Ralph C. Deal Collection

1753-1852
Manuscript Collection #27
Creator(s)
Deal, Ralph C.
Physical description
0.044 Cubic Feet, 15 items , deeds
Preferred Citation
Ralph C. Deal Collection (#27), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
Repository
ECU Manuscript Collection
Access
No restrictions

Collection (1753-1852) including deeds concerning Bladen and Bath counties (NC).


Biographical/historical information

Bath County is a former North Carolina County established in 1696 and was abolished in 1739. The county was split into several precincts, which later became counties of their own. The seat of the county was Bath, which still exists as the oldest town in North Carolina.

Bladen County, N.C., was originally formed in 1734 as the Bladen Precinct, a part of Bath County. When Bath County was abolished in 1739, all of its precincts became counties, including Bladen County. Prior to 1750, Bladen County was a vast territory, but began to be split into several counties: including Anson, Cumberland, and Brunswick Counties. At present, 55 of North Carolina's 100 counties were at one point a part of Bladen County.

Richard Dobbs Spaight (March 25, 1758 - September 6, 1802) was a Founding Father and one of the signers of the United States Constitution. He was the eighth governor of North Carolina, serving from 1792 to 1795. From 1798-1801 he served as a representative for North Carolina's 10th congressional district. Following this, he ran for the North Carolina Senate in 1802. John Stanly, a Federalist congressman, campaigned against him and challenged Spaight to a duel on September 5, 1802. During the duel, Stanly shot and mortally wounded Spaight. Spaight died from his injuries the following day.


Scope and arrangement

This collection is made up entirely of land deeds, almost all of which concern various sections of Bladen County, N.C. The only unrelated item is a copy of a 1728 deed for the sale of land in Bath County, N.C.

Rather than containing the deeds for the sale and resale of one piece of property, the collection consists of an assortment of deeds in which different persons have bought various tracts of land.

One deed (1799) of particular interest is concerned with the sale of 320 acres of land on the Cape Fear River to Thomas Smith by Richard Dobbs Spaight, North Carolina governor and signer of the United States Constitution.


Administrative information
Custodial History

October 2, 1967, Land deeds for Bladen County, N. C. (1753-1852). Given to Joyner Library by Professor and Mrs. Ralph C. Deal of East Carolina University and transferred to the East Carolina Manuscript Collection.

Source of acquisition

Gift of Professor and Mrs. Ralph C. Deal

Processing information

Processed by D. Lennon

Encoded by Apex Data Services

Copyright notice

Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.


Key terms
Personal Names
Spaight, Richard Dobbs, 1758-1802
Topical
Deeds--North Carolina--Beaufort County--History
Deeds--North Carolina--Bladen County--History
Places
Bath (N.C.)--History
Bladen County (N.C.)--History

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