Erasmus Culpepper of Nash Co., NC1

Male, #9458, (circa 1742 - circa 1782)

ParentBenjamin Culpepper the Ferryman2 (say 1721 - 1772)
ParentElizabeth (?) (circa 1721 - before May 1789)
Erasmus Culpepper of Nash Co., NC|b. circa 1742\nd. circa 1782|p9458.htm|Benjamin Culpepper the Ferryman|b. say 1721\nd. 1772|p9905.htm|Elizabeth (?)|b. circa 1721\nd. before May 1789|p9906.htm|Benjamin Culpepper son of Robert|b. say 1698\nd. circa 1746|p3211.htm|Martha (?)|b. say 1696\nd. after 1746|p41316.htm|||||||

Birth*circa 1742 Erasmus was born at Edgecombe Co., North Carolina, circa 1742. 
 He was the son of Benjamin Culpepper the Ferryman and Elizabeth (?).2 
Marriage*17 Aug 1765 He married Chloe Whitehead at Edgecombe Co., North Carolina, on 17 Aug 1765.3,4 
(heir) Will15 Apr 1767 In Benjamin Culpepper the Ferryman's will on 15 Apr 1767 at Edgecombe Co., North Carolina, Erasmus was named as an heir.
     The full text of the will reads more or less as follows, with slight editing for clarity:
          In the Name of God Amen. I Benjamin Culpepper of Edgecombe County being in Perfect Health Praised be God do make Constitute and order this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following.
          Item: I give and Bequeath to my I lend to my Loving Wife Elizabeth During of her Widowhood two Negroes, Toney and Fibb, one Feather Bed and Furniture and five Cows and Calves and one mare.
          I give and bequeath to my loving Daughter Rahab Whitehead one Negro named Robbin, three Hundred and twelve Acres of Land lying on the North side of Mochsin [Moccasin] Creek in Edgecombe County to her and her heirs for ever.
          Item: I give and Bequeath to my Loving Daughter Martha Manning one Negro named Dinah to her and her heirs forever and two hundred Acres of Land lying on the South Side of Peachtree Creek to her and her heirs forever.
          Item: I give and bequeath to my loving Daughter Elizabeth Culpepper one Negro Boy called Jessy and Feather Bed and Furniture and two hundred Acres of land lying on the North Side of Peachtree [Creek] with a Plantation belonging there to her and her heirs forever.
          Item: I Give and bequeath to my loving Son Arasmus Culpepper Three hundred and twenty acres of land lying on the South Side of Fishing Creek with two Plantations belonging to its [sic] to him and his heirs lawfully begotten of his body and one Negro named Will, Negro Called Moll, Negro Boy called Peter, Negro girl called Doll, Negro Boy called Tom
          and also two negros named Toney and Fibb, after the Old woman's [wife Elizabeth's] death or widowhood [willed to her above]
          and as for my cattle, hog and horses, them to be sold and the money equally divided amongst them [presumably meaning "the above mentioned children"].
          And lastly I do hereby Constitute and ordain Erasmus Culpepper my sole ... executor of this my last will and testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 15 day of April and in the Year of our Lord 1767. Wit: Thomas Whitehead, Nathan Whitehead. Edgecombe County, August Court, 1772, will proved by the oath of Thomas Whitehead..5 
Deed*24 Oct 1772 He granted a deed to Henry Whitehead witnessed by Thomas Whitehead and Isabell Whitehead on 24 Oct 1772 at Edgecombe Co., North Carolina.
(Book 2, page 29, deed date 24 Oct 1772, recorded Nov Ct 1772. Erasmus Culpepper, Edgecombe Co., to Henry Whitehead, for love and affection for my nephew, the said Henry Whitehead and me hereunto moving, a tract of 312 acres on Mochason Creek granted by Granville on 3 July 1760 beginning at a sassafras below his plantation then north 160 poles to two pines then west 312 poles to a white oak then south 160 poles to a gum then the various courses of the creek east 312 poles to the first station, signed Erasmus Culpepper, wit. Thomas Whitehead, Esabel Whitehead (X) (her mark).).6 
Revolutionary War*between 1775 and 1783 He provided service in the American Revolutionary War between 1775 and 1783
(DAR Listing: Erasmus Culpepper, born circa 1745 in North Carolina, died before 6 Feb 1783 in North Carolina, married Chloe Whitehead, Patriotic Service, North Carolina).7 
Tax roll*between 1780 and 1782 He registered to pay taxes at Nash Co., North Carolina, between 1780 and 1782.8 
Death*circa 1782 He died at Nash Co., North Carolina, circa 1782.9 
Biography* Erasmus Culpepper was born in Edgecombe Co. NC about 1744 or before. He remained in Edgecombe Co. and finally lived in that part of Edgecombe that became Nash Co. in 1777.
     He first appeared in the records in Edgecombe Co. on 17 Aug 1765 when he married Chloe Whitehead. Thomas Whitehead was the witness. Assuming that he was about 21 years of age when he married, this would place his date of birth about 1744.
     In Oct 1772, Erasmus Culpepper sold to his nephew, Henry Whitehead, for love and affection, 312 acres on the bank of Moccasin Creek beginning below his plantation, it being a Granville grant bearing date 3 Jul 1760. Wit: Thomas Whitehead, Esabel (X) Whitehead (Edgecombe Deed Co. Deed Bk. 2-29).
     In Nov 1772, Erasmus Culpepper of Edgecombe sold to his brother-in-law, Willoby Manning, for love and affection. 200 acres on the banks of both Little and Great Peachtree Creek, as sold to Benjamin Culpepper by William Wilder. Wit: Thomas Whitehead (Edgecombe Co. Deed Bk 2-28).
     In Nov 1772, Erasmus Culpepper sold to his brother-in-law Thomas Whitehead, for love and affection, a tract of 200 acres on the north bank of Peachtree Creek at mouth of Pace's Branch. Witnesses were Reuben Wheless and Williby (M) Manning (Edgecombe Deed Bk 2-29).
     In Jan 1775, John Ratley of Edgecombe Co. sold Erasmus Culpepper 100 acres on the north side of Cain's Beaver Dan Swamp and on Collins' branch adjoining Lam'l Nicholson, it being part of a deed to Nathanial Powell. Witnesses were James Grant and John (X) Ozly (Edgecombe Deed Bk. 2-168).
     In Nov 1775, James Cain of Edgecombe sold Erasmus Culpepper 180 acres on the north bank of Beaver Dam Swamp. Witnesses were Wright Nicholson, David Nicholson, and Isaac Kirk (Edgecombe Deed Bk. 3-111).
     Also in Nov 1775, Nathaniel (X) Powell of Edgecombe sold Erasmus Culpepper 200 acres for 20 pds. on the north bank of Cain's Beaver Dam Swamp and on Collin's Branch adjoining James Cain, Lemuel Nicholson, and the road. Witnesses were Shadrach Weaver, Sedie (X) Powell, and Isaac Kirk.
     He died about 1783, at which time Chloe Culpepper was appointed to take an inventory of his estate. Apparently very soon after this, Chloe Culpepper remarried William Wright. In 1784 Thomas Whitehead posted a bond for guardianship of Polly Culpepper, orphan of Erasmus Culpepper. Four documents in Nash County record mention various heirs who received shares of Erasmus' estate.
          1. In Sept 1783 there was a division of the negroes of Erasmus Culpepper among the widow and orphans (unnamed) of the deceased so that the widow, Cloey Culpepper, could receive her share (Estate Book 14, #228, p.109).
          2. In May 1793 there were three divisions of Erasmus' land among heirs. A survey defined the land as follows: "North Carolina, Nash County, run out and surveyed for the Heirs of ERASMUS CULPEPPER, a tract or parcel of land lying on the south side of Fishing Creek, containing three hundred and seven acres, and bounded as follows (to wit) Beginning at a Beech, on the bank of the Creek, Nathan Powell’s corner, thence along his line South 166 poles to a pine, a corner tree, thence west 204 poles to a pine on the side of a branch thence down the branch 50 poles to a Pine a corner tree on said Branch, thence along the road leading to the Bridge 140 poles to a Poplar at the Spring, thence down the Spring Branch to the Creek, and so down the Creek to the first station…. The rest of this document divides this land into three plots:
               a. One gave 130 acres to Matthew Culpepper (Book 14, #219, p.100).
               b. One gave land to Osburne and John Culpepper (Book 14, #250, p.124).
               c. The third division gave 82 acres to Erasmus Culpepper (Jr.), 109 acres to Nathan Culpepper, and 166 acres to Sampson Culpepper, all lying on the south side of Fishing Creek adjacent to Nathan Powell (Book 14, #243, p.120).
     An undated document executed around 1812 was a petition by William Wright and wife, Chloe Wright for dower. She was widow of Erasmus Culpepper.
     The 31 Jan 1816, Nash Co. Will of Chloe Wright specifies sons: Matthew Culpepper, Osborne Culpepper, Nathan Culpepper, Erasmus Culpepper, John Culpepper, William Wright; and daughters: Mary Daniel Huldy Powell, Elizabeth Taylor. Exrs: sons Matthew and Erasmus Culpepper.
     The 1818, Nash Co. Petition for sale of the dower of the widow of Erasmus Culpepper the elder, for division among the heirs, who were John Culpepper, who has sold his right to Willis Powell; Matthew Culpepper; Nathan Culpepper; Erasmus Culpepper; Osborne Culpepper, dec'd, leaving as his heirs at law Benjamin Culpepper, Elizabeth, wife of John Dortch, Lemuel Culpepper and Nancy D. Culpepper, the last two being infants with Matthew Culpepper as guardian. Said Nathan Culpepper lives in Warren Co., GA.
(Names referenced above: Erasmus Culpepper of Nash Co., NC Erasmus Culpepper of Nash Co., NC). 
Descendant* See footnote for the name and contact info of a descendant of Erasmus Culpepper of Nash Co., NC who would like to communicate with other descendants; Warren Culpepper.10 

Family

Chloe Whitehead (circa 1748 - before May 1818)
Marriage*17 Aug 1765 He married Chloe Whitehead at Edgecombe Co., North Carolina, on 17 Aug 1765.3,4 
Children

Charts Descendants of Benjamin Culpepper of Edgecombe Co., NC (Six generations)
Warren Culpepper's Ancestry Chart
Last Edited 8 Nov 2007

Citations

  1. The origin of Erasmus Culpepper's name is not known. It may have come from a scholarly parent, or perhaps it came down from his mother's line. As the name Erasmus is quite distinctive, brief biographical sketchs excerpted from Britannica OnLine of two historical Erasmuses follows.
         Saint Erasmus: Also called Elmo (d. 303?, Formia, Italy), Saint Erasmus was an early Christian bishop, martyr, and one of the patron saints of sailors. He is romantically associated with Saint Elmo's fire (the glow accompanying the brushlike discharges of atmospheric electricity that appears as a tip of light on the masts of ships during stormy weather) as the visible sign of his guardianship over them. Erasmus is one of the Fourteen Holy Helpers, a group of saints conjointly venerated in medieval Germany. Several spurious acta have embellished his legend. According to these, he was a bishop in Syria who miraculously endured tortures under Diocletian in Lebanon, after which he was guided by an angel to Formia, where he performed many miracles. Later legends attest that he was martyred by being disemboweled; thus, as a Holy Helper, he was invoked by those suffering from intestinal maladies. Elmo is an Italian corruption (through Sant' Ermo) of St. Erasmus; other derivations include Ramus, Eramus, Ermus, Ermo, and Telmo. His legendary narrative is in Acta Sanctorum.
         Desiderius Erasmus: Born in Rotterdam in 1469, Desiderius Erasmus was the greatest European scholar of the 16th century. Using the philological methods pioneered by Italian humanists, he helped lay the groundwork for the historical-critical study of the past, especially in his studies of the Greek New Testament and the Church Fathers. His educational writings contributed to the replacement of the older scholastic curriculum by the new humanist emphasis on the classics. By criticizing ecclesiastical abuses, while pointing to a better age in the distant past, he encouraged the growing urge for reform, which found expression both in the Protestant Reformation and in the Catholic Counter-Reformation. Finally, his independent stance in an age of fierce confessional controversy--rejecting both Luther's doctrine of predestination and the powers that were claimed for the papacy--made him a target of suspicion for loyal partisans on both sides and a beacon for those who valued liberty more than orthodoxy.
  2. In his will, Benjamin named his son Erasmus as an heir and executor.
  3. North Carolina Division of Archives and History, compiler, North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868, Online database at Ancestry.com, 2000.
    http://www.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=4802
    Erasmus Culpepper to marry Chloe Whitehead, Bond Date: 17 Aug 1765 in Edgecombe Co., NC, Record No. 01043, Bondsman: Thomas Whitehead, Witness: J. Hall, Bond No. 000043250.
  4. North Carolina State Archives, compiler, North Carolina Marriage Collection, 1741-2000, Online database at Ancestry.com, 2005.
    http://content.ancestry.com/iexec/?htx=List&dbid=8909
    Erasmus Culpepper, Male, married Chloe Whitehead on 17 Aug 1765 in Edgecombe Co., NC.
  5. Transcribed by Lew Griffin from LDS Film 1548857.
  6. Abstracted 5-23-05, NCA film C.037.40005, CTC.
  7. DAR Patriot Index, Washington, DC: National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, 2003.
  8. Erasmus Culpepper, Nash Co., NC, 1780 & 1782 Tax List.
  9. Joseph W. Watson, Abstracts of early records of Nash county, North Carolina 1777-1859, Rocky Mount, NC: Dixie Letter Service, 1963.
    p 171.
  10. Warren L. Culpepper, Publisher of Culpepper Connections, See link below for e-mail address.