The Reverend Joshua Kocherthal baptized John Vendrick in New York on 25 Aug 1710 (The Book of Names: Especially Relating to the Early Palatines and the First Settlers in the Mohawk Valley by Lou D. MacWethy, p. 23). He may have been born there or on the voyage. His parents were Benedictus and Christina.
Sometime after Sep 1712, the family moved from New York to Pennsylvania. A warrant for 200 acres of land near Strasbourg, Chester County issued to Benedictus on 28 Sep 1715. The subsequent survey (16 Oct 1716) of the tract totaled 250 acres.
Tax lists for the county show Benedictus living there through 1727 (Assessment lists and other manuscript documents of Lancaster County prior to 1729 by H. Frank Eshleman). On 23 Mar 1728, Benedictus sold the entire survey to Christian Moyer. After that, the next record of the family comes from Craven Precinct, Bath County, North Carolina.
Benedictus purchased 180 acres of land on Green’s Creek from Robert Pitts on 3 May 1729 (Craven County Deed Book 1, p. 192). The price was £30. Later deeds hint that Benedictus may have already owned property in this area. He sold this particular parcel to John 15 Sep 1730 for £30
except 30 acres side of the said land lying next to the sd. Benedictus Venry’s now dwelling plantation bounded with the creek & the first branch above the sd. plantation upwards from his house & runs the several courses of the Creek to the branch.
Craven County Deed Book 1, p. 228
Making His Mark
For some unknown reason, a man named Henry Parlebough made John the Executor and sole legatee of his will, dated 27 Jan 1735/6. John came into Court and qualified as Executor on 17 Mar 1735/6. He was, again, before the Court during Mar 1737.
On 4 May 1756, John sold Nathaniel Bunn 80 acres of land situated between the lands of Thomas Carraway and Valentine Bowers, deceased (Craven County Deed Book 9/10, p. 190). This is the first occurrence of John being the grantor. Thus, for the first time, we get to see how he signed documents. His mark is a capital “I” and an upside-down “V.” It’s even clearer in the next transaction. James Galloway bought 205 acres of land on the east side of Beard’s Creek from John on 14 Oct 1758 (Craven County Deed Book 2, p. 317).
John made out a deed of gift to his son, Daniel, on 10 Feb 1769 (Craven County Deed Book 16, p. 52, 53). He gave Daniel three tracts totaling 300 acres. It bears the same mark.
A Matter of Will (or Wills)
Jonathan Perkins proved the will (Pages: 1, 2, 3, 4) of John Vendrick in open Court 14 Jun 1785. At that time, William Dickson qualified as Executor. The dating of this document is a thorny issue.
Note the mark. Conventionally, read as 24 Feb 1785, some have posited the year to be 1775. This is tempting. Look at the third number. Is it a an 8 or a 7? Maybe even a 6. The latter two would solve many a problem concerning the next generation!
The Will
A Muddle
This John’s son, Daniel, lives. Or, at least, the present tense is used. Yet, Anna Vendrick and John Vendrick, Jr. took inventory of Daniel Vendrick’s estate on 25 May 1780. Daniel left a will (Page 1 and Page 2), bearing the date 6 Nov 1779. In it, he makes reference to brothers named John and Abraham. The obvious question is if both documents refer to the same men.
However, an earlier date presents a different problem. This one centers on John’s only daughter. Thomas Harper, Sr. and Thomas Harper, Jr. obtained a marriage bond on 10 Apr 1783. The intended bride was Ann Green.
There is always the chance that this Ann Green was not John’s daughter. But it does set up a road block!
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