Squire John Morehead, IV^[1]

1760 - 1832  (72 years)

• Name	John Morehead
  Prefix	Squire
  Suffix	IV
  Birth	9 May 1760	, Halifax, Virginia, USA
  Gender	Male
  Death	18 Sep 1832	Rockingham, Richmond, North Carolina, USA
  Person ID	I377	Master
  Last Modified	21 Feb 2017

  
  

  Family	Obedience Motley,   b. 1768, , Amelia, Virginia, USA d. 1863, Mocksville, Davie, North Carolina, USA (Age 95 years)
  Marriage	9 May 1790	, Pittsylvania, Virginia, USA
  Children	1. Samuel Morehead   d. 1828   2. Abraham Forrest Morehead   d. 1834   3. Annie Morehead + 4. John Motley Morehead,   b. 4 Jul 1796, Greensboro, Guilford, North Carolina, USA d. 27 Aug 1866 (Age 70 years)   5. James Turner Morehead,   b. 1799   d. Yes, date unknown
  Family ID	F120	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	12 Feb 2017

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 9 May 1760 - , Halifax, Virginia, USA Marriage - 9 May 1790 - , Pittsylvania, Virginia, USA Death - 18 Sep 1832 - Rockingham, Richmond, North Carolina, USA  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Notes

  From: The Morehead Family of North Carolina and Virginia by: John Motley Morehead III, published in 1921 Found digitized at: archive.org and openlibrary.org Pages 45-50, Digital pages 147-157 John Morehead, who may be called the IVth, his (great) grandfather, John, being the 1st, was born in Pittsylvania county, and in 1790 was married to Miss Obedience Motley (1768-1863), daughter of Captain Joseph Motley, of Amelia County. Captain Motley was of Welsh descent and a member of the Church of England, but of them more will be said later. Of John Morehead IV and his family, who later made their home in Rockingham County, North Carolina, his granddaughter, Mrs. Annie Morehead Whitfield, has left record that “his accomplishments and occupations were so varied that as need might be, he could and did officiate as a squire and marry people, or pray with the sick and dying; and that earlier in his career he had taught dancing school, when young Obedience Motley, one of his pupils, sometimes worried him so that he would lay the fiddle bow on her shoulders and remonstrate vehemently.” She says he “built Mt. Carmel Church near their home in Rockingham County.” She also gives a letter from Colonel James T. Scales of “Thornfield”, Henry County, Virginia, dated March 28, 1892, in which it is said: “Our grandfather (John Morehead, Rockingham, NC) was a grand old man, far ahead of his age, hence his misfortunes. Slavery slowed the development of the country, and in vain he tried to accomplish what he saw was bound to be in the future. Had he lived north of Mason and Dixon, he would have been a splendid success. The Moreheads got their intellect from him, and his moral nature was of the highest order. He thanked Providence for everything sent, joys or afflictions. His wife told him she believed if he broke a leg, he would thank Providence. ‘Yes, Biddy (his abbreviation of Obedience), I would, because it was not my neck’, was the reply... As each of his children would leave the paternal roof to try his fortunes in the world, with hand on head his parting benediction was, ‘Remember, my child, death before dishonor.’ Generous to a fault, ‘his pity gave ere his charity began.’ It was enough for him to know and see the suffering of a fellow creature.” He is said to have been about a dozen years older than his wife. “He is the central figure in our pedigree,” adds Colonel Scales, “rising above all others.” Mrs. Whitfield adds: “He was a poet, a soldier, a planter, fond of the chase and of the companions of life, whether old or young; he was a great favorite with all who knew him. He was quite young when he went into the Revolutionary Army (supposed to be eighteen); was in the command of General Greene in the celebrated campaign including the battle of Cowpens, and the famous retreat through North Carolina to Guilford Court House. He was not in the battle there, however, as he had been detailed to take charge of prisoners. His canteen, containing two compartments, is still shown (at that date) with other relics, by my brother Jimmie. (Later) This canteen is deposited in the Museum at the Guilford Battle Ground...He died at the old home in Rockingham and is buried with his family there...He never applied for a pension or bounty, nor did his widow, because their patriotism led them still to spare their country, already so impoverished.” His wife, Mrs. Obedience (Motley) Morehead, lived to be ninety five years old, dying, in 1863, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Annie Morehead Hobson, at Mocksville, Davie County, North Carolina, so that she was born in 1768. As a child she knew some of the horrors of the Revolution. She was one of ten children, who were early orphaned through the treachery of a Tory friend, and her young life so beclouded with sorrows that she never afterward could look upon a motherless child without tears and sympathy. She must have been handsome and wise, too, in her youth, as her beloved father (Captain Joseph Motley) seemed to have been companion and teacher and so impressed upon her his ideas of integrity and honor that her old age was characterized by an almost sternness to herself and unflinching discharge of what she considered her duty...She remembered the ‘Red Coats’ with vivid repugnance, as they often frightened her and the other little ones by their raids upon the peaceful mother and children, writes Mrs. Annie Morehead Whitfield. Her father, Captain Joseph Motley, who had fought under Colonel Washington in the French and Indian Wars and was at Braddock’s defeat, was too old to be in service, but six of his sons were, and not expecting women and children to be in danger, he was hidden in the woods when the raids occurred so that he might be left to care for his family. The meat and provisions were hidden also, and only the children and ‘good old Rachel’ knew where, continues the record. She said she used to climb upon the fence and look up and down the road to see if the ‘Red Coats’ would come and find these and thus relieve her childish bosom which was bursting with the mighty secret. And one day, while the mother was sick in bed, and caring for a young infant, there came galloping into the yard a number of Tories. Rushing into the house they demanded: Where’s Captain Motley? Where are his sons? Where are your provisions? Give us something to eat. And scattering the little flock of frightened children, one of them, a neighbor and so called friend exclaimed, Why, Mrs. Motley, you need bleeding and I shall bleed you! No, no! was the reply, bleeding would kill me in this condition!’ But, seizing her arm, despite her struggles and cries, he pierced the vein with his knife, and the little children saw the red life blood spouting from the dear mother’s arm as she fainted away into unconsciousness...The Tories hurried away; the good servant applied restoratives and brought back the dying mother to temporary life, ere the father came to his home. Seeing his wife’s condition, and knowing what must be the consequences, he seized his gun and started out vowing vengeance upon the murderer; but the good mother called him back, importuning for their children’s sake that he think not of vengeance: I must die, and you would probably be killed in the struggle and who will take care of the little ones? He put aside the gun, to soothe and comfort, if possible, the dying hours. The mother’s grave was carefully guarded by Rachel, and every day she and the children carried rice and other food there. This must have been a relic of Rachel’s African superstition. Long years afterwards, when the little Obedience had become a wife and mother, with a home of her own whose doors ever stood open to the stranger, with old-time hospitality, there came, on a dreary, wintry evening, a party of travelers, asking a night’s shelter and rest, bespeaking favor especially for an aged sick man who was lying, very feeble, in one of their wagons. The husband, John Morehead, with his wonted cordiality, bade them welcome, and soon had every one busy providing for the comfort of the guests. The sick man was borne into the ‘big room,’ as the parlor was then called, his couch drawn near the fire there, rather than have him carried away upstairs. The supper made ready and eaten, Grandpa (John Morehead) came into the back room and tenderly taking his wife aside, said: Whom do you think you have fed and nourished? The sick man is ____. What, Mr. Morehead! (That is the way she always pronounced it). Not my mother’s murderer! And as the reviving of her sorrowful childhood with its many trials came up before her, she exclaimed: Take him away; I cannot shelter him under my roof! Now, Biddy, we must forgive as we hope to be forgiven, was the reply, which prevailed, after the first agonizing emotion passed away. Later in the evening she went into the room where the sick man lay and sympathized with him, hearing patiently the account of his pains and weariness, etc. Then turning full upon him, she asked him if he remembered Captain Motley (sometimes called Squire Motley) and leading up to the incident of her mother’s sickness and bleeding to death at the hands of a Tory, she said: I am that woman’s child and you are my mother’s murderer. May God forgive you and make it possible for me to do so, too. He hid his face under the sheet and cried and moaned remorsefully. Did not this seem retribution! It was near this house that her husband, John Morehead, built the Mt. Carmel Church and often had to do the preaching himself. He was a Presbyterian, as his people generally were. Obedience’s early life, the record continues, was spent in busy industrious efforts to help the family, help the soldier brothers and friends and father. She often told me that the girls learned to spin and weave their clothes and sheets, etc., while occasionally, like a gleam of sunshine there was brought from ‘home,’ England, some elegant fine goods for state occasions. The record speaks of her discipline: Yet all seemed to have loved her, and when, in later years, there came poverty and reverses in consequence of some land speculations, the servants clung to her skirts and begged to remain with her...She was a very handsome old lady, large and commanding in presence, very dignified manner, pale benevolent face, very gray hair, keen bright gray eyes. She inspired respect form all. She had second sight and could sew beautifully when past eighty...I remember the old place: the grand room hung around closely with pictures all of one size, the high backed leather seated chairs in stiff straight row all around the three sides with corner ones fitted in; the desk with a ‘dream book’ in the library which gave great delight to Henrietta Hobson and myself. These chairs had belonged to my poor old father (Captain Motley) and were to be given to Jose (my brother) who was his namesake, but they perished in the fire that destroyed the old house. What a treasure, the record continues, they and the cunning little dressing tables, with their brass locks, etc. would be today! They were all scented with lavender and rosemary. John and Obedience Morehead had a large family. All their sons were educated in the University of North Carolina, and in turn, taught their sisters.

  
  

• Sources

  [S761] Yates Publishing, Ancestry Family Trees, (Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.), Ancestry Family Tree. http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=90667476&pid=59