Mr.
Archelous Melton my Grand Pa was born in England in the year 1756, and
emigrated to Darlington District, South Carolina about 1772 shortly after which
time he married a welthy lady by whom he raised three Sons. Daniel, Louis, and
Alexander. Daniel and Alexander died without any errors and Louis a wealth
planter 8 miles from Charleston South Carolina. He married and him and his wife died there in time of the
Rebellion leaving no posterity.
Shortly
after Archelous Melton's marriage, the great Revolution of 1776 broke out and
by some authority he was appointed to oversee, Patrole and Controle the labor
of his District and did so during the Revolutionary war of 1776 as the Whig.
Some
years after said war his first wife having died he married the youngest
daughter of Mr. Thomas Brown, a full blooded irshman who lived in the same
vicinity in South Carolina and served the entire time of said war in George
Washington own division of the American army.
(Miss Mary Brown then became
Mrs. Mary Melton.)
They
(My grand parents on my father's side) raised seven children, five girles and
two boys. My uncle being the youngest
of the family was born in McNairy county Southeast Tenn., and named David
Randolph Melton and was reared in Bradley County Southeast Tenn., and followed
teaching school. In Dec. 1860 he emigrated to Jackson County Alabama,
where he followed taught school at Legons Chapel till he was conscripted into
the Rebel army and a few weeks after he easily made his escape, and entered the
union camps and surrendered. Shortly
after his release he entered into the 3rd East Tenn. Cavalry Co. H., which was stationed at Nashville,
Tenn., and not been able to endure that service he was sent to Ohio in
Oct. 1863 and remained at Camp
Dennison, Hamilton County, Ohio till the Rebellion was closed.
There
he became acquainted with Mrs. Rebecca Laorh, a widow lady whose maiden name
was Summerville of Licking County, Ohio who he married and emigrated to the
Avilla, Mo. Jasper County Mo., After 17 years he lost his first loving
companion. Two years later he married a
Mrs. Hollenburr who was a daughter of the late Benjamine Binney of Ind. whose
maiden name was he Elizabeth Binney
They
are now living in Jasper County, Mo.
With their little 8 year old Son Benjamine Archelous Melton (The son
died at the age of 18.)
S.
G. Melton father, the eldest son of Archelous and Mary Melton, was born in
South Carolina in 1829 and named George Thomas Melton; he was reared in East
Tenn., and Emigrated to DeKalb County North east Alabama where he made the
acquaintance of his Miss Tabitha Russell and was married to her at Vance
Larmers in Willsmally.
Coppyed off by J. M. Melton
for S. G. Melton
This June 21st 1912
(Signed) J M Melton
*******************************************************************
This
account was penned by John Morgan Melton for his brothers Samuel Grundy Melton
(sense of George Thomas Melton and Tabitha Russell. The ledger sheet on which it was written was found in the files
of Rufus Francis ‘Frank’ Melton (son of Samuel Grundy Melton and Nancy
Pairsette Knight in May 1996 by his daughter, Zelda Dean (Melton)
Mussleman. This transcription was done
by Virginia (Williams) Melton, wife of Richard Franklin Melton, son of Frank
Melton. I have transcribed this
document as faithfully as possible as to exact spellings, punctuation, and
wording. The original document is in
the files of Richard Melton.
30
January 2002.
HOW I UNDERSTAND OR DO NOT
UNDERSTAND THES PAGES
Paragraphs
1,4, 5== The "my" probably refers to John Morgan MELTON since he
signed the document.
Paragraph
5== "my uncle being the youngest of the family was born in McNairy County
Southeast Tennessee..."McNairy County is actually in SW Tennessee. If the ‘my’ is John Morgan MELTON, then the
‘ uncle’ is David Randolph MELTON.
Since John M. MELTON is a son of GEORGE THOMAS MELTON, SR.
Paragraph
6== "(The son died at the age of 18)" Who inserted this phrase? It looks like the same handwriting to me.
Paragraph
7== IF GEORGE THOMAS MELTON, SR. was
born to ARCHELOUS MELTON & MARY BROWN MELTON in 1829, Archelous would have
been, according to the dates given here, 73 years of age. While this is possible there is also the
possibility of an error of ARCHELOUS MELTON'S birth year or we may have skipped
a generation.
I
don't think we have skipped a generation as the 1830s census of Cocke County,
TN shows ARCHELOUS MELTON as head of household with 1 male (0-5); 1 male
(60-70); 2 females (5-10); 1 female (20-30).
ARCHELOUS MELTON is on the 1829 tax list of Cocke County, TN (according to an index, I have not seen the tax list yet).
Virginia W. Melton gnrfm@aol.com
©
2002 Nancy Pratt Melton