Person:Jeremiah Stark (17)

Miller County Website: http://www.stormloader.com/kvernon/10stark.htm

Will of Jeremiah Stark

Jeremiah spent his early youth in Stafford County, Virginia, being nineteen years of age when his family immigrated to South Carolina. They settled on Gilders Creek, tributary of Enoree, as per this portion of old 96th District that became Newberry County.

The Kings Creek Meeting House provided a place where neighbors worshipped and socialized, Kings Creek getting its name from Charles King an early settler. There, Jeremiah Stark met and married Mary King, eligible daughter of Charles King and Charity Pennington. Jeremiah's older brother, Thomas Jr., had married Ruth King, sister of Mary. The entire family connection was active in the struggle of the Colonies against Great Britain.

The Stark brothers' father in law, Charles King, was a member of the First provincial Congress of South Carolina, and later became a Captain in the army. Both sons in law, Thomas Jr. and Jeremiah joined up, Thomas becoming a Captain and Jeremiah, a Lieutenant. Later, Jeremiah received a grant of land on Gilders Creek. As stated, neither Jeremiah nor his brother Thomas Jr. followed their father Thomas Stark to Tennessee. Thomas Jr.'s accidental death in 1805 is reported in "Annals of Newberry": After purchasing a pound of gunpowder in Newberry Village, then imbibing too much, he fell asleep in front of a fireplace at the Inn, a spark igniting the gun powder. Jeremiah lived out a good span, for those early times, after removing his large family to Abbeville District, the adjacent county to the west. There, he died May 18, 1824. The following were the children of Jeremiah Stark and Mary King: (1) Charles, b. Feb. 4, 1774; (2) James, b. Nov. 26, 1775; (3) Naomi, b. Feb. 4, 1778; (4) Phoebe, b. August 20, 1780; (5) Leah, b. April 20, 1783; (6) Charity; (7) Rachel, b. March 15, 1788; (8) Mary, b. Feb. 8, 1795; (9) Ruth, b. March 5, 1798; (10) Lydia. Jeremiah Stark left the following will:

In the name of God, Amen. I, Jeremiah Stark, of the State of South Carolina

and District of Abbeville, being of sound and disposing mind and memory, but weak

in body, and calling to mind the uncertainty of life, and being desirus to dispose

of all such worldly Estate as it hath pleased God to bless me with, do make and

ordain this my last will, manner following that is to say: after my decease

and all my debts and funeral expenses be paid, I give to my beloved wife Mary

Stark one Negro woman named Sarah and one Negro Man named Samson, one Sorrell

Mare and her saddle, two cows and one bed and furniture, one spinning wheel

and cards with her clothing for and during the term of her natural life, and after

her decease I give the above named Sarah to my son Charles Stark. Then I desire

that my Executor hereinafter named may sell the above named Samson and all that

may Remain with my wife after her decease and the moneys arising from said sails

to be Equally devided amongst all my children. All the rest of my Estate both

real and personal of what nature or quality soever it may be not herein before

particularly disposed of I desire may be sold and the Moneys arising from the

sails thereof may be Equally divided amongst all my children, and I give the same

to them their heirs, Executors and Administrators and assigns forever and lastly

I do constitute and appoint my son Charles Stark Executor of this my last will

and testament by me heretofore made in testimony where I have here unto set my

hand and affixed my seal this the twenty third day of February in the year of

our Lord one thousand and Eight hundred and twenty four. ~

Jeremiah Stark (SEAL)

Signed sealed published and declared

as and for the last will and testament

of the above named Jeremiah Stark

in the presence of us William C. Cozly,

Elijah Hunt and Robert Cozly. (Will filed and recorded June 7, 1824.

Ordinaries Office, Abbeville District.)"

The widow, Mary King Stark, lived until 1827 when the Jeremiah Stark Estate

shows distribution of monies from sale of Negroes and other assets. The two

children to become my ancestors James Stark was paid $206.00 and "Charity Vernon"

paid $218.00, both on November 29, 1827 long after they had settled in far-away

Missouri. Other legacies paid were: James Neil $211.12, Thomas Oliver and

John R. Cain $422.24, Bannister Allen $211.12, Samuel Jones $206.74, Benjamin

Osborn $216.00, Thomas Smith $303.00. (The daughters' legacies paid in name of husband)

More About JEREMIAH STARK:

Fact 1: Lt. in Rev. War

Fact 2: left will

from 1779 Census The Old "Ninety-Six" District of South Carolina was created (original) in 1769 and was abolished in 1798. (The 96th Dist. from 1785 to 1798 consisted of present day Union Co.)

It consisted of (present-day) Abbeville Co. (formed 1785) Part of Abbeville Co. to Greenwood Co. (formed 1897) Part of Abbeville Co. to McCormick Co. (formed 1916) Edgefield Co. (formed 1785) Part of Edgefield to Aiken Co. (formed 1871) Part of Edgefield to Greenwood Co. (formed 1897) Part of Edgefield to Saluda Co. (formed 1896) Laurens Co. (formed 1785) Newberry Co. (formed 1785) Spartanburg Co. (formed 1785) Part of Spartbg. Co. to Cherokee Co. (formed 1897) Union Co. (formed 1798) Part of Union. Co. to Cherokee Co. (formed 1897)

The following is a list of 2,154 "Residents" of this large Ninety-Six Dist. S362 STARK Jeremiah 1779 Old 96th D SC No Twp. Listed S362 STARK Robert 1779 Old 96th D SC No Twp. Listed S362 STARK Thomas 1779 Old 96th D SC No Twp. Listed