James Lafayette Hassell, Jr., The Hassell Family History 1640-2000, (February 20, 2002, Author's address: 12001 Bexley Ct., Richmond, VA 23233), p 25 and 27-28.
"The life of John Hassell was probably hard, being that of a stepchild. Judging from the language of Mathew Caswell's will he was a very stern taskmaster."
"The next person having the most influence on John Hassell's life as a young teenager was James Fewox, the husband of his Aunt Ann. " Because of the persecution of the Quakers in Virginia, Fewox saw the opportunity to acquire land in the Carolina Province by means of the "Head Right" system. On September 26, 1694 (by now John's mother and father are both dead), John is listed as one of the people Fewox claimed headrights for importing. In December 1702 Fewox claimed headright for many people including Jane Wheeler (may earliet have married John Hassell who by 1702 was 25 years old). Fewox patented over 2,000 acres on the South Shor of the Albemarle Sound, along the Scuppernong RIver near the present town of Columbia.
Norfolk Co, VA, DB 6, p 155a, July 17, 1699 John and wife Janie of Norfolk Co sells his inherited 367 acres tract of land, the same land his father Edward had obtained by patent from Sir WIlliam Berkeley in 1675 to Richard Hodges. This gave him money to purchase land in Carolina Province.
A deed from John Jennett and wife Dorothy (daughter of John Biggs and Aunt of John Hassell) to James Fewox for 350 acres was then assigned by Fewox to John Hassell on May 16, 1704. This tract of land was on the west side of the Scuppernong River against the Biteron Islands
June 24, 1704, John obtained a Carolina patent for 600 acres NW side of the Scuppernong River. This tract of land had 7/8 mile frontage along the river across from the present town of Columbia. then in Chowan Co, NC, later Tyrrell.
. January 29, 1714 Deed from WIllam Hardy to John for 100 acres on Riders Creek.
. October 14, 1715, Deed from Robert Fewos and wife Martha to John for 150 acres of land on the east side of the Scuppernong River between "Shallops Landing" and "Mahomet's Swamp"
. March 24, 1717, Deed from Robert Fewox and wife Martha to John for 150 acres of land on the east side of the Scuppernong RIver known as "Heart's Delight Plantaton", being the manor home of James Fewox, deceased father of Robert Fewox
. September 25, 1717, Deed from John Hardy and wife Edith to John Hassell for 100 acres on the east side of the Scuppernong RIver. (Edith Hardy was the former Edith Fewox, duaghter of james Fewox and his wife Ann, thus a cousin of John Hassell.)
Before John was 40 years of age, he had acquired some 1,550 acres of land along both sides of the Scuppernong River. These properties passed to his children.
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According to the book "The Hassell Family Chart" as compiled by J. W. Garrenton and June G. Fitzgerald, 1982, at the Norfolk Public Library, John, through land grants in NC and buying land, eventually owned land on the East side of the Scuppernong River, including the plantation "Hearts Delight" which later became the site of the town of Columbia, NC. John got a land grant in 1704, but obviously was married prior to 1699, which is when he sold his father's land in VA (his wife is mentioned in the deed). Wife was named Jane, believed to be Wheeler. John got into a lot of trouble for fooling around with a neighbors wife. Not sure when he died, but the record of Jane's inventory is listed between two other inventories, the first dated April 7, 1722 and the other April 30, 1725. So both Jane and John died between 1722 and 1725. There is no date listed on Jane's inventory.
1715 and 1719 he was deeded land by the children of James Faux, who had married his Aunt, Ann Biggs (Chowan Co Deeds, Part I, 1715-16, pp 5 & 32; Part II, 1716-18, pp 57-8).
January 22, 1718/19 William Horn deeded 239 acres in Chowan Co, NC to John Hassell, Sr. of Nasemond Co, VA, maybe John moved temporarily in connection with an inheritance there.
July 12, 1710, John Hassell, Sr., and his two eldest sons, Edward and John, are shown as heads of families living on the east side of the Scuppernong River.
