On February 14, 1851, James G. Arthur of Craven County sold James Roach of Craven County the lot on Miry Branch for two hundred fifty dollars, keeping the dower right of Mary Ann Vincent, widow of Francis R. Vincent. It was the lot Stephen Willis, Vincent’s administrator, had sold by order of the March 1850 county court. It began at a stake on the run of Miry Branch, ran to a stake on the road side, and came back down the branch. No acreage is given. The neighbors named are Henderson [?] Hill and John Jackson.
The witnesses were John P. [?] Vincent and Bryan Heath. The bottom of the paper is torn away, so any court or registration note is lost. The writer’s own words are kept as written below.
Deed from James G. Arthur to James Roach, a lot on Miry Branch and the road, sold out of the estate of Francis R. Vincent – Craven County, 1851
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 on the 14 day of Febuary
A.D. 1851 between James G. Arthur of the County of
Craven and State of North Carolina on the one
part and James Roach of the County and State
aforesaid on the other Part; Witnesseth that the
said James G. Arthur for and in consideration
of the Sum of Two Hundred and fifty dollars
to him in hand paid by James Roach at the
time of executing these presents the receipt
whereof is hereby acknowledged hath granted
bargained sold conveyed, alienated and confirmed
and by these presents doth grant bargain
sale convey. alien and confirm unto the said
James Roach his heirs and assigns a Certain
parcel of land in the county and State
aforesaid adjoin the lands of Henderson [?]
Hill & John Jackson bounded as follows
Begining at a Stake on the run of Miry Branch
and runs S. 84° W 11 poles to a Stake, then N 45°
W 20 poles to a Stake. S 54° W 11 poles to a Stake on
the Road side then up the same N 26° W 4 poles
to a Stake. then N 45° E 21 poles to a Poplar tree
on the run of said Branch then down the
same to the first Station to have and
to hold the said lands and premises and
all and singular the tenements improvements
and appurtanances thereunto belonging or in any
wise appertaining to him the said James Roach
his heirs and assigns, to his and their own
proper use and behoof in fee simple forever
excepting the Dower Right of Mary Ann Vincent
widdow of Francis R Vincent Deceased. it being
a tract of land sold by Stephen Willis Administrator
of the said Francis R. Vincent Deceased by order
of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of Craven
County at March Term A.D. 1850. And the
said James G Arthur and his heirs, all
and singular the premises hereby conveyed to
the said James Roach his heirs and assigns.
shall and will warrant and forever defend
from the lawful claim or Claims of any and
all persons whatsoever. And lastly, the said
James. G. Arthur for himself his heirs, executors
and administrators hath Covenanted and greed
and by these presents doth covenant and
agree to and with the said James Roach h[is]
heirs and assigns that he the said James G. Arth[ur]
is now, at the time of executing these presents
seized of a good, sure and indefeasible right
in the aforesaid lands and premises, and th[at]
he hath full power and lawful authority to convey
the same in manner and form aforesaid. and
that the said James Roach his heirs and assigns,
shall henceforward have and hold peaceable possession
and quiet enjoyment of the same, free from any
and all incumbrances whatsoever by any act
or deed done or suffered to be done by the said
James. G. Arthur — In testimony whereof the
said James. G. Arthur doth hereunto sett his
hand and seal — the date first above written
Signed sealed and }
delivered in presence of }
John P [?] Vincent
Bryan Heath
James G Arthur (Seal)
About the original
The deed is written on two pages. The lower part of the second sheet is torn away below the signatures, so there is no court note, registration or docket on what survives. A faint word below Arthur’s signature, possibly a name in pencil, could not be read.
The first neighbor’s given name is hard to read and is given as Henderson with a question mark. The middle initial of the witness John Vincent is unclear. A few letters at the right edge are lost where the writer ran out of room; they are supplied in brackets.
The courses are the same as those in William H. Schenck’s 1846 deed to Francis R. Vincent in this folder, so this is the same lot. After Vincent died, his administrator Stephen Willis sold it by order of the March 1850 Craven County court, to James Arthur, who bought it at public sale on May 11, 1850, for one hundred dollars (see the administrator’s deed in this folder), and he sold it to James Roach. The deed keeps the dower right of Vincent’s widow, Mary Ann Vincent.
James Roach sold the lot, described as four acres, to James L. S. Beckwith in 1859; there the branch is called Murray branch (see that deed in this folder).
Source: Deed, James G. Arthur to James Roach, 14 February 1851. 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.
