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BRENT HOWARD HOLCOMB
PROFESSIONAL GENEALOGIST
EDITOR. THE SOUTH CAROLINA MAGAZINE OF ANCESTRAL RESEARCH
P.O. BOX 21766
COLLIMBIA. SOUTH CAROLINA 29221
(803) 772-6919
RAY REPORT NUMBER 2
December 7, 1999
Mrs. Janet J. Hindman
99 East Green Gables Circle
The Woodlands, TX 77382
Assignment: To search for information on Ambrose Ray who married
Elizabeth Holcombe. He obtained land in present-day Union County by
1774. Client wishes to determine his origins, questioning the
statement that this Ambrose Ray was a son of John and Susan
(Salisbury) Ray of Columbia County, Georgia. Client is interested
in any participation in the Revolution (Patriot or Loyalist), or
his presence in South Carolina in the Revolutionary period. Client
also wishes a copy of the Ray entries in the Union County grantee
deed index.
Information: The South Carolina Archives COM index (see enclosed
explanation) should provide references to any plats, grants,
memorials, audited accounts, and deeds recorded in the appropriate
period. Some deeds were recorded years after their execution (after
counties were formed in 1785) and many deeds were never recorded at
all.
Searching under the name of Ambrose Ray, I found only a reference
to his land memorial and a reference to him in another memorial:
Land Memorials, Volume 13, page 294 [copy enclosed from microfilm
at SC Archives]:
A memorial exhibited by Ambrose Ray... 300 acres in Berkly County
in the fork of Broad and Saluda rivers on a Ridge between Enoree
River & Tyger River adj. James Otterson, Richard Wickersham, Elenor
Halcome, survey certified 8 July 1774 and granted 19 August 1774,
dated 8 Feb 1775. dld 28 June 1775 to Daniel Jackson.
Comments: We see that there was indeed a plat and grant but they
were not indexed under this spelling. A member of the Archives
staff was nice enough to check the old plat and grant indices (now
retired) and found the references for me. We will see those, but
first the other reference in the memorial:
Land Memorials, Volume 12, page 41 [copy enclosed from microfilm at
SC Archives]:
A memorial exhibited by John Goan... 150 acres in Berkley County in
the fork between Broad and Saludy Rivers on a small branch of Tyger
River called Barnets branch, adj. James Otterson, Ambrose Ray,
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Ralph Jackson, survey certified 17 Aug & granted 20 Oct 1772 to the
mem'st, dated 27 Dec 1772. E. Pearson. Dl'd 6 May 1773 to Enoch
Pearson.
Comments: This memorial would indicate the presence of Ambrose Ray
by 1772.
The Archives staff member found the plat and grant under the
spelling of RAE, and it is included in the COM index under that
spelling.
Colonial Plats, Volume 20, page 7 [copy enclosed from microfilm ST
51 at SC Archives]:
Pursuant to a precept dated 3 March 1772 I have admeasured & laid
out unto Ambrose Rae a plantation or tract of land of 300 acres in
Berkly County in the fork between Broad River & Saludy on the Ridge
between Tygar & Enoree Rivers adj. James Otterson, Richard Wickers
[sic] and Elener Holcom, dated 17 March 1772. Enoch Pearson, D. S.
Ord Co 8 July 1774.
Royal Grants, Volume 32, page 376 [copy enclosed from microfilm ST
77 at SC Archives]:
George III to Ambrose Rae 300 acres in Berkly County in the fork
between Broad River & Saludy on the Ridge between Tygar & Enoree
Rivers adj. James Otterson, Richard Wickersham and Eleaner Halcome,
dated 19 Aug 1774.
Comments: The precept date (in this case, 3 March 1772) approximates
the date of application for the land before His Majesty's
Council in Charleston. The notation "Ord Co 8 July 1774" indicates
the probably the plat had elapsed but was certified for him upon
application. This year I completed my series Petitions for Land
from the South Carolina Council Journals, Volumes VI (1766-1770)
and VII (1771-1774) having come out this past summer. I will
interpolate from my computer files the references to Ambrose Ray/
Rae.
Meeting of Tuesday 3 March 1772
Pages 57-65: The following Petitions praying for warrants of Survey
were presented and Read, vizt
Ambrose Rae 300.
Meeting of Friday 8 July 1774
Pages 106-121:
Read the following Petitions praying to have elapsed Plats
certified viz't
Ambrose Rae 300
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Information: A bit of explanation is necessary about the granting
of lands on family right. Prior to the year 1755, land was granted
to persons coming into the province of South Carolina on a
"headright" of 50 acres per person, whether they were male, female,
free or slave, white, or black. From the British Public Records
office (BPRO) film, Volume 24, page 314, we have instructions to
Governor James Glen in March 1750/1 "His Majesty's Governours by
these Instructions are direct to proportion all the Grants
according to the number of Persons White or Black that each Grantee
has in his family, and to allow fifty acres for each person .... "
In the year 1755, this practice was altered slightly to allow 100
acres for the head of the household, and 50 acres for each
additional person in the household. BPRO film Volume 26, pages
314-6, 4 November 1755, in instructions to Governor William Henry
Littleton, "That one hundred acres of Land be granted to every
person being Master or Mistress of a family for himself or herself
and 50 acres for every White or Black man, Woman or Child, of which
such persons shall consist at the actual time of making the Grant
..." Many families had fairly young children (usually teenagers)
who declared themselves to be the "head" of the household, or a
single person, in order to obtain 100 acres of land instead of the
50 acres which would have been obtained on their right as a member
of another household. As of 1763, no person was allowed land for
any children of the age of eighteen years or older. A person
eighteen years or older was supposed to obtain land in his or her
own name (which would have been 100 acres for a single person).
Now, Ambrose Ray would have had himself, and four other persons in
his household, probably a wife and two [three] children. The
application was in 1772; therefore, I would assume that he was
married no later than 1769 or so. The Holcombes came to Union about
1770. It seems logical that he probably married Elizabeth Holcombe
prior to his coming to South Carolina. Then we would expect them to
have come from the same place(s). We note that Ambrose Ray's land
was adjacent to that of his mother-in-law Eleanor Holcombe. My
ancestor Benjamin Holcombe lived in Bute County, North Carolina,
formed in 1764 from Granville County, North Carolina. Bute County
was abolished in 1779 to form Warren and Franklin counties.
I checked the several volumes of abstracts Bute County records by
my late friend Mrs. Mary Hinton Kerr and the one volume (court
minutes 1767-1779) by me. I did not find any reference to Ambrose
Ray or Rae therein.
Next, I checked the two volumes of North Carolina Tax Payers by
Clarence Ratliffe. I enclose a copy of page 168 from the volume
1701-1786, showing the name of Ambrose Ray, s. of John on Granville
County tax list of 1755. This could hardly be the Ambrose Ray of
Georgia who was born about 1760. I would think that to be listed,
Ambrose Ray would have been a poll (male of 14 or 16 years,
depending upon the law in effect at the time).
We will come back to North Carolina shortly, but we need to look at
a few Union County SC deeds first.
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I have abstracted and published one volume of Union County deed
abstracts 1785-1800, and there are three references to Ambrose Ray
therein. I will interpolate these from the computer files:
Union County Deed Book A, pages 195-198: Lease and release. 10 Jan
1785, Ambrose Ray, planter, and Elizabeth Ray his wife, of Ninety
Six District to Elizabeth Duncan of same, for £72 SC money, 200
acres on south side Tygar River adj. Murphey, Bobo, granted 22 Sept
1769 by SC, to Emanuel Stevens for 350 acres, and said 200 acres
hath been since legally conveyed to said Ambrose Ray. Ambrose Ray
(Seal), Elizabeth Ray (+) (Seal), Wit: James Harrison, William
Young. Proved 10 Jan 1786 by the oath of James Harrison, J.P.
Recorded 25 Sept 1786.
Comments: I was unable to find the deed from Emanuel Stevens to
Ambrose Ray. There are only two places where it should have been:
Charleston prior to 1785, and Union 1785 forward. It was probably
never recorded. My ancestor William Lawson purchased land from
Emanuel Stevens in 1770. The deed to Ambrose Ray may date from
about the same time.
Union County Deed Book D, pages 447-452: Lease and release. 27 Sept
1770, Emanuel Stevens, planter, of Province of SC, to Simon Murphey
of same, planter, for £1 s15, 200 acres on Tyger River, part of 350
granted to Emanuel Stevens 22 Sept 1769, recorded in Book DDD, page
406. Emanuel Stevens (LS), Lucrecia Stevens (L) (LS), Wit: Ambrose
Ray, Nathl Austin, Robert Goodwin. Proved in Ninety Six District by
the oath of Ambrose Ray 29 Dec 1774 before Wm Gist, J.P. Recorded
5 Sept 1796.
Union County Deed Book D, pages 452-457: Lease and release. 27 Dec
1774, Simon Murphey of province of SC, planter, to Patrick
McGarrity of same, for £1 s15 SC money, 200 acres on Tyger River,
part of 350 granted to Emanuel Stevens 22 Sept 1769, recorded in
Book DDD, page 406. Simon Murphy (LS), Sarah Murphy (LS), Wit:
Lewis Bobo, Ambrose Ray, Jeremiah Bobo. Proved in Ninety Six
District by the oath of Ambrose Ray 29 Dec 1774 before Wm Gist,
J.P. Recorded 5 Sept 1796.
Comments: The deed to Simon Murphey places Ambrose Ray in what was
later Union County by the year 1770, as I had suspected.
I have completed a second volume of Union County deed abstracts,
but it is not yet published. I find one reference to Ambrose Ray
therein:
Union County Deed Book I, pages 11-12: 8 March 1806, William
Wilbanks of Union District to Hosea Holcomb & William Jackson of
same, whereas the said Hosea Holcombe & Wm Jackson have become
joint securities for said William Wilbanks for the faithful
administration of the estate of Samuel Simpson decd, in order to
secure them, mortgage a tract of land of 100 acres adj. estate of
Ambrose Ray decd, Thomas Norman, James Jackson, Hosea Holcombe, and
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negroes Pompey, Lyle, Ben, Tamer & Charles. Wm Wilbanks (Seal),
Wit: Thomas Gibson, Luke Smith. Proved in Union District by the
oath of Thomas Gibson 7 April 1806 before Andr Torrance. Recorded
6 May 1806.
Now, back to North Carolina-- I have a few volumes of published
Granville County records, and I find in the Abstracts of the Early
Deeds of Granville County North Carolina 1746-1765 by Zae Hargett
Gwinn page 182, reference to Ambrose Ray as a witness (along with
Simon Murphey) to a deed dated 21 Dec 1761 from Hezekiah Terril to
Edward Richerson. I think that the close association with Simon
Murphey in North Carolina and in Union County proves that this is
your ancestor Ambrose Ray.
These records on Ambrose Ray also help us explain some other items.
I found no reference to Ambrose Ray as serving in the Revolution,
on either side. By his being listed on the 1755 tax list, he was
probably born by 1740 and was too old for military service. Most
soldiers were born 1748-1765. The major part of the Revolution in
the upper part of South Carolina occurred in 1780-1781. By then,
Ambrose Ray was about forty years old.
As you requested, I enclose copies of the pages from the Union
County Grantee deed index for Ray.
I just happened to notice on my shelf a book on Ancestors and
Descendants and Allied Lines of Medora Virgina Ray by Carrie L.
Davis (1988). I enclose the references to Ambrose Ray, which
perpetuate the story about the Georgia connection which you are now
able to refute.
In my quarterly, I am publishing Legal Briefs of Judge Thomas
Waties serially. I have not yet abstracted or published this one,
but I noticed it.
Item number 240. Union, Oct. 1806. Thomas Ray & Wife v Will.
Bentley & wife. Mal's Prosecution.
The testimony of Major Willburn says that "Mrs. R" was formerly
Sally Whitlock.
While I am sure that you know that Thomas Ray married a Whitlock,
but if documentation is needed, it is available in this record.
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BRENT HOWARD HOLCOMB
PROFESSIONAL GENEALOGIST
EDITOR, THE SOUTH CAROLINA MAGAZINE OF ANCESTRAL RESEARCH
P.O. BOX 21766
COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA 29221
(803) 772-6919
December 7, 1999
Mrs. Janet J. Hindman
99 East Green Gables Circle
The Woodlands, TX 77382
Dear Mrs. Hindman:
Thank you for having me to do continue South Carolina research.
My rates have not changed since the previous research, and I was
pleased to have this assignment.
I think that you are very wise to question the supposed Georgia
connection of your ancestor Ambrose Ray. No matter how unusual the
name might appear, there can always be another person of the same
name. It appears that both of them may be sons of men named John
Ray as well. I believe that you will agree that your ancestor is
the one on whom we found records in Granville County, North
Carolina. I think that further research in records of that area is
in order. My friend, Mr. Tim Kearney, has been engaged in
preparing the Granville County Tax Lists for publication. I feel
certain that he is familiar with those and the other records as
well, and I usually recommend him for any North Carolina research.
You may contact him: Timothy Kearney, PO Box 27645, Raleigh, NC
27611; home 2555 US Highway #1, Franklinton, NC 27525. Please tell
him that you were referred by me.
I will make no further charge than your check already sent.
Sincerely yours,
(His Signature)
Brent H. Holcomb