Fleming History

-- From the Jackson Post & Cash - Book, June 26, 1974, Jackson, Missouri

Mitchell Fleming honored; soldier in Revolutionary War…

By: TOM NEUMEYER

Mrs. Gale Seabaugh’s great, great, great, great, grandfather, Mitchell Flaming, came briefly into the limelight last Friday as his final resting place was marked by the Daughters of the American Revolution with a bronze plaque honoring him as a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Because few of its veterans came this far west, such a plaque is relatively unique in this area.

The grave is near New Wells on the old Fleming farm, which is now owned by Marvin Richter. Mrs. Seabaugh, who is Secretary at the Presbyterian Church 1n Jackson, provided the information on her ancestor for this article, with a assistance from her grandfather, H. R. Stevenson of Fruitland.

Mitchell Fleming was born in April, 1761, in Kent County, Del. In a few years, the Fleming family pulled up stakes and moved south to Rowan County, N.C. near the Coddle Creek Church. He grew up fast in the wilderness that was sort on comforts and long on hardships. In 1777 he enlisted in Captain Craig’s Company, of Col. Francis Locke's Regiment at the age of 16. The Company was involved in one skirmish at Coney Island on the Savannah River. In 1782 Fleming became a private in Captain James Stevenson's Company of Col. Isaac's North Carolina Regiment. The pay receipts from the period of his service are listed in North Carolina records.

With the war’s finale, he married Miss Agnes Kennedy June 27, 1784, in Rowan County N.C. The new family established a farm in Meckinburg (now Cabarrus) County with land he inherited from his father, George Fleming. In 1819 the family joined a group of colonists and left North Carolina by wagon train to arrive in Cape Girardeau County.

After arriving, Fleming bought some land in Shawnee and Apple Creek Townships at $1.25 an acre. Land patients were issued for his purchases in 1821 and 1823. The land was scoured mostly in 80 acre plots for a total of 840 acres. Practically all of it was located among various creek bottoms. As each of his daughters married, he deeded his new son‑in‑law an eighty acre tract, which later was willed to the daughter.

On September 21, 1821, Fleming's wife died. Agnes was born in Chester Co., Pennsylvania July 20, 1760, and bore all of Fleming's children. In 1824 he took a second wife, Miss Jane Stevenson, who was a sister to his son‑in‑law, James Stevenson. Jane and James were children of Fleming's commander, Capt. James Stevenson. James married Fleming's eldest daughter, Jane. Besides some confusion in names this caused some confusion in relationships. Jane Stevenson Fleming’s brother, James became her son‑in law after her marriage.

Mitchell Fleming began receiving a pension for his tour of duty in the war in 1832 when Congress passed a general pension act. His application was executed December 22, 1832 in Cape Girardeau County.

The Mitchell Fleming family were charter members of Apple Creek Presbyterian Church. He had the position of first ruling elder till a year before his death. Fleming must have been a deeply religious man, for when finds were being raised to pay for the new church, be pledged his entire pension from the war until the building was paid for. Mitchell Fleming passed away April 18, 1837, at the age of 76, after leading quite a full life. His wife, Jane, followed him in death four days later. The Fleming family plot contains the graves of Mitchell Fleming, his two wives, his daughter Margaret, and a son, Hiram, and his two wives and a daughter. The plot was situated on a hill in the Fleming farm that now belongs to Marvin Richter. Fleming's tombstone is decorated with thirteen stars around the base of the ball on the top.

Fleming's nine children, all by his first wife, Agnes, were as follows:
  • Jane. She was born January 11, 1786, married James Stevenson in N. C., and died April 16, 1865, and was buried in Apple Creek Cemetery.
  • William married Ginny Woodside in N. C. in 1808 and remained in that state.
  • Richard married Jean Waddington in N. C. in 1814 and also remained there.
  • Margaret was born February 17, 1791, died August 15, 1822, having not married, and was buried in the family cemetery.
  • Mary was born August 26, 1794, married Benjamin Brown in 1824, died March 20, 1864, and was buried in the Apple Creek Cemetery.
  • Agnes was born December 23, 1795, married Robert S. McFarland December 20, 1821, went to Bond County, Ill. in 1837, died May 12,1865 and was buried in Bethel Cemetery, Bond County.
  • Elizabeth married James B. Little in 1824 and it is thought they moved to Texas.
  • Sarah was born January 18, 1802, married Zenas N. Ross, died September 27, 1879, and was buried in the Apple Creek Cemetery.
  • Hiram was born August 17, 1804, was a merchant who had one of the first stores is Jackson, married to Jane Stevenson, January 1837, who died that December, and then married Margaret Stevenson by whom he had one daughter, Martha Jane, born in 1842 and died 1846.
The whole family is buried in the Fleming Cemetery.