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BUTTERWOOD PLANTATION

Littleton, Halifax County, North Carolina

Willis Alston, congressman, was born at the family plantation on Fishing Creek, near Littleton, in Halifax County. His parents were John Alston (1740–84) and Ann Hunt Macon (ca 1759-1797), daughter of Gideon and Priscilla Jones Macon and sister of Nathaniel Macon. After the death of John, she married William Green (1739-1799) of Warren Co., son of Thomas Edward Green & Burchett Lundy. The interrelated Alston, Seawell, Jones, Hawkins, and Macon families furnished many political leaders to Halifax and Warren counties.
Willis Alston was married twice, first to Pattie Moore of Halifax County and second to Sarah (Sallie) Madeline Potts of Wilmington. There were no children of the first marriage, but five were born of the second union: Charles; Ariella, who married James B. Hawkins; Leonidas; Missouri, who married Archibald Davis Alston (1817-1899) of Saxham Hall Plantation in Warren Co.; and Edgar. Alston died in Halifax and was buried in the private burying ground at his plantation Butterwood, not far from where he was born. Willis inherited several tracts of land from his father in 1784, and it was likely that Butterwood was part of one of those tracts originally owned by his father. He also had land from his father's plantation called Gretna Green, which Willis left to his own son, Edgar.

Willis & Madeline Potts-Alston children were:
Charles Julian Peydrus Alston (1818-1890)
Ariella A. Alston (1821-1902)
Leonidas Alston (1822-1849)
Missourianna Mexicana Florida Alston (1824-1868)
Edgar Alston (1827-1848)

Willis' father, John Alston (ca 1740-1784 Halifax Co, NC) was the son of Joseph John Alston (ca 1701-1781 Halifax Co,NC)and Elizabeth Chauncey/Chancey (ca 1701-1736). John had inherited land from his father described in Joseph John Alston's will as "all my Land that lies on Reedy Creek, Fishing Creek, Benns Creek and Long Branch on the South Side Butterwood or the waters thereof consisting of sundry Defor't tracts". Joseph John was the son of the original ALSTON immigrant, John Alston (1677-1758 Chowan Co.,NC) and his wife, Mary, who is now believed (in 2017) to have possibly been Mary Baker, daughter of Henry Baker, of Isle of Wight County, VA. John Alston's Chowan Co. 1759.

John & Anne Hunt Macon-Alston's children were:
Joseph John Alston (1763-1848)
Anne Hunt Alston (ca 1764-)
Gideon Alston (1765-1831)
Willis Alston (ca 1769- 1837)
Robert West Alston (1781-1859)
Priscilla Jones Alston (ca 1783-)

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Slaves named in the Will of GIDEON ALSTON (1765-1831):

To daughter BETSEY C. ALSTON:
ROSE, FED, DRED, EASTER, BELINDA, AGGY & EDY, AGGY's child & ISAAC

To GIDEON ALSTON HARRIS, son of my deceased daughter TEMPERANCE:
BUCK, DANIEL, MARINA and her child ELIZABETH

To STEPHEN BOBBITT, son of deceased daughter TEMPERANCE:
NED & LARRA

To daughter MARYAN BOBBITT:
MARTIN, SARAH, LYDIA, NANCY & TIPPO

To daughter FRANCES:
DANIEL & LOUISA

To daughter ARRABELLA:
MINERVA & BOB

To daughter AMMARILLA
BRADY & HAGAR

To son JESSE A. ALSTON:
WILEY, SETH, & BARBARY

Lend to son ERASMUS ALSTON, to be in the care for my son JOHN:
HENRY, BUCK & BRIDGET

To daughter MATILDA:
VIOLET, FELISHA, JEMIMA Jun'r, CINTHIA & CORNELA, LUCY, EUPHAMA & GEORGE

To daughter DOLLY C. ALSTON:
GRACE & BOWERS

Halifax County
Records of Estates 1828-1835
Page 375

Distribution of the Slaves of GIDEON ALSTON, 1831

Agreeable to the annexed order, we the undersigned Commissioners have proceeded to divide and allot to the legatees of the late GIDEON ALSTON dec'd the personal property in the following manner, viz-
Lot No.1 was drawn by FRANCIS ALSTON and consisted of the following property-
Negroes DICK - valued at $500.00
ARTHUR - $100
ADELINE- $350
JINNY - $125
CHANY (blk)-$160
HESTER - $125
CHANEY (yellow)- $135
Lot No.1 is to receive from lot No.2 $21.25/100

Lot No.2 was drawn by WILLIAM DANIEL in rights of his wife DOROTHY and consisted of the following Negroes-
HARDY valued at $470
MANUEL - $200
NANCY - $125
RANEY - $200
HARRIET - $200
MADISON - $100
EDWARD - $50
SALLY - $125
GEMIMA - $75

Lot No.3 was drawn by HENRY MACON in right of his wife AREBELLA and consisted of the following Negroes-
MATTHEW valued at $250
HORACE -$300
HELEN - $325
MARIAH - $275
ARRETHA - $180
TOM - $165
PATTY - $25

Lot No.4 was drawn by AMIRILLA ALSTON and consisted of the following Negroes-
JOE valued at $250
SAM - $275
CAROLINE - $300
SUSAN - $325
CORRENA - $180
CHARITY - $160
WILLIAM - $75
Sixty dollars is allowed her for keeping Old LYDIA. Lot No.4 is to receive from Lot No. 2 $7. 50/100 and from Lot No.3 $4.75/100

GEO. HARPER
WM. W. THORNE
JOS. JNO. WILLIAMS
HENRY HARRIS

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Slaves named in Will of JOHN ALSTON (ca 1740-1784):

To wife ANN HUNT (MACON)ALSTON:
OLD GIBB, HARREY, FREDERICK, ISOM, CREES, HAGAR, AMEY, OLD JUDAH

To son JOSEPH JOHN ALSTON:
LUCY, DAVY, DARBY, STEPHEN ANNACA, LITTLE HAGAR, LITTLE AMEY & BENBUCK

To son GIDEON ALSTON:
NED, LITTLE LUCY, MATHEW, LYDIA, LETTICE, SILLER, BECK

To son WILLIS ALSTON:
JOE, JOBIAN, BOB, HANNAH, BEN, DINAH

To son ROBERT WEST ALSTON:
JUDE, NED, LUCEY, FANNEY, LITTLE AGGY, FERREY & PETER

To daughter PRISCILLA JONES ALSTON:
PATT, REDICK, CHARITY, & BETTY

To daughter ANNE HUNT ALSTON:
SUKEY, PENNEY, JONEY & CHANEY

 

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Slaves named in the Will of ANNE HUNT (MACON) GREEN-1797:

To son WILLIS ALSTON:
ISHAM & GEORGE

To son ROBERT WEST ALSTON:
FREDERIC, HARRY, KINCHEN, SOLOMON, DARBY, AMY & CREESE

Slaves GIB, JUDY & HAGER to choose who they wish to live with.
 

Researched & transcribed by Deloris Williams