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I (Marty Grant) am not related to the William Grant family as far as I know. I am very interested in him though.
William Grant was born ca 1748 or before (but probably not too much before). He is, in my opinion, a son of John Grant and Mary of old Dobbs Co, NC (now Wayne Co, NC) who settled in the Walnut Creek area before 1750. I have no overwhelming proof that John is his father, but at least one deed, and circumstantial evidence make it seem likely.
There was another William Grant in the area (modern Wayne County) as early as 1750. He lived on Buck Swamp, and wasn't associated with the John Grant family, though they were about the same age, and could be brothers. He died in 1773 leaving a Will, but naming no wife and children. All of his land was in the area of Buck Swamp, not particularly close to where this younger William Grant lived.
The first record we have for this William Grant (son of John and Mary) was the 1769 Dobbs Co, NC tax list. The other William Grant was in the records several times before 1769, but it was always for land on Buck Swamp, so we can tell who he was fairly easily. The 1769 tax list revealed three different men named William Grant. The list didn't give enough information to tell which was which, but since all three were only charged with 1 white taxable, it doesn't matter which was which. However, one of them was William Grant of Buck Swamp, one of them was William Grant under study here, son of John and Mary Grant, and the third one was William Grant of what is now Lenoir Co, NC.
John Grant sold land to William Grant circa 1769-1771. This is the same land that John purchased from Robert Hines ca 1754-1755. The original deed from John Grant to William Grant was lost, but when William Grant sold this land in 1795 he stated it was the same land Robert Hines sold to John Grant. (Dobbs Co, NC Deed Book 8 page 135 1769-1771)
In my opinion the above record is the first piece of evidence we have that John Grant is the father of William Grant.
On 11 Dec 1770 a land Patent was issued to William Grant for 200 acres on the Neuse River and Contentney Creek, adjoining Benjamin Creech, Richard Byrd and Thomas Martin. I am quite sure this is a different William Grant, as this land was all the way in eastern Lenoir County near the Craven and Pitt County borders. (Dobbs Co, NC Crown Patents 1759-1775 Book 20 page 599)
The William Grant of Buck Swamp made his Will on 23 Sep 1773 and was dead by 11 Nov 1773, so we can be sure that any record for a William Grant after that are for either the William Grant under study here, or for the William Grant of what is now Lenoir County. Since most of the deed records are only from the index (no details available) it won't be easy distinguishing them, though in some cases we can.
William Newton sold property to William Grant circa 1773-1775. I don't know which William Grant this might have been. A William Newton was on the 1769 Dobbs tax list, but not on any later lists or the 1790 census. (Dobbs Co, NC Deed Book 10 page 188 1773-1775)
William Grant sold property to Benjamin Creech circa 1773-1775. This is most likely William Grant of Lenoir as when he received his 1770 patent, Benjamin Creech was one of his neighbors. Benjamin Creech was listed on the 1769 Dobbs Co, NC tax list and on the 1788 Dobbs Co, NC voter list and the 1790 Dobbs Census, indicating he lived in modern Lenoir or Greene County. (Dobbs Co, NC Deed Book 10 page 215 1773-1775)
William Grant sold property to John Walters circa 1773-1775. Two John Walter's were listed on the 1769 Dobbs Tax list but not on later lists, so I can't be sure which William Grant this is. (Dobbs Co, NC Deed Book 10 page 219 1773-1775)
Joseph Williams sold property to William Grant circa 1773-1775. The 1769 Dobbs Tax list shows a Joshua Williams, and the 1779 Dobbs Voter List shows a "Jos. Williams" listed. The 1788 list shows both a Joshua and Joseph Williams in Dobbs. If this is the same person, then that probably indicates that this is the William Grant of Lenoir Co, NC. (Dobbs Co, NC Deed Book 10 page 230 1773-1775)
William Grant sold property to Andrew Scott circa 1773-1775. This is probably the William Grant under study here, as Andrew Scott was listed on the 1790 Wayne Co, NC census. (Dobbs Co, NC Deed Book 10 page 353 1773-1775)
Martha Creech sold property to William Grant circa 1777-1779. This is probably William Grant of Lenoir Co, NC, since he was associated with the Creech family. (Dobbs Co, NC Deed Book 11 page 426 1777-1779)
In 1779 Wayne County was created from the western half of Dobbs County, leaving modern Lenoir and Greene as parts of Dobbs. So any records found for a William Grant after 1779 in Dobbs pertain to the William Grant of Lenoir and not to the William Grant under study here.
The 1786 Tax list for Wayne County shows William Grant listed with 148 acres, and 1 white taxable, and no black taxable.
On the 1790 census William Grant was listed in Wayne Co, NC next to Michael Grant and Elisha Grant on one side, and Elisha Uzzell Jr and Elisha Uzzell Sr on the other side. This clearly shows William to live in the area of modern New Hope Township, somewhere on or near Walnut Creek.
1790 census analysis (based on available evidence):
1790 Wayne Co, NC pg 151 William Grant 2-3-2-0-0 Analysis: 2 Male(s) 16 and Up (before 1774) William GRANT (bef 1748) s/o John and Mary Son? Stephen GRANT (1765/84) 3 Male(s) under 16 (1774/1790) Son? John GRANT (1774/84) Son? Son? 2 Female(s) any age (before 1790) Wife? Daughter?
On 25 Feb 1795 William Grant sold the land that his father John Grant had deeded to him circa 1769-1771. In the deed it mentions that it is the same land that was formerly conveyed by Robert Hines to John Grant. (Wayne Co, NC Deed Book 5E page 202).
The 1790 census showed William Grant with a very large family, but by 1800 he was living alone. He was listed in Wayne Co, NC. He wasn't listed near any of the other Grant's, but he was listed between William Wilson on one side and Moses Stanley on the other side. In 1790 William Wilson was only seven houses from William Grant, so it appears he didn't move, it is just the way the census taker went from house to house that seems different. In 1790 Moses Stanley was on the same page with William Grant, but more than 30 houses away. In 1800 William Grant was probably still in the Walnut Creek area, though I can't be sure.
1800 census analysis (based on available evidence):
1800 Wayne Co, NC pg 871 William Grant 00001-00000 Analysis: 1 Male(s) 45 & up (before 1755) William GRANT (bef 1748) s/o John and Mary
I didn't find William Grant on the 1810 census, so he was dead by then, or living with some other family, or had moved away.
I don't have any evidence about who any of William Grant's children might be. All of them were probably born in the 1770's and 1780's. I don't know who his wife was either. Here are a few possibilities, but I am not even close to being convinced that they belong to William Grant. It is a reasonable starting place though.
Stephen Grant was born ca 1765/1784 (per the 1810 census). He married my Aunt Patience Roberts ca 1803 in Wayne Co, NC. He was named in the Estate papers of John Roberts (father of Patience Roberts Grant), and he was listed on the 1810 census in Wayne Co, NC next to Thomas Grant and in the same area that William Grant had lived. He was found guilty of forgery in 1814 and sentenced to stand in the pillary for one hour and get 39 lashes and imprisonment for 6 months. This is the last record I found for him. His wife Patience was missing from the records also until she appeared on the 1850 census in Moore Co, NC living with members of the Thompson family. See Stephen's own page for more information.
Charity Grant was born 7 Oct 1788 in Wayne Co, NC. The only data I have on her is from Kay Carter. I haven't seen any records pertaining to Charity, but what Kay was under the impression that she is a sister of Stephen Grant mentioned above, and if so, then also a probable child of William Grant. She married Lewis Martin at some point. Kay told me that they died in Onslow Co, NC, but I'm not sure how they are connected to Wayne Co, NC as I didn't find him there on any census records. I'll have to try to find something else on this couple.
John Grant was born ca 1774/1784 in Wayne Co, NC. He was listed on the 1800 census in Wayne Co, NC near the other Grant's in the Walnut Creek area. He wasn't close to William Grant though who was several pages away, but for some reason I think he belongs to William. There was another John Grant here just before 1800, who was a son of John Grant Sr and Mary. This other John was born ca 1757 and was probably an Uncle to this John. The elder John (c1757) was married to Rachel and sold his Wayne Co, NC land in 1796 and listed himself as John "Sr" on that deed, probably to distinguish himself from this younger John. This younger John Grant was on the 1800 census, and was gone from Wayne County after that, leaving no other records. I have a suspicion that this is the same John Grant born ca 1770/75 who was married to Tabitha Martin and who moved to Robertson (and later to Henderson) Co, TN. There were Martin families nearby in Wayne Co, NC, and if Charity Grant mentioned above is his sister, and she married Lewis Martin, it is possible that Tabitha Martin and Lewis are siblings. More research is needed on this though. The only thing I know for sure is that this John Grant was born ca 1774/84 and his wife was the same age in 1800, they had two sons under 10 (1790/1800) and one daughter under 10 (1790/1800) in 1800. This agrees with what we know about John of Robertson Co, TN. His (John of Robertson Co, TN) oldest son was named Stephen Grant, so that may be significant. It is known that many other Wayne Co, NC families, including some of those who were neighbors of the Grants, moved to Robertson Co, TN around this time, so I think it worthwhile to try and tie John Grant of 1800 Wayne Co, NC to John Grant and Tabitha Martin of Robertson and Henderson Co, TN.
Persons researching this family (click here for data on how to get on or off of this list:
1. William1 GRANT [23006], born bef 1748; died 1800/10 in Wayne Co, NC, son of John GRANT [33569] and Mary (---) [34140] . He married unknown.
Children of William GRANT were as follows:
3 ii John2 GRANT [42413], born 1774/84 in Wayne Co, NC.
4 iii Charity2 GRANT [23007], born 7 Oct 1788 in Wayne Co, NC. She married in Wayne Co, NC Lewis MARTIN [23008], born 1779 in Caroline Co, VA; died in Onslow Co, NC, son of Joseph MARTIN [23009] and Tabitha (---) [23010] .
2. Stephen2 GRANT [31963] (William1), born 1765/1784 in NC; died 1814/1850 in Wayne Co, NC. He married in 1800/03 in Wayne Co, NC Patience ROBERTS [16401], born 1784/85 in Wayne Co, NC; died aft 1850 in Moore Co, NC, daughter of John ROBERTS [9763] and Nancy SMITH [13249] .
Children of Stephen GRANT and Patience ROBERTS were as follows:
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