Derick S. Hartshorn - ©2008
Last Modified:
The McCurry family of the Golden Valley in the County of Rutherford has a history that begins before the formation of Rutherford County. The family history records that Micajah McCurry mined gold along the banks of the creeks in Golden Valley. With the Meltons, Fortunes, Proctors, Blankenships, Crows, Uptons and other families, they settled this county in the early 1800’s. Micajah McCurry, who has been known as K.J., Kage, Cazor, Cagy and Chager lived to be 92 years old and was known as "Grandsire" in his old age to many of the inhabitants of Golden Valley. Micajah was the third generation of McCurrys to live in Golden Valley. The first was William McCurry. The second generation was Abraham McCurry.
Documents found recorded of the McCurry family are found in Virginia and North Carolina.
From Augusta County, Virginia, Deed Book 2, page 503, dated 28 Feb. 1749 is a deed of William McCurry documenting a purchase of 248 acres of land from Ephiriam Vause, This land was located on the South Branch Roanoke.
Later in Deed Book 13, page 483, dated 26 May 1767, is a record of William selling this land to Samuel Crockett .
The will of William McCurry is recorded in Lincoln County on March 19, 1789 and so it seems that William left Virginia between 1749 and 1767 and made a new home in that part of Rowan that would later become Lincoln county.
In the will dated March 19,1789, William names heirs, wife, Jane McCurry son, Abraham McCurry [No other sons besides Abraham are listed], daughters listed are Mary McCarty, Sarah Wilson, Elizabeth Parker and Rachel Taylor. Witnessed by William Killen, Thomas Parker, and Robert Killen.
Son Abraham left a will also recorded in Lincoln County, dated Dec, 22, 1797, probated in 1800. He names wife, Mary McCurry, son John, daughters, Margaret Ledford, Nancy Towery and Elizabeth McCurry. Executors are his wife Mary and son John. Witnesses were John Brown and David Brown.
Micajah, William, and Jacob were not named in this will.
In other deeds found in Lincoln County are the records of Abraham giving son Chager McCurry a gift of land. Deed book 19, page 262, Dec 7, 1798. He names other residents of the county in describing the deed boundaries, "Shorts", "Thomas Parker", "Benjamin Monneshy", "Adam Towery". The personal estate of Abraham McCurry was settled in 1818, the date probably indicates that Mary, widow of Abraham McCurry, had died. Purchases from the estate were made by; Stephen Bedford, Jesse Ledford, John Smith, John McCurry, William McCurry, Micajah McCurry, George Towery, Thomas Parker, Adam Towery, James Bashears, Daniel Wortman and John Parker.
Deeds found in Lincoln County, now Burke county by Mary McCurry to Cagy McCurry, Deed Book 22, page 328 "Mary McCurry of Lincoln Co,, N.C,, to Cagy McCurry of District of Morganton "part of the plantation whereon I now live containing 20 acres more or less" (on Buffalo Creek). This is all the proof found to date that Micajah McCurry was the son of Abraham and Mary. A search of census records reveal that in 1800 William and John resided in Rutherford County, while Micajah McCurry and his mother, Mary, were in the Lincoln County Census. By the 1810 Rutherford County census, Jacob, Micajah, William and John were listed in Rutherford County.
Micajah McCurry married Hannah (?Maiden name) before 1800 probably in Lincoln County. Because of the use of the name "Smith" in many of the descendents forenames it is probable that Hannah was Hannah Smith, but no real concrete evidence is found.
Micajah and Hannah were the parents of the following children [ birthdates are approximate] (I) Martha McCurry, born 1796/1800, married Aug. 1818, Abraham Crow
(II) (2) Lewis McCurry, born 1801, married 1822, Dorcas Carson
(III) (3) Pheabe McCurry, born 1803, married Robert Downs
(IV) (4) Nancy McCurry, born 1805, married Phillip Whisnant
(V) (5) Simeon McCurry, born 1807, married 1829, Esther Gardner
(VI) (6)Smith McCurry, born 1810, married Sarah Jane Gardner
(VII) (7) Elizabeth McCurry, born l83 married Ransom Proctor
(VIII) (8) Christina P. McCurry, born 1815 married 1835, William G Grayson
(IX) (9) Margaret L. McCurry born (?), married 1838, James Toney
(X) (10) Joseph McCurry, born 1819, married 1841, Huldah Crow.
I have not located the records yet but it is said that Joseph was tried and convicted for the murder of Huldah Crow McCurry on 4th of December, 1866. He was pardoned by the Reconstruction Governor, W.W. Holden.
My Note..In the census records of 1860 Joseph 41, and Huldah 35, are living in the Whitesides Settlement of Rutherford County [family 502] with sons Avery 17, Micajah 16, Simeon 14 and William 1, while in the census of 1870 Golden Valley Township, Joseph 45, is living with wife Becky 37, sons Maxmillian 2, Mooney Lavina McCurry 9,[relationship?] John Huntsinger 25, [relationship ?] [family 6-5]. One can only surmise that he has remarried and started another family. Have been unable to research for marrige record, at this time.
William McCurry son of Abraham, brother to Micajah, married Elizabeth Ledford
William McCurry and his wife, Elizabeth, were the parents of 14 children.
(1) Amos McCurry, married Rachel Webb
(2) Betsy McCurry,married _??_Ledford
(3) Cynthia McCurry
(4) James McCurry
(5) John McCurry
(6) Mehaly McCurry
(7) Meremy McCurry
(8) Metheny McCurry
(9) Nancy McCurry, married ?? Webb
(10) Peggy McCurry, married Silas Melton
(11) Phebe McCurry, married Benjamin M. Henderson of Cathey's Creek Transylvania Co.
(12) Rebecca McCurry
(13) Silas McCurry
(14) William McCurry
Children of Phobe McCurry (daughter of Micajah and Hannah) married Robert Downs.
Robert and Phoebe McCurry Downs were members of Pisgah Baptist Church where they, and many of their children are buried.
(I)William Downs, married Nancy Bumgardner. William was a Baptist minister.
(II) Hannah Downs, married Joseph Parker.
(III) K.J. Mack McLeod Downs, married Elizabeth Hoyle.
(IV) Nancy Downs married Joel Hoyle.
(V) Phoebe Downs, married Jacob (Jake) Carpenter.
(VI) Robert Downs married Elizabeth Hoyle.
(VII) Louis S, Downs, married Sarah Wortman.
(VIII)Jane Downs never married.
(IX) Joseph Downs never married.
(X) Thomas Jonathan Downs never married.
(XI) Malinda (Lindy) Downs married Abraham Newton.
Children of Smith McCurry and Jane Gardner
Smith McCurry born Oct. 16, 1809, married Dec, 14th 1830, to Jane Gardner, born March 12, 1812. Jane was a sister to Esther Gardner who married Simeon, Smiths brother, they were daughters of Thomas Gardner. Smith and Jane McCurry died about 1890. Buried at the First Broad Baptist church in Rutherford county
Children
1. Elizabeth Martha Ann Esther McCurryOctober 10, 1831 married John Langford TaylorFeb 8, 1849, moved to Missouri. Elizabeth died Sept 16, 1919. John born Dec. 20, 1822, died April 13, 1880. Buried Rock Springs Baptist Church, Texas County Missouri. 2. Hannah Olivine McCurry, born Nov. 26, 1833, died May 14, 1913. Married James Sims, born Jan 5, 1832 married Sept. 8, 1854. James was brother to Joseph Sims who married Amelia Elmira Jane McCurry , a sister of Hannah Olivine. James and Hannah are buried at Golden Valley United Methodist Church in Golden Valley, Rutherford County3. John Decatur McCurry born April 2, 1836, died in Nov 5, 1907, a veteran of the confederate Army, married Mary Malinda Epley, born in 1840, also known as Polly, who died after 1937. Both are buried at Golden Valley United Methodist church in Rutherford County
4. Amelia Elvira Jane McCurry born 1839 married Joseph Sims
5. Julius Leander Smith McCurry born 1843 married Elizabeth C. Melton born in 1846, died in April, 1935, on Nov 21, 1869.
6. James Thomas McDuffie McCurry, born 1846, died 1930 married Mary K. Sane, born July 28, 1846, died June 11, 1879 On July 17, 1865, buriedFirst Broad Baptist church Rutherford county.
6. Layfette McCurry born Sept 27 1848, died 1850.
7. Catherine Roxanne McCurry born 1849 died June 11, 1859 of scarlett fever.
8.Sydney Ladson Grigg McCurryborn 1852, married Elizabeth Minerva Gamble in 1877. He and his wife and Children are buried at First Broad Baptist church in Rutherford County.
Children of John Decatur McCurry and
Note: Stanley and A.T. married sisters of J.M. Blankenship, who married their sister, Sarah.
Children of A.T. McCurry and Mary Blankenship McCurry
Page Design © Copyrighted by Debbie Fowler
These pages are copyrighted in the name of the NCGenWeb Project and/or the submitters and webmaster of this project.
They may not be used, housed or copied by any for-profit enterprise. Fair Use Doctrine allows for exerpting limited portions.
Derick S. Hartshorn - ©2008
Last Modified: