Lydia married William ERWIN on 01 Oct 1800 in Probably North Carolina. William was born on 19 Jun 1777 in Ireland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

NOTE 1./ Historical Reference: The Year Was 1780
The year was 1780 and the American Revolution wasn't going well for the Americans in the South. British forces captured Charleston and 5,400 American troops garrisoned there. During the siege, South Carolina Governor John Rutledge managed to escape and when word reached the British General Cornwallis, he sent Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton to chase Rutledge and troops under Colonel Abraham Buford who were escorting him to North Carolina. Tarleton's men caught up with Buford's troops near the Waxhaws District six miles south of the North Carolina state line, as Governor Rutledge continued north. Buford's men put up a brief fight during which Tarleton's horse was shot from under him. As the American troops began to surrender, Tarleton's men, thinking he had been killed began renewed their attack on the surrendering Americans. More than one hundred men were killed outright and perhaps another hundred died of their wounds shortly after.

Up to that point, most thought that the South was going to remain loyal to Britain, but the Waxhaws Massacre became a rallying point for the rebels, with "Tarleton's Quarter" becoming synonymous with "no mercy."

The divisions in the South were apparent in the Battle of King's Mountain, which was fought between two American forces--Tories under the command of Major Patrick Ferguson, and the "Overmountain Men," American frontiersmen from what is now Tennessee and parts of Virginia. The Americans surrounded the Tories and this time it was they who gave "no quarter" to the surrendering Tory troops. Eventually American officers were able to reign in the troops and the battle was over. The defeat was a turning point in the Revolution in the South and forced General Cornwallis to retreat further south.

To the north, a British spy was captured with correspondence revealing that Benedict Arnold, who had recently been given command of West Point, planned to surrender it to the British. When news that the spy had been caught reached Arnold, he fled to the safety of a British ship and became a brigadier-general for the British, siding with them for the remainder of the war.

There was trouble in England as well. In 1778 a Catholic Relief Act had been passed, which reversed some of the Penal Laws of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. It allowed Roman Catholics to join the armed forces with an oath amenable to Catholics and gave them the ability to hold longer leases on land. It also ended the requirement that a Catholic distribute his lands evenly among his sons upon his death. The Catholic Relief Acts weren't popular with some Protestants though and in 1780 Lord George Gordon established the Protestant Association in 1780. In June of that year an estimated 60,000 people marched on the House of Commons demanding the Relief Acts be repealed. The huge crowd turned violent and a week of rioting left two hundred and ninety people dead, and devasted Roman Catholic churches and related buildings, as well as the homes of prominent Catholics and supporters of the legislation. Troops had to be called in to end the rioting. Twenty-five of the leaders of the riot were hanged, but Gordon was found "not guilty" of treason.

May 19th was a dark day in New England--literally. A low-lying dark cloud that at times had a yellow and at times reddish hue descended on New England and was noted from Maine to as far south as New Jersey. It was darkest around northeastern Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire and Maine, where it became so dark that candles needed to be lit to see. The cause is thought to have been a combination of low clouds that mixed with smoke and ash from a forest fire, but at the time it wasn't known and the event caused panic for many.

New England's dark day was a minor event though in comparison to the hurricane season of 1780. Eight storms struck in various parts of America and the Caribbean. British fleets off American shores took heavy hits during several storms. (Hurricanes in the 1780s were the cause of more British Naval losses than battle.) The worst storm struck on October 10th devastating Barbados and the Windward Islands, and claiming an estimated 22,000 lives.


Birth:
Randolph

RS married Lydia FIELD in 1783 in Rowan County, North Carolina. Lydia (daughter of WilliamJr FIELD) was born on 19 Jun 1762 in Rowan County, North Carolina; died on 09 Jan 1852 in New Albany, Floyd County, Indiana; was buried in Scott Cemetery, Floyd County, Indiana. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

NOTE 1./ JOHN LEWIS BIBLE RECORD
J ohn Lewis born.... died June 10 1802 Priscille Brooks, his wife, born Oct16 17 25
Children -
David Lewis born Mar 21 1747
Jacob Lewis born May 24 1750
Ro sannah Lewis born July 5 1752
Stephen Lewis born June 4 1757
Richard Lewis bo rn July 22 1759
Sarah Lewis born Jan 15 1763
John Lewis born Mar 9 1765
Jean Lewis born July 15 1755

This Bible Record was found by Mrs. Hale Houts of Kan sas City MO. many yrs. ago and a copy of it was sent Memo?y A. Lester by Mr. Byron Lewis of Bridgeport, ILL. in 1943. One Lewis Bible on this family was o wned by a Noland R Lewis of Columbus, Ga. in 1863 - this from Mr. Byron Lewis . John Lewis Sr. of this Bible record died in Randolph Co NC (will). His wi fe Priscilla Seems to have been the daughter of Jacob & Rosanna Brooks. While we lack final proof the indication is so clear that it can not be
ignored. T he famileis lived near each other in N.C and moved to S.C. & Ga. together. - M. A. Lester

NOTE 2./ Family of John Lewis and Priscilla Brooks

John Lewis, son of David and Mary, settled in Rowan County, North Carolina. This is the John Lewis who married Priscilla Brooks. John Lewis, son of David Lewis and Mary Crawford, was born in the early 1700's in Virginia, probably in Orange County. He married Priscilla Brooks, daughter of Jacob Brooks and Rosanna. It is believed they were married in Frederick County, Virginia. John and Priscilla moved to Rowan County, North Carolina on Pole Cat Creek, where they lived the remainder of their lives. However, new counties were formed and County lines changed. In 1771 Guilford County was formed out of part of Rowan County and later Randolph County was formed out of part of Guilford County. At the time of the death of John Lewis, 10 June 1802, his address was Randolph County, North Carolina. Priscilla also died in Randolph County, North Carolina. John Lewis and Priscilla Brooks were the parents of eight children. Their five sons served in the Revolutionary War. Their children were born in Rowan County, North Carolina in the section that later become Guilford County.

RS married Priscilla BROOKS on 16 Oct 1745 in Orange, (now Frederick) County, Virginia. Priscilla (daughter of Jacob BROOKS and Elizabeth WARREN) was born on 16 Oct 1725 in Guilford County, North Carolina; died in 1797 in Randolph County, Norh Carolina; was buried in Randolph County, Norh Carolina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

NOTE 1./ <>

Family of David Lewis and Mary Crawford

John Lewis, the son of David and Mary, originally settled in Rowan County, North Carolina on Pole Cat Creek. He lived there with his family his whole life. David Lewis, another son of David and Mary, settled in Marinsburg, West Virginia. It is recorded that Crawford Lewis, son of David and Mary, was deeded 200 acres of land in South Carolina from his father.

Frederick County, Virginia deed Book #4, page 167 - David Lewis and wife, Mary, late of Frederick County and now of South Carolina - to Simeon Haitt of Frederick County, 150 acres being part of 184 acre tract granted to Wm. Haitt, June 20, 1751 and conveyed Wm. Haitt to David Lewis October 25, 1751, lying on the east side of Opequon Creek. Witnessed by Edward Thomas and Richard Fowler. Signed by David Lewis, September 1, 1756.

David Lewis and Mary Crawford were first found in Orange County, Virginia. In 1738 Frederick County was formed out of part of Orange County. The Lewis family lived in the section that became Frederick County. David Lewis and Mary Crawford secured two Fairfax grants. This land was on Opequon Creek in Frederick County, Virginia. It is interesting to note that David Lewis' land adjoined that of Jacob Brooks, father of Priscilla Brooks, who married David's son, John Lewis. About 1756, David Lewis and Mary Crawford sold out in Frederick County, Virginia and moved to South Carolina. David and Mary probably had a large family - but only 3 of their children have been found: David Lewis Jr., Crawford Lewis, and John Lewis.

David Lewis Jr., son of David and Mary, married Tabitha. Descendants of this family settled in Berkeley County, West Virginia.

Crawford Lewis, son of David and Mary, according to South Carolina land grants was deeded 200 acres to him by his father, David Lewis.

John Lewis, son of David and Mary, settled in Rowan County, North Carolina. This is the John Lewis who married Priscilla Brooks.

DavidJr married Mary CRAWFORD on 17 Jan 1720 in Virginia. Mary (daughter of John CRAWFORD) was born about 1690 in Virginia; died about 1792 in South Carolina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Jacob married Elizabeth WARREN in 1724 in Virginia. Elizabeth (daughter of RS Thomas WARREN and Mary HACKLEY) was born about 1703 in Rappahannock County, Virginia; died in 1759 in Frederick County,Virginia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]