Pipkin Family Association

Contributed by Rosie Guthrie

Very few records have been found for Lewis Pipkin. He is named in his father's will (John Pipkin of Chowan County, N. C. 1745) "I give and bequeath to my two sons Lewis Pipkin and Isaac Pipkin being part of the survey of Land I now live upon Southward I give to my son Lewis Pipkin and the west part to my son Isaac Pipkin I give to them and their hirs for ever -- and I devise that (if) either of the three Daniell Pipkin, Lewis Pipkin or Zsaac Pipkin should dye that then their land - to fall to their brothers. ----son Lewis Pipkin two leather chairs, two pewter dishes, three plates, two cows, calf and young steer, two sheep.

----In case any of my children herein mentioned should dye before they come to age ---" It is difficult to ascertain if Lewis was of age when this will was written but it is doubtful that he was.

The next record found for LEWIS Pipkin is in the Johnston County Deeds Index, so he evidently moved westward with or followed his brothers. According to Mr. Charles R. Hollaman (co-author of Lenoir County and the Kinston Area) Lewis Pipkin bought land from James Barbee about 1751.

(Johnston County Index, Book 2, page 123) The next time we find his name is in Book 5, page 529 (1758 to 1761) "Lewis Pipkin to Richard Cogdell." A few of the land grants mention "then to Lewis Pipkin's line" but this may be the Lewis Pipkin found in the 1790 census of Dobbs County, who has not been identified at this time - (I wonder if he was a son of the earlier Lewis). If the records for Johnston, Dobbs and Lenoir Counties had not burned in 1878 in Lenoir County, we probably could have found more data concerning Lewis. There may have been a marriage and a will which named his wife and children.

A List of Officers of the Dobbs County Militia, March 11, 1761 (In G.O. 146 Archives. See same vol. on page 66 for justices Feb. 28, 1764, Nov. 29, 1766 and Nov, 29, 1768)

Henry Goodman, Lt. Promoted to Capt. during this year
Lewis Pipkin, Captain, Died during the year
Jethro McKennie, Lt. Promoted to Capt. to replace Pippkin
Jos Pipkin, Ensign - Commissioned as such to replace McKennie.

So, we presume that Lewis Pipkin died. Mr. Charles R. Holloman Sr. wrote "According to my notes one Lewis Pipkin of Dobbs County was a Captain of a Militia Company and died in the year 1763. However, we have lists of wills probated and Letters of Administration issued from 1763, including half of that year, to 1772 and Lewis is not shown on it at all. I take it he died very early in that year, 1763. (Or 1761) The Tax List of Dobbs for 1769 (ten years before Wayne was separated off) shows the following Pipkin males of age 16 and upward:

Joseph Pipkin and his son Elisha
Willis Pipkin
Jesse Pipkin
John Pipkin and his son Jesse (thus two Jesses)
Luke Pipkin
Arthur Pipkin

So, Lewis was not living in Dobbs County in 1769 and we can presume that he had died. No record has been found that he moved elsewhere."