WILLIAM WHORTON (b c1736 - d c1805)
with information on Benjamin Whorton and Bartlett Whorton

Granville Co., NC / Orange Co., NC


William Wharton appeared to live on the western border of Granville Co. in the mid to late 1700's. At the time, Orange county had just been formed (1752) from part of Granville Co.  Several districts on the western edge of Granville and northeastern edge of Orange County are variously listed in either county.  The area around Deep Creek, where William owned land at one time, is presently in Person Co. (formed in 1791), and very near Cub creek where Richard Roberts lived. Richard was the father of Jane Roberts, William's wife.

The earliest record of William in Granville Co. is a listing in 1756 in the Granville Co. deed books.  Apparently he worked frequently as a sworn chain carrier with the surveyor, William Churton.  William's signature appears on many deeds along with that of other sworn chain carriers and the surveroy in charge.

1756 (June 18) - William Wharton helped survey land for Richard Roberts on Davis Creek in Granville county.

1757 (December) - Minutes from the Granville Co. Court show that William was found guilty of non-performances in a case in which James Mitchell is the plaintiff:

Jury "upon their oath do say that the defendant (Wm Wharton) did assume in mannor and form as this plaintiff against him hath declared and they do assess this plaintiff damages by occasion of his non performances thereof to four pounds sterling wherefore it is considered by this Court that the plaintiff recover against this defendant his damages --- in form --- assessed with costs."

1760 - Land Grant - Lord Granville to William Wharton. Warrent dated 8 March 1760 to William Churton to survey 640 acres in Orange Co on both sides of Deep Creek (which is) the waters of the Flat River, joining Thomas Gibson - including the Plantation where Thomas Colting now lives.  Grant issued 2 February 1761.

1760 -  Land Grant - Lord Granville to William Wharton. Plat dated 21 June 1760; 190 acres in Orange Co on both sides of Deep Creek, joining Jon Dunagin and Thos Gibson.

1769 - Tax records of Granville County list William Wharton with one male (head of household).  Females were not listed. Prior to 1780 white males over 16 years of age were also listed.  It was up to the head of the household to list son-in-laws (they could be listed separately even if they lived in the same house).

1771 (February) - Court Minutes, Granville County: "Ordered that William Whorton a prisoner now in Granville Jail on suspicion of offering to pass counterfeit money, be conveyed by the Sheriff, to Hillsborough next Superior Court, then and there to be tried."  However at the same time the Regulators "revolt" had started in Hillsborough and Superior Court was not held for much of 1771.  It is not clear that William was ever tired or convicted in this case.

1771 (August 10) - Richard Roberts deed to William Wharton for his lifetime and, after his decease, to his daughter, Lidia Wharton and her heirs (deed book I, p 242).

1771 - Tax list shows William Whorton with 2 white males in his household.  It is not clear whether or not this is a son of William and Jane, or if it is William Chandler, Lidia Wharton's husband.

1772 - Richard Roberts died.  In his will dated April 17, 1772 (prob, May Court, 1772), Richard left most of his land along Cub Creek in Orange County and possessions to his sons and daughters.  He left to his daughter, Jane Whorton, one bed and furniture.  The will was witnessed by William Chandler and Britain Johnston.  It's not clear what happed to other items: "One still, a parsil of books and 2 Negroes.  However Richard did leave his son Joseph "one iron pot with a nick broke in the top of the brim".  The rest of the estate was divided equally.

1773 (January) - William Wharton and his wife, Jane, and William Chandler and his wife, Lydia, sold land in Granville County to Thomas Person, Jan. 1, 1773 (Deed book I, page 426).  Thomas Person was a big landowner in Granville Co.  His home was just north of the Deep Creek and Cub Creek area.  He is famous in history for his role in the Regulator Revolt.

1773 (December) - William Wharton and his wife, Jane, and William Chandler and his wife, Lydia, deed to Joseph Roberts (one of Richard Robert's sons), 12/21/1773 (Deed book K, page 143).

It is not clear whether or not this is the land William owned on Deep Creek along with land left to William and Lidia by Richard Roberts (see next entry below). It is also not clear what happened to William after 1773.  The Indian lands in South Carolina opened in 1777 and many North Carolinians migrated to that area.

Greenville County, South Carolina


William Whorton appears in the 1790 census in South Carolina.  The upstate of South Carolina was opened in 1777 for settlement and was called the 96th district.  It was soon divided into the Pendleton District, Greenville County, Spartanburg County, and others.  William lived in Greenville County.  Benjamin Whorton, said to be his son, lived in Anderson County with was part of the Pendleton District.

1790 - 1790 Federal Census, Greenville County: William Whorton (1 male/head of household, no males under 16, 4 females (wife Jane and daughers), no nergoes.

1791 (September 13) - William and Jane sold land on the north side of the Saluda River on both sides of Mountain Creek (waters of Enoree)  in Greenville County to William Chandler (son-in-law?).

Benjamin Whorton appears in the 1790 census in the Pendleton district.  He and a Samuel Whorton are listed in the land grant records of SC, but these have not been researched yet.

Benjamin appears to have moved to Jackson County, GA in about 1801/1802.  He sold 200 acres of land in SC in 1797, 200 acres in December, 1801 and 150 acres in December of 1802. He is listed in the Jackson County Tax list in 1801 in the Towsend district.  In 1810 Benjamin and his sons appear to have owned a large amount of land in Jackson County and the district in which they lived was named Whorton district (the name changed by 1817 to J. Hemphill district). He was given land grants of 800 acres in Jackson County in 1817 and another 255 acres in Hall County in 1830.

At his point, I can find no connection between William Wh(a/o)rton and Benjamin.  In fact I can only find evidence that William fathered daughters.  However in Cherokee Co. AL, Elender Whorton, William's daughter, refers to Joseph Whorton, Benjamin's, as her nephew.

Bartlett Whorton b 12/12/1820 in SC - may be the son of Bartlett Whorton (possible William son).


RETURN TO WHARTON/WHORTON HOME PAGE
If you have additional information, comments of corrections, contact Richard Whorton, awho@duke.edu.
Copyright to Richard Whorton, 6/98.