John Truesdale (abt. 1737 - 1806)

Born about 1737 in Kingshill, County Down, Ireland

Husband of Mary (Hollingsworth) Truesdale — married 1763 (to 24 Jul 1806) in Kinghill Clonduff County Down, Ulster, Ireland

Descendants

Died 20 Mar 1806 at about age 69 in Kershaw county, South Carolina

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Biography

A summary of the immigrant Truesdale family has been written by Karl Truesdell, based on primary sources.^[1] He notes that information was derived from letters written to the immigrant John Truesdel 17400-1806 from his brother-in-law Henry Hollingsworth, from Kinghill, 1773; his brother Samuel Truesdale from Kinghill in 1792, 1802, 1804; and his nephew Henry Hollingsworth, Jr., from Musquikbit River, Nova Scotia, in 1803.

Also Karl Truesdell referenced letters from one grandson of the couple (James Truesdale of New York) to another grandson of the couple (Jesse Truesdale of Kershaw County, SC). Karl Truesdale observed that the letters are in the possession (at the time of his writing) of Mrs. Charles O. Beckham of Lakeland, FL. She, with Mrs. Lawrence T. Gregory of Kershaw, S. C., transcribed the letters and provided typed copies to Mrs. McCracken of Rathfriland and Miss Dorothy S. Truesdale, formerly of Rochester, NY.

Karl Truesdale's summary states that: "Leaving his father's home, John Truesdel with his wife and children embarked on the brigantine 'Freemason' in 1772, landing later the same year at Charleston, S.C.. As one of the 53 eligible passengers, including several neighbors from the Rathfriland area, John petitioned the Provincial Council at its 6 Jan 1773 meeting for his immigrant bounty - 250 acres of land. All petitioners were certified as being properly accredited protestants in good standing [meaning at this time Anglicans]. Only six of the petitioners were able to pay for their warrants, John not being one of these. Based on his grants, John Truesdel settled in the Flat Rock between the present county seat of Kershaw County and Heath Springs." Karl Truesdale goes on to observe that Mary Hollingsworth Truesdale was the daughter of Henry Hollingsworth and his first wife (name unknown) and was probably born in Annachincage (two miles north of Kinghill) in 1732. This is presumably correct, since the author accessed a letter from Mollie Hollingsworth Truesdale's brother, Henry, to her dated 1773.

The James Truesdale letters also were summarized in a 1948 newspaper article.^[2] He said that the Truesdale forefathers came from England in 1649 with Oliver Cromwell, who came with an army to subdue Papists in rebellion against the English government. The Truesdale forefathers were left with a garrison at Drogheda. In about 1700 the Truesdale and Hollingsworth families are said to have left Drogheda for theUlster county of Down and town of Rothfreland. John and Samuel Truesdale, two of the five sons of John Truesdale I who died Dec 1795 in Kingshill, County Down, came to America. The letter reported that John Truesdale II was born in 1743 in Ulster, County Down, and died in Kershaw County, SC, after 1803. His children who emigrated with him were Robert, Hollingsworth, Sarah, John, James and Thomas. Hollingsworth died at sea [Not true, apparently, but so reported here]. Sarah married Samuel Jones and moved to Alabama. Mary married Sterling Horton, son of Capt. William Horton. The home of the family was near a place now (in 1948) called "Bob Floyd place" and they are buried in unmarked graves nearby.

In 1773 John Truesdale filed a plat for 250 acres on the Lynches River in Craven County (which at that time encompassed everything in South Carolina above the Wateree-Congaree-Santee system).^[3]

John Truesdel was in the SC Line, Militia, during the Revolutionary War, having enlisted in Kershaw District in 1779.^[4] He served 40 days under Capt. Amos Horton, Major John Marshall, Col. Eli Kershaw.^[5] In later generations his descendants were allied by marriage with the Kershaw and Horton families.

In 1784 John Truesdale filed a plat for 300 acres on Hanging Rock Creek, Camden District.^[6] Adjacent landowners included Jorden Ashley, Jesse Horton, and David Miller.

In 1798 John Truesdel appeared as an adjacent landowner on Hanging Rock Creek in Camden District.^[7]

In the 1800 Federal Census Records of Kershaw County, South Carolina there is a John TRISDELL listed. His household consisted of 1 male under 10, 1 male 26-44, 1 female under 10, 1 female 16-25.^[8] Neighbors in the census included William West and John West. This age points toward John Truesdale II, son of John Truesdale and Mary Hollingsworth Truesdale, rather than the immigrant John Truesdale.

John Trusdel died 24 July 1806 at Hanging Rock, Kershaw County, South Carolina. A memorial (not a grave marker) exists for him at Hanging Rock UMC in Hanging Rock, SC. The marker indicates that he was Presbyterian -- apparently he wanted no confusion about that. His remains are buried in an unmarked grave near his home.

John Trusdel and his wife, Molly Hollingsworth, came to this country from County Down, Ireland on the Brigatine Free Mason in 1774 when James Trusdel, their son was seven years old.

Estimating John birth was about 1737 based on James being his first son and seven years old in 1774.

Sources

1. ↑ Truesdell, Karl. Major General U. S. Army [Ret.] Truesdel/Truesdell/Truesdale.https://scgenweb.org/lancaster/bios/truesdell_1.htm. Accessed 5 Dec 2020.
2. ↑ Mrs. E. C. Croxton. Kershaw News Era, Camden, SC, 24 Dec 1948. https://sites.rootsweb.com/~kithandkin2000/truesdalefamily.htm Accessed 5 Dec 2020.
3. ↑ Truesdale, John, Plat for 250 Acres in Craven County. Colonial Plat Books (Copy Series) S213184, Vol. 20, P.389, Item 2. 8 Mar 1773. South Carolina Department of Archives and History.
4. ↑ Jones, Hazel Parker. 1979. Book Two of the Samuel Jones Family, Kershaw County, S.C., 1756-1979, including allied families. 2nd Edition. Kershaw, S.C.: H. P. Jones.
5. ↑ Salley, A. S., Jr. "Stub Entries to Indents" for Revolutionary Claims Book, RT, T-249, p. 243.
6. ↑ Truesdale, John, Plat for 300 Acres on Branch of Hanging Rock Creek, Camden District, Surveyed by James Bredin. State Plat Books (Charleston Series) S213190, Vol. 12, P.341. Item 2. 22 Nov 1784. South Carolina Department of Archives and History.
7. ↑ Mehaffy, Robert, Plat for 322 Acres on hanging Rock Creek, Camden District, Surveyed by Adam McWillie. State Plat Books (Columbia Series). S213192, Vol. 37, P. 185. 12 Dec 1798. South Carolina Department of Archives and History.
8. ↑ John Trisdell. Year: 1800; Census Place: Kershaw District, South Carolina; Series: M32; Roll: 49; Page: 157; Image: 52; Family History Library Film: 181424.

1800 Kershaw County Federal Census Records and 24 July 1806 death records.