Brunswick County Genealogy, Wills, Estates, Probate Records

The images digitized for this site are on microfilm with the Secretary of the State of North Carolina and were combined into three volumes, beginning with the earliest date of 1764. It is not known whether any other records exist.
Images of Wills and Estates, Book A, 1764 to 1921
Arnold, Sarah | Atkinson, Aaron | Bell, Ann | Bell, John | Beuton, Henry | Black, Samuel | Bond, Eliza | Bowen, Geneva | Burney, Mary | Butler, Daniel | Butler, Samuel | Cannon, Dennis Carr, William | Carrier, Robins | Clemons, Elizabeth | Corbett, Jacob | Curtis, Walter |

Davis, Charlotte | Davis, Isaac | Davis, Joseph | Davis, Robert | Davis, Rollins | Davis, Sallie | Dobbins, Charles | Dosher, Frank | Downing, Nancy | Durant, Thomas | Evans, Jacob | Evans, John B.

Foley, Amanda | Frank, Lorenzo | Frink, Sarah | Fullwood, Benjamin | Galloway, Alexander | Galloway, Cornelius | Galloway, Francis Marion | Galloway, Henrietta | Galloway, James | Galloway, Gibb | Garrison, Sarah | Garrison, Thomas | Gaston, Hilliard | Gay, J. W. | Gordon, Frank | Gore, William | Green, Preston | Grissett, John G. | Grissett, William | Grissom, Edgar | Grissom, Sarah

Hall, John | Hawes, John | Hawkins, English | Hawkins, Flora | Hawkins, James | Hazzard, Ivey | Hewett, Charles | Hewett, Jeremiah | Hewett, Joseph | Hewett, L. G. | Hewett, Robert | Holden, Thomas

Jackson, Nancy | Jones, John | Lee, Moses | Lehew, Samuel | Lewis, Thomas | Little, Nathaniel | Long, Gabriel | Matthews, Jaratt | McCall, Myron | McKeithan, Theodore | McKenzie, John | McRae, John | Moore, Francis | Moore, Lizzie | Moore, Maggie | Moore, Martha | Moore, Mary | Moore, Sarah E. Moore, William | Mueller, Albert | Murchison, Katherine | Murchison, Kenneth | Murray, George

Neale, Nancy | Newton, Robert | Olliway, Abram | Parker, Bowden | Patterson, Thomas | Patrick, Scott | Pigott, John | Potter, S. F. | Price, Fuller | Price, Jacob | Price, Samuel

Rabon, Erwin | Reaves, Solomon | Reeves, James | Reynolds, Isaac | Reynolds, Mark | Rooks, Alfred S. | Roots, Roger | Rothwell, Mary | Rourk, H. K. | Rourk, Peter | Rowell, Samuel | Russ, Samuel | Russell, Sarah Amanda

Sellus, Mary | Sellus, William | Sheehan, James S. | Shefeard, Sallie | Smith, Charles | Smith, Cornelius | Smith, Fannie | Smith, John | Smith, Valentine | Stanaland, John | Stanaland, Joseph | Stanaland, Samuel | Standland, William | Stanley, Peter | Stone, William | Swain, George | Swain, Hannah | Swain, Henry | Swain, Samuel | Swain, Saul | Swan, Henry

Taylor, Catherine | Taylor, E. W. | Tharp, Peter | Vernon, Harry | Wearing, William | Wescott, F. M. | Whittey, D. W. | Williams, Harry | Wilson, Lewis | Worsham, Peter

This Tree has many Stories
Where North Carolinians Went After 1820
By the 1820s, the descendants of many of the original settlers in North Carolina had moved on to greener pastures, to Alabama and Mississippi. For most farmers involved in agriculture, times were tough, due to plant diseases, insect infestations, and depleted soil of its nutrients. This meant that families had to once again uproot and search for richer soil. A traditional crop in Brunswick County was strawberries as evidenced by the photo of the Chadbourn market. During the 19th century, the State attempted to improve farming practices, including the formation of a centralized state agricultural department in 1877 and a grant to the North Carolina College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts in 1887.

Scots from Argyllshire to America

First Settlers on the Cape Fear River

Images of Wills and Estates, Book C, 1924 to 1954
Adams, Samuel | Adkins, J. J. | Akerman, Joseph | Ames, Elizabeth H. | Anderson, William Christian Otto | Applewhite, Bart F. | Applewhite, Martha M. | Arthur, D. E. | Atkinson, S. V.

Babson, Angeline | Baggett, Leaman | Barham, R. J. | Barlow, Lewis Anderson | Beatty, John D. | Beers, Charles O. | Bellamy, John D., Dr. | Bellamy, John D. Jr. | Bellamy, John D. (1942) | Bellamy, Marsden | Bellamy, Mary W. | Bellamy, William M. | Benton, B. W. | Berg, Mary J. | Bergman, Lorena Ennis | Berry, Henry | Bland, Nettie | Bland, R. L. | Boatwright, Andrew Rex | Bond, Frederick B. | Bordeaux, Samuel | Brady, E. P. | Brady, E. P. (1944) | Brady, J. W. | Bragaw, Helen Grist | Bragaw, Henry C. | Brew, Daniel A. | Brinkman, Samuel | Brinson, Teaner | Britt, Hazeley | Brooks, John H. | Bryant, Ella Jane | Bryant, Miles | Burnett, Ida May | Burriss, Thomas Gray | Butler, William G.

Carlisle, C. D. | Carroll, William Nicholas | Carter, Carl | Chadwick, Christopher B. | Chapman, David | Chinnis, Nellie B. | Clemmons, Alfred W. | Clemmons, Davis | Clemmons, F. T. | Clemmons, Katie L. | Clemmons, R. B. | Cox, Asa | Crapon, Clarence M. | Crapon, Mattie Rountree | Crutchfield, Gaither E.

Davis, E. F. | Davis, Lydiana | Davis, Mable Thompson | Davis, W. J. | Davis, W. J., Mrs. | Dey, John Wesley | Dosher, W. E. | Dowling, T. M. | Eagles, Richard | Ellis, Ida, Mrs. | Elvington, S. D. | Evans, Caesar | Evans, John | Evans, Kate | Evans, S. W. | Fields, Rebecca | Frink, B. J. | Finch, B. P. | Fitcher, Ernest Day | Fullwood, L. H.

Galloway, Abram Jr. | Galloway, Clare Nash | Galloway, Mary Ann | Galloway, Maud P. | Galloway, Oscar | Garrett, John J. | Gauss, C. E. | Gaylord, George O. | Gilbert, Ella | Gilbert, W. T. | Gilchrist, Matthew | Glass, Augusta Wright | Glass, Bethune | Goley, George P. | Goley, William R. | Goodman, C., Rev. | Gore, D. L. | Gore, Elizabeth Rosalie (1936) | Gore, Elizabeth Rosalie | Gore, W. F. | Gore, W. P. | Grainger, Charles S. | Grainger, John Victor | Gray, A. V. | Gray, Ella | Greer, George H. | Greer, Virda | Grissett, John Stanton | Grissom, Cassandra | Groves, Earl E.

Haid, Leo | Hand, L. to Mary E. Cranmer (deed) | Hanson, Louis | Harmon, McEva Smith | Harvell, Nellie | Harvell, Thomas | Haskett, Carrie O. | Hewett, Conly S. | Hewett, D. L. | Hewett, D. L. (1937) | Hewett, N. H. | Hewett, Oliver Thomas | Hickman, T. M., Sr. | Hinson, Minnie H. | Holden, E. | Holden, Eldoras | Hollis, F. M. | Holmes, Robert John | Holmes, Sarah Beatty Egle | Holt, Louise | Hood, Kate Foley, Mrs. | Hoover, Cora L. | Howey, George Parker | Hyatt, R. J.

Jackson, Annie T. | Jackson, John | Jackson, Melissa | Jelks, J. W. | Johnson, Alice J. | Johnson, Dempsey G. | Jones, Southgate | Keith, B. F. | Kirby, Dora C. | Kirby, George W. | Kirby, Luela W. | Klutz, LyElla | Krahnke, Clara Etta

Lancaster, J. W. | Leggat, John C. | Lennon, Joseph D. | Lennon, Joseph O. | Lewis, Eliza | Lewis, G. T. and M. E. | Lewis, Jennie | Lewis, Sibyl Gates | Lewis, William Dunbar | Lindsey, Thomas Heber | Little, B. A. | Little, B. A. (1940) | Marks, Kate R. | Marlow, George H. | Martin, James M. | Matthews, W. Duncan | McClammy, Herbert | McKay, William | McKeithan, John D. | McKeithan, Robert C. | McKeithan, R. W. | McKoy, Albert | McKoy, Sandy | McMillian, James Sr. | McMillian, William | McRacken, John R. | Metcalf, Jesse | Milliken, Mary A. | Milliken, S. R. | Mintz, Henry David | Mintz, Samuel | Mitchell, J. H. | Moore, James | Moore, Sallie R. | Morrison, Nora | Morse, Robert B. | Mulford, Alice G. | Mulford, Charles W.

Newton, B. F. | Newton, Missouri | Norment, G. L. | Northrop, Lucy | Northrop, Samuel B. | O'Neil, George | Ottoway, Cora Nelms | Outlaw, E. R.

Parker, Levenia | Parker, Telitha Gore | Parkhill, Margaret L. | Pavy, Walter Herbert | Perry, Charles E. | Pinner, James A. | Placey, Willie J. | Potter, Beatrice Williams | Potter, J. H. | Powell, James M. | Price, Mary Cole | Pruitt, Herbert

Rabon, Amanda J. | Raftery, James M. | Reynolds, J. B. | Roberts, Sudie, Mrs. | Robbins, M. C. | Robinson, Annie O. | Robinson, Jane | Rourk, George | Rourk, George T. | Rourk, William Asbury

Savarese, Anthony P. | Schloss, Mamie Bear | Sedberry, Clarence Deming | Sedberry, Fannie B. | Sellers, Arthur P. | Sermons, J. T. | Shannon, Hubert Matthew | Skildson, James P. E. | Skinner, S. R. | Smith, George W. | Smith, Hector | Smith, W. M. | Sorrenson, Oscar | Stallings, Lina | Stanaland, Jennie | Stanley, Calvin | Sternberger, I. J. | Stevens, Alfred E. | Stewart, Althea Byrd | Stewart, Alvis G. | St. George, C. B. | St. George, R. C. | St. George, Thomas | Stone, Benjamin F. | Stone, James A. | Stuart, Kate | Swain, Bessie | Swain, C. C. | Swain, Robert L. | Swain, Walker L Swilling, G. C.

Taylor, C. Ed | Taylor, E. W. | Taylor, Julian K. | Teboe, Mary E. | Thames, Addie Davis Ransom | Thomas, C. G. | Thompson, G. W. | Todd, Adeline | Todd, Levander M. | Vereen, Perley P. | Vincent, G. L.

Wallace, Oliver T. | Ward, M. E. | Ward, M. W. | Waters, Myron | Watson, Archie S. | Watson, Virginia Louise | Watts, Samuel W. | Watts, Tallie Tharp | Weeks, Edward R. | Weeks, Irine | Weeks, Julius J. | Weeks, Mary Louise | Weeks, W. J. | Weeks, William | Wescott, Frances, Mrs. | White, Emma Thompson | White, Harry K. | Willets, J. A. | Willetts, William Walker | Williams, Armond Buck | Williams, C. C. | Williams, James A. | Williams, Lelia W. | Williams, R. E. | Williams, Robert | Wilson, Ellen | Wilson, Lewis | Wilson, Mary | Wirtz, Charles S. | Wiswall, Clarence A. | Woodard, Bert G. | Woodard, Rufus D. and Alma White | Worth, B. G. | Zibelin, C. H.

Names of Families in Brunswick County Wills, Estates, Probate Records

From 1667 to 1725, a few Englishmen attempted to settle in Brunswick County. One of them was Thomas James who was granted 1000 acres on the west side of the Cape Fear River in 1714. The settlement was disastrous as he was found murdered the following year by local Indians. The earliest legal grant was to Landgrave Thomas Smith on May 8, 1713, with the conveyance of Smith Island (now Bald Head Island). During 1725 a number of land grants were issued to prospective settlers. In 1726 Brunswick Town was settled which became known as the county seat. In April of 1733, James Wimble began selling lots on the east side of the Cape Fear River, called New Carthage. Subsequent names for it was New Liverpool, New Town, or Newton . Newton was incorporated as the Town of Wilmington on February 25, 1740 and designated as the new County Seat. This infuriated those settlers residing on the west side of the Cape Fear River, and they commenced plans to secede from New Hanover County. Brunswick county was officially formed in 1764 from parts of Bladen and New Hanover Counties. It was named after the old the colonial port of Brunswick Town (now in ruins) which was named for the Duchy of Brunswick-Lunenburg, was held at the time by the British kings of the House of Hanover.
Images of Wills and Estates, Book B, 1908 to 1924
Allen, D. | Allen, Elkanah | Allen, Julius | Atkinson, Hagar | Bailey, James G. | Baker, Elizabeth | Baker, Isaac | Beck, Memory | Bell, James | Bell, Samuel | Bellamy, Eliza W. | Bellamy, John D. | Bennett, F. J. | Berry, Daniel | Betts, Charles | Blaney, Benjamin | Braddy, William | Brinkley, William | Bryan, William | Bunker, Enoch | Burch, Joseph | Burton, Amy | Burton, Moses

Carroll, T. A. and Sarah | Carroll, Uriah | Chairs, John | Chinnis, Augustus | Chinnis, Warren A. | Clemmons, Allen | Crockett, Frank Prentice | Daniel, John | Daniel, Sarah | Davis, George | Davis, , Jeremiah | Davis, John | Davis, Sarah

Evans, John | Everitt, Sterling | Finn, Peter | Flowers, James | Freeman, James | Frink, Martha | Frink, Samuel | Frink, William | Fulchek, T. T. W. | Gaines, Lydia | Galloway, Caroline | Galloway, John | Gause, Benjamin | Gause, Charles | Gause, John | Gause, Needham | Gause, Peter | Gause, Samuel | Gause, William | Gill, Mattie Taylor | Goodman, Anne | Goodman, George | Goodman, William | Grange, John | Green, Hannah | Green, Richard | Grissett, William

Hale, Ann | Hall, Benjamin | Hall, John | Hall, Robert | Hall, Samuel | Hall, Thomas | Hall, William | Hall, W. L. | Harper, Charles | Hawkins, D. | Hemingway, Mary | Henry, John S. and Lizzie M. | Hewett, Joseph | Hewett, Matthias | Hewett, Phillip | Hewett, Rufus D. | Hewett, Solomon | Hollis, Melissa | Holmes, John | Hood, J. E. | Hooper, Thomas | Howe, Sarah

James, Jane | Johnson, Mary M. | Jones, Joseph | Keith, William | Lambertson, John | Lancaster, Edward R. | Leonard, Jacob | Lewis, George C. | Liles, Benjamin | Long, Ann | Long, Lydia M. | Lord, William E. | Lund, Helen | McCall, Sarah | Maxwell, Catherine | McDonald, Isaac | McKenzie, George | Mearer, A. C. | Mercer, John | Mints, Jonas | Moore, Alfred | Moore, John | Murry, Archie | Neal, Thomas

Oliphant, Euphremia | Poisson, John | Paterson, William | Pepper, L. J. | Potter, John | Potter, Miles | Potter, Sarah | Price, Bettie | Pyke, W. M. H. | Read, Andrew | Read, James | Reaves, Joel | Rhodes, Emma | Richard, Mary | Rockwell, Jonathan | Rockwell, Mary | Rowell, Benjamin | Rowell, Samuel | Russ, Simproneous Rutland, Joseph | Rutland, Redden

Scull, Eleanor | Sellers, Elisha | Sellers, Simon | Skipper, Moses | Smith, Ann | Smith, Arthur | Smith, Benjamin | Smith, Josiah | Smith, Mary | Smith, Mary Jane | Smith, Samuel | Smith, Sarah | Smith, Thomas | Smith, William | Spencer, Fannie M. | Spencer, Stephen | Springs, Sedgewick | Sprunt, Luola M. | Sprunt, Luola Murchison | St. George, William | Stanaland, James | Suell, William | Swain, S. C. | Swindell, Samuel W.

Taylor, Henry | Thompson, T. M. | Trippe, Elizabeth R. Bell | Vail, Henry S. | Vernon, Annie M. | Vines, Samuel | Vines, Thomas L. | Wadell, Edward | Wadell, Hugh | Wadell, John | Walker, George D. | Walker, Sarah Ann | Watson, William | Watters, Henry | Watters, Sarah | Watts, Benjamin | Webb, Daniel | | Weeks, John Sr. | Weeks, Mary E. | White, John | Wilkinson, John | Willets, Henry | Williams, Stephen | Wilson, Mary Jane
Wake up. Tis Time for the Genealogists to Bloom!
Yep. As the beautiful spring weather begins to lure everyone outside, it is time to awaken our curiousity and take it into the fields and dales of exploration. Evidence of the past is all around us. The old cemeteries are a logical beginning because these people are the "old neighborhood." It is best to go first to the old section and read those names. Notice the age and texture of the tombstone and the names which faded away with time. Those names are usually identified by running the finger over the impression and discerning each letter. A slow process, but well worth it. A similar method is employed in reading old documents. First, identify the letters. A chart can be made as each letter is identified, then used as a guide for reading the whole document. If you are reading something (before 1500 A. D.) which looks like a foreign language, it is probably Latin. A good Latin dictionary is worth the investment. As we interpret the records, we begin our awakening. Ah, to awaken in the full knowledge and understanding of past records, and alas bloom!