Where There's A Will, There's A Source.

I have to once again give kudos to No Story Too Small for this amazing idea of blogging about a different ancestor each week and to my sister-in-law at Days of Our Lives for letting me in on it. I have learned so much about my heritage and have made a lot of new contacts with various relatives. I love it! Alongside subscriptions to Ancestry, Fold3 and Newspapers.com I also have found great success in using FamilySearch and believe it or not, Facebook. You would be surprised at how many genealogy groups you can find. Some are better than others.

 

We're now on week #18 and the theme is 'Where There's A Will'... This will prompt me to write about my 5th great grandfather John Young because it was through his will that I was able to find a source to document my 3rd great grandmother, Martha Elizabeth Young's parentage.

According to the 1850 census John Young was born in Ireland in 1773, but after joining the Buncombe Co. NC Genealogy Research Facebook group, a descendant of John's shared with me a few images she had of John's Bible!! According to the Bible entry, John was more specifically born May 11, 1773.

This Bible was found by Bruce Whitaker in an 1820's era house, last occupied by Mary Edmundson Pinkerton, who was a direct descendant of John Young's.

 

Sometime around the year 1800, John married Roseanna, the daughter of Thomas and Mary (Mckey - Mackey) Hemphill. (Roseanna's father, Thomas Hemphill, mentions his son-in-law, John Young in his will.) By December 1800, their first child, Jane, was born. The next child born to this union is little Thomas Young, born December 12, 1902 and he died the following May. My ancestor William was born January 15, 1904 and the next child born, as was a common naming tradition of the Irish, was named after their deceased son, Thomas, who had been named after Rosanna's father. Thomas Lawrence Young was born March 6, 1806 followed by Mary M. , Nancy, Samuel and last but not least, Martha.

 

An article shared to me by a new found distant cousin, Shirley Summey, says that John lived in Burke County prior to moving to Buncombe County, NC. In the year of 1799 he was appointed election clerk, in the January term he served on the Grand Jury, and in the October term he served on a road jury from Morganton to Buncombe. And in 1800 John Young was appointed constable. This article was written by Linda Murdock. In gearing up for this post I have searched through the court files on Family Search and at this point in time I have only found records for John being a constable, but the year is 1799 - July Term. (I'm still searching - I've made it to image 523/998) *Other Young's mention in these files are a Joseph, Thomas, Wesley or Westley and a Rachel*








The Greensboro Patriot - 3 April 1833

In doing research on John, I discovered the tragic death of his youngest, Martha. It would seem in March of 1833, at the age of 17, when she and a friend were on their way to school, they had to cross the Swannano River. Both girls slipped and fell in and poor Martha drowned.

Notice that John's name is followed by Esq... I was curious what that signified. And I found the following:
"In the United States, the title is given to public officers of all degrees, from governors down to justices and attorneys. Indeed, the title, in addressing letters, is bestowed on any person at pleasure, and contains no definite description. It is merely an expression of respect. Webster's Dictionary, by Noah Webster, LL.D., Hurst & Company 1897"




Rockingham Post-Dispatch 1924

The previously mentioned article written by Mrs. Murdock also states that John Young was the Justice of the Peace in Buncombe County in 1813 and 28 Dec 1838 he was named as one of the commissioners to select the county seat for Henderson County. While I have yet to find any official records of being named a commissioner, I did find another article that backs her research up. (Disclaimer: I am not doubting her research. I'm just using it as a lead to do my own research and, unsurprisingly, I'm finding the same information). 



I'm not certain of the exact date of John's death but his will was signed 11 March 1850 and was proven in open court during the December term of that same year.

Below is my best attempt at the transcription of his will. I will highlight the portion that relates to my line - which was very beneficial in going one step further up the tree.


The last Will and Testament of John Young. In the name of God Amen. I, John Young of the County of Buncombe and State of North Carolina, being in my usual health but advanced age. And calling to mind the mortality of my body, do make ordain and establish this my last Will and Testament, inn manner and form following to wit by items

Item 1st - I will and desire that all my just debts be paid.

Item 2nd - I will and devise to my beloved wife Rosanna Young three hundred dollars in money, two beds, bed stands and furniture to be disposed of as she chooses.

Item 3rd - I will devise and bequeath to my daughter Jane Porter her heirs and assigns forever the tract of land on the North fork of Swannanoa River supposed to be one hundred and eighty acres being in three tracts, purchased by me from Francis Greer by referenced to which deed the boundaries there of will more fully appear. One copper mill now in possession of her husband Alexander Porter, and after the death of my wife Rosanna, one negro girl named Angeline and her increase should she have any.

Item 4th - I will devise and bequeath to my daughter in law Rebecca Young, widow of my son William, her heirs and assigns during her life or widowhood the tract of land on which she now lives, containing about two hundred and seven acres purchased by me from Levi Merrill and on her death or marriage, I will devise and bequeath that the said land be equally divided between Rosanna, Sarah, Jane, Thomas, Martha, Alla Melinda, Samuel and Mary Young, children of my said son William Young, their heirs and assigns forever.


Item 5th - I will and bequeath to my grandson Samuel P. Young his heirs and assigns one negro boy named George and a small rifle gun.

Item 6th - I will devise and bequeath to my son Thomas L. Young his heirs and assigns forever the tract of land on Swannanoa where he now lives which was purchased by me of John Patton, the boundaries of which will more fully appear by referenced to the deed of conveyance from said Patton to me. And one copper still now in his possession and a negro girl named Julia together with her increase and all my carpenter tools. I also will and bequeath to my said son T. L. Young during the natural life of my wife Rosanna five negros to wit Lucy, Spencer, Lowry, Angeline, Charlotte. All the stock of horses cattle, hogs and sheep. Wagon and geers (?) and farming tools of every kind. Household and kitchen furniture.

Item 7th - I will and bequeath to my grandson Samuel M. Young his heirs and assigns, a negro boy named Dick, and my large rifle gun.

Item 8th - I will and devise and bequeath to my daughter Mary M. Edmonston her heirs and assigns forever, the one half of the McCrary tract of land to be divided by commencing with the branch on which McCrary had a mill, crosses the North or North East line and sum wit the meander of the branch to the creek. And then to continue the same direction as the general course of the branch to the South line the part lying next to Tweeds to belong to the said Mary. And after the death of my wife Rosanna one negro boy named Sammy.(or maybe Lanny).

Item 9th - I will devise and bequeath to my grandchildren Willington Pattillo, John Pattillo, Samuel P. Pattillo their heirs and assigns forever the other or upper part of the McCrary tract of land joining the part given to Mary Edmonston in Item 8th and being the part of the McCrary tract of land not given to the said M Edmonson.

Item 10th - I will and bequeath to my two granddaughters Rosanna and Martha Pattillo their heirs and assigns, a negro girl named Louiza and her increase should she have any, to come into their possession after the death of my wife.

Item 11th - I will and bequeath to my granddaughter Martha Ann Edmondson her heirs and assigns, one negro girl named Caroline and her increase if any, to come to possession of the said Martha Ann after the death of my wife.

Item 12th - I will and bequeath to my daughter Mary M. Edmonson her heirs and assigns after the death of my wife, a negro woman named Lucy.

Item 13th - I will and bequeath after the death of my wife to my daughter in law Rebecca Young during her life or widowhood a negro girl named Charlotte and after her death or marriage the said girl and the increase after she comes to the possession of the said Mary (I think he meant to say Rebecca) to be divided among the same persons and in the same manner as the land mentioned in item 4th of this will directed to be divided.

Item 14th - I will and desire that all the rest of my property both real and personal be sold by executor at public sale on a credit of twelve months and the proceeds of such sales together with money and land debts ? me at my death. After paying my just debts and three hundred dollars bequeathed unto my wife be divided into five equal parts, and one part to be given to my daughter Jane Porter, one part to the children of my son William, one part to my son Thomas L., one part to Mary M. Edmonson. One part to the children of my daughter Nancy Pattillo deceased. I here by appoint Joshua Roberts my sole executor of this my last Will and Testament.

In witness whereof I here unto set my hand and seal the 11th day of March 1850

(Signed) John Young





If you're curious about these land deeds, a very beneficial resource was shared with me on the Ancestry Facebook group for anyone with ancestors in Buncombe County.

Going off the information in his will, we know the following about John's children: Jane married Alexander Porter, his son (my ancestor) William has already died but left a widow named Rebecca and the named children, Mary M. has married an Edmondson, Nancy married a Pattillo but she has already died, from the article I found I know that Martha died in '33 so that leaves a son named Samuel that isn't mentioned in the will at all. He must have died young as well, leaving no widow or children to inherit his portion.

Just an FYI:  Mary M. Young married James Edmondson. William (deceased) Young married James Edmondson's sister Rebecca Edmondson (my ancestor).

James and Rebecca's parent's were William and Sarah (Patton) Edmundson. John Young's was a witness to a deed between Thomas Hemphill and William Edmundson, dated Oct 1817. I cannot tell you if the Thomas Hemphill was John's FIL or BIL.

In an article found in the 1851 Fayetteville Weekly Observer there is a published court case between Miles Goforth vs John Young and Littleton Pattillo of Buncombe County, in Equity. The case was dismissed with costs. Was this Nancy's husband?

I think I have included all the information I have on our John. I hope if you're reading this and you have more to share, I would love it if you would leave a comment. I love hearing from and connecting with relatives of all distance.

Until next week,
Becky