Old St. Paul's Lutheran ~ Murder in the Pews

Hannah "Anna" Elizabeth Arndt, the daughter of Johann Gottfried Arendt “Arends”, married David Smith.

Hannah and David Smith were the parents of John Barnett Smith. David and Hannah Arends Smith are both buried in the Smith-Dellinger Cemetery located at Magnolia Grove. Magnolia Grove was old Heinrich’s homeplace, (brother to our John Philip Dellinger).

John Barnett Smith married Barbara Ann Dellinger, the great grand-daughter of Heinrich "Henry" Dellinger. This is the Smith family that built the house that today stands on the old Dellinger property of Magnolia Grove.

There is always a connection if you just look for it. I am convinced that our family is related to just about everybody. Not kidding on that one, folks. Just about everybody...grin.

Stay with me, this all ties together..I promise.

Johann Gottfried Arndt "Arends" was the first resident pastor of Daniel's Lutheran Church, the Old White Church, and St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Crouse, Lincoln County, NC. He also was the first Ordained Lutheran Minister in the State of North Carolina . He is buried in the Old White Church Cemetery in Lincolnton. This was the first burying ground in the town of Lincolnton, and is located in the second block south of the old court house in the middle of town. Right off the town square in Lincolnton.

Years ago, I wandered upon this interesting old cemetery and went through it completely. I read the memorial sign about Pastor Arends and wondered about the man. There are old, ancient looking cement cairns over several of the graves, surrounded by a sinister looking metal fence. Very gothic.

I never realized how this cemetery would figure into our tree, until now.

The strange thing is that this cemetery surrounds an old residence-like building, one that used to serve as the funeral home in town. The cemetery surrounds the foundation of this building as if the church once stood exactly where the large “house” stands now. But, according to records, the Old White Church once stood where the Lutheran church stands today, on the adjacent corner, so this is odd to me..

Are there old graves underneath the building, as well?? Seems odd that the graves would be placed up to the very foundation of this building and on two sides like that.. Certainly the cemetery predates the old funeral home.

Johann Arends was "buried under the pulpit of the Old White Church, also known as the Old Dutch Meeting House, in Lincolnton, NC. Later, in 1920, his grave and that of his wife were placed in a cemetery next to the church“.

Johann Arends was the first resident minister of Old St. Paul’s Reformed Lutheran Church.

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"Old St. Paul's Church: Catawba County's Oldest By Far" By Anne Huffman

This is a Copy of article in "Hickory Daily Record," June 6, 1970 - Reprinted Sunday, March 26, 2006

The year 1702 is the earliest birth date on a grave marker in the Old St. Paul's Lutheran Church cemetery west of Newton. Born of sturdy German Palatinate stock, these early settlers founded the oldest church in what is now Catawba County. They had been persecuted in the old country by Catholic sovereigns, had traveled to the New World in search of religious freedom and land, had found the farming area filled in Pennsylvania, and finally had made the arduous trip by wagon down the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia to the virgin wilderness of this Catawba frontier.

Having been peasants and small freeholders in Europe, they mistrusted settlements and choose to continue their farming customs in this fertile Catawba River Valley. These stolid pioneers brought with them their German Bibles and hymnals. Protestant Lutherans and German Reformed, they built their church and shared it on Sundays, even heard the same pastor on many occasions. Circuit rider ministers visited Old St. Paul's, and it was to become a rest stop for settlers on their way across the Blue Ridge into the West.

Love and Tragedy

Tied in with the faith of these simple people were all the love and tragedy common to the wilderness and the hardship which they faced made them even more religious. Their story is told in the Old St. Paul cemetery. Here are, the records on ministers dying serving their congregations, of wives and mothers who died in childbirth, of men worn away by the erosion of labor and of the children reaped by the Angel of Death before they had the opportunity to join the community as participating landholders.

Old St. Paul's was first called the Dutch Meeting House and was already established when George Washington was at Valley Forge and when Lord Cornwallis crossed North Carolina in his flight from the Southern colonies. Its parishioners fought the British and took part in the birth of a new free nation.

Crude Cabin

The earliest recollections of the church among the records of the church indicate that there was a crude, one story log cabin between two white pines that was used as a house of worship as early as 1733. This log cabin was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. A new building was erected in 1757. In 1808 this structure was taken down and rebuilt, using the same logs and home-made nails. This time the building was ceiled and weather boarded, and is the same structure that is still standing today.

Mrs. Doris Boaz, wife of a former minister of St. Paul's, relates this story:

It was about 1861 when a Colonel Hildebran became angered to the point of murder by the escape of one of his slaves, a big burly Negro. The colonel traced this runaway to the church, where he found him crouched between the pews and is said to have killed him on the spot.

The blood stains are still there, it is believed.

I took these 'inside the church' shots THRU the window glass..can you believe that?
The church will not open until April..so I will definitely go back..


Custom Followed

An old German custom was followed, with the men and women seated on different sides of the church. The slaves were in the balcony, and had to climb single file up the stairs. The minister climbed the high, narrow steps to the pulpit, which was originally in the center of the church. Over his head was an old sounding board, which it was believed, would fall on the minister if he spoke a lie.

War heroes of every major American war lie in Old St. Paul's cemetery, including the American Revolution and the War Between the States One epitaph reads:

"Twas thus when far, yea, far away
To camp disease he fell a prey,
No relative was by his bed,
No mother's hand to raise his head"

The land on which Old St.Paul's stands was deeded to the church in 1771. Eleven acres were given by Paul Anthony and his wife, Frony, to the two churches "Lutarin" (Lutheran) and the "Presbytarian" (Reformed), and to their heirs forever, to be used for religious purposes only and for no other purpose whatsoever. It was signed by Paul Anthony, and his wife, Frony, made her mark.

Among Ministers

It is known that a Swiss minister named Rev. James Martin, a member of the German Reformed church, preached at Old St. Paul's in 1757 to an established congregation. The first resident minister, Rev. John G. Arndt, (1772) was a Lutheran. Stipulated in the call to the ministers was the point that the preacher would have a sermon one Sunday every month in both German and English, and that he would conduct classes regularly in the old meeting house.
In the early 1900's members of the Reformed congregation moved to Startown. Old St. Paul's Lutheran congregation worshipped in the old building until 1952, when they moved into the modern building across the road. Old St. Paul's is now preserved as an historic landmark in Catawba County and as a symbol of Christian faith.

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This is one of the oldest churches in Catawba County. The deed for their land was made May 20, 1771; however, there is reason to believe the church was started a few years before land was purchased, possibly about 1768. The property was jointly owned by Lutherans and German Reformed.

The first house of worship was a small log building, and stood where a part of the graveyard is now. The second building, which is the present one, was built about 1808. The walls of this building are of large hewn logs, weather boarded on the outside and ceiled inside. Some of the timbers of the old building were used in this one. Homemade nails were used in its structure. This building has a gallery, which originally was used by African Americans. The building is rectangular in shape, with a door in each end and on one side. There was, at first, a high goblet-shaped pulpit, which was later replaced by a more modern one.



The first services conducted here were by visiting ministers, or by one or more of their laymen. Johann G. Arends is generally regarded as the first pastor of this congregation. He first lived in Rowan County, but in 1785 moved to Lincoln County, and served all the Lutheran churches West of the Catawba River.

St. Paul's Church is located in Catawba County, about two miles west from Newton. It was at first called the "Dutch Meeting House," while Rev. Arends referred to it as the "South Fork Church."

Okay. Are you ready for this?

Hannah "Anna" Elizabeth Arndt was the daughter of Johann Gottfried Arendt “Arends” , like I mentioned before..BUT... Hannah’s mother was Sarah Hannah Rudisill.

Sarah Hannah Rudisill was the daughter of Johann Michael Rudisill and Eva Catherine Dellinger. Sure enough! Sarah Hannah Rudisill is the grand-daughter of my 6th Great Grandfather, Johannes Philipp Dellinger.

Eva Catherine Dellinger, (Hannah’s mom) was the daughter of Johannes Philipp (Pioneer) Dellinger, Sr. (b. August 24, 1706 in Germany). The senior Johannes Philipp Dellinger married three times. Eva Catherine was sister to John Philip Dellinger, our ancestor, as well as Heinrich Dellinger of Magnolia Grove and Catherina Margaretha that married Michael Hoyle.

Johannes Philipp (Pioneer) Dellinger, Sr. was married to Anna Maria Brandstatter, the mother of our ancestor, John Philip. They were married about 1730. He next married Catherina Zerb around November 26, 1748. He lastly married Mary Tankersley about 1751 in Lincoln County, North Carolina.



Old St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Cemetery

Is this the final resting place of John Philip Dellinger and his wife Barbara Weidner Dellinger? Our 5th Great grandparents?

This is the church where they were married, on June 19, 1778. Old St. Paul’s.

Do their old bones lie in this cemetery, unmarked?



John Gottried Arndt traveled west from the Lutheran settlements near Salisbury in August 1776 and gave first communions. It would not be until 1785 that he was made missionary full-time to the region west of the Catawba River. Not until Arndt arrived here did people get rid of a sad superstition of never marking gravestones with their names. For these pioneers wrongly held that the devil would harass them until Resurrection Day if he could identify their location. Immediately after Arndt’s pastorate began all graves were inscribed in German with names and personal data. Native German Arndt preached in that language and common speech among these folks remained that way until Arndt grew old and virtually blind. The assistant pastor called to accompany Arndt on his rounds of serving the eight to ten scattered flocks was young Phillip Henkel. He was born in New Market, Virginia where he grew up speaking English. The veteran circuit rider Arndt died in 1807. The immediate influence of Henkel is evidenced by the usage of the English language on the tombstones in 1808.


This cemetery is special to me. It holds the remains of my 5th great grandparents.

John Setzer and Catherine Barringer Setzer. And also the bones of my 6th great grands, John Setzer's parents, Jacob Adam Setzer and Mary Magdalene Bovey Setzer.
I could not find Jacob and Mary's markers, there are many, many rock markers here.
I wandered in and out of the rows, pondering which plain stone marked the place where they lie...





John Setzer was the oldest of the known children of Jacob Setzer and Magdalene Bovey/Povey. He was born in 1753 or early 1754 in what is now Catawba County, NC, likely within the current city limits of Newton, N.C. John received a dark bay mare branded on the rear side BK from his grand-father, Conrad Povey, and five pounds, 'to secure himself'.

In an article published in THE DEMOCRAT in September 1912, entitled "The Pioneer, John Setzer", Mr. G. M. Yoder states that he married Catherine Bushart Barringer. Catherine was born 06 Aug 1763. John married Catherine Barringer about 1778.

John was active in the cause of the Whig Militia during the Revolutionary War. A HISTORY OF CATAWBA COUNTY lists him as a participant in the Battle of Kings Mountain. OVER MOUNTAIN MEN: East Tennessee History, 1760 - 1795, by Pat Alderman, Overmountain Press, 1958, also lists John Setzer as a participant in that battle.

According to Lincoln County, NC, Court records, John was an active community member during his lifetime, serving as a member of numerous juries and as an ‘overseer’ of roads in the area where he resided.

Over his lifetime, John accumulated considerable wealth by the standards of his time. By 1810, he had acquired 878 acres of land and had disposed of 125 acres, leaving him a net of 753 acres composed of several tracts within the boundaries of Lincoln/Catawba County, NC. The real estate transactions are recorded in deed books of Lincoln County, NC.
John began divesting himself of some of his land and property in early 1810. He sold his son, John Jr., two tracts totaling 239 acres on 25 Jan 1810.

A grant dated 12 Feb 1810 states, “in consideration of that paternal love which I have and bear towards my daughter Sarah about eleven years of age and in consequence of that friendship which I bear to Conrad Tipz of said county & the confidence which I have in the same, I do by these presents do give and grant & hath hereby given & grant unto the said Conrad Tipz for and on account of my said daughter Sarah of in trust for her until she arrives at the age of twenty-one years or her marriage, a certain negro girl named Faney, about seven years of age - etc.”

On 24 Feb he sold to Henry Dellinger, his son-in-law, “a certain negro girl named Nance, about eight years of age”.

To his son, Mathias, he sold 161 acres that he had purchased in 1807. To Charles Ward, a son-in-law, he sold 34 acres in addition to “a mulato girl named Hannah, about 12-years-old”. He sold 152 acres to Jacob Deal on 16 Mar 1811. The foregoing transactions are recorded in Lincoln County, NC deed books numbers 24 and 25.


John married Catherine Bushart Barringer Abt. 1778. She was the daughter of Matthias Barringer and Margaret Bushart. Catherine was born 06 Aug 1763 in Rowan County, NC, USA.



John Setzer and Catherine Barringer were the parents of Katherine Setzer.

Katherine was the wife of Georg Henry Dellinger. George Henry that started the Grist Mill. George Henry was the oldest born to John Philip and Barbara Weidner “Whitener” Dellinger.

Our family ‘stream’ runs deep in the waters around here. Flowing eventually, upstream, to the mountains of North Carolina as well.

In the year of 1829, when our ancestor, David Dellinger was about 20 years old, his parents, George Henry Dellinger and Katherine Setzer Dellinger sold their lands in Lincoln County and moved to what is now Caldwell County, North Carolina. Apparently David Dellinger stayed behind in Lincoln.




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John Setzer married Catherine Barringer, they had a daughter named Katherine. (Eight children in all)

Katherine married George Henry Dellinger and they had son, David, b. March 08, 1809.
Brother to Rueben Dellinger (that had the grist mill). They had quite a few children!

David married Martha Ann Elizabeth Jones. They are both buried in St. Johns Lutheran Cemetery, Catawba County, North Carolina.

David and Martha Ann had David Alphonso E. Dellinger. (Eight children in all)

David Alphonso had Virginia “Vergie Belzonie” Dellinger She married Eli Burton Hull and had Maude Hull. My precious grandma. (They had three daughters in all)






The historic building is opened to the public for Sunday afternoon tours during the months of April through October.

2035 Old Conover-Startown Road
Newton, N.C. 28658

Captain John Philip Dellinger ~ County of Tryon

Our ancestor fought in the Battle of Ramseur's Mill and the Battle of King's Mountain during the American Revolution.




He was known as Captain Johan “John” Philip Dellinger.

The son of Johannes Philipp (Pioneer) Dellinger, Sr.
Brother of Heinrich “Henry” Dellinger of Magnolia Grove and father to George Henry Dellinger that moved to the mountains of North Carolina and started up the grist mill.

Captain John Philip Dellinger was born October 23, 1743 in Oberacker Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany.

Our line goes like this:

Johannes Philipp (Pioneer) Dellinger, Sr. b. 1706
Captain Johan “John” Philip Dellinger b. 1743
George Henry Dellinger b. 1779
David Dellinger b. 1809
David Alphonso Dellinger b. 1853
Virginia Belzonie "Vergie" Dellinger b. 1881
Maude Rose Hull b. 1908


John Philip Dellinger was a strong supporter of freedom for the
American colonies. He was one of the 49 signers of The Tryon Resolves.

The Tryon County Declaration of Rights and Independence from British Tyranny.







This monument was placed on N.C. Hwy 274, just outside of Cherryville in 1949 by the Daughters of The American Revolution. John's name appears on the right hand column, the ninth name down.
It was at this site, that the first Tryon County Courthouse once stood.






He was elected to the Tryon Safety Committee representing his Indian Creek neighborhood.

He led both infantry and cavalry troops as a Captain, but was on duty as a
private soldier.

John Wilfong is quoted as saying "he never knew a better soldier or a braver officer."

He participated in the Cross Creek Expedition, the Battle of Cowpens,
Ramseur's Mill, and Kings Mountain.

After his marriage, he moved away from the families' original location
on Leepers Creek and settled in Catawba County, in the vicinity of his
father-in-law, in an area near Hickory, North Carolina. He may have
later, moved even further north to Lyle Creek.

John acquired property on Indian Creek in 1773, where he operated a mill,
and where he brought his bride. He later acquired other properties in the
area. John Philip Dellinger’s land bordered John Wilfong’s.


Barbara married Capt. John Philip Dellinger during the Revolutionary War, and had to
spend a year or so in Pennsylvania for safety with their first baby, our ancestor Henry,
while he was away fighting.

In 1781, when hostilities were over, they built their home on Henry Weidner's, (Barbara’s father’s) land on Jacob‘s Fork. (The present-day Jacob's Fork community is not that far from me, so another road trip is coming up, so stay tuned!)




Henry later divided Barbara's share among their children.

John participated in the usual civic duties expected of a prosperous
planter.

Their children were Henry, Catherine, John, Joseph, Barbara,
Jacob, and another son who died young.

John and Barbara made their home between their son Joseph and daughter Barbara, during their declining years.

Strangely, their burial place is unknown. But that is not to say that I will stop looking!

Barbara died at her daughter Barbara Sigman's home at the age of 85,
and oddly, no funeral was preached.

Magnolia Grove~ Revisited, In Search of Heinrich

We went back to Magnolia Grove today in search of dear old Heinrich.

I could not find his grave when we were first there. We searched the grave stones, one by one and I eventually conceded that he must be among the field stone markers that were there. The unmarked regular field stones were scattered about in the brambles and tree roots. Some order was applied to their placement, but to the casual eye, you would not even recognize them as grave stones.


I later realized that he was located about 150 ft further back into the woods, past the main part of the cemetery.. Not really visible from the tree line.

So we went back, ventured further into the woods, and Russ found him! I literally loped over the sticks and rocks and roots. That rush of adrenaline kicked in and my smile was spreading as I ran.




It is at the edge of a pretty good ravine..hard to imagine how the landscape would have looked back then, surely it was picturesque ...or at least better than when we found it. I touched his stone and told him that there were others that were related and excited to find him...




There is a large granite slab at the base of the marker. The headstone is standing up, very hard to read with the lichen and age showing on the face of the stone. I brought along some chalk and rubbed it gently to reveal the writing.

There he was, gently laid to rest on his beloved land.

I wanted to have a lengthy conversation with this man. I wanted to learn more about him and his life. So, just how much coffee did this second wife, Sallie, consume, anyway?? LOL! Why did you go all the way back to Pennsylvania to find a wife, were the North Carolina women too homely, or were there just not enough teeth remaining to suit your liking?
Why? How? When? Where is your Dad buried?? So many questions..

But, time distanced us, and it is not possible. The only connection I could hope for was to lay a hand upon his marker and let him know I was there.

When I do that, I feel I am 'home'.

I saw my Dad do the same thing when we visited George Henry up at Pisgah Church in Newland.
Dad misted over and rubbed his hand over the stone. He connected much the same way that I did.
I had to look away, I felt as if intruding on a very special, private moment.

Nearly two hundred years spanned between this man and myself, but I came to find him. It was a wonderful moment, one that I will remember, as I do all the other wonderful meaningful moments.
I really do not know why this yanks my chain like it does..smiling..but it does. Boy Howdy is does.

There is a nondescript small triangular stone marker right beside him, not sure if this is his first wife or his second. I have no records of where his second wife is laid to rest, but his first, Anna Joanna Rudisill, is surely there somewhere in that cemetery.



Those stones lie there, a silent testament to the soul laid to rest under them. The stone gathered out of love and placed there in love. Sometimes I feel those markers are the most majestic markers, the stones that bear no names.

Just the common stone remains, to remind us of the life laid to rest beneath it.

Rest in peace, Uncle Henry (Heinrich).




You are remembered.

Your 5th Great-niece, Martha.



This is a Lutheran church just up the road from Heinrich's final resting place. I snapped this picture as we watched the last light of the day, slowly ebb away. No Dellinger's here, but lots of distant kin, I am sure.

Magnolia Grove and the Springhouse Jail

Cowans Ford Dam, located at McGuire Nuclear Station, Huntersville, N.C. Hwy. 73. Click on picture for a larger view.

The Dellinger family moved from Pennsylvania, to North Carolina, sometime prior to the Revolutionary War. Henry “Heinrich” Dellinger was the Uncle of Henry Dellinger (the Henry that owned the grist mill and moved to the mountains of North Carolina). Johan "John" Philip Dellinger, Jr. was Heinrich's brother and also, our ancestor, (the father of Henry Dellinger that ran the grist mill). Johan "John" Philip Dellinger, Jr. fought in the battle of Kings Mountain, N.C. as well as the Battle of Ramseur's Mill. He was a Captain in the Revolutionary Army.










We struck out in search of the old home place of 'Heinrich', called Magnolia Grove.
It was in the vicinity of Lincolnton, N.C. in an area called Iron Station. Turns out that it is less than 10 miles from me! The house, that stands on Heinrich’s property today, was built by John Barnett Smith, and is registered on the Historical Registry. John Barnett Smith was the husband of Barbara Ann Dellinger. Barbara was the great grand daughter of Heinrich, and apparently inherited the property.










The line goes like this:

Johannes Philipp (Pioneer) Dellinger, Sr. b. 1706
Heinrich Dellinger, b. 1740
Michael Dellinger, b. 1761
Lewis Dellinger, b. 1796
Barbara Ann Dellinger, b. 1837









Barbara Dellinger Smith and John B. Smith's Headstones

The interesting thing about Magnolia Grove is that Heinrich kept a house “for the entertainment of the public“. He ran a tavern and an inn. He would drive cattle to Pennsylvania and cash them in for spirits and would sell these spirits in his tavern, along with other goods in his store.
In 1781, until 1784, they converted Heinrich’s springhouse into a jail, complete with proper fortifications. There has been some excavation of the site, where the springhouse once stood. There was a jail break, apparently, from the springhouse, so they fortified a room in his main house, to serve as a jail. They eventually held court proceedings in the house, as well, until the new courthouse was built in Lincolnton. You have to imagine that house as a 'happening place', don't you think?? Smile.

Heinrich’s first wife was Anna Joanna Rudisill, she passed away when Heinrich was in his 40’s. He remarried a lady that he knew from Pennsylvania, one Ms. Sallie Smothers. Apparently, this was one lady that loved her cup of coffee, so before she committed herself to being Heinrich’s wife, they had an standing agreement that she would be provided her coffee, even in the ‘Wild Lands’ of North Carolina..grin.
This proved quite costly for Heinrich, but he complied. Ain’t love grand?




There is also a tale that floats around about the troops frequenting the tavern. Before heading to fight the Battle of Ramseur’s Mill, in Lincolnton, legend has it, they stopped in at Heinrich’s tavern to have a ‘cup of courage’ before venturing on their way. Liquid Fortitude.

I can just see the frown that would have brought to my Grandma’s face. Grin.

The family cemetery is located on a slight rise, just behind the main house that was built by John Smith. I had found this cemetery once before and did not quite know how these Dellinger’s fit in, but I knew that they would, somehow.

Another piece of the puzzle slides into place. Big smile.

Name: Heinrich "Henry" DELLINGER
Sex: M
Birth: 27 OCT 1740 in Oberacker, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany
Death: 15 FEB 1820 in Lincoln Co. N. C.
Burial: 1820 Dellinger & Smith Cemetery, Iron Station, Lincoln Co., N.C.
Occupation: Large land owner
Military Service: Whig-took no part in Rev. War




Magnolia Grove was the home of Henry Dellinger prior to the Revolutionary War and afterward until the town of Lincolnton was founded. Magnolia Grove is situated on the Tuckasege road six miles from Lincolnton.
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The following info was found on the internet:

From Germans West of the Catawba:
"MC, NC DB 1:521-4 - 4 Jun. 1764 - Henry purchases 200 A adj. Philip Rudisill's line from John Rudisilly, oldest son and heir at law of Gerick Rudisilly, dec'd, of York Co., PA. This was Johanna's brother John who remained in York Co., PA. The wording of this deed is a bit misleading. Weyrick Rudisill d. in LC, NC...
MC, NC DB 1:445-6 - 15 Jan. 1767 - Henry Dellinger and wife Hannah sell 300 A on Leepers Creek granted 4 Oct. 1765.
NC Crown Patent B15:484 - 19 Apr. 1763 - 200 A on both sides of Rudisills Creek adj. Waurough Rudisill."


Magnolia [North Carolina] was the home of Henry Dellinger prior to the Revolutionary War and afterwards until the town of Lincolnton was founded. This place is situated on the Tuckaseege road six miles from Lincolnton. Before the Revolutionary War, when the old Tryone courthouse
was near Cherryville, a road from Beatty's Ford to the courthouse crossed the Tuckaseege road at Henry's house. Henry's residence stood at the intersection of these two roads, just east of and between J. B. Smith's present brick residence and the spring.

The Tuckaseegee road has since been changed and now runs west of the house. That part of the Beatty's Ford road has been discontinued for many years, but the tracks of both old roads are clearly visible today.

Being a man of large means and living at a public place, Henry kept house for the entertainment of the public. At that time such houses were known as ordinaries, and were licensed by the court. In the court records of the April sessions of 1775, the following was entered: "It is ordered by
the court that Henry Dellinger have license to keep ordinary at his now dwelling house in Tyrone County, he complying with the act of Assembly in case made and provides who proposes for security John Ritzhaupt and Nicholas Friday." In 1779, Tyrone County was divided into Lincoln and Rutherford counties, the old courthouse falling in Lincoln County, but too far west for the convenience of the public.

The courts were then held for a few years at Nicholas Friday's on the South Fork. They were next held at Henry Dellinger's. At the January sessions of 1781, it was ordered that the jail of said county should be Henry Dellinger's spring house until the end of the April sessions of
1784. The place dug out of the spring house is visible today. It was a small building, the lower story rock, the upper, logs. In the lower story, the landlord kept his liquors; the upper was used for a jail. As some of the prisoners escaped from the spring house, during the April sessions of 1784, it was "ordered that the sheriff of said county make use of a room in Henry Dellinger's house to be strengthened for the purpose of a common jail till the public buildings in said county are completed."

The next term of the court was held at Henry Dellinger's. The court minutes read as follows: "State of North Carolina. At a county court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions begun and held in and for said County of Lincoln at Henry Dellinger's on the first Monday in July, 1784, before Robert Alexander, William Graham and John Moore, Esqrs." The Courts continued to be held at the Dellinger place until the town of Lincolnton was established. The courts were first held at the Courthouse in Lincolnton in October 1786.

Henry's second wife, Mrs. Smothers, was reared in the city and wearied of country life. So yielding to her inclinations, he was the first to purchase a lot in the new town of Lincolnton. He owned and occupied the lot on the northwest square now known as the Robinson block. Henry is
said to have erected the first house built in the new town. Henry made frequent trips back to Pennsylvania, taking with him a drove of cattle, and bringing in return liquors for his cellar and goods for his store. After the death of his first wife, Anna [Hanna] Rudisill, he wooed, Mrs. Smothers, a widow then living in the state of Pennsylvania. According to tradition she was a great lover of coffee. Her objection to marriage and accompanying Henry back home was the fear that she could not get her favorite drink in the wilds of North Carolina. This the ardent
lover quickly overcame by promising her all she wanted, a promise he faithfully kept. Henry's neighbors frequently discussed his expensive bargain, and she filled an untimely grave from the extensive use of coffee.

Henry Dellinger was Whig and took no part in the Revolutionary War; but his brother, John Dellinger, was a patriot and active soldier throughout the Revolution. John fought at the Battle of Ramseur's Mill.

Henry Dellinger died February 15, 1820, in Lincoln County, North Carolina. He was buried February 1820, in the Dellinger & Smith Cemetery, Iron Station, Lincoln Co., North Carolina.

Henry Dellinger's tombstone is about 100 to 150 feet behind the main section of the cemetery, as are a number of other fieldstones.

Henry's grave is marked with two markers, one of plain granite and the other is a marble slab. The granite marker reads:

"H.D. Dep. This life 15 Feb. 1820 in the 80 of his age."

The diary of Lutheran pastor David Henkel has the following entry for Thursday, February 17, 1820:

"A funeral sermon for Henry Dellinger, Sr.."

This funeral sermon was probably given at the home of Peter Mosteller,
Jr., who was Henry's son-in-law. Henry had resided with Peter Mosteller
from September 22, 1818 until Henry's death.


Father: Johannes Philipp DELLINGER b: 24 AUG 1706 in Oberacker, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany
Mother: Anna Maria BRANDSTATTER b: ABT. 1705


Battle of Ramseur's Mill

When Tryon County was divided the Tryon Court-house fell in Lincoln county, but too near its western border for public convenience. the courts for part of the years 1783 and 1784 were held at the house of Capt. Nicholas Friday. His residence stood on the east side of the river, seven miles south of Lincolnton. The courts of July and October sessions, 1784, were held at the house of Henry Dellinger, and his spring house was designated as the "gaol." This spring house was a two-story affair, the lower stone, the upper logs; the upper story was used as the public jail. Some of the prisoners escaping, the sheriff was ordered "to make use of a room in Henry Dellinger's house to be strengthened for the purposes of a common gaol." The sheriffs, for protection against the escape of prisoners from these very odd jails, always entered on the court record their "protest against the sufficiency of said gaol." The site of Henry Dellinger's home is Magnolia, six miles southeast of Lincolnton, where the late John B.Smith lived.

While the location of the county seat remained an open question, the map of the county changed. In 1753, the western portion of the Granville domain was set up into the county of Rowan. Rowan in 1777, was divided by a line beginning on the Catawba River at the Tryon and Mecklenburg corner, thence up the meanders of the said river to the north end of an island, known as "the Three Cornered Island," etc. and the territory west and south of said line erected into a new county, by the name of Burke, and the county seat, Morganton, located fifty miles from the southeast part of the county on the Catawba. It being represented to the General Assembly that "certain of the inhabitants of Burke labor under great hardships in attending on courts and other public meetings from their remote situation from the court-house," in 1782, it enacted that all that part of Burke from Sherrill's Ford to the Fish Dam Ford of the South Fork, "and from thence a southwest course to Earl Granville's old line," be taken from Burke and added to Lincoln County. In 1784 a greater slice of Burke was added to Lincoln. The line separating the counties began at the Horse Ford on the Catawba and ended at the same point in the Granville line. This is now a noted point, known as the "Three County Corner," the county of Lincoln, Burke and Cleveland, and is the only established point in the old Granville line west of the Catawba River.

The Battle of Ramseur's Mill took place on June 20, 1780 near present-day Lincolnton, North Carolina, during the British campaign to gain control of the southern colonies in the American Revolutionary War. About 400 American militia defeated 1,300 Loyalist militiamen. The battle did not involve any regular army forces from either side, and was literally fought between neighbors. Despite being outnumbered, the Patriot militia defeated the Loyalists.

The battle was significant in that it lowered the morale of Loyalists in the south, weakening their support of the British.