Baldwin County GaArchives History .....History of Baldwin County - Harris-Hunter-McIntosh Biography 1925 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 7, 2004, 1:29 pm p. 356-366 FAMILY TRADITIONS HARRIS—HUNTER—McINTOSH In 1877, Sidney Lanier, writing to a kinsman, said: "The slight esteem in which genealogical investigations are sometimes held, can legitimately attach only to such as are pursued from unseemly motives of display. For, indeed, to the earnest man, the study of his ancestry must be regarded as the study of himself. Christian insight, no less than heathen wisdom, has sanctioned the ancient admonition, 'Know thyself,' and if it be true that in order to know one's self one must know one's ancestors, then the practice of genealogic research must be regarded as a duty, and with peculiar fitness the Family Tree is inscribed in the Family Bible." The family tree of which I happen to be one of the comparatively recent twigs, was transplanted from the old world to the new in the early days of the Colonies. Here came in 1650, Thomas Harding, who we are told in the Journal of American History, was active in the early settlement of Virginia. Later, came John Ellis, one of the grantees of the second charter of the Virginia company, settling in Henrico county; John Hunter, Scotch Irish, planting his home near Fredericksburg; Thomas Harris, of Brunswick county; John Washington and Thomas Lanier, of Surry; Richard Littlepage, member of the House of Burgesses, from New Kent; John Lewis, lawyer, of King and Queen; Robert Walton, of Brunswick; and all these lines were to be brought together in course of years, to give to the country of their adoption many sons to uphold her honor, as well as many daughters to refine and make glad the homes for these pioneers. It might be interesting in these days of equal rights for women, to mention an ancestress, Sarah Shelton, daughter of Charles Shelton, a commander in the British Navy, who was lost with his ship, the Coronation, in the English Channel, in September, 1691. Tradition says that Sarah came with her brother, William, to Virginia, where she married Richard Gissage, a merchant from London, who settled in New Kent, now King William county. She must have been a most impressive person, as her second son, Ralph, took as his surname, the maiden name of his mother, being known as Ralph Shelton, of St. Mary's Parish. Charles Ellis, son of the immigrant, married 1719-20, Susannah Harding, removing about 1754, to Amherst, at that time Albemarle county, calling his place "Red Hill." One of their sons was Josiah, born 1746, married 1766, Jane Shelton, daughter of Richard, son of the original Ralph. It is said of this couple by a writer of that time, "They had twelve goodly children, six of whom had black eyes and six blue." One of these was Nancy, my grandmother, born 1770, married 1793, Robert Hunter, planter, for in all this time the Hunters were enlarging their borders, marrying and founding families as well as homes, of their own. The first John married Henrietta Davidson; one of their sons, John the second, in course of time, taking as his bride, Rachel McFarland, moving with her to Bedford, afterwards Campbell, now Appomattox County, calling their home "Clover Green." Here on November 10, 1766, was born their son, Robert, who inherited the place on the death of his father. Here he brought his bride, Nancy Ellis, whom he married at "Red Hill" in Amherst; here he died and was buried. Eleven children were born to them, the youngest, Richard Lewis, born 15th Nov., 1815, being my father. "Clover Green" seems to have been one of the well known homes of that section, with room for all comers, where hospitality was that of the old regime, free and unfailing. When a child, it was a joy to me to hear my father tell of his life on this old plantation. He remembered that on one occasion Thomas Jefferson was an over night guest, having written "Captain Hunter," my grand-father, that he would be passing through the county at a certain time, and if "convenient and agreeable would stop with him for the night." Though only five or six years of age, my father remembered well the preparations for entertaining the distinguished man, the messengers sent to all neighboring families inviting them to come to "pay their respects" to the famous visitor. Christmas, however, was the greatest time of all the year, for then the young cousins from adjoining and near-by counties gathered, so that often the seventeen room house would be filled to its limit with young people, while with hunting, dancing, feasting and visiting, several happy days would speed by. Then the horses would be saddled, carriages brought to the door, when the visitors, joined by the young people of the family, would depart, a gay company, to make the round, visiting in turn the homes of the kin, till after two weeks of frolicking, the party would disperse before the winter rains and snows made the roads well-nigh impassable. In an old letter written by my father to a cousin in Richmond, dated January 9, 1838, telling of the holiday gayeties, he tells of visiting his great uncle, Jack Shelton, in Amherst, and reports the old gentleman as still wearing knee breaches and buckles, which, he remarks, "looks very antiquated." But love for all one's kin was no more universal than it is today, and sarcasm was employed then as now in showing this feeling of unfriendliness. As an instance: In Buckingham county lived a cousin by marriage, between whom and my grandfather there existed no noticable feeling of cordiality, and their method of expressing their dislike was by referring to each other as "The Earl of Buckingham," and the "Duke of Bedford." Having begun this paper by quoting Sidney Lanier, it might be well to take "up here his record, which goes back to Louis Lainer of Bordeaux, France, who to escape religious persecution, removed with many others, to Virginia. As early as 1747, Thomas Lanier, son of the immigrant, received grants of Crown lands in Brunswick county, as well as several others in Lunenburg, the last dated 1768, in all about three thousand acres. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Washington and Elizabeth Jordan his wife, Richard being the son of John Washington and his wife, Mary Flood, widow of Richard Blunt, all of Surry County, not related, so far as known, to the George Washington family. Thomas and Elizabeth Lanier had among other children, a son named Sampson, who married Elizabeth Chamberlayne, and in this couple the ancestry of the poet and myself come to the parting of the ways, his descent being from a son, Lewis, mine from a daughter, Rebecca, children of Sampson and his wife. Rebecca, born 1744, married in 1760, Walton Harris, son of Nathan and Elizabeth Walton Harris, of Brunswick county, he being five years her senior. This union was blessed with eleven children. With others of the family, Walton removed to the great fisheries on the Yadkin river in North Carolina, thence to Georgia. With two of his sons, Buckner and Sampson, he entered the Continental army, and as a captain, fought under General Greene, being taken as a prisoner at the battles around Augusta. After the war he settled in Green county, Georgia, where he died. He was a member of the state legislature in 1783. The fourth child of Walton and Rebecca Lanier Harris, Augustine, was born in Brunswick county, Virginia, 30th January, 1767. He married Anne, daughter of Rev. Edmund Byne and his wife Anne Lewis, daughter of John Lewis and his wife Sarah Iveson. Tradition says that this John Lewis, with his brother Zachry, were from Wales and settled in King and Queen county. With his wife, Augustine Harris came to Georgia where their only son, Iverson Lewis was born in 1805, at Watkinsville, the family shortly afterwards removing to Milledgeville, later making their home at their plantation, "Pomona," four miles from the town. Anne Byne Harris was a sort of Major General in petticoats, if tradition can be relied on. She is described as being nearly six feet in height, straight as an arrow, hair the color of a raven's wing, eyes so black and piercing they seemed to be searching out the darkest secrets of one's soul, and to read at a glance the character of each one she met. Her children and servants naturally stood in awe of her, and many stories are told illustrating her devotion to duty, as well as her courage. One of these has to do with the War of 1812. When the British were approaching Milledgeville, then the state capital, she was urged to come to the town, from her country home, for protection. Loading a four-horse wagon with things she valued most, including her children, she mounted to the seat with her negro foreman, Peter, as driver. On reaching Fishing Creek, she found the bridge guarded by a squad of enemy soldiers, who gave the order to "halt," when Peter obediently pulled his team to a standstill. Without appearing to see the soldiers, his mistress calmly commanded "Drive on, Peter," and when he obeyed, the British with muskets aimed straight at his head, repeated the order to halt; again the team was stopped. The second time the voice, serene and untroubled, admonished, "Drive on, Peter," "La, ole miss, dem mens will kill us," remonstrated Peter. To relieve his fears she grasped the lines, rising to her full height, she plied the whip with such vigor, that the mules broke into a mad gallop, charging the enemy with such effect, that their precipitate flight opened the way, and "ole miss," with her treasures, drove triumphantly on her way. The only son of Augustine and Anne Harris, married in 1826, Mary Euphemia, daughter of William Davies of Savannah, and his wife, Mary Ann Baillie, the daughter of Robert and Ann (Nancy) McIntosh Baillie. Of a family of twelve, my mother, Frances Bartow Harris, the second child, married in 1849, Richard Lewis Hunter, a civil Engineer, of "Clover Green," Campbell county, Virginia. William Davies, Judge of the United States District Court, was the son of Edward and Rebecca Lloyd Davies, the latter the daughter of John and Rebecca Savage Lloyd of Charleston, S. C. Born in Wales, Edward Davies was active in the affairs of the Colony, after immigrating to Georgia, being a member of the Rebel Assembly which met in Savannah in 1776. The father of his wife, John Lloyd, born in Bristol, England, but coming to South Carolina in early life, began his public career long before the Revolution. In 1761, a Provincial regiment was raised to serve in Indian wars and troubles, John Lloyd being one of these mentioned in history, all afterwards fighting in the Revolution. He was a member of the legislature in 1768-69, as well as president of the senate in 1783. But it seems that the McIntoshes have been lost in this avalanche of ancestors, so it is necessary to go back a bit, for it would hardly be fair to ignore this Scotch family in any of the wars of the past two hundred years. John Mohr McIntosh, born in Badenoch, Scotland, in 1700, according to a record in his family Bible, "Took shipping on board the "Prince of Wales," Capt. George Dunbar, at Inverness, October 1735, with some hundred of sons for the new Colony of Georgia, came in at Tybee Bar the beginning of January, 1736, and landed at Darien, on the Altamaha river, the place of their destination, the 1st of February, same year." He married Marjory Frazer of Garthmore, 4th of March, 1724. They brought with them six children born in Scotland, Ann, called Nancy, being born in Georgia, 18th April, 1737. As captain of the Highlanders, who came over with him, John McIntosh joined Oglethorpe in fighting the Spanish in 1740-42, being also a member of the Provincial Assembly held in Savannah in 1751. His sons, William and Lachland, served in the Revolution, the first attaining the rank of Colonel, the second Major-General, so the family early won the sobriquet, "the fighting Macintoshes." Shortly after their arrival in Georgia, another party of Scotsmen came, among others, their kinsmen, the Baillies. Sometime in the latter seventeen fifties, Robert Baillie and Ann McIntosh were married. Among some old family papers, is part of one of his letters in which he is urging his suit, reminding his "Dear Miss Nancy" that she had said she had no objections to his person, and adds "You can have none to my character." Her answer to him, however, which is intact, regarding their approaching marriage, is such a unique document, I quote it here in full: To Robert Baillie, Esq., at Barrington. Sir— I have the favour of yours by Jack. As to answer, I told you here it should be don in the privatest maner, I expect no persons to be evedences but my Brothers and Sisters you may acquaint them when you think proper. I remain Sir your constant friend and humble servent ANN MACKINTOSH." Except in the matter of spelling, punctuation, etc., this is the most proper epistle I have ever purused. What a shock it would be to a young man of the present day, to receive one under similar circumstances, modeled after this. Yet, they seem to have lived happily ever after, leaving a large family, one of whom was Mary Ann, who married William Davies, of Savannah. The devotion of this husband to his wife manifested itself in the naming of three daughters; to the first he gave the full name, Mary Anne; on the second he bestowed the name of Anne; while the third he called Mary. I cannot help wondering what would have happened if there had been a fourth. Could his mind, agonizing over such a problem, have projected itself into very recent times, and christened his fourth Pollyanna? McINTOSH PEDIGREE In the Atlanta Constitution of November 10th, 1912, there appeared a sketch of the McIntosh family written by Dr. J. G. B. Bullock, of Washington City. From this article I prepared three pedigrees and sent them to Rev. Herbert H. Flower, Edinborough, Scotland, to whom I had been referred as one who would put me in the way of ascertaining from the proper officials, whether or not these pedigrees were correct. In writing Mr. Flower, I intimated that if they were correct it was my desire to have them confirmed or certified by the Herald's office, or if inaccurate to have them corrected, and inquired what the probable fee would be. Below is his answer, also the letter from the Herald's Office which he very kindly enclosed. Pittorie House Castle Esplanade Edinborough Oct. 13, 1913. Dear Madam: I have been unable to answer yours of Aug. 16th before, being away from home and busy on my return. From my own books, etc. I found all the enclosed M. S. correct but, wishing the highest authority before writing, I referred them to the inspection of the Herald's Office here and enclose the report of my friend, the Rothesay Herald, who is one of the first authorities we have on genealogy. You will see that he confirms my own judgment on the subject. If I can help you further, I shall be glad to do so. There is no fee or charge for what I have done. If you wish to make any offering make it to my very poor church here, but don't feel obliged to do so. Yours very faithfully, HERBERT H. FLOWER Court of the Lord Lion H. M. Register House Edinburgh, Oct. 3, 1913. Dear Mr. Flower: I have gone over the Mackintosh pedigrees you left with me with Mr. A. M. MacKintosh of Geddes' book and the Scots Peerage. I find the statements agree absolutely with these works and Mr. Mackintosh's book can be relied on as I know it is the result of years of research. I return the letter and pedigrees. Yours sincerely, FRANCIS J. GRANT Rothesay Herald The Rev. H. H. Flower It is interesting to know that with the aid of a good history, and taking these pedigrees as a base, we can trace our lineage directly back to some of the most illustrious names and families of the civilized world—Mary Hunter Hall. 1. Sir James Stewart, married Joanna, widow of James I, of Scotland. Their son, 2. Sir John Stewart, 1st Lord Athole, married Eleanor St. Clair. Their son, 3. Sir John (or James) Stewart, 2nd Athole, married Janet Campbell, of Argyle. Their daughter, 4. Elizabeth Stewart, married Colin McKenzie, of Kintail. Their daughter, 5. Agnes McKenzie, married, 1567, Lachlan Mohr McIntosh. Their son, 6. Wm. McIntosh, of Borlum, married Elizabeth Innes, of Invermarkie, gr-gr-dau, of Edward 3rd of England. Their son, 7. Lachlan McIntosh, married Helen1 Gordon. Their son, 8. Wm. McIntosh married Mary Baillie, of Dunain. Their 2nd son, 9. Lachlan McIntosh, of Knocknagael, married Mary Lockhart. Their son, 10. John Mohr McIntosh, married Marjory Fraser, Mar. 4th, 1725. Their daughter, 11. Ann (Nancy) McIntosh, married Robert Baillie, of Coulter Allers, Scotland. Their daughter, 12. Mary Ann, married Wm. Davies, of Savannah, Georgia. Their daughter, 13. Mary Euphemia, married Iverson Lewis Harris, of Milledgeville, Ga. Their daughter, 14. Frances Bartow, married Richard Lewis Hunter, of Virginia. Their daughter, 15. Mary Davies, married Lewis Christian Hall, of Dardanelle, Arkansas. 1. Robert 3rd of Scotland, married Annabella Drummond. Their daughter, 2. Princess Mary, married James Kennedy, of Dunure. Their son, 3. Gilbert, 1st Lord Kennedy, married Katherine, daughter of Herbert, 1st Lord Maxwell. Their son, 4. John, 2nd Lord Kennedy, married Elizabeth, daughter of Alex Gordon, Earl Huntley. Their daughter, 5. Jean Kennedy, married Sir Alexander Gordon, of Lochinvar. Their daughter, 6. Jean Gordon, married Lachlan Beg McIntosh, (See no. 7, 3rd pedigree). Shaw McIntosh, 2nd son of Duncan, 5th Earl of Fife, 1204 (descendant of the Thane of Mcduff). His descendant 1. Shaw McIntosh, married Helena, daughter of the Thane of Calder. Their son, 2. Ferquhard, married Mora, daughter of Angus Og McDonald, of Isla. Their son, 3. Angus, married Eva, daughter of the Chief of Clan Chattan, Their son, 4. William, married Margaret, daughter of Ruari McLeod, of Lewis. Their son, 5. Malcolm Beg McIntosh, married Mora, daughter of Ranald McRanald. Their son, 6. Lachlan, married (3rd) Catherine, daughter of Sir. Duncan Grant, 1st of Freuchie. Their son, 7. Lachlan Beg McIntosh, married Jean, daughter of Alexander Gordon, of Lochinvar. Their son, 8. William, married Margaret, daughter of Alexander Ogilvie, of Deskford and Findlator. Their son, 9. Lachlan Mohr, married Agnes, daughter of Colin McKenzie, of Kintail. (See no. 5, first pedigree) Additional Comments: From: Part V HISTORY of BALDWIN COUNTY GEORGIA BY MRS. ANNA MARIA GREEN COOK ILLUSTRATED ANDERSON. S. C. Keys-Hearn Printing Co. -1925— File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/baldwin/history/other/gms293historyo.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 19.7 Kb