Joseph Relfe died in 1818, leaving an estate in debt, a widow, and four “infant” boys, Stephen, Joseph, Malachi and Josiah. In this case, the “infant” boys are merely under 21 years of age.
Many family histories located on the web and in ancestry.com list Joseph Relfe’s wife as Mary Trueblood with a son, Joseph, born about 1808. The histories omit the other sons, Stephen, Malachi and Josiah. Additionally, they list Mary’s death date as 1813, which is prior to the birth year of Josiah, suggesting that Joseph remarried after Mary’s death and that Stephen, Joseph and Malachi are half-brothers to Josiah. A review of the Joseph Relfe Estate Files in the familysearch.org database “North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979” provides clues that allow us to identify the next wife and widow of Joseph Relfe who is the mother of Josiah Relfe.
Asa Sanderlin, Uncle
The estate first named “Asa Sanderlin” as the administrator of the estate. Petitions included in the estate file refer to him as the “uncle and good friend” of the orphans: Stephen, Joseph, Malachi, and Josiah as he seeks a partition of land for his nephews. (Image 32). The land is partitioned and provides the orphans land upon which the old courthouse sat (Enfield or Winfield).
John Winslow, Step-Father
Asa Sanderlin died in 1819, the role of administrator of the estate was transferred to John Winslow who was named “administrator de bonis non”. (Image 22). He makes several petitions to the court to sell property and chattels to cover the debts of the estate.
In 1821, the court detailed the division and valuation of the enslaved Black individuals held by Relfe’s estate. John Winslow, “in right of his wife, Sarah, who was the widow of Joseph Relfe” received a fifth-share of the valuation, with the remaining shares being given to Stephen, Joseph, Malachi and Josiah Relfe. (Image 83)
Summary
These two pieces of information, that Asa Sanderlin was an uncle and that the wife’s first name was Sarah allows us to conclude that Sarah Sanderlin married Joseph Relfe after 1813, and upon his death in 1818, remarried John Winslow.
Finding the Yellow Bricks 