Notes for William Hathcock Sr.
WIILIAM HATHCOCK SR.2445William Hathcock Sr. was the son of Joseph and Elizabeth Hathcock of old Brunswick County (now Greensville), Virginia. William was probably born around 1720. The first record in which William Hathcock appears is in the 1783 Tax List of Greensville County, Virginia, shortly after Greensville County was formed from Old Brunswick County. In the tax list, he is enumerated, along with his brothers Charles and Jesse, as the only Hathcocks living there at that time.
The next record of William Hathcock appears in the same year when William's father, Joseph, named William in his Will. Joseph had written his Will 11 October 1782 and it was proven 26 April 1783. William inherited " ... one hundred acres of land be the same more or less, beginning at Morris' fence on a branch thence along his line to the creek, (Fountain's), then up the said creek to the Split Rock Branch, thence a straight line to the old path, then along the said path to my (Joseph's) line ... "
In 1785, William sold one hundred and twenty five acres including the inherited land " ... beginning at a black gum on Fountain's Creek at a branch called Split Rock, thence up the branch to a white oak, thence along a line of marked trees to a hickory on an old path that went from Joseph Heathcock's to Richard Jones', thence along a line of marked trees on the said path to his Father's patent line, thence along his Father's line to a branch between Jesse Heathcock and himself, thence down the said branch to Littleberry Robinson's line, thence along the said Robinson's line to the said Fountain's Creek, thence up the said creek to the first station; it being the land his Father, Joseph Heathcock gave to him by his Will ... "
Greensville County, Virginia Deed Abstract,1785
Volume 1, Page 123
"William Heathcock and his wife Ann of
Meherrin Parish in Virginia to Robert Malone of Northampton County, North Carolina, for 60 pounds on Fountain's Creek at Split Rock Branch on the Old Path that went from
Joseph Heathcock to Richard Jones near Jesse Heathcock and near Littleberry Robinson,
being the land given to William Hathcock by his father Joseph Heathcock in his Will. Witnesses: Nathaniel Doby, Jeremiah Reams, and William Gee; signed William Heathcock and Ann with an X dated 8 August, 1785, and recorded 25 August, 1785."
The above deed indicates that William and Ann Heathcock were living in Greensville County, Virginia, in August of 1785. It does clearly say that William was the son of Joseph Heathcock and that William's wife was named Ann. (also Nancy). However, a poll taken in Greensville County on 26 April 1792, to elect representatives to the General Assembly, does not include William Heathcock but only his brothers Charles and Jesse Heathcock. This suggests that William Heathcock was not living in Greensville County in 1792. It is likely that William Heathcock removed to Northampton County, North Carolina, between 1785 and 1786, and it is he who appears as William Heathcock Senior on the Northampton County Tax List of 1786 shown below. Other records suggest that William Hathcock's land lay just west of the border between the old Brunswick-Greenville, Virginia County line, prior to 1787. This is just west of the Brink community on modern maps of Greensville County.
In 1786, a census was made of Northampton County to provide a list of taxable persons. This census contained the names of William Hathcock Sr. and three other Hathcock families living there in Captain William's Military District. It is reasonable to assume that these three other families were sons of William Hathcock Sr. As will be seen later, William Hathcock Jr. and James were undoubtedly two of the sons of William Sr.
Tax List of Northampton County, North Carolina, 1786
(captain William's District)
William Hathcock, Senior, 1 white male, 21-60 years, 1 white male, under 21 years, 2 white females.
William Hathcock, Junior, 1 white male, 21-60 years, 3 white males, under 21 years, 2 white females.
Neuman Hathcock, 1 white male, 21-60 years, 2 white females.
John Hathcock, 1 white male, 21-60 years, 2 white males, under 21 years.
It would seem that William and his family had moved from Greensville County, Virginia, to Northampton County, North Carolina, just a few miles south, and by 1790 had moved on to Chatham County, North Carolina.
1790 Census of Chatham County, North Carolina
James Hathcock, one head of family, 3 white males under 16 and. 3 females.
Hosea Hathcock, one head of family, 4 white males under 16.
William Hathcock,
two heads of family, 1 white male under 16 and 8 females.
John Hathcock, one head of family, 2 white males and 5 females.
It seems that William Hathcock Sr. had died by 1796 since his wife sold his land in that year and women could not normally own land unless they inherited the land.
Greensville County, Virginia Deed Abstract, 1796
Book 3 Page 252
Nancy Hathcock of Greensville County, Virginia to Balaam Bowers of the same County, for 73 pounds 7 shillings and six pence, 146 acres ... beginning at a red oak on Morris's line thence down the said line to a branch thence along to a corner popular, thence along Braxton Robinson's line to Fountain's Creek, thence up the said creek to a corner black gum thence up a branch to a white oak, afore and after trees on John Hathcock's line, thence along Benjamin Avent's line, to the beginning. . .
Signed: Ann Hathcock
Acknowledged and Proven in Court July 1796 by Ann Hathcock
(Note that Ann and Nancy are used interchangeably in the document)
'There is no doubt that but this Ann was the wife of William Hathcock Senior, because the deed describes the land which was given to William by his Father's Will.
[Note 1] Note 1. The Minute Book describes Ann as deceased on 28 July 1796. She must have herefore resided in Chatham County and died there between the date of her will and when it was proven in February 1796 in Chatham County.There was initial confusion concerning these facts in that the date that Nancy Hathcock conveyed the land in Greensville County, Virginia, was in July 1796 whereas Nancy's Will indicates that she died before the Spring of 1796. Further, the deed in 1796 indicates that Nancy or Ann was living in Greensville County and that she appeared in court there in July 1796. Upon closer examination of the Greensville County Minute Book, a separate record of the same land transactions, the minute book says: "Nancy Hathcock, deceased." Apparently, Nancy sold the land but died before the transaction was completed and recorded.
The Last Will and Testament believed to have been that of the wife of William Hathcock Senior was written in Chatham County in 1795 and is reproduced below:
Last Will and Testament of Nancy Hathcock
In the name of God, Amen. I Nancy Hathcock of the County of Chatham being in a very low state of health and of perfect mind and memory, thanks be to God do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament, that is to say I give and bequest my soul unto God. Touching my worldly goods, I give and bequeath to
Sarah Sexton one feather bed and furniture, one mare and saddle, one sow, five pewter plates, two dishes, one bason, and all the rest of my clothing and household furniture and meat, one sheet, one knife, I give and bequeath the (same) unto my granddaughter Nancy Hathcock t
he daughter of William Hathcock.
I also appoint
my son William Hathcock executor of this my Last Will and Testament. In witness whereof I have hearunto set my hand and seal this 31st of December 1795. Signed sealed in presents of us.
Test. (her mark)
Robert Cobb Nancy Hathcock SEAL
Penelopy Cobb (her mark)
Proven Spring 1796 Book C Page 69
While William Sr., William Jr. and Nancy Heathcock were living in Northampton County, North Carolina, in 1786, James Heathcock (born 1742) was also living there for he appears in Volume 8 of the deed books for Northampton County. James Heathcock was the Administrator of the estate of James Sexton in December of 1786 and sold the land of James Sexton in April of 1787. James Sexton had been granted 190 acres of land on the south side of Fountain's Creek 10 July 1745 in Brunswick County, Virginia, but he must have later removed to Northampton County. Revolutionary War pay vouchers show that James Heathcock was paid on 6 June 1782, in the Halifax District of North Carolina for his service, and that he had enlisted in Northampton County, but later removed to Chatham County. It cannot be explained why James is not enumerated on the 1786 Northampton County Tax List.
All evidence suggest that William Hathcock Sr. and Nancy were his parents.
Northampton County, North Carolina Deed Abstract 1787
Volume 8, Page 184
"6 April 1787: James Hathcock, Administrator of the
Estate of James Sexton deceased of Northampton County to James Benford of Greensville County, Virginia for 82 pounds, 2 shillings, 100 acres adjacent to Rowland El1is, Jack Swamp, Jane Merimoon's line. Witnesses: Aaron Smith,
[Note 2] John Benford (affirmed), Rebekah Anderson. James signed by mark."
Note 2. An Aaron Smith Hathcock was born on Walnut Hill Plantation in Franklin County, Georgia in 1822, probably the son of Middleton Hathcock. See Hathcock Families of Alabama and other Southern States, - Hathcock Family History, Volume VI (1984). Sarah Sexton was a legatee in the Will of Nancy Hathcock. Surely Nancy was the wife of William Sr. and the mother of James Hathcock (see 3.2.2)James Hathcock may still have been living in Northampton County in early 1790 because he sold land there in January of 1790. It was the same land James had bought there in 1778. (See Section 3.2.2) As seen above, James was living in Chatham County when the 1790 census was taken.
Northampton County, North Carolina Deed Abstract, 1790
Volume, Page 299
"2 January 1790: James Hathcock and Elizabeth his wife of Northampton County, North Carolina to William Woodrough of Greensville County, Virginia for 45 pounds current money of Virginia 100 acres adjacent to Isaac Edwards corner, Weaver's line, Gee's line, Henry Hencock 's line, Rocky Branch, Mark Morgan's line. Witnesses: James Daniel, John Morgan, Thomas Ladd. Registered 25 December 1790. James and Elizabeth signed by a mark."
It would seem that some of the Hathcock families of Northampton County, including James
[Note 3] and his mother Nancy (or Ann) Hathcock, removed to Chatham North Carolina, about 1790. And it has already been suggested that these families of Chatham County in 1790 were sons of William Hathcock Sr. The 1790 Census of Chatham County contains five Hathcock heads of families a total of 31 Hathcock persons.
[Note 4]Note 3. James Hathcock in the 1790 census of Chatham County applied for his Revolutionary Pension in 1831 representing that he enlisted in Northampton County. Ann was a short name for Nancy.
Note 4. The William Hathcock in the 1790 census of Chatham County, North Carolina with TWO heads of households is believed to have been William Hathcock Sr., Nancy or Ann, his wife, and William Hathcock Jr and his family. There is proof of some Hathcock families being in Chatham County prior to 1776. For example, a newspaper article entitled "Hathcocks are an Old English Line," published between January 1924 and June 1930 in or around Norwood, Carolina, states that Benjamin Hathcock (see Section 3.9) moved from Chatham County to Montgomery County, North Carolina, and was living in Montgomery County at the time of the American Revolution. Family tradition relates that Benjamin's mother was named Hathcock and she married a Mr. Hambelton; that both parents died in a smallpox epidemic and Benjamin was adopted by his grandfather Hathcock, whose first name remains unknown. This must have been in the smallpox epidemic of 1759. An affidavit executed on 25 April 1840, in Montgomery County, North Carolina, signed by Benjamin Hathcock in behalf of Lucy Poplin, widow of William Poplin (born in 1747, died 2 June, 1835, Montgomery County), to obtain a Revolutionary War Widow's Pension, seems to indicate that Benjamin Hathcock had been a neighbor of the Poplins in Chatham County before the war and possibly since their marriage in Chatham County in 1767 or 1768.
[Note 5]
Note 5. In 1777, in Chatham County, it was ordered that Joshua Gamblin "bring to the next term of court, a rifle in his possession that he had of William Poplin, the same being suspected to be the property of the public." (see Section 3.9) . There was an Ozey (Hosea) Hathcock who also lived in Montgomery County in 1779 and who is found in the 1790 census of Chatham County. Hosea Hathcock removed to Elbert County, Georgia, after May of the year 1800. Since Hosea is found on the 1790 Chatham County Census with James and William, and other Chatham County records seem to connect James and Hosea, it is suggested that the sons of William Hathcock Sr. and Nancy included a Hosea as well as James and William Jr. (See Section 3.2.3)
Montgomery County. North Carolina Deed Abstract, 1779
Number 13
"50 acres of land was granted to Jesse
Wooten (Wooden) in Montgomery County in 1779 adjoining neighbors listed as Ozey Hathcock and Mr. ColI ins.”
[Note 6]Note 6. Journal of North Carolina Genealogy, Issue 1964-1965, page 1475: A Jesse Wooten was granted 400 acres of land in the lower part of Johnston County, North Carolina, on 3 November 1778 on Buffalo Swamp adjoining the County Line and his own land and the lands of Richard Horn. A Jesse Wooten, Daniel Cato, and John Lightfoot are found in the Montgomery County, North Carolina tax list of 1779; however, Hosiah Hathcock is not found on this tax list.Thomas Hathcock Sr. was also living in Montgomery County, North Carolina, in 1779, and had neighbors who had lived in Brunswick County, Virginia.
CHATHAM COUNTY, NC - WILLS - Nancy Heathcock - 1795
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Will of Nancy Heathcock, dated 31 Dec., 1795, probated, Feb. 1795
N.C. State Archives film # C.022.50001, Vol. 2, pg. 69
" In the Name of God Amen I Nancy Heathcock of the County of Chatham
being in a very low state of helth and of perfeck mind and memory
thanks be to God do make and Ordain this my last will and testament,
that is to say I give and bequeath my sole unto God
As touching my worldly goods I give and bequeath unto Sarah
Lorton/Serton/Lerton/Lenton?? one feather bed and furniture one mare
and saddle One cow five pewter plates two dishes one bason and all the
rest of my clothing & household furniture & Mech. One cow & ??? and one
Cow hide except one feather bed and one Sheet.
One heifer I give to my granddafter Nancy Heathcock the grandafter of
Willliam Heathcock. I also appoint my sun William Heathcock Executor of
this my last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set
my hand and seal this 31st of December 1795 Signed sealed in presence
of us.
Test.
Robert cobb Sr.
Penelopy (her P mark) Cobb
Nancy (her mark) Heathcock {Seal}
Proved at Feb'y sessions 1795 by Rob't Cobb.
Note added by Clayton Heathcock, 12 March 2017: I have not been able to examine the original handwritten will but the foregoing transcription indicates that there is some difficulty sorting out the name of the first legatee, Sarah Lorton/Serton/Lerton/Lenton?? Apparently the last three letters, “ton”, are clear. I think this name might have been Sexton, given that Nancy’s husband had been administrator for the estate of James Sexton and eventually sold Sexton’s land.