This early Land ("Tax") List for Beaufort County is especially valuable because it provides the nearest record to a census for the precinct at this early date. Genealogists will delight in finding their ancestors on the list and hopefully it will also shed light on the early history of Beaufort County, North Carolina.

The first thing I noticed about this land list is how few people it contained. Only forty two persons are reported on the 1717 land list with a total of 28,256 acres for the precinct. Of the 42 persons reported,15 persons (35%) owned from 70 to 300 acres, 23 persons (54%) owned 301 to 930 acres and 7 (16%) owned over 1,140 to 5,370 acres.

The 7 largest land owners were Christopher Gale, with 5,370 acres; followed by  J. Lillington, with 2,390 acres, Josha. Porter, with 1,640; Jno. Porter, with 1,630; Robt. Turner, with 1,485; Thos. Harding, 1170; and Jno. Drinkwater, 1140acres. These seven families owned 52% of the acres of Beaufort Precinct (14,825 acres). The remaining 48% of the land was owned by 36 families with a 420 average acre per family.

This 1717 Land List for Beaufort Precinct, North Carolina is found in the North Carolina State Archives, Colonial Court Records; General Court Papers (CCR-140-141); 1717-1754, 1751-1787; S. 138.5.

Perfon, Given

Where land Apr.

N'o Acres

how hold

Total

Christop'hr Gale

Bath Town Creek

Bare River Mouth

Newport Sound

Bank Dis

White Oak river

Bay'rn (?) Sound

Island there

  720

  640

  820

1000

  640

  800

  750

Pat

5370

Gyles Shute

Town Creek

  182

Pat

  182

Jn'o Drinkwater

Goose Creek

S'o Devid'ng Creek

  820

  324

Pat

1140

Wm Sidby for

John Barris Est.  &

for Husbands

S'o Side Pamlico

S'o Side Pamlico

  390

  340

Pat

Survey

  730

Tho's Seally

for Isabella Lawfon

W't Side Pamlico

head Town Creek

  220

  320

Survey

  540

Ant'o McKeele

W't Side Pamlico

  300

Pat

  300

Rich'd Harvey for

Tuilly  (?) est.

Bodeet(?)  Creek

  300

Blank

  300

Jos: Shackleton

W't Side Pamlico

  320

Survey

  320

Jno. Adams

for Est of Wm Adams

Town Creek

Wades Point

  500

  640

Pat

Survey

1140

Edw'd Carter

Town Creek

  301

Pat

  301

Wm. Windley

for Tho's Harvey

S'o Devid: Creek

W't Deviding

  390

  100

}Pat

}

  490

Jno. Odeon

Town Creek

  535

Pat

  535

Thos: Worsley

Town Creek

  690

Pat

  690

Jn'o Brock

Bodeet(?) Creek

W't Side of Pamlico

  250

  680

Pat

  930

Geo. Hill

for Sam'll: Tyce

So Side Pamlico

Slade Creek

  430

  470

Pat

  900

Tho's Burslon (?)

Town Creek

  320

Pat

  320

James Nevill

S'o Side Pamlico

D's

  460

  122

} Pat

}  

  582

Walter Jones

S'o Side Pamlico

  218

Pat

  218

Sam'l Alderson

for Elean'r Axdale

Town Creek

D'o

  190

    70

} Pat

}  

  260

Jn'o Jackson

head Town Creek

  120

Survey

  120

Rob't Taylor

Di Ho

  200

Survey

  200

Tho's Harding

for Wm Gray

Duruhams Creek

Bare Creek

1170

  423

} Pat

} 

1593

Rob't Kingman

Fork Point

  640

Pat

  640

Lyon'l Reading

S'o Side Pamlico

  640

Pat

  640

Thos. Blount

for Orph'a Tyler

for Di Ho

S'o Side Pamlico

Di Ho

S'o Side Hus(?)

  610

  640

  640

}

}Survey

}

1890

Jn'o Porter

S'o Side Pamlico

Town Creek

River Creek

1280

  100

  250

Pat

Pat

Survey

1630

Josh'a Porter

S'o Side Pamlico

N'o Side Do

  640

1000

} Pat

}

1640

J. Lillington

W't Side Pamlico

S'o Side

Cow Sound

1000

  640

  750

}

} Pat

}

2390

Tho's Davis

W't Side Pamlico

  480

Survey

  480

Rob't Turner

S'o Side Pamlico

Cow Sound

  615

  870

} Pat

}

1485

Tho's Henderson

W't Side Pamlico

  300

Pat

  300