Person:Melchoir Hefner (1)

[Stamps-Sites_TFS.FTW]

"The Teague Family" history of Alexander County states that Melchoir Hefner was a soldier in the Revolutionary War.

The name Hefner/Heffner was originally spelled in German as Höffner (Hoeffner), meaning "cobbler."

  John Hefner was born 9 October 1754, a son of Melchoir and Anna Catherine (maiden name unknown) Hefner. Melchoir came from Germany and first stelled in Fredrick County, Maryland. He later moved his family to Lincoln (now Catawba) County in North Carolina, by late 1770 where he bought land on Lyle's Creek. This is proven in Lincoln County Deed Book 1 page 555, which reads that on 13 December 1771 Philip Adams and Catrin, his wife, of the county of Tryon sold to "Melker Hevner of the County of Fredrick in the Province of Maryland" 350 acres of land in consideration of 130 pounds. On 5 December 1788 Melchoir gave his "well beloved son, John Hafner" 200 acres of land on the south side of Lyle's Creek in Lincoln County (Deed Book 18 page 4). This land was bounded by Henry Pope, General Rutherford and Jacob Bolick. On 12 June 1795 "Melker Hafner and Catharine, his wife" sold to their son, John "of Iredell County" 50 acres on Elk Shoals Creek in Lincoln County for 100 pounds. This deed was witnessed by Philip Hefner, Peter Little, and Henry Painter. John Hefner, planter, of Lincoln County sold to Peter Little, tanner, 200 acres in Lincoln County on 20 July 1796. John received 160 pounds for this tract of land which had been obtained from the state by Philip Drum by Grant No. 828 bearing the date 9 November 1784. This land lay on the south side of the Catawba River and on the North fork of Elk Shoals Creek (Book 18 page 418). On 19 November 1800 John sold a tract of land that lay on Elk Shoals Creek to Philip Baker for 50 silver dollars. This land joined John Isahower (Icenhour) and included tthat plantation that Melchoir gave John (Book 20 pp. 329-330). On 12 December 1801 John received a state grant for land consisting of 28 acres on Lyle's Creek. On 24 January 1801 John sold 100 acres to Conrad Grider for 40 pounds. This land also lay on Elk Shoals Creek and was the tract that John had obtained by a state grant.
  John Hefner's brothers and sisters were as follows: Anna Maria, born 4 February 1753, married Dr. Johan Michael Raub; Maria Margaret, born 21 October 1759, married a Bolch, Philip Jacob, born 16 January 1768, married first Elizabeth Keller, second by bond 4 March 1822 Elizabeth Bolick (13 June 1785 - 13 December 1864), and after Elizabeth's death married a third time; Dorothy Hefner, born 9 September 1771.
  John Hefner's first wife's name is not known. John wrote his will in 1832 and it was presented for probate in Lincoln County Court in July 1837. In his will John speaks of his first wife's two children that he had already given them portions of his property as they became of age and left him. He bequeathed all his real and personal property to his surviving wife, Elizabeth, which at the end of her natural life or widowhood was to be sold and divided among his children, Elizer (Eliza), Frederick, Noah, Evi, Nancy, Melchor, and Leah. He also willed that in the event any of his daughters should marry that they should receive some of the household furnuture if it could be spared. John appointed his wife, Elizabeth, and his friend, Miles W. Abernathy, as his executors. In July 1837 Elizabeth Hefner made an inventory without sale of her deceased husband's personal property which was recorded at the September Session of Lincoln County Court. Later she also sold some of John's land that lay on Elk Shoal Creek. On 21 February 1846 she sold a tract of 164 acres to John Drum. Forty acres were excepted from the tract, of which had been sold to two other parties, a Mr. Moser and a Mr. Mathis.
  At the 1850 Catawba County census Elizabeth Hefner was listed as living in the household of her son-in-law, Noah Miller. Noah Miller and Leah Hefner were married about 1843. Leah was born 31 December 1825 in Lincoln (now Catawba) County. Her birth is recorded in the birth records of St. Peter's Lutheran Church. At the 1850 census Elizabeth was listed as age 65, thus being born about 1785. She was not living with Noah and Leah at the 1860 census of Catawba County. By 1870, after Noah had returned home from the Civil War, she was again living with them and listed as age 80. Elizabeth died sometime after this census was taken in Alexander County. The 1880 Alexander County census lists that Leah Hefner Miller's father was born in Pennsylvania and that her mother was born in North Carolina. Noah and Leah Hefner Miller are believed to be buried in unmarked graves in the cemetery of Macedonia Baptist Church in Alexander County. At the present time this author does not know where Johan and Elizabeth Hefner are buried, however, research continues on this line. (Sources: Lincoln County deed books; Lincoln County Estate Settlements; John Hefner estate settlement in the N.C. Archives at Raleigh; Ancestry of Rachel Hefner Wagner.] 

[p. 188, #277, "JOHN HEFNER AND FAMILY" by James W. Miller, Jr., "The Heritage of Catawba County, 1986"]

1. ↑ Stamps-Sites TFS.FTW.

   Date of Import: May 13, 2004

2. ↑ Stamps-Sites TFS.FTW.

   Date of Import: May 13, 2004