The Pearce Family in Johnston County started when George Pearce, a blacksmith by trade sailed from Bristol, England, since records indicated that all George Pearces who were immigrants (except one who went to Barbados and then to America) seemed to have sailed from Bristol.
George Pearce, the blacksmith, came first to “Nanzemon Towne” in Lancaster County, Virginia. Here his name, along with others, appears on a land grant dated June 2, 1664. On August 12, 1675, Robert Lawrence Jr. deeded to George Pearce, smith of Nansemone, 300 acres of land by Beaver Dam Swamp in Isle of Wight County, Virginia. In the years following he acquired several thousand acres of land by patent and deeds of sale.
His wife was named Ann and he had a son Phillip. George died April 9, 1705. His will was appraised by Arthur Whitehead, William Johnson, and Henry Pope. I do not know whether his will still exists. He apparently had a daughter who married a Jones.
Phillip Pearce married and stayed in the Isle of Wight County. He died March 20, 1727, leaving as heirs his wife Sarah and sons, Nathan, Arthur, Simon, Richard and Thomas. All of the sons, except Nathan, came to Johnston County in North Carolina and were given land grants. Simon received a grant in 1756. Arthur in 1744 and 1759. Richard in 1744 and 1775; and Thomas in 1759. Richard in 1744 and 1775 and Thomas in 1782. Phillip received undated grants. The grants in 1744 were in Craven County before Johnston was formed. At one time the Pearces owned a large amount of land in Eastern Johnston County from the Neuse River to what is now the town of Kenly. In 1757, Nathan indentured land which he owned in the Isle of Wight County to Robert Holland. At that time Nathan was living in Northampton County in North Carolina. He later moved to Cumberland County, North Carolina.
Arthur Pearce was my ancestor, and since he is the only one I have researched at this time, I will follow his line of descendants. He died October 2, 1792, leaving as heirs his wife Mary, sons, Theophilous and Jesse, and daughters Winifred and Mornen. Winifred had married into the Fulgum family and moved to Tennessee where some of her descendants are still living. Mornen married a a Watkins. Theophilous was in service for 84 months during the American Revolution. Arthur left in his will in addition to his plantation, Negroes, Mobe, Primus, Peg, Fan, Dos, and Litha, a copper still, livestock, tools, furniture and other things.
Jesse Pearce died February 12, 1807, leaving as heirs his wife Elizabeth and children Matthew, Levy, William, Jesse, Asa, Mathes, Asprilla Hays, and Elizabeth Rains.
Mary Pearce, widow of Arthur – died March 17, 1815. She left the following heirs: daughters Winifred Fulgum and Ann (Mourning or Mornen) Watkins and grandchildren and great-grandchildren Levi Pearce, Jesse Pearce, Matthew Pearce, Arthur Pearce, Betsy Rains, Nancy Moore, Zilpha Moore, Theopholis Pearce, William Pearce, Asa Pearce, Wily Pearce, William Pearce Jr. Apsily Hays and Polly Pearce. She did not state which were grandchildren and which were great-grandchildren but in looking at Jesse’s will we can tell who the grandchildren were.
All these early ancestors were farmers and some were also distillers of turpentine. They knew other crafts as well and seemed to be active and well-known throughout the area. There were many other descendants not mentioned in this series of articles who came from the sons and daughters mentioned and who lived in Johnston and surrounding counties.