2610Bedford Fagan
Key Facts
Snapshot:lived in colonial North Carolina; in favor of the American Revolution
Parents:unknown
Born:unknown, but by 1737 at the latest
location unknown
Died:between 12 September 1777 and February 1778
presumably Tyrrell County, North Carolina
Buried:unknown

Every record of 2610Bedford Fagan that I've found comes from Tyrrell County, North Carolina, beginning with a deed dated 2 December 1748, when 2610Bedford Fagan signed as a witness for the sale of 130 acres from Thomas and Elizabeth Lee to Richard Fagan.1 (Several decades later, 2610Bedford would name "my son Richard Fagan" as an heir in his will,2 but I can't be sure that these two records refer to the same Richard.) Like all later records, 2610Bedford signed using his mark (the letter B), so he was probably illiterate.


1748: 2610Bedford witnessed a deed in Tyrrell County, North Carolina. This is the earliest record I've found of him. Full page.1

2610Bedford is on a Tyrrell County tax list for the year 1755,3 so he must have been born by 1737 at the latest.


2610Bedford on a 1755 Tyrrell County tax list. Full page.3

He served on a Tyrrell County petit jury in December 1761 to settle a lawsuit.4 The jury ruled in favor of the defendant and against the plaintiff, but the substance of the case isn't described.5

2610Bedford witnessed several other Tyrrell County deeds from the late 1750's until 1771,6-11 so he was probably living there throughout those years, but only one deed unequivocally proves that he owned property in the area: a deed dated 27 August 1771 for 100 acres being sold by John Jordain to Francis Gurta[sp?], said land adjoining Bedford Fagan, Richard Fagan, and Francis Lee.7

He wrote his will on 12 September 1777, and it was proved the following February. Notice that he writes the date as "in the Second Year of our Independancy 1777," which implies that he supported the Revolution.2 Below are the record copy and a transcription:

In the Name of god amen ----       ----       -------------
I Bedford Fagan of the state of North Carolina
And County of Tyrell Being weak in Body but of sound
Memory Blessed Be to god- Do make and ordain this my
Last will and Testament in Manner following that is to say
I commend my soul into the hands of Almighty god who
gave it and my Body to the Earth from whence it came in
Hopes of a joyful Resurrection through the merits of my
Saviour Jesus Christ--and as for that worldly Estate
Wherewith it hath pleased God to Bless me, I Dispose
Thereof as follows ----       ----       -------------

Item - - I will and bequeath to my well beloved son Frederick Fagan
                              to him and his heirs forever
My Manner plantation and the land joyning it _____
joyning it to him and his heirs forever.

Item - - I will and bequeath to my Beloved son Thomas Fagan fifty
acres of Land joyning the other land to him & his heirs forever.

Item - I will and bequeath to my beloved daughter Hannah
Blount ten shillings Lawful money of the sd. state

Item - I will and bequeath to my beloved daughter Sary Everit
ten shillings Lawfull money of the sd state.

Item - I will and Bequeath to my Beloved wife mar Fagan
Awll my Moveable Estate During her Life time
In Widowhood and after her Decease or Marriage to
Be Equally Divided Between my sons William Fagan
Stephen Fagan Shadrach Fagan Joshua Fagan and
Enoch Fagan - only tens[?] pounds Lawful money to Be paid
out of the sd Estate to my son Richd Fagan
I say to them and their heirs forever; and I do nominate
Constute and appoint my wife
Mary Faggans Executrix and my Son William Fagan
Executor of this my last will and Testament Revo
king and Disnulling all Other or former Will or Wills
or Testaments by me heretofore made Constituting
this to be and Contain my last will and Testament

In Witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and
Seal their 12th day of September and in the Second
Year of our Independancy 1777

[Signatures, etc. ...]

Tyrrel County       } ___ Remembered the Will of Bedford Fagan
Febry Term 1778 } was proved in Open Court by the Oath of Jasper
                                  Hardison                         Tho Hoskins Clk

Sources Cited:

1: Tyrrell County, North Carolina. Deeds book 2, page 30, part of a deed for 130 acres from Thomas Lee and his wife Elizabeth to Richard Fagan, dated 2 December 1748. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-898Q-3FBK?i=257&cat=321353>, accessed 19 October 2019.

2: Tyrrell County, North Carolina. Wills volume 1 (1744-1836), pages 120-121 (using the small numbers near the bottom left corner). <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:SQWX-8NFT-9?i=225&wc=32L2-VZQ%3A170019001%2C170223901&cc=1867501> et seq., accessed 15 October 2019. This is 2610Bedford Fagan's will.

3: North Carolina Archives, treasurer and comptroller tax lists box 1, Tyrrell County, 1755 list, image 4. North Carolina Digital Collections, <http://digital.ncdcr.gov/cdm/ref/collection/p16062coll33/id/2710>, accessed 19 October 2019. The same record is also available on FamilySearch: <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS79-13B5-P?i=114&cat=332823>.

4: Tyrrell County, North Carolina. Minutes of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for years 1755-1761, page 5. Reportedly on North Carolina Archives microfilm C.096.20001. Transcribed in: Betty Fagan Burr, transcriber, Tyrrell County North Carolina Minutes, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 1755 thru 1761, Book 2 (printed by Mrs. Frances Terry Ingmire, St. Louis, Missourri), page 119. Hereafter cited as "Burr." The transcription is for the December 1761 court and reads, "The Petit Jury called Personally appeared & Panneled[:] 1 John Ares[,] 2 Bedford FAGAN[,] [...]"

4: ibid., minutes book page 7, Burr's transcription book page 121. The transcription is again for the December 1761 court and reads "Nehemiah SPRUILL vs Benjamin TARKINGTON } The Jurors Impanneled & Swo_n on their oath say the Deft. is not Guilty in manner & form as Set forth the Plt. Decl. & find for the Deft.[:] 1 John ARES[,] 2 Edwd. WALKER[,] 3 Bedford FAGAN [...]"

5: ibid., minutes book page 195, Burr's transcription book page 76. The transcription reads, "A Deed of Sale of Land from William a {and?} Frances GRAY to Stevens LEE was proved by the Oath of Bedford FAGAN and on Motion Ordred to be registered."

6: ibid., minutes book on an unnumbered page between 233 and 234, Burr's transcription book page 114. The transcription seems to be for the June 1759 court (although the transcriber wasn't entirely certain) and reads, "A deed of assigment from Mr. William GRAY to Stevens LEE was duly proved by the Oath of Bedford FAGAN a Subscribing Witness and on Motion ordred to be  registered."

7: Tyrrell County, North Carolina. Deeds book 5, pages 61-63, a deed from John Jordan to Francis Gurta, dated 27 August 1771, for land adjoining Bedford Fagain, Richard Fagan, and Francis Lee. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G98Q-7QBR?i=55&cat=321353> et seq., accessed 19 October 2019.

8: Tyrrell County, North Carolina. Deeds book 5, page 109, part of a deed from Francis Lee to John Jordan, dated 27 August 1771, for land adjoining Beaver Dam, Joseph Hutson, and Francis Lee. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L98Q-7Q2V?i=79&cat=321353>, accessed 19 October 2019.

9: Tyrrell County, North Carolina. Deeds book 4, page 390, part of a deed between "John Collins heir at Law to William Collins Late of Tyrrel County [...] and John McKildo," dated 20 April 1764. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-998Q-7SBZ?i=218&cat=321353>, accessed 19 October 2019.

10: Tyrrell County, North Carolina. Deeds book 2, page 374, part of a deed from Richard Fagan to his friend John Jordine, not dated but registered 3 March 1760. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L98Q-3F9W?i=432&cat=321353>, accessed 19 October 2019.

11: Tyrrell County, North Carolina. Deeds book 2, page 384, part of a deed from William Gray of Bartee County to Stevens Lee of Tyrrell County, dated 28 May 1759. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L98Q-3F3J?i=438&cat=321353>, accessed 19 October 2019.