Sally's great-great-great Grandparents:

Enoch Rayner 1771/74 -1823 |  his parents
& Penelope Rasco 1785 -1851  |  her parents
of near Windsor, Bertie County, North Carolina

          This is my working hypothesis - the way I see it as of this moment!! 

      Enoch Rayner and Penelope Rasco were married  in Bertie Co., NC.
Enoch Rayner, the son of Samuel Rayner and his wife Winifred Perry, was born in 1771 in Bertie Co. NC. He died 16 Dec 1823 (notice in Raleigh paper.) 
His will probated Feb 1824 in Bertie County--mentions wife and six children.
Penelope Rasco, daughter of James Rasco and his wife Elizabeth Hendricks, was born in 1785 in Bertie County. She died 1851.
 (Her Inventory was done on the 27th of August 1851.)

14 Nov 1803 John Rhodes aged fourteen years bound to Enoch Rayner, shop joiner. Signed by Tim'y Hunter.

Children of Enoch Rayner and Penelope Rasco:
1. Samuel Rayner  ca 1804 -
       married 1828 Harriet Coward
    a. Eliza. Ann Rayner ca 1830
      married 20 May 1852 Robert A Parker 
           (Robert A Parker and Ann E. Rayner, 20 May 1852; D E Taylor Bm
             married 20 May 1852; S B Smith, George Gray, wit.) Bertie Mar. Bonds
2. James Rasco Rayner 31 Aug 1807 - 27 Sept 1852 Bertie County
       married 27 Feb 1831 Frances Lawrence 29 Oct 1813 - 20 Dec 1847
    a. Aura Elizabeth Rayner 29 Sept 1832 - ?
       married 1851 James Bryant went to Indiana
    b. Alice Z Rayner 26 Sept 1834 - 15 July 1853
    c.  a son  10 April 1836 - 10 April 1836
    d. Frances Penelope Rayner  22 Jan 1838 - 7 January 1866 
      (Neppie went blind at an early age. Eunice Waters had a little box with the braille characters she used for writing. She was in a school in Philadelphia when Lincoln was shot. The girls in the dormitory had hung crape on the Bedposts. Being a good Southern girl, she went into a rage and tore it all down!)
    e. Mary Winifred Rayner  "Mollie" 3 Feb 1840 - 26 Apr 1925
       married 1860 John Alexander Rayner
    f. Celia Octavia Rayner  3 Apr 1842 - 20 Apr 1916
        married 1865    Wm J Northcott
    g. James Thomas Rayner 22 Jan 1844 - 6 Mar 1892
        married 1867 1. Celia A Holly 1845-1876
        married 1884 2. Margaret E Mitchell 1866-
    h. Joseph Reuben Rayner 25 July 1846 - 9 July 1909
           (never married-- lived Gates Co, NC)
    i. Samuel Francis [Francis Samuel] Rayner 30 Nov  1847- 
             went to  Indiana with sister Aura
         married 11 Aug 1903 Hertford Co, NC Mary N Askew ca 1877 -
     married 2 April 1850 Mary Elizabeth Collins Howe 10 Dec 1805 - 29 Oct 1855
            widow of Dr. Alexander Wood Mebane
3. Mary Rayner  ca 1812 - Bertie County
       married 1829 William Maer died bef 1850 census
       married 2nd bef 1850 census William Leary [her first cousin]
4. Nancy Rayner ca 1815 - ca Aug 1861 Haywood County, TN
        married Bertie Co 30 May 1833 Collin H Hopkins ca 1810 - 1851/59
                 had removed to Haywood County TN  by 1834 [ct. records]
                        information from Richard Hopkins
         in 1850 census - they were living in the 8th Civil District of Haywood Co TN 
                 [this district is in the northern part of Haywood Co]
      a. William D Hopkins ca 1834 -
      b. James Hopkins ca 1840 -
      c. Mary Hopkins ca 1843 -
      d. Samuel Hopkins ca 1845 -
       e. Martha Hopkins ca 1848 -
5. Thomas J Rayner ca 1817 - 17 Feb 1838 Bertie County

Child of Penelope Rasco:  1830 Census: Penelope Rascoe aged 60-70
Nov 1798 Bastard Bond, Penelope Rascoe, mother,
     Bondsmen: Alexander Milburn, Wm. Freeman, John Chambly
6. Penelope  "Rayner" ca 1799 - 1880
        married ca 1817 Whitmell Drew

Collin H Hopkins and Nancy Rayner Hopkins (his wife) [of Haywood Co TN] appointed James R Rayner of Bertie Co on 23 June 1845, as their attorney to sell their tract of land in Bertie Co. on  the Roanoke and Middle Rivers, called the "Kiddy Hawk tract" given to Nancy Rayner by her father, Enoch Rayner of Bertie Co.

Will of Thomas J. Rayner, signed 17 Feb, 1839, proved May Term 1838. Mother-Penelope Rayner, brother - James R Rayner exec. Eliza Ann Rayner (daughter of brother Samuel) Test: Miles Bagley, Henry D Johnston

CENSUS BERTIE CO NC           MALES             FEMALES 
year   head           to 16   16 up 
1790 Sam Rayner        4        3                  3 
                0-10 10-15 16-25 26-45 45 up 0-10 10-15 16-25 26-45 45 up 
1800 Enoch Rayner 0     0     0     1    0 - 0     0     0     0     0 
1810 Enoch Rayner 2     0     0     1    0 - 1     1     2     0     0 
1820 Enoch Rayner 1     2     0     0    1 - 4     2     0     1     0 
1830 Penelope Rayner 1 male 10-15, 1 female 10-15 1 female 40-50 
1830 Samuel Rayner 1 male 20-30, 1 female 0-5, 1 female 20-30
1830 Penelope Rascoe 1 female 60-70
1850 Penelope Rayner 65 F 
    

Minutes of Cashie Baptist Church: Saturday before the 1st Sunday in Dec 1821 after preaching met in conference. --On motion a Select Committee be appointed to--- a difficulity between Bro Enoch Rayner & wife & that Brothers Gilliam, Speller, Folk, & Wm J Thomas and Lawrence & that they make a report.
Saturday before the 1st Sunday in Feb 1822 after preaching met in conference. the ____ ____ respecting Bro E Rayner & wife was called up & laid over & that Elder Spivey & Bro Wm Worley be added to the committee & they request to report to next conference. The committee appointed to visit on Bro Rayner & wife made the following report. We your Committee who was appointed to attend the difficulity said to be between Enoch Rayner & wife attended at ____-_____before the 4th Sunday in Feb 1822 E Rayner having previous notice of the intention of this committee personally met the __ Committee and after requesting E Rayner leave to have an interview with him and his wife upon the subject of difficulity, he promptly refused the committee going to his House upon such business--stating the committee were welcome to --- his house & would treat them as friends, but to go upon that business, he could not nor would not suffer it, he also stated that he had serious charges against several of the Brethren in the Church who were in full fellowship, who had particality injured him but had not proof to substantiate his charges--your committee further state that in their oppinion all things considered by them. E Rayner is very difficient in his duty & far from professing the Christian Spirit -------------Given under our hand 23 Feby 1822
     A. Spivey, Benj Folk, Reubin Lawrence, Wm Worley.
The Church received the observers report & after some inquiry & remarks Enoch Rayner  was excluded.

Enoch Rayner’s Will --- In the name of God Amen I Enoch Rayner of the county of Bertie and State of North Carolina being of sound mind and memory and about to leave this parts for a while and god only knows whether I may ever return home have thought for afect to make and ordain this my last will and testament. 1st I leave my Soul to almighty God that gave it and it is my will and desire that my lands all be sold at one or two years credit the purchaser paying Interest from the date also all my persiable estate be sold and would and after my just debts be paid the balence be devided among my wife and six children except enough to pay the expense of the younger ones until they come to maturity and married have their part of this period of his or her life.
In testamony of which I have hereunto set my hand and seal this sixth day of November 1819.
Enoch Rayner seal
B I wish my sons to be sent to business as soon as they get educated and different E Rayner Feb 1824
This paper & ____ purporting to be the last will and testament of Enoch Rayner decd was exhibited to open court and . . . . . .

State of North Carolina Bertie County In Equity
To his honor the Judge of the Court of Equity
Your Orators & Oratoriness James Rayner, Penelope Rayner [name inserted], Thomas Rayner, Mary Rayner, & Nancy Rayner infants under the age of twenty-one by their guardian James Rascoe, Samuel Rayner of full age the children of Enoch Rayner deceased & your Oratrix Penelope Rayner the widow & relict of said Enoch humbly complaining Shews unto your honor that the said Enoch Rayner being seized & prosessed of considerable real & personal estate duly made & published his last will & testament in writing having date of sixth day of November 1819 and thereby made the following desposition of his property "It is my will & desire that my lands all be sold at one or two year credit the purchaser paying interest from the date also all persishable part of my estate be sold as usual and after my just Debts be paid the balance be devided among my wife and six children Except Enough to pay the Expenses of the younger ones untill they come to maturity and that Each have their part at this period of his or her life" –And your Orators & Oratriss further chew that the said Enoch Rayner departed this life sometime in the month of December the year of 1823 without altering or revoking the said will; and at February session 1824 held for the county of Bertie, Elijah Rayner, proved the said will & procured to be granted to him Letters of administration with the will annexed. (the said testator not having appointed any Executor in his last will & testament) and the said Elijah Rayner took upon himself the burthern & execution thereof & by written thery possessed himself of all the personal estate of the said Enoch Rayner decd to a considerable amount and received the monies arising from the sale of the real estate as devised by the testator. Your Orators & Oratris further shew unto your honor that they have frequently applied to the said Elijah Rayner & desired him to give your orators an accounting of the personal estate of the said testator & of the sale of the real estate & to know how & in what manner the same have been paid & applied & how much Money remains in his hands that he might pay unto your Orators & Oratrix what upon the balance of such account might be due to them. And your Orators & Oratrixis well hoped that the said Elijah Rayner would have complied with such their reasonable request as in justice & equity has ought to have done.
But now so it is may it please your honor the said Elijah Rayner refuses to send to your Orators & Oratrixes any account whatsoever of the said testator personal estate or of the sales of his real estate; sometimes pretending that the said personal estate of the said testator in samall & inconsiderable in value & not sufficient to pay the debts of the said testator & various other pretences; where as your Orators & Oratrixes charge & so the truth is that the said testator died prosessed of considerable personal estate, much more than sufficient to pay all his just debts. And a great overplus, your Orators & Oratrixes charging that the said Elijah Rayner hath out of this monies arising from the sale of the personal & real estate of the said testator paid all the testators debts & after payment thereof having a great overplus in his hands applied the same to his own use; all which actions & doings of the said Elijah are contrary to right; Equity & good conscience & tend the great injury of your Orators & Oratrixes.
In tender consideration whereof & foresomuch as matters of this nature are most properly cognizable & retrievable in a court of Equity before your honor & in regard your Orators & Oratrixes cannot compel the said Elijah to account for the said testators personal estate & the sale of real estate or the payment of what is just due & owing to your Orators & Oratrixes but by the aid & assistance of a court of Equity To the End therefore that the said Elijah may upon his corporal oath true & perfect answers make to all & singular the premisses as fully and as particularly as if the same were here again repeated & interrogated;
May it please your honor to cause the wit of suponena to issue against the said Elijah to be & appear before your honor & then & there to answer the presisses & to stand to & abide such order & decree as to your honor shall seem agreeable to Equity & good conscious.
And your Orators & Oratrixes will even pay & And your Oratrix Penelope Rayner widow of Enoch Rayner dec at the Bertie County Court.....

  15 June 2007