Re: Charles "Carter" Fletcher b.abt.1759 Essex Co. Va.

I am descended from John Seyn Fletcher and Elizabeth Savage.John was the son of William Fletcher and Rebecca "Sally" Moore Fletcher.I just returned from Buncombe County, NC where I turned in my paperwork to join the First Families of Old Buncombe sponsored by the Old Buncombe County Genealogical Society (OBCGS) through William Fletcher.John is buried in a family graveyard in Fletcher, NC.I am descended through John's daughter, Jerusha Fletcher who married Martin B. Lance.

Some documentation on the Fletcher line I found while there:

"History of North Carolina:Rebuilding An Ancient Commonwealth, Vol. IV"; cr1928, page 574-575; has a section on John Prescott Fletcher who was the great-grandson of William Fletcher.A history of William Fletcher is given and also tells about my 5th great-grandfather, John Fletcher.From this book, it states:"The Fletchers are of Scotch-Irish ancestry, and it was from Ireland that the found of this family came to Virginia in the Colonial days.William Fletcher, the great-grandfather of John Prescott Fletcher, was born in Virginia, and was a many of family when he came to Henderson county, NC, acquired large land holdings and established what has ever since been the Fletcher home plantation, situated one mile south of Fletcher.For many years he was an extensive planter and slave owner, active in the public affairs of his time, and was considered a most worthy citizen.He was succeded by his son, John Fletcher, who was born in Virginia, in 1783, bur practically spent his entire life in Henderson county.He owned and operated the large estate he had inherited, like his father being considered a man of leadership and importance, surviving into old age and dying on the home plantation.His second wife, who was a member of the old McBrayer family of North Carolina, died at Fletcher.She was grandmother of John Prescott Fletcher."

In "Buncombe County, NC Index to Deeds, 1783-1850" I found numerous references to William Fletcher purchasing land along the French Broad River and Cane and Mud Creeks between 1793 and 1805.

Also, in "Abstract Henderson County, NC Estate Records 1838-1900" by Kathleen A. Summers I find "Joaikin Fletcher" listed as an heir in the estate of John Fletcher, along with Jerusha Lance, Margaret Sales, Charles Fincher, Samuel & Martha Lance, S.M. Fletcher, Rebecca (wife of Jeremiah Osborne), Jane (wife of George Orr), Elizabeth (wife of Samuel Orr), G?.S. Cunningham, Amanda Plumblee, George W. Fletcher, heirs of Ann Gallamore (George W., John W., and 5 others not named), A.E. Fletcher, and heirs of William Fletcher (names not given).

Two other documents that might be of interest, I found in the Fletcher Family Folder at OBCGS a photocopy of an old newspaper page from the "Arden-Skyland-Fletcher Tribune" dated August 1967 a photo of John Fletcher who died in 1870.Also information on the Fletcher family including information from the family Bible of Charles M. Fletcher (child of John Fletcher and his second wife) who had been born in 1834 and lists John Fletcher and his children (including births and marriages).

And finally, another bit of information found in "The Heritage of Henderson County, North Carolina;" cr1988, on pages 214-215, a family article submitted by Bette Ann Wilkie on "The Fletchers."This article states..."William Fletcher, born ca1700 came from England.William married Mary Prichard in 1720 and the had five sons and three daughters.His will, filed in Rappahannock, Virginia lists children as:John, William, carter, Nathan and Reuben.His daughters were Sally, who married Charles Breedlove; Caty, who married a Banks; and Feebe, of whom there is no further information.From the North Carolina Continental records, William, Nathan, and Reuben served from Caswell County, NC under Colonel Archibald Lyttle, and from the Essex County, NC recorded deeds, William sold his inheritance of fifty acres to his brother, John, and Reuben sold his to John Goode.William, Senior died in Virginia in 1774 and by that time his sons, John, Reuben, and William Jr. had already left Virginia and moved to NC.William Jr. came to what is now the Fletcher area with his sons and daughters.He did not like the area and moved to Huntsville, Alabama where he died and is buried.His son, John remained in the Fletcher area."

It goes on to tell about John and also has a copy of the photo of John Fletcher that was in the 1967 newspaper and also has a copy of a photo of Joacham/Joakim Fletcher.Believe both photos were taken at the same place...top of chair in both pictures look to be the same.Both John and Joacham wearing a hat that looks similar too.Joakim would have been a brother to my Jerusha Fletcher Lance.

I am trying to find someone who might have inherited a copy of the photo of John Fletcher.Would like to have a quality copy made.

Tony Pope
pope1966@aol.com