Following my last few posts from my father's family tree, Wilson and Starnes, I must switch back over to my mother's side of the tree: Culpeper.
The Culpepper who brought our lineage to America from England was one Henry Culpepper, who was in Virginia by 1653, appearing as a headright. He later appeared in several records in Lancaster County in 1658. By the early 1660's, he would arrive in Lower Norfolk County, where he would make a nest and become a patriarch of a slowly building family that would find its way to Anson County, North Carolina within a century.
In that year, his name was posted giving notice of his intention to return to England, found in Brayton's Lower Norfolk Book D 338a. It appears he had made a place to settle and returned to England to bring back family. In the "Complete Book of Immigrants 1661-1699", page 64 is found the record of Henry returning from London to New England with a John Culpepper. Henry was born in 1633 in Harriettsham, Kent and died in Norfolk County, Virginia in 1676, at the young age of 43. He married an Elizabeth Green, (1640-1676) and had at least two sons, Robert and Henry Jr., and possibly John, and a daughter, Elizabeth.
In 1691, the County was split into two, with the other composing Princess Ann County, and the part where the Culpepper's settled remained Norfolk. Robert is my line, my 8th Great Grandfather, while Henry was my 9th. Robert was born in Lower Norfolk County around 1664. He married around 1687, to Sarah, whose maiden name remains unknown. On June 16, 1692, he was granted a deed from Thomas Greene, Jr. and wife, Elizabeth, which was witnessed by his brother, Henry Culpepper Jr. The property was located on the western branch of the Elizabeth River, and was purchased with 2000 pounds of tobacco, the most popular currency of the time.
Even more interesting, in 1727, there is a deed between Robert Culpepper and John Winfield, Jr, in the Western Branch District.
According to Culpepper Connections, an online compositor, "In 1727 Robert Culpepper bought 50 acres on the West Branch of the Elizabeth River from his cousin Jonas Winfield for 10 lieu." Proof of the Winfield relationship is found in the Will of Jeane Greene. Jeane and her husband, Thomas Greene Sr. are my 9th Great Grandparents through their daughter, Elizabeth Greene who married Henry Culpepper. She was born around 1615 and married circa 1630. In 1654, she and her husband Thomas, attempted to attain a third of the estate of Nicholas Harvey, but it was not granted. She had testified, "I, Jane Green, the now wife of Thomas Greene of Elizabeth River, in the County of Lower Norfolk, planter, do here testify freely before the magistrate that I was the lawful wife and widow of Nicholas Harvey of Patuxent in the Province of Maryland, planter". So, Jean had remarried to Thomas after the death of her first husband, Nicholas Harvey. She had been his second wife, because she had callously left a young stepdaughter with the neighbors and took off to Virginia. Jean Harvey Greene wrote her will on March 27, 1694, in Norfolk and named Henry Culpepper, Jr., her grandson, as one of her heirs. It was witnessed by Eleazar Tart, who would turn out to be one of Robert Culpepper's son in laws. In 1695 in Deed Book 5 Page 241 of Norfolk County Va, Jean's Will was proved by Samuel Walker and Eleazar Tart. She left a mare to her grandson, John Winfield. a bed and pestle to her granddaughter, Eliza Walker, a gun to her grandson, Richard Bunting, a pewter dish to her granddaughter Elizabeth Bunting. To the Grandchildren born of her son, Thomas Greene she left small items to Ann Green and Tomisen Green and a chest to Elizabeth Walker. To her grandson Henry Culpepper, she left a small chest and her pigeons. She mentions Tomasen Green and Alice Norcott, as granddaughters, and named her son in law, Richard Bunting as Executor. Witnesses were Samuel Walker, Henry Culpepper and Eleazar Tart.
The children of Thomas and Jeane Green were:
Thomas Greene Jr.
Sarah Greene who married John Winfield.
Elizabeth Green who married Henry Culpeper Sr
William Greene
Ann Green who married Richard Bunting.
A daughter who married Samuel Walker.
Robert Culpeper Sr. my 8th Great Grandfather, has been proven by DNA to be a descendant of Henry Culpepper Sr using Y-111 testing and Y-DNA separate markers. His Will had been written in 1739 and proved in 1743. He lived to be 80, quite remarkable for those times. Robert and his brother Henry II are responsible for most of the American Culpepper's, Robert, for 80 percent of them.
In the Will, Robert names 3 sons and 5 daughters.
To Robert Jr., he leaves his "Great Bible", an ancient text supposedly contained at the Virginia Archives. Robert also gets lancets, horse flames and other instruments "of iron for the use of horses."
Robert Junior must have been learning the art of blacksmithing.
He left five shillings each to his sons Joseph and Benjamin, who had already removed to Edgecomb County, North Carolina by then. He left a crown each to his daughters Rachel and Ann, who had married brothers by the name of Wilder. He left a Ewe and lamb to his daughter, Elizabeth, wife of John Ward, and a Ewe to Mury Green, his daughter who married Henry Green. He must have been particularly fond of his grandson, William, who is believed to have been the son of Robert Jr. He left the boy a Cow and calf and Ewe and lamb. To his "loving daughter Mary Tart", who was the wife of Eleazar Tart, who he named his sole Executor, he had also left a Ewe and lamb..
The origin of the name Culpepper began in Kent. It's an occupational name for an herbalist or spicer. Quite literally, it means one who "culls", or gathers, and peppers.
Joseph Culpepper
Joseph Culpepper, my 7th Great Grandfather, was not the oldest son of Robert Culpepper, Sr. He is thought to be the middle one, with Benjamin the youngest. Many people have merged the two online, but they were obviously separate men, brothers, who traveled together.
Joseph was born circa 1696 in Lower Norfolk and had moved south into Bertie County, NC by sometime in the middle 1720's. The area he settled in would later become Northampton. Around 1738 or so, he moved on to Edgecombe County, where he would stay. He passed away there about 1745. He would only have been around 49 or 50 years old. Neither he nor his brother, Benjamin left a Will, but Benjamin seems to have followed him.
Joseph named his oldest son Benjamin, probably for his little brother, Benjamin, of whom he was extremely fond. His son, Benjamin, inherited most of his father's property through his right of primogeniture.
Joseph is proven to be the son of Robert Culpepper, not only through the paper trail, but through the Warren Culpepper DNA project in 2010. The project proved that over three fourths of all Culpepper's descended from one progenitor, and that line traced back to Henry of Lower Norfolk.
Joseph Culpepper was in Bertie County, NC by 1725, as I mentioned previously. In August of that year, he witnessed two deeds. These are found in the Bertie County Deed Book 725-1727, Book 2 and Book 14. One was for a William Whitehead and the other for a William Bennett, who were neighbors and their land bordering one another on the Roanoke River.
Later, on August 2, 1727, John Bass, Jr. was granted 410 acres located "on the northernly side of the Morattock River, joining the south side of Bear Swamp." Morattock is now known as the Roanoke. This tract was said to have adjoined the property of Joseph Culpepper and Robert House. On the very same day, Joseph was granted 364 acres in Bertie "on the northernly part of the Morattock." His tract joined those of Robert Newsom and Robert House. This shows that Joseph's land was near the Bear Swamp, which is in current Northampton County, NC, which is only a few miles Rich Square, a very old community founded in 1750. So, it appears Joseph lived in Rich Square, Northampton County, from when he first arrived, sometime before 1725, until 1738, when he left after the fall harvest.
Then, on December 5, 1738, John Edwards Sr. of Bertie Precinct, that part which later became Northampton, sold 320 acres in Edgecombe to Joseph Culpepper for 16 pounds. The land was on the south side of the Morattock River and west side of Fishing Creek. So, he was sliding down the river, but not immigrating far distances, just picking up better tracts of land. The land joined that of Emanuel Rogers. A grant to Emanuel Rogers shows that Joseph's land was close to Beaverdam Swamp, about 13 miles north of Rocky Mount. The Roger's grant was on the southside of the Morattock River joining Beaverdam Swamp, which was a branch of Fishing Creek. So, the new digs were 30 miles west of his old place in Bertie County on Bear Swamp.
In Edgecombe, Joseph Culpepper recorded his cattle brand in 1741 in the Edgecombe Book of Marks. It seems he intended to graze cattle on the new property.
Two years later, on Feb. 27, 1743, Joseph entered 300 acres in Edgecomb County on the north side of Swift Creek below the mouth of the Tuckahoe Branch, which included his own improvements.
Then in 1745, John Edwards, the same man who sold Joseph land in Edgecomb in 1838, was granted 595 on both sides of Bear Swamp, adjoining Joseph Culpeppers land, at a point near the mouth of White Oak Branch, Solomon fuller, William Boon, and the swamp. Book 5, page 223. Several months later, in November of 1745, John Edwards sold 139 acres in Northampton County on both sides of Bear Swamp to Thomas Hayes for 20 pounds. The tract adjoined Joseph Culpeper, Solomon Fuller and William Boon, and the swamp. These were swampy lands, with all that came with it. It was added, "and was part of a 595-acre patent to John Edwards dated 6 April 1745". This seems to imply that Joseph still owned his property in Northampton, although now living in Edgecombe. There's a Culpepper Bridge over Fishing Creek, that could have been named for this same family. In 1749, William Culpepper received a grant, Number 645, in the same area.
Benjamin Culpepper received a grant that bordered John Rogers, a brother of the Emanuel Rogers, mentioned earlier. Most of Emanuel Roger's land was north of Fishing Creek in the Quankey Creek area and his brother, John Rogers, Jr. lived on Little Fishing Creek, (asa Conway Creek), north of Fishing Creek. This area became part of Halifax County later on.
In 1741, Northampton and Edgecombe were cut from Bertie County. That same year Joseph Culpepper sold 160 acres in Edgecombe to his brother Benjamin. This was located north of Fishing Creek and "one half of John Edwards" that was mentioned above. There is no record of when or how Joseph acquired the property. It apparently was lost or not recorded.
In Edgecomb deeds Book 3 Page 136 and Book 5 Page 192, John Edwards gifted land to his sons, Thomas and John Edwards Jr. It was in the Rocky Swamp area and north of Fishing Creek. This area is now in Halifax. The Culpepper Brothers had close contact with the Edwards, but exactly how, if there is a relation, is unknown.
Joseph Culpepper died in Edgecomb in 1745. His wife, Martha (Mallory) Culpepper was appointed the Administrator of his estate in May of that year. Later, she was appointed guardian of four children: John, Joseph, Argent and Sampson. These were not all the children, just the ones who were underage, or "infants", at the time.
When he died at 49, he owned one or two tracts of land, the west half of the 320-acre grant on Fishing Creek and the 300-acre tract on Swift Creek. These both went to his oldest son, Benjamin, who was an adult when he passed away. Martha, who may have been a second wife, remarried about 1751 to Benjamin Dumas, another familiar, Anson county name. About this same time, her son, Benjamin Culpepper, sold half of his land on Fishing Creek, to his cousin, Benjamin Culpepper Jr., son of Benjamin Culpepper, Sr.. To differientiate between all of the Benjamin Culpeppers, they referred to Ben, the son of Ben, as Benjamin "The Ferryman", because, I suppose, he operated a ferry. Benjamin the Ferryman, also had a widowed mother who lived on the eastern half of the property. Got that?
William Wilder
We move up another two years to August of 1753. On the 21st, William Wilder sold 100 acres that adjoined the property of "Widow Culpepper" and the "Widow Mason" on the south side of Fishing Creek. The witnesses were Thomas Mann, Benjamin Culpepper, and Nathaniel Powell. Deed Book 4, page 531. The property had been granted to William Wilder the year before, on May 2, 1752. It bordered Joseph Culpepper's old Fishing Creek Property on the west. The widow Mason refered to in the deed was Hannah Mason, wife of Ralph Mason. Later on her son Mark Mason is seen with land that bordered the Culpepper Plantation.
William Wilder had married Joseph and Martha Culpeppers' daughter, Elizabeth just after her father died in 1745. I don't know if or how he may have been connected to Elizabeth's Aunts, Rebecca Culpepper Wilder and Ann Culpepper Wilder, but I would guess he probably was. They loved keeping it in the family back then.
The marriage to Benjamin Dumas by Joseph's widow Matha was fortuitous, because this is the catalyst that brought the Culpeppers to Anson County, North Carolina and into my gene pool. Nearly all of her children, and at least two of Joseph's nephews, sons of his brother, Benjamin Culpepper, Robert and William, joined the trek westward to Anson County and the banks of the Pee Dee River.
Benjamin Dumas died on October 1, 1763, and did not leave a will, according to Martha's own testimony.
In a Salisbury District Court case we find John and Joseph Culpepper (Jr.), sons of Joseph Culpepper Sr. vs David Dumas, their stepbrother, the son of Benjamin Dumas, who was also the administrator of the estate.
The Will of Martha Mallory Culpepper Dumas was dated January 23, 1764 and was probated January 26, just three days later. Her will is found within the Benjamin Dumas Estate papers. In it, she mentions her chldren Joseph, John, Sampson and Sarah Culpepper and Elizabeth Wilder. Sampson is noted as the youngest. She doesn't mention Joseph's oldest son, Benjamin or daughter, Argent. Either they were by a first wife, had already recieved everything they were going to get, or it was simply because they were no longer around her. Some feel that Argent Culpepper had passed away after her father died, unmarried and childless, and the Argent Culpepper found later in Anson County mentions is a younger, namesake.
Anson County, NC
In July 1755, page 455, Benjamin Dumas, of Anson, sells to John Vanhoose for 20 pounds current money of Virginia, a tract on the southside of the Great Pee Dee River. It lie on the banks of the river opposite of Long Island and the bank of "Dividing Creek". I am not sure where that was exactly. It was for 248 acres and was signed by both Benjamin and Martha Dumas. Witnessess were Jeremiah Dumas, John McQueen and John Vanhoose.
A year later on April 23, 1756, Benjamin Dumas sells to John Colson, 156 acres of land bordering John Hall for 50 pounds proclamation money, signed by Benjamin and Martha Dumas and witnessed by Jeremiah Dumas, Zachariah Smith and Edmund Lilly.
By the 1790 census some 44 years later, household led by Andrew, Benjamin and Jeremiah Dumas are found in Richmond County and Davis Dumas, a Junior and a Senior, along with a Susanna Dumas, are found in Montgomery County, with none in Anson County.
Timeline of the Culpeppers following the death of Joseph:
1745 Martha appointed administrator of Joseph's estate in Edgecomb County.
1745 In August, Martha is appointed the guardian of her own 4 minor children: John, Joseph, Argent and Sampson.
1764 On Jan. 23 in Anson County, NC, Court in Salisbury, Rowan County. (Court at this time for this area was either in Salisbury or Fayetteville). She name her "well beloved " children in her will, Joseph, John, and her youngest, Sampson, and daughters Elizabeth Wilder and Sarah Culpepper. She gives a girl named Effey to Sampson. She requests that the residual of her estate be divided amongst her children, Joseph, John, Sampson and Sarah Culpepper and Elizabeth Wilder. Witnesses to the Will were John Gibson, John Colson and Andrew Presley.
Sarah will meet Thomas Presley, son of Andreas (Andrew) Presley/Preslar Jr. in Anson County and they become my 6th Great Grandparents.
The children of Joseph Culpepper:
1) Benjamin Culpepper (1724-1771) Remains in the Bertie/ Edgecombe area.
2) Elizabeth Culpepper (1725-unk) Married William Wilder
3) Sarah Culpepper (1729-1808) Married Thomas Presley
4) Joseph Culpepper Jr. (1731-1821/1822) Moved with mother and stepfather to Anson County, and later to Georgia. Revolutionary War record.
5) John Culpepper (1733-1808) Moved to Anson with family, also removed to Georgia, also a Revolutionary War record.
6) Argent Culpepper (1735- bef. 1764) Believe to have died young, not in mother's will.
7) Sampson Culpepper (1736-1823) Married Elenor Gilbert in Anson County, father of Rev. John Culpepper, a US Congressman.
The Gibson connection: In 1760, a man named Walter Gibson deeded to Joseph Culpepper (Jr), "for goodwill and natural affection", a tract on the Rocky River. The train of thought on this is that Joseph had married a daughter of Walter Gibson. A John Gibson had witnessed the Will of Martha Dumas.
The Culpepper's settled on the Rocky River, Brown Creek and Richardson Creek in Upper Anson where a great number of my other ancestors lived.
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