Alexander Faries was born in County Antram, Ireland, in 1740 and came to America in his early childhood and settled in Delaware. From there he went to South Carolina in 1776 and settled in the York District (now York County). Tradition has it that he and his consort, Janet, rode horseback from Pennsylvania to South Carolina. Shortly after his arrival in South Carolina he entered the Revolutionary Army where he served as a trooper in Sumpter's Army.
There is a story of him being captured after killing one of Cornwallis dragoon's. He was severely wounded by a saber cut across the face that he carried to his grave. He was captured at Fishing Creek and marched, together with many others, to Camden that night. The second night he escaped and hid in the India Hook Hills, York County, for several days. His wife nursed him until he was able again to join Sumpter at Charlotte, North Carolina. [from the 1851 book "Tradition and Reminiscences, Chiefly of the American Revolution in the South", by Dr. Joseph Johnson; pages 347, 348 and 349].
There was a plat of 744 acres of land granted to Alexander on June 2, 1813, lying north of India Hook Branch, now known as Dutchman Creek, in the India Hook Community on the West side of Catawaba River, York District, South Carolina where he, his children, and their descendants lived for many years.
Originally there was a 1834 date of death on this memorial that came from one of the early readings of the original gravestones in this cemetery. The picture is of a newer stone that has been placed directly in front of the original/unreadable stone. It appears that the new tombstone was placed to correct the record after discovery of the York, South Carolina will written by Alexander Faires on February 15, 1824 and executed on August 19, 1824. His will pretty much proves that he died in 1824, not 1834. The text of his will is provided below as the original is extremely difficult to read. Photos of the original are attached. In it are named his wife Jennet; sons Jess, Thomas, William, Samuel, and Alexander; daughter Jennet, wife of William Wallis (Wallace), and he mentions he has other children but does not name them. a copy of the actual will is also in the South Carolina State Archives.
======= Alexander's Will ========
The last Will & Testament of Alexander Faries
The State of South Carolina - York District.
In the name of god amen, I Alexander Faries being of sound and disposing mind and memory but weak in body and calling to mind the mortality of my life and being desirous of disposing of all my negro property having in my lifetime divided all my other property to the best of my judgement, do make and ordain this my last will and testament in the manner following:
I do will and bequeath to my son Jess, Sampson a negro man slave and Bid and Mariah negro girl slaves and their increase to him and his heirs forever.
I will and bequeath to my son Thomas, my negro man slave Levi to him and his heirs forever.
Item - I do give and bequeath unto my sons Thomas, William, Samuel, and Alexander and my daughter Jennet, wife of William Wallis, the following negroes to be equally divided between them: Mary a negro woman, Joe a negro man, and Cynthia and Laverne negro girls, and their increase to them and their heirs forever.
Item - it is my explicit will that the above named negroes remain with my son Jesse during the natural life of my beloved wife Jennet Faires to assist and support her except for Levi who is at this time with my son Thomas and I allow him to remain with him.
I wish it to be understood by all my other children not mentioned in the above will that I have given them what I thought to be their just share of my property.
Lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my son Jess Faires Executor of this last Will & Testament by me made in this testimony whereof. I hereunto set may hand and affix my seal this 16th day of February 1824.
Alex. Faries (seal)
Signed Sealed, Published, and believed to be the last will and testament of the above named Alexander Faires in the presence of James Crouthers and Lucy Fuller.
South Carolina Warrant of Appraisement - York District
There is a story of him being captured after killing one of Cornwallis dragoon's. He was severely wounded by a saber cut across the face that he carried to his grave. He was captured at Fishing Creek and marched, together with many others, to Camden that night. The second night he escaped and hid in the India Hook Hills, York County, for several days. His wife nursed him until he was able again to join Sumpter at Charlotte, North Carolina. [from the 1851 book "Tradition and Reminiscences, Chiefly of the American Revolution in the South", by Dr. Joseph Johnson; pages 347, 348 and 349].
There was a plat of 744 acres of land granted to Alexander on June 2, 1813, lying north of India Hook Branch, now known as Dutchman Creek, in the India Hook Community on the West side of Catawaba River, York District, South Carolina where he, his children, and their descendants lived for many years.
Originally there was a 1834 date of death on this memorial that came from one of the early readings of the original gravestones in this cemetery. The picture is of a newer stone that has been placed directly in front of the original/unreadable stone. It appears that the new tombstone was placed to correct the record after discovery of the York, South Carolina will written by Alexander Faires on February 15, 1824 and executed on August 19, 1824. His will pretty much proves that he died in 1824, not 1834. The text of his will is provided below as the original is extremely difficult to read. Photos of the original are attached. In it are named his wife Jennet; sons Jess, Thomas, William, Samuel, and Alexander; daughter Jennet, wife of William Wallis (Wallace), and he mentions he has other children but does not name them. a copy of the actual will is also in the South Carolina State Archives.
======= Alexander's Will ========
The last Will & Testament of Alexander Faries
The State of South Carolina - York District.
In the name of god amen, I Alexander Faries being of sound and disposing mind and memory but weak in body and calling to mind the mortality of my life and being desirous of disposing of all my negro property having in my lifetime divided all my other property to the best of my judgement, do make and ordain this my last will and testament in the manner following:
I do will and bequeath to my son Jess, Sampson a negro man slave and Bid and Mariah negro girl slaves and their increase to him and his heirs forever.
I will and bequeath to my son Thomas, my negro man slave Levi to him and his heirs forever.
Item - I do give and bequeath unto my sons Thomas, William, Samuel, and Alexander and my daughter Jennet, wife of William Wallis, the following negroes to be equally divided between them: Mary a negro woman, Joe a negro man, and Cynthia and Laverne negro girls, and their increase to them and their heirs forever.
Item - it is my explicit will that the above named negroes remain with my son Jesse during the natural life of my beloved wife Jennet Faires to assist and support her except for Levi who is at this time with my son Thomas and I allow him to remain with him.
I wish it to be understood by all my other children not mentioned in the above will that I have given them what I thought to be their just share of my property.
Lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my son Jess Faires Executor of this last Will & Testament by me made in this testimony whereof. I hereunto set may hand and affix my seal this 16th day of February 1824.
Alex. Faries (seal)
Signed Sealed, Published, and believed to be the last will and testament of the above named Alexander Faires in the presence of James Crouthers and Lucy Fuller.
South Carolina Warrant of Appraisement - York District
Alexander Faries was born in County Antram, Ireland, in 1740 and came to America in his early childhood and settled in Delaware. From there he went to South Carolina in 1776 and settled in the York District (now York County). Tradition has it that he and his consort, Janet, rode horseback from Pennsylvania to South Carolina. Shortly after his arrival in South Carolina he entered the Revolutionary Army where he served as a trooper in Sumpter's Army.
There is a story of him being captured after killing one of Cornwallis dragoon's. He was severely wounded by a saber cut across the face that he carried to his grave. He was captured at Fishing Creek and marched, together with many others, to Camden that night. The second night he escaped and hid in the India Hook Hills, York County, for several days. His wife nursed him until he was able again to join Sumpter at Charlotte, North Carolina. [from the 1851 book "Tradition and Reminiscences, Chiefly of the American Revolution in the South", by Dr. Joseph Johnson; pages 347, 348 and 349].
There was a plat of 744 acres of land granted to Alexander on June 2, 1813, lying north of India Hook Branch, now known as Dutchman Creek, in the India Hook Community on the West side of Catawaba River, York District, South Carolina where he, his children, and their descendants lived for many years.
Originally there was a 1834 date of death on this memorial that came from one of the early readings of the original gravestones in this cemetery. The picture is of a newer stone that has been placed directly in front of the original/unreadable stone. It appears that the new tombstone was placed to correct the record after discovery of the York, South Carolina will written by Alexander Faires on February 15, 1824 and executed on August 19, 1824. His will pretty much proves that he died in 1824, not 1834. The text of his will is provided below as the original is extremely difficult to read. Photos of the original are attached. In it are named his wife Jennet; sons Jess, Thomas, William, Samuel, and Alexander; daughter Jennet, wife of William Wallis (Wallace), and he mentions he has other children but does not name them. a copy of the actual will is also in the South Carolina State Archives.
======= Alexander's Will ========
The last Will & Testament of Alexander Faries
The State of South Carolina - York District.
In the name of god amen, I Alexander Faries being of sound and disposing mind and memory but weak in body and calling to mind the mortality of my life and being desirous of disposing of all my negro property having in my lifetime divided all my other property to the best of my judgement, do make and ordain this my last will and testament in the manner following:
I do will and bequeath to my son Jess, Sampson a negro man slave and Bid and Mariah negro girl slaves and their increase to him and his heirs forever.
I will and bequeath to my son Thomas, my negro man slave Levi to him and his heirs forever.
Item - I do give and bequeath unto my sons Thomas, William, Samuel, and Alexander and my daughter Jennet, wife of William Wallis, the following negroes to be equally divided between them: Mary a negro woman, Joe a negro man, and Cynthia and Laverne negro girls, and their increase to them and their heirs forever.
Item - it is my explicit will that the above named negroes remain with my son Jesse during the natural life of my beloved wife Jennet Faires to assist and support her except for Levi who is at this time with my son Thomas and I allow him to remain with him.
I wish it to be understood by all my other children not mentioned in the above will that I have given them what I thought to be their just share of my property.
Lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my son Jess Faires Executor of this last Will & Testament by me made in this testimony whereof. I hereunto set may hand and affix my seal this 16th day of February 1824.
Alex. Faries (seal)
Signed Sealed, Published, and believed to be the last will and testament of the above named Alexander Faires in the presence of James Crouthers and Lucy Fuller.
South Carolina Warrant of Appraisement - York District
There is a story of him being captured after killing one of Cornwallis dragoon's. He was severely wounded by a saber cut across the face that he carried to his grave. He was captured at Fishing Creek and marched, together with many others, to Camden that night. The second night he escaped and hid in the India Hook Hills, York County, for several days. His wife nursed him until he was able again to join Sumpter at Charlotte, North Carolina. [from the 1851 book "Tradition and Reminiscences, Chiefly of the American Revolution in the South", by Dr. Joseph Johnson; pages 347, 348 and 349].
There was a plat of 744 acres of land granted to Alexander on June 2, 1813, lying north of India Hook Branch, now known as Dutchman Creek, in the India Hook Community on the West side of Catawaba River, York District, South Carolina where he, his children, and their descendants lived for many years.
Originally there was a 1834 date of death on this memorial that came from one of the early readings of the original gravestones in this cemetery. The picture is of a newer stone that has been placed directly in front of the original/unreadable stone. It appears that the new tombstone was placed to correct the record after discovery of the York, South Carolina will written by Alexander Faires on February 15, 1824 and executed on August 19, 1824. His will pretty much proves that he died in 1824, not 1834. The text of his will is provided below as the original is extremely difficult to read. Photos of the original are attached. In it are named his wife Jennet; sons Jess, Thomas, William, Samuel, and Alexander; daughter Jennet, wife of William Wallis (Wallace), and he mentions he has other children but does not name them. a copy of the actual will is also in the South Carolina State Archives.
======= Alexander's Will ========
The last Will & Testament of Alexander Faries
The State of South Carolina - York District.
In the name of god amen, I Alexander Faries being of sound and disposing mind and memory but weak in body and calling to mind the mortality of my life and being desirous of disposing of all my negro property having in my lifetime divided all my other property to the best of my judgement, do make and ordain this my last will and testament in the manner following:
I do will and bequeath to my son Jess, Sampson a negro man slave and Bid and Mariah negro girl slaves and their increase to him and his heirs forever.
I will and bequeath to my son Thomas, my negro man slave Levi to him and his heirs forever.
Item - I do give and bequeath unto my sons Thomas, William, Samuel, and Alexander and my daughter Jennet, wife of William Wallis, the following negroes to be equally divided between them: Mary a negro woman, Joe a negro man, and Cynthia and Laverne negro girls, and their increase to them and their heirs forever.
Item - it is my explicit will that the above named negroes remain with my son Jesse during the natural life of my beloved wife Jennet Faires to assist and support her except for Levi who is at this time with my son Thomas and I allow him to remain with him.
I wish it to be understood by all my other children not mentioned in the above will that I have given them what I thought to be their just share of my property.
Lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my son Jess Faires Executor of this last Will & Testament by me made in this testimony whereof. I hereunto set may hand and affix my seal this 16th day of February 1824.
Alex. Faries (seal)
Signed Sealed, Published, and believed to be the last will and testament of the above named Alexander Faires in the presence of James Crouthers and Lucy Fuller.
South Carolina Warrant of Appraisement - York District
Gravesite Details
aged 84 years
Family Members
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