In a message dated 97-06-03 20:21:24 EDT, you write: > No will, estate inventory, > etc. for John Sasser have been found. In the past, I've posted a Court Case from the New Bern District 1793 that states John Sasser died in 1782. I'd be happy to re-send it to anyone who would like a copy (From the Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina, File #3493). > Based on research in North Carolina and information from kentucky family > sources, William Sasser (c. 1753-1815), son of John Sasser, Sr., married > a Martha Bishop in North Carolina and fathered at least two sons, Henry > and John, born 1778 and 1779. He was elected sheriff of Johnston > County., N.C. on 31, May 1796. He and his wife may have been the older > couple reported in the household of Henry Sasser on the 1810 census of > Johnston Co., N.C. From the same Court Case mentioned above, "The Jury further find that the said John Sassers Junior died Seized in fee simple of the premises in Question in the year 1776 intestate and without issue, leaving at the time of his death Wm Sassers his elder brother living, who afterwards died intestate in the year 1781. leaving James Sassers his only son then an infant about five years old who is the Lessor of the Plaintiff." John Jr.'s brother William died in 1781, and his only son was named James. He was not the father of Henry Sasser. > 41219 SASSER: Died at Smithfield, lately, of the prevailing disease, > Capt. William Sasser, of that place, merchant. RR Fri 31 Mar 1815 3:5. > > As far as we can learn, the above named died of the prevailing Epidemic > or Camp Plague. RaNCSw Fri 31 Mar 1815 3:4. > > Taken from Volume I abstracts of Vital Records from Raleigh, N.C. > Newspapers, 1799-1819. The William Sasser who died in 1815 was the son of Josiah Sasser. The Johnston County Court Minutes (May 22, 1815, p. 219) stated "Elizabeth Blackman having in Open Court Reliquinshed her Right of Administration on the Estate of her decd. son William Sasser, Admn. is therefore granted to John Sanders, Jr. who came into Court and entered into bond in the Sum of L20,000 with Reuben Sanders and William Hinton Esqr. his Securities, and Qualified agreeably to Law, Ordered that said Admr. have leave to sell the perishable Estate of said decd. agreeably to Law." > Henry Sasser evidently married the first time about 1800-1805 and was a > widower with a daughter by 1810 (census). An older couple in his > household at that time could have been his parents, but were, just as > likely, the parents of his first wife. On the 1820 census, Henry's > 10-15 year old daughter was living with him and his new family. The > older couple was no longer in his household. The older daughter was > probably one of the two Ann Sassers who married at Smithfield in 1824, > at about 18-19 years of age. The idea of Henry marrying before 1810 is very interesting. Is there any source for the idea? The 1820 census data can all be accounted for by Henry's children (Keziah, Dixon, Lindy, Adin, Arthur, and Barton) and the three Godwin children (Jordon, Kuzzy, and Elizabeth), for whom Henry and Nancy became guardians in 1817 [Weynette Parks Haun, "Johnston County North Carolina County Court Minutes 1816 Thru 1818," Book X (Durham, NC: By the author, 1978), p. 50]. In 1825, Elizabeth Godwin "received of Henry Sasser the sum of $72.47 in full of my part of my Father's Estate in the Hands of said Sasser, my Guardian" ["Record of Estates of Johnston County", Vol 14, 1825-1831, p. 71 (Feb 1826 Term), Microfilm C.056.5006, North Carolina State Archives]. Jordon and Kuzzy were turned over to Simon Godwin in 1826 [Weynette Pars Haun, Johnston County North Carolina County Court Minutes 1823 Thru 1826, Box XII (Durham, NC: By the author, 1979), p. 125]. I hope these annotations can help correct some very common misconceptions about Henry Sasser's family (I noticed the original compilation was from 1983). I can't really comment on the French origin that was suggested in the original posting. Has anyone else heard this story? Doug Sherman dougsherma@aol.com ------------------------------