Johann Michael Fouts, Sr.

DAR# A133054

• Service: NORTH CAROLINA Rank(s): PATRIOTIC SERVICE
• Birth: CIRCA 1724 ROHRBACH THE PALATINATE EUROPE
• Death: POST 9-24-1803 RANDOLPH CO-LIV NORTH CAROLINA
• Service Source: NC REV WAR PAY VOUCHERS, #68, ROLL #S.115.87
• Service Description: 1) SOLD PROVISIONS AND FORAGE

Birth Place: Rohrbach, Near Sinsheim, RhenishPalatinat

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John Michael Pfautz (1722 - 1803)

Michael Fouts, oldest son of Jacob of York County, went under the name of "Michael Fouts", but undoubtedly he was given the double name of Jacob Michael Fouts. There was no Jacob Fouts, or any other male Fouts in the Germany Twp. area, with a wife named Catherana that is unaccounted for.

Michael crossed the Atlantic while a babe in arms, along with his father, mother and older sister, Anna Margaretha. Their arrival in America took place prior to September 1727 at which time the first "Ship Lists and Oaths" were established. They settled on the Hillside farm in or near the small German village of Skippack, Philadelphia (now Montgomery) Co., about 20 miles northwest of Philadelphia, where they remained for the next fourteen years.

When Michael was about 14 years of age, a second relative from Germany arrived at Philadelphia and joined his family. Theevia (Theobald/Dewald/David), of about the same age, arrived of the Ship "Davy" in 1738, and came directly to Skippack. The relationship is unknown, but most likely the two boys were cousins, or cousins once removed, and became inseparable friends for the remainder of their lives. Theevia's name has undergone several changes over the years. In the early Maryland/Pennsylvania records he was known as "Theobald" or a nickname "Dewald"; in North Carolina records his name was "Dewald", and as time passed he was simply known as "David". Even his sons, when disposing of his lands in 1793, referred to him as "old David Fouts".

In 1741 Jacob and family, accompanied by David, moved from the Skippack area to Germany Twp., Lancaster (later York) Co., Pennsylvania, about one hundred miles in a southwesterly direction near the Maryland border.

On 30 August 1744, now 20 years of age, Michael obtained his first Land Survey Warrant. He secured a 50 acre tract of land called "Michael's Fancy" on little Pipe Creek.

In the spring of 1746, he married Catherine Varner, daughter of Adam Varner of Germany Twp., Lancaster (later York) Co., Pa. They lived on Little Pipe Creek Waters, Frederick (now Carroll) County, Maryland, 1744-1762. On 11 June 1747 a son John was born, and was baptized by the Rev. J. Waldeschmidt at the St Matthew's Lutheran Church, Hanover, on 23 June 1747. the date is in agreement with the Michael Pfautz "Bible" page contributed by Norman G. Fouts.

Michael stayed on his land, Michael's Fancy" about five years, during which time the land was placed within the bounds of Frederick Co., Maryland. He sold this farm and was granted a Warrant for 91 acres, bearing the date 20 July 1749, called "Clear Meadow", lying on the Great Bear Branch, a draught of Pipe Creek. Michael lived on his second farm about five years when on 28 August 1754, he sold to Henry Cassell.

Michael's third farm, located on Pipe Creek in Frederick (now Carroll) Co., Maryland, was surveyed on 20 February 1761. The 55 acres was first settled and named "Carolina" by Andrew Stiger who had apparently sold or abandoned his claim on the property. Michael's certificate was issued on 11 December 1762. (Hall of Records", Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland.)

Soon thereafter, word reached York County that the Cherokee War was over in Western North Carolina and that the waters of the Uwharrie (Rowan County) was open for settlers. The Pfautz families wasted no time in preparing for this move and in the summer of 1762, as of one mind, Michael, his father Jacob, his kinsman David and Brother-in-law Andrew Hoover, sold all of their holdings in Maryland and Pennsylvania within two months time.

Michael and David, young men in their prime, along with other interrelated families of that area, traveled a wilderness road for a distance of about 400 miles a the crow flies. It was the second time when these faithful companions set forth on a journey in search of a better homeland. At this time Michael and his wife Catherine (Varner), were the parents of 7 children, John 16, Catherine 14, Andrew 12, Elizabeth 10, Susanna 8, Magdalena 4, and Jacob about 18 months. David, married two years prior to Michael, had even more children. Three of his sons - John, Jacob and David Jr. - were 16 or older and looking forward to purchasing their first land at a reasonable price.

On 17 February 1763 the following obtained Henry McCulloh Deeds on the Waters of Uwharrie in Rowan County, North Carolina. Note the English spelling of the names.

(David Sr. & Jr. lands were consolidated) David Fouts - 292 acres David Fouts (Jr.) - 230 acres Jacob Fouts - 200 acres (16 year old son of David Sr.) Michael Fouts - 260 acres John Barnhart - 200 acres Andrew Hoover - 275 acres (Bro-in-law of Michael) John Mast - 233 acres William Merrill - 245 acres Jacob Schwartz - 200 acres Sunbright Heltzell - 200 acres Adam Varner - 289 acres (Bro-in-law of Michael Fouts)

22 February 1763 Andrew Hoover bought an additional 289 acres

This is your earliest Uwharrie Dutch Settlement with the exception of William Merrill. The Uwharrie until 1771 were located in Rowan County. In 1771, they, in most part, were taken within the newly erected Guilford County. In 1779, the southern portion of Guilford, wherein they resided, was included in the newly formed Randolph County.

Dr. Davenport secured an area Map Maker who, from the deeds, plotted the land of the early Fouts on the Uwharrie. He secured over 3,000 land entries or deeds (property bought and sold) of the early Fouts and related families, covering Rowan, Davidson, Guilford and Randolph Counties. I have over 300 in my file that are related, in some manner, to Michael and his son Andrew. Sufficient to say, Michael, Sr. owned land on the Uwharrie at the junction of the Rich Fork and North Fork and along both sides of North Fork. the following may be of interest - Guilford County Land Entry No. 1632, made 7 May 1778, by James Allen is described as "a tract or parcel of land containing 100 acres lying in between Michael Fouts' Mill and Harmon's improvement"...Inasmuch as the Fouts Mill does not appear in Randolph County records, we can assume that it was not a public mill, but was used privately. That it was a grist mill is evidence by the designation of "John Fouts, miller" in 1792 (Michael's oldest son). If it was a saw mill, he would have been a "sawyer", and if a fulling mill, he would have been a "fuller".

Old David appears to have been the leader of the Uwharrie German community, for he was appointed "overseer of the Trading Road, from the Painted Springs east across the Uwharrie to Caraway Creek", by the Rowan County Court in 1768 (Rowan County, North Carolina Court of Pleas & Quarter Session Minutes, 2:17) He was the only German to be so recognized before 1771.

Bro. George Soelle, the Moravian Missionary from old Salem made 12 visits (46 days) on the Uwharrie and recorded in his Diary that he "never got south of Michael Fouts' place." He held his first meeting at Dewald (David) Fouts, Sr.'s place on 18 November, he wrote in his Diary -- "...This is a unique species of people. They appear to me like Aesop's crow which inflated itself with other birds' feathers. They have Moravian, Quaker, Separatists, Dunker principles, know everything and know nothing, look down on others, belong to no one, and spurn others. Just one soul inspired some hope in me, with whom I was also able to converse, namely, Dewald's wife, whose frivolity is getting to be a burden to her and often oppresses her. (This could be his second wife). She, also was the only one there who asked me to visit more frequently when I should return to that region...This Dewald has a lot of children who have been blind from birth." (David, Jr.'s children)...Old David Fouts was a hardheaded German according to Soelle who wrote that he "met stubborn resistance when I tried to enlighten him". Soelle stayed at David's one night when he "lost his way to Hoover's and had to turn back at Michael Fouts". On another occasion he wrote, "I often experience among such folks what Soloman says, "A fool often asks more questions than a wise man can answer". In general, he thought the Uwharrie Germans a "Course lot".

Within Michael, Sr.'s family there was a great diversion of religious faiths. Michael and his wife , Catherine were both "Dutch Friends", otherwise known as Mennonites. His son John's progeny were largely identified with the Dunker's (Church of the Brethren); daughter Catherine's religious persuasion unknown, but her husband, Lawrence Younce, was identified with the Dunker's; Andrew was a Baptist; Elizabeth Yount was a Dunker; Susanna Harmon and Mary Harmon were Baptists; Jacob was Quaker and Esther Yount was Dunker. For many years "old David Fouts" was considered un religious but in his later years he was called on the the "New Borns" of the Separate Baptist Church. The Baptist Historical Society identifies the Separate Baptists as practicing nine ordinances emphasizing - plainness of dress, espousing pacifism, eschewing oaths, and preaching in a peculiar sing-song manner, all of which were done also by the Dunker's.

At the beginning of the Revolutionary war, in 1775, each Poll was expected to take the Oath of Allegiance to the State of North Carolina, serve in the Militia, agree to bear arms, and pay taxes for the support of the war effort. The German's with few exceptions took the stance of "Pacifists" and refused to take the Oath, etc. As a result they lost their Civil Rights, which included purchasing land, until the end of the was when they were restored in 1787. Michael and his children, with the exception of Andrew who married into the very patriotic Merrill family, were pacifists. During the 12 year interim many of the Germans lost, or were literally pushed off, their lands. I was not a happy place for the non-conformists -- the Mennonites, Dunker's, Quakers and Moravians.

When the Uwharrie Dutch, with large families, needed more acreage, they were forced to seek out lands in the mountainous country of Wilkes-Ashe Counties, N.C. in the 1780's; in Kentucky in the 1790's and in the Northwest Territory (Ohio) in the late 1790's and early 1800's.

Old David, Sr., a staunch pacifist, and his son David, Jr., moved from the Uwharrie to Wilkes (now Ashe) Co. before 1789,where he bought and sold land. David apparently died there, for his sons were deeding away his Uwharrie lands in 1793.

In the fall of 1803, Michael, Sr. joined with his son John (the miller) and grandson, Michael, Jr., to sell off all the lands they owned, individually and jointly, in N.C. It was Michael, Sr.'s last appearance in Public records. It is believed that Michael, Sr. died in 1803, or soon thereafter, in Randolph County, N.C. Likewise it is possible that he went with his oldest son John and grandson, Michael, Jr. to German Twp., Montgomery Co., Ohio, where they made their Entries in the summer of 1804. Death dates are missing for both Michael, Sr. and his wife Catherine (Varner). He was not probated in either Randolph County, North Carolina or Montgomery County, Ohio.

Source: 5 Generations of the Pfautz - Fouts Family Complied and Published by Audrey L. Woodruff, C.G.R.S., 1987