Francis Harper

Alexander Harper, Sr., (1708-1788) married Margaret Kilpatrick (1710, Scotland–1790 Dobbs, NC) the daughter of Alexander Kilpatrick and Margaret Elizabeth Easley. They had the following children, all in Dobbs County:

A Patriot of the American Revolution for NORTH CAROLINA with the rank of LIEUTENANT. DAR Ancestor # A051011

ID: I00782

Name: **Francis Harper , Sr., Lt. 1

Sex: M

Birth: 1737 in Craven County, North Carolina 2

Death: AFT 1790 in Dobbs County, North Carolina 1

Note:

Lieutenant Francis Harper

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Francis Harper, Sr. has been designated a Patriot by the Daughters of the American Revolution

See DAR application of Elizabeth Carr Lawrence # 350413.

See also application of Virginia Harper Joyner, dated 1955, Farmville, North Carolina

Francis Harper, SR. b 1737 NC d p 1790 NC m 1) Elizabeth Bright, LT NC

(DAR Patriot Index, Millennium Edition, Vol. II, 2003, page 1207.)

NOTE: BECAUSE OF CONFUSION OVER FRANCIS HARPER SR., AND FRANCIS HARPER, JR. THE DAR IN 2002 CLOSED BOTH LINES.

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Francis Harper has been designated a Patriot

by the Sons of the Amercian Revolution

See SAR Patriot Index Edition III #247438

See also NSSAR #061397 Roland Carmel Fields, Jr.

See also NSSAR #110294 Karl Lang Bremer

See also NSSAR #116655 William Sutton Fields

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Early Virginia Immigrants 1623-1666 by Greer shows:

1) Francis Harper arrived in 1634 brought by Hugh Cox, Charles City County, Virginia.

2) Francis Harper arrived in 1654 brought by Robert Bowers, Elizabeth River, Chesapeake, Virginia.

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There are no records regarding a Alexander or Francis Harper in Isle of Wight County, or Surry County, Virginia.

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Cavaliers and Pioneers by Nugent, Vol. 1, page 31, Francis Harper was one of 10 persons transported to Charles City County, Virginia in 1635 by Hugh Cox.

Cavalier and Pioneers by Nugent, Vol. 1, page 301, Francis Harper was transported in 1654 by Robert Bowers of the West Branch of the Elizabeth River at Symon's Creek. This would be in the area of present day Portsmouth and Chesapeake, Virginia.

Cavalier and Pioneers by Nugent, Vol. 2, page 26, Francis Harper was transported in 1667 by John Foxhall of Westmoreland County, Virginia.

Cavalier and Pioneers by Nugent, Vol. 2, page 64, Francis Harper was granted 150 acres Northampton County, Virginia adjacent his own land 18 October 1669 for transporting three persons.

Could these Francis Harpers have been an ancestor of Alexander and Francis Harper of Dobbs County, North Carolina?

There is no record that was found regarding the transport of a Alexander Harper, supposed father of Francis Harper.

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Lt. Francis Harper and Gov. Richard Caswell clearly had a close relationship as seen below in the land patents when in 1756 the two of them received a land patent of 400 acres jointly. Richard Caswell was born in Joppa, Maryland in 1729. He traveled by horseback to the Colony of North Carolina when he was age 16 or in 1745. Ten years later he had developed a relationship with Lt. Francis Harper.

This may have been because both men were in the Johnston County Militia circa 1754-1755. Lt. Francis Harper married Elizabeth Bright.

Gov. Richard Caswell and the Bright family had a very close relationship. The letter of Richard Caswell to his son dated 11 May 1775 indicates that Richard Caswell held Captain James Bright in high regard. Simon Bright and James Bright were witnesses to the will of Governor Richard Caswell. From the land records it appears that in 1756 Richard Caswell and Francis Harper sold most of their land to Martin Caswell, brother of Richard Caswell.

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TAKEN FROM THE WILLIAM MURPHY COLLECTION AT EAST CAROLINA UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

Greenville, North Carolina

By Carol Martocci

Abstracted 17 May 1981 by William Murphy

Data from a Bible owned by:

Mrs. Virginia Harper Joyner

109 North Contentnea Street

Farmville, North Carolina

now deceased

"Lieutenant Francis Harper, Sr. who was born in what is now Greene County, North Carolina about 1737 and died in Dobbs County

(now Greene) after 1790. His place of residence during the Revolution was North Carolina.

Virginia Harper married William Edward Joyner.

Virginia Harper was the daughter of Luby Saunders Harper.

Luby Saunders Harper born 26 June 1864 at Greene County, NC died Craven Co., NC 12 January 1919-wife Viola Moore who was born

03 October 1874 in Greene County and died Craven Co., NC 03 August 1904. They were married 09 April 1893.

Luby Saunders Harper was the son of Delaney Harper.

Delaney Harper -born 04 December 1839 Greene Co., NC died 18 December 1866 in Greene Co., NC wife Virginia Saunders who was born 16 April 1844 in Greene Co., NC and died 14 March 1905 in Greene Co., NC. They were married 24 January 1860.

Delaney Harper was the son of Charles Hopton Harper.

Charles Hopton Harper was born 28 September 1790-died 05 April 1846

2nd wife Axey Rasberry who was born 23 March 1811. They were married 18 December 1838.

Charles Hopton Harper was the son of Francis Harper.

Francis Harper born about 1762 died after 1790 wife Theresa Hopton-married 1786.

Francis Harper was the son of Francis Harper.

Lt. Francis Harper born about 1737-died 1790-wife Elizabeth Bright who was born about 1744-they were married prior to 1762-

The children of Francis Harper, Sr., and Elizabeth Bright were:

Francis Harper married Theresa Hopton

Laney Harper married William Hooker

Blaney Harper married Elizabeth McIlwean

Mary Harper married Robert Williams."

(All of the above information was abstracted from the William Murphy papers at East Carolina University Library in Greenville, North Carolina by Carol Martocci, 903 East 5th Street, Greenville, North Carolina on 21 June 1999. Also in a DAR application filed by Mrs. Virginia Harper Joyner, she indicated she owned the Francis Harper Bible. Virginia Harper was married to the late Dr. William Edward Joyner of Farmville, North Carolina. Carol Pridgen Martocci was Registrar of the Farmville, North Carolina DAR and reviewed the DAR application of Mrs. Virginia Harper Joyner which included the above information. The DAR application by Mrs, Joyner was dated 1955.)

The location of the Francis Harper Bible is not known at present. It could be at North Carolina Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina, or perhaps the Lenoir Community College, Kinston, North Carolina or perhaps retained by one of the children of Dr. and Mrs. William Edward Joyner.

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Lieutenant Francis Harper was a Lieutenant in the Johnston County Militia in the Revolutionary War. He owned property in Johnston County, with Richard Caswell, a Revolutionary War hero from North Carolina.

Lt. Francis Harper fought at the Battle of Moore's Creek.

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In a book entitled:

Ayres-Dawson and Allied Families

by Henrietta Dawson Ayres Sheppard

Volume III

Published by the American Historical Company, New York 1963

and of which a volume is found in the

Sheppard Memorial Library, 530 Evans Street , Greenville, NC 27858

The following notes are found:

THE HARPER FAMILY

"Francis Harper, the first of our established line was born circa 1737, lived in Dobbs (now Greene) County, North Carolina and was according to the following records was a Lieutenant in the North Carolina Militia 1754-1755 in the Johnston Foot Soldiers and in 1754 he was given as Lieutenant of Johnston Regiment."

This military service is recorded in The State Records of North Carolina by Walter Clark, Volume Miscellaneous, pages 310, 331.

North Carolina Revolutionary Army Accounts, Vol. 8, page 40, folio 4

Militia Returns 1754-1755, Also 1758-1767

Johnston Foot

Lieut. Fran Harper

Johnston Regiment 1754

Officers: Francis Harper, Lt.

The other officers of the Regiment were:

Louis De Rosset, Col.

Simon Bright, Lt. Col. (brother of Elizabeth Bright, wife of Francis Harper)

Samuel Smith, Major

Francis McElwean (McIlwean), Capt. (brother of Eliz. McElwean (McIlwean) who married Blaney Harper.)

John Sherrod, Ensign

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North Carolina State Records

Vol. 22

Lieutenant Francis Harper, Johnston County Militia, 1754-1755 Military Returns.

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From the State Records of North Carolina by Clark:

Volume 2, pages 2777-2778

Diary of Jacob Turner of the North Carolina Continental Line

Wilmington, North Carolina 29 August 1777

General Orders-officer of the day

Brigade Major Harper

(This may be another Harper as Francis Harper did not rise higher in rank than Lieutenant and was not a member of the Continental Line.)

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Dobbs County, North Carolina 11 March 1761

Lt. Francis Harper

(Dobbs County, NC Justices)

(Dobbs Militia contributed by Dan Jackson, December 2000)

(North Carolina Governors Office File 146, NC Archives, Raleigh, NC)

http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/nc/dobbs/military/dobbsmilitia...

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Lieut. Francis Harper married about 1760 or before, Elizabeth Bright of Dobbs

(now Greene) County, NC who was born about 1744, the daughter of

Simon Bright (1706-1777) will dated Nov. 03, 1775, proved January 18, 1777, and his wife ?sister of Frances Hodges

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Similar notes regarding Lt. Francis Harper can be found in the Heritage of Lenoir County Book, published 1985, Kinston, North Carolina page 246, article # 499 entitled James Warren Harper.

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Census of North Carolina in 1790 shows: New Bern District, Dobbs County, North Carolina, page 135

Francis Harper Sr.

Francis Harper, Jr.

Blaney Harper

William Harper

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In a book entitled:

Ayres-Dawson and Allied Families

by Henrietta Dawson Ayres Sheppard

Volume III

Published by the American Historical Company, New York 1963

and of which a volume is found in the

Sheppard Memorial Library, 530 Evans Street , Greenville, NC 27858

The following children of Lt. Francis Harper are identified.

Lt. Francis Harper and his wife Elizabeth Bright Harper

had the following children:

1) Francis Harper, Jr. born 1760 is said to have been a Revolutionary War Soldier and reference is given as N. C. Rev. Army Accounts Vol.8, Page 40, Folio 4. He married Theresa Hopton.

2) Blaney Harper born 1764 married Elizabeth Williams McElwean.

3) Laney Harper married William Hooker

4) Mary Harper married Robert Williams

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LAND PATENTS, GRANTS, DEEDS

Craven County, North Carolina

Deed Book 1, page 187

James Mackelwean or Francis Harper and Alexander Harper 300 pds. 640 acres

Patent dated 21 November 1739

Neuse, SS Contentnea, ES Tyson Marsh

Recorded 30 June 1743

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Grantor-Grantee Index Dobbs, Johnston, Lenoir Counties North Carolina

Abstracted by Martha Mewborn Marble

November 1746-April 1750

Book 2

Francis Harper to John Ross

1754-1756

Book 4

Harper and Caswell to Martin Caswell 274 acres

April 1789-April 1792

Book 14

Francis Harper to William Hooker 364 acres

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North Carolina Patent Book 15, page 126

17 March 1756

Frances Harper and Richard Caswell

400 acres in Johnston (Dobbs) on the south side of the Great Contentnea joining the Creek side,

Alexander Harper, Samuel Singleton, and the mouth of a small gut.

(Colony of North Carolina Land Patents 1735-1764, Hofmann, #4921, page 350.)

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North Carolina Patent Book 18, page 295

26 September 1766

Benjamin Caswell

100 acres in Dobbs on the south side of the Great Contentnea Creek between Caswell's own land and the said creek, joining Francis Harper, Richard Caswell, Matthew Allen, the said Creek, and the mouth of a small gut on the Creek.

(Colony of North Carolina Land Patents 1765-1775, Hofmann, #846, page 295.)

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North Carolina Patent Book 22, page 170

22 January 1773

John Irons

200 acres in Dobbs on the south side of the Great Contentnea and on both sides of Tyson's Creek -being land formerly surveyed for Samuel Roilings, joining the Huckleberry Marsh, Dunn's line, Timothy Reeves, Wm. Williams, Benjamin Caswell, Francis Harper, and Tyson's Marsh opposite Francis Harpers field below the Road.

(Colony of North Carolina Land Patents 1765-1775, Hofmann, #4148, page 314.)

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(Tyson's Marsh is a creek that begins just east of Jason, North Carolina where Henry and Benjamin Best, and the Mewborn family lived.

It crosses NC 903 and courses Northeast across US 13 and flows into the Contentnea Creek in Greene County, North Carolina.

This is where Alexander and Francis Harper lived. This area was in Craven County until 1712. It became part of Johnston County in 1746.

In 1758 in became Dobbs County. In 1791 it became Glasgow County. In 1799 Glasgow became Greene County. Located just east toward US 258 is Bright Road where the Bright family lived. Also living in this area were the Britts, Hams, Suttons, and Hardys and Parrotts.

Also living in this area were the Hodges. Just west of this area is where Simon Newsome lived (Newsome in Wayne County) who married Patience Best, daughter of Benjamin Best. Just north of Shine on Shine Road is HARPER road. Just south of the area on Best Station Road is the site of the Dobbs County Courthouse. The general area of southeastern Dobbs/Greene County is where many prominent families of mideastern North Carolina lived.)

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North Carolina Patent Book 22, page 252

24 May 1773

George Millar

50 acres in Dobbs on the south side of the Great Contentnea and on the W side of Phiz Patricks Mill Creek joining Lewis Connor, Jos. Miller, Alexander Harper and the Mill Creek at the mouth of Island Branch.

(Colony of North Carolina Land Patents 1765-1775, Hofmann, #4552, page 343.)

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See note below from Frances Hodges posted 17 August 2003:

Re: Lt. Francis Harper of Dobbs Co. NC

Francis Harper, Sr.

While researching the early acts of the General Assembly this past week in

Raleigh, I came across a petition which Francis Harper made to that body. He and

Alexander Harper (probably his brother, who died ca 1782) had purchased 640

acres of land from James McIlwean in 1743. Francis had since bought out

Alexander's share, but had lost the deed and was thus petitioning the assembly

to confirm his ownership.

The petition passed the assembly in December, 1792; in it Francis claims that he

and Alexander had purchased the land "forty-five years ago or thereabouts" which

indicates that the petition was likely drawn up in 1788. Francis also describes

himself as "well advanced in years." Assuming that he was at least twenty-one

when the original purchase was made in 1743, that means he could have been born

no later than 1722 and likely even earlier, which would make him almost too old

to have served in the revolution.

My hunch is that Francis drew up the petition in 1788 when he was in failing

health, in an attempt to make sure that his heirs would have a clear title to

the land when he died. He probably died very shortly thereafter. The assembly

approved it in 1792, by which time he was likely dead. It was not that unusual

for such petitions to take a few years or even longer to get approval,

especially when urgent matters, such as ratifying the federal constitution, had

to be considered in the meantime.

The Francis Harper Jr. and Francis Harper who appear on the 1790 census are

probably his son and his nephew, the latter being the son of Alexander Harper,

who we know to have also had a son named Francis.

We know that Francis left a will, but no copy of it has ever been discovered.

I have never seen any hard evidence that Francis ever married Elizabeth Bright.

I have a hunch who his wife may have been, but it needs more investigation.

Anyway, I am pretty sure that I and many more Harpers descendants are descended

not from Francis but from his brother, Alexander.

Francis R. Hodges

Father: Alexander Harper , Sr. b: ABT 1710 in Unknown

Mother: A Sister of John Kilpatrick b: ABT 1700

Marriage 1 Elizabeth Bright b: 1744 in Craven County, North Carolina

Married: BEF 1762 in Dobbs County, North Carolina 2

Children

Mary Harper b: BET 1755 AND 1760 in Craven/Johnston/Dobbs County, North Carolina

Blaney Harper , Sr. b: BET 1757 AND 1764 in Dobbs County, North Carolina
**Francis Harper , Jr. b: 1762 in Dobbs County, North Carolina
Laney Harper b: AFT 1762 in Dobbs County, North Carolina
Sources:

Title: Daughters of the American Revolution Centennial Edition, page 1315.

Title: William Murphy Collection, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina