I have not researched this line or confirmed this information, but I can
quote from Rev. S. M. Rankin's "History of Buffalo Church and Her People,
Greensboro, N.C.," published in 1934 by Jos. J. Stone of Greensboro, NC,
pages 50-51:
"John Schoolfield came to North Carolina from Delaware with his
stepfather, Watson Wharton, in 1787. He married first Agnes, daughter of
William Rankin, in 1800, and located three miles northeast of the church.
Their children were Betsy Ann, Sarah, Joseph, William, Jane, John E., Rankin
C., Nancy, Daniel G., and Samuel. His second wife was Mary Climer, and their
children were Angeletta and Mary. Betsy Ann married Jeremiah Dean in 1820;
Sarah was the second wife of Samuel Hatrick, son of Robert; Joseph moved to
Tennessee; William married Rhoda Webb, and moved to Kentucky; Jane and John
E. died unmarried; Rankin C. married Sarah, daughter of Samuel Cummins, and
moved to Clay County, Mo.; Nancy died young; Daniel G. married first
Elizabeth King, second Lavinia Brewer, and third Elizabeth Wooters in 1856;
Dr. Samuel married Bettie Freeland, and lived near Bethel Church for a while,
afterwards moved to Mississippi, and later to Illinois, where he died."
Rev. Rankin did a wonderful job on his book, but he was naturally
somewhat dependent on the memories of others he consulted about family
histories, to add to the church records. Therefore, there are some errors in
the material. This will give you something to direct your research so that
you can confirm and add to the information above.
The Buffalo Presbyterian Church cemetery catalog does not show a grave
for John Schoolfield, but some early grave markers were lost. There are a
number of Schoolfield burials from the 1900's. This church dates from the
mid-1700's, with the earliest written records going back to 1773. Other old
Presbyterian churches in the area, such as Bethel and Alamance, also hold
graves for the Rankin and Wharton families.
Katherine Dick Benbow
From Peggy Shaffer, from Guilford County NC Wills Abstracts book 1771-1841:
JOHN SCHOOLFIELD - 18 Nov 1838 - Prb Feb 1839
Wife MARY B. - money due estate, bed & furniture, side saddle dw
Dau BETSEY A. DEANS, sons JOSEPH, WILLIAM & RANKIN C. - each 25 cents
Dau SARAH SCHOOLFIELD - bed & furniture, one wheel & side saddle
Dau JANE SCHOOLFIELD - furniture her gr mother gave her
Son DANIEL - black mare Silver & saddle, bed & furniture, land
bought of Joseph Brawley
Son SAMUEL D. - $10
Daus ANSELETTA & MARY B. - each bed & furniture, side saddle,
wheel at decease or remarriage of their mother
Exrs: Noah M. Climer, Daniel G. Schoolfield
Wits: Emsley Donnell, Latham Donnell