Melton Family History II

How the Meltons got from Virginia to North Carolina, to Georgia...... Benjamin and Susannah Updegrove Melton also left Virginia for Rutherfordton NC to live on the family farm. I learned his brother John was now a Baptist and that the Meltons were active in the First Broad(River) Baptist Church. This is where my family visited and saw all the Melton grave stones. There are many, many Meltons in this area today. Benjamin and Susannah had 8 children: Isiah, Silas, Elijah,Elizabeth, Joshua, Mary, Martha, and ELISHA. (very biblical names) And ELISHA'S nickname was "Lige." Now this is significant because my father in his research always spoke of "Lige" as our oldest living relative that he had found. But he could not find anyone past him. He even hired a professional geneologist, but she was unsuccessful in her search as well. But with cousin Lucy Fortune's help and my persistance we did find the missing link! We found Lige's father Benjamin and that took us to Virginia, etc. Benjamin died young and his wife Susannah lived with Isiah on the family farm in Rutherfordton NC. Benjamin died in 1810, at the turn of the century.

It was Benjamin's son Elisha "Lige" Melton who carried forth the family name to the next generation. Lige was born in Rutherfordton NC in 1799, settled on Robinson's Creek, the "Golden Valley" area of NC. It was named that due to the goldmining of the 1800's that took place there. My father would always tell us," We came from the Golden Valley of North Carolina." Lige Melton would move from Rutherfordton to Twiggs County and eventually to Gilmer County GA. This is how the Melton's finally ended up in Georgia--all the way from Africa!! On September 20, 1825 Lige married Rachael Thurmond, his cousin. Together they had 5 children. By 1850 they had moved to Gilmer County GA after Georgia had claimed this area from the Cherokee Indians and opened it up for settlers. There son Archibald Melton was now 22 years old and newly married to Sarah. They settled in DeKalb County GA. It is Archibald Melton who was the Reverend Archibald Melton and who was married twice, once to Sarah Wilmoth and later to Sally Herndon, who was reported to be a Cherokee Indian, but this has not been confirmed by my DNA evidence. However it would be so slight of an amount of DNA from a native American that it could still be true. Perhaps someone else will find out for sure one day! The Rev. Archibald Melton died January 13, 1909 and is buried in the Mt. Harmony Baptist Church cemetery in Cobb County GA., near Mableton, and off Bankhead Highway. I visited this cemetery with my Father. His Mother Floy Melton's family are also buried here. On the grave marker there, where my Father and his sister and brother and their families visited and took pictures, is Archibald's grave stone with his second wife Sally A. Melton, who would have been Sally Herndon. Sally had first lived the Wilmoths, Archibald's first wife's family. Archibald was my great, great grandfather. His knickname was Archey and he was the first of 5 children. He was a Primitive Baptist Minister and lived during the time of the Civil War. He may have fought for the Confederacy. He was in his early 30's at the time of the war, but so far no records have been found that he actually fought. Again, a good assignment for a future researcher! With his first wife Sarah Wilmoth he had two children: Jim and Sis. With his second wife Sally Herndon he had 11 children!! All of them are buried at Mt. Harmony Baptist Church. My father has oral tradition stories about Archibald: He liked to conduct choirs as well as preach. He lived in a log house on Copper Lake Road in DeKalb County GA. There was a Brush Arbor across the road from Mt. Harmony Baptist Church where he would preach and lead in the singing of various choirs during outdoor revival services. Archy's son was John Wesley Melton. His son was Ira Herbert Melton, my grandfather, and his son of course was my Father Ira Bailey Melton, Sr. Both my grandfather and my father are buried in the Decatur GA Cemetery. My father died in 2000 at the age of 82. I was born in March of 1953 and am now 68. I have two grown daughters and one grandson. ( If you would like to know more of the Melton Family History, email me at calanmeltonw@gmail.com)

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