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HARRISON NOTES July 1996 Part 2

Charles W. Johnson.

8514 Rockmoor, San Antonio, Texas 78230
© 1997 Charles W. Johnson, M.D.
Part 1 TOC Part 3

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and before that Surry County, NC. This is about 6 miles from the center of Winston-Salem NC and the main Moravian settlement city of Salem/later Winston Salem. Some of Samuel's property touches on Moravian property. Comment: I have done considerable work in an area also on Muddy Creek but further south in present Davidson County, and concerning the Abbott's Creek Baptist Community. A bunch of this community, including some ancestors moved from here to Newberry SC. Abbott's Creek Baptist was the second Separatist Baptist Church created and still going strong. The first was Sandy Creek a few miles away and headed by Rev. Shubal Stearns, founder of the modern Baptist Church. The third was Deep River Baptist also a few miles away headed by Rev. Phillip Mulkey. Abbott's Creek was headed by Rev. Daniel Marshall. The three of them were brothers in law. Marshall and Mulkey moved to SC with large parts of their congregations and Stearns died. Both Marshall and Mulkey constituted Bush River Baptist Church in Newberry SC and installed Rev. Samuel Newman As first pastor. These three churches in this Winston Salem area were pretty much chased out of NC by Gov. Tryon since they were very active in the NC Regulator Rebellion against authority. Some, especially from Sandy Creek went to the Watauga area of NC/TN. During the Revolution Baptist Ministers in SC were again persecuted by the Tories and many went to the mountains of Buncombe County and some remained there after the Revolution and others returned hone. I do not know about Harrisons being involved in all this but some of their associates were of Buncombe. Ducketts and Odells from Frederick Co. MD to Newberry to Buncombe were for a time Moravians and some moved to An English speaking unit outside old Salem. Rev. Jeremiah Harrison of Buncombe m an Addington whose mother was a Duckett and both families from Newberry to Buncombe. Newfound Baptist in Buncombe had some Newberrians as early members as well as Harrisons, Granthams and Ponders.

The community around Winston Salem, Muddy Creek and Abbott's Creek Baptist was an important and prosperous one. I expect the Moravians had a lot to do with that. They were educated, well financed and instituted a modern society. They got along well with their neighbors and attracted many to settle near them for trading purposes and for their good relationships with Indians. The Abbott's Creek Baptists were unusual. Their early nucleus was a group of Welsh Baptists from Delaware, by way of their secondary settlement in Welsh Neck SC. The John Family, intermarried with Buncombe Harrisons were of this group, apparently. Teagues of Buncombe also from this group, though not necessarily Welsh or from Delaware, but from neighboring Cecil Co. MD.

These Welsh Baptists were a rather prosperous and easy going bunch and very friendly. At Abbott's Creek Baptist they were very ecumenical and frequently offered services in German for the many newly immigrant Germans in the area. They often invited Moravian preachers. They were on the Great Wagon Road and no doubt offered a pleasant stop to immigrants who were passing through to stop a spell. I expect all this friendliness was rampant in Samuel Stewart's area nearby... except maybe not Samuel and Lydia themselves. In Lydia's will she reveals that there is a problem with clear title to this Muddy Creek land, and a dispute over it with the Moravians on their border.

Rev. Samuel Newman of Augusta was not of the same Baptist persuasion. This church was before the Separatist Baptists and derived from "Newlight" Congregationalists of New England and of the Philadelphia Convention. He would have been more like the Jersey Baptists, also of Abbott's Creek, but near the mouth of the creek near Trading Ford and Salisbury. This church was also on the Great Wagon Road and quite prosperous until attacked and almost wiped out as enemies of Gov. Tryon. They too were active Regulators and had descendants in both Newberry SC and Buncombe. Before Rev. Newman

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was ordained he converted to Separatist Baptist and was Baptized for the third time to follow the "correct" procedure.

A Reconstituted plat map of the Surry Harrisons done by Mrs. Hulse, shows Nathaniel Harrison with 400 acres, just south and adjacent to Joseph Harrison with 640 acres, on Parker's Creek and also adjacent to Lash's on the east. Other neighbors were Painter, Briggs, Kreeger and Linback. (Painter a good Buncombe name involved with my wife's Harrisons).

DEED SURRY, Grant # 568 issued 13 Oct 1783. Entry number 1066 and entered 12 May 1779 book 53, p 100, 400 acres Nathaniel Harrison on Parker's Creek with survey on Parker Creek involving both forks of Parker's Creek. These are the original papers but also the Deed Book entry Book B p 366. He paid 50 shillings per hundred acres for this grant. There is also a deed Book C p 98 12 November 1784, in which Nathaniel Harrison sells to David Owens for 100 pounds, these same 400 acres. (I expect that this was about the time after the Revolution, he eloped with Jemima Stewart against her father's wishes and then moved from place to place... including Shelby, AL?)

PAPERS FOR JOSEPH HARRISON'S GRANT OF 640 acres, both sides of South Fork of Parker's Creek including the improvements already made by him on the cabins of Frederick Braswell and Thomas Hughys. 19 Oct 1778. (so he was there before the grant to make the improvements and the year before Nathaniel got his adjacent grant). This was Grant # 144 issued Sept 20, 1779, entry # 286, entered Aug 19, 1778. Book 34 p 144. He too paid 50 shillings per hundred acres.

NC GENEALOGICAL JOURNAL, 1975, p 37, Tyrell Co. Thomas Harrison killed at the plantation of Thomas Lee 4 Dec. 1752 when a loft of corn collapsed on him. (I mention because one of the sons of Rev. Nathan Harrison married as a 2nd wife, a Lee, and he had to go to either VA or NC to get her from Georgia.

A HARRISON PEDIGREE CHART of Martha Ray Harrison Moore b 1929 and lives at Black Mountain, NC (Buncombe County). She is daughter of Ray Robert Harrison 1903-1977, lived Swannanoa. NC (near Black Mtn in Buncombe). He was son of David Walter Harrison 1876-1954, son of Thomas Gentry Harrison 1844-1930 Lenoir, NC, son of Nathan Harrison and Polly Harrison.

An interesting part of this pedigree chart is that David Walter Harrison was married to Questra Aurelia Ballard daughter of Robert Baxter Ballard of Reams Creek, Weaverville, NC (Buncombe).

I have the ancestry of the above Thomas Gentry Harrison son of Nathan Harrison. I have Thomas Gentry's death certificate. The Nathan Harrison who was his father was from the Watauga County Harrisons - probably the only )mown Watauga Harrisons who ended up in Buncombe, unless it was a Rev. Joseph Harrison who showed up on a late census and could have been a son of Rev. Joseph Harrison of the Watauga Harrisons. If so, this would be Joseph Harrison III of Watauga.

FROM COLONIAL AND STATE RECORDS OF NC, BOOK 8. This is a letter addressed to Harmon Husbands from Salisbury dated Sep 14, 1769 and signed by Joshua Teague, Abraham Crosson, Isaac Wainscot, JOS. HARRISON and Jas. Hunter. This is a classic document of the NC Regulators. The writers are writing to the intellectual head of the movement and the writers are key leaders of the

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Regulators. They are protesting a rigged Grand Jury in Salisbury consisting of a jury of their political enemies, not their peers. But they had drawn up a Bill of Indictment against Col. Frohock for extortion with various specific charges of his cruelty to a poor widow. The King proved by the oath of Joseph Harris, that the said Harrison paid the money to one Linville, a sub-Sheriff for the use of Col. Frohock... Next day they proved by Joseph Harrison for another official cruel extortion involving another writ, and Joseph Harrison next brought in a Bill against Col. Frohock for yet another extortion. But the court ignored all the evidence. They also found that those sitting on the jury were not the jurors appointed by the court and they were told that by the Magistrates. Elijah Teague also testified and then Joshua Teague against Frohock .... this is a lengthy well worded political document that I have heard about but never seen until now. Joshua and Elijah Teague became wanted men and they escaped to Newberry and were heroes at Bush River Baptist Church. I wonder about Joseph Harrison. He was evidently a very active leader also going up against Gov. Tryon and his corrupt crony of Rowan Land Deeds, Col. Frohock. Some people ended up hanged, drawn and quartered for similar revolution against Gov. Tryon. It appears to me that he would have had to flee the Governor's wrath which culminated in the Battle of Alamance in 1771, which the Regulators lost to Gov. Tryon and his army. However, shortly after the Battle, Gov. Tryon was removed by the King and replaced by a more sympathetic governor, and Tryon and his henchmen took over the Governorship of New York. Perhaps after 1771 and the removal of Gov. Tryon it would be safe for Joseph Harrison to resurface. Though we have Nathaniel Harrison's sale of his land in 1784, we do not have the information as to what happened to Joseph's land. I think that surely he would have left the Colony until after Gov. Tryon was removed. Could have gone to SC or the mountains around Burke or Buncombe or back to VA. Of course, this could have been an entirely different Joseph Harrison I suppose. This was 1769 and Joseph's grant on Parker's Creek was 1778 and then safe from the wrath of Gov. Tryon.

NC GEN. SO. JOURNAL #4 1978, p 261. EX-RESIDENTS O' BUNCOMBE COUNTY NC IN 1805, 1807, 1809. by James Bailey. These are ones who have removed and "cannot be found and owe taxes but no property belonging to than to make the taxes up" .

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF LOYALISTS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION by Gregory Palmer. NATHANIEL HARRISON, Estate forfeited to the State of South Carolina. Could this be Nathaniel of Clark's Fork of Bullock's Creek in York SC, father of Joseph Harrison who m Margaret Hill of Buncombe? He had been required to take an oath of allegience and was a neighbor of notorious tories, the Ponders, who later ended up in Buncombe with the Harrisons.

NC GEN. SOC. JOURNAL #5 1979. p 146. JOHN SAUNDERS'' JOURNEY TO NORTH CAROLINA -1753. This describes each day's journey, though it is difficult to tell

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just where he is each day. ..Got good tea and toast and butter in the morning for breakfast. and the horses got good Corn and Oats. Here I met with one Mr. Harrison from the Adkin (Yadkin), who informed me that Jno. Scott had removed from P.D. and gone to Savana in the St. of Georgia... Mr. Kimbro confirmed what Mr. Harrison told me of Scott... In the morning, we set out again, and in Riding 14 mile got to Nixenton, but Delon was gone in his schooner to Cape Fear to fetch a load of goodes for Dr. Craven. Comment: It appears to me that all of this takes place near the coast and the Peedee River and the Neuse and Edenton along NC Coast. But Mr. Harrison from the Yadkin must have been traveling in this same area at the same time.

FROM HELEN NIEWENDORP. She has been studying and reviewing her information about Thomas Harrisons, trying to place him somewhere before he appears in the 1800 census of Buncombe with the huge household of 14. She has some interesting documents:

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Does anyone know of any other records of a Thomas Harrison of Spartanburg SC?... See p 6 in which Thomas Harrisson signed a petition in 1787 for an Iron Works... I also know about Jonathan Mulkey. He too had been involved with some of the ministers of Head of Enoree Baptist Church. He was son of Rev. Phillip Mulkey whom I mention on p 11 as head of Deep River Baptist Church near Abbott's Creek Baptist. Rev. Philip Mulkey was a very charismatic preacher (in the old sense of Charisma). He settled in Union Go. SC and soon had many branch churches and perhaps a thousand or two thousand members. He was a pacifist but of a very active sort and did not seem to oppose the core violent faction of the NC Regulators. He did have a member of his church in Union County named Harrison. This was James Harrison who lived there briefly before moving to Greenville SC. This was the famous James Harrison who m Elizabeth Hampton of THE VENTURERS.

Phillip Mulkey had Tory sympathies as did his family and in fact a Jonathan Mulkey sat out the Revolution in Florida; perhaps this Jonathan Mulkey.. After the Revolution Phillip Mulkey was excommunicated for immoral behavior to which he confessed. The Mulkeys left SC and for a time at Historic Three Forks Baptist in Watauga County NC but then over into E. TN. The Mulkeys were very prominent is spreading the Baptist success in 'IN, KY and GA. There were numerous Rev. Jonathan Mulkeys of several generations descended from Philip. One Rev. Jonathan Mulkey was married to an Indian.

In her letter Mrs. Niewendorp says that she found Horse Creek on a map. It crosses the Sullivan/Washington TN County line and heads just south of Vernon Heights and then runs southwesterly by Fall Branch in Washington County. A Sullivan Gardens is a tad west.

ANOTHER THOMAS HARRISON or perhaps the same one. Copies of original papers.

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THOMAS HARRISON.

The above appears to be on the back of a folded document. Inside:

(another page)
Account of ferriage due by the States of America to Thomas Harrison

following is a list of 14 entries on July 5, 1779 to July 20 noting the number of men, prisoners, horses, carts of baggage, waggons with goods, boxes of ammunition, pieces of artillery and the charge. This involves over 500 men not counting prisoners and numbers in all the above categories. I will not list them all but the names of those leading each group I will list: Clem Nash, John Baker, Samuel Bower, Co. V CC Pinckney, George Doharty, A. Wyly, Wm Douglass, C. Spencer, John Gorget, Samuel 'Bower (again), Sylvester Harrihan, John Leslie, Bracey Singleton, John Moore.

Comment: This appears to be a major troop movement somewhere with Thomas Harrison owning the ferry. I see no indication of where this is in SC unless the names of the above individuals rings a bell with any of you. The July 1779 date may be a clue as to where located. Since the billing is to the "States of America" and an act of congress is mentioned, perhaps these are Continental troops rather than SC Militia. I do not believe that there was much in the way of battles in the SC hinterlands this early in the Revolution, I suspect this might be around Charleston or the coast of SC.

Mrs. Niewendorp comments on the above: Interesting about the names to determine location. Was it Tarleton taking Camden? The name Pinckney, famous, is in that area. She reads a Capt. Petters and a Col. Anderson in one copy.

In regards to Bee Branch, she identifies the same one I did at Sandy Mush but he also found one in Madison Co. branch of Annons Cr which is a branch of Walnut. Another was a branch of Caney River Yancey Co. now, but formerly Buncombe.

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She comments that in Buncombe County Thomas Harrison sold more land than he bought. but in the Buncombe Deed Book Index , there is land bought by Thomas HARRIS. But there is no Thomas Harris selling land. according to the index. In fact the 100 acres from John Acton 12-8-1804 on French Broad River Book 10, p286 seems suspicious to her, as being the 100 acres Thomas Harrison sold to John Plemmons. Where did Thomas Harrison get that 50 acres on Bee Branch? Note that a Thomas Harris had land grant #1417 12-8-1804 for 250 acres Bee Branch. Neither of the deeds to Thomas Harris have recorded dates.

She also notes in the deeds from Betty Jo Hulse which I put in my April 1996 Harrison Notes:

From the cited deeds and from the deed book:

The last deed may be the 1/8th share due Nathaniel Harrison as an heir or might entail the 1/8th share of Rachel Harrison who m William Snelson and 2nd David Miller. Winifred Harrison who m John Garrett, Mourning Harrison who as a female might also be in that last deed above.. That makes 8.

#37. 50 acres.. Elizabeth Garrett; Mourning Harrison; Luke Harrison and Abel H. Harrison from Nathaniel Harrison $6.25 each 12-21-1843 Rec April term 1845. Wit William Brown and William Snelson. For this amount, strongly suggests the proceeds of these 50 acres (#15) has been divided among children of some of the above. Especially the William Snelson as a witness, again suggesting children and they would be legal heirs if Rachel Harrison Snelson were deceased (comment: I do not think she was deceased before William Snelson.. she had a second husband David Miller), as she points out. These could be involved with some missing deeds. .(comment: Could this be involved with Margaret Hill Harrison's one third? the widow of Joseph? #30. Nathaniel Harrison to Nathaniel Snelson. (note that William Snelson was the son-in-law of Joseph Harrison 12-22-1834. (comment: I know about Nathaniel Snelson. He was married to Ann Teague, daughter of Henry Teague, my wife's ancestor) Rec 10-15-1869. p 462 Deed Book

#14. 100 a Nathaniel Harrison from Reason Davis 1-25-1811. Maybe he is now 21 Again John Harrison is Jurat.

#27. 100 acres Nathaniel Harrison NC Grant 2424. 11-24-1819. Rec 10-4-1828. This seems to be the same 100 acres sold to Nathaniel Snelson #30 above.

Other deeds for Nathaniel Harrison in the Deed Book.

#36 100 a Nath. Harrison from Zachariah Candler "to" Turkey Creek 275 poles. 50 a Nath. Harrison from Zachariah Candler, west side French Broad 9-20-1838 Rec April Ct 1845? but Deed Book gives date 9-20-1828.

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# 38 25 a Jesse Harrison from Walter Blackwell. French Broad 11-8-1850 Not rec (Comment: This is my wife's g grandfather with his 16 year old bride of the same year and at Sandy Bottom and at Zachariah Candler's Stock Stand and Inn on the Buncombe Turnpike ) #9. 300 acres Nathan Harrison from NC Grant 1673 Smith Branch Sandy Mush Creek

(Ggg grandfather of my wife). She suggests that since the family of Rev. Thomas Harrison of St. Clair Co. IL tells about being in GA before Buncombe, perhaps Nathan, who did not get land in Buncombe until 1806, after Rev. Thomas already in IL, that likely Rev. Nathan, if closely related, was also in GA and there married Sarah Ogelsby, before coming to Buncombe.. comment: That sounds good! There is the story that he was married before coming to Buncombe, and GA full of Ogelsbys.

#10. 100 acres grant to Nathan Harrison from NC #1677. Smith Branch Sandy Mush Cr.. Both this and the above 300 acres sold 4-1-1811

#17. 100 a Nathan Harrison from William Sharp/John Alexander. Sandy Mush 10-8-1811. This 100 a still in family after Nathan went to GA ca 1835. No other deed in deed book. (but his son Thomas, who was bind at 17 lived on Turkey Creek, though evidently did not own property. Nathan had property on Turkey Creek also that I have not found a sale for. Presumably Thomas lived on Nathan's land)

#26 76 acres Nathan Harrison to Jeremiah Davis Sandy Mush Creek 3-10-1819, land granted to Ezekiel John. (I think I have seen deed from Ezekiel John to Nathan)

#17 & 18. correspond to #9 & 10 above 300a Sandy Mush Cr to William King 1811.

#16 100 a Jeremiah Harrison from Nathaniel Cunningham, s. fork Turkey Creek 2-26-1811. Wit: John Pride (Prude in deed book)

#25 100 a Jeremiah Harrison to Jesse Roberts s. fork Turkey 1-13-1819 for a $100 profit after 8 years.. not too good after improvements and house!. .I suspect he sold to move to Macon Co. BC about then.

#29 6 acres Jeremiah Harrison NC Grant #3065.12-12-1832 Rec 6-23-1833. Back to Buncombe from Macon Co and then on to Murray Co. GA?... (or this another Jeremiah son of Nathan? 6 acres? for a grant? Awfully small unless for a camp meeting or left over piece, neglect Church? Graveyard?)

#28 Negro man Eps.. Nathan Harrison bought from Malcolm Horton, but listed in deed book as Nathaniel Harrison instead of Nathan (Deed Book Index by Wooley) Malcolm Horton later Sheriff in 1832

She further comments that so many deeds are missing and so few records from Buncombe. Few wives give consent for sales of land, whereas everywhere else they do. Comment:

Maybe we have Nathaniel Harrison to blame for that. I understand that there were three courthouse fires when he was there as County Clerk etc. I recall that many deeds were re-recorded, sometimes many years later and one of their books of deeds are much later and consist of re-recorded deeds. There seems to be no effort to replace burned will books.

Helen Niewendorp comments about Robert Harrison on #1 as witness, Jacob Kaeler to Thomas Harrison 3-22-1802. The other witness proved it in court 6-26-1805 . So, Nathan there in 1802 before he got land and maybe before married. So, maybe Nathan one of the males in Thomas Harrison's 1800 Household and perhaps Robert Harrison is the one who is buried near Belleville, IL, and perhaps Robert a brother to Thomas?

#6 Joseph Harrison Sr. to William Harrison. To whom is this William Harrison related? Not a brother to Joseph. He had none. Brother/son of Thomas? There is no William Harrison or William Harris selling this land. in the Deed book Index.

Back to Harris Deeds. Note Benjamin Harris and William Harris et al Both same date and neither has a recording date. Both book A p 19 115 a Turkey Creek. Wonder if this would explain anything on the extra Harrisons?

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