CRAVEN COUNTY, NC - Wills - BRYAN FAMILY COLLECTION.
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This file was contributed by:
Martha Marble <mmarble@erols.com> Nov 1999
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BRYAN FAMILY CRAVEN COUNTY, NC WILLS
Abstracted, with notes, by Martha Mewborn Marble and Sue Guptill for the
Bryan Research Group.
THESE WILLS ARE FOUND IN THE INDIVIDUAL FOLDERS AT THE NC ARCHIVES,
RALEIGH, NC. A NUMBER OF THESE WILLS ARE IN REALLY BAD SHAPE, FADED, TORN,
HAVE HOLES ETC. IF THERE IS NO DATE OF WHEN THE WILL WAS WRITTEN, I SIMPLY
COULD NOT READ IT, OR IT WAS TORN. SUE DOUBLE CHECKED SOME OF THE WILLS AND
COMPARED WITH ESTATE AND COURT RECORDS WHERE SOME OF THE WILL DOCUMENTS ARE
NOT READABLE; THEREFORE, THIS FOLDER CONTAINS SOME NOTES THAT CLARIFY SOME
OF THESE WILLS. IT IS THE INTENTION OF THE BRYAN RESEARCH GROUP TO
EVENTUALLY TRY AND RESORT THE FIRST 4 GENERATIONS OF THIS COMPLEX FAMILY,
BUT THAT WILL BE IN THE FUTURE. THE RESEARCHER IS CAUTIONED NOT TO TRY AND
PROVE THE CRAVEN COUNTY FAMILIES WITHOUT CONSULTING BOTH THE BERTIE AND
JONES COUNTY RECORDS.
1. ANN CADY BRYAN - 1761 - torn right where names are - brothers JOHN
COUNCIL BRYAN, WILLIAM JOHN BRYAN - half a lot in New Bern adj THOS
SITGRAVES, nephew THOMAS SITGRAVES - a lot in New Bern, sister SALLY - last
name torn - a plantation - rest divided between mother and sisters - not
named - there may have been another sister listed - something to be sold
lying on Core Creek to pay for funeral
2. ANN (X) BRYAN - proved Dec Court 1769 - widow; son JOHN BRYAN 6 Negroes
viz Will ?, Jack, Frank, Jim, Luash ?, London - cattle, sheep, horses,
hoggs; daughter MARY CASTELO - best feather bed, furniture 1 pound 6
shillings and 8 pence to buy a ring; son JOHN BRYAN in trust to his
children Negros Dinah and Moll; when grandson EDWARD son of my son JOHN
BRYAN arrives at age 21 he gets Negroes divided between him and the other
children of JOHN; daughter PENELOPE LANE in trust for her children Negroes
Frankey, Sylla - torn; son JOHN and daughter PENELOPE rest of estate. Son
JOHN and trusted friend WILLIAM BRYAN, execu - 24 Oct 1760 (sic) wit WM
BRYAN, LEWIS BRYAN
3. FREDERICK BRYAN - also in Will Book
2 March 1816 - this will is badly faded in places - wife Negroes
Virgil, Suck, Bill and Diane; beloved wife MASA - land, stock, corn, meat
etc; beloved brother JOHNSON BRYAN all lands; sister MOLSEY BRYAN, Negro;
brother JOHN M. BRYAN - Negro. Exec THOS S. GOODING and JOHNSTON BRYAN -
WIT ELIZABETH ? RHEM, JOSEPH RHEM
4. EDWARD BRYAN
torn right down the middle - 1762 - loving mother ANN - Negroes Jack, Frank
and others not readable; loving cousins ? EDWARD BRYAN, JOHN HILL BRYAN (
JOHN HILL could be the son of his brother JOHN but this area torn) - 1
Negro man and one woman; EDWARD not 21; a sister ? PENELOPE LANE -
Negroes - can't read the names; brother JOHN and mother ANN execu - WIT
JOSEPH MARTIN and 2 more - can't read
From Sue..
Edward Bryan (1762) This is how I read this: ... give to my loving
[torn] Edward Bryan [torn] John Hill Bryan sons of my brother John Bryan
one Negro man named [torn] one Negro woman named nansey, one Negro boy
named Tom one Negro girl named Loll, they & their increase to be divided
when Edward reaches 21. ...give to my [torn] Penelope Lane one Negro
[torn] named Febee one Negro [torn] named [torn] to her & her children if
the [torn and faded]. Also give to my sister Penelope Lane [torn and
faded] that are at my plantation... then goes on to say if Penelope has
no children, shares go to John's children.
5. GEORGE BRYAN SR
2 December 1811 - son FREDERICK BRYAN all my lands NWS Old Mill Branch, all
lands purchased of MOSES TAYLOR and 100 acs on Flat Swamp; son GEORGE BRYAN
- land on SW side of Mill Branch and 100 acs - can't read; sons JOHN BRYAN
and JOHNSON BRYAN land on ES of Nuce - land that fell to me by death of my
brother JOSEPH this land opposite the ferry; son JOHN 100 acs, NS Nuce
below WILLIAM JONES and CHARLES JONES; grandson FREDERICK BRYAN - 2
Negroes; daughter SARAH HOLLOWAY $10.00; daughter NANCY CLIFTON $10.00;
heirs of SARAH HOLLOWAY - 2 Negroes Phillis and Sidney; rest of estate to
be divided between FREDERICK, GEORGE, JOHN, JOHNSON and my daughter MOLSEY
BRYAN and the heirs of NANCY CLIFTON, her oldest son FREDERICK CLIFTON;
son to be execu - WIT ABRAHAM TAYLOR, ? HUMPHREY
6. GEORGE BRYAN
1849 - didn't do, but no heirs
7. HARDY BRYAN
1760 - this will also torn and cut in places - (This heir not readable)-
---my son THOMAS now lives; 100 ----acres to be divided ------NS Ash
branch to said -----; son THOMAS Negro man David, woman Juicy; son WILLIAM
- 225 acs which I bought of brother LEWIS adj FREDERICK ISLER also 200 acs
bought of FREDERICK JONES on SS Trent River, Negro Cain; plantation where I
live to be divided between HARDY and after death or remarriage of his
mother ----that half to my son NATHAN ---torn and missing something - if
son NATHAN should die without heirs -----; I give land to ____torn ; sons
HARDY and NATHAN not 21 ---; son LEWIS lot in New Bern one of 2 front lots
, LEWIS not 21; there appears to be another son - not readable; son ISAAC
who gets other lot at 21; daughter MARY a lot in New Bern; wife SARAH
Negroes; children to divide rest of the estate WIT JAMES REED, SHADRACK
ALLEN, MATTHEW (X) ARTHUR
From Sue
Hardy Bryan (1760) [This is Hardy, Sr.]: Specifies 6 children under 21:
William, Hardy, Nathan, Isaac, Lewis, Mary, and 1 child, Thomas, over 21.
8. HARDY BRYAN
Folder says 1791 but there is a note on it that it could be 1781 - son
THOMAS, son EDMUT (not 21); daughter ALICE; ? wife SARAH; sons JAMES HARDY
BRYAN, WILLIAM HATCH BRYAN, ASA ? and EDMUND; could also be a LEWIS -
Will badly faded and almost not readable and this was all I could get from
it. The archives might be willing to put this under ultra violet light to
bring it out.
From Sue
Hardy Bryan (1781 or 1791) [This is Hardy, Jr.] Looks like both Thomas and
Edmund in this will are under 21.
These are the notes I made later:
Will (date not clear) in Craven Co. Lists children. Thomas & Edmund not of
age in will. Will proven in 1781 term of CraCo court.
CraCo court record, Mar 1792, names Asa Bryan, age 19, bound out to Thomas
Oliver. That would make Asa born 1773, meaning this Hardy would have had to
die after 1771.
Estate record (CraCo)1772. Second estate record 1785. Stated son William
bound out to James McDowell. Petition to end guardianship by William Bryan,
Esq.
(It's possible that there is an unaccounted for Hardy Bryan because of the
date discrepancy betw. the estates and the will, and son Asa's age. I think
that the correct date for this will is 1781. The 1772 estate record is not
this Hardy.)
9. HARDY BONNER BRYAN - also in Will Books
September 10 1790 - wife MARY BRYAN; brother GREEN Bryan my land and
plantation after death of my wife; sister Hollon Martin Negro man Tom; rest
to my wife Mary; Exec father WILLIAM BRYAN and wife Mary WIT FREDERICK
LANE, WILLIAM JONES June Court 1790 again this will is torn and faded -
this is also in Will book A and I have filled in from that source
10. ISAAC BRYAN
Also in Will book but different
9 February 1794 - beloved wife RACHEL everything that was hers before
marriage - all estates, Negro Black George, pigs, etc; son LEVISTON : one
young mare and one bed; son HARDY - horses, bed, furniture; son
CHRISTOPHER - teaspoons, bed and furniture; son SEARS ? teaspoons, bed and
furniture; saw mill on Moseley Creek and land to be sold to pay debts and
then remainder to be divided between sons LEWIS COX BRYAN who is not 21 and
son HARDY. Execu - brother LEWIS BRYAN, brother in law WILLIAM COX and son
LEWIS COX BRYAN - WIT Wm BRYAN, CHARLES SAUNDERS, JOSEPH CARTER ?
Version in Will Book p 309 -
9 Feb 1794 - Beloved wife Rachel - everything that was hers before
marriage? - Negro man Black George, pigs, sows etc - son LEWIS COX BRYAN
one young mare, feather bed and furniture; son HARDY BRYAN - horse, feather
bed and furniture; son CHRISTOPHER BRYAN - 5 teaspoons, feather bed
furnuture; sons SEARS - 5 tablespoons, grist and sawmill on Moseley's Creek
- children do not appear to be of age EXEC - brother LEWIS BRYAN,
brother in law William Cox and son LEWIS COX BRYAN of Lawful age. WIT
Joseph Carter, WILLIAM G. ? BRYAN, Charles Sanders
June Term 1802
What happened to the son Leviston? Think we are going to have to go with
the original
NOTE: Elizabeth Bryan Pugh gave over 600 acs to Lewis Cox Bryan in trust
in 1801, but he is found in the Pitt Co Deeds a couple of years before
that. Stated he was of Craven Co.
10. JAMES BRYAN
This will was not probated - 23 August 1794 - of the town of New Bern -
dear beloved mother ELIZABETH during her natural life - Negroes Sam,
Clifton, Sarah, Lucy, Africia and as also the use of my land on Adams Creek
for the same time; dear beloved brother JOHN land on Fuonage ? pr Turnagum
Bay with Negro Adam; dear beloved brother WILLIAM all my lands on the Sand
Hills and Negro Betty and her two children Ben and Jenny and Negro boy
Clifton; dea beloved brother LEWIS after mother's death land on Adams
Creek with Negro boys Jack and Gabe; dear sister ANN JASPER one Negro Sam
after my mother's decease; dear sister ELIZABETH BRYAN Negro Sarah after
mother's decease; Godson JAMES BRYAN, Negroes Jasper of Africia and Lucy;
desire that my executor immediately after my death cause to be got a proper
charge and cost of my estate and presented to Miss SALLY EATON DAVIS 2
suits of clothes and mourning ring, as a token of the particular veneration
and esteem I bear for her; and the residue of my property I give and
bequeath unto my dear mother forever Exec - dear and trusty friend
Major JOHN DAVIS of New Bern WIT Joseph Oliver and Susannah Oliver
NOTE: This is also hard to read but I really don't think there was a wife.
Additional document in the file which is a Codicil dated 9 or 5 September
1800 - JAMES was going to Philadelphia. He may not have died since the
will was not probated. If he did die he wanted WILLIAM BRYAN, SAMUEL
OLIVER and JAMES CARNEY to sell my part of land on Adams Creek which I hold
in rights as heir to my dec brothers JOSEPH and LEWIS; also the rights of
said land I bought of my brother JOHN; also land I hold on Sand Hill
between 900 and 1000 acs; also land on Pearces Creek and MY PART of land in
Hyde Co. Debts to be paid and divided between my wife and son JOHN BRYAN
and to pay for his education, if he lives. This document dated 5 September
1800.
NOTE: It appears he wrote this will before he married and then changed it
after the birth of his son and before he went to Philadelphia. Carteret
County deeds need to be checked to see when the land on Adams Creek was
sold. Also Hyde County - I assume this James was the son of John below
with land in Hyde Co.
From Sue:
We've established this now with the documents from the John Herritage Bryan
collection and review of estate records in Hyde Co.
From Sue:
This James is the son of John Bryan & Elizabeth Oliver, brother of my
William W. Bryan. He married Rachel Herritage, and is the father of John
Herritage Bryan,. He was the Register [of deeds] for Craven Co.
NOTE: The below are from the Court Records to help clarify
March term, 1806
Monday, 10th
Ordered that administration on the personal estate of James Bryan decd. be
granted to Rachel Bryan upon her entering into bond of £10,000 with William
H. Bryan and William Bryan brother of the deceased securities.
Ordered that Rachel Bryan administrix of James Bryan decd. have leave to
sell the perishable estate of her intestate.
Ordered that Rachel Bryan widow of James Bryan decd. be appointed guardian
to her infant children John Bryan, Elizabeth Bryan, and James Bryan the
children of the said James D. Bryan decd. upon her entering into bond for
each in the sum of £3000 with William H. Bryan and William Bryan brother of
said decd. as sureties.
[These were 1 right after the other at the end of the day].
Tuesday, 11th [First entry for the day]
Will Bryan vs. the children of Jas. Bryan by their Guardian W.H. Bryan.
Disputed will: Jury find that the papers produced are not nor is either of
them the will of James Bryan.
[Later, same day]:
A poll was opened for election of Register of the County. [This was
obviously necessitated by the death of James Bryan].
So, this means that the will that Martha found was probably, as she
surmises, written before James married; by the time he wrote the addition,
he had married and had had his son John. Several of the brothers mentioned
in the original will were dead by this time--notice he mentions Lewis in
the first part, and says he inherited property from him in the addition.
Probably the reason that the will was never probated is that this is what
was found NOT to be his will in the challenge.
My question is, who is William H. Bryan? How did he get to be called the
guardian of the children on Tuesday morning, when Rachel was named guardian
on Mon. afternoon? Other references (for other things) refer to "William
Hatch Bryan"; I assume this is the same person. William the brother of
James is of course my William W. Bryan. William can't be another son of
James's, since John (still a minor) was the oldest child.
I now know that the William H. Bryan mentioned here is William Hatch Bryan,
son of Hardy Bryan, Jr., and brother-in-law of Rachel Herritage.
Sue:
Elizabeth Moore states that Sally Eaton Daves mentioned in the will md
Morgan Jones, merchant of Philadelphia and New and died when she was about
23 years of age.
James md Rachel Herritage 14 September 1797 and they had children John
Herritage Bryan b 4 November 1798, James West Bryan 7 November 1805 and
Elizabeth Herritage Bryan d 18 June 1811
James Bryan (1794 and 1800) Refers to money left to Sally Eaton Davis
to buy mourning clothes and a mourning ring. Martha says this is hard to
read, but she doesn't think there's a wife. She's definitely right.
11. JOHN BRYAN
1 May 1763 - wife SARAH rest of hogs and cattle - some hogs and cattle to
be sold to pay debts and Negro Nimrod hired out; son NEEDHAM not 21 gets
Negro Nimrod; each child a hefer; sons NEEDHAM and SIMON land I bought of
JOHN FRANK - 300 acs; execu WILLIAM BRYAN and wife WIT FREDERICK ISLER,
FREC BECTON, and someone else whose name I can't read.
NOTE: In original notes I have I also had a daughter Prudence, but this
will is torn and I don't remember if I got the information from the Will
Books or the folders.
12. JOHN BRYAN
1781 - sons JAMES and WILLIAM, land in Hyde County; daughter MARY ( can't
read a lot of this; son LEWIS - land on Goose Creek; son JOSEPH land on
Adams Creek; daughter ANN - 40 acs at Fook ? Neck and 300 acs at Bay
River, Negro Comfort; daughter ELIZABETH - land - can't read probably on
Goose Creek; wife ELIZABETH - Negro and use of land on Adams Creek WIT
THOS SHINE ?, SIDNEY CUSPIN, JOSEPH CUSPIN
NOTE: There is a note in here that this JOHN was called COL. JOHN BRYAN
13. JOHN BRYAN - also in Will Books
26 March 1796 - brother LEWIS all my land, Negroes, sheep, hogs, horses,
etc. also my debts LEWIS is also exec WIT can't read one name, MARY (X)
BRYAN, JOHN (X) can't read last name - could be GRIMES
June Term 1796
14. JOHN COUNCIL BRYAN - also in Will book
11 February 1806 - wife MARY - house and lot where I now live, Negroes
David and Nancy which she purchased with her own money, $160 which I
borrowed from her; son HARDY - SS Trent - 250 acs adj SPAIGHT, LEECH and
LANE and $100; son THOMAS - land where he now lives called Chelsea - 350
acs and $100; daughters ANN MARIE BRYAN - 2 lots on NS Pollock Street and
1/7 of the estate plus 110 acs adj WEST, SMITH and MAHON and $1000;
grandchildren BETSY and MARIA TISDALE half a lot occupied by their father;
rest of estate divided by wife and children, BETSY, ANN, REBECCA, SALLY,
ALICE, and MARY BRYAN. The minor children's estate to be held in trust.
Exec wife WIT - FRANCES HAWKS, MARY LANDY ?
NOTE: The estate records, when done are going to give us more information
on this estate
From Sue
John Council Bryan (1806) List of children includes Ann Rebecca.
There's no comma between these 2 names, so I think it's the same person.
Other children in the list clearly have commas separating the names.
15. JOSEPH BRYAN
1770 - wife SARAH - 100 acs NS Swift Creek, Miery Branch; son GEORGE
land in core which I bought of George Nsingar ??; son JOSEPH land on Nuce;
son JOHN - torn but on a Creek and he might have brought this land from
Johnston; son WILLIAM - land on Maule Run probably where he lived (torn);
wife Negroes Nan, Dossey, Sellah; 7 children GEORGE, JOSEPH, JOHN, MARY,
SARAH,WILLIAM, ANN as they come of age EXEC loving brother (in law ?)
BRYAN, READING BLOUNT, JOHN MAULE and my (torn) JOSEPH BRYAN WIT MARY
WORSLEY, JAMES CLARK
NOTE: Some of the names of the executors came from the back
16. LEWIS BRYAN - also in Will Book C p 96
1815 - faded and mostly not readable - land on Swift Creek - think a son
JOHN - illegimate son PATRICK MAUL son of SALLY JOHNSON all my land NS Nuce
known as Ephraim's Quarter; daughter CLARISSA daughter of SALLY JOHNSTON;
all children were children of SALLY - appears to have had a number of
Negroes
NOTE: A better list of names can be found in the estate records. The one
word clearly visible in the will is the word illegimate. It appears these
children went by the Bryan name
Did not have time to read this in the will books but it did include 2 lots
in New Bern
From Sue
Lewis Bryan (1815) This will lists 4 children, John, Patrick Maul,
Clarissa, and Joseph. As Martha says, the will is faded, but the one thing
that stands out is that each of these children is listed separately as "my
illegitmate son (or daughter), the child of Sally Johnson." This is not
just one reference, but repeated ones. There are no wife or other children
listed. This will was written in 1814 and probated in 1815. The interesting
thing is that Lewis's wife, Sarah, sued for her dower rights after his
death, and there's a marriage bond for Lewis Bryan and Sally Johnston from
1803. Now, a marriage bond doesn't necessarily mean that a marriage took
place, and the lack of one doesn't mean that mean a marriage didn't take
place, but this is a confusing picture. From this will, it certainly
doesn't look like Lewis had a wife or legitimate children. This Lewis was
the son of Joseph Bryan and Sarah Maul. I'm wondering if it's possible that
he m. Sally Johnson AFTER the children were born, and that that would still
make them illegitimate. Nowadays, a child can be "legitimized" by a
petition that states that the biological parents have now married. The
birth certificate is then amended to look like they were m. at the time of
the birth. In the days before birth certificates, I'm not sure what
happened. At any rate, it appears that they were clearly accepted by
Lewis's family, based on a court petition in the estate record where
Lewis's sisters protested the appointment of Samuel Street as their
guardian. I also wonder what Samuel Street had to do with anything. I don't
think he was related to the Bryans, but I wonder if he was related to Sally
Johnson. Maybe there was "bad blood" between the families? Is there another
novel in this?
17. NEEDHAM BRYAN - also in Will Book
28 October 1798 - of Bay River - wife BETTY; son JOHN and unborn child;
plantation to be divided between son John and unborn child at wife's
decease Exec - wife Betty and Thomas W. York - SIGNED BY MARK
March Term 1798
18. SARAH BRYAN - also in Will book
30 July 1796 - completely faded - daughter not readable; daughter
ELIZABETH GRIST - one bed, furniture; granddaughter SARAH GRIMES; grandson
CHRISTOPHER DAWSON; daughters MARY and JANE; sons GEORGE, WILLIAM - rest
not readable I think daughter MARY was the exec
Will Book B - p 12 - daughter MARY - Negroes Dozey, Moses, Cesar
Daughter SARAH - Negros Will, Ellech, Cillar, Ester, Arg, Will
Daughter ELIZABETH GRIST - feather bed, furniture
Grandson CHRISTOPHER DAWSON - Negros Peggy and grandson EDWARD DAWSON to
get Peggy's first child and 2nd child to grandson JOHN BRYAN DAWSON and 3rd
child to LEVI DAWSON
Granddaughter SARAH GRIMES - Negro Moll
Sons GEORGE, WILLIAM, EDWARD, LEWIS and daughters ANN GRIMES and GENNET
DAWSON - 1 shilling sterling eac
Rest of estate to be divided between daughter MARY BRYAN and SARAH BRYAN
Exec - son LEWIS and daughter MARY
30 July 1796 - Court Sept 1796
19. THOMAS BRYAN
1760 - no further date - also faded and torn - someone, probably wife gets
hogs, tools, horses, etc etc; three children, SARAH; ANN; and UNBORN CHILD
- Negro Lucy, land on NS Ash Branch 170 acs - wife RACHEL exec
loving brother WILLIAM BRYAN and wife and JNO LAVENDER WIT SARAH BRYAN,
HARDY BRYAN, WILLIAM WHITE
20. WILLIAM BRYAN
1771 - wife ANN - one third of moveable estate and use of my plantation
till my mother's death and then to be rented to pay for education of
children; mother (not named) daughters ASENA, ANNA, CHARLOTTE, SALLY, MARY
to get land at the head of the creek to divide; son ASA under 21 - Kitts
Neck - exec JOHN and JESSE BRYAN and THOMAS DELMARE WIT MARY BIGGS
21. WILLIAM BRYAN
NOTE: This is a combination of reading the original and the one in the Will
Books - neither of which are very readable
January 1791 - wife ELEANOR - all Negroes, cattle, horses, 30 head of
cattle, one yoke of oxen and cart, sheep, hogs, RIDING CHAIR (NOTE: this
indicates a well off person), household furniture, house, plantation -
wife probably also received the land, but the description is not readable
adj JOHN GOODING, LEECH - 200 acs - this land appears to have been granted
to Leech - best I can tell this land was on Core Creek - land bought of
FREDERICK LUNS ? (probably LANE), land on Batchelor Creek; wife to be
guardian to daughters ELEANOR and MARGARET; wife gets corn mill; executors
to sell land on Batchelors Creek to pay debts and use labor of Negros to
pay ebts; son HARDY (Dec) ;
NOTE: In the will book it states that Hardy received the land on Cumberland
River
daughters ELEANOR, MARGARET, son GREEN - land on ES Core Creek adj to land
I gave by deed to son HARDY, dec also land near Cumberland River; daughter
MARY - all land in 5 surveys all land on Core Creek - FO RICHARD WALLIS ,
some land adj GEORGE BRYAN, 160 acs adj WALLESE ? land; and the part
granted to FREDERICK LANE and myself; daughter SUSANNAH - house and lot in
New Bern and other land near New Bern - tract of marshland containing about
70 acres; daughter HOLLAND MARTIN - negro man Tomt, Marcas, Rachel, Lucy;
and daughter SARAH GREENE ; rest of estate to Eleanor and Margaret
including house where I dwell - if either dies without heirs then to son
Greene; I desire a good horse, saddle and briddle be bought for daughters
Mary and Susannah and they get a feather bed; daughter ELIZABETH - can't
read her last name looks like Lawe - looking glasses and Negro York?; to
daughter POLLY a large bowl; if a law is passed to free slaves then mine
are to be freed; there is a long list of slaves which I can't read; I give
to daughter SARAH - can't read her last name but it looks like GRAVES -
negro man Josh; daughter ANN wife of John Allen - she has already gotten
hers
EXEC brother LEWIS BRYAN, son-in-law THOMAS A. GREEN, and FREDERICK
LANE WIT Jold Bryan, Isaac Bryan
CODIAL - son in law JEREMIAH MARTIN and his wife my daughter HOLLON ANN
100 acs of land formerly given to my daughter MARY WIT ISAAC BRYAN -
very long and hard to read - may be more children - everything else I
bequeath to ???, most of the children not 21.
March Term 1791
From Sue:
William Bryan (1791) This is the one Martha said she needed to recheck.
These are the children listed: Hardy (decd.), Green, Hollan Ann Mastin,
Mary, Sarah Green, Margaret, Eleanor, Elizabeth, and Susannah. Date of the
will is not readable, but might be 1790. (From back of will). Jeremiah
Mastin and Thomas Green are listed as sons-in-law. Susannah, Margaret, and
Eleanor are under 21. In a codicil dated Jan., 1791, Mary's share is given
to Hollan Ann, which might mean Mary had died, although it didn't say this.
This was a very large estate, with land on Core Creek and Batchelor's
Creek, as well as the Cumberland River. As far as I can find, there is no
Cumberland River in NC. My husband & I think it's in TN, which might mean
this is a Rev. Service grant.
10. WILLIAM BRYAN
- 1746 - wife Ann, children William, Elizabeth, Lewis, John, Ann, Jesse -
brother Joseph
NOTE; This was in my original notes, but I don't have any notes for it
from the trip - did I miss it - need to double check
**This is a Secretary of State will. I did look at it. Here it is:
Written: 12 Dec. 1746
Probated: June 1747
Heirs: Dearly beloved wife Anne one third part of Negroes, 1/3 of all the
rest of moveable estate and use of the plantation I now dwell on for
natural life.
Six Children: William, Elizabeth, Lewis, John, Anne, Jess, remainder of
estate divided equally.
To William 125 acres of land the plantation I now dwell on.
John 125 acres the 1/2 of the tract I now swell on known as Kits Neck
beginning at the gut which the cart bridge is over & running up to the head
line
Lewis 100 acres on head of Smith1s Creek which I bought of Gunston Allen
known as Holley Neck.
Jesse land lying upon the head of Goose1s Creek joining Cahoon1s SAvannah
which I had of John Bryan.
Executors: Wife Anne, brother Joseph, son William.
>
>
WILLIAM BRYAN - Also in Will Book - p 31
11. WILLIAM BRYAN of New Bern- 15 July 1811 - - wife ELIZABETH - lot and
house where I now live in New Bern, Negroes a long list hard to read; if
wife remarried estate to be sold and divided among my brothers - brothers,
Asa, JAMES H., and EDMUND - wife was Exec. His middle name appears to be
HATCH when it went to Court.
12. Will of JOHN GATLIN - 1766 - wife MARY, sons THOMAS, EDWARD, JAMES,
HARDY who received 300 acres on Parmeto Swamp known by name of Hart's
Island - WIT JOSEPH BRYAN, SCARBOROUGH TANKARD, JOHN (X) TOBERTSON,
daughter MARY HARRIS
WAS THERE a Bryan intermarriage here?
WILL BOOKS
WILL BOOK A
p 23 - HARDY BONNER BRYAN - look in original Wills
p 242 - William Bryan - see original (wife Eleanor)
p 309 - Isaac Bryan - wife Rachel - see original wills
p 332 - Will of Eunice Hallings of New Bern - husband Solomon - children of
Elizabeth and Thomas W. Kelly - brother Thomas W. Pearson - if children die
before they have heirs estate to be divided between JAMES BRYAN, Pearson
Sheetrt and Mary Shute - 5 March 1795 - March Term 1795
NOTE - See estate records for James Bryan
p 183 - Will of James Greene - sons Farnifold, William, and John;
grandchildren Elizabeth and Mary Daly, grandaughters Lydia and Porter ?
Greene; wife Leah; son Joseph; grandson GREEN BRYAN, daughter Hannah Hall
- no date Court Dec Term 1788
BOOK B -
p 6 - John Bryan - see Original
p 12 - Sarah Bryan - see original
41 - Needham Bryan - see original
p 268 - John Council Bryan - see original
p 327 - HARDY BRYAN
12 November 1808 - wife Dorcas - one child's part where I now live to
include the mill; son JOHN COUNCIL BRYAN who gets remainder' 1/2 lot on
first ? street the other half brother THOMAS owns
Exec wife and Nathan Tisdale WIT ELIZA BRYAN, Nathan Tisdale
BOOK C
p 2 - Will of Frederick Harget - 18 June 1804 - sons William, John, Abner,
Daniel dec, Frederick dec
grandson Daniel son of Daniel
Grandson Alfred son of Daniel
land in Tenn to be sold
daughter Philipene Brooks ?
daughter Susannah Westbrook
children of daughter BETSY Bryan dec - not named
March Term 1810
p 31 - will of William - wife Elizabeth - see original
p 96 - will of Lewis with children on other side of bedsheets- see original
-
p 342 - Will of William Dudley - 3 March 1821 - among others - a daughter
MARY BRYAN - negro Londo and his wife Hannah EXEC - LEWIS BRYAN
WIT Lewis Bryan
p 344 - WILL of Mary Harris - 20 March 1820 - nephew - JOHN M. BRYAN - all
estate including 15 Negroes - EXEC JOHN M. BRYAN
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