The records for James Jones Sr and his sons, Philip Jones and Nathaniel Jones, are so closely intertwined that it's impossible to understand the records for James without examining the records for his sons too, as each helps to prove the other. There were two Philip Jones in the Johnston Co records that could easily be confused. One was James Jones Sr's brother Philip who died in 1760 leaving a Johnston Co will. He was the more well-known Philip Jones - the one who married Rebecca (Bradford) and left six children including Capt Etheldred Jones. The other Philip Jones was James Jones Sr's son. He began appearing in the Johnston Co records later in the 1760's just a few years after his uncle by the same name died. 

The earliest reference to James Jones Sr comes from the 1733 will of his father, Henry Jones Sr.

As best I can decipher it:

In the name of God Amen
The Last will and Testament of Henry Jones Senor being very Sick and weeke but in perfect sence & memory thanks be to almity god for it this 14th day of November and in 1733
To wit I give and bequeath my Soul to almyty God in hopes of a ??? Resurrection to Eternal life and my body to be -- ?? -- to the ground and buried and for all my worldly goods ?? God of his great mercy hath given me this I them bestow as followeth vis
1th Item I give and bequeath to my son William Jones my negro man named ben only Reserving the use of the sd negro to my wife during her widow hud then to him ye sd William Jones and his heirs for ever 2th Item I give and bequeath to my son John Jones my negro woman named beck and her InCreace only my wife To have the use of her Deuring hur widow hud and then to him the sd John Jones and his heirs for Ever 3d Item I give and bequeath to my Daughter Elizabeth Jones a good fether ?? and bolston and a good Rugg and good pear of blankets & ?? young lykely Cow and Calf
4 I Give and bequeath to my son Philip Jones all my overSea Dealings and all that affairs appertaining only my wife to have fore Ruggs yearn set Rugs and fore peare of nine markin blankets and hone? bed tickens and ---??--- to furnis the sd beds that I Leave and to take it --?(torn)- forty shillings to? she? has got the Complement -(torn)- ??? and forty shillings in ?? to be ?? (torn) house? for hur ?? During her widow hud -
5 I give and bequeath to my son James Jones my plantation whe- on I now Live with two hundred and forty acres of Land by Estimation thereunto belonging with the pr--? and priviliges of the same to him and his hiers forever only preservation the use of the plantation to my wife during her widow hud and also I give my son James Jones a young likely Cow and Calf and my gun and shot bagg
6th I likewise give and bequeath to my son John Jones a plantation on the Rone oake River with two hundred and Thirty acres of Land thereunto belonging and Joyning on Bery Meltons and John Burton Coyn to him and his heirs forever only Reserving the use of the pine timber on the sd land for my sones Henry frances and James what they shall have ocation to use on their plantations 7th I give and bequeath to my Couson William Dens a young Likely Cow and Calf I give and bequeath to my grandafter Mary Roberson a young Likely Cow and Calf
9 All the Rest of my personly Estate with Endors and with out I give the use to my to my Loving wife Caterine During wido hud and at the day of hur marrage I give it Equily to her Divided to hur and all my Children in a Equal p-? and do appoint my fore Eldes Sons as trustees to make -?- division and do appoint my son Henry Jones whole and Sole Execut-? of This Last will and Testamen ?? witness my hand --?-- I have heare unto Set my and Seal the day and year --?-- I make my Son henry Jones to be my Son Phelip over Sear till he comes to the age of one and twenty and this Jordame? my Last will and Testament from all other wills and testaments from me made and done by me
                                                                                                his
                                                                                Henry       H       Jones
                                                                                             marke
Test
Needham Bryan           Jurat
                his
George      S     Smith
               marke
John         I         Eless
              marke               

        
No. Carolina Enfield Novem Term 1757
The within written Will of Henry Jones Decd was exhibited into Court & proved on the oath of Needham Bryan one of the subscribing witnesses thereto, and on motion was ordered to be certified.
                   Test J Edwards CSC

Henry Jones's Will
Letters Issued
Decem 20th 1758
7 Copy Sheets

Henry (x) Jones Sr 14 Nov 1733  -  Nov Ct 1757 (before J Edwards)

 

Henry's children were not named in birth order in his will. His son Philip (d 1760 Johnston Co) seems to be the only child who was still a minor under the age of 21. From other records we can determine that the 4 oldest were Henry Jr, Francis, John, and William. James was one of the younger sons, but over the age of 21. 

We know that Henry Jr was the eldest son because he acted as heir-at-law after his father died deeding two tracts of his father's land to two of his brothers, James and Philip. Although Henry Sr had written a will, the will was not presented for probate when he died, and the estate was administered as if he had died intestate first by his second wife, Martha Smith, and later by his son, Henry Jr. However, Henry Jr made these deeds to his brothers months before widow Martha Jones requested administration on Henry Jones Sr's estate. The deeds are actually the first proof we have of Henry Sr's death. Sons Henry Jr and Francis had each been deeded 200 acres by their father a few years earlier. It's not known why son William wasn't left any land. It's possible Henry had previously provided for him in some way with land or slaves and the record has been lost. 

John Jones' last known deed was dated 14 July 1758 when he sold a lot in the town of Halifax to Augustine Bate who was mentioned in later records as one of the executors of John Jones' will along with John's son, Dalling Jones, and last wife, Elizabeth Jones. John Jones referred to himself in that deed as a "victualler". The deed was registered in Edgecombe Co, Dec. Ct 1758. (Edgecombe Precinct, Edgecombe Co DB 6 p 363) The definitions for a victualler varied from an innkeeper or tavern keeper to a sutler to a provisioner for army troops or a naval ship. The meaning may have changed through the years.  The will had been proven in 1757 at Enfield, which at that time was in Edgecombe Co. The letters were issued for the probate of Henry Jones Sr's will in December 1758. Since the land had been sold many years before, probating the will would have only resulted in giving son Philip Jones the overseas trading business. If that was the purpose for probating Henry's will, there may not have been time to complete the process. John Jones died between 1758 and 1760, and Philip died in 1760. Philip's will did not mention any interest in a business or trade goods.

The "grandafter" Mary Roberson was probably related to (most likely the wife of) Edward Roberson/Robertson/Robinson who was granted land in 1739 on Marsh Swamp in Edgecombe Co. Edward Robertson was a buyer at Henry Jones' 1740 estate sale. He later sold land in the same Marsh Swamp area to Henry's son John Jones and David Crawley who was father of several children by John Jones' daughter, Lucy Jones. His close relationship with the Jones continued for years, but the name of his wife was never mentioned in the records. It is not known who Mary's parents were. She could have been the daughter of one of William's older sons or perhaps the daughter of a deceased daughter. If she was married by 1733, she was probably born by 1719. 

Abstracts of Deeds Edgecombe Precinct Edgecombe County North Carolina 1732 through 1758 by Margaret M Hofmann, p 151
[Deed Book Number 4] pg 392 Edward Robinson of Edge. Co. to John Jones of Edge. Co. 1 Jan. 1753 25 pounds current money of Va. 150 acres on the north side of Marsh swamp, joining the mouth of the Middle branch whereon the sd. Jones now lives Wit: John Steele, Charles Brown Reg. Edge. Co. Feb. Ct. 1753 B. Wynns C. Ct.

Abstracts of Deeds Edgecombe Precinct Edgecombe County North Carolina 1732 through 1758 by Margaret M Hofmann, p 232
[Deed Book Number 6] pg 201 Edward Robertson of Edge. Co. to David Crawley of Edge. Co. 11 May 1757 100 pounds lawful money of Great Britain 450 acres, joining  the mouth of the Spring branch and John Jones whereon the sd. Edward lately lived 200 acres of which was granted to the sd Robertson 6 June 1739 and 250 acres is part of a Granville grant to the sd. Robertson Wit: Alexander McCulloch, James Bloyce Reg. Edge. Co. May Ct. 1757 J. Montfort C. Ct.

No records naming Edward Robertson or his wife or children have been found in Edgecombe or Halifax after 1757, and even though the deed states he was "of Edgecombe", it's clear he was no longer living on the Marsh Swamp land where he had "lately lived" and seems to have lived for almost 20 years. It's probable he moved to Granville Co where his brothers Israel and John left their wills. John left his will as John Robinson dated 8 April 1773, proven May court 1774. He named wife Mary, daughter Sarah Short, son John, son Nicholas, Mark Robinson youngest child, my granddaughter Ruth Abram Robinson's daughter, Nathl. Robinson, daughter Susanna Robinson, James Mitchel. In another part of the will, he states that the remainder should be sold and equally divided between his seven children and named them as Sarah, John, Nicholas, Nathaniel, Francis, Mark, and Robert. He named his executors as Edward Robinson, Miles Williams, and Charles Eaton. Some people have tried to claim that Edward Robinson was another son, but Edward was not named as a son or heir in the will, and John stated he had only seven children. Edward the executor was NOT one of these seven children. However, John and Mary Robertson did have a son named Edward whose birth was recorded in the Bristol Parish Register with many of their other children. Since he was not included in the list of seven, he had probably died. The children of Israel Robertson were also recorded in the Bristol Parish Register, but there was no other mention of their brother Edward Robertson/Roberson/Robinson or his children.

Edward Son of John & Mary Robertson Born 22d Dcer 1731 Bapt 23d apr 1732

"Couson William Dens" named as an heir in Henry Jones' will was actually William Dennis, the nephew of Henry's wife, Catherine Judkins. The term "cousin" was frequently used for a nephew. William Dennis had appeared on several previous records with the Jones in both Surry Co and Chowan/Bertie. His mother was a Miss -?- Judkins who had married a Mr Dennis. This is proven by a deed in which Henry and Catherine Jones and William Dennis sold the land they had inherited from  Samuel Judkins Jr who had left a will in Surry Co that was never recorded, lost, but mentioned in other records. The later Thomas Crews will mentioned this land and stated that Samuel Judkins III (another known son) was also involved in the sale, but his name was not mentioned in the deed. From this we know that William Dennis's mother must have been a daughter of Samuel Judkins Jr and a sister to Catherine Judkins Jones.

(p 612) 9 Nov 1725... Henry Jones and wife, Katherine Jones, and William Dennis to Thomas Crews... 100 acres on Grays Creek in Southwarke Parish and bounded by the land of the Orphent of John Hartwell and said Thomas Crews.                                                     Henry (X) Jones
Wit: William Boldin and John (X) Philips                                                                                                              Katherine (X) Jones
Rec: 17 Nov 1725                                                                                                                                              Williasm (X) Dennis [sic]
(Surry County Deeds, Wills, Etc #7 1715-1730 by William Lindsay Hopkins, p 135)

The witness to Henry Jones' will, George Smith, had owned land adjoining Henry Jones Sr since 1718 and owned more land in the area. Robert Lang who sold the land to Smith in the record below was another Indian trader. Lang sold another 100 acres adjoining Henry Jones to John Cotton on the same date. George Smith's later Northampton Co will was witnessed by James Jones and named daughter Martha Jones.

Chowan Co DB 1 p 634
Robert Lang of Chowan prect., planter to George Smith of the Prect. afrsd. 26 Sept. 1718 5 L 140 acres more or less joining Henry Jones by the Gum Slash, John Council and Aquaneechey swamp. Wit.: Thomas Smith, Joseph Sims   L his mark  Reg. 27 Feb. 1718

The witness to Henry Jones Sr's will, Needham Bryan, was the well-known Needham Bryan of the plantation called Snowfield. Snowfield was Bryan's home for most of his adult life after he moved to NC from Nansemond Co, but the first land he owned in NC adjoined another tract of Henry Jones' land on Bridger's Creek on the Roanoke River. Needham Bryan's last wife is said to have been Sarah Woodward, but nothing more is known about her.

Henry Jones Sr's original grant in NC, his home plantation after 1725, and apparently his "base of operations" for his trading business in NC, was his 640 acre grant on the NW side of the Oconeechee Neck granted 26 Feb 1711/12. On 28 July 1713, he was granted another 640 acres at Mount Royall adjoining Thomas "Evans" (Avant). Mount Royall was a vague description for a strip of land on the north side of the Roanoke River beginning at the falls (Roanoke Rapids) and extending NW up the river some indefinite distance but at least as far as John Spann's mill and probably even farther, perhaps as far as Pea Hill Creek. Henry Jones later sold off this tract at Mount Royall, but his son John Jones purchased another tract in almost the same location just before the family moved from Surry Co, VA to NC in 1725. John Jones' tract was surveyed by John Gray for the same Thomas Avant and witnessed by John Gray. (Bertie Co DB A:350) The river was not navigable above the rapids, so a road was built from John Spann's Mill past the rapids and the Oconeechee Neck to Wheeler's Mill. This road was completed some time prior to 1725 since it was ordered that the road be extended from Wheeler's Mill to the Meherrin River in 1725. Henry Jones had also been granted 640 acres on Bridger's Creek in 1713 but soon sold it.  The 1733 Moseley map shows this road with the extension completed. It was actually completed by March 1728/9 when William Bridger wrote his will. Bridger left to his son John Bridger 100 acres "belonging to my plantation of the courthouse road adj William Bryant and a small pond". He also named a son William Bridger who some believe (others don't) was the William Bridger of the 1751 Johnston Co will that named Philip Jones as executor and was witnessed by James Aycock.

Henry Jones was issued another grant on the same date for more land farther down the Roanoke River on Bridger's Creek. Others were granted land nearby, but the some of these grants were lost and mention of them only appears in later records.

County: Chowan Issued: 28 Jul 1713 Book: 8 pg: 286 File No. 981, Henry Jones
Henry Jones ... 640 acres lying in Chowan precinct on ye S. side of Briges Creek on Morattock river Beginning at the mouth of Briges Creek, then various courses up ye Creek 342 poles to a Cypress yn S 320 poles to ye centre of 2 Oaks & a hicory then Wt 320 poles to Cycamore on ye river, thence along ye river to ye first Station …. July 28^th anno Dom 1713

County: Chowan Issued: 30 Mar 1721 Book: 3 pg: 75 Entered: (no date) File No. 510, Needham Bryan
Needham Bryan a tract of land containing 640 acres lying in Chowan precinct on the  N. E. side of Morattuck river beging. at ye centre of 2 oaks & hiccory near ye river being Henry Jones corner yn. along his line Et 320 pole to ye centre of a red oak and hiccory yn. S 320 to ye low grounds yn. to ye first station. March ye 30th 1721

County: Chowan  Issued: 30 mar 1721 Book: 3 pg: 73
Simon Jeffreys a tract of land in Chowan precinct containg 640 acres on N side of Moratuck river beging at a cypress in Bridgers creek Henry Jones corner yn along his line S 320 pole to ye centre of 2 red oaks & hickory yn S 80 E pole to ye Centre of 2 hiccorys & red oak yn N320 pole to a hickory yn W 80 pole to ye head of Brigers creek yn ye courses of ye creek to ye first station March ye 30th 1721

Henry Jones did not sell his tract on Bridger's Creek until 1724, but in the meantime, he allowed Simon Jeffreys to live on the land. Needham Bryan sold his land to John Hart in 1723, and Hart sold it to Simon Jeffreys in 1727.

Colonial Bertie Count North Carolina Deed Books A-H 1720-1757 by Mary Best Bell, p 18
A 395 Henry Jones of Surry Co, Va to Simon Jeffreys. Feb 8, 1724. 25 pds for 140 A "where Jeffreys now lives" Patent date July 8, 1713. On Morrattuck River. Feb Court 1724. Ack. in open court by Henry Jones. 

Henry Jones' home was still in Surry Co, Va. He did not move his family to his land in NC until 1725 but traveled back and forth frequently. Simon Jeffreys had acquired quite a bit of land near Bridger's Creek and petitioned that the existing road that ended at Wheelers Mill near his land be extended from Wheelers Mill to the Maherrin River. 

Bertie Co., NC County Court Minutes 1724-1739

James Jones was probably the second youngest son of Henry Jones Sr, and had most likely just recently come of age by 1733. It's my guess he would have been born about 1705-1710. He was probably born on his father's first tract of land in Surry Co on Joseph's Swamp on the North side of the Nottoway River East of Jones Hole Swamp. On 13 November 1713, Henry Jones was granted another tract farther west on the South side of the Nottoway River and on the southeast side of Flat Swamp. On 21 October 1713, Henry Jones sold the remaining part of his Joseph's Swamp tract to Arthur Jones (not related). Henry Jones and his family made their home on the Flat Swamp tract until about February, 1725 when they sold that tract to Peter Poythress and moved to NC. The claim that Henry Jones sold the land to Poythress for 5 shillings, so Peter's wife Ann must have been a daughter of Henry Jones does NOT hold up. The land was actually sold through a convoluted process called deeds of lease and release. This involved a first deed which leased the land for a pittance, in this case 5 shillings, followed by a second deed of release for a larger amount, in this case 50 pounds. The deed of lease was dated 15 February 1725, while the deed of release was dated 16 February 1725. It's clear from the second deed that this was not a "gift" or "sweetheart deal". Plus Henry Jones' later will contained no mention of a daughter or grandchild associated with Peter Poythress's family. Unfortunately, the published deed abstracts that many researchers have used did not mention both deeds, and some people assumed that the deed of lease for 5 shillings was the only deed, so Peter Poythress's wife Ann must have been Henry's daughter. Not so. 

Colonial Bertie County, North Carolina, Deed Books A-H, 1720-1757, by Mary Best Bell, p 30

Bertie Co Will and Estate Papers at Archives
Bertie County    George the Second by the Grace of God King of Great Britain &c
To the sheriff of our said County or his Deputy
Greeting
We command you to Sumons Henry Jones admr of Henry Jones decd personally to be & appear before our Justices at our next court to be held for said County at ?? on the second Tuesday in August next then & there to account before the said Court for his administration on the Estate of the sd Henry Jones - decd fail not Supon? on the prart? of the petr therfor Martha Jones and have you there this writ
Dat at the Clerks office the 19th day of May Anno Domini 1741
Test Benjn Hill Cl Court

1716: LAND-PURCHASE: Deed B-332 Chowan County 3 July 1716 William Green from Henry Jones, 320 acres at Mount Royal on the north side of the Morattock River (patented by said Jones dated 3 Jul 1716), Witnesses: Thomas Avent and John Nairne

1716: LAND-PURCHASE: 16 July 1716 Robert Green from Thomas Avent, weaver, of Chowan Precinct for 10 pounds, 370 acres at Mount Royal at the mouth of the first branch, joining the branch next to the mouth of the Morattock River (patented by said Avent dated 29 Jul 1712) Witnesses: Richard (R) Moore and John Nairne. Registered 6 August 1716 (Source: Colonial Bertie County, North Carolina Deed Books A -H, 1720-1757, abstracted by Mary Best Bell)

12 July 1716. Chowan County, NC. Elizabeth AVENT of Surry Co, VA, spinster, to Robert Hicks of North Carolina, letter of attorney to make over in my stead land at Mount Royall to Robert GREEN and Jacob COLESON and 200 acres to my neighbor Richard Moore and 240 acres to Richard Moore of Nottoway River. Wit: Henry Jones, William Green. Registered 6 Aug 1716.

The North Carolina Historical and Genealogical Register - Hathaway
p 294
Henry Jones, to William Green. Tract of land at Mount Royal, north side Morattock River; 300 acres being one half patent to said Jones, dated July 3d, 1713; deed dated 16 July, 1716. Test, Thos. Avent, John Nairne.

William Green and Robert Green were both sons of John Green Sr d by 1727 of Surry Co and brothers of John Green Jr who married Amy Pace.

p 623
Henry Jones to David Crawley, 230 acres known as Mount Royal on the North side of Morattuck River; Sept. 20, 1718. Test, John Nairn.

This was David Crawley Sr of Prince George Co, the famous Indian trader. His 1725 will left the land to his son, William Crawley, who later sold it to George Norwood.  Another son, David Crawley Jr, became a mariner and worked with Henry Jones Sr's son, John Jones, in the overseas shipping business and fathered several children by John Jones' daughter Lucy Jones.  More on the relationship between the traders and mariners including the Jones, Crawleys, Woodwards, and others here.

Thomas AVENT of Surry Co, VA to John Jones of Surry Co, VA . 10 pounds for 640 acres at Mount Royall on River low ground. Surveyed and patented for Thomas AVENT by John GRAY on 30 Mar 1721. Adj. Jacob COLSON. Wit: John GRAY, jurat, Ralph MASON. February Court 1724. John Sutton D. C/C

This land has not been found in later records. Henry Jones moved his family from Surry Co, VA to his land in the Oconeechee Neck in 1725.

By at least 1741, Rebecca Pace Bradford and her second husband, William Aycock, Rebecca's children by John Bradford, and whatever Aycock children they'd had together by that time were living in the Mount Royall area.

Conveyance of Property.  Bertie County, NC.  5 July 1741.  John and Richard Moore to WILLIAM AYCOCK.  640 acres on the Moratuck River [Roanoke River].  Adj:  THOMAS AVENT. Wit:  WILLIAM SHORTER, JOHN BROWN, ELIZABETH SHORTER, & RICHARD PACE.  [SOURCE: Mary Best Bell, compilor, COLONIAL BERTIE COUNTY, NC: ABSTRACTS OF DEED BOOK F, 1739 - 1744, volume 4, page 241. published by Colonial Bertie, Windsor, North Carolina]

Boddie, in Virginia Historical Genealogies, pointed out the connection between the Bradfords and Aycocks and Lanes. However, Boddie made two mistakes in this account. It was not William Aycock's estate that was filed in Wilkes Co, GA in 1778. William Aycock had died by 1765 when his estate sale was held in Orange Co, NC. His estate was administered by his son James Aycock. It was James Aycock's estate that was filed in Wilkes Co, GA in 1778, but his estate records included a reference to the loan of a horse by James' father, William Aycock. Boddie also gave the birth and death dates for Joseph Lane as 1710-1774. Minors could not purchase land without a guardian or "best friend" respresenting them, so Joseph Lane must have been born by 1702 since he was of age by 1723 when he purchased the tract from William Jones and wife Elizabeth Rives. This was the Joseph Lane whose wife was Patience McKinnie. He left his will in Halifax Co dated 1773 naming, among others, sons Joseph, James, Jesse, and Joel. (Halifax Co is on the South side of the Roanoke River directly across from the Oconeechee Neck on the North side of the river.)  

[Wilkes County, Georgia] Book of Mixed Records, Wills, Administrations and Deeds - 1777-1778
Folio 11 - AYCOCK, JAMES, dec'd. Inventory Jan. 4, 1778. Debtors to estate, Wm. Spurlock, Thos. Wootten, Isham Saffold, Daniel Wallecon, John Bradford, to Wm. Aycock, Dr., about the year 1745, to one horse lent in Va." "To paying Major McClan for what I was your Sec." Mr. Henry Pope to Wm. Aycock about 1757 for a mare in Va., about 1749 to bed and furniture, about 1757 for cow. Mishal Morel, Dr., for corn and cash to Richard Aycock.

So the scene is set for the marriages of:

James Jones (son of Henry Jones Sr and Catherine Judkins) and Frances Bradford (oldest dau of John Bradford and Rebecca Pace)

Philip Jones (son of Henry Jones Sr and Catherine Judkins) and Rebecca Bradford (second dau of John Bradford and Rebecca Pace)

Joseph Lane (son of Joseph Lane and Patience McKinnie) and Sarah Bradford (youngest dau of John Bradford and Rebecca Pace)

Jesse Lane (son of Joseph Lane and Patience McKinnie) and Winifred Aycock (dau of Rebecca Pace and second husband William Aycock)

There is no marriage record or specific date for the first three marriages, however there is good evidence that James Jones and Philip Jones both married before they left Northampton Co. James had children who were certainly born prior to 1748. Winifred Aycock's marriage is said to have taken place Dec 16, 1755. William Aycock and his family had moved to Johnston Co several years before that, so their marriage must have occurred in Johnston Co. James Jones' marriage certainly occurred in Northampton Co prior to 1748 when wife Frances appears on the deed with James Jones when they sold the Henry Jones Sr homeplace tract in the Oconeechee Neck. Capt Etheldred Jones' date of birth is recorded in the Bible of B B Jones (Braxton Bragg Jones) as October 8, 1749. This was after James Jones had sold his land in Northampton Co but before the first record for Philip Jones in Johnston Co dated 30 September 1751 when Philip was named as the executor of the will of William Bridgers. James Acock was a witness to the Bridgers will and also proved the will, therefore James Aycock had to be at least 14 in 1751, so born by 1737. Winifred Aycock (Lane) stated she was born April 11th 1741. Richard Aycock was younger than James Aycock, but it's not known if Richard was younger or older than Winifred. We only know that Richard was born some time after 1737.

James Jones was not referred to as a minor in his father's 1733 will like his brother Philip was, so James was almost certainly of age by 1733 and probably married about that time or a little later, but there is no marriage record. This would mean that James's oldest children might have been close in age to the children born to William Aycock and Rebecca Pace (Bradford). James Jones's land in Johnston/Wake Co on Swift Creek adjoined the land of William Aycock on Marlowe's Creek. So even though James Aycock and Richard Aycock were uncles to the children of James Jones and Frances Bradford, the older children of James Jones were about the same age as their Aycock uncles. They would have grown up together almost like siblings. James's son, Lewis Jones Sr, seems to have been especially close to James Aycock, and it's possible that Lewis Jones took in James Aycock's minor son, John Aycock, after James Aycock died in Wilkes Co, GA in 1777. It's not clear exactly when or why John Aycock came to live in Wake Co, but he married a girl from Wake Co and remained in Wake Co until his death in 1798. In 1808, John Aycock's widow, Winifred Utley (Aycock), married Lewis Jones Sr after the recent death of Lewis's first wife, America Barnes. At that time, Lewis became the guardian to John Aycock's two children.

Rebecca Pace Bradford must have married William Aycock very soon after her father, Richard Pace, wrote his will dated March 13, 1736 that gave her name as Rebecca Bradford. Joseph Lane (son of Joseph Lane and Patience McKinnie mentioned before) may have already married Sarah Bradford (the youngest Bradford daughter) when he was a sworn chain carrier for the survey of James Aycock's land in Orange Co on Crabtree Creek (later taken in by Wake Co) - plat dated 1 October 1755. The earliest actual proof of their marriage comes from a 1760 deed.

http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/johnston/deeds/granjohn.txt

Johnston County, NC - Granville & Johnston County Land Grants
Jones, James            1751, Oct. 29   Acres 563, No. 7         73-A      Beginning at a gum on Swift Creek 

I do not have the full description. 1751 is the date of the actual grant. The entry and survey would have been even earlier. James could have been living on the land before the grant was actually issued.

William Acock 300 acres of land in Johnston County on the South side of Neuse River and on both sides of the Falls of Swift Creek beginning at a pine by the side of the said creek and runs thence South 300 poles to a red oak thence East 160 poles to a pine thence North 300 poles crossing the said creek to a pine thence West 160 poles to the first station. Dated 27^th day of October 1752

Transcribed from the original will at NC Archives:

In the name of god amen I William Brigers of North Carolina and Johnston County being sick of Body yet of good and perfect memory Do make & ordain this my Last will & testement in manner and form following vizt first
I Bequeath my sole into the hands of god almighty who gave it me and my Body to the ground to be Decently Burried at the Discretion of my Exr here after Named and as Touching my worldly goods which god in his grate goodness hath Bestoed on me
I Dispose of them as followeth that is to say first
I gave and Bequeath unto Joel Martin One cow and calf
Item I gave Joel Martin one Dark bay horse colt
Item I gave Joel Martin my gun and cutrement with [hear?]
Item I gave and Bequath unto Lucrese Martin one cow and calf Item I gave one Riding horse to Lucrese Martin consirdned by me that if either the sd Joel Martin or Lucrese Martin should Die be for com of Eage the longgest liver to inhearet all and I alsoe make and ordain my Loving frind Phillip Jones to be my whole and sole Executer of this my Last will and testement In wittness wheare of I have heare unto set my hand and seall this 30 day of Sepbr in the yeaer of my Lord one thousand Seven hundred and fifty one
Sigened Sealled and Delivered                                                       his
in the presants of us                                                     Williiam       W       Brigers (seal)
Jas Bryant                                                                                     mark
James acock
           his
Jas.       I        Gooding
           mark

North Carolina                                                                                              December Court 1751
[faded] County                                                                             Present his majestys Jas..?
                       The last Will and Testament of William Bridges was Exhibited into Court and Proved by James Acock one of the subscribing Evidences who Swore he saw the Testator Sign Seal Publish and Declare the same to be his last will and Testament and at the time thereof he was of sound mind and memory and that he also saw James Bennet [sic] and James Gooding sign Concuring Evidence with him Whereupon Philip Jones Executor therein named Appeared and was Qualified by taking the oath by Law appointed Ordered that Mr Secretary has notice thereof that Ltrs Testamentary may Issue accordingly
                                                            Test
                                                  Cha. Young --?--
[on reverse labeled as William Bridgers]

I'm sure there was a reason it was called Mill Branch. We don't know when Richard Aycock first entered the land or when it was surveyed, but by the time the survey was made, the creek was referred to as Mill Branch. Someone - possibly Richard Aycock or perhaps someone else - had built a mill on the creek. This may have been the land that later became Rand's Mill. The earliest existing deed to John Rand was dated 1768. However, there is evidence of an earlier 1765 deed for a tract that Richard Aycock had deeded to his nephew, Etheldred Jones.

Will of John Rand, Wake Co dated August 23, 1781, no probate date

Wilkes County Deed Book G.G. page 248. Jones, Russell and wife, Selah to John Hubbard, 400 acres adj. Lands of both parties and John Pope, Tapley Flint, April 7, 1789. Wm. Freeman, Chas. McCartney, Test

Wilkes County Deed Book G.G. page 403 – Jones, Russell and wife Selah to Tapley Flint, 200 acres adj. Said Jones, Elijah Pope, and John Hubbard. December 28, 1789. Jas. Hart, John Hubbard, Jno. Moore, J. P. Test.

Tapley Flint was the son of David Flint who had purchased land from William Speight Sr in 1767. (Johnston Co DB E-1 p 216)

Wake Co WB 1 p 66
David Flint of Wake Co, very weake and sick of body. Son Tappley Flint land whereon I now live, negro Dick and negro Jacob which I left in Virginia, bed, furniture, mare, cow and calf. Daughter Molley Amney Flint negro woman Sall, bed and furniture, mare, sidesaddle. Daughter Elizabeth Flint negro woman Sarah, negro woman Guda to be sold and money for use of my said daughter. Son Sandford Flint negro boy Pompy, negro girl Patt, 15 pounds to be made out of my estate. Joseph Lane and son Tappley Flint extrs. 13 March 1775
                                                               David Flynt
Wit
Jesse Lane
Martin Lane
June Term 1775 proved by Martin Lane

The executor, Joseph Lane, had married Sarah Bradford, sister of Frances Bradford Jones and Rebecca Bradford Jones and half-sister to Winifred Aycock. The witness, Jesse Lane, had married Winifred Aycock. William Speight II, son of William Speight Sr of the 1767 deed, married Penelope Jones, daughter of James Jones Sr and Frances Bradford.

The July 1775 estate sale for David Flint was signed by James Jones D.S. (Wake Co WB 1 p 79) This was James Jones Jr, son of James Jones Sr and Frances Bradford. The D.S. stood for deputy sheriff (under Sheriff Thomas Hines).

Richard Lane, the second son of Jesse Lane and Winifred Aycock Lane, was born February 9, 1757, married about 1779 to Mary Flint, called Molley Amney Flint in the will of David Flint.

Book 14, p 219, Grant No. 186 (no entry or survey dates given)
Philip Jones 640 acres of land in Johnston County on both sides of Swift Creek Beginning at a white oak on the South side the said creek then South 320 poles to a pine on the North side the said creek then West 320 poles to a white oak then South 320 poles to a pine on the South side the said Creek then East 320 poles to the first station. Dated the tenth day of May one thousand seven hundred and fifty seven.

The Granville District of North Carolina 1748-1763 Abstracts of Land Grants, Volume Two by Margaret M Hofmann, p 202
3213 pg 219 Philip Jones 10 May 1757 640 acres in Johnston County in the Parish of St Stephens on both sides of Swift Creek OR: /s/ PHILIP JONES Wits: JNO GILES THOMAS, JEPHTHAH TERRELL   entered 28 October 1752 surveyed 6 (?) December 1755  SCC:  JOHN BERRY (or JOHN PERRY), JOSEPH BROWN   W HAYWOOD D Sur

This is the grant that most research mentions as the first grant made to Philip Jones and the first evidence that he was living in the part of Johnston Co that later became Wake Co. He was in fact in Johnston Co in 1751 and was granted an earlier tract in the Marlow's Creek area prior to this 1757 grant.

Philip Jones, John Giles Thomas, and Jepthah Terrell appeared together several times on a grant for land on the N side of Walnut Creek records. Philip Jones and Jno Giles Thomas witnessed Jeptha Terrell's 1757 grant for land on both sides of the Neuse River. John Bladsa and Jacob Bladsa [Bledsoe] were the chain carriers. Jepthah Terrell's sister married Jacob Bledsoe's sister. Jephthah Terrell and Philip Jones witnessed John Giles Thomas's 1757 grant. John Giles Thomas or perhaps his wife may have been kin to the children of Henry Jones and Catherine Judkins through the Judkins family. Drury Dunn of SC, son of Thomas Dunn and Elizabeth Judkins of Surry Co, VA (not Elizabeth Gray as is often claimed) applied for Georgia land listing many relatives who were interested in moving to Georgia with him including Francis Jones (brother of Philip Jones) and John Giles Thomas. The exact kinship between Drury Dunn and John Giles Thomas (or his wife) isn't known. Francis Jones, Philip Jones, James Jones, and the other children of Henry Jones and Catherine Judkins were Drury Dunn's first cousins.

More research should be done into the Burt, Terrell, and Jones connections. There was clearly a close association between the family of John Burt d 1824 Wake Co and the Jones which I assumed was because John Burt's unknown wife might have been a Jones. It would appear there was already a close association in the 1750's. Why was Jeptha Terrell included? A Burt/Terrell connection might be explained. Jeptha Terrell's father was John Terrell who left his will dated 1783 in Franklin Co. His mother was Elizabeth Harrison.

1748
Edgecombe Co.
"John Farrell of Edge. Co., planter to John Burt of Edge. Co. _ day of --- 1748 18 pounds current money of Va. 150 acres on Beaverdam swamp in the mouth of Wild Catt branch on Alston's swamp all houses, etc. part of a patent to me
Wit: Thomas Smith, Richard Burt
Reg. Edge. Co. May Ct. 1748." Edge. Co. Deed Book 3, p. 229. 

1750
Edgecombe Co.
"John Burt of Edge. Co. to Samuel Williams of Edge. Co. 22 Aug. 1750 18 pounds current money of Va. 150 acres
on Bevardam swamp, joining William Fish, Alston's swamp and the mouth of Wild Catt branch all houses etc. part of a patent to John Terrill for 300 acres Wit: Lovick Worley, William Williams Reg. Edge. Co. Aug. Ct. 1750" Edge. Co.
Deed Book 3, p. 522

According to the Granville Co  records up to 1763 for this John Burt posted at http://www.avocadoridge.com/carney/getperson.php?personID=I14596&tree=tree1, his wife was Lucy and his children were John, Young, Richard, and Joseph. Except for the wife's name, these records agree perfectly with the 1780 Chatham Co will of John Burt, the father of John Burt d 1824 Wake Co who was so closely associated with the descendants of James Jones Sr. This Chatham Co will was not even cited - the son's names came from the Granville records. Perhaps there was some previous Jones connection to the Terrell or Burt family that hasn't been discovered yet. 

Johnston County, NC will of Philip Jones, transcribed from the original will at Archives which differs slightly from the clerk’s copy in WB 1 p 761

In the Name of God Amen this ninth day of March in the Year of Christ one thousand Seven hundred & Sixty. I Philip Jones of Johnston County in North Carolina being Sick and Weak in body but of Perfect mind and Memory do make and ordain this my last will and Testament in the form and manner following (viz
Imprimis, I desire that my Funeral rights be Celebrated & paid
Item. I give my Brother James Jones and to his heirs & assigns for Ever in Consideration of Divers Debts that I stand Justly Indebted to him to the Value of Eighty Pounds Virginia Money all my Lands and other Estate real and personal with the following Limitation and Proviso that if any other Debts Arises against my Estate or any Jointure or Dowry from or by my Creditor or Creditors wife Children or any other person or persons Whatsoever that any Such person or persons being Dissatisfied with this will may have Election to Enforce my said Estate to be sold at public Vendue and after the said Eighty Pounds virginia Mony is paid or Raised the Surplusage of my Estate first with Regard to the Charges may be applyed to the payment of my other Debts the still Surplusage to be Distributed among my wife and Children in the same proportion as are intestates Estate and I so hereby Appoint my said Brother James Jones my only and sole Executor of this my Last will and Testament Declaring this and no other to be my last will and Testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and affixed my seal the day and year Above Written.
Signed Sealed and Acknowledged                                                           Philip Jones (Seal)
in presence of
     Jos. Lane                               
     G R Turner

[notation added at bottom]
                          Provd by G R Turner fees pd -?- 
                           To Lye -?- Jos Lane Proves

[on reverse side]
North Carolina      Jan Court 1761
Johnston County    Present his Majty Justices
The within will was Proved at Octo Court 1760 by the oath of George Reyner Turner subscri & Evidence & Ordered to -?- over to this Court when it was admited to Record and at ye Same time James Jones Qualified as Executor

James Jones was granted land in 1761 adjoining his own land - which was actually the land he had inherited from Philip Jones. There's not enough in this description to determine where on Swift Creek this land was located (James owned land near Marlow's Creek and Dutchman's Creek), but the location becomes evident with other records.

County: Johnston Issued: 02 Mar 1761 Book: 14 pg: 220 Grant no.: 94 Entered: (no date) File No. 682
James Jones 625 accres of land in Johnston County on both sides of Swift Creek Beginning at said Jones corner in said Swamp then along the line East 40 poles to an Ashe then No 260 poles to a pine then West 320 poles to a white oak in the said Swamp then South 320 poles to a pine then Et 280 poles to an Oak in said Jones line then along the line to the first Station Dated 2d day of March 1761

This land had actually been entered and surveyed for Philip Jones prior to his death. However the grant was not issued until 1761 - after Philip's death. The land was not assigned to James Jones by Philip Jones prior to his death - it was left to James by Philip's will. So when the grant was finally issued, it was issued to James Jones rather than Philip Jones.

Surveyed the 16 day of Octor 1756 for Phillip Jones a tract of land containing six hundred & twenty five acres in the County of Johnston & province of North Carolina lying on both sides of Swift Creek begg. at the sd Jones corner in the sd Swamp then along the line Et 40 po to an ash then No. 260 po to a pine then Wt 320 po to a white oak in the sd swamp then So. 320 po to a pine then Et 280 po to an oak in the sd Jones line then along the line to the first station according to the plan annaxed sworn chain carriers
Thomas Horn
Samuel Handly                                                                            Wil Haywood D Sr

The number of acres isn't stated in the deed below just 3 years later, but the description matches perfectly.

Johnston Co  DB  D1  p 67
7 Jany 1764 James Jones and Mary his wife of Johnston Co and John Rench of cty aforesaid. 100 pounds acknowledged, land on both sides Swift Creek. Beginning at the said Jones corner in the said swamp then along the line E 40 poles to an oak, then No. 260 poles to a pine, then W 320 poles to a white oak in the said swamp, thense So. 320 poles to a pine, thence E 280 poles in the said Jones line, thence along the line to the first station...

 
Johnston Co DB D-1 p 71
James Jones & Mary his wife to John Rench 100 pounds proc money. Land on No. side of Swift Creek beginning at a corner running E to the spring branch, thence down the sd branch to the creek, thence up the said creek to the first station containing by estimation 15 acres more or less
                                                              + James Jones
                                                                 Mary Jones
Wit
Richard Acock
Jesse Lane
Simn. Turner
Mary Jones was examined Privately & consented to the above

This small 15 acre tract can't be explained by the existing records. Perhaps James had purchased it separately and no deed can be found. It's interesting that this 15 acres was sold for the same amount as the entire 625 acre tract. Was there a mill on this land that made it more valuable?

In 1763, James Jones owned a good amount of land. He had bought back the 100 acre tract he'd sold to James Beasley and owned 463 acres of his 563 acre grant. He still had 200 acres inherited from his brother Philip. He had been granted another tract of 625 acres in 1761. Then suddenly in 1764, James sold tract after tract. He sold the rest of Philip's land and the entire 625 acre grant that adjoined Philip's land. He sold another 15 acres in the same area that can't even be explained. He sold 463 acres out of his 563 acre grant to Simon Turner. The other 100 acres was still owned by John Beasley. With James selling so much land so fast, it looks as if he were selling out with plans to leave Wake Co - and that's a very real possibility.

By 1769, a third James Jones had moved into the part of Johnston Co that later became Wake Co. This James Jones' wife was Charity Alston, daughter of Solomon Alston.

ABSTRACTS OF WARREN COUNTY, NC - DEED BOOK 3    Part 2 of 4
From original by Mary Hinton Kerr
DB-3, page 216. 20 January 1769. JAMES JONES, of Johnston Co., to THOMAS BELL of Bute Co. 150 Pds. Procl. money for 300 A. in Bute Co. on BS Linches Creek, Gully Branch, 200 A. being a grant to JOSEPH BRANTLEY 16 Jan. 1744 & 100 A. sold to BRANTLEY 6 Aug. 1762 by CHRISTOPHER STROTHER.. Wit: THOS. COOK, FRANCIS MABRY. Proved by THOMAS COOKE, Bute February Court 1771, BEN McCULLOCH, C.C. Reg: 13 May 1771, by WILLIAM JOHNSON, P.R.Marginal notation: 16th. Augst. 1771 Deld. to T. BELL.

Wake Co WB 1 p 113
Wake County    Sepr. Term 1777
The last Will and Testament of James Jones Decd.
James Jones of Wake County, sick and weak. Lend the land whereon I now live & one other tract lying on both sides of Great Lick Creek below where I now live and 2 negroes to wife Charity Jones during her natural life and after her decease to be equally divided between my 2 youngest sons, Thomas and James Jones and the increase of the negroes to be equally divided between my six children. Son Willie Jones all my land lying on the creek whereon William Nichols now lives and a place known by the name of Madrys place. The tract I bought of James Broomfield and one negro and so much of the rest of my estate shall be sufficient to discharge my debts be sold, my executors to discharge my debts, remainder of my estate to be equally divided between my 6 children Mary Jones, Prissey Jones, Willis Jones, Rachel Jones, Thomas Jones & James Jones when they come of age or marry. If either of my sons die before they come of age or marry, my said deceased sons part of the land should be equally divided between my 3 daughters, Mary, Prissey, and Rachel Jones. Wife shall have use of all my estate real and personal after debts are paid until one of my children comes of age or marrys & then an equal division to be made, & the childs part that is come of age or married to be taken out & the remainder to be kept together untill the next comes of age or marrys & son on to the last. My daughter Prissey should put the Negroe Girl named Vilett her Grandfather Solomon Alston give her into my estate & divide equally with the rest of my daughters.  To my daughter Mary Jones, Prissey Jones, my son Willis Jones my daughter Rachel Jones my son Thomas Jones & my son James Jones all and every article of my estate before mentioned to be given to them their heirs and assigns forever. Appoint wife Charity Jones my brother Edward Jones and James Alston son of Solomon Alston executors. 10 March 1775
                                                                                           James Jones (seal)
Wit
               his
James      X     Jones  (mark is X in a circle)
            mark
Major Pollard (Jurat)
Thos Hines.
Wake County  Sepr. Term 1777
proved by oath of Major Pollard.

Wake Co DB H p 373 Major Pollard and wife Charity of Wake to "our son" James Jones 140 acres on Lick Creek. 2 June 1788

There are numerous later estate records, court minutes, and deeds that reflect the James Jones/Charity Alston family including another son born after the will was written, Solomon Jones. The land records for this family often mention Lick Creek and Laurel Branch.

Colonial and State Records of North Carolina, vol. 8, p 149
At a Council held at New Bern 4th November 1769
Upon complaint of William Taylor against Philip Jones, Sheriff of Johnston County, for a misdemeanor in Office—Ordered that summons issue to William Taylor, Philip Jones, Richard Aycock, and Samuel Smith that they be and appear before His Excellency in Council at Brunswick on the 15th day of December next, then and there to answer of and concerning the above Complaint.

A Johnston Co deed seems to relate, but it's so faded that much of it is unreadable, and part of the right side of the second page is torn off.

Johnston Co DB E1 p 435
[very faded]
2nd day of M--[March?] 1769 in the 9th year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord ..?.. King of Great Britain &c. Between  Phillip Jones Esquire Sheriff of the County of Johnston in the Province of ...?... of the one part ..?.. & Richard Aycock of the County & Province ...?... other part. Witnesseth That whereas by a certain ...?... Your Lord the King issuing out of the Inferior Court ...?...  (remainder of first page faded out) our said Sovereign Lord George the now King. Issued pursuant with aforesaid Court on the aforesaid 23rd day of February Jeptha Toviel? against William Colvet for the sum of -?- proclamation money for his debt and also for one pound six -?- and five pence adjudged for his cost with other ...?... Sheriff of Johnston County aforesaid directed by which said .... was Commanded with following Words to wit ..... of God of Great Britain France & Ireland King Defender of the faith to the Sheriff of the County of Johnston Greeting we command you to cause to be made of the personal estate of the said William Colvet ... bailiwick. Slaves excepted if the same be sufficient if not then personal estate of the said Colvet including slaves ... be insufficient then of the personal estate lands tenements ... and other real estate of the said William Colvet the sum of Twenty pounds proc money which Jeptha  Farrell? to ...... Court of Justice held for the County of Johnston at the court house against him for his debt & also the sum of one pound sixteen shillings & five pence with other ordered fees which was recorded to the said Ferrell? for his cost and expenses laid out by him ... in that behalf whereof the said William Colvet ..... that you have the said monies before the said ... Johnston aforesaid at our next court to be held for the said County at the courthouse on the fourth Tuesday in May ... to the said Jeptha Forell? his debts & cost aforesaid ... fail not & have you th... this writ Witness John ... of our said court the twenty third day of February in the ... of our reign &c and Samuel Smith Esqr then Sheriff of the said ... Johnston being possesd of the aforesaid writ of .... William Colvet not having personal estate within the bailiwick of the aforesaid he the said Samuel Smith sheriff of Johnston ... by the virtue of the said writ ... directed did ... and estate of the real estate of the said William Colvet one ... or parcel of ... situate lying or being in the county of Johnston ...said on the north side of Neuse River ... lan begining at a dog wood  ... 135 po to a pine thence north 60 Wt 240 po to ... 30 Wt 135 po to the River thence down ... the said Sheriff having taken into ... said tract of land with the ... County or Province aforesaid ... [much unreadable]... in Consideration of the sum of thirty seven pounds proc money to him the said Philip Jones -?- in hand paid by the said Richard Aycock for the -?- purposes in the -?- specify ... by these presents doth bargain sell alien enfeofe convey and confirm to the said Richard Aycock his heirs & assigns forever the aforesaid tract or parcel of land containing by estimation 200 acres ... [remainder of page faded, torn] ... the said Philip Jones Sheriff of Johnston Co hath hereunto set his hand & seal the day & year first above ...
                                                                                                     Phil: Jones
[no witnesses or info as to proving or recording]

Johnston County, NC Abstracts vol II Haun p 172
#971
Tr-3:422: Phillip Jones to James Tate.
11 June 1770. Phillip Jones Sheriff of Jo Co to James Tate, same, by Writ of Fiere Facias from Inferior Court of co afsd issued 15 Oct 1765 pursuant to a judgment obtained in afsd court by Richard Aycock against John Deloach for 200# 6s proc for his det & also 1# 18s 7d cost & fees ... sd Writ returnable to sd Court on 3rd Tues in Jany next ... Writ signed by Robert Roan, Clerk of sd Court ... and John McCuller Sheriff of sd Co by Phillip Jones his then Deputy did seize of the real estate of sd John Deloach, 417 A in Jo Co on the SS of Swift cr beg at a gum on sd cr James Jone's cor: along sd Jone's line S190p to a pine Jone's other cor: along Jones other line E80p to a maple: S220p to an oak saplin: W20p to a pine: N210p to a red oak: E120p to the 1st sta ... and after legal notice, sd land was sold at public sale to the highest bidder, James Tate Senior, for 5# proc ... which sd land was deeded to sd James Tate by Granville & by him conveyed to sd John Deloach ... sd Philip Jones confirms sd land to sd James Tate ... Wit: John Rand, James Jones.

From this we can see that Philip Jones had been a deputy under Sheriff John McCullers until McCuller's death in 1768, at which time Philip Jones beame the new sheriff. Richard Aycock was also a deputy under McCullers although that's proven by another record. We can also see that Philip Jones had not yet been removed from office as of this 11 June 1770 deed. James Tate Sr had acquired land on Swift Creek prior to James Jones Sr's 1751 grant, so the Jones and Tates had been neighbors for years. In 1774, after the death of James Tate Sr about 1772, James Jones Jr accepted one of his orphan sons, Samuel Tate, as his apprentice.

http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/craven/court/nbsc.txt
New Bern District Court Records
DSCR 206.326.1
The District Court was the precursor to District Superior Courts. The New Bern
District covered Carteret, Craven, Beaufort, Hyde, PItt, Dobbs, Jones, and
Duplin. When Dobbs county was split and then abolished, the new counties were also
in the New Bern District.
The following are abstracts of Box 1. Dates when not otherwise noted are the
date of the event (e.g., the date that an assault took place).
Folder: 1772
Information: Summons for Philip JONES, Richard AYCOCK, Penkethman HAWKINS,
James JONES Senior, William WILSON, Jesse MINTON, David MIMS, Samuel DELD, Jsom?
SAFOLD & John HUMPHREYS to answer his Excellency Josiah MARTIN Esquire Successor
to William TRYON late governor of North Carolina in a Plea that they render to
him one thousand pounds sterling which they owe & unjustly detain from him to
the damage of the said Josiah MARTIN as successor &c.. One thousand pounds
sterling.2 [This is similar wording to file above]. Back of page says 3Writ in debt
38 The Governor vs WILDER & MIMS No. 1 Reffernce Dockett S Executed on David MIMS
and Security the other Defendants not to be found in my bailiwick.
N. BRYAN sheriff.
Date: 11 May 1772 (date of summons)
County: Johnston

Needham Bryan's "bailiwick" (his district of jurisdiction) was Johnston Co. This was Needham Bryan II of Johnston Co, son of Needham Bryan of Snowfield. Wake Co had been created in 1771, and Philip Jones, Richard Aycock, James Jones Sr, Jesse Minton, John Humphries/Humphreys, and possibly some of the others were living in Wake, so they were not in Needham Bryan's bailiwick. There is no mention of Philip's third security, Dionysius Wright, in the record. Isom Safold was one of Philip Jones' deputies, but there is no mention of the other deputy, James Jones Jr, Philip's brother.

Johnston Co DB H1 p 141 (to find this deed at the Johnston Co Reg of Deeds webpage, you will have to enter DB H1 p 143, but the number on the page shows 141)
John Rogers Esqr to Robert Mims
28th day of November 1772. John Rogers Sheriff of Johnston Co and Robert Mims of the county of Johnston. Whereas by a certain Writ of  Fieri facias of our Sovereign Lord the now king issued out of the Superior Court of Justice held for the District of Newbern at the Court House in Newbern on the 11th day of November in the Eleventh year of our said Sovereign Lord the now King [King George III took the throne in Oct 1760, so the 11th year of his reign would have begun in Oct 1770] to the Sheriff of the County of Johnston (John Rogers being the then Sheriff of said County) directed was commanded in the following words (to wit) George the third by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the faith be to the Sheriff of the County of Johnston Greeting We command you that of the goods & Chattels Lands and Tenements of Philip Jones Dyonsasus Wright Richard Aycock and James Jones Senr you cause to be made the sum of 495 pounds 6 shillings and 4 pence proc money (Debt which late in our Superior Court -?- at Newbern William Tryon Esqr recovered against him and also 4 pounds 9 shillings like money then & there by our said Court adjudged for together with your own fees for this service if it be found in your Bailiwick and the said monies safely keep so that you have it before our chief Justice and his assosiats at our next Superior Court of Justice to be held for the District of Newbern at the Court House in Newbern on the XI th day of May next then and there to render the same into the Office and Satisfy the said William Tryon herein fail not and have you there this writ witness Martin Howard Esqr Chief Justice of our said province at Newbern the XI th day of November in the XI th year of our Reign Anno Dom. 1770 John Cooke Clk C. And the said John Rogers the then Sheriff as aforesaid did enter upon and possession take of a certain tract or parcel of Land in the said County of Johnston herein after mentioned to be bargained and sold by virtue of the said Writ of Execution to the highest bider with all the improvements thereon which were the property of the said Philip Jones situate lying and being in Johnston County aforesaid and after -?- said legal notice did expose the same to publick sale towards satisfying and discharging the Judgment in the -?- writ mentioned and the said Robert Mims appearing at the said sale in the County of Johnston aforesaid on the same day did bid for the said tract or parcel of Land and premises herein after mentioned the sum of 8 pounds 13 shillings & 6 pence proclamation money and was highest bider for the same tract of Land and premises and by the sd John Rogers Sheriff as aforesaid had the said Tract of Land & premises struck off to him the said Robert Mims Now this Indenture witnesseth that the said John Rogers Sheriff doth hereby acknowledge Pursuant to an Act of Assembly of this province made at Wilmington the 25 day of October in the year of our Lord 1764 Intitled an Act for rendering more Effective at the Law making Lands and other Real Estate liable to the payment of debts to have bargained sold and alien & Enfeofe Release and Confirm and by these presents doth bargain sell alien Enfeofe release and confirm unto the said Richard Mims 100 acres be the same more or less and bounded as follows (to wit) Begining at William Easons corner runing down the black Creek to a branch thence up the said Branch to Jesse Pages line thence on his line to his last corner thence down a branch to William Easons line thence on that line to the first station ...
                                                               John Rogers
Wit
Geo. Cumin
Britain Smith +
(no notation as to how proved or when recorded)

This was the land that Philip Jones had purchased in 1767 - probably where he operated an ordinary. If this land had fallen into Wake Co, we would not have this deed. The Wake deeds recorded from 1771-1785 are missing, so we cannot determine if there were similar deeds in Wake Co for the land of Philip's securities.

Wake Co WB 1 p 18-22
North Carolina
Wake County                                                                           Sepr Term 1772
To all to whome these presents shall come I Richard Aycock of the province aforesaid and County of Wake Planter send Greeting. Whereas I the said Richard Aycock by Bond or Obligation Bearing Date the Seventh Day of November One thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty Nine Become held and firmly bound unto the said Michael Rogers of the County and Province aforesaid in the just and full Sum of one Hundred and fifty pounds Proclamation Money with Condition thereunder Written for the payment of the aforesaid Sum of One Hundred and fifty pounts like Money unto the said Michael Rogers his Heirs Executors Administrators or Assigns On Demand when John Calvit Does or Shall Recover a Bond given to him by the said Michl. Rogers, for the Sum of One Hundred and fifty pounds Proc. Money as in and by the said Bond or Obligation And Condition thereunder written Relation thereunto being and Doth more fully Appear. Know Ye that I the said Richard Aycock for the better Securing the payment of the Sum of One Hundred and fifty pounds unto the said Michael Rogers his Heirs Executors Admirs. or Assigns having Bargained Sold and by these presents to Bargain Sell unto the said Michael Rogers One Melatto Slave Named Ben also two Negroe Girl Slaves Named Temp and Jane with the Increase of said female Slaves. To Have and to Hold the said Negroe Slaves unto the said Michael Rogers his Heirs, Executors Administrators or Assigns – provided Allway that Nevertheless that if the said Richard Aycock his Heirs Executors Administrators or Either of them Shall and do well and truly pay or cause to be paid unto the said Michael Rogers or either of his Heirs Executors Administrators or Assigns the full and Just Sum of One Hundred and fifty pounds Currant Money of North Carolina on the Time that John Calvit shall Lawfully Recover the Bond Given from the said Michael Rogers to the said John Colvit for the Sum of One Hundred and fifty pounds proc. According to the True Intent and Meaning of the Bond and Condition aforesaid of these presents that then this Deed of Bargain and Sale and all and every Clause and Article and thing Shall Cease Determine and be Utterly Void and of None Effect any thing herein before Contained to ye Contrary thereof in anywise Notwithstanding and it is hereby Declared by and between the said parties and the said Richard Aycock for himself his Heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns doth Covenant promised and agree to and with the same Michael Rogers Exrs. Administrators and Assigns by these presents that if the Default should happen to be made Or in payment of the same Sum on or at the time aforesd. That then in such Case it shall and may be lawfull to & for the same Michael Rogers his Executors Administrators or Assigns Attorney or Agents from time to time and at any time hereafter peaceably and Quietyly to Enter into Any or all the Mesauges Lands or Tenements of the said Richard Aycock and to take the said Negroes Slaves with their Increase aforesaid into his Custody and Possession and the Same to hold and Detain to his Own Use and Behoof as his own property Goods and Chattles from thence forth And forever Moor and the same to sell and dispose of at his Will and Pleasure, Returning the over pluss if any should happen to be after payment of the Sum of One Hundred and fifty pounds and Charges unto the said Richard Aycock his Executors Administrators or Assigns; Witness whereof I the said Richard Aycock have hereunto set my Hand and Seal this Twenty Ninth Day of April in the Year of Our Lord One thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy One and in the Eleventh Year of his Majestys Reign.
Signed Sealed and Delivered )
in the presents of Us - - -   )                                                             Richard Aycock  (SEALE)
         James Alford
         Aaron Rogers
Wake County                                Sepr. Term 1772
Then was the within Morguage in Open Court Duely proved by the Oath of Aaron Rogers a Subscribing Evidence and Ordered to be Recorded
                       Test               John Rice. C.C.
Wake County
The within Morguage was Recorded in the Clerks Office of Wake County in Book (A) and pages 19, 20, & 21 this 10^th Day of Sepr. 1772
                       Test                John Rice. C.C.

Wake County                               Sepr. Term 1772
North Carolina  )
Johnston County)  Know all men by these presents That I Richard Aycock of the County and Province aforesd. am held and firmly bound unto Michael Rogers of the County and Province aforesaid the Just Sum of One Hundred and fifty pounds Proclamation Money to the which payment I Bind myself my Heirs Ex’ors and Administrators Jointly and Severally firmly by these presents Sealed with my Seal and Dated this 7^th Day of November 1769 –
     The Condition of the above Obligation is such that whereas the said Michael Rogers hath given a Bond for One Hundred and fifty pounds proc. to John Calvet for the Tract of Land that I now own and the said Rogers hath purchased the Same of me and if the said Calvet does Recover the said Bond of the said Rogers and proper Defence being made, then the Money to be returned to the said Rogers by me; if Not Recovered this Obligation to be Void
Signed Sealed & Delivered)
in presence of Us . . . . .  )
     Phil Jones                                                                                                           Richd. Aycock (SEALE)
     Dionissius Wright
     Joshua Sugg
     James Alford
     Aaron Rogers
Wake County                              September Term 1772
Then was the within Bond in Open Court duely proved by the Oath of Aaron Rogers a Subscribing Evidence and Ordered to be Recorded. –
                Test –
                                        John Rice. C.C.
Wake County
     The within Bond was Recorded in the Clerks Office of Wake County in Book A and pages 21 & 22 Sepr 1772
                                         John Rice. C.C.

Wake Co DB H p 1
Thomas Wootten and Tabitha his wife of Wake Co to Thomas Tulloch & Harrison Macon (no res given) 19 May 1783 800 pounds Tract or parcell of land on Crabtree Creek beginning at a red oak on a line called Caswells or Youngs line then running East 70 chanes to a white oak then S 85 chanes to a red oak then West 70 chanes to a red oak bush then North to Caswells or Youngs corner red oak 45 chanes then then along that line to the first station containing 595 acres being granted by James Acock to Thomas Wooten by deed bearing date the 5^th day of May 1771
                                      Thomas Wooten
                                      Tabitha Wooten
Wit
Bur Pope
Wm Wooten
September Term 1783 proved by Burwell Pope

Thomas Wootten's wife was Tabitha Bradford, widow of Henry Pope, and daughter of John Bradford who left his will in Halifax Co dated 1787. The witness, Burwell Pope, was Tabitha's son. The clerks copy of John Bradford's will names daughter Tabitha Crowell, but the clerk must have miscopied her married name as Crowell since she was clearly Tabitha Wootten in 1787. Tabitha's father, John Bradford, was the brother of Frances Bradford Jones and Rebecca Bradford Jones and the older half-brother of James Aycock and Richard Aycock. Shortly after this deed, Thomas Wootten and wife Tabitha Bradford also moved to Wilkes Co, GA where James Aycock and Richard Aycock were already living. Thomas Wootten was later named as one of the executors of James Aycock's will. 

This same tract originally granted to James Aycock was later in the possession of James Jones (Jr) who sold it in 1799 to Tignall Jones Sr. (Wake Co DB Q p 309) This was James Jones Jr, the deputy under Sheriff Philip Jones - the same James Jones Jr whose wife was Christian Thomas - the same James Jones Jr to whom Samuel Tate, orphan of James Tate Sr of Swift Creek, was assigned as an apprentice in 1774.  So this one tract at different times had belonged to three different related families, James Aycock, Thomas Wootten and wife Tabitha Bradford, and James Jones Jr.

There are two estate folders for Charlton Streater of Wake County. His name is spelled various ways in the records - Charlton, Chalton, Streeter, Streater, Streator, and a later deed by his son John refers to him as Charles. One folder concerns the guardian accounts for Charlton's only son, John Streater. The other folder includes a bill of complaint dated 5 December 1795 by Hardy Sanders concerning a slave named Rachel and her offspring - and the reply by the defendant, John Streater, dated 15 April 1796. Hardy Sanders does not seem to have known the name of John Streater's father or mother - or at least did not refer to them by name - but Sanders did know that John was the only child and had inherited his father's estate including several slaves. Sanders stated that John Streater's uncle and guardian was Jesse Minton, and that John's mother had married Philip Jones after the death of his (John's) father. John Streater's reply to Sanders' complaint did name his father as Charlton Streater and his mother as Mary. From these two documents, we learn that John Streater's parents were Charlton Streater and Mary Minton, sister of Jesse Minton. The widow Mary (Minton) Streater became the wife of Philip Jones after Charlton's death. Mary was still alive in 1795 when Hardy Sanders made his complaint. Sanders stated in his complaint:

"Your Orator charges that the said Philip Jones continued possessed of the said Negroe woman Slave Rachel until sundry executions against the said Philip were issued & levied (amongst other articles) on the said Negroe Slave Rachel and advertisd for Sale. Your Orator charges that on the day of Sale one Richard Aycock set up claim to the said Negro Slave Rachel as well as one Jesse Minton the Uncle or Guardian of the said John Streator who claimd the said Negro Slave in behalf of the said John in virtue of a Gift said to have been made by the mother of the said John."

Minutes of the County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, of Johnston County, North Carolina, Book 2, 1767-1777, 76.
[28 Nov 1769] Ordered that Phillip Jones be appointed Guardian to Chs. Robertson, orphan of John Robertson Dec'd who Entered into Bond with James Jones Jr. & Thomas Bridgers his Securitys in the Sum of Three hundred Pounds & that the said Philip be appointed Guardian to John Streater, who Enters into bond with David Holliman & David Reach Securitys in the sum of Two hundred fifty Pounds proc. money.

From this we know that Philip must have married Mary Minton Streater by 1769, possibly as early as 1767 when Philip Jones witnessed a deed for the sale of a tract of land from John Blanton to John Streeter, a minor.  Philip may have been acting as John Streater's  guardian or next friend.

In 1771, Philip's original security backed out and he could not find anyone else willing to be his security so he could continue as the guardian of his stepson, John Streater. Thomas Wootten, the husband of Philip's first cousin, Tabitha Bradford, was appointed as John Streator's guardian instead. Later, Philip's brother-in-law, William Speight II who had married Philip's sister, Penelope Jones, would take over as John Streater's guardian.

Wake County, NC County Court Minutes 1771-1776 Book A-1 by Haun, p 4
[June 1771]
Ordered that Philip Jones be appointed Guardian to John Streater Alphan [orphan] of Charlton Streater Decd. & that he give Secuirty agreeable to Law, which he did by giving Joseph Blak_ and James Jones Junr. securities Sum L300.

Wake County, NC County Court Minutes 1771-1776 Book A-1 by Haun, p 7
[June 1771]
Joseph Blake one of Philip Jones’s Securitys for the faithfull Discharge of the Guardianship of John Streater Orphan of Charlton Streator Decd. Came into Court & prayed that He might be released & that the sd. Jones should provide another Secur__ which he failing to do whereupon it was Ordered that Thomas Wootten Esqr. Be appd. Guardian to the sd. Orphan & that sd. Jones former Guardian deliver all the Estate of the sd. Orphan’s in his Hands to the sd. Thomas Wootte_.

Wake Co DB 2 p 167 10 Roberson Ward to Sarah Grady both of Wake April 1818 $250 Land on waters of Bartons Creek begining at a beach thence South 85 pole to a red oak thence west 240 pole to a black oak thence North 108 pole to a sweet gum in the dividing branch thence down the various courses of the sd branch to the begining 142 acres
                                                                                              Roberson Ward
Wit
J H Reavis
Thos Parham Jurat
May Term 1818 proven by Thomas Parham

This land was bought bought by Robertson Ward from Kindred Mials in 1817, Kindred's allotted part of the Norsworthy Mials land on S side Kemps Branch which was called the "dividing branch".  More about the Mials land to follow.

Wake Co WB 1, p 797
Jno Simmons Will
Weak and low in health. Son Willis Simmons 80 acres on south side of Walnut Creek beginning at the creek lowlands? line croses it and running along the line to the corner. Son William Simmons 100 aces above a branch called Simmonses Branch runing as the branch runs and from the mouth of the branch across the creek a south course. Son Solomon Simmons my plantation whereon I now live and all my land upon Walnut Creek unmentioned or ungiven only I reserve the use of the land which I give to my son Solomon. My wife until my son Solomon do arive to the age of 18 years and also my wife shall keep my children until they do arive to 18 years then I do set them all at liberty. Executor shall sell all my land lying upon richland creek to discharge my just debts. After debts paid residue of my estate unto my wife during her natural life, after her death to be equally divided among all my children. Wife executor. 17 January "one thousand and seventy"
                                                                                                                 Jno. Simmons
Wit
Jesse Minton
Adam Simmons
Johnston May Court 1770 proven by the oath of Jesse Minton and Adam Simmons

Wake Co WB 1, p 2
5th day of J[anu-]ary in the Year of Christ One thousand Seven h[undred] hundred and Seventy I Willis Simmons of the Province of North Carolina and the County of Johnston formally said now to be the County of Wake being in my Minority but above the age of Eighteen Years… sick and weak. My mother Dinah Simmons my land containing by estimation 80 acres adjaccing the land formally belonging to William Lawhon now to Captain Theophilus Hunter according to the meanders of my Deceased Father’s last Will. Cow, hogs only with the Reservation that if my Sister Mary or my sister Elizabeth or both should out live my said Mother that She my said Mother may give them or to the Survivor of them as much as my sd Mother shall think the worth of the said cow and hogs to be at this time … brother Adam Simmons, brother William.
                                                                                                Willis  +  Simmons
Wit George Renyer Turner
June Wake Inferior Court 1771 proved by George Renyer Turner

In the name of God amen. August the 22d day of One thousand seven hundred and Eighty four. I Dianah Simmons of the County of Wake and State of North Carolina being very sick and weak of Body but sound and Disposing mind and memory. Thank be to Almighty God, calling to mind the certainty of Death and the uncertainty of the time there of do make and Ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form following. Imprimis I give and Bequeath unto my son Solomon Simmons and his Heirs forever one tract of Land containing Eighty acres be the same more or Less being that part of Land Lying on the South side of Walnutt creek which was given to me by my son Willis Simmons. Item I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Mary Simmons all the Rest and Remainder of my Estate of what nature or kind soever after all my Just Debts and funeral Expenses are paid and Discharged to her and her Heirs forever. And lastly I do nominate and appoint my Daughter Mary Simmons Executrix of this my Last Will and Testament Ratifying and confirming this and Only this to be and contain my Last Will and Testament. In witnesses where of I have hereunto set my hand and seal this day and year first above written. Seal’d Signed Published
                                                                                                          her
And Declared to be the                                                           Dianah  X  Simmons
Testators Last will and                                                                       mark
Testament in Presence of
Joel Lane   Jurat
John Wrench
Mary Jones  Jurat

The will of John Rench Sr ("weak in body") was signed 19 May 1784, just 3 months prior to this deed. The court minutes of 2 Sept 1782 had referred to him as old and infirm and exempt from future poll taxes. The Rench will was proved December Term 1784 and recorded 26 Dec 1784 (Will Book 2, p 33). John Wrench Sr may have already been dead by the time Dianah Simmons wrote her will. It's not likely she would have chosen a witness who was old and infirm and might die before she did. The witness to Dianah Simmons' will was almost certainly her son-in-law, John Wrench Jr. The witness, Mary Jones, was Mary Minton Jones, sister of Jesse Minton and wife of Philip Jones. 

Just one year before Dianah Simmons wrote her will, (former sheriff) Philip Jones and his brother, James Jones (Jr), witnessed a deed to Nathaniel Jones. There was nothing in the deed to distinguish which Nathaniel Jones this was.

Wake Co DB G p 133
Richard Almond of Wake to Nathaniel Jones of Wake 24 April 1783 100 pounds specie. Land begining at a red oak running thence 90 pole N to a pine in William Weatherspuns line thence E 192 poles to a small oak thence S 109 pole to a black jack in Benjamin Blakes line thence E 52 pole to a pine in said Blakes line thence S 102 pole to a red oak thence W 192 poles to a post oak thence N along a line of marked trees to the first station 300 acres part of a tract granted to said Almond 9 August 1779
                                                                                             Richd  +  Almond
                                                                                             Betty  +  Almond
Wit
Phil Jones
Jas Jones
Decr Term 1785 proved by Philip Jones

Two years later, the same Nathaniel Jones sold part of the same tract.

Wake Co DB H p 155
Nathaniel Jones ?? of Wake Co planter to John Motley of Wake Co planter. 31 October 1785 50? pounds specie 100 accres on the drain of Gibson Creek beginning at a corner red oak on a path near a rode thence with a line North 102 poles to a pine in Blakes line thence with sd line by the corner Wt 158 poles to a stake thence So. 102 poles to Nathan Aldmons line & thence along the sd line to the begining it being a part of a tract of land granted to Rd. Aldmon by the State aforesd

                                                                                                                              his
                                                                                                             Nathaniel     J     Jones
                                                                                                                              mark
Wit
Thomas      +     Motley
Timothy Rich
Isham      X     Powel
Decr. Term 1787 proved by Timothy Rich

.                                                                             ............................................

The notation after Nathaniel Jones' name is difficult to decipher. It could be interpreted as Junr, but neither Nathaniel Jones Sr nor Nathaniel Jones Jr of Crabtree ever signed with marks. Nathaniel Jones of White Plains also never signed with a mark, and he had no son named Nathaniel Jr. There was only one other Nathaniel Jones old enough to have left this record - Nathaniel Jones b by 1753, son of James Jones Sr. He signed both his Revolutionary War pension application and his will with marks, but they were X's. However, he signed his 1781 marriage bond to Elizabeth Powell using a mark - a J.  The witnesses to the earlier 1783 deed to Nathaniel Jones for the Almond land, Philip Jones and James Jones (Jr), were also sons of James Jones Sr, therefore brothers to Nathaniel Jones b by 1753. So this was certainly Nathaniel Jones b by 1753 who probably returned to SC soon after selling his land. This notation was obviously meant to distinguish him from the other Nathaniel Jones in the county. No further records for him in Wake Co have been found. At some time after this deed he returned to SC leaving his daughters with relatives in Wake Co.

Wake County North Carolina County Court Minutes 1777-1784, Book I by Weynette Parks Haun, p 93
[2 December 1782]
A deed from John Bohannon & Elisabeth his Wife to Phillip Jones was in Open Court duly Proved by the Oath of John Rice a Witness thereto & Ordered to be Registered.

The deed itself was among the early Wake Co deeds that were lost. We can't even be sure that this concerned land. This deed could have been for a slave or livestock or furniture or any number of things. IF it concerned land, it probably included some or all of the following grant.

Issued: 11 Apr 1780   Book: 36 pg: 280   Grant no.: 675   Entered: 04 Dec 1778   Entry no.: 508
... Give and Grant unto the faid John Buchanan a Tract of Land, containing Three hundred and four Acres, lying and being in our County of Wake on the head of Brushy Branch Joining the Lines of Joel Lane Begining at a Red Oak said Lanes Corner thence North One hundred and Sixty Poles to a Black Jack thence West One hundred and forty poles to a Red Oak thence South One hundred and Twenty Poles to a Black Jack in said Lanes Line thence with said Lanes Line East Two Poles to a Black Jack thence South One hundred and forty poles to a pine thence East Two hundred and Sixty three poles to a Black Jack in said Lane Line thence with said Line North One hundred poles to a Post Oak thence to the Begining
[Archives indexed this as Bushy Branch, but the actual grant states Brushy Branch. No Brushy Branch can be found in other records, but there are records for Bushy Branch.]
 

Issued: 22 Feb 1804   Book: 118 pg: 267   Grant no.: 810   Entered: 21 Jan 1800   Entry no.: 40
State of North Carolina
Know ye that we have granted unto Solomon Simmons one hundred and six acres of Land in Wake County On Both sides of the Bushy branch, joining the lines of John Streator and others, Beginning at a Post oak on said Streators line then East forty four poles to a Spanish Oak then North forty nine poles to a red oak,  thence East one hundred and thirteeen poles to a post oak, said Simmons's corner in Lanes line, then North ninety five poles to two pines in Steators line, then West One hundred and fifty seven poles to a Stake, thence to the Beg.

From this we learn that John Streater's land adjoined the land of Solomon Simmons, brother to Elizabeth Simmons who married John Wrench Jr. This was almost certainly in the Walnut Creek area. Solomon's father's will had been witnessed by Jesse Minton, and his mother's will was witnessed by Jesse's sister, Mary (Minton) Jones, wife of Philip Jones and mother of John Streater.

When land in Wake Co was processioned in 1775, Theops. [Theophilus] Hunter's 300 acres "both sides of Walnut Creek and on Bush Branch" was processioned with William Blake present. (Wake County, North Carolina County Court Minutes 1771 thru 1776, Book A-1 by Weynette Parks Haun, p 47)

John Simmons' land was on Walnut Creek north of Swift Creek adjoining the land of Theophilus Hunter.

Hunter, Theophilus      1761, Oct. 15   Acres 529, No. 92        73-B
      On both sides of Walnut creek, beginning at a pine in Johnson Simmons line

James Pullium 1,4,-,-,-,5

John Streeter 2,-,-,-,5,7  [son of Charlton Streater and Mary Minton, stepson of Philip Jones]

Joseph Lane Senr 2,-,-,-,6,8  [his deceased wife was Sarah Bradford, sister to Frances Bradford and Rebecca Bradford]

Lewis Smith 1,-,-,-,-,1

Landmon Shorte 3,2,4,-,-,9

Levy Jones 2,1,2,-,-,5  [son of  Lewis Jones Sr and America Barnes, and grandson of James Jones Sr]

Martin Lane 1,-,4,-,5,10

Micajah Muckleroy 1,2,3,-,1,7

Nathl Jones Senr 2,-,5,-,17,24  [Crabtree Jones line]

Nathl Jones (X Road) 2,3,6,-,16,27 [AKA Nathaniel Jones of White Plains]

Paterson Pulliam 2,1,3,-,-,6

Patience Joiner -,1,4,-,5,10

Philliph Jones 1,3,4,-,-,8  [son of James Jones Sr and Frances Bradford]

Reuben Hunter Jr 1,2,2,-,1,6  [son of  Reuben Hunter Sr and Sarah  Speight who was sister of William Speight II]

Rebecah Rench 1,1,2,-,-,4 [Rebecca Bradford, widow of both Philip Jones d 1760 and John Wrench Sr, and younger sister of Frances Bradford, wife of James Jones Sr]

Rias Edwards 1,1,2,-,-,4  [Zachariah Edwards and wife Tabitha Speight, dau of William Speight II and Penelope Jones, dau of James Jones Sr]

Sion Bukingham 1,1,2,-,-,4   [yes, these three households were exactly the same]

Sion Shorte 2,-,1,-,-,3

Solomon Simmons 2,1,3,-,-,6 [son of John Simmons, brother to Elizabeth Simmons who m John Wrench Jr]

Simon Bohaney 3,1,31,-,-,5 [number of females recorded as 31, but total in household was 5, so females should probably should be 1]

Thos. Philliphs 2,3,5,-,-,10

Thos. Hudson 1,1,1,-,-,3

Wm. Lane 2,-,-,-,4,6

Wm Spights 1,2,2,10,15 [William Speight II and wife Penelope Jones, dau of James Jones Sr - owned much of the grant to Philip Jones d 1760]

Wm Brown 1,5,4,-,-,10 [had purchased Willetts, part of the land granted to Philip Jones d 1760]

Wm Utley Sr 1,-,1,7,9

Although Battle seems to have acquired this information from the journal that was kept at the time, we don't know exactly what that journal said. Again, we have second-hand information. So I kept looking.

In the 1815 division of the land of Nathaniel Jones of White Plains, his daughter Polley Palmer was assigned Lot 2. Weddings were usually held at the home of the bride, so this clearly associates Nathaniel Jones WP with the Cross Roads. So where was the Cross Roads? It was certainly where two of the early roads in Wake Co crossed. Since Nathaniel Jones was identified as "X Roads" on the 1790 census and in the 1795 estate sale for William Utley Sr, those roads must have existed at least that early. The 1816 division of several tracts belonging to Nathaniel Jones WP that were not willed to his children but were to be divided between them, included a description of "the Philip Jones tract" where Philip Jones was living at the time (WB 12, p 19 in second half of book).

“..Also one other tract, where Phillip Jones now lives Beginning at an ash Stump on Steep hill creek, William Jones’ corner running East 47 pole to a pine Henry Hunters corner thence north 160 poles to a pine Stump on the old Hillsborough road, thence along the said road to a bottom in Wesley Jones’ line, thence down the said Bottom to Steep hill creek, then down the said creek to the beginning containing 93 Acres ….”

The land that Nathaniel Jones WP left to son Wesley Jones in his will was described as:

I give and bequeath to my son Wesley Jones a part of the land whereon I now live described and founded in the following manner (to wit) Beginning in the straight Branch in John Hintons Junior line of the land he purchased of Micajah Muckleroy, thence up the said Branch its various courses to the old Hillsborough Road, thence up the said Road to David Darnells deceased line thence East to the Reedy fork of Walnut Creek thence down the various courses of the said Reedy fork to the mouth at Walnut, thence down the various courses of the said Creek to John Hintons Junior line of the land purchased of Micajah Muckleroy lying on said Walnut Creek thence South along the various courses of his line to William Hills line, thence about a South course along the various courses of the said line to the old Hillsborough Road in a sandy bottom near Steep Hill Creek, thence down the said bottom to the said Creek, thence down the various courses of the said Creek to the Road leading by Speights to Buckhorn, thence West to the line of the land I purchased of Reubin Hunter, Including said land, thence along the various courses of the line of said land to said John Hintons line, thence along his line to the beginning. Containing by estimation one thousand eight hundred acres to him his heirs and assigns forever.

There is no road on the 1871 and 1887 maps that seems to match the description of the "Old Hillsborough Road" in these early 1800's records. Since this was called the "Old" Hillsborough Road, it was probably a road established years earlier leading from Smithfield, the county seat prior to 1771, through what would later become Wake Co to Hillsborough in Orange Co - but NOT from Raleigh to Hillsborough. Raleigh did not even exist when this road was established. Joel Lane's land was not selected for the new NC capitol city of Raleigh until 1792. Prior to the mid-1790's when enough construction had been completed for the legislature to begin meeting in Raleigh, the state legislature had been meeting in various different cities including New Bern, Fayetteville, and Hillsborough. On the 1800 census, there were only 78 households listed in the city of Raleigh.  Nathaniel Jones CT (Jr) was one of them. Even as late as 1807, the city was scrambling to provide comfortable lodging for the legislators while they were in town.

The Raleigh Minerva (Raleigh, NC) 21 Oct 1805, Mon p 1
Nathaniel Jones, (Crabtree)
Informs his friends and the public, that he intends keeping a BOARDING HOUSE in the city of Raleigh, the ensuing session of Assembly.     Sep. 28.

Nathaniel Jones of Crabtree placed a similar advertisement in The Raleigh Minerva 29 Oct 1807.

This "Old Hillsborough Road" would not have passed through Raleigh because there was no city of Raleigh when that road was established. Perhaps the Old Hillsborough Road was the same as Old Tryon Road, but that seems a little too far from Steep Hill Creek, at least in the Penny's Mill area on the 1871 map. If you examine Steep Hill Creek on the 1887 map, the head branches extend up to Avents Ferry Rd and Old Tryon Rd.

The cemetery with the grave of Nathaniel Jones of White Plains is located on Tolliver Court in Cary, NC. This was probably the location of Nathaniel's land called White Plains. If you bring this location up on a modern map, you'll see that the cemetery is North of Hwy 64 just east of Lynn Branch. If you follow Lynn Branch South, you will see to the East another creek that also flows South. This creek is Speight's Branch that took its name from the first William Speight who bought quite a bit of land on Swift Creek from James Jones Sr. Lynn Creek and Speight's Branch flow into Swift Creek less than half a mile apart. So it's really not surprising that Nathaniel Jones WP was listed on the 1790 census so near the other families who are known to have lived on Swift Creek.

If you check still another 1911 map, you will get a better idea of where Steep Hill Creek, Speight's Branch, and Lynn's Branch were in relation to each other. Steep Hill Creek rises North of Old Tryon Rd just North of the location of  Macedonia Church (at that time, not now). The creek flows SE crossing Old Tryon Rd, continues SE to Penny's or Yate's Mill, and continues SE where it empties into Swift Creek. From Macedonia Church on Old Tryon Rd, Steep Hill Creek is the first creek to the east, and Speight's Branch is the first creek to the west, with Lynn's Branch just west of Speight's Branch.

When this map is compared to the map of the Philip Jones tract when the land of Nathaniel Jones WP was divided, it will help us to place where the Philip Jones tract must have been. The map of this tract was not drawn with N at the top. To get N at the top, you'll have to rotate the map to the left a quarter turn so that the "E 47 po" line is on the bottom. There is also a mistake in the map. According to the description, the land was surveyed in a counter-clockwise direction beginning at an ash stump on Steep Hill Creek at William Jones' corner. The second leg ran North 160 poles to the road, but it was mistakenly recorded as South 160 poles when the map was drawn. Steep Hill Creek runs from NW to SE. The Old Hillsboro Rd appears to run WNW to ESE and looks as if it would eventually run parallel to the creek or cross the creek farther east. Each child's division of their father's land was numbered, and Burwell Perry Jones was assigned "No. 15".

I have not been able to identify the William Jones whose land was on Steep Hill Creek adjoining the Phillip Jones tract to the South at the ash stump. This William Jones was definitely not a son of Nathaniel Jones of White Plains whose will and estate records prove his children, but I have nothing that proves if he was or was not a son of Philip Jones either. I have not found any record that names the children of Philip Jones. We know Minton Jones was obviously Philip's son because Philip's wife was Mary Minton.

The other Nathaniel Jones who was listed just before Nathaniel Jones X Roads (WP) on the 1790 census has been recorded as Nathaniel Jones Jr on the census when it was transcribed for publication, but from the original, it looked more like Senr than Junr to me. A big clue to help us determine whether this was Sr or Jr is the number of males under 16 - none in this household. Nathaniel Jones Jr had a son Kimbrough Jones who was born in 1783. If this was Nathaniel Jones Jr, there should have been a male under 16 listed in his household in 1790. So I believe this was Nathaniel Jones Sr, not Jr. Why was he listed so close to Nathaniel Jones WP? The will of Nathaniel Jones Sr proves that he had moved to another tract some time prior to writing his will in 1809. He left to wife Annah my old plantation on Crabtree Creek being the land where I formerly lived, also the land and place where I now live. So we know he was no longer living on Crabtree Creek when he wrote his will.  

Philip Jones' records often involved the family of his sister, Penelope Jones and her husband, William Speight II.

Wake Co marriage bond dated Sept 16, 1799 William Speight and Sally Birt [Burt], Phillip Jones bm   

The groom was William Speight III, son of William Speight II d by 1809 and wife Penelope Jones. The bride was the daughter of John Burt and ???. John Burt's family was very closely associated with the Jones and it's likely that his wife was a Jones. William Speight III and Sally Burt later moved to Dickson Co, TN where James Jones Jr and wife Christian Thomas had moved, as did some of the sons of Isaac Hunter Sr (tavern).

The deed no longer exists, so we have no way to determine if this deed was for land, a slave, livestock, or furniture. This was William Speight II whose wife was Penelope Jones, sister to Philip Jones.

In 1786, Philip Jones purchased three items at Christopher Woodward's estate sale: 1 steer, 1 rifle gun, 1 goard of fatt  Christopher Woodward was closely associated with the Jones. It's possible his last wife was a Jones, but there is no proof.

On the 1790 Wake Co census, "Philliph" Jones was listed 2 households from Rebecah Rench (his aunt, Rebecca Bradford, widow of both Phllip Jones d 1760 and John Wrench Sr), so he must have been living in the Swift Creek area. His household consisted of 1m 16+, 3m <16, 4f.

1800 Wake Co census (recopied in alphabetical order, so neighbors can't be determined)
Phillip Jones  1m 10-15, 1m 16-25, 1m 45+, 1f <10, 3f 16-25, 1f 45+

Wake Co Will Book 9 p 323
The Accompt of the Sale of William Speight Deceased June the 9^th 1809
[buyers included] Penelope Jones, Minton Jones, Phillip Jones, Nat Jones MC [son of Lewis Jones Sr], Penelope Speight [the widow Penelope Jones], and others
[signed by]
Mat McCullers
James Speight

My will is that the following Tracts or parcels of land be equally divided among my Wife and Sons and Daughters and their Heirs and assigns forever, as near as may be agreeable to the quality of the land the County Court of Wake to appoint two Justices and three respectable Freeholders to make the Division, to wit, fifty acres of land where Philip Jones lives on Steep Hill Creek, ..... [additional tracts described]

Wake Co Wills, 1815-1816, Vol. 12 p 19 (in back half of book) Nathaniel Jones Division Land. On p 21 is No. 15, the land assigned to Buwell P Jones which included a tract labeled “Phillip Jones Tract 93 acres”. A plat map is included. On p 26, 27 is a description of this tract. “...Also one other tract, where Phillip Jones now lives Beginning at an ash Stump on Steep hill creek, William Jones’ corner running East 47 pole to a pine Henry Hunters corner thence north 160 poles to a pine Stump on the old Hillsborough road, thence along the said road to a bottom in Wesley Jones’ line, thence down the said Bottom to Steep hill creek, then down the said creek to the beginning containing 93 Acres ….” This division was dated 15 April 1816.

Wake Co DB 1 p 142
Burwell P Jones to Minton Jones both of Wake Co. 10 January 1817 $186 Tract beginning at an ash stump on Steep Hill Creek William Jones’ corner runing East 47 pole to a pine Henry Hunters corner thence North 160 pole to a pine stump in the old Hillborough Road thence along said Road to a Bottom in Wesley Jones’ line thence down the said Bottom to Steep Hill Creek thence down the said creek to the beginning containing 93 acres more or less.
                                                                                                                 Burwell P Jones
Wit
B. S King (Jurat)
Richard Jones
February Term 1817 proven by Benjamin S King

Philip Jones was alive in 1809 when he purchased at the estate sale of William Speight II. He was still alive in 1816 when the land of Nathaniel Jones WP was divided. It's very possible Philip was still living on the land when Minton bought the tract from Burwell Perry Jones. No records for Philip Jones have been found after this. The Wake Co censuses for 1810 and 1820 were lost.

We know from the Charlton Streater estate file that Philip Jones' wife was Mary Minton Streater, sister of Jesse Minton, widow of Charlton Streater, and mother of John Streater. Minton Jones was no doubt a son of Philip Jones and Mary Minton. The witness, Richard Jones, was Philip's younger brother. Minton Jones appeared in the records in May 1809 when he purchased at the Elijah Thomas estate sale. In June of 1809, Philip Jones, Minton Jones, and Nat Jones MC (son of Lewis Jones Sr) purchased at the William Speight II estate sale.The widow of William Speight II was Penelope Jones Speight, sister to Philip Jones and Lewis Jones Sr. 

The "Philip Jones tract" cannot be positively identified in the earlier deeds to Nathaniel Jones of White Plains. Land that was obviously nearby had previously belonged to John Streater, Philip Jones' stepson. John Streater apparently ran into some financial problems about 1799/1800 and sold off tract after tract of his land. John Streater's wife at that time was Mildred Powell, daughter of Dempsey Powell and sister of Elizabeth Powell who had decided not to marry Nathaniel Jones of SC and married Robert Temple instead. John Streater made several deeds to Dempsey Powell (Jr) and Benton Powell, Mildred's brothers. On 28 January 1799, John Streater sold 5 adjoining tracts totaling 1300 acres to Nathaniel Jones of White Plains. (Wake Co DB G p 422) One of those tracts was described as:

land begining at the sd Nathaniel Jones's line on the first branch below sd Streaters Mill path that leads to the main road leading from Hillsborough to New bern thence E 276 poles to a pine thence S 180 poles to a pine formerly Theophilus Hunter's Sen corner thence with sd Hunters line W 240 poles to a pine thence S 20 poles to a pine on sd road thence up sd road to sd Nathaniel Jones's corner in the first bottom that makes out of Steep Hill Creek above where Benjamin Proctor formerly lived thence along sd Jones's line to the begining containing 300 acres. 

In spite of selling tract after tract, John Streater died insolvent in 1806.

The 1810 and 1820 Wake Co censuses were lost, but in 1830, Minton Jones was age 30-39. In 1840 he was age 40-49, in 1850 age 60 (residing in the jail), in 1860 age 75. His wife's name was Clair or Clarey in 1829, but he may have had an earlier wife.

Cumberland Co DB 40 p 231
Minton Jones and wife Clary Jones of Wake Co to John Adams of Cumberland. 12 March 1829. $75 100 acres on N side of Black River. Beginning where the Spring branch & Long branch cometh together from thence up the Spring branch to the back line to a stake thence W on the said line to the long branch to a take thence down the various courses of the said branch to the beginning on a stake.
                                                                                                         Minton  X  Jones
                                                                                                         Clary    X   Jones
Wit
Green Adams
Greenberry Franklin
3 April 1829 acknowledged by Minton Jones & Clair his wife.

Minton still owned a different tract of land on Steep Hill Creek in 1849, actually more than the previous 93 acres, but he lost it to back taxes.

The Weekly Standard (Raleigh, North Carolina) 4 Apr 1849, Wed page 3
Notice
On the third Monday in May next, I will sell for cash at the Court House door, in the City of Raleigh, the following Tracts of Land, or so much thereof as will pay the taxes due for the year 1847 and other years, as follows, and all expenses on the sale, to-wit :
197 acres Minton Jones Steep Hill
Willie Pope
Late Sheriff of Wake County
April 1^st, 1849

Wake Co DB 5 p 525
Willis Franklin to Hinton Franklin 1 Sept 1832 $225 Beginning at an ash stump on Steep Hill Creek William Jones’ corner runing 47 pole to a pine Henry Hunters corner then N 160 pole to a pine stump on the old Hillsborough Road then along the said road to a bottom in Wesley Jone’s line thence down the said bottom to Steep Hill Creek thence down the said Creek to the beginning containing 93 acres as per plat on record of Nathaniel Jone’s land more or less
                                                                                                                Willis  X  Franklin
Wit
Joshua Rogers
Archibald Ad--?
Abel Mainor
August Term 1837 acknowledged

Willis Franklin had also purchased another tract - possibly adjoining the 93 acre tract - from Wesley Jones.

Wake Co DB 7 p 196
Wesley Jones to Willis Franklin 21 July 1826 $161 Land begining at a pine stump on the road leading from Raleigh to Haywood thence north 11 poles to a pine thence west 66 poles to a pine thence No 15 poles to the head of a small branch thence down the various courses of said branch to Steep hill branch thence down said branch to the aforesaid Raleigh & Haywood road thence along said road to the first station 43 acres
                                                                                             Wesley Jones
Wit
Alfred Jones
August Sessions 1826 acknowledged

Only 8 years later, the same 93 acre tract plus another adjoining 15 acre tract were in the possession of Paschal B Burt. Minton Jones owned another adjoining tract. I could not find the 1839 deed from any Franklin to Burt - and no deed by Hinton Franklin deeding the land back to Willis Franklin.

Wake Co DB 14 p 61
Paschal B Burt to James Edwards 1 January 1840 $200 2 tracts. One: Begining at an ash stump on Steep hill creek William Jone's corner and runing thence East 47 poles to a pine Henry Hunters corner thence North 160 poles to a pine stump on the old Hillsborough road thence along said road to a bottom in Wesley Jone's line thence down the said bottom to Steep hill creek thence down the said creek to the begining containing 93 acres more or less. Other tract: on Steep Hill Creek adjoining Minton Jones containing 15 acres more or less is being a tract bought by P B Burt of Willis Franklin 5 March 1839. There being in all 108 acres more or less.
                                                                                                         Pas B Burt
                                                                                                         acknd
Wit
Jas. H. Murray
February term 1840 acknowledged

Without a deed, we don't know if Willis Franklin bought the tract directly from Minton Jones or not. We also don't know exactly when the transfer occurred, but it was long before the 1849 newspaper notice. Willis Franklin and Burwell Franklin were brothers as proven by the 1838 will of William Franklin who referred to Hinton Franklin as his cousin. William Franklin was a son of Burwell Franklin whose estate file includes an 1835 petition by Burwell's widow, Mary (Jones) Franklin, naming Burwell's children as Greenbury, Henry, Albert, William, Mary Jane, Calvin, Lucinda, and Grizzy Ann, the last 4 infants. Hinton was not named and was obviously a son of Willis Franklin. Both Burwell Franklin and Willis Franklin married Jones girls, probably cousins. Martha "Patsy" Jones was born in SC, one of the daughters of Nathaniel Jones b by 1753. The father of Mary "Polly" Jones hasn't been proven, but she was almost certainly another descendant of James Jones Sr. 

Wake Co marriage bonds
Willis X Franklin and Patsy Jones 16 Apr 1806 bm Levi Jones, wit S Turner
Burwell Franklin and Polly Jones 22 Dec 1807 bm Simon Pearson, wit W Hill

In 1830, Burwell Franklin was 50-59 and his wife was 40-49. In 1840, Mary Franklin age 50-59 was listed immediately before Green B Franklin, age 30-39. I could not find Mary/Polly Franklin on the 1850 census. According to her censuses, Mary was born in the 1780's, perhaps the late 1780's. If she was 20 when she married in 1807, she would have been born in 1787. Many girls married at the age of 15 or 16, but that would put her birth date in the 1790's which wouldn't agree with her censuses. If Mary married at the age of 18, she would have been born in 1789, within the 1780's time frame indicated by her censuses. Burwell Franklin's estate file included a petition by Mary Franklin dated May term 1835 that named Burwell's children as Greenbury, Henry, Albert, William, Mary Jane, Calvin, Lucinda, and Grizzy Ann, the 4 last infants. Burwell and Mary Franklin's son, Greenberry Franklin, had witnessed  the 1829 deed when Minton and Clary Jones sold Clary's land in Cumberland Co. 

Wills, Inventories, Settlements, 1834-1837, Vol. 23 p 381
Amount of Sale of the Estate of Burwell Franklin decd May 12, 1835
Buyers included Albert Franklin, James Speight, H Hill, William Franklin, Mary Franklin, Clinton Jones, Martin Jones, Jane Franklin, Henry Franklin, A Franklin, Green Franklin, Hinton Franklin   [not signed]

Burwell Franklin not only lived near James Speight, in 1825 he bought a tract of land from James Speight that adjoined other land that Willis Franklin already owned at that time. James Speight was the youngest son of William Speight II and Penelope Jones.

The year before Burwell Franklin's marriage to Mary "Polly" Jones, Burwell sold a tract of land to Levi Jones, son of Lewis Jones Sr and America Barnes. Levi was of age by 1785 when he bought land on Swift Creek from John Wrench Jr, probably married about the same time, and later acquired more tracts of land on Swift Creek. Lemuel Jones appeared on a number of records involving proven members of Levi's family and was probably Levi's oldest son although there is no record that actually names Lemuel as a son of Levi Jones.

Wake Co DB U p 443
Burwell Franklin to Levi Jones both of Wake 29 Sept 1806 $140 Land on N side Swift Creek & on Speights Mill Branch Beginning at a stake on the said branch running thence near an E course 160 poles to a black gum thence N 140 poles to said Mill Branch thence down the various courses of the said branch to the beginning containing by estimation 70 acres.
                                                                                           Burwell  X  Franklin
Wit
Wm Hill (Jurat)
Lemuel Jones
August term 1808 proven by William Hill

1850 Wake Co, Western Division
W Franklin 75 farmer  [Willis Franklin]
P Franklin 70  [Martha "Patsy" Franklin - no birthplace recorded]

1860 Wake Co, Southern Division
Joseph Franklin 24
Sarah 21

next household

Isilla Franklin (f) 34  tenant
Rufus 17
Samantha 13
Louis 11 (m)
Emeline 5
Matilda 3
Joseph Wetherspoon 48  blacksmith

next household

Hinton Franklin 49 b NC
Delia 43 b NC
Samuel Nines?/News? 13
Henry Harris 14 (mulatto)

next household

Willis Franklin 83 b NC
Martha 80 b SC
Martha Stephens 21

Martha Stephens was actually listed twice on the 1860 census. She was also listed as Martha Stephens age 21 b NC in the home of Anderson Stephens age 55 and wife Louisa age 47 who were also living in the Southern Division. The Wake Co marriage bond for Anderson Stevens and Louisa Franklin was dated 11 Jan 1832, bondsman Henry Franklin.

The estate folder for Hinton Franklin contains a petition by widow Delia Franklin for her dower land to be surveyed, labeled Feb term 1866. The heirs of Hinton Franklin were listed as Anderson Stephens & wife Louisa Stephens, Matilda Mayner & William Mayner her husband, Gatty Stevens & James Stephens, Rufus Franklin, Symantha Franklin, Emeline Franklin, Matilda Franklin. Her husband was in possession of 200 acres adjoining Wesly Jones, Quinton Adams & others. Hinton had acquired more land than just the 93 acres once referred to as the "Philip Jones tract" that Willis had deeded to him. On 13 October 1866, Delia's third of her husband's land - 66 2/3 acres - was surveyed for her:

Beginning at a post oak running N 20?/22? pole thence N10E 30 pole to a small drean on Steephill down sd drean 12?/120? pole to a black gum thence S 48 pole to a rock near the Aveant Road thence with said Road 23 pole to a stake & pointers thence N?57W 95 pole to the begining containing 66 2/3 acres  

The remainder of Willis Franklin's land, less the widow's dower land, was sold at public auction by Isaac H Rogers, administrator, to William G Upchurch on 16 Sept 1866. (Wake Co DB 32 p 797). That land was described as

land known as Franklins in Swift Creek District beginning at a small black jack and pointers in H Stephens NW corner in Noble's line thence with said Noble's line W1E 106 poles to a small hickory in G B Franklins line thence S88E 8 1/2 poles to a stake said Franklin's SE corner thence N1E 62 poles to pointers thence N10E 38 poles to a stake in a drain of Steep Hill Creek then Eastwardly down the various courses of the drain about 107 poles to a stake formerly a black gum Judge D G Fowle's corner thence S 1 1/2W 45 1/3 poles to a rock on the Avent Ferry Road thence along the same S76W 23 1/2 poles to a stake formerly a lightwood stump on the South side of the road thence S about 2W 174 poles to a stake the aforesaid Hinton Stephens NE corner thence with his line West 97 poles to the beginning containing according to measurement 120 acres, the same being part of the land of which the said Hinton Franklin died seized and possessed.                                     

G B (Greenberry) Franklin was a son of Burwell Franklin, so again we can see that the Burwell Franklin land adjoined the Willis Franklin land. 

When you put all these descriptions of the land together, we can see exactly where the "Philip Jones tract", later the home of Willis Franklin and Hinton Franklin, was located. The Streater deed to Nathaniel Jones referred to the road from Hillsborough to New Bern. That would have been the Old Tryon Road. (No doubt named for Gov Tryon and Tryon's Palace in New Bern. Hillsborough and New Bern had both served as capitol cities prior to Raleigh.) The Franklin records refer to a rock near Avent's Ferry Road. Add to that the reference to a drain of Steep Hill Creek. We can see "Franklin's" labeled on the 1887 Shaffer map of Wake Co. On the 1871 Bevers map of Wake Co, Franklin's is again labeled where Avent's Ferry Road and Old Tryon road intersect at the head of Steep Hill Creek. G Franklin (Greenberry) is labeled just west of that. The D H Stephenson land west of the Franklin tracts had once been part of the Speight land.

Wake Co marriage bond
James Speight and Mary Atkins  6 July 1816 bm Minton –x- Jones 

In James Speight's estate file were two pages concerning expenses that James Speight had covered for Minton Jones, along with another page listing blacksmith work that Minton had done for James Speight. (Images on the Speight page linked above) Minton seems to have had a liking for brandy, and James Speight provided him with quite a bit. Minton lost one judgement after another, and James Speight paid them off. The account ran from 1820 to 1825. Minton's expenses that James Speight had covered came to $264.50 1/2. The blacksmith work that Minton had done for Speight came to $21.10 - not even a tenth of what he owed. There were no more entries after 1825. Apparently James Speight had run out of patience and refused to cover any more of Minton's debts. There is also no indication that Minton tried to pay back what he owed. We do know from these accounts that Minton was married by March 11, 1822 because of an entry for a quart of brandy "by wife". 

Weekly Raleigh Register (Raleigh, North Carolina) 31 Jan 1840, Fri page 4
$10 Reward
Left my house and employ, my son Kimbrough Jones, on the 9^th of January. He is near 18 years of age, but poorly grown, has dark sandy hair, one eye injured by a hook from a Cow. He wore away a Box-coat made of Kentucky Janes. All persons are warned against harboring or employing said boy, as I will enforce the law against any such offender. I will give the above reward for his confinement in any Jail, or delivering him to me in Raleigh.
                                                                                    Minton Jones
January 25, 1840.

Semi-Weekly Standard (Raleigh, North Carolina) 12 Aug 1854 page 3
Notice. – I herepy [sic] notify all persons from harboring employing, or trading with my wife, Louisa Gouge, as she has left my bed and board without any provocation whatever, as I am determined not to be accountable for any of her debts, contracts or behavior in any way whatever. She left the 13^th day of June last ; when last heard from she was in Fayetteville, N. C., living with Sidney M. Jones, a son of Minton Jones, of this County. I understand that they are living as man and wife, in Cambleton, near the steamboat wharf. I hope this will prevent all well meaning, respectable people from being imposed upon by any such worthless people.    Duncan Gouge
Raleigh, N. C. July 9^th, 1854.
The Carolinian will copy 3 times and forward account to this office.

These two sons of Minton Jones eventually turned up in Alabama, but it's clear from their censuses that they had both spent some time in SC. Descendants are listing their names as Kimbrough Theophilus Jones and Sidney Minton Jones. The records I have seen only support Kimbrough T Jones and Sidney M Jones. When I hear the name Theophilus, I think of Theophilus Hunter who owned land on Walnut Creek near Minton Jones. 

About 1843, Kimbrough was at the home of his great-uncle Nathaniel Jones in Kershaw District, SC where he seems to have fathered a child born in 1844 to Nathaniel's wife, Rebecca Wheat. 

1850 The District, Richland, SC
Kimbrough Jones 30 b NC overseer
Elizabeth Jones 18 b SC
Frances Jones 7 (no birthplace given)
Bradford Jones 4 (no birthplace given)

The mother of these children is unknown. Surely Elizabeth didn't marry at the young age of 11. Did Elizabeth lie about her age on all of these censuses, or was Kimbrough previously married? It's also interesting that the birth of Kimbrough's oldest child Frances b ca 1843-44 would have occurred at the same time that Rebecca Wheat Jones gave birth to the son that Nathaniel Jones claimed as his own son in his will even though it was obvious that son must have been fathered by Kimbrough Theophilus Jones. Nathaniel's will made no provision for a daughter, but Frances's birth coincides perfectly.Elizabeth Jones on the 1850 census was probably too young to be the mother of Bradford Jones b ca 1846-47 too. Nathaniel Jones wrote his will on 14 Jan 1846 and was dead by 18 May 1846. 

"...I desire that all my Estate Wether real or personal may after my decease, be inherited by my son Nathaniel Jones and his issue forever, and in case he should die without issue, I desire that the same may be inherited by the Heirs of my Nephew Richard Jones Saving and preserving however to my wife Rebeca Jones a joint Estate in the same during the term of her natural life Provided and on Condition that she shall not encourage or permit the Continuance of K. T. Jones about her or on the premises above mentioned ..."

I couldn't help but wonder if Rebecca Wheat Jones was also the mother of Frances Jones and Bradford Jones. It sounds like K T Jones was still "hanging around" in 1846 and Nathaniel Jones was trying to find a way to force Rebecca to send him away if she wanted to keep a roof over her head. Did she have to give up two more children too? I guess we'll never know for sure.

In 1850, Rebecca Wheat Jones was still living in Kershaw District with her son Nathaniel Jones and Sarah Wheat, possibly her mother.

1850 Kershaw District SC
Sarah Wheat 80 b SC
Reba Jones 44 b SC 
Nathan Jones 6 b SC

1860 Southern Division, Macon, AL
K T Jones 35 farmer b NC
Mrs Eliza Jones 28 b SC
Francis Jones 16 b SC (f)
Bradford Jones 13 b SC
John Jones 7 b AL
Henrietta Jones 5 b AL
Preston Jones 1 1/2? b AL

1870 Union Springs, Bullock Co, AL
Kimbrough Jones 48 b NC farmer
Elizabeth 38 b SC
Francis Cody 25 b SC
Elizabeth  4 b AL [Cody]
Henryetta  14 b AL [Jones]
Preston  11 b AL [Jones]
Kimbrough Junior 2 b AL [Jones]
Obidiah Jones 10 Black farm laborer
Isham Cody 8 Black farm laborer

I was surprised to see the name Bradford used for one of Kimbrough's sons. How had the name Bradford come down through so many generations? Frances Bradford was the great-grandmother of Kimbrough Jones. He was born LONG after Frances Bradford Jones died and would never have even known her. Had the name Bradford Jones been used earlier in Kimbrough's family, and he named his son for another Bradford Jones? That's very possible. There's no doubt there had been an earlier Bradford Jones who lived in Wake Co. He was listed on the 1814 Muster Rolls Index, Second Regiment for Wake Co. He was not listed on the 1790 or 1800 censuses, perhaps because he was still young and living with his parents. The 1810 and 1820 Wake censuses were lost, and I have not been able to find him from 1830 on. If he was a young man in 1814, he was probably born in the 1780's or early 1790's and could easily have been Minton Jones' brother. It would not be at all surprising if Philip Jones had named one of his sons Bradford for his mother, Frances Bradford. So it is very possible that Kimbrough T Jones named a son for this earlier Bradford Jones.

In 1850, Minton Jones, age 60, was enumerated in the Wake Co jail. (In 1860 he was age 75.) Minton's wife Clary was not listed on the 1850 census, but a Sidney Jones age 17 and a Minton Jones age 18 were both listed in different parts of the county. At first I thought Sidney Minton Jones had been recorded twice, but these seem to be two different young men.

1850 Wake Co, Cross Roads District
Caron Jones (f) 45 b NC  (no real estate)
Tempy Jones 20 b NC
Minton Jones 18 b NC farmer
Battle Jones 13 b NC

1850 Wake Co Western Division
John H Bryan Junr 24 farmer b NC $1100 (value of real estate)
Sidney Jones 17 b NC (no occupation recorded)

John H Bryan and Sidney Jones were listed immediately after

Clinton Jones 48 miller b NC (no real estate)
Sally 37

The children of Caron Jones can be traced. All three of them moved into the Wake Forest District by 1870.

Minton Jones's son, Sydney Minton Jones, also spent a few years in SC, then moved on to AL. He named one of his sons for his brother Kimbrough.

1860 Southern Division, Macon Co, AL
S M Jones 27 overseer b NC
Mrs Hattie G 26?/24? b SC
Victoria 4 b SC
Octavia 2 b AL

1870 Union Springs, Bullock Co, AL
Sydney Jones 37 farmer b NC
Hariet 25 b SC
Helen 14 b SC
Octavia 11 b AL
Lulu 9 b AL
Mary 7 b AL
Josephine 5 b AL
Kimbrough 3 b AL
Sydney 6/12 b AL  b Dec
 

The 1846 will of Nathaniel Jones of Kershaw District, SC - whose Revolutionary War pension application indicated he was born in Wake Co by 1753 and had a brother still living there who can be proven as Richard Jones Sr - included the following provision:

The typed transcript of this will at SC Archives recorded the name as K L Jones, but the clerk's copy of the will in the will book clearly recorded his name as K T Jones. Both are copies and subject to copying errors. I don't believe the original will still exists. There is no doubt that the typed transcript was transcribed from the clerk's copy rather than the original. At the bottom of the first page of the clerk's copy, the clerk wrote "my son" and started to write the name Nathaniel, then realized there wasn't enough room. He wrote "Na", then marked through it and wrote "Nathaniel" on the next page. The typed transcript says "my son no Nathaniel Jones" which makes no sense if you haven't seen the clerk's copy. If the typed transcript at Archives was taken from the clerk's copy, then the clerk's copy is more reliable, and the name should have been transcribed in the typed transcript as K T Jones, not K L Jones. 

In 1860, Minton Jones was living in Covington Co, AL.

Daniel H Loveless 52 b SC
Helen 35 b NC
James M 25 b SC
Minton Jones 75 invalid b NC
Helen Johnson 12 b NC

It's very likely - but not absolutely provable without additional records - that Helen was a daughter of Minton Jones. Helen and her husband were buried in the same cemetery with "Sid Minton Jones"  - Oak Hill Cemetery in Union Springs, Bullock Co, AL. In addition, we have the following records that indicate a probable connection. No 1850 census record for Helen Johnson or Johnson marriage record has been found. 

1850 Macon, Alabama, District 21
Daniel Loveless 38 b SC
Helena 22 b NC
Elizabeth 18 b SC
Malacai 15 b SC
George 14 b SC
Sophia 12 b SC
Maria 7 b SC
Catherine Cockrift? 15 b SC

Helen was too young to be the mother of any of these children except perhaps Maria.  

1880 Shelby Co, TX Precinct 2
Daniel Loveless 71 b SC, SC, SC
Hellon J 55 wife b NC, NC, NC

Wake Co marriage bond
Bruinton Passmore and Helen Jones 23 Mar 1846, bm Willis  X  Franklin [Brewington Passmore] 

There are also marriage bonds for Brewington Passmore and McCuley Cole 31 Mar 1829 and for Brewington Passmore and Sarah W Lynch 16 Feb 1859.  Brewington was NOT the son of William Passmore whose will was written in 1799 and proven in 1813 as is sometimes claimed. Brewington was the son of a different William Passmore whose will was written and proven in 1816. I could not find his will in the will books, but the original is in his estate file.

Will of William Pastmore of Wake Co 
Wife Susanah Pastmore dwelling plantation during her wife or widowhood. Son Bennet Pastmore smoothboard gun. At death or marriage of wife Susanah Pastmore, land and plantation and all the other property loaned to her to be sold and money equally divided between all my children namely Bennet Pastmore, Brewington Pastmore, William Pastmore and Elizabeth Pastmore. Should my wife be delivered of another child within 9 months from date of this will, child shall have an equal part. Augustus B Turner executor. 29 July 1816
                                                                       William Passmore
Wit
James Wood    Jurat
Lewis Jones    Jurat
Henry Harvell
Wake County August Term 1816 proven by James Wood and Lewis Jones

There was another child born named Moody Passmore. The guardian records for these children continue for many years. Lewis Jones Sr (son of James Jones Sr) died in 1814, so the witness must have been his son, Lewis Jones Jr. The same Lewis Jones (Jr) was one of the bondsmen several times for the guardian of these minor children.

It's possible that the intended marriage between "Bruinton" Passmore and Helen Jones never took place - or the couple separated/divorced - IF Helen Loveless on the 1860 census with Minton Jones was Helen Jones. The bondsman for that marriage bond is worthy of note too. Willis Franklin had married Martha "Patsy" Jones who was born in SC, so she was one of the children of Nathaniel Jones of Kershaw Co, SC. The same Willis Franklin was later in possession of "the Philip Jones tract" that Minton Jones had bought from Burwell Perry Jones. 

No genealogical research that you find online or published in books has any value at all if it does not include the records or at least citations to the records to prove it. Without records for proof, it's just so much worthless viral gossip that should never be trusted. This is where a lot of so-called "research" falls short, especially many of the families posted to Ancestry with no REAL records to support them. Please don't fall for this garbage! I don't care how many times you see something posted, if there are no records to support it and it all traces back to the same original undocumented or erroneous claim, it's ALL garbage. The vast majority of what I have provided above is original research, and I have tried to provide the necessary records or at least citations to the records to back up everything. There are no marriage records or wills or deeds that prove the marriages of James Jones to Frances Bradford and Philip Jones to Rebecca Bradford. There are no estate records or deeds or court minutes to prove the children of James Jones Sr. Establishing this family required a "preponderance of the evidence" effort - and establishing that "preponderance" required an enormous number of records. Yes, all those records I have included are boring and tedious - but they're absolutely necessary. All these records have to be considered in their entirity to understand how the Jones and Bradfords and Aycocks and Huckabees and Hunters and Speights and Burts and other families all related to each other. In studying the Jones' Indian trade business on the Appomattox and Nottoway and Roanoke Rivers, I was amazed to discover a possible Woodward connection that might have gone back to the late 1600's.

The SC records for Nathaniel Jones b 1753 were researched and posted on Ancestry by William Roy Jones III, the descendant whose Y-DNA matches William Jones d 1712 Surry Co, VA. His records have been tremendously helpful. I wish more people on Ancestry would document their work as well as he has. (Jones/Casne Family Tree) I have shared many of the Wake Co records that I had with him to make him aware of the Jones line that he descends from. It was because of the Y-DNA results and records that he made available that I realized there had to be a connection back to James Jones Sr and worked from there to find the rest of the family. Without the records for Nathaniel Jones of SC, I don't know if the family of James Jones Sr could have ever been proven. 

You will not be able to find a compilation of these records concerning the family of James Jones Sr published elsewhere, so it's suggested that you print this out and save it. I cannot guarantee that this webpage won't disappear in the future. These Rootsweb pages have already been taken down once before.

Please be kind enough to give credit if you share this work. I have spent over 20 years searching out these records and putting all these puzzle pieces together. Please don't copy and paste it and claim it as your own work.

First uploaded by Frances Cullom Morgan 2018. I descend through Lewis Jones Sr and America Barnes.   owl_    lady_   nc  @   yahoo.com    (remove spaces)