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Joseph Philips, Jr. is a son of Joseph Philips, Sr. who was
born 6 Nov 1726 in Surry County VA
Born: 31 Oct 1763
Died: 22 May 1822 Nashville, TN
Buried: Sylvan Hall Cemetery, Nashville, TN
Margaret
married Josiah Frederick Williams in 1815. Josiah came to the Nashville area with his father Elisha Williams from Franklin, NC. Elisha
was a close friend of Joseph Philips who was influencial in convincing Elisha to move his family to Nashville.
Click on the Cour De Lion link either here or at the top of the page to read more about Joseph and Elisha's
friendship.
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Joseph and Milbry's daughter Margaret Peggy Thomas Philips married Josiah Fredric Williams in 1815 in Nashville, TN.
Their son, James Horn Williams moved to Arkansas and married four times. He and his second wife, Julliette Marion "Nellie" Heath married
in 1858.
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The deed transfer directly below appears to describe the place near Tarboro NC where
Joseph Philips was living just prior to moving his family to Nashville TN in 1791.
Joseph Phillips of Edgecombe County to Exum Philips of same
13 Nov 1791
1000 pds silver and
gold
582 acres which was part of 3 tracts, 1 a patent to WILLIAM POPE 12 Jun 1730, 1 to Josiah Sykes 04 Aug 1741, and 1
to Joseph Philips, Sr. 19 Sept 1760 where said Joseph Phillips now lives and which his father willed to him on the south side
of SWIFT CREEK joining Etheldred Philips. Huccleberry Pond, Falling Runn, Rosses Pocosson, James Pitt, Aaron Miner, Long Branch.
Wit:
Wm. Fort, L. Ruffin
Edgecombe County, NC
Scale: 17 miles from Rocky Mount to Tarboro NC
Edgecombe Co. Db 6, page 232, deed date 30 Nov 1791, recorded Nov Ct
1791, Exum Philips, Edge. Co to Joseph Philips, for 226 pounds, 13 shillings, 5 pence silver and gold, Negroes; man named
Sam about 21 years old, woman named Venus about 25 years old with four children, Anthony, about 6 years, Isham, about 4 years,
Abram about 2 years and Will, about 6 months, signed Exum Philips, wit Wm. Fort, L. Ruffin. Abstracted 12-2-
04, NCA film
C.037.40007, CTC.
Edge. Co. Db 6, page 484, deed date
27 Feb 1792, recorded Aug Ct 1792
William Fort, High Sheriff of Edge. Co to Jesse Deloach, county
aforesaid; whereas James Eastwood obtained judgement against John Edge, Jr, dec'd and sheriff is ordered to take 76 pounds,
13 shillings 7 8 pence from John Edge's estate and sheriff sales at public auction a tract of land John Edge, Jr conveyed
by deed to James Edge, his son, and Jesse Deloach
was highest bidder at 60 pounds, 13 shillings, a tract of land on the north side of Tyan Cokey Swamp containing 200 acres
beginning at a pine an agreed corner in the Patent line then along
a line of marked trees an agreed line to a corner Watery oak in Tyancokey Swamp another agreed corner in the patent line then
along the patent line to the patent corner ash then along the patent line north to the patent corner a red oak then along
the patent line north 30 east 120 poles to the other patent corner a red oak then along the patent line north 78 poles to
a corner white oak another patent corner then west along the patent line to the first station, an agreed corner it being part
of a larger tract purchased by John Edge, Sen from Joseph Summer by deed date 16 July 1777, which bounds include the above
said tract of land, signed Wm. Fort, Sheriff, wit Joseph Philips, Jd.
Hilliard, proved by Jeremiah Hilliard. Abstracted 1-14-05, NCA
film
C.037.40008, CTC.
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1792, 21 December. Deed transferring 640 Acres
on Whites Creek to Joseph Philips signed. Proven in Davidson county court, July 30, 1793.
Notice Philips is spelled with two "L"s in this deed.
Click on the deed to either download a copy of this deed to your computer
where you can view it in a larger size or save it to your computer. | |
The above deed
contains the following information:
Joseph Phillips. Territory of the United
States
This
indenture made this twenty first day of Dec in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety two Between John
Crow and Thomas Shannon of the first and Joseph Phillips of the other part. Witnessed
that the said John Crow and Thomas Shannon have this day forward in consideration of the sum of one hundred and sixty pounds
Virginia currency have granted bargained sold liened and in so offered to the sd Joseph Phillips and his heirs forever one
certain tract or parcel of land lying and estuate in Davidson County in the territory of the United States south of the river
Ohio, containing six hundred and forty acres more or less on the waters of Whites
creek and on the northside of Cumburland river, it being a preemption granted to the said John Crow
by the State of North Carolina by patent bearing date April 17, 1786. Beginning at an
ironwood and hickory running thence first three hundred and twenty poles to two boxelders. Thence
south three hundred and twenty poles to an elm and sugar tree. Thence east three hundred
and twenty poles crossing two branches to a sugar tree. Thence north three hundred and
twenty poles crossing a branch to the beginning. To have and to hold the said tract of
land with the appurtenances then unto belonging. To the only use and behoof of the said
Joseph Phillips and his heirs forever and the said John Crow and Thomas Shannon do by these presents oblige themselves their
lives executors and administrators jointly and severally to warrant and forever defend the said tract of land containing six
hundred and forty acres more or less as aforesaid and every part and parcel thereof to the said Joseph Phillips and his heirs
forever. In testimony whereof we have here unto subscribed our names and offered our
seals the day and year first above written.
Signed John Crow L.S. Thomas
Shannon L.S.
Test John Overton
Received of Joseph Phillips on hundred
and sixty pounds Virginia currency being the consideration money of the within land witness our hands and seals the day and
date above written.
John Crow L.S. Thomas
Shannon L.S.
Test John Overton
Below is the
original land grant given to John Crow which Joseph Philips purchase from hm in 1792. The grant is one mile square,
reaching from Dickerson Road to White's Creek.
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The interactive
Google map below shows the location of Joseph Philips' land, where his house was located, and where the family cemetery, Sylvan
Hall, are located
Joseph Philips made
a surveying trip to Davidson County, North Carolina, from his home in Edgecombe County, North Carolina.
In 1791 he moved his family (his wife and three little daughters), belongings, including his livestock and twenty-five
slaves, to Davidson County. The trip was overland along a blazed trail.
His first house was built of logs. This home burned in 1804. This same year the lovely old home (now no more),
"Sylvan Hall," was built.
This house was said to have been one of the first brick houses in Davidson County, Tennessee. All the labor and
material, including the brick, were the work of his slaves. It is said his better trained slaves, who were fine artisans,
made the exquisite Hepplewhite furniture, which was designed by an itinerant cabinetmaker who supervised the execution of
his designs.
This furniture descended to a great granddaughter, Mary Philips Polk Moore, who now lived with her two married
children in the West.
The house remained in the Philips Family for several generations, until it was sold by Mary Polk Moore about
1915. It changed owners several times, and lost much of its charm.
Finally, in 1960, it was sold to the Bellshire Methodist Church, and in time razed for the church building which
stands on the site.
The acreage, once 1,000 acres, is now a subdivision; and nice looking, well-kept homes, mostly of brick, and
lawns are located on this once beautiful farm.
The location of Bellshire Methodist Church is six miles from Nashville on the left hand side of Dickerson
Road. (
Originally, Dickerson was spelled Dickinson - for a family which came to this part of the country about the same
time the Philipses did.) They were a Baptist Community, and a church was nearby.
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The story above says the house was built in 1791, but in reality
the original house burned down in 1804 and this house was built on the same location in that same year.
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Watercolor Print Christmas Card of Sylvan Hall by Mari Omberg
Sylvan Hall around 1815
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Above from the book Recollections and Reflections written by Wharton Jackson Green
in 1906.
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Joseph Philips Will
Milberry
Horn's Dower
The below Dower for Milberry Philips was written on 21 Dec
1822 by Joseph Philips who wanted to be sure that she was taken care of after his death.
Click on the picture to open a larger picture in a new browser to
better see the details of the Dower. I had to photograph the microfilm copy of this document at the TN State Archives
and piece together the best shots of various portions of the document for it to be readable. It contains the following
information:
Milberry Philips her Dower
Recorded 21st Dec 1822
This Indenture made this 22nd day of October AD Eighteen Hundred and Twenty Two. Witnesseth
that the undersigned Acting Executors of the Last Will and Testament of Joseph Philips late of Davidson County deceased and
pursuant of the Power in said Will confirmed, and to effectuate the Testators intent in that Particuar do allot and set apart
for Milberry Phlips Widow and Relic of the deceased, and to her own proper use and behalf for her Support and Comfortable
maintainance during the Term of her natural life. The following Described Property Real and Personal To Wit Negroes,
Moses and Davey and Sterling. Jenny. Sherry with her Children Mary Cinders daughter. Also the Western End
of the dwelling house The Piazzer and free use of the passage. The room on the south end of the kitchen.
The meat house. Spring house and dairy and the Double Cabbin next The garden for her negroes The East End
of the Granary & Stables attached thereto and the Crib and free use of the thrashing floor. The half of the
garden next the Kitchen and one section of the Vineyard on the Other side. The Pasture Lott between the house and Dickinson's
line and that around the chep(sic) and that part of the meadow West of the little Branch and the Small field adjoining
the Orchard fence & half the Orchard, Half the Big field commonly called the Still House field her half to lie
next to the creek and the field on the side of the Creek next to Wilson, & grinding free from toll when the mill is in
opperation and wood without stint for fires and sufficience of Timber for Repairs Convenient to the Dwelling House and the
Lands Above Allotted and Let Apart. Also the Tools with which her people work in doors with, one half of the Kitchen
furniture one double plough and Gears & three Single Ploughs all the furniture in the West end of the House The
side board in the passage and one half of the crockery, Glasses and China ware. Also two Thousand Pound of Pork one
hundred Barrells of Corn Thirty Bushells of wheat. One Mare & two Horses. Eight Ewes fifteen head of Hogs
three Cows and calves and all the Poultry & fowls, In Testimony we have hereto Amended our names and affixed our
Seals the day and Date Above. Written
Will Williams (Seal)
J. F. Williams (Seal)
State of Tennessee Davidson County Court October Session 1822
This Allotment of Dower to Milberry Philips Widow & Relic of Joseph Philips desceased was Returned
into Court and Acknowledged by William Williams and Josiah F. Williams the Executors of the decedant to be their Act and Deed
as Such & Ordered to be Recorded.
Test - Nathan Ewing - Clerk of said Court
This given to Wm Williams
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You may wonder how long Joseph Philips' descendants held on to
his plantation. I'm in the process of researching that information, in part to determine the ownership of the Philips'
Sylvan Hall Cemetery which is shown on the Davidson County Tax maps as being a separate parcel of land with no owner named.
I will post the relevant documents below.
On 2 September 1922 J. L. Hulme and wife Pearl M. Hulme sold the
home portion of Joseph Philips' plantation consisting of 207 45/160 acres to S. L. Brown and wife Asenith V. Brown
for $40,000.
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