General Notes

Semore York was a loyal British subject.  He is recorded in the Colonial North Carolina records as Seymoure, Seymour, and Cemore York. 

Rev. Shubal Stearns established the Sandy Creek Baptist Church in 1756 on land donated by Semore York. 

This information on Semore York was provided by Dennis R. York, Jr. with sources from him given as "Ten Sons of Oliver pp 113-127 by Solon P. Crain and Marguerite Starr Crain; A History of North Carolina Baptists 1727-1932 by M.A. Huggins; History of North Carolina Baptists by George Washington Paschal; York Families of Randolph County North Carolina by Dennis York; Genealogical files of Dennis York; Randolph County will books and tax lists, and U.S. Census record; North Carolina Colonial Records.

Semore York pp 529 Randolph County History Book item 643.

Semore York (ca 1727-1783) was a loyal British subject, born in England about 1727 along with his brothers Henry, John, and perhaps Thomas York. Semore is also recorded in the Colonial North Carolina records as Seymore, Seymoure, and Cemore York. Their father Jeremiah York had emigrated from England with his family into the Pipe Creek settlement of Maryland between Baltimore and Philadelphia in the early 1700's. By 1750 Jeremiah York and his three sons Henry, John, and Semore had migrated into Granville County, NC, in what is now Randolph County, NC. Thomas York had also migrated into Granville County, NC.


The great awaking or Great Revival began about 1726 in New England. Mr. Shubal Stearns, a native of Boston, Massachusetts, was bred a Presbyterian, but embraced the Baptist principles in Tolland, Connecticut. He was ordained March 20, 1751, by elders of Stonington and New London, Conn., as a Separatists Baptist minister. The Philadelphia Association appointed in 1755 two ministers to visit North Carolina "in the interest of evangelism." Rev. Shubal Stearns and Rev. Daniel Marshall with a few families came to Orange County, North Carolina, from Cacapon near Winchester in Hampshire County, Virginia, in the fall following General Braddock's defeat in November 1755. The Stearns and the York's all settled in the Sandy Creek and Mount Pleasant Creek region of what is now northeast Randolph County. Rev. Shubal Stearns established the Sandy Creek Baptist Church in 1756 on land donated by Semore York.

As soon as they arrived, a little meetinghouse was built in 1756 with sixteen members. This was followed by the organization of the Sandy Creek Association in 1758. Then a house of 30 feet by 26 feet was built in 1762 with about 40 families. One of their exhorters was Tidence Lane.

"It was the mother church, nay the grandmother church, and a great grand mother to 42 churches from which sprang 125 ministers. All the separate Baptists sprang hence; not only eastward toward the sea, but westward to Tennessee, not only towards the great river Mississippi, but northward to Virginia and southward to South Carolina and Georgia" according to Morgan Edwards' 1772 notebook.

Some of the Baptists were involved in the Regulator movement that later resulted in the Battle of Alamance on May 16, 1776. Rev. Shubal Stearns and the Sandy Creek Association threatened to excommunicate members who disturbed the peace as Regulators. But feelings for freedom from oppression ran very deep. The Sandy Creek Church reduced from 616 to fourteen souls following the defeat at the Battle of Alamance and persecution of the Regulators by Governor Tryon.

Morgan Edwards wrote, "It is said that 1500 families departed since the Battle of Alamance and a great many more are waiting to follow.  "It is from this historical event and origin that the Southern Baptist and Primitive Baptist formed their beginnings and had their greatest missionary growth throughout the South.

Soon after the Battle of Alamance, Rev. Shubal Sterns died 20 November 1771 and was buried in the Sandy Creek Baptist Church Cemetery. There is a rough, stone grave marker nearby in the same cemetery for Semore York. It reads "S Y, 8 Feb 1783" and is only a few feet northeast from the original church building site. The will of Semore York was probated in Randolph County in March 1783.

The North Carolina Colonial Records indicate Semore York was very active in the Revolutionary War activities and events leading up to our Independence. On January 10, 1776, Governor Josiah Martin, last royal governor of North Carolina, issued the order:  To William Fields, James Hunter, Robert Fields, Jeremiah Fields, and Seymoure York, Esquires of the County of Guilford; Greetings:  I hereby grant to you power and authority to form the forces you shall so raise, into companies of fifty men each, and to appoint one Captain, …and I do hereby give you full power and authority to seize and take whatsoever may be necessary of arms, ammunition, provisions, horses, and carriage for the subsistence and accommodation of His Majesty's faithful subjects"

Semore York was a loyalist Tory, and served a British Captain.  He led a company of 34 men into the battle of Moore's Creek Bridge near Wilmington, North Carolina, on February 27, 1776. The battle lasted three minutes.  Thirty of the Tories were killed or mortally wounded and between 20 and 30 taken prisoners, among whom was his Excellency General Donald Macdonald, the aged Highlander and sick leader of the Tories.

The Engagement at the Bridge

When Lillington arrived at the bridge on the 25th, he quickly saw the position's defensive advantages. The creek, a dark, sluggish, stream about 35 feet wide, wound through swampy terrain and could be crossed in the vicinity of only over this bridge. To dominate the crossing, Lillington built a low earthwork on a slight rise overlooking the bridge and its approach from the east. Joining Lillington the next day, Caswell sent his men across the bridge to throw up earthworks there. Thus by the evening on February 26, the patriots straddled the bridge. Lillington with 150 men waited on the east side of the creek, and Caswell with 850 men were camped on the west. MacDonald's loyalists, 1,600 strong but with arms for less than half that many, camped 6 miles away. MacDonald had lost the race to the bridge and now had to decide whether to avoid fighting once more or to cut through their opponents. At a council of war the younger leader carried the debate, and eventually all agreed that the enemy should be attacked. An element in the decision was the report by a scout that Caswell's position lay on their side of the river and was thus vulnerable.

At 1 a.m. on the 27th the loyalists set out on their march to the attack, with a party of 75 picked broad swordsmen under Capt. John Campbell in the lead. By now MacDonald had fallen ill, and Donald McLeod was in command. The going was slow, for the route lay through thickets and swampy ground. During the night Caswell abandoned the camp and withdrew across the creek. Once on the other side, Caswell's men removed the planks and greased the girders. Posting artillery to cover the bridge, they waited in darkness for the advancing Scots.

An hour before dawn the loyalists came upon Caswell's deserted camp and found the fires burning low. Moving on to nearly woods, McLeod regrouped his men and passed the rallying cry - "King George and Broad Swords" - along the line. There they waited for daybreak. Suddenly gunfire sounded near the bridge. Though it was not yet light, McLeod couldn't wait any longer. Three cheers rang out - the signal for the attack - and the loyalists rushed the partly demolished bridge with broadswords out and bagpipes skirling. Picking their way over the bridge and onto the opposite bank, they got within 30 paces of the patriot earthworks before they were met by a withering fire of musketry and artillery. Nearly all the advance party were cut down, and the whole force soon retreated. It was all over in a few minutes. Pursuit turned the repulse into a rout. The loyalists lost some 30 killed and 40 wounded. Only one patriot died.

Within weeks the patriots had captured "all suspected person" and disarmed "all Highlanders and ex-Regulators that were ... in the late battle." The spoils included 1,500 rifles, 350 "guns and shot-bags," 150 swords and dirks, and £15,000 sterling. Some 850 "common Soldiers" and most of the loyalists were captured. The leaders were imprisoned or banished from the colony. The soldiers were paroled to their homes.

Though the battle was a small one, the implications were large. The victory demonstrated the surprising patriot strength in the countryside, discouraged the growth of loyalist sentiment in the Carolinas, and spurred revolutionary feeling throughout the colonies. The British seaborne force , which finally arrived in May, moved on to Sullivan's Island off Charleston, S.C. In late June patriot militia repulsed Sir Peter Parker's land and naval attack, ending the British hopes of squashing rebellion in the South for two years. "Had the South been conquered in the first half of 1776," the historian Edward Channing concluded, "it is entirely conceivable that rebellion would never have turned into revolution ... At Moore's Creek and Sullivan's Island the Carolinas turned aside the one combination of circumstances that might have made British conquest possible."
 

The British Royal government in North Carolina came to an end on the dark, twisting, swampy waters of Moore's Creek.  During this battle Capt. Semore York was taken prisoner and removed to Halifax, North Carolina, for several months. On April 1776 a list of prisoners in the Halifax Jail include Semore York's name. On October 12, 1776, his wife, Sylvania Aldridge York, petitioned the Council of Safety, sitting at Halifax, North Carolina, seeking his release in order to provide for his family. Semore committed the worst possible act when he lead the king's troops against the patriots at Moore's Creek in 1776, yet he was eventually released from prison, retained his property and received his citizenship. This indicates he was able to atone for his loyalty to the crown during the early months of the war. It also indicates he possessed that rare ability of being able to stand firm in his convictions without losing the respect of his opponents and his children, who were patriots.

THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF SEMORE YORK

In the name of God amen, I Semore York of Randolph county in the state of North Carolina being sick and in a low state of health but of perfect mind and memory thanks be to God for it.  Calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men due to die do make constitute ordain and confirm this my last will and testamente by me made Declaring this only to be my laste will and Testament revoking and canceling all other wills and testaments by me made Declaring the Only to be my laste will and testament and in the firste place I recommend my Soul to God who gave it and my body to be buried in a decent Christian manner at the discretion of my Executors never doubting but I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God--and as touching such worldly goods as it hath pleased God to bless me with in this life I Despose thereof in the following manner after all my just debts and funeral charge be paid.
   
I bequeath to my well beloved wife her feather bed and furniture and all the reste of my household furniture Excepte such as I appoint too my children in this will.

Item -- I bequeath to my well beloved wife one negroe girl named Nan with free privalidge to live on my plantation until my youngest child comes of age.

Item -- I bequeath to my Eldeste son Jeremiah all the land and improvements now in his possession.

Item -- I bequeath to my daughter Sarah her bed and table all the rest of her household goods she received after she was married.  I also bequeath to my Daughter Sarah the sum of five shillings starting to be paid oute of my Estate.

Item -- I bequeath to my Daughter Dorcas her bed and mattress and all the reste of the household goods and other things which she received before and after she was married.  I also bequeath to my said Daughter Dorcas the sum of five shillings to be paid out of my Estate.

Item -- I bequeath to my son Shubal the land whereon he now lives with all the improvements thereon containing about one hundred and seventy acres more or less to be divided from John Wilburns land.  Likewise I bequeath to him my said son Shubal his horse and saddle and bridle and all the rest of the things he received from me before he was married Also I bequeath to him my said son Shubal the sum of five shillings starting to be paid out of my Estate.

Item -- I bequeath to my son Semore one half of the land whereon I now live that is to say that part which lies adjoining to the plantation whereon William Allred Sr. now lives.  I likewise bequeath to him my said son Semore one mare to be worth twenty five pounds and a saddle and bridle and likewise a good suit of clothes when he comes of age.

Item -- I bequeath to my sons Isaac and John the sum of two hundred pounds in hard monty rates to be raised oute of my Estate and to be paid out in hand at the Discretion of my Executors and likewise a horse and saddle and bridle and a suite of clothes for both when they come of age at the Discretion of my executors.

Item -- I bequeath to my son Jabez one half of the land whereon I now live that is to say that parte whereon the house and other improvements is likewise one horse and saddle and bridle and a suit of clothes when he comes of age at the Discretion of my executors.

Item - I bequeath to my Daughters Martha and Tabitha each a feather bed and furniture and each a bedstead and likewise a cow and calf and a saddle for Each of the aforesaid girls Martha and Tabitha when they come of age at the Discretion of my Executors.

Likewise I bequeath thate the remainder of my lands and negroes note particularly mentioned in this will shall be sold at the discretion of my Executors and the money arising there from to be equally divided between my six youngest children excepting two hundred pounds in hard money rates which is bequeathed to Isaac and John as aforesaid land.  It is my will that my Executors make a deed for one hundred and twenty acres of land to my son-in-law John Wilburn the land that my father formerly lived on and likewise a claim of land containing about eighty acres adjoining aforesaid land.

It is further my will that the stock and all the impliments belonging to the plantation be left thereon towards raising and maintaining the children and schooling them  Except any parte thereof that shall appear superfluous to the Executors and then to be sold and the money to be converted to any necessary expense that may occure and I do appoint my wife and my son Semore Executors to this my last will and testament and in case my wife should remarry or die before my son Semore comes of age it is my will that my son Jeremiah shall be executor in her place.   Duly executed according to the true Intent and Meaning thereof.

Semore York    (Seal)
Salvania York    (Seal)
Signed Sealed and Pronounced       Randolph County March Court 1783
in the presents of those names       The last will and testament of
underwritten this twenty-                  Semore York was proved in open court
eighth day of January 1782.            by the oath of Nathan Allridge one of
Enoch Davis                                     the subscribing witnesses thereto and
Nathan  X  Allridge                            ordered to be recorded.
William  X  Swaford                             William Bell CC

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1. April 1768 Deed from William Aldridge to Absalom McDaniel for 100 acres proved by Simore York.
2.  Deed of Sale from Absalom McDaniel to James Aldridge for 50 acres proved by Simore York.
(NC State Dept of Archives & History, Orange County Registration of Deeds 1752-1793)
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Semore is on the 1755 tax list for Orange County NC. (Simore York)

At the period of the insurrection of the Regulators and it's tragic aftermath John Aldred or Alred must have been in full sympathy with those who opposed official tyranny. There is preserved one Petition from a group of his neighbors, and he on behalf of Thomas Welborn, who appears to have come under investigation for his part in the struggle. Among those signing this testimonial were these: SEMORE YORK, JEREMIAH YORK, Tidence Lane, John Lance, JOHN ALREAD, Shubal Stearnes. (Colonial records of North Carolina (25-26)