John Bradley

Notes:

Following the flow of migration to the South in Virginia John Bradley came as a
young lad with his parents before 1755 to Brunswick County, Virginia, then
later moved to Granville County, North Carolina.

On 8 April 1761, John Bradley bought 270 acres of land from Richard Coleman for
54 Pounds. This land was on the "Howel's Branch of Hawtree Creek" in Granville
County, North Carolina.

On 23 February 1771, "James Walker of Granville County, to subscribers hereto
annexed, in Bute County, for goodwill, love, and affection, Deed of Gift to one
acres of land 'including the new Meeting House on Six pound Waters' for the use
of subscribers and their heirs as long as the said Meeting House shall last or
be repaored for the service of God: ...John Bradley..." This church was
located in the watershed of Sixpound Creek, just east of Hawtree Creek where
John Bradley lived.

On 7 January 1772, John Bradley mortgaged 300 acres of land in the forks of
Hawtree Creek to secure a debt (60 Pounds) that he owed Robert Turnbull of
Dinwiddie County, Virginia. This land joined the lands of James Hardwick,
William Bauthrop, and James Laughter.

To pay off the debt to Robert Turnbull on 24 June 1772, John Bradley of Bute
County, North Carolina and Robert Turnbull of Dinwiddie County, Virginia sold
300 acres of land on the Howel's Branch, Hawtree Creek for 187 Pounds 10
Shilling Stearling Virginia money to Henry Foote of Bute County, North
Carolina.

Circa 1773, John Bradley and his family migrated to Tryon County, North
Carolina from Bute County, North Carolina. They traveled on the "Indian
Trading Road" which ran from Virginia to Catawba and Cherokee Indian Nations in
western North Carolina.

On 5 October 174, John Bradley bought 280 acres of land "in the forks of Potts
Creek" from Thomas Beatty and Hugh Beaty of Rowan County, North Carolina and
Robert Armstrong of Tryon County, North Carolina, executors of Estate of
Francis Beaty, late of Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, for 50 Pounds
Proclamation money. This land joined the lands of Daniel Warleigh and _______
Sherrill.

During a period of five years after his arrival here, John Bradley purchased
100 acres of land in Rutherford County, North Carolina from Jones Williams and
400 acres of land "near Wommack's Fort" in Burke County, North Carolina.

Family tradition says John Bradley was hurt when he fell inside Fort Hampton
during the eclipse of the sun on 23 June 1778. The eclipse of the sun occurred
in western North Carolina between the hours of 10 A.M. and 12 Noon.

John Bradley left a will which was dated 23 June 1778. It is transcribed from
the original hand-written will now in North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh,
North Carolina.

"In the Name of God Amen, I John Bradley of the County of Tryon & State of
North Carolina Being at present the Weak of body yet of perfect mind and memory
praise be theretofore given to Almighty God Do make ordain constitute and
appoint this my last Will & Testament in manner & Form following That is to Say
first and Principally I Recommend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God hoping
the Merits Death and passion of Jesus Christ my Saviour to obtain Remission of
all my Sins and to inherit Everlasting life and as to my body I Leave it to the
Earth to be Decently Buried at the Discretion of my Exrs hereafter named And as
Touching the Disposition of all such Temporal Good Things as it hath pleased
Almighty God to bestow upon me on this World I leave and Bequeath them as
followeth -

"First I will that all my just Debts be payed together with all my Funeral
Charges

"Item I Leave unto my Son Thomas Bradley five Shilling Sterling to be paid out
of my Estate

"Item I Leave unto my Daughter Sara Morgan five shilling Sterling to be Levied
out of my movable Estate

"Item I Leave unto my Daughter Anne Jones five Shilling to be Levied likewise
out of my Estate

"Item I leave unto John Bradley my Son by my first wife five Shilling to be
Levied likewise out of my Estate

"Item I leave unto my Son Richard Bradley five Shillings to be Levied out of my
Estate

"Item I Leave unto my Son John Bradley Son by my Second wife five Shilling to
be Levied out of my Estate

"Item I Leave unto my Son George Walton Bradley five Shilling to be Levied out
of my Estate

"Item I Leave my Daughter Mary Bradley my Son Edward Bradley my son Isaac
Bradley my Son James Terry Bradley my Son Johnson Bradley Five Shillings
Sterling to be payed to Each of them out of my Movable Estate

"Item I Leave unto my Loving wife Mary Bradley One Hundred acres of Land being
part of the Tract of Land belonging to Jones Williams Likewise four Hundred
acres of Land Lying near Wommack's Fort in Burke County Likewise all [rest of
the line is illegible] Likewise my Negroes Wench Nan & her children Likewise
two Mares One Colt & one horse Likewise Seventeen head of Cattle Likewise
all my Household Furniture With the rest of my Estate both real & personal all
money & moneys due my Just Debts payed Which I Leave and Bequeath to my Loving
Wife Whom I appoint ordain & Constitute and as one of the executors of this my
Last Will and Testament Also Richard Ledbetter I also appoint as Executor
with her of this my Last Will & Testament hereby Revoking Disannualling and
making void all former Wills Testament Legacies or Executors by me heretofore
Make Given Granted appointed Constituted or Ordained and Ratifying
andConfirming this & this only to be my Last Will and Testament

"In Witness Whereof I have hereunto Set my hand and Seal this 23rd Day of June
Anno Domini 1778

"Signed Sealed Published ) His
& Declared by the Testator) "John X Bradley (Seal)
John Bradley as his Last ) Mark
Will & Testament before )
this witnesses )
"Jonathan Hampton
"Andw Hampton
His
"Jones X Williams
Mark

"This last Will and Testament of John Bradley was proven in the Court of Pleas
and Quarter Sessions of Tryon County, North Carolina on Tuesday, October 20,
1778. In the Court Minutes of Tryon County, North Carolina, it was "ordered
that Letters Testamentary issue to Mary Bradley, relict of the said deceased
and Rich'd Ledbetter, Exrs of said Will on said deceased's Estate, pursuant to
which Mary Bradley qualified as Executrix."

This will was probated 20 October 1778.
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Reference
"Smoky Mountain Clans, Volume 2", Donald B. Reagan, 1983, p 133-135.