Michael was born 23 Aug 1756, in York County PA, where his parents had recently
immigrated from Germany. We believe that Michael was the eldest son of Heinrich
"Henry" and Mary Summerauer. He is connected to his parents by
proximity, since Heinrich is the only Summerour old enough to be his father
living in the county. There is a deed in which Henry Summerour sells
Michael the greater portion of his remaining estate before retiring. This deed
does not explicitly spell out a familial relationship; however, it does confirm
a connection between the two men that implies a familial relationship.
--------------------------------------------------------
Deed between Henry
Summerour and Michael:
This Indenture Made
this fourteenth day of January and in the year of Our Lord one thousand seven
hundred & eighty seven. Between Henry Sumrow living in the county of
Lincoln & state of North Carolina of this one part & Michael Sumrow
living in the said county of state aforesaid of the other part. Witnesseth that
for and in consideration of the sum of ten pounds current money of the state of
North Carolina in hand by the said Michael Sumrow unto the said Henry Sumrow
before consenting & delivery of this thy present receipt and payment is
hereby fully acknowledged hath bargained & sold aliened, enscossed
[ensconced], conveyed & confirmed of by these presents doth grant, bargain
doth alien enscossency [ensconcency?] And confirm unto the aforesaid Michael
Sumrow his heirs & assigns forever a part of two tracts or parcels of land
lying and being in the county of Lincoln & state aforesaid, and bounded as
followeth, to wit, Beginning at a stone, Jacob Carpenters corner on the waters
of Clarke Creek arriving thence west 90 poles to a post oak then No. [North]
150 poles to a black oak sapling, then West
88 poles to a line of the old tract, then crossing the sd line the same
course 120 poles to a post oak sapling on Anoveri Heady line, then running with
said line, Et. [East] 78 poles to a red oak, then running with another of
Hedicks line So. 9 Et. [East] 58 poles to three small white oak saplings, then
So. 80 Et. 100 poles to a white oak, thence No. [North] 22 E [East] 180 poles
to the Beginning, containing by estimation Two Hundred & sixty three acres
be the same more or less as may more fully appear by his majesties patent
granted to Peter Summy bearing date the 29th day of April and in the year 1763,
and the other bearing date the 28th day of April and in ye year 1768, then
conveyed from the said Peter Summy to Henry Sumrow as may appear by the records
with all the appurtenances whatsoever situate lying and being as aforesaid with
their rights members & appurtenances as whatsoever and the revision &
revisions hereditaments , promises hereby granted or intended to be granted
& every part and parcel thereof and all rents, issues,
increases & profits to them or any of
them residing, belonging or appertaining [unto the land?] and convey the estate
and estates, rights, titles, claims and demands whatsoever of him the said
Henry Sumrow of or unto the said lands, tenements, hereditaments, &
premises hereby granted or intended to be granted with all this appertaining to
the sd. Michael Sumrow his heirs and assigns and to the only proper use and
behoof of him the said Michael Sumrow his heirs and assigns forever and to hereby
to hold the said lands, tenements, hereditaments & premises with all their
appurtenances to the said Michael Sumrow his heirs and assigns, and the said
Henry Sumrow for himself his heirs exc [executors] doth hereby promise,
covenant and agree that he the same Henry Sumrow for himself his heirs exor.
[executors] Adminr. [administrators] doth hereby promise, covenant and agree
that he shall and will at all times warrant & forever defend the said
promises to the said Michael Sumrow his heirs and assigns against all lawful
claims & demands whatsoever whereby the above mentioned promises might be
affected or encumbered contrary to the true intent and meaning of these
presents. In Witness whereof the said Henry Sumrow has hereunto set his hand
& seal the day and year first above written.
Singed, Sealed &
Delivered
Henry Summerour {Seal}
In the presence of
Robt Blackburn
}
Lincoln County Jany. Sessions 1788
Wm Maclean
}
The within
John McGaughey
}
deed was acknowledged in open court and ordered to be registered
Witness
Jo Dickson C. C. [County Clerk]
[Lincoln County [NC]
land entries, 1783-1795,1798-1853; Land entries 1783-1795 FHL US/CAN Film 19241
Item 1;
Lincoln County NC, Deed Book 3,
p. 291]
 |
| Deed from Henry Summerour to Michael Summerour (page 1) |
 |
| Deed from Henry Summerour to Michael Summerour (Page 2) |
Michael's family
migrated to North Carolina when he was still a child, to what was then Tryon County, now Lincoln County. His family settled in the Catawba River
Valley, where the land was selling at bargain prices. They settled in the midst of many German immigrants. It must have been a
great comfort to them to have others who spoke their language, and worshipped
after their manner, as neighbors. They moved into what was wilderness, and had
to build civilization from scratch.
Michael and his
brother must have been a great help to their parents, and their hardships made them a close-knit family. Michael lived near his parents until their
deaths, and stayed on the land that they had developed, and near the church
where they were buried, for the rest of his life.
The earliest record
I have found for Michael lists him as a signer of a petition to have a portion of
Burke County annexed to Lincoln County, signed 25 Dec 1778. He was 22 years old.
It is highly likely that Michael served as a soldier during the Revolutionary War. Several pieces of evidence point in this direction. The first evidence is that he lived as a neighbor to Derick Ramsour, upon whose property a major battle was fought. It does not seem likely that he would have sat at home while a major battle was waging next door.
The second and third pieces of evidence are Michael's own words. In a pension record for Caspar Bolick, Michael testifies that he served in the Revolutionary War with Caspar, under General Rutherford and Colonel McDonell for an unstated period through December of 1781. Michael also published a letter on July 4, 1844 in the Weekly Standard, as a character witness for one of his neighbors who had been accused of being a Tory. Michael wrote:
"I have this day been shown a publication in the Carolina Watchman, where it is stated that the late Michael Quickel is charged as a Troy in the Revolutionary war; was at the battle of Ramsour's Mills, and was then taken prisoner and put in what they called the "bull pen." In justice to the memory of the deceased I feel it my duty to state what I know of the deceased and his father. The father of the said Michael Quickel deceased, whose name was Michael Quickel, was a citizen of the county of York, Pennsylvania, and was a Captain of a company in the service of the United States against the British and under the command of Col. Swope, and stationed at newark, in the Sate of new Jersey. As to his son Michael Quickel, deceased, I was not acquainted with him until I removed to this country of Tryon, now Lincoln, where I located about five miles from said Quickel, and was acquainted with him until his death; and with regard to the trying times of the Revolutionary war, and particularly the part taken by the said Quickel at Ramsour's Mills, I can say with pleasure that I never heard that the said Quickel took any part with the Tories in that battle, nor in any other. But I saw him on the following day on the battle ground while the whigs had uninterrupted possession of the field, assisting in burying the dead, all the tories who were taken prisoners being under guard.
Michael (his mark) X Summerow, Witness M. Reinhardt
No corroborative evidence has yet been found of Michael's service, but since Michael never applied for a pension himself, it would seem that he had nothing to gain by lying for his neighbors. So, it is likely that he served.
In the late 1780s,
Michael began to collect land of his own to develop. On 4 Jan 1786 Michael
bought 100 acres of land on the waters of Clark's Creek, joining Jacob
Carpenter, John Sigman & Peter Lear [Lair]. On 6 May 1786 Michael bought
another 100 acres of land joining David Ramsour's old tract, and next to Henry
Grifemore [or Crismore] and James Wilson. A year later, he initiated purchase on an
adjoining tract of 86 acres, but the grant was discontinued.
----------------------------------------------------------
Lincoln County NC
Deed Records
p. 263 granted.
Michael Sumrow claims 100 ac in
Lincoln Co on waters of Clarks Cr; border: Jacob Carpenter, John Sigyean, &
Peter Lear; entered 4 Jan 1786; L10.
p. 329 granted.
Michael Sumrow claims 100 ac in
Lincoln Co; border: David Ramsour's old tract, Henry Grissmore, & James
Wilson; entered 6 May 1786; L10.
p. 485 discontinued.
Michael Sumrow claims 86 ac in
Lincoln Co; border: David Ramsour desc, Henry Crismore, & his own land;
entered 14 Apr 1787; L8.12.
----------------------------------------------------------
Clarks Creek, where Michael Summerow lived, marks
the western border of the town of Lincolnton in Lincoln County NC. Here is a
map to show its location. Michael's land was actually further downstream, north of Lincolnton.
 |
| The red pin is at the mouth of Clarks Creek, which flows down from the north-east of Lincolnton. |
And this map shows
where Lincolnton is located in North Carolina:
 |
| Lincolnton is in the south western region of North Carolina, just to the right of the red pin. |
One of the
neighboring families who had relocated to the Catawba River Valley with the Summerows
were the Kleins. Michael fell in love with their daughter Katherine Klein, and
they were married in Lincoln County, NC. A marriage record has yet to be found,
but we know that they must have married before the Federal Census was taken in
1790, because they appear in that census in Lincoln County NC as a couple
without any children.
Michael and
Katherine had the following children:
1) John Summerow b.
1791 Lincoln, NC, d. 1857 Iredell, NC; m. Nancy MNU
2) John Henry
Summerow b. 1794 Lincoln, NC, d. 5 Nov 1854 Lauderdale, TN; m. Minerva T. Day 9
Sep 1820 Rutherford, TN
3) Michael Summerow
b. abt 1795 Lincoln, NC, d. 5 May 1870 Travis, TX; m. Electra MNU MO
4)Jacob Summerow b.
15 Jul 1797 Lincoln, NC, d. 2 Nov 1889 Mitchell, NC; m. Rachel Zelpha Turner 25
Sep 1830 Tyron, Polk, NC
5) Andrew Summerow
b. 1800 Lincoln, NC, d. 1831 Iredell, NC; m. Charlotte MNU bef 1822
6) Elizabeth
Summerow b. 3 Aug 1801 Lincoln, NC, d. 13 Jul 1861 Lincoln, NC; never married
7) David Summerow b.
16 Sep 1804 Lincoln, NC, d. 23 Jun 1879 Lincoln, NC; m. Susan Rudisill 7 Jun
1828 NC
8) Peter Summerow b.
11 Dec 1808 Lincoln, NC, d. 2 Nov 1841 Lincoln, NC; m. Elmyra R. Ramsauer 16
Mar 1840 Lincoln, NC
9) Sarah
"Sally" Summerow b. 12 Jan 1814 Lincoln, NC, d. 22 Oct 1841 Lincoln,
NC; never married
Michael's name has
been recorded many ways, as is evident census records in which he appears.
1790 Census Lincoln
County, NC
"Mich'l
Sumrow" 1 male over 16, 0 males under 16, 1 female over 16
No
Sumrow/Summerow/Summerour family have been found in the 1800 Census, in spite
of searching the census page by page for all of Lincoln County. It must have
been an enumerator oversight.
1810 Census Lincoln
County, NC
"Mich'l
Sumro" 2 m under 10 (b. 1800-1810), 3 m 10-15 (b. 1795-1800), 2 m 16-25
(b. 1785-1794), 1 m 45 and over, 1 f 10-15 (b. 1795-1800), 1 f 45 and over
1820 Census Lincoln
County, NC
"Michael
Sumrow"
2 m 10-16 (b.
1804-1810) David, Peter
1 m 16-26 (b.
1794-1804) Jacob [Andrew may already be deceased at this time]
1 m over 45 (b. bef.
1775)Michael Sr.
1 f 10-16 (b.
1804-1810) Sally
1 f 16-26 (b.
1794-1804) Elizabeth
[Katherine is
deceased]
1830 Census Lincoln
County, NC
"Michael
Summerow"
1 m 20-30 (b.
1800-1810)
1 m 70-80 (b.
1750-1760)
1 f 15-20 (b.
1810-1815)
1 f 20-30 (b.
1800-1810)
In the 1840 Census,
he is living with his son "Peter Summerow" in Upper Regiment,
Lincoln, NC. Listed as one male 80-90 years old.
 |
Testimony of Michael Summerow for Caspar Bolick's
Revolutionary War Pension Application |
Two of their
children, Michael Summerrow Jr. and John Henry Sumerow, followed in their
grandparents footsteps, migrating to the ends of civilization to continue
pioneering the west. Most of the children stayed near their parents. Katherine
died in 1820, leaving Michael a widower for nearly thirty years
before he joined her. When he grew feeble,
toward the end of his life, his son Peter moved in with him and took over the
labor on the farm.
The following is a
faithful transcription of the Will of Michael Summerour Sr. from 1831, as well
as the codicil of 1835.
------------------------------------------------------------
In the name of God,
amen.
I, Michael Summerour
Sr., of the county of Lincoln, and the State of North Carolina, knowing that it
is appointed for all men once to die. Being weak, and frail in body, but of a
sound and disposing mind, and memory, and wishing to dispose of the property
which it has pleased God to bless me with in this world.
In the first place,
I give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth Summerour $25 in cash, all the
cattle she owns, and a good cow out of my stock, two good beds, and furniture,
my house clock, my loom and tackle, a bureau which she claims, her side saddle,
a large wash kettle, a cook pot, dutch oven, frying pan and skillet, half my
dresser] furniture, and a spinning wheel and cards.
To my daughter Sally
Summerour, I give $25 in cash, a good cow and a heifer, a good bed and
furniture, a spinning wheel and cards, a cook pot, a dutch oven, frying pan and
skillet, and half the dresser furniture.
To my son, Peter
Summerour, I give $25 in cash, in place of a colt, which I gave the other boys
that did not learn trades.
To my son, Jacob
Summerour, I also give $25 in money, because I gave him no colt.
To my grandson,
Franklin Summerour, son of Andrew Summerour, deceased, I give $100 in cash,
which is to be placed in the hands of my son John Summerour, by my executor who
is to hold this saying as a guardian for my said grandson, and should it be
necessary, he is to appropriate so much thereof as will be sufficient to give
him a good common English education, and the balance (if there should be any
left) to be paid over to him when he arrives at the age of 21 years, but should
he die before he arrives at the age the money is to be refunded to my estate
and equally divided among my children. My said grandson, is to have no more of
my estate, because I have paid a debt of $161 for my son Andrew since his
decease, which he had contracted in his lifetime, for which I was his security.
I give my son Henry
Summerour, (who lives in Tennessee) a power of attorney to sell a tract of
land, about 276 acres, which lies in Sumner county Tennessee. He was to have
half the proceeds of the sale, as his legacy, but I understand that he has made
a very bad sale of it. He is to keep the whole of the proceeds of said sale of
land as his share of my estate, and he is to have [the word "no" is
probably missing] more out of my estate.
My son, Michael
Summerour, left a note with me for some better than $12 which I collected, my
executors are to pay him $14 in place thereof (if I do not pay him before I
die).
I have given my son,
David Summerour, a deed of conveyance for [blank] acres of land, a part of the
tract whereon I now live, he agreed to allow me at the rate of five dollars per
acre. He has advanced me one hundred dollars in cash. I was owing him some
small debts, and after settlements he still owes me about twenty-five dollars
which he agreed to pay me. The balance of the price of said tract of land which
is at the rate of three dollars & fifty cents per acre. He is to account
for at the division of my Estate among it and my children & should each
ones share of the general divide not amount to that much, he must pay up: such
a part as will make his hsare equal with the others. Should there be more than
that amount coming to each one, he is to have an equitable share.
The balance of my
property not heretofore disposed of, or bequeathed, is to be sold at publick
sale (both real & personal) on a reasonable credit, and after all my first
debts; funeral expences &c are paid: The balance then remaining of my
estate is to be equally divided among my children. John Summerour, Michael
Summerour, Jacob Summerour, David Summerour, Peter Summerour, Elizabeth
Summerour & Sally Summerour.
I hereby nominate
and appoint my son David Summerour & my friend John Coulter as my Executors
to execute this my last will & testament.
I do hereby revoke,
disannul & disallow all other or former wills by me made & constitute
& ordain this to be my last will & testament. Executed, signed &
sealed this 16th day of July 1831, in the presence of
David Carpenter
Jacob Summerow
Jurat
Michael Summerour
[Could be Summerow, it is difficult to read, because obscured by Seal ring.]
I, Michael Summerour
Sr. who executed the foregoing will, having made some alteration in my
property, since the execution of the same think proper to make some alteration
in the same, by annexing this codicil. To my daughter Elizabeth and my daughter
Sally, I have given the cattle that they were to have. To my son Peter, I have
willed $25 in cash. I have since given him my part of a threshing machine
(which was built in Co. Jonas Hediah [?] D. Carpenter and others), he is
therefore not to have the aforesaid $25.
The whole of my
estate, after the special bequests are made, is to be equally divided between
my sons, John, Jacob, David and Michael, and my two daughters, Elizabeth and
Sally. My son Peter, is not to have any of my estate, except such as
particularly devised to him. I do hereby constitute this codicil as a part of
the foregoing will and wish is to be considered as a part thereof, in witness
whereof I Michael Summerour Sr. have hereunto set my hands and affixed my seal
the 14
th day of December 1835, in
presence of John Hedick, Jurat and Catherine Coulter.
his
Michael Summerour
mark
[Note: The Will is
filed under the name Michael Summerow, though he signed it Summerour]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
 |
| Michael Summerour Will Page 1 |
 |
| Michael Summerour's Will Page 2 |
 |
| Michael Summerour's Will Page 3 |
 |
| Codicil to Michael Summerour's Will |
Michael's tombstone
has worn over the years, so that the dates can no longer be read. Most
researchers had given Michael's Will Codicil date as his date of death (1835).
However, an estate sale record shows that his estate was not probated until 1848.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Return of the
Sale of Property of Michael Summerow, Dec’d, David Summerow [son], Executor;
list of buyers: Elmira Summerow [widow of Peter Summerow, Michael’s son],
Solomon Finger [son of Susannah, his niece], David Summerow [son], John
Summerow [son], John Coulter, B. F. Summerow [Benjamin Franklin Summerow, son
of Michael's deceased son Andrew], Elizabeth Summerow [daughter], Jacob Killian, and Jacob Summerow
[son].
[Lincoln County,
North Carolina, probate records, 1831-1964; Inventories and accounts of estates
1831-1868 FHL US/CAN Film 422257]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
There are four pieces of evidence to show that this estate sale was for Michael Sr. and not
for his son (as had been falsely reported by early researchers). The first discovery was learning of the location of Michael Jr. at
the time of his father's death. Michael Jr. was still alive as late as 1880,
and was living in Arkansas in the 1840s. The second piece of evidence was
the1840 US Federal Census, that shows that Michael Sr. was living with his son
Peter Summerow. The third piece of evidence is the most decisive of all. It is
a note in the estate settlement records of 1848, which indicate that Michael
had extended credit to Daniel Ramasour on 12 January 1848. So, he was still
alive as of that date.
The final discovery was of Michael Summerow's obituary, published in the Lincoln Courier on January 20th, 1848. It reads as follows:
"Obituary.
Another Revolutionary gone! --Died, in Lincoln county, on the 11th instant, Michael Summerour, aged 91 years, 4 months and 19 days. he was born and raised in the State of Pennsylvania, but migrated to this State about the commencement of the Revolutionary war, in which he took an active part on the side of liberty. He has always been a Patriot, and a consistent friend of the rights of man. Peace to his ashes!"
Michael was buried
near his parents in Old White Church Cemetery, beside the church that he had
helped build and had attended throughout most of his life. His name can still
be read on the grave marker.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Survey for Old White
Church Cemetery lists:
Summerour, Henry No
Dates
Summerour, Elizabeth
63 years October 21, 1827
*Summerour, Michael
No Dates
Summerour, Catherine
51 years June 10, 1820
Summerour, Henry 70
years December 1, 1722
Summerour, Mary 72
years October 25, 1722
[Old White Church
Cemetery - Lincoln County, NC - Cemeteries Submitted to the USGenWeb Project by
W.D. Floyd (wdfloyd@rfci.net) Copyright, 1997 W.D. Floyd]
--------------------------------------------------------------
