There seems to be no information available on Joseph White from the time of his father Moses’ death in 1735 until he moved to Anson County around 1748. It is thought that he studied for the bar as he was later prominent in court actions in North Carolina. Some court records read, “I appoint Joseph White as my attorney.”

He probably married and had his first child, Joseph Jr., before leaving New Castle, Delaware. He had obviously began making something of a reputation for on one of his earliest governmental appointments — the Colonial Records read, “His Excellency the Governor was pleased by and with the advice and consent of his Majesty’s Council to order that Joseph White and twelve others be made Justices Of The Peace for the newly formed Anson County.”

It should be borne in mind that this position was not the same as our present-day justice of the Peace positions. This was under the law of the king of England and even later under colonial law, the justice of the peace served on a Committee of Peace composed of three justices, and they were the law of the land. This appointment was made on Sept. 30, 1748 (Volume IV, pages 889-951, North Carolina Colonial Records).

He was appointed first sheriff of Anson County on March 17, 1749 and also appointed as one of the vestrymen for Anson County in St. George’s Parish in that same year. (Vol. XXIII, page 344, NCCR). He was reappointed as justice for Anson County April 1, 1751. (Vol. 23, page 344, NCCR).

We must now add senior to this man’s name to avoid confusion when his son, Joseph White Jr., is mentioned. Joseph Sr. was one of the founders and developers of Anson County. His name seems to appear more often than any other in the records of that county. He received many grants of land and bought and sold others.

As the king increased taxes, he joined his fellow citizens in protesting them and the unfair enforcement of colonial laws. His was the 43rd signature on the famous “Regulators Document” which was sent to the king requesting changes in the application of the laws and that “Benjamin Franklin is made their Agent to his Majesty.” (Vol. VIII, pages 75, 76, 77, 78, and 79, October 1769, NCCR).

When the War for Independence began, Joseph Sr. joined Stevenson’s Company of the 10th Regiment as a private. He was captured by the British in June 1779 and discharged May 1, 1780. It may be assumed that he kept a low profile while in the hands of the British, for had they discovered that he had been an officer of the king in Anson County, they would probably have hanged him. His rank as private may have served to hide him. (Vol. XVI, page 1187, NCCR)

Two descendants of Joseph Sr. through his daughter Lydia believe that Joseph Sr. married first, Margaret “about 1746-8, second, Elizabeth (Leeth) in 1753 and third, Avarilla (Harper) about 1800-4.” They also believe that all his children were by his second wife, Elizabeth. I must quarrel a bit with their beliefs.

Old Moses White’s will stated that Joseph (Sr.) might marry before the will was probated, this would seem to indicate that Joseph was around 20 or 21 in 1735 which would make him around 31 when they think he married Margaret. Young men do not usually wait this long to marry.

Secondly, there is a deed in the records of Anson County in which land is conveyed from Joseph White and his wife Margaret to Samuel Wilkins, it is dated 1742. I believe that the dates of birth of Joseph’s children would indicate that Joseph Jr. was born to Margaret and Joseph Sr. and at a much earlier date than that given by Lydia’s descendants. Dates on land grants to Joseph Jr. would reinforce my theory.

Joseph Sr. did not name his children in his will, having made gifts to them before his death, probably before his last marriage. However, their names have been picked out of county records by several genealogists, they are, Joseph Jr., John, Zachariah, George, William, Josiah, Lydia and Mary.

The above-mentioned descendants of Lydia also listed Robert on Daughters of the American Revolution papers. I think they were confused by Joseph Jr.’s son Robert and included him among Joseph Sr.’s children. Joseph Sr. was born in Scotland or Ireland probably around 1710; he died in April 1808 in Anson County.

Steve Bailey is employed with the Anson County Historical Society and has specialized in local African-American family history for 20 years.

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Steve Bailey

Contributing Columnist