Eusebius (pronounced: yoo·see·bee·uhs) Stone wrote his will in Apr 1803 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia. He claimed to be in perfect health and memory. He names no children of his own but does name his wife, Betty Johnson Stone and Sally L. Vowell, whom he provides support for the remaining of her natural life. After giving land to William Hendrick, Eusebius divided the rest of his estate between his wife’s siblings and his own siblings.
To William Hendrick Senior all that tract of land I bought of John Beaver which lies adjoining to the said Hendrick containing 50 acres bounded by the lines of John Hill, John Butler, and others. To Sally L. Vowell her maintenance during her natural life to be raised out of my estate. I lend to my beloved wife Betty Johnson Stone all the residue of my estate not already bequeathed both real and personal during her natural life. At the death of my wife to be equally divided into two parts among my wife's brothers and sisters and my own brothers and sisters including Elijah Stone and Hezekiah Stone that are dead to their heirs and assigns. Betty Johnson Stone, Stephen Stone and Luke Wiles are sole executors. Witnesses William Sadler, John Wood, John Laneave (or Laneare, maybe Lanier?)
In 1826 all the siblings and heirs came forward to collect their share of the estate of Eusebius and Elizabeth Stone. The court documents spell out the relationships along with the maiden names of the women. It was a great find that helped put together the Stone, Vowell, and Wynn families of Mecklenburg County, Virginia. It also shed some light on a previous court document I found where, in 1795, John Morris was bound to Mourning Wynn and at the same time some Griffin children were bound out.
James G. Vowell and Martha his wife, who was Martha Hendrick, to the worshipful court of Mecklenburg county in chancery humbly complained along with William Hendrick Junr., Eusebius, George, Mary, William, and John Hendrick who are the children of James Hendrick dec'd, Hance Hendrick, Thomas Hendrick, John Hendrick Senr., William Hendrick the father of Byrd Hendrick, who died without issue and under age, and William Hendrick, which said Martha, William Junr., James Hendrick dec'd, Hance, Thomas, John Senr., Byrd, and Williams are children and representatives of Ann Hendrick dec'd, who was Ann Vowell, sister of Betty, the wife of Eusebius Stone dec'd. Also William Vowell, brother of the said Betty Stone dec'd, Christopher Bailey, and Mary his wife, who was Mary Vowell, sister of the said Betty Stone dec'd, and Matthew Carter, and Sally L. his wife, who was Sally L. Vowell, another sister of the said Betty Stone dec'd, James Stone, Drury Stovall, and Ann his wife, Ansel Cunningham, and Elizabeth his wife, which said James, Ansel, and Elizabeth are the children of John Stone dec'd who was brother of Eusebius Stone dec'd.
The Winn (Wynn) children
Representatives of Ann Winn dec'd, formerly Ann Stone, sister of the said Eusebius Stone dec'd, Elijah Stone, Betty Stone, children of Elijah Stone dec'd, who was also brother of the said Eusebius Stone dec'd, William Hammon, and Betty his wife, who was Betty Stone sister of the said Eusebius Stone dec'd, and Eusebius, Stephen, Nancy, Betty, Anderson, and John who are the children of Hezekiah Stone dec'd, brother of the said Eusebius Stone dec'd.
Eusebius Stone was born about 1735, probably in Virginia, to John Stone and Elizabeth Roberson. John Stone wrote his will in 1782 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, naming his children as Ann Wynn, John Stone, Eusebius Stone, Elijah Stone, Stephen Stone. John Stone gave to daughter Elizabeth McClaughlin and son-in-law Nathaniel McCaughlin land lying on the south side of Blue Creek during their lives, to son Hezekiah the land and plantation whereon I now live, executors were named John Stone Junr., John Wynn, and Hezekiah Stone. The witnesses were Maryann Floyd, Elizabeth McClaughlin, and Nathaniel McCaughlin.
Ann Stone, the daughter of John Stone, and sister of Eusebius Stone, married John Wynn about 1765 and they are the parents of Mourning Wynn whom I wrote about in a previous blog.
In 1795, the Mecklenburg County, Virginia court ordered the overseers of the poor to bind John Morris to Mourning Wynn and Lewis Griffin to Robert Yancey, Robert Griffin to John Vaughan and Lewis Harradine to James Griffin.
Through deed records in Mecklenburg County, Virginia I found that the Griffin children belonged to Sarah Griffin who in 1794 left her children Amelia Griffin, Lewis Griffin, and Robert Griffin 216 acres of land on the waters of Aaron’s Creek and Buffalow Creek in Mecklenburg County, Virginia it being the land her grandfather Jones left her at his death. Witnesses to that deed were James Jones, William Puryear, James Griffin, and Benjamin Jones.
Sarah Griffin died around 1819 and her three children, Amelia, Lewis, and wife Nancy, and Robert and wife Edna, sold this same tract of land to Starky Daniel. In that deed, we gain more information about Sarah; she was called Sally, her grandfather was named John Jones, and the tract of land was on Aaron’s and Great Buffalo Creek and joined the lines of Benjamin Worsham, Thomas Neal, and John Welbourne. We also learn that Amelia was called Milly.
Aarons Creek forms the boundary of Halifax and Mecklenburg Counties, Virginia up to the Dan River. While searching on a map for Aarons Creek, I also found Morris Branch in Halifax County, Virginia which is another future research project. A few simple searchers could not produce one document.
In 1771 a survey for Francis Griffin’s orphans, 400 acres of land on Aarons Creek at William Gills line and crossing Aarons Creek to the county line and crossing Cow and Wolf Branches. On today's map, names like Wolf Pit Run, Griffin Trail, and Gills Mountain Road are shown in the vicinity of Aarons Creek in Halifax County.
Again in 1771 surveyed for Obadiah Overby 266 acres on Aarons Creek joining Peter Overby Senior and runs to Sizemore's pointers.
Peter Overby obtained land on Aarons Creek in 1780 on the Mecklenburg side of the creek.
In 1797 Samuel Pointer and others were appointed by Halifax court to view the bridge built over Aarons Creek at Wilson’s Mill and report back. The commission reported back that the bridge was completely built and finished agreeable to contract.
In 1798 the Halifax court ordered a bridge built over Aarons Creek at Peter Overby's.
Peter Overby joined the Griffin family when he intermarried with Ann Yancey, the stepsister of Sarah Griffin whose sons, Lewis and Robert, were bound out in 1795 at the same time John Morris was bound to Mourning Wynn.
Sarah Griffin is the daughter and one of the orphans of Francis Griffin and Philadelphia Jones of Mecklenburg (Lunenburg) County, Virginia. Francis Griffin looks to have died early, and Philadelphia remarried to Robert Yancey who became guardian to her grandchild Lewis Griffin. Lewis’s brother, Robert Griffin became the ward of John Vaughan, Philadelphia’s brother-in-law who had married her sister, Amelia Jones. Lewis Harradine, while I am not sure who he is yet, was bound to James Griffin, who is probably the grandson of Philadelphia.
That leaves John Morris who was bound to Mourning Wynn. How is John Morris related, or is he?
