Person:John Rasberry (12)

Know all men by these presents that I John Early of North Carolina living in the County of Albermarle & in the Precinct of Chowan for and in consideration of the sum of half pound current money of North Carolina to me in hand paid by John Rasberry hatter living in the above County & in the Precinct of Chowan at and before the sealing and delivery of these presents wherewith I confess myself to be fully satisfied contended and paid have bargained & sold and by these presents do fully clearly and absolutely bargain & deed unto the said John Rasberry a certain parcel of land containing two hundred acres of land plantation thereon houses orchard fencing & all that is belonging to the said two hundred acres of land lying upon Chowan River betwixt John Hales land and Thomas Daniel to have and to hold the above said two hundred acres of land all appurtenances belonging thereon to the above said John Rasberry his heirs ex'ors adm'trs or assigns to him & them forever from me my heirs ex'ors adm'trs or assigns and every one of us or whosoever shall come after me & against all people who shall and will warrant acquit and forever defend by these presents given from under my hand and seal the 16th day of April in the Reign of Sovereign Lady Queen Ann Anno Domi 1711. Signed sealed and Delivered in the presence of George Smith and John Hale. Signed (his mark) John Early.
Edna's REMARKS: This John, who will be John (No.5) suddenly appears at Edenton on 16 April 1711, as if from out of nowhere. No records prior to that date have been found in any of the four precincts of Albermarle County with the Rasberry name. John is a "hatter", which means he made hats. Evidently, the hat making industry was so successful in the Colonies that 21 years later (in 1723) the Hat Act was passed by England's Parliament which prohibited intercolonial trade in hats, restricted their manufacture, and only permitted the hat makers two apprentices. Hats, in that area and early day, were made from skins and furs of deer, raccoon and beaver. Shoes, gloves, leggings, robes, bed covering all were made from bearskins and lanterns and powder horns from buffalo horns. Oil was made from bear's fat and candles from deer tallow.This John could be a descendant from one of the four preceding Johns or, he could have just arrived at Edenton from England. Only additional records will help us on this.

This Indenture made ye twenty eighth day of September Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred & thirteen know all men by these presents that I John Rasberry Sen ye Governor of North Carolina do hereby bargain sell & deliver unto Joseph Godwin of ye Isle of Wight County in Virginia him his heirs & assigns a certain parcel of land containing seventy five acres of land more or less with ye plantation thereunto belonging with all wod and underwood & bound being as follows Beginning at a small spring branch coming out of Boones Branch at a Spanish Oake from thence to a pine a corner tree from thence to a white oake from thence to a Hickory from thence to a gum in Boones Branch a corner tree south downe Boones Branch to ye first station. To have & to hold use occupy and possess ye aforesaid land & plantation forever with all rights & privileges whatsoever with warranty of the same from me my heirs executors and any other person or persons whatsoever unto Joseph Godwin aforesaid him his heirs executors assigns and further I do hereby acknowledge myself to be fully paid and satisfied for the aforesaid land & plantation with all housing orchard and fencing ye unto belonging of the aforesaid land & plantation & further I the aforesaid John Rasberry & as aforesaid do hereby acknowledge ourselves bound to defend ye right & title of the aforesaid land & plantation unto Joseph Godwin as aforesaid his heirs & as aforesaid from ye claims or claim of a persons or person whatsoever as now given under my hand & seale ye day and date above written.
Signed Sealed & Delivered
Joshua Turner
his Robert Little
John Rasberry
Wm. Harvette (?)
mark
John Rasberry came into court presented & acknowledged ye within deed to Joseph Godwin & it is admitted to record. At a Court held for Isle of Wight County the 28th day of Sept. 1713. _____(?) Lightfoot, Clerk"
The term "Governor" is chiefly British colloquial: meaning a master or employer, or one's father. There is only one of these that fit and that is employer. John was a hatter, and he hired people to help him make hats, thus "Governor.
Edna's REMARKS: Of prime importance, John (No.5), calls himself "Sen." (Senior) which of course, means there is a John Junior as of 28th Sept. 1713.

North Carolina know ye that I John Rasbuary being sick and weake in body but of perfect mind and momory thanks be given to God for the same Do make this my Last Will in manner and form following Revokeing all former wills made by me first of all I Commit my Soul to the Lord and my Body to the Earth from whence it was to be Desently Buried at the Descresion of my Executors here after named Secondly my will is that all my Just Debts and funeral Charges be fully paid and Contented.
A. Item: I give and bequeth unto my son William Rasbuary the Land and Plantation where he now lives being all Ready Laid of to his and his heirs forever.
B. Item: I also give and bequeth unto my son Thomas Yaets a piece of land beginning at Pine Standing in the White Oak Meddow / Running a Long a Line of marked trees to the Spring Branch / Down the Sd Branch to the White Oak / Down the White Oak to Wm. Hoseas Line / Up the line to the first Station to him and his heirs forever.
C. Item: I also give and bequeth unto my son Arthur Pinner the Land and Plantation where he now lives on beginning at Wm. Rasbuary's Line Running up the Sypres to the head from thence to Charles Jones Line / a Long the Sd Line to the Main Swamp / a Long the main Swamp to Wm. Rasbuarys Line to the first Station to him and his heirs forever.
D. Item: I give and bequeth unto my Granson John Rasbuary the Land of Wm. Rasbuary the Plantation where Arthur Pinner did Live called the quarter and all the Land Belonging to it to him and his heirs forever excepting my wife to have the use of it during her life and then to return to him as before the said John Rasbuary.
E. Item: I give and bequeth unto my Daughter Rebekah Pinner one Negro woman called Judah to her and the heirs of her body lawfuly begotin excepting my wife to have the service of her during her life and then to return to her as before said.
F. Item: I give and bequeth unto my daughter Bridgit Yaits one Negro child called (Nancy?) to her and her heirs forever lawfully begotin of her body ecepting my wife to have the use of it during her life and then to return to her as before said.
G. Item: I give and bequeth unto my daughter Elizabeth Williams all the rights and title I have onto a Negro girl called Cait excepting my gran daughter Mary Nicholes Rasbuary the daughter of Christian Rasbuary to have the first live (born?) child that she the sd. Negro Cait shall bring and to be well looked after till it (grows?) two years old to her and her heirs forever.
H. Item: I give and bequeth unto my three daughters Ann Beveler, Mary Unkers, and Christian Loid a Bible a Peace.
I. Item: I give and bequeth unto my Son John John Rasbuary the Plantation where I now live and all the Land there unto belonging.
J. Item: My Will is that all my (Negros?) good Chetils and Credits my well beloved wife shall have the use of it during her life and after her Deseas to be Equally devided betwixt William Rasbuary, Elizabeth Williams, Bredgit Yaits and Rebeckah Pinner and John Rasbuary and my Will is that any one of my Children that shall go to make my will void in law shall be cut off from all their former gifts and have only a Bible.
I do appoint and ordain my well beloved wife Bredgit Rasbuary, William Hosea and William Rasbuary my whole and Soul Exectrs of this my Last Will and Testament and my estate to be devided by my exectrs signed sealed and delivered in the presents of us. September 11, 1749
Isaac Hill, Edward Williams, John Rasbuary.