Croom says John married Rebecca in abt 1720. The Robinson's book says Abt 1743 in Craven County but that would be too late to be Richard's mother. One source says Rebecca's father was Cornelius.

Following the migration pattern of earlier Herring's, he shows up with land in Bertie in 1729, was present in the Neuse area of Craven County in 1740, then sold that off and in about 1753 moved further South. In 1754, he acquired 500 acres in Duplin County on Beaverdam Swamp and also patented land on the West side of Black River in (then) New Hanover County. He lived at Clear Run-- which is now Sampson County.

One of the John Herring's served in the NC Assembly 1746-1753 and again in 1758.

The Robinson's book says born abt 1705.

There was a State Census of North Carolina taken in 1786 and John Herring was listed in the Black River District of New Hanover County. In his household were 1 male 21-60, 1 male who was either under 21 or over 60 and three females.

He is the only Herring listed though the Census seems to summarize certain districts as opposed enumerating them. He cannot be the John Herring who died in 1774 so he must be a son of his named John. Richard is unaccounted for.

John Herring Jr. was born about 1701 in Isle of Wight County and moved with his parents to Bertie County which is probably where he met and married Rebecca Loftin in about 1725. Her name is known as John’s wife from deeds and from the fact that Cornelius Loftin deeded his son-in-law John Herring 150 acres in Craven County. He sold his Neuse River land in 1753 and got a land grant in 1754 on the eastside of the Black River. This area, which is now known as Clear Run, was then in New Hanover County but it actually marks the arrival of the Herrings to what will come to be known as Sampson County. There he died 23 Oct 1773.

His son, the one of interest here, was Richard and the rest of the story was told above.