Minutes
Tyrrell County Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions
April Session 1825
Ann Hopkins came into open court and declared her willingness that Ephraim Mann should be appointed administrator to Thos. Hopkins deceased (her late husband) whereupon it is ordered that Ephraim Mann be appointed administrator of the said deceased.
Ordered that Enoch Hassell Esqr., Samuel Spruill, Lemuel Basnight & Henry Alexander be appointed commissioners to lay off and allott to Nancy Hopkins widow of Thom. Hopkins one years provision out of the estate of said deceased agreeable to act of assembly.
October Session 1825
Ordered that Ephraim Mann administrator of Thomas Hopkins deceased have leave to sell one or two negros of the said deceased to make ammount sufishent to pay the balance of the said deceased debts on a credit of six months, and make return to next court.
October Session 1826
April Sesion 1827
Ordered that Edmd. & Henry Alexander, & Lemuel Basnight be appointed to audite & settle the accounts between Ephraim Mann
administrator etc. & the estate of Thomas Hopkins deceased and make return to the next term.
July Sesion 1827
Ordered that Edmd. Alexander, Henry Alexander & Lemuel Basnight be reappointed to audite & settle the accounts between Ephraim Mann
administrator of Thomas Hopkins.
October Session 1827
Ordered that Edwd. Owens be appointed guardian to Alexander Hopkins, Charles, Coly Ann, Syrus orphans of Thos. Hopkins and
that he be bound in the sum to two thousand dollars.
Eph. Mann administrator of Thos. Hopkins deceased returned an audited account with the estate balance due the administrator $11.94.
April Session 1828
Ordered that Edward Owens guardian be allowed sixty dollars for the board and clothing of Cyrus Alexander & Colly Ann Hopkins orphans
of Thos. Hopkins to this date.
January Session 1829
Edward Owens returned an account of the hire of the negroes & rent of the land of the estate of Thos. Hopkins deceased & filed.
April Session 1829
Ordered that Edward Owens guardian be allowed sixty dollars for board and clothing of Polly Ann & Sias Hopkins children of Thos.
Hopkins deceased.
January Session 1830
An account of the hire of the negroes of Thos. Hopkins for the year 1828 was returned in open court.
Abraham Pledger returned a division of the negroes of Thos. Hopkins and ordered to be filed.
October Session 1830
Edward Owen guardian to Alexander, Charles, Grandy, Colly Ann & Cyrus Hopkins came into open court and renewed his guardian bond with
Charles McClees & George H. Alexander securities.
January Session 1831
Edward Owens guardian of Thos. Hopkins returned on oath a guardian account of hire & rent for the year 1831.
January Session 1832
Edward Owens guardian to Thos. Hopkins heirs returned an account of hire & rent for the year 1832.
October Session 1832
Ordered that Cyrus Hopkins orphan & son of Thos. Hopkins be bound to Thos. Alexander.
January Session 1833
Edward Owens guardian of Thos. Hopkins heirs returned a guardian account for keeping children in 1832 & for the hire of 1833.
January Session 1834
Ordered that Jos. Pledger be appointed guardian to Cyrus E. Hopkins & Grandy Hopkins orphans of Thos. Hopkins deceased
with Edward Owens & Thos. Alexander security.
North Carolina Archives Court order in April Term 1825 for the laying off of a year's allowance to Nancy Hopkins widow of Thomas Hopkins deceased. Allowance
laid off out of the estate of Thomas Hopkins on 16 May 1825.
Bond dated 25 Apr 1825 in the amount of eight thousand dollars appointing Ephraim Mann administrator of the estate of Thomas Hopkins
deceased, John Beasley & John Thorogood securities.
Petition of Ann Hopkins during July Term 1825 for her dower in the lands of Thomas Hopkins, her deceased husband. Land is bounded on the
north by Thomas Leigh's heirs, on the south by the land of Samuel Spruill, on the west by the land of John Thoroughgood and on the east by
Samuel Midgett's heirs. There is also a tract called the Rudder Land.
Laying off of the dower of Nancy Hopkins in the lands of Thomas Hopkins, her deceased husband, on 8 Oct 1825. She received 44 acres
including the dwelling house out of a tract of 130 acres lying in Little Alligator. Boundaries mentioned are Bulls Bridge, Lynport, Cow Ridge and the
line of the heirs of Samuel Midyett deceased. The jury of freeholders was comprised of John Midyett, William Etheridge, Lemuel Basnight,
Thos. C. Maddux, James Swain, James McAlister, John Thoroughgood, Edmund Alexander, Edward Mason, Brittain Hoskins, Samuel Leigh & John McClees Jr.
Bond dated 22 Oct 1827 in the amount of four thousand dollars appointing Edward Owens guardian to Alexander, Charles Grandy, Colly Ann &
Cyrus Hopkins minor orphans, Charles McClees & Wm. Melson securities.
Petition in October Term 1829 by Edward Owens stating that Thomas Hopkins died without leaving a last will and testament and Ephraim
Mann was appointed to administer his estate. The said Thomas Hopkins died possessed of 12 negroes which have come to the hands of your
petitioner as guardian to Alexander, Grandy, Collie Ann & Cyrus Hopkins, heirs of Thomas Hopkins. Petitioner further shows that he
intermarried with Nancy Hopkins widow of said Thomas Hopkins and by his intermarriage became entitled to a childs part of said negroes.
Petitioner prays that commissioners be appointed to divide and allot to him such part of said negroes he is entitled to in right of his wife.
Bond dated 28 Oct 1830 in the amount of four thousand dollars appointing Edward Owens guardian to Alexander, Charles Grandy, Colly Ann &
Cyrus Hopkins minor orphans, Charles McClees & Wm. Melson securities.
Petition in October Term 1832 by Edward Owens, guardian of Alexander, Grandy, Colly & Cyrus Hopkins, children of Thomas Hopkins,
stating that the children are possessed of several negroes, part of whom are invalids. The estate has of late incurred debts of $300 which he has no
way of paying without sale of some of the negroes. Pray the court issue an order for such sale.
Petition in January Term 1834 by Joseph Pledger and his wife Colly Ann stating that Thomas Hopkins died intestate in 1826
seized and possessed of a 200 acre tract of land in Little Alligator to which they are entitled as tenants in common with Charles Le Grand, Alexander
& Cyrus Monroe Hopkins, sons of said intestate. Petitioners further state that Colly Ann daughter of said Thomas Hopkins and Joseph
Pledger, your petitioners, have lately intermarried. They also state that Thomas Hopkins died possed of 9 negroes, 2 boys and the rest women
and children, in all of which the petitioners are also tenants in common. Petitioners pray that notic be served upon Edward Owens guardian of
said minors, Charles Le Grand, Alexander & Cyrus Monroe Hopkins to appear and show cause, if any, why commissioners should not be appointed to
divide the said land and negroes.
Bond dated 27 Jan 1834 in the amount of three thousand dollars appointing Joseph Pledger guardian to Grandy & Cyrus Hopkins orphans of
Thomas Hopkins deceased, Edward Owens & Thomas O. Alexander securities.
Division of the lands of Thomas Hopkins deceased among his lawful heirs on 11 Feb 1834 per court order in January Term 1834. Lot #1 to
Alexander Hopkins containing 38 1/2 acres; Lot #2 to Joseph Pledger and wife Colly Ann containing 13 1/2 acres and the buildings;
Lot #3 to Cyrus Elliott Hopkins containing 30 acres;and Lot #4 to Charles Grandy Hopkins containing 39 acres. Lot #2 being the lot upon
which the buildings sit was valued at $100 more than the rest, so Lot #2 pays $20 to Lot #1 and Lot #2 pays $40 each to Lot #3 and Lot #4.
Transcriber's Notes:
Loose Estate Papers
Tyrrell County (C.R.096.508.24), Box 24
Hopkins, Thomas, 1825
Tyrrell County marriage bonds show the marriage of Thomas Hopkins to Nancy Alexander on an unknown date and the marriage of Thomas Hopkins to Milly
Owins on 30 Dec 1805, William Howett security; also the marriage of Jos. Pledger to Cally Ann Hopkins on 20 Nov 1833, Moses Weskett security; also the
marriage of Alexander Hopkins to Fany Midgett (or Hassell) on 25 Jul 1836, Abraham Pledger security; also Cyrus Hopkins to Mariah White on 19 Jun 1851,
Luther Babbitt security.
Return to Tyrrell County Probate Records
Updated February 7, 2021
Charles W. Barnes