North Carolina Land Grants

The Genealogy.com message boards don't see a lot of action these days, but they are chocked full of gems. For example, last night I came across a FREE site listing all of North Carolina's land grants from 1663 to 1960. 

Very cool. Check it out.

It's the simple things that make me happy. And grateful.

William Stancil Land Grant in Cumberland County, NC 1807

Cover:

Wm Stancil

100 Acres Land

No. 379

Grant:

State of North Carolina

Cumberland County

Surveyed Sept 26, 1807 for William Stancil

100 acres of land in said county warrant No. 379 and Ent. Oct 1, 1799

Beginning at a stake ?? on or near Elizabeth Stewart back line of her land toward Averas corner then at Averas line north sixty then past forty six chains to a pine in the edge of the south field road then south twenty four east seventeen chains and fifty links to a stake and pointer on Averas line then north forty four east thirty three chains and fifty links then north forty six and fifteen chains then south sixty six west seventy six chains along Elizabeth Stewart’s line of her back track to her line of the Avera survey then as that link to the Beginning.

Alexander Avera

James Carraway

James McNeil, Surv.

Map of Colonial Families in Granville County

Genealogists tend to clap their hands and stomp their feet with absolute glee when they come across an old map showing family land. It's a truly happy day.

Here's a great example! 


This map shows lands held by Granville families in the Colonial period. Many of my family names show up here:  Pearce, Ray, Allen and others.

It shows landowners, churches, and retail stores in the original Granville County which now includes portions of Franklin, Vance, Warren and Wake Counties in North Carolina. Hot dog!!

The landowners are listed numerically at the bottom of the map along with bits of genealogical information.  

The map was originally compiled by Mr. Worth Ray of Austin, Texas. 

Thanks, Mr. Ray!  You've done us all a tremendous favor!

William Stancil and wife Edney Moore

My 4th great grandfather, William STANCIL, was born about 1760 in Cumberland County, NC. He was the first child of William STANCIL and unknown wife. As far as I can tell, he had only one sibling, Peter. 

His wife and my 4th great grandmother, Edney MOORE, was born about 1785 also in Cumberland County, NC. She was the fourth child of Matthew MOORE and wife Prudence. Edney had twelve siblings:  Benjamin, Hardy, Perry, John, Lewis, Britton, Prudence, Matthew, Nancy, Mary, Silas, and Sarah Henrie. 

William STANCIL and Edney MOORE had three children:

• William Young STANCIL was born on 10 May 1803 in Cumberland County, NC. He died in 1880 in Johnston County, NC. He married Elizabeth Sallie MORGAN before 1835 in Johnston County, NC. These were my 3rd great grandparents. I wrote about them here.
• John STANCIL was born about 1805 in Cumberland County and died sometime after 1880 in Harnett County, NC.
• Alexander STANCIL was born about 1807 in Cumberland County and died in 1862 in Granville County, NC. He married Celia BARBER on 20 Jan 1835 in Johnston County, NC.
• Wealthy Jane STANCIL was born and died in Cumberland County, NC. I wrote about her notorious lifestyle here.

I've yet to find proof of who William's father is, but I speculate it may be William Stancil Jr. because he was in Cumberland during the 1770s. William and his brother Peter appear in Cumberland records starting about 1790. 

William and Edney lived in the part of Cumberland County that bordered with Johnston County (at the time) which is where most of their children settled.

Land Grant to William Stancil
July 1797 for 150 acres in
Cumberland County, NC

William was quite active in the Cumberland County real estate market at least between 1805 and 1816. Some of the transactions were between him and his brother-in-law, John Moore and others between William and his brother Peter. William also received several land grants in Cumberland County.

William must have died between 1820–1830 in Cumberland County because he does not appear on the 1830 census. It does not appear that a will or estate record survived. Edney Moore Stancil died sometime after 1850.

Ms. Deborah ASTINE SUTTON WHEDBEE MACLENDON

I am related to the most interesting people. Seriously. For example, take Deborah ASTINE SUTTON, my 7th great grandmother. 

She married my 7th great grandfather, Nathaniel SUTTON, in August 1668. That's some 345 years ago. It's been a while now. 

They married in Nasemond County, Virginia and them moved into Perquimans County, NC. Once here, they became Quakers. They helped organize the very first church in North Carolina and Quakers remained the Carolina Colony's only organized religion until 1701. 

I'm delighted to have Quakers in my family history. I've always admired "Friends" from afar, but never delved much into the faith. History shows they were a peace loving community.

In 1684, two years after Nat died, Deborah received land grants  on the east side of the Perquimans River. I don't know if it was common for women to receive land grants at that time, but she is the very first woman I've happened across who was granted land by the Lords Proprietors.  I'm sure there were others, but probably not many.

Sutton, Deborah, (widow) grt 280a “on E. side of Piquemons River” being the Westermost bounds of another tract to sd Deborah, 1684. And 294a on E side of Perq River, “to ye mouth of Little Creek.” 1684.

In February of 1729, she executed a will at a time when few women had wills. She mentions only her son Richard Whedbee in the will, leaving us to assume she outlived her 7 other children. Can you imagine having to bury SEVEN children before you die? 

She had 4 children from her marriage to Mr. Sutton and 4 children from her marriage to Mr. Whedbee. She lived to the ripe old age of 84, which is remarkable at a time when the average female lifespan was about 45.

It has been said that a woman marries first for love. The second time, she marries for money and position. And the third time, she marries for companionship. This seems to be exactly what Deborah did.  Good for her!

Introducing Ms. Avasilla Fluellen, 1776 - 1835

I just love that name...Avasilla FLUELLEN. Pretty cool that she's my 4th great grandmother. And double God bless her...she had a whopping 14 children (though some of these may have been her husband's children from his first marriage)! She was quite a woman. And her husband, Justice PARRISH, musta been quite a guy!

I don't have very much information on Granny Ava yet, except her marriage bond (May 30, 1797) to the prolific Justice, who had a total of 3 wives and 16 children. Good thing he owned a lot of land in Johnston County, NC. According to his will abstract, he provided very nicely for Ava leaving her 380 acres of land and his plantation, although he owned a total of 1200 acres acquired via land grants and purchases. This land is in the Coats and McGee's Crossroads area that sits near the line of Johnston and Harnett County, very near where I now live.

She was born in 1776 in Johnston County, making her a good bit younger than Justice, born in 1745 in Goochland County, Virginia. There was over 30 years difference in their ages.

Avasilla passed in 1835 living another 27 years after Justice passed away.  She was only 32 when she became a widow, so it's possible she remarried. 

Their daughter Parazadia (another great name!) is my 3rd great grandmother. 

Land Grants in Cumberland County before 1748

Take a look at this very cool map showing families who received land grants in early Cumberland County, NC (previously part of Bladen County). 

Naturally, most lands were on the banks of the Cape Fear River. The map largely covers the Rockfish Creek area.

There are several very early DAVIS and LOWERY families shown on the map, but I don't think these are my lines. 

There are a few other interesting names, such as CAMPBELL (today's Campbell University is nearby) and BUIES (Campbell Univ is located in Buies Creek, NC). Just speculating and day-dreaming here. There may not be any connection at all.

My MATTHEWS and MOORE families were in this area at this time. 

By the way, Cumberland County has a great US GebWeb page.