John Ballard of Dobbs County, North Carolina was the son of Joseph Ballard Jr of Tyrrell County, North Carolina.

[this is a placeholder while the details are worked out].

Last Will and Testament of John Ballard, Dobbs [now Wayne] County, 12 March 1763

In the name of God Amen, I John Ballard of the province of North Carolina in Dobbs County being in good health of body and of sound mind and memory praise be given to almighty god do make and order this my last Will Testament in manner and form following that is to say first and particularly (?) I commit my sole into the hands of almighty god hoping through the merits of death and patron of my Lord and savior, Jesus Christ to have full and free pardon and forgiveness of all my sins and my body I commit to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of Executors herefore named and what worldly goods and Estate it hath pleased almighty god bestowed upon me I give as, dispose as follows.

First I will that all debts and funeral charges be paid and discharge.

Item- I lend my beloved wife the use of my whole estate during her widowhood.

Item- I give to my daughter Ann one shilling sterling.

Item- I give to my daughter Ruth one shilling sterling.

Item- I give my son John one shilling sterling.

Item- I give my daughter Rachel one shilling sterling.

Item- I give Joseph Ballard Boite ten pounds sterling to have good schooling given by the executors.

Item- I give Jacob Ballard Boite ten pounds sterling to have good schooling given by the executors.

Item- I leave my son Elisha in the hands of my son Elias to be well taken care of as long as he lives.

Item- I give my son Elias my whole and sole Estate to him and his heirs forever and lastly

I do hereby constitute and appoint Elias Ballard and Theoplus Jones my whole and sole Executors of this my last Will and Testament and I do hereby revoke, disenull and make void all former Wills and Testaments heretofore by me made. In witness where of I have here unto set my hand and seal this 12th day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred sixty three.

Signed sealed in the presents of us
his
Jesse Fargain
Mark
Her
Mary Jones his
Mark John Ballard, Senior.
Her mark
Jemma Jones
mark SEAL

***

Pension application of Jacob B. Boyt S6686 fn16NC Transcribed by Will Graves 9/27/10

[Methodology: Spelling, punctuation and/or grammar have been corrected in some instances for ease of reading and to facilitate searches of the database. Also, the handwriting of the original scribes often lends itself to varying interpretations. Users of this database are urged to view the original and to make their own decision as to how to decipher what the original scribe actually wrote. Blanks appearing in the transcripts reflect blanks in the original. Folks are free to make non-commercial use this transcript in any manner they may see fit, but please extend the courtesy of acknowledging the transcriber—besides, if it turns out the transcript contains mistakes, the resulting embarrassment will fall on the transcriber. I use speech recognition software to make all my transcriptions. Such software misinterprets my southern accent with unfortunate regularity and my poor proofreading fails to catch all misinterpretations. I welcome and encourage folks to call those and any other errors to my attention.]

State of North Carolina Bladen County: This the 30th day of January 1833. –
Personally appeared before may Aaron Lewis Junior one of the Justices of the peace in and for the County of Bladen, and State of North Carolina, Jacob B Boyt, a resident of the County of Bladen, aged seventy-eight years, April 4th 1775 who being first duly sworn according to law doth on his oath, make the following declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7th 1832.

That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers and served as herein stated.

He entered the service of the United States, in the month of October 1778, for a service of five months, as a volunteer in a Company of Wayne (then Dobbs) County militia of which, John Kennedy was Captain, Jacob Hooks, Lieutenant, and Thomas Bond, Ensign. The company rendezvoused at Kinston in said County now Lenoir and there joined a Regiment composed of Companies from the adjoining Counties commanded by Colonel William Caswell, Lieutenant Colonel Smith, and Major Stringer McIlevain [sic, Stringer McIllwaine]; all under the command of General John Ashe. The Troops marched from Kinston to Elizabeth town, Bladen County; thence to the ten Mile House, on the road to Charleston; thence to Dorchester; thence to Augusta; where a considerable British force had been stationed a few days before, but on the approach of General Ashe’s Command; they retreated or marched down the Savannah Road, and there crossing the Brier Creek; they burnt the Bridge. General Ashe continued to pursue them, until he reached the fork of Briar Creek, and the Savannah River, where he halted & encamped; and while there the British crossed the Creek above, and came down in the rear of the Americans, surprised and defeated them. He was not in the action, having been left with the baggage on the opposite side of the river; in crossing the River, after the defeat many of the men were drowned; and such as were not killed, wounded, or taken prisoners, returned to the baggage; and after a few days, they all collected at or near a bridge on the Coosawhatchie [River] – where they remained two or three weeks, and their term of service having expired, were discharged. He received a written discharge, from Colonel Caswell but has lost it. There were other Regiments of militia under the command of General Ashe, but he believes they were mostly from the upper part of North Carolina and Colonel Caswell’s Regiment did not join them until a few days before the battle of Brier Creek – he has no recollection of the names of any of the Officers, or the numbers of the Regiment. He did know several Continental officers, but has forgotten their names. General Lincoln’s Army was on the opposite side of the Savannah, not very far from the force under General Ashe, but where, he does not now recollect.

2. In October 1779, he again entered the service, having been drafted into a company of Wayne County Militia of which John Sheppard and Colonel John Lowry Lieutenant Colonel and William Thomas Shute was Captain, Richard Hodges Lieutenant and Stephen Sasser Ensign – the Company rendezvoused at Kinston, where a Regiment formed from the adjoining Counties was embodied under the command of Colonel John Sheppard, Lieutenant Colonel John Lowry and Major William Dennis – the whole under the command of General Lillington – who marched them through Wilmington and Georgetown to Charleston, where they arrived a few days before that place was invested by the British. They with two other militia Regiments, were stationed in the first instance between two marshes, near Ashley River at a place called Cummins Point, but were afterwards removed into the body of the City, when they remained until the expiration of their term of service, when they were discharged; and were sent in vessels up Cooper River in order to avoid the British, who had been invested the Town, on every other side. On this expedition he served five months, having entered the service about the last of October – but received a discharge for only three months, being the time he was stationed in Charleston. He was discharged by Lieutenant Colonel John Lowry of the 2nd Regiment on the 2nd April 1780 as will appear by the original discharge here with sent. He has no recollection of any of the Militia Officers, or the numbers of the Militia Regiments, nor does he recollect any of the Continental Officers except General Lincoln. He has no documentary evidence 1except the discharge already mentioned, and he knows of no person, whose testimony he can procure, who can testify to his service.

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a pension or annuity except the present, and declares that his name is not on the pension Roll of the Agency of any State.

Sworn to and subscribed before made the day & year aforesaid. Attest: S/ Aaron Lewis, Junior, JP S/ Jacob Boyt

Answers to the interrogatories prescribed by the War Department, as propounded by Aaron Lewis Junior Esquire
1. I was born in Wayne County – the 4th day of April 1755

2. There is a record of my age, in the possession of my Brother in law Uriah Langston, residing in Wayne County.

3. In Wayne County, until about 17 years ago – when I removed to Bladen, and have resided there ever since.

4. I was a volunteer in 1 instance and drafted in the other.

5. Full answer to this question, I beg leave to refer to the body of my declaration.

6. I lost my discharge for my first tour of duty, which was given a by Colonel Caswell – my second tour of duty I received a written discharge, which was given by Colonel John Lowry, and is here with sent.

1 Language in italics is missing from the digital images as posted on Footnote.com but can be found on the version posted at HeritageQuest.com.

7. James Kelly Esquire, John McEwen, Archibald Kelly, Robert McEwen, Thomas Memory, and others were it necessary to name them.
Attest: S/ Aaron Lewis, Junior, JP S/ Jacob Boyt
[James Kelly and Robert McEwen gave the standard supporting affidavit.]

This is to Certify
that Jacob Boyt has faithfully
Served Out his Tower of Duty
of Three months In General
Lillingtons Brigade, to the
Southard as a Good Soldier
Charles Town S/ John Lowry Lt. Colo. April 6th 1780 2sn Regt. No. Ca. Militia

[Veteran was pensioned at the rate of $26.66 per annum commencing March 4th, 1831, for 8 months service as a private in the North Carolina militia.]

***

A series of deeds posted online appear to show his land purchases, but did not provide citations:

On July 25, 1743 the Crown grants to John BALLARD 600 acres in Craven County on the Lower side of the Little River adjoining Ballard and the river.

On November 16, 1744 John BALLARD of Craven County to John HUCKS of Edgecombe County 250 acres river posocin adjoining John EVERITT, Thomas PRICE, where John HUCKS now lives. (In Edgecombe County)

On November 16, 1744 John Ballard of Craven County deeds to John HUCKS of Edgecombe County 100 acres on the south side of Roanoke River adjoining Theophilus PUGH – land as by patent to the said John on 15 Febraury 1739. Witnesses: William TAYLOR, Elias BALLARD, John HUCKS Jr. (In Edgecombe County)

March 8, 1745 John BALLARD of Craven County to William REDDIN of Edgecombe County 150 acres in the river pocosin. Witnesses: Charity CARNALL, William TAYLOR, Elias BALLARD. (In Edgecombe County)

March 8, 1745 John Ballard of Craven County to William Taylor of Edgecombe acres not given joining Roanoke River, Great Swamp, Bever pond and John HUCKS wheron Ballard fromerly lived. Witnesses: Charity CARNAL, William REDDIN,
Elias BALLARD. (In Edgecombe County)

March 8, 1745 John BALLARD of Craven County to William TAYLOR of Edgecombe County 200 acres on Wolf Pit Branch, joing Rocky Swamp. Witnesses: Charity CARNAL, William REDIN, Elias BALLARD (In Edgecombe County)

On March 8, 1745 John BALLARD of Craven County deeds to William TAYLOR of Edgecombe County 200 acres on the Roanoke River. Witnesses: Charity CARNALL, William REDDIN, Elias BALLARD. (In Edgecombe County)

On April 20, 1745 the Crown granted John BALLARD 300 acres in Craven County on the North Side of Little River adjoining the land he now lives on.

The book the “Heritage of Johnston County” states some of the first settlers in Johnston County were in the Conoho Creek area (between the Roanoke and the Tar Rivers) – “landowners prior to 1750 were John BAKER, John BALLARD, John
BYRAN, William BRYAN, and William TAYLOR.

In 1750 and 1751 John BALLARD is on th Quit Rent List of Johnston County.

On September 27, 1755 John Ballard enters 100 acres in Johnston County bordering Willima HOOK’s upper line on the LIttle River and runs up the river.

On September 27, 1755 John BALLARD enters 400 acres in Johnston County bordering William HOOK’s back line.

On March 15, 1756 the Crown granted John BALLARD 65 acres in Johnston County on the North side of Little River adjoining William HOOKS.

On September 29, 1756 the Crown granted to John BALLARD 300 acres in Johnston County on the Northside of Little River on Buck Swamp adjoining himself and William GRANT.

In Johnston County court in 1760. The widow of William GURLEY took the oath of Administration with John BALLARD and Joseph GURLEY as her securities.

On April 22, 1763 grant from the Crown to William HOOKS for 72 acres in Dobbs County on the North side of Little River joining John BALLARD and his own line.

On August 25, 1764 John BALLARD of Dobbs Co. sold land to Nathan GURLEY in Johnston County – 100 acres on the north side of the Nuese River and on the North side of Mocerson. This land was part of a patent granted to William  GURLEY on April 20, 1745.

On November 9, 1764 the Crown granted to Joshua HOWELL 105 acres in Dobbs County on the North Side of Little River of Nuse joining John BALLARD.