Goldman - Goltman Ancestry, researched by Dorothy Carter and the Three Sisters

 

The following text was presented to the Three Sisters in the late 1990's by Dorothy Malinsky Carter. We are placing it here, and at Ancestry.com, so that all might have benefit of Dorothy's wonderful research material.  Dorothy dedicated her work to her Great Grandmother, Rhoda Elizabeth Goldman Dimmitt.  The Three Sisters are honored to dedicate this public publication of her work to Dorothy Malinsky Carter.

GOLDTMANN   GOLDMAN ANCESTRY

Compiled 1980-1992 by Dorothy Malinsky Carter

IN MEMORY OF

My maternal great Grandmother

Rhoda Elizabeth Goldman Dimmitt

Rhoda Elizabeth Goldman Dimmitt

Her collection of clippings, pictures, and a Bible record of her husband's family started me on the search to find my Mother's ancestry.  That search has been completed to their arrival in America, when it was England's Colonies.

Credit is overdue to one who preserved the basic records and gave me the incentive to undertake the journey back through America's history to discover their part in its first settlements and growth into an independent nation.

This the story of her ancestry.

A chapter telling of my grandmother Leah Goldman Powell has been added at the end of Dorothy Carter's Goldman story.  The final chapter was added after I received the Goldman story from Dorothy, who is a descendent of Henry Goldman, Leah's brother.

Betty Powell Renfroe

 

            GOLDTMANN   GOLDMAN ANCESTRY

The German Palatine lay along east side of the Rhine River between France and Germany.  French Alsatians from the west side had received shelter there from German Emperor Frederich Wilhelm after the Edict of Nantes, in 1685, had driven them from their homes.  Raids in 1689 by French soldiers on Alsatian refugees in the Palatine destroyed many of their homes.  The War of Spanish Secession, from 1702 to 1713, completed the destruction of the Palatine.  Farm land was laid to waste, villages destroyed, the inhabitants imprisoned, burned at the stake, broken on wheels or drowned. The ones who were able to escape fled to Wurtemburg but were not safe there.  They were forced to seek refuge in England.

Johann Conrad Goldtmann and Anton Goldtmann were residents of Gundheim in 1698.  They were Lutherans, registered on Churchbooks at Dalsheim, 2 kilometers from Gundheim.  The books began in 1692.  Koenratt Koltman (Dutch spelling) his wife and 5 children were in the sixth party of refugees to reach Rotterdam Holland in 1709.

The first boat loads of Palatines, from Holland, arrived on England's Isle of Man in June 1709.  By November Palatines had arrived in England.  The vast horde of refugees was alarming.  Queen Anne was sympathetic to their plight and did all she could to feed them, but it was necessary to find a place for them to locate and to rebuild their homes.

In 1707, sixty one Lutherans from Landau, in the Palatine, under the leadership of Rev. Joshua Von Rocherthal, had gone to New York under the sponsorship of Lord Lovelace, who paid their transportation, gave them tools and promised support for a year.  In return, they were to work in the pine forest and return the pine tar products to England.  These people were skilled in vine tending.  They knew nothing of the work expected from the, but 52 persons had survived their first winter in New York and they established a village on the west side of the Hudson River, named Neuberg, after a place in the Palatine.

Sponsors were found to send part of the new refugee flood to New York.  Queen Anne ordered ten ships (the H.M.S. Bounty was among them) to deliver the migrants to Governor Hunter.

3,000 Palatines began to board their transports on 25th   29th December, 1709, then had to sail back and forth along the English coast until all ships joined the convoy and were ready to leave Lynton in April 1710 and set sail for New York.  Many people were weak from hunger and exposure during their journey from Wurtemburg.  Now crowded into the holds of small ships   some spent over five month on broad   their miser increased.  Twenty percent (many of them young children) died during the voyage to America.  Near the end of the crossing, one ship sank off the coast of Long Island.  On June 13, 1710, the first ship reached New York.  Townspeople were appalled at the conditions of the passengers.  They were afraid of the fevers and sickness they carried and insisted they be confined to an island in the harbor (Governors) until they were able to move inland.  More people died during the three months they were confined.

Finally, they divided into six companies, with a head man in each company to serve as a Justice, and were sent out in the fall of 1710 to camps on the east and west side of the Hudson River.  West camp was located at Hunterstown, now in Greene County.  East camp was on Livingston Manor, now in Columbia County.

Mrs. Conrad Goldman, widow, with three children, was carried on New York's subsistence list in 1710 through 1712. Evidently two of her children died before she reached New York.  Lists were made in July, Oct. and Dec.  Children over age ten were listed as adults.  The lists fluctuated and she may have given birth in late 1710.  Lists were made in March, Sept. and Dec. in 1711.  The added child was missing in Dec. One child is listed as an adult in Dec. 1711.  The last notation on Gov. Hunter's list in Sept. 1712 was of four adults and l under the age 10.  Two children were then over age 10.  Palatine Volunteers to Canada showed Conrad Goldman, of Hunterstown, as a soldier in 1711.  British troops were fighting French troops for Nova Scotia, Montreal, and Quebec. Conrad Goldman evidently died in Canada, but was carried on the lists through Sept. 1712.

Between 1710 and 1713, New York Governor, Robert Hunter, apprenticed 80 of the Palatine children to colonists in other settlements, calling them orphans.  Some had one parent, but their protests were ignored.  Names of the children, the ages and whom they were apprenticed, was published in "A Documentary History of the State of New York", compiled by Edmund Bailey O'Callaghan.  No Goldman children were on the list.

Conrad, the 14-year-old son of Johann Conrad Weiser, of Wurtemburg, was allowed to spend winters with a nearby tribe of Iroquois Indians, who taught him to speak their language, and some Mohawk, so he was able to be an interpreter for his people and the Iroquois.  Mohawk Chiefs offered the Palatines land in the "Scorie Valley".  Widow Goldman, with three children, moved with the Weisers and 48 other families who accepted the offer of land, to Schoharie Valley in 1713. They located at Neu Ansberg (Schmidsdorph) in 1716 and 1717.

A group of German settlers colonized Germantown in William Penn's Colony in 1683.  He was a devout Quaker, but

believed in religious freedom, and invited all oppressed faiths to accept a refuge in Pennsylvania, Lancastertown was laid out in 1721.

Emigrants arrived in such large numbers that Gov. William Keith ordered all ship masters to provide a list of passengers who intended to reside in Pennsylvania.  Eight or nine ships, loaded with colonist, arrived in 1726.  Their lists record an arrival date for late emigrants, beginning with 1726.

Conrad Weiser gained a knowledge of Indian languages and customs that was not surpassed by any other colonist.  He was able to forge an alliance between the Pennsylvanians and the Iroquois.  In the spring of 1723, he led about two thirds of the Palatines in the Schoharie valley to Pennsylvania.  The ten acres allotted to each family was not enough to sustain all of them.  They hacked out a path to the Susquehanna River, where women and children, with their few possessions, floated down the river, by canoes and rafts, while some of the men drove their stock overland, along the river's banks.

When they reached the mouth of Swatara Creek, they moved up that stream and located on nearby Tulpehocken Creek, (now Womelsdorf) by permission of Gov. Keith.  It was also the fording place for a tribe of Turphyhockin Indians, on a trail from their village to Philadelphia.  It was the most remote of any white settlement in Chester County.  (Part that was taken to form Lancaster County in 1729). New county formations have now placed Womelsdorf in Berks County, created in 1752.

Although they were "Deutchlanders"  from Germany, and Lutheran, not the Amish who came later, their old-world ways were similar.  They are all now labeled "Pennsylvania Dutch".

SHENANDOAH VALLEY OF VIRGINIA

A treaty between the Indians and Virginia's Gov. Alexander Spotswood, in 1722, granted new settlers the freedom to travel along the so called "Warrior's Path" running from Philadelphia, through Maryland, up Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, and on into Carolina and Georgia.  Maryland and Virginia resented so many of new colonist staying in Pennsylvania that they offered cheaper land and other inducements to attract settlers to their colony.  Colonists began to move into the valley in a steady stream.

Scotch Irish families, from Ireland, had been in England for many years.  They began to leave there in 1692, when it was declared a Protestant nation.  Catholics were being

persecuted.  Even in Pennsylvania, where religious freedom was offered, they were often in conflict with laws made by pious Quakers.  German settlers were often objects of scorn by English speaking people because of their guttural language and foreign customs.  The new treaty gave both races an access to Virginia's vast unsettled mountain valleys, where they could own land and live apart from others who differed from their habits and customs.

Most of the Scotch Irish moved into the valley, they crossed the Shenandoah mountains, taking up land in the valleys of the Cowpasture, Greenbrier and Kanawa Rivers.  They were not all Catholic.  Many of them were now Presbyterian and sent for John Craig, to come from Ireland, to establish their churches.  He kept records of many frontier marriages and baptisms.

Jacob Stoner led the first party of German settlers into the valley of Virginia, via the Warriors Path, in 1726.  Most of them settled first around Winchester.  Induced by insecurity of land titles in the lower Shenandoah, some of them moved to the south and built cabins "beyond all civilization" along New River by 1736.  Jacob Goldman was likely one of them.

Governor Spotswood granted Isaac Van Meter 10,000 acres in the lower valley, and 10,000 acres at the forks of the Shenandoah, (Front Royal) to his brother, John Van Meter, who also had another 20,000 acres farther up the valley, with requirements to settle a family for each 1,000 acres within two years.  The Van Meters sold some of this land to Joist Heydt and John Lewis.  Heydt (Hite) and sons in law, Chrissman and Bowman, led 16 families to ford the Potomac River at Harper's Ferry and settle on Opequon Creek, south of Winchester in 1732.  Another group, with Heydt as leader, established a second settlement near Peaked Mountain, near Elkton in 1735 1736.

In 1735 a group, led by John Thomas Schley, went farther south and laid out the town of Frederic in 1745.  Orange County was divided in 1745 to create Augusta County.  John Lewis laid out the town of Staunton, 45 miles from Frederic. It was to be August's county seat.

Moravians, an evangelical protestant sect, from Austria, established Lititz in Lancaster County Pennsylvania in 1740. They lived in cloisters and founded a girls boarding school   "to foster formal religious education".  Some Moravians moved to land along New River in 1745, where others of their faith, from Virginia's Tide water region, had located in 1738.  Here they lived as families in separate cabins along various small creeks, rather than in a cloistered community like Lititz.

A sect of pacifist German Sabatarian Baptists (official name of Church of the Brethern) split over 7th day worship from the Germantown Priest Church (established in 1682) to found a monastic society at Ephrata, near Lititz.  In 1740 there were about 36 single men and 35 sisters living in the cloisters. About 200 more members were living in the neighborhood.

Differences arose in policy and management, causing some of them to follow Israel and Samuel Eckerling to the 900 acre tract they purchased, in a wide bend of New River below the "Horseshoe Bend" in 1745.  Local residents called their land "Dunkards Bottoms", giving them the name from their practice of an unusual method of baptism   from a kneeling position, "dunked" 3 times, face forward.  Each immersion called upon a name in the Holy Trinity.  They did not baptize the very old or the very young.  It was a matter of their religion to not shave their beards, lie on beds or to eat flesh.  This tenet was often broken as there was a lack of grain and roots, but small game, wild turkeys and venison were plentiful.

Isreal Acrelius, a Swedish missionary, wrote of an of German sect he found in the area.  "They lived in separate houses all in one community, wore deerskin clothing, lived by hunting, associated with Indians and acted like savages". The single men lived in a common house.  They did not own property and shared food from a common storehouse.  In 1750, the Eckerling brothers transferred their land to Garrett Zinn and went back to Ephrata.

The Indian treaty had to be re negotiated after 1744.  A rapid influx of settlers alarmed the Indians.  Their hunting grounds were being dotted with cabins.  The fur trading posts had become settlements.  Their old Warrior's Path was now the Philadelphia Wagon Road.  The German language was spoken all the way from Philadelphia to Carolina.

Leonhard Schnell arrived in Philadelphia with the first Moravian "sea congregations" on 7 June 1742 and was ordained to the Moravian ministry in 1748.  He and Richard Utley were pastors of Lancaster County congregations.  Schnell married Elizabeth Brown.  Her father's first name is not verified.

In 1749, Schnell and John Brandmueller undertook a long missionary trip to visit Moravians in western Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and Carolina.   Schnell's journal of their travels noted a visit to "the sister of my father in law" on South Branch of the Potomac River, at Patterson Creek.  (West side of the Shenandoah Mountains   Hampshire County, Virginia by 1753)  he did not name her husband, but noted they and their six children had saved their lives by spending a night in a tree during a recent flood.  This family is surely Jacob and Mary Abigail Goldman.  Of the six children we can guess there were Jacob Jr., John, Henry, Mary, Martin, and Conrad.

The missionaries reached Catawba Creek in the New River area November 1749.  Jacob Harmon, a Moravian living in the Horseshoe Bend, went with them to show them the way to Jacob Goldman's home on Christmas Eve.  He lived 15 miles away. The Journal noted   "His wife is the sister of my father in  law".  The Goldmans were a Lutheran family, but Schnell note "We were well received".  The missionaries turned back to Pennsylvania after their New River visit and did not go on to Carolina.  He withdrew from the Moravian Church in 1751 and Schnell became a Lutheran Minister.

Excerpts of his Journal were printed in Virginia's Magazine of History and Biography   Volume II, pages 124 125 and 139. It was continued in Volume XI, pages 115 and 131, under "New River Settlements".  Jacob Goldman's sons, Jacob Jr., John and Henry, were named in Volune XXX.  It seems Jacob Sr. also had sons named Conrad and Martin.

F.B. and Mary B. Kegley have written an excellent book, "Early Adventures on Western Waters", published in two volumes.  One contains biographical sketches and maps of the New River area.  The other volume has Annals of Augusta County.  Thanks to them we are able to locate Conrad's third child.

JACOB GOLDMAN

He lived on Back Creek, which runs parallel to the base of Cloyd's Mountain (2,063 ft.) in the foothills of Little Walker Mountains, in the Reed Creek area.  Jacob held 370 acres on the west edge of land later known as the "Springfield Tract", where he was likely living before Augusta County was created from a part of Orange County in 1745.  Orange County's deeds start in 1734, Augusta's begin in 1745.  Neither County has record of a land grant or his deed.  Early settlers would often assign their claim by a "title bond" which was not required to be recorded.  Jacob's claim was recognized in Augusta's Entry Book I and in Will Book II; in Botetourt County's Deed Book II, page 257; in Montgomery County's Deed Book A, page 211, and in the Preston Family Papers.  Joseph Cloyd and John Blackmore had land to the northeast.  This location is now in Pulaski County Virginia.

 

Jacob Goldman was born in Germany's Palatine, in about 1700. He arrived in New York in 1710 and moved to Tulpehocken Pa. in 1723, with his mother, brother, and sister.  He was married to Mary Abigail Brown in Chester County, Pa. between 1723 and 1725.  Her parents are not known.  His first son, John, was born about 1727.  Jacob was not named in Tulpehocken records, as one of Widow Goldman's three children, showing he did not remain Chester County.  Jacob is a common German name, but it is also the name given to his brother's son, in 1723, showing it was a name given to children of the Goldman family.

At this time, it is not known which party of settlers he traveled with, or whether they lived near Winchester for some time, or if they went directly to the New River Settlements. A first survey of land in the "Horseshoe Bend" was made in 1738.  Adam and Jacob Harmon, Henry Leonard, James Burke, William Ingalls and William Draper settled along New River in 1739.  They came from the James River in Virginia's Tidewater area.  It is certain the Goldmans were on Back Creek long enough for John to become familiar with the land in the area by 1745.

John Goldman was hired as a pilot for a survey party, led by Col. James Patton in 1745.  Patton was Scotch Irish.  He had a grant for 4,000 acres and was looking for a place to settle his family and others.  He selected a tract lying on both sides of Back Creek, but when his tract was surveyed in December1748 he found it contained only 3,000 acres, as it lay between land already occupied by Jacob Goldman and Joseph Cloyd.  This was not on the main road through the Valley, but was near it, and easily accessible to the Philadelphia Wagon Road.  John and Jacob Goldman Jr. were employed as chain carriers for the 1748 survey party.

Various residents were elected to be "road viewers".  They were responsible for up keep of segments of main roads, at the County's expense.  They could employ taxables each fall, after crops were gathered, to fill holes and lay new gravel on roads.  This was a welcome source of cash income for farmers.  November 1746 term of Court ordered a road from Reed Creek to the ridge dividing waters of New River from water of south branch of the Roanoke River.  Jacob Goldman and two sons were employed by the county to help build this road (Ingall's Ferry Road).

Jacob Goldman Sr. was allowed 5 months pay in May 1750 for work done by his sons, John and Jacob Jr. on the Eagle Bottom Road, which extended from the residence of Ezekiel Calhoun, in the Reed Creek area, to Woods Settlement on New River. (Order Book) John and Jacob Jr. were then about 23 and 21. They were single men, living in their father's home and thus counted as his taxables.  (all males age 16 and over)

Jacob Goldman made his will on 23 August 1750, giving his wife a lifetime possession of their plantation and a good cow, "and afterward her share with the rest of my family". The one who remained with the Mother was to have the land after her decease.  John was to receive a ? mare for his share and also a share with the rest, when the debts were paid.  Jacob Jr. was to have 50 acres of land and daughter Mary, 4 English Shillings.  Jacob willed "the youngest child shall have her share as well as the oldest".  (Was there another daughter?)  He named Frederick Stern and Humphry Baker to be his executors, but neither man accepted the responsibility.  Jacob died 12 December 1750.  The date was given on the report by the appraisers.

John Goldman entered a claim for 1,150 acres on Back Creek, "where he is now living", with bond of James Patton, on 17 Dec. 1750.  The land was "for lease and re lease".  (Was John acting as Col. Patton's agent to lease his Springfield tract?)  Henry Cook bought 200 acres from John on 1 June 1752.

The Court issued a summons to Abigail Goldman on 17 May in 1751, to show why she had not appeared to take administration of her husband's estate.  County Court met at Staunton, a distance of 125 miles from Back Creek.  Evidently Jacob Jr. took her sworn and certified statement of her refusal to administrate the will to Staunton and presented the will for probate on 28 May in 1751.  It was held until next term of Court as the only witness, Humphry Baker, did not appear to attest to its validity.

John Bingaman, Robert Norris, James Calhoun and James Miller (or any 3 who would act) were appointed to be sworn in before a Justice of the Court (James Patton was one) and return a bill of appraisement to the Court.

On the motion of Jacob Jr. Goldman, he had been granted a certificate to obtain letters of administration, with Adam Harmon as his security, when Abigail's refusal was returned to the Court   but it was John, not Jacob Jr. who entered into a bond to James Patton for 300 pounds, current money, with Adam Harmon, who lived on Tom's Creek, on 20 August 1752.  (See map of Early Crossings of New River).  The appraiser's report was returned to Court on 15 November 1752.

Augusta County Clerk did not send all copies of Jacob's estate settlement, as requested.  There was no list of his debts or a record of the final date of settlement.  (From evidence of later events, it seems there was a rift between the brothers.)

The Loyal Land Company received a grant of 800,000 acres in Rich Valley, on North Fork of the Holston River, in April 1753.  (Thomas Walker was agent.)  100 acres was surveyed for Jacob Jr. Goldman on 9 May 1753.  Apparently, he did not want the land his father willed him.  He was about 24 years of age, and surely married.

John, Jacob, and Henry Goldman were employed to work on a road fro Samuel Stalnaker's residence, on Holston River, to residence of James Davis, (on present line between Pulaski and Wythe Counties) during the fall of 1753.  Henry was then about age 17 or 18, a taxable   eligible to work on county roads.

In 1754, a road was ordered to extend from Reed Creek to Holston River, to run along Craig's Creek.  Workers included the three Goldman brothers.  John was killed by Indians, while they were working near the Holston River, in September 1754.

One puzzling note in Augusta's Order Book of 25 November 1754  "Jacob Goldman's suit was dismissed by his death".  A record search has found it was a debt Jacob Goldman owed to William Walker.  Amount not specified.

Indians had been sporadically troublesome since late in 1754. John Bingaman, his wife and son, Adam, were killed late in 1754.  They were Dunkards, but did not live in the bottoms. Col. James Patton, who operated a ferry on Looney Creek, and Jacob Harmon were killed on North River (branch of Roanoke) in spring 1755.  Henry Zinn, Dunkard, was killed in May 1755, on New River.  Their colony suddenly dispersed.  Garret Zinn, who owned the land, went to North Carolina.  Their colony re  established at Salem in 1760.  He died there in 1765.  Land in Dunkard Bottoms was sold by his heirs to William Ingalls in 1770.  Claytor Lake now cover the "Old Dunkard Bottoms".

William Draper's wife and young son were killed in a raid on Draper's Meadows in May 1755.  His daughter, Mary Ingalls, was due to give birth to her third child.  She and her two sons were taken captive, with her sister in law, Betty Draper (her child was also killed) and a neighbor, Henry Leonard. They were taken to Scioto River, in Ohio.   Mary's daughter was born three days after she was captured.  In August she and her baby were taken across the Ohio, to Big Bone Lick, near present Covington, to make salt.  Mary was able to escape, with an elderly German woman captive, but she had to leave her baby in the Indian Camp.  An Indian woman wanted the baby, hers had died recently.  Mary's youngest son had died on the march to Ohio, her oldest son had been adopted by their captor.  There is a possibility the old Dutch woman could be Mary Goldman and she was also captured by Indians.

Mary and her companion made their way up the Ohio River to the mouth of the Kanawa, which flowed through a series of deep gorges until New River became one of its branches. This one had many waterfalls they had to climb around.  The elderly woman (never definitely identified) had fits of temporary insanity in which she would try to kill Mary, who finally had to cross the river and leave her alone.  Barely able to walk, Mary found Adam Harman's home, on Tom's creek. His sons went back and found the woman, then took them to the fort at Draper's Meadows.  Mary was the first person to follow the rivers from the Ohio.  Her son was rescued, but never able to adjust to a white settlement after living as an Indian for several years.

Constant Indian raids that began in 1754, continued through 1759.  The New River settlement south of Cripple Creek, and over Big Walker Mountain to the Holston settlements, were abandoned.  The entire valley of Virginia was in constant danger.  No entries were made in Augusta County's Order Books until 1759.  People had to live in forts, cross the Alleghenies to eastern Virginia, return to Pennsylvania, or go directly south, to North Carolina, where settlements had been established along the Yadlin River.  A way south was closer, and safer, than a return to Pennsylvania.

Jacob Goldman Jr. was removed from the Augusta County's tax list on 25 November 1755  "He had left the county".  No other mention was found of his mother, or his sister Mary.  No final settlement for Jacob's estate was recorded.  John, his administrator, was killed.  Adam Harmon went to North Carolina and Col. Patton was deceased.  The suit of 1754 was for a debt against his estate.

Henry Goldman was about age 20 in 1755.  This researcher is convinced he also had brothers, Conrad about 18, and Martin.

VIRGINIA AND CAROLINA

In the spring of 1756, a band of Shawnee Indians ranged as far north as Fort Evans, near Winchester, and attacked the Fort while the men were away.  They were driven off by women defenders, led by Polly Evans.  Shawnees also annihilated some settlements on the Greenbrier River and harassed settlers on Kerr Creek, near the town of Lexington.  Settlers moved into a fort or out of the valley.  During March and April of 1758, the Shawnees took about 50 captives from German settlements.  Most of these were now abandoned.  John Blackmore, resident of Back Creek, returned to Fauquier County Virginia.  Joseph Blackmore, his brother, took his family to Carolina in 1755.

 

Peter Wylie's family lived along Plum Creek.  No mention of him being in Carolina.  He and his wife, Mary, occupied the Goldman land after 1763.  Mary Wylie is not proven to be Mary, daughter of Jacob Goldman, yet Jacob willed the land to child who keeps the Mother.  Jacob Jr. and Henry abandoned the land.  John Wylie, father of Peter, bought 400 acres, including the Goldman land, from William Davis of Phildelphia (surveyed by Abraham Trigg in 1763) and deeded it to his sons Peter and Alexander.  No explanation of how William Davis had ownership.  He may have been the person who sold Jacob Goldman a title bond when he first settled on Back Creek. Perhaps Mary Abigail Goldman was able to return to Pennsylvania with some other refugees or perhaps she is the old Dutch woman captured by the Indians.

On 17 September 1763, Jacob Goldman Jr. then a resident of Cumberland County Carolina, sold the 100 acre survey made for him in 1753, to William Poor, for 5 pounds.  Apparently, he did not intend to return to Virginia.

In 1764, King George III decreed   "No settlers are to advance westward beyond sources of rivers emptying into the Atlantic Ocean.  Land beyond this point is to be returned to the Cherokee Nation".  This placed the Valley of Virginia out of bound for settlement.  His decree was widely ignored, as many people had returned to their homes before he issued the decree.  Indians were appeased by the King's order.  Few raids were made on isolated cabins for the next few years.

John Blackmore was returned to Back Creek, but he made a trip to Amherst County in 1769 and returned with a second wife. She was Lucy (Morgan) Carter, widow of Charles Carter, brother of Peter Carter of Fauquier County. Evidently, he had known them before he moved to Back Creek, and renewed their acquaintance during his return in 1756.  Charles died in 1766.  Lucy's children moved to Back Creek in 1769.

Botetourt County was created from south part of Augusta County in 1769, with the county seat at Fincastle, near Roanoke.  Most of the Back Creek residents, and those living on New River around Newbern and Dublin, were included in the tax list made by Capt. Thompson in 1772.  John Blackmore had 7 taxables.  Two were his step sons, John and Charles Carter.

Step son, Dale Carter was married and also listed.  A Goldman name was not listed.  Peter Wylie had no sons age 16 or over.

By 1770, Conrad Goldman, believed to be the son of Jacob Sr. was again in Virginia.  He had 400 acres on both sides of Cripple Creek, between the forks of Holston River, by title bond as the assignee of Henry Hamilton, who settled there in 1758, on 580 acres.  (Ref:   Summer's annals.  Location on map of Beckoning Land)

No proof he was the son of Jacob Sr., but the other Conrad Goldman, age 13, was in Pennsylvania.  Conrad Goldman, son of Conrad (2) died in 1765 in Pennsylvania.  This one is surely the son of Jacob Goldman Sr., son of Conrad (1) Goldman.  He was born in about 1737.  No record was found to place him in North Carolina between 1755 and 1770.  Perhaps he went to Pennsylvania with his mother (if she did go there) and had remained with her until her death.

In 1772, Fincastle County was formed from southwest part of Botetourt County.  This included the rest of southwest Virginia and most of the present State of Kentucky.

In 1772, John Blackmore sold his land to Joseph Cloyd and took his large family to the Clinch River.  Fort Blackmore was built on Stoney Creek, six miles up the Clinch from the Rye Cove.  Sixteen men were there to protect the families living in the Fort in 1774.  Thomas Carter and his family came from Fauquier County to join his cousins in 1773.  Dale Carter was killed and scalped by the Shawnees, at the Fort in 1774.  Joseph Blackmore and his family arrived from the Yadkin River in 1775.  His daughter married John Carter.  She and their six children were victims of an Indian raid in 1788.  (noted in Carter Family history).  A Goldman Davidson owned the land, where old Fort Blackmore stood until after 1790, from 1817 to 1820.

In 1776 77, two new counties ere formed from Fincastle, and that name was abolished.  North part was named Montgomery, with county seat at Chrisianburg.  Abingdon was chosen as the county seat for Washington County.  The land beyond Blue Ridge Mountains became Kentucky County of Virginia, with county seat at Danville, Kentucky.

Rich Valley extended through Washington County and part of Montgomery, between North and South Forks of Holston River. Big Walker Mountain stood at north end of the valley.  The 200 acres Jacob Goldman received from The Loyal Land Company, in 1753, was near Goldman's Gap in the Walker Mountains, on a branch of North Fork.  Augusta County's records show Jacob abandoned this land in 1755.  He did not pay agent, Thomas Walker, for the land and did not pay fee for survey made by Stephen Trigg.

Jacob sold this land to William Poor in 1763.  Poor assigned it to Stephen Jones on 19 January in 1768.  Then it became property of Henry Willis, who sold it to Stephen Cawood.  It was involved in three law suits   because Jacob did not have title to it when he sold it to William Poor.  The suits finally reached the Court of Appeals in Richmond, in August 1781.  It was granted to Stephen Cawood on 1 July 1783, by order of the Court and a warrant from Virginia's Governor. Stephen Cawood had owned 50 acres, joining this land, as an assignee of John Ross, since 1 July 1773.

Conrad Goldman (3) assigned his 200 acres on Cripple Creek to Henry Francis in July 1773.  His son, John Francis, heired it two years later.  Conrad then moved to Rich Valley.  He was on the Holston River in 1773.  Henry Hamilton, his assignee of the Cripple Creek land now held land in Rich Valley joining Stephen Cawood's 50 acres in 1773.  A tax list, compiled by Alex Hite in 1783, for lower Shenandoah Valley, showed 11 white persons were in Conrad Goolman's (Goldman) household.

The 1783 tax list for Washington County listed Jacob and Henry Goodman.  They were confused with Jacob Jr. and Henry who were often named Goolman in transcribed records. Similarity of names caused this error.  Goodman families were in eastern North Carolina counties in 1769.

A James Davidson was living in Fincastle County, on North Fork of Holston, in 1773.  This location became Washington in 1775 and Russell  County in 1785.  Evidently one of his four sons married a daughter of Conrad Goldman.  The first book of marriage records was destroyed by a courthouse fire in 1872. Southwestern Russell County became Scott County in 1814. James Davidson Sr. donated the land for a courthouse at Estilleville, not Gate City.  Goldman Davidson was one of the census takers in 1830.

The Jacob Goldman who died in Hardin County Ky. in 1830 was likely the Jacob who came from Pennsylvania in about 1794.

John Conrad Goldman, b. 1751   d. 1829 in Lexington County of South Carolina, had a wife, Susannah, and 7 children in 1799. No proof he was a son of Jacob Jr.  A Goldman family lived on Pacelot River in South Carolina, in the late 1700's.

A Jacob Goldman Jr. applied for a military pension in 1832, in Monrow County Kentucky.  He gave his age as 72, born in 1760 and the right age to be a son of Jacob Jr., brother of Henry.

Peter Wylie was in Capt. James Patton's company of Botetourt County militia in the 1770's.  He was a road viewer in 1779. He and his brother, Alexander, sold 170 acres of the 400 they had received from their father, (Goldman land) to John Taylor in 1780.  This land was heired by his son, John Mac Taylor, who then sold it to James Adair in 1811.  (see map of Back Creek)

Peter Wylie and his family disappeared from Augusta/Botetourt records about 1780.  They were in Rockbridge County in 1782. Rockbridge was created from Augusta and Botetourt Counties in 1778.

The location of Back Creek settlement, on New River, fell in Pulaski County in 1839.  Radford is the nearest sizeable town to site of the old Goldman homestead, on Back Creek.

HENRY GOLDMAN

He was born about 1735, perhaps near Winchester, in Orange County, Virginia.  His parents were on their was up the Valley of Virginia, to finally settle on Back Creek on New River, in what was Augusta County in 1745.  Staunton was named as the county seat.   Their home was another 140 miles to the south.  Henry's year of birth was determined by the year he first appeared as a worker on Augusta's county roads. He was over 16, and a taxable, to be employed by the county in 1753.

His mother may have been a daughter of Phillip Braun.  He is listed as a Tulpehocken pioneer in the Blue Book of Schuylkill County New York.  1759 tax list of Heidelberg Township Berks County Pennsylvania listed Adam Brown, with 9 taxables; George Brown, with 7 taxables and Leonard Schnell with 3 taxables.  Schnell was a son in law of Abigail Goldman's brother.

Henry was about 15 when his father died.  No guardiam was appointed for his minor children.  John, his administrator, died in 1754.  James Patton, justice, died in 1755.  Adam Harman left the county.  The southern part of Augusta was never evacuated.

Curious Indians had visited Henry's home many times.  It was located on Indian hinting grounds.  They often entered cabins and helped themselves to food and other items they wanted. Sometimes it was unguarded horses   Jacob had 11 in 1750   or their furs.  They were not a serious threat to settlers until the English had begun to build Forts along the Ohio River, then France declared war with England over territories both countries claimed in North America.  The French had only maintained trading posts for the fur trade with Indians and settlers.  The English promised land to men who cut down trees, built cabins and cultivated their land claim.  French officers easily convinced Indians these people would drive away their game and destroy their hinting grounds   proof of this was the appearance of new cabins now extending to branches of the Holston River.  They urged the Indians to drive off these settlers by offering gifts for their scalps, as proof of their was action.

Some families began to leave their Greenbrier and New River homes by the fall of 1754.  Many sought refuge in forts and larger settlements.  Others returned to Pennsylvania or looked for safety in the new settlements in North Carolina.

Bishop August Gottleib Spangenburg had led a small party of Moravians from Pennsylvania in January 1753, to seek a place for a new Moravian settlement in North Carolina.  They found fertile land, with forested hills, at three forks of Muddy Creek, bought 98,985 acres from Lord Granville, the last of eight Carolina proprietors, and formed a land company to finance the purchase.  They named the tract "Der Wachau" and sent for 12 men who could provide the skills needed in a new settlement.  These men walked from Bethlehem and arrived on 17 November 1753.  They selected a meadow with an abandoned cabin, where they could cultivate land for a quick yield of food the new colony would soon need. They named the place "Bethabara", name meaning "House of Passage", and built a stockade to enclose principal town buildings.

Shallow Ford of the Yadkin River was 7 miles to the west of Bethabara.  William Bryan had brought his family to live near the ford in 1750, and soon joined by others.  Among these was the family of Squire and Sarah Morgan Boone from Bucks County Pennsylvania.  Her parents Edward and Sarah Lewis Morgan. Several of her Morgan and Lewis relatives joined in the Shallow Ford settlement.  Aaron Van Cleve brought his wife and 7 sons and 2 daughters to the Ford in 1753.  They came from Holland, via New Jersey.  Most of these families were quakers before they moved to North Carolina.

A German community some distance to the south, between the Yadkin and Catawba Rivers, along the path to Beatties Ford of Catawba River, was established before 1748.  A log church named Hickory Church, was shared by Evangelical Lutheran and German Reformed Lutheran congregations.  Evangelical Lutherans later withdrew and built their own church, which they named Zion.

812 families were living in this part of Anson County in 1753, when Rowan County was formed from northwest part of Anson.  Salisbury, a village on Crane Creek, about fifty miles south of Bethabara, was chosen as Rowan's county seat. Salisbury had 20 buildings in 1753.  A log courthouse was erected in 1755.  A road ran from Salisbury to the Catawba nation, which was about 45 miles to the southwest.  This was the only road in Rowan County in 1755.

Catawba Indians occupied both banks of the lower Catawba. They were an agricultural tribe, friendly to England during the war with France.  Men were skilled hunters, but lazy. Women did all the work and were skilled basket weavers and potters.  They found a new market for their wares among all the new settlers.  Cherokee tribes to the northwest were their ancient enemies.

A personal tax list of 1756, for Rowan County, showed 1,531 taxables (males over 16) were then living in Rowan County.  A tax had to be paid in current money, rather than in tobacco and furs, as had been the custom in Virginia.  Newcomers had to find land, raise a crop and sell it to pay personal taxes.

Most of them rented or leased their land until they were able to purchase as much as they could afford.

In Virginia, the people along Greenbrier River were mainly Scotch Irish Presbyterians.  They joined the Moravians and German families, along New River, to form emigrant trains to travel to North Carolina.  Many old Indian trails ran across the mountains, or followed New River to its headwaters in  a low mountain range to the south, where headwaters of the Yadkin River began to flow southward.  They had to walk, and drive their livestock.  No trail was wide enough for a wagon.

Their few horses were used for pack animals.  Armed men led, and guarded the rear of each party.  They hunted for game along the way or bought food from an occasional settler, and made well-guarded camps each night.  So many people were moving south they were seldom far from other parties, shared their protection.

Most of the Scotch Irish were going first to Shallow Ford. Moravian families were headed for Bethabara.  The German refugees likely stopped there for a while, before they moved on to join the Hickory Church settlement.  This may have been the location the Goldman brothers chose to make a new home. Names of those who traveled together is not known, but many of the ones who lived in the Back Creek area were found in this part of Anson County and Rowan County in 1762.

North Carolina did not prove to be the haven the Virginia emigrants had hoped to find.  Cherokee Indian raids extended to North Carolina.  1758 59 were the worst years of Indian warfare in North Carolina.  Colonists were forced to seek shelter in the forts at Bethabara, Beatties Ford, Fort Dobbs, and Salisbury.  Crowded conditions at Bethabara led to an outbreak of typhus.   This caused some Moravians, who desired to discard their communal life style, to establish a community, named "Bethnia", 3 miles from Bethabara, in 1759. Many residents moved east of the Yadkin River for safety. Jacob had a family.  He may have moved to Cumberland County at this time.  Henry and Martin seem to have remained in Rowan or Anson Counties.  The Moravians then established a third town, in the center of the Wachau tract, in 1760.  This town was called Salem and is now incorporated with Winston, as Winston Salem.

The large Carolina Colony was first ruled by Proprietors. Then a Royal Governor, who lived in Charles Town, with a deputy to administrate the rapidly growing north east section of the colony. As people began to push farther and farther to the west, the English Crown appointed a Royal Governor for North Carolina.  These two colonies were involved in a boundary dispute for several years.  Agreement was finally reached in 1763.

The first recorded location of any of the former Back Creek residents was dated 7 September 1756, when Charles Hart applied to the Governor of South Carolina for a grant of 250 acres lying on both sides of Dutch Buffalo Creek, a tributary to Rocky River in Anson County.  His application said his location was vacant on all sides.  His plat was entered in Volume 7 of South Carolina Land Grants, dated 30 September 1756.  His grant of 50 acres for each person in his household was approved on 13 August 1762.  It was re recorded on 28 April 1767, as being in Mecklenburg County.  The line between North and South Carolina had been established.

Arthur Dobbs, Royal Governor 1754 to 1765, was granted the vast tract surrounding the grant to Charles Hart.  He surely leased small tracts to attract new settlers, which would enable him to make a profit on his grant.

Charles Hart had formerly lived near Henry Goldman on a part of the Springfield Tract, on Back Creek.  When the large tract was granted to James Patton in 1753, Charles Hart could not prove his title to his claim and lost his land.  He had been an overseer for the Eagle Bottom Road in 1749.  John and Jacob Jr. were two of his road crew.  They evidently left Augusta County at about the same time.  Perhaps they traveled to North Carolina together.

The first record placing Henry Goldman in Anson County was dated 16 August 1762 when he witnessed George Shufford's will.  He was also one of the heirs.  Could he have married a daughter of George Shufford's?  The other witness was named as John Adam __________.  Named recorded as a "Dutch Syner" and evidently it was not decipherable.  It must have been Blackwelder.

Henry was likely married by 1758.  He was then about age 23. No record of his marriage has been found.  His wife's name is not proven.

North Carolina was declared a Crown Colony in 1729, subject to English law.  The Church of England was the official Church, supported by taxation.  Only a minister of the Anglican Church was legally empowered to conduct a marriage ceremony.  When a couple wished to marry, they could have bans read for 3 successive weeks from their church pulpit, or apply for a special license.  A bond of 50 pounds was required for a special license.  This was a very high fee and one which few average farmers could pay.  This would have been a courthouse record, but it would be useless to try to find it, as most early records were lost in fires.  Bans for Henry's marriage may have been read at Dutch Buffalo Church for three successive weeks.

One of the first Lutheran Churches in North Carolina was established on Dutch Buffalo Creek in 1757, located six miles south of present Concord.  This first church met in a rude hut of unhewn pine logs, without a floor, windows, or chimney.  It was replaced by a more permanent building a short time later, which was owned jointly by Evangelical Lutheran and the first German Reformed congregation, who used it for both a church and school.  Education was a function of the church and some type of school was held in every meeting house.  Ministers were also teachers.  Children were educated at home.  Only a few were able to receive more than 6 months of schooling for two years.  Evangelical members withdrew from Dutch Buffalo, in 1771, and built their own church of red brick, which was named St. John's.  It was often called the Old Red Meeting House.

The Anson County Court met at Mount Pleasant, about 15 miles from Dutch Buffalo Creek Church.  Their log courthouse was built in 1755 and burned in 1758.  It was re built but Anson County lost a large section of land in 1762, when Mecklenburg County was formed from western part of Anson.

The Catawba Indians had withdrawn to territory assigned to them, which excluded white settlers, a few miles to the south, just inside South Carolina line.  Their former village contained a few permanent buildings.  It was chosen as county seat for the new county.  Charlotte Town was laid out, around a log courthouse in 1765.  It had 30 houses when it was chartered in 1768.

Governor Arthur Dobbs began to sell small tracts of his west land grant, including some on Rocky River, in 1764.  First buyers were likely the men who had leased land from him for some time.  Various creeks mentioned in deeds   such as Adams, Crooked, Clear, Caudle, Buffalo, English Buffalo, Dutch Buffalo, Goose, Reedy, Grant, Great Coldwater, and Little Coldwater have made it possible to place Henry's location.  His home was about half way between Salisbury and Charlotte Town, in the area close to the present towns of Kannapolis and Concord.

This part of Anson County was in the center of the Piedmont Plateau, with rolling hills extending from ridges on the east to higher Blue Ridge foot hills to the west and north.  The numerous swift flowing streams provided power to turn mill wheels.  It was a place of meadows, with stiff clay soil. Crops of tobacco, corn, wheat, flax, hemp, indigo, beans and peas flourished.  Most of the trees were pine, which also yielded harvest of turpentine, pitch, tar and rosin.  This was a desired location for small farmers who cultivated their own land, with slaves, raised their own food, and wore home  spun clothing.

English and Dutch Buffalo Creeks were branches of the Buffalo, taking their names from the nationality of first men to live on the branch.  Buffalo Creek forked with Little Coldwater.  Several people now living along these streams came from Back Creek area.  George Dry's 135 acres lay next to land held by Nicholas Corzine.  George Condor bought 100 acres on a branch of English Buffalo.  Nicholas Cook held land on Little Coldwater Creek.  He was likely a son of John Cook and a brother to Henry Cook, who had formerly lived next to Jacob Goldman, on Back Creek

Arthur Dobbs and wife sold 101 acres, on both sides of Little Coldwater Creek to Henry Goldman on 24 June 1764, for ten pounds, two shillings.  It adjoined the tract held by John Adam Blackwelder.

Charles Hart and his wife, Klera, sold his 250 acre grant to Mathias Beaver on 7 September 1767.  John Phifer, Caleb Phifer, and Andrew Stitz witnessed the transaction.  Charles Hart perhaps moved to Rowan County.  His name appeared on a record of marriage there in September 1780.

As population increased, residents began to seek increased representation in the provincial government, them dominated by prosperous plantation owners in eastern counties. Grievances of western small farmers were ignored.   They were enduring a system of poor law enforcement administered by corrupt appointed county officials.  They set excessive taxes and would seize property as payment of overdue taxes   even personal articles in their home.  People could not appeal to a county court for justice as Lawyer fees were excessive and the Court was ruled by corrupt Judges.

Desperate for justice, and led by hot headed agitators, a "rag tag" organization, named "the Regulators" was formed. These men refused to pay taxes and mobbed officials who came to arrest them.  500 Regulators disrupted Anson's court session, at Mount Pleasant, on 28 April 1768.  They removed the magistrate from the bench and held a public discussion of injustices done to them by county officials and tax collectors.  They drafted a petition to Governor William Tyron, saying   "Though there are few men who have the gift and art of reasoning, yet every man has a feeling and knows when he has injustice done to him, as well as the most learned".  350 men affixed their signature or mark to this paper.  It was haughtily ignored by Governor Tyron.

Regulators disrupted court proceedings at Hillsborough, in Orange County, on 24 September 1768.  They took possession of the town for two days, conducted mock trials, whipped Edmund Fanning, a Crown official, ran him out of town and burned his home.  They jailed other town officials who had not fled the town.  Their actions led to passage of a bill in the Legislature on 15 January 1771, which declared the Regulators an illegal organization and being a member of it was an act of treason.  The people called it "The Bloody Act" and continued their rebellion.  Governor Tyron led a troop of heavily armed militia to put an end to their activities.

1,000 Militia men met 2,000 armed Regulators on May 16th at Alamance Creek, in Wake County, and routed them with a single volley.  One leader, James Few, was executed the next day. 12 men were charged with treason and 6 of them were hanged at Hillsborough on 19 June 1771.  The other six and 6,500 settlers were forced to swear allegiance to the government. Those who refused fled to Tennessee and Virginia.  Governor Tyron soon left for his post in New York.  His replacement, Josiah Martin, adopted a conciliatory policy toward the former Regulators, in hopes he could win their support.  It was once believed that these men had sided with England during the Revolution, but of 883 men, whose record was known, only 34 were avowed Loyalists.  289 men became known as Patriots and 560 men could not be classified.

It is not known if Henry Goldman was one of the signers on the petition to Governor Tyron, or was a member of the Regulators, Herculius KranKheyt did sign it.  He was a Regulator.  Henry was surely in agreement with the majority of his neighbors.

When news of the first shots fired against the British in the Massachusetts Colony reached North Carolina in April 1775, the Governor fled.  Royal authority broke down and a provisional government was set up.  Meetings were held in the 35 counties and committees were appointed to take charge of local governments and to raise troops.  According to North Carolina history, a meeting in Charlotte on 20 May 1775 drew up an independence declaration.  Captain James Jack was chosen to deliver their declaration to the Continental Congress, then in session in Philadelphia.  He made a hazardous horse back ride, through Tory populated country  side, arriving in Philadelphia to meet with a firm refusal of members of the Congress to even consider their declaration

In later years a controversy arose over the authenticity of the Mecklenburg declaration.  In 1818, Capt. Jack issued a statement that he did, indeed, ride to Philadelphia with the message.  Records concerning their declaration were lost in Charlotte's courthouse fire in 1800.  True or not, the date was inscribed on North Carolina's State Flag and Great Seal, and later declared a State holiday.

The War came to their part of North Carolina in mid-summer of 1780.  Lord Cornwallis established his forward base at Camden South Carolina, 60 miles south of Charlotte.  Gen. Horatio Gates, commander of Continental armies, began a march of 4,000 soldiers from Hillsborough, toward Camden, in July 1780.  He sent Col. Armand to Charlotte with his heavy equipment and a small detachment of troops.  Gen. Gates' army was soundly defeated in the battle north of Camden, on 16 August.  His troops fled in a wild panic toward Charlotte. Tarleton's cavalry caught up with them at Fishing Creek, 40 miles north of Camden, on the 18th, and killed 150 men, captured 300 and destroyed 44 loaded supply wagons.

The retreating Americans were joined by 300 friendly Catawba Indians at Charlotte, and by many Patriot civilians, who were in the path of the army, moving toward Salisbury.  General Gates was able to escape by using a relay of fast horses, and rode back to Hillsborough, 140 miles away, in three and a half days.  His action is still in doubt by historians, but his defense was that he hurried there to enlist aid from General Greene's army expected to arrive any time from Virginia.

Henry Goldman's home was about 25 miles northeast of Charlotte, directly in the path of the retreating army.  His family included 3 sons and 6 daughters, ranging in age from 2 years to age 21.  His wife may have died in 1778.  It is quite reasonable to suppose he sent his daughters and perhaps John, to relatives beyond Salisbury.  A record of marriage for his oldest son was in Rowan County on 9 September 1780.

General Cornwallis pursued the retreating army and occupied Charlotte on 26 September.  His foragers were far in advance of his main body, seeking food and potential trouble areas. Tory residents flocked to his army and joined his soldiers in looting and burning Patriot homes.

Co. Charles McDowell commanded a regiment of North Carolina Militia.  He was rather an inactive partisan leader.  When Tories rose up against Patriot settlers, Major Joseph McDowell took the command of his brother's regiment, in October 1780.

Major George Davidson, with 2 companies of riflemen, joined a small body of Mecklenburg Militia, under Major Joseph Graham, and fought from behind stone fences and hedge rows to halt their advance.  Cornwallis' march from Camden had been harassed by a body of Militiamen under Col. Davie.  He was assisted by Militia under Sumner and Davidson.  They chopped up foraging parties, attacked convoys from Camden and intercepted messengers from the troops under Major Patrick Ferguson and Tarleton's Calvary, who were advancing toward Kings Mountain.  A monument erected 6 miles from Charlotte, marks the site of McIntyre's log house, where a detachment of Red coats, foraging for supplies, overturned a bee hive. In the following confusion they were routed by a handful of civilian Patriots.  When Cornwallis received news of Ferguson and Tarleton's defeat, at Kings Mountain, on 7 October 1780, he recalled his men, saying they had nothing to gain, and began a retreat into South Carolina on 14 October.  He called the area around Charlotte a "hornet's nest of rebellion".

This series of events has been included to show conditions near Henry Goldman's home in 1780.  No record has been found of his military service, either in the Continental Army or even on the Mecklenberg Militia rolls.  He was about 45 in 1780.  Perhaps too old to be called to service, as he had a large family, and only his oldest daughter to care for the others. He was not too old to defend his home or help his neighbors when troops were foraging the country side.  This may have contributed to his poor health at the time of his will.

Henry Goldman made his will on 20 January 1781, saying his health was poor.  It was witnessed by two German signatures, that are almost unreadable, but the name Herculius Kronkright is clearly written.  This will was submitted for Probate Court in April 1781.  Henry named all his children.  A wife is not listed.  He was in doubt if his children would wish to remain on the land.

During 1780 81, counties of Anson, Mecklenburg, Lincoln, Surry, and Guilford all held their court sessions in Salisbury at Rowan's courthouse.  British had moved into Guilford in 1781.

Final settlement of his estate was said to be made in 1784. A copy of his will was obtained and it is blurred that record of his inventory, estate administration, or guardianship of his children were not requested.  Henry Jr. could not have been over 22 in 1781.  His brother, Charles, was not yet 21. Henry Jr. surely assumed responsibility of caring for his young sisters and brother, John.  He was named Rachel's guardian in 1792 in Kentucky, and was evidently Elizabeth's guardian.  In court document's obtained from Kentucky in 1828, evidence has been produced that says Charles Hart Sr. raised Leah and in his application for a military pension he states that he was born in Mecklenburg County and moved to Kentucky in 1790.  More than likely Henry Goldman and Charles Hart planned their trip to Kentucky with Henry going first along with Nelly's family leaving behind his brothers and sisters to follow later with Charles Hart and his wife.  The 1828 Kentucky documents state that Charles Hart Sr.  married Leah Goldman's sister.  A record of this marriage has not been found in North Carolina.  Charles Hart married either Mary or Catherine Goldman.  If Mary remained in North Carolina and married John Ashley, Charles Hart's wife was Catherine Goldman. 

Henry Sr left land to sons, Henry Jr. and John and willed a distillery to Charles, who seemed to be about age 20.  Almost all farmers built their own distillery to turn grain and fruit into whiskey and brandy.  These liquors were used freely by everyone.  Spirits were deemed a necessity even to small farmers, often used for medicinal purposes, and cheaper to distill than to buy it.  Also, easier to transport excess products to market in a liquid form.  Every school teacher's account for educating children, even if he was a minister, included an allowance for liquor, which was always provided for social gatherings, such as harvest parties, cabin raisings, auction sales or public meetings and funerals.

Henry left a sum of 15 pounds sterling for the education of four daughters and John.  Surely, Mary was not married as a husband's name is not given.  Both Mary and Catherine would soon be marriageable age.  A bedroom's furniture and linens were to be a dowery.  Neither Mary or Catherine have been found by name in Kentucky records, excepting the document that states that one of Leah's sisters raised her.  That sister was married to Charles Hart, Sr.

Henry did not expect Elizabeth to marry as he did not mention her heirs.  An executor or administrator would receive her estate.  Evidently, she needed someone to take care of her affairs.

Henry's land, on Little Coldwater Creek, fell in Cabarrus County in 1792, when northeast part of Mecklenburg was taken to form a new county.  Concord was chosen as the county seat. Anson's old county seat, at Mount Pleasant, was moved to New Town, when Montgomery County was formed from the North part of Anson in 1778.  New Town was later named Wadesboro.

 

Gold was discovered in Cabarrus County in 1792.  It would be interesting to follow up the disposition of Henry's land, but time and distance do not allow a thorough research of records of this ancestor.

         RECORDED WILL OF HENRY GOLDMAN SR.

 Book C pages of 116 to 118 Mecklenburg County North Carolina

Written 20 January 1781   Probate date 5 June 1784

In the name of God Amen, I Henry Goldman of the county of Mecklenburg in the State of North Carolina, being sick in body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be given to God calling into mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for men born to die, do make and ordain this my last will and testament.  That is to say principally and first of all, I give and commend my soul into the hands of Almighty God that gave it, and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a decent Christian burial at the discretion of my executors, nothing doubting but at the gospel resurrection I shall remain the same again by the mighty power of God, and as to my ____ such worldly estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me with in this life I give, devise and dispose the same in the following manner and form.

First I give and bequeath to my dearly beloved sons Henry and John Goldman, my plantation to be divided between them equally, but with this condition   Henry Goldman is to enjoy the lower part and John Goldman the upper part thereof, likewise two horses and a plow with _____to be equally divided among them.  Also I give and bequeath to my beloved son, Charles, my distill with the vessels therewith belonging, to have and to hold it forever and to his heirs, executors and administrators forever.  Also I give nd bequeath to my dearly beloved daughter, Elizabeth Goldman, that piece or tract of land which I have in my possession by virtue of an entry adjoining the other lands of my plantation, containing forty acres to have and to hold to this same tract unto this said Elizabeth Goldman and to her executors and administrators forever.  But my plantation above mentioned with the two horses and plow bequeathed to my tow sons, Henry and John Goldman, in the first article of this my last will be bequeathed to them, their heirs, executors, administrators and assigns forever.  But if my children do not stay on this place the two horse and plow is to be sold.

Futher whereas five of my dearly beloved children, viz. John Goldman and Catherine Goldman and Rachel Goldman and Leah Goldman and Martha Goldman are not taught or instructed yet in the principals of Christain religion, I give and bequeath to them the full sum of fifteen pounds sterling or the value thereof to be employed by my executors to the only instruction of them in the articles of Christianity and I do hereby charge my executors to take a particular care of them to cause them to be sent to a Christian school to be taught as above said.

Futher, I give and bequeath to my dearly beloved daughter, Catherine, my bed and bedstead with its furniture and a black silk handkerchief.  I also give and bequeath to my beloved daughter Mary a black hat, a mantle, a bed and bedstead with its furniture.  Futher the iron pots shall remain on the place in case if the children stay in this house and the pewter, otherwise to be divided in equal shares.

Finally all the rest of my movable goods and effects are to be sold or appraised and everyone of my children shall have equal shares of all singular.  My goods or effects herein bequeathed which all is to be appraised so that the inheritance of this one may not exceed the inheritance of the other, except what is mentioned for the instruction of my children named in its proper place.

Lastly, I constitute make and ordain William Irwin and Mathias Mitchell executors of this my last will and testament and I do hereby utterly disallow, revoke, and disconnect all and every other former testaments, wills, bequeaths and executors by me in any before written will and bequeaths, testifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will and testament as witnessed thereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 20th day of January in the year of the Lord 1781.  Signed, sealed, published, pronounced by the said Henry Goldman as his last will and testament in the presence of us who in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto recorded our names.

Henry Irwin

Vynesery Belvin ?                      Henry Goldman  sealHercules Kronkright                       signature

  CHILDREN NAMED IN THE WILL OF HENRY GOLDMAN SR.

1. Henry Goldman Jr.   born about 1759 died 1795 in Kentucky Married 9 September 1780 to Eleanora Kronkright in Rowan County North Carolina.  Heired 50 acres in Mecklenburg County.  Was guardian of four sisters.  They went to Kentucky with him or Charles Hart, who married Mary or Catherine Hart.

2. Charles Goldman   born about 1761.  Heired father's distillery.

3. Mary Goldman   born about 1763.  Record of a Mary Goldman marriage to John Barrott, in Rutherford County, on 19 August 1779.  Rutherford County was some distance from her home in Mecklenburg.  This may be a daughter of the Goldman's on the Pacelot River.  Mary Goldman may have married Charles Hart, Rev. war soldier from Mecklenburg County.  If this is the sister her married, they removed to Kentucky in 1790.

4. Catherine Goldman   born about 1765.  Her father left money for her religious education.  Did either she or Mary marry John Ashley?

5. John Goldman   born about 1765.   Moved to Kentucky with Henry.  His father left money for his religious education.  He heired 50 acres of his father's land.  He may have leased or sold it to a sister when he went to Kentucky.  He received Henry's land in 1791, as security for a loan, and assigned it to John Ashley   for value received   in 1797.  Married in Washington or Mercer County Kentucky.  Held 100 acres in Louse Creek in Washington County which he sold to George Legrand in 1811.  In 1830 George Legrand lived neighbors to Henry Powell according to the census.

6. Elizabeth Goldman   born about 1770. Living in Kentucky in 1797.  Father willed her land he held in addition to his 101 acres.  She seemed to be in poor health.  Land was for her care as it passed to her administrator.  An attorney sued Henry Goldman's estate in her behalf for 73 pounds, 12 shilling, 3 pence in 1797.  (Mercer County order Book)

7. Rachel Goldman   born about 1773.  Father left money for her religious education.  Went to Kentucky.  Married 30 May 1792, in Mercer County to Frederick Stiltz.  Henry gave permission, as her guardian.  Was the son of Andrew Sitz who witnessed the sale of Charles Hart Sr.  land in Meckleburg County in 1767?

8. Leah Goldman   born 1776 died 19 July 1827.  Father left money for her religious education.  Went to Kentucky about 1790.  Married Charles Powell Jr. 21 December 1797.

Had twelve children.  Charles died 9 June 1819.  They lived in Washington County at the time of his death. Could they have lived on Henry's former land?

9. Martha (Patsy) Goldman   born about 1778.  Father left money for her religious education.  Went to Kentucky.  She submitted a bill for 1 pound, 12 shillings, 6 pence to Henry Goldman Jr.'s administrator.  Married 20 July 1815 to Austin Moore in Mercer County.  Bondsman, Alexander Black, said she was over 35 years old.  She may have remained single to take care of her sister, Elizabeth.

LEAH GOLDMAN

Leah Goldman, the next to youngest daughter of Heny Goldman, was born in 1776 on the plantation where he lived in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, near Little Coldwater Creek.  Her mother could have died in 1778 when Rachel, her baby sister was born.  Certainly, she was dead by the end of 1780 for Henry Goldman was very sick in January 1781 when he made his will and he did not mention a wife.  He did elude to the fact that he made a previous will.  Perhaps in that earlier will, he left everything to his wife with legacies to his children.  He utterly revoked all previous testaments, wills, legacies, bequeaths, and executors that he had named before his 1781 will was made.

Leah was only five years old when her father died.  Her memories of him were likely dim and mostly of him being sick. He left money for his young children’s Christian education. Did he want them to receive this most in a Lutheran Church? We do not know if the children were educated in the Church or not.

Leah left North Carolina with Charles Hart, Sr.  who married her sister, in late 1789 or early 1790.  They traveled with her brother, John Goldman and her young sisters, Elizabeth, Martha, and Rachel.  Charles settled in Mercer County near Charles Powell Sr.  He stated in a document made in Mercer County, 1832, that he removed to Kentucky in 1790.  This was the year that Charles Powell first appeared in Kentucky.  The group of travelers from North Carolina may have journeyed upward to Halifax County Virginia and there picked up more pioneers, including Charles Powell Sr. and Allin Burton and his wife, Elizabeth.  If so, Leah probably first met Charles Powell, Jr. in early 1790 on their trip to the promised land. He would have been 16 years old, almost grown.  She was about 14 and old enough to take notice of the young men on the train. Charles probably was dressed in a hunting shirt.  This was a loose shirt that reached half way down to his thighs.  It had long large sleeves and was open in front so it could lap over and belted.  The bosom of the shirt served as a wallet to hold a chunk of bread, cakes, jerked meat, two for wiping the barrel of a rifle.  The belt was always tied behind.  These hunting shirts were usually made of linsey, sometimes a coarse linen, or of dressed deer skins.  The skins were very cold and uncomfortable in wet weather.  A pair of breeches and leggings were the dress of the thighs.  Moccasins were worn more often than shoes.  They were made of dressed deer skin.  In cold weather the moccasins were stuffed with deer hair or dry leaves to keep the feet warm.  In wet weather wearing moccasins was "a decent way of going barefooted."

Leah walked most of the way to Kentucky down the Wilderness Road.  The animals were used mainly as pack vehicles to carry the pioneer's goods.  No wagons could pass over the Wilderness Road in 1790.  Two wheel carts were used to carry some supplies and heavy articles.  The few heirlooms that were brought were loaded on the backs of horses and oxen. Henry Goldman's iron pots and pewter were likely packed and even used along the trail.  Leah was probably impressed with Charles Jr.'s family they brought along several black slaves and many cows.  Charles likely had a horse and Leah did not.

On the 1795 Mercer County tax list, Charles Sr. is shown with 6 blacks, 5 horses, and 16 cattle.  Charles Hart has 7 horses and 14 cattle.  Samuel, David, and John Hart are also in Mercer County.  Charles Jr., 21 years old, owns only a horse. After reaching Kentucky Leah may have went to live with Henry and Nellie who moved to Kentucky in 1788.  But in Mercer County Documents, Charles Hart Jr.  has several witnesses testifying that Leah was raised by Charles Hart Sr.  and that he married her sister.  Leah may have already taken notice of Charles Powell Jr.  and wanted to stay with Charles Hart and her sister.  Even if she lived with her brother, Henry, she surely spent a great deal of time on the Hart farm near the Chaplin River.

Henry and John Goldman lived in Mercer County.  September l, 1791, Henry borrowed 80 pounds from John Goldman.  Maybe so Henry could buy land in Nelson County (later Washington County).  Henry gave John a promissory note, giving his title to his inherited 50 acres in Mecklenburg County as a security.  The promissory note was witnessed by Charles Hart and John Hart.

Disposition of John's inherited 50 acres is not known.  He may have leased it to his older sister when he left for Kentucky with Charles Hart.  Deed Book 12 of Cabarrus County mentions Henry Goldman on page 188.  He is also named in Grant Book 14, on page 3.

On May 30, 1792, Henry Goldman signed permission as her guardian, for Rachel Goolman to marry Frederick Stiltz in Mercer County.  John Goodnight and Frederick Stiltz signed the bond for fifty pounds to Virginia's Governor, Henry Lee. Mercer was then a part of Virginia.  One day later Kentucky became the 15th state admitted to the United States with its capitol at Frankfort.  Seven new counties were formed that year.  Clark from southeast part of Fayette and west part of Bourbon; Scott, from southeast corner of Woodford; Shelby from eastern half of Jefferson; Hardin and Washington from Nelson; Logan, from Lincoln; and Green from a part of Nelson and a part of Lincoln Counties.

If Leah lived with Henry and Nellie during her brothers last years in Washington County.  She witnessed his struggle to make ends meet.  His last days can be traced together by scraps of paper from his estate file box.  He often worked a day or two for one of his neighbors, in exchange for items he couldn't make or buy, such as salt.  Henry received credit for 1/2 bushel of seed potatoes on Hart's bill.  He tanned hides and cut shoe leather to make shoes for his family and to trade.  He received credit for a pair of shoe leathers on at least two accounts.  They had a value of 6 shillings (two days wages).  English money was still in use.  A pound sterling = $4.85 and 2/3 cents in American money.  Twenty shilling = one pound and 12 pence = one shilling.

Henry Goldman and his neighbors, including Jeremiah Briscoe, built a school-house cabin and hired David Lewis to teach their children.  Lewis was to be paid in money and produce quarterly.  Henry received credit for a mow of corn and leather, amounting to 1 pound and 3 pence.  He had inherited his father’s wish for his children to be educated.  He enrolled two children in 1795.  Leah may have lived with Henry off and on during these years, but she also spent time at her sister's home in Mercer County.  Charles Hart Sr. was probably better off financially than Henry Goldman.

Eleanor Goldman had a loom and a spinning wheel and grew a patch of Indigo, to provide color in her home spun clothing. Four horses and a mare provided transportation as well as pulled the plow.  They had four saddles, one was a women’s saddle.  The livestock included 12 head of cattle, 9 sheep, 7 hogs, and 8 geese.

Henry Goldman's inventory showed Eleanor used iron pots for cooking in the fireplace.  She also had a bake oven and a flat iron.  They used platters carved of wood, and had some pewter ware.  They had 3 beds, with bedding, and 3 chairs.  A table was not listed.

Henry borrowed various amounts of money from several persons, and paid interest on larger amounts.  Nicholas Neisler, resident of Mercer County, said he loaned Henry a dollar. This loan was made as they were coming out to this country from North Carolina.  He had worked for Henry for 6 days at 3 shillings per day, and had received 12 shillings.

The final scrap of paper, bearing Henry's signature, was a note to Levi Corzine for $??.50, dated September 22, 1795. Henry died soon after this date.  Leah's visits to his home or her living there ended at this time.  Leah certainly admired her brother.  She named her second son for him and the father she could hardly remember.

Henry Goldman's death may have been accidental.  He was only 36 years old.  John Goodnight paid 18 shillings for his coffin.  A bill for 6 shillings for another coffin was presented by Nathaniel Ray.  He said it was made for the child of Nelly Goldman, aged 10 to 12 months.  He thought the coffin was made in January 1796.  What a horrible year that was for Nelly Goldman.

John Goodnight and Eleanor were appointed to administrate the estate on January 7, 1796, with Jeremiah Briscoe and Henry Young as their securities for the amount of 200 pounds. Samuel Reed, John Galloway, and Phillip Walker were appointed to take the inventory of Henry's personal property.  Their report was given to the Court and recorded September l, 1796. John Goodnight was named guardian for Charles, Isaac, Abraham, and Polly Goldman, infant orphans of Henry Goldman on September 1, 1796.  Jeremiah Briscoe posted a bond of 252 pounds for the children.  No family records of Polly Goldman have been found.  She could have been reared by another family member.

A statement of accounts was recorded on April 2, 1799, but it does not include all the debts allowed on the scraps of paper.  The promissory note to Levi Corrzine had been assigned to George Dry.  Henry had repaid 50 pounds of the 80 pounds he borrowed from jos brother in 1791.  The balance, including interest, was included in the 1799 statement. Reverse of the original note showed John had claimed the land (then in Cabarrus County) and assigned his right of title to the land to John Ashley  "for value received"  on October 12, 1797.  Ashley may have moved to Henry's 50 acres when he moved to Kentucky.  John Ashley and his wife, Mary, had purchased a 50 acre tract on a branch of Rocky River (Coldwater Creek) joining the land of Andrew Mathis, on March 2, 1788. Could this be Elizabeth's 50 inherited acres?  They sold this tract to Douglas Winchestter in March 1791.  Ashley may have moved to Henry's 50 acres when he went to Kentucky.  His wife Mary may well have been Mary Goldman.  If so, Charles Hart, Sr. Goldman wife would be Catherine.

Attorney John Bridges, also a former resident of Mecklenburg County, filed suit on behalf of Elizabeth Goldman, against the estate of Henry's estate, for 73 pounds, 19 shillings, and 3 pense.  Elizabeth was then over 21 years of age, but as her guardian Henry had controlled her expenses.  Martha Goldman, not yet 21, filed a claim for one pound, 12 shillings, and 5 pence.  Leah did not have a claim filed in her behalf, but on December 21, 1797, she married Charles Powell Jr.  Robert Burton swore she was over the age of 21.

Mercer County Court ordered Sheriff to allow Charles Hart $40.00 in 1796 for Elizabeth Goldman's care (1786 1797 Order Book, page 335) and again on October 12, 1797, the Sheriff was ordered to pay Charles Hart for care of Elizabeth Goldman for the ensuing 6 months (page 431).  Elizabeth was evidently unable to care for herself.  Years before in his will her father gave her 50 acres with no mention of heirs because he assumed she would not have any.

Nelly oldest son, Charles, would have reached 16 ny 1798. Leah surely realized the sad situation Nelly was in after the death of her brother.  She probably started her marriage with Charles Jr. not dreaming that her lot would even be worse. Leah's brother’s estate was not settled until 1801.  Nelly Goldman was surely living in Clark County, with her parents by this time.  The exact date she left Washington County is not known.

Leah and Charles Powell probably first lived on Charles Sr.'s land near her sister Mrs. Charles Hart.  A spot was likely selected for their cabin some time before December 21, 1797. Neighbors and family pitched in to raise the cabin.  Charles Jr. had help from his father, Charles Hart and his sons, Lewis Powell, Robert Burton, some of the Bottoms family, and others.  Choppers would fell the trees and cut them off the proper lengths.  A man with a team for hauling them to the place, and arranging them, properly assorted, at the sides and ends of the building, a carpenter, whose business it was to search the woods for a proper tree for making clapboards for the roof.  The tree for the purpose must be straight grained and split four feet long, with a large frow, and as wide as the timber would allow.  They were used without plaining or shaving.  Another team were employed in getting puncheons for the floor of the cabin; this was done by hewing the faces of them with a broad axe. They were half the length the floor they intended to make.

The materials for the cabin were mostly prepared on the first day and sometimes the foundation was laid on the same evening.  The second day was allotted for the raising.

In the morning of the second day, the relatives and neighbors, collected for the raising.  The first thing to be done was the election of four corner men, whose business it was to notch and place the logs.  The rest of the company furnished them with the timbers.  In the meantime, the boards and puncheons were being collected for the floor and roof, so that by the time the cabin was a few rounds high the sleepers and floor began to be laid.  The door was made by sawing or cutting the logs in one side so as to make an opening about three feet wide.  This opening was secured by upright pieces of timber about three inches thick through which holes were bored into the ends of the logs for the purpose of pinning them fast.  A similar opening, but wider, was made at the end for the chimney.  This was built of logs and made large to admit a back and jams of stone.  At the square, two end logs projected a foot or eighteen inches beyond the wall to receive the butting poles, as they were called, against which the ends of the first row of clap boards was supported.  The roof was formed by making the end logs shorter until a single log formed the comb of the roof, on these logs the clap boards was placed, the ranges of them lapping some distance over those next below them and kept in their places by logs, placed at proper distances upon them.

The roof and sometimes the floor were finished on the same day as the raising.  A third day was spent making a clapboard door, leveling the floor, and making a table.  A table was made of a split slab and supported by four round legs set in auger holes.  Some three legged stools were made in the same manner.  Some pins stuck in the logs at back of the house supported some clap boards which served for shelves for the table furniture.  A single fork, placed its lower end in a hole in the floor and the upper end fastened to a joist served as a bedstead.  A few pegs around the wall for a display of the coats of women, and the hunting shirts of the men and two small forks or bucks horns to a joist for the rifle and shot pouch, completed the carpenter work.

The mason busy at work while this was going on was Charles Powell, Sr.  With the heart pieces of the timber of which the clapboards were made, he made billets for chunking up the cracks between the logs of the cabin and chimney, a large bed of mortar was made for daubing up those cracks; a few stones formed the back and jambs of the chimney.

The cabin was finished but before the young couple could move in a house warming including the neighbors and all Leah and Charles relations took place.  A dance or party continued way into the night.  On the following day Leah and Charles took possession of the one room cabin.

Charles Jr. may have farmed the land near this cabin.  He may have hunted or trapped to earn extra money.  On October 5, 1798 in this little cabin, less than a year from their marriage, Leah gave birth to their first child.  They named their little girl for Sarah Gholson Powell, his mother. Perhaps, Leah had hopes that her mother in law could replace her own mother that she never knew.

Before two years passed, September 27, 1800, Leah and Charles had their first son.  He was probably named by his father for his brother, Lewis.  May 3, 1802, they had a second son. This boy Leah named Henry for her brother and father who were both deceased.  Only a year and one month later, June 19, 1803, Charles and Leah have a third son, John.

Charles Sr. could see his sons family growing rapidly.  On September 26, 1803, Charles Sr. deeded 124 acres on Doctors fork of the Chaplin river to his son.  He surely had hoped to live out his last days with his grandchildren nearby.  This land was probably surrounding the cabin where Charles and Leah had lived and was near her sister and Charles Hart Sr.'s home.  Also. a near neighbor was Robert Burton, son of Allin and Elizabeth Burton, who came to Kentucky from Halifax County Virginia with Charles Powell.  Robert had posted the bond when Leah married Charles Jr. and swore Leah was over 21 years of age.

March ll, 1805, Leah gave birth to another son, David.  The following fall, September 24, 1805, Charles Powell and Leah sold 110 acres on Doctors Fork of the Chaplin to John Whitler.  They could have been left with 14 acres or the amount on the first deed could have been wrong.  Charles and Leah did not leave Mercer County until after 1810 for they are numbered in the 1810 Mercer County census.  Charles and Leah are on page 326 showing 61010 30011 00.  Charles' brother Lewis is listed in Mercer with 200100 30010 00. There is also a John Powell there in 1810 with 00100 20101  00.  Charles family can be identified on this census from information from the Powell Family Bible. The information about the males  61010  means the family had 6 males under the age of 10, one male over 10, and one male 26 to 45.  The six males under l0 are  Henry, John, David, Jacob, Cyrus, and the sixth is a mystery because Lewis is l0 years old that September if he is the sixth male under l0, who is the male aged 10 to 16?  Charles Powell Jr. is marked under the 26 45 slot correctly.  In 1810, Charles would have been 36 years old.  The females in the household  11010  are Polly (Mary) born that October and just an infant, and one (10 to 16) who is Sally Powell, the family's first born.  She had just turned 12 that October.  The last female listed is Leah Powell in the 26 to 44 age bracket.  In 1810, she was only 34 years of age.  She had only been married about twelve years and had already born eight children.  Sometimes the census takers made mistakes.  Lewis Powell Jr. may have been counted in the 0 10 bracket and also in the 10 to 16.  In the last two spaces the census taker recorded 00, showing all others and slaves.

After selling the land his father gave him in 1805, Charles Jr. witnessed the break up in his father's home.  In box P 7 in Mercer County records still cry of the heartbreak the family felt.  Sarah Gholson Powell had to flee her and her husbands' home many times she said.  Perhaps sometimes she ran all the way to Leah and Charles's cabin.  She had her attorney, John L. Bridges, file a document in Mercer County Court on the first day of July 1807.  She said that her husband's affection for her was alienated about four years prior to this.  Sarah accused Charles of trying to smother her to death.  He beat her with sticks and with his fists, and at this time he has banished her from his house and advertised to others that they could not trade with her.  She said that Charles was often intoxicated and was bartering away their estate and she thought he had lived in a state of fornication with negro slaves.  She further stated that Charles has over 100 acres in Mercer County, one negro man Tom, one negro woman, Liddy, one negro woman, Doray, negro boys named, Jeffery, Jorden, a negro girl named Mirah, and a negro named Tony who was in the hands of Nimrod Greenwood. William Hall owed Charles a large sum of money.  Charles held the bond to 400 acres of land on one, Ewing.  She further stated that Charles owned valuable stock of every kind   horses, cows, hogs, and sheep.  He also had household furniture.

By July 10 Charles Powell, Sr. and Robert Burton, Philip Board, Nimrod Greenwood, and William Hall posted bond to David Knox, Sheriff for five hundred pounds.  They swore they would not go beyond the jurisdiction of the county without leave of the said court.  Perhaps about this time Charles Sr. become ill.  Anyway, Charles and Sarah reached an agreement August 13, 1807.  Charles Powell admitted that some unhappy differences between him and Sarah caused her to seek protection with her neighbors and children.  In order that their disputes might end an agreement was made.  Charles sold half of his stock of cattle, sheep and hogs to Jerimiah Briscoe.  He also sold the kitchen furniture and twenty barrels of Indian corn to be delivered the next fall. Charles also sold Briscoe 5 negroes, Lid (Liddie), aged 27, and her children  Jeff, Jordon, and Miriah, and a negro man, Tony (probably her husband).  Jeremiah Briscoe agreed to pay Sarah Powell interest on the money he owed Charles and upon Sarah's death he would pay the balance and interest to Charles estate and this would be divided between all his children.  From this agreement, Sarah Powell received sixty dollars a year for the rest of her life.  She went to live with her daughter Sally, wife of Edmund Bottoms.

Charles Powell was still living in Mercer County when the census was taken in 1810.  Charles is shown between the ages of 26 45 and with a wife the same age.  He has six males under 10 years old  Lewis (1800), Henry (1802), John (1803), David (1805), Jacob (1807), and Cyrus (1808).  Two daughters round out Charles family of eight children.  His daughters are Sally born 1798 and Polly born October 1,1810.

Perhaps Charles and Leah lived on the fourteen acres remaining of their land Charles Sr. had given them or Charles Jr. may have farmed his father's remaining 100 acres.  But in 1810 Charles Sr. died.  He made a will in Mercer County freeing his remaining two slaves, Tom and Dorah.  Charles Sr. willed his estate to be divided equally between his children. Thomas Crawford was his administrator and Anthony Prewitt bought his remaining 100 acres.  At this time Charles and Leah probably left Mercer County for Washington County. Charles surely farmed in Washington County.  He may have worked someone’s land for a share of the profit, perhaps Jeremiah Briscoe.

Between January 1812 and April 1817, Leah and Charles have four more sons, James Walton  1812, Elijah  1814, Elisha   1815, and Goldman  1817.  During these years in Washington County, life becomes more and more difficult for Charles and Leah.  Suddenly in the fall of 1819, Charles Powell Jr. died. Leah is left with 12 children, none are married and on their own.  In the Mercer County records, the statement is made again and again  Charles Powell was financially embarrassed and Leah Powell was very unfortunate.

As Charles Powell lay dying, Leah mind probably wandered back across the Wilderness Road to North Carolina.  She remembered a little girl, scared about what would happen to her, where would she live, who would take care of her and her sisters?   I think Leah Powell made a vow to herself that fall in 1819.  She would keep her family together.  They would not be split between relatives and neighbors.  She lifted her chin pulled her ten sons together.  Hard work would be the way and Leah had ten boys to help her.  She called on her brother in law for help.  Charles Hart had been the one that rescued Leah year before.  His son Charles Hart Jr. became the administrator of Charles Powell's estate. Leah securities were her brother in law, Lewis Powell, her old neighbor, Robert Burton, and a relative of her mother in  law Sarah Gholson Powell, James Jones.

The Washington County Court recorded an inventory of Charles Powell Jr.'s estate December 13. 1819.  Charles and Leah owned three shovel plows, a double tree and chases, 5 hoes, l grubbing hoe, l log chain, 4 falling axes, 2 kettles with hooks, l pot and pan, l kettle and bail, l oven with lid, 4 cedar pails, 2 churns, 2 tubs, l bucket, l chilling tub ?, 3 guns, 3 women’s saddles, and 2 men’s saddles, l large lug wheel, 2 small lug wheels, 9 basins, 5 plates and dishes, one dozen spoons,  l set of bowls,  more bowls, l coffee pot, l cup, saucer, and spoon, 3 cups, 4 tin cups, l patty pan, l pitcher, l smoothing iron,  l set of pewter, l cupboard, l set of forks and knives, l pair cotton cards, l pair wool cards, 8 chairs, l table, l chest l haseck, l pair of shears, l testament, 2 expositors and vials, l bunch of books, l brush and ink stand, 5 bedsteads and furniture, another gun, one bridle with bits, l wooden wagon, l sorrel mare, l grey mare, l black mare, l sorrel filly, l sorrel colt, 12 sheep, l lot of tobacco, l white cow and calf, another white cow and calf, l black cow and calf, l pied cow, l pied heifer, l pied cow, l white heifer,