The BEST in Granville Co., South Carolina
(ORANGEBURG CO, (WINTON) BARNWELL CO, and then ALLENDALE CO.)
Contributed (20 FEB 99) by Thomas William Mitchiner
The research on possible BEST relations that lived in the Allendale area of South Carolina was done while writing an update to the article "The Best of the Mitchiners" which I wrote and was originally published in 1989 in MITCHENER and MITCHINER by William A. Mitchiner. In doing the work for a ten year update to this article on WILLIAM B. (H. BEST) MITCHINER who was born in South Carolina in 1792 and died in 1865 in Randolph Co., Georgia the five following critical questions regarding BEST relations remain to be answered:
1. Who was the biological father of WILLIAM B. (H. BEST) MITCHINER? He was born October 27, 1792 in South Carolina and died on July 19, 1865 in Randolph Co., Georgia.
2. What, if any, was the relationship of TARLTON BROWN's brother-in-law HENRY BEST and ABSALOM BEST? ABSALOM BEST died around 1790 in Orangeburg District, South Carolina. HENRY BEST was killed by Tories around 1780 in the Orangeburg District of South Carolina. HENRY was married to MARY BROWN.
3. What is the relationship of ABSALOM BEST with the three Best families headed by MARY BEST, SARAH BEST, and HENRY BEST in 1790 South Carolina census for the Orangeburg District (South Part)? On February 7,8, 1791 ELIZABETH BEST came into court and made oath that she saw ABSALOM BEST sign his WILL, but no copy of his Will has been found.
4. Is there a common verifiable Brown ancestor for JOHN B.(BROWN) BEST (b. May 5, 1773 and estate administered 1841 Barnwell District, South Carolina) and BENAJAH B.(BROWN) BEST (b. about 1775 in Orangeburg District, South Carolina and his Will filed June 4 1832 in Barnwell District, South Carolina), and TARLTON B.(BROWN) BEST (b. October 13, 1789 and his Will filed on October 5, 1824 at the age of 34 in Screven Co., Georgia with JOHN B. BEST and WILLIAM B. MITCHINER the executors)? There is a copy of a page from the JOHN B. BEST Bible that records the birth date of TARLTON B. BEST along with the children of JOHN B. BEST and his wife ELIZABETH (COLDING) BEST. It is unknown it this bible still exists or who has it in their possession.
5. Based on the names in the Will of TARLTON B. BEST filed in 1824 in Screven Co., GA, what is the relationship between WILLIAM B. MITCHINER and TARLTON B. BEST and JOHN B. BEST and JOHN H. SMITH and LEODICA (BEST) CAMPBELL MEARS?
PRE 1790 ORANGEBURG DISTRICT (SOUTH PART) CENSUS AREA BESTS
HENRY BEST
TARLTON BROWN wrote Memoirs of Tarlton Brown about his participation in the Revolutionary War. In his memoirs he stated that his brother-in-law, HENRY BEST from Georgia, was killed by Tories. TARLTON BROWN served in South Carolina as a Captain in the South Carolina Militia under Colonel WILLIAM HARDEN and as a Captain with the Swamp Fox, General FRANCIS MARION. Georgia was firmly in the hands of the British and their Tory allies. Tarlton wrote, "They often crossed the river, and killed and plundered the Whigs without mercy." Regular British military forces entered the area in force as they captured Savannah on December 29, 1778 and Charleston on May 12, 1779. At Charleston the American forces lost thousands of men and tons of supplies. With the capture of Charleston the British and their Tory allies were free to raid throughout the Carolinas. Even after General Cornwallis surrendered his trapped British forces to the combined Continental and French forces under General Washington on October 17, 1881 at Yorktown, Virginia, the British occupied Savannah and Charleston for two more years.
HENRY BEST was with TARLTON BROWN and two other men, BENJAMIN GREEN and JOHN COLDING, when he and JOHN COLDING were wounded by Tories. They had just traveled down Kings Creek to the Savannah River in a canoe and were paddling against the current when they were ambushed by about thirty-five Tories firing from the Georgia side of the River. HENRY BEST had just recovered from his wounds and reentered active duty when he and JOHN COLDING were killed in 1780 by some of the very same Tories. HENRY BEST was reportedly killed at Burton's Ferry. Burton's Ferry was located on the Savannah River near the home of his father-in-law, WILLIAM BROWN in the Orangeburg District. For a time TARLTON BROWN had been part of a company of militia that kept guard at Burton's Ferry. He wrote, "We exchanged shots almost every day with the British and Tories, who were on the opposite side (Georgia)." His father, WILLIAM BROWN, was also killed in 1780 by Tories as well as his youngest brother. WILLIAM BROWN was killed guarding his home along with seventeen others at Boiling Springs. His home was burned to the ground. Boiling Springs is near the head of the Coosawhatchie River above Allendale.
The Tories and their Indian allies continued to cause problems in Georgia after the war. "Although the war had closed, the Tories were still troublesome, plundering and occasionally killing the inhabitants.' TARLTON BROWN reported that "the worst of the clan, made their escape to Carolina, where they murdered and plundered until the citizens were afraid to travel the roads, day or night." Before he settled down at Boiling Springs he tracked down and saw that justice was done to some of the worst of the Tory clan. In 1784 his uncle, BARTLETT BROWN, was killed by Indians. HENRY BEST's widow, MARY BROWN BEST, received a widows pension from 1786 to 1803. The 1791 widows pension was for her and a child paid to her brother TARLTON BROWN. TARLTON BROWN was placed on the South Carolina pension roll on June 10, 1833 at the age of 77.
ABSALOM BEST
He died around 1790 in Orangeburg District. He probably came to South Carolina from Virginia or North Carolina. He is first listed in Granville Co., South Carolina along the Great Pee Dee River. In Early Pee Dee Settlers by John M. Gregg he is on the Muster Roll of St. David's Parish in 1759. If he was around 24 years old at the time he would have been born about 1735. He was reported as a deserter from the Cherokee Expedition on November 16, 1760. In 1766 he was granted 200 acres on the Catfish Creek branch of Pee Dee River, now Marion Co., South Carolina. His land is mentioned in Deed Book L., p.335-340, Clerk of the Court's Office, Marion Co., South Carolina. In describing the land sold by BENJAMIN ROGERS and his wife to ANNE MARIA WICKHAM on March 15, 1825 it mentions it containing seven acres "... being part of that tract of Land originally Granted to ABSALOM BEST on the sixteenth Day of December seventeen hundred & sixty Six for two hundred Acres & by the said ABSALOM sold And Conveyed to JOHN SMITH by Deeds of Conveyance...." JOHN SMITH sold the land to REUBAN DEW on April 18-19, 1777.
His first record in the Barnwell area is his purchase of 100 acres, 1770, in Granville Co., now Allendale Co., followed by land purchases of 200 acres in the Bull Pond area and 260 acres on Nero's Branch of the Coosawhatchie River. His 100 acres of property named in the 1770 memorial on Little Briar Creek was bounded by the property of WILLIAM BROWN, JAMES SIMPSON, SAMUEL COLDING and the Savannah River. Note the father-in-law of JOHN B. BEST was HENRY COLDING. ABSALOM BEST was a neighbor of WILLIAM BROWN. In the 1784 Tax Returns for the North Fork Edisto and Savannah Rivers, BARTLETT BROWN was dead, his estate insolvent, and he did not file a return. It is supposed that ABSALOM BEST paid his tax. ABSALOM BEST is listed as paying tax in the 1785 Tax Returns for the North Fork Edisto and Savannah Rivers. Another BARTLETT BROWN, a son of BARTLETT BROWN, signed a Revolutionary War settlement account on December 31, 1785 for ABSALOM BEST. There are a number of references to ABSALOM BEST in the Minutes of Winton County Court and Will Book 1, 1785-1791 by Brent H. Holcomb. In 1786, 87, 88, and 89 he was selected for jury duty. He was an appraiser for the estate of JOHN BROWN on February 4, 1789. The administration of the estate was granted WILLIAM, TARLTON, ROBERT, STARK, and SEN. BARTLETT BROWN. Also in 1789 ABSALOM BEST, JOHN WYLD, ELIJAH GILLETT, and JOHN WEEKLY or any three of them were appointed to lay out and mark off a road being the nearest, best and most convenient way and see that the same is cleared immediately for the relief of the petitioners and the public.
According to the Minutes of Winton County Court and Will Book 1, 1785-1791 on February 7,8, 1791 ELIZABETH BEST came into court and made oath that she saw ABSALOM BEST sign the Will that was produced as his last Will and Testament. RICHARD KIRKLAND and BARTLETT BROWN were qualified as the executors of his estate. the cournt ordered that ABSALOM CAUSEY, JAMES MCKAY and JACOB BUCKSTON be appointed appraisers of the estate. If he was born in 1735 he would have been 55 years old. No copy of his Will has been found. ELIZABETH BEST was perhaps the widow of ABSALOM BEST. In the sale of 270 acres on King Creek by ABRAHAM MIXSON to GEORGE BRASIE on March 13, 1802 he has property that bordered KIRKLAND, ABSALOM BEST and others. The sale was witnessed by C.D.WYLD, ABRAHAM MIXSON, and RIGHT MUNSON. ABRAHAM MIXSON (MIXEN) is the closes neighbor to the three Best families in the 1790 census for the Orangeburg District. MARY MUNSON, a sister of RIGHT MUNSON, married a Best.
In a petition by the inhabitants of Barnwell on the Savannah River for a river landing road between the lands of SARAH OVERSTREET, SAMUEL MAINER, and JOHN BEST, there is mentioned lands of WILLIAM J. KIRLAND as well as BENEJAH BEST and JOHN B. BEST. The land of ABSALOM BEST was probably divided between BENEJAH BEST, JOHN B. BEST and perhaps TARLTON B. BEST.
There may be a connection between ABSALOM BEST in South Carolina and JOHN BEST, JR. in Screven Co., Georgia. JOHN BEST, JR. moved to Screven Co. soon after the Revolutionary War ended. He married MARTHA WILLIAMS in North Carolina on April 28, 1783 with a son named WILLIAM WILLIAMS. BENJAMIN BEST and JACOB BEST were witnesses and bondsmen. In Footprints on the Sands of Time by Youmans he is listed as a Revolutionary soldier whose grave is between RICKEY FREEMAN'S and BEST's bridge, Screven Co., Georgia. In 1812 he witnessed the will of HEZEKIAH HOWARD with his son JACOB BEST and was perhaps the executor of the Will of JOHN MITCHINER in 1814. He is listed as being granted 60 acres in the 1817 Headright and Bounty Grants. In 1817 he was granted land with his son JACOB BEST from his son ABSALOM BEST. He was also granted land from the same son in 1818. JOHN BEST is listed in the 1830 Georgia census for Screven Co. as being between 70-80 years old. In 1834 he granted land to his son HENRY BEST. His pension application was filed on April 6, 1835 in Screven Co. His children were listed as: JACOB, GEORGE, WILLIAM, HENRY, and ABSALOM. JACOB, in 1827, became security with WILLIAM D. CAMPBELL for WILLIAM B. MITCHINER when he became guardian for HENRY B., JAMES J., and JOHN W. MEARS, orphan minors of JOHN MEARS, Screven Co., Georgia. In the War of 1812 JACOB BEST served in Lieutenant JOHN RAWL's Co., Georgia. Since JOHN BEST, JR. has a son named ABSALOM there may be a connection, yet to be established, in North Carolina or Virginia with the ABSALOM BEST that died around 1790 in the Orangeburg District of South Carolina.
THREE BEST HEADS OF FAMILIES IN 1790 ORANGEBURG DISTRICT (SOUTH PART) CENSUS
MARY BROWN BEST
She was the widow of HENRY BEST who was killed in 1780. Since he was the brother-in-law of TARLTON BROWN he was probably about his age or just a little older. If he was born the same year as his brother-in-law he would have been born in 1756. If so he was around 24 years old when he was killed by Tories. His wife was the daughter of WILLIAM BROWN and a sister of TARLTON BROWN. Her father and her youngest brother were killed with her husband by Tories. In the 1790 Orangeburg District Census she is listed with one male over 16, one male under 16 and two other females in her household. One of her neighbors in the 1790 Census was JAMES JOICE. Her sister, ELIZABETH BROWN, married JOHN JOICE. MARY BEST received a widows pension from 1786 to 1803 so she should be listed in 1800 census. The 1791 pension was for her and a child paid to her brother TARLTON BROWN. She may have been living with his family in 1800.
SARAH BEST
In the 1790 Orangeburg District Census SARAH BEST is listed with one male over 16, one male under 16, three other females and three slaves in her household. No other record has been found of her in the Orangeburg District area.
HENRY BEST
In the 1790 Orangeburg District Census HENRY BEST is listed with one male under 16, one female and three slaves in his household. There is one reference to him in Minutes of Winton County Court and Will Book 1, 1785-1791 by Brent H. Holcomb. there is a case starting in 1789 of HENRY HAMPTON, Esq. vs HENRY BEST but the case was never settled in the book. No record has been found of him outside of the 1790 census.
| FREE
WHITE MALES |
FREE
WHITE FEMALES |
OTHER
FREE PERSONS |
SLAVES | REMARKS | |||
| HEAD 0F FAMILY | PAGE | 0 - 16 | 16 - UP | ANY AGE | |||
| BEST, MARY | 102 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ORANGEBURG DIST | ||
| BEST, SARAH | 102 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | ORANGEBURG DIST | |
| BEST, HENRY | 102 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ORANGEBURG DIST |
POST 1790 ORANGEBURG CENSUS AREA BESTS
TARLTON B.(BROWN) BEST
He was born on October 13, 1789 and died in 1824 in Screven Co., Georgia at the age of 35. He was just three years older than WILLIAM H. (B. MITCHINER) BEST. There is a copy of a page from the JOHN B. BEST Bible that records his birth date along with the children of JOHN B. BEST and his wife ELIZABETH (COLDING) BEST. It is unknown if this Bible still exists or who has it in their possession. It is apparent from the page that was copied that there are other names in the Bible and an a careful examination of the Bible might settle the actual relationship of TARLTON with JOHN B. and WILLIAM B. MITCHINER. If he was a son of ABSALOM BEST he was perhaps raised by JOHN B. BEST. JOHN B. BEST was 16 years old when TARLTON was born. TARLTON was perhaps his brother, half brother or nephew. He could be one of either of the males under 16 in the 1790 South Carolina Census listed with the SARAH or the HENRY BEST households. MARY BROWN BEST above could not be his mother since her husband, HENRY, was killed in 1780 by Tories. TARLTON is probably the male 16-26 listed in the JOHN B. BEST household in the 1810 South Carolina Census for Barnwell District. With JOHN B. BEST in 1816 he purchased 196 acres on Sand Hill Pond waters of the Savannah River. He married SARAH JELKS, widow of NATHANIEL H. JELKS. His property passed to her in his Will dated March 27, 1818. Her property, all slaves, passed to TARLTON B. BEST on her death. Stated in Aud HARRIS vs JOHN L. ATKINSON and TARLTON B. BEST, filed February 4, 1822, SARAH JELKS died 11 months after their marriage. JOHN B. BEST is crossed out and TARLTON B. BEST is written over the name. JOHN L. ATKINSON had been an executor with SARAH JELKS of the estate of NATHANIEL JELKS.
On March 20, 1819 he witnessed in Screven Co., Georgia with JOHN B. BEST the sale of 146 acres by WILLIAM B. MITCHINER and his wife CHARLOTTE to JOHN H. SMITH. In 1818 he became the guardian of THOMAS W. and WILLIAM D. CAMPBELL with security given by JOHN SMITH and STEPHEN BUTLER. On June 5, 1820 he applied to administer the estate of THOMAS W. CAMPBELL with security given by WILLAM B. MITCHINER. The Campbell boys were the children of ISRAEL CAMPBELL and DICY. She married JOHN MEARS after her husband died about 1818. They had three children: HENRY B., JAMES J., and JOHN W. MEARS. In 1822 STEPHEN BUTLER and JOHN SMITH asked to be released as securities. TARLTON sued JOHN SMITH for $3000 in property damage to crops on 350 acres of land. No record has been found of his 350 acres in Screven Co., Georgia. JOHN MEARS became guardian of WILLIAM D. CAMPBELL. In 1824 TARLTON was sued by WILLIAM D. CAMPBELL and JOHN MEARS for $600 each stemming from his guardianship.
His Will was dated December 17, 1821. JOHN B. BEST and WILLIAM B. MITCHINER were the executors. It was filed by WILLIAM B. MITCHINER on October 5, 1824 in Screven Co., Georgia. JOHN B. BEST, JOHN H. SMITH, and JOHN MEARS were bequeathed seventy five cents each. He divided his eleven slaves between ORASMUS H.(HARDEN) BEST born 1815, JOHN H.(HARDEN) MITCHINER born 1818, and WILLIAM D. CAMPBELL born 1801. ORASMUS H. BEST was the second or third son of JOHN B. BEST. JOHN H. MITCHINER was the eldest son of WILLIAM B. MITCHINER. WILLIAM D. CAMPBELL was the son of LEODICA (DICY) BEST CAMPBELL MEARS. He listed his land as 50 acres on Jackson Branch and 98 acres on King Creek in South Carolina. Note that ABSALOM BEST had land on King Creek. The 98 acres on King Creek was probably his half of the 196 acres on the Sand Hill Pond waters of the Savannah River that he purchased with JOHN B. BEST in 1816. The appraisers of the estate were JACOB LEWIS, ELIJAH WADE, and ELIJAH OLIVER.
His personal property items were sold on April 16, 1825 by WILLIAM B. MITCHINER in the estate settlement to JOHN H. NESMITH, THOMAS W. OLIVER, and JACOB OLIVER. Many legal cases are mentioned in the Augusta Chronicle from 1826 through 1828 that were filed by SAMUEL BUTLER against the estate of TARLTON B. BEST and settled by WILLIAM B. MITCHINER.
WILLIAM H. (B. MITCHINER) BEST (Contact: M. Brown)
He was born on October 27,1792 in South Carolina. The Will of WILLIAM H. BROWN of Screven Co., Georgia is the first record found of WILLIAM H. BEST using the surname MITCHINER. The Will was written on September 12, 1812. It was witnessed by JOHN MITCHINER, WILLIAM H. B. MITCHINER and J. W. WADE. WILLIAM H. BROWN left his property to his two daughters, ZILPAH and ELIZA. He is probably the same WILLIAM H. BROWN with property near lands belonging to JOHN B. BEST that signed a petition on the South Carolina side of the Savannah River for a river landing road.
His widowed mother, LUVICY, died in 1815. In her Will she left him the same property, possessions, and five slaves she inherited in 1814 from her deceased husband, JOHN MITCHINER, plus an additional slave. In her Will written May 3, 1815 she referred to her son as WILLIAM H. BEST. In a receipt for his mother as the executrix for the Will of JOHN MITCHINER on June 5, 1815 he gave his name as W. H. MITCHINER. By 1819 he had married CHARLOTTE OLIVER. She signed with him on a deed of sale for 146 acres in Screven Co., Georgia. He signed his name as WILLIAM B. MITCHINER. It was probably her property. She may also have owned slaves when they married. In addition to the property inherited from his mother and the property of his wife he also received two Screven Co., Georgia land grants in 1820.
CHARLOTTE's parents were PRISCILLA WILLIAMS and JAMES OLIVER. The father of PRISCILLA was WILLIAM WILLIAMS. Based on age of her father he was not the WILLIAM WILLIAMS who was the stepson of JOHN BEST, JR. of Screven Co., Georgia. The interest of PRISCILLA as a heir of her father WILLIAM WILLIAMS was conveyed in Screven Co. to ENOCH GODFREY on July 27, 1797. The land involved was 1/10th interest in 240 acres. This was a pond tract that was divided into 10 equal sections with the names of PRISCILLA W. OLIVER and MARY W. LIVINGSTON written on two sections. The will was witnessed by SETH WILLIAMS, FRANCIS GODFREY, and ANSON WILLIAMS. On March 21, 1799 JAMES and PRISCILLA OLIVER conveyed to ENOCH GODFREY land described as adjoining land of WILLIAM WILLIAMS, deceased and JOHN WILLIAMS deceased. The witnesses were JOHN SMITH, HENRY CRAGG, and CHARLOTTE CRAG.
The estate of JAMES OLIVER, the father-in-law of WILLIAM B. MITCHINER, was divided on June 7, 1826 in Screven Co. into five equal shares. Lot # 1 went to GEORGE POLLOCK, guardian of JAMES M. POLLOCK. Lot # 2 went to THOMAS W. OLIVER. Lot # 3 went to WILLIAM W. OLIVER. Lot # 4 went to DORTHY THOMPSON the widow of BRYAN THOMPSON. Lot # 5 went to WILLIAM B. MITCHINER the husband of CHARLOTTE MITCHINER. Lot # 5 consisted of 500 acres in Screven Co., Georgia. This land is either the property sold by WILLIAM B. MITCHINER on December 4, 1843 to RANSOM ROGERS or the 500 acres mentioned in 1865 in WILLIAM's Will.
While WILLIAM B. MITCHINER was involved in many land dealings, in many cases it is impossible to tell when he sold a piece of land he acquired or acquired a piece of land he sold. On August 31, 1822 WILLIAM B. MITCHINER is listed as a witness with ANTHONY LEWIS to his father-in-law, JAMES OLIVER, conveying 1000 acres to THOMAS OLIVER for $1400. This land was partly in Burke Co., and partly in Screven Co., Georgia. The land was originally granted JAMES OLIVER on February 4, 1801. The land was "South westwardly" bounded by the land of WILLIAM B. BEST and JACOB LEWIS. If this WILLIAM B. BEST is not a reference to WILLIAM H. MITCHINER than this could be the only reference to his possible biological father. If this is correct than WILLIAM B. BEST is probably a son of HENRY BEST who came for Georgia and married MARY BROWN who is listed as a head of household in the 1790 South Carolina Census for Orangeburg District.
A "best guess" is that HENRY and MARY had three sons and probably owned property in South Carolina and also in Georgia since he came from that state. When a married man and father died without a Will his widow only received a child's portion. A guardian was appointed for minor children to manage their share of the property until the child became adults. HENRY from Georgia probably died without a Will when he was killed by Tories in south Carolina. Two of their sons are JOHN B. BEST and WILLIAM B. BEST. They are the males in the household of MARY BEST in the 1790 South Carolina Census for Orangeburg District. TARLTON B. BEST is the son of HENRY BEST, a third son of HENRY and MARY, in the same 1790 South Carolina Census for Orangeburg District. TARLTON'S father died and he was raised by his uncle and probable guardian, JOHN B. BEST. Through his father WILLIAM B. BEST, WILLIAM B. MITCHINER inherited property in Georgia as did TARLTON B. BEST through his father HENRY BEST. JOHN B. BEST inherited his property in South Carolina.
On December 22, 1822 WILLIAM H. BEST had his name legally changed by the Georgia House of Representatives at Milledgeville to WILLIAM B. MITCHINER. He also changed the name of his eldest son from JOHN H. BEST to JOHN H. MITCHINER and his eldest daughter's name from MARY W. BEST to MARY W. MITCHINER. He was an executor with JOHN B. BEST of the Will of TARLTON B. BEST filled by WILLIAM H. MITCHINER on October 5, 1824 in Screven Co., Georgia. Around 1831 he moved his family to Randolph Co., Georgia. His wife died there around 1837. On September 10, 1838 he married SARAH CORAM. He died on July 19, 1865 and is buried at the Benevolence Baptist Church Cemetery in Randolph Co., Georgia.
A complete record on WILLIAM B. MITCHINER and his immediate descendants can be found on the GAGenWeb site for Randolph Co., GA.
MARY (MUNSON) BEST
Mary was the sister of RIGHT MUNSON. In the 1790 Census for Orangeburg District, PATIENCE MUNSON was the head of a family and a neighbor of the three Best families in the census. The family included another female and four slaves. He left his sister his plantation, 35 head of cattle, 100 hogs and its current crops on March 28, 1801.
| WHITE MALES | WHITE FEMALES | SLAVES | REMARKS | ||||||||||
| HEAD 0F FAMILY | PAGE | UD
10 |
10
-16 |
16
-26 |
26
-45 |
45&
ON |
UD
10 |
10
-16 |
16
-26 |
26
-26 |
45&
ON |
||
| BEST, BENAJAH | 45 | 1 | 2 | BARNWELL | |||||||||
| BEST, WILLIAM | 147 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | CHARLESTON | |||||
| BEST, BENEDICT | 14 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | LANCASTER DIST | |||||||
| (By BARNWELL) | |||||||||||||
| WHITE MALES | WHITE FEMALES | SLAVES | REMARKS | ||||||||||
| HEAD 0F FAMILY | PAGE | UD
10 |
10
-16 |
16
-26 |
26
-45 |
45&
ON |
UD
10 |
10
-16 |
16
-26 |
26
-26 |
45&
ON |
||
| BEST, BENAJAH | 73 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | BARNWELL | |||||||
| BEST, JOHN B. | 87 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | BARNWELL | ||||||
| WHITE MALES | WHITE FEMALES | SLAVES | REMARKS | |||||||||||
| HEAD 0F FAMILY | PAGE | UD
10 |
10
-15 |
16
-18 |
19
-25 |
26
-44 |
45&
ON |
UD
10 |
10
-15 |
16
-25 |
26
-44 |
45&
ON |
||
| BEST, BENASSAH | 21 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | BARNWELL | ||||||
| BEST, JOHN B. | 14 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | BARNWELL | ||||||
| FOR STATE OF ...GA | ||||||||||||||
| MITCHINER, WILLIAM B. | 250 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | SCREVEN CO. | |||||||
| MEARS, JOHN | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | SCREVEN CO. | ||||||
| FREE WHITE MALES | FREE WHITE FEMALES | SL | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HEAD 0F FAMILY | PG | 0
to 5 |
5
to 10 |
10
to 15 |
15
to 20 |
20
to 30 |
30
to 40 |
40
to 50 |
50
to 60 |
60
to 70 |
70
to 80 |
80
yo 90 |
90
& up |
0
to 5 |
5
to 10 |
10
to 15 |
15
to 20 |
20
to 30 |
30
to 40 |
40
to 50 |
50
to 60 |
60
to 70 |
70
to 80 |
80
yo 90 |
90
& up |
|
| ***BARNWELL CO. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BEST, ELIZABETH | 162 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| BEST, JOHN M. | 148 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| MITCHINER, ELIAS | 190 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ***SCREVEN CO. | FOR STATE OF ...GA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MITCHINER, W.B. | 316 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | |||||||||||||||||
| CAMPBELL, WILLIAM | 317 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| FREE WHITE MALES | FREE WHITE FEMALES | SL | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HEAD 0F FAMILY | PG | 0
to 5 |
5
to 10 |
10
to 15 |
15
to 20 |
20
to 30 |
30
to 40 |
40
to 50 |
50
to 60 |
60
to 70 |
70
to 80 |
80
yo 90 |
90
& up |
0
to 5 |
5
to 10 |
10
to 15 |
15
to 20 |
20
to 30 |
30
to 40 |
40
to 50 |
50
to 60 |
60
to 70 |
70
to 80 |
80
yo 90 |
90
& up |
|
| ***BARNWELL CO. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| BEST, ORSAMUS H. | 193 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 15 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| BEST, HENRY C. | 193 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||
| BEST, JOHN B. | 193 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||
| BEST, ABSALOM | 198 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| ***RANDOLPH CO. | FOR STATE OF ...GA | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MITCHINER, WILLIAM | 316 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
BENEJAH B.(BROWN) BEST
He was born around 1775 in the Orangeburg District of South Carolina. In a "Bill of Revivor" filed March 16, 1824 in the MARY ROWLAND vs BENAJAH BEST case, it appears that BENEJAH BEST had died and that his widow, ELIZABETH BEST, was administrator of his estate. He should be one of the three males under 16 males in the three Best families in the 1790 Orangeburg District Census of South Carolina. His father is very possibly ABSALOM above. His wife could not be the ELIZABETH that witnessed the will of ABSALOM in 1790. The case of BENEJAH BEST vs. JOHN MITCHONSON was decreed January 1, 1807 for $50. On January 6, 1808 he was appointed an appraiser with JOHN BEST, MICHAEL BROWN, BARTLET BROWN and JACOB KETTLES for LEODICA CAMPBELL the administrator of her husbands, ISRAEL CAMPBELL, estate. In 1810 he paid a $.74 Tax Return in Barnwell Co.
He is listed on a petition as an inhabitant of Barnwell on the Savannah River for a river landing road between the lands of SARAH OVERSTREET, SAMUEL MAINER, and JOHN BEST. Other names on the petition included MICHAEL BROWN, BARNETT H. BROWN and WILLIAM H. BROWN, JAMES OVERSTREET as well as JOHN B. BEST.
In the case on MARY ROWLAND vs BENAJAH BEST filed July 23, 1822, he claimed that ELIZABETH PURVIS left him her estate in 1807. He took care of her husband WILLIAM PURVIS for a year until he died and then cared for her until she died. He served in the 2nd Rgt., (OSWALD's) 2nd Battalion, South Carolina State Troops as a sergeant. His widow could be ELIZABETH in the 1830 census. The children mentioned in his Will filed June 4, 1832 in Barnwell District, South Carolina along with his wife are: ABSALOM BLANCHARD BEST, MARY ELIZABETH (ALLEN) BEST, SARAH C. BEST, and SUSAN BEST.
JOHN B.(BROWN) BEST
He was born on May 5, 1773. He married ELIZABETH J. COLDING. She was born on December 1, 1790 and was the daughter of HENRY COLDING and JENNETTE BRYAN. Their children were HENRY COLDING BEST, MARY ANN BROWN BEST, ORASMUS HARDEN BEST, JOHN AUSTIN BEST, LOUISANA BENNETT BEST, WILLIAM BARTLETT BEST, FRANCIS MARION BEST, and JASPER BENAJAH BEST. Note here that the name of his last child shows JOHN B. BEST probably is related to BENAJAH BEST. His eldest son, HENRY C. moved to Screven Co. Georgia by 1860.
He filed a 1810 Tax Return in Barnwell District for $1.40. On December 4, 1815 he received a 145 acre land grant in Barnwell District. On December 2, 1816 he received land grants in Barnwell District for 196 and 59 acres. JOHN B. is listed on a petition as an inhabitant of Barnwell on the Savannah River for a river landing road between the lands of SARAH OVERSTREET, SAMUEL MAINER, and JOHN BEST. Others names included were MICHAEL BROWN, BARNETT H. BROWN, WILLIAM H. BROWN, ALEXANDER CAMPBELL, SAMUEL MEARS, JAMES OVERSTREET, THOMAS COLDING, and WILLIAM J. KIRKLAND as well as BENEJAH BEST.
The Will of ELIZABETH J. BEST, the widow of JOHN B. BEST, was recorded on December 13, 1865. JOHN A. BEST was the administrator. She listed her sons as: JASPER B., HENRY C., ORASMUS H., JOHN A., and FRANCIS M. BEST. She listed her daughters as MARY ANN B. HUMPHREYS and LOUISANA COHEN. In 1807 JOHN B. BEST was a witness with BENAJAH BEST to the application of LEODICA (BEST) CAMPBELL to administer the Will of her husband, ISRAEL CAMPBELL.
1850 CENSUS BARNWELL AGE|SEX|CL|OCCUPATION|VALUE|BRPL|MAR/YR|SCH | R&W
1850 CENSUS BARNWELL AGE|SEX|CL|OCCUPATION|VALUE|BRPL|MAR/YR|SCH | R&W
1850 CENSUS BARNWELL AGE|SEX|CL|OCCUPATION|VALUE|BRPL|MAR/YR|SCH | R&W
1860 CENSUS SCREVEN AGE|SEX|CL|OCCUPATION|VALUE|BRPL|MAR/YR|SCH | R&W
Contact Thomas W. Mitchiner with information about this family.
Copyright © January 1999 - Thomas W. Mitchiner, DuPont, WA. These documents may be freely used for private purposes, and included in your own genealogy. However, this document is copyrighted by Thomas W. Mitchiner and may not be sold, nor given to anyone who may attempt to derive profit from same.