1696 Bath County created
1729 New Hanover Precinct created from Bath County from Craven Precinct
1734 Bladen Precinct
1750 Anson County
1779 Montgomery County
1841 Stanly County
A Joseph Pitts signed the petition to the king in 1680.
Petition of the Inhabitants of Albemarle County to the King
June 30, 1680
To his most Sacred Majsty Charles the 2d King of England Scotland France & Ireland Defendr of the Faith &c.
The humble petition of ye Inhabitants of Albemarle County in Carolina whose Names are Undr written. — Humby Sheweth to yr Majesty. .
That whereas yr Majys Petitionrs have been great & grievous sufferers by ye Rebellion of Severall Audatious Infamous & Scandalous Psons who have drawn Sevrall of yr Majtyes poore & ignorant Subjects into ye Same prdicamt wth them through their fals delusions, faire & plausible pretenses Inso much yt ye whole Country is now ov’swaied by ye said Rabble And Notwithstanding ye Honrable Lords Proprietrs have Endeavored by sending Mr Seth Sothwell Governor to suppress ye sd Rebellion, Yet to our great griei'e & to your Mateys great loss & damninges in yr Customes through ye fals & tretchrous dealing & Combinations of their Agents wth ye Lds Proprters ye same is hitherto obstructed and in all probability like so to continue wthout ye Majtys interposition to ye Uttr Ruine & destruction of yr Matyes Subjects who for their Loyallty & fidelity to yor Maty have been & are in fearto be made ye objects of these Mens furie & Inlinmane Cruelltyes.
Wee therefore in all humility pray yr Most gratious Matys assistance for ye Suppressing the said Rebels & yt upon ye hearing our sd petition wch in a more ample manner setteth forth our Case & grievances, yt yr Maty would be pleased for ye future to take such care & course as to ye most sacred wisdom shall seem most meet, as well for ye securing of us Ye Matys Most Loyal and most distressed subjects and supplyants as of yr Matys Customes from the violence and Rapine of such Riotous disorderly persons as aforesaid.
And we (as in duty bound) shall Evr pray
John Sturgeon Andrew Wallword James Long Senr Willm Foster John Willson Rolph Flether Willm Vaux Joshua Scott Robt Inkoson TLaw Consalvoe John Gillcrest John Wallis Robt Bensley John Lacy Geo Castleton Robt Scott John Morris Thomas King
Jno. Edling Edw. Wade Tho. Lepper Jos. Sutton Wm Hogpen Math. Cullen Tho.- Symons Zack Meckson Joseph Pitts John Frith Ja Long Junt—
The spelling cõn is the same as tion.
Another Joseph Pitts arrived in North Carolina in 1694.
James Mills proves his right to eight hundd and fifty acres of land
by the Importacon of
James Mills,
Edw Conquest,
Geo Sutton and his wife
Nathanl Sutton,
Joseph Sutton,
Mary Gosby
Eliz Sutton,
Win Hague,
Nathaniell Marker,
one Negr servt
James Hunds
Jn Pinck and his wife
Jane Garrett,
Jn Overton
Joseph Pitts.
(from The State Records of North Carolina, Volume 1)
Edward Pitts was born about 1678 , North Carolina. His father may have been Joseph Pitts.
His children may have included:
Robert Pitts (1698)
Walter Pitts (1700)
Dozier Pitts (1702)
William Pitts (1703)
Lamar Lucretia Pitts (1706).
In 1705, an Edward Pitts claimed land on Machapunga Creek, forcing some of the Manchapunga to relocate. It is now called Pungo Creek and is Beauford County, North Carolina.
Robert Pitts with wife Mary witnessed a will in Craven Precinct, Bath County, North Carolina in 1725/26.
Walter and Lucretia Pitts settled in Edgecombe County, North Carolina. Walter Pitts owned land there in 1749.
The Entry of 640 Acres of Land I built on being ye fork of Neus [Neuse] River this in ye Secretaries office. We run up the Main River & up the Trent for this tract. If Any one make Requestt to ye Honble Governor & Councill concerning ye Survey of an Entry of Land made by Ed Pitts lying in Matchapunga Creek pray object agt it being I entred it after ye Clark to Survey it & Pitts Tendered his Assistance to go but I went there to Neus wth ye Honble Governor & this present Prsident Since then no opportunity has Ternd moreover ye Governr has given Honble word for Security of ye Same, there has a heap of work been done upon it.
No. Carolina These may Certifie whom it. may Concern that Edward Pitts of Bath County Came to me Aprill last & desired to have a Tract of Land Surveyed for him lying in Matchapunga Creek att ye same time I was very busie about other Surveys in Pamplicough butt assured him to Survey it ye first opportunity & with all Entred it my Surveying Journall yt it might be Secured for ye Said Edward Pitts. August 7, 1705.
John Lawson Surveyr.
from The North Carolina Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 3
Chocke, George,
Nov. 8, 1777;
Jany. Court 1779.
My seven children, including William and Sibil Choeke alias Pitts,
Col. John Lowry Exr.
Test, John Reed, John Stevenson.
from Edgecombe Co., North Carolina4-196
1752 - February 1,
John Rogers of Edgecombe to James Evans of same,
100 acres for 10 pounds,
north side of Conway Creek,
adjacent Thomas Hill, said Rogers, Theophilus Goodwin, Walter Pitts,
part of 640 acres granted to Thomas Bryant,
4 Mar 1728.
Witnessed by Thomas Hill, Edward Collins.
Lamer Lucretia Pitts was born about 1706 in Albemarle, Stanly (was Montgomery) County, North Carolina. Her parents were Edward and Mary Pitts.
She married Jacob Strickland in a part of Edgecombe County, North Carolina that became Nash County in 1777.
Elisha Strickland (1727),
Matthew Strickland (1728, married Leah Perry),
Mark Strickland (1729),
Hardy Strickland (1733),
Solomon Strickland ( 1735, married Amy Pace),
Isaac Strickland (1739),
Lucretia Strickland (1740, married William Hickman),
Jacob Strickland (1741, married Priscilla Taylor),
Mary Strickland (1743), and
Henry Strickland (1744, married Mary Hickman).
She died on August 18, 1788 in Middlesex, Nash County, North Carolina.
Jacob Strickland died in April, 1790 in Nash County.
from Edgecombe County Deed Book C
Earl Granville
to Jacob Strickland of Edgecombe Co. 15 Oct. 1761
530 acres adj. William Strickland and Richard Bailey
on the south side of Tar River and Samuel Carter and Thomas Woodward on the north side of the river.
Wit: Samuel Swann, Jno. Linton
from Edgecombe County Deed Book C
Earl Granville
to Jacob Strickland of Edgecombe Co.,
1 May 1762
480 acres in a fork of Turkey Creek
Wit: Wm. Gibson, Jno. Linton.
from Edgecombe County Deed Book C
Jacob Stricklin of Edgecombe Co., planter,
to Benjamin Braswell of Edgecombe Co., planter.
17 Feb. 1764
210 acres on the north bank of Town Creek
adj. Moses Baker Wit: Simon Braswell, John Stinson, James Braswell
from Edgecombe County Deed Book D
William Strickland of Edgecombe Co.,
to his brother, Jacob Strickland 20 Feb. 1768
One acre of land on the north side of Tar River
...being the land had of Edward Moore
for leave to build a public grist mill; also, one-half interest in the mill.
Witness: Edward Moore, Solomon Carter
from Edgecombe County Deed Book D
Jacob Strickland of Edgecombe Co.,
to Mark Strickland. 25 Nov. 1769
280 acre plantation whereon said Mark then dwelled.
Wit: Edward Moore Solomon Pope, John Taylor
from Edgecombe County Deed Book D
Jacob Strickland of Edgecombe Co.,
to Henry Strickland 28 Nov. 1769
the 530 acre plantation wheron said Henry then dwelled,
lying on both sides of Tar River
...being a Granville grant to said Jacob Strickland which was dated 15. Oct 1761.
Wit: Edward Moore, Haray Strickland, John Taylor
It was common for bequests to include wearing apparel.
In the Name of God Amen, I Jacob Strickland of the county of Nash and State of North Carolina. . .
Item: I give and bequeath to my sun Elisha Strickland all my wearing cloes after my death. I give also to his son Isak Strickland my negro boy called Quan? to him and his heirs for ever after my death.
Item: I give and bequeath sun Jacob Strickland five shillings lawful money. I give also to his son Jacob Strickland a negro man called Robin to him and his heirs forever after my death.
Item: I give and bequeath to my sun Matthew Strickland five shillings lawful money. I give to his daughter Mary Strickland a negro girl named Patt her and her increase to her and her heirs for ever after my death.
Item: I give to sun Marke Strickland five shillings I also give to his sun Ishmael Strickland a negro man called Harry to him and his heirs forever after my death.
Item: I give and bequeath to my sun Hardy Strickland the plantation and all my land containing 362 acres to him and his heirs forever after my death.
Item: I give and bequeath to my grand sun Theopolus Strickland one negro man named Prince that he hath in possession now.
Item: I give and bequeath to my sun Henry Strickland five shillings after my death and also give to his sun Carrolus Strickland one negro boy called Pompe to him and his heirs forever after my death.
Item: I give and bequeath to my grand daughter Cresy Hickman one negro girl called Jude she and her increase to her and her heirs forever after my death.
Item: I give and bequeath to my grand daughter Sarah Hickman one feather bed and furniture after my death.
Item: I give and bequeath to my sun Solomon Strickland and my daughter Creesy Hickman all the remainder part of my estate unmentioned in the above legacies to be equally divided between them as they can agree after my death.
Item: I hereby nominate and appoint my sun Marke Strickland fully and soly my executors to my last will and testament in manner also my will is that if it should happen that I should die when there was a crop on the ground that Marke Strickland should have full power to devide with Hardy Strickland as my self agreeable to our bargain which is half of everything that is made on the land.
In witness whereof I do hereunto set my hand and assign this my last will and testament this 18 day of August, 1788.
Jacob X Strickland (Seal)
Signed, sealed, published, pronounced his by said Strickland to be his last will and testament in presents of us mark Edward X Nicholson
his mark Christopher X Taylor
his mark William X Byrd (or Burden)
his mark Nash County
May Term 1790
Slavery is an immoral system of forced labor where people are treated as property to be bought and sold. It was legal in the American Colonies and the United States until the Civil War.
