Samuel McCutcheon, Sr.

Samuel's surname is spelled McCutchan, McCutchen, McCutcheon, McCutchin, McCutchon, etc. (vowels were used like accessories). FaG wishes we list it as on the marker (see marker photo) and so I have done so. He was born in ABOUT 1718 (NOT "1738" per monument) and some say closer to 1710. He was born in unknown location, but most likely in current Northern Ireland, along with many Scots who immigrated there, hoping for a better life. The Scots-Irish left for our colonies, when things turned out differently, under the horrible English rule and they were losing their freedoms and dignity. It's likely he landed in the Philadelphia (or Delaware) port and is believed to have settled in then Lancaster Co., PA (another Scots-Irish settlement) for unknown period (proof?). He came down the old Indian trails, and settled in this documented Scots-Irish settlement in then Orange Co. which (his part) became Augusta Co., VA in the 1700's. After a long arduous trip, he had to start all over in previous Indian territory.

For £18, Samuel purchased 600 acres and 18 poles, from Benjamin Borden, in 3 & 4 Aug 1742. Orange Co. Deed Book 8, Pages 101-104 is in the North end of the Borden tract, near a branch of Shenandoah. About 1/2 in in the Borden Grant and the other in the Beverley Grant. His 600 acres lot appears on J.R. Hildebrands 1954 Beverley Patent (SW) Map of 1954 from the original grantees (thru 1815). At the time it was in Orange Co., before becoming Augusta Co. His lot was west and very close to a John McCutchans' (27 May 1741 lot of 920 acres) but their exact relationship has not been proven. Another lot just north of this one, and outside of the Borden grant, was surveyed for Samuel "McCutchin" on 7 Feb 1745 with 112 acres on Samuel's border. He was east of Cathey's River and north of Moffett Creek.

Samuel was a Presbyterian Trustee, husband, father, an appraiser, witness, neighbor (mentioned in many deeds), soldier, bonded, grantee, grantor, processioner of lands, and a defendant. Lyman Chalkley's Chronicles of the Scots-Irish Settlement in VA, Vol. 1 to 3 lists many. Samuel's many surnames are listed about 19 times each in Vol 1 & 2 and 39 times in Vol. 3. Here are a few below:

21 Aug 1746, Page 159: Samuel McCutchen and Francis, his wife to James Shields, cordwinder, £18.5.0; 298-1/2 acres, part of 600 acres on Moffetts Creek bought from Borden; corner to Nathan Lusk, adjoining patent line of Beverley Manor. Witnesses, William Adair, Rob. Graham, James Trimble. Frances ( ) McCouchen. Acknowledged by both, 21st August, 1746. In 4 years, Samuel sold 1/2 of his acres for about twice the amount he paid for it. Chalkley's Vol. 3, p 257.

15 Mar 1755, Page 16: John Wilson, Gent., to Jas McClery, Jas Mitchell, JAMES McCUTCHEON, Robert Wilson, Wm Thompson, Alexander McPheeters, SAML. McCUTCHON, TRUSTEES chosen by the Presbyterian Congregation of the NORTH MOUNTAIN MEETING HOUSE. £12, 10, 6; 306-1/2 acres in Beverley Manor being the tract of land whereon the house now stands commonly known by the name of North Mountain Meeting House; Cap. James Lockhart's line; for the use of the members of said congregation adhering and continuing to adhere to the Synod of Philadelphia as it stands now constituted provided that if any member or members of the said Congregation who have paid any of the purchase money of said land shall or do change or turn to any other denomination or Religion, then their part of said money be repaid them and they to have no further demands on the same. Provided that surviving trustees may elect trustees to fill vacancies, and sell the land except 20 acres to be KEPT FOR THE CHURCH AND GRAVEYARD. Chalkley's Vol. 3, p 334.

22 Nov 1759, Page 225: Samuel McCutchin (McCotshin) to William McCutchin, £50, 112 acres on head branches of Cathew's River, a line of Burden's great tract, near said McCutchen's house. Chalkley's Vol. 3, p 358.

12 May 1768, Page 359: Samuel McCutchan, Sr., and Frances ( )to Samuel McCutchon, Jr., son of said Samuel 5 shillings, and diverse and good causes done to me; tract Samuel, Sr., now lives on, 150 acres; corner Borden's patent line; William Sprout's line; also all properties. Teste: Robert Patterson, Chas. Campbell, Arter Hamilton. Delivered: Jno. McCutcheon, March Court, 1774. Chalkley's Vol, 3, p 468. Augusta Co., VA Deed Book 14.

12 May 1768, Page 373: Samuel McCutchan, Sr., and Frances ( ) to John McCutchan, Jr., £__, divers reasons and good causes done to me, Samuel, by son John, 150 acres; Borden's patent line on northwest; William Sproul's line; Samuel McCutcheon, Jr.'s, line. Delivered: John McCutchon, March, 1774. Chalkley's Vol, 3, p 469.

15 Mar 1768, Page 375: 15th March, 1768. Samuel McCutchan, Jr., binds himself in £200 to take care of his father Samuel and his mother. Samuel, Sr., agrees to convey 20 acres to Samuel, Jr., when he is no longer able to do for himself. Delivered: Jno. McCutchan, July, 1775. Chalkley's Vol. 3, p 469.

Aug 1780, Augusta Co., VA Publick Claims, were contributions by 1) Saml McCutchen, 123 pounds of flour, @ £61-10 (Aug 1780); 2) Samuel McChuchen, 1 beef (last previous date 13 Oct 1781) and 3) Saml. McChuchen, 1 beef, @£1000. (Feb - Jun 1781). This means that he contributed these items for the war effort and thus became illegible for D.A.R.

17 May 1773, Page 268: James McCleerey, James Mitchell, Robt Wilson, William Thompson, Alexander McFeeters, SAML McCUTCHEN, TRUSTEES of the North Mountain Meeting House (James McCutchen, another trustee, being dead), to Joseph Blair, surrounding the North Mountain Meeting House, joining Peter Keyl. Chalkley's Vol. 3, p 531.

In 1791, James McChesney's neighbors' Augusta Co., VA deed says: "On February 14, 1791, Samuel McCutchan, Sr. sold to Samuel Jr. one hundred and fifty acres of land for thirty pounds "being part of plantation whereon the said McCutchan lives on in Augusta County part of Bordens Tract and on the head waters of Middle River Bounded as follows…thence S 6 1?2? E 153 poles to a ches(t)nut oak & 2 Spanish oaks S 76? W 144 poles to a hic(k)ory JAMES McCHESNEYS corner N 34? W 147 poles to the Beginning… Augusta Co., VA Deed Book 27, p. 94.

Aug 1795: (H to M). David Fulton vs. Samuel McCutchen. Trespass writ, 14thApril, 1795. Samuel McCutchen, Sr., deposes, 26th June, 1797: About 50 years ago, Benjamin Borden showed deponent a tree as a corner of Borden's land. Samuel, Sr., had a son William and a son Samuel. Chalkley's Vol. 1, p 411, Court Judgements.

His original gravestone is no longer here. Sadly, many of the remaining gravestones at North Mountain Burying Ground were used in 1911 as part of the concrete foundation of the barn nearby. The Bethel Presbyterian Church so kindly installed the existing monument at the North Mountain site in the 1980's listing the data they found, though not always accurate, with the markers gone. The North Mountain Meeting House members went on to create Bethel Presbyterian Church.

I note the granite memorial to commemorate the pioneers buried here says "SAMUEL McCUTCHEON, 1738 - 1798." All I can guess is that the old grave marker date was hard to read as the birth year is not correct, as his son buried here also, "CAPT. SAMUEL McCUTCHEN, 1744 - 1830," would have been a wee lad of 6 years. ("Inconceivable," like Vizzini AKA Wallace Shawn, says in the Princess Bride.) Not to mention, his wife Frances McCutcheon, next name down on the memorial, was born in 1715. I am currently leaving his birth year as 1738 on this site, since that is what the memorial says (FaG rules), but do not believe it is accurate. The kind folks at Bethel Presbyterian church did their best from available records, but there are other incorrect dates on this memorial that are documented.

The 12 Aug 1936 WPA Survey Report for the North Mountain Graveyard is not complete but was (my guess) based on existing stones found in 1936. It records: "#21 SAMUEL McCUTCHAN (Rev. soldier, husband of Betsy Humphrey)." I suspect it meant to say Betsy Blackwood instead (also married Rebecca Downey). Betsy's husband Samuel is buried at the Glebe, so I suspect only the wife is listed incorrectly here and the stone said McCutchan instead. Just a guess. There are 4 Samuel McCutchen or McCutcheons on the cenotaph memorial, they died 1798, 1807, 1830 and 1849.

WPA described the cemetery in 1936 as: "overgrown with weeds, bushes, briars, etc. as to be nearly inaccessible. It is on the top of a ridge completely surrounded by woods. ....many of the graves are deeply sunken, stones fallen and inscriptions obliterated." It adds "information given in the parenthesis."

This Samuel is one of the first two immigrant McCutchan/en/eons to come to this area, then in Orange County, which (this part) became Augusta Co. John was the second, an older man with grown children, believed not to be related to Samuel. Samuel had 4 brothers: John, James, William and Robert. In Scotland, their surname was McCutcheon or even MacCutcheon. They still reside in beautiful Northern Ireland today.

His wife Francis, and brother John (1710 - 1778), are buried here and also like Samuel, the surname for these three only is spelled McCutcheon. The rest on the marker are spelled McCutchen. The next generation in my family, spelled the name McCutchan (99%), but they all work.

His brother, Robert "McCutchen" (1729 - 1800) is also buried at North Mountain, too. Samuel McCutcheon and Robert McCutchen are on the same side of the marker.

The church history on both North Mountain and Bethel which it became, is detailed in a long 3 column article in the 31 Jan 1882 issue of the Staunton Spectator, Vol. 59, #20, written by Matthew Pilson 26 Jan 1882. It includes some data on the location, cemetery, Preachers, Elders, members, builders, etc. It's hard to find a lot of data on Bethel and the former North Mountain Church (Also see Bethel & Her Ministers by Dr. Herbert S. Turner). The entire article is online at the Library of Virginia, virginiachronicle(.com). It mentions an undated list after 1777 of Elders at Bethel, including a Samuel McCutchan and a William McCutchan. Is this the same Samuel McC (there are 4 here with various spellings and 1 at Bethel)? (There are 4 Williams buried also at North Mountain and none listed at Bethel.)

Bio researched and written by LSP.

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