Anna Carrick

4 AUGUST 1781 GRENE COUNTY, TN

Land grant. “Warrant No. 391” “Know ye that We have granted unto Ann Mills one hundred acres of land lying and being in our County of Green.” Begining [sic] at a hicory Standing on the E side of a hill, thence N 30 poles to a stake, N 70 E 80 poles to a stake, N 60 poles to a stake, and two black oaks, 20 E 80 pols to a stake, S 130 poles to a Stake, W 163 poles to a stake, then by a right line to the Beginning. “Entered 4 August 17781; issued 12 July 1794. [Source: David McCorkle, NC Land Grant Images and Data (http://www.nclandgrants.com : accessed 7 July 2018), imaging Book 81:575; citing “TN Greene” File No. 1475, NC microfilm reel S.108.160.20N, frame 885, State Archives.]

COMMENT: This Ann Mills is the widow of Ambrose—not the Ann Mills to whom William Welsh gave a part of the William Mills (kinsman of Blenny) survey in 1765.

OCTOBER 1781? RUTHERFORD COUNTY, NC Settlement. “Book A (First two pages badly torn.) Oct. Term. “An agreement between Waightsill Avery and James Miller. Lands mentioned on French Broad River, Cane Cr., Hoopers Cr., Davidson River. Other names mentioned, Andrew Blanchard, Esq., Thomas Wadtington, Agnis Miller, Anna Mills, William Mills, David Miller, Widow Mills, Benjamin Davidson. Dated Oct. ___?”112

COMMENT: This is the first document in the book. Anna Mills and Widow Mills are one and the same—i.e., Ann/Anna/Anne Brown, widow of Ambrose Mills. The William Mills of this document was Ambrose’s one surviving son by his first wife, Mourning Stone of Albemarle Co., VA. The next document is dated 14 April 1782 and proved July Term 1782. Waightstill Avery was an attorney who presented his license at the first court held in Tryon, April? 1769.113

JANUARY 1782 RUTHERFORD COUNTY, NC Probate. “Ord that Letters of Adm. issue to Ann Mills, widow[,] of [and] James Miller, on Estate of Amrose [sic] Mills, dec’d. She give [sic] bond with John Earle and William Gilbert in the sum of one thousand specia.”114

COMMENT: Ambrose’s widow is in powerful company. Rutherford court minutes of this era identify Earle as a colonel and court justice. Subsequently in this same term of court, James Miller and William Gilbert served as surety for the newly elected sheriff, Andrew Hampton, for a bond of 2000 pounds specia;115 and “William Gilbert, Esq.,” who also signed the minutes as a county justice, was granted license to maintain a tavern.116 The April 1782 term of court identified Miller as Col. James Miller.117

112 James E. and Vivian Wooley, Rutherford County, North Carolina, Wills & Miscellaneous Records, 1783–1868 (Greenville, SC: Southern Historical Press, 1984), 1; citing Book A:1–2.

113 Lucille Hendrick Gardner and Virginia Greene DePriest, Minutes of the Inferior Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for Tryon County, North Carolina, vol. 1, 1769–1772 (Shelby, NC: P.p., 1985), 1.

114 Hedy Hughes Newton, Rutherford County, North Carolina, Abstracts of Minutes, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 1779–1786 (Ellenboro, NC: P.p., 1974), 17; citing p. 47.

115 Hedy Hughes Newton, Rutherford County, North Carolina, Abstracts of Minutes, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 1779–1786 (Ellenboro, NC: P.p., 1974), 19; citing p. 50.

116 Hedy Hughes Newton, Rutherford County, North Carolina, Abstracts of Minutes, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 1779–1786 (Ellenboro, NC: P.p., 1974), 20; citing pp. 52–53.

117 Hedy Hughes Newton, Rutherford County, North Carolina, Abstracts of Minutes, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 1779–1786 (Ellenboro, NC: P.p., 1974), 22; citing p. 57.

15 APRIL 1797 RUTHERFORD COUNTY, NC

Probate settlement.

“Apr. Ct. 1797. Ambrose Mills, dec’d. died intestate in year 1780 leaving a widow Anna Mills and 7 surviving children to wit: William Mills, Thomas Mills, John Mills, Ambrose Mills, Milly Mills, Polly Twitty & Amelia [Millie%E2%80%94i.e., Mildred] Mills & Anna Mills the younger and the sd. Widow Anna Mills and Col. James Miller in 1782 administrated the Estate of the dec’d. and the sd. Anna Mills in Feb. 1790 intermarried with John Carrick and such proceedings have been had and management with estate of dec’d as appear in this copy hereunto annexed—Certified by Richard Lewis, Esq.

“William Mills appointed Guardian by Court of his brother Ambrose Mills the younger and his sister Anna Mills the younger and as Guardian has caused 3 sales to be instituted against sd. John Carrick in order to compel sd. Carrick to give security for the Estate of the dec’d., suggested by Petition to be in hands of sd. John Carrick on action of debt supposed to be for price of a Negro wench Rachel as part of Estate as appears in account of 2nd sale in the annexed copy and a 3rd sale by Petition against sd. John Carrick, Anna, his wife & James Miller, Administrator and Administrix in order to compel them to account for a still, some wagon irons, a note on McCafferty for four half Johanas, a mare, yearling, 5 cows and calves, a yearling heifer, 1 gray horse, 9 guineas, 4 dollars and lock Chain suggested by Petition to be unaccounted for by Administrators and also to compel the sd. Administrators to account for the Estate of dec’d. in general and whereas some dispute has arisen between sd Carrick & sd. William Mills concerning right of dower in lands of dec’d, and also other claimants of that estate –

“Now this Indenture Wittnesseth sd. William Mills & John Carrick agree to settle sd. Law suits, the sd. Wm. Mills for himself and for sd. Wards Ambrose Mills & Anna Mills as their Guardian and also agent for sd. Thomas & John Mills, Polly Twitty & Pamella [Millie%E2%80%94i.e., Mildred] Mills, agree to dismiss sd. Three law suits in Rutherford Court at his own expense and pay all costs—Also sd. Bond on John Carrick be cancelled. All lands descended from Ambrose Mills dec’d. to Anna Carrick his wife, to wit: a tract of 600 a. conveyed to Ambrose Mills dec’d. by Thomas Reynolds by deed dt’d. 1 Dec. 1770 on N. branch Green River, conveyed heretofore by sd. William Mills and now in possession of Edwards, adjoining Edwards line, assigned for dower to sd. John Carrick & Anna his wife during their joint lives. And John Carrick shall not recover any sums of money, 3rd share or dividend of sd. Ambrose Mills other than what he has rec’d. and such as he the sd. John had in possession and has as he left it at sd. Old Plantation where he went to Cumberland, including 1 negro Rachel, the beds, household and kitchen furniture, farming tools, 1 horse and some cattle. Signed: William Mills, John Carrick. [Witnesses] Waightsell Avery, John McKinny, John Goodbread.”245

245 Caroline Heath Davis, Rutherford County, North Carolina, Abstracts, Will Book B, 1791–1813 (Rutherfordton, NC: P.p., c1972), 16-17; citing Will Book B:76.

COMMENT: William Mills’s “guardianship” of the minors did not mean that he took physical custody of them. Rather, he was guardian of their inheritance. Their mother’s new husband appears to have helped himself to part of that inheritance, prompting the suit by William Mills.

[All of the above from Elizabeth S. Mills, https://www.historicpathways.com/download/MillsRutherfordTryonLinco...]