Little is known about this Henry Mayo. He appeared on the 1764 tax list with John Mayo, Jr.,69 indicating that he was John's son and living at home. Few tax lists have survived, but assuming he was 21 or so in 1764, his birthdate would probably be around 1743. This was about the time John Jr. would have married and started his family. A safe assumption may be that Henry and Benjaimen Mayo, and possibly a James Mayo, were the elder sons of John Mayo, Jr. and Solomon, a younger son.
Solomon named his sons John, (perhaps after his father) James, (after his brother or uncle?) and Henry, (after his brother?). That was the usual pattern, and a third or fourth son named for the wife's father. All of this evidence seems to indicate this Henry was Solomon's older brother.
On 14 January, 1772, this Henry Mayo entered into an agreement with John Harrison of Beaufort County. This indenture provided that said Henry would work for Harrison, Mmaking tarr'" for a period of 4 years. In return for making tar, Henry would receive 50 acres of land on "the west branch about 300 yards from his house.,,70 (Whose house is not clear in the wording, nor the location of said house. Harrison owned land on the north and south side of pamlico River and it is possible that Henry moved to the north side.) This indenture was witnessed by ___ Slade and William Dixon and was proved in court by Samuel Slade. It was registered in 1772 when Henry received said land.
There is a Henry Mayo of Beaufort County listed as having participated in the Revolutionary war.71 A search for proof that this is our Henry has not been successful, but a detailed search indicated ours was the only Henry Mayo in Beaufort County at that time. Pay records for Henry Mayo were found in the North Carolina Archives in Raleigh. It is not clear in what capacity he served, whether as a soldier or in public service for the colonies. However, the records indicated he was given land in payment for service. but his heirs sold his right to a Thomas Smith. (Many veterans were given grants for land in lieu of pay for service. The land locations were in various unsettled areas to the west and some chose to sell their rights rather than move westward.)
Henry did not appear on the 1790 Federal Census. This could have been an omission or he could have died before then. There is no record of his land being sold or passed on, so at this point, your writer has reached a dead end. Beaufort County records were burned at least twice and that has hampered the search for records that could have shed light on so many things. Also, during the period of the Revolutionary War, records were hauled from place to place in boxes by horse and wagon for safe keeping. Many were lost, some were wet and ruined by rain.
