"My father, Henry Terrell, I think was born in 1732 and died in 1798 or 99. [6] He was born on Pamunka (sic) river in Hanover County, Virginia. He was executor to my grandfathers' Terrell and Dabney's [7] estates. He was perhaps under six feet, rather spare built, chin a little long, fine mouth, nose plenty, but not aquiline, keen, deep blue eyes of the middle size, very small legs and big feet. I have been told when in the vigor of life, scarcely any man could match him in any of the gymnastic sports. From my earliest knowledge of him he eat (sic) no fat meat or drank spirits until his last sickness. His education was of the common English, wrote a beautiful hand, had much more mind than acquirements, was strictly a confidential and business man, though not of the first order; his kindness of heart would not let him. His mental powers were of a sound grade, and I think as a high-minded honorable man no one stood higher until his second marriage. He was old and from some unhappy fatuity married his overseer's daughter. He became involved and disposed of a good many negroes and much valuable land for a mere song for lands on the frontiers of South Carolina. I have always thought the troubles of his latter days brought on disease with which he lingered near two years; the merest skeleton of his former self. He possessed a very handsome estate and left perhaps one-half to his wife and two younger children, Henry and Patsy. [8] He was among the best of fathers that ever lived. His worst fault I've long very plainly seen was his indulgence to his children and everybody. He lost by one, and injured his children by the other, and that forever-and-venerated shade [9] lies on a little elevated and whitely point near a branch in what is now Pickens County, South Carolina, on Big Estitoe Creek waters [10] of the Savannah ...
... I think he must have been more than thirty years old when he married Ann Dabney, [11] of Hanover County, ...
... Henry Terrell had removed from Hanover to Bedford County, Va., some years before the Revolutionary War, where all his first children were born, except Ann and William who were born at Lower Sawratown on Dan River, Rockingham County, N.C. [16] In March, 1776, just at the beginning of the Revolutionary War, my father went out as captain of a volunteer company raised for three years' service. From some cause unknown to me it seems he remained in this service not quite two years and then went into the commissary department and remained in the service until the reduction of little York. ... "
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6. Actually, the year of his death was 1798, as attested by the register of his Last Will in Pendleton District, South-Carolina (now contained with the Wills and Deeds of Anderson County, S.C. The county was divided in 1826 and underwent name changes, called now Pickens County and Anderson County.).
7. The sense here is to the estate belonging to Cornelius Dabney.
8. This Patsy received the six negroes mentioned in Harry Terrell's Last Will, yet being too young to administer such property, she and her inheritance were both placed under the guardianship of her older brother, John D. Terrell, Sr., the author of these Memoirs. Whether or not Patsy retained title to these six negroes cannot be determined.
9. A euphemism for a gravesite, in beloved South Carolina.
10. Should be, "Big Eastatoe (Eastitoe Creek)," a place-name given by the Cherokee Indians of that region.
11. This Ann Dabney was the daughter of Cornelius Dabney, whose father's Last Will was dated 26 Oct. 1764, and recorded 7 Feb. 1765.
16. It should be noted that William Higgins Terrell who is here mentioned was born May 24, 1784.
