John Motley Genealogy

Record modified: 2025-03-10
This is my ancestor 7 generations back.

 / John Motley
 / Henry Motley|
|  \ Elizabeth North
John Marion Motley |
|  / John Andrews
 \ Hannah Andrews |
 \ Hannah Thorpe

Born: 1734-00-00 Essex Co, Virginia USA
Died: 1811-00-00 Warren Co, Kentucky USA
Marriages:
1. 1765-00-00 Elizabeth Page
Children of John Motley and Elizabeth Page:
Sarah (Sally) Motley b. about 1765-00-00
Mary (Polly) Motley b. about 1770-00-00
*James Marion Motley b. 1773-06-15
Elizabeth Catherine (Katy) Motley b. about 1775-00-00
*Nancy Motley b. 1781-00-00
Edwin Motley b. 1783-00-00
Penelope (Penny) Motley b. about 1784-00-00
Matthew Page Motley b. 1786-02-01
Henry Thomas Motley b. 1788-03-21

Notes:

Captain in the Revolutionary War.
1760: sold 263 acres in Essex Co VA
1772: bought land in Halifax Co NC
1779: granted 3 tracts of land in Wake Co NC
1808: bought property in Warren Co KY from Joseph and Sarah Boone (Joseph was brother of Daniel)

In 1807 or spring of 1808 they moved from NC to Warren Co and settled 7 miles NW of Scottsville (now in Allen Co).

Capt John is said to be buried in the Landers Cemetery. His will is Warren Co Book A pg 250 or 260

Source: Sledge; she mentions Mary Rabold for the Motley information

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In the DAR database he is number A082202.

See NC Archives Record ID: 13.30.40739
Volume:XI; Page:34; Folio:3
Volume:XI; Page:42; Folio:4
Volume:A; Page:79
Volume:B; Page:290
Volume:C; Page:87

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probably married in Essex Co VA

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Essex Co Deed Book 28

p245-246
1760-05-17 John Motley of Essex Co, planter, sold to William Brooks the younger of Essex Co, gentleman, 263 acres of land for 237L 10S.

The land was given to his mother by her father.

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NC Archives

Record ID: 12.14.119.141
Wake Co NC Land Grants, John Motley
Entry #122 1778-06-08; Grant #241 1779-08-09; Book 29 p215; 639.75 acres, On both sides of Stirrup Iron Creek

[near I40 and Airport Blvd in current Raleigh-Durham]

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"The Motley, Willoughby and Lynn families of Virginia, North Carolina and Kentucky"
by Mary Moltenberry Rabold

Will of Captain John Motley

I John Motly of the County of Warren and State of
Kentucky, being of sound mind & perfect memory calling to mind the frailty of my
mortal body & knowing it is appointed for all men for once to die, do make
constitute and ordain this my last will & testament in manner and form as
followeth, Viz,

First of all ... my body ... to be decently intered...And ... my worldly goods ... I give & bequeath as follows.

Item I give and bequeath to my two sons, Mathew Motly and Henry Motly so much
species of the Debts due me as will purchase them one hundred acres of Land
adjoining the farm on which I now live if possible to be had. If not as near
adjoining thereto as convenience will admit of to come into possession of so
soon as it can be collected and to be equally divided between them and my two
work stears or yoke of oxen my wagon and gear and all the aparatus thereunto
belonging two cows and calves each one feather bed and furniture each three
pewter plates one pewter dish and Cason each all of middling size, To come into
possession of at my decease And the plantation whereon I now live together
with one hundred & five acres of Land including said plantation with mill & all
improvements & the profit and emolument thereon

and to my son Matthew Motly I give and bequeath my negro man slave named Primus

and to my son Henry lastly my
Negro man named Ben to come into possession of at the death of or marriage of
my wife and to be by them held & enjoyed and his heirs and assigns forever.

Item I give and bequeath unto my sons James Motly and Edwin Motly and my
daughters Sally Smith, Caty Johnson, Polly Johnson, Penny Lynn & Nancy
Weatherspoon my personal estate, both negros, stock of every description and
every other specie of property other than what is expressly bequeathed to my
sons Mathew & Henry to come into possession of at the death or marriage of my
Wife Elizabeth to be equally divided between them.

And it being my will and desire that none of my slaves be sold but that they be
divided between them by Lot in such a manner as for each one to enjoy an equal
part thereof in Value, one receiving one of a greater value than another to pay
over into the other in such proportion so that each one may enjoy their equal
dividend And the residue sold at Public auction for cash and the product
thereof equally divided between them, their heirs and assigns forever

Provided the two Negro men slaves Primus & Ben whom I have bequeathed unto my
two sons Mathew and Henry should survive my wife Elizabeth and My son Mathew
shall enjoy Primus and my son Henry shall enjoy Ben. But if they Primus & Ben
or either of them shall decease before my sons Mathew and Henry or either of
them shall come into complete possession it is my will that if my two sons
Mathew & Henry or either of them be thus deprived of his Slave by death he shall
come in for an equal share with my sons James Motly & Edwin Motly and my
daughters—Sally Smith—Caty Johnson—Polly Johnson—Penny Lynn—and Nancy
Weatherspoon of all the property of every discription to them bequeathed at the
death or marriage of my wife Elizabeth.

And Lastly, I do hereby constitute ordain and appoint my sons Mathew Motly and
Henry Motly my whole and sole Executors to this my last will and testament,
revoking and making void all other and former wills, testaments and bequests by
me heretofore made ratifying and confirming this and no other to be my last will
and testament.

In testimony whereof I the said John Motly hath here unto set my hand and
affixed my seal, This the thirtieth day of June Anno Dommino, one thousand eight
hundred and eleven.

Signed John Motley Seal
Acknowledged and subscribed to before us by John Motly as his last will and
testament.

John Ray
John Landis
Solomon Williby


Warren County Court
This last will and testament of John Motly deceased, was exhibited in Court and
was proven by the oath of John Landis and Solomon Williby to be the last will
and testament of the within named John Motly and was ordered to be recorded
Attest: Jonathan Hobson, C.W.C.
On jacket of will:
Recorded in Liber A page 260 Dec. 2, 1811. Examined and delivered to Matthew
Motly.

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1810 census Warren Co KY p279, twp not given
John Motley 2 M 16-26, 1 M 45+, 1 F 45+
[Henry 22?, x, John 76, Elizabeth c66]

1800 census Wake Co NC p748, Hillsborough twp
John Motley 2 M 0-10, 1 M 16-26, 1 M 45+, 2 F 16-26, 1 F 45+
[x, Henry 12?, Edwin 17, John 66, Penny 16, Nancy 19, Elizabeth c56]

1790 census Wake Co NC p263, twp not given
John Motley 2 M 16+, 3 M 0-15, 4 F
[John Sr 56, James 17, Edwin 7, Matthew 4, Henry 2, Nancy 9, Penny 6, Mary 20, Elizabeth c46]
Hinds Site: Genealogy of Ken Hinds -- page 204
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