documenting my very southern genealogy from the plantation to the frontier
Elias Bryan was the brother of my 6th great-grandfather, Needham Bryan. I found a transcription of his lengthy will online a while ago. Recently, I dug up the original will at Family Search and polished up the transcription. The will is interesting in that Elias provided unusually generously to his daughters. He also stipulates that … Continue reading Will of Elias Bryan of Edgecombe County, North Carolina, 25 July 1821
Benjamin Dicken was my 6th great grandfather. His granddaughter, Martha "Patsey" Dicken married Thomas Bembry. I have had a dickens of a time researching this family for the past couple of weeks! The first problem was that the Dicken family (they were apparently literate, and consistently spelled it with no "s") properties straddled Fishing Creek, … Continue reading Will of Benjamin Dicken of Halifax County, North Carolina, 24 Nov 1790
Catharine Walton Harris was the wife of Nathan Harris I, and my 7th great-grandmother. She outlived her husband by nearly 20 years, to about age 90. Like him, she took a very personal interest in her estate, and like him, she had no compunction about selling her "negroes," including several children. But, interestingly, she made … Continue reading Will of Catharine Walton Harris of Greensville County, Virginia, 23 April 1810
Nathan Harris I was my 7th great-grandfather. He was born about 1712 and died about 1793 in Greensville County, Virginia. Like his son, Nathan II, he was very specific in his wishes. The will does not list all of his children: he had three additional children that have been documented in various sources, for a … Continue reading Will of Nathan Harris of Greensville County, Virginia, 13 April 1793
I've recently uncovered several wills relating to the Harris family, Thomas Bembry's in-laws. They seem to have been a pretty hard-nosed lot, being very specific about property in their wills and selling enslaved people without thinking twice about it. I had known for some time that the second Nathan Harris' will had resulted in a … Continue reading Will of Nathan Harris of Edgecombe County, North Carolina, 30 November 1809
I've just added the wills of my 5th great-grandparents, William W. Walker (abt. 1780-abt. 1840) and his wife Nancy Townsend Walker (1785-abt. 1850) to my tree. William and Nancy were both born in Virginia, probably in or near Frederick county. This is at the northern tip of the state around Winchester, right on the Great … Continue reading Wills of William and Nancy Townsend Walker of Benton County, Tennessee
Five wives, nine lives, and an understated obituary.
William Lanier was my 5th great-grandfather, himself the grandson of a Barbadian immigrant. He came to Nashville before 1807 from Beaufort County, North Carolina. Previously, I had an abstract of his will, but I recently found the original online at Family Search with more detail, including the names of several enslaved people (in bold, below). … Continue reading Will of William Lanier of Davidson County, Tennessee, 12 February 1811
Please note that since this post was published, I have discovered that Robert Shaw is not, in fact, my ancestor. However, I have left the post online for anyone else who may find it to be useful to their research. I Robert Shaw of Sumner County and of Tennessee do make and ordain this instrument … Continue reading Will of Robert Shaw, Sumner County, Tennessee, 7 July 1823
Miles Bembry I is the first Bembry I have on record in America, and my "brick wall." Recently, I was surprised to discover that he moved from Edgecombe County, North Carolina, to Pulaski County, Georgia late in life to join his sons, Thomas and William. Miles died in November or December of 1838. His son … Continue reading Slaves Held by Miles Bembry
A Long Way to Tennessee 