Notes for: John HINTON, II
Of all the patriots who lived in Wake County during the Revolution, probably the most distinguished, both as a soldier and statesman, was Colonel John Hinton, who was native of the precinct of Chowan, where his father, also named John Hinton, resided, his home being in that part of Chowan which is now Gates County.
It was about the year 1750 that John Hinton, then in the prime vigor of manhood, first came to Johnston County. The part of Johnston in which he settled was severed in 1771, and (with parts of the counties of Orange and Cumberland) erected into the county of Wake. In 1768, when the trouble with the Regulators was in its early stages, John Hinton, then a major of Johnston County troops, went to Hillsboro to confer with Governor Tryon as to the best means of quieting the disturbances. The efforts to quell the insurrection by peaceable means having failed, Tryon raised an army in the spring of 1771, and after scattering the Regulators at the battle of Alamance on May 16th, put an end to the revolt. In Tryon's army Hinton was one of the most trusted officers, being Colonel of the Wake County detachment, and he behaved with distinguished bravery in the battle.
In the war of the Revolution Colonel Hinton's efforts in the cause of colonies began early. He represented Wake County in the second independent Provincial Congress of North Carolina, which met at New Bern on the 3rd of April, 1775. At Hillsboro, in the following August, he sat in another congress of the like character. On September 9th the Hillsboro Congress elected him colonel of the troops of Wake County and member of the Committee of Safety for the Hillsboro District, of which district Wake formed a part. In the Provincial Congress at Halifax, in April, 1776, he was once more a delegate. He was also a justice of the Court of Pleas and Quarter sessions for Wake County.
At the battle of Moore's Creek Bridge, on February 27th, 1776, Colonel Hinton commanded the Wake County Regiment, and there the same courageous spirit marked his conduct as at Alamance.
During the first half of the eighteenth century, John Hinton, the younger, removed to what was then Johnston County. Later, when Wake was erected, his lands fell within the boundaries of the new county. In 1768, when Governor Tryon held a consultation at Hillsborough to consider what steps should be taken to circumvent the movements of the Regulators, John Hinton, then a major of provincial troops in the County of Johnston, was one of the gentlemen who attended the conference. When Wake County was erected by act of Assembly in 1770 (act not to take effect till 1771), Major Hinton became colonel of the colonial forces of the new county. When Tryon raised the forces of the province in 1771 to march against the Regulators, there was much disaffection in Colonel Hinton's county, yet the Colonel himself was a firm friend of the government and finally succeeded in raising his quota. Tryon's military journal shows that Colonel Hinton and his men participated in all of the duties incident to the campaign, the Colonel on one or more occasions acting as president of courts martial for the trial of delinquent soldiers in the army of which his detachment formed a part. He personally participated in the battle of Alamance, May 16,1771, and his bravery on the occasion was afterwards referred to by Governor Caswell in a message to the legislature during the Revolution.
Colonel Hinton selected as a site for his new home in the wilderness a piece
of land six miles east of the present town of Raleigh. Here, near the banks of
the Neuse, he built a log cabin. The entrance was in the upper portion of the
dwelling, and was reached by means of a ladder, as was the case in many of the
habitations of the early settlers. He had Indians for neighbors and wild
beasts for nocturnal visitors. Of robust constitution and possessing [sic]
great bravery, he was capable of wielding the axe and paving the way for the
more timid and indolent. Stories of his encounters with ferocious animals are
still related. Upon one occasion he sauntered forth with his gun and two dogs
for a hunt. Weary and footsore he sat down by a tree to rest and soon fell
asleep. In the meanwhile his dogs had a desperate struggle for their lives,
and for the protection of their master, with a panther. He was awakened by the
fray and escaped uninjured. On one occasion he discovered a panther's lair
among some large rocks. Two cunning little cubs were snoozing peacefully away,
ignorant of the close proximity of an intruder. Struck with their beauty, he
resolved to carry them home for domestication. Taking both in his arms he
proceeded but a short distance, when their mother, finding her babies gone,
started after him with great fury. Seeing her in pursuit, Hinton put down one
of the cubs, which she carried back to its den and then returned to renew the
chase. Just as the hunter regained the top of his ladder the mother of his
captive again came in sight, but too late. She was shot, and the cub he
succeeded in taming.
Colonel Hinton took up many thousands of acres of land by grant from Earl
Granville. Grants were given for various tracts at different times. They
followed the course of Neuse River, beginning some distance above Milburnie
and extending far into Johnston County, a distance of many miles. In some
places the property ran four miles both to the east and west of the river. One
tract which is known as "The River Plantation" taken in grant by him, is yet
owned by a descendant of the name. There is no deed in existence for this
parcel of land, the direct line of descent being sufficient. The Hintons,
Hunters and Lanes originally owned most of the County of Wake. The two
families last named were allied with the Hintons by marriage.
As civilization advanced, Colonel Hinton erected a residence, considered
handsome in those primitive days-- a type of colonial architecture-- near his
old log cabin. It was a frame building, and the bricks used in the foundation
and chimneys were of a curious design-- perfectly square. This house long
since gone to decay, and a quiet now reigns all around.
Only a heap of brick remains to mark the spot where it stood. Many old homes
built by Colonel Hinton's sons and their children in Wake County are still in
fairly good state of preservation. Conspicuous among these are "The Oaks" and
"Clay-Hill-on-the-Neuse." The latter, the home of Major John Hinton, Jr. (son
of Colonel Hinton), was broken into both by the Tories during the Revolution
and the Federal troops during the War between the States. A secret drawer in a
desk was found and robbed of treasure in each case.
1768'-1771' - Colonel John Hinton, of the parish of St. Margaret, County of
Wake, province of North Carolina, was a Revolutionary soldier and statesman,
whose military career began in the internal troubles of North Carolina,
1768'-1771'. Many years of his life were devoted to the service of his country
and State. Frequently his name appears in the public archives and high praise
is there accorded him. He was the son of John Hinton, of Chowan precinct, who
died about the year 1732'. The part of Chowan in which he lived is now Gates
County. Tradition claims that John Hinton, the younger, was born in London,
though it is now believed that he was a native of Chowan precinct, born at the
Hinton homestead.
1771' - May 16, Col. John Hinton served in the Revolution as Colonel. He
personally participated in the battle of Alamance on May 16, 1771', and his
bravery on the occassion was afterwards referred to by Governor Gaswell in a
message to the legislature during the Revolution. John came to Wake County,
North Carolina to live and later died in said county. He lived on a very large
estate near Neuse River some distance above Milburnie, about eight miles east
of Raliegh, North Carolina. While Col. John Hinton served in the Army, one of
his jobs was to set up boundries for some of the counties of North Carolina.
1772' - Field Return of the Regiment of Militia for Wake County, at a General
Muster, the 6th day of October 1772'. Commissioned Officers = John Hinton,
Colonel; Joel Lane, Lieut. Col.; Theophilus Hunter, Major
1775' - Colonel Hinton was among the first to offer his services to his
country when the British yoke could no longer be borne. He was a delegate from
Wake County when the Provincial Congress of North Carolina met at Hillsborough
in August, 1775. There preparations began for the conflict which was brewing.
On the 9th of September, the assembly appointed officers for the minute men in
the various counties. For Wake County the following officers were selected:
John Hinton, colonel; Theophilus Hinter, lieutenant-colonel; John Hinton,
major; Thomas Hines, second major. Colonel Hinton also represented Wake County
in the Provincial Congress at Halifax in April, 1776, and was elected a member
of the Committee of Safety for the Hillsborough district, of which Wake County
was a part.
1776' - On the 27th of February, 1776, was fought the Battle of Moore's Creek
Ridge [sic], after a brilliant campaign of about one month's duration. This
fight saved the Southern colonies. Some two or three thousand loyalists, under
the leadership of General McDonald, were that day completely defeated, and
many taken prisoners on their way to join the British fleet at the mouth of
the Cape Fear River. Colonel Hinton took an active part in this engagement,
and his body-servant, old Uncle Brisco, accompanied him through the campaign.
This ancient family favorite lived as late as the middle of the nineteenth
century. Nothing pleased the old darkey so much as for others to listen to his
stories of the time when "me and marster wuz in de war." His description of
this particular battle was both graphic and amusing. After Colonel Hinton's
death, this old servant came into the possession of his youngest son, David
Hinton. He had the honor of driving the first carriage brought into Wake
County, as well as of hitching a horse to the last "gig" driven within its
boundaries. The first time he drove this carriage to the front door, his
"mistis," a stately dame, was greatly shocked to find in the interior of the
vehicle filled with fodder! "Where do you expect me to sit, Brisco?" she
exclaimed. "Up here wid me, mistis," was the confident reply.
1784' - Colonel Hinton lived but a short while to enjoy the liberty he had
fought for and aided in winning for the States. He passed away in the spring
of 1784. His remains were interred near his home in the family
burying-ground.4 He married Grizelle Kimbrough, who was born about 1720,
daughter of Buckley and sister of Nathaniel Kimbrough.
Colonel John Hinton, of the parish of St. Margaret, County of Wake, province
of North Carolina, was a Revolutionary soldier and statesman, whose military
career began in the internal troubles of North Carolina, 1768-1771. Many years
of his life were devoted to the service of his country and State. Frequently
his name appears in the public archives and high praise is there accorded him.
He was the son of John Hinton, of Chowan precinct, who died about the year
1732'. The part of Chowan in which he lived is now Gates County. Tradition
claims that John Hinton, the younger, was born in London, though it is now
believed that he was a native of Chowan precinct, born at the Hinton
homestead.
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IMPRIMIS, It is my earnest will & desire that my Wife, Grizeal Hinton shall
after my death have the sole use and occupation of all my Estate Real and
personal that I shall be possessed of at that time, during her natural life
and no longer; and after here decease to be disposed of in the following
manner, and that no Legacies be paid in money unless by the consent of my
Wife, till her Death--
ITEM, I give and bequeath to my son John Hinton all the lands lying above
Farmer's Creek that I am possessed of, to him, and his Heirs and assignees
forever--And that my said Son John Hinton may enter upon, and take possession
of said Land whenever he pleases--
ITEM, I give and bequeath to my Son James Hinton Ten pounds current money of
the State of North Carolina--
ITEM, I give and bequeath to my Daughter Sarah Bryant Wife of Needham Bryrant
a Negro fellow called Abraham or to her heirs and assignees forever--To
receive him at my Death.
ITEM, I give and bequeath to my Daughter Mary Lane Wife of Joel Lane ten
pounds current money of the State of North Carolina.
ITEM, I give and Bequeath to my Daughter Alice James wife of John James ten
pounds current money of the State of North Carolina.
ITEM, I give and bequeath to my Daughter Elizabeth James wife of Thomas James
ten pounds current money of the State of North Carolina.
ITEM, The land that I have in Johnston County I leave to be sold by my
Executors, to discharge the aforesaid Legacies of ten pounds, that is to say
not to be sold without my Wife's consent--
ITEM, I give and Bequeath all the remainder of my Estate Real & personal to my
two Sons Kimbro and David Hinton; the Land equally to be divided between them
by a dividing line' no regard being had to the quality of the Land, but to the
number of acres, An East and West Course to be the dividing line-- The lower
part to my son Kimbro with the Manor Plantation-- The upper part to my son
David Hinton-- To them and to their heirs & Assigns forever-- Also my Personal
Estate to be equally divided between the said David and Kimbro after their
mother's death as before mentioned-- But in case on or both of my two last
mentioned sons should die without issue (viz Kimbro and David), that the Lands
that I have devised to them to be equally divided among all my surviving sons
in fee simple-- And the personal Estate of the aforesaid Kimbro & David Hinton
should one or both die without issue to be divided in equal proportion among
all my Daughters then living-- of him that died--
ITEM, I constitute and appoint my Son John Hinton and James Hinton sole
executors to this my last Will and Testament Revoking by this will all my
former Wills and Testaments whatsoever--
LASTLY, it is my Will and desire that should my wife die before my sons Kimbro
and David Hinton arrive at the years of discretion to manage for themselves,
that the lands not to be rented and negroes hired out, but to remain upon the
plantation and work the Land for the Benefit of my said two Sons viz Kimbro
and David Hinton-- In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name and
affixed my seal this 9th of January A. D. 1784'.John Hinton (Seal.)
In presence of: JOHN BOUTIN THOMAS GAY (JURAT) MARY (her X mark) POWELL
(JURAT)