(last updated: 2015-09-28) This article is about John Vincent (1787-1871) ---------------------------------------------- For 3 generations prior to John Vincent's enlistment in the Indian Wars, his surname was spelled "Vinson." According to Order of First Families of North Carolina, his great-great-grandfather, John's surname is almost always spelled "Vincent" and sometimes "Vinsent" in the following Surry Co., VA Tithables records: 1 Jun 1674, 10 Jun 1675, 10 Jun 1677, 7 Jun 1678, 6 Jun 1679, 17 May 1680, 8 Jun 1681, 9 Jun 1683, 10 Jun 1684, 6 Jun 1685, 9 Jun 1686, 10 Jun 1687, 10 Jun 1689, 10 Jun 1690, 10 Jun 1691, 1692, 1693, 10 Jun 1694, 1695-98. It is also spelled "Vincent" in Surry Co., VA, Deeds, Wills, Etc., No. 4, p. 11. It is also spelled "Vincent" more than once. It may therefore be assumed that "Vincent" was the original spelling of the surname of his descendants. And thus it was for his son, Thomas, until about 1720. (1) An old letter in the Bledsoe-Kelly Collection mentions a family legend where 3 Vinson brothers chose to spell their name "Vinson" rather than "Vincent" because they did not want their surname associated with the Norman-French. Vinson sounded less like the name of a British Lord or loyalist. (2) John Vincent (1787-1871) spelled his name as "Vinson" on an 1808 deed. In this deed for the sale of land he inherited from his father in Johnston County, NC, he signed his name "John Vinson." In an 1811 deed his signed his name "J..Vincent." He must have changed the spelling of his surname between these two dates. Records show that other kin also changed their surnames back to "Vincent" but it appears that most descendants kept the "Vinson" spelling. A statistical review of 19th century census records shows more in the southern U.S. spelled the name "Vinson" than those who spelled it as "Vincent." (3) - Ron Vincent Ref: (1) "Order of the First Families of North Carolina Registry of Ancestors Vol 1" by John A. Brayton (Cain Lithographers, Jackson, MS pub. abt 1980), 493, 510-513. (2) Bledsoe-Kelly Collection, Samford University Library, Birmingham, AL. (3) See 19th Century U.S. Census records.