History of the Wofford Family (Wait, Wofford, Floyd, 1993)
(C. Avis Catalog entry #1480)
p. 47-48
Nat Young, a Tory leader, who was afterwards killed near Unity Church, a few miles above on the river, knew the condition of Captain Joseph's family, and knowing that he would be very anxious to hear from home, watched that log cabin with doubly intensified hatred. One night the warrior was seen to enter the house, was soon surrounded, and Captain Joe was captured amid threats of swinging him to a limb, etc. His wife, Martha, was lying on her bed in the rear of the room and saw and heard it all. She asked Capt. Nat to come back where she was, which he did and sat on the edge of her bed. She pleaded for her husband's life, saying: "Nat, if Joe is killed tonight it will kill me. I cannot survive the shock. So you will have to give an account at the Great Day, not for the killing of Joe alone, but for two others. It is murder, Nat, and you know it. I plead tonight for the life of Joe, my life and for the life of my babe." Captain Nat had himself once sued for her love and her hand, and he was touched by her helpless entreaty. He said: "Nat Young pledges you his life, Mat; that not a hair of Joe's head shall be hurt this night. While it is necessary to take him away bound tonight, he will return to you before daylight." True to his word, Joe was allowed to escape and returned. During that night, under such circumstances of distress and anguish, was born Benjamin Wofford, the founder of Wofford College.
Dr. Snyder says: "Joe Wofford was a man of valor and loved the soldier's life. He was a staunch believer in liberty, and by his prowess did much to bring the blessings of freedom to the State."
He married Martha Llewellyn, and they reared six children, namely: Jeremiah, Benjamin, Joseph, Nancy, Rebecca, and Martha.
Captain Joseph Wofford was a noted hunter, fisherman and marksman and swordsman. The sword that he carried during the Revolutionary War is now in possession of Capt. J. W. Wofford, Hendersonville, N. C., and is of the old English pattern, and is a very fine piece of metal. He was a quiet citizen, but always took a firm stand for the good of his community and country. In his later years his figure was much bent over and scars on his head and neck, received in encounters with Tories and Insurgents, were plainly visible to his dying day. It is stated on an unknown amount of authenticity that he was present at the killing of the notorious Nat Young, the head of the "Bloody Scouts." He was 84 years old at the time of his death.
p. 243
Over near the Blackstock Road, which was then not more than an Indian trail, which I have mentioned, lived a family by the name of Elder. The father, who was a true Whig, lying sick in bed with small-pox, was shot and killed, through the window as he lay in bed, by Nat Young, who, if I remember correctly, wanted a young horse which Elder owned and which was away with his two oldest boys, and Elder refused to tell him where they were. When they returned from their work and ascertained who had committed the foul deed, they armed themselves, remounted their horses, and promised their mother that they would neither sleep nor eat until their father's death was avenged. They at once sped on their way in pursuit. The route the Tories had taken was up the old Pinckney Road, by Josiah Givinn's and Green Johnson's old places, crossing the North Tyger at Ottsford, down the river and crossing the other prong at Price's Ford, down by Cavins and down near where the colored church now stands. There they overtook the Tories, who had stopped to eat a meal. They made for their horses and, while mounting, Nat Young's hat fell off his head, and as he attempted to recover it, he was shot and thought to be killed. The Tories fled and were pursued as far as the ford where Hill's Factory was afterwards built. On their return to where Young was shot, they found the body gone. He had somewhat recovered his strength and had crawled down through the woods to a nearby branch, where he was found under the bank of the stream. After being brought out to meet his doom, he asked for five minutes in which to pray, which was refused him. From all the information obtained, he was a terror to the surrounding country.
