512. Richard Smith Sr
Richard Smith of Surry County, Virginia, the first known ancestor of the Smiths of Scotland Neck.
On 25 April, 1667, Nicholas Merriweather received a grant of 850 acres in Surry County on the Blackwater, alias Cypress Swamp, adjoining the land of Anthony Splitimber and "a branch dividing this and the land of George Blow." (Patent Book 6, page 42)
Listed among the headrights was a Richard Smith. On 20 April, 1684, Richard Smith was granted 230 acres in Surry County on the south-east side of Pigeon Swamp, adjoining Mr. Merriweather and Joseph Wall. (Patent Book 7, page 368)
It seems likely that Richard, the headright of 1667, was the same man who received the 1684 grant, and the same man who received the 1684 grant, and the same man who married Margery, the widow of George Blow who was mentioned in the 1667 Merriweather grant.
He was probably born in England, ca 1630 - from a deposition given on 5 Jan 1691, age 60,
3 July 1660, Richard appears in the record of Surry Co as the member of a jury called on the death of Benjamin Watkins, who, "void for the fear of God did hang himself."
7 May 1672 - appointed constable (Surry County (VA) Order Book 1671-1691, page 5.)
By 1675 - married Margaret, widow of George Blow.
By March 4, 1678, Margery had died, and Richard had married Mary, the widow of John Twyford.(Surry County (VA) Order Book 1671-1691, page 241. Richard Smith and wife Mary presented the inventory of John Twyford, dec'd, at March Court, 1678. See also Surry County Will Book 2, page 199)
It is probable that Mary was the mother of the rest of the rest of Richard Smith's children.The late W.A. Graham Clark, son of Judge Walter Clark and a descendant of Richard Smith, did considerable research on the early Smiths of Surry. He stated without giving references, that Mary's maiden name was Tooke. (A letter among the Peter Evans Smith papers in the North Carolina Collection at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
4 Sept 1688 - appointed surveyor of the highway over Pigeon Swamp "near his house" (Surry County (VA) Order Book 1671-1691, Page 707)
6 Jan 1690 - petitioned the court that he was "poor and impotent" and he was discharged from paying public or county levies in the future. (Surry County (VA) Order Book 1671-1691, page 795)
He had just turned 60 the year before, as on 5 January 1691 he gave a deposition, age 60, that he had surveyed a piece of property seventeen years before, (Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds Book 4, page 253)
Thus he was born about 1630 and about 83 when he died in 1713.
He dated his will 24 Feb 1690, noting he was "aged and weak in sickness", mentioning his wife, four children, and grandson Richard Sessums.
Will probated at May Court 1713 (Surry County, Virginia, Will Book 1709-1715, pg 144)
Eastern North Carolilna Families, Vol 1 David Gammon, 1997:
513. Mary Tooke
Married the 2nd wife of the widow of John Twyford.
The late W. A. Graham Clark, son of Judge Walter Clark, and a descendant of Richard Smith, did considerable research on the early Smiths of Surry . He stated, without giving references, that Mary's maiden name was Tooke. (A letter among the Peter Evans Smith papers in the North Carolina Collection at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
544. Isaac Hill Jr
Isaac lived in the portion of Chowan County that became Bertie. He is listed in the 1721 Chowan County Tax list with 1000 acres. There are patents to him in 1720 (145 acres, Chowan County), and id 1723 (580 acres, Bertie County). He is a witness to deeds in 1716-1718 in Chowan County, several of which involve Robert West. He appears as an assistant or justice to the General Court of Nothe Carolina in 1724, appearing as late as 1731. He also appears as a justice in Bertie County. He was a member of the General Assembly representing Bertie County in 1731 and 1733. Isaac Hill died intestate in Bertie County by May 13, 1734, when his administrator Nathaniel Hill returned an inventory of his estate. This inventory appears to have been entered twice. The two inventories are almost identical and the latter is dated January 21, 1733/4 and returned by Nathaniel Hill. The inventory, although far from lavish, lists clothing and such luxury items as silver spoons and gold and silver buttons. On May 14, 1734, Nathaniel Hill came to court to request he be granted administrator on the estate of his deceased brother Isaac Hill in right of the decedent's son and heir John Hill. The latter came into court the same date and chose his uncle Nathaniel to be his guardian. This indicates that John was a least 13 years of age, but still under 21. The fact that the younger brother was granted administration is further indication that Michael Hill (#1) was dead. The name of Isaac Hill's wife is unknown.
546. Thomas Whitmel Sr
By Lyndon H. Hart, III
The Whitmel family of Bertie and Halifax Counties appears to have originally lived in Charles City County, Virginia. There is a reference to Thomas Whitrmel in that coutny, 5 January, 1690, concerning judgment granted him in a suit against Mogrough. (Charles City County Order Book 1687-1696, Pg 328)The next reference is to the proving of his will and granting of probate to his widow Mary Whitmel at court held 4 December, 1693. (Charles City County Order Book 1687-1695, pg 473)
At court held 5 August, 1695, John Weever, who was security for Mary Whitmel (The Stuart Hall Hill papers note that Mary Whitmel's maiden name was Whedbee, but this has never been proven) as guardian of the orphans of Thomas Whitmel, prays for relief as their mother has lately married Arthur Cavenaugh. (Charles City County Order Book 1687-1695, pg 579)
Cavenaugh (Kavenaugh) appears first in in Surry County as administrator of the estate of Edward Clark on 17 February, 1713 (Surry County Deeds and Wills, 1709-1715, pg 175)
The last reference in Surry County occurs when he is mentioned as an adjoining landowner on 20 April, 1726 (Surry County Deeds and Wills, 1715-1730, pg 660)
The significance of these entries is that when Thomas Whitmel, the progenitor of the North Carolina family, first appears in North Carolina, he buys land from Arthur Kavenaugh on 13 July, 1715 (Chowan County Deeed Book B #1, pg 104)
In this deed both men are listed as of Surry County (An Arthur Kavanaugh died testate in Brunswick County, Virginia, in 1733. It is not known if he is the same person who married the widow Whitmel)
In his will he leaves his son Thomas Whitmel and his daughter Martha Whitmel his trading stock used in the Indian trade.