THE CMENS HOUSE
HALIFAX , NORTH CAROLINA
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HISTORICAL RESEARCH REPORT
FOR THE
OWENS HOUSE
HALIFAX, NORTH CAROLINA ·
~ Jerr.y L. Cross
March, 1974
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface
I. The Owens House: Documentary Research Report
II. Chain of Title
III . The Owens Family of Halifax: A Biographical Sketch
IV. Appendixes
A. Deeds
Leslie to Montfort
Montfort to Powell
'Powell to Kidd
Kidd to Davie
Davie to Purrington
Purrington to MUrfree
Hilliard to Pride
Pride to Dean
Dean to Smith
Simmons to Simmons
Simmons to Owens
Hawkins to Historical Halifax Restoration Association, Inc .
Historical Halifax Restoration Association, Inc. to the
State of North Carolina
B. Berry & Owens Advertisement
C. Fire Insurance Application by G. W. Owens
D. Inventory of G. W. Owens's Estate
E. Wills
George W. Owens, Sr .
George W. Owens,{jrJ
V . I l lustrations
A. Owens House before Restoration
B. Owens House as Restored
C. Owens House Location in Relationship
to Original Town Plan
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PREFACE
The history of the Owens House in Halifax, North Carolina, is shrouded
by local tradition. Taking its name from George W. Owens, a very success­ful
merchant of the mid- nineteenth century, the house reputedly dates from
the 1760s. Local residents claim that it once stood on a l ot now occupied
by the county courthouse, and that it was moved to its present site on the
outskirts of town when the second courthouse was constructed in 1846. Tra­dition
further maintains that the structure was the home of a Dr . Owens,
and that it served as a hospital during the Civil War.
The Owens House is now maintained as a part of the Historic Halifax
State Historic Site. As the celebration of the bicentennial of the Ameri­can
Revolution approaches, efforts are being made to learn as much as pos­sibl
e about historic structures in and around Halifax, one of the sites
significant in the state's history from 1775 to 1781. This report ex­plores
the authenticity of local tradition surrounding the Owens House
through documentary research . The records are incomplete, leaving wide
gaps in the historical chronology. Where such gaps occur, speculation,
based on fragmentary historical evidence, is sometimes used to aid the
transition through the broken narrative. These theories are carefully
noted in the text, and under no circumstances should they be unquestion­abl
y accepted as fact!
Primary sources examined for this report included Halifax County Deed
and Will Books, Inventories and Estates Records , Halifax County Court Min­utes,
Minutes of the Halifax County Superior Court, and Halifax County
Marriage Bonds . Much about Owens and other owners of the house was found
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in the Halifax newspapers: North Carolina Journal, Halifax Minerva, and
the Roanoke Advocate . Among published sources used were W. C. Allen, ~
History of Halifax County~ Blackwell P . Robinson, William R. Davie; and
Henry M. Wagstaff, "The Harris Letters," James Sprunt Historical Publi­cations.
Local insights and tradition were provided by Miss Maude Fleming,
Halifax Public Librarian; Miss Ursula Marshall, regent of the Elizabeth
Montfort Ashe Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution,
Mrs . Margaret Hofmann, regional historian, J . C. Taylor, Clerk of Supe ­rior
Court; F. D. Wilson, Register of Deeds; and Roy F. Ferrall, Halifax
County Auditor. To each of the above is extended sincere appreciation
for the cooperation and assistance rendered in the preparation of
this report .
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I. THE OWENS HOUSE
The gambrel- roof style house that later was to become the Owens
House existed on its present site by August of 1806. In that month,
John H. Purrington mortgaged 11 • one tract of parcel or land • •
with all the appurtenances belonging or in any wise appertaining to the
premises all my household & kitchen furniture, also my medicine shop,
furniture and books. n1 Isaac Hilliard acquired the property
through foreclosure, and on May 15, 1809, sold the same tract of land
to Halcot J. Pride " · .. with all the houses buildings and improvements
the reon. . . • u2 Boundary descriptions clearly identify the property as
that on which the Owens House now stands, and the above transactions leave
little doubt that it was there as early as 1806.3
The gambrel- roof style was a popular architectural mode for many years
before the Owens House appeared on its present lot . Architectural histori-ans
have ascribed a construction date of ca . 1760 to the house, and while
many structures in Halifax were later than the prevalent architectural
styles, other features of the house, such as closet locks , H-L hinges, and
mantel s, indicate an earlier construction date.4 Mr. A. L. Honeycutt, Jr . ,
restoration supervisor in the Division of Archives and History, asserts
positively that the Owens House does not stand on its original site .5 In
a report dated February 6, 1964, Mr. Honeycutt states that "The existing
chimney may or may not be the original one, but it predates 1820 by 10 or
more years . "6 This architectural analysis suggests a relocation in the
first decade of the nineteenth century. The theory is substantiated both
by the earliest documented existence of a house on the property and the
pattern of transactions involving the lot before 1806.
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Beginning in 1772 when James Leslie deeded thirteen acres to Joseph
MOntfort, the tract of land on which the Owens House now stands changed hands
four times before Purrington acquired it in 1B05 from William R. Davie .7
Davie had owned the property for twenty- four years, but did not appear to
have added any improvements. The deed reads in part: 11
• all that
parcel of land adjoining the said lots Ll4 and 127 • • • containing by
estimation one acre, be the same, more or less, with all the appurtenances
belonging to the said lots & parcel of land . "B Davie had purchased the
land in 1781, shortly before he married Sarah Jones, daughter of Allen
Jones, a brother of Willie Jones and a member of a prominent Roanoke Valley
family. His home, Loretta, was constructed about 1785 and stands today only
a few hundred feet from the Owens House. Had the gambrel- roof house existed
on the property at the time of purchase, it seems most improbable that
Davie and his wife would have lived in Northampton County until 1785 .9 Had
Davie built the house, there should have been a substantial increase in the
property value, but Davie paid b200 North Carolina currency for the land in
1781 and sold the same for $350 in 1805.10 Even with the difference in
monetary value due to wartime inflation, there seems to be no significant
increase in the land value. On the other hand, Isaac Hilliard, who ac-quired
the property about 1807, resold the land and premises to Halcott
J . Pride for $1,150.11 Thus, the house seems to have appeared on its
present site during the ownership of John H. Purrington.
The records do not reveal the original location of the Owens House .
From 1781 until 1839, however, Lot 15 in the town plan was included in
the transfer of the property under discussion. The Sauthier Map shows two
structures on Lot 15 in 1769, one of which has sizeable proportions .
12
One
may theorize that this was the original site of the Owens House, but it is
only supposition and cannot be documented from the existing records!
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Since the second courthouse was not built until 1846, the house obviously
was not moved to make way for the facility as local tradition maintains. 13
Purrington, the first documented owner of the house, was a doctor who
14
may have built a medicine shop about fifty feet from his home . Indebt-edness
forced Purrington to mortgage his 11 ••• house - hold & kitchen furni-ture,
also my medicine shop, furniture and books, one negro girl named
Hannah, two horses, one cow & yearling, one sow.n 1 5 Between the occupancy
by Purrington (1805 - 1806) and the purchase by Owens (1839), the owners of
the house were : Isaac Hilliard, Halifax merchant; Halcott Jones Pride,
who served in the General Assembly; Gavis Dean, a physician who later moved
to Virginia; Elisha B. Smith; and Joseph L. Simmons , dry goods merchant
and grocer in Halifax.
16
With the possible exception of Smith, about whom
no information could be found, all of the owners of the house were men of
standing; however, the records do not indicate which of them may have
lived in the dwelling. The rather elegant house and accompanying medicine
shop would have been excellent accomodations for Dr. Dean, but it is not
known how long he remained in Halifax after buying the property . Following
Purrington's occupancy, only one person can be documented as living on the
premises before its purchase by George W. Owens .
Joseph L. Simmons received a deed to the house and property on October
11, 1832.17 He was the highest bidder for the land when Sheriff James H.
Simmons was ordered by the court to sell the Elisha B. Smith holdings at
public auction. Joseph Simmons was at that time secretary of the Royal
vfuite Hart Lodge No. 2, and a very successful merchant . 18 Simmons's store
in town was also the post office, and his merchandise included everything
from fresh fish to medicines and chemicals. 19 After seven years Simmons
sold the property to George W. Owens, Sr., "· • • including the dwelling
house outhouses Warehouse Stables & recently occupied by me as residence . "2 0
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A stipulation in the deed reserved a small graveyard for use by the
Simmons family .
Owens was also a successful Halifax merchant in the shoe and leather
business. For several years he was a partner in the firm of Berry & Owens ,
21
until the partnership was dissolved by mutual consent on March 29, 1832.
Owens became the sole proprietor and continued to run the business until
his death in 1850. During this time, he lived, at least for some of the
time, in the house that now bears his name .22 One life-time resident of
Halifax referred to a Dr. Owens who lived in the Owens House. The refer-ence
was obviously to George Owens , but the only evidence of his being a
doctor was a box of dentistry tools in the inventory of his estate . Such
fragmentary evidence is unreliable for a conclusion.
23
In addition to the property pur chased from Simmons, Owens acquired
six town lots, a store, and another dwelling house and outbuildings.24
The house in which be resided and the s~ding acreage was willed to
his wife Elizabeth, while the store and town dwelling were left jointly to
his son, George, Jr., and Napoleon Bonaparte. 25 Elizabeth may have con-tinued
to live on the property after her husband's death; the records are
vague . In any case, she was in possession of the house at the time local
tradition claims it served as a Civil War hospital . No evidence was found
to support this claim, and if Widow Owens were living there during the
Civil War, she would have had two minor children at home, thus placing
the tradition further in doubt .26
Elizabeth Owens held the property until her death about the year 1875 .
In May of that year, George W. Owens, Jr., was granted permission to dis-pose
of his mother ' s estate. The proceedings were contested by other heirs
of Elizabeth Owens, who had died intestate. The Superior Court voided
Owens's transactions, and George, Jr . , died while the estate was tied up
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in legal maneuvering. The court then appointed Thomas N. Hil l to settle
the estate. Hill was directed to sell t he land at public auction and to
divide the proceeds among the rema.l nl. ng h e~' rs . 27 On March 16, 1880, Hill
sold the nold Owens place" to James M. Mullen for $5oo.
28
Since 1880, the bouse has passed through a number of owners, and,
until 1957, it was used almost exclusively as a residence . In the latter
year, the Historic (Historical) Halifax Restoration Association, Inc.,
purchased the house and grounds from Lillie Mae Austin Hawkins and her
29
husband, Johnny Hawkins . Having received less than adequate care over
the years, the old Owens House had deteriorated badly. The Department of
Archives and History assisted the Restoration Association in restoring
the house to its eighteenth century appearance. Furnishings of the era
were also acquired and installed. In 1969, the Historic Halifax Restoration
Association, Inc., transferred the Owens House and lot to the state of
North Carolina.30
FOCYrNOTES
1 . Halifax County Deed Books, Office of the Register of Deeds, Halifax
County Courthouse, Halifax, North Carolina, Deed Book 20, pp . 439 - 440,
hereinafter cited as Halifax Deed Book . It will be noted that at this
early date, "xey- medicine shop" indicates a doctor 's office in or near
the Owens House.
2 . Halifax Deed Book 21, p . 297 .
3. For boundary descriptions, see Purrington to Murfree and Hilliard to Pride
in Appendix A. See also "Plan of the Town of Halifax, Halifax County,
North Carolina LReference omittegl Survey'd and Drawn in June 1769 . By
C, J, Sauthier." British Museum, King George III's Topogra phical Col­lection,
Table CXXII, 58, photocopy in Archives, Division of Archives
and History, Raleigh . Overlay of town plan drawn to scale by Jerry L.
Cross, researcher, Historic Sites and Museums Section, Archives and
History, Raleigh, from "A Draught of Halifax Plan of the town of Hali­fax
in Roanoke River N° Carolina laid out 1758," Person Family Papers,
OP#590, Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina,
Chapel Hill, discovered by Margaret Hofmann of Roanoke Rapids in 1971.
Sauthier Map with overlay hereinafter cited as Sauthier Map .
4. A. L. Honeycutt, Jr . , "Halifax, Dutch Colonial House, Upstairs North Room
Mantel" (One-page typed report, February 6, 1964, in researcher's office,
Historic Sites and Museums Section, Division of Archives and History,
Raleigh), hereinafter cited as Honeycutt Report; "Dutch Colonial House
Restoration," unknown author and date, three- page typed report in
researcher ' s office), 1- 3 .
5 . Researcher's interview with A. L. Honeycutt, Jr . , Restoration Supervisor,
Division of Archives and History, February 6, 1974 .
6 . Honeycutt Report .
7 . Halifax Deed Book 13, pp. 24- 25; Deed Book 14, pp . 219- 220, 642-643,
473 - 474; Deed Book 20, p . 153 . See also, Leslie to MOntfort , MOntfort
to Powell, Powell to Kidd, Kidd to Davie, Davie to Purrington in
Appendix A.
8. Halifax Deed Book 20, p . 153 .
9 . Davie served as a delegate from Northampton County to the General As ­sembly
in 1784. Two years later he represented Halifax County . He
must have moved to Halifax during the interval, and was probably en­gaged
in the construction of Loretta . The Davie home has been much
altered and is now owned and occupied by the vl. Turner Stephenson
family. Blackwell P . Robinson, William R. Davie (Chapel Hill : Uni ­versity
of North Carolina Press, 195? ), 138, 172 .
.... 10. Halifax Deed Book 14, pp . 473 - 474: Deed Book 20, p . 153 .
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11. Purrington was indebted to Isaac Hilliard for t500. To secure the debt,
Purrington placed his property in a deed of trust to William H. Murfree.
Purrington was unable to pay the debt before the expiration date of the
mortgage and Hilliard acquired the property. Halifax Deed Book 20,
pp. 439- 440; Deed Book 21, p. 297.
12. See Illustration C.
13. Minutes of the Halifax County Court of Common Pleas and Quarter Sessions,
1784- 1865 (incomplete), Archives, Division of Archives and History,
Raleigh, November 16, 1846, hereinafter cited as Halifax Court Minutes
with appropriate date.
14. Isaac Hilliard referred to Dr . Purrington in an advertisement in the
North Carolina Journal (Halifax), December 21, 1807, hereinafter cited
as North Carolina Journal. George W. Owens, Sr. , in an application
for insurance to the North Carolina Mutual Insurance Company, listed
an office fifty feet from the house . This may have been the medicine
shop referred to in Purrington' s mortgage . Halifax Deed Book 32, p.
582.
15. Halifax Deed Book 20, pp. 439- 440.
16. Halifax Deed Book 21, p. 297; Deed Book 22, pp. 61- 62; Deed Book 23,
pp. 416-417; Deed Book 28, p. 416 .
17. Halifax Deed Book 28, pp. 416-417.
18. Roanoke Advocate (Halifax), November 15, 1832, hereinafter cited as
Roanoke Advocate.
19. Roanoke Advocate, April 20, May 13, August 5, 1830, and November 15,
1832.
20. Halifax Deed Book 30, p . 305.
21 . Roanoke Advocate, October 28, 1830, February 2 , and April 5, 1832.
22 . Halifax Deed Book 32, p . 582~ Halifax County Will Books, Office of the
Clerk of Court, Halifax County Courthouse, Halifax, North Carolina,
Will Book 4, p. 297, hereinafter cited as Halifax Will Book. See
also Appendix E.
23. Researcher ' s interview with Miss Maude Fleming, Halifax Public Librar­ian,
February 4, 1974, hereinafter cited as Fleming interview.
24. Halifax Will Book 4, p. 297. See also Appendix E.
25 . Halifax Will Book 4, p. 297. See also Appendix E.
26. At the time of his death in 1850, George W. Owens,Sr., left an infant
daughter, Josephine, and small son, Napoleon Bonaparte, the two young­est
of his six children. They would have been in their early teens
during the Civil War, but still considered minors. Elizabeth Owens
never remarried, and whether or not she vacated the Owens House before
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or during the Civil War is uncertain. Halifax Will Book 4, p . 297;
Last Will and Testament of George Owens LJr.J, Halifax Will Book 6,
p . 208: Halifax County Marriage Bonds (bound two - volume set of typed
manuscript), Archives, Division of Archives and History, Raleigh, II, 59,
143-144, hereinafter cited as Halifax Marriage Bonds .
27. Elizabeth Owens • . . among the petitioners. The other Owens heirs
included Whitmel Stephenson, B. F . Ellis, and H. s. Nevill, all of
whom were Elizabeth's sons- in- law. Her daughter Annie, and grandson,
William W. Ellis, also joined in the effort to halt the proceedings.
Halifax Deed Book 61, pp. 267 - 269; Halifax Will Book 6, p . 208;
Halifax Superior Court Minutes, 1874- 1875, Archives, Division of
Archives and History, Raleigh, May 7, 1875. See also "The Owens
Family of Halifax: A Biographical Sketch," Part III, 18- 19, of
this report.
28. Halifax Deed Book 61, pp. 267-269.
29 . Halifax Deed Book 627, p. 561.
30 . Halifax Deed Book 744, p. 386, Tract No. 3 .
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II . CHAIN OF TITLE FOR THE OWENS HOUSE LOT
HALIFAX, NORTH CAROLINA
The lot on which the Owens House is now located originally formed
part of a thirteen-acre tract sold to Joseph Montfort by James and Mary
Leslie on September 22, 1772 . The consideration was b39 proclamation
money and the transfer gave Montfort
. • . one piece or parcel of land adjoining on the upper or
westerly side of the town lotts of Halifax & bounded viz .t from
the westerly corner of lott ~3 where it corners on Saint George
Street the course of the said street continued till it shall
intersect the patent line being Mr . Wylie Jones's bounds to Mr .
James Milner corner in Jones's line which said Milner purchased
of the above named James Leslie thence by Milner ' s line to the
Westerly corner of Lott No . 15, & extremity of Saint Davids Street
and so Northwardly joining the ends of all the upper row of Town
lotts from lott 15 to lott ND3 being in the whole thirteen acres
together with all privileges and Improvements ••. .
Montfort died in 1776 while still in possession of the property and his
estate passed to his son and executor, Henry Montfort .
Henry ¥.10ntfort and his wife Priscjlla sold the thirteen-acre t ract to
Ptolemy Powell of Halifax County on December 3, 1778. The consideration
was blOO current money, and Lot No . 15 in the town was included in the
transaction.2
Powell held the property for three years before deeding a portion of
the tract t o Joseph Kidd . The deed, dated October 1, 1781, transferred
the southern end of the tract for b40 lawful money:
. • . that tract of land purchased of James Leslie by Joseph Mont­fort
Esq. and conveyed by the Exrs of the said Joseph Montfort to
the s aid Powell, bounded South West by Lotts N° 14 & 15 and on the
North West by Willie Jones land and the Land formerly belonging to
James Milner and on the North East by Mrs. McGlanahans line with
all ' the appurtenanc3s belonging or in any wise appertaining to
the premises . •• .
Kidd was apparently interested in the property only as an investment.
Barely more than two months after purchase, Kidd sold the acreage described
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above to William R. Davie. The transfer took place on December 8, 1781,
and the consideration was 1:,200 lawful money. Even with the inclusion of
Lot No. 15, Kidd realized a substantial profit from the transaction.4
Davie retained the property for thirty-four years . Shortly before he
moved to South Carolina, Davie accepted $350 from John Holmes Purrington
as payment for
. . . one lot or half acre of ground in the town of Halifax,
distinguished in the plan of said town as number (14) fourteen
and also one other lot or half acre of ground in the said town
distinguished in the plan of said town as number (15) fifteen
and also all that parcel of land adjoining the said lots pur­chased
by the said William Richardson Davie from Kedd (Kidd$
and Elizabeth, his wife . •. by estimation one acre .. . •
Purrington's actual ownership of the land lasted exactly one year, from
August 23, 1805, to August 23, 1806.6 Suits in the amount of ±250 were
filed against Purrington, for whom Isaac Hilliard acted as security.
Anxious to pay his debt to Hilliard, Purrington placed his real and
personal property in a deed of trust to William H. Murfree . The deed,
dated August 23, 1806, reads in part:
• . . also one tract or parcel of land, bounded on the South
West by lots number fourteen and fifteen and on the North West
by Willie Jones's land and the land formerly belonging to James
Milna (Milner), on the North East by Mrs. M. Cannahan' s /Sic7
line, with all the appurtenances belonging or in any wise apper­taining
to the premises all my house- hold and kitchen furniture,
also my medicine shop, furniture and books, one negro girl,
named Hannah, two horses, one cow & yearling, one sow.
If Purrington, or anyone representing him, failed to pay the debt and
accrued interest by February 16, 1807, Murfree was to sell the property
at public auction.?
The debt was not paid and Isaac Hilliard purchased the land and
buildings from Murfree. No deed to this effect was found, but the trans-action
is mentioned in the transfer of said property to Halcott Jones Pride
on May 15, 1809. The reference reads, " . being the lands I purchased
by virtue of a deed of trust to Wm. H. Murfree from John Purrington with
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all the houses buildings and improvements thereon. • 11 Pride paid
8 $1,150 for the one-acre tract and Lots No . 14 and 15 in the town.
Just over two years later, on June 2, 1811, Halcott J. Pride sold
the town lots and tract of land to Gavis Dean of Halifax County f or $1,500.9
Dean owned the land for six years, and sometime during that period moved
to Virginia. On November 23, 1816, he transferred his holdings in and
bordering Halifax to Elisha B. Smith of Halifax Town for $1,550.10
Smith was unabl e to meet his financial obligations and the court
ordered Sheriff James H. Simmons to place the property for public sale.
Joseph L. Simmons was the highest bidder and received a deed to the land
on October 11, 1832. Apparently, the town's corporate l imits adjoining
the tract of land had become blurred over the years . A deed from Joseph
Simmons to George W. Owens, Sr., dated November 19, 1839, reads in part:
Three acres more or less (a part of said land being in the
limits of the Town of Halifax say through Lots Nos Thirteen (13)
Fourteen (14) and Fifteen (15) adjoining the l ands of Benja Ed­nnmds
and others including the Dwelling house out houses Warehouses
Stables and recently occupied by me as a residence •...
The consideration was $900.11
George Owens, Sr., died in 1850, leaving his house and surrounding
property to his wife Elizabeth.12 Elizabeth Owens apparently died in­testate
about 1875 . George Owens, Jr., then entered into a special
proceeding to dispose of his mother's estate. The proceedings were con-tested
by his in- laws and relatives, and the property was tied up in
legal maneuvering for five years . George, Jr., died before the estate
was settled and the Superior Court ordered Thomas N. Hill to sell the
rt d d . . d th d th . . h . 13 prope y an lV1 e e procee s among e remalnlng e~s . 0n 0 ct ob e r
28, 1880, Hill sold"· .. a certain piece or parcel of that lot or tract
of l and known as the 'old Owens ' place • .• embracing the residence and
all other buildings now on said tract . . • . 11 to James M. Mullen for
$375. One acre was excepted and reserved for Annanias Buck.14
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On the same day that he received the property, Mullen, and his wife
Evelyn, transferred the title to the "old Owens" place to Robert L. Lewis,
for exactly the same consideration. 15 Three months later, January 25 , 1881,
R. J . Lewis and his wife, Eliza C. Lewis, deeded the property to Joseph J .
16 Wood for $450. Unable to pay the full amount, Wood granted Lewis a
mortgage deed to the property on the same day . He made a down payment of
$50, leaving a balance of $400 plus interest to be paid in four $100 in-stallments
. Payments were due the first day of April, July, and October,
1881, and the first of January, 1882. Payment as scheduled would void
the mortgage deed . 17
Wood must have defaulted on his debt because R. J. and Eliza Lewis
sold" · . . that lot or parcel of land in said County, near Halifax town,
whereon Joseph J . Wo od lives, being a part of the old Owens place ..•
containing one acre more or less . . . . 11 to James T. Dawson on December
15, 1884 . The consideration was $386.18
By 1887 , Dawson was indebted to the firm of Etheridge and Brooks, mer-chants
of Portsmouth, Virginia . The exact amount was not recorded, but
it was in the vicinity of $5,000 . To secure the debt, Dawson placed numer -
ous l and holdings in a deed of trust to James M. Grizzard for $1.00 and
debts . Among the properties listed were " . . • one house and lot near the
corporate limits of the town of Halifax known as the old Owens place and
opposite the Masonic L:odge containing about one acre. . . . " The deed
would be void if Dawson paid his debt by January 1, 1889 . 19
Dawson was unable to pay his debt and Grizzard assumed ownership of
the lot. Grizzard held a public auction at the courthouse in Halifax on
January 6, 1890. A. E. Etheridge and E. C. Brooks, who formed the firm
of Etheridge and Brooks , were the highest bidders at $300. They received
title to
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. . . a certain lot of land specified in said deed as the old
Owens place . •• on which J . J . Wood now resides and opposite
the Masonic Lodge • . . • 20
Just over a year later, March 14, 1890, A. E. Etheridge and E. C.
Brooks, and their wives, Emma J . Etheridge and Alice E. Brooks, put their
Halifax properties in a deed of trust to Leigh R. Watts . Included were
"four lots, with the houses thereon, situation /&ic7 in the town of Hali-fax,
State of North Carolina, and known respectively as the 'Owens Place,'
the 1 Daniel Place, 1 the 1 Faison Place, 1 and the 1 Parker Place. ' u21 After
ten years, Leigh R. Watts, Trustee, et als transferred the Owens lot to
Nathan and Anna Austin for $150. The property was described as " • con-taining
3/4 of an acre more or less • on which G. D. Austin now re-sides,
and which was rented by said G. D. Austin from E. C. Brooks during
the year 1900. 1122
Nathan Austin died intestate on November 20, 1920.23 The property in
his possession, including the Owens House and lot , passed by operation of
law to his widow, Anna Austin, who died in 1940. Her Last Will and Testa­ment
devised the estate "to Lillie May /&ic7 Austin, m;y foster daughter ,
whom I have raised from her infancy •1124 Lillie Mae Austin later married
Johnny Hawkins and lived in t he Owens House until 1957.
On April 9 of the aforementioned year, Johnny Hawkins and Lillie Mae
Austin Hawkins sold the Owens House and three- fourths acre lot to the His-torical
~G_7 Halifax Restoration Association, Inc ., for $5,500. 25 The
property was transferred to the state of North Carolina on January 21,
1969, to be developed as part of the Historic Halifax state Historic Site.26
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FoarNarES
1. Halifax Deed Book 13, p. 24.
2 . Halifax Deed Book 14, p. 219.
3. Halifax Deed Book 14, p . 642 .
4. Kidd had purchased Lot No . 15 for $40 specie from Thomas Ferrall
in January, 1781 (The deed states 1782 but this has to be a mis­take
because Ki dd owned the lot at the time he sold it to Davie
in December , 1781) . Halifax Deed Book 14, pp . 590, 473.
5 .
6 .
7 .
8 .
9 .
10.
11.
12 .
13.
14.
15.
16.
17 .
18 .
19.
The deed is dated August 23, 1805 . Halifax Deed Book 20, p. 153.
Halifax Deed Book 20, pp. 153, 439- 440 .
Halifax Deed Book 20, pp. 439- 440.
Halifax Deed Book 21, p. 297 .
Halifax Deed Book 22 , pp. 61 - 62 .
Halifax Deed Book 23, p . 416 .
Halifax Deed Book 30, p. 305.
Halifax Will Book 4, p . 297 , clause 6 .
Halifax Deed Book 55, p . 49; Deed Book 61, pp. 267 - 269; Halifax
Superior Court Minutes, May 7, 1875 .
Buck was a Negro minister who lived on the property. Later a Negro
church was also built on the acre . Halifax Deed Book 61 , pp . 269-271.
Halifax Deed Book 61, pp. 269- 270.
Halifax Deed Book 61 , p . 480 .
Halifax Deed Book 61, p. 477 .
Halifax Deed Book 72B , p . 28 .
Other properties held by Dawson included two stores and lots in En ­field,
two other tracts in Halifax of 10 and 226 acres, and a large
number of notes and bonds . Halifax Deed Book 76B, pp . 571 - 574 .
20. Halifax Deed Book 90, pp . 56 - 57 .
21. Halifax Deed Book 91, pp . 272 - 276.
• 22. Halifax Deed Book 134, pp. 121 - 122 .
23 . Halifax County Records, Vital Statistics, Halifax County Court-house,
Halifax Deaths, Vol. 7, p . 260.
24. Halifax Will Book 13, p. 86.
25 . Halifax Deed Book 627, p . 561 .
26 . Halifax Deed Book 244, p. 386, Tract No. 3.
-
-
-
III. THE OWENS FAMILY OF HALIFAX, NORTH CAROLINA
A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
For nearly fifty years of the nineteenth century the Owenses were
among the most prominent members of Hal ifax society. George Owens, Sr. , the
first to achieve success in Halifax, began his career as a member of the
firm of Berry & Owens, shoe and l eather merchants. The records do not re-veal
a birthdate but he was born presumably before 1800 and came to Halifax
as an adult . There is no evidence of another Owens in town before his ar-rival.
Neither is a date given for his marriage to El izabeth Mason, but a
good guess would be the 1820s.1 Since George, Jr., was of l awful age in
1850, he coul d have been born no l ater then 1829, 2 and there is no indi-cation
that he was the offspring of an earlier marriage.
No date was found for the formation of a partnership between Berry and
Owens, but the firm was in existence by July, 1830.3 Extensive advertise-ments
in the Roanoke Advocate indicate a very successful business, but for
reasons not uncovered, the partnership was dissolved by mutual consent on
4
March 29, 1832. Owens bought out Berry's interest and continued to
operate the business under his own name .5
6
Owens took his son, George, Jr., into full partnership on June 1, 1850,
shortly before his death. Much of the Last Will and Testament of George W.
Owens, Sr., was devoted to outl ining the method by which George, Jr., was
to continue the business. Napoleon Bonaparte, the youngest son, was to
become a full partner with his brother upon reaching the age of twenty-one,
and the store and adjoining l ots were devised jointly to the brothers . An
interesting feature of Owens's will stipul ated that Napol eon Bonaparte was
not to receive a col lege education, but one that would prepare him for the
merchant trade . Owens obviousl y believed that women had no place in busi-
-
-
ness because he directed that, in the event that neither of his sons were
able to run the store , all business accounts were to be finally settled.
This was desired even if his wife and four daughters should survive the
men. 7
At the time of his death, George Owens had four children under the
age of twenty- one : Sarah V. , Ann, Napoleon Bonaparte, and Josephine .
Arrangements were made for the education and financial support of each
child . His widow Elizabeth was given the homestead (Owens House) and all
property excepting the store lot and two adjoining lots . Owens had two
other children, making a total of six. George, Jr . , already mentioned,
apparently reached the age of twenty- one in 1850, at which time he became
a partner in his father's business. Mary E. (Elizabeth) was probably
younger than George, Jr . , but had already married Robert J . T. Faulcon on
8
May 18, 1848. No children were born of this union by 1850, and since
George, Jr., had not yet married, George Owens, Sr. , never lived to see
his grandchildren.
Eventually the rest of the Owens children married, with the exception
of Napoleon Bonaparte. Sarah wed Benjamin F. Ellis, October 6, 1852. Ann
married H. S. Nevill by 1876. Josephine became the wife of Whitmel Steph-enson,
and George, Jr., married first, Martha J. Whitehead on May 7, 1851,
and second, Missouri F. Allen on June 6, 1866.9 No mention is made of
Napoleon Bonaparte after 1850. He never became a partner in the family
business: therefore, it may be assumed that he died before attaining
lawful age.
George Owens, Jr . , who dropped the Jr. from his name when his father
died, continued to run the family business for nearly twenty- nine years .
During that time, he amassed a small fortune and became a large landowner .
In addition to the store and three lots devised him by his father, Owens
-
-
acquired two substantial plantations known as the Eppes Tract and the
Ponton Tract, an interest in the Lowe Tract, a mill and surrounding land
on Quankey Creek, a storehouse known as the Nevill Store in town, the brick
office with three adjoining lots in Halifax, two town lots adjoining the
l and of G. C. Whitehead, and three lots adjacent to the property his father
had owned . Among the devises of his will was distributed $3,000 in cash,
exclusive of the value of his merchandise.10
The provisions for family security in his will indicate that Owens
loved his wife, Missouri, and his only child, Elizabeth Mason Owens . As
the oldest son and only remaining male in the Owens family, however,
George appears to have played the role of head of the clan . This some­times
initiated a conflict with the family and can be illustrated by two
incidents. When his sister Ann wanted to marry H. S. Nevill, Owens ob-jected
for reasons not recorded, but apparently unacceptable to Ann.
Owens hoped to stall, and thus prevent, the marriage by stipulating in
his will that Ann was to receive $500 on the condition that she not marry
Nevill for two years. If she did marry, the money was to go to the estate
generally. 11 Ann refused to abide by her brother ' s wishes, and before the
end of 1876, she became Mrs. H. S. Nevi11.12
The second incident concerned the settlement of his mother's estate.
This time the entire family was involved. Elizabeth Owens died about the
year 1875 without having made a l ast will and testament. Owens and other
members of the family filed an ex parte petition with the court to sell
their mother's estate. An auction was held on May 7, 1875, and Godwin C.
Whitehead became the highest bidder at $625; however, he died before com­pleting
payment .13 Whitehead's wife, Mary, and John Moore, executors of
his estate, agreed to sell the property to Owens alone on December 3, 1877,
for $700.14
George Owens died before June, 1879,15 and after his death his
-
sisters, Josephine and Ann, his brothers- in- law, H. S. Nevill and B. F.
Ellis, and his nephew, William W. Ellis, filed a petition asking the court
to void the transaction between Whitehead ' s executors and Owens . The
Superior Court approved the petition on the grounds that Whitehead had not
received a title to the property and that the transaction to Owens had
violated the agreement in the ex parte petition. A new commissioner,
Thomas N. Hill, was appointed to settle the estate and to divide the
proceeds equally among the heirs . On March 16, 1880 , James M. Mullen
purchased the property at auction for $5oo.16 Partly because of his at­tempt
to secure the homestead of his parents , George Owens forced his re-latives
to accept a price that was less than one- fourth the listed evalu­ation
of the property ($2,100). 17
With the death of George Owens, Jr . , the prominence of the family
draws to a close . The homeplace passed out of the family less than a
year later, and with no male heir to continue the business, the merchandise
was sold to pay the debts of Owens's estate. Missouri Owens later married
Paul Gary and became the legal guardian of her daughter, Elizabeth, 18
thus ending a half century of the Owen,s name in Halifax.
. -
FOCYrNCYrES
1 . The maiden name of Mrs. George Owens, Sr . , was not given in the a vail­able
sources; however, George , Jr ., named his daughter Eliza beth Mason
Owens, presumably after her grandmother . It was, therefore , assumed
that Mason was a family name on the maternal side. Halifax Will Book
6, p. 208 .
2 . George Owens, Sr . , made his son a full partner in the business on June
1, 1850: therefore , he must have been twenty-one years of age by that
date . Halifax Will Book 4, p. 297.
3 . Roanoke Advocate, August 5, 1830, entry dated July 13.
4 . Roanoke Advocate, October 28, 1830 , February 2 , March 1, and April 5,
1832.
5 . Roanoke Advocate, July 12, 1832.
6 . Halifax Wil.l Book 4, p . 297 .
7 . Halifax Will Book 4, p . 298- 299 .
8 . Halifax Marriage Bonds, II, 63.
9. Halifax Marriage Bonds , II, 59, 143 - 144; Application for Letters of Ad ­ministration,
November 3 , 1879 , Elizabeth Owens Folder, Halifax County
Records, Estates, 1816 - 1932, hereinafter cited as E. Owens Estate Ap­plication:
Halifax Will Book 6, pp . 208 - 209 .
10. Halifax Will Book 6, pp . 208- 209 .
11. Halifax Will Book 6, p. 208.
12 . See Halifax Superior Court Minutes, May 7 , 1875; Halifax Will Book 61,
pp . 267-269 .
13. Since the Owens House and estate had been willed to Elizabeth by her
husband, her son, George, Jr., could not have entered proceedings to
sell the property were she a live; consequently, she must have died about
that time, though her estate was not administered until more than four
years later. E. Owens Estate Application; Halifax Superior Court Minutes,
May 7, 1875 : Halifax Deed Book 61, p . 267.
14. Halifax Deed Book 55 , p. 49 .
15 . Owens ' s will was probated on June 24, 1879. Halifax Will Bo ok 6, p. 209 .
16. Halifax Deed Book 61, pp. 267- 269 •
17 . E . Owens Estate Appl i cation .
4lt 18. See Application for Guardianship, Guardian Oath of Missouri F. Gary, and
Account of M. F. Gary with her ward, Elizabeth Owens. Elizabeth Owens
Folder, Halifax County Records, Estates, 1816-1932 .
IV • APPENDIXES
APPEND IX A : DEEDS
Jas Leslie and wife to Jos Montfort
This indenture made the 22d September 1772 . Between James Leslie Esq of
Halifax and Mary his wife of the one part Witnesseth that the said James
Leslie in consideration of the sum of thirty nine pounds proc money to him
in hand paid by the said Joseph Montfort hath granted bargained and sold &
by these presents doth grant bargain & sell unto the said Joseph Montfort
one piece or parcel of land adjoining on the upper or westerly side of the
town lotts of Halifax & Bounded Viz .t from the westerly corner of lott N° 3
where it corners on Saint George Street the course of the said street con-tinued
till it shall intersect the patent line being Mr. Wylie Jones ' s
bounds thence southerly by Wylie Jones ' s bounds to Mr . James Milner corner
in Jones's line which said Milner purchased of the above named James Leslie
thence by Milners line to the westerly corner of Lott No 15, & extremity of
Saint Davids Street & so Northwardly joining the ends of all the upper row
of Town lotts from lott 15 to lott NO 3 being in the whole thirteen acres
together l'lith all. privileges and Improvements . . belonging and
the reversion and reversions reversions remainder and remainders and all
the estate right title of him the said James Leslie in or to the same to
have and to hoJd the said parcel of land and appurtenances unto him the
said Joseph Montfort his heirs and assigns for ever to his and their only
oroner use and behoof for ever In Witness whereof the said James Leslies and
Mary his hath hereunto set their hands and seals the date above
Sealed & Delivered
in presence of
Ambrose Ramsey
Halifax
County
Pr May Court 1774
James Leslie (seal)
Mary Leslie (seal)
Then the aforegoing deed was in open court duly proved by the
oath of Ambrose Ramsey a witness thereto and on motion ordered to be
registered -
Test :
Jos Montfort C c .t
Henry Montfort et al to Ptolemy Powel1
This Indenture made on the third day of December in the year of our
Lord Christ one thousand Seven hundred and Seventy eight Between Henry
Montfort & Priscilla Montfort Exors of the last Will and Testament of
Joseph Montfort deceased late of Halifax town in the Province of North
Carolina of the one oart of Ptolenw Powell of the County of Halifax and
State aforesaid of the other part Winesseth that the said Henry Montfort
and Priscilla Montfort Exors as aforesaid by virtue of the power and author­ity
to them given in and by the Last Will & testament of the aforesaid
Joseph Montfort deceased and for and in consideration of the sum of One
hundred pounds current money to them in hand paid by the said Ptolemy
Powell the receipt whereof is hereby fully acknowledged have granted bar­gained
& sold alind enfeoffd and confirmed and by these presents do grant
bargain and sell aline enfeoff and confirm unto the said Ptolemy Powell his
heirs and assigns a certain piece or parcel of Land containing by estimation
thirteen Acres be the same more or less situate lying and being in the County
of Halifax afs . d adjoining the Town of Halifax and bounded as follows to wit
adjoining on the upper or Westerly side of the Town Lotts of Halifax Begin­ning
in the Westerly corner of Lott N°3 where it corners on St . George's
Street the course of the said street continued till it shall intersect the
patent line being Willie Jones ' s bounds thence southwardly by Willie Jones
bounds to Milners corner (now Medicis) in Jones line which said Milner pur­chased
of James Leslie thence by said Milners line to the Westerly corner
of Lott ~(15) & extremity of St. Davids Street & so Northwardly joining the
ends of all the upper row of Town Lotts from Lott N° 15) to Lott N°(3) being
in the whole thirteen acres as afs .d as also one Lott or half acre of Land
Situate in the Town of Halifax and known and distinguished in the plan of
the said Town by Number (15) Together with a l l the hereditaments and ap-purtenances
there unto belonging or in any vase appertaining & the rever-sion
and reversions, Remainder and remainders and all benefits and profits
appurtaining to the same To Have and to hold the said parcel of Land and
the Lott as before mentioned unto the said Ptolemy PowelJ his heirs and
assigns to the only use benefit .and behoof of him the said Ptolemy Powell
his heirs and assigns forever and the said Henry Montfort and Priscilla
Montfort Exors as aforesaid for them and their heirs the said parcel of
Land and Lott and every part thereof to the said Ptolemy Powell his heirs
and assigns shall & will warrant and forever defend against the claim of
all manner of Persons whomsoever In Witness whereof the said Henry
Montfort and Priscilla Montfort have here unto set their hands and affixed
their seals the day and year first above written
Sealed & delivered in the
oresence of 0. Davis
Henry Montfort (seal)
Priscilla Montfort (seal)
Halifax County Pr August Court 1779 . Then the aforegoing deed was in open
Court duly acknowledged by Henry Montfort the party thereto & duly proved
by 0. Davis as to Priscilla Montfort and on motion ordered to be registered .
Test Ben . McCullock Clk
DEEDS (photocopies)
Leslie to Montfort
Montfort to Powell
-· ... - -
Ptolemy Powell to Joseph Kidd
This Indenture made the first day of October in the year of our Lord
One thousand Seven hundred and Eighty one Between Ptolemy Powell and Sarah
his wife of the County of Halifax North Carolina of the one part and Joseph
Kidd of the Town of Halifax & state aforesaid of the other part Witnesseth
that for and in consideration of the sum of forty pounds lav~ull money of
the said State in hand paid by him the said Joseph Kidd at and before the
ensealing and delivery of these presents the receipt whereof is hereby ac­knowledged
they the said Ptolemy Powell and Sarah his wife, have granted,
bargained and sold confirmed, and by these presents do grant bargain and
sell and confirm, to the said Joseph Kidd his heirs and assigns forever
that tract or parcel of Land purchased of James Leslie by Joseph MOntfort
Esqr and conveyed by the Exrs of the said Joseph MOntford to the said Powell ,
bounded South West by Lotts N°14 & 15 and on the North West by Willie Jones
Land and the Land formerly belonging to James Milner and on the North East
by Mrs McGJannahans line with all the appurtenances belonging or in any wise
appertaining to the premises hereby granted or intended to be granted and
the reversions and remainders and all services benefits and profits of the
said Lott Land and premises . And all the Rights Claims Interests and
Securities relating to the same To Have and to hold the said Lott and Land
and premises and all the Rights :claims Interests unto the said Joseph Kidd
his heirs or assigns for ever and the said Ptolemy Powell and Sarah his wife
do hereby grant for themselves and their heirs that they the said Ptolemy
Powell and Sarah his wife and their heirs and every of them Shall and will
warrant and defend for ever the said Lott of Land and other premises unto
the Said Joseph Kidd his heirs and assigns forever against all claimants
whomsoever. In witness whereof the said Ptolemy Powell and Sarah his
wife have hereunto set their hand and seals the day and year first above
her
written . Ptole~ Powell (Seal) Sarah ~ Powell (Seal) Sealed & delivered
mark
in presence of Wm Hunt Ep. Knight .
Halifax County Sc August Term 1782 Then the aforegoing deed was in open
Court duly acknowledged by Ptolemy Powell the bargainor & ordered to be
registered
Test Wm Wootten CCo
And is registered for Jn° Geddy Pub . Re~
Joseph Kidd & wife To Wrn R. Davie
This Indenture made this eighth day of December in the year of our
Lord one thousand Seven hundred and eighty one Between Joseph Kidd and
Elizabeth his wife of Halifax Town North Carolina of the one part and
WilJiam R. Davie Esq of the said State of the other part Witnesseth that
for & in consideration of the sum of Two hundred pounds lawful money of
the said State in hand paid by him the said William R. Davie at and before
the sealing and delivery of these presents the receipt whereof is hereby
acknowledged they the said Joseph Kidd and Eliza his wife have granted,
bargained, sold and confirmd, and by these presents do grant bargain sell
and confirm to the said William R. Davie Esq his heirs and assigns for
ever. that Lot or parcel of Land laying in the Town of Halifax Known by
the name of Number Fifteen purchased by the said Joseph Kidd of Thomas
Ferrell and also that Tract or parcel of Land purchased of James Lesley
r by Joseph Montfort Esq . and conveyed by the Executors of the said ~funtfort
to Ptolemy Powell and sold and conveyed by him to Joseph Kidd , bounded on
South West by Lots Number fourteen and fifteen and on the North West by
Willie Jones's Land and the Land formerly belonging to James Milner , and
on the North East by Mistress McClanahans line with all the appurtenances
belonging or in any wise appurtaining to the premises hereby granted or
intended to be granted and the reversion and reversions Remainder and Re -
mainders and all services benefits and profits of the said Lot Land and
premises and all the rights claims Interests and securities relating to
the same To Have and to hold the said Lot and Land and other premises unto
the said William R. Davie his heirs and assigns for ever to the only proper
use and behoof of him the said William R. Davie his heirs and assigns for
ever And the Said Joseph Kidd and Elizabeth his wife do hereby grant for
them selves & their heirs that they the said Joseph Kidd and Elizabeth his
wife & their heirs and every of them Shall. and will warrant and for ever
defend the said Lot Land and other premises unto the said William R. Davie
his heirs and assigns for ever against all claimants whomsoever.
In Witness whereof the said Joseph Kidd and Elizabeth his wife have
hereunto set their hands and seals the day and year first above written -
Joseph Kidd (Seal) Elizabeth Kidd (Seal) Sealed and delivered in the pres-ence
of J. Kinchen, Robt. Hall . Feme relinques had before John Whitaker Esqr
State of North Carolina
Halifax County February Court 1782
The execution of a deed a Lott ~ Fifteen & from Kidd and wife to Wm R.
Davie was duly proved in open Court therefore it was ordered to be
registered.
Test Wm Wooten C.Ct.
And its registered by Wm T. Ballard P.R.
DEEDS (photocopies)
Powell to Kidd
Kidd to Davie
W. R. Davie to J . H. Purrington
This Indenture made on the b1enty third of August in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and five, between William Richardson Davie of the
County of Halifax of the one part and John Holmes Purrington of said County
of the other part - - Witnesseth that for and in consideration of the sum of
three hundred and fifty dollars to him in hand paid by the said John Holmes
Purrington, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged . He the said William
Richardson Davie hath granted, bargained & sold and by these presents doth
grant, barga in & sell unto the said John Holmes Purrington, his heirs and
assigns forever one lot or half acre of ground in the town of Halifax,
distinguished in the plan of the sa id town as number (14) fourteen & also
one other lot or half acre of ground in the said town, distinguished in the
plan of said town as number (15) fifteen and also all that parcel of land
adjoining the said lots purchased by the said William Richardson Davie from
Kedd and Elizabeth, his wife , as will appear by deed bearing date the 8th
day of December, in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty one, con­taining
by estimation one acre , be the same more or less, with all the ap­purtenances
belonging to the said lots & parcel of land and all the estate
and interest whatsoever of him the said William Richardson Davie of, in and
to the said premises & every part & parcel thereof. To have and to hold
the said lotts and parcel of land above described and every part and parcel
thereof, with the appurtenances unto the said John Holmes Purrington, his
heirs & assigns to the only proper use and behoof of the said John Holmes
Purrington his heirs and assigns forever . And the said William Richard-son
Davie for himself & his heirs, the said lotts and parcel of land and every
part thereof against him and his heirs and against all and every other person
or persons whomsoever to the John Holmes Purrington, his heirs and assigns
sha 11 and wil 1 \'/arrant and forever defend by these presents .
In testimony whereof the said William Richardson Davie hath hereunto set his
hand and seal the year and day first above written .
Executed in presence of
Thos. Hall Jo . Bryant
Halifax County Crt.
November Sessions 1805.
W. R. Davie (seal)
Then this deed was exhibited in open court and duly proved by the oath of
Thos. HalJ a witness thereto & on motion ordered to be registered.
Registered Witness
G E. Turner P.R. L. Long C Ct .
J. H. Purrington toW. H. Murfree
To a11 to whom these presents shall come, I. John H. Purrington of Halifax
County and State of No Carolina Send Greeting.
Whereas I am indebted to Isaac Hilliard of the County and State aforesaid
in the sum of five hundred pounds, being the amount of various claims held
by him against me, and the said Isaac Hilliard being bound as my security
in a debt due by me unto James Exum, for the sum of two hundred and fifty
pounds, now Know ye that I the said John H. Purrington for and toward the
better securing the payment & satisfaction of the aforesaid moneys & for &
in consideration of the sum of five shillings to me in hand paid by Wm H.
Murfree of the County and State aforesaid, the receipt whereof is hereby
acknowledged, have granted, assigned, bargained & sold and by these presents
do grant assign bargain & sell unto the said Wm H. Murfree the following
property to wit:
One lot or half acre of ground in the Town of Halifax, known & distinguished
in the plan of the said town as number (4) also one other lot or half acre of
ground known & distinguished as number (15) also one tract or parcel of land,
bounded on the South West by lots number fourteen & fifteen and on the North
West by Willie Jones ' s land and the land formerly belonging to James Milna,
& on the North East by Mrs. M. Cannahan's line, with all the appurtenances
belonging or in any wise appertaining to the premises all. my house- hold &
kitchen furniture, also my medicine shop, furniture and books, one negro
girl, named Hannah , two horses, one cow & yearling, one sow . To have and to
ho 1 d the same & every part & parcel thereof unto him the said ltlm. . H. Murfree
his heirs, Exors Adms & assigns forever . In trust nevertheless that if I
the said John H. Purrington, my heirs Exs Adms or assigns mall on or before
the sixteenth day of Feby next pay or cause to be paid unto the said Isaac
Hilliard , his Exs Adms or assigns the before mentioned Sum of five hundred
pounds with lawful interest from this date & also exonerate him from the
payment of the sum of two hundred & fifty pounds for which he stands bound
as ~1 security to James Exum as aforesaid mentioned, then this present con-veyance
shall be void, and he the said Wm. H. Murfree shall reconvey to me
the said John H. Purrington the before mentioned property, but if I the said
John H. Purrington my Ex~s Adm~ or assigns shall fail to pay be the said
sixteenth day of February next the said sum of five hundred pound and to ex-onerate
the said Isaac from the securityship aforementioned, then he the said
Wm H. Murfree his heirs , Exrs Adm~ or assigns shall & may on giving ten days
notice to me the said John H. Purrington my Exrs or Adms or on setting up such
notice in some public place in the town of Halifax sell and dispose of the
before bargained property at public sale for ready money for the most can be
got for the same and out of the proceeds of such sale after securing to him-self
or themselves sufficient to satisfy his or their costs & charges & trouble
I shall pay to the said Isaac Hilliard the sd Sum of five hundred pounds with
interest thereon or somuch thereof as shall be in & also pay unto James Exum
the sum of two hundred & f i fty pounds for which the sd Isaac Hilliard stands
bound as my Security and the balance of the proceeds of such sales if any re­mains
he the said Wm H Murfree his Exrs Adms or assigns shall pay to me the
rs s
said John H Purrington, my Ex Adm or assigns .
In witness whereof I the said John H. Purrington have hereunto set my hand &
affixed ~y seal the twenty third day of August one thousand eight hundred & six.
Witness J . J. Daniel John H. Purrington seal
Halifax County Crt. November Sessions 1806
Then this deed of Trust was exhibited in open
oath of J . J . Daniel a witness thereto and on
Registered
H Allen Marshall P.R.
Court and duly proved by the
motion ordered to be registered .
witness
L. Long C.Ct .
DEEDS (photocopies)
Davie to Purrington
Purrington to Murfree
•
-
Isaac Hilliard to Halcot J. Pride
This Indenture made this 15th day of May 1809 between Isaac Hilliard
of the County of Halifax and state of No. Car. and Halcot Jones Pride of
the County and state aforesaid witnesseth that he the above Isaac Hilliard
for and in consideration of the sum of eleven hundred & fifty dollars to
him in hand by the said Halcot J. Pride hath bargained sold & conveyed &
by these presents do bargain sell and convey unto the aforesaid Halcot J.
Pride and his heirs forever Two lots in the town of Halifax known and dis-tinguished
in the plan of the plan of the Town by No. 14 and 15 also one
tract or parcel of land bounded on the South West by lots No. 14 and 15
and on the North West by Willie Jones' land and the lands formerly belong­ing
to James Mil nor and on the North east by Wm. McClunnehan 1 s line (being
the lands I purchased by virtue of a deed of trust to wm. H. Murfree from
John Purrington) with all the houses buildings and improvements thereon
unto the said Halcot J. Pride and his heirs forever and he the said Isaac
Hilliard doth for himself his heirs &c &c forever warrant and defend the
right and title of the above premises against the claim or claims of any
person or persons whatever unto the sd. Halcot Pride and his heirs forever
As witness my hand and seal this 15th day of May 1809
Witness
Charles C~e
Richard Epps
Isaac Hilliard
•
Halcott J Pride to Gavis Dean
This Indenture made this Second day of June 1810 between Halcott J
Pride of the county of Halifax and State of No Carolina and Gaviss Dean
of the state and County aforesaid Witnesseth that he the said Halcott J
Pride for and in Consideration of the Sum of fifteen Hundred dollars to
him in hand paid by the said Gavis Dean the receipt whereof is hereby
acknowledged, hath bargained sold and Conveyed & by these presents do
bargain sell & convey unto t he said Gavis Dean and his heirs and assi gns
for ever Two lots in the Town of Halifax Known and described in the plan
of the Town by lots No 14 & 15 also one tract or parcel of land bounded on
the South vlest by lots no . 14 and 15 and on the North vlest by Willie \v .
Jones and the land formerly belonging to James Millnor & on the North
East by Mrs . McCluner s line with all the houses buildings & Improvements
thereon unto the said Ga vis Green & his heirs forever & he the said Hal-cott
J Pride doth for himself his heirs &c &c forever warrant a nd defend
the Right and Title of the above premises against the Claim or Claims of
any oerson or person s whatever unto the said Gavis Dean a nd his heirs
and assigns fore v er . As Wi t ness my ha nd and Seal this second d a y of
June, one thousand Eight Hundred and eleven.
Witness William Drew Halcott J . Pride (Sea l)
Charles Cole
Halifax County Nov . Sessions 1811 Then this deed was exhibited
in ooen Court and duly proved by the Oath of William Drew and on Mot i on
ordered to be registered
Pr . H Purnell P R. \Vitnes H L Burges C. Ct.
DEEDS (photocopies)
Hilliard to Pride
Pride to Dean
•
Gavis Dean to Elisha B Smith
Know all nm by these presents that I Gavis Dean of the State of
Virginia for & in consideration of the Sum of Fifteen hundred and fifty
Dollars to me in hand paid at & before the ensealing and delivery of these
oresents by Elisha B Smith of Halifax Town in the State of North Carolina
have bargained Sold & conveyed and by these presents do bargain Sell &
convey unto the Elisha B Smith his heirs & assigns forever Two Lots lying
in Town of Halifax known & described in the plan of said Town by Lots
number fourteen (no 14) & number fifteen (no . 15) with the appurtenances
also one tract or parcel of Land bo unded on the Sout h West by the Said
Lotts No 14 & 15 on the north v1est by Mrs . Mary Jone ' s Land and the land
formerly belonging t o James Milner and on the north East by Mrs . McClan-nehan's
l ine with the appurtenances To have and to hold the premises hereby
bargained and sold unto the said Elisha B Smith his heirs & assigns forever --
to the only proper use and behoof of him the Said Elisha his heirs & assigns
forever . And I the said Gavis Dean for ~self my heirs &c do hereby covenant
& grant to and with the Said Elisha B Smith his heirs & assigns to warrant
& forever defend the above bargained premises with a ll the appurtenances
unto the Said Elisha B Smith his heirs & assigns against the claim & demand
of all persons whatsoever--In witness whereof I the said Gavis Dean have
hereunto Set my hand & Seal this 22nd day of November A D 1816
Gavis Dean (Seal) Signed &c before
James Johnston
Henry W Gary State of North Carolina
The execution of the written Deed of bargain
& Sale from Gavis Dean to Elisha B Smith was this day proven before Jos
Jno DanieJ one of the Judges of the Superior Court of Law & equity by the
oath of James Johnston one of the Subscribing Witnesses thereto. Let it
be registered .
Feby 24 1817 J J Daniel JSCLE
pr . M F Ponton PR
James Simmons to Joseph L. Simmons
Know all men by these presents that I James Simmons Sheriff of the
County of Halifax by Virtue of Sundry Executions R Kingsbury the Newbern
Bank & others against Elisha B Smith returnable to Halifax County Court
Augt Session 1832 & to me directed did on the 6th day of July 1832 ex-pose
to Sale at public Vendue (it having been previously pinned & advertised
agreeably to Law) Elisha B Smiths right & interest in Lots Nos Thirteen (13)
Fourteen (14) & fifteen ( 15) lying & being innnediately upon the outer
limits of the Town of Halifax & adjoining the Lots of Elisha H Eure &
others including the dwelling house outhouses Stables be recently occupied
~ Said E B Smith Containing by Estimation One & a half acres more or less
together with the appurtenances thereunto belonging at which Sale Joseph
L Simmons became the last & highest bidder in the Sum of Six hundred & fifty
five dollars for the said Land & apnurtenances thereunto belonging. Now I
the Said James Simmons Sheriff of the County aforesaid for & in Consideration
of the Sum of Six hundred & fifty five dollars to me in hand paid by the
Said Joseph L. Simmons at & before the Sealing & Signing of these presents
the receipt whereof I do acknowledge, I do hereby bargain sell a lien impart
Convey & Confirm unto the said Joseph L Sinnnons his heirs & assigns forever
all the aforesaid tract of l and & appurtenances with all right title Claim
& demand of or unto the aforesaid tract of land with all its hereditaments
& emoluments to the same belonging or in any wise appertaining. To have
& to hold to him the Said Joseph L Simmons his heirs & assigns forever in
as fu1l & ample a manner as I the Said Sheriff am empowered by Virtue of
my office, and further I the Said Sheriff do hereby promise Covenant &
grant to & lvith the Said Joseph L Sinnnons his heirs & assigns that he the
Said Josenh L Simmons his heirs & assigns shall & may from time to time
& at all times hereafter have hold possess occupy & clear of' From a ll
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membrances had made done or Connected by me the Said Sheriff or by my
order or procurement . And that I James Simmons Sheriff wi11 warrant &
defend the same to the aforesaid Joseoh L Simmons his heirs & assigns
forever So for as my office of Sheriff will admit & no further In witness
whereof I have hereunto Set my hand & Seal this 11th day of October 1832
Signed Sealed & delivered
in the presence of
W N Brickett
Jas Simmons (Seal)
Halifax County
Feby Sess 1833
Then this deed was exhibited in open Court &
duly passed by the oath of Wm N Brickett & on
motion ordered to be registered
pr. M F Ponton P R 26 March 1833 Witness M H Pettway Clk
By S H Harnell D C
.e
DEEDS (photocopies)
Dean to Smith
Simmons to Simmons
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Joseph L Simmons to George W. Owens
State of North Carolina
Ha 1 if ax County Know all men by these presents that
I Joseoh L Simmons hath bargained & by these presents do hereby bargain
& sell to Geo W Owens a certain tract or parcel of Land lying & being in
the County & State aforesaid Containing Three acres more or less: (a part
of said land being in the limits of the Town of Halifax Say thru Lots Nos
Thirteen (13) Fourteen (14) & Fifteen (15) adjoining the lands of Benj~
Edmunds & others including the Dwelling house out houses vlare houses
Stables & recently occupied by me as a residence . Now I the aforesaid
Jos L Simmons for & in Consideration of the Sum of Nine hundred Dollars
to me in hand paid by the aforesaid Geo W Owens at & before th~ Sealing
& Signing of these presents the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge
I do hereby bargain sell alien imoart Convey & Confirm unto the said Geo
W Owens his heirs & assigns forever all the aforesaid tract of land wi~fi
& appertances, with all right title claim or demand of or unto the afore -
said tract of Land with all its hereditaments & emoluments to the same
belonging or in any wise appertaining To have & to hold to him the said
Geo W ~vens his heirs & as signs forever with a reservation of my family
Graveyard lying & being in that portion of the premises now occupied as
a garden the title to which does not pass out of me the Said Jas L Sim-mons,
and I hereby warrant & bind myself forever to defend the title of
Said Property to Said G W Owen . In witness whereof I have hereunto Set
my hand & Seal this 19th November 1839
Signed Sealed & delivered
in the presence of
Warrantee added before Signed
Jas Simmons
Jos G Bell
Jos L Simmons (Seal)
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State of North Carolina
Halifax County
the ourposes therein contained .
26 March 1840
James Simmons the subscribing witness
came before & made oath that J os L
Simmons executed the within Deed for
Therefore Let it be Registered .
Pr . M T Ponton PR 29th March 1840 J . J . Daniel J . S . C .
DEEDS (photocopies)
Simmons to Owens
Hawkins to Historic Halifax
Restoration Association, Inc.
Historical Halifax Restoration
Association, Inc. to the
State of North Carolina
~ l'rH CAHOLL'.iA
. .... IFAX COJNTY
RA~IKINS t o THE HISTORICAL HALJli'AX RESTORATWN ASSh INC
I{ This DEED , made this the 2nd day of July, 1957, by Johnny Hawkins and wife, Lillie tv'tly Austin Hawkins ,1
!1 of halifax Courtty , North Carolina , parties of the first part, to The Hi storical Halifax Res t oration Association,
ft Incorporated , a corporation. organized under the laws of the State of Hort h Carolina , with its principal offlce ~h
Q,~ the To"m of Halifax, Halifax County, North Carolina , party of the second part;
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W I T N E _, S E T H:
!. That the said parties of the firs t part, for and in cousideration of the sum of FIVE lrHOtEAND FIVE
fr HUNDRED ( *~5 ,500. 00) DC1LLARS to them in band paid 'til; t he sai'1 party of the second part, the receipt of ·wh ich is
· hereby aclr.nowle<.lged , have barfSained and sold arrl by t hese presents do barGain, ·sell and convey unto the said par.ty
lr' of the second part, its s uccessors and assigns , a l ot or parcel of lal14 .~rJ Halifia~ ~ounty, N0rth Carol ina , de-l~
scri bed as follows : · Hal1i ax Town;:)h J.P
~~ 4flng and being on the Northeast side of St . David St reet {same as lL C. Highway .//113 at this point
Hi· although i.t i s s ho\-m as U. S. Highway #3 01A on the map here i nafter referr ed to ) 1 across said Street f r om t he
~ Temple of Royal v.'hite Hart Lodge #2, A. F. & A. M. , near the corporate 1 imits of the Town of Halifax, mor e partic-ufarly
IJ described as f ollows: BEGlli Nll~G at a 211 iron pipe, corner of the lot herei.n described and lapds of Ed\-Jard Cheek
1: Estate , ii t he 40 ' right-of- wS\Y line of N. C. Hiehway #l13, thence a l ong sai d 40' right-of- way line N. 45-30 \. . 'J./
IrI. 1..42.5 feet to another 211 i r on pi~ , cor.ner of the lands of t!'!e First Bapti st Church of Hal if ax; th ence h . 45- 15
[l. E. 324.4 feet t o another 2" i r on pipe at old pine l ine stump ; thence along old .fence line S . 5·5- 20 E. 118 .0 feet
~ to anot her 2" i r on pipe; t hence along an old fence line S. 40-50 W. 346.0 feet to the :point of be6i m•i u.t; , con-
'1 tair1ing 1.0 acrf' , accordir1g to that certain ~p or plat entitled "Map Showing Property of Hi.stor ical Halifax He-
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sto~ati 011 Associ ation, Incorporated" , dated April 16, 1957, Made by J . \-1. Traylor, R. S., of record iu }>let Book'
8 . page 55 , Off i ce of the Register of Deeds of Halifax County , t~ o rt h Carolina , and being t he identical l and de- '
~ scrj bed i ll t hat certai!l Deed from Leigh R. Watts et al to ~-. athan T. /1ustin and wife , Anna Austin, dated ;~ove mber:
,f 1? , 1100, recorded undei.' date of 10 A.M. , December 4 , 1900, i n Book 134, page 121, afor~said Publ i c Registry. a.IW.
[ 4tevlsed by A1ma Austin in her Will of record in \.J.Uls }3ook 13 , pa~e (~6 , Office of the Clerk of Superior CG>ur t o~ I Halifax County , Horth Caroli na , to Lillie l'JB.Y Austin (same per sou ns L.i.llle i~y Austin Hawkins, one of the ~rt~~s
of the f l rst part herE' in) ; r eference to said map, deed and Hill being made herein f or g::reater certainty of de- 11
[ scription . 1,
'fhe sei.d parti es of t he first part herein reserVfJ the r i.t;ht to occupy the premises conveyed above for ;
~- n.inety (90) days immec1iately s ubsequent to the elate of t hi s De Ed. , but shall not be entitl.ed to any possession _JJL----=~
~ t hereof t-lbats oever· after expiratipJl Qf ;the said uLlJ.ety (9n) d:!.ys. - -
~· Tu H/wt; AND TO HOUJ the/-~ .. ~-.·- lot or parcel of la:1d arid all pr l vileees ;and appurtenances thereunto be .
~ longing to t he sal.d party of the second part_, The Histor ~~ cal Halif ax Restoration Ass ociation, Incorporated , and •jlts
~i,i s uccess ors and assigns , in fee simPle foreve.t. 1
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l f'.nd t he sai.d parties of the f trst part do ccvemmt t hat t hey are seized of sa.id premises in fee ard h~ve
1.· the r ight to convey t he same in fee simple , that the s ame are frEle from enqumbra.nces,· arrl· t hat they will -warrmrti'
t~ and defend the said t i tle to the sa-me ac;ainst the clailns of all persons whatsoever . · I
Ui TESTIMONY VJHEHEOF, the sa;i:d parti es of t he first part have heraunt~ s:.~t the~r r~nrl s and s eals the 'j.
day and yee.r first above \>tri tten. . _ 1
\-Jitness t o the roark of Johnny Haw~ins
F . 'H. Greuory
(Revenu~ Stamps {.'6. 05)
Johnnie Hawkins X
Lillie l4ae Austin
(SEAL)
(SEAL) ~
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: NORTH CAll 0Ll1~A
.. HALIFAX COUi~'l'Y
~ r., Dorothy B. Pittman , Notary Pub).ic , in ar1d for the aforesai d t .Johr>.. . ny Ha\-Jkins ~nd wi fe , Lillie Hay A]lstin Ha1-1kins , personally appa.ared
, ~t-b~ tiue execut .ion of the foregoing and annexed De ed of COHV'eyance . '
County and State , .'do hereby certify 't.hBjt
before me this day and ~a cb acknmdedgE\fi
!
~ • \·iJ ·n.~.·; my band and Notar.l al seal tm.s 9th day of July, 1957.
l- , Jtary Public Seal )
~~ · 1-\Y c orrunissi on expires: 10/10/57.
NORTH C.ARO'~'Jn,A) SiJFERIOR COURT
HALTl"AX COUNTY) .July 9 , 1957.
Dorothy B. Pi tt..-nan , _l\fotary Publ1q
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The f oregoinG certifica-te of Dor,ot ,hy B. r i ttmat1 Notary htblic of Halifax Bow:~:ty ·is adjudged t o be i11
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form and accord i.ng to law . Let "t-he ins trUlt!ent with the cert U' l ea te be reeorded . ...
FJled f or :1.egi.st r-ation and Recorded 12:30 o'clock .P. H.
July 9 , 195 7 l n !look 629 page 294
F . D. \-J llson , Hegi ster of Deed,s, Yalif ~x . Cou.n ty.
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Her ie E. Spragins ,Dep\lty Clerk Superior Court .
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! )TA'rl•: LlF NOHTII CAR OLI'NA
IIAJ , r~·f\X WlJNTY
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TilliS~~ I'RESRN'IS WfWF,SSETH: That th~ underslgned Johnny Hawk lne and wife , LJlUe Mlly J\ustl n llll wkins ,
1:
• ties of the first part, in cons ider ation o f $326 . 93 to them paid by Hi stor i cal llalHax Hestorat ion Assoclation,
.. '..: . party of the second part, do he reby contract and agree to sell and convey to t he said IUstorical Halifax
nestoration Association , Jnc ., party of the oecond part its successors or ass igns , all of t hat certain tract or
parcel of land lying and being in Hal i.fax To wnship , Hali.fax County, North Carolina, described as follo-ws:
That certain tract or parcel of land in llalifax County, near the corporate lim.i ts of the town of Ha lifax,
contai n ing 3/4 acre, more or less, and bounded as follows: On the No rth and west by t he land of Robert Knight,
on the East by the land of James H. Pittman and on thf' South, by the Coun ty road leading f r om Hali fax to the town
o f Wel don , being the iden t i cal property con veycc unto Nathan T. Austin and Mrs . An na Austin , by deed of Le igh R.
~latts et al , recorded in Boo k 134, at page 1.21 , llnl\fax County Public Re gi stry; and bei nc the iden tical property
d evi sed unto Lillie May Austin by Will of AHna Austin , probated Octo ber 8, 1940, Off ice of the Clerk of the Superior
Court, HaHfax Cou.YJ.ty , and being the tract or parcel of land upon which the parti es of t he fj rs t part now res ide ; · ~
reference to sa id deed and Will being hereby expressly made for greater certainty of descri ption . . t
And to execute and deliver to sa.id Ills t or leal Halifax Re storation Associa t ion , ~ nc ., party of t. he second •
part, its successors or ass igns, at his or t he i.r request , on or before the 9th day of 1'1:l.y , 1<)57 , a good and sufficient f
Deed for sa id l a nd s, with full Covenants of ~J arranty; provided, and upon condition, that the said Historical t
Hal ifax Hestoration Association , I nc . party of t he second part, its successors or assig ns, s hall pay to John ny !
'- llaw kins and wife, Lillie May Austin Hawk ins , parties of the first part, or assigns, the sum of FJVE THOUSA!-ID and ~
"-FIVE HUNDRED Dollars ($5,500 . 00) ,e.i ther in cash , or upon the following a greed terms: $3 26 . 93 pa id to the parties f
- of the first par t tnis d ate, l eaving a balance of $5 , 173 . 07 to be paid upon the execution and delivery of deed for j
the aforesa id property, free o f all e nc umbr ances , by t h e parties of the f i rst part to the party of the s econd part, '
provided , ho we ver, that lf t he t i tle to tlae aforesaid property is not marketable, t.'I-J en , a nd in t hat event , t his
o pt lon may , at the opt1on of the party of the second part be declared null and void , and t he parties of the first
part shall return to the party of the sec ond part the $3.26.93 paid to them this date . I t i s unde rstocxi a nd agreed
between the parties hereto that i n the event t his option i s exercised by the party of the second part, then, and
.a-n that event, the parti es of the first part s hall be ent i tled to retain possession of the a foresaid premises
W nr ninety rl~yl'l i~diately fcllo-wi!!g e:xecut.i.on ;;.r:d deli very c f t ha dead for t he aforestiid Jitemlses-uy-the parties
of the first part to t he pa.rty of the second part.
Wi tness: W. R . Bryant
Witness: \-! . H. Bryant
Johnny Hawkins
Lillie }~e Austin Hawkin s
(SEAL)
(SEAL)
_.. 1 t is understood and agreed that the sai d sale is to be made at the option of said Histori cal Halifax
Re storation As sociation, Inc., party of t he second part its successors or assi gns, on or before the 9th d~ of
May 1957, and it is further agreed that if the said party of the second part, its successors or ass igns, shall ,
·Affot demand the Deed herein provided for, and tender payment as herein provided for, on or before the said 9th d at
of May , 1957, then thi s a greemen t and option i s null and void and of no effect; but o t herwise this contract is
t o remain in full force a nd effect. 1,
Gi ven und er our hand s and seals this 9 t h day o f April, 1 957. ~
Johnny Hawkins
Lillie Mae Austin Hawkin s
(SEAL )
(SEAL)
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA ,1
Halifax County . :
I. W. R. Bryant, Clerk Superior Court, Halifax County, do hereby certify that Johnny Hawkins and Lillid
May Austin Ha wkins, his wi fe, personally appeared before me this day and acknowledged the due execution of the
annexed instrument. Let the instrument wl th this certifi cate be registered .
This t he 9th day of April, A. D. 1957 .
• Filed for Registration and Recorded 4 o'clock P. M.
Apr il 9, 1957 in Book 627 page 561
F. D. Wi lson , Register of Deeds, Halifax County.
W. R .Bryant
Clerk Superior Court.
(Seal)
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.. Map Show in-' Pro P• rty of
.'~. H1&t.or1oal Ha l ifax Re&1.or~t\1on Aa•ocia t i on Incorpora\ed.
Town of Hali!sx, Hal1tax Coun ty.N.c.
q oale l"- -501 April l6,l.957
~~o · r th ca. rol ~na:
i{:dlfax Count';
J •• ; r •jlO r t•1.n~ dUl~ S'' 'O r'r. ~ a) O t l. a ~ h e i s & Re..t1&ter~td n urve yor
~- . d t! ~ ~ t he r.a~ . da the m.tp U(· OU n-llloh t.n i g a ff ldav1t 1 (: ~· r1 t ten J r c . 1
f\ n o.1;..:. ~·ur'vey tua d e bj i. i 111 cu 1\ p r l: .1 <3 , 1 .:5 7 11. nd t r-..t t.b• · s o\ mc i ~ t. J ·.J~
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STATE OF NORTH CAROLJNA
·D·-E-E-D- '")
COIDi'TY OF HALIFAX
...
. . THIS DEED, made and entered into this ;LJ day of
' g.......,~ , 1969, b;r and between the HISTORICAL HALIFAX
RYSTORATION' ASSOCIATIW, lllCORPORATED, a corporation organizecf under the
laws of the State of North CaroJ.i.m., party of the first part, and the
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA, a body politic and corpor-ate, party of the
second part,
That. the said party of the first part,.. for and in consideration -.
of the S'Ul!l of OOE-Do:r.iAR and other good a.nd valuable consideration to ... ~:- .
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it paid .. in· hand by the party of the sec.ond part, receipt of !fbich is ...
hereby acknow1ed~, has bargained,. sold and conveyed, and by these
presents do bargain, sell and convey unto the said party <:>f. the second
part, its successors and as-signs, [those four t .racts of real property
situate in the TONU of Hali.fa.x, Halifax Township, Ha.J.i..fax County, North
Carolina,. being more particularly described as follows:
All of Lots Nos. 34 and 35 as shmm on the Plat of the Town
of Halifax, formerly known as the 11Virginia Inn Lot:t , situate
at the Southeast corner of the intersection of. r·~rket Street
(sometimes lmown as Library or St. George Street) and Dobbs
Street, and adjoining lands formerly owned by ¥..a.ry E. vlebb, now
John 13. Bass Estate-, and the •:old Gaol. Ipt" , now CY.flled by the
Historical Halifa..~ Restoration Association, Inc., and being
the lots described in that certain deed from J. R. C. Faison
et ux et al to Carey C. Johnston, dated November 18, 1918
recordad under date of H3.rch 20, 1919, in Book 299, page 257,
O!Iice of the Register of Deeds of FAlifax County; North
Carolina., and is the same land described in that certain
deed f roo Narcissa Horton and Sue Pierce to Cary John.son,
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cat.ed December 9, 1918, recorded under date of larch 20, 1919,
in Book 299, Page 202, aforesaid Public Registry, SAVE AND
EXCEPT that portion thereof heretof ore conveyed to I.j 11 ian
Sydnor by J.fattie Johnson, widow, et als, by deed dated
August 10, 1951, recorded under date of 11:40 A.M., September
10, 1951, in Book 592, page 156 aforesaid Public Registry.
This being the identical real estate described as !ITract No . 1 "
conveyed to George A .. Hux and Jeanette H. Hu.X, by Deed of
Jacob C. Taylor, Commissioner, dated the 26th. day of July, 1961
and of record in Book 663, page 162 Halifax County Public
Registry, and to which. reference is hereby made for greater-certainty
of description.: ·
TIUCT HO. 2
Part of· tvo (2) lots, Nos . Ninety-Three (93) and Ninety-Four
( 94) in the Town of Halifax, commencing at the corner of Granville
and St . David Streets and running nearly vest along St. David
Street eighty-four (84) feet to a stake, then nearly north across said lots Nos. 93 and 94 two hundred and forty eight. {248-) ~eet
to ·the Lot No. 92, Burgess• Lot on sa.id plat; thenc~ nearly east.
eighty four (84) feet to Granville Street; thence nearly south
along Granrlll.e Street to- the beginning, containing about.
one-half (1/2) acre, and being the identical property as described
as· Tract No. 5 in Deed .from W. R. Caudle et ux to George A. Hux,
dated March 5, 1957, and of record in Book 62:{, page 441. Halifax
County Public Registry. Reference is hereby made to map Book 9,
page 10 Hali.fa.x County Public Registry.
TRACT NO. 3
Lying and being on the Northeast side of St. David Street
(same as N. C .. High'.-ay No .. 113 at this point although i~ is .
shown as U. S .. Highway No. 30ll on the map herei."FJafter referred
to}, across said Street from the Temple of Royal White P.art
Lodge No. z, A. F. & A.. H ., near the corporate limits of the
Town of Halifax, more partic:t.larl.7 described aa follows:
BEGINNDlG at a 2 inch iron pipe, corner ot: the lot herein
described and lands of Edward Cheek Estate, in the 40 feet
right-of -...ay line o f N. C. Highway No. ll3, thence along said
40 f .eet right-of -way lin'e North 45 degrees 30 minutes \'lest
1.42.5 feet to another 2 inch iron pipe, corner o.f the lands
of the First Baptist Church o f Ralifax; thence North 45 degrees
......__ 15 minutes Ea.st 324.4 feet to another 2 inch iron pipe at old
" pine line stump; thence along old fence line South 55 degrees
20 minutes East 118.~ feet to another 2 inch iron pipe; thence
along an old fence line South 40 degrees 50 minutes West 346.0
feet to the point of beg:inning, containing 1.0 acre, according
to that certain map or plat entitled "Map Showing Property of
Historical Halifax Restor-4tion Association, Incorporateda ,
dated Ap ril 16, 1957, made b y J . W. Traylor, R. S ., of record
in P lat Book 8, pag e 55, Off ice of the Re gister o f Deeds o~
Ha li.fax Co1mty, North Carolina, a nd being t he identical land
described in that certain Deed f rom Leig h R .. watts et a.l to
Nathan T • .iustin and wife, Anna Austin, dat ed November 19, 1 900,
recorded under date of 10 A. M., De cember 4, 1 9CO , in Book 134,
page 121, aforesaid Public Registry, a nd devis ed by Anna Austin
i n h9r Wi ll of record in Wills Book 13, page 86 , Of fice of tile
Cler k o t" Superior Court of Halif a.."< County, north Ca rolina, t o
Lillie ~A.Y Austin ( same p erson a s Lillie ~!ay Austin F.awkins, o ne
- - ' ..L'\.. ... - . --.L.!- - _ .:;.t ..J.. l.. ... D :! --..L. _ _ __... \.---~-\ ... - - ~- --...,-~ .L. _ _ .., ,.:...) - - p
VJ. .... a-1C:::: ~J. V.J.C.;3 V..l. \.otiC: .!. ..L.J..;:,"" }JC'.&. \1 UC..L ~J...J.&.J J ..1.. ""' ""' <;O J. C .l.L\,oy "''"" -..Ja..~u. J t...Cio ,
a~ ed ~nd rill being made h e r ei :1 -= o r gr eater ceria5m: y o £
description.
·j - ~ -
I • •
. '
(
TRACT NO . 4
All tha. t certain tra.ct or parcel of land lying and being
situate in Town of P.a.lifa...x, Halifax Township, Halifax County,
North Carolina, and being more particularly described as
follows: BEGmNT..NG at a stake, said stake being located at
the intersection formed by the South side of Main Street and
F..a st side of Saint Patrick Street; Uience South 47 degrees
40 minutes East 340 feet to stake; thence continuing South
47 degrees 40 minutes East 30 feet to stake; thence continuing
South 47 degrees 40 minutes East 208 feet to stake in line of
lands of John M. Cobb and Annie !-1a e Cobb; thence North 42
degrees 20 minutes East 241.78 feet to Iron Pipe, corner for
the land herein conveyed, lands of John ~t . Cobb and Annie Mcie
Cobb and Halifax Fi.shing Club; thence continuing North 42
degrees 20 minutes East 463 . 70 feet to stake, corner for the
lands herein ccnveyed, Halifax Fishing Club and lands formerly
belonging to J. W. Harrell; thence North 46 degrees 25 minutes
West 64 feet; thence North 43 degrees 35 minutes East 116.17
feet to stake; thence continuing Horth 43 degrees 35 minutes
Fast. 27 feet to iron at high vater mark of Roanoke River, it
being und~r8'tood that prope-rty line of property herein cOBveyed
is low water mark or Roanoke R1 Yer; thence in a Northwester 17
dinction alcmg high TAter ma.rk of Roanoke ~ver 512 feet :
.to etake, corner for the la.nds herein conve~d and Main Street
' (if extended); thence South 4Z de~s 20 minutes West 4.3 feet
:t; to stake; thence cont.il'luing South 42. degrees 20 minutes West
860,..5 feet to stake, the point of beginning, containing ll.08
acres, more or less, as shown and designated on that certain
map or pl.a.t entitled 11 l·iap Showing Propert;v of F. H. Gregory to
be Acquired by the State of North Caroli.na.t', dated October 1,
1965, recorded in Jg,p Book 12, page 22, Hali:fa..x Public Registry;
reference to said Map being hereby made for greater ce~~ty of
description. - ~-
'
TO HAVE .AND TO HOlD the above described tractp or parcelp of land,
together with all privileges and appurtenances thereunto belonging~ to the
said State of North Carolina, -party of the second part~ its successors
a.nd assigns, in fee simple absolute.
And said party o.f the f irst part for itself~ its heirs and assigns~
does hereby covemnt to and with the said party of the second part, its
successors and assigns, that it is seized of the above described real
estate in fee simple and has the power to convey the same in fee simple;
that there are no encumbrances whatsoever upon said property; and the said
party of the first part d oes hereby covenant tl-.at it will warr.:mt and
def end the title to ·!;he sa.me agc.~"lSt the c:l..l:ims of any and all persons
whatsoever.
- 3 -
(
\.
IN 'l'ESTD<fONY WHERE OF, the Halifax Historical Restoration
Association, Inc orporated, has caused this instrument to be executed
in its name for the purposes set forth herein all on the day and year
first above written.
A'l"''EST : ·
~
HISTORICAL HALIFAX RESTC!U.T!ON
ASSOCIATION , INC<RPORATED
~~ ~ .
~l .w~ 1~
Raymond s .' Wilkinson, Jr. (\"" I
Chairman ~--
~- l.J - ;J~~t-~
Mrs . ;i. 'furner Stephenson
S ecretary
APPROVED AS TO FOR.lf:
ROBERT HOOGAl'l
Attorney General
APPROVED FOR ACQUISITICN:
Director of Administration
• 0
'1 (
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
COUNTY OF HALIFAX
--~~~~-------------
I, :j ~ Q. LAJ~ a Notary Public
in and for the County and State -aforesaid; do hereby certi fy that
~- W · d ~ l±e~nally came before
me this day and acknowledged .that he is Secretary of HISTORICAL
_HA· _r.TF_AX__RE_S T_ OR.J_!T_I_ON _AS _S_OO_IATI_ O_N....:,;....,_IN_C_._ _a nd that by authority
duly given and as an act of HISTCRICAL HALIFAX RESTORATICW ASSOCUTICN,
_I_N_C _ OFU0_<:RA......,.,....n_:n ___________ the foregoing instrument was signed
.() · ~ Chainll.an
by ~~ £_ W,lL.£X>.Ao1ts PPeei~e~t, attested
by himself as Secretary, and sealed with the common seal of said
corporation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and Notarial
·.... Seal this ~~ 0 day of ~ ... o--..y....., .L..o . _ 19 l, c:r.
~ ~
~,La<"-<' Q Q_ w ~
Notary Public
My commission expires:
'\- t\- "Ju
APPENDIX B
Advertisement by 3e rry & Owens , Ecanoke Advocate, October 2S , 1830
FALL TRADE . The subscribers take this oppo r tunity of informing the public
in general , tha t t hey have just received a fresh and handsome assortment of
BOOTS AND SHOES, OF EVSRY DESCRIPTION AND C. UALITY , which are not to be sur­passed
by any in the market , consisting in part as follows Ladies • Black
Lasting Slippers , s q uare and round toes , do . do . Kid do . do., do . Bronze
Morocco , a new fashion article , do . Lasting Strap Shoes do . Mo rocco do ., do .
Lasti ng Lace do ., do . Seal Skin do. Gentlemen ' s 1st quality Boots , Shoes ,
Bootees and Pumps , Mi sses & Children ' s Bootees and shoes , of every descri ption ,
Serva nts and Laborers Coarse Shoes and Brogans , Stout Pegged Boots , for Labor­ers
and Field or Swamp Hands . t'lE HA VS AlSO ON HAND , GE NTI.EM3N 15 GUM ~-fA.STIC
OVER-SHOES, a fine article for , .. et weather . t']e also keep constantly on hand
a general assortment of Leather, Calf Skins , Boot ?1o rocco, Seal Skins, &c.
with every article which appertains to our line of business , all of which
will be sold low for cash . The subscribers continue to MANUFACTURE GENTLEMEN •s
BOOTS AND PUMPS, TO NEASURE , in the best manner and neatest style. As they
have a first rate set of workmen , they are prepared to execute meas ures for
work \dth the utmost des patch. All rips done gratis.
BERRY & O•IENS
Halifax, North Carolina October 25 , 1830
APPE ND IX C: FmE INSURANCE APP LICATION BY G. \•1 . OtiENS
Application of Geo W Owens of Halifax in the County of Halifax for
Insurance against fire by the North Carolina Mutual Insurance Company for
the sum of Six hundred dollars to wit on his Dwelling house $600 Amount of
premium Not L if $90 . On the north side of King Street & part Lot No 60
town plan of Wood & in good Repair no Scotch in roof 18 x 46 2 Stories
high 2 chimneys & 4 fire places no Stoves ashes Carefully removed North
& 80 feet is a small frame house the property of G W Barnes South & 100
feet is the store of Estate of Halliday South & 80 feet across street is
the Store occupied by S Burrows a storehouse of Mr. Owens is 18 feet West
of this house not encumbered Dated the 3d day of Sept 1849
J Hinsman Agent G W Owens Applicant
Approved Insuas $600 at 15 percent for five years
The Secretary will please Number & date this Note
$90 = For Value received in policy No issued the 3d day Sept 1849 paid
by the North Carolina Mutual Insurance Company I promise to pay the said
Company or their treasurer for the time being that sum of Ninety Dollars
& _ cents in such portions & at such time or being as the Directors of
said Company may agreeably to the act of Corporation request Dated at
Halifax the 3d day of Sept 1849
G W Owens
Before me C N Webb Justice of the peace for the County of Halifax ap­peared
J Hinsman the Subscribing Witness to the within Memorandum by whom
the Execution thereof ~ Geo W Owens the applicant therein was duly proved.
Let the same with this Certificate be registered. Given under my hand at
Halifax in said Court this 3d day of Sept 1849
Registered 3d Stept 1849 Chas N Webb J P (Seal)
pr M T Ponton PR
Application of Geo W Owens of Halifax in the County of Halifax for
Insurance against fire by the North Carolina Mutual Insurance Company for
the sum of five hundred Dollars to wit on his Dwelling house Office Barn
Kitchen Smokehouse Amount of premium note $50 - On the north side of the
road Road leading to Weldon & near the town of Halifax bounded north by
Mrs Epps East by Town line South by Masonic & public road West by Hawkins
Lot. Of wood & in ordinary repair no Scotch in roof 28 x 32 2 Stories
high 2 chimneys & 4 fire places no stoves Ashes Carefully removed Kitchen
is 90 feet in rear of house & has 1 Chimney & 1 fire place Office is 50
feet off & has no fire place Smoke house is 55 feet off Not Encumbered
Dated 3d day of Sept 1849
J. Hinsman Agent G W Owens Applicant
Approved Insuas $500 - at 10 percent for five years
The Secretary will please Number & date this Note
$50 = For Value received in policy No ___ dated the 3d of Sept 1849
issued by the North Carolina Mutual Insurance Company I promise to pay said
Company or their treasurer for the time being the Sum of fifty Dollars & __
Cents in such portions & at such time or times as the Directors of said
Company may agreeably to the act of Corporation request. Dated at Halifax
the 3d day of Sept 1849
G W Owens
Before me ~ N Webb Justice of the peace for the County of Halifax
appeared J. Hinsman the subscribing Witness to the within Memorandum by
whom the Execution thereof by G W Owens the applicant therein was duly
proved. Let the same with this certificate be Registered Given under my
hand at Halifax in said County this 3d of Sept 1849
Chas N Webb J. P. (Seal)
This Memorandum was reed 3d Sept 1849
Registered 3d Sept 1849
pr M T Ponton PR
Fire Insurance Application
by G. W. Owens's Estate
, . $'r'C.
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- -fl
APPENDIX D : JNVEt.JTORY OF G. W. 0\VENS 'S ESTATE
Inventory of the Property of G \'1 Owens Sr by his
Executor fG. W. Owens, Jr J Jany 1--1851
One Bureau, Three fine Tables 1 Doz cane bottom chairs, One rocking chair
1 Doz cane chairs , Four common Tables, Two Looking Glasses , one wash
Stand . 1 lot crockery, 1 Set t castors , One Sett s i lver spoons . One lot
glass ware. Four waiters , Two pair andirons Long shovel & Fender, One
heavy Carpi t , One lot Kitchen Furniture • One lot tin ware , One lot Stone
ware , One tin safe One gold \•tatch, One cot, 1 Double barrel Gun, One
Single harrell Gun case & instrument One sword, one box Dentist instruments ,
One Saddle &br idle. One horse, Three head Cattle, 1 Lot farming utensils,
One grind Stone, One axe, One Cart, 1 pr Old cart wheels , One box books , One
pair hand steelyards, Six Town lots , One Store & Two Dwelling Houses &
out houses , One small Tract land, Six beds & furniture , The trunks , Two chests .
The above is devised by will to Mrs . Elizabeth Owens Except the Store &
Three Town Lots of improvements adjoining .
The dwelling and store house, together with the three lots imediately ad­joining
& improvements , are devised by will to G. W. & N. B. Owens.
G W Owens Exec
An inventory of money due George Owens , Sr. amounted to several thousand doll ars ,
of which about one- fourth had been written off as bad or doubtful .
Taken from County Records -Halif ax, Records (Inventories , Accounts of Sales)
1850-1856, PP • 151 - 154
APPENDIX E : WILlS
Halifax November Court A.D. 1850
I Geo r ge W. Owens Senior of the county of Halifax and state of North
Carolina make publish and declare my last will & testament to be as follows
hereby revoking all other wills & testaments by me heretofore made.
1st I direct that after my decease my formal charges and just debts
shall be paid by my Executor hereinafter named.
2nd I give and devise to my Sons George W. Owens and Napoleon Bonaparte
Owens the lot in Town of Halifax whe r eon my store is situated and also the
two lots immediately adjoining together with all the improvements and ap­purtenances
belonging or in any way appertaining to the said three lots,
provided however that my son the aforesaid George W. shall retain undivided
oossession of the said three lots until my son the aforesaid Napoleon Bona­parte
shall attain the age of Twenty One years and provided further that if
my said son Napoleon Bonaparte die unmarried before attaining the age of
Twenty one years then the said three lots are to become the sole and abso­lute
property of my son the aforesaid George W should the said George W be
then dead, the share of the said Napoleon Bonaparte in the said three lots
is to become a part of my estate generally.
3rd And whereas a partnership exists between my son the aforesaid
George W and my self under Articles of Copartnership entered into on the
first day of June in the year 1850 and witnessed by F. S. Marshall now I
give to my son the said George W the share of the capital stock which I
now contribute to the said partnership in trust nevertheless that he shall
continue the same together with the sum which he the said George W now con­tributes
to the said partnership until my son the aforesaid Napoleon Bonaparte
shall attain the age of Twenty One years in the business designated by the a ­foresaid
Articles of Copartnership and in trust further that on the first of June
following my decease, and on the first of June of every year thereafter
until my son the said Napoleon Bonaparte shall attain the age of Twenty One
years the said George W and some other discreet person which person is from
time to time to be apoointed by my wife and to have a reasonable compensation
for his trouble shall proceed to ascertain the truth (?) of the said business
and the amount of the profits to which my estate may be entitled; and in
trust further that the said George W shall annually at the time above afore­said
pay over unto my wife, as much of the profits aforesaid as vd.ll be in
connection vd.th the property hereinafter devised to my said wife sufficient
to support and maintain annually in the manner hereinafter directed my
said wife and my children Sarah V, Ann, Napoleon Bonaparte and Josephine.
The balance of the profits to which my estate may be entitled he the said
George VI shall annually add to the capital stock herein given in trust to
him: the said George W. being at liberty to increase his own share of the
capital stock annually out of his own means in like manner . And in trust
further that as my son the aforesaid Napoleon Bonaparte shall attain the
age of Twenty One years he the said George W shall receive him as a partner
in the business aforesaid and he the said Napoleon Bonaparte shall on at­taining
that age be entitled to one half of the capital stock which I now
contribute according to the aforesaid Articles of Copartnership and shall
be a partner to that extent. And my will provides that as soon as my son
the said Napoleon Bonaparte shall attain the age of Twenty One years and
shall become a partner as aforesaid then I give to said Sons George \v and
Napoleon Bonaparte the remaining oortions of capital stock to which my
estate may then be entitled in trust named that they shall continue to use
the same in the said business in connections with their own shares of
capital stock until my youngest child Josephine shall attain the age of
Twenty one years and in trust further that they shall annually at the
time above specified until the said Josephine shall attain the age of
Twenty one and together with some discreet person to be appointed as above
specified proceed to assertain the true state of the said business and the
amount of the profits to which my estate may be entitled. And in trust
further that they shall annually until the said Josephine shall attain the
age of Twenty one years pay over unto my wife a certain amount of the said
profits as above specified sufficient for the purpose above set forth and
the balance of the profits they shall add annually to the capital stock here­in
given in trust to them as the said George W is above directed to do they
being at liberty to increase their own capital stock annually out of their
own means in like manner . And in trust further that as soon as my daughter
Josephine shall attain the age of Twenty one years they shall proceed to
settle and finally wind up the said business and shall ~k~ payments to
my estate the amount to which it may be entitled.
4th But should my son the said George W die before my son the said
Napoleon Bonaparte shall attain the age of Twenty one years then the business
as above specified in the third clause of this my will shall be finally
settled. And the amount to which my estate may in such a case be entitled
shall be paid over to my wife who is hereby authorized to receive the same
in trust to use as much there of as shall be sufficient for the support and
sustenance of herself and the children in the above third clause signified
in the same manner as hereinafter directed until my youngest child Josephine
shall attain the age of Twenty one years and the balance she shall use to
the best advantage of L[h~ estate until said period and when the said Jose­phine
attains the age of Twenty one years the said amount to go into the
special fund for division am.ong my said wife and children as hereinafter
directed. But in case my son Napoleon Bonaparte should die before attain­ing
the age of Twenty One years leaving my son the said George W surviving
him then in such case the said George W is to continue the business in the
foregoing third clause specified in like manner and under like trusts as
therein described until my youngest child Josephine attains lawful age in
the same manner as if the said Napoleon Bonaparte were not mentioned nor
in any manner allured to in the foregoing third cl ause of this my will and
I desire it further be understood as my will that if my son the aforesaid
George W should die at any time before my youngest child Josephine attains
the age of Twenty one years then and in that case the aforesaid business in
the above third clause specified shall be finally settled and the amt to
which my estate may then be entit led shall be paid over to my wife who is
hereby authorized to receive the same to be used in the l ike manner and
upon the like trust as already specified in the beginning of of Lrepeat
in text_7 this, the fourth clause of this my will.
5th And I further insist that if my wife should marry before my
daughter Josephine attains lawful age then in that case my said wife shall
be required to give bond with good & sufficient security for the faithful
execution of the trusts in this will reserved to her . And in case my
said wife should die before my daughter Josephine attains lawful age then
it is my will that such L8Uardian17 as shall be appointed or provided to
her shall stand in all respects in place of my said wife to execute the
trusts herein confided to my said wife provided however that such appointee
shall first be required to give bond with good and sufficient security for
the faithful execution of said trusts and provided further that such
appointee shall not by virtue simply of such appointment later on be en­titl
ed to any share in the division of my estate except such as may be al­lowed
as a sufficient compensation for his or her troubles.
6th That portion of my property not otherwise disposed of I give and
bequeath to my wife together with that portion of the profits specified in
'I
the third clause of this my will in trust that she shall apply the same
to the use and maintenance of herself my said wife and my children Sarah V1
Ann, Napoleon Bonaparte and Josephine until the said Josephine shall attain
lawful age and in trust further that she shall educate my children Ann,
Napoleon Bonaparte and Josephine respectively until they respectively at­tain
lawful age. And that my daughters Ann and Josephine shall have an
education suitable to their circumstances and that my son Napoleon Bona­parte
shall not have a collegiate education, but a fair English education
such as will qualify him for the business of Merchandise. But if any of
my said children Sarah V, Ann Napoleon Bonaparte or Josephine should marry
before the said Josephine attains a lawful age then their maintenance
clothing and education to be no longer a charge on the property in this will
given in trust to my wife .
7th I direct that when the period of division hereinafter designated
shall arrive that my estate shall be then equally divided between my wife
and all my children who may be then alive . And that my sons the aforesaid
George W and Napoleon Bonaparte shall receive only so much out of my estate
as when added to the property already in this will given and devised unto
them shall make their shares equal to the shares of my wife and other child­ren.
But if it should so happen when the period of division shall arrive
that there be not enough property to make the shares of my wife and other
children children frepeated in text_7 equal to the property herein already
bequeathed and given to my sons George W and Napoleon Bonaparte then my will
is that at all events the said George W and Napoleon Bonaparte shall retain
the said property undiminished and the balance of my property whatever it
may be shall be equally divided between my wife and other children.
8th I desire that the property herein given to my son George W shall
be his absolutely and Lfikewise17 that the property herein given in the
second clause of this will to my son Napoleon Bonaparte shall be his abso­lutely
on attaining the age of Twenty One years or if he should marry before
attaining that age then in that case it shall go to him absolutely provided
herein that my son the aforesaid George W shall be entitled in such case
to retain possession of the three lots specified in the second clause of
this will continued until such time as the said Napoleon Bonaparte would
attain lawful age Leventually17 but if the said Napoleon Bonaparte die un­married
before he attains lawful age then his proportion of the share in
this will devised unto him of the Lbusiness17 & the estate shall be made
as is in such case needed to be made in the second clause of this my will .
9th I further desire that if any one of my daughters Sarah V. Ann
or Josephine should Liilegibl~ or Mary E. Faulcon die before the period
of division herein after designated or without lawfully begotten issue
alive at said period then and in that case the shares to which she would
be entitled were she to live until said period shall be absolutely to the
benefit of my wife and other children. But if any of my said daughters should
die before said period of division hereinafter designated leaving issue who
shall be alive at said period then such issue shall take the share to which
said parent would be entitled were she to be alive at said period in other
words said issue alive at said period shall in case of the death of the
parent take her shares.
lOth I direct that the period of division already referred to shall be
when my youngest daughter Josephine shall attain the age of Twenty one years.
But I declare my will shall be that in case my said daughter Josephine should
die before attaining lawful age then in such case the said period of division
above mentioned with every thing elese in this will written in reference to
the time when said Josephine shall attain lawful age shall Lb~ construed as
is intended to be governed ~ the time when my next youngest child Napoleon
Bonaparte shall attain lawful age and in case the said Napoleon die before
attaining lawful age then when my next youngest child Ann shall attain law-ful
age, but in case no one of my said three children in this clause mentioned
lives to the age of Twenty one years then the period of division above men-tioned,
and everything elese in this will written in reference to the time
when the said Josephine shall attain lawful age shall be construed as is
mentioned, and as written in reference to as is intended to be governed by
and take effect at the death of the survivor of any said three children in
this clause named.
11th I appoint my wife sole guardian of my infant children.
12th I do hereby make and ordain my son George W Owens Jr sole exe-cutor
of this my last will and testament--In witness whereof I the said
George W Owens Senior have to this my last will and testament contained in
this and the four preceeding pages, set my hand and seal to wit my hand
to the bottom of each of the said four pages and my hand and seal to this
last page, this 28th day of September in the year Eighteen hundred and fifty.
G W Owens {seal)
The writing contained in this and the four
preceeding pages was signed and sealed by the
said George W Owens Senior and by him published
and declared as and for his last will and tes-tament
in the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our
names in his presence and in the presence of each other
Edw Conigland
F S Marshall
Halifax County to wit Court of Pleas and?
Quarter Sessions November Term 1851 _)
Then this Paper pur­porting
to be the last.
will and
testament of Geo W. Owens Sr writing is exhibited in open Court and is pro­vided
in Court as a will of real and personal estate by the oath of Edw
Conigland and F S Marshall the subscribing witness thereto and therefore
it is ordered to be recorded. And the executor named therein Geo W Owens Jr
came in & qualifies to the said oaths required by law and it is ordered that
wtnes testamentary issue accordingly.
Witness W W Daniel Clk
HALIFAX COUNTY PROBATE COURT. 18?9
Know all men by these presents that I , G. W. Owens being of Sound mind and
memory make and declare this to be my last Wil l and testament hereby re­vocking
all others heretofore made by me.
First I direct that my Executor hereinafter named shall pay off al l my just
debts and burial expences.
Second I give to my wife Missouri F. Owens the dwelling in which I reside
a l so the Store House I am engaged in business at this time together
with the three l ots on which they are situated and the ad j oining l ots.
(Three Lots) with al l the improvements thereon, also one thousand
doll ars.
Third I give to my daughter El izabeth Mason Owens The tract of l and now
owned by me known as the Epps Tract (Mill Excepted) also the land
known as the Ponton tract, also One thousand dol lars.
Fourth I give to Whitmel Stephenson Benjamin G Ellis and William W Ellis
MY Mill situated on Quankey Creek each to own and equal interest in
said Mil l and the l ands and improvements immediately adjoining (down
the Hill) together with all the rights and privoledges I received by
purchaze from W. T. Pl ummer, Trustee also a right of way through the
Epps pl antation which is devised in this my la~wil l to my Daughter
Elizabeth Mason Owens in the third clause of this my will.
Fourth I give to my Sister Mary E Faulcon Five Hundred Dol lars .
Fifth I give to my Sister Ann H Owens Five hundred Dol lars on the condi­tion
that she does not marry H. S. Nevill in two years from the date
of this my l ast Will. If she should marry in this time the five
hundred dol lars will not be paid to her and will be a portion of my
estate and subject to directions hereinafter named.
Sixth I direct that my Executor will immediately after my death take charge
of my Estate and that he will sell my entire stock of merchandise at
auction at such times as he in his judgement may think best for the
interest of my estate and that he will proceed to collect all notes and
accounts due my estate as soon as the same can be collected by law after
giving due notice . I also direct that he will sell my interest in the
Lowe tract of land, also the Store House & ware House known as the
Nevel store situated on Main Street in the town of Halifax, also the
Brick office with the three l ots agoing /Sic7, al so two town Lots ad-j
oining the land of G. C. Whitehead the above property to be sold to
make assets to enabl e my Executor to settl e of my indebtedness without
selling other property. And after paing /Sic7 all of my just debts the
ballance of the money on hand after paying the legatees the amounts I
have given them and paying all other necessary expences in Establishing
this will, I desire that the ballance shall be equally divided between
my wife Missouri F. Owens and William W. Ellis .
Seventh I appoint John T. Gregory Esqr. my Sole Executor and farther direct
that he shall not be requested to give security
Eight I direct my Executor to sell all my farming implents /Sic7, wagons ,
carts, Buggy, carriage, one horse, two mules, corn and fodder and use
the same as directed in the Sixth clause of this my will. Given under
my hand and seal this the 29th day of May 1875
In presence of
M H Clark
T B Willcox
G W Owens (Seal)
THIS WILL IS REVOKED AS TO STEPHENSON
13 Sept 1876
G W Owens
LWTitten across t~
State No Carolina
Northampton County
In the Probate Court
June 24 1879
A paper writing of date May 29th 1875 with subscribing
witnesses thereto, together with the clause of revocation written across the
same, of date September 13th 1876. without subscribing witnesses, purporting
to be the last will & testament of George W. Owens deceased, who died domiciled
in Halifax County in said State, is by order of the Judge now presiding in
this Judicial District herewith filed, Exhibited for probate before the under-signed
Judge of Probate for said County of Northampton by John T. Gregory,
the Executor therein named, who as shown by the proceeding herein is Judge
of Probate for said County of Halifax, & the due Execution of the paper
writing of date May 29th 1875 is proved by the oath & examination of M. H.
Clark & T B Wilcox the subscribing witnesses who depose each for himself
that said Geo. W. Owens Exhibited said paper writing to them & declared that
he subscribed his name at the end thereof; that the same was his last will
& testament & that they did thereupon subscribe their names at the end of
said will as attesting witnesses thereof - that at said time said Geo. W. Owens
was of sound mind & memory, of full age to execute a will & was not under any
restraint to their knowledge, information or belief - And it is further proved
by the oath & examination of the said Jno T. Gregory, that said will with the
clause of revocation of date September 13th 1876 was found among the valuable
papers & effects of said Geo. W. Owens, after his death . It is further proved
by the oath & Examination of four competent & credible witnesses, to wit,
the said Jno . T. Gregory, M. H. Clark, & T. B. Wilcox & James M. Mullen that
they are well acquainted with the handwriting of the said Geo. W. Owens,
having often seen him write, & verily beleive that the name of said Geo . W.
Owens subscribed to said will & clause of revocation & the said will & clause
of revocation & every part thereof are in the hand writing of the said Geo.
W. Owens; & that the said handwriting is generally known to the acquaint-ances
of said Geo. W. Owens.
It is therefore considered that the said paper writing together with
said clause of revocation is the last will & testament of the said Geo . W.
Owens - & the same is ordered to be recorded in the Probate Court for said
County of Halifax -
And thereupon, the said John T. Gregory, Executor as aforesaid duly
qualifies as such by taking the oath required by law.
State Of North Carolina
Northampton County
Given under my hand and seal of said Court
at office in Jackson, this the 24 day June
A.D. 18'79
N. R. Odom Probate Judge
Northampton County
In the Probate Court
June 24, 1879
Upon the foregoing testimony of Jno. T. Gregory, M H Clark, T. B. Wilcox,
& J. M. MUllen it is considered and adjudged that the foregoing paper
writing and every part thereof is the last will and testament of G. W.
Owens deed and that it is executed with sufficient formality to pass
both real & personal Estate & is admitted to Probate.
State of North Carolina
Northampton County
N. R. Odom Probate Judge
NP .ampton County
In the Probate Court
June 24 1879
This day John T. Gregory as Executor of G. W. Owens dec~ comes into open
Court and qualifies as Executor of G. W. Owens dec~ and thereupon letters
testamentary issues.
N. R. Odom Probate Judge
NPampton County
WILLS ( photocopies)
George W. Owens, Sr. _
George W. Owens , [jr_d
Wills, Bk 4, pp. 297-300
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V. ILLUSTRATIONS
Owens House before
Restoration
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