Both Absalom and Cornelius were popular names with the Autreys. I am unwilling to assume, at this point, that the Absalom Autrey who was a Tory was the same Absalom who probably fathered the Cornelius Autrey who married Nancy Eaves. The Cornelius Autrey in Sampson County is almost certainly from a different line of Autreys. Census records suggest that "our" Cornelius Autrey was born 1775-1780, so was unlikely to have been enumerated as the head of a househole in 1790. The Cornelius Autry enumerated in Sampson County was above 16 and was probably married to the female enumerated with him. He was probably at least 30 in 1790 because Cornelius, Isham, John and Theophilus Autry were on the 1784 tax rolls of Sampson County. By 1784 all North Carolina men age 21 or older paid a head tax. So Cornelius was at least 21 in 1784. "Our" Cornelius Autrey was probably in his father Absalom's household when Absalom and his family were enumerated in Moore County, N.C., census in 1790. I have connected the Absalom Autrey who was in Moore County, N.C., in 1790 with the Absalom Autrey who was enumerated in Rutherford County, N.C,. in 1800 because I found a record of a deed wherein Absolom Autery of "Moor" County, N.C. purchased two tracts of land in Rutherford County from John Leatherman on 15 Dec. 1798. The land was described as 120 acres on Webbs Ceek and 100 acres, also on Webbs Creek. Absalom Autrey sold land on Webbs Creek, Rutherford County, to probable son Cornelius Autrey in 1805, which seems more than a coincidence to me. Incidentally, George Autrey - who I believe to have been Absalom's youngest son although many believe he was Cornelius's son - or someone in his household told the 1880 census enumerator that George's father was born in England and his mother was born in Germany. I think that is interesting, especially when another probable son of Absalom's - Alexander Autrey - came from French and German ancestry, according to his grandson, Benjamin Franklin Riley. In my view, those two bits of information do not conflict. French Protestants began fleeing to England and other countries to avoid persecution in the 16th Century. Some of these refugees and some of their descendants immigrated to the New World. So it is not unlikely that a man of French descent who was born in England ended up in North Carolina. So I also think we must consider the possibility that Absalom was the original immigrant of his line of descendants and was not the son of the Cornelius Autrey who can be found as early as 1754 in Edgecombe County, N.C. and probably died there about 1774. I have looked at many, many records and have only been able to identify two children for that Cornelius Autrey: Isom and Sarah, who married George Vickers. I would love to hear from anyone who has found solid evidence of any other children for him. Janey E. Joyce Andrea <autrey@serv.net> wrote: -----Original Message----- From: rdwoodlockatty@earthlink.net [mailto:rdwoodlockatty@earthlink.net] Sent: Monday, March 15, 2004 6:23 PM To: Autry-l-request@rootsweb.com Subject: Absalom Autrey Tory Please add me to the e-mail list. I am a descendant of Absalom Autrey through Charity Autrey and Thomas Jefferson Downing. Query: andrewbalfour.com has published excerpts from Col. David Fanning's Narrative under whom Absalom Autrey served. Absalom was with David Fanning and shot Colonel Andrew Balfour in NC on March 10, 1782 outside his home. The soldiers pursued Balfour into the house and shot him in front of his daughter and sister-in-law after which the women were attacked. At least one of the soldiers was later hanged. Fanning and some of his men escaped to SC. 1. After the war British troops were transported to E. Florida. The oft-quoted British War Office excerpt says "these men were determined to go to Florida". The Balfour site states: After the War, on May 17, 1782 the Act of pardon and Oblivion passed, exempting [Fanning] from pardon in NC. David and his wife were sent to Florida, awaiting deportation to Canada. Did Absalom determine to go to Florida or was it determined for him? Does anyone have the entire War Office Report or the 1782 Act? 2. Given Absalom's very active role in what was regarded as Col. Balfour's murder, was he indicted or refused pardon like Fanning? Was he ever pardoned? Was his land seized as indicated by Deed Abstracts of Tryon, Lincoln, & Rutherford Counties, N.C.: Tryon Co. estates: Book A1 P. 247? Did he work his way across to Georgia and then return to NC? 3. Absalom's son Cornelius is listed in the 1790 Census in Sampson Co NC with 1 woman but his marriage to Nancy Eaves took place about 10 years later. Could he have been living with his mother or a sister while his father was gone? Interestingly, an Autry/Balfour Descendant marriage took place in 1920 (check Balfour site). ==== AUTRY Mailing List ==== Have you visited the Autrey Heritage page? It's at http://www.autreyheritage.com/