John Read Spruill Jr. (abt. 1745 - abt. 1808)

Born about 1745 in Scuppernong, Tyrell County, Province of North Carolina

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah (Caswell) Spruill — married 15 Apr 1766 in Tyrrell, North Carolina

Descendants

Died about 25 Jan 1808 at about age 63 in Abbeville, Abbeville, South Carolina, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Luke Lord Kemp-St. Margaret [send private message], Vivian Shirley [send private message], Mark Basque [send private message], Barbara Currie [send private message], and Mollee Puckett [send private message]

Biography

Spelling variations: Spruell, Spruill, Spruiell, Sprewell.

John Spruill was the son of Samuel Spruill, Jr. (~1739 -- ~1766) and Elizabeth Speller. ^{[citation needed]} He was born perhaps 1748 as suggested by some. (Fits the dates for Spruill-124, but I have much more information and connections back to his great-grandfather, Dr. Godfrey Spruill.)

On 15 Apr 1766, in Tyrrell County, North Carolina, John married Sarah Currell (not Caswell), daughter of William Currell and his wife Susannah.^[1][2] Sarah must have been under the age of 16, as she needed to consent of her father to marry, which he gave in writing on 2 Apr 1766. They had the following children:^[3]

1. William Spruill, b. bet. 1761-1770; removed to DeKalb County, Georgia.
2. George Currell Spruill, b. 1768; d. 21 Apr 1835, Pickens Co., Alabama; m. Nancy Agness Donaldson.
3. Luke Spruill, b. bef. 1775; m. Sarah Currell
4. John Spruill, Jr., b. bef. 1775.
5. Simeon Spruill, b. abt. 1776.
6. Samuel Spruill, b. bet. 1776-1780.
7. Margaret "Peggy" Spruill, b. abt. 1780; d. bef. 1808.
8. Jeptha Spruill, b. abt. 1785; m. 1) Nancy Richey; 2) 7 Feb 1865, Mary F. Bell.
9. Polly Spruill, b. abt. 1786; m. 11 Mar 1812, Wilson Lamb.
10. Nancy Spruill, b. bet. 1791-1794; m. William Weldon
11. Thomas Spruill, b. abt. 1793; m. Margaret Anne Bigby.
12. Gabriel Spruill, b. abt. 1795; d. aft. 1782.
13. Sally Spruill

By 1790, the family had removed to Abbeville, South Carolina.

1790 United States Federal Census^[4]
Abbeville, South Carolina
Jno Spruill
Males und. 16: 4 [1776-1790]
Males 16 +: 3 [bef. 1775]
Females: 5

1800 United States Federal Census^[5]
Abbeville, South Carolina
John Spruiell
Males und. 10: 3 [1791-1800]
Males 10-15: 1 [1785-1790]
Males 45 +: 1 [bef. 1755]
Females und. 10: 1
Females 10-15: 2
Females 45 +: 1

It is unclear when Sarah died, but John was married to a woman named Ruth at the time he made his will on 25 Jan 1808, it was proven on 2 Feb 1808. Last Will & Testament^[6][3]
-----In the Name of God Amen: 25th of January in the year of our Lord 1808. I John Spruill in the District of Abbeville being very sick and weak of body, but of perfect mind and memory, thanks be giving to God. Knowing that this is appointed for all men once to dye. Do make and ordain this my last will and testament. This is to say principly and first of all I give and recommend my soul into the hands of God and for my body I recommend it to the earth to be buried in a Christian like manner. As as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I give divice of the same in the following manner and form, Imprimis, it is my will and I do order that all my just debts be paid and satisfied.
-----Item: I give and bequeath unto Ruth my Dear beloved wife, all her goods and chattels that she brought onto my premises when we were married also 50 acres of land lying the north side of the creek where I now live, adjoining land belonging to William Lord and the Mitchells during her life or widowhood at which time the said land is to be equally divided between my children.
-----Item: I give unto my sons Thomas and Gabriel at the end of six years a good horse to each of them, one good feather bed and furniture to each of them and one good cow a piece and what is left of my estate, it is my will that it be sold on a credit of two years and the money equally divided between my twelve (12) children. (viz). William, George, Luke, Simeon, John, Polly, Samuel, Jeptor, Nancy, Sally, Thomas, and Gabriel. Also it is my will that the lawful heirs of my daughter Peggy should have an equal share of the money that is raised out of my estate with my twelve children, (viz) Her heirs to have 1/13 of my estate.
-----I likewise constitute and appoint my son William and my son-in-law, William Weldon my only and sole executors of this my last will and testament and I do hereby utterly disallow, revoke, and disanull all and every other former will and executors by me in any wise before this time appointed and witnessed whereof I have set my hand and seal this day and date above written.
-----Signed and Sealed in Presence of:
-----Ruben Nash----------------------------------------------------John Spruill
-----George Mitchell
-----Stephen Mitchell

Inventory of his estate was made on 5 Feb 1808 by Abner Nash, William Mitchell and Moses Hughes.

Brothers: Samuel Spruill, Joseph Spruill, Steven Spruill, Simeon Spruill....

Research Notes

It is unclear where the middle name "Read" comes from in this profile. No documentation gives John a middle name or initial.

Also, profile gives parents as Samuel Spruill and Elizabeth Speller, yet attached parents are John Read Spruill, Sr. and Ann Swain. Other sources give John's father as William Spruill Jr. This needs untangling.

Sources

1. ↑ Ancestry.com. North Carolina, U.S., Marriage Records, 1741-2011 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015. Original data: North Carolina County Registers of Deeds. Microfilm. Record Group 048. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, NC. Bondsman: William Collins, Witness: Fr Ward.
2. ↑ State of North Carolina. An Index to Marriage Bonds Filed in the North Carolina State Archives. Raleigh, NC, USA: North Carolina Division of Archives and History, 1977.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Cox, Clarice S., comp. & ed. (1984). Garbiel Spruill of Carroll County Georgia, Descendants and Allied Families.
4. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1790 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: First Census of the United States, 1790 (NARA microfilm publication M637, 12 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. Year: 1790; Census Place: Abbeville, South Carolina; Series: M637; Roll: 11; Page: 464; Image: 277; Family History Library Film: 0568151.
5. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1800 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch. Original data: Second Census of the United States, 1800. NARA microfilm publication M32 (52 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. Year: 1800; Census Place: Abbeville, South Carolina; Series: M32; Roll: 47; Page: 5; Image: 15; Family History Library Film: 181422.
6. ↑ Abbeville County, South Carolina Wills Recrod No. 1, 1787-1815. p. 357.

See also:

• Spruill Genealogical Family research featured at the Spruill Arts Center website.
• North Carolina, Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868
• North Carolina, Marriage Collection, 1741-2004
• North Carolina, Marriage Collection, 1741-2004
• North Carolina, Marriage Records, 1741-2011
• U.S. Census Reconstructed Records, 1660-1820
• U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current; Burial: Turkey Creek Baptist Church Cemetery, Abbeville County, South Carolina, USA; Find A Grave: Memorial #65246258
• Web: RootsWeb Marriage Records Index
• Source: S1632480910 American Genealogical-Biographical Index (AGBI) Godfrey Memorial Library, comp. Publication: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. Record Collection 3599