The Falkners and Neighbors of Featherbed Branch: The 1800's

For the past several months now, I've been trying to make head and tails of the land records involving the early Falkners who lived along Jones Creek, Featherbed Branch and Wilkey's Mill Creek, in Anson County, NC. I've yet to find mention or a definate connection to my ancestor, John L. Faulkner, who was born between 1807 and 1812. I know from DNA that he was related to them, although I have yet to connect the dots. I've found hide nor hair of him with any mention of a parent, or even a sibling, although I have discoverer his two wives and their parents, and even grandparents. 

In this post, I will continue on with the deeds of the early Faulkners, and some focus on connected families, like the Wisdoms, the Mays, the Buchanons and Chiles, whose property adjoined theres, and the Stanfields, who had migrated from Cumberland County, NC with them.

I begin with one mentioned in the last post dated Dec 2, 1800, Book H2, 250, wherein Nathan Faulkner, who was one of the older Falkners, sold his personal property, includind livestock, furniture and a corn crib, to Jonathan and Warren Falkner. Witnesses were Noah and William Rushing. This is worth noting because some people have Sarah, the wife of Nathan, as being a Rushing. I know her name was Sarah, as she and Nathan witnessed the Will of Benjamin Falkner, said to be his cousin, in 1783. His widow Elizabeth, appears only in the 1790 census, with her two small sons, John and Henry. I have no idea what happened to any of them. 

On Oct.14,1799, Nathan Faulkner, Planter, of Anson, sold to Richard Graves, of Chesterfield Couny, SC, 50 acres on Cedar Branch, which had beed granted to Phillip Dill in 1769 and through various conveyances , had came into the hand so Nathan Faulkner, or in the words of the document, "vested in" Nathan. Witnesses were John Cason, Richard Meeks, and Reddin Meeks. Below is a photo of Featherbed Branch, as it appears off of Teal Hall Road. Just past it is the old Cason Cemetery, where John Cason is buried.

As for Richard and Reddin Meeks, they're not in the 1800 census of Anson, taken just months after this transaction, but there is a Brtton Meeks and Frank Meeks, living side by side, right near Nathan and Jonathan Faulkner and next to John Cason, with Job Faulkner just above. The two were brothers, son of Francis Marion Meeks and wife Deana Darcus. Like John Cason, they were out of Pitt County, NC. Francis "Frank" Jr. would end up in Emmanuel County, Ga and Britton would end up in Baldwin County, Georgia. They had a brother named Reddin (and Britton had a son named Reddin, who wasnt' born yet), who had settled in Bladen County and had ended up in Dale County, Alabama. This could have been him, down for a visit, or traveling through. Richard had to have been related in some manner, but I'm not sure how. He may have been a family member who had slipped through the cracks. This is just one example of the diaspora that was taking place at the time, that makes it so difficult to determine who belongs to whom.

Jonathan Falkner appears in the 1800 census living near Nathan. Warren does not appear in the census. I believe he may have been living with Nathan. 

Warren may have been the young man between 16 and 25 living with Nathan. 

Jonathan was already married and had a child, and head of his own household, near that of Nathan.

October 16, 1801, Book H2 P 249, a listing just before page 250 William Wisdom of Anson sold to his son, Thomas Wisdom 100 acres on the middle prong of Jones Creek to the mouth of Gum's Branch, first line of William Wisdom's 300 acre survey and was witnessed by neighbor James Childs and other son, FrancisWisdom.

The Wisdoms appear in may Faulkner related deeds. 

November 20, 1801, Nathan Falkner of Anson sold to Malcolm McCusick 74 acres on Cedar Creek for $160. Began at a persimmon tree on Rosses line, joins Cedar Creek and the upper corner of 'said' Falkner's Plantation, sold by Hugh Johnson to James Forehand. It was signed by Nathan Falkner and witnessed by Malcolm Campbell and Jonathan Falkner.  Oath Jan. 1802 by Jonathan Falkner.

In April of 1801,  Elijah Falkner witnesseed a transaction between Clement Lanier and Henry Marshall over the sale of a slave woman named Guander and her two children, in conjunction with Nathaniel Dabbs. So Elijah, who did not appear in any census, was still in Anson in 1801. Also, these were new names, not otherwise seen with the Faulkners.

On Dec 15, 1798, David Collins of Anson sold to Elijah 'Falkoner'two tracts. One was on the east side of Lowry's Branch near the mouth of the Dry Prong and the other mentioned Ready Branch, Lowry's and Collins new survey.  Witnesses were Job "Folkour", Merit Meek, and Jonathan Forkner. Book L Page 8.

On Oct 19, 1803Elisha Falkner sold to Francis Wisdom, 500 acres, that he had been granted, on Morris's Branch. Witnesses were Elisha B. Smith and Job Falkner. Book L P 13.

Featherbed Branch and the trees around it, through a cow pasture

February 17, 1806, Francis Wisdom to Asa Faulkner, both of Anson, 500 acres, beginning at Pleasant May's corner pine at the head drains of Morris's Branch. It joined the properties of John Falkner, Buchanon, and Asa Falkner. This property had been surveyed in 1802 for Elisha Faulkner, who had sold it to Francis Wisdom. It was signed by Francis Wisdom, witnessed by John Jackson and Elijah Faulkner, and recorded in January of 1809.

The Childs or Chiles family was another neighbor to the Faulkner collective. In Book M, P 356, we find a deed wherein James and Lydia Liles sold all of their share of the estate of Elizabeth Chiles, deceased, to James Miller Tindle, 'being land which fell to us from John Chiles estate".

On December 5, 1800, the Govenor, in Raleigh, granted (#1639) 100 acres to William Wisdom that joined his own line and that of Asa Faulkner. 

The Wisdoms were another family closely tied to Nathan, Asa, and the other associated Faulkners. William Wisdom would die just a few years from this transaction, leaving a will in Anson County, naming several children, including sons Thomas and Francis, who are mentioned in the transactions.

Book H2, p 275, dated June 16, 1801, John Ford, of Anson to Jacob Mangrem of Chesterfield County, SC sold 150 acres on Cedar Creek, bordering Abraham Jones,  Phillip Dill, that had been granted to Richard Worthen in 1779 and sold by William Worthen to John Ford. Witnesses were Nathan and Jonathan Faulkner. 

John Ford may have been a Faulkner relative. There were Ford and Faulkner connections harkening back to Maryland. Nathan's supposed Grandmother, Sarah, had been born a Ford and married a John Faulkner. They were the parents of Francis Faulker, Sr. 

In 1800, John Ford was living next to Abraham Rushing and near Robert Huntley, William Wisdom and several of the Gulledge family.

In Book M, Page 286,  We find a transaction between Anson County Coroner, James Johnson, and Robert Huntley. He sold 300 acres of land that was included in two tracts. The two tracts we're located bordering each other and on Lowery's Branch and Dry Prong. The property was sold due to an execution from Anson County court against Elijah Faulkner, for the bail of Thomas Stake $8.19 due to suit by Reuben Pickett of Anson. Land sold because of no goods or chattels found. Witnesses were A.H.S.R. McGregor and Lawrence Moore. 

According to "The Letter" which I posted about previously,  Elijah Faulkner was the son-in-law of Robert Huntley. The question remains, was Elijah and Asa the same person. This was late 1805. 

The Letter

Four months later in February of 1806, Francis Wisdom sold to Asa Faulkner 500 acres at the head drains of Morris's Branch, that he had not long before bought of Elisha Faulkner, with an 'sh', which was Elisha's Grant. It bordered the property of John Faulkner, the Buchanan's, Asa Faulkner and had been surveyed on March 1802 by Elisha Faulkner.  Witnesses were John Jackson and Elijah Faulkner, with a 'j'. 

This was the last deed involving this generation of Faulkners, with the exception of John, and Elijah's widow, Elizabeth Huntley Faulkner. 

John, who is aka Jonathan,  has a lawsuit against him by Pleasant Mays in 1812. He then migrates the same year to Humphrey County, Tennessee. I will post more on Jonathan later.

The next deeds involving Faulkners are a few decades later and involve Asa, which is not the older Asa mentioned in the late 1700's and early 1800's. This is Asa William Luther Faulkner, born about 1802, who married Susan Myers, daughter of Marmaduke Myers. Later deeds involve his heirs and the distribution of his property, including a son named Elijah and another named Asa W. L. Jr.

My theory is that Elijah Faulkner, who was the same generation as Jonathan, was the father of Asa W. L. Sr, Job II and Susanna Faulkner Webb, not older Asa, son of Francis Sr.  Asa W L Faulkner, Sr., said as much in the letter to his Uncle, Job, who moved to Georgia and then Alabama. Job is a young man under 25 in 1800. Asa was an older man over 45. 

Job and Elijah were brothers. Asa and Nathan were brothers, and brothers of Francis Jr. Job and Elijah may have been sons of either Asa or Nathan. But Asa and Elijah were two different people.

Elizabeth Huntley Faulkner Webb next to her father, Robert Huntley in 1810.