Thomas Needham (abt. 1675 - 1740)

Born about 1675 in Elizabeth City, Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret (Bayley) Needham — married about 1702 in Elizabeth City, Virginia

Descendants

Died 6 Oct 1740 at about age 65 in Pasquotank, North Carolina

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Biography

Thomas was born about 1680.

Will of NEEDHAM, THOMAS October 6, 1740. July Court, 1743.

• Sons: JOHN, GEDEON, THOMAS (a plantation to each), CHRISTOFER (one shilling).
• Daughter: ANN.
• Executor: JOHN NEEDHAM (son).
• Witnesses: DENNIS SAWYER, ROBERT TORKSEY.
• Clerk of the Court: THOS. TAYLOR.^[1]

Thomas Needham appears on the Quit Rent roll for 1704 in Elizabeth City Co. VA with 100 acres. John Bayley is also on the roll with 415 acres. In Norfolk Co., Walter Bayley appears with 290 acres.

JOHN MANWARING OF NEW JERSEY and Allied Families by Charles William Mainwaring. Cullman,AL: The Gregath Company, 1982. Page 210-212: "In the record Books for 1715-21 is a deed of lease and release, a complicated legal artifice for transferring title, dated 18-19 March 1716/7 from 'Thomas Needham and Margaret his wife of the County of Elizabeth City to William Dandridge, Gentlemen for that Lott of Ground or halfe acrew of Land...in the town of Hampton on South Hampton river...beginning at a stake in the ground on Joseph Wragg lott', witnessed by Edmd. Kearny, Michll. Kearny, Thomas Howard." "About 1730 Thomas probably transferred his lands to his eldest son, Christopher, and moved to North Carolina. He purchased from Cornelius Jones on 14 March 1732/3 336 acres of land on the north side of the Pasquotank River, beginning at the mouth of the Beaver Dame Swamp (deed also mentions Raymans Creek), "the remaining part of a Pattent formerly granted to Captn. Corns. Jones bearing date the 9th Day of Jany. Anno Dom 1713/14, . The deed refers to Thomas Needham as "of the County of Elizabeth City Virginia. The account of the Quit Rents in arrears for Pasquotank precinct since 1732, dated 12 June 1735 lists Thomas Needham with 336 acres. Almost the entire population neglected to pay their quit rents in this period. The Pasquotank tax of 1739 lists 'Thomas Nedham' with 2 polls in the district of John Relfe, on the northeast side of the Pasquotank River. In 1742 the list of Cornelius Relf has: Thos. Nedham Senr. 1 white poll 3 black polls John Nedham 1 white poll Thos. Nedham Jur. 1 white poll"

After the death of Thomas Needham, his land was divided 5 July 1744 by his sons: Know all men by these Presents that we the Subscribers John Needham Gideon Needham & Thomas Needham according to the last Will & Testament of our deced. Father have divided the Land between us which was left to us in said Will...Viz John Needham's Land lying on the Easternmost part of the Tract & beginning at a Branch near the Mouth of Raymonds Creek and up the said Branch to a Red Oak, then by various courses to a white Oak at the back Line Gidion Needham's Land adjoining on the westward part of the same...Thomas Needham's Land adjoining westward of the same. Wit: William Burgess, Josiah Wait,

Thomas Needham's son, Thomas, moved to Randolph Co., and it is presumed that those Needhams already living in Randolph Co. also descended from Thomas. Other families from the Pasquotank Co. area that moved to Randolph Co. area included: POOL, PUGH, BRAY, LAMB.

Children of Thomas Needham and Margaret Bayley - From this source: https://heirsandroots.com/MyFamilies/Needham.htm

• CHRISTOPHER NEEDHAM born about 1701, Elizabeth County, Virginia married Sarah BANNISTER between 1722 and 1725, in Elizabeth County, Virginia
• BAYLEY NEEDHAM born about 1703, Elizabeth County, Virginia may have married Nance [-?-] about 1730, possibly in Bladen County, North Carolina
• JOHN NEEDHAM born about 1708, Elizabeth County, Virginia died about 1754, Pasquotank County, North Carolina, married Elizabeth BROTHERS about 1742, Pasquotank Co, North Carolina
• THOMAS NEEDHAM, III born about 1710, Elizabeth City County, Virginia, died 1746, married Margaret [TORKSEY?]
• GIDEON NEEDHAM born about 1713, Elizabeth County, Virginia married Elizabeth CARTRIGHT after 1733, possibly in Camden County, North Carolina, where he resided. They had Gideon, Jr., Thomas and Joseph. They moved to Camden County, North Carolina between 1769 and 1790. The 1769 Tax list for Pasquotank County, North Carolina shows there was a Joseph, Bailey, Gideon, 2 Johns, and a Thomas Needham . There was a Gideon, Joseph, Thomas, and Thomas Jr. on the 1790 US Census for Camden County, North Carolina, Edenton District and a John Needham in Pasquotank County, North Carolina, Edenton District. One of theThomas' may have been in the Revolutionary War, enlisted in May 1777, With Tatum’s Company in North Carolina. In his mother’s will[9] Gideon received the following bequest: “I give unto my son Gideon Needham, one negro gurl called Seebron, hir and hir increase forever”. In his father’s Will[10] he is left a plantation. Gideon was appointed guardian for Margaret and Bailey Needham, the children of his brother Thomas at Mar 1757 Orphans court[11].
• ANN MARGARET NEEDHAM born about 1715, Elizabeth County, Virginia. married Robert TORKSEY, she is mentioned in father’s will as daughter, Ann. Her mother’s will says “I give unto my daughter Ann Needham foure negros, the one called Jade the other called Caisey and the other called Janey, and the other called Baty, which four negros I give unto my sd Daughter, them and their increase for Ever”.

Sources

1. ↑ Abstracts of North Carolina Wills, By: J. Bryan Grimes, Secretary of State, 1910, Page 262)

• "North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V5PK-GPV : 13 March 2018), Thomas Needham, 1743; citing Pasquotank, North Carolina, United States, State Archives, Raleigh; FHL microfilm 1,993,987.
• https://digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p16062coll41/id/9058 Title : Needham, Thomas (Pasquotank County) Creator: North Carolina. Secretary of State. Date: 1743. Published by North Carolina Digital Collections.
• Hooker, Elma Croom, Adventures of Our Ancestors, 1989 pg 59
• Manwaring, Chad William, John Manwaring of NJ and Allied Families, 1982 pg 209-212
• Heirs and Roots; The Needham Family: https://heirsandroots.com/MyFamilies/Needham.htm