John Lowrance

He was a farmer / plantation owner and married Mary Perkins in Peapack, New Jersey in 1738. Mary died in 1760. He then married Ann Needham Nichols. John died April 23, 1781, in Rowan County, North Carolina and was buried in the Thyatira Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Rowan County, North Carolina. John was killed during an attack by Indians, and two of their children were injured during the attack; one died and one survived.

From the "Heritage of Rowan County, North Carolina" -- In 1756 John and his brother Alexander each bought land in what was then the western frontier. Alexander bought 524 acres of land on Beaver Dam Branch of Withrow's Creek and John purchased 632 acres on Sills Creek. All of their property was in Rowan County, but that section later became Iredell and Catawba counties. Most of the records on the early years of the Lowrance's in North Carolina can be found in the courthouses and libraries of Rowan, Iredell, Lincoln, Burke and Catawba counties.

One RootsWeb entry says that daughter Margaret was actually adopted, and from this RootsWeb entry:

THE WILL OF JOHN LOWRANCE: "I John Lowrance of the County of Rowan and state of North Carolina, farmer, being sick and weak in body but of perfect mind and Memory, do make and ordain this my Last Will and Testament in the manner and form following:

That is to say first of all I do order all my just and lawful debts to be paid. ITEM: I do give and bequeath unto my well beloved wife Anne Lorance one black bald faced horse and one Brown horse with a bald face but one eye. My Old Sorrel Horse during her widowhood. Likewise Two hundred pounds in money to be raised out of my Estate if the money rates at the time when she shall demand it, as it does at this present time Dollar at a henpenny, but if it should come to its former value a dollar at eight shillings at the above said time of demand then she shall have but thirty pounds, likewise the use of my house I now live in, and all my household furniture likewise my whole plantation on the west side of the Creek I now live on, during her widowhood, except Ten Acres of the lower end of my Meadow with a strate line from the Creek west to the Hill which I reserve for the use of my son Jacob.

Likewise give unto my Beloved wife four Cows and Calves of her own choosing two three year Old stears, likewise ten sheep of her own choosing, ikewise all my Hogs and geese for the support maintenance of these my children, which I had by her during her widowhood and if it should please God to Remove her by death or if she should marry again before my two sons Johsua & Alexander become of age then all the above moveables to be equally divided between all my children I had of her at the discretion of my Executors.

I likewise order that my Wife shall have use of my 'itch plow' and Waggon with the gears belonging to them, likewise my Iron tooth Harrow, likewise the use of Negro Boy called Ben for the time of eight years from the date here of and no longer and after the expiration of the above said eight years that then my said Negro Boy shall be my beloved son Abraham's property.

I also give unto my Son John my money scales. I also give unto my son Abraham my still and eight still Vessels, also one Cow-and Calf and three sheep. I also give unto my son Andrew two sheep. I also give unto my son Joshua both my old and young black Mares. I also give unto my daughter Jane my black Mare called Fley and her yearling Colt I give to my daughter Anna. I also give unto my son Jacob my Stone [?] Horse and my three year Old passing mare Colt and one Cow and Calf.

I also give unto my step-daughter Agnes two sheep. I also give unto my daughter Catherine two sheep. I also give unto my beloved wife should think it best for my son Jacob to live in the House by himself, that then he shall build a House on the East side of the Creek for himself to live in and shall have the use of the land on that side of the Creek on the above said Plantation, and further if it should please my beloved wife to Marry again, or if it should please God to remove her by death, That then after either of these, I do give unto my son Jacob the whole Plantation I now live on, with a promise that he give or cause to be given unto my two younger sons, Joshua and Alexander each of them when they come of age fifty pounds proc Currency of North Carolina, and if my son Jacob should not be willing to pay the money that then the above said Plantation shall be equally divided between my two younger sons namely Joshua and Alexander at the discretion of my Executors not withstanding if my son Jacob should pay the above said moneys to said Joshua and Alexander, that then the said Plantation shall be my son Jacob's not withstanding if it should please God to remove my son Jacobby death and he not having a Male Heir that then the said Plantation I now live on shall be equally divided between my two sons Joshua & Alexander.

Nevertheless if my son Jacob should beget a living Male heir, that then the above Plantation shall be his property & only his the paying the above said moneys. I also order that what moneys I have a present shall be equally divided between my two sons namely Joshua & Alexander. I likewise order that forty shillings be raised out of my Estate and given unto my daughter Margaret or her first born son. I also order that forty shillings be raised out of my Estate & given unto my daughter Mary or her first born son. Also I order that forty shillings be raised out of my Estate and be given unto my daughter Elizabeth or her first born son and further I order that the rest of my moveable effects such as my Executors shall not think proper to keep or divide amongst the Children, to be sold at public sale and the money arising therefrom to defray these Legacies I give to my daughters or their children.

I also choose and appoint my well beloved Wife Ann Lorance, and my son John Lorance, and my son Abraham Lorance, and my friend John McCorkle to be the Executors of this my Last Will and Testament. And I do hereby utterly disallow revoke and disannul all and every other former Testaments, Wills, Legacies and Executors by me in anywise before this time named, willed and bequeathed and Ratifying and confirming this and only this to be my Last Will and Testament in witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and affixed my seal this 20th day of April One Thousand seven Hundred and Eighty One.

Signed, Sealed, Published, pronounced, and declared by the said John Lowrance as his last Will and Testament in the presence of us."

s/John Lorance Junr:

s/William Irvin

s/John Gray

s/John Gracey

• Reference: Ancestry Genealogy - SmartCopy: Jan 28 2019, 23:45:45 UTC