Deen, Fordice, Hallett, Hodges and Van Horn Families - Person Sheet
Deen, Fordice, Hallett, Hodges and Van Horn Families - Person Sheet
NameArchibald Dancy
Birth28 Sep 1751, Albemarle, Sussex County, Province of Virginia
Death1805, Edgecombe County, North Carolina
FatherWilliam Dancy (-1761)
MotherMary Mason
Spouses
Notes for Archibald Dancy
9
Archibald Dancy, the son of William Dancy and Mary Mason, was born September 28, 1751 in Sussex County, Virginia. The Albemarle Parish Register states that he was baptized November 17, 1751 and his godparents were David Mason, Jos. Pennington and Anne Stevens. His parents would have nine children before his father’s death in 1761. The children named in his father’s will were: Ann, John, William, Elizabeth, Mary, Benjamin, Archibald, Francis and Sarah.
Archibald would marry, according to one researcher, Hannah Sessums of Edgecombe County who was the daughter of Jacob Sessums. Hannah Sessums was not mentioned in Jacob’s will as one of his children, nor was she mentioned in Archibald’s will. Jacob’s will was indeed witnessed by Archibald and Edwin Dancy and proven during the Edgecombe County May Court of 1792. During the February Court of 1796 legacies were paid to Archibald Dancy and Rebekah Sessums. I find it inconceivable that Hannah’s brother, Robert Sessums, would marry his niece Betsy. As such, I leave the wife of Archibald open for much more needed research. Also at this point I have no idea where the name of Hannah could have been derived from or if she was even a real person.
The Dancy family moved to Edgecombe County in the early 1770s. His brother William Dancy was first mentioned as a witness in the land transaction between James and Thomas Hall in 1773. He, along with Benjamin Dicken and Ephraim Dicken were listed as witnesses in the land transaction between Richard Ship and wife Frances to William Dancy in 1786. The transaction involved 445 acres on the south side of Fishing Creek for 2000 silver dollars and was next to Jacob Sessums.
Archibald is not shown conducting any business affairs in his own name until January 9, 1786 when he sold two Negro boys named Abraham and York to Josiah Pender. In the Edgecombe County February Court of 1789 a suit was settled involving a bastard child that Delilah Dorman, daughter of Mitchell Dorman, claimed was Archibald’s. In this scandal he agreed to give her two slaves and pay for the cost of the suit. In return, she and her brother John, also her guardian, would raise the child at no expense to Archibald. Mitchell Dorman had died in1784 in Edgecombe Co., NC, and left a will which was contested and later thrown out. Archibald Dancy, the father of two illegitimate children by Delilah, submitted a paper to the court "purporting to be the will of Mitchell Dorman ..." which left Mitchell's entire estate to Archibald and nothing to his widow and children. The witnesses to the will stated that it had been made under duress and the court declared it null and void. Mitchell's widow, Mary Dorman, was granted administration of his estate 9 Feb. 1785.
In the 1790 Federal Census for Edgecombe County he had listed for his household two white males sixteen and upward, one white male under sixteen, six white females and seventeen slaves. On October 1, 1790 he purchased 20 acres from George Cotton that joined the Sessums, Savage, Bradley, Carlisle, Philips and Jelk families. Three weeks later on October 23rd he increased his holding once again and purchased 286 acres on the north side of Swift Creek from William Carlisle for 500 silver dollars. Archibald bought 100 acres on the north side of Swift Creek from Nathaniel Pope and his wife Mary on March 4, 1793. This had increased his holdings to 406 acres.
Archibald wrote his will on September 24, 1798. He apparently was suffering from some illness in which he knew that death was imminent. The will was witnessed by his brother John, Stephen Coleman and Patience Taylor. The will named his children Rebekah, Nancy, Betsey, Salley and Samuel, but did not mention his wife by name. At that time all the children were under the age of twenty-one. The will was proven in the November Court of 1800 by Stephen Coleman who was one of the subscribing witnesses. Archibald’s brother William would write his will in March 1805 and it would also be proven by Stephen Coleman.
Archibald Dancy, the son of William Dancy and Mary Mason, was born September 28, 1751 in Sussex County, Virginia. The Albemarle Parish Register states that he was baptized November 17, 1751 and his godparents were David Mason, Jos. Pennington and Anne Stevens. His parents would have nine children before his father’s death in 1761. The children named in his father’s will were: Ann, John, William, Elizabeth, Mary, Benjamin, Archibald, Francis and Sarah.
Archibald would marry, according to one researcher, Hannah Sessums of Edgecombe County who was the daughter of Jacob Sessums. Hannah Sessums was not mentioned in Jacob’s will as one of his children, nor was she mentioned in Archibald’s will. Jacob’s will was indeed witnessed by Archibald and Edwin Dancy and proven during the Edgecombe County May Court of 1792. During the February Court of 1796 legacies were paid to Archibald Dancy and Rebekah Sessums. I find it inconceivable that Hannah’s brother, Robert Sessums, would marry his niece Betsy. As such, I leave the wife of Archibald open for much more needed research. Also at this point I have no idea where the name of Hannah could have been derived from or if she was even a real person.
The Dancy family moved to Edgecombe County in the early 1770s. His brother William Dancy was first mentioned as a witness in the land transaction between James and Thomas Hall in 1773. He, along with Benjamin Dicken and Ephraim Dicken were listed as witnesses in the land transaction between Richard Ship and wife Frances to William Dancy in 1786. The transaction involved 445 acres on the south side of Fishing Creek for 2000 silver dollars and was next to Jacob Sessums.
Archibald is not shown conducting any business affairs in his own name until January 9, 1786 when he sold two Negro boys named Abraham and York to Josiah Pender. In the Edgecombe County February Court of 1789 a suit was settled involving a bastard child that Delilah Dorman, daughter of Mitchell Dorman, claimed was Archibald’s. In this scandal he agreed to give her two slaves and pay for the cost of the suit. In return, she and her brother John, also her guardian, would raise the child at no expense to Archibald. Mitchell Dorman had died in1784 in Edgecombe Co., NC, and left a will which was contested and later thrown out. Archibald Dancy, the father of two illegitimate children by Delilah, submitted a paper to the court "purporting to be the will of Mitchell Dorman ..." which left Mitchell's entire estate to Archibald and nothing to his widow and children. The witnesses to the will stated that it had been made under duress and the court declared it null and void. Mitchell's widow, Mary Dorman, was granted administration of his estate 9 Feb. 1785.
In the 1790 Federal Census for Edgecombe County he had listed for his household two white males sixteen and upward, one white male under sixteen, six white females and seventeen slaves. On October 1, 1790 he purchased 20 acres from George Cotton that joined the Sessums, Savage, Bradley, Carlisle, Philips and Jelk families. Three weeks later on October 23rd he increased his holding once again and purchased 286 acres on the north side of Swift Creek from William Carlisle for 500 silver dollars. Archibald bought 100 acres on the north side of Swift Creek from Nathaniel Pope and his wife Mary on March 4, 1793. This had increased his holdings to 406 acres.
Archibald wrote his will on September 24, 1798. He apparently was suffering from some illness in which he knew that death was imminent. The will was witnessed by his brother John, Stephen Coleman and Patience Taylor. The will named his children Rebekah, Nancy, Betsey, Salley and Samuel, but did not mention his wife by name. At that time all the children were under the age of twenty-one. The will was proven in the November Court of 1800 by Stephen Coleman who was one of the subscribing witnesses. Archibald’s brother William would write his will in March 1805 and it would also be proven by Stephen Coleman.