Will of Robert Lowry, 4 July 1768, Edgecombe County, North Carolina

October 26, 2023October 26, 2023 ~ Kelly ~ Leave a comment

I recently completed an epic, year-long "do-ver" of my family tree, and am now back to researching and transcribing. Robert Lowry is my newly discovered 7th great-grandfather. He named my 6th great-grandmother, Ann Lowry Dicken, wife of Benjamin Dicken, in his will, below. Lowry and Dicken were likely neighbors, as Dicken witnessed the one deed … Continue reading Will of Robert Lowry, 4 July 1768, Edgecombe County, North Carolina

More Bembry Shenanigans

September 4, 2019June 30, 2020 ~ Kelly ~ Leave a comment

While digging around for Dicken deeds I ran across a deed from my 5th great-grandfather, Miles Bembry to James H Smith that I had somehow overlooked. It turned out to be an important part of the tangled tale of Kenneth Bembry, slippery politician, bits and pieces of which I have accumulated over the years, often … Continue reading More Bembry Shenanigans

Richard Dicken: Not Quite Dead Yet

September 2, 2019June 30, 2020 ~ Kelly ~ 1 Comment

So, as it turns out, Richard Dicken, my 5th great-grandfather was not quite as dead as I thought he was by 1819. And there's a moral to that story! I had assumed for years that since Richard Dicken's estate was found in Edgecombe county probate files that he must in fact be dead. Furthermore Thomas … Continue reading Richard Dicken: Not Quite Dead Yet

A Spendy Scoundrel Hiding in the Branches

August 2, 2019June 30, 2020 ~ Kelly ~ Leave a comment

Richard Dicken wasn't considered trustworthy by his father in law. Apparently, he had his reasons.

Will of Benjamin Dicken of Halifax County, North Carolina, 24 Nov 1790

August 1, 2019July 1, 2020 ~ Kelly ~ 6 Comments

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

Will of Nathan Harris of Edgecombe County, North Carolina, 30 November 1809

July 23, 2019July 1, 2020 ~ Kelly ~ Leave a comment

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

Slaves Held by Thomas Bembry

January 2, 2019July 1, 2020 ~ Kelly ~ Leave a comment

Thomas Bembry was my 4th great-grandfather, and an unlucky man. The slaves that he held were also unlucky, as they were all eventually sold off to settle debts. The first mention of slaves held by Thomas Bembry that I have found occurs in 1821, when his wife, Patsy Dicken, inherited slaves from her grandfather, Nathan … Continue reading Slaves Held by Thomas Bembry

Thomas Bembry Goes Off the Reservation

March 18, 2018June 30, 2020 ~ Kelly ~ 2 Comments

A bastardy bond in Edgecombe, North Carolina.

Extract from Nathan Harris II Will, 1820

March 29, 2017July 1, 2020 ~ Kelly ~ Leave a comment

The second Nathan Harris, son of the first Nathan, and my 6th great-grandfather, also made a will. However, I have not yet been able to find it! There is a probate file for Nathan online, however, because of family disputes about the estate. The probate file includes an extract from the original will. I wrote … Continue reading Extract from Nathan Harris II Will, 1820

Bembry Blitz Pays Off: Thomas Bembry’s Wife Now Has a Name!

October 18, 2014June 30, 2020 ~ Kelly ~ 2 Comments

Last week I visited the Daughters of the American Revolution genealogy library here in Washington, DC, and hit the motherlode. My focus for the afternoon was to find all the Bembry references I could locate in the North Carolina counties that I knew were associated with the family. So, I went through all the indexes for … Continue reading Bembry Blitz Pays Off: Thomas Bembry’s Wife Now Has a Name!