John Peden II (abt. 1740 - 1810)

Born about 1740 in County Antrim, Ireland

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 1810 at about age 70 in Greenville County, South Carolina

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Biography

John was born in 1752 in County Antrim, Ireland. He was the son of John Peden and Peggy McDill. ^[2]

John passed away in 1810 in Greenville County, South Carolina. He is buried in the Fairview Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Fountain Inn, Greenville County, South Carolina. ^[2]

The will of John Peden (II) reads as follows:

"In the name of God Amen

I John Peden Senr., of Greenville Dist. and state of South Carolina being of perfect mind an d memory, and as it is appointed for all men to die, I do deem it prudent to make my last wil l, as to my Estate and property after my lawful debts are all paidI do dispose of in manner a nd form following:

1st, I give and bequeath to my well beloved wife, the use of my dwelling house and a fourth p art of what shall be raised on my Plantation for her maintenance during life.

2. I do give and bequeath to my son Samuel 200 acres of land where he now lives.

3. I do give and bequeath all the rest of my lands to be equally divided between my three sons John, James, and William.

4. I do give and bequeath to my wife, my sons John, James and William likewise my daughters Peggy, Polly, Ginny and Lizzy, an equal share of the rest of my property.

5. I do give and bequeath to Polly Gregory one suit of home spun and one suit of store clothi ng, a bed and furniture, a wheel and cards.

6. I do nominate and appoint my sons Samuel and James sole Executors of this my last will an d testament. And do hereby utterly disallow, revoke, and disannull all other former wills o r bequests whatsoever heretofore made by me. Ratifying and confirming this and no other to b e my last will. In witness thereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this thirteenth day of May 1810.

John Peden (legal signature)

signed sealed and pronounced in the presence of us:

Thomas Peden

Anthony Savage

Recorded in Will Book A page 202, Apt. 6, File no. 374.

Probated Dec. 6, 1810

D. Goodlett O. G. D."^[1]

On 10 Jan 1811 James Alexander Jr, Justice of the Peace, appointed John Alexander, William Pedan, Alexander Peden, and David Peden to appraise the estate of John Peden Jr. On the 4 May 1812 the estate was settled with an appraised value of $1,682.25 which would exclude real estate holdings. The proceeds of the personal assets amounted to $210.28 for each legatee and were disbursed to John’s widow Ginny; his sons John, James, and William, and his daughters signing as Peggy, Polly, Ginny, and Elizabeth. - Pedens of South Carolina page 194. 2013 edition

Notes

"According to tradition his death broke the devoted band of brothers in 1810. His birth date is 1752. As a Revolutionary soldier his record stands high for courage and endurance. Never very strong physically, the hardships told on his health, and he tramped home with his brothers much broken in health, but not in spirit.

He was one of the three pioneer brothers to Fairview. Tradition says he was a skillful stone mason and the wonderful old chimneys of the first habitations yet standing attest that skill. The writer, as a child, has stood on the great square stone and drank from the rock-basin of the spring he kept with such care. She is not sure, but thinks that on its face was chiseled the initials and date, "J- P-, 1785." This is a misty memory of 1861, so it not given as authentic. Most of these wonderful old springs are fallen into disuse long ago, as change of roadway and other conveniences caused abandonment of most of the old homesteads. There is also a memory of a stone-walled garden falling into decay where a dear old saint dreamed the sweet summer days away among the old time flowers, the red and white roses, the pinks, thyme, lavender and numerous other old favorites, beneath the wide spreading branches of a giant black walnut, or gnarled apple tree. Such is the picture of this old stead . . .

. . . at the ninth hour comes the following from indisputable authority, one of his descendants, to the effect : John Peden married Elizabeth Ann Baker rather late in life, being a number of years her senior, she therefore survived him quite a number of years. Tradition states that she was a large, fair woman of boundless spirit and energy, industrious and persevering, a striking contrast to her rather quiet, easy going husband, who inherited the fervid faith of his father, dwelling much in the "border-land." Their children were:

1. Cynthia
2. Melinda or 'Linnie'
3. Amanda
4. Rachel
5. Jane
6. John
7. Samuel

Sources

1. ↑ The will of John Peden (II).

* A source for this information is needed.

1. style="color:blue;">The Pedens of America; being a summary of the Peden, Alexander, Morton, Morrow reunion 1899, and an outline history of the ancestry and descendants of John Peden and Margaret McDill</span> : Scotland, Ireland, America, 1768-1900 by Hewell, Eleanor M., 1853-1929 Published 1900

2. Find A Grave database and images, accessed 14 May 2019 : memorial page for John Peden (1752–1810), Find A Grave Memorial no. 8025497, citing Fairview Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Fountain Inn, Greenville County, South Carolina, USA ; Maintained by Robin Farley Dixson (contributor 46558224) .