of the NC Land Grants

by Clarence McDaniel, June 12, 2013

Dennis was born about 1747 in Granville County, being the first of the sons born in North Carolina. It is necessary to appreciate the rarity of the given name Dennis in this time and place. This rarity tends to confirm that it was indeed the surname of his father's first wife, Reliance Dennis. I think, however, that Dennis was NOT the son of Reliance.

In Dennis we see the case of the local boy making the best of his conditions. He had all of the advantages of the local "log cabin" school, which is to say not much in pioneer North Carolina. He certainly made the most of it for we find more mention of his name than that of any other Paschall. His name is on numerous legal papers; he was constable, sheriff, J.P. and stand-in lawyer for all kinds of proceedings. He seems to have been the mediator of family squabbles. We can only assume that he was highly respected and trusted by his relatives, friends and neighbors. In addition to all of this he seems to have erected a water mill on Deep Creek and this was perhaps his main occupation.

Dennis, for all his popularity, did not take advantage of his influence. He did not get rich or seek high political office.

Dennis married about 1767 and was the father of three sons and two daughters. His wife, whose name may have been Mary, died before 1810 and she was likely from the Anderson or Nichols family. That this may have been his mother's surname is also another possibility.

Our subject had several deeds both buying and selling property. He was on numerous tax lists of Nutbush District, Bute and later Warren counties.

Dennis made his will on the 18th of July, 1816, and it was proved November, 1816, in Warren County. In his will he mentions his sons and daughters and son-in-law, John Haygood. A description of his children follows:

Anderson,J1

Anderson was born about 1769 and followed in his father's footsteps but amassed considerable wealth. He was most likely the wealthiest of the Paschalls at this time. He married Sally Mitchel Twitty on April 26th, 1795, in Warren County. Anderson moved across the Roanoke River to Mecklenburg County, VA, about 1808. His children seem to have benefitted from this by getting good educations. Anderson's wife died by 1819 and he moved to Granville County where he married Mary Harris. He had a large family of nine sons and three daughters, all apparently, by his first wife. In the court minutes of Warren for May, 1812, we note a deed of gift was proved. Philemon Hawkins had deeded to the two oldest children of Anderson, giving their full names. These were related to Philemon through the Twitty family - possibly greatgrandchildren. Anderson made his will in 1836 and it was probated in 1839. His will named his children a second time, this second list was in order of birth. Several of Anderson's sons were well known.

Nichols,J2

Nichols was born about 1770 and married about 1795. He did not leave many records in his home county of Warren. He had a bond excuted in which he was constable in 1795. He appears in various court proceedings in Warren County until February, 1803. He may have been resident across the river in Virginia about 1800. He left the area about 1803 and lived for a while in Roane County, TN, perhaps in Knoxville. He was on the 1805 tax list and some court records of Roane County. Nichols has the distinction of being the first of the North Carolina line to cross the Mississippi, for we find him residing in Ste. Genevieve, MO, before 1812.

In deeds of Ste. Genevieve, his wife was named as Sarah. She seems to have died there.He apprenticed his son, Nathaniel, who later became the famous editor, to a printer in St. Louis in 1812 and moved to Randolph County, IL. He was listed in the 1820 federal and state censuses there. He may have been on the 1840 census but the name is not clear. The records indicate others of his family remained and died in Kaskaskia, Randolph County, IL, so we assume Nichols died there sometime after 1820.

Elisha B,J3

Elisha was born about 1772 and married Nancy Haygood(varies) about 1794 in Warren County. He lived around his father until his death and moved in 1821 to Dickson County, TN. Elisha was the father of four sons and four daughters. Several of the children of Elisha left no issue. A singular letter written in 1925 by John, J3221, gives us this family line but the letter causes confusion. The John that went to Bell Co, Texas, was not the son of Elisha, but the son of Anderson. The John named in the letter was evidently the one that moved to Angelica Co, TX. Elisha died 1838 in Dickson Co, TN.

Mary, J4

Mary was born about 1775 and married neighbor, John Haygood, on April 3, 1797, in Warren County, NC. Her name appears with her father on deeds and this has led some to think that Mary was the wife of Dennis. Mary and her family moved to Dickson County, TN, and is listed on the 1850 census there.

Sarah,J5

Sarah was born between 1769 and 1786 and was alive, unmarried, in 1816. I now believe her the likely mother of Hansel,b c1795.

Source notes for Dennis Paschall

1768 Bute/NC DB 2-45 214a from father; Jan 4
1771 Bute/NC TL had Wm Buchannon, his bro-in-law later on
1775 Bute/NC DB 6 p13 sold his 214a; Jan 19
1777 Gran/NC DB L88 got 200a fr brother Elisha & wife, Ann
1780 Gran/NC TL Nutbush dist 871 pounds
1782 Gran/NC TL Nutbush dist 125a 1 poll; 1785/1786 ditto
1786 Gran/NC 1-3-3 Nutbush; state census
1788 Warr/NC TL Nutbush 125a 1 poll; also 1789-1808
1790 Warr/NC 3-5-5 (error in census) in alpha order
1791 Warr/NC TL Nutbush 125a 2 polls, him and likely his son, > 21
1792 Warr/NC TL Nutbush 125a 1 poll
1793 Warr/NC TL Nutbush 125a 2 polls
1794 Warr/NC TL Wm Daniel's dist (Nutbush) 125a no polls listed
1795 Warr/NC TL J Wm Daniel's dist 125a 2 polls
1800 Warr/NC 00001-10011 p823; dau has child? (Hansel?)
1801 Warr/NC Ct Min son, Anderson, to Dennis; Nov
1810 Warr/NC 00001-00010 p740; wife died?
1816 Warr/NC DB Ld to son, Elisha B
1816 Warr/NC WB will named 3 sons/2 dau's
Note: Too many rec's to list; was sheriff, constable, JP, adm'r
Note: wife may have been Mary Nichols;: his mother may have been Sarah? Anderson or Pike 
Note: his wife may have been a sister to Ann, wife of Elisha; a guess(reason for Ann's name on deed?)