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The Family of Joseph and Nancy Rogers Burleyson

By John Hoyle Burleson

Joseph, the son of Isaac Burleyson Sr. of The American Revolution, married Nancy Rogers. They both died young and left a large family. We know of seven children of this union.

The sons were:

  • § Isaac, b. 1827 d.1891
  • § David Derrick, b. 1835 d.1896
  • § John Wesley, b. 1839 d. 1926
  • § Joseph Benjamin, b. 1842 d. 1900

The daughters were:

  • § Susan, b. 1834
  • § Martha Jane, b.1836
  • § Wiley, b. ?

Nancy was the daughter of John M. and Sarah Biles Rogers. John M.’s father was James Rogers. Sarah’s parents were Thomas and Tobitha Biles. The Biles were millers and large landowners in the Mountain Creek area of Stanly Co. NC. The Roger’s were large landowners living in the Northern part of Stanly Co. along the headwaters of Bear Creek. Two of Nancy’s sisters, Fannie and Anna (twins), married two Hatley brothers, William and Simeon (twins also). A third sister, Susan, would marry Adam Ritchie. Susan and Adam would take Joseph Benjamin into their household. Later, after the death of Adam, Susan became the second wife of Simeon Hatley. A fourth sister, Jane, married Redding Almond. A fifth sister, Barbara, married Alfred Hatley, a brother to William and Simeon. A sixth sister, Purity, married Guilford Hatley, a nephew of William and Simeon.

I’m not sure where Joseph and Nancy lived other than it was in Almond Township. If I had to guess the location by the proximity of the neighbors, I would guess the Millingport or Plyler community of today. We do not have any record of where Joseph and Nancy attended church or their burial. The old cemetery behind Salem Church holds many graves, but none dated before 1865. Friendship Church has strong ties to the Burleyson Family and was built next to the old Harwood Cemetery. When Highway 73 was constructed, it went through most of the graves in the original Harwood Cemetery leaving some on the North side of the road. I have heard Miss Lena say that there were Burleysons buried in the old Harwood Cemetery. The old Harwood Cemetery may be where Joseph and Nancy were buried, we do not know for sure.

With the passing of Joseph and Nancy, their property and the welfare of their orphaned children was left to the court of Stanly Co. The court normally appoints a close family member or an upstanding citizen to decide these matters. In the February session of 1848, they chose Isaac Burleyson Jr., who was a brother of Joseph, to become the guardian of his nephew Isaac, the oldest child of Joseph and Nancy. This act placed the responsibility of Joseph and Nancy’s property in Isaac Jr’s hands. Raising seven children from 21 years to 6 years was not in Isaac Jr.’s future. He was 64 years old and his wife Katherine was 58 years old. Tradition of the day was for the court to bond out orphans to reliable and responsible families to teach the child a trade or skill to prepare him in life. Our Burleyson orphans followed this tradition. Most of these apprenticeships were successful, but a few, in my personal opinion, were not.

In the same session David Derrick age 13 was bound to Mathias Moose, Martha Jane, age 8, was bound to Martin Harkey. In the November session John Wesley was bound to Alex McLester and Joseph Benjamin, age 6, was bound to Adam Ritchie. Being bonded the child would work for his or her board and meals. It was the responsibility of the Bonder to provide appropriate lodging, meals, education and all the protection provided by the head of household given to his own family. Isaac, the oldest child of Joseph and Nancy, was already 21 and did not need to be bound out with the rest of his siblings.

Joseph’s father-in-law, John M. Rogers, was still settling Joseph’s estate when he died. Valantine Mauney was appointed administrator for John M. Rogers’s estate. Before this estate was settled, Nancy died and Martin Harkey was appointed administrator for Nancy’s estate. By 1850 the Children were in line to inherit their father’s estate, and as heirs of Nancy Roger’s Burleyson, they stood to inherit her part of the John M. Rogers Estate also. There were different amounts of money coming in from these two estates. A year later in November 1849, Isaac now age 22, was given guardianship of his younger siblings. His bond was given to Redding Almond (who married Jane, their mother’s sister), to William Burleyson, their first cousin, and to Isaac Jr., their father’s brother. This gave Isaac (age 22) custody of all of Joseph and Nancy’s property. In September 1850, Isaac age 23, petitioned Stanly Co. Court to sell the property formerly owned by his father and Mother, Joseph and Nancy. This was granted and the property was sold in September 1852. Track #2 of 130 acres known as the The Patty Burleyson Place was sold to Isaac Jr. Burleyson. Track #3, of 173 acres, known as the David Burleyson place was sold to Allen Almond.

I believe that track #2 was originally settled by Isaac Sr. and Martha Clay Burleyson and by 1850 was known by his wife’s name, who out lived him. This track was purchased by Isaac Jr., who was buying part of the home place where he had been raised. These transactions need further research, but it looks to me like Joseph owned 130 acres that originally belonged to his father and mother and it also appears that Joseph owned the 173 acres that belonged to his uncle David.

What we do know for sure is that when all of these siblings were bound out and all the family property sold, our Isaac (age 23) moved to Cabarrus Co. and bought a farm.

John Wesley’s apprenticeship with Alex McLester was very successful. He was accepted into the McLester home and raised as a son. He grew up in the Bear Creek area of Western Stanly Co.

Joseph Benjamin was bound to the Adam Ritchie family in the Northern section of Stanly Co. Here he learned the milling trade that would become his profession after the war. He was raised in the household of his Aunt, Susan Rogers Ritchie.

David Derrick was first bound to Mathias Moose in August 1848 at the age of 13. In September of 1848 Mathias returned and released David to the court and Davidson Lowder entered the bond. In September 1850 the apprenticeship of David Derrick by Davidson Lowder was cancelled also. He was 15 years old and still a minor. I’m not sure if he was left on his own or not, but he surely failed to complete an apprenticeship. This would be evident in David’s later life.

Martha Jane was bound to Martin Harkey at age 8. Martin had been appointed administrator for Nancy Burleyson’s estate. He was a landowner and a respected citizen. In the 1870 Stanly Co. Census we find Martha Jane living alone with her two children ages 5 and 2. Their father was believed to be Davidson Lowder. In the 1880 census we find a third child age 6 and Martha Jane is still unmarried.

Susan was the oldest daughter of Joseph and Nancy. She would have been about 14 in 1848. I have not found a written record of Susan until 1861 where she became the third wife of William Jack Carter. William was listed as blind. By 1880 Jack and Susan were living in Furr Township and had nine children (three from Jack’s former marriages) an established and successful family.

I can’t document where Susan was from 1848 until 1861, but Lillie Burleson told me that, “Susan was one of Grandpa Billie’s girls”. She said that, “Billie was so rough on his girls that Susan ran off with Jack Carter”. I believe this to be true. Susan was Billie’s niece and could have been taken in by Billie and Sarah. In 1860 Billie’s wife Sarah had died and he had five sons and one daughter living with him. Susan’s first child was born sometime in 1860 so I’m assuming that she and Jack Carter were living together by that time. They do not show up on the 1860 Census and maybe had run off to another county.

I’m still trying to locate Wiley, I believe she was one of three female children of Joseph and Nancy, less than 5 yrs old listed in the 1840 Stanly Co. Census. She is mentioned as one of the orphans in November 1849, but I am unable to find her after that time.

The End