I have previously posted these on the Melson mailing list but neglected to post them to this board.

I am posting the records that I have on the Melsons in Burke County, NC from about 1795 to 1815. A few records of "associated" families (Ballew, Cryder/Gryder, Franklin). are also included. I am researching the Peter Melson below who is no longer in Burke County, NC after 1804 but appears in Cumberland County, KY in 1805. If anyone is researching this line or that of the Robert Melson in the records below, please contact me.

Tax lists
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Tax List, Burke County, North Carolina, 1796
Capt. Andrew Beard's Company

Robert Melson 200 acres ? WP

Tax List, Burke County, North Carolina, 1797
Capt. Andrew Baird's Company
Robert Melson ?,?

Tax List, Burke County, North Carolina, 1802
Benjamin Newland's Company

Peter Melson 200 acres, 1 WP
William Ballew, no land, 1 WP
John Ballew, no land, 1 WP

Tax List, Burke County, North Carolina, 1803
Capt. Newland's Company

#24 William Ballew, 100 acres, 1 WP
#26 Stephen Ballew, 193 acres, 1 WP
#36 William Franklin, 40 acres, 1 WP
#61 Peter Melson 200 acres, 1 WP
#83 Valentine Gryder, 50 acres, 1 WP
#118, William Ballew, no land, 1 WP
#119 Hiram Ballew, no land, 1 WP


Tax List, Burke County, North Carolina, 1804
Capt. Benjamin Newland's Company

no Ballew listed
Joshua Boloo, 300 acres, 1 WP
Valentine Cryder, 50 acres, 1 WP
Peter Melson, no land, 1 WP
no Franklins

Tax List, Burke County, North Carolina, 1805
Capt. Newland's Company

William Ballew, 318 acres, 0 WP
Joshua Ballew, 300 acres, 1 WP
no Melson

Tax List, Burke County, North Carolina, 1806
John Smith’s Company

#26 Hiram Ballew, no land, 1 WP
#45 William Ballew, 300 acres, 1 WP
#69 Joshua Ballew, 300 acres, 1 WP
#70 Joshua Ballew, no land, 1 WP
no Melsons
no Franklin

Tax List, Burke County, North Carolina, 1815
Abraham Melson, 200 acres, valued at $150., and 1 WP
His land was on waters of Freemason Creek, in southeastern present Caldwell County.

Estate Records
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North Carolina Division of Archives & History, Estate Papers of Burke County, North Carolina, 1777- 1795
Probate Records, Estate of Edward Bowman

Abstract: Edward Bowman, died 29 October 1795; Inventory by Groves Bowman; Estate sale on 20 November 1795; buyers were: Ann Shepherd, Groves Bowman, Prewdunch Bowman, Sherrod Bowman, Elizabeth Bowman, Thomas King, Robert Melson, William Fincannon, Conrad Winkler, William Ballew

Court Records
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North Carolina State Archives, Minutes of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, Burke County, NC
January 1899 - October 2003, Saturday 29 October 1803

Jury of view. Ordered by court that the following be a jury of view to marke and laying off and move the Lovelady Ford on the Catauba and view and marke a road from thence the nearest and best way towards the Iron Works as far as the Horse Ford Road, to wit, John Connelly, Groves Bowman, William Connelly, William Ballew, Joseph Bradsher, Robert McCall, Thomas King, James Moore, George Pierce, James Gorman, Andrew Baird, William Bradsher, Joshua Ballew, Peter Millson, Jonathan Williams, Samuel McCall, John McGalliard and report thereof to our next court. Issued.

Other records

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November 1782 Tory list
David Melson is listed
Note: upon consulting another version of this list, by the late William D. Bennett, I find that he has read the name as Nelson. (Huggins, Vol. II)
From a secondary source: Important Miscellaneous Records, 1777-1800, Volume II, Huggins