NC, Craven,  Court Records, Estate of Thomas Fish
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This file was contributed by Martha Mewborn Marble, January 2001.

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ESTATE OF THOMAS FISH

From New Bern District Civil Court Records, NC Archives. This was copied years 
ago for someone else and I failed to write down the box number, but it was in 
the first four boxes.

An abstract

Meeting at the home of William Branton - William Branton Esq., a Craven Co 
justice, Benjamin Coleman one of the witnesses - 19th day of May 1804 - to hear the 
complaint of John Fish.

Benjamin Coleman properly deposeth - said he was acquainted with the family of 
the deceased, Thomas Fish. At his death, his son Nathan Fish was about fourteen 
years of age and a well groom youth at that age who after the death of his 
father the said John Fish and William Fish agreed to rent the lands of the dec and 
accordingly done it and the said William told the said Nathan that if he would 
stay and live with him that he would find him his vituals and and clothes for 
his work and the said Nathan lived with him and worked for him till he was about 
twenty years old. He labored for him and the said William found him all the 
clothes that he got. The said John never found him clothes nor vituals to the 
value of twenty shillings in his life nor he never gave him one day of schooling. 
The said William gave him three months and the father of the said John just 
before his death entered two schollars to William Whitfield for - next word not 
readable - and in a school he died before he had sent any and the said John never 
let any of them go one day for he said that if they didn't any of them goe one 
day he should not have to pay but the said Whitfield warrented him and made him 
pay for the said six months schooling and respect the lands of the said Thomas 
Fish the 1 year ninety five the said John told me that he rented the home place 
for fifteen pounds who which it was worth at that time one hundred dollars at 
the least for one year there being about one hundred thousand corn hills cleared 
and in good form good dwelling house and kitchen & barn and three horses, good 
apple orchard worth half the money save a year. If John had given timely notice 
it would have brought it every year - he advertised it to be rented out, then 
pulled it down. There is a mention on the school house field but the context is 
not clear. This was the plantation where Thomas Fish lived for six years. 
Nathan never enjoyed the property. The placed called the Black Fish Cove in the year 
1794 and 1795 was let to John Moore by the said Thomas in his lifetime and the 
said John Fish received the rents after the death of the said Thomas. Then the 
property was rented for two years after one year to David Phillips for ten 
pounds and one year to Benja. Phillips for ten pounds and the said John has told me 
that the said Benjamin paid his rent.  The place called the home place was 
worth ten pounds a year.

Signed by William Branton, Esq 19 May 1804, Benjamin Coleman, Geo. Lane


James Phillips made oath at the Lenoir Co Court that the plantation where Thos 
Fish lived will rent for fifty pounds for one year. I also think the place 
where William Fish now lives would rent for ten pounds a year. I think the place 
where Wiley Fish now lives about the same value and the place John Fish lives is 
worth about the same ten pounds. I have also known John fish to receive the sum 
of five pounds for the rent of the Cove place on the notes that David Phillips 
gave him two pounds - also two pounds from the administration t the Day the 
Judg given also for one pound paid by Nathan Fish. I also understand that Mr. Fish 
in his life entered two scholars to Whitfield for six months but John never 
would let them go which I frequently went to the school house and never saw them 
there and to the best of my knowledge I believe that Whitfield told one that 
they never came to school.

Sworn at William Brantons Esq before us 19 May 1804

Wm. Branton  Jas. Phillips, Geo Lane

NOTE:  Nathan Fish married Naomi Phillips, daughter of the above James Phillips 
on 22 March 1802 and they moved to Georgia