I'm looking for information on Caleb, Griffith and James Howell of Tyrrell, Beaufort and Pitt Counties in North Carolina. John Ward of Tyrrell County wrote his will 5 Mar 1748/9. Among the bequests are:
1. I give and bequeath unto Michael Ward my dearly and well beloved son after the decease or marriage of my wife Thirty five pounds Virginia money which is due by bond from Caleb Howell of Beaufort County to him and his heirs and assigns forever.
2. I give and bequeath unto my dearly and well beloved son David Ward after the decease or marriage of my Wife my plantation on which I now live on containing about 180 acres of land to him his heirs and assigns forever.
The will was witnessed by Griffith Howell. David Ward sold the land left him in the will to James Howl 9 Nov 1755 (Tyrrell County Deed Book 3, p. 82).
Caleb Howell was issued a patent for 200 acres in Beaufort County on the east side of Tranters Creek and south side of Horsepen Branch 8 Mar 1743. He sold 125 acres of this land to William Grist 31 Mar 1748 (Beaufort County Deed Book 2, p. 541). This deed was witnessed by Henry Snoad, Thomas Williams and Richard Grist. He sold the other 75 acres to Thomas Williams 10 Jul 1749 (Beaufort County Deed Book 3, p. 29).
Griffith next witnesses the wills of Henry Snoad (20 May 1752) and Harman Hill (4 Dec 1752) in Beaufort County. Snoad's was proven in Court on his oath 12 Dec 1752. The will of Richard Grist, dated Jun 1752, mentions a daughter Frances whose surname may have been Howell. He left a shilling sterling "and no more." William was his son. Another son, Richard, would be the second husband of Harman Hill's daughter Ann (her first husband was Joseph Slade, d. 1764).
Benjamin Saunders and wife, Elizabeth, sold Griffith 100 acres on the west side of Tranters Creek 22 May 1753 (Beaufort County Deed Book 3, p. 155). The sold another 50 acres, also on the west side of the creek, to James Howell (Beaufort County Deed Book 3, p. 195). James sold this land to John Persey 25 Sep 1764 (Pitt County Deed Book C, p. 173).
Griffith Howell is listed with Peter Cone on the 1755 Beaufort County Tax List. On 8 Apr of that year, he sold John Whitacre the 100 acres on Tranters Creek for 8 pounds, 10 shillings (Beaufort County Deed Book 3, p. 355). This deed was witnessed by Benjamin Saunders and Samuel Poyner. Griffith witnessed a deed between Richard Adams of Beaufort County and Absalom Willard of Tyrrell 3 May (Beaufort County Deed Book 3, p. 217).
Walter Jones sold Griffith 100 acres on the south side of the “Pamtico” River on the fork of the Broad Creek beaver dam 18 Jul 1760 for 5 pounds, 10 shillings (Beaufort County Deed Book 3, p. 457).
In 1763, Griffith Howell is listed with Samuel Poyner on a tax list in Pitt County. But he’s not on the tax lists for that county in either 1762 or 1764.
On 19 Sep 1766 Griffith witnessed a deed between John and Jasper Hardison of Tyrrell County (Beaufort County Deed Book 4, p. 127). The land in question was in Beaufort County.
And that's it until 5 Mar 1806. On that date Joshua Hill and Sophronia his wife sold to Gray Judkins land "on the north side of Pamplico River and on the North side of Beaver dam Swamp commonly called Big Swamp, the tract hereby intended to be conveyed is an undivided half of a tract belonging to the heirs of Griffith Howell..." (Beaufort County Deed Book 8, p. 221). This is obviously referring to the land Griffith bought from Walter Jones. Just how Sophronia Hill was related to Griffith Howell is a mystery.
