Bro. Joseph Montfort Bro. Montfort was born in Hampton, Warwick County Virginia, where the family had settled in the seventeenth century, and it was from here in 1751 that he left for Edgecombe County North Carolina. The following year Montfort bought 419 acres on Quankey Creek, five miles west of where Halifax would be founded, and around the same time married Priscilla, the youngest daughter of Colonel Benjamin Hill, a deerskin trader and planter. The marriage also brought a connection to her brothers-in-law: Alexander McCulloch, a wealthy trader and planter, the nephew of Henry McCulloh; and John Campbell, described by Governor Arthur Dobbs in 1760 as ‘the most eminent trader in this province.’ Provincial Congress, albeit that poor health prevented him from attending. Montfort gradually amassed land across Edgecombe, Granville and Mecklenburg By this time Montfort had become one of the counties, developing and trading it on his most notable merchants and traders in Haliown account, and in partnership with oth- fax, leading the development of the town ers, including Willie Jones, who later mar- and raising its commercial and social proried Montfort’s daughter. In the process file. This included establishing a Masonic Montfort became one of North Carolina’s lodge, regarded as a mark of social sophistilargest land owners and a successful planter cation and providing a space for elite fraternal association. Montfort became Master of and merchant trader. The Royal White Hart Lodge in 1765 and set Montfort’s public offices included clerk to about ensuring that it maintained an elevatthe Edgecombe County Court and, when the ed status. This extended not only to importcounty was divided in 1759 with the crea- ed bespoke glassware, porcelain, and lodge tion of Halifax County from part of furniture, but also a new warrant. Edgecombe, clerk of Halifax County Court and District Superior Court; Town Commis- Montfort’s visit to London in 1767 offered sioner for Halifax; and Provincial Treasurer an opportunity to obtain a lodge warrant for the Northern District of North Carolina, a directly from the Grand Lodge of England role that gave him considerable influence. under the hand of its grand master, the Politically, Montfort represented Halifax Duke of Beaufort. Dated 21 August 1767, the County in the General Assembly in 1762 and new charter was produced to The Royal 1764; Halifax Town from 1766 to 1774; and White Hart on 20 May 1768, with the lodge in 1775 he was nominated to the Second assigned No. 403 on the Grand Register.
Cross Keys January 2022
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