* Your Braswell - Carver Cousins, descendants of Richard Braswell II

With Walt's permission we are pleased to provide info on our Carver Cousins.

From: "Walter Gabennesch"

Subject: Your Braswell-Carver Cousins
Date: Tue, 21 Feb 2006 06:41:51 -0500


The Braswell-Carvers are no mystery. They were proud of who they were and are.

The two surviving sons of Ann Carver and Richard Braswell II along with their descendants were prominent and wealthy citizens of Bladen/Cumberland Co. NC. They were well respected and married very well. The two surviving sons were Robert, probably names after the Rev. Robt. Bracewell, and William, probably named after Ann's father William Carver.

William had only one daughter, named Mary, she married David Evans. Robert's daughter Susanna married David's brother Theophilus. The Evans family was a very wealthy family from Philadelphia Co. PA that migrated to NC before 1750. Both David and Theophilus were members of the Bladen County Militia and were with the Braswell's of Wayne and Dobbs Co.'s at the first Colonial victory of the Revolutionary War "The Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge". Both also signed the "Liberty Points Accord" or "Cumberland Papers" sometimes called the North Carolina Declaration of Independence. Their names are on a granite memorial in downtown Fayetteville, NC located at Liberty Point.

Isom Carver the son of Robert and William's sons Sampson, William, Robert and Samuel all were in the Bladen County Militia and were at the "Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge" on January 19, 1776. Richard Braswell, Sampson Braswell and Shadrick Braswell were the Braswells who were there. You must remember that all of these seven individuals were the grandsons of Richard Braswell II.

Robert, a son of William Carver, married Elizabeth Newberry. Elizabeth was the granddaughter of John Newberry who is credited with having the first grist mill in Cross Creek which later became Fayetteville. John Newberry along with his father-in-law actually sold lots in Cross Creek and helped to develop the town. Needless to say, the Newberry's are still one of the most respected historical families of the area.

All of the Carver's married well.

Jonathan Evans born 1784 and died 1859 was the son of Mary Carver and David Evans. Jonathan was a very prominent lawyer in Cumberland County. He was the family lawyer and shows up prominently in the records taking care of his many relatives.

There are two more Carvers I would like to tell you about. They impress me. Both are the sons of William Carver born 1753 and who signed the "Accords" and served so long in the Revolutionary War, he was also a "Minute Man". Their names were John and James. I would say that they were real men!
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John & James Carver brothers, sons of William Carver 1753 - 1836; great grandsons of Richard Braswell II and Ann Carver.

James Carver

James Carver was one of the two youngest sons of William Carver born Bladen Co. NC 1753. The brothers James and John Carver were the great grandsons of Richard Braswell II and Ann Carver.

James Carver served as a Private in Capt. William Lord's Co. of Riflemen, Company C, Rowland's 4 Reg't North Carolina Detached Militia in the War of 1812. He was mustered in on 19 July 1813 and discharged on 19 August 1813. He received $8.53 and1/2 cents for his time served. Record in NC Archives.

James Carver reenlisted in the Army of the United States on the 31st day of August 1814 to serve five years. He served as a private in Capt. Jas. McGunnigles Company United States Regiment of Riflemen.
The Certificate of Discharge states: "Said James Carver was born in Cumberland County in the state of North Carolina is twenty six years of age, five feet eight inches high, fair complexion, blue eyes, light hair and by occupation when enlisted, a farmer. Given at Fort Osage this 9th day of August 1819 to take effect on the thirty first day of August 1819". This would indicate that he was born before the month of
August in the year of 1793.

Fort Osage Missouri was established in 1808 as the first US Fort built in the new Louisiana Purchase.

Meriwether Lewis built it for trading furs with the Osage Indians. The fort was abandon in 1822.

James Carver received a Land Bounty Grant of 160 acres in Arkansas. He and his brother John applied for this Land Bounty on the same day, November 27, 1820. This would indicate that they met and went to apply together. The brothers were issued consecutive Land Bounty Numbers John #23039 and James #23040. The 160 acres of each were adjoining. James, on May 22, 1858 traded his original 160 acres of land for another 160 acres in Missouri. These brothers Carver served in the same Capt. Jas. Mcgunnigles Company United States Regiment of Riflemen.

We have not been able to find any census records of this James Carver in Missouri. He does not appear on any census record index in Arkansas that I have seen. Illinois Census records do not show this James Carver. James Carver and whatever family he may have had fades into time after May 22, 1858.

John Carver

John Carver was one of the two youngest sons of William Carver born Bladen Co. North Carolina 1753. The brothers John and James Carver were the great grandsons of Richard Braswell II and Ann Carver.

John Carver enlisted in the Army of the United States 31 August 1814 at Fayetteville, North Carolina to serve for a duration of 5 years. He served as a private in Capt. Jas. McGunnigles Company United States Regiment of Riflemen. He was discharged in Franklin, Missouri 5 July 1819. The certificate of Discharge states: "Said John Carver was born in Cumberland County the State of North Carolina is 27 years of age, 5 feet 9 inches high, dark complexion, blue eyes, light hair, a farmer at the time of enlistment. Given at Fort Osage to take effect on the fifth day of July 1819". This would mean he was born in 1792.

Fort Osage Missouri was established in 1808 as the first U. S. Fort built in the new Louisiana Purchase. Meriwether Lewis built it for trading furs with the Osage Indians. The fort was abandoned in 1822.

John Carver received a 160-acre Land Bounty in Arkansas on November 27, 1820 for his service in the Army. The land patent number was 23039. I believe, for whatever reason, the age on his discharge is in error.

Affidavit 4 January 1851, Jefferson Co., Mo. age 57 years.
Affidavit 25 April 1855, Jefferson Co., Mo. age 61 years.

The Jefferson Co. Missouri Federal Census which was enumerated, at his household #1056, on October 31, 1850 he states his age as 56 years. Other census information shows he was a farmer and had real estate valued a $1000.

Based on the above information, which is consistent, we would say he was born between November 1, 1794 and January 4, 1795.

There is a conflict in the date of his marriage to Jane Jones. His pension application says he married her March of 1814 in Missouri. Other information gathered by Betty Kirkland-Schladensky says they married in 1819. He did not enlist in the Army at Fayetteville, North Carolina. until July of 1814. The 1850 census states that Jane Jones Carver was born in the state of Kentucky in 1797. The 1819 marriage date seems most likely.

John and his brother James enlisted and served their five-year term together in the same Regiment of Rifles of the Army of the United States.

It is interesting to note that the information on the 1850 Missouri Federal Census shows that John's two oldest children shown on this census (I believe there were children older than these two) were born in the state of Illinois. This information would indicate that John and family were residents of Illinois until about 1832 or 1833. We have found John on the 1830 Illinois census.

By Walter S. & Maxine Gabennesch
January 10, 2006

Maxine and I found James and John by searching the Bureau of Land Management Records that are online. The records there showed in what unit they served and where. By taking those records we were able to contact the D. C. Archives for further information. To us it is just amazing that the two brothers from North Carolina served for five years in the regular army of the USA so early in time. On top of that, to be at Fort Osage so soon after Lewis and Clark's Expedition is extraordinary and hard for us to imagine. I served in the US Army from June of 1953 through July of 1957 and I thought that was tough. The last three of those years were with the 82nd Airborne Div. at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. I can't imagine what these two went through.