Written by J. E. Farthing

The Farthings originally came from England. My great, great grandfather was named William. His wife's name was Phoebe. Their son, my great grandfather was named Dudley. He married Annie Watkins of Wake County. He was a brick mason by trade.

Great grandfather Dudley's children were Phoebe, who married a Link; Mary, who never married; William, my grandfather, who married Polly Hallyburton who was a Baptist preacher sent out by the old missionary Society to preach in these mountains. He preached in Three Fork and Cove Creek churches, also in school houses and dwelling houses. He took a liking to this section, and after his father died, sold out in Wake County and moved here in the fall of 1826. He bought 488 acres of land of Benjamin Webb, paying him $2,000. for it. He only lived about a month after he came back. His four sons carried out his work.

Next, was John, my other grandfather, who married Lucy Goss. He moved here with his brother, William, and lived where Roby Vines now lives. His wife died in April, 1827, so he reutrned to his home below the mountains and married Polly Amos. He stayed there six years and then moved to Zionville. Afterwards, he moved to the farm on Beaver Dams where Edd Farthing now lives. He died in the year 1868.

Next, was my great Uncle Reuben, who married a Hangus. He dropped dead settin traps around the corn field. the Farthings around Durham and Raleigh are his descendants.

Last was Eliza, who never married.

Grandfather William's children were Dudley, who married Nancy Mast: Patsy who married Thomas Shearer and moved to Kansas; Nancy, who married Joseph Brown , and moved to Missouri; Reuben, a noted Baptist minister, who married Sally Brown and lived at Watuga Falls; John, (Jack) another Baptist minister, who married Keziah Farthing; Brown, who married Ann Kendle, and lived in Caldwell County; Thomas, who married Ermin Hallyburton and was killed by the bushwhackers at the home of J. E. Farthing; Annie, who married Young Farthing, and lived where J. E. Farthing now lives; Harriet, who married James Brown and lived in Johnson County, Tennessee; Mary, who married Hiram McBride and lived on Cove Creek; Abner, a Baptist minister, who married Narcissus Farthing and lived where Roby Vines now lives; Paul, who married Rachel Farthing and died a prisoner of wat at Camp Chase, Ohio, and last was Stephen, another minister, who married Margaret Adams.

Grandfather John's children were Young, my father, who married Annie Farthing; Dudley, who married Sarah Wilson and lived a Zionville; Sherman, who lived at Zionville; Nancy, who married a Ferrel and lived below the mountains, Rachel, who married Paul Farthing; Narcissus, who married Abner Farthing; Keziah, who married John (Jack) Farthing; Lucy,who never married; Ann, who married Caswell King, who died during the Civil War. Ann then moved to Watauga County.

Grandfather John's children by his second wife were Reuben, who married Ellen Wilson; Elijah, who married Amanda Oliver: and Sally, who married John Adams and lived on Cove Creek.

The children of Uncle Dudley, son of William Farthing, were: William, who never married, and died in Texas: susan who never married; James, who never married, and was killed during the Civil War; Mary, who married Newton Moore and lived in Caldwell County; Thomas, who died during the Civil War, unmarried; Young, who married Polly Farthing; Henry, who married Katherine Baker; Lewis, who married Nancy McBride; sally, who married Warren Greene; Wiley, who married Louisa Farthing,; and Emeline, who never married.

The children of Uncle Reuben, son of William Farthing, were Thomas, who married Celia Greene; William, who never married and was killed at Brandy Station during the Civil War; James, who married Loucretia Farthing; Whetfield, who married Nancy Farthing: Elmore, who married Mary Harmon: Mary and Jesse, who never married; and Watts, who married Addie Rivers.

The children of Uncle Brown, son of William Farthing, were David, who married Carrie Coffey; King, who married Callie Copening; Martha who married Dolphen Nelson; and Lizzie,who married George Clark.

The children of Uncle Tom, son of William Farthing, were Robert, who never married; Polly, who married Young Farthing; and Calvin, who married Keziah Farthing.

The children of Annie Farthing, (my mother and daughter of William Farthing) were Sherman, who married Lizzie Dougherty; Mary, who married James Walker; Reuben, who never married and died at Camp Chase, Ohio, a prisoner of war; Louisa,who married Wiley Farthing; Winfield,who married Jesse Gryder;and Elbert, who married Nettie Howell(evidently the one writing the history).

The children of Aunt Harriet Brown, daughter of William Farthing, were Hamilton, who never married and was killed by a tree; Nancy, who never married; Roby, who married Callie Wagner; Stephen, who married Addie Wagner; Mary, who married William shull; Eva, who never married; Martha, who married Norman Wills; Julian, who never married; and Dudley, who married Tennessee Williams.

The children of Aunt Mary McBride, daughter of William Farthing, were Hamilton, who never married and was killed by a tree; Nancy, who never married; Roby, who married Callie Wagner; Stephen , who married Addie Wagner; Mary, who married William shull; Eva, who never married.

The children of Uncle Abner Farthing, son of William Farthing, were Dudley, who never married: Rachel, who married Marshall Greer; John, who married Emma Garrison; Caroline, who married Calvin Greene; Harrison, a minister, who married Ada King first, and second, Caroline Dougherty; Keziah, who married Calvin Farthing, a minister; Lucy, who married Doone Glenn; Martha, who married Joseph Cook; Polly, who married Pinkney Edmiston; and Julia, who married Leonard Wilson.

The children of Uncle Stephen Farthing, son of William Farthing, were Mariah, who married Fimley Trivett; Annie, who married Alexander Hagaman; Betty, who married Solomon Green; Eliza, who married Monroe Greene, and Polly, who married Alfred Trivett. (Elbert, youngest son of Young and Annie Farthing, is evidently the J. E. Farthing who wrote this history.)

Some NC Farthing marriages:

Farthing, Mary H. m. McBride, Hiram 26, Nov 1844. Ashe, N.C

Farthing, Nancy B m. Ferrell, William Oct. 20, 1831 Wake, N.C.

Farthing, Paul m. Farthing, Rachel W. 13, Sep. 1848 Ashe, N.C.

Farthing, Phebe Ann m. King, Caswell 2 Dec. 1846 Wake, N.C.

Farthing, Stephen J. m Adams, Margaret 18 Feb. 1845 Ashe, N. C.

Farthing, Thos. H. m Burton, Ermin B. 9 Jan. 1841, Orange, N.C.

Farthing, William B. m Kindall, Ann 12 Oct. 1845 Ashe N.C.

Farthing, William Y. m Farthing, Ann W. 17 Oct. 1840 Ashe, N. C.