Demaris Ratcliff

Notes:

He may have been born in Lincoln County, North Carolina, and then moved to Randolph County in the same state. It was in Randolph County that he met and married Elizabeth, daughter of Michael Rogers. In 1810 he moved with his father-in-law to Buncombe County, North Carolina, in what was then the frontier of North Carolina. He settled in the Turkey Creek section of that county and he and his wife raised their family and lived there until their deaths.
He was a highly respected citizen. He was elected Election Inspector for Turkey Creek in June 1824, a position he was to occupy for many years.

Benjamin married Elizabeth Rogers Randolph County, North Carolina. Elizabeth (daughter of Michael Rogers) was born Abt 1785; died WFT Est 1826 1880, Buncombe County, North Carolina. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

He was born circa 1760 in either Dobbs or Johnston County, North Carolina. He lived in those counties, as well as Randolph County, North Carolina, while growing up. He moved to the frontier after the Revolutionary War, and settled in Lincoln County, North Carolina, where the young man met and married Rebecca.

Of Benjamin's children the following married children of Field Bradshaw:
Benjamin married Rebecca Bradshaw
Michel married Charles Bradshaw
Elizabeth married Jonas Bradshaw



The Last Will and Testament of Benjamin Ratliff.
Not admitted to Record October Session 1790

Admitted January Session 1791

In the Name of God Amen. Feb 14th 1790 I Benjamin Ratley of the County of Lincoln and the State of North Carolina being sick and weak in body but of perfect and sound under standing do Make Constitute and Appoint this to be my Last Will and Testament and as touching my worldly Estate desire to dispose of it manner and form following to wit

First I give and bequeath unto my Loving wife Rebekah Ratley one Negro boy named Jesse aged
twelve years old during her life and one feather bed and Furniture one gray Mare one Sow and
Eight Pigs one Small Steer I also give and bequeath unto my daughter Susanna Haskins five Shillings
I give and bequeath unto my daughter Michal Bradshaw five Shillings I give and bequeath unto
my daughter Elizabeth Bradshaw five Shillings I also Give and bequeath unto my son Benjamin
Ratley one young Mare I give and bequeath unto my daughter Jean [?dix] five Shillings and I also do
appoint my wife Rebekah Ratley and Jonas Bradshaw Executers of this my last will and Testament In witness whereof I have set my hand and Seal this 14 day of Feb 1790


Benjamin (his X mark) Ratley (seal)

Josiah Bradshaw
Charles Bradshaw

Benjamin married Rebeckah Bradshaw 3 Jul 1784, Lincoln County, North Carolina. Rebeckah (daughter of Field Bradshaw and Judith Robinson) was born Between 1760 and 1767; died WFT Est 1791 1854. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Field was probably the first born son as he was his father's heir-at-la

Cumberland Co., Va. Court Order Book 1752-1758, July court, 1754, pg. 202 there is a settlement between Field and Judith to William Bradshaw (his brother).

Cumberland Co., Va. Records, Bk. 1, pg. 30:
Field Bradshaw, of Cumberland County, Virginia, son and heir of William Bradshaw, decd., for love and affection for my brother, Charles Bradshaw, land in the Southern Parish on Deep Creek...etc. part of the 390 ac. granted by patent to my father, William Bradshaw, decd.
Rec. July 24, 1749

Cumberland Co., Va. Records, Deed Book 1, pg. 32:
Field Bradshaw, deed to my father-in-law, Field Robinson....etc.
Rec. July 24, 1749

There are many more listings for Field Bradshaw in the Cumberland County, Virginia books.

Lincoln County, North Carolina Deed Bk. 15, pg. 62:
Dec. 17, 1779 Jacob Baker of Lincoln Co. to Field BRADSHAW of Mecklenburg Co. for £250, 25 ac. on s. side of Catawba River; borders Abraham Scott and Coborns Creek; part of grant Sept. 13, 1759 to John Killion who sold to Richd. Earhart and by "sundry conveyances" to Jacob Baker.
Signed, Jacob Baker
Wit: Vincent Cox and John Brown Skrimshire Rec. July, 1788, Bk. 3, pg. 384


Lincoln County, North Carolina Deed Bk. 15, pg. 51:
Nov. 28, 1785 Field Bradshaw of Lincoln Co. to son Jonas Bradshaw of same for love and affection, one Negro girl, Agnes, 13 yrs. old
Signed, Field Bradshaw
Wit: John Haskins & Benjamin Ratlist Rec. July, 1788, Bk. 3, pg. 373



Fields Bradsha's
Last will and Test[ament]
In the Name of God Amen I Field Bradshaw of the County of Lincoln and State of North Carolina being sick and weak in body but of perfect and sound understanding do Make and Ordain this to be my Last will and Testament and as touching my worldly Estate I Desire it to be Disposed of in Manner and form following first I Desire my debts should be paid and the Expense of my burial to be at the Discretion of my Executors and the Remainder of my Estate to be as follows To Wit first I give and bequeath unto my Wife Judith Bradshaw one Negro woman named Jane aged forty years and one Negro fellow named Sandy aged Eighteen years and one Negro Girl named moll aged Eighteen months and two mares one feather bed and furniture and three Cows and Calves and also the tools belonging to the plantation and to have Possession of the house wherein I now Dwell During her Life Then I give and bequeath unto my son Benjamin Bradshaw one hundred acres of land including the place whereon he now lives and one Negro woman named [?hannah] aged twenty two[?] years and one Negro Child Then I give and be queath unto my son John Bradshaw one Negro Girl named Amy aged nine years Then I give and bequeath unto my daughter Rebekah Ratlif one Negro boy named Jessee aged Eleven years Then I give and bequeath unto my son Field Bradshaw one Negro woman named aga? aged twenty seven years Then I give and bequeath unto my son Charles Bradshaw one hundred and twenty five acres of Land including the place whereon he now lives and one Negro woman named Sarah aged thirty years Then I give and bequeath unto my Son Jonas Bradshaw one Negro boy named Stephen aged three years Then I give and bequeath unto my said Son Jonas Bradshaw one horse Colt three years old Then I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Judith Rabb one Shilling Sterling Then I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Susanna Bradshaw one Negro girl named Fan[?] aged four years and one [?bay pony?] aged two years and one feather bed and Furniture and two Cows and Calves Then I give and bequeath unto my son Josiah Bradshaw one hundred and twenty five acres of Land including the place whereon I now live and one Negro woman named Mary aged twenty years and one Negro Child named Turner and one horse Colt two years old and one Cow and Calf Then I give and bequeath unto my Grandson William Rabb one Negro boy named Dave aged four years & I this Field Bradshaw Desire that my Estate May not Come to an [Appraisement?] and I Also utterly Disannul all other wills before Made and I do appoint William Bradshaw and my wife Judith Bradshaw and Joseph Abernathy to be Executors of this my Last will and Testament In witness whereof I have hereunto Sat my hand and affixed my seal This 16 Day of June 1788

Field Bradshaw (seal)

Charles Bradshaw
Elizabeth Hogan
Susanna Bradshaw
Jo Abernathy

Field married Judith Robinson Jun 1746, Goochland County, Virginia. Judith (daughter of John Robinson and Tabitha Jones) was born Between 1726 and 1734, Henrico County, Virginia; died Jan 1820, Lincoln County, North Carolina. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

State of North Carolina Lincoln County January Sessions 1820

The within will was proved in open court by the subscribing witnesses and
admitted to records

Witness V W B___?

In the name of God Amen I Judith Bradshaw of the State of North Carolina and County of Lincoln being of sound mind and disposeing[?] memory but calling to mind the mortality of my body and the certainty of death and the uncertainty of the time it may happen I do hereby make, ordain and establish this to be my last will and Testament hereby revoking and annulling all former Wills by me made declaring them and every part of them to be utterly void

And first I recommend my soul to God who gave it and my body to the earth to be buried in a decent Christian manner and as to such worldly property wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me I will and dispose of in the following manner That all my just debts (if any) and my funeral expenses be paid out of my estate.

Second I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Judith Rabb one Negro woman named Poll about 28 years of age and one Negro Boy named Eli son of Poll about 8 years old and one other Negroe boy named Jim and son of Poll about 5 years old and one Negro Girl named Moriah[?] about 3 years old and daughter of Poll I do give and bequeath said Negroes unto my said Daughter Judith Rabb her heirs and assigns forever

Third I do give and bequeath unto my son John Bradsha one Negro man named Sandy about 42 years old on condition that my said son John Bradsha pay for him one hundred and fifty dollars which I allow to be equally divided and paid to all his brothers and sisters share and share alike of the said hundred and fifty dollars.

Fourth I give and bequeath unto my grand daughter Judith Bradsha daughter of my son Josiah Bradsha one Negroe Girl named Nance[?] about 4 years old and one feather bed and furniture to her her Heirs and assigns forever

Fifth I give and bequeath unto my son Jonas Bradsha one big Pot -

Sixth I give and bequeath unto my son Benjamin Bradsha one Cow and Calf if they should be there at the time of my decease

Seventh I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint Joseph Graham and Nathan Gaultney - to be Executors of this my last Will and Testament as witness my hand and seal this 30th day of September Anno Domini 181[?] signed sealed as pronounced by Judith Bradsha to be her last Will and Testament

Judith (x) Bradsha (seal)

in presence of us Josiah Bradshaw jurat Jos Graham [Josiah Bradshaw in handwriting different from rest of will]

Codicil to the within Will made this 10th day of August 1818.
1st I do hereby revoke and anull that part of it which gives the Boy Jim (son of Poll) to my daughter Judith Rabb and I do hereby give the said Boy Jim to my son John Bradsha

2nd I do hereby give and bequeath unto my daughter Judith Rabb a negroe boy Jess about 3 years old and a Girl named Mary both Children of Poll and if any of the negroes Willed unto the said Judith Rabb should hereafter increase it is my will that she have the whole of said increase as witness my hand and seal this day and year above written
Judith ( her X mark) Bradsha (seal)

signed sealed and pronounced by Judith Bradsha as a Codicil to her last will and Testament in presence of us

J L Favell[?] jurat
Jno D Graham jurat

Jo Graham
N Gaultny Executors

Notes:

Field Bradshaw and Judith Robinson appear to have left Cumberland County, Virginia in 1777 and settled in Lincoln County, North Carolina in 1777-1778. They may have traveled with members of the Robinson and Hogan families to North Carolina. They settled on the western side of the Catawba River near Leepers Creek and Coborn's Creek in southeastern section of Tryon County which later became Lincoln County, North Carolina.