Loflin Quinn Genealogy: Discovering Family History in NC 1712-1774

My Quinn Line

Laughlin Quin(n) 1712c-1774

An old handwritten document on yellowed paper with faded ink and fold lines.

Mary Canaday 1723c-1793

Parents and Place of Birth remains a mystery.

James Quin (1732c-1804), Caleb Quin (1735c-1833), Margaret Quin, (1745c-14 August 1840), William Quin (1743c-1790), Enoch Quin (1747c-1832), George Quin (1748c-1805), David Quin (1 June 1749 - 28 May 1837), Abner Quin Sr. (1748c-1815), Thomas Windham Quin (1750c-1812), Loflin Quin, Jr. (1752c-1824).

Laughlin is buried on his 1749 land grant still in the hands of his Quinn descendants.

Mary is buried on her grant at Potter's Hill, NC.

Caleb Quin(n) 1745c-1833

Two historical documents with handwritten text and punched holes, marked 0073 and 0074.

Virginia Jane Johnston 1764-1854 who arrived in Charlestown in 1767 at age 3.

Jesse is listed as an Administrator for both his father in 1833 and his mother in 1854 and shows his line in the Family Bible also on this page. Jesse is presumed the Eldest son of Caleb as he is conveying land and estate to his son Jesse before his death in 1833 and this line follows Caleb to his father in the same way. He simply does not have to spell it out as it is thusly known and expected.

Jesse, Margaret, Elizabeth, Ichabod, Moley are Caleb and Jane's Children

American Revolution

Quartermaster Sergeant, Wilmington District Militia, Battle of Moore's Creek Bridge.

Caleb and Jane are buried on their land in Albertson, NC which is in dire decay.

If not for our revolutionary Patriot Caleb Quinn and his compatriots we would surely not be here to honor Grandpa Caleb this 4th of July.

We have completed applications to both The Daughters of the American Revolution and Sons of the American Revolution Under this Patriot.

Jesse Quin(n) 1794-1860

Old handwritten marriage record with dates from late 1700s to early 1800s.

Jesse Quinn was married in 1815, first to Ziphia Brown who died on 8 April, 1824 at home in the Goshen area of Duplin County. They had several children Amos George, Jesse Brown Quinn and Patrick Quinn all born in Albertson, near their grandfather Caleb. Zip as she was known is the daughter of Col. Jesse Brown and Arabella Middleton of Duplin County.

Quickly Jesse remarries, this time to Susan Jernigan on 20 December 1824 herself a daughter of Calvin & Dicey Evans Jernigan that lived less than a 1/2 mile from Jesse Quinn at that time.

Susan Jernigan 1799-1854

Mary Ann, Zilphia, Ichabod, Narcissa, Kitty, Julia, Elizah, Frank, Rachel & Esther

Jesse Quinn's 2nd wife Susan Jernigan Quinn is buried in the Calvin Jernigan Cemetery with her parents slightly down the road.

Jesse lived in Wolfscrape, NC and died there. Jesse is buried in the Best-Quinn Cemetery in a now unmarked grave with his 3rd wife Martha Patsey Best. Hence the name of the cemetery.

W.F. "Frank" Quinn 1836-1908

A woman in vintage attire with a serious expression.

2x Grandma Julia Garner Quinn 1845-1917

Ida, Dan, Pugh, Julia, Minnie, Lena

U.S. Civil War, NC Troops, Gatlin's Dragoons, NC 1st Cavalry at Antietam, Herring's Artillery, 40th Artillery, Fort Fisher, Point Lookout POW.

After the war at Christmas time 1865 he was married to Julia Ann Garner, her mother a natural Herring bearing the same name.

He served as Justice of Peace, Postmaster, 1880 US Census Enumerator for Wolfscrape in Duplin County,

Frank and Julia lived in Wolfscrape, NC and Frank passed in Kenansville in 1918. Frank is buried at the Best Quinn Cemetery in a now unmarked grave.

Julia Quinn died in Brogden living with her daughter Lena Cornelia Quinn Davis in the Maplewood Cemetery, Mt. Olive. Her death certificate reports her a widow as does her Civil War Widow's pension. However Frank passed after she did while in the care of his daughter

F.P. "Pugh" Quinn 1873-1939

Joseph "Joe" S. Quinn 1912-1957

A vintage black and white family portrait with three generations standing outside a house.

Great Grandma Minnie V. Davis 1886-1958

Mac, Joe, Blanche, Laster, Virginia, Eddie

Pugh was in the First World Warhe is found on muster rolls at Pontanezen Camp in Brest, France was a major point of transit for incoming and homeward bound troops during World War I. The camp covered over 1000 acres at its largest. Conditions were often damp and muddy, and in the early days, tents had no floors. The network of duckboard walkways you see here were developed over time to lift the troops out of the mud.

Pugh and Minnie lived in Wolfscrape, NC. Pugh died in Wallace and Minnie in Winston-Salem. Pugh is buried in the Best-Quinn Cemetery in a now unmarked grave and Minnie is buried at Forsyth Memorial Park, Winston-Salem.

Joseph "Joe" S. Quinn 1912-1957

Black and white portrait of a smiling young couple close together.

Grandma Margaret Rivenbark 1915-2002

Herbert Jack, J.P., Louis, Ralph

I never knew Grandpa Joe, but I did spend a great deal of time with two of his brothers. Laster (Sevierville, TN) and Eddie Quinn (Thomasville, NC). Additionally when visiting Cypress Gardens, or Lego Land we often thought of the fun we had there as kids. Great Aunt Blanche was always there too.

Grandpa Joe died in a horrible tractor trailer accident when the truck caught fire on 9 August, 1957 in Apex, NC about a mile from where my brother Paul lived for a time.

Joe and Margaret lived in Goldsboro, NC and are buried at the Maplewood Cemetery, in Mt. Olive.

Ralph and Lottie are interred at Montlawn Memorial Park, 2911 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh

Ralph A. Quinn 1942-2019

Large family posing together outdoors on a dock by the water.

Lottie Mae Lamm 1941-2019

T. Allen Quinn

A smiling family of five sitting together by a stone fireplace.

La Donna Kay Jarrell

Jennifer Reaves

Smiling family of five posing with a cat in front of a festive fireplace.

Robert Bingham Reaves

Paul Quinn

Three people smiling outdoors in casual clothes during a chilly day.

The Quinn Genetic Genealogy Project: Uncovering Your Ancestry

The Finding of Documented Evidence

1747 – The Spanish Alarm

Laughlin Quin first appears in the historical record during the Spanish Alarm of 1747. He is listed in Colonial and State Records of North Carolina, CSR22-0046 (Volume 22, pp. 262–268), titled “Payroll for Thomas Lovick’s Regiment of the North Carolina Militia.”[1]

This undated document (covering June 14–September 10, 1747) records the names of soldiers who answered “sundry alarms” to repel Spanish privateers attacking Beaufort and its harbor (then known as Topsail Inlet, not to be confused with present-day New Topsail Inlet in Pender County).

On page 265, second from the bottom, appears the name of Laughlin Quin, who was paid on September 10, 1747, for six days of service. This suggests he served from approximately September 4 through September 10, the period during which the Spanish privateers withdrew. This entry provides the earliest known record of his presence, his allegiance to the Crown, and his association with fellow Carteret settlers.

1749–1750 – Planter

In the September Court of 1749 at New Bern, Colonel Thomas Lovick (his former commander) appears as “Esquire” and assigns 100 acres and 100 lbs. of flax seed to “Loflin Quin, planter,” near the mouth of Jumping Run Creek and Bogue Sound, adjoining Lovick’s own land and that of George Read, the regimental clerk.[2]

In 1750, Laughlin returned the grant, declaring the land unsuitable for flax, and surrendered his remaining seed allotment. George Read witnessed the release. (A later grant in 1764 added 220 acres to the original 100, forming the 320-acre tract that would remain in the family.)

1753 – Witness to a Deed

At the June Court of 1753, Loflin Quin witnessed a deed transferring 200 acres on Bogue Sound from Ann Wilkins to Samuel Chadwick Whitehurst. The deed was also attested by Valentine Wallace and ordered registered by the court.[3]

1758 – Tax List of Joseph Bell

In 1758, Joseph Bell compiled a tax list of Carteret County’s 320 residents. Laughlin appears as a taxable individual—yet notably without a household. His wife Mary and their children are absent from Carteret’s rolls. Instead, Mary’s relatives, including her brother-in-law Owen Canaday, appear nearby. This suggests that Mary and the children may have been residing with her kin in Bertie County at the time.[4]

1761 – Juryman

At the August Court of 1761, Beaufort Town nominated a jury to lay out a road from Newell Bell’s property on the north side of the Newport River to New Bern. Loflin Quin was among those appointed jurors.[5]

1764 – Land Grant of 320 Acres

In the November Court of 1764, Carteret County Deed Book 18, p. 103, records Grant No. 177 to Loflin Quin, dated November 9. The grant consisted of 320 acres on the north side of Bogue Sound, adjoining Jumping Run, David Shephard, and Col. Lovick.

This tract remains linked to the Abner Quin line, with portions today lying within the Croatan National Forest and adjoining modern Newport, NC. Laughlin’s grave is located on this private land, still maintained by Quin descendants today.[6]

1765–1766 – Jury Duties

In 1765, the December Court again ordered Loflin and others to lay out the road to New Bern. Constables were instructed to deliver summons personally, with penalties imposed for non-compliance.

In 1766, Loflin was again appointed juryman for the same road, with the court setting a September date to complete the order. These records confirm Laughlin remained in good health in the mid-1760s.[7]

1766 – Last Will and Testament

On February 17, 1766, Loflin Quin composed his last will and testament. The document, preserved among the papers of Royal Governor Josiah Martin, was later carried off from Tryon Palace when Martin fled in April 1775.[8]

The will, written on oversized hemp paper, was proved on February 4–5, 1774, shortly after Laughlin’s death. The text provides our first mention of his wife by name:

“I give and bequeath unto my loving wife Mary Quinn, formerly Mary Canaday…”

This reference to her “former name” has prompted debate: was Canaday her maiden name, or the name from an earlier marriage? The document names only three children—William, Margret, and Thomas—though tradition holds that Loflin and Mary had several more children.

Witnesses included William Coale, Sarah Coale, and Abigail Coale. On the reverse, Governor Josiah Martin endorsed the will on February 5, 1774, attesting to its validity.[9]

By 2014, the original will had become too fragile to handle. It was retired and digitized in high resolution, now accessible through the North Carolina State Archives.

1772–1773 – Petition for Tax Exemption

In March Court, 1772, Laughlin submitted a petition for relief from taxation, declaring:

He had lived in Carteret County for “thirty odd years.”
He had paid taxes faithfully since his arrival.
At age sixty, he was no longer able to support his family while also paying taxes.

The court forwarded his request to the Assembly in New Bern. On January 27, 1773, the General Assembly granted his petition, exempting him and several others from paying public taxes and duties.[10]

1774 – Death

Based on the endorsement of his will, Laughlin Quin likely died on Friday, February 4, 1774. His will was proved before Governor Josiah Martin the following day, Saturday, February 5, 1774. He was buried on his 1749/1764 land grant at Jumping Run, in present-day Newport, NC.

Analysis

This sequence of records outlines a man deeply embedded in his community—militiaman, planter, juror, taxpayer, and finally, petitioner for relief in old age. His will not only fixes the date of his death but also provides the first recorded name of his wife, Mary Canaday (Kennedy?) Quinn, and at least three children.

The absence of his family on the 1758 tax list strengthens the theory that Mary and the children lived with kin in Bertie County during those years. Combined with the Canaday family presence there, it is plausible that Mary’s origins lay in that county.

Loflin’s trajectory from militia service in 1747 to his death in 1774 mirrors the evolution of Carteret County itself: from contested frontier harbor to settled agricultural community, with Loflin Quinn’s name woven through its earliest civic and military records.

Sources:

Colonial and State Records of North Carolina, CSR22-0046, “Payroll for Thomas Lovick’s Regiment of the North Carolina Militia” (1747).
Carteret County Court Minutes, September Court 1749.
Carteret County Deeds, June Court 1753.
Joseph Bell’s Tax List, Carteret County, 1758.
Carteret County Court Minutes, August Court 1761.
Carteret County Deed Book 18, p. 103, Grant No. 177, 9 Nov. 1764.
Carteret County Court Minutes, December Court 1765; December Court 1766.
North Carolina Secretary of State Papers, Miscellaneous Box, Last Will and Testament of Loflin Quinn (1766).
Endorsement by Gov. Josiah Martin, 5 Feb. 1774.
Colonial and State Records of North Carolina, CSR09-0170, Petition for Tax Exemption (1772–1773).

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Loflin Quinn -

My Quinn Line

Laughlin Quin(n) 1712c-1774

Parents and Place of Birth remains a mystery.

Caleb Quin(n) 1745c-1833

Jesse, Margaret, Elizabeth, Ichabod, Moley are Caleb and Jane's Children

Jesse Quin(n) 1794-1860

Mary Ann, Zilphia, Ichabod, Narcissa, Kitty, Julia, Elizah, Frank, Rachel & Esther

W.F. "Frank" Quinn 1836-1908

Ida, Dan, Pugh, Julia, Minnie, Lena

F.P. "Pugh" Quinn 1873-1939

Joseph "Joe" S. Quinn 1912-1957

Mac, Joe, Blanche, Laster, Virginia, Eddie

Joseph "Joe" S. Quinn 1912-1957

Joseph "Joe" S. Quinn 1912-1957

Herbert Jack, J.P., Louis, Ralph

Ralph A. Quinn 1942-2019

T. Allen Quinn

Jennifer Reaves

Paul Quinn

Paul Quinn

The Quinn Genetic Genealogy Project: Uncovering Your Ancestry

The Finding of Documented Evidence

1747 – The Spanish Alarm

1749–1750 – Planter

1753 – Witness to a Deed

1758 – Tax List of Joseph Bell

1761 – Juryman

1764 – Land Grant of 320 Acres

1765–1766 – Jury Duties

1766 – Last Will and Testament

1772–1773 – Petition for Tax Exemption

1774 – Death

Analysis

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Create and Manage Your Family Tree

Loflin Quinn Genealogy - 1712-1774

Jesse Quinn & Susan Jernigan Quinn Mentioned in Letter

Ichabod Quinn letters home during US Civil War

Sgt. TC Davis of 3rd Company G, 40th Regiment of Artillery

Quinn Men with Daniel Boone

Captain Quinn of Edenton

John Quinn, Capt. Quinn's father

John Quinn, Lawyer of New Bern

The Abner Quinn Family

Ann Brooks Kendall QUINN Notes