James Caudill Sr. (1726 - 1805)

Born 27 Jan 1726 in Surry County, Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Yarborough) Caudill — married 1748 in Lunenburg County, VA

Descendants

Died 3 Apr 1805 at age 79 in Roaring River, Wilkes County, North Carolina, United States

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Biography

James Caudill, Sr., was most-likely born in January 1726 in "Old Surry" County, Virginia. This rural county was south of the James River opposite Jamestown. James was the son of Stephen Caudill b. 1680 in Virginia (his father was from Argyll, Scotland) and Stephen's wife Betsy Fields Caudill.

James Caudill, Sr., was an educated and religious man, who read the Bible frequently. Later in life he became a Baptist Minister and left Virginia (as it persecuted outspoken religious minorities) for Wilkes County, North Carolina, where he was pastor of the Roaring River Baptist Church (1770-1800).

On January 1, 1749, James Cardill married Mary Yarbrough (aka Yarborough),1731 - 1794, in Lunenburg County, Virginia.

In the late 1760s, James & Mary Caudill left Virginia and moved to the frontier area of Wilkes County, North Carolina, with other Virginia Baptist families, seeking freedom to practice their religion freely. They settled in Roaring River, NC. where James Caudill became pastor of the Roaring River Baptist Church. He served in this capacity for the next 30 years, retiring only when ill health and old age prevented him from strenuous preaching and daily Bible reading.

On the 2 Nov 1784 he bought 140 acres from Benjamin Morgan for 50 pounds.^[1] This land was on Sandy Creek, near the Fork of Brush Creek on the Middle Fork of Roaring River. The Roaring River splits into three streams in the northern part of Wilkes Co., NC. This split is south of the Blue Ridge Parkway. 

The Wilkes Co., NC census in 1784 listed James Caudill (wife Mary Yarborough) at age 60.^[2]

in the 1784 Wilkes County, North Carolina Tax List^[3] he is listed in Morgan's District.

Mary Yarborough Caudill died in Roaring River, NC, in 1794. On November 3, 1799, James Caudill, Sr., "for the goodwill he has for his (youngest) son Abner Caudill" deeded his 140 acre tract on Sandy Creek of Roaring River to Abner Caudill. Matthew and Stephen Caudill, witnesses. He died in Roaring River, NC, in 1805. Neither his nor his wife's grave have been definitely located but it's assumed they are in Wilkes County, North Carolina.

Family

Wife: Mary Yarborough Caudill 1730^[4]

They had 14 children according to one source.^[5] Another source lists his 10 sons:^[6].

1. John Caudill b: 1751 in , Lunenburg, Virginia
2. Nancy Ann Caudill b: 1752 in , Sussex, Virginia
3. James Caudill b: 1753 in , Lunenburg, Virginia^[7]
4. Thomas Aaron Caudill b: 1757 in Lunenburg, Virginia
5. Benjamin Caudill b: 1758 in Lunenburg, Virginia^[7]
6. Matthew Caudill b: 1760 in , Lunenburg, Virginia^[7]
7. Mary Caudill b: 1760 in , Lunenburg, Virginia
8. David Caudill b: 1761 in Lunenburg, Virginia
9. Stephen A. Caudill b: 7 Feb. 1763 in Lunenburg, Virginia^[7]
10. William Caudill b: 1765 in Lunenburg, , Virginia
11. Jesse Caudill b: 1765 in , Lunenburg, Virginia
12. Henrietta Caudill b: 1767 in Virginia
13. Abigail (Abby) Caudill b: 27 Mar 1769 in Wilkes, North Carolina
14. Abner Caudill b: 1773 in North Carolina

Other wikitree children that are probably duplicate or wrong:

1. Abigail Rachel Caudill b:1742
2. William Caudill b:1748

Research Notes

Comment about updating James birth date from 1701 to 1726:

This James born 1701, never existed as his mother was born in 1698 impossible. It is an error in a GEDCOM upload obviously. I have adjusted the DOB to 1726, he needs merged with Caudill-48, James Caudill, Sr. He has no spouse or children listed so this will work out fine.Morrison-4392 25 Apr 2020

Location: Lunenburg County did not exist in 1701; neither did Lunenburg Parish. The County was formed in 1746 from Brunswick County.^[8] In 1732, Lunenburg Parish was formed "from North-Farnham, in Richmond Co", and served Richmond County "to aft 1785".^[9]

Warning (received upon saving 22 April 2018): :Check the data.

• A child's birth date (Caudill-767 born 1701) should not be before a parent is six years old (mother Fields-430 born 1698) .

Name: James Sampson Caudill.

Given Name: James Sampson.

Surname: Caudill.

Suffix: Sr.

A Given name was found in addition to a first name in the NAME tag.

Born 27 Jan 1726. Surry County, Virginia, USA.

Died 3 Apr 1784. Roaring River, Wilkes, North Carolina, USA.

Residence 1784 Wilkes County, North Carolina, USA.

Church Minutes

Pathway to Ascension: online tree The Caudles of Anson County, North Carolina, Chapter 1: Stephen Caudill/Caudle, father of Benjamin Caudill/Caudle

Minutes of The South Fork of (Old) Roaring River Baptist Church, Wilkes Co., N.C. copied from original records by Mr. & Mrs. Stratton O. Hammon, :ouisville, Ky. (All spelling is copied as it was.) I, Nancy Detweiler, add my explanatory comments in brackets.

Satterday ye 12th of July. The church seting in order Bro. Thomas Morgan & Sister Morgan joind by letter also Bro. James Caudill joind by experience. [James Caudill, Sr. joins the church by "letter," having had the experience of church membership elsewhere.]

Satterday ye 11th of August. The church seting in order Bro. Samuel Stansel came in and made a recantation to the church and the church received into their fellowship and under their watchcare as he was before. Also the church delt with Bro. James Caudill for saying he red three chapters by head and that he thought he could read the Testament through without the Book, and that he retaind that notion for near a twelve months, the church could not disprove, & so concluded to lay it over and look to the Lord and try to get better satisfid. [Brother Samuel Stansel voices his repentance and the church votes to allow him to once more be an active member in good standing.] [Our ancestor, Brother James Caudill, Sr. claims he can repeat three chapters of the Bible by memory and that he believes he could recite the Testament by memory. He has maintained this claim for the past 12 months. The church could not disprove his statement, so it decided to take the problem to the Lord for guidance.]

Satterday the 8th of September. The church seting in order chose deligates go to the sosiation at Bro. Martins church the first Friday in November, to wit, Bro. Thomas Larrence, Bro. Ambrose Hamon, Bro. John Turner. As also the church recevd Bro. James Caudle into fellowship and he was baptised. [The church selects delegates to go to the Association Meeting. It also receives Brother James Caudle (James, Jr.) into fellowship and offers him baptism.]

Satterday the 13th of July. The church setting in order examined Sister Huldah Wyatt concerning the dispute between she & Bro. Rise and the church thought her clear. Also Sister Mary Caudill joind by experience & Baptism. NB The deligates met at Mitchells River according to appointment and they gave Bro. Talefarrer to that church as a transgressing member. [The church settles a dispute between members. Sister Mary Caudill joined the church by experience (letter or statement that she has been a member in good standing of another church) and was baptized by immersion whereas she must have been baptized the 1st time by sprinkling … Baptist doctrine requires immersion. The church also gave one of its members to another church as a "transgressing" member—one who has failed in some way to abide by Roaring River’s standards for membership.]

Satterday the 12th of August the church setting in order Bro. Larrance & Bro. Johnson acquainted the church that the Hollow Church gave up Bro. Hamon to attend our munthly meetings. So the church fell to work about a Deacon sot Bro. Sparks forward to do the work of a Deacon. Bro. Christerpher Maner Joind the church by letter. The church thought proper to deny James & Mary Caudill fellowship for telling of big storys such as the church could not credit and then refusing to hear the church. Also Sister Rachel Tomson applyd to the church for dismission & it was granted. Also Bro. Gipson Maner & Sister Sarah his wif joind the church by letter. [James and Mary Caudill are denied fellowship (a slightly lesser penalty than excommunication) for claiming that James can recite three chapters of the Bible by memory and that he believes he could recite the entire Testament by memory. Since the church cannot "credit" or prove this claim and James & Mary refuse to hear the church’s reasoning, they are no longer allowed to participate in the services/fellowship. Sister Rachel Tomson applied for dismission (a letter of recommenda

Sources

1. ↑ Absher, W. O., Mrs., 1915-2001;Wilkes County, North Carolina; deed book; bk. A-1; 452
2. ↑ Wilkes County, NC Census 1784 - 1787
3. ↑ Tax Lists, Wilkes County, 1784
4. ↑ James Caudill in the U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900

   Birth, Marriage & Death
   Name	James Caudill
   Spouse	Mary Yarborough
   Birth	1720 - VA
   Marriage	1749

5. ↑ James Caudill Sr. Genealogy
6. ↑ The Early Caudills - James Caudill
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3} confirmed with DNA
8. ↑ Category:Lunenburg County, Virginia
9. ↑ VAGenWeb's Parishes of Virginia by Freddie Spradlin

• FamilySearch Person: LVRX-NNQ
• James Caudill Sr. on Geni.com
• "The Kentucky Explorer" November 2019, Page 76.
• Virginia Colonial Abstracts, page 404 Book 8, page 190
• Year: 1790; Census Place: Wilkes, North Carolina; Series: M637; Roll: 7; Page: 156; Image: 97; Family History Library Film: 0568147
• Year: 1800; Census Place: Morgan, Wilkes, North Carolina; Roll: 33; Page: 33; Image: 480; Family History Library Film: 337909
• Abstract of Graves of Revolutionary Patriots; Volume: 1; Serial: 11507; Volume: 6
• Birth year: 1718; Birth city: Old Surry County; Birth state: VA
• TAXROLL 1769 Granville, North Carolina
• TAXROLL 1784 Granville, North Carolina
• McKinney Christian update Nov 2016
• Ancestry Family Tree 1292516
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/236939425/james-caudill: accessed 14 February 2023), memorial page for James Caudill Sr. (1720–1820), Find A Grave: Memorial #236939425; Burial Details Unknown.