Re: MARTIN BIRD CAWTHON was probably ADOPTED & CHEROKEE
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In reply to:
MARTIN BIRD CAWTHON was probably ADOPTED & CHEROKEE
LEON DOUGHTY 1/18/04
Here is a 'Family View' and some of the info I have:
Nothing according to this info would lead you to think that he was adopted. If so it's the best kept family secret.
He is my great great grandfather`s cousin.
Father of John Cawthon
Charles MacCawthon
b. 1720 in South Leith, Midlothian, Scotland
d. 1767 in Tryon County, North Carolina
Notes for Charles
Scotland, the Northernmost part of the United Kingdom, it is smaller than England and has fewer people. Much of Scotland is rugged and isolated, and throughout history, its people have tended to be very independent. Edinburgh, Scotland`s capital, is one of Europe`s most beautiful cities. The central city is divided into two parts -- The Old Town and the New Town. The Old Town dates from the 11th century and is rich in historic buildings, including "Edinburgh Castle." Mary Queen of Scots, James V`s daughter, was the last monarch of a separate Scottish kingdom. Her son, James VI succeeded to the English throne as James I of England in 1603. The Act of Union in 1707 officially joined Scotland to England and Wales. The Scottish people speak English with a distinctive Scots burr. Golf, developed in Scotland, remains a popular sport. The ancient bagpipe, the kilt, folk dances, and the colorful tartans [plaid textile designs of the various Scottish clans] are carefully preserved. Many of the family members remember the older MacCawthron men as having long black braids? Scottish? Or could they have had Indian heritage? Many questions still alude us as we search for our roots. SPECIAL NOTE: A letter from Clark Cothern`s mother Jody Cothern states that the MacCotherns lived on an island off the Northern Coast of what is now SCOTLAND. That same island was less than 50 miles away from the an island where the McKinnon clans lived. Possibly from the Glen Coe Highlands. More research is needed. FAMILY STORY: Juanice Cothern Clay, who lives in Seattle, Washington, was helping a gentleman and noticed that his name was McCothern or MacCothern. She excitedly told him that her maiden name was Cothern. He stated that he was from Scotland and said that tradition in his family was that TWO Brothers came to the colonies before the Revolutionary War. Who were these brothers? Most of Charles MacCawthon`s children were born in Virginia. History of Virginia: In May, 1607, three little ships - The Sarah Constant, the Godspeed or Goodspeed, and the Discovery - dropped anchor in a broad river. The ships carried colonists sent by the Virginia Company of London to establish a settlement on the southern Atlantic coast of North America. The river was named the James River in honor of King James I. The settlers suffered great hardships during the early years. By 1619, plantations had been established on both sides of the James River. In 1624, the King of England dissolved the Virginia Company of London. Virginia became a royal colony, with a governor approved by King James I. During the following years, settlements spread westward into the Piedmont. In 1700 this was the largest colony in North America. Because of expedititions over the Blue Ridge Mountains and into the Great Valley in 1716, more settlements were made in these areas. In 1763, France gave up most of the land claims in North America and the land was later to become West Virginia. In May, 1776, at the Fifth Virginia Convention, Virginia declared itself a Free and Independent Commonwealth. A month later a "State" consitution was approved, and the Declaration of Rights, drafted by George Mason, was adopted. History of North Carolina: In 1629, King Charles I of England granted to Sir Robert Heath all the lands between 31 degree and 36 degree North latitude and from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. In 1663, King Charles II regranted the territory to eight government officials known as Lords proprietors. They established Albemarle County in the northern part of the territory. Charleston [Craven County] was established in the south. In later times, the names North Carolina and South Carolina came into use for these areas. North Carolina also came to be known as the Old North State to distinguish it from its southern neighbor.
Father of David
John Cawthon
b. 1745 in Lunenburg, Virginia
d. Sep 23 1824 in Franklin Co., Georgia
m. Rebecca Blunt
Notes for John Cawthon
Note: In 1733, General James Edward Oglethorpe and a small band of English colonists landed on the Georgia coast. They settled what is now "Suvannah, the nations first planned city. "Georgia" later became one of the original 13 American colonies and thrived as its rich resources attracted settlers. After the Revolutionary War, in 1788, Georgia was the FIRST southern state to ratify the new United States Constitution. Beginning in 1776, Land was offered via "Headright & Bounty Land NOTE: Lydia Walters signed an
affidavit on October 28, 1824 stating that on September 23, 1824, at the house of Peter Walters, that one John Cawhon deceased did then and there relate his will as follows:
"Son, Charles Cawthon was to take him to his own home. He was then to go to Habersham County to his former place of residence and bring back his effects and after paying any debts, the remainder to be his own. [On December 19, 1818, parts of Franklin County were added to Habersham County, Georgia].
Although John Cawhon's father remained in Virginia after the "Revolutionary War" and then later moved down into North Carolina. It seems that most of his children moved into Georgia. The first Georgians exclusive of Indians were primarily European Immigrants, rather than colonists from other colonies in America. There really was no significant European occupancy before 1733 when James Edward Oglethorpe
founded, Savannah, Georgia. After the trustees relinguished their charter in 1752, Georgia became a more typical British royal colony, with slavery and headright land grants. Then the population swelled. Most newcomers in this period were now migrants from other North American Colonies. During the time of the "Revolutionary War" Georgia had the highest percentage of Loyalists of any of the 13 colonies. For Georgia's Patriot Forces, thousands of men were recruited from the Carolinas and Virginia. At the end of the war, large numbers returned with their neighbors to avail themselves with the unclaimed areas in the devastated
province. Distribution of the land induced settlers to come to make their home in the "Raw Wilderness."
Franklin County, Georgia was established on February 25, 1784 from the Cherokee Cession of May 31, 1783 and November 1, 1783. It is one of the
original counties of Georgia. By 1830, the western border of Georgia reached to the Mississippi River. Lotteries for Georgia land were open only to Georgia residents. Many lucky winners sold their lots to
speculators, who resold them to newcomers.
John Cawthon and his family settled in an area of Franklin County, Georgia on Lightwood Log Creek. This was on of the first boundary lines of Franklin County and Wilkes County in 1790. By 1800, it was the boundary of Franklin County and New Elbert County, Georgia. This area is
now, Hart County, Georgia. "Lightwood Log Creek," locally called Light'd Log or Lighter Log Creek, was named by the early settlers after its Cherokee name Natsi asita or Lightwood. This was based on the Cherokee root, tsi=fire and asita=log. Lightwood, to the Indians and early settlers was the heart of a decayed pine, rich in resin, and it burned
strong. It was used to start fires and sometimes used as a torch. Franklin County, Georgia records list John Cawthon as a juror in July 1792. But he is not listed on the 1792 Militia List which listed all men 18 to 45 years of age? John's oldest sons, David and Charles Cawthon are
listed on the Muster Roll of October 1, 1793, to defend the area beginning at the mouth of the Lightwood Log Creek.
In 1798, John Cawthon was granted 140 acres of land in Franklin County, Georgia. On June 23, 1798, John sold that land to William Askew. [Deed Book N, Page 75]. There was $100 paid by said Samuel Askew for the 140 acres on Casey's Fork of Lightwood Log Creek. John signed his name "JohnCawthren."
Mother
Rebecca Blunt
b. 1755 in Lunenburg Co., Virginia
m. John Cawthon
Son
David Cawthorn
b. 1771 in Franklin Co., Georgia
d. Coffee Co., Tennessee
m. Jane Gates
Children:
Elizabeth Cothran
b. 1791 in Franklin Co., Georgia
Ellie Cothran
b. 1793 in Franklin Co., Georgia
William R Cothran
b. 1795 in Franklin Co., Georgia
Pleasant Cawthorn
b. 1797 in Franklin Co., Georgia
d. Cannon County, Tennessee
Milly Cothran
b. 1799
m. Mr Whiteman
Martin B Cawthorn
b. 1802
d. Sep 1884
Metcalfe County, Kentucky
Matilda M Cothran
b. 1803
Tabitha Cothran
b. 1805
About David Cawthorn (1771)
NOTE: David Cothern is listed in Franklin County, Georgia. David, his brother Charles, and his uncles, Claiborne Cothern and also William Gates are listed on the Muster Roll dated October 1, 1793. Their captain was Samuel Walters. This area was from the mouth of the "Lightwood Log Creek" then up to the conflueence of Senaca River, then up Tugalow to the mouth of "Gum Log Creek" thence up said Creek to "Red Hollow" thence along the Dividing Ridge to the head of Lightwood Log then down said Creek to the beginning. Taxes were being paid by other men on 150 acres owned by David Cothern [as his name is spelled in 1805] in Lightwood Log Creek area from 1800 until 1808. Most of the time, Thomas Carter was using the land. David later moved his family to Tennessee.
Notes for William Cothran (1781-1835);
son of John Cawthon (1745-1824)
About Cothran, William
Walter Ott Cothern said that his grandfather was a very good man, but the worse tempered to murder he ever experienced. He once caught one of his sons mating in a cotton bin with a Negro girl. Can you...1830 Oral tradition states that William was killed by Indians along the Big Fork of the Big Black River in Mississippi. This land was claimed by Georgia at the time.--NOTE: William Cothern and his wife Nancy Gates (daughter of William Gates] are listed in LUKE WARD CONERLY`S Book entitled: "Pike County, Mississippi 1798-1876" on Pages 44: "William Cothern married Nancy Gates, from Georgia, and settled the Turnipseed Place on the east side of Topisaw, five miles north of Holmesville (Pike County], in 1815. They were the parents of Elijah Cothern, who married Cathorine Dunaway, daughter of Johnathan Dunaway, and they were the parents of John, Joseph, and William Cothern. One of the grist mills run by water power built in Pike County was constructed across Carters Creek on the plantation owned by JOHN COTHERN, which was settled by John Carter, one of the earliest settlers, from which this creek took its name." When William Cothern and Nancy Gates settled in 1815, the territory was "Mississippi Territory" as it did not become a state until 1817. Page 99, & 191.
Notes for Claiborne Cawthon (1751-1818);
son of Charles MacCawthon (1720-1767)
brother of John Cawthon (1745-1824)
About Cawthon, Claiborne
NOTE: Franklin County, Georgia lists him as part of the "Militia" during the Revoluntionary War. Date recorded, May 15, 1786. In 1798, in Franklin County Claiborne Cawhon is listed with property valued at $115, a house and 60 acres of land. On September 26, 1799, Elizabeth Wilkinson of Franklin County sold to Claiborne Cawthon 150 acres for $60 on the "Big Shoal Creek." The land was warranted against all except "any line or lines that may run across any older land of Mr. Wright." Witness was a Robert Walters, Justice of the Peace. [Deed Book N, Pages 110, 111]. Claiborne Cawthon pays taxes on this 150 acres of land from 1800 to 1810 when he and Hannah sell it on February 3, 1810 to Thomas P. Carnes for $250. [Deed Book T, Page 162]. Hannah Cawthon relinquished her dower right on the same date. In 1802, Claiborne paid taxes on 100 acres of land in "Lightwood Log Creek" area, land owned by his nephew, David Cothern. By 1805, he had bought the land and other people were using it and paying the taxes on it. In 1806 through 1810, he owned 202 1/2 acres of land in District 4, Lot #272 in Wilkerson County, Georgia. After he bought the land, Frederick Stevely was using the land and paying the taxes on it. In 1805 and 1806 Claiborne owned 95 acres of land on "Garrets River." Aron Arnold was using the land and paying the taxes on it. Immigration: Claiborne and his family left Georgia and then on to the Ohio Territory; Illinois and Missouri and Arkansas.