Jesse DeLoach and Penelope Ruffin

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Jesse DeLoach was the son of Samuel DeLoach and Mary Boykin. In Samuel's will, witnessed in January 1764 and recorded on 5 April 1764 in Edgecombe County, NC, Jesse is bequest:

"I gave and bequeath to my son Jesse Deloach that tract of land that I sirvaid joining of Mosses Hairs land and my bay hose Cold Spark and five head of cattle and five breading sows and one feather bead and furnurture which I gave to my son when he comes of Eage to be paid him by my ExR's to him and his heirs forever - - - - -"

In 1768, he married Penelope Ruffin, daughter of Samuel Ruffin and Sarah LaMon or McWilliams. Their marriage bond was posted on 8 Mar 1768:

Know all men by these Presents that we William Deloach and Jesse
Deloach (Edgecombe Co.) are held and firmly bound unto his Escellency
William Tyron Esqur. Governor and in the sum of fifty Pounds
Proclamation  Money to which payments well and truly be made to his
said his heirs and Seal upon we bond ourselves now and Each ?????? and
each of our Heirs and Executors and administrators jointly and
Severally firmly by these presents sealed with our Seals and dated the
8th day of March Anno Dono 1768.

The conditions of the above obligation ---------- that whereas the
above Bound Jesse DeLoach to be joined in the Holy Estate of Matrimony
with Penelope Ruffin Spinster____________.Now if there shall be no
Said full cause to obstruct the same then the above obligation be
Word.

                            Jesse Deloach  (seal)

                           William Deloach  (seal)

Sealed and Delivered
in the Presence of

Edwd Hall

Jesse's mother, Mary Boykin DeLoach, signed her will on 4 January 1773, and it was recorded in Edgecombe County Court in April 1774. Her bequest to Jesse was:

"Item I give and Bequeath unto my Son Jesse Deloach all that part of my Estate that I possessed him of in my Lifetime and also the sum of five Shillings virginia money to him his heirs & assigns. forever. to be paid him by my Executors."

Jesse's death in 1795 was apparently unexpected, as he left no will. Penelope received a widow's dower, presumably one third of Jesse's Estate. Acting in her behalf, L. Ruffin (probably Lamon) filed a petition with the Edgecombe County Court:

In the worshipful Court of Edgecombe County

        The petition of Penelope Deloach widow and relect of Jesse
Deloach late of said County dec.  Humbly Sheweth -
That whereas the said Jesse Deloach died intestate Seized & possed in
fee simple of certain Tract of Land containing three hundred acres by
Estimate situated in said County & on the North side of Tyeskey Swamp,
whereon Said Jesse Deloach last lived, bounded as follows (as well?)
Beginning at a Spanish Oak, Grices Corner tree, thence runs No.50Wt 20
poles to a pine, thence Es40Wt 170 pole to Red Oak in said Swamp,
thence along said Swamp So55Et 280 poles to an Oak in Grices Line then
to the beginning, together with a dwelling house, kitchen make house &
other houses, which land and premises your said petitioner have become
entitled to her right of dower in fee ?ail in & to -
Therefore your said petitioner most humbly beg your worships to pose?
a decree derecting a Jury to attend in the primers for the purpose of
saying of her dower agreeable to Law in such case, and further your
petitioner being entitled by purchase from Two of the Heirs of said
tract of Land to one half of the same in fee simple; Therfore your
said Petitioner pray for a division of said Tract of Land etc. amongst
the Heirs of the Same so that your said Petitioner may be enabled to
come at her part in fee simple. And your petitioner as in duty bound
will pray ???.

                              L. Ruffin
                                for
                              Penelope Deloach

Based upon this petition, the following court order was posted:

Edgecombe County inferior? November Court 1795

        Ordered that the Sheriff sd County petition (?) a jury of good
& lawful men together with the surveys of the County (if necesary) -
and that they attend on the Primers, and lay off and allot unto
Penelope Deloach her dower in the Land which her late in husband Jesse
Deloach did diezed and possessed of Edgecombe County containing three
hundred acres by estimation.  it being the plantation he last lived
at - and return of their proceedings make to said Court agreeable to
Act of Assembly.

By Order -              Seal            Edward Hall

Digressing for a moment, Jesse's brothers and cousins began relocating to The Territory South of the River Ohio, also called the Southwest Territory, into the area that would later become middle Tennessee. It appears that his brother John and his nephew Ruffin DeLoach, son of William and Purity Ruffin DeLoach, were the first to leave Edgecombe County. There are 1790 tax records in Sumner County (Tennessee) for Ruffin DeLoach, 200 acres, and John DeLoach, 340 acres. William Deloach appeared in the February 1791 Edgecombe County Court session, and again in March 1791 with his wife Purity. On 26 May 1791, William deeded land to Lamon Ruffin (Edgecombe County Deed Book 8, page 859). By June 1792, William and Purity, their children, and their childrens families, have relocated to Davidson County (Tennessee). On 4 June 1792, William DeLoach of the Territory South of River Ohio, in the town of Cumberland, Davidson County, appoints "my loving brother" Samuel DeLoach and Simion Horne of Edgecombe County, NC, both or either of them to collect ---etc--- attend to matters for me as ex. of Richard Ruffin, deceased.

Now back to the affairs of the deceased Jesse DeLoach. On 16 August 1794, William DeLoach, Sr., "appoints my loving son Ruffin DeLoach my atty to get what is due me as representative of Jesse DeLoach, deceased, heir at law November Court 1794 (Edgecombe County Deed Book 8, pages 134-135). Ruffin agreed to sell his fathers inherited portion of Jesse's estate. On 29 November 1794, Ruffin DeLoach of Sumner County in Territory South of River Ohio as atty to act for Wm. DeLoach of same place to Penelope Ruff in of Edgecombe Co, N.C., acting under power of attorney of June 16, 1794, sells and conveys interest of Wm. DeLoach as heir and co-heir-at-law of Jesse DeLoach deceased, late of said Co. of Edgecombe, land whereon deceased last lived, and Penelope Ruffin now lives (Edgecombe County Deed Book 8, page 478).

Following Ruffin's agreement to sell the property to Penelope, the jury that was constituted based on the court order shown above, issued the following decree:

We the subscribers being sworn as Jurors to allot & sett off to
Penelope Deloach widow of Jesse DeLoach deceased her dower in the real
Estate of the said deceased after strict inquiry and examination into
the situation of the lands as allot and set off the same in the
following manner (viz) to the petitioner Penelope Deloach we allott
and set off in the following manner.  Begining at a forked blk Gum
standing in DeLoach branch thence south fifty five degrees east ninety
four Ps (paces?) to a white oak, then north fifteen degrees east
through the plantation to a hickory standing in the back line - then
along the said line north fifty five degrees west to the said branch
then down the various courses of said branch to the begining
containing one hundred acres as one third part of the land which the
said deceased did diezed & possed of including the dwelling & all
other out houses.
Given under our hand & seal this 8th December 1795.

William Daney (seal)            William his Griffis (seal)
                                        mark
Willis his McDade (seal)        Wm Cohson (seal)
       mark
Henry his Williams (seal)       Wm Faulk (seal)
      mark
Elijah his Horn (seal)          Joseph Morgan (seal)
       mark
Moses his Moore (seal)          David his Morgan (seal)
      mark                            mark
Jacob his Whyte (seal)          James ???????? (seal)
      mark

                Frederick Philips County Surveyor

                             Ro Harrison