In the early decades of 1700's, three separate Horn families lived in a small area of northernmost Eastern North Carolina, just south of the Virginia state line. A large number of Americans with the surname of Horn (or Horne) appear to have descended from these families, leading to considerable interest in the origins, interrelationships, and descendants of these and possibly related families.
Because of the proximity of residence of these three families in a sparsely populated area, all with the same or highly similar surname, it has seemed likely to many observers that patriarchs of these families were likely to have been brothers, cousins, or otherwise closely related. However, there is little or no persuasive evidence to point to a recent common ancestor of these three men. The question of whether these three families were descended from a few other Horns known to be present in the Virginia colony in the preceding 100 years is considered in the section titled "Earlier Horn(e)'s in the Area".
With the recent availability of testing determination of distinctive genetic markers in the yDNA of males, it is now possible to determine with a high degree of precision the likelihood that two males may share a common male ancestor.
The work represented and introduced in this website is an attempt to describe and clarify many questions and considerations regarding the identities of the descendants of these several families, using traditional genealogic evidence. It is anticipated that such hypotheses and considerations be tested by newly forthcoming genetic studies, and that coordinated consideration of both the frankly biologic evidence alongside the documentary evidence of traditional genealogic techniques will enhance our understanding of these remarkable families.
A certain William Horn and his wife, Margaret, are the earliest well
established members of a family which appeared in Nansemond County VA in the
late 1600's or early 1700's, shortly thereafter became numerous and well established in upper
eastern North Carolina, and then spread to the South and West in substantial
numbers. The
descendants of this "William of Nansemond" are presented in considerable
detail in a Web site at the following address: http://www.familytreemaker.com/users/h/o/r/Robert-G-Horn/index.html.
A contemporary of "William of Nansemond", a certain Richard Horne, is well documented in upper eastern North Carolina as early as 1716, where he owned 120 acres on Turkey Creek, near the Meherrin River, near the site of present-day Murfreesboro, NC. He then relocated a few miles to the southwest, having obtained 640 acres "west of Paddy's Delight (creek)" in 1723, land now in Northampton County, NC.
Although it appears that this Richard Horne died intestate, deeds and other records indicate that he had numerous descendants in upper eastern North Carolina, inhabiting the same general area as did the descendants of William Horn of Nansemond. Because of their proximity and the use of similar given names, uncertainty and differences of opinion have arisen among the students of these families, as to the lineage of a number of individuals.
In studying the records pertaining to these families I have gained the impression that several individuals who have been commonly regarded as descendants of William of Nansemond are, on the other hand, quite likely to be from the line of the Richard Horne. The accompanying information on the descendants of Richard Horne of Northampton county, NC is presented, not as established fact, but as a hypothetical consideration, in the hope that it may stimulate discussion and possible clarification of our understanding of the descendants of the two early American pioneers.
The material regarding Richard Horne is divided into two areas. A shorter section, contains basic and comparatively well established information on Richard of Northampton and his son, Thomas. A greatly expanded discussion is frankly speculative and designed as a basis for study and argument by those particularly interested in furthering our understanding of these families.
Earlier Horn Families in the Area
A few other Horn(e)s are known to have been present in Virginia, some as
early as 1623, when a Henry Horn and a Richard "Horun"
are listed among the
several citizens living across the James River from Jamestown (then only 16 years
after its founding). The fate
of these two is unknown, but it seems likely that one or both of them may have
been ancestors of one or more of the several Horn lines that appear in
Virginia, along with those of William of Nansemond and Richard of Northampton. A brief summary of
some of the other early Horn families in Virginia is considered in the
sections titled "Earlier Horn(e)s in the Area".