John Sydnor

John married Frances Mitchell, the daughter of of Robert Mitchell & Susannah Payne about 1760. Frances was the widow of John's uncle Anthony Sydnor, Jr. John is thought to have been a widower at the time of this marriage and his oldest children are thought to have been born before 1760, however the name of his first wife is unknown.

John Sydnor's name appeared on many tax lists in Richmond County beginning in 1765. In 1771 his name was recorded as voting for Col. Francis L. Lee for Richmond County's Burgess. In 1783 his residence was listed as Totuskey Fork. During the Revolutionary War two of John's sons served as officers in the Richmond County Militia, Robert and Eppa (Many sources claim that Robert Sydnor was Eppa's commanding officer & half-brother, but do not list the name of Robert as a son of John Sydnor). John's son, Richard died in 1795 on a trip in the West Indies. His two sons John and Samuel both died without children after their father's death.

John Sydnor wrote his will on August 10th, 1807. His son Eppa had recently predeceased him because in the will he left land near Totuskey Bridge called Marshy Swamp, six slaves and furniture to Eppa's widow and oldest son and mentioned that should any further debt arise from the settlement of Eppa's estate that the slaves should be sold to pay it. John left the plantation that he lived on including his land to the south of Drinking Swamp and seventeen slaves to his son John. His son Samuel received land near Totuskey Bridge and seven slaves. John then asked that the remainder of his personal estate be divided equally between his two sons, John and Samuel. John disinherited his son Tom by including the line below his signature, "I have omitted mentioning my son Tom in my will but it wasn't because I forgot him." Johns will was proven in Richmond County court on October 3rd, 1808.

The inventory and appraisal of John Sydnor's personal estate was made on January 10th, 1809. His home had at least four fireplaces, 35 chairs including 22 leather chairs, a still tub and worm, a tea chest, a silver watch, and six sets of bedroom furniture. Livestock included two bay horses, 31 sheep, 14 hogs, two fattened hogs, two sows and two pigs, three yoke of steers, two bull yearlings, ten cows, five yearlings and five calves. Three other slaves were also named in the inventory perhaps in addition to the ones named in John's will.