722John Bruton
Key Facts
Snapshot:Revolutionary War soldier, planter, slave owner
Parents:unknown
Born:unknown
Last known record:22 February 1809
Warren County, Georgia
Buried:unknown

722John Bruton served America during the Revolutionary War, as proven by the following certificate dated 7 April 1784 from Brigadier General John Twiggs, who certified that 722John was entitled to a Georgia land bounty due to his service as a "Refugee" (i.e., a Georgia resident who had served the Revolution in another state).1 The following month 722John was ordered to receive a 287.5-acre grant in Washington County.2 The resulting plat map for his land shows that his property lay along Town Creek.3 722John's DAR ancestor number is A016211.


1784: 722John is noted as a Revolutionary War "refugee" (i.e., a Georgia-based soldier who fought elsewhere) and thus entitled to a land bounty. Full page.1

722John married 723Jannett Griffin sometime before December 1785, as explained below.

Problem: Resolved
Who is 722John's wife?

In a gifts deed dated 22 April 1808, 722John Bruton mentions "my beloved wife Jannett." 4 (This deed is presented more thoroughly later on this page—see below.)

 

Compare the abovementioned 1808 deed with the will of Jonas Griffin of Lancaster County, Camden district, South Carolina, dated 13 ___ 1785 (The writer strangely excluded the month.) and proven 15 March 1786, which mentions "my daughter Jennet Brewton." 5


By comparing the two records, one may suspect that 722John Bruton had married 723Jannett Griffin, daughter of 1446Jonas Griffin. Some reasonable doubt remains, however, because the distance between Warren County, Georgia (where 722John would later live, as shown later on this page) and Lancaster County, South Carolina (where 1446Jonas Griffin lived in 17855) is substantial. Given the large gap in time and location, how can we be confident that the "daughter Jennet Brewton" in 1446Jonas Griffin's 1785 will5 is the same person as "wife Jannett" in 722John Bruton's 1808 gifts deed4?

Fortunately, both documents mention a slave named Rose, the inheritance of whom helps to connect the two documents more firmly:


In 1785, 1446Jonas Griffin willed a slave "Rose" to his daughter 723Jennet Brewton.5 Full page.5


In 1808, 722John Bruton loans a slave "little Rose" to his daughter Polly. Full page.4

In 1790 722John was twice ordered to receive an additional 150 acres in Washington County,6 although I'm not certain whether this was related to his war service. He subsequently received two 150-acre lots in April 1792.7 Plat maps suggest that these properties lay in the vicinity (probably off to the northeast) of the intersection of Big Creek and Bruton Creek in what is now Laurens County.3

Warren County was carved out of Washington County in December 1793, and 722John appears frequently in Warren County's early records. The earliest such record is Warren County's 1794 tax digest book, which shows that he owned two 50-acre lots and five slaves.8



1794: 722John in Warren County's tax digest book. This is the earliest record I've found of 722John. Full page.9

By a deed dated 19 February 1798, Thomas Johnson, planter of Columbia County, sold John Brewton/Bruton, planter of Warren County, 200 acres on the west side of Beechtree Creek. Benjamin Bruton signed as one of two witnesses, but I don't know his relationship to 722John.9 722John bought an additional 100 acres on the west side of Beechtree Creek the following month.10

On 1 November 1798 722John purchased negroes Ned and Mary, a horse, ~25 hogs, and some crops from David Walker. Witnesses were Benjamin Bruton and Sally Bruton.11 This Sally is probably 722John's daughter, who would later be mentioned in an 1808 gifts deed (see below).

Records for a Warren County 1798 slave tax show that 722John owned four slaves. Of these four, two were between the ages of 12 and 50.12

By 1801 722John owned four lots (including one in Louisville) and eight slaves.13



1801: 722John in Warren County's tax digest book. Full page.13

A record dated 9 June 1801 notes that 722John was in a Warren County jury pool.14 He was subsequently chosen to be on a grand jury; his jury addressed complaints of officers' misbehavior, the bad state of the county's roads, standardization of weights and measures, and several charges of adultery.15

On 5 March 1802 he witnessed a Warren County deed,16 and on 11 March he helped appraise an estate.17 On 4 November 1803 he was appointed to appraise another estate.18

Warren County's 1805 tax digest shows that he owned lots along Rocky Comfort Creek and the Oconee River, and he also owned 17 slaves.19 Also in 1805, he was selected for a Warren County superior court jury on 3 September 1805.20



1805: 722John in Warren County's tax digest book. Full page.19

Also in 1805, 722John Bruton of Warren County registered for Georgia's 1805 land lottery, but he didn't win. He was entitled to two draws, which means that he was over age 21, had a wife, and had legitimate children under age 21.21


1805: 722John participated in Georgia's land lottery but didn't win. Full page.21

On 22 April 1808 722John signed a deed that is essentially in lieu of a will. The county record copy and a transcription are below.4

To all persons to whom these presents shall come I John Bruton
do send greeting; know ye that I the said John Bruton
of the State of Georgia and County of Warren for &
in consideration of the love and goodwill I have and ^do bar
towards my loving children and grand children
firs I do lend my Daughter Charlotte Walker the stock
& Houshold furniture know her possession formerly lent
to her By me also do lend to her during her life five negroes
namely Ned ^Hannah Jeb Sunday Sarah and for the work of said ne-
groes the said Charlotte Walker is to victual and
cloath and pay the tax yearly which property at her
Death I do give to be equally Devided between her

Children ___ and the increase thereof secondly
I do lend to my Daughter Lainy Spann the the stock & house-
hold furniture now in her possession formerly lent to
her by me also I do lend her during her lifetime Eight
negros ___ Hannah & Pat Mary ___ Isaac Susannah[?]
and Friday and for the work of said negros the said
Lanny Spann is to Victual and cloth and pay there
tax and at Her death I do give said property And
the increase thereof to be equally Divided Between
her children thirdly I do lend to my Daughter Sally
Porter I do give the mare she has now got in her
possession I do lend her one cow now in her possession
and three others formerly lent to her by me also I do
lend her during her lifetime three negros one bed
and furniture negros namely Bose Lucy and Little
Hannah and for said negroes and work of said negros
the said Sally Porter is to vitual and cloth and pay
the tax yearly and at Her death I do give said property
And the increase thereof to be equally Dived Between her
children fourthly I do lend to my Daughter Vicy Black
the stock and Household furniture now in her
possession formerly lent to her by me also I do lend
her during her lifetime four negros Cumber Diannah
Silvey and Peter and for the work of said negros
the said Vicy Black is to viual and cloath and pay
the tax yearly and at Her Death I do give said prop
erty And the increase thereof to Be equally Divi
ded betwen her Children fifthly I do lend to
my Daughter Polly Devereaux the

Household furniture and all the
cattle that has come from the ten
cows and calves she had when she was
married Also I do leng the negros that was
hired and put there to work and there increase
Hannah louis and Bedford Dinah little rose
and Clary and for which negros the said Polly
Deveraux is to viual and cloath and pay the there
tax for there work and at her death all said proper
ty I Do give to Be equally Divided among her
children and all the remainder of my Estate
both real and personal I Do lend unto my beloved
wife Jannett during her life and at her death
I do give it unto my son John Bruton and if it
dies without any Issue I do give said property unto
my grand children for ever without any other
manner of condition whatever In witness where
of I have hereunto set my hand and fixt my seal
this twenty second day of April 1808
Thomas Jones his
John Walker John Bruton
Thomas + Jones mark
C
his
mark

The above gifts deed notwithstanding, on 22 February 1809 722John, who is styled as "Snr" and "Segnior" at different parts of the deed, and who signed with the same backwards-C mark as in the aboveshown 22 April 1808 gifts deed, sold 300 acres to Simeon Travis. 720Robert Black, the father-in-law of 722John's daughter 361Vicy, signed as one of the witnesses.22

The 22 February 1809 deed is the last sure record I've found of 722John. On 19 September 1810 a John Black is noted as a claimaint in a lawsuit in Warren County, but he's not styled "Sr" etc., and I suspect that this record actually refers to 722John's son John.23

Sources Cited:

1: Georgia headright and bounty documents, 1783-1909. Brurer, John - Bull, Jesse. John Bruton folder, a certificated for John Bruton dated 7 April 1784 and signed by John Twiggs, B. G. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9TRC-9W2B>, accessed 29 June 2025.

2: ibid., a grant dated 17 May 1784 for 287.5 acres. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GTRC-948B>, accessed 29 June 2025.

3: Washington County, Georgia. Land records, 1772-1909. Folder labeled "WASHINGTON: BRUTON, JOHN (3)," three plat maps for 287.5 acres, 150 acres, and 150 acres. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9392-VHZD-L> et seq., accessed 29 June 2025.

4: Warren County, Georgia. Deeds book G (1805-1809), pages 481-484. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS35-H3BF-B>, accessed 25 June 2025.

5: Kershaw County, South Carolina. Wills book A1 (1782-1823), pages 326-327. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939L-JWSX-6K >, accessed 30 June 2025.

6: Georgia headright and bounty documents, 1783-1909. Brurer, John - Bull, Jesse. John Bruton folder, two grants both dated 8 December 1790 for 150 acres each. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GTRC-943W> and <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GTRC-943J>, accessed 29 June 2025.

7: Georgia Surveyor General, register of grants, volume VVV, page 383. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKV-K78V>, accessed 29 June 2025.

8: Warren County, Georgia. Tax digest book for 1794, n.p., entry #30 John Bruton. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4K-2Q7N-6>, accessed 25 June 2025.

9: Warren County, Georgia. Deeds book B (1795-1796), pages 20-21. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4V-69V9-Q>, accessed 23 June 2025.

10: ibid., pages 22-23. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4V-69JB-5>, accessed 23 June 2025.

11: Warren County, Georgia. Administrations and sales book for the years 1795-1809, page 38. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-8935-VJB9>, accessed 23 June 2025.

12: Warren County, Georgia. A book whose title page reads, "Particular List of Slaves in the lower Subdivision of Warren County assessment district, containing three companies; to wit—Capt William Chapman Abercrombies, Capt John Hatchers and CaptJoday Newsom's, Taken by John Currie, Assistant Assessor," n.p., section for B-surname slaveholders, entry for John Brewton. Ancestry.com (Georgia, U.S., Property Tax Digests, 1793-1892 / Warren / 1798 / images 11 and 12 of 113), accessed 30 June 2025. The year (1798) is noted on image 8.

13: Warren County, Georgia. Tax digest book for 1801, Captain J. Newsom's district, page 191, entry for John Bruton. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4K-2Q78-Q>, accessed 25 June 2025.

14: Warren County, Georgia. Superior court minutes book A (1794-1814), page 158, an entry that reads "6. John Bruton." FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3H3-4SH6-9>, accessed 25 June 2025.

15: ibid., page 171. FamilySearch, <>, accessed 25 June 2025. The jury's deliberations, etc. are described over the several preceding pages.

16: Warren County, Georgia. Deeds book F (1801-1805), pages 118-119. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS35-H3YW-M>, accessed 25 June 2025.

17: Warren County, Georgia. Appraisement/sales/inventory book for the years 1794-1808, page 100. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L935-VN7Q>, accessed 25 June 2025.

18: ibid., page 117. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L935-VF1M>, accessed 25 June 2025.

19: Warren County, Georgia. Tax digest book for 1805, Captain J. Newsom's district, entry for John Bruton. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4K-2Q32-G>, accessed 25 June 2025.

20: Warren County, Georgia. Superior court minutes book A (1794-1814), page 282. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3H3-4SW7-1>, accessed 25 June 2025.

21: State list of entitled drawers for the 1805 Georgia land lottery, section for B surnames, Warren County, registrant #2045 John Bruton. FamilySearch, https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKK-LVY3?i=110&cat=285452&lang=en. FamilySearch restricts access to this image, so see a copy here. This record is indexed in: Paul K. Graham, 1805 Georgia Land Lottery Persons Entitled to Draws (The Genealogy Company, Decatur, Georgia, 2005), page 70, entry #2045 for John Bruton of Warren County.

22: Warren County, Georgia. Deeds book H (1809-1810), pages 105-106. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4V-69J5-8>, accessed 25 June 2025.

23: Warren County, Georgia. Superior court minutes book A (1794-1814), page 492. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3H3-4SHL-G>, accessed 25 June 2025.