SIXTH GENERATION

44. James A. Howell Sr. (1) was born about 1785 in Patrick County (Possibly Henry County), Virginia. He died between 1842 and 45. He was buried in Silver Chapel Cemetery, Bandana, N. C.. James A. Howell, Sr. gave his son, Thomas, several hundred acres on the other
side of the Burnt Mountain from Rebel's Creek in the community now known as
Bandana. Some researchers say that James and Martha were married in Virginia
and moved to Washington County, Tennessee. Others say that Swinfield Hill was
one of the first settlers of Ashe County, N. C. and that they met and married
there. (Larry Howell, from Burnsville, N. C. sent this info to Danny McBee).

At any rate, they were in Washington County, Tennessee in 1805 when their
first son, Thomas was born. At about this time there was a general exodus
of people from this area into N. C. Several families such as the Garlands,
Thomas's, Hortons, Millers, and Howells made this arduous fifty mile trip.
James and Martha settled on what is now Rebel's Creek in what is now Mitchell
County but then was Burke County and which became Yancey in 1835 (James's
signature is on the petition to the N. C. Legislature for the formation of a
new county) and which divided over the question of secession in 1860 to form
the new Mitchell. Rebel's Creek is so named for the large number of young
men from the community who fought for the Confederacy. What it was called
before then, I don't know (This information came from Larry Howell of
Burnsville, North Carolina). James and Martha owned all of the land drained
by Rebel's Creek and then some. Their home was located approximately where
the Rebel's Creek Baptist Church is now. Many of their descendants still live
on this creek. I, Larry Howell, live about five miles from it. James
Howell's will was probated in 1844, The will was administered by Jackson
Stewart (son-in-law) and Thomas Howell (son). James is listed as head of
household in the Burke County, North Carolina Census for 1810-1830. James and
Martha were living in East Tennessee when their first son was born in 1805.
By 1810, they had moved into the Bandana, Rebel's Creek Area of what was Burke
County and later became Mitchell County, North Carolina. [Danny A. McBee, July 12, 1998].

The following was taken from America Online from web site http://planetc.com/users/stotol/index.html:

List of Surnames & Nationalities

TOLLEY

From the Gaelic word Tulach (hill). Also a descendant of Tole, a pet form of Bartholomew, also from the nickname Tholy, recorded in the Doomsday Books as early as 1273.

RIDDALL, RIDDEL, RIDDELL, RIDDLE

The Ridels came from Gascony and the DeRydels from the wapentake of Ryedale in the North Riding of Yorkshire. Possibly the name originated as early as 1048. A Robert Riddell of Glenriddell was a friend and early patron of Robert Burns. Riddle is a clan name of great antiquity.

J. Howell was draw to serve on the Grand Jury at the next court on Wednesday, January 22, 1834, Court of Pleas and Quarter Session. [Danny A. McBee, September 24, 1998].

HOWEL, HOWELL, HOWELLS

"The Son of Hoel" recorded in the Doomsday Books 1313. Howell is the name of a Welsh prince.

ANGEL, ANGELL

"The Son of Angel" in later days Angella and Angelina. Also "one from the country of the Angels, between Tlensbury and Schely, in Denmark." Once a popular name, the Puritans could not oust this name, though bitterly hated by them.

ADKIN, ADKINS, ADKINSON, ATKINS, ATKIN, ATKINSON, ATKYNS

"The Son of Adam" from then nickname Addy. Also the "Son of Little Ade," a pet form of Adam.

BRYANT

Descendent of Bryan (strong).

AUSTIN

Descendant of Austin, a variant of Augustine (majestic).

HONEYCUTT

One who comes from Huncoa (Huna's cottage in Lancanshire, or from Huncote, in Leicestershire). Early spellings are Hunnecotes and Huncote.

Sources:

Black, George F. The Surnames of Scotland Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames

Tolley: English, Irish, and perhaps German/Swiss Riddle: Scotch, English Angel: English, Danish Adkins: English Howell: Welsh, English Austin: Scotch, English Bryant: Irish Honeycutt; English, Dellinger: German, Weatherman: German, possibly Dutch. [Danny A. McBee, August 1, 1998].

James Howell was a witness at the swearing in of Jackson Stewart, January 22, 1834 to be the high sheriff of Yancey County, North Carolina. This was recorded in the Court of Pleas and Quarter Session for Yancey County, N. C., January 22, 1834. [Danny A. McBee, September 25, 1998].


The following information came from the Yancey County Minute Docket Court of Pleas
and Quarter Sessions, Fall Session 1836, Commenced on the first Monday after the fourth
in September 1836: Ordered by the court that the dividing line between David Willis, James Wilson, Elijah Green and Thomas Wilson, overseers of the roads begins at the Mine Creek Road at the gap of the Mountain between Stephen Pitmans and Joseph Tates old plantation and runs down the dividing Ridge to James Howells and all hands on the north side of said ridge that belonged to Greens and Wilsons ordered to work out their said road and those south of said ridge that returns as to their orders to be exempt from said road and also Joseph Buchanan who lives at the head of Snow Creek be exempt from Greens orders. [Danny A. McBee, September 25, 1998]

Yancey County Minute Docket, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, Spring Session 1836:

James Howell returns his road order. Ordered by court that David Wilson oversee in his stead. [Danny A. McBee, September 25, 1998].

James Howell, Sr. was summoned as a witness in Frankie Silver's trail for the murder of her husband Charlie Silver. [Danny A. McBee, February 12, 1999]. He was married to Martha (Patty) Hill about 1811 in Burke Co., North Carolina.

45. Martha (Patty) Hill (1) was born about 1790 in Patrick County (Possibly Henry County), Virginia. She died between 1825 and 1832 in Bear Creek, Yancey County, North Carolina. Martha is listed as head of household in 1850 Yancey Co., N. C. Census, age 60, children Delilah, age 27, and son Garrett, age 22, living in the household of Martha Howell. James A. Howell, Martha's husband, had died about 1842/1845. [Danny A. McBee, September 14, 1998].

Martha was living in Mitchell County, North Carolina in 1860. I wouldn't be surprised if Martha's maiden name was Garrett. The 1850 census list John Garrett living beside the Spark's and Green families. James and Martha named their son, Garrett Howell. John Garrett was born circa 1791. He was probably Martha's brother. [Danny A. McBee,
September 14, 1998]. Children were:

child i. Thomas "Tommy" Howell(1) was born on 17 Jan 1805 in East Tennessee. He died on 22 Jan 1891. He was buried in Gouge cemetery, Bandana, North Carolina. He was an Ironsmith. In the winter of 1860, fifty-five year old Thomas Howell had an affair with 19
year old Susan Catherine Weatherman, sister of Almedia Weatherman. In the
1860 census taken in August, Catherine is living in the household of John D.
and Sarah Howell. Whether they took her in after Thomas got her with child or
if she was living there when the affair started, we don't know. The child,
Cynthis Jane, born in Nov. and Catherine quickly abandoned her. Piety took
the child into her home and Jane stayed there until 1874 when Piety died and
Thomas married another of his girlfriends, Elizabeth Tolley
(1/14/1845-12/8/1893). Elizabeth ran Jane off and she went to live with
Phagan McDanial Young, who was married by this time. In 1880, Jane married
John Jarret. One of their children was Elsie Jarrett. By the time Thomas
married Elizabeth, they had already had Sanders, McWilliam, and Elmira. After
they were married, they had 5 more children. The intriguing part is that
Elizabeth was the daughter of Daniel Tolley and Jane Howell. If Jane was his
first cousin, then he only married his second cousin. To complicate matters
further, Susan Catherine Weatherman married James A. Howell, son of James
Howell, Jr. and Thomas' nephew. When James A. Howell was killed in a gunfight
in Burnsville in 1877 she married a much older widower, Morgan Bailey, son of
"Yellowjacket John" Bailey. They were among the first settlers in the Lost
Cove section of Yancey County, North Carolina. When he died, she went to
Oklahoma to live with Elmore Howell, her oldest son. She died and is buried
there.
By another slew of girlfriends, Thomas Howell had Elizabeth M., Jesse, Nancy
Silvers, Lillie Hise, Maynard, Ada, and Willard for a total of 19 legitimate
and otherwise. The amazing part is that Thomas was ruptured so badly that he
had to crawl through the fields to do farm chores such as picking up potatoes.
(This information came from Larry Howell of Burnsville, North Carolina. Larry
sent it to me, Danny A. McBee.) Larry stated in the letter to me : Yes, I
know that you are thinking that you are descended from a bunch of ignorant,
wormy, inbred hillbillies and you are probably right, but remember that the
mountains of Western North Carolina were the most isolated region of the
eastern U. S. and probably just as isolated as parts west of the Mississippi.
The CCC railroad was not built until 1912 and any highways were non-existant
until the 1920's. The area was sparsley populated and law enforcement
sporadic at best. Many adult males and not a few females carried side-arms.
People did not travel far from home for any reason. The roads were just muddy
paths through the forests and I can remember my grandmother, Elsie, who was
born in 1889 talking about hearing panthers screaming on the Burnt Mountain
above her father's house. Of course, when the railroad was built and the big
timber companies came in to harvest the virgin forests, that was the end of
the panthers, bears and deer for about ninety years. They are just coming
back. (I, Danny A. McBee, thank Larry Howell of Burnsville, North Carolina
for all of the information on the Howell family and the interesting stories).

Thomas Howell made the buckles for Charlie Silver's shoes and had to identify
them at the trial after Frankie Stewart Silver tried to burn them along with
the remains of the chopped up Charlie Silver. Frankie was the last white
woman hanged in North Carolina. Thomas had other illegitimate children:
Jesse Howell, Nancy Howell Silvers, Lillie Howell Hise, Maynard Howell, Ada
Howell, and Willard Howell.

Thomas Howell, age 44, is listed as head of household in the 1850 Yancey County,
North Carolina Census with wife Piety, age 48, and children James, 18, Robert, 6,
Martha, 17, and Mary, 15, Elizabeth M., 13, and Jane E., 7. [Danny A. McBee, September 15, 1998].

Thomas Howell, age 55, is listed as head of household in the 1860 Mitchell County, North Carolina Census with wife Piety, age 55, and children James C., 30, and Robert P., 16.
[Danny A. McBee, March 2, 2000].
child ii. Jane Howell(1) was born about 1807 in Mitchell County, North Carolina. Jane may have been the niece of James A. Howell and just living with him and
his wife Martha. Jane could have been the daughter of James' brother
Thomas. Jane was married to Daniel Tolley.
child iii. Elizabeth "Betty" Howell(1) was born on 20 Jul 1809. She died on 2 Mar 1888 in Bear Creek, Yancey County, North Carolina. She was buried in Burleson Cemetery, Loafers Glory. She had an estate probated in Toecane, Mitchell Co., North Carolina.
child iv. James A. Howell Jr.(1) was born about 1811 in Mitchell County, North Carolina. He died in Dec 1861 in Mitchell County, North Carolina. He was buried in Silver Chapel Cemetery, Bandana, N. C.. He was a Farmer. James Howell shows up in the 1850 Yancey County, North Carolina Census as head
of household. His occupation is farmer and he is 39 years old. His wife
Cynthia and sons, William, Thomas, Swinfield, Patterson, James A., and Aaron
are listed in the household. James was the first person to be buried in the
Silver Chapel Cemetery at Bandana (Toe River Valley Heritage Book, Article
421. James is buried beside his brother Garrett D. Howell in the Silver
Chapel Cemetery, with an unmarked grave between them, possible Garrett's wife.
I found this on a visit to Kona and Burnsville, North Carolina for the annual Howell
family reunion in 1997. [Danny A. McBee, September 14, 1998].

Syntha Howell, age 55, is listed as head of household in the 1870 Jack's Creek, Yancey
County, North Carolina Census with children Aaron, 22, Henry, 19, and Matilda 17. [Danny A. McBee, August 25, 1998].
child v. Susannah Howell(1) was born about 1814 in Burke Co., North Carolina. She died about 1879 in Bear Creek, Yancey County, North Carolina. According to Professor Lloyd Bailey, John Pink Tolley and Susannah Howell may
have had other children than Joseph Tolley. Those children would be: Olivia,
David, William, Catherine, Sarah, James, and Jacob Tolley.
child vi. William A. (Billy) Howell(1) was born in Mar 1819 in Mitchell County, North Carolina.(8) He died about 1905 in Mitchell County, North Carolina. He was buried in Mitchell County, North Carolina. He was a Carpenter. According to the 1850 Yancey Co., N. C. Census, William A. Howell was 31 years
old, a carpenter, and married to Jane, age 31. William A. Howell shows up in
the 1880 Yancey Co., N. C. Census as being 60 years old and head of the house-
hold. His wife Jane, age 60, and daughters Martha, age 24, and Caldonia, age
21, are also in the household. William Howell, born March 1819, married 69
years, shows up in the 1900 Ramsey Town Township, Yancey Co., N. C. Census
with wife Jane, and daughter Caldona, 40. (Danny A. McBee).

The following was taken from America Online from web site http://planetc.com/users/stotol/index.html:

William Howell


1819 ~ 1905


Son of James and Martha Hill Howell. One of his sisters, Susannah, married John Tolley. Another sister Frances, married Joseph R. Tolley. Jane, another possible sister, married Daniel Tolley. The Tolleys and Howells certainly liked each other very much. William married Jane Honeycutt, daughter of Peter and Delilah Hampton Honeycutt. Family history states that William first met Jane on Big Rock Creek, in what is now Mitchell County, North Carolina. She was sitting beside the road on a rock eating a piece of cornbread! How is that for the beginning of a romance?

Uncle Hubert remembered seeing Jane sitting in a rocking chair smoking a corn cob pipe. He remembered William walking on two canes, grunting each time he took a step. William is buried at Howell Cemetery on Big Creek in Yancey County, North Carolina. Jane is probably buried there also. [Danny A. McBee, August 1, 1998].
child vii. Martha (Patsy) Howell(1) was born on 6 Jul 1821. She died on 14 Jun 1900. She was buried in Big Crabtree Baptist Church. She had an estate probated in Bear Creek, Yancey County, North Carolina.
child viii. Nancy Howell(1) was born about 1822. Nancy Howell was Henry Silver's second wife. Henry Silver raised two sets of
children. It is uncertain where Henry Silver and Nancy settled. Nancy Howell
is linked with being the daughter of Thomas "Tommy" Howell by several Howell
genealogists. There is a distinct possibility that this Nancy Howell could have
been the Nancy Howell that married secondly to Cornelius Weatherman on March
24, 1869 in Mitchell Couty, North Carolina. [Danny A. McBee].
child ix. Swinfield D. Howell(1) was born in Oct 1822 in Mitchell County, North Carolina. He was a Farmer. Swinfield Howell, 49, is listed as head of household in the 1870 Yancey County,
North Carolina Census with wife Sarah, age 49, and children Martha, 22, Bidded, 28, Elmira, 16, Jasper, 15, Peter, 13, Swinfield, 10, Zebulin, 8, and Lissie, 4. [Danny A.
McBee, August 25, 1998].

Swinfield D. Howell shows up in the 1900 Yancey County, North Carolina Census
as being 77 years old, widowed, and born October 1822. Swinfield D. Howell
shows up in the book entitled N. C. Confederate Militia Officers Roster by
Stephen E. Bradley. Swinfield is listed as a Captain, Dec. 14, 1861, Jack's
Creek District Volunteer, 111th Regiment, Yancey County, 27th Brigade. Swin
married the second time at age 74 years old. Swinfield D. Howell's is now
widely scattered (mostly in Tennessee).

I, Danny A. McBee, found another possible daughter for Swinfield D. Howell in the 1850-1920
Yancey County, North Carolina Marriage Records today, December 30, 1997. Her name is
Lina Howell, born about 1872, married to Ebb Adkins, born about 1868, in Yancey Co., N. C.
The following people were at her wedding: Jasper Howell, Peter Howell, and Swinfield D.
Howell. [Danny A. McBee].
child x. Oliva "Ollie" Howell(1) was born about 1829/30 in Mitchell County, North Carolina. Olivia "Ollie" Howell and James Boone first appear in the 1850 Carter County,
Tennessee Census with children Sarah Ann, John Fagan, and Elizabeth. They had
at least two other children Nathan and Melvina, as shown by the 1860 Census
for Yancey County, North Carolina.
child xi. Delilah Howell(1) was born about 1822 in Mitchell County, North Carolina. I, Danny A. McBee, have Delilah Howell being born in 1822. My cousin, Larry
Howell sent me information that leads me to believe Delilah was actually born
in 1833. Delilah and her husband Joseph Boone sold the homeplace land grant
to Phagan McDanial Young. Joseph and Delilah Howell Boone moved from Mitchell
County to Yancey County, North Carolina (reportedly selling the old homeplace
to McDaniel Young).
child22 xii. Garrett D. Howell.
child xiii. Naomi (Omy) Howell(1) was born about 1832. Naomi Howell and Robert Boone lived in Mitchell County, North Carolina. [Danny A.
McBee].

Naomi Boone, age 18, is listed as head of household in the 1850 Yancey County, North
Carolina Census with son James, age 2. I, Danny A. McBee, do not know where Robert Boone was at the time of this Census. [Danny A. McBee, September 14, 1998].

The following information was provided by Sandra Fender from Mexican War Pension Record: Naomi Boon, Boonford, Yancey Co., NC, widow of Robert Boon, private-Capt.
Blalock-D-1 NC Vols, enlisted 1848. Filed Apr. 6, 1907 at Knoxville, Tenn. [Danny A. McBee, April 14, 1999].

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