John HUDSPETH and Mary VAUGHN - North Carolina - 1700's JOHN HUDSPETH & MARY (VAUGHN/VAUGHAN) HUDSPETH ID 240 & 241 rin 35 & 36

PARENTS: John - Ralph HUDSPETH (II) & Catherine Mary - I don't know.

BIRTHS: John - About 1740 - Probably in North Carolina. His father was in Edgecombe Co. Jan 1, 1745. Maybe Amelia Co., VA (per a query). Mary - I don't know.

MARRIAGE: 14 Sep 1771, Rowan Co., NC - Bondsman, John DOYLE; Witness, Thomas FROHOCK. D.A.R. Patriots Index #505664 suggests that there may have been a prior marriage.

DEATHS: John - Between 2 Jun & Nov 1780. Mary - After 11 Nov 1789. She's shown as a widow in a deed.

CHILDREN: John Ralph Lucy David Catherine John may have been a son from a prior marriage. He was the only child who did not inherit land in John's will.

1772 John, Chas., Jno. & Joseph HUDSPETH are listed as taxables in Rowan Co (now Iredell, formed 1788) NC. [Wm. Sharp's List of Taxables] I don't know if they owned land.

1774 John HUDSPETH, Charles PERSIAN, & negro Quamner listed in Surry Co., NC tax list. 3 Polls. Next door were his father Ralph and Airs (his brother or nephew?) Source: The Journal of Surry County Gen. Assn. Vol 3, #4.

LAND: Most of the northern part of North Carolina was in the Granville Proprietary, and titles to vacant land were granted only by Granville agents from 1744 to 1763. When Lord Granville died in England in 1763 his land offices closed and never reopened. No new titles were issued until 1778, when North Carolina land offices were opened and the state started issuing land grants. Titles were acquired by purchase from prior owner. Vacant land was occupied on "squatter" basis. The following deeds are all in Surry Co., NC (formed 1770 from Rowan): 14 May 1776 - DB A/220,221 - John HUDSPETH to Ralph HUDSPETH, Sern. 50 pds 250 ac E side Yadkin River, head Reed Ck; part Granville Gr to John HOWARD; from Howard to Elijah SKIDMORE; from Skidmore to HUDSPETH. S/John HUDSPETH. Witnesses Giles X HUDSPETH & Richard X Blalock. Ralph's 1777 will bequeathed the land to his son David on the death or marriage of his mother Catharine. David sold the 250 acres for 150 pounds to George HUDSPETH, Sr. 22 Nov 1793. DB F, p 124. George, Sr. sold the 250 acres for 150 pounds to Airs HUDSPETH, Jr. 7 Mar 1796. DB F, p 287. Airs, Jr. sold 300 acres (this land + 50 more) for 200 pounds to Peter MOCK 15 Feb 1797. DB F, p 364

25 Aug 1778 - State Grant #637 to David HUDSPETH, 640 acres on ridgepath from John HUDSPETH to Henry WAGGONER, joining John HUDSPETH's entry. I don't find that this grant was recorded; but John's will says it was entered to his brother David and was in David's hands. This 640 acres to be divided between daughters Lucy & Catharine

20 Sep 1779 - DB A/284 - NC Grant #524, 12 Aug 1778, " 640 acres of land lying on both sides of the South fork of Deep Creek, joining his own Entry of Land and including the improvement that Frederick LONG now lives on." This 640 acres was willed to son Ralph

20 Sep 1779 - DB A/285,6 - NC Grant #48, 10 Mar 1778, "600 acres of land lying on both sides of the South fork of Deep Creek, being the land he now lives on, joining the West of Airs HUDSPETH's claim and South of Frederick LONG's claim, East of Christian WEATHERMAN's claim." This 600 acres was willed to wife Mary during her widowhood and then to son David. This 600 acres was lost for debt by the executors of estate for debt, and was bought by David HUDSPETH for 20 pounds, 11 shillings, 8 pence on 11 Nov 1789. DB E p 147.

9 Dec 1779 - NC Grant was issued to John, but I don't find it recorded. "200 acres on the North fork of Deep Creek adjoining Airs HUDSPETH & himself." This 200 acres was willed to daughters Lucy & Catharine

[John's will disposes of 2080 acres. The 1782 Surry Co tax list shows Mary as having 2440 acres.]

11 Jun 1776 - John was co-executor, along with mother Catharine & brother George, for father Ralph's will (probate 11 Nov 1777). He was bequeathed a 1/8th interest from the sale of stock, household furnishings, and slaves on the death or remarriage of mother Catharine. Catharine survived him; being listed on the 1782 Surry Co. Tax List as holding 333 acres, 7 slaves, & 4 horses.

10 Aug 1779 - John was appointed Sheriff & Tax Collector of Surry Co. The bond for sheriff was 5,000 pounds and for tax collector 100,000 pounds pledged by John HUDSPETH, William MEREDITH, Joseph WILLIAMS, Joseph PHILIPS, John (X)BLALOCK, Giles(X) HUDSPETH, David HUDSPETH, William HUDSPETH, John WILLIAMS, Robert LANIER & Robert WINSTON. [Copies of these documents in my files.]

1779 John is listed as a Tax Collector in the Journal of Surry County Genealogical Assn., Vol. 4 #1.

Additional documents in my files show other appointments during this time period: 13 Aug 1777 Richard GOODE, Sheriff. Bond 1,000 pounds. 10 Feb 1778 Richard GOODE, County Treasurer, to receive taxes from the different collectors & taxgatherers, to account for such sums and pay them to the treasurers of the State. Bond 3,000 pounds. 10 Feb 1778 Joseph WINSTON, Entry Taker, to pay to State treasurer all such money as shall come into his hands. Bond 8,000 pounds. 11 Nov 1779 William MEREDITH. Trustee, account for such sums of money which he shall receive from the different sheriffs or public tax-gatherers for County taxes and other County money. Bond 2,000 pounds; 19 Feb 1780, Joseph PHILIPS, Matthew BROOKS, & Richard VARNALL, Commissioners, to take into possession and sell the estates of all such persons who have been inimical to the United States according to an Act of Assembly to carry into effect an act for confiscating the property of all such persons. And to account for all monies arising from said person's estate which shall come into his hands and to pay the same to the Treasurer of the District and do every other act and thing necessary to be done in executing the trust reposed in him. Bonds for each 300,000 pounds. 12 May 1780 Matthew MOORE, Sheriff. Posted 5,000 pound bond on 16 Aug 1780;

May 1779 John HUDSPETH Obtained an order of Surry County Court declaring Jane/June/Jean SCOTT and all her children to be liberated. In Mar 1789 she was served notice that her prior owner, Abraham CRESON, was seeking to have the liberation cancelled. By Sep 1789 she and all her children had been sold by CRESON and some of them had been delivered by the sheriff to Wm. T. LEWIS. Sep 1789 Superior Court reversed the 1779 judgment. 9 Nov 1789 - Her deposition was admitted to Superior Court, reading in part, "...from the earliest of her attaining to knowledge she understood nothing else but that she was born a slave for life and knew her mother to be such...", "...she believes their is a God, that she never in justice has a right to freedom nor never wished nor intended to strive for such a thing..." [I'm not sure this is attributed to the correct John HUDSPETH. I don't have anything on the 1779 court procedure.]

5 Jul 1779 Witnessed will of John HALCOME (HOLCOMB).

Between June 2 & November 1780 - John died. He was murdered; tradition is that he was murdered by Tories.

The will of John HUDSPETH Signed 2 June 1780 Surry Co. NC Probate Nov 1780 Will Book 1/142 Inventory May 1781 File 16-A Settlement 5 Aug 1794 File 170-A [A copy of the will and the inventory at ANCESTOR\HUDJ-WIL]

1782 - Surry Co NC Tax List - Mary HUDSPETH is listed as holding 2440 acres of improved land on Deep Creek, 3 horses & 8 cattle. Valuation 636 pounds. Her property is adjacent to Carter & Aires HUDSPETH, Thomas WOOLDRIDGE & William BLALOCK Junr.

1784-1787 - NC State Census - Mary HUDSPETH is listed as Head of Household. 3 males under 21 & 3 females.

11 Nov 1789 - DB E/147 - Richard GOODE, Esq., late Sheriff, to David HUDSPETH (land lost by Executors of estate of John HUDSPETH, deceased to satisfy Jacob RIGOR), 20 pounds, 11 shillings, 8 pence for 600 acres and all estate rights, etc. of said Executors and all rights of Mary HUDSPETH, widow and relict of John HUDSPETH, deceased.

1790 - Federal Census - Mary HUDSPITH is listed as Head of Household with 1 male under 16 in Salisbury District, Surry Co., NC. (Source: National Archives Publications Microcopy 637, Roll 7, pages 510-524)

1790 Surry Co. NC Tax List - Mary HUDSPETH is not listed.

22 Jun 1992 Prepared by LaVere Peters 1992/94 Edited


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