Stokes of Halifax County, North Carolina

The Stokes family descends from one, John Stokes of Wiltshire, England who had two known sons, viz: John and Edmund. Edmund married Edith Snell and had two sons, viz: Thomas and Christopher of Wiltshire. Christopher was married to Prudence Ivy, a daughter of Thomas Ivy and his wife, Thomasine (Batt) Ivy who had two known sons, viz: Thomas, Christopher. Christopher settled on the Charles River in Virginia. This Christopher had a son, William Stokes of Charles City County, Virginia whose son was John Stokes, born ca 1640 in Lunenburg, Virginia.

The above John Stokes had two known sons, viz: Richard and David (below).

David Stokes, son of John (above), was born 23 Oct 1707 in Charles City, Virginia and died 12 Sep 1794 in Lunenburg County, Virginia. He was married on 16 Oct 1734 as recorded in the Cumberland Parish, Lunenburg County to Sarah Montfort. Sarah was born 3 Feb 1717 and died 9 April 1800, and was a daughter of Joseph Montfort and Lucy (Holt) Montfort. Issue: William; Jane, born 1751; Susan, born 23 Sep 1753; John, born 20 Mar 1756, died 12 Oct 1790; Capt. Peter, born 24 Oct 1758, died Feb 1828; Montfort (below).

Montfort Stokes was born 12 March 1762 in Lunenburg County, Virginia and died 4 Nov 1842. He was made famous by his Revolutionary War service, election as a US Senator, Governor, and Indian Commissioner. After the Revolutionary War he settled in Salisbury, North Carolina where he studied law under the direction of an older brother, John Stokes. It was brother John Stokes, a Revolutionary War hero himself, for whom Stokes County, North Carolina was named and who became its first federal judge. From 1786 to 1790 he was the assistant clerk of the state senate; in 1790, clerk of the senate which position he held for eighteen years. In 1804 the North Carolina Assembly offered him a seat in the US Senate but he declined it for family reasons. In 1804 and 1812 he was a presidential elector; 1805-1838 trustee of the University of North Carolina. At the time of the War of 1812 he was a major general of the state militia. Stokes was active in politics throughout his life and the glowing reports go on and on. In 1830 he was elected governor. His administration is remembered because of the burning of the state capitol, the repercussions to the Nat Turner Revolt in Virginia and the breakup in Andrew Jackson's cabinet as well as Jackson's Indian policy, the Nullification controversy and constitutional reform. Montfort Stokes died while serving as the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, which office President Andrew Jackson had appointed him to 1832. The following year he established his operations in Indian Territory at Fort Gibson. When John Tyler and the Whig party refused to renew that commission, Stokes became a sub-agent to the Seneca, Shawnee and Quapaws. He died at a place near Fort Gibson, Oklahoma on 4 Nov 1842 and was interred in the fort's cemetery. Montfort Stokes married

Montfort Stokes married (1)Mary, the daughter of Henry Irwin (2) Rachel, the daughter of Hugh Montgomery. Rachel inherited property in Wilkes County and about 1810 the Stokes family made Wilkesboro their home. Their old homeplace Morne Rouge is marked with a historical marker. They had five sons and four daughters. One son, Montfort Sidney Stokes, fought in the War with Mexico and died while defending the Confederacy. Issue:

Montfort Sidney Stokes, born 6 Oct 1810 at Morne Rouge, Wilkes County, North Carolina, died 8 Jul 1862. Called Sid, he was made a midshipman on 12 May 1829 and received his training in Norfolk, Virginia at the Navy Yard. He also served on the frigate Brandywine. In 1838 he was sent onboard the Independence to serve off the coast of Brazil but in December was given permission to return to the United States at his own expense. Sid apparently did not enjoy Naval Service because he attempted to have a long furlough while onboard the frigate Macedonian, which request was denied. He later resigned on 6 Feb 1839 and returned home to Wilkes County to be a farmer. However, on 10 April 1847 the First Regiment of NC Foot Volunteers was called into service at the beginning of the War with Mexico, and Stokes was commissioned a major. His sword from that service is on display in the North Carolina Museum of History, in Raleigh. During the War Between the States he served on active duty in Virginia but was severely wounded at Elyson's Mill on 26 June 1862. He died eleven days later in a Richmond, Virginia hospital and his body was taken home by his body servant, Isaiah, and buried in the family cemetery on the banks of the Yadkin River. Sid was married in 1858 to Sarah E. Triplett of Wilkes County. They had a son, Laurence Crane Stokes who became a physician but died while still a young man. Also, a daughter who married Charles Hunt. Sarah E. died several months before her husband of typhoid fever which she contracted while visiting her husband in Goldsboro.