The sons of John Ferebee the immigrant held lands in North Carolina (after 1730) and Virginia appearing in public records of both places except for James who remained on his father's property at the head of Deep Creek VA where he appears in the Norfolk Co. tithables lists of the 1730s. The first to be listed in Currituck land taxes or tithables lists was John Ferebee in the1729-32 quit rent list holding 30 acres. Thomas and Peter Ferebee, sons of James also held land in Currituck Co. NC. Thomas Ferebee (d.1762) son of James (d. 1753), moved to Moyock in northern Currituck County circa 1740. Thomas Ferebee's will dated 13 Apr. 1752, proved July 1762 makes bequests to his widow named Elizabeth, and 3 daughters Euphan (married James Dauge ?), Frankie and Unice and cousin Wills. He names his brother James executor. (Curr.Wills;v.1,pp.164-6). THOMAS FEREBEE (ca.1682- aft.1732) Thomas was the son of John Ferebee and his wife Elizabeth. He was married before 1713 to the daughter (and probably only heir) of Thomas Fenford. Her first name is not certain, some genealogists say it is Ruth, in the few documents in which she is mentioned she styles herself "Fenford Ferebee". Her grandfather was Thomas Fenford, a cooper, who first appears in Va. records in 1665 when he was granted 200 acres on the west side of the Southern Branch of the Elizabeth River in Lower Norfolk Co. On 14 Sep. 1667 he rceived a grant of 50 acres "adjacent to his owne land" (Nugent.1977:v.2,p.57). During the 1600s coopers in Va. were in great demand making barrels for shipping tobacco to England. He evidently had extensive business dealings with the Barbados. In a Barbados court record of 26 Jun. 1669 Christopher Mercer of St. Michael's parish, cooper, gives power of attorney to "my loving friend Thomas Fenford, cooper, dwelling on the Sothern Branch of Elizabeth River in Virginia". In Lower Norfolk Co. court minutes of 15 Apr. 1669 Thos. Fenford attorney for Xtopher Mercer sued James Harris over the hire of a servant boy. Fenford was granted 100 acres on 16 Aug. 1669 for the transportation of himself and Thomas Mercer. Thomas Mercer (11 Mar. 1646/7 Stepney Mdsx - 16 May 1718 Norfolk) was the son of Christopher Mercer (b.1612, Stepney - d. 5 Dec. 1670 Bridgetown Barbados) (Mercer, Anthony "re: Shadrachk Mercer, Genforum, Mercer Forum, 7 Jol. 2001). Fenford obviously prospered because in 1677 he was granted 300 acres adjacent to his own land and in 1678, 247 more adjacent acres on the Southern Branch by Fenford's Creek in all a parcel of 797 acres (Nugent.1977:v.2,pp159,180). The will of Thomas Fenford "of Elizabeth River in Virginia, cooper" is dated 23Sep. 1675, proved on 13 Nov.1679 by John Edwards and Herbert Jones, items: ...wife Sarah sole executrix..., unto my three daughters (1- Sarah (m. John Hanbury) 2- Barbary (m. Marmaduke Etheridge) 3- Ruth (m. William Sugg) , ... "unto my sonne Thomas all my land and housing included in my patent.." ..."sonne Thomas when hee is thereof capable bee bound out apprentice to ye trade of a cooper" (Lower Norfolk Co. Book 4, p.67). Virtually nothing is known about the younger Thomas and by 1700 the surname disappears from public records in VA. Thomas and Fenford sold property located on Deep Creek in Norfolk Co., Va. on 17 May 1713 to Timothy Ives (D.B.9,p.209). They bought land "located on the line of the eastmost corner of the Indian patent" about 1713 (Ferebee.1935:sec.2). I have not located a deed or grant for this property. Thomas and Fenford called this plantation the Poplars. It was near the home of Marmaduke Etheridge (ca.1648-aft.1716) whose second wife, Barbara Fenford (d.aft.1716), was the aunt of Fenford Ferebee. Thomas Ferebee sold his last piece of property in Virginia on Deep Creek, Norfolk Co. to Timothy Ives on 11 May 1724, "part of a patent granted ye John Ferebee dated ye 20th of April 1685" (D.B."F"p.110). Thomas and Fenford Ferebee do NOT appear in the early land tax and tithable lists of Currituck County. Their son William was born on 13 April 1722. Thomas evidently lived in Norfolk between 1728 and 1732 since he is listed as a taxpayer for those years. Several family historians state that he died in August 1739, but no source is cited. Fenford Ferebee died after 1745 when she deeded the Poplars to William upon his marriage. William Ferebee sold the Poplars in 1781 to John Whitehurst and reserved the burying ground. On a visit to the Poplars in 1934, Annie Ferebee discovered two old farmstead cemeteries on this property with early unmarked graves (Ferebee.1935:sec2).

Issue of Thomas & Fenford Ferebee 1. - William Ferebee (1722-1783) 2. - Joseph Ferebee (ca. 1720 - ?) 3. - others, perhaps John (?), James (?) Little is known about Thomas Ferebee and his family. Neither Thomas nor his wife left wills or probates and no family Bible or other records made by them survive. The family Bible of William Ferebee has an entry stating that he was the son of Thomas Ferebee with his birth date. This plus the transfer of the Poplars plantation from Thomas to William are the evidence of their kinship. However, there are other Ferebee males of William's age in mid 1700s Currituck that may be his siblings. There was also a James Ferebee on the 1769 Pasquotank Co. NC tax list, he died in 1777 while serving as a delegate from Pasquotank in the General Assembly at New Bern (Thomas Harvey was elected as replacement and took office on 1 Dec. 1777). The documents shown in abstract below name Ferebee relatives in Currituck who cannot be securely placed in a pedigree. The John Ferebee who appears at Beaufort, SC in the 1790 census may be a descendant of one of these people. Notes: A division of land for John Whitehurst, deceased, was filed in Currituck County deedbook six, pp. 25-6. It included a house and fifty acres where John Whitehurst lived, to Rebeckah Nicholson "late widow of said John Whitehurst, deceased.". It also included land beginning at swamp in William Lurry's (?) line, bordered by Nathaniel Comer, Anthony Simmons, JOSEPH FEREBEE'S line, John Thompson's land, Willis Walker, and Hilary Parker. It mentions that Josiah Nicholson, on behalf of his wife, Rebeckah Nicholson, gives up and relinquishes right of dower. It mention James and Samuel Whitehurst, sons of late John. It refers to guardian pay to Samuel Whitehurst, sum of ten pounds current money. . . for Josiah Nicholson who married Rebeca Whitehurst late widow of John Whitehurst; signed Thomas Etheridge, Hillary Simmons, Willo. Dauge, Cornelius (x - his mark) Gregory, and Griffith Dauge. Registered in court July 3 (30?), 1789. Willis Etheridge, Register. ---------------------------------------------- Will of William Ferril, Currituck Co. (dated 7 Jan. 1742, prob. Jan. Court 1742/3) witnesses: GEORGE FEREBEE, JOSEPH FEREBEE, WILLIAM FEREBEE (Grimes. _Abstracts of NC Wills, ) ---------------------------------------------- Muster Roll of Company of Jacob Caron dec'd. Currituck Co. NC Militia (undated ca. 1755, Caron listed in 1751 tax roll) master roll of Cranstuck Hunter command of Major Wm. Shergold: common soldiers: WILLIAM FEREBEE, JOHN FEREBEE, JOSEPH FEREBEE. -------------------------------------------------- 1751 Currituck Co. NC Tithables List WM. FERBY 1, JOHN FERBY 1, JOSEPH FERBY 2 ---------------------------------------------- 1765 - Francis Brown to William Snowden, 100 acres of land commonly known as the peoples ground & joining the west side of JOSEPH FEREBEE's land, being 1/2 of a certain tract of land sold to Nathanl. Wilson and Mariam his wife.  Wit: Thos. Williams, W. Macormeck. (Currituck Co.NC Deed Book vol. 1 [1764-76] p. 92) ------------------------------------------------------------- 1780s -1800 There are a group of male Ferebee siblings who made wills in Currituck Co, whose parentage is unknown. James Feebee made a will dated 21 Mar. 1789, proved 22 Jun. 1789 in which he mentions his wife Sarah, no children, and his brothers Robert Ferebee and Thomas Ferebee, executors Joseph Ballentine and Thomas Ferebee (Currituck Will Book 1 p. -?-) Robert Ferebee made a will dated 24 Jan. 1793 and proved 22 Jun. 1793 in which he names his wife Rachel, his son William, his daughter Betsey, executors his wife and Joseph Ballentine (Currituck Will Boo 2, p. 15). Thomas Ferebee made a will dated 25 Aug. 1799 and proved 22 Sep. 1802 in which he names his wife Elizabeth executrix, other legatees are Betsey Purrington, and James Ferebee orphan of Benjamin Ferebee (Currituck Will Book 2, p. 207).

Map of Currituck in 1770

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1- Thomas Ferebee farm, 2- port & courthouse, 3- Indiantown & Culong plantation, 4- Currituck Inlet

Currituck County lies on the Atlantic and is buffered from it by a long narrow island of sand dunes, called the Outer Banks. Between it and the mainland is Currituck Sound. To the north is Princess Anne Co. Virginia from whence came many of the early settlers. Currituck is comprised of low lying, fertile loamy soil and large forested wetlands, a part of the Great Dismal Swamp. By the 1680s settlement by Virginians was displacing the native Yeopim population. During the 1700s small and medium scale farms devoted to subsistence agriculture and open range livestock, mainly cattle and pigs, were the norm. The most important trade export was forest products (lumber, tar, and shingles) that were shipped to New England, Bermuda, and the West Indies. Large mono-crop plantations based on slave labor did not exist here. The 1790 U.S. Cenus lists 794 families, a total population of 5,219 of which 1,103 were slaves in the county. The silting up of the inlet to the Port of Currituck in 1828 devastated the local economy and hindered future growth. The 1700s residents were mainly Anglican by faith, the Ferebees served as vestrymen of St. Martin's Chapel at Indian Ridge. Few Quakers lived here, but the Baptist faith grew in importance becoming dominant after the revolution. By the 1790s over population caused a steady stream of emigration of people to areas of the Deep South and Tenneessee. No incorporaed towns have ever existed here and the Currituck Courthouse is located on the site of the old port.

Deed Chest of William Ferebee c.1775

William Ferebee (13 Apr.1722 - 9 Jul. 1783) William Ferebee, the only surviving son of Thomas and Fenford Ferebee, was born and reared at the Poplars in Currituck. He was married here and his wife, Elizabeth, gave birth to their first six children on this plantation. He sold this property in 1761 and moved to Culong plantation in nearby Indian Ridge (Ferebee.1937:sec.3). Elizabeth Cooper Ferebee was the daughter of Isles and Elizabeth Cooper. She was born 3 Oct. 1728 and died 29 Dec. 1794. She was married in 1745 at the age of 17 (Wm.Ferebee Bible). Isles Cooper was planter who came to Currictuck by ca.1750. He was born c.1695 in York Co., Va. the son of Samuel Cooper (c.1665-will 1720) and Elizabeth Isles (d.bef.1696). Isles Cooper married first to Elizabeth Calthorpe, second at St.Peter's in New Kent Co. Va. to Susannah Saunders. He was married third to a wife who died soon thereafter without issue, fourth to Elizabeth, date and place unknown (but probably Norfolk Co. ca. 1728). He was married fifth to Sarah Wilson, widow of Thomas Wilson, in about 1757 in Currituck, NC. There was no issue by this union (Ferebee.1937:sec3). Isles Cooper died in August of 1763 and names in his will; son John, wife Sarah, daughter Elizabeth Ferebee "I give one cow", grandaughter Ann Ferebee "I give a young cow named Danniel" (Curr.Wills:v.1,p.19) For more data on the Cooper, Isles, and Wardley families of York County VA go to the link below.

William Ferebee purchased the 160 acre Culong Plantation from Cap't.Francis Brown of Perquimans on 25 March 1761 and moved thee with his family (Ferebee, A.1937:sec.3). The 1722 house that was on the property is pictured below. This house became an overseer's house when William built a new house for his growng family in the 1770s. This house burned sometime in the late 1800s. The 1722 house was demolished in the 1940s. The family cemetery has also disappeared (personal communication J.J. Forbes to author 1970). The only surviving house on Culong Plantation is the Thomas Cooper Ferebee house (pictured below) built in 1817 by William's youngest son. In 1761 William Ferebee built on his new plantation the Indian Town Academy a private school supported by the local residents. The academy was burned in a "negro raid" in 1862. In 1762 he was busy as the head of a county committee o lay out new roads in Currituck. He was a Currituck Co. delegate of the North Carolina State Assembly in 1760, 1762, 1778, and 1779. He was a member of the state senate in 1782 and 1783. In 1773 he was made trustee of St. Martin's Chapel and burying ground at Indian Town (Ferebee,A.1937:sec.3). Currituck County was a hotbed of pro revolutionary sentiment in the mid 1770s and the Ferebees among its leaders. In 1775 the Ferebees and their neighbors the Gregorys, Muncreefs, Baxters, Etheridges, Bells, Cowells, etc. assembled at the home of Dennis Dauge to raise the first American flag in the county. In 1776 William Ferebee was appointed by the "Representatives of the Freemen Assembled of the State of North Carolna" as justice of the peace for Currituck Co. In the same year he and Gen. Isaac Gregory were commissioned to seize and sell Loyalists properties in Currituck and Pasquotank Counties. Among the property seized was a 600 acre tract of land named "Wilson's Old Field" owned by Thomas McKnight. It was adjacent to Culong Plantation and Gen. Gregory issued Willam Ferebee a deed for it. The nearby plantation seized of John Bennett was sold to his son Samuel Ferebee and son in law Griffin Dauge. William Sr served in local militia units during the Revolution. His three oldest sons served in the Continental Army, Joseph was a Captain, William jr (later a Major in NC Militia), and Samuel a Lieutenant (Ferebee,A.1937:sec.3). On 9 December1775 William Sr, Joseph, and William jr joined Isaac Gregory's Camden Militia unit at The battle of Great Bridge in southern Norfolk Co.,Va. This battle was provoked by Virginia Govenor Dunmore's attempt to quash the revolutionary uprising in the colony and secure the city of Norfolk as a Tory stronghold. It was the first battle of the Revolution in the South and is often called the second Bunker Hill. The battle lasted less than an hour and the British were routed suffering 102 dead or wounded, the patriots suffered one injury. During the battle William Sr shot and killed Capt. Charles Fordyce, commander of the grenadeers. After the battle the North Carolina troops gave Fordyce a full military burial to honor his gallantry. Fordyce's sword was given to William Sr. It belonged to Cornelius Gray Lamb at the time of the War Between the States and was stolen by Union troops during their pillage of Camden Co.,NC (Ferebee,A.1937:sec.3) An 1898 newspaper article gives a different version of this event "Tradition says that the shot by which FORDYCE, who committed (sic) the British troops at the battle of Great Bridge, was killed on the 9th of December 1775, was fired by a Currituck FEREBEE who was with the Currituck Militia at the battle. Sammy FEREBEE who died in 1845 when much over 80 years, said he was a small boy when the battle was fought. He had two brothers in the battle. After it was fought his father sent him from Currituck to Great Bridge to know how his boys had come out and he heard the soldiers talking to one of his brothers about his killing FORDYCE". ("The Economist Weekly", Elizabeth City, NC –Friday, March 11, 1898 as transcribed by K.M. Sheppard & G. Williams, 2003 for USGenWeb Currituck Co. NC). William Ferebee was obviously an energetic and ambitious man. He inherited 100 acres from his mother, but in his will he bequeathed almost three thousand acres to his chilldren, in the Currituck Co. tax list of 1779 his assets are appraised at L10,996 (tenth highest asessment in county). He died at Culong on 9 July 1783 at the age of 61 and his will is recorded in Currituck Will Book 1, pp.263-64. His wife Elizabeth died at Culong on 29 December 1794 at age 66 (Ferebee, A.1937:sec.3).

ISSUE OF WILLIAM & ELIZABETH FEREBEE 1. Anne, b.15 Sep.1746 d. in Halifax, NC, m. Henry Perkins 2. Martha, b. 26 Sep.1748, m. William A. Muncrief 3. Mary, b. 20 Oct.1750, m. Joseph Baxter, d. 26 Dec. 1837 4. Joseph, b. 31 May 1754, m.1 Mary Dauge (dau. of James+Mary Dauge and grdau. of Benj. Dauge), m.2 Nancy Herbert, m.3 Mary Creekmore, d. 20 Nov. 1820. Issue by Mary Dauge; 1 Sarah (1775-1802) m. Arthur Turten, 2 George (1777-1837) m. Mary Jones, 3 Harney (1779-1808) m. Polly, 4 Elizabeth (1781-1860) m. James Cowell, 5 Nancy (1785-1835) m. --- Butt, 6 Frances (1787-1836) m. ---- Littlejohn, 7 Peter Dauge (1791-1829) m. Dinah, 8 Charlotte (1793-1829) m. Hilliary Fentress. 5. Sarah, b. 20 Nov. 1756, m.1 David Manning m.2 ---- Ballentine 6. William jr., b. 20 Jul. 1757, m. Chloe Sawyer, d. Dec.1791 near Cumberland River,Tn. He was inspecting land grants he received for serving as a Lt. in 7th NC Reg. in the Revolution. Issue; 1 Martha m. John Humphries, 2 Sarah, 3 May, 4 William Iredell died age 20 at sea on passage to New York, see separate entry below. 7. Samuel, b. 20 June 1761, m.1 Sarah Dauge m.2 Peggy Dauge m.3 Jane Brockett, d. 7 Nov. 1845. See entry below for biography and descendants. 8. Frances, b. 24 Jun. 1763, m. Griffith Dauge 9. Tabitha, b.15 Nov. 1765, died young 10. James, b. 12 Nov. 1766, sold his land in Currituck in 1798 and may have moved to TN ? 11. Thomas, b. 23 Dec. 1768, d. in infancy 12. Thomas Cooper, b. 6 Aug. 1771, m.1 Lydia Humphries m.2 Margaret Williams m.3 Judith Mackie, d. 10 April 1834. Issue; Margaret m. Dr Gideon Marchant, Samuel (1802-1856) never married but had two daughters by Delilah. Thomas Cooper jr (1830-1879) m. Mary Wallace and had issue.

William Iredell Ferebee In House & Senate 29 Dec 1792. (LP 115) "Gregory, Isaac; Ferebee, Chloe (widow of William Ferebee); Ferebee, Joseph; Ferebee, Samuel; and Dauge, Willoughby. They ask for new certificates. They gave theirs to William Ferebee who embarked in the sloop "Polly" with Anthony Mark master on 27 Oct 1790, sailing from Currituck Inlet to New York. A letter inserted in the New London Gazette said that on 8 Nov 1790 the schooner "Nancy" with Peterson master from Demerara, saw the sloop "Polly" of Currituck at sea, "stem most gone Deck torn up, full of water and no person on Board." The Captain and crew took sundry articles from the sloop, and the Committee to whom the petition was referred felt it would be impolitic to issue new certificates as these others might be in circulation.