Both North & South Carolina were originally one colony: Carolina, but that was around 1670. Both Carolinas and Virginia claimed all the land to their west. But Albemarle Co., North Carolina 1663-1739 was discontinued 60 years before 1799 and never extended into South Carolina. Anson County North Carolina extended into present day South Carolina in the 1760's - until it was broken up into smaller counties. Abbeville District formed in 1785 would have existed in 1799. Perhaps the persons involved in the probate simply confused or misspelled the name of the county. It was one of the popular destinations in Carolina for new settlers from about 1765. One record in Texas referred to one of my great-great-great-uncles who moved out there from Gaston County North Carolina as a native of "Jacksonia". There is a town Gastonia near his birthplace. Albemarle; Abbeville, might seem similar names to some. Dan Justin wrote: The court records pertain to a will recorded in Bedford Co. VA, and are dated 1799. I know that the boundary line between NC-SC fluctuated quite a bit back in those days, but it seems that the current boundaries of Albemarle Co. NC, are a pretty fair distance from the SC line. Did it once extend so far south that some communities at the lower end were caught up in the jumbled border, and were once considered SC? If that were the case, it would help to zero in on his whereabouts at that time.