John Heritage Bryan Collection – Lenoir, North Carolina

North Carolina

Transcription

Lenoir County, NC, JOHN HERITAGE BRYAN COLLECTION

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This contributed to USGenWeb Archives by

Martha Mewborn Marble <[email protected]>;

JOHN HERITAGE BRYAN COLLECTION – PC 6 – NC Archives, Raleigh, NC

There are three Bryan Collections that I am aware of in North Carolina

– Southern Historical Collection, NC Archives in Raleigh, and Special

Collections at Duke. Most of the information comes from the papers of

James Bryan who married Rachel Heritage and their descendants. Both of

their sons, John Heritage and James, were well known in Craven County

and across the state. John Heritage Bryan was an attorney and had clients

in neighboring counties and up and down the eastern seaboard. The family

was well connected to every prominent family in eastern North Carolina

and through personal correspondence many families can be traced. Every

descendant well into the twentieth century kept every scrap of paper they

ever owned, both personal and business. There are numerous scrapbooks kept

by the wives.

I have started the Collection at both UNC and the NC Archives. The former

is 40 feet of material and may never be finished. Because the papers are

spread out in so many places, it makes working with them difficult from

the standpoint, one sees mention of the same legal cases in both

Collections. The papers at the Archives are frustrating because there are

so many notes that refer to see attached will or deed and said will or deed

is not attached which means it could be in any of the Collections in

another folder.

There are many notes on scraps of papers and that is just what they

are – notes which may or may not make sense. The Collections are being

culled primarily for two reasons – to abstract any Dobbs, Greene or

Lenoir County papers with genealogical information and to abstract any

documents that might pertain to the early Bryan family which will be used

by the Bryan research group. Because of the latter, there are many Craven

and Jones references in these notes. There are numerous Lenoir County

Court Dockets in the Collection which will be typed later for a separate

file.

My thanks to Ed Morris and the staff at the NC Archives for their assistance.

BOX 6.17 – MISC. ESTATE PAPERS

FOLDER 1

1. regarding survey of JOHN GATLIN – Craven Co

FOLDER 2

1. WM. DUNCAN died in 1805 – had heirs among others – CATHERINE (dec) wife

of LOVIT PIPKIN – her children were ISAAC, STEPHEN, ANNE wife of RICH.

FAULKNER, – this was Craven Co

2. 2 March 1827 – Johnston Co – estate of JONAH or JOSIAH BLACKMAN –

children among others – Susan who md HARRY BRYAN

3. Partial will of WILLIAM TULL of Lenoir Co

I lend to my daughter, SUSANNAH UZZELL one Negro girl named Dina and

her increase – for her life – then to my 3 grandchildren – WILLIAM, SUSAN,

and JAMES UZZELL – 13 Sept 1822

Other side says a part of a copy of TULL’S WILL – SUSANNAH was wife of

JAS. UZZELL at time of death of WM. TULL the Testator – SUSANNAH and

JOS. HERRING adm upon the death of JAS UZZELL

4. Negroes belonging to estate of ROBERT WITHERINGTON sold to lowest (sic)

bidder by ABNER WITHERINGTON his admins – all sold to RICHARD WITHERINGTON

– Negroes were Nicey and 2 children, Sook and 2 children, Fanny and 2

children, Sook and 3 children, Nicy and 2 children

FOLDER – DIVISION OF SLAVES

1. MATHEW NEALE settled with JAMES BRYAN on 26 April 1794 – JAMES BRYAN, son

of COL JOHN BRYAN, sold a negro left by will of FRANCIS DAWSON and another

slave to be purchased for his wife, EUNICE DAWSON now EUNICE NEAL – Craven

BOX 6.19 – MISC BILLS OF SALE, WILLS, DEEDS

WILLS FOLDER

1. DORCAS CHAPMAN – had 2 sisters who md GATLINS – 1821 – Craven

FOLDER – DEEDS, LAND PAPERS

1. To all people to whom present, I LEWIS JERNIGAN of county of Johnston –

for love and affection for daughter WINIFRED JERNIGAN – bedboard, furniture,

two Negroes – man by the name of TIMBRAC and HARRY – after my death

WIT JAS STRICKLAND, Wm. BIZZELL

2. Land that Col. JOHN BRYAN received by patent on 13 Oct 1765 was sold in

1835 by JOHN H. and JAMES BRYAN – Bay River in Craven Co

3. 1829 – Wayne Co – ARTHUR JONES of lst part – SAMSON LANE, WILLIAM

RAIFORD, MICAJAH COX, JOHN KENNEDY, Trustees of ARTHUR JONES JR.; LYDIA

wife of RICHARD JERNIGAN, SALLY wife of BRYAN LANGLEY, NANCY wife of

CULLEN HOWELL, CARLOTTA wife of SANDERS SMITH and POLLY SASSER daughter

of POLLY wife of ASA JERNIGAN, dec – ARTHUR SR father of ARTHUR JR,

LYDIA, SALLY, CHARLOTTE, NANCY & POLLY SASSER – father is old and wants

his estate divided

4. MARRIAGE CONTRACT – Johnston County – 14 June 1831 – SALLY BULLS, widow

of WILLIAM H. BULLS and DAVID H. BRYAN

FOLDER – AGREEMENTS

1. I, JESSE McCOTTE of Craven bound to JOHN H. BRYAN of Newbern in sum

of $5000, value of lands and Negroes on condition sd BRYAN recover the

estate of BENJAMIN BURNS of Lenoir Co from NATHAN WHITFIELD in right of

my wife, daughter of sd BENJAMIN BURNS

WIT JNO. BLOUNT

NOTES of JHB: JESSE MCCOTTER married CHARLOTTE BURNS on 18 October

1827 formerly illegitimate daughter of BENJAMIN BURNS of Lenoir County

– legitimate by Act of Assembly papered in 1826 – Will of BENJAMIN

BURNS leaves her ten a twenty (sic) dol – sent for her from BENJAMIN –

given before her marriage to live with him – acknowledged her as his

daughter and promised to provide handsomely for her at his death – his

will written by NATHAN WHITFIELD — Wit by DOCTOR GREEN and DOCTOR HILL

in ??? understood that he was in an insane state of mind at the time

of executing the will – rest missing and there is no date

FOLDER – NOTES – 1795 – 1853

1. for value received – we promise to pay JOHN H. BRYAN $1000 provided

the will of BENJAMIN BURNS offered for probate at Lenoir July Court 1828

be not admitted to probate and if the same b compromised then we promise

to pay $500 at the time of such compromise – 7 July 1828 – signed by

JESSE McCOTTER, JOEL HINES and JOS ?? EURRIS ??

FOLDER – BILLS OF SALE

1. 22 July 1794 – We, MARY McNUSE, HANNAH McNUSE, SARAH McNUSE and

NANCY McNUSE – co-heirs of JOHN McNUSE – for 30 pds paid by JAMES GLASGOW

of Glasgow County – sell all military warrants in the office at

Nashville commonly called MARTIN ARMSTRONG’S office belonging to sd

JOHN McNUSE and at this time not located or surveyed.

All signed by mark

WIT HUMPHREY (X) JONES R. SHEPHARD

Greene County November Court 1812 on oath of HUMPHREY JONES

NOTE: This was probably John McNeese part of the McNeese family that

intermarried with the Parrott family of Lenoir and moved to Darlington Co. SC

BOX 6.24 – COURT RECORDS

These records are the most frustrating to work in because they are only

notes that Bryan made on cases he was probably handling. Many simply do

not make sense unless the researcher has additional information.

FOLDER – ACTION FOR TRIAL

There are a number of court Dockets – some for Wayne county, some not

identified, and some for Lenoir which were copied and are being prepared

for a separate post by Guy Potts.

FOLDER – DEPOSTIONS, EXHIBITIONS

a. Partial document – death of wife ZILPHIA – letters of Administration

upon her estate granted to one of parties complainant, ALFRED HARGET.

During the life of JOSEPH BRYAN, JOHN B. HARGET and wife, ISAAC HATHAWAY

and wife were fully advanced and SARAH now widdow of sd JOSEPH BRYAN.

JOHN BRYAN and FREDERICK BRYAN by their guardian LEMUEL HATCH more than

2 years after death of sd JOSEPH BRYAN had their shares of Negroes –

residue of Negroes left in hand of ISAAC HATHAWAY –

NOTE: No County given but probably Jones

FOLDER – COURT ORDERS

1. LENOIR LASSITER vs RICHARD HEIDLEBERG and GRAY WESTBROOK – Court of

Equity – Lenoir county

To GRAY WESTBROOK

You are prohibited from transferring 2 sealed notes of LENOIR LASSITER

and CRAVEN LASSITER to RICHARD HEIDLEBURG dated 28 August 1824 – one note

for $1200 and one for $600 payable on 1 January 1825. You must bring the

notes to Court, March Term

Signed by ABNER PEARCE, CME

2. 25 July 1827 – The following jurors have laid off to ELIZABETH

ALDRIDGE, widow of WILIAM ALDRIDGE, dec the following land for her dower

– beginning in stake in DREW ALDRIDGE’S land, adj JOHN ALDRIDGE, dec being

old ARD patent line then with JAMES ARD patent line as owned by

WILLIAM ALDRIDGE, dec – 212 acres

signed by HENRY BEST, JNO EDMUNDSON, THOS. EDWARDS, WILLIAM HENSON,

KINCHEN TAYLOR, WM. B. TAYLOR, MARK HEATH, H. P. BARROW, STEPHEN

HOLMES, KINDRED SAULS, CULLEN EDWARDS, E. MITCHELL

Greene County Court 1827 – WM. WILLIAMS, Clk

FOLDER – ANSWERS TO BILLS

1. Answer of ELIZABETH WARD & WILLIE WARD to Bill of Complaint of GIDEON

WARD. NEEDHAM WARD had a will probated in Greene County. NEEDHAM WARD

was exec and Negro’s were delivered to defendant ELIZABETH WARD – Negroes

were ESTHER, SHERROD, TITUS, HARRIET & MARY – ELIZABETH did not try to

deprive complainant of his estate – she did not intend to carry out of state

Pitt County – no date but also went to Wayne County Court on 1 April 1840

BOX 6.25 – COURT RECORDS – CASE NOTES

FOLDER – BRIEFS, CASE NOTES

1. BEN VINSON died in 1824 instate leaving THOMAS, JERUSHA CROOM,

BENJAMIN, ALEXANDER living in Ky. SYLVIA HAM wife of EZ. HAM is dead

leaving a child CELIA out of the US in Texas; JAMES VINSON, DAVID –

2 tracts on Stoney Creek – one tract of 200 acres bought of JNO. WEST

adj JAMES THOMPSON, THOMAS THOMPSON & THEOPHILUS BEST – the other about

50 acres patented by the intestate – piney wood adj RICHARD CROOM’S land

Filed 1824

NOTE: Stoney Creek indicates Lenoir Co. There were no last names for what

one assumes were the sons of Ben Vinson

2. rather involved history of the DEPT and HAND land in the early 1700’s

and who they married – these were Craven Co families with a Bryan connection

3. 11 October 1828 – ZACHARIAH GRAY – Petn for Divorce

ZACHARIAH md GATSEY HARPER on 3 Nov 1811 – worth no property – she had

3 children – SERINA, SALLY a year or two old last July (never names the

3rd child) – the lived together 4 or 5 years in harmony – lived at JOHN

WILLIAMS – (1817 – 1818) neighborhood – talk of her infidelity at that

time – intimate with JOHN WILLIAMS – 2 or 3 years afterward living at

HARROW until ??? of LEWIS BRYAN – she was intimate with JAMES WADE and

JOHN TILLMANIN in 1817 or 18 – would have separated but the children

were small – left HARROW March 1824 or 5 – she refused to move with him –

she got a place at MAJOR CROOMS and lived there about a year and then lived

at EDWIN TAYLORS – has had a child since – husband had no intercourse with

her during this time – she never returned – never exchanged a word in 4 years

WM DAVIS proves conversation of GRAY and wife when she refused to move with him

4. HOLLAND HARRISON and DURANT H. WHITE Divorce

Lenoir County – they married about the year 1822 – lived with his father

RIDGON WHITE for 2 months then went into housekeeping on old man WHITE’S

land in Jones County – lived there 1 to 2 years – he was frequently

bad company – had a habit of drunkness – his property all sold – his wife

went to live with her fahter SIMMONS HARRISON in JONES – lived three 4 or

5 months – his conduct bad – drinking and whoring – SIMMONS HARRISON let

them live on his plantation 1 1/2 or 2 miles off – lived there 8 to 10

months – he then rented from JOHN GILBERT for one year – HARRISON

furnished him with a Negro boy and girl – made no crop – after a year

he carried his wife to her father on the death of her oldest child – he

has used violence towards her, pulling her hair – he tried to drown her in

the Trent

1818 – alimony allowed

5. March 1832 – JACOB PARROTT vs JESSE CANADY

Patent to THOS LEWIS in 1742

THOM LEWIS sold to DAVID HEARTFIELDS – 100 acres in 26 January 1761 –

DAVID HEARTSFIELD sold to JNO CANADY on 10 October 1766 (DAVID was father

of JESSE) – JNO CANADY left land to JESSE CANADY by will —

PARROTT Claims land under same deed to HEARTSFIELD – D. HEARTSFIELD to

WILLIAM ARNOLD – ARNOLD to MRS. PARROTT wife of Plff by will

Run of the branch is disputed

Listed on the back of the document were

? TAYLOR, CLAR. WESTBROOK, JNO KENNEDY SENR – deposition, LEML WESTBROOK,

MOSES WESTBROOK – deposition, MAT CARR, BENJ PARROTT, THOS HOOD –

deposition, J. ? CROOM, THO HOOD – deposition, JNO B. KENNEDY

NOTE: Although the name WILLIAM ARNOLD was written ARNOLD, this would

have been ARENDALL

6. Oct 30 or 38 – GARDNER JONES husband of PATSEY

THO. DAIL had a will and died about 14 years ago – gave all his property

to JOHN & ANN ??? -hard to read – during their lives and after death of

JOHN to his other children. THOMAS DAIL and MRS. DAIL were exec – acres

divided according to the will — one Negro and land – after JOHN’S death

the girls to have $500 out of that – guardians have had possession of

property – JNO is now of age — $1400 to be divided among heirs (Patsey’s

children got none) – Executor lived in Greene County – PATSEY’S children

want their share – her children were AVA is 23 and JEMINA is 21

BOX 6.26 – COURT RECORDS ETC

FOLDER #1

1. BARNEY MEMORANDOM – 16 October 1819

Back of Document – Executors ?? of ?? PETTIGREW ??

STEPHEN LASSITERS wife and the widow of BURWELL WESTBROOK sisters &

Lem. ?? WESTBROOK brother of the ?? Isham

This STEPHEN LASSITER married the sister of a certain ISHAM UZZLE formerly

of that County but removed to Sumner County about the year 1804 or 5 &

brought with him a Negro wench named RACHEL and several of her children –

this RACHEL came by his wife ANNY BLACKMAN the daughter of a certain COL

WILLIAM BLACKMAN also of that County — BLACKMAN’S first wife was a

daughter of a COL. WM. McKINNEY of Wayne County from whom he got PHILLIS,

the mother of RACHEL as a marriage portion – PHILLIS lived & died with

BLACKMAN & her daughter, RACHEL, was sent by BLACKMAN when nearly grown to

COL McKINNEY who raised his grandaughter, ANNY, until she was married to

UZZEL as before stated 5 or 6 years ago — after UZZLES marriage – old

McKINNEY makes a will by which he devises RACHEL & her increase to UZZELLS

children. UZZELL sells the property to me & then combines with his children

who sell ? for & recover their Negres by virture of McKINNEY’S will —

the fact I wish to establish is that PHYLLIS mother of RACHEL was

notaroiusly considered in that County a gift to BLACKMAN and her daughter,

RACHEL, was also considered a gift to UZZELL on his marriage so that by

law McKINNEY had no right to the Negroes & consequently could not devise

them. Should it become necessary for me to establish these facts of gift,

I wish to employ some attorney who practices in this County & would procure

depositions to support these facts.

—–

Signed by R. D. ??? BARNEY

P. S. MRS. LASSITER has a sister SUSANNAH WESTBROOK living in GREENE COUNTY

2. WHITCHARD vs WILLIAMS

NOTE: This appears to be Greene County according to the names – first

names are not given

WHITCHARD married WILLIAM’S daughter – WILLIAMS caused a separation –

several people gave depositions – MRS. CROOM was present at the wedding

about 1822 – WILLIAMS living in Washington Co, Georgia but was in NC that

day and did not attend the wedding – MRS. WHITCHARD went to Georgia 2

years later — she left her father & lived with her first (sic) husband

— WHITCHARD tried to cut her throat

Depositions given (none attached) by HY BEST, ROBIN BEST, SHAD DIXON,

THO. HOUSE, WM. MURPHY, WM. MOORE, MARY WILLAIMS, OBED DIXON, JAS GRIMSLEY

There was a child

3. WM. BRIGHT and COBB vs JAMES BRIGHT

NOTE: I requested a copy of this and did not abstract. Upon returning

home discovered the copy had not been made

4. Notes on Depositions in case WOOTEN and ALDRIDGE vs THOMAS ALDRIDGE

WM. ALDRIDGE called JESSE WOOD to be WIT to a deed

JAMES BROWN – found paper after his death (this is not clear whose death)

Deposition by DEMSEY WOOD and JNO W. TAYLOR

JNO ?? EXUM was guardian to sister of THOS ALDRIDGE – came to Co. Wm.

ALDRIDGE heir to C.

In reading these very sketchy notes it appears (and my interpretation could

be wrong) – that WM. ALDRIDGE gave a deed with life estate to THOMAS

ALDRIDGE on 29 Oct 1823 – THOS was to receive the land upon WILLIAM’S

death – deed was proved on February 27 – no year – after WILLIAM died.

The widow had the land and she appears to have sold it to WOOTEN which

she could not do. WOOTENS first name was never given.

5. AMOS W. SIMMONS adm of estate of his mother, ELIZ. SIMMONS – March 1822

– JONES COUNTY

FOLDER II

1. Petition of FREDERICK BLOUNT, MARY E., CAROLINE, ALEXANDER C. &

HERITAGE, children of FREDERICK BLOUNT, dec by RACHEL is wife & their

mother FREDERICK d 5 September 1823 and had a will – JOHN WHITFIELD is exec

but he has so much debt, we want him removed

2. THO. ALDRIDGE, Senr lent to his daughter a (sic) certain Negroes –

after their deaths he gave the Negroes to his heirs. JA. WIGGINS, the

husband of one of sd ALDRIDGE’s daughters was in debt. BLOUNT COLEMAN

obtains judgement on the Negroes & sells them for WIGGINS debt. The

constable promised WILLIAM Y. ALDRIDGE ex to THOS ALDRIDGE’S will a

refundary bond but failed to give bond. One of the Negroes has been sold

to a different person and taken her out of state and sold her. Can

anything be done to secure these Negroes to the heirs of SUSANNA WIGGINS

the wife of JAS. WIGGINS? WILLIAM Y. ALDRIDGE adm of EDWARD CREECH dec

sold the perishable estate not exceeding $400. The committee gave the

widow $120 for want of enough provisions – pd a note of $52 – another note

of $545.62 with a credit of $295. Two of ALDREDGE’S own Negroes were sold

to pay debt. ALDREDGE should not have to pay debt.

Signed by THO. HOOD, adm

NOTE: HOOD appears to be the Adm of WILLIAM Y. ALDREDGE who must be dead

WIT W. I. H. BRYAN

3. The controlling questions is how is HARRISON’S patent correctly located –

Patent of 30 January 1773

THO HARRISON conveyed to son, BENJ. On 17 Nov 1779

BENJAMIN HARRISON conveyed to BENJAMIN SHEPPARD in Jan 88 (assume this was

1788) – plus another tract of 400 acres adj WM. DAWSON ??

BENJAMIN SHEPPARD sold to RD. CROOM on 7 Dec 1793 including the HARRISON

PATENT

SUSAN CROOM, heir & child of RD. CROOM got all the lands on WS Bear Creek

deeded to RICHARD CROOM by BENJ SHEPPARD

A deed from TINKER and wife on 27 December 1830 to Plff – declares same land

SUSAN received as part of RD. CROOM’S estate

There is some question to the boundary

RICHARD (no surname) in 1802 had 2 infant daughters

NOTE: According to Doris Croom Outlaw’s work, Richard Croom had 2 daughtesr

including Susan who md Dr. Harris Tinker. Richard Croom’s will was probated

in Wayne Co, NC

FOLDER IV

1. Part of this is found in another folder already abstracted but I have

not put them together in the event a researcher wishes to look at the

original.

PARROTT vs KENNEDY

May be WM. LEWIS not THOMAS – 7 May 1742

100 acres NS Neuse – patent to WM LEWIS of 7 May 1742

LEWIS conveyed to DAVID HEARTSFIELD on 26 Jan 1761

DAVID HEARTSFIELD conveyed to WM. ARUNDALL on 5 April 1774 – Sandy Run adj

JOHN KENNEDY – 80 acres

Will of ARENDALL July Term 1822 – daughter CLARISSA HOOD, daughter PEARCY

PARROTT wife of Plant.

JESSE KENNEDY in possession of land – boundary line needs to be settled

2. JACOB KORNEGAY md BETSY WIGGINS – they had 5 children – BETHANY, ROBERT,

MARGARET, MARSHALL, BRYAN – after JACOB died she conveyed land to BRYAN –

she then married NATHAN FAIL and had one child, CAROLINE – and died.

JOHN SMITH married BETHANY – 625 acres in Wayne on Falling Creek ws given

to BRYAN – adj FARNEY MANLY & PROBATE ?? COLLIER – BRYAN and ROBERT

KORNEGAY are dead — JACOB KORNEGAY also had 1400 or 1500 acres in Duplin

and two tracts in Wayne on Falling Creek

NOTE: Christine Grimes sent the following URL which has documentation to

prove that Jacob Kornegay was the son of George Kornegay (1735-1808) who

was married twice. First, and mother of his children Margaret (Downing)

Lullum, born in England. He married second, in 1802, Mourning (Stevens)

Wiggins, widow of Willis Wiggins, of Wayne County, N. C., and mother-in-law

of Jacob Kornegay (D 1815) as well as step-mother. Elizabeth (Betsy)

Wiggins was the daughter of Willis Wiggins.

NC, Lenoir County, Document Collections: John Heritage Bryan part 2

Lenoir Co. Slaves

From JOHN HERITAGE BRYAN COLLECTION – PC 6 – NC Archives, Raleigh, NC