Nathaniel Batts

Nathaniel Batts (died 1679

Samuel Stephens (from whom Nathaniel Batts bought the 900 acre parcel), was Governor of North Carolina from 1667 until his death in 1669 and had married Frances Culpepper. Thomas Francis (to whom Nathaniel Batts sold the 900 acre parcel) was presumably the same Thomas Francis that with Thomas Dew, were in 1656 commissioned by the General Assembly of Virginia to "make discoveries between Cape Hatteras and Cape Fear."

Early Landowner in North Carolina - 1660 Deed Nathaniel Batts' deed from King Kiscutanewh for "ye land which Mr. Mason & Mr. Willoughby formerly bought of mee but never paid me for, to Mr. Nathaniel Batts for a valuable consideration in hand received, all ye Land on ye southwest side of Pascotanck River from ye mouth of ye sd. River to ye head of new Begin Creek" was witnessed by George Durant and Richard Batts in September 1660. The deed was recorded in Norfolk County, Virginia, but was for land located in present-day North Carolina. On August 2, 1662, Nathaniel Batts Gent. assigned over to John Curtis all his right and title in this bill, which assignment was witnessed by John Stringer and William Waters. Samuel Pricklove, witness of the bill, was evidently another early settler in the Roanoke region as evidenced by the March 1, 1661 deed of George Durant, which was recorded in Perquimans County. This is the first surviving [transcription of a] deed in North Carolina and it states that the land was "adjacent land formerly sold to Samuel Pricklove."

Approximately around the time of the preceding bill, on January 28, 1662 (this may have been 1663), "John Curtis of Northampton County in Virginia, Merchant, do acquitt & release Robert Foster of his part of a Bond that he was engaged to Nathaniel Batts Gent. for Land that was bought of ye said Batts and ye said Curtis do discharged ye said Foster for any claim of ye said Batts or any other person or persons that may lay any Claim." There is no further record of what "Land" this refers to or to where this land was located.

Explorations to the Southward of Virginia / "Batts House" on 1657 Map On May 8, 1654, a letter describing discoveries to the south of Virginia was written by Coll. Francis Yeardley (second son of George Yeardley) to John Farrar, Esq., wherein are numerous mentions of a “young man, a trader for beavers" who is referenced alternatively as “the young man the interpreter” or "interpreter," though the letter does not name Nathaniel by name. Nathaniel Batts and Coll. Francis Yeardley are found in records together in Maryland in 1653/54; they did not live there and are noted as "of Virginia". The Court and Testamentary Business, 1653/4, in Maryland show that "Cornelius Saunders, Carpenter, did sell Nathaniel Batts, Coll. Yardley's Interpreter, a parcel of sugar amounting by Agreement unto 19’ & of Beaver as by his Note to Richard Foster doth appear." A number of other records during this same time period in Maryland show that Francis Yeardley and Nathaniel Batts were working in partnership with one another, including one where Yeardley and Batts seized a vessel in Potomac River "because she came lately from trading at the Dutch plantations". The court found they could not show "lawful warrant" for seizing the vessel; Yeardley was fined 3,000 lbs of tobacco and cask and Batts was fined 1,000 lbs.

In 1655, a small house was built for Nathaniel Batts at Yeardley's expense and is depicted as "Batts House" on a manuscript map of "The South Part of Virginia" drawn in 1657 by a London cartographer, Nicholas Comberford. A carpenter, Robert Bodnam, sometime before the middle of July 1655, was sent "twice to the Southward" where he remained for a total of five months "ffor building a house for Batts to live in and trade with the Indians wch I did doe by Coll. Yeardley's Appointment and he did promise to see me paid for it." Surviving records of the case in Norfolk County show that the house was twenty feet square with two rooms and a chimney, for which Bodnam was awarded "One Thousand weight of Tobb and Caske" by the court."

The Francis Yeardley letter of 1654 describes that "In September last, a young man, a trader for beavers, being bound out to the adjacent parts to trade, by accident his sloop left him; and he, supposing she had gone to Rhoanoke, hired a small boat, and, with one of his company left with him, came to crave my license to go to look after his sloop, and sought some relief of provisions of me; the which granting he set forth with three more in company, one being of my family, the others were my neighbors..." In the letter, Yeardley refers to the voyage as "an ample discovery of South Virginia or Carolina."

Interactions with the Natives to the Southward of Virginia The house built in 1655 at Francis Yeardley's expense was "for Batts to live in and trade with the Indians". Circa 1655/56, Norfolk County, Virginia records show that prior orders restraining Nathaniel from trading with the Indians were reversed, "It is ordered that a former order granted against Nathaniel Batts by ye Comrs of ye Melitia restraining ye sd Batts from goeing unto or trading wth the Indians be reversed & disaanulled". It is not known if this is Nathaniel Batts of Virginia and Carolina, but it is an interesting possibility to consider. Considering that Mr. Balthazar de Haart, referenced below, had traveled to Virginia in 1662, this might increase the likelihood of that possibility.

Anneken Litscho, pltf. v/s Nathanial Badts, defendant. Plaintiff demands 76 guilders 13 stivers. Defendant says he has not received any account thereof and demands it. The court ordered the plaintiff to furnish account. An epistle addressed by George Fox to some Friends in Virginia in 1673 reads, “I received letters giving me an account of the service some of you had with and amongst the Indian king and his council, and If you go over again to Carolina, you may enquire of Captain Batts [Capt. Nathaniel Batts], the old Governor, with whom I left a paper to be read to the Emperor, and his thirty kings under him, of the Tuscaroras, who were come to treat for peace with the people of Carolina.” The 1672/73 records of George Fox and his travels to Carolina are the last accounts of Nathaniel Batts being alive. Despite Nathaniel Batts being an early settler and resident of North Carolina, his name appears in only two state records within North Carolina and his name is not known to appear in any surviving county records in North Carolina. His September 1660 deed recorded in Norfolk County, Virginia was for land located in present-day Pasquotank County, North Carolina, for which records do not survive prior to circa 1700.

Personal and family life A Northumberland County, Virginia record on November 28, 1653, states the "court determined that" the death of George Leicham, marryner, "resulted from the disorderly and abusive drunkenness of Nathanial Batts, Thomas Bell, Peter Delabella, Richard Foundred and Sibilla (the wife of Christopher Jarvis)." A Norfolk County record circa 1655/56 shows that Nathaniel Batts was ordered to be set in ye stocks and remain during the pleasure of ye court in response to "Mr. Nathaniel Batts for being in drinke & threatening Mr. Conquest."

On May 25, 1656, Nathaniel married Mary Woodhouse, widow and second wife of Colonel Henry Woodhouse. The marriage contract of Nathaniel Batts was dated April 20, 1656 and was witnessed by William Clayborne Junior (son of William Claiborne), Roger Green and John Ayres. The marriage contract stated that Nathaniel was "indebted to some men in Virginia and am now intended to bee married to Mrs. Mary Woodhouse ye relect & widow of Henry Woodhouse deceased, I doe by these presents firmely bind & engage my selfe not to meddle with any of ye said widdowes estate..."

Nathaniel was dead by December 1679, for on December 5, 1679, Joseph Chew, who married the relict of the dec’d, applied to administer the estate of Nathaniel Batts. Signed by John Harvey, John Jenkins, Nath. Slocum, Robt. Holden. On December 10, 1679, Joseph Chew and James Blunt of Shaftsbury Precinct in Albemarle County posted bond of 50,000 pounds of tobacco for said Chew to administer the estate of the dec’d. Witnessed by John Jenkins, Robt. Holden.

A court held by the council in September 1694 (The North Carolina Higher-Court Records 1670–1696) reveal that Nathaniel Batts, who was long deceased at the time, had sold land to William Woollard, who had been warned to the contrary to buy it. The record states that “Your Orators Edward Smithweck and John Smithweck sonnes and heirs of Hugh Smithweck Late of precinct of Chowan deceased Humbly Sheweth That whereas your Orators Father Hugh Smithweck comeing into this County about some 35 yeares since did seat upon a peece of Land in Chowan precinct and from time to time paid quitt rents for it being 416 Acres That sometime about 18 years since one Nathaniel Batts seats downe upon part of the said tract of Land and in some small time after sells his right to his Labour of the said Land where he satt downe to one William Woollard who although often warned to the contrary would buy it That sometime after your Orators Father dyeing your Orator Edward Smithweck did make continuall Claime to the said Land whereon the said Woollard did live and which he bought of the Said Batts aforesaid and your Orators att a Court holden for the precinct of Chowan about some 5 yeares since did there upon the same place make Claime of the said Land and forwarne the said Woollard dyes makeing his widow then knowne by the name of Sarah Woollard his executrix Your Orators sometime after did goe and take peaceable possession of their Lawfull right as being part of their said 416 Acres for which their father [paid] quitt rents for upon which [the] said Sarah Woollard Comences an action of trespass against your Orators and thereupon making Oath herself before the worshipfull Court and Jury that she had lost 80 head of Hoggs of 15 shillings…” The record goes on to say Sarah Woollard married Thomas Gillam and that Hugh Smithweck's claim was for only 370 acres of the said tract.