WELCOME


~ The pieces are all sewn together, stitched with love.........and a quilt tells a story and the story is our past ~

The Arrowood family immigrated from England to Maryland in the 1700's. They went south, eventually settling in the mountains of North Carolina. Later , some went further south, into the Piedmont of North Carolina, in search of work and a better way of life.



I am in search of my family.

I search for those that came before me, and lived their lives as best they could. I am in search of their stories, how they lived, and how they loved.


I shared this love of seeking the past with my Dad, sharing each new finding with him, the thrill in his heart intermingling with mine. I continue this search in his honor, and hope to know these people of ours when I join up with them all in heaven.

~ Steve Lewis Arrowood 1932-2008 ~


Come with me, back to a simpler time and place. A place far removed from the hectic pace of today. To a time when life was hard, but the rewards were great. When your quality of life was determined by your own sweat, your own toil, and your own ingenuity.


Would you like a glass of sweet tea? Let's sit out on the porch where we will catch the sweetly scented breeze of summertime. Maybe Grandma will fry up some of her wonderful chicken... Time slows here.

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"We shape our lives not by what we carry with us, but what we leave behind."

~You live as long as you are remembered.~


"Our most treasured family heirlooms are our sweet family memories. " Author: Unknown


"But those who came before us will teach you. They will teach you from the wisdom of former generations."

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Sunday, October 11, 2009

The Arrowood Trail Begins - James 1763

James Arrowood was born on March 1, 1763 in either Maryland or Wilkes County, North Carolina. Exactly where he was born, remains to be proven. He was born the son of John Arrowood, born sometime before the year 1745.

Conflicting evidence states that James was born before 1765.
Apparently James was married and was widowed prior to the year 1800. It appears that he remarried, to a woman his own age, sometime after 1800. The 1810 census of Wilkes County shows ‘James Arriwood’ and wife, both over age 45, with one of his earlier daughters, now age 10-14, a new girl 5-9, and two more girls under 5. Perhaps these latter three may be his granddaughters.
Some of his children seem to have crossed the border into nearby Washington County, TN, in the mid-1810s, and then returned to Burke County, which lies between there and Wilkes County.

James took out a bond to marry Rachel Davis April 1, 1802 in Rutherford County, NC. James took out a bond to marry Elisa “Lisey” Crowder June 11, 1805 in Rutherford County, NC. They had five children together.

* William (of Burke County NC) Arrowood , Born about
1785 in NC, he married Susan.
* Jesse (of Tennessee) Arrowood , Born about 1793. He
married Elizabeth Yeats.
* James A. (of Rutherford County NC) Arrowood , Born
May 18,1794, he married Nancy Elizabeth “Eliza” Britton.
* Rebecca "Betsey" Arrowood , Born about 1799. She
married William Mitchell Miller).
* John (of Yancey County NC) Arrowood , our ancestor.


Documentation found on James:

In Rutherford County, NC, on August 8, 1795, he bought from Thomas Davis, for sixty pounds, "certain pieces of land lying ... on the Shole branch of Puzzel Creek originally patented by Jacob Davis ... to a stake in Eavis' line ... being one hundred acres more or less ...". The deed was witnessed by Abel Lewis and Bartlett Eavis.

On July 8, 1797, John Arrowood of Spartanburg County, SC sold one hundred acres on the Middle Fork of Sandy Run, in Rutherford County, NC. No connection between John and James has been found.

The 1800 census of Rutherford County found James Arrowood, age 26-44, with no adult woman, two sons in each range 0-9 and 10-15, two daughters 0-9 and one 10-15.

On February 27, 1802, James sold the one hundred acres on Puzzle Creek. Rutherford County Deed Book 24-26, page 98 records an 1807 sale by James Arrowood to Anthony Enloe. The deeds have not yet been examined to see if they match the 1795 purchase. The next sale in Rutherford County by an Arrowood occurred 78 years later, in 1885.



John Arrowood of Yancey County, North Carolina


John Arrowood was born on April 27, 1794 in Rutherford County, North Carolina, the son of James and Lisey Crowder Arrowood. Toward the end of the War of 1812, James enlisted at Jonesboro, Washington County, Tennessee, as a substitute for Jesse Arrowood, his brother, who had been drafted. James was twenty at the time of his enlistment.

He then traveled to Knoxville, Tennessee, about 100 miles away, and on September 20, 1814, he was mustered into service as a Private .

In the 1840 Census, John was listed as a head of household in Yancey County, NC. In the Census of 1850, John was listed as a head of household in Yancey County, NC. In the Census of 1860, John was listed as a head of household in Yancey County, NC.


The following is an excerpt from TN Encyclopedia: History and Culture:

Diplomatic relations between the United States and Great Britain deteriorated after 1807, mostly as a result of British efforts to prevent Americans from trading with her enemies. In June of 1812 Congress declared war on Britain, citing as justification British impressments of American sailors and Britain's provocation of Native Americans against American settlers on the frontier.

When the United States declared war, Tennesseans proudly proclaimed their readiness to preserve the honor and dignity of their country. It seemed unlikely that landlocked Tennessee would be concerned about British violations of maritime rights and impressment of American seamen. The thirst for expansion, specifically for British-owned Canada in the North, and the southern desire for Spanish-held Florida drew Tennesseans into the conflict. The acquisition of Florida would open economic possibilities through the Gulf Coast ports via the river systems of Alabama, at this time part of the Mississippi Territory and claimed by the Creek Indians.

For decades, the Creeks had become increasingly intermingled with white culture through marriage and the adoption of commercial agriculture. Just prior to the War of 1812, however, a more traditional faction known as the "Red Sticks" began promoting an anti-white campaign inspired by a visit from the great Shawnee chief, Tecumseh. Indian aggression along the frontier, encouraged by Britain and Spain, alarmed American settlers; then an attack on whites and friendly Indians at Fort Mims (near Mobile, Alabama) on August 30, 1813, stirred the outraged populace into action. The Creek War thereby became intertwined with the War of 1812.

In September 1813 Tennessee Governor Willie Blount issued a call for 3,500 volunteers. Tennesseans' enthusiastic response initiated a tradition that gave the state its nickname of the "Volunteer State." Andrew Jackson, as major general of the Tennessee militia, along with his military colleague, John Coffee, led a force into the heart of the Creek Nation with the intent of completely destroying the Creeks as a fighting force. Beginning in November 1813, a series of encounters with the Red Sticks culminated in the battle of Horseshoe Bend on March 27, 1814. This battle left over 800 Creeks dead and ended the threat of a Creek invasion.




John was discharged the following spring at Fort Williams, Alabama, on April 10, 1815.
He sold his final pay voucher to a man in Western Tennessee, and he then returned to Jonesboro.

John married Frances "Fanny" Fannia Barrett.




Frances "Fanny" was born May 15, 1802 in North Carolina. Together they had thirteen children, possibly more, according to some indications. Still researching on this.

In the Census of 1840, John was listed as head of household in Yancey County, North Carolina.

In the Census of 1850, John was listed as head of household in Yancey County, North Carolina. Value of his real estate then was $50.

John died at Rock Creek, North Carolina on July 24, 1864, at the age of 67. Frances died October 1st, 1872, and was buried in Blount County, Tennessee. When she applied for her husband's War of 1812 pension on June 14, 1872, she was residing in Maryville, in Blount County, Tennessee. She was living in the residence with James K. Whitehead’s family in Greenville, Tennessee in the 1870 census. James was the husband of her daughter Fanny.


One son born to this couple was our Samuel Augustus Arrowood, born about 1836 in Yancey County, North Carolina, according to the census records. Samuel married Sarah Ellen Winters on April 21, 1858 in Yancey County. In the 1850 Yancey County NC census, Samuel is shown living with his family at age 14 years old.
Father, John is shown as age 50 and mother, Frances is shown age 46. Eleven children are in the household. In the 1860 census he is shown as head of household, married to Sarah Ellen Winters Arrowood with son, Welzia. Samuel served in the 4th Regiment, Tennessee Infantry, Union Army. Samuel was a Minister.


The other children born to John and Frances Arrowood :*



William B. Arrowood, Born May 30, 1819. Died January 18, 1865 in Tennessee. On October 8, 1863 he was enrolled at Knoxville, Tennessee as a private in Company E of the 1st Tennessee Light Artillery. He was mustered into the Company commanded by Captain William J. Patterson on October 16, 1863 to serve 3 years, or during the war. He served on the Union side in the Civil War. He died at age 45. On August 2, 1865, his widow, Sarah, applied for a pension based on his service. His remains are interred at City Cemetery, Grave #11439, Nashville, Tennessee.
















*James T. Arrowood, Born October 09, 1820. He married Mary and they had two sons and two daughters. His place of burial is as of yet, unknown.

*Thomas Arrowood, Born October 29, 1820. Died February 01, 1900 in Altoona, Polk County, Iowa. He married Clarissa Isobell Parnell. They had nine children. After Clarissa’s death he married
Louisa Stinnet on June 19, 1886, in Greene County, Tennessee. He had nine more children with Louisa. Thomas was inducted into the military (Civil War) in Strawberry Plaines, Jefferson County, Tennessee, June 30, 1864. He died at age 79, 3 months and 3 days.




















*John B. Arrowood, Born Abt.1828. John married Rebecca Street on May 21, 1851 in Yancey County, North Carolina. They had ten children.




I have located Rebecca's final resting place:








Old Garland Cemetery, Red Hill Community, Mitchell County, NC

*McHenry B. "Mack Henry"Arrowood, Born Nov. 1828. Mack married Margaret Elizabeth Street, Rebecca’s sister, on October 16, 1851. Mack died 1900 in Buchanan County, Virginia from typhoid fever.

*Sarah Ann Arrowood, Born 1831. Sarah married James W. Austin on July 10, 1859 in Yancey County. They had seven children.

*Nancy A. Arrowood, Born February 22, 1833. Nancy married Jesse Hilton Ross and they had five children. Nancy died on February 01, 1911 in Greeneville, Tennessee. She is buried alongside her husband, Jesse Hilton in Mount Bethel Cemetery, Greene County, Tennessee.



















*Barbara "Barbary" Arrowood, Born 1837.

*Frances "Fannie" Arrowood, Born January 29, 1840. Fanny married James K. Whitehead on January 29, 1860 in Mitchell County, North Carolina. They had six children. Fanny’s mother, Frances was living with them at the time of her death. At the time of her death, Fannie had 83 great grandchildren.















*George Washington Arrowood, Born January 31, 1842. George Washington married Rebecca J. Shanks on April 17, 1866 in Greeneville, Tennessee. They had eight children. He served in the Confederate Army in 1863. He died at age 77 years. George died on July 11, 1919 in Altoona, Iowa. He is buried in the Altoona Cemetery, Altoona, Iowa.















*Wesley Arrowood, Born July 01, 1844. Died April 28, 1864.
Casualty of the Civil War, he was buried in the Soldiers Cemetery, Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee. Served in the Union, Co. C, 13th Tenn. Calvary Regiment. He died at age 19.







*Pinkney Arrowood, Born September 08, 1847.

1 comment:

  1. I am a descendent of James A. Arrowood through James T. Arrowood through John Arrowood! Always looking for more info and pictures and cousins!

    ReplyDelete