Harmon KANKEY

                   "Around 1700 an immigrant named Hereman Konke settled on Red Bank Creek,New Castle County, Pennsylvanie, (now Deleware).  He bought 350 acresthere in 1702 and sold it in 1725.  In 1717 he bought 600 acres in CecilCounty, Maryland, part of Saint John's Manor, lying along the north sideof Elk River.  The price was 165 pounds current Silver Money ofMaryland.  An act for the naturalization of 'Herman Kinkee', a Dutchman,and his children was passed in April, 1720."

   Harmon's will was made in Cecil County Maryland, and was proven in1732.

       "To wife Margery, dwelling plantation during life, 1/3 of personalestate.
       To son John & heirs, all lands lying on Elke River & other 2/3 ofpersonal estate; said son dying without issue. 3 daus, vis Catherren,Margery & Mary & their heirs to posess said land.
       To daughters Catherren & Margery, each 125 pounds current money ofPenselvani.
       To daughter Mary, tract of land near Actorah "

Executors, wife & son
John Test:
John Numbers,
   James Veazey,
   Mary Veazey

       The naturalization papers of Harmon and Margery Kankee show theKANKEE spelling, but at the time Harmon made his will it was spelledKANKEY and his son, John's descendants used that spelling.  It isbelieved that Harmon and Margery had three girls, Margery who marriedWilliam Gregg on July 27, 1725 in Cecil County, MD and was born circa1704 and died about 1740 at the age of 36; Catharine (our ancestress -see COX); Mary who married William Husband and a son, John.  Our maleancestor's name was spelled HARMON but subsequent generations alsospelled it Herman and Hermon.  Grace Canaday's father was Hermon Canaday.
There were three Harmons who were grandsons, Harmon Cox, Harmon Husbandand Harmon Gregg.  Harmon Husband was the leader of the "Regulator"movement.  In several historical documents his name is spelled "Hermon".Harmon Husband was the leader, so renowned that they wouldn't pardonhim.  One meeting, where a committee of Regulators met with thegovernment, named about eight names and six of them were Jacob Gregg,Harmon Husband and the COX boys.  Even their father, William is censoredin the Quaker records, so he was participating too.

       In Orange, Surry, Alamance and Guilford Counties the new settlershad little money.  Their system was largely the bartering of goods andservices.  Local government officials were under duress to provide asmuch revenue as possible to the state.  Governor Edward Tryon wasbuilding a grand new governor's mansion at New Bern at a cost ofapproximately 15 million pounds and had the added burden of paying forthe cost of laying out the boundary between Virginia and North Carolina.His government agents in these western counties were arrogant and corruptand used harsh means to collect their fees.  They charged higher fees forthe same services than were paid in the eastern counties and more thanthe law stipulated.  When a landowner could not pay his taxes in cash,his household goods, farm animals, or even his house would be taken andsold to other local officials for less than their value.

       The injustice of these confiscations caused the settlers to convenein 1768 at Cox's Mill on Mill Creek to form a Committee of Regulators totry to attain uniform service fees by government.  Led by a Quaker fromPennsylvania named Hermon Husband (later disowned by the Cane CreekMonthly Meeting for inappropriate criticism of its meeting), theresidents sought a peaceful solution to the problems shared by all newcomers to the area.  Husband was a large landowner of great ability.  Heserved as representative of the Cane Creek area in the General Assemblyof North Carolina from which he was expelled in 1770.  Husband, a Quakerand disciple of Benjamin Franklin, circulated political pamphlets seekingto effect peaceful reform.

       After two years of appeals to the government and protests in theAssembly, frustration and unrest resulted in the Battle of the Regulatorsat Guilford County in 1771.  Minor clashes had occurred until the springof 1768, when the association of "Regulators" was formed.  Wealthiercolonists considered them to be a mob.  Discouraged over failure tosecure justice through peaceful negotiations, the reformers took a moreradical stand. Violence, lawlessness, and terrorism reigned. Whenpunitive measures were taken against them, the Regulators defiantlyrefused to pay fees, terrorized those who administered the law, anddisrupted court proceedings.
Increasing disorders led to the passage of the Johnson Bill (the "BloodyAct"), which made rioters guilty of treason (15 Jan. 1771).  For the mostpart most of our Quakers ancestors were not actively involved in thecivil unrest.  In fact this may have been the point of contention thathad caused Husband to be disowned by the Cane Creek Meeting.  In theensuing confrontation the Regulators were defeated and the first bloodwas shed in America in the fight for fair representation under Britishrule.  Twelve Regulators were sentenced to be hanged, but six of themwere pardoned when they agreed to take an oath of allegiance to theking.  Husband left the colony quietly and returned to Pennsylvania,losing all his lands in North Carolina.

       One of Husband's strong supporters was Harmon Cox, his cousin, whowas disowned for his involvement in the movement and who was a signer ofRegulator Paper No. 9.  Harmon Cox was among the group of Regulators whofaced Tryon's militia at the Battle of Alamance.  He was captured, triedfor treason, convicted, and condemned to death.  He was among the sixpardoned upon the taking of an oath of allegiance to the king.

"He gave the Regulators a choice-to return peacefully to their homes orbe fired upon.  They had one hour to decide.  After the hour was up Tryonsent an officer to receive their reply.  'Fire and be damned' was theiranswer.  The governor then gave the order, but his men hesitated.  Risingin his stirrups, he shouted, 'Fire Fire on them or on me'  The militiaobeyed, the Regulators responded in kind, and the battle of Alamance wason."
-from The War of the Regulation and the Battle of Alamance
by William S. Powell