1813 Pleasant May to Abram Brooks

& 1816 Abraham Brooks to James Brooks

 

 

 

 

 

This Indenture made this 12th day of January in the year of our Lord 1813.

Between Pleasant May, Esqr. Of the one part and Abraham Brooks of the other part

Both of the county of Anson and State of North Carolina

 

Witnesseth that the said Pleasant May for & in consideration of Twenty five dollars to him in hand paid the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, and by these presents give grant bargain sell alien enfeoff? Confirm and deliver unto the said Abraham Brooks his heirs and assigns forever a certain tract or parcel of land lying in the County of Anson Beginning on a black gum Shadrach Densons corner and runs with his line So. 30 Wt. 135 poles to a black jack Vivions corner then with his line So. 71 Wt. about sixty poles so as to equal divide the tract by the line of which this is to enclude one half then No. a dividing to Jowers line then with Jowers line No. 81 Et. To said Densons corner then with his line to the beginning.  Including seventy five acres be the same more or less, with all singular the right hereditaments thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining.  To have and to hold the said bargained premises to the only proper use & behoof of him the said Abraham Brooks assigns covenant & agree to warrant and forever defend the sd. Bargained premises from himself his heirs and assigns forever, but, no further, In witness whereof he hath hereunto set his hand and affixed his seal the day and date above written.

 

Signed Sealed & delivered

In the presence of us

 

Richard C. Pattinshall                                     Plt. May (seal)

Asa Brooks                                                       

 

                                                                       April Session, 1817

 

This same land was sold by

Abraham Brooks to James Brooks in 1816:

 

(paraphrased)

 

14th December 1816

 

For $100 paid by James Brooks to Abraham Brooks

For 75 acres of the same dimensions as in 1813 above…

 

Signed sealed & delivered

In the presence of us

                                                                              his

Danl. May                                          Abraham  x   Brooks

                                                                            mark

William May

 

                                                                   April session 1817

 

 

BCBNOTE:  This pair of transactions strongly suggests close ties between three Brooks men:  Abraham (Abram), Asa, and James.  Abraham Brooks disappears from Anson Co, NC after this time, possibly winding up in GA.  1840 Meriwether Co, GA census shows Abraham, his wife Dorcas Meeks Brooks living a couple doors down from Abraham’s son Jesse.  Abram shows up in 1860 Talledega, AL living with his son, Archibald and his wife, Ann.  Dorcas is not with him.

 

Dorcus Meeks met Abram when her father, Brittain Meeks of Pitt Co, NC visited in Anson Co, NC.  Abram was young, living with his mother, Ruthy and just obtained his first land deed from Pleasant May, likely with pension money from his father’s service in the War of 1812.  Abram sells this property 3 years later and follows Brittain Meeks family south into GA.  First, the Meeks are found in Baldwin Co, GA in 1820, Gwinnett Co, GA by 1830 then Meriwether Co, Ga where Brittain passes away around 90 yrs old. 

 

Abram and Dorcas Brooks are first found in Meriwether Co, GA by 1840 and they remain there near their sons Jesse and Archibald until the death of their mother around 1855.  Abram can be found in Archibald’s household in 1860, 65 yrs old.  They now live in Talladega Co, AL.  He seems to have died there not long after.

 

There has long been a tradition that Asa Brooks came to NC from England.  It seems to me that he very likely was born there in southern Anson Co, NC and has close ties with James Brooks (rec’d deed of gift from John Brooks for land in Anson Co).  There also seems to have been much focus on William’s family and their development in modern-day Stanly and Union Co’s, NC while neglecting the development of Ephraim & James’ branch further off in southeast Anson Co, NC.   

 

The land in question here is very likely in “May’s District” of Anson Co, NC and in the Morven TS area.  Not surprisingly, this is the area that we find James Brooks’ family.