Nathan Alldredge

Name:	Nathan Alldredge
Born:	about 1739 probably Anne Arundel County, Maryland
Died:	31 Dec 1826 Knox County, Tennessee
Parents:	Believed to be son of William Alldredge (b. 1703)
Children:	William Alldredge, Eleanor (Alldredge) York, Margaret (Alldredge) Allred, Sylvania (Alldredge) Long, Mary (Alldredge) Allred, Sarah (Alldredge) Julian, Nathan Alldredge (b. 1781), Andrew Alldredge, James Alldredge, Enoch Alldredge (b. 1790), Hannah (Alldredge) Wood, Elizabeth Alldredge

Overview

Nathan Alldredge was born about 1739, probably in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. He is believed to be the son of William Alldredge (b. 1703), who settled in about 1755 on Sandy Creek in what was then Orange County, North Carolina, now Randolph County. Nathan received his own land grant in Randolph County in 1786. Migrating westward, Nathan died in Knox County, Tennessee on 31 Dec 1826.

A great deal of genealogical confusion has resulted from the fact that there was also a man named Nathaniel Aldridge, a contemporary of Nathan Alldredge, who also settled in Orange County, North Carolina, at around the same time. Genealogists over the years have ascribed records to Nathan that actually related to Nathaniel, and vice versa, even sometimes conflating the two men as one. They also have assumed that both men were related to William Aldridge (b. 1703), placing both Nathan and Nathaniel as William's sons.

Recent DNA research at the Aldridge Surname Group DNA Project at Family Tree DNA has proved conclusively that Nathan Alldredge and Nathaniel Aldridge were two different men with different, unrelated paternal lineages. But untangling the confused and conflated records of the two men is an ongoing task. In this page, I will seek to present exactly what is known and can be proven about Nathan Alldredge.

Distinguishing Nathan Alldredge from Nathaniel Aldridge

Despite the assumptions of earlier researchers such a Memory Aldridge Lester, I will argue that the spellings of the names "Nathan" and "Nathaniel" are distinct and identifying, that all records referring to "Nathan" refer to Nathan Alldredge, all records referring to "Nathaniel" refer to Nathaniel Aldridge, and that any "Nathaniel" record ascribed to Nathan in the past must now be considered highly suspect.

Ameliorating the confusing situation somewhat is the discovery that the land claims of Nathan Alldredge and Nathaniel Aldridge, despite both originally being in Orange County, North Carolina, are actually separated by some 46 miles and two modern counties: Nathan's land today being in Randolph County, and Nathaniel's being in Person County. Nathan's land on Mount Pleasant Creek, a branch of Sandy Creek, adjoins the land of two men named William Aldridge (or Alldredge), both the one born in 1703 and the one born in 1729, while Nathaniel Aldridge's land lies on the Brushy Fork of the Flat River adjoining that of Joseph Aldridge. Nathan Alldredge shares with William Alldredge (b. 1729) and his descendants the distinct spelling of the surname, Alldredge, while Nathaniel Aldridge and Joseph Aldridge both had their names spelled Aldrage or Aldrige in early land grants, and their descendants have since maintained the spelling Aldridge. Finally, the Y-DNA of Nathan Alldredge's descendants matches that of the descendants of William Alldredge (b. 1729), and does not match that of Nathaniel Aldridge's descendants. Nathaniel Aldridge's descendants, on the other hand, match the Y-DNA of the Joseph Aldridge's descendants.

Aldridge land grants in the of area of what was, in 1755-1765, Orange County, North Carolina, showing the distance between Nathan Alldredge's Sandy Creek settlement and Nathaniel Aldridge's Flat River settlement. 1760 county lines are thick green lines, while modern county lines are dotted blue lines. 1760 county labels are in green, while modern county labels are in blue.

Records that are indisputably Nathan Alldredge

Death notice

Death notice of Nathan Alldredge, from the Enquirer (Knoxville), 17 Jan 1827.

There is no question that our ancestor, Nathan Alldredge, died on 31 Dec 1826 in Knox County, Tennessee. His death notice appeared in the Enquirer (Knoxville) on 17 Jan 1827:

DIED — On the 31st of last month, in this county, NATHAN ALDRIDGE, aged 87 years.

It is from this same record that we fix his approximate birthdate at about 1739.

Will of Nathan Alldredge

Nathan Alldredge signed his will on 23 Mar 1818, not so "sick and weak in body" that he didn't live another nine years. The following transcription is from the Historical Records Project's transcription of Knox County Estate Book No. 4 (1824–1830) — the original book apparently no longer extant.

Nathan Alldridge

The last will and testament of Nathan Alldridge was produced to court for probate, whereupon Alexander Stowell & Maxwell Brown subscribing witnesses thereto made oath that they saw the said Nathan Alldridge sign and seal, and heard him pronounce publish and declare the same as his last will and testament and that at the time of publishing the same he was of sound mind and memory to the best of his knowledge and belief — and the same is admitted to record and is in the words and figures following to wit —

"In the name of God Amen. I Nathan Alldridge of the county of Knox being suck and weak in body but of sound mind and disposing memory (for which I thank God) and calling to mind the uncertainty of human life, and being desirous to dispose of all such worldly substance, as it has pleased God to bless me with, I give and bequeath to my well beloved wife Hannah to live in the house I now live in, during her natural life if she should continue a widow, also two feather beds and furniture and bedstead and cord — one cow and calf and all the puter and kitchen furniture and one chest and one table, one flax wheel, one check reel, one arm chare & one common chare.

• Item. I give to my son William Alldridge 1 dollar.
• Item. I give to my daughter Ellenor York one dollar.
• Item. I give to my daughter Margaret Allred one dollar.
• Item. I give to my daughter Sylvanie Long one dollar.
• Item. I give to my daughter Mary Allred one dollar.
• Item. I give to my daughter Sarah Julian one dollar.
• Item. I give to my son Nathan Alldridge one dollar.
• Item. I give to my son Andrew Alldridge one dollar.
• Item. I give to my daughter Elizabeth Alldridge one lume, one flax wheel and one cotton wheel, one cow and calf and two year old heifer and one sorrel horse, saddle and bridle, two feather beds and furniture, one bedstead and cord — one ewe and two weathers and one lamb and one Bible —
• Item. I give to my son James Alldridge fifty acres of land where he now lives — Running strait across the tract — Beginning on the lower line of the tract I live on — Running north forty five — East so as to include fifty acres on his part —
• Item. I give to my son Enoch Alldridge fifty acres of land where I now live to run strait across the tract with James line, also one sorrel mare, one saddle and bridle and one gray horse and all the plantation and carpenter tools, two feather beds and furniture and one bedstead and cord, one cow and two year old heifer, five head of sheep, and all the tubs, barrel and cags and all other such like plunder and twenty two dollars that is due from Julian Millicom, and Enoch to be at the expence of all demands against the estate. I also give to Enoch one rifle gun, and it is my desire that all the hogs be left for the familys use.
• Item. I give to my daughter Hannah Wood one dollar. And lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my son William Alldridge and James Alldridge Executors of this my last will and testament, Hereby revoking all other former wills or testaments by me heretofore made; in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 23d day of March and in the year of our Lord 1818.

Nathan {his mark} Alldredge

Signed, sealed, published and declared to be the last will and testament of the above named Nathan Alldridge in presents of us who at his request and in his presents have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses to the same.

• Alexander Stovall
• Aron Gentry
• Maxwell Brown

It appears the spelling Alldridge is consistent throughout the will, with the name spelled Alldredge at the signature. This spelling serves as a distinguishing mark of this Nathan and his family compared to other Aldridge families.

1799 Knox County petition

Nathan Alldredge, a resident of Knox County, Tennessee, by 1799, signed a petition of Knox County residents for the division of the county for better administrative convenience:

To the Honorable General Assembly of the State of Tennessee:

The petition of sundry Inhabitants of Knox County humbly sheweth that their local situation is such as renders it very inconvenient for them to attend the usual place of holding Courts, General Musters, Elections, etc., some of us having at least from 25 to 40 miles to travel & generally very bad Roads, having sundry large Water-Courses, and Ridges to cross, Your Petitioners humbly conceive that their Grievance might be much alleviated by the division of Knox County in the following manner, viz. ...

Signatories to the petition include:

• Nathan Alldredge
• Wm. Alldredge
• Nath'l aldredg junr
• Solomon Allred [son-in-law of Nathan, husband of Mary]
• Geo. Julin [Julian]
• Jn. Julin [Julian] [son-in-law of Nathan, husband of Sarah]
• William Wood
• Sampson Wood
• Obadiah Wood

The spelling Alldredge is present in the available transcription. (The "Nath'l" of Nathan Junior, we will excuse as a bad reading.)

1795 Knox County deed

The first record of Nathan Alldredge in Tennessee is a deed, recorded in Knox County, Tennessee, Deeds of Conveyance Book C2, page 81, on 6 May 1795:

"Hiram Green of the County of Knox, Territory south of Ohio sells a piece of land consisting of 640 acres on the south side of Clinch River to Nathan Aldridge of Jefferson County, territory south of Ohio ..." Witnesses: Stephen Julian and Thomas Hunter.

There is no deed record of Nathan Alldredge in Jefferson County, Tennessee. According to Memory Aldridge Lester, "This deed shows that Nathan stopped briefly in Jefferson County, Tennessee. I went there once and looked for him in the deeds but did not find any record of him. Nathan sold out in Randoloph [North Carolina] in September and October 1774, so he must not have taken up land in Jefferson. Probably just spent the winter there."

Ambiguous records

1802 tax list, Anderson County, Tennessee

The name of Nathan Aldridge on an 1802 tax list in Anderson County, Tennessee, adjacent to Knox County, could refer to either Nathan Alldredge Sr., or to his son, Nathan Alldredge Jr (b. 1781). Anderson County was created by act of the Tennessee legislature on 6 Nov 1801, from fractions of Knox and Grainger counties. Though Nathan Sr.'s will was probated in Knox County, it is not certain that he resided there all the time from 1799 until his death.

A List of taxable property and polls in Capt. McCamey's Company for 1802. By John McCamey Esquire.

Aldridge, Nathan

50 acres

Brush[y] Fk

1 poll

Also listed:

• Allred, Solomon [son-in-law of Nathan Sr., husband of Mary], 1 poll
• Juland, George [probably Julian], 125 acres, B. Fork
• Juland, John [probably Julian, and son-in-law of Nathan Sr., husband of Sarah], 1 poll

North Carolina records

1794 deeds in Randolph County, North Carolina

Though I don't personally consider these records ambiguous or disputed, the fact is that both the Nathan Alldredge and the Nathaniel Aldridge lineages claim descent from William Aldridge (b. 1703), and that, according to DNA evidence, at least one of them is wrong. So for the sake of argument, I will include them in their own category.

To me, the coincidence of the dates of Nathan Alldredge selling land in Randolph County, North Carolina, in September and October 1794, and buying land in Knox County, Tennessee, in May 1795, is too near to be mere chance.

Deed Book 7, page 26. 30 October 1794. Nathan Aldredge sells to Jeremiah York for 20 pounds 50 acres on Mt. Pleasant Creek, branch of Sandy Creek land adjoining John Alred, being a tract that "I bought of Absalom McDaniel and bought by sd. McDaniel of Jas. McAlroy by deed from Granville dated 30 June 1762..." Proven August Term Court by oath of John White.

Deed Book 6, page 8. 2 September 1794. Nathan Alldredge sold to Peter Smith of Guilford County, North Carolina, 200 acres for 260 pounds being part of tract that Nathan purchased of Henry Pierce first cleared out of the state office 20 July 1786, adjoining Jonathan McCallum, Jeremiah York and Pearce's...

I appreciate that these deeds give their own title history. It thus appears that Nathan Alldredge was selling his land in Randolph County, North Carolina, in the fall of 1794 and buying land in Knox County, Tennessee, in the spring of 1795.

1786 deeds and land grant in Randolph County, North Carolina

The September 1794 deed specifically deed refers back to this deed in 1786:

Deed Book 3, page 90. 27 January 1786. Nathan Aldredge buys from Henry Pierce 200 acres on Mt. Pleasant Creek for consideration of 75 pounds. Witnesses: Jeremiah York and William Aldredge.

By far the record offering the most convincing evidence of Nathan Alldredge's connection to William Aldridge (Alldredge) is this 1786 land warrant and patent:

Randolph County File no. 166, Grant no. 359, Patent Book 58, page 408. 24 July 1786. 200 acres granted to Nathan Aldridge on waters of Mount Pleasant, branch of Sandy Creek, adjoining Henry Pierce, Jonathan McCallom, and Jeremiah York.

Full text:

State of North Carolina, grant no. 359 (Patent Book 58, page 409; File no. 166)

To all whom these presents shall come, Greeting.

Know ye, that We, for and inconsideration of the sum of fifty shillings for every Hundred Acres hereby granted, paid into our Treasury by Nathan Aldridge, have Given and Granted, and by these Presents do Give and Grant unto the said Nathan Aldridge a Tract of Land, containing two hundred Acres, lying and being in our County of Randolph.

On Mount Pleasant Sandy Creek waters, Beginning at a post oak in Henry Peirce's line and running west bounded by Jonathan McCallom line cooping a Branch fifty five and a half chains to a white oak then south bounded by Jeremiah York thirty-six chains to a post oak then east fifty-five and a half chains to a hickory in Pierce's line then north on said line to Beginning...

as by the Plat hereunto annexed doth appear; together with all Woods, Waters, Mines, Minerals, Hereditaments, and Appurtenances, to the said Land belonging or appertaining: To hold to the said Nathan Aldridge, his Heirs and Assigns, for ever. Yielding and paying to us such sums of Money yearly, or otherwise, as our General Assembly from Time to Time may direct. Provided always, That the said Nathan Aldridge registered in the Register's Office of our said County of Randolph within Twelve Months from the Date hereof, otherwise the same shall be void and of no Effect.

In Testimony whereof, we have caused our Great Seal to be hereunto affixed. Witness Richard Caswell, Esquire, Captain-General, and Commander in Chief, at Kingston, the twenty-fourth Day of July in the Eleventh Year of our Independence, and in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-Six.

Rd. Caswell.

J. Glasgow, Secretary.

The following warrant is attached:

Warrant no. 927. 5 December 1778. Survey for William Alredge 200 acres in Guilford County on waters of Mount Pleasant, branch of Sandy Creek, adjoining Henry Pearce.

Full text:

State of North Carolina, warrant no. 927.

Ralph Garrett, entry officer of claims for lands in the County of Guilford.

To the surveyor of the said county, greetings.

You are hereby required ... to lay off and survey for William Alredge ... a tract of land containing two hundred acres laying in the county aforesaid on the waters of Mount Pleasant a branch of Sandy Creek beginning at a white oak near a small branch thence north adjoining Henry Pearce's claim thence south for complement including said Alredge's improvement.

Observing the directions of the act of assembly in such case made and provided for annexing out lands, two just and fair plans of such survey with a proper certificate annexed to each, you are to transmit with this warrant to the secretary office without delay. Given under my hand at Spring Field the fifth Day of December anno Dom. 1778. Ralph Garrett.

(Reverse side)

December 24th 1783

I sign all my right of this within warrant to Nathan Alldredge. Signed by me,

Wm. {his mark} Alldredge

Witness Jere. York.

This record clearly establishes a close connection between William Alldredge and Nathan Alldredge, such that the land William entered in 1778, he later assigned to Nathan to receive as a grant in 1786. But which William? Without further context, this record could indicate either William (b. 1703) or his son, William (b. 1729). William Sr. is believed, per Dennis York's reading of a discovered tombstone at Sandy Creek Baptist Church, to have died on 11 April 1786, shortly before the date of this grant, 24 July 1786. I would argue that the proximity of these dates suggests that this land was William Sr.'s, the father's. By the land description, this is the same land that Nathan sold in 1794. And the spelling of the signatures on the warrant is clear: Alldredge, a clear example of even William Alldredge spelling his name this distinctive way.

1768 Regulators petition

In May 1768, a group of citizens of Orange County, North Carolina, calling themselves "Regulators," published a petition protesting high public fees and corruption in the colonial government. Among the signatures were the names of three Aldridges:

• James Aldridge
• Nich: Aldridge
• Nathan Aldridge

I argue that this is certainly our Nathan Alldredge, and likely his brothers, for these reasons: the leader of the Regulator movement was Herman Husband, a Maryland native and a settler on Sandy Creek. He was a close neighbor and associate, if not friend, of William Alldredge (b. 1703), Husband witnessing William's 1755 land grant. Sandy Creek Baptist Church, where William Alldredge and his family are buried, was at the heart of the Sandy Creek Baptist Association, whose protests as early as 1766 were the organizational precursor of the Regulator movement.

Whether or not Nathan Alldredge took part in the armed rebellion that culminated in 1771 in the Battle of Alamance is uncertain. His brother William appears to have served in the Orange County Militia against the Regulators. Firm family tradition held that Nathan was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, of which service no definite record survives.

Possible Revolutionary service

Firm family tradition has held that Nathan was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. In Thomas McAdory Owen's biographical sketch of Enoch Alldredge, he refers to him as the "grandson of Nathan Alldredge, a Revolutionary soldier." No record of Revolutionary service is extant that is clearly identifiable as our Nathan Alldredge.

In 1966, Charles Grady Alldredge, my great-great-uncle, applied for membership in the Sons of the American Revolution on the service of Nathan Alldredge, and was apparently accepted. In Grady's testimony, he wrote:

All our tradition is that Nathan Alldredge was in the Revolutionary War, yet no record has been found for him in North Carolina. A great granddaughter of Eleanor (Alldredge) York, the oldest daughter of Nathan Alldredge, said that he refugeed to Virginia during the Revolution; that the Tories were having all the Patriots along the Mt. Pleasant Creek as soon as they found them. Hence it became necessary for them to flee for their lives. Nathan Alldredge was a Regulator in Orange County, N.C., in 1768 and there was a price on the heads of all Regulators after the Battle of Alamance in 1771. There is also a legend that he may have refugeed to Maryland as well as Virginia.

Aunt Mary Frances Alldredge, granddaughter of Nathan Alldredge, said that her grandfather fought in the Revolutionary War; that he was wounded and had to go home, and that he lived to be very old and went blind before he died.

The name Nathan Aldridge appears on a roster of the Continental Line in Maryland, but the man's compiled service record is cross-filed with a Nathan Albridge. Another Nathan Aldridge in Maryland served in the Washington County Militia, the wrong part of the state.