BURKE COUNTY, NC - BIOGRAPHIES - Early Settlers of Burke County, Part 4 ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Martha Pearson Kapp KAPPSFISH@aol.com ==================================================================== Biographical Sketches from Burke County, NC from articles published in Newspaper in 1894 These sketches were originally written by Col Thomas George Walton (1815-1905). 1st published in the old Morganton Herald in 1894 Part 4 BECHTLER, CARSON, CONNELLY, DOBSON, ESTES, FULLWOOD, GRAHAM, HILDEBRAND, PEARSON, WALTON and more. CHRISTOPHER BECHTLER "A German named CHRISTOPHER BECHTLER had emigrated to the United States with his family, and settled about three miles from Rutherfordton, on the Jamestown Road, about ten or twelve miles from the gold mines in 1833 or 1834. He proposed to the miners that he would flux, analyze and coin their gold for a small percentage. A number of the miners agreeing to this, had large quantities of their gold coined in five dollar and one dollar pieces, and probably two and a half dollar pieces, with the name "C. Bechtler, Rutherford County, N.C. on one face, and on the reverse, the value, the number of grains and carats fine. On one occasion I was in his (Mr. Bechtler's) laboratory where he was working, and noticed the construction of the floor. It was an ordinary tongue and grooved floor, crossed at right angles, with strips about 2 1/2 inches wide, slightly raised above the main floor. I asked him what the object was of the double floor. In broken English, he said a great many times, being as careful as he could, fine particles of gold would escape, when he was weighing, melting or coining; and so many persons coming in and out on a smooth floor would carry the scattered gold off; but rubbing their shoes on the slats, the gold would fall between. I asked him if he had ever taken the floor up. The reply was, "Yes, two years after it was laid, and I got two thousand pennyweights of gold." Mr. BECHTLER was reported to the treasurer of the United States, as violating the constitution. A five dollar coin of BECHTLER'S was sent to the mint, weighed and analyzed, and pronounced all right, and as it did not purport to be the coin of any nation, the government agreed to treat it as bullion. After the death of CHRISTOPHER BECHTLER, Sr., his nephew, CHRISTOPHER BECHTLER, JR. continued for several years to smelt, coin and analyze gold. These coins are rapidly disappearing, the great bulk of them having been recovered or converted into jewelry, those still extant being a premium." OLD-TIME PREACHERS "Methodist preachers whom I knew in my youth and early manhood, and whose ministrations were local, being almost exclusively confined to Burke County, covering the original boundary of 1777, vis: Reverend WILLIAM FULLWOOD, distinguished as "Father Fullwood", born 1763, joined the conference in 1792, professed sanctification sixteen years before his death. RICHARD BIRD joined the conference at the same time as Father FULLWOOD. Following them were JEREMIAH STACEY, JAMES STACEY, and later THOMAS DORSEY and JOHN DORSEY, and others. These were all devout men of the Methodist ministry, of unblemished character, very zealous and largely instrumental and successful in spreading the Gospel, according to the doctrines of their celebrated founder, the Rev. John Wesley. The buildings in which these good men preached and held their religious services were called "meeting houses", and were almost invariably called after the sacred places of the Old Testament, such as Bethel, Nebo, Sardis, Gilboa, Salem, etc. The buildings were of plain architecture and material. No ornamentation and no music except congregational singing, and the sermons and prayers were extemporaneous. There was but one place for public worship in Morganton until the Episcopal Church was erected in 1845, and the Methodist in 1846, and now (1894) it's membership is by far the largest in the prosperous town of Morganton....." JOSEPH DOBSON "JOSEPH DOBSON, the ancestor of ALEX DOBSON and JOHN DOBSON, old reputable citizens of this county, was the son of Dr. DOBSON, who was probably the original owner of the extensive lowlands on the Catawba River known as "Swan Ponds." Col. WAIGHTSILL AVERY removed from Mecklenburg County to Burke in 1781, at which time he became possessed of this valuable domain and gave to it the name above. JOSEPH DOBSON was a deputy surveyor under ROBERT LOGAN in 1821, at a time when Burke County contained a large acreage of vacant land lying in the mountains of the Blue Ridge. He entered a great deal of this land in his own name, making the surveys himself, which was endorsed by the county surveyor, and grants accordingly issued to him by the State. In many instances the calls of the grants were so confused as to make it impossible to locate the land with any degree of certainty; and in many instances this has been a fruitful source of controversy, when the chain of title depended on said grants. It was believed by many persons that the ______ of the grants had never been surveyed or marked-that he probably made a corner at the beginning and made a plat to correspond with the number of acres to be granted; that in some instances there were no chain-bearers. In proof of this assertion I have in my possession a deed to which the names of those purporting to be bearers was not signed by them." CONRAD HILDEBRAND "CONRAD HILDEBRAND, the ancestor of the HILDEBRANDs of Burke County, was required by a Committee of Safety, formed by the leading men of Rowan County in 1774, to deliver to CHRISTOPHER BEEKMAN, all the powder and flints in his possession, and for the payment of the same to give an order on the committee, which would be accepted by them. BEEKMAN and HILDEBRAND were residents of that portion of Rowan County that is now (1894) Burke County. Of German lineage, active, influential men of their day, BEEKMAN was secretary of said committee, and was the first land surveyor of Burke County. I have in my possession, the original grant and plot of the JAMES STRINGFIELD land of 500 acres, covering a portion of Morganton. The plot is skillfully and neatly drawn, and the quaint handwriting is beautiful. The grant was surveyed by DAVID VANCE, a deputy surveyor (paternal ancestor of Senator VANCE), and countersigned by CHRISTOPHER BEEKMAN, county surveyor. HILDEBRAND was a member of the Legislature of 1795 and 1797. Some of his descendants still bear the Christian name of the old patriot, CONRAD (pronounced by then "Coonrod"). All of the name HILDEBRAND have borne a high character for honesty and integrity, as well as others of Dutch origin in this and the adjoining county of Caldwell." HON. JAMES GRAHAM "The Hon. JAMES GRAHAM succeeded SAMUEL P. CARSON as representative in Congress from this district and served until 1843, when, he was defeated by Hon. THOMAS L. CLINGMAN, each claiming to be the better Whig. An address to the voters of Burke, signed by Capt. C. McDowell and myself, advocating and endorsing CLINGMAN's claims and charges against his competitor, was distributed in the county. At a discussion at CARSON's on Buck Creek, GRAHAM criticized and ridiculed the address, saying, among other things, "Who is THOS. G. WALTON? I well know it is not my friend and well-tried Whig so well known and appreciated by the old men who hear us. He would never approve such a document as this." My father being informed of this said to me with some exhibition of temper: "When next you sign a paper of any kind, do it in such a manner that people will know it is not my sign manual." I agreed, and changed my signature thereafter from "Thos. G." to T. Geo. Walton." ROBERT CALDWELL PEARSON "ROBERT CALDWELL PEARSON, born 9 Dec 1807, (brother of JOHN H. PEARSON) was the oldest son of ISAAC PEARSON by his wife ELIZABETH, and was named for his maternal ancestor, ROBERT CALDWELL of "Cherry Fields." Although we differed in politics, Mr. PEARSON was my warm personal friend. In many respects he was a remarkable man of commanding poise and presence at 6 feet 3 or 4 inches in height. With frame and flesh corresponding he was in presence and address so distinguished from ordinary men, that when in New York and other cities that he was closely observed by men, and the small boys would follow him to gratify their curiosity. His intellectual capacity comported well with banks, capitalists and railroad financiers. So great was his local reputation for foresight, astute, sagacious judgement, that not a few entrusted him with their funds for investment. He succeeded my father, and was for many years the popular postmaster and a successful merchant of Morganton. Commencing business at an early age as a clerk in the store of his uncle, JOHN CALDWELL (a man of exceptional honesty and uprightness). I have no doubt the youth placed in his care, by precept and example, was instilled with all those traits which have led to his own success; and which no doubt were the foundation for the character and success of Mr. PEARSON in later life. He was for many years before 1861, the leading magistrate, and in my opinion the best in many respects that Burke County ever had. He had studiously informed himself on the duties of his office and was familiar with all the forms required in their discharge. So great was the reliance placed in the equity and justice of his judgments that an appeal was rarely taken to the county or superior courts. Being well versed in the law in regard to administrators and executors, many persons holding such appointments would resort to him to aid them in making their returns and settlements with the courts, Mr. Pearson obliging them without any consideration. Always affable and polite, he was without exception the best-tempered man I ever knew. Full of the milk of human kindness, he sympathized with those in distress and rejoiced with the happy, always ready and aiding in suppressing feuds among his neighbors. ROBERT C. PEARSON was a man of mark in his day, respected by all, loved by many, discharging all his duties honestly and faithfully. If he ever had a personal enemy it never came within my knowledge. He was happily married in early life to JANE SOPHRONIA TATE, a lady who proved to him up until the time of his death, a help indeed in all those relations and duties incumbent on a good wife, calculated to add to the happiness and secure the prosperity of the husband she loved. The offspring of this marriage was five sons: ROBERT PEARSON, JAMES PEARSON, CAMERON PEARSON, WILLIAM PEARSON, and JOHN PEARSON; and three daughters: ANN ELIZABETH PEARSON, JANE S. PEARSON, and LAURA PEARSON, all living except JAMES. (in 1894) ROBERT CALDWELL PEARSON died 18 Nov 1867. Col. JOHN CARSON "Col. JOHN CARSON, one of the wealthy and respected citizens of the county, resided during his long life on the beautiful stream known as Buck Creek, having it's source near the crest of the Blue Ridge, and famous for the delicious brook trout that abounds in it's pellucid water. Col. CARSON was closely connected with the MCDOWELLs. His first wife was a daughter of "Hunting JOHN" MCDOWELL; his second (MARY MOFFETT) was the widow of Maj. JOSEPH MCDOWELL of Pleasant Gardens. Of these two wives, he had eight children; by the 2nd wife, five sons: Dr. JOHN CARSON, WILLIAM M. CARSON, SAMUEL P. CARSON, GEORGE CARSON and LOGAN CARSON. These were men in their day, looked up to and highly regarded by their neighbors, sustaining the eminence their ancestors had attained in all the relations of life. Col. CARSON was a man of strong common sense, dignified and suave in manner and mien, and of ready wit, not infrequently fringed with sarcasm...... Col. CARSON, like a great many of the best class of citizens of "Auld Lang Syne," was fond of peach brandy, and would occasionally indulge rather freely in his libations; but instead of pouring out according to the heathen mode on the earth, he poured it in as a solace to human infirmities. When under it's influence he wore a kind of turban of red color; at other times and more frequently the turban was white, and he was known to be all right." "Dr. JOHN CARSON, one of his sons by the second wife, was born with white hair, which was not changed in color at maturity. ......" The CONNELLYs "Forming one of the most extensive families of what was originally Burke County are the descendants of an ancestor, JOHN CONNELLY, who emigrated to the Colonies from Ireland in 1743 and settled in what was then a part of the original precinct of the Lords Proprietors, Craven County (now Lenoir County). His eldest son, called "Little John", was a captain in the Revolution and commanded a company in the Battle of Kings Mountain. From him descend four sons: WILLIAM CONNELLY, ALLEN CONNELLY, GEORGE CONNELLY, and JOSEPH CONNELY. From WILLIAM descended the CONNELLYs of Caldwell County: HENRY CONNELLY, WESLY, CONNELLY, ALFRED CONNELY, GEORGE CONNELY, PICKENS CONNELLY and Col. WILLIAM L. CONNELLY. The last names is the father of "Dutch JOHN" CONNELLY and "Big BILL" CONNELLLY." The ESTES Family The ESTES family, old citizens of Burke, descendants of REUBEN ESTES and his wife, DELPHIA ATKINS ESTES, came from Petersburg, Va., at a very early time to this section of Burke County, and settled on the waters of John's River, not far from what is known as the "Globe",taking the name from the circular form of the surrounding mountains of the Blue Ridge, and forming a beautiful valley through which John's River meanders, celebrated for the alluvial soil, cultivated by prosperous farmers. From these two pioneers, REUBEN and DELPHIA, have descended one, if not the most numerous of the families of the county, springing from eight children and giving them alliterative names, the only instance I ever heard of, viz: LABAN ESTES, LOU ESTES, LOT ESTES, LANCE ESTES, LARKEN ESTES, LAGSTON ESTES, LATTA ESTES, and LANCY ESTES. Their children numbered 56 by their marriages with the WEBBs, the BROWNs, GILBERTs, COFFEYs, MOOREs, LOVINGs, and CORPENINGs; and the two and three generations following these, I have no means of estimating the number, which must be great. I am indebted, besides my knowledge of this large family, to the much- regretted and late worthy citizen, L. J. ESTES, the SPAINHOURs, and others. I am indebted to Dr. I. M. SPAINHOUR of Caldwell for a very flattering letter in regard to the desultory sketches which I have been writing of the old families, and for an account of the landing of a ship, the Bedford, from Rotterdam, Sept. 1, 1751, emigrants among whom was HENDRICK CORPENING, the only one of the name arriving at Philadelphia from 1727 to 1776, the fair assumption being that he was the ancestor of ALBERT CORPENING, who settled in PA. And moved to Burke in 1803. The same ship carried five of the name BECK; and one JACOB HILDEBRAND in the ship St. Andrew, also from Rotterdam. On the same vessel with Jacob came PETER MULL, JOHN MULL, and IA__ LUTZ, probably one of those living in this part of N.C., PETER _____, ancestor of MICHAEL SPAINHOUR and others, BRADSHAW, Dr. DOBSON, JO DOBSON, and EPH GRAY. EARLY SCHOOL TEACHERS "The first school that I have any information of was taught by the Rev. JOHN L. DAVIS about 1815. My brother, JOHN A. WALTON was a pupil of his. ZI have in my possession an old manuscript in the form of a pamphlet. The figures in the integers, sums, etc., are his; the rules, examples and headings, such as addition, multiplication, reductions, etc., in the handwriting of Mr. DAVIS. The dates given are from the first of March,1817 to the 2nd of February, 1818." "Mr. DAVIS I remember in 1823. He was very deeply pockmarked, his face corrugated with wrinkles like a washing board, and his sandy colored hair stood erect like "Old Hickory's." Six feet in height, gaunt and ungainly in form, take him all in all as he stood, he was the ugliest man I ever saw with one exception. Mr. DAVIS, however was much esteemed by his neighbors; he was entry taker of the county in 1820. He was also a preacher in what was then called a meeting house, free of all denominations, now the handsomely improved and enlarged Presbyterian Church.......Mr. DAVIS was either a Socinian or Unitarian in religious belief." "Mr. DAVIS' successor was Rev. Mr. EDDY, about 1824 or 1825, a Presbyterian minister. He came with his wife and a maiden lady named GOULD. They were people of culture, highly educated. They were the first to teach in the newly erected brick academy....For some cause, I know not, Mr. EDDY and family did not remain long. I remember Mr. ALEXANDER WILSON succeeded Mr. EDDY as an instructor or tutor. His father, Rev. McCAMY (McKAMIE) WILSON, married a daughter of ALEXANDER ERWIN, SR., and thus his children were relatives of both branches of the old ERWINs of Burke County. He was named for his maternal grandfather, and was much esteemed." "Succeeding Mr. WILSON as tutors, were two brothers, natives of this county, LEE and CLINTON OWENS, who taught the younger and less advanced pupils in one of the rooms of the academy, while the Rev. JOHN SILLIMAN, a Presbyterian minister, instructed the more advanced in the Greek and Latin languages. Mr. SILLIMAN was a native of Virginia. Among the young men who studied the classics under him were ALPHONSO ERWIN, EDWARD ERWIN, JR., ALEXANDER H. ERWIN, (all sons of Col. W. W. ERWIN); JOSEPH J. AND W.C. ERWIN, sons of Col. JAMES ERWIN; JAMES H. TATE, son of DAVID TATE, SR.; ROBERT BAIRD, son of MATTHEW BAIRD; BURGESS S. GAITHER, ROBERT C. PEARSON, JAMES H. GREENLEE, and JOHN A. WALTON." "Mr. SILLIMAN was very successful in gathering a large Presbyterian congregation of influential farmers. Among them were the families of CORPENING, O'NEAL, NAIL, McELRATH, LONDON, PEARSON, HEMPHILL, MORRISON and others. Mr. SILLIMAN lived six miles from Morganton on a farm on Silver Creek." SOME OF BURKE'S OLD SHERIFFS "WILLIAM MORRISON was the first sheriff of the county; he was of either Scotch or Irish descent, and owned a plantation on Muddy Creek. He was a soldier in the Revolution, was a leading citizen of his day, a member of the Legislature in 1779. His son, FRANK MORRISON, I remember in 1827. He was a man highly esteemed by all who knew him, of fine physique...." "PETER MULL was elected Sheriff in 1790." "THOMAS McENTIRE was the 2nd Sheriff about 1790? Emigrated from Tyrone County, Ireland at the same time as JAMES McENTIRE, SR., who was a near relative, shortly after the revolution. He resided in Old Fort, now in McDowell County, was a member of the Legislature in 1802, had three sons and two daughters, JAMES, WILLIAM, JOHN, JENNIE and MARY. Some years after their father's decease, the sons moved to Georgia. JENNIE McENTIRE married THOMAS LYTLE and lived at the old homestead until their decease. MARY McENTIRE married DAVID GREENLEE, one of the sons of JAMES GREENLEE, SR. The issue of this marriage was 2 sons, JAMES and THOMAS YOUNG GREENLEE and 2 daughters MARY and MARTHA. THOMAS Y. GREENLEE married daughter of ROBERT LOGAN, a skilled land surveyor in Burke." "HUGH TATE was the 3rd Sheriff on 1803 and was descendant of "ROCK" SAMUEL TATE, who was the ancestor of the TATEs of Burke Co.and Pennsylvania. He emigrated from Ireland, previous to the Revolution or shortly after. Sheriff TATE married MARGARET ERWIN, a daughter of ALEXANDER ERWIN and sister to Col. JAMES ERWIN. HUGH TATE had 2 sons and one daughter, Dr. SAMUEL TATE and DR. WILLIAM C. TATE. SAMUEL married his cousin, ELIZABETH, of Pennsylvania, by who he had WISTAR TATE, ROBERT TATE, LUCIUS TATE, HUGH TATE, AL TATE and JULIA TATE. Dr. WILLIAM C. TATE married Mrs. LAURA POLK, nee WILSON, relict (widow) of MARSHALL POLK, SR. They had 3 sons and 3 daughters, JOSEPH, HUGH and KNOX, EMMA, CATHERINE (Mrs. W.E. Powe), and LAURA ( Mrs. J.A. Young,) The TATEs were leading men of note and distinction in their day. ELIZA, daughter of Sheriff Hugh, married her cousin, Col. Samuel C. Tate, by whom she had one son and a daughter, Capt. JUNIUS C. TATE and MARY J. TATE." "HODGE RABOURNE,4th Sheriff of Burke Co. in 1810, was a popular man as evinced by his election to the Legislature in the commons, in 1804 and in the Senate in 1812 and 1813. I know nothing of this man's ancestors or descendants." "MARK BRITTAIN, 5TH Sheriff of Burke in 1817 was also elected to the State Senate in 1831 and 1833. A man of respectable character, esteemed by the people and loved by his neighbors, but in some respects was peculiar. His address and manner showed he had a good measure of self-esteem. I know several anecdotes concerning him, some of them not being proper for "ears polite" of course I must omit. His manner and conversation attracted attention in the Legislature. There was an occurrence in which he and the celebrated wit, JACK STANLY, took part, that convulsed the members of the Senate, that comes under the prohibited head aforesaid. Being on another occasion asked what county he represented, he replied, "I am the pivot on which the County of Burke revolves." He carried a large hickory cane in honor of "Old Hickory", having been his enthusiastic supporter in 1828. The cane mounted on a silver head on which was engraved his initials "M.B." On being asked what the initials stood for, he replied,"Mountain Boomer." In 1834, being a candidate for he had changed his politics, and was no ardent friend of Mr. Clay. At a gathering of the people to hear the candidate for Congress and State Legislature speak in an orchard in the rear of the old house of Mr. W. MULL, Uncle Mark denounced the Democratic Party. W.I. TATE, a son of Mr. WILLIAM TATE of Hickory Grove, rose to his feet and charged him with being a turncoat. Unabashed, he coolly replied: "Why, Jefferson, my son. Don't you know: 'While the lamp holds out to burn, the vilest sinner may return.'" Uncle Mark was elected, laid aside the hickory stick, and named his fine clay-bank horse "Henry Clay." His son, Sheriff JOSEPH BRITTAIN, in many ways, popularity, fidelity, manner and honesty in all his dealings whatever with men or in discharge of the duties of his office as sheriff, was like his ancestor." "SAMUEL McD. TATE, SR. was the sixth Sheriff of Burke Co. in 1827. A bachelor, he was the 2nd son of DAVID TATE, SR." "WILLIAM C. BUTLER was the seventh Sheriff of Burke in 1830. He married MARGARET TATE, a daughter of WILLIAM TATE, SR. of Hickory Grove (the former residence of JOHN BOWMAN) by whom he had one daughter, SARAH BUTLER. She married the late E. E. GREENLEE of Tennessee." "Col. SAMUEL C.TATE, was the eighth Sheriff of Burke, about 1834. He was son of WILLIAM TATE, SR., a man of sterling worth and character, a grandson of the patriotic soldier, JOHN BOWMAN, as before stated, killed at the Battle of Ramsour's Mill. Col. TATE died in the prime of life at Hickory Grove." "JOHN BOONE, ninth Sheriff of Burke in 1835, had a warm contest with F. P. GLASS, Esq. Both men were popular. BOONE was elected by a small majority. JOHN BOONE was a near relative (great nephew) of the celebrated pioneer and distinguished hunter, DANIEL BOONE, who was born and lived until mature manhood in the valley of the Yadkin River. His name and fame has become historical and perpetual; a town in the County of Wataugua being named for him, and also in the rotunda of the magnificent marble Capitol of the United States. Amid other scenes of daring and prowess of the early history of the nation, is a prominent one of life size, representing BOONE in hunter's costume, engaged in deadly contest with two stalwart Indian warriors, one lies breathing his last with the hero's right foot placed upon his breast, his right arm raised in the act of plunging his knife in the breast of his startled foe." JOHN H. PEARSON, successor to BOONE in 1836, son of ISAAC PEARSON OF Silver Creek, was the tenth Sheriff of Burke, a man as is well known to many now living, kind, hospitable, of unswerving integrity and honesty in all his dealings, with his fellow man, and in the discharge of all his duties as a county officer; of great popularity, so much so, that I do not remember that he ever had an opponent for the office, holding it for as long as he desired it. In his time as Sheriff, and until the penitentiary was established in 1848 or 1849, the whipping post and pillory were still used for the punishment of crimes, except homicides, burglaries, arson, etc............" THE WALTON FAMILY of Burke "GEORGE WALTON (the great-grandfather of Col. WALTON) emigrated to this country in 1682, and his son, THOMAS WALTON, came to Burke County from Amherst County, Virginia before 1803. Little is known of Co. WALTON's early life. He was born Oct. 5, 1815 in the home of his father on the northeast corner of Union and Greene Streets in Morganton, opposite the Gov. CALDWELL home. The house where he was born is said to have been built by his father in 1810, and was later known as Hotel Morgan. From this house, his father conducted the business of Postmaster. It is probable that Col. WALTON had tutors, according to the custom of the day. He had a large library of calf-bound books, and was an omniverous reader to the end of his days. He was brought up a Presbyterian and probably attended that church from 1830 until 1846 when the Episcopal Church in Morganton was built. At the time of Col. Walton's death, Col. W. S. PEARSON wrote an appreciation of him in which it was stated that he was an earnest Whig in ante-bellum days, and a staunch Republican after Reconstruction. Son of a prominent merchant, he was a large slave-holder and owned valuable real estate in Burke County. A devoted Episcopalian, he was a vestryman of Grace Church in Morganton for 50 years. He married ELIZA MURPHY (daughter of JOHN MURPHY and MARGARET AVERY) on Dec. 28, 1837 at "Willow Hill," which house is still standing near Canoe Creek (in 1924). Col. WALTON was a gentleman farmer and represented Burke in the House of Commons in 1850. He was a director of the State Hospital in Raleigh and one of the original directors of the State Hospital in Morganton. Being 46 years old at the beginning of the Civil War, he was made a colonel in charge of reserves in Burke. He was stationed at Camp Wyatt, N. C. in 1862 and at Fort Fisher in 1863. He built "Creekside" in about 1836, adjoining a house built by the GREENLEEs in 1800, both parts still standing. He and his wife were parents of 11 children born in this house. Three sons served in the Confederate Army. He was the fifth WALTON of the name in this country, being the great-nephew of George Walton who signed the Declaration of Independence."