Person:James Mayfield (11)

Records in Amherst, Virginia

James Mayfield appears several times in the records of Amherst County. The court records indicate that he was involved in several lawsuits and may have had financial problems. While living in the county he executed two deeds as follows:

13 Jul 1768: James Mayfield executes a mortgage deed for £26, as collateral, James conveys all his personal goods, chattels and utensils to a certain Joseph Higginbotham. States in part, "I, James Mayfield of said County in consideration of 25# paid by James Higginbotham, planter - - 1 bay mare, cattle, etc., Dated July 13, 1768. [Amherst County VA Deed Book B:354-355]

04 Feb 1774: John Conner and Ux Eleanor to James Mayfield 100a Johns Branch and North branch of Bullaloe (sic) part of Conner tract. [Amherst County VA Deed Book D:310]

08 Sep 1778: Indenture between James Mayfield of Amherst Co., VA of the one part and John Rowsey consideration £100 for 100 acres on the North Side of Buffalo Run. This is signed by James Mayfield and Ellender Mayfield. Sutherlin Mayfield signs as a witness. [Amherst County VA Deed Book E:57]

[Note: Per Lowell Nichols (2004), "From these records we are lead to believe that James Mayfield married the widow Conners. It is known, however: from above records and dates that Ellender or Eleanor could not have been the mother of James' children. It is probable that his first wife, name unknown, died and Conner died so they married some time between 1774 and 1778. It is thought that James and Ellender and some of their family migrated to what is now middle Tennessee prior to 1780...." - HOWEVER - others say there is no proof of any of this.]

Records in Davidson, North Carolina (now Tennessee)

James Mayfield went with Donelson's party to North Carolina along with his family and was among the first settlers to what is now Davidson county, Tennessee. He was among the sixty-four who stayed at the settlements as others left due to the continued attacks of the Indians upon the early settlers and stations. His son Isaac followed a little later.

In the Spring of 1780 (April or May), James Mayfield was killed in an Indian attack on Eaton's Station.² His name appears on the Davidson County Pioneer Roll of Honor.

Named on Davidson County Pioneer Roll of Honor

There are 151 men listed on the this Roll of Honor, presented to the North Carolina Legislature by Col. Robertson. Those listed were honored for their steadfast devotion in staying put when most of the other settlers had deserted him due to the continuing Indian attacks in the area. The Indians had already killed 62 settlers, and very few were left in defense of the settlements. At one time, not more than 70. They, along with the 62 who had fallen, and 19 others who had either come a little later or only recently come of age, made up the 151 names on the Roll of Honor.

Col. Robertson, being sent as representative to North Carolina Legislature, saw to it that this Roll of Honor was officially recorded and rewarded. In 1784, he procured the passage of an Act, after a favorable committee report, granting 640 acres of land without money or price, (except for surveyors fees and office charges) to each one of the 70 original settlers that still survived and to the heirs and devises of the others.

Heirs receive grant of 640 acres

Since James Mayfield had been one of the original 62 who had fallen, his heirs received grant No. 101 in Davidson County, North Carolina.

It states, "James Mayfield Grant 101 know ye that we have granted to James Mayfield a tract of land, containing 640a lying and being in our County of Davidson. Lying of the head of West Fork of Mill Creek, Being at an Elm on Thomas Denton's North Boundary, and runs North 102 poles to a Red Oak on William Overall's South boundry line. Thence with said line crossing a branch of the west fork of Mill Creek 196 poles to an Ash in Thomas Denton's West Boundry, Thence North to said Denton's corner Mulberry and Honey Locust 186 poles and 6/10ths thence East to the Beginning. Dated April 1786, Signed by Richard Caswell Gov. of North Carolina."

This location is now in Williamson county, Tennessee, where the city of Brentwood water tank stands, and to the south of the large hill. The grant also ran east. To the south of the hill is a cemetery known as "Mayfield Cemetery", but like a lot of old cemeteries it has become in bad condition. Very few stones are left. The cemetery is located at the corner of Wilson Pike and Old Smyrna Road.

The records shown above were recorded to James Mayfield's heirs and warrant No. 245 issued for the same. Daniel Hogan and Southerland Mayfield signed the same.

From later deeds the same description as above was given for Old Mayfield Station Tract. John Frost eventually bought part of it. Deeds have been found showing that Micajah Mayfield sold (or gave) his share to the heirs of Southerland Mayfield.

1.   Haywood, John. The Civil and Political History of the State of Tennessee from Its Earliest Settlement up to the Year 1796: Including the Boundaries of the State. (Nashville: Publishing House of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, 1891).
2.   Clayton, W. W. History of Davidson County, Tennessee: with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers. (Philadelphia: J.W. Lewis & Co., 1880)
   24.

   ... The stationers arrived upon the Cumberland just upon the eve of an outbreak of Indian hostilities. " The savages," says Haywood, " seized the first opportunity after the hard winter was over to approach the improvements around the Bluff, and carry among the early settlers the work of massacre and devastation." During the first year no less than thirty-seven at the different stations were killed, being picked off" here and there by roving, predatory bands of Indians, who scarcely showed themselves openly anywhere. The thick cane-brake and wild undergrowth afforded them every advantage for concealment. The only one of the settlers who died a natural death the first year was Robert Gilkie. We give the names of the killed as we gather them from Ramsey's and Haywood's histories, as follows :
   two men by the name of Milliken,
   Joseph Hay,
   old Mr. Bernard,
   Jonathan Jennings,
   Ned Carver,
   James Mayfield, ...
   
   ... The alarm was, "Indians about!"
   In this very month of May they approached the strong defenses of Eaton's Station, and within sight and in open day shot down Mr. Porter and James Mayfield. ...

3.   My Revolutionary War Ancestors [1].

   JAMES MAYFIELD,born 1720 in Virginia,killed in a 1780 Indian attack on Eaton's Fort.James Mayfield was one of the first settlers of what is now Davidson Co.Tennessee.He was among the 64 who stayed at the settlement to help hold the fort,as others left due to continued Indian attacks.James is listed in Davidson County's "Pioneer Roll of Honor".His heirs received 640 acres of land in his name for his gallant stand at the forts and stations. Their grant was the city of Brentwood now stands.
   -----
   [Note: Brentwood is a suburb of Nashville, Tennessee.]

4.   Carter, Marymaud Killen. Fifteen southern families: a genealogical study of selected lines relating to the families of Killen, Smylie, Campbell, McDougal, Smith, Richardson, Stutts, Robinson, Nunn, Mayfield, Robison, Morris, Mackey, Rice, Bassett. (New Orleans, Louisiana: Polyanthos, Inc., 1974)
   160.

   ... The Mayfield family all seemed to have been of the caliber of Daniel Boone, David Crockett and other frontiersmen. They seemed never to have been interested in holding public office, nor the owning of vast amounts of land; rather they were always "where the fighting was". James Mayfield, progenitor of all the ones who come to middle Tennessee from Virginia and all of his sons fought in the American revolution and five later fought Indians in what is now middle Tennessee. As has been noted in this record, many of them gave their lives in defense of the early settlements of Davidson county. ...

5.   Bloomfield Indiana News.

   " James Mayfield served in the Illinois Campaign along with his sons, Macajah, Elisha, Elijah, Isaac, and Sutherland. Sutherland and his brother, Isaac, were killed by the Indians very early in the campaign. After the war, James and three sons returned to Tennessee where they continued to fight the Indians. James was killed by the Indians. Macajah Mayfield returned to Sullivan County, Indiana shortly after 1820 to be with his sons, James Mayfield and William Mayfield. Macajah served under Capt. Helm on an expedition on the Wabash River which was to become the western most naval battle of the Revolutionary War.
   Micajah died in 1838 and although there is no will, James and William are mentioned as his sons in the book, "VETERANS AND PATRIOTS OF THE REVOLUTION BURIED IN INDIANA", by Waters.