A Richard Horne purchased property in Chowan precinct on 14 July, 1716. Margaret Hoffman's abstracts of deeds from Chowan Precinct, NC, 1696 to1723, contains the following entry:

#897-DB#B1: Thomas Kirby Sr of Chowan Prect. with the consent of Ester my wife to Richard Horn (residence not given). 14 July 1716. Consideration (not given) 120 acres at the mouth of Poplar Neck Branch at ye upper bounds of Henry Wheeler's Land, joing the old Mill Path, the head of a branch and Turkey Creek. [See Map: C:/FTW/Deeds/kirbycrk.sa7, showing area NW of Murfreesboro, NC in Hertford and Northampton counties where Kirbys creek enters Turkey Creek and then from the west into Meherrin River].

The purchase of property by Richard Horne in 1716 indicates that he was almost certainly born prior to 1700.

Richard Horne, with his wife, Sarah, sell the same property 8 years later, in 1724. Margaret Bell, Colonial Bertie Records, 1720-1757, contains the following abstract:

(Bertie Deed Book A352(20): " Richard Horn & wife Sarah to Arthur Williams. Nov 9 1724. 10 pounds for 120 acres. Same purchased of Thomas Kirby May 14 1716. Part of tract granted said Kirby of 1200 acres dated January 9 1712 on SS Meherrin River and Turkey Creek. Adj Henry Wheeler and Mill Path. Wit: Francis Morecock, William Aring. Nov Ct 1724. John Sutton."

Richard Horne, almost certainly the same individual, is noted to have obtained by patent 640 acres "in Potacasy Woods, and on the west side of Patti's Delight" on 4 August 1723, as referenced in the following two deed abstracts [in 4) and 5) below]. It appears likely that Richard Horne sold the 120 acres on the Meherrin River after he had obtained the larger tract.

The following Northamption County deed, abstracted by Hoffman, documents that in 1746 Richard Horne, the father, gave the 640 acres "west of Patti's Delight" to his son, Thomas. Richard, the father is now identifed as residing in Edgecomb County. "DB1-280-44 Richard Horne, Sr of Edgecombe Co to Thomas Horne of Nort Co. 3 May 1746. for the love, good will and affection which I have and do bear unto my will beloved son Thomas. 640 acres all my plantation on the north side of Potacasie Creek and the west side of Patty's Delight, joining a posocin. Wit: Richard Horne, John Taylor T his mark, Thomas Horne. Reg Nort Co Nov Ct 1746. John Hooker DCC."

In 1746/47, about a year after he had been given the 640 acres on Potacasy Creek, Thomas Horn is recorded as selling 640 acres "in Potacasy Woods". "DB1-285-45 Thomas Horne of Northampton County to William Eldridge of Northampton Co. 24 Feb 1746/47. 60 pounds current money of VA. 640 acres in Potacasy woods and on the west side of Patti's Delight, joining a posocin, as by patent to Richard Horne 4 Aug 1723. Wit: John Dew, John Hooker. Reg Northampton Co Feb Ct 1748. John Hooker DCC."

The above abstracts contain several references which lead me to speculate as follows.

In 1746 the seller/donor of the 640 acres is referred to as Richard Horne, Sr, suggesting that he has a son, Richard, possibly the first listed witness to the document. I believe this postulated Richard Horn(e), (Jr)., is likely to be the Richard Horn with the 1783 Halifax County Will, the wife Sarah, the sons, Howell, James, and Henry, and the daughters, Rhoda, Patience, and Hannah (Wright).

The document directly states that Richard Horne Sr has a son, Thomas, the recipient of the property. The Thomas Horne that witnesses the deed is presumably other than Thomas Horne, the recipient of the property. Consider the possibility that the witness, Thomas Horne, might be a grandson of Richard, Sr, possibly a son of Thomas Horne, the recipient.

A Thomas Horne, presumably the son of Richard Horne, Sr., owned property in Potacasy Woods in 1734, adjacent to the 300 acres sold by Richard Horne, presumably the father, to John Taylor, as recorded in the following abstract:

"D51(139) Richard Horn of Edgecombe Precinct to John Taylor. March 4, 1734. 40 pounds for 300 acres. In Pottycasey Woods adj Thomas Horn, "part of Patent of land dated 1668. Wit: Robert Lassiter, John Bohoon, Charles Cavenah.May 6 1734. John Wynns."

Thus the Thomas Horne, owning property in 1734, would likely have been born in 1716 or earlier. Further, a Thomas Horne of this age might easily have a son old enough to witness a legal document in 1746, as in the recorded gift of 640 acres from the father Richard to the son Thomas, above.

The above considerations lead me to conclude that it is very likely that:

1) A Richard Horne, born about 1690 (+/- 10 years), wife Sarah, had two sons, Thomas and Richard.

2) Thomas Horne, son of Richard and Sarah, born abt 1710 - 1716, in 1734 owned property in Bertie County, in Potacasy Woods, adjacent to property owned by his father, Richard.

3) The listing of individuals in the Northampton County records, Deed Book 1-280-44, clearly indicates the existence of a second Richard Horne, almost certainly related to the principals in the real estate transaction, and equally likely the son of Richard, Sr. and the brother of Thomas. If this Richard (Jr) is the Richard with the 1783 Halifax county will, in which no son Thomas is listed, it seems likely that the Thomas Horne who is listed as the third witness to the deed being cited, and undoubtedly a relative of the principals, is the son of Thomas Horne, grandson of Richard Horne, Sr, and nephew of Richard Horne, Jr.

The logic of the above hypotheses about the two Thomas’s, son and grandson of Richard Horne of Northampton, leads me compellingly and inexorably to suggest that I believe there is a great need to reanalyze the many historical records naming several and various Thomas Horn(e)s, in order to clarify the identity of the above postulated father and son pair, both named Thomas Horn, to the several other Thomas Horn's, many or all of whom are descended from William Horn of Nansemond (1690-1754), the presumptive brother of Richard Horne of Northampton.

The following other Thomas Horn(e)s need to be discriminated from each other and from the two Thomas’s listed above.

a) Thomas Horn, son of William Horn (1690 -1754) of Nansemond, defined as named in his father's will, and any sons or grandsons of this Thomas Horn, also named Thomas.

b) Thomas Horn, son of Henry Horn ("Henry the Quaker") and grandson of William of Nansemond. This Thomas Horn, married to Celia Vick, received Wayne County property from his father shortly before Henry's death in 1797 (see Notes to Colonel William Horn, his brother, regarding probable controversy with the Colonel about this property). Thomas died in Wayne county in 1808.

c) Grandsons of Henry the Quaker named Thomas Horn.

d) Any other grandsons of William of Nansemond named Thomas.

There are vast numbers of references to "Thomas Horn" in the records and documents of the North Carolina Horn(e)s, but in many, perhaps most, instances, it is not entirely clear which individual is being cited. The operative question is, often, "Which Thomas is that?"

Uncertainty, even confusion, bordering on chaos, is evident in the reported analyses of the most careful workers in this area.

I propose and suggest that a careful analysis of all extant records citing "Thomas Horn(e)s, with particular reliance on property locations, may allow us to improve our comprehension of the interrelationships among the Horn families of early Eastern North Carolina.

It is my hypothesis that a new analysis, employing the assumptions expressed above, that Richard Horne of Northampton begat a son Thomas and he begat a further Thomas, may allow other pieces of this puzzle to fall into place, clarifying the entire "Thomas Horn" issue.

I believe that such a study is ready to be pursued and that the work may be of great value to those interested in these families.

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A number of factors, mentioned above, suggest that Richard Horne of Northampton had a son named Richard, but all of the factors require inference and no absolute reference is known to me. These factors implying there was a Richard Horne, son of Richard Horn of Northampton, include the following:

1. A Richard Horne witnesses a deed by Richard Horne (vide supra).
2. The 1783 Halifax County will of Richard Horne does not name his son, Thomas, suggesting that either Richard of Northampton’s son Thomas had predeceased him, or that this 1783 will is that of "Richard, Jr".
3. The large number of property transactions in the "Raleigh, Goldsboro, Murfreesboro triangle" of northeastern North Carolina between 1745 and 1785 suggest more than one Richard Horne. One recorded transaction in that period refers to Richard Jr. wherein said Richard sells property "South of the Tar River".

In order to try to comprehend whether there is one Richard Horne (who lived to advanced age and was very active in real estate transactions for over sixty years) or whether there were two Richards, father and son, (both married to a woman named Sarah), I have attempted to catalogue and locate the sites of property transfers prior to 1800 involving any Richard Horn from abstracted deeds of the following NC counties: Chowan, Bertie, Northampton, Edgecomb, Johnston, Nash, Wayne, and Halifax.

In a preliminary assessment, I have grouped these transactions into three areas and times.

First, there is the Northampton period when Richard Sr. owned property first near the Meherrin River on Turkey Creek for 10 years, and thence, for about 20 years, on 640 acres west of Paddy’s Delight, until 1746. (By which time he would seem to be 50 years old or older.)

Beginning at near the time that Richard Sr. deeds the property to his son Thomas, in 1746, there are numerous transactions involving Richard Horn(s) to the south, beyond the Tar River, south of present day Rocky Mount.

Probably somewhat before 1750, a Richard Horne received a Granville Grant of 640 acres south of the Tar River.

Other real estate transactions involving Richard Horne(s) in this area between Rocky Mount and Wilson, particularly along Town Creek, occur for the next 35 years or more, until 1785.

During the same general period, 1750 to 1780, another set of transactions involving a Richard Horn(e) was notable south and east of present day Raleigh.

The location of the sets of transactions, in nearby but rather separated areas, suggests to me the possibility that either Richard the father or Richard the son was located in the area south of Rocky Mount and Tarboro, and the other was situated to the east, near present day Raleigh. (Although later cited information suggests that one Richard Horne remained "of Halifax", dying there in about 1783).

The 1762 reference to Richard Horne "of Halifax County" buying a plantation north of Swift Creek (in the area SE of Raleigh) suggests to me the probability that this Richard Horne is the author of the 1783 Halifax County will, presumably being Richard Horne, Junior.

On the other hand at least one piece of property S of the Tar River is referred to in an1785 deed as "adjoining Richard Horne". Presumably one or the other of the presumed Richards was alive in 1785.

Further ambiguities remain. The Richard Horne of the 1783 Halifax will left his plantation (the only property named) to his son Henry, after the widow Sarah’s death. The following deed abstract suggests that this Richards plantation was in Halifax County near the Roanoke River, far removed from the properties in the Raleigh-Rocky Mount area, and only a few miles SW of the Potecasi/Paddy’s Delight property owned by Richard Sr. from 1723 to 1746.

Henry Horn and Judah his wife of Halifax Co. to John Daffin of same. 8 Nov 1783. 60 pounds. 131 acres on south side of Conoconary Swamp, joining Spring Branch. Henry Horn, Juda Horn (x). Wit: Theop. Joyner, Henry Garland. Note added indicates that Richard Horn was father of sd Henry and he had acquired the land in 1747. Nov Ct 1783. CC: Wm Wooten. P.R. Jno. Geddy.

 

Permutations and combinations remain.

The numerous deed transactions in the south contain almost no references to suggest kinship of those involved in the property transfers, neither principals nor witnesses.

Perhaps the son Richard Jr. remained largely in Halifax until his death in 1783, while the father bought and sold lands to the south until his death sometime after 1785.

With these soft presumptions, it may now be time to try to analyze the Thomas’s of Horn, to determine the descendants of Thomas Horne of Northampton, son of Richard, Sr., with the hope that these further attempts at analysis will clarify the many remaining questions.

 

 

    Four individuals named "Thomas Horn(e)" need to be defined and retained in mind while attempting to dissect and analyze the genealogic relationships among these four and other Thomas Horns in the same place and time.