GIBSON FAMILY

Members of the Gibson family were

1    i. ____, born say 1638.

2    ii. Jane¹, born about 1640..

 

1. _____ Gibson, born say 1638, had a child by Elizabeth Chavis before 28 March 1672 when she successfully petitioned the General Court of Virginia to release her son Gibson Gibson who had been unlawfully bound by Berr. Mercer to Thomas Barber who had gone to England leaving the boy with Samuel Austin [Minutes of the Council 1670-76, 106, Virginia Historical Society Manuscript 4V81935a2 (Robinson's Notes); McIlwaine, Minutes of the Council, 302-3, 312]. Their children were

3    i. Gibson¹ Gibson, born say 1660.

4    ii. ?Hubbard Gibson, born say 1670.

 

2.    Jane Gibson, born about 1640, was about 80 years old in 1721 according to a deposition by Robert Wills who was a ten-year-old apprentice to Mr. Carter of Shirley Plantation when he became acquainted with her in Charles City County. "Mr. Carter took her to live with him at Shirley where I then lived to brew a diet drink, he being afflicted with dropsy." Jane died two or three years later according to depositions of 81-year-old Robert Wills on 25 June 1791 and 9 July 1791 in the suit for the freedom of her descendants. Wills deposed that Jane was the mother of "dark mulattoes" Jane and George Gibson and she was the ancestor of other "free mulattoes or blacks...some black, some nearly white and others dark mulattoes:" the free Scott, Bradby, Smith, Redcross, and Morris families of Charles City County, the Bowman family of Henrico County as well as many members of the Evans family who were slaves for life [Lynchburg City Chancery file, 1821-033, LVA].(1)  Jane was the mother of

i. Jane, born say 1662-5, married Morris Evans [Lynchburg Chancery file 1821-033, LVA].

ii. George¹, born say 1666, died without issue.

 

3.    Gibson¹ Gibson, born say 1660, was released from his unlawful apprenticeship to Thomas Barber on 28 March 1672. He was called Gibey Gibson in 1704 when he was listed in the Quit Rent Rolls for James City County with 150 acres [VHM 31:156]. He called himself Gibby Gibson, planter, on 7 September 1726 when he made a Westover Parish, Charles City County deed of gift to his daughter Mary Smith by which he gave her two "Negro" boys named Simon and Civility during her lifetime and at her death to her children Tom, Lightfoot, Sarah, Mary, Elizabeth, Rebecca and Ann. He left a 2 March 1726/7 Charles City County will, proved 3 May 1727, by which he directed that his riding horse be sold to pay Colonel Lightfoot, gave Hannah Dennam cattle and a boy slave named Jack during her lifetime and then to his son Gibby Gibson. He also gave his wife Frances Gibson a Negro girl Verity(?) during her lifetime and then to his daughter Frances Smith. He gave his "son" George Smith slaves Sovillaty and Simon. He left Hannah Dennam a boy named Peter during her lifetime and gave his son Edward a "Negro wench" named Judy and his carpenter's and cooper's tools, gave a slave girl named Nanny to Tabitha Rollinson, divided his cattle between his wife and granddaughter Sarah Smith and named his "son-in-law" George Smith as his executor. He made an addendum to the will the following day to give slave Peter to his son George Gibson after the death of Hannah Dennum [DW 1724-31, 122, 161-2, 166-7]. He was the father of

i. Mary Smith, born say 1684, mother of Tom, Lightfoot, Sarah, Mary, Elizabeth, Rebecca and Ann Smith, apparently the wife of George Smith.

5     ii. Gibby/ Gilbert¹, born say 1686.

iii. Edward¹, born say 1688, received a slave named Judy by his father's will. He made a 10 April 1727 Charles City County will, proved 7 June 1727, by which he left Israel Brown his carpenter's and cooper's tools, left his slave Judy to his wife Anna Gibson, and named his daughters Rebecca Gibson and Tabitha Ellet. His wife was executor [DW 1724-31, 167-8].

iv. ?Hannah Dennam, born say 1690, received two slaves by the will of (her father?) Gibby Gibson. She was the ancestor of the Denham/ Dennum family of Louisa County.

v. George², born say 1695, sued William Drinkard in Charles City County in January 1737/8 but failed to prosecute Orders 1737-51, 29]. He was granted a patent for 62 acres on Pease Hill Swamp in Charles City County on 25 July 1741 [Patents 19:1085]. In November 1741 the Charles City County court presented him and George Gibson, Jr., for not going to church. In July 1745 he failed to answer the petition of Phillis Goeing (Gowen) concerning her children, so the court ordered the churchwardens to bind them out. In December 1745 he and Captain Samuel Harwood posted £20 security for his good behavior for a year. In February 1745/6 he, William Witherspoon, and John Atkinson provided a total of £80 security for his good behavior, and he and his son Randolph Gibson and his wife Elizabeth posted bond of £20 each for the good behavior of Randolph and Elizabeth. The court fined him 5 shillings for not going to church in 1746, 1748, 1749, 1755 and 1756 [Orders 1737-51, 185, 196, 371, 383, 391, 392, 394, 417, 474, 499; 1751-7, 194, 298, 419].

vi. Frances Smith, probably married William Chavis of Granville County, North Carolina, who named his son Gibby. William's wife Frances had a son named John Smith who settled her Granville County estate in May 1781. In the account of the estate he claimed his right to six slaves which were due him from his father [WB 1:303].

vii. ?Tabitha Rollinson, received a girl slave named Nanny by the will of (her father?) Gibby Gibson. She was apparently the wife of George Rollinson (Rawlinson of York County) who received a girl slave named Nanny by the 6 May 1727 distribution of the estate [DW 1724-31, 167].

6    viii. ?John², born say 1700.

 

4.    Hubbard¹ Gibson, born say 1670, was living in Charles City County on 24 March 1691/2 when he appeared in court and on 3 August 1693 when he sued John Hardiman for riding his horse to its death [Orders 1687-95, 394, 454, 463]. He purchased 200 acres on the north side of the Blackwater Swamp in Prince George County from John Poythres on 11 December 1704. He and his wife Mary Gibson and their son Edward (signing) sold this land by lease and release for £32 while residing in North Carolina on 11 and 12 December 1721 [Deeds, Etc. 1713-28, 508-9]. He may have left Prince George County by 12 February 1716/7 when the court ordered that the appraisement of his estate (on an attachment by James Thweatt) be continued to the next court [Orders 1714-20, 104]. In 1721 he was taxed on 370 acres and 1 poll in Chowan County, North Carolina [Haun, Old Albemarle County NC Miscellaneous Records, 331]. On 13 November 1727 he bought an additional 100 acres on the north side of the Roanoke River in what was then Bertie County. His daughter Mary co-signed this deed with him [DB B:324]. The land was situated on the south side of Cypress Swamp in what became Northampton County in 1741. A little over six months later on 11 July 1728 he and his sons Edward Gibson and Hubbard Gibson, Jr., sold 370 acres in Bertie County on the north side of the Roanoke River, explaining in the deed that the land had been granted to Hubbard's deceased son John by patent of 10 August 1720 [DB C:37]. The family probably moved to South Carolina with Gideon Gibson in 1731. Hubbard probably died before 1742 when Mary Gibson of Amelia County, South Carolina, sold the 100 acres she and Hubbard had purchased in Northampton County [DB 1:58]. His children were

7    i. John¹, born say 1690.

8    ii. ?Thomas¹, born say 1692.

9    iii. ?Gideon¹, born say 1695.

iv. Edward², born say 1697, signed his father's 11 December 1721 Prince George County, Virginia deed while residing in North Carolina. He was taxable in 1721 in the same Chowan County district as his father and witness to the 15 October 1732 Edgecombe County, North Carolina deed of William Sims to James Millikin for land on the south side of Quankey Creek [DB 1:20]. It was probably another Edward Gibson, "(a Mulatto) a stout well-set Man, with short black curly Hair," who escaped from jail according to an ad placed in the South Carolina Gazette of 22 December 1766. A similar ad was placed in the 15 June 1767 issue of the Gazette which stated that he escaped on 13 May 1767 [http://accessible.com].

v. Hubbard², Jr., born before 1706, taxed in 1721 in the same district as his father.

vi. Mary, born say 1705, cosigner of a Bertie County deed with her father on 13 November 1727 [DB B:324]. She was living in Amelia County, South Carolina, in 1742 when she sold this land in what was by then Northampton County [DB 1:58].

 

5.   Gilbert¹ Gibson, born say 1686, was paid 300 pounds of tobacco by the Henrico County levy court on 1 September 1707 for a wolf killed by trap [Deeds, Wills, Etc., 1706-9, 66]. He was sued in Henrico County court on 1 June 1709 by John Ellis for a debt of £2 due by account. He sued Joseph Watson in court in July 1710, and he was sued by Allenson Clarke for a £4 debt in September the same year [Orders 1707-9, 153, 163; 1710-4, 15, 25]. He was a freeholder in New Kent County on 8 March 1715 when his male tithables and those from Paul Bunch's quarter were ordered by the New Kent County court to assist in clearing a road [Chamberlayne, Vestry Book of St. Paul's Parish, 75]. He was granted two patents for land in New Kent County on 11 July 1719: one for 224 acres adjoining Paul Bunch, Captain Dangerfield and Stephen Sunter's lines, another for 125 acres adjoining John Macon and Matthew and Thomas Anderson. He received two patents in Hanover County for 400 acres each: one on both sides of the South Anna River on 28 September 1728 and one adjoining John Woodey on 28 January 1733. And he received a patent for 200 acres on both sides of Ballenger's Creek in Albemarle County on 20 August 1747 [Land Office Patents 10:437; 14:3; 15:146; 23:138]. On 10 October 1743 Agnes Goin sued him in Louisa County court for £3 due for services performed. On 26 August 1746 the court approved his request to make a bridle path through Captain Holland's land at Green Spring. He married, second, Sarah Lemay sometime before 24 February 1746/7 when the court ordered the churchwardens of Fredericksville Parish to bind her children out because she was not educating them. On 23 February 1747/8 the court found Gilbert guilty of selling liquor without a license and ordered that he receive twenty-one lashes if he refused to pay the fine [Orders 1742-8, 82, 91, 190, 200, 220, 252]. He made a 18 December 1756 Louisa County deed by which he gave his son Gilbert 200 acres and a slave named Peter, gave his son Jordan 200 acres and a slave named Jack, gave his daughters Tabitha and Mary 100 acres each, gave John Lemay 200 acres and a slave named Kate, gave Samuel and Sarah Lemay a cow each when they came of age, lent 200 acres to George Gibson and his wife Susannah and Benjamin Brannum (Branham) and his wife Frances the plantations they were then living on during their lifetimes, and made his wife his executrix. However, he stated that the deed was to be void if he returned from a planned trip to South Carolina [DB B:140-2]. Gibson Jones of South Carolina made a deposition in May 1767 stating that he had been living with Gilbert in Louisa County about 20 August 1758 when Gilbert packed up all his household goods and left for South Carolina. The sheriff stopped him about a quarter of a mile from his home and executed a judgment for £10 against a mare and some of the household goods, delaying him until the following morning [Abercrombie, Louisa County Judgments, 46]. Gilbert made a 7 June 1760 Louisa County will, proved 15 October 1764, by which he gave all his estate to his wife Sarah during her lifetime and then divided the estate as follows: to (her son) John Lemay 200 acres on Ballanger's Creek in Albemarle County, to his sons Gideon and Jordan Gibson land on Pamunkey River, to his son William Gibson land on South Anna River, to his sons Gilbert and David 1 shilling each, to daughters Tabitha, Mary, and Jane Gibson household items and farm animals, and lent to his son George Gibson and daughter Frances Gibson (the wife of Benjamin Branham) the land where they were then living during their lifetimes provided they paid 10 shillings. Feeba Bunch was a witness to the will [WB 1:78]. His widow Sarah Gibson, Ann Moore, Andrew Greenhorn and Thomas Freeman posted security for her administration of the estate on 4 June 1763. The sheriff made an inventory that totalled £176 and included 2 unnamed male slaves ("Negro fellows"), and another inventory included 11 horses or mares, a slave named Jack and slaves Peter and Cate [Judgments, 1770 Nov.-1772 May, frames 272-81]. His children George Gibson and Frances Branham sued his widow Sarah and his children by her in 1766 and offered evidence that Gilbert had given his son George Gibson 200 acres about the year 1742 and given his son-in-law Benjamin Branham 200 acres about the year 1752. The court took depositions from a number of people including Agnes Going, and on 12 September 1770 the court awarded George Gibson 200 acres and awarded Benjamin and his wife Frances Branham a tract of land between Peter's Creek and Little Creek [Orders 1766-74, 6, 20, 27; 1766-72, 412-3]. Among the depositions was one by Mrs. Ann Moore who stated that Gilbert Gibson's mother had been living with him until he "turned her out" because she would not make over a slave ("Negro wench") that she had for her maintenance [Abercrombie, Louisa County Judgments, 21]. This slave was probably identical to or the daughter of Verity(?) who was lent to her by Gibby Gibson's 1727 Charles City County will. Gilbert's children were

i. George³, born about 1711, purchased 320 acres in Louisa County from Francis Smithson for ,200 on 25 March 1745 [DB A:173]. He was about 58 years old on 8 May 1769 when he made a deposition in his and Benjamin Branham's suit against their stepmother Sarah Lemay Gibson, stating that he heard his father Gilbert Gibson say that Benjamin Branham paid quitrents on the land he had given him [Judgments, 1769-1770, frame 358]. He purchased 320 acres in Louisa County, and he and his wife Susanna sold 90 acres in Louisa County to William Donathan on 26 March 1745 [DB A:334]. He was presented by the court on 28 May 1745 for concealing a tithable who was probably his wife. On 14 August 1769 he and Nathan Gibson were brought into court for riotous behavior. George was found not guilty, but Nathan was required to give security for his good behavior for one year. George posted bond as executor of the last will of James Haggard on 8 October 1770 [Orders 1742-8, 140, 152; 1766-72, 335, 418].

ii. Gilbert², born about 1713, about 50 to 53 years old on 2 May 1767 when he (signing) made three depositions in the case Gibson & Branham vs. Gibson, stating that his father had given 200 acres of land on Little Creek and Peter's Creek to his brother-in-law Benjamin Branham and wife Frances about the year 1752 on condition Benjamin would live on it and not carry his daughter Frances away (move out of the county) and that about the year 1736 his father had given 200 acres above the Halfway Branch on the southside of the River and Licking Hole on the north side to George Gibson. Gilbert also stated that his brother George paid quitrents on the land for about fifteen or sixteen years and that the deponent had been out of the area for about nine years [Judgments, 1769-1770, frames 272-3, 276, 441-2]. This suit apparently continued in a 1791 Louisa County chancery suit in which William Denton deposed that about 1744 Gilbert's father was living on Pamunkey River in a place called Gibby's Ford when he heard him say to Pheby Jones that if she married his son Gilbert he would give him the land over the river and perhaps the land whereon he lived [LVA Chancery suit 1791-033, digital image no. 5]. Gilbert was sued for a debt of £1.14 in Louisa County court on 27 May 1746 [Orders 1742-8, 192].

iii. Frances, wife of Benjamin Branham, made a deposition (signing) on 27 April 1769 in the suit between Gibson & Branham vs. Gibson in which she stated that her father Gilbert Gibson had given 200 acres to George Gibson where he was then living about twenty-seven years previous [Judgments, 1769-1770, frame 425].

iv. William.

v. Gideon⁴, born say 1730, married Susanna Branham in Louisa County in November 1772 [Jones, The Douglas Register, 126]. He was a defendant with Jordan Gibson in Sally Going's suit for trespass, assault and battery which was dismissed by the Louisa County court by agreement of the parties on 11 April 1774. On 10 July 1775 Gideon provided security of £25 for Moses Going in Louisa County court. On 11 September 1775 Colonel Robert Anderson made a motion in Louisa County court charging that Gideon, being a "Mulatto," had beaten him. The court ruled that Gideon was not a "Mulatto" and granted Anderson an appeal to the General Court. Gideon and his wife Milly sold land by deed proved in Louisa County court on 11 December 1780 [Orders 1774-82, 10, 42, 127, 130, 318].

vi. Mary, born say 1735, pregnant with a child when her father made his 18 December 1756 deed.

vii. Jordan², born say 1738, not yet of age when his father deeded him 200 acres and a slave named Jack on 18 December 1756.

viii. David.

ix. Tabitha.

x. Jane.

 

6.    John² Gibson, born say 1700, received a grant for 328 acres on the south side of the Roanoke in Bertie County, North Carolina, joining John Lowe, Jackson, and the swamp on 1 December 1727 [Patent 3:249, #2552]. He was a witness to the 12 August 1728 Bertie County deed of William Whitehead to Edward Bass for land near Urahaw Swamp [DB C:135]. He purchased 335 acres in Bertie County on the north side of Cashie River and Wahton Swamp near the present-day Northampton County line on 28 October 1728 [DB C:52] and was a resident of Bertie on 28 October 1731 when he sold 250 acres in Bertie County on Elk Marsh by an Edgecombe County deed [DB 1:7]. Perhaps he was the John Gibson who recorded a plat for 300 acres in Congrees Township, Berkeley County, South Carolina, on 3 February 1735/6 [Colonial Plats, 4:43]. On 5 February 1756 he made a deed of gift of his household goods in Northampton County to his son George Gibson [WB 2:251]. His children were

10    i. George⁴, born say 1730.

ii. ?William, born say 1732, a resident of Northampton County on 18 February 1755 when he purchased 100 acres on Burnt Coat Swamp in the part of Edgecombe County which became Halifax County in 1758 [DB 2:186].

iii. ?Charles, born before 1739, taxable in 1750 in John Wade's list for Granville County [CR 44.701.23]. This part of Granville County became Orange County in 1752 and Charles was "a Molata" taxable there in 1755 [T&C Box 1, p.19]. He received a grant for 190 acres on the south side of Bear Swamp in Northampton County on 9 August 1786 and sold it two years later on 31 December 1788 [DB 8:169]. He was head of a Northampton County household of 7 free males and 2 free females in Captain Winborne's District for the state census in 1786 [Census p.29]. He was living in Wayne County, North Carolina, in August 1818 when he made a declaration to obtain a pension for Revolutionary War service. He claimed that he enlisted for 9 months in the 10^th Regiment at the courthouse in Northampton County, North Carolina. However, there was no record of his discharge or service. Perhaps he was the Charles Gibson who applied for a pension from Hawkins County, Tennessee, at the age of 92 on 19 January 1839. He stated that he was born in Louisa County, Virginia, on 19 January 1739 and entered into the service in Salisbury, North Carolina. His neighbors, Jordan and Jonathan Gibson and Benjamin Collins, testified on his behalf [NARA, R.3995, M805-355, frames 55, 62]. He was head of a Hawkins County, Tennessee household of 6 "free colored" in 1830.

 

7.    John¹ Gibson, born say 1690, was a joint plaintiff with Adam Cockburn in a Chowan County suit for debt against Thomas Crank in October 1718 [DB B-#1:45]. He was granted 370 acres on 5 April 1720 on a bank of Falling Run in the part of Chowan County which later became Northampton County, but was not listed in the Chowan County Tax list with his father who was taxable on this land in 1721 [Patent 3:15, #1601]. He was said to have been deceased in his father's deed of sale of this land on 11 July 1728 [Bertie DB C:37]. However, he may have been the John Gibson who recorded a plat for 300 acres and a town lot in Berkeley County, South Carolina, on 31 February 1735 and received a grant for the land on 17 September 1736 [South Carolina Archives Series S213184, Vol. 4:43; S213019, vol. 34:527]. This John Gibson was deceased by 4 January 1744 when his son Gilbert recorded a plat of 300 acres in Saxagotha Township based on the headrights of John's widow Elizabeth, son Gilbert, and daughters Sarah, Thene, Hannah, and Jane [South Carolina Archives Series S213184, Vol. 4:43; S213019, vol. 34:527; Petitions for Land from South Carolina Council Journals, 145-6, 480-1]. John was the father of

i. Gilbert³, born say 1721, living in Saxagotha Township when he recorded a plat for 300 acres in Craven County, South Carolina, on 4 January 1744. Thomas Wallexelleson petitioned for the same land saying that Gilbert's deceased father John Gibson had already been granted land based on those rights [South Carolina Archives series S213184, vol. 4:272; vol 6:211; Petitions for Land from South Carolina Council Journals, 145-6, 480-1].

ii. Sarah.

iii. Thene.

iv. Hannah.

v. Jane.

 

8.    Thomas¹ Gibson, born say 1692, left a 29 October 1734 Hanover County will, proved that year on 7 November, by which he gave his sons Thomas and John Gibson 50 acres each and gave daughter Vine Nicks (wife of Edward Nicks), Frances Humphrey, and Mary Brock a shilling each. He gave his house and cattle to his son-in-law Edward Nicks who he named as executor and directed that Edward should bring up his children John and Valentine Gibson and also William Roberson [Court Records 1733-5, 151]. He was the father of

11    i. Thomas², born say 1712.

ii. Vine, born say 1714, wife of Edward Nicks/ Nix.

iii. John, born say 1716.

iv. Valentine.

 

9.    Gideon¹ Gibson, born say 1695, settled near the Roanoke River in North Carolina about 1720. He purchased 200 acres in what was then Chowan County on the south side of the Roanoke River on 24 July 1721 [DB C-1:142] and acquired over 1,000 acres of land in present-day Halifax County, North Carolina, and on the north side of the Roanoke River in Northampton County. He married Mary Brown sometime before 22 October 1728 when they sold 150 acres "bounded according to the Will of William Brown Gentl decd..." [Bertie DB C:36]. She was under the age of eighteen when her father made his 15 December 1718 Chowan County will, proved July 1719, by which he gave her and each of her six siblings 150 acres [N.C. Archives File SS 841]. Gideon, or (his uncle?) Gibby Gibson, must have impressed the other prosperous free African Americans in that area of North Carolina because three of them named their children after him: Gideon/Gibby Chavis, Gideon/ Gibby Bunch, and Gibson Cumbo.

He, John Gibson, and George Rawlinson ("Bertie Precinct planters") were sued for debts they contracted in Prince George County, Virginia, at the store of Francis Lightfoot. Gideon's debt was contracted on 13 November 1726 for £16.4. The debts were certified in James City County court on 8 March 1730, and in April 1731 J. George Alleyn, a physician, was bondsman for Gideon for £50 to appear at the General Court in Edenton. However, none of the defendants appeared [North Carolina, Colonial Estate Records, 1669-1759, Crisp, John-Lightfoot, Francis, frames 1863, 1871, 1875, 1911, 1915, 1917 of 1924; http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/772580]. Gideon, John and Edward Gibson also had debts which were listed in the account book of Colonel Nathaniel Harrison of Surry County, Virginia, about 1727 [DW&c 8:320]. Gideon sold 108 acres of his land on the south side of the Roanoke River in the first few months of 1730 in what was then Bertie County before moving to South Carolina with several of his relatives who were living on the other side of the Roanoke River in present-day Northampton County [DB C:276]. They came to the attention of the South Carolina Commons House of Assembly in 1731 when a member announced in chamber that several "free colored men with their white wives" had immigrated from Virginia with the intention of settling on the Santee River." Governor Robert Johnson of South Carolina summoned Gideon Gibson and his family to explain their presence there and after meeting them reported,

I have had them before me in Council and upon Examination find that they are not Negroes nor Slaves but Free people, That the Father of them here is named Gideon Gibson and his Father was also free, I have been informed by a person who has lived in Virginia that this Gibson has lived there Several Years in good Repute and by his papers that he has produced before me that his transactions there have been very regular, That he has for several years paid Taxes for two tracts of Land and had seven Negroes of his own, That he is a Carpenter by Trade and is come hither for the support of his Family....I have in Consideration of his Wifes being a white woman and several White women Capable of working and being Serviceable in the Country permitted him to Settle in this Country [Box 2, bundle: S.C., Minutes of House of Burgesses (1730-35), 9, Parish Transcripts, N.Y. Hist. Soc. by Jordan, White over Black, 171-2].

Both Gideon Bunch and Gideon Gibson were in South Carolina when they sold their adjoining Halifax County land to Montfort Eelbeck of Halifax, and both families were taxed in 1755 as "free Molatas" in Orange County, North Carolina [N.C. Archives File T&C, box 1].

He recorded a plat for 200 acres on the northwest side of the Pee Dee River in Craven County, South Carolina, on 13 April 1736 and 200 acres on the south side of the Pee Dee on 1 January 1746/7 [Colonial Plats 4:320, 4:397]. Gideon and his wife Mary recorded the birth of their child William in the Parish Register of Prince Frederick Winyaw on 9 October 1743. As "Gideon Gibson of Pe De South Carolina" he sold part of his Northampton County land on 16 November 1746 and the remainder on 15 February 1749 [DB 1:280, 383]. He petitioned the South Carolina Council on 12 November 1747 stating that he had been granted a warrant for 650 acres in the Welch Tract where he had settled fifteen years previous and had kept it as a cow pen with a servant on it for about two years. He had since settled in Persimmon Grove and had nine persons in his household: a wife, seven children and a slave [Holcomb, Petitions for Land from the South Carolina Council Journals, I:266]. On 29 November 1750 he received a grant for 450 acres in Persimmon Grove on the Little Pee Dee River in Craven County [Royal Grants 4:296]. He was the father of

12    i. Gideon², born say 1721.

13    ii. John³, born say 1723.

iii. ?Jordan¹, born say 1724, listed in the accounts of the Public Treasurer on 29 October 1759 for supplying the expedition against the Cherokees with 18 horses which he apparently failed to deliver [Clark, Colonial Soldiers of the South, 937]. He was granted land in what was then Bladen County, North Carolina, on the east side of Mitchel's Creek in present-day Robeson County near the South Carolina border which he sold on 25 September 1761 [Bladen DB 23:85]. He may have been the father of Jordan Gibson, Jr., who recorded a plat for 150 acres adjoining Jordan Gibson, Sr., on the southwest side of the Pee Dee River in Craven County, South Carolina, on 26 January 1765 [Colonial Plats 8:20]. He sold 200 acres in Anson County, North Carolina, on the north side of the Pee Dee River on the Falling Creek branch of Hitchcock's Creek to Benjamin Deas on 15 November 1768 by deed witnessed by Gideon Gibson, and he sold another 300 acres in Anson County in the same area on 2 May 1777 [DB 7:224, 320]. Perhaps he was related to Thomas Gibson who purchased land in this same area of Anson County on 18 August 1761 [DB 6:190]. According to Gregg, Jordan went to the West as a companion of Daniel Boone [Gregg, History of the Cheraws]. He or perhaps a son by the same name was among those "killed by Indians" in North Carolina on 7 January 1788 [NCGSJ IX:236].

iv. William, born 15 September 1743, son of Gideon and Mary, baptized 9 October 1743 [NSCDA, Parish Register of Prince Frederick Winyaw, 15].

 

10.    George⁴ Gibson, born say 1730, was a taxable in 1750 in John Wade's list for Granville County [CR 44.701.23]. This part of Granville became Orange County in 1752, and George was a "Molata" taxable there in 1755 [T&C Box 1, p.19]. By 19 November 1757 he had married Elizabeth Lowe, a white woman of Northampton County, daughter of John and Sarah Lowe. She was named in her father's will of that date. By the terms of this will his wife received a slave, and George was allowed to continue to live on 150 acres of land in Northampton County [WB 1:41]. While resident in Northampton County he purchased 439 acres on Quankey Creek in Halifax County on 5 June 1761 and sold it for the same price two years later on 17 January 1763 [DB 7:318; 8:209]. While residing in Orange County on 18 July the same year, he sold 2 slaves and 16 head of cattle (which he received from his mother-in-law's estate) to his brother-in-law, Thomas Lowe, of Northampton County [Northampton County DB 3:254]. He was a chain carrier for Thomas Gibson's patent of 700 acres on Dial Creek and Flat River in Orange County on 29 December 1760 [http://archives.ncdcr.gov/doc/search-doc], and on 26 May 1770 he purchased 150 acres of this land on the west side of Flat River in Orange County from (his uncle?) Thomas Gibson [DB 3:622]. His 5 November 1775 Orange County will was proved in May 1776. He named his (then) wife Mary, and mentioned but did not name his "Sons and Daughters now living in the County" and provided for the schooling of his unnamed younger children. Joel Gibson and Lucrecy Collins were witnesses; Thomas Gibson, Sr., was executor [WB A:195]. After his death Mary entered 300 acres on Greens Creek and Rutledges Creek in Caswell County on 13 January 1779 on a line agreed between William Hog and Julius Gibson, and she entered 200 acres in Caswell County on the South Hyco Creek bordering Orange County on 26 July 1779 [Pruitt, Land Entries: Caswell County, I:75, 89]. She was taxable in Caswell in 1790 [NC:79]. The inventory of her Caswell County estate was recorded by Joel Gibson in 1795. The inventory mentioned James, John, and Richard Gibson [WB C:118]. Perhaps George Gibson's children were

i. Andrew, born say 1755, a Caswell County taxable in 1777, entered 100 acres on both sides of Kilgore's Bridge in Caswell County on 25 August 1778 [Pruitt, Land Entries: Caswell County, 47]. He may have been the Andrew Gibson who was appointed tax collector for Chatham District of Orange County at the 29 August 1782 session of the county court of pleas and quarter sessions. He was a juror on 26 November 1783. He was head of a Tenth Company, Wilkes County household of 10 whites in 1790 and 7 "other free" in Ashe County household in 1800 [NC:79].

ii. George⁵, born say 1757, a Randolph County taxable in 1779.

iii. John⁶, born 16 September 1760 in Orange County, North Carolina, according to his father's family bible, grew up in Guilford County, North Carolina, where he entered the service. He moved to Tennessee in 1805, and was living there on 16 July 1833 when he made his pension application. He was a horseman employed in collecting cattle for the use of the army [NARA, S.3395, M805-355, frame 0197].

iv. Thomas³, born 15 November 1763 in Randolph County, North Carolina, 18 years old when he volunteered for the Revolution in Guilford County and served for 2 years. He was allowed a pension while a resident of Randolph County. He died 15 October 1850, leaving his children David, Joseph, Hannah (wife of P.M. Nixon), Mary (wife of John H. Hill), and George Gibson [S.8560, M805-355, frame 0409].

v. Wilbourne, born in 1763 in Guilford County according to his father's family bible, drafted into the service in Randolph County in 1781. He applied for a pension while residing in Ripley County, Indiana, on 15 May 1838. His wife Rebecca died 3 March 1839, and he died on 4 April 1843. His only heirs were his daughter Mary Ann Lewis and her husband George W. Lewis who were living in Ripley County, Indiana, on 19 October 1852 when they applied for a survivor's pension [NARA, S.4000, M805-355, frame 0411]. There is a marriage bond recorded for him in Stokes County on 20 November 1797 with Thomas Hill surety, but the bride's name was not recorded. His sixteen-year-old son Hezekiah was bound to James Reed in Burke County in October 1804 "due to abandonment" [Wills, Administrations, & Orphans, 1791-1810, 511 by N.C. Genealogy XIX:2827].

vi. Julius, a Wilkes County taxable in 1784.

vii. Lucrecy Collins.

 

11.    Thomas² Gibson, born say 1712, was presented by the Louisa County court on 28 May 1745 for failing to list a tithable who was probably his wife. A suit against him was dismissed by the court on 24 September the same year because he was not an inhabitant of the county [Orders 1742-8, 152, 157, 167, 171]. He purchased a water mill and 1 acre of land in Louisa County on the north side of the Mill Creek from Francis Smithson for 2,150 pounds of tobacco on 12 March 1742/3, and purchaseed 34 acres in Louisa County adjoining his own land and Gilbert Gibson's and the South River on 24 January 1748/9 [DB A:54, 334]. He was taxable in Granville County with Charles and George Gibson in John Wade's list in 1750 [CR 44.701.23]. He received two patents for a total of 250 acres in Granville County on Flat River on 2 May 1752 [Hoffman, Granville Land Grants, 31-2]. Orange County was formed from this part of Granville County in 1752, and he was head of an Orange County household of 3 taxable "Molatas" in 1755 [T&C, box 1, p. 19]. This land was on Flat River adjoining Charles Gibson, Moses Ridley, and Thomas Collins [Bennett, Abstract of Loose Papers in Granville Proprietary Office, 34, 43]. On 26 May 1770 he sold three tracts of land on the west side of Flat River "part of 606 acres which the sd. Thos. Gibson purchased of Earl Granville": 100 acres to James Williams, 150 acres to George Gibson, and land to Joel Gibson [DB 3:471, 468, 622]. He received a grant for 150 acres in Wilkes County on the north side of Obed's Creek on the South Fork of New River on 3 November 1796 and sold 100 acres of this land on 18 January 1800 [DB A:142, 147]. He probably died about 1802 when (his son?) Joel sold land in this same area. His children may have been

i. Major, born before 1744, "a Molata" taxable in 1755 in Orange County [T&C Box 1, p.19], and a taxable in Randolph County in 1779. He was head of a Burke County household of 5 whites in the Eighth company [NC:109] and taxable in Burke County on 55 acres and no polls in 1794 (since he was over fifty years old) [Huggins, Burke County, N.C. Records, IV:110].

ii. Joel, born about 1750, purchased land in Orange County from (his father?) on 26 May 1770 and was a Caswell County taxable in 1777 and 1786, head of a Tenth Company, Burke County household of 2 whites in 1790 [NC:123]. He sold 200 acres in Ashe County on Obed's Creek on 29 January 1802, another 100 acres on 6 March 1804, bought 50 acres on the north bank of the South Fork of New River in Ashe County on 13 July 1804 and sold it a year later on 5 March 1805 [DB A:213; B:311, 339]. He was head of an Ashe County household of 2 "other free" in 1800 [NC:78] and was counted as white in Wilkes County in 1810 [NC:853]. He may have been the Joel Gibson who applied for a pension in Henderson County, Kentucky, on 25 April 1825 at the age of 75 for service in the 1^st North Carolina Regiment. His wife was deceased at the time and all his children but one were married and away from home. He was supported by his son Bailey Gibson who had numerous small children to support [NARA, S.35968, M805-355, frame 0162].

iii. John⁵/Jack Gibson, born say 1756, a Caswell County taxable in 1777, 1784, and 1786. He was head of a Wilkes County household of 2 "other free" and 1 white woman over 45 years of age in 1810 [NC:853]. The white woman was probably Milley Gibson who made a Wilkes County deed of gift of 2 tracts of land in Burke County on 27 February 1818. The land was to be held by her son Drury in trust for her son Isom when he came of age [DB I:138].

iv. Nathan, born before 1776, head of a Burke County household of 6 "other free" in 1800 and 12 "free colored" in Haywood County in 1830.

v. Archibald, who was counted as white in the Tenth Company of Wilkes County, head of a household of 1 male over 16, 1 under 16, and 9 females in 1790 [NC:123] but counted as "other free" in 1800, head of an Ashe County household of 7 [NC:78].

vi. Jordan³, head of a Tenth Company, Wilkes County household of 5 whites in 1790 [NC:123] and 6 "free colored" in Hawkins County, Tennessee household in 1830.

vii. Dorothy, head of a Tenth Company, Wilkes County household of 6 whites in 1790 [NC:123].

viii. Ezekiel, born say 1763, head of a household of 1 white male over 16 years in the Tenth Company of Wilkes county in 1790 [NC:123] and head of an Ashe County household of 3 "other free" in 1800 [NC:78].

 

12.    Gideon² Gibson, born say 1721, had been a resident of South Carolina for fifteen years on 12 December 1746 when he was granted a warrant for 50 acres at a place called Duck Pond on the south side of the Pee Dee River where he was then residing. He called himself Gideon Gibson, Jr., on the same day when he petitioned the South Carolina Council for 200 acres at Duck Pond for himself, his wife and two children [Holcomb, Petitions for Land from the South Carolina Council Journals, I:266]. He and his wife Martha were the parents of Sarah Gibson whose birth (on 29 July 1745) and baptism were registered in the parish of Prince Frederick Winyaw [NSCDA, Parish Register of Prince Frederick Winyaw, 15, 20]. He was granted 300 acres on the upper end of Marrs Bluff based on his petition of 4 August 1752 which stated that he had begun to cultivate land there and had two children and four slaves for which he had not been assigned any land [Holcomb, Petitions for Land III:56]. Land which had been surveyed for him in North Carolina on the north side of the Little Pee Dee River was mentioned in a 17 November 1753 Bladen County land entry [Philbeck, Land Entries: Bladen County, no. 904]. On 13 July 1755 he was granted administration on the estate of James Rowe, "late of Prince George's parish planter as greatest creditor," and on the same day he was granted administration on the estate of Matthew Driggers, also as greatest creditor [Record of Court Proceedings, 35, 97, 127]. He purchased two slaves (a boy named An[s?]lls and a girl named Hannah) from Sarah Sweat of North Carolina for £500 on 28 November 1764, purchased seven slaves (Rillis, Benjamin, Lucey, Pleasants, Cander, Hannah and Nell) from John and Agnes Gibson (his son and daughter) on 7 April 1766, made a deed of gift of three slaves (Achilles, Pleasant, and Pleasant's youngest daughter Judith) to John and Agnes Gibson's children on 24 August 1767, and made a deed of gift to Mary Holland (his daughter?), wife of Joseph Holland, for 50 head of cattle, 50 hogs, 8 horses, and 10 sheep on his plantation at Marrs Bluff Ferry on 8 January 1770 [Miscellaneous Record Books MM:302-3, 371-2; OO:91-2, 222-3]. On 2 September 1755 he recorded a plat for 200 acres on the southwest side of the Pee Dee River adjoining Jordan Gibson [Colonial Plats 6:45]. On 15 January 1760 he was paid £343 by the Public Treasurer for supplying the militia in the campaign against the Cherokees [Clark, Colonial Soldiers of the South, 936]. On 15 February 1765 he was granted administration on the estate of John Herring and appointed guardian to John, Peter, Mary, and Hester G___eys of Prince George's Parish [Record of Court Proceedings, 97]. He sued Lewis Perkins in Charleston on 7 October 1766 for £46.10.7 pence worth of merchandise which Gideon had supplied Perkins on 3 December 1763 [South Carolina Archives, Judgment Roll 1767, Box 73A, No. 467A]. On 25 July 1767 as a leader of the Regulators, Gideon was involved in a skirmish with a constable's party near Marrs Bluff on the Pee Dee River. The incident brought matters between the governor and the Regulators to a head. The South Carolina Gazette, which like the government was far removed from the location, reported in the 15 August 1768 edition that there were two parties of Regulators. One was made up of people of good principle and property, and the other made up of a a

gang of banditi, a numerous collection of outcast Mulattos, Mustees, Free Negroes, etc. all horse thieves from the borders of Virginia and other Northern Colonies...headed by one Gideon Gibson...

Perhaps in a move to divide the two parties Governor Bull pardoned all those involved except

those persons concerned with the outrages and daring violences committed by Gideon Gibson and others upon George Thompson, a lawful constable, and his party, in the actual execution of a legal warrant, at or near Mars Bluff, in Craven County, upon the 25th day of July last....6 August 1768 [Council Journal, no. 34, 208-211].

Colonel Gabriel Powell, sent to arrest Gideon, arrived with 300 men, but to his utter humiliation, his men sided with Gideon saying he was "one of them" [Hooker, The Carolina Backcountry on the Eve of the Revolution, 177]. Powell resigned his commission and made a racist attack on Gideon Gibson in a discussion of the incident on the floor of Commons. Apparently, he fared little better amongst his colleagues of the Commons than he had in the back country. There are no minutes of the session, but a prominent Charleston merchant, Henry Laurens, was present and described the discussion years later in a letter to England:

Reasoning from the colour carries no conviction...Gideon Gibson escaped the penalties of the negro law by producing upon comparison more red and white in his face than could be discovered in the faces of half the descendants of the French refugees in our House of Assembly... [Wallace, David Duncan, The Life of Henry Laurens, (N.Y. and London, 1915), 454, cited by Jordan, White over Black].

Gideon was described by Gregg as

a man of very marked character, of commanding influence, and prominently connected with the leading events of the region in which he lived.

He was shot dead by his nephew, Colonel Maurice Murphy, during an argument over Murphy's mistreatment of an elderly Tory during the Revolutionary War [Gregg, History of the Old Cheraws, 354]. His children were

i. Sarah, born 29 July 1745, daughter of Gideon and Martha, baptized 20 October 1745 [NSCDA, Parish Register of Prince Frederick Winyaw, 20].

ii. Gideon⁵, born 12 March 1750, son of Gideon and Martha, baptized 2 June 1753 [NSCDA, Parish Register of Prince Frederick Winyaw, 34]. On 21 September 1773 he was accused before the court in Charleston of having assaulted James McCasey the previous month in Georgetown [S.C. Archives, Judgment Roll 1774, Box 99B, 23A]. He received about £39 for providing provisions to the militia between 1780 and 1782 [Accounts Audited, no.2786].

iii. Reuben, born 29 November 1751, son of Gideon and Martha, baptized 29 May 1753 [NSCDA, Parish Register of Prince Frederick Winyaw, 32].

iv. ?Stephen. one of Gideon's three sons who became wealthy and moved to Georgia about the year 1800. The Hon. Thomas Butler King married his daughter [Gregg, History of the Old Cheraws, 74].

v. ?Roger, another son of Gideon who, according to Gregg, went west before the Revolution.

vi. ?Mary, wife of Joseph Holland.

vii. Agnes, identified as Gideon's daughter in his Craven County, South Carolina deed of gift for the sale of three slaves for the benefit of her unnamed children [Miscellaneous Record Book OO:91-2].

viii. ?Luke, listed in the accounts of the public treasurer of South Carolina: paid £4.17.6 on 31 October 1759 for unspecified services to the battalion in the expedition against the Cherokees [Clark, Colonial Soldiers of the South, 936].

ix. ?Daniel, listed in the payroll of the 7^th Company, 3^rd South Carolina Regiment commanded by Colonel William Thomason in August 1779 and March 1780 [NARA, M246, roll 89, frames 119, 149], taxable on 100 acres in Marrs Bluff, Liberty County (Prince Frederick Parish) in 1786 [S.C. Tax Returns 1783-1800, frame 119], head of a Georgetown District, Prince Fredericks Parish, household of 6 "other free" in 1790.

 

13.    John³ Gibson, born say 1723, and his wife Jemima registered the birth and baptism of their son Gibson in Prince Frederick Winyaw Parish. On 7 April 1766 he and his sister Agnes Gibson of Craven County sold seven slaves to Gideon Gibson, and on 3 September 1767 Gideon sold three slaves for their benefit [Miscellaneous Records MM:371-2; OO:91-2]. John and Jemima were the parents of

i. Gibson², born 25 February 1749, baptized 29 May 1753.

ii. John⁴, born 6 January 1753, baptized 29 May 1753 [NSCDA, Parish Register of Prince Frederick Winyaw, 33], perhaps the John Gibson who was head of a Charleston District, St. Bartholomew's Parish, household of 7 "other free" in 1790 [SC:36].

 

Endnotes:

1.    There is a genealogical chart in the Lynchburg City chancery case file for the freedom suit of Jane Gibson's descendants which reads "Jane Gibson the ancestor An Indian Woman" [Lynchburg City Chancery file 1821-033; Schweninger, The Southern Debate over Slavery, 79]. However, the only mention of Jane Gibson's race in the testimony for the trial calls her or her children "dark mulattoes." And her descendants who were held as slaves all sued for their freedom based on descent from free persons of color. Thomas Gibson, alias Mingo Jackson (with Robert Pleasants as his attorney in 1792), Milley, Sally, Harry, Nancy, Nelly, Rachel, Benjamin, Archy, Mary, James, Robin and Milah Evans won their cases in 1795 based on descent from a free woman. Other descendants Amey Evans and her children petitioned the Brunswick County District Court to sue their master David Allen in forma pauperis sometime before 23 February 1796 when a summons was issued for him to appear in court. They stated that they were "lineally descended from a certain Frances Evans who lived and died a free woman...That the said Frances Evans having bound one of her daughters named Frances as an apprentice to a certain Lightfoot of New Kent County, the said Lightfoot did sell her as a slave and in consequence of the said sale the said Frances Evans and your petitioners her descendants have been detained in slavery, and are now detained in slavery by a certain David Allen of Mecklenburg County." Frances Evans had a daughter named Sarah Colley who was the mother of the petitioners. One of the deponents for the trial, Ann Meriwether, stated that "Sarah Colley was called by that name from her being the daughter of a white man named James Colley which he had by Frances Evans and deponent has often heard her husband say in his lifetime that Frances Evans was of Indian decent and from the complexion & strait black hair of Sarah Colley this deponent believes that they were descended from Indians." The suit abated by the death of the defendant David Allen [Evans, Amey, etc.: Freedom Suit, 1799, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

On 5 March 1804, twelve years after attorney Robert Pleasants had won Mingo's freedom, newly-assigned court attorney Edmund Randolph filed a petition in the Superior Court of Chancery in Richmond for the freedom of the Evans family members still held in slavery to sue David Allen's executor Lewis Allen for their freedom in forma pauperis. Randolph apparently thought it was a case for freedom based on descent from an Indian woman because he stated in the petition to the court that the Evans family descended from Jane Gibson, a "free Indian woman." There were several such cases determined about that time which freed slaves based on proof of descent from an Indian woman. (See the Coleman, Findley, Jumper, Kinney, Venah/ Venie and Worsham families on this site). However, after Randolph was appointed their attorney, he submitted his argument to the court that these members of the Evans family were "children of a free woman of colour named Amey; who was the daughter of another free woman of colour named Sarah Colley, who was the daughter of another free woman of colour named Frances Evans; who was the daughter of another free woman of colour named Jane Gibson." And that attached depositions had already recovered the freedom of Thomas Gibson, alias Mingo Jackson, the nephew of one of the plaintiffs Amey Evans. Edmund Randolph died in 1813, and the plaintiff's next attorney when the trial was held in Lynchburg City, Christopher Henderson Clark, had a stroke in 1820, so the case was dismissed in 1821. The remaining plaintiffs and their descendants remained slaves for life until Emancipation [Lynchburg City Chancery case, 1821-033, LVA]. A dispute over the estate of George Egborn, Esquire, of Culpeper County in 1851 included slaves with the last names Gibson, Evans, Lightfoot and Bannister (another free person of color name) [Culpeper County Chancery case, 1851-003, LVA].

This case illustrates the difficulties faced by free African American women who were bound out as apprentices. They and their female children were liable to have children during their indenture and thus be subject to further service. Males like Jane Gibson's relative Gideon Gibson had a grandson who attended Yale and was a U.S. senator from Louisiana [Sharfstein, Daniel, The Invisible Line].

Sarah Colley was most likely related to George, Charles, Thomas, and George Colley, Jr., "Mulattos" convicted in Charles City County court on 6 September 1758 for failing to list their wives as tithables [Orders 1758-62, 56, 78, 325].

 

2.     Israel Brown left a 22 August 1757 Lunenburg County will naming his wife Anne Brown and daughter Lucy Cuttillo [WB 2:21].

 

3.   Gideon Gibson's Northampton/ Halifax County Purchases:

24 Jul 1721 200 acres south side of Roanoke River [Chowan DB C-1:142].

3 May 1722 540 acres southwest side of Quankey Creek [Chowan DB C-1:227].

7 Aug 1727 300 acres north side of Roanoke River [Bertie DB B:289].

8 Aug 1727 300 acres south side of Roanoke River [Bertie DB B:293].

 

4.    George and Thomas Gibson were living in Louisa County on 28 May 1754 when they, William Hall, Thomas Collins, William Collins, William Donathan, Benjamin Branham and Samuel Bunch were presented by the court for failing to list a tithable (apparently their wives) [Orders 1742-8, 152, 157, 172].

 

5.   Like the Gibsons, the Collins family were taxable "Molattos" in Orange County in 1755 [T&C, Box 1, pp.15,19], were counted as white in the Tenth Company of Wilkes County in 1790 [NC:123], and were counted as "other free" in Ashe County in 1800 [NC:74,75,76].

 

GILBERT FAMILY

Members of the Gilbert family were

i. Thomas, born about 1727, a seventeen-year-old "Mustee" apprentice who ran away from John Brown, a wheelwright, according to an ad placed by his master in the 21 March 1745 issue of the Virginia Gazette: has a broad Face, and full Set of Teeth, is of low Stature, pretty well-set, of a dark Complexion, being a Mustee, and has a thick bushy Head of Hair [Parks edition, p. 4, col. 2].

ii. Lewis, "Negro" head of a Kent County, Maryland household of 7 "other free" and a white woman in 1790.

iii. Sukey, born before 1776, head of a Stokes County, North Carolina household of 5 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:345].

iv. William, head of a Robeson County, North Carolina household of 3 "other free" in 1800 [NC:380].

v. Betsey, head of a Hanover County, Virginia household of 2 "other free" in 1810 [VA:863].

 

GILLETT FAMILY

The Gillett family apparently descended from Simon and Peter (no last name indicated), "Mulatto" men, who sued for their freedom from Sir Grey Skipwith and his wife Dorothy on 5 July 1743 in Middlesex County court, claiming that they were entitled to their freedom because they had served until the age of twenty-one. They were apparently descendants of a white woman because the court ordered that they serve until the age of thirty-one [Orders 1740-4, 227, 229-32, 235-6]. Grey Skipwith was born 25 August 1705 in Middlesex County, the son of Sir William and Lady Sarah Skipwith [Parish Register of Christ Church, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog, film 8190054, image 89 of 341].

 

1.    Rebecca Gillett, born say 1700, was apparently identical to "Rebecca a Mollatto belonging to S^r W^m Skipwith" whose son Simon was born in Christ Church Parish, Middlesex County, on 11 January 171_. Her daughters Mary and Rachel were born in the parish on 3 November 1724, and both daughters died the same year. Rebecca Gillett married William Chavers on 8 July 1730 in Christ Church Parish, Middlesex County [NSCDA, Parish Register of Christ Church, 167; microfilm of manuscript on http://familysearch.org/search/catalog, film 8190054, images 162, 231, 266, 322 of 341]. She was the mother of

2    i. Simon¹, born 11 January 171_.

3    ii. Peter¹, born say 1722.

 

2.    Simon¹ Gillett, born 11 January 171_, was sued by John Holt for a debt of £6 in York County on 21 May 1750 [Judgments & Orders 1746-52, 313] and sued John Tilman in Brunswick County, Virginia court for a debt of £4.10 due by note of hand [Orders 1760-84, 43]. He, David Poe and Thomas Poe were granted bounty land certificates of 50 acres for serving in the 1^st Virginia Regiment in the French and Indian War under Colonel W^m Byrd on testimony in James City County on 8 November 1779 [Crozier, Virginia colonial militia, 1651-1776, 12, 40]. He was the "erect and dignified" body servant to Lord Botetourt, governor in Williamsburg from 1768 to 1770. During the first decade of the nineteenth century he was official violinist at state balls in Richmond, described by contemporaries as wearing "an embroidered silk coat and vest of faded lilac, silk stockings, terminated in shoes decorated with large buckles...and a brown wig." His wardrobe consisted of fifty suits, "his manner as courtly as his dress." He was appointed to the office of sexton by the churchwardens of the Church of England in Richmond [Mordecai, Richmond in By-gone Days, 310-11]. Simon was said to have been the father of a slave on 8 November 1770 when William Watts of Prince Edward placed an ad in the Virginia Gazette offering a reward for his return: Run away from me, last June, a negro boy named Windsor, about 16 years old...taken up last July by Mr. William Mitchell, and imprisoned in York jail, and on examination called himself William Florence, and said he was free. He is the son of one Simon Gillet, who lives in New Kent, by whom, I imagine, he is concealed, or by some person or persons near Williamsburg. An ad placed in the 19 July 1770 issue of the gazette stated that the boy claimed to have been born in the Indian town on Pamunkey River [Virginia Gazette [(Purdie & Dixon), 19 July 1770: p. 3, col. 3; 8 November 1770: p. 3, col. 2]. A jury awarded him £13 in his suit against William Winston in Richmond City Hustings Court on 14 March 1791 [Orders 1787-92, 577]. His York County suit against Anne Carter was dismissed on 16 October 1786, and he won a suit against Sarah Carter for a featherbed on 21 November the same year [Orders 1784-7, 368, 375]. He was taxable in York County on his own tithe, Anthony Peters, a slave named Phil, 9 horses and 3 cattle from 1784 to 1786 (called Simon Gillett, Sr., in 1785), exempt from personal tax by 18 January 1790 but taxable on 2 horses from 1790 to 1796 and taxable on a slave in 1794 and 1795. His estate was taxable on a horse in 1797. Perhaps his widow was Hannah Gillett, Sr., who was taxable on a horse and a slave in 1798 and 1799 and taxable on a horse in 1800 [PPTL, 1782-1841, frames 69, 91, 130, 162, 192, 210, 229, 244, 255; Orders 1788-95, 198]. He may have been the father of

i. Simon², Jr., born say 1757, presented in York County on 15 November 1779 for failing to list his tithables [Orders 1774-84, 240]. On 13 June 1784 Sarah Cumber (Cumbo) made a York County deed by which she left Simon her bed and furniture if she should die in his house [DB 6:252]. He was taxable in Richmond City from 1787 to 1799, listed most years as a slaveowner [PPTL 1787-99], and head of a Richmond City household of 3 "other free" and 2 slaves in 1810 [VA:379]. On 12 February 1799 he emancipated a "negro woman by the name of Kitty" whom he had purchased from John Wilkenson of Southampton County, agent of Eve Norflet of that county, by Richmond City deed [Hustings DB 3:77].

 

3.   Peter¹ Gillett, born say 1720, a "free Negro," registered the birth of his son Reuben in Bruton Parish in James City and York counties in 1747 [Bruton Parish Register, 8]. He sued Daniel Armfield in a suit that was dismissed in York County court on 22 September 1747 because both parties were in agreement, and he was paid as a witness for Thomas Cowles when he was sued by Daniel Armfield on 16 January 1748/9. Thomas Poe sued him on 16 September 1751 for a debt due by account, but the case was dismissed. On 17 December 1764 he was presented by the court for failing to list his daughters Patience and Nanny as tithables. Peter and (his son) Reuben were sued for a 35 shilling debt on 18 January 1769, and Peter and Sarah Gillett were paid as witnesses on 15 January 1770 in Sarah Freeman's suit against George Jones [Judgments & Orders 1746-52, 39, 159, 313, 473; 1763-5, 321, 362; 1768-70, 174, 407]. In 1754 he paid £1.2 to Anna Mariah Jones Barbar, orphan of James Barbar [Guardians' Accounts 1736-1780, 173]. He was taxable in York County on slaves Charles and Eve, 8 cattle and 4 horses in 1784, taxable on slaves Charles and Eleanor, 4 horses and 9 cattle in 1785 and 1786; taxable on 2 slaves and 4 horses in 1788 and 1789 (called Peter Gillet, Sr.), exempt from personal tax by 1 June 1790, taxable on a slave in 1790 and 1793, and taxable on 2-3 horses from 1790 to 1795 [PPTL, 1782-1841, frames 69, 91, 107, 128, 162, 172, 182, 192, 201, 210; Orders 1788-95, 283]. His children were

i. Patience, born say 1745, tithable in 1764.

4     ii. Reuben¹, born 6 November 1747.

iii. Nanny, born say 1748, tithable in 1764.

iv. ?Peter², Jr., born say 1755, presented by the York County court on 15 November 1779 for failing to list his tithables [Orders 1774-84, 240]. He was taxable in York County on slaves Pat and Hannah, 9 cattle and 9 horses in 1784, taxable on 2 horses and a head of cattle in 1785, taxable on a slave named Jack, 2 horses and 2 cattle in 1786, taxable on a slave and 3-4 horses in 1788 and 1789. His estate was taxable on 2 horses in 1793 (called Peter Gillet, Jr.) [PPTL, 1782-1841, frames 69, 91, 128, 140, 151, 192]. On 16 September 1793 his unnamed widow applied to the sheriff for any estate which belonged to her deceased husband, but the sheriff reported that Peter had mortgaged all his property to the trustees of Samuel Beall [W&I 23:388]. Perhaps his widow was Hannah Gillett who was taxable on a horse in 1795, taxable on a horse and slave in 1796 and 1797, probably the Hannah Gillett, Jr., who was taxable on a slave and horse from 1798 to 1800 [PPTL, 1782-1841, frame 210, 220, 229, 237, 244, 255]. Hannah was head of a York County household of 3 "other free" and 2 slaves in 1810 [VA:889].

v. ?Robert, born about 1759, a plaintiff with Peter Gillett in a York County suit against James Lyons on 18 March 1788 [Orders 1788-95, 7-8]. He married Sarah Ashby, 14 November 1786 York County bond, William Richardson surety, and was surety for the 11 July 1792 York County marriage bond of Reuben Gillett and Winneford Maclin. He registered in York County on 1 September 1801: aged about 42 of yellowish complexion, 5 feet 8 inches high, has many scars on his forehead, and has lost many foreteeth from his lower jaw. He is illy made ab^t the knees & shoulders has weak Eyes and much attached to fiddling & drinking [Guardians' Accounts, 1780-1823, following the index, No. 16].

 

4.    Reuben¹ Gillet, born 6 November 1747, paid £2.5 to Timson Crawley in York County in January 1773 [Guardians' Accounts, 1736-1780, 496]. He was taxable in York County from 1782 to 1812 and taxable on 2 tithes in 1794 and 1812 [PPTL, 1782-1841, frames 96, 91, 107, 128, 162, 182, 201, 237, 255, 375]. He and his wife Mary, "Free Mulattoes," baptized their son Reuben in Bruton Parish in James City and York counties on 1 June 1784 [Bruton Parish Register, 35]. He married, second, Winneford Maclin, 11 July 1792 York County bond, Robert Gillett security, 12 July 1792 marriage by the Rev. Ja^s Henderson [Guardians' Accounts 1780-1823, following Register of Free Negroes)]. Reuben's children were

i. Reuben², baptized on 1 June 1784.

ii. ?Simon³, born about 1797, registered in York County on 16 December 1822: a dark man a person of tawny complexion, is about 25 years old. His wife Polly Lyons registered on 18 June 1832: Polly Lyons (now the wife of Simon Gilliat) a bright mulatto about 33 years of age...long straight hair - Born free [Free Negro Register 1798-183, no. 161; 1831-1850, no. 342].

 

A member of the family probably married or had children by Sarah Gillett, a slave of Mary Stith:

4.    Sarah Gillett, born say 1770, was the slave of Mary Stith until 2 October 1793 when Stith emancipated her and her children Jane and Peter Gillett by York County deed [Orders 1788-95, 597]. Her children were

i. Jane, born about 1789, registered in York County on 19 August 1811: a bright Mulatto ab^t 22 or 23 years of age 5 feet 1-1/2 Inches high...black Eyes...Ears perforated for Earrings. Small regular features & good countenance. Emancipated by deed from Mary Stith recorded in York Ct. [Register of Free Negroes 1798-1831, no.62].

ii. Peter³, born about 1791, registered in York County on 15 February 1813: Peter alias Peter Gillett is a Mulatto of bright complexion about 22 years of age, 5 feet 6-1/2 Inches high - has long bushy hair...Emancipated by a deed from Mary Stith dated the 2^d of Oct^r 1793 & recorded in York Court [Free Negro Register 1798-1831, no.70]. He had moved to Lunenburg County by 7 October 1818 when he registered there, using his York County registry papers [WB 5, after page 89, no.1].

iii. Martha, born about 1794, registered in York County on 20 February 1815: Patty alias Martha Gillett is a short black woman ab^t 21 years of age 5 feet 1-1/4 Inches high - long hair which she usually wears platted before - flat nose...Daughter of Sarah Gillett who was set free by deed from Mary Stith dated 2 Oct^r 1793 since which period the sd Martha was born [Register of Free Negroes 1798-1831, no.87].

 

GILMORE FAMILY

1.    Margaret Gilmore, born say 1725, was apparently the mixed-race child of a white woman bound by indenture for thirty-one years. On 16 October 1777 her descendant Patty Gilmour brought suit for freedom from her master Thomas Tunstall in Halifax County, Virginia. Tunstall maintained that Patty should serve until the age of thirty-one since she was the descendant of a woman bound until the age of thirty-one. But the court ruled that Patty was twenty-one, had never been bound by any indenture, and was free from any further service. Tunstall appealed [Pleas 1774-9, 259]. Thomas was the son of Richard Tunstall of King and Queen County [Morris, The First Tunstalls in Virginia and Some of Their Descendants]. Margaret was the mother of

i. ?Isaac, born in February 1742/3, registered in Petersburg on 17 May 1796: a brown Mulatto man, five feet five inches high, fifty three in Feby. last, born free in King & Queen County [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, no. 112]. He was taxable on slaves David, Lydia, Jesse and Jim and 4 horses in Dinwiddie County in 1784 and on slaves Betty and Nora (3 Black taxables) in 1785 [PPTL, 1784, p. 11, 1785, p. 48], taxable on 1-4 slaves and 5 horses and 3 cattle in the part of Petersburg that was in Dinwiddie County from 1787 to 1796 [PPTL, 1787-99, frames 665, 682, 688, 714, 429, 746, 781]. On 14 February 1791 he purchased a lot in Petersburg on Halifax Road for £50 from Erasmus and Sarah Gill, and he and his wife Betty sold this lot for the same price to Graham Bell, shoemaker, by deed proved on 7 November 1791 [DB 2:127, 147]. He probably owned a business in Petersburg because he appeared there in the Hustings Court for suits as both plaintiff and defendant between 4 April 1787 and 6 September 1796. On 5 March 1793 the court awarded Nancy Evans 30 shillings in her suit against him for trespass, assault and battery, and on 4 August 1794 he was ordered to enter into bond of £50 to keep the peace [Orders 1784-91, 192, 311, 318, 357; 1791-7, 11, 34, 69, 95, 125, 126, 135, 160a, 177a]. In January 1790 the Petersburg court allowed him £6 for boarding Peggy Hogan and her two children for forty-four days [Hustings Court Minute Book 1797-1800, end of book]. He married Sally Ellis, 1 August 1792 Petersburg bond, Joseph DePalacio surety.

2     ii. Sabra, born say 1752.

iii. Patty, born about 1756, over the age of twenty-one when she was released from Thomas Tunstall's service in Halifax County, Virginia, on 16 October 1777.

3    iv. ?Richard¹, born say 1760.

 

2.    Sabra Gilmore, born say 1752, complained to the Halifax County, Virginia court against her master Thomas Tunstall on 20 August 1773. The court ordered her to return to his service until she arrived to the age of thirty-one years [Pleas 1773-4, 226, 251]. She was the mother of

i. ?Robert, received a certificate of freedom from the Pittsylvania County court on 26 July 1794 and was sued for debt on 16 September 1799 [Orders 1791-4, 381; 1798-1801, 166, 238]. He was a "F. Negro" taxable in Pittsylvania County in 1798 and 1799 [PPTL 1797-1812, frames 42, 112] and a "Mulatto" taxable on 6-1/2 acres in Gloucester County from 1806 to 1818 [Land Tax List 1782-1820].

ii. Mourning, "son of Sabra Gilmore," received a certificate of freedom from the Pittsylvania County court on 21 December 1795 on testimony of Edmund Tunstall [Orders 1795-8, 148]. He was a "free" taxable on 1 "black" tithe in the part of Petersburg that was in Dinwiddie County in 1795 and [PPTL, 1787-99] and a "free Negro" taxable on a free male tithe in King and Queen County in 1813 [PPTL, 1804-23].

 

3.    Richard¹ Gilmore, born say 1760, was taxable in the lower district of King and Queen County from 1782 to 1815: his tax charged to John Kauffman from 1782 to 1791; taxable on his own tithe and a horse in 1792; taxable on 2 free tithes and 2-4 slaves over the age of 16 from 1793 to 1797; taxable on a free male in 1798; 3 free males in 1799 and 1800; 4 in 1801 and 1802; 2 free males, a slave and a horse in 1803; head of a household of 4 "Mulattoes" (male and female) above the age of 16 in 1813; a "free Negro" over the age of 45 in 1815 when he was taxable on 7 cattle [PPTL, 1782-1803; 1804-23]. He was head of a King and Queen County household of 9 "other free" in 1810 [VA:219a]. He was taxable on 414 acres in King and Queen County from 1801 to 1814 when he was called "Richard Gilmore S^r" and his estate was taxable on the land. This was apparently part of 471 acres that the estate of John Kauffman was taxable on in 1800 but not in 1801, the same year that Sambo, Humphrey and Lucy Kauffman, "free Negroes," were taxable on 167 acres [Land Tax Lists, 1782-1812, 1813-30]. He was probably the father of

i. Richard², Jr., a "Mulatto" taxable in the lower district of King and Queen County in 1813 and 1814 [PPTL, 1804-23], a "free mulatto" head of a Gloucester County household of 1 "other free" and 3 slaves in 1810 [VA:656].

ii. Delpha, a "Mulatto" taxable in King and Queen County in 1813 [PPTL, 1804-23].

iii. Fanny, a "Mulatto" taxable in King and Queen County in 1813, taxable on a horse in 1823 [PPTL, 1804-23], perhaps identical to the Fanny Gilmore who was a "free Negro" taxable in Middlesex County in 1813.

iv. Benjamin, a "free Negro" taxable in King and Queen County in 1815 [PPTL, 1804-23].

 

GODETT FAMILY

Members of the Godett family in Craven County were

1   i. George¹, born say 1725.

2   ii. Ann, born say 1740.

 

1.    George¹ Godett, born say 1725, was excused from paying tax by the 14 September 1780 Craven County, North Carolina court because he was a cripple [Minutes 1772-84, 2:22a]. He was not taxed in the 1769 Craven County tax list, but his son William Godett was taxable as a male Black tithe and Nanney Godett was taxable as a female Black tithe [SS 837.1]. His 29 March 1802 Craven County will was proved September 1803. His son-in-law Isaac Perkins was one of the witnesses to the will. George left all his land to his son William, divided his other property among his children: Deborah Perkins, George Godet, John Godet, Susannah Godet, Mary Moore, and Peter Godet, and appointed his sons William and George executors [CR 28.508.24; WB 1:188]. William Godett recorded the inventory of his estate which included 118 acres of land [Wills and estate papers (Craven County), 1663-1978, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/456868, file 5122991, image 230]. George may have married Deborah George since he named his daughter Deborah and his son Peter (after Peter George). His children were

3    i. William¹, born say 1745.

4   ii. George¹, born say 1750.

5   ii. John¹, born say 1755.

iv. Deborah, born about 1763, married Isaac Perkins, 24 March 1784 Craven County bond.

v. Susanna.

vi. Mary Davis, "widow," married Simon Moore, 27 January 1798 Craven County bond, John Moore surety.

vii. Peter¹, born before 1776, head of a Craven County household of 1 "other free" in 1790 [NC:130] and 5 "free colored," including a woman over 45 years of age in 1820, and a slave 16-24 years old, listed next to Isaac Perkins [NC:67]. He married Sarah Barber, 26 April 1797 Craven County bond, William Tignor surety. He was called a "free Negro" when he purchased 120 acres from John Howard in Craven County on the south side of the Neuse River and west side of Cahooque Creek above the house where Isaac Perkins then lived on 29 September 1801, and he purchased 100 acres in Craven County on the south side of the Neuse River and the east side of Kings Creek on 26 August 1802 [DB 35:153; 36:247]. He was called Peter Gaudet, Sn^r, when he was taxable on 120 acres in Craven County in 1815 [T&C, Box 3, frame 35 of 48]. He mortgaged his land adjoining Isaac Perkins on Cahooque Creek and six head of cattle for $50 to Peter George on 12 June 1819 (acreage not stated). Peter George signed a release for this land and cattle on 18 July 1832 [DB 41:245; 49:279].

 

2.    Nanney Godett, born say 1740, was a "black" taxable in her own household in Craven County in 1769 [SS 837] and called Ann Godet in 1790: head of a Craven County household of 6 white females [NC:130]. This was apparently an error and should be 6 "other free." She may have been the Naney Godet who married John Davis, another "Black" Craven County taxable in 1769, by 12 November 1796 Craven County bond, William Dove surety. And she may have been the ancestor of

i. Abraham, born say 1760, head of an Anson County household of 5 "other free" in 1800 and 2 in 1810 [NC:16].

ii. William², born say 1775, head of a Hyde County household of 1 "other free" and a slave in 1800 [NC:368]. He married Lurana Davis, 24 May 1805 Craven County bond, Peter George (signing) surety. He made a Craven County will on 24 February 1807 by which he gave all his cattle to his "father in Law" George Godett and mother, witnessed and proved by George Godett, Jr. [Wills and estate papers (Craven County), 1663-1978, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/456868, file 7639852, image 6].

iii. Peter³, married Mary Lewis, 12 May 1813 Craven county bond, Stephen Gaudett surety. He was called Peter Gaudet when he was taxable on 100 acres in Craven County in 1815 [T&C, Box 3, frame 35 of 48]. He died before June term 1817 when the Craven County court allowed his widow Fanny $80 as a year's allowance for herself and family: $20 for herself and $20 for each of her children. Isaac Perkins was administrator. Joshua Lewis, Peter Godett, William Dove, Isaac Dove, Abel Moore, Phanuel Godett, Abraham Moore, Leonard Carter, and Caesar Richards were buyers at the sale of the estate [Wills and estate papers (Craven County), 1663-1978, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/456868, file 5122991, image 250]. His widow was probably the Fanny Gaudett who married Isaac Dove, 23 January 1818 Craven County bond, Isaac Dove surety.

iv. James, born about 1780, married Hepsey Parker, 24 February 1816 Craven County bond, Shadrack Morris surety. He was taxable on 200 acres and 1 free poll in Craven County in 1815 [T&C, Box 3, frame 35 of 48]. He was head of a Craven County household of 5 "free colored" in 1820 and a 70-year-old "Black" farmer with $50 real estate, counted in the 1850 Craven County census with white wife Hepsy and "Mulatto" children.

v. Hager, born about 1780, a 70-year-old "Black" woman counted in the 1850 census for New Bern, Craven County.

vi. Yancy, born about 1780, a 70-year-old "Black" man counted in the 1850 census for New Bern, Craven County.

 

3.    William¹ Godett, born say 1745, was taxable as 1 male Black tithe in Craven County in 1769 [SS 837]. He married Suckey Drigg (Driggers), 25 May 1806 Craven County bond, Elijah George surety, and was taxable on 118 acres in Craven County in 1815 [T&C, Box 3, frame 31]. By his 26 March 1815 Craven County will he left all his real and personal property to his wife Susanna and named her child Charlotte and an unnamed child his wife was pregnant with. Elijah George proved the will in March 1816 [CR 28.508.24]. His wife Sukey was the mother of

i. Charlotte, married William Martin, 24 January 1828 Craven County bond, Samuel Martin surety.

 

4.    George² Godett, born say 1754, received a patent for 300 acres on the south side of the Neuse River at the head of Clubfoot Creek joining Elijah Gibson on 23 August 1813 [Land Patents, N.C. Archives, C.028.48002, IV:175] and was taxable on 300 acres and 1 poll in Craven County in 1815 [T&C, Box 3, frame 35 of 48]. He made a deed of gift of 50 acres of this land (adjoining the land of John Godett) to his daughter Deborah Morris on 13 June 1818 [DB 41:188]. He was head of a Craven County household of 7 "free colored" in 1820 (called George Godett, Jun^r) [NC:65]. He was living on Clubfoot Creek on the south side of the Neuse River on 14 May 1825 when he wrote his will, proved May 1827. He named his wife Leurainah, children: Betsy Powers, James, John, George, Deborah (50 acres), Peter, Leurainah (who had sons William Dempcey and Peter), and his grandchildren Jeremiah and Jesse who lived with him and were sons of Betsy Powers. He gave 50 acres where he was then living as well as another 2 acres that he had "bargained for of Emanuel Morris and my Daughter Deborah," to his grandson Jeremiah Godett. He named Jeremiah Godett, son of his daughter Betsy Powers, and his son-in-law Joshua Lewis as executors. Jonathan Mitchell and Elizabeth Moore were witnesses [CR 28.508.24, WB C:292-4]. He named his children:

6   i. Betsy Powers, born say 1785.

ii. James A., born say 1789, purchased 200 acres at the head of Clubfoot Creek on 16 May 1810 [37:837]. He married Polly Gaudett, 12 April 1811 Craven County bond, George Godett, Sr., (signing) surety. James, Jr., was head of a Craven County household of 6 "free colored," including a woman over the age of 45, in 1820. He made a deed of gift of 200 acres on the east side of Clubfoot Creek to (his brother) John Godett for $1 on 10 February 1825, and on the same day he made a deed of gift of 200 acres near the head of Clubfoot Creek to (his brother) George Godett, Jr., for $1 [DB 44:338-9].

iii. John², married Ann Holly, 22 October 1812 Craven County bond, and was head of a Craven County household of 3 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:65]. He may have been the John Godett who married Clarissa Jackson, 4 January 1825 Craven County bond, Theophilus George surety. John and Clary purchased for $5 from William and Eady Jones their rights to land belonging to the heirs of Hody Jackson on the east side of Vandimere Creek on 16 August 1827 [DB 51:164].

iv. George³, Jr., born about 1784, married Julia Lewis, 29 October 1813 Craven County bond, George Goddett surety. He was taxable on 1 poll in Craven County in 1815 [T&C, Box 3, frame 35 of 48] and was counted in the 1850 census for Craven County: a 66-year-old "Black" man living with 60-year-old Julia Godet.

v. Deborah, married Manuel Morris, 30 November 1804 Craven County bond, George Godett surety. Manuel was head of a Pasquotank County household of 2 "other free" and 5 slaves in 1810 [NC:912] and 7 "free colored" in Craven County in 1820 [NC:65].

vi. Peter², married Polly George, 10 January 1805 Craven County bond, Peter George surety, and was head of a Craven County household of 3 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:62]. Both Peter and Polly were deceased in August 1824 when their children Sukey and Bill Gaudett (infants) were entitled to land that Polly inherited from her father Peter George [North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, Ancestry.com database on-line].

vii. Leurainah, mother of William Dempcey and Peter Godett who were named in her father's will. She may have been the Lurana Davis who married William Godett, 24 May 1805 Craven County bond, Peter George surety. William was head of a Hyde County household of 1 "other free" and a slave in 1800 [NC:368]. He made a Craven County will on 24 February 1807 by which he gave all his cattle to his "father in Law" George Godett and mother, witnessed and proved by George Godett, Jr. [Wills and estate papers (Craven County), 1663-1978, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/456868, file 7639852, image 6].

 

5.    John¹ Godett, born say 1755, was in the List of Captain Bryan's Craven County Company in June 1778 [N.C. Archives, Troop Returns, Box 3, folder 26]. He enlisted in Sharp's Company of the 10^th North Carolina Regiment on 5 April 1781 and left the service on 5 April 1782 [Clark, The State Records of North Carolina, XVI:1069]. He was also paid £9 in New Bern District on 3 April 1786 for militia duty [North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers, 1779-1782, http://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2WT-PJ8P]. He purchased 50 acres in Craven County on the west side of Adams Creek near Brook's Run on 23 January 1781 and 40 acres joining this land on 8 January 1785 [DB 24:163; 26:77]. He was head of a Craven County household of 2 "other free" in 1790 [NC:130]. On 15 October 1801 he purchased 100 acres on the south side of Neuse River and west side of Clubfoot Creek adjacent to land formerly owned by William George [DB 35:247]. He died before 30 May 1811 when the Craven County court allowed his widow Rebecca Godett a year's allowance for herself and nine children. Rebecca married William Dove, 1 May 1816 Craven County bond, Stephen Gaudett surety. In November 1824 George Lewis sued Nancy and Stephen Godett, stating that he had purchased one-fifth part of the undivided lands of John Godett, Sr., deceased, on the south side of the Neuse River and west side of Clubfoot Creek, adjoining the lands of Peter George and William Godett, from John Godett, one of John's sons and heirs. He asked the court to partition the land between the heirs: Stephen, Nancy, Annanias and Eliza Godett [Wills and estate papers (Craven County), 1663-1978, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/456868, file 5122991, image 209]. George Lewis, Stephen, Nancy, Annanias, and Eliza Godett sold 80 acres at the head of Clubfoot Creek adjoining Gideon Jones on 13 June 1826 [DB 45:417]. William Dove was a 70-year-old "Black" farmer counted in the 1850 Craven County census with 74-year-old Rebecca Dove, owner of $20 real estate. John's children were

i. Stephen, born before 1776, married Mary Martin, 12 June 1817 Craven County bond, Jacob Moore surety, and was head of a Craven County household of 3 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:65].

ii. John, born after 1776, taxable on 1 poll in Craven County in 1815 [T&C, Box 3, frame 35 of 48], head of a Craven County household of 3 "free colored" in 1820.

iii. Nancy, married John Fenno (Fenner), 8 April 1817 Craven County bond, Stephen Gaudett surety.

iv. Annanias, born about 1807, a 43-year-old "Black" mason counted in the 1850 census for New Hanover County in 1850.

v. Eliza.

 

6.    Betsy Godett, born say 1785, called Betsy Powers in her father's 1825 will, was the mother of Jeremiah and Jesse Godett who were also named in the will. Betsy was called Betsy Godett when she married Joshua Lewis, 30 June 1809 Craven County bond, James Goddett surety. Joshua Lewis was the son-in-law who was one of the executors of George Godett's will. Betsy Lewis was head of a Craven County household of 4 "free colored" in 1830. Betsy's children named in her father's will were

i. Jeremiah Godett, born say 1804, received by his grandfather's will one tract for 40 acres and another for 2 acres which his grandfather purchased from Manuel Morris.

ii. Jesse Godett, born say 1806. On 11 March 1833 the sheriff sold 100 acres of his land at the head of Clubfoot Creek adjoining Manuel Morris and Elijah Gibson for a debt he and Francis Mason owed [DB 50:426].

 

GOFF FAMILY

The Goff family may have descended from Edward Goff who was listed as an Indian in the taxables for Surry County, Virginia, in 1702 [Deeds, Etc., 5:257b].

 

1.    Samuel Goff, born say 1720, was sued for debt in Cumberland County, Virginia, on 22 May 1758. He and his wife Diana sold 127 acres in Cumberland County on 23 June 1762 [Orders 1752-8, 526; 1762-4, 60, 356]. He was the father of Samuel and Abram Gauf who were ordered bound out by the Chesterfield County court on 4 June 1762 [Orders 1759-67, 225]. He was living in Pittsylvania County on 24 June 1768 when he was summoned to appear in court to show cause why his children should not be bound out [Orders 1767-72, 63]. He was in Cumberland County by 28 November 1774 when he was added to the list of tithables. He was called an "aged person" with four sons in the Continental service on 27 April 1779 when the court certified to the board of auditors that he depended on them for subsistence. On 28 February 1780 he was exempted from payment of levies. A suit brought against him by Joseph Callend, assignee of Carter Henry Harrison, Gent., was dismissed on 28 September 1783 when the plaintiff failed to prosecute [Orders 1774-8, 294; 1779-84, 20, 106, 435]. He was the father of

2     i. Abraham, born about 1743.

ii. Samuel, enlisted in the Virginia Continental Line on 15 September 1777 and was killed at Paulus Hook on 16 August 1779 according to a certificate signed by Captain Mayo Carrington and presented by his brother Abraham Goff in Cumberland County court [Orders 1779-84, 496; Revolutionary Bounty Warrants, Goff, Samuel, Digital Collections, LVA].

iii. ?John, listed in the muster of Lieutenant Gibbs of the 15^th Virginia Regiment on 3 February 1778 next to Abram Goff in the same list as Daniel Goff, all enlisted for 3 years on 5 September 1777. John died on 16 May 1778 according to the May muster at Valley Forge [NARA, M246, Roll 113, frames 291, 300, 303 of 752; http://fold3.com/image/9641918].

iv. Daniel, born in June 1754, made a declaration in Boone County, Kentucky, on 4 February 1833 in order to obtain a pension for his services in the Revolution. He was living in Chesterfield County when he enlisted in the 15^th Virginia Regiment for 3 years. James Taylor testified that Daniel, a "poor colored man," came to live with him in Campbell County, Virginia, in 1793 as a gardener and laborer [NARA, S15586, M805, Roll 362, frame 97; http://fold3.com/image/22806017].

3    v. Zachariah, born before 1759.

4   vi. Moses, born say 1760.

 

2.    Abraham Goff, born about 1743-1750, was living in Pittsylvania County on 28 May 1768 when an attachment on his estate was dismissed [Orders 1767-72, 52]. He sued Edmund Vaughan for trespass, assault and battery in Cumberland County, Virginia, on 27 January 1777. The suit was dismissed on agreement of the parties. On 23 February 1784 he produced in court the certificate of Captain Samuel Baskerville of the First Virginia Regiment, certifying that Samuel Goff enlisted in the Virginia Continental Line on 15 September 1777 and was killed at Paulus Hook on 16 August 1779. Abraham testified that he was eldest brother and heir to Samuel [Orders 1774-8, 391, 500; 1779-84, 496]. He was a "Mulatto" taxable in Buckingham County in 1790 [PPTL 1782-97]. He appeared as the next friend of Charles Goff in his suit against Charles Howle and Anthony Christian for trespass viet armis and imprisonment in Cumberland County court on 26 April 1796 [Orders 1792-7, 507]. He married Sally Ruff, 25 July 1798 Bedford County bond, John Mann and Richard Moss surety. He was a carpenter and his unnamed wife a spinster in a List of Free Negroes & Mulattoes in the Northern District of Bedford County on C. Caffery's land in September 1801, adjoining Zack Goff who was a farmer [DB 11:415]. In the Bedford County chancery suit of Charles Caffery against Zachariah Goff and Richard Moss, Abraham deposed that he was living on Caffery's plantation in Bedford County in late April or early May 1803 when a "young girl" named Lucy Hawkins came from Campbell County to live with him as a wife. Another deponent testified on 22 July 1805 that they were living as man and wife, one testified that she was a white woman and another that she claimed to have "one-fourth Negro Blood" when asked why she took up with "Mulattoe" Abraham Goff who he had arrested as a runaway in the spring of 1805 [LVA, Chancery files, 1806-050, http://lva.virginia.gov/chancery]. He was taxable in Bedford County in 1801, 1803 and 1804 [PPTL 1782-1805, frames 507, 574, 615], a "F.N." taxable in Botetourt County from 1805 to 1819: listed in Fincastle in 1805, taxable on 2 tithes in 1811 and 1815, listed with (wife?) Rhoda Goff in 1813 [PPTL 1787-1810, frames 513, 547, 581, 614, 646; 1811-1822, frames 7, 83, 92, 128, 180, 262, 303, 349, 391]. He was head of a Botetourt County household of 5 "other free" in 1810 [VA:625]. In 1812 he was in a list of Free Negroes and Mulattos in Joseph Hannah's District of Botetourt County on Lassley's Run: Rhoda Goff (age 20), Abram (a farmer age 62), Lucy (29), Matilda (5), Ailcy (4), Betsey (1), William (8), James (14), and John Goff (17) who was a farmer on the Catawba Creek [List of Free Negroes and Mulattoes 1812, 1812, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA]. He was a "free man of Colour," about 77 years old on 28 August 1820 when he testified in Bedford County court to obtain a pension for his service in the Revolution. He stated that he enlisted in Cumberland County, Virginia, in 1778 and served for 4 years. He had four children living with him: Matilda (age 14), Ely (12), Samuel (6) and Mary (3) [NARA, S.39596, M805, Roll 362, frames 56-65; http://fold3.com/image/22805793]. He registered in Bedford County on 26 October 1820: aged 77, Mulatto, 5 feet 11 inches, Born free [Register of Free Negroes 1820-60, p.3]. His children were

i. ?John, born about 1795.

ii. ?James, born about 1798.

iii. Matilda, born about 1806, registered the same day as her father: aged 15, Bright Mulatto, 5'6", Born free [Register of Free Negroes 1820-60, p.3].

iv. Ely, born about 1808.

v. Samuel, born about 1814.

vi. Mary, born about 1817.

 

3.    Zachariah Goff, born before 1759, was added to the list of tithables in Cumberland County, Virginia, on 28 November 1774 [Orders 1774-8, 294] and married Judith Mathews in St. James Northam Parish, Goochland County, on 14 October 1775 [Jones, The Douglas Register, 16]. He enlisted in the Revolution in Cumberland County in 1777 and served for 3 years. On 24 March 1783 Abram Goff received Zachariah's final pay of £35 for serving in the infantry [NARA, M881, Roll 1092, frame 797 of 2218; http://fold3.com/image/286702747]. On 31 July 1786 he was charged in Prince Edward County court with stealing a horse belonging to Thomas Jones, Sr., of Campbell County. William Jones, Jr., testified that he met Zachariah on the horse about eight or ten miles from Richmond and asked him how he came by the horse. Zachariah assured him he had swapped his own horse near Barksdale Ordinary with a man whose name he never heard. The man told him he must go back with the horse to some house called Cheetwoods where they could swap the horses in the presence of a witness, but the man ran off and made his escape. Zachariah was ordered to stand trial in the General Court. On 21 March 1787 the Prince Edward County court dismissed his suit against William Hood on consent of both parties [Orders 1785-8, 229-30, 343]. He was taxable in Prince Edward County in 1784 and 1785 [PPTL 1782-1809, frames 130, 145] and a "Melatto" taxable in Campbell County from 1788 to 1792 [PPTL, 1785-1814, frames 84, 150, 212]. He was called a "free mulatto" on 19 August 1793 when the Campbell County court found him not guilty of poisoning Micajah Moorman. Ned Jenkins was Zachariah's witness [Orders 1791-7, 219]. On 28 February 1796 the Cumberland County court ordered the clerk to issue him a certificate of freedom ,"it appearing to the court that the said Zachariah by birth and parentage is entitled to the same" [Orders 1792-7, 613]. On 10 January 1797 he and Benjamin Scott were charged in Botetourt County with stealing a "Negroe woman slave" Dinah, the property of Thomas Rowland. Zachariah was charged with giving her "a passport and assisting her to make her escape," but both he and Scott were found not guilty [Orders 1793-7, 426]. He was a "free N^o" taxable in Bedford County in 1801, 1803, 1805, 1813 and 1816 [PPTL 1782-1805, frames 507, 574, 642; 1806-16, frames 356, 630]. He was called a "man of Colour" in Charles Caffery's Bedford County chancery suit against him and Richard Moss. Testimony by Caffery on 25 September 1804 and others indicated that Zachariah transferred a sorrel mare, a colt and a pied cow and black yearling to his wife's relative Richard Moss after he was injured while splitting rails for Moss. He was apparently trying to prevent Charles Caffery, the owner of the land he was renting, from seizing his property for debt. Zachariah's brother Abraham Goff (a resident of Botetourt County) and "free Mulatto" Sampson Green also testified. The suit mentioned Zachariah's wife Elizabeth who sometimes worked for Esther Howsen when her husband was crippled. It also mentioned Elizabeth's unnamed mother who lived with Zachariah and Elizabeth. Zachariah sued Richard Moss in another chancery case to recover his property, but Richard deposed on 21 January 1811 that Zachariah had sold him the mare and colt to satisfy a debt of £30. His answer included a deed dated 18 January 1802 by which Zachariah sold a sorrel mare and colt and a pied cow and yearling to him for $100 [LVA, chancery files 1806-050, 1813-012, http://lva.virginia.gov/chancery]. On 25 September 1851 his widow Betsy Goff, a "free Negroe," testified that they were married in June 1796, that her maiden name was Betsy Moss, and that her husband died in 1823 [NARA, W.2730, M805, Roll 362, frames 288-295; http://fold3.com/image/22806134]. They were the parents of

i. Zachariah, born in March 1797.

ii. Patsy, born 4 July 1800, registered in Bedford County on 3 April 1857: Patsey Goff, daughter of Zach and Betsey Goff, born free about 57 or 58 years of age, light complection, freckles on the face. Reuben Goff, son of Patsey Goff free born about 17 years of age, light complexion, 5 feet 7-1/2 inches high; Jerry Goff, son of Patsey Goff, free born 13 years of age, dark complexion, 4 feet 9-1/4 inches high [Goff, Patsey (F, 57): Free Negro Certificate, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

iii. Samuel, born 30 December 1804.

iv. Henry, born 15 May 1806.

v. Robert Brown, born 29 October 1810.

vi. William Merion, born in February 1813.

 

4.    Moses Goff, born say 1760, was a soldier in the Revolution from Cumberland County whose final pay of £56 was received by Abram Goff on 24 March 1783 [NARA, M881, Roll 1092, frame 793 of 2281; http://fold3.com/image/286702747]. He was taxable in the upper district of Cumberland County from 1783 to 1807: a "f. M^o" taxable on Henry and Thomas Goff's tithe in 1804, taxable on Thomas Goff's tithe in 1806, 3 tithes in 1807 [PPTL, 1782-1816, frames 33, 89, 122, 155, 257, 294, 353, 428, 486, 523, 559] and a "M"(ulatto) taxable in Buckingham County from 1810 to 1821: listed with 2 tithables starting in 1811, the second tithe called his son starting in 1812 [PPTL 1810-26]. He was the father of

i. Henry², born say 1782, taxable in Cumberland County in 1804, a shoemaker living with wife Cate on John Seay's land in a list of "free Negroes & Mulattoes" in the upper district of Cumberland County in 1810 [PPTL, 1782-1816, frame 658]. In 1805 he was a carpenter living with James Epperson in the upper district of Prince Edward County [List of Free People in T Green's District 1805, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA]. He registered in Cumberland County on 30 December 1808: son of Moses Goff born & raised in this county is a free man [Goff, Henry (M): Free Negro Certificate, 1808, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

ii. ?Thomas, born say 1786, taxable in Cumberland County in 1804, listed with William Goff as jobbers in 1810 [PPTL, 1782-1816, frame 658].

iii. ?William, say 1790, taxable in Cumberland County in 1810 and 1813 [PPTL, 1782-1816, frames 658, 764].

iv. ?David, a "M"(ulatto) taxable in Buckingham County from 1813 to 1819 [PPTL 1810-26].

v. ?Dick, in the list of free people of Colour for Prince Edward County in 1822, a carpenter living at John Boatwright's [List of free negroes 1822, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

 

Other members of the Goff family were

i. Sarah Gauf, born say 1725, petitioned the Chesterfield County court on 6 April 1759 to order Richard Locket to show cause why (her son?) Isham Joiner should not be bound to some other person. Her petition was dismissed [Orders 1754-9, 506, 522].

ii. Lewis Gauf, born about 1757, a twenty-year-old "negro man" jailed in Louisa County according to the 31 October 1777 issue of the Virginia Gazette. He was bound to the widow Netherland of Hanover County, late of Halifax County [Virginia Gazette, Purdie, p. 1, col. 3], called Lewis Goff in the 12 December 1777 issue of the gazette [Virginia Gazette, Purdie, p.4, col. 2].

iii. Henry¹ (Harry), born about 1765, a "Negro claims to be free, about 30 years old," who was jailed in Fredericksburg according to the 14 July 1795 issue of the Virginia Herald and Fredericksburg Advertiser [Headley, 18th Century Virginia Newspapers, 137].

iv. Joney, head of a Bertie County, North Carolina household of 1 "other free" in 1790 [NC:12].

v. Alice, married Thornton Pettiford, 31 March 1804 Petersburg bond [Hustings Court Records].

 

GOLDMAN/ GOULDMAN FAMILY

The Goldman family may have descended from "Negro Jack a Carpenter" who was freed by the 9 January 1715/6 Essex County will of Francis Gouldman which was proved on 21 November 1716. He was to be freed after his master's decease and after completion of the carpentry work in his master's kitchen. He was not listed in Gouldman's inventory taken on 18 December 1716 [Deeds & Wills 1711-16, 680-4, 729-733]. Members of the family were

i. Daniel Goldmine, born about 1747, taxable in the lower district of Henrico County in 1796 and 1799 [PPTL, 1782-1814, frames 355, 389], registered in Albemarle County on 1 February 1813: a man of Colour, aged about sixty six years, five feet 7-1/2 inches high, yellow complexion, long bushy hare [Orders 1811-3, 391].

1     ii. Martin, born say 1750.

2    iii. Betty, born say 1760.

iv. George, born say 1763, taxable in the lower district of King and Queen County from 1784 to 1820: head of a household of 4 "free Negroes" (male and female) above the age of 16 in 1813 [PPTL, 1782-1803; 1804-23].

v. James, born say 1765, taxable in the lower district of King and Queen County from 1783 to 1820: aged 16-21 in 1783 [PPTL, 1782-1803; 1804-23].

 

1.    Martin Goldman, born say 1750, was taxable in the lower district of King and Queen County from 1782 to 1815: taxable on 1 "black" tithe, 0 whites, 2 horses and 13 cattle in 1782; a "white" tithable with 0 "black" tithables but with George, James, Ben, Milly (his wife?), Keasar (Kesiah), Willis and James (no last name) in his household in 1783; taxable on James and George Goldman and 10 cattle in 1784; taxable on 3 free males and a horse in 1791; 4 free males in 1792 and 1794, 2 in 1795, 3 in 1796, 2 from 1797 to 1801; called a "free Negro" in 1807; head of a household of 2 "free Negroes" over the age of 16 (male and female) in 1813; over the age of 45 in 1815 [PPTL, 1782-1803; 1804-23]. And he was taxable on 140 acres from 1782 to 1816 when he was called a "F.N." and his estate was taxable on the land [Land Tax List, 1782-1812; 1813-1830]. He was probably the father of

i. Kesiah, listed in Martin Goldman's household in 1783 [PPTL, 1782-1803].

ii. Ralph, born say 1776, taxable in Middlesex County in 1790 [PPTL 1782-1819, frame 66], taxable in the lower district of King and Queen County from 1792 to 1813: head of a household of 3 "free Negroes" (male and female) above the age of 16 in 1813 [PPTL, 1782-1803; 1804-23]. He was head of a King and Queen County household of 2 "free colored" in 1830.

iii. Benjamin, born say 1780, taxable in King and Queen County from 1795 to 1815: head of a household of 3 "free Negroes" (male and female) above the age of 16 in 1813, called a "free Negro" in 1815 when he was taxable on 4 horses [PPTL, 1782-1803; 1804-23].

iv. Willis, born say 1782, taxable in the lower district of King and Queen County from 1802 to 1821: called a "Mulatto" in 1813 when he was taxable on a gig [PPTL, 1782-1803; 1804-23]. He married Sally Meggs, 11 January 1820 Middlesex County bond, James Meggs surety, and was head of a King and Queen County household of 7 "free colored" in 1830.

v. Nancy, born about 1795, a "Black" woman counted in the 1850 census for King and Queen County with 25-year-old woman Sarah Gouldman.

vi. Martin, Jr., born about 1797, a "free Negro" taxable in King and Queen County in 1815 [PPTL, 1804-23], a "Mulatto" farmer with $320 real estate, inferred wife Rachel and children in the 1860 census for King and Queen County.

 

2.    Betty Goldman, born say 1760, lived in Henrico County and was the mother of

i. ?William, taxable in Knowles Giles's Henrico County household in 1791, in his own household in the lower district from 1795 and 1799 [PPTL, 1782-1814, frames 272, 331, 389], a "Mulatto" taxable in Prince George County in 1801 [PPTL 1782-1811, frame 533].

ii. Patty, born say 1778, obtained a certificate of freedom in Henrico County on 12 September 1800: Patty Goldman is a free woman and is a daughter of Betty Goldman was born in the said county and was born free [Goldman, Patty (F): Free Negro Certificate, 1800, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

iii. ?Lucy, born say 1780, registered in Henrico County on 2 July 1802: Lucy Goldman is free Born, I have known her from her Infancy. Jackson Frayser [Goldman, Lucy (F): Free Negro Certificate, 1800, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA]. She married John Richardson (colored), 22 August 1809 Henrico County bond.

iv. ?Mourning, born say 1781, registered in Henrico County on 2 July 1802: Mourning Goaldman is free Born...I have known her from her Infancy. Jackson Frayser [Goldman, Mourning (F): Free Negro Certificate, 1800, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

v. ?Sally, born about 1782, registered in Henrico County on 23 June 1802: know her from infancy that she is free Born, about 19 yrs, about 5 feet 2 inches. Jackson Frayser [Goldman, Sally (F, 19): Free Negro Certificate, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

vi. ?Peter, born say 1783, registered in Henrico County on 29 September 1802: a free person, was born in the aforesaid county of free parents. George Wm^son [Goldman, Peter (M): Free Negro Certificate, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

vii. ?Elliot, born about 1790, registered in Albemarle County on 6 September 1813: a man of Colour, five feet eight inches and three quarters high, aged twenty three years, dark complexion [Orders 1813-15, 155].

viii. ?Polly, born about 1792, registered in Henrico County in November 1819: a mulatto woman, five feet two inches high, about twenty seven years of age, born free as appears from the evidence of Joseph Bailey [Goldman, Polly (F, 27): Free Negro Certificate, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

 

GOODMAN FAMILY

Members of the Goodman family were

i. Charles, taxable in Granville County, North Carolina, in Cross Road District in 1761 with (his wife) Jane Goodman in Joseph Allen's household; taxable in his own household in Smiths Creek District in 1762 [CR 044.701.19]; taxable in Bute County with wife Jane in 1771 [CR 015.70001, p.2 of pamphlet]. On 13 November 1771 the Bute County court ordered his hands to work on the road from the Granville County line to Daniel Burford's Ordinary [Minutes 1767-76, 195]. He was taxable in Smith's Creek District of Warren County as a married man in 1779, taxable on a free poll from 1780 to 1783 and taxable on 2 polls in 1786 [Warren County Tax List, 1779 Assessments, p.13; Tax List 1781-1801, 4, 13, 42, 65, 112].

ii. John, made a deposition in Louisa County on 27 August 1768, stating that he was living with George Gibson when George sent him to cut down a tree on land adjoining the land of George's father Gilbert Gibson. Gilbert met him there and told him that he was on the dividing line of a branch called Great Branch which divided Gilbert's land from the land he had given his son George [Judgments, 1769-1770, frame 427]. On 12 February 1783 he was called John Goodman alias John Gibson when he sued Moses Going in a Louisa County chancery case that was dismissed in April 1783 [Chancery case 1783-002, LVA].

iii. Sally, married John Moore, in March 1784 in Rockingham County, North Carolina, according to his pension application [NARA, W.8464, M804-1756].

iv. Jordan, born before 1776, head of a Hawkins County, Tennessee household of 3 "free colored" in 1830.

v. Edmund, born after 1775, head of a Hawkins County, Tennessee household of 12 "free colored" in 1830.

 

GORDON FAMILY

Members of the Gordon family born before 1750 were

1     i. Peter, born say 1740.

ii. Notley, born say 1747, a "mulatto" tithable in Buckingham County in 1774 [LVA, Lists of tithables, 1773-1774, p. 11, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog, film 30684, image 27], taxable on 400 acres and 2 horses in 1782, deceased by 1787 when his estate was taxable on the land [PPTL, 1782-93; Land Tax List 1782-95].

 

1.    Peter Gordon, born say 1740, was a "free negro" head of household in Norfolk County on the south side of Western Branch District in 1770 [Wingo, Norfolk County Tithables, 1766-80, 105]. On 29 April 1784 he sold 50 acres adjoining Samuel Simmons and Joseph Evans near the North River Swamp in Currituck County for £15 [DB 5:209]. On 6 February 1795 he rented for his natural life a plantation near Currituck Sound for the yearly rent of 1/16 of a dollar from Thomas Jarves [DB 7:209]. He was taxable in Currituck County in 1779 [GA 64.1] and head of a Currituck County household of 10 "other free" in 1790 [NC:21] and 3 in 1800 [NC:88]. Perhaps his widow was Hannah Gorden, head of a Currituck County household of 4 "other free" in 1810 [NC:91]. Peter was the father of

i. Joseph, "son of Peter," purchased a crumpled horn cow and yearling and calf from Spence Hall by Currituck County deed of 6 February 1795 [DB 7:208].

ii. ?Jeremiah, purchased a cow and yearling for $5 by Currituck County deed from Spence Hall on 1 June 1795 [DB 7:208].

iii. ?Polly, purchased a brinded cow for $5 from Spence Hall by Currituck County deed on 1 June 1795 [DB 7:208].

iv. ?James, purchased a red cow calf and yearling for from Spence Hall by Currituck County deed of 1 June 1795 [DB 7:208].

v. ?Solomon, head of a household of 4 "other free" in Raleigh, Wake County, in 1800 [NC:809].

vi. ?Betsy, head of a Pasquotank County household of 2 "other free" in 1810 [NC:899].

vii. ?Luke, head of a Currituck County household of 1 "other free" in 1810 [NC:92].

iv. ?Louis, head of a Norfolk County household of 2 "other free" in 1810 [VA:900].

 

GOWEN/ GOING FAMILY

Members of the Gowen family in Virginia were

1     i. Michael¹, born say 1635.

2    ii. Philip¹, born say 1650

 

1.    Michael¹ Gowen, born say 1635, was the "negro" servant of Christopher Stafford who gave him his freedom by his 18 January 1654 York County will after four years of service. Accordingly, Stafford's sister Amie Barnehouse discharged "Mihill Gowen" from her service on 25 October 1657, and she gave him his child William, born of her "negro Prossa" [DWO 3:16].

On 8 February 1668 he (called Mihell Gowree) patented "30 or 40 acres" in Merchants Hundred Parish in James City County which was land formerly belonging to John Turner, deceased, purchased by him from Captain Richard Barnehouse, and lately found to escheat [Patents 6:208]. Michael died before 11 September 1717 when this land again escheated to the colony:

It appears that Mihil Goen late of the said County of Jas. City dyed seized of 30 or 40 acres

It was found to consist of 37 acres adjoining other land of Michael Gowen, and was granted to Robert Hubbard [Patents 10:415-6]. His children were

3    i. William¹, born 25 August 1655.

4    ii. ?Daniel¹, born say 1657.

5    iii. ?Christopher¹, born say 1658.

6    iv. ?Thomas¹, born say 1660.

v. ?John¹, born say 1662, called John Gowry when he was granted 129 acres of surplus land at the mouth of a small creek running out of Potomac Creek in Stafford County on 12 December 1706 [Northern Neck Grants 3:150].

 

2.    Philip¹ Gowen, born say 1650, was called "Phillip Cowen a Negro" when he petitioned the Governor and Council of State for his freedom. He was the servant of Amye Beazleye whose 9 April 1664 will stated that he was to be free and receive 3 barrels of corn and a suit of clothes after serving her cousin Humphrey Stafford for eight years. Stafford sold the remaining years of his indenture to Charles Lucas who forced Philip to acknowledge an indenture for twenty years before the Warwick County court [Colonial Papers, Library of Virginia microfilm, p.19, fol. 2]. On 16 June 1675 he was called "Philip Gowen negro Serving Mr. Jno Lucas" when the court ordered that his indenture in Warwick County was invalid, that Philip was free, and that he should be paid 3 barrels of corn according to Mrs. Amye Beazleye's will [McIlwaine, Minutes of the Council, 411]. He was living in New Kent County on 4 July 1702 [Bockstruck, Virginia's Colonial Soldiers, 218] and may have been identical to Philip Gawen who was listed in the quit rent roll for James City County with 50 acres in 1704 [Smith, Quit Rents of Virginia, 1704, 37], and he may have been the ancestor of

7    i. George¹, born say 1715.

ii. William, born say 1720, sued for trespass in Goochland County in July 1741. Job Thomas sued him in May 1742 but failed to prosecute. He and his wife Anutoice brought an action of trespass upon the case against William Harris which was dismissed in August 1752. On 20 January 1755 he purchased 50 acres on a branch of Licking Hole Creek called the Plum Tree Branch in Goochland County from Thomas Starke for £12, and on 18 July 1757 he sold this land (signing) to Jeremiah Rach for £14 [DB 6:440; 7:177]. In September 1755 the sheriff attached a horse belonging to Henry Adkins for a debt of £7.10 he owed William. William Harris sued him for trespass in a case that was dismissed by agreement in August 1752. John Pleasants, Sr., sued him for £15 damages in December 1763 [Orders 1735-41, 580; 1741-4, 36; 1750-7, 155, 170, 189; 1761-5, 250, 417, 573].

iii. Edward, born say 1722, taxable in King William Parish, Goochland County, in the list of Thomas Turpin in 1744 [Tithables, 1730-55, frame 47]. Mary Sutton sued him in Goochland County in May 1745 but failed to prosecute and the case was dismissed in July 1746. Samuel Jordan sued him for debt in February 1746/7, but he also failed to prosecute [Orders 1747-9, 67, 176, 212].

8    iv. David¹, born say 1727.

v. Philip², born say 1740, taxable in Goochland County in 1767 and 1769 [List of Tithables 1767-1780, frames 18, 52, 109], married Judith Potter and had a daughter named Molly who was born 4 March 1770 and baptized 27 May [Jones, The Douglas Register, 87]. He was in the list of men in the Amherst County Militia in 1781 [William & Mary Digital Archives, Swem Library's Special Collections, Cabell Papers Box 2, Folder11.pdf]. He was head of an Amherst County household of 13 persons in 1783 [VA:48] and 12 in 1785 [VA:83]. He and his descendants were counted as white in the 1810 Virginia census.

9   vi. Mary Anne, born say 1742.

 

3.    William¹ Gowen (Michael¹), born 25 August 1655, son of Prossa, was baptized by Mr. Edward Johnson on 25 September 1655 [York County DWO 3:16]. He received a grant for land in Charles City County on 20 April 1687 [Patents 7:58]. He may have been the father of

10    i. Edward¹, born say 1681.

 

4.    Daniel¹ Gowen (Michael¹), born say 1657, received a patent for 100 acres in Kingston Parish, Gloucester County, adjoining his own land on 1 May 1679 and another 52 acres in Gloucester County adjoining Henry Preston, Ambrose Dudley, and Captain Ranson on 26 April 1698 [Patents 6:679; 9:147]. He may have been the ancestor of

i. James³, born say 1728, taxable in Gloucester County in 1770. Perhaps his widow was Mary Gowen, taxable on 120 acres in 1784. He and his unnamed wife were the parents of Sarah Gowen, born 16 January 1759 [Mason, Records of Colonial Gloucester, 33, 95].

 

5.    Christopher¹ Gowen (Michael¹), born say 1658, may have been named for Christopher Stafford, Michael¹ Gowen's master. Christopher and his wife Anne Gowen were living in Abingdon Parish, Gloucester County, in January 1679 when their son Michael was born [Wynn, Abingdon Parish, Gloucester County, Register, 319]. Their children were

11    i. Michael², born in January 1679.

ii. ?Christopher², purchased 150 acres on the north side of the Roanoke River in Bertie County, North Carolina, on 25 March 1728 [DB C:23].

 

6.    Thomas¹ Gowen (Michael¹), born say 1660, was living in Westmoreland County between 1693 and 1702 when he was involved in several minor court cases, both as defendant and plaintiff, for debts. In 1703 he provided security of 2,000 pounds of tobacco for Chapman Dark that Chapman would return to the county after travelling to Maryland to get testimony that Chapman was a free man. On 1 March 1704/5 the court ordered him to pay Edward Barrow 1,200 pounds of tobacco which Thomas lost to him in a horse race [Orders 1690-98, 90, 244a, 250a; 1698-1705, 33, 39a, 56a, 109, 174, 190a, 190, 238a, 254a]. He was called Thomas Goin of Westmoreland County on 8 June 1707 when he was granted 653 acres in Stafford County below the falls of the Potomac River. This land adjoined Robert Alexander's land according to a 29 May 1739 Prince William County deed [Northern Neck Land Grants No. 3, 1701-1710, p. 204; Gray, Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants, 39, 125]. In an 8 May 1767 land dispute, 70-year-old deponent Charles Griffith related a conversation which he had with Major Alexander forty-three years previously in 1724. Major Robert Alexander, who owned land adjoining the Gowens, supposedly said of them,

he had a great mind to turn the Molatto rascals (who were then his tenants) of[f] his land.

Griffith further stated that

he was at a Race in the same year where the Goings were (who then had running horses) and that the old people were talking about the Goings taking up Alexanders land and selling it to Thomas and Todd which land the old people then said was in Alexanders back line or at least the greatest part of it...and if it were not for the Alexanders land...the Goings would not be so lavish of their money of which they seemed to have plenty at that time...[Sparacio, Land Records of Long Standing, Fairfax County, 89].

"Thomas and Todd," mentioned in the abstract, owned 1,215 acres in Stafford County on Four Mile Creek adjoining Robert Alexander on 3 August 1719 which was land formerly surveyed for Thomas, John, William, and James Goins [Gray, Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants, 69]. Later in his testimony Griffith mentioned conversations with Thomas and James Gowen. Thomas's children may have been

12    i. William², born say 1680.

13   ii. James¹, born say 1683.

iii. Peter Goeing, born say 1690, granted 187 acres in King George and Stafford counties adjoining Alexander Clements's and Skrine's land on 7 October 1724, but the deed was canceled and the land granted to John Mercer [Northern Neck Grants A:86; B:116].

 

7.   George¹ Gowen (Philip¹), born say 1715, and his wife Sarah Gowan were the parents of Aaron, born 9 June, baptized 3 September 1737 in St. Peter's Parish, New Kent County [NSCDA, Parish Register of St. Peter's, 134]. He was taxable in Goochland County in 1746 in the list of Stephen Bedford [Tithables, 1730-1755, frame 51]. He sued William Chamberlayne for trespass in Goochland County in May 1748. Job Pleasants sued him for debt in February 1748/9, and he sued William Chamberlayne in August 1752 [Orders 1744-9, 436, 476, 506]. In July 1760 William Winston "Essex," who "as well in behalf of Us as for himself" sued Sarah Going, perhaps for failing to list herself as a tithable. He failed to prosecute and was ordered to pay her costs in July 1761 [Orders 1757-61, 318, 429]. George was added to the list of tithables in Goochland County in August 1761. Thomas Whitlock sued him and Sarah Going in a case which was agreed between the parties in July 1764. George and Sarah sued Thomas Whitlock for trespass, assault and battery in February 1765, and Whitlock sued Sarah for debt in the same court. To satisfy the debt, the court ordered the sheriff to sell nine pigs belonging to Sarah in the hands of garnishee William French [Orders 1761-5, 15, 404, 468, 470, 507-8]. George was taxable in Goochland County in 1761, 1764 and 1771 [List of Tithables 1756-1766, frame 167, 295; 1767-1780, frame 200]. They were the ancestors of

i. ?Moses¹, born say 1735, taxable in Goochland County from 1753 to 1769: taxable on his own tithe and Aaron Going in 1754, taxable on slave Jubbiter in 1763, taxable on Moses Tyler's tithe in 1764 [List of Tithables, 1730-55, frames 253, 299, 336; 1756-1766, frames 30, 155, 175, 252, 281, 295, 369; 1767-1780, frames 69, 119], sued in Goochland County by William Hudnell in April 1763. Thomas Riddle posted his bail. The suit was dismissed on agreement between the parties. He sued James Moseley in April 1763, but the case was also dismissed by agreement. He sued Charles Murler for a debt of £16.12 in August 1763; he was sued by Robert Smith for 30 shillings in May 1764; he acknowledged a debt of £14.10 to Messrs. William Pryor and William Merriwether in June 1764 and acknowledged a debt of £15.12 to Adams and Thomas Underwood in September 1764 [Orders 1761-5, 145, 151, 158, 228-9, 327, 334, 369, 424].

ii. Aaron¹, born 9 June, baptized 3 September 1737 in St. Peter's Parish, New Kent County [NSCDA, Parish Register of St. Peter's, 134], taxable in Goochland County from 1754 to 1764 [List of Tithables 1730-1755, frame 299; 1756-1766, frames 30, 156, 295]. He sued John Winston for trespass assault and battery in Goochland County in June 1760. Winston testified that he only touched the plaintiff gently, but Aaron was awarded 5 shillings [Orders 1757-61, 303, 328-9, 353; 1761-5, 8, 104]. He and his wife Mary had a child named John Going who was born 31 July 1763 and baptized 28 August the same year [Jones, The Douglas Register, 65]. He was living in Louisa County on 19 May 1763 when he mortgaged his household goods to Thomas Underwood of Hanover County for £36 by deed proved in Goochland County in September 1764 [DB 8:422; Orders 1750-57, 84; 1757-61, 429; 1761-65, 429]. He was taxable in Powhatan County in John Chitwood's household in 1791, charged with his own tax in 1792, 1796 and 1797 [PPTL, 1787-1825, frames 58, 77, 132, 146].

 

8.   David¹ Going (Philip¹), born say 1727, was indicted by the Henrico County court on 6 November 1752 for not going to church and for failing to list his "Mulatto" wife as a tithable. He paid a 5 shilling fine for not going to church but pleaded not guilty to the other charge. He failed to appear when the case came to trial in April 1753 and was fined 1,000 pounds of tobacco [Minutes 1752-5, 19, 26, 27, 52]. He was taxable in Goochland County in 1753 and 1754 [List of Tithables, 1730-1755, frames 244, 282]. He sued Richard Farris for trespass, assault and battery in Goochland County but discontinued the suit on 21 May 1754 [Orders 1750-7, 387]. He purchased 400 acres adjoining William Harlow's land in Henrico County from Michael Gawin (Gowen) of Bute County, North Carolina, on 20 March 1765 with John Gawin as witness [Miscellaneous Court Records 6:1943-4]. He and his wife Elizabeth sold 100 acres of this land in the fork of Farrar's Branch adjoining John Harlow, Nathan Dunaway and his own land to David Barnett on 25 October 1770 [Deeds 1767-74, 260]. He was taxable in the upper district of Henrico County from 1784 to 1790: taxable on a horse and 7 cattle in 1785, exempt from tax on his person in 1787 [PPTL 1782-1814, frames 57, 73, 124, 143, 195, 217; Orders 1784-7, 568]. He was taxable on 100 acres on the headwaters of Chickahominy Swamp in the upper district of Henrico County from 1799 to 1805 [Land Tax List 1799-1816]. He left a 17 March 1803 Henrico County will which was proved on 8 March 1805. He left all to his grandson David Going, reserving to Agatha Going peaceful possession where she was then living during her lifetime. He also left grandson John Harlace £4, left Meredith Childress a bed and furniture, and named his grandson David Going and Meredith Childress his executors. His estate was valued at £55 [WB 3:183-4]. He was probably the father of

14    i. Agnes², born say 1748.

 

9.    Mary Anne Gowen (Philip¹), born say 1742, was bound out by the churchwardens of Southam Parish, Goochland County, to David Thomas in January 1747/8 [Orders 1744-9]. On 25 May 1761 the Cumberland County court ordered the churchwardens of King William Parish to bind out her son Stephen Goen to Peter Anthony Luckado [Orders 1758-62, 322], and on 16 May 1782 the Powhatan County court ordered the churchwardens of King William Parish to bind out her son Moses Going to Francis Merryman [Orders 1777-84, 225]. She was the mother of

i. Stephen¹, born say 1760.

ii. Moses⁶, born about 1768, taxable in Powhatan County from 1792 to 1797 and from 1801 to 1817: called a "M^o" from 1793 to 1795 and from 1801 to 1814; listed with 1 "free negroes & mulattoes" above the age of 16 in his household in 1813 [PPTL, 1787-1825, frames 77, 92, 106, 118, 132, 146, 223, 257, 278, 295, 317, 342, 363, 380, 399, 421, 438, 458, 482, 533]. He registered in Powhatan County on 18 June 1817: Age 49 years, color yellow, 5 feet 9 inches high, born free, no. 41 [Going, Moses (49): Free Negro Certificate, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA]. On 19 August 1818 the Powhatan County court bound a "free boy of Colour" Thomas Going, son of Fanny Findley, to him as an apprentice carpenter [Going, Thomas (M): Indenture of Apprenticeship, 1818, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

iii. ?Shadrack², taxable in Powhatan County from 1791 to 1797: his tax charged to Judith Bingley in 1791, called a "M^o" from 1793 to 1795 [PPTL, 1787-1825, frames 57, 92, 106, 118, 132, 146].

iv. Alexander, son of Mary Going, ordered bound out by the churchwardens of King William Parish in Powhatan County on 16 April 1784 [Orders 1777-84, 383].

v. Neptune, son of Mary Ann Going, ordered bound out (with his brother Moses) by the churchwardens of King William Parish in Powhatan County on 20 May 1784 [Orders 1777-84, 386].

 

10.    Edward¹ Gowen (William¹, Michael¹), born say 1681, was taxable on 150 acres in Kingston Parish, Gloucester County, in 1704 [Smith, Quit Rents of Virginia, 1704, 37]. He may have been the father of

15    i. Edward², born say 1700.

 

11.    Michael² Gowen (Christopher¹, Michael¹), born in January 1679 in Abingdon Parish, Gloucester County [Wynn, Abingdon Parish, Gloucester County, Register, 319], was living in New Kent County on 4 July 1702 [Bockstruck, Virginia's Colonial Soldiers, 218]. He owned land near the New Kent Kent/ Hanover County line on 14 July 1720 when the New Kent County court ordered the vestry of St. Paul's Parish, Hanover County, to have his male tithables work on a road [Chamberlayne, Vestry Book of St. Paul's Parish, 93]. His children may have been

i. John³, born say 1705, purchased 170 acres including a plantation in St. Martin's Parish, Hanover County, from Shirley Whatley on 7 June 1734 [Court Records 1733-8, 71-3]. He may have been the ancestor of Henry Going who was head of a Hanover County household of 8 persons in 1782 [VA:27].

16   ii. Mary¹, born say 1708.

17   iii. Ann¹, born say 1719.

 

12.    William² Going (Thomas¹, Michael¹), born say 1680, and Evan Thomas were granted 124 acres in Stafford County on Jonathan's Creek of Occaquan River on 10 September 1713, and William was called William Goin of Stafford County on 28 February 1719 when he was granted 180 acres on the main run of Accotinck Creek on 28 February 1719 [Northern Neck Grants 5:8, 229 (renumbered 399)]. He sold the land on Jonathan's Creek on 6 May 1724. His wife Katherine Gowing was called a widow in a 6 March 1726 Stafford County deed by which she purchased 112 acres in Overwharton Parish near Rattlesnake Branch of Pope's Head Run from her son Ambrose. This was land which Ambrose's father William Gowing was granted by patent of 12 November 1725 [DB J:121, 353]. She was called Catherine Padderson (Patterson) in her 21 May 1739 Prince William County will which was proved 23 July 1739 by her son John Going. She left slaves and land to her children Alexander and Susanna Going. Thomas Ford, a neighbor of William² Gowen, was a witness to the will [WB C:180-181; Joyner, Virginia's Northern Neck Warrants, 156]. William and Katherine's children were

18    i. John², born say 1702.

ii. Ambrose, born say 1704, sold William²'s land to his mother.

iii. Susanna, received a slave by her mother's will.

19    iv. ?William³, born say 1710.

20    v. Alexander¹, born say 1712.

 

13.    James¹ Gowen (Thomas¹, Michael¹), born say 1683, sold 652 acres in Stafford County on Four Mile Run adjoining Thomas Pearson on 4 March 1730 [DB C:118]. He may have been the ancestor of

i. Daniel², born about 1730, a 5'4", twenty-seven-year-old planter from Stafford County who was listed in the 13 July 1756 size roll of Captain Thomas Cocke's Company of the Virginia Militia. He was called a hatter in the July 1757 size roll of Captain Joshua Lewis's Seventh Company of the Virginia Regiment [Clark, Colonial Soldiers of the South, 385, 449].

21   ii. Luke, born say 1740.

iii. Michael⁵, born say 1742, head of a Shenandoah County household of 7 persons in 1785 [VA:105].

iv. Joseph⁴, born say 1750, taxable in Loudoun County from 1769 to 1776: listed as Samuel Canby's tithable from 1771 to 1776 [Tithables 1758-1799, 477a, 576, 636, 670, 731, 780, 806a], head of a Fairfax County household of 7 persons in 1782 [VA:17]. His indenture to Samuel Canby was proved in Loudoun County court on 2 October 1772 [Orders 1770-3, 433].

v. George², born say 1750, "free Negro" head of a Fairfax County household of 8 "other free" in 1810 [VA:257].

vi. Jason¹, born say 1758, taxable in Loudoun County in 1774 and 1779 [Tithables 1758-1799, 768, 898a]. He was called the "brother of Luke Goins" on 23 December 1795 when they obtained certificates as "free Negroes" in Loudoun County. The certificate stated that Jason had been living in the neighborhood of John Littleton for upwards of twenty years [Certificates of Free Negroes at the Loudoun County courthouse, transcribed by Townsend Lucas]. There was a court case in Loudoun County on 14 November 1786 in which Jason's suit against James Elliott abated by the death of the plaintiff [Orders 1785-6, 383]. However, a Jason Goins was a 90-year-old "Mulatto," born in Virginia, counted in the 1850 census for Guernsey County, Ohio, in the household of Benjamin Simpson.

 

14.    Agnes² Going, born say 1748, was taxable on (her son?) John Going's tithe and 2 horses in the upper district of Henrico County from 1787 to 1791 [PPTL 1782-1814, frames 124, 143, 195, 217, 271]. She was taxable on 97 acres in the upper district of Henrico County from 1799 to 1807 [Land Tax List 1799-1816]. Her children married white and were considered white. She was apparently the mother of

i. David, Jr., born say 1764, taxable in the upper district of Henrico County from 1785 to 1791 and taxable on a slave from 1806 to 1813 when he was listed as a white man [PPTL 1782-1814, frames 73, 90, 195, 271, 487, 532, 636, 662, 722, 744].

ii. Mary, born say 1769, gave her own consent to her marriage to Meredith Childers, 23 December 1791 Henrico County bond, surety John Goyne, witness Aggy Goyne.

iii. John¹², born say 1770, his tax charged to Agnes Going in 1787.

iv. Milly, married John Harlow, 21 September 1792 Henrico County bond, consent of Agness Goyne, David Going surety, John Goine witness.

v. Ann, of lawful age, daughter of Agnes Goine, married Dudley Miner, 22 December 1795 Henrico County bond, Meredith Childers surety.

vi. Nancy, married Patrick Childers, 12 December 1797 Henrico County bond.

 

15.    Edward² Goeing (Edward¹, William¹, Michael¹), born say 1700, was sued by Francis Tyree for a debt of 450 pounds of tobacco in Charles City County in August 1737 and sold land by deed he acknowledged in Charles City County court in May 1746 [Orders 1737-51, 16, 409]. He may have been the father of

i. Phillis Goeing, born say 1720, presented by the grand jury in Charles City in November 1739 for having a bastard child. She petitioned the court in July 1745, apparently asking that her children be bound to George Gibson, but the court ordered the churchwardens to bind them out because Gibson failed to answer her petition. On 7 August 1754 the churchwardens of Westover Parish in Charles City County sued her for debt, probably for having an illegitimate child [Orders 1737-51, 105, 117, 371, 383; 1751-7, 112, 142, 251].

22    ii. Michael³, born say 1722.

23    iii. James², born say 1725.

24   iv. Agnes¹, born say 1725.

25    v. Edward³, born say 1727.

26    vi. Joseph¹, born say 1730.

27    vii. David², born say 1735.

28    viii. Shadrack¹, born say 1737.

ix. Suffiah, born say 1739, head of a Pittsylvania County household of 12 persons in 1785 [VA:100].

29    x. John⁶, born say 1740.

xi. Moses³, born say 1743, testified in Henry County court on 27 April 1780 that he had served as a soldier in Captain James Gunn's Company in Colonel Byrd's Regiment in 1760 (in the French and Indian War) but had not received bounty land. On 28 March 1783 he owned land on both sides of the North Mayo River when the Henry County court allowed him to build a water grist mill on it [Orders 1778-82, 86; 1782-5, 75]. He was taxable in Henry County from 1782 to 1786: charged with 2 tithes in 1785 and 1786 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 18, 38, 87, 152, 217].

 

16.    Mary¹ Going (Michael², Christopher¹, Michael¹), born say 1708, was living in Brunswick County, Virginia, in April 1740 when the court ordered her children Drury and Eleanor bound to Ralph Jackson. She may also have been the mother of Cave Gowen, a seven-year-old boy who was bound to James Vaughan by the 6 June 1734 Brunswick County court and Thomas and John Going who were bound out by the court in May 1739, no parent named [Orders 1737-41, 254, 302]. Her children were

i. ?Cave, born about 1727.

ii. ?Thomas³, born say 1734, sued in Brunswick County, Virginia court by James House on 27 November 1759 and sued Joseph King in court on 23 January 1760 [Orders 1757-9, 426; 1760-84, 75].

30   iii. ?James⁴, born say 1735.

iv. ?John⁵, born say 1736.

31   v. Drury¹, born say 1738.

vi. Eleanor, born say 1740.

vii. ?Frederick¹, born say 1745, living in New Hanover County, North Carolina, in December 1767 when there was a warrant for his arrest for contempt and aiding the escape from jail of Richard Burbage who was held on suspicion of horse stealing [Minutes 1738-69, 331]. He and his wife were taxable "Molatoes" in Bladen County in 1770 and 1772 [Byrd, Bladen County Tax Lists, I:34, 95].

 

17.    Ann¹ Going (Michael², Christopher¹, Michael¹), born say 1719, sued John Magoffe and his wife Jane in Brunswick County, Virginia, in September 1740 [Orders 1737-41, 353, 379]. Ann was living in Granville County, North Carolina, on 5 September 1753 when the court ordered her "Mulatto" child Cooper bound to John Parnall [Owen, Granville County Notes, vol. I]. She was in Cumberland County, North Carolina, in November 1761 when the court ordered her to "keep in her possession a Mulatto Boy which she now has in order that she may have him here next court" [Minutes 1759-65, 75]. She may have been the Ann Goin who was granted 100 acres in 1768 on Broad River and both sides of Fannin's Creek the part of Craven County, South Carolina that later became Union County [Lucas, Some South Carolina County Records, 2:524; South Carolina Archives series S213184, volume 13:103, item 3]. On 3 April 1799 the Robeson County court ordered John Ford, Esquire, in South Carolina to take her deposition on behalf of James Terry vs. Willis Barfield [Minutes 1797-1803, 69]. She may have been the ancestor of

i. Cooper, born say 1752.

32   ii. ?John⁸, born say 1758.

iii. ?Olive, born say 1780, head of a Robeson County household of 2 "other free" in 1800 [NC:381] and 2 "free colored" in 1840 [NC:222].

iv. ?William⁹, born about 1787, eleven years old when the 3 April 1798 Robeson County court bound him as an apprentice to James Alford [Minutes 1797-1803, 37]. He was head of a Robeson County household of 3 "other free" in 1810 [NC:232] and 6 "free colored" in 1840 (55-100 years old) [NC:222]. On 23 November 1841 the Robeson County court granted him permission to carry his gun in the county [Minutes 1839-43, 240].

 

18.    John² Gowen (William², Thomas¹, Michael¹), born say 1702, and wife Mary sold land, "part of a tract granted William Gowen, deceased, father to said Gowen" on Pope's Head Run in Fairfax County on 5 March 1744. John's wife Mary, probably a white woman, was identified as the daughter of Cornelius Keife in a 9 June 1746 Fairfax deed by which John and his wife sold 112 acres on Occoquan Run which had belonged to her father [DB A-1:551; A-2:349]. John and his wife Mary moved to Lunenburg County where he was taxable on 2 tithables in the list of Lewis Deloney in 1748 [Tax List 1748-52, LVA accession no. 20094]. He may have been the John Going who was tithable in Granville County in the list of Jonathan White about 1748 [CR 44.701.19]. On 14 February 1761 he patented 400 acres in Lunenburg County on Reedy Branch [Patents 34:809], and he and wife Mary made a deed of gift of 100 acres of this land to two of their sons, William and John, on 10 June 1761 [DB 6:378-9]. Their children were

33    i. William⁴, born say 1725.

ii. John⁴, born say 1730, sold the 100 acres of land his father gave him while a resident of Lunenburg County on 1 December 1761 [DB 7:151]. He was probably the John Going who was living in Orange County, North Carolina, in May 1764 when he was a defendant in a court case [Haun, Orange County Court Minutes, 185, 383]. It was reported that Colonel John Hogan of Orange County said he knew him well in 1765 and that he was: a trifling, contemptible fellow, a gambler, and a mulatto...was then insolvent and probably is so still if alive [NCGSJ IV:157 (Claims of British Merchants after the Revolutionary War)]. He may have been the John Gowen who was granted 100 acres on Tiger River in South Carolina on 19 August 1774 [DB 32:205].

34   iii. ?Thomas², born say 1732.

 

19.    William³ Gowen (William², Thomas¹, Michael¹), born say 1710, was a planter in Brunswick County, Virginia, on 4 June 1747 when he was fined and had to post security for his good behavior, "having behaved himself in a very disorderly indecent and contemptuous manner to this court" [Orders 1743-49, 204]. He purchased 910 acres on Grassy Creek in Granville County, North Carolina, near the border with Lunenburg County, Virginia, on 5 March 1751 [DB A:343]. He and his family were counted as white taxables in the early Granville tax lists: taxed on 2 tithes in the 1751 Granville County list of Samuel Henderson. He was in the 8 October 1754 muster of Captain John Sallis's Company in the Granville County Regiment of Colonel William Eaton [Clark, Colonial Soldiers of the South, 722]. He was fined for trespass in the Granville County court on 3 December 1754, 5 March 1755, 1 March 1757, and again on 6 September 1757 [Minutes 1754-70, 11, 43, 46]. He was taxable on 2 white tithes for himself and son Joseph in the summary tax list for 1755 and taxable on 2 white polls for himself and son William in the list of James Yancey in 1758 [CR 44.701.19]. On 2 December 1760 he patented two tracts of land in St. John's Parish, Granville County, near the head of Dogwood Branch: one for 650 acres and the other for 667 acres. In 1761 he was taxed on 2 tithes for himself and James Gowen in Country Line District in the list of Larkin Thompson. He sold 640 acres of his land in Granville on 4 October 1762, made a deed of gift of 350 acres to his son Joseph on 7 August 1765, and the sheriff sold 350 acres of his land for debt on 5 February 1767 [DB E:440-448; F:382; H:28, 226]. He may have been the William Gowen, Sr., who was granted 396 acres on Sink Hole Fork of Middle Tiger River in South Carolina in 1784 [Pruitt, Spartanburg County Deed Abstracts (DB A:109)]. His children who were taxable in North Carolina were

i. Joseph², born about 1740, taxable in his father's household in the 1757 Granville County list of Richard Harris. He received a deed of gift of land in Granville County from his father on 7 August 1765 [DB H:28] and was taxed in Granville County for the last time in 1767 when he had 3 "white" males in his household in the list of Philips Pryor: Presley Harrison, John Cunningham, and Minor Cockram. By 1771 he was in South Carolina where he received a grant for land in the northwest part called the Tiger River tract [DB 23:539].

ii. William⁵, born about 1742, taxable in Granville County in 1758, perhaps the William Gowen, Jr., who was granted 116 acres on Mill Creek in South Carolina [Owens, Patent Land Survey, 15].

iii. James⁵, born about 1745, taxable in 1761 in his father's Country Line District household.

 

20.    Alexander Gowen, born say 1712, may have been named for the Gowens's neighbor in Stafford County, Major Robert Alexander. He received 66 acres by his mother's will, and sold it on 14 August 1747 [Fairfax DB B:253]. He was in North Carolina by 15 July 1760 when he received a patent for 600 acres in Orange County in St. Matthew's Parish on both sides of Hogan's Creek [Hoffman, Granville District Land Grants, 273] and on 30 April 1770 sold 311 acres on both sides of Moons Creek in Orange County which he had purchased from from William Gladden on 7 April 1762 [DB 3:285]. He may have been the Alexander Gowing who was sued for a debt of £3.15 by Thomas Dudley in July 1773 and sued Zachariah Waller for £2.2 on 24 September 1773 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. He died before 23 September 1779 when William Armstrong's case against him was dismissed by the defendant's death [Orders 1772-5, 236, 253-4; 1777-83, 273]. His wife was apparently Sophia Going, Senior, who purchased 400 acres "on the country line" in Pittsylvania County from Daniel Going of South Carolina for £30 on 4 September 1781 [DB 7:546]. She was called Seth Gowing when the deed was proved in court on 19 December 1785. Sethe or Lethe was head of a Pittsylvania County household of 11 free persons in the 1782 census [VA:41] and called Suffiah Going when she was head of a household of 12 free persons [VA:100]. Sophia was called the administrator of the estate of Alexander Going, deceased, when she was sued by Sophia Going, Junior, on 20 March 1798 on testimony of James Saunders of Caswell County, North Carolina. Sophia, Sr., was apparently living on land claimed by George Clopton on 21 May 1798 when he sued Sophia, John, Jesse and Sherwood Going as tenants [Orders 1783-7, 354; 1795-8, 461, 479, 486; 1798-1801, 23, 59]. Sophia, Jr., perhaps suing for her part of her father's estate, was awarded £20.5 by a jury on 21 November 1799. Sherwood Going became a defendant in the suit when Sophia, Sr., failed to meet the payment of a bond [Orders 1798-1801, 109, 180, 204, 233]. In the tax lists she was called Sethey in 1782, Suffiah in 1785 and thereafter: listed with 8 slaves, 5 horses and 16 cattle in 1782; 6 slaves, 4 horses, and 9 cattle in 1784; 8 slaves, 3 horses and 10 cattle in 1785; taxable on 6 free males, a slave and 3 horses in 1788; on 2 slaves and 3 horses in 1790; on J. Rodgers's tithe, a slave and 4 horses in 1792; taxable on Sherwood Going's tithe in 1793; a slave and 4 horses in 1794 [PPTL 1782-97, frames 192, 211, 217, 236, 343, 428, 476, 538, 598, 623]. She recorded a bill of sale to Sherwood Going in Pittsylvania County court on 16 June 1800 [Orders 1798-1801, 295]. Alexander and Sophia were the parents of children who were all considered white in the 1813 Pittsylvania County tax list:

i. ?John¹¹, born say 1764, taxable in Pittsylvania County from 1782 to 1797 [PPTL 1782-97, frames 192, 694, 717, 768].

ii. ?Jesse, taxable in Pittsylvania County from 1782 to 1796 [PPTL 1782-97, frames 192, 217, 237, 257, 280, 694, 717].

iii. Sherwood², born say 1772, married Ruth Bennett, 30 April 1793 Caswell County bond, James Gillaspy surety. He was taxable in Pittsylvania County from 1790 to 1797: listed with his unnamed mother in 1793 and from 1795 to 1797 [PPTL 1782-1797, frames 236, 476, 515, 538, 598, 623, 694, 717, 768].

iv. Sophia, Jr., mother of illegitimate child Benjamin Going bound out by the Pittsylvania County court on 20 November 1798 [Orders 1798-1801, 58]. Lythe Gowing married William Carter 27 January 1792 Pittsylvania County bond.

 

21.   Luke¹ Gowen (James¹, Thomas¹, Michael¹), born say 1740, was taxable in James Hamilton's list for Loudoun County in 1767 with Joseph Hough; taxable in 1768 with William Allin in his household; taxable on his own tithe and Samuel Johnson in 1769; taxable on his own and Joseph Proctor's tithe in 1774; taxable in Cameron Parish on his own tithe and Leonard Goin in 1778; taxable on John McQueen's tithe in 1781; Thomas Hopkins's tithe, 2 horses and 2 cattle in 1782. He was taxable on Moses Gowen's tithe in 1787, 1788, 1790, and 1792; taxable on Peyton Gowen's tithe in 1797; called a blacksmith in 1812 [Tithables 1758-1799, 395, 409, 477, 492, 768, 832, 861, 1022, 1320; PPTL 1782-7; 1787-97; 1797-1812]. On 17 October 1783 he acknowledged in Loudoun County court a debt of £45 to John Hough with interest from 11 April 1769, with allowance for a payment of £1.13 made on 11 October 1770. On 17 June 1784 the court ordered that his tithables, including himself, 2 horses and 2 cattle, be added to the list of Thomas Respass [Orders 1783-5, 170, 351]. He was head of a Loudoun County household of 10 "other free" in 1810 [VA:288]. He and his wife Margaret were certified to be "free Negroes" in Loudoun County on 23 December 1795. The certificate stated that they had been living in the neighborhood of John Littleton for above thirty years [Certificates of Free Negroes at the Loudoun County courthouse, transcribed by Townsend Lucas]. On 9 January 1819 he purchased two tracts of land from Enos Wilderman in Loudoun County, one near Edward Ferry's road, totalling 158 acres, for $4,766 and mortgaged the land on the same day to pay a debt of $3,967 he owed Jacob Fadely [DB 2X:278, 281]. He may have been the father of

i. Leonard, born say 1762, taxable in Luke Goin's Loudoun County household in 1774, taxable on his own tithe in 1780 [Tithables 1758-1799, 993]. He was the father of Elihu Goins who was born 15 April 1788. Elihu married Susannah, born 25 April 1785, the daughter of Anthony Lucas [Certificates of Free Negroes at the Loudoun County courthouse, transcribed by Townsend Lucas]. He sued Luke Going in Loudoun County court on 16 February 1791, but the case was agreed before coming to trial [Orders 1790-1, 102]. He was taxable in Loudoun County from 1787 to 1813: taxable on 4 tithes in 1813 (his wife and two children?) [PPTL 1787-97]. Perhaps his widow was the Susannah Goin who was head of a Loudoun County household of 13 "free colored" in 1830.

ii. Lucretia, taxable on a horse in Loudoun County in 1793 [PPTL 1787-97].

iii. Moses⁵, born say 1770, taxable in Loudoun County from 1787 to 1791 and in 1801 [PPTL 1787-97; 1797-1812].

iv. Jason², not yet twenty-one when he was taxable in Loudoun County in 1787, taxable in 1791 and 1797 [PPTL 1787-97].

v. Luke², Jr., taxable in Loudoun County from 1795 to 1805: listed in Luke Gowen, Sr.'s household in 1795 and 1803 [PPTL 1787-97; 1797-1812] and head of a Loudoun County household of 8 "free colored" in 1830.

vi. Peyton, taxable in Loudoun County from 1795 to 1813: taxable in Luke Gowen's household in 1795 and 1797, taxable in Walter Elgon's household in 1796, a "Mulatto" taxable in 1809 and 1811, listed with his unnamed wife in 1813 [PPTL 1787-97; 1797-1812].

vii. Zachariah, born about 1775, sixteen and a half years old on 12 April 1791 when the Loudoun County court bound him to John Keough to be a blacksmith [Orders 1790-1, 158], taxable in Loudoun County from 1797 to 1809: a "Mulatto" taxable in 1805, 1806 and 1809 [PPTL 1787-97; 1797-1812].

viii. Joseph⁵, head of a Loudoun County household of 4 "other free" and a white woman in 1810 [VA:292].

ix. William, taxable in Luke Gowen's household in 1799 and 1803, a "Mul" taxable in 1811 [PPTL 1797-1812].

 

22.    Michael³ Gowen (Edward², Edward¹, William¹, Michael¹), born say 1722, was sued for debt in Henrico County in June 1744 [Orders 1737-46, 267]. He was called Michael Gawin when he was granted 400 acres in Henrico County on 30 June 1743 adjoining William Harlow. Land adjoining Michael Going, Farrar's Branch and Orphant's line was patented in Henrico County on 15 September 1752 [Patents 21:424; 31:193]. He was living in Bute County, North Carolina, on 20 March 1765 when he sold this land to David Gawin [Miscellaneous Court Records 6:1943-4]. He was taxable in John MacKisick's household in the 1750 Granville County, North Carolina tax list of Edward Jones [CR 44.701.23]. On 3 May 1752 he purchased 225 acres on both sides of Taylors Creek in Granville County [DB B:73]. He was taxed as a "Black" tithe in 1753 in the list of Osborn Jeffreys, as a "white" tithe in Jeffreys's 1754 list, and as a "black" tithe in the 1755 tax summary. He was in the 8 October 1754 muster roll of the Granville County Regiment of Colonel William Eaton, Captain Osborne Jeffrey's Company:

Thomas Gowen }

Mickael Gowen }Mulatto's

Edward Gowen } [T.R., Box 1, folder 37, p. 3; http://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p16062coll26/id/146/rec/229].

He was taxed in 1759 in the list of John Pope with John Wilson, both called "Mulattoe," and he was taxed in Pope's 1761 list with the notation, "Refuses to list his wife," probably claiming that he was white. He may have been identical to Michael Going whose estate was attached in Culpeper County on 18 August 1763 by Artomenas Robertson for £3.3 [Minutes 1763-4, 407, 441]. He was taxed in the Bute County List of Philemon Hawkins in 1771:

Michle Gowine & Wife & Sons Michile & David Doughter Elizebeath Wm Wilson 0 white/ 6 black/ 6 total [1771 List of Taxables, p.11].

He was in Prince George Parish, Craven County, South Carolina, on 3 June 1778 when he made a deed of gift of 80 acres on the south side of Taylor's Creek on the border of Bute and Granville counties to Jenkins Gowen, no relationship stated. Jenkins (his nephew?) was to take title to the land at the death of Michael's brother Edward and his wife who were given permission to live on the land [Granville County WB 1:193]. His children were

i. Michael⁴, Jr., born say 1738, a defendant in a 3 September 1755 Granville County court case.

ii. Elizabeth, born before 1760, taxable in Michael Gowen's household in 1771.

iii. David⁴, born before 1760, taxable in Michael Gowen's household in 1771, perhaps the _avid Gowen who received thirty nine lashes in Granville County for petty larceny in 1773 [Minutes 1773-83, 1].

 

23.    James² Gowen (Edward², Edward¹, William¹, Michael¹), born say 1725, was not mentioned in Granville County, North Carolina records until 1756, so he may have been living in Virginia before then. He received a patent for 529 acres in St. John's Parish, Granville County, on Wharton's Branch on 29 November 1756 [DB E:439]. He and his son William, "Mulattoes," were taxable in the 1759 Granville County list of John Pope and were delinquent taxpayers that year. In 1762 he was taxable in Fishing Creek District with his son William, with the notation "Refs. to list his wife," and he was an insolvent taxpayer from 1762 to 1764. He was the father of

35    i. William⁶, born before 1748.

 

24.    Agnes¹ Going (Philip¹), born say 1725, was living in Louisa County on 10 October 1743 when she sued Gilbert Gibson for £3 for services done on a contract. On 9 January 1743/4 the court ordered that she receive twenty-five lashes on her bare back for having an illegitimate child. She bound her son Joseph and daughter Sarah Going to James Bunch by 28 November 1759 Fredericksville Parish indenture [Davis, Fredericksville Parish Vestry Book, 29]. On 9 September 1766 she made a deposition in George Gibson's suit against his step-mother Sarah Gibson. On 14 May 1770 the court ordered the churchwardens of Trinity Parish to bind out all her children under twenty-one years except the youngest. On 12 February 1776 she complained to the court about the treatment her son Sherod was receiving from his master William Phillips [Orders 1742-8, 82, 91, 92, 95; 1766-74, 20; 1766-72, 379; 1774-82, 140, 142]. She was taxable in Fredericksville Parish, Albemarle County, from 1787 to 1794: taxable on a free male tithe in 1787 and 1788; taxable on a horse from 1791 to 1794 [PPTL, 1782-1799, frames 116, 153, 203, 347, 419] and taxable on 250 acres from 1782 to 1790. In 1791 Sherrod Going was taxable on this 250 acres. This was very poor quality land which was taxed at the lowest rate in the county [Land Tax List, 1782-1798]. It was probably the land which Sherrod received by grant on Buck Mountain Creek in Albemarle County on 30 September 1783 and on the north side of the Green Mountain on 1 June 1798 [Grants H:575; 40:215]. Agnes was the mother of

i. ?Moses², born say 1742, possibly the unnamed child born to Agnes Gowen in Louisa County before January 1743. He was called "Moses Going, mulatto" in his February 1761 to March 1762 account with Archibald Ingram, George Kipper, & Co. of Albemarle County [Weisiger, Albemarle County Court Papers, 23]. He was a taxable in the Trinity Parish, Louisa County household of John Fox in 1770 and in his own household in 1772 [Davis, Louisa County Tithables, 25, 34]. He was required to post a bond of £50 and his security George Gibson posted £25 on 10 July 1775 when Joseph Cooper swore the peace against him in Louisa County court [Orders 1774-82, 126-7]. He purchased 353 acres in Louisa County from Michael Ailstock on 13 January 1777, and he and his wife Agnes sold this land six months later on 9 June 1777 [DB E:127, 156]. On 14 July 1777 he, Joshua Going and Charles Sprouse, Sr., were charged by the Louisa County court with hog stealing, but the sheriff was unable to arrest them because they were in hiding. The court ordered the sheriff to summon a posse to arrest them [Orders 1774-82, 171]. He was taxable in Louisa County on a horse in 1783 and 1785 [PPTL, 1782-1814].

36   ii. ?Benjamin¹, born say 1753.

37   iii. Joseph³, born about 1747.

38   iv. Sarah, born about 1751.

v. ?David³, born say 1751, taxable in Fredericksville Parish, Louisa County, in his own household in 1772, taxable in Moses Going's household in 1775, taxable in the Trinity Parish household of Pouncy Bunch in 1774 and taxable in Joseph Bunch's household in 1778 [Davis, Louisa County Tithables, 133, 45, 73]. His suit against Robert Anderson, Gentleman, for trespass, assault and battery was dismissed by the Louisa County court on 13 July 1773 at Anderson's costs [Orders 1766-74; Judgments 1773, frames 362-3]. He was taxable in Fredericksville Parish, Albemarle County, from 1782 to 1809, called a "Mulatto" in 1812, called "David Going Senr. Mula" in 1813 [PPTL 1782-1799, frames 12, 29, 44, 76, 116, 153, 202, 252, 300, 386, 419, 459, 481, 516, 555, 591; 1800-1813, frames 161, 207, 250, 297, 344, 388, 434, 478, 522, 566] and head of an Albemarle County household of 8 "other free" in 1810 [VA:195].

39   vi. ?Joshua¹, born about 1753.

vii. ?Elizabeth, born say 1760, sued James Usher in Albemarle County court for failing to pay for a gown, an apron, a quilted petticoat, and three linen handkerchiefs. Hannah Witheral was her witness. The court awarded her £2 on 7 December 1786 [Orders 1795-8, 229-30]. On 14 May 1793 the Louisa County court ordered the overseers of the poor to bind out her illegitimate daughter Agnes Going to Mary Hancock [Orders 1790-3, 522].

40    viii. Sherrod¹, born about 1760.

ix. ?Archibald, born say 1763, taxable on 2 horses and 5 cattle in Fredericksville Parish, Albemarle County, in 1784 [PPTL, 1782-1799, frame 44].

x. ?Milly, born say 1763, of Louisa County, married Charles Croucher, 22 June 1785 in Fredericksville Parish, Albemarle County. He was head of an Albemarle County household of 1 "other free" in 1810 [VA:153].

xi. ?Usly, born say 1765, married Jonathan Tyre, 21 October 1786 Albemarle County bond, Shadrack Battles surety.

 

25.    Edward³ Gowen (Edward², Edward¹, William¹, Michael¹), born say 1727, purchased 100 acres on the south side of Mill Creek in Brunswick County, Virginia, on 2 June 1748 [DB 3:444]. He was sued in Brunswick County court in September 1753 [Orders 1753-56, 65]. He was taxable in 1753 in Osborn Jeffrey's Granville County tax list, and he Thomas and Michael Gowen, Robert Davis and William Burnel were listed as "Mulatto's" in the 8 October 1754 muster roll of Captain Osborne Jeffreys's Granville County Company [T.R., Box 1, folder 37, p. 3; http://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p16062coll26/id/146/rec/229]. He, David Going and William Going were listed in the Edgecombe County Militia Company of Captain Ambrose Joshua Smith in an undated return for the 1750s [T.R., Box 1, folder 12, p. 4]. He was prosecuted in Edgecombe County by the attorney general for concealing his tithables in August 1756 [Haun, Edgecombe County Court Minutes, I:131], but he still refused to list his wife in the Granville County Tax List for 1765 [CR 44.601.20]. He and his wife were 2 "Black" taxables in Bute County in the list of Philemon Hawkins in 1771 [1771 List of Taxables, p.6]. On 3 June 1778 his brother Michael, while a resident of South Carolina, allowed him to remain on 80 acres on Taylor's Creek [WB 1:193-4]. The sheriff sold this land shortly afterwards on 3 August 1779 [DB M:179], and Edward was taxed on 90 acres in nearby Ford Creek District, Granville County, in 1782. He was probably related to Elizabeth Bass since he made over all his interest in her estate to his nephew Thomas Gowen on 14 October 1788 [WB 2:79]. He was head of a Granville County household of 2 free males and 3 free females in the 1786 state census and 5 "other free" in 1810 [NC:905]. His children were

i. Edward⁴, born about 1744, taxable in 1761 in his father's household in the list of Robert Harris. In 1767 he was head of his own household, 1 Black male, in John Pope's list. He enlisted from Bute County in the North Carolina Continental Line for 9 months in September 1778: Edward Going private, place of abode: Bute, born Virg^a, 5'7", 35 years of age, Black Hair; black eyes [T. R., Box 4, folder 35, http://digital.ncdcr.gov/cdm/compoundobject/collection/p16062coll26/id/648/rec/165]. In May 1792 he received voucher no. 300 for £6.12, being one fourth of his pay and interest to August 1783 for military service [North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers, 1779-1782, http://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2WT-GZKT]. On 3 August 1779 he entered 75 acres on the South Hyco Creek in Caswell County (called Edward Gains) [Pruitt, Land Entries: Caswell County, 89], and in 1784 he was taxed on 1 poll and 100 acres on Hyco Creek in St. Luke's District, Caswell County. This part of Caswell County became Person County in 1791, and he was taxed on 245 acres and 1 poll in Person County in 1793 [N.C. Genealogy XVII:2678, abstracted as Edward Gains] and head of a Person County household of 6 "other free" in 1800 [NC:599]. He and Jenkins Goins sold their claims for Revolutionary War pay to John Hall of Hyco, Caswell County, on 27 April 1791 [NCGSJ IX:224]. He gave his age as 90-100 years in August 1832 and on 30 January 1833 when he appeared in Granville County court and applied for a pension for his service in the Revolution [NARA, S.6899, M804, http://fold3.com/image/22780909]. Perhaps he was the Edward Goins who was the great grandfather of Daniel Goins, born about 1816, who made an affidavit in Randolph County, North Carolina, in 1882 that he was the son of William, grandson of William, and great grandson of Edward Goins, who was "Slitly mixt about an eight" [Randolph County Genealogical Society, The Genealogical Journal, Winter (1980): 21, cited by Virginia Easley DeMarce]. 

ii. Reeps, born circa 1749, taxable in his father's Granville County household in the 1761 list of Robert Harris. He was called Rapes Gowing when he was listed as a private in the pay roll of the 2^nd South Carolina Regiment on 1 November 1779 [NARA, M246, Roll 89, frame 107 of 389].

iii. ?Jenkins, born about 1761, a 17-year-old "Molatto" in 1778 when he enlisted in Captain John Rust's Company of Granville County Militia [N.C. Archives Troop Returns, Box 4, folder 40]. He received 30 acres by a Granville County deed of gift from Michael Gowen (his uncle?) on 3 June 1778 [WB 1:193]. C. Dixon received his final pay of £41 for service in the North Carolina Line [Clark, The State Records of North Carolina, XVII:214]. He was taxable in Granville County in 1790.

iv. ?Jesse¹, born say 1762, married Sealey Bairding, 9 June 1784 Caswell County bond, John Going surety.

 

Other members of the family in Person County were

i. Goodrich, born say 1764, purchased 175 acres on Cane Creek in Caswell County on 1 November 1784 and sold it five years later on 4 January 1798 [DB C:3; F:163]. He was taxed on this 175 acres and 1 poll in St. Lawrence District, Caswell County, in 1784. On 6 September 1791 he married Betsey Matthews, Caswell County bond, Allen Going surety, and was head of a Person County household of 7 "other free" in 1800 [NC:612] and 5 in 1810 when his name was interlined [NC:702]. Gutrige Goin was a "Mulatto" taxable in the southern district of Halifax County, Virginia, from 1802 to 1804 [PPTL, 1800-12, frames 186, 317, 372].

ii. Birbridge Goin, taxable in Person County in 1793. He married Agnes Harris, daughter of James Harris, 26 July 1810 Patrick County bond, and was a "Mulatto" taxable in Halifax County, Virginia, in 1805 and 1806 [PPTL, 1800-12, frames 517, 626], called Berridge/ Burbage Goin in Patrick County from 1809 to 1813: listed as a Mulatto" in 1812 and 1813 [PPTL, 1791-1823, frames 515, 537, 553, 569, 598]. Beveridge Going, born before 1776, was head of a Patrick County household of 3 "free colored" in 1820 [VA:106].

iii. Isham, born say 1770, married Fanny Going, 26 November 1792 Person County bond, Patrick Mason surety, and was head of an Orange County, North Carolina household of 4 "other free" in 1800 [NC:565] and 6 in 1810 [NC:876].

iv. Patsy, born say 1772, married Patrick Mason, 3 December 1790 Caswell County bond, Zachariah Hill surety.

v. Allen, born say 1774, married Rebecca Goins, 7 April 1795 Person County bond, and was head of a Person County household of 7 "other free" in 1800 [NC:621] and 10 in 1810 [NC:625].

 

26.    Joseph¹ Gowen (Edward², Edward¹, William¹, Michael¹), born say 1730, was taxable in Lunenburg County in the 1752 list of Field Jefferson [Tax List 1748-52, 1, LVA accesssion no. 20094]. He was a "Black" taxable in the 1755 Granville County summary list and a "Mulattoe" in John Pope's 1759 tax list. On 1 December 1760 he received a patent for 680 acres on both sides of Taylor's Creek, but sold this land less than a year later on 11 August 1761 [DB E:143; D:253]. In 1761 he was taxable in John Pope's list with the notation, "Refuses to list his wife," and in 1765 he was listed by John Pope with the notation, "Mullattoe, has a wife and other Family not listed." He was taxed (with his son Nathaniel) in John Pope's 1768 list as "Joseph Gowin his Nat 2 tithes," and was last taxed in Granville County in 1771. One of his children may have been

i. Nathaniel, born say 1755, brought to Granville County court in 1773 with Robert Locklear on an unspecified charge, but released on payment of their prison charges when no one appeared against them [Minutes 1773-83, 1].

 

27.    David² Going (Edward², Edward¹, William¹, Michael¹), born say 1735, purchased land by deed proved in Halifax County, Virginia, in August 1765 [Pleas 1764-7, 122]. Charles Perkins of Rowan County sued him in Pittsylvania County in July 1768 for a debt of £84 David owed from 1 August 1764 of which he had paid £27 in October 1767. In his promissory note David (signing) referred to himself as "David Going late of Halifax County" [Court Records 1767-72, 219; Judgments 1770-1771, frame 38]. He sold land by deed proved in Pittsylvania County court in May 1773, and he sued Peter Rickman on 25 June 1773 for a debt of £3 due by account [Court Records 1772-5, 158, 211-2]. On 17 August 1778 he owned land on both sides of Spoon Creek when the Henry County court allowed him to build a water grist mill over the creek [Orders 1778-82, 15]. He was taxable in Henry County from 1782 to 1790: taxable on William, Charles and Jacob Going in 1783 and 1784; listed with 3 unnamed sons in 1785; 4 unnamed sons, 10 horses and 17 cattle in 1786; listed with William and Jacob in 1787; 5 tithes in 1788 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 8, 37, 88, 218, 301, 352]. He received a grant for 94 acres on Spoon Creek in Henry County on 30 March 1789 [Grants 19:297] and was taxable in Patrick County from 1791 to 1800: listed with 6 horses in 1791, 2 tithes from 1792 to 1795, 3 in 1797 [PPTL, 1791-1823, frames 150, 207, 251, 288]. He sold land by deed proved in Patrick County on 29 May 1794 [Orders 1791-1800]. He was the father of

i. ?John⁹, born say 1759, perhaps the John Goin(g) who enlisted in the Revolution on 14 February 1778 for 1 year and was listed in the May 1778 pay roll of Captain Mosely's Company of the 7^th Virginia Regiment at Valley Forge and the December 1778 Pay Roll of the 5^th Regiment mustered on 13 January 1779 at Middlebrook, New Jersey. He was discharged in February 1779 [NARA, M246, Roll 105, frame 74 of 806; Roll 102, frames 38, 44 of 774; http://fold3.com/image/9680943]. He was taxable in Henry County from 1782 to 1790: taxable on a horse and 3 cattle in 1782, taxable on Ward Barrett's tithe in 1786, living on the Dan River from 1787 to 1790 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 8, 88, 158, 218, 253], and taxable on the Dan River in Patrick County from 1791 to 1805: taxable on 2 tithes in 1802, 1804, and 1805 [PPTL, 1791-1823, frames 150, 343, 396]. He was called John Going, Sr., "Molatto," in Patrick County in 1812, in a list of "free Negroes & Mulattoes" in 1813 and 1814 [PPTL, 1791-1823, frames 537, 598, 614]. Administration on his estate was granted Lindy P. Stovall on 12 October 1820 [Orders 1810-21, n.p.].

ii. William, taxable in Henry County from 1783 to 1790 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 314, 352] and taxable in Patrick County from 1791 to 1814: listed with 2 tithes in 1791, called "Sr." in 1803, listed on the Dan River in 1806, listed with 2 tithes in 1809 and 1811, in a list of "free Negroes & Mulattoes" in 1813 and 1814 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 150, 177, 207, 234, 288, 343, 369, 396, 455, 515, 553, 598, 616]. His land on the west side of Little Dan River in Patrick County adjoining Shadrack Going's land was mentioned in a 19 August 1805 grant [Grants 54:212]. He appeared in Hawkins County, Tennessee court on 20 May 1819, called William Going or Gowan, and applied for a pension for his service in the Revolution. He stated that he enlisted in the spring of 1780 at Halifax County, Virginia courthouse under Captain Tilman Dixon in the 18^th Regiment commanded by Henry Dixon. He gave his age as 56 when he appeared in court again on 29 August 1820 and stated that he was a day laborer or farmer with a 45-year-old wife, a boy 11 years old, a girl 16 years, a girl 5 and a boy 2 years old. He was 72 years old on 12 February 1834 when he appeared in Surry County, North Carolina court and testified that he was born 13 September 1761 in Rockingham County, Virginia, moved when very young to the part of Henry County that was then Patrick County where he resided until 10 years previous when he moved to Hawkins County. His widow Mary Going appeared in Patrick County court on 23 May 1853 to apply for a widow's pension. One of her witnesses stated that William and Mary were married on 2 January 1800 and raised a family of seven children. Mary was 78 years old and stated that they were married in 1797 or 1798 in Patrick County. According to the family register, their son Woodson was born 2 November 1803, son Morgan born 17 July 1805, daughter Mourning died an infant, and daughter Rachel was then about 50 years old. Her husband was born 13 September 1761 and died 28 May 1849 [NARA, W.7546, M804, http://fold3.com/image/22778397, accessed 10 October 2015].

iii. Jacob, born about 1762, married Nancy Smith, 18 January 1792 Patrick County bond, John Camron surety. He was taxable in Henry County from 1784 to 1787 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 88, 253], taxable in Patrick County in 1791, 1792, 1798 and 1800 [PPTL, 1791-1823, frames 151, 251, 288], and head of a Stokes County household of 6 "other free" in 1800 [NC:495]. He was about 70 years of age and living in Vermillion County, Illinois, on 7 June 1832 when applied for a Revolutionary War pension, stating that he was born in Henry County, Virginia, that he lived in Kentucky for about thirty years, then lived for seven years in Vincennes, Indiana [NARA, S.32273, M805, reel 368, frame 0115; http://fold3.com/image/21817288]. He was counted as white in the 1830 census for Vermilion, Illinois: a male between 70 and 80 years of age.

iv. Charles, born about 1763, taxable in Henry County from 1783 to 1790 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 302, 352], taxable in Patrick County from 1791 to 1795 [PPTL, 1791-1823, frames 151, 177, 207]. He was about 70 years old on 22 October 1833 when he applied for a Revolutionary War pension, stating that he was born in Henry County, lived there until 1797, then moved to Kentucky and moved to Gallatin in 1815 [NARA, S.31072, M805, reel 368, frame 0144; http://fold3.com/image/21819909].

v. Martha, born say 1779, married Peter Burress, 7 June 1797 Patrick County bond with the consent of David Going.

 

28.    Shadrack¹ Gowen (Edward², Edward¹, William¹, Michael¹), born say 1737, listed his tithables in Halifax County, Virginia, on 15 September 1763. He was presented by the court in May 1765 for concealing a tithable who may have been his wife. The case against him was dismissed in August 1766, perhaps on his payment of the tax. He won a suit against John Bates in Halifax County court for about £2 in July 1767. He purchased land by deed proved in Halifax County court in August 1768 [Pleas 1764-7, 46, 358, 454; 6:221] and was head of a Halifax County household of 12 persons in 1782 [VA:23] and 10 in 1785 [VA:89]. He was taxable in Halifax County from 1782 to 1785 [PPTL, 1782-1799, frames 7, 25, 35, 63]. His land on the west side of Little Dan River in Patrick County adjoining William Going's land was mentioned in a 19 August 1805 grant [Grants 54:212]. He sold land by deed proved in Halifax County on 17 November 1785 [Pleas 1783-6, 242]. He was taxable in Patrick County from 1791 to 1805: listed with 2 tithables from 1791 to 1794, 3 in 1795 and 1796, 2 in 1798, taxed on 5 horses but not tithable from 1800 to 1805 [PPTL, 1791-1823, frames 150, 193, 220, 251, 288, 343, 396, 425], exempted by the court on 31 May 1798 from paying tax on his person [Orders 1791-1800, n.p.]. He made a Patrick County deed of gift to his grandson Shadrack Beasley in 1803 [DB 2:268]. He left a 4 June 1805 Patrick County will, proved December 1805, by which he left his wife Hannah furniture and the use of his house during her lifetime, to be divided between Jerushe and Keziah Going at her death. He left his plantation on both sides of the Little Dan River to his son Obediah, left a cow to Rebecca Going, daughter of Fanny Going who was the wife of Edmond Bowlin, left 5 shillings each to sons John Going, David Smith Going, James, Claiborn, Solomon, Shadrack, and Caleb Going; left 5 shillings to daughters Fanny Bowling and Hannah Beazley, wife of Thomas Beazley [WB 1:80-1]. On 24 July 1806 his children Jerusha, John, David Smith, James, Fanny, Claiborne, Shadrick and Leaborne Gowing were in Grainger County, Tennessee, when they appointed Henry Howell to sue Obediah Gowing for settling the property unfairly and submitting a will which was not Shadrack Gowing's [Patrick DB 3:87]. Shadrack was the father of

i. David⁴, born about 1754, head of a Halifax County, Virginia household of 2 persons in 1782 [VA:24] and 4 in 1785 [VA:89]. He was taxable in Halifax County from 1782 to 1793 and from 1796 to 1806: called a "Mul^o" from 1792 to 1806, living at Walne's in 1796 and 1797, a planter in the list of "free Negroes & Mulattoes" living on "D.C." (Difficult Creek?) with wife and two daughters over the age of 16 in 1801. He may have been the father of John and William Going who were listed as "Mul^o" in 1794 and 1795 [PPTL, 1782-1799, frames 7, 71, 302, 417, 442, 732, 819; 1800-12, frames 59, 187, 517, 676]. He registered in Halifax County on 11 October 1802: aged about forty eight years, six feet and a half inch high, light yellow Colour, inclining to white, straight hair...born free [Register of Free Negroes, no.20]. He was head of a Wythe County household of 8 "other free" in 1810. He was about 76 years old on 26 February 1834 when he appeared in Hamilton County, Tennessee court to apply for a pension for his services in the Revolution. He testified that he entered the service in Halifax County, Virginia, moved to Grayson County, Virginia, for three years, then to Wythe County for ten years, then to Grainger County, Tennessee, for fourteen years and lived in Hamilton County for one year. His younger brother Laban Goens testified on his behalf [NARA, S.3406, M805-362, frames 27-30].

41    ii. James, born say 1758.

iii. Jerusha, born about 1760, head of a Stokes County household of 3 "free colored" in 1820, obtained a certificate of freedom in Patrick County on 12 April 1821: Jarussa Going, dark, aged about 62; Polly Going, light complexion, aged 28; son Andrew Going 9, all residing on Little Dan River, and recorded the certificate about twenty years later in Highland County, Ohio [Turpin, Register of Black, Mulatto, and Poor Persons, 8].

iv. John¹⁰, born say 1760, head of a Halifax County, Virginia household of 2 persons in 1782 [VA:23], 4 in 1785 [VA:89] and 9 "other free" in Grainger County in 1810.

v. Nathaniel, born say 1766, taxable in Henry County from 1787 to 1790 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frame 253, 352] and taxable in Patrick County from 1791 to 1793 [PPTL, 1791-1823, frames 150, 177]. He died on 21 September 1793 after being struck in the head with a weeding hoe by Robert Hall according to a 9 November 1793 Patrick County jury of inquest held at Shadrack Going's plantation. Robert Hall was examined for the murder but not charged, perhaps because his accusers could not legally testify against him. Shadrack Going was granted administration on his estate on 10 December 1793 [WB 1:6, 53].

vi. Hannah, married Thomas Beasley of Patrick County, Virginia.

vii. Claiborn², taxable in Henry County from 1788 to 1790 (with the notation "Dan River") [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 301, 314, 352], taxable on the Dan River in Patrick County from 1791 to 1794 [PPTL, 1791-1823, frames 150, 177, 193], taxable on 100 acres on Young's Creek in 1809 and head of a household there of 8 "other free" in 1810. He was a "Free black man" living in Grainger County in 1820 when he complained that he could not prove his accounts by his own oath [Schweninger, Race, Slavery, and Free Blacks, Series 1, 184].

viii. Fanny, wife of Edmund Bowlin, head of a Grainger County household of 8 "other free" in 1810, and mother of Rebecca Going who received a cow by her grandfather Shadrack's will.

ix. Laban, born about 1764, taxable in Henry County in 1790 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frame 352] and taxable in Patrick County from 1791 to 1803 [PPTL, 1791-1831, frames 150, 207, 250, 370]. He was about 70 years old on 26 February 1834 when he testified in support of the pension application of his brother David in Hamilton County, Tennessee court [NARA, S.3406, M805-362, frames 27-30].

x. Shadrack³, born say 1772, taxable in Patrick County from 1793 to 1798 [PPTL, 1791-1831, frames 177, 207, 234, 250], head of a Grainger County Tennessee household of 5 "other free" in 1810.

xi. Caleb, married Polly Duncan, 9 June 1802 Patrick County bond, Harden Dunham surety. He was taxable in Patrick County from 1800 to 1802 [PPTL, 1791-1823, frames 288, 342], taxable in Henry County in 1803 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frame 517] and head of a Grainger County household of 6 "other free" in 1810.

xii. Obediah, born say 1777, taxable in Patrick County from 1798 to 1807 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 250, 288, 396, 487]. He was a "free man of color" living in Cocke County, Tennessee, in 1819 when he petitioned for the "privileges of a citizen," stating that he was the descendant of persons of mixed race [Schweninger, Race, Slavery, and Free Blacks, Series 1, 183].

 

29.    John⁶ Gowen (Edward², Edward¹, William¹, Michael¹), born say 1740, purchased 92 acres on the south side of Blackberry Creek in Pittyslvania County for £26 on 19 April 1776 [DB 4:189]. He owned land on both sides of Blackberry Creek on 17 February 1777 when the Henry County court allowed him to build a water grist mill over the creek. The Henry County court appointed him surveyor of the road from Cogar's path to John Cox's from 27 May 1784 to 25 May 1789 [Orders 1777-8, 5; 1782-5, 149; 1788-91, 44]. He was taxable in Henry County from 1782 to 1801: taxable on 4 horses and 13 cattle in 1782; charged with Zephaniah, Claiborn and James Going's tithe in 1783, listed with 2 unnamed sons in 1784; listed with Claiborn and Asaiah Going in 1785; listed with 4 unnamed sons in 1786; listed with John and Zephaniah Going in 1787; listed with the notation "Black Berry" when he was taxable on 4 tithes in 1788, 6 in 1789 and 5 in 1790 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 15, 37, 86, 150, 158, 302, 315]. He received a grant for 156 acres on both sides of Blackberry Creek adjoining his own land in Henry County on 14 April 1796 [Grants 35:153]. He left a 17 March 1801 Henry County will, proved 27 July 1801, by which he lent his wife Elizabeth his stock and household goods and directed that his land in Patrick and Henry counties be sold and divided among his children Zephaniah, Nancy, Susanna, Zedekiah, Simeon, John, Isaiah, Zachariah, Clabourn, and Littleberry Going and Elizabeth Minor, wife of Hezekiah Minor. He named John Stone and John Cox, Jr., his executors [WB 2:37-9]. His estate was taxable on a free male tithable in 1802, 3 free males in 1803, 4 free males in 1804 [PPTL 1782-1830, frames 504, 517, 531. Elizabeth Going was administratrix of an estate on 24 November 1803 when she sued Joseph Newman in Patrick County court [Orders 1800-10, n.p.]. She was taxable in Henry County on 3 free tithes in 1805 and 2 in 1806 and 1807 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 553, 578]. The inventory of her estate totaled $546 and was proved in March 1814 [WB 2:205-6]. John was the father of

i. Simeon, taxable in Henry County in 1807 and 1810 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 578, 591].

ii. Zephaniah, born say 1762, taxable in Henry County from 1783 to 1796 and in 1802: listed with 2 tithables in 1794 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 159, 302, 402, 428, 504], taxable in Patrick County from 1797 to 1799 [PPTL, 1791-1823, frames 234, 268] and head of a Roane County, Tennessee household of 6 "free colored" in 1830. He was about 76 years old and living in Hawkins County, Tennessee, on 18 December 1834 when he applied for a Revolutionary War pension, stating that he had entered the service in Henry County [NARA, R.4165, M805, reel 368, frame 0134; http://fold3.com/image/21817728].

iii. Zedekiah, taxable in Patrick County in 1811, in a list of "free Negroes and Mulattoes" in 1813 and 1814, probably identical to Hezekiah Going who was taxable in Henry County in 1803 and in Patrick County from 1804 to 1809, called a "Mulatto" in 1812 [PPTL, 1791-1823, frames 396, 487, 553, 569, 598, 616, 664, 679, 696, 713].

iv. Claiborn¹, born say 1764, taxable in Henry County from 1783 to 1788 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 37, 158, 253, 301].

v. Isaiah, born say 1768, taxable in Henry County from 1785 to 1791 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 315, 364].

vi. Littleberry, taxable in Henry County from 1807 to 1814: in a list of "free Negroes & Mulattoes" in 1813 and 1814 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 578, 591, 603, 641, 656].

vii. John, in a list of "free Negroes & Mulattoes" in Henry County in 1813 and 1814 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 641, 656], perhaps the John Going who was about 48 years old on 15 November 1824 when he registered in Pittsylvania County.

viii. Elizabeth Minor, wife of Hezekiah Minor who was taxable in Henry County in 1802 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frame 506].

ix. Nancy.

x. Susanna.

xi. Zachariah.

 

30.    James⁴ Gowen (Mary¹, Michael², Christopher¹, Michael¹), born say 1735, was living in Brunswick County, Virginia, on 27 December 1757 when he sued John Cumbo for trespass [Orders 1757-9, 143]. He received a grant for 376 acres adjoining Brewer, Perry, and Cook on Carter's Creek in Brunswick County on 23 May 1763 [Patents 35:137]. He and his wife Amy sold 150 acres of this land in Meherrin Parish on the south side of the Meherrin River on 22 September 1765 [DB 8:359]. Greensville County was formed from Brunswick County in 1781, and James was head of a Greensville County household of 7 persons in 1783 [VA:54]. James, Henry Going, and Avent Massey posted bond in Greensville County on 24 August 1786 for the illegitimate child Henry Going had by Mary Hill [DB 1:173]. He voted in Greensville County in 1792, 1794, and 1795 [DB 1:451; 2:24, 135, 190]. He was taxable in Greensville County from 1782 to 1811: taxable on Edmund, Henry and James Going's tithes in 1782; 3 tithes in 1783; 2 in 1784; 1 in 1785; 2 slaves from 1787 to 1792; 3 in 1794; 4 from 1799 to 1802; 6 from 1806 to 1811 [PPTL 1782-1850, frames 4, 17, 22, 28, 42, 63, 107, 126, 136, 179, 244, 259, 273, 287, 302, 321, 336, 353, 372, 402] and head of a Greensville County household of 2 whites and 7 slaves in 1810 [VA:735]. He was probably the father of

i. Edmund, born say 1770, taxable in Greensville County in James Going's household in 1782, charged with his own tax in 1790 [PPTL 1782-1850, frames 4, 107]. He married Mary Stewart, daughter of Dr. Thomas Stewart, in Dinwiddie County [Chancery Orders 1832-52, 12] and was taxable in Dr. Stewart's Dinwiddie County household in 1788 [PPTL, 1782-90]. On 10 November 1794 the Mecklenburg County, Virginia court found him not guilty of stealing John Crew's cow [Orders 1792-5, 364]. He purchased 200 acres on Sandy Creek in Mecklenburg County from his father-in-law on 5 November 1799 for £30, and he and his wife Polly sold 242 acres on Sandy Creek to Frederick Ivey while resident in Person County, North Carolina [DB 10:176, 188-9]. He purchased 124 acres in Person County from (his cousin) Frederick Going, and sold this land by deeds proved in June 1801 Person County court. On 5 June 1804 he mortgaged a slave named Patty and his farm animals in Person County for ,90 [DB C:453].

ii. Henry, born say 1764, taxable in Greensville County from 1782 to 1811: taxable in James Going's household in 1782 and 1791; taxable on 3 slaves in 1800 [PPTL 1782-1850, frames 63, 107, 126, 179, 259, 273, 287, 353, 372, 402, 415].

iii. James, Jr., born say 1766, taxable in Greensville County from 1782 to 1806: underage in 1782; taxed in his own household in 1784 and 1785; taxable in John Turner's household in 1788; taxable on a slave from 1800 to 1804; 2 slaves in 1806 [PPTL 1782-1850, frames 4, 22, 28, 63, 88, 244, 259, 273, 287, 302, 321, 336, 353].

iv. Benjamin, born say 1773, taxable in Greensville County from 1794 to 1811 [PPTL 1782-1850, frames 179, 201, 231, 244, 259, 273, 287, 302, 321, 336, 353, 372, 402, 415]. He took the oath of deputy sheriff in Greensville County on 11 May 1801 [Orders 1799-1806, 125].

 

31.    Drury¹ Going (Mary¹, Michael², Christopher¹, Michael¹), born say 1738, was paid £5 for a year's work according to the account of the Brunswick County, Virginia estate of Sampson Lanier which was returned 23 July 1759 [WB 3:297]. He purchased 50 acres in Meherrin Parish, Brunswick County, on the south side of the Meherrin River on 28 November 1766 and purchased 223 acres on the north side of Fountains Creek on 4 February 1779. Greensville County was formed from this part of Brunswick County in 1781 [DB 8:505; 13:347]. He was head of a Greensville County household of 4 persons in 1783 [VA:55] and was taxable in Meherrin Parish, Greensville County, from 1782 to 1801: taxable on an under-age tithable, 2 horses and 11 cattle in 1783; 1 tithe in 1784 and 1785; 4 in 1786; his own tithe and Thomas Going's in 1787 [PPTL 1782-1850, frames 3, 13, 22, 28, 34, 42, 63, 108, 136, 179, 201, 217, 231, 244, 273]. On 12 March 1782 the Greensville County court credited him with the value of a gun impressed for the public use (during the Revolution) [Orders 1781-9, 13-14]. He sold 200 acres in Greensville County for £40 on 15 May 1785 [DB 1:106-7] and was called Drury Going of Greensville County on 1 October 1787 when he sold 50 acres on the south side of the Meherrin River in Brunswick County adjoining Rebecca Stewart's line [DB 14:366]. He may have been the father of

i. Frederick², born about 1760, listed as John Phillips's tithable in Brunswick County, Virginia, in 1784 [PPTL 1782-99, frame 92], William Powell's tithable in Greensville County in 1787 [PPTL 1782-1850, frame 45] and Thomas Stewart's tithable in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, in 1788. He was charged with his own tax in Mecklenburg County from 1790 to 1802: taxable on slave Phillis in 1796 and taxable on slave Patsy in 1800 [PPTL, 1782-1805, frames 223, 372, 544, 613, 713, 822, 873, 899]. He married Suckee Chavous, 9 March 1789 Mecklenburg County bond, with a note from the bride's father, Henry Chavous, Sr. Frederick Ivey was security, James Stewart, Robert Singleton, and Belar Chavous witnesses. And he married, second, Mary Brandon, 29 December 1800 Mecklenburg County bond. He purchased 250 acres on the east side of Blue Wing Creek in Person County, North Carolina, on 16 September 1793 and sold 124 acres of this land while a resident of Mecklenburg County on 6 July 1801 [DB A:147; C:290]. On 14 April 1800 the Mecklenburg County court granted him a license to keep an ordinary at his house [Orders 1798-1801, 331]. He was head of a Sumner County, Tennessee household of 10 "free colored" in 1820 and a "free man of Color" who stated that he was about 78 years old on 21 March 1838 when he appeared in Lawrence County, Alabama court to apply for a pension for services in the militia during the Revolution. He stated that he was born on the Meherrin River in the part of Brunswick County, Virginia, from which Greensville was formed after the war, and he was about 16 years old when drafted. He was in Illinois on 2 December 1842 when Daniel Hay wrote a letter inquiring about the status of his application [NARA, R.4167, M805, Roll 362, frames 14-24; http://fold3.com/image/22046834].

42   ii. Thomas⁴, born say 1761.

iii. Marcus/ Mark, born before 1776, probably one of Drury Going's tithables when he and Thomas Going were ordered to work on the road in Greensville County from the Falling Run to the county line on 25 June 1789 [Orders 1781-9, 416]. He married Sarah Jones, 29 September 1794 Greensville County bond, Robert Brooks Corn surety. On 23 September 1799 Mark and his wife Sally sold 35 acres adjoining Robert Watkins, and he and his wife, together with Robert and Sally Watkins, sold 9 acres which their wives had inherited from their father Thomas Jones [DB 2:576, 577]. On 24 August 1799 he was paid as a witness for William Lanier in the Greensville County suit of William Stewart [Orders 1790-9, 635]. He was taxable in Greensville County from 1788 to 1803 and from 1810 to 1815: taxable in Drury Going's household in 1791; listed with Michael and Sally Gowing as "Mulattos" in 1813 [PPTL 1782-1850, frames 63, 126, 136, 179, 188, 201, 217, 244, 259, 273, 287, 302, 402, 415, 446, 482]. He was a "M"(ulatto) taxable on a horse in St. Luke's Parish, Southampton County, in 1805 and 1806 [PPTL 1792-1806, frames 807, 843] and head of a Greensville County household of 3 "free colored" in 1820 [VA:261].

 

32.    John⁸ Gowen (Ann¹, Michael², Christopher¹, Michael¹), born say 1758, made his Robeson County will on 19 February 1800. He gave his unnamed wife the right to use his plantation which was to revert to his son John who was not yet twenty-one years of age when he wrote the will [WB 1:60]. His wife was probably Sarah Gowen who was granted administration on his estate by the 6 April 1802 Robeson County court [Minutes 1797-1803, 193]. She conveyed land to Elizabeth Gowen by deed proved in Robeson County court on 26 May 1812 [Minutes 1806-13]. His son was

i. John¹⁵, born say 1785, appeared in Robeson County court for an unnamed offence on 2 July 1805 [Minutes 1803-06, 329] and was one of three John Goines counted as white in Robeson County in 1810 [NC:232, 239].

 

33.   William⁴ Gowen (John², William², Thomas¹, Michael¹), born say 1725, received a deed of gift of 100 acres in Lunenburg County from his parents John¹ and Mary Gowen on 10 June 1761 and sold this land while resident in Lunenburg County on 30 December the same year. He was residing in Orange County, North Carolina, six months later on 6 July 1762 when he sold a further 100 acres adjoining this land in Lunenburg County [DB 7:153, 302]. In November 1763 (his uncle?) Alexander Going had a petition against him in Orange County court [Minutes I:232]. He may have been the William Gowen who received a patent for 300 acres in Cumberland County, North Carolina, on both sides of Pocket Creek on 9 November 1764 and was taxable on a white tithe in 1767 [T&C, Box 3] and received a patent for 150 acres on both sides of Cranes Branch of Pocket Creek in what was then Moore County on 16 March 1799 [Patent Book 101:30]. He was head of a Moore County household of 10 whites in 1790: 1 white male over 16, 4 under 16, and 5 white females [NC:44]. He may have been the William Gowen who was head of a Moore County household of 10 "other free" in 1790 [NC:43], 9 in 1800 [NC:60], and 6 in 1810 [NC:615]. He or perhaps a son by that name received £5 for military service on 1 November 178_ [North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers, 1779-1782, http://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2WT-GDHN]. Moore County records were destroyed in a courthouse fire, so there is no further record of him. His children were probably those counted as "other free" in Moore County:

i. Henry, head of a Moore County household of 5 "other free" in 1800 [NC:60] and 9 in 1810 [NC:615].

ii. Levy, born about 1763, head of a Moore County household of 5 "other free" in 1800 [NC:62], 8 in 1810 [NC:615], and he may have been the _ive Goins counted in Moore County with 10 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:307]. He was said to have been about 90 years old on 26 April 1852 when he appeared in Moore County, North Carolina court to apply for a pension for his service in the Revolution. He stated that he volunteered in Fairfield County, South Carolina, in Captain John Gray's Company, commanded by Colonel John Winn. He moved to Moore County soon after the war [NARA, M804, R.3865, Roll 1041, frame 330 of 881, http://ancestry.com]. He was an 87-year-old "Mulatto" farmer counted in 1850 census for Moore County with (wife?) Amy, Nutty and Joseph Goings with real estate valued at $130, listed as born in North Carolina.

iii. Edward⁵, head of a Moore County household of 2 "other free" in 1810 [NC:615] and 7 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:308].

iv. ____, parent of Sarah Going who was bound to Samuel Deen by order of the Moore County court on 25 November 1785 [Minutes 1784-1787, 76].

v. __lin, head of a Moore County household of 3 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:317].

 

34.    Thomas² Gowen (John², William², Thomas¹, Michael¹) born say 1732, was taxable in the 1751 Lunenburg County household of (his father?) John¹ Gowen in the list of Richard Witton [Tax List 1748-52, LVA accession no. 20094]. (And there was also a Thomas Goen who was taxable in Goochland County from 1746 to 1748 [Tithables, 1730-1755, frames 68, 108, 150]. On 30 May 1752 he purchased 150 acres in Granville County on both sides of Taylors Creek at the mouth of Spring Branch [DB B:53]. He was in the Granville County list of Osborn Jeffreys, adjoining Michael and Edward Going, taxable on 1 white and 1 black poll in 1753 and 1 black poll in 1754. He was called a "Mulatto" in Captain Osborne Jeffreys's Company in the 8 October 1754 muster roll of the Granville County Regiment of Colonel William Eaton [T.R., Box 1, folder 37, p. 3]. In the 1761 list of John Pope he had Moses Gowen in his household with the notation "Refuses to List his wife," and in 1764 he and Moses were taxed in John Pope's list for St. John's Parish as 2 white polls. In 1768 he was tithable on three persons: himself, John Gowin, and Alston Hopkins who was white. In 1780, called Thomas Gowen Sr., he was taxed on an assessment of ,997, and he was taxed on 150 acres in 1785. He was head of a Granville County household of 4 free males and 5 free females in the 1786 state census in Dutch District. On 25 January 1788 he sold his land in Granville [DB O:555], and he may have moved to Montgomery County where Thomas Gain was counted in the 1790 census with 3 white males and 5 white females in his household [NC:164]. By his 7 February 1797 Randolph County will he divided his land among his youngest sons Burgess and Burton and named his daughters Vini Hardister, Hali and Elizabeth [http://ancestry.com, North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998b Original Wills]. His children were

i. Moses⁴, born before 1749, taxable in 1761 in the list of John Pope. He may have been the Moses Jewil, alias Gowin, who purchased 100 acres on the south side of the Tarr River on both sides of Middle Creek in Granville County on 2 February 1768 [DB H:481].

ii. John⁷, born about 1756, not identified as Thomas's son but taxed in his 1768 household.

iii. Vini, married ____ Hardister.

iv. Burgess, born 1780/4, died in Montgomery County in 1849.

v. Burton, counted as white in the Randolph County census through 1830.

vi. Hali.

vii. Elizabeth.

 

35.    William⁶ Gowen (James², Edward², Edward¹, William¹, Michael¹), born before 1748, was taxable in the Granville County household of his father James² Gowen in 1759. He may have been the William Going who was deceased by 10 November 1783 when his thirteen-year-old daughter Nancy was ordered bound apprentice to William Cope by the Chatham County court. His children (no race mentioned) bound apprentice in Chatham County were

i. Nancy, born about 1770, ordered bound apprentice to William Cope by the 10 November 1783 Chatham County court [Minutes 1781-85, 26].

ii. John¹³, born about 1771, about twelve years old on 10 November 1783 when he was ordered bound an apprentice farmer to William Riddle by the Chatham County court and bound to James Sutter in May 1785 [Minutes 1781-85, 55].

iii. Elizabeth, born about 1772, about twelve years old on 8 November 1784 when she was bound apprentice to William Douglass by the Chatham County court [Minutes 1781-85, 45].

iv. Ann³, born about 1774, about ten years old on 8 November 1784 when she was bound apprentice to James Howard [Minutes 1781-85, 45].

v. William⁷, born about 1775, bound an apprentice farmer to George Desmukes on 10 November 1783. He was and insolvent taxpayer in Chatham County in 1806 [Minutes 1781-85, 26, 157].

vi. Mary³, born say 1777, no age mentioned when she was removed from William Cope's care in Chatham County [Minutes 1781-85, 45].

 

36.    Joseph³ Going (Agnes¹, Philip¹), born about 1747, was twelve years old when he was bound as an apprentice planter to James Bunch in Louisa County on 28 November 1759 [Davis, Fredericksville Parish Vestry Book, 29]. He was taxable in James Bunch's Trinity Parish, Louisa County household in 1767 [Davis, Louisa County Tithables, 10] and taxable in Fredericksville Parish, Albemarle County, from 1783 to 1792: taxable on 2 tithes from 1788 to 1792 [PPTL, 1782-1799, frames 29, 44, 76, 116, 202, 300, 346]. On 2 November 1789 he purchased 85 acres in Albemarle County on a branch of Lynches River from Thomas Burrus and sold this land to Sabret King in 1796 [DB 10:81-3; 12:25]. He may have been the father of

i. Thomas, born say 1772, taxable in Fredericksville Parish, Albemarle County, from 1789 to 1796 and from 1811 to 1813: listed with "Jos. S" (either Joshua or Joseph's son) after his name in 1811 and 1812; called "J.S. a Mula" in 1813 [PPTL, 1782-1799, frames 202, 251, 300, 386, 419, 459, 481; 1800-1813, frames 477, 521, 566].

ii. Anthony, born say 1776, taxable in Fredericksville Parish, Albemarle County, in 1793 [PPTL, 1782-1799, frame 386]. His suit with Joseph Going as his next friend against William Harris was dismissed by the Albemarle County court on 12 August 1793 [Orders 1791-3, 480].

 

37.    Sarah Going (Agnes¹, Philip¹), born about 1751, was eight years old when she was bound to James Bunch of Louisa County as an apprentice planter on 28 November 1759 [Davis, Fredericksville Parish Vestry Book, 29]. On 17 March 1774 she was living in Trinity Parish, Louisa County, when she sued Gideon and Jordan Gibson for assaulting her in 1773. The suit was dismissed by the consent of the parties at the defendants' costs on 11 April 1774 [Orders 1774-82, 42, 113; Judgments, 1773-April 1774, frames 1027-32]. She was the mother of Amey Going who was bound apprentice by the churchwardens of Trinity Parish on 9 January 1775 [Orders 1774-82, 42, 113; Judgments, 1773-April 1774, frames 1027-32]. She registered in Campbell County on 12 May 1802: 5 feet 8 Inches, 45 years old, Malattoe, born free in Louisa County [A Register of Free Negroes and Mulattoes, 1]. She was the mother of

43    i. Amey, born about 1770.

 

38.    Benjamin¹ Going (Agnes¹, Philip¹), born say 1746, was taxable in Fredericksville Parish, Albemarle County, from 1782 to 1800: taxable on 2 tithes from 1788 to 1790, 3 in 1791, 2 in 1792, 3 in 1793, 2 in 1794 and 1795, 3 in 1796 and 1797, 2 from 1798 to 1801; 3 from 1802 to 1807; 2 in 1809; 1 from 1810 to 1813: called a "Mula" in 1813 [PPTL, 1782-1799, frames 12, 44, 116, 201, 300, 386, 459, 515, 590; 1800-1813, frames 28, 118, 208, 297, 388, 478, 567]. He purchased 200 acres in Albemarle County from John Ward in 1805 [DB 15:125]. He was head of an Albemarle County household of 4 "other free" in 1810 [VA:195], and 5 "free colored" in 1820 with a female slave over the age of 45. He died about 1827 when his executors sold 123 acres in Albemarle County to (his son) James Goins [DB 26:277]. He was the father of

44   i. James⁶, born about 1767.

ii. Mary, born say 1773, daughter of Benjamin Goin who consented, married Richard Broke (Brock), 3 January 1791 Albemarle County bond, Charles Barnett surety.

iii. Jesse, born say 1778, called Ben's son when he was taxable in Fredericksville Parish, Albemarle County, from 1798 to 1811 [PPTL, 1782-1799, frames 555, 590; 1800-1813, frames 28, 117, 208, 297, 435, 478].

iv. Daniel⁴, born about 1779, taxable in Fredericksville Parish, Albemarle County, in 1801 and 1802 and from 1810 to 1813: called B.S. (Benjamin's son); called a "Mula" in 1813 [PPTL, 1800-1813, frames 28, 73, 435, 479, 522, 567]. He purchased 80 acres in Albemarle County from M. P. Walton in 1825 [DB 25:238] and was a 54-year-old "Mulatto" tanner living on Buck Mountain in a list taken in Albemarle County in 1833 to determine possible emigrants to Liberia [Albemarle 1833 Free Negroes and Mulattoes, African American Digital Collection, LVA].

v. Anderson, born say 1791, taxable in Fredericksville Parish, Albemarle County, from 1801 to 1810: called "B.S." (Benjamin's son) from 1805 to 1807; called "J.S." (Joshua's son) in 1809 and 1810 [PPTL, 1800-1813, frames 74, 118, 160, 208, 251, 297, 344, 435, 478].

vi. ?Agnes/ Aggy, married Richard Newman, 7 September 1793 Albemarle County bond, Benjamin Going surety.

 

39.    Joshua¹ Going (Agnes¹, Philip¹), born about 1753, was drafted into the Revolution from Louisa County for 18 months on 17 April 1781 and was sized on 14 May: age 28, 5'7-1/4" high, yellow complexion, born in Louisa County [The Chesterfield Supplement or Size Roll of Troops at Chesterfield Court House, LVA accession no. 23816, by http://revwarapps.org/b81.pdf (p.55)]. He was taxable in Fredericksville Parish, Albemarle County, from 1783 to 1813: taxable on 2 tithes in 1792, 1793, and 1796; 3 tithes in 1797; 2 from 1798 to 1800; 2 from 1802 to 1804; and 2 in 1809; called a "Mula" in 1813 [PPTL, 1782-1799, frames 29, 59, 116, 202, 300, 386, 459, 516, 591; 1800-1813, frames 29, 117, 208, 297, 435, 522, 567].  He sold personal property to (his son) David Going by Albemarle County deed in 1792 [DB 10:388]. He was the father of

i. Jesse, born about 1772, taxable in Fredericksville Parish, Albemarle County, from 1794 to 1813: called Joshua's son; called a "Mula" in 1813 [PPTL, 1782-1799, frames 419, 459, 516, 590; 1800-1813, frames 29, 118, 208, 297, 522, 567]. He married Jenny Ailstock, 2 December 1799 Albemarle County bond, Michael Ailstock bondsman, and was head of an Albemarle County household of 6 "other free" in 1810 [VA:196] and 10 "free colored" in 1820. He was a 61-year-old "Mulatto" farmer living on Bob Rodes's land in a list taken in Albemarle County in 1833 to determine possible emigrants to Liberia: with Ben (age 31), Durett (24), Walker (12), Rebecca (22), Agnes (18) and Mary Goin [Albemarle 1833 Free Negroes and Mulattoes, African American Digital Collection, LVA].

ii. John¹⁴, born about 1778, taxable in Fredericksville Parish, Albemarle County, from 1793 to 1796 and called "Jos. S." (either Joshua or Joseph's son) from 1805 to 1813; called a "Mula" in 1813 [PPTL, 1782-1799, frames 386, 459, 481; 1800-13, 252, 344, 434, 522, 567]. He married Anna Gowen, daughter of Sherod Gowen, 3 January 1810 Albemarle County bond, Sherod Gowen surety. He was a 55-year-old "Mulatto" tanner living near Nat Thompson's in a list taken in Albemarle County in 1833 to determine possible emigrants to Liberia: listed with Anna (age 38), Lucy (21) and Martha Goin (19) [Albemarle 1833 Free Negroes and Mulattoes, African American Digital Collection, LVA]. They were the parents of Matthew Goins who registered in Albemarle County on 23 August 1833: is a free Man born free as his father John Goin and Anna his mother are Free. Edmund Davis [Goins, Anna (F, 30): Free Negro Register; Goins, Matthew (M), 1833, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA]. Matthew was head of a Albemarle County household of 4 "free colored" in 1840, and John Goings, born about 1780, who was a "Mulatto" counted in the 1850 Albemarle County census in the household of Lindsey Goings.

iii. David⁵, born say 1780, taxable in Fredericksville Parish from 1802 to 1813: called Joshua's son in 1810; called "little David" in 1812 and 1813; a Mula" in 1813 [PPTL, 1800-1813, frames 118, 435, 479, 522, 567] and was head of an Albemarle County household of 3 "other free" in 1810 [VA:196]. He purchased personal property from (his father) Joshua Going by Albemarle County deed in 1792 [DB 10:388].

iv. Caty, born say 1788, married James Tyree, 21 December 1807 Albemarle County bond, Joshua Gowen surety and father of the bride.

v. ?Jonathan, born say 1795, taxable in Fredericksville Parish, Albemarle County, in 1812 and 1813: listed with "Jos. S." (Joshua's son) after his name in 1812; called "J.S. a Mula" in 1813 [PPTL, 1800-1813, frames 521, 566]. He was a 35-year-old "Mulatto" shoemaker listed in Albemarle County in 1833 with 38-year-old Merhulda Goin and Keziah (18), Alex^r (15), Tho^s, Frances, Evelina and Eliza Goin [Albemarle 1833 Free Negroes Mulattoes, African American Digital Narrative, LVA]. He was a "Mulatto" born about 1785, who was listed with Hulda Goins, a "Mulatto" born about 1784, in the 1850 census for Augusta County. Mahuldy Gowen registered in Albemarle County in 1833: (Tyree) is five feet 4 inches high [Gowen, Mahuldy: Free Negro Registration, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

 

40.   Sherrod¹ Going (Agnes¹, Philip¹), born about 1760, enlisted in the Revolution for 3 years in the 14^th Virginia Regiment, reenlisted for 18 months in Albemarle County on 20 March 1781, and was sized on 19 April 1781: age 21, 5'8-1/2", yellow complexion, born in Louisa County, former service: 14^th Va. Reg^t, 3 yrs [The Chesterfield Supplement or Size Roll of Troops at Chesterfield Court House, LVA accession no. 23816, by http://revwarapps.org/b81.pdf (p.11)]. He was taxable on 250 acres of land in Albemarle County from 1791 to 1804. This was the 250 acres which Agnes Going had been taxable on from 1782 to 1790 [Land Tax List, 1782-1798, LVA]. He was taxable in Fredericksville Parish, Albemarle County, from 1783 to 1813: listed with 2 tithables from 1810 to 1812; 3 in 1813 when he was called a "Mula" [PPTL, 1782-1799, frames 29, 59, 116, 251, 386, 459, 516, 591; 1800-1813, frames 28, 118, 207, 297, 388, 478, 566]. He purchased 70 acres from Ephraim Sammonds on 6 February 1787 and sold 100 acres to James Dunn in 1805 [DB 9:335; 15:135]. He married Susannah Simmons, 5 June 1791 Albemarle County bond. He sued Joseph Hicks for assault and battery in Albemarle County court on 12 August 1797, but the jury found for the defendant. On 18 August 1797 he was accused of stealing a quantity of corn from Absolem Clarkson and was ordered to be tried at the district court in Charlottesville [Orders 1795-8, 378, 381-2]. He was head of an Albemarle County household of 12 "other free" in 1810 [VA:196] and 9 "free colored" in 1820. He purchased 20 acres in Albemarle County from M. Pickett in 1822 [DB 23:58]. He was a 75-year-old "Mulatto" farmer living near Zev Dunn's in a list taken in Albemarle County in 1833 to determine possible emigrants to Liberia: listed with Susan (age 57), Sherod (17), Lindsey (11), and Elijah Goin [Albemarle 1833 Free Negroes and Mulattoes, African American Digital Collection, LVA]. He was a "man of colour" who gave his age as 72 when he appeared in Albemarle County court to apply for a pension on 9 October 1828 for 3 years service in the 14^th Regiment and another service of 18 months. He stated that he owned about 200 acres on one of the spurs of the Blue Ridge. He had a wife, a boy aged 10 and another aged 12. He appeared in court again on 14 May 1829 and reported that his two sons had died. He died on 23 November 1837 according to his widow Susannah's application for a widow's pension [NARA, W.7545, M804, roll 1087, frame 234; http://fold3.com/image/22778244]. Susan was head of an Albemarle County household of 9 "free colored" in 1840. Most of his land, 217 acres, was sold to the sheriff in 1840 [DB 38:106]. Sherwood was the father of

i. ?Frances, born about 1795, registered in Albemarle County on 6 November 1825: a free born woman of coulor born free in this county and I have been acquainted with her father and mother for upwards of fifty years and do know that they were both free peopple of collor. Robert Davis. Francis Goin is five feet 10 inches three quarters high, 30 y^s old, dark complexion [Goin, Frances (F, 30): Free Negro Affidavit, 1825, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

ii. Ann, born about 1797, daughter of Sherod Gowen, married John Gowen, 3 January 1810 Albemarle County bond, Sherod Gowen surety. She registered in Albemarle County on 3 August 1833: daughter of Sharod & Susanna, the wife of John Goins, Born free aged 30 years. Edmund Davis [Goins, Anna (F, 30): Free Negro Register, 1833, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

iii. Jincy, born say 1808, married Noah Tate, 25 October 1832 Albemarle County bond., and on 22 November 1844 made an Albemarle County deed of trust with Noah for land she inherited from her parents Sherod and Susan Goings [DB 42:444-5]. Noah was head of a Fredericksville, Albemarle County household of 7 "free colored" in 1840.

iv. Agnes, born about 1810, registered in Albemarle County on 3 August 1833: 23 years of age, Born free, her parents Sherod Goins & Susan his wife both free, 5 feet 1-3/4 inches. Edmund Davis [Goins, Agness (F, 23): Free Negro Register, 1833, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

v. ?Chapman, born about 1812, obtained a certificate of freedom in Albemarle County on 9 August 1833: I know Chapman Going and his father & Mother. They were born & raised in Albemarle County and have always passed for free people of Colour, said Chapman Going about 21 years of age [Going, Chapman (M, 21): Free Negro Affidavit, 1833, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

 

41.    James Going, born say 1758, was taxable in Henry County from 1783 to 1790 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 38, 88, 301, 352]. He purchased 201 acres on both sides of the Dan River on 21 October 1784 for £5 [DB 1:62] and was taxable on the Dan River in Patrick County from 1791 to 1807: called "Sr." starting in 1793, listed with 2 tithables in 1797, 3 in 1801 [PPTL, 1791-1823, frames 150, 234, 251, 268, 315, 487]. He made a 24 August 1807 Patrick County will, administration on which was granted to his widow Nancy Going on 29 October 1807, by which he left $25 to his daughter Peggy Adams, 5 shillings to his daughter Prudence Goin, 5 shillings to his son Stephen, $55 to his son William Goin, $150 to his daughter Betsy Goin when his youngest children came to age and the remaining to be equally divided between the youngest Arthur, Isaac and Nancy Goin. His widow was to have an equal child's part. His estate was valued at $520 [WB 1:106, 247]. On 28 April 1809 the Patrick County court appointed Benjamin Going guardian for Arther, Isaac and Nancy Going, heirs of James Going, deceased [Orders 1800-10, n.p.]. On 11 January 1810 his widow Nancy Goins appointed Benjamin Goins of adjoining Surry County, North Carolina, as her attorney to sue Harman Bowman of Surry County [Surry DB 3:351] and she sued Harmon Bowman in Patrick County on 27 April 1810 [Orders 1810-21, n.p.]. James was the father of

i. Peggy, born say 1778, married Bartholomew Adams, 8 July 1796 Patrick County bond, with the consent of her father Jesse James Going, Caleb Going surety.

ii. Prudence, a witness with Nancy Going, Margaret Adams, and William Going on 26 April 1811 in the Patrick County suit of the Commonwealth v. Thomas Beazley and Elizabeth Bellar for the crime of bigamy. The court dismissed the suit when it met for adjournment on 30 May 1811 on the grounds that the adjournment of the last examining court had been illegal and the court had not cognizance over them [Orders 1810-21, n.p.].

iii. Stephen², born say 1785, married Nancy Going, daughter of John Going, 24 February 1807 Patrick County bond, Obediah Going surety. Stephen was taxable in Patrick County from 1806 to 1814: in a list of "free Negroes & Mulattos" in 1813 and 1814 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 455, 537, 598, 616] and was head of a Patrick County household of 6 whites in 1820 and 9 "free colored" in 1830.

iv. William.

v. Betsy.

vi. Arthur, born say 1795, taxable in Patrick County in a list of "free Negroes & Mulattos" in 1813 [PPTL, 1782-1830, frames 587, 598].

vii. Isaac, underage in 1807.

viii. Nancy, married Robert Harris, 1816 Patrick County bond.

 

42.    Thomas⁴ Going (Drury¹, Mary¹, Michael², Christopher¹, Michael¹), born say 1761, was head of a Greensville County, Virginia household of 1 person in 1783 [VA:55] and was taxable in Greensville County from 1783 to 1803 [PPTL 1782-1850, frames 13, 107, 126, 136, 162, 188, 231, 244, 259, 273, 302]. He married Sarah Jones, 24 July 1794 Greensville County bond, William Dungill surety. He was probably the Thomas Gowen who was head of a Halifax County, North Carolina household of 6 "other free" in 1810 [NC:21]. His children may have been

i. Frederick³, born about 1794, head of a Halifax County household of 9 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:148], still living in Halifax County when he was counted in the 1860 census: Frederick Going, 66 yrs, Male, Mulatto, farmer, $100 real estate/$148 personal estate, b. Va. Roda, 70 years, Female, Mulatto, b. N.C. He sold land in Halifax to Isham Mills by a deed proved 21 November 1836 and purchased land by deed proved 19 February 1838. He was permitted to carry his gun by order of the Halifax County court on 17 August 1841 [Minutes 1832-46].

ii. Drury², head of a Halifax County household of 11 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:148] and 6 in 1830.

iii. Heartwell, permitted to carry his gun by order of the Halifax County court on 17 August 1841.

iv. Jerry, born about 1803, permitted to carry his gun by order of the Halifax County court on 17 August 1841 [Minutes, 1832-46], a "Mulatto" counted in the 1860 Halifax County census with Louvenia, age 50. He had $264 real and $328 personal estate.

 

43.    Amey Going (Sarah, Agnes¹, Philip¹), born about 1770, was bound apprentice by the churchwardens of Trinity Parish in Louisa County on 9 January 1775 [Orders 1774-82, 42, 113; Judgments, 1773-April 1774, frames 1027-32]. She registered in Campbell County on 20 January 1802: Daughter of Sally Gowen of a yellowish Complexion, 5'2-3/4", 34 years old, yellow complection, born free [Gowin, Amey (F): Free Negro Certificate, 1802, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA; A Register of Free Negroes and Mulattoes, 3] and registered in Lynchburg on 8 July 1805: of yellowish complexion about thirty five years of age five feet high was born free in Louisa County [Free Negro Register, 1805-1813, no. 1]. She was the mother of

i. Isham, registered in Lynchburg on 6 September 1814: son of Amey Going a mulatto about 5 feet 8 and 3/4 inches high and twenty three years old last August born free [Free Negro Register, 1813-1843, no.45].

ii. Betsey, born 30 October 1800, registered in lynchburg on 6 May 1819: a free woman of Colour the daughter of Amey Going eighteen years of age the 30th of October 1818, black complexion five feet three inches high [Free Negro Register, 1813-1843, no.108].

iii. Jane, born 1 May 1801, registered in Lynchburg on 9 June 1819: a free woman of Colour the daughter of Amy Going 18 years of age the 1st May last five feet two and one half inches high born free [Free Negro Register, 1813-1843, no.110].

 

44.    James⁶ Going (Benjamin¹, Agnes¹, Philip¹), born about 1767, was taxable in Fredericksville Parish, Albemarle County, from 1792 to 1813: called "B.S." (Benjamin's son) starting in 1806; called a "Mula" in 1813 [PPTL, 1782-1799, frames 347, 419, 459, 555, 590; 1800-1813, frames 28, 160, 251, 344, 435, 522, 567]. He married Becky Ailstock, 2 December 1799 Albemarle County bond, Michael Ailstock bondsman. On 7 May 1801 the Albemarle County court ordered James and Benjamin Gowin to pay their debt of $23 to William Frailey, subject to a credit of $14.50 paid on 10 July 1800 [Orders 1800-1, 362]. He was head of a Albemarle County household of 8 "other free" in 1810 [VA:196]. He was a 66-year-old "Mulatto" farmer living on Buck Mountain in a list taken in Albemarle County in 1833 to determine possible emigrants to Liberia: listed with Tho^s (age 19), Fanny (16), Rebecca (13), Evelina (9) and Nelly Goin (48, housekeeper) [Albemarle 1833 Free Negroes and Mulattoes, African American Digital Collection, LVA]. In 1827 he purchased 123 acres in Albemarle County from the executors of his father's estate and made a deed of trust for this land to M. P. Walton. He sold 25 acres to A. Jones in 1834 and 102 acres to L. Dunn in 1844 [DB 26:277, 279; 31:314; 41:390]. He and Becky were the parents of

i.  Mary, born about 1805, married Willis Tate before 4 April 1831 when she obtained a certificate of freedom in Albemarle County: a woman of colour, aged twenty six years, five feet six and a quarter inches high, of light complexion. She registered again on 2 August 1833 after the passage of the "Not Negro" law: Mary Tate, wife of Willis Tate, Born free of Indian decent, her parents James Goins & Rebecca his wife both being free [Tate, Mary (F, 26); (F): Free Negro Register, 1833, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA]. Willis, born about 1799, was head of an Albemarle County household of 6 "free colored" in 1830, 10 in 1840 and a "Mulatto" counted with Mary Tate and their children in Concord, Highland County, Ohio, in 1850.

ii. Randolph, born 27 November 1814, registered in Albemarle County in August 1833: 19 years of age 27 Nov^r next, of Indian decent, six feet 3 inches tall, his parents both free James & Rebecca Goins [Goins, Randolph (M): Free Negro Register, 1833, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA]. (6)

iii. Francis, born 15 April 1817, registered in Albemarle County in August 1833: of Indian decent, Born free, her parents James & Rebeca Goins both being free [Goins, Frances (M): Free Negro Register, 1833, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

iv. ?Rebecca, born 20 May 1819, registered in Albemarle County in August 1833: 14 years of age 20 May last, of Indian decent, born free her parents James Goins & Agness his wife both free [Goins, Rebecca (F, 14): Free Negro Register, 1833, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

v. James, registered in Albemarle County on 3 August 1833: of Indian decent, born free as his parents James & Rebeca Goins are both free [Goins, James (M): Free Negro Register, 1833, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

vi. Fontain, registered in Albemarle County on 8 July 1833: a Coloured man of Indian decent, Raised in this Neighborhood and was born free as his parents James & Rebecca Goins were both born free [Goins, Fontain (M): Free Negro Affidavit, 1833, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA]. Fountain Gowens was head of a Hawkins County, Tennessee household of 1 "free colored" person in 1830.

 

Other members of the family in Albemarle County were

i. Rhoda, listed as a "Mula" in Fredericksville Parish, Albemarle County, in 1813 [PPTL, 1800-1813, frame 566].

ii. Sally, listed as a "Mula" in Fredericksville Parish, Albemarle County, in 1813 [PPTL, 1800-1813, frame 567].

iii. Elizabeth, head of a Albemarle County household of 6 "other free" in 1810 [VA:196].

iv. Joshua², born about 1798, purchased 115 acres in Albemarle County in 1833 [DB 30:485] and registered in Albemarle County on 20 July 1848: a Coloured man about fifty years of age is a Free man. I was acquainted with his Father and Mother. They were Free persons. Edmund Davis [Goins, Joshua (M, 50): Free Negro Affidavit, 1848, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

v. Hezekiah, born say 1790, taxable in Fredericksville Parish, Albemarle County, from 1810 to 1813 [PPTL, 1800-1813, frames 435, 567].

vi. Henderson, born about 1797, head of a Albemarle County household of 2 "free colored in 1820, 7 in 1840 and a "Mulatto" listed in the 1850 Albemarle County census with (wife) Agnes and children. He married Agnes Goings, 9 January 1832 Albemarle County bond, James Gowens surety. He registered in Albemarle County on 4 August 1851: age 51 years, 6 feet 1(?) inches high, light complexion [Gowen, Henderson (M, 51): Free Negro Register, 1851, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

vii. Thomas, born about 1805, registered in Albemarle County in February 1828: 6 feet 3/4 inches high, light complexion...a Coloured man about 23 years of age was raised in this neighborhood and is a Free man. I am acquainted with his Father and mother and they are free. Edmund Davis, Justice of the peace, Albemarle County. He registered again on 1 September 1851: a man of colour, born free, 46 years, six feet 3/4 inches high, Indian complexion [Going, Thomas (M, 23): Free Negro Register; Goen, Thomas (M, 46): Free Negro Register, 1851, African American Narrative Digital Collection, LVA].

 

Others counted in South Carolina in 1810 were

i. William Going, a "free Negroe," ordered to appear in Charles Town to answer a suit of trespass on the case for £54 in September 1719 [South Carolina Archives, William Wallace Judgment roll, Court of Common Pleas, Series S136002, box 14A, No. 187A].

ii. Edward Gowing, Sr., "Free negroe," purchased 200 acres on the branches of little River on the north side of the Broad River in Craven County, South Carolina, for £125 on 12 January 1770 by deed witnessed by William Morris and Jacob Gibson (signing) [DB K:373-6].

iii. Sarah, head of a Greenville District household of 4 "other free" [SC:567].

iv. Catherine, head of a Colleton District household of 7 "other free" [SC:626].

 

Others in Virginia were

i. John Goings, born say 1695, a "negro" servant of Roodolphus Malbone on 5 September 1716 when the Princess Anne County court ordered that he receive forty lashes on the complaint of Tully Smyth [Minutes 1709-17, 222].

ii.  William, taxable on 338 acres in Buckingham County from 1782 to 1789, called a "Mulatto" in 1788 and 1789 to distinguish him from another William Gowing who was taxable on 319 acres [Land Tax List, 1782-95, LVA].

iii. Raverly, enlisted in the 6^th Virginia Regiment and died in the army according to an affidavit by Lieutenant Bell of the regiment who was living in Charles City County on 21 March 1818. Freeman and James Brown of Charles City County deposed that Nancy Smith, wife of Michael Smith was the only heir of Raverly Going, deceased. She received land warrant no. 5484 for 100 acres and was living in Charles City County in 1808 [Revolutionary War Bounty Warrants, Going, Raverly, Digital Collections, LVA]. Raverly was apparently identical to David Going who was listed as deceased on 11 May 1778 in the 6^th Virginia Regiment commanded by Colonel John Gibson in 1778. John Bell was one of the lieutenants in that muster [M246, Roll 103, frame 485 of 756; http://fold3.com/image/9565261].

iv. Amy, mother of an illegitimate son Lewis Goings who was bound out by the Essex County court on 21 June 1784 [Orders 1784-7, 12].

v. Nancy, issued a certificate of freedom by the Essex County court on 20 March 1787 [Orders 1784-7, 311], perhaps the Nancy Going who registered in Middlesex County on 2 June 1802: born free; 46 years of age; 5'2-1/4"; yellow complexion [Register of Free Negroes 1800-60, p.15].

vi. William⁸, head of a Montgomery County household of 7 "other free" in 1810 [VA:661].

vii. Fanny, born about 1785, registered in Botetourt County on 3 February 1806: a Dark Mulatto, 5 feet four Inches, Born free, by 14th Augt. Certificate from Clk of Henrico [Free Negroes &c Registered in the Clerks Office of Botetourt County, no.7].

 

Those counted in Louisiana and Mississippi in 1810 were

i. Benjamin², head of a household of 4 "other free" in Opelousas [LA:316].

ii. Philip³, head of a household of 3 "other free" in Opelousas [LA:305].

iii. James⁷, head of a household of 3 "other free" in Opelousas [LA:305].

iv. Samuel, head of a Claiborne County, Mississippi household of 10 "free colored persons" in 1816 [State and Territorial Census, 1792-1866, ancestry.com].

 

Endnotes:

1.    Shirley Whatley was living in Shocco District of Granville County, North Carolina, in the 1762 list of Constable John Gibbs [NCGSJ XIII:107].

2.    Patrick County, Virginia, adjoins Stokes County, North Carolina.

3.    Although Fanny and Isham Going shared the Going name, the bride and groom were not necessarily closely related since the family was quite large by 1792.

4. In 1832 Virginia passed a law which imposed severe restrictions on free people of color, and then in March 1833 passed another law which provided exemptions for those who were considered neither white nor of color, to be classified as "Indian" [Acts Passed at a General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia, 1832-3, 51; Rothman, Notorious in the Neighborhood, Sex and Families across the Color Line in Virginia, 210-11].

 

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