John Locke Notes Compiled John E. Abernathy, Jr.

John Locke Notes Compiled John E. Abernathy, Jr.

The Heritage of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 1, 1991, The Genealogical Society of Rowan County, Inc, Article by Jeanette Probst Tabb gives the following:

"JOHN LOCKE, JR. (1728-1764) John was the son of John and Elizabeth Locke. We think that John, Jr. was born in North Ireland. His father John, Sr. died ca 1745 in Pennsylvania and his mother Elizabeth married John Brandon and the families moved into Rowan County, North Carolina ca 1748. They settled on Grant's Creek. John received 415 acres of land adjoining the land of his step-father John Brandon, Sr. 14 August 1756.

In this period 1755-56, John married Ealee (Alice) Cathey daughter of Alexander Cathey and Elizabeth Pinkney who lived nearby on Grant's Creek. Alexander Cathey's family had come from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with John Brandon, Sr. and John Locke, Jr.'s mother and his siblings Matthew, George, Francis, Margaret and Elizabeth. The Cathey, Brandon, Locke families were very close in Delaware and Pennsylvania and I feel intermarried in North Ireland.

John Locke, Jr., and wife Ealee Cathey had the following children: Alexander Locke who married Rachel Clary 26 Oct 1784; Matthew born ca 1760 married Ann Locke 20 Jan 1784; George; Elizabeth b. ca 1764. (NOT SURE IF GEORGE WAS A SON, SOME HAVE CONFUSED GEORGE THE SON OF JOHN LOCKE AND GRANDSON OF GEN. MATTHEW LOCKE. I HAVE DOUBT'S THAT THAT HE HAD A SON GEORGE AND HAVE NOT LISTED HIM AS OF YET. JEA)

John Locke, Jr. died 15 Apr 1764 in Rowan County and is buried in Thyatira Church Cemetery. He left a will which lists beneficiaries sons Alexander and Matthew and wife Ealee. This does not necessarily mean that George and Elizabeth are dead, although they may have been. George was alive 25 Mar 1752 when he received 450 acres of land three miles northeast of senior Brandon's land.

Ealee remarried Benjamin Robinson 1765 in Rowan County. (Marriages of Rowan County, NC, by Holcomb gives Benjamin Robinson & Eals Lock, 19 Feb 1765, Peter Johnson, Robt. Pearls, Henry Horah, Wm. Temple Coles, bondsmen - JEA). Robinson's were a well known family. But for some reason when Ealee's father Alexander Cathey wrote his will 1766 he was very angry with Ealee and expressed his anger in will by referring to her as his "once beloved dau. Alice Robinson" and leaving her "five shillings and no more item." We have never learned the cause of his anger, it could have been a disagreement over religion, her marriage, or anything. It is sure that he loved John Locke, Jr. and was especially fond of his grandson Alexander Locke, son of Ealee and John Locke, Jr. Sources: Carolina Cradle by Robert W. Ramsey; wills of Rowan County, North Carolina; family history; deed records of Rowan County, North Carolina."

Lookin' for Lockes', Aug 1980, gives John Locke as son of John Locke and Elizabeth, born 1728 in England, married to Ealce (Alice) Cathey, died 15 Apr 1764 in Rowan Co., NC. Wife is given as died 1793, Rowan Co., NC and her father as Alexander Cathey and mother as Elizabeth Pinkney. Children are given as Alexander born 29 May 1757, Rowan Co., married Rachel Clary 26 Oct 1784, died 8 Nov 1824; Matthew; and Elizabeth.

Ibid, Vol 17, #1, Feb 1995, p 766, entry from Wilson Locke, gives: John Locke, Jr. (? __ 1728-15 Apr 1764), m. Ealce (Alice) Cathey (? abt 1730-? __ 1793) Children:

Alexander Locke (29 May 1757-8 Nov 1824: m. Rachel Clary (17 Jun 1767-10 Oct 1823).

Matthew Locke (b. ? abt 1760), m. Anne Locke (20 Jul 1764-8 Dec 1811).

George Locke (b. ?abt 1762). (NEED PROOF OF THIS. JEA)

Elizabeth Locke (b. ? abt 1764).

Ibid, Aug 1983, Rowan Co. Deed Abstracts 1762-1772, gives nuncupative will of John Locke dec'd who died 15 Apr 1764. Benefic. are the sons Alexander and Matthew and wife Ealee Locke. Wit. John Frohock, Alex. Cathey. 18 Apr 1764.

(John is possibly the father of another daughter, Susan who married a Cates but I am not certain. See RIN 898, John Locke, for further info regarding this and other items. JEA)

Material from Mrs. Ronald Wilson found at Lancaster Co. Historical Society gives abstract of the will as follows:

North Carolina, Rowan County, 18 Apr 1764.

The noncupative Will of John Locke, Dec., who departed this Life on the Sunday the 15th day of this instant is as follows (to wit.) That the said John Locke on his Death Bed did declare that he thought it was best for him to make his will but he could not tell where to get any Body to make it for him and did declare his mind in the following manner in the presence of his wife that he did in no wise allow his Eldest son Alexander Locke to have all of the plantation where on he lived but that his Will was that the land should be divided between his two sons, Alexander and Matthew Locke, all of which his said Wife Ealce Locke stated on Oath.

Ealce Locke

Sworn Before

John Frohock July Term, 1764

Alexr Cathey

(Mrs. Wilson has note that says, "Alexander Locke, referred to in the will of John Locke, is the grandson to whom Alexander Cathey willed property but he is not the Alexander Locke to whom Gen. Matthew Locke left a legacy.")

Lookin' for Lockes, Nov 1983, gives tombstone inscription from Thyatira Cem., Rowan Co., N. C., as Here Ly's The Body of John Lock Who deceas't April the 15th, 1764, Aged 36 Years. (Also on p 32, Inscriptions on Grave Stones in the Cemetery of Thyatira Church, 1755-1983.)

Ibid., Nov 1980, gives children of Alexander Locke and Rachel Clary as:

1. John, b 1 Nov 1785 in NC, m Ann Hanna 21 Nov 1811, d 24 Oct 1842 in NC.

2. Sarah, b 31 May 1787 in NC, m --- Tabb.

3. Alexander C., b 20 Jan 1789 in NC, m Elizabeth Helard 27 Apr 1816, d 8 Nov 1824 in NC.

4. Daniel, b 28 Sep 1790 in NC, m Margaret Hanna 22 Jan 1816, d 19 Apr 1861 McNairy Co., TN.

5. William, b 17 Sep 1792.

6. Elizabeth, b 25 May 1795 Rowan Co., NC, m William Penninger 14 May 1822, d 17 Nov 1834 Rowan Co., NC.

7. Ealce, b 15 Jan 1797 NC, m Henry Verbal 1 Apr 1817.

8. Richard, b 212 Jan 1799 NC, m Margaret Gheen 3 Feb 1825, d 28 Nov 1849.

9. Margaret, b 20 May 1801, m George W. Locke 20 Dec 1829.

10. Eleanore, b 3 Mar 1804, m Joseph Welch 25 Nov 1825.

11. Ann, b 28 May 1806, m Jacob Rickart 25 Sep 1832.

12. Matthew, b 22 May 1811.

Apparently another child was born about 1810. See entry for Alexander, RIN 1398, for additional

details. JEA

Ibid., Feb 1988, Abstract of Deed of Rowan Co., NC, gives Deed Bk 1, p 39, John Lock wit John Brandon, w. Elizabeth sale 19 Apr 1753. (John Brandon probably was his step-father and Elizabeth his mother. JEA)

Ibid., Deed Bk 4, p 31, gives John Lock Granville Grt on Grants Crk adj. John Brandon, Sr., 14 Aug 1756.

The Granville District of North Carolina, 1748-1763 : abstracts of land grants Authors:

Hofmann, Margaret M. <https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/527478> (Main Author)

Publication:

Weldon, North Carolina : Roanoke News, c1986-c1995

Physical:

ISBN: 0937761060 v 5

Subject Class:

975.6 R28 <https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/527478>

p311 7429 John Lock warrabt 1 December 1753 to James Carter to survey 640a in Rowan Co., both sides of Grants Creek, joining John Brandon, Sr.

Appendix 1

p 373 8229 John Lock 14 August 1756, 415a, Rowan Co., West side of Yadkin River on Grants Creek, joining John Brandon and John Nesbitt

From Elaine Oakes

John Lock's noncupative will in office of Registrar of Deeds. Book 5, page 542. (1762-1764).

On Saturday following the 2nd Tuesday in April 1765 "Order by the Court that Mathw Long (sic) Griffith Rutherford and Saml. Young or any Two of them be Appointed and are Hereby Appt. to Lay out the Lands & Tenements of John Lock Deceased into thirds equal in Qualaty & Quantaty as it Shall seem to them Just and that they make Report to the Next Court there procedings thereupon April 8?, 1765. On Motion Relative to the Orphants of John Lock Deceased (to Wit) Alexr. Mathew & Elizth., it is order by the Court, that Alexr Cathey & Mathew Lock be Appointed and are Hereby Appointed Guardians of the sd. Orphants, and that they Enter into Bond & Security Agreeable to Act of Assembly in that made, ac. for the Securing the Estate, Education, Maintainence the Orphants aforesaid. On Wednesday following the 2nd Tuesday in July 1764 "Ordered P Court that Ealen Lock Have Letters of Adm. on the Estate of John Lock Deceased and the Security Alexdr. Cathey & John Frohock and the Su B. Bound inthe Sum of L200 The Non Cupative Will of John Lock decd. to Have his Land Divided Between Alexdr. Lock and Mathew Lock his Two Sons.

"inventory of the Estate of John Lock Deceased. Returned by the Adm of said Estate" On Friday agter 2 Tuesday in July 1765: "The former order made at last Court relative to the Real Estate of John Lock Decd. Ordered to continue and be renewed with respect to the Division of the said Estate.