Newberry County, S.C., 1760 Llewellin and Hughes killed by Cherokees

Billie Harris - Aug 27, 2008

Anyone know who this Lewellin was?   Newberry County was created 1785 from District 96.   It isn't too far from Spartanburg which was also created 1785 from District 96.


History of Newberry County, SC, chapter 2, The Cherokee Wars, p. 23, there is the following paragraph:

"In present Newberry County, Llewellin and Hughes were killed and scalped in October 1760 near Pennington's Fort on Enoree. On March 16, 1761, eight Bush River setters who ventured out of Brooks' Fort were attacked by 27 Cherokees, who killed and scalped Cadwallader Eaton and took Edward Box prisoner."

Here's a little that I found on the Pennington who had the Fort:

[NOTE: broken link]

Jacob Pennington
Son of Abraham

There are numerous Jacob Penningtons in Group 8, the earliest of which is the Jacob listed as a son in the will of Abraham Pennington, written 1755 in Berkeley County, South Carolina. Jacob, son of Abraham, was probably born in northern Virginia, Maryland, or southern Pennsylvania around 1716. In the 1740s, Jacob was living in Frederick County, Virginia, but by 1748 he had purchased land in South Carolina.

Jacob wrote his will in Berkeley County, SC in 1762, mentioning daughters Mary (Noble), Sarah (Bright), Abigail (Casey-note: in the will, it is spelled "Cassey", not "Cafey" as is given in many published transcriptions), Charity, Elizabeth, Delilah, brother Abraham, wife Mary.   No sons are mentioned.   Executors were his wife Mary and son-in-law James Bright.   The will states that Jacob is healthy, and that his wife is bearing a child.   Further, the will dictates that a parcel of land be set aside for sale upon the death or remarriage of his widow Mary, with proceeds of the sale to go to the unborn child.   Jacob's will was proved around 1774 and records surrounding the estate settlement show that Jacob had not one, but three more children: Naomi, Jacob, and Ruth.

Based on one of Jacob's deeds in Frederick County, Virginia, it is believed that Jacob's first wife was named Charity, last name unknown. His second wife was Mary-daughter of John Cannon, progenitor of the Newberry District (SC) Cannons. Following Jacob's death, Mary remarried Abraham (or Abram) Gray of the Laurens District.   Based on records surrounding Mary and Abraham Gray, it appears that there may have been a fourth child born to Jacob and Mary between 1762 and 1774.   This would be a John Pennington, who migrated to Caldwell County, Kentucky before 1810.

Jacob is of some historical note in South Carolina by virtue of having constructed a fort ("Pennington's Fort") which provided a refuge for beleaguered settlers during the Cherokee Wars of the 1760's. He has numerous descendants, many of whom descend from his daughters who married into the Casey, Powers and other lines.

Among the other Jacob Pennington's was the Jacob who brought his family to Lawrence County, TN around 1816 ("Jacob-TN", click here for more on Jacob-TN).   Many researchers believe that Jacob-TN is the same Jacob who born to Jacob and Mary Cannon Pennington between 1762 and 1774.   Finding proof for this connection is the goal of several researchers including myself.

More information is presented in the timeline/summary below.