John Spann (1723-1799) "The Elder"
Replies: 6
John Spann (1723-1799) "The Elder"
| Joe Spann (View posts) | Posted: 21 Apr 2005 3:10PM GMT |
Classification: Query
Surnames: Spann, Smith, Bruton, Fox, Childers
John Spann “the elder†was born about 1723, probably at Edenton in the North Carolina colony. He was a son of “Captain†John and Mary Spann. John was likely raised on his father’s lands at Mt. Royal in present-day Northampton County, North Carolina. He was literate but no account of how he obtained his education has been located. He may have been sent away to school.
John was married about 1746 in Northampton County, North Carolina to Miss Sarah Smith. She was born about 1725 at Mount Royal and was a daughter of George and Elizabeth Smith. This Smith family was present at Mount Royal by 1720, but their antecedents remain unclear. George Smith died during January of 1746 leaving his daughter Sarah a slave named Aggy. This same slave is later identified
by name in the John Spann household, thus confirming Sarah’s parentage.
About 1747 John and Sarah removed to Johnston County, North Carolina (present-day Wayne County) and settled on the east side of Bogue Marsh in what is now the Piney Grove Community. This movement of 90 miles to the south may have been related to the difficulty in obtaining land grants from Lord Granville in the area near Mount Royal at that time. John purchased upwards of 1,000 acres near the original
Johnston County Courthouse and more than 400 acres on Button Branch, about 13 miles to the north. It is likely that he was in the business of collecting and selling naval stores (pine tar) or operating a mill. The close proximity of the Neuse River also makes this seem reasonable. The absence of a large number of slaves before 1758 seems to preclude any extensive agricultural activities.
About 1758 Captain John Spann joined his oldest son John and became a resident of the Piney Grove Community in present-day Wayne County, North Carolina. Captain John Spann had deeded over his former home at Mount Royal in
Northampton County, North Carolina to his youngest son Richard Spann. He brought with him his wife and seven slaves.
Like his father, John was a land speculator, buying and selling large tracts. On at least one occasion things seem to have gone awry. In 1760 John traveled to Orange County, North Carolina to take part in the estate proceedings of Ambrose Joshua Smith. Spann had sold Smith 1,200 acres in Anson County, North Carolina only fours years previously. It seems likely that Smith bought the lands on credit
and was then unable to pay. Spann was named estate administrator and performed the inventory. Whether or not he received restitution is unknown.
In April 1759 Dobbs County was formed from the southeastern portion of Johnston County. A new courthouse was set up for Johnston County at Hinton’s Quarter
and the old Johnston County Courthouse at Walnut Creek became the “new†Dobbs County Courthouse. The Spann family, father and son lived within two or three miles of the “new†Dobbs County Courthouse. Therefore they became residents of Dobbs County without moving.
Destruction of the Dobbs County Courthouse by fire makes research in this area particularly difficult. One of the few remaining Dobbs County records is a tax list from the year 1769. The families of “Captain†John Spann and John Spann “the elder†both appear on this list. In this record John Spann III and William Spann are specifically identified as sons of John Spann “the elderâ€. Furthermore it is indicated
that both of them are over the age of 16 at that time .
Following the death of his father about 1769 and perhaps because of growing political tensions, John made a choice which would have far reaching ramifications for future Spann descendants. He decided to remove to South Carolina. There is some evidence to indicate that he had already been to South Carolina in 1759 during the Cherokee Indian Wars. By September of 1771 he had purchased 200 acres in Colleton County, South Carolina along the north side of Red Bank Creek near the Charleston Road. Today, these lands are located 4 miles west of Saluda in Saluda County. In 1772 he patented an additional 350 acres, joining his purchased property on the north side. Prior to the American Revolution the upper reaches of Colleton County were known as the 96 District. John’s lands were located in the 96 District but became part of the Edgefield District in 1785.
Not all of John’s family came to South Carolina with him. His eldest son, John Spann III remained in North Carolina until well after the conclusion of the revolution. The second son William Spann, is believed to have remained in South Carolina only a short time, returning to North Carolina, but settling in Buncombe County.
If John left North Carolina to escape growing revolutionary sentiments then he erred badly. The region of South Carolina where he settled became particularly violent during the Revolutionary War. For most areas the War ended in 1781, but guerilla actions in the 96 District of South Carolina continued hostilities there for another 2 years. Loyalist feeling ran high in the area, producing such terrors as Col. Thomas Brown and Bloody Bill Cunningham. No record of John Spann as a Revolutionary Patriot has been located. He was perhaps a little old to be an active soldier. However, his name does appear on a list of Grand Jurors for the 96 District in 1777, all of whom were thought to have had patriot convictions.
As has been noted previously John Spann “the elder†was a slave owner. As a resident of North Carolina he held only one slave, his wife’s house servant Aggy. However by 1790 in South Carolina he held a total of five slaves, probably indicating a shift to crop agriculture as a means of making a living. The origin of these additional slaves is not clear. Some of his unexplained deed transactions in Dobbs Countynty may relate to the procurement of these slaves. It is equally possible that he acquired them as part of his father’s estate.
In about 1789 John seems to have made a decision to retire. Two slaves were sold to his son James in 1789. His Red Bank Creek plantation was sold to James in 1790. Four other slaves were sold to his sons James and Francis in 1791. This last sale resulted in a bitter feud which split the family apart. In 1792 James and Francis Spann confided to their older brother John that they had tricked their father
into making out the deed. In 1799 their father took them to court, bringing suit for the return of the slaves. John Spann III testified on behalf of his father, thus causing a rift in the family.
No record of religious affiliation has been located for John and Sarah Spann. John would certainly have been raised in the Anglican tradition. However the Church of England did not take root in North or South Carolina as it did in Virginia. Following the American Revolution the Anglican denomination lost favor, eventually resurfacing as the Episcopalian Church. In North Carolina there were Anglican congregations at Wilmington and New Bern, but nothing located near the Spann
home at Walnut Creek. The only Anglican/Episcopalian Church within 100 miles of the Spann home in South Carolina was St. Paul’s Church of Augusta, Georgia. From the onset of the American Revolution and until 1820 the Augusta
congregation was in disarray, and often without any clergyman. Some family connection with St. Paul’s may be inferred as James Spann (son of John) was buried there in 1793.
John Spann “the elder†and Sarah Smith were the parents of the following known children.
1) John Spann III - born about 1751, married Amelia Smith
2) William Spann - born about 1752, married unknown
3) James Spann - born about 1754, married Elizabeth Fox
4) George Spann - born about 1755, married unknown
5) Francis Spann - born about 1757, married Eleanor Bruton
6) Martha Spann - born about 1765, married Richard Childers
John Spann was last known to be living on 7 January 1799 in Edgefield District, South Carolina. His exact date of death and place of burial remain unknown to this compiler. Traditionally he is thought to have been buried on his plantation at Red Bank Creek. A recent examination of those lands failed to reveal any family cemetery. Strangely, no probate proceeding for him in Edgefield District has been
located. It is also possible that he died and was buried at one of his children’s homes. Sarah Smith Spann was last known to be living 3 June 1790.
John was married about 1746 in Northampton County, North Carolina to Miss Sarah Smith. She was born about 1725 at Mount Royal and was a daughter of George and Elizabeth Smith. This Smith family was present at Mount Royal by 1720, but their antecedents remain unclear. George Smith died during January of 1746 leaving his daughter Sarah a slave named Aggy. This same slave is later identified
by name in the John Spann household, thus confirming Sarah’s parentage.
About 1747 John and Sarah removed to Johnston County, North Carolina (present-day Wayne County) and settled on the east side of Bogue Marsh in what is now the Piney Grove Community. This movement of 90 miles to the south may have been related to the difficulty in obtaining land grants from Lord Granville in the area near Mount Royal at that time. John purchased upwards of 1,000 acres near the original
Johnston County Courthouse and more than 400 acres on Button Branch, about 13 miles to the north. It is likely that he was in the business of collecting and selling naval stores (pine tar) or operating a mill. The close proximity of the Neuse River also makes this seem reasonable. The absence of a large number of slaves before 1758 seems to preclude any extensive agricultural activities.
About 1758 Captain John Spann joined his oldest son John and became a resident of the Piney Grove Community in present-day Wayne County, North Carolina. Captain John Spann had deeded over his former home at Mount Royal in
Northampton County, North Carolina to his youngest son Richard Spann. He brought with him his wife and seven slaves.
Like his father, John was a land speculator, buying and selling large tracts. On at least one occasion things seem to have gone awry. In 1760 John traveled to Orange County, North Carolina to take part in the estate proceedings of Ambrose Joshua Smith. Spann had sold Smith 1,200 acres in Anson County, North Carolina only fours years previously. It seems likely that Smith bought the lands on credit
and was then unable to pay. Spann was named estate administrator and performed the inventory. Whether or not he received restitution is unknown.
In April 1759 Dobbs County was formed from the southeastern portion of Johnston County. A new courthouse was set up for Johnston County at Hinton’s Quarter
and the old Johnston County Courthouse at Walnut Creek became the “new†Dobbs County Courthouse. The Spann family, father and son lived within two or three miles of the “new†Dobbs County Courthouse. Therefore they became residents of Dobbs County without moving.
Destruction of the Dobbs County Courthouse by fire makes research in this area particularly difficult. One of the few remaining Dobbs County records is a tax list from the year 1769. The families of “Captain†John Spann and John Spann “the elder†both appear on this list. In this record John Spann III and William Spann are specifically identified as sons of John Spann “the elderâ€. Furthermore it is indicated
that both of them are over the age of 16 at that time .
Following the death of his father about 1769 and perhaps because of growing political tensions, John made a choice which would have far reaching ramifications for future Spann descendants. He decided to remove to South Carolina. There is some evidence to indicate that he had already been to South Carolina in 1759 during the Cherokee Indian Wars. By September of 1771 he had purchased 200 acres in Colleton County, South Carolina along the north side of Red Bank Creek near the Charleston Road. Today, these lands are located 4 miles west of Saluda in Saluda County. In 1772 he patented an additional 350 acres, joining his purchased property on the north side. Prior to the American Revolution the upper reaches of Colleton County were known as the 96 District. John’s lands were located in the 96 District but became part of the Edgefield District in 1785.
Not all of John’s family came to South Carolina with him. His eldest son, John Spann III remained in North Carolina until well after the conclusion of the revolution. The second son William Spann, is believed to have remained in South Carolina only a short time, returning to North Carolina, but settling in Buncombe County.
If John left North Carolina to escape growing revolutionary sentiments then he erred badly. The region of South Carolina where he settled became particularly violent during the Revolutionary War. For most areas the War ended in 1781, but guerilla actions in the 96 District of South Carolina continued hostilities there for another 2 years. Loyalist feeling ran high in the area, producing such terrors as Col. Thomas Brown and Bloody Bill Cunningham. No record of John Spann as a Revolutionary Patriot has been located. He was perhaps a little old to be an active soldier. However, his name does appear on a list of Grand Jurors for the 96 District in 1777, all of whom were thought to have had patriot convictions.
As has been noted previously John Spann “the elder†was a slave owner. As a resident of North Carolina he held only one slave, his wife’s house servant Aggy. However by 1790 in South Carolina he held a total of five slaves, probably indicating a shift to crop agriculture as a means of making a living. The origin of these additional slaves is not clear. Some of his unexplained deed transactions in Dobbs Countynty may relate to the procurement of these slaves. It is equally possible that he acquired them as part of his father’s estate.
In about 1789 John seems to have made a decision to retire. Two slaves were sold to his son James in 1789. His Red Bank Creek plantation was sold to James in 1790. Four other slaves were sold to his sons James and Francis in 1791. This last sale resulted in a bitter feud which split the family apart. In 1792 James and Francis Spann confided to their older brother John that they had tricked their father
into making out the deed. In 1799 their father took them to court, bringing suit for the return of the slaves. John Spann III testified on behalf of his father, thus causing a rift in the family.
No record of religious affiliation has been located for John and Sarah Spann. John would certainly have been raised in the Anglican tradition. However the Church of England did not take root in North or South Carolina as it did in Virginia. Following the American Revolution the Anglican denomination lost favor, eventually resurfacing as the Episcopalian Church. In North Carolina there were Anglican congregations at Wilmington and New Bern, but nothing located near the Spann
home at Walnut Creek. The only Anglican/Episcopalian Church within 100 miles of the Spann home in South Carolina was St. Paul’s Church of Augusta, Georgia. From the onset of the American Revolution and until 1820 the Augusta
congregation was in disarray, and often without any clergyman. Some family connection with St. Paul’s may be inferred as James Spann (son of John) was buried there in 1793.
John Spann “the elder†and Sarah Smith were the parents of the following known children.
1) John Spann III - born about 1751, married Amelia Smith
2) William Spann - born about 1752, married unknown
3) James Spann - born about 1754, married Elizabeth Fox
4) George Spann - born about 1755, married unknown
5) Francis Spann - born about 1757, married Eleanor Bruton
6) Martha Spann - born about 1765, married Richard Childers
John Spann was last known to be living on 7 January 1799 in Edgefield District, South Carolina. His exact date of death and place of burial remain unknown to this compiler. Traditionally he is thought to have been buried on his plantation at Red Bank Creek. A recent examination of those lands failed to reveal any family cemetery. Strangely, no probate proceeding for him in Edgefield District has been
located. It is also possible that he died and was buried at one of his children’s homes. Sarah Smith Spann was last known to be living 3 June 1790.