Tarver-Gen Records: NC Land Grants & Patents, Tarver

Lord Granville Land Grants, North Carolina Charter
Transcribed from North Carolina Patent Book 14 and Deed Books H-1 and L-1.

Between 22 June 1749 and 30 September 1760, six Tarver men became landowners in North Carolina.

Five of these Tarvers, James, Andrew, Benjamin, Samuel, and Thomas, obtained land grants on or near the Occoneechee Swamp in the Southwest part of Northampton County, North Carolina, while the sixth, John Tarver, patented land in Johnston County, North Carolina.

These Tarvers, along with William Tarver, additionally offered their signatures as witnesses for their neighbors. Several properties were purchased on the same date. That, with the land grant numbers, indicating these men most likely traveled together to acquire their land in Northampton County.

The wills of these Tarver men bequeathe the land they obtained through land grants noted below to their heirs. Also of interest is several of the other family names mentioned in their land transactions. Wooten, Watson, Jordan, Rogers, Simms, and Seat, for example, all represent families with whom these Tarvers are intermarried.

The following table shows the North Carolina land grants on which the surname TARVER appears, either as the patentee (land owner), a witness to another patentee's transaction, or as a landowner with property of some remark in the deed.

Johnston Co., NC Patent# Book/Pg TARVER Patent/Witness Survey Date Patent Date Parish Location #3103 14:191 John Wit. for John Beddingfield, 276 a 27 Jan 1758 11 Jan 1761 St. Patrick S side of Neuse, joins Jn Beckham, the sd river & Beddingfields line #3135 14:199 John Wit. for Michael Courtice, 640 a 30 Oct 1758 10 Jan 1761 St. Patrick Both sides of Markes Cr, joins Busbys Br #3359 14:257 John Pat. 535 acres SCC: James Wooten & Drury Rodgers 27 Nov 1755 30 Sep 1760 St. Stephen Both sides of Neuse Riv, joins Hintons Cor & a Branch #3361 14:258 John Wit. for James Watson, 350 a 6 Mar 1756 11 Jan 1761 St. Patrick Both sides of Neuse Riv, joins Tims Cr, Crab Tree Br & Wm Anderson Note: Patent No. 3359 was for a John TARBURT, however, the signature on the patent was that of John TARVER. This appears to be some of the land that Andrew's son, John, left to his brother, Frederick Tarver, in his will. Frederick's will divided the land among his siblings. Drury Rodgers/Rogers was the brother to Sarah Rogers Tarver, wife of John Tarver. James Wooten was husband to Faith Rogers, one of Sarah's sisters. Faith and James had guardianship of some of John and Sarah's children after their deaths. #156 H-1:265 John Sells 267 a to Mark Sims 1775     on NS Neuse Riv beg at or near the mouth of Mosses Cr #390 L-1:328 William Sells 267 a to Mark Simes 21 Sep 1779 Aug Ct 1779   on NS Neuse Riv beg at or near the mouth of Mosses Cr #889 L-1:207 William Sells 267 a to William Earp 25 Apr 1780 Nov. Ct 1780   SS of the Neuse Riv beg on the Bank of the River at HINTONS cor Note: The above three deeds identify these 267 acre tracts as part of a tract granted to John Tarver Senr. by Granville deed dated 13 Sep 1760. See this related file for details. John Tarver Sr. received a tract of land by Granville deed dated 13 Sep 1760. He listed himself and a family of seven. Then, in Apr 1761, his widow, Sarah Tarver, was made adm of his estate, placing his death sometime in the interim. John Tarver Senr married Sarah Rogers, who continued to operate his ferry and a tavern on the Neuse River in Johnston Co., NC after John's death.   Johnston & Edgecomb Co., NC Patent no. Book/Pg TARVER Patent/Witness Surveyed Patent Date Parish Location #3144 14:202 John Wit. for Thomas Driver, 330 a 15 Apr 1752 7 Nov 1755 St. Patrick/ Edgecomb On Mockison Cr   Northampton Co., NC Patent no. Book/Pg TARVER Patent/Witness Surveyed Patent Date Parish Location #3475 14:294 Wm Wit. for George Jordan, 325 a 31 Mar 1749 22 Jun 1749   On Cypress Sw, joins Lick Branch to the mouth of sd swamp #3476 14:294 Saml Wit. for Benjamin Johnson, 250 a 8 May 1753 8 Nov 1756 Northwest Joining Noah Pridham, Thomas Parker, Andrew TARVER & Joshua Greggs #3480 14:295 Benjamin SCC for Arthur Jordan, 650 a SCC: Benjamin Tarver, George Jordan 29 Mar 1749 22 Jun 1749   N side of Cypress Sw, joins River Jordan, the head of Jammeys Meadow, the sd sw #3496 14:300 James & Samuel Geo Mitchell, 670 a SCC: James & Samuel TARVER 22 Mar 1749 17 Apr 1749   Joins John Scott, Robert Ellis, North West John Gray and W sd of Oconeechy Sw #3526 14:309 Thomas Named in George Reaves pat., 90 a 28 Mar 1749 22 Jun 1749   Near Fountains Cr, joins Thomas Jordan, the Country line, Jordans field, Thomas TARVER, and Robert Hill #3532 14:311 James & Samuel Billison Seat, 450 a SCC: James & Samuel TARVER 17 Apr 1749 22 Jun 1749   W side of Wheelers Mill Sw, joins Oconeechy Sw & Roland Williams #3543 14:315 James James Stanton, 685 a SCC: James TARVER, Maurice Floyd 14 Mar 1758 20 Nov 1761   Joins Stantons corner, James TARVER, Joel Barker, the Mouth of Great Br, both sides Oconeeche Sw #3550 14:317 James Pat. 390 a 17 Apr 1749 22 Jun 1749   Both sides Wheelers Mill Sw near the head, joins James Lewis #3554 14:318 Andrew Pat. 325 a SCC: James & Samuel TARVER 17 Apr 1749 22 Jun 1749   E side Occoneechy Sw, joins Roland Williams, Richard Parker, Joseph John Snipes & sd sw #3557 14:319 Benjamin Pat. 500 a CC: Andrew TARVER, Jno Phillips 10 Nov 1752 25 Feb 1760 St. George Joins George Mitchell, Occoneechy Sw, and Capt Short       entered 20 Mar 1752   #3560 14:320 Samuel Pat. 468 a 4 Jul 1751 28 Oct 1752   Joins Billingson Smith, Mills Sw & Occaneecha Sw #3574 14:324 Samuel & Andrew Henry Warren, 90 a SCC: Samuel & Andrew TARVER 22 Mar 1749 7 Nov 1752   Joins Occoneechy Sw, Thomas Parker & Austin Moore

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NOTES

John & William Tarver of deeds #156, #390, & #889 are sons of John Tarver, who married Sarah Rogers.

All other entries appear to be sons of Samuel Tarver and Mary Boyce, excepting William Tarver, Patent 3475, whose relationship to the family is not yet identified.

He may be the same William Tarver whose murder is recorded in History and Genealogies of Old Granville County, North Carolina, 1746-1800 County Court Minutes, p. 119: August 18, 1750. A negro George, belonging to John Macon, is tried for the murder of William Tarver, late of Gr. Co., at the house of James Paine, and before three Justices of the Co. and then freeholders and woners of negro slaves. He was adjudged guilty and condemned to be hung, between the hour of the finding of this sentence and six in the afternoon. He was valued at L42.10 proc. money. (Full record copied).

There are no entries for Jacob, who also has been identified as a son of Samuel and Mary Boyce Tarver, born c 1721, d. 1779, who is believed to have moved to Anson Co., North Carolina area. Jacob appears on list of Dobbs Co. North Carolina taxpayers for 1780, along with Absalom Tarver and Samuel Tarver. John, Mary, Millicent, Samuel Tarver are enumerated that year in Northampton, North Carolina. In 1790, a Jacob Tarver is found residing in Robeson Co., NC when his hh is enumerated in the Fayette Dist., p. 48c: Jacob Tarver Sr. 2 free WM 16+, 4 free WM -16 years, 3 free WF, no other free persons, 1 slave.

A William Tarver is mentioned in the book American Wills & Administrations in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1610-1857. The entry reads: "Wilkinson, Joseph, of Calvert County, Maryland, administration with will to William Tarver, attorney for the creditor, James Fletcher, in South Carolina. (July 1736)" placing a William Tarver either in So. Carolina at this time, or in Maryland, depending on how you read the entry.

Additionally, an early land grant in Saint Mary's Parish, Maryland, whose date precedes all of the above mentioned grants in NC, places a William Tarver in Maryland. This land grant, dated 11 June 1651, was issued to a William Tarver by Governor Will Stone, who had been appointed governor of Maryland in 1647 by Lord Baltimore, a Puritan. With restoration of the monarchy in 1660, the chief office went back to the Calvert family. Governor Stones land grants provided 100 acres to each able-bodied free man.

This 1651 land grant to William Tarver proves that Thomas Tarver, ca 1650-1712, believed to have been born in Wales or England, and to have immigrated with an infant son, Samuel, is not the earliest Tarver to immigrate.

A William Tarver is said to be the father of Thomas. The proximity of Maryland to North Carolina allowed for easy passage by water at the time, opening the possibility of a relationship. However, a connection between lim Tarver of Maryland and the Tarvers of Virginia and North Carolina has not been established.

Other early Tarver immigrants are enumerated in the book Able Men of Suffolk, 1638 by Charles Edward Banks. Entries for residents of Suffolk Co., New York, 1638 include Edward Tarver (p. 64, Arthur Tarver (p. 233), and John Tarver (p. 304).

Arriving some years later is another John Tarver. Bonded Passengers to America, Vol. 5, Western Circuit: 1664-1775 indicates John Tarver was "Sentenced to be transported to the American colonies for a period of seven years" during the Summer 1749 session and "reprieved on condition of transportation to the American colonies."

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Miscellanea

Lord Granville & the Descent of the Title to Carolina.  
See: The Proprietors of Carolina by William S. Powell, Librarian, NC Collection, UNC Library.

Within three years after the Carolina charter was granted, there were changes in the membership of the proprietary, and by 1729, when the Carolina charter was surrendered, only three of the shares were still held by the direct descendants of the original eight Proprietors.

George Monck, Duke of Albemarle, was among the original eight proprietors. When he died in 1670 he left his interest to his son, Christopher, second Duke of Albemarle, who died childless in 1688. In 1694, after a lengthy legal battle to (determine the heir of Monck, the estate was awarded to John Grenville, Earl of Bath and Baron Granville.

John Grenville chose the spelling Granville for his title because it was a form favored by his ancestors. Spelling was far from uniform, and it was not unusual for a man to spell his name one way one day and another the next.

The Granville title remained in the family through two generations of men. It then passed to a daughter of the first Baron, Grace Grenville, who became Countess Granville. She married George Carteret, and through her the Granville title descended to the Carteret family.

It was from Lord Granville that a Moravian colony from Germany obtained a grant of 100,000 acres to start the Wachovia Settlement of 17 Nov 1753, Salem, Forsyth Co. Both of my sons, Royce Wayne and Michael Benjamin REECE, were born in Winston-Salem, Forsythe Co., NC.