According to the 1850 Lenoir Census, Jesse Hardy was 76 yrs bc 1774 and his wife Sarah was 72 yrs bc 1778. That would make Sarah the oldest child of Benjamin (Oxley) since my John was bc 1779. My theory has been that Sarah, wife of Benjamin (Oxley) Sutton was Sarah Hardy daughter of William and Sarah Sowell Hardy. There has to be some explanation of how that Bible got into the hands of the Jesse Hardy - Sarah SUtton family. If Sarah inherited it from her mother, Sarah, and Sarah was the daughter of William and Sarah Sowell Hardy, it would make sense. THe problem is the Will of William Hardy in Bertie Co says his daugher Sarah was married to Ephraim White and the estate records of Sarah Sowell Hardy says she was Sarah Sutton. I think there are Marriage Bonds in Bertie for both Sarah Hardy and Ephraim White and for Jesse Hardy and Sarah Sutton. That Duplin Deed certainly indicates to me that Jesse Hardy was an heir of Benjamin Sutton. There is too much here that does not work. Martha