The Ragland family has a long history of genealogical interest spanning back to the 19th century. More recently, Mr. Charles J. Ragland of Winston Salem, NC has produced two volumes on the Ragland family, their origins in Somersetshire, England & Wales and an excellent volume documenting as many lines of the Ragland family as he could find. With the large amount of information available to researchers on the Ragland family, I will not attempt to recreate this information on this website. Instead, I will briefly comment on the direct ancestors of the Ragland family of Granville County, NC and expand upon the outline that Mr. Ragland creates for the lineage of the particular Ragland line.
It has been generally agreed upon tha Evan Ragland of New Kent County, Virginia is the progenitor of the Ragland family in Virginia. Due to the huge loss of Virginia records, we have sparce evidence in the public records to establish his life story; however, oral family history has supplimented the missing records.
The family story that
Stephen Ragland has been extensively researched by Charles J. Ragland. Records trace Stephen from New Kent County to Hanover County, Virginia and later to early Bertie County, North Caroline. Bertie later became the county of Northampton and many of Stephen's descendants settled in this region. Stephen is associated with Evan Ragland the emigrant, by location of residency in Virginia and by the use of the name "Evan." From what we can tell, Stephen is the son of Evan & Susannah (Pettus) Ragland.
Stephen Ragland is fist found among the records of St. Paul's Parish, New Kent County, Virginia. In 1711, Stephen is listed as a freeholder with 200 acres of land described as on, "...upper reaches of Chickahominy River..." John Ragland is a neighbor. Parish records list Stephen in various roles in the community. In 1715, Stephen was made overseer of teh preceinct; in 1716 he assisted in clearing the roads; and in 1724 he was named as a superintendent of a road gang. These records indicate that he was a person of responsiblity in the community.
Stephen Ragland married Mary, who Charles J. Ragland identifies as a member of the Hudson family. The only proof of her family name is the use of the "Hudson" name by the Raglands. Charles J. Ragland's idenfication of her as the daughter of John & Elizabeth (Harris) Hudson of Hanover Co., Virginia is believed to be incorrect according to the researchers at the Hudson Family Assciation.
Stephen Ragland removes to North Carolina by 1730. In the NC deeds he is described as "of Hanover County, Virginia." Stephen prospered in North Carolina. By his death in 1747, Stephen has accumulated around 1,690 acres of land and had at least six slaves. He also owned a tobacco warehouse and ran a Ferry. His plantation is said to have been located where present day US HWY 158 crosses the Roanak River into Northampton County. Between 1740 and his death he held the position of Royal Tax Collector of Bertie Precinct.
Evan is the son of Stephen & Mary (Hudson) Ragland of Old Bertie County, North Carolina; he is identified by Stephen's will and by deeds. Evan is believed to have been born in Hanover County, Virginia. Evan is first found in the records of Edgecombe County, NC in 1742, when he began to sell off property. By 1748, Evan is a resident of Granville County, NC where he amasses a large estate and is one of the largest slave owners in the area. Charles J. Ragland writes, that Evan's plantation "...was located along the Flat Creek of the Nutbush and astride the Oconeechi Indian trail..." Evan's landholdings in Granville would grow to nearly 2,000 acres, with a home tract of 400 acres in the Nutbush District in what is now Vance County and Northern Granville. Unfortunately, the Buggs Island Dam Project flooded this region and the land once inhabited by Evan is now underwater. Evan served in the County Militia earning the rank of First Lieutenant in 1754 and then in 1756 was named Captain and commander of teh "Granville Foots," which he held until 1763 [ref: C.J. Ragland, pg. 82-83]. Evan was also involved in various business ventures and in public duties. He was a vestryman of the first Nutbush Church in 1758. In 1760, Evan was granted a license to run an ordinary.
Evan married in 1744 to Amey Merritt, daughter of Mary Merrit of Halifax County, North Carolina. Mary Merritt left a will clearly naming her daughter as, "...the wife of Evin Ragland... [ref: C.R. 047.801.1, Halifax Will Book, Vol. 1, pg. 177-8]. Charles J. Ragland identifies Amey's father as Nathaniel Merritt; however, the numerous Merritts in the area and the absence of Nathaniel's will makes identification of Amey's father difficult. Amey named her first born son "Benjamin" and in Halifax County there is a will of a Benjamin Merrit; however this appears to be Amey's bachelor brother, as his will leaves his estate to his mother Mary Merritt [ref: ibid, Vol. 1, pg. 44]. Though her father is not clearly identified in the records, Amey is probably descended from Charles Merritt who made his will in Chowan County, NC on the 06th of April 1718; proved in October of 1718 and names children: Charles, Nathaniel, William, John, Ann, Sarah, and a daughter "Hardy". This Charles Merritt was a very early settler in the area and an overseer for Col. William Byrd, the largest Virginia landowner. Merritt left a deposition regarding his early residence in the region. Amey Merritt survived Evan and is found in the First State Census of NC in Granville with ten slaves. Amey died about 1790 and left a will written in May of 1789 and proved in February of 1790, stating atht she was, "...sick in state of health... [ref: Granville Will Book 2, pg. 151].
Reuben was one of the youngest children of Stephen & Amey (Merritt) Ragland of Granville County, NC. When his father died in 1778, Reuben was still a minor. Reuben inherited the Evan Ragland homestead in the Nutbush District; also known as the Ragland District. Reuben never reached wealth holding similar to his father; however, he appears a prosperous and well off farmer of the times. In 1789, he inherited his father's homestead of 440 acres. On the 7th of December 1790, Reuben takes out a marriage bond and is wed to Mary Perry O'Briant, the daughter of Patrick O'Briant (died 1799) of Granville County. By 1791, he had expanded his holdings to 774 acres and had four taxable slaves. Upon his death in 1805, Reuben's will placed his estate in the hands of his wife Mary (O'Briant) Ragland and her brothers Dennis and Joseph O'Briant. His will and the inventory of his estate indicate he had ten slaves; however, records only identify five: Susan, Sarah, with Rachel and her two children Peter and Permelie. The inventory of Reuben's estate records that, "Reuben Ragland ... departe this life the seventh Day of July in the year of our Lord One Thos. Eight Hundred and Five."
Mary Perry O'Briant is well documented in the Granville records both by records pertaining to her husband's estate and by records regarding her father, Patrick O'Briant's estate. The origin of the O'Briant family is still unclear, but Patrick appears to be a prosperous farmer in Granville. After the death of her husband Reuben Ragland, Mary remarried to Zachariah Pinson. No marriage bond has been found for the Pinson marriage; however, probate records indicate she was married by 1809. Little is known of Zachariah Pinson other than he is the son of Aaron Pinson and grandson of another Aaron Pinson mentioned by Col. William Byrd in his book "Journey to the Land of Eden" (1733). The fate of Zachariah and Mary (O'Briant) Pinson is still unknown. In 1827, the couple were involved in a law suit regarding the Ragland heirs which states that the, "Petitioners further shew that they have been anxious for a long time to divide the said land, but that the said Zachariah Pinson hath constantly interposed difficulties & refused to proceed to the division..." Charles J. Ragland believes that Reuben's widow died in 1826 and that Zachariah claimed the Ragland estate as next-of-kin in absence of Mary leaving a will; however, I am not sure this can be substantiated by the existing records. In light of an 1833 tax record in which Mary's son Littleton Ragland presents the taxes for Mary Pinson on 50 acres in the Goshen District. A bill of sale is also found in Granville records dated 1843 in which Mary's son-in-law Thomas Clayton sells to her grandson Willie Royster "a man named Seth now in the possession of Mary Pinson" [ref: Deed Book, 1843, pg. 310]. These records of Mary Pinson may refer to her daughter Susan Maria Pinson; however, it is believed that Maria had married William G. Weaver by the time of at least the 1843 deed.
Anne (nee Ragland) Jones
Anne Ragland, also found in the records as "Nancy" was born about 1802 to Reuben and Mary (O'Briant) Ragland of Granville County, NC. Anne and her brother Littleton both married children of Brereton & Martha Dianna (Bressie) Ragland. Anne's marriage bond to William Jones is dated the 27th of April 1826. The Jones lived in the area of Hatcher's Run, just south of present day Oxford, North Carolin in Granville County. Little is know of either Anne or William; however, in the Hays collection William is recalled as "Buck" Jones and this family was at one time well remembered. Anne died in 1883, when the probate of her husband's estate was finalized.
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