SURNAMES APPEARING ON THE PETITION TO THE NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO DIVIDE EDGECOMBE COUNTY INTO TWO PARTS [the names of the signers are in bold.] 17 November 1777.
Submitted by: Earl P. Bell, Jr.
Date: 5 February 2010
Research Status: Ongoing
A couple of factors to consider when reading these names is that a good number of them may have lived in a part of Edgecombe that did not eventually become Nash and that there is a repetition of identical names throughout. It is possible that some men signed or were signed more than once, a motivation aimed at making the request for separation from Edgecombe seem larger numerically. It seems fair to say that most of the signers lived in the western part of what was Edgecombe County prior to 1777. I am very interested in opinions about all this held by other readers.
INFORMATION IN BRACKETS IS FROM THE SURNAMES LISTED IN THE CENSUSES FROM 1790 to 1820]
SIGNERS OF THE PETITION:
Adams, Robert
Addams, Robert
[Jesse in 1800 & 1810, no Robert]
Adkinson, Ephraim
[no Adkinsons; another possibility, without proof, is that this is “Atkinson” a name common in Nash in during the period from 1790 to 1820 & after]
Andrews, John
Andrews, William
[no John or Wm appears, only a Joseph]
Arrington, Arthur
[an Arthur appears from 1790 to 1820]
Arrington, James
Arrington, Joseph
[no James appears; a Joseph, Sr. & Jr.; additionally the Arringtons listed are: Carter, Peter, John & John, Sr., Mary, Henry, Lew, Martha, Mary, Richard, Thomas & William
Atkins, Henry
Adkins, Burrell
[no Henry or Burrell, only a Newell]
Ausling, David
[no Ausling]
Avent, William
[a William is listed from 1790 to 1810, other first names are: Abner, Benjamin, James, Sally and Thomas]
B
Baker, James [a James is only listed in 1790, other Baker first names are Allen, Archibald, John, Matthew, Wm and Wm, Jr.]
Ballard, Christopher
[no Christopher; first names are:Edward, Peter & William]
Barlow, Henry
[no Barlow]
Barnet, William (probably “Barnett”)
[no Wm listed; first names listed are: Elias, John & Nathan]
Bass, John
Bass, Jesse
Bass, Isaac
Bass, Newitt
[listed are: Isaac, Jesse & John; other first names are: Abram; Abraham; Augtiorn; Ann; Charely; Edwin; Elias, Gideon; Jethro; Jordan; Lydia; Milly and Sion]
Bachiler, Joseph (“Batchelor”)
Batchelor, Samuel
Batchelor, Stephen
Batchelor, Jr., Stephen
Batchelor, William
[Joseph, Samuel, Sr. & Jr., Stephen and Wm are listed; other first names are: Barnaby; Cullen; Daniel; Drewry; James; John; Willis and Wm, Jr.]
Battle, James
Battle, William
Beckingham, Sion
Beckwith, Amos
Beckwith, Thomas
Beckworth, Bolan
Bedgood, John
Bell, Arthur
Bell, Elisha
Bell, James
Bell, Green
Bell, Thomas
Benton, John
Bigs, John (probably “Biggs”)
Bigs, John (probably “Biggs”
Boddie, William
Branch, Edmund
Brantley, Brittian
Brantley, Jacob
Braswell, Arthur
Brasswell, Jacob
Brasswell, Jacob
Brasswell, Samuel
Brasswell, William
Brasswell, William
Brasswell, William
Bridgers, Samuel
Bridgers, Samuel
Britain, Charles (probably “Brittain”)
Brown, Charles
Brient, James (probably “Bryant”)
Bryant, Samuel
Bunn, Henry
Bunten, William (probably “Bunting”)
C
Cain, James
Chapman, William
Carrell, John (probably “Carroll”)
Carter, Jacob
Carter, Samuel
Carter, Matthew
Clarke, John
Clark, Robert
Cliborn, John (or “Claybourne”)
Cillery, Samuel W. (perhaps “Tillery”)
Cocks, James
Cocks, John
Cooper, Edward
Cooper, James
Cooper, John
Cooper, John
Cooper, Markum
Cooper, Reubin
Cotton, Isom
Cotton, Seth
Counsell, Mathew
D
Daniel, David
Daniel, Frederick
Daniel, James
Davenport, Dorrel
Deen, James
Deans, Richard
Deans, Thomas
Denson, Jethro
Dickinson, Jacob
Dison, Hosea (probably “Dixon”)
Dison, Lenard (probably “Dixon”)
Dorch, William
Douglass, James
Dozier, William
Drake, Albritain
Drake, James
Drake, James
Drake, Edmond
Drake, Matthew
Drake, William
E
Eson, Demce (another possibility, without proof, is ” Eason, Dempsey”)
Edwards, Arthur
Ellen, Howell
Etheridge, Peter
Ethering, Thomas (another possibility, without proof, is that the suranme is “Etheridge”)
F
Fleweling, William (other possibilities, without proof, are “Fleming” or “Lewellyn”, which is a surname found in Edgecombe and Martin Counties – thanks to Traci Thompson for raising the “Lewellyn” possibility)
Freeman, Henry
G
Gandy, Brinkley
Gandy, Britton
Gandy, Edward
Ganer, Henry [other possibilities, without any proof, are “Gandy” or “Gainer”]
(Thanks to Traci Thompson for suggesting “Gainer” as another possibility)
Grant, James
Griffin, Absolum
Griffin, Hardy
Griffin, James
Griffin, Pierce
Groce, Frances (F) [maybe “Gross” or “Grace”]
Gross, Joshua
H
Harriss, William
Hart, Thomas
Haynie, Thomas
Hedgpeth, Benjamin
Hendrick, William
Hill, Lewis
Hill, Sion
Hill, William
Hooks, William
Hunt, David
Hunt, John
Hunt, Jesse
Hunt, Thomas
Hunter, Thomas
J
Jackson, Jonid (probably either John or Jonas)
Jones, Cooper
Jones, John
Jones, John
Jones, Newsom
K
Kent, Jesse
Kent, Jesse
Kirby, William
L
Lane, Newit
Lee, Charles
Lewis, William
Langley, John
Lassiter, Tobias
Lindsey, John
Linza, Joseph (probably “Lindsey”)
Linsey, William (or “Lindsey”)
M
Mann, Augustus
Mann, John
Mann, Thomas
Mann, William
Manning, John
Manning, John
Manning, Mathais
Manning, Williams
Manning, Willebly
Mason, Henry
Mason, Mark
Mason, Rafe
Massengill, George
Matthews, Bengmen (probably “Benjamin”)
Matthews, Joel
Melton, John
Melton, John
Melton, John
Melton, Zacheriah
Merritt, Benjamin
Mills, George
Mills, Thomas
Mills, Thomas
Minton, Shadrack
Moore, Edward
N
Nelson, James
Newsom, Isaac
Nicholson, John
O
O’Neill, Arthur
Overbey, David (probably “Overbay”)
P
Parker, Francis
Parrott, Joseph
Passmore, John
Pearce, Joshua
Pyland, Robert (other possibilies, without proof, is “Poland” or “Pylant”; the latter is suggested as a possibility by Deloris Williams, thank you Deloris; she states that “Pylant” was surname seen in the period)
Potiss, John (another possibility, without proof, is “Portis”)
Portis, William
Powell, Charles
Powell, Eljah
Powell, George
Powell, Jesse
Pridgen, David
Pridgen, Jesse
Pursal, Edward (other possibilities, without proof, are “Pearsall,” “Pursell” and “Pussell)
R
Ricks, Jacob
Roocks (?). Willeby
(another possibility, without proof, is “William or Willeby Ricks”)
Rose, Burrell
Rose, Francis
Rust, William
S
Sandeford, tomkins
Sandeford, William
Sauls, Absalom
Scott, John
Sellars, Arthur
Sellers, John
Sikes, Samson
Sikes, Samson
Smelley, John [other possibilities, without proof, are “Smiley” and “Smedley”; Deloris Williams offered “Smedley” as a surname seen in the period, thanks Deloris)
Sorsby, Joseph
Stephens, Joshua
Strickland, David
Strickland, Henry
T
Taylor, Daniel
Taylor, Harry
Thomas, Jeremiah
Thomas, Micajah
Thompson, Trimagen
Tucker, James
Tucker, Jr., James
Tucker, Joab
Tucker, John
Tucker, Joseph
Turner, John
Turner, William
V
Vester, Solomon
W
Warburton, William
Ward, Daniel
Ward, James
Warin, John (probably “Warren”
Warin, Thomas (probably “Warren”)
Waren, Sr., Thomas
West, Sion
Wheless, Isham
Winstead, Joseph
Wells, Stephen
Whitehead, Benjamin
Whitehead, Nathan
Whitehead, William
Whitfield, Solomon
Whitfield, Thomas
Whitten, John
Whitten, William
Wilder, Robert
Williams, Cooper
Williams, Howel
Williams, Sion
Williams, William
Woodell, Joseph
Woodard, James
Y
Young, Robert
Young, Stephan
Thanks to Traci Thompson and Deloris Williams for reading these surnames and suggesting additions as well as corrections.