(JOHN) WATSON BRUMFIELD

BORN     ca 1720 DIED ca 22 NOV 1781

MARRIED  Elizabeth

CHILDREN 1) Watson Brumfield
         2) Ezekiel Brumfield
         3) Richard Brumfield
         4) Charles Brumfield b. ca 1745-1755, d. early 1826
         5) Jesse Brumfield
         6) John Brumfield b. 27 JUN 1750, d. 6 MAY 1845
         7) Reuben Brumfield b. ca 1749, d. before 11 NOV 1781
         8) Susannah Brumfield b. 1743
         9) William Brumfield b. ca 1749-1754
        10) Robert Brumfield b. 24 JUN 1755

BACKGROUND
(extracted from BRUMFIELD HISTORIES by Albert Ray Brumfield and Dell Magee Clawson)
(John) Watson Brumfield was born about 1720. He patented
400 acres of land in Goochland County, Virginia part of which later
became Cumberland County on 3-24-1745. This would indicate that he
was an adult and probably a resident of the county. Patenting means
becoming the first private owner of virgin land.

Watson Brumfield is shown on the 1746 Tithe List by Charles Anderson,
for Goochland County, Virginia. Tithe List by John Payne for the same
year, same county, shows MOSES BRUMFIELD listed in or with the
household of Captain John Watson, (Jr.) who perhaps was his
grandfather. These Tithe Lists were made in June each year, a sort of
census, and showed all males 16 years and older. Prior to 1746,
neither the Brumfields nor the Watsons appear on the Tithe Lists for
Goochland County. Moses Brumfield continues to appear on the Tithe
Lists with Captain John Watson's household thru 1749.

We had long considered Moses Brumfield to be our ancestor, but now
feel that he and our ancestor (John) Watson Brumfield were brothers,
perhaps grandsons of Captain John Watson, Jr. Moses's will, dated
8-29-1758, shows his son Watson to be very young, too young to be the
same (John) Watson Brumfield, father of our Revolutionary War
ancestor, Charles Brumfield.

On 1-31-1752, (John) Watson Brumfield bought 400 acres of land in
Amelia County, Virginia where he resided. Land was described to be in
the forks of the Buffalo and Appomattox Rivers. Amelia County in 1754
was divided, creating Prince Edward County where (John) Watson
Brumfield lived. On 5-7-1752 Watson sold the land he had originally
patented in Goochland County (by then part of Cumberland County.)

In 1759 Prince Edward County, Virginia April court, JOHN WATSON
BRUMFIELD was sued by George Lumpkin for trespass, after a civil suit
by Watson 4 years earlier had been dropped. This is the only time we
found use of Watson's full name.

On 3-6-1761, Watson sold his 400 acre home place in Prince Edward
County, Virginia to William Penix for 50 pounds current money.
P.E. Co. DB 2:3 There was no dower release, indicating his wife had
died. Her name appears to have been Elizabeth. Researcher Dr. Robert
T. Brumfield feels he has identified the two youngest children, and
that they were logically sent to live with their Brumfield
grandparents in King William County, Virginia. We have listed 9
tentative children.

In 1769, Watson Brumfield, Sr. moved to adjoining Johnston County,
North Carolina, apparently to one of his properties that was by then
part of that county. Watson and his son Charles both owned land on
Beaver Dam Creek in Wake County, North Carolina.

In 1770, the demonstrations of the Regulators reached a climax.
Watson quickly sold his 3 properties, was charged in Orange County
with owing 25 pounds to Edmund Fanning, the hated King's agent. His
former 200 acre tract in Orange County was seized, and sold at
auction to Fanning, but it had already been sold and recorded. Watson
was jailed in Salisbury, North Carolina, seat of the court district.

On July 3, 1772, (John) Watson Brumfield received a land grant in
Craven County, South Carolina in the High Hills of Santee, later
Sumpter County, consisting of 200 acres on both sides of Green Swamp,
branch of Black River. Craven County was the name given to the "half"
of South Carolina which lay northeast of the Broad, Congaree and
Santee Rivers. Craven was divided into eventually 19 counties and 3
court districts, none carrying the name of Craven. This family was
established in South Carolina before the outbreak of the Revolution.
Some of Watson's children, including Charles, did not make the move
with him.

WATSON BRUMFIELD, Sr. was a signer of the list: Members of
REVOLUTIONARY ASSOCIATION FOR PUBLIC DEFENSE, SOUTH CAROLINA
ASSOCIATION. The paper is not dated; however the preamble begins, "As
a result of Bloody Scenes in Boston 19th April last --" (1775). The
original paper is held by he Columbia, South Carolina Chapter of the
Daughters of the American Revolution.

(John) Watson Brumfield died before 11-22-1781, the date Charles
Brumfield applied to Camden District, South Carolina court to be
administrator of succession. Citation read at public assembly
(church?) 11-15-1781 by Solomon Thomson. Bond by Charles Brumfield of
Wake County, North Carolina administrator with John Westbury and
Robert Dearing of Camden District seconds 12-15-1781. Inventory
12-1-1781 by Robert Dearing, John Westbury, and Anthony Lee. Buyers
at sale 1-14-1782: Charles Brumfield, Susana Golden, Elisabeth
Brumfield, John Wheler Jr., Robert Moses, Richard Singleton, William
Brown, Membrance Williams, Jas. Golden, Ephraim Pool, Isaac Jackson,
Gilbert Croswell, Albert Fort, Wm. Williams, George Span.


List of Links

Brumfield Index:
Charles Brumfield: (John) Watson Brumfield's fourth son