John Ancrum (abt. 1724 - 1779)

Born about 1724 in Scotland

Descendants

Died 7 Sep 1779 at about age 55 in Wilmington, New Hanover, North Carolina, United States

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This profile is part of the Ancrum Name Study.

Biography

John Ancrum was of Scotch descent, but was said to have come to America from Hill-House near Frome, in County Somerset, England. On one of the roads leading into Edinburgh, Scotland, stand the ruins of an ancient castle called Ancrum, with a gate over which is the name Ancrum. In Buck’s General Armory (Edition 1844) under Ancrum is found: Hill-House, Frome County, Somerset. In the inventory of the estate of John Ancrum was noted among other items, 20 pieces of silver with a crest engraved thereon, of an anchor and the motto “Hold Fast.”

He came to America, settling near Wilmington on the Cape Fear River, he was considerably wealthy and was known in this country and England as a prosperous merchant. In the year 1768 in a letter to Henry E. McCulloh, London, the firm of Ancrum and Shaw is mentioned as a medium through which the business of the colony of North Carolina was transacted with the old country, and it must have been some time established then to have gained so high a reputation.

John Ancrum served in the Revolutionary War. Member and Chairman of the first Committee of Wilmington, NC and Judge of the Admiralty, Port Brunswick, NC.

John Ancrum’s residence in Wilmington stood on the West side of North Front Street on the property bounded by the two alleys where the present Masonic Temple now stands. His property ex¬ tended to the wharf and in back to Market Street. On the rear of this property his offices and warehouses were located. It was in this house on Front Street that his daughter Sarah Eliza Ancrum was born.

John Ancrum was a Justice of the last County Court held in New Hanover in the name of the King, held January 2, 1776.

He died on September 7, 1779 at Castle Hayne Plantation which he had rented following the sacking and destruction of his home at Old Town Plantation by the British. He was buried in St. James’ Churchyard just southwest of the South entrance to old St. James Church. The location is now under the sidewalk of Market Street between Third and nearer Fourth Street.

Husband of Mary (Hassell) Ancrum ~ married 1768

Their son, James Hassell Ancrum (m. Jane Washington)

Grandchildren are James A. Berry, Dr William Augustus Berry, and John Ancrum Winslow

Immigration

• U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s

Name: John Ancrum Arrival year: 1724-1779 Arrival Place: Wilmington, North Carolina Primary Immigrant: Ancrum, John Source Publication Code: 1639.20 Annotation: Date of emigration with intended destination, date and place of naturalization, or date and place of first mention of residence in the New World. Source Bibliography: DOBSON, DAVID. Directory of Scots in the Carolinas, 1680-1830. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1986. 322p. Household Members: Name Relation John Ancrum

Land Grant

• North Carolina, U.S., Land Grant Files, 1693-1960

Name: John Ancrum Issue Date: 10 Dec 1761 Residence Place: Anson, North Carolina, USA Certificate Number Range: 910-1778 Description: Anson 910-1778

• North Carolina, U.S., Land Grant Files, 1693-1960

Name: John Ancrum Issue Date: 23 Apr 1762 Residence Place: Anson, North Carolina, USA Certificate Number Range: 1779-2438 Description: Anson 1779-2438

• North Carolina, U.S., Land Grant Files, 1693-1960

Name: John Ancrum Issue Date: 19 Apr 1763 Residence Place: Mecklenburg, North Carolina, USA Certificate Number Range: 1-616 Description: Mecklenburg 1-616

Marriage

• South Carolina, U.S., Compiled Marriage Index, 1641-1965

Name: John Ancrum Spouse: Mary Hassell Marriage Date: 24 Oct 1768 Source: Marriage Notices In The South Carolina Gazette, et. al.

Census

• North Carolina, U.S., Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1790-1890

Name: John Ancrum State: NC County: Brunswick County Year: 1772 Database: NC Early Census Index

Will

• North Carolina, U.S., Will Abstracts, 1760-1800

Name: John Ancrum Probate Year: 1779 Estimated Death Year: Abt 1779 Inferred Place of Death: North Carolina, USA Full Abstract: 1779 ANCRUM, JOHN, Mary.

Sources

• Find A Grave: Memorial #70731623

• "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 04 March 2018, 21:39), entry for John Ancrum(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LCTK-BYM); contributed by various users.

• Information about the Ancrum-Rhett family tree was assembled in an article titled "The Descendents of Col. William Rhett, of South Carolina" which appeared in volume 4 (January 1903) of The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine at pages 36 to 74.

• https://www.geni.com/people/John-Ancrum/6000000052890889985

• https://archive.org/stream/mckoyfamilyofnor00mcko/mckoyfamilyofnor00mcko_djvu.txt