On December 28, 1835, Fredk. Johnson of Pitt County sold Alford Sutton of Craven County about 70 acres for fifty-seven dollars and fifty cents. The land was in Craven County on the north side of the Neuse River. It began at a pine on the side of the Bay Bush Glade, ran by Jacob Johnson’s corner and the round pocosin, and came to Saml. James’s line. Neighbors named are Jacob Johnson and Samuel James.
The witnesses were A. Patrick and John Sutton, who signed by his mark. John Sutton proved the deed in the Craven County court at the December Term 1852 (J. G. Stanly, clerk), and it was registered in Book 61, folios 137 and 138 (Steph. B. Forbes, register). This is the earliest deed for the 70 acres that later came to James Roach, which is why it is in the Roach papers. The writer’s own words are kept as written below.
Deed from Frederick Johnson to Alford Sutton, 70 acres on the north side of Neuse River at the Bay Bush Glade – Craven County, 1835
Transcription notes: spelling, capitalization and punctuation follow the original. Words in [square brackets] are editorial notes; [?] marks an uncertain reading and [illegible] marks words that could not be read.
This Indenture made this 28th day of Decem[ber]
In the year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight
Hundred and Thirty Five Between Fredk
Johnson of the first part of the State of
North Carolina and County of Pitt and
Alford Sutton of the same State and
County of Craven of other part Witnesseth
That for and in Consideration of the
Sum of Fifty Seven Dollars an Fifty Cents
in hand paid or Cause to be paid
the receipt whereof by these presents I Fredk
Johnson doth acknowledge hath bargained
and sold unto Alford Sutton a certain
tract or parcel of Land Situate lying and being
in the County of Craven and north side of
Neuse river and runs as followeth viz
Beginning at a pine on the side of the Bay
Bush glade thence runs So 57 Deg Wt 4 poles
to a pine at Jacob Johnsons corner of
another pattern thence with his line No 38 Do
Wt 46 po to a stake by the edge of the round
pecosen then No 50 De Et 10 po to a pine on
the edge of the sd pecosen then No 32 Et
18 poles then No 45 Wt 136 po to a smale
pine then No 71 Wt 34 po to a pine then
north 32 Wt 30 po to a pine then No 87 Et
52 po to a dead pine on the side of the swamp
then So 61 Et 33 po to a pine then So 79 Et 67 po
to a pine then Et 18 po then So 62 Et 37 poles to
Saml James line then with his line south
45 Wt 96 poles to his beginning corner
then a direct line to the first station
containing by estimation Seventy acres more
or less, To have and to hold the sd bargained
premises unto the sd Alford Sutton and as
for me the said Fredk Johnson by the
receipt of the above named consideration
I acknowledge myself fully satisfied and
do forever and defend the above described
Land unto the sd Alford Sutton his heirs
and assigns forever to be free from the claims
of any other person or persons in testimony
whereoff I the said Fredk Johnson hath
hereunto set my hand and seal the
day and date above writen
Signed sealed and
delivered in presents of
A Patrick
his
John W [?] Sutton Jt [?]
mark
Fredk Johnson (Seal)
pd 9/
Jn Sutton
Craven County Court
December Term A D 1852.
Then was the execution of the foregoing deed proved
in open court and in due form of law by the oath of
John Sutton one of the subscribing Witnesses thereto
Ordered that said deed be Registered.
Attest J. G. Stanly C.C.
Registered in the Records of
Craven County Book No. 61 folio 137 & 138
Steph. B. Forbes Reg.
[On the outside, written across one panel:]
Deed of Sale
from F. Johnson
to
Alford Sutton
for 70 acres Land
[On the back:]
Fredk Johnson
to
Alfred Sutton
About the original
The deed is written on a folded sheet: the first page and the top of the second hold the deed, with the court note and registration at the foot of the second page. The docket is written twice on the outside. A circled number 17 in pencil on the back is a later filing mark.
The month at the end of the first line runs off the edge of the paper. The witness John Sutton signed by mark; the mark and the letters after his name are hard to read. “pd 9/” below the signature is probably a fee note.
The deed was made in 1835 but was not proved in court until December 1852.
This is the first link in the title to the 70 acres that the heirs of James Roach quitclaimed to one another in 1868 (see that deed in this folder). The 1868 deed traces the land from a patent to Jacob Johnson, then to Alfred Sutton, John Sutton, Samuel Sutton and James Roach. The courses here match the 1868 deed almost line for line. Here the neighbor at the end of the courses is “Saml James,” which suggests that the words “Samuel Suttons James line” in the 1868 deed are a copying slip for Samuel James’s line.
Source: Deed, Frederick Johnson to Alford Sutton, 28 December 1835. Roach Family Papers (#346), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, Box 1, Folder c (Land Records, 1728–1886). Collection guide. Digitized folder: ECU Digital Collections, 0346-b1-fc.
Images courtesy of East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University. View this item in ECU Digital Collections.
Part of the Roach Family Papers collection on East Carolina Roots.
