Stephen Bryant Sargent

A Patriot of the American Revolution for NORTH CAROLINA. DAR Ancestor #: A100430 Stephen Bryant Sergent was born c. 1740 in Orange County, North Carolina and died c. 1815 in Russell County, Virginia. He married Margaret Gold. Margaret was probably born in North Carolina and she died some time after 1814, in Russell County, Virginia. They raised a large family.

Stephen spelled his surname SERGENT, but on many documents it is spelled Sargent and Sergeant. Many documents will list his place of birth as Caswell County, North Carolina. That county was not formed until 1777, so it is more likely that he was born in Orange County.

He was a planter and a slave owner. He left a detailed will upon his death, written on August 8, 1814 and probated on April 4, 1815, which names his wife (still living at the time he wrote the will), several of his children and grandchildren, and the names of the slaves being distributed through the will. The text of the will is included below.

His DAR claim was based on the fact that he supplied a gun to the troops. Supplying one gun may sound insignificant to us but, in those days, a farmer or planter needed his gun to protect his family, to hunt game for the table and, depending on location, to fight Indians. Giving away one of his guns was truly a sacrifice in Stephen's day.

Children of Stephen Bryant Sergent and wife Margaret Gold:

• Sarah Sergent - married Peter Skeen
• Elizabeth Sergent - married Jonathan Skeen
• James Sergent
• Mary Sergent - married a Mr. Fuller
• Ephaim Sergent

Links to additional material:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caswell_County,_North_Carolina

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WILL OF STEPHEN SERGENT

• Russell County, Virginia
• Will Book 3, Pages 118 - 121
• Executed 04 Apr 1815

In the name of God Amen I Stephen Sergent of Russell County and Commonwealth of Virginia, being in a low state of helth yet in my perfect senses do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form as follows

In the first place I desire that all my just debts be paid out of such worldly goods as it hath pleased God to bless me with

2nd. I leave to my beloved wife Margret Sergent a comfortable maintenance out of my worldly estate during her natural life or widowhood also I leave to her one of my negro girls named Anny to attend upon her during her natural life and after her death I leave the said Amy as follows whereas I in a former will gave to my daughter Rebekah Sergent in her lifetime an equal part with the rest of my living children she, being now deceast - I now give and bequeath the same to James Sergent senr. her surviving husband which was one negro girl by the name of Amy at the price of three hundred and fifty dollars for the said James Sergent to take the said equal part out of and the balance to return to my estate to make an equal division with the rest of my living children and this said equal part I interest in the hand of the said James Sergent give to the said Rebekah's children at his discression If the said Amy should die before the said James Sergent gets her in possession he shall have a right to an equal part of the ballance of my estate with the rest of my living children

3rd. I give and bequeath to my daugter Sarah Skeen one of my negro girls by the name of Vilet and I give to my said daughter Sarah my largest chest beside her equal divide and if the said Vilet should die before the said Sarah Skeen get her in possession she shall have a right to an equal part of the balance of my estate with the rest of my living children

4th. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Mary Fuller another of my negro girls named Diner and if the said Diner should die before the said Mary Fuller get her in possession she shall have a right to an equal part of the balance of my estate with the rest of my living children

5th. I give and bequeath unto my son Ephraim Sergent my negro boy by the name of Aron and if the said Aaron should die before the said Ephraim Sergent gets him in possession he shall have a right to an equal part of the balance of my estate with the rest of my living children - which said negroes I rate among my children as follows the 3 oldest which are Amy Aaron and Vilet I rate to my said children at three hundred and fifty dollars each and the youngest which is Diner I rate at three hundred dollars provided they are sound in body at such delivery or division if other wise the negro so infirm the price of it shall be reduced to the owner at the discretion of my executors hereafter named Also those of my children to whom I have given my negroes shall pay to those of my children which have none so much as will make them all equal in all my worldly estate Also out of my worldly estate I leave to my daughter Elizabeth Skeen's children the former wife of Jonathan Skeen as follows to Stephen Skeen my grandson son of Jonathan Skeen I give my smaller bored riffle gun with the mouls wipers etc Also five dollars a piece to the said Stephens sisters and brothers to be paid out of my estate by my executors when sold and collected -

And lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my friends Abraham Fuller and Ephraim Sergent as executors to this my last will and testament hereby revoking all other or former wills or testaments by me heretofore made In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this eighth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fourteen

Stephen Sergent

Signed sealed published and declared as and for the last will and testament of the above named Stephen Sergent in presents of us

James Sergent Junr.

         his James 0 Gray

        mark

Virginia

At a court held for Russell County the 4th day of April 1815 This instrument of writing was exhibited in court as and for the last will and testament of Stephen Sergent dec'd and proven by the oaths of James Sergent Jr. & James Gray the witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded - and on motion of Abraham Fuller and Ephraim Sergent executors therein named who made oath thereto, and together with Francis Browning & James Hendricks their securities entered into and acknowledged a bond in the penalty of three thousand dollars conditioned as the law directs, certificate is granted them for obtaining probat of the said will in due form.

Teste James P. Carrell D. C. This file contributed by: Michael A. Dye

Stephen spelled his surname SERGENT, but on many documents it is spelled Sargent and Sergeant. Many documents will list his place of birth as Caswell County, North Carolina. That county was not formed until 1777, so it is more likely that he was born in Orange County.

He was a planter and a slave owner. He left a detailed will upon his death, written on August 8, 1814 and probated on April 4, 1815, which names his wife (still living at the time he wrote the will), several of his children and grandchildren, and the names of the slaves being distributed through the will. The text of the will is included below.

His DAR claim was based on the fact that he supplied a gun to the troops. Supplying one gun may sound insignificant to us but, in those days, a farmer or planter needed his gun to protect his family, to hunt game for the table and, depending on location, to fight Indians. Giving away one of his guns was truly a sacrifice in Stephen's day.

Children of Stephen Bryant Sergent and wife Margaret Gold:

Sarah Sergent - married Peter Skeen Elizabeth Sergent - married Jonathan Skeen James Sergent Mary Sergent - married a Mr. Fuller Ephaim Sergent Links to additional material:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caswell_County,_North_Carolina

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WILL OF STEPHEN SERGENT

Russell County, Virginia
Will Book 3, Pages 118 - 121 Executed 04 Apr 1815 In the name of God Amen I Stephen Sergent of Russell County and Commonwealth of Virginia, being in a low state of helth yet in my perfect senses do make and ordain this my last will and testament in manner and form as follows

In the first place I desire that all my just debts be paid out of such worldly goods as it hath pleased God to bless me with

2nd. I leave to my beloved wife Margret Sergent a comfortable maintenance out of my worldly estate during her natural life or widowhood also I leave to her one of my negro girls named Anny to attend upon her during her natural life and after her death I leave the said Amy as follows whereas I in a former will gave to my daughter Rebekah Sergent in her lifetime an equal part with the rest of my living children she, being now deceast - I now give and bequeath the same to James Sergent senr. her surviving husband which was one negro girl by the name of Amy at the price of three hundred and fifty dollars for the said James Sergent to take the said equal part out of and the balance to return to my estate to make an equal division with the rest of my living children and this said equal part I interest in the hand of the said James Sergent give to the said Rebekah's children at his discression If the said Amy should die before the said James Sergent gets her in possession he shall have a right to an equal part of the ballance of my estate with the rest of my living children

3rd. I give and bequeath to my daugter Sarah Skeen one of my negro girls by the name of Vilet and I give to my said daughter Sarah my largest chest beside her equal divide and if the said Vilet should die before the said Sarah Skeen get her in possession she shall have a right to an equal part of the balance of my estate with the rest of my living children

4th. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Mary Fuller another of my negro girls named Diner and if the said Diner should die before the said Mary Fuller get her in possession she shall have a right to an equal part of the balance of my estate with the rest of my living children

5th. I give and bequeath unto my son Ephraim Sergent my negro boy by the name of Aron and if the said Aaron should die before the said Ephraim Sergent gets him in possession he shall have a right to an equal part of the balance of my estate with the rest of my living children - which said negroes I rate among my children as follows the 3 oldest which are Amy Aaron and Vilet I rate to my said children at three hundred and fifty dollars each and the youngest which is Diner I rate at three hundred dollars provided they are sound in body at such delivery or division if other wise the negro so infirm the price of it shall be reduced to the owner at the discretion of my executors hereafter named Also those of my children to whom I have given my negroes shall pay to those of my children which have none so much as will make them all equal in all my worldly estate Also out of my worldly estate I leave to my daughter Elizabeth Skeen's children the former wife of Jonathan Skeen as follows to Stephen Skeen my grandson son of Jonathan Skeen I give my smaller bored riffle gun with the mouls wipers etc Also five dollars a piece to the said Stephens sisters and brothers to be paid out of my estate by my executors when sold and collected -

And lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my friends Abraham Fuller and Ephraim Sergent as executors to this my last will and testament hereby revoking all other or former wills or testaments by me heretofore made In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this eighth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fourteen

Stephen Sergent

Signed sealed published and declared as and for the last will and testament of the above named Stephen Sergent in presents of us

James Sergent Junr.

his James 0 Gray

mark Virginia

At a court held for Russell County the 4th day of April 1815 This instrument of writing was exhibited in court as and for the last will and testament of Stephen Sergent dec'd and proven by the oaths of James Sergent Jr. & James Gray the witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded - and on motion of Abraham Fuller and Ephraim Sergent executors therein named who made oath thereto, and together with Francis Browning & James Hendricks their securities entered into and acknowledged a bond in the penalty of three thousand dollars conditioned as the law directs, certificate is granted them for obtaining probat of the said will in due form.

References

• https://www.genealogy.com/ftm/h/o/w/Debra-L-Howard/BOOK-0001/0035-0...