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First Generation
1. John (MCCORKEL) MCCORKLE1,2,3 was born on 3 Aug 1734.1
He died about 1810 in Mecklenburg County, NC.1
JOHN McCORKLE'S name was spelled various ways but McCORKEL and McCORKELL appears
most frequently in documents of the time. He signed his will as John McCorkel.
JOHN McCORKLE: parents unknown. An unverified report says that he was born in
Dublin, Ireland. He was married first to Margaret Evans that died around 1806.
John and Margaret were living in Pennsylvania "on the waters of the Schuylkill"
' when their son James was born in 1763. John and his family moved to Mecklenburg
County, North Carolina about 1765, where they settled on Twelve Mile Creek (near
current Charlotte, NC). After Margaret's death, John married Susannah Gordon
about 1808 in Mecklenburg County, NC).
He appears in the censuses of Mecklenburg Co., N.C., in 1790, 1800, and 1810.
He was probably the John McCorkle who served as Constable in that county in 1774,
as tax collector during the Revolution, and as Justice of the Peace.
Though there is no solid evidence of kinship between John McCorkle and the other
McCorkles who settled in the same general area of the Carolinas -- Alexander,
Matthew, James, and Robert -- it is perhaps not without significance that he
named three of his sons James, Robert and Matthew.
Following is a transcript of John's will that was written in 1810 and probated
in 1811/1812. Notice that he named his youngest son, Matthew, as one of his executors.
At the time of the writing of this will his sons; Archibald, Owen and Matthew
were still living in Mecklenburg County. Three other sons; James, Robert and
John II, were living in Georgia.
JOHN MCCORKEL
LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT
29 AUG 1810
In the Name of God Amen. I John McCorkel of 12 Mile Creek, Mecklenburg County,
State of North Carolina being at present weak in body but of a sound mind and
blessed by God. Calling to mind the mortality of the body and that is appointed
for all men to die, do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in the
manner and form following: First of all I commend my soul to God who gave it
and my body to the earth to be buried in a Christian and decent manner at the
discretion of my Executors herein after named, and as for such worldly estate
as it hath pleased God to bless me in this life, I give and dispose of the same
as follows: First, I will that my just debts and funeral expenses be paid and
discharged as soon as convenient after my demise. I give and bequeath unto my
well beloved wife Sussanah all the household and kitchen furniture that she has
brought to me (at our marriage) that is as good order and repair as when first
brought. Likewise all the money coming to her by the last will of her late husband,
which cannot at present be ascertained her estate not being as yet settled. Three
cows and three calves her choice of my stock and one hundred and sixty dollars
in lieu of a years provisions for her and her family. All to be for use and backup
and to be wholly her disposal. I leave unto my son Matthew the plantation he
now lives on containing 200 acres and part of the tract of land that I now live
on which lyeth southwest of the creek running through the same containing 30
acres be his and his heirs forever. I likewise Ieave unto my son Matthew my negro
man named Hercules on the condition that he pays unto his step mother Sussanah,
the sum of one hundred dollars at the end of three years after my demise and
that if she is alive and remains my widow. It shall not be lawful for my son
Matthew to sell or convey the land left him herein until the said 100 dollars
is paid or is insured to be paid to my widow at the time it may be become due;
and it is my will that the plantation that I now live on containing 200 acres
(excepting that part left my son Matthew) and 50 acres adjoining the same and
land of Joseph McCommens to sale as soon as convenient after my demise and the
money arising from that sale and the sale of all my personal property (excepting
my wearing apparel which I leave to my sons Matthew and Owen) and after payment
of my just debts I leave the remainder to my five sons Archibald, Owen, James,
Robert, and John and my four daughters Mary wife to Hugh Forbis, Margaret wife
to John Williams, Elizabeth wife to Samuel Gordon, and Molly wife to Jonathan
Gordon share and share alike, and I do authorize my executors or any two of them
to make a good title or deed of conveyance to purchasers of my land as I myself
could have in my lifetime when personally present. Lastly, I do nominate my son
Matthew and my sons in law Samuel and Jonathan Gordon to be the sole executors
of this my last will and testament. Hereby revoking all former wills by me heretofore
made. Ratifying and confirming this to be my last will and testament. Witness
whereof I have here unto set my hand and affixed my seal the 29th day of August
in the year of our Lord, 1810. Signed, Sealed and Acknowledged by the said John
McCorkel to be his last will and testament in the presence of us, who at his
request have subscribed our names hereto.
Witness: John Lawson Signed: John McCorkel
Robert Howie
Eli McCorkel
John (MCCORKEL) MCCORKLE and Margaret EVANS were married on 24 Nov 1756.4,5
Margaret EVANS was born on 1 Aug 1737.5 She died before 1808. John (MCCORKEL) MCCORKLE
and Margaret EVANS had the following children:
John
(MCCORKEL) MCCORKLE and Susannah GORDON were married about 1808 in Mecklenburg
County, NC.8 Susannah
GORDON8 died about 1824
in Mecklenburg County, NC. Her will of 1824 makes it clear that she
was the stepmother to his children; it is remarkable for the number of persons
she included in it. She may have also been the stepmother to the children of
John Gordon (previous marriage) since she refers to her stepson Jonathan Gordon
in her will.
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