Harmon Gurkin

Harmon Gurkin

Research by Jane Stubbs Bailey

HARMON GURKIN; SON OF CHARLES OF 1793 WILL GRANDSON OF BENJAMIN OF 1800 WILL FATHER OF CHARLES, JAMES, HORACE, WILLIAM A., HENRY B. AND POSSIBLY OTHER GURKINS.

Land settlements between 1801 and 1804 in Beaufort County show the relationship between Hermon/Harmon Gurkin, son of Charles, to the children of Benjamin Gurkin of the 1800 will. Though the name is spelled Hermon in the 1793 will, subsequent deeds, using Harmon, indicate that son Hermon is the Harmon who appears in later records. Harmon Gurkin was born circa 1785 and died by April 1845.

1781/86. Charles Gurkin had Beaufort County Entry of 100 acres S side Rossey Swamp, Joining Jaycoxes line to the sd swamp. [This is near the land of John Waters].

1790 Census. Beaufort County. Charles Girkin 1 male over 16 plus 2 males under 16 & 2 Females.

1793 will of Charles Gurkin asked his brother Zachariah to supervise the education of Charles' children, Elisha, Herman [Harmon] and Sarah. [See Charles Gerkin's Will. Charles' brothers Zachariah & Benjamin are his executors]

1800. Will of Benjamin Gurkin. Benjamin's sons are Zachariah and Benjamin. His daughters are Nellie [Ellender] and Hannah Dixon, wife of George Dixon. Witnesses are William Boyd who later, with Sarah Boyd, witnessed transactions involving Harmon Gurkin. Charles Gurkin is not mentioned in this will as he died in 1794.

1800 Census. Zachariah Gurkin is in Washington County with himself listed as a male 26-45. He also has a male 10-16. Is this Harmon for whom Zachariah is responsible? Females in household: 2 aged 26-45, 1 aged 16-26 and 1 aged 10-16.

By 1801 Zachariah Gurkin died and his sister, brother and nephew Harmon were listed as heirs in several Beaufort County deeds.

1801 June 8. Michael Wollard to Eleanor Gurkin and Benjamin Gurkin and Harmon Gurkin, heirs of Zachariah Gurkin, for Ł7 14s 4d, 100 acres which sd Wollard purchased of Thomas Jackson on road to Edenton...W side Cypress Branch...Cedar Swamp. I agree that 15 acres sold by Zachariah Gurkin should be excepted. Wit: Wm Boyd [Witness to 1800 will of Benj Gurkin], Wm Perkins. Sept Term 1804, William Boyd [Bft DB 8, 79]

1804 June 6. Michael Wollard Jr was highest bidder at sheriff's sale for the land mentioned in the June 8, 1801 deed. Wit: Thomas Blount, Wm Boyd. [Bft DB 8, 91]

1804 Deeds show Harmon Gurkin giving up rights to land he had heired from his uncle Zachariah Gurkin to uncle Benjamin and aunt Eleanor. Witnesses are William and Sarah Boyd.

1804 July 6. Harmon Gurkin to Benjamin Gurkin, uncle of sd Harmon. For a horse named Stewart that I gave at the vendue of my uncle Zachariah all right to land left me by the death of my uncle Zachariah. Wit: Wm Boyd, Sarah Boyd. Sept Term 1804 by oath of Wm Boyd. [Bft DB 8, 81]

1804 August 18. Benjamin Gurkin and Eleanor Gurkin heirs of Zachariah dec'd agree that Benjamin is to give up tract south side Cedar Swamp known as Templetons old place to Eleanor. Eleanor gives up right to estate of her Brother Zachariah Dec'd as well also the right he bought of Harmon Gurkin the other heir. Wit: Wm Boyd, John Moore. [Bft DB 8, 95]

No mention of Harmon Gurkin for awhile, but Benjamin Gurkin has many more males in his household than are mentioned in his will. Did Harmon live with Benjamin for awhile?

In 1823 Harmon Gurkin obtained land in Martin County.

1823 March 4. State Grant #486 to Harmon Gurkin. 100 acres at mouth of Jack's Branch where it empties into Welch's Creek up the run of the Creek S 15 W 94 poles to the heirs of William Adams, dec'd thence along that line N 80 W 32 poles N 86 W 70 poles S 69 W 50 poles supposed to be Silas Ange's line then N 15 E 94 poles to the run of Jack's Branch thence down the run of sd branch to the beginning. Entered 4 March 1823. Chain carriers were William Watson and Hezekiah Harris. Reg 11 Aug 1832? [Martin DB G, 472] March 24, 1803. Will of William Adams. Wife, Judah. Sons are Joseph, James and William Adams. Daughters are Nancy and Charlotte Adams, Ellender Hambleton. Grandau Clary Hambleton. others mentioned are Lazarus Hambleton. Witnesses are George Stubbs, John Brown Jr., William Davis. [Martin Co Will Book 1, 425]

1827 July 21. Stancel Bayner of Martin Co to Horace Gurkin of Martin, for $.94, one bay mare and bay colt. Wit: Willy Bayner, J. G. Mizell. Sept Term 1828 proven in court by oath of Willy Bayner. Ordered Registered. [Martin DB H, 300]

To give a young man a mare and colt at such a low price sounds like a gift from a relative. Did Harmon Gurkin marry a Baynor? April 25, 1832 Willie Baynor was mentioned in the will of Hardy Clements of Martin Co. Also mentioned were Edward Mizell, Thos Davis, James G. Mizell, Joseph H. Adams, Stark W. Smithwick, Kenneth Lanier. October 1, 1832 Wily Bayner left a will in Beaufort Co and mentioned lands he possessed in both Beaufort and Martin counties.

1830 Census Washington County. Harmon Gurkin. age 40-50. So born circa 1785
Female in household also age 40-50.
Males in his household:
1 male under 5
2 males 5-10
1 male 15-20
1 female 10-15
1 female 15-20
Harmon Gurkins' eldest son Charles appeared in the 1830 Bertie County census. The 4 males in Harmon's 1830 household were evidently James, Horace, William A. and Henry B. The two younger females could have been daughters.

Benjamin Gurkin, Harmon's uncle, died between December 8 when he wrote his will and May 1831 when his estate sale was held. Harmon Gurkin was a purchaser at his uncle's sale.

1831 May Term, Beaufort County. Sale of Benjamin Gurkin's property. Purchasers included Sarah Gerkin, Zachariah Gurkin, Harmond Girkin, Bethuel Girkin, Reading Gurkin, William Girkin, Charles Gurkin. [Camin, Bft Orphans B, pages 40-41]

Sarah Gurkin would have been Benjamin's wife. Zachariah, Bethuel, Reading, and Charles were sons of Benjamin Gurkin, named in his 1830 will. Harmon was his nephew. The William Gurkin at the sale was evidently the son of Frederick Gurkin. William married Mary Harrison September 26, 1830 and was a resident of Beaufort County.

1833 Feb 18. Joseph H. Adams, Martin Co, [son of William Adams of 1803 will and so living near the grant Harmon Gurkin got in 1823] to Horace Gherkin, Martin Co, for $90.00, 60 acres land in Martin Co on Welshes Creek beg at the mouth of the Great Beaver Dam branch thence the Branch to Silas Ange's line so as to contain the aforesd 60 acres out of a deed granted to William Adams from Joseph Hutson. Wit: Thos Harris, J. G. Mizell. Proved in Oct Term 1834 court by oath of Thomas Harris. [Martin DB K, 144] description of land shows Horace buying land near his father Harmon.

1839 July 8. Horace Gurkin, Wash Co, to Wm. A. Gurkin, Martin Co, for $150, 60 acres land bounded by land of Hezekiah Harris, Ange and others lying on Welches Creek. Wit: Wm Gray, Wm Carkeet. [Martin DB M, 171] selling his brother family land?

1838 Dec 15. James and wife Earline Girkin, Washington Co, to Harmon Girkin of Martin County...for $20, a certain tract or parcel of land lying in Washington County on E side of Welch's Creek butted and bounded as follows; beginning at a sweet gum near the creek, corner of the lands laid off for the heirs of Thomas Stewart Dec'd, Scotland, then along the creek 90 S 10 E 100 poles to a forked cypress on the S side of the bridge where William Adams dec'd, binding 3 S 85 E 80 poles to a persimmon and black gum in a branch then N 10 W 100 poles to a pine in the line of the aforesaid heirs of Thomas Stewart then along that line N 85 W 80 poles to the first station. Wit: John M. Bateman, Omeda W. Davis. [Wash Co DB H, 262]

1840 Census Washington County. Horace Girkin appears as a male 20-30 with a son under 5. James Girkin appears as a male 30-40, with 2 males under 5. He also has a male 60-70. Is that a possible father-in-law?

1840 Census. Martin County Harmon Girkin. Age 50-60. Instead of 4 males he is down to 2. One male is 10-15. One male is 15-20. Horace and James have established their own households.

1845 April 5. Charles Latham, Sheriff of Washington Co, to Horace Gurkin of Wash Co. A writ of Fi. Fi. issued from Martin Co at instance of Amalick C. Williams against the heirs at law of Harmon Gurkin dec'd directed against the lands of Harmon Gurkin dec'd returnable on the 2nd Monday of April 1845 to the county court. Sheriff sold one tract of land adjoining the lands of Thomas Everett, David Griffin and others containing 50 acres, being Harmon Gurkins undivided interest in said land which interest is about 1/2 of the property of the sd Harmon Gurkin for want of goods and chattels. Horace, for $2.00, was the highest bidder. [Wash Co DB J, 31-32]

Other deeds which are included in Gurkin Land for Martin and Washington Counties show continuous interaction and cooperation among Horace, Wm A., James, and Henry B. Gurkin. Please note sales, mortgages and witnessing deeds among them.

1850 Census Washington County. Two males could possibly be the younger sons of Harmon Gurkin. Henry B. Gurkins is listed as age 22, carpenter, living with Allen Osborne above him and William A. Gurkin below him. This William A. Gurkin is 30, a farmer, with wife Penny [Jackson], daughter Mary E. age 5, Wm G. age 2, Harmon, aged 8/12. [named for his deceased grandfather?]

In the 1840 Census Harmon had one male age 10-15. This could fit Henry B. Gurkins who is 22 in 1850. In the 1840 Census Harmon had one male 15-20. This could fit William A. Gurkin, age 30.

The name Charles, possibly for the father of Harmon, is used for sons of Horace and Henry B. while William A. names a son for his father Harmon.

HARMON'S WIFE AND CHILDREN

The 1980 publication of Martin County, North Carolina's Heritage Book, 201, states that Harmon Gurkins' wife's name was Nancy. His son Charles Gurkin was born August 2, 1807 and his son James Gurkin was born November 10, 1809. Stanley West who provided the information said it came from Ange Family papers.

Harmon's wife: Nancy [Adams or Ange?]. Unfortunately Stanley West's information did not give the maiden name of Harmon's wife. Harmon Gurkins' 1823 land grant described above showed that he lived near Silas Ange and William Adams. William Adams' 1804 Martin County Will named his daughter Nancy Adams. It is likely that Harmon's wife Nancy was either an Adams or an Ange. Descendants could look at land records in Martin County to see if deeds involving the Adams and Ange families might provide more genealogical data. In 1833 Joseph H. Adams, son of William Adams and thus brother of Nancy Adams, sold land to Harmon Gurkin's son Horace Gurkin. Whether he acted as relative or neighbor is unknown.

Harmon Gurkin's Children

1) Charles Gurkin, born August 2, 1807, died before 1850. Married by 1836 Elizabeth (?), born November 22, 1814, died March 29, 1871. Son Charles Gurkin, born October 31, 1837, died March 14, 1895. Married Mary Louise ?, born November 10, 1836, died October 13, 1912. [The birth and death information for the wife of Charles Gurkin and his son and son's wife comes from the records of the Episcopal Church Cemetery in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Also in the cemetery are buried Eugene Levening Gurkin, born August 27, 1867, died October 24, 1867 and L. G. Gurkin, born November 10, 1870, died July 28, 1899.]

Charles Gurkin appeared as single male head of household, age 20-30 [he was 23] in the 1830 census of Bertie County, North Carolina. Warren Gurkin, a descendant of Harmon Gurkin, checked the index to deeds in Bertie County without finding a purchase or sale of land by Charles Gurkin. On February 23, 1833 Charles Gurkin, for $130, bought land in Elizabeth City, Pasquotank County, North Carolina from Abner Williams [Pasq. Co Deed Book BB, 343]. Abner Williams left a Martin County will, dated February 5, 1856 and proven July 1857. In his will he mentioned Elizabeth City and Pasquotank County. When Charles Gurkin bought his land in Pasquotank County, he bought from a Martin County acquaintance.

By the 1850 census, Charles Gurkin had died. His widow Elizabeth was head of household.

Pasquotank County, North Carolina 1850 Census.

HH #814

Elizabeth Girkins age 36 White

Charles age 13 White

Lydia Sawyer age 67 White

Nancy Griffin age 7 Black

Elizabeth Guirkin appeared as head of household in the 1860 Pasquotank County Census, Elizabeth City. By 1870 Charles Guirkin, son of Charles and Elizabeth, appeared as head of household in the Pasquotank County Census, Elizabeth City.

2) James Gurkin, born November 10, 1809, died after 1850. Married by 1838 Eveline Stubbs, born circa 1821, died after 1844, daughter of George Stubbs and Amelia (Griffin) Moss Stubbs. George Stubbs had witnessed the 1804 Martin County will of William Adams whose land adjoined that of Harmon Gurkin in Martin County. James and Eveline (Stubbs) Gurkin acted together in an 1838 Washington County deed when they sold Eveline's part of her mother's land to Harmon Gurkin [Washington County Deed Book H, p. 262]. Eveline (Stubbs) Gurkin witnessed when in 1844 her mother Amelia (Griffin) Moss Stubbs mortgaged her land to William A. Gurkin [Washington County Deed Book J, p. 557].

James Gurkin appeared as head of household in the 1840 Washington County Census.

1840 Washington County Census

James Girkin age 30-40 1 female age 20-30

2 males age 0-5 2 females age 0-5

1 male age 60-70

James Gerkins appeared alone in Washington County's 1850 census, household #207, Plymouth District. His age was listed as 42. This would tie in with his birth date of November 10, 1809. Census ages were usually approximate. No further information.

3) Daughter Gurkin, born circa 1810? A female, age 15-20 appeared in Harmon Gurkin's 1830 Washington County household. Presumably she was his daughter.

4) Horace Gurkin, born January 12, 1812, died March 16, 1885. Married Nancy Davis, born March 12, 1816, died March 12, 1890. The information on Horace Gurkin comes from the family Bible of his grandson Alfred F. Guirkin now in the possession of Margaret Guirkin Reid, great great-granddaughter of Horace Gurkin. Alfred F. Guirkin was son of Horace's son Henry A. Gurkin and his wife Martha E. (Turner) Gurkin. Horace and his family are listed in the descendant section of this site.

5) Daughter Gurkin, born circa 1818? A female, age 10-15 appeared in Harmon Gurkin's 1830 Washington County household. Presumably she was his daughter.

6) William A. Gurkin, born circa 1820, died after 1860. Married by 1844 Penelope Jackson, daughter of Isaac Jackson and his wife Nancy (Stubbs) Jackson [Beaufort County Deed Book 28, p. 77]. William A. Gurkin and his wife Penelope appeared together in the 1850 and 1860 Washington County census. Their children in those census records were Mary E., born circa 1845, William G., born circa 1848, Harmon, born circa 1850, and Martha E., born circa 1855. Mary E. Gurkin married in Washington County on January 8, 1866 Charles Brice [Brisco?]. William A. Gurkin and his brother Henry B. Gurkin were in adjoining households in the 1850 Washington County Census. William A. Gurkin and Henry B. Gurkin interacted with Horace and James Gurkin in Martin County and Washington County deeds. In 1869 two of William A. Gurkin's children sold their share in land that had been left to them and to their sister Martha E. Gurkin and their brother H. H. [Harmon] Gurkin. The deed is in Martin County Deed Book T, pages 680-681. The sellers were William G. Gurkin and his wife Julia A. Gurkin of Bertie County and C. N. Brice and his wife Mary E. of Washington County. William G. [Gray] Gurkin has deeds listed in Bertie County, NC.

7) Henry B. Gurkin, born circa 1828, died after 1860. Married circa 1850 Sarah A. Children as listed in the 1860 Washington County census are William H., born circa 1851, Mary A., born circa 1856, and Charles F., born circa 1858. Henry B. Gurkin and his brother William A. Gurkin were in adjoining households in the 1850 Washington County census. Henry B. Gurkin interacted with his brothers William A. Gurkin, James Gurkin, and Horace Gurkin in Martin County and Washington County deeds. Horace Gurkin named his son Henry Gurkin, probably in honor of his brother.

DEATH OF HARMON GURKIN

Washington County Deed Book J, pages 31-32 refers to the death of Harmon Gurkin. On April 5, 1845 Amalick C. Williams, undoubtedly a relative of the Abner Williams who sold Charles Gurkin his first land in Pasquotank County as noted above, had a debt "against the heirs at law of Harmon Gurkin, dec'd."