| Notes |
- Nimrod Ferguson was born before 1731. He appeared on the list of tithables for Prince William County in 1747 in the household of Isaac Farguson. Because persons under 16 were not listed, we know that Nimrod was born before 1731. His birthplace is not known, but is most likely in Virginia.
On 9 October 1753, Nimrod Ferguson purchased 340 acres in Edgecombe County on the south side of Chokyatt Creek and Hollands Branch for 60 pounds from Henry Robertson. Edgecombe County, North Carolina, Deed Book 4, p. 534. This land is probably in what is now Halifax County. The deed was witnessed by Charles Daniel, Peter Robertson and Christopher Smith. Nimrod and his wife sold this property on 1 Nov 1756 to Daniel Wrather of Dinwiddie County Virginia. Edgecombe County, North Carolina, Deed Book 6, p. 230.
On 22 February 1758, Nimrod Ferguson purchased 300 acres on Fishing Creek joining Henry West and Beal Brown from Hadon Edwards. Edgecombe County, North Carolina, Deed Book 6, p. 267. Montfort Eelbeck witnessed the deed.
In July 1765, Jane Farguson, widow of William Farguson, and Nimrod Farguson, executors of the will of William Farguson, sold 422 acres to Charles Daniel for 166 pounds. Halifax County, North Carolina, Deed Book 8, p. 408. All 422 acres were conveyed to William Ferguson by Paul Patrick.
On 17 October 1765, Nimrod Ferguson purchased 600 acres of land fromk William Grissell. Halifax County, North Carolina, Deed Book 6, p. 7. The land was formerly conveyed by deed to Grissell by Richard Anderson in a deed dated 14 September 1763. There were no witnesses to the deed.
On 18 December 1771, John Anderson sold John Hood 379 ac4es on the branches of Great Pole Cat Creek, it being part of a larger tract bounded by Boyd, Walton, Nimrod Ferguson's spring branch. Halifax County, North Carolina, Deed Book 8, p. 309.
On 29 January 1777, Nimrod Ferguson sold to John Burchfield 65.5 acres in Hlaifax bounded by Boyd's Road, thence along a line agreed on between Charles Nelson and John Chatmano Walton's line, thence to a line between Richard Hood and John Hood. Halifax County, North Carolina, Deed Book 10, p.177. Henry Heryford, Thomas Surlock and Alexander Hills witnessed the deed.
On 17 February 1777, Nimrod Ferguson sold to Alexander Hitson 54.5 acres in Halifax County bounded by Walton's and John Burchfield's line, the south side of Boyd's Road, and a line agreed to by Richard Hood and Heryford. Halifax County, North Carolina, Deed Book 10, p.212. HenryHeryford, David Huddleston and John Anderson witnessed the deed.
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Will of Nimrod Ferguson, Sr.
2 February 1804; 25 June 1804
Halifax County, Virginia
I Nimrod Farguson senior of the County of Halifax do hereby make my last Will and Testament in manner and form following that is to say.
1st after the payment of my debts and funeral expenses I leave to my wife Rebekah Farguson three Negroes by name Isaac Winnie & Park also I lend to my wife aforementioned my plantation and mantion house where I now live with my household and kitchen furniture and stock of all kind with the plantation tools and utensils or as much of sd. stock household and kitchen furniture as is sufficient for the use of my wife during her natural life and at the death of my wife my will and desire is that the land and plantation whereon I now live should be sold except such a part thereof as shall be otherwise disposed of by the will and also the three Negroes by name Isaac Winnie & Park and the issues of Winnie with every space of property that I have lent to my wife Rebeckah Farguson at the death of sd. Rebck. Shall be sold and the money arising from such sale to be equally divided between my six sons by names Jacob Farguson, Hutson Farguson, John Farguson, William Farguson, Nimrod Farguson, & Lemuel Farguson, to them and their heirs forever. And it is my will and desire that Rachel Robertson, Daniel James and Charles Should be sold Immediately after my decease and the money arising from such saile to be equally divided between my six sons above mentioned to wit Jacob Farguson, Hutson Farguson, John Farguson, William Farguson, Nimrod Farguson & Lemuel Farguson to them and their heirs forever.
2ndly I give to my daughter Juddith Scurlock one Negro boy by the name of Simon which my sd. Daughter has now in possession and foure dollars to her and her heirs forever.
3rdly I give to my son Isaac Farguson one Negro man by the name of Moses which my said son has now in his possession and foure dollars to him and his heirs forever.
4thly I lend to my daughter Elizabeth Whitworth one Negro girle by name Charity during her natural life and if my said daigter Whitworth should have any child or Children the said Negro Charity & her issue shall be equally divided amongst her children, but if she should decease without issue (that is my daughter) the said negro Charity and her issue shall return to my estate and be subject to be sold and the money arising from such sale to be equally divided between my sd. Sons (to wit: Jacob Farguson, Hutson Farguson, John Farguson, William Farguson, Nimrod Farguson & Lemuel Farguson to them and their heirs forever.
5thly I give to my grandson Grief Farguson one hundred acres of land to be taken of from the tract of land I now live on and to begin on William W. Womack's line where the said Womack's line and John Whitworth's lines corners on or about the new road and to run thence a straight line to Henrys or Hudsons lines so as to include one hundred acres to him and his heirs forever.
And lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my two sons Jacob Farguson and Lemuel Farguson executors of this my last will and testament hereby revoking all other or former wills or testaments by me heretofore made. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 2 day of February in the year of 1804,
Nimrod Farguson L. S.
Signed Sealed published and delivered as and for the
Last will and testament of the above named Nimrod
Farguson in presence of us.
Teste
William Hudson, John Whitworth Mary (her mark) Moore
February the second day 1804 P. S. after promising and considering the contents of the above will made by me Nimrod Farguson I think proper to make a further provision for my daughter Whitworth that is to say it is my will and desire that my daughter Elizabeth Whitworth should come in for an equal division of every spaces of property willed to my sons Jacob Farguson, Hutson Farguson, John Farguson, William Farguson, Nimrod Farguson, & Lemuel Farguson in case of the death of a certain Negro girle by the name of Charity but if the said negro should live as long as my daughter Whitworth the above will is to stand as it is, but in either case my will is that the property wiled to my descendents (abbreviated in the will as "dsd"). be divided as expresed by the above will.
Nimrod Farguson L. S.
Witness to the postscript:
William Hudson
John Whitworth Mary (her mark) Moore
At a court held for Halifax County the 25th day of June 1804
This last will and Testament of Nimrod Farguson decd. With the codicil thereto annexed was exhibited in court and proved by the Oath of three witnesses thereto Subscribed - and ordered to be recorded and on the motion of Jacob Farguson and Lemuel Farguson the executors therein named who made oath thereto according to law certificate is granted them for obtaining probate thereof in one form. They giving security - whereupon they together with John Farguson Hudson Farguson and Nimrod Farguson Jr. their securities entered into and acknowledged their bond in the penalty of three thousand dollars conditioned as the law directs.
Teste
Truly Received
S/ John Wimbish C. H. C.
Teste
S/ Samuel Williams C. H. C.
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Inventory of Nimrod Ferguson, Sr.
Halifax County, Virginia
Will Book 7, page 69-70
Agreeable To an order of the Court of Halifax we the undersigned being first sworn so Apraised the Estate of Nimrod Farguson decd. In current money to wit:
(List of items
(total) Amount 558.14.3
Alexdr Anderson Joseph Polley(or could be Pettey) Wm. W. Womack
20th June 1804
At a Court Continued and held for Halifax County the 26th day of February 1805 -
The written Inventory and appraisement of the Estate of Nimrod Farguson decd. was returned to Court and ordered to be recorded.
Teste John Wimbish C. H. C.
Truly Received
Teste, Samuel Williams C. H. C.
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Library of Virginia
Halifax County Chancery Court
Abraham Motley Etc. v. Heirs of Isaac Ferguson
This first document is not dated, but believed to have been written prior to 05 September 1778 when Nimrod Ferguson was summoned to court to answer the charges..........
"To the Worshipful Court of Halifax County setting in Chancery Humbly complaining sheweth unto your worship your orator ABRAHAM MOTLEY that in the year of our Lord Christ one thousand seven hundred and (blank) your orator intermarried with the DAUGHTER of ISAAC FERGUSON, and that after the marriage the said Isaac Ferguson as a portion for his daughter gave your orator a certain tract or parcel of land, joining the land the said Isaac Ferguson lived on containing by estimation (blank) acres. Your orator further sheweth that some years after your orator had the land in possession, the said Isaac wanted to move to the state of North Carolina & proposed to your orator that if your orator would agree that he might sell his land with the said Isaac Ferguson's that he the said Isaac would give your orator in lieu thereof a negro named Jack, that the said Isaac had then as his own property. Your orator further sheweth that it was then and there agreed on by and between your orator and the said Isaac that the said Isaac might sell the land aforesaid and that your orator was to receive in lieu thereof, the aforesaid negro which said negro your orator agreed should remain with the said Isaac Ferguson & wife, securing their lives and at their death the said negro to be the property of your orator. Your orator further sheweth that the said Isaac Ferguson sold the lands aforesaid and converted the money arising from the sale to his own use. Your orator further sheweth that the said Isaac & his wife have since departed this life and that one Nimrod Ferguson who, as heir at law to the said Isaac Ferguson whom your orator prays may be made the defendant to this Bill of Complaint, has taken into his possession the said negro Jack, and refuseth letting your orator have the said negro, altho the said Nimrod Ferguson will knowing the said slave to be the property of your orator. But now so it may please your worship that the said Nimrod Ferguson combining(?) and considerating with seven persons unknown unto your orator when know your orator prays may be made party to this bill of complaint, charging them with contriving and endeavering to ........... and defraud your orator from and keeping him out of his just right."
05 September 1778
Nimrod Ferguson was summoned to appear in Halifax County Court on "the third Thursday of September to answer a Bill in Chancery exhibited again him by Abraham Motley"
At some point in time after 1778-1779 Abraham Motley died and his son Isaac Motley became administrator of his estate. There is no date on his continuation of his father's bill.
"To the Worshipful Court of Halifax County setting in Chancery - ISAAC MOTLEY son and heir to ABRAHAM MOTLEYdeceased humbly sheweth unto your worships that his father prosecuted a suit in Chancery in this worshipful court against Nimrod Ferguson for the recovery of a certain slave, as set forth in his bill and that his father has since departed this life and that the management of his estate has fallen to your orator's hands as heir at Law to his said father Abraham Motley, your orator prays this suit may not abate(?) by his father's death, but be revived in his your orator's name, that he may have the benefit of the aforesaid suit and your orator will ever pray and so forth. May it please your worships to grant to your orator a subpoena that the same be ......"
22 January 1787
"The Commonwealth of Virginia to the Sheriff of Halifax County Greeting. We command you that you attach Nimrod Ferguson if he be found within your Bailiwick & him safely keep so that you have his body before the Justices of our said County at the Court House on the third Thursday in March next to answer a Bill in Chancery exhibited gainst him by Abraham Motley. And this he shall in no wise omit & have then there this writ. Witness George Carrington, Clerk of our said Court at the Court House the 22nd day of January 1787 in the Eleventh year of the Commonwealth."
S/ Geo. Carrington
29 June 1787 - Anser to bill of complaint
In the answer of respondent Nimrod Ferguson, he states he had no knowledge of the above entitlement. He also stated:
"That this respondent's parents have separated this life; that after the decease of this respondent's mother which happened in Northampton County, North Carolina and that of this respondent's father in Edgecombe County in said state, this respondent took out administration on the estate of his said father in Northampton County & by an order of the Court of Northampton County made in December 1778, the Sheriff of that County was directed to sell the estate of this respondent's father & which sale accordingly took place in January 1779, when the said negro man slave Jack, the only slave of said estate was sold by the sheriff. That this respondent hath applied to the Clerk of that Court of Northampton State of North Carolina, for a copy of that order of Court as aforesaid, who informed your Orator & hath also given a certificate under his hand which is prayed to be included in this answer. That the office papers of that date were lost or destroyed by the British Army; this respondent further saith that as his father removed from this state & lived some years in said state of North Carolina & there died, where administration was sued out..........and further answereth & saith that the said Isaac Ferguson was administrator to Josiah Ferguson also deceased in the county of King George before this respondent's said father moved to Amelia county......"
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Records from the Estate of Elizabeth Ferguson, Northamption County, North Carolina
Norsworthy v Ferguson, Amended Petition, June Term 1789
To the Worshipfull Court of Northampton County
The amended petition of George Norsworthy & Sarah his wife exhibited in this worshipful Court against Lemuel Lockhart Esquire who it is suggested was security for Nimrod Ferguson's administration on the estate of Elizabeth Ferguson dec'd. & praying an account of the said estate that your petitioners distributive share of the same may be paid them. Humbly sheweth that the said Elizabeth Ferguson before her death intermarried with one (blank) Melone that after her death Administration was granted as recited in the petition, to the said Nimrod Ferguson who returned an Inventory and account of sales of her estate to this worshipful court, (as your petitioners are informed), which have been lost, whereby your petitioners have no relief for their just share of the said estate but in equity before your worships, where the said Nimrod Ferguson may be compelled on oath to discover the said estate & amount for the same to your petitioners. Your petitioners therefore pray that a suponea may also issue against the said Nimrod Ferguson commanding him to appear before your worships, on his corporal oath true & perfect answer to make to all & singular the matters & things set forth in your petitioners petition & this amendment thereof as fully & amply as if the same were herein again particularly interrogated; and more particularly that he may discover whether he did not administer on the estate of the said Elizabeth Milone & sell the same estate to what amount & of what the same consisted & who were his securities & that the said Nimrod Ferguson may be compelled by order of decree of this worshipful court to account to your petitioner for the said estate & pay & deliver them their just & legal distributive share thereof agreeable & your petitioners will pray as they have already prayed.
Signature of Blake Baker"
Answer of Lemeul Lockhart, security for Nimrod Ferguson, June Term 1789
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Records of Estate of Elizabeth Malone
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Bef 1731 - 1804 (> 73 years)