Simon Beasley (abt. 1715 - bef. 1760)

Born about 1715 in Beesley Island, Craven, North Carolina

Husband of Fearnot (Fearnot) Beasley — married about 1744 in Craven, North Carolina

Descendants

Died before Jul 1760 before about age 45 in Craven, North Carolina

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Biography

SIMON BEESLEY, the son of John Beasley, was born in Maryland say 1715. He died in Craven County, North Carolina, after 17 December 1759, when he wrote his will,^[1] but before July 1760, when his will was proved in court.^[2] He married FEARNOT/FEARNOUGHT (___), who survived him and was living as late as 1777.

Simon “Beaseley” witnessed the deed of Solomon “Beasley” to Thomas Herring on 22 October 1743, which would connect him to Solomon, although no relationship was specified in the deed.^[3] He purchased land in his own right on 16 March 1747/8, when, as a “labourer,” he purchased from John Fonvielle, planter, 200 acres in Craven County on the north side of Core Creek, with the deed witnessed by Charles Hay, John Fonvielle Jr., and William Brice Fonvielle.^[4] He petitioned for 100 acres in Craven County in April 1749.^[5] On 30 March 1750, Simon “Besely” of Craven County sold to William “Daves” 200 acres on the north side of the Neuse River, with the deed witnessed by John Hollinsworth Jr. and William Deen Pinkett.^[6] (Daves or Davis would later sell a 100-acre portion of this tract to John “Beesly” on 18 April 1758.)^[7] Simon was a purchaser at the estate sale of John Beasley in Craven County in 1755.^[8]

Simon wrote his will in Craven County on 17 December 1759.^[9] He left to his wife Fearnot all of his household goods and made her sole executrix. If she should die before all of his children turned 21, then William Brice Fonville was to be executor. To his son Ezekiel he gave a plantation “whereon I formerly lived upon the mouth of the Rattle Snake Branch” containing 100 acres. If he should die without heirs, then daughter Dorcas was to inherit the plantation. To his son Elisha he left “the Plantation whereon I now live” containing 100 acres. To his daughter Elizabeth Beesley he left 100 acres on the upper side of Rattle Snake Branch, which Dorcas was to inherit should Elizabeth not survive. He left to daughter Dorcas two feather beds and two pots. The will was witnessed by Solomon Beesley and Samuel Slade Jr., and Simon signed the will with his mark.

Fearnot or “Fearnought” Beasley continued to actively manage her late husband’s land holdings. On 25 October 1765, she obtained a grant of an additional 200 acres on Rattlesnake Branch on land bordering Simon Beasley’s line (possibly the younger Simon; see above under William).^[10] In 1767, James Carmack received a grant adjoining the land of Fearnought Beasley on Core Creek.^[11] She was also likely the Widow Beasley mentioned in grants on Core Creek in 1761^[12] and 1768.^[13] Fearnot resided in Craven County late into the 1770s. On 9 December 1775, she placed her mark on a deed between her son Elisha and James Beasley for 100 acres on the Neuse River.^[14] On 14 July 1775, as “Fearnaugh Beasley,” she declared she was the present proprietor of a grant to Simon Beasley dared 1 February 1774 on the west side of Core Creek, and she wished to “make know the bounds” and called on Samuel Slade to give testimony, with John Fonvielle, Francis Fonvielle, William Brice Fonveille, John Tomlinson, and others as witnesses.^[15] On 31 May 1777, she deeded to her son Elisha “for natural and motherly love” a tract of 174 acres, all of her livestock, and all other goods except her wearing apparel.^[16] The deed suggests that her other children had died by this date, though their fate is uncertain. Fearnot was described as deceased in a deed dated 26 January 1785, when Willis Mecoy sold 100 acres on the south side of the Neuse to Elisha Beasley.^[17]

Sources

1. ↑ Simon Beesley will (1759), Craven County, North Carolina Will Book N: 240, 246-247.
2. ↑ Haun, Craven County, North Caroliona County Court Minutes, 1757-1763, Book V, 67, #322.
3. ↑ Pruitt, Abstracts of Deeds, Craven co., NC, Books 2, 3, & 4, 1708-1765, 67, #1685.
4. ↑ Pruitt, Abstracts of Deeds, Craven co., NC, Books 2, 3, & 4, 1708-1765, 148, #2281.
5. ↑ Cain, ed., Records of the Executive Council, 1753-1754 [The Colonial Records of North Carolina], Second Series, Volume VIII, 235.
6. ↑ Pruitt, Abstracts of Deeds, Craven co., NC, Books 2, 3, & 4, 1708-1765, 27, #1359.
7. ↑ Ibid, 27, #1360.
8. ↑ Bradley, Early Records of North Carolina, Volume III: Loose Papers and Related Materials, 1712-1798, 6, #53.
9. ↑ Simon Beesley will (1759), Craven County, North Carolina Will Book N: 240, 246-247.
10. ↑ A. B. Pruitt, Colonial Land Entries in North Carolina, Volume 3, Part 1 (Mar. 1758-Sept, 1766) (No place: A. B. Pruitt, 1994), 158, #2402.
11. ↑ A. B. Pruitt, Colonial Land Entries in North Carolina, Volume 3, Part 2 (Sept. 1766-Dec. 1768) (No place: A. B. Pruitt, 1994), 25, #3643.
12. ↑ Pruitt, Colonial Land Entries in North Carolina, Volume 3, Part 1 (Mar. 1758-Sept, 1766), 113, #1699.
13. ↑ Pruitt, Colonial Land Entries in North Carolina, Volume 3, Part 2 (Sept. 1766-Dec. 1768), 98, #4777.
14. ↑ A. B. Pruitt, Abstracts of Deeds, Craven, Co., NC, Books 20, 21, 22, 23, & 24 (No place: A. B. Pruitt, 2008), 77, citing Deed Book 22: 255.
15. ↑ Ibid, 78, citing Deed Book 22: 283.
16. ↑ Ibid, 87, citing Deed Book 22: 425.
17. ↑ Pruitt, Abstracts of Deeds, Craven Co., NC, Books 25, 26, 27 & 28, 44; citing Deed Book 26: 171.

SOME BEASLEY FAMILIES OF THE COLONIAL SOUTH

A PRELIMINARY STUDY OF CERTAIN FAMILIES WITH THE SURNAME OF BEASLEY-BEAZLEY-BEEZLEY-BEESLEY IN VIRGINIA, MARYLAND, AND NORTH CAROLINA, FROM THE SEVENTEENTH AND EIGHTEENTH CENTURIES

By John D. Beatty, CG Fort Wayne, Indiana Privately Published 2014

Acknowledgments

Posted by Doug Beezley, Cincinnati OH Administrator Beasley Genealogy Project PDF of Beatty's document available at http://beasleygenealogy.net