The Chisholm Family - By: J. Chisholm

Murdock Chisholm acquired 50 acres of land from John Mason, recorded in Deed Book B, page 19 Richmond County Registry. The date on the first page is March 29, 1783. The deed was duly proved by the oath of John Webb and ordered to be registered by the September Court of 1784. By way of location not much is stated other than it is near Mountain Creek. James Sanders’ corner is mentioned. Also mentioned are two white oaks and a blackjack marked by Solomon Sprawls and Anguish Chisholm for a dividing line. Trees marked by John Mason and Matthew English are mentioned. Angus (Anguish) Chisholm was a witness to the deed.

Murdock Chisholm and wife, Mary sold 50 acres of land to William McDaniel (aka William McDonald), recorded in Deed Book B, Page 403 Richmond County Registry. The date on the first page is November 25, 1785. The deed was duly proved in open court by the oath of Owen Slaughter Jun. It was ordered to be registered by the April Court of 1788. These 50 acres of land is the same land found in Deed Book B, page 19. Malcom Chisholm and John McDonald are two of the witnesses to this deed.

By following the chain of title of the Murdock Chisholm 50 acres of land, I found a deed from William Stringfellow to Enoch Stringfellow registered in Deed Book C, page 551 Richmond County Registry. The date on the first page is February 4, 1796, and the deed was duly proved in open court (April Term 1796) by the oath of Joseph Hines Esquire and ordered to be registered. The description of the second tract in the deed is the Murdock Chisholm 50 acres of land but its added information that helps in locating the land. The beginning of the description states the land is on Broom’s Branch.

I began trying to find Broom’s Branch and located two maps.

Did Murdock Chisholm live on the land in proximity to Broom’s Branch? I do not know, but I believe he probably did. Could there be another Broom’s Branch near Mountain Creek in Richmond County? I guess it is possible, but I do not know of one. Have I properly located Murdock Chisholm’s 50 acres of land? I believe I have found the right area even though I do not know the exact location of his 50 acres. Broom’s Branch is a short branch in length so the location of the 50 acres would be in a limited area.

Several factors make me believe I have found the correct area. Daniel Chisholm, son of Murdock bought land from William Stringfellow, recorded in Deed Book C, page 551 and sold land that was once Murdock Chisholm land to his son Enoch Stringfellow. In an 1817 letter Eli Stringfellow, son of Enoch Stringfellow stated he was the uncle of Mary Chisholm (later Mary Chisholm Ewing) daughter of Daniel Chisholm, son of Murdock. While I have not figured out how Eli is the uncle of Mary, nevertheless Eli said it in the letter. So, the Chisholm’s and Stringfellow’s were in the same general area, probably were neighbors, had business dealings with one another and appear to be related but as of this day, I do not know exactly how. Also, the AWE Capel map has Stringfellow Branch on it. 

The question now becomes what happened to Murdock Chisholm after he sold his land recorded in Deed Book B, page 403, Richmond County? 

Facts that were known when I began to search for Murdock Chisholm after the land sold: 

1. Anguish Chisholm, son of Murdock was issued a grant for 50 acres of land November 17, 1790. The land was in Montgomery County on Mountain Creek. The description indicated it joined Murdock Chisholm. Malcom Chisholm, son of Murdock is one of the chain carriers. 

2. Anguish Chisholm, son of Murdock was issued a grant for 50 acres of land December 20, 1791. The land was in Montgomery County on Mountain Creek. The description indicated it joined Murdock Chisholm. Angus (Anguish) Chisholm, son of Murdock and Daniel Chisholm, son of Murdock were chain carriers. 

3. John Chisholm, son of Murdock was issued a grant for 50 acres of land June 7, 1799. The land was in Montgomery County and on the west side of Mountain Creek. The description indicated it was near Murdock Chisholm's second corner. The survey work for this land appears to have been completed May 4, 1797, and John Chisholm, son of Murdock and Murdock Chisholm were chain carriers. I do not know when Murdock Chisholm died but this bit of information indicates he was alive May 4, 1797. 

4. Murdock Chisholm died intestate owning 100 acres of land. 

5. I did not find a 100-acre grant to Murdock Chisholm. He must have bought his land from an individual. 

6. In 1843 Montgomery County deeds were destroyed by fire. 

7. I saw a grave marker in the Scotch Cemetery at the end of Rush Rd. (NCSR No 1538) that had Dock on it. I felt like that stood for Murdock. That marker is not there now. It was destroyed by people who vandalized the cemetery. One record (I do not know if it is correct) I saw indicated Murdock was 88 years old when he died. 

8. Daniel Chisholm, son of Murdock is buried in the Scotch Cemetery at the end of Rush Rd (NCSR No 1538). 

9. John C. Chisholm, son of Daniel sold 988 acres to Benjamin Rush December 19, 1834. 

10. The location of the grave of Benjamin Rush. 

11. The location of one old Rush home place. 

12. The location of Rush's mill. 

13. I had been told of the location of a very old house in the area on the property of Cleo Wooley. 

My hope was to find a deed after 1843 that referenced back in time to the 100 acres of land Murdock Chisholm owned. After looking at many deeds in the area, I found a deed dated April 4, 1845, from Yancy B. Howell to Samuel Usher recorded in Deed Book 16, page 87. Another deed of interest is Deed Book 16, page 302. A map was also found in Deed Book 136, page 415.

When you read Deed Book 16, page 87, you can see it specifically mentions the Murdock Chisholm old hundred-acre survey. You can also see the property line that was one side of the Murdock Chisholm land. On the map, 100 acres is listed below Deed Book 20, page 74, and to the right of the 100 acres a house is shown. I believe this is the Murdock Chisholm house. 

It is remarkable that even today the general shape of a portion of the Murdock Chisholm 100-acre tract can be seen on the Montgomery tax map.

Mr. Arron W. E. Capel II bought the house shown on the Map in Deed Book 136, page 515 from Cleo Wooley. Mr. Capel bought the house because it was the closest in age to his Richmond County circa 1797 Isaac Ewing house (also called Touchstone House), was of similar construction and even type of nails used. Mr. Capel took pictures of the house before he secured the material he needed. 

Could there have been another very old house on the 100 acres of land? That is possible but the present-day heirs of Cleo Wooley are not aware of one.

I do not have any information on Murdock Chisholm prior to 1783 other than his daughter Rachel married James McMillian and James served in the Revolutionary War. Rachel told some stories of her encounter with Tories when James was at war. 

In addition to having a gold mine in the Beaver Dam Creek area, Angus (Anguish) Chisholm, son of Murdock, had a store. One document I saw listed his son, Whitson H. Chisholm as a merchant.

Whitson H. Chisholm married Martha Stanback. They were married only a short time and she died July 23, 1828.

F. G. Harris, in his book entitled “Harris’ from Essex, England and Allied Families” Volume 11, lists the children of Angus (Anguish) Chisholm and Sally Myrick Harris as: 

1. Lindy Chisholm married an Alexander 

2. Eliza Anne Chisholm married William Littlejohn 

3. Whitson Chisholm married Martha Stanback 

4. Margaret H. Chisholm married Wiley Jones Littlejohn 

Recent research on the Angus (Anguish) Chisholm Family by genealogist Sue Forshee Cooper is shown below.

Malcom Chisholm, son of Murdock married Mary (I believe Sellers). They had two sons from this marriage. John was the name of one son, and I do not know anything about him other than he had children per the will of his mother recorded in Will Book 1, page 57 Montgomery County Clerk of Court’s Office. The other son, Daniel, married Mary Allred March 8, 1821. Two children came from this marriage. A daughter Rachel born in 1832 and died May 5, 1858. A son, John S. Chisholm was born February 6, 1822, and died July 24, 1905. Daniel Chisholm died May 27, 1849.

When looking at the page from the old Chisholm Bible the natural tendency is to think the Mary Chisholm shown below Daniel as dying June 17, 1850, is Daniel’s wife Mary Allred Chisholm. That is exactly what was thought and the marker in the picture reflects that. Daniel’s Mother was named Mary also. I have come to believe the death date of June 17, 1850, is the death date of Daniel’s Mother Mary (I believe Sellers) Chisholm. Mary Allred Chisholm deeded July 11, 1857, 175 acres of land to her daughter, Rachel in Deed Book 18, page 476 Montgomery County Register of Deeds. Mary Allred Chisholm was in very poor health May12, 1858 and I believe she died in 1858, maybe June 17, 1858.

Daniel Chisholm, son of Murdock is buried in the Scotch Cemetery at the end of Rush Road (NCSR No 1538). He died in 1824.

The oldest Chisholm I have a picture of is Mary Chisholm, daughter of Daniel, son of Murdock. Mary married John Ewing. John and Mary are buried in the Ewing Cemetery at Sulphur Springs.

There were two Malcom Chisholm’s. One is identified as Malcom; son of Murdock and one is identified as Coming to America, the other Malcom Chisholm. The latter Malcom Chisholm is buried in the Scotch Cemetery at the end of Rush Road (NCSR No. 1538).

In the blog you have noticed in various places I say I believe certain things. The reason I say that is because I am not one hundred percent sure, but the evidence points in the direction of what was said.