The Pioneer Heritage and Teges Creek

When The Patriot came out, it was just another Mel Gibson historical freedom movie. We had rallied for William Wallace in Braveheart and with The Patriot we were fighting for freedom once again.    Teges Creek history embodies the history of America.  Teges Creek is an authentic physical landscape representing American History from its colonists to the American Revolution and the pioneer settling of America.  Mel Gibson played a character.  Teges Adoniram Allen was a flesh and blood participant in the making of America. 

The heritage includes great-great-great grandparents, William and Susanna White and their son Resolved, who was about 5 years old, arriving at Plymouth on the Mayflower.  Resolved White, also a soldier in King Philip’s War of 1676, had a daughter named Anna.  Anna White married John Hayward. They had a daughter, Sarah Hayward.  Sarah married David Allen Sr., the son of Edward “the Edmond” Allen, who had immigrated to America from Scotland in 1636.  David  Sr. and Sarah had a  son, David Allen, Jr. who married Sarah Baker.  Capt. ‘Teges’  Adoniram Allen was a son of this union, born in 1734. (Kozee, 1957);  http://www.mayflowerhistory.com/History/pilgrim2.php;  http://awt.ancestrylibrary.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=gayfamilyfile&id=I074353&ti=5542;  & http://wiki.geni.com/index.php/Mayflower_-_White

As an adult,  Teges Adoniram and his family moved to Wilmington, North Carolina before 1775.   In 1776, He joined the North Carolina militia.  He participated in the Battle of Moore’s Creek Bridge.   In 1780, he joined the North Carolina militia under the command of Benjamin Cleveland.  Prior to or during the Battle of Kings Mountain, Teges Adoniram I was promoted to Captain and served with the South Carolina Partisan Rangers from 1780 to 1782.  (Clay County Genealogical and Historical Society, 1994); (Allen, 1991)

            The battle of Kings Mountain was fought on October 7, 1780.  In this battle both British and Patriots used rifles.  The British used the Ferguson Rifle, while the Patriots used Kentucky rifles. The Battle of Kings Mountain became the turning point of the Southern Campaign.  Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown within a year. (The Battle of Kings Mountain)

After the Revolution Teges Adoniram I returned to Wilkes County, North Carolina and operated the Allen mill and iron works until after 1790. He then moved to Augusta, Georgia where he managed an iron works. Records indicate that he moved back to North Carolina before coming to Clay County.  Clay County records show that Adoniram was a resident in 1807.  It is recorded that he served on the Grand Jury and applied for the permit to build and operate a grist mill on the South Fork of the Kentucky River below the Narrows.  (Clay County Historical Society – Records) & (Allen, 1991) http://jimsgenealogy.net/database/getperson.php?personID=I5395&tree=Family           

Upper and Lower Teges Creeks are named for Adoniram Allen.  There were once Teges School and Teges post office.  Modern improvements over the last hundred years led to the consolidation of both.   Teges post office is now part of the Oneida post office.  Teges school children now go to Oneida Elementary.  Adoniram was nicknamed "Tedious" because he was so particular.  The dialect, enunciations, generational references, including shortening 3 syllables to 2 syllables, eventually turned Tedious into Teges.  When researching old maps and deeds, especially those of the 1800’s, the sites are listed as “Tedious”.  (Clay County Historical Society – Records); http://jimsgenealogy.net/database/getperson.php?personID=I5395&tree=Family

Clay County Historian, Jess Wilson wrote:  “Captain Teges Adoniram D. Allen was a remarkable man. He was past seventy years when he migrated to Clay County, where he built his saw and grist mill, and his home. He began a new life when most people his age were no longer able to work.” Teges Adoniram Allen was a descendent of Mayflower colonists.  He was a peer of George Washington.  At 72 he brought millstones overland, by team and wagon.  (Clay County Genealogical and Historical Society, 1994) p. 7.

Adoniram Allen Mill-Inner workings, (1982.01).077

Adoniram Allen Mill (1982.01).076

Adoniram Allen Mill

http://www.kykinfolk.com/breathitt/buildings/buildings.html

“A U.S. Government issued grave stone marker for Rev. War Captain Adoniram Allen was received by Otha David Allen (a descendant of Captain Adoniram through his son William) on Nov. 12, 1987….This was the beginning of the Adoniram Allen Day Reunion. “ (Clay County Genealogical and Historical Society, 1994) p. 73.

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/32773115

Teges Creek is home to a piece of American History.  Descended from the founders of Plymouth Colony, Adoniram Allen was an officer at the Battle of Kings Mountain.  He was a compatriot of George Washington.  Movies have been made depicting the “men” and “pioneers” of that time.  The documented history of that era fills buildings.  Clay County and Teges Creek can prosper by advocating that history.  The history is free.  It is already here.  The land is virtually the same as it was 200 years ago.  We simply need to preserve it.