ANTECEDENTS

Chapter I

SOMETIME about 1670 the ancestors of my maternal ancestor left Scotland and settled in the north of Ireland. In 1730, or thereabout, a colony from this settlement secured a grant of land from William III, Prince of Orange, in Williamsburg District, S. C. This grant consisted of a township of land twenty miles square. The colony dissatisfied with the exactions of the landlord system, and the demands of the clergy of the established church in Ireland, decided to brave the risks of an ocean voyage and the dangers that awaited them in the New World, and start life anew in the wilds of America. From 1730 to 1734 a large settlement was formed in Williamsburg District, S. C., named in honor of William III. Belonging to the Presbyterian Church, these people were embarrassed by having to meet the demands of their own church and at the same time support the established Church. This they deemed too great hardship to bear and at once set out to cross the ocean and take up their settlement on the grant of King William, which guaranteed them the full right and privilege of enjoying their own faith and belief without intrusion. In this colony that settled this Williamsburg District was William Frierson, (Page 5) from County Down; near Belfast, Ireland. He had two sons, John and James, born in Ireland, besides William, Thomas, Robert and one daughter, Agnes, born in South Carolina—five sons and one daughter. John, the eldest son, married Margaret Smith. Several children were born to them, but I mention only one, viz.: Margaret. She (Margaret) married James Frierson II, the son of the above-mentioned James I, brother to John, her father—thus marrying her first cousin. By him she had several children, one called James, for his father, being the third of the name. He married in South Carolina, had several children and moved to Tennessee, settling in the Mt. Zion community, near Columbia, Tenn. Of his children I only mention one, Elizabeth, who married Samuel Wilson of Green County, Ala. (now Hale County), near Havana, in the Concord Church community, and by him had one child, Fannie, who married Judge Thomas Wilkes Coleman of Eutaw, Ala. Her husband, Samuel Wilson, dying, she afterward married William Frierson Fulton, of Sumter County, Ala., and by him had two children who reached mature age, viz.: Robert and Florence.

Thus I dispose of John and James Frierson, the two sons of William Frierson, who, as already mentioned, were born in County Downs, Ireland. Now of the other sons of the said (Page 6) William Frierson, was one William Frierson, Jr., born in South Carolina. This son was a captain in the Revolution and led his company in action at the battle of Kings Mountain, thus entitling his posterity to an honorable place among the S. A. R’s or D. A. R’s. He married Margaret Gordon of Scotch parentage and reared a family of five sons, and one daughter, Agnes, who married James Armstrong. He, James Armstrong, was a member of Lee's Legion in the Revolution. They both died in 1830, within two weeks of each other. One daughter, Martha Armstrong married Paul Fulton (My grandparents), and their son, William Frierson Fulton, married first Elizabeth Dial (My mother), second Mrs. Meek (No children), third Mrs. Wilson (Two children, Robert and Florence), fourth Mrs. J. R. Fleming (No children).

Referring again to the Williamsburg settlement, a Presbyterian church was established or organized according to the constitution and discipline of Scotland. During the Revolutionary War this colony was thrice invaded by the British. Tarleton’s troops came to destroy and ruin their homes and crops so far as in their power, but their patriotism and allegiance to the American cause never wavered. It is said that every man in this Williamsburg District was true to the American (Page 7) flag except one, who was a storekeeper, named Hamilton. He was the only Tory in the District.

My grandfather, Paul Fulton, was born in Midway, Ga., about 1770. He was the son of Paul Fulton and Sarah Osgood. His mother died before he was baptized, as appears from the record of his baptism in the old Midway Church record. The record says, "Paul, son of Paul", not mentioning his mother. Grandfather was reared by his aunt, Mrs. Dr. Graham, in Williamsburg District, S. C. He grew to man’s estate and married Martha Armstrong, the daughter of James Armstrong and Agnes Frierson, about 1804. As already stated, my Great-grandfather married Sarah Osgood. She came from Dorchester, England. The first of my ancestors (in this line) came to this country from Dorchester, England, as early as 1630 with the people who settled Dorchester, Mass. Which is now included in Boston. In 1695 a colony of them settled Dorchester, S. C., eighteen miles up the Ashley River from Charleston. This was a thriving community and Congregational Church in 1752. In that year, when the Georgia colony admitted slavery or slave holders, a colony of these people bought a tract of land halfway between Savannah and Brunswick and founded there the old Midway Church (Congregational). Here the Fulton connection (Scotch-Irish from Williamsburg (Page 8) District, S. C. probably) came into the history. There was in this Georgia Midway settlement during and before the Revolution a "Captain" John Fulton and a Samuel Fulton, and a Paul Fulton (Father of my Grandfather), besides several females of the Fulton name. This Samuel and the first Paul, I presume, were brothers, and were sons of Captain John, and if this be true it would make this Captain John my Grandfather’s Grandfather. This Captain John was a noted man and I am of the opinion that Fulton County, Ga., in which Atlanta is located was named for this Captain John Fulton. The State of Georgia named the county in which Midway was located, "Liberty", on account of the activity of these settlers in fomenting the war of the Revolution. Paul Fulton (My Grandfather), as already stated, married Martha Armstrong. This was in 1804 In 1805 quite a number of families emigrated from Williamsburg District to the wilds of Tennessee, and Paul Fulton and his young bride were among them. In this same year (1805) my father was born near Nashville, Tenn. These emigrants left their friends and relatives in the Williamsburg District and started on this long, tiresome journey across steep hills and mountains, over unfrequented roads, to seek a new home in the then unknown wilderness of Tennessee. It took them six weary weeks, through an almost uninhabited country, to (Page 9) make the trip. But at length they arrived in the neighborhood of Nashville. In the fall of this same year they removed to the vicinity of Franklin where they rented land and sat down to make a crop. The next year (1806) a number of other families, induced by the flattering reports received from those already on the spot, turned their backs on South Carolina and followed on into the neighborhood of Franklin. Soon quite a large colony was thus formed in Tennessee from these settlers of Williamsburg District, S. C., and it is related that these emigrants were wonderfully blessed by a kind providence on their journey to Tennessee. The roads were in-good condition, the water courses were low, admitting easy fording, their health was good, provisions plentiful, and not a shower of rain to wet them in their wagons during the entire trip, all —indicating the smiles of Providence on their adventure. On their arrival in the vicinity of Franklin the entire society was called in a meeting to discuss plans for the future. The first to be considered was a provision for their spiritual welfare. It was resolved that the entire society meet each Lord’s day for the purpose of reading the Bible, praying and singing songs. They erected a stand one-mile east of Franklin for this purpose. Occasionally a preacher would visit them and hold services at this temporary meeting place. All (Page 10) coming from the same locality in S. C. and being united by ties of consanguinity and friendship, and being all of one religious faith they constituted a peculiar and distinct society of their own. A meeting of the society was called to consider the advisability of purchasing land somewhere and moving on to it in a body. They decided to send a deputation into different sections of the state to look out a suitable locality. The Duck and Elk River sections of Tennessee were explored, but it was found that land in tracts large enough to accommodate all could not be secured, so they had to look elsewhere. Finally it was decided to try Gen. Green’s heirs for a part of the 25,000 acres donated Gen. Green for his services in the Revolutionary war by the state of North Carolina. One of the colonists was finally selected to visit Gen. Green’s hdrs and get the necessary information in regard to this land. He returned and brought the gratifying news that the heirs were willing to sell in any amount to suit the purchasers. Negotiations were at once instituted and resulted in the purchase by the colonists of eight square miles of land for which $15,360 was paid. This land lay in Maury County, Tenn., which county at that time was in a wilderness state, there being few inhabitants in the bounds of the county. The colonists wishing to view their purchase had to carry along their provisions to sustain them (Page 11) until their return to their homes near Franklin. In August, 1807, the entire male population of the society, in accordance with a pre arranged agreement, left Franklin for their new purchase in Maury County. Every man -went prepared to cut the trees, hew and build a house suitable for public worship. This was one of the first acts they had in mind to perform before entering upon their new homes. On their arrival they were divided into two bands, one to build the house of God, and the other to survey the land and divided it into lots to be apportioned to each family. Tradition says a plot of ground containing several acres was laid off as near the center of their purchase as possible for a church and a schoolhouse. This was done first, and then the division of the land into shares or sections followed. After a week’s earnest work the survey of the land was completed, also the log church-house. All now returned to their Franklin homes to make preparations for moving. Later in the fall a number went to Maury and built log cabin and opened up roads preparatory to entering upon their purchase. There was a goodly number of slaves owned by members of the society and this enabled them to prosecute their preparations more expeditiously. In January, 1808 some families were ready to move, and, notwithstanding the fact that it was extremely cold and the roads narrow and muddy, they (Page 12) braved it all and went on their way. It took three days to make the trip from Franklin to their destination, which could not have exceeded thirty-five miles. All their provisions and household goods were to be hauled on wagons over the muddy roads, which was a big undertaking in midwinter. As soon as their work was over they must begin as speedily as possible to cut away the cane and fell the forest and make preparations for the next year’s crops. All these things kept them busy and we can imagine some of the hardships they had to undergo. Their attendance upon the worship of God in the log house constructed as near the center of their farms as the location of water would permit, was always punctual and regular to a marked degree. The worship of the Almighty was one of the characteristics of this people. Having left Scotland on account of their religious convictions, and again the north of Ireland for the same reason, we would expect to find the devotional spirit among them. And being united as a brotherly band all these years and having undergone so many hardships and deprivations, together, we find them together here in the wild woods of Tennessee, owning their own homes, with a unanimity of spirit and close fellowship cementing them as one body. On the Sabbath Day when assembled at the meeting house for divine worship it was a pleasant occasion, for they met as true friends; (Page 13) and indeed a tie of relationship ran through the entire society, as they were all akin in some degree. No matter what the toil and hardships of the week it was soon forgotten when they met on the Sabbath. To clear the forests, cut away the cane, build fencing and cabins, and at the same time make provisions for man and beast, was no small undertaking. But all these things they did cheerfully, realizing that they were no longer renting their farms and that the inestimable privilege of worshiping God as they saw proper was theirs. It was not many years before they were comfortably situated on as fine lands as the state of Tennessee can afford. About ten miles out on the Mt. Pleasant pike from Columbia, in the Zion Church settlements, is where they settled. It is a notable neighborhood. A large brick church now stands where the log one once stood. A beautiful, well-kept cemetery is close by, and a large academy building for the education of the youth, all the work of these pioneer settlers. Some of the prettiest farms in Tennessee lie in this neighborhood. From Judge Fleming’s history of Zion Church, I get the following rules for the government of the temporal concern of Zion congregation. Judge Fleming was a descendant of this colony; his maternal grandmother was my great grandmother.

Rule 1—We the members of Zion congregation do mutually agree to adopt the disci (Page 14) pline of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the U. S. for the government of our church so far as the same may be applicable to an individual church.

Rule 2—As the officers of an individual church consist of a pastor, elders and deacons, we do mutually agree that the said officers shall be elected by the vote of the congregation.

Rule 3—Every white male of the age of twenty-one years, who contributed to the support of the congregation twenty-five cents, shall be deemed eligible to vote for pastor, elders and deacons.

Rule 4—In the election of pastor it is necessary that three-fourths of the electors present do agree, to constitute an election, and in electing elders and deacons a majority of the members present agreeing will be sufficient to constitute an election.

Rule 5 —As the deacons are regularly set apart for the purpose of attending to the secular affairs of the church we do mutually agree that they have the superintendency and direction of our church and the church yard and that they have the superintendency of our finances, that they see that the pastor be rewarded for his labors, that they make an annual report to the congregation and in that report name the person or persons who may have neglected paying his or their subscription. (Page 15)

Rule 6—The congregation shall meet at the church on the first Monday in January in every year as well to consider the report of the deacons for the preceding year, as to make arrangements for the succeeding year; that no business he transacted unless two-thirds of the members be present. Also it will be the duty of the society to meet as often as exigencies may require.

Rule 7—It is considered of such importance to the well being of the society that every member be convened at least once a year, that should any be absent on the day of annual meeting after the hour of 12 A. M. without sufficient excuse, he shall be noted down on the Book of the congregation as defaulter with such other additional stigma as the congregation may think he merits.

Rule 8—At each congregational meeting a chairman shall be appointed whose duty it shall be to keep order. A clerk shall also be appointed, etc., etc.

These rules were signed by William Frierson, Samuel Frierson, James Armstrong, Samuel Witherspoon, Paul Fulton, Thomas Stephenson, and many others. This William Frierson had a daughter named Agnes. She married James Armstrong and they had a daughter named Martha, who married Paul Fulton, these last named being my grand (Page 16) parents, as has already been stated. Tradition has it that the above rules were strictly adhered to and enforced and at each annual meeting all delinquents in their church dues were read out in open meeting and all those who failed to attend were required to render an excuse.

Family Record and War Reminiscences
by William Frierson Fulton, Jr.
Livingston, AL, 1919
Transcribed by James W. Martin