Evidence of how the spelling of the name has changed.
This is a good example of how the spelling changed in one family. From MacCawthon to Cawthon to Cawthorn to Cothern to Cothran to Cothren...
About John Cawthon (1745 - 1824)
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 "John Cawthren."
HERE IS HIS FAMILY INFO: NOTICE THE MANY CHANGES IN THE SPELLING OF THEIR LAST NAME--
Father of John Cawthon
MacCawthon, Charles
b. 1720 in South Leith, Midlothian, Scotland
d. 1767 in Tryon County, North Carolina
m. unknown
m. Womack, Elizabeth
NOTES FOR CHARLES MACCAWTHON:
He had five children with his first wife and
five more with his second. All of their last
names are Cawthon.
Son of Charles MacCawthon and first wife (unknown)
Cawthon, John
b. 1745 in Lunenburg, Virginia
d. Sep 23 1824 in Franklin Co., Georgia
m. Blunt or Mount, Rebecca in 1770 in Virginia
Children of John and Rebecca Cawthon
Cawthorn, David
b. 1771 in Franklin Co., Georgia
d. 1838 in Coffee Co., Tennessee
m. Gates, Jane
Cothern, Rebecca
b. 1772 in Franklin Co., Georgia
d. ? in Franklin Co., Georgia
m. Paine, Thomas
Cawthon, Charles
b. 1773 in Franklin Co., Georgia
d. May 20 1845 in Carroll County, Mississippi
m. Tate, Elizabeth
Cothern, Elizabeth
b. 1775 in Franklin Co., Georgia
Cothran, Sarah
b. 1777 in Franklin Co., Georgia
Cothran, William
b. 1781 in Franklin Co., Georgia
d. 1835 in Pike County, Mississippi
m. Gates, Nancy `Anna`
More Replies:
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Re: Evidence of how the spelling of the name has changed.
Deanie Fincher 4/21/07
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Walters, Cauthon`s of VA & GA
Merkel Walters 5/19/09
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Walters, Cauthon`s of VA & GA