Cornelius Forehand is probably the most discussed “Forehand” among genealogy students and is generally regarded as the “father” of most American Forehand families.  Though there are certainly other Forehand families from other “lines” present in at least Pennsylvania and the northeast, it appears a large portion of current Forehand families can trace their roots back to Cornelius and the northeastern corner of North Carolina.

Though we certainly know where Cornelius lived the last thirty or so years of his life, the history concerning the early part of his life is less certain.  It is generally accepted that Cornelius Forehand was born in Ireland around 1680.  Much effort has been made to determine which part of Ireland he originated without successful results.  In fact, the assumption Cornelius was originally from Ireland rather than being born in America is based on the scribbled phrase, “Irishman”, next to his name on a 1719 Pasquotank County, North Carolina tithable list.

I personally have two directions of thought regarding the origin of Cornelius Forehand.  Obviously, Cornelius could have certainly migrated from Ireland to America in the late 17^th century.  However, the presence of a Thomas Forehand in Virginia during the late 17^th century is quite interesting.  Is it possible Cornelius was born in America and stated he was an “Irishman” during the 1719 tithables listing as a display of pride in his Irish heritage?  We will probably never know unless a definitive passenger list is produced showing Cornelius as a passenger.

If Cornelius migrated directly from Ireland, he was probably born circa 1680 in Ireland likely in either County Corke or County Kerry.  My personal research has been unable to locate a probable location though I have located “Cornelius Forehand and his son” as a blacksmith in Bandon Bridge (figure CF1-1) in County Corke around 1750.  Other early and mid-eighteenth century Irish documents prove Cornelius as a popular name.  Irish life during the end of the 17^th century was extremely difficult and our best determination is Cornelius (or his family) left Ireland directly or through an English port en-route to America around the beginning of the 18^th century.

The voyage to the “new world” was extremely difficult and often fatal.  However, the lure of freedom and better financial prospects was great and was thankfully great enough to eclipse the risk.  Sometime during the late 17^th century or the beginning of the 18^th century, Cornelius Forehand or his family stepped onto the shores of America.  An unproven family tale tells of three brothers or cousins (including Cornelius) arrived in America near the North Carolina-Virginia border from Ireland circa 1700.  While interesting and again unproved, it does give a possible clue regarding the original ancestors.  Was it Cornelius or his father?  Again, we will probably never know.  If I had to speculate, I would suggest Cornelius or his father arrived via the James River in Virginia.

We do know Cornelius Forehand was present on the northeast side of the head of the Pasquotank River in northern Pasquotank County, North Carolina.  It is this area that would eventually become modern Camden County in 1777. Sometime before 1710, Cornelius Forehand married a woman named Elizabeth and at this point,  we are not sure of her maiden name. There is some speculation Elizabeth could have been the daughter or relative of Daniel Richardson (b. circa 1680 d. 1723).  However, this is purely speculation. Between approximately 1705 and 1727, Cornelius and Elizabeth had seven children.  The children were John, Cornelius, James, Thomas, Richard, Mary, and Elizabeth.

As previously mentioned, Cornelius and Elizabeth Forehand’s ultimate location was on a large farm located on the “northeast side” of the “head of the Pasquotank River”.  While the location was originally located in upper Pasquotank County, North Carolina, the modern location places the farm near modern-day South Mills, North Carolina in Camden County (Camden County was formed out of Pasquotank County in 1777).  The land in this location is fertile with access to a fresh water source, Joy’s Forke (currently distorted and called Joyce Creek).

Joyce Creek (figure CF1-2), originally known as Joy’s Forks and then Joy’s Creek (named after William Joy), is located near modern South Mills, North Carolina.  In 1716, William Joy (ca 1670 – 1725), received grants aggregating upwards of a thousand acres lying within a fork between a creek and the upper reaches of the Pasquotank River.  It is this creek that became known as Joy’s Forke or Joy’s Creek.  In 1717, William Joy became blind and petitioned the court to exempt him from taxation because of this infirmity.

Before becoming blind in 1717, William Joy began to dispose of his properties.  Two of his transactions were to Cornelius Forehand and James Jones. At this time, Cornelius Forehand purchased about 200 acres from William Joy between 1714 and 1718. The photograph in figure CF1-2 was taken near the generally accepted location of Cornelius Forehand’s land purchase from William Joy and eventual location of Cornelius Forehand’s farm.  The property is located across the land and building of McBride Methodist Church, an ancient landmark itself previously known as the Forke Chappel, in South Mills, North Carolina.

On April 19, 1714, the first of Cornelius’ land purchases takes place. Cornelius purchased 100 acres from William Joy for six pounds.  The parcel of land was part of a larger tract of land on which William Joy’s plantation was located.  The 100 acre parcel of land was located to the ‘eastward’ of William Joy’s plantation.  The transaction was witnessed by William Norris and Jeremiah Everton and approved in court on May 6, 1714.

During 1715, a tithable listing was taken for the Pasquotank Precinct of then Albemarle County.  On the tithable list, Cornelius Forehand is listed as living next to William Joy and Gabriel Burnham.   This is very interesting as both William Joy and Gabriel Burnham lived inside the “Forkes”.  Therefore, Cornelius Forehand must have resided physically close to their locations.

It is here that I must pause to mention a little about Jeremiah Everton and family.   It is obvious with his witness of Cornelius’ land purchase and the later marriage of Jeremiah’s daughter, Sarah, to one of Cornelius’ sons that Jeremiah was a friend of Cornelius.  Though we know very little of Jeremiah, we do know he married a woman named Hannah Irish (??) on March 21, 1701/2 in All Hallows Parish, Anne Arundel County, Maryland Anne Arundel County was founded during the winter of 1650 and is located just south of Baltimore and contains the city of Annapolis and bordering the colonial travel way, the Chesapeake Bay.   The Parish of All Hallows was Anglican as were Jeremiah and Hannah.

The fact friends of Cornelius were located in Maryland and traveled southward to North Carolina could offer a clue.  Did Cornelius travel with the Everton’s from a northern location such as Maryland or Virginia to North Carolina?  As with much of the information surrounding Cornelius, we may never know.  However, this factual information in conjunction with information surrounding early Forehands in northern Virginia do give us very interesting pieces of a much larger “puzzle”.

On October 21, 1718, Cornelius Forehand purchased an additional 100 acre tract of land from William Joy for six pounds.  This particular tract of land was part of a larger tract of land granted to William Joy on October 16, 1716.  The boundaries of the tract of land began at a “maple”, was marked by several other trees, and then returned to the “maple”.  The transaction gave Cornelius exclusive rights to all “houses, orchards, gardens, pastures, fence timbers, trees lying standing or growing thereon”.  The transaction was witnessed by William Norris and registered in court on October 21, 1718.

I must pause here to add my comments.  After examining the 1733 Mosley Map of North Carolina and William Joy’s original land patent, I do not believe the previously believed location of the Cornelius Forehand farm is accurate.  As mentioned in the next paragraph, the Cornelius Forehand farm was located to the east of William Joy’s plantation.  We know that William Joy spent his last days on his plantation in the “Forke”. In 1716, William Joy received grants aggregating upwards of a thousand acres lying within a fork between a creek and the upper reaches of the Pasquotank River.  The piece of property claimed to be that of Cornelius Forehand’s lies outside these boundaries.   Before 1716, William Joy purchased a tract of land consisting of three hundred and sixty four acres which he named “The Poplar Tables”.  He soon sold this land to Joseph Monck.

On October 26, 1719, a list of tithables (figure CF1-2) for the “northeast side of the head of the Pasquotank River” was taken.  Among the list of residences of what is now modern day South Mills in Camden County, North Carolina are such names as Gabriel Burnham, John Jones, William Joye, William Linton, John Hobbs, and John Kite.  It is interesting to note the list explicitly states William Joy is now blind, one of the three John Jones’ is a carpenter, one of the three John Jones’ owned numerous slaves, and Gabriel Burnham owned a slave named “Flora”.  Among this list is the name Cornelius Forehand with the word “Irishman” listed beside him.  Cornelius was listed with one tithable (being himself) in 1719 meaning his children were two young to be listed.  It is also interesting to note he lived in close vicinity with John Jones (3 of them), Gabriel Burnham, and John Hobbs. The assumption Cornelius Forehand was from Ireland is based nearly entirely on the word “irish man” next to his name on this list.

In 1723, Cornelius Forehand was listed a grand juror number twenty on a 1723 list of Jurymen in Pasquotank County.  The list of jurors place them on the northeast side of the Pasquotank thus making them residents of modern-day Camden County, North Carolina.  In comparison, a 1727 grand juror list for the same area does not list Cornelius Forehand though his son, John Forehand, is listed.  In addition, a curious “Charles Forelan” is mentioned during the same jury list for Chowan County.  Could this actually be a Charles Forehand?  Before I can make a judgement, I would like to see the original document.

Using lands deeds, pervious Forehand researchers traced the location of Cornelius’ original farm. The location of Cornelius Forehand’s farm (figure CF1-4) resides across from McBride’s Church in South Mills, North Carolina. It is apparent Cornelius Forehand did build a dwelling place on the land he purchased from William Joy as mentioned in his will.  There are some that believe a small wood frame home currently located on this property could be that of Cornelius. Jody Forehand of Virginia provided the following information:

“This house as much as can be ascertained is the original structure that Cornelius Forehand lived in.  Portions of it surely date back to the early 1700s.  Photographs have been taken inside the attic that are of very early architecture; i.e. crude brick structure of chimney, pegs used in flooring, small tree trunks for roof supports.  The house is still being used as a residence today (1986) and is presently owned by McPherson.  Its location is on State Road #1237 in Camden County, near South Mills, NC.”

However, while the structure (figure CF1-5) may be early architecture and is located on land once owned by Cornelius Forehand, it is doubtful this structure dates from the early 18^th century as it would be highly unusual for such a wooden structure to survive.  The photo above in figure CF1-4 shows the structure as it appeared in 1986 while the photos below in figure CF1-5 shows the current state of the dwelling in 2003 along with a photo of the ‘tree trunk’ roof supports.

In late 2005, the supposed “Forehand house” underwent some renovation.  This renovation gave me the opportunity to view the construction of the house.  Indeed, the house is of early construction built with crude timber and held together by wooden pegs rather than nails.

On February 24, 1728, Cornelius apparently fell ill and wrote his last will and testament. The will was written on February 24, 1727-8 and probated on July 26, 1728.  The will explicitly lists each child and his wife Elizabeth.&nbs
p; Though the copy of the will (now residing in the State Archives of North Carolina) is in very poor condition, it was accurately transcribed with some original spellings by W.W. ‘Billy’ Forehand below:

Sometime around July 26, 1728, Cornelius Forehand passed away.  At this point, his illness is not known.  We do know he was buried somewhere on his land and was survived by his wife, Elizabeth, and their seven children. It is also apparent none of his daughters were married at this time since they all still had the last name of Forehand.  Though we an not be sure, we can also assume Cornelius did not have any grandchildren at this time as he would have most certainly referenced them in his will.

Did Cornelius migrate directly from Ireland or was he born in America?  Answer to these questions and other areas of this moderately wealthy sharecropper remain unknown.  However, it is Cornelius and his children that are credited with “fathering” much of the American line of modern Forehands.