~ THE WAR OF THE REGULATORS ~
This project involves trying to gather a comprehensive list of the men with Guilford roots or ties who became members of the Regulators. This movement occurred across piedmont North Carolina against corrupt local officials who took advantage of their distance from the state capital in order to abuse their public office and line their own pockets. The movement started years before the creation of Guilford County, which started administrative operation of its land on April 1, 1771. The Battle of Alamance, which was the culminating moment of the “War of the Regulators,” occurred on May 16, 1771, just a few miles inside the Orange County boundary from Guilford County. This land later became part of Alamance County in 1849.
Alamance Battleground – NC Historic Site
Wikipedia article on the War of the Regulation
Wikipedia article on the Battle of Alamance
Captain Benjamin Merrill & The Regulators
Signatories to the North Carolina Regulators
“The majority of the members of Rev. David Caldwell’s two large Presbyterian congregations on Buffalo and Alamance Creeks joined the Regulation; in particular, John and Daniel Gillespie became well-known Regulator leaders and strategists. James Hunter, perhaps the most famous Regulator leader, left the church because of Caldwell’s sentiments. Two members of Caldwell’s church were executed on Governor Tryon’s orders. Following the dictates of their own consciences, such men chose to break away from the connection their more conservative ministers made between being a good Christian and subjugation to government….” [Breaking Loose Together: The Regulator Rebellion in Pre-Revolutionary North Carolina, by Marjoleine Kars; UNC Press 2002, p. 127]
“… Indeed, among the Regulators one finds Quakers, Baptists, Presbyterians, and even a few Anglicans and Moravians. Husband was correct in asserting that support for the Regulation did not so much follow denominational lines but rather depended on how seriously people took the democratic and political implications of dissenting Protestantism.” [Breaking Loose Together: The Regulator Rebellion in Pre-Revolutionary North Carolina, by Marjoleine Kars; UNC Press 2002, p. 129]
You may submit a known participant’s name, but please give me the following information: (1) name, (2) dates and places of birth and death, (3) county of residence before Guilford was created and a brief description of his Guilford ties, and (4) references to your sources for documentation. This list is designed primarily to show those men who lived or owned land in Guilford County, as a help to their descendants.
Note: I have listed a few of the movement’s leaders, and also those men who were hanged for their actual involvement or alleged involvement, as an honor for them and their descendants, whether or not those men ever had Guilford ties. However, the list of all participants in this widespread movement would run to nearly a thousand, if not more. Therefore, I must state that it is not my intent to list all participants from all areas of piedmont North Carolina.
Sources can range from “family tradition” to governor’s council records. I would like to limit individual listings to 50 words or less, as I want to balance a need for succinct listings with the need for references to documentation, whatever that may be.
* Those men who are known to have lived or owned land in Guilford will have a red asterisk in front of their name.
Those who died in the battle, or soon afterwards as a result of their wounds, or who were executed for their participation on the governor’s orders, will be shown with their names in red.
*John Alexander ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Isaac Armfield, Jr. ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*William Armfield ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*William Armfield, Jr. ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*David Barnhill ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Jeffrey Beck ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Benjamin Beeson ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Isaac Beeson ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*William Beeson ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Hugh Blair ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*John Blair ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
William Brown ~ was condemned to death at Hillsborough for his involvement but reprieved. [http://www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/mckstmerreg.htm]
William Butler ~ was a leader of the Regulator movement. [http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/alamance/alamanc.htm]
*James Calhoon ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*George Clap ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*John Clap ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Lodwick Clapp ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Tobias Clap ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Samuel Clark ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*James Coots ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
James Copeland ~ was condemned to death at Hillsborough for his involvement but reprieved. [http://www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/mckstmerreg.htm]
*George Cortner ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Peter Cortner ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
Herman Cox ~ was condemned to death at Hillsborough for his involvement but reprieved. [http://www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/mckstmerreg.htm]
*William Cusick ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Samuel Deviney ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*John Doak ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Bartoledum Dun ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Isaac Edwards ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
James Emmerson ~ was condemned to death at Hillsborough for his involvement, but was reprieved. [http://www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/mckstmerreg.htm]
*Christen Fall ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*John Fanin ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Jeremiah Field ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Joseph Field ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Robert Field ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*William Field ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*William Field, Jr. ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Andrew Finley ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*George Finley ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*John Flemmin ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*John Forbes ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Daniel Gillespie ~ was a “well-known Regulator leader and strategist” [Breaking Loose Together: The Regulator Rebellion in Pre-Revolutionary North Carolina, by Marjoleine Kars; published by UNC Press, 2002; p. 127.] Col. Daniel Gillespie was born in Frederick County, VA, in 1743, and died in 1829. He is buried at Buffalo Presbyterian Church in Greensboro, Guilford County, NC.
*John Gillespie ~ was a “well-known Regulator leader and strategist” [Breaking Loose Together: The Regulator Rebellion in Pre-Revolutionary North Carolina, by Marjoleine Kars; published by UNC Press, 2002; p. 127.] Col. John Gillespie died in 1806 at about the age of 65. He is buried at Buffalo Presbyterian Church in Greensboro, Guilford County, NC.
*Christian Glase ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*George Glase ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Philip Glase, Sr. ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Philip Glase, Jr. ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Powel Glase ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*George Goble ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*John Goble ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Nicholas Goble ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Ralph Gorrell ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*James Graham ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*John Hall ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Thomas Hamilton ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Patrick Hays ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
Rednap Howell ~ was a leader of the Regulator movement. [http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/alamance/alamanc.htm]
*James Hunter ~ was a leader of the Regulator movement. [http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/alamance/alamanc.htm, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_Regulation]
*Herman [or Harmon] Husbands ~ was a leader of the Regulator movement. [http://www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/alamance/alamanc.htm, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_Regulation]
*David Jackson ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*William Jones ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Peter Julian ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Peter Julian, Jr. ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Adam Lackey ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Adam Larance ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*James Low ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Thomas McCuistion ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Francis McNairy [McNary on the petition] ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
Robert Matear ~ was not involved in the Regulator movement, but was accidentally caught up in Governor Tryon’s revenge. He was hanged on 19 June 1771. [http://www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/mckstmerreg.htm]
*William Mebane ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
Forrester Mercer ~ was condemned to death at Hillsborough for his involvement, but was reprieved. [http://www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/mckstmerreg.htm]
Benjamin Merrill ~ was a leader of the Regulator movement. He was hanged on 19 June 1771 for his involvement. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_the_Regulation, http://www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/mckstmerreg.htm]
Captain Messer ~ was hanged on 19 June 1771 for his involvement. [http://www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/mckstmerreg.htm]
*James Neeley ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*James Neeley, Jr. ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Robert Neeley ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*John Par ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Levi Pennington ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*James Phipps ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*John Phipps ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Joseph Phipps ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*James Powell ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
James Pugh ~ was a leader in the Regulator movement. He was hanged on 19 June 1771 for his involvement. He was the brother of Herman Husband’s first wife.[http://www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/mckstmerreg.htm]
*William Rankin ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Jeremiah Reynolds ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Edward Ryan ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*William Shannon ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
See also:
Documenting The American South, Report by a Committee of the Provincial Congress of NC concerning British Militia Troops
*Conrod Shoemaker ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Jacob Soots ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*William Spurgeon ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Jacob Stelie ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
James Stewart ~ was condemned to death at Hillsborough for his involvement, but he was reprieved. [http://www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/mckstmerreg.htm]
*Henry Strader ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*William Stringfellow ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Abraham Stroud ~ owned land in Guilford County [http://www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/mckstmerindivid.htm]
*Barnit Swing ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Ludwig Swing ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*John Talbot ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Jonas Touchstone ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*William White ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*William Wiley ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Thomas Wilson ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Hugh Wyley [Wiley] ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
*Seymore York ~ [Guilford County, N.C., a Map Supplement, by Fred Hughes, published by The Custom House, Jamestown, NC, 1988; pp. 34-35.]
There were many names in German script that are next to impossible to decipher. If I can get some of those puzzled out, I will add those as well. This IS an incomplete list, which includes those who signed petitions to the Governor.
