Abraham Jetton

    Abraham Jetton was born circa 1724 probably in Staten Island, New York.  He was the son of Lewis II and Rachel. He moved with his father Lewis II and brothers Lewis III and John to New Castle County, St. George's Hundred, Delaware sometime between 1723 and 1732.

     Abraham's father Lewis II died intestate circa 1740 and his mother Rachel, who remarried to James See, was appointed administratrix of Lewis II's estate by the Orphan's Court. Abraham's brother John received a ¼ share of his fathers real estate and in May of 1750 sold his share to his brother Lewis III. 

    It should be noted that there are no available records to show that Abraham was the sibling who would have received a ¼ share of his father's estate (see Lewis II) or that he sold it to Lewis III or anyone else. The only record of Abraham in Delaware is a deed between Lewis III and his wife Jane Boorum where he was a witness. What we do know about Abraham at this point is that he was in Delaware and that he was also in the same area of North Carolina as John Jetton in the early 1750s. Since we know that Lewis II had three children, and that two of them were Lewis III and John, it would seem to be a logical and good assumption that the third child was Abraham. John Jetton also named one of his children Abraham possibly after his brother Abraham. 

     We know that John Jetton sold his ¼ share of his father's estate to his brother Lewis III and moved to North Carolina with his wife Elizabeth Brevard and her three brothers in the 1750s. We also know that Abraham acquired land in the same area and timeframe in North Carolina as John Jetton did. Therefore, it would seem likely that Abraham and his wife Rhoda moved to North Carolina with John at about the same time.     

     In 1762, Abraham Jetton and wife Rhoda purchased 417 acres for £60 from John Gullick and his wife Elizabeth. This land was originally granted to John Gullick and was near John Jetton's land. It was in Anson County in an area that later became Rowan County. In 1771, Abraham and wife Rhoda sold 200 acres of the above land for £30 to John Bivin.     

Abraham Jetton served as a Constable of Rowan County between 9 July 1765 and 15 January 1767.  

     Abraham's son Benedict was born in 1779 and was much younger than his brother Joel. He appears to have been a "late in life birth" and his mother Rhoda appears to have died about the same time. It would therefore seem likely that she died during or sometime after childbirth from complications.

     On October 25, 1782, Abraham remarried an Agness "Nancy" Brown, a widow or divorcée with a son named John Brown, in Rowan Co., NC. A John Brown was a bondsman for the marriage bond.

     Abraham Jetton died in 1785 and his will was probated in Rowan Co. in 1786 (book C, page 89). Abraham willed that his "beloved" wife Nancy was to live on his plantation as long as she remained his widow and to keep his family together until his son Benedict comes to the age of twenty. He willed his son Joel, the eastern side of his plantation and the remaining estate was to be divided equally between sons Benedict and John (stepson) after the death of his widow.

     Abraham also willed one third of his personal estate to his son Benedict, one third to his stepson John Brown and one third to his "beloved wife". He also allowed that his son Benedict should be "bound to a trade such as he chuses if he sees cause to leave his mother". It is difficult to say exactly why this clause was put in the will but it basically seems to say that if Benedict doesn't get along with his stepmother, he should be bound out to someone as an apprentice.  

     Abraham named Lewis Jetton and John Brown Sr. as the executors of his will and a Robert Brown was a witness. 

     On 26 December 1785, Joel Jetton, who lived in nearby Lincoln Co., released all claims against the executors of his father's estate for £25. This transaction is not totally clear to me but it seems that Joel did not want the land his father willed him and signed it over to his stepmother Agness. We know Joel left North Carolina for Georgia so perhaps he decided to leave when his father died and therefore did not want the land. 

Children of Abraham Jetton and Rhoda

1. Joel Jetton

2. Benedict

Children of Agness Brown

1. John Brown

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