Joseph Winston was born 17 June 1746 in Louisa Co., VA, and died 21 April 1815 near Germantown, Stokes Co., NC. (Originally buried private cemetery near Germantown, now at Guilford Battle Grounds, Guilford, NC)
Wife Minerva Elizabeth "Betty" Lanier was born 29 September 1750 in Lunenburg Co., VA, and died 4 December 1794 in Stokes Co., NC. (Buried next to her husband) They were married 28 August 1766 in Rowan Co., NC.
Their children were:
1- Martha Winston b: 5 January 1768 in Rowan Co., NC; d: 17 May 1832 in Obion Co., TN
+William H. McDaniel b: 27 August 1757 in Halifax Co., VA; m: 18 December 1783 in Germantown, Surry Co., NC; d: 24 March 1820 in Gallatin, Sumner Co., TN
2- William Winston b: 25 August 1770; d: 1834 Adams Co., Mississippi
3- Sally Winston b: Abt. 1774 in Surry Co., NC; d: Aft. 1820
+Charles W. Dalton b: Abt. 1777 in Albemarle Co., VA; m: 1 November 1795 in Stokes Co., NC [David/Susan Davis]; d: Abt. 1824 in Stokes Co., NC
Notes for Sally Winston:
- 1820 Stokes Co., NC census: Charles Dalton – males 1<10, 1 (45+), females 3<10, 2 (10-16), 1 (16-26), 2 (26-45), 14 slaves
4- Elizabeth Winston b: 1776; d: 1814
+Robert Williams b: 30 October 1766 in Prince Edward Co., VA; m: Abt. 1795; d: 30 January 1836 near Monroe, Ouachita Parish, LA; burial family graveyard Ouachita Parish
Notes for Elizabeth Winston:
- 1810 Shatra, Stokes Co., NC census: Robert Williams – males 5<10, 1 (16-26), 1 (26-45), females 1 (10-16), 1 (26-45).
- Robert Williams: 1792-1795 Member of NC State Senate; 1797-1803 (3rd District 1797-99, at-large 1799-1803) U.S. Representative from NC; 1805-1809 Governor of MS Territory; 1811 Candidate for delegate to U.S. Congress from MS Territory
5- Thomas Winston b: Abt. 1778 in Stokes Co., NC
6- Robert Winston b: Abt. 1782 in Stokes Co., NC; d: Aft. 1820
+Frances Davis b: Abt. 1785; m: 31 July 1806 in Stokes Co., NC; d: Aft. 1820
Notes for Robert Winston:
- 1810 Germantown, Stokes Co., NC census: Robert Winston – males 2<10, 1 (26-45), females 1 (16-26), 5 slaves
- 1820 Stokes Co., NC census: Robert Winston – males 2<10, 1 (10-16), 1 (26-45), females 2<10, 1 (26-45), 14 slaves
7- Louis L. Winston b: 24 November 1784 in Germantown, Stokes Co., NC; d: 20 August 1824 in Natchez, Adams Co., MS; burial: family graveyard, Adams Co., MS
Notes for Louis L. Winston:
- 1817: Delegate/chairman to Mississippi state constitutional convention
- 1820 Adams Co., Mississippi census: Louis Winston – males 2<10, 2 (26-45), females 4<10, 2 (16-26), 2 slaves
- 1821-1824: Justice of Mississippi State Supreme Court
- 1824: died in office
- Winston County, Mississippi is named for him
8- Samuel L. Winston b: 1786 in Stokes Co., NC; d: 1831 in Adams Co., MS
+Ann W. Hoggatt b: 1800; m: Abt. 1818; d: Aft. 1850
Notes for Samuel L. Winston:
- 1830 Adams Co., MS: Samuel L. Winston – males 2 (5-10), 1 (10-15), 1 (20-30), 1 (40-50), females 2<5, 1 (10-15), 1 (30-40), 1 (60-70)
- 1850 Natchez South, Adams Co., MS, p. 1: David Stanton 37 merchant, $5000 real estate (b. Ire), Anna E. 31, Aaron 10, L.N. 8, Ann W. Winston 50.
9- Joseph West Winston b: 1788; d: 1840
+Letitia Dalton Hughes b: 1790; m: 28 December 1811 in Stokes Co., NC; d: 1854
Notes for Joseph West Winston:
- War of 1812: Major, 5th Regiment
- elected to legislature
- 1820 Stokes Co., NC census: Joseph Winston – males 2<10, 1 (26-45), females 2<10, 1 (26-45), 18 slaves
- 1830 Stokes Co., NC census: Joseph W. Winston – males 1 (5-10), 1 (10-15), 1 (15-20), 1 (40-50), females 1<5, 1 (10-15), 1 (15-20), 1 (20-30), 1 (40-50), 1 (60-70), 25 slaves
10- Anne Winston b: 1790 in Stokes Co., NC; d: 1866 in Carroll Co., VA
+James Robertson b: Abt. 1775 in Stokes Co., NC; m: Abt. 1815 in Stokes Co., NC; d: Aft. 1832
Notes for Anne Winston:
- 1830 Stokes Co., NC: James Robertson – males 1<5, 1 (5-10), 1 (50-60), females 2<5, 2 (5-10), 1 (20-30)
11- Fountain Winston b: 3 November 1793 in Germantown, Stokes Co., NC; d: 1 December 1834 Natchez, Adams, MS
Notes for Fountain Winston:
- 1818 Tax Roll, Adams Co., Mississippi: Fountain Winston
- 1827-1828: Member of Mississippi State Senate
- 1830 Natchez, Adams, Mississippi: F. Winston – males 1 (30-40)
- 1832-1834: Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi
Notes for Joseph Winston:
- 1790 Salisbury, Stokes Co., NC: Joseph Winston - males 2 (16+), 5 <16, 2 females, 18 slaves
- 1790: Member of NC State Senate (democrat)
- 1793-1795, 1803-07 (at-large 1793-95, 12th District 1803-05, at-large 1805-07): U.S. Representative from NC
- 1800 Salisbury, Stokes Co., NC census: Joseph Winston – males 1 (10-16), 3 (16-26), 1 (45+), 1 other, 21 slaves.
- 1810 Germantown, Stokes Co., NC census: Joseph Winston – males 1 (16-26), 1 (45+), 2 others, 27 slaves.
- June 1892 Newspaper Article: “Prominent among the early friends of liberty in North Carolina was Col. Joseph Winston. He belongs to an old Yorkshire family, which had settled in Wales and afterwards emigrated to Virginia soon distinguishing itself thereby its talent and its love of liberty. These qualities were nobly illustrated in the lives of Judge Winston and of Patrick Henry, the great Virginia orator, whose mother was a Winston. Some authorities say that Patrick Henry's mother was the sister of Col. Jos. Winston's father. Col. Winston was born in Louisa county, Virginia, June 17th, 1745 inheriting the liberty-loving spirit of his ancestors and a fondness for the hardships and adventures of the chase. He received a fair education according to the standard of the day, but was more adventurous than studious. At the age of 17 he joined a company of Rangers formed for the purpose of fighting the Indians, who were very troublesome in that section. During an expedition to the frontier for the object of punishing a marauding party, his company was ambuscaded and made a desperate resistance, but were overpowered and put to flight. During this skirmish young Winston acted with great gallantry. His horse was killed under him and he himself received two balls; one in the thigh, and the other in the body. Dragging himself painfully into the underbrush, the Indians in pursuit of the retreating Rangers, passed him by. Here he would doubtless have perished had he not been discovered by comrades, who like himself had sought the brush for refuge. His friend being unwounded aided him in escape, faithfully carrying him on his back for three days, until they reached the welcome shelter of a frontier man's cabin. During this toilsome and painful journey they had no food save the berries of the wild roses, which fortunately, were quite plentiful. One of the bullets which he then received was never extricated and continued to the end of his life to be a source of suffering. Early in 1770, Winston migrated to what was then Surry, now Stokes County, North Carolina, settling in the vicinity of the forks of Dan River. He embraced with ardor the cause of the Colonies in the dispute with the mother country, and was chosen by the people of his county to represent them in the important Provincial Congress of 1775. In February following he was one of an expedition against the Scotch Tories on Cross Creek, who in the endeavor to effect a junction with the royal troops under Sir Henry Clinton were signally defeated at Moore's Creek Bridge on the 27th of that month. By the Provincial Congress of April, 1776, he was appointed lst Major and Commandant of the Militia for the county of Surry. In this capacity he served under Gen. Griffith Rutherford in arduous expedition across the mountains in the fall of the same year. By this expedition the Cherokees were so effectively humbled that they continued peaceful during the rest of the war. Under the Constitution of 1776, Major Winston was elected a member of the first House of Commons, which met the following years. Upon him, in conjunction with Waighstill Avery and Robert Lanier, was conferred the important duty of effecting a permanent settlement with the lately humbled Cherokees. They succeeded in securing the celebrated treaty of the Long Island of Holston, thereby extinguishing the Indian title to a large area of land and establishing a peace which enabled the western people to devote all their energies to the defeat of the British. Without this treaty the victory of King's Mountain would have been impossible, as the mountaineers would have been exposed to the attacks of the savages. During the Britain invasion of North Carolina, Major Winston was in active service against them and against the Tories. He fought with the gallant but unfortunate General William Davidson against Cornwallis and afterwards with Col. Cleveland against the Loyalists of New River. From 1807 to 1813 he served as a Trustee of the University of North Carolina, thus showing his interest in higher education, which was just then struggling for recognition. Immediately after the battle of King's Mountain, the General Assembly of his State voted Colonel Winston a sword, in recognition of his gallantry on that memorable day; but in the harassing trials of the war, the vote was not carried into effect. It was not until the beginning of the second War of Independence that this duty was performed. His reply when this honor was conferred upon him was characteristic of the man, and in its laconic brevity breathes the sublime virtue of the ancient Spartan. He said, "Mr. Speaker, I am at a loss for words to express my sense of honor which the General Assembly has conferred upon me by this grateful present. I trust that the sword which is directed to be presented to me, will never be tarnished by cowardice, but be wielded in defense of my country's right and independence." Thus was his last public service crowned by a noble testimonial of his people's love and gratitude. He died on the 21st of April, 1814. In person, Col. Winston was of commanding presence and fine manners. His form was stately, his countenance noble and expressive; in some features resembling his kinsman, Patrick Henry. His nature was fitted rather for action than for contemplation or speech. Warrior, Statesman, Patriot, Educator, he yet "lives in the hearts of his countrymen." His monument in the thriving and progressive town of Winston, which was fitly named in his honor, since the liberty he so greatly aided in establishing, alone made its existence a possibility.”
In the grand Memorial Hall at Chapel Hill, amid the names of other illustrious Carolinians, is a tablet to the memory of Colonel Joseph Winston. It reads as follows:
COL. JOSEPH WINSTON
Born 1746 Died 1814
Trustee University of North Carolina 1807-1813
Member Hillsboro Congress of 1775
Commissioner to Cherokee Indians 1777
Major at King's Mountain 1780
Voted a sword by the General Assembly for gallantry
Eight times a State Senator
Thrice Representative in Congress
Twice Presidential Elector
The Town of Winston Called in His Honor
This Tablet Erected by the Graded School of Winston
- From The History of a County on the March (Forsyth): Joseph Winston was a man of family and property. In the 17th century, (allegedly) five Winston brothers of Winston Hall in Yorkshire, England settled in Hanover County, VA. Joseph and his 1st cousin Patrick Henry spent much of their boyhood together. He was active in land speculation as a young man. The failure of one of his larger Virginia schemes led him to Surry County in the late 1760's. He settled down on the Town Fork of the Dan River and began to raise a family. In 1782 he owned 980 acres of land and 15 slaves. In 1790 he owned 1362 acres and18 slaves. On his death he left a will in which he indicated ownership of 900 acres in Stokes County and 8000 acres of western lands. His body was moved to Guilford Courthouse National Military Park in 1908. At the park, an impressive statue and large portrait commemorate Winston's contributions.
- The sword was donated in the 1950's to Guilford Co. Courthouse. It has a trifoil blade, brass hilt, bone handle, and inscription "State of N. C. to Col. Joseph WINSTON" and "Kings Mountain 7th October 1780". They also have his epaulettes. His sword appears to have been willed to his son William.
Parents of Joseph Winston
Parents of Minerva Elizabeth Lanier
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