Melton Family History I

This is the story of how the Meltons came to America from England......With William Melton Jr. our Melton ancestors' journey that began in Africa around 55,000 years ago ended up in America in 1647 in New Kent County VA. William's son was Richard Melton and he was born around 1670 in Kent County VA, but died between 1719 and 1730 in Hanover County which is right outside of Richmond VA. This was shortly after Louisiana was claimed for France and the establishment of of Plymouth MA by the Pilgrims. Now thanks to the research of cousin Lucy Fortune we know something about Richard. We know he was likely Anglican since his grandfather William Sr was baptized Anglican in England. He was married in 1690 and was the father of 5 children. His son William born in 1698 and married to Elizabeth Furr, continued the family line. Also of Hanover County VA Wlliam married Elizabeth in 1720 and they had 6 children. The son that would carry on the family name was Silas, born in 1725, married Catrina in 1751, and died in Albemarle County, which is the county of Charlottesville VA, in 1783.

Silas we know a good deal about! I was able to locate records of him and his wife and his Will in the Albermarle Courthouse. This courthouse was one of the few in the South that was not burned during the Civil War. . His Will reveals he was a farmer who lived on the South Fork of the Hardware River and owned hogs, sheep, 3 feather beds, some furniture, a few dishes, a few plates, a frying pan, a small jug, 2 saddles, some digging hoes, a claw hammer, some shoemakers tools, a few riffles, several books, and some raw hides. These and many other items that I cannot read due to the writing style of that day were to be left to his family upon his death. When I discovered this Will of Silas Melton I went to the South Fork of the Hardware River to imagine what it must have been like to have farmed there. This branch of the River is located in Covesville VA which is just north of Lovingston VA in Nelson County. This is only 25 miles from my home in Waynesboro!. And 15 miles south of Charlottesville where Caroline and Kate live!! Amazing!! Silas grew up on that river and with his brother William worked the farm. He married Catrina in 1751 at the St. James Episcopal Church in Goochland Country VA, and the Rev. Douglas performed the ceremony. I also learned that he had two slaves. Silas' son John Melton later married his brother William's daughter Sarah, his cousin. They then left Nelson County and the Hardware River to move to another river and establish a new farm in Rutherford County NC. This farm today, on which cousin Lucy Fortune lives and where many Melton relatives are buried, is known in Rutherfordton NC as the Fortune Family Farm. But John and Sarah's life in NC is for another day. His father Silas died May 17, 1783 and never left Virginia.

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