Old Forsyth

Forsyth County NC was formed in 1849 from the southern half of Stokes. As early as the 1740s it was part of Anson Co, then Rowan, then Surry, Stokes and finally Forsyth.

The history of what is now northern Forsyth Co, particularly north and northwest Forsyth, has become a hobby of mine in recent years. The following are some excellent resources for researching the NW and northern parts of Forsyth Co.

Judy Cardwell has some excellent documentation on her website of the old wagon roads and deeds plotted (and overlaid) on modern maps. Two pages of particular interest to me are her pages on Charles Vest Sr and Some Early Wagon Roads of Northwestern Forsyth County. Judy has put a tremendous amount of research into her work and has been super gracious in sharing her research.

Another excellent resource is Kay Haden's site concerning Gideon and Hezekiah Wright. Kay has tons of research notes available, especially on the pages under the link "Descendants of ??? Wright" (the father of Gideon and Hezekiah).

A wonderful book by Beverly Hamel on the history of Bethania covers a myriad of historical issues from the mid 1700's to date, using the Moravian diaries, and many other resources. Her book is entitled Bethania: The Village by the Black Walnut Bottom, and is available at Amazon.com (follow the link).

Two excellent resources for researching deeds are the Forsyth Co Register of Deeds and the Stokes Co Register of Deeds. Both have their deeds imaged and available online.

Another good map is of the old Wachovia Tract, placed in modern Forsyth County.

Another good map (thanks to Bev Hamel for pointing it out to me) is the 1770 Collet Map of NC. This is stored online and you can zoom in and out.

Surry County NC Wills 1771-1827 by Jo White Linn is a good resource to have.

I'm sure there are many more online resources, but I'll start with these and add more as they become evident.

Wes

Deed Mapping Goals: Stewarts Creek

I have recently purchased (thanks to Debbie McCann) the software called DeedMapper 4.0 which allows me to map out the boundaries of deeds and plot them on maps. I have already begun the process of mapping the deeds for Brookberry Farm (Bowman Gray Farm) using the deeds from 1946 - 1960's.

My two main goals for this project are 1) to map out the tracts of Brookberry Farm and trace them back to the original owners, and 2) to map out the tracts along the greater Stewarts Creek area and likewise, trace them back to the original owners.

Goal #1 is for helping Debbie McCann with her book project. It's a lot of fun and I really enjoy doing this with and for her. Goal #2 is for my personal interest in finding the original tracts for Samuel Stewart Sr and his sons, David and Samuel, as well. Goal #1 may or may not help me find the Stewarts' tracts - I don't think it will directly, but indirectly it most certainly will as it gives me the foundation for expanding to the rest of Stewarts Creek.

Here are the steps to reaching both of these goals:

1. Map the Brookberry Farm tracts (1940's - 1960's)
2. Make a new map for Brookberry Farm (BBF) that is one tract to use later on other maps as a referential overlay.
3. Trace these tracts back to the original owners.
4. 1850's map of BBF tracts.
5. 1750's map of BBF tracts.
6. Expand 1950's map to cover all of Stewarts Creek - the southern portion includes everything b/w Country Club Rd/Shallowford Rd and Robinhood Rd, and also b/w Lewisville-Vienna Rd and Muddy Creek. The northern portion includes everything b/w Robinhood Rd and Yadkinville Hwy, and also b/w Lewisville-Vienna Rd and Olivet Church Rd.
7. 1850's map of Stewarts Creek tracts.
8. 1750's map of Stewarts Creek tracts.
   

Conrads of Lewisville, NC

The following notes are simply a compilation of scattered notes I'm pulling together concerning the Conrads who lived on or near the Stewarts Creek region of Lewisville / Vienna.

http://www.fmoran.com/conrad.html

Leonard Conrad (1787-1865) m. 1) Annie Vest, 2) Rebecca Lash, probably d/o George Lash Jr. and Nancy Wall

Children of Johann Jacob Conrad (1751-1818) and Catharina Weybrecht Johann Conrad:
Jacob Conrad (1779-?)
Daniel Conrad (1783-?)
Leonard Conrad (1787-1865) m. 1) Annie Vest, 2) Rebecca Lash, probably d/o George Lash Jr. and Nancy Wall
Elisabeth Conrad (1789-aft. 1850) m. Martin Leinbach (1791-1848)
Johann Jacob and Catharina married in Pennsylvania in 1775, and probably didn't arrive in NC until 1777.

Which John Conrad was the POA (1825) for John Stewart (son of David Stewart)? Was it Leonard's brother? It wasn't Leonard's father as he died in 1818. Leonard's father was probably known as Jacob Conrad Jr.

His parents were Johann Jacob Conrad and Maria Catharina Royer.

Must also consider the following families of Christian and John Conrad, uncles of Leonard.

Probable children of Christian Conrad and Maria Boeckel:
Maria Catharina Conrad (1772-1830) m. Johann Christian Hauser (1766-?)
John Conrad (1774-1841) m. Catharina Spainhour (1775-1862)
Peter Conrad (1777-1850) m. 1) Maria Magdalena Schumacher? (1781-1818), 2) Catharina Spainhour (1787-1866)
Anna Magdalena Conrad (1782-1863) m. Peter Pfaff (1773-1865)

Christian Conrad came to NC in 1769 and settled on the land his father had purchased the preceding year. Maria Boeckel was originally listed on this page as Boeke. We now think she may be a Boeckel - but who were her parents? And were there other children in this family?

We are not entirely sure that John and Peter Conrad are their sons, but they fit nicely into the sequence of children. Also, Peter named a son Christian.

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Children of Johannes Conrad and Catharina Romig:
John Conrad (1778-1850) m. 1) Elizabeth Miller (1782-1837), 2) Mrs. Margaret Grimes (abt. 1806-?) was she the Margaret Harris who married Benjamin Grimes in 1825?
Anna Elisabeth Conrad (1780-1781)
Jacob Conrad (1782-1839). Did he marry Catharina Krause in 1809? and/or Catharina Krieger?
Abraham Conrad (1784-1869) m. Phillipina Christina Loesch (1788-1847)
Isaac Conrad (1790-1832) m. Charity Wolff (1804-1857)

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So we have a John Conrad brother of Leonard we know nothing about. Then there's two other John Conrads who were 1st cousins of Leonard, one of whom married a Spainhour and the other married a Miller. Both are eligible to have been the John Conrad who acquired part of David Stewart's lands.

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The Sharon UMC site says that Leonard Conrad was the son of Jacob Conrad, one of the 3 brothers who came to this area.

Leonard's wife, Annie/Janie/Chanie Vest, was the daughter of Samuel Vest Sr, and sister of Charles Vest Jr, as shown on Judy Cardwell's page at http://home.windstream.net/judyscard/sandj.htm

Leonard and Chaney are both buried at Sharon UMC.

Stewarts who remained in Stewarts Creek area

David Stewart, oldest son of Samuel and Lydia Harrison Stewart, was the first of the clan to move from the Harrisonburg, Va region to the Stewarts Creek location of modern day Forsyth Co NC. This was about 1748 when David and his wife Abigail moved to what was then Anson County (later Rowan, then Surry, then Stokes when they died, now Forsyth).

There is mention of Swan Creek, Snow Creek, Stewarts Creek. Were they all the same?

It appears that of all of Samuel's sons, his two oldest remained in this general area for the duration of their lives, i.e. David Stewart and Samuel Stewart Jr. There was a Reuben Stewart who was the son of David who also remained here for some time. Further research needs to be done to learn about these families. (see below)

STOKES COUNTY NC WILLS 1790-1864. Will of David Stewart (Stuart) Nov 24, 1801. Pr Dec 1807. Jamiah (Jemima) Harrison, Hezekiah Rankin, Lydia Potter and Abigail Curd, 20 shillings each. Five sons: John, David, Reuben, Samuel and Thomas, all my estate, also negroes (6 of them) Wife Abigail Stewart to be maintained, Execs John and Reuben Stewart. Wit: Thompson Glenn, Frederick Miller, and Henry Holder. Signed David (X) Stewart.

Dr Johnson says "Isaiah [Harrison] Jr was b Sept 27, 1689 and would have been 61 years old in 1750 and 64 when he entered land in 1753 (Swan Ponds) and in 1761 he would have been 72 when Isaiah appears on the tax list above.. pretty old for those days."

He further states "Joseph Harrison bought land from Anthony Furlerburg in 1758 on the E side Yadkin. In 1762 Thomas Harrison was a witness to a deed from Jacob Lash both sides Town Fork Creek, and in that same year Thomas was a witness to deed of Jacob Lash from Granville, on Mill Creek of Gargabs Creek, which Mrs Hulse takes to mean Gargales Creek, which later is called Muddy Creek and is located in SW Stokes Co."

Dr Johnson continues... "From THE STEWART CLAN MAGAZINE, Dec 1938. Article, STEWARTS OF OLD ROWAN COUNTY, NC -SAMUEL AND LYDIA STEWART OF YADKIN COUNTY. David Stewart, son of Samuel b c 1722 was in Augusta Co. VA 1747-48 when he "beat the bounds" (processioning boundaries I presume). About 1748 he got a Granville grant for 138 acres on the Yadkin in Anson Co. NC, later Rowan, then Surry... It was surveyed Jan 10, 1748-9 with chain carriers Abraham Potter and Anthony Heavely. David settled on Swan Creek probably before his parents came. He had a constable's beat on the north side of the Yadkin from Muddy Creek upward as shown in the minutes of the court 1753-1756. In 1757 he was granted 380 acres on the east side of Yadkin which he sold in 1779 to John Lynch. David and Samuel Stewart sureties 1762 on the marriage bond of JOSEPH HARRISON and ANN BALLS of Rowan. David and Samuel Stewart were execs of their father's will in 1770 and their mother's will in 1772. David Stewart had a daughter Lydia.

"Samuel Stewart, son of Samuel and brother of David b c 1724 m Elizabeth _____. He moved from VA to NC about 1751 probably before his parents. He obtained a grant of 646 acres 1751 with survey 1753. Later in 1762 he got another grant on the east side of the Yadkin on both sides of Swan Creek adjacent to his brother David. John Harrison was a witness. He and David may have been living in Stokes Co in 1790 for the census. There was also a Thomas Stewart, a Rev. War Vet in Surry who m Jane Potter."

Samuel Stewart later obtained a second grant for 332 acres, apparently on Swan Creek. "Will of Lydia Stewart. 11 Jan 1771, widow of Samuel Stewart. Surry Co. NC. It reveals a possible defect in title to the Swan Creek property. She states that if a clear title can be obtained, the land should be sold and divided equally among her sons David, Samuel, John and Isaiah. Samuel Stewart had left the other property to the two younger sons."

ROWAN COUNTY NC MARRIAGE BONDS: "Joseph (X) Harrison and Arms Bawls 30 June 1762 with David Stewart, Samuel (X) Steward and Jacob Losh (Loesch or Lash)." This is very interesting to find these Stewarts WITH Jacob Lash so many times.

Another source sheds more light on David Stewart's family:

"David Stewart left a will dated 24 Nov 1801 in Stokes County, North Carolina. Researcher: Joyce Lindstrom."

This source also states "On June 5, 1781, David bought of John Lynch 200 acres on south fork of Stewart's Creek. David's land was in Stokes County when that county was formed. He was surety on the marriage of Thomas Stewart and Prudence Busey on May 4, 1791. He made his will on Nov. 24, 1801. He appointed his sons, John and Reuben Stewart as executors.

"He gave 20 shillings each to Jemima Harrison, Keziah Rankin, Lydia Potter, and Abigail Curd, and left to John, David, Reuben, Samuel, and Thomas Stewart, 'all my estate, land, negroes, and stock all kinds & household goods & plantation tools to be equally divided. My five sons are to have no division until the death of my wife Abigail whom they are to maintain.' John Stewart, one of the executors, moved to Knox County, Ky., where he gave power-of-attorney on July 19, 1819, to John Conrad of Stokes County and to attend his interest in his father's estate. Reuben Stewart, the remaining executor, sold on Mar 14, 1825 to Frederick Miller, for $450, 138 acres of land."

This tells us that the 138 acres on Swan Creek was what was sold to Frederick Miller in 1825. This is very important!!! It's equally important to note that David's son John assigned POA authority to a Conrad, likewise a resident of the region currently around Brookberry Farm and Stewarts Creek.

Samuel Stewart Jr was issued a land grant for 640 acres "above the head of Stewarts Run", named for David Stewart. It goes on to say "The tract had been entered on Oct. 9, 1751, in Granville's office, and a deed was issued Jan. 10, 1761, according to a notation on the order of survey... The surveyor's certificate, dated Apr. 23, 1753, says, 'I have surveyed for Samuel Stewart, junior, a plantation on the north side of the Yadkin and on the waters of Reedy [Muddy] Creek, beginning at a hickory David Stewart's corner, running from thence South...chain carriers: David and John Stewart. Ent'd 9th Oct. 1751.' The plat showed 646 acres, surveyed for Samuel Stewart, Junr."

This places David and his brother Samuel Jr next to each other, on Stewarts Creek in the 1750s (therefore not the modern day Surry Co lands). At this early date, David only owned land on what was later referred to as Swan Creek according to some sources. There are two major branches of Stewarts Creek that begin with a bunch of lakes or ponds, and then flow south, cross modern day Robinhood Rd and then come together, then join up with Lashes Branch or Creek, then flow east and then south into the modern day Brookberry Farm, south across Country Club Rd, joins Tomahawk Branch and then flows into Muddy Creek.

It was May 9, 1757 when their father, Samuel Stewart Sr, obtained his land grant for 508 acres on the E side of the Yadkin River. All of this is east of the Yadkin.

One more observation concerning "Lashes Creek". Looking at Judy Cardwell's page again, it appears that what she's referring to as Lashes Creek must be the creek flowing east from Beauchamp Lake into Stewarts Creek. This is on the southern end of Brookberry Farm. The 3 tracts of 200 acres each must make up the original 600 acre grant to John Hauser. I need to dig into that further. I can pull the 1789 deed to Christian Hauser, and both 1799 deeds to Samuel Vest and Matthew Brooks, all for 200 acres each, all three occurring in Stokes county, which means it's available online.

I also need to do some follow up research on Frederick Miller (any relation to Jacob Miller?) and the 1825 deed from Reuben Stewart to him, for 138 acres originally granted to David Stewart. I also need to identify this John Conrad.

More later...

Stewarts Creek, Tomahawk Creek, Lashes Creek

Judy Cardwell has helped me get a better understanding of where these creeks are today, and why all the confusion in modern maps.

Bottom line... the creek that runs N to S through Brookberry Farm is Stewarts Creek. Further upstream, toward Robinhood Rd, a couple creeks flow into it from the west. The largest tributary, according to Judy, is Lashes Creek. This is important to remember. This is also along the northern part of Brookberry Farm, and even to the north and west of the farm.

As Stewarts Creek runs S and approaches Country Club Rd, another creek flows into it from the west. On some maps that is referred to as Little Tomahawk Creek, and flows from Beauchamp Lake into Stewarts Creek.

Some modern maps refer to Stewarts Creek as Tomahawk Creek or Reynolds Creek, but it's really Stewarts Creek.

Then, as the main branch flows S and under Country Club Rd (formerly Shallow Ford Rd, from Old Salem to Lewisville), yet another large creek flows into it from the west, just before it dumps into Muddy Creek. This westerly creek in the old deeds is THE Tomahawk Branch or Tomahawk Creek. A couple modern maps show the same thing, but most modern maps label this as Reynolds Creek. That could be because just west of Stewarts Creek, this westerly creek flows under Styers Ferry Rd and passes beside the L.A. Reynolds Nursery. Nonetheless, it really is Tomahawk Creek.

Therefore, my past assumptions were incorrect as to the proper location of Tomahawk Creek. I want to thank Judy for helping me with this, as she has done extensive research on the Vest family and others along all of these creeks. There is no question as to the location of Tomahawk Creek.

That said, I have always believed Stewarts Creek (Branch, Run) was where it is. And, it runs a long way, beginning at the lakes along Lake Forest Rd some two miles or so north of Brookberry Farm. Somewhere along this creek, and I now presume it to have been further north from the modern Brookberry Farm, the Stewarts lived during the 1750s - 1770s. David and Abigail Stewart are thought to have lived there first near some "ponds", and then later his parents, Samuel and Lydia Harrison Stewart, also lived there, beginning about 1754, roughly. Other family members most likely lived here also, but for now I'm simply trying to document the Brookberry Farm owners, and then I can work my way up the creek later.

Another important historical tidbit... During the 1750's, the Great Wagon Road traversed this section of the country. Later, a newer part of the Great Wagon Road was laid out along the modern Yadkinville Highway. But during these early years, it snaked across this part of the country on a path lost long ago. That said, it crossed Stewarts Creek SOMEWHERE along the way between the northern end at the ponds and the southern end at the modern day Brookberry Farm. That was the early route from Bethania to Lewisville to the Shallow Ford of the Yadkin River.

Wes

Stewarts Branch Notes

The following notes are a collections of records found regarding "Stewarts Branch" aka "Stewarts Creek", which is presumed to be also "Tomahawk Branch", a branch of Muddy Creek in modern day Forsyth Co, NC, formerly Stokes Co (1789-1849), formerly Surry Co (1771-1789), and formerly Rowan Co (1753-1771).

http://users.owt.com/crook/Sources/wwc1.html

...it appears that James [Crook] joins his oldest son and daughter's families, acquiring land on Stewart's Creek in Stokes Co., NC,... and either in process of moving, or staying with one of them, missing inclusion in the 1790 U.S. Census of either Va. or N.C. - but dies in late 1791, and his will is of record there in Stokes Co. with very positive namings:

Stokes Co., N.C., Will of "Jeams" Crook: Oct. 22, 1793 -Wife: Elizabeth (5 slaves plus land); sons: Bignal "Jeamy, Jeremiah (all land on Stewart's Branch, Stokes County), William; daughter: Mary, wife of Richard Bennet. Executors: wife and son Bignal; witnesses: Christian Lash and John Shemel. (James Jr. and Jeremiah do not yet seem to be of "age".) Probated: December Term, 1793.

March term, 1794, Stokes County, N.C.: Inventory of Estate of James Crook in detail.

Another source, http://gencircle.com/users/hlcrookjr/1/data/2319, says Jeremiah Crook was born circa 1767.

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Meadows/1844/nconnections.html?200927

1785, March 14...Surry Co... NC deed BK C pg 199-200. ...Spencer Altum of Mongomery Co, to Zebedee Billator 70pds. 100 acres Stewarts branch adj. Mr. Cosart's land on northwest. Witnesses: Nathaniel Lash, James Reynolds, William (mark) Garrot. Signed: Spencer (mark) Altum s/Ann Altum.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~hauser/pafn05.htm

WILL: A true inventory of the Estate of Michael Hauser, deceased.
First, four hundred acres of land on Stewarts Branch, one hundred and twenty seven acres upon Mill Creek, ..... August the 18th 1789

[Added 28 April 2009]
http://www.moonzstuff.com/cheek/surryyadkinwilkes.html

This map shows the Yadkin River region from the 1830's, and shows were a "Stewart Creek" and also a "Swan Creek" are located. The former is just west of Mt. Airy in modern day Surry Co and flows into the Ararat River which in turn flows into the Yadkin River on the north side. The latter (Swan Creek) is located just west of Elkin in modern day Wilkes Co (formed 1778) and flows into the Yadkin River from the south side. This particular Stewarts Creek (of which there are many) actually begins in Virginia, west of I-77 and the town of Lambsburg. It flows south past the western edge of Mt. Airy, NC and into the Ararat River. Said river continues to flow south past the western edge of Pilot Mtn and into the Yadkin River, which is flowing east at this point. As for Swan Creek, it clearly flows north (both branches of it) into the Yadkin River about a mile or so west or SW of Elkin, NC.

While it is possible that these Stewarts lived around one or both of these locations, I don't believe that to be the case, or at least not the Stewarts which came from Harrisonburg, Va in the late 1740's and early 1750's.