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“thee Editor: cf ___ Abbott: the year 1776 there came into, Réwan “county, from Prince George:(now. Montgomery) county, Maryland, Thomas Belt, and his wife Priscilla. He must have had in his pockets some 300 pounds to start life afresh in a new country, after his family had done very well for them selves in Maryland for more than a century, for late in 1776, just after the death of his father, Benjamin Belt, Jr., he sold his tract of land to his brother, Benamin Belt 3d, for that sum,. He took up land in Rowan county, now Iredell. A little money would go a long way in that line in that time, though this is not to say that Thomas did not have more than a little. The wills of his grandfather and,of his father, however, do indicate that the Benja mins were favored, as the eldest sons. Besides his brother Benjamin, he had another brother, Middleton, and three sisters, one of them married to a Mr. Nixon.. But from all appearances he set out to Rowan County without any of his family, save his wife and chil dren. _ Already he had in Rowan county an’ old ‘neighbor, Col. Isaac Lovelace; or it’ is possible that they may have gone down together. Anyhow, on May 31,1776, Col. Lovelace sent back a power of attorney to his old friend and neighbor in Prince George coun ty, Daniel Beall, who had asked for it for the better handling of Col. ie property that was left de nd. Thomas Bell took up land, along the South Yadkin River, southward from the ‘point where Rocky Creek going. It... He added to this in~ 1787 there:land on both sides of Little Dutchman Creek, and on White Oak Hanch; including Muster Springs'z _ Meantime, his children had grown ‘up ,and were marrying off. Negroes and furniture went to the girls, no doubt, but only the boys of those days got any land, generally speaking. There were, so far as his will indi cates, but two sons, Benjamin and Thomas, and both were given land as they became of age, adjoining each other along the South Yadkin River. A deed is on record making a con veyance to Thomas Belt, Jr. by Thomas Belt, Sr., and Priscilla Belt, April 17, 1791. It appears that Ben jamin did not marry, but Thomas married Lucy Wright (at least tra dition has the surname Wright) Oc tober 21, 1804. Thomas Belt, Sr., died in 1810. His daughters were Elizabeth Lewis, Eliza Ann Camp bell, Rebecca Bergarly, Ruth Swann, and Rachel Archibald. Thomas Belt, Jr., and his wife Lu cy had a very large family, the last members of which, Miss J. Amelia and Rebecca Belt, are probably well remembered in Statesville, where they lived for many years. There was a son, Thomas W. Belt, who be came a physician, and went to Ala bama. Another son, John P. Belt, went to Massachusetts. There were also Benjamin and Humphrey, and Daniel, who died unmarried at the age of 22. Two daughters married Roseboroughs; one an Armstrong, one an Armfield, and one married Thomas Gillespie. And so the name passed from the county, where it was so well known for a century. Back in Maryland the name has re mained. It was brought into Mary land in 1663, by Humphrey Belt, who came up from Norfolk county, Vir ginia, with his wife Ann, and his son John and daughter Sarah, and took up’ B60‘acres in Anne Arundel coun ty. All these names disappear from the record, except that of John, who narred Elizabeth Tydings,and, died in 1698, leaving four sons and three daughters, all of whom married, and with the exception of one son, Jere miah, left large families. Col. Joseph Belt was the patentee of the 1,000 acres, called: Chevy Chase, which, lat ter became an important suburb o Washington; Benjamin Belt was a large land owner; John Belt was a land owner and merchant; and Jere mish, the youngest son, had consider able land which he left to his neph ews. The Maryland Belts joined up largely in the War of 1812; but, to be sure, the war came right into their front yards, in the Battle of Bladens burg. The first Belt, Humphrey, arrived at Jamestown, Va., July 28, 1635, hav ing sailed from Grav and on ‘he rship “America,” at the age of twen ty. MARY E. LAZENBY. Washington, D. C. (2383 Nebraska Avenue.)
Newspaper Details
Statesville Landmark
Statesville, North Carolina, US
Thu, Aug 02, 1928
Page 4
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USA 08 Jan 2026
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