Son of John Coats, Sr. (b. ca. 1740/55 NC?, d. probably before March 1, 1826 Johnston County, NC) and wife Mary _____ (b. before 1755 NC?, d. probably between 1820-August 23, 1823 Johnston County, NC) of Halifax County, NC and Johnston County, NC. Husband of Sarah Stephenson (b. ca. 1787 Johnston County, NC, d. between 1850-September 16, 1856 Johnston County, NC).
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John Coats, Sr.:
PLEASE NOTE: Contrary to what has been perpetuated on Ancestry and other genealogical sites, John Coats, Sr. of Johnston County, NC was not born in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England, nor was he married to Susannah Bennett or Bettie Cottee. These are genealogical fictions.
John Coats, Sr. ( ca. 1740 – ca. 1826) of Johnston County, NC lived in Halifax County, NC prior to his arrival in Johnston County, NC between 1784 and 1787. This is proven by a January 9, 1787 Halifax County, NC deed in which John Coats, Sr. of Johnston County, NC sold 185 acres joining Briery Branch and Brewers Branch to Thomas Hyde of Halifax County, NC.
Halifax County, NC Deed Book 18, 1796-1802, p. 270.
January 9, 1787, John (x) Coats, Sr. of Johnston County, NC to Thomas Hyde of Halifax County, NC, for £85 specie, 185 acres joining Briery Branch, Brewers Branch, Isaac Harris, Jesse Brown. Wit. Willis Alston, J. Lindsey, Jr. Proven February Court, 1798. L. Long, CCt.
John Coats, Henry Coats, William Coats, and Benjamin Coats all appear in the early land records of Halifax County, NC. They lived in the vicinity of Briery Branch and Brewers Branch near Rocky Swamp in central Halifax County, NC as early as the 1760s.
A John Coats purchased 320 acres in Halifax County, NC on Brewers Branch adjoining Rocky Swamp from Richard Tatum and his wife Mary on June 5, 1762 [Halifax County, NC Deed Book 8, 1758-1761, p. 107]. On February 17, 1777, John Coats sold 100 acres in Halifax County, NC to Edward Stevens [Halifax County, NC Deed Book 13, 1773-1778, p. 428]. On February 21, 1780, John Coats and his wife Mary of Halifax County, NC sold 100 acres on Briery Branch and Bowers [Brewers] Branch to Edward Stevens. Mary Coats relinquished her right of dower in the land. The deed was registered during February Court, 1780 [Halifax County, NC Deed Book 14, 1778-1783, p. 365]. At that same term of court [February, 1780], a deed dated February 20, 1779 from Edward Stevens of Halifax County, NC to John Coats for 100 acres adjoining Coats' own land was also recorded [Halifax County, NC Deed Book 14, 1778-1783, p. 370].
John Coats resided in Tax District 13 of Halifax County, NC between 1782 and 1785. He owned 209 acres in 1782, and he was listed with 200 acres in 1784 and 1785. John Coats is designated as Senior on the tax list of 1785. A John Coats, Junior with no acreage is differentiated in the tax lists of 1782 and 1783.
John Coats appears on the 1784 Tax List of Johnston County, NC in Capt. John McCuller's District along with Henry Coats and Solomon Coats. According to the Halifax County, NC court minutes, a John Coats is listed as an insolvent in William Morris' District (District 13) for the year 1785 on August 22, 1786. John Coats appears on the Partial State Census for Johnston County, NC in 1787 in Captain Alexander Hobby's District. Solomon Coats was also listed in Capt. Fish's District on the same Partial State Census of Johnston County in 1787. In 1790, John Coats, Solomon Coats, and William Coats appear on the Federal Census of Johnston County, NC.
John Coats obtained a land grant from the State of North Carolina for 400 acres on the South side of Middle Creek on November 12, 1793 (Entered September 17, 1790) [Johnston County, NC Deed Book T-1, 1790-1794, p. 331; see also, North Carolina State Land Grants, File #2532, Land Grant Book 81, p. 279]. On September 21, 1808, John Coats conveyed 105 acres on the South Side of Middle Creek, part of his survey, to William Coats. (Proven February 22, 1813) [Johnston County, NC Deed Book H-2, 1813-1817, p. 7].
During the mid-1820s, John Coats became party to several law suits in Johnston County, NC Court. On May 29, 1823, Calvin Jones brought a suit against him and was awarded damages of $59.00 and court costs. To satisfy the judgment, an execution was levied against Coats' property consisting of 400 acres by Allen S. Ballenger, Johnston County Sheriff.
On August 23, 1823, Sarah "Sally" (Coats) Tomlinson (b. ca. 1780-1790 [age 40-50 in 1830]), the second wife of Edmund Tomlinson (1764 – 1815), appeared before a Justice of the Peace and made an affidavit stating her interests in various personal property at her father's home intended to be sold, namely one bed and furniture and one half of the crop of corn, cotton, potatoes, fruit, and brandy. The affidavit also indicated Tomlinson's intention to apply part of the crop or pay for the hire of a negro slave named Lynda to satisfy a judgment of $25 against Coats. Based on the content and wording of the document, it appears probable that John Coats' wife may have been deceased by this time. The original copy of this affidavit can be found in the Fletcher Austin Family Papers at the Johnston County Heritage Center in Smithfield, NC.
The following year on February 25, 1824, John Martin brought a suit against John Coats, Sr. and recovered a judgment of $37.00 and court costs. Two years later, on March 1, 1826, Johnston County, NC Sheriff Allen S. Ballenger conveyed by deed to William Coats 400 acres formerly owned by John Coats, Sr., which had been placed at public sale on November 4, 1823 (Proven February 28, 1826) [Johnston County, NC Deed Book N-2, 1825-1827, p. 160].
Thus, William Coats (ca. 1785-1856) purchased his father John's 1793 land patent on the South side of Middle Creek after it was sold by the Sheriff to satisfy a debt. The 105 acres which John Coats had conveyed to William Coats in 1808 was quite possibly included as part of the original survey sold for debt. John Coats, Sr. disappears from the records of Johnston County after 1826 and does not appear on the 1830 census, suggesting he likely died during that period.
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Contrary to information published by author and genealogist C. Stanton Coats in his 1982 genealogy "History of the Coats and related families," William Coats did NOT bear the middle name Henry. In all primary source documents, he is referred to as William Coats. One of his sons was frequently listed in county records as William H. Coats.
William Coats married Sarah Stephenson on January 18, 1806 in Johnston County, NC. Sarah Stephenson (ca. 1787-between 1850/56) was the daughter of John Stephenson (b. ca. 1750/53 Southampton County, VA, d. before February 25, 1828 Johnston County, NC) and his first wife Lucy Johnson (b. ca. 1755/60 Southampton County, VA, d. November 8, 1816 Johnston County, NC) of Johnston County, NC.
William Coats and his wife Sarah Stephenson were the parents of Alvin Coats (ca. 1807-1883, 1md. Ginsey Johnson, 2md. Susan (Cannady/Kennedy) Ryals); Cynthia Coats (ca. 1810-aft. 1885, md. Alvin Austin); Azilla "Zilla" Coats (1812-1891, md. Moore Stephenson); Amos Coats (ca. 1817-1888, 1md. Mary "Polly" Turlington, 2md. Tobitha Turlington, 3md. Emaline Charity (Utley) Turlington); William H. Coats (1819-1899, 1md. Martha (Smith) Penny, 2md. Sarah Sandal Ferrell); Thomas Coats (1822-1884, md. Mary Obedience "Beady" Stevens); Emily Coats (ca. 1825-bet. 1860/62, md. James Bartley Johnson); Penelope "Penny" Coats (1826-bet. 1850/56, md. Jacob Flowers, Jr.); Mary Coats (ca. 1828-bet. 1850/56, never married); and John Rufus Coats (1831-1905, md. Nancy Elizabeth Byrd).
William Coats died between September 16, 1856 and November 24, 1856 in Johnston County, NC.
Will of William Coats, Sr. (1856):
http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/johnston/wills/coatssr2581gwl.txt
There is no grave marker for William Coats, but he is alleged to be buried here based upon the will of his son John Rufus Coats (dated 1900).
Contributor: mv66nc (46944406)
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John Coats, Sr.:
PLEASE NOTE: Contrary to what has been perpetuated on Ancestry and other genealogical sites, John Coats, Sr. of Johnston County, NC was not born in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England, nor was he married to Susannah Bennett or Bettie Cottee. These are genealogical fictions.
John Coats, Sr. ( ca. 1740 – ca. 1826) of Johnston County, NC lived in Halifax County, NC prior to his arrival in Johnston County, NC between 1784 and 1787. This is proven by a January 9, 1787 Halifax County, NC deed in which John Coats, Sr. of Johnston County, NC sold 185 acres joining Briery Branch and Brewers Branch to Thomas Hyde of Halifax County, NC.
Halifax County, NC Deed Book 18, 1796-1802, p. 270.
January 9, 1787, John (x) Coats, Sr. of Johnston County, NC to Thomas Hyde of Halifax County, NC, for £85 specie, 185 acres joining Briery Branch, Brewers Branch, Isaac Harris, Jesse Brown. Wit. Willis Alston, J. Lindsey, Jr. Proven February Court, 1798. L. Long, CCt.
John Coats, Henry Coats, William Coats, and Benjamin Coats all appear in the early land records of Halifax County, NC. They lived in the vicinity of Briery Branch and Brewers Branch near Rocky Swamp in central Halifax County, NC as early as the 1760s.
A John Coats purchased 320 acres in Halifax County, NC on Brewers Branch adjoining Rocky Swamp from Richard Tatum and his wife Mary on June 5, 1762 [Halifax County, NC Deed Book 8, 1758-1761, p. 107]. On February 17, 1777, John Coats sold 100 acres in Halifax County, NC to Edward Stevens [Halifax County, NC Deed Book 13, 1773-1778, p. 428]. On February 21, 1780, John Coats and his wife Mary of Halifax County, NC sold 100 acres on Briery Branch and Bowers [Brewers] Branch to Edward Stevens. Mary Coats relinquished her right of dower in the land. The deed was registered during February Court, 1780 [Halifax County, NC Deed Book 14, 1778-1783, p. 365]. At that same term of court [February, 1780], a deed dated February 20, 1779 from Edward Stevens of Halifax County, NC to John Coats for 100 acres adjoining Coats' own land was also recorded [Halifax County, NC Deed Book 14, 1778-1783, p. 370].
John Coats resided in Tax District 13 of Halifax County, NC between 1782 and 1785. He owned 209 acres in 1782, and he was listed with 200 acres in 1784 and 1785. John Coats is designated as Senior on the tax list of 1785. A John Coats, Junior with no acreage is differentiated in the tax lists of 1782 and 1783.
John Coats appears on the 1784 Tax List of Johnston County, NC in Capt. John McCuller's District along with Henry Coats and Solomon Coats. According to the Halifax County, NC court minutes, a John Coats is listed as an insolvent in William Morris' District (District 13) for the year 1785 on August 22, 1786. John Coats appears on the Partial State Census for Johnston County, NC in 1787 in Captain Alexander Hobby's District. Solomon Coats was also listed in Capt. Fish's District on the same Partial State Census of Johnston County in 1787. In 1790, John Coats, Solomon Coats, and William Coats appear on the Federal Census of Johnston County, NC.
John Coats obtained a land grant from the State of North Carolina for 400 acres on the South side of Middle Creek on November 12, 1793 (Entered September 17, 1790) [Johnston County, NC Deed Book T-1, 1790-1794, p. 331; see also, North Carolina State Land Grants, File #2532, Land Grant Book 81, p. 279]. On September 21, 1808, John Coats conveyed 105 acres on the South Side of Middle Creek, part of his survey, to William Coats. (Proven February 22, 1813) [Johnston County, NC Deed Book H-2, 1813-1817, p. 7].
During the mid-1820s, John Coats became party to several law suits in Johnston County, NC Court. On May 29, 1823, Calvin Jones brought a suit against him and was awarded damages of $59.00 and court costs. To satisfy the judgment, an execution was levied against Coats' property consisting of 400 acres by Allen S. Ballenger, Johnston County Sheriff.
On August 23, 1823, Sarah "Sally" (Coats) Tomlinson (b. ca. 1780-1790 [age 40-50 in 1830]), the second wife of Edmund Tomlinson (1764 – 1815), appeared before a Justice of the Peace and made an affidavit stating her interests in various personal property at her father's home intended to be sold, namely one bed and furniture and one half of the crop of corn, cotton, potatoes, fruit, and brandy. The affidavit also indicated Tomlinson's intention to apply part of the crop or pay for the hire of a negro slave named Lynda to satisfy a judgment of $25 against Coats. Based on the content and wording of the document, it appears probable that John Coats' wife may have been deceased by this time. The original copy of this affidavit can be found in the Fletcher Austin Family Papers at the Johnston County Heritage Center in Smithfield, NC.
The following year on February 25, 1824, John Martin brought a suit against John Coats, Sr. and recovered a judgment of $37.00 and court costs. Two years later, on March 1, 1826, Johnston County, NC Sheriff Allen S. Ballenger conveyed by deed to William Coats 400 acres formerly owned by John Coats, Sr., which had been placed at public sale on November 4, 1823 (Proven February 28, 1826) [Johnston County, NC Deed Book N-2, 1825-1827, p. 160].
Thus, William Coats (ca. 1785-1856) purchased his father John's 1793 land patent on the South side of Middle Creek after it was sold by the Sheriff to satisfy a debt. The 105 acres which John Coats had conveyed to William Coats in 1808 was quite possibly included as part of the original survey sold for debt. John Coats, Sr. disappears from the records of Johnston County after 1826 and does not appear on the 1830 census, suggesting he likely died during that period.
*********
Contrary to information published by author and genealogist C. Stanton Coats in his 1982 genealogy "History of the Coats and related families," William Coats did NOT bear the middle name Henry. In all primary source documents, he is referred to as William Coats. One of his sons was frequently listed in county records as William H. Coats.
William Coats married Sarah Stephenson on January 18, 1806 in Johnston County, NC. Sarah Stephenson (ca. 1787-between 1850/56) was the daughter of John Stephenson (b. ca. 1750/53 Southampton County, VA, d. before February 25, 1828 Johnston County, NC) and his first wife Lucy Johnson (b. ca. 1755/60 Southampton County, VA, d. November 8, 1816 Johnston County, NC) of Johnston County, NC.
William Coats and his wife Sarah Stephenson were the parents of Alvin Coats (ca. 1807-1883, 1md. Ginsey Johnson, 2md. Susan (Cannady/Kennedy) Ryals); Cynthia Coats (ca. 1810-aft. 1885, md. Alvin Austin); Azilla "Zilla" Coats (1812-1891, md. Moore Stephenson); Amos Coats (ca. 1817-1888, 1md. Mary "Polly" Turlington, 2md. Tobitha Turlington, 3md. Emaline Charity (Utley) Turlington); William H. Coats (1819-1899, 1md. Martha (Smith) Penny, 2md. Sarah Sandal Ferrell); Thomas Coats (1822-1884, md. Mary Obedience "Beady" Stevens); Emily Coats (ca. 1825-bet. 1860/62, md. James Bartley Johnson); Penelope "Penny" Coats (1826-bet. 1850/56, md. Jacob Flowers, Jr.); Mary Coats (ca. 1828-bet. 1850/56, never married); and John Rufus Coats (1831-1905, md. Nancy Elizabeth Byrd).
William Coats died between September 16, 1856 and November 24, 1856 in Johnston County, NC.
Will of William Coats, Sr. (1856):
http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/johnston/wills/coatssr2581gwl.txt
There is no grave marker for William Coats, but he is alleged to be buried here based upon the will of his son John Rufus Coats (dated 1900).
Contributor: mv66nc (46944406)
Son of John Coats, Sr. (b. ca. 1740/55 NC?, d. probably before March 1, 1826 Johnston County, NC) and wife Mary _____ (b. before 1755 NC?, d. probably between 1820-August 23, 1823 Johnston County, NC) of Halifax County, NC and Johnston County, NC. Husband of Sarah Stephenson (b. ca. 1787 Johnston County, NC, d. between 1850-September 16, 1856 Johnston County, NC).
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John Coats, Sr.:
PLEASE NOTE: Contrary to what has been perpetuated on Ancestry and other genealogical sites, John Coats, Sr. of Johnston County, NC was not born in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England, nor was he married to Susannah Bennett or Bettie Cottee. These are genealogical fictions.
John Coats, Sr. ( ca. 1740 – ca. 1826) of Johnston County, NC lived in Halifax County, NC prior to his arrival in Johnston County, NC between 1784 and 1787. This is proven by a January 9, 1787 Halifax County, NC deed in which John Coats, Sr. of Johnston County, NC sold 185 acres joining Briery Branch and Brewers Branch to Thomas Hyde of Halifax County, NC.
Halifax County, NC Deed Book 18, 1796-1802, p. 270.
January 9, 1787, John (x) Coats, Sr. of Johnston County, NC to Thomas Hyde of Halifax County, NC, for £85 specie, 185 acres joining Briery Branch, Brewers Branch, Isaac Harris, Jesse Brown. Wit. Willis Alston, J. Lindsey, Jr. Proven February Court, 1798. L. Long, CCt.
John Coats, Henry Coats, William Coats, and Benjamin Coats all appear in the early land records of Halifax County, NC. They lived in the vicinity of Briery Branch and Brewers Branch near Rocky Swamp in central Halifax County, NC as early as the 1760s.
A John Coats purchased 320 acres in Halifax County, NC on Brewers Branch adjoining Rocky Swamp from Richard Tatum and his wife Mary on June 5, 1762 [Halifax County, NC Deed Book 8, 1758-1761, p. 107]. On February 17, 1777, John Coats sold 100 acres in Halifax County, NC to Edward Stevens [Halifax County, NC Deed Book 13, 1773-1778, p. 428]. On February 21, 1780, John Coats and his wife Mary of Halifax County, NC sold 100 acres on Briery Branch and Bowers [Brewers] Branch to Edward Stevens. Mary Coats relinquished her right of dower in the land. The deed was registered during February Court, 1780 [Halifax County, NC Deed Book 14, 1778-1783, p. 365]. At that same term of court [February, 1780], a deed dated February 20, 1779 from Edward Stevens of Halifax County, NC to John Coats for 100 acres adjoining Coats' own land was also recorded [Halifax County, NC Deed Book 14, 1778-1783, p. 370].
John Coats resided in Tax District 13 of Halifax County, NC between 1782 and 1785. He owned 209 acres in 1782, and he was listed with 200 acres in 1784 and 1785. John Coats is designated as Senior on the tax list of 1785. A John Coats, Junior with no acreage is differentiated in the tax lists of 1782 and 1783.
John Coats appears on the 1784 Tax List of Johnston County, NC in Capt. John McCuller's District along with Henry Coats and Solomon Coats. According to the Halifax County, NC court minutes, a John Coats is listed as an insolvent in William Morris' District (District 13) for the year 1785 on August 22, 1786. John Coats appears on the Partial State Census for Johnston County, NC in 1787 in Captain Alexander Hobby's District. Solomon Coats was also listed in Capt. Fish's District on the same Partial State Census of Johnston County in 1787. In 1790, John Coats, Solomon Coats, and William Coats appear on the Federal Census of Johnston County, NC.
John Coats obtained a land grant from the State of North Carolina for 400 acres on the South side of Middle Creek on November 12, 1793 (Entered September 17, 1790) [Johnston County, NC Deed Book T-1, 1790-1794, p. 331; see also, North Carolina State Land Grants, File #2532, Land Grant Book 81, p. 279]. On September 21, 1808, John Coats conveyed 105 acres on the South Side of Middle Creek, part of his survey, to William Coats. (Proven February 22, 1813) [Johnston County, NC Deed Book H-2, 1813-1817, p. 7].
During the mid-1820s, John Coats became party to several law suits in Johnston County, NC Court. On May 29, 1823, Calvin Jones brought a suit against him and was awarded damages of $59.00 and court costs. To satisfy the judgment, an execution was levied against Coats' property consisting of 400 acres by Allen S. Ballenger, Johnston County Sheriff.
On August 23, 1823, Sarah "Sally" (Coats) Tomlinson (b. ca. 1780-1790 [age 40-50 in 1830]), the second wife of Edmund Tomlinson (1764 – 1815), appeared before a Justice of the Peace and made an affidavit stating her interests in various personal property at her father's home intended to be sold, namely one bed and furniture and one half of the crop of corn, cotton, potatoes, fruit, and brandy. The affidavit also indicated Tomlinson's intention to apply part of the crop or pay for the hire of a negro slave named Lynda to satisfy a judgment of $25 against Coats. Based on the content and wording of the document, it appears probable that John Coats' wife may have been deceased by this time. The original copy of this affidavit can be found in the Fletcher Austin Family Papers at the Johnston County Heritage Center in Smithfield, NC.
The following year on February 25, 1824, John Martin brought a suit against John Coats, Sr. and recovered a judgment of $37.00 and court costs. Two years later, on March 1, 1826, Johnston County, NC Sheriff Allen S. Ballenger conveyed by deed to William Coats 400 acres formerly owned by John Coats, Sr., which had been placed at public sale on November 4, 1823 (Proven February 28, 1826) [Johnston County, NC Deed Book N-2, 1825-1827, p. 160].
Thus, William Coats (ca. 1785-1856) purchased his father John's 1793 land patent on the South side of Middle Creek after it was sold by the Sheriff to satisfy a debt. The 105 acres which John Coats had conveyed to William Coats in 1808 was quite possibly included as part of the original survey sold for debt. John Coats, Sr. disappears from the records of Johnston County after 1826 and does not appear on the 1830 census, suggesting he likely died during that period.
*********
Contrary to information published by author and genealogist C. Stanton Coats in his 1982 genealogy "History of the Coats and related families," William Coats did NOT bear the middle name Henry. In all primary source documents, he is referred to as William Coats. One of his sons was frequently listed in county records as William H. Coats.
William Coats married Sarah Stephenson on January 18, 1806 in Johnston County, NC. Sarah Stephenson (ca. 1787-between 1850/56) was the daughter of John Stephenson (b. ca. 1750/53 Southampton County, VA, d. before February 25, 1828 Johnston County, NC) and his first wife Lucy Johnson (b. ca. 1755/60 Southampton County, VA, d. November 8, 1816 Johnston County, NC) of Johnston County, NC.
William Coats and his wife Sarah Stephenson were the parents of Alvin Coats (ca. 1807-1883, 1md. Ginsey Johnson, 2md. Susan (Cannady/Kennedy) Ryals); Cynthia Coats (ca. 1810-aft. 1885, md. Alvin Austin); Azilla "Zilla" Coats (1812-1891, md. Moore Stephenson); Amos Coats (ca. 1817-1888, 1md. Mary "Polly" Turlington, 2md. Tobitha Turlington, 3md. Emaline Charity (Utley) Turlington); William H. Coats (1819-1899, 1md. Martha (Smith) Penny, 2md. Sarah Sandal Ferrell); Thomas Coats (1822-1884, md. Mary Obedience "Beady" Stevens); Emily Coats (ca. 1825-bet. 1860/62, md. James Bartley Johnson); Penelope "Penny" Coats (1826-bet. 1850/56, md. Jacob Flowers, Jr.); Mary Coats (ca. 1828-bet. 1850/56, never married); and John Rufus Coats (1831-1905, md. Nancy Elizabeth Byrd).
William Coats died between September 16, 1856 and November 24, 1856 in Johnston County, NC.
Will of William Coats, Sr. (1856):
http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/johnston/wills/coatssr2581gwl.txt
There is no grave marker for William Coats, but he is alleged to be buried here based upon the will of his son John Rufus Coats (dated 1900).
Contributor: mv66nc (46944406)
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John Coats, Sr.:
PLEASE NOTE: Contrary to what has been perpetuated on Ancestry and other genealogical sites, John Coats, Sr. of Johnston County, NC was not born in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England, nor was he married to Susannah Bennett or Bettie Cottee. These are genealogical fictions.
John Coats, Sr. ( ca. 1740 – ca. 1826) of Johnston County, NC lived in Halifax County, NC prior to his arrival in Johnston County, NC between 1784 and 1787. This is proven by a January 9, 1787 Halifax County, NC deed in which John Coats, Sr. of Johnston County, NC sold 185 acres joining Briery Branch and Brewers Branch to Thomas Hyde of Halifax County, NC.
Halifax County, NC Deed Book 18, 1796-1802, p. 270.
January 9, 1787, John (x) Coats, Sr. of Johnston County, NC to Thomas Hyde of Halifax County, NC, for £85 specie, 185 acres joining Briery Branch, Brewers Branch, Isaac Harris, Jesse Brown. Wit. Willis Alston, J. Lindsey, Jr. Proven February Court, 1798. L. Long, CCt.
John Coats, Henry Coats, William Coats, and Benjamin Coats all appear in the early land records of Halifax County, NC. They lived in the vicinity of Briery Branch and Brewers Branch near Rocky Swamp in central Halifax County, NC as early as the 1760s.
A John Coats purchased 320 acres in Halifax County, NC on Brewers Branch adjoining Rocky Swamp from Richard Tatum and his wife Mary on June 5, 1762 [Halifax County, NC Deed Book 8, 1758-1761, p. 107]. On February 17, 1777, John Coats sold 100 acres in Halifax County, NC to Edward Stevens [Halifax County, NC Deed Book 13, 1773-1778, p. 428]. On February 21, 1780, John Coats and his wife Mary of Halifax County, NC sold 100 acres on Briery Branch and Bowers [Brewers] Branch to Edward Stevens. Mary Coats relinquished her right of dower in the land. The deed was registered during February Court, 1780 [Halifax County, NC Deed Book 14, 1778-1783, p. 365]. At that same term of court [February, 1780], a deed dated February 20, 1779 from Edward Stevens of Halifax County, NC to John Coats for 100 acres adjoining Coats' own land was also recorded [Halifax County, NC Deed Book 14, 1778-1783, p. 370].
John Coats resided in Tax District 13 of Halifax County, NC between 1782 and 1785. He owned 209 acres in 1782, and he was listed with 200 acres in 1784 and 1785. John Coats is designated as Senior on the tax list of 1785. A John Coats, Junior with no acreage is differentiated in the tax lists of 1782 and 1783.
John Coats appears on the 1784 Tax List of Johnston County, NC in Capt. John McCuller's District along with Henry Coats and Solomon Coats. According to the Halifax County, NC court minutes, a John Coats is listed as an insolvent in William Morris' District (District 13) for the year 1785 on August 22, 1786. John Coats appears on the Partial State Census for Johnston County, NC in 1787 in Captain Alexander Hobby's District. Solomon Coats was also listed in Capt. Fish's District on the same Partial State Census of Johnston County in 1787. In 1790, John Coats, Solomon Coats, and William Coats appear on the Federal Census of Johnston County, NC.
John Coats obtained a land grant from the State of North Carolina for 400 acres on the South side of Middle Creek on November 12, 1793 (Entered September 17, 1790) [Johnston County, NC Deed Book T-1, 1790-1794, p. 331; see also, North Carolina State Land Grants, File #2532, Land Grant Book 81, p. 279]. On September 21, 1808, John Coats conveyed 105 acres on the South Side of Middle Creek, part of his survey, to William Coats. (Proven February 22, 1813) [Johnston County, NC Deed Book H-2, 1813-1817, p. 7].
During the mid-1820s, John Coats became party to several law suits in Johnston County, NC Court. On May 29, 1823, Calvin Jones brought a suit against him and was awarded damages of $59.00 and court costs. To satisfy the judgment, an execution was levied against Coats' property consisting of 400 acres by Allen S. Ballenger, Johnston County Sheriff.
On August 23, 1823, Sarah "Sally" (Coats) Tomlinson (b. ca. 1780-1790 [age 40-50 in 1830]), the second wife of Edmund Tomlinson (1764 – 1815), appeared before a Justice of the Peace and made an affidavit stating her interests in various personal property at her father's home intended to be sold, namely one bed and furniture and one half of the crop of corn, cotton, potatoes, fruit, and brandy. The affidavit also indicated Tomlinson's intention to apply part of the crop or pay for the hire of a negro slave named Lynda to satisfy a judgment of $25 against Coats. Based on the content and wording of the document, it appears probable that John Coats' wife may have been deceased by this time. The original copy of this affidavit can be found in the Fletcher Austin Family Papers at the Johnston County Heritage Center in Smithfield, NC.
The following year on February 25, 1824, John Martin brought a suit against John Coats, Sr. and recovered a judgment of $37.00 and court costs. Two years later, on March 1, 1826, Johnston County, NC Sheriff Allen S. Ballenger conveyed by deed to William Coats 400 acres formerly owned by John Coats, Sr., which had been placed at public sale on November 4, 1823 (Proven February 28, 1826) [Johnston County, NC Deed Book N-2, 1825-1827, p. 160].
Thus, William Coats (ca. 1785-1856) purchased his father John's 1793 land patent on the South side of Middle Creek after it was sold by the Sheriff to satisfy a debt. The 105 acres which John Coats had conveyed to William Coats in 1808 was quite possibly included as part of the original survey sold for debt. John Coats, Sr. disappears from the records of Johnston County after 1826 and does not appear on the 1830 census, suggesting he likely died during that period.
*********
Contrary to information published by author and genealogist C. Stanton Coats in his 1982 genealogy "History of the Coats and related families," William Coats did NOT bear the middle name Henry. In all primary source documents, he is referred to as William Coats. One of his sons was frequently listed in county records as William H. Coats.
William Coats married Sarah Stephenson on January 18, 1806 in Johnston County, NC. Sarah Stephenson (ca. 1787-between 1850/56) was the daughter of John Stephenson (b. ca. 1750/53 Southampton County, VA, d. before February 25, 1828 Johnston County, NC) and his first wife Lucy Johnson (b. ca. 1755/60 Southampton County, VA, d. November 8, 1816 Johnston County, NC) of Johnston County, NC.
William Coats and his wife Sarah Stephenson were the parents of Alvin Coats (ca. 1807-1883, 1md. Ginsey Johnson, 2md. Susan (Cannady/Kennedy) Ryals); Cynthia Coats (ca. 1810-aft. 1885, md. Alvin Austin); Azilla "Zilla" Coats (1812-1891, md. Moore Stephenson); Amos Coats (ca. 1817-1888, 1md. Mary "Polly" Turlington, 2md. Tobitha Turlington, 3md. Emaline Charity (Utley) Turlington); William H. Coats (1819-1899, 1md. Martha (Smith) Penny, 2md. Sarah Sandal Ferrell); Thomas Coats (1822-1884, md. Mary Obedience "Beady" Stevens); Emily Coats (ca. 1825-bet. 1860/62, md. James Bartley Johnson); Penelope "Penny" Coats (1826-bet. 1850/56, md. Jacob Flowers, Jr.); Mary Coats (ca. 1828-bet. 1850/56, never married); and John Rufus Coats (1831-1905, md. Nancy Elizabeth Byrd).
William Coats died between September 16, 1856 and November 24, 1856 in Johnston County, NC.
Will of William Coats, Sr. (1856):
http://files.usgwarchives.net/nc/johnston/wills/coatssr2581gwl.txt
There is no grave marker for William Coats, but he is alleged to be buried here based upon the will of his son John Rufus Coats (dated 1900).
Contributor: mv66nc (46944406)
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