Newbold-White House: A Documentary History of the Property and Its Inhabitants

              THE NEWBOlD-WHITE HOUSE: A DCX:lJMENTARY
HISTORY QF. THE" PROPERI'Y AND ITS
INHAB:rmNTS
by
Tan Parranore
THE NSWBOLD - WHITE HOUSE
A Documentary History
of
Tn~ Property and its Inhshitants
by
Thomas C. Parramore
•
91111>>-1-t,~ J
• I NTRODU:: TI 0!\T
The Newbold-~'/hite house stands about; midway between the
west bank of the Perquimans riYer and Haryey ' s Neck road (State
Road 1336) two and three-tenths miles south of the Perquimans
c ounty court houseo :rt is a one and one - half sto:;:-y bricx structure
':tith chiw... r 1eys on each side and a steep gabled roof o The east side
of the house , f ac1-.ng .l..,..c. ;.e r1. .ver , -.nas orl.g ;_. na1 1y '.."..h. e front hs.s
a center door with two arched windo'l/S on each side and three dormer .
windows above . On t he v1es~ or original rear side are a. center door
•;iith a w~ao\7 on each . side and two dormer windows above . The north
~nd sou.th sides of ths house have small windows flanking the chirr.-
neys and above each window is an arch formed by alternating stretch...:
ers and double headers . Above the wi71dows on the north a..~d south
sides are single decorative courses of projectin.g brick . The house
iS forty feet long by t·i;enty fe e t wide, its brick laid in Flemish
bond wit~ the ends of t';h _ e bricxs g lazed and laid in courses in
which ends alte r nate ·.vi th sides. There are two rooms on ~a.ch floor a
Throi.lgh the effo:'ts of the Perquimans County Restoration
Asso(!iatioD, plans are being nade to restore tho house . As a .
prel iminary step towa!'d restoration, the compiler of these documents
wr::.s com:nissio~ d to su.::-vey the historical records of North Carolina
iYl C1'""n"'""""'l , ,_.,~~ p~ .,..,.,),i.,..., r-l nS r•o\ln.l.."'\T 1•1") na-rtif"'nlo.,., l·Jith ' a view - · · 0 ....,J.vJ.~- ~~LL '-4 J~ Lt ~\-·· "'~ · - iv.; .... ..: : ---\A Q...:.. '-"'"- ·- ' ·
est~blishl~g the d~te of const~ucticn of the house and d !> ~ !:> conn- -° r;-:4_.-; nc0 -
its early C''.vnarso The co.!npile:- hopes that f.he results cf his SiJ.rvey
• will p:>0'/3 t ·J be useful to those who will restore the house and -to
rr:!.l:-1-v who ·:;ill visit •J
l-. .v... in future years c
TC? /5/31/7 3
•
•
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Scott Land Grants , 1684
Joseph Scott, Carolinian
Footnotes: Joseph Scott
Will of Joseph Scott, 1685
Will of Joshua Scott , 1686
Mary Hudson Scott
Footnot es: N.ary Hudson Scott
Will of Mary Scott , 1692
"Vineyard" People
Footnotes: Vineyard People
Deed: Fryley- Blount to Peirce , 1701
Deed: Peirce to Fryley, 1701
Deed: Fr.y-ley to Coles, 1703
\~ill of James Cole ~ , 1712
Deed: Hall to Clayton, 1719
Division of Land: Clayton and Harvey, 1724
Will of Henrf Clayton, 1725
Deed: Gale et al. to Sanders, 1726
Will of Abraham Sanders, 1750
The Estate of Benjamin Sanders, 179l~-1823
Footnotes: The Estate of Benjamin Sanders
Will of Benjamin Sanders , 1794
Division of Benjamin Sanders Estate, 1797
Page
1
3
6
8
10
12
15
16
17
20
22
23
24
26
28
30
32
36
38
41
43
45
49
•
•
16R4
SCOTT LAND GRANTS
Land Grant Record Book #l (1663 - 1728), Secretary of State Office ,
Raleigh :
File #74 . To Joseph Scott, "a plantation containing Six
hundred and forty Acres of land ~nglish measure , lying & being
in the precinct of Piquemons , bounded beginning at a marked red
oak standing by the side of a swamp upon ye brow of a hill, &
running along the River side for breadth North West two hundred
....
eighty eight perches" to a bounded Gum standing by ye side of a
Branch , & runnine; from ye sd . Gum with a line dravm in to ye woods
for length, South West three hundred twenty perches to a marked
red oak, & from ys sald red oak with a line drawn south west two
hundred eighty eight perches to a marked Gum, & from the said
Gum with a line drawn North east three hun dred twenty perches to
the first bounded tree •... " __ day of 1684 • .
File # 73. To Joshua Scott, "a plantation containing three
hundred & fifty acres of land lying upon the West side of Piquemons
River•• ••. bounded, beginning at a marked gum by ye side of a
swamp it bei ng ye Westernmost bounded tree of' a tract of' land of'
Joseph Scott , & run~ing !'rom ye sd . tree North West one hundred
seventy fiv e perches to a marked red oak st a nding by ye River
side it being ye Easternmost bounde d tree of a tract of land or
i..awrence Noggell ' s & running from ye sd . red oak into ye woods
fo r length three hundred twenty perches South West to a marked white
1
• oak , & from thence wth a line drawn South E a st one hundred
seventy five perches to a marked red oak , & from ye sd . Red
Oak with a line drawn North East Three hundred twenty perches
to the first bounded tree • ••. 11 day of 1684 .
~~A perch is a linear me a sure of 16i feet ; also called a rod
or poleo
•
•
JOSEPH SCOTT, CAROLINIAN
The earliest -known historical reference to Joseph Scott occurs
in George Fox 's journal. The Quaker minister visited the north-eastern
part of North Carolina in the latter part of 1672. Coming
down Bennett's creek from Somerton, Virginia, Fox evidently pro-ceeded
b:y canoe down Chowan river to what he called lithe bay of
1
Connie - oak". This was probably a corruption of the name of the
local Indians , t he Chow~nokes and the bay was probably Albemarle
sound. After visiting Nathaniel Batts_, who lived between the
mouths of Cashie river and Salmon creek on the western shore of tre
sound , Fox went by boat for thirty miles ''to Joseph Scot ' s , one of
the representatives of the country . There we had ~ sound , precious
meeting ; the people were tender, and much desired after meetings ."2
Although it cannot .be proved that Joseph Scott was residing in
1672 at the Perquimans river farm subsequen tly patented by him,
Fox's geogr;P,3hic al references are consistent with sue h an assumption
and the circumstances strongly suggest that Scott was already seated
at the farm .
It is also likely that Joseph Scott had been residing at this
same loc ation for eight or nine years before he was visited by Fox .
In late 1679, Scott , along with his sons-in-law William Bundy a~d
John Pearce (or Peirce), signed their nB..t11es to a Quaker petition
pro testing their innocence of any part in the unpleasantness known·
as Culpeppert s Rebellion. The petition noted that "most of us
3
•
•
4
whos e name are hereunto subscribed have been in Carolina since the
yeares 1663 and 1664. "3
Joseph Scott apparently c ame to North Carolina with the fi rst
trickle of immigrants from southeastern Virginia following t r..a
creation of the North Carolina colony in 1663 . The surname Sc ott
was already common in the former c olony by the middle of the seven-teent
h century and virtually all of Scott's Carolina neighbors wer e
also from Virgini a .4 Moreover , his son-in - law, John Peirce , was a
resident of Virginia as late as the fall of 168o? (Peirce d i e d ,
,
evidently in North Carolina, in 1682 .) 0
Joseph Scott evidentl y brought wi th him to North Carolina a
wife narne d Mary and children by her named Mary and Joshua. He was
already a grandfather when his wife died on February 24, 16827 The
want of reference to him in extant Virginia records may be attributed
to the destruction of the records of Nanesmond county, Va. and
additionally, perhaps , to his having :5.mmigrated from England not
long before coming to North Carolina .
Scott appears to have been converted to the ·Scciety of Friends
by George Fox or else in consequence of Fox t s visit . The journal
o f Willi am Edmundson , a~othe r Quaker missionary who visited north-eastern
. North Ca:r;-olina in 1672 , shows that ne· found here onl y
a single 0uaker , one Phillips , who wept upon encountering Edmundson,
"not having seen a Quaker for many years", though a resident of
North c ·arol ina sine e 1665.8 Scott witnessed marriage s at Quaker
Monthly Meetings at t he house of Francis Toms in Febr ua ry, 1680
and at t'ne house of his daughter Mary Peir ce in October , 1683.9
•
5
By late 1683 Joseph . Scott had married a second tiroo, to Mary
Hudson, widow of Henry Hudson of Currituck and mother of t wo
daughters by Hudson . 10 Also attached to Scott's household were
his indentured servant John Browning (later a substantial Albemarle
11
county p l anter) and an indentured Indian named Alexander (or
Sanders) .
12
Scott' s real property included his six - hundred-forty- acre
grant of 1684 on the west bank of Perquimans river and a two ­hundred
acre tract on the east side of the ri ver~3 His property
placed him am9ng the gentry of this rude era and his personal
ability opened to him the door to high public service . Among th2
references to him in the sparce colonial records of North Carolina
are his service as a justice at a court held in Perquimans in May;
1673 ,
1
4 a power of attorney made to his son Joshua in November of
the same year , 15 and la~suits in which he was involved in 1684 and
1685 . These latter included two suits aginst him in 1684 for debt
and defamation, the first of which he won but lost the second. Four
hundred pounds of tobacco gained in the first case was surrendered
as damages in the second •15
At his death in t he latter part of October , 1685 , 16 Joseph
Scott left a will bequeathing his plantation on the west side of
Perquimans river to the use of his wife Mary for the rest of her
life with reversion to his son Joshua at Mary's death. The will
includes reference to "all the Housing thereon" •16 The smaller
tract on the othe:- side of the river had previously been deeded by
•
.<..:.:. co tt t o h J. .S gra!1d son J-osep h_ P e1. rce. 17 F1. na_1 1y , th.~ .e t es t ator was
able to provide a le gacy of a cow and calf for his ser'vant Browning .
,------- - ------------ ----------
•
•
6
Jose ph Scott appears, therefore , to have been a man of
comfortable circumstances for this wilderness reg ion , a 11 represent ­ative
of the count r y n, a magistrate , farmer , busine ssman , faithful
QuaKer , and considerate fami ly man and servant -master. He wa s , in
short , just such a rna n as might well have e rect e d for himself a
small but s t urdy brick dwelling near the banks of a navigable
stream •
•
•
7
NOTES : JOSEPH SCOTT
1 . Excerpt from F~~'s journal in William L. Saunders (ed . ) , The
Colonial Records of North Carol ina (Raleigh : Stat e of North Carolina,
10 volumes, 18H6- 1890) , r , 217, hereinafter cited as Saunders,
Colonial Records .
2 . Saunders , Colonial Records , I , 217 .
3. Saunders , Colonial Records, I , 252 .
4. George Cabell Greer, Early Virginia Immigrants 1623-1666
(Richmond: W. C. Hill printing company, 1912}, pas s im . Greer lists
Scotts named James, Danie l , Jon. , William, Henry, and Robert as
residents of Virginia in t he period 1637-1652.
5 . Isle of Wight County, Record of Wills, Deeds, Etc . Vol . I (1662-
1715) , page 449 , ~· Virginia State Archives , Richmond. ~is is a
reference to a cattle-mark recor ded for John Peirce on October 9,
1680 .
6. Mrs. vVatscn Wi nslow, History of Perquimans Count y , As Compiled
from Records Found There and Elsewhere (Raleigh : Edwards~ Broughton
Company, 1931), 405 , hereinafter cited as Wi nslow, History of Per­quimans
Oou..l1ty. John ""~ Peirce' s widow Mary was 111..arried secondtOVVil­liam
Bundy in Perquimal1S on December 5, 1683o ·
7. Perquimans Precinct, B irth~ , Marriages, Deaths and Flesh Marks
1659-1739 . Vol . T (1659- 1701), page 7, ms . in State Department of
Archives and History, Raleigh, here inaf'ter cited as "Births , Mar ­riages
, ' Deaths" .
8 . Quoted by Julia Scott 1Nhite, 11 The Quakers of Perquimans 11
, North
Carolina Booklet, VI I (July, 1907), 278-279 .
9 . Perquimans Monthly Meeting, minutes for February 11, 1680 and
October 15, 1685, ms . in Quaker Collection , Guilford College, Greens -
boro, N. C. --
10 . Ray Winslow, "The Newbold -Whi te Hous e n , typescript copy in pos ­session
of this writer , p-age 1, he reina fter cited s.s Winslmv, \'New­bold-
White House" .
11. Browning 's wfl l , devising 250 acres of land , was probated in
Albemarle County on September · 4, 17 33 . See J . Bryan Grimes, Abstract
of North ,.caro lina Wills Compiled f~ Ori~inal and Recorded Wills
i n the Olfice of thB Secretary of ~tate ( a l eigh : E.M . Uzzell &
Company , 1910) , ~
•
•
8
12. Will of Joseph Scott , Nort h Carolina Wills., Vol . XXVIII, 6,
ms.- in S ec retary of State Papers, State Department of Archives and
History, Raleigh , hereinafter cited as North CarolL,.,.a Will s . The
natne of Alexander does not appear in the partially- mutil a ted will.
For evidence of his indenture to Scott , see Perquimans Precinct Co'J.rt
Mi nut es , 168g -l693, page 21 (April Term, 1690) .
13. 11 Births, Marriages , Deaths", paga 9 .
14. Mattie Erma Edwards Parker , The Colonial Records of North Caro­lina
; North Carolina Hi~her Court~cords, 16?0-1696 (Raleigh: State
Department of Archives and History, 1968), o , hereinafter cited as
Parker, Higher Court Recoras . This was a meeting of the colonial
council at the home of Franci s Godfrey on May 25, 1673.
15. Powers of Attorney, 150, ms . in Secretary of State Papers ,
State Department of Archives and Hi story, Raleigh .
1 6 ., See also Perquimans County Deed Book H, ·#1136, mf . at State
Department of Archives and History , Raleigh:
nThe 17th 0f second 1r..onth c a l led April 1738 , This may certify
t hat r the s ubsc rib er have seen a certain old deed of gift
fr·om old Joseph Scott to his grandson Joseph Pearce which was
both writ , a.'1d signed by his O'Nn hand as I do believe as the
whole deed and his n ame was one hand writing a s witness my
hand the date above mentioned and further that I' have re ad it
in my possession as being executor of the said Joseph Pearce
and I do solemnly dec lare that it was burnt , in my hou se when
'nY deeds and patents we re all ~urnt with i t this I do leave as
witness for the orphan and pray that it may be recorded
Zachariah Nixon Junr. 11
•
•
1685
WILL OF JOSEPH SCOTT
{Now17 • • • the age of LQne and twi7nty years the men
and eithteene yeares the women then the survivor (that
is to say) the survivor of Jno Pearce 1 s children to have
the same and the survivor of my son Joshua Scotts
children to enjoy the same .
Item I give and bequeath unto my servant John Browning
one cow and calfe the same to be delivered him at the
expiration of the time he has to serve me
Item I give and Bequeath unto my Beloved Son
Joshua Scott whome T doe nominate & appoint
to be one of my Executors my Reall !state of
Land wch belongs to me and is patt
yned with all the Housing thereon being and belong
ing , the said Housing to- be enjoyed by him after tre ."
decease of my sd . Beloved Wife Mary Scott whanse
ever the same shall or may hapoen & not before
but it is my Will and pleasure that the Lands on the other
side of the River formerly conveyed by me to my loving
grandson Joseph Pearce , be excepted according to
the true Intent & Meaning of this my said
Will & Testament & I appoint Wm . Bundy the othe~
Item my Will & pleasure is and I order that wLfiatsoever17
Estate I shall dye siezed & possessed wth ~~d •••
funeral Expenses Just debts v•1ch I s hall [owey
any Man be duely paid sattisfied & co •••
9
•
•
may equally be divided betwixt my said
Wife Mary Scott my son Joshua Scott and Lffii7
Daughter Mary Bundy share & share alLTk~
so L ? J no ·~difference may arise betwixt them
• •• wards about the dividing of this my is tate
wch I have given & bequeathed as aforesaid
Item my Will ••• my loving
ffriends Robert ,LNixon!7 and Edward Mayo ~be [Overj]
L3eers!7 of this my last Will & testament to see
that it be duely performed according as I have
hereby Ment & Tntended and if it should so happen ' .
that either of these my two Overseers should
be removed either by death or oth9r way
t~at then the Body of the People called Quakers
may order and appoint two other ffriends to see this
my last Will & testament performed and so I conclude
·.
this my Will which I publish to the World to be my last
W 111 & testament and in witness to the
same I dow hereunto sett my hand and affix
my own seale the 26 day of the 8 Month called octo
ber in the yeare 1685
signed sealed and published
in the presence of us whose
names are hereunto written
Ffranc is Tomes
the marke of
Richard R Evins
Joseph
Scott
10
•
•
Edward Mayo , Ser .
We whose names are under Y7ritten doe§wear~
that we saw the Disceased Joseph Scott sign9 seale
and publish this as his last Will and testament
and that to the best of our knowledge he was in
sound & perfec ·t Mind & Memory
Edward Mayo
Ffranc is Tomes .
Source : Ncrth Carolina ~'! ills , Vol . XXVIII , page 6 .
11
•
•
1686
WILL OF JOSHUA SCOTT
In the name of God Amen I Joshua Scott of ye County of Albemarle
in ye Province of Carolina planter being sick & weak of body butt of
sound &: perfect memory blessed be ye Lord doe make this my last
will & test~~ent in manner & form following (Viz) I bequeath
my soul to God ye Creator of all things thro his infinite mercies &
eternal merrits of Jesus Christ my saviour hopeing & expecting
ever lasting life & salvation, col1lilli t ting also my body to ye earth
in expectation of ye resurrection thereof at ye gre.at & last day of
judgrr..ent. I tt. as to my temporall estate I give & bequeath all my
personal Estate of goods & chattels to my beloved wife Mary Scott &
my two daughters Grace Scott & s·arah Scott to be devided equally
amongst them unto 3 shares or equall proportions and my sd. wife to
enjoy ye whole tell my sd. Daughters comes to yt age of one & twenty
years or ye day 9f either of their Marridge which shal first hapen
and no longer, and if either of my sd . Daughters that dye before ye
aforesd . time shall come, yn ye survivor or longer liver to have and
enjoy ye share or dividend of ye other so departed and -if both should
dye before ye time limited as aforesd . then ye whole I give entirely
to my sd . loveing Wife and to her dispose forever . Itt. I give &
bequeath all my r eall estate of pat tent Land both what I have now in
posse ssion (and also in reversion by ye death of my late father Joseph
Scott) wi th all houseing thereon orchards gardans & other appurtinences
thereunto belonging unto my said Daughters Grace & Sarah Scott
and to their heirs by equall devision, to be enjoyed after ye death of
12
•
13
my said loveing wife NJ.ary Scott or to ye longer liver of them but
if both of them dye without Issue tren I give ye sd . Land with the
with ye fSi£7 appurtinances to my said Wife & to her dispose forever
Itt . and my Will & pleasure further is that my said beloved Wife
Mary Scott at present enjoy .ye whole Estate of Land tell my said
daughter s comes to ye age of one and twenty years or ye day of
Marridge But as they come or attaine to ye sd. time appointed then to
have three hundred acres apiece and my sd . Wife to enjoy ye rest
dureing her natural life as aforesd . according to ye forca intent &
meaning of this my last Will & testament .
Itt. Lastly I doe appoint my sd . Wife Mary Scott my sole and
absolute Executrix of this my last Will & testmt. revokeing and
renouncing all others & former Wills that ever have been by me
made acknowledgeing this to be my last will & testamt. and in
VU tness hereof I sett hereunto my hand & seal this 8 day of
January
sealed published & declared
in ye presents of
John :f kinsay
Richd Evens
R
John Wolfenden
1685/6
Joshua Scott
• Sour ce : Nort h Carol ina Wills, Vol. XXVIII, page 7.
•
•
MARY HUDSON SCOTT
Mary Hudson Scott presumably occupied the house of Joseph
Scott from the tirre of thejr marriage (about 1683) until her
death on May 22, 1692 .1 Her children by her previous marriage
to Henry Hudson , deputy collector of customs for Currituck , were
daughters Nephenian (Walling?) and Julianna Taylor (wife , lat~r
2
widow, of John Taylor). Prior to Mary Scott ' s death in 1692,
Julianna was widowed and evidently came to live with her mother
at the Scott house . 3
Mary Hudson Scott and her daughter Julianna Taylor were
remarkable women of their time and place . The frequency with
which both women found their way into the court records of the
period testifies to the notoriously litigious character they
bore and the assertive demeanor with which they conducted themselves
in an otherwise male - dominated society .
Mrs. Scott was hostess to meetings of the Perquimans county
court at her home during the years 1689, 1690, and 1691 . With the
court meeting up to four times a year under her own roof, Mary had
a good opportunity to seek satisfaction in all of her dealings with
the world at large and made bold to take advantage of this fact .
Having won a suit for debt against the estate of David Blake in
1688~ Mary uti l ized the court of July, . 1689 to affirm her purchase
of an iron-grey gelding from George Castleton? to avoid prosecution
in a suit against her by Anthony Dawson in 1690~ and to collect a
debt from William Spragg i n early 1692.7 She suffered non- suits in
15
• actions ag-ainst Diana Fo~ter , John Harris, and Danie 1 Snooke
in 16918when, the court meeting elsewhere, she failed to make
ah appearance . In an other case in 1691, Mary and Julianna
were jointly sued by William Steward 11 for unreasonable correc tinge,
& absence of William Williams" but it does not appear whether they .
we.re convicted or not. 9
The most notable of the litigations involving Mary Hudson
Scott was that of the April Term, 1690 when she established her
right to the services of her , late husb~Dd's erstwhile Indian
servant Alexander. It seems that Alexander had originally been
acquired by Joseph Scott from JoshuasLamb of,,New .England :::who ·lbr.rlught
him into North Carolina . Subsequently, Alexander contrived to
steal from Joseph Scot t the instrument of indenture and burn it.
A new indenture , dated April 8, 1690, was therefore required to
aff'i~m Alexander's obligations. William Bundy, Joseph Scott's
executor , having made over to .Mary Scott his own interest in
:the! India·t;10Alexander signed an agreement binding himself "unto
the sd Mary Scot Widdow & to her assigns & during the tims ••• of
eighty years, if the sd Alexander happen so long Lt£7 live, & to
serve the sd Mary Scot & her assignes faithfully & truely in all
manner O.~L emp 1 oymen t &. 1 a b our .. • • •t ll In"• tary, for her , part, was obliged
to provide Alexander during that term with lodgings, food and clothes .
Following Mary's death in 1692, Alexander was able to conclude
a less onerous agreement with Mary's he ir, Julianna Taylor . Acting
perhaps from a desire not to be responsible to Alexander in his old
• age, Julianna now oound him for but twelve years . This resolved the
w~t ter until the year 1705 when Julianna (now married to Benjamin
Laker) was hailed into court on suspicion of hav:i. r~ "killed or by
16
• some means made away with11 the Indian ~ 2 By the following term of
court , Alexander had turned up and had filed suit against Julianna
•
for his freedom , citing the twelve year agreement made by them in
1692. 1 3 The jury found for the plaintiff and P~exander ' s name
survived in the annual tax lists of Perquimans for &~other twelve
14 years . Julianna Lakers, meanwhile, established herself as the
foremost businesswoman in the colony, a terror to debtors , her
mother ' s daughter o l5.
Still another high- spirited woman who at one time evidently
inhabited the Scott house was Johanna Taylor Palmer , daughter of
Juliannao Johanna married Paul Palmer , reputed founder of the
first Baptist congregation in North Carolina , and enshrined .her
name upon the minutes of the courts as thoroughly as had her
16
celebrated mother and grandmother . Early North Carolina had
no women to compare with this remarkable trio and the record of
their interaction with the men of Albemarle is a repudiation of
many stereotypes of the womanhood at that rude era •
•
•
NOTES :
Joseph Scott
1 . " Births , Mar r iages , Deaths 11
, 7 . " Mrs . Mary Sc o tt De parted
this life ye 22nd of May 1 692 . "
2 . No rth Carol i na Wil l s , Vol . XXVIII , 8 , Will of Mary Sc ot t.
3 . Perquimans Pr e c inct Cour t Minutes , 1688 - 1693 , ms. at Sta t e
Depar tment of Archives and History, Raleigh , page 35 [July Co urt ,
169117, sui t by Wi l l i am S tewar d agains t Mary Scott and J ul i ana
Taylor for " unre a s on abl e c orrec tinge '' of William Wi lliams, e v i den tly
a se rvant or hir e d han d . ueretnafter cited as P r e cinct Co u r t Mi nutes o
4. ? r ecinct Court Minutes , 1 · ___ ,_·~_ ? Te rm, 1688 ) o
5 . Pr ecinct Court Minutes , 7 (May 3 , 1689 ) .
6 . Precinct Cour t Minutes , 15 (April Term , 1690) .
7. Precinct Cou~t Minutes , 37 (January Term , 1692?) .
8 . Precinct Court Minutes , 31 (February Term , 1691 ).
9 . Precinct Court Minutes , 35 (July Term , 1691?) .
10 . Precinct Court Minutes , 21 (April 8 , 1690) .
11 . Precinct Court ?Hnutes , 21 (April A, 1690) .
12. PreSinct Court Minutes , 1698 - 1706, ms . at State Department
of Ar chives and Hi sto ry , Raleigh , page 150 (1705) , herein after
cited as Prec inc t Co urt Minu tes , 1698 - 1706 .
13 . Precinct Cour t Minutes , 1698 - 1706 , page 169 .
14 . "Tax Lists 11 , Colonial Court Records , Miscellaneous. In this
file a!'e Perquimans tax lists for 1 713 to 1721. The l i s t s for
1713 to 1717 contain entries for taxes collected from ttsanders
ye Indian . ' t
15 . See , especiall.y , Saunders , Colonial Records, I , 409 , 551 ,
565 , 581 - 582 , 626 - 627 , 622 , and SSOo
16 . See , ~ ., Saunders, Colonial Records , II , 416 , 437, and 471.
17
•
•
1692
WILL OF MARY SCOTT
Tn the Name of God ame n the Last will and testament
of Mary Scott Widow of Pequimons River in the
county of Albermarle in f,1anor and forme fouloing
Item T Bequeth my Body to the Earth to
Ly Buried and my Sole to God that gave it me and
all my worly goods as foloweth My just debtes
being payd Item I give and bequeth unto my
Daughter Nephinian fWallingt7 one shilling
starling Many of England Ttem I give and beque th
unto Debary Willoby the wife of John Wiloby
one and her to be delivered
within six month after my decese Item I give
and bequeth unto my Grandaughter Johanah Taylor
two thirds of all my personall Estate but if it
shulld Hapon that Johanah Taylor s hul ld
dey before she corns to the Age o.f' s·eveilten yers
Then my daughter Nephenian :LWalhansfl ~ · · ··
shall survive her and have her Eastat if thay
com' to looke after it and if the sd Johanah
Taylor lives shee shall have her Eastat deliverd
to her at the Age of seventen yers rtem I give
and bequeath unto my daughter Julyanah
Taylor one third of a~~ my parshall Estate
and Make her my hall and soll Executor
and that my Daughter Julyanah Taylor shall have
~ ye mani g ing of the holl Estate tell Johanah
~
Ta ylor coms of Age as witnes my hand and seale
this 17th day of March 1691/2
Mary Scott
signed seall ed & delivered
in the presents of us
Anthony Dawson
Butler
Voss
presen In Cor t
october ye 3 1692
Testee John Stepney
Source : North Caro lina Wi lls , Vo l . XXVIII , page 8.
19
• ''Vineyard11 People
Joshua Scott , in whom Joseph Scott vested title to his
Perquimans plantation in 1685, survived his father for only
l a few months . At his death on January 14, 1686 , he bequeathed
the property, including three hundred fifty acres adjacent
patented by Joshua in 1684, to his daughters Grace and Sarah
and his widow Mary. Mary Hudson Scott and her daughter Jul.ianna
Taylor evidently occupied the farm until the death of the former
in 1692 but, after that, it is probable that the manor house was
occupied by Joshua's widow and her second husband, Thomas Blount,
whom she married in 1686 . 3
Thomas Blount, co -founder of one of North Carolina's most
eminent families , obtained the first l~Dd-grant issued in Beaufort
county in 1697 .4 He is ·said to have come to America ·in 1664 and ·
to North Carol,.na in 1673, where r...e had been preceeded by his older
brother James.5 Both James, who settled in Chowan, and Thomas , who
lived first on Pamlico river, were sons of Sir Walter Blount of
Sodington, Worcester, England , and were thrust to tbe forefront of
North Carolina affairs from their earliest appearance in the colony . 6
Thomas was, by turns, a tax collector? , vestryman at St . Paul's in
Chow an 8 , and agent for Governor Henderson ~·; alker on various missions . 9
After the death of his first wife, A.Yin Wilson, he married the widow
Scott and presumably c arr..e to live with her in Perquirr.ans. Here he
hosted sessions of the Perquimans precinct co~ t in 1697 and 1698
• . before moving with his family to what is now Washington county in
20
•
•
The removal from Perquimans of Thomas and Mary Hudson Scott,......
Blount left the disposition of the vacated farm to Joshua Scott ' s
daughters Grace and Sarah, joint owners. On June 6 , 1701 Grace
Scott and her husband William Fryley , along with Thomas and Mary
Blount, sold their interest in the farm to Sarah and her husband
11
Edmond Peirce of Chowan county . The next tenants of the proper t y ,
however , appear to have been Captain James Coles and his wif e Mary,
who acquired title from Fryley on December 17, 1703 .
12
James Coles came to North Carolina from Nansemond county ,
Virginia l3 and was already a man of conseq uence when he occupied
the Scott farm. He had served Perquirnans as overseer of roads1 4 ,
constable 1 5, and jus tic:e of the peacel6, and was to serve, while
resident on the farm, as Provost Marshal 1 7 , messenger to tte colon-ial
assembly18 , and membe r of the House 19 of Commons • He also
entertains d the Perquimans court at his house for · all··o:t , 1 ts
sessions from April , 1702 to January, 1704.20 On July 31 , 1707 ,
Captain Coles bought f rom William Fryley the Joshua Scott grant
adjacent and again brought the properties under single ownership.
21
:rn his will of February 20 , 1712, eoles bequeathed all of his
real estate to his wife Mary and daughter El iz a.beth . 22
In the year 1714 Coles ' widow married Henry Clayton , still
another figure of prominence in the colony . 2 3 Heretofore clerk
2h of .court in Perquimans ·, Clayton was sub sequent ly a prec inc :t
vestryman2 5, justice of the General Court26 , Provost Marshall2 7,
22
• Recorder - General of the colony in 1724~8a witness to the will
•
of Governor Charles Eden in 172129 , and a member of the Governor's
Council until his death in 1726 . 3°
During Clayton ' s tenure at the Scott farm , then known as
11 the Vineyard " , he became en tangled in a dispute over title with
Thomas and Elizabeth Coles Harvey . After some legal jockeying,
a mutual settlement was reached in 1724 , Clayton retaining ownership
of the upper ( western) two - thirds of the fa~~ and Harvey acquiring
the lower third . 3 1 This left Clayton in occupancy of the manor
house and lands which , in his ·wil l of January 20, 1726 , he directed
his executors to sell for the benefit of his daughter Sarah. 3 2
The farm was purchased on July 12, 1726 by Abrah am Sanders and was
destined to remain in the possession of Sanders and his descendants
for the next one hundred forty two years •
•
•
NOTES :
Vinyard . People
lo •'Births , Marriages, Deaths't, 9.
2 . Wi£i of. Joshua Scott , North Carolina Wills, Vol . XXVIII , 7 .
3. '1Births , .Marriages , Deaths" , 2 .
4. Charles Wingate Reed , Beaufort County: two centuries of its
history (Raleigh : n.p ., 1962) , 27 .
5 . Mrs . Wat son W ins~ow, History of Perquimans County, as Compiled
from Records There and Elsewhere TRaleigh : Edwards and Broughton,
T9JI), 327 , hereinafter cit ed as Winslow , Risto~ of Perguimans
County.
6. Winslow , His tory of Perquimans Count;y, 327 .
7· Saunders, Colonial Records, I, 560.
8. Saunders , Colonial Records , I , 543.
9 . Sau..TJ.ders , Colonial Records, T, 517 .
10. Ray Winslow, "The Newbold-White House" , l , typescr ipt in
possession of author , hereinafter cited as Winslow , "Newbold-White Eouse11
•
11 . Perquima.ns County Deed Book A, #. 169.
12 . Perquimans County Deed Book A, # 216.
13 . Ray Winslow, ''The Newbo1d-Whi te House11 , 2.
14 . Saunders , Colonial Records , r , 523 .
15. Saunders , Col onial Records, I , 548.
.,
I
16. Sauncders , Colonial Records, r, 574- 575 .
17 . Winslow , "Newbold-White House11
, 2.
18 . Winslow , "Newbold-White House" , 2 .
19 . Winslow, "Newbold-White House", 2.
20 . Precinct Court Minutes, 1698-1706, April Court , 1702 through
January Court 1701+, pages 45 to 100, passim.
21 . Perquimans County Deed Book A, # 391 •
22 . North Carolina Wills , Will of James Coles, Vol . VI, 67.
23
•
•
24
23 . Wi ns low, "Newbold-White House'' , 2.
24 . Winslow , '1Newbold-Whi te Rouse", 2 .
25. Saunders, Q.olonlal Records, II, 208 .
26. Saunders , Colonial Records , I I, 463-473.
27 . Saunders , C'olonia1 Records , IT , 535.
28. Saunders, Colonial Records, IT, 361- 362.
29 . J. Bryan Grimes , Abstract of North Carolina Wills Compiled
From Original and Recorded Wills in the Off'ice of the Secretary
of State (Raleigh : E.M. Uzzell , &-ao., 1910) , 109.
30. Saunders , Colonial Records , rr, 566-568 - 570 .
31. Perquimans County Deed Book B, # 223o
32 . Wi l l of Henry Clayton, North Carolina Wills , Vol . Vr, 53 .
•
•
1701
DEED : FRYLEY~BLOUNT TO PEIRCE
KnaN all men by these presents that William Fryly of the
precinct of Perquimans Joiner and Grace his wife and Thomas Blount
Esqr . of the precinct of Chowan and Mary his wife for divers good
and Valuable Considerations them thereunto Especially moving and
also for a Valuable Consideration of money to them in hand already
paid by Edmund Peirce of the precinct of Chowan Gent . t he Receipt
whereof they do severally acknowledge have bargained sold granted
and confirmed ••. unto the said Edmond Peirce and to his heirs and
'
assigns fo1 Ever all that their several Plantations commonly called
. .
or known by the Name of Old Scott Joshua Scott and a tract of land
on the North side of Perquimans River containing by Estimation one
thousand and fifty acres of land be they more or les s with all the
Ho uses fenc :tng p r emises and all appurtenances to the same tracts
of Land severally be longing ... lying and being in Perqui~ans
Precinct • • . • In Witness whereof t he parties abovesaid to this
pre sent writing have set their hands and seals the sixth day of
June anno 1 701 .. •.
Sealed and delivered William Fryle
in the presence of Grace GF Fryly
Daniel Brat Thomas Blount
Richard Smith Mary Blount
Henderson Walker
Acknowledged in court the 8th day of July 1701.
Test pr John Stepney Cler •
': .. .'
Source : Deed Book A, #169
25
•
•
1701
DEED : PEIRCE TO FRYLEY
Know all men by these presents that T Edmond Peirce of the
precinct of Chow an Gentleman and Sarah his Wife for divers good
and Valuable Considerations t hem thereunto moving and also for
a Valuable Consideration of money to them in hand all paid by
Wi lliam Fryly of the precinct of Perquiman s Joine r tr.e Receipt
whereof they do severally acknowledge have barga ined sold g r anted
and confirmed •.. unto Will i ~n Fryly and to · his heirs and assigns
forever all that our several plantations commonly called or knovm
by the Narre of old Scot t Joshua Scott and a tract of Land on the
No rth side of Perquimans River containing by estimation one thousand
and fifty a cres of Land be the same more or less with all Souses
i'enc ing premises and all appurtenances to the s arne tract s of L and
sev e rally belonging or in any wise appertaining situa te lying and
being in Perquima ns p recinct .... To have and to hold all and every
the before mentioned premises unto the said William Fryly and to
his heirs and ass i g ns for ever . .. . In witness whereof the Parties
abo,re said to this present Writing have set o ur hands and seals
this E i ghth d ay of .June anno 1701 .
Sealed and delivered
in the presence of
James Blount
Kattan Tyl or
Edmond Peirce
He r
Sarah S Peirce
mark
At Gent 11 Court July 30th p r esent t he J us tices Acknowledged
Test N . Chevin Clk •
Source : De e d Book A, #171
26 .
• 1703
DEED : FRYLEY TO COLES
This Indenture made the sever.teenth day of December in the
year of our Lord God Sevente e n hundred and three between William
Fryly of the Precinct of Chowan in the County of Albemarle in the
proprietorship of North Carolina Carpenter and Grace his Wife of
the one part and Capt. James Coles of the Precinct of Pe rquimans
in the county aforesaid carpenter and Mary his Wife of the other
part Witnesseth that the said William Fryly and Grace his wife for
and in consideration or the sum of Seventy Pounds Sterling Money
of England to them at and before the Enseal i ng and delivery of
these presents well and truly in hand paid by the said James Coles
and Mary his Wife •• • hath granted aliened Bargained Sold and
Co.nfirmed ••• unto th·3 said James Coles and Mary his Wife all that
tract or parce l of Land ~nd plantation containing Six hundred and
forty Acres lying on the West side of Pe rquimans River being in
ths Precinct ' of Perquimans aforesaid Beginning at a Red Oak
standing by the side of a Swamp upon the brow of a hill and
running alone the River for Breadth No rthwest two hundred and
Eighty Eight Perches to a bounded Gum standing by the side of a
Branch , and running from the said Gum with a line drawn into the
Woods for Length three hundred and twenty Perches Southwest to a
marked Red oa-1<. and from the said Red Oak with a line drawn down
South East t ·H,., hundr ed and Eighty Eight Perches to a. marked Gum
a nd from the said Gum wl th a line drawn North East to our first
• bounded tree , as in and by a Patent for the same bearing date on
27
28
4lt on or about the sixth day of February in the twentieth year of
•
the Possession of North Carolina and all Houses Edifices Buildings
Barns Stables Orchards Gardens Buildings aDd other hereditaments
to the same belongi ng •.• and now in the tenure and occupati on of
the said James Coles and Mary his Wife or one of them with all
Common and Co~~ons of Pasture .. . •
To have and to hold the said Six hundred & forty Acres of
Land :r.-; , with 1the . appurtenances before ••• mentioned ••••
rn Witness whereof the Parties first above Named have
hereunto I"nterchangably set their bands and seals the day and
year first above written .
Sealed and delivered in
presence of Richard French
Henry Sprig Jno . Brown
Willi am Fryley
her
Grace S Fryley
mark
Acknowledged in Court the 11th day of January
Thomas Snoden Cler Court .
Source: Deed Book A, #216
•
•
1712
WILL OF JAMES COLES
In the name of God Ame n the twenteyeth day of f ebr . 1711/12
I James Coles of the precinct of pequimons in the province of
No rth Carolina of good and perfict memorey thanks be to almightey
god and call ing to Remembrance the unse rt aine Estate of this
tran sittorey life and that al l flesh must yield Qnto death when
it shall please god to call doe make constitute ordained and
declare this my Last will and testament in maner and form
follow ing Renouncing and annulling b y these prests all and Eve rray
testai!lent and testaments will and wills here to fore by me made
and declard Either by word or writing and this is to be taken
onley for my La st will and testament and none other and first being
pennitent and sorrey from the bottom of my heart for my Sins pas t
most humbley des iring forgivenes for the same r give and commit
my Soul unto Almighty god my Savior and Redeemer in whom and by
the merrits of Jesus Christ I trust and belie ve assuredley to Be
saved and to have full Remishon and foregivenes of all my Sins and
that my Soule with my bodey at the Genrall Day of Resur r e ction
shall Ris e agane with Joy and through the merrits of ·:;r.ris ts death
and pashon uoss es and i n herri t the Kingdom of heaven prepar ed for
his Elect and Chosen and my bodey to be buried i n such p las e where
it shall please my Execetrix here after named to appointe and naN
Sor the setling of my temporall Esstate and such and goods Chattels
and de bts as it hath pleased god far above my de~erts to bestow
upon me I doe order give and dispose the same in ma"1er and forme
29
~---- --- ------ --
3 0
• following that is to s ay first I will that all those debts and
dewteys as I have in Right or Consionse to aney maner of person or
persons what soever shall be well and trewley Conte nted and payd
•
or ordained to be payd within Convenient time after my Decease by
my Execetrix he r e after named It em I give and Be queath unto my
Dafter Elizabeth Coles all t ha t plantation and tract of Land in
Nan se ymo nd Co wntey i n .verginnea where on my fathe r James Coles
Lived as ~1 1 so two other tra c ks o f fiftey a cers Each Leying in the
Swamp t here by and one other tra ct of Land Leying on the Knee hall
Swamp at Somertowne contaying one hundred acer s and one other tract
of Lan d at Buckla~d contayning one hundred acers and one other tract
of Land at Buckland contayl'ling two hundred and fiftey acers Joyning
to a sertain tract of Land of - - --- ? ----- and fUrther my -- - --?
--- - -- what land T --- - --? -- --- therewth all my pe r sonall Estate be
Equally devided Betwixt my Loving and Lawfull wife Mar y Coles and
my Dafter Elizabeth and to be inioyd by them and their e heirs for
Ev e r and my will farther is that my Land and other Es tate in North
Caro li na and allso what personall Estate I have in v e r g innea be it
in what Kinde or nature soe Ever shall b e Equall ey devided Betw i xt
my wife and Dafter and La s tley doe here by ap p oint my Lawfull and
Lo ving wife Ma ry Coles my Executrix of this my will to s ee i t
fulfilled and p er£or md in witness where of I have here unto set my
hand a.~d fix t my seale the day and yeare above wri ten
Sigp e d seald and
del iverd in presence of us
Rich Ffrenc h
J as . Coles
•
•
her
'!l':liz + ffrench
mark
her
Ssrah SE Evens
mark
Source : North Carol i ~ Wills , Vo l . VY , page 67 •
31
• 1719
DEED : HALL TO CLAYTON
North Carolina Know all Men by these Presents that I Willian
Hall of Perquimans Precinct & Province aforesd . cooper for & in
consideration of the sum of Forty Pounds Sterling & one Neg r oe
Woman to me in hand paid at or Before the Ensealing & Delivery of
these Presents by Henry Clayton of the said Precinct . •• &: for
Divers other Causes &: Considerations me Hereunto moving , Have
Given Granted Bargained Sold Aliened enfeoffed c onveyed confirmed
as singed & set over ... unto the said Henry Cl{lyton his heirs and
Assigns all that tract of land &: Plantation containing Six Hun d red
&: Forty Acres Lying on the So. 'Nest side of Perquimans River ..• ,
\'ihich Land was Granted by the true & absolute Lords Proprietors by
their Pattent dated the sixth day of February In the twentieth
year · of their Possession of Carolina unto Joseph Scott & afterwards
Viz , Sevente enth Day of September 1703 by Wm . Fryley &: Grace his
Wife , the only Daughter o f Joshua Scott was conveyed unto Jarne s
Coles & Mary his Wife & their Heirs &: is now conveyed unto Henry
Clayton by the said Wm . Hall the only proper Heir of Mary late wife
of said Clayton, & one Moi ty or Half Part of a certain Tract of
lsnd adjoining to the Aforesaid Six Hundred & Forty Acres /formerly1J
conveyed Viz, 31st Day July 1701, from the said Wm . Fryly & Grace
his Wife unto James Coles which tract of Land contains three
htLYldr e d and fifty acres which said Moity or Half par t was due unto
Mary Coles Wife of said Jame s Coles, By force & Virtue of the last
• Will &: Testa1nent of the said James Coles , To have & to Hold • ••
32
•
•
33
together with all &: si n.g ular the Houses Barns Gardens , Stables ,
Easements Com~ons ••. to the same Belonging forever ••.• In
witness whereof T have Hereunto set my hand &: seal this Nineteenth
of February 171 8/9
Signed Sealed &: Delivered
In the presence of
Wi lliam H Hall
mark
Zachariah Ellson Charles Denman , Ja Willia~s Ser • • • Acknowledged
In open court by William Hall unto Mr . Henry Clayton &: Ann the
Wife of the said Willm . Hall Relinquishes her Right of Dower •••
to the same • . .• Richard Leary . .
Sour. ce: Deed Book B, #54
•
•
1724
DTVISION OF LP~D : CLAYTON AND HARVEY
This Indenture made this 26th day of October ~~no dom . one
thousand seven hundred and twenty four between Henry Clayton Esqr .
of the precinc t of Perquimans in the County of Albemarle i n North
/Sic7 of the one part and Collonel Thomas Harvey of the County and
precinct aforesaid and Elizabeth his wife on the other part whereas
one Willia~ Fryly late of Perquimans aforesaid and Grace his wife
by their indented deed under their hands and seals dated December
17th 1703 in consideration of the sum of seventy pounds sterling
to them in b..and paid by James Coles and Mary his wife did grant
enfeoff convey and confirm to the said Jams s Coles and Mary his
wife a certain tract of land lying in Perquimans containing six
hundred and forty acres more or less • . • and further whereas the
said J~mes Coles after being of the premises seized in maner as
aforesaid died ••• and by his last Will and Testament did devise
one half of the said tract land to Mary his Wife and the other half
to the aforesaid Elizabeth his daughter and only child now wife of
the aforesaid Thomas Hart;ey and afterwards the said Mary dying
intestate one Willi am Hall her Heir •.. claiming the whole tract
of land aforesaid in right of the said Mary by her survivorship
did by deed well executed in the law grant enfeoff release and con ­firm
the land lli"lto the said Henry Clayton in fee and thereon was
disputed controversy and suits in law and equity have been and
arizen concerning said tract of Land between the said Thomas Harvey
and Elizabeth his wife by virtue of the said device and said Henry
Clayton holding and claiming under the aaid Willia~ Hall heir of
3L~
35
• the said Mary by survivorship as aforesaid wherefore for the ending
•
.•
all such suits contests and controversys • • . it is hereby agreed
settled and accorded concluded by and between the partie s abovesaid
in manner following (that is to say) that the said Thomas Harvey &
Elizabeth his Wife shall have and hold in fee and quietyly enjoy the
one third of the said tract of land (Viz) the lower third thereof
running one third of the breadth thereof up the River and so back
the breadth into the woods according to the courses of the said
La.!d only so that the same do not include a11 y of the now cleared
ground &~d shall release and quit claim unto the said Henry Clayton
his Heirs and assigns the other two thirds thereof al'ld the said
Henry on the other part shall have and hold in fee for ever quie tly
enjoy tow thirds of the said tract being the remaining two thirds
thereof so as to include ali the n~v cleared ground and shall for
ever quit Claim and release the other third thereof to the said
Thomas Harvey and Elizabeth his Wife their Heirs and assigns forever
..• in testimony whereof tr..e parties firs above mentioned have
hereunto set their hands and affixt their seals the day and year
abovesaid interchangeably.
Signed sealed and delivered
in the presence of us
William Little
Ro Forster
Thomas Harvey
Elizabeth Harvey
Henry Clayton
North Carolina October the 20th 172.5 o • •
C. Gale Ch. Just •
Source : Dee d Book B, #223 .
• 1725
WILL OF HENRY CLAYTON
No Carolina
In the Name of God Amen I Henery Clayton of the prec t
of Chovvan in the Co-w1ty of Al~emarle & province of North Carolina
ir. Americu Esqr, being sick & weak of Body, but of sound perfec t
& Disposeing mind & memory doe make & ordain this my Last will &:
Testamt in manner &: forl;t Following . Fisrt & principally I resigne
~y Soul into the hands of God who gave it & my Body to the Earth
to be decently Interr 1 d at the Discretion of my Ezrs .
hereafter named, And as to such Worldly Estata as it hath pleased
God to bles3 me withall I give & dispense thereof as followeth Vizt.
Tmps. 1 will that All my true & just Debts & funeral Expances
be faithfully pd &: sattisfyed out of my Estate by my Exrs hereafter ·
n a.'"!'le do
Ttem I give &: betweat;h to my loveing Wife Elizabeth Clayton
My Negro slaves called Harry, Tony, Sam & Hann ah, The Bed &
furn iture whereon she lyes ; One good Bed & one old one with the
furnit:xre uy>on them wch are at my plantacon in Pequirnons prect .
togethar with all the plate wch I shall dye possessd of .
Itm . T give & betweath to my Daughter Sarah Clayton ?IIy Negro
Slaves c al2. 3d Moll , C loe , Quomi no , and Craven & all the money wch is
may become due to me in Old England & in Bermudas .
Itm ~y Wi ll & Mind is, That after my De~ts are d ischargd &
me speckifck Legacys before given are sett apart That all the rest
• Re sidue & Remainder of my personall Estate, be it of what nature
or k ind soever , be equally devided betwixt my sd Wife Elizabeth
36
•
37
Clayton &: my Daughter Sarah .
Ttm I give &: bequeath to Christopher Gale , John Lovick , &:
William Little & to the survivrs of them their Heires & Ass igns
All that my plantacon lye ing on pequimo~s River called the
Vinyard , To hold to them & the Survi~1rs of them & to his Heires
& Assgns for ever Nevertheless as feofees in Trust to the use &
behoof of my Daughter Sarah Clayton , & to noe othr use Intent or
purpose wha tsoever , And I doe hereby further direct desire &
Tmpower the sd Christophe r Gale John Lovick & William Little &
the Survivor or .Survivors of them to sell &: dispose of the sd '·
plan tacon called the Vine yard to the highest Bid der that shall
offer r.1oney fo r tbe same & for the same consideracon to convey &
confirm the s ame to h i ~ &: his Heires forever .
I tm I will that the money wch shB.ll arise by s ale of the
sd ;>lan t acon or of my Daughter Sarah's part of the nersonal Estate
(wch I do e hereby order & direct to be forthwith sold at publick
vandue , The Nee;ro Slaves only excep ted) b e as soon as possible laid
out in Female breeding Slaves to be hyred &: Imploy ' d for the raising
of money Applicable at the Discret ion of my Exrs for the bringing
up &: Education of my sd Daughter Sarah, .An d ye overpli.ls for the
~urchase ing of more slaves for the use of my Daugh ter Sarah.
But in Case my sd Daughter Sarah shall Dye before she arrive
at the Age of ~venty one yeares or marry, Then my Will & ~ind further
is , That All the Estate hereby give to my sd Daughter shall be
equally devided betwixt my sd wi fe Elizabeth Cl ayton & my Dear
• Brother Richard Clayton of London salesman; ~e sum of Tenn pounds
•
•
38
sterl . wch I hereby give to my beloved Bro in Law Samuel
Pearson of the Ci tty of London Lacem~~ being firs t pai d &
deducted out of the whol e .
Ttm I give to my Wife El iz abe th Cleyton & t o her Heires &
Assgns for ever All my right Title & Interest to the plantacon
·whereon I live ad joyning to Edenton with all the Improvemt s
thereon & advant..1ges 'IJ1f Ch by any means eou ' d accrue to me thereby .
Itm I give to my sd wife Elizabeth one Good Negro S lave to
be first pur chas e d for her out of the mone y ariseing by the sale
of my Land or plantacon called the Vineyard , anything before to
the Contrary notwithstanding
And I doe hereby nominate Constitute and Appoin t my Father
in Law C hris to ph~r Ga le & my Go od Friends John Lovick & Willia~
Little Esqur to be my Exe cu t0r s of this my last Will & Te s tamt
And Guardians e-r: 'I1ru stee s for my sd Daughter Sarah till she c omes
of Age of E5.g.l)tee n or marrys . Arld lastly r do e hereby revoke
a nnull &: make void all former & othr Wi lls by me made
In Testimony whe reof I have hereunto sett my ha..nd & seal this
20th Day of Jany a o . Dom . 172 5
Signd seald publi shd & declared )
)
to be the last will & Testamt of)
)
Henery Clayton in presence of us)
The worda [fill she come to Age ro '
0 .!..
Eighteen or ma r r y? interlinsd before
se ali~g
Mdm That the old Negro D~~ iel at s~e
time was order ' d to be sold &: the mon ey t o
)
)
)
)
) H Clayton
)
)
) .
be)
39
• devided betwixt his Wife & child in presence )
)
of us . And the words fand the s ur vivor or survivors)
)
of the~ also Interlined on the othr . side )
Willm Williams
Barthow . Scott
John W. tfench17
North Carolina
Sr Richard Everard Bart Governor
These may Certify t ha t Bartholemew Scot personaly
appeared before me and made oa th t hat he saw Henry
Clayton Esqr . Deed seal sign & Execute the with.in \'lriting
as his last Will Tes tament tha t the sd . Clayton was then
off sound Memory & that he saw the ott"l...e r Ev i dances
Witness the same in .Mr. Claytons presence
In Te stimony whereof I have he r e un to set my
hand this 24th day of J any 1725
Richd Everard
•
Source-: North Carolina Wills , Vol . VI , page 53o
•
•
1726
DEED : GALE ET AL . 'IO SANDERS
To all to whom these Presents shall come Christopher Gale ,
•John Lovick , & William Little Esquires , Executors and Trustees
Appointed in & by the last Will and Testament of Henry Clayton
late of the Precinct of Chowan and county of Albemarle Esqr~ .Dec .
send Greeting ---
Whereas the said Henry Clayton Deed . by his last Will and
bearir~ Date the 20th Day of Jany. Anno Dom . one thous~Dd seven
H1.mdred and Twenty five/six Did amongst other things give a>"ld
bequeath ~>"lto the said Christopher Gale John Lovick and Wi lliam
Little or to the survivor of them their Heirs and Assign s all that
his Planta tion Lying in Perquimans River called the Vineyard to
Hold to them and the \· SurvivO'r of them and to his Heirs and Assigns
forever Nevertheless as Trustees in Trusters to the use and behalf
of his Daughter Sarah Clayton and to no other use intent or purpose
whatsoever and did thereby also further Dirac t Des ire and im:power
the said Christopher Gale John Lovick and William Little and the
survivor or survivors of them to sell and Dispose of the said
Plantation called the Vineyard to the Highest Bidder that shall
offer Money for the same and for the same Consideration to convey
and confirm to him and his Heirs forever ---
~~d whereas one Abraham Sanders of the Precinct of Perquimans
Planter appears to be Highest Bidder after the said Plantation has
seve ral months been Exposed to sale by Public Advertisements and
oth?rwise now Know ye that they the said Christopher Gale John Lovick
& William Little • •• for and in consideration of the s~m of four
40
41
• Hundred Pounds current Money of No rth C!:i rolina aforesaid ••• also
for Divers other good Causes and Valuable considerations them
•
thereunto more especially moving Have Given Granted Bargained Sold
aliened enfeoffed conveyed and confirmed ••• unto the said Abraham
Sanders and to his Heirs and Assigns all that the aforementioned
Plantation call1 d the Vineyard situate lying and being on Perquimans
River in the Precinct of Perquimans and where on the said Henry Clay­ton
formerly lived LConsistin g1J of' two thirds of six Hundred &
forty Acres of Land part of a Patent Bearing the Date the sixth Day
of February in the twentieth year of the proprietors possession of
this Province of North Carolina, and likewise of one Hundred &
seventy five Acres adjacent to the same being the one Moity or half'
of three hundred fifty acres Purchased by Major James Coles Deed of
William Fryly and Grace his Wife and by him the said James in his
last Will and Testament bearing Date the 20t~ Day of February Anno .
Dom . one thousand seven Huncred and ele ven/twelve Divided between
his Daughter Elizabeth and Mary his wife and wa s by the said Henry
Clayton Deed Purchased of William Hall ••. Planter who was Heir at
law to the said Mary likewise Deed - To Have and to Hold • •• u..Tito
him the said Abraham Sanders and to his Heirs & Assigns forever ••• •
Tn witness whereof they have hereunto set their Hands this
twelfth day of July in the twelfth year of the Reign of our Sovereign
Lord King George •• • one thousand seven Hundred and Twenty six-- - -
Signs d Sealed & Delivered C. Gale
in the Pres enc9 of us, J . Lovick
Jno . Jenour e Wm. Little
Robt . Forster Willm . Badham.
Source : Deed Book B , #240 . ;:
•
•
1750
WILL OF ABRAHAM SANDERS
I Abraham Sanders of the province of North Caro­lina
and County of pequiman s being Throug Me rcy
in Reasonable health of body and in perfect Serene
Mind and Memo ry but calling to Mind the uncertainty
of this Life doe think proper to make this My
Las t Will and testament in ma nn er and form
f ollowing first my Will and Dasire is that my J u st
Debts and funeral Expences be Discharged and paid
fi rst I give and bequieth lmto my son Jo~~ Sanders the
Pl an tation whereon Richard Waters now Lives boun ded
by a branch Runing runing /Sic? from the riYer into the
wo ods and soe from the he ad of the s aid branch by a
line of markt trees to the head l i ne of my Land I say
I g ive him the sd . plantation to him and his heirs forever.
2dly I give and bequieth unto my Daughter Jude Bois a tract
of Land Conts ining f o rty three ac res Joyning on the Land
of Anne Wi l l iams and fifty Seven acres adjoining it
out of the Trac t of Lan d whereon :r now live to her
an d he r heirs forever .
3dly I give and be~ui eth unto my son Benjamin Sanders
the plantation whereon r now Live wi th all t he remainder
of my Land to him and his heir s forever .
L~thl y 11y Vi ill and Desire is th at if Either My son John or my
s on Benj amin s hould denart thi s Life b efore they arr ive
• to the age of twenty one years that then the other may
have and Enjoy his par t o f the Land to his proper use and
his be irs forever.
5thly I give and bequeith unto my son Abraham Sanders five
shillings s terli~ to him and his heir so
6thly T give and bequeith unto my Daughter Elizabeth Sanders
My Negro Man Named Samba and one young Mare
and one black walnut Chest one Case with fifteen bott­les
and one Linen Spining wheal to her and her heirs
forever .
I also give my Tiaughter Elizabeth Sanders one black
Walnut Oval table to her &: her heirs .
7thly I give all the Remainder of my Estate to bee Equal ­ly
Divided betwen My Loving Wife Jud e Sanders and
My three Children John, .Benjamin and Elizabeth
Sanders to them and their heirs forever .
My Will and Desire is that my sd. wife Jude Sanders
have the care of my son John Sanders and his
uart of my Personal Estate untill he arives to the
age of twenty years and then I appoint him to bee
of age to Receive it and have the full use and benefit
of t he same.
My Will and Desire is that My Daughter Elizabeth
Sanders have the Care of my son Be njamin Sanders
and his part of my p ersonal Estate untill he arives
• to the age of t·wenty years and then r appoint him
43
•
•
to bee of age to receive it and have the full use and
benefit of the same .
Also it is m:y will and Desire that My Daughter El i zth .
Sanders have the Liberty to Live on that part of my Land
which I gave to my son John Sanders if she should have
ocation or Like soe to doe untill he arives to the age of
twenty years .
Lastly I Constitute ordain and appoint my Brother Richd
Sanders &: my friend Jo . White to bee my whole and sole
Executors to see this my Last will and testament to see this
my Last will and testa.rnent fili] performed and Don and doe
hereby revoke Disanul and Make void all other wills by mee
he rtofore made and declare this to bee my Last Will &: testa-ment
in witnes wherof I hereunto sett my hand and seal this
twenty sixth Day of Aprill 1750
Signed sealed and ) John White affd
) his
44
Delivd . in presents of) Elizabeth White Abraham : ~ A Sanders
mark
.John Murdaugh affd
No Carolina )
)
Peqms County)
October Court anne Dom 1751
Present His Majestys Justices
when was the within will proved in open court by the
affirmations of John Murdaugh &: John 1Nhite in Due
form of law and at the same time Richard Sanders ai1d
J oseph White Executors to the wi.tfuin will was duly
qua lified by taking the affirmations by l a w appointed
• to be taken by Executo r s Ordered that the Secretary o r
his Deputy of said province have Notice that Le tters
Testamentary issue thereon as the law Directs
Te s t . Edmd . Hatch Cler Cur
• Source : North Ca r olina Wills , Vol . XXVIr , page 4R .
45
•
•
1794-1823
T:!E ESTATE OF BENJAMIN SANDERS
The Vineyard farm rema ined in the possession of Benjamin
S anders from the death of his father Abraham in 1751 until his
own death in the last days of 1794 or first days of 1795 . In his
will , dated December 12 , 1794, Benja~in devised the manor planta­tion
· to his son Benjamin , directing that his wife Mary should " ha v e
the use of all the Parts" of his estate until his children reached
1 age fourteen . Should Mary remarry , she was to receive one-sixth
part of the re sidue of the estate on equal terms with five of the
eight children of Benjamin and Mary Sanders . 2
The younger Benjamin Sanders was a minor in 1795 when his
father 1 s will was probated o
3 At the May Court, 1797 , he was made
a ward of his brother John Sanders4 and in 1798 was apprenticed by
John to Henry Pointer.S Still a minor , Benjamin died in evrly
1799 and a division of his personal estate was ordered by t~
February, 1799 among Benjamin 1 s mothe r, his four sisters , and
three brothers , in equal shares . 6 By law , Benjamin ' s interest in
his father's estate now reverted to John Sanders , his guardian .
Later court records reveal the name of a ninth child of the
elder Benjamin Sanders , o ne not mentioned in his will ·of 1794 and
apparently not yet born . This was a daughter Lidia who married
first John Barrow and , after his death , Richard Felton .7 The birth
of a child some tima after her husband 1 s death thus extended the
time by several years dur i~ 'IVhich Mary Sanders could remain a
resident of the Vineyard , L e. U.'1til Lidia turned four teen, or iL"ltil
1809 or thereabout .
46
•
47
l'II9.ry Sanders seems to have remained at the Vineyard until
1817 when she married Benjamin Smith . 8 When Mary vacated the
farm , it wa s prompt ly occupied by Nan cy S anders Wh ite, a daughte r
o f Mary ' s first h u sband and herself now a wid 011 o 9 Through her
sec o nd husband , Mary Sanders Smi th in July, 181 7 challenged Na~cy
White ' s o ccupancy and the Perquimans court appointed a jury to
<
10 ascer tain whether Mary still retained her right of dowryo On
July 31st the jury reported its unanimous verdict that "the r ig ht
of Dowe r still remains in Benjamin Smith agreeable to the report
of a Jur y who was or de red on the same by an order of · Court at May
Term 1797 and we further give the s aid Smith posse ssion of the said
D 11 11 ower ••• • · Thi s dec is ion seems to have re flecte d the jury ' s
view of the st a tus o f the proper t;y in the light of the death of
the younger Benjam in Sanders and that of his guardian as well .
The c ourt , however , took a different view of t he mat ter and ordered
the v erdi ct set a side . 12 Nancy White re mained in possession of the
manor plantationo
Title to the Vineyard evidently remained i n a somewhat amorphous
state until the death of Mary Sanders Smith in 1823 . ln that year
Richa rd Felton , in behalf of his wife L id ia S anders Felton,
petit ioned for a division of the estate among the surviving heirs
13 of Benjamin Sanderso Several heirs having died or moved beyond
the borders of North Caro lina , only Nancy White and the Feltons
,~emained to share in the division of the real es t ate . Nancy Wh ite
·.vas e vidently confirmed in her title to the farm and remained in
<
• uosse s sion and occupancy until her death in 1833 . 14
•
•
48
NOTES : THE ESTATE OF BENJA~i!IN SPND:SRS
lQ Will of Benjamin Sanders, Perquimans County Wills , Book E ,
page 37 .
2 . Will of Benjamir Sanders , Perquimans County Wills , Book E ,
page 37 . The children r.entioned in the will were Charlotte
White (wife of Robert Wh ite ) , Anne Hinton (wife of Dempsey
Hinton), Abrahal!l Sanders, Nancy White (wife of Joshua Wh ite ),
Penelo~e Sande rs (who married Benjamin Skinner) , Thomas Sanders ,
John Sanders , and Benjamin . The daughters already married i n '·· :
1794 were not to share in the seven-part division of the remainder
of the estate .
3 . Perquimans County Court Minutes, 1794-1801 , -;\1ay Term, 1797 ,
hereinafter clted as County Court Minutes , followed by appropria t e
inclus ive dates .
4. Cou.'1ty Court Minutes , 179!~-1801, r1Tay Term 1797 .
5 . County Court !viinu tes, 1794- 1801, February Term , 1798 .
6 . County Court Minutes , 1794 - 1801 , February Term , 1799 .
7.. Estate of Benjamin Sanders , in account vlith John Gatlin,
admininistrator de bonis novi, January 10, 1823 .
8 . Perquimans County Marr iage Bonds , typescript in State Department
of Archives and History , Raleigh . A marriage bond was issued to
Benjamin Smith and Mary Saunders on January 30, 1e17o
9 . Motion of Benjamin Smith , County Court Minutes , May Term , 1817 :
11 0n motion of Benjamin Smith who Entermarried with Mary
Saunders the widow of Benjamin Saunders decedo it is Srdered that
the Sheriff summon a Jury according to Act of Assembly to go on
the premises and dispossess Nancy Whl te widow of Joshtm. White
Decedo of the buildings and land laid of to the said Mary Saunders
now the wife of the said Benjamin Smith as her Dower in the lands
of said B . Saunders Decedo and to put the said Benjamin Smith in
peaceable & quiet possession of the same and wake Report of their
proceedings to next ter:n . 11
10 . Motion of Benjamin Smith , County Court Minutes , May Term, 1817 .
llo ffeport dated July 31 , 1817 , ~· ;r Estate of Benjamin Sanders .
12 . Report dated July 31, 1917 1 ms . in Estate of Benjamin Sanders .
See note on reverse side rescinding the verdict •
l
•
•
49
13. Petition of Richard Felton and wife, May Term 1823, in
Estate of Benjamin Sanders . Unaccountabl~, this petition avers
that Benjamin Sanders "died intest ate & with out issue " and "left
a widow who at the time of the aforementioned division was
possessed of her right of dower in said land •• • , that the widow is
since dead and the land of which she was seised has descended to
the heirs at l avT of the aforesaid Benjamln • • •• " The heirs are
listed as Richard Felton and wife, Robert 1Nhite and wife , Dempsey
Hinton a~d wife , and ~ancy White . Robert White and wife are said
to have been 11 for a number of years out of the state and are
probably deadn ; Dempsey Hinton and wife were also removed from the
s tate . Benjamin Sanders ' will, of course , was a matter of public
record and the c l aim that he died intestate was apparently the
consequence of misinformation on the part of t he petitionero
lL~ . Pe r quimans County Records , Plat Book l number 121; division
of the lands of Nancy White., 11/J.ay 9, 1833o
•
•
1794
WILL OF BENJMAIN SANDERS
Know all men by these presents that I Benjamin Sanders of the
County of PerquLmans in North Carolina, being sick & weak of Body,
but of sound & disposing memory, calling to mind the mortality of
my Body am moved to commit to writing my last will & test arne nt in
manner & form following .
Item I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Charlotte White all
the property that I have hereto fore lent her, &: which is now in
her possession to her & her Heirs forever .
Item I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Anna Hinton seventy
acres of land where on she now l ives , with the Improvements
thereon and all the property which I have heretofore lent her ,
to her & her Heirs for ever .
Item T give & Bequeath ~~to my two Daughters Charlotte White &
Anna Hinton, My Negroe man named Mingb , to be Equally Divided
between them, to them & their Heirs for ever which is to be
considered as their full shares of my Estate
Item T give and Bequeath unto my son Abraham Sanders one Hundred
and twenty five acres of Land , joining the Lands of Benjamin Smith
William Clemmons , and John Sanders, one Negroe Boy by the name of
Jacob, & all my Joiners tools , one Bed & Furniture, one cow &
calf , one yoke of young oxen, four Ewes two sows & Pigs to him &
his Heirs forever as his full share of my Estate .
Item I give and Bequeath unto my Grand Daughter Asahel (?) White,
Daughter of Nancy White , the land and Plantation whereon my ·
51
• Daughter Nancy White now lives , Reserving to my Daughter Nancy
White , the use of the said land During her natural life , & at her
Death, I give the said land as hereto fore , to my said Grand
•
Daughter, to her & her Heirs for ever .
Item I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Nancy White one Negroe
woman by the name of Sue and her child Dick , & all the property
which I have heretofore lent her to her & her Heirs for ever .
Item I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Penelope Sanders two
Negroe girls , one by the name of Venus , & the other by the name
of Little Teresa , one feather Bed & furniture , one cow & calf
Two ewes & lambs to her & her Heirs for ever .
Item T give & Bequeath unto my Daughter Mary Sanders one Negroe
Boy by the name of Cezar, & one Neg roe girl by the name of Lucy,
one feather Bed & furniture , one cow & calf two ewes & l ambs t o
her & her Heirs for ever.
Item I give & Beq uea th unto my son Thomas Sanders a Tract or
Parcel of Land , Beginning at the River &: at Wm Gilberts corner ,
then along his line and so to the lands that I have given to my
son Abraham Sanders & then along the said Abraham Sanders 1 line to
my new Road, thus down the new Road twoard the House , t o a marked
Red Oak , from thence a North East course to the River then along
the River to the first 5tation to him & his heirs for ever .
rtem r gi va and Bequeath unto my son John Sand ers the land that
T bought of Timothy Hunter , formerly called the Morriss Land ,
supposed to contain Two hundred and Twenty acres, & one Negroe
called by the name of Joan, formerly the property of Josiah
52
• f,1urdaugh to hiP.l &: his Heirs for e ver.
•
Item I give &: Bequeath unto my son Benjamin Sanders the Manor
Plantation , whereon I now live , &: all the land thereunto belonging,
which I have not given away to him ~ his Heirs for ever .
Item All the Remaining part of my Estate after the Payment of my
Debts , I give the use thereof unto my Wife Mary Sanders during her
natural life , or widowhood &: after her death to be equally divided
between my five children, that is to Sf!.y , Penelopy Sanders , Benjamin
Sanders , Mary Sanders, Thomas Sanders , and John Sanders , & to them
& their Heirs for ever . But if my said Wife should inter marry
with any Person whatever , in that case it is my d e s ire that my
wife should then have one sixth part of the Residue above .
It is my will and desire that my wife have the use of all the Parts
of my Estate given to m.y children unt ill t hey arrive to the age of
.fourteen years.
~ast ly I nominate , constitute & appoint my friend Isaac Barber my
Executor, & my wife 1Yl ary Sanders my Executrix, Ratifying & confirming
this & no other to be my Will Tn witness whereof I have here unto
set my hand & seal the 12th Day of December . l794.
Witne sses--
William Skinner )
)
W Roberts ) Perquimans
)
Wm Gilbe r t · ) County
Lrtecorded August 7 , 179 5 ~
Sour ce: Wi ll Book E, page 37.
)
)
)
Benjamin Sanders .
February Terms ,
Hertford, 1795 .
•
•
53
DIVI"STON OF BENJAMIN SANDERS ESTATE - 1797
)
Perquimans county ) May Term a t Hertford A D 1797
Mary Sanders Widow Petition for Dower
)
The Court ) ordered that the sheriff summons
a Jury to meet on the premises
& Lay off to Mary Sanders her right of Dower
in the Land of Benjamin Sanders Deed . agreeable
to Law & that they Make a report to Court
Tes t Jno . Harvey Clk
In obedience to the a~nexed orders of Court we the subscri
bers being a Jury summoned for the purpose therein
mentioned, have met on the premises & after being
sworn as the Law Directs, have proceeded as follows
Begining at a stake at t he river side fr om thence
a straight course to a stake about forty strides
from the Barn, from thence to a stake on the Hill
at the Mouth of the Lain , from thence up the Lane
to the Back Line , allowing her the priviledge of
Firewood & rail Timbers , including one third part
of all the Lands Belonging to the Manor Plantation
with all the priviledges thereto Belonging
William Arrinton Wm Gilbert I.;a ban Tipton
Jarr.e s Wood Abner Dail Franc is Sutton
John Norcom Junr . Moses Da.il John Moore
Eri Barrow Joseph McCoy Joseph Dail
A Copy Test Jno Harvey Clk
.. ~
... - ·"
the
116 l/3 A
.___ __ --.....
Main R. -·-._-
oad -- Pine
cres -\
~, ____ "~~ne ••
---------~~A1b[~~~e:qo-~~[{)cf~-------~~~·~~~A~. aS~sel~' •r •~ •s •~ •~ •~ . . ·
•
~aA1H o~ aueqo 9~ ~ 09 N • • •• •• 'I Q. • • •• • pine
. . . . . . . . . . .. . .
This Plot Represents a part .of the Land Banjamin Sanders
Died seizd and possesed with it being the dowry of Mary
Sanders Laid orf by a jewry agree able to an order of Cort
granted at. May Term AD 1797
Surveyed agreeable to the contents
of the a.bove jewry
By Smith, Processor
Wm Townsend ) Chane
)
Joshua White ) barers
Laid down by scale to Tnch
•
•
1839
DEED : ELLIOTT TO FREDERICK SANDERS
State of North Carolina. This indenture entered into
between Stephen Elliott Clerk & Master in Equity for the County
of Perquimans of tbe one part & Frederick Sanders of the County
of Perquimans & state aforesaid of the other part whereas by
virtue of a desire of the Court of Equity for said fSic7 at Spring
Term 1~1~ 1n the petition of Abraham ~b ite et als heirs at law of
Joshua White deed (to sell land) the said Stephen Elliott ••• after
duly advertising the lands described in said peition according to
the requisitions of the desire in that case w~de did offer the
same for sale at public auction • .• on the 11th day of June 1838
'Nhen & where a-ppeared the said Frederick Sanders and bid therefor
the ' sum of five hundred & fifty dollars which being the best bid
that could be obtained said land was struck off to him the said
Frederick Sanders • •. Now know ye that the said Stephen Elliott
clerk & master aforesaid for & in consideration of the sum of five
hundred & fifty dollars to him secured to be paid by the said
Frederick Sa~ders [hasi7 bargained sold assigned transferred & set
over unto the said Frederick Sanders his heirs & assigns forever all
the right & interest of the heirs at law of Joshua White deed in &
to a certain piece or parcel of land lying in Perqs . County adjoining
the lands of John Marden Ric hd Felton & Abraham White containing
Nineteen & a half acres more or l e ss To have & to hold . . • unto
the said Frederick Sanders ...• In witness whereof the said Stephen
Elliott . . . hereunto set my • •• seal the 11th day of Feby 1839
Willis H. Bagley S . Elliott C .M. E .
Perqs . Co. Court
Feb Term 1839
Source: Deed Book .'Z, #232
~
•
•
H339
DEED: FREDERICK Sk\I DERS 'ID WHITE
Know all men by these presents that I Frederick Sal"lders of
the county & state aforesaid for & in consideration of the sum of
Eleven Hundred thirty six Dollars 25 cents to him in hand paid by
Abraham White of said County & state the receipt of which is hereby
acknd . have b argained sold assigned aliened trans ferred & set over
• • • unto the said Abram White two certain lots or par cels of land
lying & being in Perqs . County adjoining the lands of Jo hn Marden
Richd Felton & the said Abram ~h ite being the lands that formerly
belonged to Nancy White deed . as was divided after her death between
her heirs at law the one lot being the lot of land that was lain
off in said division to Joshua Wh ite containing Nine teen Acres more
or less tre other lot bei ng the lot of land lain off' in said
division to Penelope Caroline lflhi te (w ife of said Frede rick Sanders)
containing thirty two &. a half acres more or less all of which
will more fully appear r eference being had to the division of said
land in the registers office of said County . •• To Have and to Hold
the said two lots or parcels of land ••. unto him the said Abram
White hir heirs & assigns • • • rn witness whereof I now hereunto
set my hand and seal the lSth day of May A D 1839 , signed sealed &
deld . in presence of
So Elliott
Perqs . Co Court
Aug . Term 1839
Source : . Deed Book Z, #329
Frederick Sanders.
56
• CONCLUSION
Tne date of construction of the Newbold - White house hss been
tentative ly and conservatively set at approximately the year 1725 .
An examination of extant records from the late 16th and early 17th
centuries suggests reasons for moving the date of construction
back by fifty or more years . The arguJnent for an earlier date may
be posed as follows :
The property was acquired in 1726 by Abraham Sanders at
auct ion . Sanders, an illiterate, was the least consequential of
the owners up to that time and the least likely to have built
a home of the tasteful and sturdy type represented by the Newbold -
Vlhi te house o The auction price of four hundred pounds in North
Carolina currency vias a substantial amou..Tlt for the time and more
than is likely to have been paid for a farm without a good house
already on it . For these reasons , Abraham Sanders ought to be
ruled out as a c .andidate for the builder of the house .
The next earlier owner of the property was Henry Clayton whose
will , probated in 1725 , resulted in the sale of the faTm at auction . ·
Clayton was a significant man - of - affairs in the colony and such a
pe!'son as might have built the house . At the time of his death ,
however , he was residing on a plantation adjacent to the town of
Eden ton in Chowan cou..>"Jty and probably had been since the death of
his first wife , nary Coles Clayton , in 1719 .
Since Henry Clayton came into possession of the farm by virtue
• o:' his marriage to Mary Coles in 1714, there was a period of about
57
• . four and a half years during which he might have bull t the
house . .aut this brief period is within only a little more than
a decade of the time when county court was still being hosted at
the Scott f a r m . While i t is altogether possible that the house
•
used by the cot~t might have been within ten or twelve years of
replacement , such an assumption would be hazardouso
If Henry Cl ayton is passed over as possible builder on the
ground that the ho•.1se he acquired by :narriage in 1714 was p r obably
in good condition a~d not ready fo!' replacement , the researcher
turns to James Coles . Like Clayton , Coles we.s a man of active
interests ~Yld affairs . He had owned the property from 1703 unti l
his death in 1714o But that Coles ~ight have built the house is
subject to the sam3 cmllenge as tha t in the case of Claytonc-
As observed in the deed of 1703 whe :r·e in Coles acquired title , he
and his family were already living there when they bought it .
Willia'il Fryle y , from whom Coles acquired the farm , mmed it
for only two or t·hree years . The researcher turns back to Thomas
Blount , owner of the property for most of the decade of the 1690 ' s
but finds once more that Blount ' s sojourn there was preceded by a
period durine which the county court frequently met there . This
brings us to the . Scott family .
Business wom a..l'"l that she was , it would be reckless to assume
that Mary Scot t , ·nidow of Joseph Sco tt , built the houseo The
house in which Geo:rge Fox was entertained , a.'1d in which he held
divine services , in 1672 , was in all likelihood the same one in
which the cour1ty court met in 1689 •
The compiler of these docurrents has found no hietorical proof
that Joseph Scott was the builder of the Newbold-White houseo What
5B
•
•
does appear from existing records is t1-t..at he is the mos.t likely
of the owners of the property from its first seating until well
into the 19th century to have built such a house as this. In the
absence of evidence to the contrary, it is reasonable to conclude
that the Newbold-White house was erected by .Joseph Scott in the
decade of the 1660's and is, therefore, the oldest house in North
Carolina •
59 .
• CHAIN OF TITLE: Since 1868
Perquimans County Deeds , Book HH number 144:
William H. White to Joseph S . Underhill . September 8 , 1868 .
(Mary White , mother of William, releases right of dower. W. H.
and K.R. White ' s parts of their father's homeplace conveyed herein .}
Perquimand County Deeds , Book HH number 370:
JosephS. Underhall and wife Maria L . to Jona . W. Albertson.
January 5, 1S70. Deed of Trust .
Pe r quimans County Deeds, Book I I number 307:
Maria L. Underhall and Mary E . Goodwin (wife and daughter of Joseph
S. Underhill) to Jon a . W. Albertson . June 3, 1872 . Deed of Trust .
Perqui mans County Deeds, Book LL number 118 :
Jona. W. Albertson and wife Catherine F . to Mrs . Mary J . Tucker .
November 6, 1874.
Perquimans County Deeds , Book 1 n~mber 382 :
M. J .R . Tucker to T.G. Skinner. April 24, 1895.
Perquimans County Deeds, Book 6 number 139:
T.G. Skinner and wife Jessie P. to T. E . White . April 17 , 1903 .
Perquimans County Deeds , Book 27 page 144 :
T . E . ~f.~ ite , Jr. , and wi fe Kate J . to J . R. Newbold. August 14, 1942 .
Perquimans County Deeds , Book 27 page 148 :
J oW. White to J .H. Newbold . August 14, 1942 .
Perquimans County Deeds , Book 27 page 474:
Nell White Perry and husband O. B. Perry to J . H. Newbold . December
23 , 1943o
60
•
•
Looking toward the Newbold-V'hi te
P.ouse from the river
View from original rear (present
front) of the House
•
•
East (original front) side
of the house
West (original rear) side
of the house
•
•
Original F
•
ront of li ouse
•
North end
•
•
• Wall and chimney detail
North end
•
• V' indow and wall detail
north end
•
•
Right : Window and chimney detail ,
North end .
Left : Window and chimney
detail , South end •
•
Le ft : Wi ndow detail , south end .
Right ! Wi ndow det a il , north end •
•
•
• Wall and chimney detail
South end
•
Original Rear of House
•
•
Original Rear of House
•
•
North View
Original rear door and windows •
•
Left : North end of bouse
i
Right : South end of house
•
Looking toward the Nawbold - Wh:ite
House from the rive~
~
' n r - -
View from original rear ( p re sent
fro:;:,t) of tl"e iiousa
~ "
/
./ /
I' .
;// /
/
"
.
/
/ .
1;':/ all a nd c him.'1e y detail
South en d
East (original front) side
of the hou.s e
West (origin~l r9ar) side
of. the house
Orig inal 7ront of House
-~ -.
··,
Or!gina 1 Rear o f H· Q'..lSe
.. -~ ....
f
Original Rear of House
No rth View
Originnl rear door =tnd ·;;i::do·:!S
Left : North end of house
Right: South en d of house
,.~
! I
No rth end
...
Wall and chir.mey d3tail
North end
~indo~ and wall de t ail
nor t h end
Right : Window and chir:mey detail ,
North end .
Left : Window and chitr.ney
detail , So uth ene .
Left : VLndow detail , south end .
Right ; Window det e 5_l , north end .
THS N'ZWBOLD - ltlHITE HO~!SE
A Docume n tary History
of
Th~ ?rooert.y and its In~q~itants