An American Family History

John Stanfield was born about 1715 in County Armagh, Ireland. He emigrated with his parents in 1730. His parents were Samuel Stanfield and Jane Andrew.

He married Hannah Hadley on October 18, 1742 at Hockessin Meeting House in New Castle County, Delaware.

Hannah was born on January 16, 1708/1709 in County West Meath, Ireland. She was the daughter of Simon and Ruth Hadley, who brought their family from Ireland to
the Delaware Valley in 1712. The family settled on what is now the boundary line of the state of Delaware and Chester County, Pennsylvania.

She had been married before to Thomas Dixon and had three children. Thomas was born in New Castle County, Delaware about 1705. He was the son of William Dixon and Ann Gregg.

She married Thomas on October 25, 1727 at the Newark/New Garden Monthly Meeting. The Monthly Meeting was started between 1682 and 1684 in Newark and held meetings in both Newark and New Castle.

Thomas and Hannah's children included:

Simon Dixon (1728, married Elizabeth Allen),
Rebecca Dixon (1730/1731, married William Marshall), and
Ruth Dixon (1733, married John Doan).

Thomas Dixon died of smallpox in 1734.

John Stanfield was born in 1743.

Samuel Stanfield was born in 1745.

In 1746 Rebecca Dixon married William Marshall. She was described as living in "Mill Creek Hundred in ye County of New Castle on Delaware." They were married at the "Hockessin Meeting house in ye County of New Castle."

Thomas Stanfield was born in 1747.

They moved to North Carolina in 1753. Their farm was in Snow Camp, Alamance County. It was Orange County at that time.

On April 6, 1754 at Cane Creek Monthly Meeting they were received on certificate from the Newark Monthly Meeting in Delaware. The meeting house was built on their farm.

John Stanfield appeared on the 1755 tax list of Orange County.

John wrote his will on August 4, 1755 in what was then Orange County, North Carolina. It was proved at the September Court 1755

Hannah Hadley Stanfield wrote to her stepmother, Phoebe, from North Carolina when her father died:

Respected Mother
This comes to let thee know that I and my family is in good health at present, hoping that these few lines will find thee and thine in the same, and I have great cause to be thankful to the Divine Being for it. I received thy letter dated the 31st of the 5th month 1756, and was glad to hear of thy welfare and a true account of my respected fathers sudden death. Thy brother, Richard Beson, was here at my house a few days ago. He told me that his wife and family was well and all of our friends here is reasonably well as far as I know, so not having much more to add, I shall conclude with my love to thee and thine and remain they loving daughter, ye 24th of ye 7th month, 1756. Hannah Stanfield

Hannah's father left her 50 pounds and

I do leave to John Stanfield, Jr. the sum of 50 pounds current money, and I do leave Thomas Stanfield 50 pounds current money, and I do leave Samuel Stanfield 50 pounds current money, all of them children of my said daughter Hannah Stanfield, widow and relict of John Stanfield departed.

He left John, Jr. the Haw River farm of 200 acres adjoining John Jones. He left Thomas, the Meeting House tract of 200 acres. He left Samuel, the home tract of 200 acres (Hannah was to have a lifetime estate). In addition he left Samuel and Thomas the rich Hill land of 320 acres. The executors were John Jones and Joseph Maddos and the witnesses were Thomas Lindley (his brother-in-law), Hugh Laughlin, and Thomas Lowe.

During the American Revolution, Simon's home was confiscated by Cornwallis and used as his headquarters during the Battle of Guilford Court House. Hannah's son, Simon, died in 1781.

In 1786 a deed was recorded between Thomas Stanfield of Greene County, Tennessee and James Neal for the Meeting House tract in what was then Orange County, North Carolina to replace the original deed that was destroyed during the Revolution.

Hannah died on May 31, 1783 in Orange County and was buried at the Cane Creek Monthly Meeting Cemetery, Snow Camp, Alamance County, North Carolina.

from From Whence We Came: Cane Creek Meeting

John Stanfield's will is on tile at the Historical Commission Rooms at Raleigh. It is dated August 4, 1755. He owned four tracts ot land and had four sons. Each son received a parcel of land. The bequest that is of primary interest to Cane Creek is that made to Thomas Stanfield. He was left the "meeting house plot." It consisted of 200 acres.

The property lies along the Snow Camp Road near the farm of the late Lawrence McPherson. Cane Creek's first meetinghouse stood near the center of the Cane Creek settlement, about one mile east of the location of the present meeting house. The unmarked site is about one-and-a-half miles north on North Carolina State Road 1004. The meetinghouse would have stood on the far side of the field, to the right of the road at that point.

After the death of John Stanfield, his widow, Hannah, was left with three small children to raise. Her circumstances were brightened by the fact that she and her children inherited a fairly large sum of money from her father, Simon Hadley of New Castle County, Delaware.

Hannah lived at Hillsborough with her children. According to tradition, she encountered Lord Cornwallis during the Revolutionary War. He used her house as headquarters. She as well as other Quakers suffered during this time. Not only did they lose livestock to the soldiers, they were also assessed a four-fold tax because they refused to list their property for war taxes.

The official county records for Orange County were buried in the Eno River during the occupation of the town by Cornwallis. All but one book was lost. It contained a small notice about some property that Thomas and Hannah Stanfield had deeded to James O'Nails, witnessed by George Norris. Also, Samuel Stanfield had deeded property to John Piggot, witnessed by William Marshall.

Hannah died May 31, 1783 and was buried at Cane Creek. She was seventy-three when she died. In the words of Mrs. Merle Humphries,

She is said to have been a pronounced character and smoked a pipe which was considered perfectly proper for a lady of that time. She is the ancestor of the prominent Dixsons of North Carolina (through marriage), and else where some Stanfields of note.

March 1754 John Stanfield purchased land in Orange County, NC.

John Stanfield and wife Hannah (Hadley) Dixon and children John Jr., Thomas and Samuel were received by certificate, from Newark Monthly Meeting PA. Dated 6 Oct. 1 753, to Cane Creek Monthly Meeting, 6 Apr. 1754.

John Stanfield made other land purchases totaling 830 acres.
John Stanfield's will is dated 4 Aug. 1 755. Proved in September Court 1755. His death date would have been between these two dates.

He disposed of the four tracts of land as follows:
To John Stanfield Jr.: The Haw River farm 200 acres adjoining John Jones
To Thomas Stanfield: "The Meeting House tract" 200 acres.
To Samuel Stanfield: The home tract 200 acres. Wife Hannah was to have a lifetime estate on it.
To Samuel and Thomas: The rich Hill land 320 acres.

At the time Thomas Stanfield's father's will was proved, he would have been only about ten years old. He was born 29 December 1745.

No civil document has been found to indicate that John Stanfield transferred any part of "The Meeting House tract" to the Monthly Meeting. From the will Hannah would have had no authority to do this, for she only received a lifetime right on another tract.

On 8 February 1763 William Marshall obtained a land grant of 200 acres. William Marshall's wife was Rebecca Dixon, daughter of Hannah (Hadley) Dixon Stanfield from her previous marriage to Thomas Dixon.

On 14 February 1764 William Marshall transferred 26 acres of land on Cane Creek adjoining Simon Dixon's Mill Dam (he was Hannah's son-in- law) to Peter Stout, Jeremiah Piggott, Benjamin Piggott, and David Vestal, trustees, "for the use and benefit of Cane Creek Meeting." This is the property where the Meeting House and burial grounds are presently located.

Thomas Stanfield obtained a certificate from Cane Creek Monthly Meeting, to New Garden Monthly Meeting in Pennsylvania, 5 May 1764. Thomas received a certificate from New Garden Monthly Meeting, Pennsylvania to return to New Garden Monthly Meeting, NC 4 July 1789. Then from New Garden Monthly Meeting, NC to Westfield Monthly Meeting, TN dated 17 September 1791 .

Thomas Stanfield of Green County TN sold to James Neal in 1 789 the property inherited from his father. The deed specifically states "containing the Meeting House lot." This phrase remains in the transfer of title of this property up to the time it was owned by Simeon Thompson. From these records we can almost pinpoint the location of the first Meeting House. It would have been approximately three miles to the East of the present site.

I do leave to my daughter, Hannah Stanfield, widow of John Stanfield, 50 pounds current money which shall be paid in full of her portion and share of my real and personal estate.

I do leave to Simon Dixon 55 pounds current money, and

I do leave Rebecca Marshall wife to William Marshall, 30 pounds current money and

I do leave Ruth Dixon 60 pounds current money and

I do leave to John Stanfield, Jr. the sum of 50 pounds current money, and

I do leave Thomas Stanfield 50 pounds current money, and

I do leave Samuel Stanfield 50 pounds current money, all of them children of my said daughter Hannah Stanfield, widow and relict of John Stanfield departed.

from Centennial History of Alamance County

The snows of February were deep and heavy. Travel was difficult, and by the time the British reached Cane Creek in southwestern Orange, they were forced to halt. Near the Cane Creek meeting house stood Simon Dixon's grist mill, and adjoining it, the stone house in which the miller and his wife lived. Cornwallis decided to establish a camp here and ordered his men to move the Dixons to a neighboring home so he might use their house as his headquarters.

Dixon, himself, was not a Tory, but he moved quietly and left the house to the British. The British tried to run the grist mill, but there was not a miller among them; and it was said that Simon Dixon had jammed the mill wheel so that it would not operate.

Another interesting story is told about Lord Cornwallis and Mrs. Dixon. Shortly after the family moved from the house, the General heard a loud argument outside of his door, and opened it to find two sentries talking with the miller's wife. "What is the trouble?" asked Cornwallis. The old lady boldly informed him that she had left her favorite pipe in the house and that she had returned to get it. Gallantly, Cornwallis escorted her inside and helped her search until she located the pipe, and then showed her out once again. Another legend said that some of Cornwallis' men, believing that Simon Dixon possessed a money box, tortured him with red hot iron tongs to make him reveal its location.

For several days the Loyalists camped at the mill. Seventy beef cows were seized from local farmers and slaughtered in a nearby field, and benches were dragged from the Cane Creek church on which to cut up the meat. Rails from Simon Dixon's fences were used by the British as fire wood. Behind them the Tories left much desolation and the hatred of people who might have been their friends.

Whereas William Marshall of Mill Creek Hundred in ye County of New Castle on Delaware and Rebecah Dixon of the Hundred & County Aforesaid, Haveing Declared their Intentions of Marriage with Each other before Several Monthly Meetings of the People Called Quakers at Centre in the Said County of New Castle afforesaid and at Kennett in of Chester County in ye Province of Pensylvania according to the good order used amongst them, And haveing Consent of Parents & Relations Concerned their s'd Proposals of Marriage was allowed of by the s'd Meetings.

Now they are to Certifie all whom it May Concern that for the full accomplishing their said intentions this Twenty eighth day of the third Month in the year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred & fourty & Six [1746],

they the said William Marshall and Rebecah Dixon appeared in a Publick Meeting of ye aforesaid People at Hockessin Meeting house in ye County of New Castle Afforesaid Said and ye Said William Marshall taking the said Rebecah Dixon by the hand, Did in a Solemn manner Openly declare that he too her the said Rebecah Dixon to be his wife promiseing with the Lords assistance to be unto her a faithfull & Loveing Husband untill Death Should Seperate them,

And then & there In the Same Assembly the Said Rebecah Dixon did in like Manner dclare that Shee took the Said William Marshall to be her Husband Promising with ye Lords Assistance to be unto him a faithfull & Loveing wife untill Death Should Seperate them,

And Moreover they the Said William Marshall and Rebecah Dixon, She according to ye Custom of Marriage Assuming the name of he Husband as a further Confirmation thereof and did then & there to these present Sett their Hands - -
William Marshall
Rebecca Marshall

And we being Present at the Solemnation of thweir Said Marriage & Subscription do as Witnesses hereunto Subscibe our names this day and Year above Written - -
Hannah Standfield [mother]
Jn'o Baldwin
Mary Nichols
Simon Hadly
William Cox
Rachel Pyle
Ruth Hadly
John Pyle
Esther Bennett
John Standfield [step-father]
John Dixon
Betty Green
John Marshall
Joseph Gregg
Ruth Marshall
Daniel Nichols
Simon Dixon
Tho's Lassllie
Deborah Dixon
Lassllie Armstrong
Ben'a. Fred
Henry Green
Jacob Hinshaw
Sarah Hadly