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| Bloomsbury Plantation cemetery Vance County NC |
When he was about 18, John left Maryland for what was then Halifax County, North Carolina, where his father owned land. His father deeded the land to him along with enslaved in 1777. He built his Bloomsbury plantation house between Big Nutbush and Little Nutbush Creeks. Later the original house burned; another was built on the site in the 1850s and remains today. The family cemetery is just north of the house and not far from the road.
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| Bloomsbury in what was then Halifax County NC |
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| Berry Hill, Mecklenburg County, Virginia |
Directions to Berry Hill: 12 1/2 miles south of South Hill, Virginia on Route 1. Then SW on Route 712 12.6 miles, then N .2 mile on lane.
John II married Mary
Goodloe 1763-1838. She was a step-daughter of Leonard Henley Bullock of Granville County, North Carolina (later became Warren County, now Vance County.)
John II and Mary's children:
- John Somerville III 1780-1831
- Susan / Susanna Somerville 1782-1842 md Eaton
- James Somerville 1784-1854
- William Somerville 1786-1802
- George Clark Somerville 1787-1824
- Alexander Somerville 1790-1798
- Robert Vivian Somerville 1794-1813
8 Sep 1777 Halifax County, NC - John Somerville, Sr of St Mary's County, MD to John Somerville II of Halifax County, NC: 3 tracts of land and "all the negroes." Bill of Sale Book 13 pg 557.
17 Jan 1788 Halifax County, NC - Alexander Black of Chowan County to John Somerville II: Luchs, male, black, negro for 150#. Bill of Sale Book 17 pg 71
4 Dec 1788 Halifax County, NC - Isaac Ricks to John Somerville II: Jack, Ben, and Destimony. Bill of Sale Bk 17 pg 98
12 Jan 1789 Halifax County, NC - John Buck to John Somerville II: Cate, female, black, "negro girl" Bill of Sale Book 17 pg 99
15 Dec 1789 Halifax County, NC - John Somerville of Granville County NC to Davis Lane Jr of Halifax County NC: Ben, male, black, "a negro boy of about 6 years of age" for 35# current Virginia currency. Bill of Sale Book 17 pg 122
1801 - daughter Susanna married John Rust Eaton and received a dowery from John II: 1500 acres off the north end of Bloomsbury plantation and 15 slaves. There they established Belvidere plantation.
1806 - When John II died his son John inherited Berry Hill in Mecklenburg County Virginia and son James, attorney, inherited half the land and slaves at the plantation in the western part of Mecklenburg County. Son George received the other half and he lived there next to Col. William Burchett.
1831 - Bequeathed Berry Hill plantation to son Joseph T Somerville. In 1836 Joseph sold it to Nathaniel Green.
John Somerville III, son of John Somerville II and Mary Goodloe, was born 25 Nov 1780 at Bloomsbury plantation in Granville County, North Carolina and died 25 Feb 1831 at Berry Hill plantation in Mecklenberg County, North Carolina. He married Frances Anderson Taylor 1786-1829.
Children of John Somerville III and Frances Taylor:
- Mary Goodloe Somerville 1805-1858
- William Alexander Somerville 1807-1858
- Catherine Taylor Somerville 1809-1848
- Willis Lewis Somerville 1811-1864
- Thomas Tahylor Somerville 1813-1871
- Joseph John Somerville 1815-1863
- George Clark Somerville 1818-1818
- Susanna Somerville 1819-1819
- Richard Bullock Somerville 1820-1878
- James Vivian Somerville 1822-1823
- Robert Park Somerville 1824-1870
1820 Census Mecklenburg County VA
90 Slaves: 25 M under 14, 10 M 14-25, 10 M 26-44, 5 M 45+. 25 F under 14, 5 F 14-25, 5 F 26-44, 5 F 45+
1830 Census Part 1 Mecklenburg County VA
75 Slaves: 15 M under 10, 14 M 10-23, 8 M 24-35, 5 M 36=54, 3 M 55-99, 11 F under 10, 8 F 10-23, 6 M 24-35, 5 F 36-54
1831 Will of John Somerville III of Mecklenburg County, Virginia
Written 26 Jan 1831. Filed with court 17 May 1831
... to son Richard B my negro woman Bettey requesting him to keep here during her life and that he will be kind to her and grant her every favor which may render her comfortable...
... to daughter Catharine Taylor Somerville... Slaves of equal value in proportion to numbers to choose which I shall in this will allot to my sons and she including a little girl Jane in that number. Also my carriage and two horses. My ten shares of the Roanoke navigation stock, two feather beds and furniture...
... to daughter Goodloe who has inter married with George T Taylor all of the property which I have loaned to her with the addition of a little boy named Frank and also the future increase of said property...
... to son William Alexander the estate which is embraced in deed of gift executed by me to him dated Jan 26, 1831 as sufference to that...
... The balance of my estate which has not already beeen disposed of in this will, I give unto my sons William, Thomas T, Joseph, Richard B and Robert P Somerville when each arrives to the age of twenty one years. They shall have their due proportion of land, negroes and furnishable estate allotted to them.
... to my son Richard B my negro man Cambridge and his family at valuation in the general division...
... to my son Robert P my negro woman Ioldis / Iddies [?] and her family at valuations in the general division...
It is my will that my daughter Catharine shall be entitled to house room at the homestead until she marries...
Executor: son William A Somerville and ? William Taylor. Witnesses: Henry Woodsworth, Edwin Hankins
Mary "Polly" Goodloe Somerville, daughter of John Somerville III and Frances Taylor, was born 10 Oct 1805 at Valley Grove, Granville County, North Carolina and died 4 Apr 1858 in Tipton County, Tennessee. She married George Tarry Taylor 1804-1885.
1830 Census Part 11 Mecklenburg County, VA
31 Slaves: 3 M under 10, 5 M 10-23, 5 M 24-35, 1 m 36-54, 8 F under 10, 7 F 10-23, 2 F 24-35,
1840 Census Tipton County, TN
45 Slaves: 8 M under 10, 8 M 10-23, 4 M 24-35, 5 M 36-54, 8 F under 10, 6 F 10-23, 3 F 24-35, 2 F 36-54, 1 F 55-99
1850 Slave Schedule District 9 Tiption Co TN
55 Slaves: M 88, F 78, F 50, F 50, F 50, F 48, F 15, 6 ILLEGIBLE, M 16, M 9, F 1, M 37, M 31, M 25, F 24 Mulatto, F 8, M 4, M 2, F 15, F 9, M 34 Mulatto, F 22, F 2, M 48, F 49, M 17, F 15, M 19, F 12, M 10, F 9, F 10, F 6/12, M 30, M 20, M 35, F 46, M 24, M 23, F 33 Mulatto, M 12, Mulatto, F 7 Mulatto, M 4, F 4, M 36, F 39, M 11, F 4, M 1, F 1.
1860 Slave Schedule Dist 10 Tipton, TN
57 Slaves; 11 Slave Dwellings: M 30, M 35, M 46, M 32, M 62, M 58, M 60, F 17 Mulatto, F 12, F 23, M 10, M 3, M 6/12, M 63, F 60, F 25, F 19, M 21, F 40, M 23, F 20, M 17, M 14, M 9, F 7, M 4, F 1, M 18, M 45, M 30, F 35, F 16, M 13, M 11, M 9, M 6, M 4, F 2, F 6/12, F 47, M 21, M 14, F 11, F 4, M 22, F 13, M 39, F 54, F 17, M 2, F 4/12, F 27, M 10, M 7, M 3, F 1, M 4, F 4, F 36, F 34, M 11, F 4, M 1, F
1860 Slave Schedule Dist 10 Tipton, TN - George T Taylor, Guardian for Mary E & Sally H Taylor
96 Slaves; 18 Slave Dwellings: M 78, M 70, M 50, M 56, M 55, M 40, M 40, M 22, M 56, M 34, M 31 Mulatto, M 37, M 23, M 36, M 40, M 25, M 34, M 35, M 24, M 23, M 24, M 24, M 20, M 20 Mulatto, M 20, M 16, M 16, M 14, M 14, M 13, M 12, M 10, M 10, M 9, M 9, M 8, M 7, M 7, M 7, M 6, M 5, M 7, M 4, M 4, M 3, M 3, M 3, M 3, M 2, M 2, M 2, M 1, M 3/12, M 4/12, M 4/12, M 5/12, F 31, F 45, F 36, F 22, F 70, F 32, F 56, F 25, F 30, F 30, F 35, F 30, F 35, F 16, F 18, F 18, F 24, F 18, F 16, F 13, F 14, F 13, F 11, F 12, F 12, F 10, F 10, F 12, F 7, F 8, F 7, F 6, F 5, F 5, F 4, F 4, F 2, F 2, F 1, F 1, F 1,
William Alexander Somerville, son of John Somerville III and Frances Taylor, was born 5 Sep 1807 at Berry Hill plantation in Mecklenburg County, Virginia and died 2 Apr 1858 at Roane Oak plantation in Tipton County, Tennessee. He married Helen R Claiborne 1813-1896.
1850 Slave Schedule District 10, Tipton County TN
42 Slaves: M 47, F 36, M 16, F 14, F 12, M 0, M 8, F 4, F 2, F 20, M 2, F 23, F 8, M 1, F 20, M 20, F 1, M 20, 5 Illegible, F 62, F 10, F 6, F 6, M 53, M 39, M 43, M 27, M 12, M 50, F 40, M 23, F 20, F 12, F 6, F 12, F 42, F 8, M 4, F 27, F 55
Catherine Taylor Somerville, daughter of John Somerville III and Frances Taylor, was born 29 July 1809 at Berry Hill plantation in Mecklenburg County, Virginia and died 9 Jan 1848 in Warren County, North Carolina. She married Maj. Nathaniel Green 1805-1874.
Willis Lewis Somerville, son of John Somerville III and Frances Tayler, was born 19 Apr 1811 at Berry Hill plantation in Mecklenburg County, Virginia and died 18 Nov 1864 at Waco, McLennan County, Texas. He married Mary Ann Terrill Martin 1812-1893
1840 Census Hardeman, TN
1 Free Colored Person: Male 36-54
51 Slaves: 9 M under 10, 8 M 10-23, 8 M 36-54, 5 M 55-99, 6 F under 10, 5 F 10-23, 6 F 24-35, 2 F 36-54, 2 F 55-99.
1850 Slave Schedule Smith, Dallas, Arkansas
73 Slaves: M 74, M 68, F 65, M 60, M 55, M 55, M 50, M 50, F 45, F 45, F 45, M 45, F 43, M 43, F 42, F 42, F 38, M 38, M 36, M 34, M 30, M 30, F 30, M 29, M 28, M 28, M 28, M 26, F 26 Mulatto, M 26, F 26, M 24, F 24 Mulatto, F 24, F 24, M 20 Mulatto, M 20, F 20, F 17, M 16, M 15, M 14, M 14, F 14, M 13, M 12, F 12, M 10, M 10, M 9, M 8, M 7, M 6, M 6. F 6, M 6, F 5, F 5, M 4, M 4, F 3, M 3, F 3, M 3, M 3, F 2, M 1, M 1, F 1, F 6/12, F 6/12, F 6/12, M 3/12
Thomas Taylor Somerville, son of John Somerville III and Frances Tayler, was born 10 Jun 1813 at Berry Hill plantation in Mecklenburg County, Virginia and died 27 Dec 1871 at Cottage Home plantation in Tipton County, Tennessee. He married Mary Agnes Siler.
1860 Slave Schedule Dist 9 Tipton Co TN
50 Slaves; 11 Slave Dwellings: M 50, M 48, M 44, M 35, M 33, M 26, M 33, M 20, M 20, M 16, M 13, M 12, M 12, M 10, M 10, M 10, M 9, M 8, M 8, M 7, M 6, M 4, M 1, M 3/12, M 3/12 Mulatto, F 79, F 62 Mulatto, F 60, F 44, F 39, F 31, F 31, F 19, F 18 Mulatto, F 18 Mulatto, F 16 Mulatto, F 16 Mulatto, F 15, F 14 Mulatto, F 14, F 13, F 13, F 11, F 8, F 6, F 4 Mulatto, F 6 Mulatto, F 3, F 2, F 1
1872 Verdict on Claim for Losses
Thomas T Somerville of Tipton County, TN had applied to the Southern Claims Commission for reimbursement of losses in the Civil War. His claim was denied in 1872.
Joseph John Somerville, son of John Somerville III and Frances Taylor, was born 16 Aug 1815 at Berry Hill plantation in Mecklenburg County, Virginia and died 2 July 1863 at Northview Plantation in Tipton County, Tennessee. He married 1. Ellen Geraldine Hill 1816-1844 and Susan Ann Taylor 1822-1892.
1850 Slave Schedule Dist 10 Tipton County TN
32 Slaves: M 55 , M 39, M 38, 3 37, M 25, M 25, M 21, M 17, M 16, M 10, M 11, M 12, M 9, F 65, F 60, F 30, F 26, F 20, 7 illegible entries, F 5, F 3, F 1, F 1, M 6, M 4, M 21
1860 Slave Schedule Dist 9 Tipton County TN
listed on page 392
Richard Bullock Somerville, son of John Somerville III and Frances Taylor, was born 2 Sep 1820 at Berry Hill plantation in Mecklenburg County, Virginia and died 1878 in Mason, Tipton County, Tennessee. He was an Attorney. Richard married 1. Virginia Triplett Tayler 1830-1852 and 2. Elizabeth Taylor Hunt 1833-1862.
1860 Slave Schedule Dist 10 Tipton Co TN
43 Slaves; 10 Slave Dwellings: F 68 Mulatto, F 50 Mulatto, M 54, F 42, F 26, F 23, M 33 Mulatto, M 26, M 29, M 15 Mulatto, M 9, F 12, M 11, F 9, F 3, F 1, F 4, M 4/12, M 62, M 25, F 20, F 6, M 4, M 27, F 20, F 3, F 1, M 45, F 40, F 17, M 10, F 5, F 3, M 1, M 1, F 19, F 1, M 48, F 49, M 20, F 72, M 12, F 9.
1870 Census Tipton County TN
Richard is living next door to:
Somerville, George, age 37, Black, occupation Gardener, born North Carolina
wife Lucy, age 27, Black, born Tennessee
child Jane, age 1, Black, born Tennessee
[see bottom of this page for more African American Somerville in North Carolina]
Robert Park Somerville, son of John Somerville III and Frances Taylor, was born 5 Dec 1824 at Berry Hill plantation in Mecklenburg County, Virginia and died Sep 1870 in Tipton County, Tennessee. He married Ann Eliza __?__, born 1830.
1860 Slave Schedule Dist 9 Tipton Co TN
9 Slaves: F 60, M 43, M 37, M 35 Mulatto, M 28, F 32, M 29, M 12, M 1.
African American Somervilles in North Carolina
1870 Census Township 1 Cararus, NC
Somerville, George age 52, b 1818 NC, Mulatto, Post Office: Concord. Occ: Wheelright. RE $350
wife Oma L age 53, b1819 NC, Mulatto. [Oma died 1871-1874]
1874 May 17 Mecklenberg County, VA
George Somerville marriage license - age 59, b 1818, Black. Son of Fanny Jamison. The father now dead; the mother dead. Bride: Harriet Matts of Mecklenberg County VA, age 54, Black. d/o ? and ? the father dead; mother dead. [much illegible]
1880 Census Paw Creek, Mecklenburg County VA Dwelling 233 Family # 243
Summerville, George age 63, Black, b abt 1817 NC; parents b NC, Occ: Carpenter
wife Harriet age 58, Black, b NC, parents both b NC
Living near George and Harriet:
Dwelling 234 Family 244
Somerville, John age 17, Black, Servant, b NC, parents b NC. John is listed in household of Andrew Hoover age 38 and his family.
Dwelling 235 Family # 245
Somerville, Jim age 20, Black, Laborer, b NC, parents b NC. Jm is listed in household of Sarah Cathey age 59, White, and her children.
*Note: see separate blog post for free born Somerville African Americans and their Certificates of Freedom.
