Granville County, NC - Will of John Gooch, 1793 Background: John Gooch (born c1705; died 1793) is a native of Virginia. His name is found in Caroline County surviving records, but so little detail survives that we know very little about him and his connections. In 1756, his son Joseph is recorded as having paid John Gooch’s bill in the Partridge’s Store Ledger in neighboring Hanover County. In 1776 his name is coupled with that of his son-in-law James Terry and his son Gideon Gooch in a bond. John’s son Joseph, John, William, and Rowland are all found in the record of Amelia County, Virginia starting around 1762. They may have been followers of Presbyterian dissenters who settled in that area about that time. His daughter Annamariah and her first husband Joseph Minter settled in the 96th District of South Carolina with a group of Presbyterians and the Gooch family of Granville were also associated with the Geneva Presbyterian Church. John’s wife(s) is not named in any documents. John did not purchase land in Granville, but probably settled with one of his sons, as all of them purchased large tracts of land in Granville County around the time of the American Revolution of just after. Based on his will, John had issue: Gideon Gooch (died 1800) married Mary McGeehee; Elizabeth Gooch married James Terry; Joseph Gooch (1732-1810) married 1st Rachel, 2nd Anne Marshall, and 3rd Sarah Harris; Annamariah Gooch (died 1802) married 1st Joseph Minter and 2ndly in her old age to Capt. John Williams she settled in the 96th District later Edgefield County, South Carolina; John Gooch (1737-1814) married Judith Radford, he was a miller in Amelia County and settled in Person County, NC where he died; Rowland Gooch (died 1822) married 1st Lively Thweatt and 2nd Mary Walker, Rowland settled in Orange Co., NC; William Gooch married Henrietta Maria Irby, the daughter of the Sheriff of Amelia County, they had at least two children but the fate of William is unclear. Transcript: In the name of God Amen, I John Gooch of Granville County North Carolina Being in perfect mind and memory thanks be to God for it and calling to mind the mortality of the Body I have thought proper to make this my last will and testament to wit (and fact) My will and desire is that my just debts and funeral charges and such money as is to be raised to complete the legacies hereafter mentioned in my will be paid in equal proportion by each of my children I give unto my son Gideon Gooch my land in Caroline County in the State of Virginia which he sold & recd. The profits arising from the sale thereof with a Negro man named Jack to him and his Heirs forever I give unto my Daughter Elizabeth Terry one Negro woman named Jude and a negro Girl named Amey and their increase to her and her Heirs forever I give unto my Son Joseph Gooch one Negro boy named Lewis and a negro girl named Oney and her increase to him and his Heirs forever I lend to my Daughter Annamariah Minter a Negro woman named Phillis and a Girl named Rose during her natural life and after her death they and their increase to be equally divided between all there children which slaves I give unto them & there Heirs forever I give unto my Son John Gooch a Negro man named Ben and a negro Man named Frank and where there is dispute in the wright of the sd. Ben my will is that my son John shall be paid out of my estate all costs that he is at in suporting the wright of the sd. Ben and seventy pounds Virginia Currancy in case he looses him which said Negros &c I give to him and his heirs forever I give unto my Son Rowland Gooch one Negro man named Martin and Sixty pounds fourteen Shillings Virginia Currency which be the sd. Rowland [illegible] of the hands of my Son Joseph Gooch which sd. [illegible] and money I give unto him and his heirs forever I give unto my sons Joseph and John Gooch two Negroes Jeriah and her son Martin to them and there Heirs and assigns in Trust for the following uses. That is to say that they the sd. Joseph and John Gooch or their survivors shall furnish from year to year my son William Gooch during his life as much provisions or money the sd. Negroes and their increase shall reasonable be worth or permit the said Wm. To have the use of the aforesaid Negroes and their increase to assist in supporting his family during his life or they or there survivors of them shall that [illegible] for the interest of my sd. Son William and if both of my said sons shall die in the lifetime of my son Wm then there heirs or assigns to have full power to execute this trust and also at the death of my son Wm. and his present wife the sd. Joseph & John or there survivors or there Heirs &c or assigns shall cause the said Negroes with there increase to be equally divided between the Children of the sd. Wm but if any of the sd. Children should die in the lifetime of there Father Wm. leaving Issue then such Issue to have what he parent would have been intitled to and whereas the above wench Jeriah is become barren and will not be of so much value to the Children of the above sd. Wm Gooch therefore it is my desire after my death that my son Joseph & John Gooch they or there Heirs &c shall sell the same Jeriah for the best price they can get and layout the money in a young breeding wench or two young girls which they may think will be most to the advantage to the above sd. Children and the sd. Negroes give to my sons Joseph & John Gooch in trust for the Children of my son Wm in the manner I gave Jeriah which sd. Negroes I give to the sd. Joseph & John in Trust fot he use of the sd. Children and there Heirs forever My will is that my stock and furniture be equally divided after my death between six of my children to wit Elizabeth Terry, Joseph Gooch, Annamariah Minter now Williams, John Gooch, Rowland Gooch & William Gooch. Also I appoint and constitute and ordain my sons Joseph & John Gooch my Executors of this my last Will & Testament Hereby Revoking and desannulling all other Wills as heretofore made. In Witness where of I have here unto set my hand and seal this twentieth day of April one thousand seven hundred and eighty five. Signed & acknowledged John Gooch “his mark” seal In the presence of Daniel Gooch William Gooch James Terry John Gooch Granville County Nov. Session AD 1793 The execution of this the last will and testament of John Gooch deceased was duly proved in open court by the oath of Daniel Gooch & William Gooch two of the subscribing witnesses thereto and on Motion ordered to be Recorded Then came Joseph Gooch and qualified as Executor an order to Law. ______________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Daniel Mahar - DMahar@cmins.com ______________________________________________________________________