Samuel M Cherry (abt. 1739 - 1815)

Born about 1739 in Beaufort, North Carolina

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Moore) Cherry — married 12 Nov 1756 in Onslow, North Carolina

Descendants

Died 2 Oct 1815 at about age 76 in Edgecombe, North Carolina, United States

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Biography

Samuel Cherry was a North Carolina colonist.

Residence: North Carolina

Residence: Pitt Co., NC.

Samuel M Cherry [C1a8k], son of Lemuel Cherry and Gatsey Ann Llewellyn, was born in 1739 in Beaufort Co NC (or 20 Oct 1736?). Samuel married Mary Moore on 12 November 1756 in Onslow Co (Onslow Co is two counties south of Pitt Co on the Atlantic coast). She was born 18 August 1739, daughter of Samuel Moore and Mary Nixon. Samuel Cherry was a lieutenant in the NC Militia. He was on the Pitt Co 1764 tax roster, and lived in Pitt Co in January 1773; on that date Samuel Cherry "of Pitt Co" bought a 200 acres tract in Halifax Co from Samuel and Elizabeth Edwards. This was witnessed by Nathan Mayo, Solomon Cherry (probably Samuel's brother), and Mary Edwards. And in June 1773 John Kennedy of Beaufort Co sold Pitt Co land to Samuel for £20 (Book E page 131). The 1775 Pitt Co tax roster (which was carefully done) does not show Samuel, so perhaps he had moved to Halifax Co between 1773 and 1775, and moved back a few short years later. But in the Minutes of the County Committee of 17 July 1775 is the following: "Captain John Hardees Comp'y meat & Choose Different Officers." One of the officers was "Samuel Cherrie, Lieutenant. "

The 1786 state census does not show Samuel, but he was no doubt there. The 1786 census takers in Pitt Co were lax in their job; some takers just gave a total of the numbers in each age group without listing the heads of the households. And some of the census pages did not completely survive the past two centuries. In 1790 there were two adults over the age of 16 in his house, three boys under age 16, five females, and eight slaves. In 1800 there was one teen / young woman in Samuel's and Mary's household, two males of the same age range, and two girls between the ages of 10 and 15.

Mary died on 20 August 1800 in Pitt Co, and Samuel began selling / giving property to his children: On 15 February 1801 he sold to Roderick a Negro for £100, witnessed by Frances Crisp; On 10 March he sold to William 100 acres for £60, witnessed by Arnold Hopkins and William Crisp; On 24 October 1801 he sold Roderick 300 acres for $100, witnessed by Samuel Crisp; On 7 August 1807 he sold to Roderick 300 acres for $225, witnessed by Samuel and William Crisp. And on 31 August 1812 Samuel gave to his son John some land "for love and affection. "

Samuel married second to Clary _____ about 1802 when he was 63 years old (Edgecombe Co deed book O, page 280). Sam and his new wife lived in Pitt Co, near Bethel for a few years, and had two sons. Bethel is much closer to his brother Solomon, in the northern part of the county. By 1810 Samuel and Clary had moved to Edgecombe Co. The 1810 census of Edgecombe Co shows Samuel, over age 45 (born before 1765), a wife born between 1766 and 1784 (Clary was born in March 1771), a male of about the same age as Clary, and a girl born between 1795 and 1800, and two girls and a boy under age 10. Since only the young boy would fit the age of Samuel's younger children, the young man and three girls must have been a son or son-in-law and grandchildren. Also, Samuel had seven slaves in 1810 and lived quite close to Willis Cherry, his nephew.

Samuel wrote his will on 13 May 1813 in Edgecombe Co (Book E, page 110), and it was proven in the November 1815 Court. His estate was still in probate court in February 1816. Samuel's will granted to his wife "Clarah Cherry the land and plantation whereon I now live" ... "known by the plantation whereon John Maning formerly lived." John Manning was the husband of Samuel's niece Elizabeth Cherry of Edgecombe Co; she was a daughter of Solomon Cherry. Samuel's will also gave "all the cattle that come by Sollomon Cherry should go to the use of his three youngest children." Samuel also left his wife Clara "the use of my copper still every year [_____] to still her own Leekor." The only child Samuel's will did not name was the eldest, John; Samuel's will also gave $50 to Dorcus Smith (Solomon Cherry's daughter), and named a slave Everett. Son Roderick and Benjamin Whitfield were named to be executors, but Administration was granted to Clary with a $3,000 bond posted by Dempsey Eure, William Council, and Benjamin Whitfield. Sam's obituary said "Samuel Cherry of Edgecombe Co died in his seventy-sixth year on 2 October 1815." Samuel's son Roderick was named as his executor. After Samuel died, Clary married Benjamin Whitfield in 1817, before August. Sam and Mary had nine children, and with Clary he had two-

1. John Cherry, b 1760s
2. Sarah Cherry, b abt 1768
3. Nancy Cherry, b 1770
4. Luke Cherry, b abt 1775
5. William Cherry, b abt 1786
6. Elizabeth Cherry, b 1778
7. Roderick Cherry, b 11 Apr 1780
8. Mary Cherry, b 1782
9. Rebecca Cherry, b abt 1784
10. Charles Cherry, b abt 1804
11. Thomas Benjamin Cherry, b 19 Apr 1811

Sources

• The CHERRY Families Of Early Norfolk Co Virginia And Northeast North Carolina. Family Information Compiled By John E YOUNG, John H Cherry, And Others.
• (1.) BIO: CHERRY FAMILIES Of EARLY NORFOLK County VIRGINIA And NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA, By John E. Young
• (2.) Will, Dated July 14, 1754, recorded in 1754 Will Book A, Page 94, Beaufort County, North Carolina - Lemuel Cherry