Ashe a son of Col. Sam. Ashe and Elizabeth, (he was a member of Congress from Tennessee) married Elizabeth Hay, daughter of David and Susan Hay.
The youngest daughter, Margaret Lucia, married to Dr. John Rogers, several years after the death of Col. Shepperd, who died at Hillsboro. Dr. Rogers was an Irishman by birth, and for a short time in the United States Navy; a graduate of Georgetown, D. C., came to Wilmington about 1815, and became a teacher there, for Rev. Dr. Empie, and afterwards Col. Hill--about 1822 to 1826 had charge of the Academy of Hillsboro. To these was born Dr. J. Webb Rogers, July 11, 1822, at "Long Meadows," the old North Carolina homestead of his grand-father, a graduate of the College of New Jersey at Princeton.
He became an Episcopal clergyman, built six churches in Tennessee; and becoming a convert to the Roman Catholic faith, returned to the profession of the law, which he had studied in early life. He is an author of several theological and poetical works. The children of Dr. J. Webb Rogers have already attained such distinction as to entitle them to much more than passing notice.
Two sons, J. Harris Rogers and Wm. Shepperd Rogers are both electricians. By the middle name of the older son named, the alliance of the two families is noted. Arthur Harris, his maternal ancestor, was the bosom friend of William Shepperd, and served with him in the State Legislature. The names of Hon. Isham G. Harris, U. S. Senator, Hon. Wm. R. Harris, Gen. Buckner Harris, Elisha Harris, a wealthy planter before the late war, Dr. George C. Harris, dean of St. Mary's Cathedral, Dr. G. Whitson Harris, the famous surgeon, and many other names not unknown to fame, are all grouped around this family centre.
These descendants, the Rogers, have by their patents in connection with electricity, obtained great reputation and have become immensely wealthy.
The Mebane family have been very well known and esteemed in Orange County, and its descendants have not only been distinguished in this section, but have pervaded Tennessee Kentucky, Mississippi, Indiana, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas and other sections. (Revo. Incidents in the old North State, by E. W. Caruthers.)
Colonel Alexander Mebane, the founder of the family in North Carolina, came from the North of Ireland, emigrated to America and settled in Pennsylvania, where he remained for several years. He removed to Hawfields, in Orange County, before the revolution. He was an industrious, upright man, thrifty in worldly matters, and soon acquired considerable wealth.
Under the Royal Government he received a commission as Colonel and was made a Justice of the Peace. When the revolution began he and all of his sons were decided and became active defenders of the rights of the people, when opposed to the oppressions of the Crown. On this account the British and Tories devastated his property. He was too old to be an active soldier himself, but his sons were brave and zealous defenders of the cause of independence. He had six sons: 1st William, 2nd Robert, 3d Alexander, 4th John, 5th James, 6th David.
William Mebane was a captain in the revolution and a member of the Senate in the State Legislature in 1782; married first to Miss Rainy, second to Miss Abercrombie, but had no issue.
Robert was the soldier of the family, a Colonel in the Continental army. He was with General Rutherford in his campaign in 1776 against the Overhill Cherokee Indians and in many battles with the British and Tories, in which he displayed unflinching courage. In the battle of Cane Creek, in an endeavor to intercept the fierce marauder Fanning, who had seized the Governor, Colonel Mebane displayed great valor, and when General Butler had ordered
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