Some more Huggins Documents

 First up is the original will of Jacob Huggins, Sr.  Things to look for: 1) his wife is mentioned a few times. Her name is Mary.  2) Jacob signs by mark.  As has already been mentioned in the posting of one of Jacob's deeds., the Jacob Huggins from Onslow Co was literate. 3) One of the executors (and he is also a witness to the will) is John Campbell.  Sutton Ward's son, Thomas, died seven years after the date of this will--John Campbell was made the guardian of his two children.
                                                                           

 Next is the original marriage bond for Jacob Huggins Jr and Susanna Ward from the Caswell Co, NC records.  Worth noting is the man who co-bonded the wedding.  This is not the elder John Ward who first came into Orange Co--he always signed by mark.  Also, we know from court and estate records that Sutton's son, John, had died prior to Feb 28, 1816.  So this is not him, either.  That leaves only the John Ward who married Linney Compton in 1809 (the bond on this wedding was Sutton Ward).


                                                                

Meshach's real mother

 Just back from a trip to Va and got to stop by the Archives in Raleigh for a few hours on my way back.  We already knew that Meshach Ward was bound to Caleb Wilson from his Apprentice Bond in 1816.  Although most of the court records I'd seen in other places would often note such a bonding, they rarely named the parent(s).  But we decided to give it a go.

    The court clerk in Orange was a gem.  In every similar case I saw, he listed at least one parent.  In those instances where the father had just died, he would name the man and add "dec'd" after it. The majority of entries, however, just named the mother.  There were some I recognized where the mother had been a widow for some time.  Other times, I had seen bastardy bonds for the child in question.
   It's a kind of bittersweet find here.  For the first time, we now know who Meshach's mother was. But, sadly, we have absolutely no other information on her.  This is the first time her name has ever surfaced in Orange Co records. <sigh>
   If nothing else, this should put an end once and for all to the myth of Meshach being the son of William and Delilah Ward....

From the Minutes of the Quarter Sessions and Pleas (Feb. 1816):

    "Ordered that Meshack Ward Son of Charlotte Ward of the age of 10 years be bound to Caleb Wilson until he arrive to lawful age to learn the art & mystery of a farmer."
                                                                         (Kevin)