Person:William Surratt (1)

The two progenitors of the SURRATTs in Davidson County are Beverly and William. They were brothers, and tradition strongly insists they were born out of wedlock and their father was John Mills. No proof can be found for this tradition, but if it was true, their mother was probably Sarah Serratt (as it was spelled on the court records) who went to court to seek support for at least one of her children in 1795. Apparently she raised her sons under her name in the Cabin Creek area of Davidson County. Whatever the true facts about their parentage, present day SURRATTs are proud to descend from these two devout family men who raised fine families and lived on the land of their ancestors with love and respect William was probably born in 1796 in what was then Rowan County, North Carolina, and according to legend his father was John Mills and his mother might have been Sarah Serratt (as the court recorded her name.) His brother was Beverly, and both men were said to be Methodist ministers in addition to being farmers. As noted before, William and Beverly co-founded Pleasant Grove Church, also known as SURRATT's Grove, on property which the Mills held title to in the 1790's as is shown on the map of early land grants in southern

[REF:#90 Page 54 Davidson County prepared by Bert M. Lanier. This church was founded in 1838 and is believed to be one of the earliest Methodist churches in the county. Methodist history claims that Bishop Asbury, indefatigable missionary from England, had ridden into Davidson County around 1785 and began to stir up interest in the Methodist movement. Other traveling preachers followed him and held camp meetings, but the first permanent churches of that faith were not built until 1828-1830 anywhere in the county.

William was married in Randolph County when he was about 19 years old. The marriage bond gives his bride's name as "Sinthey" Loflin, but later records call her Cynthia. The bond was dated 19 Aug. 1815 and his brother Beverly was his bondsman.

The year before, William had entered for a grant of land of 180 acres on the waters of Beaverdmn Creek. This was surveyed in 1815 by John Lochlin (Loflin) and James Lasy and signed by W. Moore. The description mentions: William Ledwell's corner, William Lochlin's (Loflin) corner Moore's road, Isaac Vincent's line. The warrant is dated 1 Dec. 1818.

Later he acquired property which is bisected by Lick Creek Road today and on which is located a private family cemetery. The grave stones sit on a hillock which looks south to Cabin Creek on a curve in the road surrounded on three sides by farm fields. William's grave marker calls him Reverend William SURRATT and Cynthia rests near him. His son Allen and wife Mary Ann, their children A. F., M.D., Sina, and unnamed infants are buried in this peaceful field. Another son, William Morton SURRATT and his two wives, Margaret and Adeline, are buried there also.

On Bert M. Lanier's map he notes this property was first held by Ebenezer Parks who sold it to Frederick Smith. James Wiatt owned it for a time and then William SURRATT acquired it in 1830. This becomes very interesting because of a collection of original documents in the possession of Mrs. Allen A. SURRATT who was entrusted to care for these papers by her mother-in-law, Mrs. Irving Finch SURRATT. Two original deeds from Ebenezer Parks to Frederick Smith for two parcels on the waters of Cabin Creek are in this collection. Apparently when William bought 180 acres of these tracts, he acquired the deeds made out in August, 1796. The collection also contains the deed in which Cynthia's sons, Allen, Richard L., William M., and Whitson H., relinquished their rights in their father's property during Cynthia's lifetime; deeds made to Allen, as well as the estate settlement of his wife, Mary Ann Pinch, who preceded him in death. But, most astonishing of all, this collection of original papers also contains an original deed to Allen Sarratt's (3.2) grant of land on Beaverdam Creek for 380 acres! This seems to prove most definitely that William was a grandson of Allen Sarratt, and that when Allen moved to Lincoln County, the original copy of the deed was kept by some thoughtful person, even though the land had been sold. Was it Sarah who kept it as a memento of her father?

Whatever the answer, William seems to have had these papers and his eldest son, Allen, kept them and added his own dealings to them, they were then passed to his son, Alexander, who gave them to his son Irving Finch and in turn they were passed to his eldest son, Allen A. SURRATT and conserved by Mrs. Allen A. SURRATT.

William SURRATT died in January or February of 1861 and his wife, Cynthia, died 15 June 1864. They are both buried in the private cemetery on property William once owned. When the authors of this book visited this cemetery once in the company of Lee SURRATT and Mrs. Herbert SURRATT, Lee remarked that the Reverend William and his family were very devout people, and when they came to bury their dead, they usually carried the coffin, followed by the family and friends and they sang as they walked. He said it was told the sweet, sad sound of the hymns could be heard for a long distance over the countryside.