Mendenhall:

1

Ancestors of John Mendenhall

Generation No. 1

1. Dr. John Mendenhall1,2,3,4,5, born May 05, 1770 in New Garden NC6; died September 06, 1844 in Versailles, Switzerland, IN. He was the son of 2. Stephen Mendenhall and 3. Elizabeth Rich. He married (1) Elizabeth "Betsy" Jennings7,8,9 1793 in Wilkes Co, NC. She was born Abt. 1777, and died June 05, 1817 in Vevay, Switzerland, IN. He married (2) Martha Breckenridge Steele February 13, 1826 in Vevay, Switzerland, IN10. She was born Abt. 1770. She was the daughter of Richard Steele and Martha McKamre. Notes for Dr. John Mendenhall: John Mendenhall emigrated from North Carolina with his family , along with several other Quaker families, to Urbana Ohio in about 1809. It is possible that William Malin (the father-in-law of John's daughter Elizabeth) emigrated at the same time. John was living in Urbana during the War of 1812 when a hospital was established and John was placed in charge of the hospital. He remained in Urbana until 1815 after hearing glowing reports (probably from his son-in-law and daughter who had already moved to Vevay) of a town on the Ohio River called Vevay, Switzerland County, IN. He was told that Vevay had good prospects of becoming a flourishing city. John and several other families moved to Vevay, traveling in covered wagons. It took them three weeks to make the journey. Two years after arriving in Vevay John's wife, Betsy, died and John remarried for a third time. (William E. Leonard shows John first married to Ruth.) John married a widow, Martha (Steele) Bealle. In his will he mentions his wife, Martha B., sons Miles & Ira, daughter Martha Elizabeth and grandchildren, John, Ira, Joseph & Ann E. Malin. He had one or more slaves, who were to be freed by the terms of his will. The Mendenhalls and Malins were Quakers. His son, John, had died prior to his father. John was a leading physician of Vevay, Indiana, and earlier listed as one of the first physicians of Urbana, Champaign Co. OH. Leaving Urbana 2 he and Betsy moved to Vevay, where she died first (probably shortly after moving to Vevay - 1817) and is buried in the Vevay Cemetery. John married Martha second/third and he died at age 74 years in 1844 - his will was probated in 1845. Taken from The History of Switzerland County: "Dr. John Mendenhall, was for a long time the leading physician of Vevay; he emigrated from South Carolina, with his family, in company with a number of Quaker families, to Urbana, Ohio, about the year 1809. He was residing in Urbana during the war of 1812, at which place a hospital was established for the sick and wounded in the department, and he was placed in charge of the same. He remained in Urbana until the year 1815, when, after hearing glowing descriptions of a town on the Ohio River, called Vevay, with fine prospects of its soon becoming a flourishing city, he with several other families, determined to remove to Vevay. They came in covered wagons, taking about three weeks to accomplish the journey. "On the 5th of June, 1817, two years after their removal to Vevay, his wife (Betsy Jennings) died. He married his second wife, Mrs. Martha B. Bealle, of Kentucky, on the 4th of February, 1826. During the remainder of his life he resided in Vevay, leading a quiet and peaceful life. He died on the 6th of September, 1844, aged seventy-four, honored and respected by all who knew him." Unknown source (sent by Ann Stage): The next physician who came to town was Dr. John Mendenhall, who came in 1815 or 1816, who commenced the practice of his profession & had quite an extensive & lucrative practice for many years in fact, until age prevented him from paying attention to calls from the country any distance from town, & going about at night." In THE HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY John is also listed as one of the members of the Masonic Lodge in Urbana. "The present charter was issued January, 1815. At the first meeting thereafter, John Hamilton, JOHN MENDENHALL, Joseph S. Carter were received January 14, 1815".During the March term, 1817, of the circuit court in Vevay, John Mendenhall served on the jury that tried and acquitted Jesse Murphy of murder. In the History of Switzerland Co. (p. 1076/7) a story appeared about John Mendenhall (Presumably the Dr. as his son would have only been 12 3 years old), and James Dalmazzo among others: "Some time in the year 1819 there were in the prison bounds of this county several persons against whom judgments were obtained, executions issued, and the officer, not finding any property whereon to levy, had delivered them over to the jailer; but the execution plaintiffs refusing to pay the jailer for keeping them confined in the jail and feeding them, they gave bond and security that they would not go outside the prison bounds, which was within the limits of the town; and as most of them resided in town they could live with their families. Among the number were Charles Henderson, JOHN MENDENHALL, JAMES DALMAZZO, Edward Patton and John F. Siebenthal." John also worked on a perpetual motion machine with George C. Knox and several other mechanics. Their work was kept a secret and in the end the construction project failed.
Champaign County Courthouse Records:
Record Book 3, page 340 - January 3, 1816
(from Apr/May/Jun 1999 Champaign County Genealogical Society Newsletter, page 43)
Samuel Jacobs Petition of the Benefit of the Insolvent Act. Samuel Jacobs of late firm of Lowry and Jacobs, petitions Common Pleas Court because of a "variety of misfortunes he is unable to pay his debts and therefore he prays that this court will grant him benefit oa an act entitled An Act for the Relief of Insolvent Debtors, passed 2nd day of February 1805." Debts owed to the firm of Lowrey and Jacobs are from: (follows is a list of 58 men, showing name and amount totalling $725.04. Among those listed is: John Mending Hall $15.00.
THE WILL OF DR. JOHN MENDENHALL
Last Will & Testament John Mendenhall, State of Indiana Switzerland County
Be it ____ that at a term of the Probate Court of said County holden at the Court House in the Town of Vevay in said County of the term November of said court to wit, on the 11th day of November AD 1845. The last Will and Testament of John Mendenhall deceased late of said

County was produced to said Court and by said Court admited to probate

and ordained of record in said court and which Will reads in the words

and figures following to wit ;

4

Vevay Ind. Jan 1 - 1835 -

"In the name of God amen I John Mendenhall considering the

uncertainty of this mortal life and being of sound mind and blessed be

Almighty God for the same I do make and publish this my last will and

testament in manner and form following (that is to say) First I give and

bequeath unto my beloved wife Martha B Mendenhall. the house and lot

No. 64 - all appriatances there unto belonging during her widowhood.

Then all the real estate I do bequeath to my daughter Martha Elizabeth

Mendenhall and lastly as to all the rest residue and remainder of my

personal estate goods and chattels of kind and nature soever. I give and

bequeath the same to my beloved wife Martha B Mendenhall, whom I

hereby appoint Sole Exceutorx of this my last Will & Testament hereby

revoking all former wills by me made. In Witness where of I have

hereunto set my hand and seal this the first day of January in the year of

Lord eighteen hundred and thirty five. John Mendenhall

I John Mendenhall do this Second day of January 1835 make and

publish this codicil to my last will and testament in manner following that

is to say I give to Liza a Black woman a home on the premises and to

have sufficiency of food and raiment and lodging. if sick to be taken

leave of that is to say as long as she lives. On these conditions if she is

willing to stay or live with the family so long but if she of her own will

makes choice of any other home and moves off and leaves the above said

premises then the abovesaid obligation to void and no further effect as

witness my hand and seal this Second day of January eighteen hundred

and thirty five. John Mendenhall (seal)

I John Mendenhall do this third day of January 1835 make and

publish this codicil to my last will and testament in manner following

(that is to say) I give Lyzaes son Greenup his freedom on these

conditions that is the said Greenup is to serve and be at the disposal of

his said Mistress during her natural lifetime, if so be that the said Martha

B Mendenhall shall decease previous two ___ years of our Lord One

thousand eight hundred and thirty seven the said Greenup is to remain as

the servant of my daughter Martha E Mendenhall for the day of her

mothers decease to end of the year 1847 as above stated. Then after the

said term. the said Greenup is to be set at liberty, and made free of and

from all. all of my heirs Administrators ___. In witness whereof I have

henceto set my hand and seal this third day of January Eighteen hundred

and thirty five.

John Mendenhall (Seal)

I hon Mendenhall do this fourth day of January 1835 make and

publish this codicil my last will and testament in manner following. That

is to say I give and bequeath to my son Ira Mendenhall the sum of Fifty

Dollars. I give and bequeath to my son Miles Mendenhall Ten Dollars. I

5

give and bequeath to my Grand Children Malins, to say the sum of Five

Dollars to each one. That is say. John Malin 5. Ira Malin 5. Joseph

Malin 5. Ann E Malin 5. which said several legacies or sums of money I

will and order shall be paid to the said respective legatees within that is

to say my two sones, one year after my decease. and those several sums

of money paid to my other legates within three years after my decease.

And lastly is my desire that this my present codicil by annexed to and

made apart of my last Will & Testament, to all intents and purposes in

witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this fourth day of

January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred thirty five.

John Mendenhall

State of Indiana Switzerland County S.S.

I Edward Patton Clerk of the Probate Court of said County do

hereby certify that the above and foregoing is a full, true and complete

copy of the last Will 7 Testament of John Mendenhall late of said County

deceased. As admited to Probate and ordained of Record by the Probate

Court of said County. at the November Term of said Court in the year

1845 In testimony wereof I do here unto set my hand and affix the Seal

of said Court at Vevay this 11th day of Nove. AD 1845. Edward Patton

Clk

Following information received 24th June 1998 from Ann Stage (her line

comes down from Ann E. Malin, the daughter of Ira Malin and Elizabeth

Dalmazzo):

The following was handwritten from Ann's father. On the last page it

indicates it is from a letter written by Dr. WE. Baxter of Louisville, who

was the husband of Martha Mendenhall (the daughter of Dr. John

Mendenhall and his second wife, Martha Breckenridge Steele).

Letterhead: Carl M. Clark, M.D., Health Officer, Oakland City, Indiana

"John Mendenhall (M.D.) was the eldest of several children born (on

the Mendenhall Plantation, near Raleigh, N.C.) to Stephen and Elizabeth

(Ritchey [sic - actually Rich] of Phila.) Mendenhall.

"When still a [baby was written in and crossed out] lad, after the

death of his father he helped his Mother to manage the plantation, and at

night read medicine by the aid of light given off from pine-knots stuck in

a chink of the overseers log cabin; he afterwards earned his degree

(M.D.), a graduate of Philadelphia - one of the leading medical colleges

of the world; he was one of the heros of the Lewis & Clark Expedition,

1803-4; also a commissioned surgeon in service during the War of 1812-

6

15; afterwards chief-surgeon in charge of U.S. Hospital, Urbana, Ohio,

where a Committee (composed of veterans who served with him, 1812)

sent from Vevay, Ind., called on him and invited him to visit Vevay and

urged him to locate in Vevay; there was not at that time a resident

surgeon in the Ohio Valley between Ciniti., and Louisville. He accepted

the invitation, and was so impressed with the beautiful valley and the

wellbread

and talented Vevay folk that he located in Vevay and practiced his

profession in the extensive valley, attending to calls in surgeon on both

sides of the Ohio River. The residence and office of Dr. Mendenhall on

Pike St., facing the Court House Square on the north, was the finest

house constructed at that time (over 100 yrs ago) in Vevay; no building

restrictions were placed on the adjoining ground when disposed of; the

brick flouring mill afterwards was built on the adjoining lot.

"Joseph Steele (third son of Richard and Martha (Maka. Steele, see

Register KY Hist. Society 1904-5) married Miriam Boone, niece of Dan'l

Boone, KY pioneer; they made their home on the 3000 acre plantation

(given to them by Richard Steele) on Ohio River and Steele's Creek in

Gallatin County KY. Dan'l Boone and Joseph Steele had land interests

near Big Bone Springs (Boone Co.).

"The wife of Dan'l Boone made her home with Joseph and Miriam

Steele during the absence of her husband, Dan'l Boone, while he was on

an exploring expedition to Missouri in search of a New location for a

home. On Boone's return from Missouri to the Steele home he found a

very large (Colonial) side-board that admiring friends of Lexington and

Frankfort, KY, had made for him and had it sent down the KY, and up

the Ohio River to Steele's Landing by keel-boat; the side-board was too

large (and valuable) to take to the wilderness of Missouri. Wade H. Jack,

a merchant of Patriot Ind.; gave Boone a bay - mare, 100 yds of calico or

jeans and $100.00 in cash for the side-board. It is difficult to undertake a

brief writing without digressing, however, I will endeavor to connect the

matter and bring it to a close.

"Martha Breckinridge Steele was born to Richard and Martha

(Makamie) Steele on the Steele Plantation near Lexington KY (see

Steele, Lytle, Rowan KY, Hist. Register 1904 - 1905, etc.). Dr. John

Mendenhall while attending to a surgical case in Gallantin County, met

Martha Breckinridge Steele at the home of Joseph and Miriam Steele;

they were joined in holy wedlock 2-14-1826, and lived for many years in

the Mendenhall home (in Vevay) where their only daughter, Mrs. Martha

Mendenhall Baxter, was born and where Dr. Mendenhall died. His wife

Martha B. Steele Mendenhall was chiefly instrumental in raising the

necessary funds for the building of the Vevay Presbyterian Church; see

an extended notice of her death, 1865, in the Herald and Presbyter, by the

editor.

7

"Dr. Mendenhall genealogical chart appears in an old edition of the

Mendenhall Family Book (copy owned by a Cincinnati branch of the

family) Prof. A. Marshall Elliott, of the Johns-Hopkins Institute, a

number of years ago wrote that he was getting together data for a new

Mendenhall book.

"Two Mendenhall brothers were "lieutenants" of Wm. Penn; one,

Stephen I, settled in the N. Carolina, the other, John I, settled in Ohio.

"The youngest Dr. James Mendenhall, of Dr. John Mendenhall

(descendant of Stephen) of whom we write settled and practiced his

profession in Richmond, Ind. General John Mendenhall, graduate of

West Point, grandson of Dr. John Mendenhall, saw much service during

the Civil War. The artillery branch which he commanded still bears the

name, "Mendenhall Artillery", in the service. [Note: the writer appears to

be missing much information on the early Mendenhalls who were

connected to William Penn and the settling of Pennsylvania.]

"The writer has an attractive daguerreotype likeness of Dr. John

Mendenhall which he hopes to may find time to show to the members of

the S.C.H.S. at some future time.

"Dr. John Mendenhall was a Quaker, a member of the Society of

Friends. During his very active service in behalf of his country he must

have been truly unafraid if not a fighting Quaker; he was truly a staunch

character and a "Friend", the indians would not molest a Quaker; it was

evident from the fact at least that the north-west territory (now Montana,

Idaho, Oregon, etc.) indians did not "kill off" the Lewis & Clark

contingent when they had the opportunity to do so. I trust if was the

young, Quaker, surgeon John Mendenhall (here my hat comes off in

reverence) who, in the manner best known to the Society of Friends,

secured the service of the indian woman, who knew the way, to lead the

lost and almost starved Lewis and Clark expedition through the mountain

passes and over the torturous trail to the Pacific Ocean, finishing one of

the greatest pioneer undertaking, fraught with untold dangers, known to

the world, and one of incalculable benefactory to these United States of

America."

(Note at bottom of 5th page: "The grave of John Mendenhall is in Vevay

Cemetery. From a letter to Mrs. A.V. Danver of Vevay, Ind. from W.E.

Baxter, M.D. of Louisville, KY, 121 Bullitt St. - note is in different

handwriting and ink then the manuscript.) [Note, Dr. John would have

been about 33 at the time of the expedition.]

TIME LINE FOR DR. JOHN:

1770 Born in New Garden NC (Family moved to Springfield, then to

Deep Creek NC - John would have been about 20 at the time of the

8

move to Deep Creek.)

Sometime after that attended Medical School in Philadelphia

1803/4Connected to Lewis & Clark Expedition in some manner. (Age

~33)

1809 Moved to Urbana, Champaign, OH (Age ~39)

1812 Served as Surgeon - War of 1812 - Hospital at Urbana OH (Age

~42)

1813/4Urbana OH

1815 Moved to Vevay, Switzerland, IN (Age ~45)

1815 Charter member of Masonic Lodge - Vevay IN

1817 Served on Jury, Vevay IN - March (Age ~47)

His wife, Betsey, died - June

1819 Jail? listed along with James Dalmazzo

1826 Married Martha B. Steele (widow of Mr. Bealle) - visiting

Gallentine Co. KY (Age ~56)

1835 Wrote his will (Age ~65)

1844 Died at age 74

Information received from Ludd A. Trozpek: I think you can pretty much

discount the information in the letter from your cousin. Apart from the

fact that the name "Mendenhall" is unmentioned in any of the more or

less standard scholarly works I checked--a half dozen or so--the time line

as you state it is a little jumbled. Sacagawea was engaged with her

husband Toussaint Charbonneau, at Fort Mandan, in the Spring of 1805.

Lewis had left Philadelphia more than a year earlier. So far as I know,

there was no discussion in Phila. of hiring an indian woman of the Snake

tribe--though Lewis clearly planned on getting information from the

Indians.

The business about Sacagawea knowing the way and guiding the

expedition is a myth that is pretty solidly embraced by the romance

writers but no one who is a student of the expedition. Her contributions

9

were considerable, including assistance in getting horses from her native

tribe in Idaho,

assisting in some cases in finding food when game was short, and, really,

her mere presence with the party which convinced the Indians more than

anything that this was not a war party. In short, she did virtually

everything the men of the party did while carrying an infant child on her

back, nursing, and caring for him. As someone recently said to me:

"You've got to remember that Ginger Rogers danced every step Fred

Astaire danced--backwards in high heels!"

My guess--and it is only a guess--is that someone read a fictional

"account" of the expedition that had a made-up character named

Mendenhall, and made the connection that way. There are many such

novels and historical romances, many surprisingly facile in the

intermixture of fact and fiction; I have many of them here, but am not

familiar in detail with the plot lines, and, as they are unindexed, I cannot

easily check further on this possibility.

Ludd Trozpek, for the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation

http://www.lewisandclark.org

discovery@lewisandclark.org

ltrozpek@tstonramp.com

Voice: 909-624-3679

FAX: 909-624-5632

. ROSTER OF 0HI0 SOLDIERS IN WAR OF 1812 125

Pages 328-329. Vol. I.

ROLL OF CAPT. SAMUEL HERROD'S COMPANY (County

Unknown).

Served from September 15, until October 15, 1812, and from August

1, until August 16, 1813.

Rank and Name: Private John Mendenhall

ttp://www.ohiohistory.org/onlinedoc/war1812/roster/1812

[Not sure if this is our John - unlikely to be his son, John, as he was born

in 1807 and would have been way too young.]

More About Dr. John Mendenhall:

Fact 1: January 01, 1835, Will written

Fact 2: November 11, 1845, Will Probated (Vevey, Switz, IN)

Notes for Elizabeth "Betsy" Jennings:

10

Betsy's headstone reads: "In memory of Betsy Mendenhall, the late

consort of Dr. J. Mendenhall, died 6/5/1817 aged 40 years."

It is possible that Betsy was from Philadelphia - perhaps Dr. John met her

when he was there studying medicine?

Generation No. 2

2. Stephen Mendenhall11, born November 23, 1744; died Abt.

1822 in Poss Wash. Co IN. He was the son of 4. Mordecai Mendenhall

and 5. Charity Beeson. He married 3. Elizabeth Rich October 18, 1769

in New Garden Mtg., NC.

3. Elizabeth Rich12, born April 24, 1751; died Aft. May 05, 1770.

She was the daughter of 6. John Rich and 7. Sarah Frazier.

Notes for Stephen Mendenhall:

Lived at New Garden Meeting (NC) until Springfield Mtg. setup. Then

they removed to Deep River by certificate dated Springfield 8/3/1799.

Removed to Lick Creek Mtg., Washington Co, IN by certificated dated at

Piney Grove Mtg. (SC) 2/18/1815 - Quakers.

According to the History of the Mendenhalls, Stephen married Elizabeth

Rick (sic)(actually Elizabeth Rich) and raised his family in Guilford,

N.C. He died in 1822 at age 84, in Clinton County, Ohio. He had

thirteen children.

Encyclopedia of Quaker Genealogy, Volume 1, by Hinshaw:

p. 788 - Deep River Monthly Meeting, Guilford Co. NC:

Stephen Mendenhall

Elizabeth Mendenhall

Ch: John b. 9-5-1770

Maris b. 6-28-1772; d. 10-8-1811?

Nathan b. 2-22-1774

Isaac b. 12-4-1775

Sarah b. 10-3-1777

Rachel b. 8-23-1779

Hannah b. 6-9-1781

Elizabeth b. 3-3-1783

Stephen b. 4-23-1785

p. 828: 1800, 1,6. Elizabeth & dt. Rachel, Hannah & Elizabeth, received

on certificate from Springfield Monthly Meeting, dated 1799, 8, 3.

11

p. 892: 1799, 8, 3. Stephen & family granted certificate to Deep River

MM.

1799, 8, 3. Elizabeth & family granted certificate to Deep River MM.

p. 913: 1824, 7, 28: Elizabeth & dts granted certificate to New Garden

MM, Indiana.

Stephen MENDENHALL, b.23 11M 1744/5 OS, Frederick co,VA;

d.ca.1822, Clinton co,OH;

[per gene.recs. at New Garden MM,NC;

also at Deep River MM,NC;

also at Springfield MM,NC;

removed to Richmond co,NC in 1799,

Charter Member of Piney Grove MM,

Marlborough District,SC in 1802;

mentioned in 1818 as member

of New Garden MM, Wayne co,IN

& West Grove MM, Wayne co,IN;

mentioned in 1821 as member

of Springfield MM, Clinton co,OH]

marr.(18 Dec 1769, New Garden MM,NC)

Elizabeth RICH, b.24 2M 1751 OS,PA;

dau of John RICH (ca.1723- ? ) &

Sarah FRAZIER;

[mentioned in 1818 as member

of New Garden MM, Wayne co,IN];

Children of Stephen Mendenhall and Elizabeth Rich are:

1 i. Dr. John Mendenhall, born May 05, 1770 in New Garden

NC; died September 06, 1844 in Versailles, Switzerland,

IN; married (1) Elizabeth "Betsy" Jennings 1793 in Wilkes

Co, NC; married (2) Martha Breckenridge Steele February

13, 1826 in Vevay, Switzerland, IN.

ii. Maris Mendenhall, born June 28, 1772; died October 08,

1801; married Obediah Harris November 11, 1795 in

Springfield Mtg. NC.

iii. Nathan Mendenhall, born February 22, 1774; married Ann

Harlin April 25, 1798 in Springfield Mtg. NC.

iv. Isaac Mendenhall, born December 04, 1775; died December

25, 1839 in Schuyler Co., IL; married Mary Love.

Notes for Isaac Mendenhall:

Subject:

12

Re: Mendenhalls

Date:

Mon, 14 Jun 1999 13:14:11 -0500 (CDT)

From:

DANIEL TREADWAY <treadway@netins.net>

Reply-To:

mendenhall-list@mendenhall.org

To:

Mendenhall Group <mendenhalllist@

mendenhall.org>

CC:

DANIEL TREADWAY <treadway@netins.net>

Isaac is my ancestor, born 4 Dec 1775 in North Carolina and

died 25 Dec

1839 in Schuyler County, Illinois, son of Stephen and

Elizabeth (Rich)

Mendenhall. I suspect the other two are his brothers,

Stephen Mendenhall

b 23 Apr 1785, and James Rich Mendenhall b 3 Jul 1795.

On Mon, 14 Jun 1999, Betty McMurphy wrote:

> Found these while looking for another surname, hope it

helps someone.

>

> http://www.rootsweb.com/~intippec/1830census3.htm

>

> TIPPECANOE COUNTY, INDIANA 1830

CENSUS

> RANDOLPH TOWNSHIP

> Page 129

> MENDENHALL, Isaac

> Page 130

> MENDENHALL, Stephen

> Page 131

> MENDENHALL, James

>

> Betty

>

v. Sarah Mendenhall, born October 30, 1777; died March

1859; married Jeremiah Kimbrough September 17, 1799 in

Rowan Co NC.

vi. Rachel Mendenhall, born August 23, 1779; married

13

Nathaniel Gibson.

vii. Hannah Mendenhall, born June 09, 1781; died March 16,

1818; married Uriah Moorman November 20, 1806 in Piney

Grove Mtg. SC.

viii. Elizabeth Mendenhall, born March 03, 1785; married

Nathaniel Gibson.

Notes for Elizabeth Mendenhall:

Nathaniel Gibson had married her sister, Rachel, first.

ix. Stephen Mendenhall, born April 23, 1785; married Sarah

Macy August 04, 1814 in New Garden Mtg., NC.

x. Eli Mendenhall, born April 23, 1787.

Notes for Eli Mendenhall:

Disowned by Quakers.

xi. Mordecai Mendenhall, born March 22, 1789.

Notes for Mordecai Mendenhall:

Disowned by Quakers.

xii. Thomas Mendenhall, born February 13, 1792; married (1)

Mary Caldwell; married (2) Patsy 1819.

xiii. James Rich Mendenhall, born June 03, 1795; died 1870;

married (1) Lydia Wright February 18, 1824; married (2)

Sarah T. Williams November 08, 1827 in Wayne CO IN.

Generation No. 3

4. Mordecai Mendenhall13,14,15,16, born 1710 in CHESTER

COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA17; died November 03, 1803 in Springfield,

Wilkes, NC. He was the son of 8. John Mendenhall and 9. Susannah

Pierson. He married 5. Charity Beeson May 21, 1735 in CHESTER

COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA17.

5. Charity Beeson, born 1715 in CHESTER COUNTY

PENNSYLVANIA17; died September 20, 1809 in GUILFORD

COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA17. She was the daughter of 10.

Richard Beeson and 11. Charity Grubb.

Notes for Mordecai Mendenhall:

According to The Mendenhall book: Mordecai Mendenhall and Charity

Beeson removed from New Garden PA to Hopewell VA by certificate

dated 9 month, 27, 1736. They remained there until 1751 at which time

they removed to the Cane Creek Meeting, Guilford County NC by

14

certificate dated 3 mo. 6, 1751. Mordecai's will is recorded in Guilford

Co. NC.

I Have Called You Friends (NC Quakers) by Francis C. Anscombe:

"Deep River Monthly Meeting ... As previously mentioned Friends were

here about 1750, & New Garden MM granted permission for a meeting

to be held regularly at "the home of Benjamin Beeson, except when it is

held at Mordecai Mendenhalls".

Mordecai MENDENHALL, b.ca.1711, Chester co,PA;

son of John MENDENHALL (ca.1688- ? ) &

Susannah PIERSON;

[at New Garden MM, Chester co,PA

on 27 9M 1736 gct Hopewell MM,VA;

at Hopewell MM, Frederick co,VA

on 6 3M 1751 gct Cane Creek MM,NC;

mentioned in 1752 as member of

Cane Creek MM, Orange co,NC;

Charter Member in 1754 of

New Garden MM, Rowan co,NC]

d. 3 Nov 1803, Wilkes co,NC;

[per gene.recs. at New Garden MM,NC;

death recorded at Springfield MM,NC;

aet upwards of 90 yrs]

marr.(21 May 1735, Leacock Mtg, Chester co,PA)

Charity BEESON, b.ca.1715, Lancaster co,PA;

dau of Richard BEESON (1684-1777) &

Charity GRUBB;

d.20 Sep 1809, Wilkes co,NC;

issue:

Proof that Mordecai is Son of John Mendenhall Jr.

Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2000 16:52:37 EST

From: Dkmcever@aol.com

Reply-To: mendenhall-list@mendenhall.org

To: mendenhall-list@mendenhall.org

Greetings again! I know that there are many descendants of the famed

Mordecai Mendenhall, including myself. Therefore, since I'm on the

15

proof kick (when am I not?) -- we also have proof that Mordecai

Mendenhall was the son of John Mendenhall Jr. (John Mendenhall the

Immigrant1, John Mendenhall

Jr.2, Mordecai Mendenhall3).

None of this may be news to most of you, but I thought a review of what

we DO know on these lines is helpful. I wish we could prove John

Mendenhall the III, but I have not found such airtight proof for that line.

In the marriage record of Mordecai Mendenhall and Charity Beeson at

Leacock MM in Lancaster County, PA, 1735, the very beginning of the

record states: "Whereas Mordecai Mendenhall Son of John Mendenhall .

. . " I'd call that pretty solid evidence. I found this record at (where

else)

Swarthmore, Film

MR-Ph 377, p. 106.

At the bottom of this marriage record is the list of witnesses. On the right

at the top of this list is the family of the bride and groom in this order:

"John Mendenhall Sr.

John Mendenhall

Richard Beeson

Charity Beeson

Suzanna Mendenhall

Aaron Mendenhall"

The reference to "Suzanna" Mendenhall below the bride's parents seals

the connection with John Mendenhall Jr. (son of the immigrant), as we

know that he married Susanna Pierson (daughter of Thomas Pierson the

Surveyor). Therefore they had to be Mordecai's parents. This is not

quite as airtight

proof as birth records (as far as BOTH parents is concerned), but it's

close, as the bride and groom's parents are always listed at or near the top

of the marriage witnesses. I am therefore very confident that we are on

solid ground here, and that Mordecai's parents are John Jr. and Susanna

(Pierson)

Mendenhall.

Why are there TWO John Mendenhalls, one being a "Sr.?" Though I'm

not positive, I believe that John Mendenhall Sr. at the top is John

Mendenhall the immigrant. Underneath his name is the groom's father,

John Mendenhall Jr. Then come the bride's parents, Richard and Charity

Beeson, and then the

16

groom's uncle, Aaron Mendenhall.

If any Mordecai descendants (or anyone else) wants to propose a

different interpretation of this list of names, I'm all ears!

--Dan McEver

I never trust transcriptions. I am only referring to the original documents

as displayed on microfilm at the Swarthmore Quaker library in

Philadelphia. By the way, only the couple would have gotten the original

marriage record, but the Quakers always rewrote the thing in full for their

own records after

the marriage took place. The marriage record of Mordecai Mendenhall

and Charity Beeson that I found is the "registered" version, or the version

that the Quakers re-wrote soon after the wedding. Considering the

Quakers' careful transcriptions, they can almost always be trusted, and

are just about as reliable as the "originals." As for the birth records I

referred to, they are all genuinely original.

Another "by the way" -- the births of John and Elizabeth (Maris)

Mendenhall appear to be in the handwriting of Thomas Pierson the

Surveyor (died 1722). There are many Concord minutes in his

handwriting as well. You can tell exactly when it starts and when it ends,

as no one could hold a candle to his beautiful handwriting.

As for whether I could post the documents to the list, I don't know if the

list could handle the high definition scans that I did of those documents.

I'm willing to try, however.

Thanks for asking,

Dan McEver

More About Mordecai Mendenhall:

Burial: November 04, 1803, Springfield, Wilkes, NC

Children of Mordecai Mendenhall and Charity Beeson are:

i. Richard Mendenhall, born September 01, 173717; died WFT

Est. 1738-182717

Notes for Richard Mendenhall:

17

Death of Richard Mendenhall

Date:

Thu, 7 Jan 1999 22:40:24 -0500

From:

"Chris L" <chrislast@abraxis.com>

Reply-To:

mendenhall-list@mendenhall.org

To:

"Mailing List Mendenhall" <mendenhalllist@

mendenhall.org>

I'm new at this so please bear with me and forgive me for

any genealogical

ignorance I may show here! (smile) I'm seeking

information on the death of

Richard Mendenhall b. November 01, 1737, d. October 10,

1773, son of

Mordecai Mendenhall and Charity Beeson. A couple of

things about his death

have caught my attention.

I've noticed that in every Mendenhall genealogy I've seen,

his death is

described as occurring during an Indian raid. The details of

the raid vary

in different accounts, and I was wondering if anyone had

anything

definitive.

I've always seen his death date shown as 10 October 1773.

It has been

listed as occurring in Crab Orchard, Ky in some accounts

and Lexington,

Fayette Co, Ky in oth