PART 2
Before I continue this part I want to explain that there were TWO Jane Thornburg(h)s in this life story. Do not confuse this Jane Thornburgh with the Jane Thornburg that married George Haworth in Highland County, Ohio in 1812. Both families were living in Guilford County at the same time and may have had a distant relationship.

As I mentioned in part 1, Richard Mendenhall, son of Mordecai and Charity Beeson Mendenhall accompanied his parents to Rowan County in 1751-1752. On June 24, 1758 Richard’s marriage to Jane Thornburgh was recorded in the Minutes of New Garden Monthly Meeting. The couple was probably married at Deep River Meeting at an earlier date but I have not been able to find those records.

I do not know where Richard and Jane lived except that it was probably close to his parents and they were members of Deep River Meeting. There is a notation at Deep River monthly meeting that Richard Mendenhall departed this life or was lost in 1773. I am sure that you all remember that Richard was killed by Indians just after dawn on October 10, 1773 in (what is now) Russell County, Virginia while on an failed expedition to Kentucky with Daniel Boone. As a bit of an aside, I remind you that James Haworth was also reported to have been on this expedition. I have no ideas on how Richard became acquainted with Boone or why he chose to go to Kentucky. I assume that since the Boone party was made up of several “Regulators” (google Regulator War) Richard may have had sympathetic feeling towards this group. Contemporary news reports at the following link.
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~drakerobinson/OtherPages/BooneDeath.htm

There is a discussion on who the parents of this Jane Thornburgh were. It appears the two likely candidates are Thomas and Sarah Thornburgh and Walter and Margaret Thornburgh with no absolute proof for either couple. However Walter and Margaret were neighbors of Mordecai and Charity Mendenhall in North Carolina and had purchased property from the Mendenhalls. Mordecai Mendenhall leased land from agents of the Earl of Granville in 1753 located in the southwest corner of present day Guilford County and then in 1757 he released (sold) the land to Walter and Margaret Thornbrough. This Walter is listed in some genealogy sites as an older brother of the Edward Thornburgh that married Ann Armfield listed below.

John Mendenhall, son of Richard and Jane Thornburgh Mendenhall, was born in Rowan County (now Guilford) on March 6, 1759 (MFA listing). John married Ruth Brown, daughter of Joseph and Ann Jones Morgan Brown, May 6, 1785 (MFA listing).

Joseph Mendenhall, son of John and Ruth Brown Mendenhall, was born in Guilford County October 2, 1787 (MFA listing).

On August 2, 1804 Springfield Monthly Meeting granted certificates to John and Ruth Brown Mendenhall and family and John’s mother Jane to Miami Monthly Meeting in Ohio. John, Ruth and family are recorded as arriving in Ohio, Jane is not. (MFA lists Jane’s death date as June 7, 1796 at Deep River, Guilford County, North Carolina. MFA also lists Jane‘s parents as Walter and Margaret Slade Thornburgh without reference.)

Ruth Large Brown, widow of Thomas Brown of Frederick County, Virginia (now Berkeley County, West Virginia) and the mother of Joseph Brown, was received on certificate from Hopewell Monthly Meeting to Cane Creek Monthly Meeting “received 1753 11 4“. Ruth died in Rowan County (now Guilford) on May 22, 1763, her death is listed in the Minutes of New Garden Monthly Meeting.

I found no record for Joseph Brown, son of Thomas and Ruth Large Brown, transferring his church membership to North Carolina but he seems to have appeared in this area in 1762 when a Joseph Brown purchased property. Joseph married Ann Jones Morgan, widow of Henry Morgan and their marriage is listed at Cane Creek Monthly Meeting October 27, 1763. Ann is believed to have been the daughter of John and Mary Jones.
Joseph sold the Brown home property in Virginia, 428 acres and the house, to Thomas Ellis on September 12, 1766. Joseph lived in Rowan County, North Carolina at the time of the sale. Ruth Brown, the daughter of Joseph and Ann Jones Morgan Brown, was born near New Garden Monthly Meeting on April 4, 1767.

Joseph Thornburgh and Ann Armfield
The following is quoted from:
Newsletter, Armfield Family, Volume 6, Number 3 March , 2011
“Ann was received on certificate (roc) at the Cane Creek Monthly Meeting on 7 Mar 1752, as listed in the Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy , page 1 372. We have been unable to find the name of the monthly meeting that issued this certificate. In 1752 Cane Creek would have been in Orange County, NC. Ann was married by 30 Nov 1754 in Rowan County as the New Garden MM recorded her marriage to Joseph Thornbrough as condemned out of unity (mou) on that date. The circumstances of this condemnation are unknown. Joseph was a birthright Quaker by having been born into a Quaker family. Joseph was later received to New Garden MM on 25 Sep 1756. A record of their marriage has not been found in any Quaker or civil documents. Their eight children are listed in New Garden Monthly Meeting, in the Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, page 519. Many of these children married within the Quaker faith.”

“We do not have much more documentation on Ann. While there is no primary source
records to prove Ann was the daughter of Isaac, Sr., it is taken more or less for granted due to circumstantial evidence. Several researchers have used the name Nancy Ann, but again no source for this name has been found. Ann was often used as a nickname for Nancy. Ann was born about 1732 possibly in Concord Township, Lancaster County, PA. Concord Township in Lancaster County is now located in Delaware County, PA. Some researchers have written that Ann went back to Pennsylvania to marry Joseph, but even though that’s certainly possible, that would have been a very difficult journey at that time for a young woman. It would seem more likely Ann came to North Carolina as a single woman and married Joseph in North Carolina.”
“……….Joseph’s place of birth as Pennsylvania in 1728. Joseph Thornborough was the son of Edward & Jean Thornborough.”

“…………..Ann was alive in January of 1793 as she was mentioned in Joseph’s will and in Aug of 1800 when Joseph’s will was probated. She would have been about sixty-eight years old in 1800. A record of her death or where she may have been buried has not been found. Joseph died 25 Jun 1800 in Guilford County and according to family histories was buried at the New Garden MM Burial Grounds. The original copy of his will is in the North Carolina Archives. Written in Joseph’s will, “Wife Ann to receive mare, 2 cows, furniture and Maintenance during widowhood. Son Joseph -100 acres where he lives. Sons Edward & Isaac remainder of land. Daughters Ann Hoggatt, Mary Hodgson, Margaret Hoggatt, & Elizabeth Hodgson- each five shillings. Exrs. sons Edward & Joseph Thornburgh. Wits: William Armfield, Esqr., Joseph Thornburgh.” Source: "Guilford County, North Carolina Will Abstracts 1771-1841" by Irene B. Webster.”

“Ann and Joseph Thornbrough were the parents of eight children as listed in Hinshaws
Quaker abstracts:
1. Jane b. 21 Oct 1754; d. 17 Aug 1763 Rowan County, NC
2. Edward b. 30 Mar 1757; d. 19 Dec 1839 Randolph County, NC; m. #1 Phebe Summer
abt 1779 #2 Keziah Wright 09 Jan 1803
3. Joseph b. 29 Feb 1759; d. 13 May 1842 Rush County, IN; m. Rachel Brown 14 Feb
1782
4. Ann b. 22 Nov 1761; d. 12 Oct 1832 Clinton County, OH; m. Joseph Hoggatt 05 May
1784
5. Mary b. 13 Mar 1764; d. 11 Aug 1842 Washington County, IN; m. #1 Nathan Hiatt 11
Mar 1784 #2 William Hodgson 21 Dec 1790
6. Margaret b. 10 Jan 1767; d. 23 Sep 1843 Henry County, IA; m. Stephen Hoggatt 03 Mar 1786
7. Elizabeth b. 1 Feb 1769; d. 17 Oct 1794 Guilford County, NC; m. Hur Hodgson 03 Dec
1788
8. Isaac b. 6 Oct 1773; d. 28 Jun 1862 Randolph County, IN; m. #1 Rebecca Hodgson 04
Oct 1792 #2 Mary Ann Ring”

“………..Various spellings include: Thornbury, Thornburgh, Thornburg, Thornberry. The family was Irish and the name was pronounced Thorn-bree.”

Edward Thornburgh was the second child of Joseph and Ann Armfield Thornburgh. Edward married Phoebe Sumner, daughter of Robert and Phoebe Beals Canaday Sumner, about 1779. Edward was dismissed from the church on March 3, 1780 at New Garden Monthly Meeting for his marriage out of unity to Phoebe. I find this odd because Phoebe was a birthright Quaker, so I am guessing that they were married in a civil ceremony but no record of such has been found yet.

Their daughter Jane Thornburg(h) is listed in the records at New Garden as being born May 16, 1795. This is the Jane Thornburg that married George Haworth. Edward and Phoebe had 10 children, all listed in the record of New Garden Monthly Meeting. It appears that Phoebe died March 8, 1802 shortly after the birth of their last child Jacob. Phoebe is listed as being buried at New Garden. Here again we have some irregularity in the Quaker records as there are some differences in birth dates listed at New Garden and in records at Fairfied in Ohio.

Edward married second Keziah Wright, the marriage listed at New Garden Monthly Meeting on January 9, 1803. Edward and Keziah of Sandy Spring Meeting and family, including all of Phoebe’s children, received a certificate to transfer to Miami Monthly Meeting in Ohio on September 27, 1806 from New Garden Monthly Meeting.

William and Charity Dillon Rees my 5th great grandparents and their family were granted a certificate from Hopewell Monthly Meeting, Frederick County Virginia to New Garden Monthly Meeting, Guilford County, North Carolina “6,4, 1772”. Their daughter Mary as a girl of 5 accompanied them on their move. (I am sure that you will remember that Mary married James Haworth.)

Guilford County, North Carolina, Deed Book One page 276.
18 10th month 1772, Simeon Taylor & Esther his wife of Guilford,
planter, to William Rees of same, planter, five shillings, 208 acres, on both
sides of Reedy Fork, begin at a white oak saplin, S 21 ch. to a hicory, W 45
1/2 ch. to a white oak bush on Forster's line, his line N cross Reedy Fork to
/2 ch. to a white oak, E 25 ch. to the center of 3 black oaks, N 17 1/2 ch.
to a white oak bush, E 12 1/2 ch. to a hicory, S12E 14 1/2 ch. to a black oak
David Macy's cor., S on Macy's line cross Reedy Fork 34 ch. to a black oak, E
4 ch. to a white oak saplin the first station; signed: Simeon Taylor, Esther
Taylor; witness: Daniel Dillion, Joseph Perkins; proved August 1774 Term by
Dillion.

page 277.
8 12th month 1772, Simeon Taylor & Esther his wife of Guilford,
planter, to William Rees of same, planter, two hundred pounds, 208 acres,
(The above two entries are a lease and a release for the same property.)

From Sarah (Haworth) Carr from a statement made by her father Rees Haworth who was a son of James and Mary Rees Haworth, Rushville, Indiana February 17, 1907.
"My mother was born in Virginia but moved with her parents to North Carolina, settling near Guilford Court House. She was in hearing of the battle which was fought there on the fifteen of March 1781. She sat upon the door-step of her father's house and saw the ambulance wagons go by with the dead and wounded soldiers; she saw the blood dripping from the wagons. She was only fourteen years of age and this awful sight made an impression on her mind she never forgot."

The information on Robert and Phoebe Beals Canaday Sumner is confusing at best. I have yet to find a firm death date for Robert and only sketchy references for death information. I also have no idea why his will was not probated until several years after his death was reported. So, the following is the best that I have for now.

Robert Sumner is assumed to have been born in what is now Fairfax or Loudon County, Virginia in 1716, his parents are unknown. He married Phoebe Beals Canaday, widow of John Canaday and daughter of John and Sarah Bowater Beals in Fairfax County, Virginia November 29, 1746. This marriage was out of unity with the Quakers and Phoebe was disowned. However on "26-6-1749" Robert was received into membership on request at the Fairfax Monthly Meeting, so all was forgiven.

The family was granted a certificate to Carver's Creek Monthly Meeting, Bladen County, North Carolina "2-2- 1751", then transferred to Cane Creek Monthly Meeting and were received there "7-10- 1751", then the family transfered their membership to New Garden Monthly Meeting in what is now Guilford County in 1754. Phoebe, daughter of Robert and Phoebe Beals Canaday Sumner, and was born 5/18/1755 and her birth was recorded at New Garden.

Westfield Meeting, originally known as Tom’s Creek Meeting, was established in Surry County in the 1760’s under the guidance of New Garden. While I have not seen Robert's name on a membership roster for Westfield Meeting, it was the only Meeting in the area and several of his sons were known members. That and the fact that Robert's will was probated in Surry County makes me feel that he and his family were members. Several family web sites state that Robert and Phoebe were buried at New Garden Monthly Meeting however, they were both probably buried at Westfield Meeting. I say this for two reasons, New Garden was in charge of the Westfield Meeting so they did keep their records and New Garden was 60 some miles away across a mountain and it would have been, to say the least, impractical to transport them that distance.

Robert's made his will on 31 10th month 1775 and death is reported December 1, 1776 (also given as 1777 and 1779 at various sites) however his will was not recorded until the May Court session 1785 in Surry County. Find a grave website lists his burial at Jamestown FBG in Guilford County. I have not seen a copy of his will but there is an abstract on line that mentions an unnamed wife, sons Thomas, Robert, Boater, William, Caleb, Joshua, daughters, Phebe, Prudence, Abigail and Sarah. Executors Boater Bales, Boater Summers (Cousins Bowater Bales and Bowater Sumner (Cousins to each other, not Robert.)). Witness Uriah (x) Carson, Strangeman Stanley, Proved by Strangeman Stanley.

Surry County, NC, Will Abstracts Pg 175
List of wills at the North Carolina State Archives
Summers, Robert 31 10th mo. 1775 May 1785
(Sumners)

The following two references would indicate that Robert died in late 1776 or early 1777.
Title: Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy.
Author: William Wade Hinshaw
Publication: Thomas Worth Marshall, Editor and Compiler. Ann Arbor, Mich.
Page: Vol 1 page 575
Note: 1777, 4, 26, Robert Sumner's death rpd.

Thomas Sumner, Surry Co., son of Robert, deceased, m. Hannah Hiatt dt. Joseph, same place, 8-10-1777 at Tom's Creek. Wit: David Ballard, John Jackson, William Beales, John Hiatt, Thos. Beales, Isaac Jones, Ann Hiatt, Ruth Jackson, Mary Carson, Sarah Beales, John Burras, Phebe Beales
Phoebe Beals Canaday Sumner is reported to have died in Surry County on August 19, 1805.

‘The Westfield Monthly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends, better known in this area as "Old Westfield", is the oldest church in Surry or Stokes County and probably the oldest religious group in Northwest North Carolina this side of the Moravian settlements of what is now Winston Salem. The Meeting dates back to the 1760's when pioneer Quakers from New Garden (now Guilford College) crossed Quaker Gap of the Sauratown mountains to plant a new community in the valleys of Big Creek and Tom's Creek.”

“Early Quakers began holding meetings at Westfield by 1772 under the care of New Garden Quarterly Meeting and continued until the monthly meeting was established in 1786. Representatives from New Garden were sent to hold services for them. This is said to have lead to the name, "Westfield." The Quakers at New Garden regarded the work as a mission project and since it was located west of New Garden it was referred to as, "The Western Field." Thus comes the name, "Westfield." “
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~quakers/westfield.htm ^

Our James Haworth and his brother George were probably also in the area from about 1773 to 1781 when they moved west into what is now Tennessee but I do not know where they were located.

Strangeman and Elizabeth Cox Hutchins were living in a part of Surry County that is now Yadkin County. They were the parents of Jane Hutchins who married Athanasius Barnett. Strangeman died in Surry County February 10, 1792.

As for the paternal side, Thomas and Elizabeth Stockton Lockhart, my great grandparents, were in Orange County, North Carolina prior to 1771. William, son of Thomas and Elizabeth Stockton, was born in Orange County in December 1771.
The family sold their property in North Carolina in 1780 and returned to Henry County, Virginia.

Thomas’ son and his son’s wife, William and Elizabeth Fletcher Lockhart, moved to Surry County, North Carolina about 1800 and remained there until about 1816 when he sold his property and moved to Washington County, Indiana. William appears on the census for 1810 and a tax listing for 1812 showing that he was taxed for 170 acres. William was a farmer and operated a nursery and took cuttings and seeds to Indiana where he also operated a nursery.

MAP
This map shows the approximate location of points of interest.

1. Property of William and Charity Rees.
2. Guilford Court House Battlefield.
3. New Garden Monthly Meeting.
4. Joseph and Ann Armfield Thornburg.
5. Stokes County. Surry County is directly west of Stokes.
6. Deep River Monthly Meeting.
7. Property of Mordecai and Charity Mendenhall.
8. Springfield Monthly Meeting.
9. Property of Richard and Charity Beeson.
10. Centre Monthly Meeting.
11. Sandy Spring Meeting.
12. Property of Joseph and Ann Jones Morgan Brown.
13. Cane Creek Monthly Meeting.






There are several families to cover in this area so I have split this post into two parts.
PART 1.…
Anson, Orange, Rowan, Surry and Guilford Counties, North Carolina.

To simplify matters, I am mentioning only counties that were formed in which we have a family interest. Anson County was formed in 1750 and was a very large territory with undefined northern and western boundaries. In 1753, the northern part of Anson County became Rowan County. Orange County was formed in 1752 from parts of Bladen, Granville, and Johnston Counties; in 1770 the western part of Orange and the eastern part of Rowan County were joined to form Guilford County. In 1771 the northeastern part of the remains of Rowan County became Surry County. Stokes county was formed in 1789 from Surry County. In 1849, the western third of Orange County became Alamance County which now borders Guilford on the east. (I think.)

Richard and Charity Grubb Beeson were received at New Garden Monthly Meeting in Rowan County, North Carolina on November 20, 1754, on a certificate issued from Hopewell Monthly Meeting in Virginia on September 2, 1754.< Hopewell Friends History. It would appear that the Beesons made the trip in a relatively short time. It would also appear that both Richard and Charity were in ill health during this time period. I have included the following two letters in some family papers before but some of you may not have seen them so I will include them here.

A Letter From Charity Grubb Beeson to her sister, Phebe Grubb Hadley.
"Loving Sister,
This is to let thee know that we have Received three letters from ye and three presents therein I sent the[e] no letters; I had not freedom Last winter was a year, I had a long time of sickness which brought me very loe in body, and mind and now I am troubled with short breath so that I think I am going home softly. I thought it would Trouble Thee more to let thee know my condition Then send no letters.

I goes to meeting sometimes; we have a meting every other fifth day at our house, my husband grose weakly; the Lord who Lited our candles hath not put them out. Our children Remember their loves to you all. I have sente two presents to the[e] as a toacon of Love and youenity. We donte know that thear heath bene any mischif done in the government as yet by the Indins, but dont know how soon thear may be for some is doubtfull thear my be before the truble some times be over. I desire the[e] to remember oure kind Loves to all oure neare Relations and friends. We under Stand that oure brother John Grubb is desesed, but we have no Cartunty of it. I desire thee to let me know what is become of Peter Grubb's widow. Remember my Love to brother Henry Grubb in particular. So we ad no more at present but Remembering our kind Loves to thee and thy family the 28th of ye fifth month, 1758.

Richard Beeson
Charity Beeson
the tocens which I sente was Love and Youenity"
^Source: Beeson Genealogy, by Jasper Luther Beeson. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina

The return letter From Phebe Grubb Hadley to her sister, Charity Grubb Beeson.
"Ye 9th of ye 9th mo; 1758;
West Bradford, Chester County

Loving Brother and Sister;
I received Your Letter this day, Dated ye 5th Month 1758, in which I had Great statisfaction to hear of You, Except that Impediment and Stopage in my Sister's Breath and my Brother's Weakness for which I am Ready to Sympathise With, Still hoping that Light, the Grace of God, may be your instructor Until it may Please Him to Call us Unto Himself Which is my Desire Both for you and myself, it Gives me Great Satisfaction to hear of your Keeping to meeting knowing by Experience the Benefit of Waiting Upon the Lord of help in this time of trouble. I have at this time no Child at home But I Acknowledge for myself on the Behalf of my children the Love My cousins has Remembered to us. The Present you have sent to me I Acknowledge and hope to keep as a Sure token of friendship. My desire is that you may be Still kept from the Merciless hand of the Enemy [Indians] and Above the fear of them by trusting in the god of all strength. We have frequently heard of their doing Mischief in the Province.

According to Your desire I shall Let our Relations Know the Contents of your Letter as soon as Possible; the time being so short I have not as yet had no Opportunity But I shall be Carefull. Brother John Grubb is Certainly Deceased this Life he Died with the Gravel and Was decently Buried at Chichester in Friends Buring Ground, the Corps Accompanied by Brothers Emanuel, Samuel, Nathaniel and my self, With a great Company of Others. Brother John has set his two oldest Negroes free and the Rest to be set free at twenty five Years of age. Sister Hannah Grubb Lives at Wilmington & among her Children. I saw her Lately. She lives Exceeding Well full and Plenty. My Children and family is at Present in health as Usual and their families. My son Nathaniel and Isaac is out at Work at the mason trade. Joseph is at John Wall's. John Wall, my son in Law has a daughter about nine months old and Calls Her Name Charity.

Our Brothers is all in Good health Except our Living and Beloved Brother Samuel; he is at this time in Kingwood in Hunterton County in West Jersey or Was there Lately to be Cured of a Cancer in his Under lip which is Very Painfull. Brother Richard, I have heard Lately of Joseph Gregg and his family they are all in Reasonable Good health. I have heard nothing to the Contray from thy Cousins by the River. So I Conclude Still Remembering that Love and Unity Which ought to subsist among Brethern and Sisters in the fellowship of truth.

Please to Remember my Love to My Children and Grand Children by My Late husband and to William Cox and his Wife Rachel Wright, With all Other Enquiring friend. Do no Neglect Writing to me as often as Possible and the Circumstance of Your Affairs and Condition if you please, Concerning these Troubelsome times.

This from your sister Phebe Hadly."
^Source: The Beeson Family Homepage

Richard appears on the 1759 Rowan County, North Carolina tax list as Richard Beason.
Both Richard and Charity are listed as Quaker ministers at various web sites however I have not been able to find verification of this in any record. Charity Grubb Beeson died November 22, 1761 in Rowan County (now Guilford County), North Carolina and is buried at Centre Monthly Meeting. Richard Beeson died January 1, 1777 in Guilford County and is also buried at Centre Monthly Meeting. Centre Meeting is located near Polecat Creek in the southern part of Guilford County east of the Deep River.

“Named for its location halfway between Cane Creek and New Garden meetings, Centre Friends Meeting began in 1757. Seven years before, William Hockett purchased 640 acres near Polecat Creek in present-day Guilford County. John Bales, Matthew Ozborn, Richard Beeson, and Peter Dix settled soon after Hockett’s 1750 arrival. Friends living in the area had to travel eighteen miles on foot to attend worship at New Garden. To relieve them of the thirty-six mile round trip, New Garden Meeting granted Centre Friends permission to hold worship. A deed for the land given by Matthew Ozborn for the meeting house to be built was made in Salisbury in 1763. At that time, the land was in Rowan County. The first building was completed in 1763. Cane Creek Meeting authorized Centre Friends as a Monthly Meeting in 1772.”

“The original building at Centre was a log cabin 20 feet square. “
http://www.stoppingpoints.com/north-carolina/sights.cgi?marker=Deep+River+Friends+Meeting&cnty=Guilford ^

Will Book 1, page 58, Randolph County, North Carolina.
Richard Beeson Sr. lived near Deep River in southern Guilford County but his will was filed in Randolph County which boarders Guilford to the south. I assume that it was closer and easier to go the county seat of Randolph County.

Whereas I Richard Beeson of Deep River in Guilford County North Carolina being fair advanst in years and knowing the uncertainty of life and certainty of death do therefore (unreadable) fit to make this my last will and testament in manner and form as follows first I recommend my soul to the lord and my body to the earth to be berried in a Christian like manner at the discression of my executors hearafter to be named and as touching such worldly substances where withal that it hath pleased the lord to bless me with this life which I despose thereof in the following manner and form:
First of all I order all my just debts to be paid and funeral charges to be paid by my executors hearafter to be named
2d I give to my grandson Stephanus Haworth two hundred acres of the land I now live on including all improvement to him his heirs and assigns and no more
3dly I give to my two sons Benjamin Beeson and Isaac Beeson and to their heirs and assigns the remaining part of the said tract of land to each and equal and
4thly I give to my son Benjamin two fether beds and all the furniture belonging thereunto. I give to my son Isaac to have the feather bed I now ly upon and all the furniture belonging thereunto
5thly It is my will that the remaining part of my moveable estate shall be equally divided among all my children to wit Benjamin Isaac Pheby and Charity in the best and most suitable manner it can be done by my Executors
6thly And further I do give to all or any of my isue that doth or lay claim hearafter to any right of heirship by my Executors hearafter to be named
7thly I ordain and constitute and appoint my two sons Benjamin and Isaac to be and sole executors of this my last will and testament hearby utterly disallowing and revoking and making void all other and former wills testament and leageacies by me maid Retifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament in witness whereof I have hear unto set my name and affixed my seal this 29th day of the month called march in the year 1775.

Signed Sealed pronounced to be the said Richard Beesons last will and testament in the presents of us
Jeremiah Reynolds Richard Beeson Seal
Joseph Lamb
Isaac Beeson, Jr.

Charity Beeson, daughter of Richard and Charity Grubb Beeson, was married to Mordecai Mendenhall. The Mendenhalls, including their 13 year old son Richard, obtained a certificate from Hopewell Monthly Meeting in Virginia on March 6, 1751 and were received at Cane Creek Monthly Meeting, then in either Bladen, Granville, or Johnston County (then Orange County now Alamance County), North Carolina on March 7, 1752.
Mordecai was in Anson County (now Guilford) in 1751 when he made a land entry for 640 acres on Richland Creek. And then, “1752 June 12 Deed. Thomas Ridge of Anson County, planter, to Mordecai Mendenhall of same, lease 5 shillings, release £1 Virginia money, 1,134 acres on north side of Richland Creek below Benjamin Well, 2 tracts granted to Ridge by Earl of Granville 15 March 1752. Signed: Thomas Ridge (seal); witnesses: James Carter, Elijah McCoy”
^http://www.mindspring.com/~baumbach/cody/ridge/ridge03.htm
Over the years Mordecai and Charity sold tracts of this land to some of their sons. I did not, however, find a sale to son Richard who was my direct relative..

Mordecai Mendenhall is listed in the DAR Patriot Index as furnishing supplies for the militia during the Revolutionary War. It was a common practice for militias to forage and take food stuffs and animals that it needed to sustain their operations and it appears that the Mendenhalls were one source of supply. One can not be sure if they were willing suppliers. It also appears that after the Battle of Guilford Court House the Mendenhall property and some buildings were used as a hospital foe troops on both sides.

Following quoted from: http://www.stoppingpoints.com/north-carolina/sights.cgi?marker=Deep+River+Friends+Meeting&cnty=Guilford

"The minutes of Cane Creek Monthly Meeting for November 4, 1753 record the beginnings of the Deep River Friends Meeting. Minutes from that meeting note that Friends of Deep River, living near present day High Point wished to hold worship amongst themselves. A year later on November 30, 1754, Deep River Friends received permission from the New Garden Meeting to hold meetings. Most members had relocated to the Piedmont from Pennsylvania and Nantucket prior to 1750. By the end of the meeting’s first decade, it had gained 423 members through transfers. In 1778, Deep River Friends became a Monthly Meeting."
" From 1754 until the construction of the first meeting house in 1758, the meeting met in the homes of Thomas Mills, Mordecai Mendenhall, Walter Thornborough, and Benjamin Beeson. Built in 1758, the original meeting house had a barn like appearance and included a partition in order to separate the men and women for their business meetings."
"Like many churches in the area during the Revolutionary War, Deep River Friends Meeting found itself in the middle of the warpath. In 1781, 3,000 of Colonel Banastre Tarleton’s Redcoats, used the meeting grounds as their campground in route to the Battle of Guilford Courthouse." Forgive my digression here but some of you will remember that Charles De Pauw’s unit of French Calvary participated in a battle against Tarleton’s unit at Gloucester Point across the York River from Yorktown in October of 1781. The result of this action drove Tarleton from the field and forced the English back into the fortifications where they were trapped. Charles De Pauw may have been wounded in this action.

Mordecai wrote his will on January 9, 1796 which was probated and recorded in Guilford County Will Book A, page 239 in November of 1803. His death date is listed as November 3, 1803. Mordecai willed five shillings to the heirs of his son Richard. Charity Beeson Mendenhall died September 20, 1809 and both are buried at Springfield Meeting House Cemetery, High Point, North Carolina.

“For a quarter century beginning around 1750, immigrants, many of them members of the Society of Friends, swarmed into Piedmont North Carolina. The first meetings in the colony were organized in 1751 in Alamance County at Cane Creek and in Guilford County at New Garden, since that time the historical center of Quakerism in North Carolina. Other Friends meetings soon developed, among them Springfield, the site of which is today encompassed by the city of High Point. From Springfield and other meetings in the Piedmont were launched in the early nineteenth century the westward migrations of Quakers to the present Midwest.”
“Meetings were begun at Springfield in 1773. In 1780, at the request of the Deep River meeting under whose guidance they remained to that time, Springfield was set up as a Preparative Meeting. In 1786 church members received the deed for five acres on which their meeting house was then standing. Springfield was established as a Monthly Meeting in 1790.
http://www.stoppingpoints.com/north-carolina/sights.cgi?marker^
Mordecai and Charity probably did not move, Springfield Meeting was probably just closer to their residence.

I had no intention of revisiting the Gabbert family at this juncture however, as
has been normal of late, while searching for a different family in my computer
files, much to my surprise I found a file that I had received from distant
cousin Ira Gabbert several years ago, put on my computer and promptly lost.
Well, lost is a rather kind word, perhaps forgot is a more appropriate word
which also seems to be normal of late.

Now, for my close family who have as short a memory as I do……….
George and Ann Reed Gabbert
Thomas and Mary Elizabeth De Pauw Gabbert
Joseph and Rachel Gabbert Lockhart
Joseph and Mary E. Elliott Lockhart
Jesse H, and Martha Jane Shull Lockhart
Ralph and Dortha Demaris Myers Lockhart

These deeds are all linked to the estate of George Gabbert and list all of the
surviving children of George and Ann Reed Gabbert. In other words, all of the
property mentioned was owned by George when he died. George’s will was posted
on this blog a few months ago and I am sure that you can find it if you have an
interest.
Ira's notes also say that Ann Reed Gabbert died in 1838 but he offers no proof. Ira also mentions a letter from another cousin, Theda Gabbert, in which she states that in a letter from George Gabbert, son of James, to his father that “Uncle Thomas was in Platte County with one son”. Ira also lists Kerlin Cemetery as the burial spot for Thomas. If I am correct, this cemetery is located east of US 59 south of St. Joseph, Missouri and near the Bluffwoods Conservation Area and north of Rushville, Missouri.

You may also have noted that one of the properties is listed as on the drains of Knoblick Creek and Clark's Run. If this sounds familiar, that is because Charles De Pauw also lived in that area.

Stone & Titus, 1865 Map of Clay Township, Hendricks County, Indiana showing what I think is the 80 acre property mentioned in James Haworth’s will. The property is located on the East Branch of Mill Creek, to the south and east of Amo and to the south and west of Pecksburg on the map and indicated by a red square. Pecksburg may no longer exist. Notice the lettering, T. 15 N R. 2. W. and then read the will again.



Grave stone of Edward Thornburgh located at Cherry Grove Cemetery, Randolph County, Indiana. Photo found on Find a Grave web site. Edward was my 4th great grandfather (and if you read the last posting you already know that), died in Randolph County on December 9, 1839.

In my last posting on the Myers family in Clinton County, Ohio I listed some other related families who also were living in the area during the 1805-1820 period. This posting will present some information on the families of James and Mary Rees Haworth, their son George who married Jane Thornburg and Jane’s parents Edward and Phoebe Sumner Thornburg.

James Haworth, son of James and Sarah Woods Haworth, was born January 2, 1752 in Augusta County, Virginia (Probably, the Haworth Association lists Frederick County, Virginia BUT, I think Augusta. See the Frederick County posting, Haworth portion.)
After his father died James moved with his mother and step father (Peter Ruble) in 1768 to Bush River, South Carolina.

“Meetings for worship which are mentioned as reporting to Bush River Monthly Meeting include Bush River, Raburn's Creek, Tiger River, Padget's Creek, Mud Lick, Allwoods', White Lick, Edisto, Charleston and Rocky Springs.
Early members of Bush River Meeting (names taken from the first pages of the minutes), …James HAWORTH….Samuel PEARSON ,,,,,,Peter RUBLE …Jonathon TAYLOR….”
http://www.ronsattic.com/quaker.htm ^
It should be obvious who the James Haworth was, Samuel Pearson, my 4th great grandfather, was the father of Mary Pearson Taylor Mills, Peter Ruble was James Haworth’s step father and Jonathon Taylor, my 4th great grandfather, was the grandfather of Prudence Taylor Elmore Myers. This list of names seems to be from about 1768-70.

It appears, if family stories are to be believed, that James was a “long hunter” and traveled with Daniel Boone in 1773 on an aborted trip to Kentucky. Some of you will remember that this is also the expedition in which Richard Mendenhall, my 5th great grandfather, was killed in an Indian ambush in Lee County, Virginia on October 10, 1773. After the failed expedition James seems to have returned to the Yadkin River area of North Carolina.

It is not clear to me exactly when James moved to Green County, North Carolina (which later becomes Green County, Tennessee) but it was likely between 1780-83, partially to escape the war activity that was raging in the Guilford County area at the time. OR, there is this from the Haworth Association: “because of religious scruples many of the young men of the Quaker faith fled west to the Indian country of what is now Tennessee and formed a settlement there on the Holston River in Jefferson Co., near the present town of New Market. According to Rees Haworth George and James Haworth migrated with this group in 1781.” It is important to note for historical purposes that in 1784 Green County, North Carolina became part of the short lived breakaway State of Franklin. Then, in 1796, the county was admitted to the Union as Green County, Tennessee.

At this time this area was very remote and the early settlers lived on what they brought with them and what wild game they could kill until they could clear land and plant crops. Turning again to family stories, during one winter James and a friend “killed twenty-one black bears for meat and sold the skins for $2.00 each".

Mary Rees, daughter of William and Charity Dillon Rees, was born April 12, 1767. in Frederick County, Virginia. The family moved to New Garden, North Carolina in 1772.
The Rees family lived very near the site of the Revolutionary War Battle of Guildford Court House on March 15, 1781. Later in life Mary related how, as a child, she sat on the porch of the family home and saw wagons carrying the dead and wounded away from the battle.

For those who may have an interest, I have included the following link.
http://www.myrevolutionarywar.com/battles/810315.htm

Sometime shortly after the battle, the Rees family moved, again, to the area of North Carolina that eventually became Tennessee. They moved into an area that was being settled by Quakers (New Hope Monthly Meeting) and Mary met James Haworth. James and Mary, being denied parental permission to marry, eloped and married in a civil union on February 19, 1784. At the time of their marriage, James was 32 years old and Mary was 17.

For some reason, James was disowned by the Bush River Monthly Meeting (S.C.) on August 29, 1792 but restored to membership on the recommendation of the New Hope (N.C.) Monthly Meeting on August 30, 1794; received a certificate of transfer to New Hope on October 31, 1795 and was received by New Hope January 30, 1796. Now, James did not move back to South Carolina then back to North Carolina……It would simply have taken this long to write the letters back and forth and do all of whatever paper work that was involved in keeping records. (Keep in mind, there were no mo-bile phones, email or for that matter, roads.) James appears on the Green County, Tennessee tax rolls for 1797 and 1798 as a farmer and miller owning 200 acres of land.

On December 27, 1800 William, James and George, sons of James Haworth were received into membership, on request of their father, at New Hope Monthly Meeting. (George is my direct relative.)

I am not exactly sure where James and Mary Rees Haworth and family located in Ohio but it was either southeast Clinton or northeast Highland County. James is mentioned in published histories of both counties. Apparently James and his brother George made a trip to the Ohio area in 1802 or 1803 to find land on which to settle. James, Mary and family transferred their membership to Miami Monthly Meeting in Warren County, Ohio on December 13, 1804 and settled near Lees Creek (for added confusion, this area was located in Ross County at the time but became Highland County in 1805; in 1810 parts of Highland became Clinton County and then in 1813 the northeastern portion of Highland County became the southeastern part of Clinton County.) Lees Creek is a stream in southeastern Clinton, northeastern Highland and southwestern Fayette Counties and the name of a small village (also known as Centerville) in southeastern Clinton County and James is mentioned in the both the History of Clinton County and A history of the early settlement of Highland County, Ohio.

Fairfield Monthly Meeting was set off from Miami Monthly Meeting in 1807.
James appeared on the first census taken by the state of Ohio for Highland County in May of 1807.
“As this was the first census taken by authority of law, in the county of Highland, and as it is the best authority as to who made up the tide of life here at that early day, we think it not out of place in these pages……
The enumeration of the township of Fairfield ……
James Haworth…….”
A history of the early settlement of Highland County, Ohio. Daniel Scott, 1890.^
PERHAPS this portion of Fairfield Township, Highland County became part of Green and Richland Townships, Clinton County in 1813 and then Wayne Township, Clinton County was formed from parts of those townships in 1837. I should mention that I have not been able to locate records of property purchase for James in either Clinton, Highland or Ross Counties but I am still looking. And, since the following appears in History of Clinton County, I had assumed this area was in Clinton County.
“On the other or south side of the same line, a few settlers, not more than half a dozen in all, had settled here and there, with wide intervals between them, in the fall of 1802. (*see below) These were …. James Haworth….. . James Haworth, a native of Pennsylvania, (**see below) was the brother of George Haworth, who settled on Todd’s Fork, near where Centre Meeting now is, in 1803. He lived for a time in each of the States of Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee (***see below). He settled upon and opened the farm owned by the late James Matthew, near New Lexington (****see below). He built the first mill erected at the junction of the West (*****see below) and Middle branches of Lee’s Creek, where the Eagle Mills (******see below) now are, and used the water-power of both streams to run his machinery. After living in Ohio for several years, he removed once more, on this occasion to Indiana where he died.”
*Date was probably 1803.
**He was not a native of Pennsylvania, he was born in Virginia.
***He also lived in South Carolina.
****New Lexington is now called the village of Highland
*****There is no West Branch or fork of Lees Creek, there is a South Fork located to the south and west of the Middle Fork of Lees Creek.
******This may be Earl’s Mill.
NOW THEN!!! If the location is correct above, and in fact the location was at the junction of the SOUTH Fork and Middle Fork of Lees Creek, the area is just north of highway 28, between Highland and Leesburg in Fairfield Township, Highland County, Ohio. See map above. Hope that you can spot the small red arrow.

New Lexington Preparative Meeting was attached to Fairfield Monthly Meeting at one time and Lees Creek Monthly Meeting is located near where New Lexington (now Highland) is located. An interesting point, while searching for information about the village of Highland, I came across the following information, “….the village has a total area of 0.2 square miles (0.4 km²), all of it land…… This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties.” I thought that the village must be located on the county line separating Highland and Clinton and therefore, the Haworths, if they lived to the north of the village, would have lived in Clinton County.

Lees Creek Monthly Meeting set off from Fairfield Monthly Meeting in 1817.
On October 16, 1824 James & family granted certificate to White River Monthly Meeting, Randolph County, Indiana from Lees Creek Monthly Meeting.
White River Monthly Meeting on January 1, 1825, James and sons Reese, Eli, and
Levi received on certificate from Lees Creek (This information must be from the Men‘s Minutes from White River Monthly Meeting and James‘ wife and female children were probably mentioned in the Women‘s Minutes.) James wrote his will May 20, 1826 in Randolph County shortly before moving again to Hendricks County, Indiana where he died on February 5, 1827. He is believed to have been buried in an unmarked grave in the oldest part of Mill Creek Friends Cemetery.

Page 10 Hendricks County Wills Book ???
Copy of James Haworth’s Will.
I James Haworth of the County of Randolph and the State of Indiana being weak of Body but of sound and perfect mind and good memory and being aware of the uncertainty of time and knowing that all men have once to die do make constitute and ordain this to be my last will and testament, in manner and following (to wit) It is my desire that my body be decently buried in a christian like manner at the discretion of my executors and as respects my earthly inheritance which providence has been pleased to bless me with I dispose of in the following manner. It is my will that all my just debts and funeral charges be first paid. And to my sons William James George David and Jonathan, I give and bequest one dollar each they having previously had their portions And to my sons Rees and Eli, I do hereby give and bequeath one hundred and fifty dollars each

Page 11
And to my daughters Sarah Charity and Margaret, I do give and bequeath the sum of seventy five dollars each, and to my daughters ann and Elizabeth I do give and bequeath the sum of seventy five dollars each. And to my son Levi I do give and bequeath the west half of the North west XXX (qtr ?) of section numbered twelve, In Township Numbered fifteen North of Range Numbered two west, Containing eighty acres
And unto my beloved wife Mary Haworth I do give and bequeath all my personal estate for her to dispose of as she should think best except the farming utensils which my will is that my son Levi should have, and that she should have the above described land during her life
And Lastly I do appoint constitute and ordain my wife Mary and my son James Haworth executers to this my last will and Testament with full power and authority to vest the portion of my minor son Eli in such land as they may think proper at any time previous to his becoming of lawful age to receive it. And I do hereby revoke disannul and disavow of all other wills heretofore made by me, so ratifying and confirming this only and alone, to be my last will and Testament. In confirmation of which I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twentieth day of the fifth month, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty six.
James Haworth
Signed Sealed and
Delivered in presents
Of David Haworth
George Haworth

Hendricks County, Indiana
Probate Book # 1 1825-1835
Page 12
Matters concerning
James Haworth decd
Be it remembered that on this ninth day of July in the year 1827. The last Will and Testament of James Haworth was was produced and duly proven by the affirmation of George Haworth one of the subscribing witnesses thereto, and thereupon Letters Testamentary Issued to James Haworth and Mary Haworth executors by said will appointed who now filed their bond in

Page 13
the sum of two thousand dollars with William Haworth and George Haworth for Security and were duly sworn as the law directs

Page 16
Concerning James Haworths Estate
Ordered that this Court approve of the Granting of the Letters Testamentary to James Haworth & Mary Haworth executors by the will appointed.

Page 17
The Executors of the Estate of James Haworth deceased having filed in the Clerks office the sum of dollars and cents ordered therefore that the same be recorded

I have not been able to find an inventory for James’ estate nor any mention of a final settlement. I some times think that finding some of the family papers leaves more question than answers. I have no idea why the bond would have been set at two thousand dollars when the amounts mentioned in the will were less that half that amount and no idea where the 80 acres mentioned in the will are located. James’ wife, Mary Rees Haworth died in Hamilton County, Indiana on December 28, 1850 and is buried in Hinkle Creek Friends Burial Ground, near Deming.

George Haworth, son of James and Mary Rees Haworth, was born April 1, 1790 in what is now Green County, Tennessee. He married Jane Thornburg, daughter of Edward and Phoebe Sumner Thornburg, on August 5, 1812 in Highland County, Ohio. (The marriage is indexed as being in Book 1, page 80 of Highland County Marriages however, a search of Book 1 by a clerk in the probate office shows that there is no page 80.) The marriage seems to have been a civil ceremony and Fairfield Monthly Meeting disowned the couple for marrying contrary to discipline on November 28, 1812. I should explain here that Fairfield Monthly Meeting is located in Highland County, Ohio and (at least at the time) included Lees Creek Meeting. Jane was born May 16, 1796 in Guilford County, North Carolina.

George and his brother William appear on the 1820 census for Randolph County, Indiana but probably they were in the county prior to 1817 (See page 470 History of Randolph County). George witnessed his father’s will in Randolph County, Indiana on May 20, 1826 and then, I assume, accompanied a group of his parents and siblings to central Indiana. (Please remember that George appeared in Hendricks County, Indiana Probate Court on July 9, 1827 to prove his father’s will. See above.) George, his wife and nine children are listed on the 1830 census for Marion County, Indiana.

On March 27, 1830 Fairfield Monthly Meeting in Ohio gave permission to Fairfield Monthly Meeting in Hendricks County, Indiana to restore George and Jane to membership. The Indiana Fairfield (covered portions of Hendricks and Marion Counties which included West Newton) on June 5, 1830 received George and Jane in membership. On May 7, 1831 the Indiana Fairfield received in membership 8 children of George and Jane.

George and Jane’s daughter Phoebe Rebecca married Jesse Mendenhall in a civil ceremony in Marion County on August 12, 1832. On April 13, 1837, George, Jane and 9 children received a certificate to transfer their membership from Fairfield to Westfield Monthly Meeting in Hamilton County, Indiana where they were all received on September 7, 1837.

George is listed on the 1840 census for Jackson Township, Hamilton County. Indiana living next to his son in law Jesse Mendenhall. (Jesse’s wife was Phoebe Rebecca Haworth and one of their sons was William Riley Mendenhall father of Ida Jane.) George and Jane are also listed on the 1850 census for Jackson Township. In 1850, Hinkle Creek Monthly Meeting was set off from Westfield Monthly Meeting. On November 29, 1859, George and Jane received a certificate From Hinkle Creek Monthly Meeting to transfer membership (back) to Fairfield Monthly Meeting where they were received on January 19, 1860. George and Jane are listed on the 1860 census as living in the West Newton area of Decatur Township, Marion County. Jane died on September 16, 1867, George died on April 23, 1871 and both are buried in Easton Friends Burial Ground in West Newton.

Edward Thornburg, son of Joseph and Ann Armfield Thornburg and father of the above Jane, was born on March 30, 1757 in Rowan County, North Carolina. Phoebe Sumner Thornburg, wife of Edward, was the daughter of Robert and Phebe Beals Canaday Sumner, and was born in Rowan County, North Carolina on May 18, 1755 and died in
Guilford County, North Carolina on March 8, 1802 about one year after the birth of their last child Jacob. (Part of Rowan County became part of Guilford County in 1771.)

Edward married Keziah Wright on September 1, 1803 at New Garden Monthly Meeting, Guilford County, North Carolina. On September 27, 1806, Edward and Keziah Thornburg of Sandy Spring were given a certificate at the same New Garden Meeting to present to the Miami, Ohio Monthly Meeting in Warren County, Ohio and were received on certificate at Miami Monthly Meeting on March 12, 1807 with children Ann, Mary, Nathan, Joseph, Phebe, Jane, Edward, Jacob, Hannah, and Keziah. Hannah and Keziah were the children of Keziah, Edward’s second wife, the rest were children of Phoebe Sumner Thornburg. Edward and Keziah had two more daughters, Rebecca and Rachel, born while living in Ohio. Please remember that parts of Warren and Highland Counties became Clinton County in 1810 and an additional part of Highland County became part of Clinton County in 1813. Edward’s name appears in the History of Clinton County as owning a farm near Lees Creek. The Thornburgs may have either lived in Clinton or Highland County within a few miles of the Haworth family. (For those of you with short memory, I repeat that this Edward was the father of Jane who married George Haworth.)

Edward and family moved to Cherry Grove, Washington Township, Randolph County, Indiana either 1817 or 1818. Both of the mentioned dates are listed in The History of Randolph County which also shows three land entries. Randolph was not formed until 1818 but he could have moved to Indiana in 1817. Edward was an original member of Cherry Grove Meeting.

“The Quaker meeting was set up at Cherry Grove in 1816 or 1817 ; they built a double log cabin for a meeting-house.”
History of Randolph County ^

Edward died in Randolph County on December 9, 1839 and is buried at the Cherry Grove Monthly Meeting Burial Ground.

Well, today I am on the chaise with my feet elevated and two cats curled up beside me while I transcribe the will of James Haworth written in 1826, using a laptop computer. In the background the computer is playing the 2nd movement of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 21 and in another window I am searching Probate Book #1 of Hendricks County for the years 1825-1835. And, in yet another window I am emailing records that I copied from that Probate Book to a computer in my library to print and then store on an external hard drive….. All of this and, I really don’t know how to operate a computer. This is all lucky point and click …and the persistence to keep pointing and clicking until something positive happens.

What ever happened to the typewriter and ditto machine?

I also realize that if I were suddenly transported back to the Massachusetts of the 1630s and 40s, I would be burned at the stake by my own relatives!

ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS:

In regards to the will of William Taylor, the father of Prudence Taylor Elmore Myers; I have received a copy of the original will of William Taylor along with his estate file from the Probate Court of Newberry County, South Carolina. The signature and seal above are from the original will and dates in the file papers indicate that a pre inventory was taken on March 21, 1789 and that the will was recorded on July 28, 1789. This means that William Taylor died prior to March 21, 1789. Another inventory was filed with the court on March 2, 1793. If you read the terms of the will posted on this blogsite on July 24, 2010, it states in part:

“………….The Residue & Remainder of All my Personal Estate I bequeath to my Wife Mary Taylor for & during her Widowhood to be by her possessed for her Use & the Maintenance and Education of my Said Children, but if she Should Marry before my Said Children Should Arrive at their Several Ages in Law that then in such Case my Execrs do take into their hands my Said Personal Estate for the Use above mentioned………….“

A sale of the items on the inventory was held March 15, 1793 and Mary (Taylor) Mills purchased a large number of the items.


Mary Pearson Taylor married John Mills on February 28, 1793 at Bush River in Newberry County.

Transcription of the will of Jonathan Taylor, Newberry County, South Carolina Will book A, p. 274. Proved May 18, 1795 Jonathan Taylor was William’s father and Prudence’s grandfather.
In the name of God, I Jonathan Taylor of Newberry County in the State of South Carolina, farmer being weak in body but sound in senses and Memory and being Dissatisfied about my Worldly affairs calling to Mind the Mortality of my Body Knowing that it is Appointed for all Men to die do make and Ordain this my last Will and Testament that is to say Principally and first of all I give and Recommend my Soul t Almighty God who gave it me and my Body I Recommend to the Earth to be Buried in a Decent Christian Manner amongst friends at the Discretion of my Executors as Touching such Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me with in this life, My Will and Desire is that all the Expenses of my funeral and all my just debts are pain, I give and Devise & Dispose of the Remainder of my Estate in the following Manner and form first of all I give and bequeath to Mary my well beloved Wife the third part of all my Moveable Estate with the third part of all my Lands during her Widowhood Also I give and bequeath to the heirs of my son William Taylor decd the whole Tract of Land whereon his Widow now Lives and Also five Shillings Sterling to be paid to Mary Taylor the Widow of the said William Taylor decd out of my Estate After my Decease Also I give and bequeath unto Mary Taylor Widow of Richard Taylor decd five Shillings Sterling to be paid to her out of my Estate after my Decease, Also I give and bequeath unto my son Jonathan the tract of Land whereon I now live I also Give and bequeath unto Isaac my Son a Tract of Land Situate on the waters of Indian Creek Reserving fifty Acres of the said Tract for John Thomas my son in law & his son William which said land his son William and his heirs is wholly to Enjoy for ever and the Said Land is to be Run Square across the End of the said land belonging to my son Isaac next to Indian Creek, mare & colt which he calls his and one book called Bartleys Apology I also give & bequeath unto my son Jonathan the remainder of my moveable estate and he is to pay each of my daughters five pounds sterling out decease Also my will and Desire is that the Part which falls to Ann Chandler be for the use of Jonathan and Israel her sons – I also constitute Ordain and appoint Richard Leavell and Joshua Reeder my sons in law and Jonathan my son to be the executors of this my last Will and Testament I do Also appoint William Niles Junr as a Trustee to see this my Last Will and Testament fulfilled I do hereby Ratify and Confirm this & no other to be my Last Will and Testament, In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this ninth day of October one thousand seven hundred and ninety three, and further Also I will and Desire that after my decease that all my moveable estate be appraised by men chosen and qualified before a Magistrate for that purpose and I do hereby confirm this to be my Last Will and Testament In witness I have set my hand & seal the day and year above written. Signed Sealed Published, Pronounced, and Delivered by the said Jonathan to be his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence each other have hereunto subscribed our names.

Jonathan (X) Taylor (seal)
Abraham A. Large
mark
Rhoda Taylor

I have underlined the interesting bit about William Taylor’s widow and children. Jonathan Taylor’s will was written several months after her marriage to John Mills but he still refers to her as Mary Taylor and gives her “….five Shillings Sterling to be paid to Mary Taylor the Widow of the said William Taylor decd….” It also gives to:, “….the heirs of my son William Taylor decd the whole Tract of Land whereon his Widow now Lives ….” which means that Prudence owned one fourth of the tract of land and, I assume, one fourth of the house in which she lived. Prudence would have been fourteen years old at the time her grandfather’s will was recorded.

Prudence’s first husband was Ridgeway Elmore. I did not find an exact date of the marriage however, in the estate papers of William there are three receipts signed by Ridgeway Elmore, dated June 29, 1797 (pictured above), August 2, 1797 and August 7, 1797 in which he acknowledges the receipt of funds which are part of his wife‘s “laguace” from the estate of William Taylor. Prudence would have been seventeen years old at the time (well sixteen an a half).