Thomas Mayfield (d. 1803)

Mayfields of South Carolina

Biographical Sketch of Thomas Mayfield (d. 1803)

of Greenville County/ District, South Carolina

By Phil Norfleet

Thomas⁴ Mayfield (Abraham³, Robert², Robert¹) was born in Virginia Colony; Thomas died testate in 1803 in Greenville District SC. He married Ann (maiden name unknown); Ann apparently died prior to the 1820 Federal Census, in Greenville County SC.

Children of Thomas Mayfield

Probably only a few of Thomas Mayfield's children have been identified. Most of his children had probably reached adulthood several years before Thomas and Ann removed to South Carolina. The few known children of Thomas and Ann Mayfield are:

i. Susan Elizabeth⁵ Mayfield, born Abt. 1761 in Culpepper County VA; She died before 1818 in Spartanburg County SC. She married Reverend Henry Wood in about 1777 in North Carolina; Henry Wood was born 16 December 1756 in Granville County NC; he died 12 June 1843 in Spartanburg County SC.

ii. Abraham Mayfield was born about 1763 in Culpepper County VA; he died in 1850 in Greenville District SC. He married Martha (maiden name unknown); she died after 1840 in Greenville District SC.

iii. John Mayfield was born Abt. 1773 in Culpepper County VA; he died Abt. 1852 in Greenville County SC. He married Elizabeth (maiden name unknown); she was born Abt. 1774 in South Carolina and died after 1860.

Milestone Chronology of Thomas Mayfield

Based upon information contained in the Revolutionary War Pension file of Abraham Mayfield (1763-1850), the son of Thomas (d. 1803), census records, land records, probate records and other documentary sources, the following milestone chronology for Thomas Mayfield may be constructed:

Ca. 1725: Thomas Mayfield is born in Essex County, Virginia. He was probably the son of the Abraham Mayfield who died in Granville County, North Carolina in 1778.

Ca. 1727: Thomas Mayfield, his parents and siblings, move to Spotsylvania County, Virginia.

Ca. 1738: Thomas Mayfield, his parents and siblings, move to Orange County, Virginia.

1749: Culpepper County is formed out of a portion of Orange County.

Ca. 1755: Thomas Mayfield is married to Ann (maiden name unknown). At the time, Thomas was probably living in Culpepper County, Virginia.

Ca. 1760: Susan Elizabeth Mayfield, daughter of Thomas and Ann Mayfield is born.

Ca. 1763: Abraham Mayfield, son of Thomas Mayfield (d. 1803) is born is born in Culpepper County, Virginia.

1770: Thomas Mayfield and his family move to Bute County, North Carolina.

1771: The following Mayfield names are cited in the tax lists for Bute County NC for the year 1771:

Abraham Mayfield (2 people of that name)

John Mayfield

Robert Mayfield

Robert son of Abraham Mayfield

Stephen Mayfield (2 people of that name)

Thomas Mayfield (2 people of that name)

Valentine Mayfield

Comment: The "Robert son of Abraham Mayfield" is probably the same Robert Mayfield (d. 1816) who moved to South Carolina in the 1770's. The "John Mayfield" may actually be Jonathan Mayfield (d. 1818), brother of Robert (d. 1816) who moved to Chester County, South Carolina in about 1787. One of the Stephen Mayfields, cited above, may be the notorious Tory, Stephen Mayfield of Browns Creek, who was living on Browns Creek by 1774. One of the Thomas Mayfields cited above is probably the man who removed to the Greenville County area of South Carolina by about 1787 and died there in 1803.

1777: Thomas Mayfield's daughter, Susan Elizabeth Mayfield, marries Henry Wood.

1779: Bute County is abolished; the northern part of Bute is made into the new County of Warren and the southern part into the new County of Franklin.

1780-1781: Thomas Mayfield's son, Abraham, serves in the Warren County, North Carolina Militia.

1786: Thomas Mayfield and several other Mayfield, Wood and Kendrick families are listed in the North Carolina State Census for Warren County. The following table summarizes this state census data:

Name	WM's 21-60	WM's > 21 & <60	All WF's	Slaves 12-50	Slaves <12 & >50	Remarks
Abraham Mayfield	0	2	4	10	12	This Abraham died testate in Warren County in 1809.
John Mayfield	1	3	4	1	0	This John (1749-1825) is probably a son of Abraham Mayfield (d. 1809)
Thomas Mayfield	0	3	3	0	0	This may be the Thomas Mayfield (d. 1803) who removed to Greenville County SC in about 1787. The 3 white males are probably Thomas himself (over age 60 category) and two sons, John and another son name unknown - both in the under age 21 category. John, born in 1773, would have been approximately 13 years old in 1786.
Joseph Mayfield	1	1	5	5	1	I don't know the identity of this person; however he may be a son of Abraham Mayfield (d. 1809)
Isham Kendrick	1	2	3	1	0	Isham was the husband of Elizabeth Duncan; Elizabeth was the sister of Alsey Duncan Wood, the wife of Benjamin Wood (d. 1838).
Henry Wood	1	1	4	0	0	Henry (1756-1843) was a brother of Benjamin Wood (d. 1838). He married Susan Mayfield, daughter of Thomas Mayfield (d. 1803).

1787: Thomas Mayfield and his family (son John included), remove to Greenville County, South Carolina.

15 January 1788: John Wakefield of Greenville County SC conveys to Thomas Mayfield, also of Greenville County, for the sum of 50 pounds, a 200-acre tract of land " ... lying and being on Enoree River Lying on the old Boundary ... " in Greenville County SC. John Wakefield further indicated that the subject tract of land had been granted to him on 15 April 1785 by the State of South Carolina. Witnesses to the indenture were: William Wilson, Henry Wood and Robert Wood (his mark). The indenture was recorded on 18 February 1788.

It is interesting to note that the 176-acre tract of land patented on 02 April 1792, by Abraham Mayfield (son of Thomas), is directly adjacent to the 1785 Wakefield patent.

Link to Regional Plat Map Showing the Patents of John Wakefield and Abraham Mayfield

1790: The 1790 Federal Census report for Greenville County SC indicates 2 males age 16 and over, 0 males under age 16 and 3 females of all ages in the household of Thomas Mayfield. The 2 males of age 16 and over are probably Thomas (d. 1803) himself and his son John Mayfield (1773-1852); the 3 females include Thomas's wife, Ann, plus two daughters, names unknown.

1800: The 1800 Federal Census Report for Greenville District SC indicates 3 males in the 10-16 age group, 1 male in the 45 and over age group (Thomas himself), 1 female under age 10, 1 female in the 26-45 age group, and 1 female in the age 45 and over group (Ann Mayfield). I have no idea as to who are the 3 males in the 10-16 age group; nor do I know the identity of the female in the 26-45 age group. The 3 males in the 10-16 age group are probably children of the woman who is listed in the 26-45 age group. The woman may be a widow of a deceased son of Thomas and Ann, but that is only speculation on my part.

09 July 1803: The last will and testament of Thomas Mayfield of Greenville District SC, dated 26 April 1803, was proved in the Greenville District Probate Court on 09 July 1803. The will mentions Thomas Mayfield's wife, Anne, and his sons Abraham and John as follows:

South Carolina, Greenville District.

In the name of God, the twenty-sixth day of April one thousand eight hundred and three.

I Thomas Mayfield, of the State and District aforesaid being very sick and weak in body but of perfect mind and memory, thanks be given unto God, therefore calling unto mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men to die, do make and ordain this my last will and testament that is to any principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul unto the hands of almighty God that give it, and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in decent Christian burial at the discretion of my executor, nothing doubting but at the resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God.

I give and dispose of the same in the following manner and form - Viz. to my beloved wife Anne Mayfield during her natural lifetime I give one third part of my land including the plantation and dwelling house if she chooses to live on it, and also her bed that she lies on with the furniture, and the chest and the chairs and half the puter [pewter] and all the pot mettles and half the stock of hoggs and two cows and calves, the mare and one set of gin and plow, and all the hoes, the wheels and cards, and all the water vessels,

and secondly I give unto my son John Mayfield all my land except my wife's lifetime out of it, as is mentioned above. Furthermore it is my desire that after my death that my two sons Abraham Mayfield and John Mayfield divide the rest of the property equally amongst all the children including themselves likewise what property my wife has at her decease to be divided in like manner.

In witness where of I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and year above written, signed sealed and declared by me to be the last will and testament in presence of us.

/S/ Thomas Mayfield (his mark)

Witnessed by:

J. Benson

Sam White

William Mayfield (his Mark)

[Note the actual Probate Court records (Apartment 05, Packet # 309) for this Thomas Mayfield are missing from the SC State Archives files and also from the microfilm of those files; the above will was copied from the WPA typescript that was done in the 1930's.]