The Family Trees database has been temporarily disabled. I recently moved this website to a new server and noticed when I did that the back end of the php programming driving the family trees section of the site was generating several errors. I am hoping to work with the programmer who created the module in order to fix the problems, but until I do, I didn’t think it wise to leave that section of the site up.

Thank you for your patience.

By Sara Whitford

As the Group Administrator for the East Carolina Roots DNA project through Family Tree DNA, I often receive questions about DNA testing. People want to know what kind of information they’ll be able learn from that little cheek swab, and it’s also important for me to tell them about the limitations of those tests so they’ll be clear on questions the tests cannot answer.

I might also be able to advise someone on the best way to find the answers they seek by letting them know how they can enlist parents and siblings, as well as close and distant cousins to be tested to provide further genetic information about their family’s genetic heritage.

Here are brief summaries in layman’s terms of the most common genealogical DNA tests available.

Y-DNA (Paternal) Testing

This type of testing looks only at the y-chromosome — the chromosome that is passed directly from father to son. Although this is one of the best genealogical DNA tests you could take in terms of reliability, there are still a couple of restrictions right off the bat:

1. This test can only be taken by a man, because a woman does not possess the y-chromosome from her dad.
2. This test will only reveal genetic connections on the direct paternal line — that means your father’s father’s father’s father’s father, and so on.

Now, that doesn’t exclude women from being able to find out about their paternal origins, but they’ll have to get someone else to take the test. According to the Y-DNA entry on Wikipedia, “Women who wish to determine their direct paternal DNA ancestry can ask their father, brother, paternal uncle, paternal grandfather, or a cousin who shares a common patrilineal ancestry (the same Y-DNA) to take a test for them.”

Of the three types of tests available for genealogical DNA testing, this is by far the most useful and the most reliable, and a family tree can often be filled out quite nicely if you search the internet for connections with others who’ve tested for some of your other ancestor’s lines. (For example, I’ve found quite a bit of information about the Y-DNA lines of several of my male ancestors from many generations back because they’ve had direct lineal descendants — my distant cousins — in recent years take Y-DNA tests.)

The reason these tests can be truly useful is that they reveal genetic information about recent common ancestors within the genealogical time frame and you can use a genealogy paper trail to make sense of the genetic data provided by the test.

An example in my own family is that my maternal grandfather is a Morris by birth, but there was an oral tradition going back generations that our earliest known Morris ancestor, Laban Morris (b. abt 1784), “wasn’t really a Morris, but was really a Ledbetter.” One cousin remembers his elderly great aunt telling him about the family secret decades ago, but warning him from pursuing it because of some sort of controversy that apparently accompanied the name change.

We wanted to put a rest to this family mystery, and find out if there was any truth to it or not, and so my grandfather had his Y-DNA tested, and then my cousin had his tested, and the results verified what we already knew (that my grandfather and his cousin were related), but also verified what we suspected, but didn’t know, by listing several Ledbetters as genetic matches to them both. We’ve since expanded the testing to other Morris cousins and other Ledbetters we’ve met through genealogical research, and are trying to pinpoint which of a couple of likely suspects may have been the progenitor of our Laban Ledbetter/Morris.

mtDNA (Maternal) Testing

Reliable? In ways, yes.

Useful? It can be, depending on what kind of information you’re seeking. You won’t get the same definitive results here that you would from a Y-DNA test, but it’s still interesting.

Here are examples of a couple of ways in which the mtDNA tests can be useful (possibly):

1. You want to find out if your maternal great-great-grandmother really was an Indian princess. Will this test definitely tell you one way or another? Well, not the princess part, but as for the Indian part, if it comes back with one of the mtDNA haplogroups for American Indians, then yes. But if it comes back as some other haplogroup not belonging to an Indian group, that still doesn’t rule it out. If every other ancestor of that grandmother was Indian, but her mother’s mother’s mother’s mother’s mother was white, or black, or some other ethnicity, then her mtDNA test will not give any indication of her Indian roots.
2. Your great-great-great-grandfather had three wives and you’re not sure which of them was the mom of your great-great-grandmother. A test like this could be useful if the direct lineal female descendants of his other known wives were living and were also tested, because then you could either rule in, or rule out, being descended from one of their ancestresses by whether or not your results match with theirs.

Beyond circumstances where you already have a paper trail and other possible or probable relatives with whom you could compare results, the mtDNA test results reflect both a time frame too far in the distant past, as well as a lineage with nothing as easily traceable as a surname (in most cases) from where you could determine how to fill out your family tree with the data.

If someone was interested in DNA testing in general — irrespective of any specific DNA project — of course I’d encourage them to get both their Y-DNA and mtDNA tests done. Perhaps refinements will be made to the mtDNA tests in the future that will improve the information that genealogists can harvest from the results.

Autosomal DNA Testing

These are the tests that promise to reveal your ‘deep ancestral origins’ or to ‘reveal your tribe.’  Sadly, it is a test that has misled many people into forking over big dollars.

One site boasts, “Find out where your ancestors came from, their ethnic background, and how they have scattered throughout the world today.” Another site goes so far as to claim to be able to break down your ethnic heritage into percentages, “Discover your estimated percentage of ancestry from four different population groups: European, Indigenous American, Sub-Saharan African, and East Asian.” (Funny story: Several members of my family had this test done several years ago and the results were all over the place. There is no logical explanation why there was no consistency whatsoever from such close family relations. )

According to the Wikipedia entry on Autosomal DNA testing, “These attempt to measure an individual’s mixed geographic heritage by identifying particular markers, called ancestry informative markers or AIM, that are associated with populations of specific geographical areas.”

The theory behind such tests is interesting, and I imagine they will get better with time, but there are some serious shortcomings that a test like this will never be able to surmount, such as dealing with the genetic remnants of many east coast Indian tribes (not to mention countless other indigenous people groups around the world).

In particular, how can you claim to have genetic samples from which you will make marker comparisons when there are no full-blooded members of many of those tribes from whom samples can be taken and included in the databases? For example, if the bulk of your Indian ancestry comes from coastal North Carolina and you are a direct lineal descendant on either your mother or father’s lines (not the other grandparents — just your direct maternal or paternal lines) from one of those tribes, then you might be able to get conclusive evidence from a Y-DNA or mtDNA test, but there are no samples from full-blooded citizens of Secota, so how could an autosomal DNA test know what markers to look for? To assume that an Indian from Pomeioc or Core Town would have the same genetic markers switched on as someone from Tohatchi on the Navajo reservation defies logic. They are genetically very different people groups.

The best these tests can do is make guesses based on a limited genetic sampling of living or recently living specimens from around the world.

DNA Projects

If you have DNA testing done, you’ll soon find out that there are countless DNA projects to which you can submit your DNA. Some can be very useful for fleshing out more information for your family tree, whereas other projects’ primary value might be vanity-based as they aim to recruit subjects tied to some historical theme.

If I were to recommend DNA projects for people to join, I’d probably point them first to surname projects (for Y-DNA tests), and then to regional projects for individuals whose ancestors came from specific areas. Regional projects can be particularly useful for finding out about the genetic heritage of other lines in your family tree for whom you might not have known living relatives eligible for testing. For instance, you might find some distant cousins who are the great-great-grandchildren of one of your great-great-grandparent’s siblings and where as you might not be able to be tested for that line because of a break in the gender lineage, others might have already had that line tested so you can find out information from their results.

If you really have a good grasp of how DNA testing works and what the results can and cannot reveal, then you might have fun browsing around various history-themed DNA projects, but to join a DNA project with the primary goal of linking yourself to some significant event in history is probably not the best investment unless you’re independently wealthy. DNA testing is not cheap. It starts at around $100 for the most basic test and goes on up to $400-$600+ for some of the FamilyFinder and complete genome variant tests.

For Your Privacy, Be Aware…

Before you join ANY DNA project, be sure you’re comfortable with your project administrator and whoever has access to your DNA results. Be sure there is a clear understanding between you and the administrators as to what are their purposes are for gathering data, as well as any plans they might have for using such data. FTDNA gives project administrators for DNA projects access to DNA testing profile information for the individuals in their DNA project. That may include other test results that are NOT part of the project, as well as any other projects to which their project members belong.

A few years ago, thanks to DNA testing, our family discovered that our earliest known Morris ancestor, Laban MORRIS, was actually a LEDBETTER by birth.

It wasn’t too much of a surprise, after all, the older generations had “heard tell of it” when they were children, that “we weren’t really Morrises, but that we were Ledbetters.”

They had heard that Laban’s father was a Ledbetter, but for one reason or another, he didn’t want to use the name and instead was known as a Morris. 

We’ve since had other direct male descendants of Laban Morris tested and found the same result — that we match with multiple Ledbetters, verifying the oral tradition within the family.

We are hoping to eventually have a direct male lineal descendant from each of Laban’s sons to get DNA tested so that we can use the broader results to narrow down just which of a handful of potential Ledbetter men fathered Laban.

Laban’s known children with his wife Caroline “Kitty” WILLIAMS were:

• John Morris (1806-)
• William B. Morris (1809-1880)
• Thomas Morris (1811-)
• Joseph Morris (1817-)
• Alpha Morris (1818-)
• Nancy Morris (1820-)
• Levi M Morris (1824-1865)
• Roland Morris (1828-)

If you are interested in participating in solving this mystery, please contact us using the form below.

[contact-form 1 "Contact form 1"]

The Last Will & Testament of CHARLES BUTLER
1861, Craven Co., NC

In the Name of God Amen,

I Charles BUTLER Of the County of Craven and State of N. Carolina Being of Sound disposing Mind and Memory, – do Make and publish this my Last Will and Testament . . in manner and Following That is to say I Loan to my beloved Wife Rebbecca Butler all the money and Notes after Paying off my Just debts. – Also my Stock of Cattle Sheep and Hogs Bees &c. together with the Plantation o which I now live; – Also the Household and Kitchen Furniture, together with all my utencils for Farming and other mechanical Purposes – During her Natural Life or Widdow hood,

2nd Item, I Give and devise to my Oldest son Wm. H. BUTLER a certain Piece of Parsel of Land Situated in Craven County N. C. on the North Side of Swift Creek. Adjoining the Lands of Scott SPEARS and James ROACH, Beginning at a White Oak Known as the Spears Corner, and Patented by Arthur [BUTLER] being Fifty Acres more or Less – Also one other Tract Situate as Above, Begining at the begining Corner of my own Land – Scott SPEARS and William H. BUTLER and runs with the said Wm. H. BUTLERS line to the Creek and down the Creek to Butlers Ford, thence with the Edge of the Creek swamp to my Corner, thence with my line to Calvin Butlers Corner made by myself, – thence with Calvin Butlers to the Mery Branch thence up the Branch to Wm. H. BUTLERS and Scott SPEARS line to the begining Containing Fifty Acres more or Less.

3rd Item, I Give and Devise to my son Calvin BUTLER One Tract or Parsel of Land situate and Lying and being in the County of Craven and State of North Carolina on the North side of Swift Creek begining on the Miery Branch, Wm. H. Butlers Corner and runs with his line to his Corner, thence with his line to a corner in BRYANs line thence with BRYANs line to Charles C. BUTLERs Corner thence with Calvin BUTLERs line made by myself to the Miery Branch thence down the Branch to the begining. Containing Seventy Five Acres be the same more or less, –

4th Item, I Give and Devise to my youngest son Charles Christipher BUTLER one Tract or Parcel of Land Situate as above, lying and being on Swift Creek, adjoining the aforesaid Lands as Calvin BUTLER Corner in Miery Branch, running with and up said branch to Charles BUTLERs Begining Corner thence with my line to Calvin BUTLERs Corner

5th Item, I Give and Devise to my Two sons Charles C. BUTLER and Calvin BUTLER the Piece or Parsel of land lying in the Creek Swamp adjoing the lands of Wm. H. BUTLER and others Supposed to be Fifty acres more or Less, Likewise I make Constitute and appoint my son Wm. H. BUTLER to Be Executor to this my last will and Testament hereby revoking all Former wills by me made.
In witness whereof I have hereunto Subscribed my Name and affixed my Seal the 4th day of Aug. one thousand Eight Hundred and Sixty-one.

Charles [HIS MARK] BUTLER

The above written Instrument was subscribed to by the Said Charles BUTLER in our Presence and acknowledged by Him to Each of us and he at the same time Published and declared the above Instrument so subscribed to be his last will and Testament and we at the _____ [illeg. word] Request and in his Presence have signed our Names as witnesses Hereunto Signers Levi P. WAYNE, Jackson CLARK

BARNETT, EDWARD
November 13, 1687. Wife: SARAH. Daughter: ELENER CONET. Witnesses: THOMAS MONEY, THOMAS BUTLER. No probate.

BARROW, REBEKAH
Perquimans Precinct
January 13, 1721. October 23, 1722. Sister, Executrix and sole devisee and legatee: SARAH BARROW. Witnesses: WILLIAM DAVIS, JACOB BUTLER and CHRISTOPHER BUTLER. Will proven before C. GALE, Chief Justice.

BUTLER, JACOB
Chowan County
May 24, 1745. Wife: MARY. Son: CHRISTOPHER BUTLER (dwelling and plantation). Daughter: SARAH BUTLER. Grandson: JACOB SIMONS. Executors: CHRISTOPHER BUTLER (son) and MARY BUTLER (wife). Witness: CHRIS’R BUTLER. Clerk of the Court: JOS. CRAVEN. This will is proven by affidavits of JOSEPH MING and DAVID BUTLER.

BUTLER, DAVID
Chowan County
August 13, 1742. October Court, 1749. Wife and Executrix: MARY (all land and estate of testator in trust for children). Witnesses: NATHANIEL MING, MARTHA MING. Clerk of the Court: WILL MEARNS.

BULTER, JOHN
Tyrrell County.
December 24, 1772. October 14, 1773. Wife: ELIZABETH. Sons: WILLIAM, JOHN, JAMES (plantation on Turkey Swamp). Daughters: PHEREBY MCHENRY (wife of GEORGE AUGUSTUS MCHENRY, “manner plantation”), ELIZABETH JOHNSON, SARAH GARNER, MARTHA CHERRY, MARY LEGGITT. Granddaughters: SARAH ANN MCHENRY, SUSANNA MCHENRY, WINEFORD MCHENRY, ELIZABETH CHERRY (daughter of ARTHUR GARNER and SARAH) Grandsons: JAMES CHERRY (son of MARTHA), JAMES GARNER (son of ARTHUR and SARAH GARNER), SIMON BUTLER (son of JOHN), JOHN BUTLER (son of JAMES). Executors: ELIZABETH BUTLER (wife), JOHN and JAMES BUTLER (sons). Witnesses: EDMUND ANDREWS, JOHN WHITEHURST, SOLO. WILSON. Will proven before JO. MARTIN. Codecil to Will of JOHN BUTLER: Dated November 5, 1773. Grandson: ANDREW BUTLER. Granddaughter: ELIZABETH CHERRY. Daughter: PHEREBY MCHENRY. Witnesses: JACOB HARRIS, SOLO. WILSON.

COLEMAN, ROBERT
Bath County.
July 9, 1721. September 25, 1721. March 29, 1722. Wife and Executrix: MARY. Daughters: ELIZABETH ISLER, MARY WHITE. Granddaughter: MARY ISLER. Grandson: DAVID DUPUISE. Wife’s son: DENNIS ODIER.  Son-in-law and Executor: CHRISTOPHER RUNNILLS. Witnesses: RICHARD CARY, JOHN BUTLER, PETER GREEN. Clerk of the Court of Isle of Wight Co., Virginia: W. BRIDGERS. C. GALE, C. J.

CROSLAND, ELIZABETH.
Albemarle County
October 18, 1693. April Court, 1694. Father: RICHARD STIBETT (STIVER). Witnesses: CHRISTOPHER BUTLER, WILLIAM SPRICK, ANHORETTA BUTLER. No probate.

FITZGARRALD, JOHN
Johnston County.
August 14, 1749. September Court, 1751. Sons: JOHN and THOMAS. Son-in-law: ARTHUR PEIRCE (Executor). Wife: ANN. Executor: RICHARD PEIRCE. Witnesses: ROBT. BUTLER, ANTHONY FULGHAM, ANNE PEIRCE. Deputy Clerk of the Court: JAMES OATES.

FORT, JOHN
Craven County
August 6, 1745. March Court, 1745-1746. Sons: ARTHUR, JOHN (plantation and mill at Conohoe) DUNLY (550 acres of land on lower side of falling Creek), MOSES (400 acres land on Cohary Swamp). Daughters: JERUSHAH FORT. Wife and Executrix: MARY. Executors: ARTHUR and JOHN FORT. Witnesses: JOHN PIPKIN, JOHN FORT, JUNIER. Clerk of the Court: JOHN RICE.

FORT, JOHN
Johnston County
May 16, 1748. June Court, 1748. Brothers: MOSES and ARTHUR and DRULY. Sister: JERUSHA. Executors: WILLIAM HOLMES (father-in-law). DRULY FORT (brother). Witnesses: ROBERT BUTLER, JOHN PIPKIN, JETHRO PIPKIN. Deputy Clerk of the Court: RICHARD CASWELL.

HARDY, JOHN
Chowan County
January 19, 1719. March 16, 1719. Brothers: WILLIAM, THOMAS and JACOB HARDY. Daughters: ELIZABETH and MARY. Wife and Executrix:  REBECCAH. Other legatees: KATHERINE STANCELL, RICHARD PICKERING, JOHN BUTLER. Executors: WILLIAM HARDY, THOMAS POLLOCK and ROBERT WEST. Witnesses: JOHN HOLBROOK, LAURENCE SARTON, JOHN LUERTON. Proven before C. EDEN.

LOADMAN, JAMES
Albemarle County
November 14, 1694. April Court, 1695. JANE BARFIELD, RICHARD BARFIELD, WILLIAM BUTLER, SARAH BEASLEY, TIMOTHY CLEAR, ELIZABETH PHELPS, JAMES KENIDAY. Executor: WILLIAM BOGUE. Witnesses: JOHANNA BEASLEY, JANE BYARD, PATRICK CENADY. Clerk of the Court: JOHN STEPNY.

MACDANIELL, OWEN
Bertie County
February 7, 1742-1743. May Court, 1743. Wife: ELLENER. Son-in-law and Executor: JETHRO BUTLER (“my manner plantation and six negroes”). Witnesses: HENRY HORNE, JOHN CAMPBELL, RICHARD MEDLIN. Clerk of the Court: HENRY DESON.

WARD, JOHN
Tyrrell County
March 5, 1748-1749. September Court, 1750. Sons: MICHAEL, JOHN (1 negro and “all cattle running on Little Cantanknee”), DAVID. Daughters: ELIZABETH NOBLE (100 acres of land), DORCAS OVERSTREET (land lying on Little Cantanknee). Executors: MICHAEL and JOHN (sons). Witnesses: GRIFFITH HOWELL, JOHN BUTLER, ELIZABETH BUTLER. Clerk of the Court: EVAN JONES.

WOOD, JOHN
Johnston County
August 4, 1748. June Court, 1750. Daughters: ALICE, MARY and ESTHER. Son: JOHN (land, cattle, etc.). Wife: JANE. Executors: JOHN WOOD (son) and JOHN SMITH. Witnesses: ROBERT and ANN BUTLER, WILLIAM BUTLER. Clerk of the Court: R. CASWELL. Courthouse on Walnut Creek.

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN, the 24th day of december, 1772. I, John BUTLER, of the County of Tyrrel, Farmer, being weak in body but of perfect mind and memory, thanks be given unto God therefore, calling unto mind the Mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last will and Testament, that is to Say, principally and first of all, I give and recommend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God that give it, and my body I recommend to the Earth, to be buried in decent Christian burrall at the descretion of my Executors, nothing doubting but at the Generall Resurrection I shall recive the Same again by the mighty power of God; and As touching such worldly Estate wherewith it hath Pleased almighty God to bless me in this life, I give, demise and despose of the Same in the Following manner and Form:
Imprimis. I Lend unto my dearly beloved Wife Elh: five negroes, Viz: Jack, Zepero, Nan, mereen, and mark, with this plantation we now live on, with the horsess, hoggs and Cattle, and all the house hold Furniture. In Case there Should be any money It must be divided Equally, my Wife, William, John & James BUTLER: I Lend, I Say, to my dearly belov’d Wife, Elizabeth, all the Aforsaid Articles dureing her Widowood.
Item. I give to my Son, William BUTLER, the plantation he now lives On, and fifty pounds prock. money, to Leved out of my Estate, and Four Cows & Calves or the Value thereof, to him and his Lawfull heirs for ever.
Item. I give unto my Son, John BUTLER, Six negroes, Vizt: Jack, Zeperoh, Rose, Ben, Bristo and dick, after the decease or marage of my Wife Elizabeth, To him and his Lawful heirs for ever.
Item. I give unto my Son, James BUTLER, the plantation he now lives On, lying on Turkey Swamp, on the South Side the Sd. Swamp, Containing three hundd. acres of of Land more or less, to him and his Lawfull heirs for ever. I Likewise give to my Son, James BUTLER, four negroes Vizt. Dinah, Mark, Little Jack, and Nan, with one Still, one desk, and Ten pounds prock. money, after the Deceas. of my Wife, Elizebeth, or marrage, to him and his heirs for ever.
Item. I give unto my Daughter, Phereby McHENRY, the manner Plantation or the Land I now live, On dureing her Naturall Life, after the Decease or marrage of my Wife Elizebeth, then to my two grand Daughters, Sarah ann McHENRY, and Susanna McHENRY: I Likewise give to my grand Daughter, Wineford McHENRY, one Negro Garl Named Mereen, to her and her heirs for ever, all to be recd: in mater and Form As before mentioned, at the Deceas or marrage of my wife, Elizebeth.
Item. I give to my Grandson, James BUTLER CHERRY, the Son of Martha CHERRY, A piece of Land Joyning to the Gum Log, and from the gum Log up to Wheatleys Old Field. I Likewise give unto Sd. James CHERRY, the Son of Martha CHERRY, two Negroes Vizt: one garl, named Charity, one Boy named Nedd, the Son of Negro Nann, I give it to him to be recd: at the years of twenty one, in matter and Form as before mentiond. I give unto Sd: James CHERRY, one Feather Bead and Bedstead, four Basons, two dishes and Six plates, one Iron pott: in Case he should die without a Lawfull heir it must return to John and James BUTLER my two Sons to be Equally devided between them.
Item. I give unto my Grandson, James GAINER, the Son of Arther GAINER and Sarah, his Wife, one hundred Acres of Land from the flag branch up to the head line, Joyning to his fathers Land, Likewise One negroe boy named Tom, to him and his heirs for ever: if in Case he should die without heirs to return to John and James BUTLER left in manner and form As before mentiond.
Item. I give unto my daughter, Mary Leggett, twenty pounds prock money, To be Levied out of my Estate, to be paid unto her; and her heirs for ever.
Item. I give unto my grand Daughter, Elizebeth CHERRY, Daughter of Arther GAINER and Sarah, his Wife, one negro boy named Isaac, also one Feather Bedd and Furniture or forty Shillings prock, to be reced. in matter and form as before mentioned, to her and her Lawfull heirs for ever.
Item. I give unto my Daughter, Elizebeth JOHNSON, Ten shillings Sterling, to be Levied out of my Estate.
Item. I will and desire that after my Deceas., and my Wife, that all the Resedue of my Estate may be Equally Divided amongst my four Children, Vizt: Wm., John & James BUTLER, and Phereby McHENRY, the Wife of George Augustin McHENRY, to them and there heires for ever.
Item. I give unto my two grandsons, Simon BUTLER, the Son of John BUTLER, and John BUTLER, the Son of James BUTLER, a Tract of Land or plantation Lying the north Side of Trenten Creek, Containing 640 Acres, formerly known by the name of Joseph Messers Land, To them and and their heirs for ever.
Item. I give unto my Son, James BUTLER, the Land Whereon Mary CAGE now Liveth, to him and his heirs for ever.
I Likewise Nominate and appoint my loveing Wife, Elizebeth BUTLER, and my two Sons, John and James BUTLER, my Sole Executors and Exx: of this my Last will and Testament, revokeing and making void all other former wills, Lagacies formerley by me made, Ratifying and confirming this and no other To be my Last will and Testament.
In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my hand Seal, the day and date first Above Mentiond.
JOHN BUTLER

Illustration
(Seal)
Signed, Sealed, pronounced, and declared, by the Sd John BUTLER to be his Last will and Testament in Presence of us:
EDMUN ANDREWS,
JOHN WHITEHURST,
SOLO WILSON,
BE IT KNOWN TO ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS. that, I, John BUTLER, Senr., of the County of Tyrrell, planter, have made and declared my last will and Testament. in writing, Bearing date the 24th. day of December, 1772. I, the Said John BUTLER, by thise presents Codicil do ratify and confirm my Sd. Last will and Testament, and do give and bequeath unto my Grand Son, Andrew BUTLER, the Son of James BUTLER, the Herring gut Land, from the Gum Logg Branch Down to the river. I do Likewise revoke the Bedd and Furniture which I give to my grand Daughter, Lizabeth CHERREY (CHERRY), mentioned in my will. I give to my Daughter, Pherebe McHENRY, one Bedd and Furniture which I now Lay On, after me and my Wifes Decd. And my will and meaning is that this Codicil or Schedule be Adjudged to be a part and parl. of my last will and Testament, and that all things therein mentioned and Contain’d be Faithfully and truly performed, and as fully and amply in every Respect As if the Same were So Declared and Sett down in my Last will and Testament.
Witness my hand this fift day of march, 1773.
JOHN

BUTLER (Seal)

JACOB MORRISS.
SOLO WILSON.
The within last Will and Testament of John BUTLER, deceased, and the Codicil thereto annexed, were proved before me this fourteenth day of October, 1773, By the Oaths of Edmund Andrews, and John Whitehurst, two of the subscribing Witnesses to the said Will, and Jacob Morris one of the Subscribing Witnesses to the said Codicil, who severally, and not one for the other, swore that they were present and did see the said Testator sign, seal, publish and declare the same to be and contain his last Will and Testament with his Codicil thereto annexed; and that at the several times of executing his said Will and Codicil he was of sound and disposing Mind and Memory. And John and James BUTLER, the Executors therein named, having taken the Oaths and qualified as the Law directs, It is Ordered that Letters Testamentary issue thereon accordingly.
JO. MARTIN.
Copied from Original Will filed in the Office of the Secretary of State.

With the new and improved East Carolina Roots website comes a new and improved Family Tree Database. The thing is, we need you all — our site visitors — to submit your family trees!

Unfortunately, none of the trees from the old site were able to transition over to the new site. I need all new family trees to be submitted in GEDCOM format.

If you have any questions, please send a message using this link.

What was Blackbeard’s true treasure? Would it surprise you to know it likely still exists in North Carolina even to this day?

Kevin Duffus, author of The Last Days of Black Beard the Pirate, shares his thoughts based on his research… and you may just be surprised at what the infamous buccaneer’s priceless cargo really was…

Click here to read his piece in the News and Observer.

Did you know Polly is a nickname for Mary? How about Peggy being a nickname for Margaret? Or Nancy a nickname for Ann?

Did you know Pamlico County didn’t exist until the turn of the 20th century? Before that, the area that is now Pamlico County was classified as either Craven or Beaufort County.

When researching ancestors, we can be at a slight disadvantage when we are unfamiliar with nicknames that may have been common a hundred years ago, or with naming conventions as it relates to passing down a mother’s maiden name, or a paternal grandmother’s maiden name, and so on. Understanding how all of that works can help you understand why so many of your ancestors had first names that seem more like last names, and how you can use those clues to uncover other branches of the family tree.

It also helps when you know what a county was called during the period in which you are searching. You might spend all day looking for what became of ancestors who lived in Bath County in 1713, not realizing that after 1724, the county no longer existed by that name.

It can also be neat just to know things like how to calculate what “kind” of cousin someone is to you. Is it your first cousin once removed? Or is it your second cousin?

The links below should help you in your quest:

• Nicknames and Naming Traditions (from TNGenWeb)

• Naming Patterns (from Digging for Ancestors)

• Formation of North Carolina Counties (from Catawba County NCGenWeb)

• Cousin Relationships (from Fred’s Web)

• Ancestor Chart (from NC Dept. of Cultural Resources)

One of the number one questions Coastal Carolina Indian Center gets via e-mail is how to find Indian ancestors, or how to determine the tribe of certain ancestors who were said to be Indian. This article was written to help people get started on finding those answers.

If you are embarking on a search for Indian ancestors, there are several tips to consider:

1. Very rarely in the southeastern states will you ever see Indian people actually listed as Indian after the early colonial period. They are occasionally listed in census records as Free People of Color or Other Free. If they are mixed race, they may be listed as white, black or mulatto.
2. Because of the wars between the Indian communities and the colonists in the early colonial period, those Indians who chose to remain in areas that had been ravaged by war often tried to hide their identities, or just blend in with the population at large, for survival sake. It was typical that these families intermarried with other families like there own so that there still remained a strong indigenous bloodline, while the culture and language were in some cases almost completely lost. Many of these families also moved together, so let’s say that in 1760 several Indian families are living in one county, as more white settlers came in, these same families would feel the urge to move usually slightly south or west to stay ahead of the colonial expansion, so perhaps by 1780 or 1790, these same families are not showing up much in the original county, but all the same names show up one or more counties south or west.
3. A very good clue for starting in researching Indian ancestry (or an ancestor who is “rumored” as being Indian in your family tree) is to try to focus on that person’s line. Go back as far as you can and do not be discouraged if you don’t find anyone specifically named as Indian. Make a list of all the related surnames you can find, and try to keep in mind the surnames you see witnessing deeds, wills, etc for these individuals. What families do your family surnames marry into? Try to keep a list of these other surnames because this will be key to establishing connections to known Indian families.
4. Investigate what tribes were living in the area at any given time. If the history has it that the tribe no longer existed in a particular area after such-and-such a time, know that this only means that the tribe no longer existed as a force to be reckoned with. The people, were in most cases, still living in the area, perhaps only in a quieter fashion (for survival’s sake). Try to learn what you can about when the tribe WAS known to live in the area. Try to find out what names were associated with that tribe when they WERE still vibrant in the area. Perhaps there were deeds or court records where Indian people in a given area are named. You’ll start seeing trends with certain surnames showing up as related to a tribe at an early point in history, and these same names are still living in the same area later, but usually identified as “colored”, “other free”, or in many cases, even just white or black. The relationships with these families stay very interconnected.Obviously, when dealing with some very common surnames such as Smith, Johnson, Jones, etc, this can be a little misleading, but at that point, you can start looking at given names of children and you’ll see evidence tying people to either the native branches or the non-native branches of that surname. Please note: Just because someone has a surname that was a known surname for Indian people in a particular area does NOT guarantee that the individual was Indian. There are a number of other variables that will need to come together to establish proof, or at least a likelihood that the individual was, in fact, Indian.Researching Indian ancestry is not an exact science. In fact, more often than not, it has to do with uncovering what is referred to as a “preponderance of evidence” that certain individuals were Indian, or at least were dealing a great deal with families with known Indian surnames.

   In eastern North Carolina, one fantastic example of uncovering Indian surnames comes from researching the reservation that was established at Lake Mattamuskeet in 1727 (in the period following the Tuscarora War).

   There are a number of families that are identified as being Indian on this reservation including (but not limited to): Squires, Longtom, Mackey, Barber, Brooks and Russell.

   These families are VERY interconnected with other families at Mattamuskeet that may or may not be Indian, themselves, such as Gibbs, Spencer, Prescott, Brinson, Delamar, etc.. You’ll find at some point that individuals once specifically identified as Indian are no longer referred to in official documents as Indian, but are identified as other races, or not described by race at all.

   You’ll also see that a lot of these families move together to other counties. For example, there were a large number of Squires, Brinsons, Delamars, Prescotts, etc, who begin showing up along the Bay River in what is known today as Pamlico County in the same period that the reservation starts being sold off in large pieces.

   These same families also have many interactions with other families identified on early census records as “Other Free” or “Free People of Color” such as the Mackelroys. There were Prescotts living on the Mattamuskeet reservation during the reservation period, and they had intermarried with the Russell family, who were known to be Indian. You start finding enough bits and pieces of information
   like this and a very clear picture starts to emerge.

   It’s a lot like detective work, solving a mystery. Sometimes frustrating, sometimes very time consuming and tedious, but whenever answers are uncovered, always very rewarding.

   ©2007 by Sara Whitford for Coastal Carolina Indian Center. All Rights Reserved. (Used with permission of Coastal Carolina Indian Center.)

From Craven County Book of Deeds (Vol 1), p. 156-157

North Carolina. Whereas by virtue of an act of assembly made and passed at Edenton on the fourth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred & twenty three an act for the beter ordering and regulating of the Town of Newbern in Craven precinct now called Craven County, Cullen Pollock, Richard Graves and William Handcock esquires were appointed commissioners for the said town to sell or make over any lot or lots in the said Town not already purchased or secured by any other person. And in & by the sd act it is provided that if either of the aforesaid commissioners should die, that the other two with consent of the precinct court of Craven, should apoint another commissioner in the room and stead of the deceased. Whereupon pursuant to the said act, Walter Lane esquire was appointed in the room and stead of Richard Grave aforesaid who is deceased. The said act of assembly further allowing that any two of the three commissioners shall have full power and authority to sell & make over any lot or lots as aforesaid as in and by the said act relation being thereunto had may more fully appear. To all whom these presents shall come know ye that we Walter Lane and William Handcock for and in consideration of the sum of Four pounds to us in hand paid by John Carruthers the receipt whereof we do hereby acknowledge have given, granted, bargained and sold unto the Sd John Carruthers and to his heirs and assigns forever Four lots in the said Town. Beginning at a corner between Handcock Street and Pollock Street and runs up Pollock Street So 85 West twenty six pole to Metcalf Street so. up the said street No 10 Et Thirteen pole then No 86 Et Twnety six pole to Handcock Street and so down the said street to the beginning. Containing two acres of land more or less and are known in the plan of the Town by No 95, 96, 97 & 98.

To have and to hold the said lots with all and singular the profits, priviledges, benefits, advantages thereunto belonging or in anywise appurtaining or that herafter may be granted to the said Town. Also the privilege of getting all firewood and Timber that he shall use in the said town or any part of the land laid out or designed for the use of the said town or that hereafter be laid out for the use of the said town, to the said John Carruthers his heirs & assigns forever. The said John Carruthers his heirs or assigns building one good habitable house on each lot of no less do mentions (dimensions) then twenty feet in length and fifteen feet in width without shed, within eighteen months from the day of the dates of these presents, otherwise the said lots or either of them so neglected shall revert and come to the said Cullen Pollock his heirs & c. and shall be free for any other person to take up. And we Walter Lane & William Handcock the aforesaid lots with all priviledges, benefits aforesaid unto the said John Carruthers his heirs & assigns against the claim or claims of any person or persons whatsoever, claiming or to claim from, by or under us, or either of us or either of our heirs shall and will warrant and forever defend by these presents according to the true intent and meaning of the aforesaid act of assembly, he the said John Carruthers, his heirs or assigns paying yearly and every year unto the said Cullen Pollock his heirs & c. one peppercorn if demanded. Provided also and it is the true intent and meaning of these presents that if the said John Carruthers his heirs or assigns or any other person whatsoever shall die in possession of the said lots and leave no heirs or make any legal disposal thereof then the said Lots or either of them with all appurtainances thereunto belonging shall revert and come to the said Cullen Pollock his Heirs & a. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and affixed our seals this 24 day of July Anno Dom 1742.

Walter Lane {SEAL}
Wm Handcock {SEAL}

Signed, sealed & delivered
in the presence of us
Jas. Durham }
John Irons }

The preceding was  transcribed by Sara Whitford for EastCarolinaRoots.com