Biographic Overview Study of Lewis, David and Charles Poythress

Compiled by Barbara Poythress Wolfe

Lewis Poythress

Lewis Poythress Birth Place and Year Documented in Affidavit Made for a Claim by the Widow of Jesse Taylor, April 1845

26 Dec 1792 Marriage Bond of Lewis Poythress and Patsey Giles, Surety: Meredith Poythress; Sealed and delivered in the presence of Newman Dortch. Mecklenburg Cty. Marriage Bonds and Consent papers, 1770-1810 “P” Reel 58, p. 376.

2 Mar 1796 John and Martha Cleaton sold 98 acres in Mecklenburg to Lewis Poythress. Abstracted from Deed 10, page 62, Film #0032536 of Mecklenburg County.

13 Jan 1801 Lewis Poythress sold to John Giles 100 acres in Mecklenburg County. Abstracted from Mecklenburg Cty Deeds, p. 605

4 Nov 1801 Thomas Watson and his wife Susanna Watson sold 104 acres to Lewis in Mecklenburg. Abstracted from Mecklenburg Cty. Deeds, p. 47.

9 Apr 1802 Marriage Bond of Lewis Poythress and Rebecca B. Taylor, Surety: Thomas Watson, in the presence of John Dortch.

3 Nov 1813 Dennis Bafs (probably Bass) sold 33 acres to Lewis Poythress in Mecklenburg County. Abstracted from Mecklenburg County Deeds.

20 April 1816 Grief Harwell sold 138 acres to Lewis in Mecklenburg County. Abstracted from Mecklenburg County Deeds.

18 Oct 1845 Bill of Sale on property from Lewis Poythress, Sr. to youngest sons Lewis Y. Poythress, Jr. and Thomas M. Poythress. Mecklenburg County Deed Book 31 1843-1845 Reel 15 p. 605.

David Poythress

17 Dec 1827 Marriage Record of David Poythress and Mary Speed Dortch Consent: Ann Dortch, mother ;Witnesses, Isaac Taylor and Elizabeth C. Dortch. Mecklenburg Cty Marriages Bonds and Consent Papers 1825-1828 Reel 66, p. 698-700.

21 Jan 1832 Consent by Lewis and Rebecca Poythress for daughter Rebecca to marry Benjamin Standley. Witness: David Poythress. Ibid. 1831-1835 A-Z Reel 68 p. 265-269. ( Note: Census records spell as Benjamin Stanley.)

14 Sep 1837 John M. Parkinson sold 100 acres in Mecklenburg to David Poythress. Mecklenburg County Deed Book 27, 1836-1838 Reel 13, p.331-332.

15 Aug 1844 Lewis Poythress sold 143 1/2 acres in Mecklenburg to David Poythress. Ibid. Book 31 1843-1845 Reel 15 p. 253-254.

15 Mar 1848 Marriage Bond of David Poythress and Sally Dortch by David and Benjamin Stanley; Witness J. J. Daly. Warren County Marriage Bonds in North Carolina State Archives.

16 Oct 1848 Marriage Consent by David for his daughter Martha Jane Poythress to John Tucker. Mecklenburg County Marriage Bonds and Consent papers of Minister’s Returns 1848-1850. A-Z Reel 73 p. 55 and 60.

4 Nov 1852 Hartwell Arnold sold 321 1/2 acres in Mecklenburg to David Poythress. Mecklenburg County Deed Book 34 1852-1855 Reel 17, p.87-88

24 Aug 1852  David Poythress and Sarah M. Poythress sold to Charles Cleaton 143 1/2 acres for $287.00. Mecklenburg Cty. Deed Book p. 75 & 76 #00352548

16 Dec 1856 David Poythress and Sally Poythress sold to Oswald M. Morse 321 1/2 acres for $1,150.00. Mecklenburg Cty. Deed Book p.233 #0032548

Freedman’s Agreement Between David Poythress and Six Freed Persons of Color, Feb. 25th, 1866

20 Nov 1876 – 28 Apr 1877  David Poythress Estate Inventory and Valuation (November 20, 1876, Administration of David Poythress Estate (January 31, 1977), and estate sale (April 28th, 1877).  Executed by Charles D. Poythress*.

David Poythress Estate Documents 1876-7

Warren County, North Carolina, Estate Records; Author: North Carolina. Superior Court (Warren County); Probate Place: Warren, North Carolina. 

Burial and Late Life Family History Shared by Barbara Poythress Wolfe, direct descendant of David Poythress (10/10/2017)

I am inclined to think David’s wife, Sally Dortch, was removed to Manson, per the notation in the inventory of David’s estate expenses [Cost of Moving Mrs. D Poythress to Manson | $15.00]
 
 
David is buried in the Poythress plot in Elmwood Cemetery in Henderson, NC with Charles David and his family. His monument reads “Jan. 26, 1800, Sep 26,1876, Gone But Not Forgotten, David Poythress”. These towns are all within short distances of each other in Warren County. The burial locations of his first and second wife remain unknown.

Family Linkage Notes:

David’s two wives were sisters. Their parents were Newman Dortch and Sarah Ann Speed.

David’s children with his first wife Mary Speed Dortch: James Speed, Martha Jane and George W.

David’s second family with Sally Dortch: Charles David, Lucy M., Sallie, and Alice M.

(The two sisters, Lucy and Alice, married two Twisdale brothers of Indiana Peru, Charles David’s wife.)

In 1860 a William Dortch was living in the household of Benjamin Stanley. He does not show up in that household’s members because he was added at the end of another page, as being omitted. This connection was made by a Dortch family researcher and posted to the Poythress mailing list in 2004.

Brunswick County, VA, Meherrin Dist. HH 22 – Wm. Dortch (omitted), age 17, male, farm laborer, born VA.  Both pages with entries for HH 22 are documented below:

Stanley HH 22 1860 Federal Census.

The significance of this it that it puts a Dortch in the household of a known daughter of Lewis Poythress, Sr.  This further strengthens the theory that Lewis Poythress was David’s father —  this is as yet unproven however.

Charles David Poythress

Charles David was born July 15, 1849, the son of David E. Poythress and Sally Dortch Poythress.

In the 1870 North Carolina census (Nutbush Township, Post Office: Manson) he is listed as age 20, a dry good retail merchant, birth place Virginia. He is enumerated with Oliver Dortch who is 26, clerk in the dry goods store, age 26. On December 8, 1870 Charles David was married to Indiana Peru Twisdale at the home of her father James H. Twisdale in Warren County North Carolina. They made their home in Middleburg and Henderson, NC and had five children: James Sneed (1871-1918), John Alexander (1874-1934),Charles Vance (1876-1906), Effie (1881-1946) and Benjamin Edison (1887-1971).

The family moved to Thomasville, Georgia around 1888 where Charles David operated a photography business and billed himself as a machinist.

In 1892 he moved to Atlanta for employment with Singer Sewing Machines. Within two weeks of arriving he contracted pneumonia and died. He was interred at the old family homestead near Middleburg and later removed to the Elmwood Cemetery in Henderson, North Carolina.

The oldest son James Sneed was actively identified with Henderson’s business life. He conducted a big coal and wood business, a builder supplies firm and was  an agent for an automobile manufacturer. A major in the North Carolina National Guard he had just been tendered an appointment with the forces in France when he was stricken with Spanish influenza and died.

John Alexander, my grandfather, was a “showman for moving pictures”, an entrepreneur who lived in Washington, DC. eventually moving to Florida where he started an insecticide business.

Charles Vance never married, remained in Henderson, unfortunately died of pneumonia at the age of 29. See newspaper obituary and memoriam in the Henderson Gold Leaf, 23 Aug, 1906.

Effie made her home in Henderson and married R. L. Mustain. No children.

Benjamin Edison was a bookkeeper and salesman in Newport News, Va.  Benjamin’s son was a talented cartoonist and his hobby was scaling boats in bottles.

Below is a gallery showing Charles David and Indiana Peru Family Bible, portrait with their children and a family portrait with their second son John Alexander and family.