The Story is Given as Follows:
On Sunday, March 10, 1782, Col. David Fanning went to the house of William Millikan Esq. who lived on Back Creek, about two miles from Johnsonville, on the old cross road. As Millikan was away (it is said that he was driving his cows home) from home they burned his buildings and destroyed everything they could. (This account is documented in "The History of the Families Millingas and Millanges, by Rev. G. T. Ridlon, 1907" and "Reminiscences of Randolph County by J.A. Blair Asheboro, North Carolina 1890". It is also found In "Col. David Fanning's published Journal").
While the house was on fire, Mrs. Jane Millikan carried out a favorite feather bed, but they carried it back and threw it on the fire. When the bed began to burn, they twisted a stick into the feathers and scattered them over the house. When the blazing feathers, as they flew in every direction through the room, caught in a bundle of yarn which was hanging on the wall, they taunted Mrs. Millikan and said: “Look at your yarn old woman.” When leaving Millikan's they compelled his son, Benjamin Millikan, to pilot them to the house of Col. John Collier. (Col. John Collier was Lieutenant of Randolph Militia, Sheriff, County Surveyor and a member of the Legislature). Col. David Fanning came up after night. Collier was asleep, but before he lay down he put a young man out as sentinel on a pile of rails a few rods from the door. Col. David Fanning made Benjamin Millikan answer that they were friends. Col. David Fanning took Benjamin Millikan and the young man out to hang them, and that while they were stringing the other up to the branch of a tree, Benjamin Millikan managed to escape. There are men now living (year 1903) who remember having seen the stump of the tree on which the young man was hung.
Source:
History of the Families Millingas and Millanges," by Rev. G. T. Ridlon, 1907
Reminiscences of Randolph County by J.A. Blair Asheboro, North Carolina 1890
The Revolutionary Incidents and Sketch of Character of Col. David Fanning by Rev. E. W. Caruthers
History of the Families Millingas and Millanges," by Rev. G. T. Ridlon, 1907
Reminiscences of Randolph County by J.A. Blair Asheboro, North Carolina 1890
The Revolutionary Incidents and Sketch of Character of Col. David Fanning by Rev. E. W. Caruthers