Bertie COUNTY NC COURT Deposition of Elizabeth Bryan Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by cfarris@pacific.net Cathy Farris http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/bertie.htm Some interesting info contained in this deposition by Elizabeth BRYAN...remember she was married first to Esias HARRELL, then widow of Jonathan SPIVEY, then widow of Jesse BRYAN. She gives many names of interest. NOTE: the name Simon PIERCE...does anyone have info on him? Cathy 1803 Court Case and Deposition concerning Elizabeth BRYANT from Bertie County Records 010.508.10 NCArchives Apr 2002 Cathy Hart Farris Verbatim State of North Carolina To Lewis THOMPSON & Jesse BROWN, Esquires Greetings: Know ye, That we reposing especial trust and confidence in your fidelity and prudence circumspection, do command, authorise and empower you, or any of you, that at such time and place as you shall appoint, you call and cause to come before you Elizabeth BRYANT & her - diligently examine on the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God, what she know in and about a certain matter of dispute now at issue in the Superior Court of Law, made in a cause, wherein Dea ex dem. of Simon PIERCE et al is plaintiff, and William HOUSE defendant, as well on the part of the plaintiff as the defendant, and such examination and deposition by you so taken, your are to send closed up under your seal, to our said Court, to be held for the district of Edenton, at the court House in Edenton, on the sixth day of April next; and this you are in no wise to omit. Witness William BLAIR, Clerk of the said Court at Edenton, the sixth day of October and in the XXVIIIth year of the Independence of the said state, Anno Dom 1803. Will BLAIR, Clk In obedience to the annexed commission, we have proceeded on this the 17th day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and four, at the dwelling house of Elizabeth BRYANT, between the hours of ten o'clock in the forenoon, & four o'clock, to take the deposition of Elizabeth BRYAN, who being duly sworn upon the holy arangeluth? of Almighty God, to depose and tell what she may know about a certain matter of controversy now depending and at Law in the Superior Court of Law for the District of Edenton in which controvercy Den ex demir? of Simon PEIRCE and others are plaintiffs and William HOUSE is defendant, an well on the part of the plaintiff, a, defendant, de? and saith. That during the life of her former husband Esais HARRELL she lived ont he land now in despute and that when John HARRELL dec'd the father of said Esais HARRELL gave his land to his four sons David, Ezekiel, Josiah and Esias HARRELL and came to divide the same amongst them he Jno. HARRELL dec'd the do nor? said that Esais should have choice pieces because he had assisted him in paying for it. This deponent further saith that Esais HARRELL had two children one of whom a boy died when about five years old, that the other named Sarah intermarried with William HOUSE the defendant and had by the said William HOUSE one child which was born dead and that Sarah the wife of the defendant William HOUSE died as well as the deponent recollects about twenty eight years ago. This deponent further saith, that she was acquainted with David HARRELL dec'd one of the sons of said John HARRELL and to whom a part of said land were given that said David HARRELL had several children who are now all dead except Mille who intermarried with Jeremiah MITCHELL one of the plaintiffs - The times of the deaths of David's children this deponent does not recollect- This deponent further said that she was in like manner acquainted with Ezekiel HARRELL one of the other sons of John HARRELL dec'd that Ezekiel died a great many years ago. that he had two children Hardy HARRELL and Grace HARRELL, that Hardy died without children, Grace intermarried with a certain John PEIRCE and had at this deponent understood as was reported by the family one child Simon PEIRCE one of the plaintiffs = Grace is dead, but when she died this deponent does not know- This deponent further saith, that she was also acquainted with Josiah HARRELL one of other son of John HARRELL dec'd, that Josiah died many years ago and left the following children Solomon, Celah, Penny, William Josiah and Jesse HARRELL- of whom Solomon died with out children Celah died without children, Penny married Lewis BRYANT and had by him some children whether they be dead or alive she does not know. William HARRELL is dead had two children, Joseph and Sally HARRELL now small infants. But whether Jesse HARRELL is dead or not this deponent does not know - That Josiah died several years ago, leaving two children, Anna and Fanny of who Anne hath since intermarried with Richard VEAL, and Fanny with Gabriel HARRELL- This deponent further saith that William HOUSE the defendant hath had the land disputed in possession since his intermarriage with the said daughter of Esais and further this deponent saith not. Lewis THOMPSON Jesse BROWN JP Elisabeth BRYAN her mark