Biographical Sketch of Robert Mayfield (died 1816)

of Chester District, South Carolina

By Phil Norfleet

This Robert Mayfield, husband of Sarah, is probably a son of Abraham Mayfield (d.1778) of Granville County NC.  For several years, Robert resided in Bute County, which is directly adjacent to Granville County. In the mid 1770's, Robert and his family seem to have removed to South Carolina, settling initially in the Thicketty Creek area of Ninety-Six District. However, after the British took Charleston in May 1780, the Ninety-Six area quickly became a Loyalist stronghold. Robert supported the Whig Cause, hence, he and his family removed to Camden District where Whig supporters were in the clear majority. At least four of Robert Mayfield's sons (John, Edmond, Abraham and Samuel) served in the Whig Militia during the War and Robert himself provided supplies to the Whig forces. His son, Lieutenant John Mayfield, was killed by Tories in 1782; however, his other sons survived the War.  In 1785, after the Revolution, the area of Camden Judicial District in which he and his sons resided became Fairfield and Chester Counties.  Robert Mayfield died intestate in Chester County in 1816.

Family of Robert Mayfield

We know that Robert's wife was named Sarah (maiden name unknown) based on a North Carolina land sale in 1765 (see below); Sarah had to relinquish her right of dower to permit the sale.  We also know from Robert Mayfield's probate papers (see below) that he had 8 legatees in the year 1818 for whom the proceeds from his estate were distributed. Four names of legatees were cited in the estate papers but the other four names were not. Since his son John had died in 1782, his son Elisha had died in 1811, and his wife Sarah was also probably dead by this time, we may reconstruct his family including at least 10 children as follows:

Wife - Sarah (died before 1810)

1.  Son - John (a Lieutenant in the Whig militia who was killed in 1782 and does not appear in the 1790 Census)

2.  Son - Elisha Mayfield (died intestate in 1811)

3.  Son - Edmond (named as a legatee)

4.  Son - Abraham (named as a legatee)

5.  Son - Samuel (named as a legatee)

6.  Son - Ezekiel (aka Sugar and named as a legatee)

7.  Son - Obediah

8.  Son - Stephen

9.  Daughter - Name Unknown

10. Daughter - Name Unknown

Records Chronology of Robert Mayfield

The following chronological listing summarizes those instances where Robert Mayfield's name appears in the official records of NC:

In Granville County, North Carolina:

25 June 1760: Philemon Hawkins has a survey made and certified for 694 acres of land in Granville County NC; Robert Mayfield is named as a chain carrier for the survey. [See NC Patent Book 11, page 375.]

14 April 1763: Joel Sartin conveys to Robert Mayfield, for 12 pounds, 200 acres on North Side of Shocco Creek. [Deed Book F, Pages 226-227]

In Bute County, North Carolina:

In 1764, Bute County was created out of the eastern portion of Granville County NC. The Shocco Creek area, where Robert Mayfield lived, fell within this new county.

30 April 1765: Robert Mayfield conveys to John Austin Finnie of Surry County VA, for 8 pounds, 200 acres on North Side of Shocco Creek. Sarah Mayfield, Robert's wife, relinquishes her right of dower in the land sold to Finnie. [Deed Book A, Pages 165 and 269]

1766: Robert Mayfield's name appears on the tax list (along with a certain Stephen Mayfield - probably his brother) for Bute County, North Carolina.

February 1768: Robert Mayfield serves on a petit jury for Bute County. [See Bute County NC Court Minutes, pages 17-18.]

15 August 1770: Robert Mayfield serves on a petit jury for Bute County. [See Bute County NC Court Minutes, pages 135-137.]

13 February 1771: Robert Mayfield serves on a grand jury for Bute County. [See Bute County NC Court Minutes, page 158.]

14 November 1771: Robert Mayfield serves on a grand jury for Bute County. [See Bute County Court Minutes, page 199.]

11 November 1772: Robert Mayfield serves on a grand jury for Bute County. [See Bute County Court Minutes, page 248.]

May 1774: Robert Mayfield is appointed overseer of the road in the room of Francis Mabry, deceased. [See Bute County Court Minutes, page 276.]

15 November 1775: Charles Ivy is appointed overseer of the road in the room of Robert Mayfield. [See Bute County Court Minutes, page 358.]

Presumably, sometime in the late 1775 or early 1776 time frame, Robert Mayfield and his family removed to South Carolina.

In Ninety-Six District, South Carolina:

06 March 1778: James and Martha Campbell of Craven County SC convey to John Hope, for 330 pounds, a 200-acre tract of land situated on both sides of Thicketty Creek. Witnesses to the deed are Robert Mayfield, William Casey and Edmond Mayfield. To the best of my knowledge, this is the earliest appearance in the South Carolina records of Robert and Edmond Mayfield. [See Union County Deed Book A, page 323.] Comment: - it is interesting to note that the land in question is located north of the Pacolet River; this is the same area where, in my opinion, the 100-acre tract of land granted to John Mayfield in 1768 was located. 

In Chester County, Camden District, South Carolina:

It appears that, when the British took Charleston in May 1780, the Ninety-Six area quickly became a Loyalist stronghold. Robert Mayfield supported the Whig Cause, hence, he and his family removed to Camden District where Whig supporters were in the clear majority. After the War, in 1785, the area of Camden District in which Robert resided became part of Chester County. Robert Mayfield died intestate in Chester County in 1816.

25 January 1783: An indenture between Benjamin Roaden [Roden] and Thomas Morris for 75 acres " ... on the waters of Buffalo Fork of Sandy River ... " is stated to be adjacent to the land of "Robin" Mayfield. Indenture is witnessed by Elisha Mayfield and Jesse Obriant. [See Chester County SC, Deed Book B, page 360.]

1790: The Federal Census for Chester County SC shows Robert Mayfield in a household with 1 white male 16 or over, 1 white male under 16 (probably "Sugar" Mayfield), and 3 white females (probably his wife, Sarah, and two daughters). Comment: - there are seven other Mayfield households listed for Chester County, all appearing close to each other on the list and thus indicating close geographical proximity. They are as follows:

Abraham Mayfield - probably a son of Robert.
Allen Mayfield - probably a son of Jonathan.
Edmond Mayfield - probably a son of Robert.
Elisha Mayfield - probably a son of Robert (died intestate in 1811)
Jonathan Mayfield - probably a brother of Robert (died intestate in 1818).
Obediah Mayfield - probably a son of Robert. 
Stephen Mayfield - probably a son of Robert.

In Fairfield County SC, the Federal Census for 1790 lists a Samuel Mayfield - he is also probably a son of Robert.

04 April 1791: The Last Will and Testament of Thomas Morris, deceased, is proven in open court by the oaths of Robert Mayfield and Elisha Mayfield two of the witnesses thereof. [See Chester County SC Court Minutes, 1785-1799, page 132.]

In Fairfield County, South Carolina:

The following records establish that, for several years, Robert Mayfield resided in and owned land in Fairfield County SC:

07 June 1798: Isham Fair conveys to Robert Mayfield of Chester County a 184-acre tract of land on Rocky Creek for 43 pounds. Witnesses to this indenture are: Sugar Mayfield, Edmond Mayfield, and John Woodward. Deed was recorded on 02 September 1799. [See Fairfield County SC Deed Book R, pages 223-224.]

1800: The Federal Census for 1800 indicates that Robert Mayfield was then living in Fairfield County SC in a household with one white male of age 45 years or above (Robert himself) and one white female of age 45 years or above (his wife, Sarah).  Robert's household also contains 4 slaves.

19 November 1802: Robert Mayfield conveys to Ezekiel Woolly for 81 pounds a 184-acre tract of land on Rocky Creek of Broad River. Witnesses to this indenture were: Sugar Mayfield, Jacob Kennemer and Bosh Mackley. Deed was recorded on 11 July 1808. [See Fairfield County SC Deed Book R, pages 225-226.] Comment - as no relinquishment of dower rights by the wife of Robert Mayfield is named in this transaction, she probably was dead by this time.  Since Sarah appears to be listed in the 1800 Federal Census, then she must have died sometime between about June 1800 and November 1802.
 

Return to Chester County, South Carolina:

The following records indicate that Robert returned to Chester County where he spent the last years of his life.

1810: The South Carolina Federal Census for 1810 does not show anyone named Robert Mayfield as a head of household.  However, I note that the household of Elisha Mayfield of Chester County SC shows 2 white males of age 45 years or over. Probably the two older men are Elisha himself and his father, Robert Mayfield. Robert's wife, Sarah Mayfield, was probably already dead by this time - see the Fairfield County SC indenture dated 19 November 1802 abstracted above. Elisha Mayfield would die intestate in Chester County in 1811. His father, Robert Mayfield, would die intestate in Chester a few years later - in 1816.

03 January 1817: Bond in the amount of $2,000 is posted by Abraham Mayfield (probably the son of Robert) and Elisha Mayfield, with William Coburn and James Gore as their sureties, in support of their appointment as administrators of the estate of Robert Mayfield, deceased. [See Chester County SC Will Book F, pages 203-204.] Comment - the date of this bond indicates that Robert Mayfield probably died sometime late in the year 1816.

08 February 1817: The Inventory of the personal estate of Robert Mayfield is returned by William Lewis, William Coburn and James Gore. The net value of the estate is estimated to be $1,185.37. [See Chester County SC Will Book F, page 205.]

05 January 1818: Final settlement of the estate of Robert Mayfield, deceased, is made. the net value of the undistributed estate is $1592.66. The proceeds were distributed among a total of 8 legatees ($199.08 each); unfortunately, not all the legatees are named. However, four people are named, presumably all are sons of Robert Mayfield, i. e., Edmond Mayfield, Abraham Mayfield, Sugar Mayfield and Samuel Mayfield.  [See Chester County SC Probate File # 45, Packet # 716.]