Deed of Gift Acknowledged, Macon Co., NC

An interesting item recorded in the County Court minutes for Macon County, North Carolina. Why was Powell giving Elizabeth a mare? Was he perhaps a relative? If this is your family, don’t forget to check Macon County’s property records for the actual deed of gift.

When Powell Stover[?] came into court and
acknowledged the signing the deed of Gift to Elizabeth Cunningham
Daughter of James & Lucinda Cunningham a certain mare pony[?]
two years old a boy with two particular white spots one on the
left side of the left arm and the other on the left side of the right
arm dated 8^th day of November 1841 ordered to be recorded[?]
for registration

Source: Macon County, North Carolina, County Court Minutes Book 3, 1833 – 1855: 161; North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh; NCSA micropublication C.061 30001.

Account of John Hall, Guardian, Macon Co., NC

The Hall family of Macon County, North Carolina, has been researched fairly well, as far as I know. Still this is a great example of finding information in an unexpected place, in this case the death date of one of the named children.

Wednesday June 17^th 1840

John Hall Guardian of Robert, Mary F. & Rebecca Jane
Hall infant Children of the said John Hall by his deceasd[?]
wife Caroline Hall appeared in open Court and
exhibited the annexed account.

John Hall Guardian of Robert, Mary F. & Rebecca
Jane Hall in acpt. with his s^d. wards Dr_

To Cash Rec^d from David L. Swain Administrator
of the estate of George Swain Dec^d_ and from Ezekiel
H. M^cClure Clerk & Master in Equity of the County of
Buncombe on account of the Sales of the real estate
of the said George Swain Dec^d on the 20^th of March 1830[?]
One Thousand Dollars _ _ _ _ _ _ $ 1.000_00

The foregoing Sum was recd_ as the Guardian
of Robert, Mary F. & Rebecca Jane & Elizabeth C. Hall
and on the 21^st day of March 1839 the said
Elizabeth C. Hall departed this life…
Sworn to in open Court
John Hall
H. G. Woodfin D. C.

Source: Macon County, North Carolina, County Court Minutes Book 3, 1838 – 1855: 98; North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh; NCSA micropublication C.061 30001.

John Harvey Derrick Asks to Be Apprenticed to Saml. R. Lambert, Macon Co., NC

While this record holds wonderful information about John Harvey Derrick, including his date of birth, I wish he had named his allegedly deceased parents!

Minutes of Saturday 28 March 1840…

John Harvey Derrick came into Court alledging that
he is without father or mother living & asking the Court
to bind him to the Tailoring business under Sam^l. R. Lambert
under the following conditions, that the Sd. Lambert takes
the said Derrick until he arrives at the age of twenty one
years being sixteen on the 14^th April next, as an indented
apprentice, that in considerations of the labour & services of
said youth (not to be subject to laborious farming work) the
said Lambert agrees to give the said Apprentice nine
months schooling in a reputable English school, find
him in good & suitable Clothes & Boarding, and teach &
instruct him in all the art & Mystery of the Tailoring
business in its various departments & at the expiration
of said apprenticeship to furnish him with a neat &
new suit of Jeans Clothing Hat shoes &c- the following Justices being
present, viz Johnathan Philips, Jacob Siler, Saul
Smith, & John Wild, John Howard

Source: Macon County, North Carolina, County Court Minutes Book 3, 1838 – 1855: 89; North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh; NCSA micropublication C.061 30001.

The Minor Heirs of James and Emilia McHann, Macon Co., NC

The following record begs the question as to why James M^cHann was appointed guardian of his own children after his wife’s death. One answer could be that the children were heirs to an estate received through their mother, possibly from her parents or other relatives, a fairly commonplace occurrence.

Minutes of Wednesday 23 Jay. 1840…

James M^cHann appointed Guardian of his minor heirs
viz: Marion[?], Ann, Sarah, Malindas[?] Birchet, &
Wilkie – who entered in to Bond & gave for Security
Two Hundred Dollars Saml. Bryson in the sum of two
hundred Dollars – and qualified as such
the above children are the minor heirs of Emilia M^cHann[?]
decd

Source: Macon County, North Carolina, County Court Minutes Book 3, 1838 – 1855: 71; North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh; NCSA micropublication C.061 30001.

Three Generations of Smiths in One Record, Macon Co., NC

My recent lecture on researching the poor focused on Georgia records, but truthfully, many of the records I used as examples can also be found in other states, albeit in different forms. Here is one example of a court record establishing support for an illegitimate child. Note that this one record names the child and her age, both her parents, and her grandfather.

Minutes of Monday Jan. 20^th 1840

State & Elizabeth Smith vs Larken Johnson } Bastardy

Ordered by Court that Larkin Johnson pay the sum
of sixty Dollars for the maintenance of Elizabeth Smiths
bastard Child of which he stands convicted as the reputed
father as appears of records and that Sci-fa issue to
him to appear at next Court & show Cause if any he
have why Exceution [sic] should not issue for the same

Barbary Smith the infant Bastard Child of Elizabeth
Smith be bound to Joseph Smith the Grandfather till she
attain the age of 18 now being two years old

Sci fa issued 16 May 1840

Source: Macon County, North Carolina, County Court Minutes Book 3, 1838 – 1855: 67; North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh; NCSA micropublication C.061 30001.