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ALSTON-DeGRAFFENRIED PLANTATION

 Pittsboro, Chatham County, North Carolina

(click photo for larger image)

The ALSTON Family of North Carolina were one of the most prosperous and well-known families of 18th and 19th centuries. Many of them had homes in Warren, Halifax and Chatham Counties. One of those were Joseph John Alston, more famously known as Chatham Jack Alston, was born March 15, 1767 in Halifax County, the ninth and last child of Joseph John Alston, Sr. (1702-1781) and his 2nd wife, Euphan Wilson. The elder Alston was one of the state's largest land owners. In the early 1770s, about the time Chatham County was formed from Orange County, he made dozens of land purchases in Chatham. At his death in 1781, Alston Sr. left his descendants an estimated 100,000 acres scattered over a number of counties. "Chatham Jack" inherited land primarily in Chatham. As late as 1790, however, he lived in Halifax County, where the 1790 census lists him as the owner of 11 slaves. In the early 1790s he moved to Chatham County with his wife Martha Kearney-Alston (1770-1852), whom he married in 1791. There was lots of history between these families from their earliest days. Martha was the daughter of Philip Kearney & Elizabeth Kinchen, who lived in Warren County, NC. Martha's paternal grandmother, Sarah Alston (ca 1713-1764), was Chatham Jack's aunt, being his father's sister. Until his death on April 29, 1841, he remained one of the county's most distinguished persons. In an area dominated by small farms Alston owned  several plantations that he had built for himself, and for most of his sons. What is now called the Alston-Graffenried House, was one of the homes where his family originally lived, and was willed to his son, John Jones Alston (1792-1842) upon his death in 1841.  Unfortunately, John Jones himself died of a stroke less than a year and a half after his father passed away. John Jones Alston died in his home, and was apparently too ill to write a will, but he was able to give a statement in front of 2 witnesses in which he left everything to his wife, which was accepted as his oral will.  His widow, Adeline Williams, was also left with their 9 minor children, including the oldest daughter, Elizabeth, who had just married, and their youngest, Adeline Eugenia, who was yet to be born.  The widow, Adeline, who was from two prominent families in Warren and Franklin Counties, was the daughter of Maj. William Williams (1760-1838) and Elizabeth Kinchen Kearney (1769-1863); Williams was the owner of Vine Hill Plantation in Franklin County, also, one of his daughters, Marina P. Williams  (1810-1897), was married to George W. Alston (1801-1849), the owner of Cherry Hill Plantation in Warren County.  Another one of their daughters, Martha Kearney Williams (1803-1861), was married to Nathaniel Macon Alston (1801-1856) the brother of Adeline's husband.  In addition, these couples were 1st cousins to one another, with each of them being grandchildren of Philip Kearney & Elizabeth Kinchen, from some of the early families of North Carolina.  Adeline ran the plantation for over 40 years and being responsible for the entire Estate as stated in her husband's will. After the death of Adeline Williams-Alston in 1885, the property went to their daughter Delia, who was married to John B. DeGraffenried. Their daughter, Martha Ermine, whose husband was Thomas L. Peay,  inherited it  after her mother's death, and the property passed on to their heirs until it was sold out of the family in 1972.

This ALSTON Family Line was:
JOHN ALSTON (1677-1758) and MARY BAKER (ca 1684-aft 1758)
Son:
JOSEPH JOHN ALSTON (1702-1781)
1st Wife: ELIZABETH CHANCEY/CHAUNCEY (ca 1702-1749) dau/of William Chancey & Deborah Symonds
Children:
1) John Alston (1740-1784) - m. Ann Hunt Macon (ca 1745-1797)
2) Philip Alston (ca 1745-1791) owner of the House in the Horseshoe- m. Temperance Smith
3) Martha "Patsy" Alston (1747-1814) - m. James Mahoney
4) William Alston (ca 1748-1789) - m. Anne Yeargain (1752-1785)

JOSEPH JOHN ALSTON (ca 1702-1781)
2nd Wife: EUPHAN WILSON (ca 1725-? ) dau/of Willis & Mary Wilson
Children:
5) Willis Alston (1750-1819) - m. Elizabeth Wright
6) Henry Alston (1753- ? ) - m. Sarah Hill
7) Mary Alston (1756- ? ) - m. William Palmer
8) Euphan Wilson Alston (1761- ? ) - m. John Cooper
9) JOSEPH JOHN "CHATHAM JACK" ALSTON (1767-1841) - m. Martha Kearney (1770-1852)

JOSEPH JOHN "CHATHAM JACK" ALSTON (Mar 15, 1767- Apr 29, 1841)
Wife: MARTHA KEARNEY (Feb 22, 1770- June 1852) dau/of Philip Kearney & Elizabeth Kinchen of Warren County, NC.
Children:
1) JOHN JONES ALSTON (1792-1842) - m. Adeline Williams
2) Elizabeth Kinchen Alston (1793-1874) - m. Samuel S. Jackson
3) Margaret Elizabeth Alston (1795-1855) - m. Richard Carney Cotten
4) Martha A. Alston (1797-1811) - m. John B. Mebane
5) George Washington Alston (1799-1843)
6) Nathaniel Macon Alston (1801-1856) - m. Patsey Kearney Williams
7) Emaline Euphan Alston (1804- 1861)- m. William A. Hamlin
8) Gideon Alston (1806-1855) - m. Evelina Alston
9) Robert William Palmer Alston (1809-1872) - m. Ann Maria Alston
10) Philip Kearney Dawson Alston (1811-1852) - m. Ann Harwell
11) Joseph John Alston Jr. (1814-1842) - m. 1st: Pamelia DeGraffenried. 2nd: Decimus Palmer

JOHN JONES ALSTON (Mar 17, 1792- Sept. 18, 1842)
Wife: ADELINE WILLIAMS (Sep 19, 1805-June 13, 1885) dau/of Maj. William Williams & Elizabeth Kinchen Kearney, of Franklin & Warren Counties.
Their children were:
1) Elizabeth Martha Alston (1824-1876) - m. Alston A. Jones; John William Gunter
2) John Jones Alston Jr. (1827-1900/1903) m. Mary M. Clark; Mary Headen
3) DELIA ALSTON (1829-1914) - m. John Baker DeGraffenried
4) Lavinia Margaret Alston (1831-1867) - m. Rev. William Barringer
5) William Williams Alston (1833-1862)
6) Marina Temperance Tunstall Alston (1836-1910)- m. John S. McClenahan
7) Nathaniel Macon Leonidas Alston (1838-1875) - m. Zilpha Hill; Ruina Rebecca Brodie
8) Henrietta Ann Alston (1840-1915) - m. Joseph J. Taylor
9) Adeline Eugenia Alston (1843-1915) - m. Benjamin R. Bryan
 

DELIA ALSTON (May 17, 1829- July 2, 1914)
Husband: JOHN BAKER DeGRAFFENRIED (1823-1899)
Their Child:
1) Martha Ermine DeGraffenried (1848-1921)- m. Thomas Lamar Peay (1846-1916)

 

That we have allotted to ADALINE E. ALSTON the youngest child of the said JOHN JONES ALSTON the following slaves at the valuations annexed:

MARY - $300
CASWELL - 400
PUDDY - 175
MINERVA - 433
PEGGY - 250

ALFRED - 125
HENRY - 450
LESSY - 500
JORDAN - 150
 

We have alloted to Mrs. Adaline Alston the widow of the said John Jones Alston the remaining one hundred and five slaves at the end of said two years:  

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In the will of her father's 1838 will, Adeline Williams received a number of slaves as follows:

Will of MAJ. WILLIAM WILLIAMS-1838
Warren County, North Carolina
Will Book 37, Page 20

Item. I give and devise to my daughter ADALINE ALSTON all the Negroe slaves and other effects heretofore put in her possession in addition thereto I give to my said daughter ADALINE at the death of my wife Negroes MARIAH and her children WASHINGTON, SAM, JOHN, WILLIAM, MINERVA & MATILDA and also MINERVA's child ADALINE and their future increase.

Additional info thanks to the records of Steven Brooks & Beverly Wiggins