Person:Gilbraith Falls (1)

Information is from calgrups376@@yahoo.com and Jessica167@@msn.com.

There is a Gilbraith Falls, b. 1740, d. 1780 buried in the Centre Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Mount Mourne, Iredell County, NC, where Martha Stewart is buried. As well is son Major William Falls, b. 1763, d. 1837; and his wife Mary S. Falls, b. 1766, d. 1826.

Posted on the internet by Paulette Haynes: "James Neill stated in his Rev. War pension application that he enlisted in Rowan County, NC in a company commanded by his uncle, Capt. Gilbraith Falls. Also mentioned in the application was Capt. Falls was killed at Ramsour's Mill. His death is also documented in other applications. How were these two men related? Was James Neill's mother a Falls?"

A full account of the Battle of Ramsour's Mill can be found at: http://www.northcarolinagenealogy.org/lincoln/battle_of_ramsour.htm

Some excerpts: "About five hundred men remained under the immediate command of General Rutherford. On the evening of the 14th of June he received intelligence that the Tories, under Col. John Moore, had embodied themselves in strong force at Ramsour's Mill, near the present town of Lincolnton. He immediately issued orders to Colonel Francis Locke, of Rowan; Major David Wilson, of Mecklenburg; also to Captains Falls, Knox, Brandon, and other officers, to raise men to disperse the Tories, deeming it unwise to weaken his own force until the object of Lord Rawdon, still encamped at Waxhaws, should become better known."

"In pursuance of the orders given to Col. Locke and other officers from headquarters at Mallard Creek, on the 14th of June, they quickly collected as many men as they could, and on the 18th Major Wilson, with sixty-five men, crossed the Catawba at Toole's Ford and joined Major McDowell, from Burke, with twenty-five horsemen. They passed up the river at a right angle with the position of the Tories, for the purpose of meeting other Whig forces. At McEwen's Ford, being joined by Captain Falls with forty men, they continued their march up the east side of Mountain Creek, and on Monday, the 19th, they united with Col. Locke, Captain Brandon and other officers, with two hundred and seventy men. The whole force now amounted to nearly four hundred men. They encamped on Mountain Creek at a place called the "glades". The officers met in council and unanimously agreed it would be unsafe to remain long in their present position, and, notwithstanding the disparity of the opposing forces, it was determined that they should march during the night and attack the Tories in their camp at an early hour next morning. It was said that the Tories being ignorant of their inferior force, and being suddenly attacked would be easily routed. At this time, Col. Johnston, as previously stated, was dispatched from Mountain Creek to apprise General Rutherford of their determination. Late in the evening they commenced their march from Mountain Creek, and passing down the south side of the mountain they halted at the west end of it in the night when they again consulted on the plan of attack. It was determined that the companies under Captains Falls, McDowell and Brandon should act on horseback and march in front. No other arrangement was made, and it was left to the officers to be governed by circumstances after they reached the enemy."

"The companies of Captains Falls, McDowell and Brandon were mounted, and the other troops under Col. Locke were arranged in the road, two deep, behind them. Under this organization they marched to the battle-field. The mounted companies led the attack. When they came within sight of the picket, stationed in the road a considerable distance from the encampment, they perceived that their approach had not been anticipated. The picket fired and fled to their camp. The cavalry pursued, and turning to the right out of the road, they rode up within thirty steps of the line and fired at the Tories."

"It was in this first attack of the cavalry that the brave Captain Gilbraith Falls was mortally wounded in the breast, rode about one hundred and fifty yards east of the battle ground, and fell dead from his horse."

"Of the Whig officers, Captains Falls, Knox, Dobson, Smith, Bowman, Sloan, and Armstrong were killed. Captain William Falls, (sic) who commanded one of the cavalry companies, was shot in the breast in the first spirited charge, as previously stated, and riding a short distance in the rear, fell dead from his horse. His body, after the battle was over, was wrapped in a blanket procured from Mrs. Reinhardt and conveyed to Iredell (then a part of Rowan) for burial. Captain Falls lived in Iredell county, not far from Sherrill's Ford, on the Catawba. There is a reliable tradition which states that when Captain Falls was killed a Tory ran up to rob the body, and had taken his watch, when a young son of Falls, though only fourteen years old, ran up suddenly behind the Tory, drew his father's sword and killed him. Captain Falls was the maternal grandfather of the late Robert Falls Simonton, who had the sword in his possession at the time of his death, in February, 1876."

From alby6@@juno.com: "In 1776 Gilbraith Falls was executor for his father, John Falls of Mecklenburg County. John Falls had remarried in 1761, to the widow Martha Clark, with a premarital agreement; we do not know his first wife. In 1777 Gilbraith Falls became sheriff of Rowan County. Gilbraith's oldest child, William, in his Revolutionary pension application, says that his father brought him from Chester Co., PA to NC in the fall of 1763, when he was six weeks old. I believe Gilbraith had been in Rowan County by 1760, but returned to PA to marry Isabella Kerr. William killed a Tory who was attempting to rob his father's body at Ramsour's Mill, and Isabella brought her husband's body home for burial."

Letters submitted by Mrs. C. L. Neill From Family Findings Vol. IX, No. 1, January 1978, pp. 15-24: "Houston, Texas April 28, 1899

1013 Crawford St. Mrs. H.H. Neill San Antonio, Texas

My dear cousin,

           Your favor came to hand this morning. I am sorry that I know so little about my Mother's family. Like Hal I know they moved from Carolina to Tenn., but that is all. I have heard Hal's father say, also my stepmother, that the family came from Ireland and were originally named O'Neill, but dropped the O after coming to America. The O'Neills once were aristocratic people in Ireland, some of them belonged to the Royal race - My grandfather was named after a Capt. G. Falls of N. Carolina, who saved his father's life in some battle with the Indians - I think he was wounded and Capt. Falls took him on his horse and rode off the field with him. Perhaps you can get some information from one of my cousins living at Oxford, Miss. Mr. Wm. Neill - We also have an Aunt in Texas, who knows something of the family, but I do not know where she lives - I will write myself in a few days and try to help you all I can - I would like to know myself - I felt so disappointed after writing to Hal while I was in San Marcos that he did not answer - Judge Brown told me that he had expressed a wish to see me - I wrote and invited him to come and see me. I would have enjoyed seeing him so much. I have been in San Antonio several times since then, but was sick and could not get about much. I have some good friends there. If either you, or Hal ever visit this city, come and see me. I would be so glad to see you both. She is my second cousin, Mr. Ben Campbell is a member of the bar - May God bless you both.


Yours truly,

Julia Smichter (???) Smither (??) Smithern (??)"