General Commentary on the Grant families of Wayne Co, NC

martygrant.com: Home > Genealogy > Grant > Families > Wayne


A note about sources

I (Marty Grant) am not related to the Grant families of Wayne Co, NC as far as I know. I am very interested in them though.

Wayne County was formed in 1779 from the western half of Dobbs County. There were already Grant families there before the county was created. Dobbs County was created 1758 from Johnston County. The earliest Grant's found in the area included a William Grant (b bef 1729-1773) who lived on Buck Swamp as early as 1746-1750 when the area was still part of Johnston County. This is in what is now Buck Swamp Township, northwest of Goldsboro. He died in 1773 leaving a Will, but named no wife or children. A John Grant (b bef 1729-1773) lived on East side of Walnut Creek as early as 1746-50. This is in what is now New Hope Township, east of Goldsboro. Another William Grant (b bef 1748) lived near John Grant above, and was probably his son. Yet another William Grant (b bef 1748) lived in old Dobbs County before 1769, but lived near the junction of Contentnea Creek and the Neuse River in what is now Eastern Lenoir County near Tick Bite community. Michael Grant (b bef 1750) lived near John (bef 1729) and William (bef 1748) and was probably a son of John Grant. Elisha Grant (c1753/54) also lived near John (bef 1729) and could also be his son.

Here are some early (pre 1790) records in Chronological order for Grants in this area. Some of these may not be within modern Wayne County, but were in part of Dobbs before Wayne was created. The ones that weren't in modern Wayne were in modern Lenoir.

1746 Johnston County created from Craven County. At this time Johnston included all of modern Wayne County.

1746-1750 William Grant. Hardy CARNEILE to William GRANT. (Dobbs Co, NC Deed Book 1 page 51 1746-1750)

1746-1750 John Grant. John JONES to John GRANT. (Dobbs Co, NC Deed Book 1 page 110 1746-1750)

1750-1754 --- Grant. William McKINNEY to --- GRANT. (Dobbs Co, NC Deed Book 2 page 479 1750-1754)

1750-1754 --- Grant. James McILLWAYNE to --- GRANT. (Dobbs Co, NC Deed Book 2 page 481 1750-1754)

1754. William Grant. 12 Oct 1754 James BRADBURY, 400a, Johnston, Lower side of Little River, between William GRANT and William HOOKS, including Buck Swamp. (Dobbs Co, NC Entries and Warrants 1741-1757 pg 344)

1754-1755 John Grant. John GRANT to Robert HINES. (Dobbs Co, NC Deed Book 3 page 6 1754-1755)

1754-1755 John Grant. Robert HINES to John GRANT (Dobbs Co, NC Deed Book 3 page 65 or 69 1754-1755)

1756. William Grant. 29 Sep 1756 Crown to John BALLARD, 300a Johnston Co, NC north side of Little River in Buck Swamp adjoining William GRANT. Arthur DOBBS, Royal Governor. (Colony of North Carolina Land Patents 1735-1764 Book 15 page 183).

1757. John Grant. 5 Dec 1757 Crown to Elisha UZZELL, 150a Johnston Co, NC east side of Walnut Creek adjoining John GRANT, and Piney Woods. Arthur DOBBS, Royal Governor. (Colony of North Carolina Land Patents 1735-1764 Book 2 page 173).

1758 Dobbs County formed from the eastern part of Johnston County. Dobbs included all of modern Wayne County at that time. When Dobbs was created, the former Johnston County records remained with Dobbs County.

1759. William Grant. 1 Sep 1759 Crown to James BRADBERRY, 350a Dobbs Co, NC west side of Little River, adjoining William GRANT, William HOOKS. Arthur DOBBS, Royal Governor. (Colony of North Carolina Land Patents 1735-1764 Book 16 page 287).

1762. William Grant. 15-454 15 Nov 1762 Crown to William GRANT, 140a Dobbs Co, NC, Buck Swamp, Clayey Branch near EASTERLING's line, near Moses RUTER. Arthur DOBBS, Royal Governor. (Colony of North Carolina Land Patents 1735-1764 Book 15 page 454).

1763. William Grant. 22 Apr 1763 Crown to Moses RETTER?, 170a Dobbs Co, NC Buck Swamp, adjoining William GRANT, Clayey Branch. Arthur DOBBS, Royal Governor. (Colony of North Carolina Land Patents 1735-1764 Book 15 page 504).

1764. William Grant. 9 Nov 1764 Crown to William GRANT, 200a Dobbs Co, NC Buck Branch, near David WORRELL adjoining his own land. (Colony of North Carolina Land Patents 1735-1764 Book 17 page 108).

DOBBS CO, NC 1769 Tax List

GRANT JOHN	1 White
GRANT WILLIAM	1 White
GRANT WILLIAM	1 White
GRANT WILLIAM	1 White

1769-1771. John Grant. John GRANT to William GRANT. (Dobbs Co, NC Deed Book 8 page 135 1769-1771)

1770. William Grant. 11 Dec 1770 William GRANT, 200a Neuse River and Contentney Creek, Benjamin CREECH, Richard BYRD, Thomas MARTIN. (Dobbs Co, NC Crown Patents 1759-1775 Book 20 page 599)

1771. John Grant. 20 Nov 1771 # 14 John GRANT.  (Dobbs Co, NC Militia Muster Roll)

1771. Michal Grant. 20 Nov 1771. Captain Martin Caswell's Company. # 25 Michael GRANT. (Dobbs Co, NC Militia Muster Roll)

1772 James Grant. Apr 1772 April Inferior Court 1772. James GRANT, poor and infirmed received exemption from paying taxes and doing public duties. (Dobbs Co, NC Treasurer and Comptrollers Papers).

1773. John Grant. 6 Aug 1773 John Grant murdered in Dobbs Co, NC by James Wilson. John's wife Mary and son John Grant Jr mentioned in court papers.

1773. William Grant. 23 Sep 1773 Proven 11 Nov 1773 Will of William GRANT. Jane BRODIE, Executrix, Thomas SCOTT, Executor. Witness William HOOKS, John TILTEN. (Dobbs Co, NC Will Abstracts).

1773-1775 William Grant. William NUTON to William GRANT. (Dobbs Co, NC Deed Book 10 page 188 1773-1775)

1773-1775 William Grant. William GRANT to Benjamin CREECH. (Dobbs Co, NC Deed Book 10 page 215 1773-1775)

1773-1775 William Grant. William GRANT to John WALTERS. (Dobbs Co, NC Deed Book 10 page 219 1773-1775)

1773-1775 William Grant. Joseph WILLIAMS to William GRANT. (Dobbs Co, NC Deed Book 10 page 230 1773-1775)

1773-1775 William Grant. William GRANT to Andrew SCOTT. (Dobbs Co, NC Deed Book 10 page 353 1773-1775)

1777. John Grant Jr. 26 Jun 1777 Captain Kennedy's Company. John GRANT Jr.  (Dobbs Co, NC Militia Muster Roll)

1778. John Grant. 6 Jan 1778 John GRANT, 100a Dobbs, North side of Neuse, both sides Reedy Branch. Michael HERRING's corner. (Dobbs Co, NC Land Entries 1778-1790 Book 1 page 21).

1778. John Grant. 14 Mar 1778 John GRANT, 50a Dobbs, south side of Briery Branch adjoining Thomas BOND, Thomas PHILLIPS, William MOORE and John WOOTEN's lines. (Lenoir) (Dobbs Co, NC Land Entries 1778-1790 Book 1 page 285).

1778. Ephraim Grant. Dobbs Regiment received bounty from Richard CASWELL 19 May 1778. (From Dobbs County Genealogical Society Journal, May 1983.)

1778. John Grant. Dobbs Regiment received bounty from Richard CASWELL 19 May 1778. (From Dobbs County Genealogical Society Journal, May 1983.)

1777-1779 Michael Grant. James HINSON to Michael GRANT. (Dobbs Co, NC Deed Book 11 page 17 1777-1779)

1777-1779 William Grant. Martha CREECH to William GRANT. (Dobbs Co, NC Deed Book 11 page 426 1777-1779)

1779. Wayne County formed from Western part of Dobbs County.

1779. Voter List for Dobbs County did not include anyone named Grant.

DOBBS CO, NC 1780 Tax List

District # 9 Harvey (east of Kinston, north of Neuse River)

GRANT JOHN		$400

1782. John Grant. 1782 State of North Carolina # 417 to John GRANT. 80a Dobbs, North Sd of Neuse, West sd of Reedy Branch adj Michael HERRING, Joel HERRING. (Wayne Co, NC Deed Book 1 page 124).

 

WAYNE CO, NC 1786 Tax List

GRANT JOHN 		100a, 0 Whites, 0 Blacks
GRANT MICHAEL 		110a, 1 White, 0 Blacks
GRANT WILLIAM  		148a, 1 White, 0 Blacks

WAYNE CO, NC 1790 Census

Head of Household              Page  M16+ M16-  Fem  Other Slaves

GRANT ELISHA                    151     1    2    2    0    0
GRANT MICHAEL                   151     1    2    2    0    0
GRANT WILLIAM                   151     2    3    2    0    0

William Grant was born before 1729. A William Grant was deeded property by Hardy Carneile ca 1746-1750 in Johnston Co, NC (Dobbs Co, NC Deed Book 1 page 51). Listed as landowner in 1756 on north side of Little River in Buck Swamp in Johnston Co, NC (now Wayne Co, NC). He received Patents for 140 acres on Buck Swamp in 1762, 170 acres on Buck Swamp in 1763, and 200 acres on Buck Branch in 1764. There were several deeds in Dobbs Co, NC for William Grant, but since only the index remains, it is impossible to say if they are for this William or one of the others. This William Grant made his Will on 23 Sep 1773 in Dobbs Co, NC. It was proven in November. It doesn't look like he had any children. See his own page for much more information.

John Grant was born before 1729. John Grant purchased land in 1746-1750 in what is now Wayne Co, NC (then Johnston). His wife was named Mary ---. He was listed on various records, and was a neighbor of Elisha Uzzell in 1757. I'm reasonably sure that this John Grant was the same one listed on the 1769 Dobbs Co, NC tax list. A John Grant, probably this one, was murdered in 1773 in Dobbs Co, NC by James Wilson. The records show John's wife to be Mary, and mention a son John Grant Jr. A John Grant was still in Wayne / Dobbs Co, NC until the 1786 Wayne Co, NC Tax list. On that list, he wasn't charged with a poll tax, which is easily explained if he were no longer in the county, but still owned land there. He was not listed on the 1790 census. I have a strong feeling that John Grant Sr is the father of William Grant (bef 1748), Michael Grant (bef 1750) and Elisha Grant (c1754/55), who all were listed next to Elisha Uzzell on the 1790 census in Wayne Co, NC. Also, John Sr was the father of John Grant (bef 1757) who was gone from Wayne Co, NC by 1786, but still owned land until 1796 when he and his wife Rachel sold it to Richard Kethley. They all lived in what is now New Hope Township of Wayne Co, NC, north of the Neuse River on land near Walnut Creek and Walnut Pocosin.

William Grant born before 1748. Received Patent for 200 acres in 1770 for land on Contentnea Creek and Neuse River. That would have to be in modern Lenoir County in the eastern corner with Craven and Pitt County near Tick Bite community of Grifton, as that is where the Neuse and Contentnea come together. William Grant sold land ca 1773/75 in Dobbs Co, NC to Benjamin Creech. There were several Dobbs Co, NC Deeds for William Grant, but since only the index survived, it is impossible to say which is this William and which is one of the other William Grants. This William Grant could be the father of John Grant who lived in the same area of old Dobbs (now Lenoir) Co, NC.

James Grant born before 1751. The only record I've found for this person was Court record from 1772 April Inferior Court 1772. James Grant, poor and infirmed received exemption from paying taxes and doing public duties. I have no other data on him. Just based on the name, I suspect he is a brother of John Grant of Lenoir, since he named one of his sons James. (Dobbs Co, NC Treasurer and Comptrollers Papers).

Ephraim Grant was born before 1757. I've only found one record for this man when he received Bounty from Richard Caswell 19 May 1778. He can't be the same person as Ephraim Grant of Wayne Co, NC, but could be a relative of his, perhaps his father. (From Dobbs County Genealogical Society Journal, May 1983.)

 


martygrant.com: Home > Genealogy > Grant > Families > Wayne