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Mayfields of South Carolina
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Mayfield - Brummett Migration Group of Washington County NC, Greenville County SC and Southeastern KY
By Phil Norfleet
Careful study of the early records of Washington County NC (later became part of TN), Greenville County SC, and Lincoln/Garrard Counties KY suggest that there was a group of several Mayfield and Brumit (this surname is sometimes spelled Brummit, Brummet or Brummett) families that traversed the Frontier together during the 1779 - 1800 time frame. Several topics pertinent to the history and genealogy of these two families are presented below. Unfortunately, I have been able to learn much more about the Mayfield members of this group. Even so, my research continues and I hope to soon learn much more about the Brumits. The specific families making up this Mayfield - Brumit group are considered to include the following: Mayfields: John Mayfield - probably a brother of Isaac, Micajah and Randolph; his family appears in the 1790 census for Greenville County SC. Isaac Mayfield (1742-1822) and Margaret Brumit, his wife - Isaac is probably a brother of John, Micajah and Randolph; his family appears in the 1790 census for Greenville County SC. William Mayfield - the eldest son of Isaac, probably born about 1765; he settled in Pulaski County KY and later removed to Giles County TN and then Lauderdale County AL. John Mayfield (1768-1813) and Mary Woolf, his wife - John is a son of Isaac who, with his brother William, settled in Pulaski County KY. Micajah Mayfield (d. 1798) and Susannah (maiden name unknown), his wife - Micajah is probably a brother of John, Isaac and Randolph; his family appears in the 1790 census for Greenville County SC. Randolph Mayfield (ca. 1760-1825) and his wife (name unknown) - Randolph is probably a brother of John, Isaac and Micajah; his family appears in the 1790 census for Greenville County SC. Jesse Mayfield (d. 1833) and Penelope Brumit his wife - Jesse is probably a brother of John, Isaac, Micajah and Randolph; his family appears in the 1790 census for Greenville County SC. William Mayfield - William is probably a brother of John, Isaac, Micajah and Randolph; his family appears in the 1790 and 1800 census reports for Union County SC. Brumits: John Brumit - his family appears in the 1790 census report for Greenville County SC. Pearson Brumit - his family appears in the 1790 census report for Greenville County SC. Thomas Brumit - his family appears in the 1790 census report for Greenville County SC. Samuel Brumit (d. ca. 1830) and Margaret Ann his wife - his family appears in the 1790 census for Greenville County SC. Daniel Brumit - his family appears in the 1790 and 1800 census reports for Union County SC.
Parents of the Mayfield Brothers Based upon a tradition obtained from descendants of one of the Mayfield brothers, Jesse Mayfield (d. 1833), the brothers are all sons of the legendary John Mayfield and Mary Stanwix! Unfortunately, I have not been able to find anything in the official records of any state or colony about either John Mayfield or Mary Stanwix. In fact, the only mention of this legendary couple, that has come down to us, is through descendants of his supposedly youngest son, Jesse Mayfield, who died in McMinn County TN in 1833. According to this McMinn County tradition, the family came to South Carolina after the Revolution and settled in the Greenville County area. John Mayfield's wife, Mary, was purported to be the daughter of British General John Stanwix. For reasons fully discussed in a separate essay (see below), I consider this story about a poor colonial boy marrying the daughter of a famous British General to be complete hogwash!
Link
to an Essay re the Legend of John Mayfield and Mary Stanwix Another tradition, passed down
by the descendants of Jesse Mayfield of McMinn County TN, is that John and Mary Stanwix Mayfield had at least seven sons as follows:
In the late 1770's and early 1780's, the land records of Washington County, then a part of North Carolina, indicate that several Mayfields, i. e., Isaac, Micajah and a certain Sutherland Mayfield, were then residing in the Cherokee Creek area. As both Isaac and Jesse Mayfield are believed to have married members of the Brumit clan, it is noteworthy that members of this family also resided on Cherokee Creek in Washington County during the same time frame. I believe that the Southerland (Sutherland) Mayfield who acquired 100 acres of land on Cherokee Creek in 1783 belonged to another branch of the Mayfield family. He was the same person who removed to Middle Tennessee in 1785 and subsequently was killed by Creek Indians in March 1789. A
chronological summary of the Washington County NC land records is as follows:
There are many references to people with the Mayfield surname in the early (1778-1800) County Court Minute Books and in the boxes of Court Pleas on file in the Washington County NC Court House. The minute book entries and the pleas duplicate each other. Accordingly, the following table, unless otherwise noted, summarizes only the minute book entries:
Brumits and Mayfields in the Revolutionary War Service Records of Washington County NC At the North Carolina State Archives, there are references to two
Brummitts (Brumits) and four Mayfields in the "Specie Certificates Paid into the Comptroller, NC Revolutionary Army Accounts." They were all in the 1782-83 time frame, and the names of the auditors involved, indicates that these
Brummitts and Mayfields were all residents of either Sullivan or Washington County at the time. However, I have never found a reference to any
Brummitts or Mayfields as early residents of Sullivan County, but there are many references for these families in Washington County.
Mayfield Land Grant Records in South Carolina After the Revolution Based
upon my review of the South Carolina land grant records, it appears that the
above mentioned group of Brummitt (Brumit) and Mayfield families migrated to South Carolina,
after the end of the Revolutionary War, in about 1786. Most of the families settled
along the Forks of the Saluda River, an area which, in 1786, became Greenville County. A study of all the SC land
surveys and grants, issued to people with the Mayfield surname shortly after the Revolution, fully supports such a
migration. Link to Table of SC Surveys and Land Grants Four of these surveys and grants were made in Greenville County SC are as follows:
As shown in the above table, the grants for Jesse, Isaac and Micajah (probably all brothers) were all for land on the Forks of the Saluda River. The fourth grant, for Abraham Mayfield, probably a son of Thomas Mayfield (d. 1803) was on the Enoree River, some distance away from the land of the other three Mayfields. Randolph Mayfield, whose name appears in close proximity with that those of Isaac and Micajah Mayfield in the 1790 Federal Census for Greenville County SC (see below), was probably another brother of Isaac, Micajah and Jesse. However, there is no evidence that he owned any land while in Greenville County. Later records from Knox County TN and Lincoln County KY will also imply that Randolph was a brother. There is a John Mayfield who also appears in the 1790 Census in fairly close proximity to Isaac, Micajah, Randolph and Jesse Mayfield (see below). I believe this John Mayfield to be another brother of Micajah and Isaac Mayfield. Like Randolph, this John Mayfield does not seem to have owned land while in South Carolina. Other Grants to Jesse Mayfield Subsequent to his 166-acre land grant, issued on 01 Jan 1787, Jesse Mayfield acquired at least two additional grants. Summary data re these other grants is presented in the following table:
for Greenville and Union Counties SC
The 1790 Federal Census for Greenville County SC clearly shows a group of five Mayfield households
listed very close to each other on the list. The custom of most census takers
was to list their families in the order that they were encountered; thus names
appearing close to each other on the census lists were also probably close to
each other in geographic proximity. These five households are: 2) Isaac Mayfield 3) John Mayfield 4) Randolph Mayfield 5) Mickagah
(Micajah) Mayfield A certain William Mayfield is also listed in the 1790 census for nearby Union County SC, he is listed in close proximity to that of a certain Daniel Brumit. Based on an analysis of the land holdings of some of their neighbors, they seem to have resided in the northern part of Union County - the Thicketty Creek area. I think it possible that William may also be a brother of the above cited Greenville County Mayfields. There are two other Mayfield households that are also listed for Greenville County - those of Thomas and Abraham Mayfield; however, they appear to be geographically somewhat distant from the other five. Also, genealogical research re these two families, performed by other Mayfield researchers, strongly indicates that these two Mayfields were a father and son, who belonged to another branch of the Mayfield clan. Brumit Surname In addition to the above cited Mayfields, the 1790 Union County census and the Greenville County census lists three families with the Brumit surname (or a spelling variant thereof) surname as follows: Daniel Brumit (Brumitt) - appears on the Union County census list near William Mayfield. Based on an analysis of the land holdings of some of their neighbors, both Daniel and William seem to have resided in the northern part of Union County - the Thicketty Creek area. Thomas Brumit (Brummet) - appears on the Greenville County census list between Randolph and John Mayfield. A study of the land records for Greenville County SC reveal that Thomas resided on the Middle Fork of the Saluda River directly adjacent to land owned by Jesse Mayfield. Thomas Brummett had received a grant for this land on 04 July 1785. Many years later, on 28 November 1804, Thomas sold part of this land to Jesse Mayfield. Samuel Brumit (Brummitt) - appears on the Greenville County census list between and adjacent to Isaac and "Mickagah" Mayfield. A study of the land records for Greenville County SC reveal that Samuel resided on Beans Creek, a tributary of the Middle Fork of the Saluda River. Samuel Brummett had received a grant for 379 acres of land on 07 May 1787; several years later, on 15 April 1791, Samuel sold 200 acres of this land to a certain William Billingsby. Subsequently, on 12 November 1791, Samuel and his wife Ann sold the remaining 179 acres of his original patent to a certain John Evans. The deed of sale to Evans stated that the 179-acre tract was adjacent to the land of Henry Woolf (see below). After this 1791 sale, Samuel apparently moved back to Washington County TN. Edith Brumit Twilling, in a published article about the Brumit family, says the following re Samuel Brumit: " ... In 1787 Samuel Brumit was granted 379 acres of land in Greenville County, South Carolina by Gov. Pinckney. He sold 200 acres to William Billingsby in 1790, the remaining 179 acres to John Evans in 1791. By 1800, Samuel and his wife Margaret Ann (born South Carolina) had purchased 52 acres of land from John Smith in Washington County and moved to Tennessee. Samuel resold this property to John Smith in 1806, purchasing a different tract of 100 acres from him, all part of Smith's 398 acre grant. This farm remained in the Brumit family for three generations. Samuel Brumit died ca. 1830 in Washington County and was buried on the family farm in the Brumit Cemetery located off Cherokee Road. Margaret lived for many years. "Children of Samuel Brumit: (1790/1800 - 1834) married Anna Nancy Moreland (1819); John (born 1790 or 1800) married Elizabeth Bowman (1826); Andrew (1802) married Catherine Ruble Cosiah (1839); Mary J. (1801) married John Slagle; Ruth married John Gaines (1822); Samuel (1809-1870/80) married Rachel Whaley (1828); Rebecca (1816) married James Cassady (1838). After Samuel's death, eldest son David, purchased the farm from the heirs and lived there until his death ca. 1834, where his wife and family remained until her death ca. 1850. Both are buried in the Brumit Cemetery. Daniel, their eldest son, then purchased the farm from his siblings. ... " [See History of Washington County, Tennessee (published 1988) by the Watauga Association of Genealogists, page 261.] Woolf Surname John Mayfield (1768-1813), son of Isaac Mayfield (1742-1822), is known to have married a lady named Mary Woolf, daughter of Henry Woolf. The 1790 Greenville County Census lists two families with the Woolf surname as follows: Henry Woolf - appears on the census list near Isaac Mayfield; Henry (d. 1823) is probably the father of Mary Woolf (1770-1848), the wife of John Mayfield (1768-1813). George Woolf - appears on census list adjacent to Daniel McJunkin and near Isaac Mayfield. McJunkin Surname Daniel McJunkin - appears on the Greenville County census list directly adjacent to that of George Woolf and near Isaac Mayfield. Incidentally, this Daniel McJunkin is probably the one who married Jane Chesney, sister of the well-known Loyalist, Alexander Chesney! Many years later, a son of Jesse Mayfield (d. 1833), Pearson Brummett Mayfield (1789-1832), married Ann (Nancy) McJunkin, daughter of Samuel McJunkin (1759-1841) and a niece of Daniel McJunkin. It's a small world isn't it!
Greenville County SC Petition of 1792 Legislative petitions are of great use to the genealogist in determining the location of persons at a particular time. Greenville County had been settled less than ten years at the time of this 1792 petition, which is found in the South Carolina Archives, General Assembly Petitions, 1792, #153. To his Honor the President of the Honorable the Members of the Senate of South Carolina. The Petition of the Subscribers Inhabitants of Greenville County Humbly Sheweth That your Petitions ever since the establishment of the County Court have conceived themselves very much aggrieved by the public buildings not being in a more central situation. But previous to your Interference it will be necessary you should think as we do, with that view we beg leave to lay a candid statement of the whole proceedings that have been had in that Business. The place where the Court House now stands, being one of notoriety, the Justices of the Original Appointment, at the time appointed by Law, for the first Court, thought proper, to assemble There. The Gentleman there resident being himself an Influential member of the Court, found but little difficulty in procuring a Majority in favor of Its continuance; But as the Law required a Concurrence of Two thirds there could be as regular appeal, from the Determination In that situation the matter stood for some time, a Majority being always able to adjourn to that place. The Justices in the upper & other parts of the county, finding the friends of that place were Receiving all the advantages & Themselves & the rest of the Inhabitants, experiencing all the Inconveniences, that would Result from a permanent Establishment, agreed for the purpose of putting the Business in a train for a removal, that the Court House should continued there upon which an actual survey of the County was made and that place was found to be Ten Miles from the Center of the Habitable part Thereof a Representation of which accompanied by such other proofs & Documents as we thought would sufficiently substantiate the Justice of our claim to a Removal were laid before his Excellency who assigned a Day to hear the Case, the parties appeared before him & the council, who upon hearing their proofs and allegations thought proper to Refer it to the Inhabitants of the County to be determined by a majority of Votes. & when we consider the Influence which Interest has over the Human mind in all situations & how Improperly votes are frequently obtained on much more Important occasions, we shall not be surprised to find that the vigorous and united Exertions of a few particular characters soon Procured a Majority in favor of the first Establishment which were by them laid before His Excellency who Ever discovers to do Equal Justice, to all parties refused to come to any decision, But sent Notifications for the other party to appear & assigned another day of Trial. But the Bearer, it is probable, gave himself but little trouble to propagate the information; however, this we can with confidence assure was too late to attend the trial & a number never knew of it until open court, which effectually deprived us from making that opposition to the measure which we otherwise have done. Your Honorable Body, we now appeal as the last resort & hope you in your wisdom will devise some equitable plan to do equal justice to all parties & quiet the minds of a great number of the inhabitants & your petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray. Several Mayfield and other genealogically significant surnames appear among the signers of this petition. Their names all appear in the first group of signers as follows:
Greenville County SC Deed Records The following table summarizes all of the recorded Greenville County SC deed transactions involving members of the Mayfield family before the year 1830:
A review of the above table indicates that those Mayfields who acquired land on the branches of the Saluda River, were all members of the Mayfield - Brumit migration group. Mayfields Remove to Kentucky Evidence obtained from the above cited South Carolina land records indicate that three of the five Mayfield families that are closely associated with each other in the 1790 Federal Census, i. e., the families of Isaac, Micajah and Randolph Mayfield, left South Carolina sometime in 1794. Of the Mayfield "group of five," only John and Jesse Mayfield remained in Greenville County SC. In addition, a member of the Brumit clan went with them to KY -- a certain John Brummet. The tax records of Knox County TN indicate that at least some of the migrating families, i. e., Micajah and Randolph, had a brief stopover in Knox County during the year 1795. The Kentucky tax records indicate that, by 1796, the group had reached the southeastern KY area -- Madison and Mercer Counties. In 1797, the new county of Garrard was organized and this area fell within the boundaries of the new county. Unfortunately, in 1798, Micajah Mayfield died in Garrard County. Soon thereafter, Isaac Mayfield and his sons, John and William, removed to Pulaski County KY. Meanwhile, Randolph Mayfield settled on Green River in Lincoln County KY. Mayfield Families in 1800 By the year 1800 the families of the six Mayfield families (probably all brothers) of the 1790 SC Census were distributed as follows: 1)
John Mayfield - his name does not appear in the 1800 census for
Greenville; his whereabouts is unknown to me. He may have died prior to
1800. 3) Isaac Mayfield (1742-1822) - in 1800 was living in Pulaski County KY. In about 1812, Isaac removed to Giles County TN; then, in about 1819, he removed to Lauderdale County AL where he died in 1822. His oldest sons were William Mayfield and John Mayfield (1768-1813) mentioned below. Isaac Mayfield's family is well documented by a Lauderdale County lawsuit that was brought to court in 1824. This law suit is discussed in a separate essay posted to this web site. Link to Lauderdale County AL Lawsuit A. William Mayfield - in 1800 he was living in Pulaski County KY. He was the eldest son of Isaac Mayfield (1742-1822). In about 1810, he removed to Giles County TN and subsequently to Lauderdale County AL. He was the protagonist in the above mentioned 1824 lawsuit brought in the Lauderdale County AL Court of Chancery. B. John Mayfield (1768-1813) - in 1800 he was living in Pulaski County KY; John was the husband of Mary Woolf and a son of Isaac Mayfield (1742-1822). John was accidentally killed in 1813, while working in Pulaski County KY on the Somerset-to-Stanford road. 4) Randolph Mayfield (d. ca. 1825) - in 1800 he was living in Lincoln County KY (in 1807 this area would become part of the newly formed Casey County). As an old man, Randolph removed to Lincoln County TN where he died ca. 1825. 5) Micajah Mayfield (d. 1798) - he had died in Garrard County KY in 1798; his brother, Isaac Mayfield (1742-1822), became the administrator of his estate. 6) William Mayfield - in 1800 he was still living in Union County/District SC; Both he and Daniel Brumitt appear on the 1800 census for Union District.
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