OUR
STORY
A
Short History of the FURR Family in
Written
and Compiled by:
Robert Carol Furr, Jr.
Edited by:
Betty S. Furr
Based on Research by:
Rev. William T. Albright
Jackie Furr
Robert Carol Furr
Martha R. Furr
Revised by:
William Frazier Furr
NOTE:
This paper was originally written in 1976 and revised in 1994 &
2019. Since that time new
information about Heinrich and Rosina Furrer and the early North Carolina Furrs
has been discovered which contradicts and clarifies the information in this
paper. The three most significant
are there were two different Heinrich Furrers who may be our ancestor, the
Purrysburg story is only one theory about how we got to
DEDICATION
OUR STORY is presented as a birthday gift to my father, Robert
Carol Furr, on the anniversary of his fifty-fifth year, our Nation's two
hundredth year, and our family's two hundred and thirty-third year in the new
world.
OUR STORY is based on documented facts. However, since it is
not intended to be a genealogical study, or a historical accounting, in some
instances I have relied upon my own conjecture to enhance the story line and
the reading enjoyment.
Robert Carol Furr, Jr.
July 26, 1976
Robert Carol Furr, Jr. is the son of Robert
Carol Furr, son of Beecham Zerobie Furr, son of Martin Luther Furr, son of Paul
P. Furr, son of Paul Furr, son of Paul Furr, son of Heinrich Furrer.
After thoroughly enjoying OUR STORY, I
decided to revise the manuscript in an attempt to retain the flavor of the
original but also to add new and, hopefully, interesting information. For
example, I added information related to Confederate Civil War Furrs. Any errors
resulting from these changes are solely my own.
If you enjoyed reading OUR STORY and
would like to correct or add to the information presented, please write me at
the address below. I have also captured most of the genealogical information I
have collected in a computer program called Family Origins by Parsons
Technology. This program supports the Genealogical Data Communication (GEDCOM)
file format. If you would like to share genealogical databases, please contact
me at the address below.
William Frazier Furr
75
February 8, 1994
Revised June 20, 2019
William Frazier Furr is the son of Marion
Hansell Furr, son of Esta "S" Furr, son of William Meek Furr, son of
Allison Furr, son of John Furr, son of Henry Furr, son of Heinrich Furrer.
OUR
NAME
"Furr" is the Anglicized version of
the Germanic name, "Furrer," which means a "leader" or a
"guide." The quotation in Rietstap's Armorial General describing
the Furrer coat of arms reads:
D'azur a une fleur-de-lis d'or, soutenue d'un terte de trois coupeaux de sin.
Which translates:
A blue shield with one gold fleur-de-lis rising from a green mound with three points.
It further states that above the shield and
helmet is a crest of one gold fleur-de-lis. There is no motto stated for this
coat of arms.
We are of Swiss origin, our ancestors having
lived in the area of
As later generations of Furrers learned to
speak and write English, the Anglo-Saxon spelling was accepted, and
"Furr" has stuck with us to this day.
OUR
SWISS IMMIGRANTS
The Swiss were adventuresome people and were
very interested in the New World, especially
In 1732, Jean Pierre Purry, who was said to
have been a Director-General of the French East India Company, sent several
hundred Swiss immigrants to settle about 28 miles north of
The colony was soon found to be in an
unhealthy area. The colonists died in epidemic proportions and were buried in
unmarked graves in a large graveyard near the settlement.
The surviving inhabitants began moving away,
leaving the colony completely abandoned, some half-century after it was
founded. There is no Purrysburg on the map today, however, about 30 miles north
of
In the 1730's and 1740's, there were so many
Swiss citizens becoming interested in the New World and leaving their native
country that in 1744 the Swiss government became alarmed and issued mandates
and decrees against immigration.
Further, they sent circular letters to the
local authorities of each district demanding the name, date of birth, and date
of departure of every man, woman, and child who left the country between 1734
and 1744 for the purpose of going to Carolina or Pennsylvania. The district
authorities obtained this information from the individual parish pastors, who
kept such records.
The original lists of Swiss immigrants in the
eighteenth century to the American colonies can still be found in the Library
of Congress in
OUR
ORIGIN
On July 6, 1727, in the Parish of Zell,
Canton of Zurich, Switzerland, a son was born to Leonhard Furrer and his wife
Babelj Zuppinger. They named him Heinrich, after his uncle who was Leonhard's
brother.
Heinrich was born and grew up in the very
midst of the great Swiss immigration to the
After much contemplation, Leonhard Furrer,
age 46, together with his wife, Babelj Zuppinger, age 46, and his two sons,
Heinrich, age 16, and Hans Rudolff, age 6, decided to leave the parish of Zell,
Canton of Zurich. On August 29, 1734, against all warnings of their friends and
parish pastor, and against all petitions of their government officials, they
sailed
In the spring of 1743, fearing that the
government would soon put an end to immigration altogether, Uncle Heinrich
decided to move his family to
Uncle Heinrich's oldest son, Hans, age 26,
who was in service with the Dutch army, chose to remain in Europe although his
father wrote to him from
OUR
LONG JOURNEY
After a tedious voyage of several weeks,
Leonhard realized that the glamorous legend of adventure in the
When they reached Purrysburg they found not a
"Promised Land," but a crowded settlement in the marshlands where
hot, humid summers brought droves of mosquitoes from the stagnant waters of the
surrounding swamps. But the immigrants clung together in Purrysburg because
they were all of one kind, Swiss, in an English New World.
As the celebrated dream of freedom and
prosperity dimmed in the colony, there was much talk about how their Swiss
brothers had fared in
Heinrich the son of Leonhard, having lost all
of his family to the "fever," set out on his own for
Heinrich longed for property of his own in
the woodlands of
When he reached Cold Water Creek in the
OUR
For the next three years, Heinrich planted
and tended the land on the Cold Water and Dutch Buffalo Creeks, about one mile
from what is now the town of
In 1762, the British sub-divided
When the British sub-divided
Arthur Dobbs, being a rather proper
Englishman, required over 1,000 words to complete the land grant for Heinrich
Furrer, who he referred to as "Henry Furr." The following are
excerpts from this lengthy document.
Arthur Dobbs (Gov.) to Henry Furr
Book 6 page 161
This indenture made twenty-fourth day of June in the second year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third by the grace of God King of Great Brittain &C and in the year of our Lord 1762 between his Excellency Arthur Dobbs, Esq. Captain General Governor and Commander in Chief in and over the Province of North Carolina of the one part and Henry Furr of the County of Anson in the Province aforesaid planter of the other part witnesseth that the SD Arthur Dobbs for and in consideration of the sum of thirty two pounds one shilling and four pence proclamation money to him in hand paid by the said Henry Furr at and before the ensealing and delivery hereof the receipt whereof he the said Arthur Dobbs doth hereby acknowledge both granted, bargained sold aliened, enfoeffed and confirmed and by these presents doth grant bargain sell alien enfoeff and confirm unto the said Henry Furr and his heirs and assigns a certain tract or parcel of land containing by survey three hundred and one acres and being in the SD County of Anson and beginning at a white oak on Dutch Buffalo Creek . . . .
In witness whereof the parties to these presents have hereunto interchangeably set their hands and affixed their seals the day and year first above written. Signed sealed and delivered in the presence of Martin Phifer, WM. Powell.
Received 24 June 1763 from the within named thirty two pounds one shilling and four pence proclamation money being the consideration money within mentioned.
Witness:
Martin Phifer
Arthur Dobbs
WM. Powell
So Heinrich was granted the full rights to,
and enjoyment of, the 301 acres of land on Dutch Buffalo Creek where he lived
in exchange for 32 pounds, one shilling, and four pence and an annual tax rate
of four shillings per hundred acres. (And 1/5 of any gold or silver and 1/10 of
any other minerals found on the land). His name was entered on the tax list. In
1767, Heinrich purchased an additional 186 acres adjoining the original tract.
He paid Arthur Dobbs in proclamation money, which was used in the colonies in
lieu of silver. On September 22, 1763, Heinrich became a naturalized American
citizen in
The Lord and the land were good to Heinrich.
Over the next seven years, he prospered on these excellent farming, hunting,
and fishing lands. He bought slaves from slavers in
Heinrich and Russena were religious people.
Heinrich received his religious training in his native
But nothing lasts forever, and all good
things soon come to an end. It came all too soon for Heinrich. In the late
summer of 1769, he fell ill. The "fever" sapped his strength and
vitality. He knew his time was at hand, and that he was to suffer the same fate
that took his father, mother, and brother only a score of years before. From
his sick bed, he summoned his wife, Russena, and his friends, Paul Barringer
and Valentine Weaver, to him. Paul Barringer brought his son-in-law, John
Phifer, who later became a signer of the Mecklenburg Declaration of
Independence and a Colonel in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary
War. With their help, he prepared the following will:
Will of Henry Forror (Furrer)
Book C, Page 57
In the Name of God amen. September twenty-seven one thousand seven hundred and sixty-nine. I, Henry Forror, being sick and weak in body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be given unto god therefore calling unto mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all people once to die do make and ordain this my last will and testament that is to say principally and first of all, I give and recommend my soul unto the hands of almighty God that gave it and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a decent Christian burial nothing doubting but at the general Resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God. And as touching such worldly estate wherewith it has pleased God bless me in this life I give devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form. First of all my debts to be paid.
Item. I give devise and bequeth unto my eldest and loveing son John Forror the land together with the improvements whereon I now live only that I first order the plantation to be valued by three freeholders and the valuation to be devided eaqually among each and every of my childering and after he the said John Forror have his share of the valuation allowed to him he is to pay to the rest of my childering their shares of the valuation as they come of ages.
Item. I give devise and bequeth unto my second and loveing son Paul Forror . . . lying between my lands and Paul Berring . . . . I first order that the land be valued by three freeholders and the valuation to devided eaqually among each and every of my childering and after the said Paul Forror having his share of the valuation allowed to him he is to pay the rest of my childering their shares of the valuation as they come of ages.
Item. I give and bequeth unto my loveing wife the third part of my personal estate only that I order that all my goods and chattels be sold at public auction and eaqually devided among each and every of my childering after my wife has her third.
In testament where of I the testator Henry Forrer have hereunto set my hand and seal of and for my last will and testament and I do here by nominate and appoint my loveing wife Rossena Roffor and my trusty friend Valentine Weaver the sole executors of this my last will and testament the day and year above written.
Heinrich Furrer
Signed sealed and published by the testator as and for his last will and testament. In the presence of us who subscribed as witnesses
John Phifer
Paul Barringer
Valentine Weaver
Heinrich signed the will with his own hand in
Germanic script. John was 17 and Paul was 15 when the will was drafted and were
the only children to be considered "of age" at the time. Heinrich
needed to insure that his plantation would continue, that his survivors would
have a living, and that the land would remain in his family. So he willed the
original homestead and tract of land to his eldest son John. His additional
tract of land between his original homestead and Paul Barringer's land, he
willed to his second son Paul.
Being an extremely fair man, he made equal
provisions for all of his children. He charged John and Paul to pay an equal
valuation of the property that they received to each and every child as they
came of age. He willed no land to his wife. Instead, he directed that his
personal estate be sold at auction and 1/3 of the value be given to her, the
remaining 2/3 of the value to be divided equally among all nine of his
children. As the provisions of his will indicate, Heinrich Furrer was an
intelligent, fair-minded, yet pragmatic man.
On the back of this original will in John
Phifer's handwriting is a curious entry that appears to be an afterthought of
the will:
Be it known unto all men by these present that I Henry Forror of Mecklenburg County and Province of North Carolina having made this my last will and testament in writing bearing date the twenty second of September one thousand seven hundred and sixty nine I the said Henry Forror do by these presents contained in this codicil confirm and declare this my last will and testament and do give and bequeth unto my loveing wife Rossena Forror one Negro man named Peter and a Negro woman named Dina during all the time she does remain a widow or keep single and in case she should get married . . . by such sale is to be devided eaqually among all of my childering and she is likewise to have her third of the same and my will and meaning is that this codicil or schedule be part and parcel of my last will and testament and that all things therein contained and mentioned by faithfully performed in as full and ample a manner in every respect as if the same were so declared and set down in my said will in witness there of I the said Henry Forror have hereunto set my hand and seal the twenty sixth day of September one thousand seven hundred and sixty nine.
Heinrich Forror
Witness:
John Phifer
Paul Barringer
Valentine Weaver
Heinrich also signed this provision in his
own hand, again in Germanic script. A very short time later, Heinrich Furrer,
only 38 years of age, died having found the American dream, lost it, and found
it again. He was laid to rest in his own beloved ground on the north bank of
Dutch Buffalo Creek near the
Russena did indeed keep single for the
remainder of her days, living with her eldest son, John, in the original family
home when she died. She was buried at her husband's side, and her grave was
marked with a smaller granite stone, the writing on which has become
unintelligible.
In 1954, the descendants of Heinrich and
Russena Furrer erected a monument in their honor near their original graves.
OUR
FIRST FAMILY
The children of Heinrich and Russena
were the first family of Furrers born in
The Furrer family held to a tradition of
naming children not only after their fathers as we do, but after their uncles,
cousins, or even brothers as well. This, in combination with large families,
made it common for a Henry to have sons named Henry, Paul, and John, and a John
to have sons named John, Henry, and Paul, and a Paul to have sons named Paul,
John, and Henry.
In fact, all of the names of our first family
were used throughout the early generations of Furr's so repeatedly that in
order to avoid the obvious confusion, I have designated the "I" to
each of the children of Heinrich and Russena.
JOHN
I (1752 - 1827)
Came to
PAUL
I (1754 - 1837)
Also came to
LEONARD
I (1758 - 1835)
Was the first Furrer born in
HENRY
I (1762 - 1851)
Was born the same year his father received
the land grant from King George of
Henry I was an ardent patriot, and on May 1,
1779, joined the Continental Army, giving his age as 21 and his birth date as
1758. He was, of course, only 17 years old at the time. He enlisted in
Shortly after his discharge from the Army,
Henry I married Catherine Wiser in
Henry I was also a great civic leader and a
fluent speaker. At one Fourth of July celebration, he was called upon to give
an oration. His wife Catherine Wiser died after their children were grown. Not
one to live alone, Henry I married Catherine Goodman in September of 1826. He
was 64 years old at the time and she was 32. He was exactly twice her age;
however, he was still a vibrant man because the next year Catherine gave birth
to a daughter whom they named Elizabeth Caroline after his first daughter who
had died sometime before 1810. In 1834, they had another child, a son this time
whom they named Paul M. On November 19, 1832, at the age of 70, Henry I applied
for and received a pension for his service during the Revolutionary War. He
wrote his will on February 2, 1846 when he was 84 years old. He willed his
entire fortune of $200 to the heirs of his second son and namesake. His first
son, John, died in 1837. Henry I was the last surviving soldier of the
Revolutionary War living in
JACOB
I (1763 - 1794)
Was only six years old when his father died.
He grew up on the family plantation, married Catherine Mitchell, and had four
children: Mary, Elizabeth, Rosina, and Henry. However, he did not enjoy the
longevity that some of his brothers did. He died at the age of 31. The court
ordered that his orphan, Henry, be hired to his uncle, Henry I, until reaching
the age of 21.
MARY
I (1764 - 1800)
Was five years old at the time of her
father's death. She married Martin Rindleman in 1783 and had two children: John
and Henry. She died at the age of 36. Martin then married Experience Harris and
moved to
CATHERINE
I (1765 - 1797)
Was four years old when her father died. She
married John Aaronhart and bore him six sons: Paul, Solomon, John, George,
Peter, and James. John Aaronhart died in 1795. Catherine died two years later
at the age of 32. Henry I became guardian of their first two sons, Paul and
Solomon, in August of 1796. Tobias I became guardian of the other four sons in
August of 1797, and Adam I became the administrator of the estate in 1798. In
1797, Tobias I died and Henry I became guardian of George and Moses Brown
became guardian of John, Peter, and James.
TOBIAS
I (1766 - 1797)
Was three years old at the time of his
father's death. He lived and died in
ADAM
I (1767 - ?)
Was an infant when his father died. He was
the last of the nine children of Heinrich and Russena Furrer. The only thing
that is known about him is that he became administrator of his deceased sister
Catherine's estate in 1798. There is no record of his marriage, children, or
death. It is speculated that he was unmarried and died at an early age as did
four of his brothers and sisters.
OUR
PREDECESSORS
The children, grandchildren, and great
grandchildren of the first family continue OUR STORY. This chapter is a
synopsis of only a few of our more interesting predecessors who were born prior
to the Twentieth Century.
DESCENDANTS
OF JOHN I
The descendants of John I were mostly farmers
by trade and Baptists by faith. They practically settled
SONS OF JOHN I
HENRY FURR (1777 - 1846)
First of two sons born to John I and his
first wife (name unknown). He married Rhoda Stallings in 1802. They had seven
children. They were buried in the Furr family graveyard near the Teeter Farm.
Their tombstones are slabs of slate rock, which abound in the vicinity. On
Rhoda Furr's stone is carved, "I don this in memory of mother. P.S.
Furr."
JOHN FURR (1779 - 1847)
Second of two sons born to John I and his
first wife. He married Rhoda Stallings' sister Abigail in 1800. They had also
had seven children. Three of his children married Eudys. John and Abigail were
buried in the old Furr graveyard that is on a farm once owned by Maryland C.
Furr near
GRANDSONS OF JOHN I
ESQUIRE JOHN FURR (1807 - 1888)
Son of John, was a prominent civic leader and
Justice of the Peace. He was instrumental in having
PAUL "S" FURR (1809 - 1864)
Son of Henry, operated a huge farm one mile
from
DR. SOLOMON FURR (1822 - 1895)
Son of Henry, was a noted medical doctor in
the
GREAT GRANDSONS OF JOHN I
WILLIAM EBAN (JOSH) FURR (1832 - 1916)
Son of Esquire John, he was a most prolific
individual siring 20 children, 10 by each of two wives. He married his second
cousin Malinda Furr, daughter of Paul "S" Furr. After she died, he
married Elizabeth Dunn. He enlisted as a Private in Company F, 5th North
Carolina Infantry on August 8, 1862. He was wounded in the head and knee at the
Battle of Chancellorsville in May 1863 and returned to his Company on November
19, 1863. He was wounded again this time in the arm at the
Son of Paul "S," married Margaret
Scott and had five children. He enlisted on September 3, 1862 as a Private in
Company C, 23rd North Carolina Infantry. He died in Hanover Junction, Virginia,
on January 31, 1863, of pneumonia.
FARRENTON FURR (1835 - 1916)
Son of Paul "S," was a farmer
before the Civil War. He enlisted on September 7, 1861 as a Private in Company
K, 28th North Carolina Infantry. He was wounded in the side and right arm at
CRITTENTON FURR (1839 - 1923)
Son of Paul "S," married his second
cousin Sarah Furr, daughter of Esquire John Furr. After her death, he married
her sister, Beneeta Furr, in 1861. He had 12 children. On September 7, 1861, he
enlisted as a Private in Company K, 28th North Carolina Infantry. He was
wounded during the Seven Days' Battles in 1862 and was promoted to Sergeant in
early 1863. He was captured at Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia, on May 12,
1864. He was confined at
AARON FURR (1846 - 1920)
Son of Paul "S," was a teacher who
received his education by walking four miles to school each day until he was 18
years old. He enlisted a Private in Company K, 28th North Carolina Infantry at
Liberty Mills, Virginia, on February 10, 1864. He did not support the cause of
slavery. On May 12, 1864, he was wounded during the Battle of Spotsylvania
Courthouse. Gangrene developed in his thigh wound, and he was sent home to
recuperate. He returned to the war on September 12, 1864, and was captured at
DESCENDANTS
OF PAUL I
Descendants of Paul I were farmers and active
business-minded people. They carried on the Lutheran tradition. They also
tended to have large families and lived long lives. The descendants of Paul I
intermarried with the Dry, Widenhouse, and Efird families; later on with the
Teeter family whose land was near their farm. The earlier descendants are
buried in a one acre plot bounded by a stone wall less than a mile from
Heinrich and Russena Furrer's graves on Dutch Buffalo Creek.
SONS OF PAUL I
PAUL FURR II (1775 - ?)
Operated a large plantation near Locust,
DANIEL FURR (1795 - 1876)
Had a farm near
GRANDSONS OF PAUL I
W. MATHIAS (TISE) FURR (1804 - 1860)
Son of Paul II, owned a large plantation and
many slaves. He was a very wealthy man. He purchased for three guns one slave
named Patsy, who was caught in
PAUL P. FURR (1814 - 1876)
Son of Paul II, owned a large plantation. He
was called "Cabbagehead Paul," because he had white hair, even in
childhood. He married Eve Efird who was a triplet (one was named Adam, one was
named Eve, and the other died in infancy). They had ten children. He died at
the age of 62 and was buried at St. Martin's
ALLEN FURR (1820 - 1872)
Son of Paul II, possessed great physical
strength. Reportedly, he could lift a 50 gallon keg of liquor with his bare
hands and drink from the spout. He married Eva Fink of Dutch ancestry. They had
five children. On June 14, 1862 at age 42 he enlisted as a Private in Company
E, 4th North Carolina Cavalry. He was present and accounted for by his unit
through October 1864, after which the records are lost.
MARTIN FURR (1827 - 1865)
Son of Daniel, married Mary Williams and had
six children before the Civil War. He resided in
Son of Daniel, was a farmer before the Civil
War. He enlisted as a Private in Company B, 7th North Carolina Infantry on June
21, 1861. He was wounded in the left hand at Reams Station, Virginia, on August
25, 1864 and reported absent from his company through October 1864. He was
paroled at
MOSES MONROE FURR (1838 - 1919)
Son of Daniel, married Abigail Barbee in
1860. On June 27, 1861, he enlisted as a Private in Company B, 7th North
Carolina Infantry. He was wounded and in a hospital in
WILLIAM (BILL) FURR (? - 1864)
Son of Leonard, was shot as he crossed Dutch
Buffalo Creek on a foot log by Henry Plott and Sandy Smith who were members of
the Home Guard. They had mistaken him for a deserter from the Confederate Army.
Dr. Solomon Furr attended him, but he died in the woods where he fell. He
married his second cousin, Mary Ann Furr, daughter of Henry of John I. His son,
John Wilson Furr, only four years old when Bill was killed, moved to
GREAT GRANDSONS OF PAUL I
MATHIAS WILSON FURR (1832 - 1893)
Son of Mathias Furr, may have been married as
many as four times (Levina Smith--1852, Lorena Stallins--1858, Ann Motley, and
Louisa P. Snuggs). He had at least three children. He enlisted on July 7, 1862
as a Private in Company E, 4th North Carolina Cavalry. His Uncle Allen Furr and
brother Wilson M. Furr also belonged to this unit. He was captured near the
Appomattox River,
LEVI (LEE) FURR (1835 - 1915)
Son of Mathias, was married three times. In
1855, he married Betsy Smith, Sarah Howell in 1892, and Hallie Green in 1911.
He had 11 children all by his first wife, and he married his third wife when he
was 76 years old. He died at the age of 80.
MARTIN LUTHER FURR (1842 - 1923)
Son of Paul P, enlisted as a Private in
Company E, 4th North Carolina Cavalry on July 7, 1862. He was discharged some
time between July 7 and October 31, 1862. In 1869, Martin Luther married
Catherine Dry. They had six children. He became a successful farmer using white
tenant farmers to run his self-sustaining plantation near
TILMAN FURR (? - 1934)
Son of Paul P, married Lavinia Barbee in
1877. They had eight children. He gave up tobacco in order to set a good
example for his children. He moved his family to
DANIEL FURR (1856 - 1946)
Son of Paul P, moved to
WILLIAM R. FURR (1857 - 1937)
Son of Paul P, was a greatly loved man in
Glen Alpine,
GREAT, GREAT GRANDSONS OF PAUL I
LUTHER FURR (? - ?)
Son of Levi, moved to
ROBERT NELSON FURR (1870 - 1942)
Son of Levi, was a civic leader in
BEECHAM ZEROBIE FURR (1875 - 1935)
Son of Martin Luther, was a mild mannered,
well liked man, who was president of his class at
DESCENDANTS
OF LEONARD I
The descendants of Leonard I were primarily
wealthy landholders and merchants in
SONS OF LEONARD I
PAUL FURR (1786 - 1867)
Was born in
HENRY FURR (1790 - 1880)
Was born in
CHRISTIAN FURR (1792 - 1850)
Was born in
ISHAM FURR (1794 - 1840)
Like his brothers Henry and Christian, was
born in
GRANDSONS OF LEONARD I
LEONARD WASHINGTON FURR (1821 - 1863)
Son of Paul, married
STEPHEN G. FURR (1823 - 1908)
Son of Paul, married Rachel A. Gowder in
1845. They had five children. He was elected Second Lieutenant of Company F,
43rd Georgia Infantry on March 10, 1862. He contracted fever at
FRANCIS MARION FURR (1832-1863)
Son of Christian, married Ada Liza Temple in
1854. They had six children. He was a Private in Company K, 3rd Mississippi
Infantry. He died while in Confederate service on April 10, 1863. He is buried
in the
AUGUSTUS C. FURR (1833 - 1863)
Son of Paul, married Nancy Terrell. They had
one child. He was a Private in Company I, 26th Georgia Infantry. He died during
the Civil War after a forced march at the age of 30. He was buried in
LOTT FURR (1834 -1862)
Son of Christian, married Martha C. Maxwell
in 1858. They had four children. He was a Private in Company A, 36th
Mississippi Infantry. He died while in Confederate service in
Son of Paul, was never married. He organized
the Hall County Light Guards, when he was 27 years old and was elected their
Captain on March 10, 1862. They became Company F, 43rd Georgia Infantry. He
died of measles in
GREAT GRANDSON OF LEONARD I
WILLIAM PAUL FURR (1855 - 1940)
Son of Leonard Washington, married Mary C.
Davis in 1891. They had one child. He was a veteran of World War I and died at
the age of 85 in
DESCENDANTS
OF HENRY I
The descendants of Henry I were civic leaders
and educators, as well as farmers and merchants. They were Protestants,
generally of the Presbyterian or Methodist faiths. The descendants of Henry I
intermarried with the Eagle family, who later moved to
SON OF HENRY I
JOHN FURR (1786 - 1837)
Spent most of his life on a farm in No. 2
Township,
GRANDSONS OF HENRY I
ALLISON FURR (1809 - 1889)
Son of John, was born in
SAMUEL MONROE FURR (1828 - 1918)
Son of John, was born in
TOBIAS FURR (1817 - 1882)
Son of John, opened the first store in
GREAT GRANDSONS OF HENRY I
WILLIAM MEEK FURR (1840 - 1906)
Son of Allison, was born in
JAMES STACY FURR (1845 - 1934)
Son of Allison, was born in
PAUL BARRINGER FURR (1857 - 1950)
Son of Allison, married Martha Watson in
1883. They had eight children. He married Mattie Mays King in 1930 when he was
73. He was a merchant in
HENRY BYRON FURR (1869 - 1945)
Son of Allison, was a teacher, realtor, bank
president, and oil millionaire. He lost his wealth in the great bank crash of
the 1920's. He lived out his days in
THORNWELL GIBSON FURR (1884 - ?)
Son of Samuel Monroe, lived in
GREAT, GREAT GRANDSONS OF HENRY I
DR. ESTA "S" FURR (1883-1939)
Son of William Meek, was born in
DR. JAMES EDWARD FURR (1892 - 1949)
Son of James Stacy, was born in
DESCENDANTS
OF JACOB I
The descendants of Jacob I moved first to
SON OF JACOB I
HENRY FURR (1779 - 1836)
Moved sometime before June 30, 1804 to
Newberry, South Carolina., which is about 150 miles southwest of
GRANDSON OF JACOB I
ENOCH FURR (1807 - 1854)
Son of Henry, was born in
GREAT GRANDSON OF JACOB I
WILLIAM COLEMAN FURR (1846 - 1918)
Son of Enoch, was born in
DESCENDANTS
OF OTHER FIRST GENERATION FURRS
Elizabeth I, Mary I, and Catherine I married,
therefore, their descendants were not Furrs. Their children were Smiths,
Rindlemans, and Aaronharts.
Tobias I had three daughters and no sons. So,
like his two sisters, he had no Furr descendants. His daughter Elizabeth
married Samuel Lemby and had two children. His daughter Mary married John
Murphy and had five children. His daughter Louisa married William Henry Horah
and had 12 children.
Adam I had no children and therefore, no
descendants.
OUR
MISCONCEPTIONS
Information concerning our family's past was
handed down from generation to generation, mostly by word of mouth. This condition
fostered several misconceptions. However, in the light of the following
documents some of these misconceptions can be clarified at last.
Lists of Swiss Emigrants in the Eighteenth
Century to the American Colonies,
compiled and edited by Albert B. Faust and Gaius M. Brumbaugh, Baltimore:
Genealogical Publishing Company, 1968 (Located in the Library of Congress,
Washington, DC).
The original land grant from Arthur Dobbs
to Henry Furr in 1762 (Located in the
Department of Archives and History,
The original will of Heinrich Furrer in
1769 (Located in the Department of
Archives and History,
There is a tradition that the name Furr was
once spelled "Fehr" or "Furh" or "Efar." This
misconception came about because everyone knew that our ancestor's name had
been changed. But after several generations, very few people could recall what
it used to be. The Lists of Swiss Immigrants and the Will of Heinrich
Furrer show very clearly that our name was originally spelled
"Furrer."
The Furr coat of arms has been represented by
some sources as "a tree with green leaves on a white shield." This
misconception arose from using the erroneous name of "Efar" to
research the coat of arms. "Efar" is a Welsh name. The coat of arms
of the "Furrer" name is "a blue shield with a gold fleur-de-lis
resting on a green three-pointed mound." It is significant to note that at
one time
There is a widespread misconception that the
Furrs are of German origin. This probably came about because Heinrich wrote in
German script and spoke Swiss-German, which is the native language of the
There has been some confusion over which
Heinrich Furrer, the one born in 1691, or the one born in 1731, first settled
in
There is a tradition that two brothers from
There is a story that Heinrich Furrer settled
in several places in
There is a popular tradition that Henry I was
born on board ship during his family's voyage to
SOURCES
OF FURR GENEALOGICAL INFORMATION
In addition to the genealogical sources
discussed in the previous section, the following documents also contain
information about the Furr(er) family.
History of the Widenhouse, Furr, Dry,
Stallings, Teeter, and Tucker Families,
Reverend William Thomas Albright, privately published in
Supplement to the History of the
Widenhouse, Furr, Dry, Stallings, Teeter, and Tucker Families, Reverend William Thomas Albright, privately
published in
The Stutts Families and their Descent from
Jacob Stutts of Moore County,
Katherine Shields Melvin, privately published by Fred McLeod of
The McLarty Family of Kintyre, Scotland
and Mecklenburg County, North Carolina and Their Descendants, compiled by Adelaide McLarty, Charlotte, North
Carolina: Crabtree Press, Inc, 1974.
The Dictionnaire Historique &
Biographique de la Suisse, published in 1926 by the Administration du
Dictionnaire Historique et Biographique de la Suisse, Place Paiget,
OTHER
FURRS
A number of Furr(er)s immigrated to
William Furr -- lived in
Henry Furr -- transported to
Lenhart Furer -- landed in
Leonard Furer -- landed in
The Lists of Swiss Immigrants show
that the following left from the Parish Wetzikon in May 1743 for the purpose of
going to
Heinrich Furrer (born
November 13, 1691) from Stagen, who really belongs to the Gossau district.
Susan Baumann (born January 24, 1692) wife of Heinrich Furrer.
Their children:
Felix Furrer (born April 1, 1720)
Hans Jacob Furrer (born October 4, 1722)
Susana Furrer (born December 31, 1724)
Hans Felix Furrer (born July 12, 1729)
Anna Maria Furrer (born October 8, 1731)
Barbara Furrer (born May 15, 1735)
A son Hans, born October 10, 1717, is in the
Dutch service, the father wrote to him from
The Lists of Swiss Immigrants show
that the following left from the Parish Zell, against all warnings and
admonitions, for the purpose of going to
Ulrich Furrer (baptized on August 18, 1720
and son of Ulrich Furrer) left May 13, 1743.
Bernhardt Furrer (born
September 19, 1697) left with his family on August 29, 1743.
Babelj Zuppinger (born August 6, 1697) wife of Bernhardt Furrer (Note that Hans
Conradt Zuppinger and Babelj Meyer and their family also left on this day).
Their children:
Heinrich Furrer (born July 6, 1731) [Our direct ancestor according to this
story]
Hans (born January 27, 1737)
Jacob Furrer -- sailed September 17, 1750 on
the brigantine, Sally, from
Christian Furrer -- sailed November 3, 1750
on the ship, Brotherhood, from
Henry Furrer (1717-1777) -- left
Robert Furr -- birthplace unknown; lived in
Dever William Furr -- born in
Hurley H. Furr -- born in
In the 18th century there lived in Rockingham
and
Harrison Furr
John Furr
Martha Furr
Ellison Furr
William Furr
Enoch Furr -- born 1741; died April 3, 1845;
married Sarah Clawson (1767-?) in March 1786; resided in Loudoun County,
Virginia, from 1775 to 1845; served in the Revolutionary War.
Newton Furr -- son of Enoch Furr; born in
Leesburg, Virginia, on May 2, 1797; died December 19, 1870; married Pleasant
Matthews (January 26, 1798 to February 27, 1883); moved to La Salle County,
Illinois, in 1854; had 12 children.
Squire M. Furr -- son of Newton Furr; born
June 16, 1827 in Frederick County, Virginia; died October 3, 1875; married Mary
Elizabeth Bruner on September 27, 1859.
Stephanas (Vance) Watts Furr -- son of Newton
Furr; born September 13, 1837 in Frederick County, Virginia; died February 14,
1917 in Millington, Kendall County, Illinois; married Mary Gray on April 3,
1860; had six sons and five daughters.
Joseph Furr -- lived along Deep River below
the horseshoe near McLendon's Creek,
George Furr -- filed South Carolina
Revolutionary War pension claim.
John Furr -- filed South Carolina
Revolutionary War pension claim.
Thomas Furr -- executor for will of Nicholas
Biddle, January 12, 1778 in
Charles Furr -- 1810 census shows him as
being between 40 and 50 years old and living in Moore County, North Carolina;
owned 270 acres in Moore County in 1815; the 1830 census shows him with a wife,
four sons, and four daughters all under 20 years of age.
Elizabeth Furr (1758-1827) -- married Everett
Smith around 1773.
Elizabeth Furr (July 25, 1804--November 20,
1858) -- buried in the Yellow Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, Georgia.
John Furr -- married Jennie Wakefield on
April 17, 1826 in
Sarah Furr -- married William Gorman on
October 7, 1827 in
David Furr -- listed in the 1830 census in
George Furr -- listed in the 1830 census in
Caleb T. Furr -- 3rd Sergeant in the
Gainsville Georgia Dragoons on February 20, 1836.
Elizabeth Furr -- Henry Cline
on December 9, 1800
Henry Furr -- Elizabeth Groner on September 1824
Elizabeth Furr -- Joseph Foster on December 22, 1830 in Mecklenburg County
Catherine Furr -- Harwood Cagle on December 5, 1831
Sally Furr -- Joseph King on July 19, 1836
Mary A.B. Furr -- Rowland Allmond on July 9, 1838
Susa Furr -- Henry Dills on December 18, 1838 in Macon County
Solomon Furr -- Sophia Miller on April 20, 1841
Paul D. Furr -- Rachel E. McEachran on December 15, 1841
Solomon Furr -- Avaline Brown in 1844
Paul D. Furr -- Elizabeth A. Harris on February 1, 1844
Moses C. Furr -- Sarah Furr on January 31, 1848