Sorting the Troutman Names: A Little Background

A little background on my paternal great-grandfather Daniel A. Troutman’s people and the place where they lived in North Carolina:*

The Piedmont, a relatively flat area between the western mountains and the eastern coastal region of North Carolina was a fine place for many early Scots-Irish and German settlers who began arriving in the mid-18^th century. Attracted by fertile farm ground, abundant game, and plenty of water, Johann Melchior ^A Trautmann (24 Apr. 1729, Gross Gumpen, Hesse, German – before 9 Nov. 1778, Rowan Co., NC) was one of these early setters arriving about 1770. With his wife, Anna Elizabeth Heist (abt 1730 in Germany – bet 1790 and 1810 in Iredell Co. NC), and family, he first settled in Rowan County.

Melchior and Anna had four known children:

       i.         John Adam¹ Troutman (28 Oct 1752, Upper Milford Township, Northampton, PA – before Mar 1797, Iredell Co., NC); married Anna Eva Kennert (abt 1775 – bet 1810-1820, Lincoln Co., NC) between 1775-1776 in Rowan County.

     ii.         Maria Catherine¹ Troutman (2 Aug 1755, upper Milford Township, Northampton, PA – unknown).

    iii.         Anna Elizabeth¹ Troutman (27 Sep 1761, upper Milford Township, Northampton, PA – unknown).

    iv.         John (or Johann) Jacob¹ Troutman (2 Mar 1767, upper Milford Township, Northampton, PA – 18 July 1846, Iredell Co., NC); married Margaret Fesperman (1771 – 1840, Iredell Co., NC) about 1795 in Iredell Co., NC.

After Melchior’s death, Anna moved to Iredell County with her youngest son Jacob, age eleven. As an adult, Jacob began purchasing land in the vicinity of the present town of Troutman. In the mid-1850s, two of his grandsons, Sidney and Jacob Troutman, sons of John Jacob, opened a wagon making shop and created a lively business at a crossroads that became known as Troutman’s. The name stuck.

Descendants of the first Jacob Troutman call him “Jacob, the Pioneer.” Born 2 March 1767 in Upper Milford Township, Northampton, Pennsylvania on 2 March 1767 to Johann Melchior Troutman and Anna Elizabeth Heist, Jacob was the first generation born in America of German immigrants. He died 18 July 1846 and is buried in the Troutman Family Cemetery near Troutman, North Carolina.

1.   Jacob¹ Troutman married Margaret Fesperman (1771-1840) about 1795; they had eight known children:

       i.         Henry² Troutman, born 12 December 1797, near the present day town of Troutman, Iredell County; married Margaret Elizabeth Leonard (25 July 1802 – 19 Dec. 1874), 29 May 1821; died 29 July 1876, all in Iredell County. Henry was a farmer and a sheriff of Iredell County.

     ii.         John Jacob² Troutman, born 2 Apr. 1799 and died before Dec. 1831; married about 1820 to Anne Woolford (2 Apr. 1805 – 9 May 1875), all in Iredell County, NC.

    iii.         Daniel Troutman, born about 1804 in Iredell County; died between 1850 and 1860, Crawford Co. Missouri; married about 1824 to Anna Leonard (b. about 1803).

    iv.         William² Troutman, born about 1806 and died after June 1880; married about 1826 to Caroline Hoover (4 Jan. 1807 – abt. 1836) in Iredell County; second married Oct. 1837 to Malinda Jane Cowan (24 Feb. 1818 – 1 Nov. 1863), Iredell County; third married 9 November 1864 to Elizabeth Ann (born about 1827 in TN) in Knox, TN.

     v.         Anna² Troutman, born about 1808, Iredell County, and died after June 1850; married Jacob Holshouser.

    vi.         Adam² Troutman, born about 1812 and died 8 June 1852; married about 1830 to Margaret Hoover (6 Aug. 1810 – bet. 1861 and 1865), all in Iredell County.

  vii.         John Jefferson² Troutman, born 27 June 1815 and died between 1880 and 1900; married about 1849 to Isabella Elizabeth Waugh (born about 1827), all in Iredell County.

 viii.         Absalum² Troutman, born about 1817, died after June 1860; married about 1834 to Elizabeth “Betsy” McKee (born about 1816), all in Iredell County.

Jacob’s first born, Henry, was my great-grandfather Daniel’s father.

2.   Henry² Troutman and Margaret Elizabeth Leonard had eleven known children. The naming of these children rather fascinates me. The oldest, Jacob, of course was named for his paternal grandfather. Henry Martin was named for his father. Robert Leonard was named for Henry’s wife’s family. Daniel Absolum was named for two of his father’s brothers. Adam and John were named for Henry’s brothers, but where they got Burette and Carmi is a mystery. A man named Theophilis Falls who lived in the area must have been such an much admired friend that Henry and Elizabeth named a son for him. As for the girls, Margaret Elizabeth, of course, was named for her mother, Anne maybe for her great-grandmother; the others are anyone’s guess. Levina seems to have been a popular name at the time, for poring over census records of that era, I’ve noticed it often.

       i.         Jacob³ Troutman (20 Dec. 1821 – 1 July 1891) first married Elizabeth Clodfelter (7 June 1827 – 24 Jan 1863) about 1847; second married Sarah Susannah Collins (2 May 1840 – 26 Jan. 1909) 11 Nov. 1863; all in Iredell County near the present town of Troutman.

     ii.         Ester (or Easter) Levina³ Troutman (7 Sep 1823 – 1865) first married John Thomas; second married Fielding Kyles, all in Iredell County.

    iii.         Henry Martin³ Troutman (14 Dec 1825 – 28 Nov 1904) first married Katherine Clodefelter (1 Mar 1827 – 19 May 1865) about 1846; second married Ellen Jane Sumroe (5 Dec 1830 – 9 May 1888) on 23 Aug 1876, all in Iredell County.

    iv.         Robert Leonard³ Troutman (22 Dec 1827 – 1918); first married Margaret Kestler ( 23 Oct 1833 – 7 Nov 1877) about 1854; second married Margaret Luticia Reynolds (Oct 1849 - ?) on 27 Nov 1879, all in Iredell County.

     v.         Margaret Elizabeth² Troutman (28 May 1830 – Feb 1836), Iredell County.

    vi.         John Burette³ Troutman (26 Dec 1833, Iredell Co. – 24 Aug 1864, Reams Station, Petersburg, VA); married Sarah Anne Waugh (19 Dec 1835 – 31 Jan 1897) about 1857, other than John’s place of death, other events took place in Iredell County, NC.

  vii.         Daniel Absolum³ Troutman (20 July 1835, Iredell Co – 21 Mar 1918, Smyth Co., VA); married America A. Pratt (10 Sep 1845 – 4 Jan 1929, both in Smyth Co., VA) on 3 Feb 1869, Chatham Hill, Rich Valley, VA. (This one is my great-grandfather!)

 viii.         Anne Melissa³ Troutman (18 Oct 1837 – 9 Nov 1845, both in Iredell Co.)

    ix.         Adam Carmi³ Troutman (17 Feb 1841 – 13 Dec 1911); first married Barbara Lavinia Collins (7 Mar 1845 – 10 July 1895); second married Laura Christine Josey (19 Apr 1863- 1 May 1932); all in Iredell County.

     x.         Sarah Jane³ Troutman (6 July 1843 – 11 May 1896); married Samuel Leander Tays (27 May 1828 – 17 Jun 1895), date unknown; all in Iredell Co.

    xi.         Theophilis Falls³ Troutman (13 Apr 1849 – 26 Oct 1935) married Charlotte Teresa Ann Bustle (10 Feb 1851 – 8 Jul 1923) on 26 Dec 1971, all in Iredell Co.

*This information can be found in Descending Jacob’s Ladder, compiled and edited by Thomas L. Troutman. The children of Jacob Troutman are all named in his will, and a transcription of the record of the division of the estate, from Deed Book X, page 495, Iredell County, NC, is published in the book on pages 47 and 48. Also, I have a copy of this deed in my possession.