Jeremiah James Elrod, II

JEREMIAH ELROD II (Jeremias or Joseph) was born in North Carolina April 13, 1755.

The Moravian Church traces its origins to the followers of John Hus, the Bohemian martyr who was burned at the stake in 1415, and dates its formal beginning from 1457, when one group of Hussites took the Latin name of Unitas Fratrum, or Unity of Brethren.

In the 17th century they were reduced to meeting and handing down their faith to their children in secret as they were persecuted in Europe form any years.

A group of families moved from Moravia to Saxony in 1722, where they took refuge on the estate of a young Lutheran nobleman, Count Nicholas van Zinzendorf and founded a religious village they named Herrnhut, which means "protected by the Lord." The church was formally reorganized there in 1727.

In 1735 an American settlement and mission to the Indians was begun in Georgia, but abandoned after five years. Settlements in northeastern America were begun in 1740 and the congregation town of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, was founded in 1742. It remains the church headquarters today. In the 1740's and 1750's the church brought several shiploads of settlers to Bethlehem and the other congregational communities, the "Sea Congregations," who assembled in Europe and traveled together to America.

The church in America made many converts among the Pennsylvania Germans, who were mostly from the Rhineland. Meanwhile, the Herrnhut community attracted additional members from various parts of Europe. Moravian denotes a member of this religious group.

The Wachovia Settlement in North Carolina. In the fall of 1752, Bishop August Gottlieb Spangenberg and an accompanying party of five men traveled from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to the east coast of North Carolina and then inland. They purchased 100,000 acres from Lord Granville. The first settlers arrived in November 1753. The tract of land was named Wachau or Wachovia, for the ancestral home of the Zinzendorf family near the Wach River in Europe.

By 1765 there was a need for a strong, central town. After several years of planning and construction Salem came fully into being in 1772. Most of the surrounding residents moved them. Salem was the southern counterpart of the congregation town of Bethlehem, organized with boys' and girls' schools and communal residences for single men and women. Although individuals could own private property, the church leadership provided strict control over who could live there, and on how each person served the community. Salem merged with the non-Moravian town of Winston, the Forsyth county seat, in 1913 to form the modern city of Winston-Salem.

There were English speaking settlers living in the area who found an affiliation with the Moravians. In the 1760s, Moravian ministers held services in English in the home of John Douthit, who together with Christopher Elrod and others organized Hope Moravian Church in 1780.

A group of Moravian families came to North Carolina from Broad Bay, Maine, in 1770. They settled southeast of Salem in the Friedland community, which like others, was organized as a country congregation. Most of these families had come to Broad Bay from the Baden Durlach area of German in 1742.

This is not the same church as the "Church of the United Brethren" or other "Brethren's." The Moravians have remained a separate denomination.

The 1790 census shows Jeremiah living with his family in Rowan County, North Carolina. Those listed: No free white males 16 or upward. One free white male under 16 years. One free white females including head of families. Three all other freepersons. No slaves.

On the 1786 taxables for Rowan County, Jeremiah has 116 acres and one white poll (this has something to do with the government and how much land is owned. Those with more land had two white polls.)

Jeremiah and Barbara were separated between 1800 and 1803. He left Joseph, the youngest with his wife. He took all the other unmarried children with him and move to Wayne County, Kentucky. They had 11 children, all born in Friedland, North Carolina.

State of North Carolina, Stokes County Whereas Jeremiah and Barbara, his wife, have this day mutually agreed to live separate and apart and in order to support and maintain her, the said Barbara and their youngest child named Joseph (which is left by said Jeremiah Ellrod in the possession of said wife) he the said Jeremiah Elrod hath this day made an assignment of a note of hand on John Closs for the sum of two hundred and fifty dollars and had paid Christopher Folger sixty two dollars and a half in cash and hath also given her (the said Barbara) various articles of household furniture which she hath now in possession. Now he (the said Jeremiah Ellrod) doth hereby agree forever hereafter to quit all right and privilege to the aforesaid note money and property, and also to all estates and property she (the said Barbara ) nay hereafter acquire and that he will not directly or indirectly in any manner or form intercept her (the said Barbara) or the said child or the note money or property above mentioned and for the true performance of all singular the above conditions he (the said Jeremiah Elrod) doth hereby bind himself unto him (the said Christopoher Folger) in the sum of six hundred and twenty five dollars. In testimony whereof he (the said Jeremiah Elrod) hath here unto set his hand and seal date above written.

Witnesses present Jacob Blum George McKnight Jeremiah Elrod (Seal) A. Campbell

In Ky. he married a woman who was said to be an Indian by some people. Her name was Mary "Polly"_________ (Brittain?). He had 5 boys and 3 girls by Mary that are known.

The Christopher Folger (Vogler) mentioned above is probably the brother of Barbara Vogler. The pronunciation of the German V sounds like an F in English.

The 1810 census shows Jeremiah living with his family in Wayne County, Kentucky.

The 1820 census shows Jeremiah living with his family in Wayne County, Kentucky.

After 1820, Jeremiah went to live near the border of Cannon County and Rutherford County, Tennessee.

▼References 1.↑ Copy of Will of Jeremiah Elrod (2-A) in Rutherford County, Tennessee Page 74 January 18, 1841

I, Jeremiah Elrod of Rutherford Co., Tn. and State of Tennessee being old and weak of body, bit sound in mind, blessed be God for his kind mercies to me. I am looking every day for the separation of soul and body, and do hereby make my last will and testament in the following manner -

I give to my beloved wife Mary Elrod everything in the house, except such things as is hereafter named which belongs to my youngest son, Thomas Elrod, which is one feather bed and furniture with the bedstead, one cupboard. All the other things in the house I give to my wife consisting of one bed and furniture, one chest, one table, one bureau, some pot mettle pails, chairs and very other thing about the house, to my beloved wife also all my cattle which is four in number. This is all I possess except two colts and a few stock hogs, nine head of geese. These last articles the colts, hogs and geese I give to my said son Thomas as he raised them and good to me but my property is so little it cannot be divided to do them much good, so I give them my last prayer and wishes for their happiness and well fair and if there should be anything at the happening of my wife's death worth dividing, then in that case I want everyone to get a part of it, my wife is old and cannot much so my son Thomas must support her. I appoint no executor as I owe no debt but a small fee to the doctor and my burial expenses which Thomas must pay. This Will need not be recorded, hope my children will agree to it in peace and let their mother keep it with this disposal of my little effects, I submit my body to the earth and leave my worldly love behind.

Test. his Jacob Wright Jeremiah (X) Elrod seal William (X) Childers mark

State of Tennessee} Rutherford County} Court November Term 1841. The execution of the last will and testament of Jeremiah Elrod decd. was duly proved by oath of William Childress one of the witness thereof at the above mentioned term in as ordered to be certified. Robert S. Morris, Clk.

Elrod, Jeremiah Setters, deed 841-1844 Record Book 1, pg. 45, State of Tennessee, Rutherford County, November term 1841 - To Smith M. Elrod, a citizen of Rutherford Co. It appearing to the court now in session that Jeremiah Elrod has deceased having a will and account being satisfied as to your claim to be administrator and you having given bond and qualified as directed by law and the court having ordered that letter of Administration be opened to you. Here and therefore to authority and impower you to take into your possession and control, all the goods, chattle (? claims), also papers of the said testator and return a true and perfect inventory thereof to our county court in 90 days to collect and pay all debts and to transact all the duties in relation to said estate which lawfully devolve (sp.?) on you as administrator and after settling up said estate to deliver the rest due thereof to those who by law are entitled. Witness Robert S. Morris, Clerk of said court at office this 1st day of November, 1841 and 66th year of American Independence. Recorded November 3, 1841 Robert S. Morris, Clerk

An inventory of the personal estate of Jeremiah Elrod, decd. Three augers, one F sow, two chissels, one cup (or ? Ap), one hand axe, one hand saw, one square, one log chain, one wire seive, one half bushel, one saw set, one kettle, one (bill?), one oven and lid, one pot, one skillet, one pair of hooks, one tea kettle, one pan of (stillyards?), one bed, five chairs, one small Do., one case of raisons, one spectacle case, one lot of padlocks, one bean (?remer), one chest, one looking glass, one pot rack, one shovel, one coffee mill, one lot of table ware, one lot of (?Vases), one lot of dishes, one lot of spoons, one (Lard), one sugar dish, one pail, one tin bucket, one churn and strainer, one table, one lamp, one pair of cotton cards, one bacon, one cow, one heiffer, one Do, one yearling, one note of hand by John Elrod- Nathan Finley due the 25th of Dec. 1841 for twenty dollars payable to Jeremiah Elrod doubtful, one on T.W. Beaty for five dollars. The above is a true and perfect inventory of all the goods, chattel, rights and credits of said Jeremiah Elrod decd. which have come to my hands possession or knowledge or the hands of any other person for me to the best of my knowledge and belief this day of may 1842. Recorded 20th (July) 1842 S.M. Elrod, Adm.

Account of sales made of the personal property of the estate of Jeremiah Elrod decd. at his late residence in Rutherford Co. after having advertised according to law:

Three augers Adam Elrod .75 One F cow James Elrod 87 Two chisels Thomas S. Elrod .50 one Ax Thomas S. Elrod 25 one broad ax Adam Elrod 62 one hand saw Joseph Dement 37 one and square Thomas S. Elrod .50 one log chain Jacob Wright 1.25 one wire seive Wm. G. Woodfin .50 one half bushel Thomas S. Elrod hE one saw set L.W. Beaty 25 one kettle L.W.Beaty 2.25 one bill James C. Elrod 81 one oven and lid Wm. G. Woodfin 1.75 one pot Mary Elrod hE one skillet Thomas E. Elrod hE one pair of pot hooks J.C. Elrod 25 one tea kettle Mary Elrod 1.00 one pan of slilyards(?) J.C. Elrod 1.06 one bed & furniture J.C. Elrod 10.00 one lot bed clothes J.C. Elrod 3.00 five chairs Thomas S. Elrod 1.58 one small Do. Thomas S. Elrod 37 one case raisons Adam Elrod 1.35 one spectacle case Adam Elrod .87

Elrod, Jeremiah Decd. Page 62 A settlement made with Samuel W. Elrod Administrator with the (?heir) annexed of Jeremiah Elrod decd. by Mr. Robert S. Morris, Clerk of Rutherford Co. court. I find that the Administrator is in debt to the estate as: Fr. Inventory the sum of $20.00 Amount of Total $73.23 _________ $103.23

Credit Administrator as following to wit: No. 1. Adam Elrod Judgement and cost 12.83 2.T.S. (?Aisedoms) Acct. 2.87 3. P.C. Tally a/c 1.18 4. G.S. (Acendom?) a/c 5.41 5. M.W. Armstrong a/c 4.88 6, M.W. Armstrong a/c 7.34

Jeremiah Junior created a scandal in the pious Moravian community in Forsyth County when he abandoned his wife Ana Vogler and ran off with another woman.