problems we are: namely the Thomas
Harrison family of the 1800 census, and in Rev. Nathan Harrison.
Cough she does not give any of her ancestry, most likely she is
one of the "Asheville Harrisons" closely related to
my wife. I too have written her and hopefully we have a newly
discovered worker in the field!... and on site where it all happened
FROM REBECCA WALLS of Avon Park, FL. She too had read my wife's
article in MADISON COUNTY HERITAGE and wrote to her. Her husband
is the Harrison. She sent along some information. He is descended
from Thomas Harrison m Nancy Bryan in Knox Co. KY. He was b 1800
in Buncombe County, NC and died 1846 in Hendricks Co. IN. She
has information from someone else who says that her Thomas Harrison
was the son of John Harrison and Margaret Davis of Buncombe and
that John Harrison was b 1774 in GA or NC and died 1854 in Hendricks
Co. IN. His wife Margaret Davis b 1781 NC and died 1867 Hendricks
Co., IN.
This of course is John Harrison of the 1800 census of Helen Niewendorp,
to whom I sent the information, and we assume that he was a son
of Thomas Harrison of the 1800 census. I have not checked to see
if there are any discrepancies or omissions compared to Helen's
work, but I particularly noticed the statement that John Harrison
was born either in NC or GA. That fits with other information
that these Harrisons spent some time in GA before settling in
York SC/Rutherford NC. mat is the story we get from Rev. Thomas
Harrison who went from Buncombe to St. Clair Co. IL.
Hopefully we have a new source with a new recruit to the cause
and with some clues to solve all our Harrison problems! I am glad
she decided to research her husband's ancestors!
FROM RUTH BOWERS.
She sent information on Hightowers who come from Buncombe and
have connections with her Granthams/Harrisons. They were earlier
McHightowers and later dropped the Mc.
Sterling McHightower m Beersheba Davis.. no dates or any other
information about them, but they did have children:
1. Hugh McHightower b 1803 m 1824 Deliah Hicks in Wilson Co. TN.
2. Sarah b 1810 m James King in TN son of Andrew
3. Nancy Jane b 1803 m William King brother of above of Wilson
Co. TN
#1. Hugh McHightower b in Buncombe 1803, d 1879 Poweshiek Iowa.
His wife Deliah Hicks b 1806 Wilson TN, died 1896 Chapman, IL,
age 90. Children:
a. Alfred M. b 1824 Franklin, TN m 1846 Sarah Grantham, Montgomery
Co. IL. Sarah Grantham b c 1823 KY dau of James & Frances
(Sights) Grantham. Alfred m 2nd Miss P.V. Ridgeway d/o C.W. of
Ohio.
b. through k. I will not go into all of these children but they
were primarily at Montgomery Co. IL and close relatives of Ruth
Bowers. I will
go into:
g. Sterling Silvester Hightower (no Mc) b Feb 4 1840 Montgomery,
IL d March 6 1917 Webb City, MO m 9 Oct 1864 in Montgomery IL,
Mrs. Angeline (Hancock) Westbrook. She b 1843 d 1929, dau of John
Hancock and Nancy Liles. She had previously m James Westbrook
in Montgomery Co. IL 1858. They had 9 children who moved to various
locations and I will not go into them... but they were Hightowers
not McHightowers.
Ruth has a note: Deliah Hicks, wife of Hugh McHightower was a
sister of Hannah (Hicks) Harrison Kelly ? Son Silas m Mary Grantham
d/o Elizabeth (Harrison) Grantham.... This brings to mind a book
I have, THE ANCESTORS AND DESCENDANTS OF JUDGE JOHN ALEXANDER
KELLY AND MARTHA MATILDA PECK KELLY and Related Families 15151959,
edited by Roberta Matilda Copenhaver. This is a huge book of 897
pages. This book has little to do with Harrisons but does have
some of Tazewell Co. VA (LOT), but this does have a lot about
my wife's Bordens and Hawkins going back on Bordens to 1515. Involved
with the Bordens were Pecks and a great deal of the book is about
Pecks but the Pecks had Hicks descendants who were heirs of the
Borden estate and had numerous lawsuits about that. Some of these
Hicks lived in Sequatchie Valley of TN which contains some of
the Cherokee Reservations with which we have been involved. Sequatchie
River runs into the TN River in or near Chattanooga and Alabama
Cherokee Territory. One of these Hicks is thought to be
Elijah Hicks, prominent Cherokee intellectual and involved with
Sequoyah and mentioned earlier in this paper. This book also goes
into the Kellys, Quakers from Maryland. Unfortunately, it does
not go into Hicks in great detail.
Ruth enclosed more Hightower information involving Margaret Hightower,
daughter of Hugh and Deliah Hicks. One of her 12 children also
m a Hightower.
Also from Mrs. Bowers is a paper, BENNETT'S BAYOU, BENNETT'S RIVER
18301900 by Donald S. Hubbell Jr. along with a map of the
area. Hightowers are there too: Jackson and Andrew, but turns
out that this is one person with both names of Andrew Jackson
Hightower. This also involved Jacob Wilson who was a Bushwacker
and murderer. I will not go into all the detail on this but it
is a follow up to p 7 of my February 1997 Harrison Notes, which
in turn was a follow up to my January 1997 Harrison Notes. This
involves the Wilburns/ Welborns of Abbott's Creek Baptist Community
in present Davidson Co. NC and the Wilsons. Ruth has connections
there too.
This paper has data such as censuses about a small area of Arkansas
just across the border from Ozark Co. MO. Oldham Hightower was
there in 1850, an aged man no doubt the same man in early Buncombe.
Yoachums were there whose connections go back to Carolls of Montgomery
Co. IL, Lydia Wilson dau of John Wilson and Ruth Wilburn from
the Abbott's Creek Baptist Community. So too was Nicholas McCarty
married to Sarah Wilson also dau of John Wilson and Ruth Wilburn.
But especially interesting to me are Hawkins from Buncombe. One
was Benjamin Hawkins farmer and Baptist preacher age 65 in 1850
and b in SC, wife Elizabeth b in GA. But more Hawkins who were
younger and b in TN and one b KY. Others younger b in MO. Also
an Elizabeth Galbraith 36 b VA, and a black Hawkins family.
On the map, just across the border in Ozark Co. MO is Hawkins'
Ridge. I have long been in contact with a Hawkins relative derived
from Buncombe who lives in Ozark Co. MO. His farm was originally
owned by a Snelson probably of the Buncombe Snelsons of Rev. John
Thomas Snelson whose son m a Harrison and he went west to MO for
mining and took many Buncombeites with him, including Hawkins
and Martins. I wonder if my friend knows all about his
Arkansas relatives? I have asked.
FROM BO SMITH. In reference to p 4 of my Feb. 1997 Harrison Notes,
I mention that Thomas Harrison's Cherokee wife had previously
been married to a Lovett (white). Bo has Lovett ancestry through
his
Hicks
ancestry and he is investigating this. .. does
this mean that Lovetts are related to Hisks, both of the Cherokee
variety?... I also mentioned on p 6 of Feb. Notes about the Ikards
as guardian of Ikard orphans, and Betty Jo Hulse had pointed out
that these were grand children of Thomas Harrison who m Nancy
Pack. Bo also has Ikards... He also has some more information
on Jacob Martin as I reported on p 5, from Bo Smith. There was
a George Mart in who filed a Rev. War application from McMinn
Co. TN. The abstract stated that he was b Lancaster Co. PA. Assuming
that this is Jacob Martin's known brother George, this nails Jacob's
origins also to Lancaster, PA. Moreover George Martin lived in
Buncombe for about 15 years ... I find this especially interesting
because there were so many Martins and an other whole bunch of
them in the mining areas of MO apparently involved with Rev. Thomas
Snelson. George could have had a large family too, to furnish
those MO Martins.... Bo also found Jacob Wetzel from Lancaster
PA. This was the one who Jacob Martin substituted for for a part
of his military service as reported Feb Notes.
Incidentally, the name Wetzel has been bugging me and now I know
why. Probably irrelevant but in a recent catalog of HERITAGE BOOK
NEWS there are three references to an important Wetzel: 1. page
18, RECOLLECTIONS OF LEWIS BENNETT, JR (17781850) AND THE
BENNETT AND WETZEL FAMILIES BY Jared C. Lobdell. Lewis Bennett
Jr (a relative of mine) was the cousin of Lewis Wetzel. Wetzel
lived with Bennett. Wetzel illiterate but had an outstanding career
and in effect, Bennett wrote his memoirs for him since Wetzel
was illiterate. 2. THE LIFE AND TIMES OF LEWIS WETZEL by Clarence
Brent Allman. Wetzel a rugged frontier hero who had many adventures,
escapes and battles in the wilderness of Kentucky, PA, West VA,
and Ohio. His father and uncle were John and
Martin Wetzel
who came to America from Switzerland in 1747... 3. p 49. FURTHER
MATERIALS ON LEWIS WETZEL AND THE UPPER OHIO FRONTIER: THE HISTORICAL
NARRATIVE OF GEORGE EDDINGTON, PETER HENRY'S ACCOUNT. THE NARRATIVE
OF SPENCER RECORDS, THE REMINISCENCES OF STEPHEN BURKHAM. ...
I never heard of the guy until very recently but apparently quite
famous. Of course it was not Lewis Wetzel for whom Jacob Martin
substituted but John Wetzel.. any relationship?
SNELSON LINEAGE & HISTORICAL RECORDS, by Leona Williams Smith
1982, p 81. This is a chapter on the Children of Rev. John Thomas
Snelson of Newfound Baptist Church who went to Ohio and then MO
for mining with other Buncombe people. "..One record from
the descendants of Joseph Harrison, father of Rachel Harrison
Snelson, lists a brother of Rachel's as Mourning Harrison and
that he married a Mrs. Snelson in Buncombe County North Carolina.
It is possible that one of the sons left a widow who later married
this Mourning Harrison. But at this time we have no record of
this marriage or proof that there was, indeed, another son of
John Thomas Snelson. Therefore this matter remains open to speculation,
at this time ."... I had previously assumed that Mourning
Harrison was female but I never knew what happened to her. I do
not know what record says this a Bible?
FROM JULIE HAMPTON GANIS. She is discussing the Edgecombe Co.
NC Harrisons about whom I reported some while back. I had mentioned
Richard Harrison but I did not know who he belonged to. She has
checked into him further. Her
Harrisons were in the next county over Halifax NC, and
Richard had a dealing or two with her Gideon Harrison's brother,
Jesse Harrison. She has not found a connection yet but she is
looking.
From
Bible Records of Edgecombe County
,
NC.
Richard
Harrison son of Kinneln and Mary Ann Harrison of St. Mary's Co.
MD and Edgecombe Co. NC m Jan 30, 1768 MD, died May 19, 1856,
buried at Greenwood Cemetery Tarboro, NC. Married c 1800 to Martha
Smith (widow of Marmaduke Bell). She b Jan 2 1768, d Oct 24, 1833.
Their child: James Bircon Harrison b June 24, 1801 d 1826. Her
children from 1st marriage: Milley Smith Bell, Benjamin Bell.
Richard had sister Mary Harrison (b June 19, 1774 d Aug 1, 1837)
m 1st 1793 to Louis Dichen who died 1802, m 2nd Willis Richard
Powell Sept 9, 1804. He died 1811.
Halifax Co. Deed: Richard Harrison and wife Martha both of Edgecombe
Co., to Nicholas Dickson of Halifax... land belonging to Martha's
former husband Marmaduke Bell . date?
Dec 11, 1792 Halifax Co. NC Estate of Mary Ann Harrison, Inventory
by Henry and Richard Harrison. Ch: Margaret, Mary, Ann, Henry,
Richard Harrison.
Feb 7, 1795/9 Halifax Deed Jesse Harrison of Halifax Co. to Shadrack
Bell of same for 100 pounds, 81 acres on S. side of Kahuk, joining
Marmaduke Norfleet. Wit: Richard Harrison, Grundson Harrison (Gideon?
Julie's ancestor?)
March 11, 1799. Halifax Co. deed: Richard Harrison of Halifax
Co. to his daughter in law Milly Smith Bell, 1 negro boy Guy.
wit: Shadrack Bell.
Aug 1797 Halifax Co.: Richard Harrison appointed guardian of Milley
Bell.
Oct 17, 1799 Halifax Co.: Richard Harrison witnessed deed of William
Bryant.
1800 census Edgecombe Co. Richard Harrison Esq. 1 male 2645,
1 fem 2645 2 fem 1016, 21 slaves.
Feb 1801 Halifax Co. allotment of dower to Martha relict of Marmaduke
Bell and her present husband Richard etc.
Mar 15 1806 Halifax Co. John Alsbrook of Halifax to Richard Harrison
of Edgecombe Co. negroes Joe, Beck, Charlotte and Jenny.
1810 census Edgecombe (Only Harrison in county) p 751 Richard
Harrison 3 m under 10, 1 male 2545, 1 fem 2645, 49
slaves.
1820 census Edgecombe. p 31. Richard Harrison , p 7 John Harrison
1850 census Edgecombe house 137: Ritchard Harrison82 farmer,
born MD real estate value $572, Allen Sorrel 50 b NC
Richard Harrison's estate inherited by his 2 sisters Mary and
_ (Mary died 1837)
I have not found the paper I wrote about the Edgecombe Harrisons,
but I do recall and have found another Bible Record of Edwin Fagin
Harrison of Edgecombe NC. He was b 1818 and was a son of Nehemiah
Harrison and wife Elizabeth. I suspected this was Nehemiah from
Mecklenburg NC but no proof. I also recall but cannot find at
the moment, more about Nehemiah of Edgecombe. I cannot connect
any of this with Julie's Gideon Harrison or this Richard Harrison
above, though certainly a relationship should be considered since
they lived so close.. but Richard b in Maryland!
