Mayhewtown, N.C.

Mayhewtown, N.C.. Founded 1793. The Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. records that His Excellency Governor Thomas Mayhew, born 1593 Tisbury, England, who was the English Crown Governor of the Elizabeth Island chain including Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket islands off the coast of Massachusetts, was the progenitor of all the Mayhews in America. , John William Love Mayhew was one of these Mayhews, and while living in Virginia served in the Continental Army in 1777 under the commands of Captains Speer and Lewis, Colonels Coleman and Capum, and General George Washington. In 1791 he came into North Carolina to the banks of the Catawba where he purchased at public auction all of the lands east of the Catawba River, which were then owned by the Long and Alley families. He cleared an area of ground, built a brush arbor and began to preach the word of God. McKendree Chapel Church now stands on this same spot. In 1793 he brought his family and two brothers, Reason Lucus and Aaron to be with him in south Iredell County. , John W. L. Mayhew was the first Methodist preacher in south Iredell County, first preaching under the brush arbor, and in 1793 erecting a log building known as Mayhew Meeting House. A plank structure was built in 1804, and organized as McKendree Chapel Church being named for the first native born American Methodist Episcopal bishop, William McKendree. Tradition says that the bishop later visited this church. Preacher Mayhew ministered McKendree Chapel Church until 1837 and then, by deed and will, gave the church and cemetery to the Methodist Episcopal church. He and his family are buried in the church cemetery. , Preacher Mayhew and his family carved out of the wilderness the Mayhewtown community that covered most of the land now known as the Lake Norman or Mayhew Peninsula. Mayhewtown community eventually had its own school, post office and country physician (Dr. John T. Moore). The mail was dispatched from Statesville by the old Statesville Road pony express. Also a stage coach line came from Statesville crossing the Catawba River at Beatties Ford on its way to Charleston, S.C. , This marker erected and dedicated in 1970 by the direct descendants of John William Love Mayhew in order that all future generations may know the beginning of Mayhewtown. , John William Love Mayhew , Sons: William, Pressley, John, James, George . Daughters: Matilda, Marala, Eveline.