Source: http://pamiller.net/genealogy/narr/tranquility/index.htm
Timestamp: 2019-04-21 09:06:49+00:00

Document:
more about the 4th generation division (and later rejoining); more slave records.
Introduction: After initially publishing some information on Tranquility, I came to realize that I had enough records about Chesley and Judith Daniel to expand the page to cover their lives and more of the later history of Tranquility. I am also very grateful to direct descendants, Bill Seay, Nathaniel V. Daniel, Ed Morton, and John Sheftall who have also provided much interesting firsthand information about Tranquility.
NEW: A new document has been provided by John Sheftall; it is a listing of birth and death info for Chesley and Judith and their children, originally made by Woodson Daniel and later copied by his daughter in about 1850-52. For a fuller description of the document see the source section below. I am giving the information from this paper, using the wording as given, the names and info are in bold italic.
Of the signatures above, Woodson was Chesley's son and inherited part of Tranquility, but he is an uncle to the branch that remained at Tranquility after Chesley died. James. B. Daniel was an heir and recipient of Tranquility lands, but his brother Nathaniel C. Daniel and wife Anne H. Bullock are the ones who remained there. That is to say, the signatures do not reflect a direct Tranquility line from Chesley, but a generational one.
Chesley Daniel was born on 16 Jan 1730/1 in Middlesex VA, the son of James Daniel and Jane Hicks. His birth is listed in the Christ Church Parish Register as "Chickeley Son of James & Jane Daniel born Janry ye 16. baptized Janry ye 31. 1730." He was the grandson of Robert Daniel and Margaret Price, and great grandson of William Daniel of Middlesex and his first wife and of Robert and Jane Price. Chesley lived early on in Middlesex, and then the family moved to Albemarle; his parents sold their land in Middlesex in May 1735 and bought land in November that year in Goochland County, which would shortly be cut into Albemarle, and is today in northern Buckingham County. So it's possible Chesley was 4-5 years old when they moved. They lived on the Fluvanna River right across from the "Seven Islands", some of which James had also bought.
In the late 1740s father James began land acquisitions by patent in Lunenburg County in order to "set his sons up". Two of those tracts were for 400 and 469 acres. Chesley moved down to these lands and his first appearance in the records is on 19 June 1747 when he witnessed a deed from Peter King, late of Lunenburg, to "James Daniel of Albemarle". This was for 340 acres on the Sta(u)nton River and the deed was proved on 3 October 1749. The other witnesses were Andrew Wade, David Duglis, John (x) Wade. James would later sell this land to James Cocke in 1752. On 12 July of 1750 Chesley, along with Michl. Smith and David Wade, witnessed a deed from Howard and Ruth Cash to Jer. Wade for land on Thrasher's Creek.
Gloster and Newman were slaves that Chesley would ultimately inherit from his father James in 1761, and I believe Bob and Dover [possibly a misspelling or misreading for David] were part of the division of slaves from James' estate.
Chesley was again a witness, with Edmund and William Taylor, on a deed from Zachariah Baker and his wife Jean to James Cocke for land in Lunenburg on the north side of the Roanoake River on Butchers Creek. This deed was written on 3 April 1759 and proved on 3 July 1759.
Lunenburg Court Order Book 6 p. 24 shows that on 4 Sep 1759 "Chesley Daniel is appointed Surveyor of the road lately cleared by him and it is ordered, that he together with this [sic] own, Leonard Daniel's and John Johnson's Male Laboring Tithables do keep the same in repair according to Law."
Later, at the February Court of 1760, an indenture from James Stephens to Chisley Daniel was recorded (Court Order Book 5-52b, I don't yet have the details of this transaction, but it possibly has to do with the 400 acres Stephens had sold to Chesley's father James; Chesley later sells this 400 acres). Also in this year David Garland, Geo Walton, and Chisley Daniel witnessed a deed, recorded in deed book 6 p. 56 on 6 May 1760, from Richard Coleman of Cumberland Parish, Lunenburg to William Gordon of same of the 2nd part, and Martha Coleman, Martha Vicars, Lucy and Jean Coleman of same for the 3rd part, for natural love and affection, for slaves and household, stock, intednded for the use of Martha Coleman, Martha Vicars, Lucy and Jean Coleman, "provided always that William Gordon may sell any part of the Negroes, household furniture, and stock in order to pay the debts of the said Richard Coleman". This is basically a deed of trust to care for Richard Coleman's daughters.
Chesley's mother Jane (Hicks) Daniel died sometime before October 1760 when his father wrote his will. I believe her last child was born around 1752-53, but that is calculated: my analysis and theory about the birth dates of her children can be read here. When she died, Chesley inherited slaves by entail that had been bequeathed to her in the 1713 will of Richard Hicks. There is more on these slaves and their descendants in 1798.
Father James Daniel did spend time in Lunenburg, but he remained "of Albemarle" when he wrote his will on 30 October 1760. It was proved on 12 February 1761. It says, "I give and bequeath unto my son Chisley Daniel my tract of land in Lunenburg County on Roanoke River as I bought of Walter Campbell to him and his heirs forever. Later it says, "I give and bequeath to my son Chisley Daniel four negroes to-wit: Gloster, Numman, Annica, Alice, which are now delivered to him and his heirs forever." And then, "Lastly, I appoint Chisley Daniel, Abraham Daniel, and Leonard Daniel executors to this my last will and testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 30th day of October one thousand seven hundred and sixty."
The land referred to is actually the 869 acres James had patented, as Chesley describes when he sells the tracts. There are no deeds from a Campbell to a Daniel, and the only grant to a Walter Campbell was for 265 acres in another part of Lunenburg. He was perhaps simply the previous entrant of the land that James patented.
Jane & Judith Daniel were born the 12th Nov 1760. Jane died --- Oct. 1814 at Springfield, Granville.
On 12 February 1761 Chisley Daniel, Abraham Daniel, & Leonard Daniel had their father's will proved in the Albemarle court; separate inventories were made and returned for property in both Albemarle and Lunenburg counties.
Another brother of Chesley, Josiah was provided for in the will to buy land from John Robinson. This purchase took place on 6 Jul 1761 as shown in deed book 7 p. 225. "Chasley" Daniel, Sherwood Bugg, and Daniel Johnson were witnesses. It was for 400 acres on the "South Side of Roanoak River on Nutbush Creek". Josiah had just turned 18 at the time.
Later that year, Chesley's brother Leonard died in Lunenburg. Chesley served as his administrator as shown in Lunenburg Will Book 2 p. 48-49, his inventory was in September of 1761 and the return of the sales was on 7 December of 1762 [hard to read]. At the sale Chisley bought 3 Dear Skins, brother Abraham bought "2 fine horses", brother Josiah bought "1 Bed & furniture 6 chairs, 112 lb of Nut port, 1 parsil of hoggs, 1 parcil of apple trees 4 boles, 1 coate 1 table, 1 pr wedges 1pr of lether britches, 2 Old ax's 2 grubing hoes, some coin." During the year of 1762 Chesley also paid out monies to Leonard's creditors.
Martha Daniel was born the 24th Feby 1763. Died in Abbeville District So Ca, time of death not known.
Later that year Chesley added to his 869 acres when he patented 200 acres (on 30 August 1763); the land was on the south side of the Roanoke, bounding Jno. Gilliam and Jas. Stephens, as shown in Patent Book 35 p. 391.
Egbert Haywood, Sarah Haywood his wife, John Hardy and Deborah Hardy his wife, all of Hallifax [NC] to Chisley Daniel of Lunenburg VA, for £500, 1250 acres in Granville, on both sides of Mountain Creek, bounding Phillip Pryor's line, Edward Robert's line. [There is no signature for John Hardy, but yes for the others.] Witnesses: Markham Ware, Wm Branch, Chris Dudley. Written 1 Feb 1764, recorded 18 Oct 1769, followed by the wives' relinquishments.
Bill Seay, a descendant of Chesley's has visited and provided the exact location of Tranquility, northeast of Satterwhite on Highway 96. The original house location and the cemetery are marked below in red and purple respectively. The George Bullock Daniel home (4th generation owner of part of the original Tranquility, see later) is a bit northeast of the highway, I hope to get an exact location to mark some day.
Tranquility was made up of a 640 acre grant to John Haywood, and another 610 acre land to his son Egbert. Among Bill Seay's family papers is also a copy of the original grant for the 640 acres, along with a survey and plat of the acreage. The plat is shown here and I believe, based on the curve of the creek compared to topo maps, that this 640 acres includes the house in the southwest corner area marked "d".
November 10, 1752. Survey'd for Mr John Hayood Junr, 640 Acres of Land according to the above plan lying in Granville County & on both sides of Mountain Creek, begining at a poplar standing on a Branch at the Let'r a, thence runing N 444 pole to a Hickory at b, thence W 230 1/2 pole to a White Oak at c, thence S 444 pole to a Black Oak at d, thence E. to the begin'g.
John Earl of Granville to Egbert Haywood of Edgcomb [sic] planter 28 Oct 1758, 10sh and the Rent Covenants, 610a in parish of Saint John in Granville on the head of Mountain Creek, beginning at Haywood's corner a Poplar on a branch, thence runs by his line N 444p to his corner a Hicory, thence S 15E 276p to a White Oak, thence S 340p to a Black Jack, then W 424p to a Black Jack in Phillip Pryor's oline, thence by his line N 222p to a White Oak in Edwd Roberts' line, thence by his line E 124p to a White Oak, thence by Haywood's line S 62p to his corner a Black Oak, thence by his other line East crossing said Creek to the beginning. Yielding and paying therefore yearly and every year unto the said John Earl Granville his heir or assigns the yearly rent of 24sh and 5 pence which is at the rate of 3sh for every 100a. Granvill by Fran's Corbin, Josh'a Bodley. ackn 28 Oct 1758 .
That Chesley and Judith had finally moved down to Granville county is shown in the Lunenburg court order books on 9 August 1764, p. 129: "John Johnson is appointed Surveyor of the Road in the room of Chesley Daniel from Kings road to the Country [sic] line and it is Ordered that he have the hands of Josiah Daniel, James Kidd, Miles Johnson, Joseph Michaux, John Stephens & Thomas Stephens to work on the said Road and keep it in repair according to Law."
Lunenburg Deed Book 10 p. 26 dower release recorded 8 Nov 1764, order 9 Aug 1764 to Edmund Taylor, Robert Hanford? & John Camp; Chesly and Judith Woodson of Lunenburg to Jacob Michaux, had sold land on 6 Feb 1764, 1069a fee simple..."and whereas the said Judith Cannot Conveniently Travel to our County court of Lunenburgh to make acknowledgement of the said Conveyance therefore we do give unto you or any two of you ful [sic] Power to receive the acknowledgment which the said Judith shall be willing to make before you of the Conveyance aforesaid contained in the said Indenture which is hereunto annexed and we do therefore command you that you Personally go to the said Judith & receive her acknowledgment of the same and examine her privily & apart from the said Chesley her Husband whether she doth the same freely and voluntarily withouth the" ...threat...[more than usual about her freely relinquishing].... On 6 September 1764 Edmund Taylor and John Camp wrote and certified that she relinquished.
Granville Deed Book G p. 256 shows that "Chislup" Daniel [sic in abstract] was a witness on 15 August 1764, for Richard Roberts' deed to James Walker, both of Granv, for land on the branches of Grassey Creek, Mountain Branch, in Isham Malone's line.
James Daniel was born the 16th Jany 1765. Died in Mecklinburg Va 8th Sepr 1841.
James' first entry on the tax lists is in 1786 as it should be.
Chesley was named as a bound in a deed from Richard and Mary Briggs of Granville to Egbert Haywood of Halifax, executed on 2 Aug 1766. The deed was for 80 acres, part of the tract of land the Richard and Mary formerly lived upon which was now conveyed to Maj. Phillip Pryor, lying in Granville and bound on the South side by his road as it now runs, on the East side by Thomas Person's line on the North side, Chisley Daniel's on the West, Phillip Pryor's line, which land the said Briggs obtained by a deed or grant from the honourable Erle of Granville Esqr, and agen[t]. bearing date 9 Mar 1761. The deed was witnessed by Chisley Daniel, David Knott, and Joseph Miller, and Chisley proved at August 1766 court. (Granville DBH-127). This description is in line as far as bound names with previous land deeds.
Mary Daniel was born the 22nd Feby 1767. Died near Henderson in Kentucky.
Chesley was involved with the founding of the Presbyterian Church in his area of Granville as shown by this deed; the grantees in this type of deed were usually the trustees or wardens of the church involved.
The Presbyterian Church referred to in deed H335 could be the one described in these excerpts from William Henry Foote about the Presbyterian Church in North Carolina (1846). Also note the names here and in deed H335 above.
Colonel James Smith, of Tennessee, an emigrant from North Carolina, and son of Colonel Samuel Smith, one of the founders of Grassy Creek church, in Granville county, in a letter to Dr. Alexander Wilson, of Caldwell Institute, says, "some time between 1755 and 1760, Samuel Bell, with his brothers and son-in-law, Donnell, removed from Pennsylvania, and settled in the forks of Hico.
In the year 1780, Mr. Pattillo became the pastor of Nutbush and Grassy Creek, in Granville county, and gave to them his last labors, ripened by age and experience. These two congregations were composed at first of emigrants from Hanover, New Kent, and King and Queen, in Virginia, converts under the preaching of Rev. Samuel Davies and his coadjutors. Howel Lewis, Daniel Grant, and Samuel Smith, were the leading persons in Grassy Creek. Mr. Lindsey, Mr. Simms and Mrs. Gilliam, the leading ones in Nutbush.
It is the tradition that the first sacramental occasion held by Presbyterians in Granville was in 1763, by William Tennant, Jun. By order of the Synod of New York and Philadelphia the Presbytery of New Brunswick ordained him for a southern mission in 1762. His reasons for not going that year were sustained. He made a visit the next year, 1763, in obedience to the direction of Synod--"to go and supply in the bounds, and under the direction of Hanover Presbytery six months at least." The place in which the ordinance was administered was an unoccupied house belonging to Howel Lewis, about one mile and a half from where Grassy Creek Church now stands. The congregations were, it is said, regularly organized by Mr. James Criswell, who was licensed by Hanover Presbytery in 1765, and supplied these congregations for some years. Mr. Pattillo was his successor.
Daniel Entries in the Tax Lists of Granville County, North Carolina.
Chesley also witnessed another transaction for James Pettigrew in 1768: Granville Deed Book H p. 463, James Pettigrew and wf Mary of Granville to James Johnston of Cumberland VA, 16 Jul 1768, £220, 369a in Granville on both sides of the lower fork of Grassy Creek bd John Johnston's corner, John Johnston's new line...Robert Downey's line. wit Chisley Daniel, John Witherspoon, Ebenezer Pettigrew. Proved Nov 1768 by Chisley Daniel. Test Sam' Benton CC.
Susan Daniel was born the 14th July 1769. Died in Petersburg Ga.
John Daniel was born the 30th June 1771. Died in Mecklenburg Va the 23d June 1848.
Based on the later tax lists, I had believed that John was probably born in 1781-82 (he first shows up on the 1803 list). However, his later census definitely allow for him being born before 1780. John's wife Susan M. Watkins was born in 1786-87 and his first child Ann was not born until 1814 (although it's not impossible she was by an earlier wife as there is a 6+ year gap before the next child).
James Daniel, Chesley Daniel, and Joseph Roberts were witnesses when Benjamin Harrison executed his will in Granville on 7 January 1773. It was probated at May court of 177- [sic, as found in Granvile Will Book 1 p. 36-37]. I believe this is one of the earliest appearances (the first being in the 1771 tax lists) of my James Daniel (1747-1820) in the Granville records; the record evidence and now a perfect dna match to this line confirm that my James Daniel is the brother of Chesley and son of James of Albemarle.
Betsey Daniel was born the 11th Septr 1773. Died near Henderson Ky.
Chesley's brother Josiah also moved to Granville and purchased land: Deed Book K p. 240 James Downey of Granv to Josiah Daniel of Albemarle VA, 7 February 1775, £300, 520a in Granville, on both sides of Grassey Creek, bd Thomas Willingham, Grassey Creek, mouth of the Hay Meadow Branch, cross Creek and up the said Branch. The witnesses were Chisley Daniel, James Daniel. The deed was recorded February 1775 and acknowledged by James Downey.
Thos Person to Chisley Daniel, 13 May 1775, land on branches of Grassey Creek on the west side of Belues? mountain it being land in dispute between Egbert Haywood & myself as both our Deeds cover'd the same...50a, branches of Grassey Ck on W side of Belue's Mountain...beg at Roberts' corner in Daniel's line...line of trees run by Daniel Walker & Lewis.
Woodson Daniel was born 19th Mar 1776.
Thomas Person sold 550a to Richard Bennit on 4 May 1778, described as land purchased of Thos Farryth & William Whorton & others, bounding Daniel's corner, Robert's line, Withersons line, Kennons line, Daniels line. Peter Bennett was the witness, the deed being recorded in May ?1778? (DB L-289). Peter Bennett would come to own this land and sold 275a of it to Chisley Daniel in 1791.
I will bear faithfull and true Allegiance to the State of North Carolina and will truly endeavor to support, maintain, and defend the independent Government thereof against George the third, King of Great Britain and his successors, and the attempts of any other Person, Prince, power, state or Potentate, who by secret arts, treasons, Conspiracies or by open force shall attempt to subvert the same and will in every respect conduct myself as a peaceful orderly subject and that I will disclose and make known to the governor, some member of the Council of State, some Justices of the Superior Courts or of the Peace, all treasons, Conspiracies and attempts committed or intended against the State [~that?] shall come to my knowledge.
Beverly Daniel was born 12th Oct. 1778. Died in Raleigh 13th September 1840.
Chisley Daniel was born the 1778. Died --- of --- at Tranquility.
#410 John Duncan 200a on waters of Grassey Creek adjoining the lines of Thomas Person Esqr & Chesley Daniel for Complement. The "Date box" [my term] says "Claim entered by Thos Person 31 Dec 1778".
On 5 March 1785 Richard Bennet executed his will, witnessed by Chesley Daniel and Nancy Blackwell. It was proved at February Court 1786. The executor and one his sons was Peter Bennet, who was an early guardian to the Martin Daniel mentioned earlier, son of John and Celia.
At the August 1786 court, Chesley served as the foreman of the Grand Jury, with other jurors James Lewis, Gideon Gooch, William Knight, Samuel Peace, Phillip Yancey, Jonathan Knight, Wm. Philpott, Wm. Cox Jr., Wm. Ogelvie, Phillip Bradford, Harris Gilliam, David Bradford, Ezekiel Fuller, Cornelius Cooper, and Jonathan Kittrell.
At Granville court on Wednesday, 8 August 1787 Jas. M. Burton sued David Mason; the jurors for the case were Wm. Lassiter, Wm. Cawthorn, Michael Sherman, James Jenkins, Chesley Daniel, Jno. Morris, Saml. Harris, Lewis Bennett, James Bradford, Reuben Talley, and Thomas Rice.
Two days later, on Friday, 10 August 1787 the court ordered John Pumphrey, Josiah Daniel, and Chesley Daniel to divide the estate of Charles Lemay, deceased, between Thomas, deceased and Samuel Lemay.
1789 Chessley Daniel, says "not given in"
This rise in acreage reflects the land Chesley bought from Peter Bennett on 7 February 1791 (Deed Book N p. 46). He paid £111 for 275, part of a tract formerly belonging to Thomas Person, on both sides a branch the waters of Grassey Creek, bd Wm Daniel's line, Hester's line formerly Roberts, Wilkinson's line, ?Mark's line. The witnesses to this deed were Mary Daniel and Jane Daniel. I believe these to be daughters of Chesley and Judith; Mary would marry the following year and Jane never married.
1792 Chesley Daniel in Goshen District, 1525 acres, 0 white polls, 17 black.
1793 Chesley Daniel in Goshen District, 1525 acres, 0 white polls, 18 black.
In 1794 [February or May, my notes are faulty on this] Chesley Daniel, Josiah Daniel, John Oliver appraised the estate of Charles Edwards, deceased, and turned it in to court. I believe Charles might be their brother-in-law, husband to their sister Mary; Chesley will later be deeding slaves to his Edwards nephews. However, there are multiple Charles Edwards coming along, and another William Edwards with a wife Mary/Polly. However, the nephews named in the later deed probably belong to the Charles Edwards who had married a second time to a "Letty". It's still a bit messy here, what?
Chesley had witnessed the will of James Johnson along with Baxter Davis and Samuel Johnson. In November of 1795 he appeared at court to prove the will and a codicil.
Chesley's grandson Nathaniel Chesley Daniel was born on 29 July 1797 to James Daniel and Ann Venable. James and Ann were married 18 November 1796 in Prince Edward VA and lived there before going to Mecklenburg VA. Nathaniel C. Daniel and his brother James B. Daniel came to own Tranquility.
Chesley sold 120 acres, cut from his original 1250 acres, to his nephew Thomas Daniel (son of Josiah) on 5 August 1797. The witnesses to the deed were Leonard Edwards, Susanna Daniel, and Jas Edwards. This deed is recorded in Book Q p. 132. From now on in the tax lists a Thomas Daniel will be shown, usually near Chesley, with his 120 acres.
Whereas Richard Hicks having by his last Will and Testament bearing Date the 24 day of April AD 1713 bequeathed certain Negros therein Named & their Increases to Jane Hicks & the heirs of her body which Said Negroes according to the above mentioned Intail having Descended to me Chisley Daniel of the County of Granville & State of North Carolina as Heir of Jane Hicks & the following Negroes, Hannah, Sam, Charlie, Patience, (Harry, Annekey, & her two Children & their Increase being part of the ["above" here but scratched out] Increase of the above Mentioned Negroes) being now in the possession of my two Nephews James Edwards, & Leonard Edwards now this Writing Witnesseth that I the sd Chisley for & in consideration of the affection I have to my Nephews aforesaid James & Leonard & the Sum of five Shillings have Released to them the sd James & Leonard their heirs and assigns forever all my Right Title & Interest, in & to the sd Negroes & I bind my Self my heirs &c to make any other Conveyance at the [cort, not quite cost] of the sd James & Leonard which they may deem Necessary for Vesting all my Right & Title in & to the sd Negroes in the sd James & Leonard In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand & I affixed my Seal this 15th day of February AD 1798. Chisley Daniel. wit Jane Daniel, Josiah Daniel, John [x] Boyd. proved by John Boyd, Feb Court 1801.
It is not as clear in transcription form, but when reading the original, it seems to me that Hannah, Sam, Charlie, and Patience were the slaves Chesley inherited, and that Harry, Annekey and her two children are the descendant slaves that Chesley is giving to his nephews.
This is the document that proves Chesley's descent from Jane Hicks, is further proof of his Middlesex VA origin, and it gives a hint that Jane's father may have been a Richard Hicks. Many old write-ups place Chesley and his siblings as children of an Elizabeth Woodson and thus of a different Daniel family: it was a faulty leap, an "assignment" based probably on Judith's middle name of Woodson. The Woodson name is not really a good marker for relationships; the family was such a big player in its time that everybody gave the name to children, related or not. The Woodson assignment has unfortunately become written in stone and turned to "fact" over time, but it's time for that assignment to fade away.
There are 22 slaves in this listing.
Chesley's sons are not listed in North Carolina and do not seem to appear on tax lists used to create the 1800 census of Virginia. However, I do think they are probably in Virginia as they shortly have a business there.
Chesley was there when Martin, son of John Daniel who died in 1779, came of age and moved to Mecklenburg VA. Martin sold the 200 acres left him to Samuel Bugg as shown in Deed Book V p. 221: Martin Daniel of Mecklenburg VA to Samuel Bugg Junr of Granville NC, £300, 200a Granville beginning at a hickory Daniel's thence south 20 poles to a red oak, thence East to John Olivers line, thence along the said Olivers line to a corner on the Creek, thence west along the said Olivers line to a corner oak, thence south to a corner hickory in Daniels line, thence along the said Daniels line to the beginning, written 19 November 1800, witnesses: Chesley Daniel, John Oliver, proved August 1811.
This is the first appearance of a new poll, I believe it is son John G. Daniel. It now appears more likely he was up in Virgnia with his brothers, and this tax list appearance represents a return to Granville, not a coming-of-age listing.
Also, for the first time one of the sons, Woodson, shows up independently in the tax lists in Abrams Plains District (=northwest of Stovall) with 0a 2 Free poles, 0 Slaves, 0 Town Lotts, 0 Stud Horses. [That's Woodson's signature above, in 1812] The other is likely one of his brothers. The mystery is where they have been, these sons are born in the 1760s and 1770s and they should have been named or at least show up as polls in the lists long before now. They were possibly up in Mecklenburg, as they had a business up there. For sure son James was there: his sons, Nathaniel C. and James B. (future owners of Tranquility lands) were born in VA in 1797 and 1805. Son John G.'s children were also born in VA, but much later.
Granville Deed Bk R p.202 Thomas Knott deed to James, John, Woodson, and Beverly Daniel, operating under the name of James Daniel and Brothers, for land part of which was granted by the State in March 1780 and the remainder deeded by James Knott to my father, John Knott, Feb 10, 1764; this does not include that part of the land devised to my brother John Knott, by my father, 30 Jun 1803.
On 31 December 1803 Chesley Daniel made an entry for 226 acres of land, the grant would be final in 1805 (shown there).
These two entries could account for all four sons of Chesley and Judith, but it's also possible that any of the 3 free polls in the business listing are non-Daniel clerks for the business, there were two branches of the store, here and in Clarksville VA.
Deed Book S148 --State to Chesley Daniel #1226 19 Feb 1805, 226a Granville on waters of Mountain Creek and takes part of Belows Mountain [probably related to Blue Creek area where Chesley lived], beginning at a white Oak said Daniels Corner, running then by his line North fifteen degrees West fourteen pole to a white Oak, Person's Corner, then by his line East one hundred and seventy one pole to a stake James Daniels & Brothers Corner, then by their line South fifty one pole to a post oak their Corner, then by their line West seventy three pole to a Red oak their corner then by their line South two hundred & twenty pole to a white oak their corner then by their line west forty two pole to a red oak their corner then by their line South one hundred and four pole to a black Jack Person's Corner, then by his line West fifty seven pole to a red Oak said Chesley Daniels Corner then by his line north to the begining. No. ??[two deltas] Entered the 31st day of Decr 1803.
Chesley's sons are active elsewhere this year. Woodson Daniel, Wm. M. Sneed, and Richard Cooke, Esq. were appointed at August court of 1804 to view and inspect the Poll for the "present election". At the same court, when Polly Edwards, the widow and relict of William Edwards, relinquished her right to administer estate, Beverly Daniels [sic] was granted administration, with his bond secured by Robert Downey and John Lemay. This is the other possibility I saw for Chesley's sister Mary, so this would be her nephew Beverly stepping in to administer the estate. However there is stronger evidence that sister Mary's husband was a Charles Edwards, so this is all risky speculation still.
I want to keep this page focused on Tranquility. Chesley's sons, Woodson, Beverly, and John eventually deed their interests in it to the sons of their brother James. So I am not going to put all their other activities shown in the court and land records that do not have to do with Tranquility. I will note them in the census and tax records, and will describe when they leave the area, etc. Here are a few cites from Granville Deed Books in the 1805-1810 range that still need to be checked for Tranquility involvement, some involve slaves that may have worked there (not so much for the mortgage deeds, but I'm including them just in case a mortgage wasn't paid off and the slaves became property of the Daniel brothers).
In 1808 Beverly Daniel was appointed Marshall for the Eastern District of North Carolina, a post he would fill until 1840, longer than any one else in history (as of at least 1955 when the second longest serving marshall ended his service). His name stays on the Granville tax lists for quite a while, but he actually lived much of the time in Raleigh according to the census.
The 1810 tax lists are too faint to read.
These males are hard to identify, they are too young to be brothers of Woodson. Woodson Daniel married Elizabeth T. Mitchell in 1818, but that doesn't answer for these boys. He eventually moves to Perry County Alabama, marries there (children born in the 1820s), but did he have an even earlier first wife and family in Granville or are these perhaps some unidentified nephews?
Chesley's son James Daniel has interests in Mecklenburg VA as he is on the tax lists there with the notation of (Granville), dated 12 March 1810, showing no white tithables, 3 slaves and no horses. He will shortly move there.
At November court of 1810 Josiah Daniel, William Lumpkin, and Chesley Daniel proved a deed from Jesse Edwards to Samuel W. Vanable for 900 acres in Halifax County, Virginia. Jesse is probably another Edwards nephew of Chesley's, son of Charles Edwards and Mary Daniel, who I believe is Chesley's sister.
Chesley's brother Josiah Daniel (b. 1744) wrote his will on 23 April 1811. He named his nephew Woodson (Chesley's son) as one of the executors. Chesley Daniel and David Knott Jr. were the witnesses. It is possible that this witness Chesley was Josiah's son, but less likely - for now in the tax and census records and in the estate papers for Josiah, his son is always referred to, appropriately, as Chesley Jr. Josiah Daniel died 18 days later, on the 11th of May. Both Chesley Daniel and David Knott proved the will at August Court of 1811. The estate papers show Woodson busy handling the affairs of the estate at least through 1820. They will not be detailed here as they don't deal with Tranquility.
The 1811 tax lists for Goshen District show Capt. Chisley Daniel with 1631 acres, 0 free polls and 5 black polls. The next listing is for Woodson & Beverly Daniel with 1179 acres, 2 free polls, 7 black polls, 0 Town Lotts, 1 Store, 1 Tannery.
1812 Goshen District - Chisley Daniel 16?32? acres, 0 free polls, 4 black.
Next is Woodson & ???? Daniel 1179 acres 1 free poll, 11 black, if "store" is marked it's really faint. I can't make out the second name, can't see Beverly, J---, Bros, or anything, but there's something.
1813 Goshen District: The entry for Chesley may be what I read as next Hensa-ry Daniel [can't really make it Henry] with no land 1 free poll, 0 black. The next entry is for Woodson & Bevly [sic] Daniel 2810 acres, 1 free poll, 10 black, no store marked. That acreage reflects Chesley's 1631 + the brothers' 1179. Over in the Nutbush District is a new listing - James Daniel 634.5 acres, 1 free poll, 27 black.
DB15-184 Edmund H. Vaughan and wf Salley of Mecklenburg to James Daniel of Granville NC 6 Jul 1813, £285, 230a, "if there should be less then the above quantity there is nothing to be deducted from the price and if there should be more nothing is to be added", land in Mecklenburg Roanoke river [sic, no "on"], bd sd James Daniel, the River, Fields line, Maynards ferry road, Major William Taylors line, Feilds line untill it crosses Maynards ferry road, along E sd of sd road to a Branch at the beg of the Low grounds, across the road, the road, sycamore tree just below the ferry, as the river meanders. Edmund H. Vaughan, Sally H. Vaughan. wit Charles L. Wingfeild as to Edmund H. Vaughan, Nathaniel C. Daniel, John Crews. A commission was ordered 14 Aug 1813 to get Sally's relinquishment [apparently still in Mecklenburg], she relinquished on 14 Aug 1813. This was all recorded 16 Aug 1813.
In 1814 James moved 33 slaves from Granville to Mecklenburg, any number of whom may have been his by way of his parents, there are a couple of namesakes in the list from earlier slaves of Chesley and Judiths. Chesley will be distributing property to the other brothers shortly, so these may have been James' share of Chesley's estate. Also since it is James and his children who will ultimately own and live at Tranquility, many of these slaves will end up in their possession.
At a Court held for Mecklenburg County the 21st day of February 1814 This Certificate was presented unto Court by James Daniel and on his motion It is Ordered that the same be recorded. Teste William Baskerville Cl. Cur.
to my aforesd son John G. Daniel and heirs 1/4 of the following tracts, on waters of Grassey Ck, to wit, my New survey 226a, my Bennets tract as per deed fr Peter Bennit 275a, my old Tract known by the name of Tranquility as it now stands, having sold off of the original 120a, this Tract deducting the 120a as above, contains as per deeds 1130a, to have and to hold the 1/4 part of sd Tracts...with the following reservation, the use of as much of sd Lands as I may need my life time, and also as much as my Wife may need, shoud [sic] she survive me, as long as she may live. To my Sons Woodson Daniel & Beverly Daniel and heirs, I give the balance of the Tracts of Land above mentioned to be equally divided between them with the same reservation in favour of myself and my Wife as is mentioned above. I give to the sd Woodson Daniel also the following Negroes: Sydney and her child Judith, Albert, Washington, Hannah, Joshua, Elijah, Daniel, John, Ritter, Nell & Sampson, and to his Heirs forever, I also give to my son Beverly Daniel the following Negroes Narcissa, Abram, Alexander, Lucy, Eliza, O. H. Perry, Mursier, Frank, President, Billy, Margery, & Carter, and to his heirs.
This deed was witnessed by William West and A. Hamilton, then proved by Alexander Hamilton and recorded in Nov 1814 (Granville Deed Book W263).
There is no explanation I have found as to why son James did not receive any of this land. However, he already has his own lands in the Nutbush district, as shown on the tax lists.
Thanks to Rosalyn Daniels Sumner for the images from "Josiah's Book"
The Raleigh newspaper death notice reported on Friday, 4 Nov 1814 that there had died "in Granville county, lately, Miss Jane Daniel, sister of the Marshal of this District." Beverly Daniel was a Marshall of the northern district of NC as stated in his 1840 obituary.
I Chesley Daniel of Granville County and State of North Carolina do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament revoking all others. I lend unto my most affectionate and beloved wife Judith Daniel during her life time the following property, to wit, Charles, Amy, Milley, Nancy, Christian, Mary, Jiney, Frankey, Kessie, Lucy, Henry & old Jinney, being all the negros that I have remaining, not already disposed of as much of my Household & Kitchen furniture, my stock of every kind and my Plantation utensils as she may wish my old mansion house at Tranquility & the use of as much of my land where she may choose as may be sufficient to work her negros on. It is my will and desire that the negros lent to my wife during her life and which are included as a mean of support to her as well as to enable her to support my daughter Jane Daniel shall after the death of my wife remain for the use & benefit of my daughter Jane Daniel her life time which property it is my will and desire the persons named as executors or any one or more of them that my daughter Jane may point out shall hold in Trust for her use and benefit and so dispose of best to answer my desire in the loan which is to maintain my said daughter Jane Daniel decently and comfortably during her life time. I give & bequeath to my sons Woodson Daniel & Beverly Daniel and their heirs forever that part of my stock of every kind household and Kitchen furniture & plantation utensils not loaned to my wife and that part to her and my daughter Jane and their increase after their death and all my property of every kind not already disposed of. I appoint my beloved wife Judith Daniel, James Daniel, Woodson Daniel & Beverly Daniel Executors to this my last will & testament as Witnesses my hand and seal this 17th August 1814.
The witnesses to the will were A. L. Satterwhite and Josiah Daniel who proved it at November Court of 1814. At the same time the sons proved the Deed of Gift above from Chesley Daniel to John, Woodson and Beverly Daniel for tracts of land and slaves (DB W-263 described above).
The sons of Chesley (d. 1814) and Judith Daniel were James, Beverly, Woodson, and John G. Daniel. John G. is up in VA by 1814 when his daughter is born, and his sons were born there in 1820 and 1821 as well. John and Beverly later deeded their parts of Tranquility to their other brother James' son, Nathaniel Chesley Daniel (b. 29 July 1797, d. 9 May 1852/3), and this is the part that would include the original house (Nathaniel's descendants remained there far into the 20th century).
The 1814 tax lists for Goshen show only Woodson & Beverly Daniel 2820 acres, 1 free poll, 14 black.
James Daniel is again in Nutbush with his 634.5 acres and 1 store.
Note: The first three properties add up to Chesley's 1631 acres of previous tax lists. It seems the 120a he sold to Thomas Daniel was part of the original 1250a he bought in 1764, leaving a tract of 1130a. What's not clear yet is if they were all thought of together as "Tranquility". The brothers' business had 1179a in the early 1800s, making me think the 479a is left after sales of some kind.
James Daniel is still in Nutbush with his 634.5 acres.
James Daniel is still listed in Nutbush with his 634.5 acres, but he has possibly been residing in Mecklenburg the whole time of these lists. On 17 Dec 1817 he was "of Mecklenburg" when he bought 1160 acres located in Granville. This would be the land he would give to his son James B. Daniel.
By 1818 James Daniel's wife Nancy had died; he is in Mecklenburg where he executed various deeds (DB17-176 and DB17-551) to handle land that was given to his children by Abraham B. Venable, their mother Nancy's brother who died in 1811. The children are all minors and named as: Nathan C. Daniel, Elizabeth W. Daniel, Judith C. Watkins, Nancy V. Daniel, James B. Daniel & Mary J. Daniel.
The 1819 tax lists don't show an entry for this Daniel group that I found.
I think the 1072 acres might be some part of the Tranquility lands, based on the next couple of lists.
2) to locate Nathaniel Chesley and James Beverly Daniel who will be the later owners of Tranquility.
Woodson is about age 44.
I think there's a chance that the 16-26 year old is Nathaniel C. Daniel b. 29 July 1797, son of Woodson's brother James. James seems to be up in Mecklenburg (p.147a) with 4 daughters and one young son under 10, which I'm thinking/hoping could be an error for his son James B. Daniel who was born 1805. Brother John G. Daniel is probably in either Prince Edward VA where his wife was born or in Powhatan where he would be settled for many years. I haven't found Beverly, but I now can confirm he is not the Beverly Daniel of Greenville SC; that Beverly Daniel married Judith Wood Machen and moved eventually to Cherokee GA.
Of the women, one should be Woodson's new wife Elizabeth Mitchell (md. 1818). Later census narrows her birth to 1780-1790 and there are two young girls born here, so she could be the 26-45 year old, leaving it almost certain that the older woman is Judith, Woodson's mother.
[This William is not the son of Josiah: that family (including William) is grouped in Country Line district over on p. 35. This list is alphabetical, so the two are not necessarily living next to each other. It is most likely that this is the William Daniel who inherited Granville land in 1800 from his father William Daniel of Halifax. There is also a Daniel family missing from this census which has been there all along in the tax lists, Thomas d. 1831 and Mary d. 1838, (had son Merrimon, and grandchildren surnamed Harris and Wilkerson). I don't know that they had a son William and Thomas is still alive at this time, but there were many slaves listed in the estate records for this family. I also have a working theory that some Orange County Daniels (possibly distant cousins) may be the ones that show up in Granville in the early 1800s, all unfinished speculation so far.
Deed Book Z114 is a mortgage deed dated 31 Jul 1820 from Woodson to Thomas B. Littlejohn & James Daniel for "all his right title and interest in and to tract known by the name of the Tranquility tract 1130 acres, also all his right title and interest in and to the Bennett tract 275 acres, which sd tracts of land were conveyed by the late Chesley Daniel decd to sd Woodson Daniel and Beverly Daniel by deeds of Gift with a reservation to the Widow of sd Chesley of the use of so much as shd be necessary for her during her life also all the crops growing upon the sd Tracts of land and all his interest in the Stock of Horses cattle Sheep and hogs which he now has including his interest in those which were bequeathed to him at the death of his mother by his late father as well as those bequeathed by his father to Beverly Daniel to take effect at the same time and also all and every asbete [sic, could be awkward phrase ending in title] of the kne-d [not really kind, but] which he has since purchased and also all his interest in the House hold and kitchen furnature and plantation utensils of every description whatever which were bequeathed in the same manner and all now held in the same way...." The mortgage is to satisfy the settling up of accounts between Woodson and his brother James: "Woodson Daniel is Justly indebted to the sd Jas Daniel $3067.79 principlly [sic] on acct of money lent and balance due from the old concern of James Daniel and Brothers....the sd Woodson Daniel ??? [this word seems like "Cl---s" but not claims, "likens" but not quite, "believes" but not quite] to be one of Peculiar obligation and has been in current at his request and from a desire on the part of the sd James to assist and befriend him...." The payment was due on 15 Sep of the next year.
Deed Book Z123-128 is another mortgage by Woodson Daniel made on 8 Aug 1820 to Samuel Hillman & Thomas B. Littlejohn. It includes land he owned in right of his wife, several other tracts lands he had purchased, and slaves. The first group may not have been involved with Tranquility, but the second group definitely was: "... also 14 slaves which he has in possession [no punctuation in this list, I have added to make 14 and maintain the descriptions, but there may be a problem at "her son Judith"]: Daniel, Bob, Anderson, John, Washington, Hanah, her son Isham, Mossey, Cynthia, her Daughter Bettey, her son Judith, Christian, Amey (the daughter of Christian), & Elijah, also 13 slaves which [Woodson] has an equal Intrust [interest] in with Beverly Daniel at the decease of their mother [again, no punctuation for the list, but it's clear, so I added]: ?J?inney, Charles, Amey, Lacy [not really Lucy, but], Franky, Kissy [not a great K but], Henry, James, Milly, Nancy, Mary, Eliza, & Nell, ...." One of the land tracts has a special clause: "also all right etc to ?00a [?100 or 900?] on waters of Mountain Ck adj Samuel T. Downey, Edward Hunt & others, reserving for the benefit of a certain Simon Davis (a man of Colour) the benefit intended to be secured to him in a certain agreement (to wit) that on his paying the balance of the purchase money for 54 or 5 acres [written to mean "54 or 55 acres"] of sd tract as mentioned the sd agreement the sd Simon was to have a good Title made to him..."
The purpose of the mortgage is described and has more interesting language: "that where as the said party of the first part by purchases of property in more Auspicious times & property commanded a high price has involved himself in debt which he honestly desires to pay or secure the payment of and where as from the pecuneary embarrassments of the times as well as the unfortunate State of the affairs of the late Late [sic] concern of Woodson Daniel & John Oliver it being understood generally that the sd Oliver has made over his property with a view of evading the payment of his part of the debts of sd concern The creditors of the sd part of the first part and the creditors of the sd concern appear determined to coerce him at this time to pay out only [sic, but I think it means not only] his undivided debts but the debts of the concern which must eventuate in a verry great Sacrafice of [Woodson's] property and probably in the loss to some of his creditors of their debts where he believes if his property could be disposed of at far [fair] value that it is amply sufficient to pay all his Just debts and where as [Woodson] is owing some debts which leave the peculiar circumstances under which they were contracted the concerns to be debts of peculiar obligation such for instance as has been incured from motives of friendship and whereas also many of his friends have become his securities fr equally disinterested motives to secure when he conceives it to be his undispensable duty and which debts deserves to be considered to be of the first order of class...."
On 27 Oct 1821 Ichabod Neal sold to Nathaniel Daniel "a man named Fill of the age of twenty eight or thirty years..." (Granville Deed Book 1-85). This was to secure a debt Neal owed to Isarel [sic] Hargrove, so Fill may not have ended up in Nathaniel Chesley Daniel's hands, but now Nathaniel Chesley Daniel, the eventual owner of Tranquility has entered the records.
The 1821-23 tax lists really shake up the picture.
The 1821 entries for Goshen do not show anything about the Daniel brothers or obvious Tranquility acreage. However, over in Nutbush James Daniel is listed with his 634.5 acres on Gilliams Branch, valued at 1903.50, 0 free polls, 7 black, 1 store valued at $5000. He has a second entry for 1103 acres Grassy Creek, valued at 4412, 0 polls of any kind. No amount of tax is given for him as is done for the other people in this list. That Grassy Creek acreage should be Tranquility lands.
The Tranquility lands should be included in the 1405 acres on Mountain Creek. James had not yet turned 60, and his son Nathaniel has turned 21, so there would be 2 polls so their poll numbers are not quite right: this family may be listed in name only and actually still residing in Mecklenburg VA.
In this case, I think the Tranquility lands have to be the 1005 acres that Woodson handled for his three brothers, the possible error of the "ditto for Aarons Creek" makes it problematic, but the 1100 acres on Island Creek can't be Tranquility (it is too solidly described everywhere as on Mountain and Grassey Creeks).
The following deed from Book 3 p. 227 gives a nice description of where three of Chesley and Judith's sons were residing in 1825.
Tranquility is part of the 1405 acres of Woodson and Beverly. The J and NC Daniel in Nutbush are James and Nathaniel Chesley. Given that it's the same district father James should not be named twice. James' other son was only 20 at the time and would generally be known as James B., but the J should be him. On the other hand, father James is over 60 so he shouldn't be listed as a poll, i.e. it's a toss-up for this year to identify the first J.
After making a bond on 21 January with John C. Green as his security, Nathaniel C. Daniel married Anne H. Bullock on 24 January 1828, in Warren County. Anne Harriet Bullock was born 29 September 1804, the daughter of James Bullock of Warren County. The witness to the marriage was M. M. Drake.
It is possible Woodson is living on land involved with the Daniel and Brothers Company, but it's not likely part of Tranquility: he is listed just 6 families away from his aunt Elizabeth, widow of Josiah (they were located in Country Line District, although districts are not indicated on this census); in August of 1815 Samuel Daniel, trustee, deeded to Woodson and Beverly Daniel all right of Josiah Daniel bequeathed to him by his father, Josiah Daniel (of the estate). Assuming this included the land, then this location for Woodson makes more sense. Brother John G. Daniel is in Powhatan VA with his 3 children, Beverly Daniel is in Raleigh NC, but I haven't positively located brother James Daniel. He's not in Mecklenburg VA which is where he was in 1810, 1820 and 1840; I'm wondering now if he's the other male over 45 listed with Nathaniel C. Daniel, it would be an non-standard way to enumerate, but not unheard of, especially if the land is fully vested in Nathaniel Chesley Daniel. Minor evidence for this, the only other James Daniel listed in Granville is the James Daniel Jr., indicating there should be an older James Daniel around, whether related or not.
In 1831 Daniel Glover sold to Nathaniel C. Daniel slaves named Henry, Nelson and Silvy (Granville Deed Book 5-83). This may be a mortgage rather than an outright transfer, the original is still to be checked.
The following is some of what happened in the Daniel family in the 1830s as presented, by both parties, in a suit by James B. Daniel against his sister-in-law Ann H. Bullock Daniel after Nathaniel Chesley Daniel had died. There is more from these files later.
...for several years prior to 1830 N.C. Daniel and his father James Daniel, were merchandising at Simsville in Granvile under the name of James & N.C. Daniel...about 1830 James Daniel gave them (his two sons N.C. and J.B.) the stock of goods on hand, &, either at the same time or subsequently, the Waterloo tract of land, & put up a store house, dwelling & other improvements...James B. Daniel was boarding (for free) with Nathaniel C. and his family at the time.
This could be James B. Daniel being taxed on his father's other lands. There simply is no clear entry for Tranquility lands.
In 1837 James B. is again present, he may have been up in Mecklenburg during the last couple years. Father James definitely resided there at his death, but still had land in Granville. Note that Nathaniel C. Daniel is double entered.
Although Tranquility was actually deeded to Chesley's sons John G., Woodson and Beverly Daniel, it would eventually end up in the hands of Nathaniel C. Daniel, son of James (another son of Chesley and Judith). The first transfer that will accomplish this is in Deed Book 9-171, from John G. Daniel of Powhatan VA to Nathaniel C. Daniel of Granv 28 Sep 1838, for $1925, 518 130/160 acres Granv known by the name of Tranquillity [sic], on waters of Grassy Ck, bd beg at a Given [sic, not Gum] thence N 302p to a white Oak, thence E 235p to a Hickory thence S 15E 270p to a white Oak, thence S 42p to a Dog Wood, thence W 305p to beg; Also a small parcel of land lying between sd Tranquillity Tract and the lands sold by sd John G. Daniel to James M. Satterwhite [written over the start of another name, may have been Daniel] 17 65/160a known as the balance of the Bennett Tract. wit omitted. sig John G. Daniel, Susan M. Daniel. probatum fr Prince Edward VA that John G. and Susan M. Daniel ackn, 28 Sep 1838, another that Susan relinq same date. then the classic proofs that the justices are who they say they are]. recorded Feb 1839.
The bounds given show this to be the northern section of the original Tranquility lands when compared to the plat shown above. The acreage is interesting in that John G. Daniel was only given 1/4 of the lands (i.e. 282.5 acres) in the 1814 deed from Chesley to his sons, but this 518+ acres represents about 46% of the land. How John came to control more than his original 1/4 could be due to division or receipt of one of the other brother's share, more about this later.
The sons of Chesley are scattered in 1840: John G. is still in Powhatan VA, James is still in Mecklenburg VA, the listing for Beverly Daniel in Raleigh NC shows no whites and 2 slaves; he is not shown on the SC census but he died in Yorkville SC in October 1840 according to an obituary published there. I cannot find Woodson, he may have been skipped on his way to Perry County Alabama.
On 7 Apr 1841 John G. Daniel of Powhatan bought 1153 76/160 acres of land in Granville. This would be known as "Red Hill", which is where he died. Now that he's back in town and since he was an heir of Tranquility lands, I'm going to include him on the tax listings.
Beverly's obituary says he died in Oct of 1840 in Yorkville SC, but Woodson's listing says "Died in Raleigh 13th September 1840".
James was dead before November 1841 as shown in estate dealings between Woodson and James' sons; Woodson's listing shows he died "8th Sepr 1841".
Inventory of John G. Daniel decd, 1 Apr 1849, by R. V. Daniel, exr. [his son]. Slaves: John, Jinney, Susan, Winny, Jane, Eliza, Patrick, Peyton, Polly, Frances, John, Jane, Susan, Wisevi Cuss [this is one name based on a count of 33], Simon, Nancy, William, Filles, Martha Ann, Joshua, Mary, Somerville, Jim, Henry, Phill, Lenora, Nancy, Littlejohn, Moses, Mary, Lucy, Lucy, Nelson.
Woodson died in Perry County AL on 27 May 1853.
The final transfer that put all the rest of Tranquility into the hands of Nathaniel C. Daniel occurred on 26 Sep 1843. His father James had died intestate in Mecklenburg and the heirs executed two deeds to even out distribution of his estate. The heirs named in these deeds were: Nathaniel C. Daniel and wf Ann H. of Granville, James B. Daniel of Granville, Saml L. Graham and wf Judith C. of Prince Edward VA, Saml D. Booker and wf Mary of Mecklenburg VA and Ann V. Watkins of Halifax VA. The deeds state that James had advanced tracts of land in Granville to his sons James B. and Nathaniel C., but that title had not been made yet. The deeds also explain that James intended to leave his Mecklenburg lands to his two daughters Judith C. Graham and Mary J. Booker, and that besides slaves, he had intended to give his daughter Ann V. Watkins cash to balance her share out. They further state that the heirs intended to carry out those wishes and had settled on $1000 to go to Ann V. Watkins to make her share even.
Deed Bk 16-470 and 16-475 show the heirs perfecting title for 1160 acres to James B. Daniel and 605 37/160 acres to Nathaniel C. Daniel, the latter being bounded N by lands purch by Nathaniel C. Daniel fr John G. Daniel, E by Ransom Frasier, S by lands of Ransom Frasier and Charles Duncan, W by Charles Duncan and Solomon Satterwhite.
This 605 37/160 acres is the remaining portion of Tranquility lands; added to what John G. Daniel had deeded to Nathaniel, they add up to 1134 acres. The deeds were not recorded until Feb 1852.
The no poll shown for Nathaniel Daniel is odd, but I checked it carefully, may just be an error. I also have not yet a deed to answer for the extra 300 or so acres Nathaniel is now showing.
There isn't a recorded deed such as referred to from John and Beverly together to N.C. Daniel in the index of Granville deeds so far as I have been able to find, only the one from John to Nathaniel for the 506 37/160 acres. It could be that somehow Beverly's share was split between John and James and Woodson, or that it was given to one of them by mortgage, there are some ways to do the numbers that come close. No matter how Beverly's share was handled, the whole of Tranquility is now in the name of Nathaniel C. Daniel. There are still more deeds to be checked, hopefully they will answer all these questions.
When James Daniel died (son of Chesley and Judith and father of Nathaniel C. and James B. Daniel), there was probate of his estate in Mecklenburg VA. I include it here because it includes the names of slaves, many of them may have ended up in the hands of his daughters as described in later transactions between his heirs, but some may have gone to his sons and ended up back at Tranquility.
Celah 7 - expence ?500?
$ from A. & R. Overbey, John G. Daniel, Revd, E. Hines.
Nathaniel Daniel and James Daniel are on the list of voters titled "August 1845 Vote For Congress And County And Superior Court Clerk--List Of Votes Taken At 'Youngs X Roads'".
John G. Daniel had died and now the Red Hill plantation has passed to his son Richard Venable Daniel.
Brother James B. Daniel in 1850 was on p. 206 in "Abraham Planes" district [aka Abrams/Abrahams Plains, northwest of Stovall]. The Virginia birthplaces of his children from 1834-1849 show that he was no longer occupying Tranquility lands.
There are more documents from James Daniel's estate in Mecklenburg VA. Another younger James Daniel is now active there, so this James, the father of Nathaniel Chesley and James B. is called James Daniel Sr.
$ to James H. Wells, H. W. Dunkley, H. M. Bedford for coffin, freight on Tobacco, bond due J. B. Scott assee of Jno S. Field.
sale of est 8 Dec 1841, 3 Hhds Tobacco, recd of Ro. Y Overbey.
1843 accts: $ to W. F. Lych [sic], S. M. Bullock, admr J/I Lewis, Cardwell Clack, Chas ?Sturdivant, Rev. Wdwd Hines, A. C. Finley & Co, clerks Tickets, expenses on N. Carolina about Estate, fee Tax Suit v. Thos R. Feild, ....pd Geo W. Haywood for his expenses about estate prict[?], amt Bals on Note of A. &? R. Overbey.
Nov 1853 Decree for costs of Chancery Suit in favor of Woodson Daniel. R. V. Daniel &c.
examd note: comr Daly's Office, Boydton 1 Nov 1853.
returned 21 Nov 1853, recd 21 Dec 1853.
During the year 1853 one of Nathaniel's slaves Bob was hired out to Robert W. Burton and rehired by him to Augustine Landis [Deed Book 17, p. 235].
According to his wife and his brother, Nathaniel Chesley Daniel was feeble the last years of his life, and he died on 9 May of 1853. His will was probated in November that year and recorded in Book 19, p. 302.
In the name of God Amen. I Nathaniel C. Daniel of the County of Granville State of North Carolina knowing the uncertainty of life Do hereby make this my last will & testament whereby all writings testamentary before made by me are rendered null & void.
Item first. I do hereby will & wish that all my property real & personal be left in the hands of my Executrix to be hereafter named to be managed by her according to the rules of Justice & that she have the right & the same is hereby invested in her of selling property, paying debts & settling up all matters pertaining to my estate according to her own Idea of justice & law assisted by advice from such friends as she may wish to consult.
Item 2nd. I do hereby will & wish that my children minors or unmarried at the time of my death, do receive upon their attaining the age of majority or marriage [here is crossed out "a like"] a portion of the property [above the next word is a crossed out "like that"] now in my possession (to be judged by my executrix [next two words inserted above] like that which I have given to Joseph Morton & Anna his wife & to William C. Bullock & Fanny his wife to be their property forever.
Item the 3rd. I do hereby will & wish that in case of my wife's death before my younger children should attain the age of majority or before their marriage that my children so placed do receive a portion of Property to be judged by my brother James B. Daniel like that received by their older brothers & sisters to be their property forever.
Item the 4th. I do hereby will & wish that at my wife's death & after all my children have been provided for as above specified that the remainder of my property, if any, be Equally divided between all the Legatees of my Estate to be theirs forever.
Item the 5th. I do hereby appoint my beloved wife Ann H. Daniel my sole Executrix to carry out my will as above specified. In witness [next word is intentionally joined, written over and smudged] ofwhereof I have affixed my hand & seal this the 9th of May AD 1853.
The execution of the foregoing last Will and testament of Nathaniel C Daniel was duly proven on oath in open Court by James A Russell and Peter W Young the subscribing Witnesses thereto and ordered to be filed and recorded. At the same time came forward Ann H Daniel named as Executrix in said Will and duly qualified as Such.
...From her [Annes'] conversation with your orator at this time your orator was led to believe that if he would have an account stated in a different way...she would have no further objection to making the settlement. [so he did]...showed it to Ann...she still put off settlement, kept on for various pretexts...that orator has used every fair means to get settlement......that Ann owes 1/2 of the debts and failed to pay...your orator has been much perplexed & seriously embarrassed. All which actings and doings of the said defendant are contrary to Equity and good conscience and tend to the manifest wrong & injury of your orator....final plea that she pay and settle, etc."
...for several years prior to 1830 her husband N.C. Daniel and his father James Daniel, were merchandising at Simsville in Granvile under the name of James & N.C. Daniel...about 1830 James Daniel being desirous of advancing his two sons, the sd N.C. and J. B. Daniel, gave them the stock of goods on hand, &, either at the same time or subsequently, the Waterloo tract of land, & put up a store house, dwelling & other improvements, encumbering the same, however, with a debt of about $3000, due to Joel Watkins. (These facts on account of the great lapse of time she only desires as being understood as stating according to her best recolection) & set them up in business at Waterloo. That at the time the white [absolutely sic, it's not whole, which, or anything else, it's white, who knows what they meant?] family of her husband, was small, consisting of herself & two small children, & the complant [complainant] who boarded in the family free of charge (which she regards as liberal, contrasted with Complainant's close calculating, & straining demands, against the said N.C. Daniel, especially if it be true, that Complainant was so much more thrifty than said N.C. Daniel, and the clerks in the store, for whose board said N.C. Daniel charged only $60 a year, whereas Complainant charged $100 in Clarksville, for the same.
...they conducted their business at Waterloo, for some two or three years, when they closed the same, at a nett proffit of of [sic] $1200, as she is informed & believes.
...in his last years, when very feeble, too much so indeed to attend to any buisness, he fatigued himself, to but little purpose, in trying to reduce them to some buisness like state, but died before he had done so.
...Further answering defendant admits that if complainant advanced money to the firm or to her husband, he was entitled to have the same refunded, without inquiry as to whether he was a good farmer, or her husband a bad one. And, therefore, there was no propriety, & some indelicacy in any parade about it, in the Bill. She believes it would be nearer the truth to say, that neither of them was regarded by better judges than herself, as a good farmer.
1851 - acct of hire and also sale of Lucy ($500), London ($600), Hannah ($600), Willis & Alfred (together, $1050). return by James Hale, includes charge by Hale for board of negroes from 17 May till sold ($107.87).
Tom $600 to James Table?
return by Moses H. Daniel.
William R. Daniel age 24 lives in the next household, is a farmer, with personal estate valued at $4000. This is her son William Richard. It is son Nathaniel B. age 17, who will ultimately live at the Tranquility house and land. James B. Daniel and his family are again over in "Abrams Planes" on p. 196. He died on 1 July 1883 according to the estate papers. I will not be giving much more details about him, again keeping this focused on Tranquility lands proper.
The Library of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill holds the Nathaniel Chesley Daniel papers, collection #4251-z, which includes information about Tranquility and other Daniel business, and a photograph of three former Daniel and Bullock family slaves, Jim, Rose, and Lawson*.
The following families are listed close to each other in the 1870 census for Granville in Walnut Grove township (Oxford P.O.) on pp. 406B-407. I don't know for sure that all are from the Tranquility group, but I'm fairly certain Lawson, Milly, and James are.
I simply cannot find son Nathaniel Beverly Daniel, b. 1842 anywhere in the 1870 census. His soon-to-be wife, Harriet Baillie Bullock is still in Clark County Arkansas, where she was born in 1849, daughter of Charles L. Bullock. Her memoirs (later in this article) indicate that Nat came there sometime after the war, lived and worked for a while, returned to North Carolina, then came back for her in January 1872. It is their descendants who will live at Tranquility into the next century. A recent interesting find, there is an N.B. Daniels in 1870, age 29, born VA, working as a miner, living in Gold Hill, Story County Nevada!?!? If young Nat took off on a young man's adventure, the family did not seem to know about it, based on Harriet's memoirs and current family knowledge.
*Milly 80 NC, "no occupation"
I found out later that someone had told Sister Nannie I was making myself a goose about Cousin Nat and she had planned the party to throw us together where she could see if this were true. When I asked her about it, she said I certainly did not give him any undue attention and seemed more interested in other boys, but that he did stay at my heels whenever he could.
Our wedding day was set for January twenty-fourth; the twenty-fourth of January in '72 was beautiful....[Her father was very sad at her leaving.] Our bridal party was, however, a very merry one as Cousin Nat and I said goodbye to the dear ones at Sylvan Home and set out in a buggy to meet the stage at Tulip....Before retiring I handed Cousin Nat the Bible and he had family prayers just as Pa had always done. And so, with the Book as our guide, we went on, facing a heavy snow storm, to travel by stage, rail, and private conveyance to my new home in North Carolina, where I have "lived happily ever after," and I am eighty.
Ann Harriet (Bullock) Daniel, widow of Nathaniel Chesley Daniel died on 25 March 1883. Her will is not indexed as being proved in court, but son Nathaniel B. Daniel is called her executor in loose estate papers.
and real Estate of Mrs. A. H.
All spelling is as on the document, the clerk wrote this list, Nat added the last item and signed (that's his signature above on the inventory).
James Beverly Daniel, Nat and George's uncle, died on 1 July 1883. Although he had moved from the immediate area, 1883 marks the passing of the third generation of Tranquility folk.
In the 1886 publication of "Emerson's North Carolina Tobacco Belt Directory" N. B. Daniel is listed as having 300 acres in the Oak Hill. This is Nathaniel Beverly Daniel of the 1880 census, son of Nathaniel Chesley Daniel and Ann Harriet Bullock Daniel. George B. Daniel is also in Oak Hill with 540 acres. There is also a Chesley Daniel with 204 acres in Oak Hill; there are a couple of candidates of the name in the immediate family, but based on the census I also suspect he could be the Chesley who married Lucy Noblin, a descendant of Josiah Daniel, living a bit north of Tranquility.
The Daniel families of Tranquility appears on the 1900-1930 census in the Walnut Grove township. The property seems to be just about right on the boundary of today's Oak Hill and Walnut Grove Townships, thus the variation at times in the older records, depending on the formation of the newer townships; the county is today cut into 8 townships, just about equal 2 west-east by 4 north-south.
Thanks to Bill Seay for photograph.
Seated is Sue Bullock Daniel, b. 21 Oct 1873, married James Webb.
Bailey Bullock Daniel, b. 21 Aug 1881, d. 9 Sep 1969, married Richard Lewis.
Sara Morton Daniel, b. 10 Apr 1878, d. 20 Jul 1956, married James Franklin Coleman.
Alice Goodridge Daniel, b. 5 Sep 1876, d. 6 May 1966, never married.
Another son Charles was born 1 Feb 1875 and d. 30 Nov 1878.
Dr. Nathaniel V. Daniel, of the sixth generation of the Tranquility Daniel family, is the third great grandson of Chesley Daniel (and the fourth generation to carry the name Nathaniel!); he spent his early years on Tranquility. In 2005, he remembers something about his father being three when the new Tranquility house was built. That would place its construction in about 1886. The original house was off to the immediate rear of the new one, but it burned down in the 1970s. The 1880s Tranquility house standing today is a white framed house.
Bill Seay, a fourth great grandson of Chesley Daniel, explains (2005) that Tranquility remained in the Daniel family until 1979. The new owner is Mr. John Malloy, who operates the Dogwood Gun Club there; he is the great grandson of George Bullock and Fannie Crighton Daniel. The Daniel-Morton cemetery remains well tended by him. Bill has also visited Tranquility and says they have built a big lodge behind the old house.
The old house now has a sign on the front porch that says "Welcome to Dogwood". Dr. Daniel says that Mr. Malloy has also restored many of the original details that had been taken in the intervening years when the house was rented out. He describes that today the henhouse is still in its place, the smokehouse has been moved about 100 feet from its original place, and there is now a plaque commemorating the early Daniel family in the old house. Dr. Daniel donated the family papers of Nathaniel Chesley Daniel, to the University of North Carolina, abstracts are available here.
Thank you for visiting and reading about Tranquility. I hope later descendants will some day pick up where this record leaves off and continue to share the wonderful saga of Tranquility.
Contact me if you have questions, comments, or information that you can add!
Register: "Parish Register of Christ Church, Middlesex County, Virginia from 1653 to 1812" Compiled and published by the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Richmond, VA: Christ Church,1897.
Early Settlers of Mecklenburg County VA by Katherine B. Elliot [This is actually abstracts of the Lunenburg Patent Books.
"Josiah's Book" - an old book made by Josiah Daniel and passed to his son Samuel which gives many family dates, written at the time. Now in the possession of Dr. Thomas Manning Daniel of Smithfield, NC, transcribed and shared by Rosalyn Daniels Sumner, a descendant of Josiah Daniel (1743-1811, Chesley's brother); email Rosalyn.
John describes it thus: "The original of this paper was preserved by Sarah Watkins Banks of Columbus, Georgia (daughter of John Watkins and Susan Daniel), to whom it was mailed about 1850/52, by an unnamed first cousin who was the child of her maternal uncle, Woodson Daniel. The paper was subsequently preserved along with many other family papers by Sarah's daughter, Lucy Banks Yonge of Columbus, and eventually by her granddaughter, Sarah Watkins Slate Hirsch of Tucson, Arizona, who donated the original papers to the Hargrett Rare Books and Manuscript Library of the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. A photocopy is in the possession of John M. Sheftall of Columbus, Georgia, avid genealogist and historical researcher who is a greatgreatgreatgrandson of Sarah Watkins Banks."
"The above is a true copy of a record in father's handwriting. You will observe on the other page that I say I have succeeded in finding a record of the births & deaths of Chisley & Judith Daniel (his wife). This is a mistake. Upon examination I find that the time of the birth of Judith Daniel is not laid down.
Father is sorry that he is not able to furnish Cousin Sarah with a more complete record of the births & deaths of his brothers & sisters, but it is out of his power."
The record evidence and now a perfect dna match to this line show that my James Daniel (1747-1820) is the brother of Chesley, and son of James Daniel of Albemarle and Jane Hicks.

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