The Heirs of John W. Howell

John W. Howell was the youngest of the three sons of Richard Howell and Sarah Winfield Howell of the Rocky River area of the Anson/Stanly County border in North Carolina. He and his brother Jordan, after an obvious education, decided to relocate to the growing market town of Cross Creek, or Fayetteville, North Carolina in the southeastern part of the state, where they would become businessmen, in about the early 1820's.  In fact, they lived not far from a road that ran from Salisbury to Fayetteville, called the "Throughfare".

Historic Fayetteville

Both brothers married widows from up north, once they arrived in Cumberland County, the two widows may have even been related. Jordan married the mysterious Mrs. Hannah Handy, who had no obvious children, while John W. Howell married Clarissa W. Pearce, widow of merchant Nathan Pearce, who was the mother of 8 children and a very highly esteemed lady in her community.


Jordan and Hannah had three known children and perhaps another son. The known children were Jordan Lafayette Howell, Clarissa Howell who married Jeremiah Broadway of Anson County and Charlotte Howell who married Allen Newsome of Davidson County.

Clarissa Pearce Howell and John W. Howell passed away in the same year, perhaps from the same malady. Clarissa was first, in April.

Fayetteville Weekly Observer 
(Fayetteville, North Carolina)25 Apr 1853, Mon • Page 1



And again;




Fayetteville Semi-Weekly Observer 
(Fayetteville, North Carolina)21 Apr 1853, Thu • Page 3

John W. Pearce, son of Clarissa and stepson of John W. Howell, was the minister of the estate of John W. The following ad ran for several months in the paper soliciting heirs of the estate. Who were they and where were they?



Fayetteville Semi-Weekly Observer 
(Fayetteville, North Carolina)1 Dec 1853, Thu • Page 1

John's own obituary did not mention any heirs, only his benevolent wife.


Fayetteville Semi-Weekly Observer 
(Fayetteville, North Carolina)12 May 1853, Thu • Page 3

After the passing of both John W. Howell and his wife, his stepsons call for heirs did produce heirs, but not children.

The heirs that came forward, via their lawyer, Warren Winslow was Levi Stancil, Charlotte Stancil and Peter Howell, brother-in-law, sister and brother of John W. Howell. As John W. Howell's wife, Clarrissa Winslow Pearce Howell's maiden name was Winslow, the attorney Warren, was very likely related to her somehow.

"This indenture made the 29th of June, 1857, between Levi Stancill and Charlotte, his wife and Peter Howell of the first part, acting through their attorney, Warren Winslow and John W. Pearce of the second part,.....being the lawful successors or heirs of John W. Pearce, deceased. "

This one document was 9 pages long and involved personal property and nearly 30 tracts of land. I want to inspect the land records more in depth later. Three of them involve Peter. His little brother made him a wealthier man than he already was.

The point is that at the time of his death, John W Howell had no children as heirs.

Early Florida manse

The persons whom John and Jordan did business with were impressive, with far reaching influence. These were not isolated country bumpkins running a store or business. Fayetteville was a busy and international center of trade.

A deed dated December  1828 between Richard S. Hackley and Jordan and John Howell states that for $1500, in hand, Richard S. Hackley "of New York", sells to them a tract of land in Florida, above the "Big Swamp" and bordering a tract with a black house belonging to the "Deerfield family of Indians", and also bordering the land of "Indian Tom". The deed was witnessed by Dillon Jordon, Jr., John A. Strode and John Black.

In fact, the brothers did quite a bit of business with Richard S. Hackley.

The next deed following this one was actually dated earlier, in November of 1827, between Jordan Howell and Hamilton Donaldson for a tract on Hay Street in Fayetteville joining John Jarrett or Jarrott.  This shows the relationship between the Howells and the Jarretts as one of neighbors.

The deed registered immediately preceding that one was another between Richard S. Hackley and Jordan Howell, alone this time, on March 15 1826, Mr. Hackley being "of the city of New York and the state of New York", lot 5 in the City of Fayetteville. Apparently Mr. Hackley had owned this town lot for some time. But who was he?

For one, he was one of the first investors in Florida and founder of the city of Tampa.





He was also the author of this book, published in 1835:

Documents and proof of the climate and soil of Florida, particularly East Florida

Dec 31, 1835

by Richard S Hackley Jay I. Kislak Collection (Library of Congress) DLC

And a very important businessman in the early decades of the 19th Century.





He was a friend of James Madison. The following link is from Founders Online:

Founders Online: To James Madison from Richard S. Hackley

Richard S. Hackley, who died in 1843, married Harriett Randolph. Her brother, Thomas Mann Randolph, Jr., had married the daughter of Thomas Jefferson. Richard S. Hackley, among his other appointments and services, served as a U. S. consulate to Spain in 1806-1816.

The descendants of Jordan Howell's (brother of my GGGGreat Grandmother's first husband Richard) son, Jordan Lafayette Howell, claim kinship to Varina Howell Davis, last wife of Jefferson Davis, and therefore to Richard Howell of New Jersey, who served as Governor of that state. With the impressive business and associate connections of the Howell brothers in Fayetteville, I can no longer doubt creedence to that claim. Now to only find the lineage connections. This might even verify the old family rumor of kinship to Jefferson Davis himself, by Job Davis, Sarah Winfield Howells second husband.

It has been well-documented that her family tree leads to the Wingfields who co-owned the Jamestown Company, a trading firm that basically founded Jamestown, Virginia.




Edward Maria Wingfield.



There are  no tellings where this familial trail may lead.

The Estate Records of Richard Howell, Jr. son of Jordan Howell Sr.

There were several Richard Howells in this area in the 1800's. First there was Richard Howell who married my GGGG-Grandmother Sarah Winfield. Then there was Richard, his grandson, son of his eldest son Peter Howell, who married widow, Martha Threadgill.

And then there was Richard, "Jr.", the longest lived Richard Howell.


This is the last page of the 4 page estate papers of Richard Howell. It states that in the Probate Court, of the County of Stanly, in the matter of the administration of the Estate of Richard Howell, before J. M. Redwine, Judge of Probate


B. F Thompson, being duly sworn, doth say, that Richard Howell, late of this county, is dead, without leaving any will or testament. and that B F Thompson is the proper person entitled to Letters of Administration on the estate of the said Richard Howell. Further, that the value of said estate, so far as can be ascertained at the date of this application is about $50.00, and that James Howell, John Howell's heirs, Richmond Blalocks heirs, and Thomas Watkins heirs, are entitled as heirs and distributes thereof.

B. F. Thompson

Sworn to and Subcribed Before me, this

23rd day of Feby, 1871

J M Redwine
Probate Judge


Richard was the youngest son of Jordan Howell and wife Martha Randle Howell, born in 1817. He never married and in 1860, was living with his nephew, Lemuel Howell. Benjamin Franklin Thompson, was the husband of his niece, Susan Jane Howell Thompson, the daughter of John Randle Howell and his wife, Betsy Nash Howell, daughter of Griffin Nash and wife Jemima Winfield Nash, yet another tie to the Winfield family. See how they all stayed closely linked.

Name:	Richd Howell
Age:	43
Birth Year:	abt 1817
Gender:	Male
Home in 1860:	Stanly, North Carolina
Post Office:	Albemarle
Family Number:	902
Value of Real Estate:	View image
Household Members:	Name Age Lam Howell 30 Mary Howell 19 Richd Howell 43 Martha Howell 78

Jordan Howell only appeared in two census records, that of 1800 and 1810. There was no 1820 census and by 1830, his widow Martha is the head of the household. The dashes in the available census records showed two daughters, followed by 3 sons. The three sons were easily identified as John Randle Howell, alternately shown as John, J. R. or "Randle" Howell, James G. Howell, the "G" probably standing for George, and Richard. I was recently able to verify the youngest daughter as that of Catherine Howell who married Richmond Blalock, and as seen above in Richards estate records, heirs are listed as: James Howell (who was still living), John Howell's heirs, (John Randle Howell 's estate was settled in 1860-1861, with E. W. Davis, son of Sarah Winfield Howell Davis, widow of the original Richard Howell, as administrator.; Richmond Blalock heirs (husband of Catherine Howell Blalock), who died in November of 1860 of Liver Disease.

Surname:	Richmond Blalock
Year:	1860
County:	Stanly CO.
State:	NC
Age:	58
Gender:	M (Male)
Month of Death:	Nov
State of Birth:	NC
ID#:	293_512
Occupation:	NONE LISTED
Cause of Death:	LIVERDISEAS

So that leaves "Thomas Watkins heirs". In this listing, the only reasonable explanation for Thomas Watkins heirs is that Thomas Watkins was married to the missing Howell sister. With James and John being brothers of Richard and Richmond Blalock being the brother-in-law of Richard, Thomas Watkins was also a brother-in-law of Richard.

In the Stanly County land records exist two deeds.

1843-  Thomas Watkins to Richard Howell ......12 Nov 1842...Thomas Watkins of Stanly County to Richard Howell of Anson County....waters of Big Cedar Creek...William Thompsons line....James Randles line...94 acres. 


1843- Thomas and Tabitha Watkins to C. R. Watkins State of NC...Stanly County...Oct 30 1843
Know all  men by these presents that we Thomas and Tobitha Watkins for $312.50 unto C. R. Watkins, a negro girl by the name of Caroline aged about 12 years. Samuel P. Morton, Reg. 

It appears that in 1842 and 1843, Thomas and Tobitha Watkins were liquidating and gathering the funds to relocate. The 1850 census finds them in Carroll County, Mississippi.

Name:	Thomas Watkins
Age:	61
Birth Year:	abt 1789
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1850:	Northern Division, Carroll, Mississippi, USA
Gender:	Male
Family Number:	612
Household Members:	Name Age Thomas Watkins 61 Tobitha Watkins 51 John D Walkins 26 Mary Walkins 22 Jane Walkins 19 Alexander Walkins 17 Pinkney Walkins 14

And then they disappear off the face of the earth...or did they?


There are a few more land records involving Richard Howell that link the family still, and may help bring a few wonderments about the Watkins family to light.

Richard Howell, Jr. (as he was the younger of two, the other his cousin, still living) 100 acres Grant No 45 State of North Carolina, $5.00 for every hundred acres, 20 acres starting on the waters of the Rocky River adjoining Rev. James Lilly at his own and Martha Watkins corner, her and Benjamins corner......Richard Blalocks (Richmond?) corner....14 Nov 1842...Richard Howell Jr....his heirs..etc.


Also of interest is a January 7th 1846 deed between Richard Howell and Richmond Blalock and also one between Martha Watkins and Jordan Blalock.

In Anson County, Book 14 page 540, this Martha Blalock sells property to Merritt Tyson. Martha Tyson shows up in the Mortality Schedules of Stanly County for 1850. She was born in 1795.

Name:	Martha Watkins
Gender:	Female
Slave:	Free
Marital Status:	Widowed
Estimated birth year:	abt 1795
Birth Place:	North Carolina, USA
Age:	55
Death Date:	Mar 1850
Cause of Death:	C
Census Year:	1850
Census Place:	Stanly, North Carolina
LINE:	7

Who was Martha Watkins to Thomas Watkins and his family? How was Thomas Watkins tied in to the other Watkins in the area?

His wife was obviously named Tobitha, so therefore, she must be the missing Howell.

Also, if Martha Randle Howell was the daughter of Peter Randle, as research by previous persons shows, why are none of her children or grandchildren named Peter? She obviously has close ties to Richard Randle, as well, who was her contemporary and the lands of her and her children adjoined that of James Randle.

I wonder if they got that right?


The following is a deed from Brunswick County, Virginia showing that Peter Randle and wife Mary were referred to as being from Montgomery County (part of which later became Stanly), North Carolina and were formerly from Brunswick. Brunswick and Mecklenburg Counties in Virginia would lose a large number of their citizens to this area during the latter part of the 1700's.

This Indenture made the twenty third Day of February 1788 BETWEEN Peter Randle and Mary his wife of the County of
Montgomery in the State of North Carolina of the one part and William Edward Brodnax of the County of Brunswick in
Virginia of the other part . . . for and in consideration of the sum of five hundred pounds . . . do give grant bargain sell and
confirm and release unto the said William Edward Brodnax . . . all their right title and interest of in and to the plantation and
tract of land devised by the last Will and Testament of John Sims deceased father of the said Mary unto her brother John
Sims his son; after the death of his mother the said Will bearing date the twelfth Day of May 1778 and recorded in the County
Court of Brunswick will more fully appear the said John Sims having conveyed the same to the said William Edward Brodnax
by deed of feoffment and who now hath the possession thereof . . . Signed by Peter Randle and Mary Randle and witnessed
by James Fletcher, James Gray, William Johnson, and Peyton Randle. State of North Carolina, Montgomery County April
Session 1788. Then the within Deed was duly proved in open Court by the oaths of James Fletcher, James Gray and William
Johnson, Esquires, subscribing witnesses thereto by order said Court. A copy teste by Geo. Davidson, County Clerk. At a
Court held for Brunswick County the 22d Day of September 1788. This Indenture of Release from Peter Randle and Mary
his wife of the State of North Carolina to William Edward Brodnax of this County, together with a Commission annexed for
taking the acknowledgment and privy examination of the said Mary and a Certificate of the Execution thereof as also a
Certificate of the proff [sic] of the said deed from Montgomery County in the said State of North Carolina were presented in
Court and being examined and approved or admitted to record agreeable to the act of assembly entitled "An Act for
Regulating Conveyance". Deed Book 14, page 414.