Person:James Murdock (14)

BIRTH: !!IMPORTANT!! The link between James William Murdock of OrangeCounty, NC and Robert Mordah of County Tyrone, Ireland, is notestablished and is here for my reference only. There is so far noevidence whatsoever of this relationship.

LEGAL: 1755 -- The earliest tax records of Orange County show that aJames Mordock paid tax for one white person.

LEGAL: 1757 -- On the second Tuesday in March, James Murdock's mark wasrecorded in the Inferior Court of Common Pleas held in the Court House inCorbin Town in Orange County. Recording his mark indicated that he couldnot read or write.

LEGAL: 1760 -- February 19, James Mordak received a land grant of 331acres from Lord Granville, Lord Proprietor of the Carolinas. This grantwas on both sides of the North Fork of the Little River. In the InferiorCourt of Common Pleas begun and held for the County of Orange at theCourt House in Corbin Town on the second Tuesday in November Anno Dom1760, this grant was proved in open court by William Churlton and wasordered registered.

LEGAL: 1760 -- On the second Tuesday in March in the Orange County Court,Robert Davis was appointed Overseer of the road in room of James Murdock.

LEGAL: 1761 -- The Little River Presbyterian Church was organized andJames William Murdock and wife Elizabeth were among the charter members.The first minister was Rev. Henry Patillo, who also served the Hawfieldsand Eno Churches at the same time. The first elders at Little River wereJohn Murdock and John Hall. Land for the church was given by a WilliamMurdock, perhaps James' son, and was a part of the original Murdock landgrant from Lord Granville.

LEGAL: 1762 -- November 26, James Murdock received a land grant for 192acres on the North Fork of the Little River. The yearly rent was 5shillings, 8 pence, halfpenny or 3 shillings sterling per 100 acres. Thisgrant was never formally completed, possibly because of the death of LordGranville, but, I think that James got the land.

LEGAL: 1777 -- In the November Court of Common Pleas in Orange County,James Murdock was assigned to work on the roads under Thomas Roundtree.This was the way the roads were kept in good order. Each citizen wasassigned certain areas to work on at certain times.

LEGAL: 1778 -- In the February Court of Common Pleas, James Murdock was amember of the Grand Jury.

LEGAL: 1778 -- In the May Court of Common Pleas, James Murdock was ajuror.

LEGAL: 1778 -- November 21, James and his wife, Elizabeth, deeded 120acres on the South side of the Little River to their son, John, for Ð120(pounds sterling). This land was a part of their original land grant(Orange County, NC Deed Book 2, page 8).

LEGAL: 1778 -- In the November Court of Common Pleas, the deed to Johnfrom James and Elizabeth was proved in court.

LEGAL: 1779 -- In the February Court of Common Pleas, James Murdock wasassigned to serve on the jury at the next court.

LEGAL: 1779 -- In the May Court of Common Pleas, James Murdock served asa juror.

LEGAL: 1779 -- The Orange County tax records listed the followingproperty value: James Murdock, Sr. 1,568 (pounds and shillings).

LEGAL: 1779 -- September 3, James and Elizabeth Murdaugh received a landgrant of 104 acres on the Little River adjoining their own land and thatof Thomas Bowles. The chain bearers for the survey were Joseph Allisonand J. L. Murdaugh (Sheet File No. 976, Land Grant Office, Raleigh, NC).

LEGAL: 1780 -- March 13, James Murdauch received a land grant of 100acres on the North Fork of the Little River. This land adjoined his ownproperty and that of Moses Grier. The chain bearers were James and JohnMurdauch (Sheet File No. 832, Land Grant Office, Raleigh, NC). There wasalso a deed issued for this land from the State of North Carolina (OrangeCounty, NC Deed Book 2, page 341).

LEGAL: 1785 -- In the March Court, on case No. 153 of William Logan vs.James Munro, James Murdock was on the jury.

LEGAL: 1790 -- The first Orange County Census was taken. It listed ashead of household James Murdock (Chatham District).

MARRIED: 1798 -- A marriage between Elizabeth Bowles, daughter of ThomasBowles, and ___ Mordak was recorded in the Orange County Marriage Book. Ithink this was a late recording of the marriage of James and Elizabethbut it could have been a daughter of Thomas Bowles, Jr.

WILL: 1799 -- May, the will of James Murdock was probated. He left 240acres to his wife, Elizabeth, and the remaining land to his son, William.He left his son, James, 5 shillings. His other heirs were: daughtersKetren, Ann, and Mary Behannon and grandsons David Behannon and WilliamRiggs (Orange County, NC Will Book C, page 139).