Robert Cheek
of Moore County, NC

Robert Cheek, son of Richard CHEEK, Sr., & Jane RANDLE(?), was probably born abt. 1730 in Virginia or North Carolina and died abt. 1800-1801 in Moore Co., NC. The name of his wife is unknown.

Children of Robert Cheek:

1. Philip Cheek, b. 1755-1765; d. bet. 1800-1805, Moore Co., NC; m. Fanny, last name unk. Phillip appears in the 1790 and 1800 census of Moore Co., NC. Ordered to work on a road in Moore Co., Nov. 21, 1784. Possibly had 1 son born between 1790-1800. Fanny CHEEK is identified as an administrator of the estate of Philip CHEEK, deceased, in an 1805 deed involving the heirs of Robert CHEEK. (Chatham Co., NC, DB O, pp.229-231.)
2. Richard Cheek, b. 1755-1760; d. 1836-1837, Moore Co., NC. Richard appears in the Moore Co., NC, census 1800-1830. Identified as an heir of Robert CHEEK in two deeds from 1805. (Chatham Co., NC, DB O, pp.229-231, 342-344.) He might be the Richard CHEEK "of Moore County" who, with William DUNN, sold 100 acres on Drowning Creek to Kenneth CLARK on Mar. 9, 1804. Drowning Creek is located on the border of Montgomery & Moore Counties. (Montgomery Deeds 1798-1807, p.343.) He might be the Richard CHEEK who was granted 400 acres south of Deep River on the drains of Persimmon Glade on Nov. 11, 1807 (Grant No. 1941) & 22 acres on the south side of Deep River Dec. 21, 1816 (Grant No. 2257). He is probably the Richard Cheek of Moore Co., NC, who gave an affidavit in support of James HARDIN's application for a Rev. War Pension; in the affidavit, dated Sept. 1, 1832, he testifies that he served with James HARDIN under Capt. William GOLDSTON for a five month tour of duty. (NARA Pension File No. R4592). Richard's will dated Dec. 5, 1836, proved Feb. 1837, names children Sarah J. WILLIAMS, Marthy, Elizabeth, John, Richard, Silas, Nancy, Josiah, and heirs of son William; land on south side Deep Creek. (Moore Co., NC, WB B, pp.103, 105-106). Executor: "relation and friend" William DAVIS. Signed: Richard (X) CHEEK, his mark. Wits: Corns DOWD, Archibald SHIELDS. Note: Richard may bethe father of Richard CHEEK (c.1798) and Silas CHEEK (c.1800) who moved to Tishomingo Co., MS.
3. James Cheek, b. 1760-1765; d. aft. 1830. James appears on the 1815 land tax list of Moore Co., NC, and the census 1800, 1810, 1830, and possibly 1840 (first name partially obscured; age 80-89). Identified as an heir of Robert CHEEK in an 1805 deed. (Chatham Co., NC, DB O, pp.229-231.) Possibly the James CHEEK who obtained a land grant for 50 acres north of Deep River, Dec. 24, 1814. (Grant No. 2199.) No children have been identified, but census records suggest he had several children: 3 sons & 2 daughters born between 1800-1810, 2 or 3 sons born between 1810-1820, and 1 daughter born between 1810-1820.
4. Olive Cheek, identified as an heir of Robert CHEEK in two deeds from 1805. (Chatham Co., NC, DB O, pp.229-231, 342-344.) No other info.
5. Nancy Cheek, b. abt. 1755; d. 1822, Moore Co., NC; m. Robert DAVIS (b. 1744, d. 1828); bur. Davis Family Cemetery, Moore Co., NC. Robert DAVIS appears in the census of Moore Co., NC, 1790-1810. He is listed next to Richard CHEEK in the 1790 census. Nancy CHEEK, wife of Robert DAVIS, is identified as an heir of Robert CHEEK in two deeds from 1805. (Chatham Co., NC, DB O, pp.229-231, 342-344.)
6. Mary Cheek, b. 1765-1774; d. aft. 1805; m. Andrew WHITE (b. 1755-1764; d. aft. 1810). Andrew WHITE appears in the census of Moore Co., NC, 1800-1810. Listed next to Phillip CHEEK in the 1800 census. Mary WHITE, wife of Andrew WHITE, is identified as an heir of Robert CHEEK in two deeds from 1805. (Chatham Co., NC, DB O, pp.229-231, 342-344.)
7. Sarah Cheek, b. 1765-1774; d. aft. 1805; m. Adam WHITE (b. 1765-1774; d. aft. 1810). Adam WHITE appears in the census of Moore Co., NC, 1800-1810. Listed next to James CHEEK in the 1800 census. Sarah WHITE, wife of Adam WHITE, is are identified as an heir of Robert CHEEK in two deeds from 1805. (Chatham Co., NC, DB O, pp.229-231, 342-344.)

Notes

obert Cheek was under 14 when his father's will was written in 1743. He must have been of legal age, however, by the time he appears on a tax list in Granville Co., NC, in 1749. Therefore, he was probably born around 1730, give or take a couple of years.

Robert lived in Granville Co., NC, until 1754. In 1756, he purchased 150 acres in Cumberland County on the north side of the Deep River from his brother-in-law, Cornelius Tyson. From other records, it appears this land was located near the border of what was then Cumberland and Orange Counties, but later became the border of Moore and Chatham Counties. Robert continued to own land in Granville County until 1761 when he sold out to his brother William Cheek. Somewhat confusingly, records of Robert's presence can be found at various times in Granville, Cumberland, Orange, Chatham, and Moore Counties, although he probably only lived in two different places: first on Fishing Creek in Granville County, then on the Deep River near the Cumberland/Orange (now Moore/Chatham) County line.

Many of the records of Moore County, NC, were destroyed in a courthouse fire in 1889, including deed books, marriage books, and loose estate papers. This obviously complicates genealogical research. In particular, there has been some confusion between the children of Robert Cheek and his brother, Randolph Cheek, who also lived in Moore County. However, 7 of Robert Cheek's children are identified in two deeds from 1805 that were recorded in Chatham Co., NC (see below). The deeds imply there were actually 8 heirs, because Robert's land was divided into 8 parts, but only 7 heirs are identified by name.

Be careful not to confuse Robert Cheek of Moore Co., NC, with his cousin Robert Cheek of Orange Co., NC. The two Roberts were about the same age and lived in some of the same places, but not at the same time. Robert "of Moore" was in Granville Co., NC, during the 1750's (where he had land on Fishing Creek), and settled in on the Deep River in Cumberland (now Moore) County in 1762. Robert "of Orange" was in Brunswick County, VA, in the 1750's; moved to Granville/Bute County in the 1760's (where he had land on Sandy Creek); and settled in the New Hope Creek area of Orange County in the 1770's.

Records

1743. Beaufort Co., NC. Robert CHEEK is named in his father Richard CHEEK's will, dated Sept. 29, 1743; recorded in Beaufort Co., NC, Apr. 30, 1745. He received 150 acres of land adjoining his brother John CHEEK. The will indicates that Robert was then under the age of 14. (Will Bk. N, p.144.)

1749 Tax List, Granville Co., NC (abstracted by Forrest King):

• Willm. Cheek
• Richard Cheek
• Robert Cheek

1750 Tax List, Granville Co., NC (abstracted by Forrest King):

• Richard CHEEK
• Robert CHEEK

1752 Tax List, Granville Co., NC:

• Richard CHEEK, 2 tithes ("himself & his brother Randall Cheek")
• Wil'm CHEEK, 1 tithe;
• Robert CHEEK, 1 tithe.

June 4, 1752. Granville Co., NC. Richard CHEEK and Robert CHEEK are involved in a robbery prosecution against Peter COLLINS.

1753 Tax List, Granville Co., NC (abstracted by Forrest King):

• William CHEEK
• Robt. CHEEK

Oct. 8, 1754. Granville Co., NC. William CHEEK & Robert CHEEK are listed in Capt. Sugan JONES Company of the Granville County Regiment.

Oct. 23, 1756. Cumberland Co., NC. Robert CHEEK purchases 150 acres on the north side of the Deep River from Cornelius TISON. Wit: Randolph CHEEK, George HENDRY, Thomas COLLINS.

1760, 2nd month, 2nd day. Orange Co., NC. Robert CHEEK received by the Cane Creek Monthly Meeting (the Quaker church). (Hinshaw, Ency. of American Quaker Genealogy, Vol. 1.)

Note: the Cane Creek Monthly Meeting is still an active Quaker congregation. The meeting house is located in the town of Snow Camp, now part of Alamance Co., NC.

May 3, 1760. Cumberland Co., NC. Robert CHEEK enters a claim for 150 acres on Deep River in Cumberland County below the Island ford. Grant issued Oct. 20, 1762. (NC Archives, Land Office Warrants & Plats, Folder No. 12.14.51.179; Entry No. 75, Book 13, p.356; and Folder No. 12.14.51.338; Book 15, p.435.)

Nov. 27, 1760. Granville Co., NC. Robert CHEEK granted 212 acres on Fishing Creek adj. William CHEEK & Charles BARTHOLOMEW, pursuant to a warrant dated Jan. 30, 1754. Land surveyed by Sherwood HAYWOOD on Feb. 26, 1754, with chain carriers William BLAKE, Sr., & William BLAKE, Jr. (NC Archives, Granville Land Entries, Warrants, & Plats, Folder No. 12.12.27.44.)

Oct. 17, 1761. Granville Co., NC. Robert CHEEK "of Orange County" conveys to William CHEEK of Granville Co., 212 acres on William CHEEK's corner, north side of Fishing Creek at Charles BARTHOLOMEW's line, for £10. Wit: Cornealus TISON, Randal CHEEK, Jeffrey HORTON. On the same date, Robert CHEEK obtains a land grant for another 212 acres on the north side of Fishing Creek.

Note: Cornelius TYSON was the husband of Jane CHEEK, the daughter of Richard CHEEK of Beaufort Co., NC. (Granville DB 1, pp.188, 229-230.)

Sept. 24, 1762. Cumberland Co., NC. Robert CHEEK enters a claim for 300 acres in Cumberland County on the south side of Deep River adj. James MCCALLOM. (NC Archives, Land Office: Land Warrants & Plats, Folder No. 12.14.51.6688.) Grant issued Apr. 22, 1763. (NC Archives, Land Office Warrants & Plats, Folder No. 12.14.51.356; Book 15, p.507; & Folder No. 12.14.51.197; Book 13, p.412.)

Oct. 20, 1762. Cumberland Co., NC. Cornelius TYSON granted 100 acres on north side of Deep River adj. Robt. CHEEK's upper line. (NC Archives, Land Office Warrants & Plats, Folder No. 12.14.51.340; Book 15, p.435.)

Dec. 8, 1762. Orange Co., NC. Robert CHEEK granted 241 acres on the waters of Tices (Tysons) Creek of Deep River in Orange County, adjoining the County line. Wit: James WATSON, Joseph FOOSHE. Surveyed May 20, 1762, with chain carriers Jacob BARNS & Randolph CHEEK. The grant was recorded Nov. 8, 1763; wit: William CHURTON. (Source: Eve B. Weeks, Orange County, North Carolina, Deed Register, 1752-1768 and 1793 (Danielsville, GA: Heritage Papers, 1984); see also NC Archives Folder No. 12.13.86.29 and 12.14.95.479; Grant No. 53, Book 14, p.371.)

Note: Robert Cheek's land was located on Tysons Creek of the Deep River, near the border of Cumberland and Orange Counties. This is now the border of Moore and Chatham Counties. Tysons Creek flows south from Chatham County and enters the Deep River in Moore County at a large bend in the river near the present-day town of Glendon, about 2 miles south of the county line. View a Google map.

1767, Cumberland Co., NC. Robert CHEEK appears on a tax list.

Oct. 26, 1767. Cumberland Co., NC. Robert CHEEKS granted 25 acres in Cumberland County on north side of Deep River on Tysons Creek. Entered Sept. 22, 1766. (NC Archives Land Office Warrants & Plats, Folder No. 12.14.51.1487, Entry No. 261, Grant No. 158, Book 23, p.109.)

Dec. 16, 1769. Cumberland Co., NC. Robert CHEEK granted 125 acres in Cumberland County on Tysons Creek. (NC Archives, Land Office Warrants & Plats, Folder No. 12.14.51.945; Grant No. 250, Book 20, p.529.)

1770, 2nd month, 3rd day. Orange Co., NC. Robert CHEEK disowned by the Cane Creek Monthly Meeting for taking up arms. (Hinshaw, Ency. of Quaker Gen., Vol. 1.)

Note: Robert may have been expelled from the Quaker church because he fought in the Regulator Rebellion.

Geographic note: Chatham County was created from Orange County in 1771.

1777 Tax List, Cumberland County, NC, Jacob Duckworth's District.

• Robert CHEEK: 1,200 acres.
• Randolph CHEEK: 836 acres.

Aug. 1777. Chatham Co., NC. Thomas BEAL ordered to lay a road from Chatham Court House to EVANS' Mill and from the said mill to the county line by the most direct course to Robert CHEEKS' ford on Deep River. (Chatham Court Minutes; NCGSJ 4:94.)

1781. An interesting reference to the Cheeks appears in a Revolutionary War journal kept by the soldier Sgt. William Seymour, who served in the American army under Gen. Nathaniel Greene. On Apr. 3, 1781, Seymour writes that Greene's army, then en route from Chatham County, NC, to Camden, SC, made camp at a "Mr. CHEEK's plantation." Based on Gen. Greene's route, this must be a reference to either Robert CHEEK or Randolph CHEEK of Cumberland/Moore County. According to Seymour, on March 20th the army had been at Ramsey's Mills on the Deep River (Chatham County). On March 30th, the Horse and Infantry division marched toward Wilcox's Iron Works to have troop horses shod. The Wilcox Iron Works were located in the town of Gulf, on the Deep River about 15 miles south of Ramsey's Mills. If the army continued to follow the Deep River south, they would have easily reached the Cheeks' property by April 3rd, when Sgt. Seymour says that they made camp. On April 4th, 1781, Gen. Greene wrote a letter to Gen. Francis Marion, describing his location as "camp, Deep River". Although Gen. Greene does not mention the Cheeks, his letter does prove that the Cheek plantation referred to by William Seymour was on the Deep River and not in some other location. (Sources: "Journal of the Southern Expedition, 1780-1783" by William Seymour, Sergeant-Major of the Delaware Regiment, printed in Pennslyvania Magazine of History & Biography, Vol. 7 (1883), p.380, and Sketch of Life of Brig. Gen. Francis Marion by William D. James (1821), Appendix.)

Geographic note: Moore County was created from Cumberland County in 1784.

Nov. 21, 1784. Moore Co., NC. Ordered that that the sheriff summon Henry GASTOR, William DICKERSON, Thos [??] and Robert CHEEK to attend Wilmington Superior Court. Same day, Phill CHEEK and others ordered to work on a road from McClendon's Creek to the fork of the road. Following day (Nov. 22, 1784), Amos CHEEK, James CHEEK, John CHEEK and others ordered to work on a road from from Chatham Co. line to the fork of the road. (Moore Co., NC, Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions, pp. 8, 9, 17. Abstracted by Glenda Biggerstaff.)

Note: Philip & James Cheek, referred to in the above road order, were probably sons of Robert Cheek. John may have been a son of Randolph Cheek. Amos Cheek's relationship to the others is unknown but it is possible he was another son of Randolph.

Nov. 20, 1789. Moore Co., NC. Robert CHEEK granted 180 acres on south side of Deep River. Entered July 12, 1787. (NC Archives Land Office Warrants & Plats, Folder No. 12.14.90.243; Entry No. 108; Grant No. 235; Book 74, p.77.)

1790 Census, Moore Co., NC: ROBERT CHEEK, 3 w/m over 16, 3 w/f, no slaves

Nov. 26, 1793, Moore Co., NC. Robert CHEEK granted 100 acres on Deep River. Entered July 24, 1792. (NC Archives Land Office Warrants & Plats, Folder No. 12.14.90.425; Entry No. 421; Grant No. 414; Book 81, p.214.)

Mar. 16, 1799. Moore Co., NC. Robert CHEEK granted 22 acres on south side of Deep River. Entered May 21, 1794. (NC Archives, Land Office Warrants & Plats, Folder No. 12.14.90.1102; Entry No. 787, Grant No. 1066, Book 101, p.24.)

June 7, 1799. Moore Co., NC. Robert CHEEK granted 110 acres north side of Deep River. Entered Oct. 3, 1797. (NC Archives, Land Office Warrants & Plats, Folder No. 12.14.90.1182; Entry No. 274, Grant No. 1146, Book 102, p.222.)

1800 Census, Moore Co., NC, p.73: ROBERT CHEEK

1 w/m over 45	1 w/f over 45
1 slave

Nov. 24, 1800. Chatham Co., NC. A land grant to John RECORD in Chatham County refers to CHEEK's line, RAMSEY's corner, & Tyson's Creek. (NC Land Grant Book 115, p.75; source: Elizabeth "Pat" Shaw Bailey, Land Grant Records of North Carolina, Vol. II.)

Nov. 3, 1801, Moore Co., NC. Robert CHEEK granted 79 acres on south side of Deep River. Entered Nov. 19, 1799. (NC Archives, Land Office Warrants & Plats, Folder No. 12.14.90.1694, Entry No. 590, Grant No. 1580, Book 122, p.445.)

Aug. 20, 1802, Moore Co., NC. Robert CHEEK, assignee of William MCSWEEN, granted 100 acres on south side of Deep River. Entered Apr. 19, 1793. (NC Archives, Land Office Warrants & Plats, Folder No. 12.14.90.1787, Entry No. 598, Grant No. 1671, Book 115, p.153.)

Note: The following deeds undoubtedly involve the same 241 acres on Tyson's Creek that Robert Cheek obtained by grant in 1762. The deeds were discovered in the records of Chatham Co., NC, by Melinda Matthis.

May 20, 1805. Chatham Co., NC. Deed from Richard CHEEK, Olive CHEEK, Robert DAVIS & wife Nancy, Andrew WHITE & wife Mary, and Adam WHITE & wife Sarah, to James CHEEK of Moore County, NC, for £250, their share in a parcel of 241 acres in Chatham County on Tyson's Creek on the waters of Deep River, beginning at the Moore County line. They have 5/8 share in the 241 acres of which the land conveyed is 150 5/8 acres more or less. The grantors are entitled to 1/8 share each as heirs at law of Robert CHEEK. Wits: Jas. COLLINS, Jas. SHIELDS, & William CHEEK. Proved Aug. 1806 by oath of James COLLINS. (Chatham Co., NC, DB O, pp.342-344.)

May 20, 1805. Chatham Co., NC. Fanny CHEEK & Andrew WHITE, Adm'rs of Philip CHEEK, dec'd, to James CHEEK of Moore Co., NC, 1/8 share of 241 acres on Tyson's Creek of the Deep River. The deed states that the heirs of Robert CHEEK were Philip CHEEK, Richard CHEEK, James CHEEK, Olive CHEEK, Andrew WHITE, Adam WHITE, & Nancy. On Oct. 6, 1801, they each posted a $100 bond agreeing to make title to whomever might be the purchaser. James CHEEK was the last & highest bidder for eighths in the whole 241 acre parcel. Wits: James COLLINS, Wm. WILSON. Proved Aug. 1806 by oath of James COLLINS. (Chatham Co., NC, DB O, pp.229-231.)