| Notes |
- From the DAR Archives:
GLASCOCK, George
Birth: VA 20 Dec 1743
Service: NC
Rank: Dr PS
Death: NC 8- -1787
Patriot Pensioned: No Widow Pensioned: No
Children Pensioned: No Heirs Pensioned: No
Spouse: Martha Howard
Dr. George Glascock was born 12-20-1743 in VA. Source:
Records of Farnham Parish, VA. "Virginia Magazine of History and
Biography", Vol 7, page 55, which contains extracts from Register of
Farnham Parish 'Birth of George, son of William and Ester Glascock, 20
Dec 1743 and other data which shows the date of death as 18 Oct 1787.
The court minutes of the first session, on the second day show Philip
Alston was unanimously elected clerk of the court and he entered into
bond with John Robenson and Charles Crafford as security. Alston
appointed George Glascock as his deputy, which the court accepted.
This was the first record of George Glascock in Moore Co., NC.
George Glascock had lived a number of years on Deep River near
Ramsey's Mill in Chatham Co. and had served as deputy clerk of court
in Chatham Co. Probably because of this previous experience, he was
chosen to act in the same capacity in the Moore Co. court.
Sometime prior to November 1773, George Glascock moved with his family
to Chatham Co., NC from Richmond Co., VA.
On 24 Nov 1773, George Glascock's father, William Glascock of Richmond
Co., deeded a slave and household furnishings to Milton Glascock.
(Source: Marilyn Poe Laird & Vivian Poe Jackson, Chatham County, North
Carolina Deeds 1771-1782. [n.1: Poe Publications, n.d.] Vol 1, pg.17)
Three months after the above deed, on 1 Mar 1784, George Glascock sold
what appears to be the items deeded to his son, along with other
items, to Ambrose Ramsey.
George Glascock was still living in Chatham Co. on 12 Feb 1784, when
the Chatham court records show: "James Howard appointed overseer of
the Road from Red Field Ford to the ford on the Road where Geo.
Glascock now lives".
(Source: Laird, Chatham County Court Minutes, Vol 2, pg. 50)
On 18 Feb 1785, the Chatham County Court Minutes show: "William Clark
to work road no further than from south bank of the Islalnd foard to
the fork of the Road where Mr. Glascock lived". (Source: Laird,
Chatham County Court Minutes, Vol 3, pg. 4)
On 22 Feb 1785, George Glascock, John Carrell and John Cox were
qualified as justices of the peace for the Moore Co. Court. (Source:
Moore Co. Court Minutes, Vol 1, pg. 6).
The later record establishes George Glascock as a resident of Moore
Co., NC.
George Glascock later purchased 300 acres of land from James Muse of
Killet Creek, as recorded in Moore County Court Minutes Vol 1, pg. 41.
George Glascock is buried in the Old Muse Cemetery at Cross Hill in
Carthage, NC, next to his wife, Patty, and K. (Katherine), the wife
of their son, Julius Glascock . There is a large DAR Memorial for him
on his gravesite. He probably lived out his life there at Cross Hill
in Carthage as did his widow until her death.
There is a record of a claim that he filed with the state for medicine
that he had furnished which states: "Comptrollers Office Kinston -
The United States of America to the State of North Carolina for
sundries allowed by a Committee of Claims in April 1777 as per Record:
... To Doctor George Glascock for medicine ... 1 pound, 1 shilling and
6 pence..." (Source: North Carolina Revolutionary Army Accounts, Vol
XI, pg. 14, folio 4, S.115.57, NC Archives)
A surgeon, on the American Army Medical Staff, at the battle of
Guilford Court House in N. C., between The British General Charles
Cornwallis and Colonialist General Greene. After the battle
Cornwallis, on his way to Wilmington, bivouacked his army in the
doctor's "Glasscock's Field". March 15, 1781 (Greensboro Co.?) Page
92.
In 1784, Dr. George moved to Cross Hill, near Carthage in Moore Co. where he was
deputy to Col. Philip Alston, the wealthy Clerk of the Court. Became JP in 1785 and Clerk Court of Pleas & Quarter Session in 1786 (Alston resigned).
The Colonial & State Records of N.C. Vol 28 Index F-L page 109,
Glascock, Geo., Vol 18 page 32 Moore Co., gave deposition against Mr.
Phillip Alston for murder and not believing in God.
On night of 18 Oct, 1787 Dr. George Glasscock, was murdered apparently
by Alston's slave, Dave. Alston, then member of the Gen. Assembly, was
arrested. charged with being an accessory to the murder and taken to
Wilmington jail, from which he escaped. (Apparently differences had
arisen between the two men, aggravated by Glascock's evidence against
Alston.) Alston lost his seat in the Assembly because of the incident.
(Jack Glasscock, March 2004)
From Miscellaneous Ancient Records of Moore County, N.C. by Rassie E.
Wicker pgs. 363-364: "For many years a story current in the county,
especially around Carthage, told of the presence of Cornwallis in the
county, and of his horse having bitten the top out of a mulberry tath
stood until recent years at the old so-called 'Cornwallis ' house just
west of the Cross Hill (Carthage) Cemetery. It was said also, that
after hs departure, someone found his comb which remained for a time
in the family of George Glascock and the Muses.
Both Lighthorse Harry Lee and Tarleton's account of Cornwallis's
passage through this region, from Ramsey's Mill, on Deep River to
Cross Creek, agree that his route lay along Shepherd's road, which led
from Ramsey's, via Swan's Station to Fayetteville, and that his
movement was rapid, in which case he came no nearer Carthage than
Swan's station.
Some year's ago the writer, quite by accident, found in the Chatham
County records, the explanation of this patently mistaken tale. George
Glascock, whom the General was supposed to have been visiting at
Carthage, was, according to the Carthage records, was living in the
forks of Deep and Raw Rivers during the Revolution. He does not
appear in the Moore or Cumberland records before the formation of
Moore County in 1784.
At a celebration of the Centennial of the signing of the Declaration
of Independence, held at Pittsborough, on July 4, 1876, the late
Henry Armand London, in an address delivered on that occasion, stated
that when Cornwallis arrived at Ramsey's Mill following the battle of
Guilford Court House, he made his headquarters in 'the Old Hotel',
while his troops bivouacked 'in the Glascock old field nearby'.
The solution is obvious-granting the story of the mulberry and the
comb to be true, it is very evident that the incident took place in
the forks of Deep and Haw River, upon the Glascock Plantation, and
that the story itself was brought to Moore when Glascock removed to
Moore County, and through error, was applied to that region.
Incidentally, the land upon which the Cornwallis house (so-called)
stood, was granted to the heirs of George Glascock, Sr., in 1794, long
after the death of Glascock. His son, George Glascock, Jr., who
married Patsy Dickerson, may have lived there, but he states in a
certain grant, that his home was on Rocky Branch, a small stream on
the west of the old River Road, between that road and McClendon's
Creek, which runs into Cox's Mill Creek (now called Mill Swamp). After
his death, this land was divided among his heirs. This division is on
record at Carthage.
The 'old hotel', first mentioned above, stood until comparatively
recent years. The late Mr. Reinicke and Mr. A. B. Bailey jointly
purchased this old building and removed the fine paneling for use in
houses they were constructing in Southern Pines and some of the old
plantation houses in coastal South Carolina. The writer has a small
table, the leaf of which is made of this material given him by Mr.
Reinicke.
It is pretty certain that George Glascock, Sr. lived on the west side
of Killet's Creek, between Cabo and the Quarry Branch on land he
purchased in May, 1786, from James Muse. There is strong tradition
that he, his wife and his son Julius are buried on this plantation,
though his monument, placed there in recent years, at least suggest
that he is buried in the old Muse Cemetery, just west of the Cross
Hill Cemetery, and near the so-called Cornwallis house.
From Miscellaneous Ancient Records of Moore County, N.C. by Rassie E.
Wicker pg. 451:
"Proclamation by Governor Telfair:
GEORGIA: By His Excellency Edward Telfair
Governor and Commander-in-Chief
In and Over the State aforesaid.
A PROCLAMATION.
Whereas information has been received that early in the morning of the
28th inst., Philip Alston of the county of Washington was, at his
place of residence 'killed by a gun that was fired through the house
as he lay in bed' by person unknown. I HAVER THEREFORE thought fit to
issue this, my proclamation offering a reward of fifty pounds to be
provided out of the contingencies of the current year to be paid (on
condition) to such person or persons as may apprehend and secure the
offender.
By His Excellency's Command Given under my hand and the Great Seal
at said State House in Augusta this John Miron thirty-first day of October, in the
year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one and in the
sixteenth Year of the Independence of the United States of America.
Philip Alston led a colorful and controversial life. During the
American Revolution, in addition to the skirmish which took place at
his home, he was also captured at Briar Creek, Georgia. After being
released he kept his militia activities local.
Alston was the son of Joseph John Alston and Elizabeth Chancy Alston
of Halifax County. His father was an extremely wealthy man who left an
estate consisting of more than one hundred and fifty slaves and over
one thousand acres of land at his death. From all this Alston was
given by his father only those slaves already in his possession. This
fact is often described as being "curious" or "significant" by many
writers. However, Alston married well. His wife, Temperance Smith also
from Halifax, received a large tract of land on the Roanoke River
which increased Philip's holdings.
By the time he came to the Cumberland-Moore County area Philip Alston
was clearly a man of means and influence. In 1772 he purchased four
thousand acres north and south of the bend in Deep River. Soon
afterward he built the magnificent house which still stands on its
original site. Alston's house was one of the finest in this part of
the state. It is believed that a Scotsman named McFadden built the
house under the employ of Alston. At this time Alston also owned
several slaves. By 1777 his land holdings incorporated 6,936 acres.
Philip Alston quickly established himself as a political leader for
this area.
Much has been written to describe Alston's character. These were
reckless times in the North Carolina backcountry and Philip Alston
certainly handled himself well. Suffice it to say that Alston was a
very bold and aggressive man. For example, he got himself promoted
from lieutenant colonel in the Cumberland Militia to full colonel by
petitioning the General Assembly. After the war, Alston was one of the
first justices at the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions and also
became clerk of court for Moore County. Later he would become a member
of the State Senate. Alston's political success is evidence that he
had some support from leaders in this area.
It was during his tenure in the Senate that Alston's problems began.
Evidence was presented that he had murdered Thomas Taylor during the
war while commanding a corps of militia to suppress the tories. It was
eventually found that Taylor's death was a legitimate act of war and
Alston was pardoned by Governor Caswell. However, considerable debate
and controversy swirled around this decision.
A bitter feud with George Glascock came next. Glascock had replaced
Alston as clerk of court when Alston was elected to the Senate.
Following his reelection to the General Assembly Alston's seat was
contested by George Glascock; Henry Lightfoot, the county solicitor;
and John Cox, a member of the House of Commons from Moore County. They
reminded the Senate that Alston had been indicted for murder and
George Glascock presented a statement that Alston had threatened to
raise a riot if Henry Lightfoot got elected instead of him. It was
also pointed out that Alston did not believe in God. The plot was
successful, Alston was removed from the Senate and Moore County was
told to elect a new senator.
Philip Alston became a justice of the peace, but in May 1787, Glascock
succeeded in getting him removed from this seat as well. George
Glascock's personal victories over his rival Philip Alston would cost
him his life. He was murdered three months later by "Dave," one of
Alston's slaves. It was stated that Alston gave a party at his home
the night of the murder and was careful to establish his presence at
all times. Dave was bailed from jail by Alston but fled the state
before trial costing Alston two hundred and fifty pounds. In May of
the next year Alston was fined twenty five pounds for contempt of
court in Moore County. He was released on bond from the Wilmington
Jail but soon returned. In December 1790 he escaped from the
Wilmington Jail and left North Carolina a fugitive from justice.
Alston went to Georgia where he was murdered in 1791. Someone shot him
through a window as he lay in bed. Legend has it that it was Dave who
murdered him. Soon after, the Alston family sold the house and
property and left North Carolina.
"Dr. George W. Glascock, grew up as one of the eleven children raised
at 'Indian Banks' before the Revolution. He was a surgeon during the
war and served on the American Army Medical Staff at the Battle of
Guilford Courthouse in N.C. in 1781, between Generals Cornwallis and
Greene. After the battle, on his way to Wilmington Cornwallis
bivouaced his army in 'Glascock's Field'. Glascock then moved to
Cross Hill, near Carthage in Moore Co., N.C., where he became deputy
to Col. Philip Alston, the Clerk of the Court. Alston was very
wealthy and from a powerful family in the south. On February 23,
1785, Alston resigned his clerkship and was succeeded by his 16 year
old son James. Then on May 17, 1786, young Alston resigned the office
and Dr. Glascock was appointed to take his place. On the following
day, apparently Glascock's first official action was to 'commit the
said Alston to Wilmington jail' and Alston then 'moved the court to
know whether George Glascock
was a Justice of the Peace' when he did so. (Glascock was Justice of
the Peace in 1785 and Clerk of the Court in 1786.)
The records do not divulge the nature of the issue between the two
men, but on Oct. 18, 1787, Dr. Glascock was murdered in his home by
Alston's slave, Dave, who had been promised his freedom for the
murder. Alston, then a member of the General Assembly, was arrested
and prosecuted for the murder and taken to Wilmington jail, from which
he later escaped. Apparently Alston was later killed in Georgia by
the fugitive slave.
The events surrounding Glascock's death have been clothed in a certain
amount of mystery, but the evidence points to the fact that Alston
ordered his slave, Dave, to commit the crime. According to Moore Co.
tradition, Alston, to establish an alibi, invited the country-side to
his 'House in the Horseshoe' for a dance and took care to establish
his presence there at all times. It is a matter of record that Dave
was seized and imprisoned for the murder, and then let out on bond,
which Alston forfeited when Dave did not appear. Alston was later in
Wilmington jail for the murder, was released on bond, and later
returned to the jail."
(Taken from "The Glascocks of England and America" by Lawrence A.
Glassco, 1984.)
|
1743 - 1787 (43 years)