Benjamin Franklin Howard (1742-1828)
Prudence Towson Sater (1743-1822)
3rd great grandparents
Ken Burns’ American Revolution has inspired me to write about my family’s connection to that Revolution – both the Howard and Dickey lines. It relies heavily on my genealogical research.
Benjamin Howard was born February 17, 1742, on Long Island, Maryland. Long Island was an island located in Chesapeake Bay, northwest of another former island, Holland Island, both of which have now disappeared. His parents were Philip Comfort Howard, and May Ann Child. Benjamin’s father, Philip, left Maryland about 1751 and settled on the Yadkin River in North Carolina.
Benjamin’s wife Prudence Sater was born Nov. 25, 1743, in Baltimore County, MD, daughter of Henry and Dorcas (Towson) Sater. They were married in Baltimore County, Maryland in 1762.
The following from Genalee Henderson Schooler’s The Howard Family, typescript, 1982:
One of Prudence’s descendants, Mrs. N.M. Turnley writes:
“My Mother told me when I was a little girl something about my grandmother Howard, which was so interesting to me that I have never forgotten it, although I am now 75 years old. It was this:
In those days there were no factories in America, and the men did most of the weaving on hand looms. Howard and Sater’s daughter concluded to get married. Sater opposed it; they did get married. She jumped out of the dining room window and ran away with him. All turned out well, and they were all satisfied afterwards. Howard and wife moved to North Carolina, and when their daughter Polly grew up, Grandmother Howard took Polly and went with her back to Baltimore, five hundred miles on horseback, all alone, to see her kinfolk. This I have no doubt came from the mouth of the old lady to my mother in North Carolina, where she knew her very well.”
Benjamin and his family lived In Boone, North Carolina. Howard’s Knob, Howard’s Creek, and Howard Street are all named for Benjamin Howard, a British loyalist, contemporary of Daniel Boone, and early settler of the area. According to local legend, Howard hid from Whigs on the knoll which was to be named after him. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Knob
Benjamin raised cattle and farmed but to provide adequate pastureland for his livestock, purchased land near Boone (Watauga County) and built a cabin to serve as shelter for himself and his herders. His cabin stood on the present site of the Boys Dormitory of the Appalachian Training School [now Appalachian State University] in Boone. In 1845, one of Howard’s herders, a slave named Burrell, who was well over 100 years old, related to a grandson of Howard’s that he had piloted Daniel Boone across the Blue Ridge to the Howard cabin, the first trip Boone ever took across the mountains.
Benjamin was a loyalist. Several Patriots decided to kill him. Howard fled to the high country and his mountain cabin, and when too hotly pressed by the Whigs or American Patriots, Howard sheltered himself in a cave at the base of a long, low cliff a quarter of a mile north of the knob above the town of Boone which has borne his name for years. His daughter Sallie, when still a child, is said to have endured a severe switching rather than reveal his whereabouts when met in the road one day by a band of men in search of her parent.
While he was able to keep away from trouble and patriots for a while, he was finally forced to hide on a mountain top to the north of Boone. The mountain since that time has been known as Howard’s Knob.
Confiscation Acts were passed by the North Carolina General Assembly from 1776 through the 1780s to confiscate the property of Loyalists. This was done to punish and control the Loyalists as well as to obtain income for the state. Most of the confiscated real estate was sold in 1786 and 1787 and netted North Carolina about £600,000. (https://www.ncpedia.org/confiscation-acts)
Finally, Benjamin Howard, in 1778, age 36, took the Oath of Allegiance and endeavored to support the American cause.
The Treasurer and Comptrollers’ Revolutionary War Pay Vouchers consist of vouchers and certificates issued in lieu of cash for military service or for supplies furnished to the army. Typically, a voucher will show the name of the payee, number of the certificate, and the amount due. It may also give the date of issuance and the fiscal district or county in which issued. Certificates issued in payment for supplies or provisions may specify the material furnished. When a voucher was redeemed, it was cancelled by punching a hole through it. The issuance and redemption of certificates are recorded in the Revolutionary Army Account Books.
State of N. Carolina – – No.1011
This may certify that by the upper Board of Auditors for the district of Salisbury Benjamin Howard was allowed Ten thousand and one hundred & two pounds Currency for sundry publick claims which he is to receive agreeable to [blot] of assembly passed at [line illegible]
Given under Our hands Jan the 18th 1782
Alex Erwin
John [illegible]
TestDave [illegible]
Benjamin Howard passed the remainder of his days on Elk Creek and died June 1828. His wife, Prudence Howard, had died there previously on September 22, 1822.
Benjamin and Prudence Howard are buried in the family cemetery located about one mile above the Ferguson, NC post office on Hwy 268 in Wilkes County. The footstone of Benjamin Howard is there. It was engraved “B.H. Sr. 1828 age 86.” Many of the stones were broken and lying on the ground. The stones of Benjamin Howard’s son, Benjamin (1780-1825) and his daughter Mary (17688-1836) are also in this little cemetery.
Benjamin Howard (1742-1828) Will
Written: 8 April 1828
Proved: November Term 1828
Wilkes Count NC Will Book 4, p. 119
In the name of God, Amen. I Benjamin Howard of the Count of Wilkes and State of North Carolina being of Sound mind and Memory, do make and Ordain this my last Will and Testament, that is to say, after all my just debts and funeral expenses are paid the Residue of m Estate I do give as follows.
1st. to m Daughter Descretion Isbell I do give my Negroe Woman Bets Valued at three Hundred & fift Dollars.
2d. M Daughter Poll Howard I do give m Negroe man Burrel valued at Two Hundred Dollars.
3d. To m Son George Howard I do give m Negroe born Abe valued at six Hundred Dollars.
4th. To Benjamin Howards Heirs I do give my Negroe born Alexander Valued at Five Hundred Dollars.
5th. To m Daughter Sarah Counsil I do give my Negroe Girl Amanda and her Child John Thomas Valued at three Hundred & Twent-five Dollars.
6th. To my Daughter Rebecca Der I do give m Negroe Girl Fann valued at three Hundred and fifty Dollars, also m Negroe Girl Mead(?) Valued at three Hundred Dollars.
7th. To my Daughter Rachel Council I do give m Negroe Born Joshua Valued at three Hundred and Twent-five dollars also my born Joseph Valued at six Hundred Dollars.
8th. To m Daughter Nanc Callowa I give m Negroe Woman Jenn & her Born Austin valued at Seven Hundred and fift Dollars.
9th. to my Son George Howard I give One Hundred Acres of Land in Ashe Count North Carolina Valued at Two Hundred Dollars it being the upper part of m three Hundred Acre Tract on the main Road leading through it.
10th. To my son Cornelius Howard I give m Sugar Camp Tract of Land in Ashe Count Containing fift Acres for Extra Services, also Two Hundred Acres of Land of m Rich Mountain Tract in Ashe Count, also a certain part of m home Plantation Beginning where the conditional line between him the said Cornelius Howard and myself crosses the fence, then with said fence till it joins m Cotten patch fence, then Nearley South East to a big White Oak Stump at the head of a gut(?) proceeding out of the Tobacco ground, then with the top or side of the Ridge to the creek at the point of Rocks, the [i.e., then] down said Creek to a Cross fence betwin Cornelius Howard and Poll Howard to the River, then up the River to the Mouth of the creek. Also one Hundred Acres of land that slaves(?) formally lived on ling on the South side of the Yadkin River.
11th. To m Daughter Poll Howard I give a part of my home Plantation Beginning at a cross fence on the bank of the River near where a Spring leaks out, then down the River to a black Walnut & White Oak it being m Corner, then North with James Browns line, then nearl West Including the Reed Branch and where Abraham Beach now lives then Round with the lines to the Conditional line Between myself and Cornelius Howard Supposed to be Between three and five hundred Acres. Also I give my old Waggon and Gears to Poll for Extra Services.
12th. To my Grand Daughter Prudence Callowa, I give my Horse called Buck.
13th. To m Grand Son William Howard Son of Poll Howard my mule colt and the colt that my Mare Mercur is now in fold with if it lives.
14th. I give my Mare Mercur to Rachel Council.
15th. I give my Motherless Colt to my Daughter Rebecca Der.
16th. To my Daughter Descretion Isbell I give my Beads, Beadsteads and furnature.
17th. The Balance of m Estate both Real and Personal after all m just debts are paid out of it and my daughter Poll Howard takes good care of me as long as I live I do give and Bequeath the Residue to her to have and to hold unmolisted.
18th. I do nominate Constitute and Appoint Poll Howard, Joseph Callowa and Benjamin Howard, son George Howard my executors to this my last Will and Testament and I the said Benjamin Howard do revoke and disannull all, ever other Will heretofore made by me and Publick declare them to be void and of none effect, in Presence of Almighty God and the undersigned Witnesses this to be my last Will and Testament. Sealed with my seal and dated this 8th day of April 1828.
his Benjamin X Howard mark (seal)
Attest[ed to] Benj Beach Int(?) [illegible] Pennel(?) North Carolina, Wilkes Count, November Term 1828 The foregoing Will was duly Proven in Open Court by the oath of Benj. Beach Test R. Martin Clk