For pictures of this area go to my 2006 North Carolina Trip page.
As can been seen on the above map Thomas James, John James, and William James lived on the right hand side of the map in what is now Durham County. Samuel James and Michael Charles lived to the far left of the map in what is now Alamance County as did Abner James. Benjamin James lived to the south of where Samuel and Abner James. As will be discussed below I do not believe Abner James is related to Samuel James. He moved to Orange County in 1762 or 1763. He was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and lived briefly in Baltimore before moving to North Carolina. I don’t know who his Father is. I am in contact with his descendants and they have had their DNA tested. (http://www.jamesdna.net// – # 61620). It is not a match to Samuel James confirming that they are not related.
Jim James DNA – Abner James
R1b1 13 23 14 0 11 11 11 12 12 11 13 13 28 17 9 10 11 11 26 15 20 28 15 16 18 18
Tim and Tommy James’ DNA – Samuel James (they descend through John James Samuel’s oldest son.
R1b1 13 24 15 0 11 11 14 12 12 12 14 13 30 18 9 10 11 11 25 16 19 30 14 15 15 18 11 10 19 23 15 15 17 17 37 39 12 11
R1b1 13 24 15 0 11 11 14 12 12 12 14 13 30 18 9 10 11 11 25 16 19 30 14 15 18 18 11 10 19 23 15 15 17 17 37 39 12 11
As you can see it is not even close.
1. Thomas James
He shows up in many early records of Orange County. As can be seen in the below deed, Thomas was the original owner of the property on the North Fork of the Little River which is located in present day Durham County to the north and west of Durham on the Durham County/Orange County line. At the time Orange County was very large. Samuel James and Michael Charles settled to the West of the Haw River and to the north and west of Burlington. This is quite a ways from the North Fork of the Little River. Note: I do not believe there is any connection with Thomas James and Samuel James-ld.
Orange County Deed Book 13, p. 74. p. 315, 18 February 1810, Asael Moore & Andrew McBroom of Orange to Joseph Armstrong (of Wm.) of same, eleven hundred dollars, 489 acres, Thomas James to John Kelly, [etc] …on E side of Horse Cr. A branch of North Fork of Little River…..
2. John James
John James is living in the Hillsborough District of Orange County which is close to the Little River. He is also living in Orange County before Samuel James begins showing up on land records in 1779.
Hillsborough District, North Carolina Superior Court, 1768 – 1791, Book 1. [288] – folio 7-4 April 1784. Whereas a Suit in Ejectment between William Richards on demise of William Neal against John James & Jacob Graves is now depending in this Court.
3. William James
William James is probably related to Thomas and John James since he also lives on the Little River.
Orange County Records, Volume X, State Land Grants 501 – 1000. 913, 64:369, entered 1 June 1781, issued 10 July 1788, entry no 1271, John Neeley, 514 acres. Beginning at W O Saml Terrintines Deeded Corner Nigh Little River Runing West 14-1/2 Ch to a Pine Clarks Line then Clarkes Lines South 35 ½ Ch to a Pine his Corner then West 39 Ch to a Whiteoak then South 61 Ch to a Poast oak Cap Wm Jamisons Corner then East 35 Ch to a Spanish oak a Corner formerly made by Samuel Torrintines then South 68 Deg East 25 Ch to a Pine Hunters Corner then a long his line North 37 Deg East 42 Ch to Little River then up Meandrs thereof to a Walnut Torrintines Corner then West 24 Ch to a Poast oak then North 51 ½ Ch to the first Station. Surveyed the 12th Nobr 1784 by Thos Mulhollan, Saml Torintine & ? Clark SCC. On Little River adjoining the Lands of James Clark Saml Torringtine John Hunter & William James including his improvement.
4. Benjamin James
Marys Creek is to the south of Burlington just above Cane Creek. Again Benjamin James is living in this area before Samuel James moved to Orange County. Any relationship is possible, but questionable.
Orange County Records, Volume X, State Land Grants 501 – 1000. p. 106. 905, 64:365, entered 19 April 1784, issued 10 July 1788, entry no 14 James Thompson, 390 acres. Beginning at a Dogwood bush Runing thence East 10 Ch to a Hic then North 60 Ch to a Poast oak then West 45 Ch to a Hic then South 30 Deg West 26 Ch to a Black then West 11 ½ Ch to a Poast Oak then South 6 Deg East 14 1.2 Ch to a Hickory on Meanes line East 11 Ch to a Hic then South 26 Ch to a Poast oak East 6 Ch to a Stake then South 50 deg Et 11 Ch to a B o then Co 87 St 26 Ch B No 30 Deg E 4 ½ Ch Po No 5 Ch to the first Station. Surveyed Febry 20th 1787 by Thos Mulhollan, Jno Morrow & Richd Thompson SCC. On Marys Creek of Haw River adjoining the Lands of Jonathin Lindly & Richard Laughlin including the Improvement that Benjamin James Bought of William Lindley.
5. Jesse James
We don’t know where Jesse lived or who his Father was. He was probably born around 1770. He could have lived anywhere in Orange County which at that time was a large area. I believe this is the Jesse James that Samuel James knew. Not the outlaw.
Orange County, N.C. Wills Vol 3 (May 1785 – Nov. 1793). P. 94, Will Book B, Page 238. Release of Jesse James by Joshua Horn. August 27 1793. I do hereby discharge, release and acquit Jesse James and his wife, Betsey, of any suit, demand or action of law whatsoever, respecting and concerning a mare which I have purchased of Betsey Horn, now Betsey James. In witness whereof, I have set my hand and seal the day and date above written. Test: James D. Keys /s/ Joshua (X) Horn. Release was proven in open court at the August term of 1793 and duly recorded. /s/ A.B. Bruce, Clerk.
6. Abner James
Of all the James who lived in Orange County Abner is the most interesting. We know from his Revolutionary War Application he was born in 1753 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and moved to North Carolina via Baltimore when he was about nine years old. That would have put his move to North Carolina around 1762 or 1763. The only James living in Orange County at that time was Thomas James on the Little River in what is now Orange>Durham County. The interesting part is that Abner’s land grants are for land in the same area of Orange>Alamance County where Samuel James lived. Both owned property on the Traverses Creek a branch of the Haw River.
Revolutionary War Pension Application – Abner James
Letter from A.D. Hiller, Assistant to Administrator to Mr. L. A. James Atlanta, Georgia on September 18, 1934 “…The record found was of one Abner James, of North Carolina, and is given herein as shown in pension claim, S. 7065, based upon his service in the Revolutionary War. Abner James was born in 1753 or 1754 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; the names of his parents are not shown. He moved from Pennsylvania, date not given, to Baltimore, and when about nine years of age, moved from there to Orange County, North Carolina. While residing in the neighborhood of the Shallow Ford on Haw River in Orange County, North Carolina, he volunteered in the winter of 1780-1781, served as private in Captain Grim’s company, Colonal Oneal’s North Carolina regiment, engaged in guarding British and Tory prisoners and was discharged aft4er having served more than three months. He volunteered at Hillsboro, North Carolina, in October, 1781, for twelve months, served as a private in Captains Jonas and John Habane’s companies, Colonel Long’s North Carolina regiment, stationed as Hillsboro where they guarded the town, the prisoners in jail there, and the General Assembly of the State then in session at that place, and mills on the edge of South Carolina between Durning Creek and Little Pee Dee River, was in a sharp conflict lasting a few minutes with General Marion’s scouting troop of light horse which they mistook for Tories, and in which one of General Marion’s men was slain before the mistake was discovered; during the soldier’s service he was engaged most of the time on scouting parties in pursuit of Tories.
Abner James was allowed pension on his application executed November 28, 1832, while a resident of Orange County, North Carolina, where he was living in 1833. There are no family data given in the claim.
In order to obtain the date of last payment of pension, the name and address of the person paid, and possible the date of soldier’s death, you should write to the Comptroller General, General Accounting Office, Records Division, this city, and cite the following: Abner James, Certificate 16749, issued September 21, 1833, rate $52.50 per annum, commenced March 4, 1831, Act of June 7, 1832, North Carolina Agency.
Very truly yours, /s/ A. D. Hiller Assistant to Administrator
Orange County Records, Volume X, State Land Grants 501 – 1000. p. 84. 818, 09:206, entered 10 June 1781, issued 21 Sept 1785, entry no 1800, John Butler, entered for 640 acres, issued for 607 ½ acres. Begin upon a Red oak a Corner of John Cables & running thence South one Hundred Ch to a Red oak thence East Sixty Ch. To Post oak then North one hundred & five Ch to Stake on Sd Cables line thence his line West fifteen Ch to Post Oak then South his line five Ch to Post oak then his Line West fourty five Ch to the Beginning. Surveyed 10th of July 1783 Benja Rainey, Abner James & John Cable SCC, On the Waters of Travises Creek & Dry Creek including a branch known by the name of Long branch of Dry Creek Bounded on the North by an Entry made by John Cable.
Orange County Records, Volume XI Deed Books 6 & 7. p. 38, 16 April 1798. …Cable’s cor., S 9 ch to a whit oak, S76 E 25 ch. To a black oak, N 4 ch. To a black oak stump cor. Of another tract, same course continued in all 14 ch. 50 lk. To a black oak, W 25 ch to beginning; signed: Conrad Farmer; witness; John Coble; proved May Term 1798 by John Coble delvd. Abner James.
And p. 41, 27 January 1798, Benjamin Rainey of Orange to Anthony Cable of same, thirteen pounds, 26 acres, on waters of Traverses Cr., begin at a red oak, W 32 p. to a post oak, S 130 p. to a red oak, E 32 p. to a red oak, N 130 p. to beginning; signed Benj. Rainey; witness: William Rainey, Henry Strader,; proved May Term 1798 by Strader, delvd. Abner James
And p. 76 p. 201, 27 January 1799, Benjamin Rainey of Orange to Henry Strader of same, fifty pounds, 100 acres, on waters of Traveses Cr., begin at a Spanish oak, N 175 p. to a red oak, E 93 p. to a post oak, S 175 p., W to beginning; signed: Benjn. Rainey; witness; Wm. Rainey, Anthony Cable; proved May Term 1798 by Cable, delvd. Abner James
Orange County Records, Volume XV Deed Book 12 – 1805 – 1807 Orange County Deed Book Ten p. 244, James Wilson of Orange to Abner James of same, 9 February 1799, fifty five pounds, 100 acres, on Haw R., on Traveses Cr., begin at a black oak, W to post oak, S to a post oak, E to a hicory, up Haw R. to first station, part of a tract from Granville to John Pitman, signed: James Wilson, wit.: Leonard Stringer & Adam (AW) Whitsett, proved November term 1802 by Adam Whitsett.
Orange County, Deed Book Eleven Orange County p. 110. p. 218, Conrod Farmer to Abner James both of Orange, 15 August 1801, fifty pounds, 122 acres, on waters of Dry Cr., begin at a white oak on S side of creek, S 29 ch. To a post oak, W 41 ch. To a post oak, N 21 ch. To 3 white oaks on side of Dry Cr., down meanders to a black oak, N 3 ch. To a red oak, to beginning, signed: Conrod Farmer, wit.: William Gwin & Daniel Hofhines, proved August Term 1804 by Daniel Hofhines.
Orange County Records, Volume XVI, Inventories and Accounts of Sales, 1800 – 1808 p. 3. p. 42 10 May 1804 Peter Tickell of Orange to Abner James of same, fifty dollars, 35 acres, on waters of Tickells Br. Of Haw R., begin at a white oak near the branch, W 10 ch. To a red oak Tickell’s cor., S 28 ½ ch. To a black jack, S 10E 9 ½ ch. To a post oak, S30E 4 ½ ch. To a stone, E 3 ½ ch. To a red oak, N to beginning, part of a larger tract from North Carolina to John Goodner, signed: Peter (X) Tickell, wit: B. Rainey, proved August Term 1805 by Benjamin Rainey.
And p. 8 P. 43, 18 March 1791, Edwin Guinn or Orange to Abner James of same, eight pounds, 94 acres, on Traveses Cr. A branch of Haw R., begin at a post oak, W to John Goodner’s line, N his line to a red oak, E to a stake on the N branch of Travers Cr., down creek to a white oak, S to first station, signed: Edward Guinn, wit.: Saml. Cox Jepson, John Strader, “two more Dutch names.” Proved August Term 1805 by John Strader, delvd. Wm. Willis.
And p. 31 p.161, 10 March 1806, North Carolina to Ephraim Cook, fifty shillings per hundred acres, 195 acres on headwaters of Little Alamance, adjoins Abner James & John Strader, begin at a stake in Isaac Rainey’s line….
Orange County Deed Book 13. p., 129. p. 622, 7 October 1806, George Morekeet & Abner James & Co. of Orange to Adam Starr of Guilford, three hundred seventy dollars, 162 ½ acres, on S side of Haw R., begin at a red oak Peter Tukell’s line, S 80 p. to a stake, E 32 p. to a post oak, S 20 p. to blackjack, E 44 p. to a dogwood, down stream to a persimmon,, W 5 p. to a stake, N 8 p. to a black oak, E 5 p. to a burch, down stream to Travises Cr. To mouth of Tukels Branch….