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Author: HCarrouth
Surnames:
Classification: queries
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.carruth/294/mb.ashx
Message Board Post:
I thought I had placed this letter here a while back, but can not find it. I also placed
the letter on the GenForum Carruth Family message board and I'm placing it here again
in case the information may be of use to help others. This will give me a chance to
update some links that were no longer working too. Good luck to all of you with your
family research and if I can be of help, please let me know.
Carruth family records and migration:
At the map link below you can find "Carruth" on the map, southeast of
Kilmalcolm. The map shows Renfrewshire, just across the Clyde River from Dumbartonshire.
http://www.grianpress.com/Renfrewshire/Resources/Renfrewshire map.jpg
"Carruth Origin"
Walter Carroth was found as a witness to a charter at Doune Castle, Perthshire, in 1540.
Directly quoting the book, "Carruth Family," written by Harold B. Carruth and
published in 1952, the next line after noting Walter's witnessing the charter says,
"who he was, from whence he came and what brought him to Doune, we may never
know." Alexander Corruich was found witnessing and Instrument of Sasine in 1575 while
residing as a tenant on the lands of Carruth. This area known as "lands of
Carruth" was found in Renfrewshire and there were Carruths living in Dumbartonshire
at about the same time. By all available accounts the Carruth family were tenant farmers
or craftsmen, hard working, honest, conservative, and religious individuals, in no way
related to gentry. G. F. Black's book published in 1946, "Surnames of
Scotland" says, Carruth, CARUTH, CURRUTH, of local origin from the lands of Carruth
in the parish of Kilmacolm, (in 1359 Carreth) Renfrewshire. The surname is mainly conf!
ined to the Shire. Several persons named Corruith were named burgesses of Dumbartonshire
the 17th century. ---Found in Ulster since the 17th century as CARUTH. On some of the
websites that sell coats of arms and similar information, Carruth is often confused as
being the same as Carruthers, which I've I found nothing to support at this time.
Abstracts of James Carruth's will are on record in the Public Records Office in
Belfast. The original will was lost in a fire in the Dublin Records Office. James Carruth
and family lived in Ballypallidy, in Ballymartin Parish, barony of Belfast, County Antrim,
about six miles north of Belfast. James died in 1728 and I believe his wife Margaret Law
Carruth died in 1729. In the book, "Carruth Family," by Harold B. Carruth,
I've found additional information for James Carruth, born Dumbarton, 18 June 1679,
baptized 22 June 1679. As noted in the book, no other records are found for this James
Carruth in Dumbarton, and I believe he may be the James Carruth of Ballypallidy, County
Antrim, noted above. If the Dumbarton connection is correct, this books gives information
showing James father was Robert who died between 1685 and 1687 (the birth and death dates
of his sixth son). Robert had three sons (William, Robert, and John) by his first wife
Janet Merchant or Marchant and three so!
ns (James, David, and Thomas) by his second wife Janet or Jean Buchanan. Robert's
father was John. John's occupation was a cooper (defined as a barrel maker in the
dictionary) and he was entered as burgess of the Burgh of Dumbarton, 06 Mar. 1635. There
are regiment and property records for John also. The property record indicates he owned
land on the west side of the town of Dumbarton, in the Parish of Cardross, in 1657.
John's parents were William and Janet Carruth. Other records are found for them using
the surnames Coryuith and Corruith. William's birth and death dates have been
estimated at 1575-1635. He died in Dumbarton and was a burgess. His son John assumed the
rights of a burgess upon William's death. The first record for William appears to be
for 09 July 1627 as one of the "ballies" (old title for officer) of the burgh.
The burgh records did not start until 1627. It is noted that since John is the only son
noted in the records, William and Janet may have had sons !
that moved to Ireland and be the Carruth's listed on the 1631 muster r
olls in for the Belfast and Donegal groups. William may have been the William in Carruth,
brother of John in Risk, that was mentioned in John's estate settlement in 1618.
Reference James father Robert and his six sons, this gives several possibilities for the
father of John and William Carruth who immigrated to Mass. from Ireland.
Reference the will of James Carruth being made April 11, 1727, and proven January 22,
1727/28. The proven date showing 1727 and 1728 has to do with the calendar year being used
at the time. The Julian calendar was used in Ireland until 1752 when the Gregorian
calendar started to be used. The Julian calendar year started March 25. The use of two
years to refer to a date shows the old style and new style calendar designation. Eleven
days could be added to each of the dates to show what the date would have been using the
Gregorian calendar. Using the dates above, we know James' will was written in April
1727 and proven the following January. Using the Julian calendar, the date proven was
still 1727, but using the Gregorian calendar with January 1 starting a new year, this was
1728 regardless of whether you add 11 days to the date. This will also gives us
information to use in figuring the age of James' children mentioned in the will. Five
sons are mentioned and Alexander is the!
only one mentioned that is a minor. James Jr., John, Walter, and Adam are the other sons
mentioned, with the first two shown as executors and the last two shown as witnesses, and
all assumed to be born prior to about 1707. Walter's gravestone shows he died at 66
years of age on February 19, 1769. Walter would have been born between February 20, 1702
and February 19, 1703. If the James Carruth from Dumbarton is Walter's father then he
would have been about 21 when Walter was born. Nothing indicates the birth order of the
oldest four sons. It is mentioned that the two mentioned as executors may indicate they
are older than the two mentioned as witnesses. John Huggen is also shown as an executor.
Throughout the future movement to America and settlement in North Carolina of the Carruth
brother's families mentioned here, there is a close association with the Huggen or
Huggins family and it is thought that John may have married Mary Carruth, a daughter of
James Carruth. Also, th!
e McCormick family genealogy has documented Elizabeth
Carruth that married Thomas McCormick, as being a daughter of Adam and that she was born
in 1705. Elizabeth is probably a daughter of James Carruth also. Mary and Elizabeth were
not named in James Carruth's will, but under the dowry system, they would not have
been. Both Mary's and Elizabeth's family are found close to Adam, Walter, and
Alexander's families in Pa., after immigrating to America which adds to the
possibility of them being siblings more likely.
James and John stayed on in Ireland and took possession the family farm land. Descendants
of their families are still there in the same area. Walter and Adam are found documented
on board the ship, "Deligance of Glascow," on January 30, 1729, immigrating to
America. In the State of New Jersey, Calendar Of Wills book, Volume XXIII (23), their
immigration ship is referenced on page 203 & 204 with the date of 30 Jan. 1729. The
reference was for the will of "Hamlton, Hamplton, Hamleton, John" (name as
recorded in book) from Minimor Co., of Londonderry, who wrote his will while on board the
ship. His three children (Mary, Alexander, and James - all under age) were to be cared for
by Robert Brown (guardian of children). Walter Caruth was executor and witnesses were Adam
Carruth, Rob't Davison, and James Taylor (all names as recorded in the book). The will
was proved 22 Sept. 1729 and John died at Pens Neck (now possibly Pennsville, Salem
County, N.J.). As mentioned above, Margaret!
Law Carruth, wife of James, and mother of siblings mentioned here may have died in 1729
before they immigrated or shortly after. If Alexander did not immigrate with Walter and
Adam, he did soon after, as did Mary Carruth Huggen or Huggins and family, and Elizabeth
Carruth McCormick and family. Walter, Adam, Alexander, Mary, and Elizabeth and families
all settled in Hanover Township, in Lancaster County, Pa.
While in Lancaster County, there are a few records showing the family there. Walter is
shown as an elder of the Paxtang Presbyterian Congregation in 1738. Alexander died in 1739
and Adam is shown as administrator for his estate, with James Huggens as a bondsmen, and
John Allison as a witness. Walter received a warrant for 100 acres May 31, 1742 and Adam
received a warrant for 100 acres December 30, 1743. Walter was listed as executor in
December 1743 for Alexander Aston, with John and Henry McCormick listed as legatees.
Elizabeth Carruth McCormick and her husband Thomas received a warrant for 100 acres June
7, 1749. Her family moved on to Cumberland County, Pa., and gained fame in the invention
of agricultural implements (reaper).
It appears Walter, Adam, sister-in-law Jean or Jane (their brother Alexander's widow),
and Mary Carruth Huggens and families were on the move by 1744-45 when Adam's daughter
Mary is found born in 1745 in Augusta Co., VA. Adam's son Robert was born in the same
place in 1746. Augusta Co., VA, records show Adam sold the property he bought in VA in
1747.
See Volume 3, Pages 260-260
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~chalkley/volume_3/contents.htm
See note for page 308
ftp://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/va/augusta/court/3court26.txt
Adam, Walter, and sister-in-law Jean soon arrived along with their families in North
Carolina and are all shown as one of a group of about 40 of the first settlers to of
settled in the part of Lord Granville's domain lying west of the Yadkin River in the
far western frontier of Bladen County, N.C. When Bladen County was divided March 17, 1749,
Walter was appointed one of the Vestryman of Anson County. Walter was appointed a Justice
of the Peace for Anson County April 11, 1749 and reappointed April 1, 1751. Rowan County
was formed from Anson County 4 years later and Walter served as a Justice in Rowan County.
Walter, Adam, and Jean settled on property adjoining the other (all over 300 acres each)
along the headwaters on Coddle Creek and Rocky River. This area was known as the
Davidson's Creek Settlement and is found in what is now southeast Iredell Co., NC. You
can find a map of the Davidson's Creek Settlement here as well as other references to
the Carruth family (from "Carolina Cradle):
http://books.google.com/books?id=mhAqXsiEj1AC&lpg=PA23&pg=PA45#v=...
The indentures for the land arrived for Walter dated May 2, 1753 for 302 acres, Jean or
Jane dated February 28, 1755 for 630 acres, and Adam dated January 30, 1755 for 333 acres.
It appears there was a delay between the time they settled on this land in about 1748-49
and the time the indentures arrived.
Below is another map of Iredell County showing where families settled there dating back to
the 1750s:
http://www.iredell.lib.nc.us/history/archives/landowners/landowners.htm
With this map you can see that Adam's home has moved further south, Jean or Jane has
given her property to her sons, and the Huggen or Huggins family is living beside the
Carruth family. There are other names shown here that are closely allied with the Carruth
family as shown through various records including: Davidson, Graham, Logan, Allison,
Sloan, Beattie, Braly, and Haynes among others.
Adam moved on with his family to Mecklenburg Co., N.C. and died in Lincoln Co., N.C. in
1782. Adam's son John married Elizabeth Cathey, daughter of George and Frances (Henry)
Cathey. John died in York Co., SC, Jun. 8, 1828 and Elizabeth died in the same place Oct.
11, 1819. John received a land grant for 216 acres along Paw Creek in 1773, adjoining the
land of his father Adam and father-in-law George Cathey's land. In 1774 John bought a
block of land in Tryon Co., NC, later to become Lincoln Co., NC., and established his home
on Indian Creek. You can find a good bit about John's involvement in the Rev. War and
of him being cited as a Captain and Major during the war. Tryon County was abolished in
1779 and replaced with Lincoln and Rutherford Counties. John was appointed a commissioner
of Lincoln Co., NC. John sold his land along Indian Creek in 1785 and bought land along
Buffalo Creek of the same county (now in Cleveland Co., NC). His land stretched in to
Cherokee Co., SC. Y!
ou can see where his home was on a map titled, "The first actual survey of the state
of North Carolina." I found a place you can view the map below:
http://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/ncmaps&CISOPTR=5...
Look along the southwest line for Lincoln County and you will see Carruth with a dot by
the name representing his home. This is noted as being about five miles east of Shelby
where route 74 crosses the creek. On this map you can see more names of families closely
allied with the Carruth family through the various records including: Cathey, Allison,
Henderson, and Graham.
John is buried in the Buffalo Baptist Church cemetery in what is now Cherokee Co, SC.,
near the graves of his wife and son Adam. Most of John's children appear to of settled
in the Buffalo Creek area of York Co., SC, now part of Cherokee Co., SC. One of John's
descendants was the first Governor of Texas. This was James Pinckney Henderson, son of
Elizabeth Carruth (John's daughter) and Major Lawson Henderson.
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