Wm. Hammond, who married Nelly *Eleanor*, daughter of Capt. Paddy Boggan, was a very old man when I can first remember. He was a farmer, but had in old times been County Register. He had a pet horse, black, named "Old Joe" a small dog named "Tyler" and a pet gander. These last followed him always as he walked as he walked to and fro. Mrs. Hammond, sitting in her chair in the corner, is one of the most vivid pictures of my earliest years. She was a smart patient old lady, always gentle-spoken. Their children were two sons, Paterick and Hampton. Flora who died a young lady. Lydia married to Wright Cotton of Chatham Co, Jane married to Norfleet Boggan and Polly married to Lawrence Moore, all dead, some of them long ago. Mr. Norfleet Boggan was Clerk of the County for many years and until the day of his death. Their children were Rosa Elizabeth, married Dr. Jno. W. Bennett died in 1857. Harriet Eleanor married to Wm. O. Bennett died in 1862. Walter Jones, Wm., James and Lydia all these living in the far West. Hampton B. Hammond married Rosa E. daughter of Peter May, a planter of wealth who lived in S.C. just over the line. She had been finely educated for that day, in Columbia, S.C. and was an intelligent and interesting woman. She died during the war. They had a beautiful home near Wadesboro. After the war Mr. H. moved to Charlotte and died in a few years, his remains were brought here for burial. He was member of Epis. Church also his wife, a life-long Democrat and went heart and soul for the South. His young son Jos. Medley was killed at Charlestown, W. Va. while fighting bravely. Three daughters, Ella, Mrs. Jordan, Rosa May, 2nd Mrs. W.O. Bennett, Jane, Mrs. Bland are dead. Those living are Capt. Wm. M., Hugh, Eva, Mrs. Lewis Boggan and Fanny, Mrs. ?rezrant.
Moses Coppedge and his wife died many years ago. Three of their children are living and reside here. Patrick James aged 80 married with family. Fanny, Mrs. McCormick, and John, married with sons and daughters. The widow & children of the late Dr. Chas. Coppedge a most worthy man reside here.
May Buchanan came originally from S.C. He married a Miss May, daughter of one of Capt. Paddy's sons-in-law of that name. She died early and left 4 children, Benj. May, Margaret, and Jane. He afterward married Mary Eliza Atkins, a pretty black-eyed young girl down in S.C. He went down courting her in great style and brought her home a bride in a coach and four and the tradition is that his small sons Ben and May ran out to meet their new mother having on only the ONE indispensible garment. Mr. Buchanan was a very good-natured person with pompous manners. He would often drink too much. Mr. P. Coppedge tells me that sometimes when he had taken too much he would walk about as if he owned the town and boast that "he had paid the National debt."
His plantation was 7 miles west of town. He was returning home on the evening of May 7th 1849 when he was set upon about dusk by a person or persons and most foully murdered, beaten to death. His cries were heard at his home but when help reached him he was quite dead. Edmund one of his own slaves was tried & hung. He confessed on the gallows that he did the deed. His son Augustus was also tried for his life and came very near being convicted. This most dreadful murder horrified the whole country. His children by the second marriage were Sarah, widow of the late Vincent Parsons. A good son lives with her at the old Pearson place and cherishes her tenderly. Augustus, John, Rosa widow of James McKorkie, Lizzie Mrs. Falkner, Fred, the only steady son, a good soldier, killed during the war, Judy Mrs. Scott, Henry, and Mary Eliza Mrs. Sturdivant now dead.
To return to Capt. Paddy, a member of his family who deserves mention is his grandson Dozier Cash, son of Ingo Dozier. He married Mary, daughter of Peter May. He died long since, was I have heard a man of very polite manners, too fond of drink and probably spent everything except his wife's property.
There were Bennetts in this county at an early day long before 1800. They came originally from England to Va. thence to this Co. There was a John George Washington Bennett also Wm. Bennett brothers, the latter my husband's great grandfather. He made a second marriage were Wm., Mr. B's grand-father, Neville and perhaps others. He, Wm. Jr., owned large body of land on Jones's Creek and built the large water-mill which is still standing and can be seen from Jno. Dunlaps front door. His home was 3 miles from town on Lilesville road, where his son Risden, lived and died. Wm. B. Jr. married Mary Dunn, only child, of a revolutionary lady who died during the Confed. war aged 109 yrs. I regret that I did not know that old lady and hear from her, tales of her youth. His children were James, Lemuel, Neville, C?rey, Risden, Mrs. Flake, Mrs. Joel Gaddy, Mary, Mrs. George Little, Susan and Mrs. Benj. Ingram, Nancy. Everyone dead except Mrs. Ingram. All of the above possessed good estates some of them quite wealthy. James Bennett was a man of large estate, was quite old. He owned the plantation where Jno. Dunlap now lives and built that house. Kilpatrick's bummers raided his home and destroyed much, guided by some traiterous servants, they found everything he had hidden his plate and several hundred dollars in gold and silver coin. When they left about sun down he was sitting sadly on his steps when a colored-woman said to a soldier, "You hasn't killed Marster." Where upon he fired and killed the old man on the spot. They said the soldier who did the cruel deed was drunk and it may be so but they were wicked enough to have done it sober.
Neville Bennett son of Wm. B. Jr. and Kitty Harris his wife had 12 sons and daughters. Susan, Mrs. Davis, A.E.B., Neville, Fanny (Mrs. Williams), Mrs. Ledbetter, Lemuel, (Mrs. Knotts, Mary), Wm. O. B., Ellen (Mrs. Williams), Melvina, (Mrs. Parker), Jno. G. and Risden Tyler.
I have heard my Father say that the Bennetts were among the best people who settled the Pee Dee country. They were generally farmers, very industrious, law-abiding stay-at-home people not meddling with others and without exception accumulated good estates. They also had the excellent habits of always paying their debts.
The Marshalls were here in the early days. As far back as 1792, Jas. Marshall g-grandfather of this present Jas. M., was Senator from Anson for 2 years, then beginning at 1800 for 7 successive years, also for the years 1811 and 1812. Wm. Marshall his son, was Senator from 1818 to 1824, and Clement Marshall son of Wm., from 1828 to 1831. He was sometimes also member of the House of Repr. He married Eliza Leak sister of Messrs. Walter and James Leak. Mrs. Wm. B. McCorkle was Mary Marshall. Mrs. Betsy Wall, mother of Capt. Jas. M. Wall was daughter of Wm. Marshall.
I wrote of the Aulds in my paper about the Harrington family. Thro' the courtesy of the Clerk I have been permitted to look over the oldest records of this Co., deeds and wills. Unfortunately the book of marriage records was burned in the great fire of 1868. During the Colonial period, James Auld was often Magistrate also Clerk of the Court. His son John was long time Clerk, sometimes member of the Legislature. After him his brother Michael was Clerk, these being the only Clerks for many years. James A. was father of Mrs. Rosa Harrington. After the war he returned to Maryland, but his will is recorded in Anson, very sensible and to the point. He had a good estate on Pee Dee near Hugley's Ferry. Judging from their wills and their writing and spelling, these Aulds must have had more than the ordinary education. I looked over these ancient records with great interest, they contain many curious and quaint things, for instance, orders from the Court for charges against Crown Officers a prescribed list of prices is given in pounds, shillings, and pence, not greater than which could be charged for everything they would be likely to eat or drink, including Jamaica Rum, New England rum cheaper, Port wines, etc. Ordered also that every man should be furnished with feather-bed and clean sheets and have two kinds of meat set before him. The inventories are curious, long lists of everything, the most personal and trivial. I observed that while almost every old gent, would speak of his wife in terms of affection, his "dear" or "beloved", he would only leave property to her during her life or "widowhood" than to his children. Sometimes, "I lend to my beloved wife during her life or widowhood. The will of Mumford De Jarnette, the man who shot himself is an exception to the above. His will is dated Aug. 1823, very short. He devises his estate into 4 equal parts leaving one part each to his wife and 3 children absolutely. The will of Mrs. Rosa Harrington is dated Jan. 1828, probated Jan. 1829. She makes a just and equal distribution of her estate which is considerable.
The will of Mr. Joseph Ingram interested me. He was possessed of large estate. He left their freedom and 40 acres of land to some of his man-servants, (nothing said about a mule), some in a few years others longer, if their conduct was good; the land in the hands of certain trustees. If any of these negroes proved incapable of making a living, they were to be remanded back into the hands of their former owners for support. This old gent had great house for that day on Pee Dee. According to Mrs. Anne Hull, his daughter was the first girl in the county sent away to boarding school, probably to old Salem, and for her the first Piano was bought. She married George Dunlap, and was Lawyer Jno. Bennett's great grandmother.
I must speak of Mrs. Glass, who is now an old citizen, born at "Old Morven", Nov. 4th, 1818. Her father Vincent Parsons came to this country from Md. when about 21, with old Mr. Thomas of Cheraw about 1804. Mr. Thomas was a man of great wealth; had two sons spendthrifts, who tradition says, would sometimes light their pipes with a $5 bill. They must have killed themselves out early for Mr. T. left his large estate to his nephews in Scotland, Allan McFarland and his brother. Vincent Parsons was land manager of Mr. T's river plantations; he saved his money, bought land and settled at Old Morven. He became unfortunate later and before his death, everything he had was sold to satisfy some security debt, I think for Ben Pearson. He married a Miss Covington from Richmond Co. She was a daughter of Robert Hicks one of three brothers, Wm., Robert and George all very active from Pee Dee County during Rev. War, Wm. very prominent according to Bp. Gregg's History. Ellen Parsons married Mr. Wm. Henry Glass who came here from Caswell Co. She has a widow since.
When Mr. P. Coppedge can first remember Wadesboro there were very few good house. The Troy house (Montcalm), Mrs. Byrd's who was a Miss Troy, where Mrs. Glass now lives, house built by old Martin Pickett, where Elisha Hubbard afterward lived, when Judge Ashe, Dismukes house where Mrs. Dargan lived, old Buck Tarvern, Mrs. Harringtons next door, old Pickett house and a few others.
The county Jail was what was afterward Elisha Hubbard's store, a strong wooden building with floor of hewn-logs fastened with immense iron nails, burned in the great fire April 1868. the old wooden Court House at Mt. Pleasant, was torn down and made into the house where Jno. Q. McPerson lived, now occupied by Thos. Ingram. Mrs. McP. used to say that Andrew Jackson had appeared in cases in that house.
The Historical part of this paper, I got mostly from Wheeler's History of N.C. besides some general history, he gives special history of each Co., very interesting indeed.
This is all I can do now and it is probably more than you will care to read, but I thought the "odds and ends" I had picked up ought to be recorded.