Brittain Womack 1828 Land Grant, Moore County, North Carolina

Britton or Brittain Womack Jr, born circa 1767, lived in Moore Co, NC, and was there for the federal censuses from 1800 through 1840.

NC Land Grant File No 2759, Moore County, to Brittain Wommack, 25 acres, Grant No 2722, Issued 30 Sep 1828, Entry 2251, Entered 20 Oct 1826, Book 137, Page No 404, Location: On Dannellys Creek.

See this map of old Moore County, NC.  The area Brittain Womack lived in is now Lee County, near the Harnett Co border.  In the upper right corner of the map, notice 'Danieley's Creek', called 'Dannellys Creek' on Brittain Womack's land grant, and called 'Daniels Creek' on modern maps.  Although not shown in the map at the link above, a small branch of Daniels Creek flows from Lee County into Harnett.

The survey shows that the 25 acres on Danellys Creek joined Brittain Wammack's other land, as well as the land of John McNeill.  Surveyor Malcolm Shaw made the survey on 20 Oct 1826, with Wm Wammack and Jno McNeill as chain bearers.

The William Womack who helped survey Brittain's land grant was almost certainly his son.  William married Elizabeth Sheppard, daughter of John Sheppard Sr.  Another William Womack, likely the first cousin of the William who married Elizabeth Sheppard, married Elizabeth's sister Nancy Sheppard.  By the 1850 federal census, both William Womacks were in Marion Co, GA.

The 1830 federal census of Moore Co, NC shows 'Wm Wamac', and the composition of his family matches what we know of the family of William Womack and Elizabeth Sheppard:

• Male 0-4: Robert Andrew Womack, born 24 Oct 1827
• Male 5-9: Elijah John Womack, born 4 Apr 1824
• Male 20-29: William Womack, born circa 1802
• Female 0-4: Nelly Womack, born circa 1829
• Female 0-4: Nancy Milla Womack, born circa 1825
• Female 20-29: Elizabeth Sheppard Womack, born 15 Apr 1805
• Female 20-29: unknown

Note that in the 1830 census, 'Wm Wamac' is listed immediately before father 'Briton Wamac' (indexed as 'Burton Wamac').  Right before William Womack is John Sheppherd Esq, William's brother-in-law, and Wm Thomas, married to William's sister-in-law, Mary Sheppard Thomas.  Nine lines before William Womack is John Sheppherd Sen, William's father-in-law.

As I detailed in another blog post, William Womack who married Elizabeth Sheppard was NOT William Allen Womack, son of John Womack by his common-law wife Susannah Allen for the simple reason that William Womack who married Elizabeth Sheppard was too young to have been named executor of John Womack's will.  Also, William Womack who married Elizabeth Sheppard has other records tying him to Brittain Womack as his probable father.

Note that John Sheppard's 1842 will mentioned daughter Mary Thomas, and Asa Sheppard's 1836 will mention "two children named after him".  In the 1850 census of Marion Co, GA, it appears Mary Sheppard Thomas has died, and Wm B Thomas (age 54, born in NC) is listed with several children, all listed as born in GA, but later censuses show at least his daughter Sarah (age 24 in 1850) was born in NC (Sarah apparently never married and was listed with her father in the 1880 census of Chattahoochee Co, GA as his daughter).  Son Asa Thomas was 21 in 1850.  Along with Asa Womack, son of William Womack & Nancy Sheppard, Asa Thomas was the other child named after Asa Sheppard.

1800 Federal Census, Oglethorpe County, Georgia

 The 1790, 1800 and 1810 federal censuses for Georgia were all lost, with the exception of the 1800 Federal Census of Oglethorpe Co, GA.  A copy of that census was found, and is at FamilySearch, LDS Film # 008153346.

This is part of a series of posts on the Warnock/Silvey connection.  John Warnock was listed in the 1800 Census of Oglethorpe Co, GA, LDS Film # 008153346, image 73 of 155.  His mother-in-law, the widow Rosanna Price, is listed 8 lines before John Warnock.

The breakdown of John Warnock's family in 1800:

• 2 Males 0-9 - John P Warnock & unknown
• 1 Male 16-25 - unknown
• 1 Male 26-45 - John Warnock
• 1 Female 0-9 - probably Rosanna Warnock
• 1 Female 10-15 - probably Mary Warnock who later married Drury Silvey
• 1 Female 26-46 - Mary 'Polly' Price Warnock

Note that Mary Warnock was born 17 July 1793, so was actually only 7, but incorrectly put in the wrong age category, a common mistake in these early censuses.  The 1800 Census date was 4 Aug 1800, and the enumerator was supposed to record people in the proper age categories for their ages on that date.  The other possibility is that Mary was actually older than her reported birth year; otherwise she was very young when she married in 1807. 

The will of Robert Warnock (Oglethorpe Co, GA Will Book A:99), signed on 6 Nov 1797, named his son John Warnock, grandson John Warnock, granddaughter Rosanna Warnock and granddaughter Mary Warnock.

Chatham County, North Carolina - court records

Court records of Chatham Co, NC record the deaths of John Womack (his will here) and his brother Brittain/Albridgton Womack (his estate records here).

LDS Film # 008189498, image 287/593.  Minutes, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 1811-1816, Chatham Co, NC, p.139, 14 Feb 1814:  The last Will and Testament of John Womack decd was duly exhibited in open Court and proved by the Oath of Parish Cross a witness thereto whereupon William Allen one of the Executors therein named came into Court and was duly qualified.  Rorie Womack the other Executor therein named refused.

LDS Film # 008189498, image 391/593.  Minutes, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 1816-1822, Chatham Co, NC, p.54, 13 May 1817 (court started on first Monday of May 1817, this record was on Tuesday, date derived with perpetual calendar):  Administration of all and Singular the Goods and Chattels rights and credits of Brittain Womack decd is granted Willie [clerk originally wrote 'William' but changed it to 'Willie'] Womack who entered into Bond in the Sum of One thousand Pounds with Thomas Barham and Brittain Womack his Securities & was qualified.  Ordered that Willie Womack Administrator of Brittain Womack decd have leave to sell the perishable estate of said deceased.

Some notes:

William Allen, alias William Womack, was the son of John Womack by common law wife Susannah Allen.  John Womack made his will on 29 July 1813, naming sons Rorie Womack and William Allen as executors of his will.  Rorie was over 21, and William at least close to 21 when John made his will.  John would not have appointed a child his executor.  Yet, I see in multiple online trees the assertion that the William Womack (born circa 1802) who married Elizabeth Sheppard was William Allen Womack, son of John Womack and Susannah Allen.  William Womack who married Elizabeth Sheppard was in Marion Co, GA in the 1850 federal census.  This William would have been about 11 years old when John Womack made his will.  William Womack who married Elizabeth Sheppard was not John's son. 

'Willie' Womack's first name was pronounced Wiley, and often written as Wiley.  Also written as Wile, Willy, Wilie, etc.  Note that several men in this period spelled the name 'Willie', but pronounced it as Wiley, included the 3rd governor of Tennessee, Willie Blount (pronounced Wiley Blunt):  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Willie_Blount.  Clerks often confused the names William, Willie and Wiley in written court documents.