Ancient home near the location of Job's Lot in need of repair.
Unusual shaped buildings line Old and Hay Streets
I love the Market square roundabout
I crossed the Cape Fear River on Thursday, but no less beautiful than the Catawba, which I crossed on Friday, or the Yadkin-PeeDee, which I cross everyday. I had ventured into Cumberland County to do research in Fayetteville and to plot out an 1825 deed detailing the purchase of a house and land on Hay Street in downtown Fayetteville of my Great, Great, Great, Great Grandfather and the namesake of this blog: Job Davis.
The Edgar Allen Poe House
The deed was fairly clear in its description, and I had hopes, that even now, 188 years later, I might be able to acertain a reasonable estimate of where the house had been located, although I had no actual hopes that the house still stood.
View heading into town.
near the foot of HayMount, where Job's lot would have been located is Davis Street. A Coincidence? I would like to think not.
Liberty Point is still recognizable from old pictures.
The description read that the house was brick and located on the "South side of Hay Street near the foot of HayMount" and that one corner was at the "intersection of Hay St with the Orchard Alley in the new brick buildings on the south side of Hay street running with arched alley south 70 and a half feet east and 20 feet to a stake and partition of the Brick house beginning being Lot # 4". It also mentions the property having been a deed from William Moore to Abel Turner, Abel Turner being the gentleman from whom Job had purchased the property.
The Huske family was one of Fayetteville's Oldest and Most inflluential
The Arts Building, an old Courthouse, I believe
The library in Fayetteville is an impressive, modern, high tech building. Well-staffed and very organized, it was a delight to explore. The History Room is one of the better ones I've visited, and the librarian reigns there is one of the best, most professional and helpful I've ever encountered. It is easy to see that Ms. Arletha Campbell loves what she does and I loved meeting her.
The Lawyers Building
Hay Street
In 1844, Job Davis, then 71 years old, would sell the house and lot to his stepson, John Winfield Howell, as he and his wife Sarah were presumably getting too old to make the 93 mile trip from their plantation in Stanly County to Fayetteville.
I found Fayetteville to be enchanting. I had been there several times before, but never to her historic heart and center and what a treat I was missing.
Downtown Fayetteville reeks of history. A large number of historic retail buildings and historic homes have been lovingly maintained and restored. Beauty abound. A trip to the library allowed me to copy off a collection of historic maps. Although much has changed, the general layout of the streets and the location of the creeks from which the town gained its original name of Cross Creek were still there and traceable. HayMount Hill rises clearly from where Hay street crosses Rowan and an Inn on the side of the hill stills stands and is marked as such.
The last thing I was looking for on my trip was the old Crosscreek Cemetery where I know from an old cemetery book, holds the grave of my (several greats) Uncle John Winfield Howell, and most likely his wife Clarrisa Harlow Phelps Pearce Howell as well, and probably his brother Jordan Howell whose obituary in the Fayetteville Observer noted that he had been interred in "the usual place", which one could assume would be the Cross Creek Cemetery.
It was getting dark as I arrived at Cross Creek Cemetery and the first grave I encountered was that of a Mr. John L. Kennedy, which makes me want to look into who he was.
Cumberland County now makes the Nineteenth County in which I've traveled for Genealogical Research. Begining with Stanly, Anson, Cabarrus, Rowan, Davie, Davidson, Montgomery, Union, Richmond, Moore, Hoke, Guilford, Forsyth, Burke, Iredell Counties in North Carolina and Marlboro, Chesterfield and Lancaster Counties in South Carolina. I feel like I am forgetting a few.
I had only known by information on the telephone that my four-great grandparents had belonged to and attended Hay Street Methodist Church during the 1820-1850's time period, which was information I had found astounding, considering they owned a large farm on the Rocky River bordering Stanly and Anson Counties in North Carolina and the church is located in Fayetteville, North Carolina, some 93 miles away. Its a two plus hour drive today. What a trip it must have been in horse and buggy days.
I did not discover that they had purchased a home there until I began researching Jordan and John W Howell who had moved there after reaching adulthood. John and Jordan were two of Sarah's children by her first marriage to Richard Howell and half-brothers of my third great grandfather, Henry Davis.
When I discovered deeds regarding Job Davis, the hairs stood up on the back of my neck. Could it be the same Job Davis? When I saw that Jordan Howell witnessed the purchase and that later, when it was sold, it was to John W Howell, I knew it WAS my Job Davis. He was 71 when he sold it, so the every summer trip must have gotten to be too much for the patriarch.
The property was described as being on Hay street and including a brick house near the base of HayMount Hill, near an alley and an orchard and at such and such distance from the church. When I found out the church was Methodist, I thought they may have attended, and when I found out it still existed, I was overjoyed.
I had recieved a return call three weeks after my first inquiry stating that the names of my ancestors had indeed been found in the old records of the church. While the Howells and their children attended year round, it seemed tbe Davis's only visited in summer.
Then I remembered in reading stories of Old Charleston and Savannah of how planters from miles down the rivers would also maintain a house in town. Where the term 'townhouse' came into play. They escaped the summer mosquitos and disease they brought that were thicker near rivers and creeks where crops were raised.
Was Cross Creek/ Fayetteville Job's Charleston?
At the bottom of the page it states: "Who has died this year? Clarrissa Howell in great pain April 16, 1853. John W Howell very suddenly May - 1853"
On my recent trip to Fayetteville, the church was my first stop. The first lady I came to knew of no such archives, but I knew I had talked to someone on the phone who told me they did exist. That is when I was directed to Dr. Alice Smith, Director of Lay Ministry.
Dr. Smith has been with the church a very long time and was kind enough to take me through the sanctuary, into the office of archives.
The older sanctuary was elegant and commanding. An enormous and beautiful pipe organ lined the western wall. Sun beamed through exquisite stained glass windows. The office was off to the back and contained a couple of glass cases. Inside the cases were a number of books, some with dates in the 1920's and 1940's. It was the oldest ones I was interested in.
I held the books with care and reverence, almost afraid to touch them. It did not take long, turning the browning pages, to find a familiar name.
I came across some baptisms: Charlotte Winfield Howell July 10, 1827 by Sam Dunwoody born Jany 19 1823.
This was the recording of the baptism of the oldest daughter of Jordon Howell and his wife Mary. Charlotte's birth year had been estimated at 1822, in census records. Now I had the exact date.
There were lists of Official Members for each year. There were lists of who attended each class. I am assumed the 'class' was a bible study class or a Sunday School Class.
John H Pearce held the office of Local Elder for awhile.
John Howell joined the church on February 25th, 1840 by letter.
John Howell was in Class number 6, Clarrissa Howell was in class number 10.
There were other Howell names that gives me something to research into, perhaps the missing children the Howell brothers whose names I have not yet discovered.
These are two Howells listed I have not came across, near the bottom, Emily Howell, but 3 names above hers, it appears to be "Chili" Howell. I am sure it is not Chili Howell, but I can not make out the first name.
I even discovered, oh my, how horrible....that a few members of the younger generation....had turned Baptist.
Old Street, across from the Church.
At the bottom of the roll, Sarah Davis, my Great, Great, Great, Great Grandmother.
I was only able to examine the velvety old books and make unclear photos with my tablet, but being able to see the names of ancestors among those fragile old pages, was worth the trip, if I had discovered nothing else. How my ancestors would make that nearly 100 mile trek every year on dirt roads full of pot holes and unseen conditions, I do not know, but they did.
People who only research straight up their family tree are missing so much. You never know what you might find if you also research the whereabouts and comings and goings of their siblings. If I had not started researching the step-siblings of my direct ancestor, Job's oldest son Henry, I would have never known that his parents, my 4 Great-Grandparents, had owned property and attended church services in the town of Fayetteville. I would have had no reason to look for them there.
Looking into the entire family gives you a fuller picture of who you family was, how they lived, where they lived and who you are yourself.
On the wall in the Margaret Johnson History Room, in Albemarle, North Carolina is a framed, color-blocked copy of an ancient map circa 1841, where the town of Albemarle has been layed out in blocks. This map is not yet available online or in photographic copy. The above scan is as good as it gets.
The wonderful thing about this plot map is that it has the lots of the new town, some occupied, other not, labeled by Lot.
In the Register of Deeds office, I had discovered that Edward Winfield Davis, the second sherriff of Stanly County, and his wife, Rebecca Hathcock Davis, not only lived on the family farm along the Rocky River, in the Southern part of the county, but also purchased a Lot in the new town of Albemarle.
Much like his father and mother had purchased land in the town of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, North Carolina on Hay Street in 1825, selling it to his half-brother John W. Howell, in 1844, when they were getting too old to make the trip from below Cottonville, NC in Stanly to Fayetteville. The trip is now a little over two hours by vehicle. I can only imagine how long it took by horse and buggy or stage coach.
Lot # 23 is the second lot on the right turning right from South Street on to Second Street. After making a copy of the map, I went to trace out the area where the house would have stood in the later days of the 19th century. It is now the building that houses the Stanly County Sherriffs Department, right beside the Courthouse, which was built in the early 1970's, if I can remember correctly.
A Miss Nora Spinks walking down Second Street during the time the E. W. Davis family had a house there.
When I was a child, this building housed the local Sears store. It was mainly a catalogue store with appliances and was a very busy business. We loved Sears. We loved the catalogue. It was the closest thing to ordering online that we had in the 70's.
All I can do is look at the lot and imagine. No trace is left.
Lot 23 would have been directly across the street from the Lutheran Church, pictured above from an old archived picture courtesy of the Stanly County Museum.
I don't know who believes in genetic memory, but not long ago, I was walking through Chuck Morehead Park with our two white German Shepherd Dogs, Coco and Roxy, and I had an image of a stocky built, graying man, with a bit a bow or a limp in his step, as if he had once suffered from an injury, like falling from a horse, but not one enough to slow him down. He was not too tall, but not very short. He was concentrated on the ground, his mind deep in thought, and walking quickly, his arms gathered behind him. His light-brown hair was more brown than gray, but age was gathering upon him. He was surveying this land he had purchased along Cloverfork Creek. It was early spring and the wildflowers were already collecting among the grass. He was thinking how safely up the hill that rose from the creek that it would be safe to build a building without danger of flooding.
Second Street in the early part of the twentieth century.
The man was Henry Davis, my great, great, great grandfather. He could have passed for a 60 year old today, but he was 48. He had a lot on his mind, like the impending war that he would have to participate in, and which would cause the end of his life.
The above is a satellite view of Cloverfork Acres in Stanly County.
From gazing at Lot 23, I could imagine a narrowly built Federalistic style house with a wide front porch garnished with intricate lattice. But it was imagining...I am not sure if a photo exists with this house on it. But I know where it sat, thanks to the above map.
The house would have sat directly across the street from the first white house beside the church and probably looked very much like it.
In imaging Mariah Booth Winfield Moffett Booth, I envision her as a bit of Scarlet O'Hara, the quintessential Southern Belle. She was an heiress, mentioned not only in her father, Joel Winfield's will in Marlborough County, South Carolina, but also her grandfather, Joshua Wingfield in Mecklenburg County, Virginia.
Her little brother, Joel Jr., did not live to grow up and had passed by the time their grandfather did in 1818, Making Mariah sole heiress to her father's estate and his share of her grandfather's estate.
Mariah married twice. First to James Moffett/Moffit/Maffet of Scottish decent and of most prior to the marriage, Fayetteville, North Carolina, where her cousins Jordan and John W. Howell resided.
James Moffett was a Physician and brother of William H. Moffett and the Rev. John Newland Moffett or Maffet.
Moffat in Dumfriesshire
Mariah's second marriage in 1836, was to another Physician and her first cousin, Dr. George Washington Booth. Both were grandchildren of Thomas Booth of Mecklenburg County, Virginia. Mariah was the daughter of oldest sister Mary Marler Booth, known as Polly and Washington was the son of Harper Booth, who would move from Virginia, first to Halifax County, Virginia and then later to Lawrence and Franklin Counties in Alabama. He and most of his sons would later remove to Mississippi, living in Itawamba, Tishomingo and Lee Counties.
Mariah Booth Winfield Moffett Booth, I believe, did not live to be an old woman. I find her second husband alone in 1850 and some documents involving her in 1838 and 1840 in Lawrence County, Alabama, that I have not yet been able to examine. She was born circa 1802, as her parents were married in Virginia in 1801, although her father had been active in Marlboro County, South Carolina for over a decade.
Mariah was well educated. She attended a well known female academy and was sent to Boston for awhile to finish her education. This may explain her inclination for doctors.
At the time of her first marriage, in 1826, Mariah was not a desperate teenager, as many of the country girls who married as quickly as possible. She was an astute, educated and possibly a bit spoiled Southern lady of a comfortable 24 years old.
Name:
James Moffit
Home in 1830 (City, County, State):
Marlboro, South Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 30 thru 39:
2
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5:
1
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29:
1
Slaves - Males - Under 10:
5
Slaves - Males - 10 thru 23:
4
Slaves - Males - 24 thru 35:
4
Slaves - Males - 55 thru 99:
1
Slaves - Females - Under 10:
5
Slaves - Females - 10 thru 23:
4
Slaves - Females - 24 thru 35:
4
Free White Persons - Under 20:
1
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49:
3
Total Free White Persons:
4
Total Slaves:
27
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored):
31
The 1830 census of Marlboro County, North Carolina, shows her husband, Dr. James Moffett as Head of Household, with one white female between the age of 20 and 29, obviously Mariah and another young female under 5 years old. This shows that they possibly had a daughter. If this child survived to adulthood, I have not found her yet. I am in hopes that the papers from Alabama may shed a light on this mystery.
The census also shows that the Moffetts had 27 slaves in their household. Most Physicians in those days did not require the assistance of a number of slaves, perhaps one or two at the most as drivers or nursing assistance. This shows that the good doctor had likely moved onto Level Green, the plantation of Joel Winfield.
Moffat Loop Road
This beautiful scene is the area of Scotland where the Moffats (Moffett, Moffit) hailed from.
In 1828, Dr. James and Mrs Mariah Moffett contracted in Marlboro, South Carolina with a Mr. John Goodwin to build a house at Level Green, formerly known as Winfieldville.
A Southern Piazza
The following is an excerpt from the Indenture dated October 17, 1828:
"build at the place called Level Green in Marlborough District a dwelling house of the dimensions and according to the specifications following to wit the said house to be forty-eight feet long and forty two feet wide and to be one story high, ten and a half feet wide in the clear, the width including a piazza in front ten feet wide to have four rooms on the ground floor and two rooms in the garret, a papage (passage?) twelve feet wide, a portico in the rear sixteen feet long and eight feet wide and a stair case in the papage, to have a door and four windows in the front, the same in the rear and two windows in each end, to have four dormant windows in the roof, viz three in front and one in the year and two windows in each gable end, the windows below to have eighteen lights and those above to have twelve lights each all of eight by ten glass, the House to be set on Brick pillars, three and a half feet high to have two chimneys with a fire place in each room: and to be finished with closets in the usual manner and the said John Goodwin is to furnish at his own cost the following materials and none others for the work hereby contracted to be done, to wit, Bricks and lime for the chimneys and pillars, all the glass, nails, hinges, locks, and fastenings-the said house to be erected, including all the mason work, and carpenter work above specified and to be done in a plain, substantial and workmanlike manner- And the said James Moffett and Mariah B. Moffett do hereby for themselves, their heirs, executor and administrators, .....the rest is legalese dealing with the contract.
The above link is to a blog by Penny L Richards describing students at the academy. Margaret Jane Adam married Dr. William H Moffett in 1821. He was the brother of Mariah's first husband, James.
They were not ordinary people.
Mariah had appointed her brother-in-law as trustee over her estate when she married James in 1826. When she married her cousin, Dr. Washington Booth in 1836, Dr. William H. Moffett was released as trustee. I do not know why she did not assign her first husband, Dr. James Moffett as trustee. Perhaps she did not 'trust' him. Married women had no legal control over their finances in those days. Mariah Booth Winfield had more control than most.
12 Apr 1826, issue 72. Married in Cheraw on the evenning last, by Rew George W. Hathaway, Coct. James Moffett of Fayetteville to Miss Maria Winfield of Marlboro Co. SC.
Her Father: Joel Winfield from
Book Title: A History Of Marlboro County
CLERKS OF COURT.
Time
of
Service.
1 John Wilson 1785
2 Joel Winfield 1787
3 William Fields 1788
4 Drury Robertson 1789
5 Joel Winfield 1790
6 Jno. Winfield 1804
Joel Winfield held the office of Clerk of Court in 1787 and then again in 1790. His younger brother John Thrower Winfield held the office after his death in 1803. Her uncle Drury Robertson, husband of the Winfield brothers sister Mary, held the office in 1789.
ORDINARIES OF MARLBORO.
Joel Winfield, clerk, served as ordinary till 1803.
William Easterling served from 1803 till his death, 1835.
Lewis E. Stubbs elected in 1835.
The early records of Marlboro are filled with Joel Winfields signature performing marriages and witnessing deeds. Marlboro County, SC Post Offices - 1785 to 1971
Winfield
Marlboro
-
Joel Winfield
1/1/1801
-
aka Marlboro C.H.
Joel was the Postmaster of his own town in the early years. The following excerpt is from
A History of Carlisle, South Carolina
n 1785, the new county of Marlboro was created within the overarching Cheraws District at the northeastern corner of South Carolina. The District Court was held at Long Bluff, and the lower County Court House ofMarlboro County was established a few miles north of Long Bluff along the Great Pee Dee River near Gardner's Bluff. It was simply called Marlboro Court House and only lasted a few years.
The town of Carlisle had begun in 1785 and was soon thriving, so the local populace requested that it become the new County Seat. The exact date is currently unkown. However, it was located on the north bank of Crooked Creek where it crossed the old River Road.
Carlisle soon became called Winnfieldville, which was shortened to Winfield by 1801. Winfield remained the county seat until 1822 - the result of an 1819 Act of Legislation moving the county seat to a more-central location.
As Winfield, the town was granted a U.S. Post Office on January 1, 1801, with Mr. Joel Winfield as the first Postmaster. It remained in operation until April 5, 1822, when the new town called Marlboro C.H. was granted its Post Office.
In 1826, the town of Marlboro C.H. was renamed to Bennettsville, and it has been the county seat ever since. The town of Carlisle/Winfield no longer exists, but a granite monument stands where the courthouse was located.
Drury Robertson.
The Drury Robertson who served Marlboro as Clerk of Court and later as a Representative was Drury Robertson, Jr. and a Revolutionary War Major. He
married the sister of Joel Winfield, Mary and aunt of Mariah. The Winfields, Meanly's, Robertsons and Freemans migrated from Mecklenburg and Brunswick Counties in Virginia, first to Anson County, North Carolina. Drury Sr. died in Anson. Some of the younger generation then migrated either to Tennessee or Marlboro, South Carolina.
The following clipping is from:
The following article was transcribed from microfilm of the Pee Dee Advocate newspaper, and contributed by Mary Lewis, 2004.
Among the early representatives of the county a name prominent in early affairs, is that of Maj. Drury Robertson, a representative man in every respect. He married a Miss Winfield of Virginia. He was an extensive land owner, his large estates covering thousands of acres of land, beginning above Goodwin’s mill and going to Pee Dee river. He built the house at Easterling’s mill (now McLaurin’s mill), and this is one of the oldest houses in the county, being built one hundred and thirty years ago. Lafayette spent the night here on his way to Georgetown and here Gen. Winfield Scott read law while visiting his relatives, the Robertsons. Maj. Robertson left two daughters; one married a Hearsey and moved West. George Hearsey of Blenheim is her grandson. The other daughter married first an Ellerbe, the father of Col. W. T. Ellerbe.
After his death she married a Prince, and had one son. There are no living descendants. Mrs Prince, as a widow, lived at the "Old Prince Place", which was a part of Drury Robertson’s estate, with her son, Col. Wl T. Ellerbe, a man of noble character and broad culture. He represented his country many years in the legislature. This magnificent home was surrounded by an old Colonial garden, the only one of the kind in Marlboro. It covered several acres of ground and was fashioned and laid out much in the style of the garden at Mt. Vernon.
The flower beds and borders were hedged with box wood and in this plot bloomed and boloosmed from common hollyhocks, sweat alyssum, and every ready growing flower to the rare exotics that with care and attention could be made to live in this clime. Mrs Prince was an invalid from a fall, and Col. Ellerbe designed this garden for her pleasure and here with her companion, Mrs. Black, much of her time was spent. The pleasure circle was a circular plot lmade of cedars planted in a circle, their tops tied together wen young. They were kept pruned and the doors and windows were shaped. Around the roots of the cedars jasmine and woodbine trailed, and when in bloom the contrasting colors lent charm to the vision. On the inside of the circle easy chairs and tables were placed for loungers. The last vestige of house and garden were destroyed by Maxwell, a Negro senator, during the Reconstruction period. He got possession of the property by paying the taxes. The finest library in the county at that time was owned by Col. Ellerbe. He and his mother rest in Robertson’s burying grounds just back of Easterling’s mill, and a stately magnolia marks his grave. Mrs. Black after Mrs. Prince’s death became a nurse in the Florence hospital dudring the war between the states. Capt. Henry Easterling a----------- Drury Robertson’s estate including the house, and lived here until his death. John L. McLaurin lately purchased part of the property.
I imagine Moriah fashioning her garden much after her Aunt Mary Robertson's with exotic blooms and interesting walks.
I earlier research, I found a description of her wedding to Dr. George Washington Booth at her home in Bennettsville online in an old newspaper. I have not yet been able to discover that article again, but will post it when I do. It described a beautiful porch drapped in flowers and tents set up in luxury for the many guests of the bridal couple, arriving from all over the country. It must have been an event. They had to arrive by cart and buggy in 1836, as no railway yet passed that way.
The above link is concerning Mariah's nephew, son of the brother of her first husband James, the Rev. John Newland Maffitt/Moffett/Mofit, Sr., a Methodist Episcopal minister. In doing research the other day in Fayetteville, I discovered her cousin Jordan Howell was also a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church in Fayetteville.
These were not ordinary people.
The following clip is from "Hybart Family History". This is concerning the daughter of William H. Moffett and Mariah's niece.
16 THOMAS LEWIS HYBART born about 1803 in Canada died 1 January 1847 buried Cross Creek Cemetery, Fayetteville
(spelling of name taken from tombstone), married (marriage bond 16 February 1843 Cumberland County, North
Carolina) to Eliza Moffitt born 1823 died after 1880.
Thomas L. Hybart was a lawyer, newspaper publisher, and representative from Fayetteville in 1835 to the North
Carolina House of Commons who was said to have "a ready tongue and a trenchant pen". He was a strong supporter
of General Andrew Jackson. He was one of the managers of a subscription ball in 1829, indicating that he was active
in the social life of the area. When a fire destroyed a great part of Fayetteville in 1831, the house of T. L. Hybart,
Esq., located at the intersection of Union and Mason streets, was saved only by great effort.
Children: 1. William M. Hybart; 2. Thomas Lewis Hybart, Jr.
Charley Stanford stole a topcoat out of a car and called John Fletcher Booth (defendant), telling Booth that he had the coat Booth wanted and Booth could have it for $20. Stanford set up a meeting with Booth, but was soon after arrested when he was spotted wearing the coat. Stanford agreed to assist the police in apprehending Booth by not telling Booth about the arrest and meeting him in Stanford’s house as planned. The police hid in Stanford’s closet when Booth came over and after Stanford informed Booth that the coat was stolen, Booth said that that was fine and bought the coat. Soon after, the police arrested Booth and charged him with receipt of stolen property. The District Court of Oklahoma County found Booth not guilty of receipt of stolen property because where stolen goods have been recovered by the owner or police, they are no longer considered stolen. Therefore, when they are brought to a defendant with the intent of entrapping him, the defendant cannot be guilty of receipt of stolen goods. However, the District Court of Oklahoma County did find Booth guilty of attempted receipt of stolen property. Booth appealed.
Wills12 Apr 1803 Will of Thomas Booth
In the name of God Amen, I Thomas Booth of Mecklenburg County and State of Virginia being sick and weak in body, but of perfect mind and memory do make and ordain this to be my last will and Testament in manner and form as following:
Imprimis my desire is that all the perishable part of my estate shall be sold by my Executors in discharge of my Just Debts (except what's hereafter devised)
Item I give and bequeath unto my loving Daughter, Mary M Winkfield the following Negroes she has now possession, to wit, Hannah, Daniel, Henry, Evelina, Jacob, Junney, also two beds and furniture and one Set of China & Silver Tea Spoons which she has now in her possession to her and her heirs
forever.
Item I give and bequeath to my beloved daughter Rebecca Booth the following Negroes, to wit, one Negro woman by the name of Milly and Girl the name of Mariah, also one by the name of Clary, and one boy by the name of Joshua, also two boys by the name of Heartwell & Woodlief, also two beds and furniture, one set of China and half Dozen Silver Tea Spoons to her and her heirs forever.
Item I give and bequeath to my son, Harper Booth the land & plantation whereon he now lives, also three Negroes, to wit, Jack, Lissie and Tom, one Sorrell mare, four head of Cattle, one bed and furniture which he has now in possession to him and his heirs forever.
Item I give and bequeath to my son Thomas Booth three negroes to wit, Joe, Stephen and Betty, one bed and furniture, four head of Cattle, one dark bay mare which property he has now is possession except Negro Betty to him and his heirs forever.
Item I give and bequeath to my daughter, Judith Booth, six Negroes to wit, Pattey, a woman, also Wilson and Nelson her Children, Edy, Gooding and Billy, two beds and furniture, one Set of China ware, 1/2 dozen Silver tea Spoons to her and her heirs forever.
Item I give and bequeath to my son Reuben Booth three Negroes to wit, Sam, Allen and Nancy black one sorrell horse, also the lands and plantation whereon he now lives to take possession of the land at the death of my beloved wife, Saving and reserving one half of my dwelling House to my three daughters, Rebecca, Judith and Salley Booth until they shall marry, also one bed and furniture, two Cows &Calves two Sows and pigs, pott & Oven, one set Caininau? Cups & Saucers, one set Knives & forks, one Set Caininau? Table Spoons to him and his heirs forever.
Item I give and bequeath to my daughter, Massey? Jones six Negroes to wit, Amy, Cressy, Bob, Jinsey, Emmanuel, Metilda, two beds and furniture, yoke of Steers, one Set China ware, half dozen Silver Tea Spoons which she has now in possession to her and her heirs forever.
Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Salley Booth six Negroes, to wit, Celar, Jane, Ned, Edmund, Peterson, and Amy, two beds and furniture, one Set China ware, half dozen Silver tea Spoons to her and her heirs forever.
Item I lend to my beloved wife the land & plantation whereon I now live during her natural life and all the rest of my estate both real and personal not before devised, and at her death, my desire is that my two granddaughters, Betsy W Harper and Judith GILLIAM Harper shall divide equally with my legatees of all the Negroes and other perishable estate above lent. I do Constitute and appoint my son Reuben Booth and Harper Booth and Charles Cordle my lawfull Executors to this my last will and Testament.
In Witness whereof I have heretofore set my hand and affixed my seal this twelveth day of April one thousand eight hundred and three.
Sig: Thomas Booth Senr (LS)
Signed, sealed in the
presence of
Wit: Martha Jones Malone, Isaac Williams, Thomas C Singleton
At a court held for Mecklenburg County the 12th day of September 1803
This will was proved by the Oaths of Isaac Williams and Thomas C. Singleton, Witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded and On the motion of Reuben Booth one of the executors therein named who made oath there and together with Joshua Winckfield, Thomas C. Singleton and William Darnwright his securities entered into and acknowledged their hand in the penalty of fifty thousand dollars Conditioned as the law directs. Certificate was granted him for obtaining a probate thereof in due form-liberty being reserved for the other executors therein named to join in the probate when they shall think fit.
Teste: William Baskerville CC
The book "Charlotte County ... Rich Indeed" Published Charlotte County Board of
Supervisors (1979)
states Henry F. Farley was a deputy sheriff from 1811-1813 and an Ordinary .
Henry Forrest Farley married Nancy Ellen White Nov 2, 1814 Mecklenburg County
VA.
Henry and Nancy Ellen had four daughters, two of which died in infancy. The two
surviving daughters were Mary Ann Jane Farley (1818-Feb 1854 Tx) and Elmira
Susan "Myra" (July 15, 1820-Aug 19, 1889 Tx)
They must have both had adventurous spirits as they began their trek Westward to
unsettled lands. Several other Virginia families probably moved along with them.
Alabama was just being settled at that time. Alabama was first included in the
Territory of Mississippi 1798, Territory of Alabama 1817 and achieved statehood
in 1819.
After leaving Virginia, they lived in Lawrence County Al and both daughters
were born there.
After living in AL for about 13 years, the call for settlement of Texas and the
availability of land caused them to head to Texas around 1831.
The story is that they left their eldest daughter, Mary Ann to attend school
perhaps with relatives or friends. She would have been about 13. They took their
younger daughter, Elmira (age 11 years old) with them.
Henry applied for a Texas Land Grant (1 league and 1 labor for families) in
1832, but died in 1834 before he could receive the title.
Mary Ann Jane Farley "eloped" with Thomas Harper Booth around 1833 (probably
in Lawrence Co. AL). Thomas had previously been married to
This couple moved around quite a bit, living in Itawamba County, MS (about 60
miles west of Lawrence, AL), and even in Texas, Austin Co. for short periods of
time.
Family story, "Mary Ann cried for a whole year because they had no slaves to do
the work in Texas."
Mary Ann and Thomas Harper had six sons and two daughters.
Elmira Susan married Frederick Miller Grimes of Washington Co. Tx on Jan 29,
1838, probably at the home of her mother, Nancy living in nearby Austin County.
They settled on their farm on the county line of Washington/Austin.
Nancy Ellen White Farley, remarried around 1838 to Henry ? /Obadiah?/Josh
Hudson. The court records show that Nancy appointed Isaac M. Pennington to
pursue her husband's Texas Land Grant. The courts ruled in favor of the
daughters, and Frederick M. Grimes proceeded with the land claim.
Family story: When Nancy Ellen died (aft 1838) her daughter Elmira Susan
couldn't attend the funeral because of the high creeks due to heavy rains.
As "heirs of Henry Farley" the daughters received land in what is now Coryell
County In 1850 when Fort Gates (later Gatesville) was set-up with soldiers to
protect the settlers, Elmira and Frederick moved there.
In 1852 they sold this land to their son, Samuel, and moved to land in the
southeast corner of Coryell County.
Several deeds are made with the joint signatures of Elmira and Mary Jane and
their respective husbands.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/austin/austoc.htm
I can imagine Mariah being as spoiled as her sister-in-law Mary Jane Farley Booth.
the Cape Fear River on Thursday, but no less beautiful than the Catawba, which I crossed on Friday, or the Yadkin-PeeDee, which I cross everyday. I had ventured into Cumberland County to do research in Fayetteville and to plot out an 1825 deed detailing the purchase of a house and land on Hay Street in downtown Fayetteville of my Great, Great, Great, Great Grandfather and the namesake of this blog: Job Davis. 
