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7. Jesse Green
Marriage records for Halifax County, North Carolina for the period1780-1820 are poor to non-existent. There are no official records ofmarriage bonds for this time. Such records that exist have been compiledfrom lists of tax receipts from the issuance of the marriage bond. So,proving the parentage of Elijah H. Green has not been a simple matter.That having been said, there is considerable circumstantial evidencewhich points to Jesse Green as the father of Elijah Hillman Green. Thebasic reasoning for this theory is set forth in the notes for ElijahHillman Green.
Although the only recorded marriage for Jesse was in 1818 to Sarah"Sally" Shearin, he was probably married before that, a union thatresulted in the birth of Elijah Hillman Green in 1812. If so, theearlier marriage was probably performed in the Ebeneezer Methodist Churchin which Jesse's father, George Green, Sr., was quite active. Churchweddings at that time did not require either a marriage bond or alicense. Jesse and Sarah Green's first child, William D. Green, was notborn until 1821. Yet the 1820 census for Halifax County, North Carolinashows that there was a boy of less than ten years old living in Jesse'shousehold, probably Elijah.
On February 20, 1817, George Green, Sr., gave his son Jesse 120 acres ofland on the waters of Marsh Swamp, joining James Hux, Janes C. Faucett,Thicket Swamp, Isbell Poplar Branch and Chappell Branch. In the deed,George reserved the right to take timber from the land and stipulatedthat the land was not to be sold during his, George's, lifetime. It waswitnessed by Goodman Neville and Thomas Neville and filed in the May termof court 1817 (Halifax Co. NC DB-24, p. 66). On May 17, 1817, JesseGreen and Jack Neville witnessed a deed from Benjamin Neville, father ofThomas R. Neville, transferring 100 acres on the East side of BeaverdamSwamp joining Jesse Neville, Jr. and Goodman Green.
Jesse Green's first wife, the mother of Elijah H. Green, died sometimebefore July 1818 for in that month he married Sarah (Sally) Shearin.Thomas R. Neville, father of Malissa Neville, signed the marriage bond.The 1820 census for Halifax County, North Carolina shows the Jesse Greenhousehold with one male age 0-10, one 26-45, one female 26-45 and twoslaves. He is in household #149 and in the next household, #150, isJesse Hillman, likely the father of Jesse Green's first wife.
Some neighboring householders connected to the Green and Hillman familiesshown by the 1820 census are::
HOUSEHOLD #
Jesse Green, father (?) of Elijah Hillman Green -#149 Jesse Hillman,grandfather (?) of Elijah Hillman Green -#150
Jacob Dicken who married Jesse Green's widow -#146
Benjamin Perkins who married Jacob Dicken's and Jesse Green's widow -#160
Thomas R. Nevill, father of Malissa Neville, wife of E. H. Green -#158
Benjamin Nevill, father of Thomas R. Neville -#159
Dempsey Pittman, brother of Temperance Hillman, wife of Jesse Hillman#162Jesse Green died without a will sometime before 1826. On December 12 ofthat year his widow married Jacob Dicken. In his will, made in 1843,George Green, Sr. specified that the proceeds from the sale of Jesse'sland and other wedding gifts he had given to him were to be divided amongJesse's heirs.
Although there is circumstantial evidence that Jesse Green may be thefather of Elijah Hillman Green, a deed concerning a guardian bond, signedby Ransom M. Shearin dated November 15, 1830, for the heirs of JesseGreen creates doubt about this theory (Halifax Co., NC DB-28, p. 199).The deed relating to the bond states that Jesse Green is deceased and hisorphans are Lemuel, William, Martha and Sarah Green. Elijah H. Green isnot named. But as Jesse's son by an earlier marriage, it is likely thatElijah has become the ward of someone related to him through that firstmarriage, perhaps Thomas R. and Sarah Green Neville, the parents ofMalissa Neville, Elijah H. Green's future wife. Sarah Green Neville wasJesse's sister and Elijah Green named his first daughter Sarah, perhapsin her honor. It is interesting to note that Thomas R. Neville providedsecurity for Ransom Shearin's bond.
Note: There is no direct proof, only circumstantial evidence, that adaughter of Jesse and Temperance Hillman was the mother of Elijah HillmanGreen.
Thomas R. Neville, father of Malissa Neville, signed a bond for SarahShearin's marriage to Jesse Green. Jesse Green died sometime beforeDecember 1826. By February 1829 Ransom Shearin had become guardian offour Green orphans, Martha, William, Sarah and Lemuel ("Records ofEstates of Halifax Co., NC, Vol. II", David B. Gammon, p. 32).
After the death of her first husband, Jesse Green, Sarah Shearin Greenmarried twice. First, to Jacob Dicken on December 18, 1826 and then toBenjamin Perkins sometime before May 1843. In the February 1835 sessionof the Halifax court, Sarah Shearin was allotted dower as the wife of thedeceased Jesse Green (op. cit., p. 32). Why the delay of at least nineyears in granting her dower rights is a mystery. Jacob Dicken diedsometime before Febraury 14, 1837 when the Halifax court made a divisionof his slaves between his heirs (Gammon, Vol. III, p. 20).
The 1850 census for Halifax County, NC shows her at age 54, Eliza 20,Frances 19, George Hammel 13, John 11 and a Polly Gardner age 50.
On December 1, 1848, Sarah Green Dickens Perkins bought 111 acres fromWilliam D. Green, her son by Jesse Green. Adjoining landowners wereElisha Green, James Hux, James Parker and others. The land was to begiven by Sarah to her daughter and son-in-law, Martha and Thomas A. Minga.
Sarah Green Nevill was a daughter of George Green, Sr. and the mother ofMalissa Eunice Nevill who became the wife of Elijah H. Green. SinceSarah Green Neville was a sister of Jesse Green, this would mean thatElijah H. Green married his first cousin, not unusual in those days.
Sarah T. Nevill made her will in Halifax County, North Carolina on April25, 1882 and it was probated in the August 1883 term of court (HalifaxCo., NC WB-6, p. 305) .
From what I have been told by Nevill/Neville researchers, "Nevill" is thepreferred spelling for the family surname.
Thomas R. Nevill was a prominent planter in the Heathsville area ofHalifax County, North Carolina. His family was closely involved with theGreen family during the first half of the 1800s. Both he and his brother,James, married daughters of George Green, Sr., Thomas to Sarah and Jamesto Nancy.
He was bondsman for the marriage of Jesse Green, son of George Green,Sr., and Sarah Shearin in 1818 and, four years later, for the marriage ofJesse's brother, George Green, Jr., to Temperance Hart. And afterJesse's death he provided security in 1829 for the guardian bond put upby Ransom Shearin involving Jesse's orphan children, Lemuel, William,Sarah and Martha Green.
These and other factors suggest that Thomas and Sarah Green Nevill, whomarried in about 1815, took Elijah H. Green into their household afterthe death of Jesse Green, Elijah's father. This would have occurredsometime between 1818 when Jesse married Sarah Shearin and his death,before Sarah's remarriage in 1826. The 1830 Halifax County census forthe Thomas Nevill household shows a male age 20-30, close to Elijah's agewho was born in 1812.
37. Drury A. Nevill
Drury Nevill's grandfather, Benjamin Neville, was very close to theCharles Drury family of Halifax County, North Carolina, signing as awitness for several of his land transactions. Drury Nevill was probablynamed for this family.
Benjamin Nevill's will left Drury A. Nevill a tract of land that Benjaminpurchased from Alexander McCullock. The will also gave him "one Negroman, Gabriel, also my gig and harness".
The 1850 census lists Drury and Albert Nevill as carpenters and living inthe same household in Tulip. "The Romance of Tulip Ridge", an account ofthe early history of Tulip, says that : "The carpenter brothers, A. G.and Drury Neville had their shoppe in town, along with Boza's saddlerybusiness".
Drury Nevill made his will on May 12, 1879 and made George Willis Greenexecutor. Under the will he left fifty dollars to Martha Green, the wifeof Elijah H. Green, "for the kindness she shown during my sickness." Heleft one half of his estate to L. H. Bulock. The remaining half was tobe divided between J. A. Green, S. Y. Delamar, W. O. Looney, S. D. Greenand George W. Green.
There is no record that Drury Nevill ever married.
39. Albert Nevill
The will of his grandfather, Benjamin Neville, gave Albert Neville "thetract of land that I (Benjamin) purchased from Alexander McCullock."
On May 20, 1841, Albert G. Neville and his father, Thomas R. Neville,sold 304 acres of land in "Burnt Coat Swamp" to Henry W. Shearin for$456. Perhaps that was in preparation for migrating to Arkansas which heand his brother Drury did soon thereafter. Albert G. Neville and hisbrother Drury came to Arkansas at about the same time, the Fall of 1845,as Elijah Hilmon Green and his children, perhaps with the same wagontrain. Their sister, Malissa Neville Green, died in Tennessee enroute toArkansas.
The 1850 Dallas County, Arkansas census shows Drury and Albert ascarpenters living in the same household in Tulip. And, "The Romance ofTulip Ridge", a history of early days in Tulip, relates that: "Thecarpenter brothers, A. G. and Drury Neville had their shoppe in town,along with Boza's saddlery business."
When George Green, Junior married Temperance Hart in 1822, Thomas R.Neville future father-in-law to Elijah Hillman Green, signed the marriagebond.
The 1830 census for Halifax County, North Carolina shows that GeorgeGreen, Junior's household consisted of a boy less than 5, two girls 5 to10, George at 30 to 40, his wife aged 20 to 30 and one female slave 10 to24.
After George Green died, an agreement was reached among his heirs for thesale of his land.
13. Lucretia Green
Lucretia Green was the daughter of George Green, Sr. and a sister toJesse Green, father of Elijah Hillman Green.
In February 1851, the Halifax County court appointed Fred N. McWilliamsguardian of the minor orphans of Egbert Lewis by his first wife, LucretiaGreen. The children named were Robert B., Jesse A., and Melissa J. Lewis("Records of Estates of Halifax County, North Carolina, Vol. III" byDavid B. Gammon, p. 45). It is likely that Jesse was named for hisbrother-in-law, Jesse Green, and Melissa for Malissa Nevill, the youngwife of Elijah Hillman Green.
Elisha Pittman Green married two sisters, first to Elizabeth Hawkins and,after her death, Martha Hawkins.