Civil Kornegay

Ann Civil Kornegay
Born abt 1759, Died abt 1839

Anne Civil (also seen spelled as "Seville") was the oldest child of Captain Jacob KORNEGAY and his first wife Mary Elizabeth FONTAINE. She first married William DUNCAN and after his death, married the wealthy John FLOWERS in 1806. Anne was equally wealthy and brought to the marriage a large amount of personal property and land in Duplin Co., NC. It was about this time that John FLOWERS started using a coat of arms. The coat of arms that John FLOWERS used, featured the three gilly flowers and the divided shield of red and blue, as well as the motto: "Perseverando" that is similar to arms used by the FLOWERS family of Wiltshire, England.

After John FLOWERS' death in 1812, Anne lived for a time at Poplar Hill, and then returned to her estates in Duplin Co., leaving the care of her small children under the guardianship of their half-brothers, Samuel, John Jr., and Asher FLOWERS. She also deeded her dower rights in John FLOWERS' estates to her two FLOWERS children. We do not know how often Anne saw her two youngest children, and these circumstances can only make one wonder if the relations with the FLOWERS family were amicable. In Duplin Co., she lived a relatively quiet life, as one notes little of her in the county records. The 1814 tax list of Duplin Co., shows that she owned 3,868 acres of land, and kept several personal slaves to care for her needs. Strong, sustained local tradition says that she was viewed as a remote figure; a rich and highborn dowager. She kept a pirogue (a shallow draft boat) which she used to travel up and down the Northeast Cape Fear River and the navigable creeks and streams of the region, where she visited her friends and family. The story continues that her black servants rowed her, and she sat beneath an awning to shade her from the sun. Given what we know of the KORNEGAY family, this picture might well be accurate. She lived until 1839, when she was around eighty years old.

Additional Documents

DUPLIN CO., NC Deeds Book 8A-page 73: 27 Dec 1821, Anna Civil (x) Flowers of Duplin Co., NC to Lewis Duncan of same for love, to son Lewis, 105a on N. side NE swamp adj. Thunder Swamp Pecoson, Cherry's line, being the land Anna C. Flowers purchased on Stephen Duncan. Wit Lainl. (Lemuel) Cherry, Anna Cherry. (18,837; SLC 10/31/90)

Book 2-page 225: 16 Sep 1829, Robert Martin of Rockingham Co., NC, attorney for heirs of Jacob Duncan decd, son & heir of William Duncan decd, to Mr. Wilson Hodges of same, all right etc. to estate which will descend to them on the decease of their Grandmother Anna C. Flowers formerly Anna C. Duncan for $175 paid by Wilson Hodges. Wit. James Dunn, Jas. Lawson. Proved by oath of James Dunn, Nov. 1829. (18,843; SLC 10/31/90 & 9/14/93)