Mewborn Family History  

NOTE: Although the copy I have says that Levi wrote this, I am inclined to think a son of Parrott II wrote it.

In preparing and writing this history of the Mewborn family, I feel the task is too great for such an imperfect and illiterate a person as I am. I feel that I cannot do justice to such a great and important task, let my desire be ever so great. My greatest desire is that the truth may be written and preserved into book form that our children may know in generations to come of what nationality they are and who their ancestors were and religious belief, not that any of them have ever gained any great notoriety or applause as to worldly honors on the one hand or of the law degenerated or criminal on the other hand. They have ever chosen the middle road as we might term it of life preferring to gain their living by honest labor eating their bread by the sweat of the face.

We feel the subject is great, great beyond our power or ability as I have heretofore stated. It is our desire that the truth and only the truth may be written for nothing but the truth will do us or any one any good and we in writing may hope the reader will attribute it to the head and not of the heart for we are very imperfect beings and further desire that none of the family shall be left out or any if there is any left out it shall not be my fault for I have exhausted all the power or means I have to reach every one.

In writing of our ancestors we will have to rely somewhat upon tradition, that is what has been handed down by members of the family from one generation to the next generation as well as the records that we have been able to find in the office of the Secretary of the State, also in the offices of the Superior Court and Register of Deeds of Bertie County, N.C.

From the best information obtainable and we think pretty reliable, Thomas Mewborne (the old English way of spelling Mewborn) who lived in Bertie Precinct in the county of Albermarle in the Province North Carolina, as to the date of his birth we have no record but from the date of his will which is Feb. 23rd l749 (his will is on record in the office of the Secretary of State at Raleigh N.C.) and recorded November court l749 was our English father but whether he was married prior to coming to America we do not know. His wife name was Eleanor and they had seven children, six sons and one daughter named Mary. The sons names as they appear in the will, Thomas (but it appears in the will that Thomas was not twenty one years old for he says, after mentioning certain property to him, that if he died in his minority or without heirs then that portion of property given to him must go to his son Nicholas) Joshua, Nicholas, Moses, George and John.

Moses will is on record in Bertie county and dated 30th of October l776. He left sons Moses and Thomas and daughter Mary Eleanor. Nicholas will is on records in Bertie County and dated 24th September l772. He left sons name Thomas, other names not given. It appears that these are all the children of Thomas Mewborn Sr. that died in their native County Bertie or these are all the records shows.

We find Deeds on record made by the children of Thomas Mewborn Sr. as Follows: Joshua Mewborn to Thomas Mewboorn dated l762. George Mewboorn to Lillington Lockhart date l763. Moses Mewboorn to Thomas Mewboorn dated l768. Thomas Mewboorn to Wm. Spokeman dated l785. It appears from the records they all sold out their property and moved to some other section, as the Register of Deeds informs me that their is not the name of Mewboorn on the record in Bertie County. So it appears what great grandmother Mary taught father was correct as the records substanticiate it. She said that her husband (whose name was George) father came from England and that he had a large family of children and that they nearly all moved away to different parts of the country. Joshua when he made deed to Thomas lived in Chowan County. George who we believe was our great grandfather, the deed he made to Lillington Lockhard does not give the name of the county, so he might have lived in Dobbs as Dobbs was formed from a portion of Johustin. I think in the year l758 or l759, Dobbs county was divided and formed Lenoir and Greene.

This is the only GEORGE MEWBORN that we can get any record of that date, so he must have sold his property in Bertie, and bought in Dobbs about ten miles west of Kinston, N.C. and married a lady by the name of Mary Parrott a member of a distinguished and honorable family of Lenoir county and of the unions their were born one child, a son, and they named him Parrott in honor of his Mother's family. He was born March 11th, l765.

Grandfather George did not live to be old and after his death GRANDMOTHER MARY married a man by the name of THOMAS ALDRIDGE. They had two children--daughters. One of these daughters was named LOBITHA and married LEMUEL HILL, the writer can recollect to have seen her one time probably the last visit she made to see father, the other daughter was named EASTER and married RICHARD HILL.

From some cause unknown to the writer GRANDMOTHER MARY did not raise her son, GRANDFATHER PARROTT, but he was raised by LEMUEL HARDY. We are of the opinion that Lemuel Hardy, Benjamin Hardy, and George Mewborn were boys raised up together as they all came from Bertie County to Dobbs County and there has been a intimacy between the families. LEMUEL and BENJAMIN HARDY settled on Bear Creek while GEORGE MEWBORNE SETTLED ON FALLING CREEK, some four miles apart.

After PARROTT MEWBORNE grew up to manhood he married a daughter of BENJAMIN HARDY NAMED LYDIA who was born April 26th l766. PARROTT then moved back to the old homestead and lived with his mother, the census of l790 shows this.

I here wish to relate a little circumstance that took place between George Mewborn and a neighbor of his by the name of Shirly and while I do not put much faith in such things I believe this did actually take place as I have heard father tell it many times and also have heard the heirs of Mr. Shirley speak of it. They all related it in substance the same. Mr. Shirley was what might be termed an infidol, that is he did not believe that there was such a place as heaven where God's children are at rest or a place of punishment for the wicked--that when man died that was the last of him, like a horse, cow or any other dumb beast. GRANDFATHER GEORGE believed both that there was a place of peace, rest and happiness for God's children and a place of punishment for those that forgot God. So they made a bargin that whichover died first should come back and let the other know which was right. GRANDFATHER GEORGE DIED FIRST. One night while Mr. Shirley was returning from helping a neighbor shuck corn and while crossing a branch on a poly bridge (a poly bridge is made by laying poles or logs on the ground one by side of another to keep the team and vehicle from getting stuck in the soft mud). I can recollect to have seen and crossed this bridge one time. It was not far from the Mewborn old homestead. They met on this bridge. After the common salutations, GRANDFATHER asked Mr. Shirley if he recollected their bargin and his answer was in the affirmative. GRANDFATHER said he had come to fulfill it and that they did wrong in making it--that it was wrong to make such bargins. He said there were both a place of rest and a place of punishment. Mr. Shirley then asked grandfather where was he. He said he was at rest. Mr. Shirley then asked him if there was any chance for him and Granddfather said yes if he would seek after it. Grandfather then delivered him a message to tell grandmother (his widow) but he was not to tell her until a certain day or time and that he was to tell no one else but her. His heirs told me that he never would tell it to anyone but grandmother. Father said he had asked her many times to tell him, but her reply would always be AH, Parrott you will never know. FATHER said that grandmother believed that Mr. Shirley saw grandfather. The message was concerning something that took place between themselves and nobody else and they didn't know anything about what it was (I think grandfather did this for one thing so that Mr. Shirley might have a witness that he did see and talk with him). I feel such circumstances are not impossible but hardly practicable. After grandfather got through delivering the message, he asked Mr. Shirley to look off that he must go and when he looked back grandfather was gone and he saw him no more.

I will resume the narrative of PARROTT AND LYDIA MEWBORN. As I have said, they after marriage moved to the old homestead and lived with his mother. PARROTT, from what I can recollect of what father said, was a medium size man and by profession a farmer and cooper.

Thomas Mewborne Sr. was a blacksmith so his will says. Of this union there were born nine children, four sons and five daughters. Reference is made to the portion of this history written by Lemuel H. Hardy for a sketch of their daughter Anna and Patsy and their children, and as there are members of the family that are more able and better qualified to write than I am, I will here write of my father and his family.


NOTE: EVEN THOUGHT THERE IS MORE OF THIS HISTORY, I INCLUDE ONLY THE ANCESTORS OF LEMUEL HARDY MEWBORN. I HAVE NEVER SEEN THE HISTORY OF ANNA AND PATSY WRITTEN BY LEMUEL H. THAT LEVI REFERS TO AND DO NOT KNOW IF A COPY OF IT EXIST TODAY. THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER PARAGRAPHS IN THIS HISTORY THAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THIS PAPER.


As to their religious vows, if Thomas ever made any profession I do not know it. George was a Primitive Baptist, so was his son Parrott and their wives and held their membership at old Bear Creek. As to the children of Parrott and Lydia, Anna, Patsy, Parrott and Lydia were Primitive Baptist. Hardy, Edith, and Elizabeth never many profession I do not know of it.

Levi and family were Disciples except John P. and he was Primitive Baptist. Lemuel H. and family were Episcopalians. Levi had two sons that exercised their religious gifts, Levi A. and James M. I do not know that they were ordanined.

NOTE: SPELLING AS WELL AS OTHER MISTAKES HAVE BEEN RETAINED MMM

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