Descendants of Alexander Faries
The following genealogy is offered as the direct line from the man believed to be our first known ancestor, Alexander Faries. Some of this information came from a genealogy by the late Joe Hart, a York County, S.C., researcher; some of it came from public records such as census lists; and some came from family members, including Daniel Troublefield, who found the link to Alexander. Additions and corrections are welcome. I will use the various spellings of Faris, Farris, Faries, Faires, etc., when known. Direct-line ancestors are in boldface.
I. Alexander Faries died in New Castle County, Del., in 1785 (will dated 1783). His children were Samuel, John, James, Jennet, Robert, William, and Alexander. Samuel, Jennet and William stayed in Delaware. John, James, Robert and Alexander Jr. came to Carolina. I will deal only with the Carolina children.
— 1b. Alexander Faires, born 1740, died 1834. Married Janet James, died 1825. Buried at Old Unity Cemetery, Fort Mill, S.C. according to Dan Troublefield, Alexander and Janet lived with their son Jesse in their last years. The gravestones for Jesse's family were put up sometime after the death of Jesse's wife, Margaret, and his son Jesse J. in the 1830s. That would be one reason for errors in the date that can be found on their gravestone. Jennet and Jane and Janet are all the same name, but she signed her name as Janet although the clerk might write her name more than one way in documents (deeds, etc.) themselves.
— 2b. John Faries, born 1741, died without issue Jan. 6, 1825. Buried at Bethel Presbyterian churchyard, York County, S.C. Married Ann (unknown).
— 3b. Robert Faries, born before 1755. Married Hannah Faries.
— 4b. James Faries, born 1754, died without issue April 3, 1830. Buried at Bethel Presbyterian churchyard, York County, S.C. Married Jean Adair.
I am here introducing a separate Faries line — that of Moses Faries.
Moses Faries died in Cecil County, Md. His will was dated Nov. 4, 1757, and was proved Nov. 11, 1757.
His will named as his children Robert, Margaret, Abram, Jane, Agnes, Moses, Arthur, Mary, John, Matthew, Hannah and James Faries.
"If Mary should marry James Duggan, then her share shall be forfeited.
"Executors: Joseph Wallace, Robert Arthur.
"Witnesses: Abram Holmes, Moses Andrews."
Of the above children of old Moses, Arthur, John, James and Hannah came
to Carolina. Probably others of the children did as well.

1. Arthur.
2. John married Susanah Faries, daughter of Jean Adair and James Faries.
3. James married Ann Faries, daughter of Jean Adair and James Faries.
4. Hannah married Robert Faries, son of Alexander.

Hannah and Robert Faries named their oldest son Moses after Hannah's father.
3b. Robert Faries, born before 1755 to Alexander Faris, died in 1803. He married Hannah Faries and had the following children, according to his will:
— 1c. Moses Faries, born before 1778. Married Unknown.
— 2c. David Faries, living in 1803.
— 3c. Sarah Faries, living in 1803.
— 4c. Anne Faries, living in 1803.
— 5c. Hannah Faries, living in 1803.
— 6c. Robert Arthur Faries. Robert was named for a friend of the family back in Cecil Co., Md. — the Robert Arthur who was co-executor of the will of Hannah's father, Moses, in 1757.
— 7c. Mary Faries, living in 1803.
— 8c. Isabella Faries, married, before 1803, a Mr. Gordon.
— 9c. John McWhorter Faries.
Robert Faries' will can be read here.
1c. Moses Faries was born before 1778 to Robert Farries and died July 11,1812, in Illinois. He married a woman possibly named Mary and had issue:
— 1d. John B. Faries, born May 10, 1800, and died June 20, 1832. Married Jane Nichols.
— 2d. Robert Miller Faries, born July 15, 1804, and died March 23, 1883.
— 3d. Moses Templeton Faries, born Oct. 30, 1806, and died Nov. 26, 1896.
— 4d. Jane H. Faries, born May 19, 1809.
The name of the wife of Moses Faries is not known for sure. One story is that she was an Indian woman. Moses is said to have died by drowning. He supposedly made a bet that he could swim the Wabash River in Illinois. His wife brought their children back to York County, S.C.
In his genealogy, Joe Hart erroneously reported that Robert Faries was possibly married to a Miller woman. One family story says that Moses migrated to Miller’s Mill on Stices River, a few miles from Shelby, N.C., where he worked as a miller. The family later went to Illinois, where Moses also worked as a miller.
Moses and his family are not listed in any York County Census. The children were named in a Bible in the possession of Moses Templeton Faries, but the parents' names were not listed.

Read more here.
3d. Moses Templeton Faries, born Oct. 30, 1806, and died Nov. 26, 1896. He married, 1st, Elizabeth L. Horton, born Nov. 25, 1804, and died Aug. 26, 1878. Moses and Elizabeth were the parents of:
— 1e. Mary Faries, born around 1834.
— 2e. John Robert Faries, born Dec. 5, 1833, and died June 5, 1909. Buried at Enon Baptist churchyard in York County, S.C.
— 3e. Possibly, A.B. Faris, born Jan. 10, 1835, and died Dec. 10, 1880. Married, before 1879, Narcissa I., born May 10, 1843, and died Sept. 16, 1884. Both are buried in Enon Churchyard.
Moses Templeton Faries married, 2nd, Emeline Esther, born July 25, 1832, and died Oct. 4, 1880. Emeline had no children. She, Moses Templeton, and Elizabeth L. are buried in Enon churchyard, Smyrna, S.C.
2e. John Robert Faries was born Dec. 5, 1833, and died June 5, 1909. He married, 1st, Nancy E. Barber, born Sept. 17, 1832, and died Nov. 1, 1900. John and Nancy were the parents of:
— 1f. Elizabeth Ann Faries, born July 9, 1854, and died Aug. 28, 1916. Married William A. Barrett. Both are buried at Woodside Cemetery, Clover, S.C.
— 2f. John James Faries, born Jan. 12, 1856, and died Aug. 30, 1932. Married Nancy Catherine Martin.
— 3f. George Templeton Faries, born Dec. 21, 1857, and died Jan. 17, 1936. Married Susan Wallace.
— 4f. Margaret Jane Faries, born July 7, 1860, and died Feb. 28, 1922. Married Hugh David Robinson, born July 14, 1855, and died June 15, 1930. Both are buried at Woodside.
— 5f. William Caldwell Faries, born April 22, 1862, and died Aug. 4, 1923. Married, 1st, Nancy Leona Adkins; married, 2nd, Margaret Elizabeth Ervin, married, 3rd, Frances Elizabeth Bolin. Buried at Woodside Cemetery, Clover, S.C.
— John Robert Faries married, 2nd, Mary J. Faries, born June 1833 and died April 30, 1913. Mary is believed to be the daughter of John B. Faries, a brother of Moses Templeton Faries, so she and John Robert were cousins. Mary J. had no children, She, John, and Nancy all are buried in Enon Baptist churchyard in Smyrna, S.C.
John Robert Faries served as a private in the 12 Regiment, Company B, South Carolina volunteers, "the Campbell Rifles", in the Civil War.
Read John R. Faries' will here.
Read more about John R. Faries here.
3f. George Templeton Faries was born Dec. 21, 1857, and died Jan. 17, 1936. He married Susan Wallace, born January 1855 and died March 1924. George and Susan were the parents of:
— 1g. John Farris. Married Mary Patterson.
— 2g. Moses Miles Farris, born Sept, 28, 1879, and died Nov. 19, 1949. Married Carrie Ludusca Blanton Harrill.
— 3g. Hugh Caldwell Farris, born Aug. 20, 1882, and died Jan. 18, 1971. Married Margaret Cluny (poss. Clooney) Owensby.
— 4g. Jane "Janie" Farris, born January 1884. Married Joel Francis Owensby.
— 5g. Margaret "Maggie" or "Mag" Farris, born May 1886. Married John Morris.
— 6g. Dinah Farris, born April 1888. She had a daughter, Violet Farris.
— 7g. James Nathan Farris, February 1890 (or Aug. 30, 1890-March 10, 1939). Married Mary Belle Dover.
— 8g. Martha "Mattie" Farris, born January 1892.
— 9g. Naomi "Omie" Farris, born February 1894. The 1900 census listed a Nancy Farris, and the 1910 census listed an Amanda Farris. Sue Stewart, daughter of Hugh Caldwell Farris, believes the names on the census are wrong and that the child in question was Omie. Omie married Frank Coffee.
— 10g. Jesse (Daniel Andrel) Farris, born May 1896. Born Daniel, he was a big fan of outlaw Jesse James so he changed his name. Married Bessie Smith.
George and Susan are buried in unmarked graves at Enon Baptist churchyard in York County, S.C.
Note that from here on, the spelling "Farris" becomes the norm.
2g. Moses Miles Farris was born Sept, 28, 1879, and died Nov. 19, 1949. He married Carrie Ludusca Blanton Harrill, the daughter of Franklin Keesler Blanton and Nancy Emmylyn Hamrick Blanton. Carrie was the widow of Bateman Harrill, with whom she had two sons. Moses and Carrie lived first in Rutherford County, N.C., then moved to Burke County, N.C. They are buried at Cedar Grove Methodist churchyard in Sunshine, N.C., Rutherford County. Carrie and Bateman Harrill were the parents of:
— Roy Reid Harrill. Born circa 1897. Married Carral Long and moved to Elizabethton, Tenn. Their children: Nancy Phyllis (married Godfrey Stancill) of Elizabethton, Tenn.; Sarah Carolyn (married. Frank Testerman Jr.) of Rogersville, Tenn.; Frank Keesler Harrill of Elizabethton.
— Edwin Yates Harrill, born circa 1899. Lived in Avondale, N.C. Yates had two children who died.
Bateman Harrill's parents were Jane Walker and Baxter Harrill of Ellenboro.
Moses and Carrie were the parents of:
— 1h. Hiram Lee Farris, born Oct. 4, 1903, and died Nov. 10, 1965. Married Ina Sue Robertson, born Jan. 1, 1905, and died March 23, 1962. Their children: William Edwin, Sarah Frances, and Richard Stanley Farris.
— 2h. Marmaduke "Duke" Farris, born June 26, 1909, and died July 5, 1986. Married Pearl and lived in Morganton. N.C. Their children: George, Doris, Irene, Ray, Nancy, David.
— 3h. Chloe Evelyn Farris, born circa 1911. Evelyn married Joe Hardin, and they lived in Spindale, N.C. Evelyn died after giving birth to daughter Betty. Betty married George Farris, son of Hugh Caldwell Farris and grandson of George Templeton Farris.
— 4h. Nannie Sue Farris, born circa 1915. She was killed at 18 in Spindale while coming home from work. She was struck by a driver from Charlotte.
— 5h. Pauline G. "Polly" Farris Jenkins, born circa 1917. She and her family lived in Morganton, N.C. She is buried at Cedar Grove cemetery. Her children: Jerry, Rachel, Stan, Jan, Judy, Randy.
— 6h. Virginia Farris Farmer, born circa 1920. Known as Jinny in her youth, she married, 1st, Taft Hutchins and had two sons, Maxie Miles and Wayne, and a daughter, Quinn. She married, 2nd, E. Farmer and began spelling her name Jeanie.
THE DESCENDANTS OF HIRAM LEE FARRIS
1h. Hiram Lee Farris was born Oct. 4, 1903, and died Nov. 10, 1965, in Rutherford County, N.C. He married Ina Sue Robertson, who was born Jan. 1, 1905, and died March 23, 1962, in Rutherford County, N.C. Ina was the daughter of William Wheeler Robertson and Lucy Anne Frances McCurry Robertson. Lee and Ina were the parents of the following children:
— 1i. William Edwin Farris, born Nov. 6, 1926, and died Nov. 27, 1928, of diphtheria. he is buried at Cedar Grove Methodist churchyard in Rutherford County (Sunshine), N.C.
— 2i. Sarah Frances Farris, born Dec. 15, 1928. Married James Howard Navey.
— 3i. Richard Stanley Farris, born June 11, 1941. Married, 1st, Patricia Alice Norris. Married, 2nd, Susan Hamilton Gordon.
The family of Sarah Frances Farris Navey
2i. Sarah Frances Farris was born Dec. 15, 1928, in Rutherford County, N.C. Married James Howard Navey, born July 19, 1925, in Cleveland County, N.C., the son of Ernest Victor Navey and Flossie Pauline Bridges Navey. Sarah and James married on June 13, 1948, in Cleveland County, N.C. Their children:
— 1j. Cathy Sue Navey, born April 1, 1949. Married Troy Leighton Brooks.
— 2j. Deborah Anne Navey, born Jan. 15, 1951. Married Andrew Robert Burriss.
— 3j. James Richard Navey, born Feb. 29, 1956. Married Victoria Anne Toomer.
1j. Cathy Sue Navey was born April 1, 1949, in Cleveland County, N.C. Married Troy Leighton Brooks, who was born March 19, 1949, in Mecklenburg County, N.C., the son of Everard Glenn Brooks and Ollie Mae Chronister Brooks. Cathy Navey and Troy Brooks married Dec. 21, 1969, in Mecklenburg County, N.C. They are the parents of the following children:
— 1k. Sarah Olivia Brooks, born Sept. 13, 1974. Married Samuel Neely Sells.
— 2k. Matthew Leighton Brooks, born June 6, 1976. Married Leslie Ann Barnes.
1k. Sarah Olivia Brooks was born Sept. 13, 1974, in Vance County, N.C. Married Samuel Neely Sells, who was born June 16, 1976, in Mecklenburg County, N.C., the son of Laurence Melvin Sells and Anna Corinna Cates Sells. Sarah and Sam were married on July 27, 2002, in Pitt County, N.C. They are the parents of the following children:
— 1l. Jacob Leighton Sells, born Aug. 12, 2004.
— 2l. Joshua Neely Sells, born Dec. 1, 2006.
2k. Matthew Leighton Brooks was born June 6, 1976, in Franklin County, N.C. Married Leslie Ann Barnes, who was born Jan. 24, 1973, in Cleveland County, N.C., the daughter of Thomas Walter Barnes and Carol Jean Cunningham Barnes. Matt and Leslie were married June 19, 1999, in Cleveland County, N.C. They are the parents of the following children:
— 1m. Thomas Matthew Brooks, born Feb. 12, 1998, in Gaston County, N.C.
— 2m. Madelyn Elizabeth Brooks, born Aug. 31, 2000, in Gaston County, N.C.
2j. Deborah Anne Navey was born Jan. 15, 1951, in Cleveland County, N.C. Married Andrew Robert Burriss, who was born Feb. 13, 1950, in Anderson County, S.C., the son of Robert Eugene Burriss, III, and Phyllis White Agnor Burriss. Deborah and Andy were married on Oct. 23, 1982, in York County, S.C. They are the parents of the following child:
— 1n. Andrew Robert Burriss, Jr., born Aug. 12, 1984, in York County, S.C.
3j. James Richard Navey was born Feb. 29, 1956, in Henderson County, N.C. Married Victoria Anne Toomer, who was born Nov. 14, 1962, in Mecklenburg County, N.C., the daughter of John Arthur Christian Vanderhorst Toomer and Velma Victoria Ray Toomer. Jim and Tori were married on Oct. 10, 1987, in Mecklenburg County, N.C. They had the following children:
— 1o. James Christian Navey, born Aug. 13, 1996, in Mecklenburg County, N.C.
— 2o. Laura Victoria Navey, born Aug. 13, 1996, in Mecklenburg County, N.C.
The family of Richard Stanley Farris
3i. Richard Stanley Farris was born on June 11, 1941, in Rutherford County, N.C. Married, 1st, Patricia Alice Norris, who was born born Jan. 31, 1943, the daughter of William ???? Norris and ???? Norris. Richard and Patricia, of Hickory, N.C., married on Nov. 18, 1961, in (what county?). Richard and Patricia Farris are the parents of the following children:
— 1j. Richard Stanley Farris, Jr., born July 4, 1962. Married Susan Merrill McDevett.
— 2j. Kerry Lee Farris, born March 11, 1966. Married Sharon Miller.
— 3j. David William Farris, born June 2, 1969. Married Rhonda Linnette Talley.
Richard Stanley Farris married, 2nd, Susan Hamilton Gordon on June 3, 2000, in (what county?) who was born (when, what county?) the daughter of ???.
(Patricia Norris Farris married, 2nd, Ed Reilly.)
— 1j. Richard Stanley Farris, Jr. was born July 4, 1962, in Watauga County, N.C. Married Susan Merrill McDevett, who was born (when, what county?), the daughter of ???. Rick and Susan were married May 7, 1988, in Beaufort County, N.C. Rick and Susan are the parents of the following children:
— 1l. Lucas Farris, born (when, where?) (adopted when?)
— 2l. Lee William Farris, born (when, where?)
2j. Kerry Lee Farris was born March 11, 1966, in (what county, state?). Married Sharon Miller, who was born (when, what county?), the daughter of ????. Kerry and Sharon were married on Sept. 17, 1994, in Forsyth County, N.C. Kerry and Sharon are the parents of the following children:
— 1l. Devan Ciar (need full name), born (when, where?)
— 2l. Lauren (need full nane), born (when, where?)
3j. David William Farris was born June 2, 1969, (what county?). Married Rhonda Linnette Talley, who was born (when, what county?), the daughter of ????. David and Rhonda were married on Feb. 11, 1995, in Davie County, N.C. David and Rhonda are the parents of the following children:
— 1l. Brianna (need full name), born (when, where?)
— 2l. Celeste (need full name), born (when, where?)
THE DESCENDANTS OF MARMADUKE FARRIS
2h. Marmaduke "Duke" Farris, born circa 1909, and died July 5, 1986. Married Pearl and lived in Morganton. N.C. Their children: George, Doris, Irene, Ray, Nancy, David.