COMING TO AMERICA ~ Indentured Servant

MARTHA HAMILTON ALLISON
My 5th Great Grandmother

Born 1731(+/-3yrs) Ireland ~ Died 1838(+/-?) Orange County, North Carolina 

A descendant of the Plantation of Ulster, Martha was born in Antrim County, Ireland around 1731.
In 1746 (one source says she was around 13 years of age) she sailed for America as an indentured servant aboard the ship Rundell; this was likely due to the famine of 1740-41, in which an estimated 400,000 died in Ireland. The typical arrangement for indenture was to agree to be 'sold' for a four year term upon arrival in America; ship's passage was paid after the fact by the person purchasing the indentured servant,
and the term was typically viewed as an opportunity to gradually acclimate to the new culture
in the company of one's fellow countrymen. 

The following is from Michael Tepper's 'Emigrants To Pennsylvania, 1641-1819'
(1975, Genealogical Publishing Co. Inc., Baltimore MD): 

"October 4th. James Maxfield assigns Martha Hamilton (a servant from Ireland in the ship Rundell) 
to William Allison of Lancaster County yeoman for four years from September 21st, 1746. 
Consideration £14: 15/ customary dues." 

Martha Hamilton was a servant to William Allison of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania for four years, 
after arriving in America from Ireland. After her indenture was completed, she married 
John Robert Allison (1720-1796), a son to William. By 1762 the couple had migrated southward to 
North Carolina (about the time of the birth of their second child), along with numerous other Scots-Irish, where they made their final home about 8 miles north of Hillsborough, Orange County, NC.
 John first appears on the tax rolls in 1755 in Orange County, NC. The family lived in Orange County, 
North about 8 miles from Hillsborough where John made his will on December 8,1795,  
The will was recorded in February 1796 (will attached at the end of this post).  Martha was known as "Grannie Mattie" and lived to be over 100 years old (exact dates vary). 

Allison Connections, Della P. 'Pat' Franklin, Dogwood Printing Company, Ozark, MO, 1988. Page 274 ~

"During the course of the American Revolution, Lord Cornwallis’ army, while campaigning in North Carolina, stayed in the vicinity of the Allison home for 2 days and nights. Martha's son John Jr., who was serving in the North Carolina Third Regiment, obtained a leave to check on his parents. He found the house stripped of furniture, and was told the British had also taken a wagon and team, along with all the corn they could carry. These goods were never recovered."

The Ship Rundell

The Rundell was a British-registered ship trading between Ireland and the American colonies in the 1740's, possibly importing wool (see http://www.nmm.ac.uk for registration specifics for that time period). Referred to as a 'ship', it had at least 3 masts, which were square-rigged.  Although it did carry passengers, as indicated in the references below, information from this time period is extremely limited, and very few ship-specific references or passenger names have come to light. Also, the spelling of the ship name differs depending on who was writing it, but the following records offer some insight:

Tepper, Michael. Emigrants To Pennsylvania, 1641-1819 (1975, Genealogical Publishing Co. Inc., Baltimore MD. Page 177.)

This is a sketch of the NEPTUNE - perhaps the RUNDELL was somewhat similar.

Joe Beine, March 2004, compiled a list of Passenger Ships from Ireland to America from 1732-1749

Martha Hamilton is the only 'known' passenger aboard - interesting!

Date October 1746

Ship Rundell

Departure Port Ireland

Arrival Port Philadelphia

Notes/Sources PM - 1 known passenger: Martha Hamilton

(1) "On 29 October 1741, an ad in the Pennsylvania Gazette announced the Ship Rundel, Robert Nutt master, which was in Christiana Creek, would sail for Londonderry. Anyone desiring information regarding freight or passage on the vessel were directed to contact Master Nutt or Messers Davey and Carson at their store over the drawbridge in Front St., Philadelphia." - Abstract from Ben Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette, 1728-1748

(2) "On 3 March 1742, it was announced in the Pennsylvania Gazette that a reward was being offered for the return of Ann Boyd, 20 year old Irish servant who had run away from on board the Rundle Galley, Robert Nutt, master." - Abstract from Ben Franklin's Pennsylvania Gazette, 1728-1748

(3) From p. 177 above ~ "October 4th. James Maxfield assigns Martha Hamilton (a servant from Ireland in the ship Rundell) to William Allison of Lancaster County yeoman for four years from September 21st, 1746. Consideration £14: 15/ customary dues." 

John Robert Allison Sr (Husband to Martha)
5th Great Grandfather

John did much buying and selling of land on both Little & Eno River Basin Orange County.  
Much of his personal lands were on the Eno where he settled with Martha and family.  
As members of Presbyterian families increased, so did the need for a church and in 1761 the Little River Presbyterian Church was built between the north and south forks of Little River. 
This was known sat he Allison's "home" church.

LITTLE RIVER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Hurdle Mills, North Carolina

 

One of the charter members of the Little River Church, was Joseph Allison (1722-1789) - who was John's brother.  John and his brother (along with other siblings) were probably born in Lancaster, County, Pennsylvania.  After the death of their father, William Allison Sr. in 1739, John came south to North Carolina with his brother Joseph, and their mother Grizzell Wray Allison. There are many unmarked graves in the Little River Presbyterian Cemetery - loads of Allisons - Joseph's grave is recorded - but not marked.  Other family members are most likely buried there.  
Road trip soon!

WILL (described earlier in post)

WILL: Volume 1, Series 1 page 4: The Will of John Allison, dated 8 Dec. 1795 

In the name of God Amen, the Eigth day of December One Thousand Seven Hundred Ninety Five, I, John Allison of the country of Orange and State of North Carolina being of Sound and perfect memory thanks be to God, therefore, do make, ordain and constitute this my last Will and Testament in the manner and form following viz: First I bequeath my Soul unto the hands of the Almighty God my maker Hoping to be Saved by the meritorious Death and Passion of Jesus Christ my only Savior and Redeemer and as for my Body to be buried in a Christian manner at the Discretion of my Executors hereafter named: 

ITEM; I give to my Son Joseph Allison Twenty Shilings curent money of North Carolina. 

ITEM; I give to my Son Jaes Allison 240 acres of land of the Entry joining David Allison's tract 

ITEM; I give to my Son John Allison 200 acres of land of the above mentioned track along the North End of said track; and the Remaining part of the above mentioned Tract to be divided Equaly between my Son Charles Allison and my Son Hamilton Allison 

ITEM; I give to my Daughter Jennett wife of James Ray Twenty Shillings current money of NC 

ITEM; I give to my Daughter Mary wife of Thomas Curtis Twenty Shillings like money; 

ITEM; I give to my Daughter Martha wife of Samul Sarat Twenty Shillings like money; 

ITEM; I give to my Daughter Grisel Allison one cow; 

ITEM; I give to my Daughter Egnes one cow; 

ITEM; I give to my Daughter Elizabeth two cows; 

ITEM; I give to my beloved wife Martha Allison the Tract of Land whereon I now Live with the use of the Plantation and Stock and all the Household Furniter, a negro Boy named Tom to occupy and Enjoy the Hole above mentioned during the term of Her natural life and at her Deces the stock and Household Furniture to be at Her disposal; 

ITEM; I give to my Son Charles Allison and my Son Hamelton Allison the tract of Land WHEREON I now live after the Deces of my Wife to be Equaly Divided by running north and south the above names Charels to have the South Side and the above named Hamelton the North end of the said Tract. I will that the Negro Boy Tom to be Sold at my wife's deces and Equaly divided amongst my Sons Joseph Allison, James Allison, Charles Allison, John Allison and Hamelton Allison Shear and Shear alike... 

I do hear by make and appoint my said wife Martha Allison and my son Joseph Allison Executors of this my Last Will and Testament and I do hearby Revoke al former Wills by me Maid from Time to Time and acknoledging this only to be my last Will and Testament; In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal the day and year First above written: 

Signed Sealed acknoledged in the Presence of JOHN ALLISON Seal 

John Ray ) Martha Allison the widow qualified as Exec. to the within 

Andrew McBroom) Jurat 

John Allison Will 

Recorded FEB 1796 

EVENT: Tax List 1755, Orange County, North Carolina 

[Book: The Allison Family of Orange County, NC] 

Sunday - February 22, 2014

Wonderful afternoon spend with my cousin, Janice Allison, from Chattanooga.
(NOTE: She gets her 'own' post soon!)  We made a short drive to the Joe Bob Allison Cemetery where John and Martha's grandson Mine Lick Joe" - our 3rd Great Grandfather - is buried.  I LOVE these photos.

                 

                             Mine Lick Joe's grave is beside a huge cedar tree - strikingly beautiful!

This log house is located just prior to the Joe Bob Allison Cemetery in Baxter, Tennessee.

Jan, the sweetest cousin ever and one of the smartest people I have ever known,

 is so knowledgeable about - well, everything really!  

We plan to explore the history behind this house - you know what I'm thinking?  Right?

Yes, I have rambled a bit with this post.

I'm allowed to ramble.

It's my blog. 

Here's to a beautiful Sunday for me!

Out of here...