On September 21, 1784, Benjamin Hickman, his wife Kation (called Catharine on the docket), and their son Jacob Hickman sold Jacob Warren 300 acres for two hundred pounds specie. The land was on the north side of the Neuse River and the south side of Swifts Creek in Craven County. Two hundred acres were patented by Daniel Cox in 1749, sold by Cox to Jacob Taylor, and left by Taylor’s will to Kation Hickman; that part began at a red oak below Mulberry Neck. The other hundred acres were Benjamin Hickman’s own patent, joining Cox’s patent and the creek.
The witnesses were Thomas Kemp and Daniel Browning, who signed by his mark. The deed was proved by Browning at the March 1785 Craven County court (Wm. Bryan, clerk). This paper is a later copy from the county record. A Kemp and a Jeremiah Warren appear as neighbors on Swift Creek in the 1807 Roach–Butler deed in this folder. The writer’s own words are kept as written below.
Deed from Benjamin Hickman, his wife Kation and their son Jacob Hickman to Jacob Warren, 300 acres on Swift Creek – Craven County, 1784
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.
State of North Craven County
This Indenture made this 21st day of September 1784
Between Benjamin Hickman, of the County and State afousaid
of the one Part, and Jacob Warren of the other Part Witness-
=eth, that the Benjamin Hickman, for and in consideration
of the sum of two hundred Pounds Specia, to him in hand
Paid by Jacob Warren afousaid, before the ensealing and
Delivery of these Presents, the receipt whereof the afousaid
Benjamin Hickman, & Kettrin [?] his wife, and Jacob
Hickman his son doth acknowledge, themselves
therewith fully Satisfied and contented & Paid, &
they the said Benjamin Hickman & Katron his wefe
and Jacob Hickman their Son hath given granted
Bargain’d, and sold, & [words struck out] doth hereby
give grant Bargain and sell, unto him the said Jacob
Warren his heirs & assigns forever, a certain Parcell of
Land in the County & State afousaid, & on the North
side of Nuis River, & South side of Swifts Creek
three hundred Acres be the same more or less, two
hundred acres Patented by Daniel Cox 1749, and
sold by the said Cox to Jacob Taylor by Deed, and
willd by the said Jacob Taylor to Kation Hickmon
Begining at a red oak below Mulberry
Neck, & runs south fifty three degrees West Eighty
Poles to a Pine, then along a line of marked Trees
to a Pine at the devideing line, thence along the
devideing line, to a Pine at the creek, then to the
begining, the same being Part of Daniel Coxe’s
Patented 1749, and also one hundred Acres Joining
the same, Patented by the aforesaid Benjamin Hickman
Joining Coxes Patton & the Creek. To have & to hold
the aforesaid Granted three hundred Acres of Land, with all
the houses orchards clearing & improvements Benefits &
advantages unto the same belonging, or in anywise
appurtaining unto the Premises aforesaid, unto
the said Jacob Warren, his heirs & assigns forever. & the
afousaid Benjamin Hickman & Katron his wife, and
Jacob Hickman their son doth Covenant and Promise
Bargain and agree, to and with the aforesaid
Jacob Warren, his heirs and assigns, that the aforesaid
Benjamin Hickman & Kation his wife, & Jacob
Hickman their son, Shall & will forever Warrant, that
Jacob Warren aforesaid, Shall forever, have, hold use
occupy Possess, and enjoy, the aforesaid Land & Premises
free and clear from all lets, hendrances Whatsoever, in
any lawfull claim, or claims, and furthermore the aforesaid
Benjamin Hickman, & Kation his wife, & Jacob Hickman
their son, [words struck out] Bargain and agree, for themselves
their heirs Exec.rs Administrators, and every of them, forever
that they will forever warrant and defend, a quiet
Peaceable Possession unto the said Jacob Warren, his
heirs and assigns forever, In Witness whereof the
aforesaid Benjamin Hickman & Kation his wife
& Jacob their son, have hereunto set their hands &
fix’d their Seals, the day and Year first above written
Sign’d Seal’d & Deliver’d
in Presence of
Thomas Kemp
Daniel his X mark Browning
his
Benjamin B Hickman [Seal]
mark
her
Ketain [?] Hickman [Seal]
mark
his
Jacob X Hickman [Seal]
mark
March Craven County Court 1785. then was the aforegoing
Deed Proved in Open court, by the Oath of Daniel
Browning one of the subscribing Witness’s thereto & orderd
to be Registerd ——— Attes Wm Bryan CC
A true copy from the record of Craven County
Attest Andrew Foster [?] D R C [?]
[On the outside:]
Deed
Benjamin Hickman & wife
Catharine & Jacob
Hickman their son
to
Jacob Warren
About the original
This is a copy of the deed made from the Craven County records, not the original signed deed. The whole document, including the names of the signers and witnesses, is in one hand. The copy was attested by a county officer whose name is hard to read; it appears to be Andrew Foster [?].
The deed is written on a folded sheet: the first page and the top of the second page hold the deed, the witnesses, and the court’s note. The docket on the outside calls Benjamin Hickman’s wife Catharine. In the deed her name is written Kettrin [?], Katron, Kation and, at the signatures, Ketain [?].
Benjamin Hickman signed with the mark “B.” Jacob Hickman and the witness Daniel Browning signed with marks.
Two passages were struck out by the writer. They are marked [words struck out].
Source: Deed, Benjamin Hickman et al. to Jacob Warren, 21 September 1784. 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.
