Joseph Fenwick
|
Early Developer
Notes:
• "The community of Meridianville was established along the major north-south road, six miles south of Hazel Green on the line of the base meridian. This village site, like many others, first attracted squatters and small farmers. However Joseph Fenwick recognized the possibilities of a town, purchased land, and offered lots for sale in 1818. Settlers, legal or illegal, always needed stores, gins and mills, and the area grew." - HHR
• (Mary Marguerite McBride Betts Lewis was the mother of Mary Fenwick Lewis Clay.) The early childhood story of Mary Betts Lewis's move to Madison County Alabama started with her mother's death: "Mary McBride Betts died about 1811 or 1812, and the motherless girl, Mary Betts, was sent with another youngster, Bartley M. Lowe, to live with 'aunt' and 'uncle' Fenwick now in the Mississippi Territory. Joseph Fenwick purchased land as early as 1811 in what would become Madison County, Alabama.' He purchased more acreage in 1816 and 1819. A much later newspaper account about the founding of near-by communities mentioned that Fenwick 'first laid out town lots for sale in the early 1800's" and he "owned a large part of the [Meridianville] community.'" - Rohr, School Girl
• "Mr. Fenwick, apparently a widower, married a second time. Sarah, the new Mrs. Fenwick, was the widow of Uriah Bass, and there were six minor Bass children to be cared for." - Rohr, School Girl
• Two motherless children came to live with Mr. and Mrs. Fenwick. "Mary Margaret Betts (Grandma Lewis) and Bartley M. Lowe were sent to Huntsville about the year 1811 by their fathers, Samuel Betts and John T. Lowe, from Florida where they owned thousands of acres of land on the East coast a part of the Arrendondo Spanish tract. Mr. and Mrs. Fenwick, whom Bartley and Mary called Uncle and Aunt, took care of the motherless children with all the tenderness that parents could bestow, and they loved them in life and reverenced them in death." - Rohr, Table Stories
• "In the very early settlement of east coast Florida, three men formed friendships that would affect their families later. John T. Lowe, Joseph Fenwick, and Samuel Betts arrived in the St. Augustine area to seek their fortunes. In varying degrees, they all found prosperity; yet apparently two of them lost their health and families. Little is know about John Lowe, except through his son, Bartley M. Lowe. It can be assumed that he and his wife were unable to raise their son, because Bartley Lowe was sent to live with the Fenwicks now in Alabama. Joseph Fenwick had decided to move to northern Alabama; he settled and bought property there in 1811 near what would become Meridianville." - Rohr, Table Stories
• "After Uriah Bass's death in 1819, his wife Sarah's 'Dower rights' when surveyed off, amounted to 829.55 acres, plus ten negroes valued at $3,292. There followed an 'Indenture' between Sarah Bass and Joseph Fenwick, dated 7 September 1820, 'in consideration of a marriage intended to be shortly solemnized' in which Joseph relinquishes and releases all negroes that Sarah received as her share of the estate of Uriah Bass, for her right and title. (Deed Book G, P. 53, Madison Co., AL) Joseph Fenwick and Sarah Green Bass obtained a marriage license on the 11th of September 1820. (Original Marriage Book C, Part 2, page 2, Madison Co., AL)" - Free pages
Related Links:
The Following Pages Link to this Page:
• HHR
• Rohr, School Girl
• Rohr, Table Stories
| Born: | c1773, Wayne, North Carolina |
| Died: | c1837, Madison County, Alabama |
| Buried: | Tuskegee City Cemetery, Tuskegee, Alabama |
Notes:
• "The community of Meridianville was established along the major north-south road, six miles south of Hazel Green on the line of the base meridian. This village site, like many others, first attracted squatters and small farmers. However Joseph Fenwick recognized the possibilities of a town, purchased land, and offered lots for sale in 1818. Settlers, legal or illegal, always needed stores, gins and mills, and the area grew." - HHR
• (Mary Marguerite McBride Betts Lewis was the mother of Mary Fenwick Lewis Clay.) The early childhood story of Mary Betts Lewis's move to Madison County Alabama started with her mother's death: "Mary McBride Betts died about 1811 or 1812, and the motherless girl, Mary Betts, was sent with another youngster, Bartley M. Lowe, to live with 'aunt' and 'uncle' Fenwick now in the Mississippi Territory. Joseph Fenwick purchased land as early as 1811 in what would become Madison County, Alabama.' He purchased more acreage in 1816 and 1819. A much later newspaper account about the founding of near-by communities mentioned that Fenwick 'first laid out town lots for sale in the early 1800's" and he "owned a large part of the [Meridianville] community.'" - Rohr, School Girl
• "Mr. Fenwick, apparently a widower, married a second time. Sarah, the new Mrs. Fenwick, was the widow of Uriah Bass, and there were six minor Bass children to be cared for." - Rohr, School Girl
• Two motherless children came to live with Mr. and Mrs. Fenwick. "Mary Margaret Betts (Grandma Lewis) and Bartley M. Lowe were sent to Huntsville about the year 1811 by their fathers, Samuel Betts and John T. Lowe, from Florida where they owned thousands of acres of land on the East coast a part of the Arrendondo Spanish tract. Mr. and Mrs. Fenwick, whom Bartley and Mary called Uncle and Aunt, took care of the motherless children with all the tenderness that parents could bestow, and they loved them in life and reverenced them in death." - Rohr, Table Stories
• "In the very early settlement of east coast Florida, three men formed friendships that would affect their families later. John T. Lowe, Joseph Fenwick, and Samuel Betts arrived in the St. Augustine area to seek their fortunes. In varying degrees, they all found prosperity; yet apparently two of them lost their health and families. Little is know about John Lowe, except through his son, Bartley M. Lowe. It can be assumed that he and his wife were unable to raise their son, because Bartley Lowe was sent to live with the Fenwicks now in Alabama. Joseph Fenwick had decided to move to northern Alabama; he settled and bought property there in 1811 near what would become Meridianville." - Rohr, Table Stories
• "After Uriah Bass's death in 1819, his wife Sarah's 'Dower rights' when surveyed off, amounted to 829.55 acres, plus ten negroes valued at $3,292. There followed an 'Indenture' between Sarah Bass and Joseph Fenwick, dated 7 September 1820, 'in consideration of a marriage intended to be shortly solemnized' in which Joseph relinquishes and releases all negroes that Sarah received as her share of the estate of Uriah Bass, for her right and title. (Deed Book G, P. 53, Madison Co., AL) Joseph Fenwick and Sarah Green Bass obtained a marriage license on the 11th of September 1820. (Original Marriage Book C, Part 2, page 2, Madison Co., AL)" - Free pages
Related Links:
• Free pages - Joseph married the widow of Uriah Bass, Sarah Green (daughter of Col. Joseph Green and Sarah Whitfield of Wayne Co., NC), after his first wife died. This is a genealogical page focusing on Uriah Bass. (Originally found at http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~bandb/NOTES/BASS/HUMPHREY/NATHANIEL/JOHN/RICHARD/ANDREW/RICHARD/noteuriahbass.htm.)
• HHR - A History of Early Settlement: Madison County Before Statehood, 1808-1819, by The Huntsville Historical Review, Edited by Jacquelyn Procter Reeves, 2008, page 87.
• Rohr, School Girl - An Alabama School Girl in Paris: The Letters of Mary Fenwick Lewis and Her Family, 1842-1844 edited and annotated by Nancy M. Rohr, 2001, pages 15 & 16.
• Rohr, Table Stories - Echoes of the Past: Old Mahogany Table Stories by Virginia Clementine Clay, Edited and Annotated by Nancy M. Rohr, 2010, pages 5 & 9.
The Following Pages Link to this Page:
• HHR
• Rohr, School Girl
• Rohr, Table Stories