In 1721, Needham patented 640 acres of land in Bertie

County on the Moratuck River. (NC Colonial Records, II, p. 426). In 1726, he purchased 210 acres called Snowfield Plantation. He and his three wives are buried at Snowfield. Needham was very active in county and state affairs. He served many years as chairman of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Session and was Justice of the Peace in 1732, 1739, and 1745. Also was sheriff and commissioner for Bertie Co., in 1745. From 1750-59 he represented Bertie in the Colonial Assembly at New Bern and in 1729-30 was a church warden for Society Parish.

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Will, 9/1767: will of Needham Bryan; probate 3/1770; Bertie County, NC. In the name of God Amen the Twentie Third day of September in the year of Our Lord 1767, I Needham Bryan of North Carolina in the County of Bartie farmer being very sick in body but of perfect mind and memory Thanks be Given unto God for the Same and Caling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make this my Last will and Testament. That is to say principally and first of all I give and Recommend my Soul into the hands of God that Gave it and for my body I recommend it to the Earth to be burid in a Cristian like and decent manner at the discretion of my Executors nothing douting but that at the general Resurrection I shall Receive the same again by the mity power of God and as Touchon and as touchon such wordly Estate whearwith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I give and devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and for me.

- I give and bequeath SARAH my dearly beloved wife one feather bed and furniture the chose of all my beds one horse choise as she likes side saddell and bridell and after her decease to go into the estate.

- Item I give to my gran son WILLIAM BRYAN the son of my son WILLIAM my still and my stock of Smiths tools.

- Item I give and bequeath to my fore gransons EZEKIL WILLIAMS LEWIS GARDNER and JOSEPH JARNIGHAN and my daughters son WILLIAM her first born each of them a Cr[torn] {a crown sterling apiece?} in apeace and that to be their shair I give and bequeath to SUSANA HARRELL one [torn] called Anny ?

- Item and bequeath to young JACOB JARNIGHAN three pounds out of my estate when sheared and after my debts is paid.

- I do lend all my hole estate to my wife and my gran son WILLIAM BRYAN

that now lives with me and after me wifes widowhood to be eaqually devided to my three children all but he has in razen? that his shear all rest to my son NEEDHAM an WILLIAM and daughter RACHELL and my son NEEDHAM and son WILLIAM and my son in law WILLIAM WHITFIELD for every one of them ot chuse them a man to vally and devide to three lots and each to take their shear and

- I do make and ordain my two sons NEEDHAM BRYAN and WILLIAM BRYAN my sole Executors of this my last will and testament and I do hereby utterly disallow revouk and disannull and all and every other forms testaments and wills and legases bequeaths and Executors by me in any wise before this time named or ment. In witness whereof I have heir unto set my hand and Seal this day and year above ritten. Signed Sealed published pronounced and Declared by me the said NEEDHAM BRYAN SENER as his last Will and testament in the presents of us the Subscribers.

NEEDHAM BRYAN, William Turner Jurat, James Turner, Joseph Turner

Proved in March Court, 1770; Bertie Co., NC, Will Book 2, page 8.