ISAAC BRIGMAN, SR, THE HIGHWAYMAN WHO LIVED NEAR HITCHCOCK CREEK AND CHALK FORK IN THE MID TO LATE 1700'S
Shared by Terri England
Posted by Myrtle Bridges November 07, 2020
There's just one more thing I thought you and your readers might find as interesting as I did. This is about my favorite bad-boy
Brigman, namely Isaac Brigman Sr, the highwayman who lived near Hitchcock Creek and Chalk Fork in the mid to late 1700s. He got in all sorts of
trouble, including being charged for murder shortly after the Revolutionary War. I found the first section in Anson (Richmond) County, NC,
Miscellaneous, Loose Papers, NC Archives, which I posted somewhere online. The second part was a shocker because it doesn't name Isaac Brigman
Sr outright, but it does wrap up the whole incident described in a nice little bow. I believe this incident occurred because at that time
there was so little hard-cash monies (coins) available in the colony that people had resorted to paying their debts with barter-like payments
of chickens and pigs that were equal to the value of what was owed. The following will show that some folks were rather concerned about any
type of coin leaving the area. I find this little escapade extremely humorous and these evil deeds makes this Brigman one of my very favorite.
Check this out (it's long but well worth the read):
North Carolina - December 8, 1770
The Deposition of Bexley John Lambden of Anson County in the Province aforesaid, Planter, about Thirty Nine Years of Age, who being sworn
upon the Holy Evangelists, deposeth & saith, that in the Morning of the Thirtieth Day of November last, as this Deponent was riding the
Road from Blunt's Ferry on Great Peedee to Cole's Bridge on Drowning Creek, he discovered in the Road aforesaid, near an old deserted Cabbin
on the said Road, said to be formerly inhabited by John Bounds, between the said Cabbin and a Branch of Hitchcock's Creek, commonly called
the Chalk Fork, a great Number of the Tracks of Men's Feet; in so much that from the Ford & Bridge of the said Chalk Fork, the Road appeared
to be much trod & trampled with Men's Feet for many Yards, and near to the said Cabbin; and that this Deponent likewise saw from thence the
Track of a large Man's Foot along the said Road to one Isaac Brigman's House, about Seven Miles from the said Cabbin; and that on calling at
the said Brigman's, no Body came to the Door to this Deponent but a Woman, but that this Deponent saw the said Brigman toward the further side
of the Room, and asked if Mr Jarman was gone by? and that the said Brigman answered, that he went by about Midnight, and rode a large Bay Horse,
and that he the said Mr Jarman thought they were all abed and asleep at his the said Brigman's House, but that he the said Mr Jarman was
mistaken; and this Deponent further saith, that the said Brigman did not come to the Door during the Time of this Deponent's stay at the said
House, but that in the Time of the Discourse this Deponent had with the said Brigman, he saw another Man in the Room with Brigman, which other
Man only discovered himself partly, shily peeping at this Deponent, and that at the same Time there appeared to be some others in the said Room
which this Deponent could not distinctly discover; that this Deponent has long understood the said Brigman's House to be a House of very evil
Repute, where Horse Thieves and other Malefactors are frequently harbored and entertained, and where it is dangerous for any well disposed
Person to stay at Night, that this Deponent understands and has been informed, that no Person inhabits or lives on the said Chalk Fork, or
nearer thereto than the said Isaac Brigman's, and further this Deponent saith not. Bexley John Lambden, Sworn the Eight Day of December 1770
before me, Rd. Cogdell.
.....then 2 days later.....
North Carolina - December 10, 1770
The Deposition of Robert Jarman of Anson County in the Province aforesaid, Deputy Surveyor, aged about thirty eight years, who being sworn upon
the Holy Evangelists, deposeth and saith that about two hours after sunset in the evening of the twenty ninth day of November last past, as this
Deponent was riding the road from Blewet's Ferry on Peedee River to Cole's Bridge on Drowning Creek near an old deserted cabin on a branch of
Hitchcock's Creek commonly called the Chalk Fork, he the Deponent was robbed of five or six shilling in small pieces of silver, forty pounds
six shillings in Proclamation Money, and fifteen Portugal pieces of gold commonly called Half Joe's, in the following manner, to wit, As this
Deponent had passed the said Branch about twenty or thirty yards from the ford thereof, he this Deponent saw three men all armed with guns,
rush suddenly out of the said cabin and run towards this deponent, whereupon this Deponent put forward and spurred on his horse with all his
might, and the said three men advancing toward the road aforesaid to meet this Deponent, some of them cried out heatedly D--n your soul, Stop,
or we will blow your brains out, whereupon this Deponent immediately attempted to take a pistol out of his pocket, but hearing at the same
instant two of them cock their guns as they came within about six or seven yards from this Deponent, he desisted from making any defense, and
stopped his horse under the greatest shock and surprise, and thereupon one of the said men immediately stopped, and presented his gun at this
Deponent, another of them seized this Deponents horse by the bridle, and the third man seized hold of this Deponent, pulling and striving to
get him off his horse, and at the same time cursing this Deponent in the most shocking manner, and ordering him to deliver up his money, or
they would instantly kill him, he who held the Deponent's horse by the bridle, said d--n him, leave off pulling him, and get his money, where-
upon the other desisted from pulling this Deponent, and began to search his pockets on the side he then stood, but finding no money there he
went round on the other side of this Deponent, and took out of this Deponent's fob about five or six shillings in small silver, and then took
hold of this Deponent's saddle bags and began to search them, and from thence took out one parcel of this Deponents Proclamation Money, and at
the same time cursed this Deponent, and said, I have got some of your money, and I'll be d--ned if we don't kill you if you don't tell us where
your gold is, whereupon this Deponent told him he had none, but the other replied, I know you have, Yes d--n him said the other who held this
Deponent's horse by the bridle, and we will have his clothes too, I do insist on't. No d--n him said he that was searching this Deponent, we
will take nothing but his money, and finding another parcel, here, said he, I have got a other bundle of his Proc and we will have all he has
got, or d--n him we will kill him, and then immediately finding the fifteen Half Joe's, took them out of the Deponent's saddle bags and swearing
by his Maker said, Boys, we have got it, and seemed then to be contented, and began to return and began to put up into the saddle bags some of
this Deponents clothes and things which had been taken out in the search, and taking up a bottle of rum belonging to this deponent, held it up
between himself and the moon (which at this time shone very bright,) and swore that if they did not take the bottle they would have the rum,
and then drank to him who held this Deponents horse by the bridle, and taking the bottle again, carried it to him who had stood with his gun
presented at the distance aforesaid, and after drinking two drams apiece, the same person who had been searching this Deponent, drinking to
him that held this Deponents horse by the bridle, said D--n me boys, we have done it. No, said he that held this Deponents horse, I want his
clothes too. No said he that searched this Deponent, we have got what we wanted, and I'll be d--ned if we will have any of his clothes, and
then put the said bottle again into this Deponents saddle bags, and thereupon the said two persons who had seized hold of this Deponent and
his horse, left this Deponent and went to the other person who had stood with his gun presented at the distance of about five or six yards
from this Deponent as aforesaid, and then all three of the said persons advanced about four or five steps further from this Deponent, and then
stood talking together. Whereupon this Deponent pleaded with them not to leave him destitute of any money to bear his expenses, and in answer
thereby one of them said, d--n your blood, go off this minute, or we will take everything you have, for I will be d--ned continued he, if there
shall ever go as much money again out of Anson to the d--ned sons of b--ches below, as there has gone, if we can help it, and thereupon this
Deponent left them and proceeded as fast as he could to John Cole's at the bridge on Drowning Creek aforesaid, then being in such concern terror
and confusion, that he scarce knew what course to take. And this Deponent further saith, that the said three men that robbed this Deponent as
aforesaid are all unknown to this Deponent, their faces being all blacked and disguised, and that those two who seized him and his horse in the
manner aforesaid, were smallish or rather under a middle size, and that he who stood off at some distance with his gun presented at the time of
the robbery committed as aforesaid, appeared to be a tall stout man, who never spoke during the whole action, and all wore their hair, the two
former had their hair tied, the latter had his hair short and loose about his neck. And this Deponent further saith that at the time when this
Deponent desired and intended to have set out on his journey from home with company, his wife was in labour, and in such circumstances as
humanity forbade him to leave her in, but that the day after she was brought to bed, he set out on his journey, and rode late at night at the
time he was robbed, as aforesaid, in order to overtake the company which were on the road before him, and further this Deponent saith not.
Robt Jarman Sworn the tenth day of December 1770 before R. Cogdell.
Not someone you'd want to run into on a moonless night, but I bet he could tell good stories.
That's all...use it if you think others would be interested (or not). Cheers,Terri Brigman England
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This page created by Myrtle N. Bridges November 7, 2020