| Notes |
- Marriage 1 Margaret Gaston b: ABT 1715 in North Ireland
* Married: ABT 1733 in Lancaster Co, PA
Children
1. Margaret Simonton b: 1734 in Lancaster Co, Penn
2. Isabel Simonton b: 1738 in Lancaster Co, PA
3. Adam A Simonton b: 29 Jan 1744 in Manor Township, Lancaster Co, PA
4. Ann Simonton b: 1746 in Lancaster Co, PA
5. Sarah Simonton b: ABT 1748 in Lancaster Co, PA
6. Mary Simonton b: ABT 1749 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
7. William Simonton b: ABT 1750 in Lancaster Co, PA
8. Theophilus Simonton III b: ABT 1756 in Rowan Co, NC
North Carolina Marriage Collection, 1741-2004
Name: Theophilus Simonton
Spouse: Sarah Sale
Marriage Date: 22 Feb 1793
Marriage County: Wilkes
Marriage State: North Carolina
Source Vendor: County Court Records - FHL # 0546475-0546481
Source: Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT
9. Thomas Simonton b: 1758 in Rowan Co, NC,
Robert Simonton - Esquire (Son of Theophilus Simonton)
Robert was still in Pennsylvania in 1749 when he advertised in the Pennsylvania Gazette “John Dunnoghan, Irish servant, age c. 24, runaway from Robert Simonton of Conestogoe, Lancaster, Co (Nov 30). It is likely that the Simonton’s growing families outstripped their ability to purchase land in Lancaster County. In 1750 a fifty acres farm in Lancaster was selling for 7 pounds, 10 shillings. Land in the Granville District of North Carolina was selling for five shillings per hundred acres.
In June 1753, following the creation of Rowan County, Andrew Allison and Robert Simonton became justices for the new county’s Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions. On the seventeenth of that month, Thomas Allison’s kinsmen used their influence among their fellow magistrates to secure his appointment as constable for the settlement growing up around Third and Fourth Creeks. A third son-in-law, Samuel Thornton of Chester County’s Bradford Township, established himself to the north of Theophilus Simonton prior to the spring of 1757.” (Journal of Backcountry Studies)
Apparently Robert was not selected as a Justice on his first try. “Monday April 9th, 1753 The House met according to Adjournment. This honourable Board, on reading the Bill, for an Act, for erecting a County, and Parish, on the head of Anson County &c. were pleased to send the following message, (to wit) 'We observe, that in the Bill, for an Act, for erecting the upper part of Anson County, into a County, and Parish, by the name of Rowan County, and St Luke's Parish, and for appointing a place, for holding a Court, in the said County, you have dele'd the bounds that we had incerted in the Bill, together with the names of George Smith and Jonathan Hunt; in lieu thereof, have added others. We therefore propose the following amendments, (to wit) That Anson County be divided by a line beginning where Anson line was to cross Earl Granville's Line, and from thence in a direct line north, to the Virginia line, and that the said County be bounded to the north by the Virginia Line and to the south by the southern line of Earle Granville's line. And also the names of George Smith, and Jonathan Hunt be incerted. If you agree to the above amendments send two Members of your House, to see the same incerted; and the Bounds you had mentioned for the County, and names of George Ellison and Robert Simington dele'd : upon which shall pass the Bill'.
Other justices (besides Jonathan Hunt) in 1753 were Alexander Osborne, John Brandon, John Brevard, Robert Simonton, Squire Boone, John Hanby, Alexander Cathey, Thomas Potts, James Carter, Edward Hughes, John Lynn, Thomas Lovelatty, George Smith, Walter Carruth, and Andrew Allison.” Rowan Court Minutes, I, 3-7.
Note:.Squire Boone was the father of Daniel Boone. Rowan Deeds, I, 72. Although Carter, along with Edward Hughes, John Brevard, and Squire Boone, was later appointed a trustee for the town of Salisbury, he was not present at the June 1753 session of the court which determined the town's location. This decision was delivered by justices Alexander Osburn, Walter Carruth, John Brevard, John Brandon, Andrew Allison, and Robert Simonton. A possibility exists that these men consulted Carter regarding the location of Salisbury at an earlier meeting of the court.”
(See Rowan Court Min., June 1753)
“At a Council held at Brunswick the 31st day of December 1762. Ordered That a Commission of the Peace and Dedimus issue for the County of Rowan to Alexander Osborn, John Brandon, John Bravard, Walter Carooth, Andrew Ellisin, Jonathan Hunt, Alexander Cathy, Edward Hughs, Robert Simington, William Morrison, William Bues, Christopher Nation, Jacob Leesch, Thomas Donnel, Hugh Waddell, Morgan Bryan Junior, John Frohock, William Giles, Willis Ellis, William Lynn and John Kerr.”
“At a Council held at Brunswick 11th August 1764 Ordered, That a new Commission of the Peace be made out for the County of Rowan and that Morrison and Simonton be omitted therein and the Names of Alexander Martin, John Hunter, John Dunn, Thomas McCuisteon, Dorchester, William Mellikin and William Spuageon Esquires are named therein.
“The households of Simonton’s own sons, Robert and William, stood, respectively, to the west and south of their father. In June 1753 Robert, who was both a tavern keeper and surveyor, added the office of road commissioner to his growing list of titles.” Rowan Court Min., 10 October 1754. e securities for Robert Simonton’s ordinary were his brother-in-law, Andrew Allison, and James Carter.
“Robert and William Simonton of Fourth Creek (£4163:1:0 and £5678:16:8, respectively) were excluded from calculating the median for the two congregations because their wealth placed them far above their most affluent neighbors. Indeed, the prosperity exhibited by Nesbit and the Simonton brothers is somewhat anomalous when compared to that of the mill owners, William Sharpe (£2496) and William Morrison, Jr. (£1141). The estate of sawmill operator David Caldwell stood at £1999 while that of miller and silversmith Andrew Reed was valued at £2392.” Note: I assume that Robert brought some of his wealth from Pennsylvania since he almost immediately assumed a role of importance in his community. There are no tax records from Pennsylvania; however, the fact that he had indentured servants indicates some wealth. For reference, a laborer made 18-20 pounds a year.
20 Feb 1754 Anson County, Simonton, Robert: 500 acres, Grant 833, S. side of Catauba River on Simonton's Creek Beginning at a poplar standing on the No. side of said creek.
Feb 1754 Anson County, Simonton, Robert: 500 acres, Grant 834, Beginning at Black Oak Joining Matthew Tooles line. June 1754, Roger Lawson and wife Hannah to Robert Simonton, 640 acres on both sides of 5th Creek granted 1 Dec 1753 Rowan County, Simonton, Robert: Warrant 640 acres Clark Creek; Deed 1 Mar 1755, granted by Granville to Rev. John Thompson 25 March 1752 and left by will to said Lawson, DB 2:18. 25 March 1752, Granville Grant to Rev. John Thompson of Anson County, NC, 640 acres in Anson County (later Rowan) on south side of south fork of 5th Creek above the mouth. To be cleared and cultivated within 3 years. Recorded 3 March 1791, DB A:330.
Robert Simonton Warrant 7 May 1757 Rowan County, Simonton Robert: 200 acres on North sides of Fourth reek on Robert Allison’s line 1 copy Deed #89.
York Co. Deed Book A Pp. 104-106: Robert Simonton of Rowan Co., NC to William Berry of York Co., SC May 20, 1786,m 225 acres, on S side of Catawba River on a branch of Rocky Allison's Creek, bounded by Humphrey Cunningham's land, and tract granted to Robert Simonton by NC, Feb. 25, 1754, and lands of Col. Samuel Watson, Alexander Kennedy and James Simral. Witnesses: Francis Adams, Samuel Watson, Achibald Barron.
In 1756 Governor Dobbs appointed Robert a Captain in the Rowan Regiment of Colonel Alexander Osborn. He does not appear in the 1757 rolls when the militia was called out because of an Indian incursion. Wednesday Morning 24th February 1773. The House met according to adjournment. Present as before. Received from the Assembly by Mr Lanier and Mr S. Smith the following Message and Resolve, Vizt. Gentlemen of His Majestys Honble Council, We herewith send you a Resolve of this House for allowing Jacob Mitchell the sum of eight pounds, Thomas Butner five pounds, Robert Simonton ten pounds…..
7 May 1757 Rowan County, Simonton, Robert: 309 acres both sides of IL Creek a branch of Third Creek 1 copy Deed #9 Deed was issued to Robert Simonton in trust for John Allison of the Province of Pennsylvania. Land was surveyed for John Allison.
Simonton House:
Robert Simonton sold his land in Statesville, Rowan Co. to his brother William in 1787. Deed records confirm this. A theory developed by the Historian William Watts, who died in 1997, was that when Iredell Co was formed from then Rowan Co in 1788, the first meeting of the people who formed this Co, met in the Robert Simonton house which was recently vacated by Robert due to his death and sale to William.
The court Records refer to William Simonton's house, not his home. This would be reasonable since William at this time had a very large family and such a meeting would have crowded his home very much. The house that now exists in Statesville and is referred to as the William Simonton House, was the location of then Robert Simonton's home which was most probably a log cabin as were all other houses in 1788. It is probable that the current house now known as the William Simonton House was built to the approximate current shape and arrangement in about 1800. It is very probable that a part of the foundation was the same foundation as an earlier house on this site.
It should be noted that this house, if not the oldest remaining house of this
era, is one of several original houses and represents a legacy of the Simonton, Allison, Thornton families that were among the earliest pioneers of Statesville Rowan (now Iredell )Co."
((from J. Helmke's research -- Added by katcarrillo on 3 Mar 2007)
"He (Robert Simonton) first came to Anson Co NC in about 1749 - 1750 and received a Grant of land recorded in 1754 in what was later to be known as York Co., South Carolina. It must be noted that land in 1750 was opened for settlement by Lord Granville who controlled or owned North Carolina in Anson County. Robert Simonton apparently allowed his Nephew, John (son of Theophilus II) or his own son, John Simonton, to use this land until he had a family after which John Jr. settled with his family in Chester Co., South Carolina. Robert Simonton NEVER returned to Ireland and then came back to America. Robert was a pioneer in NC and SC.
Robert's daughter Margaret who married Andrew Kerr and with a family of three, including one named William, were in York Co. SC in 1786 as shown in court records, as well as Thomas, Robert's son, who was also shown in the York Co, SC court records in 1786. Robert owned the land in SC until the 20th May 1786, when he sold it to Wm. Berry. This land being located just north of the Catawaba Indian Lands in SC, and on the Catawaba River.
Robert probably did not live on this land in 1750 long and he relocated to Rowan Co NC on Fourth Creek near where his sisters and their husbands Andrew and Thomas Allison had located. This is the same area where his sister Mary and Samuel Thornton also received their land grant. When Robert came to Rowan Co, he purchased land from a John Edwards, and from Robert Allison. Robert Allison could have been a brother to Thomas and Andrew Allison. Robert Allison apparently left the Rowan Co area and possibly went to Virginia or to Mecklenburg Co NC.
During Robert Simonton's time in Rowan Co He arranged for numerous properties to be purchased by various members of his family."
(source: J. Helmke's research)
"Robert Simonton served as Captain of the Milita during the early days of North Carolina when Indians were a threat to Statesville. Robert was too old to fight in the Revolutionary War, but he served as a "Juror" in Rowan Co at this time. Robert arranged for his brother William to purchase land adjacent to Robert's and the Allison lands. He also assisted in the purchase of land by the Widow McKee (William Simonton's mother in Law) just north of William Simonton's land.
Robert Simonton Esq. having been appointed a Justice of the Peace in the
Granville District, and then also appointed as Captain of a Company in the
Regiment of the Rowan Command of Colonel Alexander Osborn, in 1756 by his Excellency Arthur Dobbs Esq. Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over his Majesty's Province of North Carolina. Robert Allison, brother of Thomas and Andrew Allison, was appointed Lieutenant to Capt. Robert Simonton. Robert was referred to as Major Robert Simonton as he also served in the French and Indian War.
Robert Simonton died in 1788, without a will and is shown as follows:
May 6 1788: "Ordered that Administration on the Estate of Robert Simonton
deceased, issue to Thomas Simington, who qualified and gave Bond with Adam and Andrew Allison in the Sum of 3.000:0:0"
Feb 11 1792: "Dr. ? the Administrator of Robert Simonton deceased to amount of Inventory and Legacies not charge in said Inventory Cr. By amount of Legacies and Account paid Balance in the hands of the Administrators."
"Robert Simonton was a founding member of the Fourth Creek Congregation. On 7 January 1758 (Fergus) Sloan deeded three quarters of an acre to Robert Simonton, Thomas Allison, Samuel Thornton, Patrick Duffie, and William Simonton for the 'use and Benefit of the Presbyterian Society, commonly called the Fourth Creek Congregation Society.' Eleven days later, Luke Dean, a witness to the transaction between Sloan, his wife and the congregation’s trustees, appeared before Rowan County’s Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions to offer proof of the affair.
The Fourth Creek congregation consisted of a number of extended families such as the Mordahs and Fergus Sloan, all of whom retained their membership in the parent church following its partition. To the northeast of the meeting house and Sloan dwelt the Simonton, Allison, Thornton and McKee families, all interrelated."
(Journal of Backcountry Studies)
"Evidence of the death of Robert Simonton in Rowan (Iredell) Co. was found in the McCubbins Papers, Rowan Co Library, NC. Records show that the Brand Robert used on his livestock was a crop and slit in each ear and the initials RS on the rump.
Robert Simonton died intestate in 1788 and his wife and family moved to Wilkes County, GA. May 6 1788; 'Ordered that Administration on the Estate of Robert Simonton deceased, issue to Thomas Simington, who qualified and gave Bond with Adam and Andrew Allison in the Sum of 3.000:0:0. This was a substantial performance bond for 1788."
(Source: genkssst)
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Abt 1710 - Abt 1788 (78 years)