(Photo by Field Dreams)
William England and son Richard England
Revolutionary War Patriots by Ethelene Dyer Jones
Enlistment in the militia or continental army was not the only contribution to America’s freedom. Some patriots were known for their material assistance. Such were William England and his son, Daniel England.
William England migrated to America in 1733 and first settled in Pennsylvania where he married, first, Elizabeth Wilcox. They had one son, William, Jr. Elizabeth died, and William married, second, Mary Watson. The Englands moved to Maryland where Mary gave birth to Daniel, born in 1752. Their next move was to Chatham County, NC, where three more sons, Joseph, John and Samuel, were born.
It was in North Carolina that William England went into partnership with his brother-in-law, John Wilcox, and built an iron foundry. The iron furnace cast cannons and cannon balls used in the war effort during the Revolution. Daniel England worked with his father in the foundry on Hunting Creek near Morganton, NC. He applied for and received deferment from induction into the military because of his work at the foundry.
Daniel died in 1818 in Burke County, NC. He was recognized by Daughters and Sons of the American Revolution for his material assistance in the Revolutionary War effort.
Daniel England married Margaret Guinn (1758-NC – 1847, GA). She received land in the lottery and moved to Habersham County, Georgia with some of her children, namely Richard (1770-1835), Nancy, Rachel and Deborah. Richard married Patsy Montgomery. Richard owned land on which gold was found in Habersham (later White) County. Richard was buried in the England Family Cemetery near the Chattahoochee River in present-day Helen. Margaret came to Choestoe in Union County when the Englands settled here. Hers reportedly was the first grave in the Old Choestoe Cemetery.
To continue Revolutionary War connections, Richard England’s son, Jonathan, known as “Athan” married Nancy Ingram, granddaughter of John Ingraham, Revolutionary soldier. His son Daniel married Harriet E. Hunter. His daughter, Margaret Elizabeth, married William Jonathan Hunter. And the family kinship lines go on, even to this present generation and beyond.
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As I read about Ethelene’s ancestors, I wonder if William England’s moves to the south were an effort to find more freedom farther away from the reach of the British. Perhaps his first move was to leave behind the sadness of loosing his first wife and make a fresh start in Maryland. Or maybe his brother-n-law John Wilcox convinced him that North Carolina was a fine place to settle.
I’m always curious about movements folks made from one area to another. It is interesting to note many of the Patriots in Ethelene’s family line ended up in North Georgia due to land grants given to them for their contribution to the Patriot side of the Revolutionary War.
Life is full of symbolism, especially for a sentimental history buff like me. I just can’t help thinking about the relationship between the Patriots from the Dyer-Souther-Collins line settling in the North Georgia Mountains and their descendant Ethelene Dyer Jones born just a few mountains away from me who grew up to be a wife, mother, teacher, etc., and a preserver of my Appalachian heritage. Pretty neat uh?
Tipper
Please help!!!
I am researching my England line. My 3xs great-grandfather was Elijah England b. 1790 SC d.1867 Union County, GA. He married 1st. Elizabeth Brock, 2nd Caroline Sautter (my 3xs great-grandmother). His father, I believe was William England (not 100 % sure).
How does my England’s tie into these England’s? While researching my England’s on line, they are on the same blog as your England’s that you are writing about.
Thanks! 🙂
I have been researching my England line. There is not much information about them that I can find. I have gotten to Elijah England b. 1790 South Carolina d. Aft. 1860 union county, Ga. who married 2nd sp. Caroline Sautter. I’m descended from their daughter Angelina “Ann” England Hood.
I would love to go back father than Elijah.
Any help would be appreciated!! Thank you.
William England is my 8th great Grandfather, his son Joseph is my 7th. It fills my heart with great pride learning of his Patriotism and helps me understand why it burns so brightly within myself. Thank you for the history you have provided.
Tipper, I am a historian at heart. I have been working on family lines starting with my Kennedy line coming to New York in 1730’s, Young, Boling, Pipes, Haynes, and also working on my husband’s line of Parks since 1968. I found all of my lines were here in the early 1700 and some way before that time. All of my lines migrated on down through the Carolina’s, into GA, AL, TN and MS. Every family line had a male in the Revolution. Researching history at the time they were making these trips even made it more interesting. I found one family came down to Harrodsburg, KY., with the first settlers and then moved on to AL. The Bolin (Boling, Bolen) family moved from South Carolina in a wagon drawn by oxen on down through GA, AL to northern MS. Swollen Streams or creek crossings, of course, with no bridges were extremely dangerous and in this family two died from falling out of the wagon and drowning. Years ago I found information in the libraries of the towns my ancestors lived in or near. Ancestry has made it a little easier. There is a Dyer line in my Kennedy family in MS. Enjoyed your post!
what are your sources for William’s marriages?
The William England you speak of, with children Joseph, John, and Sarah, was my direct gggggrandfather; his son Joseph’s line is the one I am descended from. I so appreciate all the work you have done. Joseph, as an old man, and his John, went by horse and wagon to Illinois after moving to Tennessee, where John was born. Joseph’s son, Samuel Sebird, is my direct line. He followed later, and settled in Macoupin Co., Illinois with his wife Mary Ann White Glad to share with anyone.
John wilcox was my grand-father, I just traced him on ancestory.com and was looking for more info on him and found your blog!!! I am so excited!!
I came across your blog when I was searching for information about my grandfather. I had heard that at sometime in our past the England’s had migrated south from Pennsylvania. This article has peaked my interest in finding out more about where the England’s came from.
Jeff England
I like the story and the new music playing!
Toe tapping right now…
Tipper: Their surname must have made there fight very hard on them.
i love your history posts~i am such a history buff that anything interests me 🙂
I love history also, Tipper…. But—I didn’t love it much when I was younger… I have so many questions I’d love to ask my relatives about our family. I’m so interested in why people did the things they did –and the type of lives they lived years ago.
Interesting post.
Hugs,
Betsy
Moving was not as easy then as it is now. Makes me wonder why, too.
Can you imagine the things that had to be sold or left behind?
Yes, it is very neat!!
thanks to Ethelene for sharing her family,and their/our history.
Very interesting post!
Thank you for sharing this, Tipper! Moving seems like so much trouble nowdays, yet back then they were always on the move. I have quite a few Revolutioary War Patriots from NC, so I really enjoyed this account.
The second wife of my third-great grandfather, Thomas Early Blake, was Lucinda Hunter, granddaughter of Capt. David Hunter and his second wife, Esther McMinn. We have a great deal of information to share on these families, and would love to know if Capt. Hunter was related to the Harriet E. Hunter who married Daniel England.
There were a lot of migrations to NC just before and after the American Revolution. My Allison family did the same, from Maryland to Burke County,NC, then to What is now Transylvania County, then to what is now Jackson County. NC counties were restructured about every year in those days, so we need to know a date to know what county a piece of land or people occupied.
Tipper,
What a great post! You seem to always capture the moment and this
wonderfully told story by Mrs. Jones (thank you) was great. And we appreciate your strength and
ability to share our American
heritage for our children and grandchildren. Ken
every single time i stand in front of an old barn, house, building, see antiques I try to picutre in my mind how it would have been to work, live, shop in those buildings, to be a part of the heritage we have here. As I read you blog today, the thought hit me that you and I and other bloggers are becoming something our descendants will look back at as heritage. we are all a part of the tapestry of life and it is good to record that history for others. thanks for making me THINK today.
Pretty neat indeed Tipper!
Yes, it it is pretty neat. I also wonder about moving in those times. What with only horse & wagon and nary a road to travel, moving a family a long distance was no small task. I’m sure most of the moves were for a better life as it still is today.
Stacey
SWPA