- Peter Pearson, who came to Va from Cumberland, England, about 1701, presented a letter from Friends at Pardshow Cragg, said county, to the Mo Meeting in Isle of Wight Co Va, setting forth the fact that “Peter Pearson the bearer thereof, who hath in Mind to remove to America, is descended of Honest Parents, who hath been Serviceable Among us, and we are Loath to part with him, who has been of Blameless Conversation.” (Reg of Friends, Pagan Creek)
- The records in Isle of Wight do not disclose a person of this name before this date. A John Person appears at an early date in the county, with wife Frances, who was dau of William Miles. They had a son John Jr, who m Mary Partedg (d of Thomas of Sirry (Surry) Co, 10, 1mo 1692. This person may have been a Pearson, & like so many on old records, spelled first one way, & then another, but there is nothing to prove this statement. Of Peter Pearson we are sure, and also the time he was living in Isle of Wight. He probably remained a very short time in that county, and it is thought he married there Rachel — as no mention of his marriage can be found in Perq, although the Quaker records may hold some information, if they were only available. He appears to have been affiliated with Lower Mo Meeting in Nansemond Co, in 1700, and moved to Perq soon after, and as a consequence has no further mention on the Chuckatuck Reg.
- Pearson, Peter (1) will Perq Co, p Apl 21, 1735, names sons: Jonathan, Nathan, Peter, John, & Bailey, dau’s Rachel, & Mary. His wife is not named, but she survived him 15 years. Rachel Pearson “Exhibited the will of her dec’d husband Peter Pearson, in Court, 1735. (Loose papers, in Perq Co.) The sons: Nathan, & Bailey, are thought to be sons by a former wife as Rachel does not name them in her will. Of course they may have died between the date of his will (1735, 1750) and the time she made her will. Nathan Pearson’s name appears on Tithe List Perq Co 1741.
- (2) Pearson, Jonathan (1) Peter (1) m Rebecca Elliott, 4, 6mo 1745 (in Perq Co) issue: 1 dau — m Peacock, 2 dau —, Coley, 3 Mark, m Elizabeth Lamb (d of William, & Mary (Newby) Lamb) had issue: 1 William, married Elizabeth Chance (Chancey)—2 Rebecca, m Benoni Bentley—3 John, m Hannah — —4 Isaac—5 Elizabeth, m — Chance. (All moved to Ohio.) Jonathan, m 2d Sarah Bundy Oct — 1765 issue: 4 Elizabeth, b 15, 7mo 1767, m Richard Ratcliff 22, 2mo 1784 in Wayne Co (Contentnea Mo Meeting) died 22, 5mo 1839 in Henry Co Indiana, issue: 1 Anna, b 3, 4mo 1786, m William Maudlin (s of John, & Ann)—2 Joseph, b 8, 3mo 1788, m Rebecca Lamb—3 Jonathan, b 2, 8mo 1791, m Sarah Palmer—4 Nathan, b 9, 6, 1793, m Lydia Palmer—5 Richard, b 8, 11mo 1796, m Catherine Bailey—6 Mary, b 22, 8mo 1799, m John Elliott—7 Gabriel, b 8, 5, 1802, m Catherime Pearson—8 Elizabeth, b 11, 10, 1805, m Exum Pearson.
- (3) Pearson, Mark (1) Jonathan (1) Peter (1) m Elizabeth Lamb 6, 3mo 1772 (issue above).
- (3) Pearson, Ichabod (1) Jonathan (1) Peter (1) m Miriam Lamb (sister of his brother Marks wife) —, 9mo 1774, issue: 1 Ichabod (2), b — 1777, d 1845, m Elizabeth Bradbury—2 Abraham, m Senna Lamb—3 Barney—4 Job—5 Rhoda, m John Collyer—5 Margaret, b — 1788, m Samuel Collier—6 Huldah, m Jesse Maudlin (s of John, & Ann (Newby) Maudlin)—7 Jonathan—8 William, b 22, 9mo 1790, d in Iowa, m Katherine Pickrell.
- (3) Pearson, Jonathan (2) Jonathan (1) Peter (1), m Sarah Peele —, 8mo 1780, Contentnea Wayne Co N. C.
- (3) Pearson, Rhoda (dau of Jonathan, & Rebecca (Elliott) b —, 4mo 1750, m Reuben Peele (s of Josiah) —, 11 mo 1778, d 11, 24 1833, in Clinton Co Ohio—issue: Jecovey (Howard) Peele.
- (3) Pearson, Nathan (1) Jonathan (1) Peter (1), b 10, 28, 1770, m Hulda Lamb (d of Jacob, & Sarah) 6, 12, 1807, in Randolph Co N. C., d 11, 13, 1845, in Henry Co Indiana.
- (3) Pearson, Sarah, Jonathan (1) m Exum Elliott, 19, 3mo 1788 (s of Jacob, & Zilpha) d in Randolph Co N. C. 8, 7, 1788.
- (II) Pearson, Peter (2) Peter (1) m — Newby, 10, 3, 1746, and was “disowned for marrying out of discipline,” issue: (according to his will p April 1755) sons: Jonathan, Nathan, Peter (3), dau’s: Rachel, Mary, Elizabeth. He moved with his family to Wayne Co, from there to Guilford, and from that Co, to the North-West. (Untraced.)
- (II) Pearson, John (1) Peter (1), m Elizabeth Croxton (d of Arthur) by “consent of Mo Meeting,” 11, 3, 1738. He died intestate, in Perq Co before June 7, 1760, on which date his widow Elizabeth was made Admx. “Elizabeth Pearson widow.”
- Peter Pearson petitioned the Court Apl 1766, to be appointed Guardian, for her children: Joseph, Sarah, Eleazer. Peter Pearson appears as guardian of Sarah, Jan 21, 1771, & Enoch Jessop as guardian of Eleazer. (Loose papers, in Perq.)
- A Sarah Pearson was dec’d April 17, 1758, John Pearson Ex.
- Robert Jordon made a dep’ in Surry Co Va, Mar 21, 1758, that “he had known John Pearson for 26 years.”
- Pearson, Rachel (d of Peter (1) m Robert Bogue (s of Lydia, widow) 8 —, 1738, & had it is thought a dau Lydia, who m Joseph Draper, —, 8mo 1766, and probably other children.
- (II) Pearson, Mary, m John Winslow (s of Thomas, & Elizabeth (Clare) Winslow) 2, 9mo 1740. John Winslow died 1754, when Mary m 2d Joshua Morris, s of Aaron & Mary. (See Winslow, for their issue.)
- (II) Pearson, Elizabeth (posthumous child) m William Bagley,—5mo 1747, issue: 1 John, b 4, 8, 1749—2 Nathan, b 22, 1mo 1751, m Mary Low (d of George, & Tamer) —, 8mo 1776—3 Ephrim, b 21, 1mo 1752. “Disowned for marrying out of Meeting.” 1802.
- Pearson, Nathan, (no parents given) m Rebeckah Nicholson (relict of Joseph) at Symons Creek, 26, 12mo 1773, issue: 1 Sarah, b 6, 1mo 1775—2 Anna, b 21, 12mo 1779—3 Huldah, b 4, 8mo 1784, d 22, 9mo 1786. Nathan Pearson with his family moved to Back Creek, Randolph Co N. C. 20, 12mo 1794. Anna his dau, m Stephen Henley, 29, 7mo 1798. Sarah m Benjamin Hill, 1, 8, 1794, d 12, 1, 1794.
- Pearson, Nathan, (s of Peter dec’d of Wayne Co N. C.) m Mary Bailey (d of John, of Randolph Co) 3, 7mo 1796, issue: 1 Peter—2 John—3 Ann—4 Levi—5 Catherine—6 Bailey—7 Stanton—8 Elliott. Most of these moved with the Quaker emigration, to the Northwest Territory, where slavery could not go. Nathan Pearson of the Contentnea Meeting was certainly a son of Peter Pearson Jr. It is thought that Nathan who m widow Nicholson, was a gr-son of Peter Pearson Sr, but no proof is to be found.
- Pearson, Joseph, of Perq, will p Jan 1785, d. s. p. Names Heliot Elliott, & Caleb White Exrs. (Untraced.)
- Pearson, Eleazer, Will Perq, p May 1795, wife Barsheba, child is esse, daughters; (not named) Caleb Elliott, & Reuben Perry Exrs.
(I am indebted to Mrs. J. E. McMullen of Ada Ohio, for above data.)
- Pearson, William (no father named), lived in Piney Woods District, where he paid tax on 60a of land, on East side of Perq River, 1774. He m Miriam Evans (d of Robert), before Dec — 1773. She is named in the division of the Estate of said Robert Evans, May 1777. William Pearson will Perq, p Feb 1807, names son Peter, dau’s: Miriam, Lillia, Elizabeth, & Esther Pearson, & Peninah Elliott, wife Miriam, & Thomas White Exrs.
Marriages from Quaker Records
- Sarah Pearson (d of Peter) m Joseph Lacey, Sept —, 1757.
- Mary Pearson (d of Peter) m Enoch Jessop, April —, 1765.
- Rachel Pearson (d of Peter) m Samuel Newby, Mar —, 1766.
- Mary Pearson (d of Peter) m John Moore, Nov —, 1769.
- Ruth Pearson (d of Peter) m Robert Wilson, Dec —, 1770.
- Peninah Pearson (d of William) m Thomas Elliott (s of Pritlow) April 1, 1796.
- Peter Pearson (s of William) m Ann Morgan, Oct —, 1763.
- Levi Pearson (s of William) m Elizabeth Bogue, Oct —, 1776.
- Rebecca Nicholson (widow) was b June 30, 1743, m 1st John Lane, 2d Joseph Nicholson, 3d Nathan Pearson, all of Perq.
Source: History of Perquimans County by Ellen Goode Rawlings Winslow, (1931).