John Robert Hodges, Sr. ( 1736-1810 )

John Robert Hodges, Sr. was the first child born to Richard and Sarah Hodges of  North Carolina on June 26, 1736.  The 1747 will of his father, Richard Hodges of Beaufort County, NC he inherited "one plantation of 400 acres  on Chocowinity Bay" near Washington in Beaufort County, NC. He sold part of the property he had inherited in Beaufort County in 1756, the year he married  Tabitha Little who was born in Beaufort Co., NC on March 17, 1744, daughter of Thomas Little (1700-1764).  They married in Beaufort or Pitt Co.  ( Pitt Co. was formed out of Beaufort County).   He was a Revolutionary Soldier during the period from 1776 to 1781 and received a land grant for that service. In 1779 John Hodges of Washington County, NC (not GA) appointed his brother, Howell, as power of attorney and in 1780, Howell sold this land in Pitt Co, NC on the North side of the Tar River for John.

John Robert Hodges, Sr. and Tabitha had five children;  John Robert, Jr. born August 26, 1768, Howell, Robert, Matthew and William Henry  born  June 19, 1770 and died August 24, 1849.  William Henry married Ann Blitch first and second Hanna Colson.


Pitt County, N.C. Deed Book A. 1760-1761
Page 2245 reads as follows:
Grantor:  Cannon, Edward    Grantee:  John Hodges page 186 Year 1761
Page 2246 reads as follows:  Grantor:  Folson, Ebenezer    Grantee:  John Hodges  page 134  Year 1761
Page 2247 reads as follows:  Grantor:  Kennedy, John Sr.   Grantee:  Robert Hodges page 63  Year 1761

References:  From Pitt and Beaufort County, NC Records:
*Note:  Between 1700 and 1776 North Carolina Counties were created rapidly.  Pitt County was formed out of Beaufort County, NC; Lenoir was formed out of  Dobbs; Dobbs records burned,
but Dobbs records were also in other counties.
*Revolutionary War was from 1776 to 1781.  John Hodges got land for service as a Revolutionary Soldier. In 1779 John made his brother, Howell, Power of Attorney to sell his land (sold in 1780) in Pitt Co on the North Side of the Tar River in NC after he moved to GA.
*After extensive research with dozens of tax records, wills, census records, military records and other documents on the Hodges family having been examined by genealogist, Carl Swain, for this author, he proclaimed on June 15, 1999 that "all of my Hodges relatives came from within a 25 mile radius of Kinston, NC."


Note:  In May of 1994 a note from Carl Swain, genealogist, to this author read:
"At Last!!  The Family has been located -- ALL Living in Same County in 1762.  Carl "
He attached copies of North Carolina Genealogy Volume XIV No. 4, Winter 1968 which included Pitt Co. NC:  1762 Tax List  p 2211 and Pitt Co. NC Deed Book A, 1760-1761.  Note:   The first figure following each name is the total number of whites;  the second figure is the total number of blacks;  the third figure is the total number of taxables for each person.

Page 2214 reads as follows:
Hodges, John 1-1-2
Hewbanks, Richard 1-0-1
Hodges, John Senr.; Howell Hodges,
Couns (constable) 2-4-6
Hodges, Mathew 1-0-1
Hodges, Henry 1-4-5
Hodges, Robert;  Arthur Holden 2-3-5

John Hodges, Jr.  sold (August 1762) 200 a. to Edmond Kennedy.  Wittness:  Robert and Howell Hodges.  Bk B, p. 228, Pitt County, NC.


Thomas Little died in 1774 in Pitt County.  He had four sons all born between 1730 and 1740;  John, Josiah, George and James Little.

John Hodges of Washington County, GA gave to his brother Howell Hodges Power of Attorney to sell 150 a.  Bk F, p.537, Pitt Co, NC, May 22, 1779.

John Hodges and Tabby his wife to Samuel Walker, planter, all of Effingham Co., Deed dated November 6, 1790, for 150 acres on north side of Great Ogeechee.  Ga Gen.Mag, Vol 7, Eff. Co. Ga. Deed Book "A-B"

Robert Hodges of  Liberty Co., planter, to Joshua Loper of  Effingham Co., planter.  Deed dated August 1, 1792, for 575 acres in Washington Co., lying on Williamson's Swamp at the mouth of Little Beaverdam Creek, granted grantor April 8, 1785.  Witnesses:  Asa Loper and William Davis.  (Ga Gen Mag.Vol 8, Deed Book D, Montgomery County)

On February 3, 1794 a land warrant was granted and 200 acres surveyed in Screven County October 22, 1794 for William Hodges who resides in this state.  Joseph Suthers was the only adjoining landowner as bounded by vacant land on other sides.  Another tract of 150 acres was surveyed for John Hodges who resides in this state on August 14th 1802.  Still another tract was of 200 acres was surveyed for John Hodges who resides in this state on June 13, 1813 bounded by land of John Hodges.  (All records found in Land Plat Book A 1793 - 1812 Screven County, Georgia compiled by John M. Gould. and certified by Clerk of the Court of Screven County, GA  on January  4, 1991. )



Robert Hodges, Sr., of  Tattnall Co., land to Neal Smylie of Liberty Co. Deed dated January 12, 1804, for 200 acres in Liberty Co., Ga granted April 10, 1803. Liberty Co, Ga Deed Book F (GGM, V 6)

Howell Hodges sold (25 January 1780) 150 a. to Isaac Carrell formerly belonging to John Hodges.


References:  North Carolina Genealogy, Vol. XIV No. 4, Pitt Co: 1762 Tax List p 2214; Pitt Co Deed Book A, 1760-1761, p 2245-2247. Pioneers of Wiregrass GA Vol 5 p 209 by Folks Huxford, Huxford Genealogical Society, Inc. Magazine Vol XVII #2, June 1990. Georgia Genealogical Magazine, Vol 5,6,7,8.