Display Patriot - P-189387 - Michael HYDER/HIDER Sr
Michael HYDER/HIDER Sr
SAR Patriot #:
P-189387
The following information was assembled from numerous sources and cannot be used directly as proof of Qualifying Service or Lineage.
It is considered a research aid and is intended to assist in locating sources that can be used as proof.
State of Service: NC
Qualifying Service: Soldier / Patriotic Service
Photo by permission: James Ervin McKinney, Tennessee Society SAR
Directions to Cemetery / Gravesite:
Cemetery is located on top of a hill off Lonesome Dove Lane in Elizabethton, TN
From Johnson City take US 321 toward Elizabethton. At the first traffic light, turn left on to Miligan Highway. At the first traffic, light turn left on to Powder Branch Rd. In 0.9 mi., a small road bears off to the left, this is Lonesome Dove Lane. As soon as you turn left, there is a gate on the left that will take you into a field. Follow the trail/road in the field to the top of the hill and the Hyder Cemetery is on the left
Photo: 1 of 1
Author: Kenneth Whittaker
Michael Hyder, a son of Michael Hyder, the immigrant, married Elizabeth Wood on December 2, 1764 while living in Virginia. A few years later, circa 1770, they moved to the mountains of North Carolina and settled on Powder Branch in the Watauga Settlement of North Carolina (now Tennessee). Michael waas known as Michael Hyder, Sr., after his first son, Michael, was born on October 24, 1767. The Hyder family was among the first settler families to remain in the territory. Michael made gunpowder in a cave near present day Elizabethton, and some of his gunpowder was used by the Overmountain Men at the Battle of King’s Mountain.
Michael Hyder, Sr., was in Fort Watauga with his family July 21, 1776, when the Indians attacked the set¬tlers, and he was with Sevier in nearly all of Sevier’s expeditions against both the Indians and the British. He was in the Battle of Musgrove’s Mill and volunteered to go to King’s Mountain. Since no one was willing to stay at home to watch for an Indian invasion, he and James Edens, Sr., were detailed to patrol all East Tennessee and report any appearance of Indians. This service required more circumspection and was more dangerous than the expedition to King’s Mountain. On their vigilance depended the safety of the women and children of the settlement. Without them, the women and children could have been butch¬ered by the Indians. These two men were alone more than 100 miles from any help in the deep forest and nothing to eat except the game they killed. They were in danger of being captured and killed every time their rifles fired. This was a service of which any man might be proud. Hyder and Edens learned of a contemplated approach of Indians, and sent for Sevier to hurry home with his men to protect the infant settlement. After the soldiers arrived back at Fort Watauga, they slept one night at home, and next morn¬ing they started downriver looking for Indians. They met the Indians northeast of present day Knoxville, and completely whipped them.
Michael Hyder, Sr., signed the Halifax Petition of 1776 along with a number of the early Watauga settlers. He died in 1790 and is buried on top of one of the hills on Powder Branch in the Hyder Cemetery. His wife, Elizabeth, died January 3, 1841, at the age of ninety-five.
The children of Michael, Sr., and Elizabeth Wood Hyder were: 1. Nancy, married John Stoglin. Went to White Co., Tennessee. 2. Catherine, married Absolem Moore. Settled in Illinois. 3. Michael, Jr., b. Oct. 24, 1767, d. Oct. 6, 1861, married (1) Martha Lockhart, Mar. 7, 1797; (2) Sarah Zimmerman, a widow, Nov. 19, 1813. 4. Joseph, b. ? , d. June 29, 1864; married Rhoda Edens, Jan. 4, 1802. 5. John, b. Sept. 14, 1765, d. April 15, 1833; married Roseanna English, Feb. 6, 1786. 6. Polly, married Jesse Millsaps. 7. Elizabeth, married Daniel Parkerson
Author: Gregory Todd Williams
Michael Hyder was born in 1743 in Hampshire. County West Virginia to Hans Heider and Katherine Chasteen.
In 1764,Hyder married Elizabeth Wood in Augusta county Virginia. Hyder had 10 children from this union.
In 1772, the Watauga valley was leased from the Cherokee for 10 years. Hyder moved to the Watauga valley soon after this,and started a powder mill.
On July 5,1776,Hyder was one of the signers of the Watauga Petition that allowed the Watauga Valley to become part of North Carolina. Three weeks later, Watauga would be under attack by the Cherokee fighting for their very existence.
On July 26, 1776, Cherokee under Dragging Canoe attacked Fort Caswell in a siege that lasted 2 weeks.Hyder fought bravely and supplied the garrison with gun powder. In October, 1776,Hyder joined under the command of William Christian on an expedition against the Cherokee. During this expedition. Christian burned several Indian villages including Citico located in the present day Tellico valley
In July 1780, Hyder under the command of Isaac Shelby participated in some minor skirmishes near Spartanburg SC. In July,1780, Shelby captured Thicketty Fort along with 90 Tories. On August 8, 1780 while picking peaches near Wofford iron works, Shelby was attacked by Captain James Dunlap, a Tory leader. Shelby had about 50 men wounded or killed during this battle.The Tories suffered the same amount of casualties. On August 19, 1780, Hyder participated in the battle of Musgrove mill. In this battle,67 Tories were killed. A relative of Isaac Shelby was captured in this battle. Ferguson, commander of Fort Ninety Six, let him return to Watauga with a message that Ferguson planned to march to Watauga, and burn the settlement to the ground.
The Wataugans didn't care too much about Ferguson's threat so they decided to attack him first. In September, 1780, Hyder joined march to Kings mountain, but had to return to Fort Watauga due to an Indian attack.
In December, 1780, Hyder joined with John Sevier to fight Indians. Between 1780_1793, Sevier burned down over 35 Indian villages. Hyder participated in most of the battles including Boyd creek and the siege of lookout mountain.
After the Revolutionary war, Hyder continued to fight indians. On June 25,1790 at the age of 47, Hyder died. Hyder was buried behind his house in Carter County Tn.
In 1815, Mary Hyder, daughter of Michael Hyder moved to Citico TN, one of the former Cherokee villages burned by her father to raise her family.
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Additional Information:
In the History Book Carter County Tennessee and its People 1796-1993 p185, Michael Hyder Sr is described as one of the early pioneer families of what was then Washington District NC which became Carter County TN in 1796. Within this paragraph it is stated that he was a member of the Watauga Association and was one of many signers of the Halifax / Watauga Petition of 1776. It also states that he was with John Sevier in almost all his expeditions against the indians and british, including the battles of Musgrove Mill, Thickety Fort and Cedar Springs. He had volunteered to fight at Kings Mountian, however Sevier had asked him, James Allen Edens Sr, and John Carter to stay behind and guard Fort Watauga against indian attack. Another noteworthy service is that Michael Hyder developed one of the first blackpowder manufacturing mills in the Powder Branch area and that powder from Hyder's mill was used at the Battle of Kings Mountian South Carolina