John H. Bonner to Edmund Harding, 15
August
1958
Notes:John H. Bonner continued to feel unsatisfied with the evidence he had found in the Beaufort County records, so in one more
look, he located evidence that Michael Coutanche probably had built the Palmer-Marsh house. It has since been found that Coutanche
probably did build the Palmer-Marsh house in 1751.
Transcription
J, H. BONNER
ATTORNEY-AT-LAW
WASHINGTON, N.C.
8/15/’58.
Edmund:
Not entirely satisfied with my report as to the Marsh house, at Bath (Aug 12 58), I have gone beyond the deed from the Lockharts
to Robert Palmer, July 11, 1764, 4/48.
On the 13th inst, I reported the deed from John Freeman to Michael Coutanch, 3/5/1739, 2/331; but I could not conclude that
Coutanch actually lived on these lots, or that he built the Marsh house.
Looking at random in these old records today; I find a deed from “Richard Evans and wife, Susannah, daughter and heir of Michael
Coutanch, to Lillington and James Lockhart; June 16, 1763, 4/3.
Conveys same lots described in the deed from Lockhart to Robert Palmer, 7/11/64; 4/48; with this addendum:
“Lots 24 and 25 in the plan of said town (Bath); being the lots and houses whereon the said Michael Coutanch lived in his
life-time”, etc.
Coutanch bought in 1739. It appears that his daughter sold in 1764, to Robert Palmer.
There is still a “break” in this chain of title between Robert Palmer and Jonathan Marsh, which I cannot connect up.
The Marsh house is on Lots 24 and 25.
Lockharts gave 958 pounds for the property ( $ 4,655.68 proclamation money).
It appears that Coutanch lived there from 1739 to or about 1763.
No record evidence that he built the Marsh house[.] The assumption is that he did!
Cordially:
[signature] John HB
John H. B.
Trial practice limited to:
Admiralty; land titles and boundaries;
Actions devistavit vel non [devisavit vel non: a type of practice dealing with determination of validity of wills].
Office practice limited to:
Conveyancing; abstracting; probates of
wills; infant, estates; administrations.
| Location: |
Special Collections, Joyner Library, East Carolina University |
| Call Number: |
Herbert Paschal Papers, #481.4.EDMOI |
| Collection: |
Herbert Paschal Papers |
