Micajah Pickett: 20 December 1748 - 23 December 1833

 Micajah Pickett was born in Virginia, according to his sons on 20 Dec. 1748.

There was at this time one Micajah, or "Cager", or Major, Pickett was involved in several court cases in both Caroline and Orange Counties, VA. As early as the late 1740’s we find him being charged with "gaming" at a certain tavern (James Martin’s) in western Caroline County, and with "gaming on the Sabbath" (meaning playing cards). From 1747 to 1755, Micajah appeared in Orange County, Va., records, in the latter year on a tax list for that county. It appears that in July of 1748 he married Winnefred (Winne) the widow of James Gouge, daughter of John Beasley. Hill and Clark go to great lengths to demonstrate that this Micajah Pickett is a son of John Pickett, the son of Henry Pickett, (A Gathering of Picketts, Vol. I, pp. 295 ñ 308), a here-to-fore unknown person in the Pickett family tree.

During the 1760s, a Micajah Pickett was involved in several land transactions in Anson county, NC, though his residence was always shown as Cravens County, SC, in these documents. Micajah may have lived for a short while in Anson County, as many Virginians did on their way further south, or he may have bought and sold Anson county land while living in SC. It is possible that some of this "Anson" land was actually in SC, since the dividing line between NC and SC in this area was not firmly defined until 1769. We know that he was appointed a Judge in the Old Craven District court. It is clear that by 1768, however, he was living in that part of Craven County, or Judicial District, which in 1785 was renamed as Fairfield county (or District), SC.

The Anson County, NC, deed of 1768 was to Micajah Pickett, Jr., indicating that an older Micajah Pickett probably lived in the same area. On the subsequent deed of 1775, Jr. is no longer included, indicating that the senior Micajah probably had died sometime between 1768 and 1775. As it is most unlikely, according to some, that the Micajah who was in court in Orange Co., Va., in 1747, would have lived to father a child in 1811 or 1812. Thus it appears obvious that at least two Micajahs cover the period from the 1740s through at least 1768; they may have been father and son, though not necessarily (in 18th century usage they might have been uncle, or even great uncle, and nephew, for example).

According to the Bible of Micajah Pickett, Jr. The Micajah we know was born 25 Dec. 1748 in Anson County, NC, not in VA. This is the linage carried by the Colonial Dames and the Daughter’s of the American Revolution. It is further held that our Micajah is the son of James Pickett, the son of John Pickett, the son of Henry Pickett. When Mr. Banks presented his genealogical study he stopped at Micajah. In his notes he says that James Pickett of Anson, NC is often referred to as the father of this line, however, he felt that given the chance to speculate he would chose William, the brother of James. This is because William was and is the most promenade name used in this line.

On Dec. 20, 1768, Micajah married Kisannah (or Kezannah), whose maiden name is given in several secondary sources as Henson (Hinson), daughter of Philip Henson or Hinson This family was also a well-known VA family. In the Bible records of (grandma) Mary Eliza Pickett Goza (daughter of William Pickett and Eliza Anderson (1841-1867)) said that the wedding took place in Charles Town, SC. Over the ensuing thirty years they had eight sons and two daughters, all born in Fairfield County, SC.

During Colonial times there were three districts in South Carolina. Old Craven district was "up-country" and away from the swamp infestation and diseases of the lower county (Charles Town). It became the "summer home" of many rich people from Charles Town and had many boarding schools. It became part of the so-called Camden District, which became Chester and Fairfield Counties.

During those years Micajah built a substantial property holding in land and slaves in the northeast quarter of Fairfield County. He apparently did not serve in a military capacity during the Revolutionary War but provided supplies to Lt. Col. Hampton's regiment, for which he was reimbursed after the war. (Audited account #5941 on file in SC Department of Archives and History and Stubs Indents - Revolutionary War Claims against South Carolina, Book N, no. 255 and book Y, #917). We have a transcription of the Roster of Francis Marion (Marioon) troops by Betty Davis Barnard lists a Micajah Pickett serving with him and noting a receipt for his pay was issued (y 917).

Micajah's brother, James Pickett (died sometime after 1797) also lived in the same area in NC, as did his sister, Sarah Aldridge, and perhaps other siblings.

In 1799, Micajah purchased almost 400 acres on White Oak Creek in Rutherford County, NC, (about ten miles southwest of Rutherfordton) which was at that time on the western frontier of settlement in NC. Having become estranged from his wife of thirty years, he left Kisannah permanently during that year, or in 1800, and began living with Susannah Johns in NC. On March 27, 1800, Susannah Johns, who seems to have been a widow with one child, entered into an agreement (Buncombe Co., NC, records) with Micajah to live with him in return for considerations, including certain property and slaves. On Dec. 12, 1800, his wife, Kisannah, agreed to a legal separation (Fairfield County, SC, records), and in 1805, Micajah agreed to provide $9,850 with interest for her at his death, plus various monies and property to four of their children. They already had, by deed of gift in 1800, transferred land and slaves to their oldest sons. (There was no Divorce).

After living about six years on White Oak Creek, in 1803 Micajah moved further to the northwest in Rutherford County, establishing himself on the Green River where it is joined by Panther and Brights Creeks (today at the western end of Lake Agder, in Polk Co., NC). He accumulated 1,075 acres there while selling off his property along White Oak Creek.

Micajah and Susannah Johns had six children born between 1801 and 1812, the second one of which was Malachi, who was born in 1803 and died in 1886. Another son, Joseph was born the next year and died in 1819. These two sons become the forbearers of the Pickett’s Mill enterprise in Georgia. Malachai Pickett, eldest son of Micajah Pickett and Susannah Johns, was born in 1803 in Rutherford County, NC, probably on the property of his father along White Oak Creek. According to Malachai, his mother was born in Ireland. She lived with Micajah from about 1800 to his death in December 1822, during which time he was legally separated from his wife, Kisannah, in Fairfield County, SC. Susannah apparently was a widow; her maiden name is not known. When Malachai was about three years old, his father moved to new lands in Green River Cove, Northwestern Rutherford County, and from hence, when Malachai was between nine and twelve, to his large holdings on the North Fork Saluda River in Greenville County, SC. Here Malachi first worked in his father's public house on the road over Saluda Gap, and then as an overseer on his father's plantation. Between October 1811 and February 1812, Micajah had brought 722 acres in upper Greenville County, SC, along the North Fork of the Saluda River. He, then, relocated his residence there and added another 500 acres in 1815. In 1817, he sold all of his Green River lands, along with a number of slaves, to his son-in-law James McKinney, husband of his eldest daughter by Susannah Johns, Susannah, after his death to the children of his second family, free and clear of the claims of Kisannah and her children.

After Micajah's death on 23 December 1833, Malachai remained in Greenville County, SC, until about 1834 or 1835, possibly hoping to obtain lands from the settlement of his father's estate. Under the settlement determined by the NC Supreme Court, however, all of the property not already devised was sold off, and Susannah Johns and her children received monetary settlement.

Micajah's Greenville county property lay along the drover road, a primary migration route from upper SC into frontier NC over Saluda Gap, so he opened a tavern and public house to serve travelers. Susannah Johns and her children operated this “house”: the oldest sons, Malachai and Joseph, also worked as overseers on Micajah's plantation. Charles Pickett, one of Micajah's sons by Kisannah, also lived with Micajah for a time and ran his mill.

In December 1833, Micajah died at his home in "Pickett's Valley", Greenville County, SC. He left all his Greenville County lands to two of his sons by Kisannah, Jeptha, and Isiah, whom he seems to have favored. He left a field and a room in his house to Susannah Johns, but she and her younger children returned to NC. On legal documents, including Micajah's will, Susannah Johns and her children are referred to as "Pickett alias Johns", however, they referred to themselves as "Pickett", and never used "Johns" when they moved to other

Malachai remained in Greenville County where he married and had several children before moving to Cobb County, Georgia, in the late 1830s. Between about 1834 and 1840, Malachai migrated to northwest Georgia, settling in the eastern part of Cobb County, near New Hope Church and its small community. He had married his first wife, Mary (maiden name not known) in Greenville County, SC, and his three eldest children were born there. It is not clear whether his fourth child, Malachai Thomas Pickett, was born in SC or Georgia, since the move occurred about the time he was born. Censuses taken in subsequent years give both states as his birthplace.

By 1848, Malachai owned 180 acres along a tributary of Pumpkinvine Creek between New Hope Church and Lost Mountain community. On this stream he built a grist mill, became known as Pickett's Mill Creek", as it is to this day. This part of Cobb County, including New Hope, was transferred to Paulding County in 1851.

Within another two years, Malachai's eldest son, Benjamin W., established a separate household. Malachai began transferring his property along the Mill creek to Benjamin, except part interest in the mill, and, by 1860, owned a 240-acre farm further west in Paulding County, north of the village of Dallas. In 1864, he greatly enlarged his property by adding the "Gobler Glen Place" of 540 acres, purchased from John A. Jones. Malachai Thomas, his only remaining unmarried son by 1860, lived with Malachai and helped with the farm. The conditions of northwest Georgia were not very conducive to slave agriculture, and the Picketts of Paulding County were not slaveholders.

In 1861, Malachai Thomas (M. T., or "Mack") Pickett volunteered for Confederate service and was appointed an officer of the 19th Georgia Infantry Regiment. Benjamin W., who was a militia officer, was elected an officer of the 1st Georgia Cavalry, and James C. joined the 25th Georgia Infantry Battalion. Benjamin was killed 19 Sept. 1863, at the Battle of Chickamauga; the other two survived the war. During the summer of 1864, the War came even closer when part of the Union XX Army Corps crossed Pumpkinvine Creek just below the Pickett farm and marched past the Pickett house, advancing in the direction of Atlanta. On either side of Pickett's gristmill and along Pickett's Mill Creek, Union troops of O. O. Howard clashed with Patrick Cleburne's Confederate division in a short but extremely vicious battle. Sherman's advance was delayed for several days until he extended his flanks and maneuvered J. E. Johnston back into his next defensive line at Kennesaw Mountain. By the time of the Battle of Pickett's Mill Benjamin Pickett’s widow and J. C. Harris, to whom Malachi had sold his half interest in 1862, jointly owned the gristmill.

Malachai Pickett remained one of the more prosperous farmers in this district. His youngest son, Francis, died young in 1868, and his son M. T. married and eventually moved to Fulton County, Georgia, however, his second son, James C., remained in the area of New Hope and raised a large family.

Between 1870 and 1880, Malachai's first wife, Mary, died, and Malachai remarried to a younger woman named Matilda (maiden name not known). He died in 1886, probably in April, leaving eighty acres to his wife, with the remainder of his property to be equally divided among his heirs.

Ironically, Jeptha sold his Greenville County inheritance to his older brother James Pickett, who moved there from Fairfield County, and, by legal agreement with the other brothers, brought Kisannah along to provide her room and board. James Pickett became a substantial landowner in Greenville County.

Kisannah and her children took Susannah Johns and her children to court over the disposition of Micajah's estate and the separation settlement. The case dragged on for years and eventually ended up in the NC Supreme Court. Lands left by Micajah in Buncombe County, NC, and the Green River lands in Rutherford County, NC, were sold at auction and the court paid the individuals of both families their "due", after satisfying Kisannah's rights under the separation agreement. The tradition for contentiousness was carried on as Kisannah and several of her sons fell out or sued each other over various aspects of the case.

William Pickett, His wife, Mary King, and their families, and several others including Micajah, Jr., settle in lands acquired during the Yazoo Land deals in order to claim them, in 1806.

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Information on Micajah Pickett is gathered from the following sources:

1. Will of John King, Fairfield County S C, 1805 (JK).

2. Family Bible records of Micajah Pickett, Jr. - Bennett (@).

3. Property settlement conforming to previsions of deed "D" below (s).

4. Information supplied by Mrs. Ellie Pickett Smith, 50 Gibbes St. Charleston, SC (EP).

5. Family Bible Records of Micajah (3) Pickett (Yazoo Co. MS) (*).

6. Family Bible records William and Mary Pickett (16 Friederich Pk. Rochester, NY ) (+).

7. Info. From deed "D", book P, p.135, Winnsboro, Fairfield Co. SC (D).

8. Info. From will of Micajah (1) Pickett, dated 2 August 1822 Buncombe Co. N.C. (W).

9. DAR Patriot Index

I received a copy of this report in 1973 from William Thomas (my foster-father) (6) and Mary Pickett. Another copy came from Estelle Pickett Jackson (6). In 1998 contact with Catherine Pickett DeLino yielded copies of above documents. We will hopefully scan and attach.[1289516.ftw]. A fuller copy of the Pickett family in MS done by Mr. Banks was given to me by Catherine Pickett Delano 20 August 2001.

Revolutionary War Service listed in DAR Patriot Index, Centennial Edition. Listed as being in Patriotic Service in South Carolina.

The 1790 U.S. Census of Fairfield SC, p.20, states:

	Males above 16	Males below 16	Females	Slaves
Micajah Pickett	2	5	3	10
Charles Pickett	2	1	4	-
John King	3	2	4	21

Copies of the separation agreement and supposed wavers and ensuing documents concerning the deposition of all property owned by this couple were provided. We will hopefully scan and attach

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Kuzriel Meir 24 December 2001