Biographical Sketch of the Other Micajah Mayfield (d. 1798)

By Phil Norfleet

Most Mayfield genealogists have heard of the Micajah Mayfield (1748-1838) who served in the Illinois Regiment of George Rogers Clark and later resided in the Jefferson County KY area for many years.  However, there is also at least one other Micajah Mayfield, a contemporary of the Jefferson County Micajah.  Both of these Micajah Mayfields had sons named Southerland, but one Micajah died in Sullivan County, Indiana in 1838 and the other died in Garrard County, Kentucky in 1798.

To get the most out of this biographical sketch, I strongly suggest that the reader first read my essay on the Mayfield - Brumit Migration Group.  This article provides substantial background information that will assist in better understanding the behavior of Micajah Mayfield in his social and historical context.

Micajah's Place of Birth

Micajah's place of birth is unknown.  Certain descendants of Jesse Mayfield, Micajah's brother, claim that the family came from New York - hence the connection of John Mayfield, Micajah's purported father, with General John Stanwix and with the building of Fort Stanwix located in the modern city of Rome, New York. In the 18th century, there was a major land grant, in what is now Fulton County, northwest of Schenectady, New York called the Mayfield Patent.  The patent was issued on 27 June 1770.  Unfortunately, people who have reviewed the names of the original participants in the grant have been unable to find anyone with the Mayfield surname.  It is probable that the people who took up the grant may have mostly been from one of the two villages named Mayfield in England, hence the name that was applied to the patent.  In my view, while it is known that several Mayfields did reside in New York, there is not a shred of evidence that indicates that the parents of Micajah Mayfield ever lived in New York.

The most probable place of origin for this family is in Virginia where there are many early references to men named John Mayfield in the official records.

Micajah on Cherokee Creek, Washington County NC

Micajah Mayfield was undoubtedly a member of the Brummitt - Mayfield migration group that probably first arrived in the Holston River settlements of North Carolina in the early part of 1779.   However, the first appearance of Micajah's name in the official records occurs in Washington County, North Carolina in 1782.  It appears that Micajah then resided on Cherokee Creek a tributary of Nolichucky River.

The Cherokee Creek area had first been settled by Jacob Brown, who arrived from the Ninety-Six District of South Carolina in about 1771.  The first mention of anyone with the Mayfield surname occurs in the Washington County Entry Book for 10 July 1779, when John Tadlock enters 50 acres of land on Cherokee Creek that "joins Isaac Mayfield."  The first mention of Micajah in these records occurs on 24 October 1782 when Robert Rogers receives a grant to land adjoining that of "Micajah Mayfield."  Micajah's name appears in several other land records but no where is it indicated that he officially entered, surveyed or patented any land in the area.  He probably either leased his land (perhaps from Jacob Brown) or had squatter's "tomahawk rights" to the land but never paid the fees to establish a legal right to his property.  His brother Isaac seemed to hold his land in the same manner.

Only Southerland Mayfield (d. 1789), a member of another branch of the Mayfield family, went so far as to actually buy land on Cherokee Creek via deed and have it properly recorded.  This occurred on 12 May 1783, when he bought 100 acres from John Terry.  Southerland was not part of the Brummitt - Mayfield group but rather had come down from Montgomery County VA in the latter part of 1782 or the early part of 1783.

Micajah's Revolutionary War Service

The name Micajah Mayfield does not appear among the "Specie Certificates Paid into the Comptroller, NC Revolutionary Army Accounts" on file at the North Carolina State Archives.  However, the official pay records of Virginia's Illinois Regiment make several references to a person or persons with the name "Micajah" Mayfield, who served as a Private in the regiment during the 1779-1783 time period. An analysis of these records indicates that there probably were at least two Mayfields named Micajah serving in the Illinois Regiment in 1780-1782 time frame.  The following table summarizes the extant pay records, of the Illinois Regiment, relative to the service of all persons named Micajah Mayfield:

In my opinion, enlistment tours numbered 2 and 4 above are probably associated with the subject of this sketch.  Agents of George Rogers Clark are known to have visited the Holston Settlements while attempting to recruit volunteers for the Illinois Regiment.  Indeed, Elijah Mayfield (1762-1843), in his pension application says that after he had joined the Regiment, in early 1779, his group of recruits, commanded by John Montgomery, were marched from Montgomery County VA down through the Holston River Country of NC to the Tennessee River, where they embarked by boat down the Tennessee to the Ohio River.  Further to Elijah's account, Pat Alderman, in his book entitled The Overmountain Men (first published 1970), at page71, tells us:

" ... Another campaign of equal importance to the Tennessee settlers was the Chickamauga Campaign, commanded by Colonel Evan Shelby. Some six hundred men embarked on boats from the mouth of Big Creek on the Holston River in April 1779. The streams, swollen by spring freshets, made for a fast trip to the Chickamauga towns. The surprise attack on this Indian country was a complete success. The Indians fled to the hills and forests. Large stores of supplies, furnished by the English for the attack on the Tennessee settlers, were captured. Many of the towns were burned.

Captain John Montgomery, sent to the northwest with Colonel Clarke, was with this force at the capture of Kaskaskia. Captain Montgomery was sent back to the Holston Settlements to recruit more troops. During the winter months of 1778-1779, Captain Montgomery had enlisted one hundred fifty men for a year's service. Colonel Shelby, planning the Chickamauga Campaign and needing more men, asked the aid of this force. Governor Patrick Henry [of Virginia] ordered Captain Montgomery and his men to participate with Shelby. At the close of this mission, Captain Montgomery and his men continued the trip by boat. They rejoined Colonel Clarke in the northwest. Montgomery, promoted to Colonel, was placed in charge of the Kaskaskia district for a period. Captain James Shelby, son of Colonel Evan Shelby, accompanied Colonel Montgomery with sixteen men. Captain Shelby was placed in command of Fort Patrick Henry at Vincennes. ... "

It is quite possible that Micajah of Cherokee Creek may have joined another such group of recruits heading to the Ohio in the 1780 timeframe. Further support for this conclusion comes from our knowledge of the other Micajah Mayfield (1748-1838). Tours 1 and 3 almost certainly belong to this Micajah of Jefferson County KY, leaving tours 2 and 4 for his Washington County namesake.

We do know that Micajah Mayfield of Cherokee Creek was drafted, in September 1780, to go with John Sevier's Washington County Militia Regiment on the Kings Mountain Campaign; however, a substitute was hired, a certain James Ownby. [See Ownby's Revolutionary War Pension File #W3712.]  Since Micajah was probably away at that time, in the service of the Illinois Regiment; it is obvious that he would not have been available to participate in the Kings Mountain Campaign.

Migration to South Carolina After the Revolution

Based upon my review of the South Carolina land grant and deed records, it appears that Micajah Mayfield, together with several other Brummitt (Brumit) and Mayfield families, migrated to South Carolina, after the end of the Revolutionary War, in about 1785. The families all settled along the Forks of the upper Saluda River, an area which, in 1786, became Greenville County.  On 14 August 1787, Micajah surveyed a 123-acre tract of land lying on the Bayliss Branch, Middle Fork of Saluda River.  He obtained a patent to this land on 07 April 1788.

United States Census of 1790

While Micajah Mayfield was still residing in Greenville County SC, the first Federal Census of the United States was taken in 1790. This 1790 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 list were also probably close to each other in geographic proximity.  In my opinion, these Mayfields were all brothers. These five households are:

1) Jesse Mayfield

2) Isaac Mayfield

3) John Mayfield

4) Randolph Mayfield

5) Mickagah (Micajah) Mayfield

The detailed 1790 census data for Micajah Mayfield is as follows:

The above data implies that Micajah had five sons and two daughters by 1790.

Greenville Petition of 1792

Legislative petitions are of great use to genealogists 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.  Several Mayfields, including Micajah signed this petition.  For full details of this petition see my report on the Mayfield - Brumit Migration Group.

Micajah Sells His South Carolina Land

In the 1793-1794 time frame, Micajah Mayfield sold all of his land holding in Greenville County.  The following table summarizes these transactions:

The January 1794 sale of the 100-acre tract of land to John Couch is curious.  I have not been able to find any deed record where Micajah acquired this land. The land was part of a tract patented by a certain Samuel Hand, a man who signed the legislative petition of 1792;  Micajah also signed the same petition (see above).  How did Micajah Mayfield gain title to this land so that he and his wife could sell it in 1794?  Is it possible that Susannah Mayfield was a daughter of Samuel Hand and that she inherited this land from her father?  Further research is needed among the probate records of Greenville County to test the validity of this hypothesis.

Micajah Mayfield Removes to Knox County TN

Tax records from Knox County TN indicate that Micajah and his brother Randolph stopped off briefly in Knox County, Tennessee in the 1795-1796 time frame. 

Link to Knox County TN Tax Record for 1796

Knox County was formed from Green and Hawkins Counties in 1792; however, the only tax lists that have survived for the early years of that County are for the years 1796 and 1803-1828. The 1796 Tax List indicates that both Randolph Mayfield and a Micajah Mayfield owed personal property tax for that year but had left the county.  Although the Knox County tax lists for 1794 and 1795 are not extant, the implication of the 1796 delinquency is that Micajah and his brother Randolph Mayfield had probably arrived in Knox County by at least 1795, if not earlier.

Micajah Mayfield in Kentucky

Evidence obtained from Kentucky land records, tax lists and court records indicate that four of the five Greenville County SC Mayfield families, that are closely associated with each other in the 1790 Federal Census, i. e., the families of Isaac, Micajah, Randolph and John Mayfield, had removed to the Southeastern KY area by about 1796.  Of this original "group of five" only Jesse Mayfield remained in Greenville County SC.  Also, at least one of the Brummets accompanied them -- a certain John Brummet.

The official records of Madison and Garrard Counties KY indicate that Micajah settled in the northeastern part of Madison County in about 1796. It would appear that at least one member of the Brumit family arrived with him, i. e., "John Brummet" (see below).  It is possible that Micajah's brother, Randolph Mayfield, also settled initially in Madison County, in 1796.  Randolph then relocated to nearby Lincoln County sometime in 1797 (Randolph's name appears in the 1797 tax list for Lincoln County).

 In 1797, Garrard County was formed from parts of Lincoln, Mercer and Madison Counties.   The area where Micajah lived became part of the new County of Garrard.  Soon thereafter, in 1798, Micajah died leaving his wife, Susannah, and four children:  Margaret (Peggy), Hester (Hetty), Lewis and Southerland.

Madison and Mercer County Records

The marriage records of Madison County indicate that two marriages associated with the Mayfields were performed in the 1796-1797 time frame.  The first marriage involved Peggy, the daughter of Micajah Mayfield:

1.  Marriage of Peggy Mayfield on 04 October 1796:  Peggy Mayfield is married to John Tucker; Baptist Minister, Thomas J. Chilton, officiates.  Consent to the marriage of his daughter was given by Micajah Mayfield on 29 September 1796.  John Brummet, James Mayfield and David Tucker witness the consent document.  The marriage bond was executed on 29 September 1796 with John Tucker and John Brummet as the bondsmen. 

Link to Marriage Documents for Peggy Mayfield

The identity of the James Mayfield who witnessed the above cited marriage consent document is unknown to me; however, he might be one of Micajah's older sons.

2.  Marriage of Sarah Campbell on 09 March 1797:  Sarah Campbell is married to Absolom Clark; Baptist Minister Thomas J. Chilton, officiates. Consent to the marriage of Sarah Campbell is given by her sister, Elizabeth Mayfield.  The consent document is signed by both a certain William Mayfield and by Elizabeth Mayfield.  William is almost certainly the eldest son of Isaac Mayfield (1742-1822) and the husband of Elizabeth Campbell Mayfield. In about 1799, this William Mayfield and his family removed to Pulaski County KY.  The Sarah Campbell marriage bond was executed on 06 March 1797 with Absolom Clark and Joseph Clark as the bondsmen.

Link to Marriage Documents for Sarah Campbell

My understanding is that the Madison County KY tax records exist for the years 1787-1810 (except for the years 1798 and 1810).  I have not yet had an opportunity to study these records for evidence of members of the Mayfield family.  I believe it possible that Micajah Mayfield's name appears on the Madison County tax list for the year 1796.

Garrard County Records

The name Micajah Mayfield (entered in list on 16 June 1797) first appears in the tax records for Garrard County KY for the year 1797 in Tax List Number 1, in the district of Michael M. Neely.  This District had formerly been a part of Madison County.  On the same list are three other Mayfields, namely, Isaac William and John.  I believe these other three entries refer to Isaac (1742-1822), the brother of Micajah; William (b. ca. 1773), son of Isaac; and John (1768-1813), son of Isaac.  All three of these Mayfields were entered in the list on 14 June 1797.

Link to Garrard County KY Tax Record for 1797 -- Michael Neely's District

A person also named Isaac Mayfield appears on another Garrard County Tax List for 1798, in the district of William Gaines.  This district is stated to be that part of Garrard County that previously had been part of Mercer County.  I believe this Isaac Mayfield (1769-1849) is from another branch of the Mayfield family; this Isaac was the husband of Mary Banks and the son of Isaac Mayfield, Sr. (d. 1795) of Amherst County VA and later of Lincoln County KY.  

Link to Garrard County KY Tax Record for 1797 -- William Gaines's District

I have reviewed the Garrard County tax lists for the years 1797-1858.  Several Mayfields appear on these lists for every year for which records have survived; however, only a few of these years contain Mayfields that are closely related to Micajah Mayfield.

Link to Garrard County KY Tax Lists for the Years 1797-1820

Death of Micajah Mayfield

Micajah Mayfield died intestate in the year 1798, sometime prior to 17 August of that year.  Micajah's brother, Isaac Mayfield (1742-1822), was appointed as the administrator of Micajah's estate and posted his bond as administrator on 17 August 1798.  [See Garrard County KY Estate Papers, Packet # 13.]

An inventory of Micajah's personal estate, presented and recorded during the July 1801 term of Court; the inventory showed a net value of £97.11.06.  [See Garrard County KY, Will Book A, pages 77-78.]

Link to Digital Facsimile of the Inventory of Micajah Mayfield's Estate

Several years later, on 8 July 1811, a certain Jacob Miller posts a bond as guardian of one of Micajah Mayfield's infant children, Hetty Mayfield. [See Garrard County KY Estate Papers, Packet # 13.]

Isaac Mayfield submitted his final settlement accounts re the estate of his brother, Micajah Mayfield, on 22 December 1812. This settlement paper is of genealogical significance as it provides the names of two of the sons of Micajah Mayfield, i. e., Lewis Mayfield and Southerland Mayfield.  Lewis apparently died young as his funeral expenses are listed as an expense chargeable to the estate of Micajah Mayfield.  By Isaac's accounting, the administrator is owed a net balance of $68.07!  [See Garrard County KY, Circuit Court Papers, Bundle 37, Case # 277.]

Link to Digital Facsimile of Statement of Accounts Re Estate of Micajah Mayfield, Dated 22 December 1812

Subsequently, in 1816, a lawsuit was filed in Garrard County Circuit Court by Hetty Mayfield and her guardian, Jacob Miller.  The lawsuit Bill of Complaint alleged an improper division of Micajah Mayfield's estate had occurred with additional proceeds still being due to Micajah's daughter, Hetty.  Isaac Mayfield's Answer to the Bill of Complaint alleged, among other things, that not only did he not owe Hetty and the other heirs any additional proceeds from Micajah Mayfield's estate, but rather that the estate was in arrears to Isaac for about $68 (see above)!  To help counter Isaac Mayfield's version of the circumstances, a deposition was obtained from another heir, Southerland Mayfield.  His deposition, made on 10 June 1818, states the following:

The separate answer of Southerland Mayfield to the foregoing Answer in the nature of a cross Bill -- This deponent says that he has never received one cent of his distributive share of the estate of his deceased father.  It is true that he lived with the Defendant Isaac Mayfield 5 or 6 or perhaps 7 or 8 years but during that period he worked for said Isaac as constantly as one of his Negroes and with his Negroes.  He should not suppose that his living, which was as rough as could well be endured, was worth more than $30 or $40 a year, and he feels sure his services were worth much more.  They were worth as much as those of a Slave of the same age -- he was about 18 years of age when he left said Isaac.  He thinks he is justly entitled to a considerable sum for his services to said Isaac and would be glad to have funds to enable him to make them the subject of a suit.

He is advised that the Report made out by [the] Commissioners and filed in this suit is illegal and void. 

1st: Because it was exparti, he not being present when the Commissioners sat or apprised that they would sit.

2nd:  Because said Report allows for Boarding and Schooling more than the Interest on his Distributive portion. And

3rd:  Because he believes said Report never was returned to the county court and made valid by their function, wherefore he excepts said Report.

Having answered fully he preys a Decree according to the prayer of his original Petition.

/Signed/ Southerland Mayfield

Garrard County Court:

This Day Southerland Mayfield made oath before me to the truth of the allegations contained in the within Answer.  Given under my hand this 10th Day of June 1818.

/Signed/ M. V. Grant, J. P. Garrard County

[See Garrard County KY, Circuit Court Papers, Bundle 37, Case # 277.] The surviving papers re this lawsuit do not contain any information as to how the dispute was ultimately resolved.  During the time frame of the above lawsuit (1816-1818) the defendant, Isaac Mayfield, was an old man living in Giles County TN.

Family of Micajah Mayfield

Land records from Greenville County SC (see above) indicate that Micajah's wife was named Susannah; unfortunately her maiden name is unknown.  The 1790 Federal Census for the household of Micajah Mayfield in Greenville County SC indicates a family of five sons and two daughters as of that date.  Based on an analysis of the tax lists, court records and marriage records of Garrard County KY, I can identify at least four children for Micajah and Susannah Mayfield as follows: