• Index to Families and Genealogies

Sailors of Switzerland, Maryland,South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia

Abram Sailors was born ca 1710 in Lucerne, Switzerland. Abram is said to have come from Switzerland in 1737 to settle in Maryland. One source says he and his brothers landed at the Port of New Orleans. Another quotes Strassburger's Pennsylvania German Pioneers, page 42, where among the Palatine passengers of the ship "Pennsylvania Merchant," commanded by John Stedman, is one Abram Saler. That boat landed at Philadelphia 10 Sept 1731 from Dover, and before that from Rotterdam. Other sources says our Abram may have settled along the Susquehanna River on the border between Maryland and Pennsylvania. Janel Woodbury says Abraham Saylors or Zoellers was born 1710 in Lucerne, Switzerland. He married Catherine Seyleria about 1731 in Switzerland. Abraham came on the ship Harle to Philedelphia, PA 1 Sep 1736. The descendants claim that John Sailors, born ca. 1756, was 20 years younger than his sister Mary, born ca. 1736 in Germany. She married Michael Hechelman/Hackleman. Abram Sailors had a large family of children. The family lived in the Shenandoah Mountains, near the Pennsylvania- Maryland borders. They later crossed into North Carolina, South Carolina, and Indiana. Known issue:[1]

• Mary Sailors, born ca 1733, died 8 June 1824 in South Carolina. She married Michael Hechelman/Hackleman.
• Philip Sailors.
• Abram Sailors, Jr., born 1743 in Maryland.
• Leonard Sailors, born ca 1748 in Maryland. In The North Carolina Booklet, Vol. IX, The History of Lincoln County by Alfred Nixon: At July Term, 1770, "Thomas Camel came into court and proved that the lower part of his ear was bit off in a fight with Steven Jones, and was not taken off by sentence of law; certified by whom it may concern." At a later term, "James Kelly comes into open Court of his own free will and in the presence of said court did acknowledge that in a quarrel between him and a certain Leonard Sailor on the evening of the 2nd day of June, 1773, he did bite off the upper part of the left ear of him, the said Leonard Sailor, who prays that the same be recorded in the minutes of the said court." This confession gave James Kelly such standing in the esteem of his Majesty's Justices that at the same term it was ordered by the Court that James Kelly serve as constable in the room of George Trout and that he swear in before Thomas Espy, Esq." From the court entries biting off ears was a popular way of fighting, but whole ears were at least an outward sign of honesty. Known issue:

  A. Leonard Sailors married Amy Gant.
  B. Frederick Sailors married Elizabeth Cameron.

• Daniel Sailors, born 1753 in Maryland.
• John Sailors, born ca 1756 in Maryland d: April 03, 1833 in Lincoln County, North Carolina. Another source says that he died in Rush County, Indiana. About 1775, John Sailors went to Lincoln County, North Carolina. On 19 October 1779, he signed a petition to have Burke County annexed to Lincoln County, North Carolina. About 1784, he went to Abbeville, South Carolina. Later, in 1786 he owned some land in South Carolina as his name appeared on the 1787 tax digest for 96th District, 60 acres. Three of his children were born in South Carolina, before he removed to Scott County, Kentucky about 1810, then to Franklin County, Indiana, later settling in Rush County, Indiana in 1822. He is buried on the south bank of Little Flat Rock Creek; bur. SE qtr. of section 7, range 11, twp 13, 6 mi. SE of Rushville .
  
  Others who appear to be some of the children of Abram Sailors, are enumerated as follows:
  
  
• Phoebe Sailors, born ca 1760 married on 20 November 1789 in Burke County, John E. Collins. [2] SEE Collins.
• Michael Sailors was born ca 1756 in Pennsylvania and removed to Burke County (later Lincoln County), North Carolina as a child. He was a Revolutionary War Soldier, enlisting from Burke County. According to his Revolutionary War Pension, he removed to Willaimson County, Tennessee where he died in 1850. He was found on the 1801 Elbert County Tax Digest.
• Christopher Sailors was born 1760 in North Carolina and died after 1850 in Madison County, Georgia. He first lived in Jackson County where he was listed as a petit juror in Jackson County (Jackson County Minutes 1801-1803, page 52-83). He married a daughter of Thomas Little. He was residing with his son, Christopher, Jr. in Madison County (1850 Census).[3] Issue of Christopher Sailors:

  1. William Sailors, born 1788 in Wilkes County, Georgia, died 1869 in Madison County. He married Betsy Beard (license) on 29 January 1811 in Jackson County. Elizabeth (Betsy) was born 1795 in Georgia. Issue: Minerva Sailors, born 1826 in Georgia; Rachel Sailors, born 1830 in Georgia; and Crawford Sailors, born 1834 in Georgia.
  2. David Sailors, born 1790-1795 in Georgia, died 1855 in Madison or Jackson County.
  3. James Sailors, born 1790-1795, died 1840-1850.
  4. Daughter, born ca 1794, died after 1820.
  5. John Sailors, born ca 1796 in Georgia, died 1866 in Jackson County, his LWT dated 25 September 1866, probated 15 October 1866 in Jackson County. He married Nancy Betsy McGennis on 21 December 1815 in Jackson County. Issue: Mary Ann Virginia Sailors and Alexander Sailors married Sarah Chandler 7 October 1847 in Jackson County.
  6. Abner Sailors, born 1803 in Georgia, died after 1880 in Jackson County. He married Levina Wilson on 1 December 1823 (date of license) in Jackson County. Wife residing with him in Jackson in 1880, was Palina (born 1806 in Georgia).
  7. Frances Sailors, born ca 1805, died 1870-1880 in Georgia, married William Williams 1826 in Jackson County.
  8. Christopher Sailors, Jr., born 1806 in Jackson County, died after 1880. He married Merra Dunston on 16 January 1845 in Jackson County. Wife, Nancy, born 1817, listed with the family on the 1850 Madison County Census. Wife, Artemisea (born 1815 Georgia), listed with the family on 1860 Madison County Census. Issue:

     1. Milly Elizabeth Sailors, born 1845 Madison County.
     2. Charles W. Sailors, born 1848 Madison County.
     3. Lucinda Florida Sailors, born 1850 Madison County.
     4. Clarisea Sailors, born 1856 Madison County.
     5. Mercy Sailors, born 1859 Madison County.

Lucerne, Switzerland

Jackson County Deeds
Deed Book E, page 557. 16 February 1811. George Washington Wilson to Christopher Sailors, both of Jackson County, for $250.00, 100 acres on Sandy Creek, it being part of a tract whereon George Wilson, Sr. now lives on the southeast side thereof and lying on both sides of the creek.

Deed Book E, page 542. 22 July 1811, George Wilson, Sr. to Christopher Sailors, both of Jackson County, for 60 pounds, 30 acres located on the south side of Sandy Creek. Wilson gave 100 acres to his son, George, and which William Sailors bought from George W. Wilson on the northeast side of same.

Deed Book G, page 162. 2 August 1816. Martin Anthony of Franklin County to John Sailors of Jackson County, for $236.00, 119 acres on Sandy Creek. Witness: George Wilson, Sr. and Christopher Sailors.

Sources:[1] Jackson County Wills, Deeds & Marriages; 1850-1860 Madison County Census; [2] NOTE__ I could be wrong on this, but I believe that Phoebe is one of the many children of Abram Sailors; [3] Jackson County Deeds.