Bute County 1767-1779

Discoveries in the Minutes of Court Pleas and Quarter Sessions

Each generation back into the family tree doubles our number of direct ancestors. So, during this time period I should have 64 people to find. I haven't found them all but I have discovered several. 

Last week I started reading this index page by page. I have only made it through half of the index but have found the following entries. I started about half way through the index because of match on Ancestry.com. I need to start at the beginning to complete the list.

• Stephen Gupton and Ann acknowledge a deed to John Hoof - 9 Nov 1774
• A deed from Mark Bennett to Stephen Gupton; witness James Gupton 9 Nov 1774
• Charles Allen executor of John Timms - account of sale  9 Nov 1774
• David Vinson deed to Martha Graves - 15 Feb 1775
• Members of grand jury - 10 May 1775; Benjamin Westry. 12 May 1775; Benjamin Wester
• Stephen Gupton witness to Last Will and Testament of Benjamin Cooper 12 Feb 1777
• A deed from Ephraim Gillam to John Leonard 12 Feb 1777
• Oath in said state Captain Charles Allen 14 May 1777
• Arthur Murphy acknowledge deed to James Murphy 12 Nov 1777
• A deed from William Walker to James Murphy 12 Nov 1777
• The Last Will and Testament of Daniel Pegrem; witness John Rodwell 12 Nov 1777
• Stephen Gupton appointed constable 12 Feb 1778
• Christopher Strother acknowledge deed to James Murphy 11 Nov 1778
• Isham Grant acknowledged deed to Stephen Gupton 9 Feb 1779
• Stephen Gupton acknowledged deed to Isham Grant 9 Feb 1779
• James Coppedege vs Benjamin Wester - found for the plaintiff and assess damages to one penny and cost 13 May 1779
• James Huckaby vs Thomas House - trespass assault and battery - defendant not guilty.
• Charles Allen acknowledge deed to James Ransom.

A community note of importance:

     Deed from Jacob Bass to the Baptist Society of Sandy Creek. witness David Walker 8 Nov 1774

Why are these entries important? Each one tells more of their story and proves residence and the index also gives another source to explore. 

The community members lives intersect over and over as they prepare for war and during the American Revolutionary War. 

I am looking forward to reading more of this index to see what else I can discover. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Pattie

Recent Discoveries

Discoveries Close to Home

Yesterday I visited the Franklin County, Virginia Historical Museum and bought a new Hildebrand or Settlers Map. While I was there I purchased a bundle of Franklin County's "Yesterday and Today" publications. When I got home and looked through them I found pictures of some of the Hunts and Allmans.

 I have framed the map and will create an ancestor wall in the family room downstairs. I recently started redoing the area and I am thinking that it would be a great place to display family pictures over the ages, as well as other items.

This led to today's discoveries. I started digging into boxes and found lots of pictures that Gary had put into a box. Portraits of grandparents, parents, and others were in that box. 

I am suppose to be cleaning the house for Cathy's family to visit this weekend but really got sidetracked! Does that happen to any of you?? 

While I was looking around I discovered that Gary had also bought some publications from the historical society. I was doing a happy dance when I discovered two books; Abstracts of the Eighteenth Century Deed Books Franklin County Virginia - volumes I, II, III, covering 1786 - 1799. 

In addition to these two books were several booklets published by the Franklin County Bicentennial Commission. 

I know that there are more of these books around the house somewhere. I remember looking at them years ago. When I moved, I boxed them up, now I have to find them again. As hard as it will be to put it on the back burner, I have to go back to cleaning and straightening. I can't wait to see Cathy's family and hang out with my grandson! 

So, I will be taking a few days off blogging and spend time with them. I should be back next week with more stories and discoveries, like the ones I found last night online... 

Thanks for stopping by!

Pattie

DNA and Genealogy

DNA Testing and Genealogy

Recently I submitted my sample to Ancestry and just got the results back. I have been spending quite a lot of time trying to figure this out. Ancestry does autosomal DNA testing. Which tests more than the other choices out there. They compare your DNA to over a million other samples that are already in their databases. The nice thing about testing at Ancestry is that it will continue to update my matches as new people are tested. 

They determined my ethnicity by comparing my DNA to people that have a long history in regions of the world. This is how mine came out. 

Finding out that I was 39% Irish was a bit of a surprise.. So this means my passage back in time will eventually be to Ireland. One of the other regions was Great Britain, hmm what to make of all this. 

I also have DNA matches to what they call circles that surround a common ancestor. Two circles that I have this match with is the Pearce line and the West line. No surprises there. 

Another feature is potential matches, another circle around a common ancestor that is not in my tree as yet, 

One of these is a John Tipton Shell and I have no idea who he is. My DNA matches 2 of the 6 members of his circle. Guess I have some work to do. 

There are many videos on You Tube that helps explain DNA testing. If you are interested, start there to discover the three types of DNA testing, how they make the matches, and how it fits into genealogy. 

Now to get more family members tested, and I know just who I am going to go to.... 

Thanks for stopping by. see you soon!

Pattie

The Closing Chapter

Doctor Buck Pearce and Carolina Gupton

We pick up the story of Doc and Carrie in 1900. This is that census record.

In 1900 Doc and Carrie are living with their nine children.  Doc is 50 years old and Carrie is 45.

Below is the 1910 Census:

In this census we see that the size of the household has definitely gotten smaller. Only Annie and Zeffie are living at home and both girls would marry the following year. Charlie Collins has joined the household to help with the horses, it seems. Doc is now 60 years old and Carrie is 56.

Below is the 1920 Census:

 

On this census we see that Zeffie and her two girls have moved back into her parents home after the death of Robert West. Doc's age is listed as 69 but we know he is 70 from earlier census records. Carrie is 65. It appears that Carrie is sometimes listed as Carolina and sometimes as Caroline. 

Below is the 1930 Census:

In this census we see that Doc is 80 years old and Carolina is 76. This is the last census that these two appear in because they both pass away . In 1932 Zeffie once again moved back into the family home, this time to care for her aging parents. Carrie was bedridden after suffering a stroke and Doc was almost totally senile.  Soon Carrie Mullins, one of their granddaughters, took Carrie to live with her in Louisburg so she would be closer to medical attention. Doc lived in the different homes of his children.  Both were almost totally deaf by this time. 

Doc passed away first on January 27, 1934, only days from his birthday. He would have been 84. Carrie passed the following year on March 2, 1935 at the age of 81.

They are both buried in the Pearce family cemetery near their home. Doc left instructions in his will that 1/8 of an acre was to be set aside for a family cemetery. 

In the News

I have not found an obituary in the newspaper for either one of them, but I will continue to search. 

One interesting note about Doc's will. He stated this in it.

"Should any of my children attempt to interfere with the operation of this will, the same shall lose all rights to any part of my estate."

This is the end of Doctor Buck Pearce and Carolina Virginia Gupton's story, until I dig up some more!

I hope that you have enjoyed reading about this very colorful couple. 

Stop by again, see ya'll then!

Pattie

Doc and Carrie - Part 3

Doctor Buck Pearce and Carolina Gupton

These wonderful stories came from Carl's book, Freckles and Red Hair. He was so fortunate to have known these two people.

Doc was known to love playing pranks, especially on the children.

On one occasion knowing the girls were in the living room seated by the fireplace, he played a prank that would be told and retold. Doc and Carrie were in the kitchen, Carrie was cooking supper and it was getting dark. Doc took some of the biscuit dough, rolled it out into a thin portion the size of this face. Punching out two holes for this eyes, he covered his face with the biscuit dough. After pulling on his old felt hat, he went out the back door and circled around to the front of the house. He began to loudly knock on the door. Bessie seeing a lone man on the porch picked up the fireplace poker and went to the door. After carefully lifting the latch, Bessie saw the ghostly figure, flung the door open and slammed the poker hard onto Doc's head, knocking him out. Carrie, hearing the commotion, ran into the room where Bessie stood over Doc ready to finish him off. Carrie wrestled the poker away from Bessie. She explained to the girls it was their father who was now bleeding from the gash in his head and slowly regaining consciousness. At this point, Zeffie and Annie fainted amid the screams and tears of the others.

Carrie was known as a practical nurse in the area and called upon to lend assistance in treating the sick. She would use remedies passed on to her by her parents and probably created a few of her own. One treatment was for boils, a result of an improper diet. She would prescribe a "Milk Cow Potice", applying cow's dung as potice to hasten the boil to come to a head. Then the mucus would flow and the healing process would begin. Carrie was said to be quite a sight chasing the cow around the pen, holding a bucket in one hand to catch the droppings and using the other hand to hold up the tail. Then she quickly applied, the secret being to use warm dung. 

Carrie was also an excellent seamstress and made all the family clothes, even the men's suits and winter coats.  Her devout life, dedication to her church and the religious atmosphere she created at home was known by all. She taught Sunday School most of her adult life.

Next post will conclude the story of Doctor and Carrie.

Thanks for stopping by!

Pattie

Doc and Carrie Pearce - Part 2

Doctor Buck Pearce and Carolina Gupton

For today's post I am going to share stories taken from the book, Freckles and Red Hair, written by William Carl Collins - my first cousin twice removed. It was written sometime around 1992. The book does not have a published date, however he wrote a letter at the end of the book that is dated 1992. Carl was the last of Doc and Carrie's 44 grandchildren.

Carl was the youngest son of Zeffie, Doc and Carrie's daughter. Zeffie was married twice. She first married Robert West, the brother of Luther West. Remember, her sister Kate married Luther West. See the earlier post about their family. After Robert died, Zeffie moved back into her parent's home. Cora Hight, another of Doc and Carrie's daughters moved back into her parents home around the same time. Robert and Ollie Hight died days apart . There were 4 adults and 10 children living in the house and it got a bit crowded. So Zeffie decided to move in with Luther and her sister Kate. At that time Luther and Sol were running the store in White Level. Zeffie worked as a clerk in the West brothers' store. 

Cora stayed until arrangements were made for her to buy a home in Buies Creek in Harnett County, North Carolina. Buies Creek Academy, later known as Campbell University, was across the street. Cora turned the house into a rooming house for students and took in sewing. Hight House is owned now by the university. Campbell University has continued to have ties for my family, it is where my daddy went to school and where my late son, an avid golfer thanks to my daddy, attended golf camps.

Back to Doctor Buck and Carrie

Doc and Carrie were well off by the standards of the day, they had land and possessions. But they were not wealthy by any means. They had nine children and their income came from farming the land left to them by Plummer Pearce. Plummer's original two room log home had been enlarged to include an entrance hall and a parlor that doubled as a bedroom. A wing was attached to the main house together with a front and back porch. Not much is left of the house today.

Doc's formal schooling ended before he mastered the skills of reading and writing. But Carrie continued to teach him reading. Using the Bible for reading instruction caught his attention the most.

Early in the 1900's their home church, Red Bud Baptist, had grown into a large congregation. In the community of Gupton, the population had grown and there was a need to establish a new church.

Doc and Carrie moved to the new church of White Level Baptist Church, even though it was farther away from home. Doc was one of the first deacons and was elected the first Sunday School Superintendent, a position he served for 27 years.

Doc opened the Sunday School Assembly with a devotional and closed with one as well. This involved reading scripture, prayers and hymn singing.

Since Doc was not a fluent reader, with Carrie's help, he memorized the scripture for Sunday's assembly. Later he would stand before the congregation, open Bible in hand, and read the verses. He was often observed, his glasses perched on his nose, reading effectively with the Bible upside down.

In the Newspaper 

I hoped that you enjoyed reading more about Doc and Carrie.
Come back tomorrow for more of their story!

Pattie

Doctor Buck "Outlaw" Pearce

Doctor Buck "Outlaw" Pearce and Carolina Virginia Gupton

My great great grandparents

Doctor Buck Pearce was born January 31, 1850 to Plummer Pearce and Martha Ann Leonard. Notice that she was a Leonard; this is another line back to John Leonard, the Eldler. 

Carolina Virginia Gupton was born July 16, 1854 to E.A. Gupton and Mary Ann Aycock.

Doctor Buck had many versions of his name; Dock, D.B., Doctor, and somewhere he got Outlaw. 

Carolina also went by Carrie. 

Their upbringing had a big affect on how they lived their lives. Plummer was a circuit rider preacher and E.A. Gupton was a sheriff. Although Plummer passed away when he was 6 years old, Dock had a strong faith that becomes apparent in the choices he made during his life.

Dock and Carrie's story is interesting and a bit lengthy so I know I will be splitting it into at least 2 posts, if not more. 

The 1850 Census was the first census to list members in the households by name. Before 1850 there are tally marks for the ages in the household but only the head of the household was listed by name. 

That being the case the first census that we find Dock listed is in 1850

Doctor was born in January of that year and is listed as 10/12 for his age. Two more children would be born into this family. Plummer would pass away in 1856, six years later.

I am having trouble finding the family in the 1860 census. I will continue to look. There is one entry for that time period that I am not sure is the correct family. For that reason I will not list one for that year. 

Above is the 1870 Census, Martha is living with her three youngest boys. There is some confusion as to when Carrie passed away. There is a Martha Pearce on the U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedule that passed away in 1870. But if you look on the marriage document below, it says that in 1873 she was living. Hmmm, another puzzle to nail down.

On October 21, 1873 Doctor and Carrie would marry at the home of her parents.

In the 1880 Census D.B. and Carolina are living with their three children and two servants

The 1890 census records have been destroyed so we move to 1900.

Six more children have joined the family since 1880.

The last entry is for a daughter-in-law.

Before moving to the next census, let's see what's in the newspapers.

December 12, 1890 Doctor Buck serves on a jury.

Mary Elizabeth (Lizzie) Pearce and E.H. Conn get married.

This is the oldest daughter of Doctor and Carrie.

October 30, 1895

May 21, 1897

There is much more to come tomorrow..

Thanks for stopping by!!

Pattie

Luther Martin West

Luther Martin West and Katie Louise Pearce

My Great Grandfather and Great Grandmother

 Luther was born to William Robert West and Elizabeth Greenway on September 2, 1883 and Kate was born to Doctor Buck Pearce and Carolina Virginia Gupton on April 8, 1885.

From Luther's death certificate we know that he was born in Granville County. But on the 1890 Census he is listed as living in the household of his older brother and his widowed father in Franklin County, North Carolina. 

Kate's family had been residents of Franklin County for several generations. 

Kate and Luther married on February 22, 1905 at her parents' home. 

In the 1910 Census Kate and Luther have one child, Iva. Living in the household with them are Luther's brothers, Sol and Robert Jr. 

In the next entry of the 1910 Census we find Luther's aunt, Ada and her husband Edward Moore living on the same property. Also living in their household is Luther, Sol, Robert Jr, and Ada's father - Robert West.

This pattern of sharing their home is seen on several census records.

.

In 1917 Luther had to register for the draft for World War I. Wonder why he listed his birth two years earlier?? 

In the 1920 Census, Luther and Katie have added 5 more children. Zeffie and Sol, Luther's sister and brother are sharing the household. There is also an aunt listed living with them.

In the 1930 Census, Sol is listed as head of household with his wife Annie. Luther and Kate are listed as brother and sister-in-law. Luther and Kate's children are listed as nephews and nieces. They have a boarder staying with them at this time. Another difference on this census, Luther's occupation has changed from farmer to merchant. He was running a small community store in White Level.

In the 1940 Census, the last published census, Luther and Kate are living with their son Douglas.

From other entries on this census, Luther's brother Sol and his family are living close by. Luther and Kate's son, Graham, is also just a few houses away.

Kate passed away April 2, 1959 and Luther followed her a few years later on November 4, 1963.

They are buried in the White Level Baptist Church cemetery. When Luther passed he had 14 grandchildren according to his obituary. 

Luther and Kate

A few family pictures:

Iva, Nina and Gary son of Iva

Luther and Kate

Luther and Kate

Doug and Drucilla

Douglas West

When I was very young Uncle Doug put a sweet potato in my Trick-or-Treat bag.

I know I will never forget that!!

Graham West

Uncle Sol

I hope you enjoyed meeting Luther and Kate West. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Pattie