VANN FAMILIES

OF

EASTERN NORTH CAROLINA

For over two hundred years, Sampson County and its primary progenitor, Duplin County, have been home to families descended from William VANN of Nansemond County, Virginia. The earliest record known to me shows William on the Quit Rent Rolls of that Virginia county in 1704. He is believed to have moved to Chowan Precinct of North Carolina sometime after 1714 where he died shortly after he made his will on 16 April 1735.

Set forth on this page are the descendants of William VANN down through Mary Elizabeth "Mollie" VANN, my great-grandmother who married Dallas HERRING.

Dallas Herring -- Mollie Vann

Dallas Herring & Mary "Mollie" Vann
circa 1895

William Vann and Descendants

Generation No. 1

William VANN was born before 1672. (See my rationale for the determination of his DOB which is included in the section for his son, Edward.) I have not found an immigration record and it seems likely he was born in Virginia. He married a Sarah whose maiden name is unknown. William wrote his will 16 April 1735 and it was proved 11 August 1740 in Chowan Precinct. From his will, we know the names of his wife, a son, two daughters and a grandson named after him.

Generation No. 2

Issue of William VANN , b bef 1672, d bet Apr 1735 & Aug 1740 in Chowan Precinct, NC, and Sarah LNU:

1. i. Sarah VANN. Apparently married a Mr. HOGH
2. ii. Ann VANN.
3. iii. Edward VANN, Sr., b bef 1693: Inasmuch as Edward's son, William, was named in the 1735 will of Edward's father, William, it is reasonable to assume that Edward was of age, i.e., at least twenty-one. Very likely, he was older than this which would put his birth sometime before 1714. Records reveal that the younger William purchased land in Chowan in 1744. English law at that time most generally required those purchasing land to be of majority. It is very likely, therefore, that William was born no later than 1714. This in turn would suggest that William's father, Edward, was born no later than 1693. Following this rationale one step further back, Edward's father, William VANN, would have been born in or before 1672.

Edward married a Mary (maiden name unknown). He made his will in Chowan 14 Feb 1738 and it was proved 6 Jun 1752. From his will, we determine that he and Mary had two sons and three daughters.

Generation No. 3

3 Issue of Edward VANN, Sr., (WILLIAM 1), b bef 1693, d bet 1738 & 1752, and Mary Lnu:

4. i. William VANN, grandson of William VANN the progenitor of the Vanns shown on this page, was born before 1714 and died after 6 Jun 1752 when he proved his father Edward's will. He most likely remained in the part of Chowan County that became Bertie on the land left to him by his grandfather William.
5. ii. Edward VANN, Jr., was shown on a List of Tithables in 1752 from which we can deduce that he was born no later than 1731. This assumes a majority of 21, although the payment of tithables by head of a household could have been as young as 18 years of age. He made his will in 1770 and named his wife, Mary, three sons and two daughters.
6. iii. Sarah VANN, b bef 17??.
7. iv. Mary VANN b bef 17??.
8. v. Elizabeth VANN, b bef 17??.

Generation No. 4

5 Issue of Edward VANN, Jr., (Edward, Sr., 2WILLIAM 1), b bef 1731, d aft 1770, and Mary King) :

9. i. William VANN, Capt., b bef 1750, d bet Nov 1795 & May 1798,
10. ii. Kader (Cader) VANN, Pvt., b 1750-1760 (speculative).
11. iii. King VANN, Lt., b 1750-1770, d 1822 Sampson Co.
12. iv. Sarah VANN.
13. v. Elizabeth VANN.

Generation No. 5

9 Issue of William VANN, Captain, (Edward, Jr., 3Edward, Sr., 2WILLIAM 1), b bef 1714, d bet Nov 1795 & May 1798, and Phoebe Lnu:

14. i. William VANN, Jr., b NC, d NC.
15. ii. John VANN, b 1765 Duplin Co., d 21 Mar 1842 Buckhorn Creek, Sampson Co., NC; m abt 1785 Sarah "Sallie" SHEPARD, d aft 21 Mar 1842. 5 sons & 5 daus, all b Sampson Co.
16. iii. James W. VANN, b 1783, d 1847 Springville, AL; m Zilpha C. TRUSS
17. iv. King VANN, b 1792, d outside NC; m Mary Ann BELL
18. v. Sally VANN

Generation No. 6

15 Issue of John VANN (William, Capt.,4Edward, Jr., 3Edward, Sr., 2WILLIAM 1), and Sally SHEPARD :

19. i. Valentine VANN, b bef 1786, went South aft 1820.
20. ii. James Riley VANN, b 1786, d aft Nov 1866, m Mary TATUM, b 1790, d 1855. She was a dau of Labon & his 1st wife, Sarah Shepard, TATUM. James & Mary VANN had six daughters.
21. iii. Enoch VANN m Rebecca TATUM, b1805, d 27 Mar 1889, dau of Labon TATUM & his 2nd wife, Susanna "Sooky" TATUM; four daughters and three sons.
22. iv. Civil VANN m Asa GREGORY; four daughters.
23. v. Mary VANN, d bef 16 Dec 1841; m 1815 Raiford CARROLL; four daughters.
24. vi. Aaron VANN m Sarah BYRD; a son, John Robert VANN.
25. vii. Katheryn VANN, b 1797, d 1869; m 1819 Zechariah PARKER, b 1791, d 1863.
26. viii. Miram VANN, b 1804, d 1842, m David Sloan MATTHIS, b 1802, d 1886.
27. ix. Phoebe VANN, m William O. McARTHUR; a son, John McARTHUR.
28. x. John "Jackie" VANN m Olive MATTHIS; four daughers and two sons.

Generation No. 7

20 Issue of James Riley VANN (John 5, William, Capt. 4,Edward, Jr. 3,Edward, Sr. 2,WILLIAM 1),and Mary "Polly" TATUM:

29. i. Martha VANN.
30. ii. Molsey VANN.
31. iii. Mary "Polly" Ann VANN; d aft 16 Aug 1865; m a POWELL
32. iv. Miriam VANN, d aft 16 Aug 1865; m Lewis PETERSON d bef 16 Aug 1865.
33. v. Nancy Jane VANN, d aft 16 Aug 1865; m a BARDEN
34. vi. Susan VANN, d aft 16 Aug 1865, m an ANDERS
35 vii   Sarah "Sally" Jane VANN, b 1815, d aft Jun 1880, Sampson Co, NC; m Mills C. BUTLER; 16 children: 11 sons & 5 daughters.
38 viii   Charlotte VANN

21 Issue of Enoch VANN (John 5, William, Capt. 4,Edward, Jr. 3,Edward, Sr. 2,WILLIAM 1),and Rebecca TATUM:

39. i. Margaret VANN.
40. ii. William VANN.
41. iii. Kedar VANN, b 1822, m Louise ROBINSON, b 1825
42. iv. Catherine VANN
43. v. Elizabeth VANN
44. vi. James, Jr., VANN
45. vii. Valentine VANN, b 1828.

Generation No. 8

41 Issue of Kedar VANN (Enoch 6,John 5, William, Capt. 4,Edward, Jr. 3,Edward, Sr. 2,WILLIAM 1),and Louise ROBINSON, all born in Sampson County:

46. i. George W. VANN, b 1844.
47. ii. Margaret J. VANN, b 1845-1847.
48. iii. Isabella C. VANN, b 1849.
49. iv. Randon R. VANN, b 1852.
50. v. Celestral A. VANN, b 1853.
51. vi. Rebecca E. VANN, b 1855.
52. vii. Mary Elizabeth "Molly" VANN, b 10 May 1857, d 10 Apr 1931 Oxford, Granville Co.; m 31 Oct 1875 Dallas HERRING. Go to their issue.
53. viii. Dora E. VANN, b 1859.
54. ix. Donnie. VANN, b 1861.
55. x. Walter VANN, b 1863.
56. xi. Callie VANN, b 1866.
57. xii. Preston S. VANN, b 1871.

LNU = Last Name Unknown

If you have any information which can add siblings to the above listed VANN families, and/or fill in missing dates and places, I would be quite pleased to hear from you.

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This page last revised on 21 September 2013.
 

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