I am not a Hinson, nor do I have any Hinson ancestry whatsoever. However, over the years, I have kept getting drawn back to the house of James Hinson, for various odd reasons. It's a wonder how a man who began on a firm footing, with advantageous marriages, ended up in the circumstances he did, with his home being referred to in county court records as a "disorderly house", due to the fact that his daughters and a granddaughter kept ending up in court for out-of-wedlock dalliances and pregnancies, and possibly more.
The household of James Hinson needs to be explored. His is a prime example of the children listed in a household not neccessarily being the children of the head of household. Before we scrutinize the occupants of this fabled homestead, let's begin at the begining.
According to Hinson family research, by members of the Stanly County, Oakboro and Big Lick area Hinson descendants, James Hinson was the youngest son of Samuel Hinson, and was born in Chatham County, NC, with the family originating in Orange County before his birth. Records do suggest that he was born about 1793-1795. There are rumours of Indigenous ancestry. That is neither here nor there and I'm not going to address it.
James Hinson's ever-changing tapestry of guests and family afflates my curiosity and intrigue, so with questions abounding, I seek to find.
The first James Hinson shows up in records, that we can know it is him, is in 1830, in census records.
| Name | James Hinson |
|---|---|
| Home in 1830 (City, County, State) | Anson, North Carolina |
| Free White Persons - Males - Under 5 | 1 John |
| Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19 | 1 Unknown |
| Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29 | 1 James |
| Free White Persons - Females - Under 5 | 1 Lucinda |
| Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29 | 1 Tabitha |
| Free White Persons - Under 20 | 3 |
| Free White Persons - 20 thru 49 | 2 |
| Total Free White Persons | 5 |
| Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored) | 5 |
He is living in Anson County, and is counted as in his 20's, with a wife in her 20's. He was actually over 30 by then. There is an 1855 deed in Anson County to a James Hinson, who became the highest bidder of a piece of land on the Pee Dee River. I am not sure this was the same James Hinson, as there were Hinson's in Anson as early as 1765, which at that time included what is now Montgomery and Stanly Counties. There was a James Hinson in Anson mentioned in an estate settlement with a wife named Susannah either Green or Brooks, who was not this James Hinson.
At this time, James would have still been married to Tabitha Shankle, daughter of Rev. George Shankle, who died about 1841. Tabitha is mentioned in his Will. Neighbors included John Rushing, John Cook and several Preslars and Helms. This would have been near the Rocky River and probably near what is now the Stanly/ Union County line on the southwestern border of Stanly.
In 1839, 100 acres in Montgomery County was on a list in the Raleigh Star and North Carolina Gazette, to be sold for taxes.
| Name | James Hinson |
|---|---|
| Residence Date | 1840 |
| Home in 1840 (City, County, State) | West Pee Dee River, Montgomery, North Carolina |
| Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 14 | 1 John |
| Free White Persons - Males - 40 thru 49 | 1 James |
| Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9 | 1 Sarah |
| Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 14 | 2 Lucinda, Mary |
| Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39 | 1 Tabitha |
| Persons Employed in Agriculture | 1 |
| No. White Persons over 20 Who Cannot Read and Write | 2 |
| Free White Persons - Under 20 | 4 |
| Free White Persons - 20 thru 49 | 2 |
| Total Free White Persons | 6 |
| Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves | 6 |
In 1840, James and family are living in West Pee Dee, Montgomery County, the side of the river that became Stanly. He now has 3 daughters and one son. The boy, was between 10 and 14 and was under 5 a decade prior, meaning he was born between 1826 and 1830. James was listed near Isham Randle, John Duke, Howell Upchurch, and Isaac Simpson. George Shankle, Sr., is on the page. At this time, census takers just rode up and down the dirt paths and stage coach roads in a cart or horseback, and the nearest neighbor could have been within sight or five miles away.
Tabitha Shankle Hinson passed away on Christmas Eve of 1842. She was relatively young, and the reason for her demise is unknown. This event was fortuitously recorded in the Benjamin Ivy Family Bible, who had married into the Shankle family. There, her name is spelled "Tabatha".
Her father had died the year before, in 1841. He left a Will, in which she was named. His widow, a second wife, had outlived him, and more probate papers were recorded in 1856. Only son,John Hinson, reported a list of his mother's heirs and the marriages of his sisters at the time.
Headed "James Hinson + Wife Tabitha the latter dead Their children" It listed them in birth order, their spouses, and where they resided:
1. Lucinda married to Henry Treece Stanly
2. John Hinson
3. Sally married to Jesse Hathcock Stanly
4. Polly married to William Melton 'In Arkansas'
5. Adaline married to Isaiah Mabry Stanly
6. Selana Hinson Stanly
Now, many family trees have a man named Joseph M. Hinson listed as a son of James Hinson. He married Sarah "Sally" Hudson, a daughter of old Joshua Hudson of the 22 children, who lived nearly 100 years. He's buried in the old Hudson Family Cemetery in Center Township. Unfortunately for his descendants, there is absolutely no truth to this, in fact the evidence is just the opposite.
James would remarry, after the death of Tabitha, to Nancy Melton, a daughter of John Melton Sr. and Margaret "Peggy" Wilkerson, and we'll get to that more in a minute. In the 1850 census, which I will address shortly, three of his daughters with Tabitha Shankle are still in the home. Sarah aka Sally, is 21, or born about 1829, Adaline is 19 or born about 1831, and the youngest Selana, or Laney, is 16, or born about 1834. The firstborn child of the marriage of James Hinson and Nancy Melton was Margaret "Peggy" Hinson, who is only 5 in 1850 or born about 1845. Joseph M. Hinson was born about 1828. He was not in the list of the children of Tabitha Shankle Hinson, so if he were James' son, he would have had to at least be younger than Laney. He was not. Plus, in both the 1830 and 1840 census, James is only shown with one boy in the home in that age range, and he would have had to be John, who is named as their son. Joseph M. Hinson was not the son of James and Tabitha and was too old to be the son of James and Nancy. Therefore, he does not belong in the list of children of James Hinson.
| Name | James Hinson |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| Race | White |
| Residence Age | 48 |
| Birth Date | abt 1802 |
| Birthplace | North Carolina |
| Residence Date | 1850 |
| Home in 1850 | Albemarle, Stanly, North Carolina, USA |
| Occupation | Laborer |
| Industry | Industry Not Reported |
| Line Number | 27 |
| Dwelling Number | 945 |
| Family Number | 950 |
| Inferred Spouse | Nancy Hinson |
| Inferred Child | Sarah Hinson; Adaline Hinson; Larry Hinson |
| Name | Age |
|---|---|
| James Hinson | 48 |
| Nancy Hinson | 47 |
| Sarah Hinson | 21 |
| Adaline Hinson | 19 |
| Larry Hinson | 16 |
| George Milton | 7 |
| Margaret Hinson | 5 |
| Rebecca Hinson | 3 |
| Robert Blalock | 50 |
| Nancy Blalock | 30 |
In 1850, James is a 48 year old laborer and Nancy is 47. Three daughters by his first marriage remain in the household, Sarah, Adaline and Selana aka "Lany" or "Laney". He and Nancy have had some little ones of their own, which I will address in a minute. They also have a set of boarders, Robert Blalock 50 and Nancy Blalock, 30. Who were they?
Robert Blalock seems to have been a rather innocuous kind of person. Despite the 20 year age difference, Nancy was probably a wife. In 1830, he's in the Stanly County area, in his 30's, with a woman in her 40's in the home, a teenaged boy 15 to 19, and three girls, one 15 to 19, one 10 to 14 and one under five. His neighbors were Jonathan Wilkerson and Alpha Swaringen, others litsted were the Crumps, Easleys, and Josiah Floyd, indicating he lived near the Rocky River in Tyson Township area.
A decade later, he's in his 40's, with a female in her 40's, and a teenaged girl 10 to 14. There are also 3 slaves in the household. So, between 1840 and 1850, the girl could have married, the older woman may have passed away, and Robert married younger Nancy. The teenaged girl would have been 20 to 24 in 1850, so I don't think she is Nancy.
In 1845 and 1847, Robert appears in a couple of deeds, selling his property. In 1845, he sell 50 acres on David's Creek to Nelson Simpson and in 1847, he sells 200 acres on Ashgum Creek boardering Nathan Simpson and Allen Upchurch to William Allen. In the early court records of Stanly County, he appears, taking guardianship of a little boy named John, a mixed race child, who is bound to him. Then the land transfers is noted. Afterwards, Robert and Nancy Blalock are living with James Hinson, and Robert is denoted as a blacksmith, then they are in Stanly County no more.
In Montgomery County, North Carolina records, Robert Blalock gains a few mentions, in the years before Stanly existed. Along with Louis McSwain, he was a witness to a deed granted to Hardy Bass on February 8, 1824. He would have been in his early 20's. Later, a deed involving William Upchurch on David's Creek mentioned the property bordered David Smith's line, Allen Upchurch's line and Robert Blalocks line. Robert did not recieve his own grant, that I can find. So I don't know when or how he obtained his property. What I do know is that Robert Blalock lived on David's Creek above Norwood, near Louis McSwain, Nathan Simpson and some Upchurch's. He sells his land off as if he is going to move, and then boards with James Hinson. Afterwards, there are no more signs of Robert Blalock. He may have migrated away or passed on into the great beyond. Chances are, he may have been related to the other Blalocks in the area, but if so and how so are unknown. Some have his young wife Nancy as a Hinson, but she was not a daughter of James, and how that was determined, I don't find, maybe a wild presumption due to living in his home.
There was another person living in the home of James Hinson in 1850 who was not a Hinson, and this one I know a little more about.
George Milton (or Melton), aged 7 here, shows up in family trees as "George Melton Hinson" and presented as a son of James who died young . He was not a Hinson and he didn't die as child. It took a while in my Melton research to find out where George fit in, but not his life. I have posted on him and his siblings before in several posts. There were two William Meltons in the early half of the 19th century, first cousins, and one a son of John Melton Sr. and the other a son of Joseph Melton Sr. Both William Meltons had close ties to the James Hinson family.
William Jones Melton (22 Nov. 1827 - 14 June 1887) married Mary "Polly" Hinson (1827-1911) the daughter of James Hinson and his first wife, Tabitha Shankle. Then, of course, James would marry his sister, Nancy Melton, as his second wife. William Jones and Nancy Melton were children of John Melton Sr. and Margaret "Peggy" Wilkerson Melton. William and Polly would move, 'to the Arkansas's' the probate record would claim, but they ended up in Misouri by 1860, where they raised 8 children and made a good life for themselves. William would died there in 1887, in Springfield, Missouri and Polly would follow her children even further West and passed away in Oklahoma in 1911. They had children Martha Frances (1849-1866), Berry Thomas (1850-1928), Margaret Jane (1857-1867), Judith Ann Melton Dillinger (1859-1924), Mary Clementine (1853-1868), William Sherman (1867-1951), Sarah Adeline Melton Dillinger (1869-1944) and Amand E. Melton Ferrell, born in 1873.
Wiliiam B Oliver Melton (1808-1845) married Francis "Fanny" Hinson (1808-1846). He was the son of Joseph Melton (1770-1850) and Abigail Bass. I don't know who Fanny's parents were, but I'd bet the barn she was related to James. Maybe even a sister. As both parents were young, they left young children, who appear in court being bound out. These were:
Mary Caroline (1832- aft 1880), who married James E. Mabry, then Leonard Fry, and had been bound out to her uncle, John Melton Jr.
Whitman Melton (1835 - ?) who was bound out to Thomas Biles.
Elisha Hinson Melton (1839- 1864), who was bound out to John F. Stone, married Francis Mabry and died in the Civil War.
Margaret S. Melton (1840 -1886) who was bound out to John Perry, along with her little brother, Henry. She married Reuben George Hiram Honeycutt.
George J. Melton ( 9 April 1841- 10 Sept 1923) who was bound out to James Hinson, married twice and died in Clarksville, Red River County, Texas. More on George in a moment.
Henry H. "Little Henry" Melton (1845 - 16 April 1865) who was bound out to John Perry, along with his sister, Margaret, and also died in the Civil War at Gettysburg.
James Franklin Melton (29 Oct 1845 - 28 Aug 1926) who is absent from records as a child, fights in and survives the Civil War, marries Molly Luther and has three children, and then marries Dockie Jane Simpson and has one son.
George J. Melton grew up in the home of James Melton. He served in the Civil War and returned home to marry Elizabeth Cranford on March 3, 1863. Her name is shown incorrectly as "Crawford" on the record. They had one daughter, Alice, in 1867. George headed west and married Missouri Bryant on May 12, 1871, in Red River County, Texas. They had 10 children: Laney, Nancy, Clorena Ellen, Willie, Lorena, John Bryant, George H., Maude, Stella, and Pat Vandyke Melton.
 |
| Tombstone of George J. Melton |
George died at the age of 82 and was buried at the Dean Cemetery in Detroit, Red River County, Texas.
A Good Deed Never Goes Unpunished.
James Hinson shows up far more in the Grantor List of the deeds of Stanly County, than the Grantee. He never recieved a land grant that I can find in either Anson, Montgomery or Stanly Counties. So where did his land come from?
Tabitha Shankle Hinson died one year after her father, so it can be dedeuced that James may have gained land from her inheritance. He may have inherited some from his own father. Montgomery was a burned county, so anything before 1841 could have been lost. The first deed in Stanly County to bear his name is found in Book 2 Page 42, title "James and Nancy Hinson to D (Davidson) and Wm (William) Melton. Dated February 20, 1846, Nancy Melton Hinson, and her husband James, sold to her brothers, David and William ,her interest in the lands and tenements of John Melton, Sr. deceased. The property was on Mountain Creek and adjoined the lands of Parham Smith and Aaron Russell, being part of the undivided lands of the heirs-at-law of John Melton Sr. The transaction was witnessed by William Swaringen, James Hinson, and Benjamin Ivy, and signed by James and Nancy Hinson. So we know James had married Nancy before then.
They were not alone in this transaction.
In the Pleas and Quarters Minutes of Court, in the May 1847 Session, there was also seen the following transactions involving the same family, the heirs of John Melton Sr.. It must be noted that John Melton Jr. was not a son of Sr, but a nephew, in the same way, Joseph Melton Jr. was not a son of Joseph Sr., but a nephew.
Willie (also seen as Wiley) and Sarah Hutson (also seen as Hudson) to David and William Melton, proved by William Swaringen.
N. Pennington to David and William Melton, proved by Henry Marshall Jr. (no relation and not an heir.)
Mary Melton to David and William Melton, proved by William Swaringen.
Joseph Melton to William and David Melton, proved by John J. Freeman.
There were others. From these land transactions between the heirs of John Melton, Sr., it can be determined that the family of Nancy Melton Hinson was as listed below:
John Melton, Sr. (abt 1760-1846) and Margaret "Peggy" Wilkerson (abt 1790 - before 1846)
Mary "Polly" Melton b 1804 - ?) never married, was a mother.
Nancy Melton Hinson b (1806-1889) Married James Hinson
Davidson "David" Melton (1817-1907) Married Mary Boysworth 1st, Married Francis Louise Simpson 2nd.
Joseph Daniel Melton (1819-1893) Married Clementine Bruton 1st, Married Mary Ann"Polly" Solomon 2nd.
Henry Harrison Melton (1820-1863) Married Martha Ann Kirk, child by Tempy Russell, the seamstress.
William Jones Melton (1822-1887) Married Mary Elizabeth "Molly" Hinson.
Sarah "Sally Melton (1829 -1862) Marrie Wiley Gallimore Hudson (or Hutson).
Frances Melton (dates unknown, predeceased her father) Married John Hogan Lilly. One child, John A. Lilly, b 1832, who inherited her portion of the estate.
As far as any connections from James's side of the family, outside of a family history about as straight as path made by a mule eating sour hay, was a note from the June 6, 1849 William Wall estate, wherein James owed a note to the estate in conjunction with Ben Hinson. Which leads to the question, who was Ben Hinson?
In the census closest to 1849, 1850, there is no Benjamin Hinson in Stanly County. He is mentioned, however, in the early Court records. In May of 1846, there's the case of State vs Eben Hearne and Benjaimin Hinson for affray, where both were fined a quarter each and costs of $7.95. He sat on a jury twice in 1849, meaning he was considered a citizen at that point. However, he was apparently not by 1850. I have the feeling Benjamin came from Anson County, and apparently, so did James.
Another interesting fact about James Hinson in the 1850 census, is that right next to him lived a lady named Ritta Hinson, born in 1795. She has a little boy named Elijah Hinson, aged 7 (1843) living with her. Grandson perhaps? James had a daughter with the same name, Ritta or Rhetta, short for Henrietta. Who were they?
I was able to trace the young boy, Elijah. The older Ritta was seen no more. He was the son of an Elizabeth, who was the widow of none other than Benjamin Hinson. The family was skipped in 1850, because there are indications Benjamin was alive until at least 1852 or 1853. He also had a daughter named Ritta or Rheaty. I wonder the relationship between Benjamin, James and the older Ritta? Benjamin also had close connections to Goodwin Hinson and Elijah Hinson. Some people have tried to merge Benjamin and Goodwin into one, but they were definitely two separate people. I'm also seeing him labeled "John Benjamin", which I've seen no initials indicating that, but they seem to be implying he may have been James' son John. He was probably much younger than James. His wife was, at any rate. I'll have to look into that.
Where were James older children, the ones not in the home any longer, in 1850?
Lucinda, the oldest, has married Henry Treece. They are living among the Treece's and are at this time the parents of three children, Alfred, Mary and Sarah C. Treece.
Third child and second daughter, Mary, has married William Jones Melton, and has given birth to her first child, Martha Frances. With them is John Lilly, nephew of William, son of Frances Melton Lilly, deceased.
We already know the other daughters of the first marriage, Sarah, Adeline and Selana "Laney" Hinson, are still living at home with their father. But what about John? The list from their grandfather's estate is a great help, because it obviously listed the children in birth order. Lucinda was born about 1820. Mary was born exactly on June 9, 1827. So we are looking for a John Hinson born between 1821 and 1826, roughly. We also know from that document that he was a resident of Stanly County in 1850. There was more than one John Hinson here in those days.
First, there is a John Hinson born in 1809, with a wife named Nealie. He's too old, only 14 years younger than James, too.
Then there is a John D. Hinson, only 13, and living with his parents. That's John David Hinson, son of William T. Hinson.
Then there is John born in 1824, married to Elizabeth, and the father of a daughter, Suzannah, and a son, the Daniel A. Hinson who ends up marrying Laney Hinson's daughter, Mary. This is the 'perfect fit' John. There is also one who is two years old...but. They all live in "Smith's" district.
Of all the John Hinsons, only one fits the time frame to be the son of James, and that's John married to Elizabeth Susannah. He's been merged with Jackson Hinson, who married Frances M. Manual, even 'Fanny" was merged with Elizabeth Susannah, but that's its own story to untangle. John Hinson, son of James, alive in Stanly County in 1856 remains an enigma at the moment.
Outside of Nancy's Melton inheritance from her father, John, James Hinson was named in two land transactions in the decade between 1850 and 1860.
In Book 2, page 391, we find an Indenture to A C Freeman, the merchant son of Daniel Freeman from James Hinson, who is indebted to him for supplies. It's dated September 2nd, 1852. James puts up his crop of corn and fodder, along with 17 head of hogs, as collateral for the bill, due by November 2nd of the next year. His wife's cousin, merchant James Robertson Melton is the witness.
It seems he pays the bill, but debt is an onus that plagues his latter years.
On June 6, 1858, James again finds himself in debt, this time to John C Callaway and the Callaway estate. In Book 4, page 317, T.A. Simpson agrees to cover James' debt, in exchange for a "certain gray mule" and his present crop of wheat and corn 🌽. Again, it appears if James was able to meet his debt in time. He gets the gray mule back to barter again.
1860
In 1860, we find James Hinson located among several families of Swaringens, Mabry's and near David Blalock.
| Name | Age |
|---|---|
| James Hinson | 65 |
| Nancy Hinson | 50 |
| Lany Hinson | 24 |
| George Hinson | 17 |
| Peggy Hinson | 13 |
| Becky Hinson | 9 |
| Retty Hinson | 7 |
| Jane Hinson | 4 |
Now 65 years old, James has fathered four daughters with his younger wife, Nancy Melton Hinson. He's an agronomist, as are most, his real estate valued at $75 and his personal property valued at $45. He and his mostly female family are still scratching out a minimal survival. His youngest daughter with Tabitha, Selana "Laney" Hinson, is yet to marry Britton Parks, but will soon, and become mother to a daughter that will be raised by her grandparents. Nancy's adopted nephew, George Melton, is still a part of the household, and at 17, is mistakenly shown as Hinson, but as an adult, he goes by his correct name of Melton. The four little girls of James and Nancy have now completed the family, Margaret "Peggy" Hinson, named for Nancy's mother, no doubt, is 13, Rebecca "Becky" Hinson is 9, Henrietta "Retty" Hinson is 7 and little Jane is only 4. For this time and space, innocent.
The 60's are relatively quiet for the James Hinson family, with the exception of the older two children in this grouping. Laney Hinson meets or marries Britton Parks and has a daughter, Mary E. on March 5th, 1861. Mary's father, Britton Parks becomes a Civil War Casualty, dying on April 1st, 1865. He had been held at Elmira Prison and died of bronchial pneumonia.
Adopted son, George Melton enlists in Company K, 28th NC Regiment, and survives fine as frog hair split four ways. On March 9th, 1863, he marries Elizabeth Cranford in Albemarle, Stanly County, NC. They will have one daughter, Alice, in 1867. Elizabeth passes away at some point, and George removes to the Red River Valley Texas, and he is not alone. There was a huge migration from this area to there just after the War.
He is not to be found in 1870, but one year later, on May 12, 1871, he marries a girl from South Carolina in Red River, Texas named Missouri Bryant, daughter of John Bryant and Milberry Quinn Bryant. There, they raise a large family of 9 children, 10 including Alice by George's first marriage. These are: Laney, Nancy (can we imagine named for Selana Hinson Parks and Nancy Melton Hinson?), Clorena Ellen, Willie, Lorena, John Bryant, George H., Maude, Pat Vandyke, and Stella. George lives a long life and passes away in 1923 in Clarksville, at the age of 82,
The only land transaction involving James Hinson during the 60's, occurs on April 7th, 1869. James, now 76 years old, contracts with G. M. Sides for 4 months, "to do any and all kinds of work required on the farm of the said G. M. Sides." Sides agrees to give James Hinson half of all the new ground corn and ten bushels of wheat at threshing time, along with $5 cash, and two bushels of corn, also agreeing to board the said Hinson during all work days. James's only male helper, George Melton, has moved away. His only son John, I believe, is killed during the Civil War, or dies just before. The old man is struggling to feed his family. G.M. Sides must have lived too far away to make a daily trek. James must have been pretty stout and healthy for his age. He lives a good while longer than this.
1870
The Seventies host an entirely new set of problems for the Hinson family and inspires entirely new methods of survival.
| Name | James Hinson |
|---|---|
| Age in 1870 | 77 |
| Birth Date | abt 1793 |
| Birthplace | North Carolina |
| Dwelling Number | 189 |
| Home in 1870 | Albemarle, Stanly, North Carolina |
| Race | White |
| Gender | Male |
| Post Office | Albemarle |
| Occupation | Farmer |
| Cannot Read | Yes |
| Cannot Write | Yes |
| Male Citizen Over 21 | Yes |
| Inferred Spouse | Nancy Hinson |
| Inferred Children | Peggy Hinson; Retta Hinson; Jane Hinson |
| Name | Age |
|---|---|
| James Hinson | 77 |
| Nancy Hinson | 61 |
| Peggy Hinson | 23 |
| Retta Hinson | 19 |
| Jane Hinson | 16 |
| Mary Parks | 9 |
Now 77, the old codger is tasked with providing for a houseful of women. Wife Nancy is 61, and three of their daughters remain unmarried. They are caring for Mary, 9 year old daughter of Selana "Laney" and Britton Parks. Laney is not yet deceased. She was living with James and Rowena Davis, wealthy businessman and planter, for unknown purposes.
Rebecca Hinson has married another Hinson, James of all monikers, a son of Joseph M Hinson and wife, Sally Hudson. The marriage flounders and a decade later, Becky is 30 and back home with her parents. James Hinson, the younger, married twice more. Rebecca does not. They were most likely related in some manner, but Joseph M Hinson, was not the son of James, or therefore her brother, as the Hinson books imply.
In the 1870's, the aging John makes several deals with his wife's nephew, J. A. Lilly, son of her sister, Frances.
In Book 7, page 309, he sells a cow and calf bundle and cow and calf 'horse'? for $12 on a note due the first of April, 1872, to J.A. Lilly, who was his father's only heir.
In December of the same year, found in Book 7, page 450, he adds a yoke of steers, two 'milch' cows and one cart.
Two years later, on June 15, 1874, for $25, he mortgages three cows and three calves, a one year old heifer, and "an old jack and cart". Book 9, Page 339
Later that same year, he, along with several other Stanly County citizens, at what appears to be a company established in Big Lick called Barnhardt and Bennett, mortgages a Five year old Gray horse and wagon. Found in Book 9, page 403 to I.V. Bennett. Dated December of 1874, James receives $89.50.
He pays that one of on time, yet but a year later, in Book 10, Page 30, he mortgages a 6 year old Gray horse, the same horse, I would imagine, along with interest in his current crops, to the same company, Barnhardt and Bennett, for $30, in November of 1875.
The last census that James and Nancy Hinson appear in exhibits the couple as 83 and 74. Their four daughters, Rebecca, 30, Margaret "Peggy", 27, Henrietta "Rhetty", is 25, and Jane, the youngest, is 21. Adopted granddaughter, Mary Parks, is shown as a Hinson, age 18. Other grandchildren were James Christopher Hinson, 5, William Thomas Hinson, 3, and two 6-month-olds, Eva Louise and John Titus Hinson. They were not twins, but cousins.
Where did they come from? That's a story for another day.
Societal laws were bent and broken. Some headed west in search of a better life. Others took advantage of the bad situations that widows and orphans were thrust unwilling into. Others resorted to what reality escapes were available to them. Children were feral, land laid untended, and went to waste.
The household of James Hinson, now elderly and feeble, was a victim of the times.
