Tales of NC Roanoke-Chowan Area, Introduction to Sally’s Family Place

Have fun exploring!

Moving into the swamps of North Carolina from Virginia
Moving into the swamps of North Carolina from Virginia
drawing from the NC Archives
Indeed, some of my ancestors had made their way to North Carolina in the 1600s traveling in this fashion. SMK

This Website is an ongoing project
– my working hypothesis!
Additions and corrections are welcomed.

Sally’s Ancestors

A word or two about the organization of this website.
On this page of “Tales of NC Roanoke-Chowan Area, An Introduction to Sallys Family Place” find the “Family Ghost Tales,” and The Poems of John W Moore entitled “St John Legends.” Some items about our area during the War between the States.
I have listed some Content, Sources, Links, and What’s New?

Under Maple Lawn, my childhood home, I include the Colored Folks that lived there nearby my family: my parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, and then the ancestry and relatives of Ann Ward Moore, one of my great-grandmothers. MOORE,   WARD,    JONES,  HILLBUSH,  WALTON,  HUNTER, CARTER,    CORDING,  WHITMEL,

I grew up in the old Jones Place (or Moore Place) which my great-grandparents called Maple Lawn in southern Hertford County NC, Very near the Bertie County line. In my day it was one mile through the woods on a narrow dirt road (privately maintained by my father)  to our mailbox located on the Bethlehem – Powellsville Road, but in Colonial times the road from Pitch Landing to Stoney Creek went right by our “High Gate.”
We attended school in Powellsville situated in Bertie County. We attended church at Bethlehem in Hertford Co – where just about everyone was a cousin of some degree or a “connection.”

Many have shared their research with me – see sources.

Come on into the parlor!

Under Parker is found my mother, Gladiola Parker Moore’s childhood home and ancestors, and her kinfolks. PARKER,
   ROUNTREE,    HAYES,  SANDERLIN,  MINCHEW, RIDDICK, GREGORY,

Under Rayner is the childhood home and ancestry and siblings of my grandmother, Johnnie Rayner Moore. RAYNER,  OUTLAW,  RASCOE
HENDRICKS, WALSTON,
LAWRENCE   ASHLEY,

Mulberry Grove is the home place of my great grandfather John Wheeler Moore and his siblings. his father’s ancestry is there. MOORE,   COTTEN,  BROWNE,  RUTLAND, BRITTLEGODWIN,  

Now under Wheeler is the ancestors and kinfolks of John W Moore’s mother, Julia Wheeler Moore, my 2-great, grandmother.  WHEELER,   WOODFREEMAN,  LONGWORTH,
 FOSTER,  CRANE, LYON,  EDWARDS,

Under the Neighbors are found connections and “neighbors” of the family.  Descriptions of Pine Tree Store and environs.

Missing the surnames of several grandmothers — I tried following immediate neighbors — the Sessom, Van Pelt, Perry, Wynns.
And my siblings’ in-laws the Holloman, Britton, Lawrence, and Harris families.

I have sections on schools and churches of the area or connected to the family.

There is a section on the family and ancestry of my husband, Robert Koestler.
My mother-in-law Elsa Koestler spent countless hours tracking her mother’s family of Mayers – Elsa’s research is here under Koestler.

Also included the history of the A&M Garden Club of which I served as president for several years as well as various other offices.

Some peculiar pronunciations of family names:
Parker — was pronounced Pack-er
Jordan — is Jur-dan
Esther Cotten Moore’s first name pronounced Easter
Sam Walkup’s ancestor spelled their surname many different ways but pronounced Wau-cup
I will add others when they come to mind. Sally
Powell – was pronounced Pou or Poor – hence Poor town. Named for the Powell family
P. x roads that became Powellsville

This website has evolved over the past thirty+ years. While searching for my family’s history, I looked at the siblings in each generation… which helps in tracking the correct family.

As I examined some of the original documents (that still exist despite all the fires)
– I am discovering many errors purported in the past as our family tree.

Have fun exploring.

I enjoy hearing from you.

usNEcruise
Bob and Sally Koestler Oct 2015
Bob created many of the Photographs on-site including this “selfie.”

Sally Moore Koestler
College Station, TX

Please comment on the appropriate page,
or sign my GuestBook
or e-mail me at sally@sallysfamilyplace.com

If you find these pages of benefit to you,
Please feel free to  

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to help defer the expenses of maintaining this site.

35 thoughts on “Tales of NC Roanoke-Chowan Area, Introduction to Sally’s Family Place”

  1. Howdy Sally!
    I am also a Minchew/Minshew descendent (and a deep East Texan). I am working on piecing colonial generations together (I am also trying to sort out all the cousins in what I like to call the great Minshew GA/AL/TN/AR diaspora of the mid 19th century). Naming patterns are both a blessing and a curse! I have streamlined a direct paternal list and migratory states:
    Richard John Minchew and Mercy (theory)
    John Benjamin Minchew and Martha (theory)
    Jacob Minshew and Keziah (theory)
    Nathaniel Merrick Minshew and Elizabeth Bryan (Chowan Co. NC to Dobbs and Wayne Co. NC)
    Jacob Minshew and Sarah Holmes (NC to AL)
    John Merrick Minshew and Harriet (NC to GA to AL to AR to TX)
    Merrick Nichols Minshew and Elizabeth Ann Graves (AL to TX)
    John Wiley Minshew and Mary Edmonia Nance (AL to TX)
    Horace Heston Minchew and Caddie Elizabeth Pruitt (TX to OK)

    Horace Heston was my 2x great grandfather.

    I haven’t finished looking through everything on your site yet but am looking forward to it.

  2. Greetings, I have been searching for many years to find the parents of Samuel Hunter who lived in Chatham County NC 1840-1870 possibly earlier. He was born in 1812 in North Carolina. The mother of his first 2 children, Stanford Hunter and John Reaves Hunter was Audra Boling.
    I am descended from John Reaves Hunter. aka (Dee)
    I have not found a certificate of marriage for Samuel and Audra. He married 2nd Margaret Knight their children were Anna, Alsey, Emily, William, Sarah Sally, Mary and Rosella. They moved to Arkansas about 1875. They left behind his first two children, John Reaves (Dee) Hunter and Stanford Hunter. Anna of his 2nd marriage also stayed behind in Chatham County North Carolina. Many have tried, but no one can prove who Samuel’s parents were.
    Perhaps someone has a clue that can lead to his parents. My email is tlynlibrarian@yahoo.com and I welcome any hints someone may have about Samuel Hunter of Chatham County NC Born 1812
    Sincerely,
    Toni-Lynn Hunter

  3. Hi Sally great read. I was wondering do you know of a Jacob and Joseph Rountree freedmen father Wilder or Wildo Mitchell from gates county born 1813? Jacob is my ggggrandfather. Thank you.

  4. My Grandmother was May Virginia Rountree who married Benjamin Franklin in Cypress Chapel area and moved to Corapeake North Carolina.

  5. I am looking for the family of Sarah Guion Ward Bardwell married to Dr Araunah Bardwell.

    Under the Children of Thomas Ward and Pharaby Hill, #2 Michael you have him married to a Sarah Sparkman in 1782. And you ask if her 2nd husband was not Dr Bardwell. It could not have been as Dr B’s wife was born 2 April 1785. Dr B married Sarah Guion whose first husband was a Ward. The Ward’s had 2 children Mary Ann 1808-1814 and William B. 1810-1867. So I am looking for Sarah Guion’s first husband, a Ward who was born around 1785 and died between 1810-1812. Thank you very much! Great website too!

  6. Hi Sally. My family are the Outlaws and the Bonds and I just wanted to say thank you for including the people of color in your project. Thank you and be well.

  7. Good Afternoon Sally,
    George Mason, John Jones, Lucy Binns Mason, and others are family members. I have a Sheraton sideboard that belonged to John Jones that was given to my grandmother by her Aunt Mary Goode Cole Davis, who was given the sideboard by her Aunt Mary Goode Mason, who received it from her mother Lucy Binns Jones Mason my 3rd or 4th grandmother, who received it from her Great Aunt Wilkins, who was the sister of John Jones. I am the 8th generation to have the sideboard in my family. John Jones was my Great Great Great Great Great Grandfather. I believe I have the greats correct. Sincerely, Nancy

  8. You have done a wonderful job with this website and I’ve left a small donation for it’s upkeep. My 5th great grandmother was Charity Watson. I have see her line traced back to Customer Smith who served in the court of Henry VII and Queen Elizabeth I. Has anyone done any research that could definitely verify this relationship?

  9. One of the remaining Calverts here. I followed you for years and love my family history. Love all of the work you have done.

    We have a rich and honorable history including a few Mayors of Norfolk.

  10. James Jordan of West TN. Need information on Jordans from Chatham Co. N.C. to Benton Co. Tn. Evans Jordan in N.C. Born 1750 died Benton Co. TN. Henry Meady Jordan 1776 moved from Chatham Co. N.C. to Benton TN.died 1850. Son of Henry , Evans Jordan born 1792 Chatham Co. died around 1870, 5th great grandfather. My DNA matches Richard Jordan 1620 Surry Va. Can you help with Evans , Meady connection to Jordan’s? Regards James

  11. Hi Cousins!!
    I stumbled across your sight looking for info on Sally Brickell (1757-1802). She is my 5x’s great grandmother, married to Hardy Murfree (1752-1809). My dad’s line comes through their daughter, Lavinia Bembury.
    I haven’t completely read the Brickell family page but what I have is very interesting!
    Thanks for sharing!
    p.s. I have DNA and a tree on Ancestry, (currently private) and DNA at 23andMe.

    1. Hi Virginia. Your comment caught my eye because I am researching Bembrys. My brick wall is Miles Bembry from Martin County (1766-1838). I’ve never heard of Lavinia Bembury! Can you look me up on 23andme? I am under my maiden name, Kelly Bembry and my dad is on there too, Elwyn Bembry. I am wondering if maybe Lavinia could be one of Miles’ unidentified daughters. Or you can email me at kbmgenealogy(AT)gmail.com. Thanks.

  12. Hi I am Kathryn Anne Holt now a Condello. Currently living in Canada. I was born in Rochdale England. Parents George Holt and Frances Goddard front Lancashire England. My brother Wayne (we call him Alex short forAlexander) is researching our Holt line thru Ansestry and DNA route. We have documentation back to Aston Hall and a knighthood by King Edward…a work in progress. Was curious about your Elizabeth Holt. My father’s mother has a sister Elizabeth! We may be related too is the long and short of it. So I would love to hear from you! Regards -Kathy Condello

    1. My great great father was Henry Sparkman of Bertie and I come from the line of Sparkman’s that left the Bertie area and settled in Alachua County Florida. Henry had a child with Phoebe Elizabeth Williamson of Alachua (who died the oldest pensioner of the War of 1812) in 1915.

      William Peter Sparkman is the father of my paternal grandfather, William Carl Sparkman (WW2 Normandy, died in 2018). He was survived at the time by 4 sons, Raymond Wade Sparkman, Danny Keith Sparkman, Jerry Carl Sparkman, and Gary Allen Sparkman.

      Of those children, only Raymond and Danny have children (Matthew Lee, John Mark, Travis Wade, Danny K Jr, and Troy Sparkman).

      I can’t thank you enough for your work and clearly your love. Websites like your can be life changing to people like me who grew up not knowing anything about their family.

      1. Matthew, I live in Macon, MS. We had a 1st grade teacher, “Miss Linda” here that was married to a Sparkman. There are many Sparkman relatives still here. The name caught my eye and took me back many years as My dad, my brothers and son were taught by this precious lady. I taught in the same school with her. Have you followed into this small rural community to find any information?

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  14. Hi Sally, you are a precious and loving lady to have acquired all this information. I am a descendent of ,Joseph Cotton, which later a Cotton married a Benton. I was born as Julia Arementa Benton(Lee). Also, I am looking on the Lee’s beginning Jim Lee-married to Dolly Nance

    Any information would be appreciated.

  15. Hi, I’m looking for current family members of Joseph Sanderlin; those who may go back to some of our George Washington Sanderlin names in Shiloh, NC or Elizabeth City, NC. Thanks. I have a major chapter for my next book on those Sanderlins.

    1. Perhaps if you comment on the Joseph Sanderlin page you might reach some others + me. Many have contacted me over the last 25 years in which I have been researching the family. and contributed info. Sally
      ps — Might check in my guestbook also.

  16. Greetings! I am currently searching for the family and friends of Samuel T. Outlaw (born 1899, Windsor, Bertie County, NC) Samuel was a blacksmith in Onancock, VA from 1926-1994. The family had donated his blacksmith shop and tools to the town in 1995 and a restoration of his shop has begun in order to preserve his legacy. I am producing a documentary film on his life which will be incorporated into the future Outlaw Blacksmith Museum. Please contact me with any leads, photos, stories on his early life in Windsor. Thanks Much!

  17. Hi, Sally –
    I saw a reference to the Sessums line on your site… to wit:
    “Wilson Sessums married Mary Foxhall, dau. of Robert Foxhall, on Aug. 26, 1834, by William Savage, Esq. (Tarboro Free Press, Sept. 5, 1834)”.
    I descend from that Sessums line, and have issues with my data. I wonder if you have any information that will clear things up. Here’s my problem:
    I keep seeing in several places a Date Of Birth for Wilson as1832 (2 years before marriage???) I found another DOB of 1811, which would make him 23 at marriage in 1834, but then his father Redding, with a DOB of 1798, would have been 13 when he concieved Wilson.
    See my problem??
    Can you shed any light on this confusion??
    Thanks.

  18. Do you have any idea where I can find information about the Hardy and Dukes families in Bertie County? I’m particularly interested in Sarah Hardy and Joseph Dukes who married in 1812.

    Thank you very much. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

  19. Hi, Franz j.v.Hofler, but my grandma, dad’s side is Adams. I came out 50% Engish according to DNA. Just wanted to thank you all very much for the years of great tips on geniology that helped. I’m on ancestry.com under Hofler family, or my name Franz Hofler. Thanks again.

  20. Hi, I am Lora Lee Skinner and I believe I am related to John Stewart and Penelope Daly. John was a merchant/shipper and his business was called Dalys Landing. He was in business with Josiah Collins and William Muir (Collins, Stewart and Muir) until Collins bought them out. Any information you might have on this family I would surely appreciate. Thank you for what you have worked on. If I’m in the right Stewart family then you have helped tremendously already. Best regards, Loralee2u@earthlink.net

  21. my great-great grandmother is Nora Jones, Her sister Minnie Jones.
    LaNora (nora) Jones( 1874-1951) Married Jo Bradley,he life her with 2 young Boys (1 being my great Grandfather) she then Married Alex Harrod.They lived in Faulkner Co.Arkansas un tell there deaths

    Minnie Jones (1864-1899) she Married Andrew Moody and had 3 childen,then she Married George Harrod (1 st cousion to sister Nora’s Husband) Him and her had 1 son,they both past when their son was jus 10 mo’s old.

    was told they had a brother Wesley Jones,have not info on him.
    we can not find Nora and minnies mother and father..nothing on them..nothing shows up on Minnie and nora untell the get married. like they just drop one day out of the sky.
    could you or anyone help..i found your story and was readying of the jones..i di fine where Minnie has father’s birthplace Tenn. no names or date..

    1. Hi Denise! It’s been a while since you posted this. Do you have more info on Minnie? The child who was 10-months old when she passed was my grandfather. Would love to know more. Thank you!

  22. My great great grandfather was Levi Ward, son of Isaac H. Ward…
    Levi traveled from North Carolina to weakly county Tennessee to The Missouri/Arkansas line n raised a family..
    I found yer page very informative n I look forward to any info on current living Ward kin.. Thanx n God Bless…

  23. Dear Cousin Sally,
    Thank you for all your splendid efforts !!
    Am Battle descendant, also of Alston-Williams-Hilliard-Boddie clan,
    among countless others, it would seem. I live in Seattle.
    Am wondering whose home is Neighbors-3 house?
    Kindest regards, Christopher

    1. That’s the Dr. Mitchell home in Ahoskie – I just put its history with the pictures.
      Earlier it was the home of William Watson Mitchell.

  24. I read with great interest your Jasper Crane comments, my 8th great-grandfather. I went to Trenton and got a copy of his will, and tried to decipher it. I was very happy to see it done on your website. I was able to add about 20 words to what I had, but unfortunately I cannot give you any of the missing words.

    I have never been able to find the land records for the two properties he obtained while in New Haven – the 100 acres in East Meadow, apparently the Stone River Farm, sold 1652, and the 16 acres in East Haven, sold Sep 7, 1652. I have been all over the NJ Archives searching for them. Can you share where you found them?

    I live in West Berlin, New Jersey.

  25. Hi Sally,

    On Familysearch.org I have come across an 1850 U.S. Census done in Gibson County Tennessee. The family consists of the following four members:
    William R. Spardeman (age 87) born in South Carolina
    Ann Spardeman (age 33) born in Kentucky
    Elizabeth Spardeman (age 16) born in Tennessee
    James Spardeman (age 7) born in Tennessee

    I believe the last names should be Sparkman, not Spardeman.
    I also think that Ann is Ann M. Selph, the Wife of William R. Sparkman, and that Elizabeth and James are William’s children from a previous marriage.

    On your website you have the William R. Sparkman (who married Ann M. Selph) as the son of Pheraby Ward and William Reed Sparkman, however the age of William R. Sparkman is very different. Plus, I found William Reed Sparkman’s son, William in a different 1850 U.S. Census. Can you help me straighten this out? Thank you

  26. I think i fit in here somewhere.My name is Karl Gustav Rayl.My grandpa was Kenneth rodabaugh rayl and winnie rayner was my grandma.Gustave walter rayl is my dad

  27. I am a direct descendant of wm sparkman of caldwell co ky. glad to see how this fellow is finally connected to other sparkmans. my grandfather always claimed kinship with certain other sparkmans…by golly, he was right!

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