Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: Descendants of Father '1st Gen' McBrayer

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Descendants of Father '1st Gen' McBrayer

Generation No. 3

5. SAMUEL³ MCBRAYER (WILLIAM², FATHER '1ST GEN'¹) was born Abt. 1736 in Pennsylvania, Northern Ireland, or on the ship over, and died May 02, 1814 in Shaw's Creek, Buncombe Co., NC. He married (1) MARY WHITEHOUSE YOUNG Abt. 1787 in Buncombe Co., NC. She was born Abt. 1746, and died 1835 in Horseshoe, NC. He married (2) ELIZABETH ? Abt. 1763 in Cumberland Co., PA ?. She died Aft. March 1787 in Rutherford Co., NC.

Notes for SAMUEL MCBRAYER:
He was born ca 1736. His place of birth is not definitely known. Some say it was in Antrim Township, Lancaster Co., PA; others say Northern Ireland. A recently uncovered family legend specifies "Samuel McBrayer" as born on the ship which brought the family to America.

Samuel grew up on his father's plantation of "Williamsburg", which was located about 7 miles to the southwest of the present town of Chambersburg, PA.

(ED NOTE: The area in which Samuel's parents originally settled in 1735-36 was known at that time as Lancaster County. It was formed in 1729. Cumberland County was formed from Lancaster in 1750 and Franklin was formed from Cumberland in 1784.)

He continued to live with his father and mother after his marriage and it was at "Williamsburg" that his first son, William, was born ca 1764.

Shortly after William's birth Samuel took his new family from the Cumberland Valley of Pennsylvania. They were thought to have traveled south on the "Wilderness Trail" down through Virginia and the fertile lands of the Shenandoah Valley, traveling part of the time overland and part of the time on the rivers. They were making their way to the new frontiers of the Carolinas. Wayland F. Dunaway's book "The Scotch Irish of Colonial Pennsylvania" is described as the most authoritative and most readable history of the Scotch-Irish of colonial Pennsylvania. It traces the important migratory movements of the Scotch-Irish from the province of Ulster in Northern Ireland to Pennsylvania, then from Pennsylvania down the foothills of the Appalachians through the great Valley of Virginia to the Carolinas and Georgia.

(ED NOTE: It was originally thought that perhaps Samuel's brother, William, and his family journeyed to the Carolinas with Samuel, but closer observation of documentation indicates that William may have come as much as a year later - see land grants for William.)

Sometime in 1765 they finally reached their destination, settling first in an area that is now in York County, South Carolina - at that period it was considered North Carolina. They were but a small group of the some 65,000 settlers who settled this area during that period. Samuel's first land was a tract located on the west side of Turkey Creek. It contained 164 acres and was located in what was then Mecklenburg County, NC.
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      "SURVEYED for Samuel McBrayer a tract of land containing 164 acres on the west side of Turkey Creek including the improvement he now lives. Beginning at two hickorys in or near Moore's line then nearly with the same S.28. E 100 poles to a white oak then S. (?) W 175 poles to a pine (on) Hillhouse's corner then with his line S. 42. W (?) poles to his other corner hickory then nearly with his other line N.31. W. 60 poles to a pine then crossing a branch N.43 E 275 pole to the beginning.
      /s/ John Riggs by /s/ Wm Alexander
      John ?urrah (name hard to read)
      J.C. B----s

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      (ED NOTE: Turkey Creek is now located in York Co., SC.. It heads in York County, crosses the southwest corner of Chester County and feeds into the Broad River on the Chester/Union Counties line.)

This survey was dated 23 Sep 1766. The statement, "improvement he now lives", points to the fact that Samuel may have been in North CaroLina for some time before he had the land surveyed. The grant for the above land was finally issued on 25 Apr 1767, and was signed by GOV. WILLIAM TRYON, Governor of North Carolina.

      (ED NOTE: Mecklenburg Co. was formed in 1762 and in 1768 was divided and Tryon Co. was formed from portions of it. Tryon County was discontinued in 1779 when Ruther-ford County was formed.)

Samuel was issued a warrant for additional land - 350 acres - on 23 Sep 1766, the same date as the first property. This land was located just north of the other tract in "Mecklenburg County on the east side of Broad River on the waters of Bullock Creek". (see map #3, 2 - HARD FILES) The survey for this land was made on 10 Mar 1767 and a final grant was made by Gov. Tryon on 29 Apr 1768. The survey showed, however, only 300 acres.

The land on which Samuel settled was in dispute between North and South Carolina, with both claiming it as their territory. In 1770 another survey was conducted of the area and it was discovered that the land, indeed, did lie within the territorial rights of South Carolina.

Samuel was then forced to re-register his land... this time in South Carolina. (Lands of the original patents for both Samuel and his brother, William, are recorded in the state records of both North and South Carolina.)

Samuel sold his 300 acre grant on the East side of Broad River on 9 Oct 1772 to WM. HILLHOUSE. The price was "10 shillings... 1 pepper corn as rent on the last day of the year". Samuel was shown in this document to have been 'of the Parish of St. Marks, Province of South Carolina'.

On 10 Dec 1772 a memorial was submitted by Samuel to register his grant of 164 acres (on the west side of Turkey Creek) with the South Carolina Records (Vol 12, Pg 31, SC. Archives, Columbia, S.C.).

He was first listed in 1782 under the taxable jurisdiction of CAPTAIN HUGH BEATY'S 12th Company in Rutherford County. He was taxed on 222 acres of land, 5 horses, and 14 head of cattle. His total assessment was for 100 (pounds proclamation money of NC.).

He bought a 70 acre tract of land on 27 Jan 1784 from JOHN STAMFORD (STANFORD) of Rutherford Co., NC, for the price of 50 pounds current money. This land was located on the South side of White Oak Creek "being part of an original patent granted by His Majesty to GEORGE ALEXANDER on 26 Sep 1766". (White Oak Creek is located in Polk Co., North Carolina - see map #3, 3) William McBrayer, Samuel's oldest son, was a witness on this deed. It was most likely, that with the purchase of this land, Samuel moved his family north from South Carolina and settled on the new property.

He sold his 164 acres in SC. on 15 Nov 1784 to ALLEN DOWDLE of "County of Cravens, SC." for 260 pounds current money and on 15 Jan 1785 had a survey made in the Camden Dist, SC, (apparently what is now Polk Co., NC.) for 150 acres of land; a grant for this land was issued on 3 Apr 1786. This land he sold on 15 Mar 1787 to THOMAS RANDOLPH for 50 pounds sterling. Samuel and his wife, Elizabeth, were listed as "of Rutherford Co., NC".

Shortly thereafter, on 23 June 1787, Samuel purchased for '25 pounds proclamation money' from JOHN STANFORD (STAMFORD), 22 acres on the "Little Broad River Rutherford County". This tract is thought to have been in what is now Cleveland County, NC.

A week later, on 30 June 1787, he purchased another 100 acres on the "North side of Green River below the mouth of Walnut Creek." He paid "100 pounds proclamation money" to WILLIAM MILLS for the property. It is thought Samuel may have moved to this area about this time, as on 11 July 1791 he sold his 200 acres on "the waters of the First Broad River" to his son, William. (See map #3, 4 - Hard Files)

We know Samuel was still in the Morgan District of Rutherford County in 1790: NC census, pg 119, listed under the Twelveth Company: SAM MCBRIERS: 4 Free white males 16 or older; 5 free white males under 16; 4 free white females. Samuel continued to buy and sell land along the Green River: 1 Jan 1794, bought, 15 acres on S. side of Green River from JAMES LAUGHTER for "10 pounds proclamation money" (witness: BIRD LAUGHTER and JOHN YOUNG; 6 Jan 1794, sold to PATRICK MOREN for 80 pounds - 70 acres on 'South side of White Oak Creek in Rutherford Co.

Samuel and his family continued to live on these "Green River" tracts until 1796 or early 1797. (Some researchers say he moved from there in 1795, but other facts point to the later date.)

On 3 Oct 1796, Samuel, who is shown to be from Rutherford County, bought from ELIJAH WILLIAMSON of Buncombe County, NC, a 150 acre tract of land on the east side of the French Broad River in Buncombe County.

He had moved his family over the eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge Mountains to Buncombe Co. on the east side of the French Broad River at the mouth of Shaw's Creek at least by 8 May 1797 when he was granted 75 acres of land "adjoining his land on the south side of the French Broad River in Buncombe County".

On 23 Jun 1800 he was granted still another parcel of land, 200 acres, again adjoining his present home. Witnessing this grant were two of his sons, Samuel Jr., and Ichabod McBrayer. (Shaw's Creek is now located in Henderson Co., 5 miles west of Hendersonville on the Brevard Highway. The source of this creek is Jumpoff Mountain and it empties into the French Broad River at Horseshoe, NC - Leon M. Parks, Asheville, NC.)

The Buncombe County census of 1800, pg 180, shows Samuel as over 45, 1 son of 10-16, 2 sons of 26-45, 3 dau under 10, 1 dau 10-16, and his wife - over 45.

Samuel began to dispose of some of the land holdings he had retained in Rutherford County (now Polk Co.), as on 11 Aug 1800, he sold to JOHN HADEN two tracts. The first was located at the mouth of Walnut Creek on Green River and contained 100 acres. The second parcel was a 15 acre tract lying on the south side of the Green River.

On 11 Dec 1804 he sold some of his Buncombe County land; 100 acres of a 200 acre grant of 23 Sep 1800. This was the last land transaction for him that has been located. Samuel had sold his interest to his father's estate in PA to his brother, David, in 1796.

He was married (1) about 1763 to ELIZABETH --?--. It is reported she died during the Revolutionary War, or some time between 1780 and 1784, however, Elizabeth was apparently still alive on 15 Mar 1787 when she was listed as the wife of Samuel in a deed conveying 150 acres of land in York Co., SC., Camden District, to THOMAS RANDOLPH. Samuel lived in Rutherford Co., NC, at the time, but had held on to some of his land in SC.

He married (2) about 1787 in Buncombe Co., NC, to widow MARY (WHITEHOUSE?) YOUNG, whose husband* had been hung by the Tories. She had three children by her previous marriage: SAMUEL, JOHN, and MARY YOUNG. (Samuel and John were both recorded as witnesses on several of Samuel's deeds.)

(*There was a John Young "killed by Tories" four miles south of Unionville on the waters of Fairforest. He was (or had been) under the command of Gen. Brandon of S.C. Brandon was the uncle of Maj. Thomas Young, who was in the battle of Cowpens. (No date is given for this event in GA Hist. Coll., vol 3, p. 58 (Although Unionville is in Mecklenburg Co. and not Rutherford, they adjoin. The term "killed by Tories" suggests that it was not in battle.)

In early 1991 a tidbit of information from the files of ROBBIE ROBERTSON was uncovered which indicated that MARY WHITEHOUSE married on 26 Jan 1763 in Cumberland Co., NC, to JOHN YOUNG (record # 037-02-219 Cumberland Co.) At least two of their children, daughter Mary Young, b 1779 and John Young, no birth year given, were listed. Another piece of information indicated that son John married 20 Apr 1786 in Rutherford Co., NC to MARY BOWEN.

John Young is said to have adopted the surname McBrayer and moved to Alabama, where he died unmarried, "the oldest man in the county", in St. Clair Co. (*obituary: The Southern Advocate, Huntsville, Madison Co., AL.)

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      John Y. McBrayer, of St. Clair Co., in this state, aged 92 years, died on the 2nd, instate, near Springville. He was the oldest of the earliest settlers, having moved there from South Carolina in 1818.

      - - - - - - -

Nothing much is known of Samuel Young, although Rutherford County, NC, records show a Samuel Young b 6-22-1781, d 8-14-1847; wife SARAH YOUNG, b 7-28-1784, d 12-28-1853.

The daughter, Mary Young, married Samuel McBrayer's son, David. (see #82) Mary Young was born ca 1746 and died 1835 in North Carolina. She was buried in the Shaw's Creek Camp Ground Cemetery near Horseshoe, NC.

Samuel and Mary were reported to have had five children, with the first, Sarah, born in 1785. It is now apparent that Sarah was the daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth, and that Sam and Mary Young McBrayer had only four children.

Sam, according to family tradition, supposedly supported by an old family bible, printed in Edinburgh in 1836, died 2 May 1814 (at the age of 78) in Buncombe Co., NC, and is supposedly buried in the Old Pioneer Cemetery near Fairview. 'He left 13 children, 51 grandchildren and 16 great-great grandchildren.'

In 1982 Carl McBrayer, Midwest City, OK, in the company of James Earl McBrayer, Morehead, KY, searched for and finally located the "Old Pioneer Cemetery". It was situated atop a hill, engulfed within the tree line of the surrounding forest, near Fairview, Buncombe Co., NC. The property was privately owned by a local doctor whose permission had to be obtained in order to even visit the area. The owner had allowed his cattle to freely roam the area at will and, as there were no barriers or fencing around the actual cemetery site, they had virtually destroyed the burial ground. It was a deplorable site; cattle droppings covered the area; nearly all the markers had been destroyed. Numerous grave sites were observed, but only one - one which some relative had so thoughtfully protected with a small fenced enclosure - bore a recognizable inscription. All the headstones still standing were of old 'field stone' and all had been broken off.

It was impossible to tell how many graves the cemetery contained or where any particular individual may have been buried. IF Samuel IS buried here his actual final resting place is lost to all time. We may never know for sure just where he is buried.

In the woods, completely removed from the cemetery, but in the near proximity, was found a small fieldstone marker lying atop the ground which had been 'kicked out of the ground' and had been knocked to the side. It bore the inscription: 1801, S. MCBRAYER, DIED JULY IX 1801, ?S 1 YEAR IV MONTH IX DAYS; was approximately 12 inches in length and 6 inches wide overall. Was this perhaps the headstone someone had mistakenly identified as that of Samuel McBrayer?

A curious entry was located in the 1810 Federal Census for Buncombe Co., NC, for Samuel McBrayer. Under the 'males' column was the notation "SUR". No other entry was made for any males in the household; several females were listed - 1 F 10-16, 3 F 16-26, 1 45-over. Could it have been possible that Samuel was deceased by this time and the entry indicated "SURVIVORS"?

More About SAMUEL MCBRAYER:
Died 2: May 22, 1814 ⁴
Burial: Old Pioneer Cem, Fairview, NC ?

More About SAMUEL MCBRAYER and MARY YOUNG:
Marriage: Abt. 1787, Buncombe Co., NC

Notes for ELIZABETH ?:
      Various sources have indicated that her maiden name MAY HAVE BEEN "Ashe". This has not been proven as yet.

More About SAMUEL MCBRAYER and ELIZABETH ?:
Death of one spouse: Aft. 1787, NC
Marriage: Abt. 1763, Cumberland Co., PA ?

Children of SAMUEL MCBRAYER and MARY YOUNG are:

16.	i.	ANDREW⁴ MCBRAYER, b. Abt. 1788, Rutherford Co., NC; d. Abt. 1851, St. Clair Co., AL.
17.	ii.	MARTHA MCBRAYER, b. October 15, 1791, Rutherford Co., NC; d. March 16, 1855, Henderson County, NC.
18.	iii.	JANE MCBRAYER, b. June 01, 1793, Rutherford Co., NC; d. Bet. 1860 - 1870, TX.
19.	iv.	EMELIA MARGARET MCBRAYER, b. 1794, Rutherford Co., NC; d. Aft. 1860.

Children of SAMUEL MCBRAYER and ELIZABETH ? are:

20.	v.		WILLIAM⁴ MCBRAYER, b. Abt. 1764, "Williamsburg", Cumberland Co., PA; d. Abt. 1819, Rutherford Co., NC.
	vi.		MARY MCBRAYER, b. Abt. 1768, Tryon Co., NC; m. AMOS JUSTICE, June 20, 1785, NC.

Notes for AMOS JUSTICE:
Amos was granted land at the head of Shaw's Creek, Buncombe Co., NC, on 27 Nov 1796. He sold 100 Acres of this patent on 3 Nov 1800 for $100 to his brother-in-law, David McBrayer.
Amos was a witness on a deed of land transaction for Samuel McBrayer on 3 Oct 1796.

Marriage Notes for MARY MCBRAYER and AMOS JUSTICE:
They were married by Justice of the Peace David Dickey.

More About AMOS JUSTICE and MARY MCBRAYER:
Marriage: June 20, 1785, NC

21.	vii.	JAMES MCBRAYER, b. February 11, 1769, Tryon Co., NC; d. July 18, 1851, Buncombe Co., NC.
22.	viii.	SAMUEL MCBRAYER, JR., b. January 15, 1771, Tryon Co., NC; d. August 07, 1846, Daviess Co., MO.
23.	ix.	DAVID MCBRAYER, b. February 15, 1772, Tryon (Rutherford) Co., NC; d. January 06, 1855, DeKalb Co., AL.
24.	x.	JOHN B. MCBRAYER, b. Bet. 1774 - 1775, Family farm, Broad River, Rutherford Co., NC; d. 1863, Paulding Co., GA.
25.	xi.	ICHABOD MCBRAYER, b. 1780, Rutherford Co., NC; d. Bef. May 16, 1838, Floyd Co., KY.
26.	xii.	SARAH MCBRAYER, b. Abt. 1785, Rutherford Co., NC.

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