American Revolution Ancestor of Chris Robbins

John Herndon

JOHN HERNDON, son of William and Catherine (Digges - a daughter of Edward Digges, Colonial Governor of Virginia in 1655) Herndon, was born about 1742 in Caroline Co, Va. His first wife, whom he married before 10 Jan 1765 in Caroline Co, Va was Sarah Wingfield. Shortly after his marriage to Sarah Wingfield, John and other members of the family removed to Orange (now Chatham) Co, NC. Sarah died in 1774 and, about a year later he married Catherine Nelson. Catherine died between 1789 and 1799.

During the Revolution, John served as a private in the North Carolina Lighthorse under the command of Capt. Herndon, and Col Malmedy. His brothers George and James also served, as did two of his nephews and numerous more distant relatives who lived in Chatham and Orange Counties. In Aug 1781 his home near the Haw River was attacked by the infamous Tory, Col David Fanning, and much of his personal property was destroyed. Because of this he sold his land on the Haw River and bought a plantation, Mill Hill, from his nephew John Booker about eight miles south of Chapel Hill, and lived there until his death.

On 20 Feb 1812 John, styling himself "Snr.", made a deed of gift to "his loving son George Herndon". This was the first of a series of gifts apparently made "in consideration of death". The next was dated 5 April 1815, and because of the relationships it mentions, is of particular importance. It reads thus: "To all person to whom these presents shall come, know ye that I, John Herndon Snr., of the County of Chatham and State of North Carolina, for and in consideration of the love, good will and affection which I have and do bear towards my son John Herndon, of the County and State aforesaid, do this day make over all rights, titles or interests which I have or by law am entitled to of my brother Joseph Herndon's estate, who dying without will, James Herndon became possessed of all his estate, and the said James Herndon having never made a lawful division of the said estate among the legatees, myself being a lawful legatee, do by these presents for myself , my heirs, executors or administrators make over all my right of the above named James Herndon's estate to my son John Herndon, his heirs and assigns forever. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this, the fifth day of April, 1815. John Herndon (seal). His next deed of gift was of a slave boy to his "beloved daughter Mary Harwood, of Montgomery County" on 8 Nov 1819. This was followed 23 July 1821 by a gift of certain negro slaves to his "grandchildren Cornelius, Thomas, and John, sons of my son Lewis, deceased." He "sold" for five cents, to his daughter Martha and her husband James Kirby, "a slave now in the hands of George Dismukes". Then, to his son John Jr., he deeded 1 Feb 1827 a tract of 200 acres adjacent to the lands of George Herndon.

John Herndon died between 15 Feb 1827 when his deed to his son John Jr., was proved in court, and the second Tuesday in Nov 1827, at which time the Chatham County Court adopted the following minute: "Administration of all and singular the goods and chattels, rights and credits of John Herndon SenR decd is granted to John Herndon JR. who entered into bond in the sume of five thousand dollars with James C. Barbee and Fearington Burnett his secuities and was qualified.