Hawkins County Stray Master’s Books, 1787-1791
Transcribed from the Knoxville Gazette, vol. I, no. 18, 30 June 1792, page 3, by Jackie Robinson.
Introduction: This list refers to the last step in establishing legal ownership of stray livestock under Chapter IX, Laws of North Carolina (1777), entitled “An Act to Prevent Abuses in taking up Stray Horses, Cattle, Hogs and Sheep, and other things herein mentioned.” In each county, each stray head of livestock was to be registered in an entry book, a record open to public inspection, with its appraised value. After twelve months time, these strays could become legal property of their keepers with the payment to county officials of two-thirds of the appraised value, less expenses and the ranger’s fee.
“At a committee appointed by the worshipful court for Hawkins County, at June term, to examine the stray master’s books, do find the following persons are indebted to the county the following sums, viz.”
| Names of the Persons who have entered Strays. |
When Entered | What kind of Property | Appraisement £. s. d. |
Two-Thirds of the Appraisment £. s. d. |
| Richards, Stephen | April, 27, 1787 | Two red cows – | 7 15 0 | 5 3 4 |
| Beaty, Walter | May 19, 1787 | Sorrel Mare, – | 12 0 0 | 8 0 0 |
| Austin, Nathaniel | May 19, 1787 | Red Heifer, – | 2 5 0 | 1 10 0 |
| Cloud, Joseph | September 4, 1787 | Bay Stallion, | not appraised | |
| Armstrong, James | September 4, 1787 | Bay Mare, – | 7 10 0 | 5 0 0 |
| Daniel, James | October 20, 1787 | Brown and White Steer, – | 2 5 0 | 1 10 0 |
| Brooks, Thomas | October 20, 1787 | Brown Bull, – | 3 15 0 | 2 10 0 |
| Chisum, Elijah | January 1, 1788 | Sorrel Mare, – | 10 0 0 | 6 13 4 |
| Brooks, Littleton | January 24, 1788 | Sow, Four Pigs, & a Boar, | 0 16 0 | 0 10 8 |
| Hynes, Levi | March 14, 1788 | Red Bull, – | 2 15 0 | 1 16 8 |
| Gray, Robert, Sr. | March 14, 1788 | White Mare, – | 1 5 0 | 0 16 8 |
| Long, John | March 20, 1788 | Dun Horse, – | 8 0 0 | 5 6 8 |
| Bowen, John | May 28, 1788 | Sorrel Mare, – | 8 0 0 | 5 6 8 |
| Dyer, Francis | June 11, 1788 | Black Horse, – | 2 0 0 | 1 6 8 |
| Wallen, Joseph | June 12, 1788 | Red Cow, – | 3 5 0 | 2 3 4 |
| Patterson, John | June 25, 1788 | Bay Mare and Colt, – | 15 0 0 | 10 0 0 |
| Smith, William | July 4, 1788 | Grey Mare, – | 12 0 0 | 8 0 0 |
| Bell, William | July 8, 1788 | Brown Horse, – | 2 0 0 | 1 6 8 |
| Wilson, Samuel | July 28, 1788 | Sorrel Mare, – | 20 0 0 | 13 6 8 |
| Austin, Nathaniel | August 5, 1788 | Bay Horse, – | 10 0 0 | 6 13 4 |
| Williams, John | August 16, 1788 | Sorrel Mare, – | 9 0 0 | 6 0 0 |
| Lawson, Reuben | August 24, 1788 | Sorrel Mare, – | 18 0 0 | 12 0 0 |
| Bunch, John | October 17, 1788 | Brown Horse, – | 5 0 0 | 3 6 8 |
| Thompson, James | November 17, 1788 | Red Steer, – | 1 0 0 | 0 13 4 |
| Duke, Pleasant | December 2, 1788 | Black Mare, – | 3 0 0 | 2 0 0 |
| Howard, Richard | January 18, 1789 | Yellow Bay Mare, – | 3 0 0 | 2 0 0 |
| Hamilton, Robert | January 18, 1789 | Dark Bay Mare, – | 13 6 8 | 8 17 10 |
| Crisson, James | March 2, 1789 | Black Mare, – | 8 0 0 | 5 6 8 |
| Wilson, Samuel | May 27, 1789 | Sorrel Mare and Colt, – | 12 0 0 | 8 0 0 |
| Cox, William | May 27, 1789 | Black Stallion, – | 6 0 0 | 4 0 0 |
| Fitzgerald, William | June 17, 1789 | Black Mare, – | 6 0 0 | 4 0 0 |
| Looney, John | July 17, 1789 | Sorrel Horse, – | 6 0 0 | 4 0 0 |
| Cates, William | August 22, 1789 | Bay Mare, – | 3 0 0 | 2 0 0 |
| Martin, John | August 27, 1789 | Black Mare, – | 6 0 0 | 4 0 0 |
| Martin, John | August 27, 1789 | Black Mare and Colt, – | 10 0 0 | 6 13 4 |
| Bingham, William | August 27, 1789 | Sorrel Mare, – | 2 0 0 | 1 6 8 |
| Jones, Daniel | August 27, 1789 | Spotted Boar, – | 0 10 0 | 0 6 8 |
| Austin, Hathaniel | September 1, 1789 | Grey Mare, – | 5 0 0 | 3 6 8 |
| Cooper, James | September 8, 1789 | Brown Horse, – | 5 15 0 | 3 17 8 |
| Cooper, John | September 8, 1789 | Bay Mare, – | 5 10 0 | 3 14 8 |
| Simms, James | November 25, 1789 | Sorrel City, – | 4 0 0 | 2 13 4 |
| Smith, Alexander | December 2, 1789 | Brown Bay Horse, – | 6 0 0 | 4 0 0 |
| Stubblefield, William | December 2, 1789 | Black Horse, – | 8 0 0 | 5 6 8 |
| Hunt, John | January 22, 1790 | Yearling Steer, and Heifer, | 1 10 0 | 1 0 0 |
| Bean, William | March 6, 1790 | Bay Mare and Colt, – | 15 0 0 | 10 0 0 |
| Craig, John | March 25, 1790 | Bay Horse, – | 6 10 0 | 4 6 8 |
| Bean, Robert | June 25, 1790 | Bay Horse, – | 13 6 8 | 8 17 10 |
| Austin, Nathaniel | June 25, 1790 | Bay Horse, – | 10 13 4 | 7 2 3 |
| Pevehouse, Abraham | June 25, 1790 | Bay Horse, – | 4 0 0 | 2 13 4 |
| Armstrong, Wm. Jr. | August 12, 1790 | Roan Mare, – | 8 0 0 | 5 6 8 |
| Gwin, Hugh | August 12, 1790 | Two Sows, – | 0 16 0 | 0 10 8 |
| Lawson, Morman | September 13, 1790 | Bay Horse, – | 1 10 0 | 1 0 0 |
| Blevins, henry | September 23, 1790 | Grey Mare, – | 8 0 0 | 5 6 8 |
| Amis, Thomas | october 11, 1790 | Fourteen Head of Hogs, | 7 6 0 | 4 17 4 |
| Fitzgerald, William | November 2, 1790 | Brown Horse, – | 2 0 0 | 1 6 8 |
| Wright, Margaret | June 21, 1790 | Bridle Cow, – | 3 10 0 | 2 7 8 |
| Murrell, Benjamin | November 27, 1790 | Barrow, – | 0 15 0 | 0 10 0 |
| Miller, John | November 29, 1790 | Brown Bay Filley, – | 3 0 0 | 2 0 0 |
| Simms, Bartlet | November 29, 1790 | Pied Steer, – | 1 10 0 | 1 0 0 |
| Fitzgerald, William | December 3, 1790 | Sorrel Mare, – | 7 0 0 | 4 13 4 |
| Sharp, Henry | January 1, 1791 | White Heifer, – | 1 5 0 | 0 17 8 |
| Cox, John | January 9, 1791 | Two Hogs, – | 0 8 0 | 0 5 4 |
| Bowen, Henry | January 27, 1791 | Two Cows, – | 5 10 0 | 3 13 4 |
| Erwin, Edward | February 12, 1791 | One Hog, – | 0 14 0 | 0 9 4 |
| Forgy, James | March 4, 1791 | Bay Mare, – | 5 13 4 | 3 15 7 |
| Wilson, Samuel | March 8 1791 | Black Horse, – | 4 0 0 | 2 13 4 |
| Williams, James, Jr. | April 5, 1791 | Black Horse, – | 8 0 0 | 5 6 8 |
| Mizer, Thomas | May 4, 1791 | Sorrel Mare, – | 4 0 0 | 2 13 4 |
| Hagwood, Mordica | May 7, 1791 | Bay Mare, – | 8 0 0 | 5 6 8 |
| Cryner, Joseph | May 17, 1791 | Sorrel Mare, – | 8 0 0 | 5 6 8 |
| Miller, Jacob | May 27, 1791 | Heifer, – | 1 6 0 | 0 17 4 |
| Fletcher, Aaron | May 29, 1791 | Bay Horse, – | 16 0 0 | 10 13 4 |
| Lawson, William | April 12, 1791 | Black Horse, – | 6 0 0 | 4 0 0 |
| McCain, Robert | June 7, 1791 | Sorrel Horse, – | 5 10 0 | 3 13 4 |
| Fraley, Martin | May 28, 1791 | Bay Mare, – | 7 0 0 | 4 13 4 |
| McDonald, Daniel | May 29, 1788 | Roan Horse, – | 16 0 0 | 10 13 4 |
| Walker, William | January 6, 1789 | Steer, – | 1 0 0 | 0 13 4 |
| Beard, John | May 6, 1789 | Bay Horse, – | 8 0 0 | 5 6 8 |
| Lee, William | July 11, 1789 | Bay Horse, – | 10 0 0 | 6 13 4 |
| Lee, Luke | July 26, 1789 | Black Horse, – | 2 10 0 | 1 13 4 |
| Evans, Nathan | November 28, 1789 | Steer, – | 1 10 0 | 1 0 0 |
| Rhea, Archibald | March 13, 1789 | Roan Horse, – | 20 0 0 | 13 6 8 |
| Wood, James | April 14, 1790 | Brown Horse, – | 10 0 0 | 6 13 4 |
We hereby inform the above persons, if they do not pay the two-thirds of the appraisement, to Richard Mitchell, our county treasurer, they will be dealt with according to law. Given under our hands this nineteenth day of June, 1792.