Slave Name Roll Project: Releasing Nancy

Lawrence Van Hook was my 1st cousin seven times removed and the great grandson of Arent Van Hoeck, who came to the Dutch New Amsterdam colony with his second wife on 19 April 1655 aboard the De Bonte Koe. Lawrence's grandfather, Laurens Van Hook was a lawyer and a judge in Freehold, New Jersey, dying 50 years before the Revolutionary War. Lawrence's father, Aaron Van Hook, moved his family to Orange County, North Carolina before he wrote his will in 1760.

Lawrence, who was born in 1723 in the city of New York made the move to North Carolina with his father. He married Bridget Loyd in 1787 in Caswell County, North Carolina, and remained in that county until his death in 1801.

Caswell County, North Carolina, slave quarters; courtesy of NSCU Libraries

Another Ancestry member found and transcribed Lawrence's will, which was written on 6 April 1797.

The will was interesting in that he left a fairly extensive estate and appeared to have disinherited one of his daughters. Only one slave was listed by name in the will, though there are references to others:

3rd Item -- I appoint that in case Zachariah Jones and his wife Elizabeth die without issue either begotten by the two above mentioned, or by death and after intermarriage none begotten, then in that case a certain negroe woman named NANCY which I lent to said Zachariah and Elizabeth shall return and belong to my five children, or successors...

_______________
Slave Name Roll Project