Cluster analysis is a technique often used in identifying the origin of
ancestors. We have identified some 18th-century clusters of Taylor families in the area, as
shown on this map:
 There were certainly others and we will continue to identify them.
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- - New Bern: The best known exemplar of this family is James Taylor, a
customs collector for the port of Ocracoke in the late 18th & early 19th century.
- - South of New Bern
- Colemans Creek, Clubfoot Creek, Otter Creek: We think
these are the descendants of John Taylor or Jacob Taylor.
- - Bachelor Creek The Abraham Taylor mentioned above may have
settled here & the man of the same name on Bachelor Creek after 1751 is probably his
son.
- - Core Creek & Flat Swamp: Robert Taylor, another son of
Abraham, settled in this area with his sons, among whom were Moses and
another James. (Moses left the area for Kentucky in 1793 & James left
for Tennessee in 1806, but Robert had four other sons.)
- - Southwest Creek: The Robert above seems to have moved
northward later in life and taken a good share of family with him.
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DNA & Genetic Genealogy
DNA (DeoxyriboNucleic Acid) is the stuff of life that
makes us what we are and is a powerful new tool for genealogy. The field
using DNA to identify ancestors is called genetic genealogy. Both Y-chromosome
DNA & mitochondrial DNA can be used.
- Y-DNA traces the paternal/filial line. Only men have a Y-chromosome and
it is passed down — almost always without change
— from father to son to
the son's son, etc..
- mtDNA traces the maternal line. Both men & women have mitochondria and
they inherit the DNA solely from their mothers. Only women pass on mtDNA and
it is even more stable (less subject to mutation)
than Y-DNA.
Read more about "genetic genealogy" using DNA
— especially as it relates to Taylors — here.
Genealogy and geography are inextricably related. It is important to understand the geography
of a place in order to understand the actions of the people living there.
Two aspects of Craven's geography:
- Flat and at a low elevation. Until drained to facilitate farming, there were many swamps and
pocosins.
- Many waterways, the Neuse and Trent Rivers being the major ones.
There's more information about the area's geography at these links:
For the years after 1789, censuses provide good records of people and their locations. For
earlier years and years between the decennial census, tax lists may partially substitute.
Here, we try to present "value-added" transcriptions of the censuses for this area. We have
included notes as to locations, relationships between those enumerated & other information of
possible assistance.
Go to census page.
Tax, or "tithable", lists provide a partial substitute for the years before or between the
decennial censuses. At minimum, they tell you that a person owned property in a particular district at the time of the list. Because of
North Carolina's poll tax, they also list those who didn't own property.
Some tax lists contain a richness of detail showing makeup of a person's
material wealth.
Deeds, Land Grants & Patents
These records tell you who bought and sold land, when and (with careful reading
& analysis) where. Location is a way to distinguish between individuals
of the same name. (A common problem with Craven Taylors.)
Deeds also reflect gifts of land, usually between family members and the
relationship is sometimes specified. In these cases, the deed is a good as a
will for proof.
The "Where": The land descriptions of this area are in "metes and
bounds" format, referencing natural features and adjoining owners; they are
not the range, township, & section descriptions of public survey
lands. Unlike some other metes and bounds descriptions, these do not usually specify
line directions (e.g., degrees east of north) and distances (e.g., poles &
chains); they tend to reference streams and adjoining owners. They do usually contain an estimated parcel size
in acres.
A major difficulty of the land descriptions is that some of the natural features
—
e.g., "a black oak" — may no longer exist or have changed names.
Notable examples
include Core Creek, which has also been known as Cove Creek and Moon Creek,
and Coleman's Creek, a name which can't be found in modern reference.
- This page discusses the geography of Craven and its successor counties.
- This page locates some of the geographic
features to be found in the area, or which were
referenced in deeds.
- This page relates the
deeds & parties to the geography.
See here for abstracts or extracts from deeds from 1744 to 1789.
Wills & Estate Records
Wills
Wills contain much valuable genealogical information; they often list surviving spouses and
children. There's more about them here.
Estate Records
Even a person who doesn't leave a will (dies intestate) may have estate records if they
have property or debts — or a spouse or minor children to
be cared for. There's more about them here.
The North Carolina law requiring civil registration of births and deaths
was passed in 1913 and didn't attain full compliance until 1920. Prior to
this time, records of these vital events are most likely found in church
records of baptisms & burials.
Marriage records are also important. For this area, marriage bonds indicate an intent to marry,
though the marriage may have not have occurred on the date of the bond.
Marriages, after 1868, were to be recorded by the country register of deeds.
Marriages from 1868 to 1962 are at
North Carolina State Archives. After 1962, records are at the
Division of Health Services.
Militia muster rolls also tell who was living where & when. Militia companies of the 18th century were organized by
area, as the militia were the "first responders" to major emergencies of
many kinds. Even when there were no emergencies, they mustered at least
annually for drills & inspections.
North Carolina colonial law required able-bodied men from age 16 to 60 to
serve in the militia, though there were specific exemptions for clergy, ferrymen
and some others.
Go to military page.
Records of road duty are an often overlooked genealogical resource. Your ancestor's name
appearing on a list of men assigned to build or maintain a stretch of road
tells you more precisely than many other records where he lived and when.
Road work was seen as a civic duty; if a road served your home or land, you
(& your "hands") would be expected to labor on it. The county court would assign
overseers & workers to particular stretches of road. This practice promoted travel &
commerce while keeping taxes low.
Yes. Absolutely, yes!
No one source can give you all the information needed to identify and
"prove" your ancestors. Particularly, when & where the documentary records
are incomplete, it takes a larger volume of circumstantial information to
accomplish your family history.
One website which concentrates on the area is "Old Dobbers",
whose logo is a mud-dauber wasp. It takes it name from Dobbs County, which
existed from 1759 to 1790
The North Carolina GenWeb Project has several sites, all with at least some
genealogical resources:
Rootsweb also hosts genealogical & informational sites for these counties:
What's behind this site?
In short, the underlying motive is trying to find the parents of Michael
Taylor, the author's third-great grandfather. Michael was born in 1789
(according to the best available evidence) in North Carolina (according to
family legend).
The author (with great difficulty) traced Michael Taylor backward through his
journeys to the Craven County area and is trying to identify Michael's parents.
The search required gathering & organizing a great quantity of information about
Taylors in this area. We decided not to keep that information private, but to
share it in the hope that it would be helpful to others.
Contact Author
Revised 30 Dec 2008
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