STRINGER FAMILY
1. Elizabeth Stringer, born say 1673, was a (white) servant who was convicted by the Charles City County court in January 1690 of "having a bastard by a Negroe." Her master Edmund Irby agreed to pay her fine, and she completed [Orders 1687-95, 322]. She was probably the grandmother of
2 i. Dorothy, born say 1735.
ii. Jane, born say 1738, jailed in Craven County in 1760 with Dorothy Stringer, taxed in 1769 as a "Black" female in Craven County [SS 837.1].
2. Dorothy Stringer, born say 1735, was excused from paying tax by the 29 August 1755 Craven County, North Carolina court:
moved that Dorothy Stringer _____ Negro be excused from paying levies on account of their? Infirmity, It was ordered that she have a Certificate thereof to recommend to the Assembly accordingly [Haun, Craven County Court Minutes, IV:289].
She and Jane Stringer were committed to jail under suspicion of petty larceny but released by the Craven County court in October 1760 [Minutes 1758-61, 88b]. On 10 October 1761 she asked the court to bind her two young children Sall and Mingo as apprentices [Minutes 1761-62, 50a]. She was probably the "Free Doll of Handcocks Creek" who was ordered by the 17 March 1775 Craven County court to produce her children at the next court so they could be bound out as apprentices [Minutes 1772-84, 31c]. The court gave the same order twelve years later on 16 June 1787 when it called her Doll Stringer [Minutes 1786-87, 55a]. She was head of a Craven County household of 4 "other free" in 1790 [NC:130]. Her descendants were most likely
i. Robert, born say 1754, released from his indenture to Thomas Taylor by order of the Craven County court on 17 March 1775 (no race indicated) [Minutes 1772-8, 31d].
3 ii. Hezekiah1, born say 1757.
iii. Sall, born about 1758, three years old in 1761 when her mother bound her as an apprentice.
4 iv. Mingo, born July 1761.
v. Thomas, born say 1768, head of a Craven County household of 2 "other free" in 1790.
vi. George, born about 1770, head of a Craven County household of 2 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:77], 3 in 1830, 2 in 1840 and an 80-year-old "Black" brick mason counted in the 1850 census for New Berne with (wife?) Ann. He died before 16 June 1860 when Frederick J. Jones was awarded an inventory of his estate on $100 bond [North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/456868, film 5123396, image 612].
vii. William, born 1786-1796, head of a Craven County household of 3 "free colored" in 1820 (with a woman over 45) [NC:77], 1 in 1830 and 1 in 1840. He was described as a "colored man" in his 12 July 1847 Craven County will, proved in March 1857. He (signing) left his house and lot in New Bern to his aunt Keziah, then to her grandchildren Caroline and Judy. And he left half his personal estate to his brother George Stringer who he appointed executor [WB D:275]. A William Stringer was listed as an 82-year-old "Black" gardner in the 1850 Craven County census.
5 viii. Keziah, born about 1780.
ix. Barbara, born about 1780, a "Black" woman in Robert Stringer's Jones County household in 1850. Robert married Ann Howard, 20 April 1836 Craven County bond and was a 50-year-old "Black" carpenter in Jones County in 1850.
x. Catherine, born before 1786, head of a Craven County household of 8 "free colored" in 1840, perhaps the Catherine Stringer who married James Craven, 27 July 1816 Craven County bond, Caleb Simkins surety. James Craven, born before 1776, was head of a Craven County household of 9 "free colored" in 1820 but was not counted in the 1830 North Carolina census.
3. Hezekiah1 Stringer, born say 1757, enlisted for 12 months in Sharp's Company of the 10th North Carolina Regiment on 5 May 1781, left the service on 5 April 1782 and enlisted again in Coleman's Company for 18 months in 1782 [Clark, The State Records of North Carolina, XVI:1163]. He was in Craven County on 20 March 1787 when he registered his furlough papers before the justice of the peace. His papers, dated 26 May 1783, granted him a leave of absence from the 1st North Carolina Regiment until his final discharge [NCGSJ XVI:238]. He was called Kiah Stringer in 1800, head of a New Hanover County household of 5 "other free" [NC:316]. The September 1807 Craven County court bound out his children John and Dale. He was granted administration on the Craven County estate of Morris Stringer on 14 December 1814 with Brandham Edwards and William Dove as bondsmen [North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/456868, film 5123396, image 615]. He was the father of
i. John, born about 1798.
ii. Dale, born about 1799.
4. Mingo Stringer, born about July 1761, was brought to the Craven County court by his mother to be bound as an apprentice in October 1761 [Minutes, 1761-62, 50a]. He served in Sharp's Company of the 10th North Carolina Regiment between 5 May 1781 and 5 April 1782 [Clark, State Records, XVI:1166]. He purchased 100 acres on the south side of the Neuse River near Long Creek in Craven County from William George and made a quit claim deed to return the property to him on 2 October 1784 for £5 because he had not served in the Revolution for him as promised [DB 24:284; 26:5]. Mingo was head of a Craven County household of 2 "other free" in 1790 [NC:131]. He purchased the northern half of lot 458 on Norwood Street in the town of New Bern for $75 on 2 May 1826 [DB 44:443]. He may have been the father of
i. Morris, deceased by 14 December 1814 when Hezekiah Stringer was granted administration of his Craven County estate.
5. Keziah Stringer, born about 1780, was the mother of Hezekiah Stringer who was bound out by the Craven County court in September 1807. She received the New Bern house of her nephew William Stringer by his 12 July 1847 Craven County will [WB D:275] and was a 70-year-old "Black" woman counted in the 1850 Craven County census with 30-year-old (granddaughter) Jane Richardson. She was the mother of
i. Hezekiah2, born about 1800.
SUNKET FAMILY
1. Elishe Sunket, born say 1735, was the mother of several children bound out by the Northampton County, Virginia court. They were
i. Fanny, born in January 1757, bound to Laban Belote by the court on 10 August 1762, no race indicated, called a "Negro" when she was bound to Anne Belote on 10 April 1764 [Minutes 1761-5, 37, 110].
ii. Tabitha, born in May 1759, an Indian bound to Reubin Giddings on 9 November 1762, no parent named [Minutes 1761-5, 44].
iii. ?Sarah, born say 1760, presented by the court for bastard bearing on 9 November 1779, perhaps the mother of Richard Sunket, born in January 1781, who was bound to John Stott on 11 January 1792 [Minutes 1777-83, 207; Orders 1789-95, 184].
iv. Brit, born in January 1762, Indian son of Elishe Sunket, bound by the court to Benjamin Dixon on 12 August 1766 and bound to Sarah Dixon on 13 January 1772 [Minutes 1765-71, 27; 1771-7, 54].
v. Nanny, daughter of Elishe Sunket, bound to John Stott on 13 January 1772 [Minutes 1771-7, 29].
vi. ?Caleb, kept by William Abdell on 18 November 1776 when the Hungar's Parish Vestry paid for his support [Hungar's Parish Record 1758-82, 56].
vii. ?Peter, bound until the age of twenty-one by the vestry of Hungar's Parish to John Lewis Fulwell on 23 November 1778 [Hungar's Parish Record 1758-82, 63].
viii. ?Kizza, counted in a list of "Free Negroes and mulattoes" above the age of 16 in Williamsburg in 1813 [PPTL, 1783-1815, frame 462].
SWAN FAMILY
1. Ann Wall, born say 1670, an English woman, was presented by the Elizabeth City County court on 29 September 1693 for "keeping company with the negro man under pretense of marriage," and on 18 May 1694 she was presented for "having a bastard child begotten (by a) Negro." On 19 August 1695 she was presented for having a "Mulatto" child "begotten by a Negro," and on 30 December 1695 the court bound her for five years and her two "mulatto" children until the age of thirty years to Peter Hobson (of Norfolk County). The court also ordered that she be banished to Barbados if she ever returned to Elizabeth City County [Orders 1692-99, 19, 38, 69, 70, 72, 78]. She was called Ann Wall alias Swann on 19 June 1713 when William Roe sued her in Norfolk County court. And she was called Ann Swann in Norfolk County court in October 1711 when she sued John Holowell because he planned to transport her "Molato" son Thomas Swann to North Carolina where Thomas' master, Lyonell Reding, was then living. Ann was worried that he would be sold as a slave. On 20 February 1712/3 the court ordered that Thomas be hired out until Reding gave security that he would not remove the boy from Norfolk County. But on 18 October 1713 the court allowed Reding to take Thomas to North Carolina after he posted bond that he would release him from his indenture when he reached the age of thirty years. On 15 May 1713 Ann sued John Corprew in Norfolk County court, claiming that her son John Swan had been bound apprentice before passage of the law (in 1691) which bound mixed-race children of white women to the age of thirty years. However, the court ruled that he serve the full thirty years after viewing a copy of the Elizabeth City County order [Orders 1710-17, 18, 22, 46, 48, 56, 62, 71]. Ann's children were
i. John Swan, born about 1692, a six-year-old "mollato boy, his mother English" who was valued at £8 in the 12 October 1697 inventory of Peter Hobson's Princess Anne County estate [DB 1:146]. He was about twenty-one years old on 20 November 1713 when he petitioned the Norfolk County court for his freedom from John Corprew, released from service on 20 July 1722 when he and "Ann Wall his mother" successfully sued for his freedom. On 13 June 1725 the court ordered that he be whipped for hog stealing, on 15 May 1730 he was presented by the grand jury for not attending church, and in 1730 he was taxable in Norfolk County in the precinct from Sugg's Mill to Great Bridge but did not appear again in Norfolk County records [Orders 1710-17, 74; 1719-22, 47-8; 1723-34, 39, 109; Wingo, Norfolk County Tithables, 1730-50, 2].
ii. Thomas Swan, born say 1695.
SWEAT FAMILY
1. Robert1 Sweat, born say 1623, was one of thirteen persons that Lieutenant Robert Sheppard claimed as transportation rights in his patent of 26 July 1638 for 650 acres on Lower Chippokes Creek in the part of James City County which became Surry County in 1652 [Patents 1:584-5, http://virginiamemory.com/collections, Virginia Land Office Patents]. He was made to do public penance during divine service at James City Church, James City Parish on 17 October 1640 because he
hath begotten with Child a negro woman servant belonging unto Lieutenant Sheppard [Minutes of the Council (Robinson's Notes), 30, Virginia Historical Society Mss 5:9R5613].
The "negro woman servant" may not have been a slave. The courts also referred to indentured white servants as belonging to their masters. She may have been Margaret Cornish. See further the Cornish History. Perhaps their children were
i. Robert Cornish, born say 1640.
2 ii. William1, born about 1642.
2. William1 Sweat, born about 1642, was about twenty-five years old on 3 March 1667/8 when he made a deposition in Surry County court about two horses which belonged to his master Thomas Binns. He testified that he had seen one of the horses at James City while travelling with Captain John Groves. He claimed payment in court in March 1671 for looking after Susan Robinson's horses [DW&c, 1, 1652-1672, 307-8; Orders 1671-91, 2; Haun, Surry Court Records II:305; III:2]. He was about thirty-seven years old on 4 November 1674 when he deposed that he had marked a foal and delivered it to William Smith for the use of his child on order of John Dunstone [DW&c, 2, 1671-84, 67]. He was taxable in Francis Mason's Surry County household in Lower Chipoakes, Lawnes Creek Parish, in 1674 and 1675, taxable from 1680 to 1684 in Thomas Binns's household, and taxable in his own household from 1685 to 1703: with (his son?) Robert Sweat in 1694 and with (his son?) William, Jr., in Southwarke Parish from 1698 to 1703 [DW 4:218a, 5:12a, 22b, 60b, 109b, 121a, 136a, 151a, 190a, 193b, 210a, 238b, 256b, 289b]. He was not listed from 1676 to 1679, perhaps one of seven unnamed "Negroes" listed with Thomas Binns in Francis Mason's household in 1677 and one of five unnamed "Negroes" in Thomas Binns's household in 1679 [Magazine of Virginia Genealogy, vol.22, no.3, 59, 66]. His wife was probably Margaret Swett who made a claim for wages of 375 pounds of tobacco against the estate of John Whitson on 6 May 1679 which claim was granted to William Swett on 5 September 1679. He was granted 842 pounds of tobacco as judgment in a suit against John Phillips, Jr., on 5 January 1685/6, granted 365 pounds of tobacco in his suit against Thomas Binns on 2 March 1685/6, granted 415 pounds of tobacco in his suit against the estate of Joseph Malden on 5 January 1688/9, and granted a cow and a calf in his suit against Thomas Deerhim on 7 November 1691. He was ordered to pay Robert Caufield 772 pounds of tobacco in December 1687 and 1,131 pounds of tobacco on 5 July 1692. In July 1694 the Surry court ruled that his unnamed, free born "Mallatto" daughter was not tithable. In September 1696 he and Anthony Cornish were security for Margaret Sweat's administration on the estate of Robert Sweat. In December 1711 he was exempted from payment of public tax because of old age [Haun, Surry Court Records, III: 250, 278; IV:504, 510, 691; V:15; IV:589; V:43, 108, 168; VI:176]. William's children were probably
3 i. Robert2, born say 1670.
4 ii. William2, Jr., born say 1676.
5 iii. Eve, born say 1678.
3. Robert2 Sweat, born say 1670, was taxable in Francis Mason's household from 1686 to 1693. He and John Warwick were called "Jno & Robt. Mula[ttos" in Mason's household in 1687, and he was listed as one of Francis Mason's "negroes" in 1692. He was tithable in his own household adjacent to William Sweat in 1695 [DW 4:218a, 281b, 5:60b]. He was listed in a 3 January 1687/8 Surry County muster. He died before September 1696 when William Sweat and Anthony Cornish were security for Margaret Sweat's administration on his estate [Haun, Surry Court Records V:621, 168]. Margaret was probably his widow, called Margaret Swett, the younger, in 1696 when she was presented by the churchwardens of Southwarke Parish for fornication [DW 5:94]. By May 1697 Margaret was married to John Kicotan when they were ordered to present an account of the estate of Robert Sweat's orphan, Cornish Sweat [Haun, Surry Court Records, V:185, 192, 196]. They presented the account, totalling 2,930 pounds of tobacco, on 6 July 1697 [DW 5:128]. See the Tann history. Robert2's child was
6 i. Cornish, born say 1690.
4. William2 Sweat, born say 1676, was taxable in Surry County from 1698 to 1703 in William Sweat, Sr.'s household. He produced an account against the public for 50 pounds of tobacco in Surry County court on 21 October 1713 [Orders 1713-18, 14]. In December 1722 he was paid 9 shillings and Margaret Jeffries was paid 17 shillings by the estate of Samuel Thompson, deceased. William paid the estate 4 barrels and 2 bushels of corn as his rent [DW 7:456-8]. He was sued for a debt in Surry County in February 1744/45, and the court attached his household items when it was reported that he had left the county [Orders 1744-49, 24]. In September 1746 James Johnson sued him for a 34 shilling debt in Charles City County, and in December 1746 he and Edward Broadnax each posted a £20 bond that he would keep the peace towards William Snukes. He confessed in Charles City County in August 1747 that he owed Francis Dancy £5 [Orders 1737-51, 425, 429, 445, 450]. On 9 June 1748 the Isle of Wight County court ordered that he be exempt from paying levies because of his great age and infirmity [Orders 1746-52, 106]. He was married to Margaret Jeffries by 8 November 1753 when they, Margaret's daughter Margaret Jeffries, and Francis Locus and his wife Hannah lost their right to 190 acres on the north side of the Meherrin River in Southampton County in a dispute with Arthur Taylor heard at the Council of Virginia [Hall, Executive Journals of the Council, V:448]. Margaret Sweat was living in Southampton County on 12 June 1755 when the court exempted her from paying levies [Orders 1754-9, 94]. He may have been the father of
7 i. William3, born say 1700.
8 ii. Robert3, born say 1707.
5. Eve Sweat, born say 1678, may have been the unnamed "Mulatto" daughter of William Sweat who the court ruled was not tithable in 1694. She was reported to have left the county when the Surry County grand jury presented her in July 1705 for bearing a bastard child. She appeared before the court in March 1705/6, confessed her crime, but refused to pay the fine and received "correction" (a whipping). She was apparently the common-law wife of a slave since she was presented for the same crime again on 2 May 1710 and admitted in February 1710/11 that the father of her child was Dick, the slave of William Harris [Haun, Surry Court Records VI:268, 276, 342, 357; DW&c 6:15]. Her descendants may have been
9 i. John 1, born say 1730.
10 ii. Hannah, born say 1750.
iii. Elizabeth, born say 1770, married Lewis Pettiford, 2 January 1788 Granville County bond, Elias Pettiford bondsman.
6. Cornish Sweat, born say 1690, was called Corney Sweet in Isle of Wight County on 17 July 1740 when he and his wife Lucy recorded the birth of their son Robert Sweet [Old Parish Register of Newport Parish, 183]. On 11 August 1748 he was one of the freeholders of Isle of Wight County who were ordered to work on the road from Days's Neck Road near Thomas Day's over Wakefield Run to Hogpen Point. On 3 July 1760 he confessed that he owed James Ridley, executor of William Hogsden, £9.11 [Orders 1746-52, 115, 158]. Administration of his Isle of Wight County estate was granted to William Sweat on 7 May 1767 [Orders 1764-8, 402]. His children were
11 i. ?William4, born say 1721.
ii. Robert4, born 17 July 1740.
iii. Barnet, born say 1741, listed in the 8 October 1759 to 10 January 1760 muster roll of Captain James McGirrt's Company in the South Carolina Regiment in the Cherokee Expedition [Clark, Colonial Soldiers of the South, 883]. He may have been the Barney Sweet who was listed among the "Black" members of the undated colonial muster roll of Captain James Fason's Company of Northampton County, North Carolina [N.C. Archives Troop Returns, 1-3]. He was head of a Camden District, Richland County, South Carolina household of 7 whites in 1790 [SC:26].
7. William3 Sweat, born say 1700, was married to Martha Cawze by 11 December 1735 when the baptism of their three-year-old "Natural Son" William Sweat was recorded in the register of the Parish of Prince Frederick Winyaw in South Carolina [NSCDA, Register Book For Parish of Prince Frederick Winyaw, 42]. Their children were
12 i. William6, born about 1732.
ii. ?Thomas, born say 1738, listed in the muster of Captain Alexander McKintosh's Company of Colonel Gabriel Powell's Battalion in the expedition against the Cherokees from 11 October 1759 to 15 January 1760, in the same list as Winslow Driggers [Clark, Colonial Soldiers of the South, 929]. He was a "Mulato" taxable in Bladen County, North Carolina, in 1768 and 1769 and taxable in the household of Ann Perkins in 1771 [Byrd, Bladen County Tax Lists, I:8, 17, 60]. He was granted 150 acres on the north side of the Pee Dee River in Craven County, South Carolina, on 28 July 1775 [SC Archives S213019, 37:390], and was in the list of Captain Robert Lide's Company of Volunteer Militia who signed a petition to the Council of Safety of South Carolina on 9 October 1775.
8. Robert3 Sweat, born say 1707, was sued in Goochland County for trespass by James Taylor in June 1729 [Orders 1728-30, 114, 123] and was living on the northeast side of the Black River in South Carolina on 19 July 1736 when Alexander Nesbitt recorded a plat for land adjoining his [S.C. Archives Alphabetical Index 9-003-0003-00333-02]. He was granted 100 acres on Wilkerson Swamp near the Little Pee Dee River on 23 December 1754 on the South Carolina line in what was called Anson County but was later part of Bladen County, North Carolina, and became Robeson County in 1787 [Hoffman, Land Patents, I:340]. This land adjoined land of Joshua Perkins and was sold by Philip Chavis on 21 November 1768 [Bladen DB 23:104-5, 424-5]. Robert may have been the father of
i. Margaret/ Peggy, born say 1728, living in Chesterfield County, Virginia, on 6 December 1751 when the court ordered the churchwardens to bind out her unnamed son [Orders 1749-54, 159]. She was head of a Williamsburg City household of 4 persons in 1782 [VA:46].
13 ii. William5, born say 1730.
iii. Anthony1, born say 1741, listed in the muster roll of Captain John McCant's Company of Colonel Gabriel Powell's Battalion of South Carolina Militia from 11 October 1759 to 15 January 1760 in the Cherokee Expedition [Clark, Colonial Soldiers of the South, 895, 925]. He purchased land by deed proved in South Carolina between 1766 and 1767 and sold land in South Carolina by deed proved between 1771 and 1772 [Lucas, Index to Deeds of South Carolina, F-3:305, Y-3:418]. He may have been the father of Anthony Sweat whose 29 October 1813 Marion County will was proved 27 November the same year. He left land, slaves, and $1,000 worth of cattle to his children [WB 1:90-1].
9. John1 Sweet/ Sweat, born say 1730, was listed in the Edgecombe County Muster Roll of Captain William Haywood in the 1750s, at the end of the list with Cannon Cumber (Cumbo) and Joseph Cheavers (Chavis) [N.C. Archives Troop Returns, Box 1, folder 7, p. 6]. He purchased a lot of books and an old table from the Brunswick County, Virginia estate of Matthew Parham, deceased, before 24 January 1758 [DB 3:235]. He was a "Mulato" taxable in 1769 in the Bladen County household of Aaron Odam, who was also in the Edgecombe County Militia in the 1750s: in the list of Captain Jacob Whitehead [Byrd, Bladen County Tax Lists, I:15; TR, Box 1, folder 7, p.3]. Perhaps Sarah Swett, a taxable "Molato" in Bladen County in 1770 with (their son?) James Sweet, was his widow [Byrd, Bladen County Tax Lists, I:35]. She was taxable on 50 acres in District 10 of Halifax County, North Carolina, in 1782 [GA 46.1] and 20 acres in 1783 (the year William Sweat was taxable on 20 acres in the same district [GA 64.1], perhaps identical to Sarah Scott/ Schot who gave a cow, a calf, and household furniture to Abraham Swett and Bay Moore on 16 August (no year) for maintaining her for the rest of her life by deed proved in November 1793 Halifax County court [DB 17:593]. John and Sarah may have been the parents of
i. James2, born say 1756, a "Molato" taxable in Sarah Sweet's household in Bladen County in 1770 and a "Mulato" taxable in Aaron Odam's household in 1772 [Byrd, Bladen County Tax Lists, I:35, 80]. He was head of an Onslow County household of 6 "other free" in 1790 [NC:197], called J. Swett when he was head of a Brunswick County, North Carolina household of 10 "other free" in 1810 [NC:238].
14 ii. William7, born say 1756.
15 iii. Abraham, born say 1758.
iv. Alley, married Exum Scott according to her application for his pension for Revolutionary War service [http://fold3.com/image/14643517].
v. Daniel, served in the Revolution from North Carolina [N.C. Archives, State Treasurer Record Group, Military Papers, Revolutionary War Army Accounts, 19:288].
vi. John, served in the Revolution from North Carolina [N.C. Archives, State Treasurer Record Group, Military Papers, Revolutionary War Army Accounts, J:211; VI:15, Folio 2].
vii. Leonard, served in the Revolution from North Carolina [N.C. Archives, State Treasurer Record Group, Military Papers, Revolutionary War Army Accounts, J:211; VI:15, Folio 2; http://archives.ncdcr.gov/doc/search-doc].
16 viii. George2, born say 1760.
17 ix. Allen, born about 1765.
10. Hannah Sweat, born say 1740, was the common-law wife of William Brooks who named her and his son William Swett in his 9 May 1788 Southampton County will which was proved on 9 October 1788. Brooks gave her an equal right with her son William Sweat to the land and plantation whereon he was then living during her lifetime and also gave her £5. Hannah Sweat was paid 7 shillings by the Southampton County estate of William Vaughan, deceased, in 1795 and £1.17 for pork on 4 January 1797 [WB 4:276; 5:237, 301]. She was the mother of
18 i. William Swett, born say 1772.
11. William4 Sweat, born say 1721, was granted administration of the Isle of Wight County estate of Cornish Sweat on 6 August 1767. He may have been the father of
i. Anthony2, born say 1757, purchased 140 acres in Meherrin Parish, Brunswick County, Virginia, on 25 July 1777 [DB 13:63]. He was in the roll of Captain Bynum's Company of North Carolina Militia taken on 7 April 1781 [NARA, M246, http://fold3.com/image/10202465]. On 14 April 1785 he was sued for debt in Southampton County with Joshua Harris as his security. Harris had to pay the £2.15 debt because Anthony was not an inhabitant of the county [Orders 1784-8, 63]. He was taxable in Meherrin Parish from 1782 to 1787 [PPTL 1782-98, frames 24, 63, 93, 136, 206] and taxable in Greensville County from 1788 to 1801 [PPTL 1782-1850, frames 68, 112, 141, 181, 206, 235, 262, 277]. He voted in Greensville County on 26 April 1792. He and his wife Peggy sold 50 acres in Greensville County on the south side of Jordan's Road on the Halifax Road to William Sweat on 13 October 1800, and they sold 91 acres in Greensville County for £91 on 10 October 1801 [DB 1:451; 2:632; 3:63].
19 ii. William9, born say 1760.
iii. James3, born say 1765, living alone in Dupree's District, Northampton County, North Carolina, in 1786, counted as a "black" person 12-50 years old. He married Patience Read, "daughter of John and Sarah Reed," 3 March 1790 Southampton County bond, David Reed surety, and was the executor of the 23 August 1790 Southampton County will of her father John Read [WB 5:58]. He was taxable in Southampton County from 1788 to 1814: listed in John Francis's household in 1788, taxable on a horse in 1790 and 1793, listed in Willie Francis's household in 1794, taxable on a horse in 1798 and 1799, a "Mulatto" taxable from 1805 to 1812, not listed with a wife in 1813 and 1814 [PPTL 1782-92, frames 659, 768, 884; 1792-1806, frames 62, 170, 279, 391, 852; 1807-21, frames 78, 201, 326, 425]. He purchased 341/4 acres from Willie Francis in Southampton County in the Spring Branch adjoining Francis's land on 10 July 1794 for £30, sold slave Aggy, a bay mare, cow and calf and his stock of hogs for £30 on 1 January 1795, and he and his wife Patience sold 341/4 acres to Willie Francis on 17 August 1798 for £37.13 [DB 8:91-2, 189, 672-3].
12. William6 Sweat, born about 1732, was baptized in Prince Frederick Winyaw Parish in South Carolina on 11 December 1735. He purchased land by deed recorded in South Carolina between 1757 and 1758 and sold this land by deed recorded during the same period [Lucas, Index to Deeds of South Carolina, S-S:343, 346]. He married Lucy Turbeville before 23 July 1763 when he was named as executor and son-in-law of John Turbeville who named his daughter Lucy Sweat and grandson Nathan Sweat in his Craven County, South Carolina will (which was proved 3 August the same year) [WB RR:55]. According to the Rev. Alexander Gregg, Rector of St. David's Church in Cheraw, South Carolina, William was the father of Nathan, James and William Sweat [Gregg, History of the Old Cheraws, 101, 311, 312]. William's children were
i. Nathan, born say 1753, listed in Captain Robert Lide's Company of Volunteer Militia who signed a petition to the Council of Safety of South Carolina on 9 October 1775. He was head of a Beaufort District, South Carolina household 6 whites in 1790 [SC:11].
ii. James1, born say 1755, head of a Beaufort District, South Carolina household of 10 whites and a slave in 1790 [SC:11]. He was listed in the payrolls of Captain Uriah Goodwyn's company of the 3rd South Carolina Regiment from March 1779 to November 1779 [M246, Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783, http://fold3.com/image/967940, 967941 viewed on 2 January 2008].
iii. William8, born say 1757, received a grant for 150 acres on Three Creeks in Craven County, South Carolina, on 16 July 1772 and was listed in Captain Robert Lide's Company of Volunteer Militia who signed a petition to the Council of Safety of South Carolina on 9 October 1775. He was head of a Beaufort District, South Carolina household of 6 whites in 1790 [SC:11].
13. William5 Sweat, born say 1730, was a "Mulato" taxable in Bladen County on himself and son Benjamin in 1768 and taxable on himself and son George in 1772 [Byrd, Bladen County Tax Lists, I:7, 82]. He was one of the "free Negors and Mullatus living upon the Kings Land" in "A List of the Mob Raitously Assembled together in Bladen County" on 13 October 1773: Ephraim, William, George, and Benjamin Sweat [G.A. 1773, Box 7]. He received a patent for 100 acres "in Bladen or Anson County" on the northeast of Leith's Creek on 6 March 1775 [Hoffman, Land Patents, II:212], perhaps the William Sweat who was head of a Greenville County, South Carolina household of 5 "other free" in 1800 [SC:275]. He was the father of
i. Benjamin, born say 1750, taxable in his father's household in 1768, taxable in 1772 in the Bladen County household of Benjamin Dees (who was counted as white) [Byrd, Bladen County Tax Lists, I:7, 78]. He was taxable on 1 poll in Bladen County in Captain John Cades' District in 1784 [GA 64.1] and counted as white in Orangeburg District, South Carolina, in 1790: head of a household of 1 male over 16, 4 under 16, and 7 females in 1790 [SC:96]. He was living near Richard Groom and William Groom, also counted as white, who were listed with Benjamin as "free Negors and Mullatus" in Bladen County in 1773 [G.A. 1773, Box 7].
ii. George1, born say 1753, a Bute County, North Carolina taxable in 1771 in the list of William Person in John Coggin's household, and taxable in his father's Bladen County household in 1772 [Byrd, Bladen County Tax Lists, I:82]. He was probably one of two George Sweats who were heads of "other free" households in Halifax County, North Carolina, in 1790 [NC:62, 66].
20 iii. ?Ephraim, born say 1755.
iv. ?Gilbert, born about 1756, taxable in Washington County, Tennessee, in 1788 [Tennessee Ancestors 5:37] and head of a Burke County, North Carolina household of 4 whites in 1790 [NC:108]. On 7 June 1797 he purchased 313 acres in Greenville County, South Carolina, on a branch of the Saluda River. On 12 August 1799 he sold 50 acres in Greenville on Brush Creek of Reedy River and on 13 February 1800 sold 213 acres on both sides of Reedy Creek including Laughenties Shoals for $430 [DB D:388; E:331; F:311] and was head of a Greenville County household of 5 whites in 1800 [SC:264]. By 1806 he was involved in a lawsuit in Opelousas, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana. He was head of a Opelousas household of 3 "other free" and a slave in 1810 [LA:325] and 5 "free colored" in 1820. On 20 January 1817 he and Peter McDaniel recorded a survey for 1,354 acres on the waters of Bayou Chicot in St. Landry Parish. He recorded patent certificate no.504 on 27 April 1830 in St. Landry Parish for a tract of 508 acres on the right bank of the Bayou Chicot based on a survey which he had filed 9 July 1811 [Wise, Sweat Families of the South, 12-17]. The story of his travels was recorded in a 21 August 1829 St. Landry Parish court case in which his wife's daughter by a previous marriage sued him for her share of his deceased wife's estate. Joshua Perkins, testifying on his behalf, deposed that Gilbert was born in what was by then Marion County, South Carolina, about 1756 (73 or 74 years old on 25 May 1830). About the year 1777 Joshua helped him to run away with Frances Smith, the wife of John Barney Taylor, who left her husband because he was mistreating her. Gilbert moved from South Carolina to Tennessee, to North Carolina, to Big Black River, Mississippi, and arrived in Louisiana about 1804 with a slave named Dick and a mare. Another deponent, George Nelson, testified that he knew Gilbert on Reedy River near the iron works in Greenville County, South Carolina, went with him to Tennessee, and lived in the same house or neighborhood with him for thirty years. Aaron Dial deposed that he remembered seeing him and his brother Ephraim Sweat at the iron works, moved with him to Tennessee, and that James Graves lived with him until he married [Parish of St. Landry, case no.1533]. Gilbert died on 25 May 1830 according to the petition to the St. Landry Parish Probate Court of his brother Ephraim who stated that he was the only heir of Gilbert who died leaving a considerable amount of property which consisted of lands, slaves, horses and cattle [Wise, Sweat Families of the South, 15-17].
v. ?David,, born about 1760, enlisted in Shepard's Company of the 10th North Carolina Regiment on 12 July 1777 for 3 years [Clark, The State Records of North Carolina, XVI:1159; NARA, M246, http://fold3.com/image/10201146]. He was about 60 years old on 27 September 1820 when he appeared in Robeson County court and applied for a pension for his service in the Revolution. He testified that he enlisted for 3 years on 12 July 1777 in the company commanded by Captain Abraham Shepherd in the 10th Regiment and served his time. He was a laborer with no family at the time [NARA, S.42031, M804, http://fold3.com/image/18487125, accessed 20 October 2015].
vi. ?William, born before 1776, head of a Marlboro County, South Carolina household of 5 "free colored" in 1820.
14. William7 Sweat, born say 1756, enlisted in Eaton's Company of the 3rd North Carolina Regiment on 20 April 1776 and was discharged on 20 October 1778. He was in the roll of Major Hardy Murfree's Company in the 2nd North Carolina Battalion commanded by Colonel John Patton at White Plains on 9 September 1778 [Clark, The State Records of North Carolina, XIII:522; XVI:1154; NARA, M246, roll 79, frame 115 of 323; http://fold3.com/image/10199976]. He was taxable in District 10 of Halifax County, North Carolina, in 1782 [GA 46.1], taxable on 20 acres in 1783 [GA 64.1] and head of a household of 1 free male and 3 females in District 8 of Halifax County for the 1786 state census. He received a 640 acre grant for his services in the Revolution [Franklin County DB 6:89]. He was the father of
i. Nancy, born December 1792, called the orphan of William Sweat, deceased, on 20 May 1799 when she was bound to James Conner in Halifax County court [Minutes 1799-1802, 23].
15. Abraham Sweat, born say 1758, owed £8.10 to the estate of Joseph Jordan, Gentleman, of Bertie County on 1 August 1776 [North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/456755]. He served in Raiford's Company of the 10th North Carolina Regiment between 25 April 1781 and 25 April 1782 [Clark, State Records, XVI:1162]. He purchased 282 acres in Halifax County by deeds of 5 August 1782, 3 September 1782, 31 May 1784, February 1793 and 1 March 1802 [DB 15:70, 75, 222; 17:492; 19:68]. He was head of a Halifax County household of 3 male and 5 female free persons in the 1786 state census for District 8 and was taxable on 250 acres and 4 free polls in Halifax County in 1790. He was head of a Halifax County household of 5 "other free" in 1790 [NC:62], 6 in 1800 [NC:344], and 4 in 1810 [NC:50]. His 10 December 1819 Halifax County will was proved in May 1820. He gave his friend, Richard H. Crowell, 273 acres and gave his grandchild John Langston of Virginia, son of Judah, half his estate and the other half to be divided among the heirs of Lucy Cook if they were still living. His estate consisted of 4 horses, 17 head of cattle, 25 pigs and several other farm and household items [WB 3:653]. He was probably the father of
i. Judy, married Gideon Langston, a Pamunkey Indian in King William County, Virginia.
ii. Lucy, married a member of the Cook family, perhaps John Cook who was taxable on 2 horses but not his own tithe in King William County in 1794 [PPTL 1784-1811].
16. George2 Sweat, born say 1760, received £27 as his final pay for serving in the North Carolina Continental Line in the Revolution [Clark, State Records, XVII:250]. He was taxable on 1 free poll in Halifax County, North Carolina, in 1790 and head of a Halifax County household of 4 "other free" in 1790 [NC:62]. He was deceased by 18 November 1799 when the Halifax County court ordered two of his children bound to (his brother?) Abram Sweat [Minutes 1799-1802, 62]. Perhaps his widow was Delilah Sweat, head of a Halifax County household of 4 "other free" in 1810 [NC:50]. George's children bound out in 1799 were
i. Nancy, born about 1788.
ii. George3, born about 1791.
17. Allen Sweat, born about 1766, was head of a household of a free male and 2 free females in the state census in District 10 of Halifax County, North Carolina, in 1786. He married Nancy Evans, 7 January 1792 Wake County bond, Reuben Evans surety and was taxable in Henry King's list for Wake County on 100 acres in 1794 and taxable on 1 poll in 1799 and 1802 [CR 099.701.1 (microfilm), frames 151, 228, 254]. He was about fifty-two years old on 7 June 1818 when he made a declaration in Wake County court to obtain a pension. He stated that he enlisted in Halifax County about 1782. He testified again on 4 October 1820 stating that he was about 55 and his wife Nancy was about 48. Exum Scott testified that he had known him since his infancy when he lived on Exum's plantation in Roanoke. Francis Jones testified that "he was well acquainted with Allen Swett, knows he served in the 15th Regiment...left the said Swett in the said service, who this deponent left the army in the capacity of Servant to an Officer." Allen later moved to McNairy County, Tennessee, where his wife received a survivor's pension. She testified that they were married on 28 January 1792 and her husband died 29 March 1844. Dollarson Swett, aged 47, testified on 29 April 1845 that Nancy Swett was Nancy Evins before her marriage in Wake County, North Carolina [NARA, W.16, M804-2332]. He was counted as white in the 1840 Mcnairy County, Tennessee census. His children living with him in Wake County in 1820 were
i. John2, born about 1802.
ii. Hezekiah, born about 1806.
iii. Terrell, born about 1808.
iv. Cary, born about 1810.
v. Aggy, born about 1813.
vi. Candis, born about 1815.
vii. Hillsmon, born about 1818.
18. William10 Swett, born say 1772, received the land and plantation whereon his father William Brooks was living when Brooks made his 9 May 1788 Southampton County will which was proved on 9 October 1788. On 13 July 1789 he chose Thomas Holladay as his guardian in Southampton County court [WB 4:276; Orders 1784-8, 483]. He was probably identical to William S. Brooks who was taxable in Southampton County in 1789 [PPTL 1782-9, frames 704, 754]. He sold 190 acres adjoining William Killeygrew's land (which was the land his father William Brooks patented on 20 May 1742) to William Vaughan for £55 on 10 December 1789 [DB 7:289-90]. And he was probably the William Sweat who was taxable in King William County, Virginia, from 1788 to 1815: taxable on 2 horses in 1793, taxable on his own tithe and 2 horses while living on the Pamunkey Indian Reservation from 1797 to 1800, not listed in 1801 and 1802, taxable on 3 horses in 1803, a "Mulatto" taxable on 2 horses in 1813 and 1814 [PPTL 1782-1811; 1812-50]. He was in the "free coloured" charter roll of the Lower College Baptist Church in 1791 [Colosse Baptist Church Records, 1814-1834, 43]. He was apparently married to an Indian woman while he was resident on the reservation. His widow may have been Joanna Sweat who was the executrix of the estate of William Gunn on 27 May 1822 when she sued his debtors in King William County court [Account book of lawyer Herbert Augustine Claiborne, LVA, cited by VGSQ 30:254]. William Gunn may have been Joanna's brother, and they may have been children of Lewis Gunn, a Pamunkey Indian, who was taxable on 2 slaves in the Indian Town in 1787 [PPTL 1782-1832]. She was head of a King William County household of 4 "free colored" and 2 slaves in 1830. She was about fifty-five when she testified on 30 June 1837 in King William County that she was well acquainted with Jane Collins, widow of John Collins who was a soldier in the Revolution [NARA, W.6736, M804, roll 0613, http://fold3.com/image/12862003]. William and Joannah may have been the parents of
i. Minerva, born about 1803, in the list of Free Negroes and Mulattoes" for King William County in 1833 [A List of free Negroes and Mulattoes in the County of King William for the year 1833, African American Digital Collection, LVA]. a member of the Lower College Baptist Church from the "Indian Island" about 1835 [Colosse Baptist Church Records, ca. 1835, "Island List," cited by [http://bia.gov/sites/bia.gov/files/assets/as-ia/ofa/petition/323_pamunk_VA/323_pf.pdf, p.30, Appendix 3], head of a King William County household of 1 "free colored" woman in 1840, and an Indian taxable on a horse in King William County in 1847 [PPTL 1833-51].
ii. William12, born about 1807, among twenty-eight Pamunkey Indians who signed a petition to the governor in 1836 [Rountree, Pocahontas's People, 193-4, 344], an Indian taxable on 2 horses in King William County in 1848 [PPTL 1833-1851], a "Mulatto" listed in the 1850 census with (wife) Betsy (48) and son Zenck (14). He was identified as the husband of Betsey Sweat and son of Janna Sweet when he died in October 1859 at Indian Town [Virginia, Deaths and Burials Index, 1853-1917, Sweat, Billy, http://ancestry.com]. Betsy was the daughter of Billy Hoomes (Holmes) and A. Adams according to her death certificate in April 1859 at the age of 45 in Indian Town [Virginia, Deaths and Burials Index, 1853-1917, Sweat, Betsy, http://ancestry.com].
iii. Abram2, a member of the Lower College Baptist Church on the "Island List" in 1835 who and signed the 1836 petition to the governor. Perhaps his widow was Betsy Swett, head of a St. John's Parish, King William County household of 2 "free colored" women in 1840.
iv. Allen2, among twenty-eight Pamunkey Indians who signed a petition to the governor in 1836 [Rountree, Pocahontas's People, 193-4, 344].
v. Francis G. born about 1825, a 35-year-old "Mulatto" wheelwright counted in the New Kent County census in 1860 with wife Elizabeth (30) and sons W.G. (8) and John Sweat (5). In 1870 he was listed in the census for New Kent County as an Indian fisherman. In August 1877 he made a claim for damages done to his property in New Kent County during the Civil War. Former slave Moses Temple testified for him that Frank was "an Indian nearly white" who he was quite intimate with when they worked together on his master's land [U.S., Southern Claims Commission Allowed Claims, 1871-1880, Roll 31, Target 17, Sweat, Frank; http://ancestry.com].
19. William9 Sweat, born say 1760, was taxable in Meherrin Parish, Brunswick County, Virginia, from 1782 to 1787 [PPTL 1782-98, frames 24, 63, 93, 136, 206] and taxable in Greensville County from 1788 to 1801: taxable on a slave in 1789, 1791 and 1792, taxable on a free tithable over the age of 16 from 1794 to 1797, taxable on his son Levi Sweat's tithe from 1798 to 1801 [PPTL 1782-1850, frames 69, 87, 129, 164, 206, 235, 248, 277]. He purchased land on Rocky Run in Brunswick County which he and his wife Sarah sold on 21 May 1784 [WB 2:442]. On 26 August 1791 he was paid for attending as a witness for George Collier in Greensville County court, and he voted in Greensville County on 26 April 1792. He and his wife Sally sold 50 acres for £55 in Greensville County on 12 October 1801 [DB 1:451; 3:62; Orders 1790-9, 94]. He was head of Northampton County, North Carolina household of 5 "other free" in 1800 [NC:477], 6 in 1810 [NC:746], 9 "free colored" in 1820, and 8 in 1830. He was the father of
i. Levi, born say 1778, taxable in the Greensville County household of William Sweat from 1798 to 1801 [PPTL 1782-1850, frames 235, 248, 262, 277].
ii. ?James4, born say 1800, married Maron Roberts, 5 December 1825 Northampton County bond, William Finney bondsman.
iii. ?Elizabeth, born about 1810, married Madison Tann, 11 September 1838 Northampton County bond, Drewry Bass bondsman, counted with Madison in household no. 632 of the 1850 census for Northampton County.
20. Ephraim Sweat, born say 1755, was head of a Burke County, North Carolina household of 6 whites in 1790, listed adjacent to Gilbert Sweat [NC:108] and head of a Greenville District, South Carolina household of 12 whites in 1800 [SC:264]. He married Olive Perkins according to the 18 April 1811 Opelousas, St. Landry Parish, Louisiana marriage license of their son Gideon [marriage license no.6]. Ephraim was head of an Opelousas, St. Landry Parish household of 7 "other free" in 1810 [LA:325] and 4 "free colored" in 1820. He petitioned the St. Landry Parish Probate Court as the only heir of his brother Gilbert who died on or about 25 May 1830. His children were
i. Robert4, born say 1780, called the brother of Gideon Sweat in a St. Landry Parish court case in which he was charged with stealing a horse and mule. He was found not guilty of the charge but had fled the parish before the ruling [Wise, Sweat Families of the South, 31-2]. Perhaps his widow was Betsy Sweat who married George Nelson in Opelousas on 26 August 1811 [Opelousas marriage license no.11]. George Nelson, born about 1772, and his wife Mrs. Nelson made depositions for the 21 August 1829 St. Landry court case against Gilbert Sweat in which they stated that George's wife had been married to one of Ephraim Sweat's sons who died on 29 May 1809 [St. Landry Parish Case no.1533]. Their daughter Eleanor Nelson was called the daughter of Betsy Corder and George Nelson when she married in Opelousas on 28 June 1828 [Marriage license no.29].
ii. Sarah, born 5 May 1785, married Amos Avery, 25 January 1819 Wilkinson County, Mississippi bond [Book B:137].
iii. Gideon, born 1776-94, son of Ephraim Sweat and Olive Perkins, married Letty Johnson, daughter of Francis Johnson and Sarah Gibson, on 18 April 1811 [Opelousas marriage license no.6]. Letty Johnson was head of an Opelousas Parish household of 4 "other free" in 1810 [LA:325]. Gideon was head of a St. Landry Parish household of 5 "free colored" in 1830 [LA:45].
iv. Mary, daughter of Ephraim and Olive Sweat, married Isaac Perkins on 23 September 1811 [Opelousas marriage license no.12].
v. Olive, daughter of Ephraim Sweat, married William Perkins on 1 August 1818 [Opelousas marriage license no.11].
Endnotes:
1. The Opelousas Court House marriage licenses are listed in Sweat Families of the South, pp.97-99, copied from Herbert, Donald J., Southwest Louisiana Records].
SWEETIN(G) FAMILY
1. Elisha Sweetin(g), born say 1740, was living in Anson County, North Carolina, on 10 March 1769 when he purchased 100 acres on Shoe Heel Creek, northeast of Drowning Creek, in Bladen County [DB 23:22]. He was taxable in Bladen County as white with a slave named Peg in 1771, taxable on Peg and a boy slave in 1772, a "Mix Blood" taxable on himself, his unnamed son, and 2 female slaves in 1774, and taxable on a "Mixt Blood/ Free Negro" male and female in 1776 [Byrd, Bladen County Tax Lists, I:60, 77, 124, 136; II:64, 94]. He was probably the father of
i. Charles, born say 1762, head of a Wilkes County, North Carolina household of 1 white male over 16, 1 under 16, and 2 white females in 1790 [NC:125], 3 "other free" and a white woman 16-26 years of age in 1810 [NC:900] and 4 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:496].
SYMONS FAMILY
1. Damarius/Damaris Symons, born 7 May 1724, was the white daughter of John Symons, a wealthy Pasquotank County Quaker, and Priscilla (Tomes) Nicholson Kinsey. She was disowned by the Pasquotank Monthly Meeting of 6th of 2nd Month 1749 [Haun, Pasquotank County Births, Marriages, 26 and the Symons Genealogy, in N.C. Genealogy XV:2296-7]. In July 1748 the Pasquotank County court bound her "Mullatto" daughter Rachel to Peter Symons until she was thirty-one years old [Minutes 1747-53, 47-8]. Damaris' brothers, Thomas and Peter Symons, were her securities. Her child was
2 i. Rachel, born before July court 1748.
2. Rachel Symons, born about 1748, may have been the mother of
i. Benjamin, born say 1779, head of a Pasquotank County household of 1 "other free" and 1 slave in 1800 [NC:625]. He purchased 9-1/2 acres in Pasquotank County on the northeast side of the Little River from William Trueblood and sold Trueblood 6-1/4 acres in Pasquotank County on 1 December 1807 [DB R:208-9].
ii. Isaac, born say 1782, head of a Pasquotank County household of 5 "other free" in 1810 [NC:928].
iii. Tony Simmons, born say 1785, head of a Pasquotank County household of 3 "other free" in 1810 [NC:926].
Another, probably unrelated branch of the family
1. Amaritha Symons, born say 1750, was a taxable slave in Jeremiah Symons' Pasquotank County household in 1769: Negrs. Isaac & Ammerica [SS 837, Box 2]. He applied for permission to emancipate her, and the bill authorizing the emancipation passed in the North Carolina Senate on 13 November 1790. Also emancipated with her were Davy, Joan, and Abbey, "negro and mulatto slaves" [Clark, State Records of North Carolina, XXI:749]. Jeremiah Symons called her "my Negro Woman by name Amereto who hath served me in the Station of House Servant" in March 1798 when the Pasquotank County court granted his request to manumit her [Byrd, In Full Force and Virtue, 200]. Her 24 February 1825 Pasquotank County will named her grandchildren: Aby, Jeremiah, Thomas, Elizabeth, Peninah, and Jesse Sylvester, David Nixon and Mary Bow. Her grandson Jeremiah Sylvester was the executor. She was the mother of
i. David, born say 1765, head of a Pasquotank County household of 3 "other free" and 3 slaves in 1800 [NC:636], husband of Lovey Sampson, "a Free woman of Colour," who petitioned the Pasquotank County court in June 1797 that she had "some years agoe took to Husband a Mulatto man Slave named David, late the property of a certain Jeremiah Symons," and that she had purchased him from Symons [Byrd, In Full Force and Virtue, 198].
ii. Johanna/ Joan, born say 1770, married Thomas Sylvester, head of a Pasquotank County household of 4 "other free" in 1790, 6 in 1800 [NC:633] and 18 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:275]. Thomas was called "a freeman of Colour" in June 1797 when he petitioned the Pasquotank County court for permission to manumit his "Wife a Negroe Woman Slave by the Name of Joan the property of a certain Jeremiah Symons" and their four children: Abba, Nancy, Jerry, and Annaretta [Byrd, In Full Force and Virtue, 198]. They apparently had a common-law marriage until 21 December 1822 when Johanna made a deed of jointure in which they were legally married, and she transferred to him the land her brother David Symons had given her. She died before December 1829 when her lands were divided between Jeremiah, Thomas, and Jesse Sylvester, Nancy Nixon's heirs, Abigail Symons, Elizabeth Relfe, Sarah Bow's heirs, and Penelope Leonard [Division B:61].
SYPHAX FAMILY
The Syphax family apparently descended from a "Mulatto man" named Syphax who ran away from Armistead Churchill of Middlesex County, Virginia, together with a white servant named John Johnson on 9 June 1752. Churchill placed an ad in the 12 June 1752 issue of the Virginia Gazette, describing Syphax as
a Mulatto man he has lately bought of Mr. Henry Ennalls, Jun. of Dorchester County, in Maryland, by Trade a Blacksmith...a likely brisk young Fellow, the fore Part of his Head shaved, and the back Part long Wool [Hunter edition, p. 2, col. 2].
William, Betty and Caty Syphax were servants bound to Hannah Churchill on 15 March 1776 when she left William to her son Benjamin Churchill and Betty Syphax, Caty Syphax and Peggy Williams to her daughter Betty Jones "until they are free" by her Middlesex County will which was proved on 25 November 1776 [WB F:83]. Members of the Syphax family were
i. William.
1 ii. Betty, born say 1750.
iii. Beck, born about 1774, registered in Middlesex County on 26 June 1805: born free, age 36, 5'3/4" Mulatto complexion [Register of Free Negroes, 1800-60, no. 14].
iv. Caty, in a list of "Free negroes" above the age of 16 in Middlesex County in 1813 [PPTL 1782-1850, frame 272].
v. Peggy, allowed by the Middlesex County court to sue Lemuel Ripley in forma pauperis on 27 March 1799. The court found in her favor on 28 May 1800 [Orders 1799-1803, 13].
vi. Winny, in a list of "Free negroes" above the age of 16 in Middlesex County in 1813 [PPTL 1782-1850, frame 272].
1. Betty Syphax, born say 1750, was living in Middlesex County on 28 June 1790 when the court ordered the overseers of poor to bind out her son Thomas to Jonathan Denison to learn the trade of waterman [Orders 1789-94, 203]. She was head of a Middlesex County household of 3 "other free" in 1810 [VA:461] and was in a list of "Free negroes" above the age of 16 in Middlesex County in 1813 [PPTL 1782-1850, frame 272]. She was the mother of
i. Thomas, born about 1779, a "Mulatoe" taxable in Middlesex County in 1803 [PPTL 1782-1850, frame 188], registered in Middlesex County on 24 May 1797: Thomas Gray Syphax a free Mullattoe son of Betty Syphax...of the age of twenty-one years [Orders 1794-7, 25] and on 7 August 1802: born free, age 23, 5'4" high, yellow complexion [Free Negro Register 1800-60, no. 10].
ii. ?Jane, married James Steptoe on 29 May 1819 and had a child in Middlesex County on 23 March 1821, a "Mulattoe Child something like his father" [Parish Register of Christ Church Parish, Middlesex County, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog, film no. 8190054, image 154 of 341].
TABORN FAMILY
Members of the Taborn family were
1 i. Thomas1, born say 1705.
ii. William1, born say 1710, purchased 200 acres on the upper Little Creek and the Roanoke River adjoining Robert Munford's in Brunswick County, Virginia, from John Wilkins for £30 on 3 October 1745 [DB 2:82].
1. Thomas1 Taborn, born say 1705, received a patent for 135 acres on the north side of the Meherrin River by the side of the Miry Branch in Isle of Wight County on 16 June 1744 [Patents 23:707; 29:304]. This part of Isle of Wight County became Southampton County in 1749. He and William Tabers were charged with trespass by Francis Locus in Southampton County court on 14 September 1749 [Orders 1749-54, 17]. He received a patent for 275 acres in Isle of Wight County on the south side of the Nottoway River and northeast side of Cockes Swamp on 3 November 1750 [Patents 29:304] and purchased goods at the sale of the 5 December 1751 Isle of Wight County estate of Joseph Allen [WB 5:391-2]. He was sued for debt in Southampton County on 14 May and 9 July 1752, but the cases were dismissed on agreement between the parties. He and William Bynum were sued for a debt of £2.10 on 15 May 1752. He sued John Roberts on 12 September 1752 and he was sued by Exum Scott on 22 September the same year when the case was dismissed on agreement between the parties. Scott brought suit against him again on 14 December 1752, but the sheriff reported that he had either left the county or was avoiding a summons. The court ordered his goods, which were in the hands of garnishee William Barnes, sold to pay a debt of £11.14 he owed Scott. His goods included a parcel of tobacco, two stocks of fodder, an iron pot and hooks, three hides, two plates, one porringer, a tankard, plates, a rug blanket, spinning wheel, frying pan and other household effects [Orders 1749-54, 224, 225, 249, 266, 280, 286, 319, 323, 354]. He and his wife Mary were living in Brunswick County, Virginia, on 21 January 1754 when they sold their land on the north side of Cock's Swamp adjoining Stephen Powell for £50 by Southampton County deed [DB 2:17-19]. And on the same date by Brunswick County deed he purchased 100 acres on the southside of Fountain Creek (in present-day Greensville County) for £50 [DB 4:511]. On 13 May 1762 he sued James Brooks in Southampton County for trespass, assault and battery and was awarded 20 shillings [Orders 1759-63, 219]. He died before 13 March 1770 when his son William sold by Brunswick County deed 100 acres on Fountain Creek adjoining the North Carolina line, being land that fell to him by the death of Thomas Taybor [DB 9:596]. Thomas was the father of
2 i. William2, born say 1730.
ii. ?Thomas2, born say 1753, called Tom Tabor and living on Joseph Delk's land in Southampton County on 8 November 1770 when Delk was presented for not listing him as a tithable [Orders 1759-63, 219, 284]. He was head of a Chatham County, North Carolina household of 3 "other free" and a white woman in 1790 [NC:84]. He purchased land in Wake County by deed proved in December 1787 and sold land to Peter Hedgpeth by deed proved in Wake County court in September 1791 (called Thomas Tabour) [Haun, Wake County Court Minutes, II:535]. He also purchased land by deed proved in May 1791 session of the Chatham County court (called Thomas Tabert) [Minutes 1790-92, 83]. His 1798 Chatham County will named his children Amos, Philip, Delilah, and Collier.
3 iii. ?Henry1, born say 1750.
4 iv. ?Sarah, born say 1758.
5 v. ?Burrell, born about 1760.
vi. ?Dempsey, born say 1760, head of a Wake County household of 5 "other free" in 1790 [NC:105] and 8 in 1800 [NC:801].
vii. ?Joel, born about 1761, living in Nash County in 1776 when he enlisted in the company of Captain Tarrent under Colonel Lytle. "Being a very young person of color" he was first employed as a servant to the officers before being placed in the ranks a short time after his arrival in Charleston. He was discharged in Charleston in 1783. He was taxable in Meherrin Parish, Greensville County, Virginia, in 1788 [PPTL 1782-1807; 1809-50, frame 68] and taxable in St. Luke's Parish, Southampton County, from 1790 to 1805: his tax charged to Jonas Bryant from 1790 to 1795, listed in his own household after 1797, a "M"(ullato) taxable on 2 free tithes, himself and "Surrel," in 1805 [PPTL 1782-92, frames 756, 826, 870, 885; 1792-1806, frames 51, 74, 155, 181, 280, 330, 392]. He assigned his right to a 100 acre land warrant to William Cheatham in Northampton County, North Carolina, on 29 May 1797. He was surety for the 19 May 1808 Southampton County marriage of Sarah Tabor and Cordall Newsum. He was a resident of Wake County on 10 February 1821 when he made his declaration in Granville County court in order to obtain a pension [NARA, S.42037, M804-2335, frame 0772].
6 viii. Drury, born say 1760.
ix. ?James, born say 1765, taxable in Wake County on 50 acres in 1793 and 21 acres in 1802 [CR 099.701.1 (microfilm), frames 71, 250], head of a Wake County household of 3 "other free" in 1790 [NC:106], 10 in 1800 [NC:802], perhaps the James Taburn who was a "free colored" head of a Northampton County household in 1820.
x. ?Avory, a "free Mulatto" taxable in the lower district of Henrico County on a horse in 1804 and taxable on a horse and a retail license in 1805 [Land Tax List, 1799-1816].
2. William2 Taborn, born say 1730, married Judy Allen in Northampton County, North Carolina, according to the pension application of his son William [NARA, W.181115, M804-2335, frame 0798]. Judy Tabour, late Allen, was named in the account of the 5 December 1751 Isle of Wight County estate of Joseph Allen [WB 5:391-2]. He was charged with trespass by Francis Locus in Southampton County court on 14 September 1749. On 13 June 1754 he was one of fourteen heads of household who were sued in Southampton County court for failing to pay the discriminatory tax on free African American and Indian women. He pled not guilty at first but withdrew his plea and confessed when Francis Locust, James Brooks, James Brooks, Jr., John Byrd and John Byrd, Jr., were found guilty [Orders 1749-54, 17, 501, 513; 1754-9, 25, 39-40; Judgment Papers 1752-7, frames 49, 54; 1752-5, frame 725]. He was living in Northampton County on 13 March 1770 when he and his wife Judith sold 100 acres in Brunswick County, Virginia, for £27, explaining in the deed that the land fell to him by the death of his father Thomas Taybor and that it adjoined Fountain Creek and the North Carolina line [DB 9:596]. His children were
7 i. William3, born about 1758.
8 ii. ?Nathan, born say 1760.
9 iii. ?Allen1, born say 1763.
10 iv. ?Isaac, born say 1768.
v. Elizabeth, born say 1770, married Abram Artis, 11 October 1788 Greensville County, Virginia bond, with the consent of her mother Judy Tabour and with Tempy Tabour and Peter Pelham as witnesses.
vi. ?Wyatt, born say 1775, purchased land in Northampton County by a deed filed 29 April 1805, sold land by deed filed 29 September 1811, and purchased land by deed filed 10 October 1811 [DB 13:15; 15:214, 216]. He was head of a Northampton County household of 2 "other free" and 1 slave in 1810 [NC:748] and 2 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:262]. He successfully sued John Wood for a debt of £5 in the 10 March 1814 Northampton County court. The sheriff sold his land for a debt by a deed filed 30 June 1820 [DB 20:385]. Rhody Taborn, Allen Taborn, and Wyatt Taborn obtained free papers in Northampton County on 22 March 1831 and registered them in Logan County, Ohio [Turpin, Register of Black, Mulatto, and Poor Persons, 10].
3. Henry1 Taborn, born say 1750, died before April 1778 when his son Henry was bound apprentice by the Nash County court [Minutes 1778-85, 8]. He was the father of
i. Henry2, head of a Nash County household of 2 "other free" in 1800 [NC:123] and 6 in Franklin County in 1810 [NC:826].
ii. ?Solomon, born say 1776, head of a Nash County household of 3 "other free" in 1800 [NC:122] and 3 in 1810 [NC:668].
4. Sarah Tabourn, born say 1758, was the mother of 13-year-old illegitimate child Solomon Tabourn who was bound by the Granville County court to Jones Fuller to be a blacksmith on 9 November 1787 [Minutes 1746-89]. She was the mother of
i. Solomon, born about 1774, a 13-year-old bound to Jones Fuller to be a blacksmith on 6 November 1787 in Granville County [CR 44.101.3].
ii. ?Laban, born about 1779, 5-year-old "Free Malater" son of Jesse Hawley, bound to David Bradford by the Granville County court on 3 November 1784 [Owen, Granville County Notes, vol. 6; Apprentice Bonds, http://familysearch.org/search/catalog/766317, film 7640987, images 1182, 1229], called a "free Mulatto" in the February 1794 Orange County court when he was jailed as a runaway apprentice. The court ordered him hired out to the highest bidder to pay for his prison charges, and the August 1794 court concluded that he was bound by the Granville County court to David Bradford who left him when he moved to Rowan County "being alleged his mother had used him ill" [Minutes 1787-95, n.p.]. He married Anna Tyner, 5 August 1799 Granville County bond, Zachariah Mitchell surety.
5. Burrell Taborn, born about 1760, was a resident of Nash County in 1781 when he enlisted in Captain Lytle's Company for 12 months. He purchased 80 acres in Nash County for £90 on 26 October 1793 [DB 6:505], and was head of a Nash County household of 7 "other free" in 1800 [NC:122], 10 in 1810 [NC:668], and 6 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:445]. He died on 9 January 1842 leaving no widow. His children who survived him were named in the survivor's pension application of his son Hardimon [NARA, S.7694, M804-2335, frame 744]. His children were
i. Hardimon, born about 1795, head of a Nash County household of 5 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:445]. He purchased land in Nash County adjoining Jesse Booth from Pheraby Tann on 28 January 1822 [DB 10:391].
ii. Larkin, born about 1797, purchased 120 acres on Turkey Creek in Nash County on 8 February 1817 [DB 7:414] and was taxed on this land in 1820. He was a 57-year-old "Black" farmer listed with 68-year-old Rebecca Tayborne with $1,210 real estate in the 1850 census for Nash County.
iii. Caleb, born about 1809.
iv. Beady, born about 1812, married Berry Locust.
v. Elizabeth, born about 1814.
vi. Boling, born about 1816.
6. Drury Taburn, born say 1761, was taxable in Granville County from 1782 to 1801: listed as a single man in 1781 [Tax List, 1767-1809; 1796-1802], counted in the 1786 census for Ragland's District, Granville County, with 6 people in his household. He may have been the member of the Tabourn family who married Lisha Anderson before 20 January 1783 when her father Lewis Anderson made his will. He was taxable in Petersburg in 1802 [PPTL 1800-33, frame 57]. And he may have been the father of
i. Luke, born about 1789, married Harriet Field, 11 April 1816 Peterburg bond, Jeffry Pettiford surety. Harriet was emancipated by the Prince George County will of Daniel Call [Petersburg Register of Free Negroes, 1794-1819, no. 802]. Luke, Joseph Shepherd, Sterling Mann, World Sykes, Henry Boyd, C.M. Waring, Richard Jarratt, and Jacob House were leaders of the Baptist Church who made a deed of trust for a vacant lot on the west side of Perry Street in Gillfield on 21 February 1818. On 13 August 1820 he purchased a lot in Gillfield on Perry Stret from John Gowens for $500 [DB 5:261; 6:258]. He was a bricklayer living with wife Harriet in the 1821 List of Free People of Color for Petersburg in 1821 with daughter Elizabeth [List of People of Color in the Town of Petersburg, 1821, African American Narrative, LVA]. He was a 35-year-old mason who emigrated to Liberia aboard the Cyrus in 1824 [http://fold3.com/image/46670224].
ii. Matthew, in the 1821 List of Free People of Couler for Petersburg in 1821 with Catey Tabon and 4 children [List of People of Color in the Town of Petersburg, 1821, African American Narrative, LVA].
7. William3 Taborn, born about 1758, married Nelly Evans, 1 January 1778 Northampton County bond, John Watson bondsman [NARA, W.18115, M804-2335, frame 0798]. He was living in Granville County in 1778 when Colonel William Taylor and Captain James Saunders requisitioned his wagon and team of horses for use as a baggage wagon for the soldiers. He made an agreement with John Davis to look after his crop in exchange for Davis looking after his wagon. He was later drafted as a soldier and received a pension. He served in South Carolina under Colonel Lytle, who placed him under guard for getting drunk and cursing him. Fowler Jones, Sr., one of the witnesses for his pension application, testified that William served for a while as cook to General Butler. Another witness, Zachariah Hester, testified that he was a "Brother Soldier" with him in the expedition to the Savannah River. Jacob Anderson testified that he lived near him in Granville County when his wagon was requisitioned [NARA, W.18115, M804-2335, frame 0798]. He was listed in Captain Satterwhite's Company in the Granville County Militia Returns for 1778: 19 years old, 5 feet 8 inches high, Darkish coloured hair & complexion, planter [N.C. Archives Troop Returns, Box 4, folder 40]. He entered 150 acres on Fishing Creek in Granville County on 29 May 1778 [Pruitt, Land Entries: Granville County, 13] and he was taxed in Fishing Creek on an assessment of £345 in 1780, and on 149 acres, 2 horses, and 3 cattle in 1782. He was charged with trespass, assault, and battery in Granville County in February 1785 but was acquitted of the charge [Minutes 1773-83, November 178_ Dockets]. He was head of a Granville County household of 8 "other free" in 1810 [NC:898]. According to his pension file, he died 4 February 1835. The February 1835 Granville County court recorded the receipt for cash by his son Littleton Taborn for his support for six months, "but he only lived 1 mo. 16 days, 8 Nov. 1834" [Gwynn, Granville County Guardian Accounts 1810-56, 142]. William's wife Nelly, born about 1760, was living in Warren County on 26 May 1845 when she applied for a survivor's pension. William and Nelly were the parents of
i. ?Delilah, born say 1780, married James Hedsbeth 15 July 1797 Granville County bond, William Mitchell surety.
ii. ?William4, Jr., head of a Granville County household of 2 "other free" in 1810 [NC:898] and 6 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:34].
iii. ?Burton, head of a Granville County household of 2 "other free" in 1810 [NC:908], married Leander Mitchell, 6 June 1810 Granville County bond.
iv. Littleton, married Lottie Chavis, 14 April 1818 Granville County bond, John Chavis (signing) bondsman, and was head of a Granville County household of 5 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:32].
v. ?Edmond, born 1776-94, head of a Granville County household of 1 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:45].
vi. ?Elisha, neglected to give in his list of tithables in Wake County in 1794 [CR 099.701.1 (microfilm), frame 212], a "Mulo" taxable in Halifax County, Virginia, in 1794 [PPTL, 1782-1799, frame 546], married Mary Allen, 11 September 1795 Person County bond, Matthew Price bondsman.
vii. ?Nancy, married Charles Chavis, 4 November 1795 Granville County bond, Benjamin Bass bondsman.
viii. ?Elizabeth, married Charles Roe, 11 December 1797 Granville County bond, Solomon Harris bondsman.
ix. ?Pomphrey/ Pomfrett, born about 1778, taxable in Oxford District of Granville County in 1799 [Tax List, 1796-1802, 177], married Patty Hedspeth, 24 December 1801 Wake County bond, Peter Hedspeth bondsman.
8. Nathan Taborn, born say 1760, was listed in the North Carolina military accounts during the Revolution [N.C. Archives, State Treasurer Record Group, Military Papers, Revolutionary War Army Accounts, I:105, folio 4, http://archives.ncdcr.gov/doc/search-doc]. He purchased 320 acres in Northampton County on 28 November 1782. He sold 100 acres to (his brother?) Isaac Taburn for £20 on 24 August 1802, 100 acres to (his brother?) Allen Taburn for £20 on 24 August 1802, and 100 acres on 1 January 1814. This last deed was cosigned by Mary Taborn, Sarah Byrd, and Ann Taborn who may have been his wife and daughters. Wyatt Taborn and Sterling Haithcock were witnesses (signing) [DB 7:118; 12:97, 99; 16:355]. He was head of a Northampton County household of 3 "other free" in 1790 [NC:73], 15 in 1800 [NC:481], 6 in 1810 [NC:748], and 4 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:262]. His 20 August 1830 Northampton County will, proved in March 1833, left his land to his nephew Eli Taburn [WB 4:97]. His children were probably
i. Sally Byrd.
ii. Ann.
9. Allen1 Taborn, born say 1763, enlisted in Baker's Company in the 10th Regiment on 20 July 1778 but deserted three days later. John Bonds received his final pay of £27 for his service in the North Carolina Continental Line [Clark, The State Records of North Carolina, XVI:1173, XVII:252]. He was head of a Northampton County household of 7 "other free" in 1790 [NC:73] and 8 in 1810 [NC:748]. He purchased 100 acres in Northampton County from Nathan Taborn on 24 August 1802 and purchased land by a deed filed in Northampton County on 5 November 1804 [DB 12:99, 353]. He was sued by the State in Northampton County court and Halifax County Superior Court, and he had an unsuccessful suit in Northampton County court against James Bass on 5 September 1822 [Northampton County Minutes 1817-21, 318; 1821-25, 10, 140]. He sold his land by a deed filed 8 April 1828 [DB 24:92]. He obtained his free papers in Northampton County on 22 March 1831 and registered them in Logan County, Ohio [Turpin, Register of Black, Mulatto, and Poor Persons, 10]. Perhaps his children were
i. Eli, born about 1804, received land in Northampton County from his uncle Nathan Taborn's March 1833 will. He was head of Logan County, Ohio household in 1860 with 1-year old William Tabor who was born in Ohio [Census, p.38].
ii. Allen2, born about 1790, married Charlotte Tann, 20 August 1814 Franklin County bond and was taxable on 1 poll in Franklin county in 1815 [T&C, Box 4]. He was living in Monroe Township, Logan County, Ohio, in 1850 [Census p.13] and in household no. 279 with Ely Taborn in 1860 [p.38].
iii. Exum, born 1776-94, head of a Northampton County household of 2 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:262], sold land by a Northampton County deed filed in 1839 [DB 28:338].
10. Isaac Taborn, born say 1768, was head of a Northampton County household of 3 "other free" in 1790 [NC:73]. He purchased 100 acres in Northampton County from Nathan Taborn on 24 August 1802 [DB 12:97]. Perhaps his son was
i. Arthur, sold land in Northampton County by deed proved on 27 June 1823 [DB 21:279].
TALBOT FAMILY
1. Patt, born say 1729, was a "Melatto woman" who was bound by the Lunenburg County court to Matthew Talbot, Gentleman, in July 1750 [Orders 1748-52, 298]. The eastern part of Halifax County was formed from Lunenburg County. Pat may have been the mother of
2 i. Sally Talbot, born say 1760.
2. Salley Talbott, born say 1760, married Robert Wilson, 27 April 1789 Halifax County, Virginia bond, Richard Walne surety. Prior to her marriage, Sally had
i. Judith, born about 1782, married Sam Beech, 31 August 1831
Halifax County bond. Sam registered in Halifax County on 29 March 1803: aged about
forty-five years...black colour, Emancipated in Halifax County Court by the last will and
Testament of Thomas Beech. Judith may have been the mother of Joel Talbot who
registered in Halifax County on 21 May 1831: a bright dak Mulatto man,
about 27 years of age, 5 feet 9-1/4 inches high, born free. Judith registered in 1832
[Registers of Free Negroes, 1802-1831, nos. 19, 137].
ii. Susannah, married John Hatten, 1 January 1802 Halifax County bond.
iii. Betsey, married Bartlett Chavis, 11 July 1803 Halifax County bond.