Person:Francis McCorkle (2)

Land Records of Francis McCorkle

• July Term 1774 - A Deed of Sale from Francis McCorkle & Sarah his Wife to Peter Linebarger for 200 Acres Dated the 1st Day of August in the year of our Lord 1772 proved by Leonard Sailer Evidence thereto. Ord'd to be Reg'd.

• January Term 1775 - A Deed of Sale from Francis McCorkle & Sarah his wife for 250 acres of Land Dated the 17 Day of January 1775 proved by Archibald Fleming Evidence thereto. Ordered to be Registered.

[Source: Tryon County, North Carolina, Minutes of the Courts of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 1769-79]

Information on Francis McCorkle

Francis Marion McCorkle, Sr. was born on 1 Sep 1742 in Rowan Co., NC. He died on 9 Oct 1802 in Lincoln Co., NC. Major Francis McCorkle was the son of Matthew McCorkle, of Scotch Irish descent, and Jean Givens. Matthew and Jean came to America, the Pennsylvania area, about the year 1740. They were staunch Presbyterians. Some sources claim the original name of McCorkle was “Torquil”, then McTorquil”. Family tradition claims Jean’s brother, Ned, a youth at the time, stowed away on the ship until it was too far to turn back.

Francis Marion McCorkle Sr. was an early settler in Rowan (now Lincoln) and was a member of Rowan Committee of Public Safety in 1774-75. He lived on Mountain Creek about two miles north of Denver and served as an active member of the Rowan Committee of Public Safety, meeting thirty miles away in Salisbury, from 1774 to 1775. This was at the beginning of the American Revolution and General George Washington assumed command of the Continental Army 3 Jul 1775.

Francis McCorkle fought in the Revolutionary War. As an active patriot during the Revolution, Major Francis McCorkle fought at the battles of King's Mountain, Ramseur's Mill and Cowpens, serving as a Major.

Francis lived on Mountain Creek where Locke had camped the night before he marched to Ramsour's Mill. He was a soldier in that battle, and it was rumored that he was among the killed. He later, however, got home and when it was so reported in the neighborhood, some of his friends went to his house by night pretending to be Tories who came to kill him. They called him out and when they asked how he stood he replied, "I won't die with a lie in my mouth, for I stand for Liberty." Then the visitors made themselves known as his friends and neighbors who had come to rejoice with him over the victory which he had helped to win. This battle was fought one-half mile north of Lincolnton on the lands of Christian Reinhardt.

Francis Marion McCorkle was first married to Sara Jean Work on 26 Aug 1768 in Anson/Rowan County, North Carolina; John Work, bondsman; Thomas Frohock, witness. Sara Jean Work the daughter of Col. Alexander Work , was born before 1750. She died on 1 Jan 1779 in Mountain Creek, Lincoln Co., NC.

His second marriage was to Elizabeth (Betsy) Brandon, daughter of Richard and Margaret Locke Brandon of Rowan. General Matthew Locke of Revolutionary fame was her uncle. She was the Betsy Brandon who served the breakfast to President Washington and several of his aides in 1791 at the Brandon home six miles south of Salisbury, as the party was en route from Charlotte to Salisbury. [Annals of Lincoln County]. Elizabeth "Betsy" Brandon was born in 1761 and died on 20 Jan 1821.

Sources

Familysearch submissions

North Carolina records (Anson, Rowan, Lincoln County)

http://history.loftinnc.com/McCorkle_Francis_Marion_1742.htm

The McCorkle Family" by C. P. Crosby