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Notes for Hannah Hadley

1751, North Carolina
Burial: 1783, Cane Creek, Snow Camp, NC (74yr 4mo); founding member of Cane Creek MM, North Carolina
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http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/jrichmon
Jerry Richmond

**Birth-right Quaker; Founder of Cane Creek Monthly Meeting, Orange County,NC

**Her manor house at Hillsborough,NC was confiscated and used as his Headquarters by General Lord Cornwallis

**She helped organize the Cane Creek Meeting House on her Plantation as a center of passive resistance to the Tories during the time of the Battle of Guilford Court House

**Her eldest son Simon DIXON died in the Revolution defending his mill in Orange County,NC against the Tories

**Founding Member of Cane Creek MM,NC; her Manor House at Hillsborough, Orange co,NC was confiscated by General Lord Cornwallis & used as his Headquarters during the Battle of Guilford Court House in the REVOLUTIONARY WAR; she was instrumental in organizing the Cane Creek Meeting House on her farm as a center to support the American Cause during the Revolution, thus offering passive resistance to the Tories
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Bobbie T. Teague, Cane Creek: Mother of Meetings, (1995; North Carolina Yearly Meeting of Friends), pp. 14-15:

"The immigration of the Dixon family followed a typical pattern. 'William Dixon or Dixson from Parish of Segoe, County Armagh (Ireland?) and other Friends settled on the west side of Brandywine Creek in Christiana Hundred, New Castle County, near the present village of Centerville and became founders of what later was known as Centre Meeting, New Castle County, Delaware.' A generation later they would move up the Brandywine to Kennett Square; from there, farther into Pennsylvania and finally southward to the Carolinas within a period of seventy-five years or three generations."
"Simon Dixon (Hannah's son with Thomas Dixon--RJS) was one of the first Quaker men to claim land along the Cane Creek. He came to the area, then, in Orange County, in 1749, and chose a spot on the north bank of the creek. There he built a simple cabin, cleared a plot of land for corn, and began plans for a homestead. He did not remain in Carolina at this time but, instead, returned to Pennsylvania. He was most likely traveling with a group of Quaker men. Usually, one man from each family, all of whom were probably neighbors or relatives or members of a certain meeting--ones with 'frontier fever'--went south together on horseback to stake out their claims, then returned north for their families."
"Dixon returned to Cane Creek in 1751, clearly intending to stay this time, for he brought his wife Elizabeth, his children, and his widowed mother (Hannah Hadley Dixon Stanfield--RJS) with him. He also brought provisions for his livelihood: a set of millstones to be used in the mill which he planned to build on Cane Creek. Eventually he would build for his family a stone house, but in the beginning a log cabin would have to suffice. It was not long until he had built a dam across the creek. Soon the mill was bult and the millstones installed. When other pieces of equipment were in place, Dixon's Mill was ready for business, and it would serve the community for approximately two centuries."

The date 1751 doesn't match other information on this family. Hannah' first husband, Thomas Dixon (father of Simon) died 1734 in Pennslyvania. Hannah married John Stanfield in August 13, 1742; he was granted land in Cane Creek in 1754 and died August 1755.
Bobbie T. Teague, Cane Creek: Mother of Meetings, (1995; North Carolina Yearly Meeting of Friends), pp. 55-70:

During the time before the Revolutionary War, the North Carolina colony's Governor Tryon placed an unbearable tax burden on the farmers of the Piedmont section in order to pay for the enormously expensive "palace" he was building for himself. There was also corruption involving the land deed transactions. Taxes and corruption reached exorbitant levels by 1766. One couple was charged 15 pounds (about $75) for a marriage license. If a farmer could not pay his excessive taxes, plows, cows, crops, household goods were confiscated. "It is said that on at least one occasion a farmer's wife had the dress taken from her back and sold to the highest bidder to pay the taxes on the farm." The tax collectors were usually accompanied by armed guards. The Regulator Movement was an effort by the tax-burdened farmers to "regulate the affairs of the Colony in accordance with reasonable justice and harmony." Most of the members of the Regulators were honest, honorable men hoping to correct these injustices through "true and proper regulation." Many members in the Cane Creek area were Quakers, including Herman Husband, one of the organizers, and Simon Dixon was also apparently involved. Governor Tryon called the Regulators "a faction of Baptists and Quakers trying to overcome the Church of England." Certainly the Quakers did not appreciate their taxes being used in support of the Church of England. The Regulators wrote tracts denouncing the corrupt land dealings and unfair taxes and many protest meetings were arranged. In 1768, Governor Tryon tried to placate the Regulators by giving his assurances that their grievances would receive just treatment, but the Regulators continued their activities.
"...The matters reached a climax when, on August 10, 1768, a report was made to the Governor that:
upward of 500 men had 'rendezvoused' at Simon Dixons within twenty miles of the Town, with a firm resolution of coming into town the next day and to do mischief, and as a testimony of their intentions, they gave notice to some families immediately to carry their wives and children out of the town (Regulator Papers, Colonial Records Vol. VII. Raleigh: North Carolina Department of Archives and History; p.127)"
"The mischief intended was to burn the town (Hillsborough) if their requests were not met. Fortunately, the insurgents were stopped when the leaders of the Regulators met with Tryon the next day. He assured them he would satisfy their demands....The differences between the two groups continued to intensify, finally culminating in the Battle of Alamance on May 16, 1771..." (p. 61)

The Battle of Alamance is considered by some to be the opening battle of the Revolution. It caused the people of the country to consider armed resistance and showed them how weak the British might be in supressing a full-scale revolution.

p. 62: "A week after the battle, on May 23, 1771, William Tryon ordered Captain Simon Bright 'to go to Dixon's Mill, take possession of the same, and make a report to me of the quantity therein, and load 4 waggons [sic] with flour or corn whichever can be had.' This order was apparently due to Tryon's belief that Simon Dixon supported the Regulators. Additionally, in a separate requisition the governor levied the Cane Creek settlement for forty-eight barrels of flour; making a note of the fact that sixty-three had been delivered. This would have amounted to about sixteen wagons of supplies for Tryon's army. However, it is not clear whether or not the entire amount was actually delivered. When Captain Bright and his men left Dixon's Mill with the four "waggons" of flour, the regulators intercepted them, but a short time later Tryon's men were able to recapture the supplies. Upon hearing about the adventure, Governor Tryon ordered his men to take three additional loads from Simon Dixon's Mill, 'the owner having favored and assisted the Rebels' (Regulator Papers)."
"The extent of the involvement with the Regulators by members of Cane Creek Meeting is not clear. No doubt there were some who supported and assisted the Regulators from the beginning. As early as 1766, seven members of the meeting had been disowned for attending a disorderly mass meeting. Could this have been a protest meeting of the Regulators? It seems possible, for Governor Tryon had just levied taxes for his new palace in New Bern at that time."
"The matter of the flour was not over. The ever prudent Quakers petitioned the General Assembly of North Carolina on November 7, 1772, for payment for the flour."
"From our monthly Meeting of the people called Quakers Held at Cain Creek in the County of Orange and Province of North Carolina the Seventh day of the Eleventh month 1772--
(p. 63)To Josiah Martin Esqr. Governor and Commander in Chief in and over said province--and to the Councell, Speaker, and members of the house of Assembly.
Do We as Humble dependents Earnestly Crave your Attention; and may these few lines seek Acceptance with You; that as we spread our Remonstrances before you; It may be your pleasure to have us redressed; for it is our Principle and known practice as a Society; to be subordinate and Peaceable under Government altho deviated from by some who make Profession as we do; for which the Severall Sheriffs can bear us record; that when their passing about in their respective Services was thought dangerous; that numbers of us Conveyed our money for our taxes; to the Severall Sheriffs Thereof; When come due and Payable, as being willing to exert our selves to the support of our Gracious King and Government; well knowing from whose clemency we as a people enjoy Great Priviledges--"
"Now the moving instance which we have to lay before you is that whereas Governor Tryon; requested us to furnish him with Six Waggon Load of Flower; to gether with Six Waggons and Teams; in the campaign against the Regulators; which request we complyed with in exspectation of being paid for the same; and whereas we understand; there hath been but a small part at the last sitting of Assembly; therefore we humbly intrest You; to take it into Consideration; and grant this our petition for it otherwise the Burten thereof is most likely to fall on few in the discharge and settlement thereof; which may prove the means of Rendering some of us incapable of the punctuall of our other respective debts, therefore we Earnestly crave; that you condesind to Administer to our Releof [relief] and we ask with Humble hearts; being in duty bound, we shall (p. 64) return due Acknowledgements.
Signed in and behalf of the said Meeting (Regulator Papers)."

"The petition was signed by Chris Huffey, Jeremiah Piggot, and twenty-two others. The quaint parlance of another era cannot hide the calculated purpose of the petition. First, they reminded the Governor and the Assembly of their patriotism and loyalty to the Crown; then they asked for redress, and finally, almost threatened not to continue to pay their taxes. Clever as it may have been, the gambit did not work, for no money was forthcoming from the Assembly."


pp. 66-69:
"Since the beginning of the war in 1776, most of the battles had been fought in the Northern Colonies. But by 1781, the war had reached the South. Lord Cornwallis, commander of the British forces in the South, had engaged General Nathaniel Greene at Guilford Court House. On the second day after the battle, Cornwallis began his march toward Wilmington. His planned campsites would be near grist mills along the route. His army was traveling without supply wagons and it would be necessary to forage off the countryside. His first encampment was at Bell's Mill in Randolph County. From there he intended to go to Ramsey's Mill, near Moncure in Chatham County. However, for some reason known only to Cornwallis, he did not take the most direct route to Ramsey's. He, instead, turned aside and stopped at Simon Dixon's Mill."
"The British made camp north of the mill in a grain field. Cornwallis chose for his headquarters Simon Dixon's stone house which stood quite nearby. The Dixon family was told to leave and not come back until the army had moved on."
"Simon Dixon had been warned of the approach of the British soldiers. He had chosen to leave the area and stay with a friend named Mebane near the Hawfields community. Simon was fearful that his reputed involvement with the Regulator movement might endanger his life at the hands of the British."
"The soldiers stacked their guns in two long rows between the mill and the Dixon house. The hillside was dotted with camp fires as the men rested. The smell of roasting meat filled the air. According to private records, the soldiers killed 250 sheep, fifty cows, and scoured the neighborhood for bee hives until they had about eighty. The cattle were butchered near the meetinghouse. The benches, which were single board seats with no backs, were carried into the yard and used as 'butcher tables.' The benches continued to be used in the meetinghouse, still bearing axe marks and blood stains until a fire in 1879 destroyed them."
"Cornwallis spent most of his time resting in a large armchair by the fire inside the house. Perhaps he was reliving the battle, which to his military mind had been a loss. Perhaps he was planning strategy as he contemplated the fire. Some of the soldiers tried to use the mill but found the grinding stones had been jammed together. Simon Dixon had thwarted the Tories' attempts to use his mill and to find his gold. After a week of rest, the army left the community and continued on its way to Wilmington."
"The Dixon family returned to their home shortly after the departure of their 'guests.' In a few days, Simon was taken ill with some kind of camp fever and died. Local tradition suggests that Simon Dixon was tortured by Cornwallis and his men. While this cannot be fully substantiated, it is true that Dixon died shortly thereafter."

{Hannah apparently was living with her son, Simon Dixon, after John Stanfield's death? She died in 1783.}
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Terry McLean, Hadley Society Website, http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~hadleysociety/
Letter written by Hannah from North Carolina:
"Respected Mother -
This comes to let thee know that I and my family is in good health at present, hoping that these few lines will find thee and thine in the same, and I have great cause to be thankful to the Divine Being for it.

I received thy letter dated the 31st of 5th month 1756, and was glad to hear of thy welfare and a true account of my respected father's sudden death.

Thy brother Richard Beson was here at my house a few days ago. He told me that his wife and family was well and all of our friends here is reasonably well as far as I know, so not having much to add, I shall conclude with my love to thee and thine and remain thy loving daughter, ye 24th of ye 7th month, 1756.
Hannah Stanfield"
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