Charles Seale (1729 - 1798)

Born 4 Feb 1729 in Stafford, Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Lydia (Muse) Seale — married about 1750 in Prince William, Virginia

Descendants

Died 1798 at about age 68 in Fairfield, South Carolina, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Patricia Stenbak [send private message], Frances McCoy [send private message], David Rentschler [send private message], Marque Hendrix [send private message], and Bettye Richard [send private message]

Biography

Charles Seale was born the 10th of February, 1729 in Stafford county, Virginia. This became Prince William County, Virginia in 1730. Charles is the son of Anthony Seale II and Anne Bristow.

Charles married Lydia Muse (c1730/1735 - 1799) sometime between about 1748 and 1752 in Prince William County Virginia. No marriage record has been located.

Charles and Lydia were in Orange County North Carolina with her father in September 1753, lived in Cumberland County between about 1754 and 1769,

Charles received a grant for 150 acres of land on Wateree River, Craven county, South Carolina on the 16th of February, 1770.^[1] Charles was in Craven county until about 1783 when he went to Wilkes County Georgia between about 1783 and 1785, and Fairfield County South Carolina (old Craven County) between 1786 and 1799.

Charles is named in the will of his father Anthony Seale. The will of Anthony Seale reads in part as follows: In the name of God Amen I Anthony Seale of Prince William county and Commonwealth of Virginia being in perfect health and of sound memory, thanks be to God do make this my last will & testament. Item, I give my wife Anne Seale one feather bed and furniture also I give her my negro man Sambo & my negro boy George & my mulatto woman Jenney and after my wifes death I give my mulatto woman Jenny with all her increase. . . Item, I give and bequeath unto my son John Seale my Plantation whereon I now live with all my lands thereunto belonging, to him, and his heirs forever, he the said John Seale paying unto William Seale, Thos Seal, Charles Seale and Dorothy Stribling, twenty five pounds specie each, and my will is they be contented therewith. Item I leave all my horses, and mares, cattle, sheep, and hogs with my household furniture and all my plantation utensils and what money I now have or here after may have be sold for hard money (except the money I and the money arising from the sale thereof be equally divided among all my children except what pays my just debts. And lastly, I do hereby constitute and appoint, my two sons John Seale and Anthony Seale and my son in law William Brown, my Executors, of this my last will and testament In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixt my seale this 10th day of August Anno Domini, 1781 [signed] Anthony Seale Witness George King, Robt Brown, Thos Bird, William Roundtree At a court held for Prince William county the 5th day of November 1781 this last will & testament of Anthony Seale gent was presented to the court by the Ex'rs who made oath to the same according to law & being proved by the oaths of George King, Robt Brown & Thos Bird is admitted to record & the said Ex'rs having performed what is ? in such cases certificate is granted for obtaining a probate thereof in due form Test Robert Graham Clk"^[2]

In 1790 Charles "Seal" was enumerated in Fairfield County, South Carolina with 1 male over 16, 2 males under 16, and 2 females.^[3]

Death of Charles Seale

On 11 September 1798, Charles Seale sold a 50-acre tract of land to Elias Jones, his son-in-law, for £50 "Sterling." The land lay on Sawney's Creek of the Wateree River, and Charles' sons, James and Daniel Seale, witnessed the transaction. ^[4] Charles Seale died soon after making this transaction, for by October 22nd, his surviving heirs had given his remaining 50 acres in Fairfield to his youngest son, Daniel. The deed transferring the land to Daniel reads in part as follows: "State of South Carolina, Fairfield County} Know all by these presents that whereas Charles Seal late of the county and state aforesaid planter deceased was at the time of his death seized in his ? as of fee or some other good estate and inheritance to him and his heirs forever of and in a certain plantation or tract of land containing fifty acres being the undivided moiety or full half part of a tract of one hundred acres of land situate in the county aforesaid on Sauneys creek bounded SW on Haidy Rice Jonstons land the other sides on vacant land when surveyed originally granted to John Willson 31st August 1774 & by him sold conveyed to Charles Seal which said fifty acres is situate on the north side of Sauneys creek & hath such descriptions as by the ? [word in crease of page] grant & conveyance will appear and whereas the said Charles Seal lately died intestate within the county and state aforesaid whereby the aforesaid fifty acres of land came and decended to Anthony Seal, Thomas Seal, Enoch Seal, James Seal, Elijah Seal, Joshuah Seal, Robert Dickinson or Nancy his wife, Elias Jones and Charity his wife, Abraham Perry and Lydia his wife and Daniel Seal the children and coheirs of the said Charles Seal deceasedand whereas it was the dying request of the said Charles Seal that his son Daniel Seal should have and enjoy the whole of the aforesaid tract of fifty acres of land without ? [in crease of page] let hindrance or molestation of the remainder of his said children or any of those Now Know ye that we the said Anthony Seal, Thomas Seal, James Seal, Elijah Seal, Joshuah Seal, Robert Dickinson and Nancy his wife, Elias Jones and Charity his wife and Abraham Perry and Lydia his wife for and in consideration of the dying request of the said Charles Seal as well as the sum of ten dollars to us paid by the said Daniel Seal all our right title claim or interest which we or any or within of us may have in Law or equity of in or to the aforesaid fifty acres of land together with all and singular the rights . . . Witnessth our hands and seals this ___ [blank] day of ____[blank] in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety eight and XXII year of American Independence [signed]

Anthony his X mark Seales,

Robert R. Dickerson,

Enoch Seale,

Nancy her X mark Dickerson,

James Seale,

Elias his X mark Jones,

Eliah Seale,

Charity her X mark Jones,

Abraham his X mark Perry,

Joshua Seale,

Lydia her X mark Perry

Fairfield County] Shadrick Griges Maketh oath that he was present when the within named Anthony Seal, Thomas Seal, Enoch Seal, James Seal, Elijah Seal, Joshua Seal, Robert Dickinson, Nancy Dickenson, Elias Jones, Charity Jones, Abraham Perry, Lidia Perry sign seal and deliver the within as the act and deed for the use and purpose therein mentioned. Sworn to before me this 9th January 1800 [signed] Shadrick Griges

State of Georgia Hancock County] We do hereby certify that Thomas Seal & a ? [in crease of page]as their act & deed for the purpose therein contained also James Muse made oath before us that he saw Lidy Perry wife of Abraham Perry sign seal & deliver the within Indenture as act & deed of purpose therein contained. Certified this 19th day of October 1799] John Mitchel, Jas Mitchel

State No Carolina Moore County] John Mathis & Corniluis Doud came before me Justice for said county & made oath that the said Robert & Nancy Dickson signed the within conveyance sworn to this 11th Oct 1798. Recorded 18th January 1808."^[5]

Possible Gravesite

Death: 1798 Fairfield County South Carolina, USA

The Muse Family Association remained active throughout from the 1970s through the 1990s, with Mr. Robert Muse conducting extensive research on the family. During the 1970s, he surveyed an abandoned cemetery in Fairfield County, South Carolina that contained several Muse burials. At the time, the cemetery lay in a wooded and unfenced area. Robert Muse recorded two old stone tombstones inscribed as:

Mr. Muse returned to the site in the 1980s to photograph the stones, but in the interval, loggers had clear cut the region, destroying the stones. His survey implies that Lydia Muse Seale died in 1799, which correlates with the lack of any documentation for her after that date.

Children

1. Anthony Seale married Ferriba Muse
2. Nancy Seale married Robert Dickinson, Jr
3. Thomas Seale (1759 married five times
4. Enoch Seale
5. Lydia Seale married Abraham Peavy (Peevy)
6. James Seale Married
1st wife Rachel
2nd wife Rebecca
3rd wife Hannah Hagginbottom
7. Elijah Seale married Nancy
8. Joshua Seale
9. Charity Seale married Elias Jones

Military

There is no evidence for Charles' service in the Revolutionary War. See below under "See Also.."

Research Notes

There is no known documentation indicating that Charles Seale had a middle name. This is consistent with the naming patterns of his siblings and children, none of whom had middle names.

Charles Seale and his wife, Lydia Muse, had a planation on Deep River in Cumberland County, North Carolina. They owned 300 acres near James Muse Sr.'s plantation. Charles Seale received 150 additional acres that he sold to James Muse Jr.. Later on, Charles Seale received an additional 150 acres from the colony of North Carolina.

In the Fall of 1770, Charles Seale purchased a 150 acre farm along Sawney's Creek on the Wateree River in South Carolina, adjoining the plantations of John Morrison and Thomas Muse.^[6]

(On May 8th of 1781, Major General Nathanael Greene moved his Patriots to the lower side of Sawney's Creek, a place laced with pine and Oak trees and was followed by the Lord Rawdon, who was met by Lieutenant Colonel William Washington's Dragoons, resulting in Lord Rawdon retreating to Camden.)^[7]

Charles Seale left South Carolina between 1783 and 1784 to join his relatives in Wilkes County, Georgia. This relocation was short lived as he returned to South Carolina in November of 1785 after selling the 250 acres he owned in Wilkes County, Georgia.

Upon returning to South Carolina, Charles Seale purchased a farm in Fairfield District and where some of his children also purchased farms nearby.

Upon James Muse Sr.'s passing, Lydia Seale was given a slave named Benjamin. Sophia Pope Muse Morrison deeded two additional slaves to Lydia Seale in 1792.

Further Research Notes: By Timothy Hudson August 20, 2001 at 12:17:03 Several researchers have raised questions regarding the various Charles Seales.

Here is what little I know on the matter:

According to my information, there were three men by the name of "Charles Seale" living in North Carolina/South Carolina between 1729 and 1820:

1.Charles Seale (1729-1798), son of Anthony Seale, II and his wife Anne Bristow of Stafford and Prince William Co Virginia. Charles married Lydia Muse about 1748-1753. She was the daughter of James Muse, Sr. and Sophia Pope. James Muse got into financial trouble in the early 1750s, and to escape creditors, he left Prince William Co Virginia and moved to North Carolina; Charles & Lydia Muse went along with him. They settled by mid-1753 in the region that is today northern Moore County, then Cumberland County. Charles and Lydia lived there until the fall of 1769, when they followed her mother and brothers to what was then Craven Co South Carolina, later Fairfield County South Carolina (South Carolina used "counties" between 1785 and 1800, then "districts" between 1800 and 1868, then "counties" again 1868-present day). About 1783, Charles Seale moved to Wilkes Co Georgia and was granted land there in 1785, but sold it that fall and returned to Fairfield Co South Carolina by 1786. He died in 1798; Lydia in 1799.

2.Charles Seale (c1755 - c1824) was undoubtedly the son of William Seale, Sr. (1722-1795/1800), the elder brother of Charles who married Lydia Muse. Much circumstantial evidence points towards this younger Charles Seale being the nephew of the older Charles. This younger Charles Seale was born about 1755, based upon the Cumberland Co North Carolina tax records of 1777-1781. During the Revolution, he served as a soldier in the company commanded by Captain William Seale, along with John and Anthony Seale. In 1778, this Charles Seale bought land jointly with William Seale, Jr., who some claim was a twin to Charles. Charles Seale helped William Seale, Sr. collect the taxes in their region of Cumberland County in the early 1780s and performed other duties along with William Sr. (William Seale, Sr. was a justice on the Cumberland County court during this period and actively involved in local affairs). Charles Seale left Moore Co North Carolina in the latter 1790s and moved to Tennessee, where he died about 1824. His wife was Isabella, but I don't know her maiden name. Many, many Seale sources, both published books and information available on the internet, claim that this man was "Charles Seale, Jr.", the "son" of Charles & Lydia Muse Seale. This information is INCORRECT! This Charles (the Revolutionary War soldier who lived in Cumberland/Moore Co North Carolina and later Tennessee) WAS NOT the son of Charles & Lydia Muse Seale - see below for proof of this statement. If Charles & Lydia Muse Seale had a son by the name of "Charles Seale, Jr." (which is quite possible), he must have died prior to 1798, leaving no heirs.

3.Another Charles Seale was on the 1810 Fairfield Dist. South Carolina census and served in the army during the War of 1812 from South Carolina. He is believed to be the son of Enoch & Mary Seale, and so the grandson of Charles & Lydia Muse Seale. He signed a deed with Enoch Seale in Fairfield Dist South Carolina about 1814 and all indications are that he was Enoch's son, but no firm documentation of Enoch Seale's children has yet been located (at least to my knowledge). He moved to Shelby Co Alabama about 1818, along with Enoch and other Seales who are also believed to be Enoch's sons.

PROOF OF THE CHILDREN OF CHARLES SEALE & LYDIA MUSE: Charles Seale (1729-1798), the husband of Lydia Muse, sold 50 acres of land in Fairfield County South Carolina on 11 Sept 1798 to his son-in-law Elias Jones (husband of Charles' daughter Charity) [Fairfield Co South Carolina Deed Book M, pp. 18-19]. This was land Seale had purchased in 1787 from John Wilson. Charles' son James Seale witnessed the signing of this deed. This proves that Charles Seale was alive on 11 Sept 1798. Charles Seale died later that fall, and his heirs sold his remaining land to Daniel Seale, youngest son of Charles & Lydia Muse Seale (Fairfield Co South Carolina Deed Book M, p. 162-163). Only the year was given on this deed (1798); the day/month were left blank. A transcription of this deed is given below. The name of "Charles Seale, Jr." IS NOT found among the heirs of Charles Seale in this deed, nor is "Charles Jr." mentioned in the previous deed of Charles Seale to Elias Jones, as was claimed in the book of Mr. Oswald Smith written in 1965: "Seale and Kindred Families". Mr. Smith's information was very incorrect: I have clear photocopies of both of these deeds from Fairfield Co South Carolina's Deed Book M, and neither made any reference whatsoever to "Charles Seale, Jr."

I take this deed as irrefutable evidence that Charles Seale and his wife Lydia Muse were NOT the parents of Charles Seale (c1755-1818) of Cumberland/Moore Co North Carolina. Were they his parents, he would have been named in this deed, and he would have had to sign the deed as did the other heirs. Some have stated that since he lived in North Carolina, he was "excused" from signing the deed. I do not consider this argument valid - to convey proper title of land, ALL heirs were required to sign such a deed. Moreover, Charles & Lydia's daughter Nancy Seale Dickinson lived in Moore Co North Carolina in the 1790s when her father died, and she was named among his heirs. After Charles' children living in South Carolina signed the deed, it was mailed to Moore Co North Carolina to be signed by Nancy and her husband there, and it was then sent to Hancock Co GA for the signatures of Charles' children living there (all of this information is given in the deed).

Moreover, the will of Anthony Seale in 1799, Kershaw County South Carolina further proves that Charles Seale of Moore Co North Carolina was NOT the son of Charles & Lydia Muse Seale. Anthony Seale's will reads:

"…I do here by Leav [sic] Unto My Brother Charles Seals of More [sic] County in north Carolina the Whole of my Estate Real and Pursonal [sic]…"

Anthony's will was written on 23 Nov 1799 and was probated in 1801. Clearly, he had neither a wife nor children to survive him, since all of his property was left to his brother Charles of North Carolina. But Charles & Lydia's son Anthony married his first cousin Ferriba Muse and was alive, apparently well, and living in Fairfield District South Carolina in 1800 according to the census; he later moved to Franklin Co Tennessee, where he died in 1818. This is quite confusing due to there being TWO men named "Anthony Seale" living in the same neighborhood: Kershaw/Fairfield Co North Carolina (and the Seales lived near the county line, as evidenced by other postings on this site). One Anthony Seale lived in Fairfield Co South Carolina between the 1780s and mid-1800s; he was the son of Charles & Lydia Muse Seale - he married Ferriba Muse, moved from Fairfield Dist South Carolina to Franklin Co Tennessee between 1800 and 1810. The other Anthony Seale died in Kershaw Co South Carolina 1799-1800 and had brother Charles Seale of Moore Co North Carolina. This is undoubtedly the same Anthony Seale who served with Charles Seale in the company of Captain William Seale (their father) of Cumberland Co North Carolina during the Revolution. So to reiterate, Anthony Seale's will in Kershaw Co South Carolina proves that Charles Seale of Cumberland/Moore Co North Carolina (the Revolutionary War soldier) was the brother of Anthony of Kershaw, and that Anthony died in 1799/1800 without heirs or a wife. However, it is known that Charles & Lydia Muse Seale's son Anthony married Ferriba Muse and they had many children; moreover, this Anthony moved to Franklin Co Tennessee and lived until 1818.

So these two records prove that Charles & Lydia Muse Seale did not have a son by the name of "Charles Seale, Jr." (at least, not such a son who survived past 1798 - they could have had such a son who died before 1798), and thus they prove that Charles Seale of Cumberland/Moore Co North Carolina was NOT the son of Charles & Lydia Muse Seale.

PROOF THAT LYDIA MUSE WAS THE WIFE OF CHARLES SEALE:

James Muse, Sr. named "Liddy Ceal" as his daughter in his will dated 30 Mar 1758, and he also named "Charles Ceal" as one of his executors (Cumberland Co North Carolina Deed Book 1, p. 241). However, the records of Prince William Co Virginia, Orange Co North Carolina, and Cumberland Co North Carolina clearly show that Charles Seale was connected to James Muse's family long before 1758. I estimate that their marriage occurred between 1748 and 1752 (does anyone have further verification of their date of marriage?) Charles Seale's eldest children (according to ages obtained from census records) were Nancy and Anthony, both born before 1755. On 18 Nov 1792, Sophia Morrison, the widow of James Muse, Sr., deeded two slaves to "Lidda Seale" of Fairfield County South Carolina (Fairfield County South Carolina Deed Book K, pp. 74 - 75). Thomas, Joshua, and Daniel Seale, proven sons of Charles Seale, witnessed the deeds. These records verify that Lydia Muse was the wife of Charles Seale in 1758 and that she was still alive in 1792. Mr. Robert Muse, historian of the Muse Family Association, visited a cemetery in Fairfield Co South Carolina in the early 1980s, before its destruction by a logging company. He found graves marked by "C.S. - 1798" and "L.S. - 1799". Since we know Charles Seale died in 1798, it would appear that these were the graves of Charles and Lydia Muse Seale. This is the only indication I have found for when Lydia died.

Kershaw District South Carolina Estate Apartment 61, Pkg. 2183 (1799) Estate of Anthony Seale, deceased, Zach Cantey, Exor, 1801. Anthony Seals Will, Recorded in Book D, page 32, filed 17 Apr 1802 [Note: The following is a precise transcriptions; and all capitalizations below are written exactly as they were in the originals.]

"State of South Carolina. November Third twenty third one thousand seven hundred and ninety nine. I Anthony Seals do now giv [sic] my Self [sic] up to the Allmighty through sound in Mind but Weak in body I do Make this my Last Will and Testimony [sic] I do here by Leav [sic] Unto My Brother Charles Seals of More [sic] County in north Carolina the Whole of my Estate Real and Pursonal [sic] and do Appoint My Friend Zach Conley of Camden my Executer And hope that he Will Act as Such. Witness"[the will ends abruptly, no signatures]

"South Carolina, Kershaw District. Personally came Col. Zachariah Canley and made Oath that he is well acquainted with the Hand writing of Anthony Seale Deceased and that he is well convinced and confidently believes that the within Instrument of writing purporting to be the will of the Deceased is in his own hand writing. At same time came George Gayden and made oath that he is well acquainted with the Hand writing of the saidDeceased and well believes that the within Instrument purporting to be his will was written by the deceased Anthony Seals. Sworn 17th April 1801"

James Muse Sr. Plantation historyresearcher25 Classification: Query Surnames: Muse, Seale, Jefferson, Sturman, Pope, Morrison James Muse Sr. and his wife, Sophia Pope, had a plantation on the Deep River in North Carolina.

Lydia Muse, a daughter of James Muse Sr. and Sophia Pope, along with her husband, Charles Seale, lived nearby.

After the death of James Muse Sr., Sophia Pope Morrison sold this plantation in 1759.

James Muse Sr. gave his daughter Lydia a slave by the name of Benjamin. Sophia Pope deeded two additional slaves to Lydia.

James Muse Sr. had three slaves according to the 1755 taxable list. James Muse Sr. paid tithes for his slave Belinda and a few additional slaves. A slave by the name of Pennallopy was deeded to James Muse Jr. by Sophia Pope.

Thomas Muse Sr. gave a slave by the name of Hannah to James Muse Sr. . Thomas' wife, Elizabeth Sturman, went to court to get Hannah back from James Muse Sr.. There also appears to be a dispute over another slave by the name of Moll, that Thomas Jefferson rendered a legal opinion about which can be read here.

http://www.loc.gov/resource/mtj1.001_0099_0102/

Witnesses: John Sims, Anthony Seal (son of Charles), Benjamin Sims.

(From page 59 Bk. "1" Deed Book, 1793-1795, Fairfield Co, Clerk of Court, Winnsboro, S.C.

Will of James Muse, Extracts, Cumberland Co. (now Moore Co.) N.C.

Deed Book Page 241 James Muse was the father-in-law of Charles Seale Sr. who married Lydia Muse.

Dated March 30, 1758

In the name of God Amen. I, JAMES MUSE, now living on Deep River in Cumberland County, Province of North Carolina, being sick and weak of body, but of sound and perfect memory......make this my last will and testament in manner and form following.….T0 MY WIFE SOPHIA, use of my estate during her natural life, after her decease, to be divided as follows: To my son James, a negro girl, with what I have given him already. To daughter LIDDY Seal, a negro named Benjamin...To son Thomas a negro girl named Nell and a young mare named Blaze, saddle, bridle, gun and case of razor and strop...To son Daniel, a negro woman named Lucy and a pair of spoon moulds...To daughter Anne a negro woman named Belinda and one bed and furniture....To daughter Anne-Barbary and the other part to be divided between my daughter Sophia Pope Runnells and her son William Seal Muse, My son Daniel to have maintenance of estate until he is fourteen years of age… James Muse

Executors, My beloved wife, my son James Muse and Charles Seal.

Witnesses Robert Dickinson, James Bain, Isaac Dickinson

Sources

1. ↑ South Carolina Archives, Columbia, South Carolina: Seale, Charles, Memorial For 150 Acres On Wateree River, Craven County. Date: 2/16/1770; Places in this record: Craven County; Sawneys Creek; Wateree River; Record details: Date: 2/16/1770; Series: Memorial books (Copy Series) (S111001); Document Type: Memorial; Images: Available at SCDAH building or by order. Archives ID: Series: S111001 Volume: 0010 Page: 00064 Item: 004
2. ↑ Prince William County, Virginia - Will Book G (1778-1791), pages 131 & 132; https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9PX-FQFB
3. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1790 United States Federal Census, Year: 1790; Census Place: Fairfield, South Carolina; Series: M637; Roll: 11; Page: 169;
4. ↑ (Charles Seale to Elias Jones, 11 September 1798; witnesses: Richd. Camble, Daniel Seale, James Seale).Fairfield District South Carolina Deed Book M (1798-1800), pp. 18-19; https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKW-V337-K
5. ↑ Fairfield County, South Carolina Deed Book M (1798-1800) pages 162 & 163; https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKW-V3QF-J
6. ↑ South Carolina Consolidated index of land transactions
7. ↑ The American Revolution in South Carolina

See Also

North Carolina, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1790-1890 Census & Voter Lists Name Charles Seals Residence 1767 - No Township Listed, Cumberland County, North Carolina

https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search_adb/?action=full&p_id=A100915 U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership] Applications, 1889-1970 Birth, Marriage & Death Name Charles Seale Birth 1734 - North Carolina Death 1798 - Fairfield, South Carolina Civil 14-Feb-62. THIS REMAINS HERE AS A REMINDER THAT THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THIS CHARLES SEALE SERVED IN THE REVOLUTION. THE RECORDS CITED ARE FOR A DIFFERENT CHARLES SEALE.

Charles Seale, "Find A Grave Index" database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/QVV5-MMCF : accessed 10 January 2016), Charles Seale, 1798; Burial, , , ,, ; Find A Grave: Memorial #30462853 THIS CONTAINS NO VALID INFORMATION OR SOURCE MATERIAL

The Seale Family, by Ida Carrie Seale (This data removed. All her research has been improved upon, but if there is interest in her data as a history of Seale research her work can be found on-line: Seale and Allied Families by Ida Carrie Seale, Second Editioin, June 1946)