John Cantrell, Sr.

Male 1724 - 1803  (78 years)


Personal Information    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    Event Map    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name John Cantrell 
    Suffix Sr. 
    Birth 6 Oct 1724  New Castle County, Delaware Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2, 3
    • formerly New Castle Co., PA
    Gender Male 
    Baptism 25 Mar 1726  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location  [4
    Occupation Miller  [3
    Religion Baptist Preacher  [3
    Death 0Feb 1803  Spartanburg, South Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3, 4, 5
    Burial Buck Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, Chesnee, Spartanburg County, South Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Person ID I3945  The Hennessee Family
    Last Modified 7 Jul 2017 

    Father Joseph C. Cantrell,   b. 29 Dec 1695, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1738, Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 42 years) 
    Mother Catherine LNU,   b. 27 May 1697, Haverhill, Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 30 Aug 1755, Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 58 years) 
    Marriage 1718  New Castle County, Delaware Find all individuals with events at this location  [6, 7
    Family ID F1566  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 Hannah Jane Brittain,   b. 16 Sep 1724, New Castle County, Delaware Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1769, Reidsville, Rockingham County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 44 years) 
    Marriage 1743  New Castle County, Delaware Find all individuals with events at this location  [4, 8, 9
    Residence (Family) 1753  Orange County, North Carolina, a British Colony in America Find all individuals with events at this location  [10
    Children 
     1. Abraham Cantrell,   b. 1744, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1826, Keltonburg, DeKalb County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 82 years)
     2. Jacob Cantrell,   b. 0___ 1744, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 0___ 1790, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 46 years)
     3. Reverend Isaac M. Cantrell,   b. 0___ 1745, New Castle County, Delaware Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 0___ 1804, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 59 years)
     4. Joseph Cantrell,   b. 1748, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location
     5. Stephen Cantrell,   b. 1749
     6. James Cantrell
     7. Susan Cantrell
     8. Charles Cantrell,   b. C. 1752   d. C. 1840, Sevier County, Arkansas Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 88 years)
     9. John "Miller John" Cantrell,   b. 1757, Orange County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 17 Oct 1825, Spartanburg County, South Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 68 years)
     10. Brittain Cantrell,   b. 0___ 1759
     11. Thomas J. Cantrell,   b. 26 Jan 1761, Caswell County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 26 Sep 1830, McMinn County, Tennessee Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 69 years)
     12. Aaron Cantrell
     13. Moses Cantrell,   b. South Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location
     14. Simon Cantrell
     15. Gabriel Cantrell
    Family ID F1567  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 30 Apr 2023 

    Family 2 Jane LNU  [11
    Marriage Y  [3, 12
    Children 
     1. Peter Cantrell
     2. Margaret Cantrell
     3. Daughter Cantrell
     4. Daughter Cantrell
    Family ID F1568  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 30 Apr 2023 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 6 Oct 1724 - New Castle County, Delaware Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBaptism - 25 Mar 1726 - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 1743 - New Castle County, Delaware Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 0Feb 1803 - Spartanburg, South Carolina Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - - Buck Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, Chesnee, Spartanburg County, South Carolina Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Notes 
    • Birth: Oct. 6, 1724
      New Castle County
      Delaware, USA
      Death: Feb., 1803
      South Carolina, USA

      Husband of Miss Brittian and Jane. 1st Spouse: Hannah Brittian (1725-1769)


      "John Cantrell, Sr., was a miller and Baptist Minister. He helped establish the Buck Creek Baptist Chruch in Buck Creek, Sportanburg Co., South Carolina. He served as Pastor from 1800 to 1803. John is burried in Cantrell Family Cemetery. John had a brother by the name of Isaac Cantrell who was also a Baptist preacher at Buck Creek Baptist Church. The Cantrell Cemetery is near the the Buck Creek Baptist Chruch: Information from: Earnest H. Cantrell, Route 1, Box 50, Beaverton, Al. 35544, (1989)'".

      JOHN3 CANTRELL (JOSEPH2 CANTRILL, RICHARD1) was born October 1724 in New Castle, DE, and died 1803 in Spartanburg Co, SC. He married (1) ?? BRITTAIN. He married (2) JANE.

      John was in Rockingham Co NC before the Revolution. He later moved to Spartanburg Co SC, where he owned over 800 acres on Buck Creek in the 96th District. One of the first members of the Buck Creek Baptist Church, son Isaac was a messenger there. Sons Abraham, Stephen and Moses administered his estate. His first 17 sons were by his first wife, four sons and two daughters by his second. There were supposedly a number of twins in the family, and for the sake of his first wife, let us fervently hope so.

      According to the Cantrell family file folder in the Georgia Archives, "Aaron, Simon and Peter were captured during the Revolution and were condemned to be shot. Tradition says Peter was shot, and Aaron & Peter [sic] escaped." The three were also supposedly scouts in Gen. Marion's army.

      Children of John Cantrell and ?? Brittain are:

      i. ABRAHAM4 CANTRELL, b. ca 1744, New Castle.
      ii. ISAAC CANTRELL, b. 1745, New Castle, DE; d. ca 1808, Spartanburg Co, SC.
      iii. JACOB CANTRELL, b. New Castle.
      iv. JOSEPH CANTRELL, b. New Castle.
      v. STEPHEN CANTRELL, b. ca 1749, New Castle.
      vi. JOHN CANTRELL, b. ca 1751, New Castle.
      vii. CHARLES CANTRELL, m. SARAH MURRAY, 1772, Greensboro, NC.
      viii. JOSHUA CANTRELL.
      ix. AARON CANTRELL.
      x. SIMON CANTRELL.
      xi. PETER CANTRELL.
      xii. THOMAS CANTRELL, b. 1761; d. 1830; m. ELIZABETH NORRIS.
      xiii. REUBEN CANTRELL.
      xiv. EDWARD CANTRELL.
      xv. BENJAMIN CANTRELL.
      xvi. BRITTAIN CANTRELL.
      xvii. JAMES CANTRELL.

      Children of John Cantrell and Jane are:

      xviii. WILLIAM4 CANTRELL.
      xix. MOSES CANTRELL.
      xx. DANIEL CANTRELL.
      xxi. GABRIEL CANTRELL.
      xxii. DAUGHTER CANTRELL.
      xxiii. DAUGHTER CANTRELL.
      *************************


      Incidentally, I'm told there is no name John Miller Cantrell. Rather, "Old" John Cantrell who m. Miss Brittain had a son who was known as "Miller" John Cantrell because he owned a mill in SC. That's the John who m. Elizabeth Cantrell. Since my husband apparently doesn't have that line, I'm not getting excited about it but it is a point of interest and clarification if true.

      The Cantrell name orginated in France, and was spelled CHANTELLE. The first Cantrell to be recorded in England was during the rain of King John 1199, AD. He was William Cantrell. The first Cantrell to be married in America was also a William Cantrell, the nineth in line fron the first William Cantrell. William Cantrell arrived on the Ship Phenix, at Jamestown, Vergnine 1608. This William Cantrell is known as the Progenitor of most of the Cantrell's in America.

      From the area of Philadelphia, Pa., the Cantrell's Migroated as "Mishionaries of the Mother Baptist Church" south to North and South Carolines. John Centrell Sr. after service in the Rev. War from N. C. settled in a place called Bucks Creek.

      The Bucks Creek Baptist Church is still standing. The Cantrell family Cemetery is a stort destance away. John Cantrell Sr. is beruied in this cemetery.

      John CANTRELL Sr. was a miller and Baptist Minester. He helped establish the Bucks Creek Baptist Church in Buck Creek, [Sportanburg Co.] S. C. Served as Pastor from 1800 to 1803. John is burried in Cantrell Family Cemetery. John had a brother by the name of Isaac Cantrell. Isaac also was pastor of the Bucks Creek Baptist Church. The Cantrell Cemetery is near the Bucks Creek Baptist Church.



      Notes from Carl D. Cantrell:

      He was married twice. He had seventeen sons by his first wife _______ Brittian and four sons and two daughters by his second wife Jane ______. We have heard from several that there were a number of twins in this large family. He died in 1803 and his sons Abraham, Stephen and Moses administered upon his estate.

      There are may traditions in the family regarding John Cantrell and his family and their moving to the Carolinas, but the exact date of his leaving New Castle county is not known. It is known, however, that he was living in Rockingham county, or what is now that county, North Carolina, before the Revolutionary War, and shortly after the war he moved to Ninety Six District, now Spartanburg county, SC, where he owned over eight hundred acres of land on Buck creek, waters of the Pacolet river. John Cantrell and his family were devoted and active members in the Buck creek Baptist church and some of his descendants still attend this old church. There is not reliable authority for a correct tabulation for any but the first three of the children of John Cantrell and we have endeavored to make the list correct from records, rather than from lists furnished from memory by his descendants. His father moved to the big valley of Virginia before John reached his teens. In 1738, his father was living in Orange county, Virginia. He spent all of his life as a farmer. We don't know what education he had but he probably received what ever was available to frontier lads. The family genealogist stated that he married two times and, from the ages of the children, this is probably true. She stated that his 1st wife was a Miss Brittain. She was probably a sister of Joseph Brittain, who lived near John in North Carolina and who is mentioned in the records of his brother, Joseph, in 1759, in Rowan county. The marriage was probably somewhere in the valley of Virginia. In the 18th century, families from Pennsylvania filtered down through the Great Valley of Virginia to the Piedmont Plateau of the Carolinas.

      The family had become associated with the Baptist Church and Isaac, John's brother, was ordained a minister. The family settled in the "Land of Eden," Granville county, North Carolina, which became Orange county in September, 1752. John is first located on a tax list submitted by the Sheriff in 1754. The list was for two white polls. His brother Isaac received a land grant for 202 acres of land in Orange county, November 13, 1756. He sold this land to John on March 13, 1759. The deed was witnessed by James Watson. The land was on a ridge between the waters of County Line Creek and Jordons Creek. The land was about seven miles north of the Upper Branch of the Haw River, on the waters of Wolf Island Creek which was a branch of the Dan River to the north. It is about two miles north of the present town of Reidsville, Rockingham county, North Carolina. After the tax list of 1754, the next time we find John is in the Minutes of the Orange County Records, when he is sued by James Cary Jr. on a debt in the December court of 1758. In the Court of September, 1759, he and his brother Joseph were on a road jury to lay out a road from Hogna's Creek to the county courthouse. He and William Savage were appointed Overseers of the road. In August, 1760, they were appointed to another road jury to lay out a road from Daniel McGullon's plantation to Taylors road leading to the court house. He was appointed overseer to the lower section. In August, 1763, Henry Cobb was appointed to replace John on the Lower town road, and in May, 1765, John Morrow was appointed Overseer in place of John on the other road. In May, 1766, John was appointed Overseer of a road in place of William Laughlin. On November 12, 1765, John sold his 202 acres of land to William Jones. No record of his having purchased other land are found in Orange county records. Guilford county, North Carolina, was formed in 1771 from the western part of Orange county. John and his family lived in the northern part of this new county, and this area became Rockingham county in 1785. But, by this time John and his family and many others in the area had moved south westward down the Piedmont Plateau to the 96th District of South Carolina. When this move was made has not been firmly established but it appears to have been shortly after the close of the Revolutionary War. His 1st wife died and he married Jane________.

      The 1st wife is probably buried at the Wolf Island Baptist Church Cemetery. The church was formed in 1777 by his brother, Isaac, on a part of his 770 acre farm. Isaac's 1st wife died in the area and she was probably buried on the ridge where the church was built. John's wife is probably buried at the same burial place. In the 1960s, the field markers were removed to facilitate mowing. It was estimated that there were probably one hundred unmarked graves in the cemetery. The family genealogist stated that he had seventeen sons by the 1st wife and four sons and two daughters by the 2nd wife. She admitted there was no reliable authority for a correct tabulation for the listed children of John except for the first three. She had heard the tradition of the Cantrell with twenty-one sons and though there was available evidence that Isaac was more likely to have had the twenty-one sons, she attributed them to John and preceded to compile a list of twenty-one. We now know that two of the listed sons were not Cantrells but Curtis. This was due to a misreading of the 1790 census. We know that at least three of the children listed were nephews, sons of brother Isaac. Two sons listed were never located on census reports or other records, but this does not mean that they did not exist, so we end up with a list of sixteen sons. Because two daughters of John were born during the years of the 1st marriage, we can assume there were at least four daughters.

      Soon after John arrived in the 96th District, later Spartanburg county, South Carolina, he acquired 800 acres of land on Buck Creek, waters of the Pacolet River. Later his brother Isaac and many of his sons and nephews also acquired land in the area.

      In 1790, John is listed as head of household in the census of the 96th District. He had one son under sixteen and two daughters at home. Many family names on this census were familiar names first located in the court records of Orange county, North Carolina. We have assumed that John and his brothers were the first to use the spelling of the family name as Cantrell, but now we find his father, Joseph used this spelling in 1758 in Virginia. The history of the South Carolina Baptist Church gives statistics for the Buck Creek Baptist Church for the period 1790-1800. This church claims to have been a constituted body since 1779. Situated near Pacolet River about twelve miles northeast of Spartanburg, it became a constituent of the Bethel Association in 1789. In 1790, the church had 78 members. When John's brother, Isaac moved south in 1795, he became the minister there from 1796 though 1798. John was a messenger to the Bethel Association from 1797 though 1799. In 1800, John is listed as the minister.

      The church building has been rebuilt several times in the past 200 years. At the present time, there is a new, large, red brick church building across the road from the old church location and the cemetery. It is located on a hill, about a quarter of a mile north of the mouth of Buck Creek, about 2 miles west of Mayo. Descendants of the family are still members of the church. John was not listed as the head of household in the 1800 census of South Carolina, but his was listed in the household of his son, Moses, age 36. The household listed a male and female over 45 years of age. We know that John owned three slaves and the listing for Moses had 3 slaves listed. John died February, 1803, and three sons, Abraham, Stephen, and Moses were appointed administrators of the estate. The probate was recorded in Deed book "L" page 193. His widow, Jane, received a dower settlement. In the last several years, a number of researchers have tried to locate this deed book without success. John is probably buried at the Buck Creek Baptist Church Cemetery. The center of the cemetery has at least one hundred graves marked by fieldstones with only graves since the 1850s containing information on the stones. Jane is not listed as head of household on the 1810 census. She was probably living in the household of a married daughter.


      Family links:
      Parents:
      Joseph Cantrell (1695 - 1755)
      Catherine Cantrell (1697 - 1755)

      Spouse:
      Hannah Brittain Cantrell (1724 - 1769)*

      Children:
      Abraham Cantrell (1744 - 1826)*
      Isaac Cantrell (1745 - 1804)*
      Joseph Cantrell (1748 - 1804)*
      John Cantrell (1757 - 1825)*
      Thomas Cantrell (1761 - 1830)*
      Thomas Cantrell (1761 - 1830)*

      Siblings:
      Hannah Cantrell (1720 - ____)*
      John Cantrell (1724 - 1803)
      Joseph Cantrell (1726 - 1804)*
      Zebulon Cantrell (1728 - 1765)*
      Isaac Cantrell (1729 - 1805)*

      *Calculated relationship

      Burial:
      Buck Creek Baptist Church Cemetery
      Chesnee
      Spartanburg County
      South Carolina, USA

      Created by: Imagraver
      Record added: May 19, 2013
      Find A Grave Memorial# 110842689 [3]

  • Sources 
    1. [S4335] Cantrell,Warren G.;Premier Conservator and source for "Cantrell" records.

    2. [S51819] http://www.geni.com/people/John-Miller-Cantrell-Sr/6000000005322129001.

    3. [S11248] "John Cantrell (1724-1803)", Biography & Cemetery Profile, https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=110842.

    4. [S44898] http://gen.reimert.org/database/b115.htm#P2525.

    5. [S4336] Cantrell,Warren G.;Premier Conservator and source for "Cantrell" records.

    6. [S20083] Stephen Cantrill, Ancestral File (TM) - ver 4.12 PEDIGREE CHART, by the, AFN: 3ZL6-6S (Reliability: 2).

    7. [S11249] "Catherine Cantrell (1697-1755)" Cemetery Profile, https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=85625453, retr.

    8. [S38534] Cantrell,Warren G.;Premier Conservator and source for "Cantrell" records.

    9. [S45285] http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/c/o/c/Pamela-S-Cochran/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-1214.html.

    10. [S11247] "Capt Abraham Cantrell (1744-1826), Biography & Cemetery Profile, https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln.

    11. [S38535] Cantrell,Warren G.;Premier Conservator and source for "Cantrell" records.

    12. [S4911] Warren G. Cantrell (1920-2004) | Premier Conservator and source for "Cantrell" records and history.