Vital Information
| Field | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | Henry Kerby (also Kirby) | Will, Stokes County NC |
| Born | After 1730, Virginia | WikiTree Kerby-540 |
| Died | ~1789, Stokes County, North Carolina | Will proved 1790 |
| Wife | Susannah (surname unknown) | Will names "wife Susannah" |
| Son | Jesse Kirby (1757-1852) | Will names Jesse among children |
Will
Henry Kerby's will was proved 1790 in Stokes County, North Carolina. It names wife Susannah and children: Jesse, Pleasant, Sarah Davis, Edmund, Samuel, Sillia (Cecilia) Williams, and Dorcas Cunningham, plus a granddaughter Patsy Childress.
Published abstract in: W.O. Absher, Stokes County, North Carolina Wills, 1790-1864 (1979). Original held at North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh.
Biography
Henry Kerby was born after 1730 in Virginia and migrated to Stokes County, North Carolina, where he died around 1789. His will, proved 1790, names seven children and a granddaughter. His son Jesse Kirby became a DAR Patriot (A065510) for service in the Virginia Militia during the Revolutionary War. The family's spelling of the surname varied between "Kerby" and "Kirby" across records.
Henry Kerby is the earliest documented Kirby/Kerby ancestor in the direct line. Research into his Virginia origins (which county, parentage) remains a gap.
Document Sources
| Document | Type | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Will of Henry Kerby, Stokes County NC (proved 1790) | Probate | Abstract published in Absher (1979); original at NC State Archives |
| Absher, Stokes County, North Carolina Wills, 1790-1864 (1979) | Published will abstracts | Not directly consulted |
| NC State Archives: Stokes County Wills, Fibredex Boxes | State archival collection | Not directly consulted |
| NC State Archives: Stokes County Estates, 1753-1970 | State archival collection | Not directly consulted |
Related Files
- Son: Jesse_Kirby
- Grandson: William_Kirby