ASSI court indictment

ASSI court indictment

June 12, 2006


Sidneh Rosine (Brown) and George Fleming

Soon after I began this “addiction” called family genealogy research I came to realize that there were many things about the process of discovery that contributed to my obsession. But I think for me, the most rewarding part is when I find stories about my ancestors, especially those of personal triumph against foes and odds, be they of man or of nature. These are two such stories of two remarkable people who I and so many others of us share DNA. At times in my life when I meet challenges along the way, I find strength in my ancestors, even my 6th great grandparents!

First, here’s the descendant line: It migrates from Chester Co. SC to Gadsden Co. FL.

George Fleming married Sidneh Rosine, who was the widow Brown. Their daughter, Sidnah Fleming married Matthew W. McClintock. Their daughter, Jane McClintock married Alexander P. Clark. Their son, David Clark married Mary Alice McKeown. Their daughter, Sidnah Clark married Robert V. Suber. Their daughter, Annie Lee Suber married Walter Washington Rudd, my great grandfather Rudd.

That’s how this line of Rosine, Fleming, McClintock, Clark, McKeown, and Suber blood become one with my Rudd blood. And that’s really the way I like to look at it. All that DNA is mixed up in me. I strive to be worthy of it!

George Fleming

George Fleming, a native of England, sailed from Ireland for America with a gentleman named Kelso. They were men of wealth and George Fleming belonged to the aristocracy, his family crest being a gauntleted hand and a flaming sword. The ship they sailed on was wrecked three miles from the American coast (where about is not known).

A day or two before the wreck, a boy on the ship said he was troubled about a dream he had had the night before -- he dreamt that a rat bit off his big toe. During a terrific storm the vessel was driven on the rocks. The boat's crew tore up planks and made a raft and put off, leaving the passengers to their fate. George Fleming and his friend emptied their chests and their gold (a large amount) overboard and lashed their chests together and, tying a rope to them, heaved them overboard. They asked the boy who had had the dream to jump into one of the chests but could not prevail on him to try, but he said, "I'll hold the rope for your." Fleming jumped and caught the chests, although he was large and heavy. Kelso, the more active of the two, jumped and missed them and sank to rise no more. The boy went down with the wreck. Fleming floated to shore as the tide was coming in. One good swimmer swam to shore. One woman with two children drifted to shore on the quarterdeck. One of the children was dead. Only one of them was her own. The long-boat had been lost on the voyage. When the storm arose, the Captain sent out a boat for a Pilot but it was never heard from again.

George Fleming went first to Charlestown, South Carolina, and afterwards to Virginia, where he bought convicts from England. In Virginia he became acquainted with and married a Mrs. Brown, whose husband and child had been killed by Indians. She was Sidneh Rosine. George Fleming was a widower, with one son named James, when he met Mrs. Brown

Sidneh Rosine (Brown)

During Sidneh Rosine's first marriage, while living with her husband, Brown, and a little son, a party of six Indians and one Frenchman, disguised as an Indian, came to the house one day as the snow was falling at the commencement of winter and knocked on the door. One of them said, "Who keeps house?" Brown, deceived by the English words, opened the door and they rushed in and attacked the family. Brown killed one Indian with a sickle. The rest emptied their rifles into him and he fell dead. They then took the two year old boy from his cradle and dashed his brains out against the jamb. They tied Mrs. Brown, set fire to the barn where the cattle were and burned them. She said the moans and cries of the burning beasts were terrible to hear. They then took what clothing they wanted. They caught up a feather bed, cut it open and shook the feathers out in the storm, laughing and yelling like demons to see the feathers fly. They then started with Sidneh Rosine Brown, a prisoner, her house a desolation and her dead lying unburied, to meet some stronger parties of Indians who were going to Canada.

After some days their provisions gave out. One night, when they were almost perishing with hunger, a young Indian roasted a skin shot-pouch and, dividing it, offered some of it to all the rest. All took some, except one old Indian and the captive woman, Sidneh. When she refused to eat of it, the old Indian patted her on the back in approval of her power of endurance. She one day asked the Frenchman how he could be so cruel, saying she knew he was a white man and a Frenchman. "How do you know that?" he said. She replied, "I know you are white by the color of your eyes. No Indian ever has blue eyes."

They crossed the Ohio River high up at a narrow point on a raft and one of the Indians shot a buffalo across the river, which was considered by them a good shot. Sidneh Brown gave birth to a son on the wearisome journey. The Indians broke the ice on a stream and after plunging him in the water, returned him to his mother. Afterward, having performed the entire journey on foot, they arrived at Quebec and sold her to the French for five French crowns. (One crown = $1.06 1/2).

The French Governor kindly invited her to stay with his family, which she did. She was always grateful for their kindness. They were Catholics. The daughter of the house, having by some means obtained a Protestant Bible, asked Mrs. Brown to read it to her as she could not read English.

In the year 1759 Mrs. Brown was exchanged and tried to start home on foot, but one of her feet had been badly injured with cold and the long journey on foot, she gave out one day. At the same time General Wolfe's army came up on their way to Quebec and General Phillip Schyler, moved with noble generosity, took her back and told General Wolfe to send a surgeon to her. The surgeon sent an apprentice. Schyler would not be put off but told General Wolfe her history and insisted that the surgeon must come himself. The surgeon was sent immediately and she was taken to a hotel for English officers, where she remained until she was well. Then she started home again and, as she said, "back to the old desolation."

She was still young and, as stated before, became acquainted with and married George Fleming, an Englishman and a high churchman (Episcopalian). He had a brother in England whose name was Richard. In conformity with English custom, he wore a wig. He belonged to the nobility and his family crest was a gauntleted hand and a flaming sword. His grandfather owned a war horse and a coat of mail and had been a soldier in some of the English wars.

George Fleming and his wife settled near Bull's Run, Virginia, and at the close of the Revolutionary War they moved to Winsborough, South Carolina. Two daughters were born to them, Margaret and Sidneh. Margaret Fleming was married to Robert Stuart Coulter, and Sidneh Fleming was married to Matthew McClintock. George Fleming and his wife died and were buried at Winsborough, South Carolina. Her son, young Brown, who was born during her captivity, lived to become an Indian fighter of note. He determined to go into Governor Dunsmore's war with "Cornstalk". His mother opposed, but he hid an old gun in the woods and went although he was only a boy. In battle he was so rash and incautious that the soldiers, on several occasions, jerked him back out of danger. No more is known of him except that he married a widow and went to live away from his own people.

They had the following children:

Margaret FLEMING, female, born in 1764 and died in 1835.

Sidneh FLEMING, female, born before 1772 and died January 20, 1839.
George and Sidneh Fleming were buried in Winsborough, South Carolina.
Did you notice the irony in the story of George Fleming? He first went to Charleston, SC and later to Virginia where he BOUGHT CONVICTS FROM ENGLAND!

I want to thank my fellow researcher who shared this story with me. I apologize that I’m not certain I can recall who it was. I believe it was a couple of people. And if you are reading this posting and it was you, please let me know so I can express my appreciation publicly. Like I’ve said before, we are all so much richer in our research when we work together and share information.

And if you’re reading this and recognize any of these names but you don’t know if you’re connected, email me. Maybe I can help. I’m always looking for more cousins!!

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've seen this story about Sidnah Rosine Fleming several times. But, I've never seen a source where we can prove the story. Do you know where the Indian attack took place? I'd like to find a historic account of the attack to help us verify the story. My husband also descends from the Alexander P. Clark/Jane McClintock line.

Linda Rudd said...

Yes, I’ve seen the story several times on related family genealogy websites. I don’t know where the source of the story originates but I feel it comes by way of those descended through Margaret Fleming, Sidnah’s sister. Margaret married Robert Coulter. There is also a statement that their mother, Sidneh Rosine, was Swedish. Here is a link to one of the websites for the Margaret Fleming family.

http://www.anusha.com/pafg52.htm#977

The timeline for the story is during the French and Indian War. I don’t know if it is possible to find an historical account of the actual incident other than someone in the family who had an account of the story passed down. I have checked the historical figures mentioned in the story and the year of 1759 does fit with Gen. Wolfe and the Siege of Quebec. And the Philip Schuyler mentioned in the story coincidently had a brother-in-law that became the director of military hospitals during the American Revolution. Not sure if that ties in with his demand that the military send a surgeon to tend to her wounds.

Gen. Wolfe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Wolfe

Gen. Schuyler
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Schuyler

How is your husband related to Alexander P. Clark and Jane McClintock? There son, David Clark married Mary Ann McKeown and their daughter Sidneh Clark married Robert Suber. Their daughter Annie Suber married Walter Washington Rudd. They are my great grandparents.

Unknown said...

My ancestors come from the Robert Coulter connection to Sidnah Rozine Fleming. I found the story that was supposedly dictated by a George Fleming Coulter (1807 - 1889)the tenth child of Robert S, Coulter & Margaret Fleming.

Anonymous said...

My husband is a descendant related to Jane McLintock and Alexander P. Clark through their son John Clark. His mother is Anna Clark.

~lesley said...

I am thru Sineh Flemings sister Margaret. Mgt Fleming and Robert Coulter (Rev War soldier) and they had a son Archbibald Coulter (1803-1875) who married Celia Skaggs (1811-1852) and they had a daughter Rachel Coulter who married Charles Klepzig 1839- who had a son Thomas Klepzig (1863-1924) who married Keziah Rader-these are my great grandparents :)
Lesley Logan (CA

Unknown said...

Just found your website while trying to find a source for Sidneh's story. Sidneh is my 6th great grandmother, through my father's matrilineal line. Your version, with the additional information about George Flemming, is the most complete I've found. Thanks!

Sage said...

Your website is great. I have read some of the information on Sidneh before but not her husband George Fleming. I was actually researching him when I ran across your site. Their daughter Sidneh, married Matthew McClintock. They were my 5th great grandparents through my maternal line. It so fascinates me that all us share the great grandparents! Thank you for this info.

Mary Henry said...

Hello, I am Mary Henry and Sidnah Rosine Brown Fleming is my fifth great grandmother. I descend from she and George Fleming as follows: Sidnah and George's daughter, Sidnah, married Matthew McClintock, their daughter, Margaret McClintock, married William White, their daughter Jane Clementine White, married George Agnew, their daughter, Fleming Virginia Agnew, married William F. Mobley, then their daughter, Ella Mae Mobley, married John O. Henry. I am the daughter of Ella Mae and John's son, George L. Henry. I love this website!!

Linda Rudd said...

Thank you all for stopping by and leaving such kind comments. Sorry I didn’t respond sooner, the long illness and recent death of my mother has kept me away for my computer, and moreso my blogging.

It will never cease to amaze me how many “cousins” I have that share, not just my genes but, my heritage. I think that’s the most wonderful thing about family genealogy, how we are literally reminded that we are all connected. And these ancestors, George and, especially, Sidnah are wonderful examples of how we can overcome anything. Here’s my line:

Sidnah Rosine and George Fleming to daughter Sidnah Fleming who married Matthew W. McClintock, to their daughter Jane McClintock (Margaret’s sister) who married Alexander P. Clark, to their son David Clark who married Mary Alice McKeow and migrated to Gadsden Co., FL, to their daughter Sidnah H. Clark who married Robert V. Suber, to their daughter Annie Lee Suber who married Walter Washington Rudd, to their son Eulis Franklin Rudd who married Ella Wilson, to my father Doyle Carlton Rudd who married my mother Joyce Alice Ireland and moved to Texas.

I’m so glad y’all enjoy my blog, I do hope to get back to it soon!

Aaron K said...

I connect to George and Sidneh through the Coulter family. They are my 6th Great Grandparents. Does anyone know who George's father is?

Linda Rudd said...

Hi Aaron, I don't know the answer to your question, but I've never come across any information concerning the parentage of George Flemming. The story from the diary states he was an Englishman. Now, in the days of DNA and Y-surname groups, maybe something will come to light!

Unknown said...

My wife is related to Matthew McClintock line.her great grandfather, Matthew McClintock, born in Delta Alabama is the grandson of Matthew and Sidnah McClintock from Chester South Carolina. We are wondering if you know about James Timothy MCClintock and Eleanor Hamilton that came over in 1772 from Northern Ireland. We want to confirm that these are Matthew's McClintock's parents. Any information would be appreciated.

Linda Rudd said...

Hello Unknown, I don't have any information concerning the parentage of Matthew McClintock. Sorry I can't help!

Sydney Selman said...

Hi, all! This is crazy to come across. Sidneh was also my 6th great grandmother. My line continues from South Carolina down to Gadsden county where my family resides near today.