Our genealogy is based upon research began in February 2000 by
Kenny Guy Braxton and his father, Heber Guy Braxton and is a continuing project. This genealogy covers branches
of several Pitt County, North Carolina families including,
Braxton,
Dennis, Avery, Pilgreen, Mclawhorn, Craft, Humbles and Brann. However, the primary focus of this project is
the
Braxton Family of Pitt County, North Carolina.
The Braxton family genealogy record starts with
John Braxton Sr. who emigrated from London, England
in perhaps 1750. He first acquired land
in Pitt County, North Carolina in 1769.
His father may have been James Braxton.
However at this point in time, we lack indisputable evidence supporting this relationship. Since James
appears earlier in Pitt County Records than John does, it is a
possibility. This Braxton Family Genealogy
assumes this relationship but we caution fellow researchers to remember that
many unanswered questions remain that would need to be answered in order to
prove this relationship beyond a shadow of doubt. However, the relationships starting with John
Braxton 1st are based upon far more historical records and supporting research
from others.
Our research has found that throughout history, several spelling
variations of the surname Braxton where used.
These include Barkston, Brakstone, Braxton, Brackeston, Brackston,
Barckston, Blackston, Blackstone and many more.
The Braxton surname seems to have first appeared in Yorkshire England where
they were anciently seated. Richard of
Barkeston succeeded in 1219 to the estates.
Some of the first settlers of this name and some of its variants were
recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. These
migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland,
to Maine, to North Carolina, to Florida, and to the islands.
Our branch of the Braxton families migrated to what is now Pitt County, North
Carolina. Pitt County
was formed from Beaufort
County on January 1, 1761
and in the following year; the earliest record of the Braxton Family in this
area appears in the 1762 List of Taxables.
A James Blackston is listed as a landowner. The following year a James Blaxton was
recorded in the Pitt
County 1763 List of
Taxables. Most likely, these two James
were the same individual.
A great deal of research
and review of historical documents have been performed. Among the documents we relied upon in
developing this genealogy, some of the most helpful were:
-
Patsy Hart-Cannon Family Bible published in 1814
-
John Warren and Sarah Marena McLawhorn Braxton's Family Bible circa
1890
-
Heber Warren and Sarah Olivia Dennis Braxton's Family Bible
purchased in 1922
-
Pink and Eva Mae Braxton McLawhorn's Family Bible circa 1925.
-
Several late 19th Century and early 20th Century newspaper
articles from two of the earliest Pitt County newspapers, the Eastern
Reflector, which was first published in 1882 and became a daily in December
1884, and the Daily Reflector which was first published in 1894
-
Numerous 20th and 21st Century newspaper articles
-
The Social Security Death Index (SSDI)
-
Chronicles of Pitt County Volume I published in 1983 and Volume II
published in 2005
-
Countless records from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints Internet Ancestral Files
-
More than 150 Census records
-
150 deeds
-
10 Wills
-
Another valuable source of information was the family genealogies
compiled by others including the Adam McLawhorn Family (1746-1983) compiled by
Leah McGlowhon of Winterville, North Carolina and published in 1983.
-
"Sketches of
Pitt
County, A Brief History
of the county, 1704-1910", by Henry T. King and published in 1911.
-
Twelve letters written in
Florida
by James Thomas Braxton, son of Joel Braxton, and his wife Sarah Ann to his
family back in
North Carolina. The letters were written from 1854 to
1867.
-
Numerous interviews
-
More than 30 cemetery surveys
-
Over 55 obituaries
-
More than 25 military records
