Fourth Generation

21. JOHN RATCLIFF^1,4 was born in 1725 in Saint Michael's, Talbot County, Maryland. He died on 23 March 1803 at the age of 78 in Chatham County, North Carolina.

John and Ann were married Lower Falling Creek Monthly Meeting, 1748, 8th month, 7th day - actually in October by our dating.

John Jr.'s name is on the 1769 List of Taxables, Dobbs Co NC, Kinston Area

John was a member of the Lower Falling Creek Society of Friends as in 1772, 3m, 2d, when Thomas Cox was appointed an overseer in the room of John Ratcliff, deceased, John Jr. requested a certificate in order to remove himself and family to Cane Creek Monthly Meeting, in Chatham Co. Isaac Secuin and John Kennedy were appointed to inquire about the family and prepare them a certificate. Lower Falling Creek was also called Contentnea.

4 May 1772, John and family were granted certificates to transfer from Contentnea MM to Cane Creek MM.
1 Aug 1772, Cane Creek MM received John Ratcliff from Contentnea MM. One the same day Ann Ratcliff and daughters Sarah, Elizabeth, and Ann were received on Certificate from Lower Falling Cree and transferred to Cane Creek

14 Feb 1785 John bought 400 acres on Loves Creek and Blood Sun, Matthews Twp, Chatham Co NC from Robert Cobb for £90.

1790 Census. John was living in Chatham Co NC with 3 males over 16, 1 male under 16, and 3 females.

15 Nov 1792. John Sr sold 113 acres of the former Cobb plantation to his son John Jr. for £30.
Chatham Deed Book F, p.165
This Indenture made this 15th day of Nov.r in the year of Our Lord one thousand Seven hundred and Ninety two Between John Ratcliff Senr of County of Chatham and State of North Carolina of the on Part and John Ratcliff Junr Son of the Said John Ratcliff Senr for and in Consideration of the Sum of thirty pounds Currant Money of the State aforesaid to him in hand Paid by the Said John Ratcliff Junr at or before the Ensealing and delivery of these presents the recept whereof the Said John Ratcliff Senr doth hearby Acknowledge he the Said John Ratcliff Senr have granted bargained and Sold Aliened & Confirmed and by these presents do grant Bargain and Sell Alien and Confirm unto the Said John Ratcliff Junr his heirs and Assigns forever A Certain Tract or parcel of Land Situate lying and being in Chatham County Aforesaid on the West Side of Loves Creek being apart of a Tract of Land Granted to John Morphus by the State of North Carolina and from the said Morphus by a Deed of Conveyance to Robert Cobb and from the Said Cobb to the Said John Ratcliff Senr by a Deed of Conveyance as the deeds being had will more fully appear and is the plantation whereon the Said John Ratcliff Junr now doth live Beginning at a Black Jack Oak in ___ Wilkesons line and running North fifty Seven Poles to A Black Walnut Tree thence North 20 West 92 poles to a White Oak thence West twenty one poles to A Hickery thence South 20 West 120 poles to a Black Oak thence West to the Original line thence South along that line to the Corner of the sd Land thence to the first Station Containing one hundred and thirteen Acres be the Same more or less as also all profits Commodities Advantages Hereditements and Appurtenances whatsoever to the Said Plantation or parcel of Land belonging or in Anywise Apertaining and the reversion and reversions remainder and remainders rents and Services of the Said premisses and of every part thereof and all the Estate right title inrest property Claim and demand of the Said John Ratcliff Senr of in and to the Said Tract or parcel of Land and premises and every part and parcel thereof To have and to hold the Said Tract or parcel of Land and all and Singular the premises abovementioned and every part and parcel thereof with the Appurtinances unto the Said John Ratcliff Junr his heirs and Assigns forever and the Said John Ratcliff Senr for
p.166
for him and his heirs the Said Tract or parcel of Land and premises and every part thereof against him and his heirs and Assigns to the Said John Ratcliff Junr his heirs and Assigns shall and will Warrant and forever defend by these presents In Witness whereof the Said John Ratcliff Senr have hereunto Set his hand and Seal the day and year above
Signed: John Ratcliff
Signed Sealed & delivered in presence of
James Seurlock, Mial Seurlock
Chatham County Novemr Sessions 1792
This deed was duly Acknowledged in Open Court & Ordered to be Registered
Test John Ramsey C C

13 Feb 1798
Chatham NC Deed Book K, p.38-39 John Ratcliff to William Campbell, 18 acres
This Indenture made this thirteenth day of February in the year of Our Lord on thousand Seven hundred and Ninty three Between John Ratcliff Senr of the County of Chatham and State of North Carolina of the one part and William Cambell of the State and County aforesaid of the other part Witnesseth that the said John Ratclifff Snr for and in consideration of the Sum of twenty pounds currant money of the State aforesaid to him in hand paid by the Said William Campbell at or before the insealing and delivery of these presents the recept whereof the Said John Ratcliff doth hearby Acknowledg the Said John Ratcliff have granted bargained Sold Alined and confirmed and by these presents do grant bargain Sell alien and confirm unto the Said William Campbell his heirs and assigns forever A Certain part of A Tract of Land Situate lying and being in Chatham County aforesaid on the East Side of Bloody Creek being part of A Tract of Land granted to John Morphis by A grant from the State of North Carolina dated the twenty third day of October in the year one thousand Seven and Eighty two and by the Said John Morphis conveyed by a Deed of Conveyed to Robert Cobb and by the Said Robert Cobb conveyed to the aforesaid John Ratcliff by a Deed of Conveyance as the Deeds being had will more fully appeare Beginning at a White Oake and a posimmon Tree Standing on a Small Branch in the Said Campbells field and is a Corner Tree and is a corner Tree of Said Ratcliffs land and running East Sixty poles to a Hickery then South twenty West Sixty poles to a Spanish Oak then West 20 poles to a Post Oak thence to the first Station containing Eighteen acres be the same more or less Allso all profits commodities advantages heretitements and appurtinances whatsoever to the Said plantation Tract or parcel of Land belonging or in Anywise appertaining and the reversion and reversions remainder and remainders rents and Services of the Said
Said premises and of every part and parcel thereof and all the Estate right title Interest property claim and demand of the Said John Ratcliff of in and to the Said Tract or parcel of Land and premises and every part and parcel thereof to have and to hold the Said Tract or parcel of Land and all and Singular the premises above mentioned and every part and parcel thereof with the appurtinances unto the Said William Campbell his heirs and assigns to the only proper use and behoof of the Said William Campbell his heirs and assigns forever and the Said John Ratcliff for him and his heirs Executors administrators and assigns the Said Tract or parcel of Land and premises and every part thereof against him and his heirs and assigns to the Said William Campbell his heirs and assigns shall and will Warrant and forever defend by these presents In Witness whereof the Said John Ratcliff have hereunto Set his hand and seal the day and year above
Signed: John Ratcliff Sr
Signed Sealed & delivered in the presents of
Edom Ratcliff Abner Ratcliff John his + mark Campbell Chatham
County August Sessions 1798 The Execution of this Deed was duly proved in Open Court by the Oath of John Campbell A Subscribing Witness & Ordered to be Registered Test John Ramsey CC

1800 Census. John Ratcliff had 2 males 10-15, and 2 males over age 45; 1 female 26-45 and 1 female over 45. Chathan Co NC [John & Ann may have had a grown child & family living with them]

10 Feb 1802
Chatham, NC Deed Book M, p.155-6 William Campbell 3 acres back to John Ratcliff
This Indenture made this tenth day of February in the year on thousand Eight hundred and two Between William Campbell of the County of Chatham and State of North Carolina of the one part and John Ratcliff Sener of the State and County aforesaid of the other Part Witnesseth that the said William Campbell for an in consideration of the Sum of Ten pounds Current Money of the State aforesaid to him in hand paid by the said John Ratcliff at or before the insealing of these presents the recept thereof the Said William Campbell doth hereby acknowledge that he the Said Wm Campbell have granted bargained sold alind and Confirmed and by these presents do grant bargain Sell aline and confirm unto the Said John Ratcliff Sener his heirs and Assigns forever a certain part of A Tract of Land Situate lying and being in Chatham County aforesaid on the East side of Bloody Creek being part of a Tract of Land granted to John Morphos by a Grant from the State of North Carolina dated the twenty third day of October in the year one thousand Seven hundred and Eighty two and by the said John Morphos conveyed by a Deed Conveyed to Robert Cobb and by the Said Cobb by a Deed conveyed to the Said John Ratcliff then conveyed to Wm Campbell and now this part of the Said Land conved by the Said Campbell back to the Said Ratcliff it Beginning at a Black Jack one of John Piggott’s Corners of a piece or parcel of land conveyed from the Said Campbell to the Said Piggott and running North fifty eight degrees East fifty two poles to a Hickory, thence South twenty degrees West thirty one poles to a Spannish Oak thence West thirty on poles to the place of Beginning containing three acres be the Same more or less also all profeits commodities advantages heroditiments and appurtenance whatsoever to the Sad Tract or parcel of Land belonging or in anywise appertaining and the reversion and reversions remainder and remainders rents and servesses of the Said premises and of every part and parcel thereof and all the Estate Write title Intrust property Claim or demand of the Said Wm Campbell of in and to the Said Tract or parcel of Land and premises and every part and parcel thereof To have and to hold the Said Tract or parcel of Land and all the Singular the premises above mentioned and every part and parcel thereof with the appurtenance unto the Said John Ratcliff Sener his heirs and assigns to the only proper use and behoof of the said John Ratcliff Sener his heirs and assigns forever and he the Said Wm Campbell for himself and his heirs Exectors administrators and Assigns the Said Tract or parcel of Land and
and premises and every part thereof against him and his heirs and assigns to the Said John Ratcliff Sener his heirs and assigns shall and will warrant and forever defend by these presents In Witnesses whereof he the Said Wm Campbell have hereunto Set his hand and Seal the day and year above written
Signed: Wm Campbell
Signed Sealed & delivered in presents of us
Abner Ratcliff Solomon Terrel
Chatham County August Sessions 1803 This Deed was duly acknowledged in Open Court and Ordered to be Registered Test Thos Ragland CC

10 Feb 1802. John sold 2 1/2 acres of the former Cobb plantation to Solomon Terrell for £10.
Chatham Deed Book M, p.156-7
This Indenture made this tenth day of February in the year of Our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and two Between John Ratcliff Sener of the County of Chatham and State of North Carolina of the one part and Solomon Terrell of the State and County aforesaid of the other part Witnesseth that the Said John Ratclif Sener for and in consideration of the Sum of Ten pounds current Money of the State aforesaid to him in hand paid by the Said Solomon Terrel at or before the ensealing and delivery of these presents the recept whereof the the Said John Ratcliff doeth hereby acknowledge he the Said John Ratcliff have granted bargained sold allind and confirmed and by these presents do grant bargain sell aline & confirm unto the Said Solomon Terrell his heirs and assigns forever A Certain part of A Tract of Land Situate lying and being in Chatham County aforesaid on the East side of Bloody Creek being part of A Tract or Land granted to John Morphos by A grant from the State of North Carolina dated the twenty third day of October in the year one thousand Seven hundred Eight two and by the Said John Morphos conveyed by a Deed of conveyance to Robert Cobb and by the Said Robert Cobb conveyed to the aforesaid John Ratcliff conveyed to the Said Solomon Terrell Beginning at Small Poplar Bush in the Said Terrells field running South eighteen degrees West twenty one poles to a Spannish Oak on the South Side of the Spring thence West twenty two poles to a Small White Oak thence North twelve poles to a Spannish Oak on the Said Ratcliff line called Terrells Corner thence East along the said Ratcliff line thirty five poles to the place of Beginning Containing two acres and a half be the Same more or less also all profits commodities advantages hereditaments and appertenances whatsoever to the Said Tract or parcel of Land belonging or in anywise appertaining and the reversion and reversions remainder and remainders rents and Servisses of the Said premises and of every part and parcel thereof and all the Estate wright title Intrust property claim and demand of the said John Ratcliff Sener of in and to Said Tract or parcel of Land and
Premises and every part and parcel thereof To have and to hold the Said Tract or parcel of Land and all and Singular the premises above mentioned and every part and parcel thereof with the appertinance unto the Said Solomon Terrell his heirs and his heirs and assigns to the only proper use and behoof of the Said Solomon Terrell his heirs and assigns forever and the Said John Ratcliff for himself and his heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns the Said Tract or parcel of Land and premises and every part thereof against himself and his heirs and assigns to the said Solomon Terrell his heirs and Assigns Shall and will Warrant and forever defend by these presents In Witness whereof the Said John Ratcliff Sener have hereunto Set his hand and Seal the day and year above
Signed: John Ratcliff Sr
Signed Sealed & delivered in presents of us
Wm Campbell Abner Ratcliff
Chatham County August Sessions 1803 This Deed was duly proved in Open Court by the Oath of William Campbell a subscribing Witness & ordered to be Registered Test Thos Ragland CC

7 May 1804, John sold 200 acres on Brush Creek to John Siler for $125. He may have received this land as a grant from the province of North Carolina.
7 May 1804. John Ratcliff also sold 228 acres, part of which may have been part of the Cobb plantaion and part taken up by John from the State of NC to William Duty for £300.

John's Will was dated 22 Feb 1790. He named his wife Ann and children Sarah Ratcliff, Elizabeth Smith, John Jr., Edom, Amos and Abner; and his grandsons who were son of Thomas, dec'd, Eliza, John, Job, Thomas Jr. and Samuel. The grandsons received 85 acres of the "Cobb Plantation" which they sold in 1813.
John left the remaining part of his plantation to his son Abner, with the implied condition he care for his parents until their deaths. Abner sold 222 acres on Love's Creek and Blood Run to Robert Wilkinson, 26 Nov 1807, and moved to Indiana.

Will of John Ratcliff, Sr.
Chatham Co., N. C.
IN THE NAME OF GOD, AMEN. I, John Ratcliff, Senior, Of the County of
Chatham and State of North Carolina, being in perfect health of body, and of
perfect mind and memory, thanks be given to God, calling unto mind the
mortality of the body, and knowing it is appointed for all men once to die,
do make and ordain this my last will and testament, and astouching such
worldly estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me in this life, I give
devise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form:
Item, I leave to my dearly beloved wife, Ann Ratcliff, my room of the
house wherein I now live, all my stock of every kind, household
furniture and plantation tools, during her natural life, except she
marries, then only one-third part thereof and the remaining two-
thirds at her marriage to be equally divided between my children:
Sarah Ratcliff, Elizabeth Smith, John Ratcliff, Edom Ratcliff, Amos
Ratcliff and Abner Ratcliff, and at her death the other third in
the same manner, except such as I may hereafter dispose of
otherwise to them, their heirs, forever.
Item, I give and bequeath to my daughter, Sarah Ratcliff, one cow and calf
to her and her heirs forever,.
Item, I give and bequeath to my son, Abner Ratcliff, all the land and
plantation whereon I now live, with all the appurtenances thereto
belonging, except the room lent to my wife, which at her death is
to be his, also my still with all the appurtenances thereunto
belonging to him, his heirs and assigns forever.
Item, I give and bequeath to my grandsons: Job Ratcliff, Samuel Ratcliff,
Elias Ratcliff, Thomas Ratcliff and John Ratcliff, sons of Thomas
Ratcliff, deceased, a certain quantity of land, supposed to be
about eighty-five acres, agreeable to conditional lines with
myself, mysons John & Thomas Ratcliff, to be divided among my said
grandsons agreeable with their father's will to them, their heirs
and assigns forever.
And I do hereby constitute, make and ordain Abner Ratcliff the sole
executor of this my Last Will and Testament--and I do hereby utterly
disallow, revoke and disannull all and every other former
Testaments, Wills, legacies, bequeaths and executions by me in any-
wise before named, willed and bequeathed, these ratifying and
confirming this and no other to be my Last Will and Testament.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 22nd
day of February 1790. Signed, sealed, published, pronounced and
declared by these, John Ratcliff, as his Last Will and Testament.
John Ratcliff, Sr. SEAL
Witnesses Thomas Ragland
Clerk of Superior Court, Pittsboro,
Chatham Co., N. C., Will Book A, page 48.

John Jr. and all his descendants moved to Ohio in Sep of 1804 and Ann and Sarah Ratcliff, possibly his mother and sister, moved their Quaker membership to the Miami Monthly Meeting [Ohio] on 4 Aug 1804. It is also said that Ann Farmer Ratcliff died at Winston-Salem in NC about 1822 which sheds some doubt about who actually joined the Quakers in Miami, Ohio.

JOHN RATCLIFF and ANN FARMER were married on 7 August 1748 in Dobbs County, North Carolina. ANN FARMER^1,4 was born in 1728. She died on 11 November 1822 at the age of 94 in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Ann Farmer is believed to have been the daughter of Henry and Sarah (Ward) Farmer, born 1728 and died in North Carolina 11 Nov 1822.
This couple as parents of Ann Farmer are highly doubtful. Henry Farmer died in Chesterfield VA about 1753 and there is no indication his family ever lived in North Carolina where his daughters could meet and marry the Ratcliff brothers. Henry left no will, having previously deeded land to his sons. Henry & Sarah Farmer's son Seth is said to have left a will in Chesterfield Co, 1756 which names his sister Ann - since she would have been married to John by this time, that would be an interesting record to view. Also there is no indication that Henry Farmer of Chesterfield was Quaker.

Kinship to Mary Farmer, wife of John's brother Moses, is unknown.

JOHN RATCLIFF and ANN FARMER had the following children: