170Renson Rabun
Key Facts
Snapshot:migrated from North Carolina to Georgia
Parents:unknown
Born:circa 1787
North Carolina
Died:by 7 May 1866
probably Warren County, Georgia
Buried:unknown

170Renson Rabun was born in North Carolina circa 1787.1 His surname is most commonly spelled Rabun2-5 but sometimes Raborn,6 Rabourn,7 Raburn,8 and Raiborn.1

Problem: Unresolved
Who was 170Renson's father?

Elizabeth P. Ansley's book A History of Descendants, Renson Rabun, Warren County, Georgia describes some research to identify 170Renson's parents. I will refer you to her book for further reading.

With the available evidence, 170Renson's father unfortunately can not be identified with certainty. However, Ansley does conclude that either Ricd Rabon or Wm Rabon (both of whom lived in Wake County, North Carolina in 1790) is probably 170Renson's father.

On 2 August 1810, he received a bond to marry 171Elizabeth Martin in Wake County, North Carolina.7


1810: 170Renson's and 171Elizabeth Martin's marriage bond. Full page.7

By 1820 they had settled in Warren County, Georgia,8 where they seem to have remained for the rest of their lives. The numbers below represent: 2 boys age 0-9, 1 man age 26-44 (170Renson), 2 girls age 0-9, 1 girl age 10-15, 1 woman age 26-44 (171Elizabeth), and including 1 agricultural worker.


1820: 170Renson's family in Warren County, Georgia. Full page.8

The 1830 and 1840 censuses show the growth of the family.2,6


1830: 170Renson's family still in Warren County. Full page.6


1840: 170Renson's family still in Warren County. Full page.2

In 1838 170Renson received a headright grant for 235 acres in Warren County, and in 1850 another grant for 100 acres.9

An 1849 tax digest shows that 170Renson was a resident of militia district 150 (map) and that he owned 314 acres in Warren County.10

The 1850 and 1860 censuses show names for some of his children.1,3


1850: 170Renson's family still in Warren County, Georgia. Full page.1


1860: 170Renson's family still in Warren County, Georgia. Full page.3

As you may have noticed, the 1860 census shows Delania as 170Renson's wife3 (in contrast to earlier records, which show 171Elizabeth/Betsy1,7). 170Renson married Delania on 12 August 1852,5 so we can presume that 171Elizabeth had died in the early 1850's.


1852: 170Renson's and Delania's marriage certificate. Full page.5

Below is a copy of 170Renson's will, along with a transcription. It was probated 7 May 1866.4 In addition to his will, his other estate records are a letter of administration11 and several annual return vouchers.12 The vouchers are particularly helpful for identifying 170Renson's children (since 170Renson's will only mentions one daughter by name), and I have made a summary of most of the returns.

Warren County  } In the name of God, Amen.
                              I Renson Rabun of the State and County
aforesaid being of sound mind and memory (blessed by Al-
might God for the same) do make and publish this my last
Will and Testament
1   I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Delainey and my
                                                                and forty acres
beloved Daughter Nancy one hundred ^ acres of Land more or
less the place on which I now live, and all my household and
Kitchen furniture and also my horse and Buggy, one cow and
calf one sow and pigs the wash pot and all my Stock of Sheep
also one hundred dollars of my Estate as long as my wife De-
lainy shall remain unmarried and my widow, but on her decease
or marriage the remainder thereof I give and devise to my said
child Nancy and her heirs respectively.
2   The remainder of my Estate after all my Just debts are paid
out of it I give and bequeath to all the rest of my children to be
divided equally between them share and share alike.
3   I do nominate and appoint Absalem Jackson to be the sole
Executor of this my last will and testament.
    In testamoney whereof I hereunto set my hand and Seal and
publish and decree this to be my last Will and Testament in presence
of the witnesses named below this tenth day of June in the year of
our Lord one thousand Eight hundred and fifty eight.
x and forty acres ) interlined before signed )
Test                                         Renson [his mark X] Rabun
    Julie [her mark X] Howel
    Lucretia A. Jackson
    Absalem Jackson J. P

Sources Cited:

1: 1850 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Warren County, Georgia. Page 384[?], dwelling 1002, family 1002, Renson Raiborn household. NARA microfilm publication M432, roll 86. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-XCM2-NN?cc=1401638&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AMZYD-RVN>.

2: 1840 U.S. Federal Census. Newsom's district, Warren County, Georgia. Page 32, Ransel Rabun household. NARA microfilm publication M704, roll 53. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YTB-93C7?i=6&cc=1786457&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AXHBN-TGQ>, accessed 12 January 2020.

3: 1860 U.S. Federal Census (Population Schedule). Adkin's district, Warren County, Georgia. Page 52, dwelling 387, family 5, Renson Rabun household. NARA microfilm publication M653, roll 140. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YBT-886?cc=1473181&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AMZM4-ZL6>.

4: Warren County, Georgia. Wills book for the years 1852-97, page 171. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G935-JF1M?i=114&cc=1999178&cat=214481>, accessed 13 January 2020.

5: Warren County, Georgia. Marriage book for the years 1848-73, page 94, marriage of Renson Rabun and Delania Hutcheson. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-LBZ3-ZV8?cc=1927197&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AKXJK-6V7>, accessed 12 January 2020.

6: 1830 U.S. Federal Census. Warren County, Georgia. Page 225, Renson Raborn household. NARA microfilm publication M19, roll 21. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYY1-FRX?cc=1803958&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AXHGB-LDP>, accessed 12 January 2020.

7: Wake County, North Carolina. Marriage Bonds Volume P-S, n.p., bond for Wren Rabourn and Betsy Martin, dated 2 August 1810. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-994X-JLYX?i=822&cc=1726957>, accessed 12 January 2020.

8: 1820 U.S. Federal Census. Capt. Loyle's district, Warren County, Georgia. Page 277, Renson Raburn household. NARA microfilm publication M33, roll 7. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9YBC-4L3?cc=1803955&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AXHLW-H2Z>. Since the 1820 census often lacks column headers, you may find this template helpful.

9: Georgia Headright and Bounty Documents 1783–1909, folder for Renson Rabun, two grants dated 1 October 1850 for 100 acres and 15[?] February 1838 for 235 acres. FamilySearch, .

10: Warren County, Georgia. Tax digest for 1849, section for Land's district 150, page 6, entry for Renson Rabun. Ancestry.com ("Georgia, U.S., Property Tax Digests, 1793-1892" / Warren / 1849 / images 13 and 14 of 122), accessed 7 May 2023.

11: Warren County, Georgia. Letters of administration book for the years 1859-1915, page 125. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L935-J29H?i=201&cc=1999178&cat=208313>, accessed 13 January 2020.

12: Warren County, Georgia. Annual returns book 1869-1876, pages 33-36, 60, 74, 154, 388, 389, 516, and 517. Georgia Archives microfilm 104/43, copied 28 January 2012. As of October 2021, FamilySearch does not seem to have a digital copy of this returns book, so I've made a ZIP file of images of the relevant pages.