WHERE DID OUR BELKS COME FROM?

          

        The truth is - I do not know.  We are often asked if we are
related to the Belks of the department store fame.  If we are, it
goes a long way back.  The store was founded in 1888 in Monroe, NC
by a William Henry Belk.  I know nothing of his family  except that
he was 26 years old when he started the store and he had a brother
named John.  His brother was a doctor who gave up his practice to
become William's partner in 1891.

        Our earliest known Belk - William was born about 1742
probably in North Carolina or Virginia.  He probably came to South
Carolina sometime before 1800.  Most of what we know of him came
from his will.

        There is a record of a William Belk in Dobbs County,
NC in 1781.  That could be him, but there were many Belks in NC.
However, our Belks were connected with the Woodhams who came from
Dobbs County and the Alexanders who (in my opinion) probably came
from there also.

        There is speculation that our William may have been related
to the Belks in nearby Mecklenburg County, NC.  I know of no real
evidence of this.

Larry Noah