Carole,
Here are the pages I couldn't locate the other day. The pages
referred to by the DAR in Brent Holcomb's Deed Abstracts of Tryon,
Lincoln & Rutherford Counties, NC, 1769-1786, Page 141 has entries
for land being granted to Thomas Camp in 1782. Pages 152-3 have
entries for selling seized property and includes a reference to John
and Thomas Camp. On page 154 John Camp's land was sold.
Deed Book AB, p 120
Dated 28 October 1782. State of North Carolina - Grant No. 372. For
50 Shillings per 100 acres, to Thomas Camp, 200 acres in Tryon County
on south side of Main Broad River.
Deed Book AD, p 119
Dated October 28, 1782. State of North Carolina - Grant no. 202. For
50 Shillings per 100 acres, to Thomas Camp, 100 acres in Tryon County
on south side of Main Broad River.
Deed Book AB, p 120
Dated October 28, 1782 State of North Carolina - Grant No. 164. For
50 Shillings per 100 acres, to Thomas, 50 acres in Tryon County on
north side of Main Broad River including Camp landing and improvements.
These entries are for land offered by the State of North Carolina for
patriots. The charge against Thomas is that he got this land but
wasn't eligible because he wasn't patriot therefore it should be
confiscated. Perhaps the fact that he was in his early 60's when the
war raged through the area protected him from suspicions of giving
physical aid to the British Army and more severe penalties. John Camp
was in his thirties and could have been accused of joining Major
Ferguson's army. About the theory that the older children of Thomas
Camp falsely accused the younger ones, John was the third of the sons
by Winifred, while Crenshaw and James were the first two sons of
Margaret so I think the theory of Winifred's children ganging up on
Margaret's family is not too likely.
I looked up the meaning of "Writ of Error" and found it meant there
was some question about the legality of the court's proceedings and
the case was being referred (appealed) to a higher court.
While in the DC area (1999), I went to the Library of Congress to
look at North Carolina Supreme Court cases, the first volume. They
were never able to locate the book for me although it was in the
catalogue. Hopefully they will be able to find it for a future researcher.
As I read through the entries in Rutherford County Court of Pleas and
Quarter Sessions, I noticed many men were taken to court for fighting
including William Gilbert, Esq. I also noted some other interesting
entries concerning William Gilbert. Amongst them are these two:
October 1781 Court Session. Page 42: On motion of William Gilbert,
Esq. and testimony produced by the Court ... It is ordered that the
opinion of the Court be entered on the records, to wit: It is the
opinion of the Court that the sd. William Gilbert is not guilty of
the charge laid against him to the General Assembly and we do
certify that W. Gilbert ... was guilty of Plundering, to Bar ...
(illegible) [Apparently the compiler had a hard time deciphering
this entry. William Gilbert was a Justice of the Rutherford NC Court
by 1780-1784, Assessor for the county in 1781. He looks like he had
an eye for the main chance!]
April 1784, Thursday 15th. On motion ord. that a Writ of Habias
Corpus issue to bring the body of William Gilbert, Esq. before this
court to Enquire for what cause he is imprisoned - the sd. Gilbert
appeared, and it is considered and ord. by court that the Warrant of
commitment of the sd. Mr. Gilbert be suspended and he released and
discharged. [Now what was that about?! On that same day, he, along
with several other men are appointed to find the best path for a road.]
Again, I apologize for the long email. I hope there is enough
material in these emails to make someone want to do more on-site research. Lona