Researching the Family Trees of Eastern North Carolina.
(This article was originally published July 25, 2018. It was most recently updated June 6, 2019.) It’s now worth investigating the possibility that Harriet Morris is a daughter of Thomas Morris of Beaufort County and granddaughter of Elisha Morris. While Laban descendants undoubtedly share some kind of DNA with Harriet Morris descendants, I’m doubtful it’s enough […]
My 5th great-grandfather, Jesse P. Vendrick, was probably born in Craven County circa 1760. The identities of his parents and the mother of his children are mysteries. Why? Because there were two Jesse Vendricks in this generation. I think. Thought? I don’t know! And there are two, possibly three, more Jesse Vendricks in the next […]
The word “brother-in-law” is becoming the bane of my research. In earlier times, the term “in-law” had a broader scope than is now the case. Pretty much anyone related to you by marriage was an in-law. Therefore, a brother-in-law could be one in the modern sense, a stepbrother, or even the brother of your brother’s […]
I was reading through some court records yesterday, when I came across this entry dated 9 Dec 1799: Ordered that notice issue to Mary Gaskins to appear at the Next Term and show cause to why the nuncupative will of Joseph Gaskins decd. should not be Established. Who was Mary Gaskins? My 6th great-grandfather, Joseph […]
On 26 Apr 1796, Richard Johnson of Craven County, wrote his will (Will Book B, pg. 13), making bequests to, among others, his three sisters. The Will In the Name of God Amen I Richard Johnson of Craven County in the State of North Carolina, being sick and weak in body, but of sound mind […]
The following is a transcription of the will of Garrett Nelson of Beaufort County, dated 15 May 1856. I don’t descend from Garrett (that I know of), but I have seen far more children attributed to him on Ancestry, although I suspect some of that is in error. Garrett Nelson named the following children in […]
The following is a transcription of a deed conveying the land that was inherited by the children of James LEWIS to his widow, Nancy LEWIS. (Found in Beaufort County Deed Book 13, p. 303) The children are named as follows: Elisha LEWIS (married Alice BUCK; moved to Posey County, Indiana) Nathan LEWIS (married Sidney JONES; […]
