USA > North Carolina > Watauga County > A history of Watauga County, North Carolina. With sketches of prominent families > Part 7
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THE WOLF'S DEN. Where Cleveland was rescued.
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tauga River in what is now Watauga County," where both were sentenced to be shot, when it was proposed that if they would take the oath of allegiance to the king, repair to their home and speedily return with the O'Neal mare-a noble animal-and join the Tory band, their lives would be spared. This the Wither- spoons agreed to, and returned with not only the mare, but with Col. Ben Herndon and a party also, when they captured Riddle, Reeves and Goss, "killing and dispersing the others." These were taken to Wilkesboro, court-martialed and executed" on the hill adjoining the village, "on a stately oak, which is yet (1881) standing and pointed out to strangers at Wilkesboro." Wells, too, his wounds still unhealed, was captured and taken to Hughes' Bottom, one mile below Cleveland's Round About home-place, and hanged by plow lines from a tree on the river bank, without trial and in spite of the protestations of James Gwyn, a lad of thirteen, whose noble nature revolted at such barbarity. But Cleveland's cruelty was too well known to need further comment, for it is recorded of him that he once forced an alleged horse-thief to cut off his own ears with a dull case knife to escape death by hanging-all without trial or evidence of any kind whatever (p. 447). Cleveland moved to South Carolina at the close of the Revolutionary War, where he died while sitting at the breakfast table, in October, 1806, in the sixty-ninth year of his age. Cleveland County in this State was named in his honor. Dr. Draper says he was buried in the forks of the Tugalo and Chauga, Oconee County, South Caro- lina, but his grave with a stone marking it is in the churchyard of New Hope Baptist Church, near Staunton, Wilkes County, North Carolina, according to several recent statements of Col. J. H. Taylor, the father of Mrs. John Stansbury, of Boone. However, some claim that this is Robert Cleveland's grave-stone. So much for two versions of Riddle's death.
But there is still another, for Col. W. W. Presnell, for many years register of deeds for Watauga County and a brave one- armed Confederate soldier, still points out at the foot of a ridge north of James Blair's residence, on Brushy Fork Creek, two low rock cliffs, between which and the hollow just east of them
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stood until recently a large white-thorn tree upon which W. H. Dugger and other reputable citizens of a past day said Cleveland had hanged Riddle and three of his companions. Certain it is, according to Dr. Draper (p. 445), that "Colonel Cleveland was active at this period in sending out strong scouting parties to scour the mountain regions, and, if possible, utterly break up the Tory bands still infesting the frontiers." Others say that two of these men were named Sneed and the third was named Warren.
The Killing of Charles Asher .- Col. Joseph C. Shull has among his papers grant No. 841 to Charles Asher to 300 acres of land in the county of Washington, on both sides of the Watauga River, dated the 11th day of July, 1788. Charles Asher located this land at what was afterwards and still is known as Shull's Mills in Watauga County, North Carolina, after having married one of the daughters of Samuel Hix, the Tory who settled first at Valle Crucis and afterwards hid out at the Lybrook place near Banner's Elk. His son was surprised in his new log cabin in what is now Colonel Shull's orchard, by Joseph White's men soon after the close of the Revolutionary War.4 Asher ran, but was shot and killed, his body falling where it was buried, near Colonel Shull's cow barn in the meadow in front of his resi- dence.
Benjamin Howard .- This gentleman was the first transient boarder in the vicinity of Boone, for he built the cabin which stood in front of the Boys' Dormitory of the Appalachian Train- ing School and on the site of which Col. W. L. Bryan has erected a substantial monument. Howard's home was near Elk- ville on the Yadkin, but as he herded cattle in the valley of New River, he built this hut for the accommodation of himself and his herders. When too hotly pressed by the Whigs or American Patriots, Howard sheltered himself in a cave at the base of a long, low cliff a quarter of a mile north of the knob above the
4 Joseph White was a major in Col. Joseph McDowell's regiment after the Revolutionary War (Col. Rec., Vol. XXII, p. 460), and went on three tours with small detachments on the north-west side of the Blue Ridge. (Id., p. 99.) In "North Carolina : A History," published by Edward Buncombe Chapter D. A. R., it is erroneously stated (p. 100) that White also was killed. White is mentioned by Doctor Draper, pp. 149-199 and 257, while on page 474 it is stated that White probably commanded a company at King's Mountain.
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town of Boone which has borne his name for years. His daughter, Sallie, when still a child, is said to have endured a severe switching rather than reveal his whereabouts when met in the road one day by a band of men in search of her parent. She married Jordan Councill the first. Her father took the oath of allegiance to the United States in 1778, however (Col. Rec. Vol. XXII, p. 172), and Miss Sallie soon afterwards became a staunch American herself.
Edward Moody, Patriot .- Under a large white-oak tree, two feet in diameter, on a sunny ridge overlooking the site of his earthly home, is a rather small, white marble stone bearing the following meager inscription :
EDW'D MOODY, HOWE'S, VA. MIL. REV. WAR.
When one reflects that this memorial was erected by the gov- ernment of the United States on the Fourth day of July, 1910, in the presence of the largest gathering of people that has ever taken place in Watauga County, and remembers that the stone is intended to mark the grave of one of the heroes of the Amer- ican Revolution, one's heart does not swell with any great amount of pride or gratitude. Yet, that is all there is to mark the last resting place of a brave man who shed his blood that these United States might be free! That is all to tell coming generations that here lies the dust of a patriot and a gentleman. Even the dates of his birth and death have been forgotten. But while he lived no man stood higher in the love and respect of all who knew him. He was the husband of "the Widow Moody" to whom the Rev. Henry H. Prout paid a glowing tribute in the "Life of W. W. Skiles."
William Jonas Braswell, Hero .- In a lonely field now owned by W. H. and Harstin Ollis, under two hickory trees, a third of a mile above the old Gen. Albertus Childs' place on Three Mile Creek, is another one of those "monuments" at the unveiling or dedication of which our great government occasionally invites
5
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its citizens to be present. It contains an even more economical inscription than that of poor Edward Moody. It follows :
WM. BRASWELL, N. C. MIL. REV. WAR.
"That's the crap," as our farmers say in derision of a small offering. This was unveiled to the light of day and to the indig- nation of all right-thinking people in 1913, the crowd in at- tendance numbering nearly five hundred. That seems to be all this great and powerful government could find out about this dead hero, now without a vote. But others remember something else of him, John Wise, born May 9, 1835, relating that Braswell lived on Lower Creek in Burke County, and hunted through the country lying between that locality and Black Mountain, in what is now Yancey. He had relatives in Pensacola, near Big Tom Wilson's old home, "under the Black." When a very old man, Braswell, his wife and a girl named Yarber started late one fall from Lower Creek to Pensacola to visit people named Mace, relatives of his wife, probably. They had to spend the night in camp under a rock on a high ridge leading up from Burke to the Linville country, then and now a much used highway for local travel, a wagon road now replacing the former trail. They could not procure fire, and a cold-snap coming on, the old man "froze down," to use Captain Wise's forceful phrase. When the chill morning dawned his wife and the Yarber girl met Jacob and William Carpenter at the ford of Linville River, to which point they had hastened through the darkness, seeking aid. The women went on to Carpenter's house in the meadow in front of Captain Wise's present residence, while the two Car- penter men hastened on to the camp rock, where Braswell was found, very low, but still alive. Placing him on a horse, they managed to keep him there by walking on each side of him and holding him in the saddle till they reached home. There he died after having revived for a short time, and was buried where the so-called "monument" now stands. His name was William
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Jonas Braswell, but to have spelled all that out on a tomb-stone would have required, at five cents a letter, at least fifty cents more! Hence, etc. The present wagon road does not pass very near the old camp rocks, but they are still remembered, while the high ridge on which they stand have preserved that part of a hero's name which a niggard nation consigned to oblivion, for it has been called ever since "Jonas's Ridge."
William Davis-What ?- Hero? Patriot? Let us see. His grave is near the road "in front of the Gen. Albertus Childs' house on Three Mile Creek, now owned and occupied by Robert Moseley. Two common "mountain rocks" mark the place of his burial. Two other graves beside his are similarly designated. No munificent government, proud of his record, has "sought his frailties" or his virtues "to disclose." Why? For he was a soldier of the Revolutionary War as well as those over whose ashes grave-stones have been erected. Who knows? Probably a bit of red-tape was missing somewhere. Maybe his name does not appear on any roster or muster roll. Yet, in the Congres- sional Library, at the nation's capital, is an allegorical painting called "History." It represents a gray-haired sire telling the story of the past to his son, and this son telling the same story with additions to his son, and so on down the line till the printed page is reached. The name of that oral story is "Tradition." Well, tradition says that William Davis was not only a brave soldier, but a mighty hunter as well, when the wilderness was to be conquered and weaklings stayed at home and sneered at the illiterate and the lowly. Davis came to America with William Wiseman and William Penley long before the Revolution. He settled first in Virginia and afterwards came to Ashe County, where he married Frances Carpenter, sister of the first Jacob Carpenter. Then he moved to what is still called Davis Moun- tain, near Crossnore, on the upper waters of Linville River. When the game was exhausted there, he moved to Three Mile Creek and built four log houses "all in a row," with communi- cating doors between and a chimney at each end. Standing before a blazing fire in one end of the house, with the three intervening doors open, one looks through four large, low-
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ceiled, comfortable rooms to cherry-red flames leaping up the chimney at the farther end-one of the "fairest pictures of calm content that mortal ever saw." The date of the building of this old structure is recorded on one of the inside logs, but it has been ceiled over and cannot now be seen. But it was made there many, many years ago. The present Jacob Carpenter, his great- nephew, of Altamont, knows the date of his birth and death, but they would cost the United States some "good money" to have them carved on a 12 x 24-inch stone. Davis died November 18, 1841, when 114 years of age. Still, as he had no middle name, it does seem that the Government, with a big G, might "sort of look after" Uncle Billy, who fought his battles for him before Uncle Sam was born, he having been shot through the hips at King's Mountain. His wife, who sleeps beside him, was cer- tainly a heroine, whether Uncle Billy was a hero or no, for on one occasion, in February, while in a sugar camp on Davis Moun- tain, he had to be away from her on a cold night. One of her cows found a calf that night, and Mrs. Davis brought it to camp with her and fought off the wolves with fire-brands till morning.
A Revolutionary Welshman .- On the south fork of New River, on Harvey Phillips' farm at McGuire post office, is the grave of a soldier of the Revolutionary War. His name is Jones, but the given name has been lost. That he was a Welsh- man is implied by his name. Close by him sleeps Benjamin Blackburn, another Revolutionary soldier, from whom has de- scended a long line of useful and honored citizens.
Moses Yarber .- The United States has also been equally generous to her dead and gone soldiers of the War of 1812, for, in the same graveyard which holds the ashes of Edward Moody, our great government has erected another monument, which, at five cents a letter, including apostrophes, must have cost at least thirty cents more than did Edward Moody's. But it managed to spell out his full name, instead of contracting it as it did with the latter's given name, recording it as Edw'd, instead of Edward, thus saving at least five cents, assuming that the comma cost a nickel. As the enduring marble embalms his name and record, we have the following :
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MOSES YARBER McNEIL'S CO. S. C. MIL. WAR 1812.
These abbreviations stand for whatever the reader may elect to attribute to them, the punctuation rendering the following story as intelligible as any: "Moses Yarber McNeil's County, saw cow Millie Warranted 1812."
Two of Yarber's daughters live within two miles of his grave, Jemimah and Catharine, the former having been born April 27, 1825, and the latter February 18, 1830. Moses was blessed with other children also-William, born February 23, 1810; Annie, born July 15, 1816; Mary Ann, born June 9, 1818-but they have been dead a number of years. Moses himself died Novem- ber 30, 1867. But just think what an unheard-of sum it would have cost our Government-again that big G-to have recorded that fact-with every abbreviation possible, sixty-five cents ! His daughters knew the date of his death when, on the 4th day of July, 1910, this stone was erected. They knew also that Moses had married Elizabeth Edwards, a daughter of Henry Edwards, of Darlington District, South Carolina, and a soldier of the Revolutionary War. Thus, these two old ladies, in poverty and alone, have the proud consciousness that their father's full name will be preserved as long as that gravestone endures, if only posterity has the intelligence to guess that his name was Yarber and not McNeil, but what interpretation it will give to the balance of the inscription must always be proble- matical. Moses and his family moved to Flat Top, now Linville City, about 1838, and from there to their present home in 1855. They have no votes, these good women; if they had, it is likely that they would have also a pension apiece. Sic transit!
Two Old Tory Knobs .- On Riddle's Fork of Meat Camp are two knobs or peaks which are known, one as Hagaman's Knob and the other as Wiley's Knob, from the fact which tradi- tion still maintains, that at their bases two Tories, hiding out
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during the Revolutionary War, made their headquarters. They were, doubtless, a part of Riddle's gang.
Old Battle in Watauga ?- In Robert Love's pension papers it is said that "he was in command of a party of Americans in 1780 against a party of Tories in July of that year." This band of Tories was composed of about 150 men, and they were routed up New River at the Big Glades, now (1833) in Ashe County, North Carolina, as they were on their way to join Cornwallis." Col. W. L. Bryan says that the Big Glades were on the south fork of New River, near Deep Gap.
Guarded Major Andre .- Nathan Horton, whose grave-stone in Three Forks churchyard records the fact that he was a sol- dier of the Revolutionary War, according to a tradition still preserved in his own family, guarded Major Andre when the latter was executed for treason, at which time he carried a shot- gun loaded with one ball and three buck-shot. A fine old Grand- father clock of mahogany, with elaborate face and works, brought by Nathan Horton from New Jersey when he emigrated to Ashe soon after the Revolution, is now in the home of J. Crit. Horton, on New River, five miles from Boone.
Following are the names of other Revolutionary soldiers who lived and died in Watauga: Benjamin Bingham, great uncle of Hon. Thomas Bingham, who is said to have fired the last gun at Yorktown, Va .; John Adams, born in France and came over with Lafayette's soldiers as a drummer-boy of sixteen years, remaining, concealed in a flour barrel, at Philadelphia, when Lafayette returned to France; the brothers, George, Absalom and William Smith, were in the Virginia army and at Corn- wallis's surrender at Yorktown.
CHAPTER VI. Three Forks Association.
Yadkin Baptist Association .- This association constituted the Three Forks association in 1790. From it many other churches had been organized east of the Blue Ridge.1
In 1779 King's Creek Church, in Caldwell, and Beaver Creek, in Wilkes, were organized. A few years later Brier Creek, in Wilkes, was constituted. It had many "arms,"2 and from it grew Lewis Fork, in Wilkes, and Old Fields Church, in Ashe County. Three Forks was constituted by the Yadkin Bap- tist Association. It became an association itself in 1840.
"In 1790 Three Forks Church, the first in Watauga, was con- stituted. Part of the original members of this church came from the Jersey Settlement Church. Cove Creek was the second church in Watauga, being organized in 1799. At first these churches. had only log houses in which to worship. The floors were rude, and large cracks were in the walls, so that they were often uncomfortable in winter. But the praises of God rang out from the lips and hearts of these old Baptist fathers. These churches first joined the Strawberry Association in Virginia, but in 1790 withdrew to organize the Yadkin Association. The first ministers of this body were George McNeil, John Cleveland, William Petty, William Hammond, Cleveland Coffey, Andrew Baker and John Stone . . . Later on the Mountain, Catawba and Brier Creek Associations were formed, and so the Yadkin Baptists continued steadily to grow."
Three Forks Baptist Church .- This was the first church es- tablished west of the Blue Ridge, excepting only the one estab- lished at the Old Fields, which, according to Mr. Williams, was established "a few years after"-1779. It was organized No-
1 Williams' History of the North Carolina Baptists.
2 According to Rev. Henry Sheet's History, "arms" were church communities which had not been regularly organized into constituted churches.
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vember 6, 1790, according to the records now in the keeping of the clerk, Mr. John C. Brown, of New River. These records show that "the Baptist Church of Jesus Christ in Wilkes County, New River, Three Forks Settlement," was organized by James Tomkins, Richard Greene and wife, Daniel Eggers and wife, William Miller, Elinor Greene and B. B. Eggers. This soon became the mother church, from which went out "arms" to the Globe, to Ebeneezer and to South Fork and other places. At- tendants came to Three Forks from all this section, many com- ing even from Tennessee. Among the first pastors of this mother church are: Richard Gentry, of Old Fields; John G. Bynum, who died in Georgia; Mr. Barlow, of Yadkin; Nathaniel Vannoy, George McNeil, of Wilkes; Joseph Harrison, of Three Forks; Jacob Greene, D. C. Harmon, Smith Ferguson, Brazilla McBride and Jacob Greene, of Cove Creek; Jackie Farthing, Reuben Farthing and A. C. Farthing, William Wilcox and Larkin Hodges. They earned their bread in the sweat of their faces and worked in the Master's vineyard without money and without price. They have all gone to their reward in heaven.
Membership from 1790 to 1800 .- James Tompkins, Richard Green, Daniel Eggers, Ellender Green, William Miller, Mary Miller, Phoebe Eggers, Sarah Coleman, Avis Eggers, Elizabeth Tompkins, Ben. Cutbirth, Anna Wilcoxon, Lidia Council, Benj. Baylis, Eliz. Cutbirth, Sarah Baylis, James Chambers, Anna Chambers, John Faugerson, Ebineezer Fairchild, James Jackson, Catharine Hull, Joseph Sewel, Ezekiel England, Ruth Tompkins, Christeana Reese, Valentine Reese, Samuel Ayers, Elijah Cham- bers, Moses Hull, Joseph Ayers, William Tompkins, Benj. Green, Sam'1 Wilcoxon, Sr., Garsham Tompkins, John Reese, Hodges Counsel, Mary Fairchild, Sarah Green, Sarah Reese, Charity Ayers, James Proffitt, James Calloway, Jeremiah Green, Sarah Hull, Joannah Eggers, James Faugerson, Elizabeth Hull, Martha Chambers, Landrine Eggers, Nathan Horton, Mathew Counsel, Nancy Chambers, Rachel Chambers, Jesse Counsel, Comfort Wade, Edward Stocksdale, Edieth Stocksdale, Joseph Tompkins, Susannah Brown, Sam'l Wilcoxon, Jr., Thomas Wade, Samuel Baker, John Ayers, Sam'l Castle, Martha Castle, Abraham
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THE THREE FORKS BAPTIST CHURCH.
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Eaton, Jno. Parr, Mary Parr, Jonathan Allen, Jas. McCaleb, Mary McCaleb, Anne Doneky, Catharine Allen, Wm. Davis, Rebekah Fairchild, Richard Orzgathorp, Jno. Vanderpool, Ellen Vanderpool, Catharine Hull, Sam'l Vanderpool, Sam'l Pitman, Winant Vanderpool, Jr., Anna Vanderpool, Winant Vanderpool, Naomi Vanderpool, Keziah Pitman, Abraham Vanderpool, Sarah Davis, Abraham Linvil, Susannah Vanderpool, Peter Regan, Rebekah Regan, Catharine Linvil, Margaret Linvil, Maryann Isaacs, Mathias Harmon, Mary Harmon, Jno. Holes- claw, Jane Vanderpool, Jacob Reese, Catharine Brown, Hannah Phillips, Jeremiah Buck, Sarah Shearer, Jno. Shearer, Valentine Reese, Jr., Mary Eggers, Jonathan Buck, John Brown, Hannah Reese, Elisha Chambers, David Coleman, James Jackson, Jr., Elizabeth Horton, Henry Chambers, Rachel Brown, Anna Reese, Mary Reese, Eliz. Reese, Isaac Reese, Landrine Eggers' negro man by name of George, Anthony Reese, Asa Chambers, Com- fort Stocksdale, Samuel Northern, Susanna Fairchild, Mary Owens, William Owens, Daniel Eggers, Jr., Henry Earnest, Gracy Shearer, Susannah Brown, Debby Lewis, Benj. Brown, Mahala Eggers, Elizabeth Morphew, Margaret Chambers, Rob- ert Shearer, Jane Triplet, Richard Lewis, John Ford, Benj. Tompkins, Lyon Wilcoxon, Benj. Greer, Barnet Owens, Susan- nah Owens.
Of these there were received by experience: Three in 1790, three in 1791, twenty-nine in 1792, seven in 1793, none in 1794, two in 1795, none in 1796, one in 1797, one in 1798, sixty in 1799. Received by letter in 1790, one; in 1792, eight; in 1793, one; in 1795, four; in 1796, seven; in 1797, two; in 1798, six ; in 1799, nine. The following were dismissed by letter : Jeremiah Green, in 1793; Samuel Ayers, Benj. Bayless, Sarah Bayless, Joseph Sewel, Garsham Tompkins, Ruth Tompkins, Joseph Tompkins, Wm. Tompkins, in 1794; Jesse Counsel, Lydia Counsel, Mathew Counsel, in 1795; Elijah Chambers, Samuel Wilcoxon, Anna Wilcoxon, Sam'l Wilcoxon, Jr., in 1797; Jona- than Allen, Catharine Allen, James McCaleb, Mary McCaleb, Thomas Wade, Comfort Wade, Mary Reese, in 1798. Elizabeth Tompkins died in 1796. The following were excommunicated :
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Sarah Hull, Ezekiel England, Susannah Brown, Jesse Counsel, in 1794; James Callaway, Samuel Ayers, in 1795; William Miller, James Jackson, Landrine Eggers, Hodges Counsel, in 1796; Mary Miller, in 1797; Samuel Wilcoxon, Jr., Moses Hull, in 1798; Jno. Ayers, Daniel Eggers, Phoebe Eggers, Mahala Eggers, Martha Chambers, in 1799; William Owens, in 1801. It must not be concluded, however, that these had been guilty of very serious offences, for most, if not all, of them were restored to full membership by recantation.
The One Great Moral Force .- In the early days, when courts were few and far between and settlers scattered here and there, the only influence for good in pioneer communities was the church. This proved to be the case in this portion of Ashe County from 1790 to 1800. Nothing seemed too trivial for the correction of the church. What now appear very venial offences, were tried, frequently with the result of expulsion, but always with the assurance of restoration upon proper submission and repentance. Among the more serious offences thus punished were one case of adultery in 1794, one case of drinking to excess in 1795, one case of disposing of property to defraud creditors in 1798, and in 1799 a man confessed to fornication. This is a fine record for ten years in this far-away community. Among the more trivial matters of which the church took notice in the first thirty years of its existence were John Brown's confession of "being so overcome by passion as even to strike a man ;" Comfort Wade was excommunicated for having told Phoebe Eggers that a certain piece of cloth was cross-barred and others that it was tow linen, but at the next meeting her husband obtained a new hearing, when she was acquitted (April, 1801). In January, 1853, Burton and Damarcus Hodges were cited to appear and answer to the charge of having joined the Sons of Temperance. In December, 1801, Brother Parr was tried and acquitted for letting his children "go naked," and at the same meeting Polly Owens was publicly excommunicated for allowing her daughter to "request a certain young man to meet her, and accordingly he did, when they spent the whole time of public worship talk- ing and laughing," but soon afterwards, the mother "having
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