Malcom Chisholm, son of Murdock

As with most families who have roots in Montgomery County, the Chisholm’s are no exception to a good mystery. I have spent the past month researching Malcom Chisholm and his wife, Mary, whose maiden name, I have come to believe, is most likely Sellers.

This Blog post continues the story of Murdock and Mary Chisholm, and their children, who came from Scotland prior to 1780 (his daughter Rachel married James McMillan about 1780/1) and settled along Mountain Creek in Richmond County, North Carolina. Later, this family moved to Rocky Creek, on the waters of Little River, in Montgomery County, North Carolina. The earliest mention of Murdock that I could find is 1784 when he purchased a tract of land in Richmond County near Mountain Creek that had been granted to John Mason in 1774 when the county was still Anson.

The land that Murdock purchased is described as lying in Richmond County and beginning at a post oak being James Gaines's corner...runs to a blackjack marked by Solomon Sprawls (I will talk more about the Sprawls family in later Blogs) and Anguish Chisholm (son of Murdock) for a dividing line...thence along trees marked by John Mason and Matthew Englis[h]...containing 50 acres. Witness Thomas Adams, John Webb, Anguish Chisholm. Proven and registered September Court 1784.

On 25 Nov 1785, a year later, Murdock and Mary Chisholm sell the same tract of land to William McDonald. Land records show the McDonald’s (sometimes seen as McDaniel) had been in the Anson County area as far back as the 1760s. Witnesses to the deed are Malcom Chisom (Chisholm), John McDonald, and Owen Slaughter Jun. Murdock and Mary signed their names with an X, meaning they could not write. The deed was proved in open court by Owen Slaughter and ordered registered.

Malcom, noted on the above deed, is the son of Murdock and Mary Chisholm. He was most likely born in Scotland, probably around 1760-1765. He died prior to the 1823 probate date of Murdock’s estate, as that estate file names Malcom’s wife, Mary, and children, John Chisholm and Daniel Chisholm as receiving his share of Murdock’s estate.

Malcom shows up on the State Census of North Carolina 1784-1787, but the 1790 census is a bit confusing and does not seem to fit for Malcom Chisholm. The Malcom on the 1790 Census has 4 males 16 years or older, 1 male under 16 years, and 2 females.

One of males is Malcom, head of household, the child under 16 years old could be a son and one of the females could be his wife, Mary. Perhaps the other two males over 16 years and the other female are relatives.

However, another Malcom Chisholm came to America after 30 Sep 1790. Since the North Carolina census was not officially completed until 5 Sep 1791, the Malcom Chisholm listed in 1790 could be either Malcom. Logic assumes that it is the Malcom that has been in the county since 1784. But I do not have all the facts and therefore, cannot assume anything here.

I cannot find a date as to when the Montgomery County 1790 census was officially completed, so it is possible that the 1790 census could be the Malcom who came from Scotland with the letter written by Roderick Chisholm. If the Montgomery County census was officially complete by Oct or Nov 1790, then I would know the Malcom listed on the 1790 Census is Malcom, son of Murdock, because the other Malcom would have been on a ship at sea.

I will cover the other Malcom in another Blog and share the letter that he brought with him.

In 1797, Malcom entered a land grant for 50 acres of land on Rocky Creek, waters of Little River. The land was surveyed by Thomas Cotton in 1799 and issued to Malcom in 1803. This timeline allows me to assume that Malcom, son of Murdock, was alive on 16 Dec 1803.

The 1800 census shows a Malcom Chisholm living near Murdock and Daniel Chisholm. In his home are counted one male 45 years or older, one female 45 years or older, one male 16-25 years, and one female 16-25 years. I do not know if this is Malcom, son of Murdock or Malcom who came to America around 1790.

The year 1810, in Capt. Chappell’s District, lives John and Daniel Chisholm, who are the brothers of Malcom. Angus, another brother is living in an unstated district, but I know from land grants and deeds that Angus lived on Beaverdam Creek around this time, close to his Harris in-laws. I am not able to find either of the Malcoms or Murdock on census records for 1810.   

I know Malcom’s wife’s name is Mary as Murdock’s estate file lists her as such. Since there is no marriage record or Newspaper announcement that survives for Malcom and Mary, the only option is to research every person whom Mary may have associated with in hopes of finding documentation that might lead me to her maiden name. Clues left with Newspapers and estate records is the only lead I have at present, so that is what I am running with.

In January Term, Montgomery County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 1828, Kenneth McLennan executor of Sampson Sellers, deceased. It appeared to the court that Abel Sellers, Silas Sellers and Henry Stringfellow were not inhabitants of the state of North Carolina. It was ordered by the court that publication be ran in the Raleigh Star notifying the defendants to appear at the courthouse in Lawrenceville on the first Monday of April next regarding the Caveat of the will of Sampson Sellers, dec’d. Mary Chisholm looks to be living in the county and was probably notified.

I have not been able to find the will of Sampson Sellers as yet, and it is likely to have been destroyed in the court house fire on 7 Apr 1843 that devastated Montgomery county.

Again, in 1838, Court of Equity, Fall Term, Montgomery County, William M. Butler vs Silas Sellers, Abel Sellers, Mary Chisholm, Nancy Sellers, John Sellers, William Sellers, James Sellers, Augustus Santer & Charlotte, his wife, Lee Blackman & Sena, his wife, and Samuel Stringfellow. It appearing to the court that only Mary Chisholm lived in the county of Montgomery. All others resided outside the county or state and publication was made to inform them of the next court in September 1838 at the courthouse in Lawrenceville, Montgomery County regarding a Petition for the sale of Land. Again, Mary Chisholm looks to be living in the county and was probably notified.

Henry Stringfellow is the son of William Stringfellow who looks to have died around 1812 in Barnwell, South Carolina according to the probate date on his estate found in that county. There is also an estate file in Richmond County, North Carolina dated 1825. The below Newspaper, Richmond County – In Equity summons the heirs at law of William Stringfellow to the courthouse in Richmond County, North Carolina on the 4^th Monday in September to answer, plead or demur.

I found Lee Blackman and Sena, his wife in Barnwell District, South Carolina. Lee, his real name being Levi, served in the War of 1812 and his pension file lists his wife as Asenath Stringfellow, making her the daughter of Henry Stringfellow and the sister of Samuel Stringfellow and an unknown mother who is most likely a daughter of Sampson Sellers and sister to Mary Chisholm. Additionally, this couple is found on Census records for Barnwell County in 1850 and 1860.

Samuel Stringfellow is found on the 1830 Census for Barnwell County, South Carolina. I have not found any other information on him. I believe Samuel to be the son of Henry Stringfellow and brother to Sena Stringfellow Blackman.

The 1864 estate file of William Butler at Family Search included his will. The file is more than 200 pages long and covers a period of about 10-12 years. I most likely will cover it in more detail in another Blog post as it offers several family relationships other that Chisholm and Sellers.

Per his will, William Butler looks to have never married, nor did he have any children of his own. Or his wife and children have predeceased him as none are mentioned in his will. He leaves his entire estate to, mostly, his nieces and nephews. In a portion of his will, shown below, he leaves most of his land, including the Sellers tract of land, to his nephew David R. Cochran.

Later in the estate file, it appears that David R. Cochran never actually inherited the land, he died in 1864, having also an estate file, and the Sellers tract, as well as the other tracts, were sold at auction in Oct 1872 by the Executor of William Butler, Neil Gillis. R. C. Green became the last and highest bidder of the Sellers tract; however, a search of deeds does not find a deed for this transaction.

Sampson Sellers was in Anson County (those parts that would become Richmond and Montgomery in 1779) by 1778 when he purchased from Jacob Cockerham (Cochran) of Anson County 100 acres on Mountain Creek for fifty pounds lawful money. The deed was witnessed by William McDonald, Jonathan Allred, and Johnathan Turner and was registered in 1784 in Richmond County.

William McDonald is the mystery man of the year! No one, including me, seems to know where he came from or how he might be connected to the Chisholm family, yet he seems to appear repeatedly as witness on deeds, wills, and other documents.

Jacob Cochran is the progenitor of the Cochran family in Montgomery County and is the ancestor of David R. Cochran who is mentioned in the estate file of William Butler, whose sister married a Cochran.

Jonathan Allred can be found listed in Richmond County records along with Phineas and Solomon Allred. Also appearing in land and court records for Richmond County are John and Francis Allred, believed by some to have been the youngest sons of Solomon. Johnathan, Phineas, and Solomon Allred are all listed in the 1790 census for Richmond County, North Carolina. In the 1800 census, Jonathan Allred, Phineas Allred, and John Allred, all aged 26 to 44 years, are listed in Richmond county. By the 1810 census however, Phinehas and Johnathan Allred, both aged 45+, are listed in Barnwell District, South Carolina.

Another deed, dated 1790, Sampson Sellers to Alexander McCoy (McKay), on the east side of Naked Creek, it being a tract of land purchased of Sampson Sellers from William Ashley. The deed was witnessed by Mary Sellers and signed by Sampson Sellers and Elener Sellers. I think there is a very good chance that this Mary Sellers married Malcom Chisholm within a few months of this deed being signed and I believe it very possible that Sampson and Elener are her parents.

If this is Mary, wife of Malcom, then it could be deduced that she and Malcom married after 9 Feb 1790. This also causes me to take another look at the 1790 census record. Perhaps it is Malcom who came from Scotland to America around 1790 and one of the older males and one of the older females is Malcom, son of Murdock and Mary whose maiden name might be Sellers. Learning the date that the Montgomery County census completed is crucial to figuring out which Malcom is showing on the 1790 census.

In a letter dated 1817 that has survived history, and written by Eli Stringfellow, a nephew to Henry Stringfellow who married Mary’s sister and of Barnwell District, South Carolina to Mary Chisholm, daughter of Daniel Chisholm, and a niece to Malcom, son of Murdock, Eli tells Mary that Ellender Sellers died on the fifth of September 1817. I think this may be Elener, wife of Sampson Sellers, who signed the deed in Richmond County, North Carolina.

Both Sampson and Silas Sellers are found in Richmond County, North Carolina in 1800. Silas is living next door to John Morrison, who married Mary Chisholm, the daughter of Murdock and sister of Malcom. More on John Morrison in another Blog.

I found Silas Sellers in Jasper County, GA in 1860 with wife Rachel, also born in North Carolina, and their children and grandchildren. Silas’s daughter, Ellender, looks to be named after her grandmother, Ellender, and was also born in North Carolina.

Ellender Sellers Benton married Jesse Benton, a War of 1812 pensioner, in Butts County, Georgia in March 1845 and states in her widow pension file that her maiden name is Ellender Sellers. She further states that her husband died in September 1846, shortly after their marriage. Looking back at the 1860 Census, Mary Benton, shown in the household of Silas, is probably the only child of Jesse, her age of 14, making her the only child born in 1846, the same year that Jesse died.

According to Abel Sellers military pension file at Fold3, he married Esther Wall on March 2, 1809 in Barnwell District, South Carolina and was drafted in Capt. Josiah Walker's Co. S.C. Mil. 2 Reg't (2 BN Oswald's) S.C. St. Troops in 1812.

Most family trees I reviewed on Ancestry, as well as a few message boards, and Find-A-Grave, have Abel listed as the son of John William Sellers born 1749 Brunswick, North Carolina and dying 1814 in Lincoln, North Carolina. However, the will of John William Sellers lists his only heirs at law as his two nephews, the children of John's brother, George, and has no listing of Abel who was alive in 1814.

It is more likely that Abel is the son of Sampson Sellers and his wife Ellender, from Anson (those parts that later became Richmond and Montgomery) County, North Carolina. It is possible that Ellender’s maiden name is Allred, and that she is somehow related to Johnathan Allred who migrated to Barnwell, South Carolina. Part of the Sellers, Stringfellow, Sprawls and Chisholm families from Richmond / Montgomery counties migrated to Barnwell, South Carolina and later some of these families and their descendants migrated to Georgia and Alabama.

I have not investigated the Wall family enough to make a connection from Richmond County to Barnwell District, South Carolina, but suffice it to say that there were a lot of Wall’s in Richmond County, with the Sheriff being one William Wall, who in Mar 1790 sold to Johnathan Allred a tract of land whereas by virtue of a judgement and execution obtained by him the said Jonathan Allred against John Allred for the sum of thirty pounds...the sheriff William Wall sold a tract of land in the County of Richmond belonging to the estate of John Allred and Jonathan Allred was the highest bidder. The land located on the waters of Big Buffalo Creek and adjoins Stephen Touchstone and Luke Robinson.

Luke Robinson descends from the same Robinson line as Arthur Robinson who married Nancy Stanback, sister-in-law to John Chisholm who is the brother of Malcom. John married Nancy’s sister, Elizabeth Stanback and they had two children, Calvin Chisholm, and Mary Jennings Chisholm Gorrell. More on these family’s in future Blogs.

Stephen Touchstone and Ann, his wife, sold to Solomon Allred in Sep 1774 a tract of land containing 100 acres on the North East side of the Pee Dee River on Mountain Creek. Witness to this deed was John Allred, who is most likely the same John Allred who was indebted to Jonathan Allred and lost his land when Sheriff William Wall sold it per a court order in Mar 1790.

1820 finds Abel Sellers and family still in Barnwell District, South Carolina. Living one house away is Hardy Wall, who most likely is related to Abel’s wife, Esther Wall Sellers, probably her brother based on the age. Of interest, is found a Newspaper clipping dated 1846 from Elijah Wall in Barnwell District, South Carolina, who is looking for William Hill who had lived there 45 or 50 years ago and was the overseer of a Plantation owned by Mr. Lamar. What is most interesting is that Elijah makes note that Hardy Wall, the nephew of William Hill, resided there as well. I can only presume that William Hill was a brother to the mother of Esther, Hardy and Elijah Wall.

By 1830, Abel has made his way to Newton, Georgia where, he lives but one house away from a Cochran family. More research is required to discover if William Cochran descends from the Montgomery County Cochran family. My guess is that he probably does.

I tracked Abel down in Coosa, Alabama in 1850 and on this Census, where we learn that Esther, his wife, was born in South Carolina, most likely Barnwell. Daughter Mary, age 29, was also born in South Carolina while Sons Elijah, most likely named for Esther’s brother who ran the ad in the paper in 1846, Thomas and Wilson were all born during the stay in Georgia.

1860 finds Abel Sellers living between son, Andrew Jackson Sellers and his daughter, Vashti, who married Abner Nolan about 1829.

Coosa County Heritage Book 1999 lists the following about the Abel Sellers family:

Abel Sellers was born Oct 15, 1783 In North Carolina.  On March 2, 1809 he married Esther Wall in South Carolina. To this union were born ten children: Vashti, John, Hansford Duncan, Hardy Wall, Dianna, Mary Landrum, Andrew Jackson, Sampson Elijah, Thomas Albert, and William Ashley. About the year 1821, they began their journey to Alabama by way of Newton County, Georgia, where they settled for a few years before making their way to Coosa County, Alabama in 1843.  Abel was a landowner as well as a farmer, he also served in the War of 1812.  In 1849 he purchased land from Mark Moore and built a Home three miles east of Nixburg, Alabama, where he lived until his death.

Abel and Esther Sellers took an active part in the community and the Friendship Methodist Church which was a log cabin built near the Pine Grove School and Cemetery.  The present church building was built in 1853 on Highway 259.  Records of 1854 show a membership of ninety members, a large number of those were of the Sellers families who have been active in the Methodist Church from the earliest records to the present. Abel died July 25, 1870. Esther died Aug. 29, 1875. Both are buried in the Pine Grove Cemetery on Coosa Road 20.

Several family trees on Ancestry have included the first page of a Sellers Genealogy Record that tells Abel and Esther Wall Sellers story. My hope is that this Blog post may be found by these descendants so they can complete their family history for Abel Sellers and allow this family to explore their Uwharrie Roots.

Angus (Anguish) Chisholm, son of Murdock

Angus Chisholm can first be found on the 1800 Census record for Montgomery County, North Carolina. He is listed as Anguish. Anguish is generally connected to the Irish name Aengus or Óengus and is a masculine given name in English; an Anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic and Irish Aonghas, which is composed of Celtic elements meaning "one", and "choice". A variant spelling of the Scottish Gaelic name is Aonghus. The Irish form of the Scottish Gaelic name is Aengus. (Wikipedia) 

On the 1800 Census, Angus is listed between the ages of 16 and 25, making him born between 1775 and 1784. He lives as a bachelor, with 5 slaves, between Nathan Cothan (maybe Corthan?) and Henry DeBerry, Revolutionary War soldier, and only 4 doors down from Nathaniel Edwards.

Nathaniel Edwards of Montgomery County, North Carolina was born about 1762 in Georgia, according to the census records of his son Crawford, and the birth location of his brothers and sisters. He is in the 1787 tax records and in the 1790 and 1800 censuses in Montgomery County. His children began appearing in the records in Wilson County, Tennessee in 1804, but there are no records in Tennessee for Nathaniel himself. His last child was born in North Carolina in 1806. The absence of Nathaniel from the tax records in Wilson County implies that he was never a resident of Wilson County. Nancy, his wife, appeared as head of household in the 1820 census. 

Nathaniel's wife, Nancy Howard Edwards, was identified in the will of her father, William Howard, who died in 1814. Nathaniel married Nancy Howard about 1780. There were nine surviving children in the 1800 census, and there were three children born after 1800. The names of the children were not in any historical document with Nathaniel or Nancy and had to be researched individually. Eleven of the children have been identified and are now verified by DNA. (by Jerry Edwards). 

On the next page of the Census, and near-by, lives Bradford Howard who is the brother of Nancy. You can read more about these families and how I worked together with Jerry to discover how my Morgan line was identified with Alston Morgan, son of Anderson Morgan, who migrated with the Edwards family to Wilson County, Tennessee. It is my belief that Nathaniel Edwards has a connection to the Edwards family in Chatham County, North Carolina.

Now, back to Angus… On the 1810 Census, Angus is found married with a listing for son under the age of 10 years and a daughter, also under the age of ten years. His wife is listed between 26 and 44 years of age.

Angus is believed by many to have married first Sally Myrick Harris, daughter of Arthur Harris and his first wife, Mary Myrick. What is interesting to note here is that Arthur Harris married second, Elizabeth Edwards, who no doubt is related to Nathaniel Edwards, and, if I had to guess, my theory would be that she is probably his sister as they are close in age. Elizabeth was married first to Brantley Harris, the brother of Arthur, as proven by the widow pension file of Elizabeth found at Fold3.

In the Carolina Watchman - 13 Mar 1879 - Page 2, is found evidence that Sally was originally buried in the Chisholm family cemetery, along with West Harris, whose remains were moved to Rowan County, North Carolina when the Chisholm graveyard was flooded to form Badin lake in the early 1900s. Angus and Sally had at least one child, a son, Whitson H. Chisholm. I am sure more children were born of this union, but I have not been able to identify them with any certainty.

Most family trees on Ancestry show Sally married to Daniel Chisholm; I believe this in incorrect, mainly because Daniel married a woman named Miriam as mentioned in his will. I will write more about that family in another post. Sally died in 1819 at the age of 35, making her birth year 1784. The graveyard where Sally was originally buried is now under Badin Lake. Her grave was one of hundreds that was relocated to Graveyard Island between 1915 - 1917 when Alcoa dammed the Yadkin River.

Graveyard Island is a recent name given to Big Cut Cemetery, the higher ground that became an island when Badin Lake was created when Narrows Dam was completed across the Narrows of the Yadkin River and filled in 1917. A number of graves were moved to the old Kirk family graveyard near Palmerville, North Carolina in 1916 and early 1917, including those of the Locke Family in May 1916, the Adderton’s in October 1916, the Harris-Chisholm Family in November 1916, the Pennington’s, Morton’s, and others. In a few cases, new stones were placed in 1916. Many stones have become unreadable with time or been damaged by falling trees and a 2015 forest fire. There are at least three cemeteries located on Graveyard Island. The island can only be accessed walking 3 miles down train tracks or by boat. (Find-A-Grave) 

A Chisholm descendant was kind enough to share with me the below letter received in 1916 from then Tallassee Power Company, now The Tapoco Project. The letter refers to the relatives of D.[aniel] M. Chisholm, Sally Chisholm, and Martha Chisholm, who are buried in the graveyard in Eldorado Township, near Machine Branch.

Martha (Stanback) Chisholm is the wife of Whitson Chisholm, who is the son of Angus and Sally Harris Chisholm. Her death was recorded in The Raleigh Register on 8 Aug 1828. It is noted that she and Whitson had only been married for five months at the time of her death. Recorded in the Carolina Watchman in 1879, by someone who called themselves NEMO, is the traditional history of how Martha died. The story that had been handed down from 1828 to 1879 in the county of Montgomery is that Martha was poisoned by a yellow servant girl who belonged to Whitson Chisholm at or before her marriage.

Whitson, after the death of his wife, Martha, and his father, Angus, migrated to Hardeman County, Tennessee around 1829. Whitson, acting as Administrator to the estate of Angus Chisholm deceased, and noted as being from Montgomery County, in 1828, sold to William Huland (Hulin) of Davidson County, a tract of land in Randolph County, belonging to Angus Chisholm deceased. In 1831, Whitson, noted as being from Hardeman County, Tennessee, sold another tract of land in Randolph County, belonging to Angus Chisholm deceased, to William Huland (Hulin).

Whitson can be found, listed as Wilson, on the 1830 Census for Hardeman County, Tennessee. A few pages over, lives James Pankey, the son of Auzey and Elizabeth Chisholm Pankey. James is a cousin to Whitson through Angus’s brother Daniel Chisholm whose daughter, Elizabeth, married Auzey Pankey.

James Pankey is mentioned in an article in The North-Carolinian (Fayetteville, North Carolina) 29 Mar 1845. The unknown writer had made a trip to Hardeman County, Tennessee in 1844 where he visited many of the people who had left Montgomery County, North Carolina and reported on their welfare in the Fayetteville paper on his return. In a surviving letter, dated 1848, James Pankey writes to his Uncle-in-law, John Ewing, married Mary Chisholm, sister of Elizabeth Chisholm Pankey, with news of the family’s welfare. A transcribed copy is found below.

Many researchers mistake that Angus, son of Murdock, served in the War of 1812. While Angus (Anguish) Chisholm is found on the Muster Rolls for First Reg. Montgomery County, North Carolina for the year 1814, there is no evidence that Angus ever actually served in the War of 1812. An in-depth search on Fold3 found only one file for an Angus Chisholm of Fayetteville, North Carolina. In the file is a letter from close friends John Culpepper Esq and William King Esq, who wrote a letter on behalf of “Angus Chisholm, the son of Finlay Chisholm of this town (Merchant) who died in April 1813.”

As a note, there was also an Angus Chisholm in Moore County, North Carolina who can be found on the 1820 Census for that county and is listed as between the ages of 26-44, putting his year of birth as 1785 and too young to be Angus, son of Murdock. There is also a listing for this Angus Chisholm on the roles for 3 REG'T (MOORE'S) NORTH CAROLINA MIL and probably the same Angus who is found on the 1820 Census for Moore County. 

After Sally died, Angus married Jane Harris, daughter of Maj. Thomas Harris, a Revolutionary War soldier, from Mecklenburg and Iredell counties North Carolina. Jane is mentioned in the will of Thomas Harris as Jane Chisholm and her marriage to Angus Chisholm of Montgomery County was announced in the Fayetteville Weekly Observer in 1824, where she is noted as the daughter of Maj. Harris. Jane had two sisters, Rachel, married James Neely, and Matlilda, married William Moore.

To my knowledge, there is no family connection between the Harris family of Mecklenburg and Iredell Counties and the Sally Myrick Harris family of Montgomery County. 

In 1801, a survey was ordered for Angus for 300 acres on the west side of the Pee Dee River on the waters of Mountain Creek, including Michael Higgin’s improvements. Chain carriers were Isaac and Caleb Carter.

Michael Higgin’s had acquired this land in March 1796 with the survey completing in July 1796; Joshua Carter Sen and Samuel Carter, my fifth great grandfather, were chain carriers.

In 1818, Angus was issued a land grant for 150 acres of land in Montgomery County on Beaverdam Creek, beginning on the fourth corner of his Palmer tract of land. The land adjoined West Harris and Arthur Harris and Eloy (?) Harris served as chainers.

The Palmer tract of land may have been acquired from William Palmer who had several early land grants in Anson County, prior to the area becoming Montgomery County, but only one grant on Beaverdam Creek. That grant was issued in Jan 1773 for 640 acres of land on Beaverdam Creek. 

The land may have also belonged to Robert Palmer, who is found as the neighbor of Angus on the 1810 Census.

Angus was issued another land grant in Randolph County for 92 acres on the Glady Fork on 29 Dec 1827. Surprisingly, George Brewer and Leonard Russell were chain carriers. Both the Brewer’s and the Russell’s hail back to Chatham County, North Carolina. Leonard Russell was married to Mary Brewer, who may have a direct connection to the George Brewer (probably a brother) mentioned as a chain carrier for Angus Chisholm’s survey. I checked survey’s for Leonard Russell and George Brewer also served as a chain carrier for Leonard. Postal records show that George Brewer was appointed Postmaster in 1837 for Sandy Creek, Randolph County, North Carolina.

In 1820, Jonathan Saratt of Randolph County indebted himself to Angus Chisholm for $35. “This being the sum of a judgement which is at this time in the hands of Solomon Farmer to collect for Angus Chisholm, which money Jonathan Saratt shall pay to the said Chisholm on or before the first day of Jan 1822.” Witness W. H. Chisholm. Undoubtedly, the majority of Sarratt’s ended up in Davidson County, North Carolina. See estate files at Family Search for more information on this family

In Sep. 1813, Angus purchased from Joseph Tolbert (sometimes seen as Talbert) a tract of land containing 100 acres on the waters of Big Creek in Randolph County for $100. Big Creek lies close to land that Angus already owns, close to present day Center Methodist Church Road in Montgomery County. William Hannah and Isaac Hanna were witness to the deed.

On the same day in Sep 1813, Angus purchased from Thomas Tolbert of the county of Randolph, for $15, a tract or parcel of land lying and being in the county of Rowan on the waters of Glady Fork and near the Montgomery County line, 150 acres.

In 1820, Angus purchases “all that tract of land situate lying and being in the county of Randolph on the waters of Big Creek containing 100 acres” from Josiah Tolbert. Witnesses: M. Hill and Nathan Cranford.

In 1811, Angus is the highest bidder for a tract of land, 186 acres, where John Smith Esq, High Sheriff of Rowan, has been ordered by the court to sell for debt against Wiley Davis, Rowan.

In Sep 1821, Angus buys from John Davis of Rowan County 109 acres of land, all that tract of land situate in the county of Rowan and north east of the Yadkin River on Cedar Branch, beginning at Robert Shipton's line and runs to James Daniels corner.

In 1823, Angus binds himself to William Huland (or Hulin) for $400 lawful money...the condition being such that if Angus Chisholm do well and truly make a lawful right and title to William Huland to a certain tract of land containing 200 acres being in Randolph County on the waters of Glady Fork where on Josiah Tolbert formerly lived and sold to Chisholm then the above bond is to be void.” Witness: Farquar Martin.

Gold was discovered on property belonging to Angus and in the mid-1820s several Newspaper articles were written about the excitement of gold being found on or near the Chisholm property. Such tales as “the roads were paved with gold” were told. In 1826, an accident at Chisholm's Gold Mine dreadfully mangled a Mr. King by the premature discharge of powder which he was placing in a rock for the purpose of blasting. Mr. King most likely died from the explosion.

Angus Chisholm died before 15 Nov 1827. I have concluded this date based on a Cumberland County deed dated 1818 between Angus and David Hay of Fayetteville, Cumberland County. Angus purchased from David Hay a lot of land in the public square in the Town of Fayetteville, to be used to build, within three years, a brick building at least two stories high...witness John MacDonald and J. Chisholm That same piece of property was advertised for sale on 15 Nov 1827 by W. H. Chisholm, Adm’r of Angus Chisholm. Angus never building as the lot is listed as unimproved.

Murdock Chisholm

As stated so many times on this Blog, Montgomery County, North Carolina is a difficult county to research because it's what's called a burned county, meaning that many county records were destroyed by fire. Montgomery is not the only county like this. Other counties across the nation have lost records due to any number of reasons; fire, tornado, war, flood, hurricane, earthquake, insects, rodents, mold, neglect, foxing, theft, tsunami, or cleaning-streak clerks who shredded documents.

Due to the loss of records, I must be very careful when researching a family in early Montgomery County. Families of that time used repeated names for multiple generations and sometimes it is frustrating figuring out which person belongs to which direct line.

Estate files can be a great resource for confirming family connections, dates of death and names of descendants because they typically spell out who the next of kin are to the person who has died. Such was the case when I was reading through estate files at Family Search and came across an early file for Murdock Chisholm.

Murdock Chisholm's estate file lists his heirs at law as shown below. The file is great because it spells out, through the distribution, who the people are and indicates which of his children are already dead prior to March 1825, the date of the distribution, and names some of his grandchildren.

The heirs at law are mentioned in the below documents. I have transcribed enough of the documents to assist in understanding the family relationships and have noted below what I have found thus far on each family member. More to come on each of these family members in more Blog posts, so stayed tuned.

1. Malcolm Chisholm is dead and his wife, Mary, and sons John and Daniel Junr, received his share.

Note: I did find some online resources that show Malcolm dying in 1844, and while there is a Malcolm with an estate file for 1844 that was Administered by John Ewing and a Malcolm on every Census in Montgomery County between 1790 - 1840, it cannot be Malcolm, the son of Murdock, as he is dead by 1825. I believe the Malcolm Chisholm who died in 1844 came to America with a letter from Roderick Chisholm in Scotland. More on this Malcolm in another Blog post.

2. Angus Chisholm married first Sallie Myrick Harris, daughter of Arthur Harris. Some of his children later migrated to Hardeman County, Tennessee. Angus married second, Jane Harris, daughter of Maj. Thomas Harris from Mecklenburg and Iredell counties North Carolina. Angus spent most of his life accumulating land in Montgomery and Randolph Counties and other counties too.

3. Daniel Chisholm Senr is dead before the 1825 distribution and the file only mentions "heirs at law" but never names any of the heirs of Daniel.

4. John Chisholm is dead prior to 1825 and his share of the proceeds went to Calvin J Chisholm and Mary A Chisholm - listed as the children of Jno Chisholm.

5. James McMillan & wife Rachel Chisholm migrated to Chesterfield District, South Carolina where they are found applying for a Revolutionary War pension. Their children are also listed as applying for their parents’ pension after Rachel, their mother, died in 1844.

6. John Morrison and wife Mary Chisholm. I am still researching this couple and have not found out what happened to them.

Murdock’s estate file can be found at the below link.

https://www.familysearch.org/records/images/image-details?page=6&place=393018&rmsId=TH-909-73225-48290-96&coverageItemIndex=1&imageIndex=72&singleView=true

Montgomery County Docket 1804–1824 found at Family Search, on pages 126 through 129, is a record of Murdock Chisholm’s deceased and his family.

State of N. Carolina
Montgomery County
In Chancery
Fall term 1823
Humbly complaining sheweth unto your Honor your orators Angus Chisholm, Daniel Chisholm Sen, John Chisholm, Daniel Chisholm Jun and Calvin Chisholm and Mary A. Chisholm minors by their Guardian Angus Chisholm all of the county of Montgomery and John Morrison and Mary Morrison his wife of the county of Richmond & James McMillan and Rachel his wife of South Carolina state that Murdoch Chisholm father of your orator departed this life sometime in the year _________ leaving Malcolm Chisholm deceased the father of John Chisholm and Daniel Chisholm Junr, Angus Chisholm, Daniel Chisholm Senr, John Chisholm, deceased father of Calvin J Chisholm and Mary A Chisholm minors, Rachel McMillan, wife of James McMillan and Mary Morrison, wife of James Morrison, his children and heirs at law and at the time of his death was seized and possessed of a tract of one hundred acres of land situate on the waters of Mountain Creek in the county of Montgomery adjoining the lands of Angus Chisholm, Nevin Clark and others and the said Murdoch Chisholm made no disposition of the said tract of land either during his life or by his last will and testament but died intestate as to the same.

Malcolm C. Clark, agent of Nevin Clark, became the last and highest bidder of said land for $100.
Distributed March term 1825:
1. John Chisholm, Daniel Chisholm, Mary Chisholm - children and wife of Malcolm $12.02 1/2
2. Angus Chisholm's part $12.02 1/2
3. Daniel Chisholm heirs at law $12.02 1/2
4. Calvin J Chisholm and Mary A Chisholm - children of Jno Chisholm $12.02 1/2
5. James McMillan & wife (Rachel) $12.02 1/2
6. John Morrison and wife (Mary) $12.02 1/2

John Kirk and James Kirk

This is the last Blog on the Kirk family. As noted, when I began researching the Kirk family back in May of this year, I am not, as far as I know, a direct descendant of the Kirk family. However, I have learned through years of research that, sometimes, in order to find information on your own direct family lines you must research those families who lived near-by.

I was actually looking for information that would place my Marks family in the Montgomery/Stanly County area prior to 1830. I found exactly what I was looking for by researching the Kirk's, who were near neighbors to my Marks family. The earliest documented date I had of John Marks, my fourth great grandfather, being in Montgomery County was around 1833 when he was found making purchases in Daniel Freeman’s General Store in Lawrenceville, then the county seat of Montgomery. The 1833 date is now pushed back seven years to 1826 thanks to the Kirk family. I found my fourth great grandfather, John Marks, serving as chain carrier for a grant for an 1826 land survey for George Kirk. It always pays to research the neighbors of your ancestors!

Now...on to John Kirk and James Kirk.

The last two persons listed in the division of land in the John Kirk Dec’d estate file is John Kirk and James Kirk.

Division the 10th Lot No 9 called the Tindalville Tract valuation $500 to John Kirk. Beginning at a maple by willow oak the beginning of Lot No 10 and runs with the line of said lot north 75 west five poles to a small sweet gum thence south 53 poles to a stake in the road below where George Kirk lives between an ash and sweet gum pointers thence along said road south 39 west 73 poles to a stake between two pines thence North 75 west 129 pole thence north 26 east 244 poles to a stake thence east to the River thence down the various courses of said River to the beginning containing one hundred and ninety two acres.

Division the 11th and Lot No 11 valuation $1000 to James Kirk called the Berry tract lying on the east side of the Pee Dee River beginning at a hickory standing at the mouth of Island Creek and runs north 25 east 220 poles to a post oak thence west 28 poles to the road thence with the various courses of sd road to the Town Line of Henderson thence with the town line So 20 East 6 poles to a stake thence south 70 west 68 poles to the River containing one hundred and thirteen and ¾ acres by an addition of 2-3/4 acres being added which by his on the east branch of the river sold to John Kirk Dec’d by the commissioners appointed for that and other purposes containing in the whole on thousand nine hundred and seventy five ½ acres by estimation that the valuation of the whole amount is seven thousand and twenty three dollars.

I have spent weeks researching John Kirk and James Kirk and have been able to find some assumptions made from other researchers; I have not been able to verify some of the assumptions. I  checked the Y-DNA Kirk surname project and was not able to find any conclusive data on John Kirk Senior, the father of John Kirk and James Kirk. If any male descendants have Y-DNA tested, they do not look to have been grouped in the project yet. Or, if they have been grouped, it is not clear which group they belong to. So, I will cover what little I have found.

1830 finds John Kirk Jr. living in Montgomery County, North Carolina in close vicinity to his nephew and brother, Davidson Kirk, and Stephen Kirk. All three men are listed as being close in age, about 30 years, and all three men have young children in the home. However, there is no wife listed for John Kirk, so it could be assumed his wife has died by 1830.

James Kirk is shown living on the west side of the Pee Dee River in Montgomery County, North Carolina in 1830. In his household is one female between the ages of 20 to 30, most likely his wife and a male between the ages of 10 to 15, most likely a son.

I am not able to find John Kirk, nor James Kirk, on the 1840 Census.

I viewed more than 50 trees on Ancestry, and all had John Kirk listed as marrying Sarah “Sallie” Wood in Randolph County, North Carolina. While it is possible, it would not be the norm for 1823 that a man would cross a River to marry a woman when there were plenty of women living in the same area where he resided. Following the records on this John Kirk and Sarah Wood led me to McNairy County, Tennessee, where they are found on the 1850 Census. Living in the same household is Elizabeth Kirk, age 100, and presumably, John’s mother. Yet, in all the trees I viewed, the researcher has Mary Sarah Steele, who died in North Carolina in 1828, listed as John’s mother with no explanation as to who the 100-year-old Elizabeth could be. I do not believe that the couple in Randolph County, North Carolina are the same couple who lived on the other side of the Yadkin River in the area that would become Stanly County.

Further searches found a John Kirk on the 1850 Census for Rowan County, closer to Stanly County, and more realistic, but still not Stanly County, where John is found through Census and Land records through at least 1847. However, what makes the Rowan County Census more believable is that next door lives James Kirk whose age is close enough to be a brother of John.

Still not convinced that this 1850 Census in Rowan County is the same John and James Kirk from Stanly County, I had to dig deeper to find more clues.

Land records show that John Kirk Jr. was issued a land grant, number 497, in 1845, for 50 acres on Cedar Branch in Stanly County, North Carolina. Edmund Lilly and Parham Kirk were chain carriers and Daniel Freeman and Michael Fesperman were noted as near neighbors.

Again, in 1847, 100 acres of land on the head of Cedar Branch was issued to John Kirk. Neighbors were David Kendal, whose land is noted as formally belonging to John Parker Senior, Lewis Kirk and a 50-acre tract granted to Laban Carter, now owned by John Kirk.

Chain carriers were E. W. Lilly and Parham Kirk Jr.

Searching land deeds found an 1844 deed from Laban Carter to John Kirk for 50-acres of land in Stanly County on the Cedar Branch of Mountain Creek and sold for $40 and adjoining the land of the heirs of Lewis Kirk, and Robert Carter who had purchased his land from Samuel Stone. The last two men served as witnesses to the deed.

Searching Rowan County, North Carolina estate records brought me success with the will of James Kirk who died in 1864. The will has also cleared up some confusion on Edith Kirk Miller, the daughter of Stephen Kirk. In my previous Blog I made mention of a discrepancy with daughter, Edith. The 1850 Census lists Edith Kirk as 20 years old, making her born about 1830, living in household of Stephen Kirk, her father.

Stephen Kirk’s will was written in 17 May 1852 and mentions Edith Miller as his youngest daughter, with no children. So, Edith Kirk was married to a man with surname Miller between 1850 when the Census was enumerated and 1852 when Stephen Kirk wrote his will.

Every tree that I reviewed on Ancestry lists Edith as born in 1812 and the wife of John Franklin Miller. While there is a John F and Edith (age 38) Miller listed on the 1850 Census, I just could not reconcile how this could be Edith, daughter of Stephen Kirk, as Edith Kirk would have been 4 years old when Jane Miller, who is shown on the 1850 Census as the eldest child of John Miller, was born. I began to wonder if Edith Kirk lied about her age as she married a man much older than herself who already had 6 children. But, alas, the will of James Kirk has cleared up the confusion.

James Kirk's will begins as most do, "In the name of God...I James Kirk being of disposing mind and memory and calling to mind the uncertainty of life...I dispose of my estate real and personal by last will and testament."

First, I give to niece Elizabeth Lentz wife of Eli Lentz one Negro Slave by the name of Juliann
Secondly, to niece Rebecca Fouts widow of Eli Fouts one Negro Slave Caroline
Thirdly, to niece Edith Miller wife of Ellick Miller one negro slave Adaline
Fourthly, to nephew Jesse A. Kirk one negro slave Adam
Fifthly, to nephew Ezra Kirk two negro slaves Mark and Amy
Sixthly, to nephew Edward Moss three negro slaves Harriet George and Jacob
Seventhly, to nephew Atlas Kirk three negro slaves Allen, Judah, and Sarah
Eighthly, to Ann James Kirk daughter of Atlas Kirk one negro child Levi
Ninthly, to niece Eliza Giles Shaver daughter of George Kirk one negro slave Dick
Tenthly, to nephew Edward Moss and Ezra Kirk the land where I now reside composed of various adjoining and continuous tracts supposed to contain 534 acres
Eleventhly, to nephews Edward Moss Atlas Kirk and Ezra Kirk a tract of land lying on Dutch Second Creek known as the Huffman tract supposed to contain 240 acres
Twelfthly, all the property I possess which are not in this will disposed of I authorize empower my Executor to expose to sale either private or public and pay all of my just debts and the balance distributed between Edward Moss, Atlas Kirk, Ezra Kirk, Jane Parker wife of Jesse Parker, Elizabeth Lentz wife of Eli Lentz, Rebecca Fouts widow of Eli Fouts, Edith Miller wife of Ellick Miller and Jesse A Kirk equally.
Lastly, I appoint Atlas Kirk Executor
23 May 1864 James Kirk
Witness: Levi Trexlar and Sarah Ann Ferrell
Proved as to the will not the Codicil

Codicil to the above will on 23 May 1864
7 Sep 1864
the negro man Dick which I have Bequeathed to Elizar Shaver the wife of Noah Shaver have taken away from her to which I have given Jesse Kirk and Edith Miller the wife of A. Miller I bequeath the said negro man Dick each to have equal shear or value of said boy to belong to them and their ears forever James Kirk. Witness: Sarah Ann Ferrell