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John and Catherine (Arden) Somers of Caswell County, NC




Posted at Genealogy.com by Kelle Metz:

Posted June 6, 2006

"I found this research by Rev. L.C. Lemons of the Ardens of Warwickshire England, which shows the marriage of John Lemon's grandson, John, youngest s/o Alexander Lemons, to Sarah, the youngest daughter of Catherine Arden Somers. 

"Now here's the explanation of this marriage:

"Alexander Lemons married the widow Catherine Arden Somers, wife of Captain John Somers (death 1803.) Catherine Arden Somers and her husband John Somers had 4 sons and 3 daughters, the youngest daughter was Sarah Somers. Alexander Lemons youngest son, John, and Catherine Arden Somers Lemons youngest daughter, Sarah, fell in love and married c 1813. John and Sarah Somers Lemons' first child, James Arden Lemons was born 1819 in Rockingham Co NC. In 1824 John and Sarah went to Wilson Co. TN where her brothers already had migrated to bounty land of 3860 acres which Captain John Somers had earned in Revolutionary War.

"...I also found the following explanation of Catherine Arden's marriage to John Somers from a paper titled, "The Ardens of Warwickshire England," the info in this paper is cited as coming from a manuscript by Margery Arden Hall, professional genealogist that had thoroughly researched the Ardens in America and placed her manuscript in the New York Historical Library as "Restricted Information" not available for copies. This is that info obtained by Rev. L.C. Lemons directly from Margery Arden Hall Faucett:

"James Arden and Abijah's son Jacob born 5 Feb 1724 married Catherine Beekman--they had a daughter, Catherine, born about 1759 in New York, who married Captain John Somers/Summers of the 1st North Carolina Regiment of the Continental Line of the Revolutionary War while his unit was stationed during 1778-79 near her home in New York, across the Hudson River from New York City. When his unit was ordered back to South Carolina in 1779 she accompanied him. When his unit was captured by the British who were surrendered by the town fathers of Charleston, S.C. and paroled to live in Charleston it was during that period that John, their first son, was born. After nearly 3 years as a POW, he was released and they returned to Caswell County North Carolina which was Captain John's home and raised a family of 7 - 4 sons and 3 daughters. Captain Somers died in 1803 and in 1808 his widow Catherine married Alexander Lemons of adjoining Rockingham County, who had lost his first wife. Catherine brought her two small daughters with her.Alexander's youngest son, John, and Catherine's youngest daughter Sarah fell in love and married about 1813. ..."


Minor editing by Angela Somers Wittman.

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