Greetings to the Bertie List: This message is lengthy for those not interested in the Rasberry/Beverly families, but it is also about clues that can be derived from name associations (from deeds) regarding possible kinships and migration patterns. The first mention to be made about John Rasberry comes from the deed: 19 July 1715 - (Chowan Co, NC: Deed Book B1, p. 141) John Williams bought 220 acres from Laurence Sarson in Chowan Co. for 20 barrels of pitch, said land adjoining Thomas Jones on Bear Swamp and running from the Upper Beaver Dam along a line of marked trees to the land of the said Williams. Witnessed by Henry King and John Rasberry I am told that this John Rasberry (1683-1749) was married to a daughter of John Brown and Ann Williams, which makes me wonder if John Williams of 1715 was connected to the family of Ann Williams. The daughter of John Rasberry, Ann (1706-1787), married John Beverly (1706-1786) in Bertie Co, NC, before 1730. A record for John Beverly in Chowan Co, is as follows: 12 Aug. 1725 - Arthur Goffe of Chowan to George Burrington - 30 pounds for 130 acres adj. Richard Williams and John Beaverly; wit: John Nairn and Isaac Hill. In 1725, John Beverly and Thomas Jones (mentioned in 1715 deed above with John Rasberry and John Williams) witnessed another deed. At almost the same time we have John Nairn and John Brown witnessing a deed as follows: 10 Aug. 1725 - Thomas Whitmell to Joseph Turner of Isle of Wight Co, VA - 40 pounds for 450 acres on SS Moratok River adj. John Nairne in "Cheartfield" at Cypress Swamp adj. Daniel McDaniel & John Hamiton; wit: John Nairn and John Brown My conclusion is that John Brown, Richard Williams, John Beverly, and Thomas Jones lived nearby to one another in 1725 Chowan Co. Concluded also is that John Rasberry and John Williams in the earlier deed of 1715 (in addition to Thomas Jones and Henry King) were located nearby to where all of the above were found in 1725 and that this is how the daughter of John Rasberry came to meet and marry John Beverly. If so, at about the same time in the same area, we would have a group consisting of: John Rasberry, John Beverly, John Brown, John Williams, Richard Williams, Henry King, and John Nairn. To firm up these associations somewhat, the 1679 will of John Snellock in Isle of Wight Co, VA, will be cited where he left an inheritance to the children of Henry King, deceased, and to John Williams and his two sons John and Richard. If Henry King had a son named Henry, it would be easy to imagine that son Henry and the two sons Richard and John of John Williams in 1679 Isle of Wight had gotten together in 1715-1725 Chowan Co (a part of which was used to form Bertie Co. in 1722) and that they lived nearby to John Rasberry, John Beverly, and John Brown. It is interesting also that on the tax rolls of 1757 in Bertie Co. we still find the name of John Williams sandwiched in between those of John Brown and Benjamin Brown and only a couple of names removed from those of Culmer and John Sessums. That is of interest because John Williams and Walter Sessums were mentioned a little earlier when James Bullock from Isle of Wight bought land described as follows: 1 Aug 1749 - James Bullock bought 200 A in Bertie Co. NC from Joshua Wilkinson at the head of Isaac Creek, adjacent to John Williams and John Moore, as witnessed by Walter Sessums and John Cook. On the Chowan Co. tax list of 1717, the name of John Williams was adjacent to that of John Sessions/Sessums. John Nairn from the Chowan Co grouping of 1715-1725 was also associated with John Williams and Nicholas Sessums in the following deed of 1723. 13 Aug. 1723 - John Nairn and Needham Bryant wit a deed from Nicholas Sessome and Elizabeth to James Page adj. John Williams. John Beverly and this John Rasberry were not found on the Bertie Co. tax rolls of 1757, because in the time period between 1746 and 1750 their names appeared in deeds of Johnston Co, NC. By that time, the daughter Ann (1731- 1791) of John Beverly and Ann Rasberry had married Thomas Conner (1727-1802). When the census of 1790 was taken, the Conners and other Beverly and Rasberry descendants were found in the Old Cheraw District of SC. This migration of members of these associated families followed nearly a straight southwest line from 1679 Isle of Wight Co, VA, to 1715-1745 Chowan/Bertie Counties in NC, to Johnston Co. in 1746-1750, and by 1790 on to present-day Marlboro Co, SC. Several other Bertie Co. families appear to have made the move to Johnston Co. about 1750, including: Herring, Bryant, Sessums, Howell, Turner, Fort, Eason, and Thomas Jones. Thanks to those who stuck with me as I struggled to include the names of five family lines from Bertie Co. in this message: Rasberry, Beverly, Conner, Nairn, and Bullock, while still looking for documentation on Brown and Williams. Best regards, Ron Bullock