Peacock Paths
(Editor’s note from Brenda.) Some of these could have been the children of John’s brother, Samuel, who had probably gone ahead to Dobbs County to oversee the clearing of the land grant he had applied for in 1739 and building a cabin before moving his family from the homestead of his father and brother
in Bertie.)
Peter Peacock, to have served in the Dobbs County militia in 1767, must have been born no later than 1750. Two sons of Simon Peacock, Seth and Stephen, were already married and had children of their own in 1800; even if they married young, at least one of them was surely born before 1780.
Lame John Peacock had a son born before 1780, but Peter’s was probably born no earlier than 1780, Abraham’s first was in 1783, William’s about 1787. Daniel Loftley’s children seem to have been born in the 1770-90 period; John Watkins’ cover about the same range -- suggesting that Sarah and Lydia were both born within a few years of 1750. All that can be said of Robertson Matox (Robeson Maddocks in the 1790 census) is that, as of 1790, he seems to have had two sons and a daughter. Neither Simon Peacock (if born in 1738), nor Daniel Loftley nor John Watkins appears in the 1769 tax list for Dobbs County.
Given all these uncertainties, most if not all of the dates we use run the risk of being off the mark by several years, even (especially for Simon) more than several.
CHILDREN OF JOHN (1715-1781) AND PATIENCE PEACOCK:
A. ARTHUR PEACOCK (ca. 1743-66, never married, no children). Obtained a land grant in 1765, but died the next year, with his estate being administered by John Peacock. The only John Peacock old enough to do that at the time was the husband of Patience.
B. PETER PEACOCK (ca. 1745-1824). Although he had no children until about 1780, it seems, likely he was the oldest son of John and Patience. He is mentioned before Jesse in the 1769 tax list of Dobbs County, and his plantation was on the Slough – a good distance from those of his brothers or in-laws, save for Daniel Loftily, suggesting he may have struck out on his own early. He accumulated more wealth, including slaves, than any of his siblings, and that takes time. After the Revolution, he was compensated more than £350, probably for goods and/or services, although he may have also fought.
(Editors’ Note: Peter Peacock was indeed a prominent person in Wayne County. The 1808 Price-Struthers Map compiled from a survey done in 1798, shows 3 “seats” and one of those was at Peter Peacocks. The Wayne County History states that the years following the Revolution was a time of unprecedented growth in Wayne Co and that during this period a second series of plantations grew up in the area.
Some of these plantation owners were the sons and grandsons of the colonial parish leaders, but new men were beginning to emerge and put together large tracts of land and amassed larger slave holdings than had been previously known in the area, among those named was Peter Peacock.
These families “began to amass personal possessions that would set them apart to form a new gentry that would dominate the county’s social presence well into the present century.”)
According to tradition, Peter Peacock’s wife was Sally Applewhite. But if she was the Mrs. Sally Peacock, age 44 (born 1782), who married Hobhead Speight in 1826, she must have been his second wife. And indeed, whereas Peter’s wife is shown as over 45 in the 1800 and 1810 census, she is 26-45 in 1820, Some sources give her name as Martha Applewhite, but without any documentation; if the name of Peter’s son is any clue, she may have been a Lewis, Peter’s three children are proved by the division of his estate in 1825.
CHILDREN OF PETER PEACOCK:
1. ELIZABETH PEACOCK (ca. 1778-1840’s), Born Wayne County, died Wayne or Johnston County, NC. Married ca., 1800 Elisha Applewhite (ca. 1770-1835), Wayne County. Children named in will.
i. Smithey Deans (1797-after 1835, never married)
ii. Dorothy (1799, m. ______ Daniel)
iii. Elizabeth (1800, no further record)
iv. John (1802-55, m. Caroline ______, moved to Burke Co. GA). Children John R, John N., Lewis, Joseph.
v. Peter (1803-after 1830, m. Charity _______) moved to Burke County, GA) vi. Jesse (1806-after 1840, moved to Stewart County, GA).
vii. Robert (1809-44, m. Elizabeth Deans). Sons Elisha and Bartley Deans
2. LEWIS PEACOCK (ca. 1780-1804). Born Wayne County, NC, died Stantonsburg, Edgecombe (now Wilson) County, where he is said to have run a tavern.
(Editor’s Note: Lewis died young. Family tradition is that he owned ans operated an inn located between Pikeville and Stantonsburg.)
Married Polly Wasden (ca. 1785) about 1803; she is said to have later married John Jones. Only child: