Merchant
Col Benjamin Hill 1697 – 1753 | his parents
& ca 1715 Sarah Latham ca 1700 – bef 1753 | her parents
of Bertie [Hertford] Co NC
This is my working hypothesis – the way I see it as of this moment!!
from Thomas C Parramore’s “Murfreesboro, North Carolina and the Founding of the American Republic 1608-1781”
“Meherrin River ferries, the first [apparently Cheshire’s later Hill’s] opened about 1718, were canoes or other dugouts suitable for human traffic, cattle and horses used larger flat bottomed craft, called periauguas, made by spliting a log and placing planks between the halves. Both roads and ferries were by law at least 10 feet wide, and the low-ground causeways leading to the ferries must be underlaid with logs covered with dirt, brush and small pines. . .Potecasi’s earliest bridge was owned by wealthy merchant Benjamin Hill, who simply rebuilt it as often as it washed away.. .
“Benjamin Hill of Potecasi Creek was, depending on one’s view point, a chronic troublemaker or a bold champion of liberty. . .Hill was a merchant who earned a fortune in the Carolina-Virginia Indian trade before building a handsome home, “Hill’s Great House,” just east of Potecasi’s present Highway 158 bridge. . .He was a member of the Colonial Council [John Barrington’s] from 1731-34, a Bertie member of the assembly 1736 to 1746 and a Colonel of the militia during much of that period.. .1737 he led a protest against a new act requiring that taxes be paid at designated points rather than to agents who came to the payers’ farms. . .the act was repealed and peace returned.. . By and large Hill aimed at defending the terms of the 1665 Carolina Charter. . .”
1725 – Bertie Co Deed Bk B-20 John Gray to Thomas Eleby – 40 pds for 640 A on Stonehouse Creek Adj Thomas Whitmell. Wit: Benjamin Hill, Robt. Forster. Aug Ct 1725.
9 Aug 1726 Bertie Co Deed Bk B-153 Anthony Lewis, Jun to Benjamin Hill – 30 barrels of pitch for 640 A on SS Meherin River, “butted and bounded as by within original patent dated 1 March, 1719. Wit: William Little, R. Foster. Aug Ct 1726.
13 Feb 1727 B-343 William Howet to Benjamin Hill of Nansemond Co VA – 200 pds for 800 A according to 2 patents 1 obtained by John Crosby for 400 A and purchased by Howet; 2 one belonging to John Smith and by him assigned to Howet. Wit: William Little, Robert Forster. Feb Ct 1727. Edw. Mashborne D C/C
23 Jan 1727 B-345 John Smith to Benjamin Hill, merchant – 200 pds for all the livestock and personal property of John Smith Wit: Henry Amerson, Samuel Wheatley. Feb Ct 1727 Edw Mashborne
23 Jan 1727 B-346 John Smith to Benjamin Hill, merchant 200 pds for 1110 A two patents Wit: Henry Amerson, Samuel Wheatley, jurat, John Powers, jurat. Feb Ct 1727 etc
3 Jan 1727 B-347 David Vincint [Vincent] to Benjamin Hill 90 lbs all livestock, household goods, tobacco. Wit: Thomas Jones, jurat, William Land, jurat, Thomas Vinson. Feb Ct 1727 etc
9 Jan 1727 B-348 David Vincent to Capt. Benjamin Hill Power of atty to act in all matters “as he sees fitt.” Wit: William Whitfield, William Land, jurat, James Denton, jurat. Feb Ct 1727. etc.
27 Feb 1727/28 B-357 John Smith to Benjamin Hill, merchant 50 pds for 400 A of land whereon Smith formerly lived. Pat obtained 9 Mar 1717/18 Wit: Spian Heidelberg, jurat, Henry Emerson, Ann Sator. Feb Ct 1727 etc
1731 – 1734 Benjamin Hill is a member of Governor John Barringer’s Council.
8 Aug 1732 — Benjamin Hill is sworn in as a Justice of the Court Bertie Prec.
13 Feb 1732/33 – upon petn. of Capt. Benjn. Hill shewing etc. It is thereupon considered & ordered that the sd Hill do keep a Public ferry from Grills? old field to ye other side of ye sd. river opposite and that the sd. Hill take & receive for each single person the sum of six pence & for a man & beast the sum of one shilling he giving secty. according to Law and that a Jury on Oath do lay out the Road from Jarnagins Bridge to the sd. Grills old field & from the Landing place opposite to the Old field into the Main Road leading to Dr. Brigers ferry.
Note: Hill’s ferry operated from that time until the big flood of 1940 which washed away the landing and the ferry.
1737 – Benjamin Hill was a representative from Bertie to the Colonial Assembly; he continued through 1745
Feb Ct 1740 — Benjamin Hill signing as Clerk of Court.
ca 1740 – John Campbell married Mary Hill, the daughter of Benjamin Hill, Merchant, of Bertie Co NC and Sarah Latham. Sarah Latham was the daughter of Daniel Latham Jr. and wife. Daniel Lathem father of his son Daniel Jr, first settled at Flushing LI whence it is supposed his son removed to Nansemond Co VA. [Note in NCHGR VOL1 PG 530]
24 Feb 1740 F-295 William Gunn to Benjamin Hill 35 pds for [bill of sale] for household goods…Wit: John Campbell, Mary Campbell. Nov Ct 1741.
Nov Ct 1741 – Benjamin Hill proves his rights Vizt: Benjn. Hill, Sarah Hill, Sarah Hill, ye younger, Priscilla Hill, Benjn. Hill Jr, Henry Hill, whites. & Negroes Robin York Cork Junsey Sinicer ben Prinues Tom York Benboe Sandy Will Brinus Cato dick Peter Lissia Jacob Jenney dinah Lucy Hannah Bett Dinah Tom Danl Broomfield Sebinah andrew Flora.
9 Dec 1742 F-472 Daniel Hough to Benjamin Hill – 65 pds for 200 A land whereon Hough now dwells which he bought of Thomas Jones of Cape Fear on 30 July 1742 between Blew Water & Northermost Prong of Hothouse Branch adj Beaverdam Swamp and Pottycasey Swamp. by pat date 1712. The other portion of 400 A bought of Jones sold to Bryant Haire of Virginia. Wit: Ed. Hacket, Mary Campbell, Sarah Hill. 12 Nov 1743. J. Montgomery, C. J., John Wynns D/Reg
In 1746 Benjamin Hill represented Northampton Co
1753 – Will of Benjamin Hill 6 June 1753 proved Aug Ct 1753
– daughter Mary Campbell – fifty pounds, mulatto Joe and slaves already given her.
– daughter Sarah McCulloch – 400 A on the Roanoke River in the upper end of Northampton Co which I bought of William Gunn, also Negro Scipio and his wife Dinah and her two children Scipio and Nancy, also Negro Roger which I bought of James Crichlaw, and the slaves already given her.
– son-in-law Alexander McCulloch – sixty pounds.
– daughter Priscilla Hill – four hundred pounds and Negroes Cesar, Hanna, and Jenny [being the three children born of my Negro Flora] and Negro Penne [born of Teresa] and Negro Flora, also horse, sidesaddle, etc.
– to Margaret Cockran – ten pounds above what debt she owes me, also saddle, etc. in recompense for her faithful service during the time she has lived with me.
– son Henry Hill – all my lands in North Carolina not already bequeathed.
EX: son Henry, Thomas Jones of Petty Shore
Wit: Jesse Browne, Robt. Hardy, John Pitts.
Children of Benjamin Hill and Sarah Latham:
1. Sarah Hill 1716 – 1771 age 55
married 1734 Alexander I McCulloch 1715 Ireland – 1798 Halifax Co NC age 84
son of Henry McCulloch and grandson of James of Grogan
a. Benjamin McCulloch died before Nov Ct 1798
married Sarah Stokes
sister of John Stokes, U S Judge and NC Governor Montfort Stokes.
b. daughter McColloch
married John or Thomas Frohock
they went to England during the Revolution
i. Alexander Frohock bef 1798 –
2. Henry Hill 1723 – died before 28 May 1772 Militia Muster
an officer in the Hertford Co Militia. Henry Hill Major to be Lt. Col 12 Oct 1769 report signed Benj. Wynns, Lt. Col
on the return for 28 May 1772 – the report says Henry Hill the Lt. Col is dead – signed Benj. Wynns, Col
married Bathsheba ?
1779 tax list of Hertford Co Mrs. Bathsheba Hill is listed twice once in district 1 with 1690 acres Land, and 18 negroes, 8 horses, and 35 head of cattle and secondly in district 2 with 4695 acres of Land, 35 negroes, 6 horses, 20 head of cattle, 310 pounds of money, 1 entry of 50 ac on Land for her son Wm, and 1 entry of 50 ac on Land for her son Benjamin.
a. William Hill ca 1760 – 1786 Fayetteville while a member of the House
on the list of the 3rd draft of the Hertford Co Regiment 1778-1780
William is listed 2 x’s as owner of the Hertford co property in 1782 with Bathsheba having a widow’s portion
represented Hertford Co in the House in 1784 and 1786
b. Benjamin Hill
on the list of the 3rd draft of the Hertford Co Regiment 1778-1780
c. Henry Hill ca 1765 – ca 1795/96 he lived at Hill’s Ferry – lawyer
was the Hertford County Attorney before 1790.
represented Hertford Co in the House in 1788 through 1793; 1795
was delegate to the Fayetteville Conv of 1789 which adopted the U S Constitution.
” In early 1786 Thomas Fitt and a Hertford County partner, attorney Henry Hill of Potecasi Creek, fitted out a sixty-ton brig, the Jennett and dispatched it by way of France, to Africa. Its cargo 106 hogheads of tobacco, 4,500 staves, and other produce apparently was to be exchanged in France for other goods, and these in turn, for African slaves. . . .
The Jennett returned in June 1787, with an 18-ton payload comprised mostly of eighty-one captive Africians, the largest shipload ever brought into the state and doubtless the ancestors of many of today’s Eastern North Carolina African Americans and whites. However, while the ship was abroad, the General Assembly raised the import duty on slaves, an act designed to discourage the slave-trade. This meant that the financial return on the Jennett’s human cargo would be considerably reduced. Fitt and Hill petitioned the General Assembly, of which Hill was a member, and won a fifty per cent reduction of the duty for themselves and a bonanza in profits.. . .Henry Hill died soon afterwards, leaving Fitt responsible for the firm’s debts. Fitt. . . . soon married Hill’s widow, enlarging his landed holdings. He then bought “Lazy Hill” of Colerain…..Fitt died in 1803.” Thomas C Parramore “Murfreesboro, North Carolina, and the Great Intracoastal Waterway 1786-1814”
married Sally Maget
i. daughter Hill
married Harry W Long of Hertford Co – lawyer
Sally married 2nd Thomas Fitt d. 1803
3. Mary Elizabeth Hill 1725 – 1753
married ca 1740 John Campbell of Lazy Hill
a. Sarah Campbell ca 1743 –
married 1760 Richard Brownrigg 1735 – 1771
married 2nd Capt. David Meredeth ? – 1791
b. James Campbell est 1748 – 1797/98
married ca 1769 Mary Kinchen ca 1753 – 1795
4. Benjamin Hill Jr 1732 – before 1750 dy
5. Priscilla Hill ca 1734 –
married 1753 Joseph Montfort 1724 England – 25 March 1776 Halifax Co NC
a. Elizabeth Montfort
married John Baptista Ashe 1748 – 1802 son of Samuel
b. Mary Montfort ca 1760 – 13 children, 5 lived to be adults, only 3 daughters married
married 27 June 1776 Willie Jones 25 May 1741 – 1801
name pronounced Wylie son of Robin Jones & wife Sarah Cobb of York Co
c. Henry Montfort d bef Nov 1793
had given Willie Jones his power of attorney in Aug 1793 [in Philadelphia ]to dispose of his NC property
Col. Joseph Montfort 1724 – 1776 | his parents
& 1753 Priscilla Hill ca 1734 – | her parents
of England and Halifax Co NC
This is my working hypothesis – the way I see it as of this moment!!
Children of Joseph Montfort and Priscilla Hill:
1. Elizabeth [Betsy] Montfort
married 7 Oct 1779 John Baptista Ashe 1748 – 1802 son of Samuel
a. Samuel Porter Ashe
married 1st Jane Puckett
married 2nd Mary Bell Sheppard
married 3rd Lucy Dissen
2. Mary Elizabeth Montfort 25 March 1760 – Aug 1826
13 children, 5 lived to be adults, only 3 daughters married
married 27 June 1776 Willie William Jones 25 May 1741 – 18 June 1801 Raleigh NC
name pronounced Wylie son of Robin Jones & wife Sarah Cobb of York Co
buried in unmarked grave in Raleigh
a. Henry Jones 1777 –
b. Anna [Nancy] Maria Jones 10 Oct 1779 – 17 Sept 1840
married Joseph Blount Littlejohn, Esq 4 Oct 1776 Edenton – 1852 TN
1. Mary E Littlejohn
married Lewis P Williamson
2. Sallie B Littlejohn
married 1st Robert Lawrence
married 2nd Henry S Peyton
married 3rd Elisha W Harris
3. Rev. William Littlejohn
married Eliza A Chisholm
4. Joseph Blount Littlejohn II
married 1st Mary Levenia Toole
married 2nd Sallie Jones Feild
5. Willie Jones Littlejohn
married Margaret Harris Chisholm
6. Elizabeth Montfort Littlejohn dy
7. Martha A M Littlejohn dy
8. ?William Littlejohn d. u
c. Robert Allen Jones July 1781 – d bef Aug 1796
d. Willie William Jones 31 Jan 1784 – 4 Nov 1837 at the Groves dsp
e. Elizabeth Jones 1785 –
f. Thomas Jones 1787 –
g. Mary Montfort Jones 21 Aug 1788 – 29 June 1791 Halifax Co ts
h. Martha [Patsy] Burke Jones 14 Feb 1790 – 6 Dec 1863
married the Hon. John Wayles Eppes of Buckingham Co VA as his 2nd wife
his first wife was Maria, the daughter of Thomas Jefferson
i. Sarah [Sallie] Welch Jones 10 Oct 1791 – 21 April 1836
married 1st Hutchings G Burton [later Gov. of NC]
married 2nd Andrew Joyner of “Poplar Grove” near Weldon NC
j. Claudia T Jones 1793 –
k. Robert Allen Jones 11 Aug 1796 – Sept 1831/ May 1822 at “Rocky Hill” dsp
3. Henry Montfort d bef Nov 1793
had given Willie Jones his power of attorney in Aug 1793 [in Philadelphia ]to dispose of his NC property
4. Caroline Montfort d y
from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
ASHE, John Baptista, (uncle of John Baptista Ashe [1810-1857], Thomas Samuel Ashe, and William Shepperd Ashe), a Delegate and a Representative from North Carolina; born in Rocky Point, N.C., in 1748; was privately tutored at home; engaged in agricultural pursuits; served throughout the Revolutionary War and attained the rank of colonel in command of North Carolina troops at Valley Forge and at the Battle of Eutaw, S.C.; member of the State house of commons 1784-1786, serving as speaker of the house in 1786; Member of the Continental Congress in 1787 and served until November 1, 1787, when he resigned; served as chairman of the committee of the whole in the State convention of 1789 that ratified the Constitution of the United States; member of the State senate in 1789; elected as an Anti-Administration candidate to the First and Second Congresses and served from March 24, 1790, until March 3, 1793; resumed agricultural pursuits; again served in the State senate in 1795; elected Governor of North Carolina in 1802, but died in Halifax, N.C., November 27, 1802, before being inaugurated; interment in the Churchyard Cemetery, Halifax, N.C.
Montfort’s gravestone reads:
THE RIGHT WORSHIPFUL JOHN MONTFORT
BORN IN ENGLAND A.D. 1724
DIED IN HALIFAX N.C.
MARCH 25, A.D. 1776
—-
APPOINTED PROVINCIAL GRAND MASTER OF AND
FOR AMERICA ON JAN 14, A.L. 5771 (A.D. 1771)
BY THE DUKE OF BEAUFORT
GRAND MASTER OF THE GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND A..F. AND A.M.
FIRST CLERK OF COURT OF HALIFAX COUNTY
TREASURER OF THE PROVINCE OF NORTH CAROLINA
COLONEL OF COLONIAL TROOPS
MEMBER PROVINCIAL CONGRESS
ORATOR – STATESMAN – PATRIOT – SOLDIER
THE HIGHEST MASONIC OFFICIAL EVER REIGNING
ON THIS CONTINENT
THE FIRST – THE LAST – THE ONLY –
GRAND MASTER OF AMERICA
emigrated ca 1685
Col. Andrew Meade 1635 – 1745 | his parents
& 1702 Mary Latham 1682 – 1739 | her parents
of Cork Ireland, Flushing Co LI & 1707 Nansemond Co VA
This is my working hypothesis – the way I see it as of this moment!!
ANDREW MEADE, the emigrant ancestor of the Virginia Meade family, came to America about 1685. He was from Ballintobber, Co. Cork , Ireland , and the late Mr. P. H. Baskervill traced his ancestry for nine generations in his book Andrew Meade of Ireland and Virginia . He is said to have gone first to London, and then to New York, where he married Mary Latham of Flushing, Long Island, N. Y., daughter of Daniel Latham, a Quaker. About five years later he removed to Nansemond Co., Va. , “made a handsome fortune, first by the fur-trade with Indians up the Roanoke in Virginia and North Carolina, and then by the lumber trade.” Andrew Meade was an Irish Catholic. . . though he was many years a representative of his county in the House of Burgesses, judge of the court, and senior colonel of the militia. He died in 1745, “leaving a character without a stain.”
VG 26 Oct 1739 – Mrs Meade, wife of Maj. Meade of Nansemond Co, d. lately
VG 28 Mar 1745 – Col. Andrew Meade, of Nansemond Co, a former justice of the peace and rep. in assembly, d. on Sat sennight?
Children of Andrew Meade & Mary Latham:
1. Robert Meade 1705 – dy
2. Priscilla Meade 1708 L I – 1785
married ca 1735 Wilson Curle 18 Dec 1709 – of Hampton
a. Wilson Curle 1736 – 1803
married Mourning Horn 1743 – 1829
b. David Wilson Curle 1737 – 1767
married Mary Cary 1734 – 1782
i. Mary Curle
ii. Priscilla Curle
married 2nd 1770 Joseph Selden
c. Hamilton Curle 1738 – 1760
d. Nicholas Wilson Curle 1739 – 1768
will witnessed by Francis Mallory
e. Andrew Curle 1740 – 1741
f. William Roscow Wilson Curle 1741 – 1782
married 1st Euphon Wallace 1722 – 1773
married 2nd Mary Kello 1734 – aft 1798
she was the widow of Walter Lyon when they married
then she married 3rdly Sept 1798 to Henry Penn Wharton
announced in a Hampton newspaper “Mary, the widow of Col. Curle”
g. Mary Latham Curle 1742 – [elder sister]
md by 1765 1st Robert Wallace died Dec 1768
i. Wilson Wallace
ii. son Wallace dy
md 2nd as 2nd wife William Armistead son of Robert & Ann Wallace Armistead
i. Moss Wallace Armistead
ii. William Armistead
iii. Rebecca Armistead
h. Jane Curle 1743 – 1767
married by 1765 Col Francis Mallory – killed 1781 in RW
he married 3rd ca 1767 Mary King [the mother of his children]
married 1760 Capt. John Campbell of Lazy Hill
legally separated in 1765
1788 to Bertie Co from Edenton Dist Ct. William Armistead excr. of Priscilla Campbell, widow dec’s recovered against the goods of John Campbell dec’d in the hands of his excr. James Campbell. Levy had been made on the negroes: Symon, Cyrus, Jacob, Kingston, Cynder, Lucy & child Peter, Nan, Dick, Winney, Phillis, Bristol, Ned, Frederick, Dick: Thus this order to sell the sd negroes. Samuel Rayner purchased Cyrus, Elisha Stallings purchased Kingston & Ned, Henry Speight purchased Jacob, Geo Ryan purchased Simon, Thos. Cochran purchased Nan, Timothy Hunter purchased Bristol.
corrections for Priscilla Curle’s children from Carolyn Cosgriff
3. David Meade 1710 – 1757
educated at Harrow
married 1731 Susannah Everard
daughter of Sir Richard Everard and his wife Susannah Kidder [he was a Colonial Governor of NC]
a. Anne Meade –
married Richard Randolph of Curles [on James River] VA
b. Mary Mead –
married Col. George Walker [of VA]
c. David Meade, Esq. 29 July 1744 – Oct 1838
rmoved to Ky ca 1796 and “founded Chaumiere de la Praire, a celebrated country place” David Meade was the author of The Chaumiere Papers, published long after his death, at Chicago , in 1883.
from these papers that we learn much regarding the Meade family. .. most of it has been republished in the William and Mary College Quarterly, Vol. XIII. (pp. 37, 73)
married 12 May 1768 Sally Waters of Williamsburg
VG 19 May 68 – David Mead, Esq. of Nansemond Co mar. Miss Sally Waters of Wmsbrg. on Thurs last.
d. Richard Kidder Meade 14 July 1746 – 1805
aide to General Washington
married 1st Elizabeth Randolph d 1774
“several children who died as infants”
VG 20 Jan 74 – Mrs. Elizabeth Meade, spouse of Richard Kidder Meade, Esq. of Pr. Geo. Co died
married 2nd Mary Grymes [Randolph] 9 Nov 1753 – 16 June 1813
widow of William Randolph dau of Benjamin Grymes
i. William Meade, D.D. 11 Nov 1789 – 14 March 1862 Richmond VA
Bishop of the Episcopal Church of Virginia
e. Gen. Everrard Meade 1 Oct 1748 –
aide to General Lincoln
married 1st Mary Thornton
married 2nd Mrs. Mary Eggleston [widow of Benjamin Ward]
f. Andrew Meade of Octagon Hall, Brunswick Co VA 1753 –
VGPI 9 Jun 95, 16 Dec 96 – Andrew Meade of Brunswick Co, dec’d e s w his ex..Buckner Stith
married Susanna Stith
i. David Meade
married Nancy Stith dau of Robert
ii. Maria Meade
married John Stith
iii. Richard Kidder Meade
iv. Susan Mead
married Fitzhugh
v. Anne Meade
married Dr. John Field
g. John Meade died in his youth about age 17
note: Bishop Meade in “Old Churches, Ministers and Families of Virginia” says David Meade had two daughters and five sons…. the sons were David Meade …. R. K. Meade, Everard Meade, Andrew Meade and John who died in his youth.”
These two Meade are probably not children of David Meade and wife Susanna Everard.
Thomas Meade – died 16 Nov 1770
Robert Meade
e-mail — Isabelle Terry writes “….The historical documents also say that Andrew was the first Meade in Virginia, but I find an older Thomas listed on land records before Andrew. I think the younger Thomas might be a descendent of his.”
Daniel Latham ca 1680 – | his parents
& Anne | her parents
of Flushing LI & Nansemond Co VA
This is my working hypothesis – the way I see it as of this moment!!
Child of Daniel Latham Jr & wife:
1. Sarah Latham ca 1700 – bef 1753
married Benjamin Hill 1697 – 1753 NC
Daniel Latham ca 1650 – | his parents
& Anne Jennings | her parents
of Flushing LI NY
This is my working hypothesis – the way I see it as of this moment!!
One Daniel Latham, ship wright, died in Feb 1707/08 intestate in Flushing NY leaving his wife Sarah as Administrix
Children of Daniel Latham ca 1650 & wife:
1. Daniel Latham ca 1680 –
married Anne
2. Mary Latham 1682 – 1739
married Andrew Meade 1635 – 1745
| I, SAMUEL PINE, of Hempsted, in Queens County, being well in health. My executors are to sell all houses and lands, even all my whole estate, real and personal. All debts to be paid. I leave to my wife Rachel, two thirds of my estate, and one third to my well beloved friends, Joseph Latham and Thomas Townsend, of Hempsted, and Samuel Underhill, of Oyster Bay, and I make them executors. |
| Dated this 22 day of 12 month called February, 1728/9. Witnesses, Thomas Pearsall, Joseph Thorne, Jarvis Mudge, Jr. Proved, May 28, 1730. The executors were Quakers. |
there is a Daniel Latham who appears in the mid 1700’s and later records of Flushing that was a Quaker.