Joseph Irwin McAdams

A Patriot of the American Revolution for NORTH CAROLINA. DAR Ancestor # A074318

   He served three tours in the Revolutionary War. First under Captain Carrington in the Regiment commanded by Hugh Tinnen. He later saw service under Captain George Hodge. He served in the volunteer militia of NC.

   (3 Aug 1840) Family Bible Records of Joseph McAddam giving marriage date and children's births were included with the Revolutionary War Pension Application made in Marshall Co., TN August Term of Court 1840, Book A. page 409, by Margaret McAdams, widow of Joseph. No 7606-Pension No. R-6579, found in the records dated 1812 now belongs to Mrs. Emily McAdams, Hillsboro, TX.

   Check DAR Record applications for 1974., #547898

   Listed in Revolutionaly Soldiers buried in TN, page 417. Lists his birthplace, date, death and burial, wife's name and children.

   He moved to Lincoln County, TN after 1804 on Cane Creek south of Lewisburg near James Brown, Jessee McLean and Henry Bagley. He died there on May 18, 1823 leaving a will in which he named his wife and son, Irwin, his executors. Witnesses were: James Ralston, Jesse McClane, and Daniel Patison.

   Catherine and Susannah were twins.

   Joseph and his older sons came to TN, cleared the land around 1806 and began to cultivate the land. He owned 600 acres from Elk Ridge to Mt. Zion, south of Belfast on the Fishing Ford Road. He was in Lincoln Co., TN (now Marshall Co.) after 1804 on Cane Creek, south of Lewisburg near James Brown, Jessee McLean, and Henry Bagley.

   He was in the Lincoln Co., TN 1820 Census. 447 11 McAdams, Joseph 001101/00101

   He died on 18 May 1823 leaving a will in which he named his wife and son, Irwin, his executors. (Lincoln Co., TN Wills 21 Jul 1823) Margaret died on 1 Aug 1844 and both are believed to be buried in the family cemetery on the Old Fishing Ford Road, 2.7 miles south of Belfast, TN. Then turn right (west) onto Conrad Road and go about 0.2 miles. On the left will be an open area accessible by an opening in the fence. On the right will be a mobile home (1999). Walk south through the opening in the fence for about 30 yards angling a little to the left. There can be seen a rough, uneven terrain with a few stones protruding up through the ground's surface. Near the opening in the fence previously walked through will be found the stones which were moved there by a bulldozer many years ago. This family cemetery has now been destroyed.

   From the cemetery, walk west up the hill path through the woods (not up Conrad Road) for about 1/3 mile and there will be a very tall, impressive rock chimney. This is all that remains of the Joseph and Margaret McAdams homestead. This was settled by our ancestors who were the land's first white settlers where they cleared and cultivated the land and built their home nearly 200 years ago.

   "In the cemetery are buried some of my ancestors including Joseph McAdams, a veteran of the American Revolutionary War. The cemetery is located on land settled by Joseph and his family around 1805. They were the first white settlers on this land. The southern part of Tennessee was known as the Indian Lands when Joseph settled there.

   Although the house they lived in is no longer there, incredibly the chimney of the house is still standing back in the woods about mile from the cemetery. You can not imagine the peacefulness and serenity each of us feels as we sit near the chimney and allow our imaginations to reflect back on what had gone on in the lives of our early ancestors who had lived on the very land we were sitting on. Unfortunately, our tranquil thoughts are tempered by the fact that we must illegally trespass on private property to visit this historical area.

   Ms. Maggie Blanche Campbell, a descendant of Joseph who owned the land the McAdams Cemetery is own, had the cemetery bulldozed around 1955. A non-McAdams descendant now owns the land and according to the laws of the State of Tennessee, we have no legal rights to perform any restoration to the cemetery or even to visit the cemetery. The owner lives in Massachusetts and has not responded to any of our letters.

   About 20 years ago, two tombstones were recovered from the McAdams Cemetery and moved to Head Springs Cemetery in Belfast." Louis Shone III Arlington, Texas

   See also Marshall County Court Minute Book A, p. 409

   Durham, Walter T., "Great Leap Westward", p. 119

   "Petition of persons living in The Congressional Reservation asking for Relief, etc. who settled in Marshall, Lincoln and Bedford Counties, "Ansearchin News", Vol 9, July 1863, No. 3, pp. 80-84.

   There is no marriage record found in the "Orange County Marriage Bonds and Abstract of Wills Recorded in Orange County, NC 1800-1850" (Baltimore; Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1972)

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1. Birth: 3 APR 1761 in Orange, North Carolina, United States 2
2. Death: 18 MAY 1823 in Lincoln, Lincoln, Tennessee, United States
3. Burial: McAdams Cemetery, Old Fishing Ford Rd., South Belfast, Lincoln now Marshall, TN 2
4. Ancestral File #: X14C-M7

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1900 census John James McAdams states his family was from SCOTLAND when we came to the United States in the mid 1700's. Our oral history stated that they were Scots/Irish