Revisiting the Family of Margaret Scott Dixon, Part 2

On the 20 April 1687, a man named Thomas Scott was granted 307 acres of land in Lynnhaven Parish, Lower Norfolk County, Virginia. Two hundred acres of this was sold as an assignment to him by Martha Rouse. The rest was for the transporting of himself, another Thomas Scott and three negroes named Sambo, John and Maria. Other than the second Thomas, his son, at some point, his brother and another son, both named David, also migrated from the Old World to the New.

There are a couple of grants, dated 20 October 1689, for 150 acres each, to Thomas Scott, on the Elizabeth River, but the county is given for neither, so I’m not sure if they were to either of these Thomas Scotts.

My source for this next bit is a post from January 2003 to the Virginia Southside list at Rootsweb, Princess Anne County & Thomas Scott & Grandson Cason Scott. One of the Thomases witnessed a deed a gift from John Porter Sr. to his grandchildren, the children of Thomas and Mary Solley, in Princess Ann County 28 December 1691 (Princess Anne was formed from Lower Norfolk earlier that year).

Thomas Scott, with 100 acres, and David Scott, with 600, appear in Princess Anne County on the Quit Rent Roll of Virginia in 1704 (The Planters of Colonial Virginia by Thomas Jefferson Wertenbaker, pages 204 and 205, Internet Archive).

By 1 December 1707, the senior Thomas Scott appears to have been deceased when David Scott, Jr., “son and heir of Thomas Scott,” sold 100 acres of land in Princess Anne County to John Hopkins for 10 pounds. Thomas II was one of the witnesses.

David Scott, Jr. was granted 100 acres at a place called Gum Swamp adjoining John Hobkins and William Nicholson for transporting himself and Thomas Scott 28 April 1711. On that same day, Thomas Ivy patented 374 acres east of Cary’s Creek in Princess Anne County for the importation of 8 people, one of whom was a Thomas Scott.

On 2 May 1713, Thomas Scott was issued a patent for 309 acres of land ata place called Green Sea in Princess Anne County. The description mentions John Carraway’s corner tree. A few days after this, on 9 May, his uncle, David Scott, Sr. wrote his will. He makes bequests to “cousen Thomas Scott son of brother, cousen Margaret, cousen David Scott, Jr., son of brother Thomas.” David Scott, Jr. was appointed Executor. The will was proven in Court 6 June 1716.

Thomas Scott and his wife, Elizabeth, sell some of the land he inherited from his father to John Hopkins for £40, 6 September 1715. David Scott, Jr. witnessed the transaction. David and his wife, Faith, in their turn, sell Thomas 220 acres left to him by their father for just 5 shillings 3 May 1720.

A Thomas Scott was granted 60 acres 5 September 1723 in Norfolk County near the head of the western branch near a survey of William Cherry and Eleazer Tart. I’m not sure if this is either of our Thomases, but Norfolk County was close enough to Princess Anne to leave the possiblity open.

Thomas wrote his will 2 June 1729. In it, he makes various bequests to his grandchildren: Cason Scott, son of Thomas Scott, Elizabeth Algrew, Ann Simmons and Ann Moseley, daughter of Anthony Moseley and daughter Frances his wife. His wife, Elizabeth is not mentioned according to any abstract I’ve been able to read.

Note: To see any of the Virginia land patents/grants referenced in this post, go to the Library of Virginia’s Online Catalog. Click the “Images & Indexes” tab and select “Virginia Land Office Patents and Grants” database by double clicking on it. Then type “Thomas Scott” or “David Scott” into the top search box and “Go”.

On or about the 17 June 1730, Margaret Scot (the “cousen” mentioned in the will of David Scott, Sr.?) entered a Court in Newbern, North Carolina and petitioned for, and was granted, Letters of Administration on the Estate of her deceased husband, Thomas Scot.

She submitted an inventory of the Estate later that year on 15 December. At that time she also submitted an account of sales (£20, 5 shillings) and an account of debts (£9, 8 shillings).

Sometime during the early 1730s, Margaret Scott, widow of Thomas Scott, married John Horde, son of Peter Horde. On 7 September 1736, Mr. Horde made a deed of gift to her children, Cason and Averilla:

To all Christian people to whom these presents shall come I John Hord of North Carolina and precinct of Craven for and in consideration of the Love good will and affection which I have and do bear towards my loving son and daughter-in-law Viz. Cason Scott and Averilla Scott the son and daughter of Thomas Scott late of this precinct deceased Have Given granted and by these presents do fully clearly and absolutely Give and Grant unto the said Cason & Averilla aforsd. their heirs exrs. admins. and assigns one hundred and fifty acres of land situate lying and being on the north side of Nuse River and on the head of No. Et. Branch of Powel’s Creek to be equally divided between them and I do further give unto the said Cason Scott one Bay Mare named Bonny sadl & Bridle two Cows two Calves & a heiffer with their increase likewise one pewter dish three plates one dozen of spoons one Iron Pott and I do moreover give unto the sd. Averilla Scott one mare fole two Cows and calves and one heiffer with their Increase and one pewter dish three plates one dozen spoons and one Iron Pott together with all the right Title Interest & claim & demand whatsoever which I now have or which any or either of my Heirs exrs. admins. or assigns may hereafter have of to or in the said Granted premises or any part thereof To have and to hold the said Granted premises and every part thereof unto the sd. Cason Scott & Averilla Scott as above said their heirs and assigns forever absolutely without any manner of Condition. the said John Hord have fully a
and of my own accord set and put testimony In witness whereof I
unto put my hand and affixed my seal the 7th day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and thirty six 1736

Sealed and delivered
in the presents of
Jacob Brinson
Jno. West

Noate that the within stock named and household goods is not to be delivered till the death of the mother of the within named children except the mare sadle & Bridle

John Hord

Craven County Deed Book 2, page 373

From later evidence, I can surmise that Cason married within a few years after this, but the identity of his wife is a total and complete mystery. I don’t even know her first name. I just know that their known children, Cason and John, were born in the early to mid 1740s.

Cason witnessed a deed of gift from Thomas Fulcher to his son, William, of 75 acres of land 24 August 1744. He, himself, made a purchase of 82 acres on the north side of the Neuse River and on the east side of Goose Creek, from Cason Brinson, for the strange price of £226, 13 shillings and 4 pence (Craven County Deed Book 1, page 452).

On 22 January 1751, Cason Scott sells 125 acres on the North River, upon the northeast fork of Powell’s Creek to Thomas Carraway, Sr., for £46, 13 shillings and 4 pence (Deed Book 1, page 469). It seems he had a penchant for odd amounts. From the description, this sounds very much like the tract gifted to he and Avarilla in 1736.

John Horde died at some point before 14 February 1753 when Nathaniel Gabriel and William Sitgreaves, as greatest creditors, motioned the Court for Letters of Administration on his Estate. The sale of the Estate took place 18 June. Cason Scott bought a woolen wheel, a hatchet, and 3 trenchers. Mr. Sitgreaves submitted an inventory of the Estate 16 August and the accounts of the sale weren’t submitted to be filed until 13 February 1755.

Cason Scott, Ann Snow and John Spire (you can’t read his last name on the will, but it was proved in Court on his oath and that of Ms. Snow), witnessed the will of John Paine 29 December 1753.

Averilla and her husband, Moses Anderson, now living in Onslow County, sold to David Gordon of Johnston County for £20 proclamation money

…all those seventy acres of land situate lying and being on the north shore of Neuse River and on the head of the No. Et. Branch of Powell’s Creek being part of 150 acres of land situate as aforesaid which was by deed bearing date the seventh day of September in the year of our Lord 1736 by John Howard granted to one Cason Scott & Averella Scott now Averella Anderson…

Craven County Deed Book 2, page 318

This transaction occurred 5 January 1757. On that same date Mr. Gordon sold to Moses Anderson 200 acres in Onslow County for 5 shillings (Abstracts of the records of Onslow County, North Carolina, 1734-1850, Volume 1 by Zae Hargett Gwynn, page 94, supposedly abstracted from Onslow County Deed Book E, page 18). This abstract states that the tract in Craven County sold by Mr. and Mrs. Anderson was on the north shore of New River, not Neuse, and that Averilla was Cason’s wife and not his sister.

John Baker petitioned the Court 9 November 1757 for Letters of Administration of the Estate of Cason Scott, deceased, having intermarried with his widow. For some reason, this entry in the court minutes was crossed out, but nowhere does it actually say it was stricken from the record.

Mrs. Baker’s eldest son, Cason Scott, witnesses land transactions between Nicholas Harper and John Baker (Craven County Deed Book 2, page 12) and John Linton and John Baker (Craven County Deed Book 2, page 234) November 1758 and 17 July 1759, respectively. Young Cason was chosen for jury duty in July and October 1763, but only served on any juries in October. Again, he witnessed a land transaction involving John Baker 2 March 1765 when Baker sold 150 acres to John Roe (Craven County Deed Book 12, page 8). This deed was proven in Open Court on the oath of Cason Scott in July 1766. Cason was issued a patent for 300 acres on the west side of Goose Creek 30 October 1765 (North Carolina Land Grant Images and Data, Book 17, page 263, Grant #371 and Book 18, page 239, Grant #371). The description mentions the lines of Hopton and Spaight. If I’m right, this is, probably, about the time Cason married Tabitha Dixon, daughter of John and sister of Chosewell.

It was ordered by the Court 2 May 1767 that the lands and tenements of Cason Scott, late of this County, be sold in order to pay his debts. This order was carried out 5 December when High Sheriff Richard Blackledge sold 350 acres to James Coor for £34 (Craven County Deed Book 14, page 305). Mr. Coor would sell these lands to Chosewell Dixon 19 December. This was not the entirety of the sum that was to have been raised, which was nearly £45. From the text of the deed, we learn that Mr. Coor recovered just over £37 in damages from Mr. Scott, plus “the sum of five pounds, thirteen shillings and ten Pence like Money by said Court adjudged and Taxed for Costs & Charges whereof the said Cason Scott is convicted on Record.”

This Cason Scott, I believe, was the one who moved on to live and South Carolina and serve there during the Revolution (as one of Francis Marion’s men), and to die there in Santee District 16 January 1816. Shortly after his death, his family moved from South Carolina to Copiah County, Mississippi, East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, and Harrison County, Texas.

Next post, I’ll talk a bit more about Peggy’s grandfather, John.

Surprise, surprise! There were TWO Chosewell Dixons.

This is from Craven County Deed Book 25, page 305. William Dixon, Chosewell Dixon, Senr. and Chosewell Dixon were witnessing a transaction between David Dixon, Senior’s nephew, and Aliff Cuthrell. The deed is dated December 11, 1783.

I wonder if Chosewell Jr. was the Chosel Dixon who entered a patent in Carteret County on Houston’s Creek (now Holston’s Creek in Jones County) January 25, 1786. The patent was issued November 16, 1790.

Chosewell Dixon’s second wife? and the mother of Vendrick Dixon

I’m about to do a whole lot of speculating, theorizing, and hypothesizing based on a whole lot (or very little) circumstantial evidence.  A lot of what’s in this post has not, to my knowledge, actually been proven by anyone, including me.   Feel free to add to it, debate it, or flat out tell me I’m wrong and back it up.  I need all the help I can get.  Especially with the Vendricks.  They are a maze.  A freaking labyrinth.  Recycling the same names all over the place and marrying other Vendricks left, right, and center.  Currently in my database I have 4 Daniels, 4 Jesses, 5 Elizabeths, 5 Jameses, and 6 Johns.  And I’m sure I’ve missed some.

All right, you’ve been warned.  Here we go.

In my post about Chosewell Dixon and Mary, his wife, I spent some time speculating about the administrator of his estate, Vendrick Dixon:

On December 9, 1816, Vendrick Dickson, James Martin, and Church Vendrick paid a 500 pound administrator bond towards a period of 2 years with Vendrick Dickson as administrator of the estate of Choswell Dickson, according to his estate papers.  The Inventory and Estate Sale were held December 20, at Goose Creek.  The only Dixsons on that list besides Vendrick are a Polly Dixson (widow or daughter?), a John Dixson, and Rolen Dixson.

Who was Vendrick Dixon?  From the census data, I know he was born sometime around 1795.  That’s too late to be a son of Chosewell.  Unless, of course, he had a second wife, which is possible.  Perhaps this hypothetical second wife was a Vendrick. Or he could’ve been a grandson.  Remember that third male 16 or over in 1769?  On the 1815 tax list there is a John Dixon listed just above Vendrick Dixon with one free poll and 250 acres valued at 250.  Vendrick just has the one free poll.  Further up the list is a John Dixon, Jnr., also with one free poll.

I’m thinking that the elder John was Chosewell and Mary’s other son of 1769 and that the younger was his son.  That is, of course, plain, old-fashioned, speculation.  So, what about Vendrick?  The 1850 census gives his age as 55, yielding a birth year of 1795.  He could be a son of John, Sr.  It’s possible.  The dates would fit nicely. However, when I asked Suzy Bennett about Vendrick Dixon, she told me, in an email dated March 30, 2016, he was the son of Chosewell.  In a followup email, dated the 31st, I asked:

If Vendrick was the son of Chosewell, does that mean that Chosewell had a second wife?  I would think that 1795 would be a bit late for he and Mary to have children.  Their son, William, was born by 1756 when he was granted a stock mark.  Even if Mary had been 13 when he was born, she’d have been over 50 in 1795.  Unless, of course, Mary was the second wife.

And, as I speculated before, in my post about William Dixon and Lydia Caton, if William was one of the 3 polls in Chosewell’s household in 1769, then he’d have been born no later that 1753, which would make Mary even older in 1795.

Suzy replied later the same day:

It’s been suspected that Chosewell was married twice. However, I’ve got one land deed naming his wife as Mary, but I’ve not found any documentation for the other wife.

So, out of curiosity, I looked at the Vendrick family wills I have at hand (I keep them on a flash drive).  There, I found the will of John Vendrick, dated November 30, 1804.  In it, he lends a feather bed and furniture to his wife, Mary, then, after her death, leaves it to daughter Lany Dickson.  Church Vendrick was one of the witnesses thereto.  You can see a summation here, along with that of other Vendrick wills.

Could Lany Vendrick be the second wife of Chosewell Dixon?  Possibly.  If Chosewell was either the second free white male living with William and Lydia in 1790, or, the Joseph Dixon listed (third column, remember Chosewell’s name is given as Joseph on the John Scott/Patsy Bland marriage bond), then he was unmarried at that time.  So, the marriage would have had to have taken place after 1790.  I would normally add, “but before Vendrick’s birth in 1795”, but the Dixons had a habit of putting the cart before the horse when it came to marriage and children.  🙂  So sometime between 1790 and 1804 is the best I can do, for now.

Children of John Vendrick (-1804) and Mary (listed in order of mention):

• Peter Vendrick
• James Vendrick
• Penny Vendrick – I speculate that she was the Penelope Vendrick who married Church Vendrick March 16, 1808.
• Lany Vendrick – Married a Dickson.  I speculate that she was the second wife of Chosewell Dixon but don’t entirely discount the possibility that she was, instead, the wife of his (hypothetical) son, John.
• Mary “Polly” Vendrick – She married George Carpenter February 22, 1785.  They had a daughter named Sarah, who was mentioned in John’s will.  Polly, herself, isn’t mentioned which leads me to conclude that she had died by November 30, 1804.
• Eliza Vendrick – She married Hardy Hukins July 28, 1792.  Note:  Liza is not specifically called daughter in the will.
• Rebeckah Vendrick – She married Ezekial Read September 26, 1797.

I theorize that this John Vendrick was the son of another John Vendrick, wife Rebeckah, who wrote his will February 4, 1785.  I have no actual proof of this beyond a) they, as per the will, had a son named John, and b) John of the 1804 will had a daughter named Rebeckah.

Children of John Vendrick (-1785) and Rebeckah:

• Peter Vendrick
• John Vendrick – Perhaps the John Vendrick who died in late 1804.
• Anne Vendrick – Her first husband was a Green.  They had a son named Solomon who was mentioned in the will.  Second, she married Thomas Harper, Jr. April 10, 1783.
• Daniel Vendrick
• Abraham Vendrick (-1812) – An Abram Vendrick married Mary Boyd January 8, 1805.  Before this, he may have been married to a Mary E. Green according to this Green genealogy (#40).  Or there could have been more than one Abraham Vendrick.
• Francis Vendrick (-1815) – There are several Francis Vendricks, but I think this was the one who married Sydney Vendrick September 9, 1783.  Thomas Harper was their bondsman.

The 1785 will also makes bequests to the heirs of John Boyd.  This and the marriage between “Abram” and Mary Boyd makes me wonder if Rebeckah was a Boyd either by blood or previous marriage.

To summarize:

1. Let’s say Mary and Chosewell married in 1750 and that Mary was 13.  She’d have been 58 in 1795 when Vendrick Dixon was born.  Even if they didn’t marry until 1755, she’d still have been over 50.
2. Their son, William, was born, at least, by September 1756 and, quite likely, by 1753 (assuming he was one of the 3 white males living in Chosewell’s household in 1769).
3. I hypothesize that the John Dixon listed on the Tax List of 1815 just before Vendrick Dixon with 1 free poll and 250 acres of land was another son of Chosewell and Mary and the third white male of 1769.  Say he was born in 1751 and William in 1753.
4. Further, I propose that the John Dixon, Jnr. of 1815 was the son of the above John and grandson of Chosewell Dixon and Mary, his wife.  Since “between 1801 and 1817, the free poll included whites aged 21 to 50,” he’d have had to be born by 1794 or thereabouts.
5. Vendrick Dixon, James Martin, and Churchill Vendrick paid the administrator bond on the Estate of Chosewell Dixon in 1816.
6. Vendrick Dixon was, quite likely, the son or grandson of Chosewell Dixon.  If son, then there had to have been a second wife.  She was, in all probability, a Vendrick.
7. The 1804 will of John Vendrick names daughter Lany Dickson.  Church Vendrick was a witness to this will.  It is possible, though not certain, that the daughter Penny of this will was the Penelope who married Church in 1808.
8. Whether or not Lany Vendrick was the wife of Chosewell or of John, she was, in all likelihood, the mother of Vendrick Dixon.

If you are still confused, join the club.  By the way, we’ll be coming back to the Vendricks.  Churchill Vendrick’s sister, Ruth, lurks in my mother’s side of the family tree.

One more thing.  The Polly Dixson at the estate sale in 1816.  She was, most likely, the daughter or granddaughter of Chosewell.  I’m not sure which.  Or of which wife she’d have been the daughter of if he had two.  If she’s the granddaughter, it gets even more confusing.  William and Lydia had a daughter named Mary, but, if I’m right and she’s the Mary Dixon to marry James Martin in 1815 (marriage bond), then she’d have been Mary Martin in 1816.  But, remember I based that hypothesis purely on the fact that James Martin stood bondsman for William and Lydia’s son Rolland and Penelope Keel (marriage bond).  So, Polly Dixson could be the daughter of any of these guys.  Chosewell, John, or William.  Take your pick.

What do y’all think?

Dixon Wives: Sarah Ann Daw

Sarah Ann Daw (or Dawe) was born sometime between 1705 and 1715, most likely in Beaufort County, North Carolina, to William Daw and his wife, Dinah.  William was the son of Captain Nicholas Daw and Lydia Windley, I’ll talk more about them in a separate post, and Dinah may have been a Prescott or an Etheridge, I’ve seen both.  Of course, she could have been a widow when she married William.  Such was common in those days.

An Aaron Prescott wrote his will, in which he mentions a daughter named Dinah, February 24, 1709 in Currituck Precinct of Albemarle County. The will wasn’t probated until March 24, 1719, so he obviously survived whatever illness that prompted him to write it.

John Prescott, Aaron’s father, had arrived in Virginia by March 11, 1653, transported there by a James Johnson to whom he was bound.  On that date, Johnson received 300 acres for transporting 6 persons (Cavaliers and Pioneers: Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants, 1623-1800, page 241).  By April 5, 1664, John was being granted 400 acres of his own for the transport of 8 people (Cavaliers and Pioneers, page 514).  And on September 29 that same year, he and 5 others received 1,000 acres for transporting 20 people (Cavaliers and Pioneers, pages 513-14).  Aaron was his younger son.  The elder son, Moses, inherited all of John’s land in Virginia and died there June 19, 1724, in Norfolk County.

William and Dinah probably married in approximately 1700, either in North Carolina or Maryland.  William appears on A List of Jurymen In Beaufort and Hyde Precincts in 1723. Their daughter, Sarah, married John Dixon in about 1730.

John Dixon was born sometime between, say, 1705 and 1710, either in North Carolina or Virginia.  This John Dixon was not, I repeat NOT, the son of Walter Dixon, Sr. of Pitt County.  I’ve come to this conclusion, despite much misinformation posted all over the Internet, because I actually looked at the dates on their wills.  For more about that see my post A Problem of Wills.

John and Sarah witnessed the will of James Leigh April 4, 1738.  Sarah certainly had better handwriting.

Sarah Dixon is mentioned in her father’s will in 1744.  I think the year “one thousand seven hundred and forty five come one” is supposed to mean 1744.  It makes more sense with the probate date than 1746.

I have seen scans of this will and I have seen abstracts.  Some of the abstracts don’t seem to match the scans.  One such abstract appears in Grimes’ Abstracts of North Carolina Wills on page 95:

There’s another abstract in The North Carolina Historical and Genealogical Register, Volume 1, dated January 23, 1745, that agrees more with the scans:

As for the scans, the better of the two I got from Ancestry during the free probate and will access weekend they had a little while ago.  Now, of course, you’d have to pay for the privilege.  Which sucks, because there are still a few other wills I’d like to see.  The other scan you can access for free at North Carolina State Archives MARS – Basic Search.  Type in “William Dawe” and “All” then click “Search.”  You’ll be able to read the actual will with the help of a free DJVU viewer browser plugin.  Both scans are extremely difficult to read.  The handwriting is atrocious, Sarah obviously did not learn to write from her father, and the ink has faded and/or bled through in many places.  However, you can make out enough to know that it is not dated the twentieth of January.  I would guess the twenty-fifth, or “the five and twentieth Day of January.”  This is what I can make out (I’ve created paragraphs for easier reading, and, as you cans see, it could use some punctuation but I’ve tried to stay a true as possible to the original):

In the Name of God Amen. The five and twentieth day of January In the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty five come one I William Dawe Planter at the head of Leighs Creek South Side of Pamplico River Beaufort County in the Province of North Carolina Being sick but of well and ? disposing mind and memory praised be to God for the same doth constitute ordain and make this my Will in manner and form following

and first I bequeath my soul to Almighty God my most Mercyfull Father hoping through the Merrits and Mediation of my Dear Redeemer to obtain pardon of my Sins and to be an Inheritor of his heavenly kingdom. And my body I commit to the Earth by Decent buriall at the Discretion of my wife and children.

and Secondly I appoint my Loving Wife Dinah Dawe my ? and sole Executive of this my Last will and testament.

To my Eldest son Nicholas Dawe I wish to bequeath one hundred acres of land ? by Oyster Swamp, his choice of one bed & bedding above stairs, a bay Mare with a star in her face, one gun both called his, my chest, all the cattle with his mark.

To my son William Daw one hundred acres of land on the West side of Durhams Creek, one bed & bedding above stairs next his Brother Nicholas bed & beding, one two year old horse & all the cattle with his mark.

… my Daughter Diana one oval table & one chest & one ? dish with all the cattle in her Mark.

To my son John Dawe the plantation where I now dwell my ? gun, and young mare, all the cattle in his Mark.

To my Daughter Borhya all cattle in her Mark.

To my Daughter Biah all the cattle in her Mark.

To the said daughters Borbiya & Biah Dawe I give the Negro wench to help ? being them use & for their use all …

This is where it gets really difficult.  Lots of faded and smeared ink.  From what I can make out, he gives use of the plantation he left John to his wife, Dinah, for her lifetime.  Although I can’t see it, the words “or widowhood” are probably tacked on.  Then he mentions “daughters who are married” Sarah Dixon (or, something -on, anyway) and Lydia (I don’t think this is Kee or Coe or Cob. It could be Roe, Rowe, or something else equally short).  It gets illegible again then “if demanded being they have had their portions”.

Then:

I Desire my sons Nicholas and William to assist their Mother and my Will in that all my just debts which ? ? at my ? be fully paid and satisfyed and this I Declare to be my Last will & testament [unreadable but probably “disannulling” or “disallowing”] and Revoking all heretofore made this being [illegible] In testimony I set my hand and seal [illegible]

The signatures are all faded, smeared, or bled through.  Including his.  Maybe it can be read better on microfilm.

So Sarah had seven siblings, three brothers and four sisters.  The children of William Dawe and Dinah, his wife were:

• Nicholas Dawe – Married Abigail Wallis, daughter of William Wallis and Mary Shaw, before December 9, 1748, when she’s mentioned as Abigail Daw in her father’s will, of which Nicholas was Executor.
• William Dawe (d. 1792, his will) – Married Mary Compton
• Sarah Dawe – Married John Dixon
• Lydia Dawe – May have married John Rowe, son of William Rowe and Mary Brough, as his second wife.
• Diana Dawe
• John Dawe – He may have been a child when his father died because while he appears on the 1764 tax list, he doesn’t in 1755.
• Borhya(?) Dawe
• Abiah Dawe

She and John, themselves, had six children (this number comes from the wills of John and Thomas Dixon and from Tax Lists), most, if not all, born before 1755.  All four sons certainly appear on the 1755 List of Taxables Beaufort County, NC, and were, thus, of or older than 16 years of age.  Only Chosewell and, possibly, Thomas were married.  The fact that Thomas is living with John Lee, combined with Sarah and John witnessing James Leigh’s will makes be wonder if there was a familial connection between the families.

The sons, at least, also appear in 1764 List of Taxables Beaufort County, NC.  I don’t know if the John Dixon listed is the father or the son.

Notice the proximity of John’s family to that of William Dixon in 1755, and to Benjamin Dixon in 1764.  William was the son of Walter Dixon, Sr. and Benjamin was either his son or his grandson.  I know of a Benjamin Dixon in the area in the 1790s.  He was, I think, the son of James Dixon, Sr. who was the son William Dixon.  In New Bern District Court Records, there are a series of depositions dated from July to September 1795 concerning the burning down of David Smithwick’s house by Shad Price, William Dixon, and James Dixon.  A Benjamin Dixon was among the deponents.  Anyway, this, and the fact that Chosewell Dixon’s grandson was named Roland, which was also the name of Walter’s youngest son, all point to some sort of relationship between the families.  I’ve noticed that on early posts on various message boards and genealogies, Walter Dixon, Sr. was given a birthdate of 1692.  Later, this was changed to 1682.  However, if the initial date was correct, then it is possible that my John, especially if he was born closer to 1705 than 1710, was the younger brother of Walter instead of his son.  It’s definitely something to think about.

The children I have for Sarah and John Dixon are:

• Chosewell Dixon (d. 1816) – married a woman named Mary, maiden name unknown, son William and probably another son and I don’t know how many daughters.
• Thomas Dixon (d. 1780) – According to his will, he had two daughters, Mary and Martha.  They were both under 18.
• Elizabeth Dixon (Source:  Will of Thomas Dixon) – I don’t think she ever married.
• Draper Dixon (Source:  1755 Tax List) – There seems to be some confusion over who he married.  Some genealogies say she was Elizabeth Mixon, some Prudence Mixon.  Both were daughters of William Mixon and Frances Bryan.  I don’t think it was either, but another sister, name unknown.  Something about the wording of William Mixon’s will and how he leaves things to both Elizabeth and Prudence and to Elijah Dixon, grandson, all in the same sentence.  According to my database, he died in October of 1778 in Camden District, South Carolina.
• John Dixon, Jr.
• Tabitha “Bitha” Dixon (Source:  Will of John Dixon) – She married a Cason Scott (b. 1741) that I think, but can’t prove, was the son of Cason Scott (b. 1715) and Averilla Horde.  Cason died January 5, 1816 in Santee District, South Carolina, and Tabitha November 10, 1824 in East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana.

Dixon Wives: Lydia Caton

Lydia Caton was probably born sometime around 1766 to John Caton and his wife Mary Ball, as per this post by Gean Gray Caton Nelson. Mary was, herself, the daughter of James Ball and Catrin. We know this because James Ball left what appears to be a partial will in Craven County, undated and unsigned. In it he leaves his grandson, William Caton, “son of John Caton and Mary my daughter,” a cow and calf. James’ father also left a will, but in Carteret County. An abstract of this will appears in Grimes’ Abstracts of North Carolina Wills on the bottom of page 15. For some reason he’s listed as John Ball.

Ball, John.             Carteret County
November 10, 1749. December Court 1749.
Sons: NATHAN (“houses and plantation whereon I now live”), STEPHEN (159 acres land on “west side of Brice’s plantation”), JAMES (150 acres land “adjoining plantation whereon I now live”). Daughters: SARAH BALL, RACHEL BALL. Wife: MAGDALENE BALL. Executors: MAGDALENE BALL (wife) and SAMUEL NOBLE. Witnesses: DAVID TURNER, FRANCES EGLETON, REBECCA TURNER. Clerk of the Court: GEO. READ.

There is a folder labeled James Ball (1750) in North Carolina Estate Files – Carteret County at FamilySearch.org. All it contains is an undated inventory of his estate returned during the June term, 1850.

John Caton was born circa 1735 in Princess Anne County, Virginia, and was the son of William Caton. Both he and his father are listed as being part of Cason Brinson Sr.’s Company on a muster roll dated October 15, 1753. John, along with his brothers William, Solomon, and Moses, are all listed on the Craven County 1769 Tax List, each with one white male and no slaves, but for whatever reason, John is missing from the 1770 Tax List. The 1790 Federal Census (second column), shows John Caton living between John Arnold and Jesse Holten with:

• 2 Free White Males of 16 or more
• 1 Free White Male under 16
• 2 Free White Females
• 0 Other Free Persons
• 0 Slaves

I wonder who the second female was. Lydia was already married. William Dixon and Charles Harrington purchased a marriage bond for William to marry her March 8, 1786. They were a bit tardy in making it official.  Roland, their oldest son, was born January 24, 1786.

William was most likely the son of Chosewell Dixon and his wife Mary, maiden name unknown. Most genealogies have William’s being born between 1765 and 1770, but I contend that he was born no later than 1756, probably earlier. In Beaufort County Court Minutes, September Term, 1756 a stock mark was granted William Dixon, son of Chosewell Dixon. Chosewell appears on the 1755 List of Taxables Beaufort County, NC. You had to be at least 16 in order to be taxable, and the fact that Chosewell has his own household means that he was probably married. If William was one of the three white males in Choswell’s household on the 1769 List of Taxables and Carriage Wheels in Craven County, then the latest he could have been born is 1753.

William Dixon was appointed an Executor in the will of Joshua Cutherell, dated January 6, 1781. His future father-in-law, John Caton, was a witness thereto.  The will was proven in Court in March of that year.  Joshua’s three children were bound out September 14, 1782:  Ann to Abraham Vendrick “in the business of spinning and weaving”, Daniel to Amos Squires as a turner, and Roger to Chosewell Dickson as a cooper.

In 1790, William and Lydia live a few houses away from John Caton, between John Daw and Barry Holton.

• 2 Free White Males of 16 or more
• 2 Free White Males under 16
• 1 Free White Female
• 0 Other Free Persons
• 1 Slave

This would be William, Lydia, and their two sons, Roland and William, Jr. Who is the other man of or over 16? I think it’s probably William’s father, Chosewell. He is not listed on the census under his own name, so he almost certainly must be living with one of his children. We know he’s still alive because his Estate was probated in December of 1816.

In 1793, William witnessed a sale of some land:  William Caton, Jr. bought 100 acres from his father, and William’s father-in-law, John Caton for 20 pounds on June 5.

Sometime in early 1797, William died, leaving Lydia a widow. The Inventory of his Estate was taken April 20 of that year by Lydia Dixon and is returned during the September term of the Craven County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions. There, on September 13, she, her brother William Caton and Benjamin Brinson paid an administrator bond of 300 pounds.

In 1800, Lydia Dickson lives between Solomon Caton and William Dawe, with:

• 2 Free White Males of 10 to under 16
• 3 Free White Females under 10
• 1 Free White Female Between 26 and 45
• 0 Other Free Persons
• 0 Slaves

The males are, most likely, Roland, who was 14, and young William.  And, of course, the adult female was Lydia herself.  Her three daughters, assuming that’s who they were, were all under 10.  I’ve, occasionally, seen other sons listed for Lydia and her William, but the census data just doesn’t support that.

The children I have for William and Lydia Caton Dixon are:

• Roland Chosewell Dixon b. Jan 24 1786, d. Nov 26 1864 married Penelope Keel Jul 6 1813
• William Dixon, Jr. b. abt. 1788 (before 1790, at least)
• Sarah “Sally” Dixon b. abt. 1791
• Mary Dixon b. abt. 1793 (Apr 15 1792 is the date given in the Caton genealogy I’ve been referencing)
• Clarissa Dixon b. abt. 1795 married William Simpkins 24 Aug 1818

The 1810 census for Craven County has been lost, but there is a tax list for the year 1815. Lydia is not listed, but her son, Roland, is listed in Captain William B. Perkins’ District with 50 acres of land valued at $50. She’s also not listed in 1820.

I think that Lydia’s daughter Mary is probably the Mary Dixon who married James Martin August 2, 1815.  This is based solely on the fact that James had acted as bondsman for Mary’s brother Roland in 1813.

A Problem of Wills

My next Dixon post was supposed to be about Lydia Caton and her William, and I’ll get back to them, but I’ve run into a problem a bit further up the tree.  Most genealogies state that William was the son of Chosewell who was the son of John who was the son of Walter.  Like these, just to name a few:

• Adkins Family Genealogy, History & Heritage – Walter Dixon Sr.
• Walter Dixon, Sr.
• Re: John Dixon the son of Walter Dixon, Sr.

My problem with this has to do with their wills, and I’m surprised no one else seems to have noticed this before.  First, you can read Walter’s will in this post at Geneaology.com by Suzy Bennett:  Walter Dixon, Sr.

In this will, dated March 7, 1767, Walter names his wife, Elizabeth, and several children.  One of these children is a son named John, deceased.  So far, so good.  Then we get to John’s will.  If you go to North Carolina State Archives MARS – Basic Search, and type in “John Dixon” and “All”, you’ll be able to read the actual will.  The ink’s faded, but here’s what I was able to make out (with the help of PSP):

In the Name of God Amen. I John Dixon of Beafd County and province of North Carolina this 23 Day of March 1772 being sick and weak of body but of perfect mind and memory thanks be to God for the same therefore calling to mind the mortality of my Body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to Die I therefore do make and ordain this, my Last Will and Testament that is to say principally and first of all I give my soul into the hands of God that gave itt and for my Body I Recommend it to the Earth to be buried in a Christian like and Decent maner nothing Doubting but at the general Resurrection I shall Receive the same again through the mighty Power of God and as to touching such worldly goods wherewith it hath pleased god to bless me with in this Life I give and Devise in manner and form all followeth. Viz.

Impremis: I give and bequeath unto my son Choosewell Dixson all my Land and Plantation whereon I now Live to him and his heirs for Ever.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my Wife the Third Part of my moveble Estate to her and her heirs for Ever.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my daughter Biatha Dixson one feather bed to her and her heirs for Ever.

I have one horse my mare to be sould by my Executors and the money to be put to the use of the ? house to support my children.

And I do hereby ordain constitute and appoint my Wife and Chosewell Dixon my Executors of this my Last Will and Testament acknowledge this to be my Last Will and Testament in witness whereof I have set my hand and seal the Day and year above written.

John Dixon

Signed Sealed and Published in the presents of

Nicholas Daw
Levin Stanford
Thomas Dixon

This is definitely John, father of Chosewell, but it is NOT John, the son of Walter.  It can’t be.  Why, you ask?  Look at the dates.  John Dixon’s will is dated March 23, 1772 with a probate date of December 11, 1773.  If John is dead March 7, 1767, then how is he alive to write a will March 23, 1772?

So, who was the father my John?

The fact that Walter’s youngest son was named Roland and Chosewell’s grandson was as well may mean they were related in some way, but how, I don’t know.

Dixon Wives: Penelope Keel

From what I’ve been able to piece together, Penelope Keel was born in about 1797 in the Durham’s Creek area of Beaufort County.  She was the daughter of Hardy Keel and a woman named Hannah.  There seems to be a lively debate on the genealogy boards on whether that Hannah was Hannah Peed or Hannah Taylor.  Initially, I found conversations, like this one at GenForum, that led me to think it was Hannah Peed.  Ancestry.com says she was Hannah Peed, daughter of Henry Peed and Hannah.  But look at the dates.  It says she was born in 1806, but had children in 1796 and 1806.  Yeah.  So…

According to Visiting the Past, Hannah Taylor married three times.  First to Hardy Keel, then to Thomas Bland II sometime between 1834 and 1839, and, finally, to Spencer Wise April 3, 1856.  She was about 83 years old at the time of her last marriage and she died not long after, between 1857 and 1859.  I’ve yet to find anything on her parents.  Suzy Bennett lists the children of Hardy Keel and Hannah Taylor, with some of their marriages, in this post.

The children of Hardy Keel and Hannah Taylor were:

• Hardy Keel (1794-1840) who married Susan Tuten
• Penelope Keel (1797-between 1850 and 1860) who married Roland Chosewell Dixon
• Elizabeth “Betsy” Keel (1798-?)
• Benjamin Keel (1799-?)
• Frances “Fannie” Keel (1807-1860) who married Asa Rowe
• Henry T. Keel (1810-?)
• Matilda Keel (1811-?) who married Frances Delamar Mallison
• Mary Keel (1812-?)
• Sarah P. Keel (1813-1883) who married Thomas Didymus Dowdy
• Ann “Anna” Keel (1817-1859) who married Joshua Rawls

Visiting the Past gives a different order, and there are a couple of “Unnamed Keels” in there.  Looking at the gap between Benjamin and Frances makes me wonder if there really was a first marriage to Hannah Peed.  Just not the Hannah Peed listed at Ancestry.  Which would make Penelope’s mother Hannah Peed instead of Hannah Taylor.  It’s something to think about.

Hardy Keel is just as difficult to figure out, maybe even more so, because there was more than one living in the same, general, time period.  One of these was Penelope’s brother who married Susan Tuten.  He and his family moved to Tennessee in the mid 1840s.  Another Hardy Keel, this one in Bertie County, was born around 1725/1730.  Here’s a list of some of his descendants I found at RootsWeb.  As you can see, there are two other Hardy Keels on that list.  One born in about 1745, the other in 1818.  There is a Hardy Keel who was the son of Frederick Keel and Elizabeth Gullett, but he was born in 1793.  None of these are my Hardy Keel, who was born in about 1770.  In this post at Genforum, Ron Keel says that Hardy was the son of Joseph Keel and Ruth, Joseph the son of Nathaniel, and Nathaniel the son of William.  These dates, at least, certainly fit.

Roland Dixon is the son of William Dixon and Lydia Caton.  He was born January 24, 1786 or 1789, I’ve seen both.  If it was 1786, then he was the oldest, if 1789 then his brother, William, was.  William was born in about 1787.

When Rollan Dickson married Penelope Keel in Craven County July 6, 1813 with James Martin as bondsman, their son, Pearce, was already a year old. In 1814, we find Rollin on the Muster Roll for the 2nd Regiment, 5th Company, detached from the Craven County Militia.  I’ve yet to find them in the 1820 census, but some of it is hard to read, so I could have missed them.  Or the census taker might have.  In 1830 (163A), Rowlin and Penelope live in Craven County next to Zachius and Nellie Paul.

I’ve also found them in the censuses for 1840 (39A), and 1850 (350A – Roland is listed, for some unknown reason, as Robert, and their youngest son, another Roland, as Robin).  Penelope does not appear in the 1860 census (166A) , where we find Roland living with a Lucy Dixon, aged 13.  I wonder if she’s the daughter of Pearce Dixon.  I haven’t been able to find anything about him beyond his birth.

In 1840, specifically August 10, Roland Dixon was among the commissioners appointed by the County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for Craven County to lay off one year’s provision, what’s called the widow’s dower, for Patsy Scott, widow of John Scott.  If you’ll remember, Roland’s son, William, would marry their daughter.  He also purchased a few things at John Scott’s estate sale August 22.  This is according to John Scott’s probate papers.

I read somewhere, I can’t remember where at the moment, that Roland served, very briefly, in the Civil War, in the 31st North Carolina Infantry.  But, this record of military service says Rowland Dixon was 24 when he enlisted, so it must have been the son, not the father.  This is interesting, because, later in the War, young Roland was fighting for the Union.  Not an uncommon occurrence in this area after the Yankees captured New Bern, but, in April 1864, he requested a transfer to a New York regiment.  I don’t know if he got it, because he died of yellow fever September 30 of that year.  Roland, Sr. died  not long after, on November 26.  Probably also of yellow fever.  There was a major Yellow Fever Epidemic going on in the New Bern area at that time.

Roland and Penelope Dixon had the following children:

• Pearce Dixon (born July 12, 1812)
• Phereby Dixon (born 1816)
• Hardy Dixon (born March 4, 1818, died January 1888) who married Hannah Bennett, daughter of Jesse Gilbert Bennett and Keziah Dixon, April 4, 1845
• William Draper Dixon (born January 23, 1820, died June 4, 1896) who married Margaret Scott, probable daughter of John Scott and Patsy Bland, May 12, 1853
• Lenorah “Nora” Dixon (born October 31, 1821) who married, first, Jesse Keel February 28, 1845, then Elof Holton July 20, 1873
• Charles Stewart Dixon (born February 12, 1824, died December 3, 1896) who married Julia Anne Paul-Willis, daughter of Rhessa Paul and Tamsey Wheelton and widow or James Riley Wilis, October 7, 1845
• Nancy Dixon (born November 6, 1828, died November 5, 1912) who married Richard Lee December 5, 1852
• John David Dixon (born November 3, 1830, died July 7, 1896) who married, first, Mary Catherine Paul, daughter of Zaccheus Paul and Penelope Elinor Bennett, April 13, 1852, then Henrietta Jeanette Gaskins-Foy, daughter of Asa Arthur Gaskins and Ann Anderson and widow of Alexander Foy, March 8, 1893
• Roland Dixon, Jr. (born 1832, died September 30, 1864) who married Cassandra Rice April 15, 1853

Dixon Wives: Margaret “Peggy” Scott

William Draper Dixon married Margaret Scott May 12, 1853 with M. W. H. Sumrell as bondsman.  According to their tombstone, he was born January 23, 1820, she November 25, 1827.  His parents, as we already know, were Roland Dixon and Penelope Keel.  We can find them in the census data for 1830 (William was, probably, one of the male children between 15 and 20, the other being his brother, Hardy), 1840 (39A), and 1850 (350A – Roland is listed, for some unknown reason, as Robert).  Penelope does not appear in the 1860 census (166A) , where we find Roland living with a Lucy Dixon, aged 13.  A granddaughter, perhaps.

Like his brother John, William attended school in District 21, according to this list of 1841 of Craven County School Children.  Margaret is there as well.  She is immediately preceded on the list by Riley Scott and Julia Scott.  Siblings, maybe?  Going with that, l looked at the 1850 census again. There are two Margaret Scotts on page 368A.  One, aged 34, is the wife of Joshua Scott, the other, aged 20, is the daughter of Patsey Scott with siblings Julia, aged 25, and Riley, aged 30.  Looking at the Craven County Marriage Bonds, Groom S-T, there are two instances where a male Scott married someone named Patsy or Martha.  John Scott married Patsy Bland November 7, 1806 with Joseph Dixon as bondsman, and Joshua Scott married Patsey Bland February 16, 1838 with James Banks as bondsman.  Given that Margaret was born in 1827, Joshua couldn’t be her father, so, John it was, but I can’t help but wonder if it was the same Patsy Bland in both marriages.  I found this Index to Craven County, NC Estate Files, 1663-1968.  There is a John Scott who was probated in 1840.  His probate papers mention his widow, Patsy, and children John, Riley, Julia, and Margaret.  John Scott, Jr. is the guardian of his younger siblings.

In the 1850 census, Patsey and the children live next to a John Scott, aged 40, and his wife Nora.  A John Scott married a Leonora Scott January 31, 1840 with Samuel Scott as bondsman.  I think that John and Nora are the family listed under John Scott in 1840 (page 39A) with 1 male and 1 female in the household, both between the ages of 20 and 30.  I don’t see a Patsy Scott as head of any household in 1840.  Could she be the female aged between 40 and 50 in the household of Joshua Scott (page 60A), who was also aged between 40 and 50?  If so, she was widowed again by 1850.

By 1860, all of the Scott children, including Margaret, are married.  Riley Scott married Jane Delamar May 8, 1851 with John B. Oxley as bondsman, and Julia Scott married Joshua Lee August 27, 1854 with Abner Lee as bondsman.  I don’t see John and Nora in 1860.  The only John Scott on the census rolls for that year is a John Scott, Jr., married to Sarah Paul, daughter of Zaccheus Paul and Nellie Bennett.  This John, Jr. is 32, whereas our John, Jr. would have been around 50.  His son, maybe?  I don’t know.  And wouldn’t he be John Scott, III if he was?  And I don’t know where Patsy was at this point.  She doesn’t show up in the 1860 census.  She may have died, or, less likely, she might have remarried.

Margaret and William do appear in the 1860 census.  They’re on page 191, living next door to John and Mary Catherine.

Their daughter, and my great-great-grandmother, Margaret Ann, is just 6 years old.  In 1870, they live near Swift Creek in Township 1 in Craven County.

If you scroll down a bit, you’ll find Margaret Ann’s future brother-in-law, James Summurlin, in the household of Freeman Stilly, who will become his father-in-law later in the year.  I’m intrigued by the Sarah, aged 6, below him on the list.  Sarah Summurlin?  And, if so, who was she.  She raises all kinds of questions.

Back to William and Margaret.  By 1880, Pamlico County had been created, and that’s where we find them, living next to Margaret Ann and her husband, Joseph F. Sumberlin.

Unfortunately, most of the 1890 census was destroyed in a fire at the Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C. in 1921, so I don’t know where anyone was at that date.  I’m one of the researchers who despair at the loss, because it would answer some major questions I have about ancestors on my Mom’s side.  More about that later.

According to their tombstone, William Dixon died June 4, 1896.  In 1900, Margaret is living in the town of Stonewall, Township 2, Pamlico County.  In her household are her son, Noah, and granddaughter, Tina Paul.  Tina was the daughter of Rebecca J. Dixon and Henry Taylor Paul, son of Zaccheus Paul and Nellie Bennett.  Next door, are Joseph and Margaret Sumrell, their children, and a niece, Minnie Paul.  Notice that Tina and Minnie were both born in March 1894.  Twins.

In 1910, Margaret, Noah, and Tina still live together, but Noah is now head of the household.  Margaret is 82/83.  Her tombstone says she died the following year on August 6.  After that, Noah and Tina may have moved in with Margaret Ann and Joseph, but Joseph died of pneumonia March 18, 1918 (his tombstone says February 27, 1918).  By 1920, they, along with Margaret Ann, lived in the household of her son-in-law, Clarence Nobles.  Margaret Ann died of apoplexy, what we’d call a stroke, August 5, 1929.  Noah and Tina lived by themselves by 1930 and by 1940, it was just Noah.  Tina Paul died March 25, 1939, Noah August 24, 1944.  I don’t know what happened to Minnie.

Dixon Wives: Mary Catherine Paul

John David Dixon married Mary Catherine Paul in Craven County April 13, 1852 with Mckinley W. H. Sumrell as bondsman (He did the same for other marriages in my family, which raises all sorts of questions about how, or even if, he connects to my Sumrells). We know that his parents were Roland Dixon and Penelope Keel, but who where hers? A couple of conversations I found at Genforum helped me answer this question. This one between Suzy Bennett and Nancy Paul, and this one: MARY CATHERINE PAUL, 1852 Craven Co. NC. She was the daughter of of Zaccheus Paul and Penelope Elinor “Nellie” Bennett.

There were, at least, four Zaccheus Pauls in Craven County during his lifetime. One of them was his daughter, Zacheus Ellen. The others were Jesse Zaccheus Paul who married Nancy Daw and his adopted son and probable nephew, Zaccheus Paul who married Henrietta “Retty” Shines. This post by Roger Kammerer at GenForum refers to these Pauls. To make matters worse, some of the probate papers of Jesse Z. Paul are mixed with those of Zaccheus, even though Jesse died September 27, 1826 and Zaccheus March 29,1838. Based on a post made by Suzy Dixon Bennett on the Paul Message Board at Ancestry.com, I believe that Jesse was Zaccheus’s brother. Their parents were Jacob B. and Cathron (or Catron, or maybe even Caton) Paul. Jacob’s parents were John and Mary Paul. Her maiden name may have been Muse.

Zaccheus Paul was born between 1795 and 1800 in Craven County. He and Nellie married June 11, 1819. She was born August 31, 1803, and named after her mother, whose maiden name is unknown. Her father was John Edward Bennett, Jr. He was born in Chowan County about 1767 and died in Craven County in 1817.  Here are his probate papers. She was their youngest child. John’s father was John Edward Bennett, Sr. All of this comes from this post by Suzy Dixon.  This one goes into more detail. Oddly, Nellie Bennett is my great-great-great-great grandmother, and her great-nephew would marry my great-great aunt on the other side of my family. Talk about tangled roots! But that is another post.

In 1830, Rowlin Dixon and Zachius Paul lived right next to each other in the portion of Craven County that would, in a few more decades, become Pamlico County. Neither John nor Mary Catherine had yet to be born. John make his appearance later on in this year, in November. Mary Catherine was born in 1833. In 1840 (36A), she was living with her mother, listed as Eleanor, and he with his parents (39A). They went to school together, according to this list of 1841 of Craven County School Children. District 21. We’ll be coming back to this district in future posts. According to the 1850 census (Page 368A), Catherine, aged 18, was still living with her mother, this time listed as Ellen Paul. John can be found on page 350A. His father is listed, for some unknown reason, as Robert, and his younger brother, another Roland, as Robin.

On June 16, 1860, John and Catherine were living on the North Side of the Neuse River in Craven County, according to the 1860 census (page 191) with their daughters Clarica and Caroline.

Edward Bryan hadn’t been born yet. He makes his first census appearance, as Bryan, in 1870. This is one of those confusing times that Mary Catherine is listed as Mary.

In 1880, in what had now become Pamlico County, we find that Clarica has become a widow. She and her daughter, Ella Tingle, live with John and Cathrine.

Incidentally, we find Elen Paul, now 76, living with her daughter Zacheus Ellen and son-in-law, Isaac Pipkin.

She died October 26, 1886. I have yet to find any record of the census year 1890. Mary Catherine Paul Dixon died April 7, 1892 according to her tombstone in this Census of Pamlico County Cemeteries done in 1939. She, as well as her husband and many other members of my family, are buried in the Dixon Cemetery. I also learned from this list that Edward and Nancy had two more children I’d known nothing about.

John went on to marry Henrietta, widow of Alexander Foy, March 8, 1893. Her maiden name was Gaskins. She’d given her first husband 5 children, one of which, Nellie Ann, became Edward Bryan Dixon’s second wife. Henrietta and John produced a son together, John David Dixon, Jr. He was born October 26, 1894, according to his death record. John, Sr. died July 7, 1896. There are, actually, three sets of probate papers for him. The first and second are both dated 1896, but one’s in Craven County, the other in Pamlico County. The third set of papers is dated 1907, and, largely, deal with Henrietta’s guardianship of John Jr. Henrietta, incidentally, went on to marry Clifford Simpson November 1, 1899.

Dixon Wives: Nancy Jane Daniels

On February 10, 1884, Edward B. Dixon married Nancy J. Daniels, daughter of Isaiah and Nancy Daniels.  He was 21, she 19.  This is all according to their marriage record.  However, the censuses for 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 all list his wife as Nellie Ann.  Interestingly, Nellie Ann’s death record gives her parents as Alex Foy and Henrietta Gaskins.  Edward’s father, John D. Dixon, married Henrietta J. Foy March 8, 1893.  So which was Great-Grandma Alice’s mother?  Alice’s death record states she was the daughter of Bryan Dixon and Nancy Daniels.  Further, Alice was born October 27, 1887.  Edward did not marry Nellie Ann Foy until January 6, 1895.

So, who were Isaiah and Nancy Daniels?

Let’s start with Isaiah.  His middle name, according to Ancestry, was Basil.  Ancestry also says his parents were Wilson and Prudence Daniels.  Whether or not they were his parents, I don’t know, but I did find them in 1850 and just him in 1860.  In fact, if you’ll look at this tabled version of the 1860 census (page 179 of census), you’ll note that Isaiah lives right next door to Wilson.  Numbers 246 and 247. There is a Wilson Daniel living on the North side of the Neuse River in what was then Craven County in 1840 (43A, Number 11).  The 1830 census for Beaufort County shows a Wilson Daniel living in Goose Creek Township, but I don’t know if he’s the same guy.  I can’t find Prudence’s maiden name anywhere, and I don’t know Wilson’s parents.

I found a list of 1841 Craven County School Children that includes an Isiah Daniels in District 26.  The portion of the list for this district is date April 22.  He is directly preceded on the list by Sebrine Daniels, Jane D., Sally L. D., and Rebecka H. D.  They could be siblings.  According to the Craven County Marriage Bonds, Brides C-D, Sabina Daniels married David Horton August 2, 1841 with Joseph Carrow as bondsman, Irene Jane Daniels married David Lewis January 6, 1845 with Enoch Holton as bondsman and Sarah Louiza “Sally” Daniels married William E. Sadler February 11, 1856 with James S. Luit as bondsman.  Rebecka doesn’t seem to have married.  A Rebecca Daniels did marry John C. Bryan July 4, 1849, but both the 1850 and 1860 censuses show our Rebecka to still be in her father’s house.  Also, looking at the census information, there was a younger brother, James Tilman Daniels, assuming that the James Daniels, aged 9, of the 1850 census and the Tilman Daniels, aged 20, of the 1860 census, are the same person.  A James Daniels married Fanny Sadler March 13, 1851 with Josias Ball as bondsman.

Also, there is a Willis Wilson Daniels in 1819 List of Taxables for Goose Creek Township in Beaufort County.  Our Wilson Daniels was born about 1798, he would have been 21 in 1819 and, therefore, just old enough to appear on a tax list.  A Wilson Daniels doesn’t appear on the census rolls until 1830, again in Goose Creek Beaufort County.  There are several Daniels living in close proximity to him, but I don’t know what relation they were, if any.

Back to Isaiah…

Isaiah Daniels married Nancy A. Simpson October 31, 1844.  Our trusty 1880 Pamlico County Census has a Nancy Daniels living in Township 2 with her son Henry and daughter Nancy J.  Living next door is another son, Jacob U. Daniels and his second wife, Sarah Miller.

The 1870 census also has Nancy Daniels as the head of household.

So, where was Isaiah?  After some digging, I found this conversation archived at RootsWeb.  I immediately started looking for the documents mentioned.  After changing the spelling of Isaiah’s name to the way it was spelled in the conversation, I found the 1860 census easily enough.

1850 was a little more difficult, but I finally found him as Isaaih Daniels, 350A, Number 1352.  I also found a probate for Isaiah Daniels in Craven County in the year 1866. One of the documents in the file is dated to the second Monday in September of that year. Google told me that was September 10.  So, Isaiah Daniels died before that date.  This would explain why Isaiah is absent in the 1870 and 1880 censuses.

Now for Nancy.  According to Ancestry, Nancy was the daughter of a Samuel Simpson.  I don’t know their source for this “fact” so I’ll take it with a grain of salt.  There is a Nancy Simpson in Craven County School District 20 in 1841 (see above list).  She’s grouped with Saryann Simpson, Bigs Simpson, Morgan Simpson, and Josiah Simpson.  I don’t know if this is my Nancy Simpson, but, if so, these could be possible siblings.  While looking through the Craven County Marriage Bonds, I saw that Isaiah acted as bondsman for William L. Corbin and Sallie A. Simpson on September 27, 1847.  Sallie A. Simpson could very well be Saryann, or, more likely, Sarah Ann Simpson.  I’ve noticed that that was a popular nickname for persons named Sarah.  Other possible siblings include the Peter Simpson who acted as bondsman for Nancy and Isaiah.  A Peter Simpson married Nancy Ann Price April 29, 1843 in Craven County.  You’ll notice the number of Samuel Simpsons on that list!  One of them may be another possible sibling.  A Samuel Simpson married Irene Chance August 22, 1849 with William L. Corbin acting as bondsman.  I have yet to find death information for Nancy A. Simpson Daniels.

Isaiah Daniels and Nancy A. Simpson had the following children:

• William Henry “Willis” Daniels born 1846
• Mary Daniels born 1849
• James Utley (no, that isn’t a typo!) Daniels born February 6, 1852, died January 25, 1918
  – married Mary F. Fell October 12, 1871
  – married Sarah A. Miller May 27, 1875
  – married Sallie Ives January 17, 1884
• Henry W. Daniels born 1854
  – married Sallie Martin July 25, 1886
• Britannia Daniels born 1856, died November 16, 1876
• Nancy Jane Daniels born January 30, 1863, died January 22, 1892
  – married Edward Bryan Dixon February 10, 1884