[Clydene]

Hi All:

I just spent 10 hours of research because it dawned on me that my earliest known ancestor, Ambrose Williams b. 1725c. had many neighbors who were possible Quakers. That started it. One thing led to another. More later on the Quakers of Burke Co., NC.

I discovered that Eshmael and Neheh Williams (relationship not known) were listed as Melungeons in Pat Spurlock Elder’s book. Following the migration trail of my Ambrose backwards from Burke Co., NC to Orange Co., NC, I found a Regulators Advertisement No. 9 where Eshmael and Neheh Williams signed (not dated) in Orange Co., now possibly Chatham Co., included in the book “Some Neglected History of North Carolina, being an account of the Revolution…” by Wm. Edward Fitch, M.D. pub. 1905.

Eshmael and Neheh Williams did not appear to have migrated to Burke Co., NC but definitely were Melungeons living in Orange Co., NC

Does anyone have a clue as to who Eshmael and Neheh Williams are??? My Ambrose Williams was in Orange Co., NC during the first part of the Revolution.

My thoughts on the Quakers after researching several who migrated together into Burke Co., NC – Wakefields, Hyatts, Vance Families [Quaker Monthy Meeting House Records) and some who are suspected to be Quakers – Inmans/Emmons. Williams and others. Quakers were very disciplined to a simple life with equality for all incuding NA (possible marriages to NAs) with pacifist beliefs against war or fighting. In Burke Co., I found several on Loyalist Lists (Loyalists were generally thought to be Loyal to the King of England ) – Hyatts, Wakefields and Inmans were indicted as Loyalists. This is not necessarily so! These families would refuse to sign any oath as this was against their Quaker belief. Looking at Loyalists Docs. keeping this in mind divides the Loyalists into two factors -those who were definitely loyal to the King and those who were Quakers.

Quaker Meadows in Burke Co., NC is the first location noted in it’s history. Moravian Bishop Spragenburg journeyed through the wilds of NC in 1752 (Travel Diary/Log) into a Meadow where he found a Quaker, David Vance, who traded furs with the local Indians there on the Catawba River now Burke Co., – were these the Catawba Indians?, probably. It is likely Vance had a NA wife. This was known as Quaker Meadows from that day forward. Vance was the first known Quaker in the area but others followed from other part of NC and VA to settle in Burke Co.

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