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  Full text of "James Family History - Ancestors of Henry Sterling
  "Hank" James <https://archive.org/details/james-family-history>"


    See other formats <https://archive.org/details/james-family-history>


James Family History 


Ancestors of Henry Sterling “Hank” James 


Erik J. Christensen 


To Miles and James: 


This book is never finished. Learn from the past. Then add your own chapter. 


ii 


Copyright 2023 by Erik J. Christensen under a Creative Commons CC BY-NC 4.0 License 
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ 
Published electronically by the author in Seattle, Washington 


This work may be freely shared and printed for the purposes of genealogy and family history if it is 
accurately cited. The copyrighted content of this work may not be used commercially without the 


written permission of the author. 


I would love to hear from you if you enjoyed this book, have found any errors or omissions, or would 
like to collaborate on further research. To avoid spam, you can reach me by substituting my actual 
name into this format: FirstName.LastName@gmail.com. The author is the husband of one of Hank 


James’ granddaughters. 


This book relies heavily on the research of others. Special recognition goes to Hank James, who 
devoted many years to his own research and helped to edit and proofread this book. Several existing 
family history books were extensively used, including: Strong Family History and Genealogy by Robert 
T. Strong, A Personal History of the Family of Sterling Brewer (1770-1832) by Margaret Brewer Boone, The 
Links of our Family and Connected Kin by Nancy Duke Murphy and Josephine Duke McMahan, Brewer 
Families of Southeast America by Foy E. Varner, Tracing the Brewers of Colonial Virginia by David V. 
Brewer, and Glenn and Kin by Jeannette May Christopher. Charles Cox was extremely helpful in the 
process of finding Hank’s father and for his work on the Strong family genealogy. Other family 
members who contributed to this research are Hazel (James) Noles, Janet (Guilbault) James, Mark 
James, Steven C. Strong, Michelle Pilcher, Terrence White, George Nelson and family, Luke Hunter, 
Laura Larisey, Kennon Ledbetter, Dave McMahan, Judy (Escoto) Garrett, Walter V. Turner, Greg 
Gilliam, and John Randolph. At several points, fellow online genealogists at reddit.com/r/genealogy 


have been extremely helpful. 
My apologies to everyone else who has contributed but is not listed here due to my imperfect 


memory. A family history book such as this one is the work of many generations, and I am grateful 


that I have been able to make my contribution to the story. 


ili 


This book has two overlapping audiences. My hope is that Hank and his family will find this book 
interesting and will learn more details about their family history. As the generations recede into the 
past, the audience will naturally expand to extended cousins and other genealogists interested in 


expanding their knowledge of their particular branch of the family. 


I have tried to keep both sets of readers in mind. Section I will likely prove most interesting to 
immediate family. Section II contains the story of how I discovered Hank’s father through DNA 
testing and traditional genealogy. It is a mystery that unfolds over several generations, a world war, 


and an assumed name. 


Sections III and IV delve as deeply as possible into Hanks’ paternal and maternal ancestors. Nearly 
every factual assertion has an endnote that lists the primary source or sources for this knowledge. A 
fair amount of new genealogy research is presented, which requires a close examination and 
discussion of primary documents, such as probate records, land deeds, and tax rolls. In places, these 
sections may prove dense reading for immediate family, but my hope is that they will still be 


interesting while providing a valuable resource for fellow genealogists. 


I have highlighted the names of Hank’s direct ancestors in bold text in the small family trees 
following each ancestor, and occasionally in the body of the text when I feel there might be confusion 


in tracing our direct line. 


Some of Hank’s ancestors owned slaves. These men, women and children often worked their entire 
lives for the financial benefit of our ancestors. They are usually treated in the surviving records as 
property: bought, sold, and devised to children or grandchildren in their owner’s wills. Wherever 
possible, I have tried to include the names of those slaves when they are known, both to acknowledge 
their existence as human beings and to aid any of their descendants who face the monumental task of 


tracing their ancestry. 


Slaves of African descent were often described as “negro” or “negroes” in the records. On occasion I 
have retained that language here for historical accuracy or when quoting other sources, despite what 
may be uncomfortable connotations for modern readers. While it is impossible for me to remain 
completely objective on this topic, I have attempted to present the truth as it is revealed by primary 
sources and let the reader draw their own conclusions. Genealogy is history on the smallest and most 
personal scale, and I believe that the goal of history is to explain, not to condemn. While at times 
difficult, we should always strive to understand our ancestors in the context of their culture if we 


hope to learn anything about them. I hope our descendants will extend us the same courtesy. 


Contents 


I. Hank James History 
A. Early Life and Education 
B. Parents and Close Family 
C. Married Life 
D. Career 
1. First Jobs 
2. Kaiser Aluminum 
3. Merger and Acquisition Business 
E. Health and Fitness 


F. Retirement and Family Life 


II. The Mystery of William J. James 
A. Who was William James? 
B. DNA Testing Provides New Leads 
C. John Coulbourn Strong’s (Partial) Life Story 
D. Doris Taylor and Her Children 
E. The Importance of the George Nelson DNA Connection 
F. The British Army Career of William J. James 


G. John Coulbourn Strong’s Second Family 


IH. Hank James Paternal Ancestors 


A. The Strong Line 


1. George Farmer “Joe” Strong, Jr. (1863-1944) and Descendants 


2. George Farmer Strong, Sr. (1832-1896) 


3. Pleasant Strong (1798-1853) and Sally Booth (1798—Before 1835) 


4. George Strong (1773-1834) and Mary Polly East (1774-1842) 


a. Charles Waite Strong (1804-1871) 


vi 


5. Nathan “Agis” Strong (About 1744-1823) and Catherine Callahan (1754-1828) 88 
6. John Strong, Jr. (1698-Unknown) and John Strong, Sr. 92 
B. The East and Pruitt Lines 111 


1. Benjamin East, Sr. (Before 1748—Before 1809) and Nancy Ann Pruitt (Before 1755— After 111 
1801) 


a. John Pruitt, Sr. (Before 1736—About 1788) and Alice Addison (About 1737—After 1796) 114 
2. Edward East II (Before 1719—Before 1754) and Mary Hobson (Unknown—After 1754) 116 
3. Edward East I (By 1675—-About 1735) and Elizabeth (Unknown-After 1735) 118 
4. Thomas East I (About 1640—About 1726) 120 

C. The Jones and Larkin Lines 133 

1. Sarah Elizabeth Jones (About 1838—Unknown) 133 
a. John Tannehill Jones (1814-1857) 134 
b. George Tannehill Jones (1790-1871) and Rebecca Campbell Brown (1796 —1873) 137 

i. Grandson’s Civil War Diary 143 

2. The Larkin Line 148 
a. Martha Jane Larkin (1818-1900) 148 
b. John Larkin (1789-1861) and Jane Arie Britton (1789-1850) 148 
c. David Larkin, Sr. (About 1752-1822) and Jane “Jenny” Armstrong (About 1750-1838) 153 

i. Elizabeth Larkin (1785-1862) 157 

ii. David Larkin, Jr. (1793-1856) 158 

iii. Rev. Henry Larkin (1795 —1860) 159 
d. Henry Larkin, Sr. (Unknown—About 1773) and Jane Newton? (Unknown-— 160 

After 1773) 

D. The Pitcher Line 177 
1. Margaret Aretta Pitcher (1865-1937) 177 
2. Charles G. Pitcher (About 1800-—A fter 1880) 178 

a. Brother Dr. Zina Pitcher (1797-1872) 183 

b. Brother James Pitcher (1792-1844) 185 


c. Half-Brother Gov. Nathaniel Pitcher, Jr. (1777-1836) 186 


vii 


3. Nathaniel Pitcher, Sr. (1749-1802) and Margaret Stevenson (About 1770-1819) 
a. Andrew Stevenson (Unknown-1816) and Margaret (Unknown-Before 1802) 
4. James Pitcher (1716-1793) and Elizabeth Durkee (1728-1805) 
5. Samuel Pitcher, Jr. (1674—About 1747) and Elizabeth Worth (About 1675-Unknown) 
6. Samuel Pitcher, Sr. (1641-1717) and Alice Craig (About 1643-1680) 


7. Andrew Pitcher (About 1616-1660) and Margaret Russell (About 1624-1681) 


E. The Gray and Roland Lines 
1. Delilah Jane Gray (About 1848—Unknown) 
2. Aretta Roland (About 1812—Unknown) and William T. Gray (About 1807—After 1861) 


3. Daniel Roland (About 1788-1851) and Elizabeth Harvell (About 1790—After 1855) 


IV. Hank James Maternal Ancestors 
A. The Brewer Line 
1. Grace Corrine Brewer (1890-1973) 
2. Sterling Cage Brewer (1867-1931) 
a. Hugh Price Brewer (1892-1977) 
b. Mollie Belle Brewer (1895-1986) 
c. William Francis “Billy” Brewer (1897-1977) 
d. Tennessee “Tennie” Brewer (1901-1981) 
i. Vice Admiral William P. Lawrence (1930-2005) 
3. Sterling Brewer, Jr. (1811-1885) and Virginia Grace Glenn (1827-1903) 
4. Sterling Brewer, Sr. (1770-1832) 
a. Elizabeth and Letitia Harper Brewer 
b. Louisiana “Louisa” Brewer and the Carr Family 
5. Reese “Ress” Brewer (About 1736—About 1807) and Sally 


6. John Brewer of Hertford County (About 1705-Before 1780) and Elizabeth 


B. The Thomas Line 


Vili 


186 
189 
192 
195 
197 


200 


217 


217 


218 


219 


225 
226 
226 
229 
234 
235 
236 
236 
237 
250 
267 
274 
280 
281 


289 


315 


1. Nissey Betsey Thomas (1775-1849) 
2. John Giles Thomas, Sr. (About 1725-1785) and Frances (About 1720—After 1790) 


3. Hannah, Wife of Unknown Thomas (Unknown-1766) 


C. The Glenn and Coleman Lines 
1. Virginia Grace Glenn (1827-1903) 
2. Nathan Glenn (About 1777—About 1839) and Nancy Mosby (About 1787—Before 1839) 


3. William Glenn, Sr. (About 1750—About 1819) and Frances Harris? (About 1750-Before 
1833) 
4. The Case for William Glenn’s Parents 


5. Nehemiah Glenn (About 1725-About 1775) and Anne Coleman (About 1725—Unknown) 
a. Daniel Coleman II (About 1694—Before 1770) and Patience Elliot? (About 1694-1771) 
b. Other Goochland and Cumberland County Colemans 
c. Daniel Coleman I (By 1667—Before 1722) 


6. James Glenn (By 1696—About 1763) and Hannah Thompson? 


D. The Mosby and Woodson Lines 
1. Thomas Mosby (About 1767-Before 1828) and Mary S. (Unknown-—After 1834) 


2. Edward Mosby III (About 1735-1769) and Martha “Patty” Walton (About 1735-Before 
1792) 
3. Hezekiah Mosby (About 1700-Before 1788) and Elizabeth Cox (About 1710—After 1784) 


4. Edward Mosby II (About 1665-Before 1742) and Sarah Woodson (About 1668—-Unknown) 


a. Robert Woodson, Sr. (About 1634—After 1707) and Elizabeth Ferris? 


E. The Walton and Cox Lines 
1. Thomas Walton, Sr. (About 1703-1772) and Martha Cox (After 1714-1798) 
a. George Cox, Sr. (Before 1693—About 1728) and Martha (Unknown—About 1770) 
b. Bartholomew Cox (By 1671-1731) and Rebecka (Unknown—After 1730) 
c. John Cox, Sr. (Unknown-—About 1696) and Unknown (Unknown-Before 1682) 
d. William Cox (1598-Before 1656) and Elizabeth Hutchins? 


2. Edward Walton, Jr. (About 1672-1720) and Elizabeth (Unknown-1717) 


315 
316 


318 


323 
323 
327 


331 


334 
338 
339 
345 
347 


355 


373 
373 


375 


377 
379 


385 


395 
395 
400 
402 
404 
408 


415 


F. The Link Line 
1. Mazie Eliza Link (About 1860-1928) 
2. William B. Link (About 1822-1900) and Amanda Randolph (About 1824—About 1895) 
3. James Adam Link (1793-1856) and Catherine Newman (1794—Before 1842) 
4. John Link, Sr. (By 1744-1817) and Mary (Unknown-—After 1828) 


5. John Adam Link (By 1719-1789) and Sarah 


G. The Newman and Threewits Line 
1. Catherine Newman (About 1798—About 1841) 
2. Joel Newman (About 1753-1838) and Lucy Hill (1761—Before 1820) 
3. Robert Newman (About 1720 - 1773) and Katherine Threewits (About 1720-1764) 


a. John Threewits, Sr. (By 1698—About 1749) and Ann (Unknown-—About 1756) 


H. The Hill and Gilliam Lines 
1. John Hill, Sr. (Before 1720-1765) and Milicine “Mildred” Gilliam (By 1725—About 1798) 
a. John Gilliam, Sr. (By 1697-1738) and Sarah (About 1696—After 1738) 
b. Hinshia Gilliam, Sr. (By 1666—By 1734) and Fortune (By 1672-1753) 
c. John Gilliam (Unknown-By 1673) and Margery (Unknown-By 1688) 
2. Michael Hill, Sr. (By 1694—About 1755) and Elizabeth (Unknown-Before 1755) 


3. Earlier Hills 


I. The Randolph and Green Lines 
1. Amanda Randolph (About 1825—About 1895) 
2. Peyton W. Randolph (About 1797-1865) and Margery Tucker (By 1810-1835) 
3. John Randall/Randolph (1764-1815) 
4. Peter Randall/Randolph II (1740-1800) and Olive Green (1742-1814) 
a. Peter Green, Sr. (By 1711—About 1746) and Mary (Unknown-—After 1757) 


b. Lewis Green, Sr. (Before 1668—About 1730) 


425 
425 
427 
431 
434 


443 


465 
465 
465 
471 


476 


487 
487 
489 
494 
500 
504 


514 


529 
529 
530 
536 
545 
550 


555 


c. Earlier Greens 
5. Peter Randall I (About 1700-1741) and Mary 


6. George Randall I (Unknown-1711) and Elizabeth 


J. The Tucker Line 


1. Edward Tucker II (About 1782—After 1860) and Tabitha Dyson (About 1783-Unknown) 


2. William Tucker I (By 1757—Before 1812) and Mildred (Unknown-—After 1815) 


3. Edward Tucker I (About 1720-1789) and Elizabeth (About 1720-Before 1789) 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 
A. John Brewer I (About 1595—About 1635) and Mary Drake 
B. John Brewer II (About 1619-Before 1669) and Ann (Unknown-—After 1700, Before 1718) 
C. Anthony Holliday (About 1635 -1718) 
D. John Brewer III (About 1655-Before 1698) 
1. William Brewer, Sr. — Possible Son of John Brewer III? 
E. Thomas Brewer I, II (son of John Brewer II) 
1. Thomas Brewer III 


2. John Brewer IV 


Appendix II: Halifax, Virginia Tax Rolls, 1782-1829 


xi 


561 
564 


566 


589 
589 
599 


604 


617 
617 
619 
624 
627 
630 
632 
634 


635 


645 


I. Hank James History 


The following history was compiled from an interview with Hank conducted by Erik Christensen on June 8, 
2013 in Seattle, WA. It is written in his own voice. Hank updated the report on May 5, 2019. 


A. Early Life and Education 


I was born in Nashville, Tennessee, on January 18, 1927 in St. Thomas Hospital. My mother told me 
she picked the name Henry because she was copying Henry James, the author’s name. When we 
moved to Atlanta I started going by Hank. Up until that time I had always been called Henry, except 
on the playground they called me “Click.” I had such bad looks, it was a take-off from Clark Gable, 
and they called me Click. I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned that to anybody before. 


My earliest memory is of my grandfather Sterling Cage Brewer who died when I was four years old 
in 1931. He and I used to take walks. My mother’s mother died when I was about one year old, so I 
don’t have any memory of her. I remember my grandfather and I can tell several stories about him. 
(He was daddy in the household, so I called him daddy too.) On one of our walks, we were near a 
drugstore and I said, “Daddy give me a penny, I want to buy some candy!” Back then you could buy 
penny candy. Actually, you could buy a lot of candy for a penny. And he said “I don’t have a penny.” 
I said, “give me a penny!” And he looked down on the curb and there was a penny laying in the 
gutter and he said, “There’s a penny, pick it up.” He pointed it out with his cane, and I picked it up 
and went and bought some penny candy. 


Glendale Park Streetcar, Nashville, Tennessee! 


Section I: Hank James History 


Where we lived in Nashville, the streetcar went out in 
the suburbs and went out through a park that was 
called Glendale Park. About a block south of where 
we lived the streetcar track stopped being on paved 
streets and just went through the woods. It went 
down through woods to the park and around a loop 
and came back. We were always going to walk around 
the loop. Many times, we started to walk around the 
loop but we never made it completely around. 


Back then the kids used to play out in the middle of 
the street. Now all kids’ play is organized or electronic 
online games. Back then it was not organized, 
everything was a pick-up game. We played kick the 
can, and baseball, and if there weren’t enough people 
for two teams you played what was called one-eyed 
cat and two-eyed cat, which would be an everybody 
would get to bat type thing. Also, we played marbles. 
Marbles was always “for keeps,” and my mother 
didn't approve because that was "gambling." Each kid 
had a bag of marbles and one's prowess was measured 
by the number of marbles in his bag. I remember one 
time I pulled up some spring grass in our yard to 
make a marble ring and my uncle Bill scolded me for 
doing that, pulling up the grass. 


On Valentine’s Day we used to deliver comic 
valentines to all the people on the street we didn’t like. 
You would go up on the porch and beat on the front 
door to deliver this comic valentine. And then on 
Halloween (this was before "Trick or Treat") the kids 
always did something mischievous like putting soap 
on the trolley tracks and pulling the trolley. The 
trolley without power would stop and since the tracks 
were soaped it couldn’t go again, stuff like that. In the 


country, the biggest thing they used to do on Halloween was turn over the outhouses, but I never did 


that. 


Section I: Hank James History 


Pfeiffer Hall, Baxter Seminary, Baxter, Tennessee 


My mother was a staunch Methodist, and I was raised in the Methodist church. In high school I went 
to Baxter Seminary, which was a Methodist sponsored high school in East Tennessee. It was a private 
Christian school. It was not really a seminary. Bible class was a required subject but students there 
were not studying to be preachers. Baxter Seminary had local and boarding students. I was a 
boarding student and went on a 100% work scholarship. My work responsibility was operating and 


maintaining the steam boiler plant for heating seven buildings. 


The earliest work for pay that I 
remember is cutting lawns for 


neighbors on Halcyon Avenue in 


Henry JAMEs Nashville. Typical pay was 25 
“Thank goodness ke has wo twin.”’ 

Waverly-Belmont Jr. High, Nash- cents per lawn mowed. When I 
ville-1; West End High, — 2; 
International Relations Club~3; Dra- 
matic Clab-3; Y.BL.C.A. 34; Vie- was 13, I got a paper route 
tory Corps-Lieut.—3,4; Beta Club-3- : . ; 
. Vice-Pres-4; State Guard-3-4, delivering the Nashville 
Science Club-Pre=.t> Latin Club : 
Pres.—4; “B"’ Letter Club-4; Cheer Tennessean and the Nashville 


leader-Capt.—4; National aac Se- 
ety; Anneal Stall 
ae Banner. The Tennessean was a 


morning and Sunday paper and 
the Banner was an evening paper. 
This meant that I carried the route thirteen times per week. And, I had to collect on Saturday. One 
paper was 25 cents per week, and both were 45 cents per week. I had about seventy customers and 
weekly collections were about $30 of which my commission was about $10. I did this for about two 
years; it was tough work; deliveries were made through heat and cold, rain and snow. And one had 
to get up every morning about 4:00 AM. I remember instances of dreaming that I had already run my 
route, making me late to pick up the papers, to the irritation of my customers. Many years later at a 
CEO Club conference of about one hundred CEOs, the founder of the club asked the question, “How 
many of you had a paper route?” Sixty-five of the CEOs had had a paper route; so, a paper route is 
good training for entrepreneurs. 


Section I: Hank James History 


I was always good at school without much effort, and I think if I had to say my worst subject it was 
English. I flunked English in college once. But English is the most important subject one takes, and 
after college I became very good at business writing. I even was a newsletter editor for about ten 
years in my merger and acquisition (M&A) career. Before that I hated English. I enjoyed Math and 
Science the most. In high school I took Biology and Chemistry and thoroughly enjoyed those subjects. 


In high school I went out for football for one practice and gave that up. Then I became a cheerleader, 
and I was a cheerleader for two years and captain of the cheerleading team. I had lots of other 
activities in high school. I was the editor of the yearbook, The 1944 Highlander. I was the president of 
the Latin Club and president of the Science Club. I was so active in high school that I became burned 
out there to the point where when I went to college, I didn’t really want to do any of that stuff. 
During the summer vacation after my senior and junior high school years, I was a car hop at the 
White-Way Drive-In Laundry. The pay was 25 cents per hour, but the work was much easier than a 
paper route. 


STATE GUARD 


Tennessee State Guard — Hank James Kneeling 
High school was during the early 40s when the war was going on. I was a First Sergeant in the State 
Guard. We would march, and we would go away to training camp. We practiced riot control 
maneuvers. We had rifles and Thompson submachine guns and gear like that. The National Guard 
was all gone to the war so the State Guard was what was left over. We were the dregs. The old people 
and the young people were in the State Guard while everybody else was in the service. At the age of 
17, I believe I was the youngest 1 Sergeant in the Tennessee State Guard. 


I graduated from high school in 1944. I went to college at Vanderbilt University and finished my 
freshman year before I was drafted into the Navy. I pledged into the Kappa Alpha fraternity and was 
initiated in my freshman year. I made lifelong friends, some of which I still correspond with today. 


Kappa Alpha Ball 1947 


Section I: Hank James History 


I was in the Navy only fifteen months. The pay was about 
$45 per month plus room, board and uniform. The war 
was over in Germany before I went in, and it was over in 
Japan shortly after I got in, so I only stayed in fifteen 
months. The highest rank I achieved was storekeeper 3rd 
Class. I fought the battle of Chicago. I was at Great Lakes 
Training Center, which was a major boot camp. Then I 
was in Chicago in a school for a while, but most of my 
career was at Great Lakes. It was tough taking liberty in 
Chicago and liberty in Milwaukee. It was tough, but 
somebody had to do it. At the time, one could still buy a 
beer in Milwaukee for a nickel. 


The Navy service was a blessing to me. I qualified for the 
GI Bill. I had gone to Vanderbilt for three quarters, my 


freshman year. The GI Bill of Rights gave every veteran a year of school plus the time they were in 


the service. I was in the service fifteen months, so that meant I got twelve plus fifteen, so I got twenty- 


seven months of school under the GI Bill, which was exactly the nine quarters I needed to finish 


college. So the GI Bill of Rights worked out just perfectly for me. 


In college at Vanderbilt, for engineering, I took four 
years of college and had not one elective. I mean it was 
all engineering; eighteen subject hours a quarter and 
some of those quarters had three or four labs, so one 
really was in school a lot. In the freshman year, 
engineering students had to take mechanical drawing, 
which was a lab two times a week for three hours each 
(three hours of lab only counted for one subject hour), 
and then one had to take Chemistry and Physics; 
Chemistry was two labs a week and Physics was one 


lab a week, so the freshman engineering schedule was 


intense. 


In graduate school at the University of Louisville in 
order to graduate I got to take an elective, and I ended 
up taking a construction course. This course turned 
out to be the only elective I took in five years of 
college. Everything else was engineering, except for 
freshman English and freshman Economics (required). 
I continued my education at other schools after I 


started working. I took some courses at LSU, and I got 


a certificate in real estate from UC Berkeley. 


Section I: Hank James History 


B. Parents and Close Family 


a. 


My mother’s name was Grace 
Brewer James. She was a school 
teacher, and she was a very 
religious, very strict type person. 
In my first grade she got a job 
teaching in a two room school 
house in Montgomery County, 
Tennessee. She took me with her. 
Grades five through eight were in 
one room which my mother 
taught and grades one through 
four in the other room. While she 
was teaching in that two room 
schoolhouse, we boarded at the 
County Poor House which was 
run by a private farm family 
under contract with the county. 
We were poor living in the Poor 


House, but we weren’t inmates. 


My mother was a strict school 
teacher. But, I got the impression 
that people took advantage of 
her. She was so strict that people 
would try to trick her and take 


advantage of her. As a result, the discipline was not as good as it should have been. I mean, when I 


think about my daughter Laurie who is a strict disciplinarian and nobody’s going to pull anything 


over her. But my mother, they would pull stuff over on her. She was not my teacher in the first grade, 


but she was my teacher in the fifth grade at another location and that was tough. You know, the kids 


can be cruel. I wouldn’t wish being in a K-12 grade classroom with one's mother as the teacher on 


anyone. 


Section I: Hank James History 


My parents met in a little town called Picher, Oklahoma. My 
mother was a missionary. I’m not sure whether it was to the Indians 
or whether it was to the people there, but she was assigned there on 
a mission. I don’t know any of the details of how they met, other 
than the invitation for the wedding, which was December 31, 1925. 


My father and mother separated before I was born. I never met or 
had contact with my father. My grandfather and grandmother lived 
at 1103 Halcyon Avenue in Nashville, with my mother and her 
brother Bill. And after the grandparents died, my mother and Bill 
and I lived together. So, my uncle Bill was my surrogate father. My 
mother said nothing about my father. I do not remember ever 
discussing my birth father with my mother. I had my surrogate 
father, Bill Brewer, and it never occurred to me that this was an 
issue. My grandmother’s sister Belle Link, a retired maiden teacher, 
lived with us until her death in 1947. 


Hank’s Father, “William 
J. James” 


Section I: Hank James History 


I remember everything about that house in 
Nashville. I lived there until I went into the Navy 
at age 18. It had two bedrooms, a parlor which my 
mother used as a bedroom, and one bathroom, a 
kitchen and a dining room which we used as a 
sitting room. It was basically a six-room house. | 
would say it was probably on a 75 by 125-foot lot. 
It was in a residential neighborhood in the city. We 
didn’t have any hot water, which is something I 
remember now that I didn’t notice back then. To 
take a bath one heated a tea kettle full of water and 
poured it in the bath tub. It was a challenge. There 


was no central heat in the house. Every room had a 
fireplace. It was my job to bring in the coal from 
James Family Home in Nashville, TN the coal house in the back yard for the fireplaces 

and to take out the ashes. It had huge tall ceilings, 
with an upstairs that had been partially finished. For most of my early life, I slept upstairs on a 


feather bed. 


My grandfather Sterling Cage Brewer was a teacher. When they moved to Nashville, he worked for a 
printing company. I’m not sure what he did there, maybe he was a proofreader. I have lots of his 
writings. He wrote stories, short stories that were published in various magazines. They’re 
interesting. He wrote stories about bluebirds, squirrels, the naming of a creek, which were mostly 
nature topics. Before my generation, there were a lot of teachers and preachers in the family. My 
grandfather’s father, Sterling Brewer Jr., was a Methodist circuit rider and my grandfather's 


grandfather, Sterling Brewer, Sr., was the Speaker of the Senate in Tennessee. 


My uncle Bill was a clerk in a wholesale hardware operation. He was a shipping clerk and an 
accounting clerk. There are no more wholesale hardware operations now. This happened on my 
watch in my Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) business later. When we first opened our business, 
there were huge wholesalers of everything, and they all went away. There used to be, in the Bay 
Area, for example, ten wholesale toy operations and they all went away, there’s no such wholesalers 
now. The big box stores eliminated those businesses. 


Bill was very quiet, very nice, unassuming. You wouldn’t think of him being aggressive. He never 
whipped me that I remember. But he was just more like a good buddy. I can remember one instance 
in 1941 when he and his brother, Hugh Price, took me to Chicago. This was the summer of 1941, 
before Pearl Harbor. We went on a vacation to Chicago and we went on a train. All I remember about 
that trip is we went to a baseball game, and I think it was a Cubs game, but now that I think back it 
may have been a White Sox game because our hotel was on the South Side. Anyway, here I am, I’m 
13 or 14 years old at my first major league baseball game, and I went to sleep. That just shows how 


interested in sports I was. I fell asleep at my first major league baseball game ever. 


Section I: Hank James History 


Bill and I bought a car together 
when I was 15. I had a paper 
route, so I had a little bit of 
money. This was before the war 
in 1941. Bill had never driven, 
and he was in his early 40s. The 
car was a 1937 Graham Paige 
and we paid $95 for it. It had a 
clutch that slipped like mad. 
When you stopped at a stop 
sign, you’d have to rev the 
motor to get the car going 


again. It needed a ring job, so 

A 1937 Graham Paige while you were revving the 

motor the guy behind you 

couldn’t see anything because of all the smoke. The interesting thing about that car is that when Bill 

got drafted into the Army (even though he was very old when he did) I was still too young to drive. 

So, we put it up on blocks in our garage during the war. Because tires were hard to get, we sold the 
tires for more than what we paid for the car ($125). 


One of the politicians in the federal government from Tennessee died, and Franklin Roosevelt came 
to Tennessee for the funeral. I remember my mother wanted me to see him because she thought it 
was a big event. I was eight or nine at the time. So, we went to the funeral in the War Memorial 
Building, and I remember going there on the streetcar. Later the city fathers got rid of the streetcars. 
General Motors had a coup getting rid of all the streetcars (replacing them with GM buses). I 
remember getting on the streetcar to that event. The black people, they were not called black people 
then, they were called colored people; black is a recent term. Colored people were by law required to 
be in the back of the streetcar. And so here was this crowded streetcar, full of standing people going 
to this event, and when a colored person would get on the front and have to go all the way to the 
back through all the standing people. That was the way it was, but one remembers things like that. (I 
do remember seeing Roosevelt in the flesh at the event even though we were in the back of the 


auditorium and he was down front.) 


Section I: Hank James History 


.<. > 


~ =~ : 
of em Eg 


Waverly Place and Glendale Park Streetcar, Circa 1890° 


I used to go to the country in the summer time to my mother’s first cousin Aunt Jennie (Virginia 
Brewer Gossett) and her husband’s (Uncle Claude) place. They bought this old place, where my 
mother was born, from my grandfather in a town called Oak Plains, Tennessee. My vacation was 
going there in the summer time. I did it every summer for I would guess from the time I was six until 
the time I was 13 or 14. And it was quite an experience. They had 40 acres and that was their job, 
subsisting on these 40 acres. When I first started going there they didn’t have any electricity and they 


had been living that way for years. 


It was a lot of fun going there in the summer, and I learned a lot about farming, and I learned a lot 
about subsistence living. They didn’t have a tractor. Everything was done with horses or mules. 
Later, in the mid 1930’s, Uncle Claude bought an automobile, but he still didn’t have a tractor. He 
plowed with his horses and in addition, they had four cows, pigs, and chickens. Their revenue was 
from tobacco, which they had an allotment. The government said you could grow so much tobacco 
and so they had an allotment of an acre or two of tobacco which was their real money crop. 


10 


Section I: Hank James History 


But they also hand milked these four 
cows twice a day and sold the cream 
for butter fat. They had chickens and 
eggs and hogs. They also grew 
wheat and they would feed the 
wheat sometimes to the hogs, or 
sometimes they would sell some of 
it. They would kill the hogs for their 
meat. Once it got cold, hog killing 
was kind of a community thing. 
Everybody in the community would 
decide when to kill the hogs, and 
they would all work together to 


Hank in Wagon with Cousin Bobby Lawrence 


butcher them at the same time. Then 
Uncle Claude would smoke the meat. They would make sausage and can it. They had pastures and 
they also grew corn, but corn was mostly for feed for the livestock and for the chickens. Of these 40 
acres, 10 acres was forest, which was their fuel for the house and the cooking was done on a wood 
burning stove. In the summer you can imagine having a wood burning stove in the kitchen but that’s 
what they did. And they had a well where they got their water, and no refrigeration. No electricity, 
light was by kerosene lamps. It was really primitive, but they had been living there for years. They 


probably wouldn’t have thought of it as primitive. It was a great learning experience for me. 


My mother's other brother was Hugh Price. Hugh Price was in World War I, and he contracted 
tuberculosis in the war. He had to go through the tuberculosis recovery as they did back then, which 
was go to a sanitarium and live there for two or three years until you got over it. He married a school 
teacher (Annie Mae Davis), and lived in Hopkinsville, Kentucky all the rest of his life. I remember 
going there. He was most gracious, he and his wife. They never had any children but they were just 
lovely people. We would go there (Hopkinsville was about 70 miles from Nashville) so we would just 
go there for Sunday afternoon. We’d go there with my other aunts and uncles who had cars. We 


didn’t have one at that time. 


My mother’s youngest sister Tennessee Brewer, the family called her Tennie, was married to Robert 
Lawrence, Jr. He was a Vanderbilt engineer. He ran the Nashville Water Works for years and years. 
The Lawrence family was, in my judgment, very well off. We were struggling with the depression, 
but they never seemed to have any problems. They had four boys and when I was young, I would go 
visit with them and play with the boys. Incidentally, all four of those boys are now dead. They were a 


very good family. 


11 


Section I: Hank James History 


The Lawrence boys were athletic types. Bobby was 
on his high school and Vanderbilt football teams; 
Eddie was the single’s tennis champion in Nashville. 
Bill was a quarterback on the Navy football team for 
two years until he got to be the Cadet Commander 
and didn’t have time to be the quarterback. His father 
told the story about how in the Navy when you were 
the top cadet you have six stripes, six little stripes. As 
the top cadet he was involved in all the visiting 
dignitaries. The head of the English Navy was there, 
and he was introduced to Bill and this Navy guy said 
“Gee, I’ve never met a Naval Officer with six stripes 
before, that’s pretty amazing.” And __ the 
Superintendent of the Naval Academy said, “That's 


OK, we’re going to bust him to an ensign in June.” 


= An ensign has one stripe. Bill had an illustrious 
Vice Admiral William P. Lawrence Naval career; he was a Vietnam prisoner for over six 
years; he was the first navy person to fly at twice the 
speed of sound and he was the Superintendent of the Naval Academy at Annapolis. He retired as a 


three-star Admiral. There is a naval destroyer named after William P. Lawrence now.‘ 


C. Married Life 


Hazel and I met on February 11, 1945. We met in a Walgreen’s drug store in Nashville. I was with a 
friend of mine (Harry Stevens), and these two girls were sitting there, and my friend knew the other 
girl and so we sat down. Hazel will tell this story. I’m sure she can make it better. She says I thought I 
was super smart, and I was because I had just started college and I was impressed with myself, but 


she wasn’t impressed. 


We dated off and on for a while and then I went in the Navy. The relationship kind of cooled a little 
bit and then after I came back from the Navy, we dated some and then it cooled again. One of my 
friends (Ronald Hickerson), got us back together and we eventually ended up dating regularly and 
getting married. I don’t remember when I proposed. I don’t remember any proposal event, anything 


like that. Hazel may. 


We married in Nashville at Edgefield Baptist Church on March 18, 1948 during my Spring Break at 
College. My uncle and I got rid of the Graham Paige and we bought a 1940 Hudson. I used this car 
for our honeymoon or at least our getaway. We left the wedding reception; the wedding guests 
chased us, but we outsmarted them, which was bad. I wish I hadn’t outsmarted them. Chasing us 
was part of the wedding tradition, to harass us. So, we cut off and went into a little roadside motel 
and they didn’t see us cut off and we got rid of them. For our honeymoon, the next day we went by 
train to Memphis, Tennessee and stayed in the famous Peabody Hotel.* 


12 


Section I: Hank James History 


We moved into my mother’s home on Halcyon Avenue in Nashville. We made sort of a little 
apartment in that home and we lived there until I finished Vanderbilt, which I did in December of 


1948. Then Hazel and I moved to Louisville for me to go to graduate school. 


Hazel is a pet lover, so we had lots of pets, but I knew that before we got married. I remember one 
time when I was dating her. Dating her meant at that time, going to see her on the bus and then the 
two of us getting on the bus and going downtown and going to a movie with ice cream afterwards. I 
remember taking her on the bus to a movie and coming back and her mother chastising her, and her 
mother said, “you didn’t tell me you were leaving!” And Hazel said, “I did so tell you.” Her mother 
said, “No you didn’t tell me. I heard you tell the cat, but you didn’t tell me!” And Hazel still talked to 
our late dog Scooter like he was a human being. 


Hazel is a wonderful person to put up with me for all these years. She is a very determined person. 
When she decides she wants to do something she gets it done. She’s always been very good to me. 
She’s always respected my decisions and I respect hers. I think we have a good marriage. It’s hard to 
say that we don’t have a good marriage if we’re still together after seventy-one years, happily. 
Respect and love have been the keys, love and respect. 


Each of our four children was born in a different state: Janet was born in Louisville, Kentucky on 
February 15, 1951. Kent was born in Nashville, Tennessee on January 15, 1953. David was born in 
New Orleans, Louisiana on August 16, 1963. Laurie was born in Walnut Creek, California on June 14, 
1967. Hazel said she was only going to be in the PTA for thirty years, because it stretched out from 
the time Janet started going to school until the time Laurie finished. 


Hazel was the homemaker from the time our first child, 
Janet, was born until the last one, David, left the nest. She 
was there for the family every day; she managed the 
household, cooked breakfast; made the lunches and 
cooked dinner. We had a sit-down dinner with the 
children every evening. Hazel’s lead in providing this 
family environment is the reason we continue to enjoy 
each other. In my every prayer and meal blessing, I thank 
God for our family and our love for each other. 


I have no religious denominational beliefs one way or the 
other. I grew up in the Methodist church, I was married 
in a Baptist church, when we were in Baton Rouge, we 


were Methodists, the second time we were in Baton 


Rouge we were Presbyterian. And then when we were in 


New Orleans, we were Presbyterians. We came back to 
Walnut Creek Presbyterian and then we changed to Lutheran. We go to a Lutheran church now. I’m 
flexible on the denomination. I don’t think I could go to a Catholic church and fit in, but maybe, who 


knows? 


13 


Section I: Hank James History 


D. Career 


1. First Jobs 


In my job search, I interviewed with several firms, including Union Carbide in Oak Ridge, TN. They 
invited me to visit them for an interview. It was my first trip in a commercial airplane. It was on a 
DC3. It’s a two engine tail-dragger that was the main commercial airplane at the time. Going from 
Louisville to Knoxville is over very hilly topography. In a DC3, there is no pressurization of the 
passenger space, and ten thousand feet is the limit. It was a rough flight, and I was really uptight. 
When I got off the plane the stewardess told me I was green, but I didn’t throw up, and I didn’t get 
the job either. 


A Douglas DC-3° 


My first job out of college was with Durkee’s Famous Foods in Louisville. Janet was born while I 
worked at Durkee’s. As I remember the initial pay was $250 per month. I was a chemist in their test 
lab. We refined cottonseed and soybean vegetable oils to make margarine, shortening and salad oils. 
My job along with six other chemists was to test the products during various stages of the refining 
process. We hydrogenated some of the oils and thought we were making a product healthier than 


lard. (We now know this causes trans-fats and is very unhealthy for humans.) 
We loved living in Louisville and made many friends. Janet was born and we bought our first car 
while living there. The job was, to me, a dead-end job. I was working in a chemical lab and it really 


didn’t have much appeal with no engineering component. I quit that job after a couple of years and 


14 


Section I: Hank James History 


moved in with Hazel’s mother and father in Nashville along with Hazel and Janet, which was 
probably not a very good decision on my part but anyway that’s what happened. We didn’t have any 
money, and I tried two or three sales jobs that never worked out. 


My first engineering design job was with John J. Harte, a design, construction and engineering 
company, specializing in fertilizers and sulfuric acid plants. I was assigned to a design and 
construction team of a 15-15-15 fertilizer plant for Allied Chemical and Dye Company, to be in South 
Point, Ohio. We designed the plant in Atlanta and later I spent about 2 months at the site as the plant 
completed construction. Kent was born in Nashville after I started working with Harte; Hazel, Kent 


and Janet and I moved to an apartment in Atlanta shortly after Kent arrived. 


When the plant was complete, John J. Harte had no additional work, so the design team was let go. I 
spent a little time after leaving Harte with a former associate in the manufacturer’s rep business, and 


then I got a job With Kaiser Aluminum. 
2. Kaiser Aluminum 
a. Baton Rouge, Louisiana— Alumina Plant 1954-1955 


ert ~ Hazel, Janet, Kent and I and our dog, Zipper, moved to Baton 
Rouge. Our moving consisted of driving our two cars (1950 
Chevrolet and 1941 Packard) with all our worldly assets in our 
suitcases. We arrived at Baton Rouge with $5 in cash and no 
active credit cards. Fortunately, Kaiser supported us in our 
motel until the first payday. 


My first job was as Operations Statistics Supervisor at the Baton 
Rouge Alumina Plant, a large chemical processing plant which 
converted the aluminum ore of bauxite to aluminum oxide. It 
was a twenty-four hour seven days a week wet chemical 
process operation with about 1,500 employees. My group of 
about ten employees was responsible for creating the reports 
necessary to control the process. I was able to streamline the 


’ = work and reduce the number of employees required by one 
Janet and Kent - Rented House __ person. After about a year I was transferred to Oakland to 
in Zachary, LA design and build Alumina Plant #2. 


b. Oakland, California— Home Office 1955-1959 


Hazel, Janet, Kent, Zipper and I drove to California in our new red ‘55 Chevrolet Del Rey coupe; we 
stopped on the way in Nashville to visit the grandparents. Initially we rented a house in Oakland. 


The first 8 years of our marriage, we moved 10 times, all while renting or living with our parents. In 


15 


Section I: Hank James History 


1956, we bought our first home, in Concord, CA, on Shakespeare Drive. We used the GI Bill to 
finance it, so there was minimum down payment and as I remember we paid about $28,000 for it. It 


was 1390 square feet, with three bedrooms and two baths. Zillow now estimates its value at $598,908. 


My job initially was Administrative Engineer, 
reporting to the manager of the division. We 
designed and built Aluminum Plant #2 at 
Gramercy, LA. The plant was a green site facility 
with no connections to the outside world except 
the highway, the river and a natural gas pipeline. 
It cost over $100 million which would be over $1 
billion in today’s dollars. 


Some of my contributions included; the Site Kent, Janet, and Hazel - Oakland 
Selection Study, where we studied eighteen 

different sites, including multiple sites on the lower Mississippi River, Mobile, AL, Houston, TX, 
Jamaica and the Ohio River; we took options on three sites on the Mississippi River, ultimately 
choosing Gramercy as the ideal site. I was also involved in the preparation of the study document for 
the justification of the Caustic Chlorine Plant on the Gramercy site. 


When I was in the Baton Rouge Junior Chamber of Commerce, 
I became good friends with Bob Carter and his mother and 
father. The family was good friends with Earl Long, the 
governor of Louisiana.” On one of my trips to Gramercy in the 
late 1950’s, Bob asked me if I would like to have dinner (the 
noon meal in the South) with the governor. I accepted and Bob 
and I had dinner with governor and his wife, Blanche, in the 
governor's mansion in Baton Rouge. In our dinner 
conversation, the governor was railing about Southern Bell 
Telephone who was threatening to raise the cost of a payphone 
call from a nickel to a dime. Blanche talked about her 
insurance business (her company brokered all the state’s 


insurance needs). 


Governor Earl Long I was directly responsible for several sub projects in the 
project; the design of the administration building, and the 

drilling of a brine well for the supply of sodium chloride for the caustic chlorine facility. In South 
Louisiana, there are massive underground salt domes with pockets of oil on the surface of the domes. 
The drilling contractor told me that our project was the first drilling project he had ever had where 
the instruction was, “Not to hit oil.” Our lease for the salt required if we hit oil that that belonged to 


the lessor, and we would have to move to another drilling spot. 


16 


Section I: Hank James History 


At about 90% completion of the construction of the plant, all construction activities ceased due to a 
turndown in the aluminum business. As a result, there were no design and construction people left 
on the project. It became my job as project manager to shepherd the project to its ultimate completion. 
I never met Henry Kaiser, but I did meet his son Edgar Kaiser at Gramercy when the Board of 
Directors met there to determine whether to shut down the construction of the facility in 1958 when 


the aluminum business tanked. 
c. Baton Rouge, Louisiana— 1960-1961 


After the Gramercy plant project, I was appointed 
Purchasing Agent at the Baton Rouge plant. Hazel, Janet, 
Kent, Zipper and I moved back to Baton Rouge and bought 
a house in the Melrose Section of town. I think I complained 
so much about the purchasing department’s performance 
on the Gramercy project that they made me a purchasing 
agent just to get rid of me. However, purchasing turned out 
to be very interesting for me. 


At Baton Rouge, we had four buyers and me plus staff 
people. The maintenance parts warehouse was a part of my 
jurisdiction, and we performed the U.S. purchasing 


function for the Jamaican bauxite mines. 


The warehouse personnel (about twenty, as I remember) 


were represented by the Teamsters Union. So, I was 
involved in the grievance procedure when dealing with the 
union member complaints. The business agent for the Teamsters was named Ed Partin whose later 
testimony help convict Jimmy Hoffa of jury tampering. Partin would show up in my office for a 
grievance meeting with his pug bodyguard. He would lie to his members in these meetings, even 
though he knew that I knew he was lying. 


During my tenure in Baton Rouge plant purchasing, my staff and I made substantial improvements 
in raw material and supplier costs. Kaiser had three major plants on the lower Mississippi within 90 
miles of each other, so I proposed that we integrate the three purchasing departments to save money 


by reducing personnel cost and increasing the buying power by the higher volume with vendors. 
d. Chalmette, Louisiana— Aluminum Reduction Plant 1961-1965 


I became the General Purchasing Agent of the new consolidated Purchasing Department, located just 
south of New Orleans in Chalmette. This transfer came in the middle of the school year, so, I rented 


17 


Section I: Hank James History 


an apartment in New Orleans until school was 
out. We bought a new five-bedroom, three-bath 
house in New Orleans; Hazel, Janet, Kent and 


Zipper joined me in our new home in June. 


David was born when we lived in New 


Orleans. David has been interested in cars since 


he was 2 years old when he got his first Scat 
New Orleans Hotise Car for Christmas. I helped him build a 
homemade Scat Car when he was a teenager. 

He now has a restored, award winning 1970 Camaro.® 


The maintenance parts warehouse came under the Purchasing Department, like in Baton Rouge, 
except the plant had a different union, the Steelworkers. The consolidation went smoothly, achieving 
our projected savings. Out of the Chalmette office we serviced the purchasing needs of Baton Rouge, 
Chalmette, Gramercy, Jamaica and Mobile, AL (a small fabricating plant). 


We developed and installed a new purchasing system; we called it the voucher system. The old 
system was the standard big company procedure: the employee/user issued a requisition which went 
to the purchasing department, who issued a purchasing order to a vendor, who shipped the item 
which was received by the plant warehouse, who issued a receiving report and delivered item to the 
user or put it in inventory. The vendor mailed an invoice which accounts payable department would 
compare to the purchase order and the receiving report and if they matched, would issue a check to 
the vendor. This was the process even for a dozen ten cent pencils. 


The voucher system eliminates several steps. Most of the items purchased were repetitive. So, for 


these items we negotiated annual contracts with responsible vendors (getting better prices for annual 


18 


Section I: Hank James History 


volume). When a requisition or warehouse inventory order was created, the buyer created a release 
order to the annual contract. The release order included a voucher, signed by the buyer (buyer time 
saved —no negotiation as on the previous ad hoc purchase orders) The vendor filled out the purchase 
amount due and deposited the voucher in his/her bank account (more saving—less working capital 
and administrative costs for the vendor). Additional savings accrued in the accounts payable 
department because every purchase order previously required a manual reading of three documents 
and a check to be issued, signed and mailed. With the voucher system, the only work on the vouchers 
was an occasional internal audit to assure the vendors were honest. (During my tenure as General 
Purchasing Agent, I don’t remember a single instance of a vendor cheating on us. They had incentive 
not to cheat because it would jeopardize their qualification for future annual contracts.) The voucher 
system was still in use by the company when I retired in 1982. 


We also developed a scientific warehouse inventory management which melded with the voucher 
system, saving more money and reducing critical stockouts. These systems were programed on an 
IBM 360 computer which was state of the art at the time (and had less computing capacity than a 
current iPhone). I might mention that input to the computer was on punched cards. 


When working at the Chalmette Plant we would have visitors from the Oakland home office. One 
such visitor was Homer Lambie, the Corporate Safety Director. The Plant Manager took us to his 


favorite restaurant, Brennan’s, in the French Quarter of New Orleans along with our wives. 


19 


Section I: Hank James History 


Somehow, the waiter learned it was my birthday (Hazel maybe) and brought me a cupcake with a 
candle and two maraschino cherries. After the wishes were complete, Homer asked me if I would like 
to be kissed “Happy Birthday” by Mrs. Bob Waterfield? I said, “Who?” He said, “Mrs. Bob 
Waterfield, Jane Russell; she’s sitting right behind you.” And that is how I got kissed by the famous 
movie star, Jane Russell.!° Jane was in town with her trio, appearing at the Roosevelt Hotel’s Blue 


Room. The show was sold out, but Jane got us in, and we sat on the stage, just off center. 


Next, I was promoted to Maintenance Superintendent at 
Chalmette. Chalmette had about 2,200 employees of which 
about 450 were in the maintenance department About 400 
were craftsmen and about 50 were staff and supervisors. 
During my tenure, we developed a maintenance work ticket 
system and a standard job cost system. (I was invited to an 
American Management Association Seminar in New York 


City where I gave a presentation on our system.) 


One of our challenges during my term as maintenance 


, superintendent was Hurricane Betsy. We were well 
prepared for the event; the plant had an orderly shutdown 


and all management families were sent to hotels in 


Jane Russell 


downtown New Orleans. All managers and supervisors 
stayed in the plant; the eye passed over about midnight 
September 10, 1965. The plant itself suffered little physical damage and the next morning was bright 
and sunny. The plant is located on the river with the levee being the highest spot; all water drains 
away from the levee. By noon, water was beginning to flood the non-levee side of the plant which we 
successfully sandbagged in advance but by 3:00 in the afternoon refugees started coming in the plant 
area because it was the high ground. By evening we had 3,000 refugees in our shutdown plant. We 
were able to make them comfortable with food and blankets for the three days they were there. 


During the hurricane, Hazel, Kent, Janet, and David were in a downtown hotel. Our home suffered a 
little damage, fence blown down, all food in freezer ruined with melted ice cream on the kitchen 
floor. I was locked at the plant; Hazel and Janet cleaned up the mess at home. We were without 
power and air conditioning for several days and ice became a premium item. Of the fifty supervisors 
and staff in my department, twenty-three had water up to their window level in their homes from the 
flooding after the hurricane. 


The 400 craftsmen in my department all belonged to the same union, the Steelworkers. We had many 
crafts: electricians, carpenters, millwrights, machinists, auto mechanics, etc. Most of the crafts had 
straight day workers and shift workers. Each craft and shift category had a different overtime 


agreement, in all about twenty-three different overtime agreements. It was easy for a supervisor to 


20 


Section I: Hank James History 


make a mistake under the pressure to get the overtime job done. As a result we had many grievances. 
About 50% of my time was spent on grievances. 


This was in the early 1960s and New Orleans was completely segregated. Kaiser Aluminum realized 
that they had federal contracts and the 1954 Supreme Court decision was going to make this 
segregation go away. So, the company decided to desegregate. We had separate colored and white 


union locals, separate colored and white lunchrooms, separate colored and white employee groups, 


separate colored and white water fountains. 


Ni 


Segregated Drinking Fountain in the American South" 


Anyway, management told the union we were going to phase out this segregation. The union said 
they were not going to have any part of that, and management was on its own. This was the white 
union; I don’t know what the colored union said. We put together a plan, and the plan was to phase it 
in. First, we would paint out or remove the “White” and “Colored” signs. And then we would 


remove the separate bubblers from the water fountains. And then, remove any rest room separation. 


We had an area called Metal Products where we took the hot metal in big crucibles, poured it into 
furnaces for alloying. Out of the furnaces it was cast into ingots on a belt that had ingot molds. Hot, 
miserable, really hot and miserable. In the New Orleans area, which even without this, is hot and 


miserable in the summer. 


21 


Section I: Hank James History 


“ee 


The Process of Casting Molten Aluminum” 


So, we had air-conditioned lunchrooms built inside these big mill buildings. The buildings were huge 
with overhead cranes with hot metal in crucibles going up and down and pouring in furnaces. We 
painted out the “white” and “colored” signs in the lunchrooms. Each lunchroom was about twenty 
feet wide and sixty feet long with tables inside. They were two stories. Typically, the colored 
lunchroom was the upper story and the white lunchroom was the lower story. So, after a few weeks, 
after the signs were gone, one of the colored people in the Metal Products Mill Building decided that 
he wasn’t going to climb those stairs anymore. So, he went in to the lower lunchroom. After he went 
in, the white people refused to go in. No white person would go in there. The white employees 
started eating lunch at their workstations, which was against the plant rules. But we didn’t have the 
guts to do anything about enforcing the rules under the situation. 


22 


Section I: Hank James History 


One of Eighteen Potrooms at the Kaiser Aluminum Plant in Chalmette, Louisiana’ 


So, eventually all the colored people migrated down to this lower lunchroom. And when the white 
people saw that there was nobody in the upper lunchroom, they decided to go up there. So, that’s 
what they did. They switched rooms. It stayed that way for years. I was in Oakland in the 
Engineering Department, many years later, and we got a requirement from the Equal Opportunity 
Commission to tear down the lunchrooms because they were segregated. We thought we had done 
such a good job of desegregating them already. 


The most disappointed event in my career with Kaiser was being fired from the Maintenance 
Superintendent’s job. The reason I was fired was lack of ability to negotiate with unions. At one time I 
said to one of the union people, “If you don’t like it, you can go to work somewhere else.” That didn’t 
go over too well with my boss and the Industrial Relations department. So, I was sent back to 
Oakland. 


e. Oakland, California— Home Office, Central Engineering, 1965-1971 


23 


Section I: Hank James History 


Hazel, Janet, Kent, David, Zipper and I bought a five- ’ 
bedroom house in Walnut Creek, CA. Laurie was born 


while we lived there. 


My first work assignment was on the design and 
construction of a new alumina plant in Jamaica. Kaiser 
Aluminum owned extensive bauxite deposits in 
Jamaica so building an alumina plant near the deposits 


made logistical sense. I did the original site study and 


was responsible for the drawing approval interface 


First Walnut Creek House 


with the design engineering company. The plant was a 

joint project between Kaiser Aluminum, Reynolds Metals Company and Anaconda Copper 
Company. The project was directed by a 
committee, the Consultative Committee, made 
up of representatives from each of the three 
owner companies. I was secretary of the 
Consultative Committee in addition to my 
other duties on the project. During the project 


life I made ten trips to Jamaica. 


My first personal real estate investing 


Bink Bowl - yauiaita International Tecutinal adventure was around 1968 when my friend 


Wroyce Starnes and I bought two fourplexes in 


Martinez, CA. We kept them for about two years and sold them for about what we paid for them. 


My next work project was a feasibility study of an alumina plant on the Cape York peninsular in 
Northern Australia. Cape York was accessible only by air or sea; it was 400 miles from the nearest 
city. Comalco, a joint venture, between Kaiser Aluminum and the Australian Aluminum Company 
owned considerable bauxite deposits in the Cape York area. After two trips to Australia and 
considerable study we estimated the cost of the facility to be $1 billion, which was a lot of money in 
1969. The conclusion was that it was not financially feasible to build the facility. 


Next I did a feasibility study of a metallic magnesium plant. Kaiser Chemicals, a division of Kaiser 
Aluminum, owned and operated a solar evaporation facility in the Bonneville Salt Flats in western 
Utah. The product from the evaporation process was potash which was used as a fertilizer 
component. After the potash precipitated out, the remaining liquid (bittern) contained a high 
percentage of magnesium ion. The theory was to build a facility to convert the magnesium ion to 


metallic magnesium which was the largest volume alloy metal in aluminum alloys. 


24 


Section I: Hank James History 


At the time Dow Chemical was the only producer of 
magnesium in the U.S. and we felt that we might beat their 
prices with a facility of our own. We teamed up with Norse 
Hydro ASA, an aluminum company in Norway, to do the 
feasibility study. After two trips to Norway, a trip to 
Germany to a world magnesium conference and looking at 
several possible sites for the facility, we concluded that it was 
not feasible. Dow Chemical was a monopoly as far as 
magnesium was concerned and they controlled the price. If 
we threatened to be competitors, they could just lower the 
price to where we couldn’t compete. Also, our proposed 
process would take a pilot plant and considerable time and 
money to prove its efficacy. 


Site Inspection 


Around this time I realized that the property around Kaiser 
Center where I worked every day was all zoned for high-rise apartments. It was occupied by mixed 
single-family homes, duplexes, and some low multiple unit apartments. A friend of mine owned 
many units in the area, and he wanted to get rid of them because he was planning to sail around the 
world. He made me low down payment loans and in 1969, I along with some of my Kaiser associates 


bought his units, ultimately owning 138 units. 


My grand plan was to get enough plottage to develop high-rises when I retired. I personally 
managed the units, collected the rents, and managed the repairs and apartment rehabs. I was gone 
every weekend working on the units during my ownership of the units. Hazel was sweet to manage 


the units when I was out of town, and Kent was a great assistant in repairs and rehabs. 


There were many landlord stories: we had a murder; a suicide, jumping off a three-story building; a 
drug bust; a fire that resulted in the demolition of a six-unit building; and evictions, including a Black 
Panther lawyer representing one of the evictees during the height of Black Panther power. During 
this period (1969-1972) I was offered a 144-unit apartment building in East Oakland. The price was: 
assume an existing FHA loan of about $450,000 plus the seller would pay me $75,000 cash to buy it. I 
analyzed the deal and figured it would take $250,000 the get the place in non-slum rentable condition 
so I passed. 


f. Orange, California— The City 1971-1974 


Again, I was transferred in the middle of the school year, this time to Orange, California. I lived in 
one of the apartments that I was managing until Hazel, Laurie and David joined me. Zipper had died 
and Janet had finished 1 year of college and was out of the nest. Kent was starting to UCLA and lived 
in a UCLA dormitory. We moved into a new house in Villa Park, California and promptly added a 
swimming pool. My apartment side-business came to an end. By then my dream of ever developing 
the plottage into high rises was just a dream. 


25 


Section I: Hank James History 


Villa Park House 


I sold my friend Wroyce Starnes one-half interest in my 
Oakland properties; Wroyce proceeded to liquidate them. 
The net effect of the liquidation was we owned a free and 
clear piece of bare land (no management requirements) in 
Danville, CA which we later sold for $450,000. As an aside, 
in the almost fifty years since my Oakland high-rise dream, 
only one high-rise apartment building has been built in 
Oakland, on Lake Merritt, about a mile from my property. 


My assignment was as Administrative Manager at The City 
in Orange, CA. The City was a joint venture between Kaiser 
Aluminum and the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. 


The project had three major elements, a high-rise office 


building, a regional retail mall and 441 luxury garden apartments. At the time I joined the staff, the 
project construction was 85% complete and over budget. Beside the construction, I was responsible 


for the management of the apartments, the project security, the project purchasing, design of 


additional facilities; I was not responsible for finance or leasing, except in the apartments. 


The initial leasing of the apartments was slow; it happened -——~—— —— 


during the period when President Nixon instituted price 
controls. We gave rent incentives during the rent-up period. 
When price controls came into being, the incentive rents were 
frozen, which created a problem because new rentals had to 
conform to the price controls. Eventually the price controls 
were lifted, and the apartments rented fully. We were 
successful in completing the initial project construction, 
completing a new office building and a free-standing 


restaurant. 


26 


Conference Advisors 


Continued from page 29... 


“THE CITY’ APARTMENT HEAD— 
Responsible for all engineering, construction, 
operations, personnel and procurement of 
$200 million office, shopping center, apart- 
ment and raw land development, H.S. James 
is apartment division manager for The City 
Management Corp. in Orange, Calif. James is 


a senior engineering and construction 
executive on projects throughout the world 
for Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corp., of 
which The City Management Corp. is a wholly- 
owned subsidiary. 


Section I: Hank James History 


John McCain in a 1973 Interview™ 


In 1973, I was attending a seminar given by journalist Dan Rather at the Fairmont hotel in San 
Francisco, when I saw a sign in the lobby that said “POWs register here.” I asked the lady there if my 
cousin Bill Lawrence was in attendance. She said he was and gave me his room number. I called Bill 
and he agreed to meet me for breakfast the next morning. I got my own private debriefing from my 
cousin, who had been a POW for more than six years and had been back in the US for only three 
months. We talked about family (his wife had divorced him and remarried, which he didn’t find out 
until he was released). We talked about current issues, like short skirts and Jane Fonda. 


As it turns out, Ross Perot had, at his own expense, arranged for the POWs who were at Son Te to 
meet the Army team that raided the camp, only to find that the POWs had been moved. Ross Perot 
was a billionaire businessman who later ran for President in 1992 and 1996. Bill invited me to the 
press conference that happened after our breakfast. The Colonel who lead the raid was there along 
with a model of the POW Camp that they trained by. When one of the journalists asked the Colonel 
what his reaction was when they arrived at Son Te only to find no POWs, he said, “It was an 
expletive that I’d rather not repeat.” 


Bill introduced me to many of the attendees, including Ross Perot and John McCain. Ross Perot and 
Bill had been classmates at Annapolis. I remember John McCain lamenting about his injuries and 
wondering, with these injuries, “How would I be able to serve my country.” Both men would later 
give eulogies at Bill’s funeral. John McCain described Bill as “probably the greatest man I knew in my 
life.” 


27 


Section I: Hank James History 


I met Ronald Reagan at a change of command ceremony for Bill 
Lawrence in Lemoore, CA in 1974. It happened to be the day the 
Nixon resigned, and I asked Mr. Reagan what he thought about 


that. His answer was a political “No comment.” 


Wendy Lawrence is the daughter of Vice Admiral Bill Lawrence." 
She is a graduate of Annapolis, a navy pilot and an astronaut. She 
made three missions (STS 67, 86 and 91) on the space shuttle and 
retired from the Navy with the rank of Captain. 


g. Oakland, California—Refractories Division, Division Engineer 
1975-1981 


My last transfer with Kaiser was back to the Oakland 
home office. Hazel, Laurie, David and I moved back 
to Walnut Creek. As we were transferred various 
times by Kaiser, we always bought a home at the 
new place. Kaiser had a generous moving policy for 
transferees; as a result, we never lost money on any 
house we bought. We leased a three-bedroom, two 
bath house with an option to buy. After about six 
months, we exercised our option and bought the 
house. We set about expanding the house to a four- 


bedroom, three-bath in which I personally did all the 


Second Walnut Creek House and Current 


construction. This means we owned homes in Baton 
Rouge, LA, New Orleans, LA, Walnut Creek, Villa 


Park, CA and Walnut Creek again, where we live now. After sixteen moves in our marriage, we 


Home 


settled in this house and have continued to live in it for over forty years. 


Our family had the attitude of “Live like you are going to be there forever but be ready to move 
tomorrow.” I am grateful for the attitude of my wife and family in supporting me in these many 
moves. It was hard for the kids, especially when they were teenagers to leave their friends and go toa 
new school. There are two things the Dean of Engineering never taught us students: 1) There seem to 


be no desirable jobs in your home town, and 2) Every job gets completed so, one must move on. 


I was appointed the Division Engineer of the Refractories Division, responsible for the leadership of 
five home office engineers and the functional leadership of six plant engineers and responsible for 
developing capital projects and approvals of plant capital expenditures. The job entailed frequent 
travel to our plants in Gary, IN; Frostburg, MD; Plymouth Meeting, PA; Moss Landing, CA, Mexico, 
MO; and to numerous plants of suppliers and competitors in the U.S. and Europe. 


28 


Section I: Hank James History 


The division’s primary customers were steel mills and competition was fierce; as a result, research 
was an important facet of the business. I worked closely with research people at the Center for 
Technology in Pleasanton, CA to coordinate new facilities required for new products. 


In 1981 I moved into corporate development. 
The Corporate Development Department was 
responsible for evaluating acquisition and 
divestiture opportunities for the Corporation. 
Most of my work during the period was 
evaluation of acquisition of ammonia plant 
divestures from other companies. I spent 
considerable time in Louisiana, MO, 
evaluating a divesture from Hercules Powder 


Company, which turned out to be not 


“ oo feasible. During this period, I also evaluated 


Ed Clark and Hazel around 1980 various sulfuric acid plants and _ other 
fertilizer plants. 


Ed Clark was the Libertarian candidate for President of the U.S. in 1980. I supported his campaign 
and met with him several times during the campaign. I ran for State Assembly as a Libertarian that 


year against a Republican and a Democrat and lost big. 
h. Oakland, California — Retirement December 1982 


The aluminum business had a significant downturn in the early eighties. Aluminum was selling for 
41 cents per pound and the energy costs alone were 39 cents per pound. Desperate measures were 
needed. So, the company offered certain employees a bunch of money if they retired. I accepted. I 
took my retirement benefit money in a lump sum, which turned out to be a good decision, because 


the company went bankrupt later and wiped out all benefits, including our medical benefits. 


In summary, I thoroughly enjoyed my work at Kaiser. It was always challenging, and I feel I 
contributed a lot to the success of the company. And, my travels exposed me to various countries and 
cultures; on business, I went to Australia two times and to Europe four times and as I mentioned 


above to Jamaica ten times. 
3. Merger and Acquisition Business 
a. Corporate Finance Associates 1983-1997 


I was 55 years old and retired—so what to do now? My former boss at Kaiser Refractories, Jan 
Bowman, was in the same position, except he was even younger than me. We concluded that this 


corporate development work was fun, so maybe we would open a consulting firm, doing engineering 


29 


Section I: Hank James History 


consulting and business merger and acquisition (M&A) evaluation. The result was we bought an 
M&A franchise, Corporate Finance Associates and formed our own California corporation, Corporate 
Finance Associates of Northern California, Inc (CFANCI. 


We decided to specialize in helping to sell companies located in the Bay Area with revenues from 1 to 
50 million dollars. While in our corporate development work, we never analyzed any potential 
transaction under $100 million. We thought we were experts; we couldn’t have been more wrong. 
Selling a $100 million company and a $5 million company took different skills that took us a long 


time to learn. It was seventeen months before we had any revenue in CFANCI. 


We came across many interesting situations, some of which tweaked our engineering mindset. We 
invested in a cell phone encryption company where I did extensive testing of cell phone encryption 
software. Early cell phones were analog, and one could follow a person and listen to their 
conversation using a police scanner. When the cell phone transmissions became digital, our analog 
encryption software became obsolete. We finally concluded that we were not in the engineering 


consulting business and concentrated on M&A opportunities. 


Our primary marketing effort was through a quarterly newsletter I edited, Selling Your Business. We 
would distribute the newsletter to 3,000 business owners every quarter. Another marketing effort 
was by doing mail searches for buyers in a specific industry. A typical search would mean we had to 
create up to 1,000 letters, individually addressed to the owner of a business. We bought two Osborne 
computers and a laser printer which let us print the same letter content to different addressees. We 
were one of the first in our industry to have an in-house fax machine, and we were early adopters of 


email. 


During this period, we sold high tech, low tech and no tech businesses. We sold circuit board 
companies, machine shops, medical supplies companies, food distribution companies, a 
spectrographic company; we even sold a school. I remember a buyer seller visit to a machine shop 
client. The buyer asked, as they always do, “Why are you selling?” The seller responded, “Anything 
is for sale for a price, even my wife.” The buyer said, “Yeah, I know, I’ve sold three of them and I’m 


still paying for all of them.” 


Around this time I was a member of the San Francisco CEO Club, organized as one chapter of the 
International CEO Club, founded by Joe Mancuso. He was the author of twenty-five books on 
business. Joe would make monthly trips from his office in New York to chair the local meetings. Joe 
would arrange for the speakers and we members got to interface with the speakers up close. These 
outstanding visiting speakers included: Frank Abagnale, the con man that posed as a pilot and lived 
off of hot checks he wrote (his story was told in a movie, “Catch Me If You Can”); Jay Abraham, a 
famous direct marketing expert; Dan Kennedy, another famous marketing expert; and Harvey 


MacKay, a popular business speaker and author. 


30 


Section I: Hank James History 


After several years of monthly visits, Joe Mancuso slowed down, leaving a group of CEO club 
members in San Francisco who wanted to meet frequently to advise and to be advised. Members 
were CEOs of companies that ranged in size from $2 to 50 million in annual revenues. I volunteered 
to be the facilitator for the group. This was my target market in my M&A business. So, for several 
years, say 1995 to 2010, I was the CEO of the CEO Club. And, even though I was not paid, I did get 


several deals as a result of my contact with the members. 
b. Jeff Johnson 1998-2005 


Jan Bowman and I had our CFANCI office in Orinda, CA. After fifteen years when our lease was 
expiring, Jan decided to retire from the company. We sold our franchise to Jeff Johnson and I 
affiliated with Jeff Johnson, as an associate with no equity position. I continued helping owners of 
businesses plan and execute their exit strategy. 


One of the deals completed while working with Jeff Johnson was the sale of a textbook development 
company. I was referred to the owner, a lady in her early thirties. She was running the company in 
her garage and wanted to sell because she thought she could get enough money to pay off her 
mortgage and move on. Her financials showed she was making about $200,000 per year net, and I 
estimated the company would sell for about $600,000. Since she was young and one usually makes 
more money by keeping the company than selling it, I suggested that she keep the company a little 
longer and see if she can make it worth more. I facilitated a Strategic Plan Retreat with her and her 
staff; she implemented the tasks and projects developed in the Retreat. Two years later, the company 
revenues had grown to $6 million and net profits to $2 million per year. We sold the company for $12 
million cash. Needless to say, she paid off her mortgage and even paid cash for a second home in the 
Lake Tahoe Area. 


Jeff Johnson decided he didn’t want to be associated with me, and we parted ways, with Jeff retaining 
the Corporate Finance Associates franchise. 


c. WealthTrax, Inc. 2005-2009 


My financial planner Gary Gardner and I thought there would 

be great synergy in my practice of helping business owners plan 

and execute their exit strategy. I could help the exit plan and 

ealthTrax execution and he could help them invest the proceeds of the 

business sale. So, we formed WealthTrax, Inc. The idea behind 

the name was that there are two wealth tracks to exiting a 

business; the business sale and the personal aspects, such as 

estate planning and retirement planning. The synergy wasn’t there, and I bought Gary Gardner out 

after about 2 years. We parted as friends and Gary is still my financial planner. I continued doing 
deals as sole owner of WealthTrax. 


31 


Section I: Hank James History 


d. Hunter Wise 2009-2011 


At this time there was concern in the M&A industry that the selling of businesses might be under the 
jurisdiction of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). My entire M&A career, I had operated 
under my California Real Estate Broker’s license. I joined Hunter Wise who required its associates to 
have securities licenses. So, I studied and took the tests to become a securities broker, ultimately 
obtaining Series 7, 63 and 79 licenses. (I became licensed to be a stock broker, but I never sold one 
share of stock in the capacity as a broker.) Ultimately, I realized that being a stock broker did not help 
me or my clients so I resigned from the red tape of security licenses and Hunter Wise in 2011. 


e. Henry S. James, Consultant 2012-2017 


Most of the seller clients I dealt with in my M&A 
career were looking to retire. A potential seller 
had to decide if he/she would net enough out of 
the business to retire in the lifestyle that they 
wanted. This means having an exit plan that not 
only included selling the business, but also 
integration of all their assets, both personal and 
business. It means to reach the seller’s goal, there 
must be an estate plan and retirement revenue 


and spending plan in place. 


Many times, sellers would realize that the actual Deal Tombstones 

cash they would receive from the sale would not 

be enough to fund their retirement and estate plan. In which case, they had three choices: 1) do 
nothing —keep on keeping on, 2) make the decision to sell based on the market value, or 3) make the 
business worth what they needed. For most sellers, option 1) and 2) are not satisfactory answers. 


I developed a two-day Strategic Planning Retreat Workshop to help potential sellers improve their 
business. In the workshop the owner and top staff would develop a task plan with budgets, 
schedules, responsibilities and follow up system. In the course of my M&A work, I was involved in 
over one hundred transactions, and I facilitated over thirty Strategic Planning Workshops. I 
continued to help business owners plan and execute their exit strategy until my retirement at age 90. 


32 


Section I: Hank James History 


Summary of Certifications, Memberships and Awards 


Item Designation Comment 

Vanderbilt University BE Graduate, Class of 1949; Ace Club, KA 
Fraternity 

University of Louisville MChE Graduate, Class of 1949 

University of California Real Estate Certificate | Graduate 


Kappa Alpha Order 


KA 


Graduate; College social fraternity 


Junior Chamber of 


Baton Rouge 


Director; Disqualified at age 35 


Commerce 

Toastmasters Atlanta, Baton Rouge, | President, Walnut Creek Chapter; Resigned 
Walnut Creek 

CEO Club San Francisco Facilitator of Presidential Advisory Council; 

Resigned 
Libertarian Party Contra Costa County | Chair, 1978-1981; Ran for Assembly in 1980, 
beat by Republican; Still a Party Member 

Real Estate Broker License California Active 

Professional Engineer MfgE Retired 

License 

General Contractor’s License Inactive 

California Association of Retired 

Business Brokers 

International Business Fellow of the IBBA Taught various courses, wrote Finance course; 

Brokers Association Retired 

Certified Business CBI Retired 

Intermediary 

M&A Source Retired 

M&A Master Intermediary _|M&AMI Retired 

Business Enterprise Institute | Certified Exit Planner | Retired 

Corporate Finance Numerous awards for | Sold franchise 

Associates Excellence and 
Leadership 

Series 7, 63 and 79 Security Expired 

License 

Society of Business Expired 

Opportunity Appraisers 

Sons in Retirement SIR Active; Chairman of Book Nook 

E. Health and Fitness 


A few words about my health are appropriate for a genealogy exposé such as this. When I graduated 


from Vanderbilt at age 21, I was 6 feet tall and weighed 139 pounds. At age 92, Iam 5 foot 7 inches 


and weigh 150 pounds. I look up physically toward many people I used to look down upon. 


33 


Section I: Hank James History 


In 1949, while in graduate school, I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. The treatment was to 
operate and remove part of my thyroid gland which was done successfully at the age of 22. After the 
operation, my thyroid function became normal. My weight quickly went to the normal range of 160 
pounds, and the traditional hyperthyroidism symptoms went away. In 1964, I detected what I 
thought was a re-growth of the gland and I had a second thyroid operation at age 37 in which the 
remaining portion of the gland was removed. Since then to this day, I have taken regular thyroid 


supplements to supply the needed hormone to my body. 


In living the corporate executive lifestyle, I continually gained weight until in 1972, when I weighed 
194 pounds. I had a change in lifestyle that year in which I started running. After a period of working 
up to it, I ran five miles per weekday for the next twenty years. My weight went down to 164 and I 


was healthy. 


In 1991, I fell off the roof of my home while pruning an avocado tree (that Laurie had grown from a 
seed) and broke my pelvis and eight ribs. After several weeks of recovery, I returned to normal. After 
this accident I made another lifestyle change: I quit running and did my exercise on my treadmill; I 
also refrained from drinking hard liquor (only wine). After about six months, I quit the boring 
treadmill routine and started walking on the local trails. I continued my walking routine of about an 
hour a day for four days per week. About a year ago, I developed severe arthritis in my right ankle 


which terminated my walking on local trails. I still ride a stationary bike about four days per week. 


In about 2010, I was diagnosed with a melanoma lesion on my left ear. The lesion was surgically 
removed and for about five years I had CAT scans to assure that there was no further cancer. To this 
date there has been no additional evidence of melanoma. I have a full body inspection every year by 


my dermatologist as an on-going precaution. 


In 2015, I had a bout with double vision which went away after about three weeks. In 2016, I had a 
period when my upper body muscles became very painful, so much that I couldn’t put on my shirt. 
My doctor prescribed a routine of physical therapy which worked and allowed me to function 
normally again. I continue to do the physical therapy exercises to this day because I do not want the 


condition to return. 


I am a participant in a study, “Life after 90,” sponsored by Kaiser Permanente Medical Group and 
University of California at Davis. As a part of the study I had a brain MRI and CAT scan. The results 
showed that I had had a stroke. Maybe my double vision or my body muscle episode was a 


manifestation of the stroke. 


As I grew older, my blood pressure went up and my doctor put me on blood pressure medication to 
control it which I continue to take. In 2012, I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (my heart skips 
beats). Apparently, the doctors know of no cure, but as a precaution I am on a warfarin regimen to 


thin my blood to prevent clots from going to my brain and causing a stroke. In 2012, I was also 


34 


Section I: Hank James History 


diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy in which my legs are numb from the knees down. Most of the 
time this is a condition of diabetes, but I clearly am not diabetic. The doctors have not diagnosed the 


cause, but they are working on it. 


This is probably more that anyone would want to know about my health, but it may be important to 


future health issues of my progeny. 


F, Retirement and Family Life 


When we first had children, family vacations consisted of going back to Nashville to see our parents. 
Each summer, either in Louisville, Atlanta or Baton Rouge, we would drive to Nashville and visit 
with our extended family. Later we started taking vacations to places other than Nashville. When 
Janet and Kent were about 6 and 4, respectively, we enjoyed the white sand beach at Destin, FL. 


When Janet and Kent were about 9 and 7, respectively, we rented a cabin with another family on the 
Gulf in Mississippi. The mosquitoes were so thick that just opening the car door resulted in the car 
filling with mosquitos. The highlight of that trip for me was going floundering in the Gulf. We would 
walk out in waist high water at night with a light and a barbless gig, see the outline of a flounder in 
the sand and gig it. As we saw crabs, we would capture them. Our wives stuffed the flounder with 
the crab dressing and baked them—very tasty. Another vacation with Janet and Kent was at 
Yosemite in the tent cabins. 


Most every summer, while living in the Bay Area with the children still at home, we would rent a 
home in Santa Cruz or Aptos on the beach. We came to love the area so much that we helped David 


buy his first house in Santa Cruz where we had family events for many years. 


Laurie, Hank, Hazel, and Kent in Portofino, Italy 


35 


Section I: Hank James History 


We took the four-day cruise from Los Angeles to Ensenada on two different occasions. We took a 
family cruise of the Eastern Mexico Coast from New Orleans to Guatemala. While in New Orleans we 
drove by our old house there and visited the 9 Ward devastation of hurricane Katrina. We also 
visited the abandoned site of the Kaiser Chalmette Reduction Plant. In 2016, Hazel and I, all our 
children, Howard Guilbault and Eric Voogd, took a seven-day cruise down the west coast of Mexico 
to Puerto Vallarta to celebrate Hazel and me turning 90 years old. While we enjoyed our side trip into 
Puerto Vallarta, the best part of the trip was our family gatherings each evening on our common 
balcony as we cruised the ocean. After Kent closed his business in Azerbaijan, he treated us to a 
Mediterranean Cruise. Hazel, Kent, Laurie and I embarked from Nice, France: we visited Monaco, 


Portofino, Corsica, Sardinia, Sorrento, Pompeii, Elba—so much history! 


Hazel and I have taken several trips with the Senior Citizens Club of Walnut Creek. We went to 
China in 2000 on a fifteen-day tour. Highlights included: numerous Buddha Temples, three-day 
cruise on the Yangtze River including the Three Gorges, the Three Gorges Dam construction (18,000 
megawatts hydroelectric generation) the Great Wall, the Terra-Cotta Warriors and the Forbidden 
City. On one of our excursions to a temple in Beijing, I was late to the bus and was left behind. I’m 
sure Hazel was very concerned but there was nothing she could do. I finally found a taxi, showed 
him my hotel pass (no English spoken) and he took me back to my hotel. When I arrived back the 


group was eating dinner; I apologized for being late and causing their concern. 


In 2001, we went to Italy. The highlights of the trip were: the statue of David by Michelangelo, the 
home and museum of Leonardo Di Vinci, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Florence and Venice. In another 
Senior Citizen’s group cruise, we toured the historical sites along the Atlantic Coasts: New York, 
Boston, Nova Scotia, Philadelphia, Williamsburg, Charleston. We saw the Bay of Fundy (fifty-foot 
tides), the Old North Church, the Liberty Bell, restored Williamsburg. The cruise had a SIRs group 
from Walnut Creek; Our friends, Bill and Sandy Hansen were on board with that group, and we 


played lots of bridge with them on the trip. 


We took another cruise piggybacked on an Assistance League Convention in Hawaii. We cruised the 
islands, visited the Pearl Harbor site and stayed in a hotel with a view of Diamond Head. Hazel and I 
went on two trips with Joe Mancuso and the CEO Club. One was a week-long Alaskan cruise and the 
other was a week in St Croix. On my Bucket List is a Panama Canal cruise: we'll see if we accomplish 
that. 


Computers, internet and smart phones were big changes that happened in my lifetime. Television 
was a big change for me and Hazel. I remember when the television first came out, we were living in 
Louisville. I was standing in front of a furniture store, looking at a television through the window. 
And there were several people there. I remember one guy beside me saying “That’s a trick, that can’t 


be real!” Change is accelerating at an exponential rate and I am enjoying every change! 


36 


Section I: Hank James History 


Other real estate investments that I will mention . \ 
are: 1) A fixer-upper in Concord, CA which we — a A ‘ 
bought in partnership with Janet and Howard 
Guilbault, and we sold for a nice profit; 2) a single 
family home in Concord (Sunshine Drive) which 
Hazel and I sold for a nice profit: and, 3) A four- 
plex in San Rafael which Hazel and I sold for a 
small profit. We also helped David buy his first 
house in Santa Cruz which he kept for many years 


and sold for a profit. The only real estate we now 
own is our home in Walnut Creek. David's House in Santa Cruz 
All my children seemed to be motivated to get a higher education. I am proud of their educational 
achievements. Janet completed two years of college at Chico State and got married. When her 
husband, Howard was transferred to Mississippi, she continued her college work there, getting her 
BA from Delta State University. Kent received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical 
engineering from UCLA with a Summa Cum Laude designation. He received his PhD from Stanford 
in mechanical engineering. David took two years of college at Diablo Valley Community College and 
then transferred to a technical school for two more years where he attained a 4.0 grade point average. 
Laurie graduated Summa Cum Laude from University of the Pacific, and then got her master’s 


degree from University of Massachusetts. 


The love of family is the most important aspect of life. 1am proud of our family; Iam proud that all of 
my children and grandchildren are successful; I am proud that there is no estrangement and 
animosity in our family group; I am proud that my progeny loves me and respects me —and that I 
love them. I am proud of our great-grandchildren. 


Our family has always been close and still is to this day. 


James Family - Thanksgiving 1997 


37 


Section I: Hank James History 


References for Section I: Hank James History 


1 Image available at: https://nashvillehistory.blogspot.com/2015/09/nashville-points-of-interest- 
1905.html. Listed as part of “Mike Slate Postcard Collection” with no copyright information 
provided. Used here under fair use doctrine for non-commercial academic and research purposes. 
2 Image available at: https://www.baxterseminary.org/BSNews_Historical_1930.html. Used here 


under fair use doctrine. 

3 Image available at: https://digital.mtsu.edu/digital/collection/p15838coll7/id/388/. Contributed by 
the Metropolitan Archives of Nashville and Davidson County, and used here for non-profit 
educational and research purposes. 

4 The image of William Porter Lawrence above can be found at 
https://www.seaforces.org/usnships/ddg/DDG-110-USS-William-P-Lawrence.htm and is believed to 


be in the public domain. 
> The image of the Peabody Hotel above can be found at: https://image-tc.galaxy.tf/wipng- 


lws5wx6lna50pxkxsaei0kuk8/1925-the-peabody-memphis-exterior.png. Used here under fair use 


doctrine. 

6 Image published by Encyclopedia Britannica and available at: 
https://www.britannica.com/technology/DC-3. Used here under fair use doctrine. 

7 The image at left is available at: https://historica.fandom.com/wiki/Earl_ Long under a Creative 
Commons license. 

8 Image below available at: https://www.yenko.net/forum/showthread.php?p=870342. Used here 
under fair use doctrine. 

9 Image available at: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/gadgets/5-reasons-love-mad-mens-new-star- 
ibm-360-n101716. Source is listed as IBM via AP. Used here under fair use doctrine. 

10 Image at right is available at: https://jenikirbyhistory.getarchive.net/amp/media/jane-russell-abbc65 
under a Creative Commons public domain license. 


1 Image available with a Creative Commons license at: 
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jim_Crow.jpg. 
2 Image available at: https://www.calmet.com/foundry/ and used here under fair use doctrine. 


18 Original source unknown. Used here under the fair use doctrine. 
14 Image available at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:John_ McCain 19742, 
Library of Congress collection with no known copyright restrictions. 


as part of the 


15 The image of Wendy B. Lawrence at left is available at: 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendy_B. Lawrence#/media/File:Wendy Lawrence NASA _ STS114.jp 
g and is in the public domain. 


38 


Section II: The Mystery of William J. James 


II. The Mystery of William J. James 


A. Who was William James? 


The true identity of Hank’s father was a family mystery for 
over ninety years. Hank’s mother was Grace Corrine 
Brewer from Nashville, Tennessee. Grace was born in 1890. 
In the early 1920s she moved to Picher, Oklahoma as a 
missionary with the Methodist Church. Picher was a 
mining boom town. Valuable lead and zinc deposits were 
discovered on the site in 1913 and Picher was founded 
shortly after. By 1926 the town had grown from nothing to 
a population of over 14,000 residents by supplying the lead 
for more than half of the bullets fired during World War I. 
While in Picher, Grace Brewer met a man named William J. 
James. They were married on December 31, 1925. After she 
became pregnant, Grace left Oklahoma and William James 
to return to her family in Nashville, Tennessee. Their son 
Henry Sterling James was born in Nashville on January 18, 
1927. He never met his father. 


Hank has been a devoted family historian and genealogist 


GS -=s, 


for many years, contributing much of the research that A Rare Picture of Hank’s Father 


made this book possible. But despite years of effort, he was 

never able to learn more about his father. Like his parents’ short-lived marriage, the town of Picher, 
Oklahoma rapidly declined due to a decrease in mining activity. By 1960 there were only around 
2,000 residents. The extensive mining operations led to an extremely polluted water supply and huge 
piles of mining waste called chat that rise up to 150 feet high. Sinkholes from abandoned mines 
dotted the city and threatened to swallow up the remaining homes. By the 1980s, Picher was declared 
a superfund site and it is now a ghost town.! We don’t know how long William James might have 
stayed in Picher, but he probably moved on like most of its former residents. 


I took up the search for the mysterious William James around 2013. I was hopeful we would be able 
to learn more about Hank’s father and maybe discover some long-lost James relatives. My naive 
optimism quickly diminished after I followed one false lead after another. At the time, we thought 
that William J. James was born around 1884 in Colorado based on the information that Hank’s 
mother put on his birth certificate. There have been many men named William James in the world, 
but none of them seemed to be Hank’s father. With only that small clue and no promising leads, we 
thought this mystery might remain unsolved. That started to change with the development of DNA 
testing. 


39 


Section II: The Mystery of William J. James 


B. DNA Testing Provides New Leads 


Our first step was to test Hank’s Y-DNA in 2015. All males inherit Y-DNA from their fathers, and 
since we were focused on finding Hank’s father, that seemed like a good place to start. The results 
were discouraging. We did not find matches to any recent ancestors. The closest matches were with 
several men who likely shared an ancestor more than six to eight generations in the past. That was 
too far back to make a connection using traditional genealogy without more information. Even more 
frustratingly, the closest matches were all with men with the last name “Strong.” We had no reason to 
think Hank was related to anyone with the last name Strong on his paternal line. There were no 
matches to men named James at all. In theory, Hank should have had a long line of men named 
James, starting with his father, then his grandfather, and going well back into the past. Faced with 
this new mystery, and busy with two young boys of my own, the research sat dormant for several 


years. 


In 2018, Hank and I decided to test his full autosomal DNA. Unlike the earlier Y-DNA test, an 
autosomal test looks at the whole range of DNA. Each of our 22 chromosomes contains a pair of 
autosomes made up of recombined DNA from our parents (the 23 chromosome is the sex 
chromosome: XY for males and XX for females). Testing autosomal DNA is a great way to find 
extended cousins who share small segments of DNA that were recombined and passed down over 
the generations. While we were waiting for the results of this test, Hank’s daughter Janet Guilbault 
also took an autosomal DNA test with 23andMe. She was excited about her results and curious if any 
of her matches could help us find William James. None of her matches provided the information we 
needed, but we realized based on her results that it would be helpful to connect with as many genetic 
cousins as we could. So Hank submitted his DNA to FamilyTreeDNA, 23andMe, and Ancestry.com 


in order to conduct the broadest possible search. 


While waiting for Hank’s results, we used his previous Y-DNA result to put an old piece of family 
lore to rest. Based on Hank’s mysterious father and the last name James, the family had always 
wondered if maybe he was related to the famous outlaw Jesse James. Although unlikely, it was an 
intriguing possibility. We were able to get in touch with Eric James, a living descendant of Jesse 
James who has had several family members DNA tested. He analyzed Hank’s results and it was clear 
that there was no relationship based on the differences between Hank’s DNA and that of the Jesse 


James descendants. The possible connection to Jesse James was disproved. 


When we received the autosomal DNA results back, the most important data was with Ancestry.com. 
Hank had over 4,500 matches that were predicted to be fourth cousins or closer on their site. Based on 
our existing genealogy work, we were able to start figuring out which cousins were connected on his 
mother’s side. As a nice side benefit, Hank was able to get in contact with some of his extended 
maternal cousins. But our real goal was finding his father. By process of elimination, we knew that 
the remaining matches were likely to be descendants of his father’s ancestors. Right away, we saw 
that Hank had a close match with a man named George Nelson. We knew this wasn’t one of his 


existing relatives on his mother’s side of the family. George Nelson shared enough DNA to be a first 


40 


Section II: The Mystery of William J. James 


cousin, SO we were very excited to find out how he was connected to Hank. Unfortunately, George 
was not checking his Ancestry.com messages at this time and did not have a family tree posted. So 


we had to figure out how we were connected on our own. 


We needed to start making sense of Hank’s thousands of new relatives. At this point I created a 
spreadsheet to track all of the people who matched part of Hank’s DNA. By looking at who those 
matches also shared DNA with, I was able to start sorting them into four clusters. The people in these 
separate clusters all shared small segments of DNA with Hank and George Nelson, but generally did 
not match with each other. These groups were made up of descendants of Hank's four great- 
grandparents on his father’s side of the tree. 


"Strong" "Jones" "Pitcher" "Gray" 
Great Grandfather Great Grandmother Great Grandfather Great Grandmother 
DNA Matches DNA Matches DNA Matches DNA Matches 


"Strong" "Pitcher" 


Grandfather Grandmother 


Hanks' Father 


Some of these people had posted family trees on Ancestry.com. By looking at their trees, I was able to 
notice common ancestors among the matches. For example, in one cluster it became clear that several 
people were descended from a man named Pleasant Strong. Pleasant Strong was born in Virginia in 
1798 and died in Madison County, Alabama in 1853. Because Hank shared DNA with so many 
people who descended from Pleasant Strong, it seemed likely that Hank descended from him as well. 
The previous Y-DNA matches with distant Strong relatives started to make more sense. At this point, 
we needed to connect these likely distant ancestors such as Pleasant Strong back down the 
generations to Hank. However, Pleasant Strong had eleven children. Hank could have descended 
from any of them, and many of them had large families of their own. We needed to find the point 
where the major groups of DNA connections met in one couple. 


In order to do that, I started re-constructing many family trees. By creating those trees and 
populating them back down to the living people who had tested their DNA, I was able to find 28 
people who descended from either Pleasant Strong or his father George Strong and also shared DNA 
with Hank. In another of the DNA clusters, I had found 9 people who descended from Nathaniel 
Pitcher and Margaret Stevenson. At this point, I thought the most likely scenario was that a “Strong” 
man had an undiscovered affair with a woman who was married to a man named James. The James 
family would have raised the resulting male child with “Strong” DNA, and that would explain why 
Hank had no DNA matches with anyone else named James. However, the truth turned out to be far 
more interesting. A key breakthrough was discovering a marriage between the Strong and Pitcher 
families. 


4l 


Section II: The Mystery of William J. James 


On May 13, 1891, George Farmer Strong married Margaret Aretta Pitcher in Jefferson County, 
Alabama.” George Farmer Strong descended from Pleasant Strong and Margaret Pitcher descended 
from Nathaniel Pitcher. So we had found a couple who brought together the two major clusters of 
Hank’s DNA matches and they were exactly the right age to be Hank’s grandparents. Based on my 
analysis of all of Hank’s DNA matches, that is exactly who they had to be. After ninety years, Hank 
had finally found his paternal grandparents. But who was his father? 


George and Margaret Strong had two children: John Coulbourn Strong born in 1894? and Grace 
Margaret Aretta Strong born in 1896.4 If John was their only son then where was Hank’s father, 
William James? He couldn’t be an illegitimate son of George Strong, because he had to share 
Margaret Pitcher’s DNA as well. My first thought was that maybe George and Margaret had a child 
before their marriage who they gave up for adoption to a James family. That was going to be hard to 
prove. But then I started to consider the possibility that their only known son John Coulbourn Strong 
was actually Hank’s father. 


C. John Coulbourn Strong’s (Partial) Life Story 


John Coulbourn Strong grew up in Birmingham, Alabama. We don’t know much about his 
childhood. We see him on the 1900 and 1910 census living with his parents and his sister Grace 
Strong.’ In the 1912 and 1913 Birmingham City Directories, J. Coulbourn Strong was listed as a clerk 
who lived with his parents at 1308 Peter St.© He would have been about 19-20 years old at this time. 


In the summer of 1914, World War I broke out in Europe. While the war later developed into a trench 
warfare stalemate, in the early stages there was a high civilian cost as the German army rolled 
through Belgium on the way to France. Rumors of German atrocities were widespread in Western 
Europe and likely reached America as well.” The United States was strictly neutral and would remain 
so until 1917 despite their close alliance with Britain. But not everyone was content to stay on the 
sidelines. Some, such as Ernest Hemingway, travelled to Europe and became ambulance drivers.*® 
While we may never know exactly why, John Coulbourn Strong was one of those who felt compelled 
to get involved. In January of 1915, John arrived in England on a British passport. We don’t know 
how he obtained this passport, but that is what he told the U.S. Embassy on his application for a 
return passport to the United States in 1918. From that passport application, we learn that John 
signed up as a solider in the British Army and served in England and France between 1915 and 1918. 
He had now been discharged and was returning back home to Alabama. 


42 


Section II: The Mystery of William J. James 


During his adventurous time in 
Europe, John Strong had been 
married and had his first child.1° 
The passport application listed 
his wife as Doris Taylor Strong 
and included a picture of the 
young couple. Their daughter 
Margaret Strong was born in 
London on July 16, 1918. John 
Coulbourn Strong was described 
as 24 years old, 5 feet 11 inches 
tall, with a high forehead, 
straight nose, fair complexion, 
and blue eyes. As references in 
support of his application, John 
listed his father George F. Strong 
who lived at 2415 Brown’s 
Building in Birmingham, 
Alabama. He also listed his 
uncle Larkin Booth Strong of 


Doris Taylor Strong and John Coulbourn Strong 


Birmingham. For proof of his identity he submitted his marriage certificate and evidence of his 
discharge from the British Army. The passport was granted." The family returned to the United 
States aboard the ship Mauretania, arriving in New York on November 5, 1918. Passenger records 
show John Coulbourn Strong, his wife Doris Taylor Strong, and 3 month old daughter Margaret 
Strong! aboard the ship.’ 


On November 17, 1918, the Birmingham News ran a story titled “Joe Strong, Who Left Birmingham 
Ten Years Ago, Returns Battle-Scarred Hero.”!3 It appears that John used the nickname “Joe,” as did 
his father, based on the title of this article and the captions to their photographs. The claim that John 
was gone for ten years appears to be incorrect, based on the records discussed above which show 
John C. Strong in Birmingham until at least 1913.14 “When in the British army he was sent to France 
immediately, and took part in the fierce battles of the war when the Huns had only the illy [sic] 
equipped English regulars and volunteers to keep them from the sea at Calais.”!5 The article claims 
that John Coulbourn Strong was wounded nine times before finally being discharged.'° John was now 


1 This Margaret Strong is important to our story but can also be difficult to track. She was born to 
John Coulbourn Strong and Doris G. Taylor in 1918. As we will see later, she was given the surname 
James on her birth certificate. She used “Peggy” as a nickname as she grew up. She was later adopted, 
either formally or informally, by her step-father George Matty and had marriages to John J. Jackson, 
John Joseph Barczak and Morris Nelson. So accounting for all of her names, she can show up in the 
paper trail as some combination of Margaret “Peggy” James Strong Matty Jackson Barczak Nelson. 
Quite a collection of future names for this 3 month old baby making a transatlantic voyage. 


43 


Section II: The Mystery of William J. James 


living with his parents, his wife, and their four month old daughter in Fairfield, Alabama, a 
neighborhood in Birmingham." 


“WHO LEFT BIRMINGHAM TEN "i 
$ AGO, RETURNS BATTLE-SCARRED HERO | 


1918 Article from the Birmingham News!® 


It must not have been easy for John Coulbourn Strong to adjust to normal life in Alabama after the 
horrors of trench warfare. In the 1919 Birmingham city directory, John was living with his wife Doris 
Strong at 2415 Warrior Boulevard.’ This is the same address that John provided for his parents on his 
passport application (2415 Brown’s Boulevard), which agrees with the newspaper article discussed 
above. The street had changed names while he was in the war.” The city directory showed John back 
working with his father as a clerk at the Fairview Ice Company. Because this is not a census record, 
there was no record of their daughter Margaret Strong or any other children. In fact, it appears that 
John and Doris had another child, a son named George Montgomery Strong born on September 16, 
1919. We know that George was the son of John and Doris Strong from his marriage record to 
Madeline Marie Hart in Delaware on September 7, 1940. There he listed his parents as Colburn Strong 
(born in Alabama) and Dori Taylor (born in London, England).”! 


By 1920, John Coulbourn Strong and Doris (Taylor) Strong had separated and the family started to 
scatter. Doris shows up on the 1920 census as a divorced boarder, living in Birmingham, Alabama 
with the family of George and Mattie Hilyer.”? Daughter Margaret Strong was not listed with Doris, 
but was instead living with her grandparents George and Margaret (Pitcher) Strong along with John’s 
sister Grace.?> I do not see John and Doris Strong’s son George Montgomery Strong on the 1920 
census although he was born in September of 1919. He may have been with other family. 


John Coulbourn Strong was not with his parents on the 1920 census and I have not located him on 
any further census records as of this writing, although we know he was still alive past 1940. After his 


44 


Section II: The Mystery of William J. James 


divorce, he seems to have lived a nomadic life and left very few records. His children appear with 
other families on the census and we don’t know if he was involved in their lives. He may have lost 
contact with his parents and sister as well. Perhaps tellingly, when his mother Margaret (Pitcher) 
Strong died in 1937, her obituary made no mention of her son John. It simply noted her survivors as 


her husband G. F. Strong and daughter Miss Margaret M. Strong of Cusseta, Alabama.” 


The next record that I have found for John Coulbourn Strong is his application for a social security 
number on November 30, 1936. It lists his date of birth and his parents. At that time, he was living at 
1302 Leavenworth in Omaha, Nebraska. His employer was the Union Transfer Co. at 1310 Jackson St. 
in Omaha. He was assigned the Social Security Number 505-05-1927. Interestingly, he provided his 


signature as “Tex Strong.” 


We also have John Coulbourn Strong’s World War II draft registration card from 1942. It lists his full 
name and his place of birth as Jefferson County, Alabama on March 4, 1894. At this time, John was 
living in Burkley, Kentucky. He listed Lindsey Sams of Burkley as the person who would always 
know his address. He said he was self-employed although his occupation was not given.” Based on 
census records, his contact appears to have been a man named Richard Lindsey Sams. I don’t see any 


indication he was a family member and he may have just been a friend. 


Finally, John Coulbourn Strong died in Houston, Texas on June 16, 1947. His death record lists his 
parents as George and Margaret Strong. He was 53 years old and divorced. The cause of death was 
carcinomatosis (cancer throughout the body). He died at Jefferson Davis Hospital in Houston.?” From 
1924-1938, the hospital served indigent residents of the Houston area. Starting around 1939, the city 
moved the medical facilities to another location, confusingly also named Jefferson Davis on Buffalo 
Drive (now Allen Parkway). The original Jefferson Davis hospital became a medical records storage 
site, and then a convalescent home, a venereal disease clinic, and a drug treatment center, among 
other uses.”8 So it is possible that John C. Strong was being treated there in 1947 under one of those 


categories, or he could have been at the new Jefferson Davis facility on Allen Parkway. 


His final address was 406 Hutchinson, Houston, Texas. I can’t find a street with that name in modern 
Houston, although there is a short street called Hutcheson in the Second Ward near downtown. It 
currently has a single family home. According to his death certificate, he could be buried in 
Brookside Memorial cemetery in Houston. I’m unable to locate a gravesite for him so far. Hyde Park 
Funeral Home of Houston, Texas was listed as the undertaker.” They no longer appear to be in 
business. John Coulbourn Strong appears in the Social Security death index, and a claim was made 
four days after his death, on June 20, 1947. It is unclear who made this claim, although it could have 


been his daughter Margaret Strong since she was still alive. 


Based on this sketch of John Coulbourn Strong’s life, there is a clear gap in the records that would 
allow for the possibility that he was Hank’s father. We don’t know what he was doing between 1920 
and 1936. We do know he had divorced his first wife and was not living with his children. Could he 
have been the man who married Grace Brewer in Pitcher, Oklahoma in 1925? In order to explore this 


theory further, we need to look at what happened to his family in the following years. 


45 


Section II: The Mystery of William J. James 


D. Doris Taylor and Her Children 


Dorothy Grace Christina Morrison Taylor was born on July 17, 1986 in London, England to Henry 


Montgomery Taylor and his wife Wilhemina Horobin.*! She was baptized on February 12, 1902 at St. 


Luke’s in London.** As we saw above, in 1918, Doris came to Birmingham, Alabama with her 


husband John Coulbourn Strong and their 3 month old baby Margaret Strong. A son George 


Montgomery Strong was born in 1919.3 The young family would not be together long and by 1920 


Doris was divorced from her husband.*4 


George Matty 


Later that same year, Doris Taylor Strong remarried to George 
Blair Matty on July 10, 1920.55 The couple appears to have made 
their home in Birmingham. On the 1929 city directory, George 
Matty’s occupation was listed as chief engineer.** On the 1930 
census, Doris was living in Birmingham with her husband 
George Matty and 11-year-old daughter Margaret Matty. This 
must be Margaret Strong, who appears to have been reunited 
with her mother and adopted by step-father George at this point, 
at least for the purposes of responding to the census taker. She 
was listed as a daughter, used the Matty last name, and her 
father’s birthplace was given as Pennsylvania to match George 
Matty. However, her birth location was given as London with a 
notation: American Citizen. Her age of 11 also indicates this was 
still the daughter born to John Coulbourn Strong and Doris 
(Taylor) Strong as Margaret Strong.*” 


John Coulbourn Strong and Doris Taylor 
Strong’s son George Montgomery Strong was 
living with his grandparents George F. and 
Margaret Strong on the 1930 census. Also 
living with this family were his divorced aunt 
Grace M. Strong and her daughter Tommie 
Mix Strong, along with a cousin Frank D. 
Larkin and two boarders: Edna Wiggins and 
Edward P. Foley.** On December 16, 1933, 
Margaret “Peggy” Strong married John J. 
Jackson in Chambers County, Alabama. This 
couple divorced by 1940. 


By 1935, Doris and George Matty had moved 
from Birmingham to Wilmington, Delaware 


where George had taken a job.4° DuPont 


George Matty at the DuPont Edge Moor Plant 


purchased a large pigment manufacturing facility located in Edge Moor, east of Wilmington, 


46 


Section II: The Mystery of William J. James 


Delaware. George Matty worked there as a power plant engineer for twenty-two years until his death 
in 1956.41 The 1940 census shows Doris and George in Wilmington. Living with them was a son 
named Henry M. Matty, aged 20 and born in Alabama.” This may actually be George Montgomery 
Strong, now using the adopted Matty last name. Henry may have been an additional middle name. I 
believe this is the case because the 1930 census for Doris and George Matty shows no record of a 
Henry M. Matty, who should have been 10 or 11 at that time and living with his parents. It also 
appears that George Montgomery Strong went to high school in Delaware and worked at DuPont 
after graduating, so it would make sense he was with his mother and step-father at this time.* 
However, this is not definitive and the couple could have also had a son named Henry. 


With this same family on the 1940 census was daughter Margaret Strong, now remarried with the last 
name Barczak.* Around this time Margaret starts to use the nickname “Peggy” on some records. 
Margaret had a daughter from this marriage, Dorothy Barczak, born in 1938.4° Her husband was not 
listed as living with the family.47 However, we know from her divorce only two years later in 1942 
that he was named John Joseph Barczak.** Curiously, there is a 1937 Wilmington newspaper article 
that says John J. Barczak was issued a wedding license on February 10, 1937 to marry a Margaret S. 
James.” Why was he marrying a woman named James instead of Margaret Strong (or Margaret 


Matty)? The resolution to this mystery will be discussed below. 


On September 7, 1940, George Montgomery 
Strong married Madeline Marie Hart in 
Wilmington, Delaware.*° He had graduated 
from Pierre S. DuPont High School in 
Wilmington and was now working as a 
foreman at the Edge Moor DuPont plant. The 
couple had at least two children: George Strong, 
Jr. born about 1942 and Robert Strong born 
about 1944. In May of 1944, George 
Montgomery was drafted and chose to enter the 
Marine Corps. He trained at Parris Island and 
Camp Lejeune before leaving for the Pacific. He 
was killed in combat on Iwo Jima, Japan on 
February 23, 1945.5! Did John Coulbourn Strong 
ever learn that his son died in World War II? 


George’s obituary notes that his wife and 


young children continued to live with his 
parents George and Doris Matty. It also notes 


eo Re OM One aaa eos Mena that he was survived by his sister Peggy Matty 


Besey PONS (aka our Margaret “Peggy” Strong). Margaret 
had reverted back to her adopted name of 


Matty after her divorce from John Barczak.? 


47 


Section II: The Mystery of William J. James 


Three years later, George Montgomery Strong was given a 
full military burial at Arlington National Cemetery. The 
newspaper article covering the funeral noted that his 
widow Madeline had remarried to Park DuBois Sutton. His 
sister had remarried and was now Mrs. Peggy Nelson.°*3 
George Matty’s obituary notes that he was survived by two 
daughters: Pat Matty and Mrs. Morris Nelson.** So 
sometime between 1945 (when she was listed as Peggy 
Matty) and 1948 Margaret Strong married Morris Nelson.? 
The couple appears together on the 1950 census with 
daughters Doris and Mary Nelson. The existence of a 
Nelson branch of the family tree was a breakthrough 
discovery given Hank’s close DNA match on Ancestry.com 


with someone named George Nelson. Could we confirm 


that Margaret Strong and Morris Nelson had a son named 


George who was this DNA match with Hank? Margaret “Peggy” Strong and 
Morris Nelson 


E. The Importance of the George Nelson DNA Connection 


On January 10, 1953, a son was born to a Mr. and Mrs. Morris Nelson of Richardson Park, Delaware 
at Wilmington General Hospital. A short blurb announcing the birth appears in The News Journal of 
Wilmington with no other information.® This was an important clue. With the possible birthdate and 
the knowledge that he should have some connection to Delaware, Hank’s daughter Janet Guilbault 
was able to use Facebook to track down a George Nelson who was born to Peggy M. Nelson and 
Morris Nelson in Delaware on January 10, 1953. Amazingly, George had posted a shot of his ID 
bracelet while in the hospital which confirmed his birth date.*” He also posted a picture of his parent’s 
gravesite from a visit he made around Christmas of 2016.5° 


The photograph matches up perfectly with the paper trail and proves this is the same George Nelson 
who has a DNA match with Hank James. We know that Margaret Strong was born in 1918 and used 
the nickname Peggy. This photograph, along with the birthdate provided by the hospital ID, 
establishes that Peggy M, born in 1918 married Morris Nelson born in 1908 and had a son named 
George Nelson born on January 10, 1953. This George Nelson is the daughter of Margaret Strong, and 
the person who matches Hank’s DNA. 


? Critical to this research has been the help of Charles Cox, Hank’s third cousin once removed. 
Charles is a common descendent of Pleasant Strong and has already done extensive work on this 
branch of the tree. He also took up the hunt for our William J. James and provided several important 
sources and clues. 


48 


Section II: The Mystery of William J. James 


op 


George Nelson’s Picture of his Parents’ Gravesite 


This is important because of the strength of Hank’s DNA match with George Nelson. Hank and 
George Nelson share 1,105 centimorgans (“cM”) of DNA. Most DNA matches have a large range of 
possible relationships. For example, many of Hank’s confirmed matches in the Strong family tree are 
around 50 cM. A match with 50 shared cM could be a third cousin once removed or second cousin 
twice removed. But it is only slightly less likely to be anything up to a sixth or seventh cousin. 
Figuring out exactly how those matches are related to Hank within that broad range requires further 
research to place them in the family tree. With 1,015 shared cM there are far fewer options. Given 
their respective ages and the amount of DNA they share, George Nelson must be either Hank’s first 
cousin or his half-nephew.*° 


Given what we now know, a first cousin relationship with George Nelson does not make sense. First 
cousins share a set of grandparents. George Nelson’s grandparents were John Coulbourn Strong and 
Doris Taylor. John was born in 1894 and Doris in 1896. Even if they had a child at a scandalously 
young age, that child would only have been about 16 years old when William J. James married Grace 
Brewer in 1925. Aside from the fact that we have no evidence that such a child exists, Grace Brewer 
thought she was marrying someone who was about 40 years old and the pictures we have support 
that belief. I am confident in ruling out a first cousin relationship as a possibility. 


That means that George Nelson must be Hank’s half-nephew. Fortunately, that relationship, which is 
supported by the DNA evidence, also matches up to the genealogy evidence. A half-nephew is the 
child of a half-sibling. If Margaret Strong was Hank’s half-sister, then any children of her marriage 
with Morris Nelson would be Hank’s half-nieces and nephews. Because we have confirmed that 
George Nelson is the son of Margaret Strong, he must be Hank’s half-nephew and John Coulbourn 


3 A centimorgan (cM) is a measure of relevant shared DNA. The details get complicated, but it is a 
common measure used in genetic genealogy. For some perspective, you share about 3,500 cM with 
your parents or children and 2,600 cM with your siblings. 


49 


Section II: The Mystery of William J. James 


Strong must be Hank’s father. Margaret Strong must be Hank’s half-sister. It is the only way to 
reconcile the strength of the DNA match to the known timeline and genealogy. 


The amount of DNA that Hank shares with George Nelson also rules out the possibility that an 
unknown brother of John Coulbourn Strong was Hank’s father. George Nelson shares too much 
DNA with Hank to be his first cousin once removed, which is what their relationship would be under 
this scenario. The image below from DNAPainter.com helps visualize this conclusion. Each 
“Hypothesis” is a possible location for Hank James on this partial family tree. The probability score of 
zero for Hypothesis 1 indicates that it is not a possible relationship between George Nelson and Hank 
James based on the amount of shared DNA. John Coulbourn Strong, and not an unknown child of 


George Farmer Strong, must be Hank’s father. 


John Coulbourn Strong Eee 
George Nelson 


George F. Strong s Margaret Strong 4015cM 


SCORE = 0 


William J. James 


A theoretical second son of George F. Strong who fathered Hank James is not possible. Hank is 
the son of John Coulbourn Strong and the Half-Brother of Margaret Strong. Hank is shown here as 
“Hypothesis 1” 


We have seen that the DNA evidence, supported by traditional genealogy, proves that John 
Coulbourn Strong is the father of Hank James. But how do we explain the existence of the James 
surname? The answer comes from taking a closer look at John Coulbourn Strong’s time in England. 
Remember that in 1918 John Coulbourn Strong was at the U.S. Embassy in London seeking to return 
to Alabama with his wife and young child. That seems straight-forward enough. But a few questions 
remain. First, why was he leaving England on October 15, 1918? The war would not end for another 
month on November 11, 1918. Second, how did John Coulbourn Strong, a U.S. citizen, enroll in the 
British army in the first place? I wondered if we could find a copy of the marriage certificate and 
military records that John used to prove his identity on his passport application. An initial search 
turned up empty. Then I discovered records for another British soldier with some striking similarities 
to John Coulbourn Strong. 


4 The most DNA that first cousins once removed can share is 851 cM according to the tools at 
DNAPainter.com and thednageek.com, far less than the 1,015 cM that we know Hank shares with 
George Nelson. They must share John Coulbourn Strong as a common ancestor. 


50 


Section II: The Mystery of William J. James 


F. The British Army Career of William J. James 


A man named William James James joined the British Army on October 22, 1915. He claimed to be a 
British subject from the small town of Bishop’s Stortford in Hertfordshire, about a two hour drive 
from central London. His address was listed as 21 Portland Road. He said he was a blacksmith and 
enlisted at Hackney Baths in North London. On modern maps, this area appears to be near the 
neighborhoods of Lower Clapton and Hackney. William J. James was initially stationed in England 
during late 1915 and early 1916. During this time he was a private with the 1524 Corps of the Royal 
Field Artillery. 


William was promoted to corporal in January of 1916. While still stationed in England, William J. 
James married an English woman named Dorothy Grace Christina Morrison Taylor on February 28, 
1916.8 From her baptismal record, we know that Dorothy Taylor was born in London, England on 
July 17, 1896 to Henry Montgomery and Wilhelmina Taylor.*t The couple was married at Christ 
Church in Hackney, London. William listed his father as William Henry James, deceased. Dorothy’s 


father Henry was one of the witnesses. 


Two months after his marriage, William James departed for the front. He arrived in Le Havre, France 
on April 26, 1916. On February 9, 1917 he was posted to the 119tt Heavy Battery of the Royal Field 
Artillery. Whatever romantic notions William James may have had when signing up for the British 
Army were likely quickly dispelled by life on the front lines. This period of the war was defined by 
extensive and brutal trench warfare. The two sides had dug themselves into defensive positions and 
suffered huge losses as the front lines barely moved. The Germans developed poison gas as an 
effective way to attack the entrenched enemy. The British condemned chemical warfare as barbarous, 
but four months later were using it themselves. The artillery was a particularly common target for 
gas warfare. If the operators of the large guns were incapacitated by the gas, their rate of fire was 
greatly reduced and the enemy infantry could advance on the opposing trenches with fewer 


casualties.*® 


51 


Section II: The Mystery of William J. James 


PORE: 


British Artillerymen during the Battle of Messines, Belgium in 1917 


William was granted a ten day leave back to the United Kingdom from October 7‘ through October 
10 of 1917.7 By this time he had been in France for one and a half years, so the chance to see his 
young wife again must have been a welcome change of scenery. It was during this leave that the 
couple’s first child was almost certainly conceived. Margaret S. James was born nine months later on 


July 16, 1918.7! After this brief respite, William James returned to France and the front lines. 


In December of 1917, William became ill with a severe cough and breathlessness. He suffered from 
night sweats and rapidly lost weight. After months of hard service on the front lines, Corporal James 
had developed tuberculosis and was no longer able to fight. William was sent back to England and 
admitted to the Southern General Hospital in Birmingham on June 12, 2018. There, doctors confirmed 
his diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis and determined that he should be discharged from the 
Army. The discharge became official on July 26, 1918. In all, William James had served in the British 
Army for two years and 248 days.” 


As part of his discharge process, William James was asked for his intended place of residence. This 
was important not just as an administrative detail, but because William was entitled to a disability 
pension as a result of his medical discharge. The British Army would need to know where to send the 
checks. When he enrolled, William James had said he was from Bishop’s Stortford in the English 
midlands. But now he gave his intended residence as 2415 Brown’s Boulevard, Birmingham, 
Alabama, USA.”3 Why was this British soldier taking his wife and young child to Alabama after the 


war? The overlap between William J. James and John Coulbourn Strong at this point is too strong to 


ignore. 


52 


Section II: The Mystery of William J. James 


William and John both married an English woman named Dorothy (or Doris) Taylor. We know from 
Doris Taylor Strong’s gravestone many years later that she was born on July 17, 189674, which 
matches the baptismal record for Dorothy Grace Christina Morrison Taylor.” They are the same 
woman. Margaret James was born in London on July 16, 1918 to a woman with the maiden name 
Taylor.”6 On John Coulbourn Strong’s passport application from October of 1918, he and Doris Taylor 
Strong had a daughter named Margaret born in London on July 16, 1918.77 Margaret James and 
Margaret Strong are the same baby. Finally, in 1918 John Coulbourn Strong gave his father’s address 
as 2415 Brown’s Building, Birmingham, Alabama.” This is clearly the same address in Birmingham 
where William J. James intended to reside after his military discharge, with “Building” likely being a 
misunderstanding of “Boulevard.”” The evidence is overwhelming: John Coulbourn Strong used the 
alias William J. James in order to fight in World War I with the British Army. 


‘ted as follows 


John Coulbourn Strong’s emergency passport application showing the same address as William J. 
James’ intended residence after the war. 


John Coulbourn Strong’s use of the James alias also explains why Hank's half-sister Margaret used 
the name James on her first wedding license to John Barczak. James was actually her legal surname 
on her birth certificate. [have found a birth record for a Margaret S. James, born in the 3rd Quarter of 
1917 (so July, August or September), in London to a woman with the maiden name Taylor.* Once the 
family moved back to the United States the James name was dropped. But it was likely never 
officially changed for Margaret in England. If Hank’s half-sister had a copy of her birth certificate, it 
would have said Margaret James. As it happens, Margaret James is exactly what appears on her 
wedding license in 1937.8! So Margaret “Peggy” Strong’s complicated history with last names truly 
began on the day she was born. 


The U.S. Embassy must have realized that John Coulbourn Strong had been in Great Britain under 
false pretenses. In order to obtain an emergency passport, he would have had to show them British 
Army discharge papers that were under the name William J. James. His marriage license to Doris 
Taylor would have shown the same. Embassy officials were clearly willing to look the other way in 
order to let this American citizen and disabled veteran return home. After ninety years we now know 


the origin of the James surname in our family: it was a noble lie that allowed John Coulbourn Strong 


53 


Section II: The Mystery of William J. James 


to fight for the British Army in World War I. Hank James was never able to find his paternal “James” 


ancestors because they were all named Strong. 


G. John Coulbourn Strong’s Second Family 


We now know that John Coulbourn Strong used the alias William J. James during World War I. But 
did he keep using it when he returned to the United States? John Coulbourn Strong was receiving 
disability benefits from the British Army due to the tuberculosis that led to his discharge.*? He would 
have needed to use the name William J. James in order to keep receiving those payments, since the 
army thought that was his real name. The pension was tracked through a series of “award” sheets 


that needed to be periodically reviewed and renewed. 


An interim award was granted when William James was discharged. This was a 100% pension, which 
presumably means that John Coulbourn Strong was receiving 100% of his salary as a British Soldier 
in recognition of his disability. William James applied for benefits on January 6, 1919 and the file 
notes that this was a “foreign case” and they were awaiting receipt of his medical files. This makes 
sense since we know that John Coulbourn Strong was back in Alabama by this time. On May 28, 1919, 
a 100% pension was granted based on the report of the medical board. This award included an 
allowance for one child. This must have been for Margaret Strong, although the pension office would 


have thought it was for a child named Margaret James. This award expired on November 25, 1919.54 


On December 16, 1919, the file was reviewed and the disability was downgraded to 50%. Although 
John Coulbourn Strong’s son George Montgomery Strong was born on September 16, 1919 in 
Alabama, the award still notes a credit for only one child. Presumably John could not claim a credit 
for the son born under his true identity and knew that trying to do so would expose the William 


James alias. The new award ran for one year and expired on November 23, 1920. 


The file was reviewed again on November 6, 1920. Benefits were extended for nine weeks at 50% 
disability, with still one child reported. The file now included the note “verify wife.” We know that 
John Coulbourn Strong and Doris Taylor had separated by early 1920, and that Doris had remarried 
to George Blair Matty on July 10, 1920. It seems that the pension office had started to question 


whether William James was still married. The extended pension expired on January 25, 1921.% 


At the next renewal, the 50% disability award was extended until March 15, 1921. The note now said 
“Verify Wife, Urgent.” The final award notice expired on May 10, 1921, and still noted that William 
James’ wife needs to be verified. Finally, on February 2, 1923, we have a record that states “Man’s 
name removed from pension list.” Does this wording imply that John Coulbourn Strong’s alias had 
been discovered? Or was it simply standard language indicating that the disability pension had run 
its course? In either case, it appears that by early in 1923, John Coulbourn Strong was no longer 


receiving payments from the British Army.*’ 


This leaves us with the mystery of why John Coulbourn Strong used the name William J. James when 


he met and married Grace Brewer in Picher, Oklahoma. It does not appear that he would have been 


54 


Section II: The Mystery of William J. James 


required to use the name any longer to receive his disability benefits. At this point all we can do is 
speculate. One of Hank’s newly discovered half first cousins, Mary Walker (born Mary Nelson), 
reports that “My mother told me that one day her father rode out on horseback to work on the 
plantation and no one ever saw him again. Her grandparents hired private detectives, but they 
couldn’t find him.”®* After leaving his family in Alabama, John may have been reverting to his 
previous identity as a way to re-invent himself in a new city. Or maybe he was never planning to 
stick with his marriage to Grace Brewer, and using the alias provided a convenient way to disappear 


when the time came. 


Grace Brewer and William James announced their engagement on October 30, 1925 with an 
announcement in the local paper. They set their wedding date for New Year’s Eve, December 31, 
1925.89 The announcement stated that “Miss Brewer and Mr. James are well known in Picher and are 
among the most active church workers. Miss Brewer will continue her work as deaconess of the 
church until spring.” Articles about the wedding described William James as the proprietor of the 
M. and M. Garage. The wedding was attended mostly by local friends, with the only family member 
listed as “Cousin Fannie from Memphis.”®! This was Frances “Fannie” Brewer Alsbrook, who later 


married Albert Elrod. Fannie was Grace Brewer’s first cousin. 


After the wedding the couple took a short honeymoon to the neighboring town of Miami, Oklahoma 
and then established a home together on 4* Street in Picher at the start of 1926. The marriage would 
last for less than a year. At some point after Grace became pregnant, she returned to Nashville, 
Tennessee to live with her family and give birth. As far as we know, she never saw William James 


again. Henry Sterling James was born on January 18, 1927 in Nashville. 


We may never truly understand John Coulbourn Strong’s motivations for giving Grace Brewer a false 
name and what led to the dissolution of his second short marriage. There are hazily remembered 
family stories that at some point Hank’s father attempted to visit him back in Nashville. He was 
apparently rebuffed in these attempts by Grace’s extended family. It seems quite possible that John 
Coulbourn Strong never truly recovered from his service in World War I, even if his tuberculosis 
improved. He may have suffered from what we now know as PTSD, and at the time was called 
“shell-shock.” He lived a nomadic existence after 1920, spending time in Oklahoma, Nebraska, 
Kentucky, and Texas. By all appearances he died alone and estranged from his family in Houston in 
1947. John Coulbourn Strong was a complicated man and there is only so much we can learn from 


looking at documents many years later. 


Whatever his faults, John Coulbourn Strong helped to give us Henry Sterling James. We have learned 
that there was not a long line of James ancestors that were waiting to be discovered. But what we do 
have is the legacy that Hank James started with his wife Hazel. Some of their descendants carry on 
the James name that started with Hank’s father as a convenient alias. Hank and Hazel have made this 
name their own and the “James Family” is a strong and loving one. And now we have a new branch 


of the family tree to discover. 


55 


Section II: The Mystery of William J. James 


References for Section II: The Mystery of William J. James 


1 Ben Paynter, “Take a Tour of America’s Most Toxic Town” (Wired Magazine 30 Aug 2010), available 
at: wired.com/2010/08/ff madmaxtown/. 

2 Ancestry.com, Alabama County Marriage Records, 1805-1967, Marriage of G F Strong to M E Pitcher, 
13 May 1891, Jefferson, Alabama, FHL Film No. 001738573. 

3 Ancestry.com, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Birmingham, Ward 15, Jefferson, Alabama; 
Roll T524_20; Page 24A; Enumeration District 0097, FHL Film No. 1374033. 

4 Ancestry.com, 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Precinct 9, Jefferson, Alabama; Page 44; 
Enumeration District 0093; FHL Film No. 1240020. 

5 Ancestry.com, 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Precinct 9, Jefferson, Alabama; Page 44; 
Enumeration District 0093; FHL Film No. 1240020; Ancestry.com, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Census 
Place: Birmingham, Ward 15, Jefferson, Alabama; Roll T524_20; Page 24A; Enumeration District 0097, 
FHL Film No. 1374033. 

6 Ancestry.com, U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Record for J. Coulbourn Strong, 1912, 1308 Peter G, 
Birmingham, Alabama, USA, Clerk; Ancestry.com, U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Record for John C. 
Strong, 1913, 1308 Peter St., Birmingham, Alabama, USA, Clerk. The address for John C. Strong is the 
same as that for George F. Strong, manager of the Fairview Ice & Fuel Co. 

7 Sophie de Schaepdrijver, “The ‘German Atrocities’ of 1914” (The British Library 20 Jan 2014), 
available at: bl.uk/world-war-one/articles/civilian-atrocities-german-1914. 

8 Thomas Putnam, “Hemingway on War and Its Aftermath” (Prologue Magazine, Spring 2006), Vol. 
38, No. 1, available at The National Archives website at: 
archives.gov/publications/prologue/2006/spring/hemingway.html. 

° Ancestry.com, U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925, National Archives and Records Administration 
(NARA), Washington D.C., Vol. 158: Great Britain, Record for John Coulbourn Strong, Passport issue 
date October 15, 1918. 

10 Ancestry.com, London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1932, Marriage of 
William James James and Dorothy Grace Christina Morria Taylor, 28 Feb 1916, Hackney, Christ 
Church, Clapton, England. 

1 Ibid. 

2 Ancestry.com, New York, Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820- 
1957, Year: 1918; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: 
Roll 2607; Line: 6; Page No.: 139. 

18 The Birmingham News, “Joe Strong, Who Left Birmingham Ten Years Ago, Returns Battle-Scarred 
Hero” (Birmingham, Alabama 17 Nov 1918), Page 36, available at: 
newspapers.com/clip/53251537/the-birmingham-news/?xid=637. 


14 Tt also seems unlikely that a 14 year of John would have left Birmingham on his own for London, 
England. This is likely part of the story to avoid discussing the assumed name of William James 
James. 

15 The Birmingham News, “Joe Strong”. Like much of this article, this statement appears to bend the 
truth to some extent. John was stationed in England until 1916, several years into the war. 

16 This may be an exaggeration. As discussed below, it seems he was discharged for tuberculosis. 

17 Ibid. 

18 Ibid. The image quality is too poor to make the text easily readable within this book. It is best 
viewed online. 

19 Ancestry.com, U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Record for John C. Strong, 1919, 2415 Warrior Blvd, 
Birmingham, Alabama, USA, Clerk. 


56 


Section II: The Mystery of William J. James 


20 Stephen P. Morse, “Obtaining Street Name Changes in One Step: Birmingham, Alabama,” available 
at: stevemorse.org/census/changes/BirminghamChanges1.htm. 

21 Ancestry.com, Delaware Marriage Records, 1750-1954, Marriage of George Strong and Madeline 
Hart, 7 Sep 1940, Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware. 

2 Ancestry.com, 1920 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama; Roll: 
T625_24; Page: 13A; Enumeration District: 52. 

23 Ancestry.com, 1920 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama; Roll: 
T625_22; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 19. 

4 The Chambers County News, “Mrs. M. Strong Passes” (Lanett, Alabama 6 Jan 1938), Page 2, 
available at: newspapers.com/clip/46900351/obituary-for-margaret-a-strong-aged/?xid=637. 

25 United States Social Security Department, Application for Account Number, John Coulbourn 
Strong, November 30, 1936, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

6 Ancestry.com, U.S., World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942, The National Archives at St. Louis, 
Missouri, World War II Draft Cards (Fourth Registration) for the State of Kentucky, Record Group 
Title: Records of the Selective Service System, 1926-1975, Record Group No.: 147, Box or Roll No.: 
221. 

27 Ancestry.com, Texas Death Certificates 1903-1982, Texas Department of State Health Services, Austin 
Texas, USA, Record for J C Strong, June 16, 1947. 

8 houstontx.gov/planning/HistoricPres/landmarks/02L099 Jeff Davis Hosp 1101 Elder.pdf. 

29 Ancestry.com, Texas Death Certificates, J C Strong, June 16, 1947. 

30 Ancestry.com, U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007, Record for John C. 
Strong, Death Date: 16 Jun 1947, Claim Date: 20 Jun 1947, SSN: 505-05-1927. 

31 Ancestry.com, London, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms 1813-1917, London 
Metropolitan Archives; London, England; Board of Guardian Records, 1834—1906/Church of England 
Parish Registers, 1754-1906; Reference No.: P80/LUK/A/01/007. 

32 Ibid. 

33 Ancestry.com, U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, The National Archives in St. Louis, 
Missouri, Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147, Box: 68, Record for George 
Montgomery Strong, born September 16, 1919. 

34 Ancestry.com, 1920 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama; Roll: 
T625_24; Page: 13A; Enumeration District: 52. 

35 Ancestry.com, Alabama County Marriage Records, 1805-1967, Marriage of Doris Strong and George B. 
Matty, 10 Jul 1920, Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama. The image at left was provided to the author by 
George Nelson. 

36 Ancestry.com, U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Record for George B. Matty, 1919, Birmingham, 
Alabama, USA. 

37 Ancestry.com, 1930 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama; Page: 13A; 
Enumeration District: 0219; FHL Film No. 2339758. 

38 Ancestry.com, 1930 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama; Page: 494A; 
Enumeration District: 0097; FHL Film No. 2339764. 

39 John Jackson, divorced, is living with his mother and sister on the 1940 Census. Ancestry.com, 1940 
U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Lanett, Chambers, Alabama; Roll: m-t0627-00010; Page: 14B; 
Enumeration District: 9-15. 

40 Ancestry.com, 1940 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware; Roll: m- 
t0627-00551; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 4-92. The image at right was provided to the author by 
George Nelson. 


57 


Section II: The Mystery of William J. James 


“1 The Morning News, “George B. Matty Obituary” (Wilmington, Delaware 28 Jun 1956), Page 4, 
available on Newspapers.com at: newspapers.com/clip/24823517/george_b_matty_obituary/?xid=637. 
“ Ancestry.com, 1940 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware; Roll: m- 
t0627-00551; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 4-92. 

48 The News Journal, “George M. Strong Obituary” (Wilmington, Delaware 19 Mar 1945), Page 1, 
available on Newspapers.com at newspapers.com/clip/24811712/the news journal/?xid=637. 

“4 Ancestry.com, 1940 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware; Roll: m- 
t0627-00551; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 4-92. 

45 The News Journal, “Decrees Nisi Granted’“(Wilmington, Delaware 3 Oct 1942), Page 3, available on 
Newspapers.com at: newspapers.com/clip/24811030/the news journal/?xid=637. 

46 Per Morris Nelson, Patricia Barczak married a man named Mousley and had two sons: Thomas W. 
Mousley and Paul Mousley, the latter of which died shortly after childbirth. Patricia died on 19 Jan 
2022, and her obituary confirms her name as “Dorothy Patricia Barczak Mousley” and her son 


Thomas W. Mousley, who married Beverly Unknown. serenityfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Dorothy- 
Mousley/#!/Obituary. 


“7 Ancestry.com, 1940 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware; Roll: m- 
t0627-00551; Page: 4A; Enumeration District: 4-92. 

48 The News Journal, “Decrees Nisi Granted”. 

49 The News Journal, “Take Marriage Licenses” (Wilmington, Delaware 11 Feb 1937), Page 26, 
available on Newspapers.com at: newspapers.com/clip/24813649/the_ news journal/?xid=637. 

50 Ancestry.com, Delaware Marriage Records, 1750-1954, Marriage of George Strong and Madeline 
Hart, 7 Sep 1940, Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware. The image at left was provided to the author by 


George Nelson. 

51 The News Journal, “George M. Strong Obituary”. 

82 Ibid. 

53 The News Journal, “Pvt. George M. Strong” (Wilmington, Delaware 25 Oct 1948), Page 25, available 
on Newspapers.com at: newspapers.com/clip/24814326/george m strong funeral notice/?xid=637. 
54 The Morning News, “George B. Matty Obituary”. 

55 Ancestry.com, 1950 U.S. Federal Census, Record Group No.: 29; Residence Date: 1950; Home: 7 Rep. 
District, New Castle, Delaware. The image at right was provided to the author by George Nelson. 

56 The News Journal, “To Mr. and Mrs. Morris Nelson” (Wilmington, Delaware 12 Jan 1953), Page 26, 
available on Newspapers.com at: 

newspapers.com/clip/24812806/birth_of son to mr_and_mrs_morris/?xid=637. 

57 Not included here for privacy reasons. A copy is maintained by Erik Christensen. 

58 That image is below, and was publicly shared by George Nelson on Facebook.com. 

59 The genetic genealogy conclusions here are supported by the work of Blaine Bettinger and his 
Shared cM Project, available at: dnapainter.com/tools/sharedcmv4. 

60 Image captured from the “What Are the Odds?” tool on dnapainter.com. The purple and yellow 
dashed lines represent a half-sibling relationship between Hank and Margaret Strong, since they had 
different mothers. 

61 Ancestry.com, British Army WWI Pension Records, 1914-1920, Records for William James James, 
Starting at Image 13511, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

& Ibid. 

63 Ancestry.com, London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1932, London 
Metropolitan Archives, London, England, Reference No.: p79/ctc2/007, Record of Marriage between 
William James James and Dorothy Grace Christina Morrison Taylor, February 28, 1916. 


58 


Section II: The Mystery of William J. James 


64 Ancestry.com, London, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1917, London 
Metropolitan Archives; London, England; Board of Guardian Records, 1834—1906/Church of England 
Parish Registers, 1754-1906; Reference No.: P80/LUK/A/01/007. 

6 Ancestry.com, Church of England Marriages, William James James and Dorothy Grace Christina Morrison 
Taylor, February 28, 1916. 

66 Ancestry.com, British Army WWI Pension Records, 1914-1920, Records for William James James. 

67 Marek Pruszewicz, “How Deadly Was the Poison Gas of WW1?” (BBC News Magazine, 30 Jan 
2015), available at: bbc.com/news/magazine-31042472. 

68 Simon Jones, World War I Gas Warfare Tactics and Equipment (Bloomsbury, USA 2007); David W. 
Dunlap, “A Photographer Captures the Hellish Battle of Messines” (New York Times 26 Jul 2017), 
available at: nytimes.com/2017/07/26/insider/a-photographer-captures-the-hellish-battle-of- 
messines.html. Image believed to be in the public domain. 

® David W. Dunlap, “A Photographer Captures the Hellish Battle of Messines”. 

7 Simon Jones, World War I Gas Warfare Tactics and Equipment. 

71 Ancestry.com, U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014, No.: 221-01-7826, Issue State: Delaware, 
Issue Date: Before 1951, Record for Peggy Nelson. 

7 Ancestry.com, British Army WWI Pension Records, 1914-1920, Records for William James James. 

73 Ibid. 

7 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Doris G Matty (17 Jul 1896-15 Feb 1967), Memorial No. 135108439, 
available at: findagrave.com/memorial/135108439/doris-g-matty. 

75 Ancestry.com, London, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1917, London 
Metropolitan Archives; London, England; Board of Guardian Records, 1834—1906/Church of England 
Parish Registers, 1754-1906, Reference No.: P80/LUK/A/01/007. 

7 Ancestry.com, England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007, General Register Office, 
United Kingdom, Reference: Vol. 1a, Page 560, Record for Birth of Margaret S. James. 

7 Ancestry.com, U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925, National Archives and Records Administration 
(NARA), Washington D.C., Vol. 158: Great Britain, Record for John Coulbourn Strong, Passport issue 
date October 15, 1918. 

78 Ibid. 

79 Ancestry.com, British Army WWI Pension Records, 1914-1920, Records for William James James. 

80 Ancestry.com, England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007, General Register Office, 
United Kingdom, Reference: Vol. 1a, Page 560, Record for Birth of Margaret S. James. 

81 The News Journal, “Take Marriage Licenses”. 

82 Ancestry.com, British Army WWI Pension Records, 1914-1920, Records for William James James. 

83 [bid. 

84 Ibid. 

85 [bid. 

86 Ibid. 

87 Ibid. 

88 Email from Mary Walker to Janet Guilbault, June 2020. 

89 FamilySearch.org, Ottawa County, Oklahoma Marriage Records, 1907-1952, Vol. 11, Page 574, Record 
7045, Image 94. 

°° Grace Corrine Brewer, Bride’s Book, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

%1 Ibid. 

92 Ibid. 


59 


III. Hank James Paternal Ancestors 


Nathan "Agis" Strong 


~ George F. Strong, Jr —— 


Nathaniel Pitcher 


Andrew Stevenson 


Margaret Stevenson 


The family tree above shows five generations of Henry Sterling “Hank” James’ paternal ancestors, 
starting with his Strong and Pitcher grandparents. I have attempted to note any uncertain or 


61 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


speculative information, either in the text itself or in the endnotes. Despite that, errors and omissions 
are inevitable. Ultimately, the reliability of this story is only as strong as the accuracy of the cited 
sources. DNA evidence helps to corroborate many of the connections. Future research may help 


discover new ancestors or require revisions to the existing story. 


The narrative below is divided into several family lines. The Strong line originates in Colonial 
Virginia and includes some of the earliest settlers of Madison County, Alabama. The Jones and Larkin 
lines are similarly located around Madison County, and have many interconnected marriages with 


our Strong line. 


The Pitcher line originates around 1634 with Andrew Pitcher in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, one of 
earliest American settlements. It then continues into upstate New York, where Nathaniel Pitcher 
lived and had several noteworthy descendants. His son Charles G. Pitcher moved south to Madison 
County, Alabama. This is where the Pitcher line meets our Strong Line in the marriage of George 
Farmer Strong, Jr. and Margaret Aretta Pitcher. Margaret’s maternal ancestors form the Gray and 
Roland lines, stretching back into South Carolina shortly after the Revolutionary War. 


A. The Strong Line 


John Strong Jr 


Nathan “Agis" Strong 
George Strong 


| 


seem = Catherine Callahan 


Pleasant Strong 


George F. Strong, Sr. Edward East Il 
Benjamin East, Sr. 


Mary Polly East -—| Mary Hobson 


— John Pruitt 
a Nancy Ann Pruitt 
Alice Addison 


1. George Farmer “Joe” Strong, Jr. (1863-1944) and Descendants 


George Farmer Strong, Jr. was born in January, 1863 in Alabama to George Farmer Strong, Sr. and 
Sarah Elizabeth Jones.! George was the couples’ third son out of eleven children.* The Strong family 
lived in the area of New Market in Madison County, Alabama.? Madison County is in the far 
northern part of Alabama, just across the border from Tennessee, and was founded in 1808. Our 
ancestor Nathan Strong arrived in Madison County only a few years after it was established, in 1813.4 
Madison County quickly became an important center for cotton production, centered on the town of 
Huntsville.> Local plantation owners such as the Strong family became wealthy due to the high prices 
of cotton and the ready availability of slave labor to work the fields. 


62 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


Our first record for George Strong, Jr. is the 1870 census where we see 
him living with his family in Madison County and attending school.¢ 
His father was a farmer and we can imagine that George likely spent 
much of his time working on the farm as well. At the 1880 census 
George was 18 years old and working on the family farm.’ This census 
also shows the realities of life in the area after the Civil War. Record 
entries tend to alternate between white and black families. The 
household just above George’s was headed by Spot Strong and his wife 
Ann.® They were a black family, and may have descended from the 
slaves who used to work on the plantations of George Farmer Strong, 


Jr.’s ancestors. 


We do not have an 1890 census record for George Strong, Jr. The 

George Farmer Strong, records of nearly the entire 1890 United States census were lost ina fire, 

Jr. so you may notice a gap in records around that time throughout this 

book. On May 13, 1891, George Farmer Strong, Jr. married Margaret 

Aretta “Maggie” Pitcher in Jefferson County, Alabama.’ Jefferson County is south of Huntsville and 

its major city is Birmingham. The couple would make their home in the Birmingham area for the next 

40 years. Their son John Coulbourn Strong was born on March 4, 1894 in Birmingham.!° Daughter 
Grace Margaret Aretta Strong followed on June 1, 1896."! 


We find George and Maggie living with their two children in Birmingham on the 1900 census. 
George’s occupation was “drayman.” A drayman was the driver of a small wagon usually pulled by 
horses or mules. Also living with the family were George’s Sister Cornelia Strong, age 20, and Cousin 
Robert Hereford, aged 16. Robert Hereford was listed as a drayman laborer along with boarder Earle 
Hawke. Sampson Nargles, an 18 year old black man, was living with the family as a servant. This 
may indicate that George Strong was reasonably well off. He was able to provide work (or 
connections to work) for his cousin and a boarder, and also had enough means to have a servant 
living in the home. From later records, we know that George Farmer Strong, Jr. worked in the ice 
delivery business. Before refrigeration, families would rely on regular deliveries of ice to help keep 
food cooled. In 1910, the Strong family looked mostly the same, although the extended family 
members had moved out. The family had two black servants: Ed Taylor, 21, and Porters Souders, 10.8 


On June 20, 1908, The Birmingham News reported that G. F. Strong of Birmingham would enter a 
race horse named “Major Pitcher” at the upcoming State Fair race.'4 This must be our George Farmer 
Strong, because his father-in-law Charles G. Pitcher was apparently using the nickname or military 
title “Major.”5 In 1905, a man named G. F. Strong entered and drove two horses for the races held at 
Smith’s Park on the Fourth of July.!° Horse racing was apparently a life-long passion for George 
Farmer Strong. Fifteen years later, the local paper reported that he was still successfully training 


horses, along with his partner A.C. Van Buren.” 


The name of G. F. Strong recalls a horse he owned, named Buttermilk, and what 


happened here when racing was in its heyday. Buttermilk used to draw a milk 


63 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


wagon before it was found he could make the big boys step. He had been trained to 
stop when he heard a dinner bell. 


Buttermilk was a big favorite to win and was leading the field when someone rung a 
dinner bell. Buttermilk stopped cold when he heard the bell, and before his driver 
could convince him that he was no longer a milk wagon horse the race was over. Mr. 
Strong has not forgotten the days of racing here; in fact, he is still living in that age 


when business cares are forgotten for the day.'8 


By 1923, George and his partner owned several promising harness race horses, including “George F.” 
who was valued at $10,000.19 


In 1911, George’s brother Charles J. Strong died in Birmingham, Alabama in dramatic fashion. The 
newspaper headline read “Two men killed in sensational duel.””° C.J. Strong had been renting a room 
to L.E. Marbut and his wife. “Mrs. Marbut, who was at supper with Mr. Strong, was pouring coffee 
into the latter’s cup when Marbut entered and fired once.” She screamed “you had better get out or 
he may kill you!” “Strong leaped from the table and ran out the back door, followed by Marbut, who 
again fired. At the corner of the house Strong turned and fired. Five shots were heard in all.”*! Both 
men died at the hospital later that evening. The cause of this dispute was left unsaid, with Mrs. 


Marbut claiming that “she could not understand it." 


Charles J. Strong died with a small Estate. His widow Josetta filed a claim in probate court, alleging 
that as Charles’ widow she was entitled to the first $2,000 of his real estate and $1,000 of his personal 
property. Charles’ surviving brothers did not see the situation the same way. George Farmer Strong, 
Jr. filed a letter with the probate court arguing that Josetta was not the lawful widow of his brother 
Charles. He claimed that in 1907, Josetta had filed for divorce, which was granted in 1908. The couple 


lived apart, and in 1910 Charles obtained a court order granting him permission to remarry.” 


That is the text of George Strong’s complaint against Josetta. The subtext is likely that Josetta was not 
in good standing with the family of her ex-husband, and they wanted to keep whatever property he 
had owned within the family. George became the Administrator of the Estate in 1912 in order to 
challenge Josetta’s claim. Josetta provided the Court with a Will that indicated Charles’ intent. George 
and his brother Larkin Booth Strong challenged this Will as invalid. Ultimately, it appears that 
George’s petition was unsuccessful and the probate court awarded Charles Strong’s Estate to Josetta. 
In 1915, George asked to be removed as the Administrator of the Estate, noting that his challenge the 


Will was unsuccessful and that no property had been given to him to be administered.*4 


We know from the story of John Coulbourn Strong above that he left home around 1915 to join the 
British Army in World War I. Unfortunately we have no way to know what George Strong thought 
about his son heading off to war. We do know that when John returned in 1918, he was welcomed 
back into the family home with his wife and young daughter.” It is interested to note that when John 
Coulbourn Strong used the alias William J. James to sign up with the British Army, he listed his 
profession as a blacksmith.” We know that John worked with his father at the ice delivery company 


64 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


as a young boy. It is possible that as part of this work he learned how to shoe the horses that pulled 


the delivery trucks??” Or perhaps he learned while helping his father with his racehorses. 


Birmingham City Ice Delivery Cart 


On the 1920 census we learn that George Farmer 
Strong, Jr. was an ice dealer working at his own 
store. From later city directories, it appears this 
was the City Ice Delivery Company.?* The 
company appears to have had several ice 
factories throughout Birmingham, and George 
Farmer Strong, Jr. was the manager of one of 
these branches.”? Hank’s half first cousin Morris 
Nelson, Jr. reports that George Farmer Strong 
became wealthy through the ice business, 
owning both a plantation in the country and a 
city home.*%° A newspaper article from 1921 
reports that a fire destroyed George Farmer 
Strong’s barn, burning two thousand bales of 


hay.*! “The fire broke out about 9 o’clock Sunday evening while Mrs. Strong and daughter were at 


church and Mr. Strong was asleep in the residence, and was occasioned by spontaneous combustion 


or was of incendiary origin, indications pointing more strongly to the latter.” Supporting the idea that 


the fire was intentionally set, two pistols were stolen from George’s home at 2415 Brown’s Avenue 


during the confusion.* The fifteen mules living in the barn were saved, and the article notes that the 


animals “were used in the ice delivery business maintained by Mr. Strong and in the operation of a 


small farm.”%3 


65 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


a 
* 


oe 


Birmingham, Alabama “City Delivery Co.” 


George’s son John Coulbourn Strong had moved out of the family home by 1920, but George and 
Margaret Strong were raising his daughter Margaret, who at this point was just a one year old baby. 
The couple’s 24 year old daughter Grace Margaret Strong was also living at home, along with Martia 
Tratter, a widowed 52 year old boarder.* The photograph above is from 1918, and shows a “City 
Delivery Co” building in Birmingham, Alabama. You can see that at least one of the trucks has an 
“Ice” sign. This may be the same City Ice Delivery Company where George Farmer Strong, Jr. 
worked and it is possible that George is in this picture. The man standing by the middle truck has a 
similar build and stance to some photos of George’s son John Coulbourn Strong. 


Grace Margaret Strong married Foster Howard Perry, although the timeline of their relationship is 
confusing. There are two records for their marriage. The first indicates that Grace and Foster were 
married on November 20, 1919 in Alabama.* The second indicates they were married on January 5, 
1920 at the First Methodist Episcopal Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma.*” On the 1920 census (taken only 
three days after the Oklahoma marriage on January 8, 1920), Grace was listed as single and living 
with her parents in Birmingham, Alabama. It is unclear why there are marriage records for both 


Alabama and Oklahoma several months apart, and why Grace appeared as single three days after the 


66 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


wedding. Foster Howard Perry was listed on the Birmingham city directory in 1919 as single.** He 
was also recorded on the 1920 census as a single roomer in Birmingham, Alabama as of January 23, 
1920.39 His occupation was listed as a travelling salesman, so perhaps he habitually travelled to the 
Tulsa area and had some contacts there. Did Grace Margaret Strong sneak off to Oklahoma to get 


married and not tell her family until sometime later, or is this just a discrepancy in the census 


records?40 


Somewhat confusingly, there is an entry in the 1918 Birmingham 
City Directory for a Foster Perry and wife Margaret.*! Was the 
couple living together although not officially married yet? They 
may have had a rocky relationship which had them sporadically 
living together and then separating. That could explain why Foster 
Perry appears as single on the 1919 directory, and why they 
appear separately on the 1920 census. 


Foster Howard Perry was born in Birmingham, England, possibly 
on March 29, 1886 (although some records have the same date in 
1889 or 1891). His father was John J. Perry of 21 Granville Road, 
Blackpool, England.* Foster Perry appears to have immigrated to 
the United States on June 10, 1913 through New York.“ City 
directories have him living in Birmingham, Alabama as early as 
1915.6 On May 9, 1917 he signed a Declaration of Intention to 
Grace Margaret Aretta become a United States citizen in the U.S. District Court for the 

Strong Northern District of Alabama.* On July 26, 1918, Perry signed up 
for the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force. Although he had 


renounced his allegiance to Great Britain and King George V only a year prior on his declaration to 
become a U.S. Citizen, he now signed an oath of allegiance to King George V in order to enroll with 


the Canadian forces.4” 


The war ended in November of 1918 and Foster Perry returned to Birmingham. He appeared with his 
wife Grace Margaret on several city directories in the early 1920s. The 1920 directory has the couple 
living at 2415 Warrior Boulevard in Birmingham, which was the home of Grace’s parents George and 
Margaret Strong.*® On November 2, 1920, their daughter Tommie Mix Strong was born.’ This 
unusual name does not appear to be the one she was given at birth. Morris Nelson, Hank’s half first 
cousin, reports that the Western film star Tom Mix visited the family of George Farmer Strong. 
George’s young granddaughter apparently became so enamored with the handsome movie star that 
she legally changed her name to “Tom Mix Strong.”©° She appears to have used this name for the rest 
of her life. In 1924—25, Foster Perry’s job as a travelling salesman took the family to Tampa, Florida 
where they appeared on the city directory.*! 


Since George F. Strong and Margaret Pitcher were Hank’s grandparents, Tommie Mix Strong was 
Hank’s first cousin. As with their other grandchildren at various times, Tommie Mix was living with 


George F. and Margaret Strong at 2415 Warrior Road in Birmingham on the 1930 census.** She was 9 


67 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


years old and listed as Tommie M. Strong. I’m not sure if Tommie Mix ever used her father’s last 
name of Perry. Her mother Grace Margaret Strong was living in the same household with her parents 
and was divorced, which likely occurred sometime between 1925 and 1928. This means that both 
children of George and Margaret Strong married and later divorced spouses from England. John 
Coulbourn Strong’s second child with Doris Taylor, George Montgomery Strong, was also living with 
George and Margaret Strong in 1930. Rounding out the full house at 2415 Warrior Road were 
Cousin Frank D. Larkin, servant Edna Wiggins, and boarder Edward P. Foley. 


Grace Margaret Strong remarried to Earl Vernon Clotfelter on June 26, 1939 in Chambers, Alabama.*° 
The 1940 census shows her as Margaret Clotfelter with her husband Earl V. Clotfelter and daughter 
Miss Tom Mix Strong. Also living with the family was Grace’s widowed father George F. Strong.* 
His wife Margaret had died on December 30, 1937. Her obituary made no mention of their son John 
Coulbourn Strong, even though we now know that he was still alive. Daughter Grace Margaret was 


listed as the only surviving child.*” 


George Farmer Strong, Jr. died on February 16, 1944 in Cussetta, Alabama, likely at his daughter’s 
home.*§ We know from the story above that his son John Coulbourn Strong died in 1947.5 According 
to the Social Security Death Index, daughter Grace Margaret (Strong) Clotfelter died in February of 
1976 in Cusseta, Alabama. Earl Clotfelter had a later marriage to Edith Odessa Morrison® and died 
on February 23, 1987 in Chambers County, Alabama.” 


Tommie Mix Strong married Charles Warren Parker on December 17, 1941 in Chambers, Alabama.® 
Charles Parker died only two years later on October 6, 1943 during World War II while stationed 
with the U.S. Navy in the Solomon Islands.“ Tommie Mix remarried to Aaron Arthur Vajda on 
January 20, 1944 in Montgomery, Alabama.® Aaron Vajda was Jewish and originally from New York, 
N.Y. He worked as a Jeweler before the war, when he served in the Air Force. Later he worked for 
Liberty National Life Insurance. Tommie Mix and Aaron Vajda had three sons: Perry, Allan, and 
Martin Vajda. Aaron Vajda died on January 2, 2000.% 


Tommie Mix (Strong) Vajda raised her three sons in Cusseta, Alabama. She was very involved in the 
Boy Scouts and worked with the U.S. Postal Service as the postmaster for Cusseta. Her obituary states 
that she hosted local access televisions shows, which would be interesting to track down. It also notes 
she was an avid hiker, conservationist, bowler (along with her husband Aaron), collector, wife and 


mother.® 
Children of George Farmer Strong, Jr. and Margaret Aretta “Maggie” Pitcher: 


i. John Coulbourn STRONG was born 4 Mar 1894 in Birmingham, Alabama and died 16 Jun 
1947 in Houston, Harris County, Texas. He married Dorothy Grace Christina Morrison 
TAYLOR on 28 Feb 1916 in London, England.® He married Grace Corrine BREWER on 31 
Dec 1925 in Pitcher, Ottawa County, Oklahoma.” 

ii. | Grace Margaret Aretta STRONG was born 1 Jun 1896 in Alabama and died Feb 1976 in 
Cusseta, Chambers County, Alabama.”! She married Foster Howard PERRY in either 1919 or 


68 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


1920.” She married Earl Vernon CLOTFELTER on 26 Jun 1939 in Chambers County, 
Alabama. 


2. George Farmer Strong, Sr. (1832-1896) 


George Farmer Strong, Sr. was born on April 3, 1832 in New Market, Alabama to Pleasant Strong and 
Sally Booth.”3 His mother Sally died sometime before 1835, when George was just a young child. It is 
possible she died during his birth. George was the youngest of six children at the time. His father 
Pleasant Strong re-married to Sarah Stuart on September 22, 1835.74 Sarah probably helped to raise 
young George for several years, but she may have died young as well, likely before 1841. In that year, 
Pleasant Strong married Elizabeth Howard and he would later have five more children with her.” 
Although we do not have death records for Pleasant Strong’s first two wives, divorce was not widely 
practiced at this time. Much more common was remarriage after the death of a spouse, especially 
when there was a large household or planation to run and many children to raise. That makes it 
highly likely that Pleasant Strong’s first two spouses died before he remarried. 


SS apactl 


Northern Alabama Circa 1823” 


Our first record for George Farmer Strong, Sr. is the 1850 census. He was 18 years old and lived with 
his father Pleasant Strong and step-mother Elizabeth on their farm in Madison County, Alabama. His 
profession was listed as “student.” His uncle Charles Waite Strong and his family are the next entry 
on the census.” Pleasant and Charles Strong were both farming on land they had inherited from their 
father George Strong. In the 1850s, cotton production in Alabama was at its height and both families 
were likely well-off as established plantation owners. 


69 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


The map above provides a nice overview of northern Alabama as of 1823.78 Madison County is in 
pink, centered around the main city of Huntsville. Meridianville lies just to the north and was the 
location of most of the Strong family land. The Tennessee River cuts south from that state into 
northern Alabama and was an important route for transporting cotton to New Orleans via the Ohio 
and Mississippi Rivers. This part of northern Alabama is generally known as the Tennessee Valley. 
At the south end of Madison County you can see Ditto’s Landing, the location of the first white 
settlement in the area by James Ditto around 1802.” Our ancestor Nathan “Agis” Strong, discussed 


below, also purchased some land to the south of the Tennessee River.*° 


Pleasant Strong died in 1853.8! By the terms of his Will, George Farmer Strong and his wife were 
gifted Pleasant’s bed and bureau. Along with his siblings from Pleasant’s first wife Sally Booth, 
George Strong inherited 329 acres of land, which included a mill. With this land came the ownership 
of eighteen slaves. George and his siblings shared the legal ownership of “Daniel, Henry, Caty, 
Tolbert, Elly, Jeff, Caldonia, Mariah, Opah, Dick, Stephen, Jim, Mahala, Penny, Nancy, Francis, Viney, 
and David” along with “their increase,” which means the children of these slaves. They also inherited 
three mules and all the hogs at the mill, along with the “second best yoke of oxen and all the corn and 
fodder at the mill place.”®? This was a substantial inheritance and would have provided George 
Farmer Strong, Sr., now 21 years old, with a comfortable start to life in pre-Civil War Madison 
County. On January 7, 1856, it appears that George Farmer Strong, Sr. purchased this land outright 
from his siblings for the sum of $3,200.% 


On October 9, 1856, George married Sarah Elizabeth Jones in Madison County, Alabama.* Sarah was 
the daughter of John Tannehill Jones and Martha Jane Larkin. The Jones and Larkin lines are well 
documented and discussed in more detail below. In 1860 we find George Farmer Strong in District 1, 
Madison County, Alabama.® George and Sarah had two children: John was 2 and William was 6 
months old. They were farming next to Sarah’s grandparents, George Tannehill Jones and Rebecca 
Campbell Brown Jones. The value of the Strong farm was given as $3,000, with $13,000 as a personal 
estate. George Tannehill Jones’ farm was valued at $25,000 with a $35,000 personal estate.®° Much of 


the value of personal estates during this time period consisted of slaves. 


George Farmer Strong, Sr. enlisted in the Confederate Army on March 10*, 1862.8” He was fairly tall, 
especially for this time period. He was listed as six feet one inches tall, with a fair complexion and red 
hair.** In January of 1863, Hank’s grandfather George Farmer Strong, Jr. was born*®; it seems likely 
that he was conceived just before his father marched off to fight in the Civil War. George Farmer 
Strong, Sr. served in the Fourth Regiment, Alabama Cavalry, under Col. Russell.” In 1862, the Fourth 
Cavalry was involved in heavy fighting in Tennessee. Around the time that George Farmer Strong, 
Sr. enlisted, the unit was moving south into the Tennessee Valley area, which included Madison 
County. The follow is an excerpt of a colorful account by fellow solider Milus E. Johnston entitled 
“The Sword of ‘Bushwhacker’ Johnston.” George Farmer Strong, Sr. may have been involved in these 


incidents near his home: 


Chapter XXII. Crossing the Tennessee with Col. Russell. When Gen. Hood was moving 


from Atlanta toward Nashville, the writer was on the south side of the Tennessee 


70 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


River .... Just at that time Col. Russell, in command of the Fourth Alabama Cavalry, 
came along, and we fell in with him. The command then moved up on the south side 
of the river, and we forded it at old Bellefonte. We had rather a watery time of it in 
getting over, and several of the boys got a considerable ducking. But we all finally 


passed over safely. 


Being now in what was considered the enemy’s land, we started up through 
Maynard’s Cove, in a northwesterly direction; and as we advanced the home-made 
Yankees began to scamper as so many rats to their holes. Passing over a spur of the 
Cumberland Mountains, we dropped down into Paint Rock Valley; and as soon as 
we reached the valley we could hear horns blowing in every direction; that being the 


signal for the rats to hunt their holes. 


But about the mouth of Guess Creek, the boys came in sight of some of the blue 
coats, and pitched into them like a “thousand of brick,” and the matter was settled in 
pretty short order. The command then moved up the valley, and upon reaching 
Duckett’s, we called a halt. The main body of the regiment remained at that point, 
while Col. Russell sent a regiment higher up the river after a clan of home-made 
Yankees, who had been weeding a wide row in that valley. The company that went 
were not long in finding their game, for they soon returned and made their report, as 


if the matter had been settled in short order. 


While we remained at Duckett’s the Federals sent out a pretty heavy force, both of 
infantry and cavalry to attack us. When they arrived we exchanged shots with them 
for some time, and thereby prevented them from doing us any special damage. Night 
came on directly, and knowing that the enemy was a little heavier than we cared 
about carrying, unless it had been absolutely necessary, we took the mountain in the 
direction of New Market. A day or two afterwards they touched us again near the 
latter place, where we had some pretty heavy skirmishing. We tussled with them in 
the lane, in the gap, and up and down the creek and still held them off so they did us 


no serious damage. At last they gave over the pursuit and fell back to Huntsville. 


Leaving Col. Russell near New Market, the writer took his boys, consisting of about 
forty in number, and moved off due west, striking the Meridian Road near 
McDavid’s old mill. Here we wheeled left and proceeded down the road leading 
directly to Huntsville. At this time the Federals were on the eve of evacuating 
Huntsville, for Hood was then moving directly on Nashville. The reader will bear in 
mind, however, that we did not know at that time that the Federals were about to 


leave. 


On passing through Meridianville, which is eight miles from Huntsville, the writer 
being in the rear of the command, and being recognized by the citizens, the ladies 


came out to the street to congratulate and shake hands, but he put spurs to his horse 


71 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


and dashed off; perhaps to save their property from the flames and themselves from 
personal insult. A short time after we passed through the village, we met a squad of 
armed Negro soldiers, the first our boys had ever met. How it was we met them at 
that time and place we did, was a matter of conjecture among the neighbors at that 
time, and continues so unto this day. Some supposed that we knew all about it and 
had come on purpose, while others attributed it to Providence. Whether Providence 
had anything to do with it or not, it is certain the boys did a complete, though a 
disagreeable job. 


Negro Soldiers Cleaned Up. There were a company of Negro soldiers coming out of 
Huntsville on a foraging expedition, who, if they were not regulars, were heavily 
armed. They were also “pressing” wagons and teams, robbing smoke houses, cursing 


women, and going generally as they pleased. 


Just before we met them they had gone to Captain William Roper’s, and after 
pressing his teams, they entered the smoke house to sack it. But his daughter, Miss 
Elvira, who was a very fine, but courageous woman, began to expostulate with them, 
and begging them not to rob them of everything and starve the family to death. They 
told her if she opened her mouth again they would “shoot her damned heart out.” 
The author does not like to repeat such language, but we are trying to present things 


just as they occurred. 


The next day after the above incident happened, these same Negroes marched to 
their slaughter. Being out again on their mission of plunder, they were marching up 
the road toward Meridianville, while we were marching down the road toward 
Huntsville, meeting each other, though entirely ignorant of each other’s approach. 
Just below Meridianville, about a half a mile, lived Mrs. Battle, on the right; still 
further down, about two miles, lived Mr. Charles Strong, on the right; and still 
further on, say a quarter of a mile, lived Mrs. Pleasant Strong, on the left. These three 
families had offended the Negroes in some way, it was said, and having reported to 
the Federals, the Negro soldiers were on their way to burn them out of house and 
home. But whether Providence had anything to do with it or not, we got there just at 


the crisis, for the Negroes were within fifty yards of Mrs. Pleasant Strong’s gate. 


Just at this point the road bends, bearing around the mountain to the right, going 
south. The crook in the road and the trees standing nearby hid the Negroes from us 
until we came almost full against them. We had out an advance guard under the 


command of Capt. John Drake. 


We had passed by Mrs. Battle’s and Mr. Charley Strong’s, and were approaching 
Mrs. Pleasant Strong’s, when the writer galloped up to the advance guard. He at 
once ordered them to file right, up the point of the mountain so as to see over, for 


they were almost in sight of Huntsville. Just as they were about to obey orders, we 


72 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


looked along the crook in the road and beheld a line of Negro soldiers peering out 
from behind the timber, like so many black birds. We saw at once that they were 
mounted and heavily armed. The writer then turned in his saddle and with a motion 
of his hand, called at the top of his voice for the column to forward, and they come 
up in a sweeping gallop. And just as the column reached the advance guard, the 
Negroes having thrown themselves into some kind of a line, poured a volley of shot 


into our ranks. 


Now let the reader imagine the feelings of a Southern soldier as he is fired upon by 
Negroes, and they the first armed Negroes he had met. Fire! Flames! Vesuvius! No 
word of command was given, but the boys charged them as though all hell had been 


let loose to propel their onward rush. 


It was said that one of the advance guards “shot off six Negroes as he passed through 
them, firing right and left, leaving the rear to finish up the rest.” When the writer 
reached the front the boys had finished their deadly work. It was ascertained by the 
neighbors afterwards, that one of the victims that day was an inoffensive Negro who 
lived nearby, and who met the Negro soldiers as he was on his way to Huntsville. 
And that the soldiers compelled him to return with them. So the poor fellow, like 
“old dog tray”, lost his life by being found in bad company. 


The whole squad of Negroes were killed except one, who, like the lame captain, 
started upon the retreat in time; but the boys pushed him so close that the fire from 
the Federal’s pickets compelled them to retreat. When that Negro reached town, he 
tumbled out of the saddle and rolled on the grass under the shade for half an hour 
before he got breath enough to tell his story. That evening along every road that led 
into Huntsville Negroes could be seen pouring into the city like crows flying to their 


roost.%! 


We don’t know if George Farmer Strong, Sr. was involved in this decisive battle in defense of the 
family farm. It is also unclear how much this tale grew over time with the telling. However, 
Bushwhacker Johnston’s story does provide a window into the tensions involved in this war fought 
over slavery, with former slaves and their former masters now engaged in deadly battles. George 
Farmer Strong, Sr. was discharged in Chattanooga, Tennessee on July 29*, 1863.2 The military record 
is difficult to read, but is likely that he was injured during the war and was unable to continue 


fighting. 


By the time of the 1870 census, the war was over and George F. Strong was back to farming in 
Madison County. The value of his real estate was now given as $2,000 and his personal estate at 
$500. In the ten years since the 1860 census, George’s personal estate had lost $12,500, likely the 
value of his freed slaves. By 1880, George and Sarah’s family had grown to nine children, including 
our ancestor George F. Strong, Jr. who was now 18 years old.%* Two more sons were born in the early 


1880s, but due to the lack of an 1890 census this cannot be confirmed with census records. Joseph and 


73 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


Erskine Strong were listed as brothers of Charles Strong (a confirmed son of George Farmer Strong, 
Sr.) in Charles’ contested Will proceedings. % Erskine Strong died in 1917 in Arkansas when he was 
hit by a train; his brother Robert Strong of New Market, Madison County, Alabama attended the 
funeral.*° Since Robert Strong was another confirmed son of George Farmer Strong, I am confident 


that George had at least eleven children. George Farmer Strong, Sr. died in April of 1896, aged 64.” 
Children of George Farmer Strong, Sr. and Sarah Elizabeth Jones: 


i. John T. STRONG was born Jun 1859 in Alabama.%8 

ii. Robert P. STRONG was born 2 Jan 1860 in Alabama” and died 4 Nov 1927 in New Market, 
Madison County, Alabama.! He married Anna Wellborn LIPSCOMB on 20 Nov 1884 in 
Madison County, Alabama." 

iii. George Farmer STRONG, Jr. was born Jan 1863 in Alabama and died after 1940.1 He 
married Margaret Aretta “Maggie” PITCHER on 13 May 1891 in Jefferson County, 
Alabama.1° 

iv. Fanny Mayhew “Mary” STRONG was born Mar 1865 in Alabama! and died 14 Feb 1947 in 
Alabama.’ She married James William COYLE on 26 Jan 1892 in Madison County, 
Alabama. 

Vv. Larkin Booth STRONG was born 5 Aug 1867 in New Market, Madison County, Alabama!” 
and died 6 Jan 1945 in Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama.'°° He married Clemmie 
WHITE on 19 Aug 1895 in Greene County, Alabama. He married Mammie Bell 
WILLIAMSON on 9 Nov 1902 in Saint Clair County, Alabama." 

vi. | Harry E. STRONG was born 29 Oct 1871 in Alabama and died 5 May 1898 in Tennessee." He 
married Jennie BUCHANAN.!2 

vii. Charles J. STRONG was born about 1873 in Alabama and died 5 May 1911 in Birmingham, 
Jefferson County, Alabama.!!3 He married Josetta, last name unknown.14 

viii. | Mannie Laura STRONG was born 18 Sep 1875 in Alabama and died 26 Dec 1917 in 
Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama.'5 She married I. J. WILLIAMSON."!6 

ix. | Cornelia STRONG was born Aug 1879 in Alabama and died 20 Sep 1914 in New Market, 
Madison County, Alabama."!” She married Hugh H. PARKINSON on 30 Dec 1903 in Madison 
County, Alabama."'8 

x. Erskine T. STRONG was born Jan 1882 in Alabama and died 4 Sep 1917 in Pulaski County, 
Arkansas." He married Emma HYCHE on 30 Jul 1903 in Jefferson County, Alabama.'”° 

xi. | Joseph STRONG was born about 1884 in Alabama.’?! 


3. Pleasant Strong (1798-1853) and Sally Booth (1798-Before 1835) 


Pleasant Strong was born on July 14, 1798 in Goochland County, Virginia. !?2 His parents were George 
Strong and Mary Polly East. Pleasant was the oldest of five children.' Pleasant’s grandfather 
Nathaniel Strong had moved from Virginia to Madison County, Alabama around 1813.'4 Pleasant’s 
father George Strong and family followed by 1816.!2 There was rich farmland for sale in the area 


surrounding Huntsville, Alabama, in contrast to the Virginia land that was rapidly becoming both 


74 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


crowded and depleted for farming.'° This was an attractive proposition for the sons of plantation 
owners in Virginia and North Carolina, who may have had financial resources but not land of their 
own. Additionally, the invention of the cotton gin in 1793 made cotton a lucrative cash crop for 
anyone who owned land and had slaves to work the fields. Virginia planters were moving south and 
bringing their slaves to take advantage of this new opportunity. !?” 


Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin. The machine worked by pulling cotton fiber through a mesh that 
separated out the seeds. It could process up to fifty pounds of cotton a day. !78 


Pleasant Strong’s first marriage was to Sally Booth on November 27, 1817.!29 Their first child, 
Penelope J. Strong, was born on October 7, 1819. She was born in Tennessee, during the family’s 
transition between Virginia and Alabama.'*° The 1830 census lists Pleasant Strong as a landholder in 
Madison County, Alabama. The 1830 and 1840 census records do not give names for anyone other 
than the head of household, just a general indication of the number of people in each age group and 
sex. We can infer that the 1830 entry is for Pleasant Strong and his wife Sally Booth, along with their 
five children. There is also a record for three slaves owned by the family.'! 


On October 21, 1834, Pleasant Strong purchased 160 acres of land in Madison County, Alabama from 
his siblings Nancy Lewis, Hopson Strong, Robert Strong, and Charles Waite Strong for $1,737.'°? The 
deed confirms that these siblings were all the heirs at law of their father George Strong.'3 On the 
same day, the same group of siblings, including Pleasant Strong and his wife Sally, sold a 60 acre 
tract to their sister Nancy Lewis for $787" and a 260 acre tract to Charles Waite Strong for $2,700.15 
The siblings sold several tracts of land in this area to third parties in the 1830s, and they were likely 
all parcels of land that originally belonged to their father George Strong. 1% 


75 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


George Farmer Strong, Sr., our direct ancestor, was born in 1832 and his mother Sally Booth died 
sometime before 1835. At this time we do not have any information about Sally Booth’s parents. 137 We 
have a marriage record for Pleasant Strong and Sarah “Sally” Stuart on September 22, 1835 in 
Madison County, which was also recorded in the Family Bible.* We don’t know anything else about 
Sarah Stuart aside from the likelihood she died some time before 1841. This is because we have 
another marriage record for Pleasant Strong, this time to Elizabeth Howard on January 14, 1841.1 
Elizabeth had previously been married to Mabra Madden, and she entered her marriage to Pleasant 
Strong with children of her own.'° On the day of their marriage, Pleasant Strong and Elizabeth 
Madden signed a marriage contract, clarifying that while Elizabeth’s property could be used by her 
husband during their marriage, at her death she reserved the right to devise her property to her 


heirs. 141 


A note written by Pleasant’s son Robert H. Strong provides further evidence for his various 
marriages. This slip of paper was inserted into the Family Bible of another of Pleasant’s sons, James 
A. Strong, Robert’s half-brother. Robert H. Strong noted that “My father Pleasant Strong was married 
first to Miss Booth—my Mother. Then to a Miss widow Stewart. Then he married a widow Madden, 


the mother of James A. Strong now residing on this place.” 12 


On the 1840 census we learn that Pleasant Strong’s slave holdings had increased to seventeen people. 
The column for “free colored people,” males under age 10, is filled in with the number seven. This 
large number of apparently free black children is initially confusing. However, on closer inspection 
this just appears to be the number of white people in the family. The census taker used the “free 
colored people” column to indicate total white citizens for each household on the page. Although 
there were a sizeable number of free black people in the country at this time, even in the South, it 


would have been quite rare to find so many in the heart of plantation country in Alabama. 


A newspaper article from May 1, 1841 noted that Pleasant Strong, who lived seven miles north of 
Huntsville, found two horses valued at $45.14 By publishing this find, Pleasant was likely 
establishing ownership of the horses should the rightful owner not come forward. On December 5, 
1842, Pleasant Strong purchased 160 acres of land in Madison County, Alabama for $2,000.16 This 
property was formerly owned by his mother, Mary Strong, who died in that year. 7 


The 1850 census showed Pleasant Strong with his third wife Elizabeth and eight of their children. The 
value of his real estate was given as $4,000. His brother Charles Waite Strong was living on a nearby 
plantation with real estate worth $8,000."* There was a separate 1850 Federal census schedule for 
slaves, and from it we learn that Pleasant Strong owned thirty-five slaves.’ Southern society 
distinguished between farmers and planters. Planters generally owned land and at least twenty 
slaves.'©° They were the aristocratic elites of a culture centered around valuable cotton grown on large 
scale plantations. Pleasant Strong died on April 19, 1853, a successful Alabama planter. Probate 
records show that Pleasant was visited by Dr. G. A. Wyche and Richard Angell, who may have also 
been a doctor and supplied medicine, nearly every day from the middle of February until April 15 
of 1853, likely during his final illness.'5' In his Will he left property and slaves to his third wife 


76 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


Elizabeth and his ten surviving children. His widow Elizabeth would live for another thirty-one 


years, passing away in 1884.15 


One of the slaves named in Pleasant Strong’s Will was a nine year old boy named Anderson. 14 
Shortly after the end of slavery, “Anderson Strong” and his future wife Lina Walker entered into a 
sharecropping agreement with “C.W. Strong”, likely Charles William Strong, the son of Pleasant who 
had inherited Anderson and several other slaves in his father’s Will. It appears that Anderson 
adopted the surname of his former owner. However, some evidence suggests that Anderson Strong 
may also have been part of our extended family, at least genetically. On the 1870 census, Anderson 
Strong and his family were listed as Mulatto, which indicates they were of mixed race.'°° The Census 
Bureau instructed enumerators that the Mulatto category should be used for “all persons having any 
perceptible trace of African blood. Important scientific results depend upon the correct determination 
of this class[.]”5” Of course, someone believed to be entirely of African descent would be categorized 
as Black, so the Mulatto category indicates some level of White ancestry. A descendant of Anderson 
Strong on Ancestry.com has taken a DNA test, and while she does not match with Hank, she does 
match with other descendants of George Strong, the father of Pleasant Strong. I do not have enough 
DNA matches to determine the exact intersection of our trees, but it is possible that Anderson Strong, 


formerly owned as a slave by Pleasant Strong, also shared DNA with our Strong ancestors. 


Pleasant Strong’s handwritten Will was helpfully transcribed by Charles Cox, a descendant of 
Pleasant's daughter Nancy Strong and her husband Benjamin Snodgrass.'5* Charles is just one of 
many descendants of Pleasant Strong who we have been able to connect to the extended family tree 
thanks to Hank’s DNA test. Charles was extremely helpful in the process of tracking down Hank’s 
father, John Coulbourn Strong. Pleasant Strong was Hank’s great-great-grandfather. At the time of 
this writing I have been able to place twenty-eight of Hank’s DNA matches as descendants of 
Pleasant Strong. These second, third and, fourth cousins were critical to determining the identity of 
Hank’s father. Thirteen matches descend from Pleasant Strong’s daughter Nancy Strong, including 
Charles Cox. I have found five matches from the descendants of Sarah Strong and six from Charles 
Waite Strong. The last five matches are even closer in the family tree, descending from Pleasant’s son 
George Farmer Strong, Sr., Hank’s great-grandfather. These matches include Hank’s half-nephew, 
George Nelson. Even though Pleasant Strong died in 1853, the traces of his DNA that were passed 
down through the generations helped his great-great-grandson learn the identity of his father in 2018. 


Children of Pleasant Strong and Sally Booth: 


i. Penelope J. STRONG was born 7 Oct 1819 in Tennessee and died 29 Mar 1854 in Alabama. 1° 

She married George Benjamin SNODGRASS on 25 Aug 1852 in Madison County, Alabama. 1 

ii. Robert H. STRONG was born 10 Feb 1823 in Alabama and died Jan 1907.'*1 He married 
Elizabeth Amanda MADDEN on 9 Oct 1849 in Madison County, Alabama.1° 

iii. | Nancy STRONG was born 25 Nov 1824 in Madison County, Alabama and died 3 Sep 1868 in 

Scottsboro, Jackson County, Alabama.'® She married William Allen CHANDLER on 13 Jun 

1844 in Madison County, Alabama.'* William likely died before 1854. After her sister 


77 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


Penelope died, Nancy married George Benjamin SNODGRASS on 13 Aug 1854 in Jackson, 
Alabama.16& 


Mary P. STRONG was born 6 Feb 1827 in Alabama and died 7 Aug 1850.1! She married 


lV. 
Robert LEWIS on 12 Nov 1849 in Madison County, Alabama. 1° 

v. Sarah A. STRONG was born 23 Apr 1829 in Jackson County, Alabama and died 9 Jan 1923 in 
Enloe, Delta County, Texas.1 She married George Washington STORY on 17 Oct 1855 in 
Jackson County, Alabama.1 

vi. 


George Farmer STRONG, Sr. was born 3 Apr 1832 in New Market, Madison County, 
Alabama and died Apr 1896 in New Market, Madison County, Alabama.!” He married Sarah 
Elizabeth JONES on 9 Oct 1856.17! 


Children of Pleasant Strong and Elizabeth Howard: 


iil. 


Iv. 


Charles William STRONG was born about 27 Sep 1842 in Alabama.!” 

Emily C. “Emma” STRONG was born 25 Jun 1845 in Alabama.!” She married John T. 
MOORE on 8 Nov 1865 in Madison County, Alabama. !” 

Madison O. “Matt” STRONG was born 25 May 1847 in Alabama.' He married Gertrude L. 
MOSS on 1 Jan 1873 in Madison County, Alabama. 176 

James A. STRONG was born 12 May 1849 in Madison County, Alabama and died 7 Dec 1904 
in Madison County, Alabama.'””7 He married Margaret Floyd “Maggie” PHINIZY on 2 Mar 
1881 in Lawrence County, Alabama.!”8 

Patrick Henry STRONG was born 12 May 1849 in Madison County, Alabama and died about 


1884.17 


4. George Strong (1773-1834) and Mary Polly East (1774-1842) 


George Strong was born on January 15, 1773 in Virginia. 18° 
His parents were Nathan “Agis” Strong and Catherine 
Callahan.'*! His early years were spent in Goochland 
County, Virginia. In 1791, George Strong first appeared as a 
tithable member of his father Nathan Strong’s household 
around the age of 18.182 On June 6, 1797, at the age of 23, 
George married Mary Polly East.'*8 Mary East was also 
from Goochland County. She was born on May 24, 1774 in 
Goochland County, Virginia."** Her East and Pruitt 


ancestors are discussed in their own section below. 


George and Mary Strong had five children while living in 
Goochland County, Virginia. The oldest child was our 
ancestor Pleasant Strong and the youngest child was 
Charles Waite Strong. In between were Nancy, Hopson, 
and Robert Strong.!% A death entry for a “Nathan Strong, 
son” may indicate that this couple had a son of that name 


78 


Mary Polly East 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


who died young, but this is unclear since the parents are not listed in the Family Bible.1*” 


George Strong bought 90 acres of land in Goochland County, Virginia from his father Nathan Strong 
in 1798.18 On March 1, 1806, George Strong and his wife Mary “Polly” Strong sold this same 90 acres 
to James Ware.!8? George may have left Goochland County, Virginia as early as 1807, when he stops 
appearing on the tax lists for that county.! On his way to Alabama, George Strong appears to have 
first moved to Davidson County, Tennessee with his father-in-law Benjamin East. Benjamin died 
before October of 1809, and on May 17, 1810, George Strong was one of the purchasers at his Estate 


sale.19! 


While in Tennessee, there is evidence that George Strong served as a soldier in Col. Steele’s 4 
Regiment of the West Tennessee Militia during the War of 1812.1 As we will see below, George’s son 
Charles Waite Strong told his children that their grandfather fought in this war, which he called the 
Indian and British War. His unit apparently served as wagon guards when General Andrew Jackson 
fought the climactic battle of the Creek War at Horseshoe Bend.!%° This unit also appears to have 
travelled through Huntsville, Alabama.'* George Strong had brothers named Thomas, John, and 
Nathan Strong, and there are records for men with each of these names serving in various units of the 
Tennessee Militia during the War of 1812.1% 


We know that George Strong moved to Madison County, Alabama by at least 1816 based on records 
of a land purchase there in his name.'*% George Strong can be found on the 1830 census in Madison 
County, Alabama with his family and seventeen slaves.!” On June 23, 1832, Charles Waite Strong and 
his wife Didama sold George Strong 60 acres of land in Madison County, Alabama for $725.1% It is 
not clear to me if this George Strong was Charles’ father, but I don’t see any other George Strong’s in 


our line that would have been old enough to purchase land in 1832. 


As recorded in the Family Bible, George Strong died on August 18, 1834.1 George appears to have 
died without writing a Will, and his son Robert Strong served as Administrator for his Estate.2 An 
inventory of his Estate shows that he owned twenty-six slaves at his death. Their names and ages 
were: Collin (47), Stepney (42), Daniel (35), Milley (38), Henry (25), Critty? (44), Jane (27), Moses (25), 
Henry (31), Hampshire (23), Celia (21), Tom (19), Collin (17), Corsi (17), Jude (17), Sally (11), Jordan 
(14), Roset? (10), John (9), Isaac (9), Mary (8), Jude (6), Sook? (5), Frances (4), Maria (3), and George 
(3).2°l These slaves were distributed to George’s descendants by grouping them into lots which were 
then drawn. Our ancestor Pleasant Strong drew lot number three, with slaves Hampshire, Old Judy, 
Mary, and Isaac.?°2 When the Estate proceedings were finally wrapped up in 1836, each of George and 
Mary’s children received just over $493.2 


George’s son Charles Waite Strong wrote down his reflections in a letter to his children shortly after 
his father’s death in 1834 and thankfully the letter has been preserved. They were published by the 
Tennessee Valley Genealogical Society in 1969. The following are some relevant excerpts in Charles 
Waite Strong’s own writing. Minor corrections for readability were added by the great-great 
granddaughter of Charles Strong, Mrs. Richard H. Gilliam, Jr.: 


79 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


Your GrandFather and my Father, he is shortly departed this life, and I shall say all 
about him now as he is dead and the rest are all a live to day and try to give you as 


complete a history of him as I can— 


He was born in the year 1773 about the time of the Revolutionary war and was born 
of Pore parrentage and in a time of Greate Confution (confusion) in the United States 
and in quancequence of that, opportunity never favord him with an Education 
therefore he never was now (known) in Publick affairs. But my sons he was of one of 
the greatest men that lived in his day. He Marrid in his Twentyth fourth year of his 
life and an Honest sober and industrious home staying man all ways, study (steady) 
to his business, a good husband and a good master, a good neighbor, and my sons I 
have undertakin to write this book for your satisfaction when I am dead and gone. 
Therefore I will state the truths to you as near as I can as I wille condem my self in 
sore (so) doing. My Father I believe was the Honests and Virtous man I ever saw in 
my life. I personally node (knew) him for Twenty years and I wille tell you of a truth 
that I never saw any thing by him deshonest or unvirtous. He laid down Earley, got 


up earley, and attended to his own buisness. 


He had no buisness at evry publick place nor he wod (would) not go unless buisness 
call him thare. When in companey he had nothing to do with fighting and Quorling 
and gambling. He paid his debts when dew (due,) he never was suid (sued) unless it 
was threw a mistake he sud (sued) nor warrested (arrested) but few. He went no 
mans security. In fact he was nothing to do with law and yet he was a man that hil 
(held) his rights as sacred as anny man. He was in the late Indian and british waw 
(war) and actted his par (part) as well as anny man. My sons your Grandfather 
Strong was a man of the most stability I ever Saw, he was the same thing today and 
tomorrow and all ways. One thing he was not proud, yet he was jenteel. I must come 
to a close on this Subject though I am in hops (hopes) that if I shold not live to council 
with you my children that when you redde (read) this, and my far will (farewell) 
advise (advice) to you that you wille indever for the sake of my sake and of your 
Grand Father, to pay serious hed (heed) these things which I have in deavored to 
leave behind for your instruction as they are from your dearest friend in this life. 
Your Grand Father left to his estate perfict satisfaction and I am the youngest Child. 
He had given them all equal justis and $7500.00 worth of land and one negro, hors 
(horse), cow and then left an estate worth Twenty one or two Thousand Dollars and 
Departed this life the 18 day of August about nine oclock in the night after a short an 
attact of siven days of Putride Bilious fever and lived about forty Eight years of his 
life in perfect health, He was borne in January the 15 1773. 


And so ends the History of man my sons though I have no dout (doubt) but he is 
happy in the Eturnal World where you and I must be and my Children we must be 


preparde for it or be forever lost.2% 


80 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


This handwritten recollection of George Strong was kept in the family for several generations by Miss 
Willie McClellan, granddaughter of Charles Waite Strong. She died in 1955 and the original writing 
was lost when her house was cleaned. Thankfully, Charles’ great-grandson Thompson R. Kelly made 
a typed copy from the original in 1950, keeping the original spelling and punctuation.” 


George’s wife Mary Polly (East) Strong lived a few years longer than her husband, dying on February 
18, 1842 in Huntsville, Alabama.” Probate records also establish that she was the widow of George 
Strong, and list her surviving heirs.2°” Mary’s Estate had slaves named Collin (the Older, age 55), 
Collin (the Younger, age 25), Jordan (22), Sally (19), Mariah (15), and Esther (11). Mary “Polly” 


East’s line is discussed in more detail below. 
Children of George Strong and Mary Polly East 


i. Pleasant STRONG was born 14 Jul 1798 in Goochland County, Virginia and died 10 Apr 
1853 in Madison County, Alabama. He married Sally BOOTH on 27 Nov 1816.?!° He 
married Sarah STUART on 22 Sep 1835 in Madison County, Alabama." He married 
Elizabeth MADDEN on 14 Jan 1841 in Madison County, Alabama.?! 

iii © Nancy STRONG was born 21 Dec 1799 in Goochland County, Virginia and died about 
1840.2!3 She married Samuel H. LEWIS on 7 Sep 1815 in Bath County, Virginia.?!* She married 
John GIDDENS on 1 Mar 1836 in Madison County, Alabama.?!5 

iii. | Hopson STRONG was born 27 Jan 1801 in Goochland County, Virginia and died 9 Oct 1835 
in Alabama.?!6 He married Marth HOOD on 28 Apr 1835 in Limestone County, Alabama.?!7 

iv. Robert STRONG was born 20 Dec 1802 in Goochland County, Virginia and died 22 May 1856 
in Alabama.?!® He married Lucy James DOUGLASS on 15 Jan 1828 in Madison County, 
Alabama.?'9 

v. Charles Waite STRONG was born 11 Aug 1804 in Goochland County, Virginia and died 23 
Feb 1871 in Madison County, Alabama.”?? He married Didama A. HUMPHREY on 10 Oct 
1828 in Madison County, Alabama.”?! 


a. Charles Waite Strong (1804 —1871) 


Charles Waite Strong was the younger brother of Pleasant 
Strong.?2 When Charles Strong wrote the letter above in 1834, he 
had two young boys: George and David Strong. He would go on 
to have thirteen children with his wife Didama.?%4 Charles was a 
very successful cotton farmer and acquired additional land in 
Madison County throughout his life. By the 1860 census his real 
estate was worth $36,330 and his personal estate was worth 
$45,765.25 He would live until February 23, 1871.26 The following 
story is titled “Mr. Strong’s Riverboat House” and was written by 
Virgil Carrington “Pat” Jones and published in True Tales of Old 
Madison County. Although Charles was not our direct ancestor, 


Charles Waite Strong 81 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


the story provides insight into life in Madison County around this time. 


“Early days on the Tennessee River, the sound of engines churning the muddy water, 
or cotton buyers and plantation owners as they bargained in the cool of the evening, 
or darkies chanting happily beneath the pale glow of a Southern moon, all might 
echo from the walls of the old Charles W. Strong home on a hill overlooking the 
highway a mile this side of Meridianville. (Ed: Mount Charron subdivision on North 
Memorial Parkway now lies on what was once part of the Strong estate. The home 


still stands on the crest of a hill north of, but adjacent to, Mount Charron.) 


This house came bit by bit from the wreckage of an old river boat which ended its 
journeys up and down the stream at a point near Ditto's Landing at Whitesburg. 
Today, it stands in its entirety, nearly 100 years old, a memorial to that period in 
Alabama history when a man built his home as a place from which he might daily go 
out into the fields to work and direct, returning at meal time for food obtained 


almost altogether from the surrounding acreage. 


Though passed from the hands of its builder's family more than two score years ago, 
many of those who descended from its halls—the Powells, Kellys, Davises, 
McClellands, Burkes, Morrows and Strongs—still live not so many miles away. 
Charles Strong, the builder, was born in Goochland Co., Virginia, in 1804. With his 
parents, George and Mary (also called Polly) Strong, he migrated to Alabama several 
years prior to 1820, and settled on a large tract of mostly virgin land near 
Meridianville, much of which was obtained from John Meux, heir to Richard Meux. 


His brothers, Pleasant, Hopson and Robert Strong, were also along. 


In 1828, at the age of 24, Charles married Didama Humphrey, two years his junior. 
His wife had come south with her parents in an oxcart at the age of 12, taking turns 
with the rest of the family in walking and riding, and likewise had stopped on a 
farming site at Meridianville. After his marriage, he had lived in a two-room log 
cabin on his father's place, making his money from cotton that he grew on certain 


tracts allotted to him. 


In 1828, this settler bought 60 acres of land in a section adjoining that on which his 
dwelling later was built, beginning a series of purchases which were to continue until 
his death in 1871, and to bring his total holdings to nearly 2,500 acres, including lots 
in Huntsville and Meridianville, and several larger plots between the two 


settlements. His home site was acquired from his father's estate in 1835. 


The large yield of cotton brought in by this rising young planter was transported for 
shipment to Whitesburg by means of wagons with large scoop bodies on them, 
somewhat resembling bowls on wheels. One day, while on such an excursion to the 


river, he noticed a boat anchored high and dry in the shallow waters near the shore. 


82 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


Upon inquiring, he found that it had been damaged and had been towed there to be 
junked. 


Dressed lumber was a scarce article in that day, so the thought of wasting such good 
building material naturally caught his attention. He had a cabin, but he needed a real 
home. Without further delay, he traced the owners of this craft and bought the hull 
for a paltry sum. Then, for weeks these odd-shaped wagons hauled cotton to the 
landing and returned loaded with boards and beams. 


i" eal 


Modern View of the restored Charles Waite Strong Home 
(103 Cedarama Drive NW, Huntsville, Alabama)?” 


Two Negro slaves, Charlie, a professional blacksmith, and Jim, equally as well 
trained in the shoemaking trade, were his lieutenants in erecting the structure, which 
was to be his castle until he died. These men saw to every item that went into the 
building, preparing the foundation, chimneys, floors and all. When they needed a 
piece of lumber which had not been salvaged from the ship, they went to a platform 
they had erected for the purpose and sawed by hand the required weather-boarding 
or sleeper, one standing on the top of the frame and pulling a cross-cut saw, while 
the other cooperated from the bottom. 


The house was placed on a high hill overlooking Madison County for many miles in 
all directions, except that shut off by a range of mountains behind. The foundation 
was of limestone rock, fitted into the excavation made there in the side of the fairly 
sharp slope to the road below. Two big rooms, with two small pantries, made secure 


83 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


from the outside by small barred windows between them, went into the basement. 
Immense fireplaces and doors were located at each end of this lower part. 


Charles Waite Strong House — Showing Original Foundation and Beams”8 


A stairway led from the room on the south to a wide hallway above. This corridor, 
opening to the front and back, was bordered on each side by rooms 22 feet square. 
Stairs near the rear enabled one to climb to the attic above, used as a sleeping 
quarters for the children. The front door was in two panels, each five feet wide. These 
opened out upon a porch made of cedar and standing several feet from the ground 
on two large rock columns. The lawn, terraced to prevent erosion and to aid descent 
to the circular driveway beneath huge trees beside the road, was set off mostly with 
cedars, and planted in many different kinds of flowers and shrubs. 


Designing the layout of both the home and plantation to suit his own taste, Strong 
had the icehouse dug a few feet from the house on the north side. On the south was 
located an immense cistern, 30 feet deep and holding close to fifty thousand gallons 
of water. A two-room kitchen and storeroom was erected a few feet to the rear and 
southwest side of the cistern. A dozen or more cabins for the slaves stood directly 
behind the house. 


The stable and gin were built in a bottom on the south side of the rise on which the 
home was located. Near the stable was dug a 90-foot well. As water could be 
obtained from the source at only certain seasons of the year, Strong had another 
excavated in the field directly across the road, a quarter of a mile from the house. 
Water there was freestone. 


84 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


A half-acre plot of land a few yards south of the stable was exempt from taxation. 
This was the family graveyard. Around the area were planted alternately, pines and 
cedars. Another row of the trees divided the tract in half, allowing a space to bury 


members of the family on one side and slaves on the other. 


Strong was a great lover of fishing, even up to his death. So to furnish him a field for 
this sport and to refill his icehouse during the winter, he had a spring in a bottom 


toward the mountain dammed, creating a pond that covered at least an acre. 


This planter knew his cotton and made his livelihood chiefly from that source, but 
fruit was his hobby. He had practically every variety that would thrive in this climate 
planted around his home. Grapes held first place among them. On the top of the 
mountain behind his home, he started a vineyard that covered a six-acre field, in 


addition to two or three smaller vineyards. 


Eight children had been born before the family moved into the home. These included 
Mary, who died young; George, a physician who died in Meridianville; David, killed 
in the Civil War; Robert; Sally, wife of Josh Kelly; Pleasant Dekalb; Fanny, who was 
married successively to Dr. Holbert Davis, George Schamberger and James Jackson; 
and Sue, wife of Will McClelland. 


Those born in the home were Nannie, who never married; Henrietta, wife of Dr. 
James Burke; Cornelia, the present Mrs. Peyton Powell, and the only surviving son or 
daughter; and Callie, wife of Tom Morrow. As each of these children married (except 
Pleasant DeK.) the father divided off a section of the lowland and a section of the 
wooded mountain land, averaging more than 100 acres, and gave it to them. This 


was his little bridal present. 


Strong, like many another Southern plantation owner, lost a great deal during and 
following the Civil War. Much of this was in property taken by the Yankees, or in 
food and other articles destroyed to keep the invaders from carrying it off, but the 
principal part, of course, was in the 'scores of slaves freed in 1865. Despite this 


misfortune, however, the planter died without having once been in debt. 


Many raiding parties stopped on their way south from Meridianville to raid his 
larder. One band carried away 12 mules at a single visit. They left certificates for the 
property, to be cashed by the Federal government, but Strong was never successful 
in collecting on them. Mrs. Powell recalls that more than once she and her mother 
and sisters fed Yankee soldiers in one of the two main rooms of the house while 


Confederates munched quietly in the other. 


She also recalls the destruction of all but 50 barrels of wine made from grapes grown 


in her father's vineyard. He had stored these up prior to the war to age. When 


85 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


raiding parties began to arrive he ordered his slaves to carry one barrel up into the 


mountains and hide it, and to break in the heads of the others. 


Both Robert and David went off with the Rebel recruits from this section, the former 
at the age of 18. Robert fought through the entire conflict and surrendered at 
Vicksburg. David was killed at Greensboro, Ala., and had been buried there in the 


Moore Cemetery for three months before the news reached his family. 


Deed records show that, in almost consecutive years between 1828 and 1861 Strong 
bought some tracts of land. Then for five years, from the outbreak of the war until 
the year following the surrender, his name was not recorded. Nevertheless, in 1866, 
he again began to build to his estate, and added nearly 700 more acres before his 
death. 


His closing days were spent quietly there among his daughters and with his aging 
wife on his plantation. Fishing occupied most of his time. So did the fruit trees and 
the flowers. Almost daily he turned his horse’s head up the winding pathway, 
bordered on each side with bear grass, to inspect carefully the vineyard he had last 
seen only the day before. 


With servants gone, members of his family were forced to turn their hands to many 
things unknown to them before. The kitchen out in the yard was abandoned for one 
of the two rooms in the cellar. The other was used as a weaving room. Many 
inconveniences about the home were altered to become part of the revolution that 
followed the end of slavery. The planter died in February, 1871, and was followed 
seven years later by his wife. That was the end of the Strong home. 


This land, bought in 1830 by George Strong from John Meux, was sold to Dr. J. O. 
Watts in 1878. Five years afterward, it came back into the hands of John P. Powell, J. 
P. Burke, Robert N. Strong and Sallie B. Kelly, heirs to the Strong estate. Then it was 
sold to William Allen. Many different persons have owned it since. The home is now 


occupied by W. P. Satterfield and family. 


86 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


An aerial view of the Charles Waite Strong property. The old cistern may have been incorporated 
in the circular brick feature to the left of the house.”” 


The orderliness and thoroughness of the plantation days are gone even though the 
house still stands in a sound condition, with only the addition of a room at the rear as 
a change. Chimneys, floors, the roof, large windows at the front and tiny windows at 
the back, the wide front door and rear doors of two boards, even the hand-carved 
mantle-pieces, have served for nearly a century with little evidence of their age. The 
walls of the foundation, the brick floors of the cellar, the two tiny pantries in which 
were stored molasses, sugar, flour, coffee, cheese and the more valuable gems of the 
larder in the old days, are almost as sound as ever. Even the small hole concealed 
back into the rock facing the fireplace, as a safe place to store the long stemmed, 


burning clay pipe, remains in the lower room on the hearth. 


The immense cistern and surrounding cedars seem to have been the only items about 
the yard to have withstood the wear of time. Only a pit marks the icehouse. The 
kitchen, slave cabins, stables and gin have been obliterated. So has the fish pond 


which in later years became the power source for the gin. The vineyard is still there. 


In an open bottom below the house, the graveyard, which once was bordered by the 
entwined boughs of cedars and pines, now is a pitiful witness to the absence of either 
sentiment or respect for the dead. A later owner felled the trees almost level with the 
ground. Tombstones are piled here and there about the exempt spot. Perhaps, in a 
few more years, only the childish markings on the walls of the home will remain as a 
monument to Charles Strong. (Ed: This home has been completely restored. 1969)’ 


The Charles Waite Strong property has seen many changes and additions over the years. But the 
foundation and much of the original structure appears to have been restored and is still standing as 
of 2023. A modern real estate listing advertises “the grandness of Mr. Strong’s Riverboat House, full 


87 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


of thick crown molding, door trim, and baseboards. Original rock walls, gorgeous wood floors, wide 
staircases, five fireplaces, and more!””5! As detailed in the article above, Charles Waite Strong was 
very involved in Madison County real estate. The following advertisement appeared in the 
Huntsville Democrat:?? 


Good a Bargain! 
WISH to sell'the TRACT of LAND, 


on which [now live, also in the same 

sale, a sufficient quantity ofgorn, fodder 

7 oats, to supply the purchaser the Gfst year. ‘This 

land ties eleven niles from TLluntsvipé,gon the main 

Stage road to Pulaski, and containgfonghindred- and 

sixty acres, of which one hundrec en acres are 

in high state of cultivation... A good Alwelling house 

and all other convenient Out_houses#and a first rate 

Well in the yard, are on the premises. Call gentle- 

men, and see this place, and heart the terms, and 1 
aim pursuaded you will be pleased. 

CHARLES W. STRONG. 
Madison County, Ala: Sept. 19, 1834—5w. 


Charles Waite Strong Land Advertisement? 
5. Nathan “Agis” Strong (About 1744-1823) and Catherine Callahan (1754-1828) 


Nathan Strong was born about 1744, possibly in Hanover County, Virginia.?*+ According to his 
grandson Charles Waite Strong, he also used the nickname “Agis.”?5° He only appears as Nathan 
Strong on other records. But Charles would have known his grandfather for about the first twenty 
years of his life and should be considered a reliable source as to his name. Researcher Robert T. 
Strong reports that Nathan Strong was in Louisa County, Virginia, near the John Strong who later 
moved to Goochland County, in 1767.%° He says that both men were working as Overseers on 
plantations in the same part of the County.”” 


Nathan Strong married Catherine Callahan around 1772 in Goochland or Louisa County, Virginia.” 
Charles Waite Strong reported that his grandmother was born in 1754, and the couple’s first child, 
our ancestor George Strong, was born in 1773.9 Catherine’s maiden name was recorded by Charles 
Waite Strong and also appears on the birth record for this couples’ son John Strong, born on 
December 10, 1776 in St. James Parish in Goochland County, Virginia.*“° John appears to be the only 


88 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


child of this couple whose birth was recorded in the Parish records. At this time we know very little 
about Catherine’s ancestry.”1 In 1759, Henry Callahan obtained a patent for 400 acres in Louisa 
County; given the location he could be connected to our Catherine.#2 Callahan is traditionally an Irish 


surname so that may provide a clue to her origins and a link to Irish heritage in the Strong line. 


I am not aware of any definitive evidence that Nathan “Agis” Strong served during the 
Revolutionary War. However, it seems possible that he would have been part of the Goochland 
County Militia. A pension application for Charles Strong (possibly the nephew of our ancestor 
Nathan Strong) notes that in January of 1781 in Goochland County, he was “called into the militia 
service in common with every other man of that county capable of bearing arms.”*8 Nathan Strong 
would have been about 37 years old in 1781, and probably able to fight. His absence on the 1782 tax 
list for Goochland County may indicate that he was off at war. In 1783, Nathan Strong was listed as 
owning livestock, and Charles Strong was living with his father John Strong.” In 1782, only John 


Strong appeared on the tax list.24 


On March 6, 1786, Nathan Strong of Goochland County, Virginia purchased 124 acres of land from 
John Strong for £45.46 This land was located on the branches of Lickinghole Creek, and bordered the 
land of Thomas Randolph, Samuel Cosby, and the River Road. From the description and the adjacent 
land owners, we can tell that it was part of a larger 275 acre tract that John Strong had purchased 
back in 1770 for £90.747 Given the shared surname and the fact that John Strong charged Nathan 
Strong half of what he originally paid for the full tract, it seems likely that there was a family 


connection between these men. 


Nathan Strong acquired additional land in Goochland County, Virginia in the 1790s. In 1792, he 
purchased 60 acres of land from Thomas Easton Randolph of Chesterfield County, Virginia. This land 
was in Goochland County, and bordered Nathan Strong’s existing land.** In 1796, Nathan purchased 
an additional 132 acres in Goochland County from Thomas Easton Randolph, this time part of the 
“Dungeness Tract.””4° Dungeness was a plantation built in Goochland County around 1730 by Isham 
Randolph, who was the grandfather of both Thomas Jefferson, the future President of the United 
States, and James Pleasants, the future Governor of Virginia.*° Another of Isham’s grandchildren was 
Thomas Easton Randolph." 


On April 9, 1798, Nathan Strong sold two adjacent tracts of land to his sons George Strong and 
Thomas Strong for ten pounds. Each tract was 90 acres and was located in Goochland County, 
Virginia.» Based on the acreage and the fact that George Strong’s tract was also adjacent to the river 
road, I suspect that this was a combination and then division of the 124 and 60 acre tracts that Nathan 
Strong had previously purchased. 


Nathan Strong was in Goochland County, Virginia as of May 20, 1808, when he appeared as the 
plaintiff in a case against John Banks for a debt. From July 21 to October 17 1808, Nathan Strong 
and his son Thomas Strong served forty-eight hours patrolling in the company of Jacob B. Fowler in 
Goochland County.%4 Nathan Strong appeared on the personal property tax lists for Goochland 
County, Virginia for almost thirty years, from 1783 until 1812.2 In 1783, he had no slaves, three 


89 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


horses, and seven head of cattle. Nathan Strong was listed just below John Strong, who was living 
with son Charles Strong and six slaves.” It is possible that our ancestor Nathan was living on the 


land of likely family member John Strong before he officially purchased it in 1786. 


Nathan Strong appeared on the 1787 tax list with horses and cattle, listed just before John Strong.” In 
1791, Nathan was listed for the first time with an additional tithable white male over the age of 16: 
George Strong.”>* This must have been his son, our ancestor George Strong, who we believe was born 
in 1773 and would have been about 18 years old. In 1792, Nathan appeared on the tax list with his 
sons George Strong and Thomas Strong.*? George and Thomas Strong were listed separately on the 
Goochland County, Virginia tax lists for the first time in 1798: the same year they purchased adjacent 
90 acre tracts of land from their father Nathan Strong.? 


In 1806, Nathan Strong had another new tithable in his household: Nathan Strong, Jr.?°! Other sources 
suggest that Nathan, Jr. was born on February 19, 1789, which lines up with his turning 16 in 1806 
and appearing as a tithable white male in that year. The 1810 census shows a Nathan Strong as the 
head of a household in Goochland County, Virginia. The family owned 6 slaves, some of whom likely 
made the move to Madison County, Alabama with the family.” The last year that Nathan “Agis” 
Strong appeared on the Goochland County tax lists was 1812.76 On October 10, 1812, Nathan Strong, 
Sr. and his wife Catherine Strong, along with son Thomas Strong, sold 220 acres of land in Goochland 
County to Samuel Vest.26 Catherine was unable to travel to the courthouse to release her dower 
interest in the land (likely due to health reasons), so Justices of the Peace William Bolling and James 


B. Ferguson travelled to her home two days later to secure her signature.” 


Nathan Strong relocated to Madison County, Alabama by 1813.7” One source says he arrived as early 
as 1809, but as we just saw, he was still in Goochland County, Virginia in 1812.78 Nathan Strong was 
part of the second wave of Virginia and North Carolina settlers to northern Alabama who bought 


large tracts of land from the federal government and started establishing cotton plantations. 


The first wave of pioneers had arrived a few years before when the area was opened to white 
settlement.2 The land that makes up present-day Madison County, Alabama was the traditional 
home of the Cherokee and Chickasaw tribes. The tribes had long interacted and traded with white 
settlers, and in some cases had incurred substantial debts. In exchange for the forgiveness of $20,000 
in debt, in 1805 the Chickasaw tribe ceded 2.25 million acres of land in what are now parts of 
Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Kentucky.” A similar treaty was finalized with the Cherokee 
tribe in 1806 for $10,000.27 In the 1830s, both tribes would be forced to migrate further west to 


Oklahoma in what is known as the Trail of Tears. 


90 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


Ditto’s Landing on the Tennessee River in Huntsville, Alabama?” 


We have records for several land purchases made by Nathan Strong in Madison County.?? He 
purchased two tracts just south of the Tennessee River, which runs to the south of Huntsville, and 
another tract near Meridianville, which is north of the city.2” Nathan Strong appears on the tax lists 
for Madison County, Alabama starting in 1815.2% 


Nathan Strong signed his Will on June 10‘, 1819 in Madison County, Alabama.?” The Will provides 
evidence for Nathan and Catherine’s children, but also shows that there may have been family 
tensions involving his son George Strong, our direct ancestor. Nathan gave his wife Catherine his 
Estate during her life.2” At her death, Nathan’s land was to be divided between children Thomas and 
Susannah Strong. His son Nathan Strong, Jr. received a slave named Bob.” At Catherine’s death, the 
remainder of Nathan’s Estate was to be sold, with the proceeds to be “equally divided among my 
children namely Betsey Lee, Molly Saddler, Rachel Loving, Anna Tibbs, Thomas Strong, Susannah 
Strong, and Nathan Strong.”?” Nathan’s son George Strong was excluded from this list of children, 
and was named separately with a bequest of only one dollar.*° Sons Nathan and Thomas Strong 
were appointed Executors. 


Nathan Strong’s Will was admitted to probate in August of 1823, and at that point the tensions in the 
family are clear.8! George Strong had received only a token one dollar inheritance in his father’s Will. 
Sometimes, this was a sign that the eldest son had already been given land before his father’s death, 
and thus had no need of a further inheritance. However, George Strong and his brother-in-law 
Abraham Loving appeared before the Court to challenge Nathan Strong’s Will.”8 The Court heard 
testimony from the witnesses to the Will: Samuel Nest, Lewis Page, and John P. Hawkins. Eventually, 
they decided that Nathan Strong’s Will was valid. However, the fact that our ancestor George Strong 
received only one dollar from his father and then challenged the Will’s validity suggests that there 
may have been lingering conflict in the family. 


Charles Waite Strong reported that Catherine (Callahan) Strong died around 1828.73 Per the 
instructions in Nathan Strong’s Will, after Catherine’s death her portion of the Estate was sold and 
divided in 1830.284 


91 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


Children of Nathan “Agis” Strong and Catherine Callahan: 


i. George STRONG was born 15 Jan 1773 in Virginia and died 18 Aug 1834 in Huntsville, 
Madison County, Alabama.” He married Mary Polly EAST on 6 Jun 1797 in Goochland 
County, Virginia.?%& 

ii. Anna STRONG was born about 1774 in Virginia. She married William TIBBS.”°” 

iii. John STRONG was born 10 Dec 1776 in St. James Parish, Goochland County, Virginia.?** He 
likely died before 1819.78 

iv. Thomas STRONG was born about 1776 in Virginia and died 23 May 1839 in Madison County, 
Alabama.? He married Elvira A.M. STEGER on 10 Jan 1833 in Madison County, Alabama.”*! 

v. Elizabeth “Betsy” STRONG was born about 1780 in Virginia.”2 She married Stephen LEE on 

2 Apr 1795 in Goochland County, Virginia.?° 
vi. Rachel STRONG was born about 1782 in Virginia.2* She married Abraham LOVING on 19 
Dec 1808 in Goochland County, Virginia.” 
vii. Mary “Molly” STRONG was born about 1784 in Virginia. She married George T. SADLER.” 
viii. Susannah STRONG was born about 1786 in Virginia.?7 She married Walker WILSON on 31 
Dec 1824 in Madison County, Alabama.” 
ix. | Nathan STRONG, Jr. was born 19 Feb 1789 in Virginia and died 11 Oct 1863 in Arkansas.” 
He married Nancy LOONEY Jan 1821 in Lawrence County, Alabama.3 


6. John Strong, Jr. (1698-Unknown) and John Strong, Sr. 


The case for Nathan “Agis” Strong as a direct ancestor in our line is very solid, supported by a large 
amount of primary sources. However, to explore Nathan’s ancestors we need to engage in a certain 
amount of speculation and extrapolation from limited evidence. This is unavoidable due to the 
amount of records that have been lost for this part of Colonial Virginia. There are simply not enough 
surviving sources to definitively state the parents for Nathan “Agis” Strong. However, in reviewing 
the available evidence and the existing research, I think it is more likely than not that Nathan was the 


son of the John Strong, Jr., who was born around 1698 to John Strong, Sr. 


The best secondary source I have found is volume five of the Strong Family Histories, published by the 
Strong Family Association of America. That book includes a lengthy discussion by researcher Robert 
T. Strong regarding the descendants of John Strong, Sr. He also agrees that our Nathan Strong is 
likely to be the son of John Strong, Jr.5°! Robert T. Strong was an experienced researcher, and although 
he made some connections based on probabilities, rather than proven connections, he was always 


careful to explain his reasoning and cite his sources when available. 


The records of St. Peter’s Parish in New Kent County, Virginia show the baptism of three sons of John 
Strong, Sr. between 1698 and 1703.5? The name of John Strong, Sr.’s wife is currently unknown.*3 We 
know from the baptismal records that John Strong, Sr. and his wife had at least three children: John, 
Jr. (baptized November 13, 1698) and his brothers William (baptized January 5, 1701) and George 
Strong (baptized May 23, 1703).5%4 St. Peter’s Parish is an historic Episcopal Church. It was established 
on April 29, 1679. St. Peter’s was the parish of Martha Dandridge, the future Martha Washington and 


92 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


first “First Lady” of the United States. She was married to future President George Washington at the 
church on January 6, 1759 by the Rector David Mossom.%> Many of the records from this part of 
Colonial Virginia have been lost. The area that made up New Kent County in 1698 would later be 
subdivided into Hanover, Louisa, and New Kent Counties by 1742.°°%° Goochland County, just to the 


south, was formed from parts of Henrico County in 1728.97 


Robert T. Strong attempted to reconstruct the family of John Strong, Jr. based on sparse information, 
including records of the family’s charge account listed in the “Merchandise Day Book” of Col. John 
Chiswell, a Hanover County, Virginia plantation owner.*° Several entries in Chiswell’s Day Book 
note purchases that were charged to the “Estate of John Strong.” These purchasers included Martin 
Strong, Mrs. Sarah Blalock, and Elizabeth Strong. Robert T. Strong concluded that all three were 
probable children of the deceased John Strong, Jr.°° However, I am not confident in this connection. 
Purchases charged to the Estate of John Strong could be from his children, but could also be from his 
surviving widow or other family members, such as grandchildren. We also don’t know that this was 
the Estate of John Strong, Jr., rather than his father John Strong, Sr. It seems quite possible that a man 
having children between 1698 and 1703 could have lived until the early 1750s. Without more 
information, I am not confident in assigning Martin, Sarah, and Elizabeth Strong as confirmed 
children of John Strong, Jr. based solely on the records of Col. Chiswell. 


In March of 1780, a man named John Strong testified before the Goochland County, Virginia Court 
that his brother Sherwood Strong had served in the 2" Virginia Regiment during the French and 
Indian War (referred to here as “the late war between Great Britain, France & The Indians”).3!° The 
French and Indian War was the portion of the Seven Years’ War, from 1756 to 1763, that was fought 
in Colonial America.*"! John Strong testified that his brother Martin was Sherwood’s heir-at-law, and 
Sherwood had not been able to claim any land he was due before his death. John Strong also served 
in the French and Indian War, and now he and his brother Martin sought to claim land warrants.3! 
Based on this testimony, we know that there was a group of three brothers named John, Martin, and 


Sherwood Strong. However, the parents of these three brothers are unclear. 


Robert T. Strong lists the brothers as likely children of the John Strong, Jr. who was baptized in 
1698.313 However, Nettie Hale Rand believed these brothers were the sons of the William Strong 
baptized in 1701.54 Neither has provided primary sources, to my knowledge, that would definitively 
prove either theory.3!5 Given the similar locations and a shared surname, it is probably likely that this 
John Strong and his brothers Martin and Sherwood Strong were descendants of John Strong, Sr. of 


New Kent, County, Virginia." 


As we saw above, our ancestor Nathan “Agis” Strong purchased land from John Strong in 
Goochland County, Virginia in 1786.°” This must have been the same John Strong who was seeking 
land grants for himself and Martin Strong in 1780 based on their service in the French and Indian 
War. No other men named John Strong appear in the Goochland County tax lists during this time 
period. Based on his claimed service during a war that ran from 1756 to 1763, it seems unlikely that 
the Goochland County John Strong was the John Strong, Jr. born around 1698 in New Kent, County. 


He was probably a generation younger. 


93 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


The Goochland County John Strong was almost certainly a relative of our Nathan “Agis” Strong, but 
his exact relationship remains unknown. The most likely possibility to me is that these men were 
brothers. During the 1780s and 1790s, both men appeared to have sons who were reaching the 
tithable age of 16. In 1783, John Strong was shown with Charles Strong for the first time as a 
tithable.*'8 In 1791, Nathan Strong appeared with our ancestor George Strong, and in 1792, also with 
Thomas Strong.?'? Because John and Nathan Strong both had sons who were reaching adulthood 
around the same time, I think it is unlikely that this John of Goochland County was the father of 
Nathan Strong. 


Based on this limited evidence, it seems likely to me that our ancestor Nathan “Agis” Strong was a 
descendant of the John Strong, Jr. who was born around 1698 in New Kent County, Virginia, and thus 
was also a descendant of his father John Strong, Sr. Nathan Strong lived in the same area of Virginia, 
and appears to be the right age to be one of the younger sons of John Strong, Jr.*2° Nathan may have 
been either the brother or cousin of the John Strong who sold him half his land in Goochland County, 
Virginia. Nathan Strong and his wife Catherine Callahan had sons named George Strong and John 
Strong, which were also the names of two of the sons of John Strong, Sr. of New Kent County. Given 
all of this circumstantial evidence, some connection between Nathan “Agis” Strong” and these earlier 


men named John Strong seems likely. 


Some additional support for our earliest Strong ancestors comes from Hank’s Y-DNA results. You 
may remember from the research involved in finding Hank’s father that his Y-DNA matches were 
not very useful. They were all too distantly related to help us find more recent ancestors that could 
lead to his immediate family. However, those matches do support the conclusion that Hank descends 


from John Strong, Sr. of Virginia. 


Hank has several Y-DNA matches with a “genetic distance” of two on the FamilyTreeDNA website. 
Y-DNA tests work by comparing segments of DNA called Short Tandem Repeat (STR) markers. 
These are segments of the Y chromosome that consist of repeating segments of nucleotides. The 
number of repeating segments changes over the generations as these STR markers mutate. The more 
STR markers you have in common with another person, the more likely you are to share a close 
common ancestor. Genetic distance is calculated by adding the total number of differences between 


two men’s STR markers.3! 


A basic Y-DNA12 test will uncover many people who match all of the twelve most common markers, 
giving a genetic distance of zero. However, this only tells you that there is a 50% probability that your 
shared ancestor lived no more than seven generations ago. There is a 95% probability that your 
shared ancestor is within twenty-nine generations. “Generations” is ambiguous term when translated 
into years, but assuming an average of around 33 years between each generation, a common ancestor 
twenty-nine generations in the past would have lived nearly 1,000 years ago.*2 This means that even 
a close match at twelve markers does not provide much specific evidence for genealogy purposes, 


and only indicates that you are distantly related.> 


94 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


Hank has tested. thirty-seven common markers, called a Y-DNA37 test. By testing more markers we 
can have more confidence in degree of relationship with his matches. Hank has three people who 
match with a genetic distance of two among these thirty-seven markers, all with the surname 
Strong.34 You can see on the chart below that this indicates a small chance they are related within 
four generations. However, there is a 70% chance that these men share a common ancestor within 
eight generations, and over a 90% chance that their common ancestor is within twelve generations. 
John Strong, Sr. is eight generations removed from Hank, and several of Hank’s matches list “John 
Strong” as their earliest known male ancestor. 


In comparing Y-DNA 37 marker results, the probability that Richard Strong and Hank James shared a 
common ancestor within the last... 


COMPARISON CHART 


Generations Percentage 
4 30.37% 
8 70.49% 
12 90.23% 
16 97.18% 
20 99.25% 
24 99.81% 


Chart from FamilyTreeDNA, where Hank has tested his Y-DNA 


Hank has five more matches with “Strong” men at a genetic distance of three across thirty-seven 
markers. Two of these men list John Strong, Sr. of New Kent County, Virginia as their oldest known 
male ancestor.32° One of these matches is named Ronnie Strong. Another is Robert Earl Strong, Jr. I 
have contacted Robert over email, and he can trace his line of descent through William Strong, son of 
John Strong, Sr.3° That makes Robert and Hank relatives at around the level of seventh cousins. It 


also provides evidence that Hank descends from John Strong, Sr. as well. 


Hank’s Y-DNA results are included in the Strong Surname Project hosted on FamilyTreeDNA. 
Surname projects attempt to track male lineage through the Y chromosome, which generally tracks 
with inherited surnames. Based on an analysis of his DNA, Hank is grouped with the “Southern 
Strongs.” There are currently thirteen men included in the Southern Strong lineage, including Robert 
Earl Strong and Ronnie Strong, who both list their descent from John Strong, Sr. Based on their 
shared DNA, the other men in this group likely also descend from John Strong, Sr. or a slightly more 
distant common ancestor.°” 


There is another line of “Strongs” in America who descend from an “Elder John Strong” who 
immigrated to New England. DNA testing has indicated that the descendants of this Elder John 
Strong of New England are a separate lineage from the southern line of Strongs.°?8 Descendants of the 
New England Strongs and descendants of the Southern Strongs have as many as seven differences 


among the first twenty-five STR markers, indicating that their common ancestor is many thousands 


95 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


of years in the past.*?? These branches are well-researched and you will sometimes see people add 
Elder John Strong as an ancestor for their Southern Strong families by mistake. As of today, John 
Strong, Sr. of New Kent, Virginia is as far back as we can possibly trace our branch of Strong paternal 


ancestors. 
Children of John Strong, Sr. and Unknown: 


i. John STRONG, Jr. was born about 1698 and baptized on 13 Nov 1698 in New Kent, New 
Kent County, Virginia.*°° He died Sep 1751 in St. Martin’s, Hanover County, Virginia. He 
married Mary, last name unknown.*! 

ii. William M. STRONG was born about 1700 and baptized on 5 Jan 1701 in St. Peter’s, New 
Kent County, Virginia®? and died after 25 Jul 1770 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia.**° He 
married a CAPE, first name unknown.*4 

iii. | George STRONG was born about 1703 and baptized 23 May 1703 in St. Peter’s, New Kent 


County, Virginia.%° 


96 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


References for Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


1 Ancestry.com, 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Precinct 9, Jefferson, Alabama; Page: 33; 
Enumeration District: 0093; FHL Film No. 1240020. George often appears with the middle initial F. 
For proof that his middle name was Farmer, see United States Social Security Department, 
Application for Account Number, John Coulbourn Strong, November 30, 1936, available on 
ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

2 Ancestry.com, 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Madison, Alabama; Roll: 22; Page: 192C; 
Enumeration District: 213. The last two children are discussed under George Farmer Strong, Sr.’s 
section. 

3 Ibid. 

*Letters Patent for Land Granted to Nathan Strong in Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama, March 
30, 1813, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 


5 “History, Madison County Alabama,” available at: madisoncountyal.gov/government/about-your- 


county/history. 
6 Ancestry.com, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Township 1, Range 2, Madison, Alabama; 


Roll: M593_27; Page: 258A; FHL Film No. 545526. 

7 Ancestry.com, 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Madison, Alabama; Roll: 22; Page: 192C; 
Enumeration District: 213. 

8 Ibid. 

9 Ancestry.com, Alabama County Marriage Records 1805-1967, Marriage of G F Strong and M E Pitcher, 
13 May 1891. 

10 Ancestry.com, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Birmingham, Ward 15, Jefferson, Alabama; 
Roll T524_20; Page 24A; Enumeration District 0097; FHL Film No. 1374033. 

" Ancestry.com, U.S. Social Security Death Index 1935-2014, Social Security No.: 418-32-6969, Issue 
State: Alabama, Issue Date: Before 1951. 

2 Ancestry.com, 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Precinct 9, Jefferson, Alabama; Page: 33; 
Enumeration District: 0093; FHL Film No. 1240020. 

13 Ancestry.com, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Birmingham, Ward 15, Jefferson, Alabama; 
Roll: T624_20; Page: 24A; Enumeration District: 0097, FHL Film No. 1374033. 

‘4 The Birmingham News, “Many Entries for State Fair Racing” (Birmingham, Alabama 20 Jun 1908), 
Page 13, available on Newspapers.com at: newspapers.com/clip/67337468/gf-strong-enters-a-horse- 
named-major/. 

15 See Charles G. Pitcher section below. 

16 The Birmingham News, “Races to be Run on the Fourth of July” (Birmingham, Alabama 24 Jun 
1905), page 22, available on Newpapers.com at: newspapers.com/clip/67340529/horses-owned-and- 
raced-by-george-farmer/. 

’” The Birmingham News, “Here are Four Harness Horses Trained in Birmingham on Southern Ohio 
Circuit” (Birmingham, Alabama 5 Aug 1923), Page 33, available on Newspapers.com at: 
newspapers.com/clip/67338875/harness-race-horses-trained-by-george/. 

18 Ibid. 

19 Ibid. 

20 The Birmingham News, “Two Men Killed in Spectacular Duel” (Birmingham, Alabama 6 Mar 
1911), Page 1, available at: newspapers.com/clip/53252123/the-birmingham-news/?xid=637. 

21 Ibid. 

22 Ibid. 


97 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


23 Ancestry.com, Index to Probate Estate Files, 1868-1936; Probate Estate Files, 1852-1936 (Jefferson 
County, Alabama), Record for Charles J. Strong, Probate Date 6 Nov 1911. 

24 Ibid. 

2 Ancestry.com, U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Record for John C Strong, 1919, 2415 Warrior Blvd, 
Birmingham, Alabama, USA; The Birmingham News, “Joe Strong, Who Left Birmingham Ten Years 
Ago, Returns Battle-Scarred Hero” (Birmingham, Alabama 17 Nov 1918), Page 36, available at: 
newspapers.com/clip/53251537/the-birmingham-news/?xid=637. This article shows George and 
Margaret as “Mr. and Mrs. Joe Strong.” 

26 Ancestry.com, British Army WWI Pension Records, 1914-1920, Records for William James James, 
available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

27 William H. Brantley, “City Ice Delivery Company Horse and Cart, Birmingham, Alabama” 
(Samford University Library), available at: 
digital.archives.alabama.gov/cdm/ref/collection/samford1/id/70. 

28 Ancestry.com, U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Record for George F Strong, 1927, 2415 Warrior 
Blvd, Birmingham, Alabama, USA. The image at left is from the Birmingham Public Library 
Archives, available at: cdm16044.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p4017coll6/id/855/rec/1. Use 
permission granted to author by email from Jim Baggett, Birmingham Public Library, 11 Jan 2023. 

9 Ice and Refrigeration Illustrated, (Nickerson & Collins, Co., Chicago & New York, Jan. to June, 


1915), Vol. 48, Nos. 1 to 6, Page 57, available at: books.google.com/books?id=Opc7AQOAAMAAJ,. 


30 From a video call with the author and several other family members in 2021. 


31 The Birmingham News, “Barn is Burned” (Birmingham, Alabama, 22 Aug 1921), Page 12, available 
on Newspapers.com at: newspapers.com/clip/67335981/fire-at-property-of-george-farmer-strong/. 
32 Ibid. 

33 Ibid. 

34 Photograph from the Birmingham Public Library Archives, available at: 
cdm16044.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p4017coll6/id/855/rec/1. Use permission granted to 
author by email from Jim Baggett, Birmingham Public Library, 11 Jan 2023. 

35 Ancestry.com, 1920 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama; Roll: 
T625_22; Page: 9; Enumeration District: 19. 

36 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Grace M. Strong and F.H. 
Perry, 20 Nov 1919, FHL Film No. 1029804. 

37 Ancestry.com, Oklahoma County Marriage Records, 1890-1995, Marriage of Grace M Strong and 
Foster Howard Perry, 5 Jan 1920, Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

38 Ancestry.com, U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Record for Foster H Perry, 1919, 2214 6 Av N, 
Birmingham, Alabama, USA. 

39 Ancestry.com, 1920 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama; Roll: 
T625_25; Page: 11B; Enumeration District: 195. 

40 Given that her brother John Coulbourn Strong later showed up in Oklahoma, there is also a 
possibility that this second wedding took place there so he could attend. However, the family story is 
that John Coulbourn Strong essentially disappeared one day and was never heard from again. If his 
sister travelled to Oklahoma to see him and get married there, it may have been done secretly. 

“| Ancestry.com, U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Record for Foster H Perry, 1918, Birmingham, 
Alabama, USA. 

# Ancestry.com, Alabama, Naturalization Records, 1888-1991, Record for Foster Howard Perry, born 
March 29, 1891, Birmingham, England, Arrival date: 10 Jun 1913, New York, New York, Declaration 
date May 9, 1917; Ancestry.com, Florida Naturalization Records, 1847-1995, The National Archives at 
Atlanta; Atlanta, Georgia, ARC Title: Declarations of Intention for Citizenship, 1909-1976, NAI No.: 


98 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


2118219, Record Group Title: Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685-2009, Record Group 
No.: RG 21 (Birth date given as 29 Mar 1886). 

48 Ancestry.com, Canada WWI CEF Attestation Papers, 1914-1918, Record for Foster Howard Perry. 

“4 Ancestry.com, Alabama Naturalization Records, 1888-1991, Record for Foster Howard Perry, born 
March 29, 1891. 

4 Ancestry.com, U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Record for Foster H Perry, 1915, Birmingham, 
Alabama, USA. 

46 Alabama, Naturalization Records, 1888-1991, Record for Foster Howard Perry, born 29 Mar 1891. 

47 Ancestry.com, Canada, WWI CEF Attestation Papers, 1914-1918, Record for Foster Howard Perry. 

48 Ancestry.com, U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Record for F Howard Perry, 1920, 2415 Warrior Blvd, 
Birmingham, Alabama, USA. 

49 Ancestry.com, U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014, Record for Tom Mix P Vajda, Born 2 Nov 
1920, Died 4 Mar 2013. 

50 Tom Mix was divorced and married five times, and was considered “Hollywood’s first Western 
star.” en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Mix. 

51 Ancestry.com, U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Record for Foster H Perry, 205 Parker, Tampa, 
Florida, USA. 

52 Ancestry.com, 1930 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama; Page: 49A; 
Enumeration District: 0097; FHL Film No. 2339764. 

53 [bid. 

54 Ibid. 

55 Ancestry.com, Alabama County Marriage Records, 1805-1967, Marriage of Grace M A Strong and Earl 
V Clotfelter, 26 Jun 1939. 

56 Ancestry.com, 1940 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Cusseta, Chambers, Alabama; Roll: m-t0627- 
00010; Page: 5A; Enumeration District: 9-28. 

57 The Chambers County News, “Mrs. M. Strong Passes” (Lanett, Alabama 6 Jan 1938), Page 2, 
available at: newspapers.com/clip/46900351/obituary-for-margaret-a-strong-aged/?xid=637. 

58 The Birmingham News, “Obituary for George F. Strong” (Birmingham, Alabama, 17 Feb 1944), 


Page 24, available on Newspapers.com at: newspapers.com/clip/67342723/obituary-for-george-f- 
strong-aged-82/. 


59 Ancestry.com, Texas Death Certificates, 1903-1982, Texas Department of State Health Services, 
Austin Texas, USA, Record for J C Strong, 16 Jun 1947. 

60 Ancestry.com, U.S. Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014, Record for Grace Clotfelter, Social 
Security No.: 418-32-6969, Issue State: Alabama, Issue Date: Before 1951. 

61 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Earl Vernon Clotfelter (4 Jul 1908-23 Feb 1987), Memorial No. 
153709936, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/153709936/earl-vernon-clotfelter. 

® Ancestry.com, U.S. Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014, Record for Earl Clotfelter, Social Security 
No.: 417-05-8790, Issue State: Alabama, Issue Date: Before 1951. 

68 Ancestry.com, Alabama County Marriage Records, 1805-1967, Marriage of Tom Mix Strong and 
Charlie Warren Parker, 17 Dec 1941. 

64 Ancestry.com, U.S. Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1925-1963, Record for Charles W. 
Parker, Death Date: 6 Oct 1943; Ancestry.com, U.S. Navy Casualties Books, 1776-1941, Record for 
Charles Warren Parker. 

6 Ancestry.com, Alabama County Marriage Records, 1805-1967, Marriage of Aaron Arthur Vajda and 
Tom Mix Strong Parker, 20 Jan 1944. 

66 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Arthur A. Vajda (15 Oct 1913-2 Jan 2000), Memorial No. 135928275, 


available at: findagrave.com/memorial/135928275/arthur-a_-vajda. 
99 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


67 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for TomMix “Tommy” Strong Vajda (2 Nov 1920-4 Mar 2013), 
Memorial No. 139346977, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/139346977. 

68 Ancestry.com, Texas Death Certificates, 1903-1982, Record for J C Strong, Death Date: 16 June 1947, 
Dallas, Harris, Texas. 

6 Ancestry.com, London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1932, Marriage of 
William James James and Dorothy Grace Christina Morria Taylor, 28 Feb 1916, Christ Church, 
Clapton, Hackney, England. 

70 Ancestry.com, Oklahoma County Marriage Records, 1890-1995, Marriage of William J James and 
Grace Brewer, 31 Dec 1925, Ottawa, Oklahoma, FHL Film No. 001305659. 

71 Ancestry.com, U.S. Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014, Record for Grace Clotfelter, Death Date 
Feb 1976, Cusseta, Chambers, Alabama. 

7 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Grace M. Strong and F.H. 
Perry, 20 Nov 1919, FHL Film No. 1029804; Ancestry.com, Oklahoma County Marriage Records, 1890- 
1995, Marriage of Grace M Strong and Foster Howard Perry, 5 Jan 1920, Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

73 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Second Regiment 33, Madison, Alabama; 
Roll: M432_9; Page: 364A; Image: 350. Most trees on Ancestry.com have April 3, 1832 as date of birth, 
but so far I have not found a source for this date. 

7 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Pleasant Strong and Sarah 
Stuart, 22 Sep 1835. 

75 Ancestry.com, Alabama Compiled Marriages from Selected Counties, 1809-1920, Marriage of Pleasant 
Strong and Elizabeth Madden, 14 Jan 1841. Elizabeth Howard had previously been married to a 
Madden; her maiden name was Howard. Ancestry.com, Alabama County Marriage Records, 1805-1967, 
Marriage of Elizabeth Howard and Mabra Madden, 15 Dec 1829. 

7 Excerpt of Fielding, “Alabama”, 1823, David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries, available 
at: davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~69~10131:Alabama. 

77 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Second Regiment 33, Madison, Alabama; 
Roll: M432_9; Page: 364A; Image: 350. 

8 Fielding Lucas, Jr., “Alabama, 1823” (Drawn and Published by F. Lucas Jr. Baltimore, 1823), 
available at: oldmapsonline.org. 


79 Madison County Alabama, “History,” available at: madisoncountyal.gov/government/about-your- 
county/history. 

80 Letters Patent for Land Granted to Nathan Strong in Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama, March 
30, 1813, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com; Letters Patent for Land Granted to 
Nathan Strong in Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama, March 2, 1815, available on 
ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

81 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Pleasant Strong (14 Jul 1798-19 Apr 1853), Memorial No. 74318374, 
available at: findagrave.com/memorial/74318374. 

8 Last Will and Testament of Pleasant Strong, Dated February 12, 1853, Madison County, Alabama, 
available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. See also FamilySearch.org, Madison County, 
Alabama Probate Records, 1818-1976, Loose Records, Strong, Hopson-Strong, Thomas B., Image 422. 

83 FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Deed Records, Vol. AA, Pages 341-342. 

84 Ancestry.com, Alabama County Marriage Records, 1805-1967, Marriage of George F Strong and Sarah 
E Jones, 8 Oct 1856. 

85 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 1, Madison, Alabama; Roll: M653_15; 
Page: 270; FHL Film No. 803015. 

86 Ibid. 


100 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


87 Fold3.com, George F. Strong, Fourth (Russell’s) Cavalry, Alabama, Confederate Army, Enlistment: 
1863, available at: fold3.com/page/635383268-george-f-strong/facts?xid=1945. 

88 [bid. 

8° Ancestry.com, 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Precinct 9, Jefferson, Alabama; Page: 33; 
Enumeration District: 0093; FHL Film No. 1240020. 

° Fold3.com, George F. Strong, Fourth (Russell’s) Cavalry, Alabama, Confederate Army, Enlistment: 
1863, available at: fold3.com/page/635383268-george-f-strong/facts?xid=1945. 

1 Robin Sterling, People and Things from the Marshall County, Alabama, Guntersville-Democrat, 1901— 
1908. The excerpt is from September 11, 1902, Vol. 22, No. 37, “The Sword of ‘Bushwacker’ Johnston,” 
Chapter XXII, Crossing the Tennessee with Col. Russell, pages 113-115. Clip available at: 
newspapers.com/clip/48112262/the-sword-of-bushwhacker-johnston/?xid=637. 

2 Fold3.com, George F. Strong, Fourth (Russell’s) Cavalry, Alabama, Confederate Army, Enlistment: 
1863, available at: fold3.com/page/635383268-george-f-strong/facts?xid=1945. 

3 Ancestry.com, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Township 1 Range 2, Madison, Alabama; 
Roll: M593_27; Page: 258A; FHL Film No. 545526. 

% Ancestry.com, 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Madison, Alabama; Roll: 22; Page: 192C; 
Enumeration District: 213. 

% Ancestry.com, Alabama Wills and Probate Records, 1753-1999, Index to Probate Estate Files 1868-1936; 
Probate Estate Files, 1852-1936 (Jefferson County, Alabama), Records for Chas J Strong, Probate date: 
November 6, 1911. 

% Daily Arkansas Gazette, “Erskine T. Strong” (Little Rock, Arkansas, September 7, 1917), Page 5, 
available at: newspapers.com/clip/26871972/erskine_t_strong funeral notice/?xid=637. 

%” Ancestry.com, U.S. Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1925-1963, Record for George F 
Strong, Death date April 1896. 

% Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 1, Madison, Alabama; Roll: M653_15; 
Page 270; FHL Film No. 803015. 

»° Ancestry.com, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Township 1, Range 2, Madison, Alabama; 
Roll: M593_27; Page: 258A; FHL Film No. 545526. 

100 Ancestry.com, Alabama Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974, Record for R.P. Strong, Death Date 4 
Nov 1927, New Market, Madison, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1908448. 

101 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Robert P. Strong and Anna 
W. Lipscomb, 20 Nov 1884, FHL Film No. 1305702 V. 12-13. 

102 Ancestry.com, 1940 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Cusseta, Chambers, Alabama; Roll: m-t0627- 
00010; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 9-28. 

103 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of G.F. Strong and M.E. 
Pitcher, 13 May 1891, Jefferson, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1299243. 

104 Ancestry.com, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Township 1, Range 2, Madison, Alabama; 
Roll: M593_27; Page: 258A; FHL Film No. 545526. 

105 Ancestry.com, Alabama Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974, Record for Fannie Mayhew Coyle, 
Death Date 14 Feb 1947, Alabama. 

106 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Fannie M. Strong and J.W. 
Coyle, 26 Jan 1892, Madison, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1305705, V. 18-19. 

107 Ancestry.com, U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007, Record for Larkin Booth 
Strong, Social Security No. 420203416. 

108 Ancestry.com, Alabama Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974, Record for Larkin Booth Strong, Sr., 
Death Date 6 Jan 1945, FHL Film No. 1908792. 


101 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


109 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Larkin B. Strong and 
Clemmie White, 19 Aug 1895, Greene, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1290854 V. F1, E2. 

10 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of L.B. Strong and Bell 
Williams, 9, Nov 1902, Saint Clair, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1035445. 

™1 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Harry E. Strong (29 Oct 1871-5 May 1898), Memorial No. 
101074580, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/101074580. 

12 Ancestry.com, U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007, Entry for Harry E. 
Strong. 

"3 Ancestry.com, Alabama Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974, Record for Charles J. Strong, Death 
date 5 Mar 1911, Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama. 

14 Ancestry.com, Alabama Wills and Probate Records, 1753-1999, Record for Chas J Strong, Probate date 
6 Nov 1911, Jefferson, Alabama. 

15 Ancestry.com, Alabama Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974, Record for Mannie Laura Williamson, 
Death date 26 Dec 1917, Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama. 

"6 Ancestry.com, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Birmingham Ward 4, Jefferson, Alabama; 
Roll: T624_18; Page: 19B; Enumeration District: 0052; FHL Film No. 1374031. 

"7 Ancestry.com, Alabama Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974, Record for Cornelia Parkerson, Death 
Date 20 Sep 1914, New Market, Madison, Alabama. 

"8 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Cornelia Strong and H.H. 
Parkinson, 30 Dec 1903, Madison, Alabama. 

19 Ancestry.com, Arkansas Death Index, 1914-1950, Record for Erskine T. Strong, Death Date 4 Sep 
1917, Pulaski. 

20 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Erskine T. Strong and Emma 
Hyche, 30 Jul 1903, Jefferson, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1064381. 

121 Ancestry.com, Alabama, Wills and Probate Records, 1753-1999, Index to Probate Estate Files 1868— 
1936; Probate Estate Files, 1852-1936 (Jefferson County, Alabama), Records for Chas J Strong, Probate 
date: November 6, 1911. 

122 Valley Leaves (The Tennessee Valley Genealogical Society, Inc., Quarterly, June 1969), Vol. 3, No. 
4, Pages 101-106, Information from Charles Waite Strong, George Strong Bible, and James A. Strong 
Bible, available at: huntsvillehistorycollection.org/hhc/vl/docs/Valley_Leaves_v03n01-04 1968- 
69.pdf?a=vl. 

123 Tbid. 

24 Letters Patent for Land Granted to Nathan Strong in Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama, 
March 30, 1813, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 


125 Letters Patent for Land Granted to George Strong in Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama, 
February 9, 1816, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

226 Daniel Walker Howe, What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1948 (Oxford 
University Press 2007), Pages 42-43. 

127 Gordon S. Wood, Empire of Liberty, Pages 528-529. 

128 Image is in the public domain and available at: 
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton_gin#/media/File:Cotton_gin EWM _2007.jpg. 

29 Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106. The James A. Strong Family Bible has 
another reference to a marriage of Pleasant Strong to “Sarah Booth” on November 2, but the date is 


unclear. It is possible he had an even earlier marriage to a sister of Sally Booth, or this could be a 
mistake. 

130 Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106; Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, 
Census Place: Second Regiment 33, Madison, Alabama; Roll: M432_9; Page: 364A; Image: 350. 


102 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


131 Ancestry.com, 1830 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Ranges 3 and 4, Madison, Alabama; Series: 
M19; Roll: 4; Page: 124; FHL Film No. 0002331. 

132 FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Deed Records, Vol. P, Pages 161-162. 

18 Tid. 

134 Ibid., Pages 160-161. 

135 Ibid., Page 159. 

136 FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Deed Records, Vol. Q, Pages 108-109, 403. 

137 Hank currently has 83 DNA matches on Ancestry.com who believe they descend from Peter Booth. 
Other sources indicate that Peter had a daughter named Sally Booth with his second wife Nancy 
Blades. See Timothy Douglas Booth, Booth(e) Family History (1994), Page vi, available at: 
familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/164580-redirection. However, I have not been able to 
find any documentary evidence to indicate this is the same Sally Booth who married Pleasant Strong. 
Peter Booth’s 1826 Will from Franklin County, Virginia indicates that his daughter Sally was under 
the age of 15 at that time, so I do not see how she could be the first wife of Pleasant Strong. See 
Ancestry.com, Virginia, U.S. Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1900, Franklin County, Will Books, Vols. 
3-4, Page 218. In addition, I am not aware of anything that would connect our Strong line to Franklin 
County. This is a good example of how ThruLines, although they reference DNA evidence, are 
actually based on traditional genealogy that can be mistaken. I have not determined exactly where 
the error is located. Given that these 83 people share DNA with Hank, it is certain they are connected 
in some way. Perhaps these ThruLine matches are all related to Sally Booth but have incorrectly 
identified her parents. 

138 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Pleasant Strong and Sarah 
Stuart, 22 Sep 1835; Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106. 

139 Ancestry.com, Alabama Compiled Marriages from Selected Counties, 1809-1920, Marriage of Pleasant 
Strong and Elizabeth Madden, 14 Jan 1841; Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106. 

140 Ancestry.com, Alabama County Marriage Records, 1805-1967, Marriage of Elizabeth Howard and 
Mabra Madden, 15 Dec 1829, Madison, Alabama. 

41 FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Deed Records, Vol. S, Page 216. 

12 Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Page 106. This note was dictated by Robert H. Strong to his 
sister-in-law Phinizy Strong, the wife of James A. Strong. The note was written in pencil and inserted 
into the Family Bible. 

43 Ancestry.com, 1840 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Madison, Alabama; Page: 139; FHL Film No. 
0002335. 

144 This was a systematic issue, exploited for political ends. The 1840 Census was the first to record the 


number of insane individuals. Apparently, it recorded more insane free blacks than there were free 
black people in the Country. This discrepancy was used by proponents of slavery to argue that 
African Americans could not handle freedom. Howe, What Hath God Wrought, Page 481. 

145 The Democrat, “Estray” (Huntsville, Alabama 1 May 1841), Page 4, available at: 
newspapers.com/clip/26858017/two_horses_found_by_pleasant_strong 10/?xid=637. 

146 FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Deed Records, Vol. T, Pages 511-512. 

147 FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Deed Records, Vol. V, Pages 291-292; FamilySearch.org, 
Madison County, Alabama Probate Records, 1818-1976, Loose Records, Strong, Hopson-Strong, Thomas 
B., Image 322. 

148 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Second Regiment 33, Madison, Alabama; 
Roll: M432_9; Page: 364A; Image: 350. 

4 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census Slave Schedules, Record for Pleasant Strong, Second 
Regiment 33, Madison, Alabama. No names are provided for these slaves, just ages. 


103 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


1450 James L. Roark, Masters Without Slaves: Southern Planters in the Civil War and Reconstruction (W.W. 
Norton & Company, Inc., New York, 1977), page ix, available at: 
archive.org/details/masterswithoutsl00jam_luu. 

151 FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Probate Records, 1818-1976, Loose Records, Strong, 
Hopson-Strong, Thomas B., Images 461-462, 505. The total for these medical services was $248. 

132 Will of Pleasant Strong, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. The Will names 


slaves: Washington, Col, Corsey, Judy, Luiza, Mary, Isaac, Martha, Chasey, Anderson, Bob, Moses, 
Harriet, Susana, Rose, Sarah, William, Elleck, Jesse, Daniel, Henry, Caty, Tolbert, Elly, Jeff, Caledonia, 
Mariah, Opah, Dick, Stephen, Jim, Mahala, Penny, Nancy, Francis, Viney, and David. See also 
FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Probate Records, 1819-1937, Vol. 17, Page 9; 
FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Probate Records, 1818-1976, Loose Records, Strong, 
Hopson-Strong, Thomas B., Image 422. 

153 Huntsville Independent, “Death of Mrs. Elizabeth Strong” (Huntsville, Alabama 8 May 1884), Page 
3, available at: newspapers.com/clip/26871391/elizabeth_ howard strong obituary/?xid=637. 

154 FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Probate Records, 1818-1976, Loose Records, Strong, 
Hopson-Strong, Thomas B., Image 422. 

155 Ancestry.com, U.S. Freedmen’s Bureau Records, 1865-1878, NARA Series No. M1900; NARA Reel 
No. 15; NARA Record Group No. 105. 

156 Ancestry.com, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Township 2, Range 1, Madison, Alabama; 
Roll: M593_27; Page: 268A. This is consistent with the family story of the descendant of Anderson 
Strong, who also believes he was of mixed race and may have “passed” as white on some occasions. 
157 census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/technical- 
documentation/questionnaires/1870/1870-instructions.html. 

158 Last Will and Testament of Pleasant Strong, Dated February 12, 1853, Madison County, Alabama, 
available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

159 Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106. 

160 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Benjamin Snodgrass and 
Penelope J. Strong, 25 Aug 1852, Madison, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1305697 V. 4-4A. 

161 Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106. 

16 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Robert H. Strong and 
Elizabeth A. Madden, 9 Oct 1849, Madison, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1305697 V. 4-4A. 

163 [bid.; Ancestry.com, Alabama Wills and Probate Records, 1753-1999, Nancy Snodgrass, Jackson, 
Alabama, Vols. O-P, 1867-1872. 

164 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Nancy Strong and William 
A. Chandler, 13 Jun 1844, Madison, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1305697 V. 4-4A. 

165 Ancestry.com, Alabama County Marriage Records, 1805-1967, Marriage of Nancy Chandler and 
Benjamin Snodgrass, 13 Aug 1854, Jackson, Alabama, FHL Film No. 001028279. 

166 Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106. 

167 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Mary P. Strong and Robert 
Lewis, 12 Nov 1849, Madison, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1305697 V. 4-4A. 

168 Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106. 

169 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Sarah Strong and G.W. 
Story, Jackson, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1028279 V. A. 

170 Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106. 

171 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of George F. Strong and Sarah 
E. Jones, 9 Oct 1856, Madison, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1305698 V. 4B-5. 

12 Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106. 


104 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


1 Ibid. 

174 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Emily Strong and John T. 
Moore, Madison, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1305698 V. 4B-5. 

1% Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106. 

7% Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Madison O. Strong and 
Gertrude L. Moss, 1 Jan 1873, Madison, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1305699 V. 5-7. 

177 Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106. 

178 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of James A. Strong and Maggie 
F. Phenizey, 2 Mar 1881, Lawrence, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1031092. 

17 Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106. 

180 [bid. 

181 [bid. 

182 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists, 1782-1809, Image 299. 

18 Ancestry.com, Virginia Select Marriages, 1785-1940, Marriage of Mary East and George Strong, 6 Jun 
1797, Goochland County, Virginia. 

184 Ancestry.com, The Douglas Register, Births and Baptisms, Page 189. The image on the next page was 
found on Ancestry.com and was presented as Mary “Polly” East. Iam unsure of its source. 

18 Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106. 

186 Ibid., Page 103. The Estate Files for Hopson Strong in Madison County, Alabama confirm that he 
had siblings Pleasant, Robert, and Charles W. Strong, along with a sister who married John Geddins 
(i.e., Nancy). FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Probate Records, 1818-1976, Loose Records, 
Strong, Hopson-Strong, Thomas B., Image 4. 

ie? Ibid. 

188 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 17, Pages 214-215, Image 124. 

189 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 19, Pages 452-453, Image 244. 

190 George Strong no longer appears on the Goochland County, Virginia Tax Lists after 1807. 
FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists, 1782-1809, Images 844-845. 
191 FamilySearch.org, Davidson County, Tennessee Wills, 1784-1941, Vol. 3, Pages 101-102 (Image 596). 
12 Fold3.com, Index to Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Soldiers who Served During the War of 1812, 
Record saved to George Strong’s page on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

193 tennesseestatemilitia.com/4th-regiment-west-tennessee-militia-infantry. 

i Tid. 

15 Fold3.com, Index to Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Soldiers who Served During the War of 1812. 
There was a John Strong in the First Regiment of the West Tennessee Militia, a Nathan Strong in the 
Regiment of Cavalry and Mounted Gunmen, and a Thomas Strong in the First Regiment of the West 
Tennessee Militia. There was also a Maston Strong in the Third Regiment of the East Tennessee 


Militia. As we will see below, Mastin Strong was connected to our earlier Strong ancestors, so this 
may be another relative. 

196 Letters Patent for Land Granted to George Strong in Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama, 
February 9, 1816, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

197 Ancestry.com, 1830 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Ranges 3 and 4, Madison, Alabama; Series: 
M19; Roll: 4; Page: 128; FHL Film No. 0002331. 

198 FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Deed Records, Vol. O, Page 95. 

199 Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106. 

200 FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Probate Records, 1819-1937, Vol. 6, Pages 700-703. 
201 [bid., Page 700. 

202 [bid., Vol. 7, Pages 79-80. 


105 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


203 Ibid., Pages 497-499. 

204 Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106. 

205 Tbid. 

206 bid. Probate records indicate that she died intestate, with son Robert Strong serving as 
Administrator. FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Probate Records, 1818-1976, Loose Records, 
Strong, Hopson-Strong, Thomas B., Image 285. 

207 FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Probate Records, 1818-1976, Loose Records, Strong, 
Hopson-Strong, Thomas B., Image 285. 

208 [bid., Image 325. 

209 Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106. 

210 Tbid. 

2 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Pleasant Strong and Sarah 
Stuart, 22 Sep 1835, Madison, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1305697 V. 4-4A. 

212 Ancestry.com, Alabama Marriage Index, 1800-1969, Marriage of Pleasant Strong and Elizabeth 
Madden, 14 Jan 1841, Madison, Alabama. 

213 Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106. 

214 Ancestry.com, Virginia Compiled Marriages, 1750-1850, Marriage of Nancy Lewis and Samuel H. 


Lewis, 7 Sep 1815, Bath, Virginia. Nancy’s last name of Lewis may indicate an earlier marriage to 
another member of the Lewis family, or may just be a mistake in the records. 

215 Ancestry.com, Alabama Marriage Index, 1800-1969, Marriage of Nancy Lewis and John Giddens, 1 
Mar 1836, Madison, Alabama. 

216 Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106. 

217 Ancestry.com, Alabama Marriage Index ,1800-1969, Marriage of Hopson Strong and Marth Hood, 28 
Apr 1835, Limestone, Alabama. 

218 Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106. 

219 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Robert Strong and Lucy 
Dinglass, Madison, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1305696 V. 3-3E. 

20 Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106. 

221 Ancestry.com, Alabama County Marriage Records, 1805-1967, Marriage of Chas M Strong and 
Deadama A Humphrey, 10 Oct 1828. 

222 The image to the left was found on Ancestry.com and its origin is currently unknown to me. 

223 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Second Regiment 33, Madison, Alabama; 
Roll: M432_9; Page: 364A; Image: 350. 

224 Ibid.; Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: North Western Division, Madison, 
Alabama; Roll: M653_15; Page: 30; FHL Film No. 803015; Ancestry.com, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, 
Census Place: Township 2 Range 1, Madison, Alabama; Roll: M593_27; Page: 297A; FHL Film No. 
545526. 

225 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: North Western Division, Madison, Alabama; 
Roll: M653_15; Page: 30; FHL Film No. 803015. 

226 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Charles Waite Strong (11 Aug 1804—23 Feb 1871), Memorial No. 
17943011, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/17943011. 

227 Image found on the real estate listing for 103 Cedarama Drive, NW, Huntsville, Alabama at: 
zillow.com/homedetails/103-Cedarama-Dr-NW-Huntsville-AL-35810/92154474 zpid/. 

228 Ibid. 

229 Ibid. 


106 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


230 Virgil Carrington “Pat” Jones, True Tales of Old Madison County: Tales of Early Madison County 
Pioneers and Their Historic Old Homes, (Johnson Historical Publication, Huntsville, Alabama, 1969), 
Pages 37-43. 

31 Real Estate listing for 103 Cedarama Drive NW, Huntsville, Alabama. 

32 The Democrat, “A Good Bargain!” (Huntsville, Alabama, 15 Oct 1834), Page 1, available at: 
newspapers.com/clip/26858466/charles_w_strong land_for_sale/. 

233 Ibid. 

234 See Notes about Agis Nathan Strong by his cousin Willie McClellan, available on notes to Nathan 


Strong’s page of ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

235 Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106. 

236 Strong Family Histories, Pages 275-276. I believe that Robert T. Strong was likely viewing Rosalie 
Edith Rogers Davis, Louisa County, Virginia Tithables and Census, 1743-1785. However, I have not been 
able to view a copy of this source myself. 

237 Robert T. Strong, Reply to discussion thread entitled “Strong Family of Charlotte, Co. VA”, saved 
to profile of Nathan “Agis” Strong on Ancestry.com. I have not yet been able to verify the claim that 
they worked as overseers. 

238 Ibid. 

239 Ibid. 

240 FamilySearch.org, St. James Northam Parish Births or Christenings, 1705-1797, Image 479. 

241 Some trees have Catherine’s parents as Darby Callahan and Unity “Montie” Harris. I have yet to 
find any solid evidence for this connection. 

2#2 Library of Virginia, Patent for Henry Callahan, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007319080205756. 

243 Fold3.com, Pension application for Charles Strong, Publication No. M804, Record Group 15, Roll 
2315, Page 4. 

244 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists, 1782-1809, Image 52. 

245 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists, 1782-1850. 

246 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 14, Pages 242-244. 

>47 Ibid., Vol. 10, Pages 51-52. 

248 Ibid., Vol. 16, Page 193. 

249 Ibid., Vol. 17, Pages 38-39. 


250 hmdb.org/m.asp?m=18353. 


51 wikitree.com/wiki/Randolph-855. 
252 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 17, Pages 214-215. 


253 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Order Books, Vol. 26, Pages 381-382, 481. 

254 Ibid., Page 576. 

255 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists, 1782-1850. 

256 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists, 1782-1809, Image 52. 

257 Ibid., Image 167. 

258 [bid., Image 299. 

259 [bid., Image 314. 

260 [bid., Image 500. 

261 [bid., Image 802. 

262 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Nathaniel “Nathan” Strong, Jr, Memorial No. 110305344, available 
at: findagrave.com/memorial/110305344/nathaniel-strong. 

263 Ancestry.com, 1810 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Goochland, Goochland, Virginia; Roll: 68; 
Page: 436; Image: 00837; FHL Film No. 0181428. 


107 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


264 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists, 1810-1832, Image 120. 
265 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 21, Pages 311-313. 

266 Ibid. 

67 Letters Patent for Land Granted to Nathan Strong in Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama, 30 
Mar 1813, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

268 Smith & De Land, Northern Alabama, Historical and Biographical (Smith & De Land, Birmingham, 
Alabama, 1888), Page 247, available at: archive.org/details/northernalabamahOObirm/page/247; Judge 
Thomas Jones Taylor, A History of Madison County (Confederate Publishing Company, University, 
Alabama) Page 30, available at: 

huntsvillehistorycollection.org/hh, ics/pdf/book2/History_ of Madison County 1732-1840.pdf. 
269 “Madison County, Alabama Native Americans,” available at: 
alabamagenealogy.org/madison/native_americans.htm. 

270 First Chickasaw Land Cession—Treaty of the Chickasaw Nation, 1805, available at: 
chickasaw.tv/events/first-chickasaw-land-cession. 


271 Treaty of January 7, 1806, available at: accessgenealogy.com/native/treaty-of-january-7-1806.htm. 
272 Image available at: assets.simpleviewinc.com/simpleview/image/upload/crm/alabamamlta/ditto- 
landing-marina_A9F07B76-5056-A36A-09888053D4FOFA 1B-a9f07b175056a36_a9f07bc6-5056-a36a- 
094b774ad19e4117.jpg and believed to be in the public domain. 

273 Letters Patent for Land Granted to Nathan Strong in Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama, 30 
Mar 1813, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com; Letters Patent for Land Granted to 
Nathan Strong in Huntsville, Madison County, Alabama, 2 Mar 1815, available on ChristensenJames 
tree on Ancestry.com. 

274 Ancestry.com, U.S. Indexed Early Land Ownership and Township Plats, 1785-1898, National Archives 
and Records Administration (NARA), Washington, D.C., Township Plats of Selected States, Series 
#:T1234, Roll: 2, Records for Nathan Strong, Huntsville Meridian, Alabama. 

275 Ancestry.com, Alabama Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1810-1890, Record for Nathan 
Strong, Madison County, 1815. 

276 FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Probate Records, Vol. 3, Pages 10-12, Images 17-18; 
FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Probate Records, 1818-1976, Loose Records, Strong, 
Hopson-Strong, Thomas B., Image 351. 

277 FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Probate Records, Vol. 3, Pages 10-12, Images 17-18 

278 Ibid. 

279 Ibid. 

280 [bid. 

281 Charles Waite Strong reported that Nathan Strong died in 1823. Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 
1969, Pages 101-106. 

282 FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Probate Records, Vol. 3, Pages 10-12, Images 17-18. 

283 Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106. 

284 Ancestry.com, Alabama, U.S. Wills and Probate Records, 1753-1999, Madison County, Alabama Loose 
Records, Nathan Strong, Case No. 1025, Image 351. 

285 Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106. 

286 Ancestry.com, Virginia Select Marriages, 1785-1940, Marriage of George Strong and Mary East, 
Goochland County, Virginia, FHL Film No. 31650. 

287 FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Probate Records, Vol. 3, Pages 10-12, Images 17-18; John 
E. Young, freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~eazier1/East/Strong.htm 

288 Ibid. 


108 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


289 John Strong is not mentioned in his father’s Will, which appears to name all of his other surviving 
children. FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Probate Records, Vol. 3, Pages 10-12, Images 17— 
18. 

290 John E. Young, freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~eazier1/East/Strong.htm; 
Ancestry.com, Huntsville-Madison County Public Library Obituary Index, 1819-2006, Obituary for Mr. 
Thomas Strong, The Democrat, 1 Jun 1839. 

291 Ancestry.com, Alabama Marriage Index, 1800-1969, Marriage of Thomas Strong and Elvira A M 
Nunnally, 10 Jan 1833, Madison, Alabama. 

2 John E. Young, freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~eazier1/East/Strong.htm 

23 Ancestry.com, Virginia Select Marriages, 1785-1940, Marriage of Betsy Strong and Stephen Lee, 2 
Apr 1795, Goochland County, Virginia; FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Probate Records, 
Vol. 3, Pages 10-12, Images 17-18. 

294 John E. Young, freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~eazier1/East/Strong.htm. 

25 Ancestry.com, Virginia Select Marriages, 1785-1940, Marriage of Rachel Strong and Abraham 
Loving, 19 Dec 1808, Goochland County, Virginia, FHL Film No. 31650; FamilySearch.org, Madison 
County, Alabama Probate Records, Vol. 3, Pages 10-12, Images 17-18. 

296 John E. Young, freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~eazier1/East/Strong.htm; 
FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Probate Records, Vol. 3, Pages 10-12, Images 17-18. 

297 Ibid. 

298 Ancestry.com, Alabama Compiled Marriages, 1802-1825, Marriage of Susan Strong and Walker 
Wilson, 31 Dec 1824, Madison, Alabama. 

299 John E. Young, freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~eazier1/East/Strong.htm,; 
FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Nathan Strong Jr. (19 Feb 1789-11 Oct 1863), Memorial No. 
110305344, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/110305344. 

309 Ancestry.com, Alabama Surname Files Expanded, 1702-1981, Marriage of Nathan Strong and Nancy 
Looney, Lawrence County, Alabama. 

301 Strong Family Histories, Vol. V (The Strong Family Association of America 1996), Chapter by Robert 
T. Strong, Pages 262-287. 

502 The Register of Saint Peter’s, New Kent County Virginia from 1680 to 1787, Pages 35-36, available 
at: archive.org/details/parishregisterof00stpe/page/34/mode/2up?q=Strong. 

303 Many online trees speculate that it is Sherwood, based on the presumed descendant Sherwood 
Strong. Even if we had solid proof that Sherwood Strong descended from John Strong, Sr., this would 
not be convincing proof as to his wife’s maiden name. Robert T. Strong agrees. Strong Family Histories, 
Vol. V, Page 263. 

304 The Register of Saint Peter’s, New Kent County Virginia from 1680 to 1787, Pages 35-36, available 
at: archive.org/details/parishregisterof00stpe/page/34/mode/2up?q=Strong. 

305 St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, “Our History,” available at: 
stpetersnewkent.thediocese.net/About_Us Mission and_Ministries/History/. 

306 digital newberry.org/ahcb/map/map.html#VA. 

307 [bid. 

308 Strong Family Histories, Page 267. This Day Book was abstracted and compiled by William W. 


Reynolds in 1981, but I have not been able to view a surviving copy. 

309 Tbid. 

310 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Order Books, Vol. 14, Page 13. 
311 history.com/topics/native-american-history/french-and-indian-war. 

312 [bid. 


109 


Section III, Part A: The Strong Line 


313 Robert T. Strong, Jr., “Strong Family History and Genealogy”, excerpts available on 
ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

314 Nettie Hale Rand, Rand, Hale, Strong and Allied Families: A Genealogical Study with the Autobiography 
of Nettie Hale Rand (1940), available on Ancestry.com. 

315 Rand’s book definitely does not have sources. It is possible that Robert T. Strong provided more 
details in his printed work, but I have not been able to find and view an existing copy. 

316 Hank currently has 5 DNA matches on Ancestry.com who trace their ancestry through Martin 
Strong, who they believe was a son of John Strong. 

317 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 14, Pages 242-244. 

318 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists, 1782-1809, Image 52. 

319 [bid., Images 299, 314. 

320 Robert T. Strong believes that Martin Strong, born about 1732, was the oldest son of John Strong, Jr. 
Nathan Strong, born about 1744, could have been Martin’s younger brother. Strong Family Histories, 
Page 285. 

321 The Family Tree DNA Learning Center, available at familytreedna.com/learn/y-dna-testing/y- 
str/genetic-distance/. 

322 Donn Devine, “How Long is a Generation? Science Provides and Answer” (International Society of 
Genetic Genealogy, Ancestry Magazine, Sep—Oct 2005), Vol. 23, No. 4, Pages 51-53, available at: 
isogg.org/wiki/How long is a generation%3F Science provides _an_answer. 

323 FamilyTreeDNA.com, “The Family Tree DNA Learning Center,” available at: 
familytreedna.com/learn/dna-basics/ydna/. 

34 They are Richard Strong, Robin Lee Strong, and Paul Byrn Strong. 

325 FamilyTreeDNA.com, Y-DNA Matches, available at: familytreedna.com/my/y-dna-matches 
(requires login). 

326 See Robert Earl Strong’s research at: azstrong.tripod.com/harry_alice/legacy/1169.htm. 

327 FamilyTreeDNA, “Strong/e; Strange/e DNA Project,” available at: 


familytreedna.com/public/strong-strange-lestrange?iframe=ycolorized. 


38 freepages.rootsweb.com/~donegalstrongs/genealogy/176110.htm. 
329 FamilyTreeDNA.com, Strong DNA Project Results page, available at: 


freepages.rootsweb.com/~donegalstrongs/genealogy/176110.htm. 
330 archive.org/details/parishregisterof00stpe/page/34/mode/2up?q=Strong. 
331 Robert T. Strong, Jr., “Strong Family History and Genealogy”, excerpts available on 


ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

332 Nettie Hale Rand, Strong, Rand, Hale and Allie Families —A Genealogical Study with the Autobiography 
of Nettie Hale Rand, relevant excerpts available on notes to John Strong, Sr. on ChristensenJames tree 
on Ancestry.com. 

333 freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~dstrong155/family1.html, also available as note to 
William Strong on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

334 Ancestry.com, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Marriage of William Strong and 
Unknown Cape. 

335 Nettie Hale Rand, Strong, Rand, Hale and Allie Families —A Genealogical Study with the Autobiography 
of Nettie Hale Rand, relevant excerpts available on notes to John Strong, Sr. on ChristensenJames tree 


on Ancestry.com; freepages.rootsweb.com/~dstrong155/genealogy/family1.html. 


110 


B. The East and Pruitt Lines 


Edward East | Thomas East | 


Edward East Il 
Benjamin East, Sr. - Elizabeth 


Mary Polly East Mary Hobson 


John Pruitt 
-— Alice Addison 


1. Benjamin East, Sr. (Before 1748-Before 1809) and Nancy Ann Pruitt (Before 
1755-After 1801) 


Mary Polly East was the wife of George Strong.! In 1834, Mary’s son Charles Waite Strong wrote that 
her parents were Benjamin East and Nancy Ann Pruitt, and primary sources support this 
connection.? Mary East’s birth to Benjamin East and his wife Nancy Pruitt was recorded in the St. 
James, Northam Parish Register of Goochland County, Virginia on May 24, 1774.3 Mary was the first 
child recorded for this couple, who were married on August 26, 1773 in Goochland County, Virginia.* 
Charles Waite Strong listed Benjamin East’s birth year as 1759 and Nancy Pruitt’s as 1760, but other 
evidence suggests that these dates were incorrect estimates. Based on land records and their marriage 
date in 1773, both were likely born before 1755. 


Some sources claim that Benjamin East fought during the Revolutionary War, but I have not found 
any records for his service.5 He would have been a young man during the Revolution and may have 
served in his local militia. In 1775, a son named John East was born to Benjamin and Nancy East, and 
in 1776 a son Benjamin East, Jr. was born. Both sons were recorded in the Parish Register, along with 
a daughter Betsie East born in 1783.° Benjamin East appeared on the tax lists for Goochland County, 
Virginia every year from 1782 (the first year records are available) until 1806.7 In some years, 
Benjamin was reported with no slaves, while in others he had either one or two slaves to report as 
tithables. On March 14, 1786, John Pruitt gave his daughter “Ann East”, the wife of Benjamin East, a 
slave girl named Esther for the nominal sum of 5 shillings.’ Our Pruitt line is discussed in more detail 
below. 


In 1792, Benjamin East and his wife Nancy Ann sold 83 acres of land in Goochland County, Virginia 
to Thomas Miller for £128, 12 shillings, and 6 pence.’ Note that even after the American Revolution, 
British Pounds continued to be the primary currency in the United States for many years. The 
following year, Benjamin East purchased 133 acres in Goochland County for £141 and 15 shillings. 
The 1793 tax list shows son John East as a tithable (i.e., 16 or older) for the first time." 


Benjamin East mortgaged these 133 acres, which were located on Licking Hole Creek, for £25, 5 
shillings, and 9 pence in 1795.2 Nathan Strong had also acquired land on Licking Hole Creek in 
1786.8 The children of these two neighbors, our ancestors Mary Polly East and George Strong, 


111 


Section III, Part B: The East and Pruitt Lines 


married in 1797.'4 The terms of the 1795 mortgage required Benjamin East to pay Mr. Shelton and Mr. 
Harris back before December 25'. I believe was able to do so and maintain ownership of this land, 
because in two transactions in 1805 and 1806, Benjamin East sold a total of 133 acres on Licking Hole 


Creek to James Houchens.!5 


In 1796, a son named Addison East begins to appear on the tax list as a tithable white male in 
Benjamin’s household, indicating that Addison was born by about 1780.1° On August 8, 1801, Ann 
East released her dower interest in the 1792 land sale to Thomas Miller. It appears that the deed was 
not recorded until this later date, and by this time Nancy Ann was in poor health. She was unable to 
travel to the Courthouse, so James Carter and William R. Fleming travelled to her home to obtain her 
consent to the sale.'7 Nancy Ann (Pruitt) East likely died around this time, because I have not found 
any dower release for the 1805 and 1806 land sales that her husband Benjamin made. 


In 1804, son named Tarlton East appeared for the first time on the Goochland County, Virginia tax 
lists, suggesting he was born by about 1788.'* 1806 is the last year that shows Benjamin East or any of 
his immediate family on the Goochland County, Virginia tax lists. We already saw that in 1805 and 
1806 he sold his land on Licking Hole Creek, and it appears that his wife Nancy Ann had died by this 
time. In 1806, Benjamin East and several of his children migrated as a group to Davidson County, 
Tennessee, near Nashville. An 1872 obituary for son Edward H. East notes that he moved west from 
Goochland County, Virginia to Nashville, Tennessee in 1806 along “with his father, brothers and 


sisters.” 19 


Benjamin East, Sr. died in Davidson County, Tennessee sometime before October 24, 1809, when an 
inventory of his Estate was taken.?° Benjamin had three unnamed slaves: a “negro woman & child” 
and one boy.?! He had outstanding debts to several people, including family members Addison East, 
Edward H. East, and James Buchanan (his future son-in-law). Jesse Carrell, the husband of daughter 
Betsie East, served as his Administrator.” Purchasers at the Estate sale on May 17, 1810 included sons 
Benjamin East, Jr and John W. East, along with sons-in-law George Strong and Jesse Carroll, and 
James Buchanan, who would marry Benjamin’s daughter Lucinda “Lucy” East a month later.?> In 
1811, Addison A. East and James Carter took over as Administrators of Benjamin East, Sr.’s Estate.” I 
have not been able to discover if James Carter married into the East family, although it would appear 


that most of the daughters of Benjamin East, Sr. have been accounted for. 


112 


Section III, Part B: The East and Pruitt Lines 


A Log House Built by Benjamin’s Son-in-Law James Buchanan Circa 18075 


On March 3, 1812, Benjamin East, Sr.’s Estate was initially settled in Davidson County, Tennessee. 


Jesse Carrell, John W. East, George Strong, and Tarlton East were all paid dividends as part of the 
Estate.2° A final settlement on August 25, 1813 included dividend payments to Jesse Carrol, John 


Jones, George Strong (for himself and as guardian for Jane East’s dividend), Benjamin East, Jr., 
Edward H. East, Tarlton East, Addison East, and John W. East.?” In 1808, John Jones had married 
Martha East, and the fact that he was receiving a dividend from the Estate indicates that Martha was 


another daughter of Benjamin East and Nancy Ann Pruitt. 


Confirmed Children of Benjamin East, Sr. and Nancy Ann Pruitt: 


Vi. 


Mary Polly EAST was born 24 May 1774 in Goochland County, Virginia.2? She married 
George STRONG on 6 Jun 1797 in Goochland County, Virginia.” 

John W. EAST was born 11 Jun 1775 in Goochland County, Virginia.*! 

Benjamin EAST, Jr. was born 1 Aug 1776 in Goochland County, Virginia.* 

Addison A. EAST was born before 1780 in Goochland County, Virginia. 

Betsie EAST was born 29 Aug 1783 in Goochland County, Virginia.*4 She married Jesse 
CARRELL on 21 May 1803 in Goochland County, Virginia. 

Tarleton EAST was born before 1788 in Goochland County, Virginia.* 


113 


Section III, Part B: The East and Pruitt Lines 


vii. | Edward H. EAST was born 26 Feb 1789 in Goochland County, Virginia and died 22 May 1872 
in Nashville, Tennessee.27 He married Celia BUCHANON on 12 Oct 1812 in Davidson 
County, Tennessee.*® 

viii. Martha EAST was likely born before 1790 in Goochland County, Virginia.*? She married John 
JONES on 7 Nov 1808 in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee.” 
ix. Lucinda “Lucy” EAST was born 11 Dec 1792 in Goochland County, Virginia.*! She married 
James BUCHANAN on 24 Apr 1810 in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee.* She died 15 
Apr 1865 in Davidson County, Tennessee.# 
x. Jane EAST was born 7 Oct 1793 in Goochland County, Virginia and died 14 Mar 1853 in 
Meridianville, Madison County, Alabama.“ She married Bracy LEWIS. 


Possible Children of Benjamin East and Nancy Ann Pruitt: 


i. Nancy EAST married Mastin STRONG in Goochland County, Virginia on 23 Dec 1799. 
a. John Pruitt, Sr. (Before 1736—About 1788) and Alice Addison (About 1737-A fter 1796) 


Nancy Ann Pruitt’s parents were John Pruitt, Sr. and Alice Addison.*” John Pruitt was born before 
1736. We know this because the legal age to purchase land in Colonial Virginia was 21, and on 
October 12, 1757, he purchased land in Goochland County, Virginia from Jesse Croom.** This land 
was located on Licking Hole Creek. As we saw above, John’s future son-in-law Benjamin East, Sr. 
also owned land on Licking Hole Creek.5° Whether John Pruitt was born in Virginia or perhaps in 
Europe is currently unknown. Researchers searching for his origins should note that the surname was 


variously spelled Pruitt, Pruet, and Prewit in the early records. 


John Pruitt married Alice Addison by August 9, 1758 at the latest. On that date, their son Obediah 
Addison Pruitt’s birth was recorded in the records of Rev. William Douglass, the Reverend of St. 
James Northam Parish in Goochland County, Virginia.*! As we already saw, their daughter Nancy 
Ann Pruitt was likely born by about 1755, which suggests they were married before this year. 
Obediah Addison Pruitt later stated on a pension application that he was born on July 6, 1755.°% It is 
possible that the Douglas records are mistaken. 


On November 14, 1761, John Pruitt sold a large amount of personal property to Alexander Baine of 
Henrico County for £53.54 The household goods he sold included “four good feather beds and 


Ww 


furniture,” “six leather bottomed chairs,” pewter dishes and plates, dinnerware, and tables, among 
other valuable possessions.* Livestock included one mare, one “Bay horse a natural Pacer... one Bay 
Colt about one year old and one flea Bitten Horse about 11 years old” along with twenty-eight cattle, 
“a couple of sheep,” and forty-one hogs.** The list of possession resembled those that were usually 
found with an Estate inventory. The circumstances of this sale are unclear to me. It seems possible 
that John was mortgaging his household goods and livestock, rather than outright selling them to 


Baine, although that is not spelled out in the document. 


The births of several other children are recorded in the Douglas Register of Northam Parish. On May 
27, 1764, a son named Meredith Field Pruitt was born to John Pruitt and Alice Addison.*” Sadly, it 


114 


Section III, Part B: The East and Pruitt Lines 


appears that this child died at a young age, because another son of the same name was born on April 
12, 1767 to the same couple.** A son recorded as “Harold” Pruitt was born on June 12, 1769.59 This son 
often appears as Harwood in other records, including his father’s Will, and I suspect that was his 
actual name.® The register notes that on February 21, 1775, William Douglas gave a sermon at “John 
Pruits Sons funferal].”*! This could have been either the first Meredith Field Pruitt, or a son named 
John Pruitt, Jr., who is listed in his father’s 1788 Will as already deceased.” 


Daughter Nancy Ann Pruitt married Benjamin East, Sr. on August 26, 1773, and in 1776 John Pruitt, 
Sr. gave his son-in-law Benjamin 120 acres of land in Goochland County, known by the name of 
“foxes tail.” On the same day, John Pruitt, Sr. gave another 120 acres that bordered this tract, 
“commonly called the old place,” to his son Abram Pruitt.* Both tracts bordered existing land owned 
by John Pruitt, Sr.® 


There are records for a John “Prewit” who served in the Revolutionary War as part of the 9 Virginia 
Regiment.® This soldier was a Private in the Company of Thomas Parramore, and enlisted on July 14, 
1776.7 The 9 Virginia Regiment recruited men from Goochland County, along with Accomack, 
Northampton, Albemarle, and Augusta Counties.® Also in this company was a Private Caleb 
Addison, perhaps a relative of Alice Addison. These connections suggest that it could be our John 
Pruitt, Sr. who served during the Revolution. However, John Pruitt, Sr. would have been over 40 
years old in 1776. While not impossible that he enlisted as a Private at this age, I believe it is far more 
likely that this record reflects his son John Pruitt, Jr. We know that John Pruitt, Jr. died before 1788, 
and left a son named Obediah Pruitt (named in his grandfather’s Will of that year).” Service records 
for this John Prewit indicate that he was taken prisoner in October of 1777, and received his last 
payment for his service on July 3, 1787.7! 


We know that John Pruitt, Sr.’s oldest son Obediah Addison Pruitt served during the Revolution. On 
his pension application in 1834, he stated that he was born on July 6, 1755 “as I always heard and 
believed.””? Obediah states that he was born and lived in Goochland County, Virginia.”* Obediah 
Pruitt’s declaration in support of his pension is difficult to read in places, but it appears he was called 


up as a member of the local militia several times during the War.” 


In 1783, John and Alice Pruitt, along with their son Abraham Pruitt, sold John Bolling 149 acres of 
land in Goochland County, Virginia for £298. This land bordered Benjamin East.7> On March 14, 1786, 
John Pruitt, Sr. gave his daughter Ann East, the wife of Benjamin East, a slave girl named Esther “for 
love and affection” plus 5 shillings.”° This transaction had likely been informally completed a few 
years earlier. On the 1782 tax list for Goochland County, John Pruitt appeared along with five slaves: 
Bresloe, Scott, Glassy, Esther, and Tom.” In 1783, Esther appeared on the tax list with Benjamin East.” 
In 1787, John and Alice Pruitt sold their son Obadiah Pruitt 74 acres in Goochland County for £100.” 
Obediah, who went by the nickname “Obey” signed a statement saying “Received of my father Mr. 
John Pruitt full payment of all accounts as my late Guardian and for all other transactions, to this 
day.”%? 


115 


Section III, Part B: The East and Pruitt Lines 


From 1785 until his death in 1788, John Pruitt appeared on the tax list as “exempt.”*! He may have 
been experiencing health issues, since those “unable to work due to infirmity or age were relieved of 
the county tax.”8? On March 11, 1788, John Pruitt, Sr. signed his Will.®° He left his Estate to his wife 
Alice for her use during the rest of her life or widowhood. His son Harwood Pruitt received the land 
and plantation where John lived, plus slaves Tom and Glass after his mother’s death. Son Obediah 
Pruitt received slaves Sett and Bett.** John’s grandson Obediah Pruitt, the son of John Pruitt, Jr. 
(deceased), was given one shilling. Children Abram Pruitt and Ann East also received a shilling, and 
grandson John East was given a bed and blankets.* 


Alice Addison lived until at least November 23, 1796, when she and her son “Harrod B. Pruitt” sold 
94 acres of land in Goochland County, Virginia to Samuel Couch.** I have not been able to determine 
Alice’s parents yet, even though we know her maiden name was Addison. Her children’s names, 


particularly “Meredith Field” Pruitt may be a useful clue to future researchers. 
Children of John Pruitt, Sr. and Alice Addison: 


a: Nancy Ann PRUITT was born about 1755 in Goochland County, Virginia.®” She married 
Benjamin EAST on 26 Aug 1773 in Goochland County, Virginia.* 
ii. Obadiah Addison PRUITT was born 9 Aug 1758 in Goochland County, Virginia.®® He 
married Frances JARRETT on 11 Dec 1785 in Goochland County, Virginia. 
iii. John PRUITT, Jr. was born about 1760 in Goochland County, Virginia and died before 1788 in 
Goochland County, Virginia.”! 
iv. Abram PRUITT was born about 1763 in Goochland County, Virginia.°? He married Ann 
DAVISON on 5 Nov 1783 in Goochland County, Virginia.” 
Vv. Meredith Field PRUITT was born 27 May 1764 in Goochland County, Virginia and likely died 
as a young child, before 1767 in Goochland County, Virginia.” 
vi. Meredith Field PRUITT was born 12 Apr 1767 in Goochland County, Virginia.® 
vil. Harwood B. PRUITT was born 12 Jun 1769 in Goochland County, Virginia.® 


2. Edward East II (Before 1719-Before 1754) and Mary Hobson (Unknown-—After 
1754) 


A combination of land records and naming patterns indicates that Benjamin East, Sr. was the son of 
Edward East II and his wife Mary Hobson of Henrico County, Virginia.”” Benjamin East inherited 
land in Henrico County from his father in 1754 and twenty years later, he and his wife “Ann East” 
(i.e, Nancy Ann Pruitt) sold that same tract of land. These transactions are discussed below, and are 
the primary evidence for this connection. In addition, Benjamin East, Sr. named a son Tarlton East, 
after his uncle of the same name, and named another son Edward H. East after his father. 
Benjamin’s daughter Mary Polly East named a son “Hopson Strong,” likely after her grandmother 
Mary Hobson. 


There are limited records for our ancestor Edward East II, but what does survive provides enough 


evidence to connect him both with his son Benjamin East, Sr. and his father Edward East I. Edward 


116 


Section III, Part B: The East and Pruitt Lines 


East II was likely born before 1719, because on March 29, 1740, Edward East, Humphrey Smith, and 
Thomas Binford were appointed to procession the 15‘ precinct of Henrico Parish (also known as St. 
John’s Parish), in Henrico County, Virginia.°? Edward would have been an adult male landowner 
who was a respected member of his community in order to be chosen for this role, so he was likely 
born well before 1719.1 Among Edward East II’s neighbors were William Porter, Sr. and William 
East, likely Edward’s brother.’ This portion of Henrico Parish included all “between the Western 
Run, the head of Bailey’s Run and the parish line, to extend northward as far back as the fork of Long 
Bridge Road.”1°2 Edward East II was appointed to procession the same district in 1751.1% 


St. John’s Church in Henrico Parish is one of the oldest wooden structures that still survives from 
Colonial Virginia. The building dates from 1741, during the time of Edward East II, and has been 
added on to over the years.’ In March of 1775, a few years after our ancestor Benjamin East, Sr. 
moved to Goochland County, the Second Virginia Convention was held at St. John’s, which was then 
called Henrico Parish Church. “Patrick Henry, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Peyton 
Randolph and other prominent Virginians were delegates to this convention. Here, Patrick Henry 


embodied the spirit of the Revolution on March 23, 1775, with his words, “Give me liberty . . . or give 


me death!” 195 


or me On September 9, 1753, Edward East II signed his 

ia, AF Will in Henrico County, Virginia.!°% Edward named 
his wife Mary as his Executor, along with “her two 
Brothers William Hobson and Benjamin Hobson.” 107 
Edward left his son Jesse East 50 acres of land that 
ran from “where the path that goes from my house 
to Jane Porter crosses the Western Run” and 
bordered Thomas Rogers and Robert Maddox. An 
adjacent 50 acres was given to Edward’s son 
Benjamin East. As we will see, the Porter and 
Maddox neighbors are the key to tracking the 
ownership of this land over time.' The witnesses to 
Edward East II’s Will were Charles Woodson, Robert 
Maddox, Thomas Jolly, Jane Porter, and Sarah 


Warren. 110 


It is clear that Edward East II’s sons were still minors 
St. John’s Parish, Henrico County, as of 1753, because his Will instructed his wife Mary 
Virginia to use his Estate “for the purposes of paying my 

Debts and Educating my Children.” Jesse East 

must have been born before 1744, because in 1764 he sold the 50 acres that he had inherited from his 
father to Thomas Williams for £24.1 In general, selling land was only done by legal adults who had 
reached the age of 21."5 In 1768, Thomas Williams sold this tract of land to our ancestor Benjamin 
East for £40.14 These 50 acres bordered the Western Run, William Porter, and Robert Maddox, and 


117 


Section III, Part B: The East and Pruitt Lines 


one of the witnesses was Samuel Gaithwright, Jr."!5 Based on this transaction, our ancestor Benjamin 
East, Sr. must have been born before 1748. He now owned the entire 100 acres of land in Henrico 


County that had previously belong to Edward East II. 


We know this was our Benjamin East, because in 1774 “Benjamin East and Anne his wife” sold 100 
acres of land in Henrico County to Moses Woodson."* The land bordered John Mattox or Maddox, 
likely a descendant of the Robert Maddox above. This deed was originally lost during the 
Revolutionary War, when it was “destroyed by the enemy.”"!” In 1783, Moses Woodson appeared 
before the Henrico County Court to establish his ownership of the land. George Robertson testified 
that he was a witness to the original deed."* Benjamin and Nancy Ann East did not appear in court to 
help re-establish this deed, which suggests they had left Henrico County by 1783. That is consistent 
with the records discussed above, with Benjamin East receiving land in neighboring Goochland 


County by 1786,"!° and appearing on the tax lists there by 1782.1 
Children of Edward East II and Mary Hobson: 


i. Jesse EAST was born before 1744 in Henrico County, Virginia. !2! 
li. Benjamin EAST was before 1748 in Henrico County, Virginia.’ He married Nancy Ann 
PRUITT on 26 Aug 1773 in Goochland County, Virginia. !?3 


3. Edward East I (By 1675-About 1735) and Elizabeth (Unknown-A fter 1735) 


Surviving references to Edward East I are fairly limited, but like his son Edward East II, they are 
sufficient to link him back another generation to his father Thomas East I. As we will see below, 
Thomas East I gave his son land on the Westerly Run bordering William Porter, Sr. in 1696.'24 This 
suggests that he was born by at least 1675. Edward East I appeared on the Quit Rent Rolls of Henrico 
County, Virginia in 1704 with 150 acres of land.!?5 His father Thomas East I had 475 acres, and his 
brother Thomas East II had 554 acres in Henrico County in that same year.’ In 1715, Edward East 


was a witness to the Will of the large landowner John Woodson in Henrico County, Virginia. !?” 


Perhaps based on this document, some researchers claim that Edward’s wife was Elizabeth Woodson, 
the daughter of Robert Woodson and Elizabeth Ferris. Witnesses to a Will could sometimes be 
relatives, but in my experience, were more often simply neighbors. We know that Edward East’s 
descendants continued to live near the Woodson family in Henrico Parish, but that by itself is not 
enough to prove that he married into this family. Incidentally, Hank James does descend from Robert 
Woodson and Elizabeth Ferris, but on his mother’s side. This connection is discussed below in The 


Mosby and Woodson Lines. 


On August 8, 1734, Edward East I signed his Will in Henrico County, Virginia.'8 He left his son 
William East one shilling. Son Edward East (II) received “one part of my land and all that lyeth on 
North Side of the Run that I live on and one ewe and a lamb.”!”? Son Isham East received the other 
part of his land and a slave girl named Tab after the death of his mother. The first child of Tab was 


given to Edward’s daughter Mary, along with a feather bed and furniture and one ewe and lamb.'™ 


118 


Section III, Part B: The East and Pruitt Lines 


Sons Tarlton and Joseph received the remainder of the Estate after the death of their mother. Edward 
East’s wife’s name was not listed in the Will, but she was given the rest of his Estate during her 
widowhood and was named Executor.'*! Witnesses to the Will were neighbors William, John, and 


Ann Porter. It was proved in Court in February of 1736.'9? 


ayacacnmona «QU \ BetomiBridy 
phi, 


det, AO 


The Western Run is a Tributary of Turkey Island Creek. It is seen here as the small branch 


extending north of Malborn Hills in Henrico County, Virginia.'° 


A procession by William Porter, Jr. and others on December 6, 1735 showed Elizabeth East with land 
bordering Francis Gaithwright.'* This suggests that Elizabeth was the widow of a man named “East” 
and given the location, she must have been the wife of Edward East I. William Porter, Jr. had been 
charged by the Henrico Parish Vestry to procession the portion of the parish containing “all Land 
from the Western Run to the outward precinct on Chickahominy Swamp.” 5 As we saw above, this 
land on the Western Run bordering the Porter family is the same land that Edward East II devised to 
his sons Jesse and Benjamin East in 1753.'°° Samuel Gaithwright, Jr. was a witness when Benjamin 
East purchased his brothers’ 50 acre portion in 1768.'%” Given all these connections, this must be the 
same tract of land that Edward East I devised to his son Edward East II. 


Elizabeth East appears to have outlived her husband by over twenty years and remained a widow. 
On March 3, 1755, the Henrico County Court ordered that “Elizabeth East, widow and relict of 
Edward East, deceased” receive her full third part of her late husband’s lands.'** This cannot have 
been the widow of Edward East II, because he had died about a year earlier and his wife was Mary 
Hobson.!%? 


119 


Section III, Part B: The East and Pruitt Lines 


Children of Edward East I and Elizabeth: 


1. William EAST“ 

2. Edward EAST II was born before 1719 in Henrico County, Virginia'! and died before 4 Mar 
1754 in Henrico County, Virginia.’ He married Mary Hobson before about 1744.18 

Isham EAST 

Mary EAST" 

Joseph EAST'“6 

Tarlton EAST!” 


ON ON PS 


4. Thomas East I (About 1640—About 1726) 


A surprising amount of records have survived from early Colonial Henrico County, Virginia, which 
gives us excellent insight into the life of Thomas East I, the father of Edward East I.™8 In 1680, 
Thomas East testified that he was “aged about 40 years or thereabouts” when he was a witness in a 
court case, so we know that he was born around 1640.'4° Whether he was born in Virginia or 


emigrated from England during his early years is currently unknown. 


In 1672, Thomas Cocke of Pickthorne Farm made out a deed to our ancestor Thomas East.!5° The deed 
gave East a parcel of land “lying and being within line of what land he now holds but is part of that 
land belonging now to me and to my brother, given by will of our father. He shall have the land 
forever before any other person, he paying for the same what it may then be thought reasonable 
worth. If it fall to my share to have it, he only paying the acknowledgment of renting it every year by 
payment of one ear of corn the 25th day of December yearly til the 20 years be expired, which will be 
the 25th day of September 1688.”'5! This suggests that Thomas East had been living on the land since 
at least 1668, which started the twenty year term. Family history in the Cocke family “states that 
Thomas East was an overseer for Mr. Thomas Cocke’s Turkey Island Plantation.” 2 Thomas Cocke 
was a large landholder, and while I have not been able to verify this claim, if Thomas East served as 


his overseer, it would explain why he was given a free lease on part of Cocke’s land for twenty years. 


In 1679, Thomas East was listed among the tithable males at Turkey Island, Henrico County, 
Virginia. He was the only tithable listed for his household, which may suggest that his sons 
Thomas East II and Edward East I had not yet reached the age of 16. On September 28, 1681, Thomas 
East obtained a patent for 531 acres of land on the south side of the White Oak Swamp in Henrico 
County, Virginia.4 This was a joint grant, shared with Robert Woodson, John Woodson, Robert 
Clarke, and William Porter.'® It is clear from later records involving Thomas East’s descendants that 
these men were neighbors and associates; it is not yet known if our East ancestors were related to any 


of them by marriage. 


During this time period, Thomas East I was a member of the Henrico County Grand Jury on several 
occasions.'°6 Colonial courts served a wide range of functions in this small society, everything from 
dealing with land and contract disputes, to ensuring that orphans had guardians, and maintaining 


public order and morals. Thomas East I was involved with the Court on several occasions. Thomas 


120 


Section III, Part B: The East and Pruitt Lines 


and his second wife Dorothy were cited for “once swearing,” along with a long list of neighbors who 
were cited for the same offense.'57 On September 1, 1684, Richard Ferris testified that “Thomas East 
and his man was drunk to ye best of my judgment in so much that they were fighting and tearing like 


madd people.”1* 


The reference to “his man” likely means that Thomas East I had indentured servants, which was a 
common way for settlers to pay off the price of their passage to the Colony. In 1685, Thomas East was 
cited by the Grand Jury “for a woman servant concealed.” °° This may indicate that his female servant 
was either a Native American or worked in the fields: most white female servants were not taxed, but 
in either of these cases, she would have been considered a tithable.! It appears that Thomas kept her 
hidden from the tax collector and she was later discovered. We know that his son Thomas East II had 


a Native American servant, so Thomas East I may have as well.1« 


Thomas East I married Dorothy Thomas in 1686, recorded in one of the earliest surviving marriage 
records from Henrico County.' Sometime before 1686, Thomas East I's first wife must have died. No 
records survive as to her name, but she was the mother of at least three children, including our 
ancestor Edward East I. We know that their son Thomas East II was born around 1667, because in 
1695 he testified that he was about 28 years old.’ Mavell East was likely born by at least 1672, 
because on June 10, 1690, her father Thomas East I gave her 106 acres of land on the south side of 
White Oak Swamp, along with her husband John Robinson.'* This was Thomas East I’s one-fifth 
portion of the 531 acre land grant that he obtained back in 1681 along with the Woodson, Clarke, and 


Porter men. 


Our ancestor Edward East I received land from his father in 1696, so he must have been born by at 
least 1675.1 Dorothy, the second wife of Thomas East I, released her dower interest in this gift of 
land in 1698. In doing so, she stated that the land was “given and granted by her husband Thomas 
East unto her son-in-law Edward East.” '* During the Colonial period, the term in-law “was used in a 
much broader sense than it is today, referring to any relationship created by a legal event, like a 
marriage. For example, a stepfather was typically called a father-in-law. Likewise, a son-in-law 
could have meant a stepson, the husband of a daughter, or even the husband of a stepdaughter or 
daughter-in-law.”'° It is clear that Dorothy Thomas was the step-mother of our ancestor Edward East 


I, not his mother. 


Thomas East I acquired additional land on the north side of the James River in Henrico County in 
1690.18 In 1691, Thomas Cocke, Jr. and Thomas East I were involved in a lawsuit over the original 
land lease from 1672. A note in the Henrico County records for 1691 states “a case between ye 
subscribed Cocke and East for ye above mentioned land and owned per both plaintiffs.”1%° Thomas 
East appointed Edward Chilton as his attorney, and argued that based on the 1672 lease, he should 
have been able to purchase the leased land for a reasonable price. Cocke responded that he was only 
obliged to let Thomas East I purchase the land before anyone else, but that in fact Cocke “hath not 
nor doth intend to sell it.” Cocke also claimed that East had never paid the annual 


acknowledgement of one ear of corn, and that a rent free lease was not sufficient consideration for 


121 


Section III, Part B: The East and Pruitt Lines 


acquiring the land.!7! The Court agreed with Cocke, and Thomas East I appealed the decision, with 
his son Thomas East II appearing as a security.!” 


In 1695 Thomas East I was involved in a dispute with Francis Sampson. Several men gave depositions 
in this case, including Thomas East II, Robert Woodson, Sr., and Edward Mosby.! Edward Mosby 
was the son-in-law of Robert Woodson, Sr. Although some researchers have claimed that our 
ancestor Edward East I married Robert Woodson’s daughter, Elizabeth Woodson, I have not found 
any solid evidence for that claim. However, it is interesting to note that both Edward Mosby and 
Robert Woodson, Sr. are Hank’s ancestors on his maternal line. 230 years before Hank’s parents 


married in Oklahoma, their ancestors were neighbors in Henrico County, Virginia. 


The details of this case are interesting. Apparently at some point, Francis Sampson had broken open a 
door belonging to Thomas East I. Sampson went to the home of Robert Woodson, Sr. and “desired 
him to go along with him to Thomas East’s to make peace between them, saying that was told that he 
had committed redress towards the said East by breaking open a door and was afraid the said East 
would sue him for it.”!74 Given that Sampson apparently didn’t remember breaking the door, he may 
have been drunk at the time. Edward Mosby was with Robert Woodson, Sr. and went with the men 
to Thomas East’s house. “East told Sampson that if he would give him five hundred pounds of 
tobacco for what damage he had done and what he owed him, he would be contented, provided 
Robert Woodson or this deponent [Edward Mosby] would pass for it.” Woodson and Mosby both 
refused to vouch for Sampson, so instead Sampson promised to saw 1,000 feet of wooden planks as 
payment, which East accepted. It appears that Woodson and Mosby were wise not to vouch for 


Sampson’s payment, because Thomas East I had to sue Sampson to recover from him.!” 


On September 27, 1696, Thomas East I gave gifts of land to each of his sons: Thomas East II and our 
ancestor Edward East I.!”7 The land was described as being along the Western Run and bordering 
William Porter, Sr.178 This is the key link between Thomas East I, his son Edward East I, his grandson 
Edward East II, and his great-grandson Benjamin East, Sr. We know that Edward East I lived along 
the Western Run bordering William Porter.!” Edward East I left his son Edward East II land on the 
north side of the run that he lived on.!®° In turn, Edward East II left this land, on the Western Run and 


bordering Jane Porter, to his son Benjamin East, Sr. in 1753.18! 


The early history of Henrico County, Virginia is filled with conflicts between the English settlers and 
the local Native American tribes. As we will see below, Robert Woodson, Sr. narrowly survived a 
1644 Indian attack on the settlement in which 300 white settlers were killed, including his father. 
Tensions with the tribes could still be seen in the late 17 century. In April of 1699, the County Court 
instructed Robert Woodson, Jr. to give notice to “all ye principall inhabitants and others within his 
precincts, especially Richard Cocke, Jr., Benjamin Hatcher, Sr., Stephen Cocke, Allanson Clarke, 
Robert Povall, William Lewis, and Thomas East, Sr. [i.e., Thomas East I] to appear at ye court house 
of this County upon Friday next, being ye 21* of this instant April that further enquiry may be made 
whether any of them are fearful or apprehensive of the Emperor of Piscatoway or Architeke and his 
Indians doing of any mischief.” 18? The Piscatoway Tribe had been driven from their native territory in 


Maryland into Eastern Virginia, and apparently the Colonists in Henrico County were concerned. '* 


122 


Section III, Part B: The East and Pruitt Lines 


By 1726, Thomas East I was nearing the end of his life. He made a gift of two slaves, named Jack and 
Tabb, to his son Edward East I.184 Note that this is likely the same slave named Tabb that Edward East 
I devised to his son Isham East in 1734.18 In making this gift, Thomas noted that it was “in 
consideration of the natural love and affection I have for my son Edward East but likewise in 
consideration of his dutiful care of my person being old and almost blind and wholy incapable to 
take care of myself.”1®° Neighbors William Porter, Jr. and John Porter witnessed this gift.1°” 


3 : — 
v Mis fe 
5 Ga as tor by ow & ‘ Sak ~ 


i404 


Thomas East I’s Mark from his May 26, 1726 Gift to son Edward East I 


On August 11, 1726, Thomas East I signed his Will.'*° He left his second wife Dorothy his slaves 
Abraham, Isaac, Jenny, and Aggy, along with the plantation where he was living.'8® After Dorothy’s 
death, this plantation was devised to his son Thomas East II. Sons Edward East I and Thomas East II 
received one shilling. We have seen that they already received land from their father back in 1696. 
Finally, he left his daughter “Mary Alsops” one shilling.!® 


PP 2 a, Y PEO: Dee BS 

ON a | Bi. ee Sea 

Thomas East I’s Mark from his August 11, 1726 Will. It is clear that his vision and handwriting had 
rapidly declined since May. 


Thomas East I drafted an additional document on November 26, 1726 that made the same gifts as 
those in his August Will. It is unclear exactly why he thought this second gift was necessary. The only 
significant difference is that in the November document, his daughter was described as “Mavill 
Alsoup.”'%! Although some researchers have concluded that Thomas East I had two daughters, one 
who married John Robinson and another who married an Alsop man, I suspect they were the same 
person. Mavell “Mary” East married John Robinson by June 10, 1690, when her father gave her the 
gift of 106 acres discussed above.’ John Robinson died before July of 1721, when his Will was 
proved in the Henrico County, Court, and his widow Mavell was granted Administration of the 


123 


Section III, Part B: The East and Pruitt Lines 


Estate.!> Based on her father’s Will, it appears that sometime between 1722 and 1726, Mavell “Mary” 


East remarried to a man named Alsop. 


Dorothy East survived her husband, and in 1726 gifted slaves Isaac and Jenny to her “well beloved 
friend Edward Preston.” '%* The following March, she sold the slave Abram (or Abraham) to Matthew 
Hobson for £35.1% Edward Preston signed this document below Dorothy East.1% 


Children of Thomas East I and Unknown Wife: 


i. Thomas EAST II was born about 1667!” and died after 1737.1 He married Ann PERRIN 
about 19 Apr 1695 in Henrico County, Virginia. 

ii. Mavell “Mary” EAST was likely born by 1672 and died before 1737.7 She married John 
ROBINSON by 10 Jun 1690 in Henrico County, Virginia.*°? She married Unknown ALSOP by 
1726.28 

iii, | Edward EAST I was born by 16752 and died before 6 Dec 1735 in Henrico County, 
Virginia. He married Elizabeth UNKNOWN.2% 


124 


Section III, Part B: The East and Pruitt Lines 


References for Section III, Part B: The East and Pruitt Lines 


! Ancestry.com, Virginia Compiled Marriages, 1660-1800, Marriage of George Strong and Mary East, 6 
Jun 1796. 

2 Valley Leaves, Vol. 3, No. 4, June 1969, Pages 101-106. 

3 FamilySearch.org, St. James Northam Parish, Goochland, Virginia Computer Printout, Births or 
Christenings, 1705-1797, Image 315. 

4 Ancestry.com, Virginia Select Marriages, 1785-1940, Marriage of Ben East and Nancy Pruitt, 26 Aug 
1773, St. James, Northam Parish, Goochland, Virginia, FHL Film No. 975.5 V2D. 

5 Ancestry.com, Alabama Civil War Residents, 1776-1783, Record for Benjamin East, Birth Date 1759, 
Virginia, Death Date 1809, Alabama. 

6 FamilySearch.org, St. James Northam Parish, Goochland, Virginia Computer Printout, Births or 
Christenings, 1705-1797, Image 315. 

7 Goochland County Tax Lists: FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Personal Property Tax 
Lists, 1782-1809. 

8 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 14, Pages 259-260. 

9 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 16, Page 145, Image 390. 

10 [bid., Pages 155-156, Images 395-396. 

" Ibid., Image 351. 

2 Ibid., Pages 441-442, Images 540-541. 

13 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 14, Pages 242-244. 

14 Ancestry.com, Virginia Select Marriages, 1785-1940, Marriage of Mary East and George Strong, 6 Jun 
1797, Goochland County, Virginia. 

15 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 19, Pages 324-325; FamilySearch.org, 
Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 19, Page 571. 

16 Goochland County Tax Lists: FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Personal Property Tax 
Lists, 1782-1809, Image 432. 

’” FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 18, Pages 243-244. 

18 Goochland County Tax Lists: FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Personal Property Tax 
Lists, 1782-1809, Image 699. 

19 The Tennessean, “Death of Edward H. East, Sr.” (Nashville, Tennessee, 23 May 1872), Page 4. 

20 FamilySearch.org, Davidson County, Tennessee Wills, 1784-1941, Vol. 3, Page 78, Image 584. 

21 Ibid. 

2 Ibid.; FamilySearch.org, Marriages of Goochland County, Virginia 1733-1815, Page 13, Image 543. 

23 FamilySearch.org, Davidson County, Tennessee Wills, 1784-1941, Vol. 3, Pages 101-102, Image 596; 
Ancestry.com, Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002, Marriage of Lucy (Lucinda) East and James 
Buchanan, 24 Apr 1810, Davidson, Tennessee. The image of Lucinda “Lucy” East is from 
Ancestry.com, and I have not verified its origin. However, it does bear a resemblance to the photo of 
her sister Mary Polly East shown above. 

24 FamilySearch.org, Davidson County, Tennessee Wills, 1784-1941, Vol. 3, Page 129, Image 611. 

25 Image taken by Brent Moore in Nashville, Tennessee, 12 Mar 2011 and available at: 
flickr.com/photos/brent_nashville/5584624246 under a Creative Commons license. 

26 FamilySearch.org, Davidson County, Tennessee Wills, 1784-1941, Vol. 3, Page 166, Image 629. 

27 FamilySearch.org, Davidson County, Tennessee Wills, 1784-1941, Vol. 3, Page 249, Image 672. 

28 FamilySearch.org, Davidson County, Tennessee Marriage Record Book I, 1789-1837, Page 22. 

29 Ancestry.com, The Douglas Register, Births and Baptisms, Page 189. 


125 


Section III, Part B: The East and Pruitt Lines 


30 Ancestry.com, Virginia Compiled Marriages, 1660-1800, Marriage of George Strong and Mary East, 6 
Jun 1796. 

31 Ancestry.com, The Douglas Register, Births and Baptisms, Page 189. 

3 Ibid. 

33 Appears as a tithable with father Benjamin East, Sr. in 1796, so he must have been at least 16 by this 
year. FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists, 1782-1809, Image 432. 
Appears as Administrator to Benjamin East’s Estate. FamilySearch.org, Davidson County, Tennessee 
Wills, 1784-1941, Vol. 3, Page 129 , Image 611. 

34 Ibid. 

35 Ancestry.com, Virginia Select Marriages, 1785-1940, Marriage of Betsy East and Jesse Carrell, 21 May 
1803, Goochland, Virginia, FHL Film No. 31650. 

36 Appears as a tithable with father Benjamin East, Sr. in 1804, so he must have been at least 16 by this 
year. FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists, 1782-1809, Image 699; 
paid a dividend from the Estate of Benjamin East. FamilySearch.org, Davidson County, Tennessee Wills, 
1784-1941, Vol. 3, Page 166, Image 629. 

37 Appears on list of purchasers from Benjamin East’s Estate along with other siblings. 
FamilySearch.org, Davidson County, Tennessee Wills, 1784-1941, Vol. 3, Page 78, Image 584. Edward’s 
1872 obituary says he was born 26 Feb 1789 in Goochland County and moved west to Nashville, 
Tennessee in 1806 with his father, brothers and sisters. 

38 Ancestry.com, Tennessee, U.S. Compiled Marriages 1784-1825, Marriage of Edward H. East and Celia 
Buchanan, 12 Oct 1812, Davidson. 

39 Birth date is estimate that assumes she was at least 18 by the date of her marriage in 1808. 

40 FamilySearch.org, Marriage Record Book I, 1789-1837, Davidson County, Tennessee, Page 22. 

“1 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Lucinda Mary “Lucy” East Buchanan (11 Dec 1792-15 Apr 1865), 
Memorial No. 30997497, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/30997497/lucinda-mary-buchanan. 

#” Ancestry.com, Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002, Marriage of Lucy (Lucinda) East and James 
Buchanan, 24 Apr 1810, Davidson, Tennessee. Lucinda had sons named Addison Buchanan and 
Edward East Buchanan. Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 2, Davidson, 
Tennessee; Roll: M432_875; Page: 225A. Combined with the connection of James Buchanan to her 
father’s Estate, I believe this makes it probable that she was a daughter of Benjamin East, Sr. and 
Nancy Ann Pruitt. In addition, Hank James currently has 9 DNA matches on Ancestry.com who trace 


their descent from Lucinda East and James Buchanan. 

43 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Lucinda Mary “Lucy” East Buchanan. 

44 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Jane East Lewis (7 Oct 1793-14 Mar 1853), Memorial No. 17942048, 
available at: findagrave.com/memorial/17942048/jane-lewis. Inscription states: “In Memory of Jane 


wife of Bracy Lewis Daughter of Benjamin & Nancy East born in Goochland County, Va.” Received 
payment from the Estate of Benjamin East, with George Strong acting as her Guardian. 
FamilySearch.org, Davidson County, Tennessee Wills, 1784-1941, Vol. 3, Page 249, Image 672. 

45 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Jane East Lewis; Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census 
Place: Second Regiment 33, Madison, Alabama; Roll: 9; Page: 373b. 

46 FamilySearch.org, Marriages of Goochland County, Virginia 1733-1815, Page 95, Image 586. Johnson 
Hodges was surety, who also served as the surety for the marriage of Mary East to George Strong. 
Mastin Strong may have been a first cousin of our George Strong, son of the John Strong who lived 
next to Nathan Strong, discussed above. Given that Nancy shares a name with Nancy Ann Pruitt, and 
also married into the Strong family, she may have been Mary Strong’s sister. 


126 


Section III, Part B: The East and Pruitt Lines 


47 T have seen reference to John Pruitt’s Will (available on notes to Nancy Ann Pruitt on 
Ancestry.com), which would confirm his daughter Nancy Ann was married to an East. However, I 
have not seen the original version. 

48 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 7, Pages 210-211. 

49 Ibid. 

50 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 16, Pages 441-442, Images 540-541. 

51 This is the date that their son Obediah Addison Pruitt was born in St. James, Northam Parish, 
Goochland County, Virginia. Ancestry.com, The Douglas Register, Page 279. 

52 Ancestry.com, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Marriage of Nancy Ann Pruitt and 
Benjamin East, 1773, Virginia. 

53 Ancestry.com, Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, Saved to profile 
of Obediah Addison Pruitt on Ancestry.com. 

54 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 8, Pages 252-253. 

% Ibid. 

56 Ibid. 

57 Ancestry.com, The Douglas Register, Page 279. 

58 Ibid. 

> Ibid. 

60 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 16, Pages 346-347, Images 490-491. 

61 Ancestry.com, The Douglas Register, Page 343. 

6 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 16, Pages 346-347, Images 490-491. 
The Will states that John Pruitt, Jr. had a son named Obediah Pruitt, the grandson of John Pruitt, Sr. 
68 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 11, Page 103, Image 490. 

6 Tbid., Page 100, Image 489. 

6 Ibid. 

66 Ancestry.com, U.S. Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783, Image 639 of 808, Record for Private John 
Prewit, Enlisted 14 Jul 1776, 9 Virginia Regiment of Foot, Capt. Thomas Parramore. 

67 Ibid. 

68 familysearch.org/en/wiki/9th Virginia Regiment (Revolutionary War). 

69 Ancestry.com, U.S. Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783, Image 639 of 808, Record for Private John 
Prewit, Enlisted 14 Jul 1776, 9 Virginia Regiment of Foot, Capt. Thomas Parramore. 

7” FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 16, Pages 346-347, Images 490-491. 

71 Ancestry.com, Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the 
Revolutionary War, Records for John Prewit, 9 Virginia Regiment, saved to profile of John Pruitt, Jr. 
on Ancestry.com. 

7 Ancestry.com, Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, Saved to profile 
of Obediah Addison Pruitt on Ancestry.com. As of 1834, Obediah Pruitt was living in Mason County, 
Virginia. 

73 Ibid. 

74 Ibid. 

75 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 13, Pages 290-293. 

76 Ibid. 

7 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists, 1782-1809, Image 26. 

78 Ibid., Image 46. 

79 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 14, Pages 405-406, Images 604-605. 

80 Ibid. 

81 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists, 1782-1809, Images 142, 166. 


127 


Section III, Part B: The East and Pruitt Lines 


2 genfiles.com/articles/tithables/. “Bob’s Genealogy Filing Cabinet: Southern and Colonial 
Genealogies” by Robert W. Baird has been an excellent resource while working on this book. His 
work can be found at genfiles.com and is frequently cited here to explain colonial history and law. 

83 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 16, Pages 346-347, Images 490-491. 
84 Tbid. This first slave could be “Lett”. 

85 Ibid. 

86 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 17, Page 54. 

87 An estimate based on her marriage date of 1773, when she was likely at least 18 years old. 

88 Ancestry.com, Virginia Select Marriages, 1785-1940, Marriage of Ben East and Nancy Pruitt, 26 Aug 
1773, St. James, Northam Parish, Goochland, Virginia, FHL Film No. 975.5 V2D. 

89 Ancestry.com, The Douglas Register, Births and Baptisms, Page 279. 

9 Ancestry.com, Virginia Marriage Records, 1700-1850, Marriage of Obediah Pruett and Frances Jarrett, 
11 Dec 1785, Goochland, Virginia. 

°t Charles Raymond Dillon, Pruitt-Prewitt Ancestors (1966), Pages 36-37, available at: 
archive.org/details/pruittprewittanc00dill/page/37/mode/2up. Date of birth is not given and is an 
estimate. His son Obediah is mentioned in father John Pruitt’s Will, so he had already died by 1788. 
% Ibid. Date of birth is estimated at about twenty years before marriage date. 

°° Ancestry.com, Virginia Marriage Records, 1700-1850, Marriage of Abraham Pruett and Ann Davison, 
5 Nov 1783, Goochland, Virginia. 

% Charles Raymond Dillon, Pruitt-Prewitt Ancestors (1966), Pages 36-37, available at: 
archive.org/details/pruittprewittanc00dill/page/37/mode/2up. 

% Ibid. 

% Ibid. 

” Note that John E. Young’s website “The East Families of Southeast USA” has theorized another 
generation of Edward East men. sites.rootsweb.com/~eazier1/East/index.htm. He seems to believe 
there was an Edward East born in the 1690s and other born about 1721, but I have not found any 


primary evidence for this statement. This website has generally been helpful and accurate, but does 
not city many sources, so it is hard to track the reasoning here. I do not currently believe there is 
another Edward between the Edward East I who married Elizabeth, his son Edward East II who 
married Mary Hobson, and his son Benjamin East, Sr. 

% This H. could stand for “Hobson” or “Hopson.” Most trees on Ancestry.com have it as “Hyde.” 

%° J. Staunton Moore, Annals of Henrico Parish, Vestry Book of St. John’s Church, Page 48, available at: 
archive.org/details/cu31924010668774/page/48. The image at left was taken by Frances Benjamin 
Johnston, circa 1930-1939, available on Library of Congress site at: loc.gov/resource/csas.06190/. 

100 genfiles.com/articles/processioning/. 

101 J. Staunton Moore, Annals of Henrico Parish, Vestry Book of St. John’s Church, Page 53. 

12 [bid., Page 48. 

103 Ibid., Pages 92-93. 

104 loc.gov/resource/csas.06190/. 

105 historicstjohnschurch.org/. 

106 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia County Court Records, 1750-1767, Pages 295-296. 

107 Mary may have been a descendant of the William Hobson who died in Henrico County around 
1734. He had sons named William and Benjamin. FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia County 
Court Records, 1725-1737, Page 405. However, I don’t believe she was the daughter of this William, 
because his son William Hobson had died around 1718. FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia 
County Court Records, 1714-1718, Page 269. We know that our Mary Hobson who married Edward 


128 


Section III, Part B: The East and Pruitt Lines 


East II had brothers William and Benjamin alive in 1753. My suspicion is that this earlier William 
Hobson who died in 1734 could have been her grandfather, but that is not yet proven. 

108 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia County Court Records, 1750-1767, Pages 295-296. 

109 Robert Maddox acquired 150 acres on the Western Run of Turkey Island Creek from Col. Beverly 
Randolph in 1744. This land bordered Samuel and Ephraim Gaithright and Edward East. 
Ancestry.com, Edward Pleasants Valentine Papers, Vol. II, Page 1430. 

110 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia County Court Records, 1750-1767, Pages 295-296. 

11 Ibid. It seems likely that Mary Hobson would have married again after her husband’s death, but I 
have not yet been able to track down who she might have remarried. 

112 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia County Court Records, 1750-1767, Page 842. The deed 
clarifies that this land bordered Robert Maddox and William Porter. 

113 genfiles.com/articles/legal-age/. Minors could hold title to land at any age. Technically, nothing 
prohibited them from selling land before reaching 21, but those sales could be declared unenforceable 
if the minor later changed his or her mind. Thus in practice, nearly all land sales were conducted by 
legal adults. 

114 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia County Court Records, 1767-1774, Pages 81-82, Images 
56-57. 

"5 Ibid. 

116 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Records, Deeds, Wills, Settlements of Estates, 1774-1782, 
Pages 82-83. 

17 [bid. 

us [bid. 

119 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 11, Page 103. 

20 Goochland County Tax Lists: FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Personal Property Tax 
Lists, 1782-1809. 

121 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia County Court Records, 1750-1767, Page 842. 

122 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia County Court Records, 1767-1774, Pages 81-82, Images 
56-57. 

13 Ancestry.com, Virginia Select Marriages, 1785-1940, Marriage of Ben East and Nancy Pruitt, 26 Aug 
1773, St. James, Northam Parish, Goochland, Virginia, FHL Film No. 975.5 V2D. 

124 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, 1688-1697, Pages 668-669. 

5 Virginia Quit Rent Rolls, 1704, Page 211, available at: archive.org/details/jstor- 
4243771/page/n5/mode/2up. 

26 Ibid. John E. Young incorrectly reports this as Edward East I “renting” 150 acres “from her Majesty 
the Queen of England.” A Quit Rent was an annual tax paid by landowners, not rent paid to a 


landlord. The Crown generally had difficulty collecting these annual payments in the colonies, and 
the 1704 list is the only one that has survived. genfiles.com/articles/colonial-legal-terminology/. 

27 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia County Court Records, 1714-1718, Pages 56-59. 

128 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia County Court Records, 1725-1737, Page 517. 

129 Ibid. 

130 [bid. 

St Tid, 

182 Ibid. The document lists the old style date of Feb 1735, which would be 1736 on the modern 
calendar. An inventory of Edward East I's Estate appears on Page 532 of the same volume. It shows a 
typical mix of livestock, farming implements, and household goods. 


129 


Section III, Part B: The East and Pruitt Lines 


133 Excerpt of Fry and Jefferson, “Map of the Most Inhabited Part of Virginia”, 1776, David Rumsey 
Map Collection, Stanford Libraries, available at: 
davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~1917~120023. 

134 J, Staunton Moore, Annals of Henrico Parish, Vestry Book of St. John’s Church, Page 33, available at: 
archive.org/details/cu31924010668774/page/33. 

135 [bid., Page 25. 

136 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia County Court Records, 1750-1767, Pages 295-296. 

137 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia County Court Records, 1767-1774, Pages 81-82, Images 
56-57. 

138 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia County Court Records, 1750-1767, Page 410. 

139 Ibid., Pages 295-296. 

140 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia County Court Records, 1725-1737, Page 517. William East 
is named in his father’s Will, and appears in land processioning records for Henrico Parish. 


141 He was a processioner for Henrico Parish in 1740, so must have been at least 21 years old (and 
likely older) in this year. archive.org/details/cu31924010668774/page/52/mode/2up?q=East 

12 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia County Court Records, 1750-1767, Pages 295-296. 

143 Ibid. Their son Jesse East was born by about 1744, so they were likely married by this time. 

144 Tbid., Page 517. 

45 Ibid. 

148 Ibid. 

1? Ibid. 

148 An Ancestry.com user named JulieEastSheffer has posted oil paintings for Thomas East and his 
wife, along with several of his children. It is clear that these are not images of our ancestors, but 
rather historical figures from this rough time period. This has of course caused confusion. If you 
come across an oil painting of our early East ancestors, please remain skeptical and verify the source 
before assuming it is accurate. A picture of a plantation home purporting to the East family house 
should be approached in the same manner unless further proof is found. 

149 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, Vol. 1, 1667-1693, Page 132, Image 54. 
150 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia County Court Records, 1688-1697, Page 245. 

151 [bid. Transcription of this hard to read document from wikitree.com/wiki/East-98# ref-7. 

132 “Thomas East”, notes by Julie East Sheffer posted in Ancestry.com, available on profile for Thomas 


East, Sr. on ChristensenJames tree. 

153 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, 1677-1693, Page 102. 

154 Library of Virginia, Land grant for Thomas East, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007499670205756. 

155 Ibid. 

156 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, Vol. 1, 1667-1693, Pages 241, 446, Images 
111, 223. 

157 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, 1688-1697, Page 321. 

158 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, Vol. 1, 1667-1693, Page 294, Image 137. 
159 Ibid., Page 313, Image 147. 

160 genfiles.com/articles/tithables/. 

161 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, 1694-1699, Page 230, Image 114; 
FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia County Court Records, 1697-1704, Page 147. 

162 J. Staunton Moore, Annals of Henrico Parish, Vestry Book of St. John’s Church, Page 224, available 


at: archive.org/details/cu31924010668774/page/224/mode/2up?q=East. 


130 


Section III, Part B: The East and Pruitt Lines 


163 Ancestry.com, Edward Pleasants Valentine Papers, Vol. II, Page 855; FamilySearch.org, Henrico 
County, Virginia Court Records, 1688-1697, Page 586, Image 593. 

164 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, 1688-1697, Page 146, Image 367. As part 
of this transaction, Thomas East I also gave Mavell East and Thomas East II some livestock. The grant 
appears to be to Mavell East and the “heirs of her body forever.” Normally, this would grant a title in 
fee tail, and as long as Mavell East (now Robinson) had heirs, the land would automatically pass to 
them. It appears from the research of Joel Robinson that Mavell had heirs. 
joelrobinson.com/robinson/JohnMavelRobinson/johnmavelrobinson.pdf. This is confusing, because 
on 16 May 1737 her brother Thomas East II appears to sell this same 106 acre tract to Sackville 
Brewer, claiming that Mavell East has died and the land reverted to him. FamilySearch.org, Henrico 
County, Virginia Court Records, 1725-1737, Pages 623-624, Images 509-510. Joel Robinson notes that 
Mavell’s grandson John Roberson, Jr. sold this same tract of land to Martin Martin on July 1, 1753. 
FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, 1750-1767, Pages 247-248. It is unclear if 
Thomas East II’s earlier sale to Sackville Brewer resulted in litigation. 

165 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, 1688-1697, Pages 668-669, Image 635. 
166 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, 1694-1699, Page 193, Image 97. 

167 genfiles.com/articles/colonial-legal-terminology/. 

168 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, 1688-1697, Pages 167-168, Images 378- 
379. 

169 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia County Court Records, 1688-1697, Page 245. 
Transcription of this hard to read document from wikitree.com/wiki/East-98# ref-7. 

170 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, 1677-1694, Pages 389-390, Images 409- 
410. 

171 Ibid. 

172 Ibid. 

173 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, 1688-1697, Pages 585-586, Images 592— 
593. 

174 Ibid. 

5 Ibid. 

176 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, 1694-1699, Page 68, Image 28. 

177 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, 1688-1697, Pages 668-669, Image 635; 
FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, 1694-1701, Page 128, Image 63. 

18 Ibid. 

179 J. Staunton Moore, Annals of Henrico Parish, Vestry Book of St. John’s Church, Page 25, available at: 
archive.org/details/cu31924010668774/page/25. 

180 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia County Court Records, 1725-1737, Page 517. 

181 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia County Court Records, 1750-1767, Pages 295-296. 

18 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, 1694-1701, Page 226, Image 112. 

183 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piscataway_people. 

184 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia County Court Records, 1725-1737, Page 26, Image 196. 
185 Ibid., Page 517. 

186 Ibid., Page 26, Image 196. 

187 Ibid. 

188 Ibid., Page 77, Image 221. 

189 Ibid. 

190 Ibid. 

191 Ibid., Page 78, Image 222. 


131 


Section III, Part B: The East and Pruitt Lines 


12 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, 1688-1697, Page 146, Image 367. 

193 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Minutes, 1719-1723, Page 212; 
joelrobinson.com/robinson/JohnMavelRobinson/johnmavelrobinson.pdf. 

194 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia County Court Records, 1725-1737, Page 94, Image 230. 
1% Ibid., Page 101, Image 233. Matthew Hobson may be a relative of the Mary Hobson who married 
Edward East II, but I have not been able to determine any exact connection at this time. 

196 Ibid. 

197 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, 1688-1697, Pages 585-586, Images 592- 
593. 

198 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, 1725-1737, Pages 623-624, Images 509- 
510. Future researchers should note that during his lifetime, Thomas East I generally used the name 
“Thomas East, Sr.” to distinguish between himself and his son. After his father’s death around 1726, 
Thomas East II began using the name “Thomas East, Sr.”, since he also had a son named Thomas, 
Thomas East III. 

199 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, 1688-1697, Page 604, Image 602. 

200 See discussion above and FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, 1688-1697, Page 
146, Image 367. 

201 Her brother Thomas East II stated that she had died by that year: FamilySearch.org, Henrico 
County, Virginia Court Records, 1725-1737, Pages 623-624, Images 509-510. 

202 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, 1688-1697, Page 146, Image 367. 

203 See discussion above and FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia County Court Records, 1725— 
1737, Pages 77-78, Images 221-222. 

204 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, 1688-1697, Pages 668-669, Image 635 

205 See discussion above and J. Staunton Moore, Annals of Henrico Parish, Vestry Book of St. John’s 
Church, Page 33, available at: archive.org/details/cu31924010668774/page/33. 

206 [bid. 


132 


C. The Jones and Larkin Lines 


1. Sarah Elizabeth Jones (About 1838-Unknown) 


We now rewind the timeline back to Sarah Elizabeth Jones. Sarah was one of Hank’s great- 
grandmothers. She was born around 1838 in Alabama to John Tannehill Jones and Martha Jane 
Larkin.' Her early life was likely spent on her family’s plantation in Madison County, Alabama. On 
October 9, 1856, Sarah married George Farmer Strong, Sr.? The couple had eleven children, including 
Hank’s ancestor George Farmer Strong, Jr. At this time we don’t know when Sarah died. When her 
son George Farmer Strong, Jr. challenged his brother’s Will in 1911, there was no mention of their 


mother as a possible beneficiary, which may mean she had died before this time. 


Tracking female lines in genealogy is often more difficult than male lines, for several reasons. First, 
the custom of taking the husband’s last name means that many women were known by at least two 
names throughout their lives, complicating the search for records. If they outlived their husbands, 
they would often remarry or move in with a daughter, who had by now usually married and also 
changed names, making her more difficult to track as well. Second, women were less likely to appear 
in land records, newspaper articles, or other official documents. Early census records, for example, 
only listed the head of household, who was generally the husband for a married couple. Under the 
doctrine of coverture, married women ceased to be legal entities for the duration of the marriage and 
were “covered” by their husband in whatever legal interests they may have had.? This means that 
women appeared rarely in the land deeds and other legal documents that provide much of the 
primary evidence for genealogy. 


Life as the wife of a plantation owner in 19 century Alabama was no doubt full of challenges and 
triumphs, but Sarah Jones’ experience was largely domestic rather than public. Sarah Elizabeth Jones 
gave birth to and raised eleven children. She lived through the upheaval of the Civil War. When her 
husband George Farmer Strong, Sr. was off fighting with the Fourth Alabama Cavalry, it likely fell to 


Sarah to maintain operations on the plantation. 


133 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


Children of George Farmer Strong, Sr. and Sarah Elizabeth Jones: 


i. John T. STRONG was born Jun 1859 in Alabama.4 

ii. Robert P. STRONG was born 2 Jan 1860 in Alabama® and died 4 Nov 1927 in New Market, 
Madison County, Alabama.* He married Anna Wellborn LIPSCOMB on 20 Nov 1884 in 
Madison County, Alabama.’ 

iii. | George Farmer STRONG, Jr. was born Jan 1863 in Alabama and died after 1940.8 He married 
Margaret Aretta “Maggie” PITCHER on 13 May 1891 in Jefferson County, Alabama. 

iv. Fanny Mayhew “Mary” STRONG was born Mar 1865 in Alabama! and died 14 Feb 1947 in 
Alabama.'! She married James William COYLE on 26 Jan 1892 in Madison County, 
Alabama.'? 

v.  Larking Booth STRONG was born 5 Aug 1867 in New Market, Madison County, Alabama! 
and died 6 Jan 1945 in Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama.'* He married Clemmie 
WHITE on 19 Aug 1895 in Greene County, Alabama.!* He married Mammie Bell 
WILLIAMSON on 9 Nov 1902 in Saint Clair County, Alabama. !® 

vi. | Harry E. STRONG was born 29 Oct 1871 in Alabama and died 5 May 1898 in Tennessee. !” He 
married Jennie BUCHANAN.!8 

vii. | Charles J. STRONG was born about 1873 in Alabama and died 5 May 1911 in Birmingham, 
Jefferson County, Alabama.!° He married Josetta, last name unknown.” 

viii. | Mannie Laura STRONG was born 18 Sep 1875 in Alabama and died 26 Dec 1917 in 
Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama.?! She married I. J. WILLIAMSON.” 

ix. | Cornelia STRONG was born Aug 1879 in Alabama and died 20 Sep 1914 in New Market, 
Madison County, Alabama.”3 She married Hugh H. PARKINSON on 30 Dec 1903 in Madison 
County, Alabama.” 

x. Erskine T. STRONG was born Jan 1882 in Alabama and died 4 Sep 1917 in Pulaski County, 
Arkansas.*> He married Emma HYCHE on 30 Jul 1903 in Jefferson County, Alabama.”° 

xi. | Joseph STRONG was born about 1884 in Alabama.” 


a. John Tannehill Jones (1814-1857) 


John Tannehill Jones was born on November 16, 1814 in Madison County, Alabama.” His parents 
were George Tannehill Jones and Rebecca Campbell Brown.”? On March 5, 1839 John married Martha 
Jane Larkin.°° Our Larkin line is discussed in more detail below. The couple had seven children, with 
the oldest being our ancestor Sarah Elizabeth Jones. John Tannehill Jones was a wealthy plantation 


owner, who at one point owned up to 35 slaves.*! 


The 1850 census shows John and his wife living in Madison County, Alabama with their six oldest 
children. John was a 35 year old farmer and the value of his real estate was $3,500.%2 As we will see 
below, his slaves were likely worth much more. John Tannehill Jones died on November 16, 1857 at 
the age of 43.% According to his father’s Family Bible, John died of consumption, an earlier name for 
tuberculosis. At the time of his death, John’s youngest daughter was only 2 years old and he had five 
children at home under the age of 18. This likely explains why his widow Martha Jane (Larkin) Jones 


moved in with her in-laws. Jane and her younger children appeared on the 1860 census in the 


134 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


household of George Tannehill Jones. Her eldest daughter Sarah Elizabeth Jones had married 


George Farmer Strong, Sr. by this time and was living on the farm next door.* 


In 1850, John Tannehill Jones owned twenty-three slaves.** When he died in 1857, he did not leave a 
Will, and his slave holdings had increased to thirty-five. His widow Martha Jane (Larkin) Jones 
became the Administrator of his large Estate, the resolution of which dragged on for many years.* 
The probate records confirm that John and Martha had seven children: Sarah E. Jones (who married 
George F. Strong), Cornelia A. Jones (who married James A. Hullum), and minor children Ary (Ariel), 
George T., Francis I., Nancy A., and Mary Eliza Jones.*” John Tannehill Jones owned seven separate 
tracts of land near each other in Madison County, Alabama totaling around 704 acres. The map below 
shows some of these parcels, including land in Section 27 that went to our ancestor Sarah E. Jones and 
her husband George F. Strong. This land was located just to the northeast of the town of New Market, 
Alabama along the Mountain Fork of the Flint River.** On modern maps, there are Jones and 


Hereford cemeteries here, and a valley named “Jones Hollow.” 


135 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


a ened or cea am Lao Co 


itd awk tb Wie = 


Land Held by the Estate of John Tannehill Jones.*° 


John Tannehill Jones’ slaves constituted the bulk of his valuable Estate. As of 1860, they were worth a 
combined $29,300, out of a total Estate value of $52,063, which included his land. Adjusting only for 
inflation, which is a very rough estimate when considering the historical value of money, this Estate 
would be worth over $1.5 million in 2023.41 When considered as a relative share of wealth compared 
to GDP per capita, an Estate of this size is equivalent to almost $30 million in 2023. We don’t know 
John Tannehill Jones’ views on the practice slavery, but we can see how even a slave owner with 
moral reservations would still have a large portion of his net worth, income, and financial legacy to 
his children wrapped up in its continued existence. Widow Martha Jane (Larkin) Jones was given her 
one-third share of his land on May 12, 1860. The Estate was still being divided on March 30, 1867, 


136 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


and in the meantime, the Civil War and the Emancipation Proclamation had freed all of John 


Tannehill Jones’ former slaves.“ 


Their names and ages of John Tannehill Jones’ slaves were: Wilson (50), Jenny (48), John (11), Thomas 
(23), Tempa (23), Peter (30), Mat (8), Cato (48), Eliza (40), Thornton (20), Leann (18), Mary (11), Susan 
(9), Joseph (7), Lucy (22), Alice (5), Jefferson (36), Mary (37), James (7), Wesley (6), Ginny? (25), Louisa 
(21), Jack (5), Milo (3), Caroline (37), Jenny (2 months), Thomas (12), Linda (6), Frank (4), Emma (2), 
Burrell (20), Jacob (11), Margaret (18), and Sarah (3). A one year old baby whose name is hard to read 
was listed after Alice (5).4° The order these slaves were listed in the Estate appraisal may indicate 


family relationships.’ 
Children of John Tannehill Jones and Martha Jane Larkin: 


i. Sarah Elizabeth JONES was born about 1838 in Alabama.” She married George Farmer 
STRONG, Sr. on 9 Oct 1856 in Madison County, Alabama.* 

ii. Ariel “Arie” Rebecca JONES was born about 1840 in Alabama.*? After her sister Sarah 
Frances JONES died in 1877, she married her former brother-in-law Thomas Edward 
HEREFORD on 3 Dec 1879 in Madison County, Alabama.™ 

iii. Cornelia Ann JONES was born 9 Oct 1842 in New Market, Madison County, Alabama and 
died about 1932 in Rock Island, Illinois.5! She married James A. HULLUM on 19 Dec 1859 in 
Madison County, Alabama. 

iv. | George T. JONES was born 7 Mar 1845 in Alabama and died 29 Jan 1868 in Alabama. 

v. Sarah Frances “Fannie Jane” JONES was born about 1846 in Alabama and died 21 Nov 1877 
in New Market, Madison County, Alabama.*4 She married Thomas Edward HEREFORD on 
22 Nov 1866 in Madison County, Alabama.® 

vi. | Nancy Ann JONES was born about 1848 in Alabama and died 11 Nov 1933 in New Market, 
Madison County, Alabama.*° She married Jefferson G. BLASINGAME on 20 Feb 1868 in 
Madison County, Alabama.*” 

vii. | Mary Elizabeth “Mollie” JONES was born 11 Dec 1855 in Alabama and died 9 Mar 1906 in 
New Market, Madison County, Alabama.** She married Theodorick Mayhew HEREFORD on 
2 Dec 1874 in Madison County, Alabama.*? 


b. George Tannehill Jones (1790-1871) and Rebecca Campbell Brown (1796-1873) 


George Tannehill Jones was born on October 10, 1790. George’s origins are slightly murky. On later 
census records he reported being born in South Carolina. According to family stories, George 
Tannehill was the son of Andrew Tannehill and his first wife, an unknown woman with the maiden 
name Jones. George’s mother died while he was an infant and he was raised by his mother’s family, 
his “Jones” grandparents. He took the last name Jones and left his birth name Tannehill as a middle 
name. His father later remarried, but George Tannehill Jones continued to be raised by his 


grandparents and considered their children (technically his aunts and uncles) his siblings.*! 


137 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


A book published in 1888 called Northern Alabama: Historical and Biographical contains a discussion of 


George Tannehill Jones’ grandson George W. Jones. It claims that George Tannehill Jones was born in 
Scotland and brought to the United States by his grandmother Jones while still an infant.® At this 


time I don’t have enough information to determine if this story is correct. There is an Andrew 


Tannehill who appears on the 1790 and 1800 census in Pendleton, South Carolina.® This could be the 


father of George Tannehill Jones, and if so would tend to disprove the claim of Scottish birth in favor 


of South Carolina. In any event, the stories all seem to agree that George was born a Tannehill but 


then adopted the surname Jones when he was raised by his grandparents. 


George Tannehill Jones married Rebecca Campbell Brown 
on December 10, 1812.5 Family lore says that Rebecca was 
born in Tennessee and that the couple was married in 
South Carolina.© We don’t have any information about 
Rebecca’s parents at this time. Shortly after their marriage, 
George and Rebecca Jones moved to Madison County, 
Alabama. George Jones appeared on the tax rolls of 
Madison County in 1815.” This is the same time that 
George Strong moved to Madison County, so Sarah 
Elizabeth Jones and her husband George Farmer Strong, Sr. 
both had grandparents who were early settlers of the 


region. 


George Tannehill Jones was an active purchaser of land in 


Madison County, Alabama. We have records of six patent 


Rebecca Campbell Brown 


letters he obtained for himself along with three tracts of 


land that he later assigned to other buyers in 1832. As a large landholder he became a prominent 


citizen of Huntsville. George served several terms in the Alabama State Legislature during the 


George Tannehill Jones 


1830s.° An 1838 article in the Huntsville Democrat lists him 
as one of three commissioners appointed by the Alabama 
legislature to build a bridge across the Flint River at Three 
Forks in Madison County.” In the same year he was also a 
commissioner in charge of building the Madison County 
Courthouse.”! He was again elected to the state legislature as 
a representative for Madison County in 1840.” George 
Tannehill Jones was described as “an active public spirited 
citizen.”73 He also served as Justice of the Peace in Madison 
County during the 1820s, a role which saw him involved in 


an interesting family and local drama. 


On a Sunday in June of 1823, Joseph Jones from Madison 
County was accused of hunting on horseback with his pack 
of hound dogs in Morgan County. Hunting on the Sabbath 


138 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


was illegal in Morgan County, and a local patrol of several citizens apprehended Joseph Jones and 
brought him before Thomas Sharp, the Justice of the Peace. Joseph Jones apparently admitted his 
guilt and agreed to pay a $2 fine rather than spend time in jail. However, he did not have any money 
on his person and had no one in Morgan County he could contact for assistance. One of the men of 
the patrol, Lewis Mays, agreed to pay Mr. Jones’ fine in exchange for a “note” promising repayment. 
Sharp apparently found this sufficient and agreed not to enter a judgement, based on Jones’ promise 


to tender payment to Mays.”4 


The matter could have ended there, except it appears that Joseph Jones never repaid Lewis Mays. In 
May of 1824 Mays sued Jones and a warrant was issued in Madison County. George Tannehill Jones 
was serving as a Justice of the Peace in Madison County at this time. Joseph Jones was his uncle. As 
discussed above, George considered his Jones aunts and uncles as his sisters and brothers, since he 
was raised by his grandparents. Apparently, George recused himself from the case to avoid any 
appearance of impropriety. Nevertheless, another Madison County Justice of the Peace dismissed the 
suit on the grounds that the note was obtained under duress and signed on the Sabbath, making it 


unenforceable. Lewis Mays was determined to be responsible for the costs of the suit.” 


The dispute devolved into a battle of words between the two groups of men from neighboring 
counties, with the local newspaper as the battleground. On September 14, 1824 George published a 
long letter to the public in The Huntsville Democrat. He started with a quote from Shakespeare’s 
Othello to set the stage: 


TO THE PUBLIC: 


“He that filches from me my good name, 
“Robs me of that, which not enriches him, 
“And makes me poor indeed.” 


He who has ever been a candidate for office needs not to be told that he becomes a 
mark at which every unprincipled slanderer feels himself at liberty to aim the arrows 
of detraction. Those attacks which proceed from malice, and are based on falsehood, 
are usually made on the eve of the election and in the absence of the person accused; 
so that he has not even the opportunity to deny the truth of the charge, much less to 


meet and refute it by evidence. 


This was my unfortunate situation just previous to the last election of representatives 
for this county. A citizen of Morgan county, named Lewis Mays, with whom I was 
scarcely acquainted, and who had never been injured by me in thought, word, or 
deed, circulated a report amongst his friends and acquaintances at Ditto’s Landing, 
which, if true, was calculated to render me contemptible in the estimation of all men 
of correct feeling or honorable principles. It charged me not only with meanness as a 


man, but with baseness as a magistrate .. . . That this report, so far as it relates to 


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myself, is false and without the least shadow of foundation, will appear, I trust, to 


the satisfaction of all... .7 


George gathered several other witnesses who stated on the record that George left the room and was 
not involved in the warrant against his uncle/brother Joseph Jones, which was always his rule when 
he had a relation to one of the parties. George also made much of the fact that Justice Sharp never 
actually collected the two dollar fine for Sabbath breaking or rendered a judgment in the case. He 
claims the whole affair “was a base attempt on the part of Mays to extort money from [Joseph Jones], 
under color of legal process, in principle no better than an attempt to commit highway robbery ....A 
negro with a pass, but who was supposed to be a runaway, could not have been worse treated.” 
George Tannehill Jones concluded: “I hope I have now amply vindicated my character against the 
false, malicious, and slanderous imputations of this man. He will hereafter be better known, and have 


less power to injure others.” 


Three days later, Lewis Mays and Justice Sharp submitted their rebuttals. They clarified that a 
judgement was never rendered against Joseph Jones as a matter of courtesy, since Jones admitted to 
breaking the Sabbath. The two dollar fine was not collected at the time, since Justice Sharp considered 
Mays “bound for the money.” Once the Jones men disputed the payment, Sharp collected the two 
dollars from Mays. Mays also noted that “I do not know that ever Esq. Jones did sit in judgment 
when a relation was a party, but I have experience enough to know that there are many means of 


producing results, besides that of adjudicating.” 


This was apparently not the first time that George Tannehill Jones had been called to defend his 
brother’s actions in Morgan County. We learn in this letter that Joseph Jones was accused of stealing a 
steer in their county in August of 1824. This time the case went to trial, and Justice Sharp was one of 
the judges. George Tannehill Jones was present at the trial and was allowed to interrogate the 
witnesses, likely some of the same men involved in the original apprehension of Joseph Jones on the 
hunting charge the previous year. Sharp explained that “George T. Jones, Esq. ... took an active part 
on the part of Joseph Jones, just the same that an attorney would take for his client; but after all 


efforts, we, in our judgment, thought the said Joseph Jones guilty.” 


What actually happened is difficult to discern among all the accusations and different versions of the 
events. However, the impression one gets is that George Tannehill Jones was an educated and 
ambitious man who attempted to defend his family and his own honor. His uncle/brother Joseph 
Jones seems to have given the authorities in Morgan County plenty of opportunities to bring legal 
proceedings against him. A generation earlier, this Southern battle over honor would likely have 
resulted in a duel, but that practice was falling out of favor.! In any event, there was likely no love 


lost between these two sets of men from neighboring counties after this series of disputes. 


We have records for nine children born to George Tannehill Jones and Rebecca Campbell Brown.§®? 
Hank’s ancestor John Tannehill Jones was their first child, born on November 16, 1814.83 On the 1850 
census John said he was born in Alabama, so it is possible the family had already moved to Madison 
County by 1814.*4 John had a younger brother or sister arrive about every two to three years until the 


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Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


youngest daughter, Martha Jane Jones, was born in 1835. George Tannehill Jones, like his son John 
Tannehill Jones, owned many slaves. On the 1850 slave schedule, he was listed with thirty-eight 
slaves. Their names were not listed, and presumably they were all freed at the conclusion of the 
Civil War. 


George and Rebecca Jones had the unfortunate fate of outliving eight of their nine children. Only 
their second son, William Brown Jones, would outlive his parents. Five of the siblings died in their 
early 20s. Two daughters died of puerile fever, which is a complication following childbirth, while 
others died of pneumonia, fever, or consumption.® It must have been a heartbreaking experience for 
these parents to lose so many children, whose dates and causes of death were dutifully entered into 
the Family Bible. Their eldest son John Tannehill Jones died in 1857, and afterwards his widow 


Martha Jane (Larkin) Jones and her younger children moved in with the couple. 


The 1860 census shows the Jones family with their daughter-in-law Martha Jane Larkin and five of 
their grandchildren.*” Their real estate was valued at $25,000, with a $35,000 personal estate. The 
surviving oil portraits of George Tannehill Jones and Rebecca Campbell Brown, quite rare for this 
time period, speak to their wealth and status.’* Martha Jane’s eldest daughter, born Sarah Elizabeth 
Jones, was 22 and living on the farm next door with her husband George Farmer Strong, Sr. The 


young family’s real estate was valued at $3,000, with a $13,000 personal estate.®? 


George and Rebecca Tannehill Jones appeared on the 1870 census living in Madison County.” George 
was 78 and Rebecca was 74. His occupation was listed as “Does nothing.” The couple had a 28 year 
old housekeeper living with them named Martha Anderson, and 12 year old boy named James 
Anderson who was a house servant. Interestingly, Martha was white and James was black, although 
their ages and shared last name might indicate a mother/son relationship. The Civil War had 
drastically changed the family’s circumstances. There was no value given for their real estate, and 
their personal estate was $3,000. Several black families with the last name Jones were listed nearby, 


and they were likely the family’s former slaves, now living as free farmers.*! 


George Tannehill Jones signed his Will on August 24, 1870 in Madison County, Alabama.” He left his 
wife Rebecca all of his personal estate and the 80 acres where he lived. Although George would have 
lost most of his net worth when his slaves were freed, he appears to have retained other investments 
that were still producing income. “I want my money, which is mainly in Bonds, Notes, and Rail Road 
Stock kept at interest” with some of the proceedings going towards keeping up the household, “a 
gentle horse and buggy, and all other property that my Executor may think necessary for [Rebecca’s] 


comfort and convenience.”” 


George seems to have taken even more care than usual to provide for his widow, perhaps because 
she had been having difficulties with mental illness. The Will provides that “[i]f in case my wife 
Rebecca should become a Lunatic, I wish her to be sent to an asylum during her Lunacy, and in the 
event she should recover sanity . . . to be quartered with some respectable family and the expenses 


thereof paid out of my estate.”%* G.W. Carmichael and William B. Jones were appointed Executors, 


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with Carmichael to “mange the financial affairs” and William B. Jones to act as a Trustee for his 


mother. 


After Rebecca’s death, the remainder of the Estate was to be sold and divided into four equal shares. 
These shares were for his son William B. Jones, the heirs of his deceased daughter Nancy A. Jones 
(who married George Anderson), Sarah Anderson (the daughter of his deceased son Andrew W. 
Jones), and the final share was to be divided between the children of his deceased daughter Eliza 
Jones, who married Robert Nance.® The children of deceased son George W. Jones, whose Estate was 
in debt to his father, each received $5. For the same reasons, the children of our ancestor John 
Tannehill Jones (Elizabeth Strong, Ann Hullum, Ariel Jones, Nancy Jones, Mary Jones, and Fanny 


Hereford) each also received $5.97 


George Tannehill Jones died on May 4, 1871 and is buried in the Hereford Cemetery in Madison 
County, Alabama. As discussed above, this cemetery is located just northeast of New Market, 
Alabama, near land that was owned by John Tannehill Jones. Rebecca died a few years later on 
October 20, 1873.9 


Children of George Tannehill Jones and Rebecca Campbell Brown: 


i. John Tannehill JONES was born 16 Nov 1814 in Alabama and died 15 Dec 1857 in New 
Market, Madison County, Alabama.!° He married Martha Jane LARKIN on 5 Mar 1839 in 
Alabama.1®! 

ii. William Brown JONES was born 12 Apr 1817 in Alabama and died 5 May 1892 in New 
Market, Madison County, Alabama. He married Martha Jane ERWIN on 24 Dec 1840.1 

iii. | Nancy Ann JONES was born 27 Sep 1819 in Alabama and died 9 Dec 1866 in Alabama.' She 
married George ANDERSON on 12 Apr 1838 in Madison County, Alabama.'4 

iv. George Washington JONES was born 1 Apr 1822 in Alabama and died 11 Mar 1867 in 
Alabama. He married Maria Gay HARRIS on 20 Dec 1849 in Alabama. !% 

v. Stephen Alexander JONES was born 20 Aug 1824 in Alabama and died 14 Feb 1845 in 
Alabama.’ 

vi. Eliza Matilda JONES was born 6 Mar 1827 in Alabama and died 28 Feb 1853 in Alabama. She 
married James Robert NANCE on 2 Apr 1846 in Alabama. '°° 
vii. Andrew Tannehill JONES was born 20 Jan 1830 in Alabama and died 2 Aug 1852 in Benton 
County, Mississippi. He married Sarah Ann DAVIS on 2 Sep 1851 in Marshall County, 
Mississippi.1 
viii. | Sarah Elizabeth JONES was born 17 Mar 1832 in Alabama and died 25 Aug 1859 in Jackson 
County, Alabama. She married Barton B. SMITH on 22 Mar 1853 in Madison County, 
Alabama.""° 
ix. Martha Jane JONES was born 5 May 1835 in Alabama and died 11 Feb 1854 in New Market, 
Madison County, Alabama. She married John C. “Jack” LARKIN (son of John LARKIN and 
Jane Arie BRITTON) on 8 Mar 1853 in Madison County, Alabama.""! 


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Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


i. Grandson’s Civil War Diary 


George and Rebecca’s eldest daughter was Nancy Ann Jones. She married George Anderson, who 
became a prosperous plantation owner like his father-in-law.!? They named their eldest son George 
Tannehill Jones Anderson. As the Civil War broke out in 1861, both George Tannehill Jones Anderson 
and his brother Stephen Jones Anderson enlisted. George was 18 and his younger brother was only 
16. Stephen likely looked even younger since a fellow soldier mistook him for 14. George began a 
diary on the day his company left Huntsville for Georgia. He recorded his thoughts over the next 
three months until he died on July 21, 1861 during the Battle of Manassas. His diary was recovered by 
a Union soldier from the 71** New York Regiment. He took the diary back home and it was published 
by the New York Herald, and later the Huntsville Democrat on September 11, 1861. Some relevant 
excerpts follow: 


April 29. Left home with a company of volunteers, bid farewell to home, parents and 
friends, and departed on a twelve month tour, for the defense of my country; hated 
to leave most awfully, but our country being in danger, and no one to defend her, 
did not suit us. 


April 30. Arrived at Chattanooga before daylight, and had to lay over eight hours; 
never was so bored by a place in my life; was very glad to leave it at two o’clock for 
Dalton, Georgia; we were boxed up in freight cars to travel over a long railroad, 
through a poor pine country; arrived at Dalton before night, and found other 
companies there; laid over two days and a half, during which time we organized a 
regiment and Egbert J. Jones, of Huntsville, Colonel, and E. M. Law, Lieutenant 
Colonel; we received our arms at Dalton, smooth bored muskets, at which the boys 
grunted. 


May 3. Left Dalton for Lynchburg, Virginia, in 


old box cars, forty-one in a car; travelled over 
some rich, some poor, and some beautiful 
country; crossed two rivers; the Tennessee is 
the most beautiful river at this point that I 
ever saw, and afforded the most beautiful 
views from the bridge that our country 
furnishes. About sunset we stopped and 
picked a quantity of hay from a rick nearby to 
sleep on. Slept all night in the cars, such 


sleeping as it was. 


May 4. Woke up in Jonesborough, TN, about 
sunrise; saw lots of beautiful women; received 


George Washington Jones a bouquet from a very nice girl, with a soul 


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Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


stirring inscription fastened to it. 


May 7. Wrote home for the seventh or eighth time, and was mustered into the service 


of the Confederate States; felt homesick, because I could not hear from home. 


May 10. Excused from drill; was glad to see Uncle Washington [George Washington 
Jones, his mother’s brother]! who is now our Quartermaster; got leave to go to town 
tomorrow with a pass; intend to look around and ace the place; wrote part of a letter 
to a young friend at home; have never heard from him yet; getting anxious to hear 
from home . . . went to bed after, and slept soundly until midnight, when we were 
aroused by an order to march for Harper’s Ferry at five o’clock, and have to cook 
provisions for two days; we have to foot it for eighteen miles in order to shun 
Washington; don’t like it a bit; we are willing to go; expect a fight with the 
Northerners there; but few of us ever expect to get back; did not get off at five; we 
were delayed until ten, and probably longer; got as mad as thunderation at First 
Lieutenant [Isaac A. Lanier] for refusing to let us have flour; we have to make out for 
two days on bread and meat that a dog would refuse; it seems that the whole North 
has turned against us; but we can whip them; if we get to Harper’s Ferry safely 
without an encounter with the Yankees, we can whip as many of them as they can 
send against us; Old Abe is the greatest fool that I have ever heard of; if he had good 
sense, he could see that the South could not be coerced; we are all united as one man, 
and can whip any lot of Yankees on equal terms; it is useless for them to wage war 


on us, for we can defy the world if they invade us. 


May 17. Drilled all day, nothing new happened, no letter from home yet; I can’t see 
why on earth we don’t hear from home; I am sure that the letters are miscarried; very 


cold mornings, and days not warm by any means; hope I will get a letter tomorrow. 


May 18. The long looked for letter came at last, and oh how much joy it gives me. All 
well at home, and we feared otherwise, and all miss us at home and want to see us, 


but not worse than we want to see them. 


Sunday, May 19. What a cold day for the 19 of May; everybody is acting as if it were 
Monday, all firing guns, cooking, playing cards, etc.; had a dress parade; Colonel 
Jackson| inspected us; he is a large, fat old fellow, looks much like an old Virginia 
farmer; returned to camp, prepared and ate a scanty dinner, had Episcopal service, 
and then a good, old fashioned sermon from our pastor [William D.] Chadick; oh 
how I loved to listen to him; wrote a letter home; had another dress parade in the 


evening; rained all night. 


May 22. I guess that we may look for a fight within three weeks, and if I fall, I hope 
that God will pardon my sins; I want to pray and be saved, but I am too much of a 
sinner—I fear that I never will; it is too terrible to think of dying, leaving a world of 


sorrow and going straight to one worse. From such a fate, O God, in mercy, save me; 


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do, O Lord, deliver me from sin and temptation; I know I am unworthy, but thou O 


God, art merciful. 


June 7. Warm and cloudy; drilled up to twelve o’clock, and am at present engaged in 
getting dinner; was severely reprimanded by Captain [Edward D. Tracy] for an act 
that I was innocent of; I was mad enough to have killed him for it; drilled regularly 


until night. 


June 14. We are going to evacuate this place, and leave for Winchester on foot; 
blowed up the bridges, and burned up the public property; going to leave for a place 


where we can get a fight. 


June 29. Just two months since we left home; hope to be there before two months 


more; very sick with the asthma, and have a bad cough now. 


July 3. We marched all night until daylight and stopped to get breakfast; we are now 
in the woods, seven miles from Manassas, the reported headquarters of the army; 
large reinforcements have come up, and we expect to give them a good fight; in fact 


we will be sure to whip them; I think, I hope so. 


July 4. The memorable day of all days for the American people; we could hear the 
sound of the enemy’s guns, I suppose in celebration of the day; we did not celebrate 


it; I do not know why; I think it ought to have been done. 


July 10. Received a letter from home, all well; have struck our tents and are lying 
around here waiting for orders; don’t know what it means; a huge columbiad 
[cannon] came up a few moments since to be placed on this hill; that looks as if we 
are going to fight here; the militia and prisoners are engaged in throwing up 
breastworks and planting cannon for the defense of this place; the Yankees are 
advancing and seem determined to at least make an effort to drive us out from here, 
but I think they will fail; they outnumber us, can’t outfight us; received orders to 
strike tents this evening, which we did, but a rain coming up, we pitched them again 


for shelter; expected all day for the enemy to advance upon us. 


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Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


A Hand Colored Tintype of Union Soldiers with Their Own Columbiad'® 


July 16. Had another brigade drill; went through it better; Colonel Stewart's cavalry 
went to sleep and suffered themselves to be surrounded, and came galloping in 
without hats, pistols, guns, etc.—raised the alarm and had us drawn up in battle 


array to await the enemy; we slept on our arms all night. 


July 17. Warm but pleasant; we are lying around our guns, looking out for Yankees 
over our breastworks; I feel confident that we will whip them when they come; I am 
beginning to believe they are not coming. 


July 18. Received orders to strike tents and cook two days provisions ... marched 
nearly all night; slept about 2 hours; found ourselves on the road at daylight, the 19%, 
weary indeed ... arrived at Piedmont station about one hour after dark, completely 
worn out; went to sleep but was aroused by a rain in a few minutes; crept under a 
shelter of wheat but got wet, having left my coat in the wagon; dried myself, 
procured a shawl from Uncle Washington, and slept until after midnight; was roused 
by orders to “fall in’, did so, and crowded on board the cars for Manassas, where we 
arrived about 10 o’clock a.m. of the 20; rested awhile, bought some butter and 
prepared to eat, having done without for two days; received orders to march again, 
and said we were going right into the fight ... slept a little, and slept well at night; 


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Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


got up a little after sunrise on the 21*, boiled my meat and ate it with some old 
crackers full of bugs; expecting orders to march at any moment; will get them, I 


think, for it is Sunday; we will fight, I suppose, before another week. 


The article from The Huntsville Historical Review continues: “Shortly after George Anderson wrote 
this last entry, the 4 Alabama received its orders to march. As related in the company’s Record of 


Events”: 


[O]n the morning of the 21st heavy firing commenced upon the extreme right of our 
regiment, we were marched at double quick time some 8 miles to a point upon our 
extreme left & where the enemy in great force awaited us. Taking our position 100 
yards distant from their lines we commenced our fire & there in conjunction with our 
regiment routed in great confusion 4 different regiments of the enemy as they were 
consecutively led against us. We maintained this position for 2 hours losing 6 killed 
& 17 wounded by an overwhelming force. Reforming, General [Barnard B.] Bee 
placed himself at the regiment’s head and leading us in the charge upon Sherman’s 
battery was shot from his horse mortally wounded. We now fell back to a position 
near Head Quarters, when at about 5 % o’clock P.M. the battle terminated in a 


glorious victory for our flag. 


General Bee was not the only casualty in the attack on the battery. Private George 
Anderson also fell in this charge. According to the New York Herald, Anderson met 
his death bravely. The 2™4 Rhode Island Battery, wrote the Herald, “was attacking a 
body of rebels who were entrenched in a wood, when most of the men who served it 
were shot down, after which the last two ran away .. . at this juncture a body of the 
enemy, amongst who was young Anderson, emerged from a corner of the wood to 
attack the battery, and a grapeshot struck Anderson in the cheek, killing him 


instantly.” 


Private A. B. Shelby of the 4 Alabama also wrote of Anderson’s death in a letter 
home. “When the gallant Anderson fell,” he said, “pierced with a Minnie ball 
through his head, his little brother, only fourteen years of age, fell upon the body and 
wept bitterly. Capt T[racy], sympathizing with him, encouraged him to get up and 
avenge the death of his brother. He could not move. Oh, I shall never forget that 


scene.” 


Nine days after the battle, Private Stephen Jones Anderson was discharged as 
underage and sent home to Alabama. His kindly “Uncle Washington”, the 


quartermaster, might well have had something to do with this compassionate act.1" 


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Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


2. The Larkin Line 
a. Martha Jane Larkin (1818-1900) 


Martha Jane Larkin was born on Christmas day, December 25, 1818 to John Larkin and Jane Arie 
(Britton) Larkin."!”7 She married John Tannehill Jones on March 5, 1839.18 The “Alabama Surname 
Files” lists their marriage year as 1855, but the 1839 date from the “Old Southern Bible Records” is a 
better fit for their ages and the birth dates of the couples’ seven children, the first of which is our 
ancestor Sarah Elizabeth Jones, born around 1838 or 1839. 


The Strong, Jones, and Larkin families in Madison County, Alabama were tightly connected through 
several different marriages. Three daughters of Martha Jane Larkin and John Tannehill Jones married 
Hereford brothers, sons of William Francis Hereford and Martha Tabb Strong. Sarah Frances Jones 
married Thomas Edward Hereford and had four children.!9 When Sarah died in 1877 in her 30s, 
Thomas Hereford married his sister-in-law, Ariel “Arie” Rebecca Jones, and had another child.!2° 
Mary Elizabeth Jones married Thomas’ brother Theodorick Mayhew Hereford and had nine 
children.2! The “Strong” surname should be familiar by now. Martha Tabb Strong descended from 
her grandfather George Strong, the brother of our ancestor Pleasant Strong. This made the Herford 
brothers cousins of George Farmer Strong, Sr. In all, four of the daughters of Martha Jane Larkin and 


John Tannehill Jones married into the Strong family. 


When her husband John Tannehill Jones died in 1857, Martha Jane Larkin (Jones) and her children 
moved in with his parents, George Tannehill Jones and Rebecca Campbell Brown (Jones).!% A 


wonderful description survives from a Larkin family reunion held in 1897: 


“One of John Larkin’s daughters, Mrs. Jane T. Jones, aged 78 years, of New Market, 
Ala. was at the reunion. Mrs. Jones is a remarkable woman. She has reared more 
children and grandchildren, done more continuous work, indoors and out, and had 
more frank, pointed, sensible talk, than has one woman in a thousand. She was the 
best talker at the meeting. If, indeed, energy, will power, and good sense enter as 
factors, to soften the asperities and prolong human life, Mrs. Jane Jones will live a 


hundred years. Her cultured daughters are of the mother’s type.” !% 


Her daughter, our ancestor Sarah Elizabeth (Jones) Strong, must have inherited many of these 
qualities. Martha Jane Larkin died on December 12, 1900 in Madison County, Alabama, just shy of 82 


years old.14 
b. John Larkin (1789-1861) and Jane Arie Britton (1789-1850) 


John Larkin was born on August 16, 1787 in what is now Hawkins County, Tennessee. !”> At the time, 
this area was still part of North Carolina. Tennessee was not yet a State. His parents were David 
Larkin, Sr. and Eliza Jane “Jenny” Armstrong.'’° A family history written by Addie Jane Larkin states 
that “John Larkin accumulated considerable wealth, moved from Franklin Co. [Tennessee] to 


Mississippi, then to Alabama, then to Texas.” Addie Larkin was a granddaughter of John Larkin’s 


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Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


brother, the Reverend Henry Larkin. A record from 1816 shows John Larkin purchasing a teenaged 


slave: 
BILL OF SALE FOR A NEGRO SLAVE 


Know all men by these present that I, Hugh Caperton, of the County of Franklin and 
State of Tennessee, hath this day bargained and sold and delivered one negro boy, 
named Spencer, fifteen years old, a slave for life unto John Larkin of the County and 
State aforesaid, for the sum of five hundred dollars in hand paid, whereof the 
receipts and payment is acknowledged, and, I, the said Caperton, me and my heirs 
and assigns doth forever and at all times warrant and defend against the claim or 
claims of any person or persons whoever lawfully claiming the sold negro boy unto 


said Larkin, him and his heirs and assigns forever. 
Given under my hand and seal this 18'" day of May 1816. 
Hugh Caperton (seal)!?7 


On July 22, 1817, John “Larkins” (the Larkin name was often spelled “Larkins” in early records) 
purchased 300 acres of land on Beans Creek from the Executors of William L. Lewis for $700.18 Beans 
Creek, in Franklin County, Tennessee, is where John’s father David Larkin had originally settled 
around 1806. Later in 1817, John Larkin, along with his brother William Larkin and William W. 
David, were sued for “trespass with force or arms” by William H. Harkins, who sought $1,000 as 
compensation.'”” Unfortunately, only this brief reference survives in the Court records, so the details 


of this dispute are unknown. 


The 1820 census shows John Larkin living in Franklin County, Tennessee. He had acquired fifteen 
slaves.'°° By this time, John had likely married Jane Arie Britton, who was also from the Tennessee 
area.5! We currently don’t know anything about Jane Britton’s parents. Because the early census 
records only listed the head of household, Jane is very difficult to track in the surviving records. 
There was a “Larkin’s Store” in Franklin County, and based on the Court records from this time 
period, it may have been run by our ancestor John Larkin.'*? John Larkin appeared as both a plaintiff 
and a defendant in numerous small debt cases throughout the 1820s and 1830s in Franklin County, 
Tennessee; I suspect that some of these debts arose from business transactions connected to the 
store. On April 11, 1829, John Larkin purchased two slave girls from John Boyd for $550. They were 
Polly, age 15, and Phebe, age 13.154 


By the 1830 census, John Larkin’s slave holdings had increased to 26.15 In 1832, John Larkin and his 
brother-in-law David Hunt were among the men ordered to “view and turn the road” near Larkin’s 
Store in Franklin County.'%° John Larkin was involved in several land transactions in Franklin 
County, Tennessee during the 1830s, including land on Bean’s Creek.!9” His largest transaction was 
the purchase of 1,000 acres from J.P. Clark and John Bell in August of 1835.1°8 Starting around 1836, it 
appears that John Larkin was preparing to leave Tennessee. On September 22, 1836, he sold 250 acres 


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Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


on Bean’s Creek to his brother-in-law David Hunt.!%° He sold Isaac Staples another 200 acres,!4° and 
sold his brother William Larkin 300 acres on Bean’s Creek on November 9, 1837.14! 


Addie Larkin’s family history has a recollection from John L. Keith that his “Great Uncle John”, who 
would be our John Larkin, “got the ‘Aunt Ovie Place’ now the Gus Gore Farm at Huntland where he 
went broke and then Great Uncle Bill bought his land and Uncle John moved to Mississippi and from 
there to Texas where he died.”'? That family legend appears to match some of the facts, but not 
others. We just saw that John Larkin did sell some of his land to William Larkin, presumably “Great 
Uncle Bill.” However, far from going broke, twenty days later John Larkin spent $13,900 to purchase 


forty-one slaves from John B. Williams." 


John Larkin must have purchased these slaves with a plan to move them to Monroe County, 
Mississippi. In 1838, John is described in another land sale as “formerly of Franklin County, 
Tennessee but now of the State of Mississippi.”"** On September 24, 1838, he was specifically 
described as “of Monroe County, Mississippi” when he sold David Hunt another 210 acres of his 
Franklin County, Tennessee land.'# He also sold land to his brother Henry Larkin and to David L. 
Keith around the same time.!4¢ On March 5, 1839 John Tannehill Jones married our ancestor Martha 
Jane Larkin, daughter of John Larkin.” Martha was the second-oldest daughter in the family, and 
may not have made the move to Mississippi with the rest of her family, instead moving to the 


Madison County area where her uncle David Larkin was well-established. 


There is an 1840 census record for a John Larkin in Mobile, Alabama."8 He is just recorded as a single 
male, with no family or slaves. If this was him, it is possible he was in Mobile temporarily. We don’t 
know when John’s wife Jane Arie Britton died. All we know is that she doesn’t appear with him on 
either the 1840 or 1850 census, likely indicating she died by 1850 at the latest. By 1845, John Larkin 
settled in Perry County, Alabama, where he lived for about ten years.’ On August 12, 1846, a man 
named John Larkin married Mary Boggs in Perry County, Alabama.'°° This seems likely to have been 
a second marriage for our John Larkin, since his son John C. “Jack” Larkin would have only been 15 
years old. His second wife Mary also appears to have died before the 1850 census. By 1850, John 
Larkin was 57 years old and living with several of his children and grandchildren in Perry County, 
Alabama.'*! John Larkin was buying and selling land in Perry County, Alabama until at least 1854.15 


At some point after 1854, the Larkin family migrated west to Texas. A user on Ancestry.com states “I 
learned from a descendant of one of John’s slaves that it took them three months to get to the Athens, 
TX area driving a covered wagon.”13 The 1860 census shows John Larkin in Athens, Texas with his 
son William C. Larkin and daughter Hattie. William was already working as a physician at the age of 
24.154 The 1860 slave schedule shows that John Larkin owned 42 slaves. One of those slaves was a man 
named Armstead Roderick Barker.'> Gilson Westbrook, a descendant of Armstead, provides some 
further details: “My great grandfather Armstead Roderick Barker was purchased by the John Larkin 
family of Mobile, Alabama. On April 1860, Dr. W[illiam] C[alhoun] Larkin’s father [John] gave my 
great grandfather to him and they moved to Texas near the present town of Athens, Texas.” 1 It is 
rare that we learn anything concrete about lives of the people who were owned by our slave-holding 


ancestors. Armstead Barker’s story provides one uplifting exception to that rule. 


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Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


Armstead Roderick Barker— The Black Pioneer 


Armstead Roderick Barker was born Oct. 1837 in North Carolina. He was first sold as 
a slave at the age of two. In 1854 he was sold as a slave to Dr. W. C. Larkin’s father in 
Mobile, Ala. When Dr. Larkin graduated from medical school, he started his practice 


of medicine and then married. 


When Dr. Larkin moved to Texas, his father gave him several choice slaves to come 
to Texas with him. Roderick Barker was one of the slaves and on December 1859, Dr. 
Larkin and all of his properties left Mobile for Texas. They traveled by oxen wagons 
and on foot. It took the large group four months. In April 1860, the group arrived and 
settled northwest of Athens on Caney Creek, once called the Larkin farm (now 
known as Dr. N.D. Geddies’ farm.) 


Dr. Larkin’s family and all of the slaves lived in covered wagons and tents while the 
land was cleared in order to build log cabins and houses for dwelling. The large trees 


on the farm were cut and sawed and rived in order to make boards for the dwellings. 


The slaves began clearing new ground and splitting rails for fences and started a crop 
on the new farmland immediately. The slaves worked the land for Dr. Larkin until 
the emancipation of the slaves in 1865 .... Dr. Larkin purchased an area of land for 
his free slaves to live. This area of land was near west Larkin Street and the T.N.O. 
Railroad track, known as “Lick Skillet.” Roderick Barker lived in the “Lick Skillet” 
quarters for a few months. The opportunities were very limited if Mr. Barker 
remained in this area so he began “share cropping” for Dr. Larkin and for Nat 
Coleman as he learned the lessons of thrift and economy acquired from hard labor. 


He wanted to accumulate property like his [former] master, Dr. Larkin. 


He married Hester Stovall, who was one of the 77 slaves freed by Nat Coleman. After 
marriage, he and Hester wanted to take their rightful place in society and contribute 
to the community. They realized that no family could really take roots unless they 


became landowners. 


On Jan 6, 1871, Roderick purchased a 160 acre tract of land in the John Loop survey, 
which is about five miles south of Athens, near the Baxter community. He purchased 
the tract of land from George Lee at the price of two dollars an acre. He built a small 
house for he and his wife Hester and their eight children on the acreage north of the 
T.N.O. Railroad tracks where Rev. Pete Hunter now resides. 


On Nov 29, 1880, he purchased 320 acres from W.H. Carpenter. It took Roderick 17 
years to pay for the 60[?] acres by selling cotton at $15 a bale, cow and calf for $8 and 
a sow and pig for $5. He farmed for a living, raised most of the food that the family 
used and using the wild fruit as all families did. He planted a small fruit orchard that 
consisted of 100 trees of a variety of peaches, pears, apples and figs. He had the first 


151 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


syrup mill in the Gum Creek community to be owned by a black farmer. He would 
make sorghum and ribbon cane syrup on halves. He would have produce to sell 


seasonal. 


Roderick believed in the Golden Rule. He was one of the founders of the Gum Creek 
African Methodist Episcopal Church, where the family worshipped. The Barker 
family always took an active part in the religious life of the community until the 


present day. 


The need for a community cemetery was realized, so Roderick gave four acres of 
land. October 9, 1920 during the division of the Roderick Barker Estate, it was found 
that the cemetery had not been deeded to the community and the cemetery was on a 
portion of the plot number 6 that Lazarus (Babe) Barker was heir. On Jan 13, 1934, the 
citizens of Gum Creek community purchased the four acres from Lazarus Barker for 
$50 and the deed reads “Barker Cemetery.” 


Roderick and Hester had eight children: Nancy Franks, George, Margaret Dever, 
Roxie Dunnington, Julia Burrell, Henderson, Lazarus (Babe) and Marion Francis. 
Their descendants are still in the county and all have helped to make the county 


grow. 


Roderick Barker had the reputation of being one of the most industrious and 
energetic black farmers of the time. As a result of his economy and foresight, he was 
very successful leaving an estate of 535.5 acres to his heirs known as the Barker 
community. The largest portion of the Roderick Barker Estate is now owned by the 


third and fourth generation of the Barker descendants. 1% 


In the early 1860s, John Larkin was also thinking about his descendants and starting to give them his 
land and other possessions. In one Deed of Gift from October 1, 1861 he transferred eight slaves to his 
daughter Frances H. Coleman.'* In another Deed executed on the same day, he transferred seven 
slaves along with 300 acres of property and a substantial amount of livestock, including one hundred 
horses, to his son John C. “Jack” Larkin and his son-in-law Nat P. Coleman, Fannie’s husband. He 
retained the right to use the property during his natural life.5° John Larkin transferred nine 
additional slaves to his son John C. Larkin, including a “Negro man Rodda” and “Negro woman 
Hester.” It seems likely to me that this was Armstead Roderick Barker and his wife Hester Stovall 
(although the article quoted above has them later being transferred to another son, William Calhoun 
Larkin).1! A final gift of eight slaves was made to daughter Elizabeth, the wife of Samuel R. Hines.1© 
These deeds may have acted as John Larkin’s Last Will and Testament and he likely died shortly after 
October 1861 in Athens, Texas. 


Children of John Larkin and Jane Arie Britton: 


i. Sarah Sallie LARKIN was born about 1816 in Franklin County, Tennessee.' Sarah married 
Unknown NEVE.!© Sarah married Bob WILEY.!© 


152 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


ii. Martha Jane LARKIN was born 25 Dec 1818 in Hawkins County, Tennessee and died 12 Dec 
1900 in New Market, Madison County, Alabama.'% She married John Tannehill JONES on 5 
Mar 1839 in Alabama.1°7 

iii. Hannah W. LARKIN was born about 1820 in Tennessee.!* She married James J. CARROLL 
on 17 Feb 1845 in Perry County, Alabama.'® She married John R. MCGILL on 17 Dec 1851 in 
Perry County, Alabama.!” She married James SIMS on 11 Feb 1868 in Henderson County, 
Texas.!71 

iv. Elizabeth “Bettie” LARKIN was born about 1824 in Tennessee and died Oct 1871 in 
Henderson County, Texas.!” She married Robert Samuel HINES.!” 

v. Frances H. “Fannie” LARKIN was born 23 Dec 1827 in Franklin County, Tennessee and died 
18 Nov 1866 in Athens, Henderson County, Texas.!74 She married Nathaniel P. COLEMAN 
on 1 Aug 1848 in Perry County, Alabama.!* 

vi. John C. “Jack” LARKIN was born about 1831 in Franklin County, Tennessee!” and died 
about 1868 in Henderson County, Texas.” He married Martha Jane JONES (daughter of 
George Tannehill JONES and Rebecca Campbell BROWN) on 24 Mar 1853 in Madison 
County, Alabama.' He married J. M. MATTHEWS on 3 Feb 1859 in Anderson County, 
Texas.!79 

vii. | William Calhoun LARKIN was born 28 Sep 1836 in Franklin County, Tennessee and died 27 
Mar 1896 in Athens, Henderson County, Texas.'8° He married Harriet HOLLOWAY on 31 
Oct 1859 in Sumter County, Alabama.'* 


c. David Larkin, Sr. (About 1752 -1822) and Jane “Jenny” Armstrong (About 1750-1838) 


David Larkin was born around 1752 in Botetourt County, Virginia to Henry Larkin and Jane 
Newton.!*? Botetourt County is in the western part of the state, lying between the Appalachian and 
Blue Ridge Mountain chains. David was listed as a son in his father Henry Larkin’s 1772 Will." In 
1773, David Larkin appeared on his own as a tithable in Botetourt County, living in the vicinity of 
Buffalo Creek.184 


David Larkin served in the Virginia Navy during the Revolutionary War, from about 1776 to 1778. 
Military records show that David was a midshipman, and was recommended for 2™ Lieutenant on 
January 6, 1778.'85 He served on a galley named the Safeguard. Galley ships of this period were “70 to 
80 feet in length with crews of about forty-five men” and “were armed with a single 18-pounder 
gun.” Their main propulsion was manpower from lines of rowers, but the ship may have also been 
rigged with one or two masts with sails.18° The Safeguard was deployed to the lower Chesapeake Bay 
by 1776. “Then, early in 1777, due to renewed threats of British naval depredations in the 
Chesapeake, Protector and Safeguard returned to the lower reaches of the Potomac River with which 
they had been first associated. At that time they received orders to ‘annoy the Enemy, protect and 
defend the trading Vessels all in their power and also to bring too all Boats to prevent the Negroes 
going on board the Enemies Vessels.’”1®” On May 30, 1778, David Larkin was granted a six week leave 
from his service on the Safeguard.'88 In 2006, an honorary marker was placed at David Larkin’s grave 
site by the Hunt's Spring chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.!° 


153 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


A Model of the USS Washington, a Row Galley Built in 1776! 


On September 27, 1780, the Minister of the Falling Springs Congregation in Rockbridge, Virginia 
drafted a certification that “David Larkin who lived a number of years in this congregation and 
always behaved himself in a sober Christian manner and now at leaving us, is free of all public 
scandal or church censure known to us.”!%! Rockbridge County was formed from part of Botetourt 
County, Virginia and it appears that around 1780 David Larkin left this area and moved west. 


The transcript of a Larkin Family Bible record states that on December 14, 1782 David Larkin, Sr. 
married Jane Armstrong in Hawkins County, Tennessee.'2 Tennessee did not become a State until 
1796, and at the time, what would later become Hawkins County, Tennessee was still part of 
Washington County, North Carolina.’% It seems likely that David Larkin and Jane Armstrong 
married on this date in the area that later became Tennessee, but the marriage was recorded in the 
Family Bible many years later. Interestingly, from 1784 to 1788, this area of what is now northeastern 
Tennessee was part of the short lived “State of Franklin” that briefly existed as an unrecognized State. 
It was returned to North Carolina, and became part of Tennessee when that State was created in 
1796.14 


154 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


~ THE LOST STATE OF =” 


“FRANKLIN 


NORTH CAROLINA 


The Short-Lived State of Franklin, between North Carolina and Tennessee!® 


On November 3, 1790, David Larkin was appointed as a Justice of the Peace for Hawkins County, 
North Carolina by William Blount, Governor over the United States territory south of the Ohio River. 
He also took an oath to support the Constitution of the United States on the same day. Several land 
records show David Larkin living in Hawkins County between 1793 and 1805. He purchased 350 
acres from Daniel Hamblin,” 150 acres from John Francisco,!% and 127 acres from James Ore.!% On 
February 27, 1804, David Larkin appears to have purchased 25 acres from Andrew Galbraith for $300, 
and sold 81 acres to the same man for $300, essentially trading lots.°° Between 1803 and 1805, he sold 
350 acres of Hawkins County land to Joshua Painter and Julius Conner.” 


Around 1805 or 1806, David and Jenny Larkin left Hawkins County, Tennessee with their four 
children and moved further west. Addie Larkin’s family history says “The grandfather, David 
Larkin, was well advanced in years when he and his large family left Hawkins Co. East Tenn. for 
more inviting fields west of the Cumberland Mountain Range, amid the towering primeval forest and 
dense cane breaks that overshadowed and adorned the fertile lands of middle Tenn.”” This 
description may be slightly inaccurate, because David Larkin would have been in his early 50s in 
1805, and his sons were only teenagers. He was probably not yet a grandfather. 


Family history states that when the Larkins moved west, they were guided by Native Americans 
through the Shenandoah Valley along with the famous frontiersman Davy Crockett and Captain Jesse 
Bean.” That story does align with events of the time and may contain at least some element of the 
truth. Jesse Bean was the first settler of Franklin County, Tennessee, and the son of William Bean, 
who was the first permanent white settler of Tennessee. It is also possible that Davy Crockett was 
travelling these same routes around this time. Crockett’s family was from the Hawkins County area, 
where he lived until around 1811 when he moved west to Lincoln and then Franklin County. 
Although the Larkins made their trip before Crockett permanently moved west, Crockett was making 
long journeys in the region as a hunter and frontiersman during this time.” It is possible that he and 


155 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


Jesse Bean were making trips from the frontier 
back to Hawkins County on a regular basis, 
spreading news of the promising land that could 
be found further west. We do know that Crockett 
settled for several years on Bean’s Creek in 
Franklin County.2% 


The Larkin family also settled along Bean’s 
Creek in 1806.2” The area was still a dangerous 
frontier. “David Larkin, hearing of the massacre 
of two children by the Indians one night in 1812, 
mounted his horse and rode to the place. Finding 
no one about the house, he endeavored to rouse 
someone by calling, but the lady of the house, 
thinking him one of the Indians, would not come 
from her place of concealment. The next morning 


the bodies of the children were found and 


buried.”2°8 Around this same time, the War of 


David “Davy” Crockett 


1812 was drawing the young men of the county 
back east. Their fathers, including David Larkin, organized to protect the new territory: 


Whereas, the honor of the United States has made it necessary that war should be 
declared against Great Britain by the United States; and whereas, in this contest it 
may evidently happen that the active part of our force may be called off to distant 
service, by which an opportunity will be afforded to the disaffected (if any there 
should be amongst us), to do much mischief. Therefore, for the purpose of defending 
the frontiers, and property of our younger brethren when fighting our battles abroad, 
and to suppress and put down any combination which may manifest itself inimicable 
to our beloved country, we, the undersigned, all over forty-five years of age, and 
most of whom fought in the late Revolutionary War, have embodied ourselves into a 
company, to be denominated the Revolutionary Volunteers of Franklin County.2” 


David Larkin was on the tax list for Franklin County, Tennessee in 1812.70 On July 5, 1814, he 
appointed his son (and our direct ancestor) John Larkin as his attorney to sell his 30 acre tract of land 
back in Rockbridge County, Virginia, located on Buffalo Creek.*" This was likely the same land 
where he first showed up as a taxable land owner back in 1773. In 1817, he sold William Woods 139 


acres of land on Beans Creek in Franklin County, Tennessee.?! 


The 1820 census shows David Larkin and his family in Franklin County, Tennessee along with three 
slaves. David Larkin died on August 8, 1822.7!5 Several years later, his heirs petitioned the Franklin 
County Court, likely to receive the benefits of a Revolutionary War pension. “It appears to the Court 
by satisfactory evidence that David Larkin who was a Lieutenant & midshipman in the 
Revolutionary war died Intestate and that John Larkin, Henry Larkin, David Larkin, Elizabeth Larkin 


156 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


who inter-married with David Hunt and Jane Larkin who intermarried with Isaac Staples are his only 
heirs at law.”?!4 It is unclear why his widow Jenny was not listed as an heir. According to the 
gravestone in the Larkin Cemetery, Jenny survived her husband David Larkin, Sr. for many years 
and died on February 15, 1838.75 David and Jenny’s “numerous posterity, men and women are much 
scattered, south and west, but as a rule, they still bear that stamp of energy, enterprise and frugality 
that characterized their worthy ancestors.”?!¢ In addition to their son John Larkin, our direct ancestor, 


several of David and Jenny Larkin’s other children had lives that we can document in more detail. 
Children of David Larkin, Sr. and Eliza Jane “Jenny” Armstrong: 


i. Elizabeth LARKIN was born 9 Dec 1785 in Hawkins County, Tennessee and died about 1862 
in Huntland, Franklin County, Tennessee.?!” She married David HUNT.?!8 

ii. Jane “Jenny” LARKIN was born 28 Oct 1787 in Hawkins County, Tennessee and died 5 May 
1859 in Huntland, Franklin County, Tennessee.”!° She married Isaac STAPLES.2” 

iii. John LARKIN was born 16 Aug 1789 in Hawkins County, Tennessee and died Oct 1861 in 
Athens, Henderson County, Texas.”! He married Jane Arie BRITTON.?” 

iv. William Armstrong “Billy” LARKIN was born 18 Mar 1791 in Hawkins County, Tennessee 
and died 16 Mar 1872 in Huntland, Franklin County, Tennessee.2*> He married Mary 
STOVALL before 1819.24 He married Ann GENTLE 31 Jul 1858 in Franklin County, 
Tennessee.22 

v. David LARKIN, Jr. was born 4 Oct 1793 in Hawkins County, Tennessee and died 31 Dec 1856 
in Larkinsville, Jackson County, Tennessee.” He married Elizabeth RUTLEDGE in 1826 in 
Alabama.”2” 

vi. Henry LARKIN, Rev. was born on 30 Jun 1785 in Hawkins County, Tennessee and died 11 
Jul 1860 in Huntland, Franklin County, Tennessee.”8 He married Christina MCLEOD in 
1820.229 


i. Elizabeth Larkin (1785-1862) 


The eldest daughter of David and Jenny Larkin, Elizabeth Larkin was born on December 9, 1785 in 
Hawkins County, Tennessee.” In 1806, Elizabeth married David Hunt, the son of John Hunt.”! John 
Hunt was the earliest white settler in the area that would become Huntsville, Alabama. John Hunt 
was also from Hawkins County, Tennessee and likely had connections with the Larkin family. In 
1804, he explored what would later become northern Alabama with Andrew Bean, possibly another 
son of the William Bean mentioned above. At the time, this was Indian Territory, and Hunt was 
looking to make a squatters claim, banking on the likelihood that the land would later become United 
States territory. After completing a small cabin, Hunt returned to Tennessee for his family members. 
When he returned in 1805, several other families came with him to settle the area.233 He would be 
aided in that return journey by another member of the Larkin family: his young brother-in-law David 
Larkin, Jr. 


157 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


it. David Larkin, Jr. (1793-1856) 


David Larkin, Jr. was born on October 4, 1793. 24 Family lore claims that David Larkin, Jr. helped 
John Hunt drive his cattle from Tennessee to the area that would become Huntsville, Alabama. Addie 


Larkin states that “David Larkin was a small boy of eleven at this time.” > David Larkin, Jr. was born 


in 1793, so he would have been 11 or 12 years old in 1805 when John Hunt was bringing his family 


and other settlers to the Alabama frontier. 


David Larkin, Jr. and Elizabeth 
(Rutledge) Larkin 


“David Larkin, when quite a young man left his father 
and well-to-do brothers and sisters in Franklin Co. Tenn. 
and located on the Tenn. River some sixty or seventy 
miles south, then in the territory of Alabama. Larkin 
Landing, Jackson County, Ala. still marks the place of his 
first business enterprise, for years among the Indians and 
sparsely settled whites. It has been handed down that he 
was a man of great energy and enterprise and that he 
materially aided in extending commercial relations from 
his place of business and the surrounding county up the 
Tenn. River and still east to the older settlements .... 
Larkinsville, Ala., a few miles distant from Larkin 
Landing was his next business point. Here he acquired a 
large body of fine production lands, some of which are 
still owned by some of his surviving children and 
grandchildren.” 


David Malbuff, a descendant of David Larkin, Jr. shares more details about the extent of Larkin’s 


wealth: 


In 1822 or thereabouts, David Larkin moved from Tennessee to Jackson Co. 
(Alabama) and established the town of Larkinsville at “one of the finest sections of 
farming land in the country,” according to Jackson County historian J.R. Kennamer. 
His plantation covered 32,000 acres, or fifty miles square; it was said that one could 
wake in the morning on Larkin land, ride all day, and still be on Larkin land at 
sundown. Twelve thousand of those acres were listed as planted in the 1850 property 
census. The estate itself was valued at $23,000 or about 70 cents an acre. It was by far 
the largest land holding in the county at that time. 


One might reasonably conclude that David Larkin Jr. was the county’s largest slave 
owner as well. He owned 45 of them in 1850 according to the property census. 
According to Mr. Kennamer, David Larkin was also Jackson County’s first 
Postmaster. His eldest son William served a term in the State Legislature from 1855-— 
1856. Larkinsville was a regular stop on the Memphis & Charleston Railroad. 


Larkin’s Landing on the Tennessee River was the region’s primary commercial 


158 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


shipping port. These goods were transferred from river to rail and vice versa. From 
all this one might gather that very little happened in this region prior to 1857 without 
at least the tacit approval of David Larkin. David apparently died suddenly and, 
most importantly, he died “intestate” —without leaving a will. Eighteen years later 
the probate court was still wrangling over the disposition of his assets, with massive 


amounts of interest having accrued. 


The family employed two full-time tutors in addition to their household & field 
slaves. Their mansion (now where the Moody Stone property is) sat on a slight 
elevation just east of town, surrounded by magnolia trees, lush gardens and rolling 
pasture, which extended north to the Cumberland Mountain foothills. Larkin men 
were expected to be leaders ... and Larkin women expected to be ladies. Priscilla 
Larkin (David’s daughter) was forced from her home by Union troops, who 
requisitioned the mansion as a hospital, and was obligated to live in outbuildings, 
perhaps former slave quarters. By the war’s end, the house was so smallpox-ridden 
that Priscilla and her brothers burned it down rather than set foot in it. Dead Union 
soldiers were buried in a mass grave behind Pinhook Cove, site of the Larkin’s 


former slave cemetery.”?°” 


iii. Rev Henry Larkin (1795-1860) 


Henry Larkin was born on June 30, 1795.78 He 
married Christina McLeod in 1820,2° and the 
couple would have thirteen children together 
between 1821 and 1844. Again from Malbuff: 


Henry was a successful farmer and a 
prominent and influential Cumberland 
Presbyterian preacher. His large family, 
numerous friends and relations with 
whom he lived and labored were 
impressed by his efficient work, and his 


influence for good still lives. He passed 


Rev. Henry Larkin and Christina (McLeod) away about forty years ago. It is still 
current around in this favored section in 
which he lived and labored that he was 


an uncompromising temperance man— 


Larkin. The child is likely his youngest son 
Thomas Jefferson Larkin 


that he was the first man in his county who refused to furnish whiskey to his helpers 
at log rollings, house raisings and corn huskings that were then common and 
appeared to be indispensable. His neighbors would remonstrate and protest against 
his disregard of and condemnation of the universal custom, but he stood firm and his 
work was done, not for whiskey, but through respect for the man of high moral 
character. He had the courage of his convictions. Whiskey customs since have 


159 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


undergone a radical change. Gangs of good people now stand on the temperance 
question as Henry Larkin then stood alone. There are still many preachers who are 


equipped for good, but as then, there are exceptions.” 


In 1839 Henry Larkin obtained a license to perform the rites of matrimony in Alabama as an ordained 
minister of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. He would marry many couples in the area, notably 
including his grandniece Sarah Elizabeth Jones when she married George Farmer Strong, Sr. on 
October 8', 1856 in Madison County, Alabama.” Henry Larkin also performed the ceremonies for 
Sarah’s sister Cornelia Ann Jones.%? The 1897 Larkin reunion was held in the house that Henry 


Larkin built, home of his youngest son Thomas Jefferson Larkin.“ 
d. Henry Larkin, Sr. (Unknown-—About 1773) and Jane Newton? (Unknown-—After 1773) 


Henry Larkin, father of David Larkin, Sr., is the earliest confirmed member of our Larkin line. We 
have no reliable record of his parents. Some sources have his father as “William Larkin” but with no 
references to support that claim. One of Henry’s descendants, Dana Larkin Gross, has extensively 
researched Henry Larkin’s life. Much of the following information is based on her efforts. She 
explains that a misprint on a FamilyTreeMaker CD containing Virginia Colonial records listed Henry 


Larkin as William, and this may be the source of the confusion as to Henry’s father. 


Other sources have Henry Larkin’s middle name as “Mark.” This appears to be another confusion, 
one that arose when he signed his Will. He either could not physically sign or was illiterate, so it 
reads “Henry Larkin” and underneath, “his mark.” Dana Larkin Gross notes that a high percentage 
of Presbyterians around this time could read and write, given the importance they placed on being 
able to read the Bible, so she theorizes that he was simply too ill to sign. In my experience, many of 
the Colonial Virginia men from this time period could not write, even if they could read, and thus 
typically signed their Deeds and Wills with a mark. Henry’s Will was probated in Botetourt County, 
Virginia. The area was previously part of Orange County, which became Augusta County, and 
would later be parts of Fincastle and Rockbridge Counties. This can make it seem as though Henry 
Larkin was always on the move, when actually the names and borders of the area he lived were 


constantly fluctuating. 


From his Will we learn that Henry’s wife was named Jane.”* Family history indicates that her maiden 
name was likely Newton.” Larkin is often an Irish surname, usually supposed to have come from 
the Gaelic O’Lorcain.”“6 Dana Larkin Gross states that family history indicates that Henry Larkin was 
Irish. Given that his son David and future descendants were connected with the Presbyterian Church, 


it seems likely that Henry originated from the Protestant section of Northern Ireland. 


The earliest record we have for Henry Larkin comes from the 1751 tax list from Franklin County, 
Pennsylvania. Henry Larkin was listed along with several other names that are later found in 
Augusta County, Virginia.” Henry could have come to Virginia in the “Great Migration” that saw a 
large amount of Irish Presbyterians travel through Philadelphia and migrate south down “The Great 
Philadelphia Wagon Road” that passed through Fincastle, Virginia in Botetourt County.”4* This 


160 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


migration of the Scotch-Irish or “Ulster Scots” primarily occurred between 1717 and 1775.7” If the 
new immigrants did not have enough money to pay for their passage to the colonies or to get their 
start farming on their own, they would often indenture themselves as servants for several years. Since 
we have no earlier records for Henry Larkin, it is possible he came to the American colonies in this 


manner. 


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The Great Wagon Road from Pennsylvania to the Appalachian Valley. Fincastle, Virginia is 
located just to the north of Roanoke, Virginia. 


From the available historical documents, we can obtain a small glimpse into Henry Larkin’s life. His 
Will instructed his wife to “raise her children on the estate in a Christian manner and to give learning 
such as usual in the country.” The appraisement bill of the Estate from 1773 lists his possessions, 
showing that he was a farmer with some knowledge of carpentry and blacksmithing, based on the 
tools he owned. He owned a still that may have been used for making whiskey or other liquor. He 
owned cattle, horses, hogs, and sheep. >! We know that he was a hemp farmer, as three court records 
survive cataloging him as a hemp producer in 1767, 1768, and 1770. ** Hemp production was 
encouraged, and at times even required by law in the colonies as it was an important material for 


making the lines, rigging, sails, and caulking for the ships of the time.” 


A court record from September 20, 1763 states “Henry Larkin bound to peace towards Andrew 
Brown.” In Irish law, being “bound to peace” was a form of probation, so this may indicate some 


type of conflict or altercation between Henry Larkin and Andrew Brown that the law now hoped 


161 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


they could put behind them. We have three records of Henry Larkin purchasing land in Virginia. 
On March 21, 1765 he purchased 120 acres from James and Agnes Huston on a fork of the James 
River in Augusta County. On May 17, 1768 he purchased 98 acres from the widow Elizabeth Rhea, 
which was adjacent to his earlier purchase from the Hustons.*° On March 16, 1771 he purchased 24 
acres on Buffalo Creek, near the Falling Springs Presbyterian Church.” He appeared on the tax lists 
in 1771 and 1772 living near Buffalo Creek with 3 tithables.*5* The other two tithables were likely sons 
who had reached the age of 16. In total, Henry Larkin owned at least 242 acres of good farming land 


located along waterways. 


We can fill out this sparse account of land transactions and court records with a historical description 


of these times: 


What was life like for the yeoman planter on his small farm? The average middle 
class planter usually owned between 50 and 500 acres of land, usually only part of 
which was under cultivation at one time. The relatively modest common Virginia 
Yeoman was without a doubt, however, the envy of the farmers in Europe, as, at 
least in view of the land and livestock he could easily acquire, he compared to many 


a wealthy squire of England. 


Although possibly clothed in beggar rags, the yeoman planter, under normal 
conditions, had no reason to feel the pangs of hunger. Even the poorest planter, was 
usually bestowed with various head of cattle which were quite plentiful in the 
colony. The cattle not only supplied the families with beef, but with milk from which 
could be made butter and cheese. They also supplied leather from which could be 
made shoes and leggings. Often, even more common than beef, was pork. Swine 
were quite plentiful, and the planter often marked them and let them loose to forage 
in the forest and feed upon the roots and acorns. Poultry was also exceedingly 
numerous and in the lakes, rivers, and forests the colonial hunter could bring down 


all manner of fowl, including turkey, duck, geese, and quail. 


Various varieties of fruits and vegetables were much more common than many 
would suppose. The gardens, planted each year, supplied the families with 
vegetables such as carrots, turnips, onions, potatoes and more. With time various 
planters developed orchards producing apples, pears, cherries, apricots, peaches and 
many other fruits. Thus, not only did many planters have large stores of fresh fruit 
but a source for making cider and brandy which was much cheaper than the 
imported liquors. From the forest, lakes and shores the families could gather berries 
and nuts of all sorts. They could also catch fish, oysters, and clams. Wild honey could 


even be secured from swarms of bees in the woods. 


The domiciles of the yeoman planters were quite modest but comfortable and neat. 
Timber being plentiful the majority of the houses were made of wood. The houses 


built by the very first settlers were often crude log cabins but with time these log 


162 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


houses of the colonists evolved into small-framed cottages; many had a chimney at 
each end. The planter’s furniture was usually fashioned with his own hands. It was 
quite customary for tables, chairs, beds and other pieces of furniture to be hand 
manufactured by the majority of the colonists who did not have the means to import 
these items from England. Even household utensils might be made upon the farm. 
Fuel for heating the small cabins and cottages was never in short supply, as the 
planter only had to take his axe and walk a short distance to supply himself with the 


needed firewood.25? 


Henry Larkin died sometime before February 3, 1773 when his Will was probated in Botetourt 


County, Virginia.” Jane Larkin must have died after this time. 
Children of Henry Larkin, Sr. and Jane Newton: 


i. John LARKIN?! 
ii. James LARKIN was born about 1744 in Virginia and died after 1840, likely in Virginia.”°? He 
married Mary TUDOR 1 Mar 1804 in Rockbridge County, Virginia.2% 
iii, Mary LARKIN 
iv. David LARKIN, Sr. was born about 1752 in Botetourt County, Virginia and died 8 Aug 1822 
in Hunt’s Station, Franklin County, Tennessee.2* He married Eliza Jane “Jenny” 
ARMSTRONG on 14 Dec 1782 in Hawkins County, Tennessee.?° 
v. Thomas LARKIN?S7 
vi. Elizabeth LARKIN288 
vil. Sarah LARKIN? 
viii. Jane LARKIN2” 
ix. Margaret LARKIN? 
x. Nancy LARKIN?? 
Xi. Henry LARKIN, Jr.23 
xii. Matthew LARKIN?“ 


163 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


References for Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


1 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 34, Madison, Alabama; Roll: M432_9; 
Page: 349B; Image: 321. 

? Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Sarah E. Jones and George F. 
Strong, Madison, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1305698 V. 4b-5. 

3 genfiles.com/articles/womens-rights/. 

4 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 1, Madison, Alabama; Roll: M653_15; 
Page 270; FHL Film No. 803015. 

5 Ancestry.com, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Township 1, Range 2, Madison, Alabama; 
Roll: M593_27; Page: 258A; FHL Film No. 545526. 

6 Ancestry.com, Alabama Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974, Record for R.P. Strong, Death Date 4 
Nov 1927, New Market, Madison, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1908448. 

7 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Robert P. Strong and Anna W. 
Lipscomb, 20 Nov 1884, FHL Film No. 1305702 V. 12-13. 

8 Ancestry.com, 1940 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Cusseta, Chambers, Alabama; Roll: m-t0627- 
00010; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 9-28. 

9 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of G.F. Strong and M.E. Pitcher, 
13 May 1891, Jefferson, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1299243. 

10 Ancestry.com, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Township 1, Range 2, Madison, Alabama; 
Roll: M593_27; Page: 258A; FHL Film No. 545526. 

1 Ancestry.com, Alabama Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974, Record for Fannie Mayhew Coyle, 
Death Date 14 Feb 1947, Alabama. 

2 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Fannie M. Strong and J.W. 
Coyle, 26 Jan 1892, Madison, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1305705, V. 18-19. 

13 Ancestry.com, U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007, Record for Larkin Booth 
Strong, Social Security No. 420-20-3416. 

14 Ancestry.com, Alabama Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974, Record for Larkin Booth Strong, Sr., 
Death Date 6 Jan 1945, FHL Film No. 1908792. 

15 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Larkin B. Strong and 
Clemmie White, 19 Aug 1895, Greene, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1290854 V. F1, E2. 

16 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of L.B. Stronge and Bell 
Williams, 9, Nov 1902, Saint Clair, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1035445. 

17 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Harry E. Strong (29 Oct 1871-5 May 1898), Memorial No. 
101074580, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/101074580. 

18 Ancestry.com, U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007, Entry for Harry E. 


Strong. 

19 Ancestry.com, Alabama Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974, Record for Charles J. Strong, Death date 
5 Mar 1911, Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama. 

20 Ancestry.com, Alabama Wills and Probate Records, 1753-1999, Record for Chas J Strong, Probate date 
6 Nov 1911, Jefferson, Alabama. 

21 Ancestry.com, Alabama Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974, Record for Mannie Laura Williamson, 
Death date 26 Dec 1917, Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama. 

22 Ancestry.com, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Birmingham, Ward 4, Jefferson, Alabama; 
Roll: T624_18; Page: 19B; Enumeration District: 0052; FHL Film No. 1374031. 

23 Ancestry.com, Alabama Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974, Record for Cornelia Parkerson, Death 
Date: 20 Sep 1914, New Market, Madison, Alabama. 


164 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


24 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Cornelia Strong and H.H. 
Parkinson, 30 Dec 1903, Madison, Alabama. 

25 Ancestry.com, Arkansas Death Index, 1914-1950, Record for Erskine T. Strong, Death Date 4 Sep 
1917, Pulaski. 

26 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Erskine T. Strong and Emma 
Hyche, 30 Jul 1903, Jefferson, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1064381. 

27 Ancestry.com, Alabama Wills and Probate Records, 1753-1999, Index to Probate Estate Files 1868-1936; 
Probate Estate Files, 1852-1936 (Jefferson County, Alabama), Records for Chas J Strong, Probate date: 
6 Nov 1911. 

28 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for John Tannehill Jones (16 Nov 1814-15 Dec 1857), Memorial No. 
80311442, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/80311442; Ancestry.com, Alabama Surname Files 
Expanded, 1702-1981, Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, AL, Alabama 
Surname Files, Box or Film No.: M85.0595, George Tannehill Jones Bible. 

2° Ancestry.com, Alabama Surname Files Expanded, 1702-1981, Alabama Department of Archives and 
History, Montgomery, AL, Alabama Surname Files, Box or Film No.: M85.0595, George Tannehill Jones 
Bible. 

30 Ibid. 

31 [ have not been able to determine which John Jones in the 1840 Census for Madison County, 
Alabama is our John Tannehill Jones. There are at least three men named John Jones listed. 

32 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 34, Madison, Alabama; Roll: M432_9; 
Page: 349B; Image: 321. 

33 Ancestry.com, Alabama Surname Files Expanded, 1702-1981, George Tannehill Jones Bible. 

34 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 1, Madison, Alabama; Roll: M653_15; 
Page: 270; FHL Film No. 803015. 

35 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census Slave Schedules, Publication: M432; Record Group No. 29. 

36 FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Probate Records, 1819-1937, Vol. 24, Pages 601-603, 
Images 817-818. 

37 Ibid. 


86.3909940&cy=34.9240656&zoom=13&fips=01089&labels=show&counties=show to view the 
Township 1 South, Range 2 East map, Sections 22-24, 25-27, 24-36. 

39 FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Probate Records, 1819-1937, Vol. 25, Page 479, Image 108. 
40 Ibid., Pages 320-325, Images 24-26. 

“1 Using sites such as https://www.measuringworth.com. 

® Ibid. “Relative Wealth measures an amount of wealth relative to GDP per capita. When compared 


to the wealth of others, it shows the economic status or relative "prestige value” of the owners of this 
wealth because of their rank in the wealth distribution. This measure uses GDP per capita.” 

8 [bid., Pages 454-455, Image 96. 

“4 Ibid., Vol. 28, Pages 519-522, Images 61-63. 

 Ibid., Vol. 25, Pages 320-325, Images 24-26. 

46 The order and number of slaves varies somewhat in different lists throughout the probate records. 
Anyone tracing the ancestry of these slaves should review all the probate records for John Tannehill 
Strong. 

“7 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 34, Madison, Alabama; Roll: M432_9; 
Page: 349B; Image: 321. 

48 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Sarah E. Jones and George F. 
Strong, Madison, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1305698 V. 4b-5. 


165 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


49 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 34, Madison, Alabama; Roll: M432_9; 
Page: 349B; Image: 321. For evidence of her name as Ariel, see the Will of her grandfather George 
Tannehill Jones at FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Will Records, 1853-1926, Vol. 1, Pages 
453-454, Images 756-757. 

50 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Aria R. Jones and Thomas E. 
Hereford, 3 Dec 1879, Madison, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1305701 V. 9-11. 

51 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 34, Madison, Alabama; Roll: M432_9; 
Page: 349B; Image: 321; FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Cornela Ann “Annie” Jones Hullum (9 Oct 
1842-1932), Memorial No. 9152192, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/9152192. 

52 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Cornelia Ann Jones and 
James A. Hullum, 19 Dec 1859, Madison, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1305698 V. 4B-5. 

53 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 34, Madison, Alabama; Roll: M432_9; 
Page: 349B; Image: 321; FindAGrave.com, Memorial for George T. Jones (7 Mar 1845-29 Jan 1868) 
Memorial No. 43245246, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/43245246; FamilySearch.org, Madison 
County, Alabama Probate Records, 1819-1937, Vol. 24, Pages 601-603, Images 817-818. 

54 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 34, Madison, Alabama; Roll: M432_9; 
Page: 349B; Image: 321; FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Sara Frances “Fannie Jane” Jones Hereford 
(12 Mar 1842-21 Nov 1877), Memorial No. 80308248, available at: 
findagrave.com/memorial/80308248. 

55 Ancestry.com, Alabama Marriage Index, 1800-1969, Marriage of Fannie I Jones and Thomas E 
Hereford, 22 Nov 1866, Madison, Alabama. 

56 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 34, Madison, Alabama; Roll: M432_9; 
Page: 349B; Image: 321; Ancestry.com, Alabama Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974, Record for Nannie 
Jones, Death Date 11 Nov 1933, New Market, Madison, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1908515. 

57 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Nancy Ann Jones and 
Jefferson G. Blasingame, 20 Feb 1868, Madison, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1305698 V. 4B-5. 

58 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 34, Madison, Alabama; Roll: M432_9; 
Page: 349B; Image: 321; FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Merry Elizabeth “Molly” Jones Hereford (11 
Dec 1855-9 Mar 1906), Memorial No. 80309346, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/80309346. 

59 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Mary E. Jones and 
Theodorick M. Hereford, 2 Dec 1874, Madison, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1305699 V. 5-7. 

60 Ancestry.com, Alabama Surname Files Expanded, 1702-1981, George Tannehill Jones Bible. 

6! [bid.; LoyHistory.com, “The 1824 Affidavit of John Henry Loy” (23 Aug 2018), available at: 
loyhistory.com/the-1824-affidavit-of-john-henry-loy/. 

6 Smith & De Land, Northern Alabama, Historical and Biographical (Smith & De Land, Birmingham, 
Alabama, 1888), Page 401, available at: archive.org/details/northernalabamahO0birm/page/401. 

6 Ancestry.com, 1790 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Pendleton, South Carolina; Series: M637; Roll: 
11; Page: 9; Image: 22; FHL Film No. 0568151; Ancestry.com, 1800 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: 
Pendleton District, South Carolina; Series: M32; Roll: 50; Page: 116; Image: 230; FHL Film No. 181425. 
64 Ancestry.com, Alabama, Surname Files Expanded, 1702-1981, George Tannehill Jones Bible. 

65 [bid. 

66 [bid.; Smith & De Land, Northern Alabama, Page 401. 

7 Ancestry.com, Alabama, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1810-1890, Tax Record for 
George Jones, 1815, Madison County, Alabama. 

6 George T. Jones Letters Patent, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. For example: 
Ancestry.com, U.S. General Land Office Records, 1776-2015, Alabama, Madison, Certificate No. 2229, 
Image 36. 


166 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


6 Smith & De Land, Northern Alabama, Page 401. 

70 The Democrat, “Notice” (Huntsville, Alabama 17 Mar 1838), available at: 
newspapers.com/clip/26894105/george_tannehill jones_commissioner_of/?xid=637. 

71 Huntsville Weekly Democrat (Huntsville, Alabama 15 Sep 1909), Page 2, available at: 
newspapers.com/clip/26887640/george tannehill jones _reference/?xid=637. 

7 North Alabamian, “Alabama Election” (Tuscumbia, Alabama 14 Aug 1841), Page 3, available at: 
newspapers.com/clip/26894209/george_tannehill jones_elected_state/?xid=637. 

73 Smith & De Land, Northern Alabama, Page 401. 

“The Affidavit of John Henry Loy”. 

75 Ibid. 

76 The full quote is from Othello, Act 3, Scene 3: 

“Good name in man and woman, dear my lord, 


Is the immediate jewel of their souls. 

Who steals my purse steals trash; 'tis something, nothing; 

"Twas mine, 'tis his, and has been slave to thousands; 

But he that filches from me my good name 

Robs me of that which not enriches him, 

And makes me poor indeed.” 

7 The Democrat (Huntsville, Alabama 14 Sep 1824), Page 3, available at: 
newspapers.com/clip/27404466/george_tannehill jones_article/. 

78 Ibid. 

77 The Democrat (Huntsville, Alabama 17 Sep 1824), Page 3, available at: 
newspapers.com/clip/27405477/rebuttal_by lewis mays to_george/?xid=637. 

80 The Huntsville Democrat, “To the Editors of the Democrat” (21 Sep 1824), Page 3, Letter of John T. 
Rather and Thomas Sharp, available at: newspapers.com/clip/27405477/rebuttal-by-lewis-mays-to- 
george/. 

81 Howe, What Hath God Wrought, Pages 6-7. 

8 Ancestry.com, Alabama Surname Files Expanded, 1702-1981, George Tannehill Jones Bible. 

83 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for John Tannahill Jones (16 Nov 1814-15 Dec 1857), Memorial No. 
80311442, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/80311442. 

84 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 34, Madison, Alabama; Roll: M432_9; 
Page: 349B; Image: 321. 

85 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census Slave Schedules, Publication: M432; Record Group No. 29. 

86 Ancestry.com, Alabama Surname Files Expanded, 1702-1981, George Tannehill Jones Bible. 

87 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 1, Madison, Alabama; Roll: M653_15; 
Page: 270; FHL Film No. 803015. 

8§ The images of the portraits were found on FindAGrave.com and Ancestry.com. A descendant of 
George Tannehill Jones, Kennon Ledbetter, informed me via email on 30 Oct 2022 that the oil 
portraits have been passed down in the family to one of his mother’s first cousins. In the future, they 
may be donated to the Huntsville Museum of Art. 

89 Ibid. 

% Ancestry.com, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Township 1, Range 2, Madison, Alabama; 
Roll: M593_27; Page 259B; FHL Film No. 545526. 

1 Ancestry.com, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Township 1, Range 2, Madison, Alabama; 
Roll: M593_27; Page 259B; FHL Film No. 545526. 

° FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Will Records, 1853-1926, Vol. 1, Pages 453-455, Images 
756-758. 


167 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


%3 Ibid. 

4 Ibid. 

% Ibid. 

% Ibid. 

97 Ibid. 

% FindAGrave.com, “Memorial for George Tannahill “G.T.” Jones” (10 Oct 1790-4 May 1871), 
Memorial No. 43245192, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/43245192; FamilySearch.org, Madison 
County, Alabama Probate Records, 1819-1937, Vol. 32, Page 387, Image 351. His Will was admitted to 
probate on 10 Jun 1871. FamilySearch.org, Madison County, Alabama Will Records, 1853-1926, Vol. 1, 
Pages 453-455, Images 756-758. 

° FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Rebecca Campbell Jones (26 Feb 1796-20 Oct 1872), Memorial No. 
43245225, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/43245225. 

100 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 34, Madison, Alabama; Roll: M432_9; 
Page: 349B; Image: 321; FindAGrave.com, Memorial for John Tannahill Jones (16 Nov 1814-15 Dec 
1857), Memorial No. 80311442, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/80311442. 

101 Ancestry.com, Alabama Surname Files Expanded, 1702-1981, George Tannehill Jones Bible. 

102 Tbid. 

103 Tbid. 

104 Ancestry.com, Alabama Marriage Indexes, 1814-1935, Marriage of Nancy Ann Jones and George 
Anderson, 12 Apr 1838, Madison, Alabama. 

105 Ancestry.com, Alabama Surname Files Expanded, 1702-1981, George Tannehill Jones Bible. 

106 Ancestry.com, Alabama Surname Files Expanded, 1702-1981, Marriage of George W Jones and Maria 
Gay Harris, 20 Dec 1849. 

107 Ancestry.com, Alabama Surname Files Expanded, 1702-1981, George Tannehill Jones Bible. 

108 Tbid. 

109 Tbid. 

110 Tbid. 

11 [bid.; Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Martha Jane Jones and 
John C. Laskins, 24 Mar 1853, Madison, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1305697 V. 4-4A. 

12 Charles Rice, The Huntsville Historical Review, “Youthful Innocence Shattered: The Diary of Private 
George T. Anderson” (The Huntsville-Madison County Historical Society, Summer-—Fall 1991), Vol. 
18, No. 2, Pages 7-21, available at: 

huntsvillehistorycollection.or: ics/hhr/pdf/Volume 18 2 Jul-91.pdf?zoom=100. 

113 The image above was found on Ancestry.com. Kennon Ledbetter, in an email to the author on 30 


Oct 2022, informed me that portrait of George Washington Jones was passed down through his Butler 
cousins in New Hope, Alabama many decades ago. 

14 Based on the timeline, it seems likely that this was the famous Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” 
Jackson, soon to become a General and be involved in many pivotal battles. 

15 Available at: chubachus.blogspot.com/2015/10/hand-colored-tintype-portrait-of 26.html with no 
known copyright restrictions. 

116 Charles Rice, “Youthful Innocence Shattered”, Pages 7-21. 

"7 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 34, Madison, Alabama; Roll: m432_9, 
Page: 349B; Image: 321; FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Jane T. Larkin Jones (25 Dec 1818-12 Dec 
1900), Memorial No. 80311257, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/80311257. 

"8 Ancestry.com, Alabama Surname Files Expanded, 1702-1981, George Tannehill Jones Bible. 

19 Ancestry.com, Alabama Marriage Index, 1800-1969, Marriage of Fannie I Jones and Thomas E 
Hereford, 22 Nov 1866, Madison, Alabama. 


168 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


220 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Aria R. Jones and Thomas E. 
Hereford, 3 Dec 1879, Madison, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1305701 V. 9-11. 

121 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Mary E. Jones and 
Theodorick M. Hereford, 2 Dec 1874, Madison, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1305699 V. 5-7. 

12 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 1, Madison, Alabama; Roll: M653_15; 
Page: 270; FHL Film No. 803015. 

123 Addie Larkin Family History, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

124 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Jane T. Larkin Jones (25 Dec 1818-12 Dec 1900), Memorial No. 
80311257, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/80311257. 

125 Addie Larkin Family History, Page 41, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com; 
FamilySearch.org, Jackson County, Alabama Records, Vol. 1, Christine Paradise Sumner, Page 59. 

126 [bid. 

127 Tbid. 

228 FamilySearch.org, Franklin County, Tennessee Deed Books, Vol. F, Page 163, Image 114. 

229 FamilySearch.org, Franklin County, Tennessee Loose Court Records, 1800-1930, Folder 1800-017, 
Image 753. 

130 Ancestry.com, 1820 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Franklin, Tennessee; Page: 74; NARA Roll: 
M33_123; Image: 49. 

131 [bid.; Ancestry.com, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Marriage of John Larkin and 
Jane Britton, Tennessee. 

132 FamilySearch.org, Franklin County, Tennessee County Court Minutes, 1832-1834, Pages 72, 126, 
Images 592, 635. 

133 FamilySearch.org, Franklin County, Tennessee Loose Court Records, 1800-1930, Folder 1800-023A, 
Image 805; FamilySearch.org, Franklin County, Tennessee Loose Court Records, 1800-1930, Folder 1800- 
024A, Image 839; FamilySearch.org, Franklin County, Tennessee County Deed Books, Vol. M, Pages 334— 
335, Images 470-471; FamilySearch.org, Franklin County, Tennessee County Court Minutes, 1832-1834, 
Pages 33, 108, 118, 238, 239, Images 562, 622, 629, 720, 721. 

134 FamilySearch.org, Franklin County, Tennessee County Deed Books, Vol. L, Page 449, Image 258. 

135 Ancestry.com, 1830 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Franklin, Tennessee; Series: M19; Roll: 176; 
Page: 125; FHL Film No. 0024534; 

136 FamilySearch.org, Franklin County, Tennessee County Court Minutes, 1832-1834, Pages 72, 126, 
Images 592, 635. 

137 FamilySearch.org, Franklin County, Tennessee County Court Minutes, 1832-1834, Pages 89, 296, 
Images 609, 762; FamilySearch.org, Franklin County, Tennessee County Deed Books, Vol. Q, Page 45, 
Image 336; FamilySearch.org, Franklin County, Tennessee Deed Books, Vol. P, Page 236, Image 152. 

138 FamilySearch.org, Franklin County, Tennessee Deed Books, Vol. P, Pages 78-79, Image 70. 

139 FamilySearch.org, Franklin County, Tennessee Deed Books, Vol. P, Pages 488-489, Images 282-283. 

140 FamilySearch.org, Franklin County, Tennessee County Deed Books, Vol. Q, Pages 22-23, Images 324— 
325. 

141 FamilySearch.org, Franklin County, Tennessee County Deed Books, Vol. Q, Pages 21-22, Image 324. 

1422 Addie Larkin Family History, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

143 The slaves were, as best as I can decipher the record: Jack (36?), Andrew (22), Charles (20), Ned 
(20), Adam (18), Old Bess (72), Nancy (40), Young Bess (30), Deana (30), Amelia (30), Priscilla (30), 
Winney (25), Lory (20), Maryann (18), Hester (14), Sukey (12), Jinay? (12), Jeffrey (14), John (14), Allen 
(14), Gabriel (10), Moses (10), Kitty (17), Jenny (10), Amelia (10), Nancy (8), Peter (8), Robert (8), Green 
(6), Levi (2), Anaky? (3), Tom (5), Lewis (2), Emily (4), Patty (5), Maria (3), Aggy (4), Matilda (3), 
Alfred (1), Malinda (1), Minerva (1), Elizabeth (1). Andrew “has been diseased about 3 years”, Sukey 


169 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


was blind, and Old Bess was subject to Rheumatism, and Nanny was Dropsical. FamilySearch.org, 
Franklin County, Tennessee Deed Books, Vol. Q, Page 31, Image 329. 

144 FamilySearch.org, Franklin County, Tennessee Deed Books, Vol. Q, Pages 169-170, Image 399. 

145 FamilySearch.org, Franklin County, Tennessee Deed Books, Vol. Q, Pages 266-267, Images 448-449. 
146 FamilySearch.org, Franklin County, Tennessee Deed Books, Vol. Q, Pages 265-268, Image 448-449. 
47 Ancestry.com, Alabama Surname Files Expanded, 1702-1981, George Tannehill Jones Bible. 

148 Ancestry.com, 1840 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Mobile, Alabama; Page: 74. 

149 FamilySearch.org, Perry County, Alabama Deeds, 1821-1902, Vol. G, Pages 681-682, Image 473; 
FamilySearch.org, Perry County, Alabama Deeds, 1821-1902, Vol. I, Page 121, Image 124. 

150 FamilySearch.org, Perry County, Alabama Marriage Records, 1820-1929, No. 1795, Image 472. 

151 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Woodville, Perry, Alabama; Roll: M432_12; 
Page: 314A; Image: 487. 

152 FamilySearch.org, Perry County, Alabama Deeds, 1821-1902, Vol. K, Pages 130-131, Image 463; 
FamilySearch.org, Perry County, Alabama Deeds, 1821-1902, Vol. K, Page 679, Image 738; 
FamilySearch.org, Perry County, Alabama Deeds, 1821-1902, Vol. K, Pages 286-287, Images 540-541; 
FamilySearch.org, Perry County, Alabama Deeds, 1821-1902, Vol. K, Pages 777-778, Image 790; 
FamilySearch.org, Perry County, Alabama Deeds, 1821-1902, Vol. M, Page 562, Image 629. 

153 Ancestry.com, User note by danagross87, attached to 1850 U.S. Federal Census record for John 
Larkin. 

154 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Beat 2, Henderson, Texas; Roll: M653_1297; 
Page: 27; FHL Film No. 805297. 

155 Ancestry.com, 1860 U. S. Federal Census Slave Schedules. 

156 Comment by Gilson Westbrook at Genealogy.com, available at: 
genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/larkin/223/. 

157 Article from the “Athens Review,” re-printed on Wednesday, October 24, 1979 in the Yesteryears 
section, page 7A. Submitted by Laura Calvin and available at: 
sites.rootsweb.com/~txhender/ARBarker.htm. 

158 FamilySearch.org, Henderson County, Texas Deeds, Book N, Page 409. 

159 Ibid., Pages 410-411. 

160 Ibid., Page 412. 

161 William C. Larkin also received slaves from his father as part of these same set of transactions. 
They were Isaac, Maria, Abram, Texana, Jack, Nelson, Rachel, Ann, Rowena, and Charly. Ibid., Page 
413. 

162 [bid., Page 414. 

163 Addie Larkin Family History, Page 16, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

164 Tbid. 

165 Ibid. 

166 Ibid. 

167 Ancestry.com, Alabama Surname Files Expanded, 1702-1981, George Tannehill Jones Bible. 

168 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Woodville, Perry, Alabama; Roll: M432_12; 
Page: 314A; Image: 487. 

169 Ancestry.com, Alabama County Marriage Records, 1805-1967, Marriage of Hannah W Larkin and 
James J Carroll, 17 Feb 1845, Perry, Alabama, FHL Film No. 001653222. 

170 Ancestry.com, Alabama County Marriage Records, 1805-1967, Marriage of Hannah W Larkin and 
John R. McGill, 17 Dec 1851, Perry, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1290271. 

71 Ancestry.com, Texas County Marriage Records, 1817-1965, Marriage of Hannah W. McGill and James 
Sims, 11 Feb 1868, Henderson, Texas, FHL Film No. 001481017. 


170 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


12 FindAGrave, Memorial for Elizabeth Wells Hines (1824—Oct 1871), Memorial No. 129283332, 
available at: findagrave.com/memorial/129283332. 

73 Addie Larkin Family History, Page 19, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

174 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Frances H. Larkin Coleman (23 Dec 1837-18 Nov 1866), Memorial 
No. 43691126, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/43691126. 

175 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Frances H. Larkins and 
Nathaniel P. Coleman, 1 Aug 1848, Perry, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1290271. 

176 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Beat 1, Henderson, Texas; Roll: M653_1297; 
Page: 20; FHL Film No. 805297. 

77 Ancestry.com, Texas Wills and Probate Records, 1833-1974, Record for John C Larkin, Probate Date: 
25 May 1868, Henderson, Texas. 

178 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of John C. Laskins and Martha 
Jane Janes, 24 Mar 1853, Madison, Alabama. 

1” Ancestry.com, Texas Select County Marriage Index, 1837-1965, Marriage of John C. Larkin and J M 
Matthews, 3 Feb 1869, Anderson, Texas, FHL Film No. 987141. 

180 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for William Calhoun Larkin (28 Sep 1836-27 Mar 1896), Memorial No. 
65080479, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/65080479. 

181 Ancestry.com, Alabama Compiled Marriages from Selected Counties, 1809-1920, Marriage of W. C. 
Larkin and Harriet Holloway, 31 Oct 1859, Sumter, Alabama. 

182 Ancestry.com, U.S. Veterans’ Gravesites, ca. 1775-2006, National Cemetery Administration, 2006; 
Ancestry.com, Family Data Collection—Births, Edmund West, comp., 2001; FindAGrave, Memorial for 
David Larkin (1752-8 Aug 1822), Memorial No. 29132505, available at: 
findagrave.com/memorial/29132505; Addie Larkin Family History, available on ChristensenJames 
tree on Ancestry.com. 


183 Addie Larkin Family History, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

184 FamilySearch.org, Botetourt County, Virginia Lists of Tithables, 1770-1789, Image 91. 

18 Ancestry.com, Roster of the Virginia Navy of the Revolution, Original data: Robert Armistead, The 
History of Virginia’s Navy of the Revolution (Mitchell & Hotchkiss, Richmond, Virginia, 1934); Michael J. 
Crawford, The Naval Documents of the American Revolution, Vol. 11, Page 48, available at: 
history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/publications/naval-documents-of-the-american- 
revolution/NDARVolume11.pdf. 

186 Dean C. Allard, The Potomac Navy of 1776 (The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 
84, No. 4, Pages 412-418. 

187 Dean C. Allard, The Potomac Navy of 1776 (The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 
84, No. 4, Page 429. 

188 Michael J. Crawford, The Naval Documents of the American Revolution, Vol. 12, Page 492, available at: 


history.navy.mil/content/dam/nhhc/research/publications/naval-documents-of-the-american- 


revolution/NavalDocumentsOfTheAmericanRevVol12_ 8JUN2015.pdf. 
189 FindAGrave, Memorial for David Larkin (1752-8 Aug 1822), Memorial No. 29132505, available at: 


findagrave.com/memorial/29132505 
190 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_ Washington (1776 _row_galley). The photo is licensed under a CC BY- 
SA 3.0 Creative Commons license which allows for redistribution in any medium or format. 


191 Addie Larkin Family History, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 
122 FamilySearch.org, Jackson County, Alabama Records, Vol. 1, Christine Paradise Sumner, Page 59. 
193 sos.tn.gov/tsla/pages/genealogical-fact-sheets-about-hawkins-county. 


194 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of Franklin. 


171 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


1% Excerpt of an image available at: visitmysmokies.com/blog/smoky-mountains/the-lost-state-of- 
franklin/. Used here under the fair use doctrine for academic and research purposes. 

196 Addie Larkin Family History, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

197 FamilySearch.org, Hawkins County, Tennessee Deeds, Vol. 2, Page 115, Image 280; FamilySearch.org, 
Hawkins County, Tennessee Deeds, Vol. 3, Page 20, Image 16. 

198 FamilySearch.org, Hawkins County, Tennessee Deeds, Vol. 3, Page 116, Image 63. 

199 FamilySearch.org, Hawkins County, Tennessee Deeds, Vol. 4, Page 6, Image 308. 

200 FamilySearch.org, Hawkins County, Tennessee Deeds, Vol. 4, Pages 42-43, Image 326. 

201 FamilySearch.org, Hawkins County, Tennessee Deeds, Vol. 4, Page 4, Image 307; FamilySearch.org, 
Hawkins County, Tennessee Deeds, Vol. 4, Pages 91-92, Images 350-351. 

202 Addie Larkin Family History, Page 41, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

203 The image to the right of Davy Crockett by Chester Harding is in the public domain and can be 


found at: 
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davy_Crockett#/media/File:David_Crockett_portrait by Chester Harding,j 


204 Jesse Bean Historical Marker, available at: hmdb.org/Marker.asp?Marker=31561; 
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_ Bean. 

205 en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Davy Crockett. 

206 Ibid. 

207 Addie Larkin Family History, Page 6, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

208 Tbid. 

209 Available at: tnfranklin.genealogyvillage.com/Military/Warof1812/. 

210 lin-morgan.com/documents/M298.pdf. 

211 FamilySearch.org, Franklin County, Tennessee Deed Books, Vol. B, Page 212, Image 143. 

212 FamilySearch.org, Franklin County, Tennessee County Deed Books, Vol. J, Page 282, Image 489. 

213 FindAGrave, Memorial for David Larkin (1752-8 Aug 1822), Memorial No. 29132505, available at: 
findagrave.com/memorial/29132505. 

214 FamilySearch.org, Franklin County, Tennessee County Court Minutes, 1832-1834, Pages 306, Image 
227. 

215 FindAGrave, Memorial for Jane Armstrong Larkin (1755-15 Feb 1838), Memorial No. 30921182, 
available at: findagrave.com/memorial/30921182. 


216 Addie Larkin Family History, Page 41, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

217 FindAGrave, Memorial for Elizabeth “Betsy” Larkin Hunt (9 Dec 1785-1862), Memorial No. 
100255757, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/100255757. 

218 Ancestry.com, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Marriage of Elizabeth Larkin and 
David Hunt, Tennessee; Addie Larkin Family History, Page 8, available on ChristensenJames tree on 


Ancestry.com. 

219 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Jane “Jennie” Larkin Staples (28 Oct 1787-5 May 1859), Memorial 
No. 51756386, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/51756386. 

220 Ancestry.com, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Marriage of Jane Larkin and Isaac 
Staples, Tennessee; Addie Larkin Family History, Page 8, available on ChristensenJames tree on 


Ancestry.com. 

221 Addie Larkin Family History, Page 8, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

222 Ibid.; Ancestry.com, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Marriage of John Larkin and 
Jane Britton, Tennessee. 


172 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


223 Addie Larkin Family History, Page 8, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com; 
FindAGrave.com, Memorial for William Larkin (13 Mar 1791-16 Mar 1872), Memorial No. 30922026, 
available at: findagrave.com/memorial/30922026. 


224 Addie Larkin Family History, Page 8, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. First 
daughter Julia L. Larkin born 1819. 

225 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of Wm Larkin and Ann Gentle, 31 
Jul 1858, Franklin, Tennessee. 

26 Addie Larkin Family History, Page 8, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com; 
FindAGrave.com, Memorial for David Larkin, Jr (4 Oct 1793-31 Dec 1856), Memorial No. 14093982, 
available at: findagrave.com/memorial/14093892. 

27 Ancestry.com, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Marriage of David Larkin and 
Elizabeth Rutledge, 1826, Alabama. 

28 Addie Larkin Family History, Page 8, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com; 
FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Rev Henry Larkin (30 Jun 1795-11 Jul 1860), Memorial No. 30921604, 
available at: findagrave.com/memorial/30921604. 

29 Ancestry.com, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Marriage of Henry Larkin and 
Christina McLeod, 1820. 

230 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Elizabeth “Betsy” Larkin Hunt (9 Dec 1785-1862), Memorial No. 
100255757, citing Larkin Cemetery, Franklin County, Tennessee, USA; available at: 
findagrave.com/memorial/100255757. 

231 Ancestry.com, Alabama Surname Files Expanded, 1702-1981, Alabama Department of Archives and 
History, Montgomery, AL, Box or Film No. M85.0579. 

232 Article by Patsy Payne Farmer, Historical Society of Huntsville, Alabama, available at: 
joepayne.org/hunt.htm. 

233 Ibid. 

234 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for David Larkin, Jr. (4 Oct 1793-31 Dec 1856), Memorial No. 
14093892, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/14093892. Image found on FindAGrave.com and 
was uploaded by Annette Bradford on 4 May 2020 available at: 
findagrave.com/memorial/14093892/david-larkin/photo. Original source is currently unknown. 

35 Addie Larkin Family History, Page 42, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

236 Tbid. 

37 Ancestry.com, Story posted by user danagross87, available on profile for David Larkin, Jr.; David 
Malbuff has edited the Civil War Diary of David Larkin, Jr.’s daughter, Priscilla Larkin, and 
published it as Miss Priscilla Larkin: The Civil War Diary of a Southern Belle, available at: 
civilwardigital.com/CWDiaries/Larkin,%20Priscilla.%20The%20Civil%20War%20Diary%200f%20a%2 
OSouthern%20Belle.pdf. 

238 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Rev Henry Larkin (30 Jun 1795-11 Jul 1860), Memorial No. 
30921604, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/30921604; Addie Larkin Family History, Page 24, 
available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

239 Ancestry.com, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Marriage of Henry Larkin and 
Christina Mcleod, 1820. 

40 Addie Larkin Family History, Page 42, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

241 Ancestry.com, Alabama Marriage Index, 1800-1969, Marriage of Sarah E Jones and George F Strong, 
9 Oct 1856, Madison, Alabama, Performed by H Larkin, Minister of Gospel. 

#2 Ancestry.com, Alabama Marriage Index, 1800-1969, Marriage of Cornelia Ann Jones and Jas A 
Hullum, 19 Dec 1859, Madison, Alabama, Performed by Henry Larkin, Minister of Gospel. 


173 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


243 Addie Larkin Family History, Page 24, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. The 
image to the right was found on Ancestry.com. I am not aware of its original source. 

244 Addie Larkin Family History, Page 3, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

245 Ancestry.com, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Marriage of Henry Larkin and 
Jane Newton. Dana Gross Larkin explains in private message on Ancestry.com (received by the 
author 26 Jun 2020) that the “Newton” name for Jane comes from her grandfather’s written accounts 
that were given to him by his father and grandfather. She notes that this information has always been 
accurate, but as of yet there is no definitive source. 

246 en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Larkin (surname). 

247 T. Daniel Rupp, The History and Topography of Dauphin, Cumberland, Franklin, Bedford, Adams and 
Perry Counties, (Gilbert Hills and Pub., Lancaster, 1846), Page 460, transcribed tax list from Peter 
Township, Franklin County, PA, 1751, available at: 
archive.org/details/historytopograph00rup/page/460. 


248 ulsterscotssociety.com/about the-great.html; legendsofamerica.com/great-wagon-road/; 


en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great Wagon Road. 
249 Ibid. 


250 Image available at: 
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great Wagon Road#/media/File:Great Valley Road _Map.png and is in the 


public domain. 


251 Ancestry.com profile for Henry Larkin on ChristensenJames tree. 
252 Lyman Chalkley, Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia Extracted from the Original Court 
Records of Augusta County, 1745-1800 (Rosslyn, Virginia, 1912-13, reprint 1965), available at: 


sites.rootsweb.com/~chalkley/volume_1/orl1 135.htm, 
sites.rootsweb.com/~chalkley/volume_1/orl2_147.htm. 


253 farmcollector.com/farm-life/strategic-fibers. 

254 Lyman Chalkley, Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia. 

55 Augusta County, Virginia Court Records, Book 11, Page 844 (cited by Dana Gross Larkin on 
Ancestry.com). 

256 Augusta County, Virginia Court Records, Book 14, Pages 471-72 (cited by Dana Gross Larkin on 
Ancestry.com). 

257 Virginia Land Office Patents & Grants of the Northern Neck, of Augusta County, Virginia Grants 
& Surveys Office, available on microfilm, Virginia State Land Office, Patents 1-42, Reels 1-41, record 
for 24 acres upon Buffalo Creek in the fork of the James River joining William Ray’s survey, Land 
Office Patents No. 39, 1770-1771, Reel 39 (cited by Dana Gross Larkin on Ancestry.com). 

258 FamilySearch.org, Botetourt County, Virginia Lists of Tithables, 1770-1789, Images 27, 61. 

259 Allan Kulikoff, From British Peasants to Colonial American Farmers (University of North Carolina 


Press, 2000). Cited by Dana Gross Larkin on Ancestry.com, pages not available. 

260 Oren Frederic Morton, A History of Rockbridge County, Virginia (The McClure Co., Inc. Staunton, 
Virginia 1920), Page 498, available at: 
archive.org/details/historyofrockbri00mortrich/page/498/mode/2up/search/larkin. This book also lists 
seven of Henry Larkin’s children. 


261 Children are listed in the order they appear in Henry Larkin’s Will. In many cases this is the only 
definitive record I have been able to find for each child. See Last Will and Testament of Henry Larkin, 
Nov 13, 1772, available on the page for Henry Larkin in the ChristensenJames tree at Ancestry.com. 
Many trees have estimated birth dates for Henry’s children, but I have not found them to be 
consistent or well-sourced. 


174 


Section III, Part C: The Jones and Larkin Lines 


26 Ancestry.com, Virginia Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1607-1890, Record for James 
Larkin, 1840, Monroe County, Virginia, Age 96. 

263 Ancestry.com, Virginia Select Marriage Indexes, 1785-1940, Marriage of James Larkin and Mary 
Tudor, 1 Mar 1804, Rockbridge, Virginia, FHL Film No. 33799. 

264 Last Will and Testament of Henry Larkin, Nov 13, 1772, available on the page for Henry Larkin in 
the ChristensenJames tree at Ancestry.com. 

265 Addie Larkin Family History, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com; 
FindAGrave.com, Memorial for David Larkin (1752-8 Aug 1822), Memorial No. 29132505, available 
at: findagrave.com/memorial/29132505. 

266 Addie Larkin Family History, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com; Ancestry.com, 
U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Marriage of David Larkin and Jane Armstrong, 
1782, Tennessee. 

267 Last Will and Testament of Henry Larkin, Nov 13, 1772, available on the page for Henry Larkin in 
the ChristensenJames tree at Ancestry.com. 

268 Ibid. 

269 Ibid. Sarah Larkin may have been born about 1772 in Virginia and died about 1868 in McMinn 
County, Tennessee. If that is the correct Sarah Larkin, she first married Unknown PRITCHARD and 
then Jacob T. SWAFFORD on 2 Jul 1812 in Livingston, Kentucky. See FindAGrave.com, Memorial for 
Sarah Larkin Swafford (1772-1868), Memorial No. 55448636, available at: 
findagrave.com/memorial/55448636/sarah-swafford. The documentary evidence for this marriage is 


currently minimal. However, Hank does have fifteen possible DNA matches on Ancestry.com that 
trace their lineage through this Sarah Larkin and Jacob Swafford marriage. That makes the 
information above somewhat likely in my opinion, although more research is needed. 

270 Last Will and Testament of Henry Larkin, Nov 13, 1772, available on the page for Henry Larkin in 
the ChristensenJames tree at Ancestry.com. 

271 Ibid. Margaret Larkin may have married either John Galbraith or Joseph Campbell. Hank shares 
DNA matches with people who trace their ancestry to both of these couples, but so far I have not 
been able to find further evidence to support either match. 

2? Ibid. Hank has seven DNA matches who trace their descent through a Nancy Ann Larkin and 
Phillip Brantley, but this connection is currently lacking further evidence. 

273 Ibid. Hank has two DNA matches who trace their descent through Henry Larkin and Ann Young, 
but this connection is currently lacking further evidence. 

274 Ibid. 


175 


D. The Pitcher Line 


Nathaniel Pitcher 
Charles G. Pitcher — 


Margaret Stevenson 


James Pitcher 


—§<—J Elizabeth Durkee 


Andrew Stevenson 
Margaret 


1. Margaret Aretta Pitcher (1865-1937) 


Margaret Aretta Pitcher 


Margaret Aretta “Maggie” Pitcher was Hank’s paternal 
grandmother. Information on her life is rather limited. 
But there is still plenty to learn about this new branch of 
the family tree that was only recently discovered 
through DNA testing. Margaret’s father and many of 
her paternal uncles were successful merchants and 
politicians throughout the country during the 19t 
Century. Her grandfather was a veteran of the 
Revolutionary War. Margaret was born around 1865 to 
Charles G. Pitcher and Delilah Jane Gray in Alabama.! 
Although she was born in Alabama, Margaret also 
spent some time in Mississippi during her youth. The 
1880 census shows her in Lafayette County, Mississippi 
as a 15 year old, with her parents and two siblings: 
Nancy Willie Pitcher and Charley Pitcher.” 


The recently discovered family of George Nelson reports that Margaret Pitcher had a strong work 


ethic and a thrifty streak. Even after the ice business that she ran with her husband became 


successful, Margaret was known to continue cutting the heavy ice blocks herself. In her later years, 


this led to severe back issues and other health problems, necessitating the use of a back brace. That 


may account for Margaret’s upright posture and the blanket that we see in the picture above. 


On May 13, 1891 Margaret Pitcher married George Farmer Strong, Jr. in Jefferson County, Alabama.* 


Their life together is discussed above in his section. One interesting detail that we see from the 


census, taken every ten years, is that Margaret’s father was reported as born in a different location 


each time. In 1880, when Charles G. Pitcher was likely answering this question himself, he gave his 


correct birth place of New York.‘ But in 1900, Margaret or someone in her household said he was 


177 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


born in Virginia. In 1910, it was Mississippi.® By 1920, Margaret or her household reported that her 
father was born in England.’ Finally, in 1930, someone thought he was born in Alabama.’ This is a 
good illustration that census information cannot always be taken at face value; the person reporting 


to the census taker may have been mistaken. 


Margaret Aretta Pitcher died on December 30, 1937 in Cusseta, Chambers County, Alabama. Her 
funeral notice in the newspaper is very brief, and only mentions her husband and daughter, Miss 
Grace M. Strong, as survivors. This suggests very strongly that the family had lost all ties to their son 
John Coulbourn Strong by this point, and may have assumed him dead. As we saw above, he would 


in fact survive another ten years until 1947. 
Children of George Farmer Strong, Jr. and Margaret Aretta “Maggie” Pitcher: 


i. John Coulbourn STRONG was born 4 Mar 1894 in Birmingham, Alabama and died 16 Jun 
1947 in Houston, Harris County, Texas.? He married Dorothy Grace Christina Morrison 
TAYLOR on 28 Feb 1916 in London, England.!° He married Grace Corrine BREWER on 31 
Dec 1925 in Pitcher, Ottawa County, Oklahoma.!! 

ii. | Grace Margaret Aretta STRONG was born 1 Jun 1896 in Alabama and died Feb 1976 in 
Cusseta, Chambers County, Alabama.!” 


2. Charles G. Pitcher (About 1800—A fter 1880) 


Charles G. Pitcher was born around 1800 to Nathaniel Pitcher and Margaret Stevenson in 
Washington County, New York.'® There is some evidence that his middle name was “Grandison.” ™ 
The record from his first marriage listed “G” as his middle initial.°> There was a famous Christian 
Revivalist named Charles Grandison Finney, who was born in Litchfield County, Connecticut in 1792 
and whose family moved to Jefferson County, New York.'* As we will see below, Charles’ father 
Nathaniel Pitcher was also born in Litchfield County, Connecticut and moved his family to upstate 


New York. It is possible that there is an undiscovered connection between these families. 


Charles Pitcher was Hank’s Great-Grandfather. The evidence for Charles’ parentage is somewhat 
circuitous, but still solid. The first piece of evidence for his origin comes from Charles’ more famous 
brother, Dr. Zina Pitcher. Zina was a medical doctor and botanist. He was instrumental in the 
founding of the University of Michigan, particularly the medical school, and went on to become the 
mayor of Detroit. His interesting life is discussed in more detail below. A 1908 article in the Michigan 


Alumnus magazine discusses the Pitcher family: 


“Zina Pitcher, son of Nathaniel Pitcher, a captain in the revolutionary war, and 
Margaret Stevenson, a Scotch woman, was born April 12, 1797, on a farm in 
Washington County, New York. His mother, when he was but five years old, was left 
a widow with her three children: Zina, Sidney, and Charles, and a stepson, Nathaniel 
Pitcher [Jr.]. Upon her devolved the task of providing a livelihood and a schooling 


for the four boys, out of the resources of a new farm . . . . How well she succeeded 


178 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


may be seen in the career of her stepson who, as General Nathaniel Pitcher, became 
Lieutenant-Governor of the State. The son, Sidney, died young and unmarried, while 
Charles married in the south, and his descendants, it appears, actively supported the 
Lost Cause.” !” 


Nathaniel Pitcher actually appears to have had five children with Margaret Stevenson. The eldest was 
James Pitcher, born around 1792. Next were Samuel (1795), Zina (1797), Charles (1800), and James 
(around 1802). The four youngest children can be inferred from the 1800 census, where we see 
Nathaniel Pitcher in Washington County, New York, with four males under the age of 10, along with 
one male between 10 and 16, who was likely his eldest son from his first marriage: Nathaniel Pitcher, 


Jr.8 


Supporting these conclusions is the Will of Charles’ brother Samuel Pitcher from 1832 in Troy, New 
York. Samuel left the remainder of his Estate to his four brothers: James, Zina, Charles G., and Sidney 
Pitcher.’ Samuel clarified that the interests of brothers James and Charles were subject to the 
condition that their shares first go towards paying off several debts to local merchants. Notably, 
Charles appears to have left debts to Craft, Hart & Pitcher (a hardware store); Southwick, Cannon & 
Warren (a dry goods firm); Vail & Slasson (a crockery store); and Eli L. Dibble (a hatter).2? The 
hardware store may have involved Charles Pitcher or one of his relatives, given the Pitcher name. It 
appears that Pitcher was removed from the firm in 1832, when it became Hart & Card.?! 


The steam boat “Rowena” circa 191222 


179 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


Charles Pitcher left New York and moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama as soon as 1822.73 Charles was 
active as a merchant, forming many companies with different partners for over thirty years, until 
around 1860.74 Charles was part owner and operator of a local newspaper, the Tuscaloosa Chronicle.” 


As a merchant, he was involved in numerous lawsuits to recover debts.6 


A case that made it to the Alabama Supreme Court shows that in 1828, Charles Pitcher’s company 
contracted to have sixty-nine bales of cotton transported from Tuscaloosa, Alabama to the port of 
Mobile. In January of 1829, the cotton, which was valued at $5,000, was loaded onto the boat 
“Warrior” and shipped down the Black Warrior River towards Mobile. Unfortunately, on the way, 
the Warrior collided with the steam boat Erie and was sunk. All of the cotton was lost, and the 
resulting legal battles over liability worked their way through the court system.?” It would not be 
Charles Pitcher’s last legal dispute. 


In 1830, Charles G. Pitcher & Co. sued Robert McMurray over the sale of a slave. Pitcher claimed he 
purchased a girl named Caroline for $375, part of which was paid immediately and part which was 
due later. Charles claimed that Caroline was “unsound and disabled and had been so for some time 
previous to said sale and delivery.”?8 McMurray said that he told Pitcher at the time of sale that 
Caroline was not used to working on a farm but was mostly useful as a house servant, and was the 
mother of several children. He said that Pitcher was satisfied with the sale until McMurray asked for 
the remainder of the money. The case was later dismissed, with Charles Pitcher recovering costs of 
the suit and $139.” 


Charles Pitcher did not appear on the 1830 census in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, but I suspect he was the 
white male between 20 and 30 who was living with his brother James Pitcher of the same age range.” 
James had also moved to Tuscaloosa from New York, and was working as a merchant during this 


time period, first as part of Pitcher & Marr, and later as Pitcher & Remsen.*! 


A Deed of Trust from May 10, 1834 transferred ownership of a lot in Elyton, Alabama (a small town 
that was later annexed to become part of Birmingham) to Charles Pitcher. Charles was noted as living 
in Tuscaloosa County, about fifty miles to the west. Included with the land sale was “one mahogany 
secretary, one side board, one settee, one set Windsor chairs, one gig & harness, one large pair 
glasses, one mahogany table, one candle stand, one carpet, and other furniture as belongs to a parlor 
including all of the same, also one negro girl, named Mace, about 12 yrs. old.” Charles acquired this 
property by assuming a debt of $3,355.85 that the previous owner, John Cantley, owed to St. John & 


Leavens of Mobile, Alabama.2 


A newspaper article from 1922 says that “Charles Pitcher came into possession of [a corner store in 
Tuscaloosa, Alabama]. At one time during the past century, this Charles Pitcher was a leading 
merchant in Tuscaloosa. His firm, Cummins, Pitcher & Company, did a large business on this corner 
at an early period. He lived till a little after the war between the states. I remember him. He sold the 
corner to Charles Patterson October 26, 1836.” As a native New Yorker, Charles Pitcher would likely 


have been viewed by his Southern neighbors as a “Yankee.” Yankees “were often unpopular 


180 


peddlers and storekeepers . . 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


. [t]hroughout much of the American hinterland, Yankees were the 


functional equivalent of Jews in rural Europe.” 


In 1836, Charles Pitcher was listed as one 


of the partners of the Tuscaloosa Wharf 


Company involved in building “a 


spacious and convenient Wharf, with 


CAPFTAL 200,000 
TU SCALOOSA INSURANCE COMPAKXY 
Office up stairs, over the store of Johnson & Whi. 


Cotton Slides, in connection with which 
they will have in readiness, safe and 
commodious Warehouses for the storage 
of Cotton and Merchandise.”% An article 


« The office 
from a few weeks later advertised the ) o'clock, Ag | util of Ce from 
Tuscaloosa Insurance Company, Hi. M. ANDREW S, President, 


“organized, and prepared, in accordance 
with the charter, 
against any loss by Marine and River 


to make Insurance 


risks, and against any loss by fire, on 


Heny A. Snow 


Buildings and Merchandise i ) ‘ Witt L. Powrns, Sec. 
. 


James Hogan 
Jan. 30, 1 * 


ee OR eee cee ~ 


Charles G. Pitcher was listed as one of the 
An 1837 article notes the 
dissolution of a partnership under the firm 
“The 
business will hereafter be conducted by 
John H. Vincent and Charles G. Pitcher, under the firm Vincent and Pitcher.”°” Clearly, Charles 
Pitcher had been busy establishing his various interests in Tuscaloosa and had become a prominent 


— 


directors.°6 
Advertisement for the Tuscaloosa Insurance 


BE Vinwenk.. Pitcher ahd: “Tanner Company — Charles G. Pitcher, Director 


citizen in the capital city. 


A series of land grant records from September of 1830 show Charles Pitcher transferring 40 acres in 
Tuscaloosa to a James G. Blount.** At the same time, he acquired a total of 362 acres across four 
separate parcels as a tenant in common with Kinney Pool, John Cummings, William Powers, and 
John Vincent.*? Cummings, Powers, and Vincent were previous business partners, and Pool may have 
been as well. A later legal decision sheds some light on the purpose of these land purchases and the 
fortunes of Charles Pitcher. 


Pool et al. v. Cummings & Co. et al. was a case that made it to the Alabama Supreme Court in 1852. 
Apparently, Kinney Pool was engaged by Vincent, Pitcher, and Cummings to research and buy land 
near Tuscaloosa that could be used for mining coal. The partnership eventually purchased more than 
809 acres of land and had it surveyed. The legal issue arose when it was discovered that 480 acres of 
the land had already been acquired by a Mr. Moody, a creditor of Mr. Pool, in a sheriff’s sale. It 
appears that Pool did not put any effort into mining coal on the land, instead becoming insolvent and 
moving to Iowa. Charles Pitcher was discharged under the bankruptcy act, having sold his interest to 
a Mr. Aiken.” 


181 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


On January 4, 1838, Charles G. Pitcher married Rowena Jane Hughes in Tuscaloosa.*! Rowena may 
have been the young daughter of one of Charles’ business partners, a Mr. Nathan Hughes of the 
Tuscaloosa Wharf Company. On the 1850 census, Charles G. Pitcher was living with his wife “Rhoina 
J. Pitcher” in Tuscaloosa.*? Rowena was 30 years old in 1850, which means she was only 18 when she 
married in 1838. Charles was twenty years older, around 38 at the time of their marriage. On 
November 11, 1841, John R. Drish gifted his sister Mrs. Rowena Jane Pitcher “a slave for the use of 
her and her husband, C.G. Pitcher.” Since Rowena Jane had the surname Hughes when she married 
at the age of 18, it seems likely that John Drish was a brother-in-law.“ To date I have not found any 
children from Charles’ marriage to Rowena Jane Hughes, although their existence is certainly 
possible. Rowena may have died young, likely by the end of the Civil War, when I believe Charles 


married another young woman named Delilah Jane Gray. 


I have not been able to find any military service records for Charles Pitcher. However, his daughter 
Nancy Willie Pitcher’s death certificate listed her father as “Major” Pitcher. This seems to indicate 
some type of military service. He would have been fairly old during the Civil War, but it is possible 
that Charles Pitcher served during the Mexican-American War which ran from 1846 to 1848. Many of 
the American soldiers in that war were volunteers on short one-year contracts.*© However, it should 
be noted that Charles G. Pitcher appears repeatedly in the Tuscaloosa County, Alabama Court 
records from 1846 through 1848, including serving as a witness and a juror.” This suggests that he 


probably remained in the area during the Mexican-American War. 


In June of 1853, Charles Pitcher served as an inspector of the general election for “Pitchers No. 11” 
precinct.#* Given the prominence of Charles Pitcher and his brothers in this area, it seems likely to me 
that this precinct was named after one of them. On November 4, 1857, Charles G. Pitcher was charged 
with selling “spirituous or vinous liquors” without a license. A jury found him guilty and fined him 
$20. 


Like much of the South, Tuscaloosa was economically devastated by the Civil War. The University of 
Alabama, located in Tuscaloosa, was burned to the ground by Union troops on April 4, 1865.°° On the 
1866 Alabama census, Charles was still living in Tuscaloosa. He was 66 years old. With him were two 
females, one between 20 and 30 years old, and the other under 10.5! The young woman was his new 
wife Delilah, and the girl was their infant daughter Nancy Willie Pitcher. Around this time the young 


family appears to have moved west to Mississippi. 


The 1870 census shows Charles Pitcher (born around 1800 in New York), living in Yalobusha, 
Mississippi with 22 year old Deliley Pitcher. Charles, the former businessman, land owner, and slave 
holder, was now simply a farmer, and Delilah was keeping house. They had two children, Margaret, 
5, and William, 3.5? I believe the ages of the children may be mixed up here, and Nancy Willie was 
listed as a boy named “William,” likely because of her masculine middle name. The 1880 census 
establishes that Delilah, here listed as “E.J. Pitcher” age 31, was the wife of Charles Pitcher, now 80. 
Their children were Maggie, Nancy WJ[illie], and Charley, Jr.5> Charles G. Pitcher died sometime after 
1880, likely in Mississippi. 


182 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


Children of Charles G. Pitcher and Delilah Jane Gray: 


i. Margaret Aretta “Maggie” PITCHER was born about 1865 in Alabama*™ and died 30 Dec 
1937 in Cusseta, Chambers County, Alabama.®> She married George Farmer STRONG on 13 
May 1891 in Jefferson County, Alabama.*° 
ii. Nancy Willie PITCHER was born about 1867 in Alabama and died 21 Jun 1953 in Memphis, 
Shelby County, Tennessee.” She married James Averett PILCHER around 1889.5 
iii. Charles PITCHER, Jr. was born about 1880 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.*? 


a. Brother Dr. Zina Pitcher (1797-1872) 


Three of Charles Pitcher’s brothers were noteworthy for their accomplishments. The first is Zina 
Pitcher, born three years before Charles on April 12, 1797. Their father Nathaniel Pitcher died in 
1802 when Zina was only five years old. Zina was fascinated with plants and flowers as a child, and 
studied botany along with preparations for a medical career.*! At age 21 he began a four year study of 
medicine in the office of a private practitioner. He took only two formal medical courses at the 
Castleton School of Medicine in Vermont. In 1822 he was granted an M.D. degree by Middlebury 
College.” With this limited formal training, Zina Pitcher enlisted in the Army as an assistant 


surgeon. 


Zina served at garrisons along what was then the frontier in the upper Great Lakes region, in the area 
that would later become Michigan. During his time in the Army, he discovered several previously 
uncategorized plant species, including the Pitcher’s Thistle, named in his honor.® In the course of his 
Army career, he became friends with Lewis Cass, the territorial governor, Henry R. Schoolcraft, an 
authority on Native American tribes, and Lucius Lyon, a future U.S. Senator. Cass would later serve 
as Secretary of War under President Andrew Jackson and Secretary of State under President James 


Buchanan.®© Zina Pitcher would also develop a relationship with President Jackson. 


183 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


Dr. Zina Pitcher 


Andrew Jackson’s wife Rachael died only three weeks after her husband was elected president in 
1828.” Disconsolate, Jackson retreated to a small military fortification named Fort Calhoun (later re- 
named Fort Wool) in Virginia during much of the late 1820s and 1830s. He made the fort his “White 
House.” He built a small hut to watch ships pass the island, and even made key decisions there with 
his advisors.® Zina Pitcher became a member of the Army Medical Board in 1835 and apparently 


made several visits to President Jackson at Fort Calhoun, developing a close friendship.® 


Zina moved to Detroit just as Michigan was gaining statehood in 1836. He became a leading doctor in 
the city and was elected mayor three times. As a politician he helped establish public schools in the 
city of Detroit, which he considered his most important achievement.” He was named as one of the 


184 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


twelve founding regents of the University of Michigan, and the founder of the University’s medical 
school.7! In 1859, Zina Pitcher was appointed Examiner of the Mint by President Buchanan. He served 
as the head of the American Medical Association. He published many articles on education, 


medicine, botany, and Native Americans.” 


Zina Pitcher married Anna Eliza Shelton in 1824. They had two children: Nathaniel (1832) and Rosa 
(1835). Anna died in 1864, and in 1867 he remarried to Emily Montgomery.” Zina Pitcher died on 
April 5, 1872.74 


b. Brother James Pitcher (1792-1844) 


James Pitcher was born around 1792 in Washington County, New York.” There are service records 
for a Private James Pitcher in the New York State Militia during the war of 1812.” James would have 
been about 20 years old at the time, so this may be him. James made the journey south to Alabama 
around the same time as his brother Charles, and there are several records of his activity as a 
merchant.” The 1830 census shows James Pitcher living in Tuscaloosa County, and his brother 
Charles G. Pitcher may have been living with him.” We know that he later migrated to Little Rock, 


Arkansas, where he became a leading citizen and mayor. 


On August 15, 1837, James Pitcher’s seven-year-old son James Zinah Ashely Pitcher died in Little 
Rock. James was noted as the mayor in the newspaper article about his son’s death.” He served as 
Mayor of Little Rock from 1835 to 1838.89 Numerous articles throughout the 1830s and 1840s show 
James as a leading merchant in the town, as part of the firms Pitcher, Weaver, & Co. and Pitcher, 
Officer, & Co.8! In his role as a merchant, he was hired as a wagon master, responsible for hiring 
teamsters to drive the wagons used in relocating Native Americans during the infamous Trail of 


Tears.*®2 


James Pitcher died on October 9, 1844.83 He was noted as one of the oldest settlers and most active 
and prominent businessmen of Little Rock. From a Sheriff's Sale the year following his death, we 
learn of two female slaves, both named Louisa, that were the property of James Pitcher.** He was 
buried in Mount Holly Cemetery, along with many other prominent citizens of Arkansas, including 
eleven former governors and four confederate generals. Shortly after his death, a steam boat was 
named “James Pitcher” in his honor by the firm Weaver & Walters. It ran a regular route between 


Fort Gibson (in what is now Oklahoma) and New Orleans.*® 


185 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


c. Half-Brother Gov. Nathaniel Pitcher, Jr. (1777-1836) 


Nathaniel Pitcher, Jr. was born on November 30, 1777 in Litchfield, Connecticut.8* His father was 
Nathaniel Pitcher but his mother’s name is currently unknown. We know his mother was not 
Margaret Stevenson, mother of our direct ancestor Charles Pitcher, since she was born around 1774. 
This makes Nathaniel a half-brother to Charles, Zina, James, Samuel and Sidney Pitcher. Unlike his 
younger half-brothers, Nathaniel was an adult when his father passed away in 1802. He was as one of 
the Executors of his father’s Will.*” 


Nathaniel Pitcher, Jr. appears to have served in the New York State Militia during the War of 1812, 
holding the rank of Brigadier General as of 1814.** His first marriage was to Margaret “Peggy” Scott. 
They had three sons: Augustus, Matthew, and Montgomery.®® Margaret died in 1815, leaving 
Nathaniel to care for the three young boys. Nathaniel remarried to Anna B. Merritt on March 15, 
1823. By this time he was listed as a General. Sadly, Anna died almost one year later during the 
birth of their son Edward, on May 3, 1824. 


Nathaniel had an extensive career in New York politics. He served in the New York State Assembly 
in 1806 and again from 1815-1817. He studied law, was admitted to the bar, and practiced as a 
lawyer. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1819-1823 and again from 
1831-1833. He was a delegate to the 1821 New York State Constitutional Convention. In 1826 he was 
elected as Lieutenant Governor of New York. When Governor Dewitt Clinton died in February of 
1828, Nathaniel Pitcher briefly served as Governor of New York until January of 1829.°! He was 
succeeded as governor by Martin Van Buren, later the eighth President of the United States.°? The 


small town of Pitcher, New York, incorporated in 1827, is named after Nathaniel Pitcher, Jr.% 


Nathaniel Pitcher, Jr. died on May 25, 1836. In his Will, he left $9,000 to his youngest son Edward 
Pitcher, with the remainder of his Estate to be divided among his three older sons.** While the 
historical value of money is complicated, $9,000 in 1836 would have an inflated purchasing power of 
around $300,000 in 2023.% Given that this was only a portion of his Estate, Nathaniel Pitcher, Jr. was 


not only a successful politician but also a wealthy man.%° 


3. Nathaniel Pitcher, Sr. (1749-1802) and Margaret Stevenson (About 1770-1819) 


Nathaniel Pitcher, Sr. was the father Charles G. Pitcher. He was Hank’s great-great grandfather. 
Nathaniel Pitcher was born on August 2, 1749 in Washington, Connecticut.” He was baptized on 
August 13, 1750.8 His parents were James Pitcher and Elizabeth Durkee.” We know that Nathaniel 
served in the Revolutionary War as a Captain. According to Nathaniel Jr., his father was involved ina 
surprise raid against the British. “About the time Ethan Allen took Ticonderoga [on May 10, 1775], a 
company of some ten men in the garb of hunters, commanded by Captain Pitcher, the father of Gov. 
Nathaniel Pitcher, and Samuel Parks as Lieutenant, captured Fort Wm. Henry at the head of Lake 
George. Only four or five men were in the Fort, and the object of the Americans was not 


suspected.” 1 


186 


Section HII, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


Daring as this raid may have been, Fort William Henry had fallen into disuse at this time, likely 
explaining why it was so lightly guarded. The actual skirmish may have taken place at nearby Fort 
George, one of several forts with that name that have been located at the southern end of Lake 
George in New York.!! Nathaniel likely stayed in Litchfield County, Connecticut after the 
Revolution, until at least 1777, when his son Nathaniel Jr. was born there. By 1785 we know that he 
had moved to Kingsbury in Washington County, New York.' 


We don’t currently know the name of Nathaniel Pitcher’s first wife. They were likely married before 
1777 when Nathaniel Jr. was born. Two daughters followed: Sarah “Sally” Pitcher circa 1782 and 
Mary “Polly” Pitcher in 1785.1 On April 2, 1785, John W. Kinney and Nathaniel Pitcher jointly sold 
20 acres of land in Kingsbury, New York to John Stewart.!™ Nathaniel Pitcher’s first wife likely died 
sometime between 1785 and 1792. Nathaniel Pitcher appears on the 1790 census in Kingsbury, New 
York. There were ten people in the household, although individual names are not provided on this 


census. 19% 


Nathaniel Pitcher, Sr. re-married to Margaret Stevenson in this period. Their first son together, James 
Pitcher, was born in 1792.1% Samuel was born around 1795 and Zina in 1797.1°7 Our ancestor Charles 
G. Pitcher followed around 1800.' Nathaniel Pitcher, Sr. was a Captain in Lieutenant Colonel Adiel 
Sherwood’s regiment of the New York State Militia in Washington County.’ The 1800 census shows 
the family in Kingsbury, New York. The household had four males under 10, likely the four sons just 
noted. Nathaniel Jr. was presumably the male between ten and fifteen years old, with Nathaniel Sr. as 
the male over forty-five.!° 


LANSDOWNE IRO 
FORGES ] LANSD J VV 


CANADA 


While the existence of local 
had been made for the 
1801 that Wallis Sund 

iron works in Upper C 


included both a fur 
the manufacture 


Commemorative Plaque at Lansdowne Iron Works!"! 


187 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


In September of 1800, Wallis Sunderlin travelled to Ontario, Canada to propose the construction of an 
iron works on the Garanoque River. As part of the proposal, Sunderlin noted several craftsmen he 
intended to bring with him to complete the work, including carpenters Elisha Lee, Nathaniel Pitcher, 
and Gilbert Stevenson.!!? Elisha Lee was Nathaniel Pitcher’s son-in-law, the husband of Sarah “Sally” 
Pitcher. Gilbert Stevenson was Nathaniel’s brother-in-law, the brother of his wife Margaret.!% 
Nathaniel Pitcher, Sr. and his relatives helped to construct the Lansdowne Iron Works, now a 
National Historic Site of Canada. The fifth and youngest son of Nathaniel and Margaret Pitcher, 
Sidney W. Pitcher, appears to have been born around this time, between 1800 and 1802.14 


Nathaniel Pitcher signed his Will on December 7, 1802.'!5 He left his wife Margaret one third of his 
real and personal property, with the remainder to his children. Daughter Sarah was noted as having 
already received $150 which was part of her inheritance. Half of the grain currently growing on his 
farm was reserved for Nathaniel Pitcher, Jr., who was also the Executor. Lieutenant Colonel Adiel 
Sherwood was one of the witnesses. Nathaniel Pitcher, Sr. died three days later on December 10, 
1802, leaving Margaret to raise five young boys.” Margaret (Pitcher) Stevenson would later re-marry 
to Solomon King. She died on April 19, 1819 and is buried as “Margaret King” at the King Cemetery 
in Kingsbury, New York."8 


Children of Nathaniel Pitcher, Sr. and Unknown: 


is Nathaniel PITCHER, Jr. was born 30 Nov 1777 in Litchfield, Litchfield County, Connecticut!’ 
and died 25 May 1836 in Hudson Falls, Washington County, New York.!2° He married 
Margaret “Peggy” SCOTT before 1808.12) He married Anna B. MERRITT on 15 Mar 1823 in 
Freeborn, New York.!2 
ii. Sarah “Sally” PITCHER was born about 1782.13 
iil. Mary “Polly” PITCHER was born about 1785. She may have married Rua FULLER. 


Children of Nathaniel Pitcher, Sr. and Margaret Stevenson: 


i. James PITCHER was born about 1792 in Washington County, New York! and died 4 Oct 
1844 in Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas.176 

li. Samuel PITCHER was born about 1795 in Washington County, New York and died 21 Apr 
1832 in New York.!2” He married Maria RUSSELL.18 

iii. Zina PITCHER was born 12 Apr 1797 in Washington County, New York and died 5 Apr 1872 
in Michigan. He married Anna Eliza SHELDON in 1824.%0 He married Emily L. 
MONTGOMERY in 1867.13! 

iv. | Charles G. PITCHER was born about 1800 in Washington County, New York! and died 
after 1880, likely in Mississippi.°? He married Rowena Jane HUGHES on 4 Jan 1838 in 
Tuscaloosa, Alabama.'4 He married Delilah Jane GRAY by about 1865 in Alabama.1%5 

v. Sidney W. PITCHER was born about 1802 in Washington County, New York. 6 


188 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


a. Andrew Stevenson (Unknown-1816) and Margaret (Unknown-Before 1802) 


Margaret Stevenson was born around 1770, likely to Andrew Stevenson and his first wife Margaret.!97 
Unfortunately, I have not found a primary source that definitely establishes that she was the 
daughter of Andrew Stevenson. However, this connection has been passed down as family history, 
and there is a fair amount of circumstantial evidence that makes it likely.°° Andrew Stevenson spent 
most of his life in Washington County, New York, the same area where Nathaniel Pitcher (Margaret’s 
future husband) was living as a widow around the 1790s. When Andrew Stevenson moved west to 
Seneca County, New York around 1810, several of Nathaniel Pitcher, Sr.’s siblings also moved to 
Seneca County.'% As an additional piece of evidence, Hank James currently has twenty-five DNA 


matches on Ancestry.com that trace their descent from Andrew Stevenson. 


Family records suggest that Andrew Stevenson’s wife may have been Margaret Gilmore, although 
her maiden name remains uncertain.’4! Andrew and Margaret had seven children: Elizabeth, 
Margaret (our ancestor who married Nathaniel Pitcher), Gilbert, Andrew Jr., James, Alexander, and 
Susannah.'# There is a Colonial Muster Roll from 1761 which has Andrew Stevenson as a 31 year old 
immigrant from Scotland.'* His profession was listed as “Taylor” and he was 5’3” tall, with a “fresh” 
complexion, light brown hair, and black eyes.'# This regiment was mustered in Richmond and King’s 
Counties in New York. These counties make up modern Staten Island and Brooklyn. Given the 
location and age, it is currently unclear if this document identifies our Andrew Stevenson before he 


moved north to upstate New York.!# 


Andrew Stevenson is noteworthy mostly for the trouble his Tory sympathies caused him during the 
Revolutionary War. According to descendant Lynn Stevenson Fisher, Andrew immigrated to the 
colonies in 1772 and settled in the Skenesborough and Fort Anne area of northeastern New York.'6 
The immigration date appears to come from family history, and may not be exact. She records that 
Andrew was a tenant of aman named Philip Skene. Philip Skene was a Scottish officer in the British 
Army. Between 1770 and 1775 Skene was actively involved in building the town of Skenesborough in 
upstate New York. The settlement is now known as Whitehall in Washington County, New York.'4” 


As the Revolution broke out, Philip Skene’s son was arrested. Philip was returning from England, 
and his ship was diverted to Philadelphia. The Continental Congress detained him, and after a 
committee led by John Adams looked over his papers, they sent him to Connecticut under arrest. 
Skene was eventually paroled and returned to England, where he became a Colonel in the British 
Army under General John Burgoyne. Burgoyne led an expedition south from Canada to reclaim the 
Hudson River Valley. Philip’s home in Skenesborough was used as a headquarters from which to 
survey local conditions and recruit loyalists to the cause.'8 One of those loyalists may very well have 


been our ancestor Andrew Stevenson. 


In the fall of 1776, Andrew Stevenson and six other residents of Skenesborough were convicted of 
being “enemies to the common cause.” Under the orders of General Gates, Colonel Cornelius 
Wynkoop sent the prisoners to Litchfield, Connecticut to be detained.™ It is unclear if Andrew ever 


made it to Connecticut. Instead he may have escaped to Canada. Andrew Stevenson appears to have 


189 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


made several border crossings around this time, and a few months later he was apprehended in 
Vermont. On November 15, 1777, Andrew Stevenson and four other prisoners were given permission 
by the local Council of Safety in Burlington, Vermont to turn themselves in to Major John Van 
Rensselaer in New York. The Council instructed Van Rensselaer to, “after examining them, send for 
the evidence to support the several charges against them, and deal with them according to the nature 


of their crimes.” 45? 


Andrew again escaped to Canada instead of turning himself in to the Colonial authorities, because 
we see him entering New York from Canada in the summer of 1778. The “Minutes of the 
Commissioners for Detecting and Defeating Conspiracies in the State of New York” contains the 


following entry on August 19t of that year: 


“Received a Letter from Ebenezer Clark, Alexander McNitt and Alexander Webster 
Commissioners for the County of Charlotte [now Washington County] dated 14t 
August 1778 informing that they sent to us under Guard a certain Andrew 
Stephenson an Inhabitant of that County who in June last went to Canada and lately 
returned and voluntarily surrendered himself and took the Oath of Allegiance to the 
State. Ordered that the Board will take the said Andrew Stephenson’s Case into 
Consideration and that he attend before us to Morrow Morning at 10 O’Clock.” 


Two days later, Andrew appeared before the board in Albany. Presumably after ensuring them of his 
loyalty to the cause of independence, he was given permission to return home and was provided 
with a pass to ensure his safe travel.'5! Their confidence in Andrew’s loyalty may have been 
misplaced. The Revolution was not going well, with General George Washington’s dwindling 
Continental Army stuck for the winter in Valley Forge. Upon returning home, Andrew appears to 
have encouraged his neighbors to abandon the cause of independence. “Andrew Stephenson, 
returning from Montreal, brought a message from Major Skene [likely Philip Skene’s son] advising 
his old friends to make the best terms possible with the old country, as the game was played out and 


lost.” 152 


In fact it was the British who would soon abandon the war and recognize American independence. 
Andrew Stevenson made peace with his new country and remained in New York. The 1790 and 1800 
censuses place him in Westfield, Washington County, New York.' This is the same area as Fort Ann 
and the former Skenesborough, now named Whitehall, New York. In 1796 he was elected 
Commissioner of Highways in the town of Westfield, and in 1798 he was qualified as a juror.'*4 By 
1806 his first wife Margaret had likely died. In that year Andrew Stevenson sold two tracts of land in 
Westfield, New York to George Andrew Linda, and Andrew’s second wife Susanna appeared on the 
land sale document.'® The first transaction was lot number 46 in the “Artillery Patent” which was 
sold for $1,000, and the second was lot number 75 of the same patent which sold for $1,600. 1% 


In both transactions, Susanna released her dower interest before Judge Nathaniel Pitcher, Jr., the son 
of Nathaniel Pitcher, Sr. and his unknown first wife, who was a Judge of the Court of Common 


Pleas.” This is another piece of circumstantial evidence to show that the Stevenson and Pitcher 


190 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


families would have been acquainted with each other and were living in the same area in Washington 


County, New York. 


By 1810, Andrew Stevenson and several family members moved west to the town of Hector in Seneca 
County, New York, where he appeared on the 1810 census.158 A land purchase in neighboring Cayuga 
County in 1805 suggests that Andrew had started to move west a few years earlier.’ On November 
15, 1810, Andrew Stevenson purchased 98 acres that was part of lot number 77 in the town of Hector 
from John and Elizabeth Atkinson for $294.25.16° He sold this lot to his son Andrew Stevenson, Jr. for 
the same price in 1811.1*! This second sale was witnessed by Thomas Tozer, who had married 
Andrew’s daughter Susanna Jane Stevenson.'* A few months later, Andrew’s other son Gilbert 


Stevenson purchased another portion of lot number 77.1% 


Andrew Stevenson signed his Will on January 12, 1816 in Seneca County, New York. The Will was 
admitted to probate on September 13, 1816, so Andrew died in 1816 sometime between these two 
dates.'© He left his Estate to his second wife Susanna, and his friend Isaac Avery and son Gilbert 
Stevenson were named Executors.'% Andrew Stevenson’s life forms an interesting contrast with his 
son-in-law Nathaniel Pitcher. The two men were of similar age (Andrew’s daughter was Nathaniel 
Pitcher’s second wife). While Andrew was loyal to the crown, Nathaniel fought for the Colonists. 
Andrew appears to have arrived in the Colonies a few years before the Revolutionary War, perhaps 
explaining his loyalist sympathies. The Pitcher family, as we will see, had much deeper roots in 


America. 
Children of Andrew Stevenson and Margaret [Gilmore?]: 


i. Margaret STEVENSON was born about 1770 and died 19 Apr 1819 in Kingsbury, 
Washington County, New York.!©” She married Nathaniel PITCHER, Sr. by about 1792.1 She 
married Solomon KING after 1802.1 

ii. Elizabeth STEVENSON was born 23 Oct 1772 and died 30 Oct 1845 in Rossie, St. Lawrence 
County, New York.!” She married William Gilmore AUSTIN on 10 Nov 1791.17! 

iii. Susannah Jane STEVENSON was born about 1775 in New York.!” She married Thomas 
TOZER before about 1801.!73 

iv. Gilbert STEVENSON was born 14 Sep 1776 in New York and died 5 Aug 1832 in Hector, 
Schuyler County, New York.!” He married Elizabeth “Betsey” OWEN before about 1810.1 

Vv. Andrew E. STEVENSON, Jr. was born 28 May 1779 in New York and died 31 Mar 1867 in 
Chillicothe, Wapello County, Iowa.'” He married Tabitha DOLPH about 1801.1” He married 
Rachel EARLY 29 Oct 1826 in Indiana.178 

vi. | James STEVENSON was born about 1781 in New York and may have died about 1869 in 
New York.!” 
vii. | Alexander STEVENSON was born about 1784 in New York and died after 1850.18° 


191 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


4. James Pitcher (1716-1793) and Elizabeth Durkee (1728-1805) 


— Andrew Pitcher 
lame = amuel Pitcher Sr. — 
Samuel Pitcher, Jr. Margaret Russell 


Alice Craig 


4 James Pitcher — 
Elizabeth Durkee —| 


James Pitcher, father of Nathaniel Pitcher, Sr., was born on September 6, 1716 in Norwich, 
Connecticut.'*! His parents were Samuel Pitcher, Jr. and Elizabeth Worth.!* James and his father 
Samuel were among the first settlers of an ecclesiastical community named Judea, located in what is 
now the town of Washington, Connecticut. Another early founder of Judea was Nathaniel Durkee, 
who would later become James Pitcher’s father-in-law.!* Judea was a Puritan settlement, one of 
many that were established in Connecticut around this time. The church, also known as the 
meetinghouse, was the most important building in these new towns. The meetinghouse served both 
religious and political functions, and was often used as a courthouse and place to hold town 
meetings. 4 


192 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


The Current Judea Parish Meeting House in Washington, Connecticut — Built in 18471 


The first settlers arrived in 1736 and the town began to grow. In October of 1741, James Pitcher, 
Samuel Pitcher, Jr., and Nathaniel Durkee, along with twenty-three other men, petitioned the General 
Assembly to establish their own ecclesiastical society, including relief from taxation by their previous 
society in Woodbury, Connecticut. They noted that they lived a “full eight miles from the Meeting 
House” and therefore in the winter months their wives and children had “to tarry at home from the 
worship of God about half the year.” The petition was granted and a meeting house was built in 
1742.18 The first minister of the new society was Rev. Rueben Judd, a recent graduate of Yale College. 
He was ordained on September 1, 1742 in a grove near the home of Samuel Pitcher, Jr.1°” 


Around this time James Pitcher married Elizabeth Durkee, daughter of Nathaniel Durkee and Mary 
Baker. Elizabeth was born on February 6, 1728.1*° The couple’s first child, Solomon Pitcher, was born 
on January 29, 1746, about a week before Elizabeth’s eighteenth birthday.'®° Elizabeth would continue 
to bear children on a regular basis for the next twenty six years. Our ancestor Nathaniel Pitcher was 
the couple’s third son, born on August 2, 1749.1 In all, James and Elizabeth Pitcher had fifteen 
children.!” 


Elizabeth Durkee’s parents were Nathaniel Durkee and Mary Baker. Nathaniel Durkee was born 
around 1701 in Ipswich, Massachusetts.'92 On August 21, 1727, he married Mary Baker in Windham, 


193 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


Connecticut.!° Nathaniel Durkee’s Will, dated February 21, 1760, names his wife Mary and a son 
Timothy. 


Nathaniel’s parents may have been Deacon John Durkee (son of William Durkee and Martha Cross) 
and Hannah Bennett. Mary’s parents may have been Joseph Baker (son of Joseph Baker and Hannah 
Cooke) and Hannah Pomeroy (daughter of Caleb Pomeroy and Hepzibah Baker). However, the 
evidence for these connections is sparse. As often happens, they are listed in one family tree, with no 
sources, and then copied in numerous other trees until the connection seems solid through sheer 
repetition and circular references to other trees.° There are some existing colonial records that hint 
toward these connections, and more are becoming available online, so this is an area for further 


research. 


On September 7, 1785, James Pitcher was among a group of Washington, Connecticut residents 
whose property was set to be auctioned off to “pay their state, town, and society taxes.” 1% The Family 
Bible notes that James Pitcher died on January 22, 1793, and his wife Elizabeth died on January 10, 
1805.17 


Children of James Pitcher and Elizabeth Durkee: 


i. Solomon PITCHER was born 29 Jan 1746 in Connecticut.1%8 
ii. Samuel PITCHER was born 26 Oct 1747 in Connecticut.!% 

iii. Nathaniel PITCHER was born 2 Aug 1749 in Washington, Litchfield County, Connecticut 
and died 10 Dec 1802 in Kingsbury, Washington County, New York.2 He married 
Unknown before 1777.2°! He married Margaret STEVENSON before 1792.20? 

iv. Ann Elizabeth PITCHER was born 5 May 1751 in Washington, Litchfield County 
Connecticut.2° She married Isaac NEWTON on 10 Oct 1771 in Judea, Washington County, 
Connecticut.2% 

Vv. Benjamin PITCHER was born 30 Mar 1753 in Washington, Litchfield County, Connecticut.2% 
He married Jerusha WELTON on 29 Oct 1777 in Watertown, Connecticut.2% 

Vi. Sarah PITCHER was born 1 Oct 1754 in Washington, Litchfield County, Connecticut?” and 
died 26 Sep 1833 in Watertown, Connecticut.?° She married Timothy GOODSELL on 15 Jan 
1778 in Judea, Litchfield County, Connecticut.2” 

Vii. Jerusha PITCHER was born 27 May 1757 in Washington, Litchfield County, Connecticut?! 
and died 22 Nov 1817 in Connecticut.2!! She married Gideon ROBBERTS (or ROBBARDS) on 
8 Mar 1780 in Washington, Litchfield County, Connecticut.?!? 

viii. Susannah PITCHER was born 16 Dec 1758 in Washington, Litchfield, Connecticut?!’ and 
died 21 Dec 1831 in Watertown, Connecticut.2!44 She married Thomas COLE on 18 Nov 1780 
in Washington, Litchfield County, Connecticut.?5 

ix. James Worth PITCHER was born 6 Feb 1761 in Washington, Litchfield County, 
Connecticut?!6 and died 18 Apr 1829 in Providence, Rhode Island.?!” 

x. Truman PITCHER was born 1 Aug 1762 in Washington, Litchfield County, Connecticut?! 
and died 10 Feb 1853 in Cooperstown, Otsego County, New York.?!9 He married Elizabeth 
“Betsey” JONES on 12 Nov 1789 in Washington, Litchfield County, Connecticut.?”° 


194 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


xi. Gideon PITCHER was born 20 Dec 1764 in Washington, Litchfield County, Connecticut.”?! 
xii. | Louis PITCHER was born 26 Apr 1766 in Washington, Litchfield County, Connecticut.?” 
xiii. Nathan PITCHER was born 3 Apr 1768 in Washington, Litchfield County, Connecticut.?3 
Xiv. Jonathan PITCHER was born 26 Dec 1769 in Washington, Litchfield County, Connecticut.?*4 
He married Mercy TOMPKINS on 19 Oct 1791 in Watertown, Connecticut.?25 
XV. Thomas PITCHER was born 5 Jun 1772 in Washington, Litchfield County, Connecticut. 


5. Samuel Pitcher, Jr. (1674-About 1747) and Elizabeth Worth (About 1675- 


Unknown) 


Samuel Pitcher, Jr. was born on December 8, 1674 in Milton, Massachusetts.”?” His parents were 
Samuel Pitcher, Sr. and Alice Craig.?8 On January 6, 1704 he married Elizabeth Worth in Roxbury, 
Connecticut.””° The couple lived in Norwich, Connecticut, where many of their children’s births were 
recorded. Our ancestor James Pitcher was born to Samuel and Elizabeth Pitcher in 1716.23° Samuel 
Pitcher, Jr. was a Norwich town selectman in 1721.23! In 1735 Samuel and his son James moved west 
to Woodbury, Connecticut.232 Woodbury was the location of their church’s initial meeting house. 
Very shortly after, around 1736, they must have moved to the new settlement of Judea, about eight 


miles away. 


The written record of Samuel and Elizabeth’s life are limited. However, we can learn something 
about what life must have been like for them through 18 century colonial archaeology. Ephraim 
Sprague and his family lived in Andover, Connecticut during the same period that Samuel Pitcher, Jr. 
made his home in Woodbury, about sixty miles away. The Sprague home burned down in the 1750s, 


allowing archaeologists to study the remains. 


“With two cellars and two fireplaces, the house was remarkably long and narrow, 
measuring about 72 feet by 16 feet. The architectural plan was taken directly from the 
cross-passage houses of the West Country of England, a form that no longer exists in 
America. Artifacts from the house area and an adjacent refuse midden provided 


unprecedented insights into the household economy of an early Connecticut family. 


The discovery of black bear, fox, skunk, raccoon, beaver, and muskrat bones 
indicated the Spragues hunted for food and furs. They made their own musket balls 
and shot by casting molten lead in molds and by cutting lead scraps into cubes and 
pounding them into spheres. Lead was also shaped into fishing sinkers and pencils. 
A cache of deer antler had been sawn into pieces. The durable, yet highly workable 


qualities of antler made it ideal for making gunpowder measures and tool handles. 


Several of the earthenware vessels showed evidence of being broken and then 
repaired by drilling pairs of holes along the breaks and then fastening the pieces back 
together with wire or staples. Leaky brass kettles were repaired with improvised 
patches and rivets, and when they were too worn out to fix, the family cut them up 


for other uses, including a small handsaw. An old drill bit was bent into a hanging 


195 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


hook and old pieces of sheet iron were cut and folded into a funnel and perforated to 
make a sieve. A number of the strike-a-lights used to make fire were recycled from 
worn out gunflints. Even the tobacco pipes showed signs of continued use. As pipe 
stems broke and became shorter and thicker, the ends or nibs were often ground 
down to fit more comfortably in the mouth until the hot pipe bowl was almost under 


the smoker’s nose! 


Most of the Spragues’ daily activities revolved around raising, harvesting, 
preserving, and preparing food. Along with evidence of butchering livestock and 
dairying, large quantities of carbonized corn, oats, and potatoes that had been 
burned and preserved by the house fire were found. Cellars were essential for storing 
barrels of salted beef and pork, beer, cider, and various fruits and vegetables, as they 
kept foods from freezing in the winter and cool in the summer. In one of the 
Spragues’ cellars, a series of round pits that they had dug into the floor were 
discovered. These were used to store and preserve root vegetables (potatoes, carrots, 
parsnips) through the winter by burying them underground. Families typically made 
most of their own clothing; scissors, needles, thimbles, and hundreds of straight pins 


were scattered throughout the Spragues’ house area. 


Although the archaeology showed that the Spragues practiced sound household 
economy, the family also purchased fine tablewares and personal items, most of 
them made in England. Discovered among the ruins of the house were a complete 
white stoneware tea set, a hand-painted delftware punch bowl, and matching table 
forks and bone-handled knives made of iron. There were cufflinks engraved with 
floral and cornucopia motifs, relief-cast shoe buckles, and knee buckles embellished 
with glass gems. There were also brightly colored glass beads and both plain and 
decorated buttons made of brass, pewter, and glass. A few of Ephraim’s more 
sentimental possessions were revealed as he dictated his Will on November 1, 1754; 
the list including his “best beaver hat,” a white muslin handkerchief, gloves, and a 


cane.” 233 


The Pitcher family likely lived a similar lifestyle as they settled in colonial Woodbury. We know that 
when Samuel Pitcher, Jr. died around 1747, he left his household goods and three cows to his wife 
Elizabeth.2** His son James was one of the witnesses to the Will, which was signed on March 28, 
1743.55 An inventory of Samuel’s possessions includes a hat and coat, a bed, blankets, pillows, and 
sheets, cast iron cookware, platters, bowls, a sword, a candlestick, an hourglass, a table and hutch, an 
old Bible, a sermon book, and several other books.” It does not appear that Samuel owned any land 
at the time of his death. The total value of his goods was calculated at £249. A rough equivalent for 
this amount of wealth in 2020 is around $50,000.27 


196 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


Children of Samuel Pitcher, Jr. and Elizabeth Worth: 


Vil. 


viii. 


Jerusha PITCHER was born 29 May 1709 in Norwich, Connecticut?* and died 1770 in 
Woodbury, Connecticut.%? She married John BAKER on 27 Jun 1726 in Norwich, 
Connecticut.2“ 

Samuel PITCHER III was born 17 Mar 1712 in Lebanon, Connecticut.“41 He married Hannah 
FOX on 23 Aug 1742 in Franklin, New London, Connecticut. He died 1761 in Woodbury, 
Litchfield, Connecticut.242 

Benjamin PITCHER was born on 12 Dec 1714 in Norwich, Connecticut.? 

James PITCHER was born on 6 Sep 1716 in Norwich, Connecticut?“ and died 22 Jan 1793 in 
Washington, Litchfield County, Connecticut.7 He married Elizabeth DURKEE around 
1745246 

Elizabeth PITCHER was born 1 Apr 1719 in Norwich, Connecticut.”4” 

Joanna PITCHER was born 7 Jun 1723 in Norwich, Connecticut™’ and died 3 Dec 1803 in 
Washington, Litchfield County, Connecticut. She married Jesse BAKER on 15 Apr 1742 in 
Woodbury, Connecticut.?° 

Lydia PITCHER was born 18 Aug 1725 in Norwich, Connecticut?>! and died 6 Jan 1818 in Fort 
Edward, Washington County, New York.?? She married James DURKEE on 22 Oct 1745 in 
Woodbury, Connecticut.? 

Sarah PITCHER was born 20 Mar 1728 in Norwich, Connecticut.?4 


6. Samuel Pitcher, Sr. (1641-1717) and Alice Craig (About 1643-1680) 


Samuel Pitcher, Sr. was born on April 18, 1641 in the town of Dorchester in Massachusetts Bay 


Colony. Originally an independent town founded by Puritan settlers, Dorchester is now a 


neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. Samuel’s parents were Andrew Pitcher and Margaret 


Russell.25¢ 


197 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


Illustration of Militia Members Preparing for Battle in King Philip’s War?” 


Samuel Pitcher, Sr. married Alice Craig in Milton, Massachusetts on November 30, 1671.25 A man 
named Samuel Pitcher served as a juror in the Suffolk County Court in 1675, which included the 
town of Milton, so this was likely our Samuel Pitcher, Sr.2°? On August 24, 1676, Samuel, along with 
his brother John, appeared in a list of wages paid to soldiers from Milton Town.2 This record comes 
from a book entitled Soldiers in King Philip’s War. King Philip was an English name adopted by the 
Wampanoag Chief Metacom, and the war between the Massachusetts colonists and the Wampanoag 
was fought during 1675 and 1676. This was a wide-scale conflict, with more than half of New 
England’s towns being attacked, and the almost complete destruction of the Wamanoags and their 
allies by the Colonial Militia.?°' Samuel Pitcher was paid 9 shillings for his militia service.?% 


Samuel Pitcher appears on the Milton town tax records for 1676, along with his brothers John and 
Nathaniel Pitcher. He paid 1 pound, 1 shilling, 7 pence in taxes.” On April 1, 1678, the same Pitcher 
brothers were among the men to sign a petition to Boston asking for advice in resolving the 
employment situation of a Mr. Mighill, the town’s minister. Apparently, some of their neighbors had 
formed a separate worship group, and the Pitcher brothers were among those concerned that the 
whole town be united under Mr. Mighill’s leadership.%“* The same three brothers were found in a 
1678 list of men from Milton, Massachusetts who took an Oath of Allegiance.?% In 1680, Samuel 
Pitcher was one of the men charged with surveying a new road and bridge “from the pine-trees to the 


meeting-house.” 26 


Samuel Pitcher, Sr. had four children with Alice Craig, including our ancestor Samuel Pitcher, Jr., 
before Alice died on November 20, 1680.67 On August 3, 1681, Samuel remarried to Mary Blake in 
Milton, Massachusetts.” Mary was born on March 26, 1657 in Milton. Samuel and Mary would 
have five further children. Samuel Pitcher, Sr. was a tanner and tavern owner. A 1706 property 


198 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


transaction appears in the index to the Suffolk County, Massachusetts Deed Books.?” Samuel Pitcher 
sold Samuel Miller two plots of land in Milton, Massachusetts: one 41 acres and the other 39 acres.?7! 


~ Le tanneur. Der Lohgerber. The tanner. 


An Illustration of the Tanning Process circa 18807” 


By 1712, we learn that Samuel Pitcher, Sr., now aged 71, was “lame and kept a tavern in Milton.” 
The Milton historical society notes that “[h]is descendants believe that the tavern would have stood 
near his tanning operation which was in the valley opposite the First Parish Church in Milton on 
Canton Avenue.”?” Tanning is the process of turning raw animal hides into leather. It was difficult 
and important work in colonial towns, with the tanner supplying raw materials for saddles, shoes, 
gloves, and many other useful items.?% By 1717, Samuel Pitcher appears to have moved about ten 
miles south to the town of Stoughton, Massachusetts.?”° He died there on November 23, 1717.2”” His 
second wife, Mary (Blake) Pitcher, outlived him by many years and died on January 20, 1741 in 
Norfolk County, Massachusetts.?”8 


Children of Samuel Pitcher, Sr. and Alice Craig: 


il, Mary PITCHER was born 14 Jan 1672 in Milton, Massachusetts.?” 

ii. Samuel PITCHER, Jr. was born 8 Dec 1674 in Milton, Massachusetts2®° and died about 1747 
in Woodbury, Litchfield County, Connecticut.?*! He married Elizabeth WORTH on 6 Jan 1704 
in Milton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts.?® 

iii. Joanna PITCHER was born 13 Apr 1677 in Milton, Massachusetts.?8 She married Thomas 
LEONARD, Jr. on 1 Dec 1699 in Taunton, Bristol County, Massachusetts. 7% 
iv. Jonathan PITCHER was born 10 Dec 1678 in Milton, Massachusetts. 8 


199 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


Children of Samuel Pitcher, Sr. and Mary Blake: 


i. Mary PITCHER was born 10 Jun 1682 in Milton, Massachusetts.?%° She married William 

WILLISTONE on 21 Aug 1707 in Swansea, Bristol County, Massachusetts.”°” 

ii. Susanna PITCHER was born 1684 in Milton, Massachusetts.288 She married John HOLLAND 
on 24 Oct 1707 in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.?° 

iii. Edward PITCHER was born 6 Feb 1686 in Milton, Massachusetts2” and died 9 Mar 1773 in 
Stoughton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts.2? He married Jane LYON in 1708 in 
Massachusetts. 292 

iv. Joseph PITCHER was born about 1688 in Milton, Massachusetts.2 He married Mercy 
STETSON on 21 Oct 1714 in Scituate, Plymouth County, Massachusetts.2" 

v. Abigail PITCHER was born 16 May 1690 in Milton, Massachusetts.?% 


7. Andrew Pitcher (About 1616-1660) and Margaret Russell (About 1624-1681) 


Our first record for Andrew Pitcher is a land grant in Dorchester, Massachusetts Bay Colony, on 
September 1, 1634.2 Andrew was likely born by about 1616 in England in order to be old enough to 
obtain a land grant by 1634. I have seen some speculation that Andrew was from Kenton parish in 
Dorchester, England, although this is not proven.” His first land grant was for three acres on the 
Naponset River in Dorchester. On November 22, 1634 he was granted an additional six acres “at 
Naponset betwixt the Indian field and the mill.”2°* Additional small acreage was granted in 1637 and 
1638.2 He would have been among the first wave of English settlers to the new Massachusetts Bay 
Colony, which was founded in 1628.3 


About 1641, Andrew married Margaret Russell in Massachusetts Bay Colony.*?! He was admitted to 
the Dorchester Church on April 16, 164192 and his first son, our ancestor Samuel Pitcher, Sr., was 
born two days later on April 18.5° Andrew was declared a Freeman on June 2, 1641.3 On February 7, 
1641 or 1642, he signed the agreement establishing a free school at Dorchester.* Andrew was a 
tanner, which he likely practiced along other occupations such as farming. Albert Kendall Teele, in 
The History of Milton, Massachusetts states that “[t]he tanning business has been here from the first 
settlement. It commenced before incorporation with the Pitcher family, in the valley opposite the 


Unitarian Church.” 3% 


Andrew Pitcher was listed as one of the first owners of land in the town of Milton, Massachusetts.°07 
“Andrew Pitcher held 122 acres of land, extending from the Neponset to the parallel line. It probably 
embraced the land on which the churches and town hall stand, having for its westerly boundary the 
wall east of the Centre school house, and stretching in a straight line, at nearly right angles with 
Canton Avenue, to Mattapan.”%8 Andrew and Margaret Pitcher built a home in Milton which stood 
for many years. It was later occupied by the preceptor of Milton Academy, a private school that has 


been in operation since 1798.3 


On May 8, 1652, Andrew made a substantial increase in his land holdings. “Richard Parker of Boston 
..., merchant, sold to Nicholas Wood, Thomas Holbrooke and Andrew Pitcher of Dorchester, New 


200 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


England, husbandmen, ... all that parcel of land lying in the woods on the westerly side of the 
Charles River about three miles from Natick containing 536 acres of upland and meadow.”3!0 This 
land would have been about 18 miles west of Milton and Dorchester. 


Andrew Pitcher died on December 19, 1660.3"! He left a Will, dated October 4, 1660, leaving all of his 
Estate within Dorchester to his wife Margaret. His eldest son Samuel Pitcher, Sr., our ancestor, was 
left “half my land that lies near Goodman Woods behind Medfield and half the meadow that lies 
belonging to it.” Sons John and Jonathan were left the other half of this land and meadow. Andrew’s 
fourth son, Nathaniel, was to inherit the Dorchester Estate after Margaret died. From that property, 
Nathaniel was directed to pay his sister Experience £16 and his sister Ruth £12. Any household 
possessions remaining after Margaret’s death were to be divided equally between all the children.*!2 
Margaret (Russell) Pitcher died on November 6, 1681.58 


ON THIS SITE 


ANDREW AND MARGARET PITCHER 
BUILT THEIR HOME IN 1650. LATER OCCUPIED 


BY THE PRECEPTOR OF MILTON ACADEMY. 
IT STOOD FOR 250 YEARS. 


THIS TABLET PLACED BY THEIR DESCENDANTS,IN (961. 


Bronze plaque mounted on a stone 
at the site of Andrew Pitcher’s house 


Home of Andrew Pitcher 
Milton, Massachusetts 


The Home Built by Andrew and Margaret Pitcher Circa 1650°5'4 


Andrew’s Will clearly establishes six of his children (Samuel, Experience, Ruth, Jonathan, Nathaniel, 
and John). Andrew and Margaret may have had two other daughters, both with the first name Mary, 


201 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


although their story is somewhat complicated. There is a record for a Mary Pitcher, baptized in 
Dorchester on November 30, 1644. An annotation was later added to this Mary Pitcher noting “wife 
to Isaac Rush.”3!5 This later annotation was apparently a common practice in the Dorchester records, 
but the facts of this alleged marriage are hard to resolve for several reasons. Robert Charles Anderson 
attempts to sort out the confusion in his work “The Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 
1634—-1635.”516 


The main difficulty is that Andrew Pitcher had another daughter named Mary, who was baptized on 
April 29, 1655. Generally, a later child would only be given the same first name if their older sibling 
had died. Anderson argues that none of Andrew Pitcher’s daughters would have been old enough to 
marry before he signed his Will in 1660, and he named only Experience and Ruth as daughters. Ruth, 
born in 1647, was specifically mentioned as the youngest daughter.°!” 


Further support for this argument is a marriage record for an Isaac Rush and a Mary Pitcher born in 
1672 in Massachusetts, after Andrew Pitcher had died.*!8 This Mary may be a related Pitcher (perhaps 
a granddaughter of Andrew), and the source of the mistake annotation to the baptism of Mary 
Pitcher, daughter of Andrew, born in 1644. Taken in total, this likely means that Andrew and 
Margaret Pitcher had two daughters, both named Mary, who died at a young age, before they could 


marry or be named in their father’s Will. 
Children of Andrew Pitcher and Margaret Russell: 


i. Samuel PITCHER, Sr. was born 18 Apr 1641 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts 
and died 23 Nov 1717 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.*!? He married Alice 
CRAIG on 30 Nov 1671 in Milton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts.%°° He married Mary 
BLAKE on 3 Aug 1681 in Milton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts.*7! 

ii. Experience PITCHER was born 25 Jul 1642 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts and 
died 5 Jun 1721 in Woodstock, Windham County, Connecticut.%? She married Joseph 
BUGBEE around 1664 in Massachusetts.°”3 

iii. Mary PITCHER was born about 1644 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts and 
likely died before 1655.54 

iv. Ruth PITCHER was born about 1647 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.*2° She 
married Ephraim NEWTON about 1672 in Massachusetts.26 

v. John PITCHER was born about 1650 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.*?7 He 
married Hannah [Unknown] in Massachusetts by about 1684.32 He married Mary 
[Unknown] in Massachusetts by about 1695.99 

vi. Nathaniel PITCHER was born about 1652 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.%9° 
He married Mary CLAP on 8 Jul 1684 in Milton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts.**! 

vii. Mary PITCHER was born about 1655 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts and 
likely died before 1661.3 
viii. Johnathan PITCHER was born about 1657 in Dorchester, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.*5 


202 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


References for Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


' Ancestry.com, 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Paris, Delay & Dallas, Layfayette, Mississippi; 
Roll: 652; Page 357B; Enumeration District: 083. 

2 Ibid. 

3 Ancestry.com, Alabama County Marriage Records, 1805-1967, Marriage of M E Pitcher and G F Strong, 
13 May 1981, Jefferson, Alabama, FHL Film No. 001738573. 

4 Ancestry.com, 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Paris, Delay & Dallas, Layfayette, Mississippi; 
Roll: 652; Page 357B; Enumeration District: 083. 

5 Ancestry.com, 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Precinct 9, Jefferson, Alabama; Page: 33; 
Enumeration District: 0093; FHL Film No. 1240020. 

6 Ancestry.com, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Birmingham, Ward 15, Jefferson, Alabama; 
Roll: T624_20; Page: 24A; Enumeration District: 0097; FHL Film No. 1375033. 

7 Ancestry.com, 1920 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama; Roll: 
T625_22; Page: 9A; Enumeration District: 19. 

8 Ancestry.com, 1930 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama; Page: 49A; 
Enumeration District: 0097; FHL Film No. 2339764. 

9 Ancestry.com, Texas Death Certificates, 1903-1982, Record for J C Strong, Death Date: 16 June 1947, 
Dallas, Harris, Texas. 

10 Ancestry.com, London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1932, Marriage of 
William James James and Dorothy Grace Christina Morria Taylor, 28 Feb 1916, Christ Church, 
Clapton, Hackney, England. 

" Ancestry.com, Oklahoma County Marriage Records, 1890-1995, Marriage of William J James and 
Grace Brewer, 31 Dec 1925, Ottawa, Oklahoma, FHL Film No. 001305659. 

2 Ancestry.com, U.S. Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014, Record for Grace Clotfelter, Death Date 
Feb 1976, Cusseta, Chambers, Alabama. 

13 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 1, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Roll: 
M432_16; Page: 173B; Image: 75. 

4 Pitcher Family History Chart, Charles Grandison Pitcher, available on ChristensenJames tree on 
Ancestry.com. 

15 Ancestry.com, Alabama Marriage Index, 1800-1969, Marriage of Charles G Pitcher and Rowena Jane 
Hughes, 4 Jan 1838, Tuscaloosa, Alabama. 

16 en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles Grandison Finney 

’” Frederick G. Novy, Sc.D., M.D., Zina Pitcher, Michigan Portraits XII, The Michigan Alumnus (The 
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1908), Vol. 14, Pages 295-305. 

18 Ancestry.com, 1800 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Kingsbury, Washington, New York; Series 
M32; Roll 26; Page: 220; Image 216: FHL Film No. 193714. 

19 Ancestry.com, New York Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999, Last Will and Testament of Samuel 
Pitcher, Vols. 5-7, 1877-1833, Probate Date 6 Oct 1832, Albany, New York. 

20 Ibid. 

21 Rutherford Hayner, Troy and Rensselaer County, New York (Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 
Inc. New York and Chicago, 1925), Vol. III, Henry Spink Darby Biography, available at 
rensselaer.nygenweb.net/bi0344.htm. 

22 Image found at steamboats.com/museum/davet-photos3.htm] with no known copyright 
restrictions. There is no connection to Charles G. Pitcher’s wife Rowena Jane Hughes, but this boat is 
likely similar to those used by Charles Pitcher in the 19 Century. 


203 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


3 seventhfloorrecords.com/images/1828-107/1828107 0049.JPG. This case involves the firm of Pitcher 


& Garner, which was involved in court cases as early as 1822. See Bound Volumes General Index, 
Tuscaloosa Genealogy Society, at: seventhfloorrecords.com/. This website appears to have gone 


offline between my initial research and the editing of this book. Some pages are preserved on 
web.archive.org. 

24 Ibid. 

25 seventhfloorrecords.com/images/1830-102/1830102 0023.JPG. 

26 See seventhfloorrecords.com/images/1828-102/1828102 0078.JPG. 

27 Jones et al. v. Pitcher & Co. (3 Stew. & Porter 161), Alabama Supreme Court, 1933, available at: 
archive.org/stream/reportscasesatl01portgoog/reportscasesatl01portgoog djvu.txt. 

28 seventhfloorrecords.com/images/1830-102/1830102_0169.JPG, 
seventhfloorrecords.com/images/1830-102/1830102_0171.JPG, 
seventhfloorrecords.com/images/1830-104/1830104_0165.JPG. 

29 Ibid. 

30 Ancestry.com, 1830 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Series: M19; Roll: 3; 
Page: 320; FHL Film No. 0002330. 

31 seventhfloorrecords.com/images/1828-102/1828102_0128.JPG; Bound Volumes General Index, 
Tuscaloosa Genealogy Society, at: seventhfloorrecords.com/. 

2 Deeds, Wills, Administrations of Jefferson County, Alabama, Book 2, Pages 119-120 (Works 
Progress Administration, Birmingham, Alabama, 1937), available at: 
bplonline.org/resources/genealogy/doc/DeedsWillsAdministrations.pdf (on Pages 19-20). 

33 The Tuscaloosa News (Tuscaloosa, Alabama, November 8, 1922), Page 8. 

34 Daniel Walker Howe, What Hath God Wrought, Pages 276-277. 

35 Flag of the Union, “Tuscaloosa Wharf Company” (Tuscaloosa, Alabama 2 Apr 1836), Page 4, 
available at: newspapers.com/clip/26398138/tuscaloosa-wharf-company-involving-a/?xid=637. 


36 Flag of the Union, “Capital 200,000 Dollars, Tuscaloosa Insurance Company” (Tuscaloosa, Alabama 
23 Apr 1836), Page 1, available at: newspapers.com/clip/26398199/charles-g-pitcher-direcotr- 
of/?xid=637. 

37 Flag of the Union, “Dissolution of Copartnership” (Tuscaloosa, Alabama 13 Jan 1837), Page 3, 
available at: newspapers.com/clip/26398094/records-of-business-involving-a-charles/?xid=637. 

38 Ancestry.com, U.S. General Land Office Records, 1776-2015, Township 24-N, Range 4-E, Section 20, 
September 30, 1839. 

3° Ancestry.com, U.S. General Land Office Records, 1776-2015, Township 20-5, Range 8-W, Section 29, 
September 30, 1839; Township 20-S, Range 8-W, Section 33, September 30, 1839; Township 20-5, 
Range 8-W, Section 34, September 30, 1839; Township 21-S, Range 8-W, Section 4, September 30, 1839. 
40 Pool v. Cummings, 20 Ala. 563 (1852), available at: cite.case.law/ala/20/563/. 

“| Ancestry.com, Alabama Marriage Index, 1800-1969, Marriage of Charles G. Pitcher and Rowena Jane 
Hughs, 4 Jan 1838, Tuscaloosa. 

®” Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 1, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Roll: 
M432_16; Page: 173B; Image: 75. 

48 FamilySearch.org, Alabama Records, Kathleen Paul Jones, Vol. 78, Page 36, Image 1041. 


4 


4 i.e, Drish had likely married one of Rowena Jane Hughes’ sisters. Further research may be able to 
confirm or disprove this theory. 

4 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Death Records, 1908-1958, Record for Nancy Willie Pitcher, Death Date 21 
June 1953, Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee, USA. 


46 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexican%E2%80%93American War#United States Army. 


204 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


47 See the records compiled by the Tuscaloosa Genealogical Society, available at: 
seventhfloorrecords.com/. 

48 seventhfloorrecords.com/images/1852-102/1852102_0083.JPG. 

49 seventhfloorrecords.com/images/1853-109/1853109_0073.JPG. 

50 Melissa Brown, “On this day in 1865, Union troops burned the University of Alabama” 
(Alabama.com 4 Apr 2015), available at: 

al.com/news/birmingham/2015/04/on_this_day_in_ 1865 _union_troo.html. 

51 Ancestry.com, Alabama State Census, 1820-1866, Charles Pitcher, Tuscaloosa, 1866. 

52 Ancestry.com, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Township 11, Yalobusha, Mississippi; Roll: 
M593_754; Page: 65B; FHL Film No. 552253. 

53 Ancestry.com, 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Paris, Delay & Dallas, Lafayette, Mississippi; 
Roll: 652; Page 357B; Enumeration District: 083. 

54 Ibid. 

55 Ancestry.com, Alabama Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974, Record for Margaret A Strong, Death 
Date 30 Dec 1937, Cusseta, Chambers, Alabama. 

56 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of M. E. Pitcher and G. F. 
Strong, 13 May 1891, Jefferson, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1299243. 

57 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Death Records, 1908-1958, Record for Nancy Willie Pilcher, Death Date 21 
Jun 1953, Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee. Although the death record has Nancy’s birth date as 3 Mar 
1865, I am not confident in this date. From the 1880 Census, she appears to be younger than he sister 
Margaret, born around 1865. Her age changes each census and it is still unclear to me which sister 
was younger. 

58 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Nancy W. Pilcher (1865-1953), Memorial No. 159569901, available 
at: findagrave.com/memorial/159569901. 

59 Ancestry.com, 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Paris, Delay & Dallas, Lafayette, Mississippi; 
Roll: 652; Page 357B; Enumeration District: 083. 

6° Detroit Free Press, “Zina Pitcher Obituary” (Detroit, Michigan 6 Apr 1872), available at: 
newspapers.com/clip/48481661/detroit-free-press/. 

61 James Tobin, “The University’s busiest regent” (Michigan Today 18 May 2018), available at: 
michigantoday.umich.edu/2018/05/18/the-busiest-regent/. 

® Detroit Free Press, “Zina Pitcher Obituary”. 

6 Tobin, “The University’s busiest regent”. 

64 Ibid. 

6 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis Cass. 

66 Image available at: external- 

content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A %2F%2Fannarborchronicle.com%2Fwp- 


content%2Fuploads%2F2010%2F07%2FZina- 


Pitcher.jpg&f=1 &nofb=1 &ipt=35fbfa8e52a08993de9b64e1640b1022a714.a8f89a4582010441bb84d64d942 
e&ipo=images. It was originally part of an article at annarborchronicle.com/2010/07/21/w-madison- 


6th-ave/index.html which no longer appears to be available. No known copyright restrictions. 
87 en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Jackson#Election_of 1828 and_death_of Rachel Jackson. 
6 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort Wool. 

® Detroit Free Press, “Zina Pitcher Obituary”. 

70 Ibid. 

71 Tobin, “The University’s busiest regent”. 

” Ibid. 


205 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


3 Frederick G. Novy, Sc.D., M.D., Zina Pitcher, Michigan Portraits XI, The Michigan Alumnus (The 
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1908), Vol. 14, Pages 295-305. 

7 Detroit Free Press, “Zina Pitcher Obituary”. 

75 FindaGrave.com, Memorial for James Pitcher (1792-4 Oct 1844), Memorial No. 7421611, available 
at: findagrave.com/memorial/7421611. 

76 Ancestry.com, New York, War of 1812 Payroll Abstracts for New York State Militia, 1812-1815, Record 
for James Pitcher, Private, Company: Capt John Moss Jr, Regiment: Lt. Col. Jas Green 7. 

77 seventhfloorrecords.com/images/1828-102/1828102 _0128.JPG; Bound Volumes General Index, 
Tuscaloosa Genealogy Society, at: seventhfloorrecords.com/. 

78 Southern Genealogists Exchange Quarterly, 1830 Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, Census (Fall 1973), 
Issue 67, available at: genealogytrails.com/ala/tuscaloosa/census_1830.html; Ancestry.com, 1830 U.S. 
Federal Census, Census Place: Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Series: M19; Roll: 3; Page: 320; FHL Film No. 
0002330. 

7? Weekly Arkansas Gazette, “Died” (Little Rock, Arkansas 15 Aug 1837), Page 3, available on at: 
newspapers.com/clip/40945480/death of james pitchers 7yearold_son/?xid=637. 

80 Political Graveyard, Entry for James Pitcher (c. 1792-1844), available at: 
politicalgraveyard.com/bio/pinkerton-pittoni.html#138.32.26. 

81 Weekly Arkansas Gazette, “Dissolution” (Little Rock, Arkansas 3 Mar 1841), Page 1, available at: 
newspapers.com/clip/40945263/pitcher_business_and_ goods for sale/?xid=637. 

8 Carolyn Yancey Kent, “Little Rock Site Report” (University of Arkansas at Little Rock), Page 2, 
available at: ualrexhibits.org/trailoftears/places/little-rock-site-report-page-2/. 

83 The Arkansas Banner, “Died” (Little Rock, Arkansas 9 Oct 1844), Page 3, available on at: 
newspapers.com/clip/40946129/james_ pitcher _obituary/?xid=637. 

84 Weekly Arkansas Gazette, “Sherriff’s Sale” (Little Rock, Arkansas 21 Mar 1845), Page 3, available at: 
newspapers.com/clip/40945400/sheriffs_sale_of two slaves belonging/?xid=637. 

85 The Arkansas Banner, “The Steamer James Pitcher” (Little Rock, Arkansas 5 Mar 1845), Page 1, 
available at: newspapers.com/clip/40945882/description of steam boat james pitcher/?xid=637. 

86 James Grant Wilson and John Fiske, Appleton’s Cyclopedia of American Biography, 1600-1889 (New 
York, D. Appleton and Company, 1898), Vol. V, Pickering—Sumter, Page 31, Entry for Nathaniel 
Pitcher, available at: archive.org/stream/appletonscyclopa05wils/appletonscyclopa05wils_djvu.txt. 
87 Ancestry.com, New York, Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999, Letters Testamentary, Vols. 2-7, 
1803-1828, Will of Nathaniel Pitcher, 1802. 

88 Ancestry.com, New York, War of 1812 Payroll Abstracts for New York State Militia, 1812-1815, Record 
for Nathaniel Pitcher; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathaniel Pitcher. 

89 Ancestry.com, New York Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999, Will of Nathaniel Pitcher, Probate 
Date June 20, 1836. 

°° Ancestry.com, Newspaper Extracts from the Northeast, 1704-1930 (Columbian Centinel 9 Apr 1823), 
Record for Marriage of Nathaniel Pitcher and Anna B Merrill. 

%1 Ancestry.com, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-2005, Record for Nathaniel 
Pitcher. 

2 en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin Van Buren. 

% en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitcher, New_York. 

°4 Ancestry.com, New York Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999, Will of Nathaniel Pitcher, Probate 
Date June 20, 1836. 

% Calculation from measuringworth.com/dollarvaluetoday/?amount=9000&from=1836 as of 2023. 


% The picture found on his Wikipedia page is apparently not him, and despite several efforts, no 
portrait has been found: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathaniel_ Pitcher. For a discussion of this search, see 


206 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


The Glens Falls Times, “Fail to Uncover Likeness of Hudson Falls Man Who Served as State 
Governor” (Glens Falls, New York 30 Nov 1968), Page 5, available at: 
newspapers.com/image/348399348/?clipping _id=47697139. 

” Pitcher Family Bible, scanned image available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

%8 Ancestry.com, Connecticut, U.S., Town Marriage Records, Pre-1870 (Barbour Collection), Washington 
Vital Records, 1779-1854, Page 123. 

9 Pitcher Family Bible, scanned image available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

100 Proceedings of the New York State Historical Association, 1910, Vol. 9, available at: 
books.google.com/books?id=rtsTAAAA YAA]&pg=PA385#v=onepage&q&f=false. 

101 Fort George, New York State Military Museum and Veterans Research Center, available at: 
dmna.ny.gov/forts/fortsE_L/georgeFort.htm. 

102 FamilySearch.org, Washington County, New York Deed Records, Vol. B, Pages 186-187, Image 408. 
103 Ancestry.com, New York Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999, Letters Testamentary, Vols. 2-7, 
1803-1828, Will of Nathaniel Pitcher, December 7, 1802. 

104 FamilySearch.org, Washington County, New York Deed Records, Vol. B, Pages 186-187, Image 408. 
105 Ancestry.com, 1790 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Kingsbury, Washington, New York; Series 
M637; Roll: 6; Page: 211; FHL Film No. 0568146. 

106 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for James Pitcher (1792-4 Oct 1844), Memorial No. 7421611, available 
at: findagrave.com/memorial/7421611. 

107 Ancestry.com, Menands, New York, Albany Rural Cemetery Burial Cards, 1791-2011, Record for 
Samuel Pitcher, Died 21 Apr 1832; Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Detroit, 
Wayne, Michigan; Roll: M432_365; Page: 128A; Image: 261. 

108 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 1, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Roll 
M432_16; Page 173B; Image: 75. 

109 Ancestry.com, Military Minutes of the Council Appointment of the State of New York, 1783-1821, Vol. I, 
Page 310. 

110 Ancestry.com, 1800 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Kingsbury, Washington, New York; Series: 
M32; Roll: 26; Page 220; Image 216; FHL Film No. 193714. 

111 Image believed to be in the public domain and found at: fossilslanark.blogspot.com/2012/11/an- 
iron-ore-deposit-in-potsdam.html. 

112 Glenn J. Lockwood, The Rear of Leeds & Landsdowne: The Making of Community on the Garonoque River 
Frontier, 1796-1996 (Corporation of the Township of Rear of Leeds and Lansdowne, 1996), Page 64, 
available at: archive.org/details/rearofleedslansd00lock. 

"13 Ancestry.com, Notes from Lynn Stevenson Fisher to excerpt of Lockwood book cited above. 
Available on record for Nathaniel Pitcher on ChristensenJames tree at Ancestry.com. 

114 This is an educated guess based on the ages of the other sons. James was born in 1792, when 
Margaret was eighteen, making an earlier child unlikely. Samuel, Zina, and Charles followed every 
2-3 years after. In biographies of Zina Pitcher, Sidney is noted as dying young and unmarried. There 
is a record for a Sidney W. Pitcher of Sandy Hill, New York as a medical student of Middlebury 
College in 1823. If this is our Sidney Pitcher, that accords with a birth between 1800 and 1802. 
Ancestry.com, U.S. College Student Lists, 1763-1924, Record for Sidney W. Pitcher, Middlebury 
College, 1823, Page 8. 

15 Ancestry.com, New York Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999, Letters Testamentary, Vols. 2-7, 
1803-1828, Will of Nathaniel Pitcher, December 7, 1802. 

116 [bid. 

117 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Nathaniel Pitcher (1750-10 Dec 1802), Memorial No. 116125031, 


available at: findagrave.com/memorial/116125031. 
207 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


18 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Margaret King (1770-19 Apr 1819), Memorial No. 160364754, 
available at: findagrave.com/memorial/160364754/margaret-king. Margaret is noted as the second 


wife of Solomon King. 

119 James Grant Wilson, Appleton’s Cyclopedia of American Biography, 1600-1889, 1900, Page 31, Entry for 
Nathaniel Pitcher, available at: 
archive.org/details/appletonscyclopa05wils/page/30/mode/2up?q=Pitcher. 

120 Ancestry.com, Connecticut, Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions and Newspaper Notices, 1629-1934, 
Record for Nathaniel Pitcher, 25 May 1836, Sandy Hook, Connecticut. 

21 Ancestry.com, North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000, Stebbins Genealogy, Page 296. Nathaniel 
and Margaret’s oldest child, Augustus Pitcher, was born 6 Nov 1808. FindAGrave.com, Memorial for 
Augustus Pitcher (6 Nov 1808-12 Feb 1876), Memorial No. 150644486, available at: 
findagrave.com/memorial/150644486. 

12 Ancestry.com, U.S. Newspaper Extractions from the Northeast 1704-1930, Marriage of Gen Nathaniel 
Pitcher and Anna B Merrill, Abt 1823, Freeborn, New York. 

123 Sarah is likely a child of Nathaniel Pitcher, Sr.’s first marriage. She was named in his Will as 
having already received $150 as her portion, likely when she was married. In order to be old enough 


to be married before 1802 when Nathaniel died, Sarah was almost certainly born to Nathaniel and his 
first wife. 1782 is an estimate and could be off by several years in either direction. 

124 Date of birth (6 Aug 1785) and spouse are provided by Lynn Fisher on Ancestry.com, but I cannot 
find sources to confirm. Available on notes to Nathaniel Pitcher, Sr. on ChristensenJames tree on 
Ancestry.com. 

125 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for James Pitcher (1792-4 Oct 1844), Memorial No. 7421611, available 
at: findagrave.com/memorial/7421611. 

226 The Arkansas Banner, “Death of Capt. James Pitcher” (Little Rock, Arkansas 9 Oct 1844), Page 3, 
available at: newspaperabstracts.com/link.php?action=detail &id=171700. 

127 Ancestry.com, Menands, New York Albany Rural Cemetery Burial Cards 1791-2011, Record for Samuel 
Pitcher, Death Date 21 Apr 1832. 

28 Ancestry.com, New York Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999, Record for Samuel Pitcher, Probate 
Date 6 Oct 1832, Albany, New York. 

129 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Zina Pitcher (12 Apr 1797-5 Apr 1872), Memorial No. 6932030, 
available at: findagrave.com/memorial/6932030. 

130 Frederick G. Novy, Sc.D., M.D., Zina Pitcher, Michigan Portraits XII, The Michigan Alumnus (The 
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 1908), Vol. 14, Pages 295-305. 

131 [bid. 

132 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 1, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Roll: 
M432_16; Page: 173B; Image: 75. 

133 Ancestry.com, 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Paris, Delay, & Dallas, Lafayette, 
Mississippi; Roll: 652: Page 357B; Enumeration District: 083. 

134 Ancestry.com, Alabama Marriage Index 1800-1969, Marriage of Charles G Pitcher and Rowena Jane 
Hughes, 4 Jan 1838, Tuscaloosa, Alabama. 

135 Ancestry.com, Alabama State Census, 1820-1866, Charles Pitcher, Tuscaloosa, 1866. 

136 Sidney is listed as a Junior at Middlebury College, Vermont as of 1823, which would make him 
about 20 years old at this time. Ancestry.com, U.S. College Student Lists 1763-1924, Sidney W. Pitcher, 
Sandy Hill, New York, Middlebury College, Vermont, 1823. 

137 Birth year is an estimate based on her gravestone, which appears to read “Age 49” and gives her 
death as 10 Apr 1819. FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Margaret Stevenson Pitcher/King (1770-10 Apr 


208 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


1819), Memorial No. 218915981, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/218915981/margaret- 
pitcher%2Fking. 


138 “Austin and Stevenson from J.T. Lee” Notes on Profile for Andrew Stevenson on ChristensenJames 
tree on Ancestry.com. These notes preserve the family history passed down through Andrew’s 
daughter Elizabeth, who married William Gilmore Austin. They indicate that Andrew’s daughter 
Margaret married a Pitcher and then a King, which matches what we know of Margaret Stevenson, 
the second wife of both Nathaniel Pitcher, Sr. and Solomon King. 

139 Several sons of James Pitcher can be found in Seneca County Land Records around this time, 
starting in 1818, particularly Benjamin Pitcher, Thomas Pitcher, Truman Pitcher, and James Pitcher. 
There is also a transaction by Nathaniel Pitcher, Jr. See FamilySearch.org, Seneca County, New York 
Deed Records, 1804-1904, Grantee Index, 1804-1957, Image 783. 

140 Note that these matches come from the ThruLines feature on Ancestry.com. They are not definitive 
proof, but do indicate that other users on Ancestry.com who share DNA with Hank believe that they 
descend from Andrew Stevenson. 

'41 Records of Joyce Tyler Lee from 1993, as given to her by Charles Austin. Joyce Tyler Lee’s records 
are available on Andrew Stevenson’s page of the ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. Charles 
Austin was a great-great grandson of Andrew Stevenson. He lists his great-great grandmother as 
Margaret Gilmore. However, there is another Andrew Stevenson/Margaret Gilmore with different 
birth/death dates and different children on many Ancestry.com trees. It is possible that Charles had 
incorrect information, or all of the other trees could be incorrect. 

142 Ibid. 

1483 Ancestry.com, New York Colonial Muster Rolls, 1664-1775, Vol. II, Page 624, Image 188. 

144 Ibid. 

45 This Andrew Stevenson would have been born about 1730, and thus 40 years old when his first 
known child was born. 

146 Much of the information in this section comes from Lynn Stevenson Fisher, a descendant of 
Andrew Stevenson. Her work is available on Ancestry.com. It is generally well-sourced, although 
some information seems to come from family history. I have incorporated most of her conclusions 
here, but further research would be useful to validate this information. 

147 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip Skene. 

148 Ibid. 

4 Letter from Colonel Wynkoop to General Gates, October 20, 1776, available on page for Andrew 
Stevenson at ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

150 F, P. Walton, “Records of the Council of Safety and Governor and Council of the State of 
Vermont”, July 1775 to December 1777, Vol. I, Page 195, available at: 
archive.org/stream/vermontgovrecords01waltrich/vermontgovrecords01waltrich_djvu.txt. 

151 Victor Hugo Paltsits, Minutes of the Commissioners for Detecting and Defeating Conspiracies in the State 
of New York (The State of New York, Albany 1909), Vol. I, Pages 209-212. 

182 Ancestry.com, Whitehall, N.Y. Local History Sketches, XLII, “Whitehall in 1779 by Clarence E. 
Holden”, January 18, 1917. 

153 Ancestry.com, 1790 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Westfield, Washington, New York; Series: 
M637; Roll: 6; Page: 201; Image: 246; FHL Film No. 0568146; Ancestry.com, 1800 U.S. Federal Census, 
Census Place: Westfield, Washington, New York; Series: M32; Roll: 26; Page: 303; Image: 296; FHL 
Film No. 193714. 

154 Notes from Lynn Stevenson Fisher on Ancestry.com. 


209 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


155 FamilySearch.org, Washington County, New York Deed Records 1774-1930, Vol. H, Pages 240-244, 
Images 383-385. Lynn Stevenson Fisher has this as 1802, but that appears to be a mistaken 
transcription of the year based on my reading of the original deeds. 

156 Tbid. 

187 Ibid. 

158 Ancestry.com, 1810 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Hector, Seneca, New York; Roll: 36; Page: 
310; Image: 00188; FHL Film No. 0181290. 

159 William J. Yudenburgh sold Andrew Stevenson of the town of Ulysses 50 acres of land in the 
northwest corner of lot No. 66 in the Township of Ulysses, Cayuga County, New York for $150. 
FamilySearch.org, Seneca County, New York Deed Records, 1804-1904, Vol. C, Page 31, Image 21. 

160 FamilySearch.org, Seneca County, New York Deed Records, 1804-1904, Vol. E, Pages 133-134, Images 
450-451. 

161 Ibid., Pages 113-114, Images 439-440. 

162 Tbid. 

163 FamilySearch.org, Seneca County, New York Deed Records, 1804-1904, Vol. E, Page 150, Image 461. 
164 FamilySearch.org, Seneca County, New York Probate Records, 1804-1923, Wills, Vol. A2, Pages 149- 
150, Images 250-251. 

165 Tbid. 

166 Thid. 

167 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Margaret King (1770-19 Apr 1819), Memorial No. 160364754, 
available at: findagrave.com/memorial/160364754/margaret-king. 

168 Frederick G. Novy, Sc.D., M.D., Zina Pitcher, Michigan Portraits XII, The Michigan Alumnus (The 
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1908), Vol. 14, Pages 295-305. 

169 Thid. 

170 Ancestry.com, Millennium File, Record for Elizabeth Stevenson, Birth Date 23 Oct 1772, Death Date 
30 Oct 1845; Austin Family Bible records, attached to Elizabeth Stevenson’s page on 


ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

171 Austin Family Bible records, attached to Elizabeth Stevenson’s page on ChristensenJames tree on 
Ancestry.com. 

172 Notes from Lynn Stevenson Fisher, available on Susanna Jane Stevenson’s page of 
ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

173 Ibid. 

174 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Elizabeth “Betsey” Owen Stevenson (7 Jul 1786-1868), Memorial 
No. 116120011, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/116120011. 

175 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Gilbert Stevenson (14 Sep 1776-5 Aug 1832), Memorial No. 
11619934, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/116119934. 

17% FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Andrew Stevenson (26 May 1779-30 Mar 1867), Memorial No. 
152214552, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/152214552. 

17 Ibid. 

178 Ancestry.com, Indiana Marriages, 1810-2001, Marriage of Andrew Stevenson and Rachel Early, 24 
Oct 1826, Indiana, FHL Film No. 001313295. 

179 See Notes of Lynn Stevenson Fisher available on Andrew Stevenson’s page on Christensen]ames 
tree on Ancestry.com and Ancestry.com, U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885, Record 
for James Stephenson, Estimated Birth Year 1786, New York, Death Date Oct 1869, Sodus, Wayne, 
New York. 

180 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Hector, Tompkins, New York; Roll: 606; 
Page: 425B. 


210 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


181 Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Connecticut, Vital Records of Norwich 1659-1848 (Hartford 
1913), Vol. I, Page 50, available at: 
archive.org/details/vitalrecordsofno01norw/page/54/mode/2up/search/pitcher. 

182 Ibid. 

18 Ancestry.com, History of Ancient Woodbury, Connecticut, Pages 260-262; History of Litchfield County, 
Connecticut (J.W. Lewis and Company, Philadelphia, 1881), Page 260, available at: 
archive.org/details/historyoflitchfi00jwle/page/n1133. 

184 ConnecticutHistory.org, “The Importance of Being Puritan: Church and State in Colonial 
Connecticut” (2 Sep 2015), available at: connecticuthistory.org/the-importance-of-being-puritan- 
church-and-state-in-colonial-connecticut/. 


18 Image believed to be in the public domain and available at: 


explorewashingtonct.com/things to_do/judea-parish-house/. 

186 Ancestry.com, History of Ancient Woodbury, Connecticut, Pages 260-262; History of Litchfield County, 
Connecticut (J.W. Lewis and Company, Philadelphia, 1881), Page 651, available at: 
archive.org/details/historyoflitchfi00jwle/page/n1133. 

187 Ancestry.com, History of Ancient Woodbury, Connecticut, Pages 260-262. 

188 Ancestry.com, Connecticut Town Birth Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection), Record for Elizabeth 
Durkee, Birth Date 6 Feb 1728, Windham. 

189 Pitcher Family Bible, scanned image available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

190 Ibid. 

191 Ibid. 

122 Ancestry.com, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Marriage of Nathaniel Durkee 
and Mary Baker, 1727, Connecticut. 

198 Ibid. 

194 Ancestry.com, Connecticut Wills and Probate Records, 1609-1999, Record for Nathaniel Durkee, 
Probate Date 1760, Hartford, Connecticut, Case No. 1408. 

195 One website has a possible connection from Elizabeth Durkee all the way back to a Matthew de 
Hyde (1167-1204). Through this line, Elizabeth would be a distant cousin of Anne Hyde, the first wife 
of King James II of England, and their daughters Queen Mary II and Queen Anne. However, no 
sources are provided for the numerous connections required to make this claim. 
wwwyrobinsongenealogy.blogspot.com/2015/11/connecting-to-king-james-ii-and-his.html. 

1% Hartford Courant, “Notice is Hereby Given” (Hartford, Connecticut 26 Sep 1785), Page 4, available 
at: newspapers.com/clip/41009693/real-estate-sale-mentioning-james/?xid=637. 

197 Pitcher Family Bible. 

198 Ibid. This Bible is the main source for the fifteen children born to James Pitcher and Elizabeth 
Durkee. It was found on Ancestry.com and appears to have been copied from an original source by a 
grandchild of James and Elizabeth Pitcher. I have seen references to both Jared L. Pitcher and Loren 
Bettis as the transcriber on Ancestry.com. Baptismal records are also available for many of their 
children, and are cited to Ancestry.com where they can be found. 

199 Pitcher Family Bible. 

200 [bid.; Find AGrave.com, Memorial for Nathaniel Pitcher (1750-10 Dec 1802), Memorial No. 
116125031, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/116125031. 

201 Appleton’s Cyclopedia of American Biography, 1600-1889, Page 31, Entry for Nathaniel Pitcher. His 
father, also named Nathaniel Pitcher, would likely have married before his son’s birth in 1777. 

202 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for James Pitcher (1792-4 Oct 1844), Memorial No. 7421611, available 
at: findagrave.com/memorial/7421611. His parents, Nathaniel Pitcher and Margaret Stevenson, would 
likely have married before James’ birth about 1792. 


211 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


203 Pitcher Family Bible. 

204 Ancestry.com, Connecticut Town Marriage Records, pre 1870 (Barbour Collection), Marriage of 
Elizabeth Pitcher and Isaac Newton, 10 Oct 1771, Judea, Washington, Connecticut. 

205 Pitcher Family Bible. 

206 Ancestry.com, Connecticut Town Marriage Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection), Marriage of 
Benjamin Pitcher and Jerusha Welton, 20 Oct 1777, Watertown, Connecticut. 

207 Pitcher Family Bible. 

208 Ancestry.com, Connecticut, Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions and Newspaper Notices, 1629-1934, 
Record for Sarah Goodsell, Death Date 26 Sep 1833, Connecticut. 

209 Ancestry.com, Connecticut Town Marriage Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection), Marriage of Sarah 
Pitcher and Timothy Goodsel, 15 Jan 1778, Judea, Washington, Connecticut. 

210 Pitcher Family Bible. 

21 Ancestry.com, Connecticut, Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions and Newspaper Notices, 1629-1934, 
Record for Jerusha Roberts, Death Date 22 Nov 1817, East Hartford, Connecticut. 

212 Ancestry.com, Connecticut Town Marriage Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection), Marriage of Jerusha 
Pitcher and Gideon Robbards, 8 Mar 1780, Washington, Connecticut. 

213 Pitcher Family Bible. 

214 Ancestry.com, Connecticut, Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions and Newspaper Notices, 1629-1934, 
Record for Susanna Cole, Death Date 21 Dec 1831, Connecticut. 

215 Ancestry.com, Connecticut Town Marriage Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection), Marriage of 
Susannah Pitcher and Thomas Cole, 18 Nov 1780, Washington, Connecticut. 

216 Pitcher Family Bible. 

217 Ancestry.com, Rhode Island Vital Extracts, 1636-1899, Record for James Pitcher, Death Date 18 Apr 
1829, Providence, Rhode Island. 

218 Pitcher Family Bible. 

219 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Truman Durkee Pitcher (1 Aug 1762-10 Feb 1853), Memorial No. 
111411288, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/111411288. 

220 Ancestry.com, Connecticut Town Marriage Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection), Marriage of Truman 
Pitcher and Betsey Jones, 12 Nov 1789, Washington, Connecticut. 

221 Pitcher Family Bible. 

222 Ibid. 

223 Ibid. 

224 Thid. 

225 Ancestry.com, Connecticut Town Marriage Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection), Marriage of 
Jonathan Pritchard and Mercy Tompkins, 19 Oct 1791, Watertown, Connecticut. 

226 Pitcher Family Bible. 

27 Ancestry.com, Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, Page 49. 

228 Ancestry.com, Western Massachusetts: A History, 1636-1925 (Provo, UT 2005), Vol. III, Page 174. 

29 Ancestry.com, Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, Roxbury Marriage Index. 

230 Vital Records of Norwich, 1659-1848, Part I (Hartford, Society of Colonial Wars in the State of 
Connecticut), 1913, Page 50, available at: archive.org/details/vitalrecordsofno01norw. 

231 Frances Manwaring Caulkins, History of Norwich, Connecticut: From its Possession by the Indians to the 
Year 1866, (Hartford, Connecticut 1866), Page 238, available at: 
archive.org/details/historyofnorwich1866caul/page/238/mode/2up. 

232 Tbid. 

233 Ross K. Harper, Waste Not, Want Not: The Colonial Era Midden (ConnecticutHistory.org 22 Jan 2013), 
available at: connecticuthistory.org/waste-not-want-not-the-colonial-era-midden/. 


212 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


234 Ancestry.com, Connecticut, U.S. Wills and Probate Records, 1609-1999, Hartford, Probate Packets, 
Peck, Erastus—Perry, A., Image 910. 

235 Ibid. The Will was proved on 7 Oct 1747, so Samuel Pitcher, Jr. must have died by this date. 

236 [bid., Images 907-908. 

237 See sites such as MeasuringWorth.com, which provides historical real wealth equivalent 
calculations. 

238 Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Connecticut, Vital Records of Norwich 1659-1848 (Hartford 
1913), Vol. I, Page 50, available at: 
archive.org/details/vitalrecordsofno01norw/page/54/mode/2up/search/pitcher. 

39 The American Genealogist (1970-1971), Vol. 47, Page 104, available at: 

babel. hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89067568659&view=lup&seq=407. 

240 Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Connecticut, Vital Records of Norwich 1659-1848 (Hartford 
1913), Vol. I, Page 107, available at: 
archive.org/details/vitalrecordsofno01norw/page/54/mode/2up/search/pitcher. 

241 Ancestry.com, Connecticut, U.S. Town Birth Records, Pre-1870 (Barbour Collection), Lebanon Vital 
Records Vols. 1-2, 1700-1854, Page 168, Image 178. Lebanon is only 12 miles from Norwich, 
Connecticut, where Jerusha Pitcher was born. 

42 Ancestry.com, Connecticut, U.S. Wills and Probate Records, 1609-1999, Litchfield, Probate Records 
Vols. 5-6, 1760-1822, Page 129, Image 137. 

243 Vital Records of Norwich 1659-1848, Page 50. 

244 Ibid. 

245 Pitcher Family Bible. 

246 Ibid. 

247 Vital Records of Norwich 1659-1848, Page 50. 

248 Ibid. 

249 Ancestry.com, Connecticut, Hale Collection of Cemetery Inscriptions and Newspaper Notices, 1629-1934, 
Record for Mrs. Joanna Baker, Death Date 2 Dec 1803, Connecticut, Old New Washington Cemetery. 
250 Ancestry.com, Connecticut Town Marriage Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection), Marriage of Joanna 
Pitcher and Jesse Baker, 15 Apr 1742, Woodbury, Connecticut. 

251 Vital Records of Norwich 1659-1848, Page 50. 

252 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Lydia Durkee (18 Aug 1725-6 Jan 1818), Memorial No. 146566324, 
available at: findagrave.com/memorial/146566324. 

253 Ancestry.com, Connecticut Town Marriage Records pre-1870 (Barbour Collection), Marriage of Lydia 
Pitcher and James Darkee, 22 Oct 1745, Woodbury, Connecticut. Crisfield Johnson, History of 
Washington Co. New York (1878), Page 394, has Lydia Pitcher as the wife of Thomas Durkee. This was 
from a family recollection by a grandson of Lydia named John Durkee. 

254 Vital Records of Norwich 1659-1848, Page 50. Sarah Pitcher may have married Seth Sherwood, but so 
far I have not found enough evidence to make this connection. 

255 FindAGrave.com, Memorial Page for Samuel Pitcher (18 Apr 1641-23 Nov 1717), Memorial No. 
126984025, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/126984025. 

256 Ancestry.com, Massachusetts Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991, Will of Andrew Pitcher, Probate 
Date 4 Oct 1660, Plymouth, Massachusetts; Western Massachusetts: A History: 1635-1925, Page 174. 

257 Image available at: historynet.com/king-philips-war-and-a-fight-neither-side-wanted/ with the 


caption Don Troiani/U.S. National Guard. No known copyright restrictions. 

258 Ancestry.com, Massachusetts Compiled Marraiges, 1633-1850, Marriage of Samuel Pitcher and Alc 
Craig, 30 Nov 1671, Milton, Norfolk, FHL Film No. 0945618. 

259 Ancestry.com, Records of the Suffolk County Court: 1671-1680, Page 648. 


213 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


260 Ancestry.com, Soldiers in King Philip’s War, Page 369. 

261 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King Philip%27s War. 

262 Ancestry.com, Soldiers in King Philip’s War, Page 369. 

263 Ancestry.com, Milton Town Records 1662-1729, Page 345. 

264 Albert Kendall Teele, The History of Milton Massachusetts 1640 to 1877 (Rockwell and Churchill, 
Boston 1887), Pages 238-239, available at: 
archive.org/details/historyofmiltonm00teel/page/384/mode/2up/search/pitcher. 

265 Ancestry.com, Records of the Suffolk County Court: 1671-1680, Page 972. 

266 Teele, The History of Milton Massachusetts 1640 to 1877, Pages 165-166. 

267 Western Massachusetts: A History: 1635-1925, Page 174. 

268 Ancestry.com, Massachusetts Compiled Marriages, 1633-1850, Marriage of Samuel Pitcher and Mary 
Blake, 3 Aug 1681, Milton, Norfolk, FHL Film No. 0945618. 

269 Ancestry.com, Global Find A Grave Index for Burials at Sea and Other Select Burial Locations 1300s— 
Current, Record for Mary Pitcher, Death Date: 20 Jan 1741, Canton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. 
270 FamilySearch.org, Suffolk County, Massachusetts Records of Deeds, Index—Grantor—Pa-Ry, Image 
257. The index indicates that this deed is found in Volume 22, Page 488. Unfortunately, Volume 22 
appears to be the only missing volume on FamilySearch. Thankfully, the index includes a short 


description. 
271 [bid. 
272 Image available at: tfcg.ca/old-occupation-tanner. Article notes that it was produced circa 1880 and 


is under a Wikimedia Commons license. 

273 miltonhistoricalsociety.org/Sampler/Taverns.html. 

274 Ibid. 

275 colonialsense.com/Society-Lifestyle/Signs of the Times/Tanning.php. 

276 miltonhistoricalsociety.org/Sampler/Taverns.html. 

277 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Samuel Pitcher (18 Apr 1641-23 Nov 1717), Memorial No. 
126984025, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/126984025. FindAGrave has his death at 
Dorchester, Massachusetts, but I believe the family had moved on to Milton and Stoughton by this 
time. It is possible he was buried back in Dorchester. 

278 Ancestry.com, Global Find A Grave Index for Burials at Sea and Other Select Burial Locations 1300s— 
Current, Record for Mary Pitcher, Death Date: 20 Jan 1741, Canton, Norfolk County, Massachusetts. 
Mary appears to have been the daughter of Edward Blake and Patience Pope. Both families can likely 


be traced back to England, although I have not pursued this line of research since Mary is not a direct 
ancestor. 

279 Ancestry.com, Massachusetts Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, Record for Mary Pitcher, Birth Date 
14 Jan 1672, Milton, Massachusetts. 

280 Ancestry.com, Massachusetts Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, Record for Samuel Pitcher, Birth 
Date 8 Dec 1674, Milton, Massachusetts. 

281 Ancestry.com, Connecticut Wills and Probate Records, 1609-1999, Will of Samuel Pitcher, Probate 
Date 1749, Hartford, Connecticut, Case No. 3585. 

282 Ancestry.com, Massachusetts Compiled Marriages, 1633-1850, Marriage of Samuel Pitcher and 
Elizabeth Worth, 6 Jan 1704, Milton, Norfolk, FHL Film No. 0945618. 

283 Ancestry.com, Massachusetts Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, Record for Joanna Pitcher, Birth 
Date 13 Apr 1677, Milton, Massachusetts. 

284 Ancestry.com, Massachusetts Compiled Marriages, 1633-1850, Marriage of Johanah Pitcher and 
Thomas Leonard, 1 Dec 1699, Taunton, Bristol, FHL Film No. 0899100. 


214 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


285 John H. Lockwood, Western Massachusetts: A History: 1636-1925, Page 174, available at: 
archive.org/details/westernmassachus02lock. 

286 Ancestry.com, Massachusetts Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, Record for Mary Pitcher, Birth Date 
10 Jun 1682, Milton, Massachusetts. 

287 Ancestry.com, Massachusetts Compiled Marriages, 1633-1850, Marriage of Mary Picker and William 
Willistone, 21 Aug 1707, Swansea, Bristol, FHL Film No. 0022366, Item 3 and 0903395, Items 7-8. 

288 Ancestry.com, Massachusetts Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, Record for Susanna Pitcher, Birth 
Date 1684, Milton, Massachusetts. 

289 Ancestry.com, Massachusetts Compiled Marriages, 1633-1850, Marriage of Susana Pitcher and John 
Holland, 24 Oct 1707, Boston, Suffolk, FHL Film No. 0818093-0818095. 

299 Ancestry.com, Massachusetts Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, Record for Edward Pitcher, Birth 
Date 6 Feb 1680-1689, Milton, Massachusetts. 

21 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Edward Pitcher (6 Feb 1686-9 Mar 1773), Memorial No. 46240583, 
available at: findagrave.com/memorial/46240583. 

2 Ancestry.com, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Marriage of Edward Pitcher and 
Jane Lyon, 1708, Massachusetts. 

293 This date and location is an educated guess based on his siblings, who were born in 1686 and 1690 
in Milton, Massachusetts. 

294 Ancestry.com, Massachusetts Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, Marriage of Joseph Picker and 
Marcy Stetson, 4 Oct 1714, Scituate, Massachusetts; Ancestry.com, Massachusetts Compiled Marriages, 
1633-1850, Marriage of Joseph Picher and Mercy Stetson, 21 Oct 1714, Scituate, Plymouth, 
Massachusetts, FHL Film No. 0496902. 

25 Ancestry.com, Massachusetts Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988, Record for Abigail Pitcher, Birth 
Date 16 May 1690, Milton, Massachusetts. 

296 Ancestry.com, Robert Charles Anderson, New England, The Great Migration and The Great Migration 
Begins, 1620-1635, (Boston: New England Historical and Genealogical Society 1996-2011) Vol. 5, M-P, 
Record for Andrew Pitcher, Page 468. 

297 Ancestry.com, Topographical Dictionary of 2,885 English Emigrants to New England 1620-1650, Page 
23, citing Pope as reference. 

298 New England, The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1635, Pages 468-469. 

299 Ibid. 

500 en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts Bay Colony. 

301 Ancestry.com, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Marriage of Andrew Pitcher and 
Margaret Russell, 1641, Massachusetts. 

302 New England, The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1635, Page 468. 

303 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Samuel Pitcher (18 Apr 1641-23 Nov 1717), Memorial No. 
126984025, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/126984025. 

304 New England, The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1635, Page 468. 

305 [bid. 

3% Teele, The History of Milton Massachusetts 1640 to 1877, Page 385. 

307 Teele, The History of Milton Massachusetts 1640 to 1877, Pages 12-14. 

308 Tbid. 

30° Grace Whipple Pitcher, A Genealogy of the Pitcher Family of Milton, Massachusetts: Andrew and Some of 
His Descendants, Pages 1-2, available on FamilySearch.org at: 
familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/663241. 

310 New England, The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1635, Page 469. 

311 Ancestry.com, Dorchester Births, Marriages, and Deaths, City Document No. 59, Page 26. 


215 


Section III, Part D: The Pitcher Line 


312 Ancestry.com, Massachusetts Wills and Probate Records 1635-1991, Record for Andrew Pitcher, 
Probate Date 4 Oct 1660, Plymouth, Massachusetts. I believe this probate date is in error, since this is 
the date the Will was signed. It appears form the text that Andrew died on 19 Dec 1660, an inventory 
of the Estate was taken on 19 Jan 1661, and son Samuel Pitcher was deposed on 9 May 1661. 

313 Teele, The History of Milton Massachusetts 1640 to 1877, Page 27. 

314 Image from Grace Whipple Pitcher, A Genealogy of the Pitcher Family of Milton, Massachusetts: 
Andrew and Some of His Descendants, Page 4. Available on FamilySearch.org at: 
familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/663241-a-genealogy-of-the-pitcher-family-of-milton- 
massachusetts-andrew-and-some-of-his-descendants-1634-1978. 

315 New England, The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1635, Pages 469-471. 

316 [bid. 

317 Ibid. 

318 Ancestry.com, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Marriage of Mary Pitcher (born 
1672) and Isaac Rush, Massachusetts. 

319 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Samuel Pitcher (18 Apr 1641-23 Nov 1717), Memorial No. 
126984025, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/126984025; New England, The Great Migration and 
The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1635, Pages 469-471. 

320 Ancestry.com, Massachusetts Compiled Marriages, 1633-1850, Marriage of Samuel Pitcher and Alc 
Caig, 30 Nov 1671, Milton, Norfork, Massachusetts, FHL Film No. 0945618. 

321 Ancestry.com, Massachusetts Compiled Marriages, 1633-1850, Marriage of Samuel Pitcher and Mary 
Blake, 3 Aug 1681, Milton, Norfork, FHL Film No. 0945618. 

322 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Experience Pitcher Bugbee (25 Jul 1642-5 Jun 1721), Memorial No. 
20916295, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/20916295; New England, The Great Migration and The 
Great Migration Begins, 1620-1635, Pages 469-471. 

323 Ancestry.com, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Marriage of Experience Pitcher 
and Joseph Bugbee, 1664, Massachusetts. 

324 New England, The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1635, Pages 469-471. 

325 Ibid. 

326 Ancestry.com, U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700, Marriage of Ruth Pitcher and Ephraim 
Newton, 1672, New England. Ruth may have had a second marriage to Mathew Agelton, or this 
could be a different Ruth Newton, perhaps her daughter. Ancestry.com, Massachusetts Compiled 
Marriages, 1633-1850, Marriage of Ruth Newton and Mathew Agelton, 6 May 1714, Milton, Norfork, 
FHL Film No. 0945618. 

327 New England, The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1635, Pages 469-471. 

328 Ibid. 

329 Ibid. 

330 bid. 

331 Ancestry.com, Massachusetts Compiled Marriages, 1633-1850, Marriage of Nathanill Pitcher and 
Mary Clap, 8 Jul 1685, Milton, Norfork, FHL Film No. 0945618. 

332 New England, The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1635, Pages 469-471. 

333 Ibid. 


216 


E. The Gray and Roland Lines 


irae 
—T—E———EEEs 


1. Delilah Jane Gray (About 1848-Unknown) 


Delilah Jane Gray was born around 1848 in Alabama to William T. Gray and Aretta Roland.! Our first 
record for Delilah is the 1860 census. It showed her living with her parents, her siblings John, Mary, 
and Martha, a likely uncle (John Gray, age 65) and a cousin (another William Gray, age 4). Her father 
William Gray was a farmer, with land valued at $250 and a personal estate of $380. In antebellum 
Alabama, the family likely would have been considered poor, or at best middle class, compared to 
the wealthy plantation owners living nearby. An example from the same census page is a John Rose, 
whose occupation was listed as “Planter” rather than farmer. Rose had land worth $4,000 and a 
personal estate of almost $11,000. 


An interesting detail from this census is that the Gray’s neighborhood in Tuscaloosa, Alabama was 
called “Pitchers Beat No. 11.” As we saw above, Charles Pitcher was a prominent businessman in 
Tuscaloosa, and this area was likely named after him. We know that Charles Pitcher was involved in 
several Tuscaloosa land transactions throughout the first half of the 19 century. The next record for 
Delilah is the 1870 census, and by this time she had married Charles Pitcher and was living in 
Yalobusha County, Mississippi.? Figuring out how this couple ended up together requires further 


investigation, since we are missing a marriage record. 


Between 1860 and 1870, Tuscaloosa went through the upheaval of the Civil War. Charles Pitcher’s 
first wife, Rowena Jane Hughes, likely died sometime in this time period. Charles, now in his sixties, 
married Delilah Jane Gray, who was in her early twenties. With many of the young men her age 
fighting or dying in the war, the older (and presumably much wealthier) Charles may have provided 
Delilah with her best prospects for the future. Charles had a history of marrying younger women. His 
first wife was 18 at their marriage, while he was 38. Charles Pitcher was about forty-five years older 
than his young second wife, and the couple moved west to Mississippi.* 


The 1870 census listed “Deliley Pitcher” as 22 years old.‘ If the 1860 census was correct to list her at 
17, she should have been 27 by now. So one or both of these ages were wrong. Delilah and Charles 
had two children by 1870: Margaret (5) and William (3). Margaret was Hank’s grandmother, 
Margaret “Maggie” Aretta Pitcher. William was incorrectly listed as a son, likely due to her 
masculine sounding middle name, and was actually Margaret’s sister Nancy Willie Pitcher. She may 


217 


Section III, Part E: The Gray and Roland Lines 


have used her middle name as a child, causing the confusion. Note that the middle names for both 


daughters likely came from Delilah’s parents: Aretta for her mother, Willie for her father. 


In 1880 the family was still in Mississippi. Now Delilah was listed as 31, yet another age discrepancy 
in the census records.5 With the three records we have, she could have been born in 1843, 1848, or 
1849. This census correctly shows Maggie as 15, Nancy W. as 13, and there was now a younger 
brother Charley Pitcher, age 4. Charles Pitcher was an 80-year-old farmer and Delilah was 31, clearly 
listed as his wife despite the nearly fifty year age gap with her husband. So far I have not found any 
further records for Delilah Jane Gray. Although the documentary evidence we have for Delilah is 
sparse, her connection to Hank is also supported by DNA evidence. To date I have identified eleven 
descendants of Delilah’s daughter Nancy Willie Pitcher that are related to Hank. Further DNA 
connections through Delilah’s mother Aretta Roland solidify this branch of the family tree. 


Children of Charles G. Pitcher and Delilah Jane Gray: 


i. Margaret Aretta “Maggie” PITCHER was born about 1865 in Alabama® and died 30 Dec 
1937 in Cusseta, Chambers County, Alabama.” She married George Farmer STRONG on 13 
May 1891 in Jefferson County, Alabama.*® 
ii. Nancy Willie PITCHER was born about 1867 in Alabama and died 21 Jun 1953 in Memphis, 
Shelby County, Tennessee.’ She married James Averett PILCHER around 1889.10 
iii. Charles PITCHER, Jr. was born about 1880 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama." 


2. Aretta Roland (About 1812—Unknown) and William T. Gray (About 1807-After 
1861) 


Aretta Roland was born about 1812 in Tennessee.’ Her parents were Daniel Roland and Elizabeth 
Harvell. Records for Aretta are very limited. Aside from the 1860 census, the only other 
documentation we have for Aretta is her marriage to William T. Gray on January 25, 1838 in 
Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.'? Complicating this search is the fact that her last name could be 


spelled Roland, Rowland, Rolen or one of several other variations. 


Around 1843, Hank’s great-grandmother Delilah Jane Gray was born to Aretta Roland and William 
T. Gray.'* Aside from the written evidence, two other facts give me confidence that Aretta Roland 
was the mother of Delilah Jane Gray. The first is the unique name Aretta. Delilah named her oldest 
daughter “Margaret Aretta,” a strong indication that we are on the right track. The second is the 
overwhelming DNA evidence. To date I have found sixty-seven DNA matches for Hank that descend 
from Aretta Roland’s parents Daniel Roland and Elizabeth Harvell and can be placed in the family 
tree. There are numerous other likely matches that currently lack a reliable paper trail. This is a 


strong indication that Hank descends from this couple through their daughter Aretta Roland. 


For a short time, information about William T. Gray could be found as part of the Tuscaloosa 
Genealogical Society’s “Seventh Floor Records Project.” In 2022, these records were available online 


and I was able to view them. However, it appears that the main researcher of these archives, John 


218 


Section III, Part E: The Gray and Roland Lines 


Boyd, died in 2023, and the records are currently unavailable. That makes the following statements 
difficult to cite with the same reliability I have used in other sections. My hope is that these records 


will be posted again online at a later date. 


In September of 1849, William T. Gray was part of a criminal case with several other defendants who 
“did play at a game with cards at a public place against the peace and dignity of the State of 
Alabama” and “at a place where spirituous liquors were then and there given away against the peace 


and dignity of the State of Alabama”! He was found guilty in 1851 and jailed for eleven days.!¢ 


A more serious run in with the law came in 1852, when William T. Gray and Hiram Saunders were 
charged with the murder of Hugh Campbell. Fortunately, this charge appears to have been based on 
the false testimony of Charles Jacobs. Jacobs was convicted of perjury for testifying that Saunders 
struck Campbell with a cudgel, and then William T. Gray said “maybe we have not killed him” and 
struck him again. The Grand Jury found this testimony false and willful perjury on the part of Jacobs, 
and William T. Gray was not convicted of murder.!” William T. Gray appears in the Tuscaloosa 
records until 1861, so he must have died after that date. 


Children of Aretta Roland and William T. Gray: 


i. John GRAY was born about 1839 in Alabama. '8 

ii. Mary GRAY was born about 1842 in Alabama." 
iii | Delilah Jane GRAY was born about 1843 in Alabama.”° 
iv. Martha GRAY was born about 1845 in Alabama.”! 


3. Daniel Roland (About 1788-1851) and Elizabeth Harvell (About 1790-A fter 
1855) 


Daniel Roland was born around 1788 in South Carolina.22 On June 7, 1809, he married Elizabeth 
Harvell (or Harvill) in Warren, Georgia.” Elizabeth was born around 1790 in South Carolina.” I have 
not discovered any definitive information about either of their parents. Some sources have Daniel’s 
parents as Rueben Rowland and Penelope Clark. Another has his father as James Roland, born in 
Ireland. Neither have any primary sources to support their claim. Elizabeth’s parents are listed as 
John Joseph Harvell and Margaret Hill in an Ancestry.com tree, but again without sources to confirm. 


Our information about the lives of Daniel Roland and Elizabeth Harvell is very limited. 


What we do know about Daniel and Elizabeth is that they had eight children, seven of whom had 
descendants who have tested their DNA on Ancestry.com and match with Hank. I have used 
traditional genealogy to trace a reasonably certain paper trail between each of those eight children 


and their modern descendants whose DNA matches with Hank. 


219 


Section II, Part E: The Gray and Roland Lines 


Daniel Roland Elizabeth Harvell 


Andrew L. 
Roland 


Aretta Adeline John H. Delilah 


Roland Roland Roland Roland 
5 DNA 18 DNA 10 DNA 12 DNA 
Matches Matches Matches Matches Matches 


14 DNA 
Matches 


In total, Hank has eighty-two DNA matches who trace their descent from Daniel Roland and 
Elizabeth Harvell. Documentation for these connections can be found on the ChristensenJames tree 
on Ancestry.com.” There are many additional matches that almost certainly descend from this couple 
but currently lack the documentary evidence. Over time we may be able to place more of these 
relatives within the tree. These DNA connections are the primary evidence that Hank descends from 
Daniel Roland and Elizabeth Harvell. 


Daniel Roland died by September 27, 1851 in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama when his son-in-law 
Joshua Thrasher was appointed as his Administrator (meaning Daniel did not leave a Will). 
Tuscaloosa County court records are sparse, but Orphan Court records transcribed by Kathleen Paul 
Jones list Daniel’s widow as Elizabeth and provide evidence for his children.”” Sons John H. Roland, 
Andrew L. Roland, and William Roland did not receive anything from their father’s Estate since they 
had “by way of advancement in the lifetime of the decedent sums larger than their distributive 
share.”8 Daniel’s daughters each received $7.73. They were listed as Rachel (wife of Larkin Vannoy), 
Araminta (wife of Robert Gray), Delila (wife of Alexander Bullard), Elizbeth (wife of Thomas 
Cottrell), and Adaline (deceased wife of Joshua Thrasher). 


This document provides evidence for all of the descendants of Daniel Roland and Elizabeth Harvell 
who have descendants that match Hank’s DNA. However, instead of being listed as Aretta, wife of 
William T. Gray, we see a woman named Araminta, wife of Robert Gray. I am unsure if this is a 
transcription error from the original record, or if this discrepancy points to a larger confusion about 
the number or identity of Daniel Roland’s daughters. Given the limited records currently available 
online, I have been unable to resolve this ambiguity. 


Children of Daniel Roland and Elizabeth Harvell: 


i. Rachel ROLAND was born about 1812 in Tennessee and died after 1860.29 She married Larkin 
VANNOY on 6 Oct 1831 in Jefferson County, Alabama.*! 
ii. Aretta ROLAND was born about 1812 in Tennessee.32 She married William T. GRAY on 24 
Jan 1838 in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.*8 
iii. | Adeline ROLAND was born on September 18, 1812 in Tennessee*™ and died 30 Aug 1851 in 
West Blocton, Bibb County, Alabama.** She married Joshua Evans THRASHER on 15 Nov 
1832 in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.%6 


220 


Vi. 


Vii. 


Vili. 


Section III, Part E: The Gray and Roland Lines 


John H. ROLAND was born about 1819 in Alabama.” He married Milley Ann HENDERSON 
on 20 Jul 1845 in Bibb County, Alabama.°8 

Delilah ROLAND was born about 1822 in Alabama.%? She married Robert MITCHELL in 
Alabama. She married Alexander BULLARD on 18 Dec 1851 in Tuscaloosa County, 
Alabama.“! 

William Carrol ROLAND was born about 1824 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and died about 1865 
in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.*? He married Martha Ann TIBBS on 2 Sep 1845 in Bibb County, 
Alabama. 

Andrew L. ROLAND was born about 1825 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and died about 1891 in 
Tuscaloosa, Alabama.“ He married Catherine LARGENT.® 

Elizabeth ROLAND was born about 1826 in Alabama.‘6 She married Thomas COTTRELL on 
26 Dec 1850 in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.” 


This completes my current knowledge of Hank’s paternal ancestors. 


221 


Section II, Part E: The Gray and Roland Lines 


References for Section III, Part E: The Gray and Roland Lines 


1 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Pitchers, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Roll: M653_25; 
Page: 530; FHL Film No. 803025. 

? Ancestry.com, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Township 11, Yalobusha, Mississippi; Roll: 
M593-754; Page: 65B; FHL Film No. 552253. 

3 Ibid. 

4 Ibid. 

5 Ancestry.com, 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Paris, Delay & Dallas, Lafayette, Mississippi; 
Roll: 652; Page: 357B; Enumeration District: 083. 

6 Ibid. 

7 Ancestry.com, Alabama Deaths and Burials Index, 1881-1974, Record for Margaret A Strong, Death 
Date 30 Dec 1937, Cusseta, Chambers, Alabama. 

8 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of M. E. Pitcher and G. F. Strong, 
13 May 1891, Jefferson, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1299243. 

9 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Death Records, 1908-1958, Record for Nancy Willie Pilcher, Death Date 21 
Jun 1953, Memphis, Shelby, Tennessee. Although the death record has Nancy’s birth date as 3 Mar 
1865, Iam not confident in this date. From the 1880 Census, she appears to be younger than he sister 
Margaret, born around 1865. Her age changes each census and it is still unclear to me which sister 
was younger. 

10 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Nancy W. Pilcher (1865-1953), Memorial No. 159569901, available 
at: findagrave.com/memorial/159569901. 

" Ancestry.com, 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Paris, Delay & Dallas, Lafayette, Mississippi; 
Roll: 652; Page 357B; Enumeration District: 083. 

2 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Pitchers, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Roll: 
M653_25; Page: 530; FHL Film No. 803025. 

13 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Aretta Rowlen and William 
T. Gray, 25 Jan 1838, Tuscaloosa, Alabama. 

14 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Pitchers, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Roll: 
M653_25; Page: 530; FHL Film No. 803025. 

15 Previously available at: http://seventhfloorrecords.com/images/1848-105/1848105_0079.JPG. See 
https://seventhfloorrecords.org/. 


16 http://seventhfloorrecords.com/images/1849-101/1849101_0199.JPG, 


http://seventhfloorrecords.com/images/1851-102/1851102 0126.JPG. 
17 http://seventhfloorrecords.com/images/1848-105/1848105_0180.JPG. 


18 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Pitchers, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Roll: 
M653_25; Page: 530; FHL Film No. 803025. 

19 Ibid. 

20 Ibid. 

21 Ibid. 

22 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 1, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Roll: 
M432_16; Page: 178B; Image: 85. 

33 Ancestry.com, Georgia, Marriage Records from Select Counties, 1828-1978, Marriage of Daniel 
Rowland and Eliza Hawill, 7 Jun 1809, Warren, Georgia. 

24 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 1, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Roll: 
M432_16; Page: 178B; Image: 85. 


222 


Section III, Part E: The Gray and Roland Lines 


25 DNA matches who have been confirmed with additional records have “DNA” listed in their suffix 
field in the ChristensenJames tree to make for easier searching and recognition on Ancestry.com. 

26 http://seventhfloorrecords.com/images/1850-105/1850105_0164.JPG. 

27 FamilySearch.org, Kathleen Paul Jones, Alabama Records, Vol. 57, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama 
Orphan’s Court Book, Pages 45-46, Images 704-706. 

28 Ibid. Some of these gifts can be seen at FamilySearch.org, Kathleen Paul Jones, Alabama Records, Vol. 
99, Page 59, Image 87. 

29 Ibid. 

30 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Collins, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Roll: M653_25; 
Page: 565; FHL Film No. 803205. 

31 Ancestry.com, Alabama County Marriage Records, 1805-1967, Marriage of Rachael Rowland and 
Larkin Vanny, 6 Oct 1831, Jefferson, Alabama, FHL Film No. 001738566. 

3 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Pitchers, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Roll: 
M653_25; Page: 530; FHL Film No. 803025. 

33 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Arrelta Rowlen and William 
T. Gray, 25 Jan 1838, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1290745. 

34 T have not been able to confirm if her sisters Rachel or Aretta share this birthday in 1812, or if they 


were just close to Adeline in age. 

35 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Adaline Rolands Thrasher (18 Sep 1812-30 Aug 1851), Memorial 
No. 75733805, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/75733805. 

36 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Adaline Roling and Joshua 
Thrasher, 15 Nov 1832, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1290745. 

37 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 1, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Roll: 
M432_16; Page: 179A; Image: 86. 

38 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of John H. Rowlen and Miley 
Ann Henderson, 20 Jul 1845, Bibb, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1031250. 

3° Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 1, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Roll: 
M432_16; Page: 178A; Image: 84. 

40 Ibid. 

“| Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of Delila Mitchell and 
Alexander Ballard, 18 Dec 1851, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1290745. 

#” FindAGrave.com, Memorial for William Carroll Rolen (1824-1865), Memorial No. 23745558, 
available at: findagrave.com/memorial/23745558. 

48 Ancestry.com, Alabama Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942, Marriage of William Rowland and 
Martha Tibbs, 2 Sep 1845, Bibb, Alabama, FHL Film No. 1031250. 

“4 seventhfloorrecords.com/images/1881-101/1881101_0096.JPG. 

45 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Death Records, 1908-1958, Record for James Thomas Roland (son of 
Andrew Roland and Catherine Largin), Roll No. 10, Certificate No. 24930. 

46 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 1, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Roll: 
M432_16; Page: 178B; Image: 85. 

“” Ancestry.com, Alabama Marriage Index, 1800-1969, Marriage of Elizabeth Rolen and Thomas Cotriel, 
26 Dec 1850, Tuscaloosa, Alabama. 


223 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


IV. Hank James Maternal Ancestors 


ec 
= 


oa 


John Adam Link 


James Adam Link ja 


Robert Newman 
Joel Newman 
Katherine Threewits 


5 Catherine Newman 


il 


~  Mazie ElizaLink = 


Mildred Gilliam 


Peyton W. Randolph John Randall/Randolph 


bit 


Mt i | 


Fees 


The family tree above shows five generations of Hank’s maternal ancestors, starting with the parents 


) 


of his mother Grace Corrine Brewer. Both the Brewer and Link families have already done extensive 
work on their genealogy, which I have compiled in this book while adding new information. The 
Glenn and Randolph branches contain several new discoveries that have added to our knowledge. 
All of Hank’s maternal ancestors trace back to Colonial Virginia, with the earliest known ancestor 
being William Cox, born about 1598 in England. He arrived in Virginia in 1610 as a 12 year old boy 
among the second wave of settlers to the Jamestown Colony. The more famous Mayflower 
passengers would land in Massachusetts ten years later. 


225 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


A. The Brewer Line 


1. Grace Corrine Brewer (1890-1973) 


Grace Brewer Circa 1891 


Hank’s mother was Grace Corrine Brewer. She was born on 
April 10, 1890 in Oak Plains, Montgomery County, 
Tennessee.! Her parents were Sterling Cage Brewer and 
Mazie Eliza Link.? Grace was the eldest of six children. As a 
teenager she attended the Link School in Thomasville, 
Tennessee. The school was run by her uncle Samuel Albert 
Link, and her father Sterling Cage Brewer was one of the 
teachers. Grace lived with her family in various parts of 
middle Tennessee during the early 1900s, including Oak 
Plains, Spring Hill, and Murfreesboro. On the 1910 census, 
the Brewer family can be found in Clarksville, Montgomery 
County, Tennessee. Grace was 20 years old and working as a 
public school teacher.? Around 1916 the Brewer family settled 


in Nashville, Tennessee.4 


Grace Brewer graduated from Middle Tennessee State 
Teacher’s College in Murfreesboro, Tennessee and received 
her Master’s Degree from the Scarritt College for Christian 
Workers in Nashville. The 1920 census shows Grace living 
with her family in Nashville and working as a teacher.5 In the 


mid 1920’s, Grace was a deaconess with the Methodist Episcopal Church. She served as a missionary 


to the Native Americans in Picher, Oklahoma.*® A newspaper article from 1925 notes that “More than 


sixty children have been enrolled at the daily vacation Bible school conducted at Whitebird school 
building by Misses Grace Brewer, Eva Jo Phillips, and Ethel Wyatt.”” 


In 1925, Grace Brewer was 35 years old and had never been married. While living in Picher, 


Oklahoma, she met a local auto mechanic she thought was named William J. James. Grace and 


William were engaged to be married on October 30, 1925.8 The couple announced their engagement 


to friends on November 18, 1925 at a party hosted by Mrs. Henry Craig. “The Craig home was 


beautifully decorated. A large rose on the chandelier cleverly concealed a daintily written card 


226 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


bearing the secret of the approaching marriage of Miss Brewer and Mr. James.” Grace had made 
many friends in Picher. Two other bridal showers were held before the wedding: one by Mrs. 


Berdella Jackson and another by Bertha Joan Bacon." 


On December 20, 1925, the couple’s engagement notice was printed back home in the Nashville 
Banner.!! The December 31st announcement in the local paper read: “The wedding of Miss Grace 
Brewer, deaconess of the Central M.E. church South and W.J. James, proprietor of the M and M 
Garage, will be solemnized at the Central church at 6 o’clock this evening. The wedding will be 
public although invitations have been mailed to a few near friends of the bride and groom. A special 


musical program has been arranged.” ? 


The wedding took place on New Year’s Eve.'3 “The church was filled to the capacity with a host of 
friends which Miss Brewer and Mr. James have made during their residence here. After the wedding 
the bridal party accompanied the bride and groom to the Hotel Miami where a six course dinner was 
served.”!4 Miami is the largest town near Picher, in Ottawa County, Oklahoma. Possibly due to the 
distance from Nashville, only one of Grace’s family members attended the wedding: her cousin 
Fannie B. Elrod from Memphis, Tennessee.'® Grace’s father Sterling Cage Brewer sent the following 
note, written on a prayer card. “May your fondest hopes and your pleasantest anticipations on this 


your nuptial day be fully realized in your future life.” 
Grace published a letter of appreciation in the local paper after the wedding: 
An Appreciation for Love Gifts 


Recently I read an article on Life Service. It said that Missionaries generally receive a 
living wage by that does not in any way equal other ways of compensation that they 


have. 


This fact was brought to my mind very forcibly in the abundance of wedding gifts I 
received before my recent marriage. Beautiful presents came from Missionary 
Societies all over East Oklahoma. Then showers and numbers of gifts from people in 
Picher. 


All of them love gifts, from the chest of silver to the gifts from the children. One girl 
embroidered me a dresser scarf with her own hands. The small children in Primary 
and Beginners Department Sunday School brought their money to buy “Miss 
Brewer” a present. This was one of the most complete surprises that I had, very 
unusual for children. I had not heard a breath of it until their faithful secretary 
brought me their gift. 


One other very touching instance was a gift by one of my neighbors, a woman who 
has to work for her living. Such gifts as these bring tears to my eyes for I realize that 


indeed they are “love gifts.” 


227 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


Mr. James joins me in expressing our appreciation to each and every one who have 
had a part in the sending of these gifts, not only for material ones but also for the 
many good wishes and congratulations we have had given us. I shall ever be your 


worker in spirit if not in name. 
Yours in the work, 
GRACE BREWER JAMES!” 


Unfortunately, the hopeful marriage would not last long. Grace returned to her family in Nashville 
sometime during 1926, pregnant and estranged from William James. Her first and only child, Henry 
Sterling “Hank” James, was born in Nashville on January 18, 1927.18 After Hank was born, Grace 
never returned to Oklahoma or her husband. An official divorce record has never been located; Grace 
continued to use the James surname for the rest of her life. Grace’s mother died in 1928 and her father 
died in 1931. Her father’s Will left the family home at 1103 Halcyon Avenue to Grace and her 
brothers Hugh Price and William Francis Brewer.'? Grace lived there with her brother William 


Francis Brewer for most of her life. She never remarried.” 


We will never know the exact reasons why Grace’s marriage ended so soon after starting with such 
promise. But we do know that the “William J. James” who Grace Brewer married was living a lie. He 
was born as John Coulbourn Strong on March 4, 1894 to George Strong and Margaret Pitcher in 
Birmingham, Alabama.?! John had used the alias “William James James” to enlist in the British Army 
during World War I.” He married Dorothy Grace Christina Morrison Taylor on February 28, 1916 in 
London, England.” John had two children from this marriage: Margaret and George Strong.” By 1920 
John Coulbourn Strong and his first wife had divorced or separated. Please see Section II of this work, 
“The Mystery of William J. James”, for the complete story. It is unclear if Grace Brewer ever 
discovered that William J. James was hiding his past. 


The town of Picher, Oklahoma, where Grace 
and William James met, has its own 
interesting story to tell. It grew up almost 
overnight when huge lead and zinc deposits 
were uncovered in 1913. The town was 
named after the Picher Lead Company. 
Picher was incorporated in 1918 and reached 
a peak population of 14,252 in 1926, just as 
Grace Brewer was leaving. Picher was one of 


the most productive mines in the world. It 


produced most of the lead for U.S. bullets in 
World Wars I and II, along with huge 


amounts of zinc. More than fourteen 


Grace Brewer (left), with Hugh Price Brewer, 
Mollie Belle Brewer (Holm), and Fannie Brewer 


th d ked in the mines.?é 
ousand men worked in the mines Alsbrook (Elrod), 1949. 


228 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


rar. Unfortunately, extracting all of those raw 
materials carried a heavy environmental cost. 
Water pumps were used to drill deep into the 
ground. In order to extract the lead and zinc, 
crude ore was crushed and sorted in nearby 
mills, and then superheated in giant smelters. 
The leftover residue from the refining process 
was a toxic gravel mixture called “chat”, and it 
was stacked up in giant mounds around Picher.?’ 
When mining operations stopped in 1967, water 
began to fill the mines and leach toxic metals into 
the local water supply.?§ In 1983, Picher became 
part of the Tar Creek Superfund site and is now 
known as “The Most Toxic Town in America.” 
Picher, Oklahoma is now nearly abandoned, 
with only a few stubborn holdouts remaining.” 
The Quapaw Indian Tribe, whose ancestors 


Grace Brewer was sent to work with, are 


attempting to slowly reclaim and heal the land.*° 


Grace Brewer James continued her career as a school teacher in the Tennessee public schools during 
the 1930s and 1940s. The 1930 census shows Grace living with her father Sterling Brewer, her brother 
William Brewer, and her 3 year old son Hank James.*! During the Great Depression, when teaching 
jobs were hard to come by, Grace worked as a door-to-door book salesperson, a cemetery lot 
salesperson, and as a census taker. The 1940 census lists her occupation as “Sales Lady.”%? Grace 
taught in many different jurisdictions, however most of her assignments were in rural one or two 
room schoolhouses. In one rural schoolhouse fire, she barely escaped with her life by climbing out of 
a window just as the flames completely engulfed the building.* 


Grace was a dedicated Methodist for her entire adult life. She was also an active member of the 
Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. Grace Brewer James died at McKendree Manor, a Methodist 
Senior Citizen’s Home, on January 13, 1973.°4 She is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Nashville, 


Tennessee.*5 
Children of Grace Corrine Brewer and John Coulbourn Strong (alias William J. James): 


i. Henry Sterling JAMES was born 18 Jan 1927 in Nashville, Tennessee.*° He married Mary 
Hazel NOLES on 18 Mar 1948 in Nashville, Tennessee.°” 


2. Sterling Cage Brewer (1867-1931) 


229 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


Sterling Cage Brewer was born on May 4, 1867 
in Montgomery County, Tennessee.** His 
parents were Sterling Brewer, Jr. and Virginia 
Grace Glenn.® As a boy, Sterling was taught 
by his father, who was a Methodist circuit 
preacher and classical scholar.*? “He was well 
grounded in grammar and spelling and was 
probably self-educated in history. Later he 
spent a year at Mufreesboro at what was then 
(1916) known as Middle Tennessee Normal.” *! 


The Family Bible is the only record where I 
have seen Sterling’s unique middle name of 
“Cage.” Since those entries were written by his 
close family, I am confident that Cage was his 
middle name. One clue to its origins could be 
Dr. Alva Douglas Cage, a physician from the 
Cheatham and Montgomery County area of 


Tennessee.2 A newspaper article written 
shortly after his death describes Cage as “a fast friend and liberal supporter of the Methodist Church 
... his house was ever a home for the preachers; he was a constant reader of the Christian 
Advocate.” Dr. Cage would have been acquainted with Sterling Brewer, Jr., who was a prominent 
Methodist preacher in this area. Another hint is that Dr. Alva Cage married Rebecca Wilson Moody.“ 
This may indicate a further relationship between these families, given that Sterling Brewer Jr.’s 
brother was named James Moody Brewer. Because of these connections, I think Dr. Alva Cage is the 
likely source of Sterling Cage Brewer’s middle name, and there may be more to discover here in the 
future. 


Sterling Cage appears on the 1880 census with his parents.*° Sterling was born 16 years after his next 
closest sibling, so at 13 years old he was the only child still living at home and working on the family 
farm. On June 19, 1899, Sterling married Mazie Eliza Link in Cheatham County, Tennessee.** Mazie 
was the daughter of William B. Link and Amanda Randolph. The Link family is discussed in their 
own section below. Sterling and Mazie’s first child was Grace Corrine Brewer, born on April 10, 
1890.” Her siblings were Hugh Price, Mollie Belle, William Francis “Billy”, Dorothy “Dot” Brewer, 
and Tennessee “Tennie” Brewer.*8 Dot tragically died at five years old in 1904, when her dress caught 
fire and she was badly burned.*” 


The Links, like the Brewers, were well-educated, and in the early 1900s Sterling Cage Brewer joined 
the faculty of the Link School, located in Thomasville, Tennessee.® “At this time a new building had 
been erected for this experimental secondary and elementary school. Mr. Brewer served as assistant 
to Professor S.A. Link (his brother-in-law) in this very noteworthy endeavor in early education. When 


230 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


public schools replaced the Link school, and it closed its doors, Mr. Brewer continued to teach in the 


area.”>! Grace Brewer wrote a history of the Link School for a reunion in 1950: 


Sometime in the early 1900’s, Professor Albert Link had a stroke which left him 
crippled. He came back to Thomasville to his old home, thinking his teaching days 
were over. There was a young man, Marvin Harris staying at Mr. Turner Suell’s, 
whose leg had been amputated and who could neither read nor write. Mr. Suell 
asked Prof. Link to teach him. Others heard of this and asked Prof. Link to teach 


them also. 


Thomas Wilson, one of these others, went to work to make up a school. The school 
opened in the old Link home in the fall of 1902 or the early part of 1903 with 16 
pupils. Some of the pupils were Ellen Teasley, Franklin Teasly, Claude, Irma and Ina 
Maria Gossett, Lee Pace, and others. 


Prof. Link had quite a different idea of the boy-girl relationship than this present day. 
Boys and girls were not supposed to speak. But that did not stop them from writing. 
Many in school were writing love letters and his daughter was one of the chief ones. 
One of the writers wrote poetry to his girlfriend. When something went wrong, Prof. 
Link gave lectures in Chapel. When he found this poetry letter, they said he lectured 


until recess. 


The teachers were: Prof. S.A. Link, Mr. Sterling C. Brewer, Mrs. Fannie Davis 
(Pennington), Miss Dunnavant; Music teachers, Miss Francis Mae Sudduth, Miss 
Stella Nichols; Elocution, Miss Virginia Yates. Prof. Link’s strong forte was technical 


grammar and Latin. Mr. Brewer's was mental arithmetic. 


One student, John Baggett, excited his girl friends. At age 17, he went home one 
afternoon and married one of his former teachers. She made him a good wife and 


helped to make him a successful minister. 


The tuition was cheap, only three dollars per month. Some pupils boarded, some 
came on horseback and others came in horse and buggy. The last day of school was a 
time of enjoyment. They did not bring a box lunch but sent to the store and bought 
such things as hot dogs, cheese and crackers. The boys and girls were together then. 
They talked and ate and had a generally good time. At the close they sang “We'll 
Never Say Goodbye” and shed some tears. 


Sterling Cage Brewer was superintendent of the Mallory’s Church Sunday School at Thomasville for 
more than twenty years and was a devoted Methodist. He was a prolific writer in Christian 
publications and local newspapers; many of his works are still in the possession of his grandson 
Hank James. The following article from the Christian Advocate provides some insight into Sterling’s 


character and also describes his father, Sterling Brewer, Jr.: 


231 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


My First Acquaintance with Dickens 
By Sterling C. Brewer 


My father was a Methodist circuit rider back in the days when circuits included 
several counties, with an appointment for every day of the month, and when the 
salary was uniformly one hundred dollars. After a few years in the itinerant ranks he 
married and located, as was the custom of those early times. He then became a 
teacher and gained some repute in that profession, but he remained a Methodist after 
the straightest sect until the day of his death. 


He was a man of more than ordinary culture, and in the course of a long career as a 
preacher and teacher he accumulated a library of considerable extent, composed 
largely of theological and pedagogical works. Those of a literary character were 
mostly poetry and essays, but fiction found no place among his books. It was in such 
a literary atmosphere that my boyhood was spent. Being the only child in a family of 
grown people, I was largely thrown on my own resources for means of 
entertainment. I very early began to browse among those books; but found Wesley’s 
works, Fletcher’s “Checks,” Upham’s “Mental Philosophy,” and books of that 
character not very entertaining reading for me. Some of the poetry, particularly 
Goldsmith’s and Scott’s, pleased me; and there was an eight volume set of the 
Spectator, printed in 1791, with funny long “ss,” that I read from curiosity at first and 
then from interest later.° I came across four volumes, however, that I literally 
devoured. These were: “Robinson Crusoe,” “Gulliver’s Travels,” “Pilgrim’s 
Progress”, and “Arabian Nights.” For quite a while these marked the extent of my 


adventures into the realms of fiction and romance. 


I had almost grown to man’s estate when I came into possession of a copy of 
“Pickwick Papers.” Although I had heard of Dickens, my ideas of what his writing 
might be like were very vague. The title, “Pickwick Papers,” gave but slight clue to 
the contents of the volume; but when I came to read it, anew world was opened up 
to me. I was completely captivated by its quaint good humor and honest fun. Mr. 
Pickwick and his fellow members and companions in travel and their many and 


varied adventures held my interest enthralled. 


As I have said, a new world was opened up to me. The scenes and situations were 
fresh and interesting; and while the characters were unlike people I knew, yet the 
exceedingly human traits which they displayed made them almost live and move 
and have a being before my very eyes. The immediate result was that, like Oliver 


Twist in the poorhouse, I began to call for more. 


It was thus that my acquaintance with Dickens began, and for quite a while I lost no 
opportunity to cultivate and extend it. And even to this good day it is sometimes 


quite refreshing, after wandering for a time in the murky mazes of the modern 


232 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


problem novels and sex stories, and return again to these simple old friends of the 
long ago, feeling assured that the low, the vile, and the hypocritical will be held up to 
the contempt of the world, and only the true, the noble, and the good be glorified. 


Thompson Station, Tennessee™ 


The 1910 census shows the Brewer family in Montgomery County, Tennessee.® Sterling Cage was a 
farmer and owned his land without a mortgage. He may have still been teaching at this time as well, 
but farming was likely an important source of sustenance for the family. By the beginning of World 
War I, the Brewer family moved to Nashville, where Sterling worked at the Old Hickory Power 
Plant.* In 1918, Sterling’s cousin Louis Vernon Brewer (son of Edmund Lewis Brewer) sent his local 
paper an extract from a letter he received from Sterling, imploring the citizens back in Montgomery 


County to focus on raising food, rather than tobacco, during the war: 


I hope you fellows in the tobacco belt realize the seriousness of the war and will try 
to raise something to eat this year. This job of licking the Kaiser is going to take a lot 
of men, and they will have to be fed whether they get any tobacco or not. So use 
whatever influence you may have to get your fellows to curtail the tobacco crop as 


much as possible and raise foodstuffs instead. 


I see from the papers that the people of Montgomery County are quite active in Red 
Cross work and similar activities. But that is hardly a test, for these things haven’t yet 
ceased to be fads. Unless I am much mistaken, we are in for a long, hard fight. 
Germany has much the best of it so far, and since the Russian fiasco she is in much 
better situation to fight than ever before. Certainly we can’t hope to sit down and 


starve her. It is going to take men and money — lots of both. 


We had as well make up our minds that the only business of importance that any of 
us can have is winning this war. As one fellow puts it, “Stop going around talking 
about doing our bit, and go to doing our derndest.” The food and fuel restrictions, 
increased taxes, contributions to the Red Cross, Y.M.C.A., etc., are mere hints of what 
we may be called upon to endure later. And if we should lose, the peace terms 
Germany would likely impose upon us, judging from Russia’s experience, would 
simply paralyze us. So please don’t try to “major” on tobacco until we get through 
with this job. 


Later in Nashville, Sterling Cage Brewer worked as a mail clerk at the Methodist Publishing House 
and McQuiddy Publishers.*” On the 1920 census, all of the Brewer children except Hugh Price Brewer 
were living with their parents at the Halcyon Avenue home.* Sterling’s wife Mazie Eliza Link died in 
1928.59 Grace Brewer had returned to Nashville with her young son Hank by this time, and they were 
living with Sterling Cage Brewer on the 1930 census, along with Grace’s brother William “Bill” 


Brewer. 


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Sterling Cage Brewer died on August 10, 1931 in 
Nashville, Tennessee, soon after his retirement.®! The 
informant on his death certificate was niece Fannie 
(Brewer) Elrod.” In his Will, Sterling left his property at 
1103 Halcyon Avenue in Nashville as the joint property 
of his daughter Grace Brewer James and his two sons 
Hugh Price and William Francis Brewer. “Members of 
the family continued to occupy the home for many 
years. It was a familiar place to relatives visiting 
Nashville. They always found a convenient and 
hospitable stopping place at what was remembered as 
‘Aunt Mazie’s.’” He directed that the $325 he owed his 
son-in-law G.S. Holm be repaid, and the heirs of S.A. 
Link be paid a “reasonable sum for a portion of their 


burial lot in Mt. Olivet cemetery,” where Sterling Cage 


Sterling Cage Brewer, Circa 1920, 


: Brewer is buried.© 
Provided by Hank James 


Children of Sterling Cage Brewer and Mazie Eliza Link: 


i. Grace Corrine BREWER was born 10 Apr 1890 in Oak Plains, Montgomery County, 
Tennessee and died 13 Jan 1973 in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee. She married 
John Coulbourn STRONG (alias William J. JAMES) on 31 Dec 1925 in Ottawa County, 
Oklahoma.® 

ii. | Hugh Price BREWER was born 26 Dec 1892 in Oak Plains, Montgomery County, Tennessee 
and died 5 Nov 1977 in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. He married Annie Mae DAVIS on 26 Dec 
1931.6 

iii. | Mollie Belle BREWER was born 9 Mar 1895 in Oak Plains, Montgomery County, Tennessee 
and died May 1986 in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee.”? She married Gustavus 
Samuel HOLM on 11 Sep 1922 in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee.”! 

iv. William Francis BREWER was born 13 Apr 1897 in Oak Plains, Montgomery County, 
Tennessee and died 12 Dec 1977 in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee.” He married 
Nina Little VANDIVER about 1972.7 

v. Dorothy “Dot” BREWER was bor 13 Sep 1899 in Tennessee and died 8 Jan 1904 in 
Tennessee.”4 

vi. Tennessee “Tennie” BREWER was born 20 Jun 1901 in Oak Plains, Montgomery County, 
Tennessee and died 23 Apr 1981 in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee.”> She married 
Robert Landy LAWRENCE, Jr. on 27 May 1925 in Williamson County, Tennessee.” 


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The following biographies of the children of Sterling Cage Brewer and Mazie Eliza Link were written 
by Hank James, their nephew: 


a. Hugh Price Brewer (1892-1977) 


Hugh Price was among the first students at the Link School in Thomasville, Tennessee where his 
father was a teacher. He served in the U.S. Army during World War I, being felled by the Great Flu 
Epidemic during his time in the service. The flu weakened him, and he caught tuberculosis. After the 
War, he spent several years in TB sanitariums recovering from the disease. He was discharged with a 


100% disability designation and a full pension. 


On December 26, 1931, his 39» birthday, he married Annie Mae Davis of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. 
Annie Mae and he made their home in Hopkinsville, where she was a fourth grade school teacher for 


all of her professional life. 


Because of his disability, Hugh Price never worked in the normal sense of the word. His hobbies were 
vegetable gardening and politics. He worked as a ward worker for Happy Chandler on his two 
successful campaigns for governor in Kentucky. Their house was on a large suburban lot on Cox Mill 
Road in Hopkinsville. He plied his neighbors and friends with fresh vegetables. Annie Mae grew 
flowers as a hobby and supplied her friends and relatives with bouquets. 


They had no children. He was his nephews’ favorite uncle. He always had a smile and an anecdote to 
tell. In spite of his disability, he enjoyed excellent health. With the exception of living with the aid of a 
heart pacemaker the last few years of his life, he was never seriously ill after his recovery from 
tuberculosis. He died in Hopkinsville on November 5, 1977, the month before his 85‘ birthday. Quite 


an achievement for a person with 100% disability for over fifty years.” 
b. Mollie Belle Brewer (1895-1986) 


Mollie graduated from Middle Tennessee State Teacher’s College in Murfreesboro. With the other 
older Brewer children, she attended the Link School in Thomasville, Tennessee. She married G. 
Samuel Holm of Minneapolis, Minnesota in a quiet ceremony at the home of her parents in Nashville 


on September 11, 1922. The couple moved to an apartment in Nashville. 


Her career started as a social worker for the Tennessee Department of Public Welfare. After a few 
years, she retired from that work and spent the rest of her life as a homemaker and a volunteer 
worker. She served as a volunteer in the Red Cross, the YWCA, and the League of Women Voters. 


She was active in the Community Chest, the Red Cross and Polio fund raising campaigns. 


She was a member of the Nashville Women’s Press and Authors Club, publishing many newspaper 
feature articles. She wrote poetry as a hobby. She enjoyed golf, mountain hiking in Yosemite and the 


Great Smokies, and travel. She visited Europe on numerous occasions. 


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The last twenty or so years of her life she lived in Park Manor, a retirement apartment in Nashville. 
At Park Manor she was editor of its newsletter, practicing her journalistic and poetic skills. Her 
husband Sam (known as “Gus”) died in Nashville in 1978 and Mollie Belle died in 1986. They had no 
children.” 


c. William Francis “Billy” Brewer (1897-1977) 


As with most of the older Brewer children, he attended the Link School in Thomasville, Tennessee. 
Billy was a bachelor for most of his life. His first (and only) marriage was to Nina Little Vandiver 


when he was 75 years old! 


He made his home with his sister, Grace Brewer James, in Nashville in their Halcyon Avenue 
residence that he and Grace inherited from their father. Since Grace had a son, Henry Sterling, and 
was estranged from her husband, Billy acted as the father to Henry. 


Billy was drafted in World War II and served his entire time in the Service at Camp Forrest in 
Tullahoma, Tennessee. After basic training he served as an Army postal clerk. After he was 
discharged, he returned to Nashville and his job at Keith-Simmons, a regional wholesale hardware 
company. He worked in the shipping and billing departments at Keith-Simmons until retirement at 
around age 66. He died December 12, 1977 in Nashville.” 


d. Tennessee “Tennie” Brewer (1901-1981) 


Tennessee Brewer married Robert Lawrence in 1925 and together they raised a family of four 
strapping boys. Her third son, Ret. Vice Admiral William P. Lawrence, wrote this fond reminiscence 
of her: “Speaking very objectively as one who has observed many human beings, my Mother was 
clearly one of the finest persons I ever knew. She possessed tremendous quiet strength. In ways she 
was almost stoic. I never recall her being sick. I never even remember her taking a nap. Although she 
was reserved in some ways, she was quite gregarious and popular with friends. She was President of 
the Nashville Woman’s Club as well as the PTA and other groups. She was a wonderful example for 


our entire family.” 


The following poem was written for Tennie at the time her son was reported missing in action in 


Vietnam, by her sister Mollie (Brewer) Holm: 
JUNE MORNING 1967 


Clouds stormy-faced hid silver linings 
Imprisoned radiance meant for scenes terrestrial. 
Dew spangles hung unlit, night flowers unclosed 

Summers gentle wind turned fierce 
Assaulting locust thickets, shattering bloom 
To litter patterned confetti on the grass. 


To litter patterned confetti on the grass. 


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Rivers rose in gutters, streamlets sluiced down windows. 
Scenting through the storm approaching strangers, 
The house dog sounded a warning unknown danger. 
A pair who proved a mission official 
Messengers to deliver special to the family 
A letter that read: “The Navy regrets to inform you 
Your Son..... Missing.” 


Outside the house stood calm 
Storm clouds parted sending little rain, 
Inside, another deluge 


Brought tidal waves of drenching pain. 


i. Vice Admiral William P. Lawrence (1930-2005) 


While I have not researched and discussed all of Hank’s first cousins, I have made an exception for 
William Lawrence, an American hero. William Porter Lawrence was born on January 13, 1930 in 
Nashville, Tennessee to Robert Landy Lawrence, Jr. and Tennessee “Tennie” Brewer.*! The following 


excerpts are taken from his biography on the U.S. Navy website: 


As a boy in Nashville, he graduated first in his high school class and was President of 
the Student Body. He was ranking officer in the ROTC, all-city in football, all-state in 
basketball, member of the state championship basketball team and state Boys Tennis 
champion. He was a recipient of the William Hume award, given by the 
Superintendent of City Schools to the high school football player, “most outstanding 
in scholarship, leadership, sportsmanship and value to his team.” He attended the 
U.S. Naval Academy, where he played three varsity sports and ranked 8 out of 725 
academically, graduating “with distinction” in 1951. He also served as Class 
President, Commander of the Brigade of Midshipmen, and led the establishment of 
the present-day Brigade Honor Concept, a key element in Midshipmen moral 


development. 


He attended the Naval Aviation Safety School at the University of Southern 
California, and the U. S. Naval Test Pilot School at the Naval Air Test Center, 
Patuxent River MD, where he graduated number one in his class. Subsequently, he 
served as a test pilot in the Flight Test Division and as an instructor on the Test Pilot 
School staff. While a test pilot in 1958, he became the first Naval Aviator to fly twice 
the speed of sound in a Navy airplane, the F8U Crusader III.*? In 1959 he was a Navy 
nominee for the initial astronaut selection and was among the final 32 candidates for 
the Project Mercury program, being disqualified for a minor physical defect [a heart 


murmur]. 


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VADM Lawrence made combat deployments to Vietnam aboard the aircraft carriers 
USS Ranger and USS Constellation. While Commanding Officer of Fighter Squadron 
143, he was shot down over North Vietnam in June 1967 and held as a Prisoner of 
War until March 1973.*4 


William Lawrence captured his experience as a prisoner of war in his own words, excerpted and 
lightly edited here: 


I was shot down on the twenty-eighth of June, 1967, and I was released on the third 
of March, 1973 ... My God, then today is the anniversary of my release . . . I didn't 
even realize that. It's amazing. I didn't think I'd ever not celebrate that day, and now 
here I forgot today's the day. I was there just a little bit short of six years. I think it 


came out to be about sixty-eight months. 


On the particular mission on which I got shot down, I was leading a strike into the 
Haiphong area. It was a flight of airplanes in excess of thirty, and as we came into 
Haiphong very early in the morning—time on target was supposed to be 7:30 A.M.— 
there was a thunderstorm right over Haiphong, so we had to divert to our secondary 


target, which was Nam Dinh. 


[I] remember saying to myself, "Well, I won't have to dodge missiles today,” because 
the missiles at this time were all ringed around Hanoi and Haiphong. I just kind of 
said, "Boy, this should not be too tough.” So I was shot down by antiaircraft, and it 


just shows you that you're hit sometimes by what you least expect. 


I was in an F-4 Phantom in a squadron and was hit a thousand feet going in an excess 
of five hundred knots. That’s really quite a shot. It was just a barrage-type flack, we 
used to call it. I'm sure that the gunner sighted visually because it was a beautiful 
clear day in that area. I'm sure he saw our flight coming in and he was just throwing 
barrage flack. We were about thirty-six airplanes. I was in the lead, so he could sight 


on me. 


When I was hit, I knew some damage had been inflicted on me, but although the 
airplane was starting to get a little bit sluggish, it was still flying, so I made the 
decision to continue on to the target instead of turning back and going to the sea. As I 
rolled into my run to drop my bombs, I knew that my control system was going bad. 
But I got my bombs off and I was able to get the nose of the airplane back up and to 
turn out toward the sea, and then the airplane went out of control into a spin. I had 


no control over my flight controls and the airplane was no longer flyable. 


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William P. Lawrence with a U.S. Navy F-4 Phantom® 


Aviators are really kind of eternal optimists. I think you know basically that it could 
happen to you. At that point in 1967, I'd been in the business for fifteen years. I'd 
seen a lot of friends of mine that were killed and so forth, just in accidents and back 
in my days as a test pilot. And it's one of those things that you know can happen, but 
aviators have, I guess—we have this optimism and confidence that it's not going to 
happen to me because I'm good enough to prevent it. But we're not naive. Sure, I had 
all my personal affairs in order and insurance for my family and had gone through 
all the survival training and had studied all those sorts of things. You were as well 
prepared as you could possibly be for any contingency. But I think you have to be 
fundamentally optimistic or you couldn't do it. 


I was shot down right over the Red River Delta. I landed in a rice paddy, up to my 
waist in water. I looked around and on the bank of this rice paddy was a militia guy 
waiting right there for me. They had militia throughout the area because there were a 
lot of raids in there. He had a very old rifle. It was obvious that these local militia 


were not given modern equipment. 


It was really interesting to observe the attitude of the people. It was obvious the 
militiaman looked upon this as his job. He didn't manifest any particular hatred 
toward me. The people who manifested the greatest hatred and wanted to strike me 
were the older people. That kind of surprised me because the kids that gathered 
around to look at me kind of regarded this as a social experience: "Here's something 


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exciting and new that's happening in our hamlet." I was probably the first Caucasian 
that some of these young kids had ever seen. Afterward they put me temporarily in a 
hootch, in the same hootch where they had their pigs, and there was this big sow 
looking at me like I was transgressing her territory. She eyed me very warily while 


they were making the decision as to what to do with me. 


They moved me from this little hamlet to another point, where their truck picked up 
me and my rear-seat crewman, and they took us right up to Hanoi. Nam Dinh isn't 
really that far south of Hanoi, maybe about fifteen miles. We arrived in Hanoi late in 


the afternoon. 


There was no one who could speak English until we got to Hanoi. We stopped at one 
place en route to Hanoi where some military official put a form in front of me to fill 
out. I'm sure it was a form they'd made up for the situation of capturing pilots. I 
refused to do it. I said that under the Geneva Convention regarding the treatment of 
POWs, all I had to give was name, rank, serial number and date of birth. So I refused 
to answer and they really didn't push it. It was not until we got to Hanoi that the real 
brutality occurred. 


They kept us blindfolded and would not allow us to speak. If we tried to speak they 
would hit us with the butt of a gun. We did whisper a little bit, but that's about all we 
could get away with. We had our hands tied; escape was virtually impossible 
because we were so well guarded. We were disrobed right down to our skivvies and 
we were barefoot. But contrary to some POWs who were badly abused in the hamlet, 
I wasn't. I think that we were close enough to Hanoi so that the militia had control, 
and the people in that region were probably indoctrinated more than they would be 


in more rural parts of the country. 


The collection point for the first arrivals was the central Hanoi prison. It was called 
Hoa Lo. It's a famous prison that goes back to colonial times, probably built by the 
French before the turn of the century, and it occupies an entire city block in Hanoi. 
The new arrivals would generally come there and get their first interrogation, and 
after that some would be taken to other prisons in the Hanoi area. Those of us who 
were senior remained at Hoa Lo. We always gave names to our camps there, and the 
camp within the Hoa Lo complex where I stayed for the first almost four years we 
called Las Vegas. I think people tend to call that Hoa Lo complex the Hanoi Hilton. I 
was there in Hoa Lo my whole time. I had one month in another camp and then I 
was brought back to Hoa Lo. But most all the prisoners were brought there for their 
first interrogation, and the interrogation occurred in an area of Hoa Lo we called 
Heartbreak Hotel. 


They initially interrogated you, I think, with the basic hope that you would give 


information freely, but they well knew that we wouldn't. We would call upon the 


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name, rank, serial number and date of birth from the Geneva Convention. So they 
were prepared immediately to start the torture, which they did. They would talk to 
you, give you a standard spiel and start asking you questions, and then you'd say, 
"I'm only required to give name, rank, serial number and date of birth." After asking 


you a couple of times, they left and sent the torturer in. 


In those days, one guy tended to do most of it. I think they learned that if they didn't 
have a guy who was reasonably skilled at doing the torturing, it was really easy to 
kill somebody. This particular guy developed the nickname of Strap and Bar—we 
gave a nickname to all the guards in the camp —because he could use metal bars and 
straps to twist you into all sorts of distorting positions to induce pain, but he was 
pretty skillful about it. He knew just how far he could bend your arms and legs 
without breaking any limbs and it was .. . it all had an unreal aspect to it. He would 
come in there without any emotion. This was his job. He was the professional 
torturer. And I couldn't believe it. Here's a guy that's inducing all sorts of pain, and 
hopefully not to kill you or maim you, but just to get you to talk. They fundamentally 


wanted to keep us alive because they knew we had hostage value. 


Basically our camp had seven-foot-square cells because they wanted to keep 
Americans segregated in individual cells. Many of us were in solitary confinement, 
and I've seen as many as five prisoners in those seven-foot cells. I spent fourteen 
months in solitary confinement in one of those cells. And in very few of the cells did 
you have common walls. You had a space between the walls. They were doing 
everything they could to minimize communication between prisoners, but we 
devised communications systems. Very rarely were they able to prevent us from 


communicating, although they were dedicated to doing so. 


In the very early days, it was obvious to us in Las Vegas that we couldn't talk. They 
had guards constantly patrolling. Some prisoners who were living together 
developed the tap code, where we took the alphabet, which has twenty-five letters, 
dropped out the letter K, and made C and K interchangeable. With the twenty-five 
letters we formed a matrix of five lines of five letters each. The first line was A 
through E, the second line F through J, the third line L through P, the fourth line R 
through U, and the last was V through Z. So if you wanted to tap a letter, you would 
tap down the left side, then to the right. M is the second letter in the third line, so to 
send M you'd go [taps three times, short pause, taps twice]. And you found if you 
pressed your ear to the stone walls, you could hear light tapping as much as maybe 
seventy-five feet away. So we could send a lot of messages by tapping on the walls 
and then relaying that around the camp. One person would start a message and it 


would go from wall to wall. 


But of course it took time because you had to pass the code out and you'd have to 


take the risk to whisper to get people knowledgeable in the code. If a new prisoner 


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came in, you'd have to carefully track the guards around the camp, and when you 
were sure that they were not around, you'd whisper the guy the code. We found that 
it was easier to transmit a message by that code. By carefully looking for the guards 
and setting up a lookout system, we could talk, whisper sometimes, but it took a 
tremendous amount of lookout action. There was very brutal punishment for any 
kind of communication. They would put you in leg irons or they would just beat you 
to really induce a high level of pain. They used to do a lot of very cruel things. They 
knew communication gave us unity and helped us to resist their attempts to exploit 
us, but they also knew we would be formulating escape plans and things like that. 


But we were always able to communicate. They never shut us down. 


In addition to the tap code, we found that you could transmit that code by means of 
making sound or interrupting a shadow or anything that would signify going down 
the matrix. For example, we used to have these stiff bamboo brooms. If you had 
water on those stone floors and swept those bamboo brooms, it greatly amplified the 
sweeping sound. So we would send the code with the strokes of the broom. The 
Vietnamese thought we were nuts on the subject of cleanliness because we'd be 
sweeping every chance we got. In fact, many times I passed up the opportunity to get 
a bath one day a week just to get that broom and start sweeping messages that 
everybody in the camp could hear. 


We had a tremendous amount of information to pass out because the Vietnamese 
were always working on some scheme to induce somebody to write a propaganda 
letter against the country, and they were not very sophisticated in their methods but 
they were always trying.8* So when you went out to be interrogated, if you'd been 
prepared in advance you could map out a strategy to kind of thwart it. We really 
worked hard to keep track of people and how they were doing. Everybody was 
always trying to pick up intelligence by looking out cracks in the windows and 
doors. It was amazing how much as a group we knew what was going on. We had a 
senior officer and a chain of command, everything. We were functioning as a military 


organization, so communication was really essential. 


They used to give us radio broadcasts in our prison every day, including Sundays. I 
don't think they ever missed a day. We used to have these rudimentary speakers in 
our cells, and often the caliber of the sound was very poor, very distorted, but you 
could understand. Essentially the hour of radio a day was primarily for propaganda 
purposes, designed to kind of demoralize us. They had a radio program called The 
Voice of Vietnam. It was an English-language broadcast principally devoted to 
reading information from the Western press that was derogatory to the U.S. and its 


involvement in the war. 


You learn very early that you had to do certain things. First of all, you learned that 


you had to have a positive outlook, you just couldn't feel sorry for yourself, and I 


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think that all of us went through that period of "Why me?" where you went over the 
mission many times and said, "Gee, if I'd done this differently I would have avoided 
getting shot down." I think that was the common tendency —to re-fly your mission 
hundreds of times—and then the full reality of the situation dawned on you, that you 
were in prison and were likely to be there for a long time with little likelihood of 
being able to communicate with your family. It was obvious to me after I'd been 
there for several weeks that they weren't going to allow me to write home or receive 
mail. So after about a month or so, you realize that you're in there for a long time and 
you are cut off from the outside world and you are relying purely on your own 
resources to pull you through. And that's when I started developing some kind of a 
disciplined type of thought process and exercise program and so forth. I tried to 
work very actively in the camp communications system. I went for several weeks 
completely cut off from camp communications, in complete isolation—I was caught 


communicating and they did this to punish me. 


I was the senior officer in my particular camp for several years. And they were aware 
of it. My biggest responsibility was keeping communications going. I had to keep it 
going —not only for military efficiency in terms of keeping people informed of what 
was going on, but because it was really important for those guys who might be 


having some psychological problems. 


I found that there were a lot of signals you could pick up if a guy was starting to 
have some psychological problems. If I saw a guy that we were having trouble 
communicating with and he wasn't eating all of his food, that gave me a pretty good 
clue that he was having a problem. I'd really make an extraordinary effort to get him 
back on the line and see what the problem was. I guess after all the years of pressure 
and depression, their mental faculties would start to degrade. I think a lot of people 
died more from starving themselves to the point where their resistance had 
completely declined and then disease . . . a kind of subliminal suicide, in a way. They 


more or less lost the will to live. 


When you were in solitary isolation, you found that you had to develop some very 
disciplined mental activity. After the initial period, after I got acclimated to the camp, 
one of the first things I did was to relive my life in very great detail. I'd go back to my 
earliest recorded memory and come from that point forward. For example, I said, 
"Okay, I'm going to try to resurrect the names of as many kids as I can in my first- 
grade class." I'd dwell on that for hours and hours and hours. Then I'd start on the 
second-grade class. It was amazing. I think I relived my life, in minute detail three 
times. I think it took about two weeks to go through my whole life, of about eighteen 


hours a day of very intensive thought. 


A lot of people were absolutely astonished when I came back to my hometown of 


Nashville, Tennessee, in 1973—people would come up to me and say, "God, I haven't 


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Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


seen you in thirty years. How did you remember me?" It's amazing how deep in 
thought you can get in reliving certain family vacations or cruises that I had made in 
my military career. As I say, I did this three times in the early period. And then after 
I'd exhausted that, I started to get into more organized mental activity: I'd review 
history, mathematics, literature, in great detail. For example, I taught myself how to 
do compound interest. I said to myself, "All right, I'm going to take a hundred dollars 
at six percent. How much does it accrue over a thirty-year period?” I taught myself 
how to keep all these things in my head. We had no pencils and paper; we were 
totally relying on our minds to memorize communications, so you found your 


mental faculties really got sharp. 


One time they put me in isolation in a cell we called Calcutta, after the Black Hole of 
Calcutta. They caught me communicating and they were determined they were 
really going to break my spirit. They didn't put many POWs in Calcutta—in fact, I 
know of only one other guy who was there. It was a dark cell, probably about six feet 
square. It had kind of a tin roof and during the day the sun would beam down on 
that. I figure the temperature went up to about 120 degrees in the daytime. And the 
problem that I had was a very bad heat rash. My body was completely covered with 
heat sores—they advanced from a rash to big sores. I was completely immobile 


because it was so painful. I said, "I've got to get some mental activity going here." 


So that's when I started writing poetry. I could actually see lines of poems in my 
head. I said, "Okay. My project is to write a perfect iambic pentameter poem, like Sir 
Walter Scott used to write. I said, "Sir Walter Scott had genius, but I've got time. I'm 
going to stay with this until I can make a perfect iambic pentameter poem.” When I 
was experimenting with various word groupings, I realized that "O Tennessee, my 
Tennessee" was a perfect iambic pentameter line, so that gave me my first line and 
my title. Here I was, totally immobilized, just lying completely flat and I don't know 
how many days it took me— probably two weeks of fifteen or sixteen hours a day of 
total concentration—and at the end of that time I had completed this perfect iambic 
pentameter poem. And as I say, I was able to keep all of this in my head. It was a 
dark room and I could see those lines. It really gave me an appreciation for the 


mental capacity that you have that very few people ever utilize. 


Our whole society is so oriented toward picking up information readily through 
various media—TV, radio, newspaper—that the average person never gets deep in 
thought and concentration. The average person works a job that he's familiar with 
and that doesn't require a great deal of thought. Sometimes I really miss those deep 
periods of thought . . . I built houses, wrote volumes and volumes of poetry. I was 


able to resurrect half a dozen poems when I came back. 


I also exercised every day, except for that one period in the 120-degree cell. I would 


force myself to do some calisthenics. And I always forced myself to eat everything 


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they gave me. We were usually given boiled vegetables, sometimes pumpkin, 
sometimes a bean like black-eyed peas, sometimes rice and some-times a very coarse 
bread. Apparently they imported wheat from other communist countries, so it was a 
bare subsistence diet. I figured that if you ate everything they gave you, you'd 
probably have around fifty to one hundred calories. Over a period of years we slowly 
kept progressively losing weight. I lost about forty pounds. And then the last two 
years, when it was pretty obvious to them that we would be released —I think the 
negotiations were going on actively the last two years —all of us picked up a little bit 
of weight. In the last two years I probably gained back twenty of the forty pounds I 
had lost. 


Our relationship with the captors was a very interesting situation. I guess the 
Vietnamese were very much specialists, and the guards that were in the camp when | 
got shot down in 1967 remained with us for the whole war. There were some 
changes, but by and large, when you came into the army to do a job, that remained 
your job. Over the years we basically accepted each other. And I sensed, as the years 


went on, a kind of respect that developed on their part for us. 


I had no feelings of ill will toward them. I was a military man who was doing his 
assigned job, and I looked on them as military men doing their assigned jobs. I had 
no feeling of bitterness. Certainly I—and of course I'm sure now, in retrospect, my 
emotions have moderated a lot—I probably felt more deeply about it while I was 
there; the propaganda and so forth bothered me a great deal. But I looked at it from 
the aspect of their leaders, rather than the individual guards, being the cause of this. I 


had no bitterness toward those guards. 


I had no bad feelings toward the Vietnamese people. I was doing my job as a military 
man. I would very meticulously try to plan my bombing missions to avoid any 
impact on civilian population. I briefed and planned my flight to ensure that we hit 
only military targets, because I knew we were at war with a country that was largely 
rural and that the people were not well-off, and we really worked hard at hitting 
only military targets and avoiding any unnecessary injuries or death to the civilian 


populace. 


We were all pilots, and so by and large the prisoners there really worked hard to live 
up to the Code of Conduct. They were fiercely patriotic and had good strong bonds 
with the other POWs. As I say, there were many who just because of the immense 
pressure did things that they weren't proud of, but they were always striving to 


measure up. 


In 1970, after the Son Tay raid by U.S. forces to free the POWs that had been held 
there, all the prisoners in the North at that time were put in one compound. I think it 


was the day after Christmas when this big consolidation took place. We were moved 


245 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


out of Las Vegas into the other part of Hoa Lo, which we called Camp Unity. Initially 
they put us in large rooms. I was moved into a room with forty-three other guys. It 
was predominantly the more senior guys; the tougher resisters were all with me. I 
think there were about eight other rooms of thirty-five to forty guys. I think we were 


that way for about a month and a half. 


We were holding a religious service one day in our room—three guys were 
conducting it. A guard looked in and saw that and got very upset. They came in and 
took those three prisoners out. We were very indignant that they would do this. So 
by a prearranged signal, that evening we had a loud protest where we started yelling 
simultaneously in the camp. We ended it all by singing "The Star-Spangled Banner." 
Well, this really upset the Vietnamese. First of all, the administrators of the camp 
were very worried because they knew if their superiors were aware of this . . . and 
I'm sure that it was heard around Hanoi that they were losing control, they were 
having a prison riot. They really panicked. They had to move swiftly to do 
something. All of us who were senior were pulled out and put back into the small 
cells again. We stayed in the small cells for the rest of the war. So out of the six years, 
I had a month and a half where I lived in a group; the rest of the time I lived in a 
small cell. But as result of that, they did allow the guys that stayed in those rooms to 


have religious services. We felt that in a way we had won a victory. 


When we were together in those large rooms it was really great because we could 
have classes and exchange information and really have some very productive mental 
programs. There were guys that I hadn't seen for years and years. It was quite a 
moving experience when we all were together and could talk and see each other face- 
to-face, people that you knew were in the system but just had no idea how they were 
doing. I was really amazed at the remarkable diversity among the POWs in 
knowledge and interests. Any guy that had any degree of knowledge in a particular 
field, he was made a professor. I'm quite a history buff, a Civil War buff, so I taught a 
course on the Civil War. I'm very interested in languages, so over a period of several 
years, just by passing words at every opportunity, I became very proficient in French. 
We had a South Vietnamese pilot who was kept with us, although he lived in solitary 
confinement. We would get in communication with him and he would whisper 
words. He was our French professor. We had people who knew Spanish, people who 
taught courses in automotive mechanics, photography, English, philosophy, you 
name it. We really kept ourselves productively occupied. We had to. 


I learned an awful lot in that prison experience. I picked up a lot of knowledge. 
You'd say, "Gosh, that six-year void of no access to things that were going on in the 
world. Didn't you deteriorate mentally?" In a lot of ways I advanced by a lot of the 
qualities that I developed. But I think that the most important thing that you come 


away from that experience with is a great feeling of inner calm and serenity because 


246 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


you know that there are very few things in life that could happen to you that you 
couldn't cope with .. . in fact, nothing. And that's a great feeling. It gives you a 
serenity that you just couldn't buy. 


I forget who I read this from and I'm not repeating it quite as well, but "Bravery is not 
the absence of fear, it's the ability to keep going in the presence of fear." I think that's 
one of the really fine things you come out of combat with: you've proven to yourself 
that you can continue to function, to make yourself function, even though that fear 


exists. 


I guess it was in 1969, when the information started coming back about some of the 
brutality that was occurring, that the actions taken here in this country and 
internationally, the kind of overwhelming indignation, made the Vietnamese decide 
to improve the treatment. They stopped a lot of the bad brutality and they did 
improve our diet a little bit. And then in 1970, after I'd been there about three years, 
they finally allowed me to write home and to receive some mail. The only mail they 
ever let me receive was from my parents. They never let me receive any from my 
wife and children for some reason. But we knew from listening to the propaganda 
broadcasts that although the negotiations had started in 1968, it was going to be a 
long, hard pull, and I don't think we sensed the end was coming until 1972. 


In the fall of 1972, it appeared that the negotiations were progressing to the point that 
maybe a release was going to occur. I'd say this was about four or five months before 
we were actually released. But the thing that really made us get our hopes up was 
when the B-52s came in and bombed Hanoi. Christmas '72. That's when we knew 
that the attitude among the North Vietnamese had really changed. We could see it in 
the guards, in the officials that we saw in the camp. That B-52 bombing . . . they 
changed from cocky confidence to a desire to get the war over. I could see it. They 
were tired of fighting. After so many years of sacrifice and deprivation, now the war 
was being brought to the heartland. I think that's when we started to say to 


ourselves, "It's just a matter of time." 


The peace treaty was signed on the twenty-eighth of January, 1973. Under the 
provisions of the treaty the Vietnamese were required to tell us everything. The U.S. 
was insistent that the Vietnamese not try to manipulate us right up to the very end. 
They had to tell us that we were going to be released and the order of release and all 
of that. 


When I got home, it was hardest for my kids. They had to get used to someone that 
they had not seen for seven years, particularly my youngest—she was seven when I 
left. She probably had the greatest accommodation, but it was really not very 
difficult. 


247 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


It was one of those situations where there was a broken marriage as a result of it. My 
wife didn't make it through the experience. Those things were inevitable. I don't feel 
bitter about it. It's just . . . I think it would be unrealistic to think that any marriage 
could endure a seven-year separation. When I was shot down in 1967 I had been 
married about fifteen and a half years. So it was just a case of my wife falling out of 
love with me and in love with another man. When I came back I assessed the 
situation and had some very frank discussions with her and just realized that it 


happened. 


Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines, our first stop before returning home, was the 
first place I found out about it. So it was difficult to handle that, you know, expecting 
that you'd come back to a waiting wife and family and . . . it was quite a shock. I 
thought my wife would be the last one in the world that would not be able to get 
through something like that. It just happened. She was really a kind of a... in some 
ways, she was a victim of that. I took custody of my kids when I came back because I 
just felt that I could give them what they needed better than my wife could in her 
situation. I talked it over with her and I told her and my kids, "This is what I plan to 
do." And I was able to achieve this. 


The two older ones, my twenty-year-old son and eighteen-year-old daughter, were in 
college, so that was simple. And the daughter that I essentially have raised and have 
kept with me since I got back is now twenty. Everything has gone beautifully. My 
relationship with my kids is fine. Their mother is good. There's been no real 
bitterness or unpleasantness. It's some-thing that we faced up to intelligently as a 


family and handled as best we could. 


I think, probably, of all the people involved from the family point of view, the one 
who had the most difficulty was my wife. My former wife. She has to live with the 
fact of divorcing a man while he was in prison, really being, essentially now, not 
with her children for seven years. And in a lot of respects I feel sorry for her. I think 
she was a victim of the war as much as anybody. I hope that she is, in fact, having a 
good, happy life now and that this is something that doesn't prey on her mind. I 
think she probably is. I hope so. 


I think that one of the greatest things that the POW experience gave me was a really 
positive outlook. I can honestly say that in the seven years I've been back, although 
I've faced a lot of challenges and increased responsibilities, I've always looked 
forward to them in a positive way. I've never had any doubts that I couldn't handle 
the situation. My life since I've been back has been all upbeat, all positive, pleasant, 
busy, with a lot challenges. I guess I'm very lucky that I don't bear too many 
disabling scars from the experience. I've remarried, about eighteen months after I 
came back, to a super woman. It's been a real great marriage and that's been a good 


aspect of it all.” 


248 


Vice Admiral William P. Lawrence 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


After returning home, William Lawrence remarried to 
Diane Wilcox. Diane had been John McCain’s physical 
therapist when he also returned as an injured P.O.W, 
and McCain introduced the couple. He later joked that 
“some of her techniques resembled those of the North 
Vietnamese.”*§ William Lawrence attended the 
National War College and earned a master’s degree in 
international affairs from George Washington 
University in 1974. He continued his distinguished 
naval career and was promoted to Vice Admiral in 
1980. William assumed command of the Third Fleet 
and was known affectionately as the “Sailor's 
Admiral.” His military and civilian awards and honors 


are too extensive to list here.” 


From 1978 to 1981, William Lawrence served as Naval 
Academy Superintendent, during the time when his 
daughter Wendy graduated from that institution.%! 
“Wendy Lawrence became a NASA astronaut and 


mission specialist . . . [h]e later said that seeing his daughter go into space—once his chief dream— 


"compensates a lot for the difficult things I've faced in my life."°? William Lawrence died on 


December 2, 2005. The USS William P. Lawrence, a guided missile destroyer, was christened in his 


honor in 2011. It sails under the motto “Never Give In.” 


The poem that William Lawrence composed in his head during some of the worst days of his 


captivity would later become the official State Poem of Tennessee. 


Oh Tennessee, My Tennessee 


Oh Tennessee, My Tennessee 
What Love and Pride I Feel for Thee. 
You Proud Ole State, the Volunteer, 
Your Proud Traditions I Hold Dear. 


I Revere Your Heroes 


Who Bravely Fought our Country's Foes. 


Renowned Statesmen, so Wise and Strong, 


Who Served our Country Well and Long. 


I Thrill at Thought of Mountains Grand; 
Rolling Green Hills and Fertile Farm Land; 
Earth Rich with Stone, Mineral and Ore; 


249 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


Forests Dense and Wild Flowers Galore; 


Powerful Rivers that Bring us Light; 
Deep Lakes with Fish and Fowl in Flight; 
Thriving Cities and Industries; 


Fine Schools and Universities; 


Strong Folks of Pioneer Descent, 


Simple, Honest, and Reverent. 


Beauty and Hospitality 
Are the Hallmarks of Tennessee. 


And O'er the World as I May Roam, 
No Place Exceeds my Boyhood Home. 
And Oh How Much I Long to See 
My Native Land, My Tennessee. 


3. Sterling Brewer, Jr. (1811-1885) and Virginia Grace Glenn (1827-1903) 


Undated Photograph of Sterling Brewer, Jr. 


From A Family History by Hugh F. Hunter 
and Julia S. Hunter. 


Sterling Brewer, Jr. was born on December 14, 
1811 His 


parents were Sterling Brewer, Sr. and Nissey 


in Dickson County, Tennessee.” 
Betsey Thomas.” A focus on education and a 
dedication to the Methodist church would be 
his life. A 
newspaper article indicates that Sterling Brewer 
was a student at the school of Dr. G. Blackham in 
1821. The Family Bible notes that he professed 
religion on October 23, 1828, at the age of 17. 
“Sterling Brewer, Jr. was educated in the 
Nashville schools and joined the Methodist 
conference in 1834 at age 23. He rode a circuit of 


important themes throughout 


about twelve churches for eight years.” 1 


“The circuit rider—in effect a Christian 
Lone Ranger—stands among America’s 
most heroic western frontiersmen. He 
received a miserable stipend and often 
had difficulty collecting even that. The 
[Methodist] Discipline that Cartwright 
notes he carried and taught represented 


250 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


a code of behavior that reinforced family and community values in a violent society. 
The Discipline laid down rules against swearing, drunkenness, sexual license, and 
ostentatious dress and enforced John Wesley’s maxim, “Cleanliness is next to 
godliness.” It provided a way for ordinary people to reorder their lives, even when 
living in hardship conditions. A man of the people, the circuit-rider brought moral 
order and civilization to the people.”1! 


On October 3, 1839, Sterling married Agnes Jane Saunders.'! According to Margaret Brewer Boone, 
Agnes was the daughter of a prominent Hendersonville, Tennessee family which operated a ferry.' 
The couple’s daughter Letitia Harriet Brewer was born on October 12, 1840 in Wilson County, 
Tennessee. Tragically, she lived for just over three months and died on January 24, 1841 in Drakes 
Lick, Wilson County, Tennessee.!% Her mother Agnes Jane Saunders would die six months later, on 
June 11, 1841. The Family Bible notes that Agnes died in Fredonia, Montgomery County, Tennessee 
“in full assurance of faith.”' Sterling Brewer, Jr., at only at 30 years old, was already a widower and 


had lost a young child. 


In addition to his calling as a Methodist circuit preacher, Sterling Brewer, Jr. was a teacher at several 
schools throughout middle Tennessee.' “The bereaved preacher/schoolmaster must have seemed a 
romantic figure to Miss Virginia Grace Glenn. In 1844, seventeen year old Virginia was an orphaned 
boarder at the Clarksville Female Academy when Sterling began to pay call. His suite proved 
irresistible and one September evening, she left by way of a window to become his bride.”!”” Sterling 
Brewer, Jr. and Virginia Grace Glenn were married on September 5, 1844 in Montgomery County, 


Tennessee. Virginia and our other Glenn ancestors are discussed in their own section below. 


= Ff vy ae wW- HEA TEs 


REWER’‘'S PATENT SHINGLE MA- 
CHINE —This MACHINE has given universal 
satisfaction wherever it has been operated. ft ia simple, 
eavy and cheap in its construction; and the Shingles made 
on it are of the very best quality. With a boy and horse 
to Operate it, the Machine will shave from 5000 to 8000 
Shingles per day. S. BREWER, the patentee, wilt re- 
main in Charleston for a week or ten days, and will sell 
County or State right, low for cash. He may be found at 
Mra. Tilton’s Boarding House, on Meeting street, opposite 
the Theatre. 4* FP7 


Sterling Brewer Jr.’s Advertisement for His Patented Shingle Machine 


Sterling Brewer and Virginia Glenn had four children in short order: James Sterling Brewer in 1845, 
Lucy Letitia Brewer in 1846, Edmund Lewis Brewer in 1850 and Mary Louisa Brewer in 1851.19 
Sterling’s health apparently declined as he got older, so he gave up circuit riding and did more 
teaching. He was also an inventor of a shingle making machine, which he patented. After securing 
the patent, Sterling attempted to sell the rights to produce the machine in Tennessee, South Carolina, 


251 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


and North Carolina.'"! “His diary details an arduous journey from Nashville to Charleston by stage, 
horseback, boat and finally train in late January of 1850. It took ten days.”!!2 Portions of letters from 
Sterling to his wife Virginia during this time, which have been transcribed by Margaret Brewer 


Boone, provide an interesting glimpse into his life on the road and back at home: 


March 15. ... Then my dearest Be Patient. I think if you had prayed for yourself as 
fervently as I have prayed for you that the tone of your letters would be more 
cheering and hopeful and your tears and wakefulness would yield to balmy sleep 
and happy dreams. God forever bless you my dear. If there is a woman on this earth 
that I desire to see permanently, truly and entirely happy, thou art that woman. And 
if a full heart’s love of a husband’s all the love that a Christian dare devote to a 
creature, can make a wife happy then you ought to be a happy woman. To know that 
you love me is life itself—for without your love life would be robbed of more than 
half its attractions. Then for my sake, be patient, be content. If you do not show signs 
of amendment I shall quit writing love letters to you and turn to right down hard 
scolding —to which I design this as a mild introduction. I must confess I should 
dislike greatly to be reduced to this necessity for this love letter writing after 
marriage has been a source of much pleasure and amusement and has afforded 
agreeable employment to many an idle hour and will, I hope, be the subject of many 
interesting conversations after my return home. Let your motto be —Hope and Hope 
ever—In all your prayers have faith in God and his gracious Providence which first 
united us will bring us together again in grace and love and will I humbly trust 
perpetuate our union through many happy years on earth and afterwards through 


the annals of blissful eternity in heaven. 


Thursday, 21. You say that “our children are as good if not better than when I left — 
and that you sometimes think them the best children in the world.” This information 
is immensely welcome and consoling .... And to be blest and happy in my family is 
infinitely more grateful to me than all worldly greatness and honor. I am happy to 
know that our views with regard to mode to be observed as well as to the importance 
of training children will so perfectly harmonize. As our children grow in years let us 
increase in diligent attention to the formation of their characters—teach them to love 
truth. And in old age, “they will rise up and call us blessed.” We must not forget that 
God’s grace and blessing are indispensable to our success. We need the direction of 
the Holy Spirit to impart wisdom and strength, to enable us to (maintain) a wise and 
uniform discipline and to bless our exertions with success .... And in order that we 
may be successful, we must govern by love. Let all our commandments and 
requirements be enforced in the pure spirit of love and with God’s blessing ... . The 
great and ever predominating desire of my heart is that you and I and our children 
may be holy walking in all God’s ordinances, blameless. I have no higher ambition 
than this. Iam delighted with the tone of your letters. They breathe a spirit sweeter to 
me than the fragrance of flowers, more balmy than the Zephyrs of Spring .. . . But for 


252 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


your sweet spirited letters my time would drag heavily for to use your own 
expression, I often resort to them for consolation, and by this means enjoy sweet 


converse with you though separated by six hundred miles of space.... 


Charleston, March 26, 1850. My time hangs heavy on my hands. I have advertised my 
machine and am compelled to stay about expecting a person to come and see it. A 
few have been to see it and seem (pleased) with it. I have nothing to read—and if I 
had, my mind is not in a suitable frame for reading. There are a dozen or more 
boarders but among them all not one companion except John and we have used up 
all our materials for conversation. The boarders are generally clever men—but can 
talk of nothing but trade and business and on subjects that do not instruct, amuse or 


interest.... 


Apart from a burning desire to see you and the children and Ann and to enjoy the 
pleasures of home, I am anxious to return in order to preach. My zeal with regard to 
preaching is increasing. I am anxious to go home in time to attend Bros. Moon and 
Mooney’s protracted meetings. If I make enough money to pay all my debts, I think I 


could enjoy a great deal of happiness in attending meetings. 


I wrote a letter yesterday to Jimmy and Lucy .... I want to see my sweet little brats 


very much. God bless them and keep them from evil. 


Wednesday 27". If I do not sell the right of this state soon, I shall have to sell district 
(county) rights. A Mr. Smith was to see the machine yesterday and wanted to buy the 
right of Charleston district. I got a letter on Monday from a gentleman in N.C. who 
had written to me some time ago wanting to buy 4 counties. He writes now that he 
will want 6. I am expecting daily an offer from Old Cap. Bartlett,!'’ whom I have 
mentioned in previous letters .. . . If they offer anything near its value, I shall close 


with them and then away for home. 


I have been preaching patience to you all along. I now have need that you or 
someone else should preach it to me. To hear that you are resigned and patient and 
hopeful and happy would cheer me exceedingly. You say that you have but ten 
scholars. That is pretty good. Suppose your school shall be worth but fifty dollars, 
that is not to be grieved at. Every woman doesn’t make 50 dollars in five months. It 
will help along mightily. You no doubt find that school teaching is very improving. I 
should judge so from your letters for I think you write remarkable well for your 


practice. 


I write much that is uninteresting, but you know that husband and wife when 
together talk a great deal for the sake of conversation and because they love to talk to 
one another that would not be interesting to a third party. I spend a good deal of 
time in reading my testament, marking texts as I go along, for use when I arrive at 


home and have made out a few sermon skeletons. 


253 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


Thursday, 28. It is unpleasantly cool here this morning and has been rather cool for a 
week or more. We have had summer weather most of the time. I laid aside my 
flannel drawers more than a month ago and did not take cold. The song says “Home 
thy joys are passing lovely, Joys no stranger heart can tell.” Another song says “There 
is no place like home.” I can truly testify to the truth of both .... Home as the abode 
of a loving and beloved wife and dear sweet children, though it be an unseemly log 
cabin situated up a poor hill remote from city life and fashionable society is the focus 
where a thousand charms concentrate . . . . A Christian home where God is 
supremely adored, honored and loved, where parents and children assemble night 
and morning around the altar of prayer .... A home like this is a veritable 


paradise.14 


254 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


So. Brever, 


| Cutting Shing leg. 
M3564. Fatented Sty 16,1648 


=] (EF ] 


Figures from Specification of Letters Patent No. 5,563, May 16, 1848 by Sterling Brewer, Jr. 


255 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


Eventually Sterling did make his way home. On the 1850 census, Sterling Brewer, Jr. and his family 
were in Robertson County, Tennessee. Sterling was 39, Virginia was 22, James was 4, and Lucy was 
2.15 Margaret Brewer Boone notes that there were two other men named Sterling Brewer in 
Tennessee on the 1850 census. One was a 40 year old farmer in Benton County (in West Tennessee) 
and the other was a 25 year old farmer in Rutherford County (in Middle Tennessee, southeast of 
Nashville). At this point I cannot connect either man to the extended family of our Sterling Brewer, 


Jr., but further research may reveal a possible connection. 


Sometime in the 1850s Sterling took a teaching job in Trenton, Tennessee, in Gibson County. This is 
near where his brother James Moody Brewer had settled." While there, he received a request from 


an old acquaintance to return back to Montgomery County. 


Trenton, Tennessee 
February 26, 1858 
E.L. Williams, Esq. 


My Dear Brother, 


I received your letter this evening after school, and as you requested an immediate 


answer, I will write you a short letter tonight and mail it tomorrow. 


First —- I am engaged for the present year. I have a good school two miles of Trenton 
in a rich neighborhood. I have rented a place for one year. The influential men here 
say that I shall have a good school as long as I will stay. So far they are pleased, and I 
hope they will have reason to be better pleased before the end of the session. 


And now my dear brother, accept my thanks for your kind and generous offer. I shall 
probably never have such another from anybody; but I have long cherished the 
desire of going to a new country, where land can be had at low prices and settle my 
family. I hope with the money I shall be able to save here, with some that my wife 
will probably get from her Grandmother’s estate to be able before long to realize my 
wish, and then if I am unable from any cause to teach school my boys could support 
me. They are both good boys to work and are very stout. My neck is not quite well, 
but will be, I hope soon. I am more fleshy than I have been for many years. My 
family are well again and we are now in a healthy neighborhood. God bless you 
Ed.117 


My respects to Sister W. and the children. 
Ever your friend, 


S. Brewer 


256 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


Sterling quickly reconsidered, perhaps after a chance to discuss the offer more thoroughly with his 
wife, and decided to move back to the area between Clarksville and Nashville. He wrote back the 


same day: 


Trenton, Tennessee 
February 26, 1858 
Dear Bro. Williams, 


In my answer to your last, I did not write fully as I desired, and therefore write again. 


I state that I was engaged to teach here one session. Two months of my session have 
elapsed, and I have no idea that I shall be able to make two sessions, if I stay, for I 
reckon we shall all be sick again. My wife and Jim are now sick and have returns of 
the chills every week or ten days, and I cannot tell how soon the rest of us may be 
taken. My wife’s health has never been good since we came here, and this has pretty 
well put me out of the notion of going to Arkansas, and in the notion to return to 
middle Tennessee. My wife and children were never sick until we came here. I prize 
health above every earthly blessing my family can enjoy. My neck has not quite 
healed yet—but my general health is unusually good. I write this mainly for the 
purpose of asking one or two questions, which I wish you to answer, provided your 


mind has undergone no change with regard to this subject since you wrote. 


1s: Where is this land situated? Is it your house to Clarksville? And what is the 
chance for water? 2ndly: Would you consider me bound to teach your children and 


no others (excepting my own of course)? 


I consider your offer an exceedingly liberal and generous one indeed; and as I expect 
to be able by the close of my present session, to command some four hundred 
dollars, I would have it in my power to settle my family comfortably. Besides I am 
very partial to the locality, and so also is my wife. As for friends, God gives us 
friends wherever we go. We have them here—many of them but I have always felt 
partial to my old friends of Montgomery and Robertson. And as for schools —I have 
had quite a number of schools, and among others, ___ Female Academy, one in 
Huntington and one in Camden offered me within the present year. I could make 
money here but for the sickness. I want to leave before I lose some of my family. 
More than half of us came near dying last fall. My qualifications for teaching have 
improved greatly in the last five years, having, in that time, had a great deal of 
practice in the higher branches. I should like, if I were able, to establish a female 


academy. 


Now my Dear Brother, if this thing is to take effect, it will be better for me to move 
soon after my session closes, (And it will close by the last of June) if I can get a house 


within two or three miles of the place to move into. The sickly season begins here as 


257 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


early, sometimes, as the 1* of July, and if we are all sick again this , probably, 


would not be able to move again for sometime next Spring. 


Write soon and Believe me — 
Yours truly, 


S. Brewer 


So in 1858, Sterling moved his family back to Middle Tennessee at a crossroads between Clarksville 
and Nashville, which he named “Oak Plains.”!!8 He established a school named Oak Plains Academy 
and a chapel named after E.L. Williams, the family benefactor. “The Academy for many years was 
noted for its strict discipline, high moral standards and scholarship. Many of the leading citizens of 
Montgomery, Robertson and Cheatham Counties received their education in this school.”!° The 
family was in a good situation, but the outbreak of the Civil War would disrupt this settled, peaceful 
life. 


“Sterling’s oldest son, James, went off to war in 1863 before his eighteenth birthday. In the company 
of several other boys from the community, he circled on horseback through the back roads of three 
counties before reaching General [Nathaniel] Forrest’s headquarters at Spring Hill, Tennessee.” !! 
Several letters between James and his father survived inside the Family Bible, and were later 
transcribed by Mollie (Brewer) Holm.!” 


Camp at Spring Hill, Tennessee 
May 29, 1863 
Dear Pa — 


We have arrived at Gen. Forrest’s Command at Springhill safe and sound. We met 
with a warm reception by General Forrest who had obtained Van Dorn’s position. He 
was in the office of Major Watts, Commandant of the post (Columbia) when we went 
in to report as every person coming through the enemy’s lines is required to do. He 
found that we intended joining the army. I stated to him my situation. He gave us 
choice to join his or Brig. Gen. Stearnes escort which he said would be a much easier 


place. 


We have no guarding to do of any kind, no picketing, no scouting, we have only to 
act as couriers about the camps or different parts of the command and to attend him 
whenever he rides off and to carry his orders in battle. We are better armed and 
equipped than the other privates, we have better horses and the General chooses 
none but nice decent men. I have heard no swearing at all hardly since we got here. 
The escort camps around the Head quarters of the General are entirely separate from 
the rest of the Army, therefore like a different family from the privates. Gen. Forrest 
is a very nice clever man; he camps on the field like us. He seems to think himself no 
better man than his escort as he is very intimate with them, but Gen. Stearns is still 


better. He occupies the same position that Forrest held before he was promoted. 


258 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


We got up at 2 o'clock Friday morning at Mr. Durham’s, got to the river 
(Cumberland) before sun-up .... We kept the most private roads we could find, as 
we heard the Yankees were over there thick ... . Our Capt. is one of the nicest men I 
ever saw. He is the son of Rev. Mark Gray and is a very pious man and a brave 
soldier. There are several batteries here, some very fine cannon. Woodard is here 
with his whole command. There are a great many soldiers scattered around through 
the woods. Columbia is being fortified. Several of the escort are West Tennessee men, 


some of who are acquainted with Uncle Jim’s family.! 


We have preaching often here. There are 3 churches in town. The soldiers attend well 
.... This Brigade all have very fine horses, and horses sell high too. Ginny would 
bring $500 very readily, in fact I have already been offered that for her by Capt. Gray. 
Gen. Stearnes also wants her. There is one horse in the Company, the owner of which 
has been offered $1000, but would not take it. It cost $7.25 to get here. Old Gin is 
fattening every day. We graze our horses on clover and blue grass, of which the 


Yankees have turned out great fields by burning the fences. 


I read my Testament regularly. My best love to Ma. Kiss the children and Nick and 


much love for yourself. Pray for me. Find enclosed $25. I don’t need it. 
Jas. S. Brewer 


After this letter in May of 1863 there is almost a two year gap until the next surviving letter from 
James Brewer. During that time, General Nathaniel Bedford Forrest’s men were engaged in cavalry 
raids and skirmishes throughout Tennessee.'4 They were at the bloody battle of Chickamauga, which 
had the second highest number of causalities after Gettysburg.!> By 1865, James had become battle 
hardened and disaffected with the Confederate military leadership, although his respect for General 


Forrest had grown even stronger. 


Tupelo, Mississippi 
February 10, 1865 
Dear Pa and Ma: 


Having just returned from a very tiresome and fruitless scout, I will write to you, if 
perchance I will be so lucky as to find some private means of sending it through. I 
am afraid the “flag of truce” mail does not work well for I cannot get any answers to 
my numerous letters. If I can manage some plan (which I think I can) of getting at 
least one letter home to tell me if you receive my letters. I have not received but one 
from you since I left home and that was near Paducah .. . . I tell you, it seems that I 
am in my natural element. I wake to the sound of the bugles at 5 o’clock, get up, feed 
and curry my horse half an hour and eat my breakfast, which consists of good 
wholesome food, and then for a fight. Upon the whole it is a very interesting life, 
although we have not been as successful as we might have been. It is all, yes I say all 


owing to the in-efficiency of our general commanding. If either of the division 


259 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


commanders had been in his place, Nashville and the whole of our beloved state 


would have been ours. We would truly have eaten our Christmas dinners at home, a 


large number of us. 


We did some of the most desperate fighting at Franklin and Brentwood that our 


soldiers ever did, but I gave you a full description of those battles in a previous letter. 


I have a most beautiful and serviceable horse, equally as good as my Ginny and even 
more pretty, and I have plenty of good clothing to last a year yet, blankets and plenty 
of money, both kinds. In a previous letter I sent you a $50 bill and as I have not yet 
seen the man I sent it by and received no answer, I do not know whether you got it 
or not. I could send you more now if I thought you would be sure to get it. I have not 
much use for money here. A great many of the Tenn. Troops were given furloughs 
home and I was offered one by our beloved Gen. Forrest but did not wish to go. This 
man will come out of the war next to Gen. Lee. There has been great dissatisfaction 


with Pres. Davis but I do not blame him so much as others do. 


Dear Ma and Pa, I do not know when I can come home — but feel like if we do fail in 
our just cause, I will not give myself up to be dealt with as the tender mercies of the 
hotheaded Abolitionists shall dictate but will roam away to the far West to live with 
the Indians and wild beasts rather than submit to Yankee rule. Do not give yourself 
any trouble on my account, for He who has protected me thus far will finally bring 
me home to friends and loved ones. I believe now as ever, our cause is just and will 
continue to fight for it until the last man leaves my side. I am not actuated by any 


malice, but only with an invincible desire to defend right and justice.176 


Write and direct your letter as I direct you and I will get an answer soon. I send this 
by a man who goes where he pleases, and if you will direct a letter to me at 
Memphis, Tenn. with a request if not called for in 10 days return to Clarksville, it will 
not be opened. Give my best love to inquiring friends and accept me as your dutiful 


son. Pray for me. 
One the same day, James wrote a letter to his younger siblings back home: 


Sometimes when marching late at night, when all my fellow soldiers are sleepy and 
tired, my imagination wanders back across the whole breadth of my own dear state 
across the sparkling waters of the Tennessee and the Cumberland, finally to find 
myself at home, strolling as we often have done together in the garden among the 
flowers or through the stately woods in search of the delicate spring flowers. I hear 
your silvery laughter once more as if I were really present, but more than once I have 
been aroused from dreamy consciousness by the shrill blast of the bugle announcing 
“the enemy is in front” and then for the next few hours all is one constant uproar, the 


thundering sound of artillery and rattling of musketry, the tramping and prancing of 


260 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


thousands of war horses. I scarcely have time to think of anything except “strike for 
your home and firesides.” What youth would not strike for all he holds dear in life? 


My bonnie steed is calling me to come and give him some food. He has been eying 
me ever since I seated myself here as much as to say “remember your friends, 
master.” Don’t laugh at my foolishness, for soldiers love their horses almost like a 
brother. Thomas has one just as good as mine. Mine is named Dixie and Thomas’ Jeff. 


If a certain friend has left a picture for me be sure to send it and give her (Miss Alice 
W.) my best respects. 


Attached to this letter in the Family Bible was one written by Sterling Brewer, Jr. on April 9, 1865: 


All this talk about roaming to the far West—Indians and wild beasts is nonsense. 
Come home when you can do so honorably. I would urge upon you the advice I gave 
you at the back gate the evening you left. We have done well since you left and have 
had everything necessary to our comfort. There are no guerillas in our county and I 
should feel glad if there were never any more for I abhor that kind of war. Richmond 
has fallen with great loss to Lee’s Army. The war (proper) must soon close unless 
there is some unexpected turn of affairs. Oh, how happy we shall all be when you 
can come home to stay. May God in his infinite goodness speed the day. My very 
soul is tired of this war. May God forever bless you, my dear boy. 


S.B. 


“In the aftermath of the War, families desperately 
sought to find out the fate of children and brothers 
from whom they had been separated. All normal 
communications had been disrupted by the fighting 
and the occupation by Union troops. Many letters sent 
never received replies and the writer could not know if 
that meant the intended recipient was dead or if the 
letter had fallen into enemy hands. Five months after 
Lee’s surrender which ended the War, the family at Oak 
Plains still had not received word on the fate of their 
son and brother. One can only imagine the anxiousness 
with which they questioned each returning soldier for 
news. Sterling wrote Gen. N.B. Forrest for help and 
received this reply” :!77 


Memphis, Tennessee 
Nathan B. Forrest September 18, 1865 


261 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


Mr. S. Brewer 
Dear Sir — 


Your letter asking information concerning the whereabouts of your son James S. 
Brewer, has just been received and in response I would say that he may have 
belonged to my command but never having met him (that I have remembrance of) I 


can give you no information of him. 


My command was large with several General Officers; your son may have been 
attached to some of their escort companies, yet I have no knowledge of the fact. Not 
having a roll of my own escort with me, and the company being large, he may have 


belonged to it, if so I do not remember him. 


Such is the fate of war, that many a gallant boy’s name remains in obscurity, and not 


yet heard from by his doting parents. 


Hoping sir that you may gain early information that your son still lives and will be 


with you very soon. 


Iam 

Very Respectfully 
Your Obt. Svt. 
N.B. Forrest!28 


“There was no word from James during the remaining months of ’65 and it was almost a year after 
the war’s end before his relatives received the news of his capture by Northern forces and 
imprisonment in Michigan. In April, 1866, they heard from James when he wrote from Niles, 
Michigan to tell of his marriage to Louisa Borst, the daughter of a well-to-do Michigan nursery man, 
in July 1865. He spent no time describing prison hardships but was deeply concerned over the sorrow 


he may have brought to his parents by this marriage and failure to come home.”!” 


“Our Room,” Niles, Michigan 
April 23, 1866 
Dear Father and Mother, 


I have received your letters dated the 10 of the month 3 days ago, but they were 
written before you received my letter informing you of my marriage last July and I 
really am very anxious to have an answer to the same to see if you censure me as 
much as I censure myself for doing you dear ones, so signal a wrong. I know you will 
forgive me and love me as before when you know how deeply and truly I have 
repented of my many sins against God and man. How I have wronged you - 
wronged my darling Lulu —- wronged her friends and my friends. Oh! Dear Parents, 
Lulu’s Pa is a good man and you will love him so much when you know him. I 


repeat he is one of the most influential and popular men in the state and he has 


262 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


treated me as a father in every sense of the word. Her mother is a most estimable 
woman. In short, there is not a spot or blemish in the characters of any one of the 
family. My Lulu is all I could ask or wish her to be. I have never yet at any time seen 
her betray the least ill feeling towards anyone. I wish to make us perfectly happy 
with your full forgiveness and blessing. Can we have it? Do not chide for God knows 


Ihave suffered quite enough already. Forget all this and make us happy. 


Write us a good friendly letter as if nothing had happened for we anticipate so much 
pleasure in your letters. Now do not fail—write immediately a good kind letter and if 
you can forgive me, do not again refer to my transgressions, but write every week 
and we will do the same. Please write a letter to Mr. Borst, Lulu’s father. Under the 


circumstances you can write a suitable one. Do not fail. 


I registered my name and voted here in the county and district elections and voted 
with the Copperhead Party —though the Republicans were the cause of my voting. I 
was not asked my age at all but received my vote all right. Therefore I have fought 
the Abolitionists in the field and at the polls and am not yet one and twenty. I send 


you a Democratic paper. With the exception of a cold and sore lung, I am well. 


Goodbye, Lulu joins me in love. She will write when she receives a letter from you. 
All write. 


Your own son, 
Jas. Brewer 


James and Lulu eventually did return to Oak Plains, Tennessee with their baby daughter. Also 
around this time, Sterling Cage Brewer was born to Sterling and Virginia Brewer, on May 4, 1867.1 
Having two new babies in the house must have helped heal some wounds from the war. 
Unfortunately, the sore lung that James mentions indicated worse health ahead. On July 8, 1869 he 
died at Oak Plains of consumption.'*! He likely contracted the illness during the war or while held as 
a prisoner. When James died, he had been studying to be a doctor like his uncle James Moody 
Brewer. He was buried next to his younger sister Lucy by the garden at Oak Plains. His wife Lulu 
and their baby daughter returned to her family in Michigan.' 


Sterling Brewer, Jr. had not heard from his older brother James Moody Brewer since before the war. 
James Moody Brewer was a graduate of Cumberland College and “studied medicine at the Medical 
University of New York under Dr. Hosack, graduating in 1818.” In 1866 the brothers were finally 
able to reconnect through a letter. James Moody was 73 years old at this time, almost twenty years 


older than his younger brother Sterling. 


Gibson County 
January 16, 1866 
My Dear Brother, 


263 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


I received your welcome letter dated 24'» Dec. last evening and hasten to answer it. I 
have not heard from you since this destructive war was commenced. I did not know 


but you were all murdered. 


I have suffered enough seemingly to kill any man but Providence has spared my 
poor unworthy life—perhaps for some useful purpose. My health continues 
precarious—but I am enjoying at this time as good health as usual. I am at this time 
living at the house of Mr. Burrow, my brother-in-law. I have been here since last 
Spring. I shall leave here tomorrow, and go to live with Mary [his daughter] who is 
married and her husband is settling in a village in Dyer County called Newburn .... 
I have lost everything by this detestable war — my Negroes (7 in all) have left me. I 
have nobody to do anything for me. I get up before day of a morning and make a fire 
— but this I don’t mind. 


[A]ll my boys but James have served in the Army all the way. Sam had command of 
a company in General Johnson’s army. Hite [a family nickname for Theodore] was in 
Forrest’s Calvary. He was in many severe battles. He was at the taking of Fort 
Pillaway [likely Fort Pillow], was with the first that charged the breastworks. On one 
occasion he had a horse blown up by a shell & killed without hurting him. None of 
the boys got wounded. Sam & Hite were in the hard fought battles about Columbia, 
Franklin & Nashville. 


™ Moreau and William are here. William 
has been broken completely by the 
Yankees, and has lost all his property, has 
sold his land & brought his two children 
with him to this place—William requests 
me to say to you that he would like to get 
you to take them & let them go to your 
school—So that he could go into some 
business to support them. He would 
rather have them with you than anyone 
else . . . . William is in a very bad 
condition and would be glad to get any 
kind of business to make a living. I am 
totally unable to help him as I have 
nothing myself & no way to make 
anything —I tried last year to help make a 
little crop of cotton but my weakness was 
such that I had often to lie down in the 
field . . . . Moreau is staying at a Mr. 


Seward’s, a son-in-law of Mr. Burrows— 


James Moody Brewer 


264 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


he is anxious to go to Mexico... . Letters from Mexico written by Gov. Harris speak 
in such high terms of that country that it has put a good many persons in the notion 


of going there. I have no notion to go—for I am totally unable to do so. 


My son Hite came to see me yesterday—but left this morning —he has been teaching 
a school at the college this year. Hite intends upon joining the [Methodist] conference 
after he gets through with his education. Hite is one of the studiest boys I ever saw, 
just such a one as his brother John (my dear child) everybody that knew John loved 
him. He was an example to all— He was I hope truly religious, and is now in Heaven. 
My dear brother you can’t imagine how much I have suffered in the loss of my dear 
children. Napoleon was to me a dear child. He professed religion before he died & 
have hope that he was saved. 


Sam at this time is studying law in Trenton—he has a pretty good education and is a 
good speaker for one of his age . . . . James we intend to educate & put him into some 
business I don’t know which. James grows very fast and is going to make a very tall 


man. He’s learning fast and is very moral. 


I am striving to live the life of a Christian and when I am called away from this world 
of sorrow my hope is that I shall meet with more of my dear friends in that world of 
Bliss and glory than I leave behind me. Oh my dear companions & children—the 
hope of meeting with them fills me with joy—My dear Brother if I get to that 
heavenly world I have no doubt but I shall see you there sometime or other—God 


grant it. 


We are all extremely anxious to see you and your family. Our love to all of you. 
Write again soon— William says write to him when you get this letter. I write in a 


wretched pen as you see. I remain as ever your affectionate brother. 
J.M. Brewer 


“James Moody Brewer died in April of the following year and his family scattered from Mexico to 
Texas to Oklahoma to Kentucky.” Sterling Brewer, Jr. returned to teaching school and preaching, 
with his usual high standards. A copy of a note written to Mr. Henry Rogers in 1866 says “Dear Sir, I 
decline teaching your children any longer. By continuing to teach them, I should admit a principle 
that would subvert a system of school discipline which has existed from time immemorial. That I did 
not abuse your child, I will prove to you, if you will take the trouble to come to the schoolhouse. With 


all due respect, Your friend — S. Brewer.” 


In September of 1871, a Sabbath School celebration was held at William’s Chapel in Oak Plains. From 
a newspaper account, over 475 people attended. After a procession by the students, the crowd 
“moved to seats provided in the beautiful yard of Rev. Sterling Brewer, where a stand for the speaker 


of the day was placed.”!9” The speaker was Hon. John F. House, who discussed the “internal evidence 


265 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


of the authenticity of the Bible as exhibited in the light of history and the development of science and 


research.” 8 Sterling Brewer was praised as an excellent host for this large gathering. 


In 1877, Sterling Brewer, Jr. preached the inaugural sermon at a new Methodist Church in 
Chapmansboro, near Oak Plains. Apparently the sermon was so well-received that the membership 
voted to name the church Brewer’s Chapel in his honor. This church still exists today.’ Sterling 
Brewer, Jr. died on April 5, 1885 in Oak Plains, Montgomery County, Tennessee.'#! An article in the 
Clarksville, Tennessee newspaper noted that “Rev. Sterling Brewer, of Montgomery County, died at 
his residence near Williams’ Chapel on last Sabbath at one o’clock, aged 75 years. He remarked to a 
member of his family only a short time previous to his death: ‘I am getting so anxious to see Heaven, 
I know so many more over there than I do here.’ After a funeral sermon by Rev. Mr. Burney and 


remarks by Bro. McBride he was laid to rest in the family burying ground.” 
Children of Sterling Brewer, Jr. and Agnes Jane Saunders: 


i. Letitia Harriet BREWER was born 12 Oct 1840 in Wilson County, Tennessee and died 24 Jan 
1841 in Drake’s Lick, Wilson County, Tennessee. ! 


Children of Sterling Brewer, Jr. and Virginia Grace Glenn: 


ii. James Sterling “Jim” BREWER was born 29 Jun 1845 in Turnersville, Tennessee and died 8 Jul 
1869 in Oak Plains, Montgomery County, Tennessee. He married Louisa L. “Lulu” BORT on 
20 Jul 1865 in Berrien, Michigan.' 

iii. Lucy Letitia BREWER was born 8 Nov 1846 in Davidson County, Tennessee and died 15 Feb 
1862 in Oak Plains, Montgomery County, Tennessee. 1! 

iv. Edmund Lewis “Ed” BREWER was born 20 Jun 1850 in Robertson County, Tennessee and 
died 18 Oct 1931 in Oak Plains, Montgomery County, Tennessee.'© He married Tennessee 
Wilkerson “Tennie” PATRICK on 14 Feb 1877 in Montgomery County, Tennessee. '47 

v. | Mary Louisa “Molly Lee” BREWER was born 17 Nov 1851 in Robertson County, Tennessee 
and died 26 Jun 1920 in Adams, Robertson County, Tennessee.'48 She married Samuel Prince 
ALSBROOK on 17 Oct 1872 in Tennessee.1*° 

vi. Sterling Cage BREWER was born 4 May 1867 in Oak Plains, Montgomery County, 
Tennessee and died 10 Aug 1931 in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee.!°° He married 
Mazie Eliza LINK on 19 Jun 1889 in Cheatham County, Tennessee.'°! 


266 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


4. Sterling Brewer, Sr. (1770-1832) 


Sterling Brewer, Sr. was born on March 28, 1770 in Bute County, North Carolina.* His parents were 
Reese Brewer and Sally, whose maiden name is unknown."? Sterling’s family moved to Wake 
County, North Carolina around 1779. On August 18, 1791, Sterling Brewer married Nissey Betsey 
Thomas, likely in Wake County.4 Nissey and our Thomas ancestors are discussed in their own 
section below. Sterling Brewer, Sr. and Nissey had three children while living in Wake County, North 
Carolina. Their oldest son was James Moody Brewer, born on August 19, 1792.15 Two daughters 
followed: Margaret on November 23, 1795 and Eliza on March 10, 1798.15 


In the 1790s, both Sterling and his father Reese began acquiring and trading Revolutionary War land 
grants. North Carolina granted land on the western frontier to soldiers as a reward for their service. 
In this way, large sections of what would become Tennessee were granted by North Carolina. These 
grants were sometimes settled by the original soldier but were often sold or traded to third parties 
several times before they were officially patented.” As an example, in 1808 Noel Watkins had a 
survey conducted for 22 acres in Davidson County, Tennessee on the north side of the Cumberland 
River. Watkins was the assignee of William Lewis, who was the assignee of John Boyd, who was the 


assignee of Sterling Brewer, who was the assignee of Vincent King.'* 


The first land grants I have found for Sterling Brewer, Sr. are two separate 1,000 acre parcels of land 
in Sumner County, Tennessee. One parcel was originally granted to Sargent Reuben McCrae and the 
other was granted to Corporal Abraham Johnston Rowan. Both were acquired by Sterling Brewer on 
July 19, 1797.1? It is difficult to track these parcels through the various records, but my assumption is 
that these lands were later sold without Sterling ever living on them. 


In addition to land, Sterling and his father Reese also owned and sold slaves. Margaret Brewer Boone 
has a record for Sterling Brewer buying a slave named Prince for £150 from Nathaniel Jones in Wake 
County, North Carolina.’ On February 4, 1800, Reese sold a 10 year old slave named Jerry or 
Jeremiah to James Coman for $200 in Wake County.'*! This deed was witnessed by S. Brewer, likely 
his son Sterling Brewer, Sr.'* This was right around the time that the Brewer family was leaving 
North Carolina for Tennessee. In 1802, Reese Brewer sold a slave named Sam, age 20, for $400 to his 
son Sterling Brewer, Sr. in Robertson County Tennessee, part of which would become Dickson 


County the following year. 


267 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


Tragedy struck the family when Margaret Brewer, only 6 years old, died on November 11, 1802 in 
Dickson County, Tennessee. Her younger sister Eliza Brewer died a few weeks later on November 30, 
1802.16 The Family Bible does not list a cause of death for the two young girls, but given their close 
proximity I suspect it was due to a contagious illness. The Brewers were pioneers in this part of 
Middle Tennessee, and conditions were difficult for the first several years. Historian Gordon Wood 


described the typical pattern of settlers to the new western territories around this time: 


“Most of the early migrants that initially spilled over the Appalachian Mountains to 
the West, whether from the North or the South, travelled with only the labor of their 
families to help them get on their feet. The first waves of ordinary settlers to the 
frontier, whether to Kentucky and Tennessee or to Ohio and Indiana, generally 
began by building a small lean-to house before they turned to the crucially important 
tasks of clearing the land and planting crops. They felled some trees with axes and 
killed others by girdling them. They burned so much brush and scrub that smoky 
hazes often hung over the land for months or even years on end. While the women 
saw to all the gardening and housekeeping, the men plowed the land and planted 
the marketable crops, in the Northwest, mainly corn and wheat, with whiskey a 
major by-product; in the Southwest, corn, tobacco, and eventually cotton were the 


major crops. For both areas hogs and cattle were the principal livestock.” 


“With crops planted, the pioneers began building more substantial houses—usually 
cabins built of notched logs designed to shelter households that averaged five to 
seven persons. The roofs of these primitive homes were clapboard, and the floors 
were dirt, which meant that vermin and the lack of cleanliness were taken for 
granted[.]”16 


Despite these hardships, Sterling Brewer, Sr. became a leading citizen in the area. On March 19, 1804, 
Sterling was appointed one of the inaugural Justices of the Peace in Dickson County.'® After early 
tragedies, his family grew again. A daughter, Elizabeth Brewer, was born on August 19, 1807 and 
another daughter, Letitia Harper Brewer, was born on October 8, 1809. Sterling’s public service career 
was not without some controversy. In connection with a bid to become commander of the Dickson 
County militia, “Sheriff Robert Weakley accused him of having been tried for a criminal offense in 
North Carolina before he came to Middle Tennessee. Brewer hotly denied the accusation, and sued 
Weakly for slander. After considerable litigation Brewer was awarded $200 damages and his name 


was cleared.” 167 


Although it appears that Sterling was successful in defending his reputation, the allegation does not 
seem to have been without some basis in fact. Around 1798, the Governor of North Carolina 
established a commission to investigate potential fraud committed in connection with military land 
watrants. The commission noted that land had been granted to men who were not entitled to receive 
anything; that in some cases more than one warrant was issued for the same claim; that many 
watrants were issued without any evidence; and that a large number of warrants were created by 


forged powers of attorney or based on false certificates.1° Sterling Brewer and his brother Allen were 


268 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


listed among the men either making, receiving, or attesting to these forged documents.'® We learn 
from a later court proceeding that the charges against Sterling Brewer, Sr. were eventually 


dismissed.!7° 


“Over half a decade elapsed before Brewer again ventured into politics. In the meantime, he farmed 
extensively, acquired more slaves, and became more prosperous. In 1810 he announced his candidacy 
for representative to the state legislature from Dickson County and was elected. He served for only 
one term and returned to his Dickson County farm after the legislative session.” !7! In 1812, a “negro 
named Frank” was caught running away. Frank said he was bound for a term of ten years to Doctor 
Barry of Sumner County, who in turn had sold his remaining time to Sterling Brewer, Esquire, a 
member of the Assembly.'”2 The newspaper notes that “the owner of Frank may have him by proving 


his property & paying charges on applications at the Chocktaw agency house.” !” 


In addition to owning land and slaves, Sterling Brewer, Sr. owned at least one celebrated race horse. 
“For most of the nineteenth century, Tennessee, not Kentucky, was acknowledged as the center of 
horse breeding and horse racing in the United States.”1” On March 21, 1814, Richard B. Owen of 
Nashville, Tennessee offered his horse Suwarrow, formerly owned and raced by Sterling Brewer, Sr., 
out for stud. In order to prove Suwarrow’s impressive pedigree, several men testified to his 


accomplishments: 


I do hereby certify that I sold this day to Mr. Sterling Brewer, a bay stud colt, rising 
four years old, known by the name of Suwarrow, his sire was the celebrated horse 
Columbus, his grand sire was the imported horse Pantaloon—his dame is Judge 


Todd’s fine mare got by the imported Venetian. Lexington, April 11, 1807. 
JOHN W. HUNT 


I certify that I trained Sterling Brewer’s stud horse Suwarrow, and started him for the 
Clover Bottom Jockey Club purse in the month of November, 1808 the two mile 
beats, which he won beating both heats with the greatest ease, beating Mr. W.B. 
Robertson’s black mare from Virginia, and Col. E. Ward’s bay horse, started by 


Gen. Andrew Jackson (which horse is said to have run with unusual success in 
Virginia and North Carolina, and excelled by none until beaten by Suwarrow). The 
next day Suwarrow beat Mr. Clark’s celebrated ___ horse, a McKinney Roan, a match 
race of one mile, carrying 11 pounds to a catch, beating him a double distance and 
upwards. I further certify that he received a forfeit from Major McMullen’s 


celebrated running mare Nancy __, giving her 100 yards intwo miles.... 
SAMUEL PRYER 


The General Andrew Jackson mentioned here was the future President of the United States. Jackson 
lived in middle Tennessee and was a part owner of the Clover Bottom race track.!> He was known as 
the leading horse breeder in the State of Tennessee. “By 1817 [Sterling Brewer, Sr.] had 


accumulated considerable real and personal property, was a prominent churchman, and had been 


269 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


elected to the state senate from a district composed of Dickson, Hickman, and Robertson counties. 
Two years later he was chosen for a second term, but resigned for reasons undisclosed. In 1821 he 
was elected for a third term, and by this time he was a familiar figure among legislators in Knoxville 
and Murfreesboro where the legislative sessions were then held. He had been a staunch supporter of 
one of Tennessee’s greatest governors, William Carroll, and he became Carroll’s choice for speaker of 


the senate.” 177 


General Andrew Jackson, Circa 18201” 


“Of the many important matters which came before the Tennessee legislature of 1821, the numerous 
petitions for divorce, then granted by the legislature, attracted the speaker's attention. Even former 
Governor Joseph McMinn was among those who filed a petition for legal separation. Brewer was a 
staunch Methodist who took his religion seriously and who believed divorce was wrong. He... 
secured the Reverend Valentine Cook, a Methodist minister and president of a Methodist college in 
Kentucky, to deliver the sermon, and the legislature met in joint session to hear him. ‘Never did that 


270 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


singularly powerful preacher appear to greater advantage . . . . He convinced the legislators that 
from a New Testament point of view divorce was wrong. The result was that many petitions for 


divorce, including McMinn’s, were turned down.” 1” 


In 1814, Sterling Brewer, Sr. was involved in a case brought by the Estate of Thomas Molloy.'8° 
Molloy had obtained a judgment against William Terrill,!*! over $1,600 of which was still outstanding 
when Terrill died. Terrill obtained multiple land grants with a blank left for the name of the assignee, 
and Sterling Brewer worked as his agent to sell some of these grants. Brewer claimed ignorance of 
any possible fraud involved in Terill’s acquisition of the grants, although he did state that he “became 
somewhat uneasy, on account of the use which had been made of his name in the various transfers of 
land warrants and titles in which he had no interest.” 8 Brewer requested that Terrill indemnify him 
against any possible liability in connection with the warrants, which he did on December 30, 1797 by 
signing a bond for $20,000. Although the language of the Court’s final order is hard to decipher, it 
appears that Sterling Brewer was successful in his defense, and was even able to recover on some 


earlier debts owed to him by Terrill.1*4 


Sterling Brewer, Sr. appears on the 1820 census in Dickson County, Tennessee. !* By this time Sterling 
Brewer Jr., born in 1811, and Louisiana “Louisa” Brewer, born in 1813, had joined the growing 
family. The 1820 census only lists names for the head of household and indicates age ranges for the 
other household members. The Brewer household had one white male over 45 (Sterling Brewer, Sr.), 
three white males between 20 and 45 (one of whom was like likely James Moody Brewer), and two 
white males under 10 (one must have been Sterling Brewer, Jr.). There was one white female 45 or 
older (Sterling’s wife Nissey), one between 20 and 45 (unknown), two between 10 and 16 (Elizabeth 
and Letitia Harper Brewer), and one under 10 (Louisa Brewer).'*° That leaves two males between 20 
and 45, and one female between 20 and 45, and one male under 10 who were not known members of 
Sterling’s immediate family. The other people living in the house may have been extended family 
members, although it is difficult to determine which ones based on this record. Education was 
important in the Brewer family. Records from 1821 show Sterling Brewer paying tuition for his 
children at a school run by Dr. G. Blackham.'*” 


In 1820 Sterling Brewer, Sr. owned seventeen slaves.'8§ There were five males under 14, one between 
14 and 20, five between 20 and 45, and one over 45. There were two females under 14, one between 14 
and 20, and two between 20 and 45.!8° We know very little about the lives and identity of these slaves. 
Two of the middle-aged men could have been Prince and Sam, discussed above. When these slaves 
are considered in connection with his substantial land holdings, ownership of at least one racehorse, 
and elected position as a State Senator, it is clear that Sterling Brewer, Sr. was a prominent and 


wealthy citizen of Dickson County, Tennessee. 


Sterling Brewer “decided to retire from politics and devote the rest of his life to farming and 
retirement in Dickson County.!® These years should have been filled with joy and satisfaction instead 
of grief and despair. At this point in his life he was visited by a charlatan from an eastern city who 
represented himself as being a scientist and an expert in mineralogy. The ingratiating stranger told 


Brewer that he believed that underneath Brewer's farm there converged several salt-water streams 


271 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


which, if tapped, would yield considerable wealth. Salt was scarce at that time and brought a good 
price on all markets. Most Nashville merchants advertised daily that they would pay for farm 


produce in ‘either case or salt.’ 19! 


“Brewer permitted the stranger to make a survey. The latter took from his coat his ‘divining rod.’ 
Brewer, with apparently more knowledge of law and politics than of science, watched with 
amazement while the rod, time after time, appeared to quiver and pull downward as the stranger 
walked over the farm. Brewer, now believing he had a ‘gold mine’ in salt, agreed to pay the stranger 
a handsome price to make an extensive survey on his land and to draw maps locating spots where 


wells should be drilled. The stranger made the survey, took Brewer’s money, and disappeared.” 1 


“Drilling was expensive, and Brewer, being a man of caution, decided to employ other ‘scientists’ 
before spending money on drilling equipment. A second and then a third was called in, and each 
confirmed the findings of the first. The third to come was Valentine Cook, the same college president 
and Methodist minister who had addressed the legislature several years before when Brewer was 
Speaker of the Senate, and whose moving eloquence had won Brewer’s utmost respect. He brought 
from his Kentucky home his ‘divining rod’ and proceeded with a survey, and amazingly enough, 


confirmed the findings of the other ‘mineralogists’ before him.” 1° 


“Convinced beyond a doubt now, the well-to-do Dickson County farmer ordered expensive 
machinery and hired a crew of workmen to begin drilling at a place recommended by Cook and the 
others. For three years Brewer let his farm go to ruin while his slaves and others drilled wells on the 
farm. At one place after drilling several score feet Brewer struck a hard crystalline limestone bed 
which made operations slow and difficult, but at 300 feet he reached water which had ‘a brackish 
taste.’ This encouraged him to drill farther, although by this time he had poured thousands of dollars 
into the operations. Finally at a depth of one thousand feet the auger broke. With a heavy heart and 


anguish of spirit Sterling Brewer was now forced to turn aside from his pipe dream.” 1 


“Most of his slaves and personal property had been sold, and much of his real property had been 
mortgaged. Disappointed, discouraged, and disillusioned, the former legislator, having aged a score 
of years during the three year period, wanted to see no more of his Dickson County land. He moved 
to Nashville where he lived a few more years in very modest circumstances. George Frederick 
Mellon, a Nashville newspaperman, wrote of him as a ’man who died in poverty,’ and Bishop Paine, 
his close friend who conducted his funeral, stated that he ‘buried him from a humble rented house in 
Nashville.’ Census records for 1830 indicate that he did own eight slaves, but he owned no real 


property, and the number of slaves was less than half what he had owned ten years previously.” 1% 


272 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


my iol 


QTERLING BREWER bas taken the 


JACKSON HOTEL for the present year, which 
he intends to keep as a house of entertainment for travellers 
and boarders. Ie — himself — rae be a 
i} with a share of public patronage—he ges to keep a 
uiet and ml ieees Hin table and general attention 

all meet the approbation of his customers: his stables like- 
wise, shall be well supplied with the best provender the 
country affords.—The Hotel has undergone considerable re- 
pairs, and is situated on College-street, (Nashville,) about 
midway between the public square and Broad-st. j26W12m 


Sterling Brewer Running the Jackson Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee, 1831! 


To some extent, Sterling Brewer, Sr. may have been caught up in the spirit of the age in his 
misadventure searching for salt beneath his land. During the first part of the 19 Century, “popular 
knowledge came to seem as accurate as the knowledge of experts . . . [d]owsing for hidden metals 
appeared as rational as the workings of electricity.”!%” “In such an atmosphere hoaxes of various 
kinds and charlatanism and quackery in all fields flourished.” 1% It appears that near the end of his 
life, Sterling Brewer, Sr. attempted to reinvent himself as a hotel operator on College Street in 
Nashville. He died on July 6, 1832 in Nashville, Tennessee. A very brief note appeared in the local 
paper noting the death of “Mr. Sterling Brewer, a worthy and respectable citizen.” 1° 


Children of Sterling Brewer, Sr. and Nissey Betsey Thomas: 


i. James Moody BREWER was born 19 Aug 1792 in Wake County, North Carolina and died 16 
Apr 1867 in Gibson County, Tennessee.?°° He married Nancy Ann CAMP on 7 Jan 1824 in 
Wake County, North Carolina.2 He married Ann AUSTIN on 3 Oct 1832 in Davidson 
County, Tennessee.”? He married Rebecca Green Richardson on 3 Oct 1835 in Gibson 
County, Tennessee. 

ii. Margaret BREWER was born 23 Nov 1795 in Wake County, North Carolina and died 11 Nov 
1802 in Dickson County, Tennessee.?4 

iii. Eliza BREWER was born 10 Mar 1798 in Wake County, North Carolina and died 30 Nov 1802 
in Dickson County, Tennessee.?% 

iv. Elizabeth BREWER was born 19 Aug 1807 in Dickson County, North Carolina and died 12 
Apr 1830 in Dickson County, Tennessee.° She married Thomas William SHEARON on 12 
Dec 1827 in Dickson County, Tennessee.?” 


273 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


Vv. Letitia Harper BREWER was born 8 Oct 1809 in Dickson County, North Carolina and died 16 
Nov 1843 in Cheatham County, Tennessee.”°8 She married Thomas William SHEARON on 17 
Nov 1831 in Davidson County, Tennessee.” 

vi. Sterling BREWER, Jr. was born 14 Dec 1811 in Dickson County, Tennessee and died 5 Apr 
1885 in Oak Plains, Montgomery County, Tennessee.”!° He married Agnes Jane SAUNDERS 
on 3 Oct 1839.21! He married Virginia Grace GLENN on 5 Sep 1844 in Montgomery County, 
Tennessee.?!? 

vii. Louisiana A. “Louisa” BREWER was born 16 Nov 1813 in Dickson County, Tennessee and 
died 4 Nov 1840 in Memphis, Tennessee.*!* She married Jesse D. CARR on 27 Oct 1836 in 


Davidson County, Tennessee.?!4 
a. Elizabeth and Letitia Harper Brewer 


Two daughters of Sterling Brewer, Sr. married the same man. Elizabeth Brewer married Thomas 
William Shearon on December 12, 1827 in Dickson County, Tennessee.?'5 Thomas was a wealthy 
planter, and his Shearon family had moved to Tennessee from Wake County, North Carolina, like the 
Brewers.?!° The couple had two children. Tragically, on April 12, 1830, Elizabeth died during the birth 
of their youngest daughter, named in her honor as Elizabeth Brewer Shearon.?!”? The oil portrait 
below of Elizabeth Brewer Shearon has been helpfully provided by Richard B. Campbell, a 
descendant in this line. The portrait remains in his possession and has Elizabeth’s name on the 
reverse side, despite the image sometimes being attributed to her sister Letitia. The reason for that 
confusion is clear: Thomas Shearon remarried to Elizabeth’s younger sister, Letitia Harper Brewer, on 
November 17, 1831.7!8 


274 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


Elizabeth (Brewer) Shearon2!” 


We are able to learn a surprising amount about Letitia Brewer's life through an autobiography 
written by Dr. Simon Pollack.”° Pollack was born in Prague in 1814. After earning his medical degree 
and becoming a Doctor of Surgery and Obstetrics in Vienna in 1836, he immigrated to the United 
States.”2! He landed in New York City, then came to New Orleans, where he met Thomas Shearon: 


275 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


One day while in port six flat-boats came floating down the Mississippi laden with 
produce, mules, drays and a large number of negroes and one white man. The boats 
tied up near the Levant and the white man came on board. He was the owner of all 
that motley cargo. The man’s name was Thomas W.S., a rich planter of Davidson 
County, Tennessee.”2 He was in the habit of coming to New Orleans every winter 
with his surplus produce; also with many colored men, mules and drays to do 
draying for a few months, and thus utilize them when they were not needed on the 


plantation. Mr. S. was a very handsome and pleasant man, dressed in homespun. 


He came on board every evening. Two hours 
were always spent talking, chewing and 
spitting, which did not interest me much. One 
evening the shrewd Captain Bartlett said, “Mr. 
S. is there not a good opening near or with 
you for a very good physician, who is also a 
good surgeon and midwife?” The last words 
struck him electrically. “O yes,” was the 
answer. “If he is all that you say, I and my 
neighbors would be very glad to have him 
near us. I will take him to my house and 
furnish him with all he wants—board, 
lodging, laundry and horses and servants.” 


I asked the Captain “What does he expect of 
me for such a liberal offer?” He said, of course, 
“Your professional services to himself and 
family.” Mr. S. did not appear to be 25 years 
old.?2% So I asked him in poor English, “How 


large is your family?” “About two hundred,” 
was the cool reply. “Are you a Turk” I asked? “I mean white and black,” was his curt 


answer.224 


Shearon paid for Dr. Pollack to travel back to Tennessee via steamboat. The Shearon plantation was 
apparently at or near “Harpeth Shoals” on the Cumberland River, twenty four miles from 
Nashville.??° 


On my first stepping on Tennessee soil I sank knee deep in mud. The high water of 
the Cumberland had just receded and left the banks very soft, of which I had no 
knowledge or experience. My land was at S.’s wood yard, almost in front of his 
house. A big fire was blazing, watched by some negroes, to whom my landing 
caused much amusement. They took me to the house, a log cabin, but had hard work 
to keep several fierce dogs from devouring me. They woke up Mrs. S. [Letitia 
Brewer], who received me in her night gown, and assigned me a place to sleep. 


276 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


At seven in the morning I was called to breakfast. Mrs. S. received me kindly, was 
rather surprised at her husband’s transaction, but on the whole pleased to have a 
physician in the house, for she was in a condition to be in need of one shortly. The 
dining room and her bedroom were one. The sitting room was on the other side of 
the hall... . The table was abundantly supplied in quantity but without variety. Hog 
meat in divers forms three times a day, with hot corn bread; one kind of vegetable, 
poor coffee, but an abundance of good milk. We had fresh meat very rarely, and 
chickens only when the circuit preacher happened to be there. I could not 
understand how the people could keep well on such very simple, coarse fare, but 
they did. I had to get accustomed to it or starve. Mrs. S.’s brother was the Rev. 
Sterling Brewer, a Methodist circuit preacher, who happened to come by every two 
or three weeks, and tarry a day or two. He offered to teach me English if I would 
instruct him in Greek and Hebrew, so as to enable him to read the Bible in the 


original. I accepted his teaching, but I fear he did not learn much Greek or Hebrew.”6 


Two months after my landing in Tennessee, Mr. S. returned with his negroes from 
New Orleans. He treated me brotherly, was glad to see that I had made a good 
impression on his family, and also on the people all around, that is, within a radius of 
about twenty miles. In the meanwhile I ascertained the true reason why he wanted 
me, an entire stranger and a foreigner at that, in his house. He, though only 27 years 
old, had married three times. His first wife died of hemorrhage in childbed, leaving 
him a son and a large fortune. His second wife succumbed to hemorrhage also in 
childbed, her child still living. He married her sister, named Letitia. He had to take 
her to Nashville to be under the direct care of a doctor when confined. She came very 
near perishing from the same cause. This was attended with much cost and great 


inconvenience.22” 


The eldest son of Thomas Shearon was likely Thomas Rogers Shearon, born in April of 1825.78 Based 
on his middle name, Thomas Shearon’s first wife may have had the surname Rogers, although that is 
currently unproven. His second wife was of course Elizabeth Brewer, and his third wife was her 
sister Letitia Brewer. Letitia’s first child, born under the trying circumstances just described, was 
likely Mary Shearon, born about 1834.2” 


The time of Mrs. S.’s second confinement was reached. I was prepared for any 
emergency. The much dreaded event passed over in the simplest possible way. She 
gave birth to a daughter, and was up and about in eight days.”° I became at once 


known as the prince obstetrician. All the women within ten miles and more desired 


my attendance .... I had earned and had in hand $3,000 in gold by the first of 
January, 1839, that is after nine month’s work, a much larger fortune than I had ever 
had.... 


To keep so much money in my trunk in my loft, with no door locked, I thought very 


unsafe, and a great temptation to whites and blacks. I had the utmost confidence in 


277 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


Mr. S. and his wife, so I requested him to keep the money for me in his little iron safe. 
I gave him $3,000 even without a receipt. But a change came over me and in my 
affairs. In my second year I was taken sick with the acclimating fever, and for eleven 
months I was unable to leave the house or rather my bed in the loft. My business 
ceased. I needed some money to get some needful things from Nashville. I drew on 
Mr. S., when he denied owing me anything or that I ever gave him anything for safe 


keeping. There I was penniless again and in the house and in the power of a thief.” 


After these events, Pollak left the Shearon household, and moved in with the family of Samuel 
Watson, an attorney and owner of a sawmill about four miles away. Watson advised him that 
without any proof of his claims, he could do nothing to recover his money from Shearon.”? Pollak 
continued to reside with the Watson family and resumed his successful medical career. However, he 


still maintained contact with the Shearons: 


I had not been to the S. place since my removal to Sycamore, but I knew I would be 
needed sooner or later, on account of the condition of Mrs S. In October, 1840, I 
received a polite but urgent invitation from Mrs. S. to see her professionally. She 
always was a noble woman, and irresponsible for her husband’s doings. I called and 
had a long conference with her on her condition. I found that my presence was 
premature by at least one month. I was about to take my leave when she politely but 
positively told me that I could not and should not leave; that my horse was already 
under lock and key, and the servants were ordered not to let me leave the premises 


under any circumstances. 


Her husband was present, but was neutral in the transaction. It was all her 
arrangement. “You certainly do not mean to coerce me to while away my time 
uselessly, to the detriment of my other business, when there is no reasonable 
occasion for it?” I promised to be on hand when the emergency arose. My 
remonstrance was unavailing. I was a prisoner de facto. I did not leave until after her 
confinement, which took place thirty days after my arrival. The affair came off 
without eclat, and without any untoward circumstances... .I presented my bill to 
Mr. S. I claimed $25 a day for the detention of thirty days, amounting to $750. He 
jumped up as if moved by a catapult, swore by all the saints and devils that he would 
never pay my bill. I did not expect it. I now had a legitimate cause for a suit in court, 
which I was not slow in bringing, hoping in that way to expose his former rascality. 
His good wife listened to all that with pain and with a heavy heart, but impotent to 
say or do anything against her tyrannical husband .... 


Men involved in a lawsuit are not friends. S. did his level best to harm me in 
Nashville. Imagine my surprise when I was summoned one night by a horseman 
with a letter from S. worded as nearly as I can recollect: “Dear Doctor—Letitia is 
dying; come immediately ere too late. Forgive the past. I shall make it all right. I shall 
pay your bill of $750 and also the $3,000, with interest. Only come quick.” 


278 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


I learned that Mrs. S. had given birth to a child; hemorrhage ensued. She knew her 
end was near. She called her wicked husband to her bedside, and in the presence of 
Dr. Harris, her physician; her brother, the Rev. Sterling Brewer, and two lady friends, 
she upbraided him for his great wrong to Dr. Pollak, her best friend. She insisted that 
I be instantly sent for and that he make a written promise to pay all my claims, so 
long and so wickedly withheld. Whether overcome by the approaching death of his 
wife of by the fear that I would certainly hear of all this and have it exposed in court, 
which must inevitably convict him, I don’t know —he wrote the letter. I hastened to 


obey the call. 


I reached the S. place about daybreak, and met S. one mile from the house on the 
road. He burst into tears as soon as he saw me and cried bitterly. “Letitia is dead!” 
were his first words. He seemed to be overcome with grief. I dismounted and 


expressed my sympathy and condolence. We sat a little while in absolute silence. 


Now, I did something which, under other circumstances, would have been 
indelicate, unfeeling, and perhaps brutal and ungentlemanly. But I had to deal with a 
very bad man, whose contrition and apparent remorse might be changed by 
tomorrow, and resentment be substituted. So I told him that I was contemplating 
going to Louisiana to live; it would therefore be best if we settle our accounts then 
and there. His features assumed a ferocious look and he cynically said, “I keep no 
money in the house.” Your check on the bank will do. “I have not funds enough in 
the bank,” was his retort. Then give me your note for the entire amount, due in thirty 
days. “Have you got my letter with you? Did I not say I would pay all your 
demands?” I was prudent enough to lock up the letter in my desk ere starting. “The 
letter I left at home,” I replied, “besides Dr. Harris, Mr. Brewer and the two ladies, 
who are in the next room, can recall the contents of the letter which you read to your 


wife within their hearing.” 


The last observation settled the matter. He gave me his note for $4,000, payable thirty 
days after date .... As soon as I reached him I consulted my attorney, Mr. John M. 
Lea, who thought I managed affairs with consummate skill, and advised to have the 
note discounted at once, which was easily and quickly done, for his credit was very 
good. But it was not done any too soon. The bank cashier informed me he received a 
letter from Mr. S., requesting him to withhold payment of the note until further 


orders. But it was cashed and the money deposited in the same bank to my credit.?° 


This ends Dr. Pollak’s story in connection with Thomas Shearon and the Brewer family. Thomas had 
lost three wives during childbirth. His life now spiraled out of control. Shearon apparently sold his 
land and slaves and moved to California with his two younger sons, William and Sterling Brewer 
Shearon.?4 His time in California was short and tempestuous. On June 20, 1853, the newspaper 
reports that “Thomas Shearon, Esq., attacked Dr. Harris a few days since at the Niantic Hotel with a 
stick and bowie knife. Wounded the Doctor severely in the face with his stick. Major White, of 


279 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


Lebanon, and Mr. Shearon also had a fight on Montgomery Street yesterday. Mr. S. was severely 
damaged by Maj. W.’s cane.”?5 According to Dr. Pollak, this is the same doctor Harris who was 
present at Letitia Brewer’s deathbed.”% 


Thomas Shearon’s next violent dispute would be his last. On September 29, 1853, he came to a quartz 
mill which Anslom Chilton and two or three others were working to repair, and demanded to know 
what they were doing. Apparently Shearon had purchased the property at a sheriff’s sale. Chilton 
answered that “the property was his and he had a right to do as he pleased with it.” Shearon replied 
that “the property was his, and not Chilton’s.” Chilton then told Shearon to go away, as he wished to 
have no difficulty with him. Shearon instead “drew his knife and advanced upon Chilton, who 
retreated, at the same time drawing his pistol and firing upon Shearon, who fell dead at the third 
shot.”257 


b. Louisiana “Louisa” Brewer and the Carr Family 


Another daughter of Sterling Brewer, Sr. died young 


JESSE D. CARR QUIETLY PASSES 
AWAY AT HIS HOME IN SALINAS 


and had a husband who would move to California 
after her death, but this time with a far more 


Well-Known Pioneer, Politician, Millionaire successful outcome. Louisiana “Louisa” Brewer 
Land Owner and Stock Raiser Un- 
able to Rally From Sudden Collapse 


married Jesse Douglas Carr on October 27, 1836 in 
Davidson County, Tennessee.”® Their first son, 
Larkin Wood Carr, was born on August 31, 1837 in 
Nashville, Tennessee.*? Larkin Wood appears to 
have been named after Jesse’s business partner of 
the same name. A second son, John Sterling Carr, 
followed on November 30, 1839.74° Unfortunately, 
Louisa Brewer died on November 4, 1840 in 


Memphis, Tennessee, leaving two young children.”*! 


Jesse Carr was a_ successful businessman in 
Memphis. Around this time he remarried to 
Elizabeth Woods, with whom he had a daughter 
named Jessie D. Carr. In 1843 he moved to New 
Orleans and was appointed as a sutler to the United 
States Army, which was at that time fighting the 
Mexican-American War.” A sutler is a civilian 
merchant who sells provisions to a military force, 
often travelling with them on their campaigns. 
During the conflict, the Mexican general Jose de 


Urrea captured a supply train containing Mr. Carr’s 
goods, valued at $40, 000, killing 162 ef the 180 passengers. Despite this loss, General Zachary Taylor 
credited this attack as indirectly responsible for the American victory at the battle of Buena Vista, 
since it diverted Urrea’s forces that might have otherwise proved decisive.?4 


280 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


As part of the inquest into the train attack, Jesse Carr became friends with General Taylor, who in 
1848 would be elected the 12' President of the United States. Carr travelled to Washington for the 
inauguration, and in 1849 moved west to California as deputy collector of the Port of San Francisco. 
He was nominated for assemblyman and was elected as a member of the first California Legislature. 
In addition to his political work with the Democratic Party, he was involved in several mining and 


real estate ventures, owning a large range in Santa Cruz County.” 


In 1859, Jesse Carr moved to Monterey County and continued to grow his reputation and fortune. In 
1866 he established a stage coach line running from Virginia City, Nevada to Boise, Idaho. “From 
1866 to 1870, he was the largest stage contractor on the Pacific Coast, his contracts amounting to as 
much as $300,000 a year.”*46 Carr acquired vast land holdings in the Salinas Valley. He owned twenty 
thousand acres in Modoc County with five thousand cattle and five hundred horses. In Monterey 
County, he owned the forty-eight thousand acre Gabilan Ranch. Jesse Carr established the Montery 
County Bank in Salinas, and was the president of the Bank of Monterey. He died in Salinas on 
December 11, 1903 and “his passing was sincerely mourned by the entire State, to whom he had come 


to typify all that was best of an earlier generation.” 4” 


Jesse Carr’s descendants would also go on to great success in California. His son Larkin Wood Carr 
worked on his father’s stage lines, and had mining and real estate ventures of his own throughout the 
Southwest. In 1881 Larkin Carr was the foreman of the Grand Jury of Cochise County in Tombstone, 
Arizona during the time of Wyatt Earp. He later moved to Los Angeles and raised two children: 
Louise Brewer Carr and Jesse Douglas Carr. Louise married Dr. Henry H. Koons and became a 
prominent citizen of Los Angeles. Jesse Douglas Carr, namesake and grandson of the first Jesse Carr, 


became a prominent mechanical engineer.”4* 


Jesse Carr and Louisa Brewer’s younger son John Sterling Carr was the first mayor of Tucson, 
Arizona and was elected assistant postmaster of San Francisco. His son Sterling Douglas Carr became 
a prominent lawyer in San Francisco. He served as the United States District Attorney for Northern 
California. Although Sterling Brewer, Sr.’s youngest daughter Louisa died young, her children and 


grandchildren went on to great success. 
5. Reese Brewer (About 1736—About 1807) and Sally 


Sterling Brewer Sr.’s father was Reese Brewer. Reese was likely born shortly before 1736 in Virginia. 
His first name seems to have been spelled differently every time it was written down. Some 
variations are Rees, Reace, Rease, Ress, or even Repp.? I have chosen to use “Reese” throughout this 
document for the sake of consistency.*° Reese was probably from the southwestern portion of Isle of 
Wight County, which became Southampton County, Virginia in 1749 when Isle of Wight County was 
split.>! That is where his father, John Brewer, owned land. In his Will, this John Brewer named a son 


“Reace Brewer.” 252 


Despite these various spellings and some confusion about his ancestry, I believe there was only one 


man named Reese Brewer in Virginia and North Carolina during this time period. The best evidence 


281 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


for this claim is that we can clearly trace Reese’s path through different counties over time; I have not 
found any periods of overlapping references to men of the same name in different counties. Instead, 
we can follow Reese Brewer as he started his adult life in Sussex County, Virginia, moved west to 
Brunswick County, owned land in Lunenburg County, and then moved south to Halifax County, 
North Carolina. From there, he moved further west to Bute/Warren County, North Carolina, south to 
Wake County, North Carolina, and further west to Tennessee near the end of his life. The records tell 
the consistent story of one man, the son of John Brewer of Hertford County, who started life in 
southern Virginia and then spent periods in each of these locations, consistently moving south and 


west in search of new land and new opportunities. 


The first mention of Reese Brewer in the surviving records was when he served as a security in a 1757 
lawsuit in Sussex County, Virginia.*°> Sussex County lies just to the northwest of Isle of Wight and 
Southampton Counties. Reese would have been at least 21 years old, the legal age at this time. That 
puts his birth sometime before 1736. Two years later, Reese was a plaintiff in a suit in Sussex County, 
Virginia.» I have not found any records for Reese Brewer in Southampton County, despite many 
references for the rest of his family. That leads me to believe he did not stay in the Southampton long 
after reaching legal age. Instead, he moved west, first to Sussex County, and then to Brunswick 


County, Virginia. 
Brunswick County, Virginia and the Move to Halifax County, North Carolina 


By 1760 Reese Brewer was a resident of Brunswick County, Virginia, to the west of Southampton 
County. On March 4, 1760, “Rease” Brewer of Brunswick County, Virginia purchased 400 acres of 
land on Crabtree branch from William Lindsay for £75.75 The land was located in neighboring 
Lunenburg County, although Reese was described as residing in Brunswick.”>* On June 22, 1761, 
Reese appeared as a witness to a land transfer from John Stevens, Jr. to Robert Hicks in Brunswick 
County.*” I have not seen this record discussed by other researchers, but it is further evidence that 
Reese was a resident of Brunswick County during this time period. On November 16, 1762, he sold 
his 400 acres in Lunenburg County to Drury Robinson for £100.7°* By owning this land for two years, 
he realized a £25 profit. 


Reese purchased another 400 acre parcel in Lunenburg County in 1763 for £165. The following year, 
he sold this land to Thomas Twitty for £175.7 Reese made another small profit, and we learn that he 
had now moved to North Carolina. In this deed, Reese was described as “of the County of Halifax in 
the Province of North Carolina.”?¢! Halifax County, North Carolina was close to the Virginia/North 


Carolina border and was located directly south of Brunswick County, Virginia.” 


On July 23, 1765 “Reace Brewer” was a defendant in a suit brought by John Woodress in Brunswick 
County, Virginia. The suit stated that Reace was not an inhabitant of Brunswick County.” This 
makes sense since we just saw that he was a resident of North Carolina in 1764. These connections to 
Brunswick County, Virginia have led some researchers to speculate that our Reese Brewer was the 
grandson of George Brewer of Brunswick County. We know that Reese Brewer was the son of a man 


named John Brewer, and George had a son of that name. However, the records we have for George 


282 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


Brewer’s son John do not match up with the Hertford County John Brewer. This will hopefully 


become clear in the John Brewer of Hertford County section below. 
Bute County, North Carolina 


By 1770 Reese had moved west from Halifax County to Bute County, North Carolina. The first 
mention of Reese in Bute County is from May 9, 1770, when “Reece Brewer” was appointed as the 
overseer of a road.75+ Reese appeared in the 1771 tax records for Bute County.” There were several 


similar mentions in Bute County over the next few years.?6 


In 1777, Reese was granted a license to operate an Ordinary at the Bute County Court House.”67 An 
Ordinary was the equivalent of a pub or tavern. It would serve food and drink, and provide sleeping 
accommodations, at regulated prices. There was often an Ordinary located near the court house in the 
colonial period.” I have not seen any indication that Reese Brewer was a judge or lawyer, but as a 
land owner he was certainly involved in many legal matters and may have found running an 


Ordinary at the court house an attractive business and social venture.” 


On August 10, 1779, Reese Brewer purchased land from Moses Shearin in Bute County.?” The Brewer 
and Shearin/Shearon families would continue to be connected down through the generations. Reese 
had two granddaughters who married Thomas William Shearon: first Elizabeth Brewer, and then 
Letitia Harper Brewer after Elizabeth died.?”! On August 11, 1779, an orphan named Mary Wall was 
bound to Reese Brewer and his wife until she turned 18. Mary had previously been bound to William 
Tabb, who had died. The court charged the Brewers with teaching Mary to read and “the business of 


housewifery.”?” 


Reese’s father John Brewer died around this time period. On January 10, 1780, his Will was probated 
in Southampton County, Virginia, just to the north of Hertford County, North Carolina.” At the time 
of his death, John Brewer was married to a woman named Ann. However, he was previously married 
to a woman named Elizabeth, discussed below, who was likely Reese’s mother.?”* Along with the rest 
of the older set of brothers, Reese Brewer received the small inheritance of 5 shillings in the Will, 


likely an indication that he was already married and had land of his own. 
Warren County, North Carolina 


At the end of 1779, Bute County dissolved and split into Warren and Franklin Counties. Reese Brewer 
lived in the northern part of Bute County that became Warren County, since we see him in Warren 
County from its creation. Reese did not move, but now his records show up in the new county. The 
first entry we see is on February 14, 1780. Reese Brewer was again granted a license to keep an 
Ordinary at his house.?”> Remember that his previous Ordinary was located at the Bute County Court 
House. When the County split, the courthouse was likely renamed as well. So the Ordinary probably 


stayed in the same location near the old court house, which was near Reese Brewer’s home. 


On February 16, 1780 Reese appeared with Hardy Brewer, William Haines, and Benjamin Thomas 


and agreed to give evidence for the State against Robert Caller, Jr. in a counterfeit money case in 


283 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


neighboring Halifax County. Hardy Brewer was Reese’s younger (half?) brother. On the same day, 
Robert Caller, Jr. was brought into court and ordered to “keep the peace of the said State, one year 
and a day with all the subjects therein especially with Reece Brewer.” ?” Being ordered to “keep the 
peace” was similar to the modern practice of probation, and Caller had to post a security of £1,000 as 
an incentive towards his good behavior. It is interesting to imagine what might have occurred 
between Reese and Robert Caller, and whether it arose from Caller trying to give Reese counterfeit 
money. 


xENTON 
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A Map Showing the Warren County and Bute County Court Houses?” 


During this time period the Revolutionary War was in full force in North Carolina. It seems likely 
that Reese would have served in some capacity. There is a record for a private “Rice Brewer” in the 
34 North Carolina Regiment of the Continental Army under Captain Samuel Jones.” This Rice 
Brewer joined on January 1, 1781 and served for one year. The 3"¢ Regiment saw many changes over 
the course of the war, but did include soldiers from nearby Halifax County.?” There were also local 
militias formed in every county, and if this “Rice Brewer” was not our Reese, it is likely that he was 
involved in the war in some capacity. Reese Brewer was later granted land patents based on his 
military service. 


There is a small gap in the records that could indicate Reese was away at war around 1781. The only 
mention in court records from this time is Reese being included in a list of “insolvents, mistakes, and 


duplications in assessments” in Warren County.”° The next record we have for Reese is jury service 


284 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


on February 14, 1782.78! On May 13, 1783, Thomas Twitty was a witness in a suit between Reece 
Brewer and the Estate of Wood Malone for the amount of 7 shillings. Given this small amount, it 
seems likely that Reese was not related to Malone, but instead simply held a small debt against the 
Estate.7*? On October 28, 1784 Reese Brewer was a member of the jury in a case involving his old 


adversary Robert Caller, Jr.?8 


Reese Brewer appeared on the 1785 North Carolina Census in Warren County with his name 
transcribed as “Ross Brewer.”?5+ Reese Brewer was in his late 40s or early 50s at this time. There were 
three white males younger than 21 or older than 60 in the household. They were likely his sons Allen, 
Sterling, and John Brewer. Our evidence for Reese’s oldest son Allen is an August 4, 1786 Warren 
County Bill of Sale from Reese “to his son, Allan Brewer[.]” Reese sold Allen a slave for £20, 8 
shillings.”* If Allen was about 21 years old when he purchased the slave, he could have still been a 
minor as of the 1785 census. There is no separate record for Allen Brewer on the 1785 census. Allen 


was not mentioned in Reese’s Will, so he may have died before 1806.786 


The remaining two sons are more straightforward. Sterling and John Brewer are both confirmed sons 
mentioned in Reese Brewer's Will.287 We know our ancestor Sterling Brewer, Sr. was born on March 
28, 1770 from the Family Bible records, making him about 14 on this 1785 census.”** John Brewer was 
likely born after 1774, because I believe he was the male under 16 who appears with Reese Brewer on 


the 1790 census discussed below. That would make him 10 or younger as of the 1785 census. 


The 1785 census also shows five white females and nine black slaves in the household. From Reese 
Brewer's Will, I believe these women were his wife Sally and his daughters Betsey, Jean, Priscilla, and 
Sally.?® Betsey was likely the eldest daughter. This is based on the age of Betsey’s future husband, a 
man named Drury Christian who was born on August 16, 1766.2 Their marriage record is undated 
in the surviving abstract, but does note that Allen Brewer (Betsey’s older brother) was the bondsman 


and witness.??! 


Reese Brewer was mentioned in the Warren County, North Carolina court records for various reasons 
from 1787 to 1789: in a lawsuit against William Brogdon,”” as a witness in another lawsuit,? as one 
of the men responsible for working on a road overseen by Aaron Shearon,™ as a purchaser at several 
estate sales, and as part of a road survey crew.” On May 27, 1790, a deed from Reese Brewer to 
Richard Ellis was registered.?*” Reese was preparing to move his family south to Wake County, North 
Carolina. In fact he may have already left Warren County, with the deed being registered after the 
sale had been completed. 


Wake County, North Carolina 


There is an entry that has been transcribed as “Rice Brewer” on the 1790 census for Wake County, 
North Carolina.”® Viewing the original document, the name could just as easily be “Rees” .*° There 
were two white males 16 years or older, one white male under 16, three white females, and eleven 
slaves. The older males were likely Reese and his son Sterling Brewer. My guess is that Allen Brewer 
now headed his own household elsewhere, since he would have been about 25 years old and we 


know he already owned at least one slave. Reese’s son John Brewer was probably the male under 


285 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


16. The three women must have been Reese’s wife Sally and two of their daughters. I suspect Priscilla 
and Sally were still living at home on this 1790 census, since they appear to have been unmarried as 
of Reese’s 1806 Will, while Betsey and Jean Brewer were married at that time.%! 


On April 14, 1795, a bond was posted by Sterling Brewer in support of his father Reese Brewer of 
Wake County in a lawsuit against Morris J. Wilkes, Esq. of Brunswick County, Virginia.*? The suit 
was filed in Orange County, North Carolina, just to the west of Wake County. Although I have no 
information about the origins of this lawsuit, I do know that Reese and his son Sterling were heavily 
involved in acquiring and trading land grants during this time period. It is not hard to imagine how 
that would lead to being involved in legal matters throughout the area. 


A large number of North Carolina land grants were awarded to men who had served in the 
Revolution. Although the grants originated from North Carolina, the land was located in what is now 
Tennessee, which had originally been part of the western half of North Carolina. One example is 
Warrant No. 4526, issued “in consideration of service performed by Reese Brewer to the State of 
North Carolina.”°° The warrant was initially granted on December 24, 1796. This was the first step in 
a rather lengthy process. After the warrant was issued, a survey had to be conducted to describe the 
land in detail. Then a grant would be issued, which could be recorded in the county where the land 


was located.3% 


A 1778 Map Showing North Carolina Extending West to the Mississippi River®™ 


The land covered by Warrant No. 4526 was located in what would become Wilson County, 
Tennessee. The original survey was for 320 acres. The bottom of the survey order indicates that 
“Daniel Fowler is entitled to the benefit of this warrant.”*°° It appears that Reese transferred his 
interest to Daniel Fowler, which was a common practice, and Fowler in turn seems to have sold the 
land to other parties. The land was not surveyed until 1809, several years after Reese Brewer had 
died.°°” Eventually it was divided into smaller parcels, and several grants were issued to “James 
Greer, assignee of the said Reese Brewer” on April 4, 1811.5% 


286 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


A few more records exist for Reese Brewer in Wake County, North Carolina before he travelled west 
to Tennessee. On February 4, 1800, Reese sold a 10 year old slave named Jerry or Jeremiah to James 
Coman for $200.2 This deed was witnessed by S. Brewer, likely his son Sterling.5!9 On May 13, 1800, 
Reese sold a female slave named Milly.*"! This document was witnessed by a “Batt(sp?) Fowler.” The 
deed was not formally entered until 1822, and at this time two further witnesses testified to the 
authenticity of the document. The first was Charles A. Thomas, who testified that he was well 
acquainted with “Ress Brewer”, and in fact had married one of his daughters. He explained that 
Reese had removed to the State of Tennessee and (as of 1822, the year of this testimony) had died 
several years ago. This reference helps us determine the husband of Reese Brewer’s daughter Jean, 
who was mentioned in his Will as Jean Thomas. Additionally, Joseph Fowler testified to the 
handwriting of his brother Batt Fowler, who had died in 1814.55 There may be a connection between 


these Fowlers and the Daniel Fowler who acquired Reese Brewer’s land warrant discussed above. 
Robertson and Dickson County, Tennessee 


The first record for Reese Brewer in Tennessee shows him selling a slave named Sam, age 20, to his 
son Sterling Brewer for $400 on October 9, 1802.3!* This transaction took place in Robertson County, 
part of which would become Dickson County, Tennessee the following year. The Brewer family 
would become well-established in this part of Tennessee. On March 19, 1804, Sterling Brewer was 
appointed one of the inaugural Justices of the Peace in Dickson County.35 Reese’s son-in-law Drury 
Christian was as appointed Sherriff pro tempore.3!6 In March of 1805, Reese sold another slave to his 


son Sterling Brewer, witnessed by Drury Christian.?” 


Near the end of his life, Reese was still working to obtain land in Tennessee. He petitioned the North 
Carolina legislature for a military land warrant on behalf of his brother Jacob Brewer. Reese claimed 
that Jacob served in the North Carolina line for two years, died in service at Alexandria, Virginia, and 
that Reese was his only heir. The petition was rejected on November 27, 1807, although we don’t 
know on what grounds.*!8 In fact, Reese had died while this petition was being considered. We know 
that John Brewer of Hertford County also had a son named Jacob, so this further evidence that he was 


the father of our Reese Brewer as well. 


On August 12, 1806, Reese Brewer of Dickson County, Tennessee signed his Will.°° The Will 
establishes several new facts and confirms other information. First, Reese’s wife was named Sally. He 
left Sally all of his personal estate and property. At her death, the property was to be divided among 
his children. Son John Brewer received a negro boy named Stephen, while daughter Priscilla Brewer 
received a negro girl named Clary. A negro woman named Amy and her increase were to be divided 
between John and Priscilla. Daughter Sally Brewer inherited one negro boy named Harry and one 
negro girl named Cate. At his wife’s death, all of Reese Brewer’s furniture and stock were to be 


divided among his three youngest children, specifically named as John, Priscilla, and Sally. 


287 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


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The older children were also mentioned in the Will. Son Sterling Brewer and son-in-law Drury 
Christian each received one dollar. It seems likely that Betsey Brewer had died by 1806 since only her 
husband Drury was mentioned in the Will. Daughter Jean Thomas received a negro woman named 
Fillis and a negro boy named Claborn; her son William Thomas received a negro boy named Peter. 
Reese Brewer’s Will was found in the un-indexed records available digitally on FamilySearch.org; it 
was likely not available to earlier Brewer researchers. The Will firmly establishes Reese Brewer was 
the father of our ancestor Sterling Brewer, Sr. which had long been suspected. 


Children of Reese Brewer and Sally (Unknown): 


1; Allen BREWER was born about 1765 in North Carolina**! and may have died before 1806, 
possibly in Tennessee.?22 

ii. Betsey BREWER was born around 1767 in North Carolina and likely died before 1806.°* 
She married Drury CHRISTIAN in Warren County, North Carolina.2%4 

iii. Sterling BREWER, Sr. was born 28 Mar 1770 in Bute County, North Carolina and died 6 


Jul 1832 in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee.*% He married Nissey Betsey 
THOMAS on 18 Aug 1791 in Wake County, North Carolina.*6 


288 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


iv. Jean BREWER was born about 1772 in Bute County, North Carolina.*”” She married 
Charles Allen THOMAS (brother of Nissey Betsey THOMAS).°28 


Vv. John BREWER was born after 1774 in North Carolina? and died June 1844 in Dickson 
County, Tennessee.*° He married Susan (Unknown).*3! 
vi. Priscilla BREWER was born about 1776 in Bute County, North Carolina.52 


vii. Sally BREWER was born about 1778 in Bute County, North Carolina.* 
6. John Brewer of Hertford County (About 1705-Before 1780) and Elizabeth 


John Brewer was likely born around 1705 to 1710 in Virginia.** To distinguish him from several other 
John Brewers in this area in the 18" Century, genealogists generally refer to him as John Brewer of 
Hertford County, North Carolina. Although his Will was probated in Southampton County, Virginia 
in 1780, he is noted as “of Hertford County” in the first line of that document, which has proved a 
useful way to distinguish him from other men of the same name.** Hertford County, North Carolina 
lies just south of Southampton County, Virginia. John appears to have spent most of his adult life in 


southern Virginia, but he may have also owned land in North Carolina resided there near the end of 
his life.*6 


A 1796 Map Showing Southern Virginia and the Border with North Carolina*’ 


The first record that is likely to be from our John Brewer, father of Reese, comes from July 17, 1738. 
On that date, John witnessed a land sale from Hugh Matthews to James Ridley in Isle of Wight 
County.*** The land was located near Angelica Swamp in the southern part of the County that would 
become Southampton County when it was created in 1749.5° In this part of Virginia, the word 
“swamp” was used for a small creek that feeds into a larger river, and does not indicate that the land 
would be unsuitable for farming. Quite the opposite, since rivers were the main transportation 
system that allowed goods to easily reach other markets. Angelica Swamp (Angelico Creek on 
modern maps) drains into Three Creeks, which itself drains into the larger Nottoway River.*0 Based 
on this document, I believe John Brewer likely owned land in Isle of Wight County before 1738. 
Witnesses to land transactions were often nearby friends and neighbors. Tracking John’s connection 


289 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


to this area over time is also helpful to ensure we are looking at the correct John Brewer, since there 


were multiple men of this name in the southern part of Virginia during this time period. 


On April 3, 1741 John Brewer witnessed a sale from Charles Hicks of Brunswick County, Virginia to 
Timothy Tharp (or Thorp) of Isle of Wight for 650 acres on the north side of the Meherrin River. 
Fellow researcher Dave Brewer notes that this conveyance was recorded in Surry County, and I have 
not yet seen the original record.*4! As seen on the previous page, the Meherrin River generally runs to 
the south and west of Three Creeks, along the Virginia/North Carolina border and then further south 
into North Carolina. It formed part of the border between Isle of Wight, Surry (then Sussex), and 


Brunswick Counties.32 


While there were prominent Brewer families in Brunswick County, and we saw that Reese Brewer 
lived there for several years, I do not believe this transaction is evidence that John of Hertford County 
was Closely related to the Brunswick County Brewer line. Instead, it appears that one of John’s 
neighbors, Timothy Tharp, was purchasing additional land upstream (i.e., west) on Three Creeks in 
Brunswick County. The deed was likely signed in Isle of Wight County near Tharp’s existing land, in 


the presence of his neighbors as witnesses. 


On May 20, 1742, John Brewer received a land grant of 50 acres on the south side of Three Creeks in 
Isle of Wight County. Although styled as a grant, John paid 5 shillings for the land, rather than 
claiming it as a headright for transporting himself or other passengers to the colony. The land 
adjoined that of Robert Jones and William Seward, and again was in the part of the County that 
would become Southampton a few years later.* John Brewer and his wife Elizabeth sold this same 
tract of land to Timothy Tharp for £12 in 1743, making a nice profit.*44 We don’t currently know 
Elizabeth’s maiden name or the details of their marriage, although it was likely around 1730 based on 


the age of their eldest son. 


Dave Brewer reports that in 1746 “Robert Jones of Albemarle Parish in Surry County conveyed to his 
son James Jones of Nottoway Parish in Isle of Wight County, 300 acres in Nottoway Parish on the 
west side of Angelica Swamp, adjoining Timothy Tharp, formerly granted to John Brewer, Benjamin 
Seward, Richard Lane, and Hugh Matthews.” Based on land grants to the men named here, these 
300 acres likely consisted of smaller parcels, possibly including the 50 acres acquired by John of 
Hertford County in 1742, that were acquired and then combined by Robert Jones before transferring 


them to his son.346 


John Brewer would continue to be involved in land transactions in the Angelica Swamp and Three 
Creeks area for the next thirty years. This area was part of Isle of Wight County, Virginia until 1749, 
when it became part of the newly formed Southampton County. Three Creeks enters the Nottoway 
River about five miles downstream from Sussex County, which was part of Surry County up until 
1754. The Brunswick County line was about twenty miles to the west, and the North Carolina border 


was about twenty-five miles to the south. 


290 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


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Nottoway River” 


There was an earlier man named John Brewer who owned land near Assamoosick Swamp, also in Isle 
of Wight County. This area is only about six to ten miles to the east of where Three Creeks drains into 
the Nottoway River. This John Brewer was patenting land as early as 1725 and appears to have died 
by 1738.48 So far, I have not been able to definitely connect John Brewer of Hertford to this man who 


shared the same name and lived only a few miles away. 


In 1750 John Brewer acquired additional land on the south side of Three Creeks from a man named 
Joshua Nicholson of Surry County. He paid £45 for 110 acres of land.*9 Part of the land bordered the 
property of Joel Harris. Along with the same Joel Harris and John Davis, John Brewer served as 
witness to a land sale on the north side of Three Creeks between Edmund Pate and William Rose 
around this same time.3°° Later in 1750, John would serve as a witness in a lawsuit between Thomas 
Moore and Henry Rose, and was paid fifty pounds of his tobacco for his two days attendance at 


court.*! 


On November 16, 1752, John Brewer and his wife Elizabeth sold 110 acres of land near Three Creeks 
back to Joshua Nicholson, the same man that John had purchased the land from two years before.* 
John and Elizabeth originally paid £45 for this parcel and they sold it for £65, making another nice 
profit in two years of ownership. Two of the witnesses to this transaction were Timothy Thorp and 


291 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


James Jones.* Timothy Thorp must have been the neighbor that was written as Timothy Tharp when 
John Brewer sold him land on Three Creeks back in 1743. James Jones was the son of another man 
named James Jones from Prince George County, Virginia. In his father’s 1725 Will, the younger James 
Jones was given 100 acres on the upper side of Three Creeks in Isle of Wight (now Southampton) 
County where he already had a plantation.*** On November 3, 1752, Timothy Thorp, James Jones, and 
John Myrick filed a petition to build a new bridge at “Brewers” on Three Creek. 


From his Will, we know that John Brewer of Hertford County had a son also named John.%°6 On July 
9, 1752, John Martin petitioned the Southampton court to recover a debt against John Brewer, 
Junior.*” The petition was dismissed by the parties later in the year, so the younger Brewer likely 
found a way to re—pay his debt.** The legal age was 21 in colonial Virginia, so John Brewer, Jr. must 
have been born before 1732 in order to be party to a lawsuit by 1752. This date likely provides a 


rough estimate of John Brewer’s marriage to Elizabeth around 1730. 


In 1753 John Brewer was a witness to a land sale from David and Elizabeth Wiggons to Thomas 
Kinsey in the Three Creeks area. Other witnesses were James Ridley and Hardy Harris.%° Later in 
1753, John Brewer purchased 150 acres on the south side of Three Creeks from Joseph and Elizabeth 
Matthews.° Joseph appears to have been a son of Hugh Matthews, the man whose Angelica Swamp 
land sale John Brewer had witnessed back in 1738.36! In 1754 John Brewer served as a witness for a 
contract between James Ridley and William and Elizabeth Matthews.* He signed his name as “John 
Brewer, Sen” to distinguish himself from his son John Brewer, Jr.°® During this time period, the 
senior/junior appellation was generally only used when there were two men of legal age who shared 


the same name in the same area. 


From 1757 to 1760, John Brewer was mentioned several times in the Southampton court records: he 
was appointed surveyor of a highway, he was a witness in an estate proceeding,*® and he received 
175 pounds of tobacco for serving as a witness at court. On November 10, 1762, John Brewer was 
witness to a sale between Frances and Winney Hilliard and Edward Reese. The Hilliard’s sold Reese 
130 acres on the north side of Three Creeks.*°” This transaction is interesting for two reasons. First, 
this is the next time we see John Brewer signing a document after 1754, and he was no longer using 
“Senior” after his name. My guess is that his son John had moved to a different area by this time. The 
second fact that stands out is the “Reese” surname. Is there a possible connection between this 
Edward Reese and the unusual first name “Reese” of John Brewer’s second oldest son? This is an area 


for further research. 


In September of 1766, the records of an Estate Sale for Hodges Councill appear in Southampton 
County. Unfortunately, Hodges Councill did not leave a Will.*°° But we can consider some possible 
relationships based on the surviving Estate documents. The profits from the sale appear to have been 
evenly divided between five parties: Sarah Councill (the widow of Hodges Councill), James Councill, 
Matt Vick, Michael Brewer, and John Brewer. The most likely reason, in my opinion, for this equal 
division of the property is that these four men were the surviving family members. James Councill 
was likely Hodges’ son.37 Were Matt Vick, Michael Brewer, and John Brewer all sons-in-law of 
Hodges Councill?7! 


292 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


The Hodges Councill in this 1766 estate document appears to have been Hodges Councill IIL, the 
descendant of an early planter in Isle of Wight County, Virginia of the same name. The first Hodges 
Councill died about 1699 in Isle of Wight County.3” One of the sons of this first Hodges was Hardy 
Councill. Hardy was appointed sheriff of Isle of Wight County in 1727, and appears to have 
succeeded a man named Thomas Brewer, a possible relative of our John Brewer, in that position.*? As 
further evidence of this connection, John Brewer of Hertford County named one of his youngest sons 
Hardy. This is all circumstantial evidence that John Brewer’s wife may have been a Councill. But 


then the question becomes which of his wives? 


On January 25, 1768, as part of a land sale record, we learn that John of Hertford County was now 
married to a woman named Ann.°” His first wife Elizabeth had died by this time, since divorce was 
not possible in colonial Virginia.>”° Unfortunately, because women were so infrequently mentioned in 
the surviving records, we don’t know when between 1753 and 1768 Elizabeth might have died and 
John might have remarried. Thus even if John Brewer married a woman named Councill, I am not 
sure if she was Elizabeth or Ann. In the 1768 sale, John and his wife Ann sold William Kemp 150 
acres on the south side of the Nottoway River. This land was part of a larger 740 acre parcel that had 
been originally been patented by Henry Rose, and was likely the same 150 acres that John Brewer had 
acquired from Joseph Matthews in 1753.°”” William Kemp later sold these 150 acres to Amos Harris, 


mentioned above as another Three Creeks neighbor of John Brewer.°” 


As part of this transaction, Ann Brewer released her right of dower in the land. This was a standard 
practice in land sales at this time. Although women had very few property rights, they did retain an 
interest in part of the land after their husband’s death, and that interest had to be signed away under 
their own free will as part of a land sale. The witnesses to this instrument were Joshua Nicholson, 
Aaron Thorpe, and Judith Porter.3”? Joshua Nicholson was likely the son of the Joshua Nicholson 
mentioned above, and Aaron Thorpe may have been related to Timothy Thorpe.**° Along with being 
in the same location near Three Creeks, this continuity of friends and neighbors shows that the John 


Brewer who was married to Elizabeth is also the same man who was now married to Ann. 


In the next several years we see three more children of John Brewer of Hertford County come of age. 
A 1769 Southampton County court case was brought by Joseph Scott to collect a debt against Jacob 
Brewer, who did not appear in court to defend himself.**! In 1770, Jesse Brewer served on a jury.** 
And in 1774, John Brewer brought a case against Meredith Johnson on behalf of his minor daughter 
Elizabeth Brewer.°83 Jacob, Jesse, and Elizabeth Brewer are all children mentioned in John Brewer’s 
1780 Will. That Elizabeth was a minor in 1774 suggests that she was born after 1753. We have now 
seen references to most of John Brewer's eldest children in the Southampton County records. The 
exception is our ancestor Reese Brewer, which leads me to believe he moved to neighboring Sussex 


County shortly after reaching adulthood. 


The 1774 lawsuit on behalf of his daughter is the last record we have for John Brewer before he died. 
On January 10, 1780, his widow Ann presented his Will and was named Executrix.**4 While the Will 


itself only refers to “my loving wife,” John appointed his wife and his son Hardy Brewer Executors of 


293 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


his Will. Later, Ann and Hardy Brewer presented themselves in court as the Executors. Thus John’s 


wife at the time of his death must have been named Ann. 


As noted above, the Will stated that John Brewer was “of Hertford County and Province of North 
Carolina, Planter.” His widow Ann was given his best new feather bed and one half of the household 
furniture during her life or widowhood. John then listed bequests to his children in what I take to be 
roughly their order of birth. However, four sons were listed first and then four daughters; that may 
not be their exact birth order. The four oldest sons were John, Reace, Jacob, and Jesse. They all 
received 5 shillings. The daughters were Patience**, Elizabeth, Ann, and Francis. The first three all 
received 5 shillings like their brothers. 


Noticeably lacking in John’s Will was any disposition of land or slaves, even to his surviving widow. 
It is possible that he had already sold all of his land in Southampton County, Virginia by 1768. John 
Brewer received a grant of 50 acres in 1742 and then sold 50 acres in 1743. He purchased 110 acres in 
1750 and sold those same 110 acres in 1752. He purchased 150 acres in 1753 and sold those same 150 
acres in 1768. So for any land he acquired in Southampton County, we also have record of a sale. To 
me, it looks like John used his smaller holdings to slowly acquire more land. He may have owned 
land in other counties that I have yet to discover, particularly Hertford County, North Carolina.**° 
Since he was described in his Will as “Planter,” it seems unlikely that he did not own a substantial 
tract of land somewhere. Perhaps it was given or sold to his children in other transactions separate 
from his Will. 


John’s youngest daughter Francis received John’s smallest feather bed, along with sheets, blanket, 
and a rug. Next come bequests to what I interpret as the two youngest sons. Hardy Brewer received 
one feather bed and furniture, along with on half of the household furniture. If Hardy died without 
marrying, then his share would go to Henry Brewer. Henry was to receive widow Ann’s share upon 


her death or remarriage. 


Because we don’t know exactly when John’s first wife Elizabeth died, it is difficult to determine the 
correct mother for all of his children. John, Jr., Reese, Jacob, and Jesse were all definitely born before 
1753, which is the year of our last record for Elizabeth, so they must be her children. If Patience was 
the eldest daughter, then she was also likely born to Elizabeth. From John Brewer's court case on 
behalf of his minor daughter Elizabeth, we know she was born sometime after 1753. Her mother may 
have been Elizabeth, dying during childbirth or shortly after, leading to her daughter being named in 
her honor. My suspicion is that this is what happened, although it is equally possible that some or all 


of the remaining Brewer children were born to Elizabeth instead of Ann. 


294 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


The Will of John Brewer of Hertford County, 1780°°” 


Many online trees incorrectly list our John Brewer as the son of George Brewer of Brunswick County, 
Virginia. This mistake stems from the work of Marvin Broyhill, published in The Brewer Families of 
Colonial Virginia and repeated by Ben R. Brewer in The Long Brewer Line.5** The confusion is 
understandable given the large number of Brewer men sharing similar names in southern Virginia 
and northern North Carolina during this time period. However, our John Brewer of Hertford County 


was not the son of George Brewer. The George Brewer who lived in Brunswick County, Virginia did 


295 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


have a son named John. However, the records show this John started his life in Brunswick County, 
Virginia and then moved to Northampton, Orange and Chatham Counties in North Carolina.**° From 
the discussion above, it is clear that John Brewer of Hertford County lived in Isle of Wight and 
Southampton County, Virginia during this time period, not North Carolina. There is no primary 
evidence indicating that John Brewer of Hertford County was the son of this George Brewer, and 
indeed all the available evidence indicates they were two separate men living around the same time 


but in different locations.3” 


At this point it is difficult to determine the origins of John Brewer of Hertford County. A man named 
William Brewer, Sr. who died in Isle of Wight County, Virginia in 1749 is a possible father of John 
Brewer of Hertford County. There is a very well researched line of Virginia Brewers starting with a 
man called John Brewer I, born about 1595 in London. He was an early immigrant to Warwick 
County, Virginia. His sons and grandsons were prominent landowners in Warwick, Isle of Wight, 
Nansemond, and Surry Counties. Because the line of John Brewer I includes several generations of 
early Virginia colonists and ties back to a reputable Brewer family in England, it is very tempting to 


create a link from our John Brewer of Hertford County and his known descendants. 


There is some evidence that William Brewer, Sr. descends from John Brewer I, but that is not certain. 
If he does, and if he was the father of John Brewer of Herford County, that would connect us to this 
early Brewer line. For the sake of future researchers, I have included my notes on this family in 
Appendix I at the end of this book, entitled “The Earliest Virginia Brewers.” Because I cannot make a 
solid case for our connection to that line, I believe it should be separated from our known Brewer 


ancestors. 
Children of John Brewer and Elizabeth (Unknown, Possibly Councill): 


i. John BREWER, Jr. was born before 1732 in Virginia.*! 
ii. | Reese BREWER was born before 1736 in Virginia and died about 1807 in Dickson County, 
Tennessee.**> He married Sally (Unknown). 
ili. Jacob BREWER was born before 1748 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia.°4 
iv. Jesse BREWER was born before 1749 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia.°® 
v. Patience BREWER was likely born before 1753 in Southampton County, Virginia.>* 


Children of John Brewer and Unknown Spouse (Either Elizabeth or Ann, Possibly Councill): 


Vi. Elizabeth BREWER was born after 1753 in Southampton County, Virginia.°” 
Vii. Ann BREWER was likely born about 1755 — 1765 in Southampton County, Virginia.9% 
viii. | Frances BREWER was likely born about 1755 — 1765 in Southampton County, Virginia.°” 
ix. Hardy BREWER was likely born about 1755 — 1760 in Southampton County, Virginia.“° He 
married Sally LAMKIN (or LAMPKIN) on 19 Sep 1780 in Warren County, North Carolina.* 
x. | Henry BREWER was likely born about 1755 — 1765 in Southampton County, Virginia.* 


296 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


References for Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


! Ancestry.com, U.S. Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014, Record for Grace James, Social Security 
No. 409-30-6433, Birth Date 10 Apr 1890, Death Date Jan 1973. 

> Ancestry.com, 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Civil District 10, Montgomery, Tennessee; 
Page: 8; Enumeration District: 0033; FHL Film No. 1241590. 

3 Ancestry.com, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Civil District 10, Montgomery, Tennessee; 
Roll: T624_1513; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 0126; FHL Microfilm No. 1375526. The family 
surname is mistakenly transcribed as “Brown” on Ancestry.com. 

“Henry S. James, “Grace Brewer James”, in Sterling Cage Brewer, Page 5, available on 
ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

5 Ancestry.com, 1920 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Nashville Ward 22, Davidson, Tennessee; 
Roll: T625_1735; Page 17B; Enumeration District: 87. 

6 Ibid. Native Americans is currently the more popular term, but I have kept Hank’s use of “Indians” 
here as that was more common during this time period. 

7 The Daily Oklahoman, “Sixty are Enrolled in Picher Bible School” (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 22 
Jun 1925), Page 7, available at: newspapers.com/clip/24972324/picher-bible-school-grace- 
brewer/?xid=637. 

8 Grace Brewer's Bride’s Book, “Party for Bride-Elect”, Page 2, available on ChristensenJames tree on 
Ancestry.com. 

9 Ibid. 

10 Grace Brewer's Bride’s Book, Pages 4-5, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

11 Nashville Banner, “Miss Grace Brewer and Mr. William James” (Nashville, Tennessee 20 Dec 1925), 
Page 33, available at: newspapers.com/clip/48501982/nashville-banner/?xid=637. 

12 Grace Brewer and William James Wedding Announcements, available on ChristensenJames tree on 
Ancestry.com. 

13 Ancestry.com, Oklahoma County Marriage Records, 1890-1995, Marriage of Grace Brewer and 
William J. James, 31 Dec 1925, Ottawa, Oklahoma, FHL Film No. 001305659; FamilySearch.org, 
Ottawa County, Oklahoma Marriage Records, 1907-1952, Vol. 11, Page 574, Record 7045, Image 94. 

14 [bid. 

15 Grace Brewer's Bride’s Book, Page 10, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

16 Ibid., Page 11. 

1” Ibid., Page 9. 

18 Henry Sterling James Birth Certificate, only available for registered immediate family, available at: 
christensenjames.com/showmedia.php?medialD=265. Birth year can be verified publicly on the 1930 
Census. 

19 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Wills and Probate Records, 1779-2008, Will of S.C. Brewer, Probate Date 15 
Aug 1931, Davidson, Tennessee, Wills Vols. 47-48, 1930-1932. 

20 Henry S. James, “Grace Brewer James”, in Sterling Cage Brewer, Page 5, available on 
ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

1 Ancestry.com, Texas Death Certificates, 1903-1982, Record for J C Strong, Birth Date 4 Mar 1894, 
Birmingham, Alabama, Death Date 16 Jun 1947, Houston, Harris, Texas. 

22 Ancestry.com, U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925, National Archives and Records Administration 
(NARA), Washington D.C., Vol. 158: Great Britain, Record for John Coulbourn Strong, Passport issue 
date 15 Oct 1918. 


297 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


23 Ancestry.com, London, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1754-1932, Marriage of 
William James James and Dorothy Grace Christina Morria Taylor, 28 Feb 1916, Hackney, Christ 
Church, Clapton, England. 

24 Ancestry.com, U.S. Passport Applications, 1795-1925, National Archives and Records Administration 
(NARA), Washington D.C., Vol. 158: Great Britain, Record for John Coulbourn Strong, Passport issue 
date October 15, 1918; Ancestry.com, Delaware Marriage Records, 1750-1954, Marriage of George 
Strong and Madeline Hart, 7 Sep 1940, Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware. 

25 Ben Paynter, “Take a Tour of America’s Most Toxic Town” (Wired 2010), available at: 
wired.com/2010/08/ff_ madmaxtown/. 

6 C, Allan Mathews and Frank D. Wood, “Picher” (Oklahoma Historical Society), available at: 
okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entry=P1002. 

27 Paynter, “Take a Tour of America’s Most Toxic Town”. 

28 Mathews and Wood, “Picher”. 

29 Paynter, “Take a Tour of America’s Most Toxic Town”. 

30 Ibid. 

31 Ancestry.com, 1930 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee; Page: 11A; 
Enumeration District: 0072; FHL Film No. 2341976. 

32 Ancestry.com, 1940 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee; Roll: m- 
t0627-03975; Page: 14B; Enumeration District: 99-153. 

33 Henry S. James, “Grace Brewer James”, in Sterling Cage Brewer, Page 5, available on 
ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

34 Ancestry.com, U.S. Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014, Record for Grace James, Social Security 
No. 409-30-6433, Death Date Jan 1973. 

35 Henry S. James, “Grace Brewer James”, in Sterling Cage Brewer, Page 5, available on 
ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

36 Henry Sterling James Birth Certificate, only available for registered immediate family, available at: 
christensenjames.com/showmedia.php?medialD=265. Birth year can be verified publicly on the 1930 
Census. 

37 The Tennessean, “Miss Mary Noles Weds Mr. James” (Nashville, Tennessee 19 Mar 1948), Page 27, 
available at: newspapers.com/clip/63211314/marriage-of-noles-james/?xid=637. 

38 Sterling Brewer, Sr. Family Bible, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

39 Ibid. 

40 Margaret Brewer Boone, “Sterling Cage Brewer”, available on ChristensenJames tree on 
Ancestry.com. 

“I Ibid. The Image at left was provided by Hank James, and shows Sterling Cage Brewer circa 1900. 

“ FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Dr. Alva D. Cage (23 Dec 1806-14 Apr 1879), Memorial No. 
47077291, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/47077291/alva-d_-cage. 

43 Clarksville Weekly Chronicle, “Alva Douglas Cage, M.D.” (Clarksville, Tennessee 24 May 1879), 
Page 4, available at: newspapers.com/clip/53597177/clarksville-weekly-chronicle/?xid=637. 

44 Ibid. 

4 Ancestry.com, 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 10 and 14, Montgomery, Tennessee; 
Roll: 1272; Page: 311A; Enumeration District: 137. 

46 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of Sterling C Brewer and Mazie E 
Tink, 17 Jun 1889, Cheatham, Tennessee; Brewer Family Bible. 

47 Ancestry.com, U.S. Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014, Record for Grace James, Social Security 
No. 409-30-6433, Birth Date 10 Apr 1890, Death Date Jan 1973. 


298 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


48 Boone, “Sterling Cage Brewer”; Ancestry.com, 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Civil District 
10, Montgomery, Tennessee; Page: 8; Enumeration District: 033; FHL Film No. 1241590. 

“9 Boone, “Sterling Cage Brewer”. 

50 Ibid. 

51 [bid. 

52 The Leaf-Chronicle, “Sterling Brewer Dies at Age 64” (Clarksville, Tennessee 10 Aug 1931), Page 1, 
available at: newspapers.com/clip/48501669/the-leaf-chronicle/?xid=637. 

53 These books are still in the possession of Hank James, and are set to be passed on to his grandson 
Mark James. 

54 Sterling C. Brewer, “My First Acquaintance with Dickens” (Christian Advocate 14 Sep 1917), Page 
11. 

55 Ancestry.com, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Civil District 10, Montgomery, Tennessee; 
Roll: T624_1513; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 0126; FHL Film No. 1375526. 

56 Boone, “Sterling Cage Brewer”. 

57 Ibid. 

58 Ancestry.com, 1920 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Nashville Ward 22, Davidson, Tennessee; 
Roll: T625_1735; Page 17B; Enumeration District: 87. 

5° Nashville Banner, “Mrs. Sterling C. Brewer” (Nashville, Tennessee 12 Mar 1928), Page 2, available 
at: newspapers.com/clip/48501225/nashville-banner/?xid=637. This obituary lists her as 80 years old, 
but that appears to be a mistake. Mazie was born in 1864, so she was around 64 when she died. 

60 Ancestry.com, 1930 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee; Page 11A; 
Enumeration District: 0072; FHL Film No. 2341976. 

61 The Leaf-Chronicle, “Sterling Brewer Dies at Age 64” (Clarksville, Tennessee 10 Aug 1931), Page 1, 
available at: newspapers.com/clip/48501669/the-leaf-chronicle/?xid=637. Although this obituary 
implies that Mazie survived her husband, it is clear she had died in 1928. Sterling’s death certificate 
indicates he was widowed. 

® Ancestry.com, Tennessee Death Records, 1908-1958, Record for Sterling C. Brewer, Death Date 10 
Aug 1931, Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee. Fannie was the only family member at Grace Brewer's 


wedding, and appears later below in connection with the Brewer Civil War quilt. 

63 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Wills and Probate Records 1779-2008, Will of S C Brewer, Probate Date 15 
Aug 1931, Davidson, Tennessee, Vols. 47—48, 1930-1932. 

6 Boone, “Sterling Cage Brewer”. 

6 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Wills and Probate Records, 1779-2008, Will of S.C. Brewer. 

66 Ancestry.com, U.S. Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014, Record for Grace James, Social Security 
No. 409-30-6433, Birth Date 10 Apr 1890, Death Date Jan 1973. 

87 Ancestry.com, Oklahoma County Marriage Records, 1890-1995, Marriage of Grace Brewer and 
William J. James, 31 Dec 1925, Ottawa, Oklahoma, FHL Film No. 001305659. 

6 Ancestry.com, U.S. Social Security Death Index 1935-2014, Record for Hugh Brewer, Social Security 
No. 403-34-0742, Birth Date 26 Nov 1892, Death Date Nov 1977. 

6° Boone, “Sterling Cage Brewer”. 

70 Ancestry.com, U.S. Social Security Death Index 1935-2014, Record for Mollie Holm, Social Security 
No. 414-07-2567, Birth Date 9 Mar 1895, Death, Date May 1986. 

71 Boone, “Sterling Cage Brewer”. 

7 Ancestry.com, U.S. Social Security Death Index 1935-2014, Record for William Brewer, Social Security 
No. 408-09-7742, Birth Date 13 Apr 1897, Death Date Dec 1977. 

73 Boone, “Sterling Cage Brewer”. 

74 Ibid. 


299 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


75 Ancestry.com, U.S. Social Security Death Index 1935-2014, Record for Tennie Lawrence, Social 
Security No. 413-84-2216, Birth Date 20 Jun 1901, Death Date Apr 1981. 

76 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records 1780-2002, Marriage of Miss Tennie Brewer and Robert L 
Lawrence, 27 May 1925, Williamson, Tennessee. 

7” This account of Hugh Price Brewer was written by Hank James and is available on the 
ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

78 Ibid. 

79 Ibid. 

80 Ibid. The poem was written by Mollie Belle Brewer. 

81 Ancestry.com, U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007, Record for William 
Porter Lawrence, Birth Date 13 Jan 1930, Nashville, Tennessee. 

82 You can hear a voice recording of William Lawrence telling part of this story here: 
usni.org/press/oral-histories/lawrence-william. 

83 Washington Post, “William P. Lawrence Dies” (Washington, D.C. 5 Dec 2002), available at: 
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/04/AR2005120401221.html. 
84 public.navy.mil/surfor/DDG110/Pages/Ourship.aspx. 

85 This image is believed to be in the public domain, and can be found at: 


seaforces.org/usnships/ddg/DDG-110-USS-William-P-Lawrence.htm. 


86 John McCain, later a U.S. Senator and Republican Presidential nominee, was one of William 


Lawrence’s fellow POWs. “Eventually, Mr. McCain succumbed to the agony and wrote up a 
confession to being a "black criminal" and "air pirate," deliberately lacing the stilted statement with 
Communist jargon and grammar mistakes to make clear it had been forced, according to a 
biographer, Robert Timberg.” The New York Times, “McCain Pays a Tribute at Funeral of Ex- 
P.O.W.” (New York, NY 15 Dec 2005), available at: nytimes.com/2005/12/15/politics/mccain-pays-a- 


tribute-at-funeral-of-expow.html. 


87 These paragraphs in William Lawrence’s own words have been edited and excerpted from the book 
Everything We Had by Al Santoli. They were shared by William’s second wife, Diane Lawrence, in an 
email to Hank James and other family members in 2008. In her email, she noted that Hank was “a 
revered cousin of Bill. He felt strong ties to you and liked you very much, speaking of you far more 
than you may believe.” 

88 The New York Times, “McCain Pays a Tribute at Funeral of Ex-P.O.W”. 

8° The image at left is believed to be in the public domain. A copy can be found here: 
seaforces.org/usnships/ddg/DDG-110-USS-William-P-Lawrence.htm. 

99 public.navy.mil/surfor/DDG110/Pages/Ourship.aspx. 

%! Washington Post, “William P. Lawrence Dies”. 

% Ibid. 

* Ancestry.com, U.S. Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014, Record for William P. Lawrence, Death 
Date 2 Dec 2005, Crownsville, Anne Arundel, Maryland. 

% en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS William P. Lawrence. 

% loc.gov/rr/program/bib/statepoems/tennessee.html. 


% Brewer Family Bible. 

97 Ibid. 

°8 Nashville Union and American, “An Old Record” (Nashville, Tennessee 29 Sep 1874), Page 3, 
available at: newspapers.com/clip/53878335/nashville-union-and-american/?xid=637. 

99 Ibid. 

100 Margaret Brewer Boone, “Sterling Brewer, Jr.”, available on ChristensenJames tree on 


Ancestry.com. 


300 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


101 Daniel Walker Howe, What Hath God Wrought: The Transformation of America, 1815-1948 (Oxford 
University Press 2007), Page 177. 

102 Brewer Family Bible. 

103 Boone, “Sterling Brewer, Jr.” 

104 Brewer Family Bible. 

105 [bid. 

106 Boone, “Sterling Brewer, Jr.” 

107 Ibid. 

108 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of Sterling Brewer and Virginia G 
Glenn, 5 Sep 1844, Montgomery, Tennessee. The abstract on Ancestry.com has the date incorrectly 
transcribed as 5 Aug 1844; the record itself shows 5 Sep 1844. The security was Nathaniel Manning. 
109 The Charleston Daily Courier, “Brewer’s Patent Shingle Machine” (Charleston, South Carolina, 7 
Feb 1850), Page 3, available at: newspapers.com/clip/53873483/the-charleston-daily-courier/?xid=637. 
110 Brewer Family Bible; 

1 Daily Nashville Union, “Brewer’s Patent Shingle Machine” (Nashville, Tennessee 5 Feb 1850), Page 
3, available at: newspapers.com/clip/53877498/daily-nashville-union/?xid=637; The Charleston Daily 
Courier, “Brewer’s Patent Shingle Machine” (Charleston, South Carolina 7 Feb 1850), Page 3, 
available at: newspapers.com/clip/53873483/the-charleston-daily-courier/?xid=637. 

2 Boone, “Sterling Brewer, Jr.” 

113 This may be the same Captain Bartlett, discussed below, who was associated with Thomas William 
Shearon, who married two different sisters of Sterling Brewer, Jr. 

4 Excerpts from Sterling Brewer, Jr.’s diary, recorded in Boone, “Sterling Brewer, Jr.” 

15 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 14, Robertson, Tennessee; Roll: 
M432_894; Page: 132A; Image: 259. 

116 Boone, “Sterling Brewer, Jr.” 

7 ELL. Williams’ full name was Edmund L. Williams. Find AGrave.com, Memorial for Edmund L. 
Williams (23 Jan 1817-9 Aug 1906), Memorial No. 128774177, available at: 
findagrave.com/memorial/128774177/edmund-l -williams. 

"8 Boone, “Sterling Brewer, Jr.” This source seems to indicate that Sterling give this area the name 
“Oak Plains,” but I have not independently confirmed that claim. 

119 Tbid. 

120 The Leaf-Chronicle, “Mr. E.L. Brewer, County Official for Years, Dead” (Clarksville, Tennessee 19 
Oct 1931), Page 1, available at: newspapers.com/clip/48501571/the-leaf-chronicle/. 

121 Boone, “Sterling Brewer, Jr.” 

122 The full set of letters can be found in Margaret Brewer Boone, A Personal History of the Family of 
Sterling Brewer, 1770-1832 (1992) and on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 


123 Sterling’s brother, James Moody Brewer. 

124 battlefields.org/learn/biographies/nathan-bed ford-forrest. 

125 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of Chickamauga. 

126 In my reading, James Brewer's letters show he was not personally fighting to preserve the 
institution of slavery, and defending slavery is not what he referred to as a “just cause.” Rather, if we 
take his letters at face value, he believed he was defending the State of Tennessee and the people he 
loved. That the Civil War was fought over and decided the question of slavery is of course 
historically important, but in any individual Confederate soldier’s case, fighting to protect their home 
from what they saw as “Abolitionist” invaders may have been much more of a motivating factor. 
Sterling Brewer Jr. did not own any slaves that I am aware of, although his father Sterling Brewer, Sr. 
did. 


301 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


127 Margaret Brewer Boone, A Personal History of the Family of Sterling Brewer, 1770-1832, 1992, and on 
ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 
128 The image above is in the public domain and available at: 


commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nathan B. Forrest - LOCcj 


129 Ibid. 

130 Brewer Family Bible. 

131 Ibid. 

132 Boone, “Sterling Brewer, Jr.” 

133 The image below of James Moody Brewer was provided by Jennifer Stanton via Ancestry.com. She 
descends from James Moody Brewer through his son Theodore Frelinghuysen “Hite” Brewer, a 
prominent Methodist minister. The photograph was found in her grandfather's keepsake box, and 
has a handwritten note, likely from Jennifer’s grandmother Margery Smith McConnell, indicating 
that it is “Dr. James Moody Brewer, father of T.F.B.”, i.e., Theodore Frelinghuysen Brewer. It was 
brightened to improve the contrast in 2020 by Terrence White. FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Rev 
Theodore Frelinghuysen Brewer (20 Jan 1845-6 Apr 1928), Memorial No. 46553500, available at: 
findagrave.com/memorial/46553500/theodore-frelinghuysen-brewer. 

134 Boone, “Sterling Brewer I”. 

135 Ibid. 

136 Ibid. 

137 Clarksville Weekly Chronicle, “Sunday School Celebration” (Clarksville, Tennessee 23 Sep 1871), 
Page 3, available at: newspapers.com/clip/48513897/clarksville-weekly-chronicle/?xid=637. 

138 bid. 

139 Ibid. 

140 brewerschapelchurch.org/index.html. 

141 Brewer Family Bible. 

12 Leaf-Chronicle Weekly, Sterling Brewer Obituary (Clarksville, Tennessee 10 Apr 1885), Page 3, 
available at: newspapers.com/clip/72725089/article-referencing-william-b-link-and/?xid=637. 

143 Ibid. 

M44 Ancestry.com, Michigan County Marriage Records, 1822-1940, Marriage of James D Brewer and 
Louis L Bort, 20 Jul 1865, Berrien, Michigan. 

14 Brewer Family Bible. 

146 Ibid. 

147 Ibid. 

148 [bid. 

149 Tbid. 

150 [bid. 

151 [bid. 

182 The source for the date comes from the Brewer Family Bible. The location comes from our 


knowledge that Sterling’s father Reese Brewer was living in Bute County around this time. Foy 
Varner, Brewer Families of Southeast America (2003), Page 454, currently available at: 
drive.google.com/file/d/1-AOQVNDTuu_V6CF]-4hs3BANUGRIVKEFx/view. On 28 Apr 2020, Foy 
Varner emailed the author with electronic copies of his main 645 book, a 4 page errata, and a 21 page 


supplement. Please contact by email me if you would like a copy of these materials. 

153 FamilySearch.org, Tennessee Probate Court Books, 1795-1927, Will of Rees Brewer, Dickson, Wills 
1800-1899, Loose Records, Pages 80-81, available on FamilySearch.org. 

154 Brewer Family Bible. The Thomas family was also from Wake County, North Carolina, so although 
no marriage record has been found, that seems likely to have been the location. 


302 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


155 Brewer Family Bible. 

156 [bid. 

157 familysearch.org/wiki/en/North Carolina _Land_and_Property. 

158 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Early Land Registers, 1778-1927, Grant or Warrant No. 4724, Sterling 
Brewer, 16 Jun 1808, Davidson, Tennessee. 

159 Ancestry.com, North Carolina and Tennessee Early Land Records, 1753-1931, Sterling Brewer, 19 Jul 
1797, Warrant Nos. 3058 and 3077, Sumner, North Carolina. 

160 Margaret Brewer Boone, “Sterling Brewer, I”, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com; 
Wake County Deed Book Q, Page 306, Record Date 22 Jan 1801, available at: 
services.wakegov.com/booksweb/PDFView.aspx?DocID=108489158&RecordDate=01/22/1801. This 
transaction was witnessed by Drury Christian. 

161 Wake County Deed Book Q, Page 304, Record Date 22 Jan 1801, available at: 
services.wakegov.com/booksweb/PDFView.aspx?DocID=108489155&RecordDate=01/22/1801. 


162 The initial is hard to read, and could also be an “L. Brewer.” However, the script style seems to 


match other “S” letter in the same document, and of course “S” makes more sense since I am 
unaware of any Brewer family members at this time starting with an “L”. 

163 Dickson County, Tennessee, Handbook, J.K. Garrett — from Margaret Brewer Boone Records. I 
have not personally viewed this record. 

164 Brewer Family Bible. 

165 Gordon S. Wood, Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789-1815 (Oxford University 
Press), 2009, Page 359. 

166 The River Counties Quarterly, (April 1976), Vol. 5, No. 2, Page 34, available at: 
familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/52784-. 

167 Boone, “Sterling Brewer I’, quoting Robert Ewing Corlew, A History of Dickson County, Tennessee 
(Tennessee Historical Commission and Dickson County Historical Society, 1956). 

168 The North Carolina Minerva and Fayetteville Advisor, “To His Excellency Samuel Ashe” 
(Fayetteville, North Carolina 15 Dec 1798), Pages 2-3, available at: 
newspapers.com/clip/48519319/the-north-carolina-minerva-and/?xid=637. 

169 Ibid. 

170 Documents were at one point available at: tslaindexes.tn.gov/tn-research/content/thomas-molloy- 


v-sterling-brewer. This link appears to be inactive as of 2023. Some records for this case are available 


on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

171 Boone, “Sterling Brewer I’, quoting Robert Ewing Corlew, A History of Dickson County, Tennessee 
(Tennessee Historical Commission and Dickson County Historical Society, 1956). 

172 The Democratic Clarion and Tennessee Gazette, “For the information of those whom it may 
concern” (Nashville, Tennessee 3 Nov 1812), Page 3, available at: newspapers.com/clip/48515108/the- 
democratic-clarion-and-tennessee/?xid=637. 

173 Ibid. 

174 tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entries/early-horse-racing-tracks/. 

175 Ibid. 

176 Ibid. 

7 Boone, “Sterling Brewer I’, quoting Robert Ewing Corlew, A History of Dickson County, Tennessee 
(Tennessee Historical Commission and Dickson County Historical Society, 1956). 

178 Available on the Tennessee Virtual Archive with no copyright restrictions: 
cdm15138.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15138coll33/id/269. 

179 Ibid. 


303 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


180 Some records for this case are available tslaindexes.tn.gov/tn-research/content/thomas-molloy-v- 


sterling-brewer. Another case around this time period can be found at National Banner and Nashville 
Whig, “State of Tennessee” (Nashville, Tennessee 27 Mar 1819), Page 3, available at: 
newspapers.com/clip/48514876/national-banner-and-nashville-whig/?xid=637. The nature and 
resolution of this dispute is currently unknown. 
181 Also spelled “Tyrell” in this document. 
182 [bid., Page 2. 
183 [bid. 
184 [bid., Pages 40-41. 
18 Ancestry.com, 1820 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Dickson, Tennessee; Page: 6; NARA Roll: 
M33_123; Image: 15. 
186 [bid. 
187 Nashville Union and American, “An Old Record” (Nashville, Tennessee 29 Sep 1874), Page 3, 
available at: newspapers.com/clip/53878335/nashville-union-and-american/?xid=637. 
188 Thid. 
189 Tbid. 
199 Sterling was still acquiring new land during this time. On May 16, 1826, under Warrant 3122, he 
acquired 200 acres in Dickson County for 12.5 cents per acre. Ancestry.com, North Carolina and 
Tennessee, Early Land Records 1753-1931, Warrant No. 3122, 16 May 1826, Dickson, Tennessee. 
191 [bid. 
192 [bid. 
193 Tbid. 
194 Thid. 
1% [bid.; Ancestry.com, 1830 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee; Series: 
M19; Roll: 174; Page: 275; FHL Film No. 0024532. 
196 Nashville Banner and Nashville Whig, “Sterling Brewer” (Nashville, Tennessee 30 Mar 1831), Page 
1. 
197 Wood, Empire of Liberty, Pages 727-728. 
198 Ibid. 
199 National Banner and Daily Advertiser, “Died” (Nashville, Tennessee 7 Jul 1832), Page 3, available 
at: newspapers.com/clip/48515223/national-banner-and-daily-advertiser/?xid=637. 
200 Brewer Family Bible. 
201 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Records, 1741-2011, Marriage of James M Brewer and Nancy 
A Camp, 7 Jan 1824, Wake, North Carolina. 
202 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of James M Brewer and Ann M 
Austin, 3 Oct 1832, Davidson, Tennessee. 
203 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of James M Brewer and Rebecca G 
Richardson, 2 Oct 1835, Gibson County, Tennessee. 
204 Brewer Family Bible. 
205 [bid. 
206 Ibid. 
207 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of Elizabeth Brewer and Thomas W 
Shearon, 12 Dec 1827, Dickson, Tennessee. 
208 Thid. 
209 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of Leltetia H Brewer [sic] and Thos 
W Shearer, Davidson, Tennessee. 
210 Brewer Family Bible. 


304 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


211 [bid. 

212 [bid. 

213 [bid. 

214 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of Louisa A Brower and Jesse D 
Carr, 27 Oct 1836, Davidson, Tennessee. 

15 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of Elizabeth Brewer and Thomas W 
Shearon, 12 Dec 1827, Dickson, Tennessee. 

216 Boone, “Sterling Brewer I”. There is some indication that Thomas Shearon’s great-grandfather was 
Drury Christian, Sr., the father of the Drury Christian who married Reese Brewer's daughter 
Elizabeth. I have not independently researched this connection, but it would not be surprising given 


that these families appear to have moved from the same areas of North Carolina to the same area in 
Tennessee. See Ancestry.com tree for user MadelineGilbert96 at ancestry.com/family- 
tree/tree/38500263?cfpid=19244910926&dtid=100. 

217 Brewer Family Bible. 

218 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of Leltetia H Brewer [sic] and Thos 
W Shearer, Davidson, Tennessee. 

219 The oil portrait of Elizabeth Brewer Shearon has been helpfully provided by Richard B. Campbell, 


a descendant in this line. The portrait remains in his possession and has Elizabeth’s name on the 
reverse side, despite the image sometimes being attributed to her sister Letitia Brewer. 

220 Simon Pollack, The Autobiography and Reminiscences of S. Pollak, M.D., St. Louis, Mo. (St. Louis 
Medical Review, 1904), available at: play.zoogle.com/books/reader?id=9VARAAAAYAAJ, 

221 Pollack, Autobiography and Reminiscences, Pages xiii—xix. 


222 The oil painting to the left is in the possession of an Ancestry.com user named “Rbcsoup” and 
matches the photocopy found in Margaret Brewer Boone’s book. 

23 The image above was found on Ancestry.com. 

224 Ibid., Pages 15-16. I have found evidence of Thomas Shearon owning up to 45 slaves, but cannot 
verify this statement of 200 individuals belonging to Shearon and his family. See Ancestry.com, 1840 
U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Davidson, Tennessee; Page: 389. 

25 Ibid., Pages 16-17. This is very near to Oak Plains, Tennessee, where Sterling Brewer, Jr. would 
make his home. 

26 Ibid., Pages 22-23. 

7 Ibid. Pages 23-25. 

228 en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas Rogers Shearon. 

29 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 25, Davidson, Tennessee; Roll: 875; 
Page: 346B. 

230 This second daughter was likely Louisa Shearon, born about 1837. Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal 
Census, Census Place: District 25, Davidson, Tennessee; Roll: 875; Page: 346B. 

231 Ibid., Pages 25-27. 

232 Ibid., Pages 27-28. 

233 Ibid., Pages 37-45. 

234 See notes to the portrait of Thomas Shearon on Ancestry.com at ancestry.com/mediaui- 


viewer/tree/149717/person/403059606/media/d188f776-0f6f-489e-8368-834b98ff9294, attributed to 


Ridley Stone, Jr. While I cannot track down the source of these comments, they do align with other 


published information. 
235 The Tennessean, “Rencontres” (Nashville, Tennessee 12 Aug 1853), Page 2, available at: 


newspapers.com/clip/55912847/the-tennessean/?xid=637. 


305 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


236 Pollak, Page 45. Pollak says that Shearon “died the death of the wicked some time in the fifties. He 
was shot in the streets of San Francisco, by the same Dr. Harris named above.” 

237 Republican Banner, “Death of Thomas W. Shearon” (Nashville, Tennessee 4 Oct 1853), Page 2, 
available at: newspapers.com/clip/55912753/republican-banner/?xid=637. 

238 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of Louisa A Brower and Jesse D 
Carr, 27 Oct 1836, Davidson, Tennessee. 

239 American Biography, A New Encyclopedia, “Carr, Hon. Jesse Douglas” (The American Historical 
Society, Inc., New York 1931), Pages 82-90, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

240 Ibid. 

241 Ibid.; Brewer Family Bible. 

242 The photograph to the left comes from his obituary. The San Francisco Call, “Jesse D. Carr” (San 
Francisco, California 12 Dec 1903), Page 3, available at: newspapers.com/clip/68837143/jesse-d-carr- 
obituary-and-photograph/?xid=637. 

243 American Biography, A New Encyclopedia, “Carr, Hon. Jesse Douglas”. 

244 Ibid. 

245 Ibid. 

246 Ibid. 

247 Ibid. 

248 Ibid. 

249 Repp likely comes from mistaken transcription of the nickname “Ress” that Reese used. The 
double “ss” in old cursive script often looks like “pp.” 

250 My guess is there is a currently unknown ancestor with the last name Reese or Reace. Finding that 


ancestor might provide more insight into the proper spelling of our Reese’s name. 

251 For an excellent historical map tracing changing county boundaries over time, see The Newberry 
Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries, available at: 
publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/map/map.html#VA. 

252 Original Will of John Brewer, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com, and also 
available at: brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/ct_ob 1778 84/Pg%20107.jpg. 

253 Varner, Brewer Families of Southeast America, Page 475. 

254 Ibid. Records for these early lawsuits are not available online and I have not viewed them 
personally. 

255 FamilySearch.org, Lunenburg County, Virginia Deeds, Vol. 6, Page 1, Image 320. Land was originally 
patented by Nathaniel Cook on 20 Aug 1748. 

256 T have not been able to find any men named Brewer on the tax lists from 1748-1783 in Lunenberg 
County, Virginia. Reese owned land in Lunenburg County, but does not appear to have lived there: 
files.usgwarchives.net/va/lunenburg/census/sun002.txt. 

257 Brunswick County Deed Book 6, Page 720, available at: 
files.usgwarchives.net/va/brunswick/deeds/brunbk6.txt. The land was 200 acres located on Hick’s 
Creek, next to John Stevens and Benjamin Seewell. 

258 FamilySearch.org, Lunenburg County, Virginia Deeds, Vol. 8, Pages 59-61, Images 253-254. It is clear 
from the survey description that this was the same tract purchased by Reese in 1760. 

259 FamilySearch.org, Lunenburg County, Virginia Deeds, Vol. 9, Pages 62-64, Images 512-513. 

260 FamilySearch.org, Lunenburg County, Virginia Deeds, Vol. 10, Pages 74-75, Image 51. Again, it is 
clear from the metes and bounds survey that this was the same land he purchased in 1763. Note that 
neither of these 400 acre parcels match the description of land patented by a William Brewer on 5 Sep 
1749. That land was on the south side of the Meherrin River on the south side of a branch. It was 
bounded by White Oaks on several corners. Full description: beginning at a great White Oak on the 


306 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


branch, thence west 200 poles to a red oak on a branch, then south 320 poles to a great White Oak, 
thence east 180 poles to a small turkey oak on the branch then down the said branch as it meanders to 
the beginning. See 
https://lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007277510205756. 

261 FamilySearch.org, Lunenburg County, Virginia Deeds, Vol. 10, Pages 74-75, Image 51. 

262 See digital. newberry.org/ahcb/map/map.html#NC; digital newberry.org/ahcb/map/map.html#VA 
263 Varner, Brewer Families of Southeast America, Page 452. 

264 Ancestry.com, Bute County, North Carolina Minutes of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 1767— 
1779, Page 75. 

265 Varner, Brewer Families of Southeast America, Pages 453-454. Varner was citing Broyhill, an earlier 
Brewer researcher, who said these were 1771 Franklin-Warren-Vance County tax records. However, 
those counties did not exist as of 1771, so they must refer to Bute, which later became Franklin and 
Warren Counties. 


266 See Ancestry.com page for Reese Brewer in the ChristensenJames tree; Ancestry.com, Bute County, 
North Carolina Minutes of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 1767-1779, Page 241. 

267 Ibid., Page 254. 

268 milaminvirginia.com/glossary.html, entry for Ordinary. 

20° In 1778 “Ress Brewer” witnessed the marriage of William Dunstan and Fannie Bibbie. 
ncgenweb.us/ncstate/historical/Bute/marriages/marriage-bute.htm; Reese was involved in a Bute 
County lawsuit against Robert Hicks in 1779. Ancestry.com, Bute County, North Carolina Minutes of the 
Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 1767-1779, Page 323. 

270 [bid., Page 335. 

271 See discussion above and ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com 

27? Ibid., Page 337. He was a witness to the Will of Joseph Duke. Ancestry.com, Bute County, North 
Carolina Minutes of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 1767-1779, Page 336. The final record from 
this year shows that “Ross Brewer” won a lawsuit against John Tanner on November 10, 1779. Ibid., 


Page 345. While this may not be Reese, the names are phonetically similar and given the various 
spellings we see for Reese across the different records, I think it is likely. 

273 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/will bk 3/P¢%20295.jp¢. 

274 See discussion below in John Brewer of Hertford’s section. 

275 ncgenweb.us/ncwarren/WCCR/Court%200f%20Pleas%20Boo0k%201/WCCR-1780-86_1.pdf, Page 3. 


276 ncgenweb.us/ncwarren/WCCR/Court%200f%20Pleas%20Book%201/WCCR-1780-86_ 1.pdf, Page 7. 
277 Map available at ncgenweb.us/ncstate/historical/Bute/other/mp-gbc.htm and originally published 


by Ginger Christmas-Beattie in an unknown publication. 
278 carolana.com/NC/Revolution/patriots_nc_capt_samuel jones _3rd.html; 
archive.org/details/northcarolinahisO2hath/page/384/mode/2up/search/brewer. 


279 carolana.com/NC/Revolution/revolution nc third regiment.html. 


280 ncgenweb.us/ncwarren/wills/will-abs/wce-wb3.htm. 
281 ncgenweb.us/ncwarren/WCCR/Court%200f%20Pleas%20Boo0k%201/WCCR-1780-86_3.pdf, Page 


53. 
282 ncgenweb.us/ncwarren/WCCR/Court%200f%20Pleas%20Boo0k%201/WCCR-1780-86_4.pdf, Page 
75. This is another indication we are tracking the same Reese Brewer. In 1764, Reese Brewer sold his 


400 acres in Lunenberg County, Virginia to Thomas Twitty. Then almost twenty years later in 1783, 
Thomas Twitty (or perhaps his son of the same name) was a witness on behalf of Reese Brewer ina 
small lawsuit in Warren County, North Carolina. 


283 ncgenweb.us/ncwarren/W CCR/Court%200f%20Pleas%20Bo0k%201/WCCR-1780-86_5.pdf. 


307 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


284 Ancestry.com, North Carolina State Census, 1784-1787, Warren County, Page 164. Broyhill said there 
was one male aged 21-60 in addition to Reese Brewer, when in fact Reese was the only male 21-60 
listed. Varner, Brewer Families of Southeast America, Page 476. 

285 ncgenweb.us/ncwarren/wills/will-abs/wc-wb4.htm; 
negenweb.us/ncwarren/WCCR/Court%200f%20Pleas%20Bo0k%201/WCCR-1780-86_7.pdf, Page 169. 
His name is spelled “Allan” here but “Allen” in all other instances I have seen so far. 

286 Tennessee Probate Court Books, 1795-1927, Dickson, Wills 1800-1899, Loose Records, Will of Rees 
Brewer, Pages 80-81, available at: familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:30SQ-2PCY-J9?i=80&wc=M603- 
MW5%3A179638301%2C179638302&cc=1909088. 

287 Will of Reese Brewer. 

288 Brewer Family Bible, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

289 Will of Reese Brewer. 

290 Ancestry.com, Virginia Extracted Vital Records, 1660-1923, Record for Drury Christian, Birth date 
16 Aug 1766. 

291 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Records, 1741-2011, Marriage of Drury Christian and Betsey 
Brewer, Warren, North Carolina. 

222 Ginger L. Christmas-Beattie, Warren County, North Carolina Minutes to the Court of Pleas and Quarter 
Sessions, 1780-1813, Vols. I-VII, Pages 195, 230 of PDF (Pages 176, 211, of 1787 Volume). 

2°3 Christmas-Beattie, Warren County Minutes, Page 198 of PDF (Page 179 of 1787 Volume). On 30 May 
1787 Reece Brewer made oath that he attended as witness, for Moses Myrick against Cader Powell, 7 
days. 

294 Christmas-Beattie, Warren County Minutes, Page 206 (Page 187 of 1787 Volume). 

25 ncgenweb.us/ncwarren/wills/will-abs/wce-wb5.htm; ncgenweb.us/ncwarren/wills/will-abs/wc- 
wb5.htm. 

296 Christmas-Beattie, Warren County Minutes, Page 255 of PDF (Page 236 of 1789 Volume). 

297 Ibid., Page 271 of PDF (Page 252 of the 1790 Volume). 

298 docsouth.unc.edu/csr/index.php/document/csr26-0049. 

29 Ancestry.com, 1790 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Wake, North Carolina; Series: M637; Roll: 7; 
Page 258; Image: 154; FHL Film No. 0568147. 

300 T don’t, however, see Allen Brewer in the 1790 Census, unless he is the “Arnell Brewer” that 
appears with five women and one slave in Wake County. That spelling seems pretty far from Allen, 


however. He may have gone to a different county or just be missing on this census. Many Census 
records from this time have been lost, such as the 1790 Virginia Census, which was burned during the 
War of 1812. 

301 Will of Reese Brewer. 

302 “Equity Bond Docket, 1789-1817, Hillsborough District and Orange County, N.C.” (North Carolina 
Genealogical Society Journal, May 1992), Vol. 18, No. 2, Page 112. 

303 Ancestry.com, North Carolina and Tennessee, Early Land Grant Records, 1753-1931, Tennessee General 
Land Grants, Roll 29, Book E, Pages 334-336. 

304 tngenweb.org/tnland/pruitt2.htm. 

305 Thomas Hutchins, “The Western parts of Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and North Carolina”, 
1778, David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries, available at: 
davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~281~30139. 

306 Ancestry.com, North Carolina and Tennessee, Revolutionary War Land Warrants, 1783-1843, Survey 
Orders, Warrant No. 4526, Page 409. 

307 Ancestry.com, North Carolina and Tennessee, Early Land Grant Records, 1753-1931, Tennessee General 
Land Grants, Roll 29, Book E, Pages 334-336. 


308 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


308 Ibid. 

309 Wake County Deed Book Q, Page 304, Record Date 22 Jan 1801, available at: 
services.wakegov.com/booksweb/PDFView.aspx?DocID=108489155&RecordDate=01/22/1801. 

310 The initial is hard to read, and could also be an “L. Brewer.” However, the script style seems to 


match other “S” letter in the same document, and of course “S” makes more sense since I am 
unaware of any Brewer family members at this time starting with an “L”. 

311 Wake County Deed Book 5, Page 61, Record Date 28 Feb 1822, available at: 
services.wakegov.com/booksweb/PDFView.aspx?DocID=108481066&RecordDate=02/28/1822. 

312 Further research indicates that this is Charles Allen Thomas, son of John Giles Thomas. John Giles 
Thomas was also the father of Nissey (or Nicey) Betsey Thomas, named in his Will and the future 
spouse of Sterling Brewer. 


313 [ believe this was a man named Bartholomew “Batt” Fowler. He was likely named after the 
Bartholomew Fowler, Esq. who was the Virginia Attorney General involved in the custody case of 
Margaret Brewer, granddaughter of Ann, the widow of John Brewer II. Ben R. Brewer, The Long 
Brewer Line: Colonial Family Genealogy, (Tennessee Valley Publishing, Knoxville, Tennessee 1993), Page 
30, available at: familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/596250-. 

314 Dickson County, Tennessee, Handbook, J.K. Garrett— from Margaret Brewer Boone Records. I 


have not personally viewed this record. 

315 The River Counties Quarterly (April 1976), Vol. 5, No. 2, Page 34, available at: 
familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/52784- 

316 Tbid. 

317 The River Counties Quarterly, (July 1976), Vol. 5, No. 3, Page 40, available at: 
familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/241732-. 

318 Jo White Linn, “Revolutionary War Claims: Abstracts from the Delamar Transcripts” (North 
Carolina Genealogical Society Journal, May 1980), Vol. 6, No. 2, Page 101. The claim was rejected on 
27 Nov 1807, although Reese had already died the previous year. 

319 Tennessee Probate Court Books, 1795-1927, Dickson, Wills 1800-1899, Loose Records, Will of Rees 
Brewer, Pages 80-81, available at: familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:30SQ-2PCY-J9?i=80&wc=M603- 
MW5%3A179638301%2C179638302&cc=1909088. 

320 Ibid. 

321 ncgenweb.us/ncwarren/wills/will-abs/wc-wb4.htm; 


ncgenweb.us/ncwarren/WCCR/Court%200f%20Pleas%20Bo0k%201/WCCR-1780-86_7.pdf and 


discussion above. 


322 See discussion above. 

323 An estimate based on the approximate age of her husband Drury Christian and the evidence she 
may have already died by the date of Reese’s 1806 Will. 

324 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Records, 1741-2011, Marriage of Betsey Brewer and Drury 
Christian, Warren, North Carolina, no date in record. 

325 Sterling Brewer, Sr. Family Bible, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

326 Ibid. 

327 Date is a rough estimate based on likely birth order. Her husband Charles Allen Thomas was born 
about 1770. 

328 Her Thomas surname comes from Reese Brewer's Will, and the identity of Charles Allen Thomas 
comes from his attesting to the handwriting of his father-in-law in a slave sale contract. See Wake 
County Deed Book 5, Page 61, Record Date 28 Feb 1822, available at: 
services.wakegov.com/booksweb/PDFView.aspx?DocID=108481066&RecordDate=02/28/1822 and 


discussion above. 


309 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


329 He was likely the male under 16 on Reese Brewer’s 1790 Census record: Ancestry.com, 1790 U.S. 
Federal Census, Census Place: Wake, North Carolina; Series: M637; Roll: 7; Page 258; Image: 154; FHL 
Film No. 0568147. 

330 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Wills and Probate Records, 1779-2008, Will of John Brewer, Probate Date 
1844, Dickson, Tennessee, Case No. 277. 

331 [bid. 

332 An estimate based on her being one of the younger children mentioned in Reese Brewer’s Will. 
There is a marriage of Zachariah Capps and Pattey Brewer on 23 Feb 1790 in Warren County, North 
Carolina. This could be her, and if so she was likely born closer to 1770. However this link is not yet 
confirmed. 

333 An estimate based on her being one of the younger children mentioned in Reese Brewer’s Will. She 
may have married Samuel Brack on 11 Feb 1813 in Warren County, North Carolina, but this requires 
further research to confirm. 

334 This estimate is based on the age of his eldest son John Brewer, likely born before 1732. See 
discussion below. 

335 Original Will of John Brewer, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com, and also 
available at: brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/ct_ob_1778_84/Pg%20107.jpg. 


336 Prior to 1760, the area in North Carolina just to the south of Southampton County, Virginia 
constituted Northampton, Bertie, and Chowan Counties. 
publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/map/map.html#NC. Records for Southampton County are readily 


available, which may distort the impression that John only had ties to this area, if records from 
nearby counties have been lost or are unavailable online. 

337 Excerpt from John Reid, “The State of Virginia from the Best Authorities”, 1796, David Rumsey 
Map Collection, Stanford Libraries, available at: 
davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~172~20018. 

338 FamilySearch.org, Isle of Wight, County Virginia Deeds, Vol. 5, Pages 245-247, Images 442-443. 

339 Ibid. 

340 David Brewer, Tracing the Brewers of Colonial Virginia: The Trail of YDNA Subclade I-Y21524 and 
Beyond (2019), Pages 96-97; topozone.com/Vvirginia/southampton-va/stream/three-creek-9/; 
topozone.com/virginia/southampton-va/stream/assamoosick-swamp/. 

341 David Brewer, Tracing the Brewers of Colonial Virginia, footnote 256. “This conveyance actually was 
recorded in Surry County. Surry Co., Va: Rec. April 13, 1741.” It is likely located in Vol. 3 of the Surry 
County Deeds, which are not available online at FamilySearch.org. 


3# This map shows the area and some patents granted to Wyche and Hicks, adjacent land owners 
mentioned in this sale: andersonnc.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/meherrin-r_va-brantleyweb1.jpg. 

343 lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990007277080205756. 

344 FamilySearch.org, Isle of Wight County, Virginia Deeds, Vol. 6, Pages 298-299, Image 177. The tract in 
that deed also bordered Robert Jones and William Seward and was on the south side of Three Creeks 
in Isle of Wight County. This transaction is discussed by Foy Varner at Page 86 of his work. He noted 
that Broyhill listed this deed under discussion of a different John (W4), but that he could also have 
been the man Broyhill referred to as John IV (J1212). This John was the son of Thomas I, II and was 
named in his 1729 Will. Varner, Brewer Families of Southeast America, Pages 47, 86. 

345 Ben R. Brewer, The Long Brewer Line, Page 97. 

346 Benjamin Seward —1745 grant 95 acres on Three Creeks, adjacent to his existing land: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990008190820205756; 

Richard Lane —1726 grant of 100 acres on Three Creeks, near Nottoway and Angelica Swamp. 


lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1ILVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990007828220205756; 
310 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


Hugh Matthews—1715 grant of 100 acres on south side of Nottoway River. 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990007934400205756; 

Hugh Matthews—1725 grant of 20 acres on both sides of Angelica Swamp south of the Nottoway 
River. lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990007934410205756; 
John Brewer—1742 grant of 50 acres on the south side of Three Creeks, adjoining Robert Jones’ land. 
Iva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990007277080205756. 

347 Excerpt from Charles Heyne, “Map of Part of Virginia, Maryland and Delaware from the Best 


Authorities”, 1861, available with no copyright restrictions from the Norman B. Leventhal Map & 
Education Center at the Boston Public Library at: 


collections.leventhalmap.org/search/commonwealth:kk91fs84v. 
348 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_bk_1/Pg¢%20174.jpg; 


brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_bk_1/Pg%20175.jpg; David Brewer, 
Tracing the Brewers of Colonial Virginia, Page 97, notes 263-266. 

549 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_bk 1/Pg%20141 jpg, 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_bk_ 1/Pg%20142,j 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_bk_1/P2%20143.jpg, 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/soh_1749/P%2066.jpg. This land was originally 


acquired by Joshua Nicholson of Surry County when it was part of Isle of Wight County. He 
purchased it in 1741 from Vaughan Hillburn for 35 pounds. FamilySearch.org, Virginia, Isle of Wight 
County Records, 1634-1951, Deed Records 1742, Page 9, available at: 
familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:30S7-L9OS-7F89?i=8&wc=S]72- 

L2F%3A344504101%2C344624701 &cc=2034267. 

350 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_ bk 1/Pg%20069.jpg, 


brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/soh_1749/P%2039.jpg. 
351 12 Jul 1750 — John Brewer, Nathaniel Ridley, and John Johnson were witnesses for Thomas Moore 


against Henry Rose. Thomas Moore ordered to pay them 50 pounds of tobacco for two days 


attendance at court. brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/soh_1749/P%2075.JPG. 
352 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_ bk 1/Pg¢%20489.jpg, 


brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_bk 1/Pg%20490,j 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_bk_1/Pg%20491 jpg. 
353 Ibid. 


354 sallysfamilyplace.com/james-jones-ii-rebecca-blight/. 
355 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/soh_1749/P%20288.jpg. 


356 Original Will of John Brewer, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com, and also 


available at: brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/ct_ob_1778 84/Pg%20107.jpg. 


John is mentioned first in the Will, and is also the first son that appears in the Southampton County 
records. 

357 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/soh_1749/P%20246.jpg. 

358 15 Dec 1752 — Petition of John Martin against John Brewer, Jr. was dismissed being agreed by the 
parties. brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/soh_1749/P%20307.jpg, 


brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/soh_1749/P%20308.jpg. 

359 Note that although this document is placed at the end of the 1760 Deed Book, it is actually from 
1753 and was likely entered after the fact. 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_b_%202/P2¢%20357.jpg, 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_b_%202/Pg%20358.jpg. 

360 The land is described as near the head of the Broadwater (does that mean the Nottoway? Or is 
there another river called the Broadwater?). The land was formerly granted to Henry Rose, dec’d. 


311 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_b_%202/Pg%207,j 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_b_%202/Pg%208.jpg, 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/soh_1749/P%20429.jpg, 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/soh_1749/P%20430.jpg. 

361 genealogy.com/ftm/s/t/a/Guy-Stanley/GENE1-0002.html. 

362 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/soh_1749/P%20365.jpg. 

363 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_b_%202/Pg%2046.jpg, 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_b_%202/Pg%2047.jpg. 

36411 Aug 1757—John Brewer appointed surveyor of highway in place of Thomas Blake. 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/ct_ob_1754/Pg%20372.jpg; 13 Apr 1758— Amos 
Harris appointed surveyor of highway in place of John Brewer. 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/ct_ob_1754/Pg%20428.jpg. 

365 11 Nov 1760—John Brewer was a witness for John Everett against the Estate of Charles Travers. 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/ct_ob_1759/Pg%20079.ijpg. 

366 11 Nov 1760—John Brewer and Joseph Lake entitled to 175 pounds of tobacco for serving as 
witnesses for James Westbrooke in his case against William Johnson for 7 days. 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/ct_ob_1759/Pg%20080.jpg. 

37 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_bk 3/Pg%20181 jpg, 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_ bk 3/Pg%20182.jpg. 

368 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/willbk_2/Pg%20169.jpg, 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/willbk_2/Pg%20170.jpg. 

369 We know this because first his widow Sarah and then Benjamin Denson were listed as the 
Administrators (or Administratrix) and then 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/willbk 2/Pg%20118.jpg; 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/willbk_2/Pg%20169.jpg. The term 
Administrator was used when there was no Will, as opposed to Executor when there was a Will. 
370 Judson Councill, Hodges Councill of Virginia and Descendants (J. H. Furst Company, Baltimore, 
Maryland 1941), Page 21, available at: 
archive.org/details/hodgescouncillof00coun/page/20/mode/2up. That document does not indicate any 
daughters for Hodges Councill, but the author does not appear to have had access to the original Will 
either. 


371 Note that there are Vick men associated with the Brunswick County Brewer line. This requires 
further investigation. Varner, Brewer Families of Southeast America, Supplement One, Page 21. This 59 
page supplement to his original work was emailed to the author on 28 Apr 2020 by Foy Varner. 

372 Hodges Councill of Virginia and Descendants, Pages 19-20. 

373 Ibid., Page 23. This was likely the Thomas Brewer (I, II) discussed in Appendix I. 

374 Original Will of John Brewer, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com, and also 
available at: brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/ct_ob_1778 84/Pg%20107.jpg. 
375 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_bk_4/P2%20062.jpg, 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_bk 4/Pg¢%20063.jpg. 

376 genfiles.com/articles/womens-rights/. 


377 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_bk 4/P2¢%20062.jpg, 


brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_bk 4/P¢%20063.jpg. 
378 9 May 1770 — William Kemp sells 150 acres of land he acquired from John and Elizabeth Brewer to 


Amos Harris for 30 pounds. 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed bk 4/P2¢%20280.j 


brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_bk 4/Pg%20281 jpg. 
312 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


39 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/ct_ob_1768 a/Pg%20011 jpg. 


389 Timothy appears to have died around this time. 11 Aug 1768 — John Brewer plaintiff in case against 
William Person and Peterson Thorpe, Executors of Estate of Timothy Thorpe. 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/ct_ob 1768 a/Pg%20078,j 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/ct_ob 1768 a/Pg%20094.jp¢. 

381 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/ct_ob_1768_a/Pg%20195.jpg. 

382 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/ct_ob_1768_b/Pg¢%20420.jpg. 

383 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/ct_ob_1759/Pg¢%20028.jpg. The nature of the 
lawsuit is not mentioned in the short note dismissing the case. 

364 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/ct_ob 1778 84/Pg¢%20107.jpg. George Little, 
a witness to the Will, was a fairly prominent Hertford County resident: ncpedia.org/biography/little- 
george, George’s wife was Mary Ann Person of Surry County, Virginia. 

385 Spelled “Pacience” in the transcribed Will. 

386 Unfortunately, most of the early records of Hertford County were lost in a court house fire. 

387 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/ct_ob_1778 84/Pg%20107.jpg. 

388 Varner, Brewer Families of Southeast America, Pages 86-87; Ben R. Brewer, The Long Brewer Line. 

389 Varner, Brewer Families of Southeast America, Pages 449-462. Foy Varner has traced numerous 


records that detail the life of this John Brewer in Brunswick County during the same period that our 
John Brewer was living in Southampton County. 

399 Ben Brewer has John Brewer, son of George Brewer of Brunswick County, Virginia, dying between 
1763 and 1767 in Chatham County, North Carolina, and married toa woman named Mary. Ben R. 
Brewer, The Long Brewer Line, Page 38. He appeared to base this on the research of Louise Ingersoll. 
See Varner, Brewer Families of Southeast America, Page 452.Then later in the same book he assigns our 
John Brewer of Hertford County as the son of George Brewer of Brunswick County and discussed 
records pertaining to both men (according to my research) interchangeably. Ben R. Brewer, The Long 
Brewer Line, Page 59. 

391 See brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/soh_1749/P%20246.jpg and discussion 
above. The Dinwiddie County records show a Will for John Brewer, signed 4 Oct 1798 who named 
his wife (which is difficult to read but looks like “Usle”), and named his good friend Jordan Reese his 
Executor. Is there some connection here with our Brewer line? FamilySearch.org, Dinwiddie County, 
Virginia Loose Wills, 1758-1869, Image 208. 

3 See Varner, Brewer Families of Southeast America (2003), Page 475 and discussion above. 

393 Tennessee Probate Court Books, 1795-1927, Dickson, Wills 1800-1899, Loose Records, Will of Rees 
Brewer, Pages 80-81, available at: familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:30SQ-2PCY-J9?i=80&wc=M603- 
MW5%3A179638301%2C179638302&cc=1909088. 

394 See brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/ct_ob_1768_a/Pg¢%20195.jpg and 


discussion above. 

3% See brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/ct_ob 1768 b/Pg%20420.jpg and 
discussion above. 

396 See discussion above. This assumes she was the eldest daughter, and thus born before Elizabeth. 
397 See brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/ct_ob_1759/Pg%20028.jpg and 


discussion above. 

398 See discussion above. 

399 See discussion above. 

400 See discussion above. Based on Hardy’s 1780 marriage I think he was likely born before 1760. 
401 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-2011, Marriage of Harday Brewer and Salley 
Lamkin, 19 Sep 1780, Warren, North Carolina. 


313 


Section IV, Part A: The Brewer Line 


402 See discussion above. 


314 


Section IV, Part B: The Thomas Line 


B. The Thomas Line 


1. Nissey Betsey Thomas (1775-1849) 


Nissey Betsey Thomas was born on January 2, 1775 in North Carolina.! She was the daughter of John 
Giles Thomas, Sr. and his wife Frances.? Nissey married Sterling Brewer, Sr. on August 18, 1791, 
likely in Wake County, North Carolina.’ Her life with Sterling Brewer, Sr. is described in more detail 
above in his section. “After the death of her husband, Nissey went to live with her oldest son, Dr. 
James Moody Brewer, in Trenton, Gibson County, Tennessee, where she died in 1849. Of her seven 


children only the two boys survived her.”4 
Children of Sterling Brewer, Sr. and Nissey Betsey Thomas: 


i. James Moody BREWER was born 19 Aug 1792 in Wake County, North Carolina and died 16 
Apr 1867 in Gibson County, Tennessee.> He married Nancy Ann CAMP on 7 Jan 1824 in 
Wake County, North Carolina.* He married Ann AUSTIN on 3 Oct 1832 in Davidson County, 
Tennessee.’ He married Rebecca Green Richardson on 3 Oct 1835 in Gibson County, 
Tennessee.® 

ii. Margaret BREWER was born 23 Nov 1795 in Wake County, North Carolina and died 11 Nov 
1802 in Dickson County, Tennessee.’ 

iii. Eliza BREWER was born 10 Mar 1798 in Wake County, North Carolina and died 30 Nov 1802 
in Dickson County, Tennessee." 

iv. Elizabeth BREWER was born 19 Aug 1807 in Dickson County, North Carolina and died 12 
Apr 1830 in Dickson County, Tennessee.!! She married Thomas William SHEARON on 12 
Dec 1827 in Dickson County, Tennessee.'? 

Vv. Letitia Harper BREWER was born 8 Oct 1809 in Dickson County, North Carolina and died 16 
Nov 1843 in Cheatham County, Tennessee.!? She married Thomas William SHEARON on 17 
Nov 1831 in Davidson County, Tennessee. "4 

vi. Sterling BREWER, Jr. was born 14 Dec 1811 in Dickson County, Tennessee and died 5 Apr 
1885 in Oak Plains, Montgomery County, Tennessee.* He married Agnes Jane SAUNDERS 
on 3 Oct 1839.16 He married Virginia Grace GLENN on 5 Sep 1844 in Montgomery County, 
Tennessee.!” 

vii. Louisiana A. “Louisa” BREWER was born 16 Nov 1813 in Dickson County, Tennessee and 
died 4 Nov 1840 in Memphis, Tennessee.'* She married Jesse D. CARR on 27 Oct 1836 in 


Davidson County, Tennessee.!° 


315 


Section IV, Part B: The Thomas Line 


2. John Giles Thomas, Sr. (About 1725-1785) and Frances (About 1720-A fter 1790) 


John Giles Thomas, Sr. lived in Wake County, North Carolina. In 1764, John built a mill on Crabtree 
Creek in Raleigh, North Carolina. This part of the creek was known as “the Great Falls of Crabtree.” 
The land was later purchased by Cornelius Lassiter, and a small waterfall and Lassiter Mill Park are 
still located in a residential neighborhood of Raleigh.”° John Giles Thomas, Sr. originally acquired this 
land on March 9, 1757 from John Rutherford, and he sold it to Isaac Hunter on August 7, 1784.7! This 
indicates that John likely operated the mill on this site for about twenty years, from 1764 until 1784. 


The site of Lassiter Mills, first constructed by John Giles Thomas around 1764” 


John was mentioned several times in the Wake County court minutes. During the spring term of 
1774, John Giles Thomas faced four charges of “tippling,” the colonial term for public drunkenness. 
He pleaded not guilty.”7 These charges do not appear to have completely damaged his reputation in 
the community, because on June 6, 1775, he was called as part of a Grand Jury. I have not found any 
evidence that John Giles Thomas, Sr. served as a soldier during the Revolutionary War, but there is 
evidence that he supported the cause. On April 16, 1781, a receipt signed by Commissioner Thomas 
Wootten indicates that John contributed forty-eight and a half pounds of bacon.” 


John Giles Thomas, Sr. died in Wake County sometime before March of 1785, when his Will was 
proved.” The Will has several sections that are crossed out, which suggests that John may have 


316 


Section IV, Part B: The Thomas Line 


drafted it earlier and then made changes as his death approached. We know that John owned slaves. 
He left his eldest son Giles Thomas a “negro boy named Brisco.”?”7 A newspaper ad from April 13, 
1802 published by Agerton Willis offered a $20 reward for the return of a slave named Anthony, 
formerly the property of John Giles Thomas of Wake County.” Another slave, a girl named “Isbel,” 
was left to his daughter Gaskey Runnels during her life. At Gaskey’s death, Isbel was left to Gaskey’s 
second son, Mark Runnels, and Isbel’s children would later be left to Gaskey’s other children.” 


Son John Giles Thomas, Jr. was given a negro boy named Jack at his marriage.*° It appears that our 
ancestor John Giles Thomas, Sr. had sons named both Giles Thomas and John Giles Thomas, since 
they are mentioned in separate sections of his Will. This suggests that Giles was an important family 
name, and may provide valuable clues to his further ancestry. A son, Charles Allen Thomas, was 
given a negro boy named Half Joe.*! Charles Allen Thomas would later marry Jean Brewer, the 


daughter of Reese Brewer and sister of Sterling Brewer, Sr.” 


Daughter Patience Roachel (or Rochell) was given a negro girl named Sizey during her life. 
Daughters Alley and Charlotte Thomas were given a negro boy named Bob and a negro girl named 
Dinah, respectively, at their marriages.** Our ancestor Nissey Betsey Thomas (here spelled “Nece”) 
was listed as John’s youngest daughter, and she received “her choice of the Negro Children that my 


wenches is now pregnant with if they should be born alive.” 


Two more daughters appeared in the Will. Christian Jones was given an English Shilling and Havens 
Clarey Abernathie was given a feather bed. John Giles Thomas noted that both of these daughters 
had received their part of the inheritance already, likely when they married. Finally, John left his 
plantation, horses, cattle, household furniture, and seven slaves to his wife Frances during the rest of 
her life or widowhood. The slaves were named Dick, Peter, Saul, Anthony, Ranger, Silver, and Sarah. 
The property then reverted to his son Charles Allen Thomas, with the slaves, stock, and household 


furniture to be divided among his three youngest children.* 


There is currently no solid evidence for any further claims about John’s wife Frances. Several trees on 
Ancestry.com have her as Hannah Frances Pratt, born around 1726 and dying around 1790. However, 
I have found no evidence for this maiden name or birth date for Frances. It is even possible that John 
had an earlier wife who was the mother of some or all of his children, since we do not have a 
marriage record for John and Frances. All we know for certain at this point is that Frances was John’s 
wife at the time of his death. She lived until at least 1790, because she appears on the 1790 census 


living near her son Giles Thomas in Wake County, North Carolina.* 


There is a 1779 land survey record for a parcel owned by John Thomas on Moccasin Creek in 
Johnston County, North Carolina. Johnston County lies just to the southeast of Wake County, and the 
record is indexed under “John Giles Thomas.”3”? However, the record itself does not include the 
“Giles” name on my examination, so I cannot conclude for certain that this land was owned by our 
ancestor. The modern town of Pine Level lies along Moccasin Creek in Johnston County, and there is 
a “Giles Chapel” church nearby, which may provide some indication that this land was owned by 


John Giles Thomas. However, to date I have not found any further evidence. 


317 


Section IV, Part B: The Thomas Line 


Children of John Giles Thomas, Sr. and Frances: 


i. | Giles THOMAS was born around 1753 in North Carolina. He married Molly SIMMS on 6 
Nov 1771 in Wake County, North Carolina.** 
ii. Charles Allen THOMAS was born after 1752. He married Jean BREWER, sister of Sterling 
BREWER, Sr.°? 
ili. Christian THOMAS was born around 1755 in North Carolina. She married Frank JONES on 
16 Feb 1785 in Granville County, North Carolina.” 
iv. | Gaskey THOMAS was born around 1758 in North Carolina. She married John RUNNELLS 
on 11 Dec 1778 in Wake County, North Carolina.“ 
v. Patience THOMAS was born around 1760 in North Carolina. She married John ROCHELLE 
on 8 Sep 1781 in Wake County, North Carolina.” 
vi. Havens Clarey THOMAS was born around 1767. She married Unknown ABERNATHIE 
before 1785.8 
vil. John Giles THOMAS, Jr. was born around 1770. He married Mary OAKS on 25 Oct 1793 in 
Wake County, North Carolina.“ 
viii. Charlotte THOMAS was born before 1775. She married Arthur RIVES on 5 Jul 1815 in Wake 
County, North Carolina. 
ix. | Alley THOMAS was born before 1775.4 
x.  Nissey Betsey THOMAS was born 2 Jan 1775 in North Carolina. She married Sterling 
BREWER, Sr. on 18 Aug 1791 in Wake County, North Carolina.” 


3. Hannah, Wife of Unknown Thomas (Unknown-1766) 


John Giles Thomas, Sr. was likely the son of a woman with the married name of Hannah Thomas, 
who died in Bute County, North Carolina in 1766. We have a record of Hanna’s Will, which 
establishes four of her children, including her son John Giles Thomas.** Unfortunately, we do not 
know Hannah’s maiden name, or the name of the man she married, who would be the father of John 
Giles Thomas. Some online trees have her as Susannah “Ann” Cotton, daughter of John Cotton, Jr. 
and Martha Godwin. Unfortunately, I have not found any primary sources that would prove this 


connection.” 


Hannah’s Will left her son Nathan Thomas three slaves (Davy, Bess, and another woman whose 
name was not transcribed), her hogs, and the residue of the Estate. Daughter Agnes Green received 
“one Negro boy Jim” and daughter Sarah Winston received “one Negro girl Dice.” Her son John 


Giles Thomas received “one Negro boy named Tall.” 


A 1755 tax list for Granville County, North Carolina listed “Widow Thomas, Nathan Thomas & 
Negroe Nut.”5! This indicates that John Giles Thomas’ father died sometime before 1755. Also on this 
list are several Green and Winston men, possible spouses of Hannah’s daughters Agness Green and 


Sarah Winston. The eastern half of Granville County would become Bute County in 1764. 


318 


Section IV, Part B: The Thomas Line 


As noted above, Bute County, North Carolina is also where Reese Brewer lived before coming south 
to Wake County. That further supports a connection between this Hannah Thomas and the John Giles 
Thomas, Sr. who had two children marry into Reese Brewer’s family (Charles Allen Thomas and 
Nissey Betsey Thomas). The Thomas and Brewer families likely had connections back in Bute 
County, and perhaps further north into Virginia. It was quite common for groups of related families 


to intermarry and migrate along the same routes out of Virginia. 


I have not been able to trace Hannah’s lineage, or that of her unknown Thomas husband, back any 
further. There are many tantalizing connections between a Thomas family in Isle of Wight County, 
Virginia and the Humphrey and Lawrence families who lived in the same area along the Blackwater 
River.*? Those families, in turn, have many connections with some of the earliest Brewer families in 
Virginia (see Appendix I). It may be possible to make more progress here in the future on both the 
Thomas and Brewer lines, although the evidence is very sporadic and existing family trees by other 


researchers often conflict or are poorly researched. For now, this is the end of our Thomas line. 
Children of Unknown Thomas and Hannah: 


i. John Giles THOMAS was born about 1725.3 

ii. Agness THOMAS married an Unknown GREEN.* 
iil. Sarah THOMAS married an Unknown WINSTON.® 
iv. Nathan THOMAS.*6 


319 


Section IV, Part B: The Thomas Line 


References for Section IV, Part B: The Thomas Line 


1 Brewer Family Bible, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

2 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, Will of John Giles Thomas, 
Probate Date: 1785, Wake, North Carolina. We don’t currently know Frances’ maiden name. 

3 Brewer Family Bible. The Thomas family was from Wake County, North Carolina, so although no 
marriage record has been found, that seems likely to have been the location. 

* Boone, “Sterling Brewer I”, quoting Robert Ewing Corlew, A History of Dickson County, Tennessee 
(Tennessee Historical Commission and Dickson County Historical Society, 1956). 

5 Brewer Family Bible. 

6 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Records, 1741-2011, Marriage of James M Brewer and Nancy 
A Camp, 7 Jan 1824, Wake, North Carolina. 

7 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of James M Brewer and Ann M 
Austin, 3 Oct 1832, Davidson, Tennessee. 

8 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of James M Brewer and Rebecca G 
Richardson, 2 Oct 1835, Gibson County, Tennessee. 

° Brewer Family Bible. 

10 Ibid. 

1 Ibid. 

2 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of Elizabeth Brewer and Thomas W 
Shearon, 12 Dec 1827, Dickson, Tennessee. 

13 Ibid. 

14 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of Leltetia H Brewer [sic] and Thos 
W Shearer, Davidson, Tennessee. 

15 Brewer Family Bible. 

16 Ibid. 

7 Ibid. 

18 Ibid. 

19 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of Louisa A Brower and Jesse D 
Carr, 27 Oct 1836, Davidson, Tennessee. 

20 The News and Observer, “Rewind” (Raleigh, North Carolina, 6 Jun 2003), Page N2, available on 
Newspapers.com at: newspapers.com/clip/61045600/john-giles-thomas-owner-of-mill-on/?xid=637. 
21 Land Transfer from John Giles Thomas, Senior to Isaac Hunter, available at: 
services.wakegov.com/booksweb/PDFView.aspx?DocID=108455444&RecordDate=08/15/1785. 

22 Photograph by user ayeshamus on flickr.com, available at: 
flickr.com/photos/aye_shamus/2928320551/. Available under a Creative Commons license. 

23 The News and Observer, “Dusty docket offers rare glimpse of life in Colonial Wake County” 
(Raleigh, North Carolina, 28 Feb 1988), Page 33, available on Newspapers.com at: 
newspapers.com/clip/61043631/thomas-giles-thomas-wake-county-court/?xid=637. 

24 Wynette Parks Haun, Wake County North Carolina County Court Minutes, 1771-1776, available at: the- 
sims-family.net/genealogy/sims/docs/North_ Carolina Wake Co Court _Minutes_1771-1776.pdf. 

25 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers, 1779-1782, No. 322, Image 890. 

26 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, Will of John Giles Thomas, 
Probate Date: 1785, Wake, North Carolina. The Will was witnessed by Charles Armstrong, John 
Byron (or Byrom), and John Gilmore. 

27 Ibid. 


320 


Section IV, Part B: The Thomas Line 


8 Raleigh Weekly Messenger, “Twenty Dollars Reward” (Wake County, North Carolina, 13 April 
1803), available on page for John Giles Thomas on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

29 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, Will of John Giles Thomas, 
Probate Date: 1785, Wake, North Carolina. 

30 Ibid. 

31 [bid. 

32 Slave Sale between Reese Brewer and John Watson, later attested to by Charles A. Thomas, who 
married the daughter of the said Brewer, available at: 

services. wakegov.com/booksweb/PDFView.aspx?DocID=108481066&RecordDate=02/28/1822. 

33 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, Will of John Giles Thomas, 
Probate Date: 1785, Wake, North Carolina. 

34 [bid. 

35 [bid. 

36 Ancestry.com, 1790 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Wake, North Carolina; Series: M637; Roll: 7; 
Page: 260; Image: 155; FHL Film No. 0568147. Also living near this family was a “Burwell Jones.” 
John Giles Thomas’ daughter Christian married Frank Jones. This Burwell could possibly be their 
son. There is also a Burwell Brewer who lived in North Carolina around this time. I have not yet 
connected him to our Brewer line, but this could hint at a possible connection. 

37 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Land Grant Files, 1693-1960, Issue Date: 1 Jan 1763, Name: Jno Giles 
Thomas, Description: Johnston 1-1162. 

38 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Index, 1741-2004, Marriage of Giles Thomas and Molly 
Simms, 6 Nov 1771, Wake County, North Carolina. This marriage date has been used to determine 
the approximate birth date for Giles. The Will notes that Giles Thomas is the oldest son of John Giles 
Thomas. This date has also been used to estimate a birth year of around 1725 for John Giles Thomas. 
39 Wake County Deed Book 5, Page 61, Record Date 28 Feb 1822, available at: 
services.wakegov.com/booksweb/PDFView.aspx?DocID=108481066&RecordDate=02/28/1822 and 
discussion above. We know Charles Allen Thomas was not the oldest son, so he must have been born 
sometime after 1753. 

40 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Records, 1741-2011, Marriage of Christian Thomas and Frank 
Jones, 16 Feb 1785, Granville, North Carolina. This marriage date has been used to determine the 
approximate birth date for Christian. A crossed out line in the Will notes that Christian Jones is John 
Giles Thomas’ oldest daughter. 

“1 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Records, 1741-2011, Marriage of Hesky Thomas and John 
Runnells, 11 Dec 1778, Wake, North Carolina. This marriage date has been used to determine the 
approximate birth date for Gaskey (likely mistranscribed as Heskey on this record). 

” Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Index 1741-2004, Marriage of Patience Thomas and John 
Rochell, 8 Sep 1781, Wake, North Carolina. The marriage date has been used to determine the 
approximate birth date for Patience. Patience may have had a second marriage to Thomas Farrow, 


but that is currently unconfirmed. FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Mrs Patience Thomas Rochelle 
Farrow (1760-30 Aug 1841), Memorial No. 94873220, available at: 
findagrave.com/memorial/94873220/patience-rochelle_farrow. 

43 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, Will of John Giles Thomas, 
Probate Date: 1785, Wake, North Carolina. Her father’s Will lists her as Havens Clarey Abernathie, so 
she must have married before 1785, meaning she was likely born by around 1767 or earlier. 

“4 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Index 1741-2004, Marriage of John Thomas and Mary Oaks, 
25 Oct 1793, Wake, North Carolina. From his father’s Will and this marriage date, we can surmise 
that he was not married as of 1785. He was likely born around 1770. 


321 


Section IV, Part B: The Thomas Line 


45 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Records 1741-2011, Marriage of Charlotte Thomas and 
Arthur Rives, 5 Jul 1815, Wake, North Carolina. We know that Nissey Betsey Thomas was the 
youngest daughter of John Giles Thomas, born on 2 Jan 1775, so Charlotte must have been born 
earlier. Brewer Family Bible. 

46 We know that Nissey Betsey Thomas was the youngest daughter of John Giles Thomas, born on 2 
Jan 1775, so Alley must have been born earlier. Brewer Family Bible. 

4” Brewer Family Bible. 

48 Will & Estate of Mrs. Hannah Thomas of Bute County, North Carolina, 1766, available at: 
ncgenweb.us/ncbute/wills/thomas-han.htm. 

49 There are records for Thomas Cotton who died about 1728 in Bertie County, North Carolina. He 
had a daughter named Susannah, and a son-in-law named John Thomas. wikitree.com/wiki/Cotten- 
15. While these could be the parents of John Giles Thomas, more proof is needed. 

50 Will & Estate of Mrs. Hannah Thomas of Bute County, North Carolina, 1766, available at: 
ncgenweb.us/ncbute/wills/thomas-han.htm. 

51 1755 Tax List, Granville County, North Carolina, available at: ncgenweb.us/ncgranville/other/1755- 
tax.htm. 

52 See rockyrivernc.com/2017/09/05/rolling-out-of-virginia/ for a discussion of some of these families. 
53 Date is based on the approximate age of his oldest son, Giles Thomas. Ancestry.com, North Carolina 
Marriage Index, 1741-2004, Marriage of Giles Thomas and Molly Simms, 6 Nov 1771, Wake County, 
North Carolina. 

54 Will & Estate of Mrs. Hannah Thomas of Bute County, North Carolina, 1766, available at: 
ncgenweb.us/ncbute/wills/thomas-han.htm. 

55 Ibid. This may have been Sarah Winston who died in 1761 in Granville County, North Carolina. If 
so, her husband would have been Isaac Winston. ncgenweb.us/ncbute/wills/thomas-han.htm. 

56 Nathan was likely the youngest son, or at least unmarried as of 1766. His mother left him the 
remainder of her Estate, including the household goods. 


322 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


C. The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


1. Virginia Grace Glenn (1827-1903) 


From the Brewer Family Bible, we know 
that Virginia Grace Glenn was born on 
November 10, 1827 in Cumberland 
County, Virginia and that her father was 
Nathan Glenn.! Margaret Brewer Boone 
notes that “Virginia had come _ to 
Tennessee with her father, Nathan Glenn, 
from Cumberland County, Virginia. The 
Glenns were an old established family 
there . . . . In 1844 seventeen year old 
Virginia was an orphaned boarder at the 
Clarksville Female Academy when 
Sterling began to pay call. His suite 
proved irresistible and one September 
evening, she left by way of a window to 
become his bride.”? 


Many family trees have Virginia’s parents 
as Nathan Glenn and his wife Mary 
Daniel Fowler. However, this couple does 
not match up with the family history or 
the other known facts, and they cannot be 
her parents. That Nathan Glenn had 


moved from Virginia through Tennessee, and then on to Texas. He was alive past 1860. Virginia’s 


323 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


father had died by 1844. That Nathan Glenn may have had a daughter named Virginia, but sources 
indicate she died unmarried in Texas.? Virginia Grace Glenn married Sterling Brewer, Jr. on 
September 5, 1844.4 It is clear that this Nathan Glenn and his wife Mary Daniel Fowler were not the 


parents of our Virginia Grace Glenn. 


My research indicates that in fact, Virginia’s parents were Nathan Glenn and Nancy Mosby of 
Cumberland County, Virginia. Our ancestor Nathan Glenn was born around 1777 in Virginia and 
died around 1839 in Clarksville, Tennessee.> A Cumberland County court case from 1837, discussed 
below, clearly establishes that Virginia Grace Glenn was the daughter of Nathan Glenn and Nancy 
Mosby.°® 


Virginia’s life with Sterling Brewer, Jr. is discussed above. The couple had five children, including 
our ancestor Sterling Cage Brewer. The defining event in their lives was the Civil War. One amazing 
story from this time period has been passed down through the generations and was recorded by 


descendant Mollie Holm: 


Although many fancy quilts may have survived the 1860s in Middle Tennessee, there 
is one that has more claim to distinction than mere beauty. A frail and worn veteran 
of its kind, this once gay red and white “double Irish chain” is now brought out from 
its 40-odd year wrappings of blue paper for occasional appearances at fairs and 
bazaars. The blocks in the chain pattern are yellowed and faded, but the fine even 
stitches of the grapevine design quilted in the border are as neat as the day they were 
on the day of the quilting. 


Mrs. Frances Brewer Elrod, of Nashville, received the quilt from her mother, who 
was Mary Louise Brewer, first-born daughter of Mrs. Virginia Glenn Brewer, its 
maker and original owner. Frances, one of several granddaughters, received this 
particular family keepsake in accordance to her grandmother's plan of ownership 


succession — from the eldest daughter to the eldest daughter. 


Mrs. Elrod says the story of the quilt’s history was her grandmother’s favorite of 
many war tales. She could make her grandchildren almost smell the road dust stirred 
up from the dried mud on the Nashville pike by the Union army. Ft. Donelson’s 
capture on February 14, 1862, opened the way from Clarksville to Nashville, and it 
seemed to the families who lived on that road that the whole Union army was 


passing. 


Mrs. Brewer’s husband, Sterling Brewer Jr., was schoolmaster and preacher at 
Williams Chapel, one of the earliest schools established in that part of the state. Their 
home and the church-school building was built in a grove of virgin oaks on the 
Nashville highway 14 miles south of Clarksville. On the day the last 30 schoolboys 
old enough for military service left to join the Southern army, a Confederate flag 


made by Mrs. Brewer and the schoolgirls was raised with ceremony on the 


324 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


schoolgrounds. James Brewer, the eldest son, left with the group to enlist with Gen. 
Nathan B. Forrest. 


When the news came through the Confederate lines that Ft. Donelson was near 
surrender to the Federals, the boom of guns firing from the boats on the Cumberland 
river north of Clarksville was especially disturbing to 16-year-old Lucy Brewer, 
already delirious with pneumonia. The Confederates lost the fort on the day that 
Lucy died. Three months before, she had been one of the makers of the school flag. 


Organized school work was stopped by the threat of the approaching army, but the 
schoolgirls did not plan to lose the colors of their cause to the first ransacking soldier 
that came. Mr. Brewer, aside from teaching and preaching, was also handy with 
carpenter’s tools. He had built into his house a pair of secret cabinets on each side of 
the living room fireplace. This seemed a good place to hide the flag along with his 


wife’s coin silver spoons. 


When the advance guard reached the Brewer place, the mounted officers rode 
through the big front gate to the house and asked for breakfast for the staff. Although 
there were many trees on the lawn around the house, that morning it seemed to the 
family that they couldn’t see the trees for the Yankees. Mrs. Brewer, master of every 
situation since the day in September, 1844, when as orphaned Virginia Grace Glenn, 
she left the Clarksville Female Academy by way of a window to become the young 
bride of a parson and teacher, bargained with the Union officer. Breakfast would be 
prepared for the lot on condition that her property was left undisturbed, or at least 


not burned. 


The tired soldiers granted this favor and agreed to pass the command to the rear 
guards. In the midst of stirring the batter for cornmeal hoe-cakes, Mary Louise 
Brewer startled her mother by dropping the spoon and staring into the room where 
the soldiers were resting. Two of the Yankee officers had removed their boots and 
were tilted back in chairs against the walls over the hidden cabinets. Mother and 
daughter spent little time in looking, but hurried to get the men to the table and off 
the place. 


The last straggling troops finally passed, but the flag was not raised again, for it 
looked as if the Confederate cause was doomed. Because of the scarcity and high 
prices of cotton cloth, practical Mrs. Brewer thought of a way for the rebel banner to 
continue to serve, and the flag so carefully stitched up by the school girls found its 
way into her bag of quilt pieces.” 


325 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


“ be 


f 
Ay 
‘si 
1& 
a 
2 

» 
" 


Fa 


Mrs. Elrod inherited her grandmother's quilt from her mother 


Confederate Cover 


Secret cabinets hid from the Yankees 
the flag which was later converted into 
a quilt now owned by a Nashville woman 


Fannie (Brewer) Elrod with the Brewer Civil War Quilt® 
We are now able to learn more about Virginia Grace Glenn’s ancestors. These Glenn, Coleman, 
Mosby, Walton, and Cox lines are new discoveries and trace back to some of the earliest settlers in 
Colonial Virginia. 
Children of Sterling Brewer, Jr. and Virginia Grace Glenn: 


James Sterling “Jim” BREWER was born 29 Jun 1845 in Turnersville, Tennessee and died 8 Jul 
1869 in Oak Plains, Montgomery County, Tennessee. He married Louisa L. “Lulu” BORT on 


20 Jul 1865 in Berrien, Michigan.° 
Lucy Letitia BREWER was born 8 Nov 1846 in Davidson County, Tennessee and died 15 Feb 


1862 in Oak Plains, Montgomery County, Tennessee. 1° 


326 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


iii. Edmund Lewis “Ed” BREWER was born 20 Jun 1850 in Robertson County, Tennessee and 
died 18 Oct 1931 in Oak Plains, Montgomery County, Tennessee.!! He married Tennessee 
Wilkerson “Tennie” PATRICK on 14 Feb 1877 in Montgomery County, Tennessee. !” 

iv. Mary Louisa “Molly Lee” BREWER was born 17 Nov 1851 in Robertson County, Tennessee 
and died 26 Jun 1920 in Adams, Robertson County, Tennessee.!3 She married Samuel Prince 
ALSBROOK on 17 Oct 1872 in Tennessee. "4 

Vv. Sterling Cage BREWER was born 4 May 1867 in Oak Plains, Montgomery County, 
Tennessee and died 10 Aug 1931 in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee.!5 He married 
Mazie Eliza LINK on 19 Jun 1889 in Cheatham County, Tennessee. !¢ 


2. Nathan Glenn (About 1777-About 1839) and Nancy Mosby (About 1787-Before 
1839) 


Nathan Glenn was born around 1777, likely in Cumberland County, Virginia, to William Glenn and 
his wife Frances.!” This estimate for Nathan’s birth date is based on the age of his children and his 
marriage to Nancy Mosby on October 29, 1807 in Cumberland County, along with the order he is 
listed among his siblings in his father’s Will.!* Nathan Glenn appears on the 1810 census in 
Cumberland County.'? His household included ten members: one white male between 26 and 44, one 
white female between 16 and 25, one white male under 10, and seven slaves. I believe the child was 
likely Alexander H. Glenn, Nathan and Nancy’s oldest son, born around 1810. These age ranges also 
support approximate birth years of 1780 for Nathan and 1787 for Nancy. 


On the 1820 census, Nathan Glenn and his family were again found in Cumberland County, Virginia. 
There were now five children in the family: two males under 10, one male between 10 and 15, and 
two females under 10.7” Based on later records, these children were likely Alexander, Thomas, 
Martha, William, and Martha Glenn. Nathan now owned eight additional slaves, for a total of fifteen. 
There were four male and four female slaves under the age of 14, so some of them may have been the 


children of his original seven slaves from the 1810 census. 


In 1829, Nathan Glenn and his wife Nancy sold 735 acres of land in Cumberland County, Virginia to 
James Isbell for $4,000.2! The sale of this land would lead to a complicated legal dispute. The details 
can be difficult to follow, but the court records provide conclusive evidence for Nathan and Nancy’s 
children. In short, Nathan Glenn sold land to Isbell that would be legally owned by Nathan’s children 
in the future, when their grandmother Mary Mosby died. This meant that in legal terms, Nathan did 
not have clear title to the land he sold, and that caused problems. 


Here is how Nathan Glenn’s children acquired a right to the land that was sold to James Isbell. 
Nathan appears to have acquired 535 acres of the 735 acre parcel from his father-in-law Thomas 
Mosby in 1825. Thomas was approaching the end of his life, and wanted to provide for his wife Mary. 
Thomas Mosby conveyed half of his Estate to his son-in-law Nathan Glenn as trustee for his wife 
Mary (Nathan Glenn’s mother-in-law).”2 This included land, slaves, stock, and household furnishings. 
When Mary Mosby died, the Estate would pass to Thomas Mosby’s grandchildren. Since Nancy 


327 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


Mosby was their only child, Thomas and Mary’s only grandchildren were the children of Nathan 
Glenn and Nancy Mosby.” 


There were two issues with this arrangement. First, Mary Mosby was still alive in 1829 when Nathan 
Glenn sold the land to Isbell. She lived until at least 1834.24 Second, Nathan Glenn and Nancy Mosby 
continued to have children after 1829, creating additional grandchildren of Thomas Mosby who held 
an interest in the land. Isbell complained to the court that while he had contracted with Mary Mosby 
and the adult children of Nathan Glenn (Alexander and Thomas Glenn) for their interest in the land, 
he had no way to do so with Glenn’s minor children.* Legally, Glenn had sold Isbell land that was 


not entirely his to sell. 


In Nathan Glenn’s answer to this complaint, he stated that he had nine children with Nancy Mosby, 
and listed them in what is presumably their order of birth: Alexander, Thomas, William Martha, 
Mary Frances, George, Nathan, Craddock, and Virginia Glenn.” In addition, Nancy was pregnant as 
of March 12, 1834, likely with daughter Ann R. Glenn.?”? Only Alexander and Thomas Glenn were 
legal adults as of this date.2* Nathan claimed that Isbell was aware of the complicated legal 
transaction between Thomas Mosby and himself, giving an interest in the land to Mosby’s 
grandchildren. In exchange for the interests of his minor children, Nathan appears to have purchased 
two tracts of land from George Walton in Montgomery County, Tennessee for $2,000.29 He then 
assigned this land to his minor children, and any children that would be born in the future.*° The 
children were listed as Alexander H. Glenn, Thomas J. Glenn, William C. Glenn, Martha Jane Glenn, 
Mary Frances Glenn, Daniel George Glenn, Grace Virginia Glenn, Nathan Glenn, and Craddock 
Wisdom Glenn.*! 


Nathan’s complicated maneuver does not appear to have satisfied Isbell. On July 26, 1834, Nathan 
Glenn’s adult children (Alexander, Thomas, and Martha Jane Glenn, now Martha Edwards), signed a 
contract with Isbell. They promised that their younger siblings would transfer their interest in the 
Cumberland County land to Isbell upon reaching 21 years of age. If the minor children failed to do 
so, the adult children would pay Isbell $1,500.** The youngest child listed was Ann R. Glenn, born 
around 1834. So this legal obligation would have remained in effect for at least another 21 years until 
Ann reached adulthood. There is evidence to support a protracted resolution to the inheritance. On 
February 26, 1858, Virginia Grace Glenn’s husband Sterling Brewer, Jr. wrote to his brother about an 


expected inheritance from the Estate of Virginia’s grandmother.* 


In 1833, Nathan Glenn was involved in a far simpler legal matter. Nathan Glenn, his brother 
Nehemiah Glenn, his brothers-in-law Craddock Wisdom and John Brightwell, and the children of his 
sister Patience C. Glenn brought a lawsuit against the Executors of the Estate of William Glenn, 
Nathan’s father. Nathan’s brother William Glenn, Jr. was the Executor. The suit explains that William 
Glenn, Sr.’s widow Frances was given a life estate which included several slaves and household 
property. Frances had now died, and the descendants asked the court to divide the property and 
distribute it to William’s heirs. Six slaves and various household goods were sold, with net proceeds 
of $1,243.93 divided among the heirs. 


328 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


By 1834, Nathan Glenn had definitely left Virginia and moved west to Montgomery County, 
Tennessee.*> In 1836, he appeared on the tax list there, owning 266 acres of land.*° On the same page 
of the tax list was son Alexander H. Glenn. He did not have any land, but did own two slaves.” That 
Alexander Glenn already owned slaves by 1836 supports the idea that he was the oldest son, but this 


is not conclusive. 


Nathan Glenn died around 1839 in Montgomery County, Tennessee.* In his Will, we find 
information about several additional children and confirmation that Nathan was a plantation and 
slave owner. It is clear from the text of the Will that Nathan left behind minor children. He directed 
that all slaves and property were to remain with the plantation until January of 1843. The proceeds of 
the plantation were to be used “for the mutual benefit of my children who may remain on the said 
plantation, and for the support and education of my younger children and the payments of my 
debts.”*° His wife Nancy was not mentioned, which strongly implies she had died before 1839, likely 


in Montgomery County, Tennessee. 


Per the Will, any of Nathan Glenn’s children who turned 21 or married before January of 1843 were 
to receive $500 from the Estate. This amount matches advances made to older children Alexander H. 
Glenn, Thomas J. Glenn,“° and Martha J. Glenn, who was now Martha J. Edwards.*! Nathan named 
his children who had not yet received an advance as William C. Glenn, Mary F. Glenn, Daniel G. 
Glenn, Nathan Glenn, Craddock W. Glenn, and Ann R. Glenn.#? Curiously, our ancestor Virginia 
Grace Glenn does not appear on this list or elsewhere in the Will. She was born in 1827, so should 
have been about 12 years old in 1839. Virginia’s status as Nathan Glenn’s daughter seems beyond 


doubt based on the court documents discussed above, so I am puzzled by this omission. 


The inventory of his Estate shows that Nathan Glenn owned 363 acres of land, fifteen pork hogs, forty 
or fifty stock hogs, thirty-four sheep, twenty-two head of cattle, around 600 bushels of wheat crop, 
corn, oats, and tobacco, two horses, and assorted household items including three beds, two clocks, 
and a map of the United States. He also owned slaves named Cain, Dick, Frank, Stephen, Daniel, 
Mary, Dinah, Aggy, Hamil, Kilser, and Benjamin. A sale of Nathan’s property was held on July 20, 
1843. Virginia Glenn purchased a feather bed for $15, as did her sister Mary and brother Thomas 


Glenn.* Thomas Glenn purchased most of the remaining items, in total valued at $647.55.‘ 


Several records of guardianships exist for the minor children of Nathan Glenn. Those records 
demonstrate that education was an important value in the Glenn family. As of 1845, Thomas J. Glenn 
was the guardian for his younger siblings Nathan, Craddock, and Ann R. Glenn.4” Thomas was 
reimbursed for board, clothing, and tuition for each minor, indicating that they were attending school 


using funds from their father’s Estate. 


In 1843, Thomas J. Glenn advertised the sale of six slaves (Cain, Dinah, Ben, Frank, Dick, and Harriet) 
from his father Nathan Glenn’s Estate. The advertisement said that Thomas was the acting Executor 
of Nathan’s Estate, and the slaves were being sold “by the order of the circuit court of Montgomery 
County.”* There appears to have been something improper about Thomas’ sale, which led to him 


being removed as guardian for his younger siblings and replaced by a man named James Ross.*° 


329 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


In 1848, James Ross was appointed guardian for Nathan Glenn, Jr. and Craddock Glenn.*! In 1849, 
Ross received $607.40 from the Chancery Court as a result of the case Nathan Glenn et al. v. Thomas J. 
Glenn as guardian of James Clark and Others. Ross reported that this amount was paid by Thomas Glenn 
based on a determination that Thomas fraudulently sold slaves in his role as guardian. In 1850, 
Nathan Glenn, Jr. and Craddock Glenn received $630.10 from a court ordered land sale.®2 Also in 
1850, James Ross and Craddock Glenn petitioned the court to be allowed to use $400 of Craddock’s 
inheritance (estimated at $600-$700 in total) for his education and maintenance. Craddock Glenn was 
noted as being 19 years old at this time, so he must have been born around 1831. I have not been 


able to find any guardianship records for our ancestor Virginia Grace Glenn. 


It is clear from these records that when Nathan Glenn died around 1839, his children’s future was 
thrown into some amount of disarray, although resources were provided for their care and 
education. Some of the children were already grown and established on their own, while others were 
still young children, now orphaned. This matches our existing family history, which is that Virginia 
Grace Glenn was an orphaned boarder from an established Virginia family when she met and 


married Sterling Brewer, Jr. in 1844. 
Children of Nathan Glenn and Nancy Mosby: 


i. Alexander H. GLENN was born around 1810 in Cumberland County, Virginia® and likely 
died before 1850.55 He married Martha A.F. LIGON on 11 Feb 1835 in Logan, Kentucky.* 

ii. Thomas J. GLENN was born around 1812 in Cumberland County, Virginia.° 

iii. William C. GLENN was born around 1814 in Cumberland County, Virginia.®* 

iv. | Martha Jane GLENN was born around 1816 in Cumberland County, Virginia.*? She married 
Unknown EDWARDS by 1839. 

v. | Mary Frances GLENN was born around 1821 in Cumberland County, Virginia®! and died 22 
May 1858 in Ballard, Kentucky. She married Richard Davis FORTSON on 6 Sep 1843 in 
Montgomery County, Tennessee.® She has several descendants who are DNA matches with 
Hank. 

vi. | Daniel George GLENN was born about 1823 in Cumberland County, Virginia. 

vii. | Virginia Grace GLENN was born on 10 Nov 1827 in Cumberland County, Virginia and died 
on 23 Sep 1903 in Oak Plains, Montgomery County, Tennessee.® She married Sterling 
BREWER, Jr. on 5 Sep 1844 in Montgomery County, Tennessee. 

viii. Nathan GLENN, Jr. was born after 1827, likely around 1829, in Cumberland County, 
Virginia.” 

ix. | Craddock Wisdom GLENN was born around 1831 in Cumberland County, Virginia. 

x. Ann R. GLENN was born around 1834, possibly in Montgomery County, Tennessee. She 
married John W. RUTHERFORD on 25 Oct 1852 in Todd County, Kentucky.” 


330 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


3. William Glenn, Sr. (About 1750-About 1819) and Frances Harris? (About 1750- 
Before 1833) 


William Glenn, Sr., the father of our ancestor Nathan Glenn, appears to have been born by around 
1750. This estimate is based on the ages of his children and his appearance in the Cumberland 
County, Virginia records. William was likely married by around 1770, since his oldest son Nehemiah 
Glenn was born about 1771 in Cumberland County.”! His wife was named Frances, and I believe she 


may have been William’s first cousin, Frances Harris. This possibility is discussed further below. 


In 1774, William Glenn was one of the people living near the Willis River in Cumberland County who 
petitioned the local court to have the river cleared for better navigation.” Three other Glenn men 
appeared on this petition: Nehemiah, Nathan, and James Glenn, Sr. I believe these three men were 
brothers, and for reasons I will explain below, I think Nehemiah Glenn was likely the father of our 
William Glenn, making the other two men William’s uncles.”3 Other names appearing on this petition 


that are connected with our Glenn family include Matt Sims and Henry Cox, Jr.” 


Also in 1774, William Glenn purchased 200 acres of land from Matthew Sims for £95.75 William paid a 
deposit of over £22, but Matthew Sims died before he could transfer a deed. If our William Glenn was 
the son of Nehemiah Glenn and Ann Coleman, as I suspect, then Matthew Sims and his wife Mary 
Coleman would have been his aunt and uncle. Ann and Mary Coleman were sisters. Matthew Sims 
was also related to Nehemiah Glenn: he was the son of Matthew Sims and Gemima Glenn, 
Nehemiah’s sister.” We know that Matthew Sims owned 200 acres of land along the Willis River, the 


same river where William Glenn lived in 1774.” 


Since Matthew Sims died before he transferred a deed, this land sale between family members ended 
up in court, but the proceedings do not seem to have been especially adversarial. Instead, both parties 
seemed interested in reaching a fair outcome. In 1778, William Glenn filed a lawsuit against Bernard 
Sims, the minor son and heir of Matthew Sims. Acting through his guardian Nathan Glenn, Bernard 
Sims stated that he did not know about the sale between Glenn and his father, but asked the court to 
do what was equitable. Bernard’s mother, Mary Sims, gave a deposition on January 26, 1778 
supporting William Glenn’s claim.” On March 23, 1778, William Glenn won his case and Bernard 


Sims was ordered to execute a deed to Glenn upon turning 21 years old.” 


William Glenn and his wife Frances appeared in the Cumberland County records in connection with 
the Will of Edward Matheis. On September 6, 1775, Frances Glenn signed as a Witness to Edward’s 
Will.® That provides solid evidence that William and Frances were married by at least this date, and 
likely several years earlier. Edward Matheis’ Will was proved on January 22, 1776, and on January 24, 
1776, William Glenn was one of the men who appraised the Estate.*! This detail is helpful when 
establishing the likely father of William Glenn, which will be discussed in the next section. 


On November 6, 1778, William Glenn was one of several men who signed a petition to the legislature 


concerning churches who were holding meetings with slaves: 


331 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


Sundry inhabitants of Cumberland County show in this petition that dissenters of the 
established church are having meetings at night with slaves without the slave 
owners’ knowledge or permission which is claimed to cause a great deal of trouble 
between the slaves and their masters. The petitioners ask the House of Delegates to 
adopt some regulation to make the clergy of the Established Church responsible for 
their conduct or be removed for their misbehavior. A note on the reverse of this 


document shows that this petition was rejected on December 2, 1778. 


Another signer of this petition was James Coleman Glenn, likely William’s brother. During the height 
of the Revolution, the ideals of universal freedom and liberty were powerful forces, and had 
convinced some Southerners that slavery was an evil that should be ended. These opinions found 
popular expression through the Methodist and Baptist Churches that were quickly becoming an 
alternative to the established Anglican Church.*® The movement was obviously in tension with the 


high numbers of white Virginians, such as William Glenn, Sr., who owned salves as valuable 


property. 


Another Cumberland County, Virginia petition shows William Glenn and his relatives. On 
November 23, 1780, William Glenn was among a long list of citizens asking that Reverend 
Christopher MacRae be retained.*+ Other signers with likely connections to our family line include: 
Nathan Glenn, William Coleman, Thomas Glenn, Jr., Spilsby Glenn, Mary Sims, Molley Glenn 
Coleman, and William Glenn, Sr.*° This other William Glenn was not necessarily the father of our 
ancestor William Glenn. During this time period, “Senior” and “Junior” were used to distinguish two 
men of the same name in the same area, and does not necessarily indicate a father son relationship. 
Since our William did not generally have a suffix after his name in other records, this other William 


Glenn may have only lived in Cumberland County for a brief time. 


In fact, there was a William Coleman Glenn who was the son of Nathan Glenn and Lucy Coleman.* If 
our William was the son of Hezekiah Glenn and his wife Ann Coleman, this would make William 
Coleman Glenn his first cousin; Hezekiah and Nathan Glenn were brothers, and Lucy and Ann 
Coleman were sisters.*” William Coleman Glenn was born in 1761, so would have been coming of age 
around 1778, perhaps causing our William Glenn to briefly go by “Sr.” in official documents to 
distinguish the two men. William Coleman Glenn married Elizabeth Wright in 1788 and moved to 
South Carolina, leaving our William Glenn as the only man of that name in Cumberland County, 


Virginia.® 


The First Census of the United States was conducted in 1790. However, records for Virginia were lost 
when the British burned the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. during the War of 1812.89 
Thankfully, several tax lists enumerating the heads of families were made around this time. On the 
1782 list, we find four Glenn men in Cumberland County, Virginia: William Glenn, Nathan Glenn, 
James Glenn, and James Coleman Glenn. This William Glenn was our ancestor, and he had nine 
white people and three black slaves in his household.” Nathan and James Glenn were likely 


William’s uncles, both sons of James Glenn. The identity of James Coleman Glenn is not certain, but I 


332 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


believe that he was the younger brother of William Glenn. This possibility is discussed in more detail 


below. 


William Glenn also appears on the 1784 list of Heads of Families in Cumberland County, Virginia.” 
There were eleven “white souls” in the household. I believe that six of William’s children had been 
born by this time, so along with William and his wife Frances, that leaves three members of the 
household unaccounted for. They may have been extended family members, or children who did not 
survive to adulthood. On February 14, 1788, William Glenn served as a witness for a land sale 
between Nathan Glenn, his uncle, and Gulielmus Coleman, likely an extended family member.” The 
land sold by Nathan Glenn bordered Nathan Womack, James Glenn, and the said William Glenn. 
Gulielmus Coleman was Nathan Glenn’s nephew, the son of Thomas Coleman who was the brother 
of Lucy Coleman. If William Glenn was the son of Nehemiah Glenn, as I suspect, then Gulielmus was 


his first cousin, since Nehemiah married Anne Coleman, another sibling in this Coleman family.® 


William Glenn was on a list of voters from Cumberland County, Virginia for the 1804 United States 
presidential election. The 109 voting men in the County chose Creed Taylor to represent them in the 
Electoral College; Virginia voted for Thomas Jefferson as President and George Clinton as Vice 
President.® William is also likely to be the William Glenn who lived in Cumberland County on the 
1810 census. In that household were a man and woman both over the age of 45, along with a boy 
between 10 and 15, a young man between 16 and 25, and a young woman between 16 and 25. 
William owned thirteen slaves, which is unsurprising given his earlier petition objecting to 


unsanctioned church meetings involving slaves. 


William Glenn, Sr. signed his Will on November 8, 1818 and it was proved in the Cumberland 
County Court in April of 1820, indicating he died sometime between these two dates.” The Will 
provides conclusive evidence for William’s children with his wife Frances, who are listed below. The 
birth years of William’s children are estimates based on their order in the Will. It is possible that they 


were not listed in order of birth, although Nehemiah was listed first and named the “eldest son.”% 
Children of William Glenn, Sr. and Frances (Harris?): 


1: Nehemiah GLENN was born around 1771 in Cumberland County, Virginia.” 
ii. Nancy Ann GLENN was born around 1773 in Cumberland County, Virginia. She married 
Craddock WISDOM. 

iii. | Patience C. GLENN was born about 1775 in Cumberland County, Virginia and died before 22 
Dec 1820 in Cumberland Virginia.‘ She married Samuel WRIGHT on 27 Jan 1794 in 
Cumberland County, Virginia.! She married unknown LIGON after 1809.19 

iv. | Nathan GLENN was born about 1777 in Cumberland County, Virginia and died about 1839 
in Clarksville, Montgomery County, Tennessee.!°* He married Nancy MOSBY on 29 Oct 1807 
in Cumberland County, Virginia.1% 

v. | Reuben GLENN was born about 1779 in Cumberland County, Virginia and died about 1808 


in Laurens County, South Carolina.'% 


333 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


vi. Frances Harris GLENN was born about 1781 in Cumberland County, Virginia and died about 
1843 in Clarke County, Georgia.” She married John BRIGHTWELL on 9 Dec 1811 in 
Cumberland County, Virginia.'% 

vii. | William GLENN, Jr. was born about 1783 in Cumberland County, Virginia and died about 
1845 in Cumberland County, Virginia.'” 


4. The Case for William Glenn’s Parents 


There is a wealth of evidence that our ancestor William Glenn, Sr. was the son of Nehemiah Glenn 
and Ann Coleman. However, there are two reasons to be cautious about this connection. First, we do 
not have a will or other document from Nehemiah Glenn directly stating that William was his son. 
Second, Jeannette May Christopher, in her excellent work Glenn and Kin did not definitively make 
this connection. Instead, she presented some of the evidence “in the hope that someone will discover 
the relationship, if any exists, between William, Sr. and Nehemiah Glenn.” In researching this line, I 
have uncovered additional evidence that strongly indicates a father-son relationship between these 


two men who lived in Cumberland County, Virginia. 


The first item to note is that William Glenn, Sr. named his eldest son Nehemiah. Naming patterns are 
not conclusive, but during this period in Colonial Virginia, it was very common to name the eldest 
son after his paternal grandfather. Some studies from this area have shown that around 44-50% of 
first-born sons were named after their paternal grandfathers.!!° Nehemiah is not a common name, so I 
believe that argues even more strongly in favor of a family connection. Similarly, William’s son 
Nathan Glenn, our ancestor, may have been named after William’s uncle Nathan Glenn, a prominent 


citizen in Cumberland County who, as we saw in the section above, was William’s neighbor. 


A daughter in William’s family was named Frances Harris Glenn. If William Glenn was the son of 
Nehemiah Glenn and grandson of James Glenn, he would have had a first cousin named Frances 
Harris. Frances Harris was named in her grandfather James Glenn’s 1762 Will as a minor child who 
inherited a slave boy named Daniel.!!! This slave named Daniel is another hint that William Glenn, 
Sr. may have married his first cousin Frances Harris. In William Glenn’s 1818 Will, he left several 
slaves to his children. One of the slaves was a boy named Daniel.'!? While the Daniel of the 1762 Will 
would no longer be a young boy over fifty years later, it is possible that this later Daniel was his son, 
or was otherwise named after the Daniel who was devised to Frances Harris by her grandfather 


James Glenn. 


Another naming clue is William and Frances’ daughter Patience C. Glenn. Although I have not found 
any official documentation of her middle name, other researchers have reported that it was Coleman. 
She does appear as “Patience C. Glenn” on her marriage record to Samuel Wright." If her middle 
name was Coleman, that is a strong indication that William was the child of Nehemiah Glenn and his 


wife Anne Coleman. Ann’s parents were Daniel Coleman and Patience Elliot." 


In fact, this marriage between Patience C. Glenn and Samuel Wright is a further clue as to William 


Glenn’s parents. Samuel Wright’s family was closely connected to the Glenn family. Samuel was the 


334 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


son of Thomas Wright and Elizabeth McGeehee.!!5 When Nehemiah Glenn died, Thomas Wright was 
one of the men who appraised his Estate." Nehemiah Glenn, along with his brothers Nathan and 
James Glenn, were witnesses to the Will of Edward McGeehee, Elizabeth’s father. 1!” The fact that 
William Glenn’s daughter married into this Wright family is yet another indication that William was 
the son of Nehemiah Glenn. 


We know that William Glenn lived in the same area of Cumberland County, Virginia where 
Nehemiah Glenn and his brothers Gideon, Nathan, and James Glenn all settled. As we saw above, 
William Glenn signed a 1774 petition along with three other men who lived near Willis River in 
Cumberland County: Nehemiah, Nathan, and James Glenn."!* These three men were brothers, all 


sons of James Glenn and his wife Hannah." 


Nehemiah Glenn inherited 300 acres of land on Great Guinea Creek from his father James Glenn. !2° 
Great Guinea Creek (Big Guinea Creek on modern maps) drains into the Appomattox River, and runs 
just to the southeast of Willis Creek in Cumberland County. Brothers Gideon, Nathan and James 
Glenn received land in the same area from their father.!2! The Glenns were early settlers in what 
would become Cumberland County, along with the McGeehee and Coleman families. A 1759 
Tithable List from Joel Walker’s precinct included Gideon Glenn, Nathan Glenn, Nehemiah Glenn, 
Daniel Coleman, and Edward McGeehee.!22 William Glenn’s son, our ancestor Nathan Glenn, 
married Nancy Mosby, whose father Thomas Mosby also owned land on Great Guinea Creek.!¥ In 
the early 1780s, Nathan and James Glenn moved their families to South Carolina. James Glenn 
returned to Cumberland County on December 27, 1790 and sold his 350 acres of land on Great 
Guinea Creek to Robert Walton. This land adjoined “William Glenn’s corner on Great Guinea 


Creek.” 14 


The Cumberland County lawsuit from 1788 between William Glenn and Bernard Sims is another 
indication of Willam’s likely extended family.!% As noted above, the parties to this lawsuit were 
almost certainly related to one another. Bernard Sims was the son of Matthew Sims and Mary 
Coleman, another daughter of the Daniel Coleman discussed above.!”° This means that Matthew Sims 
was the brother-in-law of Nehemiah Glenn. Matthew Sims was also the son of Matthew Sims and 
Gemima Glenn, Nehemiah’s sister.!27 Given the close connection between these families, it is 
unsurprising that Mary Coleman provided helpful testimony for William Glenn in his lawsuit: she 


was likely his aunt. 


335 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


On She pretion of 10 tlio Glen iho 100 death accavtereg fale) categ 
cole “a grandes Rcorr far o' ear Alison oie Suhenrnaer dictesnine hte fret 
- Mharrech Fa \elecearsd oe ae a Ba — 
pili, 


e——oo— 


Agres “ » “ne 


pre 5 


ea = Sern ae we Wane vee +AN% Wk sedi Saat Th 


i “4... Mees S A a cnates 


William Glenn granted administration of Nehemiah Glenn’s Estate!*® 


Finally, the most direct evidence that William Glenn was the son of Nehemiah Glenn is that on April 
24, 1775, William Glenn was granted a certificate of administration for the Estate of Nehemiah Glenn, 
with Gideon Glenn and Nathan Glenn as his securities.!2? No will has been found for Nehemiah 
Glenn, and this court order indicates that he probably died intestate. The most likely reason that 
William would have been granted administration of Nehemiah’s Estate is that he was his son. 


With William Glenn being appointed to administer Nehemiah Glenn’s Estate, his status as son would 
appear to be certain. However, for some reason Jeannette May Coleman wrote that “apparently 
William Glen did not administer the estate.” °° After the appraisal, she says it “was administered by 
Spilsby Glenn and Byrd Bowker.” These men were the son and son-in-law of Nathan Glenn, 
Nehemiah’s brother. 


Despite what I have found to be reliable research in Jeannette May Christopher’s book Glenn and Kin, 
I am not able to verify this statement. The only source cited to support the claim that these men 
administered the Estate in place of William Glenn is the inventory appraisal performed by Thomas 
Wright, Griffin Wright, and James Glenn, Sr. There is nothing in that document to indicate that 
Spilsby Glenn or Byrd Bowker were involved in Nehemiah Glenn’s Estate. The Cumberland County, 
Virginia Will and Order Books are available online, and after a thorough search, I cannot find any 
additional documents related to Nehemiah Glenn’s Estate.!32 However, even if there was evidence 
that these men stepped in for William Glenn, it would not prove fatal to our theory that William was 
the son of Nehemiah. 


Jeannette May Christopher speculated that perhaps William Glenn was off fighting in the 
Revolutionary War, since the Estate was administered in the midst of the war. That would explain 
why he was no longer involved in the Estate. In exploring this possibility, I found Revolutionary War 
records for a William Glenn or Glinn, who served in Captain Thomas Massie’s Company of the 6" 
Continental Regiment.'%3 This William Glenn was on the Company Muster Roll for September 1776 


336 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


through January 31, 1777. In the remarks, it states “Dead.” Does that indicate that the William Glenn 
who was initially granted administration of Nehemiah Glenn’s Estate in 1775 went off to fight and 
die in the Revolution, and thus cannot be our ancestor? While that was my initial thought, it is 


unlikely to be the case for several reasons. 


First, William Glenn is a very common name during this period in Virginia. We have already seen 
another William Glenn living in Cumberland County, Virginia, the cousin William Coleman Glenn 
discussed above. There was also a William Glenn, the son of Jeremiah Glenn of New Kent, County, 
Virginia. These Glenns were likely relatives of our Cumberland County branch of the family, 
although I have not yet traced that connection in detail.'4 If the genealogies I have seen online are 
correct, these two William Glenns would have been second cousins. And in fact, it is this New Kent 
County William Glenn that is likely reflected in the Revolutionary War records. Captain Thomas 


Massie recruited his company of the 6'' Virginia Regiment from New Kent County.!%> 


Thus, it is unlikely that the William Glenn who was granted administration of Nehemiah Glenn’s 
Estate died during the war. In fact, our William Glenn continued to appear in the Cumberland 
County records during this time period. On January 24, 1776, our William Glenn appraised the Estate 
of Edward Matheis.'°¢ This means he cannot have been the same William Glenn who was serving in 
the 6 Virginia Regiment from September of 1776 to January of 1777. It is still possible that our 
William Glenn served in the local militia during the Revolutionary War; records of that service often 
have not survived.'*” But I believe the evidence is clear that he was not the man of the same name 


who died sometime around 1777 or 1778. 


As a final strand of evidence, Hank James shares DNA matches with a several people on 
Ancestry.com who trace their heritage back to Nehemiah Glenn. As of this writing, there are thirty- 
three DNA matches on this line. However, these matches are very distant, and do not provide the 
kind of solid evidence that was used to find Hank’s father. They average around 9-20 cM of shared 
DNA, which means that these distant relatives are likely Hank’s 6'* to 8 cousins. While the sheer 


number of matches suggests the likelihood of a DNA connection, caution is warranted. 


For example, seventeen of the matches believe they descend from a Nathan Glenn, son of Nehemiah 
Glenn. I am unable to find any solid evidence that this Nathan Glenn even existed. Instead, there is 
plentiful evidence that Nehemiah Glenn had both a brother and a grandson named Nathan, both of 
whom are discussed above. The trees posted online often use documents relating to these two men, 
or Nathan Glenns from other parts of Virginia, to support the idea that Nehemiah had a son named 
Nathan. Given these poorly sourced trees, which can easily spread online to other researchers who 
are less careful, I do not take these DNA matches as conclusive evidence that Hank descends from 


Nehemiah Glenn. Rather, they one piece of the overall puzzle. 


When all of this evidence is considered together, I believe a strong case has been made that our 
ancestor William Glenn was the son of Nehemiah Glenn and his wife Ann Coleman. William was of 
the right age and lived in the right area of Cumberland County, Virginia. He was of the same social 


class as Nehemiah Glenn as a land and slave owner. Many of the names in William Glenn’s family 


337 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


indicate a connection to this couple, including his oldest son Nehemiah Glenn. William’s children 
married into families connected to these kin groups and this location. Finally, we can show that a 
man named William Glenn was appointed to administer the Estate of Nehemiah Glenn, and refute 
the most likely objections to this William being the same man as our ancestor. So although some 
doubt must remain, and I remain open to evidence to the contrary, I believe it is highly likely that 
William Glenn was the son of Nehemiah Glenn and Ann Coleman. 


5. Nehemiah Glenn (About 1725—About 1775) and Anne Coleman (About 1725- 


Unknown) 


Nehemiah Glenn was born sometime around 1725, likely in Hanover County, Virginia.5* His parents 
were James Glen and his wife Hannah, possibly Hannah Thompson." In his father’s Will, signed on 
June 11, 1762, Nehemiah Glenn inherited 300 acres of land “on the upper side of Great Guinea Creek, 
including the plantation whereon he now lives and bounded as by a plan drawn by Robert Harris, 
together with all that part of my estate he hath now in his possession.” 4° James Glenn owned land in 
St. Paul’s Parish, which was originally located in New Kent County and then Hanover County when 


it was formed in 1721.14! 


Nehemiah Glenn had moved south from Hanover County to Goochland County, Virginia by 1746, 
when he appeared on the tithe list of Alexander Trent along with his brother Gideon Glenn.’ They 
lived in the southern portion of Goochland County, which became Cumberland County in 1749. In 
1759, the brothers Nehemiah, Gideon, and Nathan Glenn were on Joel Walker’s tithe list, along with 
two other men who were connected to the family: Edward Megehe (McGeehee) and Daniel 
Coleman.' By 1774, another brother, James Glenn, joined his siblings in Cumberland County. 


Jeannette May Christopher notes that Nehemiah Glenn was listed with three tithables on the 1759 list. 
Tithables were free white males aged 16 or older, along with all slaves or Native American servants, 
whether male or female, over 16 years old. Because we don’t have any further detail on Nehemiah’s 
tithables, we can’t conclude if these two additional people were family members or slaves.'46 Given 
my estimate of Nehemiah’s age, my guess is that his children would not have been over 16 as of 1759. 


338 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


Sometime before August 29, 1763, Nehemiah Glenn married Ann Coleman, the daughter of Daniel 
Coleman and Patience Elliot.!4”7 On that date, Daniel Coleman signed his will in Cumberland County. 
The Will stated that “my negro woman named Judith and her two children Moorning and Hannah 
that is now in the possession of Nehemiah Glen, I lend the said negro woman and her said children 
above mentioned to my daughter Anne Glen and to her husband Nehemiah Glen during their natural 
lives and after their decease . . . to be equally divided between all the children of my said daughter 


Anne Glen to them and their heirs forever.” !48 


As we saw above, Nehemiah Glenn died sometime before April 24, 1775, when William Glenn was 
granted administration of his Estate. Nehemiah’s brothers Gideon and Nathan Glenn served as 
securities.’ The Estate was appraised on November 22, 1777 in Cumberland County, Virginia.'° 
James Glenn, presumably Nehemiah’s brother, was one of the appraisers. The Estate consisted of 
livestock, farming tools, one “well fixed gun,” and five slaves: Hannah, Mourning, Jude, Nepton, and 


Hager.5! 


At the November 24, 1777 session of the Cumberland County Court, a grand jury brought charges 
against several men for concealing slaves from the list of tithables. Included on this list was “James 
Glen, overseer for Nehemiah Glen’s Estate for concealing one tithable (negro Hannah).”'? This must 
be the same Hannah that Daniel Coleman gave to Nehemiah and his wife Anne. Did the grand jury 
compare the tithables list with the appraisal of Nehemiah’s Estate submitted only a few days before, 
and notice a discrepancy in the number of slaves? On February 23, 1778, James was ordered to pay a 
fine of 500 pounds of tobacco for this offense.‘ It is possible that this James Glenn was a son of 
Nehemiah Glenn, but since we know that his brother James Glenn was still living in Cumberland 
County, Virginia at this time, and the task of appraising estates generally fell to older, established 
men in the community, I believe that his brother was more likely to have been the man temporarily in 


charge of Nehemiah’s slaves during the probate of the Estate. 
Children of Nehemiah Glenn and Anne Coleman: 


i. William GLENN was born about 1750 in Cumberland County, Virginia and died after 
November 8, 1818 in Cumberland County, Virginia.'* He married Frances (HARRIS?) before 
1776 in Cumberland County, Virginia.!° 

ii. Nehemiah Glenn and Anne Coleman likely had other children, but I do not have compelling 


evidence for them at this time. 
a. Daniel Coleman II (About 1694—Before 1770) and Patience Elliot? (About 1694-1771) 


Daniel Coleman II and his wife Patience were the parents of Anne Coleman, who in turn was the wife 
of Nehemiah Glenn and mother of William Glenn, Sr. Some sources have Patience’s parents as 
George Elliot and Patience Colgate, but I have not been able to confirm this connection.’ The 
Coleman family intermarried with the Glenn family on several occasions. Anne’s sister Lucy 


Coleman married Nehemiah’s brother Nathan Glenn.'%* Another sister, Mary Coleman, married 


339 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


Matthew Sims III. This Matthew Sims was the nephew of both Nehemiah and Nathan Glenn and the 


grandson of James Glenn, through his daughter Jemima Glenn (who married Matthew Sims II).1%9 


Daniel Coleman II lived his early life in King & Queen and King William Counties in Virginia. On 
February 10, 1719, John Hubbard, Jr. received a land grant in King William County on the south side 
of the Mattaponi River and the north side of the South River. The land was “adjacent Daniel 
Coleman, Jr., and nigh on John Madison, Jr.”1© This indicates that our Daniel Coleman II was born by 
at least 1698, since 21 was the legal age to own land. There is a possibility he inherited this land from 
his father, which would mean he could have owned it before becoming a legal adult. However, the 
likely ages of Daniel Coleman II’s children suggest he was born by about 1694. This land was in the 


same area as land patented in 1714 by Daniel Coleman I, who was the father of Daniel Coleman II. 


Many of the original records of King William County were burned and have not survived. However, 
one small fragment of a court case has been preserved, and it provides solid evidence that our Daniel 
Coleman II was the son of Daniel Coleman I. Note that these suffixes would not have been used by 
these men during their lives; they are used here to prevent confusion. On June 7, 1722, Daniel 
Coleman II presented an affidavit in the King William County Court, stating that he was the son of 
the deceased Daniel Coleman I.'°' The affidavit was part of a case brought by James Wood to clarify 
his ownership of land that had been surveyed by dividing land owned by Daniel Coleman I and 
Samuel Williams.'© This fragment establishes both that our Daniel Coleman II was the son of Daniel 
Coleman I, and that the latter had died by June 7, 1722. 


Daniel Coleman II acquired almost 800 acres of additional land in the area around the Mattaponi and 
South Rivers. On July 9, 1724, he was granted 400 acres of land on the south side of the South River in 
St. Margaret’s Parish, King William County.'® On the same day, he received a patent for 344 acres on 
the south side of the South River bordering his existing land. On Jun 16, 1727, Henry Wood 
received a patent for 258 acres of land in King William County, St. Margaret’s Parish. This land 
adjoined that of James Taylor, Daniel Coleman, and John Rogers.'6& 


In 1736, an unusual patent was granted that has caused a fair amount of confusion among other 
researchers, for good reason. On March 17, 1736, Grissel Coleman paid 35 shillings for 345 acres of 
land on Little Buffalo Creek, a branch of the Willis River, in Goochland County, Virginia.'% The 
language of the patent granted the land “to Grissel Coleman her heirs and assigns forever.” 1! This is 


the first patent I have seen that was granted to a woman. 


The Virginia Colony operated under English Common Law, which at this time meant that women 
ceased to exist as legal entities upon marriage. Under the doctrine of coverture, they were “covered” 
by the husband’s legal actions. A widowed woman could hold title to land, but even that was fairly 
rare. Instead, they were often granted life estates through their husband’s Will, with the land 
reverting to their children at death or remarriage. In some cases, a widow would have resources to 
purchase land in her own name, but young, unmarried women would generally not have had that 


option. 


340 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


However, nothing in the law prevented an adult woman from patenting land, provided that she was 
unmarried and could afford it.' In this case, it appears that Daniel Coleman II was involved in 
helping his daughter Grissel Coleman patent and retain title to land in Goochland County. In order to 
patent land in her name, Grissel must have been at least 21 years old by 1736, and thus was born by 


about 1715.1 Other genealogists researching this Grissel Coleman have made several errors that I 
believe I can correct. 


The first mistake is stating that Grissel Coleman died in 1739. That conclusion arises from what I 
believe is an incorrect interpretation of a court-ordered appraisal of Grissel’s land in December of 
1739. The Goochland County Court ordered three men to visit Grissel Coleman’s property and make 
a report back to the Court on the value of the improvements.!” It was a common practice for a group 
of three well-regarded citizens to appraise the estate of recently deceased people during this time 
period, and researcher Sherrianne Coleman Nicol interpreted this appraisal in that manner. However, 
nothing in the language of the Court order or the appraisal indicates that Grissel was deceased. 


Instead, the appraisal was performed in order to demonstrate the legal requirement of seating and 
planting, one of the steps involving in securing title to a land patent. “Once the patent was issued, the 
patentee had three years to seat and plant the land. Seating required payment of the quitrent, an 
annual payment to the crown of one shilling for every 50 acres. Planting required either cultivating 
one acre or building a house and keeping livestock.” 71 On December 24, 1739, an inventory of Grissel 
Coleman’s property was performed: 


264 


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Bi be Salunou dhomunceuss mre my oh asian AS) i (Qu. t Dw donatbleheca® 
Inventory of improvements in progress on Grissel Coleman’s Goochland County patent. 


341 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


We see that Daniel Coleman, “father to the above Grissel” was on the property and demonstrated the 
improvements that were being made. He showed the appraisers a quantity of penny nails; a horse, 
saddle, and bridle; ground that had been broken and cleared to plant fruit trees; part of the frame for 
a twelve by twenty-four foot house with a small wheat patch; and a negro man “found at work on the 
land.”'”2 These appraised improvements seem specifically designed to meet the requirement to 
cultivate one acre or build a house and keep livestock. I have not come across any similar appraisals 
in my research. It seems that Daniel Coleman wanted to ensure that his unmarried daughter retained 
title to her land, in a time when female land ownership was rare and perhaps somewhat suspect if 


not clearly established.!” Thus, this appraisal is not evidence that Grissel Coleman died in 1739. 


The second mistake is assigning the wrong man as the father of Grissel Coleman. Because she 
thought Grissel had died in 1739, Sherrianne Coleman Nicol did not believe she was the daughter of 
Daniel Coleman II. Daniel Coleman II’s daughter married William Edwards and survived at least 
until 1771, when she was named in her mother’s Will. But now that we can see that Grissel did not 
die in 1739, Daniel Coleman II becomes the man most likely to be her father. Grissel’s patent was on 
the Little Buffalo Creek, which drains in the Willis River about three miles to the west of where Bear 
Creek drains into the same river. As we are about to see, Daniel Coleman II purchased land on Bear 
Creek in 1745. His son Daniel Coleman III purchased land about four miles to the south of Bear Creek 
in the same year. It seems clear that Daniel Coleman II had a plan to move his family members from 
King William County south to Goochland County, and several of the family members settled in close 
proximity to each other. As one final clue, the name Grissel is often spelled differently in various 
records, including Grizzell, Grishel, etc. But in both the 1736 land deed and in Daniel Coleman II’s 
Will it was spelled Grissel.’ Based on this evidence, it seems likely to me that the Grissel Coleman 
who patented land in 1736 was the daughter of Daniel Coleman II. 


willis’ Ray er ; 


ae 


The Willis River in Cumberland County, showing Buffalo and Bear Creeks!” 


342 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


On May 28, 1745, Daniel Coleman II purchased 400 acres of land on Bear Creek in Goochland County, 
Virginia from William Holliday.’ Bear Creek is a branch of the Willis River, located on land that 
would become part of Cumberland County.!” This land deed is important for establishing Daniel’s 
further ancestry, because it notes that Daniel Coleman II was from King William County. King 
William was two counties northeast of Goochland County; we know that Daniel’s father Daniel 
Coleman I owned land in King William County. It was common during this period for Virginia 
colonists to move west and south as new lands were opened for settlement. Daniel Coleman II’s 


move into what would become Cumberland County is an example of this general pattern. 


A few months later, on August 19, 1745, we see another land purchase in Goochland County by a 
man named Daniel Coleman.!”° This Daniel Coleman was from St. Margaret’s Parish in Caroline 
County, Virginia. Caroline County was formed out the western portions of King William and King & 
Queen Counties in 1728. For reasons explained more fully in the next paragraph, I believe this Daniel 
was Daniel Coleman III, the son of Daniel Coleman II.'7? Daniel purchased 400 acres of land on the 
“North Branch of Tar Wallett Run” from Robert Peak.'®° Tar Wallet or Tear Wallet Creek lies about 


four miles south of where Bear Creek meets the Willis River. Tar Wallet drains to the southeast. 


On May 15, 1747, Daniel Coleman, Jr. sold three acres of his Tar Wallett Creek property to the 
Wardens of St. James, Southam Parish.'§! He was described as “Daniel Coleman, Jr.” which suggests 
this was Daniel Coleman III, not Daniel Coleman II.182 My theory is that when both Daniel Coleman 
men made their Goochland County land purchases in 1745, they were new to the area and thus did 
not yet need to be distinguished in the records. But two years later, the men had settled in Southam 


Parish and Daniel Coleman III was referred to as “Jr.” to distinguish him from his father. 


The Southam Parish of St. James was created in 1745, and consisted of the land south of the James 
River, while Northam Parish contained the land in St. James that was north of the James River.!®° This 
is the same boundary that was used to create Cumberland County in 1749 out of the southern half of 
Goochland County. The three acres that Daniel Coleman III sold to Southam Parish were used as the 
grounds for the first parish church. “The first church determined on was on Tear or Tar Wallett Hill. 
The church has long been called Tar Wallett. It was built on the land of Daniel Coleman, in what is 


now Littleton Parish, Cumberland.” 184 


Sometime around 1749, Daniel Coleman was appointed to survey and maintain a road near his 
property on Guinea Creek in Cumberland County.1% This may have been Daniel Coleman III, since 
Tar Wallet Creek drains into Big Guinea Creek (as can be seen on the map on the previous page). On 
March 20, 1760, Daniel Coleman IT signed a deed in Cumberland County, Virginia transferring the 
rights to a slave named Liddia to the children of his daughter Grizzel Coleman, the wife of William 
Edwards.!* The witnesses to this transaction were Nathan Glen, James Coleman, and Spilsbe 


Coleman.!8” 


On October 28, 1765, a man named Daniel Coleman purchased 175 acres of land on the south side of 


the Willis River and the east side of Bear Creek.188 This is in the same area as Daniel Coleman II’s 


343 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


other land, but since it was purchased between the drafting of his Will and the date of probate, I think 
it is more likely that this was a purchase by his son, Daniel Coleman III, although either is possible.!%° 


Daniel Coleman II signed his Will on August 29, 1763 in Cumberland County. It was not admitted to 
probate until January 22, 1770, so it is unclear exactly when he died, although it was between these 
two dates. On August 28, 1769, Thomas Coleman, Sr. sold 170 acres on Bear Creek to William 
Coleman.'! William Coleman was already living on this land, and he purchased it from Thomas 
Coleman for £50. One of the adjacent land owners was “Daniel Coleman, Sr.”, who at this point could 


be either Daniel Coleman II or III.1% 


The Will provides evidence for Daniel’s children and some of his grandchildren. It clearly establishes 
that Nehemiah Glenn married Daniel’s daughter Anne Coleman, since Daniel left a slave and her 
children “to my daughter Anne Glen and to her husband Nehemiah Glen during their natural 
lives.”192 Similarly, it provides conclusive evidence that Nathan Glenn married Daniel’s daughter 
Lucy Coleman and that Matthew Sims married Daniel’s daughter Mary Coleman.!% Daniel Coleman 


Ill, Nathan Glen, and William Coleman were the Executors.!% 


Daniel’s widow Patience died shortly after her husband. Her Will was dated July 18, 1771 and was 
admitted to probate in Cumberland County on August 26, 1771.1! She left her daughter Anne a slave 
named Nepton, who we later see as part of her husband Nehemiah Glenn’s Estate. Daughter Grissell 
Edwards was lent a slave named Janney (with her increase to be divided among Grissell’s children 
upon her death), and grandson William Coleman received slaves Hannah and Peter, provided he pay 
£60 for them. That £60 was then to be divided among son Thomas Coleman, grandson Gideon 
Edwards, great-grandson Elliot Gulls Coleman, granddaughter Patience Terry Sims, and grandsons 
Daniel, Parmenus, and Gulielmus Coleman. The remainder of the £60 were to be divided between 


Patience’s children: Daniel Coleman, James Coleman, Sarah Guttery, Lucy Glenn, and Mary Sims.!% 
Children of Daniel Coleman and Patience (Elliot?): 


i. Daniel COLEMAN III died in 1772 in Cumberland County, Virginia.” He married Patience 
THOMPSON.1°8 

ii. Thomas COLEMAN died about 1825. He married either Baptiste or Elizabeth 
POINDEXTER.’ 

iii. James COLEMAN died about 1773. He married Mary UNKNOWN. 

iv. Anne COLEMAN was likely born around 1725. She married Nehemiah GLENN.” 

v. Lucy COLEMAN died 27 Sep 1796.7? She married Nathan GLENN. 

vi. Mary COLEMAN married Matthew SIMS, son of Jemima GLENN and Matthew SIMS.» 

vii. Grissel COLEMAN married William EDWARDS on 27 Mar 1750.2 

viii. Judith COLEMAN died before 1763. She married Unknown TURNER. 

ix. Sarah COLEMAN married Lawrence GUTHRIE.2” 


344 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


b. Other Goochland and Cumberland County Colemans 


There are additional Coleman families in the Goochland and Cumberland County area around this 
time. I believe they can generally be divided into a Northam Parish group, who held land on 
Beaverdam and Little Bird Creeks, and a Southam Parish group, who held land on the Willis River, 
including Bear Creek and Little Buffalo Creek, and along Tar Wallet Creek and Great Guinea Creek, 
just to the southeast of the Willis River. Our ancestor Daniel Coleman II was from the Southam Parish 
group. The Northam Parish Coleman’s were likely cousins of Daniel Coleman II, but the exact 
relationship is difficult to prove. People from these two Coleman families have often been confused 


for one another, particularly Grizzell Coleman and the various men named Daniel. The technical 


discussion that follows in this section will primarily be of interest to fellow genealogists. 


1776 Map Showing the James River border between Goochland and Cumberland Counties, 
Virginia. Willis Creek and Great Guinea Creek, where Daniel Coleman II settled, was in Southam 
Parish, Cumberland County. Beaverdam Creek is on the north side of the James, in Goochland 
County?" 


The Northam Parish branch of the Coleman family appears to have been headed by Samuel Coleman, 
Sr. Samuel married Ann Mourning Christian, the daughter of Thomas Christian, and on July 17, 1731 
he purchased land on Beaverdam Creek in Goochland County, Virginia from his father-in-law.” 
John Coleman served as a witness to that transaction and appears in other records around this time; 


345 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


his relationship to Samuel Coleman, Sr. is unclear. The other witnesses to this sale were Robert 
Christian, likely a relative of Thomas, and John Cox.?!° I believe it is very likely that this was John 
Cox, Jr., the son of our ancestor John Cox, Sr. who is discussed below in “The Mosby, Walton, and 
Cox Lines.” Several land transactions between the Cox family and a man named Daniel Coleman (not 


our ancestor) help place this Daniel in the line of Samuel Coleman, Sr. 


Samuel Coleman, Sr. had sons James and Samuel Coleman, who inherited his land on Beaverdam 
Creek. Two other sons, Daniel and John, received only a set of blacksmithing tools in their father’s 
Will; this indicates to me that they were likely the elder sons and were already established with their 
own property by 1748.7! The remainder of Samuel Coleman, Sr.’s Estate was to be divided “amongst 
all my children.”?!? There was no list of children given, so there could be more than the four sons 
already named. A man named Robert Coleman also appeared in land records in this area, and may 


have been another son or possibly grandson of Samuel Coleman, Sr.? 


Researcher Sherrianne Coleman Nicol has July 13, 1731 as the marriage date of Samuel Coleman, Sr. 
and Ann Mourning Christian, but does not cite any sources. This is the date that Samuel purchased 
land from his father-in-law Thomas Christian, and without further evidence, it seems that it has 
simply been assumed this was also their marriage date. However, the evidence indicates that either 
Samuel was married to Ann several years before 1731, or that Ann was his second wife and not the 
mother of his children. My reasoning centers around Samuel’s 1748 Will. That document gives no 
indication that his children were minors. It seems very unlikely to me that Samuel Coleman, Sr. 
would have left two minor sons with only blacksmithing tools. I have also reviewed the Goochland 
County Order Book on the dates following Samuel’s probate in 1748-1749. Although many orphans 
were bound out to guardians during this time, I see no mention of orphaned Coleman children. Note 
that even though their mother Ann was still alive, legally any children who had not reached 
adulthood would be considered orphans upon the death of their father.?!4 


If that reasoning is correct, then the latest any of Samuel Coleman, Sr.’s children could have been 
born is 1727, because any children born later would have been legal orphans in 1748. Samuel had four 
sons, SO even assuming that a son was born every two years up until 1727, his eldest son would have 
been born around 1719. Unless further evidence can be uncovered for a July 13, 1731 marriage date 
between Samuel Coleman, Sr. and Ann Mourning Christian, I believe they were likely married many 
years earlier or that Ann was a second wife. This detour into the marriage date of Samuel Coleman, 
Sr. is relevant to sorting out the Daniel Coleman who starts to appear in the Goochland County 


records in 1741. 


The Daniel Coleman who purchased land on Solomon’s Creek from George Cox and Thomas Walton 
on June 16, 1741 was likely the son of Samuel Coleman, Sr.?!5 George Cox and Thomas Walton are our 
ancestors on another line, and appear in the next section of this book. Despite that, I don’t think that 
it was our direct ancestor Daniel Coleman II who purchased land from these men. Solomon Creek is 
only about five miles west of Beaverdam Creek, while it is forty miles east of Bear Creek. That places 
this Daniel Coleman much closer to Samuel Coleman, Sr. than it does to the land purchased a few 


years later by Daniel Coleman II and Daniel Coleman III. Indeed, we have already seen that John Cox 


346 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


witnessed Samuel Coleman, Sr.’s land purchase on Beaverdam Creek in 1731. Our Cox line, 
discussed below, owned land in this same area, particularly Mahook or Mohawk Creek. If this Daniel 
Coleman was the son of Samuel Coleman, Sr., that would be consistent with his purchase of land 


from this same Cox family several years later. 


A month after Daniel Coleman purchased 400 acres from George Cox and Thomas Walton, he sold 
100 acres of this tract to Robert Bagby for £8. In this 1741 document, Daniel was referred to as “of 
Goochland County.”?!¢ It is relevant to note that the first record of our ancestor Daniel Coleman II in 
Goochland County is a 1745 land purchase where he was described as “of King William County.”?!7 
This is even further evidence that the Daniel Coleman who purchased land from Cox and Walton 
was not our Daniel Coleman II. There is also no dower release for a wife of this Daniel Coleman, 
suggesting that he was not yet married by 1741, and thus more likely to be the son of Samuel 
Coleman, Sr. than his brother. 


An even stronger argument is that in 1757, we see Daniel Coleman and his wife Mary selling land on 
Mahook Creek to William Cox.?'!8 Mahook Creek, now Mohawk Creek on modern maps, is between 
Solomon Creek and Beaverdam Creek. It is close to the land held by Samuel Coleman, Sr. Most 
importantly, the Daniel Coleman who sold land to the Cox family was married to a woman named 
Mary. Our Daniel Coleman II and Daniel Coleman III were both married to women named Patience. 
This Daniel Coleman styled himself “Planter” on the deed and did not use a Sr. or Jr. designation, 
which our Daniel Coleman men were using during this time period. For all of the above reasons, I 
believe the Daniel Coleman involved in these land sales was the son of Samuel Coleman, Sr. It is 
possible that other members of this Samuel Coleman, Sr. line have been confused with our ancestors, 


which I will discuss below. 
c. Daniel Coleman I (By 1667—Before 1722) 


Daniel Coleman I has been claimed as the son of Robert Coleman of Mobjack Bay and his wife 
Elizabeth Grizzell. Unfortunately, I have not found any solid evidence for this connection. Sherrianne 
Coleman Nicol stated that “Robert married Elizabeth Grizzell, although no records exist as proof.”219 
Unfortunately, the logic surrounding this unsourced surname for Elizabeth is circular. The existence 
of many women named Grizzell in the family tree has been taken as evidence that Elizabeth Grizzell 
existed, and then in turn, women with the name Grizzell have been assumed to be part of this line 


because of the existence of the unproven Elizabeth Grizzell. 


Robert Coleman appears to have settled in Gloucester County in the middle part of the 17 Century. 
Gloucester is along the coast of Virginia, on a peninsula between the York and Piankatank Rivers. 
Colonists following the tributaries of the York River to the northwest would have migrated along the 
Pamunkey River into what became New Kent County, which was then divided into King & Queen 
and King William Counties. That area is where we find our ancestor Daniel Coleman I, and likely 
explains why Robert Coleman has been considered his father. However, there were many men 


named Coleman who immigrated to the new Virginia Colony during this time period. Without more 


347 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


solid evidence, I do not think we can confidently claim Robert Coleman of Mobjack Bay as our 


ancestor. 


On April 23, 1688, Benjamin Arnold received a patent for 1,754 acres on the north side of the 
Mattaponi River, located “in sight of Daniel Coleman’s Plantation” near John Pigg.” This is evidence 
that Daniel Coleman I was born by at least 1667, and likely several years earlier, in order to be old 
enough to own a plantation by 1688. At this time, New Kent County was a large area that had yet to 
be subdivided. King and Queen County was formed in 1691 from the northern half of New Kent, 
while King William was formed in 1702 from the southern half of King and Queen. We know that a 
Daniel Coleman, Jr. (i.e., Daniel Coleman IT) owned land on the Mattaponi River in 1719, located in 
King William County.””! The land had not moved, but the county boundaries had changed. 


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King & Queen, King William, and New Kent Counties Virginia, as of 1776.2 The Pamunkey River 


is clearly labeled and divided King William and New Kent Counties. The Mattaponi River 
divided King & Queen and King William Counties. 


Daniel Coleman I owned land in both King & Queen and King William Counties. On the 1704 Quit 
Rent Roll for King & Queen County, Daniel owned 470 acres of land.?? Thomas Coleman, likely the 
brother of our ancestor Daniel Coleman I, owned 300 acres.#4 On April 23, 1703, Daniel Coleman and 
Samuel Williams acquired 600 acres of land on Herring Creek in King William County as joint 


348 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


tenants. One of his neighbors on Herring Creek was John Madison II, who will be discussed in more 
detail below.?> The Herring Creek land was a headright grant for the transportation of twelve people 
into the colony, indicating that Daniel was wealthy enough to pay part of the transportation costs for 
these new colonists (or to buy headrights, which were often sold).?° It was also land that had 
historically, and until quite recently, belonged to the Pamunkey Tribe. 


The Pamunkey Indian Tribe was part of the Powhatan Confederation, and when the English arrived 
in Virginia in 1607, they were one of the most powerful tribes in the area. Chief Powhatan and his 
daughter Matoaka (who would become famous to Europeans as Pocahontas), were from the 
Pamunkey Tribe.”” Their traditional homeland was the area known as Pamunkey Neck, between the 
Pamunkey and Mattaponi Rivers in what is now King William County, Virginia.”8 They are one of 
the few Virginia tribes that survive to the present day, largely due to the Treaty of 1677 that they and 
several other tribes signed with King Charles II of England.” 


Most of the land in Pamunkey Neck was set aside as an Indian reserve in 1625. However, English 
settlers soon encroached upon the ill-defined boundary.” These settlements led to periodic conflicts 
between the English and the Tribes, and several of these conflicts were outright wars. In April of 
1644, the third phase of the Anglo-Powhatan War began, and around 400 English colonists were 
killed by Chief Opechancanough’s Powhatans.”! As part of the reprisals, Opechancanough was 
captured and killed by the English, leading the breakup of the Powhatan Confederacy.” The years 
that followed were relatively peaceful, although settlers continued to encroach upon Native 
American land. Leadership of the Pamunkey Tribe, which followed a form of matrilineal descent, 


was taken up by a female leader named Cockacoeske. 


That peace was disrupted by Bacon’s Rebellion in 1676. During the uprising, Nathaniel Bacon’s forces 
drove the Pamunkey from their ancestral lands. As part of the resolution of the conflict, The Treaty 
of 1677 formalized the Pamunkey reservation lands and King Charles II agreed to grant the tribe an 
official patent. Cockacoeske, now known to the English as the Queen of the Pamunkey, was the first 
to sign.?4 In expectation of formal title to their land, the Tribe began to sell ninety-nine year leases to 
white speculators. These settlers could not obtain royal patents because the Crown failed to have the 
Pamunkey land surveyed. This confusion led to the House of Burgesses forming a committee in 1699 


to clarify ownership of land in the Pamunkey Neck. 


Queen Cockacoeske appealed to the Committee to enforce the terms of the Treaty of 1677. The Tribe 
alleged that Ralph Wormeley and others had surveyed and set out several large tracts of land within 
one mile of their town. The Committee initially appeared to be sympathetic to the Pamunkey case. 
They ordered that no English should settle within three miles of the Indian Town. However, the 
Committee also ordered that the tribe would no longer have the power to sell or lease their lands, and 
that the existing reservation “should be adjudged and taken to be sufficient for their habitation.” 2% 
Most importantly, they ruled that “it would conduce much to his Maj’ties service that all other 
Vacant Land in the said Pamunkey Neck be held of his Maj’tie, his heirs and successors by Patent as 


other Lands are held on.”237 


349 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


The Committee then considered claims by settlers that amounted to thousands of acres of land which 
had been acquired through Indian leases, establishing ownership rights for the English settlers. Many 
of these claims were for small or medium sized plantations. But others were quite large. Ralph 
Wormeley, Esq. received a patent for 13,500 acres, which he ceded to the College of William and 
Mary, an institution that he would later serve as a founder and trustee.¥8 Our ancestor Daniel 
Coleman I received 600 acres of land along with Samuel Williams. In explanation of this and similar 


Indian leases, the Committee stated: 


[T]he following claimes and titles to Land in Pamunkey Neck having their ground 
and foundation upon Indian leases are, ipso facto, Null & Voyd as being contrary to 
the true Intent and meaning of the Articles of Peace and to the 136% Act of Assembly 
in the Printed Book. But because it conduces much to the advancement of his Maj’ ties 
Interest and the peopleing of this his Maj’ties Colony that the said lands should be 
held of the King as others, and because the severall persons claimeing thereby have 
their immediate dependence thereupon and have made severall improvements and 
have a long continued & interrupted possession, this Committee therefore conceived 
that (his Maj’ties grant to his Royall Colledge of William & Mary and other the 
former salvo’s reserved) a favorable Grant thereof may be made to them in 


severally.”2° 


In other words, according to the law the English settlers should not have settled on this land. But 
since it served the interest of the King and his colonists, they were allowed to stay. The interests of 
the Pamunkey Tribe were all but ignored. The 600 acres of land patented jointly by Daniel Coleman I 
and Samuel Williams must be the land that James Wood sought to subdivide in 1722, in part by 


relying on the affidavit of Daniel Coleman II. 


On June 16, 1714, Daniel Coleman I and John Madison I] received a large patent of 2,000 acres of land 
in King William County, on a fork of the Mattaponi River. This was a headright patent, granted in 
exchange for paying for the passage of forty passengers to the colony. The land was located about 
four miles above (i.e., upriver) from “Doeg Town” and adjoined the lands of Farrish, Pigg, and 
May.”41 Doguetown was a settlement of the Doeg Indian Tribe located near what is now Milford, 
Virginia, on the Mattaponi River.” Just a few miles upriver from Milford is where the South River 
empties into the Mattaponi. This must be where Daniel Coleman and John Madison received their 
2,000 acre patent. It is also where Daniel I’s son Daniel IT was living in 1719 and where he acquired 
additional land in 1724.74 


Both Daniel Coleman I and John Madison II were listed as from King & Queen County on their 1714 
patent. John Madison II was an ancestor of President James Madison, and may have been a business 
partner or relative of Daniel Coleman; he was definitely a neighbor. The forty passengers whose 
headrights Daniel and John used to acquire their land may have arrived in the Colony many years 
earlier. It was common practice for headrights to be bought and sold, and in some cases not 


exchanged for patents until many years later.” In fact, I think that was likely in this case. 


350 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


In 1699, the Governor of Virginia began to restrict the headright practice, limiting headrights to 
British citizens (not slaves or citizens of other nations), and made land available for sale at 5 shillings 
per 50 acres. With this change, it would have begun to make more economic sense to simply 
purchase land, along with slaves to work the land, rather than pay for indentured servants from 
England.” “The average cost of passage from England in the mid-17th century was about £6 and the 
cost of outfitting a servant roughly doubled that cost, resulting in an expenditure that greatly 
exceeded the value of 50 acres of undeveloped land. The investment was recouped, not with land, but 


with the tobacco produced by the immigrants who lived.” 4” 


Sherrianne Coleman Nicol relates an interesting story that explains how this original 2,000 acre 


patent, already a large land-holding for the time, grew to over 4,300 acres: 


While studying land patents in St. Margaret’s Parish of Caroline County, Lt. Col. 
Doyle discovered something interesting regarding land patented by Daniel Coleman 
and John Madison. On 16 Jun 1714, when the two men were granted a 2,000 acre 
patent, the acreage was part of St. John’s Parish in King William County. As the 
population of King William grew, a second parish, St. Margaret’s, was formed. The 
first mention of this new parish in a land patent book occurred on 25 Apr 1722 when 
300 acres of land were granted to Thomas Terry and John Chiles, churchwardens of 
St. Margaret’s Parish. The patented land was intended for the use of the parish as a 
glebe. (A glebe was a farm dedicated to the support of a church and placed in the 


occupancy of the minister). 


In 1728, the land originally patented by Daniel Coleman and John Madison became 
part of St. Margaret’s Parish in newly formed Caroline County. While mapping St. 
Margaret’s Parish, Lt. Col. Doyle discovered that most surveyors of the early patents 
were fairly accurate, especially when considering their tools were magnetic 
compasses marked in points of 11.5 degrees (eventually in whole degrees). Distances 
were measured by dragging chains over hills and through swamps. When Lt. Col. 
Doyle entered the surveyors’ data into a computer-plotting program, the results were 
not "closed" tracts of land, except in the case of simple rectangles. And the stated 
acreage found in a patent description did not always agree with the actual results of 
a survey. Areas not measured within a surveyor’s bound were left "open," and 
occasionally created strips or pieces of land between what would have been 
adjoining properties. Discrepancies between patent descriptions and actual surveyed 
parcels could be accounted for by mathematical error or by patentees taking 


possession of more land than they paid for. 


The custom of understating an area claimed and paid for appears to have happened 
with the 2,000 acres in King William County granted to Daniel Coleman and John 
Madison in 1714. The surveyed bounds enclosed approximately 2,000 acres, but 
subsequent patents to other landowners indicated that Coleman and Madison 


established themselves on twice that amount of land, referred to as "surplus". Lt. 


351 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


Col. Doyle concluded that the original patent to Daniel Coleman and John Madison 
actually encompassed 4,300 acres, although the two men only paid for 2,000 acres. 


When the land was divided before 20 Feb 1719, Daniel Coleman took the northwest 
part and John Madison took the southeast portion.” 


Indeed, we see John Madison II's son, John Madison III, claiming this surplus land in 1725. On March 
24, 1725, John Madison, Gentleman, of King & Queen County (i.e., John Madison III), received a 
patent for 2,150 acres of land in King William County.” The patent clarifies that this was a mix of old 
and new land. 1,000 acres were from the 2,000 acre patent granted to John Madison, Sr. (i.e. John 
Madison II), now deceased, and Daniel Coleman I. In addition, John Madison, III paid £5, 15 shillings 
for 1,150 acres of new, adjacent land that was “surplus” to the original patent.%° We see John 
described as a Gentleman in this patent. In England, that term applied to a broad class of the lower 
nobility, essentially any “descendant of the nobility or gentry who could not lay claim to a better 
title.”! In America, it was less formally “applied to men of education, wealth, high office, or 
prominent family.”?>? In general, a gentleman in Colonial Virginia was someone who did not need to 


work with his hands to earn a living. 


Daniel Coleman I, by association and based on similar land holdings, would likely also have 
belonged to this social class. It is clear that Daniel Coleman I and John Madison II had some type of 
relationship; what is less clear is if this was purely a business partnership or if the two men were 
related in some way. This connection is intriguing, because John Madison II was the great- 
grandfather of James Madison, Jr., a Founding Father and the fourth President of the United States. 
While there was clearly some connection between the Madison and Coleman families, the exact 
relationship remains uncertain. To begin, it is helpful to understand James Madison’s family tree, 


particularly his paternal ancestors”: 


John Madison II 
Ambrose Madison 
Isabella Minor 
Col. James Madison 
James Madison James Taylor 
Frances Taylor 
Martha Thompson 


Elenor Rose Conway 


The Paternal Ancestors of President James Madison 


The image above is based on the official tree distributed by the National Society of James Madison 
Family Descendants. President Madison himself had no known children, so this society traces their 
descent from his siblings and other relatives. President Madison’s great-grandfather John Madison 
II is the man we have seen here patenting land with Daniel Coleman I. James Taylor, the husband of 
Martha Thompson, was also a neighbor of our Daniel Coleman II.” Thus, there are links between 
both of James Madison’s paternal great-grandfathers and our Coleman line. The tree above is based 
on a document that was written by President James Madison himself between 1813 and 1819.77 


352 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


James Madison, 4 President of the United States?5* 


To recap, John Madison II and his wife Isabella Minor were roughly of the same generation as our 
Daniel Coleman I.° As we have seen, John Madison II patented land on Herring Creek in 1703, the 
same year that Daniel Coleman I patented land on Herring Creek with Samuel Williams. In 1705, 
John Madison II and Henry Pigg had 2,000 acres of land surveyed on a fork of the Mattaponi River.?°! 
Daniel Coleman I had owned land on the Mattaponi since at least 1688, and was a neighbor of John 
Pigg. John Pigg and John Madison II patented land together, and there were many connections 
between the Pigg and Madison families. John Madison II and Daniel Coleman I also patented 2,000 
acres of land together on the Mattaponi River in 1714.75 The sons of both men, John Madison III and 
Daniel Coleman II, inherited land on the Mattaponi River from their fathers. 


In addition to the solid evidence that the Coleman and Madison lines were neighbors and business 


partners, there is also evidence that at least one branch of the Coleman family intermarried with the 


353 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


line of President James Madison. Daniel Coleman II owned land next to James Taylor and Martha 
Thompson, whose daughter Frances Taylor married Ambrose Madison.” Ambrose, born around 
1700, was the son of John Madison II and grandfather of President James Madison.?*” Several 
researchers claim that Henry Madison, the uncle of Ambrose, married Elizabeth Coleman, but I have 
not been able to independently verify this claim. In the introduction to her book, Sherrianne Coleman 
Nicol claims that Elizabeth was the daughter of Daniel Coleman I, but then does not include her as a 
daughter in the body of her research.? 


Finally, Ambrose Coleman’s sister Eleanor married James Coleman.”® It is possible, but not proven, 
that James Coleman was the son of Daniel Coleman I. James Coleman was mentioned several times in 
the official correspondence of President James Madison, who would have been his nephew.?7° 
Unfortunately, we do not have a will for Daniel Coleman I. We have seen records that prove our 
ancestor Daniel Coleman II was his son. But the existence of Daniel I’s other children relies on 
speculation and circumstantial evidence. Judge Solon Bernard Coleman extensively researched the 
Coleman family, preparing an 800 plus page book of “Coleman Family Genealogical Notes” in 1959. 
He concluded that James was the son of Daniel Coleman I, likely based on the close relationship 
between Daniel and James Madison II discussed above.””! Sherrianne Coleman Nicol later argued that 
James was the son of a Robert Coleman, Daniel Coleman I’s brother.?” I have not seen enough 


evidence to determine exactly how this James Coleman relates to Daniel Coleman I. 


Another intriguing connection with the Madison family is that James Glenn’s wife was reported to 
have been Hannah Thompson, although we currently do not have conclusive evidence that 
Thompson was her maiden name. One of James Madison’s great-grandmothers was apparently 
Martha Thompson, daughter of Roger Thompson. Could Martha Thompson have been a sister of 
Hannah, the wife of our ancestor James Glenn discussed below? We know that three of Daniel 
Coleman II’s children married into the James Glenn family of Goochland and Cumberland 
Counties.? Does this existing connection through the Thompson line explain why the Coleman 
family was so thoroughly intermarried with the Glenn kin group shortly after moving south from the 


King William and King & Queen County area? 


Sherrianne Coleman Nicol assigned a woman named Grizzell, who married a Whitlock, as Grizzell 
Coleman, daughter of Daniel Coleman I. Since we do not have Daniel I’s Will, there is no conclusive 
evidence of children aside from Daniel II. The records for Grizell Whitlock suggest that she may have 
had the maiden name Coleman. However, her ties are stronger to the family of Samuel Coleman, Sr. 
than they are to Daniel I. In 1751 Robert Williamson sold land on Beaverdam Creek to “Grishel 
Whitlock” of King William County “to her and her heirs forever.”?”4 This establishes that Grizzell was 
a woman and almost certainly a widow. During this time period married women could not legally 
purchase land in their name.?% Based on this fact and her 1759 Goochland County Will naming 


Whitlock sons, Grizzell was the widow of a man named Whitlock.2” 


One of the witnesses to Grizell’s 1759 Will was John Daniel Coleman. Nicol has this John Daniel 
Coleman as the son of Daniel Coleman III and Patience Thompson, but that appears to be incorrect.?”” 


Daniel Coleman II’s Will did not name a “John Daniel Coleman” among his eight sons.?” Instead, he 


354 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


had a son named Daniel, likely named after Daniel III’s father and grandfather. There was a John 
Daniel Coleman who served as a witness to the will of John W. Coleman in Amerherst County, 
Virginia in 1778.2” The 1786 estate proceedings for this John Daniel Coleman establish that he was 
due £12 from the Estate of John Coleman, “his father’s Estate.”28° The Will of this John Daniel 
Coleman listed his children, confirming that this was the same John Daniel Coleman that Nicol 
incorrectly assigned as a son of our Daniel Coleman II.?8! John Daniel Coleman’s father, John 
Coleman, appears to have been the son of Samuel Coleman, Sr., discussed above.”*? Thus, John Daniel 
Coleman was likely a grandson of Samuel Coleman, Sr. This is a further indication that Grizzell 
Whitlock was more closely connected to Samuel Coleman Sr. than Daniel Coleman I. 


As a final note on the possible children of Daniel Coleman I, Nicol has assigned John Coleman, 
Thomas Coleman, and Darby Coleman as sons of Daniel Coleman I.?*° Based on my evaluation of the 
cited evidence, these children have not been sufficiently proven. It is possible that further research 
can place them within our line. Nicol also has Daniel Coleman I’s wife as “probably Miss Darby” but 


I have seen no primary evidence for this claim. 
Children of Daniel Coleman I: 


i. Daniel COLEMAN II was born about 1694 in King & Queen County, Virginia and died before 
1770 in Cumberland County, Virginia. He married Patience (ELLIOT?) by about 1715 in 
Virginia.2 

ii. | Daniel COLEMAN I likely had other children who have not yet been proven due to lost 
records. 


6. James Glenn (By 1696—About 1763) and Hannah Thompson? 


James Glenn was the father of Nehemiah Glenn. James must have been born by about 1696, because 
on July 15, 1717 we have a record of him acquiring 275 acres of land in New Kent County, Virginia. 
He would have been at least 21 years old by this date in order to legally purchase land. The property 
was located in St. Paul’s Parish, on the north side of the Little River, and James paid 30 shillings for 
the patent. 


355 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


The identity of James Glenn’s parents is currently unknown. The best candidate is a John Glen who 
owned land on the Warrani Swamp in New Kent County, Virginia in 1666.78 The Warrani is a small 
creek that drains into the York River near its confluence with the Pamunkey and Mattaponi 
tributaries. Because we know that James Glenn owned land further up the Pamunkey River system, 
this John Glen was in the right location and of the approximate age to be a possible father of James. 
There was also a John Glen who owned land in 1714 on the north side of the South River, in New 
Kent County, and from 1721-1725 on the South Anna River in Hanover County.?§” This John Glen 


would be the approximate age to be a brother or cousin of our James Glenn. 


We know from James Glenn’s Will that his wife was named Hannah, and they likely married by 
around 1719. Their eldest son Gideon Glenn would have been born by 1719, based on his acquisition 
of land in Goochland County in 1740.78 Another son named in James’ Will was Thompson Glenn, 
and this suggests that Hannah’s maiden name may have been Thompson. So far, that conclusion is 
unproven although it does seem likely to me. Jeannette May Christopher noted that Hannah had 
several generations of female descendants named Hannah Thompson Glenn.*? We have also seen 
that the Coleman family, which married into James Glenn’s line at least three times, had connections 
with a Thompson family. James Glenn and Hannah would likely have been married in St. Paul’s 


Parish, New Kent County, Virginia, but the colonial parish registers have been lost.?° 


On February 20, 1719, James Glenn acquired an additional 150 acres between the North Anna and 
Little Rivers for the transportation of three colonists.”! This land was described as “between the 
Northanna of Pamonkey and the Little Rivers, adjoining land he now lives on.”?2 The Pamunkey 
River is formed by the confluence of the North Anna and South Anna rivers. The Little River drains 
into the North Anna, just north of where the Pamunkey River begins. In that same year, James Glenn 


was a witness to processioning of land that included John Glenn, who may have been his brother. 


In 1721, Hanover County was formed from the Northwest portion of New Kent County, including 
the area where our ancestor James Glenn had settled.”** A small chapel called Fork Church was built 
around 1722 on what was then the western frontier of St. Paul’s Parish.2% James Glenn was one of the 
men who helped build the church grounds. In 1723, he was given his first payment for providing 
fence railing for the church yard.”% In the next year, he received a second payment for the same work 
“provided he give Bond, to keep the Rails up, till the posts rot in ye ground,” along with providing 
benches at the Fork Chapel.?” In 1726, St. Martin’s Parish was formed, to include “[a]ll that part of St. 
Paul’s Parish lying in the fork of the Pamunkey (made by the junction of the North Anna and the 
South Anna Rivers) together with all that part of the original parish lying north-west of Stone Horse 


Creek, which flows north-east into the South Anna.” 2% 


On March 24, 1725, James Glenn was mentioned as an adjoining land owner in a patent to William 
Harris, Gentleman, on the north side of the Little River in Hanover County.” It is possible that this 
William Harris or his descendants married into the Glenn family. James Glenn had Harris 
grandchildren through his daughter Keziah Glenn, although it is not known which Harris man she 
married. William Harris was a prominent member of the Hanover County community and a member 


of the Vestry at St. Paul’s Parish. A patent to John Bryan on June 16, 1727 also places James Glenn 


356 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


on the north side of the Little River.*°! On September 27, 1729, James Glenn paid 40 shillings for 400 
acres of additional land on the South side of the North Anna River.* This land likely bordered or 


was near his existing property.°% 


On September 18, 1739, James Glenn of Hanover County purchased 1,000 acres of land in Goochland 
County, Virginia along Great Guinea Creek for £100.°° On April 15, 1740, James’ son Gideon Glenn 
also bought 400 acres of land on Great Guinea Creek.°% This Guinea Creek land was in the portion of 
Goochland County that became Cumberland County when the latter county was formed in 1749. 
James Glenn’s Great Guinea Creek property was later distributed to three of his sons in his Will, and 
provides definitive evidence for James Glenn as the head of our Cumberland County, Virginia branch 


of the Glenn family. 


James Glenn signed his Will on Jun 11, 1762 and it was admitted to probate on February 3, 1763, so he 
died sometime between these two dates.°% The Will provides evidence for James Glenn’s children 
and some of his grandchildren. Sons Nehemiah (300 acres), Nathan (350 acres), and James Glenn (350 
acres) split the 1,000 acres of Guinea Creek land. James Glenn noted in the Will that this land was 
“bounded as by a plan drawn by Robert Harris.”°°” Other children named in the Will were Gideon 
Glenn, Jemima Symes, Hannah Austin, Mary Hopkins, Elizabeth Byars (or Byass), Anna Glenn, 
Keziah Harris, Sarah Dabney, and Thompson Glenn. Widow Hannah was given the plantation where 


James Glenn lived, along with four slaves named Pompy, John, Nan, and Sarah.3% 
Children of James Glenn and Hannah (Thompson?): 


i. Jemima GLENN was born about 1716 in New Kent County, Virginia and died in 1809 in 
Newberry County, South Carolina. She married Matthew SIMS.3” 

ii. Gideon GLENN was born by 1719 in New Kent County, Virginia and died in 1808 in Franklin 
County, North Carolina. He married Drucilla DAVENPORT.3” 

iii | Nehemiah GLENN was born about 1725 in Hanover County, Virginia and died before 24 
Apr 1775 in Cumberland County, Virginia. He married Anne COLEMAN, daughter of Daniel 
COLEMAN and Patience ELLIOT.3!! 

iv. Keziah GLENN may have been born by about 1730 in Hanover County, Virginia. She 
married Unknown HARRIS.3!2 

v. | Nathan GLENN was born by about 1735 in Hanover County, Virginia and died before 25 Jul 
1805 in Union County, South Carolina. He married Lucy COLEMAN, daughter of Daniel 
COLEMAN and Patience ELLIOT.*!8 

Vi. Hannah GLENN was born by about 1738 in Hanover County, Virginia. She married William 
AUSTIN.$"4 

Vii. Elizabeth GLENN was born by about 1742 in Hanover County, Virginia. She married 
Unknown BYASS or BYARS.315 

Vili. Sarah GLENN was born by about 1742 in Hanover County, Virginia. She married Unknown 
DABNEY.?*!6 

ix. | James GLENN was born about 1743 in Hanover County, Virginia and died between 5 Dec 

1803 and Feb 1905 in Chester County, South Carolina. He married Elizabeth BOWLES.*” 


357 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


xii. 


Several of James Glenn’s children initially settled in Virginia and then moved to South Carolina in the 
early 1780s after the Revolution. Among those who made this move were Nathan Glenn and his wife 
Lucy Coleman,*?! James Glenn and his wife Elizabeth Bowles,?” Jemima Sims and her husband 
Matthew Sims, and Mary Glenn and her husband Col. David Hopkins.*#° David and Mary Hopkins 
were likely the first to establish their families in South Carolina. They settled along the Fish Dam 
Ford of the Broad River, which would become the dividing line between Union and Chester 


Counties.34 A set of letters from Col. David Hopkins to his sons during the Revolutionary War 


Anna GLENN likely died in Chester County, South Carolina after 2 mar 1813.918 


Mary GLENN died after 2 Mar 1813 in Chester County, South Carolina. She married David 


HOPKINS.?!9 
Thompson GLENN was born by 1762 in Virginia, and was likely the youngest son.°”° 


provide solid evidence of this connection and an interesting account of life during this period. 


Tyger River, Mrs. Anderson’s, Nov. 9» 1780 


Dear Sons: Last Tuesday night or rather Wednesday morning, we were attacked by 
the British part of Tartlton’s core, commanded by Major Wins at the Fish dam Ford 
on Broad river. We kept the ground though with difficulty as we had a number of 
Tories among us. I am doubtful. I have lost my favorite boy, Morrise, when the action 
commenced, he was lying at a fire some distance from me, and attempted to get to 
me and fell in with the British Cavalry, where he was shot and bayoneted in such a 


manner that I believe there is very little hope of his recovery, which is a loss... . 


I have been so unfortunate as to lose my all, except my land, and have now retaken 
my negroes. I prevailed upon Captain Charles Sims [the son of Jemima Glenn and 
Matthew Sims, David’s nephew] to take the negroes with him to Virginia, and have 
his positive promise to deliver them to you two at Mr. James Glenn’s in Cumberland 
County, in the State of Virginia. I have furnished him with three valuable beasts in 
order to carry the baggage and young negroes, which I expect you will receive with 


the negroes. There are in number seventeen .. . 


And as you have able advisers, I would earnestly recommend you not to neglect that 
part, as you are both young and have never had any opportunity of being acquainted 
with the cares of the world. There is Captain William Thompson, Mr. David 
Anderson, Mr. Matthew Sims, Mr. Nathan Glenn, or Mr. James Glenn, all who are 
our near relatives, and men to be confided in and who will with cheerfulness give 


you the best counsel. 


I have nothing more at present that I now recollect, and hastily oblige me to 
conclude, as we are now under marching orders. I shall write to you every 


opportunity, and hope you will not neglect doing the same by me. 


From your loving father till death 


358 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


D. Hopkins 


Addressed to Mr. Ferdinand Hopkins and Newton Hopkins, State of Virginia, 
Cumberland County. 


The Captain William Thompson mentioned here as a relative is a further hint that Hannah, the wife 
of James Glenn, may have been a Thompson. Following this letter in the Chester County, South 
Carolina Deed Books is a letter from Captain Charles Sims, confirming that he delivered these 
seventeen slaves to Ferdinand and Newton Hopkins back in Virginia. Charles Sims was the son of 
Jemima Glenn and Matthew Sims, so was also a member of this extended kin group.** The next letter 
from David Hopkins to his son restates some of these details and recounts the battles that he had 
engaged in under the command of General Thomas Sumter. Thomas Sumter, the namesake of Fort 
Sumter, became known as the “Carolina Gamecock” for his fierce fighting style against the British, 


apparently motivated by retribution for the British having burned down his home.*?7 
S. Carolina, Fort Lacey, Dec. 20, 1780 
My Dear Sons, 


I find times are much worse than when you left South Carolina last. The enemy has 
had possession of all I possessed and am told had come to a conclusion of the 
division of negroes and plantation and even under cover of the British which made 
them feel quite safe they had taken off only five of the negroes and they on 


Farguson’s defeat were left to themselves and chose to come home[.] 


On Tuesday evening, the seventh of last month, General Sumter arrived at the Fish 
Dam Ford on Broad River, and the next morning at about one o’clock were attacked 
by the British, a part of Tarleton’s core, their number from the best information were 
about two hundred and sixty. Our number consisted of about three hundreds or 
upwards, they attacked us with their cavalry in front, however after contest of about 
an hour the enemy saw cause to quit the ground with loss of 27 killed wounded and 
taken and their Commanding Officer Major Winns wounded and taken amongst the 


rest.... 


Capt. Charles Sims concluded to run his negroes for Virginia, I prevailed on him to 
agree to try to take mine with his, and told him to take them to you if possible. But in 
case it should happen other ways, to place them as safe as possible could till he could 
see you, which he said he would be sure to do if he got his negroes in safe as he 
should go by your uncle Glenn’s where you board... . All the other part of my estate 
except my lands has fallen into the hands of the enemy. They drove off at one time 
between ninety and a hundred head of cattle to Winns Borough. They have also got 
all my sheep, and the greatest part of my hogs, plantation tools, household furniture, 
and every other article that was of any value, so that I am properly situated for a 


Soldier and am determined to see the contest of our Cause or fall in the attempt. 


359 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


David Hopkins 


Addressed to Mr. Ferdinand Hopkins and Newton Hopkins in the State of Virginia, 


Cumberland County, Guinea Creek, Mr. James Glenns.°8 


David Hopkins was later captured and held as a prisoner of war in Orange County, North 
Carolina.>” By the end of the Revolution, he achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel under Colonel 


John Winn. He became a leading citizen of Chester County, South Carolina.3° 


360 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


References for Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


1 Brewer Family Bible, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. The image at left comes 
from A Family History by Hugh F. Hunter and Julia S. Hunter and was found on Ancestry.com. 

2 Margaret Brewer Boone, “Sterling Brewer, Jr.”, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 
3 Glenn Dora Fowler Arthur, Annals of the Fowler Family, with Branches in Virginia, North Carolina, South 
Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, Mississippi, California, and Texas (Austin, Texas 1901), Pages 
302-305, available at: archive.org/details/annalsoffowlerfa00arth/page/304/mode/2up. 

4 Brewer Family Bible. 

5 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Wills and Probate Records 1779-2008, Record for N Glenn, Probate Place: 
Montgomery, Tennessee, Will Books, Vol. M, 1850-1853. 

6 James Isbell v. Nathan Glenn, Cumberland County Chancery Causes, 1837-010, available as a PDF on 
profile for Nathan Glenn on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

7 Mollie Holm, “Confederate Cover”, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

8 Ibid. 

9 Ancestry.com, Michigan County Marriage Records, 1822-1940, Marriage of James D Brewer and Louis 
L Bort, 20 Jul 1865, Berrien, Michigan. 

10 Brewer Family Bible. 

11 [bid. 

12 [bid. 

13 [bid. 

14 [bid. 

15 [bid. 

16 [bid. 

’” Will of William Glenn, Sr., part of documents in the lawsuit of Nathan Glenn et al. v. Executors of 
William Glenn, Sr., available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

18 Ancestry.com, Virginia Compiled Marriages 1740-1850, Marriage of Nathan Glenn and Nancy 
Moseby, 29 Oct 1807, Cumberland, Virginia; Will of William Glenn, found in Nathan Glenn v. 
Executors of William Glenn, Sr., Cumberland County Chancery Causes, 1833-009, Pages 21-22, 
available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

19 Ancestry.com, 1810 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Cumberland, Virginia; Roll: 68; Page: 130; 
Image 00256; FHL Film No. 0181428. 

20 Ancestry.com, 1820 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Cumberland, Virginia; Page: 102; NARA Roll: 
M33_130; Image: 196. 

21 Isbell v. Glenn, Cumberland County Chancery Causes, 1837-010, Page 16, available on 
ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

2 Isbell v. Glenn, Pages 40-41. 

23 Ibid. 

4 Ibid., Pages 59-60. 

25 Ibid., Pages 63-64. 

26 Ibid,, Page 56. 

27 Ibid. 

6 Ibid. With a legal age of 21, this implies that William Glenn was born after 1813, as were the rest of 
Nathan and Nancy’s children, while Alexander and Thomas were born before 1813. 

29 Nathan’s wife Nancy Mosby was the granddaughter of Martha “Patty” Walton, so there may be a 
family connection to this Walton. 


361 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


30 Ibid. Pages 20-21. My property law skills are rusty, but this does not appear to be a legally valid 
transfer that would resolve ownership of the Mosby land that Glenn’s children would have inherited 
at their grandmother’s death. One can see the logic on Nathan Glenn’s part, attempting to substitute 
the Montgomery County, Tennessee land for the land back in Virginia, but the situation remained 
messy legally. 

31 Ibid. This indicates that Grace may have been Virginia Grace Glenn’s given first name, but since all 
the later family records use Virginia Grace, I have kept that order as the one she likely used during 
her adult life. 

2 Ibid., Page 38. 

33 Boone, “Sterling Brewer, Jr.” “And now my dear brother, accept my thanks for your kind and 
generous offer. I shall probably never have such another from anybody; but I have long cherished the 
desire of going to a new country, where land can be had at low prices and settle my family. I hope 
with the money I shall be able to save here, with some that my wife will probably get from her 
Grandmother's estate to be able before long to realize my wish, and then if I am unable from any 
cause to teach school my boys could support me.” 

34 Nathan Glenn v. Executors of William Glenn, Sr., Cumberland County Chancery Causes, 1833-009, 
available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

35 Isbell v. Glenn, Cumberland County Chancery Causes, 1837-010, Page 5, available on ChristensenJames 
tree on Ancestry.com. In 1834, George Collins sold Nathan Glenn of Montgomery County, Tennessee 
a tract of land in that county for $1,000. 

36 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Early Tax List Records 1783-1895, District 1, Page 355. 

37 Ibid. 

38 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Wills and Probate Records, 1779-2008, Record for Nathan Glerum (sic), 
Probate Date 1 Dec 1839, Inferred Death Year: About 1839, Montgomery, Tennessee, Will Books, Vols. 
G-H, 1834-1840, Vol. H, Pages 323-333. 

39 Ibid. 

40 Some records seem to have Thomas’ middle initial as I. It is very difficult to distinguish an 
uppercase J from an uppercase I in the cursive script of these times. I have used J for consistency, but 
that could be an error. 

41 [bid. 

2 Ibid. 

4 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Wills and Probate Records 1779-2008, Will Books, Vols. G—H, 1834-1840, Vol. 
H, Pages 338-339. 

44 Ibid. 

4 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Wills and Probate Records 1779-2008, Will Books, Vols. I-J, 1840-1846, Vol L., 
Page 494. 

46 Ibid. 

47 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Wills and Probate Records 1779-2008, Will Books, Vol. M, 1850-1853, 
Records for Nathan Glenn, Page 91; Ancestry.com, Tennessee Wills and Probate Records 1779-2008, Will 
Books, Vols. I-J, 1840-1846, Vol. I, Page 435. 

48 Ibid. 

* Clarksville Weekly Chronicle, “Negroes for Sale” (Clarksville, Tennessee 15 Aug 1843), Page 3, 
available at: newspapers.com/clip/48763496/clarksville-weekly-chronicle/?xid=637. 

50 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Wills and Probate Records 1779-2008, Will Books, Vol. M, 1850-1853, 
Records for Nathan Glenn, Page 89. Ross appears to have been a school teacher in Clarksville. 
Clarksville Weekly Chronicle, “The Subscriber” (Clarksville, Tennessee 12 Jan 1843), Page 3. 

51 Ibid. 


362 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


> Ibid. 

53 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Wills and Probate Records 1779-2008, Will Books, Vol. M, 1850-1853, 
Records for Nathan Glenn, Page 92. 

54 See discussion above of Alexander Glenn in father Nathan Glenn’s legal records. He was a legal 
adult as of 1834, along with his brother Thomas Glenn. 

55 Martha Ligon, now Glenn, shows up by herself on the 1850, 1860, and 1870 Census, indicating that 
Alexander Glenn had likely died. Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Districts 1-4, 
Montgomery, Tennessee; Roll: 891; Page: 255B. 

56 Ancestry.com, Kentucky, County Marriage Records 1783-1965, Marriage of Alen H Glenn and Martha 
A F Ligon, 11 Feb 1835, Logan, Kentucky, Film No. 00364550. There were also Ligon families 
associated with the Glenns back in Cumberland County, Virginia. 

57 See discussion above of Thomas J. Glenn in father Nathan Glenn’s legal records. He was a legal 
adult as of 1834, along with his brother Alexander Glenn. 

58 See Isbell v. Glenn, Page 56 and discussion above. 

°9 Ibid. 

60 [bid., Page 38. 

61 [bid., Page 38. 

® Ancestry.com, Kentucky Death Records 1852-1965, Record for Mary T Fortson, Maiden Name: Glenn, 
Birth Date: 1821; Death Date: 22 May 1958; Father: N. Glenn, Place: Ballard, Kentucky. 

63 Ancestry.com, Montgomery County, Tennessee Marriage Index 1799-1953, Marriage of Mary Glenn, 6 
Sep 1843, Montgomery, Tennessee. Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Districts 1—- 
4, Montgomery, Tennessee; Roll: 891; Page: 264A. This Census shows Mary Fortson with her husband 
R.D. Fortson. Ann Glenn, aged 15, is living with the couple and is likely Mary’s younger sister. 

64 Isbell v. Glenn, Page 38. Many online trees have him married to Mary Jane Bransford in 1835, but 
that appears to be too early based on his likely age. If he was married by 1835, he would have been 
one of the older children in his father’s legal proceedings, not one of the minors. 

65 Brewer Family Bible. 

66 Ibid. 

67 James Ross was his guardian in 1848, indicating he was not yet 21 at this time. Ancestry.com, 
Tennessee Wills and Probate Records 1779-2008, Will Books, Vol. M, 1850-1853, Records for Nathan 
Glenn, Page 89. 

68 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Wills and Probate Records 1779-2008, Will Books, Vol. M, 1850-1853, 
Records for Nathan Glenn, Page 92. 

69 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Wills and Probate Records, 1779-2008, Record for Nathan Glerum (sic), 
Probate Date 1 Dec 1839, Inferred Death Year: About 1839, Montgomery, Tennessee, Will Books, Vols. 
G-H, 1834-1840. R.D. Fortson, husband of Ann’s sister Mary Frances Glenn, was appointed as Ann’s 
guardian in 1848. Ancestry.com, Tennessee Wills and Probate Records 1779-2008, Will Books, Vols. K-L, 
1845-1850, Pages 10-11, 758. 

70 Ancestry.com, Kentucky Compiled Marriages 1851-1900, Marriage of Ann R. Glenn and John W. 
Rutherford, 25 Oct 1853, Todd, Kentucky. 

71 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Jackson, Putnam, Indiana; Roll: 167; Page: 
412A. Nehemiah was listed as William’s eldest son in his Will. 

= Ancestry.com, Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 39, No. 3, Pages 41-42. 

73 Ibid. 

74 Ibid. 

75 William Glenn v. Bernard Sims, Infant, Cumberland County Chancery Causes, 1778-007, available on 
ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 


363 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


76 Jeanette M. Christopher, Glenn and Kin, (Genealogy Publishing Service, Franklin, North Carolina 
1994), Pages 330-338. 

77 Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Page 335. 

78 Glenn v. Sims. 

79 FamilySearch.org, Order Books, Cumberland County, Virginia, 23 Mar 1778, Page 433. 

80 FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County, Virginia Will Books, Vol. 2, Pages 207-208. Frances appears to 
have been able to sign her own name, in contrast to another witness, Tabitha Barnes, who signed with 
her “X” mark. 

81 [bid., Page 216. 

8 Ancestry.com, Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 30, No. 2, Page 15. 

83 Wood, Empire of Liberty, Pages 508-542. 

84 Ancestry.com, Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 30, No. 2, Page 92. 

85 Ibid. 

86 Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Page 96. 

87 Ibid. 

88 Ibid, Pages 104-106. 

89 www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1790/heads_of Csomilles/visgintar Leni: -02.pdf. 


Page 15. 

1 www2.census.gov/library/publications/decennial/1790/heads_of families/virginia/1790m-03.pdf, 
Page 67. 

2 FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County, Virginia Deeds, Book No. 6, Pages 468-46 Image 520; 
Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Page 95. Nathan Glenn was noted as “of the State of South Carolina & 
County of Union” in this deed.” 

% Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Pages 470-471. 

% Ancestry.com, Virginia Tax Records, Cumberland County Poll List, Pages 33-34. 

> usconstitution.net/ev_1804.html. 

% Ancestry.com, 1810 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Cumberland, Virginia; Roll: 68; Page 131; 
Image: 00258; FHL Film No. 018148. 

97 Will of William Glenn, found in Nathan Glenn v. Executors of William Glenn, Sr., Cumberland County 
Chancery Causes, 1833-009, Pages 21-22, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

%8 Ibid. 

»° Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Jackson, Putnam, Indiana; Roll: 167; Page: 
412A. 

100 Will of William Glenn. Hank James is a DNA match with several “Vance” family members who 
descend from Nancy Ann Glenn. 

101 Will of William Glenn; Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Page 483. 

12 Ancestry.com, Virginia Marriage Records, 1700-1850, Marriage of Patience C Glenn and Samuel 
Wright, 27 Jan 1794, Cumberland, Virginia. 

103 Will of William Glenn. In the 1818 Will, she is described as Patience Ligon. Her first husband, 
Samuel Wright, died in 1809. 

104 Will of William Glenn; Ancestry.com, Tennessee Wills and Probate Records, 1779-2008, Will of 
Nathan Glerum [Glenn], Probate Date: 1 Dec 1839, Montgomery, Tennessee, Will Books, Vols. G-H, 
1834-1840. 

105 Ancestry.com, Virginia Compiled Marriages 1740-1850, Marriage of Nathan Glenn and Nancy 
Moseby, 29 Oct 1807, Cumberland, Virginia. 


364 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


106 Will of William Glenn; Ancestry.com, South Carolina Wills and Probate Records, 1670-1980, Reuben 
Glenn, Probate Date: 26 Oct 1808, Laurens, South Carolina. 

107 Will of William Glenn; Ancestry.com, Georgia Wills and Probate Records, 1742-1992, Frances H 
Brightwell, Clarke, Georgia. 

108 Ancestry.com, Virginia Compiled Marriages, 1740-1850, Marriage of Frances H. Glenn and John 
Brightwell, 9 Dec 1811, Cumberland, Virginia. 

109 Will of William Glenn; Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Page 485, notes that a William Glenn left a 
Cumberland County Will dated 26 May 1845, mentioning land on Great Guinea Creek. 

110 genfiles.com/articles/comments-on-naming-patterns/. 

111 Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Page 462. 

112 Will of William Glenn. 

113 Ancestry.com, Virginia Marriage Records, 1700-1850, Marriage of Patience C Glenn and Samuel 
Wright, 27 Jan 1794, Cumberland, Virginia. 

4 Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Page 93. 

5 Ibid., Pages 482-483. 

116 FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County, Virginia Wills, Book 2, Page 239, 24 Nov 1777. 

117 Ancestry.com, Genealogies of Virginia Families from the William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. II, Heale- 
Muscoe, Pages 639-640. 

18 Ancestry.com, Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 39, No. 3, Pages 41-42. 

119 Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Page 10. 

120 [bid., Page 8. 

121 [bid. 

12 The Southside Virginian, Vol. 2, No. 4, Pages 156-157, available at: 
archive.org/details/southsidevirgini219834/page/n159/mode/2up. 

123 Virginia Argus, “Pursuant to a deed of trust” (Richmond, Virginia, 10 May 1808), Page 1. 

124 Tbid., Page 227; FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County Deed Books, Book 7, Page 55, 28 Feb 1791. 
25 William Glenn v. Bernard Sims, Infant, Cumberland County Chancery Causes, 1778-007, available on 
ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

26 Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Page 336. 

127 Ibid., Pages 330-332. 

128 FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County, Virginia Order Books, No. 11, Page 324, 24 Apr 1775. 

129 Ibid.,; Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Pages 93, 484 

130 Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Page 93. 

131 [bid., Pages 96-99. 

132 A search of the Library of Virginia also only shows this 24 Nov 1777 Estate inventory for 
Nehemiah Glenn: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990005340810205756. 

133 Ancestry.com, U.S. Compiled Revolutionary War Military Service Records, 1775-1783, William Glenn, 
Private, Sixth Regiment, Virginia. 

134 geni.com/people/Jeremiah-Glenn/6000000000048130117. The theory is that Jeremiah Glenn was the 
son of “James Glenn II and Mourning Glenn.” These would be the parents of our James Glenn, the 
father of Nehemiah Glenn. If that is correct, Jeremiah would have been Nehemiah’s first cousin. 

135 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Maj. Thomas Massie (22 Aug 1747-2 Feb 1834), Memorial No. 
16571221, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/16571221/thomas-massie. 

136 FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County, Virginia Will Books, Vol. 2, Pages 216. 

137 For example, Nathan Glenn is listed in the Committee of Safety Proceedings for Cumberland 
County as an Ensign in Captain Miller Woodson’s Company of Militia. 


365 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


cumberland-and-isle-of-wight-counties-virginia-1775- 


1776?viewer=1&offset=04page=30&viewer=picture&o=search&n=0&q=Glenn, Pages 18, 32. But I don’t 
see any CMSR for Nathan Glenn. revolutionarywar.us/continental-army/Vvirginia/. 

138 Estimate by Jeannette May Christopher in Glenn and Kin, Page 93. This estimate is likely based in 
part on his being of tithable age by 1746. 

139 Will of James Glen, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com; also in Christopher, 
Glenn and Kin, Pages 7-9. 

140 Ibid. 

141 Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Page 6. 

12 [bid., Page 93. 

143 [bid., citing The Southside Virginian, Vol. II., No. 4, Pages 156-157. 

M44 Ancestry.com, Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 39, No. 3, Pages 41-42. 


145 genfiles.com/articles/tithables/ 


146 Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Page 93; lva.virginia.gov/public/guides/tithables_ vanote.htm. 
147 Ibid., Page 93. 


148 FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County, Virginia Will Books, Book 2, Pages 4—5, Will signed 29 Aug 
1763, probated 22 Jan 1770; also available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

149 FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County Order Books, No. 11, Page 324, 24 Apr 1775. 

150 FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County Wills, Book 2, Page 239, 24 Nov 1777. 

151 Ibid. 

182 FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County, Virginia Order Books, No. 11, Page 420, 24 Nov 1777. 

153 [bid., Page 429, 23 Feb 1778. 

154 Will of William Glenn and discussion above. 

155 FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County, Virginia Will Books, Vol. 2, Pages 207-208. 

156 Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Pages 468-470. 

157 Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Pages 468-469; ourfamtree.org/browse.php/Patience-Colgate/p500969. 
One source has Patience as the daughter of George Elliot, and granddaughter of Sir George Augustus 
Elliot, First Barn Heathfield. While that is an intriguing lineage, Baron Heathfield was born on 25 Dec 
1717, far too late to be the grandfather, or even father, of our Patience who married Daniel Coleman 
Il. 

158 Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Pages 468-469. 

159 Ibid., Pages 330-332, 468-470. 

1609 Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. 3, Page 219, cited at 
freepages.rootsweb.com/~mobjackbaycolemans/genealogy/index.html; 
Iva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990007731830205756. 

161 Beverly Fleet, Virginia Colonial Abstracts, Vol. 27, Page 19, available at: 

babel. hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39076006495712&view=lup&seq=3. 


162 Tbid. 
163 |va.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/OILVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990007384600205756. 


164 lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990007384610205756. 
165 Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. III, Page 327. 

166 lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/OILVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990007384680205756. 
167 Ibid. 

168 genfiles.com/articles/womens-rights/. 


169 genfiles.com/articles/legal-age/. 
170 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Order Books, Book 4, Page 449. 


366 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


171 wiki.rootsweb.com/wiki/index.php/Virginia Land _ Records. 
172 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 3, Page 246. 


173 The improvements were presented and recorded by the Court and can be found at 
FamilySearch.org, Goochland County Order Books, Book 4, Page 451. 

174 Will of Daniel Coleman, FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County Will Books, Book 2, Page 4, Signed 29 
Aug 1763, proved 22 Jan 1770; available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

5 Excerpt from U.S. War Department, Topographical Engineers, SE Virginia, Ft. Monroe, 1895, David 
Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries, available at: 
davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~26848~1100144. 

176 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 5, Pages 15-16. 

177 Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. III, Page 469. 

178 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Book, Book 5, Pages 24-25. 

7 Daniel Coleman and James Coleman were part of a Carolina County Grand Jury in 1740. 
FamilySearch.org, Carolina County, Virginia Order Books, 1740-1746, Page 16. 

180 Ibid. 

181 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Book, Book 5, Pages 268-269. 

182 Ibid. 

18 Bishop Meade, Old Churches, Ministers and Families of Virginia, (Philadelphia, 1861), Vol. II, Pages 
33-35, available at: archive.org/details/oldchurchesminisO2meaduoft/page/32/. 

184 Ibid. 

185 FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County, Virginia Order Books, 1749-1762, Page 9. This page is torn 
and difficult to read in the surviving records. 

186 FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County, Virginia Deed Books, 1760-1765, Book 3, Page 46. 

187 Ibid. 

188 FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County. Virginia Deeds, 1760-1765, Book 3, Pages 54-55. 

189 Ibid. 

190 FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 4, 1760-1771, Pages 349-350. 

191 Tt is possible that Daniel Coleman II was still alive in 1769. However, Thomas Coleman, the son of 
Daniel Coleman II, had his own son named Daniel. If he had reached legal age by 1769, and the elder 
Daniel Coleman II had died, then Daniel Coleman III would have been referred to in the deed as 
Daniel Coleman. 

12 Will of Daniel Coleman. 

193 Ibid. 

194 Ibid. 

195 Will of Patience (Coleman), transcribed at sites.rootsweb.com/~vacumber/wills/coleman.html. 

196 Ibid. 

197 FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County Will Books, Book 2, Pages 78-79. 

198 Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Pages 470-471. This Daniel Thompson is likely the one who purchased 
land on Willis River and Little Bear Creek that bordered William Hollady, Daniel Coleman, James 
Daniels, Peter Hollands, and Robert Hudgins. This land was purchased from Eli Noell and his wife 
Elizabeth. Some have suggested that Elizabeth was Daniel’s sister, and another daughter of Daniel 
Coleman and Patience Elliot. I have not been able to confirm that with more evidence. 
freepages.rootsweb.com/~mobjackbaycolemans/genealogy/index.html. 

199 Ibid. Christopher says he was a Revolutionary soldier, died 1825, and married either Baptiste or 
Elizabeth Poindexter. No sources are provided. 

200 Ibid. Christopher says he died about 1773 and married Mary, who died after 1784. No sources 
provided. 


367 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


201 Ibid. 

202 Ancestry.com, Alabama, U.S. Surname Files Expanded, 1702-1981, Page 140, Records of Glenn Family 
Bible owned by Joseph Robert Howorth. 

203 Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Page 94. 

204 Ibid., Pages 335-336. 

205 [bid., Page 470. 

206 [bid. 

207 [bid. 

208 Excerpt from Fry and Jefferson, “Map of the Most Inhabited Part of Virginia”, 1776, David Rumsey 
Map Collection, Stanford Libraries, available at: 
davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~1917~120023. 

209 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County Deed Books, Book 1, Pages 264-265. 

210 Tbid. 

211 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Will Books, Book 5, Page 481. 

212 Tbid. 

213 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Book Books, Pages 134-135. 

214 genfiles.com/articles/womens-rights/. 

215 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 3, Pages 416-416. 

216 Ibid., Pages 449-450. 

217 [bid., Book 5, Pages 15-16. 

218 FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County, Virginia Deed Book, Pages 320-321. 

219 freepages.rootsweb.com/~mobjackbaycolemans/genealogy/. 

220 |va.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/OILVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990007173900205756. 
221 Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. 3, Page 219, cited at 
freepages.rootsweb.com/~mobjackbaycolemans/genealogy/index.html. 


222 The Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries, available at: 

digital. newberry.org/ahcb/map/map.html#VA. 

23 Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Virginia Quit Rent Rolls, 1704, Vol. 32, No. 2, Page 
470. 

224 Ibid. 

225 Bob Allen, Madisons of Colonial Virginia (Revised), 1 Jul 2002, available at: 
robinrichmond.com/family/media/rr/ftm/Madisons%200f%20Colonial%20Virginia%2C%20Revised % 


20%28Robt%20Allen%29. pdf. 
226 Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. III, Page 74; Virginia Patent Book 9, Page 549; cited at 


freepages.rootsweb.com/~mobjackbaycolemans/genealogy/b08daniel.htm#N016131. 
27 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pamunkey. 


228 senfiles.com/hendrick/the-pamunkey-neck/. 
229 en, wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_ of 1677. 


230 genfiles.com/hendrick/the-pamunkey-neck/. 
231 en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Powhatan_Wars#First_Anglo-Powhatan_War. 
232 Ibid. 


233 nps.gov/jame/learn/historyculture/bacons-rebellion.htm. 


234 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockacoeske. 
35 Louis Des Cognets, English Duplicates of Lost Virginia Records (Princeton, New Jersey, 1858), Pages 


57-63, available at: archive.org/details/englishduplicate00desc/page/62/mode/2up?g=coleman. 
236 Ibid., Page 57. 
7 Ibid. 


368 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


238 Ibid., Pages 56, 60. 

239 Ibid., Page 62. 

240 Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. III, Page 151; Land Office Patents No. 10, 1710-1719, Page 168 (Reel 10), 
available at: lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/OILVA_INST/9cpp9qg/alma990007384590205756. 
241 Thid. 

242 co.caroline.va.us/DocumentCenter/View/413/Chapter-5-Cultural-and-Historic-Resources-PDF. 
243 Virginia Land Office Patents No. 12, 1724-1726, Page 49 (Reel 11), available at: 
Iva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990007384610205756 and 
discussion above. 

43 Ibid., Page 469. 

244 senfiles.com/articles/headrights/. 

245 Tbid. 

246 Ibid. 

247 Ibid. 

248 From freepages.rootsweb.com/~mobjackbaycolemans/genealogy/, with minor edits to maintain 
consistency with this document. 

249 Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. III, Page 299. 

250 Ibid. 

51 genfiles.com/articles/senior-junior/. 

252 Tbid. 

253 The image below is from archives.com/genealogy/president-madison.html. James Madison. 


254 The National Society of James Madison Family Descendants, available at: 
jamesmadisonfamily.com/GenChart.asp. 

255 There are modern claims that James Madison fathered at least one child by one of his slaves, but 
this has not yet been proven by DNA or other evidence. See The Washington Post, “Always 
Remember: You’re a Madison” (Washington, D.C. 14 Nov 2017), available at: 
washingtonpost.com/graphics/2017/lifestyle/dna-madison/. 

256 Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. III, Page 327. 

257 A handwritten family tree made by President Madison between 1813 and 1819 can be seen here: 
loc.gov/exhibits/madison/objects.html. 

258 Image available at: whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/presidents/james-madison/ “Pursuant 


to federal law, government-produced materials appearing on this site are not copyright protected” 
259 See teacher genealogist007.com/2010/01/cox-132-133.html for a summary of the John Madison, Jr and 
Isabella Minor line. This site assigns Henry Madison as the brother of Ambrose, but all the evidence 
cited supports the fact that he was the uncle of Ambrose instead. 

269 Bob Allen, Madisons of Colonial Virginia (Revised), 1 Jul 2002, available at: 
robinrichmond.com/family/media/rr/ftm/Madisons%200f%20Colonial%20Virginia%2C%20Revised % 
20%28Robt%20Allen%29.pdf; Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. III, Page 74; Virginia Patent Book 9, Page 
549; cited at freepages.rootsweb.com/~mobjackbaycolemans/genealogy/b08daniel.htm#N016131. 

261 Des Cognets, English Duplicates of Lost Virginia Records, Page 81. 

262: |va.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1ILVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990007173900205756. 

263 Allen, Madisons of Colonia Virginia (Revised), Page 6, citing Patent Book 11, Page 106. 

264 Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. III, Page 151; 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990007384590205756. 

265 Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. III, Page 299; Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. 3, Page 219, cited at 


freepages.rootsweb.com/~mobjackbaycolemans/genealogy/index.html; 


lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990007731830205756. 
369 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


266 Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. III, Page 327; 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990007384600205756. 

267 Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. III, Page 327; Allen, Madisons of Colonial Virginia (Revised). 

268 freepages.rootsweb.com/~mobjackbaycolemans/genealogy/index.html. 

269 encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/will-of-ambrose-madison-july-31-1732/, the Will of Ambrose 
Madison. 

270 founders.archives.gov/documents/Madison/01-10-02-0265. 

271 freepages.rootsweb.com/~mobjackbaycolemans/genealogy/, (2) Robert Coleman section. 


2? Tn particular, she says “In 1732, James Coleman4 was living next door to Ambrose Madison, 
brother of Eleanor. His land was in that portion of Spotsylvania Co. which later became Orange Co. 
The descendants of Daniel Coleman2 did not settle in this area. The descendants of Robert Coleman2 
did. The heirs mentioned in James’ will were daughters Betty Scott and Mary Holland, sons James 
and Ambrose, and a niece Mary Coleman Ellis. In Hawes’ manuscript, he said Robert and Mary had 
“several daughters”, but only three had previously been identified: Ann, Susannah and Elizabeth. 
From the will of James Coleman4, evidence is offered of another daughter, Mary Coleman, who 
married an Ellis. Their daughter, Mary Coleman Ellis, would have been the niece mentioned in her 
uncle’s will.” freepages.rootsweb.com/~mobjackbaycolemans/genealogy/. I find some of these 


arguments more persuasive than others. The identification of Mary Coleman Ellis seems particularly 
speculative, and her assignment within the family of Robert Coleman seems to have been done to 
prove this point, rather than on its own merits. 

273 Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Pages 468-470. 

274 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Book, Pages 148-149. 

275 senfiles.com/articles/womens-rights/. 

276 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County Virginia Will Books, Book 7, Pages 342-343. 

277 freepages.rootsweb.com/~mobjackbaycolemans/genealogy/, (5) Daniel Coleman section. This is 


repeated in Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Page 471, but with no source. 

278 FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County, Virginia Will Books, Book 2, Pages 78-79. 

279 FamilySearch.org, Amherst County, Virginia Will Books, Book 2, Pages 434-435. 

280 [bid., Book 3, Page 384. 

281 [bid., Pages 207-208. 

282 John Coleman listed his cousin John Christian as an Executor along with his wife Elizabeth. 
FamilySearch.org, Amherst County, Virginia Will Books, Book 2, Pages 434-435. We know that Samuel 
Coleman, Sr. married into the Christian family. 


283 freepages.rootsweb.com/~mobjackbaycolemans/genealogy/, (5) Daniel Coleman section. 

284 See discussion above. 

285 Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. III, Page 191; Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Page 2. 

286 Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Page 1. 

87 Ibid. 

288 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County Deed Books, Book 3, Page 369; Christopher, Glenn and Kin, page 
12. 

289 Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Page 7. 

290 familysearch.org/wiki/en/St. Pauls Parish, Hanover, Virginia. 

51 Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. III, Page 221; Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Page 3. 

292 Ibid. 

293 Ancestry.com, The Vestry Book of St. Paul’s Parish, Hanover County, Virginia, 1705-1786, Page 266. 


294 publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/map/map.html#VA. 
25 theforkchurch.org/About Us/History/Parish History Notes 1/. 


370 


Section IV, Part C: The Glenn and Coleman Lines 


29% Ancestry.com, The Vestry Book of St. Paul’s Parish, Hanover County, Virginia, 1705-1786, Page 105. 
297 Ibid., Page 113. 

28 theforkchurch.org/About_Us/History/Parish_ History Notes _1/. 

2° Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. III, Page 299; Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Page 3. 

300 Ancestry.com, The Vestry Book of St. Paul’s Parish, Hanover County, Virginia, 1705-1786, Page 111. 
301 Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. III, Page 326; Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Page 3. 

302 [bid. 

303 Another patent, from 26 Jun 1731 shows James Glenn as an adjoining land owner to Robert Hester, 
south side of the North Anna River, Hanover County. Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. III, Page 398; 
Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Page 3. 

304 Benjamin B. Weisiger, Goochland County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, 1736-1742, Page 34, citing Deed 
Book 3, Page 248, 18 Sep 1739; Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Page 7. 

305 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 3, Page 369; Christopher, Glenn and 
Kin, page 12. 


306 Will of James Glenn of Hanover County, in Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Pages 7-9; available on 
ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

307 Ibid. 

308 Ibid. 

30° Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Pages 330-332. Her son, Matthew Sims III married Mary Coleman, 
daughter of Daniel Coleman and Patience Elliot. 

310 Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Pages 12-14. 

311 [bid., Page 93 and discussion above. 

512 Ibid., Page 458. 

313 Ibid., Pages 94-96. 

314 Ibid., Page 393. 

315 Ibid., Pages 454-455. 

316 [bid., Pages 460-461. 

317 Ibid., Pages 227-228. 

318 [bid., Page 456. 

319 Ibid., Pages 394-395. 

320 Ibid., Page 457. This is based on the practice at this time of leaving the plantation home and land to 


the youngest son, with the expectation that he would care for his mother during her remaining years. 
321 Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Pages 94-96. 

322 [bid., Pages 227-228. 

33 Ibid., Pages 394-396. 

324 publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/map/map.html#SC. 

325 FamilySearch.org, Chester County, South Carolina Deeds, Book B, Pages 438-444; transcribed in 
Walter Lee Hopkins, Hopkins of Virginia, Pages 187-190. 

326 Christopher, Glenn and Kin, Page 332. 

27 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas Sumter. 

328 FamilySearch.org, Chester County, South Carolina Deeds, Book B, Pages 438-444; transcribed in 
Walter Lee Hopkins, Hopkins of Virginia, Pages 187-190. 

329 Walter Lee Hopkins, Hopkins of Virginia, Page 190. 

330 [bid., Pages 185-186. 


371 


Section IV, Part D: The Mosby and Woodson Lines 


D. The Mosby and Woodson Lines 


Along with the Glenn family, the Mosby, Woodson, Walton and Cox ancestors of Virginia Grace 
Glenn were prominent land-holding families from the Tidewater area of Virginia. The Tidewater (i.e., 
the land near the coast and coastal waterways affected by the tides) contained the richest farmland 
and was home to the earliest settlers of Colonial Virginia. These families owned land and slaves. 
Because of this prosperity, they can often be easily found in legal and property records. As a result, 
we can trace these ancestors back several generations, in some cases to the early wave of settlers to 
the Virginia colony from England. 


Another defining feature of these families was their practice of marrying within kinship groups. 
English researcher Michael Stanhope notes: “A basic premise of genealogical research of early 
English settlers of Virginia is that they were part of a kinship system that aided such settlement. In 
one sense, Virginia was not predominantly colonized by individuals, but by “collectives” —English 
kinship groups. Such groups protected and enhanced their members’ interests by promoting 
marriages within them, with marriages between very close degrees of cousins being frequent, leading 
to many lineages terminating through lack of a male heir. It was a very intricate and many layered 
web, with two families of second-cousins often intermarrying within the families of each other.”! 
That practice can clearly be seen in the next two sections, with our Mosby, Woodson, Walton, and 


Cox ancestors frequently maintaining their kinship ties through marriage. 
1. Thomas Mosby (About 1767-Before 1828) and Mary S. (Unknown-After 1834) 


Thomas Mosby was born by around 1767, likely in Cumberland County, Virginia. His parents were 
Edward Mosby and Martha “Patty” Walton.2 _ Thomas’ daughter Nancy Mosby married Nathan 
Glenn on October 29, 1807.3 That puts Nancy’s birth by around 1787, and therefore her father’s birth 
around 1767. Supporting this approximate birth date is a court record from 1775, when Thomas 


373 


Section IV, Part D: The Mosby and Woodson Lines 


Mosby was assigned a portion of his father’s Estate as one of Edward Mosby’s minor children.4 
Because Thomas was a minor as of 1775, he must have been born after 1754. 


Pesteanst to a deed of trust executed to 
the subscribersby Creed Haskins of 
‘cummberiand county, to secure a debi theres 
mentioned, due Thomas Mosby of said county, 
wil: be offered for He psi to the highes 
adder, at en Saturday the 2ist 
inst. TRAC of LAND, lying on the war 


NEWTON FORD eee» 
‘THOMAS DOWDY Trustees, 


From the limited surviving records, it is clear that Thomas Mosby owned both land and slaves in 
Cumberland County, Virginia. On May 2, 1808, Creed Haskins sold land to secure a debt due to 
Thomas Mosby of Cumberland County.> The 1810 census shows Thomas Mosby living with his wife 
and young son, and owning thirteen slaves. Thomas was between 26—44 years old in 1810, consistent 
with his birth around 1767. His daughter Nancy Mosby had already married Nathan Glenn, which is 
why we don’t see her here living with her parents. The son listed on the 1810 census likely did not 
survive to adulthood, because around 1825 Thomas Mosby said his only surviving child was his 
daughter Nancy Mosby, now Nancy Glenn.’ During this time period, one third of white children did 
not survive to adulthood, and since the average woman bore five to seven children during her 
lifetime, it is possible that Thomas Mosby and his wife Mary had other children who do not appear in 


the records.’ 


On September 26, 1814, Jesse Walton filed suit in Cumberland County against Peter Phillips, alleging 
that Phillips stole sheep from him.? As part of this case, both Thomas Mosby and Nathan Glenn filed 
affidavits supporting Walton. From later court cases and the research below, it appears that Jesse 
Walton was Thomas Mosby’s cousin through his mother Martha “Patty” Walton.! 


Thomas Mosby was approaching the end of his life around 1825 when he transferred land and slaves 
to his son-in-law Nathan Glenn as trustee for his wife Mary.'! This case is discussed in more detail in 
Nathan Glenn’s section above. Thomas Mosby’s Estate was appraised on April 23, 1827 in 
Cumberland County, Virginia, so we know he had died by that date.!2 The Estate included twenty 


374 


Section IV, Part D: The Mosby and Woodson Lines 


slaves: men named Richmond, Simon, and Joe; women named Cate (and her three children), Patsy 
(and her two children), Judith, Betsey, Rachel, Jenny (and her three children); girls named Lucy and 
Martha; and a boy named Charles.'? In total, Thomas Mosby’s Estate was valued at $4,583. When 
considered as a relative share of wealth, an estate of this size would be roughly equivalent to an 


estate worth over $4.6 million in 2023.14 


Thomas Mosby’s widow Mary lived until at least 1834.15 I have not been able to determine her 
maiden name, but given the customs and marriage practices in Colonial Virginia, it is likely that she 


also descended from a land-owning Tidewater Virginia family. 
Children of Thomas Mosby and Marty S.: 


i. | Nancy MOSBY was bor about 1787 in Cumberland County, Virginia'® and likely died 
before 1838 in Todd County, Kentucky.!7 She married Nathan GLENN on 29 Oct 1807 in 
Cumberland County, Virginia." 

ii. | Unknown MOSBY (son) was born between 1800 and 1810 in Cumberland County, Virginia'® 
and died before 1825.” 


2. Edward Mosby III (About 1735-1769) and Martha “Patty” Walton (About 1735- 
Before 1792) 


Edward Mosby III was the father of our ancestor Thomas Mosby. I use the name “Edward Mosby III” 
to distinguish him from Mosby ancestors of the same name, but note that he would not have used 
this suffix during his life. We currently don’t know when he was born, although it was likely 
sometime around 1735. On March 16, 1758, Patty Mosby, wife of Edward Mosby III, received a deed 
from her father Thomas Walton for two slaves.*! This gift of slaves from Patty’s father may have been 
given at their wedding. Since Patty and Edward were married by 1758, I suspect they were both born 
by at least 1740. Their daughter Elizabeth Mosby married around 1775, suggesting that she was born 
around 1755, and thus her parents would have been born by around 1735.” 


We have limited information about the life of Edward Mosby III, in part because he died at a fairly 
young age. Edward died in 1769 in Cumberland County, Virginia with an Estate valued at £244, 
including three slaves.”5 He left a widow and several minor children. After his death, Patty remarried 
to John Peter Bondurant. In an August 25, 1775 court filing, we learn that Patty and her second 
husband “have lived and supported themselves as well as the children of the said Edward Mosby, 


deceased, upon the said estate.”*4 


During the summer of 1775, guardians were appointed for Edward Mosby’s children. Robert Walton 
(Patty’s brother) was appointed guardian for son Hezekiah Mosby. Daughters Elizabeth and Patty 
Mosby also chose Robert Walton as their guardian.* Thomas Walton (another brother of Patty) was 
appointed guardian of Thomas Mosby.” Finally, Jesse Miller (Patty’s brother-in-law) was appointed 
guardian of Agnes Mosby.” 


375 


Section IV, Part D: The Mosby and Woodson Lines 


From a Cumberland County Chancery Court case filed in 1776, we have confirmation that Patty 
(Mosby) Walton remarried to John Peter Bondurant.”8 In that case, the children of Edward Mosby III, 
through their guardians, asked the Court to appraise their father’s Estate and distribute what was 
owed to them.” As the surviving widow, Patty was given a female slave and child, with a value of 
£80, and about £21 from the value of the personal estate. The court records indicate that “The rest of 
the personal estate was sold by the guardians amounting to £98.14.8, to each of the children 
Elizabeth, Hezekiah, Patty, Aggy and Thomas respectively the sum of £19.14.11.”5° A personal estate 
consists of household goods and possessions, rather than real estate. If Edward Mosby III owned 


land, it is not clear what became of it after his death. 


Edward’s widow, and Thomas Mosby’s mother, Martha “Patty” Walton was born around 1740 to 
Thomas Walton and his wife Martha.*! In 1758, Patty and her brother George inherited half of the 
Estate of Isaac Hughes of Cumberland County.” This suggests a family connection between Patty 
Walton and the Hughes family. Based on court cases surrounding the Estate of Thomas Walton, 
discussed below, Patty and John Peter Bondurant had two sons: George and William Bondurant. 
Martha “Patty” Walton died before 1792 in Cumberland County, Virginia.** Her Walton and Cox 
ancestors are discussed in more detail below, and can be traced back to the earliest English 


settlements in colonial Virginia. 


In 1793, William Bondurant married a woman named Martha Walton in Cumberland County, 
Virginia.+ This has confused some researchers into concluding that our ancestor Martha “Patty” 
Walton married William. That can’t be the case, since she had died by 1792. Instead, William 
Bondurant was her son, and the Martha Walton that William married appears to have been the 
daughter of Robert Walton, Patty’s Brother.*° This means that William Bondurant married his first 


cousin, which was not uncommon during this time period. 
Children of Edward Mosby III and Martha “Patty” Walton: 


i. Elizabeth MOSBY was born about 1755 in Cumberland County, Virginia.*° She married John 
B. CARTER around 1775.°%7 
ii. Martha “Patty” MOSBY was born about 1760 in Cumberland County, Virginia and died 
about 1841 in Cumberland County, Virginia.* She married John B. Bradley.” 
iiii | Thomas MOSBY was born about 1767 in Cumberland County, Virginia* and died about 
1825 in Cumberland County, Virginia“! He married Mary S. UNKNOWN.” 
iv. Hezekiah MOSBY was born before 1775, likely in Cumberland County, Virginia.* 
Vv. Agnes MOSBY was born before 1775, likely in Cumberland County, Virginia.“* She appears 
to have married her cousin Thomas G. WALTON.* 


Children of Martha “Patty” Walton and John Peter Bondurant: 


i. | William BONDURANT was born after 1769 in Virginia’ and died before 1826.47 He married 
Martha WALTON on 14 Jan 1793 in Cumberland County, Virginia. 
ii. | George BONDURANT was born after 1769 in Virginia.” 


376 


Section IV, Part D: The Mosby and Woodson Lines 


3. Hezekiah Mosby (About 1700-Before 1788) and Elizabeth Cox (About 1710- 
After 1784) 


.— Cae 


Hezekiah Mosby was one of eight children born to Edward Mosby II and his wife Sarah Woodson. 
He was likely born sometime around 1700 in Henrico County, Virginia. We know that he had 
married Elizabeth Cox by May 20, 1735.5! On that day, Nicholas Cox conveyed to “Hezekiah Mosby 
and Elizabeth his wife, by deed of gift in consideration of marriage between the [said] Hezekiah and 
Elizabeth daughter to said Nicholas Cox” 100 acres of land in what was then Goochland County and 
later became Cumberland County, Virginia. This land was just to the west of Henrico County, and it 


appears to be where Hezekiah Mosby spent most of his life. 


Nicholas Cox had two daughters who married into the Mosby family. As we have seen, Elizabeth 
Cox married Hezekiah Mosby.*> Another daughter, Susannah Cox, married Jacob Mosby, Hezekiah’s 
brother.** Both of the Mosby brothers were named Executors of Nicholas Cox’s Will, and sixteen 
Mosby grandchildren were listed, including our ancestor Edward Mosby.* Securities to the Cox 
Estate were named as George Carrington and Littleberry Mosby.® I believe that Littleberry Mosby 
was the first cousin of our Edward, and his ancestry will be discussed further below. It does not 
appear that the Martha Cox who married Thomas Walton (seen in the family tree above) was a 
daughter of Nicholas Cox. Instead, her line is discussed below, and she was the daughter of George 
Cox, Sr. Some family relationship between Nicholas Cox and George Cox, Sr. seems likely but I have 


not yet discovered a connection. 


On May 17, 1739, Hezekiah Mosby served as a witness for a land transaction in Goochland County 
between Samuel Allen, Sr. and Nicholas Davies. One of the other witnesses was John Cox.*” John Cox 


may be the brother of our ancestor George Cox, Sr., discussed in more detail below. We know that 


377 


Section IV, Part D: The Mosby and Woodson Lines 


this John Cox lived in Goochland County until at least 1739.5° Since Hezekiah Mosby married 
Elizabeth Cox, it seems likely that he would have lived near other members of the Cox family, as 


kinship groups often lived near each other during this time period. 


Hezekiah Mosby was commissioned as an Ensign in the Goochland County Militia on August 19, 
1740. William Walton received the same commission on the same day. William was the brother of our 
ancestor Thomas Walton, Sr. This connection with the Walton family supports the conclusion that 
Hezekiah’s son Edward Mosby is the same Edward who married Patty Walton, the daughter of 
Thomas Walton, Sr. and niece of William Walton. In 1747 and 1748, Hezekiah Mosby was appointed 
surveyor of “Ham Chapel Road” which ran from Muddy Creek to Benjamin Mosby’s.* This 
Benjamin Mosby was Hezekiah’s brother. Thomas Walton was appointed to manage the next 


section of road.° 


Hezekiah lived through the Revolutionary War and the birth of the United States. In 1777, he was one 
of the men in Powhatan County, Virginia who renounced his allegiance to George the Third, King of 
Great Britain, and pledged his oath of allegiance to the Commonwealth of Virginia and the new 
United States of America.® In 1783, Hezekiah Mosby appeared on the Powhatan County census.® 
Powhatan was formed out of Cumberland County in 1777, which in turn was formed out of the 
southern half of Goochland County in 1749. So rather than moving, Hezekiah Mosby likely was still 
living in the same area west of Richmond, Virginia as the new counties were formed around him. 
Hezekiah Mosby signed his Will on June 9, 1784, and it was admitted to probate in Powhatan 
County, Virginia on December 20, 1787. He died sometime between these two dates.© The Will 
provides valuable confirmation of his wife Elizabeth Cox, his children and some of their spouses, and 


his father-in-law Nicholas Cox. 
Children of Hezekiah Mosby and Elizabeth Cox: 


as Edward MOSBY III was born about 1735 and died in 1769 in Cumberland County, 
Virginia. He married Martha “Patty” WALTON.” 
li. Daniel MOSBY died after 1784. He may have married his first cousin Elizabeth MOSBY, 
daughter of Joseph MOSBY. 
iii. | Nicholas MOSBY died after 1784.” He may have married Susanna HOBSON and moved 
Woodland, Kentucky.7! 
iv. Mary MOSBY died after 1784. She married unknown HOLLAND.” 
v. Sarah MOSBY died after 1784.73 She married Job JOHNSON on 2 Jun 1770 in Cumberland 
County, Virginia.” 
vi. | Susanna MOSBY died after 1784. She married Colonel LIPSCOMB.” 
vii. Agnes MOSBY married Samuel RICE.” 


378 


Section IV, Part D: The Mosby and Woodson Lines 


4, Edward Mosby II (About 1665-Before 1742) and Sarah Woodson (About 1668- 


Unknown) 


Edward Mosby II, the father of Hezekiah Mosby, was born around 1665. He testified in a 1695 
Henrico County, Virginia Court case regarding a dispute between Thomas East I and Francis 
Sampson, along with his father-in-law Robert Woodson, and at the time it was noted that Edward 
was “aged about 30 years.””” As noted above in Section III, coincidentally Thomas East I was one of 
Hank’s ancestors on his paternal line. Many records survive for Edward Mosby II, and they show a 


man involved in both the secular and religious community of early Henrico County, Virginia. 


There is no definitive evidence as to Edward’s further ancestry. However, there are two men who are 
good candidates to be his father and grandfather. Richard Mosby was born around 1625, because he 
stated in a 1644 Charles City County deposition that he was about 39 years old at the time.”* That 
makes Richard Mosby the right age to be Edward’s father. Richard Mosby, in turn, was named the 
Executor of the Estate of an Edward Mosby who died by December 3, 1663 in Charles City County.” 
This may be Edward Mosby I, the original Mosby immigrant to the Virginia colony in our family. 
Charles City County is directly east of Henrico County, and it was common for settlers to move west 
up the James River over time. These two Mosby men appear to be the right age, and are in the right 
area, to be Edward’s paternal ancestors. As further circumstantial evidence, Edward Mosby II named 


one of his sons Richard, so both Edward and Richard are family names in our Mosby line. 


The first record of Edward Mosby I comes from a Charles City County Court record in 1656. Edward 
was “ordered to pay an account of Thomas Drews for the funeral of one Joseph Parsons.” ®° 
Apparently, Edward was also appointed as the guardian of Judith Parsons, suggesting that he was 
related to the Parson family.8| Edward Mosby I was a member of the Vestry at Westover Parish. 
There is some speculation that Richard Mosby married the same Judith Parsons for whom his father 
was appointed as a guardian.** However, I have not seen any evidence for that marriage. For now, 
the link between these two earlier Mosby men and our ancestor Edward Mosby II remains possible 


but unproven. 


Edward Mosby II married Sarah Woodson around 1689 in Henrico County, Virginia. In that year, 
Robert Woodson deeded 100 acres of land on the south side of White Oak Swamp to “my daughter, 
Sarah, the wife of Edward Mosby.”*4 On the same day, Robert deeded 50 acres of land to his son-in- 
law Edward, adjoining Sarah’s land, in exchange for twenty days of carpentry work. Several other 
records indicate that Edward Mosby worked as a carpenter.®* A 1707 land survey indicates that he 
owned two parcels of land in Henrico County: one with 400 acres and the other with 307 acres.*” In 
1709, he acquired 195 acres in Charles City County, just east of Henrico, from William Cocke in 
exchange for 2,840 pounds of tobacco. This land was on the north side of the James River and south 
of the Chickahominy swamp.* It was likely near the borders of Henrico, New Kent, and Charles City 


Counties. 


Edward Mosby II and his wife Sarah Woodson were Quakers. Edward helped to build the Curles 
Meeting House in 1701. “He agreed to seal the inside, hang the doors, and attend to some other 


379 


Section IV, Part D: The Mosby and Woodson Lines 


finishing touches. He was to be paid 1,700 pounds of tobacco for the work.”® The Quakers were 
known for their strictness and tightly bound community. On May 6, 1701, Edward Mosby was part of 
a committee of men appointed to meet with Rice Hughes and “know of him the reason for his not 
coming” to the monthly Quaker meeting.” In May of 1702, the Meeting enquired “concerning his 
delaying to seal the Meeting house,” and he responded “that he would now goe about it and doe it 
with all expedition.”®! Failing to come to meetings was an important concern for the Quaker 
community. In 1709, Ephraim Cartright and Richard Harris were tasked with visiting with Edward 
Mosby, who “hath of long time absented himself from this Meeting . . . to know his reasons for not 


coming.” 


Edward's first wife, Sarah Woodson, must have died sometime before 1716. In that year, the Quaker 
community approved the marriage of Edward Mosby and Mary, the widow of Henry Watkins.® It 
appears that his first wife Sarah was the mother of all of Edward’s children, and thus was the mother 
of our ancestor Hezekiah Mosby, born around 1700.% Around 1718, the Quaker gatherings in Henrico 
County had grown large enough to split into two groups, and Edward became part of the White Oak 
Swamp community.% In 1720 Edward forgave John Watkins, possibly a relative of his second wife 
Mary, for “his unjust taking of Cyder from the said Mosby.” % 


In 1719, Edward Mosby II was appointed to survey and repair the road between “Manborn hills to 
the white oak Swamp.” Richard Mosby, possibly Edward’s father or other relative, was to take charge 
of the next section of road, from white oak Swamp to Bottom’s Ford.*” In 1722, it was recognized that 
Edward Mosby had built a bridge over the Chickahominy swamp near Bottom’s Ford, which was 
convenient to the residents of both New Kent and Henrico Counties. A committee determined that 
Edward should be paid 8,000 pounds of tobacco for building and maintaining the bridge. Henrico 
County initially levied 4,000 pounds of tobacco to pay their share. However, when New Kent County 
only agreed to pay 2,000 pounds on the theory that their tobacco was of a higher quality, Henrico 
County decided that since the bridge was “not built according to the directions” of the Act of the 
Assemblies, they would not pay Mosby anything until New Kent County paid their full 4,000 pound 


share.” 


Thus, it appears that through no fault of his own, Edward was the stuck in a dispute between the two 
counties, which both benefitted from his bridge. The Henrico County Court repeated their order 
again in April of 1723, saying they would pay Mosby nothing until New Kent County paid their full 
share.! Finally, in May of 1723, Henrico County relented, “considering that Edward Mosby who 
built the bridge over the Chickahomony Swamp is a poor man & that he will probably not get 
anything for the said bridge unless they depart from the strictness of the orders heretofore made.” 
Edward agreed to accept the 4,000 pounds of tobacco from Henrico County, with Robert Mosby as 


his security, and to maintain the bridge for seven years.1°! 


In 1722, Edward was awarded the contract to build the new Quaker meeting house at White Oak 
Swamp in Henrico County. He was to build a twenty four by seventeen foot building, with three 
doors and two windows. For his efforts, he was paid £15. The Quakers had been holding their 


monthly meetings at Edward’s home “for some time.”'°? The Meeting House appears to have been 


380 


Section IV, Part D: The Mosby and Woodson Lines 


completed by 1724. Edward was paid 40 shillings more than originally agreed upon, which was 
apparently to his satisfaction.° However, Edward’s good standing within the Quaker community 


was about to end. 


At the July 5, 1724 Meeting, Edward Mosby was condemned and removed from the Society of 


Friends. 


Whereas Edward Mosby, a pretended member of the Society of People called 
Quakers, having for some considerable time past walked not as becomes the 
profession he makes of The Blessed truth, whereupon Friends who have dealt with 
him according to the good order of the Gospel practiced by the said People. Toward 
disorderly Brethren, which as it hath been a scandal to our holy profession, they 
make of the truth, deny and disown him, the said Edward Mosby, to be a member of 
our holy Society till it please the Lord to reach unto him so as to give him peace of 


repentance to amendment of life, which we truly and sincerely desire.!% 


What Edward might have done to deserve this rebuke is unstated. Was there a dispute over payment 
for building the meeting house? His removal so soon after receiving payment for the work suggests 
this possibility. Did he stop attending meetings, even though they had previously been held in his 
home? Whatever the cause, Edward Mosby II was removed from the Quaker religious community 
which had formed an important part of his adult life, having hosted monthly meetings in his own 


home for many years and having just finished building the communal Meeting House. 


At some point following his separation from the Quakers, Edward Mosby moved away from Henrico 
County, Virginia. In 1736, he refused to take part in a procession of land that adjoined Thomas Epps 
in Henrico County.!® In 1738, he was sued by Richard Taylor, but the sheriff reported that Edward 
could not be “found in by Bailwick.”! By May 3, 1742, Edward Mosby had died. His son John Mosby 
was summoned to appear in Henrico County to take administration of the Estate. However, it 
appears that John Mosby had died before his father, back in 1718.1" When John failed to appear, the 
Sheriff was ordered to sell the Estate and report back to the Court.!° It is possible that part of 
Edward’s Estate was probated in Goochland County, but I have not found any records to confirm 
that at this time. 


381 


Section IV, Part D: The Mosby and Woodson Lines 


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Quaker Meeting Records from July 5, 1724, Removing Edward Mosby! 


382 


Section IV, Part D: The Mosby and Woodson Lines 


Children of Edward Mosby II and Sarah Woodson: 


Vi. 


Vil. 


Vili. 


John MOSBY was born before Jun 1689 in Henrico County, Virginia and died before 20 Nov 
1718 in Henrico County, Virginia.!!° He married Martha WOMACK on 22 Nov 1708 in 
Henrico County, Virginia.!!! 

Agnes MOSBY married John BINFORD on 12 Sep 1719 in Henrico County, Virginia.1? 
Richard MOSBY was born in Henrico County, Virginia and died about 1746 in Goochland 
County, Virginia. He married Hannah UNKNOWN.1"8 

Joseph MOSBY was born in Henrico County, Virginia and died before 13 Jun 1727 in Prince 
George County, Virginia.!!4 He married Sabrina UNKNOWN." 

Hezekiah MOSBY was born about 1700 in Henrico County Virginia and died after 1783, 
likely in Powhatan County, Virginia.“ He married Elizabeth COX, daughter of Nicholas 
COX, about 1735 in Cumberland County, Virginia.!” 

Jacob MOSBY was born in Henrico County, Virginia. He married Susanna COX, daughter of 
Nicholas COX."8 

Benjamin MOSBY was born in Henrico County, Virginia and died around 1774 in 
Cumberland County, Virginia. He married Mary POINDEXTER." 

Robert MOSBY was born in Henrico County, Virginia and lived until at least 1722.0 He 
married Agnes UNKNOWN, widow of Benjamin Watson.!”! 


One of Edward Mosby’s sons was Benjamin Mosby. Benjamin married Mary Poindexter, who 


appears to have been from a prominent family. Like several of his brothers, Benjamin moved west 


and settled in the part of Goochland County that later become Cumberland and then Powhatan 


County. He became an owner of large tracts of land and many slaves.'” In 1733, Benjamin Mosby 


acquired land previously owned by the Woodson and Ferris families in Henrico County.!?3 These 


were likely relatives of his mother, Sarah Woodson. He had sons Littleberry and Poindexter Mosby, 


along with daughters Mary Ann Netherland and Theodosia Carrington.'4 Benjamin Mosby’s branch 


of the family had many descendants in the area, and can be easily confused with our line that 
descends through Hezekiah Mosby. 


383 


Section IV, Part D: The Mosby and Woodson Lines 


i 


Mosby Tavern, Powhatan County, Virginia!* 


In 1741, Benjamin Mosby was granted a license to keep an ordinary at his house, with Richard Mosby 
as his security.!2° This house would come to be known as “Mosby Tavern.” It still stands today as a 
private residence in Powhatan County and is on the National Register of Historic Places.’ In 1749, 
Benjamin Mosby agreed to build the Cumberland County Court House at his own expense.!8 
Benjamin “served as county surveyor, captain of the militia, justice of the peace and sheriff, and was a 


leader in the organization of Cumberland County.” !° 


It appears that this branch of the Mosby family abandoned the pacifist tenets of their Quaker faith. 
Benjamin’s son Col. Littleberry Mosby, Sr. “served as sheriff, member of the county militia during the 
Revolution, Justice of the Peace, and a member of the General Assembly.”'°° Benjamin’s grandson, 
Gen. Littleberry Mosby, Jr., was a Captain and Major in the Continental Army during the Revolution. 
Thomas Jefferson, at this time the Governor of Virginia, wrote to Littleberry Mosby, Jr., asking him to 
raise as many cavalry as he could and go to the aid of General Lafayette.'! 


By the War of 1812, Littleberry Mosby, Jr. was a brigadier general in the Virginia militia.%? He lived 
his entire life at Mosby Tavern. Littleberry was disappointed that many of his children moved away 
from Virginia. He left his Estate to his oldest son, Littleberry Mosby III, on the condition that he 
would return to Virginia from Tennessee to claim it. When he failed to do so, it instead passed to 
Littleberry’s younger brother Edward.1%3 


384 


Section IV, Part D: The Mosby and Woodson Lines 


a. Robert Woodson, Sr. (About 1634—A fter 1707) and Elizabeth Ferris? 


Sarah Woodson, the wife of Edward Mosby II, was the daughter of Robert Woodson and Elizabeth 
Ferris.'3+ Robert Woodson was born around 1634, according to a deposition he made on June 1, 1680 
stating he was around 46 years old.'* His birth location is sometimes given as Prince George County, 
but since Prince George was not created until 1703 out of the portion Charles City County south of 
the James River, he was likely born in the latter county. Charles City County was one of the eight 
original shires of the Virginia Colony, so Robert was born just as the new territory was being 


organized.1% 


Determining the parents of Robert Woodson requires relying on circumstantial evidence and family 
history. There is a long-standing traditional history in the Woodson family, first written down by 
Charles Woodson during the 18'' century. In general, I attempt to support the research in this book 
with primary sources. On occasion, however, I cite secondary sources that are well written and 
researched. Tidewater Virginia Families, by Virginia Lee Hutcheson Davis, is an example of an excellent 


secondary source, and it contains valuable research on our Mosby and Woodson ancestors. 


While not a primary source, Charles Woodson was only a few generations removed from Robert 
Woodson, and his recollections must be given some weight. Virginia Lee Hutcheson Davis notes that 
Charles would have had the opportunity to obtain excellent information from his ancestors. The 
oldest son of Robert Woodson and Elizabeth Ferris was John Woodson, who was born before 1660 in 
Henrico County and died around 1715.” John married Judith Tarleton, and their oldest son was 
Tarleton Woodson, was born around 1690 and died before 1761. In turn, Charles Woodson was the 
eldest son of Tarleton Woodson and his wife Ursula Fleming, born around 1712 in Henrico County. 
Thus, Charles Woodson was the great-grandson of Robert Woodson. His grandfather John Woodson 
would have had knowledge directly from Robert, and John could have passed that information to 


Tarleton, Charles’ father.1%9 


Family stories have a way of becoming embellished and distorted over time, but a kernel of truth is 
often preserved. According to that history, Robert Woodson and his brother John were the sons of 
John Woodson, Sr. and his wife Sarah."“° The elder John Woodson is alleged to have been a doctor 
who settled in Charles City County, shortly after arriving in Virginia from England in 1619. The 
family history passed down by Charles Woodson then states: 


On April 18, 1644 the Indians attacked the settlement and killed 300 colonists. Dr. 
Woodson was among those killed. He was returning home from seeing a patient and 
he was massacred by the Indians within sight of his home. Sarah managed to hold off 
the Indians by her quick thinking. She gave their indentured servant, Ligon, her 
husband’s gun and set about to find a weapon for herself. She was determined to 
defend her children and her home. Looking around for a place to hide her sons, she 
spied a tub nearby; it was the only thing large enough to conceal a boy of ten. She 
placed John under the tub, then managed to securely hide Robert in the potato pit. 


385 


Section IV, Part D: The Mosby and Woodson Lines 


While Ligon found a tree notch to brace the eight foot muzzle loading gun, Sarah 
was back in the house. She was met by two Indians who were in the process of 
descending inside the chimney. She disabled the first with a pot of boiling water and 
felled the second with a roasting spit. Ligon had, in the meantime, killed seven 
Indians with his master’s gun, as they approached the house. It was not until after 
the Indians had fled that Sarah and her servant found her husband had been killed in 
the melee. 


The eight foot, muzzle loading gun was given to the Virginia Historical Society by 
Mrs. Venable, of Chicago, in 1927. She was a direct descendant of the Virginia 
Woodsons and felt that the prized relic should be back home in Virginia. The gun can 
be seen, upon request, at the Society. 


It was presented to this descendant [Virginia Lee Hutcheson Davis] by a library 
assistant, wearing white gloves. It was carefully laid out on a blanket spread on the 
library table. The gun bears the name plate “Collicot” and is said to predate 1625. It is 
protected carefully from moisture and scarring by the use of gloves and the 
protective blanket. It really is eight feet long. Whether the details of the massacre are 


exactly as related, the gun stands as a stark testimony of the event and the times. 


The “Woodson Musket,” an English Long Fowler from the 17 Century. Part of the permanent 
collection of The Virginia Historical Society.!” 


The strength of this story was so strong that for several generations, the Woodson descendants were 
known as either “Washtub Woodsons” or “Potato Hole Woodsons,” based on the respective hiding 
places of their ancestors, John or Robert Woodson." The exact details of the story seem different in 
every re-telling, and I cannot vouch for their complete accuracy. But the legend of the attack and 
“Potato Hole Woodson” are now part of family lore. Hank James and his progeny are distant 
descendants of the “Potato Hole Woodson” branch of the family. 


Robert Woodson owned land in Henrico County on the north side of the James River in the early 
1670s. He appears to have owned over 1,100 acres. He was recorded on the 1679 list of tithables at 
“Curles” in Henrico County, with five tithables.’44 Robert Woodson would have been a contemporary 
of another of our ancestors, John Cox, Sr., who was also living in this same area with five tithables. 
The Cox line is discussed in the following section. Robert and his brother John Woodson would 
continue to patent land in the area of White Oak Swamp in Varina Parish.’ In October of 1687, 
Robert Woodson patented 178 acres at White Oak Swamp along with Mr. Richard Ferris and Giles 


Carter. 146 


386 


Section IV, Part D: The Mosby and Woodson Lines 


There does not seem to be any definite evidence that Robert Woodson’s wife was Elizabeth Ferris. 
That conclusion has been made by other researchers due to several connections between the 
Woodson and Ferris families, who settled in the same area of White Oak Swamp in Henrico 
County.'” Elizabeth may have been the daughter of Richard Ferris, who arrived in Virginia before 
1636. If Elizabeth Ferris was the wife of Robert Woodson, they were likely married about 1656, based 
on the age of their oldest son John.148 


It is not clear if Robert Woodson was a Quaker. Many of his children became devout Quakers and can 
be found in the Quaker records. He may have been a member of the Anglican Varina Parish church, 
whose records have been lost.!4? On April 20, 1707, Robert Woodson deeded 450 acres of White Oak 
Swamp to his grandsons William and Joseph Lewis. In October of the same year, he deeded 100 acres 
of land to Daniel Warriner for 1,400 pounds of tobacco, which is the last surviving record for Robert 


Woodson. 


A connection between Hank James and the notorious Jesse James was long speculated about in the 
family, given the unknown origins of his James surname. We now know that Hank descends from 
the “Strong” family on his paternal line. There is, however, a possible link to Jesse James through 
Robert Woodson. Jesse Woodson James was allegedly a fifth great-grandson of Robert Woodson and 
Elizabeth Ferris through their son Benjamin Woodson. 


Children of Robert Woodson and Elizabeth Ferris?: 


i. John WOODSON was born around 1658 in Henrico County, Virginia. He married Judith 
TARLETON.#! 
ii. Robert WOODSON, Jr. was born in 1664 and died in 1729 in Henrico County, Virginia. He 
married Sarah LEWIS and Rachel WATKINS.!2 
iii. Richard WOODSON was born in Henrico County, Virginia. He married Ann SMITH." 
iv. Joseph WOODSON was born in Henrico County, Virginia. He married his cousin Jane 
WOODSON, daughter of his first cousin John WOODSON.14 
v. Benjamin WOODSON was born in Henrico County, Virginia and died before 1723 in Henrico 
County, Virginia. He married Sarah PORTER.15 
vi. Sarah WOODSON was born about 1688 in Henrico County, Virginia. She married Edward 
MOSBY.156 
Vii. Elizabeth WOODSON was born in Henrico County, Virginia. She may have married William 
LEWIS, brother of Sarah LEWIS.1°” 
Vili. Judith WOODSON was born in Henrico County, Virginia. She married William CANNON.15 
ix. Mary WOODSON was born around 1678 in Henrico County, Virginia. She married George 
PAYNE.!9 


387 


Section IV, Part D: The Mosby and Woodson Lines 


References for Section IV, Part D: The Mosby and Woodson Lines 


1 Michael Stanhope, “The Colonisation of 17 Century Virginia by an English Kinship Group” (5 Oct 
2014), available at: thomasharrisofvirginia.wordpress.com/2014/10/05/6/. 

2 Miller et al. v. Walton, Cumberland County Chancery Causes, 1792-003, Page 16 (Will of Thomas 
Walton), available at: lva.virginia.gov/chancery/full case_detail.asp?CFN=049-1792-003#img. 

3 Ancestry.com, Virginia Compiled Marriages 1740-1850, Marriage of Nathan Glenn and Nancy 
Moseby, 29 Oct 1807, Cumberland, Virginia. 

4 Ancestry.com, The Edward Pleasants Valentine Papers, Vol. II, Page 841. 

5 Virginia Argus, “Pursuant to a deed of trust” (Richmond, Virginia 10 May 1808), Page 1. 

6 Ancestry.com, 1810 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Cumberland, Virginia; Roll: 68; Page: 145; 
Image: 00286; FHL Film No. 0181428. 

7 Isbell v. Glenn, Pages 40-41. 

8 Howe, What God Hath Wrought, Pages 34-37. 

° Walton v. Phillips, Cumberland County Chancery Causes, 1815-033, available at: 
Iva.virginia.gov/chancery/full_case_detail.asp?CFN=049-1815-033#img. 

10 See discussion below involving regarding Miller et al. v. Walton, Cumberland County Chancery 
Causes, 1792-003, available at: lva.virginia.gov/chancery/full_case_detail.asp?CFN=049-1792-003#img; 
Miller et al. v. Walton, Cumberland County Chancery Causes, 1798-001, available at: 
lva.virginia.gov/chancery/case_detail.asp?CFN=049-1798-001. 

1 [sbell v. Glenn, Pages 40-41. In the first section of this document, it appears to me that Mary was 
described as Mary S. Mosby. The S initial may be a clue to her maiden name. 

2 FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County, Virginia Will Books, Book 8, Pages 295-296, 23 Apr 1827. 
13 Ibid. 

14 measuringworth.com. 

15 Isbell v. Glenn, Pages 59-60. 

16 Ancestry.com, Virginia Compiled Marriages 1740-1850, Marriage of Nathan Glenn and Nancy 
Moseby, 29 Oct 1807, Cumberland, Virginia. 

17 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Wills and Probate Records, 1779-2008, Record for Nathan Glerum (sic), 
Probate Date 1 Dec 1839, Inferred Death Year: About 1839, Montgomery, Tennessee, Will Books, Vols. 
G-H, 1834-1840. 

18 Ancestry.com, Virginia Compiled Marriages 1740-1850, Marriage of Nathan Glenn and Nancy 
Moseby, 29 Oct 1807, Cumberland, Virginia. 

19 Ancestry.com, 1810 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Cumberland, Virginia; Roll: 68; Page: 145; 
Image: 00286; FHL Film No. 0181428. 

20 Isbell v. Glenn, Pages 40-41. 

1 Ancestry.com, The Edward Pleasants Valentine Papers, Vol. II, Page 834. 

2 Ancestry.com, Alabama Surname Filed Expanded 1702-1981, Image 363. 

23 Ancestry.com, The Edward Pleasants Valentine Papers, Vol. II, Page 832. 

24 FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County, Virginia Will Books, Book 2, Pages 187-188, 25 Aug 1775. 
2 Ancestry.com, The Edward Pleasants Valentine Papers, Vol. IL, Page 841. 

26 Ibid. 

27 Ibid. 

28 Mosby et al. v. Bondurant, Cumberland County Chancery Causes, 1776-002, available at: 
lva.virginia.gov/chancery/full_case_detail.asp?CFN=049-1776-002#img. 

29 Ibid. 

30 Ibid., Page 9. 


388 


Section IV, Part D: The Mosby and Woodson Lines 


31 Miller et al. v. Walton, Cumberland County Chancery Causes, 1792-003, Page 16 (Will of Thomas 
Walton), available at: lva.virginia.gov/chancery/full_case_detail.asp?CFN=049-1792-003#img; 
Valentine Papers, Page 831. 

32 Valentine Papers, Page 832. 

33 Miller et al. v. Walton, Cumberland County Chancery Causes, 1792-003, Page 2, available at: 
lva.virginia.gov/chancery/full_case_detail.asp?CFN=049-1792-003#img. The 1792 complaint states 
that Patty Walton (Mosby) is dead. 

34 Ancestry.com, Virginia Compiled Marriages 1660-1800, Marriage of William Bondurant and Martha 
Walton, 14 Jan 1793, Cumberland County, Virginia. 

35 The Bondurant Family Association (Spring 2008), No. 78, Page 4, available on ChristensenJames 
tree on Ancestry.com. 

36 Ancestry.com, Alabama Surname Files Expanded 1702-1981, Image 363. 

37 Tbid.; a et al. v. Walton, Cumberland County Chancery Causes, 1792-003, Page 6, available at: 

i . “John Carter and Elizabeth 
his wife” were among the parties to the case, descendants of Thomas Walton. 

38 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Martha Moseby Bradley (1760-1841), Memorial No. 160037990, 
available at: findagrave.com/memorial/160037990/martha-bradley. 

39 Miller er al. v. Walton, Cumberland County Chancery Causes, 1792-003, Page 6, available at: 

i . “John Bradley and Patty his 
wife” were among the parties to the case, descendants of Thomas Walton. 

40 Ancestry.com, Virginia Compiled Marriages 1740-1850, Marriage of Nathan Glenn and Nancy 
Moseby, 29 Oct 1807, Cumberland, Virginia. See discussion above regarding approximate birth year. 
“1 Isbell v. Mosby, Pages 40-41 and discussion above. He had definitely died by 1829. 

© Ibid. 

8 Mosby et al. v. Bondurant, Cumberland County Chancery Causes, 1776-002, available at: 
lva.virginia.gov/chancery/full_case_detail.asp?CFN=049-1776-002#img. A Hezekiah Mosby married 
Elizabeth Merryman on 21 Dec 1807 in Cumberland County, Virginia and a Hezekiah Mosby married 
Elizabeth Winston on 3 Jun 1794 in Henrico County, Virginia. Either of these could be the son of 
Edward Mosby, but without further evidence that is unsupported. Perhaps the most relevant aspect 
of Hezekiah Mosby, for our research purposes, is the circumstantial evidence it provides that our 
Edward Mosby descends from an older Hezekiah Mosby, and named his son after him. This 
possibility is discussed below. 

44 Ibid. 

4 Wilmer L. Kerns, Waltons of Old Virginia (Willow Bend Books, 2005), Page 18. In the 1792 lawsuit, 
Agnes wass listed in order with the other Mosby children as “Agnes Walton” and her husband was 
not listed. Since the other husbands of the Mosby daughters were listed, I suspect that Thomas G. 
Walton had died by 1792. 

46 Miller et al. v. Walton, Cumberland County Chancery Causes, 1792-003, Page 6, available at: 
lva.virginia.gov/chancery/full_case_detail.asp?CFN=049-1792-003#img. William Bondurant was listed 
as a party to the case, descendant of Thomas Walton. 

*” The Bondurant Family Association (Spring 2008), No. 78, Page 4, available on ChristensenJames 
tree on Ancestry.com. 

48 Ancestry.com, Virginia Compiled Marriage Records 1660-1800, Marriage of William Bondurant and 
Martha Walton, 14 Jan 1793, Cumberland County, Virginia. 

49 Miller et al. v. Walton, Cumberland County Chancery Causes, 1792-003, Page 6, available at: 
lva.virginia.gov/chancery/full_case_detail.asp?CFN=049-1792-003#4img. George Bondurant was listed 
as a party to the case, descendant of Thomas Walton. 


389 


Section IV, Part D: The Mosby and Woodson Lines 


50 Ancestry.com, Tidewater Virginia Families, Pages 394-398. Hezekiah’s brother Joseph Mosby listed 
his sister Agnes and brothers Jacob and Hezekiah in his Will. Valentine Papers, Vol. IL, Page 889. 

51 Valentine Papers, Vol. Il, Pages 837-838. 

52 Ibid. Cumberland County was formed in 1749 from Goochland County, and both are directly west 
of Henrico County, Virginia. publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/map/map.html#VA. 

53 In addition to the land transaction discussed above, Hezekiah Mosby’s Will confirms that his 
father-in-law Nicholas Cox left a legacy of $25 to each of his grandchildren, which Hezekiah was in 
charge of executing. 

54 Valentine Papers, Vol. Il, Page 835; FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County, Virginia Will Books, Vol. 1, 
Pages 178-179, Image 109. 

55 Valentine Papers, Vol. II, Page 831. 

36 Ibid. 

57 FamilySearch.org, Benjamin B. Weisiger, Goochland County, Virginia Wills and Deeds 1736-1742 
(1984), Vol. II, Page 35. 

58 There is a record of John Cox selling 35 acres of land to John Williams on 17 Sep 1739, so he must 
have lived at least this long. FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Book, Vol. 3, Page 206. 
59 Valentine Papers, Vol. II, Page 853. 

60 Ancestry.com, Tidewater Virginia Families, Pages 394-398. 

61 FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County, Virginia Order Books, 1749-1762, Page 12. 

6 Ancestry.com, U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists, Citing Robert Y. Clay, “Powhatan 
County, Virginia Oaths of Allegiance, 1777”, The Virginia Genealogist, 1983, Vol. 27, No. 3, Pages 
190-196. 

6 Ancestry.com, Virginia Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1607-1890, Hezekiah Mosby, 
Powhatan County, 1783, Page 059. 

64 publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/map/map.html#VA. 

65 FamilySearch.org, Powhatan County, Virginia Wills, Inventories, and Accounts, Vol. I, Pages 138-139, 
Will of Hezekiah Mosby, Signed 9 Jun 1784, Probated 20 Dec 1787. 

6 Ancestry.com, The Edward Pleasants Valentine Papers, Vol. II, Page 832. 

%7 Tbid., Page 834. 

68 Will of Hezekiah Mosby. 

69 Ancestry.com, Virginia Marriage Records, 1700-1850, Marriage of Elizabeth Mosby and Daniel 
Mosby, 26 Sep 1774, Cumberland County, Virginia. Record notes that Elizabeth is the daughter of 
Joseph Mosby. 

70 Will of Hezekiah Mosby. 

71 Ancestry.com, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, Marriage of Susanna Hobson and 
Nicholas Mosby. Many online trees report that this our Nicholas Mosby, and that he had twelve 


children with Susanna Hobson, including Edward Mosby, Nancy Mosby, Susanna Mosby, and 
Elizabeth Cox Mosby. If true, those family names lend support to this connection. 

7 Will of Hezekiah Mosby. 

73 Ibid. 

7 Ancestry.com, Virginia Marriage Records, 1700-1850, Marriage of Sarah Mosby and Job Johnson, 2 
Jun 1770, Cumberland County, Virginia. She is referred to as Sarah Johnson in her father’s Will. 

75 Will of Hezekiah Mosby. 

76 Ibid. It is not clear if Agnes was still alive when Hezekiah drafted his Will, because he simply states 
that he gave her a slave woman named “Pate” as her grandfather Nicholas Cox’s legacy. 

7 Valentine Papers, Vol. II, Page 855. 

78 Tidewater Virginia Families, Page 394. 


390 


Section IV, Part D: The Mosby and Woodson Lines 


79 Ibid. 

80 siedelmann.org/Ancestry/Mosby/Entries/1742/1/1_ Edward _Mosby.html; FamilySearch.org, Charles 
City County, Virginia Order Books, 1655-1762, 1656, Page 79. 

81 siedelmann.org/Ancestry/Mosby/Entries/1742/1/1 Edward Mosby.html. 

82 FamilySearch.org, Charles City County, Virginia Order Books, 1655-1762, 1655, Page 7. 

83 siedelmann.org/Ancestry/Mosby/Entries/1742/1/1_ Edward_Mosby.html. 

84 Tidewater Virginia Families, Page 394. 

85 Ibid. 

86 Ibid. 

87 Valentine Papers, Vol. II, Page 856. 

88 Ibid. 

89 Ibid. 

% Ancestry.com, U.S. Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935, 11 Aug 1701, Page 18. 

1 [bid., 30 Jul 1702, Page 22. 

% Tbid., 20 Aug 1709, Page 58. 

%3 Ibid., 9 Nov 1716, Page 79. 

% Tidewater Virginia Families, Page 395. 

% geni.com/people/Edward-Mosby/6000000002183035655. 

% Ancestry.com, U.S. Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935, 7 Jan 1720, Page 100. 

97 Valentine Papers, Vol. II, Page 857. 

% Tbid., Page 859. 

9 Ibid, Page 860. 

100 [bid, Page 861. 

101 Jbid. 

102 Tbid.; Ancestry.com, U.S. Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935, 7 Jan 1720, Page 100; Ancestry.com, 
U.S. Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935, 7 Mar 1717, Page 83. 

103 Ancestry.com, U.S. Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935, 6 Feb 1724, Pages 140-141. 

104 Ancestry.com, U.S. Quaker Meeting Records, 1681-1935, 5 Sep 1724, Page 136. 

105 J. Staunton Moore, Annals of Henrico County, Henrico Parish Vestry Book, Page 28, available at: 
archive.org/details/cu31924010668774/page/28/mode/2up?q=East. 

106 Valentine Papers, Vol. IL page 864. 

107 Tidewater Virginia Families, Pages 395-396. 

108 [bid., Page 865. 

109 Ibid., 5 Sep 1724, Page 136; Tidewater Virginia Families, Page 395. 

110 Tbid., Page 395. 

11 Ancestry.com, Virginia Compiled Marriages 1660-1800, Marriage of John Moseby and Martha 
Womack, 22 Nov 1708, Henrico County, Virginia. 

™ Ancestry.com, U.S. Encyclopedia of American Quaker Genealogy, 1607-1943, Page 199. Agnes Binford 
was also mentioned as the sister of Joseph Mosby in his 1727 Will. FamilySearch.org, Prince George 
County, Virginia Deeds, Pages 1014-1015. 

13 Tidewater Virginia Families, Page 396. 

14 FamilySearch.org, Prince George County, Virginia Deeds, Pages 1014-1015. Will is dated 19 Jan 1727 
and was proved 13 Jun 1727. 

15 Ibid. 

116 See discussion above and Ancestry.com, Virginia Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 
1607-1890, Hezekiah Mosby, Powhatan County, 1783, Page 059. 

"7 Valentine Papers, Vol. II, Pages 837-838. 


391 


Section IV, Part D: The Mosby and Woodson Lines 


"8 Tidewater Virginia Families, Page 396. 

119 Tbid., Pages 396-397. 

120 Valentine Papers, Vol. II, Page 859. Edward Mosby acknowledged a deed dated 3 Nov 1722 to his 
sons Richard and Robert Mosby. 

121 Valentine Papers, Vol. IV, Page 2275. 

122 Valentine Papers, Vol. II, Pages 832-833, 846-847. 

123 [bid., Page 863. 

124 [bid., Page 832. 

125 Image by Robyn Horton, 1999, and believed to be in the public domain. Available at: 
dhr.virginia.gov/historic-registers/072-0054/. 

126 Valentine Papers, Vol. Il, Page 850. 

1227 en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosby_Tavern. 

128 Ibid. 

29 dhr.virginia.gov/historic-registers/072-0054/. 

130 [bid. 

131 [bid. 

12 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Littleberry Mosby. 

133 [bid.; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosby Tavern. 

134 William Clayton Torrence, Henrico County, Virginia: Beginnings of Its Families, Part III (The William 
and Mary Quarterly, Apr 1916), Vol. 24, No. 4, Pages 279-283. 

135 Tidewater Virginia Families, Page 403. 

136 publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/map/map.html#VA. 

137 Tidewater Virginia Families, Pages 409-410. 

138 Ibid., Page 414. 

139 [bid., Page 399. 

140 Ibid., Page 400. 

141 Ibid. 

12 Tmage believed to be in the public domain and available at: virginiahistory.org/learn/arming- 
commonwealth. 

143 Ancestry.com, Henry Morton Woodson, Historical Genealogy of the Woodsons and Their Connections 
(1915), Page 23. This is a good example of a less reliable secondary source. Its conclusions are often 


not supported with primary sources. 

14 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County Virginia Court Records, 1677-1739, Henrico County Record Book, 
Vol. I, Page 102. 

14 Tidewater Virginia Families, Page 403. 

146 Ibid. 

147 Ibid., Page 404. 

148 Ibid. 

149 Ibid. 

150 siedelmann.org/Ancestry/Mosby/Entries/2008/3/4_Jesse_Woodson_James.html; 
famouskin.com/pedigree.php?name=15203+jessetiames&ahnum=1. 

151 Tidewater Virginia Families, Pages 405-406. 

132 Ibid., Page 405. 

153 [bid., Page 406. 

154 Ibid. 

155 Ibid. 

156 [bid., Page 394. 


392 


Section IV, Part D: The Mosby and Woodson Lines 


157 Ibid., Page 405. This appears to be a possible, but unproven, connection. 
158 Ibid., Page 406. 
159 Ibid., Page 407. 


393 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


E. The Walton and Cox Lines 


1. Thomas Walton, Sr. (About 1703-1772) and Martha Cox (After 1714-1798) 


Thomas Walton, Sr. was born about 1703 in New Kent County, Virginia. He was baptized in St. 
Peter’s Parish on February 20, 1703 as the son of Edward Walton.! His mother was named Elizabeth, 
although I do not yet know her maiden name.? St. Peter’s Parish is an historic Episcopal Church in 
New Kent County, Virginia. It was established on April 29, 1679. St. Peter’s was the parish of Martha 
Dandridge, the future Martha Washington and first First-Lady of the United States. She was married 
to future President George Washington at the church on January 6, 1759.3 You may remember that 
John Strong, Jr., one of Hank’s earliest known paternal ancestors, was baptized at St. Peter’s on 
November 13, 1698, just a few years before Thomas Walton. It is possible that these two distant 
ancestors knew each other as young boys.‘ Construction of St. Peter’s Church began in 1701 and was 
completed by 1703. Thomas Walton’s baptism may have been among the first conducted in this 
historic building. 


395 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, Talleysville, Virginia® 


Thomas Walton, Sr. married Martha Cox in 1734 in Goochland County, Virginia.® Evidence from this 
marriage comes from a Goochland County land deed from June 16, 1741. In that transaction, George 
Cox, Thomas Walton, and his wife Martha transferred 400 acres of land to Daniel Coleman.’ This land 
was “in the name of George and Martha Cox,” who as we will see below, were the parents of the 
Martha Cox who married Thomas Walton.* The George Cox in this 1741 land transfer was almost 
certainly Martha’s brother, since her father of the same name had died around 1728.9 Our Cox line 


can be traced back several more generations, and is discussed below. 


“Thomas Walton was a large landowner. On June 26, 1731, he purchased 400 acres on Muddy Creek, 
on the south side of the James River, in what was then Goochland County. It is believed that this land 
was located in what is now Cumberland and Powhatan Counties. This parcel of land was adjacent to 
Ashford Hughes and also to his brother William Walton.”!° Muddy Creek forms part of the border 
between modern Cumberland and Powhatan Counties in Virginia, southeast of Cartersville, Virginia. 
Just across the James River to the north is Goochland County. Thomas purchased an additional 675 
acres on Muddy Creek from John Alexander on March 16, 1741.1 On September 15, 1741, “Thomas 
Walton Sr. of St. James’ Parish bought 200 acres from Joseph Ballenger, who was from a Quaker 
family up north. This land was located along the south side of the Fluvanna River in Goochland 
County.” 


In 1765, Thomas Walton, Sr. gifted 250 acres on both sides of Muddy Creek, “beginning at Carter’s 
Ferry along Harrison’s line” to his son Thomas Walton, Jr.!° This land was part of 500 acres that 


396 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


Walton had purchased from William Elliot on May 26, 1762.14 Thomas Walton, Sr. owned slaves, and 
we see that he devised several of them to his children in his Will.5 He signed his Will on August 26, 
1771, and it was probated on April 27, 1772, so he died between those two dates. Thomas Walton’s 
Will, and the litigation that would follow it, provides valuable information about several members of 


this family. 


He left 10 shillings each to his daughters Elizabeth Miller and Patty Mosby and his sons George 
Walton, Thomas Walton, and Edward Walton. Son Josiah Walton received two slaves named Stephen 
and Easter; Robert Walton received three slaves named Bellah, Simon, and Moll. His wife Martha 
received “one negro girl named Dinah and the rest of my estate both real and personal.”!® At 
Martha’s death or remarriage, the rest of the Estate was to be divided among his children. The 180 
acres of land Thomas Walton lived on was to be split between Josiah and Robert Walton. 


The remainder of the Estate was to be divided between Elizabeth, Patty, Thomas, Edward, Josiah, and 
Robert, and Thomas’ grand-daughter Lockey (or Lackey) Walton. George Walton was excluded from 
this division, and may have already received his share. It is not clear if Lockey Walton was the 
daughter of George Walton or another son of Thomas Walton who predeceased his father, and thus 
was not named in the Will. Wife Martha and son Thomas Walton, Jr. were named Executors, and the 


Will was witnessed by Martha Cox’s brothers George and Henry Cox, along with William Daniel.’” 


After her husband’s death around 1771, Martha served as the head of the family for over twenty 
years. It does not appear that she ever remarried. In 1782, Martha Walton was listed as the head of a 
family in Cumberland County, Virginia.'§ It is interesting to imagine what life may have been like for 
her during these years. The management of a plantation and prosperous family may have become 
Martha’s responsibility, and she would have lived through the American Revolution to see the birth 


of a new country. 


There is conflicting evidence for Martha’s date of death. It would initially seem that Martha must 
have died sometime before 1792, because in that year we see Thomas Walton’s descendants suing 
“The Estate of Thomas Walton and Martha Walton, Deceased” to divide the remainder of their 
property.!? However, we have a copy of a Will made by Martha Walton of Cumberland County, 
Virginia on June 6, 1798, and based on the names mentioned, this appears to be our ancestor Martha 
(Walton) Cox. The Will left land to her son George Walton, to be passed on to George’s son Jesse 
Walton.”° Son Thomas Walton was given “fifty pounds for his trouble since the death of my husband 


and also one negro girl named Levina with her increase to him and his heirs forever.” ?! 


Three granddaughters were given slaves: Patty Bradley (born Martha “Patty” Mosby, the daughter of 
Edward Mosby and Martha “Patty” Walton) was left a woman named Hannah and her increase; 
Agnes Walton (born Agnes Mosby, another daughter of Edward Mosby and Martha “Patty” Walton, 
who married her cousin Thomas G. Walton) was left a girl named Agey and her increase; Polly 
Mosby (born Patty Walton, the daughter of Josiah Walton, who married Thomas Mosby) was left a 
girl named Dinah and her increase.” Given that we can trace these gifts to the descendants of Martha 


(Walton) Cox, she must have been the woman who died in 1798. 


397 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


This lawsuit over Thomas Walton’s Estate is available on our tree at Ancestry.com, and the long list 
of plaintiffs provides valuable evidence for Thomas Walton’s children and grandchildren. His 
daughter Martha (Mosby) Walton was not listed, however seven of her children were: Hezekiah 
Mosby, Elizabeth Mosby (married to John Carter), Martha “Patty” Mosby (married to John Carter), 
Thomas Mosby, Agnes Mosby (married to a Walton), William Bondurant, and George Bondurant.” 


The plaintiffs asked the Court to divide what remained of Thomas Walton’s Estate among his 
descendants. A commission of six men was appointed to appraise and divide the property.** The 
records include an account of the Estate Sale, but they are difficult to read. Many of Thomas Walton’s 
descendants made purchases. Even though Thomas Walton had already devised a significant amount 
of land and slaves in his 1771 Will, the sale of his remaining property appears to have yielded an 
additional £1,800 to be divided among his heirs. We learn from this case that Thomas’ 
granddaughter Lacky (or Locky) Walton married a man named Robertson, since her minor Robertson 


children were represented in the case by John Robertson.” 


The final settlement of the Estate did not occur until October 1, 1799; this may be because Martha 
(Walton) Cox lived until 1798, as discussed above. Our Walton line continues with Edward Walton, 
discussed below. But first we explore the ancestors of Martha (Walton) Cox, who can be traced 


several generations back to the earliest Virginia colonists. 


398 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


The 1771 Will of Thomas Walton, included as part of Miller et al. v. Walton, Cumberland County 
Chancery Causes 1792-003” 


399 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


Children of Thomas Walton, Sr. and Martha Cox: 


i. | Possible Unknown Male WALTON, who died before 1771 leaving daughter Lacky or Lucky 
WALTON, who married a ROBERTSON.28 
ii. Martha “Patty” WALTON was born about 1735 in Virginia” and died before 1792 in 
Cumberland County, Virginia.*° She married Edward MOSBY around 1755 in Virginia.*! 
iil. George WALTON may have been born around 1739 and lived until at least 1798.°* He may 
have married Margaret TABB on 25 Jun 1759 in Cumberland County, Virginia.* 
iv. Robert WALTON.* He may have married Mary HOBSON.* 
v. Elizabeth WALTON married Jesse MILLER.* 
vi. Edward WALTON may have died Oct 1807 in Cumberland County, Virginia.%7 
vil. Josiah WALTON died before 1 Oct 1799 in Virginia.** 
Viii. Thomas WALTON, Jr. died after 1798.%9 


a. George Cox, Sr. (Before 1693—About 1728) and Martha (Unknown-About 1770) 


George Cox, Sr. was born sometime before 1693 in Henrico County, Virginia.” George and his wife 
Martha were the parents of the Martha Cox who married Thomas Walton, Sr.“! The primary evidence 
for this connection is a Goochland County land deed from June 16, 1741. In that transaction, George 
Cox, Thomas Walton, and his wife Martha transferred 400 acres of land to Daniel Coleman.” This 
land was “in the name of George and Martha Cox.” Because of similar names in several generations 
of this Cox family, it is somewhat ambiguous which George and Martha Cox held title to this land. In 


order to sort them out, it is helpful to examine George Cox, Sr.’s Will. 


George Cox, Sr. left a Will dated February 16, 1727, which was probated in Goochland County, 
Virginia on May 21, 1728.4 His children were George Cox, Jr., Henry Cox, and Martha Cox. His wife 
was also named Martha, and her maiden name is currently unknown. The two sons received large 
tracts of land in Henrico County, and it appears that his daughter Martha received land as well. 
George Cox, Sr. left his wife Martha land and a Negro woman named Doll. At Martha’s death, Doll 
and her increase were to be equally divided between George’s children: the sons upon reaching age 
18 and daughter Martha upon reaching age 14. This suggests that George Cox, Sr. died at a young 


age and that his children were minors at his death. 


The mention of the slave woman named Doll in his Will helps us determine two further generations 
of George Cox, Sr.’s paternal ancestry with unusual certainty. A Henrico County, Virginia deed from 
October 2, 1693 states the following: 


“Know all men by these presents that I, John Cox, Sen. of the County and Parish of 
Henrico, planter, doe out of the love and affection which I bear unto my son 
Bartholomew Cox and Rebecka his wife, and for ye advancement and promotion of 
their son George, have given, granted, aliened, assigned and sett over and by these 
presents doe freely, clearly, and absolutely give, grant, alien, assign and set over unto 


my [said] Grandson, George Cox, ye son of Bartholomew Cox and Rebecka his wife, 


400 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


one Negro girl called Doll, being about a year old, to have and to hold the [said] girl 


and the issue of her body forever.” 


The wealth of history, emotion, and lineage contained in this short document is astonishing. First, it is 
a heartbreaking record of the slave trade in Virginia at this time. The young baby girl named Doll, 
and her future children, were considered property. There was apparently no consideration of Doll’s 
parents and their own dreams for their child’s future. Alongside this relative indifference to the life of 
Doll and her family, we see that John Cox, Sr. attempted to provide a solid foundation in life for his 
grandson George Cox. A young slave girl and her future children were valuable during this time 
period. We know that Doll did grow up to have children, who George Cox then bequeathed to his 
own descendants in 1728. This sequence of events gives us clear evidence of the lineage from John 


Cox, Sr. through his son Bartholomew Cox to his grandson George Cox, Sr.” 


Returning to the 1741 land sale involving Thomas Walton and Martha Cox, it seems that the land “in 
the name of George and Martha Cox” was held by Martha along with her brother, George Cox, Jr. On 
Jun 20, 1733, “George Cox and Martha Cox, Jr.” received a land patent for 400 acres on the south side 
of the James River in Goochland County, adjacent to the land of Bartholomew Cox on Mahoon 
Creek.** George Cox, Sr. had already died, so this land must have been patented by George Cox, Jr. 
and his sister Martha. The adjacent landowner Bartholomew Cox was their grandfather, which 
suggests that these may be the same 400 acres in Goochland County that were sold by the siblings in 
1741. 


Many trees have George Cox, Sr.’s wife as Martha Stratton, but that is incorrect. Martha Stratton was 
the wife of George’s uncle, confusingly also named George Cox. The maiden name of our Martha, 
wife of George Cox, is currently unknown.* What we do know about Martha is that she survived her 
husband George Cox for almost forty years, and had a second marriage to Isaac Hughes. Although 


we do not have a marriage record, this conclusion is well-established. 


First, Martha was fairly young when her first husband died, because all three of the children listed in 
George Cox’s Will were still minors. So it is likely during this time period that she would have 
remarried. Second, on September 28, 1728, Isaac Hughes received a patent for 400 acres of land south 
of the James River on Muddy Creek.®! Martha’s daughter Martha (Walton) Cox and her husband 
Thomas Walton also owned land on Muddy Creek adjacent to Ashford Hughes, likely Isaac’s 
brother.®? This land was just to the west of George Cox’s land along Mahook or Mohawk Creek. 


Third, when Isaac Hughes died in 1758, he left a Will in Cumberland County, Virginia.*> He gave 112 
acres in trust to Henry Cox, to be sold to pay his debts, and also a slave named Major. This Henry 
Cox was his step-son, and Martha’s son. In fact, in order to pay his debts, Henry Cox sold this land to 
Martha Hughes for £32 on June 10, 1759, further indicating that the woman now known as Martha 
Hughes was his mother.* Isaac Hughes left the remainder his property to his wife Martha during her 
natural life, with the right to dispose half of the Estate during her life. At her death, the second half 
was given to “Patty Mosby and her brother George Walton.” Patty and George were two of his 
Martha’s grandchildren from her first marriage to George Cox. Witnesses to Isaac Hughes’ Will 


401 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


includes Stephen Cox and George Walton. The most natural explanation for Isaac Hughes leaving 
property to the children and grandchildren of Martha is that he was her second husband. 


The most conclusive evidence comes from an August 18, 1766 agreement between Martha Hughes 
and her surviving children. In that document, George Cox, Henry Cox, and Thomas Walton (acting 
on behalf of his wife Martha (Walton) Cox), stated that they were the children of George Cox, Sr. and 
his wife Martha. Per George Sr.’s Will, the children were entitled to the increase of the slave Doll 
upon Martha’s death, but she was still living. “The said Martha the wife of the said testator being 
willing to advance the said children’s fortunes in the world is willing to give up her right to the said 
slaves before the time mentioned in the Will.” Martha signed this document as “Martha Hughes.” 


Finally, we have the Will of Martha Hughes, dated September 8, 1769 and proved in court on March 
16, 1770. Martha left a bed and furniture to her daughter Martha (Walton) Cox. She directed that the 
rest of her Estate be sold, and “the money arising by such sale I give to be equally divided among my 
three children namely George Cox, Henry Cox, and Martha Walton.”*” This matches up with the 
three known children that Martha had with George Cox, Sr.: Henry Cox, George Cox, Jr., and Martha 
Cox, who married Thomas Walton. When all of this evidence is taken together, I believe it is clear that 


Martha had a second marriage to Isaac Hughes. 
Children of George Cox, Sr. and Martha: 


i. George COX, Jr. was born after 1710 in Virginia®’ and died after 1770.59 
ii. Henry COX was born after 1710 in Virginia® and died after 1770.*! 
iii. | Martha COX was born after 1714 in Virginia and died about 1798 in Cumberland County, 
Virginia. She married Thomas WALTON in 1734 in Goochland County, Virginia. 


b. Bartholomew Cox (By 1671-1731) and Rebecka (Unknown-—After 1730) 


Gee 
Sree) 

aes) 

Bartholomew Cox was born around 1664 in Virginia, likely in Henrico County. He served as a 
witness when his father John Cox, Sr. transferred land to Bartholomew’s brother William Cox in 1685. 
Although the legal age was 21 for most purposes, children as young as 14 could serve as a witness to 
deeds and contracts. This means that Bartholomew Cox was born by at least 1671, and probably 
several years earlier.“ On May 16', 1692, the Grand Jury of Henrico County, Virginia reported that 


Bartholomew Cox breached the “penal laws” by swearing twice; John Cox (either Bartholomew’s 


father or brother of the same name) was cited for swearing six times.® 


402 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


On July 5, 1693, Bartholomew Cox received 100 acres of land from his father, likely located in Henrico 
County, Virginia. We know that Bartholomew married his wife Rebecka by October of 1693, based 
on the deed his father John Cox, Sr. signed on that date, discussed above.” Rebecka’s maiden name is 
unknown. The same deed indicates that their son George Cox, Sr. was born by this date, since the 


young grandson was given the slave girl named Doll.® 


“During the colonial period all land owners in Virginia paid to the King an annual ‘quit rent’ of one 
shilling for every 50 acres.” Although these lists were likely created annually, only the 1704 Quit 
Rent Roll for Henrico County has survived. “Batt. Cox” was listed with the 100 acres he received 
from his father in 1693. His brothers William (300 acres), George (200 acres), John (150 acres), and 
Richard Cox (300 acres) also appear on the list.” 


Bartholomew Cox held large tracts of land in colonial Virginia. In 1728, Goochland County was 
formed from the western portion of Henrico County. It seems likely that Bartholomew lived in the 
part of Henrico that formed this new county, because he left a Will dated January 14, 1730 in 
Goochland County, Virginia.7! On May 6, 1730, The Governor’s Council met at the colonial capitol of 
Williamsburg, Virginia. One of the petitions they heard was from Thomas Walker, who was seeking a 
grant of 1,600 acres of land on Mahook Creek in Goochland County. This land had been surveyed for 
Bartholomew Cox in 1727, but no patent was issued. The Council ordered Walker to give Cox notice 


to appear before the board to defend his patent.” 


Based on the 1733 grant to Bartholomew Cox’s descendants discussed above, which was noted to be 
adjacent to this land on Mahook Creek, it seems that Bartholomew likely was successful in retaining 
this patent. There is a modern “Mohawk Creek” that drains into the James River from the South near 
the town of Beaumont, Virginia. This area is now in Powhatan County, but in 1730 it would have 


been part of Goochland County.” 


In 1730, Bartholomew appointed his sons Frederick and John Cox, along with his wife Rebecka, 
Executors of his Estate.” His son George Cox, Sr. had died two years earlier. However, Bartholomew 
Cox also left one shilling to his grandsons, George Cox (Junior) and William Baugh.” Based on 
William’s last name, Bartholomew must have had a daughter who married a Baugh. There is a 
marriage record for Moses Wood and Mary Cox, the daughter of Bartholomew Cox.” Since Mary was 
not mentioned in the Will, she may have died before 1730. William Baugh could be her son if she had 
a second marriage, or there could be another currently unknown daughter of Bartholomew Cox.” An 
inventory of Bartholomew Cox’s Estate was taken on November 16, 1731, and it indicates that 
Bartholomew had died on July 21 of that year.” 


Children of Bartholomew Cox and Rebecka: 


i. George COX, Sr. was born before 1693 in Henrico County, Virginia” and died about 1728 in 
Goochland County, Virginia.* 
ii. Mary COX may have died before 1730 in Virginia.*! She married Moses WOOD on 3 Jun 1709 
in Henrico County, Virginia.* 
iii, | John COX died after 1739.% 


403 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


iv. | Frederick COX died about 1754 in Cumberland County, Virginia.* 
c. John Cox, Sr. (Unknown-About 1696) and Unknown (Unknown-Before 1682) 


Based on the ages of his sons Bartholomew and William, John Cox, Sr. may have been born as early 
as the 1630s. John Cox made a deed of gift to William in 1685, and Bartholomew served as a 
witness.*® In order to be old enough to serve as legal witnesses, this suggests that Bartholomew and 
William were both born by about 1664, and thus John Cox, Sr. was likely married by about 1660 and 
born in the 1630s. These dates are estimates and could be off several years in either direction. 


Whether John Cox, Sr. was born in England or in the young Virginia colony is currently unclear. 


In order to understand the life of John Cox, Sr. it is helpful to know more about the history of the 
Jamestown settlement and the Virginia colony. The first permanent English settlement in North 
America was started by the London Company in December of 1606. Three ships, the Susan Constant, 
the Godspeed, and the Discovery, sailed from London with 105 men and boys and 39 crew members.*” 
They arrived in 1607 and established a settlement at Jamestown on the James River, both of which 
they named for their King, James I. As part of their exploration further west up the James River, 
Christopher Newport and a group of 23 men arrived at Arrahattock on June 2, 1607. “[T]hey feasted 
with the werowance [or chief] Arahatec, in the country Arahatecoh, at a place they called Arahatec’s 
Joy .... They were so ravished with the admirable sweetness of the streams, and with the pleasant 
land trending along either side, that their joy exceeded, and with great admiration they praised 
God.”8§ This was the first time that Europeans had set foot on what would become Henrico County, 


Virginia. 


The early settlement was beset with difficulties, despite several resupply missions from England that 
brought more men and materials. During the winter of 1609-1610, a period known as “The Starving 
Time,” only 60 of the 500 English colonists survived.*? By the summer of 1610, the Jamestown 
colonists had had enough, and boarded their ships to return back to England. About 10 miles 
downstream from Jamestown, they met a fleet of three ships led by Thomas West, formally known as 
the Third Baron De Le Warre, who had been appointed as the new governor of the colony.” Lord De 
La Warre would inspire the name of the Delaware River and later the State.*! From this point the 
struggling colony managed to grow. Relations with the Powhatan tribe became more contentious as 
the English moved west into new settlements. The situation briefly improved when one of the 
colonists, John Rolfe, married Pocahontas, a captured daughter of the Powhatan chief who had 
converted to Christianity. Rolfe is credited with the first successful cultivation of tobacco in the 


Virginia Colony, which would become the key to its economic growth.® 


In order to encourage immigration, the Virginia Company established a “headright” system: any 
person who settled in Virginia or paid for the transportation of another settler was entitled to 50 acres 
of land for each immigrant. “As valuable properties, headrights could be bought and sold. The 
person who obtained a patent to a tract of land under a headright might not have been the person 
who immigrated or who paid for the immigration of another person. Headrights were not always 


claimed immediately after immigration, either; there are instances in which several years elapsed 


404 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


between a person's entry into Virginia and the acquisition of a headright and sometimes even longer 
between then and the patenting of a tract of land.... The presence of a name as a headright in a land 
patent, then, establishes that a person of a certain name had entered Virginia prior to the date of the 
patent; but it does not prove when the person immigrated or who was initially entitled to the 
headright.” Although some of the immigrants who had their passage paid for by others became 
indentured servants, this process was used by people of all classes in order to take advantage of the 
land headright.% 


From these Virginia land patents, there is evidence that John Cox, Sr. arrived in the Virginia colony 
by around 1642. A patent from October 1642 granted John Davis 200 acres in Henrico County, 
adjoining his existing land called “Longfield” and extending northwest towards the land of Cornelius 
de Hull. The patent was granted for transporting three servants: John Deall, John Talbott, and John 
Cox.” It is clear from other patents that “Longfield” was located along the James River above the 
place called Arrowhattocks. Although Cox is a common name, we know that our John Cox also 
settled in the area near Arrowhattocks, so this is strong evidence that he is the same man who came 


to the colony as a servant of John Davis. 


John Cox, Sr. appears to have worked his term as a servant of John Davis and then acquired land of 
his own in the same area. On March 29, 1665, John Cox received a patent for 550 acres in Henrico 
County on the north side of the river (i.e., the James), “known by the name of Harristocks, beginning 
next to the land of Captain Edloe.”* Harristocks is a name for the area known as Arahatec, Arrow 
Hattocks, Harrahadockes, and several other variations over the years. On modern maps it appears 
as “Arrahatteck.” This land had originally been granted to Arthur Bayly, who sold it to William 
Johnson, who in turn assigned it to John Cox.' Some have speculated that Johnson assigning the 
land to Cox indicated a family connection, but it is not clear to me that the term “assigned” implies a 


gift between family members rather than a sale between unrelated parties.'0! 


405 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


The Plantations along the James River, just south of Richmond, Virginia, as of 1776. Long Fields 
was just north of Arrahattock.12 


John Cox, Sr. likely married around the time he acquired this land, or earlier, but the name of his first 
wife and mother of his children is currently unknown.!° The next record for John Cox, Sr. is a 
deposition from April 1, 1678, when he testified that John Risbees’ dog killed some of his sheep.'% In 
1679, John was listed in the Henrico County Record Book as having 5 tithables.!% Listed right after 
John Cox was William Elam, a possible relative. We know that John Cox, Sr. had six sons, so the five 
tithables at this time may have been John and four sons over the age of 16 still connected with 


household, or possibly a combination of sons and servants/slaves. 


Mrs. David O. Reichlein reports that John was known as “John Cox of Coxendale, the name of his 
home.”!° This designation does not appear in the tithe list that was preserved in the Henrico County 
court records, and from the map above, it appears that Coxendale was located south of John’s land 
above Arrowhattocks. However, it is possible that he owned land in both locations. Alternatively, 
Coxendale might have been named after an earlier Cox ancestor, William Cox, who is discussed in 


the next section. 


On October 25, 1682, John Cox, Sr. married Mary Kennon in Henrico County.’ It is clear that most of 
John’s children (with the possible exception of Richard Cox, discussed below) had already been born 
by this time, so his first wife must have died before 1682. Mary Kennon was John’s second. wife. 
However, it is not clear if Kennon was Mary’s maiden name or if she also had a previous marriage. 
On February 18, 1688, William Elam’s Will listed his son-in-law as John Cox, and gave him 1 shilling. 


406 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


The remainder of Elam’s Estate went to his cousin and Executor Martin Elam.1° Some researchers 
have taken this 1 shilling inheritance as a sign of ill-will between John Cox and William Elam, but I 
do not believe that is necessarily the case.'° Instead, the two men appear to have become relatives 
later in life, and John Cox, an established land owner, was likely not in in dire need of an inheritance. 


During the colonial period, an “in-law” was used more broadly than it is today. “A son-in-law could 
be a stepson, the husband of a daughter, or even the husband of a stepdaughter or daughter-in- 
law.”110 Given that usage, there are two primary possibilities: either Martin Elam married John Cox, 
Sr.’s mother, making John his step-son, or John Cox, Sr. married Martin’s daughter Mary. With the 
existing records, I cannot determine which possibility is more likely, although other researchers have 
separately reached opposite conclusions. 


On February 5, 1685, John Cox transferred a parcel of land near “Harryaddocks” and the land of 
Thomas Taylor in Henrico County, Virginia to his son William Cox.!! One of the witnesses to this 
transaction was another of John’s son, Bartholomew Cox. The following year, John Cox, Sr. 
transferred more land in the same area to his son John Cox, Jr., again witnessed by Bartholomew. "!2 


John Cox, Sr. signed his Will on February 19, 1691 in Henrico County. However, it was not probated 
until 1696.13 We know John lived until at least 1693, because in that year he made two more gifts: one 
to his son Bartholomew Cox and another to Bartholomew’s son George Cox, Sr. Bartholomew Cox 
was given 100 acres of land on July 11, 1693.14 In the other deed, Grandson George Cox, Sr. was 
given the baby girl named “Doll” discussed above. Both transactions were witnessed by Henry Cox, 
another of John Cox, Sr.’s sons.!!5 Legal documents of this time were often signed by the court clerk, 
with the signatory making their “mark” to indicate their assent. In many cases this would be a simple 
“X.”16 In his Will and other court documents John wrote “COX” in his own hand between the “John 
Cox” signature written by the clerk. This demonstrates at least some ability to write, which would not 


have been particularly common during this period. 


John Cox, Sr.’s “COX” mark from his Will. 


John Cox, Sr.’s Will left “New Planation” to his son John Cox, Jr. and adjacent land to Bartholomew 
Cox. John Cox, Jr. and Bartholomew Cox’s land was also close to that of William Cox and Captain 
Davis. Son Richard Cox received a slave named Robin. Son Henry Cox received his father’s bed and a 


407 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


slave girl named Molley. Son George Cox received the plantation his father lived on, a slave named 
Betty, the household goods and furniture, and was named Executor."” John stated that “it is my will 
and pleasure for Henry to live with George and he to let Henry have ground to tend .. . and George 
to be a help to him.” This suggests to me that Henry may have been sick or disabled, and therefore 
unable to care for a large plantation on his own. In fact, Henry Cox died shortly after his father. In 


October of 1697, his brother George was granted probate of Henry’s Estate."8 


John Cox, Sr. left any remainder of his Estate to be divided between his six sons. His widow Mary 
received only “one Silver Spoone.”"!? Unlike the small inheritance from William Elam to his “son-in- 
law” John, this token gift to Mary does not seem to be without some family drama. On November 26, 
1696, Mary Cox, the widow of John Cox, Sr., appointed attorney Bartholomew Fowler to represent 
her in the Henrico County Court.”° Mrs. David O. Reichlein reports that “Widow Mary Cox 
demanded her one-third share of her deceased husband’s estate; through her attorney Bartholomew 
Fowler, the case of her dower right in 550 acres, brought suit against the six step-sons for £100 
sterling.”!?! Katharine E. Harbury reports that widow Mary and Richard Cox were the plaintiffs in 
this suit, suggesting that Richard was actually Mary’s natural born son while the remaining five sons 
of John Cox, Sr. were her stepsons.'!” This seems possible but I have not seen enough evidence to 


know for sure. 
Children of John Cox, Sr. and Unknown: 


is William COX was born before 1664 in Henrico County, Virginia and died about 1712 in 

Henrico County, Virginia.!23 He married Sarah, possibly COCKE. '4 

ii. Bartholomew COX was born about 1664 in Henrico County, Virginia!> and died 21 Jul 1731 
in Goochland County, Virginia. He married Rebecka. 

iil. John COX, Jr. was born before 1665 in Henrico County, Virginia and died 1710 in Henrico 
County, Virginia.!2”7 He married Mary BAUGH."8 

iv. Henry COX was born before 1672 in Henrico County, Virginia and died about 1697 in 
Henrico County, Virginia.” 

Vv. George COX died 1721 in Henrico County, Virginia. He married Martha STRATTON in 
1697,130 


Possible Children of John Cox, Sr. and Mary (Kennon or Elam?): 
i. Richard COX died 13 Jul 1734 in Henrico County, Virginia. He married Mary TRENT."! 
d. William Cox (1598-Before 1656) and Elizabeth Hutchins? 


There is no definitive evidence that John Cox, Sr. was the son of William Cox. However, a large body 
of circumstantial evidence suggests this relationship is likely. At the very least, there is almost 
certainly a family connection between these two Cox men who settled in the same area of early 
Henrico County, Virginia. We can trace William Cox (sometimes spelled Coxe) as among the first 


successful English colonists in North America. He was listed as one of the “Ancient Planters” in Nell 


408 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


Marion Nugent’s Cavaliers and Pioneers.'3* Arriving in 1610, William Cox was in Virginia ten years 
before the more famous Mayflower passengers arrived in Massachusetts. 


William Cox landed in Virginia in 1610 as part of the fleet of ships led by Thomas West, Lord De La 
Warre, which provided vital reinforcements and helped to establish the Virginia colony after the 
harsh winter of 1609-1610. Nell Marion Nugent reports that William arrived on the ship Godspeed. He 
was 26 years old as of the 1624 Muster list.°° This means he was born around 1598 in England and 
was only a boy of 12 years old when he first arrived in Virginia. 


A Re-creation of the Godspeed, Sailing into Alexandria, Virginia in 2018'™ 


I have not seen any reliable source for William Cox’s parents or which area of England he may have 
emigrated from. Some researchers have claimed that Lord De La Warre’s brother, Robert West, 
married an Elizabeth Coxe, and then assumed a family connection back to her ancestors in 
Hertfordshire, England." However, it appears that Robert West’s wife was actually named Elizabeth 
Cocke. '6 Although these surnames are similar, there is a separate Cocke family both in England and 


409 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


in Henrico County, Virginia that appears to be unrelated to our Cox line. The Cocke family can trace 
their ancestry back to nobility, and that may help explain why some have been eager to conclude that 
these names can be used interchangeably. However, in my research, our Cox or Coxe ancestors 


consistently used those spellings and I have not seen them connected to the Cocke family. 


So, 12 year old William Cox is a bit of a mystery. He may have arrived with other family members as 
the younger son of a prominent family. Under England’s primogeniture system, the first born son 
would often inherit the entire estate, so a new colony was a welcome opportunity for younger sons.!97 
Alternatively, William may have come from a lower or middle class background, seeing an 
opportunity to make a life for himself in a new land. In that case, he likely would have been an 
indentured servant, obligated to work for seven years to repay the cost of his transportation. I have 
not viewed the 1624 Muster List, but other researchers report that William Cox was listed with the 
household of Thomas Bouldinge, who may have been his former master.'5* Whatever his origins, 
William survived the harsh conditions in the early colony and established himself as an “Ancient 


Planter.” This was a specific legal category, created in a 1618 Order by Sir Thomas Smythe: 


“And forasmuch as our intent is to establish our equal Plantations whereof we shall 
speak afterwards be reduced into four cities of Boroughs namely the chief city called 
James Town, Charles City, Henrico, and the Borough of Kiccotan [later Elizabeth 
City], and that in all those foresaid cities of Boroughs the ancient adventurers and 
Planters which were transported thither with Intent to Inhabit at their own costs and 
charges before the coming away of Sir Thomas Dale Knight, and have so continued 
during the space of three years, shall have upon a first Division to be by us 


augmented one hundred acres of land for their personal adventure .. . .”1° 


On September 10, 1628, William Cox received his Ancient Planter grant of 100 acres on the north bank 
of the James River in Elizabeth City.4° This land bordered that of Dictoris Christmas and land that 
was later granted to Christopher Calthropp.'*! Calthropp acquired an additional 100 acres in the same 
area in 1636. As part of that transaction, we learn that the land had originally been granted to George 
Yeardly, who sold it to John Huddleston, who then sold it to Calthropp through his attorney Richard 
Cox.!” It is possible there is a connection between this Richard Cox and William Cox, but I have not 
yet discovered what it might be. William Cox’s land in Elizabeth City was located in an area that 
would later be called Strawberry Banks. 


410 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


BLUNT 
POINT 


Cornelius May 


Lt. Thomas Purfury 
9-20-28 100 a. 


RIVER 
BAN K 


William Cox, Planter 100 a. 9-20-28 


Dictoris Christmas 


Edward Waters 


50 a. 8-24-27 


100 a. 


Percival Ibbiso 
50 a. 3-6-20 


‘e (Now Lake Maury 
Ke at Mariners' 
C Museum) 


ohn Hudleston, Mariner 
4-26-21 


Robert Hutchins, Mariner 


J AM E& S 


Robert Sweet 150 a. 3-14-28 


STRAWBERRY 


Map of early patents in the Strawberry Banks area of Elizabeth City, Virginia! 


On November 28, 1636, William Cox received a patent for 150 acres of land in Henrico County, two 
and a half miles “above Harroe Attocks” for the transport of three people to the colony: Thomas 
Braxston, Richard Bird, and Richard Hewes.!4 If William did start as an indentured servant, he was 
able to work off his debt and earn enough money to transport colonists and acquire additional land. 


This new land in Henrico County was surrounded by many settlers who may be relatives of our 
William Cox. 


On the same day in 1636, Alice Edloe, the widow of Mathew Edloe, Sr., received 50 acres at Harroe 
Attocks for the transportation of William Barton.'4° The Edloe family owned large tracts of land near 
William Cox, and may be related through marriage. Jack Randolph Hutchins believes that Alice 
Edloe, the widow of Matthew Edloe, was the sister of William Cox.'4” On July 14, 1637, Alice Edloe 
was granted 100 acres that bordered William Cox, two and half miles above Harroe Attocks.'48 So we 


411 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


know that William Cox owned land near Arrow Hattocks, the same area where we later find his 
probable son John Cox, Sr. 


Two days earlier in 1636, Matthew Edloe, Jr. (the son of Matthew Edloe, Sr.), received 1,200 acres on 
the north side of the James River “over against the Upper Chippokes” Creek.? This land was earned 
by his father Matthew Edloe, Sr. for transporting 24 people, including William Cox and “Elizabeth 


yn 


Jax.” Nell Marion Nugent notes that this may be “Jux” or “ux”, for wife.° This may suggest that 
William Cox returned to England at some point and married a woman named Elizabeth. 
Alternatively, Elizabeth may have separately arrived in the colony and later married William. 
Uncovering Elizabeth’s possible maiden name requires some speculation based on land and 


transportation records. 


As part of his book William Hutchins of Carolina, Jack Randolph Hutchins included an appendix that 
summarized the work of Simeon Oliver Coxe, Sr. and his son Simeon Oliver Coxe, Jr.15! The Coxe’s 
studied the interrelated Coxe, Hutchins, and Burton families who settled along the James River. 
Simeon Coxe, Jr. analyzed the land records and noted that several families moved together from the 
Strawberry Banks area to the land around Arrow Hattocks. From this circumstantial evidence, he 
drew several conclusions about possible marriages between these families. I present some of that 


research here as a possibility, but not as a fact. 


One of William Cox’s neighbors at his original grant of land in Strawberry Banks was Robert 
Hutchins.'*? Hutchins was a ship captain who was first mentioned in the Jamestown records in 1611. 
Captain John Smith mentions obtaining information on the colony from “Master Hutchins” while the 
men were in London.!%3 Simeon Coxe, Jr. believes that our William Cox would have married Robert 
Hutchins’ daughter, Elizabeth Hutchins. The evidence for that possible marriage is based on several 


family connections over the years. 


Robert Hutchins appears to have had a son named Isaac Hutchins, who (along with Robert Craddock 
and 18 others) was transported to the colony for a headright sometime before February 6, 1637 by 
Captain Thomas Osborne." Jack Randolph Hutchins claims that on September 1, 1642, William Cox 
bought 250 acres of land in partnership with Isaac Hutchins “at the mouth of Falling Creek, along the 
James River.” 15> ] am not sure where that date can be found, or if there is definitive evidence that Cox 
and Hutchins owned this land together. The claim is that William Cox and Isaac Hutchins were 


brothers-in-law. There is some circumstantial evidence for this connection. 


412 


Robt., Huso 
Wm. Stenton 


Section IV, Part E: The Wal 


John Brown and 
Edweri Hatcher 
500 a. 1663 


ton and Cox Lines 


Seer £ (anes piace) 
é 2 $ N 
oY %{Bro-in-law of 
% Isaac 3 } WiNiam Coxe) & 
Cs Hutching FE 4% a oon 
£%,e Pe EG a a 
My, % 9, Z mye \B “AW Y a 
a < ws 
Fo, : =r E: w/ER { Cc (@) 
ae & Henry Hollum J ee 
zs herman uy. & 
Orpha of Soy, Cf e@Cornelius de Hull SCALE. 
sin O * et 
nara, ¥° vi A William Coxe and "= 4000! 
Mr. John ‘t#nowles Sala = £3 48 teeec! Baten 
320 a. = MA rn 2 By John Davis/ (G.son-in-law of 
1665 2G Pe a William Coxe) 7 
% % as 2§ : iz Longfiela" 1 mile i 
z Min SS “SS William Coxe to: 
= \ Alice  aayoe %, Robert Craddock and 
2) dloe ef “wi John Davis 300 a.» 
TAME = YM 
TLD Cs I John 2Burton (Son-in- ~ 9 
Mr. Richard Ward “«, 700 a\\\Z 166 law of 
1,327 a. 1665 “a, “Old\’-\2 F¥é1a" Wm. Coxe) + 
Robert Gpaadock Ae ° 
John Dav{@,300 jez alice Edloe (Sister of 
ce BZ Wm. Coxe) 
2 vanaslane Creel %, % Capt. Edloe 
= 2: % (Step son of Alice) 
an ~, John Coxe (son of < 
wily 2,350 aj, 1665 Wm. Coxe) ¢ 
Christopher Branch = = zpoeas Peyice i= 
1,380 a. 1665 : = ae 
*WKingsland" Wy ae 7*ARROWHATIOCKS 
7 aS : 
eon a 
Sars) pe 
vt | = = SD 
ae ae VARINA 
y a Ssoyes)\\ Gepe 
<0 a Owe"«w vas LAND 
rs sounr & cs) = 
Creek MALADOZ Phares 
wnt a ot CSS 
hos = aa 
Capt. Wm. Farrar re a 15000 a. 
sborne 13 
and Thomas Ligon “Poaribh 
555 a. 1664: a : 
ay 
= ow Wm. Farrar 
3 _— 
cS € ae 
é =) [HENRICO ISLAND 
ws) =z 
g, - 
a > 
% A8ain 


Plantations along the James River, north of Arrowhattocks'© 


A patent from 1642 notes that Cornelius De Hull acquired 502 acres known as “Lilley Valley”, which 
bordered land held by Mrs. Edloe and John Davis. 250 acres of this land was granted to William Cox 
in 1637.15” A 1638 patent for Robert Craddock notes that he obtained 300 acres in Henrico County 
“towards Lilley Valley upon land of William Cox, & Isaac Hutchins & S. upon land of John Davis.” 158 


413 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


Is this evidence that William Cox and Isaac Hutchins owned these 250 acres in common, suggesting 


that they were family, or does it merely indicate that they were neighbors? 


Some evidence from later generations supports a kinship relationship. I have suggested that William 
Cox was likely the father of John Cox, Sr., and most other researchers take that for granted. John Cox, 
Sr.’s youngest son was Richard Cox, who died in 1734. Richard married Mary Trent, who was the 
daughter of Henry Trent and Elizabeth Sherman. Elizabeth Sherman’s parents were Henry Sherman 
and his wife Cicely.° It appears that Cicely was the widow of Isaac Hutchins, who died in 1656.1 
The evidence for these last two connections comes from a 1714 Henrico County court case, where we 
learn that Isaac’s son Robert Hutchins died as a minor, and that Robert’s mother Cicely had 
remarried to a Sherman. Isaac Hutchins apparently had no other descendants, so Cicely inherited her 
late husband’s land.'*! This connection between the Cox, Hutchins, and Sherman families provides 
some support for an existing family relationship, since marriages often occurred among family 


groups during this period. 


William Cox must have died by 1656, because in that year Peter Lee acquired a patent for 126 acres of 
Henrico County land bordering land that belonged to “the orphans of William Cox.”1® From the 
proximity of the land he owned, our ancestor John Cox, Sr. may have been one of the legal heirs of 
William Cox. Another of William Cox’s sons was likely Thomas Cox, who sold land on Falling Creek 
to John Knowles. This seems likely to be land near Falling Creek on the map above, which may have 
been inherited by Thomas from his father William. 


Probable Children of William Cox and Elizabeth? Hutchins?: 


i. John COX, Sr. may have been born around 1630 in England or Virginia! and died about 
1696 in Henrico County, Virginia.“ He married first wife Unknown and second Mary 
KENNON or ELAM.16 

ii. Thomas COX. 


414 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


2. Edward Walton, Jr. (About 1672-1720) and Elizabeth (Unknown-1717) 


Gees 


After a detour into the ancestors of Marth Cox, we now return to the Walton line. The parents of 
Thomas Walton, Sr. were Edward Walton, Jr. and his wife Elizabeth. Based on the ages of his 
children, Edward Walton was likely born sometime around 1672. On March 7, 1701, Edward Walton, 
Jr. was commissioned as an ensign in the New Kent, County militia.%° From the Register of St. Peter’s 
Parish in New Kent County, Virginia, we know that Edward’s wife was named Elizabeth and that 
she died on April 5, 1717.16” Some trees have Elizabeth’s maiden name as “Mason” but that appears to 
be incorrect, based on the work of researcher Wilmer Kerns.'® The Parish Register provides most of 


the information we have for Edward and his family. 


Edward’s oldest son, Robert Walton, Sr., was born around 1694 in New Kent County, Virginia and 
served as Clerk of the Vestry for St. Peter’s Parish.1® Robert Walton, Sr., the brother of our ancestor 
Thomas Walton, Sr., had several noteworthy descendants. His son Robert Walton, Jr. was apparently 
a very wealthy man. Wilmer Kern’s research indicates that the founding father Patrick Henry served 
as Robert Walton, Jr.’s attorney.!” Robert, Jr.’s son George Walton, grandson of Edward Walton, Jr., 
was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and one of the first governors of Georgia.!71 Another 
of Robert’s sons, John Walton, was a member of the Continental Congress in 1778 and a signer of the 
Articles of Confederation.” 


Although Edward was listed as Edward Walton, Jr. in several of the Parish Register entries, that does 
not prove that his father was named Edward Walton as well. During this time period, the senior and 
junior suffixes were often used to distinguish two men of the same name in the same area, whether 
they were related or not. In fact, our Edward Walton was not referred to as “Junior” at the birth of his 
youngest children, from 1698 to 1703, or when his death was recorded in 1721. It is only from 1707 to 
1709 that he received this suffix, which may suggest that an older Edward Walton was only in New 
Kent County for a short time. 


415 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


The 1704 Virginia Quit Rent Roll for New Kent County shows two Edward Waltons: these seem 
likely to be our ancestor and the elder Edward Walton, Sr. One Edward was listed as owning 150 
acres of land, and the other had 450 acres.!73 Our ancestor Edward Walton, Jr. died on November 27, 
1721 in New Kent County.'% At this point he is the furthest back I can trace our Walton line, although 


there are many Walton immigrants to Virginia. At least sixteen different Walton men arrived in 


Virginia between 1635 and 1656.!” In the future, we may be able to determine more Walton ancestors. 


Children of Edward Walton, Jr. and Elizabeth: 


iil. 


iv. 


vi. 


Robert WALTON, Sr. was born around 1694 in New Kent County, Virginia and died about 
1734.17 He married Frances SHERWOOD. !77 

Mary WALTON was born around 1698 and baptized on 4 Dec 1698.1 

William WALTON, Sr. was born around 1700, baptized 25 Dec 1700 in New Kent County, 
Virginia, and died in 1747 in Cumberland County, Virginia.’ He married Susannah COBB.!80 
Thomas WALTON, Sr. was born around 1703, was baptized 20 Feb 1703 in New Kent 
County, Virginia,'*' and died around 1771 in Cumberland County, Virginia.1®? 

Elizabeth WALTON was born around 1707 and was baptized 7 Feb 1707 in New Kent 
County, Virginia." 

John WALTON, Sr. was born 8 Jul 1709 in New Kent County, Virginia. '* 


416 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


References for Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


! The Parish Register of Saint Peter’s, New Kent County, Virginia From 1680 to 1787, Page 44, available at: 
archive.org/details/parishregisterof00stpe/page/44/mode/2up?g=walton. 

2 Ibid., Page 72. 

3 St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, “Our History,” available at: 
stpetersnewkent.thediocese.net/About_Us_ Mission_and_Ministries/History/. 

4 The Parish Register of Saint Peter’s, New Kent County Virginia From 1680 to 1787, Page 35. 

5 Photograph by Jjmusgrove and available on Wikipedia at: 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St. Peter%27s_ Church (Talleysville, Virginia)#/media/File:St Peter's Episcop 
al_Church.JPG. Licensed under a Creative Commons CC BY-SA 4.0 License. 

6 Walter Lee Hopkins, Hopkins of Virginia and Related Families (Richmond, Virginia 1931), Pages 116- 
117, available at: babel .hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uva.x000023426&view=lup&seq=163. 

” Hopkins of Virginia, Page 117; FamilySearch.org, Goochland County Deed Books, 1728-1742, Vols. 1-3, 
Pages 316-317, available at: familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:30S7-99P6-905X?i=668&cat=406600. I 
believe this was a different Daniel Coleman than the Daniel Coleman II, father of Anne Coleman, 


discussed above. He may have been a cousin or other relative. 

8 Ibid. 

9 Ibid. 

toWilmer L. Kerns, Waltons of Old Virginia (Willow Bend Books, 2005), Page 16, available at: 
familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/101125-waltons-of-old-virginia-and-sketches-of-families- 


in-central-virginia-booker-christian-coleman-davis-fields-guthrie-harris-harrison-harvey-hunter- 


jones-shepherd-stratton-vawter-walker-williamson-and- 

word ?viewer=1 &offset=0# page=3&viewer=picture&o=info&n=0&q=. 

"| Ibid., Pages 16-17. 

12 [bid. 

13 Ibid., Page 17. 

14 [bid. 

15 Will of Thomas Walton, 26 Aug 1771, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

16 [bid. 

17 Tbid. 

18 Ancestry.com, Virginia Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1607-1890, Record for Martha 
Walton, Cumberland County, Virginia, 1782, Page 16. 

19 Miller et al. v. Walton, Cumberland County Chancery Causes, 1792-003, available at: 
lva.virginia.gov/chancery/full_case_detail.asp?CFN=049-1792-003#img. There is a Martha Walton 
who died with a Will in 1798 in Cumberland County. However, because her Estate was being divided 
in 1792, I believe this must be a different woman. 

20 Will of Martha Cox (Walton), Cumberland County, Virginia, 6 Jun 1798, available on 
ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com 

21 [bid. 

22 Ibid. 

3 Miller et al. v. Walton, Page 6. 

24 Ibid. The names are a little difficult to read, but I interpret them as: John Hatcher, William Powell, 
Thomas Hobson (noted as “B L” — which may mean brother in law?), Francis Flippin, James Hudgins, 
and Jacob Johnson. 


417 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


5 Ibid., Pages 14-15. 

26 Ibid., Pages 14-15. I am not sure if Lackey Walton was a child of one of the Walton sons listed 
below, or from another currently unknown son who had previously died. 

27 Ibid. 

28 Miller et al. v. Walton, Pages 14-15. 

29 See Ancestry.com, Alabama Surname Files Expanded 1702-1981, Image 363 and discussion above. 

30 Miller et al. v. Walton, Cumberland County Chancery Causes, 1792-003, Page 2, available at: 
lva.virginia.gov/chancery/full_case_detail.asp? CFN=049-1792-003#img. The 1792 complaint states 
that Patty Walton (Mosby) is dead. 

31 See Ancestry.com, Alabama Surname Files Expanded 1702-1981, Image 363 and discussion above. 

32 George Walton was mentioned in his mother’s 6 Jun 1798 Will. 

33 Ancestry.com, Virginia Compiled Marriages 1660-1800, Marriage of George Walton and Margaret 
Tabb, 25 Jun 1759, Cumberland County, Virginia. It is not certain that this is our George Walton, 
although the date and location both suggest it. 

34 Will of Thomas Walton, 26 Aug 1771, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

35 Charles Cortland Walton, Jr., “Notes on the Family of Edward Walton and Some of Its 
Connections” (The William and Mary Quarterly Oct 1926), Vol. 6, No. 4, Pages 344-350. 

36 Miller et al. v. Walton, Cumberland County Chancery Causes, 1792-003, available at: 
lva.virginia.gov/chancery/full case_detail.asp? CFN=049-1792-003#4img. 

37 Will of Edward Walton, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

38 Josiah Walton’s portion of his father’s Estate went to his own Estate, indicating he had died by the 
time it was divided on 1 Oct 1799. Miller et al. v. Walton, Cumberland County Chancery Causes, 1792- 
003, Page 14, available at: lva.virginia.gov/chancery/full case_detail.asp?CFN=049-1792-003#img. 

39 Thomas Walton, Jr. was the Executor of his father’s Estate, which he divided in 1798. Miller et al. v. 
Walton, Cumberland County Chancery Causes, 1792-003, Page 14, available at: 
lva.virginia.gov/chancery/full_case_detail.asp?CFN=049-1792-0034img. 

40 See Hopkins of Virginia, Page 116 and discussion below. 

“| Hopkins of Virginia, Page 117; FamilySearch.org, Goochland County Deed Books, 1728-1742, Vols. 1-3, 
Pages 316-317, available at: familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:30S7-99P6-905X?i=668é&cat=406600. 

2 Ibid. 

43 Ibid. 

44 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Will Books, Book 1, Page 2; Hopkins of Virginia, Page 
117. The copy of the Will available on FamilySearch is legible, but has portions of the paper torn and 


missing. Walter Lee Hopkins appears to have examined a more intact version of the Will to obtain the 
details. 

Ibid. 

46 Hopkins of Virginia, Page 116; FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records 1677-1739, 
Vol. 5, Page 439. 

47 Ibid. 

48 Nettie Leitch Major, “Cox-Coxe Family of Bluestone and Finneywood” (Virginia Genealogical 
Society Quarterly), Vol. 18, No. 4, Page 117, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

49 Hopkins of Virginia, Page 116. 

50 There is a possibility she was named Martha Hughes. Isaac Hughes was a witness to the Will of 
Frederick Cox, George’s brother. Hughes Creek is the next creek to enter the James south of Mahook 
(or Mohawk) Creek. An Isaac Hughes gave land to Marth’s children Martha “Patty” Walton and 
George Walton. Some connection seems likely here. 


418 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


51 Library of Virginia, Land Grant 28 Sep 1728, Isaac Hughes, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990007737030205756. 


52 Kerns, Waltons of Old Virginia, Page 16; For evidence that Isaac and Ashford Hughes were brothers, 
see geni.com/people/Robert-Hughes/6000000004968822259 and 
vikingsandvirginians.com/2012/05/08/hughes-and-saunders-new-kent-hanover-albemarle-fluvanna- 


and-bedford-counties-va/. 

53 Valentine Papers, Page 832. 

54 FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County, Virginia Deed Books, No. 3, Pages 119-120. 

55 Ibid., No. 4, Pages 96-97. 

56 FamilySearch.org, Cumberland County, Virginia Will Books, Book 2, Pages 7-8. 

57 Ibid. 

58 Hopkins of Virginia, Pages 116-117. He must have been born after 1710 in order to still be under the 
age of 18 at the time of his father’s 1728 Will. 

59 He was named in his mother’s 1770 Will, so must have died after this time. 

60 Hopkins of Virginia, Pages 116-117. 

61 He was named in his mother’s 1770 Will, so must have died after this time. 

® Hopkins of Virginia, Pages 116-117. She must have been born after 1714 in order to still be under the 
age of 14 at her father’s 1728 Will. 

63 Hopkins of Virginia, Page 117. 

64 genfiles.com/articles/legal-age/; Hopkins of Virginia, Page 116 argues that serving as a witnesses 


indicates Bartholomew was 21 years old, but this is not quite correct given that children as young as 
14 could serve as witnesses. 

65 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records, 1688-1697, Page 321. 

66 Hopkins of Virginia, Page 116. 

67 Ibid. 

68 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records 1677-1739, Vol. 5, Page 439. 

® The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 28, No. 8, July 1920, Pages 207-210, available 
at: archive.org/details/jstor-4243771/page/n3/mode/2up. 

70 Ibid. 

71 Ibid.; FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 1, Page 262, Image 146. 

” The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography (Oct 1927) Vol. 35, No. 4, Pages 406-409, available at: 


jstor.org/stable/4244172. 


3 publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/map/map.html#VA. 
74 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 1, Page 262, Image 146. 


75 Ibid. 

76 Hopkins of Virginia, Page 117. 

77 Ibid., Page 116. 

78 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 1, Pages 298-299. 

79 Hopkins of Virginia, Page 116 

80 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Will Books, Vol. 1, Page 2; Hopkins of Virginia, Page 117. 
One researcher notes that: “Children of Bartholomew Cox and wife Rebecca (—) included: A. George 
Cox married Martha Walton, daughter of Thomas Walton. George Cox left a will in Goochland 
County in Will Book 1, page 3, May 21, 1728, witnessed by Frederick Cox, his brother, and Henry 
Wood, husband of his cousin Martha Cox.” (wc.rootsweb.com/trees/122890/115891/-/individual). This 
would indicate that George Cox, Sr.’s wife was a Martha Walton, but this researcher does not provide 


evidence for that claim and I have not yet found any. As of now, Martha’s maiden name is unknown. 
81 Hopkins of Virginia, Page 116. 


419 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


8 Moore, Annals of Henrico Parish, Page 228. 

83 There is a record of John Cox selling 35 acres of land to John Williams on 17 Sep 1739, so he must 
have lived at least this long. FamilySearch.org, Goochland County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 3, Page 206. 
84 Hopkins of Virginia, Page 117. 

85 Walter Hopkins has John Cox born as early as 1620. This seems possible, but a slightly later date 
seems more likely to me based on a consideration of all the facts. Hopkins of Virginia, Page 114. 

86 Hopkins of Virginia, Page 116. 

87 en. wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of Jamestown, Virginia (1607%E2%80%931699); Introduction, 
Cavaliers and Pioneers, xi-xxvii. 

88 Louise Pledge Heath Foley, Early Virginia Families Along the James River: Their Deep Roots and Tangled 
Branches, Vol I., Page v, available on Ancestry.com and at: 
archive.org/details/earlyvirginiafam0000fole/page/164/mode/2up. 

89 Ibid. 

9 Ibid. 

9! en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Delaware. 

% https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of Jamestown, Virginia (1607-1699). 

3 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Rolfe. 

4 |va.virginia.gov/public/guides/va4_headrights.htm. 

% Ibid. 

% Introduction, Cavaliers and Pioneers, xi—xxvii. 

97 Nell Marion Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. I, Page 138, available at: 
archive.org/details/cavalierspioneer00nuge/page/138/mode/2up?q=Cox. 

*® Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Page 447. 

°° virginians.com/redirect.htm?topics&ed. 

100 Cavaliers and Pioneers, Page 447. 

101 we.rootsweb.com/trees/122890/115891/-/individual, citing Mrs. David O. Reichlein, “Early Virginia 
Ancestors of our Cox Family and Their Colonial Cousins” (Kentucky Family Records), Vol. 2, Page 
61, speculating that John Cox’s wife might have been a daughter of William Johnson. 

12 Excerpt from Fry and Jefferson, “Map of the Most Inhabited Part of Virginia’, 1776, David Rumsey 
Map Collection, Stanford Libraries, available at: 
davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~1917~120023. 

108 Hutchins, William Hutchins of Carolina, Appendix V, Page 640, suggests that John’s wife was a 
daughter of Robert Craddock, but this appears to be unproven. Craddock was a neighbor of William 
Cox and Isaac Hutchins. Available at: 
archive.org/details/williamhutchinso00hutc/page/632/mode/2up. Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Page 
84. 

104 Hopkins of Virginia, Page 114. 

105 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County Virginia Court Records, 1677-1739, Henrico County Record Book, 
Vol. I, Page 103. 

106 we.rootsweb.com/trees/122890/115891/-/individual, citing Mrs. David O. Reichlein, “Early Virginia 
Ancestors of our Cox Family and Their Colonial Cousins” (Kentucky Family Records, Vol. 2), Page 
61. 

107 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records 1677-1739, Vol. I, Page 225. 

108 Benjamin B. Weisiger, Colonial Wills of Henrico County, Virginia 1654-1737, Vol. 1, Page 27 or Page 
110 (source lists both), referenced at: wc.rootsweb.com/trees/122890/115891/-/individual. 

109 Hopkins of Virginia, Page 115 (“William Elam seems to have borne no love towards John Cox, Sen”). 


110 genfiles.com/articles/colonial-legal-terminology/. 
420 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


111 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records 1677-1739, Vol. I., Page 364. 

112 Benjamin B. Weisiger, Colonial Wills of Henrico County, Virginia 1654-1737, Vol. I, Page 33 or Page 
364 (reference lists both), referenced at: wc.rootsweb.com/trees/122890/115891/-/individual. 

113 Hopkins of Virginia, Pages 114-115. 

14 Ibid., Page 116; FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records 1677-1739, Vol. 5, Pages 
437-438. 

115 Hopkins of Virginia, Page 439. 

116 legalgenealogist.com/2012/04/05/x-or-w-marks-the-spot/. 

"7 Hopkins of Virginia, Pages 114-115 incorrectly list Henry as receiving this plantation and personal 
property. 

18 Ibid., Page 116. 

119 Tbid., Pages 114-115; FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records 1677-1739, Vol. 5, 
Pages 678-679. 

120 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Court Records 1677-1739, Vol. 5, Page 679. 

21 we.rootsweb.com/trees/122890/115891/-/individual, citing Mrs. David O. Reichlein, “Early Virginia 
Ancestors of our Cox Family and Their Colonial Cousins” (Kentucky Family Records, Vol. 2), Page 
61. I have not been able to locate records for this lawsuit. 

122 we.rootsweb.com/trees/122890/115891/-/individual, citing Katharine E. Harbury, message from 2 
Apr 2000. She claims that John Frederick Dorman’s book Adventurers of Purse and Person contains 
reference to primary sources, but I have not yet been able to view this book. 

123 Hopkins of Virginia, Page 115. 

124 Ibid. 

125 Ibid., Page 116. 

26 FamilySearch.org, Goochland County Deed Book, Vol. 1, Pages 298-299. 

127 Hopkins of Virginia, Page 115. 

128 Ibid. Walter Lee Hopkins notes that this Mary Baugh has been confused with Mary Branch, wife of 
Thomas Jefferson (due to Mary Baugh’s mother’s later marrying a William Branch). He claims they 
are different women. 

29 Hopkins of Virginia, Page 116 and discussion above. 

130 Ibid., Page 116. 

131 [bid. 

132 Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Page xxix. 

198 Ibid. 

134 Image and story available at: thezebra.org/2018/10/10/jamestowns-godspeed-tall-ship-arrives-in- 
alexandria-october-10/. It is believed to be in the public domain. 

135 Jack Randolph Hutchins, William Hutchins of Carolina (Gateway Press, Baltimore, MD 1995), 
Appendix V, Pages 632-647, available at: 
archive.org/details/williamhutchinso00hutc/page/632/mode/2up. 

136 historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1558-1603/member/west-robert-1574-94. 

137 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primogeniture; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Families of Virginia. 

138 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for William Coxe (1598-14 Dec 1656), Memorial No. 117594487, 
available at: findagrave.com/memorial/117594487/william-coxe. 

139 Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Page xxvi. 

140 Ibid., Page 12. 

141 [bid. 

12 Ibid., Page 44. 

43 Hutchins, William Hutchins of Carolina, Page 637-639. 


421 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


144 Tmage from Hutchins, William Hutchins of Carolina, Appendix V, Page 638. I believe the author died 
in 2001 so I have not been able to contact him for permission to reuse. The image is used here under 
the fair use doctrine for academic and research purposes. 

145 Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Page 52. 

146 Ibid. 

147 Hutchins, William Hutchins of Carolina, Appendix V, Page 637. 

148 [bid., Page 61. 

149 Ibid, Page 59. 

150 [bid, Pages 59-60. 

151 Ibid., Pages 632-647. 

152 [bid., Pages 637-638. 

153 Ibid. 

154 Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Page 80. 

155 Jack Randolph Hutchins, Robert Hutchins of Colonial America: The Historical Hutchins Family Records 
(Gateway Press, Baltimore, MD 1992), Page 2, available at: 
archive.org/details/roberthutchinsof00hutc/page/2/mode/2up. 

156 Image from Hutchins, William Hutchins of Carolina, Appendix V, Page 635. I believe the author died 


in 2001 so I have not been able to contact him for permission to reuse. The image is used here under 
the fair use doctrine for academic and research purposes. 

157 Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Page 138. 

158 [bid., Page 84. 

159 Hutchins, William Hutchins of Carolina, Appendix V, Page 640. 

160 [bid., Page 2. 

161 [bid.; Pages 2, 640. 

1 Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Page 344. 

163 See Hopkins of Virginia, Pages 114-116 and discussion above. 

164 Hopkins of Virginia, Pages 114-115. 

165 See discussion above. 

166 Kerns, Waltons of Old Virginia, Page 9 (citing Bockstruct, Virginia’s Colonial Soldiers, Page 217). 
167 archive.org/details/parishregisterof00stpe/page/44/mode/2up?q=walton. 

168 Kerns, Waltons of Old Virginia, Page 9. 

169 [bid., Page 11. 

1 [bid., Pages 21-22. 

171 [bid., Page 22. 

172 revwartalk.com/john-walton/. 


173 genealogytrails.com/vir/newkent/rentroll.html; Ancestry.com, Virginia Tax Records, Page 498. 

174 The Parish Register of Saint Peter’s, New Kent County Virginia From 1680 to 1787, Page 72, 
available at: archive.org/details/parishregisterof00stpe/page/72/mode/2up?q=walton. 

175 Charles Cortland Walton, Jr., “Notes on the Family of Edward Walton and Some of Its 
Connections” (The William and Mary Quarterly Oct 1926), Vol. 6, No. 4, Pages 344-350. 

176 Kerns, Waltons of Old Virginia, Page 11; Vestry Book of St. Peter’s Parish, Pages 167-168, available 
at: archive.org/details/vestrybooksaint00vagoog/page/n172/mode/2up?g=Walton. At the March 5, 
1734 meeting, it is noted that former Clerk Robert Walton is deceased and William Ford was chosen 
to replace him. Robert received his Clerk’s salary on 28 Sep 1734, so he must have died sometime 
between these two dates. 

177 Ibid. 


422 


Section IV, Part E: The Walton and Cox Lines 


8 The Parish Register of Saint Peter’s, New Kent County Virginia From 1680 to 1787, Page 42, available at: 
archive.org/details/parishregisterof00stpe/page/72/mode/2up?q=walton. 

179 Kerns, Waltons of Old Virginia, Page 12; The Parish Register of Saint Peter’s, New Kent County Virginia 
From 1680 to 1787, Page 43. 

180 Kerns, Waltons of Old Virginia, Page 13. 

181 The Parish Register of Saint Peter’s, New Kent County Virginia From 1680 to 1787, Page 44. 

182 Will of Thomas Walton, 26 Aug 1771, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

183 The Parish Register of Saint Peter’s, New Kent County Virginia From 1680 to 1787, Page 45. 

184 Ibid. 


423 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


424 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


F. The Link Line 


Mazie Eliza Link — 


1. Mazie Eliza Link (About 1860-1928) 


- iS 
> 
w= 


ali, 


we 


, 


The Family of Sterling Cage Brewer and Mazie Eliza Link, Circa 1902. From left to right: Sterling 
Cage, Hugh Price, Mollie Belle, Tennie, Mazie Eliza, William Francis, and Grace Corrine Brewer. 
Image provided by Hank James. 


Mazie Eliza Link was born about 1860 in Thomasville, Cheatham County, Tennessee. She was the 
seventh child of William B. Link and Amanda Randolph, and spent most of her life in the area 
between Clarksville and Nashville, Tennessee.! As a very young girl, Mazie lived through the Civil 
War. She grew up in a Methodist family that placed a high value on both their faith and their 


425 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


education. Many of her siblings would go on to become teachers, and on June 19, 1889, Mazie 
married Sterling Cage Brewer, a classical scholar, in Cheatham County, Tennessee.? The couple had 
six children in short order, all born between 1890 and 1901. 


Mazie “was a soft-spoken, gentle but sturdy partner in this marriage. During the early years of their 
life together she took boarders in their big house. The girl boarders attended the Link School along 
with the Brewers.”> Tragedy struck the family in 1904, when their daughter Dorothy “Dot” Brewer 
died at only 5 years old. “Her death resulted from burns she received when her clothing accidentally 
caught fire. In the early 1900s homes were heated by open fireplaces. The hazards of this type of 


heating were an ever present source of danger. Nearly all families experienced some loss of life or 


possessions by fire. It was one of the perils of early rural life.”* 


The Brewer home at 1103 Halcyon Avenue in Nashville. It was built in 1905 and has been well- 
maintained to the present day.® 


Around the beginning of World War I, the Brewer family moved to Nashville, where Sterling had a 
job with the Old Hickory Power Plant.* They lived at 1103 Halcyon Avenue.’ Mazie Eliza Link died at 
her home on March 11, 1928.8 She would have just been able to meet her grandson Henry Sterling 
James. Grace and her baby had moved back to live in the family’s Nashville home shortly after he 
was born on January 18, 1927. Mazie Eliza’s Link ancestors are discussed in this section. We can trace 
them back to Halifax County, Virginia, where they settled and lived for several generations. 


426 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


2. William B. Link (About 1822-1900) and Amanda Randolph (About 1824—About 
1895) 


William B. Link was born about 1822 in Halifax County, Virginia and moved to Tennessee as a young 
boy.? William was the son of James Adam Link and Catherine Newman. James Adam Link settled his 
family in Wilson County, Tennessee around 1826. They lived on Barton’s Creek, a tributary of the 
Cumberland River, near Lebanon, Tennessee.!2 On December 4, 1845, William B. Link married 
Amanda Randolph in Wilson County." By the 1850 census, two children had been born to the couple: 
Samuel Albert Link and Mary Katherine Link.” 


Nancy Duke Murphy and Josephine Duke McMahan listed William’s middle name as “Booker” in 
their book The Links of Our Family. That middle name is listed on the gravestone marker that the 
family purchased and placed in the Mallory’s Church Cemetery in 1976. However, every official 
record I have found only lists him as William B. or W.B. Link, never providing his full middle name. 
There are records for several other men named William Booker Link during this time period.’ It is 
possible that these records led to some confusion or that William’s middle name was in fact Booker, 


but it was never entered into an official record to my knowledge." 


William B. Link was on the Wilson County, Tennessee tax lists with his father between 1844 and 1853. 
William does not appear to have owned any land or slaves during this time period.'> In 1856, his 
father James Adam Link died. William and Amanda moved their family to Thomasville in Cheatham 
County, Tennessee, just west of Nashville. William appeared on the Cheatham County tax lists 
starting in 1857. On June 17, 1858, he purchased 251 acres of land from James R. Douke for $125.16 
This purchase was reflected on the 1859 tax list, where he owned 257 acres of land valued at $1,500.!” 
The Links settled “in the hilly country of the Cumberland Rim in Middle Tennessee. The land was 
tillable but rocky.”'8 By this time, four more children had been born: Marjorie Jane, Robert Edward, 


Cornelia, and William Tucker Link.?? 


The hilltop home in the Thomasville Community to which the Link family had 
moved boasted, according to census data, an acreage that cost $1,600. A rambling 
frame house, barns, and other supplementary buildings, as well as gardens, 


orchards, and pastures were, in time, added to the farm setting. 


All the necessities of life were produced in the farm home. Native timber provided 
material for buildings and also fuel for stove and fireplace. A spring at the foot of the 
hill gave summer refrigeration. A well or cistern held water for drinking or 
household use with the bucket and dipper always conveniently situated. Laundry 
was accomplished in the back yard with an iron wash pot for boiling, a scrub board, 
and lye soap made from home products, Toilet facilities were maintained back of the 
main house. The sewing machine and quilting frame had replaced the spinning 
wheel and loom of the pioneer days. Fabrics were purchased for clothing that was 
homemade and hand sewn. These garments were carefully preserved for the proper 


occasion. 


427 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


Very few food staples were purchased by the farm family. Vegetables and fruits were 
grown for summer use. They were canned, dried, or salted down for year-round 
provision. There were chickens for roasting or frying in season and a daily supply of 
eggs. Hog killing time came in the fall when the weather was cool and the meat 
processing task could be managed safely. The smokehouse served for long time 
preservation of sausage, bacon, hams, or shoulders. Wheat and corn could be ground 
for flour and meal. The big wood stove oven was always ready to deliver its aromatic 
offering of breads or desserts. The milk and butter used in the baking, as well as that 
used otherwise, came from the milk cows that must be attended in the morning and 


evening. Food was in plentiful supply but allowed only small room for choices. 


Quilting was a regular part of the family industry, especially among the women. This 
was not only a useful craft but an art form. The quilts were put together or "pieced" 
from scraps of material so that nothing was wasted. They were necessary for winter 
warmth and supplied all the bedcovering needed. They were also a colorful and 
artistic addition to the house decor. Handed down to us was a simple quilt that had 
been made by Aunt Kate of this Link family. It did not survive the years. Lots of use 
had worn it threadbare. Another beautiful creation of pink and green blocks in the 
Double Irish Chain pattern came to my family from the descendants of Jesse Link. It 


has survived to be treasured. It is in the Clarksville museum.2° 


By the 1860 census, the Thomasville Link farm was worth about $2,400, and William had a personal 
estate of $200.7! This suggests that William Link did not own any slaves, as they would have shown 
as valuable personal property during this time period. I also do not see any record of slave ownership 
in the Cheatham County tax lists. We don’t know William’s personal views on slavery. However, we 
do know he was a devout Methodist. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, was a vocal opponent 
of slavery, writing in a 1791 letter to William Wilberforce “Go on, in the name of God and in the 
power of his might, till even American slavery (the vilest that ever saw the sun) shall vanish away 
before it.””? In the late 18 Century, many Methodists freed their slaves.* This tension between 
Methodism’s anti-slavery principles and its popularity in the south eventually led to its split into 
Northern and Southern denominations in 1844.74 That denominational split foreshadowed an even 


greater one that would soon affect the entire country. 


Abraham Lincoln was elected President in the 1860 election, and before he took office in March of 
1861, seven southern states seceded and formed the Confederacy. Tennessee had voted for John 
Bell, a moderate, and the State remained divided. Following the Confederate attack on Fort Sumter 
on April 12, 1861, and Lincoln’s call for 75,000 troops, public opinion shifted, particularly in Middle 
Tennessee, the home of the Link family. On June 8, 1861, Tennessee became the last state to leave the 
Union and join the Confederacy.” During this time of upheaval, on May 7, 1861, William Link 
mortgaged his 251 acres of land to Henry Hunter for the sum of $455.7” William may have foreseen 
the need for liquid assets during the conflict that was rapidly approaching. Thankfully, the Link farm 


was fairly self-sufficient. 


428 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


I have been unable to find any military service records for William B. Link. He would have been 39 
years old at the start of the war. Many of the men who served were slightly younger, in their late 
teens or early twenties, so it is possible that William did not fight in the Confederate Army.Ӥ His sons 
may also have been spared from the war due to age, with Samuel Albert Link, the eldest son, being 
only 13 years old. The war may have caused William to go into debt. On September 6, 1869, he was 
ordered to sell 50 acres of land as part of a Chancery Court proceeding regarding a debt to Nathan 
Morris. William sold 50 acres of land that bordered the Ashland City-Thomasville Road for $400, 
with $349 going to the plaintiff to reimburse the debt.” With many men losing their lives, their limbs, 
or their sons during the war, William may have considered himself lucky to have only lost a portion 
of his land. 


In January of 1868, William Link was named the overseer of the Dirt Pike road leading from 
Clarksville to Nashville. His section of road began at the Montgomery County line and ran to 
Raccoon Creek. On modern maps, this road is known as Old Clarksville Pike. On September 4, 1869, 
he was authorized to purchase lumber and construct a bridge over “Shaw’s Spring branch on 
Paradice Turnpike.”5! I haven’t been able to pin down the exact location of this bridge, but it was 


likely on or near the section of road that William was already responsible for maintaining. 


The 1870 census shows the entire Link family living 
in Cheatham County, Tennessee. William and 
Amanda were both 45 years old, and their children 
were listed as Samuel A., Mary C., Marjory J., Robert 
E., Cornelia A., William T., Mazy E., and Amanda B. 
Link.®? William was a farmer, and in 1879, we have an 
amusing newspaper article that declares he had 
grown “a beet that weighed twelve and a half 
pounds.” “The large family of Links lived together 
in the Thomasville home for many years. Kate, ‘Nee’, 
Will, and Belle never married and spent much of their 
lifetime at the homeplace.”*+ The 1880 census shows 
the large Link family still in Cheatham County, 
Tennessee, with Samuel A. Link and his wife Sallie 


living next door, along with great aunt Jane Tucker.* 


The Links were Methodists, and religion played an 


important role in their lives. One of William B. Link’s 


Samuel Albert Link 


grandsons reported that “he always carried the key to 
the church and was there for every opening. His special chair sat at front left of the pulpit.”°° The 
Link family would often entertain the clergy and hold church functions at their home.*” A one room 
church was built at Mallory’s in 1870, and W.B. Link was one of three trustees. Mallory’s Methodist 
Church still stands today, just north of where Thomasville Road meets Old Clarksville Pike, about 
halfway between Nashville and Clarksville, Tennessee. 


429 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


A March 4, 1882 newspaper article by A.T. Goodloe, a Methodist pastor, provides a glimpse into the 
character of William B. Link. “A recent letter from my good brother, W. B. Link, of Thomasville, 
admonishes me that my name is not yet blotted out in that region. I cannot say of him, as Baston 
Neblett once said of me to my face, that he is the prettiest man I ever saw, but he is as true as steel to 
his friends and principles, and has a clear head to discern the right. His house, like that of the Shaws 
on the other hill, and many others that I would like to name, is one of those hospitable homes that 
you can go in and out at any door.”* In 1895, William Link served as a delegate to the Methodist 


Convention with his son-in-law Sterling Cage Brewer.°*? 


Along with religion, education was highly valued in the Link family. William’s son Samuel Albert 
Link was in the first graduating class at Ewing College in Illinois, which was co-founded by William’s 
brother Robert Reed Link.*© Samuel became a professor, and later in life founded the Link School in 
Thomasville.* Mary Katherine Link worked as a teacher for over forty years in the Cheatham County 
schools and the Link School, and was a Sunday School teacher at Mallory’s Church.” Cornelia Link 
worked as a teacher for several years in Cheatham County. The youngest daughter, Amanda Belle 


Link also had a career as a teacher.*4 


Near the end of her life, Amanda (Link) Randolph’s aunt Jane Tucker lived with the family of 
William Link. Jane died in 1895, and left 125 acres of land in Montgomery County, Tennessee to her 
nieces Mary J. Neblett and Amanda Link.® William Link was named the Administrator of Jane 
Tucker’s Estate.46 Amanda (Randolph) Link died that same year, 1895. William B. Link followed in 
1900, and he was buried in the family plot in Cheatham County, Tennessee.*” William’s Will left half 
of his land to daughters Kate, Cornelia, and Bell Link, and the other half to sons Samuel A. Link and 
William T. Link.® Daughters Marjorie and Mazie (our direct ancestor) received $100, and son Bob 
(Robert Edward Link) received $10. 


Children of William B. Link and Amanda Randolph: 


i. Samuel Albert LINK was born 10 Jul 1848 in Wilson County, Tennessee and died 12 Feb 1909 
in Thomasville, Cheatham County, Tennessee.*° He married Sarah Amanda “Sallie” DEBOE 
on 9 Aug 1875 in Crittenden, Kentucky.®! 

ii. | Mary Katherine “Kate” LINK was born 6 Aug 1850 in Wilson County, Tennessee and died 27 
Jul 1917 in Cheatham County, Tennessee.” 

iii. Marjorie Jane LINK was born in 1853 in Wilson County, Tennessee and died in 1910.°3 She 
married Benjamin M. JORDAN in 1881.4 

iv. Robert Edward “Bob” LINK was born in 1854 in Wilson County, Tennessee and died in 1916 
in Little Rock, Arkansas. He married Lou Tommie HUNTER on 26 Jan 1881.5° He married 
Lillian Lee RUST in 1897.% 

v. Cornelia Ann “Nee” LINK was born in 1857 in Cheatham County, Tennessee and died 19 
Apr 1917 in Cheatham County, Tennessee.°*” 

vi. William Tucker “Will” LINK was born Nov 1858 in Wilson County, Tennessee®* and died 12 
Mar 1924 in Tullahoma, Coffee County, Tennessee.* 


430 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


Vii. Mazie Eliza LINK was born about 1860 in Cheatham County, Tennessee and died 11 Mar 
1928 in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee.® She married Sterling Cage BREWER on 19 
Jun 1899 in Cheatham County, Tennessee.*! 

viii. Amanda Belle LINK was born about 1864 in Cheatham County, Tennessee and died 27 Jul 
1946 in Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee. 


3. James Adam Link (1793-1856) and Catherine Newman (1794-Before 1842) 


James Adam Link was born around 1793 in Halifax County, Virginia. He was the youngest son of 
John Link and his wife Mary. As a young man, James likely served as a volunteer soldier in the War 
of 1812. There are two records for a James A. Link in the Virginia Militia. One shows him serving as a 
private in Greenhill’s Fourth Regiment, and the other shows him as a private in the Fifth Regiment.“ 
These may be two separate men named James Link, or he may have simply served in two or more 
units during the war, which would not be uncommon. In the future, it may be possible to obtain 
more detail about James Link’s military service at the National Archives in Washington, D.C. 


Detailed records exist but are currently unavailable online. 


Our relative Nancy Duke Murphy may have viewed some of these records when preparing The Links 
of Our Family and Connected Kin with her sister Josephine Duke McMahan. Their work provides the 
basis for much of this section, although I have tried to double check their conclusions with my own 


research when possible. They report that: 


In 1813 James Link left home as a member of the Virginia Militia, becoming a private 
in the company of Capt. Isaac Medly. There were two months of service in 1813-14 
and another two months in 1816 ascribed to duty in the War of 1812. 


As a very young man Link was discharged at Camp Elliott, three hundred miles from 
home and paid about eighteen dollars for each lap of service. From papers filed in 
1855, applying for bounty land, it is disclosed that the second term of service had 
been as a substitute for John Brooks. Link received honorable discharge before 
expiration of the term when peace was declared. The brothers, Jesse and James A. 
Link, had shared this war experience together. They gave voucher for each other’s 
identity when applying for bounty land. This affidavit was necessary in lieu of 
discharge papers which James Adam said he had left with his mother in the Virginia 


home. 


Tax records show that James Adam Link lived in Halifax County, Virginia. He was missing from the 
tax lists in 1813 and 1816, supporting the theory that he was away from home on military service 
during those years. When his father James Link, Sr. died, James inherited a slave named Claiborne, 
which was reflected on the 1817 tax list.” James also inherited one still, a feather bed and furniture, 
and at the death of his mother Mary, the plantation that his father lived on at his death. His father’s 


Will also confirmed that James had the middle name of Adam.® 


431 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


On December 25, 1818, Christmas Day, James Adam Link married Catherine Newman in Halifax 
County, Virginia.” By 1826, it appears that James no longer owned any slaves and had purchased a 
second horse, likely in preparation for his move west. On November 1, 1826, James and his wife 
Catherine sold 446 acres of land on Long Branch to Thomas Link for $850.” Thomas Link was James’ 
older brother, and it likely now fell to Thomas to support his mother and run the family plantation in 
Halifax County. This land sale supports the family history that James Link left Virginia in 1826 and 


moved to Wilson County, Tennessee.”! 


The 1830 census shows James Link living in Wilson County along with his wife and five other 
people.” Three children had been born to the couple by this time: John J. Link around 1820, our 
ancestor William B. Link around 1822, and Mary Frances Link around 1824.73 That leaves one female 
under 5 and one male between 20 and 30 unaccounted for. These may have been relatives or 
boarders; we can’t be sure since the 1830 census only provides names for the head of household. The 
youngest child may be a daughter who did not survive to adulthood. A few households away we 
find Grief Randolph, who would later become part of the family when his niece Amanda Randolph 
married William B. Link in 1845.7 The Link family settled on Barton’s Creek, and census records 
show they were neighbors to other families who had moved to Tennessee from the same part of 


Virginia: Bookers, Newmans, Randolphs, Ligons, and others.” 


James A. Link appeared on an 1836 tax list for Wilson County, Tennessee. His land was valued at 
$500.76 By the time of the 1840 census, son Robert R. Link had joined the family. In the household 
were nine white persons. Based on what we know of James’ immediate family, some of these may 
have been relatives or boarders.” James had acquired eight slaves: one male between 10 and 24, two 
females between 10 and 24, and five children under 10.”* Throughout this time period, James A. Link 
appeared on the Wilson County tax lists owning 148 acres of land. Starting in 1844, his sons William 
B. Link and John J. Link also started to appear under their father’s name.” 


Sometime around 1841, James’ first wife Catherine Newman must have died, because on January 7, 
1842, we see that James A. Link remarried to Elizabeth Terrell in Wilson County, Tennessee.*? 
Catherine was likely the mother of all of James Link’s known children. On the 1850 census we see 
that Nancy Link, the youngest daughter, was nine years old, putting her birth around 1841. This 
raises the likelihood that Catherine Newman died during or shortly after Nancy Link’s birth. The 
census showed James and his second wife Elizabeth Link living with daughter Nancy and son Robert 
Link, aged 18, in Wilson County, Tennessee.*! 


James Adam Link died on July 10, 1856 in Wilson County, Tennessee. We know this date from later 
court proceedings administering his Estate.8? His second wife and Widow Elizabeth received her 
dowry of one third of the Barton’s Creek land, which amounted to 42 acres. This land bordered 
Robert Link and “Randolph’s line.”8? On September 5, 1856, Richard L. Liggon purchased the 
remainder of the property for $1,248. Robert Reed Link had purchased the interests of his siblings 
John J. Link, William B. Link, and Mary Link (who was now married to Lancelot Vivrett), so he 
received four fifths of the proceeds. The reminder went to Nancy Link, who as a minor was 


represented by a guardian. 


432 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


Elizabeth died by July 8, 1859, when Robert Reed Link purchased her share of the Barton’s Creek land 
for $50 an acre.*° Robert would later move to Ewing Township, Illinois and help found Ewing 


College. Robert’s older brother John J. Link may have also moved to Ewing, Illinois. John’s daughter 
Mary J. Link married James B. Hill in that area, and his sons Thomas J. and J.B. Link ran the “Link 


Bros.” store in Ewing.*” 


Robert Reed Link has a brief biography in 
Goodspeed’s History of Gallatin, Saline, Hamilton, 
Franklin, and Williamson Counties, Illinois, published in 
1887.8 This biography would have been written when 
Robert was still alive, which suggests it should be 
accurate, but some minor errors make me question its 
complete reliability. For example, it states that Robert 
was the youngest of six children of James A. and 
Catherine (Newman) Link. But it is clear from census 
records that Robert’s sister Nancy was about nine 
years younger and clearly the youngest child, and I 
can only account for five children born to James Adam 
Link and Catherine Newman. Parts of Robert R. Link’s 
early life are also described in History of Ewing College: 


Robert R. Link was reared on a farm on 
Barton’s Creek in Wilson County, Tennessee. 
He was distinguished as a boy by his great 


thirst for knowledge. Most fathers in Barton’s Creek community thought that a 


knowledge of arithmetic through the single “rule of three” was education enough for 


a farmer’s son, and Link’s father shared that view. The free schools of Tennessee 


offered little else than this in the short terms, beginning in July and ending in 


September with a “fodder pulling” vacation of two weeks in August. Beyond that 


free school, he was left to his own resources to acquire an education, and he spent 


about five years getting an education by his own efforts, alternately teaching and 


attending school, and in his last year of schooling was a student in Cumberland 


University, Lebanon, Tennessee.*? 


This book, written in 1961, said that Robert’s house, known as “the Link Home” was still standing as 


the last home on East Main Street in Ewing. On modern maps, there is a “Link St.” that intersects 


East Main in this small southern Illinois town. Robert Reed Link, the brother of our ancestor William, 


demonstrated the strong passion for education and teaching that still exists in Hank’s family. 


433 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


Children of James Adam Link and Catherine Newman: 


i. John J. LINK was born about 1820 in Halifax County, Virginia.) He married Martha “Patsy” 
JOHNS on 12 Jan 1841 in Wilson County, Tennessee.” 

ii. William B. LINK was born about 1822 in Halifax County, Virginia® and died 25 Oct 1900 in 
Cheatham County, Tennessee.** He married Amanda RANDOLPH on 4 Dec 1845 in Wilson 
County, Tennessee.” 

iii. | Mary Frances LINK was born about 1824 in Halifax County, Virginia® and died about 1896 
in Hickman County, Kentucky.” She married Lancelot Alanson VIVRETT on 29 Jan 1844 in 
Wilson County, Tennessee.%* 

iv. | Robert Reed LINK was born 4 Dec 1832 in Wilson County Tennessee” and died 4 Jun 1893 in 
Ewing, Franklin County, Illinois.!° He married Eliza Jane WEBB 12 Oct 1862 in Illinois." 

v. Nancy S. LINK was born about 1841 in Wilson County, Tennessee.! 


4. John Link, Sr. (By 1744-1817) and Mary (Unknown-—After 1828) 


John Link, Sr. was born by 1744 in Halifax County, Virginia. As a young man, he would simply have 
been known as John Link, without the Sr. distinction. However, over time there were several men 
named John Link in Halifax County, and our John Link appears to have been the eldest for most of 
his life. To help keep those men straight in the official records, he was often referred to as John Link, 


Sr., and I have done the same here to avoid confusion. 


The first record we have for John as an adult was his vote in the 1765 election for the Virginia House 
of Burgesses. John Link, Sr., along with his father John Adam Link and brother William Link all voted 
for Mr. Hampton Wade.'° A young man would have needed to be a legal adult of 21 to vote in the 
election, so John must have been born by 1744.'% In 1764, only John Adam Link and William Link had 
appeared on the voter list. This suggests that John was born right around 1744, not quite old enough 
to vote that year. John Adam Link and his two sons also appeared on the list of voters for Col. John 
Lewis in 1768.1% 


Nancy Duke Murphy and Josephine Duke McMahan, in The Links of our Family, reported that John 
Link, Sr. was a solider in the Revolutionary War.'% As support, they cited the records of a John Link 
who served in the Continental Army under General Peter Muhlenberg.!” However, I have not found 
anything that would prove that this John Link was our ancestor. There were many men named John 
Link in Virginia during this time. General Muhlenberg was a Lutheran Pastor who lived in 
Woodstock, Virginia, far to the north of Halifax County. That is where he recruited the men who 
formed the bulk of his 88 Virginia Regiment.'°° While General Muhlenberg’s command would have 
grown over time, and it is likely that our John Link, Sr. would have served in the local militia, I 


cannot connect him with this soldier of the same name from the Continental Army. 


On May 16, 1765, William Link of Halifax County, Virginia sold John Link of the same county 134 
acres of land “on the long Branch of Lawson’s Creek.” This was likely John’s older brother William 


Link, Sr. Long Branch is a small creek that starts in southern Halifax County, about three miles north 


434 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


of the border with Person County, North Carolina. Long Branch drains into Lawson’s Creek, which 
then flows to the northeast and drains in the Dan River near the town of South Boston, Virginia. 
Today there is a “Link Farms” near Alton, Virginia in southern Halifax County. It is located at the 
head of Long Branch creek. It is possible that extended relations from our Link family still live on the 
land that was owned by John Link, Sr. 


This transaction between our ancestor John Link, Sr. and William Link, Sr. is another indication that 
John was born by 1744, in order to be a legal adult capable of purchasing land by 1765. On October 
12, 1772, John Link, Sr. bought additional land in this same area. In that deed, he was listed as a 
“Planter” and he purchased 100 acres on Lawson’s Creek from “Mr. Roger Atkinson, Gentleman” of 
Dinwiddie County for £30.1° This land bordered William Link and William Turner, with one border 


being described as “a White Oak and Persimmon in William Turners line.”™ 


In the April 1774 term of the Halifax Court, John and William Link appeared as plaintiffs in a debt 
case.!? John and William had acquired this debt from Henry Chambers, who in turn had acquired it 
from Thomas Stanfield. An entry from November of 1778 indicates that the parties agreed to dismiss 
the case.!!3 Also in 1774, John Link purchased a 400 acre tract of land on Grassy Creek from John 
Wade.!" This land was to the northeast of the other Link land near Lawson’s Creek. John only held 
this parcel for a few years, selling it to Francis Whitlow on February 6, 1777.15 


At the November 1775 term of the Halifax County Court, John Link received a tax refund. In the 
colonial period, taxes were collected as “tithes” assigned for each person considered capable of 
working the land. Starting in 1705, this meant that all white males aged 16 and older, and all slaves 
aged 16 and older, male or female, were considered tithables.!° In a record of other accounting 
matters, we see that John Link received 89 pounds of tobacco “for two levies over paid.” "!” Perhaps 
the simplest explanation for this overpayment was a mistake or change in the number of slaves 
owned by John Link, Sr. He could not have had sons near tithable age by 1775. Most of the early tax 
lists from Halifax County have survived, and they allow us to trace John Link, Sr. and his family over 


time. 


The 1782 Heads of Families Census for Halifax County Virginia shows that John Link, Sr. had nine 
white family members and one black slave in his household."* By my estimation, at least six of John’s 
children would have been born by 1782: William, Elizabeth, Anne, Frances, John, and Thomas Link. 
John and his wife were two more members of the household, which leaves one family member 
unaccounted for in the total. This could be a child born earlier than my estimates, a child who did not 
survive to adulthood, or another relative. His brother William Link, Sr. also had nine white family 
members and one black slave. Another brother, Thomas Link, had six family members and no slaves. 


John Adam Link, the father of these men, had three white family members and three black slaves.'!9 


John Link, Sr. appeared on the 1782 Halifax County tax list, the first that is available online. My 
transcription and organization of these lists can be found in Appendix II of this book, and the 
scanned originals are available on FamilySearch.org. John had one slave and five horses in 1782. We 


learn from the following year’s list that his slave was named Ben. During this time period, John was 


435 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


listed only as “John Link.” He was known as John Link, Sr. in later years to help distinguish him from 
other men of the same name. In some years there were up to four men named John Link on the 
Halifax County tax lists. Over the next few years we can see John’s property and family grow. In 
1784, his slave was named Ned. In 1786, he added a second slave, and in 1787 a third. In that year we 
also see his first tithable, indicating that he likely has a son who had reached the age of 16. In some 
years, we know that John employed an overseer. For example, in 1789 his tithables were listed as one 


son and one overseer to help manage his four slaves. 


Ltt N Me Me shes 


Cartouche from the Fry-Jefferson Map of 1751, showing hogsheads of tobacco being loaded by 
slaves for shipment back to England!” 


John Link purchased a slave girl named Silvy from the Estate of Claude Muirhead in Caswell County, 
North Carolina in 1783.!2! John seems to have had several connections to this area of North Carolina 
and to Muirhead. One of John’s sons married Betsey Morton from Caswell County, his sister Sarah 
Link moved to Caswell County with her husband James Warren,'!” and his son James Adam Link 
married Catherine Newman, whose father Joel Newman lived next to Wall and McGehee families in 
Person County, North Carolina who were connected to Claude Muirhead’s Estate.!?3 Person County 
was formed from Caswell in 1792, so these areas were connected, and they were just across the 
border from Halifax County, Virginia. John Link, Sr. paid 101 pounds for Silvy at the Estate Sale. 


436 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


Silvy was likely younger than 16 years old, because John only showed one tithable slave (Ben, and 
then Ned) until 1786.1 We know this was our John Link because he left a slave named Silvy in his 
Will. 


From the 1798 tax roll, it is clear that the eldest son of John Link, Sr. was named William. On that roll, 
he was described as “William Link, son of John.” The only other man named John Link in Halifax 
County at this time was John Link, Jr., the son of William Link, Sr. In this confusing family, John Link, 
Sr. had a son named William, and his brother William Link, Sr. had a son named John. The younger 
John was only about 27 years old in 1798, far too young to have a 17 year old son. Therefore the 
tithable in John Link, Sr.’s household who first appeared in 1787 must have been his son William, 
who appeared on his own as William Link, Jr. in 1794. As a reminder, the Senior/Junior distinction 
during this time period was used differently than it is today. A man named William Link, Jr. was not 
necessarily the son of William Link, Sr., but instead was simply a younger man in the same area with 


the same name. 


Since the Link family can be hard to follow, with their shared names among the generations, here is a 
brief chart outlining the sons and grandsons of John Adam Link, along with their approximate year 
of birth. Our line of descent is in bold. 


John Adam Link (Born by 1719) 


Sons (Birth Year) 
William Link, Sr. | Barton Link (1742) John Link, Sr. (1744) Thomas Link (Born by 
(1740) 1751) 
Grandsons (Birth Year) 
John Link (1771) Byrd B. Link (1773) William Link (1771) No children of 
tithable age on the 
Halifax tax lists. 
Byrd Link (1773) John Link (1781) Thomas Link (1780) 
William Link, Jr. John Link (1781) 
(1775) 
Jesse Link (1781) 
James Adam _ Link 
(1793) 


We can see that John Adam Link had three grandsons named John, two grandsons named William, 
and two grandsons named Byrd (born in the same year!). By carefully tracking the tax lists and land 
records, I believe I have generally been able to keep these men straight, but some confusion is almost 
inevitable with so many men of the same name and approximate age living in the same small area. 
This habit of using the same names across generations may explain why the Link family was often 
seen using middle names, which were otherwise uncommon during this time period. Additionally, as 


discussed below, this may be a clue to the Link family’s German origins. 


In addition to his growing family and slave holdings, John Link, Sr. also acquired land during this 
time period. On April 20, 1791, William Link sold six acres and thirty-two roods of land to John Link 


437 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


” 


for £4, 10 shillings.!2° This small parcel of land was located “on the head of the long branch” and 
bordered John’s existing property. A “rood” is an old measurement of land area; there are about 4 
roods in an acre. A rood or rod was also a measure of distance used in surveying, and it’s not clear 
why this land was described as both six acres and eight acres (i.e., thirty-two roods), so either the 
exact size of this parcel was ambiguous, or I have not fully understood colonial surveying practices.16 
It is possible that this was a sale between William Link, Sr. and his son John, but by my estimation 


that John was not yet 21 years old, so I think this was more likely to be our John Link, Sr. 


On January 28, 1793, Thomas Link of Abbeville, South Carolina sold 270 acres of land on Holt’s Mill 
Creek to William Stanfield.!”” This land bordered Barton Link, Robert Holt, George Davis, William 
Turner, and Moses Turner. By this time, Thomas had moved to South Carolina, and was selling the 
land back in Virginia that he had inherited from his father John Adam Link. The deed was signed by 
John Link, likely acting on his brother’s behalf with a power of attorney.!”° 


In 1794, in two separate transactions, a man named John Link acquired 153 acres of land in Halifax 
County that bordered Ruth Parrott, Moses Turner, James Smith, William Link, and John Link.!”9 
William Link, Sr.’s son John had reached legal age by this time, and I think he is likely the man 
reflected in these land purchases. The witnesses to the second deed, signed on June 9, 1794, were John 
Turner, Byrd Link, James Turner, and William Link. I suspect that these men were the younger 
John’s brother Byrd Link and his father William Link, Sr. 


On April 27, 1795, John Link, Sr. purchased 103 acres of land on Holt’s Mill Creek.'9! The use of the 
“Sr.” designation here suggests that this was our ancestor and not one of his nephews. Similarly, on 
September 23, 1796, John Link, Sr. purchased 126 acres of land on Lawson’s Creek from the 
descendants of John Parrott. The witnesses to this transaction were James Warrin, Byrd Link, 
William Link, and James Smith.° John Link, Sr. would acquire additional land from Parrott’s 
descendants in 1802, when he bought 21 acres adjoining his existing land from both Lidford Parrot 
and Elijah Parrott, descendants of John Parrott. In 1805, he acquired 200 acres of land that had 
belonged to John Parrott from Joseph Gray and his wife Susanna of Georgia.' These transactions 


provide evidence for three more sons of John Link, Sr. 


In the first transaction with Lidford Parrott, the witnesses were William Chambers, Ransom Turner, 
and Thomas Link.'% Ransom Turner was John, Sr.’s son-in-law, the husband of his daughter Sarah 
“Sallie” Link.137 We saw above that John’s brother Thomas had moved to South Carolina several 
years earlier; this means that the witness Thomas Link here was John Link, Sr.’s son, born around 


1780 based on my analysis of the tax lists. That would make Thomas 22 years old in 1802. 


The witnesses to the second transaction with Elijah Parrott were Thomas Watkins, Jesse Link, and 
John Link, Jr.188 I believe that Jesse and John Link, Jr. were sons of John Link, Sr. These sons can be 
tracked as tithables of their father as they turned 17, starting in 1800. Because no names were 
provided, their existence has to be implied from the number of tithables that their father reported 
each year, which requires some guesswork. The chart below tracks the family of John Link, Sr. on the 


438 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


tax lists from 1796 to 1806. Text in brackets is my own attempt to fill in missing information, and does 


not appear in the original. 


1796 Tithables [Sons?] Slaves Horses 
John Link [Sr.] 2 [John, Jr.] 4 6 
William Link, Jr. 1 1 
1797 

John Link [Sr.] 2 [John, Jr.] 4 6 
William Link, Jr. 1 1 
1798 

John Link, Sr. 3 [John, Jr., Thomas] 5 7 
William Link, Son of John [Link, Sr.] 1 il 
1799 

John Link, Sr. 2 [?] 4 7 
1800 

John Link, Sr. 4 [John, Jr., Thomas, Jesse] 6 

William Link, C 0 Jn° [Child of John?] 1 1 1 
1801 

John Link, Sr. 4 [John, Jr., Thomas, Jesse] 7 8 
1802 

John Link, Sr. 3 [Thomas, Jesse] 8 7 
John Link, son of John [Sr.] 1 3 
1803 

John Link, Sr. 2 [Jesse] 7 7 
John Link son of John [Sr. ] i 1 3 
Thomas Link 1 1 
1804 

John Link [Sr.] 2 [Jesse] Wh 

Thomas Link 1 

1805 

John Link, Sr. 2 [Jesse] 7 8 
Thomas Link 1 2 
1806 

John Link, Sr. 1 6 4 
Thomas Link 1 1 4 
Jesse Link 1 1 


439 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


I do not have a good explanation for the 1799 tax list, where William Link does not appear and John 
Link, Sr. only shows one additional tithable. But if we track the other years, I believe we can see 
John’s sons reaching the age of 16 (ie., the first year they would appear as a tithable) and then 
moving out on their own. Although young men became legal adults at age 21, they would not have 
necessarily been listed separately on the tithe lists at that age if their father was still willing to pay 


their tax.139 


As we see in the table above, in 1800, John Link, Sr. reported three additional tithables. I believe these 
were sons Thomas, Jesse, and John Link, Jr. The first of these sons to appear on his own was John 
Link, Jr., described in the 1802 tax list as “John Link, son of John.” “° That suggests he may have been 
the oldest of these three. Thomas Link appeared separately on the 1803 list, and Jesse followed in 
1806.14! 


So, the John Link, Jr. and Jesse Link that served as witnesses to John Link, Sr.’s 1802 land purchase 
were likely his sons. While the English Common Law that the Virginia Colony followed required a 
man to be 21 years old for most legal purposes, a few actions could be performed by minors as young 
as 14. One of those actions was serving as a witness to a deed or contract.'* Based on my analysis of 


the tax lists, John Link, Jr. was about 22, but his younger brother Jesse was only about 18 in 1802. 


According to Walter V. Turner, John Link, Jr. may have married Betsey Morton on January 12, 1802 in 
Caswell County, North Carolina. Caswell County was just to the southwest of Halifax County, 
Virginia. A few years earlier, Byrd Link (son of William Sr.) had married Avey Morton, believed to be 
the sister of Betsey, which provides some additional support for this theory.'4 Betsey (Link) Morton 
appears to have re-married by September 6, 1804.15 Divorce was not a legal option during this time 
period.'46 Along with the disappearance of this John Link from the tax lists after 1803, and the fact 
that John Link, Sr.’s Will does not name a surviving son John Link, this strongly suggests that John 
Link died by 1803. 


On April 22, 1811, John Link, Sr. sold 103 acres of land south of the Dan River to his son Jesse Link for 
£60.!4” In 1814, John made two land sales to his sons-in-law. One Virginia land sale was 103 acres 
south of the Dan River on the branches of Holt’s Mill Creek to Charles Guthrie, the husband of John’s 
daughter Frances Link, for $200.'48 Based on the acreage and the description, this may have been the 
same land that John purchased in 1795 from James and Milley Smith. The other sale was 20 acres 
south of the Dan River on Lawson’s Creek to James Turner, husband of John’s daughter Elizabeth 
Link, for $50.49 The witnesses for both sales were William Stanfield, Thomas Link, and James 
Dillard. 


John Link, Sr. signed his Will on October 9, 1817, and it was proved in court on October 27, 1817, so 
we know that he died in October of that year.!*! John left his plantation, livestock, and furnishings to 
his wife Mary, along with five slaves: a man named Mountain, a man named Barton or Burton, a boy 
named Charles, a woman named Silvy (discussed above), and a woman named Hannah. We have 


very little information about John’s wife Mary. My assumption is that Mary was the mother of all 


440 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


John’s children, but because we only see her name mentioned in the Will, that is not certain. She 
outlived her husband by at least eleven years. From 1818 until 1828, she appeared in the tax rolls as 


the widow of John Link, Sr., and she was likely running the plantation along with her son Thomas.” 


John Link, Sr. left his youngest son, our ancestor James Adam Link, a slave boy named Claiborne, one 
still, and a feather bed and furniture. After (his mother?) Mary’s death, James Adam Link was to 
inherit the plantation and slaves. Daughter Susanna Link received a slave named Lucy, a horse and 
saddle, and a feather bed and furniture. Daughter Nancy Link received a slave named Mary and the 
same items as Susanna. Daughter Jane Oliver and son Jesse Link each received $100, and son Thomas 
Link received a feather bed and furniture. The reminder of the Estate was to be equally divided 
between the following children: Elizabeth Turner, Frances Guthrie, Sarah Turner, Polly Oliver, Jane 
Oliver, Susannah Link, Nancy Link, Thomas Link, and James A. Link. Jesse Link did not appear on 
this list, perhaps because he had received property back in 1811. William Stanfield, Robert Oliver, 


and son Thomas Link were appointed Executors of John’s Estate. 153 
Children of John Link and Mary: 


i. | William LINK was born about 1771 in Halifax County, Virginia and died after 1800 and likely 
before 1817.14 

ii. Elizabeth “Betty” LINK was born between 1770 and 1780 in Halfiax County, Virginia and 
died after 1818.1 She married James TURNER. 

lii. Anne LINK was born by about 1777 in Halifax County, Virginia” and died after 1834 in 
Cherokee County, Georgia.8 She married Richard BOSTICK on 20 Jan 1798 in Halifax 
County, Virginia.’ 

iv. Frances “Fanny” LINK was likely born by about 1778 in Halifax County, Virginia and died 
after 1818.1 She married Nathaniel GUTHRIE on 25 Jul 1798 in Halifax County, Virginia.!%! 

v. | John LINK was born about 1780 in Halifax County, Virginia and likely died about 1803 in 
Halifax County, Virginia.’ He married Betsey MORTON on 12 Jan 1802 in Caswell County, 
North Carolina.'% 

vi. | Thomas LINK was born about 1782 in Halifax County, Virginia! and died before 27 Aug 
1855 in Halifax County, Virginia. He married Mary M. DUPUY, widow of James 
CHAMBERS on 30 Nov 1848 in Person County, North Carolina at the age of 66.1% 

vii. Jesse LINK was born about 1784 in Halifax County, Virginia!” and died after 1870, likely in 
Humphrey’s County, Tennessee.'% He married Elizabeth “Eliza” OLIVER on 7 Jan 1806 in 
Person County, North Carolina.’ 

Vili. Sarah “Sallie” LINK was born by 1784 in Halifax County Virginia and died after 1850, likely 
in Yalobusha County, Mississippi.!” She married Ransom TURNER on 26 Oct 1801 in Halifax 
County, Virginia.’ 

ix. Mary “Polly” LINK may have been born around 1787 in Halifax County, Virginia!” and died 
after 1870 in Smith County, Tennessee. She married Bluford OLIVER on 23 Dec 1813 in 


Person County, North Carolina.!” 


441 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


x. Jane “Jenny” LINK was likely born about 1788 in Halifax County, Virginia and died after 
1818.14 She married Robert OLIVER.!5 

xi. | Susannah “Susan” LINK was likely born around 1790 in Halifax County, Virginia and died 
after 1833 and before 1840.'”° She married Kinchen NEWMAN after 1817.17” 

xii. | James Adam LINK was born in 1793 in Halifax County, Virginia! and died 17 Apr 1856 in 
Wilson County, Tennessee.!”? He married Catherine NEWMAN on 25 Dec 1818 in Halifax 
County, Virginia.1® 

xiii. | Nancy LINK was born about 1796 in Halifax County, Virginia and died after 1860, possibly in 
Alabama.'*! She married Threewitts “Threatts” NEWMAN after 1817.1* 


On April 4, 1853, John Link, Sr.’s son Thomas Link drafted his Will. Thomas did not marry until late 
in life, and as far as we know, he did not have any children. His brief Will stated “In the name of God 
Amen, I Thomas Link of the County of Halifax and State of Virginia being of sound mind and 
memory do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament. I give to my beloved wife Mary 
M. Link the third of my real and personal estate. The rest I do not think proper to will now.” 


In 1826, James Adam Link had sold his brother Thomas 446 acres of land in Halifax County.'*° By 
1850, Thomas Link owned as many as twenty slaves.!* Although he left the brief Will discussed 
above, Thomas’ failure to devise this extensive real and personal property led to extended court 
proceedings to divide his assets among his siblings and their children.1*° Much of the family had 
scattered to other parts of the country, and they appointed local family members to act as their 
representatives in the estate proceedings.'* 


Kinchen Newman, the husband of Thomas’ sister Susannah, administered the Estate, which appears 
to have involved proceedings in both Halifax County, Virginia and Person County, North Carolina. 
Since our descent from John Link through his son James Adam Link is clear and well-documented, I 
have not delved into the details of these proceedings. However, an undated note from the North 
Carolina records shows that Kinchen Newman sold land and slaves from Thomas Link’s Estate worth 
$8,156.!8” Thomas’ widow Mary received her third, and ten of the children of John Link, Sr. divided 


the remainder: 


442 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


This list confirms many of the children of John Link, Sr., along with the spouses for several of his 
daughters.'8§ The $557 that each sibling was entitled to in 1855 would have a purchasing power of 
almost $20,000 in 2023 when adjusted for inflation.1° Although that is a very rough estimate of one 
measure of historical worth, it helps to explain why John Link’s relatives were appointing 
representatives back in Halifax County to ensure they received their fair share of Thomas Link’s 
Estate. 


5. John Adam Link (By 1719-1789) and Sarah 
a 


WEST 
VIRGINIA Harrisonburg 


ro 
La 


CAROLINE 


te 


Fri Apr 30 1728 - Thu Nov 29 1742 


Brunswick County - In 1740, a frontier 
area that would later include Halifax 
County 


CAROLINE created from ESSEX, KING AND 
QUEEN, and KING WILLIAM. 


Leaflet | © OpenStreetMap contributors, © CartoDB 


Spotsylvania and Caroline Counties, Virginia, with the larger Brunswick County to the southwest 
that would later be divided and include Halifax County’ 


Our ancestor John Adam Link was likely born by about 1719. At this point, it is uncertain if he was 
born in Virginia of English descent or if he was a recent German-speaking immigrant. I believe the 
evidence suggests the latter origin is more likely, for several reasons. Our family history, as recounted 
in The Links of Our Family, is that the Links originated in Germany. That book was written by Nancy 
Duke Murphy and Josephine Duke McMahan and published in 2002. Legends of family origin are 
hard to prove, and I was initially skeptical of this claim. Most of the records for John Adam Link 
suggest that he was an English tobacco farmer and slave owner, just like his neighbors in Colonial 
Halifax County, Virginia. However, Robert Reed Link, a son of James Adam Link discussed above, 
believed that he descended from a German family on his paternal line.'*! Robert, who lived from 1832 
to 1893, was the great-grandson of John Adam Link. That puts claims of German ancestry much 


443 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


closer to the source, and although not conclusive, it does suggest that there may be something to this 
story. 


There are several records for a man named John Adam Link who lived in Caroline and Spotsylvania 
Counties, starting with William Robards and his wife Mary selling land in Caroline County to John 
Adam Linck on October 10, 1740.1% Spotsylvania and Caroline border each other and are located 
north of Richmond, Virginia. At this time, Halifax County had not yet been created from the large 
frontier area of Brunswick County. On September 13, 1745, Philemon Hawkins sold more land to 
John Adam Linck in Caroline County.!% These early deeds suggest that John Adam Link was born by 
at least 1719 in order to be of legal age to purchase land in 1740. Also, in each instance John’s last 
name was spelled “Linck”, a more Germanic spelling than the “Link” name we see in later 


generations. That is our first indication that John Adam Link may have been German. 


We also see evidence of John Adam Link in neighboring Spotsylvania County, and here the signs of 
German origin are much stronger. On October 2, 1749, John Adam Link purchased 100 acres of land 
for £30.14 Just over two years later, on November 4, 1751, John Adam Link and his wife Sarah sold 
this same tract of land to Thomas Dilllard for £20.1% Thomas Dillard later mentioned this land in his 
1774 Will, devising it to his son William Dillard.'% 


This deed is important for two reasons. First, it establishes that John Adam Link was married to a 
woman named Sarah. As we will see below, our John Adam Link from Halifax County named his 
wife Sarah in his Will. That is a strong indication that we are looking at the same couple here in 
Spotsylvania County. Second, although he was described as “John Adam Link” in the text of the 
deed, his signature reads as “Johan Adam Linck.” Several researchers with knowledge of German 
script have examined this signature, and they all agree that it reads as Johan Adam Linck.!” The third 
letter of his first name, which looks like an “f” or “j” to modern readers, is in fact a German “h.” The 
first two letters of “Adam” are a combined “Ad”, with the top of the d looping back and connecting 
with the A. This is very strong evidence that John Adam Link originally learned to write his name in 
German and was baptized as Johan Adam Linck. At some point, he transitioned to the more 
Anglicized “John Adam Link”, but as of 1751, he was still using his native German script as a legal 
signature. We can see that Sarah Link was using the more English spelling of “Link”, suggesting that 
she may have been of English ancestry. 


iP: 


The signatures of Johan Adam Linck and Sarah Link! 


444 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


The German name Johan, which we might think of as a “first name,” was more likely a spiritual, 
baptismal name. Often, all the men in the same family would share a baptismal name. Thus, Johan 
Adam Linck could have had brothers such as Johan Wilhelm or Johan Heinrich. He would have used 
his secular name (or “rufnamen”) of Adam within the family and during his day to day life. This 
practice may help us connect our John Adam Link to the Johan Adam Linck of Spotsylvania County. 
On many later records, our John Adam was referred to simply as “Adam.” Indeed, that his how he 
signed his own Will in 1783, as “Adam Link.” Middle names for English colonists were rare during 
this time period, while German immigrants would often have this double spiritual and secular 
naming pattern. That may explain why middle names appear to be more common among our Link 


ancestors than we might otherwise expect if they were solely descendants of English colonists. 


Future researchers should be careful to distinguish our John Adam Link from a man of the same 
name who emigrated from Germany to North American in 1733. John Jacob Link and his wife 
Elizabeth came to Philadelphia in that year, and one of their children was a 12 year old son named 
John Adam Link. This John Adam Link lived in Pennsylvania and then moved to Maryland. His 
descendants, some of whom also had the John Adam Link name, moved to the part of Virginia that 
would later become West Virginia. This John Adam Link died in 1805, several years after our 
ancestor John Adam Link, and they lived in different areas, so it is clear they are not the same 
person.2 Researcher Walter V. Turner also reports that Y-DNA tests from descendants of these two 


men have proved that they were unrelated. 


When looking at early German immigrants to North America, there is one group that stands out as 
potentially related to our Link line. In 1714, Lieutenant Governor Alexander Spotswood encouraged 
settlement along the frontier, in the area that would later be named Spotsylvania County in his 
honor.2°? Spotswood brought forty-two Germans from the Siegerland area to provide a buffer against 
the French and to work as miners in his ironworks. Along with a second group of twenty families in 
1717, they established the Germanna settlement.”> Other German families apparently joined the 
settlement at later dates. A fair amount of research has been done on these German immigrants and 
their descendants. However, I have not been able to find any mention of the Link or Linck names 
among them. Because of the proximity of the Germanna Settlement to where we find Johan Adam 


Linck in the 1740s, this remains an intriguing clue to our possible Linck origins. 


Another researcher in this Link family was George Link, a descendant of John Adam’s son Thomas 
Link. The legend in that branch of the family is that “John Adam Link was the descendant of a 
German family which came to Tidewater Virginia from Germany in 1649. They came by ship to 
Jamestown and from there, sailed up the James River to the vicinity of Petersburg.”2 In 1649, 
Petersburg had not yet been founded. The site was the location of Fort Henry, a frontier fort near the 
falls of the Appomattox River commanded by Abraham Wood.” Fort Henry served as the western 
frontier of (legal) white settlement until 1691, and Wood led several exploratory expeditions into 
Indian country.” If the Link ancestors did settle here, they would have been at the very edge of 
Colonial society. That makes this legend difficult to prove. The area around Fort Henry would have 


445 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


been in either Charles City County or Henrico County, but I have not yet been able to find any Linck 
references in the limited records that survive from this period. 


We don’t have any further records for John Adam Link in Spotsylvania or Caroline Counties after 
1751. I think it is likely that he was the same man who first appears in a Halifax County, Virginia 
record in 1755. In that year, John Adam Link was reported as owning 400 acres of land and no slaves 
in a list returned by Robert King.”°° This may be the land that John Adam Link purchased from 
William Byrd III, which was recorded a few years later. 


William Byrd IT was the only surviving son of William Byrd II, one of the wealthiest men in the 
Virginia Colony. William Byrd IT was a member of the House of Burgesses, served on the Governor’s 
Council, and was the founder of Richmond, Virginia.” He was one of the commissioners appointed 
to survey the dividing line between Virginia and North Carolina, and he became an extensive land- 
holder in this area. Byrd was also well-known as an author. His 1733 account entitled “A Journey to 
the Land of Eden” was in part an advertisement for settlement in the area that included the future 
Halifax County.?!° It is this famous William Byrd that likely inspired the “Byrd” name in later 
generations of the Link family. His son William Byrd III inherited an estate of over 179,000 acres. 


A Portrait of William Byrd III?" 


According to Walter V. Turmer’s research, in consultation with Lawrence Martin (a dedicated 
genealogist who worked at the Halifax County Circuit Court Clerk’s Office and had an extensive 
knowledge of the history of this area?!?), many of the unwitnessed deeds to Byrd’s land were written 
and signed in the Colonial capital of Williamsburg. In some cases, the grantees would not visit and 


446 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


settle their new land on the frontier until years later. Mr. Martin reported that the deeds would not be 
dated until they were entered into the Halifax County books, even if they had in fact been signed 
years earlier.?'3 If true, this may explain how John Adam Link acquired the 400 acres of land reported 
on the 1755 list discussed above. This may be the same land as the 396 acres he purchased from 
William Byrd IIL, finally entered into the Halifax County books in 1759. 


If the John Adam Link of Spotsylvania County moved to Halifax County, he would have been 
following the general trend of migration for this time period. As new land for settlement was opened, 
the Virginia Colonists would generally migrate south and west. Halifax County was formed in 1752 
from the southwestern portion of Lunenberg County. With the structure of colonial governance 
taking shape, and vast tracts of William Byrd’s land available for sale, this new frontier would have 
been an attractive proposition in the late 1740s and throughout the 1750s, the time period when we 
first see John Adam Link in the area. 


There were numerous families who made similar moves from Spotsylvania to Halifax, and several of 
them are connected with our Link family. Walter V. Turner, who has thoroughly researched his 
Halifax County descendants, says one book of Spotsylvania County records “reads like a census of 
Halifax.”2!4 To take one example, on December 4, 1750, we see Abraham Rogers and his wife Barbara 
sell ten acres of land in St. George Parish, Spotsylvania County, to George Rogers. The witnesses 
were Robert Huddleston, Lancelot Warrin, and Hackley Warrin.?'5 Abraham Rogers and his wife later 
moved to Halifax County, where he left a Will in 1762.7! Abraham owned land near William Link 
and John Adam Link.?!? His daughter Mary Rogers married Joseph Turner, a relative of the Turner 


family that extensively intermarried with the Links.?! 


The Warrin (or Warren) men who witnessed the Rogers’ land sale were also related to our ancestors 
by marriage, and made the move from Spotsylvania to Halifax.?!? James Warren married Sarah Link, 
the daughter of John Adam Link.” Frances Turner, the sister of Ransom Turner who married into the 
family of John Link, was the wife of Hackley Warrin.”2! When William Link purchased land in Halifax 
County in 1761, John and James Warren were witnesses.” These multiple connections between the 
Warren, Turner, and Link families are typical of this time period, when extended kin groups would 
migrate and settle new lands together.” That we see members of the Link’s kin group migrating 
from Spotsylvania County to Halifax County is an excellent indication that the John Adam Link in 


both locations was in fact the same man. 


Antrim Parish encompassed the entire area of the new Halifax County, and as part of the established 
church, was involved in both the civil and religious administration of the new County.?4 One of the 
first members of the Antrim Parish Vestry was Thomas Dillard.2% This Thomas Dillard seems likely 
to have been the son of the Thomas Dillard who purchased John Adam Link’s land back in 
Spotsylvania County, another connection that suggests we are looking at the same John Adam Link 
in both locations.” As part of its role in the civil government, the church helped to manage the 
sometimes complicated boundaries of land ownership. Groups of men in the Parish would be 


directed by the Vestry to “procession” the land in a particular precinct. These men would survey the 


447 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


land of their neighbors, and ideally work together to limit the disputes arising from ambiguous and 


poorly defined surveys and deeds.”” 


As part of a 1760 processioning we learn of “Adam Link[‘s] land[,] present William Link.”??8 The 
previous entry in this processioning list was for Robert Holt’s land on the Dan River, and the 
following entry was for James Irwin’s land on Lawson's Creek.” Several later records place John 
Adam Link and his sons in the Lawson’s Creek area, so this must be him. As I will discuss below, 
there is some minor ambiguity about whether the William Link here was the son or other relative of 
John Adam Link. However, I believe that there is strong evidence he was in fact John Adam’s eldest 


son. 


On July 16, 1761, William Link also purchased land from William Byrd: 334 acres in Halifax County 
on “the Long Branch” for £5.50 Walter V. Turner has shared maps of these deeds, which are found in 
a book by Roger C. Dodson.3! By combining pages 17A and 17B of that book, we can see how close 
these two tracts of land were to each other, and also view some of the neighbors of these Link men. 
We can see land belonging to James Irwin just to the north of William Link. To the south of John 
Adam Link is the land belonging to Robert Holt. There were several plots for “Turner” men in this 


same area, and several Turner descendants would later marry into the Link family. 


448 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


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the land of William Link, James Adam Link, and several Turner relatives?” 


449 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


In 1763, several Link men appeared in the Halifax County records in connection with the local militia. 
For their role as sergeants, Henry Scrugs and John Link received £7, 3 shillings each. John Adam 
Link may have been the sergeant listed here, since his son John would only have been about 19 years 
old at this time. John Link and Barton Link received 7 shillings each, presumably for providing 
provisions to the militia.%4 There was also a record for a “John Lynk” receiving payment of £1, 1 
shilling for provisions. The only adult John Link I am aware of in Halifax County during this time 
period was our ancestor John Adam Link. However, it is possible there were other men of this name 
in the area, and they could be extended family members. One indication of a second John Link can be 


found in the Halifax County voting records. 


On November 28, 1764, John Adam Link and William Link were among the men who voted for 
Hampton Wade for the House of Burgesses.” The following year, John Adam Link and William Link 
were joined by John Link as voters for Hampton Wade. As discussed above, I believe this is an 
indication that our ancestor John Link turned 21 in 1765 and was eligible to vote for the first time. 
John Adam, William, and John Link also voted for George Watkins in the 1765 election.”*” It appears 
that the Virginia House of Burgesses was composed of two representatives from each district, so the 


Links may have been able to vote for two candidates.” 


There are similar records for the Link men voting for two candidates in the 1768 election. John Adam 
Link, William Link, and John Link were listed as voters for both Nathaniel Terry and Col. John Lewis 
on December 2, 1768.7 In the 1768 voter rolls, “John Link” appeared twice in each of these lists. As 
noted above, I am not aware of any other men named John Link in our family that would have been 
old enough to vote in 1768. Both William Link and Barton Link would later have sons named John 
Link, but they were not born until about 1771 and 1781, respectively. This second John Link on the 
1768 voter rolls was either a mistake in the records or another man named John who was likely 


related to our Link line in Halifax County. 


In August of 1767, John Adam Link won a default judgement against Henry Farley in a debt case. 
John Adam had sued to recover a debt of £2, 18 shillings and 3 pence, with Isaac Reed as his attorney. 
Farley did not appear in court to defend himself, and John produced a note acknowledging the debt, 
so the Court ordered that he should recover this amount along with 7 shillings, 6 pence for lawyer's 


fees.240 


In 1772, John Adam Link sold 120 acres of land on the branches of the Hico River to “Barton Link, son 
of the said John Adam Link” for 15 shillings.”4! If we didn’t have clear evidence that Barton was his 
son in the deed, the price of 15 shillings would be a strong indication of a family connection since this 
appears to be well below the market rate for land at the time. The witnesses to this deed were 
William Link, Thomas Link, and Samuel Hensly.? 


I do not have any solid evidence that John Adam Link or his son John Link, Sr. were soldiers in the 
Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. However, it seems likely that John Adam’s sons 
would have served in the local militia. Whether they served in an official capacity or not, the war 


would pass right through their community. 


450 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


eee ah Miles The Race To The Dan 
i | February 1781 : © matte 


A-12, B-10 etc. indicate American and 
British armies and probable date for 
campsite. Campsites of light corps 
unknown for most part. 


A British Troops 


Quote from Lord Cornwallis: "Greene is as 
dangerous as Washington. I never feel secure 
when encamped in his neighborhood. 


A American Troops 


wa oe 


country just exhib 
"wholesome and abut 


“The Race to the Dan” which passed through southern Halifax County, between the Dan and Hico 


Rivers.2% 


John Adam Link and his sons appeared on the personal property tax lists for Halifax County, which 
are first available starting in 1782. Please see Appendix II for my transcription of these lists.*“4 In 1782, 
John Adam owned three salves and two horses.” John Adam Link paid the tax for himself as a 
tithable. However, from 1783 until 1788, which is the last year he appeared, he paid for a tithable only 
in 1787. John Adam Link drafted and signed his Will in 1783, although he lived until at least 1788. 
Exemptions to the tax could be made for those “unable to work due to infirmity or age.”?4° John was 
specifically listed as exempt in 1788, and given that he signed his Will and stopped paying taxes in 
1783, it seems likely that he was suffering from some type of illness for the last five years of his life. 
The tithable that John Adam Link paid for in 1787 could have been a family member who was living 
with him, or perhaps he recovered slightly and was able to work in that year. 


John Adam Link’s Will, admitted to probate in 1789, listed sons Barton, Thomas, and John Link, 
along with daughters Peggy Foster, Sarah Warrin, and Milley Warrin.”” Barton Link received £10 
after his mother’s death. Thomas Link received the 267 acres where John Adam Link lived.8 I do not 
think this means that Thomas was necessarily the eldest son; in fact I think it is more likely he was the 
youngest. John Adam Link’s other sons were already established land owners by 1783 when he 
drafted his Will. Often, the youngest son would be given the father’s plantation with the expectation 


451 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


that he care for his mother during her remaining years. I think that may have happened here, but 


Thomas’ date of birth is unknown. 


William Link was listed twice in John Adam’s Will, but in neither case was he specifically named as a 
“son.” Instead, John Adam Link directex that after the death of his wife Sarah, “all the remainder of 
my Estate be sold and equally divided between William Link, Sr., my son John Link, my daughter 
Peggy Foster, my daughter Sarah Warren and my daughter Milly Warren.” William Link and 
Thomas Link were named Executors. If William Link, Sr. was the son of John Adam Link, it is 


curious that every other child was clearly named as a son or daughter except for him. 


Despite this ambiguity, I think it is likely that William was the eldest son of John Adam Link. It is 
clear from the records that William Link, Sr. was of the same generation as the other children of John 
Adam Link. William Link was born by at least 1740, based on his purchase of 334 acres of land on 
Long Branch from William Byrd on July 16, 1761.25° On the tax lists, we see additional tithables in 
William’s household as his sons turn 16, starting in 1787.75! John Link, Sr.’s eldest son William Link 
(the grandson of John Adam Link) also turned 16 in this year. I believe John Adam Link may have 
referred to his son William Link as William Link, Sr. in his Will in order to distinguish him from his 
grandson of the same name. While it would have been clearer to us in the present day if John Adam 
Link had simply called William his “son”, referring to him as William Link, Sr. may have avoided 


more confusion at the time. 


We also need to consider that William Link, Sr. was treated in the same manner as the other children 
in the division of the Estate. If William were a nephew of John Adam Link, for example, and an 
established land and slave owner in his own right, would he have shared in the division of the Estate 


on the same terms as John Adam’s children? 


Walter V. Turner has had Y-DNA tests done for several male descendants in the Link family. He 
reports that the descendants of John, Thomas, and Barton Link all matched.?? The descendant of 
William Link did not match with descendants of these men. In light of William Link, Sr. not being 
explicitly listed as a son in John Adam Link’s Will, this does raise some further ambiguity. However, 
these DNA results do not provide conclusive evidence. Several possibilities can explain the results: 
(1) the descendant of William Link who was tested may have obtained non-Link Y-DNA from a non- 
paternal event around the time of William Link, Sr.,2° (2) the non-paternal event could have 
happened far later among one of William’s descendants,‘ or (3) William Link, Sr. was himself the 
result of non-paternal event. If William Link, Sr. was adopted by John Adam Link, that could explain 
why his descendant does not share Y-DNA with the other Link men, and also why William Link, Sr. 
inherited in John Adam Link’s Will like the rest of his children, despite not being named as a son. The 
evidence is not conclusive. I have decided to include William Link, Sr. as a son of John Adam Link 


here, but for all the reasons noted, that conclusion may need to be revisited in the future. 
Children of John Adam Link and Sarah: 


13 Sarah LINK may have been born around 1740 in Virginia and died about 1824 in Caswell 
County, North Carolina.” She married James WARREN.*¢ 


452 


iil. 


iv. 


Vii. 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


William LINK, Sr. was born by 1740 in Virginia?” and died about 1821 in Halifax County, 
Virginia.2* He married Mary, last name UNKNOWN.9 

Barton LINK was born by about 1742 in Virginia and died in 1834 in Halifax County, 
Virginia.**! He married Ann, likely ROGERS.” 

John LINK, Sr. was born by 1744 in Virginia? and died October 1817 in Halifax County, 
Virginia.** He married Mary, last name UNKNOWN.?® 

Milly LINK married a WARREN, possibly Timothy.?% 

Peggy LINK married a FOSTER, almost certainly Ambrose.?° 

Thomas LINK was born by about 1758, and likely earlier, in Virginia? and died about 1808 
in South Carolina. Records are confusing, but there is evidence he married Judy WILSON on 
12 Dec 1789 in Halifax County, Virginia?® and Milley STANFIELD by 1805 in Abbeville, 


South Carolina.?” There may be an even earlier marriage.””! 


453 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


References for Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


1 Ancestry.com, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 4, Cheatham, Tennessee; Roll: 
M593_1518; Page: 137B; FHL Film No. 553017. 

? Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of Sterling C Brewer and Mazie E 
Tink [sic], 17 Jun 1889, Cheatham, Tennessee; Brewer Family Bible. 

3 Nancy Duke Murphy and Josephine Duke McMahan, The Links of Our Family and Connected Kin 
(Gately’s Print Shop, Clarksville, TN 2002), Page 84. Selections are available on the ChristensenJames 
tree on Ancestry.com. For a complete electronic version, please contact the author via email. 

4 Ibid., Page 145. 

5 Image captured from a previous version of redfin.com/TN/Nashville/1103-Halcyon-Ave- 
37204/home/108009303. 

6 Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 145. 

7 redfin.com/TN/Nashville/1103-Halcyon-Ave-37204/home/108009303. The humble farmers and 
teachers who lived here would likely be shocked to learn that it is now valued at over $1.4 million as 
of 2023. 

8 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Death Records, 1908-1958, Record for Maggie Link Brewer, Death Date: 11 
Mar 1928, Nashville, Davidson, Tennessee. Her birth date is given as 13 Sep 1865 in this document, 


but based on census records this must be several years too late. Mazie was already 9 years old as of 
the 1870 Census. 

9 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 22, Wilson, Tennessee; Roll: 
M432_901; Page 474B; Image: 329. 

10 Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 53. 

1 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of William B. Link and Amanda 
Randolph, 4 Dec 1845, Wilson, Tennessee. 

22 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 22, Wilson, Tennessee; Roll: 
M432_901; Page 474B; Image: 329. 

13 There is a marriage certificate for William Booker Link and Onie Lee on 7 May 1938 in Chesterfield, 
Virginia. This William’s parents are William Thomas Link and Mary Elizabeth Womack. There is also 
an SSA application for William Booker Link, son of Henry F. Link and Sallie B. Tuck, who was born 5 
Jul 1886 in Virginia. 

14 Thanks go to Walter V. Turner for pointing out this detail. 

15 FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee Tax Lists. 

16 FamilySearch.org, Cheatham County, Tennessee Deed Books, Book A, Pages 248-249. 

17 FamilySearch.org, Cheatham County, Tennessee Tax Books, 1856-1891, 1859, Page 154. 

18 Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 54. 

19 Ibid. 

0 Ibid., Pages 54-55. 

21 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 4, Cheatham, Tennessee; Page 203; 
FHL Film No. 805243. 

22 umc.org/en/content/timeline-methodism-in-black-and-white. 

23 Wood, Empire of Liberty, Pages 508-542. 

4 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methodist_ Episcopal Church, South. 

5 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_ Civil War#Outbreak of the_war. 

26 en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Tennessee_in_the_ American Civil War. 

27 FamilySearch.org, Cheatham County Deed Books, Vol. B, Page 110. 


28 familysearch.org/wiki/en/Locating a Confederate Civil War Soldier (1861%E2%80%931865). 


454 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


29 FamilySearch.org, Cheatham County, Tennessee Deeds, Vol. C, Pages 60-61. 

30 FamilySearch.org, Cheatham County, Tennessee Court Minutes, Vol. B, Pages 604-605. 

31 Ibid., Vol. C, Page 86. 

32 Ancestry.com, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 4, Cheatham, Tennessee; Roll: 
M593_1518; Page: 137B; FHL Film No. 553017. 

33 Clarksville Weekly Chronicle, “We are indebted to Mr. W.B. Link” (Clarksville, Tennessee 29 Nov 
1879), Page 3, available at: newspapers.com/clip/72724674/william-b-link-125-pound-beat/?xid=637. 
34 Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 55. 

35 Ancestry.com, 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 4, Cheatham County, Tennessee; Roll: 
1247; Page: 43C; Enumeration District: 030. 

36 Ibid., Page 56. 

37 Leaf-Chronicle Weekly, “The Young Ladies” (Clarksville, Tennessee 10 Apr 1885), Page 3 (a 


fundraiser held at the home of W.B. Link), available at: newspapers.com/clip/72725089/article- 
referencing-william-b-link-and/?xid=637. 

38 Clarksville Weekly Chronicle, “A recent letter” (Clarksville, Tennessee 11 Mar 1882), Page 4, 
available at: newspapers.com/clip/72724877/letter-from-at-goodloe-about-william/?xid=637. 

39 Leaf-Chronicle Weekly, “Methodist Conference” (Clarksville, Tennessee 23 Apr 1895), Page 2, 
available at: newspapers.com/clip/72742952/william-b-link-and-sterling-c-brewer/?xid=637. 

40 Aaron Erastus Prince, History of Ewing College (Herald Printing, Collinsville, Illinois 1961), Page 51, 
available at: archive.org/details/historyofewingco00prin/page/24/mode/2up. The image at left of 
Samuel Albert Link was found on Ancestry.com and is believed to be in the public domain. 

“1 Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 77. 

” Ibid., Page 86. 

48 [bid., Page 92. 

“4 Ibid., Pages 95-96. 

4 FamilySearch.org, Cheatham County, Tennessee Will Books, Vol. C, Page 167. 

46 [bid., Page 313. 

47 Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 56. 

48 FamilySearch.org, Cheatham County, Tennessee Will Books, Vol. C, Page 371. 

49 Ibid. 

50 Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 77. 

51 Ancestry.com, Kentucky, County Marriage Records, 1783-1965, Marriage of Saml. A. Link and Sallie 
A. Deboe, 9 Aug 1875, Crittenden, Kentucky. 

52 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Death Records, 1908-1958, Record for Mary Kate Link; Murphy and 
McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Pages 86-87. 

53 Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 88. 

54 [bid.; Ancestry.com, 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Civil District 7, Robertson, Tennessee; 
Page: 1; Enumeration District: 0050; FHL Film No. 1241594, noting marriage date of 1881. 

55 Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 89. 

56 Ibid., Page 90. 

57 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Deaths and Burials Index, 1874-1955, Record for Cornelia Ann Link, FHL 
Film No. 1299664; Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 92. Census records and The 
Links of Our Family indicate that Cornelia was born in 1857 and was older than her brother William. 
The death index record has an 1859 birthdate and may have been a mistake when filled out by a 


relative. 
58 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 4, Cheatham, Tennessee; Page 203; 
FHL Film No. 805243. 


455 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


5° The Tennessean, “W.T. Link” (Nashville, Tennessee 13 Mar 1924), Page 16, available at: 
newspapers.com/clip/23341117/the-tennessean/?xid=865. 

60 Mazie’s birthdate seemed to move later with every census record, and was given as 13 Sep 1865 on 
her death record. Ancestry.com, Tennessee Death Records, 1908-1958, Maggie Link Brewer, Certificate 
No. 5413. However, that date would make her younger than Amanda Belle Link, which is 
inconsistent with Census records and The Links of Our Family. 

61 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of Mazie E Tink [sic] and Sterling C 
Brewer, 17 Jun 1889, Cheatham, Tennessee. 

® Ancestry.com, Tennessee Death Records, 1908-1958, Miss Belle Link, Certificate No. 16400; Murphy 
and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Pages 95-96. 

63 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 22, Wilson, Tennessee; Roll: 
M432_901; Page: 472A; Image 324; History of Gallatin, Saline, Hamilton, Franklin and Williamson 
Counties, Illinois (The Goodspeed Publishing Co. Chicago, IL 1887), Pages 798-799, available at: 
archive.org/details/historyofgallati00chic/page/798/mode/2up?q=Link. 

64 Ancestry.com, U.S. War of 1812 Service Records, 1812-1815, James A Link, 4 Reg’t (Greenhill’s) 
Virginia Militia, Roll Box: 126; Microfilm M602; Ancestry.com, U.S. War of 1812 Service Records, 1812— 
1815, James A Link, 5 Regiment Virginia Militia, Roll Box: 126; Microfilm M602. 

6 Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Pages 45-46. 

66 See Appendix II. 

67 Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 45; Tax Records of Halifax County, Virginia, 
abstracted by Walter V. Turner and available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

68 Will of John Link, FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Will Books, Vol. 11, Page 60. 

° Goodspeed, History of Gallatin, Page 798; Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 41. 
70 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 34, Pages 230-231. 

71 Goodspeed, History of Gallatin, Page 798. 

7 Ancestry.com, 1830 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Wilson, Tennessee; Series: M19; Roll: 182; 
Page: 72; FHL Film No. 0024540. 

73 Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 49 and census records cited below. 

7 Ancestry.com, 1830 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Wilson, Tennessee; Series: M19; Roll: 182; 
Page: 72; FHL Film No. 0024540. 

75 Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 46. 

7 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Early Tax List Records, 1783-1895, James A. Link, 1836, Wilson, Tennessee. 
7 Ancestry.com, 1840 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Wilson, Tennessee; Page: 300. 

78 Ibid. 

79 FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee Tax Lists, Image 52. 

80 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of James A Link and Elizabeth 
Terrell, 7 Jan 1842, Wilson, Tennessee. 

81 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 22, Wilson, Tennessee; Roll: 
M432_901; Page: 472A; Image: 324. 

82 FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee Chancery Court Minute Books, Book C, Pages 464—465. 
This 10 Jul 1856 document notes that James A. Link “died intestate in this County on the 17 day of 
April Last.” I have interpreted this as 17 Apr 1856, i.e. the last time April 17 occurred, but it could 
also be 17 Apr 1855, April 17* of last year. 

83 FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee Chancery Court Minute Books, Book C, Page 503. 

84 Ibid., Book D, Pages 129-130. 

8 Ibid., Pages 383-385, 443. 

86 Prince, History of Ewing College, Pages 20-24. 


456 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


87 Goodspeed, History of Gallatin, Pages 787-788, 798-799. 

88 [bid., Pages 798-799. 

89 Prince, History of Ewing College, Pages 22-23. The image above of Robert R. Link can be found on 
page 21. 

% Tbid., Page 21. 

91 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 22, Wilson, Tennessee; Roll: 
M432_901; Page: 472A; Image: 324. 

2 Goodspeed, History of Gallatin, Pages 787-788; Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, 
Marriage of John A Sink and Martha Johns, 12 Jan 1841, Wilson, Tennessee. The original record 
makes clear the surname is “Link.” 

93 Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 53; Ancestry.com, 1880 U.S. Federal Census, 
Census Place: District 4, Cheatham, Tennessee; Roll: 1247; Page: 43C; Enumeration District: 030. 

°4 The Tennessean, “W.B. Link” (Nashville, Tennessee 27 Oct 1900), Page 6, available at: 
newspapers.com/clip/72723574/william-b-link-obituary/?xid=637. 

% Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of William B. Link and Amanda 
Randolph, 4 Dec 1845, Wilson, Tennessee. 

% Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 21, Wilson, Tennessee; Roll: 
M432_901; Page: 479B; Image: 339. 

%” FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Mary Frances Link Viverett (1824 — 6 Feb 1896), Memorial No. 
125259559, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/125259559/mary-frances-viverett. This source does 
not provide any reference for the specific death date. 

% Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of Mary Link and Lancelot Vivrett, 
29 Jan 1844, Wilson, Tennessee. 

°° Goodspeed, History of Gallatin, Page 798. 

100 Ancestry.com, Illinois, Wills and Probate Records, 1772-1999, Robert R. Link, Probate Date: 20 Jun 
1893, Franklin, Illinois; Prince, History of Ewing College, Page 24. 

101 Prince, History of Ewing College, Page 22. 

10 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 22, Wilson, Tennessee; Roll: 901; 
Page: 472A. 

103 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 3, Loose Records at End of Book 3, 
Image 671. The name is difficult to read, but it appears to be “Hampton” and I have seen other 


records of a Hampton Wade around this time. 

104 genfiles.com/articles/legal-age/. 

105 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 3, Loose Records at End of Book 3, 
Image 674. 

106 Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 19. 

107 Ancestry.com, U.S. Compiled Revolutionary War Military Service Records, 1775-1783, Records for John 
Link, Images 1167-1170. 

108 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Muhlenberg. 

109 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 5, Page 360. On the same date, Peter 
Rogers sold William Link 12 acres of land on the long branch of Lawson’s Creek for £1. 
FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 5, Pages 356-357. Walter V. Turner had in 
his notes that this was a gift from Rogers to William Link, but I think he may not have viewed the 
original deed, stating the land was sold for 1 pound. This was possibly the market rate for the small 


twelve acre piece of land, and thus may not be evidence that William Link married a daughter of 
Peter Rogers. 


457 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


110 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 8, Pages 496-497. Dinwiddie County is 
spelled “Denwoody” here. 

11 Ibid. 

12 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Order Books, Book 9, Page 3. 

13 Ibid., Page 374. That John Link and William Link were joint holders of a debt is further evidence 
they were brothers, although there remains some uncertainty on this point. See discussion below. 
114 T have not found a deed for this land. It is recorded on block 21D of the plat books prepared by 
Roger C. Dodson, discussed below and available on the ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

5 [bid. I believe that Dodson may have placed this land too far to the northwest. If it was on Grassy 
Creek, it seems that it should have been in plot 19C, not 21D. 

116 genfiles.com/articles/tithables/. 

117 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Order Books, Book 9, Page 140. 


18 genealogytrails.com/vir/halifax/1782census.html. 
19 [bid. 


120 Image in the public domain, and available at: encyclopediavirginia.org/1018hpr-0194e1b221bf0c6/. 
The map was created by Joshua Fry and Peter Jefferson, with the cartouche seen here designed by 
Francis Hayman. 

21 FamilySearch.org, North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979, Caswell County, Claude Muirhead (1782), 
Image 9 of 11. 

122 Will of John Adam Link; Walter V. Turner, “Notes to Sarah Link (who married James Warren)” on 
the ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

123 FamilySearch.org, Person County, North Carolina Deed Books, 1792-1825, Book D, Pages 335-338. 
Elizabeth Wall appears to have been the widow of Claude Muirhead, and several Wall men 
transferred their interest in Muirhead’s Person County, North Carolina land. 

124 See Appendix II. 

125 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 15, Pages 105-106. 

226 en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Rood_ (unit). 

227 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 15, Page 475. 

128 Ibid. 

129 Ibid., Book 16, Pages 183, 228-229. 

130 Ibid., Page 229. 

131 Ibid., Pages 358-359. 

132 Ibid., Pages 689-690. 

133 Ibid. 

134 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 19, Pages 347-348. 

135 [bid., Book 12, Pages 590-591. Witnesses to this transaction were William Link, Jesse Link, Thomas 
Link, and Byrd Link. 

136 Ibid. 

137 Ancestry.com, Virginia Select Marriages, 1785-1940, Marriage of Sally Link and Ransome [sic] 
Turner, 26 Oct 1801, Halifax, Virginia. 

138 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 19, Pages 347-348. On 9 Oct 1805 John 
Link, Sr. acquired even more land that once belong to John Parrott, this time from Joseph Gray and 
Susanna his wife (Parrott?). Witnesses were William Link, Jesse Link, Thomas Link, and Byrd Link. 
Ibid., Page 590. 

139 genfiles.com/articles/tithables/. 

140 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists, 1782-1850, 1800-1812. 

141 Ibid. 


458 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


12 genfiles.com/articles/legal-age/. 
143 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Records, 1741-2011, Marriage of John Link and Betsey 


Morton (incorrectly transcribed as Kerton), 12 Jan 1802, Caswell, North Carolina. 

144 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Records, 1741-2011, Marriage of Byrd Link and Avey 
Morton, 12 Mar 1799, Caswell, North Carolina. 

145 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Collection, 1741-2004, Marriage of John Kimbrough and 
Betsey Link, 6 Sep 1804, Caswell, North Carolina. 

146 genfiles.com/articles/womens-rights/. 

147 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 23, Page 46. 

148 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 25, Pages 142-143. 

149 Tbid., Pages 156-157. 

150 [bid. 

151 Will of John Link, FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Will Books, Book 11, Pages 60-61. 
Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Pages 19, 26-27 appear to read this Will and other 
legal documents as though they were written by the family members, providing evidence of literacy. 
However, the Will was almost certainly drafted by an attorney or the court clerk, since John Link 
signed with his mark. 

182 Appendix II. 

153 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Will Books, Book 11, Pages 60-61. 

154 See Appendix II, Halifax County Tax Lists. William last appears in 1800, and was not mentioned in 
his father’s 1817 Will. 

155 Will of John Link. 

156 Will of John Link; Walter V. Turner’s notes to Elizabeth Link on ChristensenJames tree on 
Ancestry.com. 

157 An estimate based on her marriage date. I suspect she was born several years earlier. 

158 Will of John Link; Walter V. Turner’s notes to Anne Link on ChristensenJames tree on 


Ancestry.com. Apparently, Anne Bostick was noted in an 1834 Census in Cherokee, Georgia, and was 
likely a widow at that time. 

159 Ancestry.com, Virginia Select Marriages, 1785-1940, Marriage of Anne Link and Richard Bostick, 20 
Jan 1798, Halifax, Virginia. William V. Turner notes that a William Link served as bondsman, and I 
suspect this was her brother. 

160 Will of John Link; implied birth date about 20 years before her marriage on 25 Jul 1798. 

161 Ancestry.com, Virginia Select Marriages, 1785-1940, Marriage of Fanny Link and Nathan Guthrie, 25 
Jul 1798, Halifax, Virginia; Walter V. Turner’s notes to Fanny Link on ChristensenJames tree on 
Ancestry.com. 

162 See Appendix II and discussion above. From the tax lists, I believe he would have been born about 
1780, first appearing as a 16 year old tithable in 1796. The names of tithables were not listed, so this is 
an implied conclusion based on my analysis of the tax rolls and land deeds. 

163 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Records, 1741-2011, Marriage of John Link and Betsey 
Morton (incorrectly transcribed as Kerton), 12 Jan 1802, Caswell, North Carolina. 

164 See Appendix II. I believe Thomas turned 16 in 1798, since he is the person who makes the most 
sense as his father's second tithable in that year. That would have him being born about 1782. 

165 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Will Books, Book 24, Page 618. Thomas’ Will was dated 4 
Apr 1853 and was admitted to probate on 27 Aug 1855, so he died sometime between these two dates. 
166 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Records, 1741-2011, Marriage of Mary Chambers and 
Thomas Link, 30 Nov 1848, Person, North Carolina; Walter V. Turner’s notes to Thomas Link on 
ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 


459 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


167 Jesse first appears as an implied tithable in his father's tax list in 1800, suggesting he turned 16 in 
that year and was born in 1784. This also roughly matches his later census records. 

168 Ancestry.com, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 7, Humphreys, Tennessee; Roll: 
M593_1539; Page: 71A; FHL Film No. 553038. 

16° Ancestry.com, Person County, North Carolina Marriage Records, 1792-1868, Marriage of Jesse Link 
and Eliza Oliver, 7 Jan 1806. 

170 Will of John Link; Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: North of the Tallobusha 
River, Yalobusha, Mississippi; Roll: M432_382; Page: 404B; Image: 821. Based on her marriage date of 
1801, I suspect she was born slightly earlier and moved her birth date up by the time of the 1850 
Census, but it is possible she was married at 17. 

171 Will of John Link; Ancestry.com, Virginia Select Marriages, 1785-1940, Marriage of Sally Link and 
Ransome [sic] Turner, 26 Oct 1801, Halifax, Virginia; On 12 Oct 1819 Ransom Turner of Williamson 
County, Tennessee appointed his brother-in-law Thomas Link to act on his behalf in regards to Estate 
of John Link, late of Halifax County. FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 28, 
Page 296. 

12 Mary “Polly” Oliver’s birth year is hard to pin down. On the 1850 Census it was 1778, on the 1860 
Census it was 1787, and on the 1870 Census it was 1786 (see census records on ChristensenJames tree 
at Ancestry.com). Her marriage in 1813 suggests the later date may be more accurate, but further 
research is needed here. 

173 Will of John Link; Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Records, 1741-2011, Marriage of Polly 
Link and Beuford Oliver, 23 Dec 1813, Person, North Carolina; Walter V. Turner’s notes to Mary 
“Polly” Link on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

174 Will of John Link; birth year is an estimate based on her marriage date of 1808, and could be off by 
several years in either direction. 

7% Ancestry.com, Person County, North Carolina Marriage Records, 1792-1868, Marriage of Robert Oliver 
and Janny [sic] Link, 18 Feb 1808; Walter V. Turner’s notes to Jane “Jenny” Link on ChristensenJames 
tree on Ancestry.com. 

17% No adult females appear with Kinchen Newman on the 1840 Census, suggesting Susannah had 
died by this date. 

177 Will of John Link; Walter V. Turner’s notes to Susannah Link on ChristensenJames tree on 
Ancestry.com. 

78 He first appears on the Halifax County tax lists in 1814, so if he was 21 in that year, he would be 
born in 1793. That also matches with his implied first inclusion as a 16 year old tithable in the 
household of his father John Link in 1809, and his given birth year of 1793 on the 1850 Census. 

179 FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee Chancery Court Minute Books, Book C, Pages 464-465. 
180 Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 41; Goodspeed, History of Gallatin, Page 798. 
181 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Subdivision 2, Coosa, Alabama; Page: 353; 
FHL Film No. 803007. 

182 Will of John Link; Walter V. Turner’s notes to Nancy Link on ChristensenJames tree on 
Ancestry.com. 

183 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 34, Pages 230-231. 

184 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census Slave Schedules, NARA Microform Publication: M432; 
Record Group No. 29, Thomas Link, Southern District, Halifax, Virginia. 

185 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Will Books, Book 25, Pages 426-429; Book 26, Pages 158— 
160. 

18 Walter V. Turner’s notes to Thomas Link, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 


460 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


187 The version found in Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 23, has a handwritten 
note that says “On Back says ‘Execution for 1856’”. 

188 FamilySearch.org, North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979, Person County, Link, Thomas, Image 2, 
available at: familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:30SQ-G992-LNW7?i=1&wc=Q6WR- 
KT7%3A183525501%2C183334401%2C188036301 &cc=1911121. 

189 measuringworth.com. 

190 The Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries, available at: 

digital. newberry.org/ahcb/map/map.html#VA. 

191 Goodspeed, History of Gallatin, Page 798. 

12 FamilySearch.org, Caroline County, Virginia Order Books, 1740-1746, Page 8. 

193 Ibid., Page 524. 

194 FamilySearch.org, Spotsylvania County, Virginia Deed Books, Book D, Pages 428-429. 

1% Tbid., Book E, Pages 18-20. 

196 Ibid., Page 94. The land is described that purchased from “John Adam Linck.” There is no 
indication that John Adam’s wife Sarah was a daughter of this Thomas Dillard. 

197 T am indebted to several researchers on Reddit.com’s Genealogy forum for their help on this 


transcription. The writing was also reviewed by Edwin Ellis, a friend of Walter V. Turner, and 
matches the script used by a “Johann Adam Stoltz” in a document that Edwin discovered. 

1% FamilySearch.org, Spotsylvania County, Virginia Deed Books, Book E, Pages 18-20. 

199 rieperoots.com/pages/Names/customs.htm; kerchner.com/germname.htm. 


200 That has not, of course, stopped people from confusing them on family trees posted online. 

201 Walter V. Turner, “General Notes to John Adam Link and his family”, available on 
ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com, Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Pages 2-3. 
20 en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanna. 

203 germanna.org/about/history/. 

204 germanna.org/2013/09/10/list-of-original-germanna-settlers/. 

205 Walter V. Turner, “Notes to Thomas Link (son of John Adam)”, available on the ChristensenJames 
tree on Ancestry.com. 

206 en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort Henry (Virginia). 

207 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham Wood. 

208 reynoldspatova.org/documents/1755%20Halifax1.pdf. This is a typed transcription of that record. 


Neither Walter V. Turner or I have been able to locate the original. 

209 en. wikipedia.org/wiki/William Byrd _II. 

210 encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/byrd-william-1674-1744/. 

211 By John Hesselius and in the public domain. Available at: 

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William Byrd _Il]#/media/File:Portrait, William Byrd III, John Hesselius.jpg. 
212 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Lawrence Maynard Martin (4 Jun 1935-31 Oct 2017), Memorial 
No. 184873732, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/184873732/lawrence-maynard-martin. 

213 Walter V. Turner, “General Notes to John Adam Link and his family”, available on 
ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

214 Walter V. Turner, email to the author, 21 Mar 2021. 

215 William Armstrong Crozier, Virginia County Records, Vol. 1, Page 184 (available at: 
archive.org/details/virginiacountyre01croz/page/184/mode/2up?q=Rogers). 

216 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County Virginia Deed Books, Book 1, Page 155. 

217 A 16 May 1776 deed from William Harden and his wife Phebe to Roger Atkinson transferred 383 
acres on both sides of Holts Mill Creek, bordering Adam Link. This land was described as surveyed 


461 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


and deeded by Abraham Rogers. FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 10, Page 
138. 

218 Walter V. Turner, email to the author, 21 Mar 2021. Apparently this connection is supported by 
DNA evidence, with several Turner men of the same generation showing shared DNA. 

219 Some online trees speculate that John Adam Link’s wife Sarah was a Rogers, but I have seen no 
evidence for this claim. 

220 Will of John Adam Link; Walter V. Turner, “Notes to Sarah Link (who married James Warren), 
available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

221 Walter V. Turner, email to the author, 21 Mar 2021. Walter reports that this is a younger Hackley 
Warrin than the one who witnesses the Rogers’ deed. 

222 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 3, Page 142. 

223 thomasharrisofvirginia.wordpress.com/2014/10/05/6/. 

224 Wirt Johnson Carrington, A History of Halifax County Virginia (Appeals Press, Inc. Richmond, VA 
1924), Pages 15-18. 

225 FamilySearch.org, Antrim Parish, Halifax County, Virginia Vestry Book, 1752-1817, Page 1. 

226 Thomas Dillard was named in his father’s 1774 Spotsylvania County Will. William Armstrong 
Crozier, Virginia County Records, Vol. 1, Page 29, available at: 


archive.org/details/virginiacountyre01croz/page/28/mode/2up?q=Dillard. 


227 senfiles.com/articles/processioning/. 
228 FamilySearch.org, Antrim Parish, Halifax County, Virginia Vestry Book, 1752-1817, Page 80, Image 52. 


229 Ibid. 

230 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 3, Page 142. 

231 Roger C. Dodson, Property Lines from an Old Survey Book, Halifax County, Virginia, 1741-1901 (VA- 
NC Piedmont Genealogical Society 1998), Plats 17A and 17B. 

232 Roger C. Dodson, Property Lines from an Old Survey Book, Halifax County, Virginia, 1741-1901 (VA- 
NC Piedmont Genealogical Society 1998), Plats 17A and 17B. 

233 vagenweb.org/hening/vol08-06.htm. 

24 Ibid, 

235 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 3, End of Book 3, Images 668-669. 

236 [bid., Image 671. 

237 Ibid., Image 673. 

238 britannica.com/topic/House-of-Burgesses. 

239 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 3, End of Book 3, Image 673-675. 

240 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Plea, Minute, and Order Books, Book 5, Page 495. 

241 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 8, Pages 380-381. 

242 Ibid. 

243 Image believed to be in the public domain and available at: hmdb.org/m.asp?m=30951. 

244 Scanned copies of the tax lists are available on FamilySearch.org, and these were consulted in 


order to create Appendix II. Transcriptions can have errors and I also may have made errors or 
omissions, so future researchers should consult the original scans when trying to resolve any 
ambiguity or uncertainty in my interpretations. 

245 He owned the same number of slaves in 1783 and 1784. In the first year I read them as Peter, Sam 
and Hos, although the last name is difficult to read. In the following year, they were Peter, Jim and 
Joice, again with the last name being difficult to read. 

246 senfiles.com/articles/tithables/. 

247 Will of John Adam Link, FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Will Books, Book 2, Pages 328- 
329, 


462 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


248 Ibid. 

249 Ibid. 

250 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 3, page 142. 

251 A ppendix II. 

252 Walter V. Turner, “Notes to William Link, son of John Adam Link”, available on ChristensenJames 
tree on Ancestry.com. These Link men were all part of “Haplogroup J2 = J-M172). 

253 Walter V. Turner reports that there is a Y-DNA match with a genetic distance of 3 who shows an 
ancestor named John See Seay, born 1764 in Halifax County, Virginia and died 1830 in Smith County, 
Tennessee. A match with a genetic distance of three has a 50% likelihood of sharing an ancestor 
within six generations, which roughly lines up with this Seay man who was in Halifax County. 

254 T.e., only this particular descendant or his close family may not be a match to William Link, while 
other descendants of William Link could share the Link Y-DNA. 

255 Her date of birth is a rough estimate. Walter V. Turner, “Notes to Sarah Link (who married James 
Warren)” on the ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

256 Will of John Adam Link; Walter V. Turner, “Notes to Sarah Link (who married James Warren)” on 
the ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

257 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 3, Page 142. 

258 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Will Books, Book 12, Page 89. 

259 Walter V. Turner had previously thought that Mary was likely the daughter of Peter Rogers, based 
ona small land transaction where Peter Rogers deeded 12 acres to William Link. Based on the 
abstract, this was listed as a gift. However, the actual deed shows that William Link paid 1 pound for 
the land, which may have been the market rate for such a small parcel. Thus, this was not a gift. 1am 
not aware of any other evidence for Mary’s surname. 

260 Barton Link, along with John Link (either his father or brother) received payment of 7 shillings in 
1763 in connection with the Halifax County militia. This suggests he was either 21 years old or close 
to alegal adult by this time. 

261 FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Will Books, Book 17, Page 214. The Will was probated on 
22 Dec 1834. Barton appeared on the 1833 tax list, so it seems likely that he died in 1834, or perhaps 
late 1833. 

262 Walter V. Turner, “Notes to Barton Link (son of John Adam)”, available on the ChristensenJames 
tree on Ancestry.com. John Rogers listed an Ann Link in his 1797 Person County, North Carolina 
Will, and the abstract includes a “Basten” Link as a purchaser of property. This seems likely to be 
Barton. 

263 See discussion of deeds and voting records above. 

264 Will of John Link, FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Will Books, Book 11, Pages 60-61. 

265 Ibid. and discussion above. 

266 Will of John Adam Link; Walter V. Turner, “Notes to Millie Link”, available on ChristensenJames 
tree on Ancestry.com. 

267 Will of John Adam Link; Walter V. Turner, “Notes to Peggy Link”, available on ChristensenJames 
tree on Ancestry.com. Walter has gathered a large amount of circumstantial evidence indicating that 
Peggy’s husband was Ambrose Foster, who lived near to the Links in Halifax County, Virginia. 

268 Thomas Link served as a witness to a 1772 land sale between his father John Adam Link and his 
brother Barton Link. FamilySearch.org, Halifax County, Virginia Deed Books, Book 8, Pages 380-381. He 
would have been at least 14 years old to serve as a witness, and was probably older. 

269 Wirt Johnson Carrington, A History of Halifax County, Virginia (Richmond, VA 1924); marriage 
records available at: genealogytrails.com/vir/halifax/marriages_pre1800.html. 


463 


Section IV, Part F: The Link Line 


270 FamilySearch.org, Abbeville District, South Carolina Marriages, 1777-1852, Image 26. This record 
appears to have been compiled from Wills and Estate records. Walter V. Turner notes that William 
Stanfield’s 1805 Will names a Milley Link and left money to Thomas Link. That is likely the source of 
this record, and is circumstantial evidence that Milley married Thomas Link. Walter V. Turner, 
“Notes to Thomas Link (son of John Adam), available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

271 Family history from that line has Thomas Link married to Betsey Stanfield, which may be an 
additional marriage. I have not independently researched these marriages and cannot confirm how 
they might fit together. Walter V. Turner, “Notes to Thomas Link (son of John Adam), available on 
ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 


464 


Section IV, Part G: The Newman and Threewits Lines 


G. The Newman and Threewits Line 


Catherine Newman 


1. Catherine Newman (About 1798—About 1841) 


Catherine Newman was the wife of James Adam Link, and what we know of her life is described in 
his section above. She was the daughter of Joel Newman and Lucy Hill, and we are able to learn more 


about several generations of ancestors in each of these lines. 
2. Joel Newman (About 1753-1838) and Lucy Hill (1761-Before 1820) 


Joel Newman was born between 1751 and 1755 in either Surry or Sussex County, Virginia. This range 
for his birth is implied from census records. On the 1800 census, Joel was listed as over 45 years old, 
meaning he was born before 1755.! On the 1830 census, he was between 70-79 years old, indicating 
that he was born between 1751 and 1760.2 Combining the two records gives us a range of 1751 to 
1755. Sussex County, Virginia was created from the southwestern portion of Surrey County in 1754. 
So depending on the exact year of his birth, the name of the county would have been either Surry or 


Sussex. 


Our first record for Joel Newman was a purchase of land from Joell Threewitts on January 31, 1777. 
This confirms that he would have been born by 1756 in order to legally purchase land in 1777. 
Threewitts sold Joel Newman 214 acres of land south of the Nottoway River on Cabbin Stick Swamp. 
The land bordered Matthew Whitehead and Col. Robert Bollings. This was a tract of land originally 
patented by John Threewits in 1749.4 This land is a strong connection to Robert Newman of Surry and 
Sussex Counties, and suggests that Joel Newman was Robert's son. 


Robert Newman and his wife Katherine Threewits lived in Albemarle Parish, which was in southern 
Surry County, Virginia before 1754, and Sussex County afterwards. The Parish Register has survived, 
and it records the births of five children to this couple between 1740 and 1750.5 The records continue 
past 1750, but unfortunately there is no record of Joel Newman’s birth. That adds some uncertainty to 
whether he was the son of this couple. However, I think there is a strong case based on circumstantial 
evidence. That argument is made throughout the discussion below, but the strongest points are that 
Joel Newman purchased land which Robert Newman had inherited from John Threewits; Joel 


465 


Section IV, Part G: The Newman and Threewits Lines 


Newman named his eldest son Robert and named a daughter Catherine; and Joel named another of 
his sons Threewitts. Threewitts or Threewits (the name is spelled various ways in the surviving 


records) is an uncommon name with clear ties to the Newman family. 


Joel Newman married Lucy Hill in Sussex County, Virginia. The marriage record for Joel and Lucy is 
found in a group of six marriages that were performed by John Meglamre, with the notation “No 
date given.”® The marriages listed directly before this group are from December 21, 1782, and the 
group following is from October 10, 1783, so my guess is that Joel and Lucy married around 1783. 
Lucy’s Hill and Gilliam ancestors are discussed in their own section below. The Minister John 
Meglamre has an interesting story, and it may help to explain why Joel Newman’s baptism does not 
appear in the Albemarle Parish Register. 


Antioch Baptist Church was 
founded in 1772 in Sussex County, 
Virginia, “the result of effective 
preaching by Elder John Meglamre, 
of Kehukee Baptist Church in 
Halifax, North Carolina.”” Sometime 


ANTIOCH 


BAPTIST CHURCH 


—— 


Antioch Baptist Church was the first of its de- 
nomination in Sussex County and one of the earliest In 1772, he became the first pastor of 


in the late 1760s Meglamre began to 
travel north into Virginia and 


preach at homes in Sussex County. 


“in Virginia. It was formed on 13 June 1772 with . 
87 eonahicte: the caput of effective peoee ; the newly organized Raccoon 
Elder John Meglamre, of Kehukee Bap Swamp church, which would later 
_ in Halifax, North Carolina. In 1777t 


be renamed Antioch Baptist 
Church.® 


During this time period, the Church 
of England was still the official, 
established church in the Virginia 


Colony. Members of dissenting 
denominations, such as the Baptists, 
met in small groups and would have faced occasional persecution.? In 1729, we have a record of a 
small Baptist church with about thirty members in Surry County from a letter written by Rev. Paul 
Palmer of North Carolina.!° Some members of this community may have continued to practice their 
Baptist faith in the area, later drawing Meglamre to help lead their church. It is possible that the 
Newman and Threewits families became involved with the Baptist Church sometime after 1750. That 
is when Robert and Catherine’s last child was baptized in Albemarle Parish, although we have 
several records that indicate they had more children. Another clue is that in addition to the marriage 
of Joel Newman and Lucy Hill, John Meglamre also married Peter “Threeweeks” and a woman 


named Ann.!! Catherine Threewits had a brother named Peter, and given this unusual name, I 


466 


Section IV, Part G: The Newman and Threewits Lines 


suspect this Peter Threeweeks was actually a Threewits."* Additionally, if Joel Newman followed the 
Baptist faith, it may explain his later move to North Carolina, which had a strong Baptist community. 


In 1782, Joel Newman appeared on the Virginia Heads of Families census under the list of John 
Mason in Sussex County. There were two white people in the household and he owned no slaves.!8 
This second person could have been his wife Lucy Hill if they were married slightly earlier than my 
1783 estimate, or it could be another family member. There were several neighboring Hill families 
who appeared on this same census list.!* Joel Newman was also found on the property tax lists for 
Sussex County, which are available starting in 1782.15 In each of these years, he owned 214 acres of 
land, which was the parcel he purchased from Joel Threewitts in 1777. He continued to appear on 
these lists until 1798. In 1793, Joel and Lucy Newman testified that they were witnesses to the Will of 


James Horn.'6 Two of Lucy’s sisters had married into the Horn family." 


On December 6, 1798, Joel Newman and his wife Lucy sold their 214 acres of land to John Bobbit. 
This land was described as lying on Cabbin Stick Swamp, and bordering Col. Robert Bolling and 
Matthew Whitehead." It is the same tract that he had purchased in 1777 and lived on for over twenty 
years. Lucy and Joel both signed with their “X” marks, indicating they were unable to write their own 
signature. Although not unusual for the time, this is somewhat interesting, because it seems likely 


that their parents were able to read and write. 


The sale of this land was a prelude to a move, and in 1800 we see Joel Newman, Sr. in Hillsborough, 
Person County, North Carolina. On November 16, 1800, he purchased 141 acres of land on the 
headwaters of McFarland Creek from Thomas Jeffreys. He paid with $200 in silver dollars.!° There 
were thirteen people in the household: two slaves and eleven white family members.” Based on their 
age ranges and an examination of the other census records, the three eldest sons of Joel and Lucy 
Newman had been born by this date: Robert, Kinchen, and Threewitts Newman. There were also six 
girls living in the household, but we only have solid evidence for four daughters from other records. 


It is possible that two of these girls were relatives or did not survive to adulthood.” 


I have not been able to locate McFarland Creek on a modern map. However, from later land 
transactions, it is clear that McFarland Creek drained into the Hyco River, and may have been located 
near Ghent Creek. The Hyco, often spelled Hico on old records, is the main river in the northern part 
of Person County, and is a tributary of the Dan River, which runs through both Person County, North 
Carolina and Halifax County, Virginia, the home of our Link ancestors. A dam was built on the Hyco 
in the 1960s, creating Hyco Lake, and that may have changed the course of the watersheds in this 


area.22 


On September 20, 1802, Joel Newman served as a witness, along with Ish Edwards, in a land sale 
from Robert Walker to Cary Williams. This land was located “on both sides of Gents Creek of Hico.”” 
On March 1, 1807, Joel Newman sold his 141 acres on “McFarland Creek of Hico” to Cary Williams 
for 400 silver dollars.*4 It seems that Joel still owned land in the area, because on August 25, 1807, a 
sale between James Pulliam and Byrd Pulliam for land on Gents Creek listed “Newman” as a 


neighbor, and he continued to appear in the census records in Person County.* 


467 


Section IV, Part G: The Newman and Threewits Lines 


In 1810, Joel Newman purchased 136 acres on the north side of the Hico River from George Gregory 
for £36. This land was adjacent to William Warren, James Franklin, the heirs of Bird Wall, and 
Alexander Cunningham.”® Joel’s daughter Rebecca would marry David Wall in 1811,” and his 
daughter Mary “Polly” Newman would marry Powell Warren in 1814.7% Those relationships likely 


developed between these neighboring families, and may have extended back to Virginia. 


The 1810 census shows Joel Newman with fifteen people in his household: five slaves and ten white 
family members.» There were two males between the ages of 16 and 25 in the household, and I 
believe these were sons Robert Newman and Kinchen Newman. Robert Newman was married by 
this time and already had four young daughters. Robert died young, in early 1810, so it is possible 
that he was sick and had moved back with his parents near the end of his short life.°° Robert’s 
daughters would later be named in Joel Newman’s Will and at this time they were probably living 
with their mother and her family. Because he already had four daughters by 1810, I believe Robert 
was likely the eldest son of Joel and Lucy Newman. In 1811, Kinchen Newman purchased 28 acres of 
land north of the Hyco River that had previously belonged to his brother Robert Newman.** 


In 1814, Joel Newman appeared on the taxable property list in Person County, North Carolina in 
Capt. Oliver’s district. Other neighbors were his son Kinchen Newman and Byrd B. Link, one of the 
descendants of John Link, Sr. who shared that name.” Three of Joel Newman’s children would marry 
into the Link family: Kinchen Newman married Susannah “Susan” Link,** Threewitts Newman 


married Nancy Link, and our ancestor Catherine Newman married James Adam Link.® 


Joel’s wife Lucy (Newman) Hill died sometime before 1820. On the 1820 census, Joel Newman’s 
household had eight slaves and three white males. There were no females listed. The two males 
besides Joel were likely his sons Threewitts and Joel, Jr.*° A few households away, after several 
Warren families, was listed a Mrs. Nancy Green. Nancy had five children under 16 living with her, 
and was likely a widow.*” On April 17, 1823, Joel Newman, Sr. applied for a license to marry Nancy 
Green.** This is a further indication that Lucy Hill had died by 1820 and that Joel remarried. Green 
was likely Nancy’s married name, and there are several connections between the Newman and Green 


families. Joel’s youngest son, also named Joel Newman, married Winney Green in 1821. 


On April 16, 1822, Joel Newman purchased a small three-and-a-half acre tract of land adjacent to his 
existing property from James Franklin for $17.50.4° On July 10, 1824, Joel Newman (now referred to as 
Joel Newman, Sr. since his son of the same name had reached adulthood) was a witness or bondsman 
to the marriage of Richard Dillard and Anne Pass.*! These roles would generally be filled by close 
family members, but I’m not sure at this time how either Richard or Anne would be related. Joel 
Newman did have an older sister named Ann, so it is possible that she married a man named Pass, 


was widowed, and re-married in 1824. 


The 1830 census shows Joel Newman and his second wife along with fifteen black slaves.* On July 
28, 1838, Joel signed his Will.“4 He did not name a wife, so either Nancy Green had died by this time, 
or he did not see fit to devise any of his property to her, since she may have entered her second 


marriage with property of her own. Joel’s Will is fairly short, and directs that his property be equally 


468 


Section IV, Part G: The Newman and Threewits Lines 


divided among his children by his Executors and sons Kinchen Newman and Joel Newman. An 
exception was made for daughter Polly Warren. Her part was to be held until her death, with interest 
paid to her yearly and then the balance to her children when she died. It is unclear if Polly was 
unable to manage property on her own due to incapacity or temperament, or if she had some type of 
falling out with her father that led to him to withhold the principal of her inheritance. Joel Newman 
signed his Will with a distinctive “JM” mark. 


Joel Newman’s mark from his 1838 Will. The distinctive backwards “VI” may be a clue to the 
identity of Joel’s Grandfather, discussed below. 


Joel Newman’s Will was proved in court during the September term of 1838, so he definitely died in 
that year. An inventory of his Estate was completed and an Estate Sale was held, although the top of 
the page is torn. That makes it hard to decipher if Joel Newman died on August 23, 1838, or if that 
was the date of the sale. In the estate proceedings, his children said he died “sometime in August.” 4 
The personal property sold totaled $591.55. There were also sixteen debts listed as being owed to the 
Estate, at a total of $928.23. After this sale, Joel’s Estate consisted of 200 acres of land and his fifteen 


slaves.*” 


The slaves were sold at a separate sale on December 26, 1838. The first slave was a “yellow woman 
named Rose” who was sold to William Brandon for $400. The term “yellow” here likely indicates that 
Rose was mulatto, or of mixed race.*® She was the only slave described in this manner. Alexander 
Moore purchased two male slaves, Charles for $946 and Harrison for $933. Thomas Lipscomb 
purchased a male named Reuben for $950. Tom was sold to L. Farmer for $901. John Chambers 
bought a woman named Jane for $750, and Benjamin Stanfield bought a woman named Celia for 
$400. A boy named William was sold to Ola Faulkner. It seems likely that William would have been 
the son of one of the other slaves sold at this sale, and thus separated from his family. The same fate 
was likely true of a boy named Sidney, sold to Thomas Williams for $722 and a girl named Malinda, 
sold to Henry Overby for $570.” 


Several slaves stayed within the immediate family. Kinchen Newman purchased a man named John 
for $1,091. Three (likely a nickname for Threewitts) Newman purchased a woman named Dorcas and 
a child named Oney for $799.50. He also purchased a boy named Richard for $555. Perhaps this was 
part of a family unit that was kept together and passed to the next generation of Newman owners. 
Finally, Joel Newman, Jr. purchased an “old woman named Cady.” It is possible that Cady would 


have helped to raise Joel when he was a child. 


469 


Section IV, Part G: The Newman and Threewits Lines 


In total, the slaves were sold for $9,757.50, with the proceedings being divided among Joel Newman’s 
heirs.5! His slaves constituted the bulk of his Estate and were far more valuable than his other 
personal property, the debts he had acquired, or even his land. In terms of comparing these amounts 
to the present day, perhaps the best measure is the labor value of money.*? “[W]e can assume that to 
hire a free employee to do the work of a slave would cost the unskilled wage of that day.” Using 
this measure, $9,757 in 1838 is the equivalent to $2,810,000 in unskilled labor in 2021.54 Owning slaves 
was also a status symbol and a reflection of economic power. “Over 80 percent of the free adult males 


in the South did not own slaves. Only 0.11 percent owned more than 100.” 


Also as part of the estate proceedings we find a list of Joel Newman’s children: a son Kinchen 
Newman; a daughter Rebecca who married David Wall; a daughter Catherine who married James A. 
Link; a son Threewitt Newman; a daughter Mary Warren; a daughter Franky who married a man 
named Hickman; a son Joel Newman; and a son Robert Newman, now deceased, who had children 
Winny, Eliza, Martha, and Milly.* If there were other children they did not survive to 1838 or leave 


descendants. 
Children of Joel Newman and Lucy Hill: 


i. Robert NEWMAN was born by about 1784 in Sussex County, Virginia®” and died before 10 
Mar 1810 in Person County, North Carolina.** He married Nancy, possibly WILLIAMS. 

ii. | Kinchen NEWMAN was born about 1788 in Sussex County, Virginia® and died about 1783 in 
Person County, North Carolina.*' He married Dicey DILLARD on 22 Apr 1812 in Person 
County, North Carolina. He married Susannah “Susan” LINK by 1820. He married Mary 
UNKNOWN by 1850. 

iii. | Rebecca NEWMAN was born by about 1794 in Sussex County, Virginia® and died after 1860 
in Daviess County, Kentucky. She married David WALL on 3 Jul 1811 in Person County, 
North Carolina.” 

iv. Mary “Polly” NEWMAN was born by about 1796 in Sussex County, Virginia. She married 
Powell WARREN on 26 Jul 1814 in Person County, North Carolina.” 

v.  Threewitts “Three” NEWMAN was born about 1797 in Sussex County, Virginia” and died 
after 1870, likely in Alabama.7! He married Nancy LINK after 1817.7 

vi. Frances “Franky” NEWMAN was born about 1798 in either Sussex County, Virginia or 
Person County, North Carolina? and died 2 Feb 1882 in Missouri.” She married Jacob 
VANHOOK on 11 Nov 1817 in Person County, North Carolina.” She married Snowden 
HICKMAN on 20 Jan 1829 in Wilson County, Tennessee.” 

vii. | Catherine NEWMAN was born about 1798 in either Sussex County, Virginia or Person 
County, North Carolina”? and died before 7 Jan 1842 in Wilson County, Tennessee.”* She 
married James Adam LINK on 25 Dec 1818 in Halifax County, Virginia.” 

viii. Joel NEWMAN was born about 1803 in Person County, North Carolina® and died Oct 1865 
in Callaway County, Missouri.*! He married Winney Green on 23 Oct 1821 in Person County, 


North Carolina.®2 


470 


Section IV, Part G: The Newman and Threewits Lines 


3. Robert Newman (About 1720-1773) and Katherine Threewits (About 1720-1764) 


Robert Newman was likely born by about 1720 in Virginia. This is a rough estimate, and is primarily 
based on the age of his oldest known daughter, Ann Newman, who was baptized on January 11, 1740 
in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, Virginia. Ann’s baptism suggests that Robert was married by 
about 1739. Robert’s wife was Katherine Threewits, the daughter of John Threewits and his wife Ann. 
We don’t have a marriage record for Robert Newman and Katherine Threewits, but it is clear from 


several other documents that they were in fact married. 


On November 14, 1749, John Threewits signed his Will, leaving his “Son in Law Robert Newman two 
hundred and fourteen acres of land situate[d] on the South Side of Nottoway River on which he now 
liveth.” When John’s widow Ann drafted her Will on September 13, 1756, she named among her 
children “Katherine Newman” and appointed her “son in Law Robert Newman” as her Executor.* 
Together, these two Wills from Katherine Threewits’ parents solidly establish that she married Robert 


Newman. 


Robert and Katherine Newman had more children, after Ann, whose births and baptisms were 
recorded in the Albemarle Parish Registry between 1740 and 1750. Winny Newman was born May 6, 
1742, Richard Newman was born July 25, 1746, John Newman was born March 1, 1748, and Sarah 
Newman was born January 13, 1750.8 Unfortunately, there are no additional children listed for 
Robert and Catherine in Albemarle Parish after 1750, raising the question of whether our ancestor 
Joel Newman was in fact their son. So, we need to rely on the very strong circumstantial evidence. As 
we saw above, we know that Joel lived in Sussex County, Virginia, which was formed from Surry in 
1754 and was the location of Albemarle Parish. Joel Newman named his oldest son Robert, and 
named another daughter Catherine. Joel also named a son Threewitts, a very unique name that 
almost certainly indicates he was related to the Threewits/Threewitts family of Katherine Threewits. I 
think it is highly likely that Robert Newman began to associate with the Baptist Church sometime 
after 1751, explaining why we don’t see records for any of his children born after that date. 


In 1751, Robert Newman appeared on a tax list in Albemarle Parish. He was listed as “Robert 
Newman, Constable, 1 pole.”*®” This indicates that he did not have any sons over the age of 16 by this 
date, which is consistent with the birth records. Constables were men appointed by the local court to 
maintain the peace. “Major requirements were that he was literate, knowledgeable of tobacco 
cultivation and had the free time to make the required inspections of tobacco fields in early Fall.”8§ To 
serve as a constable, Robert would have taken an oath of loyalty to the King of England and the 
Anglican Church.® This indicates that if he did officially leave the Church of England, it was after 
1751. 


In 1752, Robert Newman’s land was noted in a processioning. Two of his neighbors were his 
brothers-in-law Peter and Edward Threewits.” Similar processionings in 1755 and 1759 showed 
Robert Newman as a landowner in Albemarle Parish.®! On November 21, 1752, Robert was successful 
in a small lawsuit against Robert Whitehead for £1, 10 shillings, and a penny, plus lawyer’s fees.” In 
1756, he received 1,040 pounds of tobacco for serving as a witness for eight days.% Up until this date, 


471 


Section IV, Part G: The Newman and Threewits Lines 


Robert Newman’s life appears to have been moving along a predictable course. He was an establish 
landowner and respected member of the local society, having served as a Constable. He was 
appointed as the Executor for both of his in-laws, which shows the trust they placed in their son-in- 


law. Unfortunately, starting in 1764, there is evidence that Robert's life began to unravel. 


The Albemarle Parish Register records the death of Katherine Newman and an unnamed son in 1764. 
These deaths were reported by “Robert Newman, whose Wife and Son they were.”*! Normally, I 
would suspect that an unnamed son indicates the mother died during childbirth. However, 
Katherine’s death was reported in a group of seven people, who were noted to have died “all in the 
space of five days, viz. from Sunday 30 December 1764 to Thursday the 3 January 1765.”% These 
notes were made by Rev. William Willie, who faithfully and carefully maintained the Registry for 
over forty years as Rector of the Parish. 


The other people who died this week were Rachel Hill, Matthew Whitehead, John Whitehead, Robert 
Horn, and James Smith. These are surnames that often appear as Robert Newman’s neighbors on the 
processioning lists, and we know that Joel Newman married Lucy Hill. That all these close associates 
died in the same week suggest a contagious illness, perhaps contracted at a Christmas celebration 
only the week before. Katherine may have been pregnant or had a very young child who had not yet 
been named. That Katherine was still having children close to 1764 suggests that several children 
could have been born to this couple after 1750, including our ancestor Joel Newman. Robert Newman 


was left a widower, and must have been devastated. 


On Jun 24, 1768, Amy Hill left her entire Estate to her “good friend Robert Newman” who she also 
named Executor.” As discussed below under the Hill and Gilliam sections, I believe that Amy Hill 
was the widow of a man named William Hill. Further, I believe that her daughter Frances Hill 
married John Threewitts, Jr., the brother of Robert’s wife Katherine Threewitts.°* By 1768, both Robert 
Newman and Amy Hill had been widowed, so given their family connections and shared life 
circumstances, it make sense that the two would be friends and that Amy would leave her Estate to 
Robert. 


On October 20, 1771, Robert Newman signed the following document: 


472 


Section IV, Part G: The Newman and Threewits Lines 


aT 


oh 


TSE meer SET 


LEN pa aS 

NO AGH dhodecumo Yeoriy Got #, 

i NER : rssh, 

UMMM i, these resenhs Mal ib SRY B hewstana, fhe? 

Coun (of Safe and farish of a SOT Batata. Wee, cg fhe Atha: 

} Dat ws ana Park ato Ay See ‘and Sern 4g: ther in Ped lack on Pheve Londikery 
Haak Whe taut Babel errm an. alo eo Anolighahe wvls vs Mikciad Iwo t, REY, 

. pum Samaly, ad and < EEO *- Aad Wi bia ie reads Ako ase cies ard Lahey 
2%, a Penning far Sane Marten Ha “fe Ve Jevni2 Vaey oe th anh) As J fhe 
aad Heke! Pema » should rough Bea a henefo ez any thher stanly Ze Ca Fd 
and GH frokhecicd fo tha aed ocey fos they gh Piste ae Sed ppefhcr tnd ache Lo 
her own Oath or fh Milnife Of other fersene hal whe cf) tbl ged So hark yy 

C 


7 
Lom 2 oe aid deck AG hiveng 2, Sot fhe vad fo-nnen Sex at La fher Of hes Ee, 


Lee tulory shall fy Msidardesg Pad l nn Uy BER YOY bse 1 Res SEY ASRS 
tg te pee nd ba cone Wht taidh. Seman and ty hie Phew ul 
al Me publick Can due te fhe feafd Of Me viid Lucy shit oluning tir Nola al 
bf A after her Death bo whirn fo fhe Said « Veusinan > ss YD Il OF AW exe 

ft coce a which SMe vad Yewma da fharhly Qgzee and co aewits cb fg b' 
oR eled af prey bx fc yren Ba Rede SAhoraly cs my gO es BOO a flux ny bal 


Fis whee th aay of Ocsaber WA fhe Gear WY / 


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rh n FA / ease SEEN os 
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7 ef About held fr Suficx bounty fhe 16 bday f Gpnt 1772 


” es fe tt rresee 4s OS fir cured fa be fhe Aehand Docc Y fhe there fa hel real 
Pra awe by Lhe VEGI ~f Seen Noor an3 Amn alhy Cpaee os 
e fe Mba efacs Shere la and ty Yh 1 Se CeHlerzecl fo oe Chicscntedl | 


—_-—=——$_ __ ele A fe LA i Loess: GS IG 


Z 


“Know all men by these presents that I Robert Newman of the County of Sussex and 
Parish of Albemarle and Lucy Lee of the same County and Parish do agree and Join 
together in Wedlock on these Conditions: that I the said Robert Newman do agree 
and make over in Court two of my Negroes, Namialy Bitt and Nann and their 
Increase, also Three Cows and Calves, to John Pennington, Senior during the life of 
the said Lucy Lee (To Wit) 


That if the said Robert Newman should through Drunkenness or any other way be so 
cross and II] Contrived to the said Lucy that they cannot live together and she by her 
own Oath or the Witness of other persons that she is obliged to break off from him 


473 


Section IV, Part G: The Newman and Threewits Lines 


and seek her living, then the said Pennington or either of his Executors shall by this 
writing be able without a suit at Law to come and take away these Negroes and 
Cattle from the said Newman and to hire them out at the Publick Vandue%” to the 
profit of the said Lucy Lee during her Natural life, and after her Death to return to 
the said Newman his Heirs or [orders?] forever. To which I the said Newman do 
hartily Agree and do desire it to be Recorded at my expense. To which I thereto set 
my hand and affix my seal this Twentieth day of October In the Year 1771.” 


This document establishes several things. First, it appears that Robert Newman was literate. He 
signed his own name, and based on some of the misspellings, may have even drafted the entire 
contract. That is consistent with his earlier service as a Constable. Whoever drafted this document 
had enough understanding of the law to realize that married women were not considered legal 
entities. Thus, in order to give Lucy some way to invoke the protections of this agreement once 
married, Robert’s property had to be bound as collateral to a man, John Pennington, who would be 


authorized to sue for its use on Lucy’s behalf. 


Second, Robert remarried to Lucy Lee around October of 1771. I have not found records for any other 
men who shared Robert Newman’s name in Sussex County around this time. Based on Robert’s age, 
it seems likely that Lucy would have been a widow. If so, Lee would have been Lucy’s married 
surname. There is an Edward and Lucy Lee who had children in the Albemarle Parish records from 
1762 until 1766, so that may be her.’*' Third, and perhaps most interestingly, Robert must have 
developed a history of drunkenness or poor behavior that would have caused him to draft this 
agreement. I suspect that Lucy was hesitant about marrying Robert given these issues, but she may 


have believed that he was ready to change, and this promise might have convinced her. 


This agreement was not entered in Court until April 16, 1772. Does that suggest that Lucy had 
reasons to invoke a separation and then had it recorded? That seems possible but it is unclear. 
Divorce was not a legal option during this time period, so if the couple did separate, it is possible this 
would be the only evidence. In any event, Robert’s second marriage was short. In September of 1773, 


his death was recorded in the Albemarle Parish Register.” 


I have not been able to find record of a will or any estate proceedings for Robert Newman. This may 
be because he had sold his land and other assets in the years after the tragic death of his wife and 
young child in 1764. Remember that Robert inherited 214 acres of land south of the Nottoway River 
from his father-in-law John Threewits. In 1777, Joel Newman purchased 214 acres of land south of the 
Nottoway River from Joell Threewitts. 1° It seems very likely that this was the same tract of land. Not 
only is the acreage and general location the same, but we know that Robert Newman lived near the 
Threewitts family and also near Col. Robert Bolling.! The land that Joel Newman purchased from 
Threewitts in 1777 bordered Col. Robert Bolling’s line. That Joel Newman had to purchase this land 
in 1777, rather than inherit it from Robert Newman, suggests either that Robert Newman had sold the 
land back to the Threewitts family before he died or that Robert was not Joel’s father. 


474 


Section IV, Part G: The Newman and Threewits Lines 


Based on my analysis of the available evidence, I think the first possibility is most likely. I suspect 
that after the death of his wife and young child in 1764, Robert’s life was upended. He seems to have 
developed a drinking problem, and this may have caused him to go into to debt or sell his land. He 
tried to turn things around with his marriage to Lucy Lee in 1771, but that effort either failed or was 
short-lived before his death in 1773. 


I do not have any evidence for Robert Newman’s parents. There are, however, several Newman men 
among the earliest records of Virginia who may be our ancestors. As early as 1636, a Robert Newman 
began acquiring land on the Nansemond River.!% The Nansemond drains into the James River 
southeast of Surry County. It is possible that descendants of this Robert Newman moved west up the 


James River. 


On April 1, 1644, a man named John Newman received a patent for 150 acres in James City County, 
near the head of Smith’s Fort Creek (later renamed Gray’s Creek).!°” John Newman’s land was later 
sold to Luke Mizell, and was located in what would become Surry County in 1652, adjacent to 
Southwarke Church and about a mile from the future location of the Surry Courthouse.' Twenty 
years later, on March 14, 1664, John Newman appointed Henry Brigs to act as his attorney in a Surry 
County lawsuit against a Mr. Robinson.! This John was a Mariner from Stebunheath Parish, 
Middlesex County, London." It is not clear if he is the same man who patented land in 1644. 


Later in that same year, on September 16, 1664, Richard Newman appointed Francis Towns to be his 
attorney in a lawsuit against Marmaduke Boskwitz.' Richard was a Planter from Martin Brandon’s 
Parish in Charles City County, Virginia. Richard Newman signed this document with his Mark, and 


it bears an interesting similarity to the mark used nearly 175 years later by our ancestor Joel Newman: 


peti) 
pirat 


Li pryw rays Sch ies ‘ 
ers, 
lo KRY XGror «OF 


Ae Gs, Pee CaS 


The “RM” Mark of Richard Newman, 1664 


The “JM” Mark of Joel Newman, 1838 


Was the distinctive backwards “II” mark for Newman something that was passed down in the 


Newman family from this early Richard Newman? Adding some credibility to this connection is the 


475 


Section IV, Part G: The Newman and Threewits Lines 


fact that our ancestor Robert Newman named his eldest son Richard Newman. There would have 
been several generations between the Richard Newman of 1664 and our Robert Newman, born about 
1720.12 


On June 10, 1674, a man named William Newman appeared on a list of Tithables for Surry County, 
and in 1678, a man named John Newman was granted 432 acres of land in Surry County."!’ These 
men were in the right location to be related to our Robert Newman, and could be in the same 
generation as Robert’s father or grandfather. None of these earlier Newman men can be definitively 
linked as an ancestor of Robert Newman. However, given the location, the shared names, and 
especially the unique mark of Richard Newman, I suspect there is some connection that might be 


discovered by a future researcher. 
Children of Robert Newman and Katherine Threewits: 


Le Ann NEWMAN was born on 11 Jan 1740 in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, Virginia.'4 
ii. Winny NEWMAN was born 6 May 1742 in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, Virginia." 
iii. Richard NEWMAN was born 25 Jul 1746 in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, Virginia.16 
iv. John NEWMAN was born 1 Mar 1748 in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, Virginia.!!” 
Vv. Sarah NEWMAN was born 13 Jan 1750 in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, Virginia."® 
vi. Joel NEWMAN was born about 1753 in Surry County, Virginia!’ and died on 23 Aug 1838 in 
Person County, North Carolina.’° He married Lucy HILL about 1783 in Sussex County, 
Virginia.!7! 
vii. Unnamed NEWMAN died about 1764.122 


a. John Threewits, Sr. (By 1698—About 1749) and Ann (Unknown-About 1756) 


John Threewits, Sr. and his wife Ann were the parents of our ancestor Katherine Threewits. There is 
an immigration record in 1694 for John Trewet who came to Virginia.!3 His passage was paid for by 
Edmond Scarburgh, who settled in Northampton County.’ It is possible this is an earlier or 
misspelled version of Threewits, but that is currently uncertain. An October 1688 Court Order in 
Charles City County granted John “Threeweeks” a claim against the Estate of Richard Cooper.'!* 
Given the similar and unusual name, this could be an indication that John Threewitts, Sr. was born 


much earlier, or it could be a clue to his possible father. 


Our John Threewitts, Sr. was likely born by at least 1698, because in 1719 John “Threewitt” of Surry 
County, Virginia purchased 160 acres on the south side of the Nottoway River from Peter Wynne.'!”6 
In 1727, John Threewitts received a land grant of 375 acres in Surry County, Virginia. This land was 


located south of the Blackwater River in what later became Sussex County.!”7 


Most of the records for John Threewits, Sr. are from the last few years of his life. On November 13, 
1740, John “Threeweet” served as a witness to Michael Hill’s purchase of 120 acres of land north of 
the Nottoway River in Surry County, Virginia.!#8 Other witnesses to this transaction were William 
Malone and John Hill, which is a critical clue to our Hill ancestry that is discussed further below. On 
April 15, 1747, the Surry County Court adjudged that “Gray, a Negro Boy belonging to John 


476 


Section IV, Part G: The Newman and Threewits Lines 


Threewitts” was ten years old.” This determination was likely made for tax purposes, since Gray 
would not count as a tithable until he was 16. A 1747 procession in Albemarle Parish in Surry 
County, Virginia found “John Threwit” with land next to Robert Green and Col. Robert Bolling.'*! 


On September 5, 1749, John Threewits, Sr. acquired several tracts of land on Cabbin Stick Swamp. The 
first parcel was 325 acres on the west side of Cabbin Stick and the south side of the Nottoway River, 
for which John paid 35 shillings.’ This land bordered Henry Sturdivant and Col. Robert Bolling. The 
second parcel was 214 acres, listed as on the north side of the Nottoway River on Cabbin Stick 
Swamp, for 25 shillings.'35 There is evidence that this land was actually on the south side of the 
Nottoway and the patent contained an error. This land bordered Matthew Whitehead, Col. Robert 
Bolling, and John Threewits’ existing land. The detailed survey description also perfectly matches the 
land that was purchased by our ancestor Joel Newman from Joell Threewitts in 1777, where it was 


described as south of the Nottoway River.!*4 


John Threewits, Sr. drafted his Will a few months later, signing it on November 14, 1749. He left his 
“son in law Robert Newman” 214 acres on the south side of the Nottoway River where Robert was 
living, along with the goods and chattels that were in his possession and £10.!%> As discussed above, it 
seems highly likely that this was the same 214 acres that John had just purchased for 25 shillings, and 
also the 214 acres that Joel Newman would later purchase from Joell Threewitts. Robert Newman also 


served as a witness to the Will, along with John Threewitts, Jr. and Thomas Oliver.1°6 


John left his son Peter Threewitts 325 acres on the south side of the Nottoway River and west side of 
Cabbin Stick Swamp, which was likely the other parcel he had just acquired on September 5. Peter 
also received £10, a Negro woman named Eve, a bay horse, and other personal property. Son Edward 
Threewits received 125 acres on both sides of Cabbin Stick swamp, along with two Negro boys 
named Will and Gabe and other personal property.!*’ Joel Threewits received 450 acres of land in 
Brunswick County on the south side of Three Creeks, along with a slave named Fountain and other 
personal property. As part of the estate proceedings, three men from Brunswick County made an 
appraisal and reported back to the Surry County Court. Hank’s ancestor John Brewer, discussed 
above, also owned land on Three Creeks, but since their descendants would not intermarry for 


several generations, I believe that was simply a coincidence.!°9 


Daughter Lucy Threewits was left a Negro girl named Joan, £15, and a feather bed and furniture. 
John Threewits, Sr. left the plantation he lived on to his son John, Jr. and his (that is, John Sr.’s) 
widow Ann. John Threewits, Jr. would die a few years later in 1755, and his own Will makes clear 
that this was 310 acres of land.'' After Ann’s death, a Negro woman named Phillis and a Negro 
woman named Titus, and their children, were to be sold with the proceeds equally divided among 
John Sr.’s children. From the appraisal of John Threewits, Sr.’s Estate, we learn that he also owned a 
slave named Hercules.” In addition to his land and slaves, he also owned twenty-four head of cattle, 


eighty-seven hogs, ten sheep, and seven hives of bees among his other personal property. 


There is an interesting birth record from 1749 that is difficult to fully explain. On December 14, 1749, 
a boy named John Threewits Sturdivant was born to Eliza Sturdivant. No father was listed. The baby 


477 


Section IV, Part G: The Newman and Threewits Lines 


was baptized on January 28, 1750 with no listed godparents.'## These circumstances indicate that the 
child was likely born out of wedlock. While it is possible that John Threewits, Sr. fathered this child 
with Eliza Sturdivant before he died, that seems unlikely. He was a middle-aged father, was married, 
and had several grown children. A more likely scenario, in my mind, is that John Threewits, Jr. was 
the father. We know that several Sturdivant families lived near the Threewits family. John 
Threewits, Jr. would have been in his late teens or early twenties in 1749." I suspect that this John 


Threewits Sturdivant was his illegitimate son. 


John Threewits, Jr. died at a young age, by February 9, 1756.” He left 310 acres to his widow Frances 
during her widowhood, and then to his son Joel Threewits. His Executor was Michael Hill, and the 
witnesses were Mary and Amey Hill."8 As late as 1769, Joel Threewitts appears to have been a minor. 
In that year, William Malone was listed as his guardian in Sussex County, Virginia. This is further 


evidence that Frances had the maiden name Hill, since William Malone was married to Mary Hill.!°° 


John Threewits, Sr.’s widow Ann died in September of 1756.15! She named her five surviving children 
as Katherine Newman, Peter Threewits, Joel Threewits, Edward Threewits, and Lucy Bobbit. Ann 
appointed her “son in Law Robert Newman” as her Executor.!5? She signed her Will with her mark, 


which may provide a clue to her maiden name. It looks like a “C” or possibly an “L.” 


Ann/’s Mark from her 1756 Will 


Another clue as to Ann’s ancestors comes from the 1750 Will of Robert Green in Surry County, 
Virginia. Robert appears to have been unmarried and left his property to several of his cousins, 
including Thomas Bobbitt, Mary Sturdivant, John Mercy, and Ann Threewitts.%° While I have not 


been able to trace the connection here, this is a clue that Ann may have been a cousin of Robert Green. 
Children of John Threewits, Sr. and Ann: 


i. Peter THREEWITS died in 1801 in Sussex County, Virginia.* He married Ann or Amy.'> 

ii. Katherine THREEWITS was born about 1720 in Virginia and died 30 Dec 1764 in Sussex 
County, Virginia.!°° She married Robert NEWMAN."” 

iii. Joel THREEWITS died after 1756.158 

iv. Edward THREEWITS was born after 1730 in Surry County, Virginia’? and died after 1756.1 

v. Lucy THREEWITS died after 1756. She married Unknown BOBBIT.?* 

vi. John THREEWITS, Jr. was likely born after 1726 in Surry County, Virginia and died about 
1755 in Sussex County, Virginia. He married Frances, likely HILL.'® 


478 


Section IV, Part G: The Newman and Threewits Lines 


References for Section IV, Part G: The Newman and Threewits Lines 


1 Ancestry.com, 1800 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Hillsborough, Person, North Carolina; Series: 
M32; Roll: 32; Page: 198; Image: 207; FHL Film No. 337908. 
2 Ancestry.com, 1830 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Person, North Carolina; Series: M19; Roll: 124; 
Page: 15; FHL Film No. 0018090. 
3 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Deed Books, Book E, Pages 450-451. 
4 lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990008325770205756. 
5 genealogytrails.com/vir/sussex/births2.html. 
6 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Marriage Records, 1754-1901, Page 322, Image 509. 
7 hmdb.org/m.asp?m=69386. The image of the historical marker at left was added to FindAGrave.com 
by George Seitz on 13 May 2007 and is believed to be in the public domain. 

8 genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/mcglamery/123/. 
° allthingsliberty.com/2016/10/religious-liberty-virginia-dissenters-parlayed-oppression-freedom/. 
10 Lewis Peyton Little, Imprisoned Preachers and Religious Liberty in Virginia (J.P. Bell, Co. Lynchburg, 
VA 1938), Page 15, available at: 
babel. hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015047782829&view=lup&seq=39. 
1 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Marriage Records, 1754-1901, Page 322, Image 509. 
? If so, he would not be Catherine’s brother Peter Threewits, who was older and married Amy 
Bobbit, but instead likely a nephew of Catherine Threewits, either the son of this Peter and Amy or 
another of member of the Threewits family. 
13 Ancestry.com, Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States, Virginia, 1782, Image 48. 
14 Ibid. 
5 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Property Tax Lists, 1782-1850. 
16 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book E, Page 163. 
7 See below. 
18 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County Virginia Deed Books, Book I, Pages 251-252. This sale is also 
reflected on the 1799 tax lists, where the 214 acres that belonged to John Newman were listed as 
belonging to John Bobbit. 
19 FamilySearch.org, Person County, North Carolina Deed Books, Book C, Pages 247-248. 
20 Ancestry.com, 1800 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Hillsborough, Person, North Carolina; Series: 
M32; Roll: 32; Page: 198; Image: 207; FHL Film No. 337908. 
21 There were four girls born between 1790 and 1800, and that matches my estimates for the couples’ 
known daughters: Rebecca, Mary “Polly”, Frances “Franky”, and Catherine. There were also two 
girls born between 1785-1790. These could be older daughters who were well-established and 
therefore not mentioned in their father’s Will, or they could have died before Joel Newman signed his 
Will in 1838. 
22 en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyco Lake. 
3 FamilySearch.org, Person County, North Carolina Deed Books, Book C, Pages 361-362. Joel Newman 
signed with his mark. The following year, Julius Justice sold Josias Dickson land on Whetstone Bridge 
that was adjacent to Joel Newman. Ibid., Pages 448-449. 
24 Ibid., Book D, Page 61. Book D is mislabeled as Book E on FamilySearch. Joel Newman signed with 
his mark, which looks like a “W” here, or perhaps a stylized backwards N. 
25 Ibid. 
26 Ibid., Page 240. 
27 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Records, 1741-2011, Marriage of Rebecca Newman and David 
Wall, 3 Jul 1811, Person, North Carolina. 


479 


Section IV, Part G: The Newman and Threewits Lines 


8 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Records, 1741-2011, Marriage of Polly Newmon [sic] and 
Powell Warren, 26 Jul 1814, Person, North Carolina. 

29 Ancestry.com, 1810 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Person, North Carolina; Roll: 38; Page 140; 
Image: 00258; FHL Film No. 0337911. 

30 FamilySearch.org, Person County, North Carolina Wills, Inventories, and Taxables, 1807-1811, Page 176. 
31 FamilySearch.org, Person County North Carolina Deed Books, Book D, Pages 293-294. The Executor of 
Robert’s Estate was William Williams, suggesting that his widow’s maiden name may have been 
Williams. 

2 | have not determined which Byrd Link this is since he is not directly tied to our line. He is cited 
here to indicate the connection between the Newman and Link families. 

33 Will of John Link; Walter V. Turner’s notes to Susannah Link on ChristensenJames tree on 
Ancestry.com. 

34 Will of John Link; Walter V. Turner’s notes to Nancy Link on ChristensenJames tree on 
Ancestry.com. 

35 Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 41; Goodspeed, History of Gallatin, Page 798. 
36 Ancestry.com, 1820 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Person, North Carolina; Page: 480; NARA 
Roll: M33_82; Image: 267. 

37 Ibid. 

38 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Records, 1741-2011, Marriage of Joel Newman and Nancy 
Green, 17 Apr 1823, Person, North Carolina. Joel signed with his backwards “I” mark. 

39 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Records, 1741-2011, Marriage of Joel Newman and Winncy 
[sic] Green, 23 Oct 1821, Person, North Carolina. 

40 FamilySearch.org, Person County, North Carolina Deed Books, Book F, Pages 198-199. 

“1 Ancestry.com, Person County, North Carolina Marriage Records, 1792-1868, Marriage of Richard 
Dillard and Anne Pass, 10 Jul 1824. 

“” This would require further investigation to confirm. I do not currently have any records of Ann 
Newmans marriage. 

4 Ancestry.com, 1830 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Person, North Carolina; Series: M19; Roll: 
124; Page: 15; FHL Film No. 0018090. The abstract available on Ancestry.com misses counting the 
white female between 50 and 59 who is clearly listed on the record itself. This may explain why some 
researchers have missed the second marriage of Joel Newman to Nancy (Green). 

44 FamilySearch.org, Person County, North Carolina Wills, 1838-1841, Page 32. 

4 Ibid. 

46 Ancestry.com, North Carolina, U.S. Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, Person County, North 
Carolina, Joel Newman, Image 20915. 

47 Ancestry.com, North Carolina, U.S. Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, Person County, North 
Carolina, Joel Newman, Images 20919-20922. 

48 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High yellow. While this indicates that Rose had a combination of white and 
black ancestry, we cannot know if she was a child of Joel Newman and one of his slaves without 
further evidence. 

49 Ancestry.com, North Carolina, U.S. Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, Person County, Image 
20913. 

50 [bid. 

51 [bid. 

52 measuringworth.com/slavery.php. 

33 Ibid. 


54 measuringworth.com/calculators/uscompare/relativevalue.php. 
480 


Section IV, Part G: The Newman and Threewits Lines 


55 measuringworth.com/slavery.php. 
56 Ancestry.com, North Carolina, U.S. Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, Person County, Image 


20915. 

57 Ancestry.com, 1800 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Hillsborough, Person, North Carolina; Series: 
M32; Roll: 32; Page: 198; Image: 207; FHL Film No. 337908. He was likely the male between 16 and 25 
and thus born by 1784. His parents were married around 1783, so I suspect Robert was born close to 
this year. 

58 Ancestry.com, North Carolina, U.S. Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, Person County, Images 
20941-20943. Estate was appraised on 10 Mar 1810. 

5° Ibid. His wife is named as Nancy in the Estate appraisal. FamilySearch.org, Person County North 
Carolina Deed Books, Book D, Pages 293-294. The Executor of Robert’s Estate was William Williams, 
suggesting that his Nancy’s maiden name may have been Williams. 

60 Ancestry.com, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Cunningham, Person, North Carolina; Roll: 
M593_1154; Page: 570B; FHL Film No. 552653. 

61 Ancestry.com, North Carolina, U.S. Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, Record of Wills, Vols. 19-20, 
Pages 33-34. 

& Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Records, 1741-2011, Marriage of Kinchin Newmon [sic] and 
Dicey Dillard, 22 Apr 1812, Person, North Carolina. 

63 See Walter V. Turner, “Notes to Susannah Link”, available on ChristensenJames tree on 
Ancestry.com. 

64 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Person, North Carolina; Roll: 640; Page 429B. 
65 These dates are based on the 1820, 1830, 1850, and 1860 Census records for Rebecca Newman, 
available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. Based on 1820 and 1830 Census, she would 
have been born between 1794-1800. The date she gives shifts earlier later in life, but the earlier 
records are probably more reliable. Her marriage in 1811 suggests she was born closer to 1794 than 
1800. 

66 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 2, Daviess, Kentucky; Page 882; FHL 
Film No. 803364. 

87 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Records, 1741-2011, Marriage of Rebecca Newmon [sic] and 
David Wall, 3 Jul 1811, Person, North Carolina. 

68 Her date of birth is hard to determine from Census records, because it appears to be inconsistent. 
Based on her marriage date and the 1810 Census, I suspect she was born by about 1796. It is possible 
she was born later and in Person County, North Carolina. 

6° Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Records, 1741-2011, Marriage of Polly Newmon [sic] and 
Powell Warren, 26 Jul 1814, Person, North Carolina. 

70 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Subdivision 2, Coosa, Alabama; Page: 353; 
FHL Film No. 803007. 

71 Ancestry.com, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Township 4, Range 1, District 50, Madison, 
Alabama; Roll: M593_27; Page: 80B; FHL Film No. 545526. 

7 Will of John Link; Walter V. Turner’s notes to Nancy Link on ChristensenJames tree on 
Ancestry.com. 

73 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 22, Wilson, Tennessee; Roll: 901; 
Page: 473A. FindAGrave has 1 Mar 1800, and that appears to be on her tombstone, but does not 
match earlier census records. 

74 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Frances S. “Frankie” Newman (1 Mar 1800-2 Feb 1882), Memorial 


No. 37939590, available at: findagrave.com/memorial/37939590/frances-s.-hickman. 


481 


Section IV, Part G: The Newman and Threewits Lines 


75 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Records, 1741-2011, Marriage of Frances Newmon [sic] and 
Jacob Vanhook, 11 Nov 1817, Person, North Carolina. 

76 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of Frankey Vanhook and Snoden 
Hickman [sic], 20 Jan 1829, Wilson, Tennessee. 

77 A rough estimate based on marriage date (1818) and census records, which put her birth around 
1791-1800. The latter end of that range seems more likely to me based on marriage date. 

78 On this date, her husband James A. Link remarried to Elizabeth Terrell. Catherine likely died 
during or shortly after the birth of her daughter Nancy S. Link. See discussion above. 

7? Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 41. 

80 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 12, Callaway, Missouri; Roll: 393; 
Page 244B. 

81 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Joel Newman (1802-Oct 1865), Memorial No. 93404666, available 
at: findagrave.com/memorial/93404666/joel-newman. Gravestone says he died “in his 63"4 Year” 
which by my calculation, means he would have been born in 1803. 

8 Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Records, 1741-2011, Marriage of Joel Newman and Winncy 
[sic] Green, 23 Oct 1821, Person, North Carolina. This may have been his step-sister, or possibly a 
relative of his father’s second wife, Nancy (Green). 

83 genealogytrails.com/vir/sussex/births2.html. 

84 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 623-624. 

85 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book A, Pages 56-57. 

86 FamilySearch.org, Albemarle Parish, Surry, Virginia Computer Printout, Births and Christenings, 1739- 
1778, Image 785. This abstract has 1749 for son Richard, as do several others. However, examining the 
original indicates that Richard Newman was in fact born and baptized in 1746. FamilySearch.org, 
Parish Register of Albemarle Parish of Surry and Sussex Counties, 1739-1778, Image 44. 

87 Virginia Lee Hutcheson Davis, Albemarle Parish Vestry Book, 1742-1786, Pages 76-77, viewed on 
Google Books at 

google.com/books/edition/Albemarle Parish Vestry Book 1742 1786/TCO3iDzfmRwC?hl=en&gbpv 
=0. Robert Newman appears to have first been appointed as a Constable in 1749. FamilySearch.org, 
Surry County Virginia Order Books, 1749 — 1751, Page 66. 

88 milaminvirginia.com/glossary.html. 

89 Ibid. 

° Davis, Albemarle Parish Vestry Book, Page 63. 

%! Ibid, Pages 95, 122. 

2 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Court Orders, 1751-1753, Page 228. 

% Ibid., Page 332. 

% FamilySearch.org, Parish Register of Albemarle Parish of Surry and Sussex Counties, 1739-1778, Image 
178. 

% Ibid. 

% keithbobbitt.com/booktwo/pp23-490004.htm. 

97 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County Virginia Will Books, Book B, Page 166. 

9% See discussion below. 


*° A public vendue was a sale or auction where the labor of these slaves could have been sold. 


merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vendue. 
100 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Deeds, Book D, Page 474. 


101 John Bennett Boddie, Births, Deaths, and Sponsors, 1718-1778, from the Albemarle Parish Register of 
Surry and Sussex Counties, Virginia, Page 86. 


482 


Section IV, Part G: The Newman and Threewits Lines 


102 FamilySearch.org, Parish Register of Albemarle Parish of Surry and Sussex Counties, 1739-1778, Image 
181. 

103 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Deed Books, Book E, Pages 450-451. 

104 Davis, Albemarle Parish Vestry Book, Page 95. 

105 Ibid. 

106 Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. 1, Page 51. 

107 Iva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990008012100205756. Nugent, 
Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. 1, Page 153. 

108 genfiles.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Mizell-surry-records.pdf. 

10° FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 1, Page 252. 

110 [bid.; see link.westminster.gov.uk/portal/An-actuall-survey-of-the-parish-of-St- 
Dunstan/Gm_QR1vXz7M/ for evidence that Stebunheath was an alias for the Parish of St. Dunstan 
Stepney. 

111 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 1, Page 245. This document is difficult 
to read, and my transcriptions are likely not exact. 

112 A Richard Newman was claimed as a passenger of Edward Birtchett on 30 Oct 1686. Birtchett 
claimed 230 acres in Bristol Parish on the north side of the Main Blackwater, bounded by Robert 
Tucker. Headrights were often claimed many years after arrival, so this could be the same Richard 
Newman of the 1664 document. FamilySearch.org, Prince George County Land Patents, Vol. 1, Page 
18, Image 1044. A Richard Newman owned land that bordered John Price of Martin Brandon Parish 
in 1696. virginiamemory.com/transcribe/scripto/transcribe/878/3197. Price was the grandson of John 
Wall. We know that Wall families later lived near the Newman family in Person County, North 


Carolina. 

13 John B. Boddie, Colonial Surry (Southern Book Company, Baltimore 1959), Pages 176, 187, available 
at: familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/176279-redirection. 

114 FamilySearch.org, Albemarle Parish, Surry, Virginia Computer Printout, Births and Christenings, 1739- 
1778, Image 785. 

"5 Ibid. 

"6 Ibid. 

17 Ibid. 

18 Ibid. 

119 See discussion above. 

20 Ancestry.com, North Carolina, U.S. Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, Person County, North 
Carolina, Joel Newman, Images 20919-20922. 

121 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County Marriage Records, Page 322, Image 509. 

122 See discussion above. This may indicate that other children were born to Robert and Katherine 
Newman between 1753 and 1764. 

13 Ancestry.com, U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s—1900s, Record for John 
Trewet, 1694, Virginia. 

124 Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. 1, Page 225. 

125 Benjamin B. Weisiger, Charles City County, Virginia Court Orders 1687-1695, Page 31, available at: 
familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/65179-charles-city-county-virginia-court-orders-1687- 
1695-with-a-fragment-of-a-court-order-book-for-the-year-1680. A similar judgement was granted to 
John Threeweeks against the Estate of William Tuttle in 1689. Ibid., Pages 44, 77. 

126 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 7, Page 210. 

27 John Bennett Boddie, Colonial Surry (Southern Book Company, Baltimore 1959), Pages 179-181, 


available at: familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/176279-redirection. 
483 


Section IV, Part G: The Newman and Threewits Lines 


128 FamilySearch.org, Surry County Virginia, Wills and Deeds, 1738-1754, Book 9, Part 1, Pages 327-329. 
129 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Order Books, 1744-1749, Page 297. There is no Sr. or Jr. 
distinction used, which suggests that John Threewits, Jr. was born after 1726. 

130 genfiles.com/articles/tithables/ 

131 Davis, Albemarle Parish Vestry Book, Page 40. 

12 lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990008325780205756. 

133 Ibid. 

134 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Deed Books, Book E, Pages 450-451. The nearly identical 


language describing the land is “Beginning at a Poplar standing in the Westernmost branch of Cabbin 
Stick swamp thence to Matthew Whitehead’s corner Pine, thence by the said Whitehead’s lines thence 
to asmall white Oak on Col. Robert Bolling’s Line, thence by the said Bolling’s lines to two pines and 
Gum, thereby new lines thence to a gum in the cabbin stick swamp begun on thence up the various 
courses of the River of that swamp to the beginning.” This tracts almost exactly with the patent 
language. 

135 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 623-624. 

136 [bid. 

137 Ibid. The names are slightly difficult to read, but by comparing them to the list of slaves on John’s 
Estate Inventory, I am fairly confident in these transcriptions. 

138 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Court Orders, 1749-1751, Page 168. 

139 These lines do not connect until John Brewer's 2x-Great-Grandson Sterling Cage Brewer married 
John Threewits, Sr.’s 3x-Great-Grandaughter Mazie Eliza Link on 19 Jun 1889 in Cheatham County, 
Tennessee. 

140 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 623-624. 

141 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book A, Page 49. 

12 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 638-639. 

143 Ibid. 

144 FamilySearch.org, Parish Register of Albemarle Parish of Surry and Sussex Counties, 1739-1778, Image 
143. 

14 Virginia Lee Hutcheson Davis, Albemarle Parish Vestry Book, 1742-1786, Page 63; 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990008325770205756. 

146 He was likely born after 1726. His father was not listed as "John Threewits, Sr." in a 1747 Court 
proceeding. This suggests that John, Jr. had not yet reached legal age. He was also given his father's 


land, jointly with his mother, a role often given to the youngest son. 

47 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book A, Page 49. His Will was signed on 13 
Dec 1755. 

148 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book A, Page 49. The name of the second 
witnesses is hard to read. It looks like Amey and definitely starts with an “A” but the text is faded. 
This witness signed with her mark. When it was proved in court, Frances Threewitts and Michael 
Hill appeared as Executors, and Amey Hill appeared as one of the witnesses. 

149 Southside Virginian, Vol. 6, 1988, Page 137, available at: archive.org/details/southsidevirgini61988/. 
150 See discussion below. 

151 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book A, Pages 56-57. 

i? Tid. 

1583 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Page 661. 

154 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book F, Pages 254-256. He was listed first in 
his father’s Will, which suggests that he may have been the eldest son and born before 1720. 


484 


Section IV, Part G: The Newman and Threewits Lines 


155 Many trees have his wife as Ann or Amelia Bobbit. That seems possible given that his sister Lucy 
married a Bobbit, but I haven’t yet seen proof. On 15 Jun 1759 Peter Threewitts and Amy his wife sold 
to John Wilburn, Jr., 325 acres on the south side of the Nottoway River on Cabbin Stick Swamp. 
Witnessed by Joel Threewitts, Edward Threewitts, and Michael Hill. FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, 
Virginia Deed Books, Book B, Pages 31-33. 

156 FamilySearch.org, Parish Register of Albemarle Parish of Surry and Sussex Counties, 1739-1778, Image 
178. 

157 See discussion above. FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book A, Pages 56-57. 
158 He was listed in his mother’s 1756 Will. There are records of a Joel Threewits who moved to 
Richland District, South Carolina and died before 1836. I cannot confirm if that is this Joel, or another 
member of the Threewits family. 

159 On 19 Mar 1751 Edward Threewitts, infant son of John Threewitts, dec’d, personally appeared and 
chose John Ezell as his guardian. FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Court Orders, 1749-1751, 
Page 194. Because he chose his own guardian, Edward was between 14 and 21 years old as of 1751. 
160 He is listed in his mother’s 1756 Will. Edward’s Guardian was John Ezell. FamilySearch.org, Surry 
County, Virginia Guardians Accounts, 1744-1762, Page 130. There is an Edward Threewit living in 
Carter County, Tennessee in 1798 that may be him, but I have not examined this in detail. 

161 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book A, Pages 56-57. 

162 See discussion above. FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book A, Page 49. His 
Will was signed on 13 Dec 1755. 

163 Ibid. 


485 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


H. The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


—- Michael Hill, Sr. 


Mildred Gilliam 


1. John Hill, Sr. (Before 1720-1765) and Milicine “Mildred” Gilliam (By 1725- 
About 1798) 


The Hill and Gilliam lines are another branch of Hank’s extended maternal ancestors. John Hill, Sr. 
and his wife Mildred (Hill) Gilliam were the grandparents of Catherine Newman, who was the 
grandmother of Mazie Eliza Link. John Hill, Sr. and Milicine “Mildred” Gilliam had ten children 
whose births and baptisms were recorded in the Albemarle Parish Register. Milicine Gilliam used the 
names “Mildred” or “Milley” throughout her life. I am not aware of any official marriage record for 
this couple, nor do we have any solid proof of their birth years, although both were likely from Surry 
County, Virginia.! John and Mildred were probably married by around 1742 since their first child was 
born in November of 1743.2 John Hill, Sr. was likely born before 1720 since he does not appear in the 
Bristol Parish Register, discussed below. Our ancestor Lucy Hill (future wife of Joel Newman) was 
the ninth child of John Hill, Sr. and Mildred Gilliam, born on August 24, 1761 in Sussex County, 
Virginia? Lucy was baptized on December 21, 1761 in Albemarle Parish.* 


On March 30, 1743, aman named John Hill obtained a land grant of 375 acres on the south side of the 
Nottoway River in Surry County, Virginia, beginning on the south side of Poplar Swamp.° There is a 
Poplar Swamp that starts near the town of Jarratt, Virginia, which lies just south of the Nottoway 
River. This area is about 20 miles southwest of Cabbin Stick Swamp, which was connected to our 
Newman and Threewitts lines. That suggests this land grant was for our John Hill, Sr., since his 
daughter Lucy Hill married Joel Newman (the son of Robert Newman and Katherine Threewits). An 
October 13, 1743 procession in Albemarle Parish of Surry County showed John Hill with land on the 
South side of Poplar Swamp. 


On March 2, 1746, John Hill purchased 160 acres in Surry County, Virginia from Richard Hill for £36.7 
The witnesses to this transaction were William Gilliam, William Gilliam, Jr., and Nathanial Green, Jr.® 
Although they shared a last name, nothing about else this transaction indicates that John Hill was the 
son of Richard Hill, and he appears to have paid the market price for the land rather than receiving it 
a discount or as a gift. John Hill, Sr. was landowner in the procession records for Albemarle Parish 


487 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


between 1747 and 1759.° His land was near Poplar Swamp and Three Creeks, near the border with 
Brunswick County.'° This area is directly south of Jones Hole Swamp in Prince George County. As 
discussed below, Jones Hole Swamp is an important location for determining the parents of our 
ancestor John Hill, Sr., who I believe were Michael Hill, Sr. and his wife Elizabeth. 


On January 20, 1763, John Hill and his wife “Milicine” sold 80 acres of land in Sussex County, 
Virginia to William Malone.'! This is the only document I am aware of where John’s wife Milley or 
Mildred was listed as “Milicine.” That appears to have been her rarely-used legal name, and even on 
the signature to this document she went by her nickname of “Milley.”!? As discussed below, William 
Malone was John Hill’s brother-in-law, the husband of his sister Mary Hill. 


John Hill, Sr. died in the first months of 1765, leaving behind several minor children. His Will was 
signed on January 13, 1765." It left his wife Milley four Negro slaves during her natural life or 
widowhood: Phillis, Hannah, Frank, and Jane.'* Milley would go on to live as a widow for over thirty 
years. John instructed that his son Burrell was “to be fully for himself the first day of October next.” 
Burrell was born on April 8, 1748, so would have only been 16 years old when his father left this 
instruction.5 John Hill, Sr.’s son John Hill, Jr. was directed to be “under the jurisdiction of 
Churchwell Curtis” until he reached 21 years of age, provided that Curtis gave him forty shillings for 


schooling.'6 


The rest of John Hill, Sr.’s Estate went to his wife Milley and then at her death was to be equally 
divided between his six youngest children. Based on the Parish records, these would have been John, 
Jr., Elizabeth, Tabitha, Susanna, Lucy, and Rebecca. The Executors to John’s Estate were listed as “my 
brother in law Hinchia Gilliam and my brother in law William Malone.”'” Since these Executors were 
helpfully named as brothers-in-law in the Will, they provide clues as to the parents of both John Hill, 
Sr. and Mildred Gilliam. My research indicates that John Hill, Sr.’s father was likely Michael Hill, Sr. 
This differs from most family trees that can be found online, and my reasoning is explained further 


below. 


The ancestors of Milley Gilliam are more clear-cut. Hinchea Gilliam was named as a son in the 1738 
Will of John Gilliam.!8 Hinchea would have been John Hill, Sr.’s brother-in-law because he was the 
brother of Milley Gilliam. John Gilliam’s Will also named a daughter Milley, and he left her a negro 
girl named Phillis.!° This was likely the same Phillis who was later left to Milley when her husband 
John Hill, Sr. died in 1765 (Phillis would have become the property of her husband when Milley 
married). As further evidence that Milley Gilliam was the daughter of John Gilliam, our Milley 
Gilliam had a son named Burrell Hill. Burrell Gilliam was another of Milley’s brothers, and he was 
also named in their father’s Will.2° The Gilliam line is discussed in more detail in the following 


sections. 


Milley (Gilliam) Hill appeared as a widow on several records over the remaining years of her life. For 
example, in 1770, she was listed along with several other familiar names (such as Robert Newman, 
Frances Threewits, and Hinchea Gilliam) in the estate proceedings for Michael Hill.2! She appeared 
on the 1782 Virginia census in Sussex County. Milley had four whites and four black slaves in her 


488 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


household.” The four white citizens could have included some of her younger daughters, who had 
not yet married.” Milley also appeared on the tax lists for Sussex County. In 1789 she had no white 


male tithables and three slaves.”4 


Milley Hill signed her Will on January 27, 1796, and it was proved in the Sussex County Court on 
August 2, 1798, so she died sometime between these two dates. Her Will listed many of her children 
and shows the married surnames of many of her daughters, including our ancestor Lucy Hill, now 
known as Lucy Newman.” The slave named Frank (or possibly a younger slave of the same name) 
was given to her son John Hill, Jr. A slave named Hannah was given to daughter Elizabeth Spain. 
Given that she was still described as a “girl” this may not be the same Hannah from John Hill, Sr.’s 
1765 Will, although slaves were often called “boy” and “girl” well into their adult lives. Daughter 
Susannah Horn was given a slave named Ben; daughter Rebecka Horn was given slaves Winny and 


Dilsey. John Hill, Jr. was named as an Executor, along with Milley’s brother Anselm Gilliam.”° 
Children of John Hill and Mildred “Milley” Gilliam: 


i. Mary HILL was born on 14 Nov 1743 in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, Virginia and died 
after 1796.2” She married Unknown STURDIVANT.”8 
ii. Sarah “Sally” HILL was born on 12 Mar 1745 in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, Virginia 
and died after 1796.2? She married Unknown GREEN.” 
iii. Anne “Nancy” HILL was born on 15 May 1746 in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, Virginia 
and died after 1796.3! She married Unknown WILLIAMS.*2 
iv. Burrel HILL was born on 8 Apr 1748 in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, Virginia and died 
before 1796.% 
v. John HILL, Jr. was born on 9 Mar 1751 in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, Virginia and died 
after 1798.54 
Vi. Elizabeth HILL was born on 7 Nov 1754 in Albemarle Parish, Sussex County, Virginia and 
died after 1796.°5 She married Unknown SPAIN.*¢ 
Vii. Tabitha HILL was born on 17 Oct 1756 in Albemarle Parish, Sussex County, Virginia and 
died after 1796.°” She married Unknown WEBB or WEBBER.*8 
Vili. Susanna HILL was born on 17 Oct 1759 in Albemarle Parish, Sussex County, Virginia and 
died after 1796.°° She married Unknown HORN.“ 
ix. Lucy HILL was born on 24 Aug 1761 in Albemarle Parish, Sussex County, Virginia! and died 
before 1820. She married Joel NEWMAN about 1783 in Sussex County, Virginia. 
x. Rebecca HILL was born on 15 Aug 1764 in Albemarle Parish, Sussex County, Virginia and 
died after 1796.44 She married Unknown HORN.*® 


a. John Gilliam, Sr. (By 1697-1738) and Sarah (About 1696—A fter 1738) 


Several generations of Mildred Gilliam’s ancestors can be traced in the Colonial Virginia records. 
John Gilliam, Sr. was born by about 1697 in Virginia.** This estimate comes from several sources. 
First, we know from a later property record that John was married to his wife Sarah as of June 10, 


1719. We do not have any information about Sarah’s maiden name. Some have listed her as Sarah 


489 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


Briggs, and there are several connections between the Gilliam and Briggs families, but I have not seen 
solid evidence that Sarah was a Briggs.*® Because the couple were married by 1719, that suggests John 
would have been born by at least 1700. Second, John Gilliam received a land grant of 390 acres on the 
north side of the Meherrin River on July 12, 1718.” This suggests he was at least 21 years old as of this 
date, and born by 1697 at the latest. It is of course possible that he was born even earlier. 


A key figure in the early life of John Gilliam, Sr. was his cousin Francis West. Francis was born about 
1678 to John West, Sr. and his wife Elizabeth Gilliam. He first appeared on the 1694 Surry County tax 
list living with Hinshia Gilliam, Sr. (the father of John Gilliam, Sr.), which suggests he was at least 16 
years old by this date in order to be reported as a tithable member of the household. Hinshia and 
Elizabeth Gilliam were brother and sister, the children of John Gilliam and his wife Margery.®! This 
means that Francis West the nephew of Hinshia Gilliam, Sr., and as I will argue below, the first 


cousin of our ancestor John Gilliam, Sr. 


Francis West and John Gilliam, Sr. were involved in the resettlement of the Saponie Indian Tribe into 
the area that would later become Brunswick County, Virginia. The Saponie were one of several tribes 
(including the Occoneechee, Totaro, and Stukanocks) that had lived along the Meherrin River in what 
had become colonial Virginia. In 1713, the Tribes signed a treaty with the English that provided 
them with a large tract of land further west along the Meherrin where they could resettle, removed at 
least temporarily from the English colonists. Governor Spotswood directed the building of Fort 
Christianna within the bounds of this new treaty land to provide protection for the tribes and likely 
as a barrier to the English colonists from other tribes along the frontier. Both John Gilliam, Sr. and 
his cousin Francis West were involved in the building of Fort Christianna. In return, they received 


royal grants consisting of the former Native American lands. 


490 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


a 
Nearby to the south stood Fort Christanna, a 4 
wooden structure built in 1714 under the au 


2 of Alexander Spotswood and the Virgi 

: ny. Members of the Meipons 
, Saponi, deg pee . Be 
lived within t 


Fort Christianna Historical Marker, Brunswick County, Virginia™ 


On December 17, 1717 Francis West received a patent for 132 acres of land on the north side of the 
Meherrin River in Isle of Wight County. The land was described as “[b]eing part of that tract of land 
whereon the said Indians lately dwelt and which they have surrendered to us in exchange for a like 
quantity of land, which we have assigned at the aforesaid place of Christianna.”* John Gilliam, Sr. 
received a similar grant of 390 acres on the north side of the Meherrin River on July 12, 1718. This 
land was granted in consideration of “diverse services performed towards making the new 


settlement for the Saponie Indians at Christianna pursuant to a treaty with that nation.”* 


Francis West was about twenty years older than John Gilliam, Sr., and he died by 1718 in his mid-to- 
late thirties without any children of his own. The Will of Francis West, signed on October 8, 1715, left 
property to his cousins, including “cousin John Guillam, the son of Capt. Hinchie Guillam.”*’ This 
bequest by his cousin Francis West is the primary evidence that John Gilliam, Sr. was in fact the son 
of Hinshia Gilliam, Sr. 


It appears that John Gilliam, Sr. administered Francis West’s Estate, because on January 10, 1718, he 
submitted an inventory to the Isle of Wight County Court. On June 10, 1719, John Gilliam and his 
wife Sarah sold the 132 acres of land on the north side of the Meherrin River, which had originally 


been granted to Francis West, to John Person, Jr. for 5 shillings.°? This must have been at least part of 


491 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


the property that John Gilliam, Sr. inherited from his cousin Francis West. John’s father Hinshia 


Gilliam, Sr. was one of the witnesses. 


On March 30, 1721, John Gilliam, Sr. obtained a patent for 580 acres of land in Chowan Precinct, 
North Carolina.®! This land was described as on the north side of the Morattuck River, a Native 
American name for what would become the Roanoke River to the English colonists.” It appears to be 
the area that would later become Bertie County, North Carolina.® Hinshia Gilliam, Sr. obtained a 
similar patent of 600 acres on the Morattuck (Roanoke) River on the same day, further evidence of 
their close relationship. Although they acquired land in North Carolina, it appears that the Gilliams 


continued to purchase land and reside primarily in southern Virginia. 


On March 24, 1725, John Gilliam, Sr. patented 190 acres on the south side of the Nottaway River on 
Little Swamp for 80 shillings. On September 28, 1728, he obtained an additional 446 acres on the 
south side of the Nottoway River on Rocky Creek. Both of these grants were located in Surry 
County, Virginia. In total, John Gilliam, Sr. appears to have owned at least 1,200 acres of land across 
southern Virginia and North Carolina by the late 1720s. This likely explains why his father Hinshia 
Gilliam, Sr. did not name him in his January 13, 1733 Will. It was not unusual for an elder son who 
was already established to be left out of a Will, and it is important to remember that the main 


purpose of a Will was not to catalogue a list of descendants, but rather to distribute property. 


Several documents indicate that John Gilliam, Sr. also owned land in neighboring Prince George 
County, Virginia, just to the northwest of Surry County. On June 3, 1725, John Gilliam, Sr. of Bristol 
Parish in Prince George County sold 200 acres of land to Charles Gilliam Sr. and Charles Gilliam, Jr. 
for £5.67 Several names connected with the Gilliam and Hill lines appear as neighbors: Drury Bolling, 
Instance Hall, George Jordan, Major Robert Bolling, John Lewis, and Robert Winfield. This deed was 
witnessed by Lewis Green, Jr., Thomas Epes, and James Sturdivant.® In case there was any doubt that 
this is the same John Gilliam, Sr. who owned land in Surry County, he signed with a distinctive 
crossed “I” mark; this same mark appears on John Gilliam, Sr.’s 1738 Will.® 


4. 
head 


(7 (? é he 
WA Z,, Sat” halfo w feo 


2 “fo Ly ttt arr , 


vA et 
fllar Yio. To 


John Gilliam, Sr.’s Mark from the 1725 Prince George County, Virginia Deed 


492 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


rt ard 
ef 7 PEN Wg 
opr L Yllopre 
oe ve aR AOR oi: 


John Gilliam, Sr.’s Mark from his 1738 Surry County, Virginia Will 


It should be noted that the handwriting from these documents should not be expected to match. The 
documents were written out by the court clerk, often copied from the originals, so all documents 
from the same county and time period tend to have the same clerk’s handwriting. The consistency of 


the distinctive crossed “I” mark is what strongly indicates these documents relate to the same man. 


On April 8, 1726, Charles Gilliam, Sr. sold John Gilliam, Sr., both of Prince George County, 200 acres 
on the Appomattox River for £5.” This land was adjacent to George Jordan and was located on the 
south side of the Appomattox, placing it within Prince George County. In case that there was any 
doubt that Charles and John Gilliam were relatives, Charles Gilliam also signed this deed with the 
crossed “I” mark.7! Further evidence for John Gilliam, Sr.’s family comes from the Will of his brother 
Hinshia Gilliam, Jr., another son of Hinshia Gilliam, Sr. On January 3, 1737, Hinshia Gilliam, Jr. 
signed his Will in Surry County, Virginia. He directed that £20, 16 shillings from the sale of land on 
the Roanoke River be held by “my Brother John Gilliam ... for my three sons, and it equally to be 
divided between them as they come to age.”” John Gilliam, Sr. was also one of the witnesses to his 
brother’s Will.73 


The following year, on August 9, 1738, John Gilliam, Sr. signed his own Will in Surry County, 
Virginia.“ It was submitted to probate on September 20, 1738, so John died in the late summer or 
early fall of 1738.75 The Will provides evidence for the twelve children that John Gilliam, Sr. had with 
his wife Sarah. Four sons received the bulk of his property. Son John Gilliam, Jr. was given a 
plantation in “Carralina on Roanoke” and a slave girl named Pheb (or Phebe).”° Son “Hinche” Gilliam 
(another clue as the father of John Gilliam, Sr.), was left 150 acres of land containing a mill along with 
a slave boy named Brister.” Son Burrell Gilliam was given 150 acres on “the South side of the great 
branch next to Charles Maybury” and a slave boy named Jimmey.” Son Levi Gilliam received a 140 


acre plantation and a slave boy named Robbin.” 


John’s widow Sarah was given use of his plantation until her death, and then it was also to descend 
to son John Gilliam, Jr. Four daughters were named, and each received a slave girl: Sarah Gilliam 
(Bett), Amy Gilliam (Sue), Mary Gilliam (Easter), Milley Gilliam (Phillis).8° The remainder of his 
Estate, including slaves named Coffey, Hannah, and Cate were given to his widow during her 
natural life and then equally divided between his remaining children: sons Isham and Anselm 
Gilliam and daughters Tabitha and Lydia Gilliam.*! 


493 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


Children of John Gilliam, Sr. and Sarah: 


i. John GILLIAM, Jr died by 8 Jan 1739 in Virginia.’ He married Ann.* 
ii. Hinshia GILLIAM.* He married Mary JOHNSON.® 
iii. Burrell GILLIAM died around 1799 in Northampton County, North Carolina.*° He married 
Ann “Nancy” JOHNSON, sister of Mary JOHNSON.®” 
iv. Levi GILLIAM died around 1801 in Sussex County, Virginia.** He married Elizabeth. 
v. Sarah GILLIAM” 
vi. Amy GILLIAM*! 
vii. Mary GILLIAM” 
viii. Milicine “Mildred” “Milley” GILLIAM® was born by about 1725 in Surry County, 
Virginia’ and died by 4 Aug 1798 in Sussex County, Virginia. She married John HILL, Sr. 
about 1742.% 
ix. Anselm GILLIAM” died in 1811 in Sussex County, Virginia.°* He married Martha JOHNSON 
about 1757. 
x. Isham GILLIAM1 
xi. Tabitha GILLIAM 
xii. Lydia GILLIAM! 


b. Hinshia Gilliam, Sr. (By 1666-By 1734) and Fortune (By 1672-1753) 


The first record for our ancestor Hinshia Gilliam comes from a 1682 Surry County, Virginia tax list. 
Mr. Henry Briggs, Sr. was noted as living in “Upper Sunken Marsh”, along with three other tithable 
males.!° As a reminder, all white males 16 and older were considered tithables. In this household, the 
additional tithables were listed as Henry Briggs, Jr., Hintia Gilliam, and Charles Briggs. “Hintia” is a 
variant spelling for Hinshia, which also appears as Hinchea or Hinsha across the various records. I 
have used Hinshia for consistency. Since Hinshia Gilliam was reported as a tithable in 1682, he must 
have been born by at least 1666. 


Hinshia again appeared in the household of Henry Briggs on the 1684 and 1685 tax lists, the latter 
also including a Charles Gilliam.’ So, why were these Gilliam young men living with Henry Briggs? 
The explanation is that their mother, Margery, had remarried to Henry Briggs after the death of her 
first husband, John Gilliam. Henry Briggs was the stepfather of Hinshia Gilliam and his siblings.!% In 
1687, “Hincha Gillum” was listed as a member of the Surry County Militia. Hinshia was a young man 


at this time, and was a foot solider. 


Sometime before April 3, 1690 we know that Hinshia Gilliam married a woman named Fortune. On 
that date, Fortune Gilliam relinquished her right of dower in land sold by her husband Hinshia to Mr. 
Robert Bolling.’ Robert Bolling was one of the leading citizens of Charles City County, where this 
land transaction took place, and he also served as one of the Magistrates.'°° This transaction indicates 
that Fortune was born by about 1672, in order to be old enough to be married by 1690. Some 
researchers have listed Fortune’s maiden name as “Flood” but I have not yet seen any convincing 


evidence to support this claim.’ 


494 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


Hinshia Gilliam appeared in the tax lists for Surry County, Virginia several times over the next few 
years. He was generally listed with only himself as a tithable member of the household, indicating 
that he did not yet have any sons who had reached the age of 16.1" In 1694, Francis West, the nephew 
of Hinshia Gilliam per the discussion above, was living in his household in the “precinct above 
Sunken Marsh.”1!! Francis was the son of Hinshia’s sister Elizabeth and her first husband John West. 


In April of 1701, Hinshia Gilliam received patents for two large tracts of land in Surry County, 
Virginia. In the first patent, Capt. Nathaniel Harrison and “Hinsha Gillam” together received 658 
acres on the south side of the main Blackwater swamp for the transportation of fourteen people to the 
colony.'? In the second patent, Hinshia alone received 348 acres south of the Blackwater for the 
transportation of seven people.’ On November 3, 1701, two related transactions finalized the 
ownership of these lands. First, Hinshia Gilliam and his wife Fortune sold the 348 acre parcel to 
William Hunt for 3,000 pounds of tobacco and cask.!!4 Second, Hinshia used the proceeds of this sale 
to purchase 329 acres from Nathaniel Harrison for 3,000 pounds of tobacco and cask.'5 This land on 
the south side of the Blackwater was “one equal half of a tract divided [and] surveyed in partnership 
between the said Nathaniel Harrison and Hinsha Gillam by a patent therefor dated April 25% 
1701.”"6 As the net result of these land deals, Hinshia Gilliam ended up with 658 acres of land on the 
south side of the Blackwater in Surry County. 


BiG i SS yah 
F ” AX 
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2 revit eae 
pls 4s 
ae ¥y 
c 5 Se 
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Q ‘i = — 
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SOUTHAMPTON Ne. 


Wie ak See uN Ty ON oS \° 


Southern Virginia, showing the Blackwater, Nottoway, and Meherrin Rivers!” 


495 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


In 1702, “Hinta Gillam” was listed as a Sergeant serving in the Company of Foot commanded by 
Captain William Brown."'8 The Colonial Militia lists are a useful glimpse into the class structure of the 
community around this time. Militias were organized by county, with the wealthiest and most 
influential men in the area appointed as commanding officers. Hinshia Gilliam’s status as a Sergeant 
indicates that he was a respected plantation owner and a responsible member of his community. His 
social station was likely somewhere in between the men listed simply as foot soldiers and his 
commanding officer William Brown. “In theory, there were regular training sessions of the militia at 
the county courthouse. In times of peace, however, these became largely social events. The County 
Lieutenant was often a candidate for the House of Burgesses, and strict discipline of essentially 
volunteer soldiers was rare. More often, the drinking during the militia assemblies was more intense 


than the target practice.”19 


The 1704 Quit Rent list has “Hincha Gillham” of Surry County owning 658 acres, the same 658 acres 
that he acquired with Nathaniel Harrison in 1701.1 A few lines above Hinshia was “John Gillam” 
who owned 1,000 acres and “Charles Gillam” who owned 200 acres, both in Prince George County. '?! 
Prince George was just to the northwest of Surry County, and these men were likely Hinshia’s 
brothers.!22 We saw above that in 1685 Hinshia Gilliam was living in the household of his stepfather 
along with Charles Gilliam. On June 6, 1713, a woman named Elizabeth Mabry (the widow of Francis 
Mabry) signed her Will and named her brothers John and “Hinshaw” Gilliam as trustees.!° Thus it 
seems clear that Hinshia had brothers named Charles and John Gilliam. 


On June 16, 1714, Hinshia Gilliam acquired 550 acres of land on the south side of the Nottoway River, 
“beginning and extending on the east side of the Cypress swamp and a little below the mouth of a 
branch.”!%4 This land was given in part for the payment of £1, 10 shillings and in part for the 
transportation of five people to the Colony. They were listed as “Richard Pigeon, Elizabeth Pigeon, 
Elizabeth Pigeon, Richard Pigeon, and Robert Pigeon.”!* Hinshia acquired land in Isle of Wight 
County on December 23, 1714, when he paid £3, 5 shillings for 620 acres of land on the South Side of 
the Nottoway River on Raccoon Swamp. This property was noted as being in Isle of Wight, adjacent 
to Hinshia’s own land and that of Capt. Henry Harrison.!2° The Nottoway River ran through both 
counties, so his 1714 grant in Surry County may have bordered this Isle of Wight County grant in the 


same year. 


As discussed above, the 1715 Will of Francis West listed cousin John Guillam, the son of “Capt. 
Hinchie Guillam.” This is the primary evidence that Hinshia was the father of our ancestor John 
Gilliam, Sr.!”’ It also indicates that Hinshia continued to move up the ranks in the local militia. He 


started as a foot solider in 1687, was a Sergeant in 1702, and by 1715 was a Captain. 


On January 16, 1718, Hinshia Gilliam sold William Briggs a 125 acre Surry County plantation which 
was located along the Cattail Branch.” Briggs was likely a relative of Hinshia’s father-in-law Henry 
Briggs, and the witnesses to this deed were Hinshia’s neighbor Henry Harrison and Samuel Briggs, 
likely the son of Henry Briggs and thus Hinshia’s step-brother.’” It is interesting to note that this 
deed describes our ancestor as “Hintia Gillam of the County of Isle of Wight.” This supports the 


496 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


theory above that Hinshia’s 1714 land grant of 550 acres on the South side of the Nottoway in Surry 
may have bordered Isle of Wight. It appears that he owned land in both counties. 


In addition to his land in Virginia, Hinshia Gilliam also acquired property across the border in North 
Carolina. On March 30, 1721, he patented 600 acres of land in Chowan County, North Carolina on the 
Roanoke River.!° The patent used the earlier name of “Morattuck” for what would later be known as 
the Roanoke. As discussed above, John Gilliam, Sr. patented 580 acres of land in the same area on the 
same day, which further supports the conclusion that these two men were father and son. In April of 
1732, Hinshia Gilliam obtained two final pieces of land. The first grant was 400 acres on the South 
side of the Nottoway River.'*! The second was a smaller forty acre parcel on the north side of the 
Nottoway River, adjacent to Francis Clements. He paid 40 shillings for the larger tract, and 5 shillings 


for the smaller.152 


Hinshia Gilliam signed his Will on January 13, 1733, and in it he disposed of his various land- 
holdings and provided evidence for many of his children with his wife Fortune.’° A legal 
clarification may be helpful for future researchers on this line. In many cases, land in Colonial 
Virginia was held “in fee simple.” This means that the owner of the land held title, and could either 
sell the land or transfer it in their will to anyone they desired. That is how almost all real estate is 
owned in our era. In contrast, a colonial property owner could alternatively devise land “in fee tail,” 
which placed limits on how the land could be transferred in the future. This was an older system, and 
was essential to keeping large estates intact in the feudal society of England. A son who inherited 
land in fee tail could not sell it during his lifetime, or decide to divide it among his several children in 
his will. Instead, upon his death it would automatically pass to his eldest son.4 Land that had these 


perpetual restrictions from being granted “in fee tail” was considered entailed. 


Hinshia’s Will granted his son Hinshia Gilliam, Jr. “the Plantation whereon he now lives with all my 
land that is joining thereto to him my said son Hinshia Gilliam and to the heirs of his body lawfully 
begotten forever.”'° He used the same language for other bequests throughout his Will. It is this 
specific legal language, “to the heirs of his body lawfully begotten forever,” which created a fee tail 
and restricted how the land could be owned going forward. It is curious that Hinshia Gilliam would 
have tried to encumber how his sons could use their inherited land, since he himself bought and sold 
land across southern Virginia and North Carolina. Because land was plentiful in the new colony, 
entailing was far less common than it was in England. In fact, it appears that many testators 
accidentally created fee tails, perhaps because their lawyers were simply using the traditional 
language without understanding the consequences. This led the Virginia Assembly in 1734 to pass an 
Act which provided “a means to dock (or eliminate) entails created inadvertently through a testator’s 


ignorance or sloppy language.” 1% 


That may have been what happened here, because Hinshia Gilliam, Jr. died in 1737 only a few years 
after receiving land in fee tail from his father. But Hinshia, Jr.’s Will appears to have ignored this 
restriction. He left his Estate to his Widow Faith, and if she remarried before his children came of age, 
the Estate was to be equally divided between his Widow and his children.!*” If this Estate included 


land held in fee tail, then he would not have been able to divide it.%8 As further evidence of our 


497 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


ancestral line, Hinshia Gilliam, Jr. stated that his land “on Ronoke River” was to be sold to Ole Taply, 
provided that Taply pays “my Brother John Gilliam twenty pounds sixteen shillings,” which John 


Gilliam was to keep for Hinshia Gilliam, Jr’s three sons until they came of age.°9 


Returning to the Will of Hinshia Gilliam, Sr., he next gave his son Walter Gilliam the Plantation 
where Walter lived along with 200 acres of land on Raccoon Swamp." If Walter’s line “should fail or 
be extinct” then this land passed to Hinshia’s son Thomas Gilliam.™! Son Charles Gilliam was given 
the Plantation where he lived along with 100 acres of his father’s land “on the north side of the 
branch between his Plantation and mine.”'? Charles was also given 200 acres of land on the South 
side of the Nottoway River (originally acquired in 1732) and Thomas Gilliam received the other 200 
acres.'4#8 The remainder of Hinshia Gilliam’s land was given to his wife Fortune Gilliam (here spelled 


Fortain) during her natural life, and then to their son Thomas Gilliam in fee tail." 


Three of his sons (Charles, Thomas, and Walter) were given the 40 acres on the north side of the 
Nottoway River to share as “a fishing place.” Thomas was also given a feather bed and household 
goods, along with “one half part of my new dwelling house.” 14° These bequests all indicate to me that 
Thomas Gilliam was the youngest son, and was expected to stay with his mother on the main family 


plantation during her widowhood. 


Four slaves were listed as Tom, Quamany, Jamey, and Jack. They were given to Fortune during her 
natural life, and at her death were divided among several of the children, including daughters 
Priscilla and Lydia. The language of the Will indicates that these daughters were unmarried as of 
1733, since they would only receive the slaves if they were alive and unmarried at their mother’s 
death.” Thomas Gilliam was appointed Executor of the Will. The Witnesses were neighbors 
Benjamin Clements and Edward Clanton, along with John Gilliam.'48 Hinshia Gilliam, Sr. must have 


died before March 19, 1734, when Thomas submitted an inventory of his Estate.1° 


We know that Fortune survived her husband for many years. An Estate account from April 16, 1740 
listed amounts paid to “Fortune Gilliam, Widow.”° This document also has £1, 10 shillings listed for 
“schooling the children” some of whom must have been minors at their father’s death.! Fortune 
signed her Will in May of 1744, although it was not admitted to probate until ten years later, on May 
13, 1754.52 The Will named sons Charles, William, Thomas, and Walter Gilliam. Fortune made 
several bequests that followed the earlier wishes of her husband Hinshia Gilliam, Sr. Charles Gilliam 
received the slave named Quamany. This implies that Priscilla Gilliam had either died or married by 
1744, since otherwise she would have inherited Quamany. Thomas Gilliam received the 340 acre 
plantation where Fortune lived and a slave named Tom, as directed by his father’s Will. The slave 
named Jack was to descend to Hinshia Gilliam, Jr., but since he died in 1737, Jack descended to 
Walter Gilliam.15° 


Our ancestor John Gilliam, Sr. was not named in his mother’s Will, but this is to be expected, since he 
had died in 1738. That leaves William Gilliam, who was listed as the son of Fortune Gilliam in her 
Will, even though he had not appeared in his father’s Will. Like John Gilliam, it seems likely that 


William was an elder son who was already established, and thus did not receive land from his father. 


498 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


This is supported by the fact that Fortune Gilliam left the remainder of her Estate to sons Charles, 
Thomas, and Walter, leaving out the presumably well-established William. William Gilliam received 
the slave named Jamey.'** This implies that Lydia Gilliam had either died or married by 1744, since 


otherwise she would have inherited Jamey. 
Children of Hinshia Gilliam, Sr. and Fortune: 


i. John GILLIAM, Sr. was born by about 1697 in Virginia and died in 1738 in Surry County, 
Virginia. He married Sarah by 1719.15 

ii. William GILLIAM"* likely married Susannah GREEN, daughter of Lewis GREEN.” 

iii. Charles GILLIAM, Sr. died by 1767 in Surry County, Virginia.15° 

iv. Hinshia GILLIAM, Jr. died in 1737 in Surry County, Virginia. He married Faith BRIGGS.1© 

Vv. Walter GILLIAM died in 1758 in Southampton County, Virginia.'*! He married Sarah.'? 

vi. Thomas GILLIAM was born about 1705! and died in 1794 in Southampton County, 
Virginia.’ He married Mary.'® He married Selah SOWERBY on 7 Jan 1789 in Sussex County, 
Virginia.!% 

vii. Lydia GILLIAM'* 
viii. Priscilla GILLIAM'® 


Probable Children of Hinshia Gilliam, Sr. and Fortune: 


ix. Martha GILLIAM 
x. Amy GILLIAM 


Martha and Amy Gilliam may have been the daughters of Hinshia Gilliam, Sr. and his wife Fortune, 
although that is not certain. There was definitely a man named William Gilliam in Surry County, 
Virginia who had sisters named Martha and Amy Gilliam. Whether those women were the daughters 
of Hinshia Gilliam depends on whether the William Gilliam who was their brother was the same 
William Gilliam who was the son of Hinshia and Fortune. That seems possible to me, but not yet 
proven. It is also possible that Martha, Amy, and William Gilliam (Jr.) were all grandchildren of 
Hinshia and Fortune Gilliam, and children of William Gilliam (Sr.). 


The William Gilliam who appears to be in our line acquired 200 acres of land from Lewis Green on 
September 5, 1739. This was part of a 400 acre parcel located on the north side of the Nottoway River 
in Surry County.'° One of the witnesses to this transaction was Charles Gilliam, likely William’s 
brother.’ On November 16, 1742, William Gilliam of Surry County gave his daughter Margery and 
her husband Richard Hill 200 acres of land bordering John Gilliam and Lewis Green.!”! This 
document was witnessed by William Green, Peter Green, and William Green, Jr.!” I suspect that this 
was the same 200 acres William Gilliam acquired in 1739. The latter deed noted that if Richard Hill 
and his wife Margery should die without issue, then the land would descend to William’s son, also 


named William Gilliam.’ 


Because of the connection to the men named Charles and John Gilliam, I suspect that this William 


Gilliam was the son of Hinshia and Fortune. It is possible that this William Gilliam married Susannah 


499 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


Green, daughter of Lewis Green, Sr.'“ Interestingly, Lewis Green, Sr. and his son Peter Green, Sr. are 
Hank’s ancestors through Amanda Randolph, and they are discussed below in The Randolph and 


Green Lines. 


On June 30, 1749, Spinsters Martha and Amy Gilliam of Brunswick County, Virginia transferred 
eighteen slaves and 45 acres of Surry County land to their brother William Gilliam. The land was 
located in Albemarle Parish, and bordered William Gilliam, Richard Hill, and William Winfield. The 
witnesses to this transaction were William Gilliam, Joel Mabry, Ephraim Mabry, and Nathaniel 
Mabry.!”> This seems very likely to be the William Gilliam in our line, based on the proximity of his 
land to that of son-in-law Richard Hill. This deed was recorded in Surry County on November 21, 
1752. 


On that same date, William Gilliam “the elder” of Surry County assigned to his sisters Martha and 
Amy Gilliam of Brunswick County the use of 13 of the slaves mentioned in the previous deed, along 
with the use of the plantation where they currently resided for the rest of their natural lives. At their 
death, these slaves and land were to descend to William’s son, also named William Gilliam.1” Again, 
this supports the theory that this is the same William Gilliam of Surry County who we saw back in 
1742 with a son named William Gilliam. In the intervening 10 years, the younger William may have 


reached legal age, and thus his father was now using the title William Gilliam the Elder. 


Finally, on May 4, 1763, Martha Gilliam of Brunswick County deeded her entire Estate to Richard Hill 
of Sussex County “for the better support and maintenance of the said Richard Hill & Margery Hill his 
wife.”!77 Given all the connections to people in our Gilliam line, this William Gilliam who was 
connected to sisters Marth and Amy could have been either the son or grandson of Hinshia Gilliam 


and Fortune. 
c. John Gilliam (Unknown-By 1673) and Margery (Unknown-By 1688) 


Several documents, when taken together, establish that Hinshia Gilliam, Sr. was the son of John 
Gilliam and his wife Margery. First, on September 21, 1671, a General Court order granted Henry 
Randolph 244 acres of land in Bristol Parish, Charles City County, Virginia.!”* Henry Randolph, 
known as Henry Randolph I, was a leading citizen in Colonial Virginia and was the Clerk of the 
Virginia Assembly until his death in 1673.!” The text of Randolph’s patent notes that these 244 acres 
were formerly granted to John “Guillam” on September 5, 1663, but that the claim had been 
deserted.1®° On May 17, 1673, Henry Randolph I was officially granted a patent to Gilliam’s former 
land.'8! Henry Randolph I then assigned this patent over to Margery Guillam, the widow of John 
Guillam who had originally made the claim.'*? Based on this gesture, it seems that our John Gilliam 
and Margery were close associates or neighbors of Henry Randolph, or perhaps even relatives. 
Unfortunately, it appears that Henry Randolph I died before this transfer to Margery “was 
Acknowledged in Court or ratyfyd according to law.”18 


500 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


Margery lived as a widow for several years following John Gilliam’s 
death. On December 3, 1678, Mr. Robert Bolling stood as a security for 
“Mrs. Gillum, she having the estate of orphan Hugh Leaden in her 
hands.”1*4 Like Henry Randolph I, Robert Bolling was a leading Colonial 
citizen and wealthy planter.'° During this period, the land discussed 
above was considered as belonging to Margery Gilliam, although by 1681 
she had remarried to Henry Briggs.!*° We know that by 1681, Margery 
had remarried to Henry Briggs, because in that year she was mentioned 
as his wife in his Will.1*7 Henry Brigg’s Will was probated on July 6, 1686, 


. with Margery serving as the Executrix.'** However, despite the passage of 
Robert Bolling fifteen years since the death of her first husband John Gilliam, Margery 
still did not appear to have legal title to his original land claim. 


We know about this sequence of events because in 1687, Henry Randolph I's son Henry Randolph II 
had come of age and set about resolving this oversight. On October 1, 1687, Henry Randolph II laid 
out the facts above and stated: “Now know yee that I Henry Randolph, son and heir of ye before 
mentioned deceased Henry Randolph, out of filial duty and [reverence?] I bear to ye memory of my 
said deceased father, and for confirmation of his said Gift ... confirm unto Margery Briggs, late Relict 
of ye aforesaid John Guillam ... that piece, parcel or tract of land situated lying and being in Bristol 
Parish in ye County of Charles City on ye South side of Appamattock River.” 18° So, whether it was 
from a sense of honor, an existing connection, or both, we again see a Randolph man working to 


ensure that Margery Gilliam would retain title to the land of her late husband John Gilliam. 1° 


Helpfully, Henry Randolph’s document ratifying this gift establishes that Margery had remarried 
and was now known as Margery Briggs. So we know that this Margery is the same woman who had 
married both John Gilliam and Henry Briggs. As we saw above, and ancestor Hinshia and his brother 
Charles Gilliam were living in the household of Henry Briggs in 1684 and 1685.'"! Henry Briggs died 
by 1686, and Margery died by May 29, 1688. On that date, John Gilliam, Francis Maybury, Hinshia 
Gilliam, Thomas Blunt, and James Jordan signed a bond to execute the Estate of Margery Briggs.’ It 
is possible that Blunt and Jordan were relatives, or perhaps just associates who were willing to post a 


bond; the Gilliams and Francis Maybury appear to have handled the Estate. 


On July 3, 1688, John Gilliam, Hinshia Gilliam and Francis Maybury submitted an inventory of 
Margery’s Estate, totaling just over £159, with the value primarily in livestock.!% Francis Mabury was 
the third husband of Elizabeth Gilliam, sister of John and Hinshia.!% On October 3, 1688, the 
Executors of Margery’s Estate were summoned to give an account of the Estate belonging to orphan 
Hugh Leaden.!% Mr. Robert Bolling testified that Leaden was now of age to claim his inheritance, and 
on July 2, 1689, a payment of £8, 90 shillings to “Hugh Leiden” was included in an accounting of 
Margery’s Estate.!% Hugh Leaden or Leden continued to live close to the descendants of John and 


Margery Gilliam, and it seems likely there was a family connection.!%” 


Taking all of these documents together, it is clear that Hinshia Gilliam was the son of John Gilliam 


and his wife Margery, the same woman who later married Henry Briggs. Many online trees have 


501 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


Margery’s maiden name as “Henshaw.” Presumably, this is based on her having a son named 
Hinshia, which became a common name in that branch of the family. Margaret’s daughter Elizabeth 
also appears to have had a son named Hinchea Maybury.'%8 However, the presence of this uncommon 


name, without any further evidence, does not prove that Margery’s maiden name was Hinshaw. 


The other argument for Margery having been a Hinshaw relies on similarly sparse evidence. On 
August 21, 1635, a list of passengers was created containing the names of people who were to be 
transported from London to Virginia on the ship George.'! Arriving on the George were John Gillam, 
age 21, and Thomas Gillam, age 18. Also on that ship, among many other passengers, was a William 
Hinshawe, age 20.2 Assuming that these Gilliams men are in the line of our ancestors, it is still a 
large leap to assume the maiden name of one woman in the family based on the surname of a fellow 
passenger. Even if these Gilliam men and William Hinshawe were connected, and closely enough 
that John Gilliam named a son Hinshawe or Hinshia, we cannot conclude that Margery was a 
Hinshawe. Just as likely is that Hinshawe was a cousin or other relative and the source of the name is 
further back in the family tree. Or, given that there is little evidence about what happened to William 
Hinshawe upon arriving in Virginia, perhaps he died young and his friend named a son in his honor? 
These are all possibilities that cannot be ruled out without better evidence, and for now the origin of 


this unique name is unknown. 


What else is known with certainty of John Gilliam, our earliest male ancestor on the Gilliam line and 
Margery’s first husband? Many unsupported origin stories can be found online, but with no provable 
connection to our John Gilliam. It seems likely that the John from the 1635 ship list was either our 
ancestor or a close relative, and was the brother of the Thomas Gillam on the same ship. On August 
20, 1642, Joseph Royall claimed John and Thomas “Guilham” as headrights, among 10 others, when 
patenting 600 acres “above Sherley hundred” in Charles City County.”°! Headrights could be claimed 
several years after the passengers arrived in the Colony, and I suspect these were the same two 
Gillam men from the 1635 passenger list. These men were in the right area at the right time, and 
shared names common to many men in our Gilliam line. This John Gilliam would have been born 
about 1614 in order to be 21 years old on his 1635 voyage. That perhaps makes him slightly older than 
we would expect for the father of Hinshia Gilliam, but not impossibly so. Or there may have been 


another generation between this John and the father of Hinshia Gilliam. 


A series of references in the Charles City County, Virginia Court Orders over the next few years seem 
likely to refer to this same John Gilliam. In October of 1657 and again in October of 1659, John Gilham 
was paid 200 pounds of tobacco for returning a wolf’s head.” On December 3, 1659, John Gilham 
was granted an attachment against the Estate of Anthony Tall for 1,100 pounds of tobacco. In 1661, 
John Gilham was dismissed from a suit brought by William Hunt, attorney for Anthony Tall, for 
illegal detention of a servant belonging to Tall. It appears that Gilham delivered the servant back 
when asked. In 1663, John Gillum and Henry Randolph served as witnesses for a power of attorney 
granted to John Wilson of Bristol Parish.?% 


Perhaps the most important reference is a deed from July 21, 1664, when Edward Hill and his wife 
Elizabeth sold 1,300 acres to John “Gillam” in Charles City County.” This transaction was witnessed 


502 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


by Henry Randolph and Eliza Reppes or Eppes. The land had previously been patented by Capt. 
Edward Hill earlier that year, on March 28, 1664.2 Given the location and the connection with Henry 
Randolph, this appears to be evidence of our ancestor John Gilliam acquiring a large tract of land in 
Charles City County, Virginia. As we have already seen, John’s widow Margery had connections 
with both Henry Randolph and Robert Bolling, two wealthy landowners in this immediate area. It is 
consistent with these later associations that John Gilliam also owned a substantial acreage in Charles 
City County. 


This land, and the rest of John Gilliam’s line, is discussed in a book written by Charles Edgar Gilliam 
in 1942, based on his own research and that of his father, Richard Davenport Gilliam.?°° Charles 
claimed that the 1,300 acres that John Gilliam purchased in 1664 were on the Appomattox River, and 
“included the river front of farms now known as Monte Alto, Mt. Airy and Arlington.”?° He also 
noted that John Gilliam’s 1663 patent (which eventually made its way to Margery through the 
Randolph family) was “in the rear of Broadway and Monte Alto.”!° John Gilliam’s descendants 
appear to have acquired additional land in this area, including his son John’s patent of “all the large 
islands (except Cobbs) which lie in the river Appomattox opposite Arlington, Mr. Airy, Mt. Alto, 
Spring Hill (now Gatling’s) and Tusculum’”?" “Robert Gilliam, 1796-1884, was justified in asserting in 
writing that his Gilliam ancestors owned all the land fronting on the river Appomattox between 
Broadway and Puddledock Creek."?!” 


The land described above appears to have been in the general vicinity of the modern town of 
Hopewell, Virginia. Just west of Hopewell, the Appomattox turns south and splits around a number 
of decently sized islands. One of those large islands still bears the name “Gilliams Island,” and it is 
almost certainly named after our ancestor John Gilliam or one of his descendants. As of now, I have 
not found any reliable evidence that would allow us to trace back further than John Gilliam and his 


wife Margery.” 
Children of John Gilliam and Margery: 


i. Elizabeth GILLIAM was born about 1655 in Virginia? and died by 1715 in Surry County, 
Virginia.2!5 She married John WEST by about 1673.2'© She married William BEVIN, Sr. by 
1679.17 She married Francis MAYBURY or MABRY on 1 Sep 1685 in Henrico County, 
Virginia.?!8 

ii. John GILLIAM was born by 1668 in Virginia.”!9 

iii. Charles GILLIAM was born about 1664 in Virginia?° and died after 1736 in Bristol Parish, 
Prince George County, Virginia.”?! He married Frances, possibly HALL.?” 

iv. Hinshia GILLIAM, Sr. was born by 1666 in Virginia and died by 1734 in Surry County, 
Virginia. He married Fortune UNKNOWN by 1690. 


503 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


2. Michael Hill, Sr. (By 1694—About 1755) and Elizabeth (Unknown-Before 1755) 


Robert Newman 


«Ee 
 « ) 
«eee 


Joel Newman John Threewits Sr 


Katherine Threewits 


Lucy Hill 


Mildred Gilliam 


After a detour into the Gilliam line, we now return to Michael Hill, Sr., who I believe was the father 
of our ancestor John Hill, Sr. This conclusion differs from many other family trees that can be 
discovered online. However, there is far more evidence for the claim that we descend from Michael 
Hill, Sr. than for the theory that we descend from Richard Hill and his wife Hannah Briggs. There are 
a large number of documents that establish a close connection between the members of our Newman, 
Threewitts, Hill, and Gilliam lines, and they provide evidence that Michael Hill, Sr. was the father of 
John Hill, Sr. This was a closely related kin group that maintained connections over several years and 
several different counties in southern Virginia. The discussion that follows is fairly technical, but I 
believe it will be useful to other researchers hoping to sort out this Hill line. Family members reading 
for the highlights may wish to skim or skip ahead. 


We saw above that John Hill, Sr.’s Will listed William Malone as a brother-in-law.2% This is an 
important clue that helps us determine his father, but only if we can accurately understand how John 
Hill, Sr. and William Malone were related. According to John Bennett Boddie’s Southside Virginia 
Families, William Malone was the husband of Mary Hill.?4 Boddie claimed that Mary Hill was the 
sister of our John Hill, Sr., and that both John and Mary were the children of Richard Hill and his wife 
Hannah Briggs.?% Unfortunately, Boddie did not cite any sources for these relationships, and I do not 
believe this conclusion is correct. While John Hill, Sr. and Mary Hill were siblings, I do not believe 
they were the children of Richard Hill and Hannah Briggs. 


504 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


It should be noted that Southside Virginia Families is a secondary source. Like this book, it is reliable 
only to the extent it cites primary sources and draws reasonable conclusions from those sources. 
While John Bennett Boddie was an accomplished and widely published genealogist, he made several 
other mistakes on related lines in this book, and thus it cannot be taken as infallible evidence on its 
own.”6 Without original sources, we have no way of knowing why Boddie made the connection 
between John Hill, Sr. and Richard Hill.??” 


AS Ce gigrn tn’ PS: an i” : 


si) YH 


The Appomattox River is a tributary of the James, entering near Petersburg at the top of this map. 
Jones Hole Swamp is directly south, a tributary of the Nottoway River.””8 


My review of the available evidence suggests that John Hill, Sr. was the son of Michael Hill, Sr. and 
his wife Elizabeth. By tracing the available records, we can see how this Hill family and their 
connected kin group migrated south along the available waterways: from the Appomattox River, to 
Jones Hole Swamp, and eventually the Nottoway River. Bristol Parish was established in 1643 and 
served the area that covered Henrico and Prince George Counties by the early 1720s.” This is the 
land surrounding the Appomattox River, just north of Surry County, Virginia. Early parish records 
have been lost, but starting from 1720 both the Bristol Parish Vestry Book and Parish Register have 


survived. 


505 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


De. &: &> ep 
& nt 


Connections between the Hill, Gilliam, Threewitts, and Newman families. Solid lines represent 


parent/child relationships and dashed lines represent marriages. 


The family tree above connects various members of our Hill, Gilliam, Threewitts, and Newman 
families. There are more relationships than can fit on one chart, but this selection focuses on sorting 
out the parents of John Hill, Sr. Our direct ancestors are listed in black text, while other relatives are 
in white text. The evidence and reasoning for this tree can be found in the discussion below. After 
examining the primary sources, I believe that Michael Hill, Sr. and William Hill, Sr. were likely 
brothers. Michael Hill, Sr. and his wife Elizabeth were the parents of our ancestor John Hill, Sr. This 
couple also had children Michael Hill, Jr. and Mary Hill, among several others. Mary Hill married 
William Malone, making William Malone the brother-in-law of our John Hill, Sr. 


John Hill, Sr.’s uncle William Hill, Sr. and his wife Amy had a daughter named Frances Hill. Frances 
Hill married John Threewitts, Jr., the son of our ancestor John Threewitts, Sr. John Threewitts, Sr. was 
also the father of our ancestor Katherine Threewitts, who married Robert Newman and had a son Joel 
Newman. Joel Newman and Lucy Hill are Hank’s direct ancestors, and were the parents of Catherine 


Newman. 
Michael Hill, Sr. 


To help explain these relationships, let’s first look at the family of Michael Hill, Sr. The first reference 
that I have found for Michael Hill, Sr. comes from a land survey completed by Robert Bolling. On 
May 10, 1715, “Michal Hill” was noted as having 225 acres on the south side of “Joans Hole 
Swamp.”?30 This small tributary of the Nottoway River is more often spelled “Jones Hole,” and it can 
be seen on the map above. Robert Bolling’s original survey map can be seen below. Since he was old 
enough to own land in 1715, this suggests that Michael Hill, Sr. was born by at least 1694. On modern 
maps, Jones Hole Swamp is a series of small rivers that drains into the larger Nottoway River. The 
land surrounding Jones Hole Swamp lies between the Appomattox and Nottoway Rivers. On June 22, 
1722, Michael Hill received the official patent for these 225 acres on Jones Hole Swamp.”*! 


506 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


Robert Bolling’s 1715 Survey for Michael Hill. 225 Acres on Jones Hole Swamp 


Several other familiar surnames appear in Robert Bolling’s survey. In the same area was a man 
named Daniel Malone, who had 99 acres on both sides of the Jones Hole Swamp.” The Gilliam 
family appears as well, with land for both John Gilliam and John Gilliam, Jr.2° A man named John 
Hill, likely too old to be our ancestor John Hill, Sr., obtained land on the “Rocky Run” of Stony 
Creek.?*4 It seems likely that this John Hill was a relative of our Michael Hill, Sr., although the exact 
relationship is unclear. We also see names other names connected to our line, including Bobbit and 
Sturdivant. 


On April 14, 1719, John Hamlin sold 100 acres of land on Jones Hole Swamp to “Michael Hill the 
Elder” of Prince George County, Virginia.° The designation “the Elder” was used when there were 
two men of legal age in the area who shared a name. If this land was purchased by Michael Hill, Sr., 
that suggests he had a younger relative in the area with the same name. However, his son Michael 
Hill, Jr. was not born until 1721, so this would have to refer to a cousin, nephew, or other family 
member. Another possibility is that Michael Hill the Elder was the father or older relative of our 


507 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


Michael Hill, Sr. If these were two different men, the fact that Michael Hill the Elder and Michael Hill, 


Sr. both owned land on Jones Hole Swamp, suggests a close relationship. 


On February 20, 1721, Michael Hill, Sr. and his wife Elizabeth had a son named Michael.’ Michael 
Hill, Jr. was the only child born to this couple who is listed in the Bristol Parish Register. It seems 
likely that most of their children were born prior to 1720, and those records have been lost. The 


surviving records of Bristol Parish after 1720 note several other Hill and Gilliam families. 


On December 9, 1726, Michael Hill, Sr. sold Francis Pattison 50 acres of land on Jones Hole Swamp 
that bordered his existing plantation.?* Michael Hill made this sale for only 1 shilling, which strongly 
suggests a family relationship between these two men. Earlier that year, on July 26, 1726, Francis 
Pattison and his wife Ann sold 200 acres of land in Prince George County, Virginia to David 
Barrett.° Taken together, these two transactions suggest that Ann could have had the maiden name 
Hill and been the daughter of Michael Hill, Sr. 


In the 1740s, we begin to see adult records for Michael Hill, Jr. On September 16, 1740, Michael Hill, 
Jr. patented 100 acres of land on the north side of Jones Hole Swamp in Prince George County.” This 
land was next to John Hill. Michael Hill, Jr. married his first wife Susanna prior to 1743, because on 
July 18, 1743 their daughter Elizabeth Hill was born in Bristol Parish.*! Another daughter, Amie Hill, 
was born on April 27, 1746.2% On May 15, 1748, Michael Hill was the godfather of Burrell Hill, the 
son of our ancestors John Hill, Sr. and Milly (Hill) Gilliam.2* 


Around the same time period, we see evidence that this kin group living near Jones Hole Swamp in 
Prince George County, Virginia was beginning to acquire land and move further south into Surry 
County, Virginia. On November 13, 1740, Michael Hill, Sr. purchased 120 acres on the north side of 
the Nottoway River in Surry County from Israel Pickens.” This land bordered “Bollings line”, Lewis 
Green, Israel Pickens, and Thomas Chambers. The witnesses were Thomas Oliver, John Threeweet, 
William Malone, and John Hill.2% John Threewitts, Sr. and John Hill, Sr. were our direct ancestors, 
and we know that William Malone was the brother-in-law of John Hill, Sr. This is very strong 
evidence that Michael Hill, Sr. and his descendants were closely related to our line. In the early 1740s 
our ancestor John Hill, Sr. married Milly Gilliam, connecting this Hill line with our Gilliam and 
Threewitts branches. 


We know that it was Michael Hill, Sr. who purchased these 120 acres in Surry County, and not his 
son, because on March 9, 1748, he sold the same tract of land to his son Michael Hill, Jr.24° Michael 
Hill, Sr. does not appear to have owned land at the end of his life and he did not leave a Will.74”7 He 
died sometime before June of 1755, when the Sussex County Court ordered an appraisal of his 
Estate.*48 The appraisers were William Gilliam, Richard Hill, and William Gilliam, Jr. It should be 
noted that these appraisers, despite the Gilliam and Hill surnames, were not likely to be close 
relatives of Michael Hill, Sr. Appraisers were often chosen from among the respected men in the 
community and their job was to perform an objective appraisal as a third party so that the estate 
could be divided fairly. Thus, it would be unusual for the appraisers to be immediate family. The 


appraisers found a small amount of livestock and farming tools worth a total of £19 and 14 shillings. 


508 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


Michael Hill, Sr.’s inventory was recorded by the Court on October 13, 1755, with John Hill acting as 


the Administrator.2# 


This is the key piece of evidence indicating that our ancestor John Hill, Sr. was the son of Michael 
Hill, Sr. We know that Michael Hill, Jr., also the son of Michael Hill, Sr., was alive and living in this 
area as of 1755. Normally, the administrator of an estate would be either the surviving widow or an 
adult son. I assume Michael Hill, Sr.’s wife Elizabeth died before 1755, since she does not appear here. 
The fact that we see John Hill serving as the Administrator instead of Michael Hill, Jr. strongly 
suggests that he was a son of Michael Hill, Sr. Complicating this conclusion is the existence of all the 
other men named John Hill in the area. It is possible that this John Hill was the brother or uncle of 
Michael Hill, Sr., the same man we see buying land and living near Michael Hill, Sr. throughout the 
1720s and 1730s. However, given the numerous connections between the known family members of 
John Hill, Sr. and Michael Hill, particularly the connection with William Malone, I believe that what 
we see here is John Hill, Sr. administering the Estate of his father Michael Hill, Sr. 


John Hill I 


We know that our ancestor John Hill, Sr., the husband of Milley Gilliam, was born by 1725 at the 
latest.25° I suspect that he was born before 1720, and Boddie estimated 1718.75! This would explain 
why his birth does not appear in the Bristol Parish records, which have been lost prior to 1720. From 
here, the evidence gets tangled and can be difficult to interpret. There are several men in Prince 
George County named Michael Hill and John Hill. It is clear is that they were closely connected with 
the Hill/Gilliam/Threewitts kin group that lived in this area. Understanding these various John Hill 


men can help clarify this confusing branch of our tree. 


The first John Hill appeared on October 11, 1715, when he and his wife Mary Hill sold 90 acres of 
land to John Poake.?*? Since he was purchasing land in 1715, he was clearly too old to be our ancestor 
John Hill, Sr., the husband of Milly Gilliam. Both parties to this 1715 transaction were from 
Westopher Parish in Prince George County, and this is also were the land was located, bordering 
William Mattox, John Willingham, and Burwell Green. The witnesses to this sale were George 
Woodcliff and John Lesanby.” To help keep these men straight, I will refer to the John Hill from this 
1715 transaction as “John Hill I.” 


John Hill I died in the fall of 1718, signing his Will on October 5, 1718, which was admitted to probate 
on November 11, 1718. John Hill I left his entire Estate to his wife “Ann Hill in Return of her Tender 
Love and affection to me, only twelve pence a piece to each of my Children.”**4 After Ann’s death, 
John Hill I’s plantation went to his son John Hill john Hill I) and his heirs. We know this is the Will 
of John Hill I because it was witnessed by several of his neighbors from the 1715 transaction: John 
Pook (Poake), William Mattox, and George Woodclife.> This raises the question of why John Hill I’s 
wife was Mary in 1715 but was Ann by the time he died in 1718. It seems likely that John Hill I’s first 
wife died and he remarried to a woman named Ann.” His children were likely grown and 


established by 1718, since he left them only 12 pence each. 


John Hill II 


509 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


The second John Hill first appears on January 7, 1716, when William Steinback and his wife Onah 
sold 100 acres of land on Jones Hole Swamp to John Hill, Jr.2°7 The John Hill here was clearly 
described as “John Hill, Jun.”, which strongly suggests that he is not the same man as John Hill I. He 
was also too old to be our direct ancestor of the same name. Note that Jones Hole Swamp is the same 


location where we can place Michael Hill, Sr. starting in 1715. 


Further evidence for these connections comes from a March 8, 1722 land sale in Prince George 
County, Virginia. On that date, John Hill II and his wife Frances purchased an additional 100 acres of 
land on the north side of “Joans Hole Swamp” from William Stainback, Jr.%* The deed clarifies that 
these 100 acres were part of a 200 acre tract originally patented by William Stainback, Sr., presumably 
the other half of the parcel that John Hill II purchased back in 1716.” 


Tying all of these people together is a related document from March 12, 1722. As payment for the 100 
acres of land on Jones Hole Swamp, Ann Carter, along with John Hill II and his wife Frances, sold 
William Stainback, Jr. 90 acres of land in Martins Brandon Parish, Prince George County, for 1 
shilling. This land was originally purchased by “John Hill, Sr.” (i.e, John Hill I) from Daniel 
Sturdivant on January of 1701, and was bordered by George Woodclife, William Mattox, and John 
Pook.” Based on the neighbors, this must be the same land that John Hill I left to his wife Ann, and 
then to his son John after Ann’s death. This indicates that Ann, widow of John Hill I, had likely 
remarried to a Carter by 1722 and was now allowing her son John Hill II to sell his future inheritance 
in exchange for more land on Jones Hole Swamp.?*! Further, John Hill I’s original purchase of the 
land from Daniel Sturdivant provides more connections with our kin group. We know that both John 
Threewits, Sr. and John Gilliam, Sr. owned land next to Sturdivant men, and Mary Hill, the daughter 
of John Hill, Sr. and Milly Gilliam married a Sturdivant.” 


Men named Michael and John Hill owned land on what is now called Tommeheton Creek, in the 
southwestern portion of Prince George County, Virginia. This area would later become Dinwiddie 
County in 1752. On February 27, 1726, Robert Bolling conducted a survey that found Michael Hill 
with 204 acres on the lower side of “Tomahton Swamp.”?° On June 20, 1733, John Hill paid 20 
shillings and received a patent for 204 acres of land on the lower side of “Tommahitton Swamp.” 
Given the identical acreage and location, this may be the same parcel. This is further evidence that 
Michael Hill, Sr. and John Hill I were either brothers or cousins. 


Michael Hill, Sr. and John Hill I continued to live in Bristol Parish in Prince George County, Virginia. 
In 1729, we see Michael Hill listed in the Parish Register as a tithable member of Bristol Parish. He 
received 1,000 pounds of tobacco, equivalent to £80, for service to the church.? We do not know the 
nature of this service, but similar payments were made for parishioners who helped plant crops on 
the church land or took in orphans. John Hill Il was also a respected member of the Parish and in 
1727 was appointed with Richard Raines to procession the land of Jones Hole Swamp area.” He 
would continue to be appointed as a processioner over the next several years.”” From 1746 to 1750, 
Elizabeth Hill, perhaps the wife of Michael Hill, Sr., received 400 pounds of tobacco each year for 
unspecified service to the Parish. I suspect that that Michael Hill, Sr., John Hill Il, and William Hill, 


Sr. were all sons of John Hill I. Unfortunately, I do not have conclusive evidence for this theory. 


510 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


Adding to the confusion surrounding the men named John Hill during this time period, there were 
three children born to men named John Hill in Bristol Parish between 1726 and 1732, all with 
different wives. James Hill was born to John and Elizabeth Hill on July 17, 1726.26 Lewis Hill was 
born to John and Frances Hill on July 12, 1729.2”? And Ann Hill was born to John and Ann Hill on 
September 18, 1732.27! 


None of these fathers can be John Hill I, who died in 1718. Nor are they likely to be our direct 
ancestor John Hill Sr., who would have been too young during this time period. Lewis Hill, born in 
1729, must be the son of John Hill II, since we know that John Hill II’s wife was named Frances as of 
1722. This implies that James Hill cannot have been the son of John Hill IL, since he was born in 1726 
to mother Elizabeth. The Ann Hill born in 1732 could be the daughter of John Hill IT with a later wife, 
or could be an entirely separate John Hill.?” 


William Hill, Sr.—Likely Brother of Michael Hill, Sr. 


The Bristol Parish register notes that William and Amy Hill had a daughter named Frances on 
January 2, 1728 and a son named William on February 14, 1731.27 William Hill, Sr. and his wife Amy 
were later connected to our Threewitts and Newman lines through their daughter Frances, which in 
turn implies a close connection with Michael Hill, Sr. As mentioned above, I believe that William Hill, 
Sr. was likely the brother of Michael Hill, Sr. 


John Threewitts, Jr. died in 1756, leaving a young widow named Frances.?” The Executors to the Will 
were widow Frances Threewitts and a man named Michael Hill (who must have been Michael Hill, 
Jr. since Michael Hill, Sr. had died in 1755). The witnesses were Mary and Amey Hill. I believe that 
Mary Hill was the second wife of Michael Hill, Jr., discussed below. I believe Amey Hill was Frances 
(Threewitts) Hill’s mother, the wife of William Hill, Sr. These connections strongly suggest that 
Frances (Threewitts) had the maiden name Hill and was the daughter of William and Amy Hill born 
in 1728. That makes her the right age to be the young widow of John Threewitts, Jr. in 1756. Michael 
Hill, Jr., who served as an Executor for John Threewitts, Jr., would have been Frances’ older cousin. 


DNeoe=: ea &® S&S 
_s <) 


As we saw above, there is another connection between William and Amy Hill and our Hill line. On 


June 24, 1768, Amy Hill left her entire Estate to her “good friend Robert Newman” who she also 


511 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


named Executor.?” I believe this Amy Hill was the widow of William Hill, Sr. whose daughter 
Frances Hill married John Threewitts, Jr. This marriage was likely how Amy Hill and Robert 
Newman became friends, since Richard’s wife Katherine Threewitts was the sister of John Threewitts, 
Jr. By 1768, both Robert Newman and Amy Hill had been widowed, so given their family connections 
and shared life circumstances, it make sense that the two would be close, and that Amy would leave 
her Estate to Robert. Robert Newman’s son Joel Newman would later marry our ancestor Lucy Hill, 
the daughter of John Hill, Sr.?% 


Michael Hill, Jr. and his connections with John Hill, Sr. 


We saw indications above that Michael Hill, Jr’s first wife Susanna had died and he was remarried to 
a woman named Mary by at least 1755. Mary Hill was a witness to the 1755 Will of John Threewitts, 
Jr., and Michael Hill, Jr. was one of the Executors.?”” Michael Hill and wife Mary had children listed in 
the Albemarle Parish Register. Albemarle Parish covered the southern portion of Sussex County, 
Virginia, which later became Surry County in 1753. This is the area that includes the Nottoway River 
land we saw Michael Hill, Jr. purchasing from his father in 1748, so we know he owned land in 
Albemarle Parish.?”® On October 15, 1756, Elizabeth Hill, daughter of Michael and Mary Hill, was 
baptized.2” Elizabeth’s godfather was William Malone, and her godmothers were Lucy Hill and 
Mary Malone. Lucy Hill may have been another daughter or niece of William Hill, Sr. 


As we saw above, we know that William Malone was the brother-in-law of our direct ancestor John 
Hill, Sr., based on John Hill, Sr.’s Will. Mary Malone, listed as the godmother to Elizabeth Hill, was 
likely William Malone’s wife. Since William Malone was the brother-in-law of John Hill, Sr. through 
his wife Mary, and was also the godfather for one of Michael Hill, Jr.’s children, that suggests that 
John Hill, Sr. and Michael Hill, Jr. were closely related. Further supporting these connections are the 
godparents for John Hill, Sr.’s children. In 1754, his daughter Elizabeth was baptized with godmother 
Mary Hill (presumably the wife of Michael Hill, Jr.).28° When his daughter Susanna was born in 1757, 
Amy Hill was a godmother (presumably the wife of William Hill). The most likely explanation for 
these connections is that John Hill, Sr., Michael Hill, Jr., and Mary (Hill) Malone were siblings, and 
that William Hill was their uncle. 


The connections between Michael Hill, Jr. and John Hill, Sr. continue. On May 3, 1759, Michael Hill, 
Jr. and his wife Mary had a son named Michael Hill, with godparents George Robertson, Richard 
Hill, and Frances Threewitts.?8| Remember that John Hill, Sr.’s daughter Lucy Hill married Joel 
Newman, the son of Katherine Threewitts. Katherine Threewitts was the sister-in-law of Frances 
Threewitts, who married John Threewitts, Jr. And as discussed above, I believe that Frances had the 
maiden name Hill, and was the daughter of William and Amy Hill. This is further evidence that John 
Hill, Sr.’s children were closely connected to the children of Michael Hill, Jr. 


Michael Hill, Jr. had a third wife near the end of his life. We have a marriage record for Michael Hill 
and Nancy Tyus from September 16, 1762.72 Although she appears as Nancy Tyus on this marriage 
record, she appears as Ann on every later one, and must have been Nancy Ann Tyus.? On August 


31, 1763, a son named Isaac Hill was baptized with parents Michael and Anne Hill.?* A second 


512 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


daughter, Elizabeth Mary Hill, was born on March 28, 1765.78 Sadly, the Albemarle Parish Register 
notes that the father Michael Hill was deceased by the time of her birth. Nancy Ann Tyus remarried, 
first to John Avery and second to John Holt.?86 


Michael Hill, Jr. died before September 15, 1766, because on that day we find an inventory and 
appraisal of his Estate submitted to the Sussex County, Virginia Court.”*” The appraisers were George 
Booth, Richard Jones, and Richard Hill. The Executor was Ann Hill. A second appraisal was 
submitted on November 17, 1768 with Ann Hill again as the Executor.”8§ A final estate document was 
submitted on August 16, 1770 listing various payments made from Michael Hill, Jr.’s Estate.?° It was 
submitted by John Holt, and Ann his wife, the widow of Michael Hill.?°° This list includes a large 


number of people connected to our Hill, Gilliam, Newman, and Threewitts kin group: 


e Richard Hill received £1, 9 shillings, 1 pence. 

e Mildred Hill received 10 shillings. 

e Hinchea Gilliam received 1 shilling, 10 pence. 

e Francis Pattison received £6, 10 shillings. 

e Frances Threewitts received £3, 11 shillings, 3 pence. 

e William Gilliam’s Executor received £1, 1 shilling, 4 pence. 

e Robert Newman received 10 shillings for “crying the Estate for Sale” 


Mildred (Gilliam) Hill was John Hill, Sr.’s widow. Hinchea Gilliam was his brother-in-law. Francis 
Pattison was likely also his brother-in-law (the husband of Ann Hill). Francis (Hill) Threewitts was 
his cousin who married into the Newman/Threewitts family that his daughter Lucy Hill also married 
into. Robert Newman was the father-in-law of his daughter Lucy Hill. These numerous connections 
from Michael Hill, Jr.’s Estate are further evidence that John Hill, Sr. was the brother of Michael Hill, 
Jr. and son of Michael Hill, Sr. 


Conclusion 


I believe I have presented sufficient evidence to conclude that our ancestor John Hill, Sr. was the son 


of Michael Hill, Sr. In summary: 


e Amannamed John Hill, of the right age to be John Hill, Sr., served as the administrator for 
Michael Hill, Sr.’s Estate 

e We know that Michael Hill, Sr. had a son named Michael Hill, Jr. Michael Jr. had numerous 
connections with our ancestor John Hill, Sr., which strongly suggests they could have been 
brothers. 

e John Hill, Sr. was the brother-in-law of William Malone. William Malone’s wife Mary had 
numerous connections to John Hill, Sr. and Michael Hill, Jr. and was probably their sister. 


As a final piece of evidence that John Hill, Sr. descends from Michael Hill, Sr., we can note that many 
of the names John chose for his children were prominent in Michael Hill, Sr.’s family. John Hill, Sr. 
and his wife Milley Gilliam named children Mary (shared with his sister), Anne (shared with his 
sister), Elizabeth (shared with his mother), and Lucy (shared with his possible sister or cousin). 


513 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


Several of their other children share clear connections with Milley’s family: Sarah “Sally” (shared 
with her sister), Burrell (shared with her brother), and Tabitha (shared with her sister). 


Likely Children of Michael Hill, Sr and his wife Elizabeth: 


i. Mary HILL. She married William MALONE.”! 
ii. John HILL, Sr. was born before 1720 in Bristol Parish, Prince George County, Virginia.?»? He 
married Mildred “Milley” GILLIAM by about 1742.2 
iii. Michael HILL, Jr. was born 20 Feb 1721 in Bristol Parish, Prince George County, Virginia.*™ 
He married Susanna Cooke by 1740.75 He married Mary UNKNOWN by 1756.2 He married 
Ann “Nancy” TYUS on 16 Sep 1762 in Sussex County, Virginia.?°” 
iv. Ann HILL, married to Francis Patteson. Based on 1726 land transactions on Jones Hole 


Swamp. 
Possible Children of Michael Hill, Sr. and his wife Elizabeth: 


i. Lucy HILL died by 10 May 1765 in Sussex County, Virginia.?°8 
li. Richard HILL. He married Margery GILLIAM, daughter of William GILLIAM.?” 


3. Earlier Hills 


The parents of Michael Hill, Sr. are currently unknown. John Bennett Boddie assigned the Michael 
Hill, Sr. who married Elizabeth as the son of Sion Hill and his wife Elizabeth.°° Unfortunately, he did 
not provide any sources for this connection. There are numerous documents for Sion Hill in Isle of 
Wight and Surry Counties, but nothing references Michael Hill or any associates of our 
Newman/Threewitts/Hill/Gilliam kin group. You will likely find Sion Hill and his father Robert Hill 
listed as our ancestors on other online trees, but without sources, I do not have any confidence that 


they are our close relatives. 


As we saw above, there are primary sources for men named John Hill or “Michael Hill the Elder.” 
John Hill I and John Hill If were both connected with Jones Hole Swamp, where we know Michael 
Hill, Sr. and his son Michael Hill, Jr. owned land. However, the surviving documents do not provide 
enough information to sort out the relationship between these men. It is possible that John Hill I was 
the father of both John Hill Il, Michael Hill, Sr., and William Hill. However, it seems just as likely that 
he was their uncle, older brother, or other relative. Without proof, we can only speculate that these 


earlier John Hill men were likely part of our family. 


The earliest Hill reference that I have seen which is probably connected to our line comes from 
October 15, 1670. On that date, Michael Hill received a patent for 220 acres of land on the south side 
of the Appomattox River in Charles City County, Virginia.*! This land bordered Walter Brooke and 
John Sturdivant (a name connected with our kin group). It was granted for paying the transportation 
of five people to the colony: John Armstrong, Mary Greene, Derry Grymes, William Inke, and Robert 
Dyamond.* Whether this was Michael Hill, Sr., Michael Hill the Elder, or some other Michael Hill is 


unclear, but it is in the correct location to be one of our earliest Hill ancestors. 


514 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


References for Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


1 John Bennett Boddie, Southside Virginia Families (Pacific Coast Publishers, Redwood City, CA 1955) 
Vol. 2, Page 165, available at: babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89062947890&view=lup&seq=179 
estimates his birth year at 1718. Both of their fathers were from Surry County, see below for 
discussion. 

2 FamilySearch.org, Parish Register of Albemarle Parish of Surry and Sussex Counties, 1739-1778, Image 
69. 

3 [bid., Image 123. 

4 Ibid. The godparents are difficult to read, but one was Lucretia Hill. 

5 Library of Virginia, Land Grant, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007698930205756. John Hill 
appeared in a 1743 procession of land in Albemarle Parish, Surry County Virginia. Davis, Albemarle 
Parish Vestry Book, Page 12. 

° Davis, Albemarle Parish Vestry Book, Pages 8, 12. 

7 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 5, Pages 92-93. 

8 Ibid. 

9 Davis, Albemarle Parish Vestry Book, Pages 45, 67, 90, 129. 

10 Ibid., Page 27. John and Peter Avent, who were assigned to procession the area that included John 
Hill, were assigned the land “from the south side of the Poplar Swamp to the three Creeks all 
between Brunswick County Line and the said Creek & Swamp.” 

1! FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Deed Book, Vol. B, Pages 358-360. It was located on the 
south side of the Southwestern Swamp. 

2 Ibid. 

13 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book B, Pages 29-30. 

14 The Appraisal of John Hill’s Estate, Hinchia Gilliam Executor, lists slaves Phillis and her child, 
Dinah and her child, and a girl Hannah. FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book B, 
Pages 34-35. 

15 FamilySearch.org, Parish Register of Albemarle Parish of Surry and Sussex Counties, 1739-1778, Image 
15. 

16 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book B, Pages 29-30. 

17 Ibid. 

18 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, 1730-1738, No. 8, Pages 902-903. 

19 Ibid. 

20 Ibid. 

21 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book B, Pages 94-95, 266-267. She also 
appeared in the estate proceedings of Frances Threewits on 17 Aug 1769, along with Robert Newman, 
Amy Hill, William Gilliam, William Malone, William Malone, Jr., Richard Hill, Joel Tucker, Mildred 
Hill, and others. Book B, Pages 214-215. 

2 www2.census.gov/prod2/decennial/documents/1790m-02.pdf, Page 44. 

3 T suspect that Lucy Hill married Joel Newman about 1783, and Susanna Hill appears to have 
married Richard Horn in 1791. See below. 

24 Sussex County, Virginia, Personal Property Tax List, 1789, available on ChristensenJames tree on 
Ancestry.com. 

25 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book F, Page 115, Image 66. 

26 Ibid. 


515 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


7 FamilySearch.org, Parish Register of Albemarle Parish of Surry and Sussex Counties, 1739-1778, Image 
69. She is mentioned in her mother’s 1796 Will. 

28 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book F, Page 115. 

29 FamilySearch.org, Parish Register of Albemarle Parish of Surry and Sussex Counties, 1739-1778, Image 
80. She is mentioned in her mother’s 1796 Will. 

30 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book F, Page 115. Mildred’s Will lists a 
daughter named “Sally Green”. By process of elimination, Sally seems highly likely to have been a 
nickname for Sarah. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_(name). 

31 FamilySearch.org, Albemarle Parish Register, Computer Printout, Image 727. She is mentioned in her 
mother’s 1796 Will. 

32 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book F, Page 115. Mildred’s Will lists a 
daughter “Nancy Williams.” By process of elimination, this seems highly likely to have been a 


nickname for Anne. To see how this is possible, Anne becomes “Annie” which becomes “Nannie” 
which becomes “Nancy.” en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy (given name). Some trees have a Nancy Hill, 
born 8 Aug 1733, who later married William Cannaday, as a daughter of John Hill and Mildred 
Gilliam, going so far as to claim this is “DNA Confirmed.” I have not found any evidence that John 
and Mildred had a daughter ten years before their other children, and all the evidence others have 
provided conflicts with the facts. This Nancy is supposed to have lived until 1801, but she was not 
mentioned in Mildred’s 1796 Will. She was apparently born in York County, Virginia, which has no 
known connection to our John Hill and Mildred Gilliam. The Nancy in Mildred’s Will was married to 
a Williams, not a Cannaday. Without actual proof, this seems to be a mistake. 

33 FamilySearch.org, Parish Register of Albemarle Parish of Surry and Sussex Counties, 1739-1778, Image 
15. Mildred’s Will left 5 shillings to the heirs of Burrell Hill, suggesting he had already died by 1796. 
This also suggests that he had a spouse and children, but they are currently unknown. 

34 FamilySearch.org, Albemarle Parish Register, Computer Printout, Image 727. John was the Executor 
of his mother’s Estate, admitted to probate in 1798, so he died after this date. There is a 26 Aug 1794 
marriage between John Hill and Sally Owen in Sussex County, Virginia. This could be him, but if so it 
would likely be a second marriage. Because John Hill is a common name, this could just as easily be a 
relative. 

35 FamilySearch.org, Albemarle Parish Register, Computer Printout, Image 727. She was mentioned in 
her mother’s 1796 Will. 

36 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book F, Page 115. 

37 FamilySearch.org, Albemarle Parish Register, Computer Printout, Image 727. She was mentioned in 
her mother’s 1796 Will. 

38 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book F, Page 115. The Will is difficult to read 
here, and I can’t tell if there is a smudge after “Webb” that is supposed to indicate a longer name. 

3° FamilySearch.org, Albemarle Parish Register, Computer Printout, Image 727. She was mentioned in 
her mother’s 1796 Will. 

40 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book F, Page 115. Greg Gilliam has her 
husband as Richard Horn but I don’t see a source and I have not confirmed. 

“1 FamilySearch.org, Parish Register of Albemarle Parish of Surry and Sussex Counties, 1739-1778, Image 
123. 

42 No women were listed on the 1820 Census for her husband Joel Newman, Sr. See discussion above. 
48 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Marriage Records, 1754-1901, Page 322, Image 509. 
Mildred’s Will also listed her as Lucy Newman. 

44 FamilySearch.org, Albemarle Parish Register, Computer Printout, Image 728. She was mentioned in 
her mother’s 1796 Will. 


516 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


45 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book F, Page 115. 

46 His name was spelled several different ways across the records, including Gillum, Guillum, Gillam, 
etc., but I have used Gilliam here for consistency. 

47 FamilySearch.org, Isle of Wight County, Virginia Deeds and Wills, Vol. 2, Page 309. 

48 Eliza Timberlake Davis, Wills and Administrations of Surry County, Virginia 1671-1750, Pages 26-27 
(available on FamilySearch.org) has incorrectly abstracted the Will of Samuel Briggs, who actually 
had a daughter named Faith Gilliam, not “Sarah” Gilliam, probably causing some confusion. 

“9 Library of Virginia, Land Grant, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007617830205756. 

50 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 5, Page 21. 

51 For support of these connections, please see the discussion and citations below. 

52 “Native Americans and Fort Christianna”, available at: hmdb.org/m.asp?m=20198. 

53 Ibid. 

54 Image believed to be in the public domain, taken by Bernard Fisher 21 Jun 2009 and available at: 
hmdb.org/m.asp?m=20184. 

55 Library of Virginia, Land Grant to Francis West, 17 Dec 1717, available at: 
Iva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990008396710205756. 

56 Library of Virginia, Land Grant to John Gilliam, 12 Jul 1718, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007617830205756. 

57 Ancestry.com, Wills and Administrations of Isle of Wight County, Virginia 1647-1800, Will and Deed 
Book 2, Page 58. 

58 FamilySearch.org, Isle of Wight County, Virginia Deeds and Wills, Vol. 2, 1715-1726, Page 1 (part of a 
second section containing Wills and Inventories: Image 392). 

59 Ibid., Page 309 

60 Ibid. 

61 Patent Book, Chowan County North Carolina, Book 3, Page 70, File No. 473, available at: 


nclandgrants.com/grant/?mars=12.14.46.469&qid=710706&rn=1. 
® ncgenweb.us/bertie/swamp.htm. 


6 digital newberry.org/ahcb/map/map.html#NC. 
64 Patent Book, Chowan County North Carolina, Book 3, Page 69, File No. 471, available at: 


nclandgrants.com/grant/?mars=12.14.46.469&qid=710706&rn=1. 

6 Library of Virginia, Land Grant to John Guillum, 24 Mar 1725, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007617890205756. 

6 Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. III, Page 386. 

67 FamilySearch.org, Prince George County Wills and Deeds, Pages 893-895. 

68 Ibid. 

6 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 8, Pages 902-903. 

7” FamilySearch.org, Prince George County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, Pages 893-895. 

71 Ibid. Charles Gilliam was listed as a son in the Will of Hinshia Gilliam, Sr. See below. 

7 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 8, Pages 669-670. 

73 Ibid. John’s “mark” used here is the same as that seen on a 21 Feb 1733 sale from John and Sarah 
Gilliam to Anselm Bayley for 140 acres on the north side of the Meherin River. FamilySearch.org, Isle 
of Wight County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 4, Pages 329-330. 

7 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 8, Pages 902-903. 

75 Ibid. 

76 Ibid. 

77 Ibid. 


517 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


78 Ibid. 

79 Ibid. 

80 Ibid. 

81 [bid. Inventory John Gilliam’s Estate. Sarah and John Gilliam Executors. Lists property and slaves: 
Cofey, Cate, Hannah, Brister, Sue, Jenney, Bitt, Pheb, Easter, Phillis, and Robin. FamilySearch.org, 
Surry Count, Virginia Wills and Deeds, Book 9, 2 Nov 1738, Pages 12-13. 

82 Will of John Gilliam, Sr., FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Book, Vol. A, Pages 902-903. 
FamilySearch.org, Prince George County, Virginia Court Minute Books, 1737-1740, Page 378 (Will 
admitted to probate, named widow Ann). 

83 Ann may have had the surname Mason, as reported by Greg Gilliam. I have not independently 
verified this claim. John and Ann Gilliam appear as witnesses to the 1757 Sussex County Will of Isaac 
Mason, who would be her brother on this theory. 

84 Will of John Gilliam, Sr. 

85 Per the research of Greg Gilliam, citing the Will of Moses Johnson, 19 Nov 1763, Sussex County, 
Virginia. 

86 Will of John Gilliam, Sr.; per the research of Greg Gilliam, Burrell Gilliam’s Northampton County, 
North Carolina Will was dated 13 Nov 1799 and was probated in 1800. 

87 Per the research of Greg Gilliam, citing the Will of Moses Johnson, 19 Nov 1763, Sussex County, 
Virginia. 

88 Will of John Gilliam, Sr.; Will of Levi Gilliam, FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, 
Vol. F, Page 282. As part of his Will, Levi liberated and set free his slave man named Robbin, who he 
desired to live with his daughter Lucy Wilborne during the remainder of his life. 

% Per the research of Greg Gilliam. Last name is unknown. 

90 Will of John Gilliam, Sr. 

91 Ibid. 

22 Ibid. 

% Ibid. 

°4 Estimate is based on her marriage date of about 1742 found in Boddie, Southside Virginia Families, 
Page 165. 

% Milley’s Will was signed on 27 Jan 1796 and proved on 4 Aug 1798, so she died between these two 
dates. FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, Book F, Page 115. 

% Boddie, Southside Virginia Families, Page 165 and discussion above. 

97 Will of John Gilliam, Sr. 

% Per Greg Gilliam, Anselm Gilliam’s Will was signed 18 Oct 1811 and probated 7 Nov 1811 in Sussex 
County, Virginia. 

%° Per Greg Gilliam, the 19 Nov 1763 Sussex County, Virginia Will of Moses Johnson lists daughter 
Martha Gilliam, wife of Anselm Gilliam. Greg Gilliam has a second marriage to Sarah Johnson, who 
was born about 1766. Given the large age gap, I’m not yet confident that this is correct. 

100 Will of John Gilliam, Sr. 

101 [bid. 

102 Tbid. 

103 Edgar E. MacDonald, Surry County Virginia Tithables, 1668-1703, Page 54, available at: 
books.google.com/books?id=Tv7Df5v2xgcC. 

104 [bid., Pages 70-71. 

105 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 4, Estate proceedings for Margery 
Briggs, Pages 53, 57 (inventory), 84 (administration), and 116 (account). 


518 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


106 William Armstrong Crozier, Virginia Colonial Militia, 1651-1776 (Southern Book Co., Baltimore, MD 
1954), Page 101, available at: archive.org/details/virginiacolonial00croz/page/100/mode/2up. 

107 Benjamin B. Weisiger, Charles City County, Virginia Court Orders 1687-1695, Page 76, available at 
FamilySearch.org at familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/65179-redirection. 

108 Ibid. 

109 There appears to have been a woman named Fortune Flood, a granddaughter of William Browne 


who died in 1704. However, we believe that our Fortune was married to Hinchea Gilliam at that time 
(and would have been referred to as Fortune Gilliam), so this is not evidence that this Fortune is the 
same woman. Boddie’s Historical Southern Families, Vol. I, page 205 makes the claim that she was 
Fortune Flood, but without any primary sources. 

110 Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly, “Surry County Tithables, 1692, 1693, 1694” (Nov 1985), 
Vol. 23, No. 4. 

11 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 5, Page 21. 

12 Library of Virginia, Land Grant, 25 Apr 1701, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007582660205756. 

113 Library of Virginia, Land Grant, 25 Apr 1701, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007582670205756. 

4 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 5, Page 230. 

115 Ibid. 

116 [bid. 

117 Excerpt from Fry and Jefferson, “Map of the Most Inhabited Part of Virginia”, 1776, David Rumsey 
Map Collection, Stanford Libraries, available at: 
davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~1917~120023. 

"8 Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck, Virginia’s Colonial Soldiers (Genealogical Publishing Company 1988), 
Page 222, excerpts available at: 

google.com/books/edition/Virginia_s Colonial Soldiers/ORpcjJOBm6A C?hl=en&gbpv=. 

19 virginiaplaces.org/military/colonialmilitia.html. 

20 Ancestry.com, Virginia Tax Records, Virginia Quit Rent Rolls, 1704: Isle of Wight County, Page 36. 
121 [bid. 

122 Based on the date, this could not have been Hinshia’s son John Gilliam (he would have been a 
young boy) or Hinshia’s father John Gilliam (who had already died). See discussion below. 

23 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 4, Pages 260-261. Elizabeth named 
three of her sons Hinshaw, Charles, and John. Transcription available at: 
gilliamsofvirginia.org/Surry/Elizabeth%20Gilliam/ElizabethGilliam.html. 

124 Library of Virginia, Land Grant, 16 Jun 1714, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007617820205756. 

25 Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. III, Page 152. 

26 Ibid., Page 170. 

27 Ancestry.com, Wills and Administrations of Isle of Wight County, Virginia 1647-1800, Will and Deed 
Book 2, Page 58. 

128 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 7, Pages 161-162. 

129 Ibid. 

130 Patent Book, Chowan County North Carolina, Book 3, Page 69, File No. 471, available at: 
nclandgrants.com/grant/?mars=12.14.46.469&qid=710706&rn=1. 

131 Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. III, Page 415. 

132 Ibid. 

133 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 8, Pages 431-434. 


519 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


134 genfiles.com/articles/deeds/. 
135 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 8, Page 431. 


136 genfiles.com/articles/entail/. 

137 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 8, Pages 670-671. 

138 However, it is possible that any lands held in fee tail were not considered part of the estate, and 
thus they simply passed to the eldest son outside the language of the Will. 

139 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 8, Pages 670-671. 

140 [bid., Page 431. 

141 Tbid. 

12 [bid., Page 432. Charles must have already had a son named Charles Gilliam, Jr., because he is 
named as the successor to these lands in this section of the Will. 

143 [bid. 

M44 Tid. 

M45 Tbid. 

M46 Tbid. 

147 [bid., Pages 432-433. 

148 [bid., Page 434. 

49 Tbid., Page 474. 

150 [bid., Page 148. 

151 [bid. 

182 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book A, Page 9. 

153 [bid. 

154 Thid. 

155 See discussion and sources above. 

156 William was mentioned as a son in Fortune Gilliam’s 1744 Will. Whether he is the same William 
Gilliam who is the brother of Martha and Amy Gilliam, and father of Margary Gilliam who married 


Richard Hill, is currently unknown. 

157 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 168-169. In this transaction, 
Lewis Green of Prince George County, Virginia sold William Gilliam of Surry County, Virginia the 
remaining 200 acres of a 400 acre parcel that was patented by Lewis Green (father of this Lewis) on 22 
Feb 1724. The first 200 acres were given to Susanna Green in Lewis Green’s Will, and now Lewis 
Green, Jr., as heir at law, sold the remainder of the parcel to William Gilliam for £35. This is not 
definitive proof that William married Susannah Green, but it does make this connection likely. 

158 Charles was named in the Wills of both of his parents. For his death, see FamilySearch.org, Surry 
County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Page 134. 

159 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 8, Pages 670-671. 

160 Ibid. Greg Gilliam has her as Faith Briggs and this appears to have some support. The Will of 
Samuel Briggs, signed 25 Mar 1736, leaves five pounds to his daughter Faith Gilliam. 
FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 8, Pages 731-732. 

161 Southampton County, Virginia Wills, Book 1, Pages 261-262, available at: 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/will_bk_1/index3.html 

16 [bid. Greg Gilliam has her as Sarah Foster, but I have not researched this claim. 

163 Ancestry.com, Virginia Select Marriages 1785-1940, Marriage of Thomas Gilliam, age 84, and Selah 
Sorsby, 7 Jan 1789, Sussex, Virginia. 

164 Southampton County, Virginia Wills, Book 4, Page 584, available at: 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/will bk 4/index6.html. 


520 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


165 Per Greg Gilliam, Thomas Gilliam and his wife Mary sold 310 acres in Southampton County, 
Virginia to James Upchurch on 25 Nov 1764. 

166 Ancestry.com, Virginia Select Marriages 1785-1940, Marriage of Thomas Gilliam, age 84, and Selah 
Sorsby, 7 Jan 1789, Sussex, Virginia. 

167 She was named in her father’s Will. She either died or was married by 1744. Greg Gilliam has her 
married to Joseph Moody but I have not researched this claim. 

168 She was mentioned in her father’s Will. She either died or was married by 1744. 

169 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 168-169. 

170 Ibid. 

171 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Deeds, Vol. 4, Page 64. 

172 Ibid. 

173 Ibid. 

174 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 168-169 and see discussion 
in endnotes for William Gilliam above. 

1% FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Deed Books, Vol. 6, Pages 548-550. 

176 Ibid., Pages 551-552. 

177 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Deeds, Vol. C, Page 12. 

1% FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Records, Deeds, Wills, Estates, Etc., 1677-1697, Pages 462— 
463, Image 218. 

179 Wassell Randolph, Henry Randolph I, 1623-1773 [sic] of Henrico County, Virginia and His Descendants 
(Memphis, TN 1952), Page 33, available at: 
babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89066245275&view=lup&seq=11&skin=2021. 

180 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Records, Deeds, Wills, Estates, Etc., 1677-1697, Pages 462— 
463, Image 218. The text of the patent is difficult to read, but has been summarized in Cavaliers and 
Pioneers, Vol. II, Page 125. 

181 Library of Virginia, Land Grant, 17 May 1673, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990008116800205756. 

18 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Records, Deeds, Wills, Estates, Etc., 1677-1697, Pages 462— 
463. 

183 Ibid. 

184 Margaret McNeill Ayres, Charles City County, Virginia Order Book, 1676-1679 (1968), available at: 


ia904507.us.archive.org/18/items/charlescitycount00ayrerich/charlescitycount00ayrerich.pdf. 
18 familypedia.fandom.com/wiki/Robert Bolling (1646-1709)/biography. The portrait at left is in the 


public domain and is available at: 
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bolling#/media/File:Robert_Bolling.jpg. 

186 See discussion below and FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 2, Pages 
295-296, Deed from Henry Briggs and his wife Margery Briggs to Thomas Blunt. On October 22, 1682, 
Jarvis Dix received a patent for 132 acres of land on the south side of the Appamattox River “near 
Mrs. Gillam’s line to the corner of Barker and Leden.” Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. I, Page 242; Library 
of Virginia, Land Grant, 22 Oct 1682, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007473720205756. 

187 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 3, Pages 58-59. 

188 Ibid. 

189 FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Records, Deeds, Wills, Estates, Etc., 1677-1697, Pages 462— 
463, Image 218. Portions of this document are difficult to read, but the above is an approximate 


transcription. 


521 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


190 T have seen some suggestions that Henry Randolph II was carrying out instructions to this effect 
from the Will of his father Henry Randolph I. Henry Randolph I did make a Will, which is confirmed 
by other references, but it does not appear to have survived and is not mentioned here. Randolph, 
Henry Randolph I, Page 34. 

191 Edgar E. MacDonald, Surry County, Virginia Tithables, 1668-1703, Pages 70-71, available at: 
books.google.com/books?id=Tv7Df5v2xgcC. 

12 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 3, Page 53. 

193 [bid., Page 57. 

1% Tbid., Page 87. 

1 Weisiger, Charles City County, Virginia Court Orders, 1687-1695, Page 29, available at: 
familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/65179-charles-city-county-virginia-court-orders-1687- 
1695-with-a-fragment-of-a-court-order-book-for-the-year- 

1680?viewer=1 &offset=0#page=35&viewer=picture&o=search&n=0&q=Gillam. This document lists 
Margery as “Margery Gilliam.” I suspect this is simply a mistake due to her being known as Gilliam 


for several years following the death of her first husband. The other documentation surrounding her 
Estate supports the fact that this is the same Margery who later married Henry Briggs and that Briggs 
was likely her legal name at her death. 

1% [bid., Page 116. 

197 On 20 Oct 1689, John Gillom patented 261 acres in Bristol Parish, Charles City County, on the south 
side of the Appomattox, bordering Hugh Leaden. Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. Il, Page 339. 

198 Per Greg Gilliam’s research. 

199 Peter Wilson Coldham, The Complete Book of Emigrants, 1607-1660 (Genealogical Publishing 
Company 1987), Pages 163-164, excerpts available at: 


google.com/books/edition/The Complete Book of Emigrants 1607 1660/vWDV4Fk7ImAC?hl=en& 
gbpv=0. 

200 bid. 

201 Cavaliers and Pioneers, Page 130. 

202 As cited by Greg Gilliam, Charles City County, Virginia Order Book, 1656-1658, Pages 71, 208. These 
Order Books have been abstracted, and some difficult to read copies are available on FamilySearch, 
but I have not verified these citations. 

203 [bid., Pages 213, 224. 

204 Ancestry.com, Charles City County, Virginia Court Orders, 1664-1665, Page 1 (Page 484 in original 
Order Book). 

205 Greg Gilliam, citing Charles City County, Virginia Court Orders 1661-1664, Page 457. 

206 Ancestry.com, Charles City County, Virignia Court Orders, 1664-1665, Page 6 (Page 494 in original 
Order Book); FamilySearch.org, Charles City County, Virginia Order Books 1655-1665, Page 494. The 
original is very difficult to read. 

207 [bid., Page 5 (Page 492 in original Order Book). 

208 Charles Edgar Gilliam, Genealogical Data on the Ancestors of Richard Davenport Gilliam (Compiled 
1938-1942), excerpts available at: 
gilliamsofvirginia.org/Topical/BLM/RichardDGilliam/RichardDGilliam.html. 

209 [bid., Introduction, Page 5. 

10 Ibid. 

211 [bid., Pages 18-19. 

212 [bid., Page 22. 

213 That has not stopped many people from speculating and linking John Gilliam with ancestors 
tracing back to England. One of the theories has him as a “John Guillaume” who is supposed to have 


522 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


sworn an oath of allegiance of “St Mary’s de Monte Alto and Stephney Parishes” in London on 
leaving for Virginia between 1635 and 1642. (see discussion at: 
genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/gilliam/2053/). However, the now destroyed parish of St. 
Mary’s Mounthaw (supposedly the same as “Monte Alto”) was not located near Stepney Parish in 


London. Any records of this parish were destroyed in the 1666 London fire. And I have not been able 
to locate the supposed oath of allegiance records. Until there is more solid evidence, this is the 
furthest back we can trace our Gilliam line. 

214 This estimate is based on the following: Elizabeth named her son John West in her Will. John West, 
Jr. testified on 1 Feb 1693 that he was 20 years of age. This means John West, Jr. was born about 1673, 
and if Elizabeth married John West at about 18 and John West, Jr. was her first child, she would have 
been born by about 1655. 

215 The Will of Elizabeth Mabry was admitted to probate on 15 Feb 1715 in Surry County, Virginia. 
FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 4, Pages 260-261. 

216 This estimate is based on the following: Elizabeth named her son John West in her Will. John West, 
Jr. testified on 1 Feb 1693 that he was 20 years of age. This means John West, Jr. was born about 1673, 
and Elizabeth was likely married to John West, Sr. by this date. 

217 On 6 Nov 1679, William Bevin and his wife Elizabeth sold land to George Hunt, James Franklin, 
and Nicholas Dyson. FamilySearch.org, Henrico County, Virginia Deeds and Wills, 1677-1692, Pages 
112-113. 

18 Ancestry.com, Virginia, Marriages, 1660-1800, Marriage of Mrs. Elizabeth Bevin and Francis 
Mayberry, 1 Sep 1685, Henrico County, Virginia. Elizabeth’s Will provides further evidence for these 
marriages, naming children Charles Mabry, Hinshaw Mabry, George Mabry, Francis Mabry, Judith, 
Elizabeth Paine (widow), Francis West, Mary, Ann, and John West. It also named brothers John and 
Hinshaw Gilliam. 

219 Based on his 1889 patent, John Gilliam must have been at least 21 years old by that date, and thus 
born by 1668. I suspect he was born substantially earlier because he does not appear on the tithe lists 
with his stepfather Henry Briggs. Cavaliers and Pioneers, Vol. II, Page 339. At a 16 Feb 1729 Vestry 
meeting, it is ordered that “John Gilliam orphan of John Gilliam Decs be bound to Joseph Grainer and 
his heirs as the Law Directs.” Chamberlayne, The Vestry Book and Register of Bristol Parish, Pages 41-42. 
This is likely not the same John Gilliam, who would have been in his 60s or older, and thus unlikely 
to have an orphaned minor son. It is possible that this entry refers to the son and grandson of this 
John Gilliam. 

220 Per Greg Gilliam, on 1 Feb 1693, Charles Gilliam testified in the Surry County, Virginia Court that 
he was 29 years old. 

221 A 15 Nov 1736 Vestry meeting for Bristol Parish notes that Charles Gilliam, Sr. was given 400 
pounds (tobacco?) for support. For the previous decade, Charles had been relieved of paying parish 
levies, likely due to an injury or disability. Churchill Gibson Chamberlayne, The Vestry Book and 
Register of Bristol Parish, Virginia, 1720-1789 (1898), Pages 181-193, available at: 
archive.org/details/vestry bookregist00bris/page/n189/mode/2up?q=gilliam. 

222 A 19 May 1719 Surry County, Virginia Deed from Charles Gilliam and his wife Frances Gilliam 
provides evidence for her first name. FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia, Wills and Deeds, Book 
7, Pages 104, 186. Greg Gilliam has her as Frances Hall, but I have not verified this claim. 

223 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book B, Pages 29-30. 

224 John Bennett Boddie, Southside Virginia Families (Pacific Coast Publishers, Redwood City, CA 1955) 
Vol. 2, Page 179, available at: babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89062947890&view=lup&seq=179 

225 Ibid. 


523 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


226 For a list of Boddie’s errors on the Gilliam line, see Greg Gilliam’s research here: 
gilliamsofvirginia.org/Surry/Boddie/Boddie.html. 
27 Tf this Richard Hill had a Will, it does appear to have survived in the records. We have some 


records of his Estate, administered by his wife Hannah, but none show any names connected to our 
line or their close associates. FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 7, Pages 
746-747. 

228 Excerpt from Fry and Jefferson, “Map of the Most Inhabited Part of Virginia’, 1776, David Rumsey 
Map Collection, Stanford Libraries, available at: 
davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~1917~120023. 

229 familysearch.org/en/wiki/Bristol Parish, Virginia. 

230 FamilySearch.org, Prince George County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, (Listed as Mixed Records, 1724— 
1728), Page 752. 

231 Library of Virginia, Land Grant, 22 Jun 1722, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007697010205756. 

232 FamilySearch.org, Prince George County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, (Listed as Mixed Records, 1724— 
1728), Page 752. 

233 Ibid., Pages 757, 764. 

234 [bid., Pages 754, 762. 

235 Ibid., Pages 754, 764. 

36 Ibid., Pages 293-294. 

237 John B. Boddie, Births, 1720-1792, from the Bristol Parish Register of Henrico, Prince George, and 
Dinwiddie, available on FamilySearch.org, Page 312. 

238 Ibid.. Pages 950-951. 

239 Ibid., Pages 907-908. 

240 Library of Virginia, Land Grant, 16 Sep 1740, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007697030205756. 

241 The Vestry Book and Register of Bristol Parish, Virginia, 1720-1789, Page 318. 

242 Ibid., Page 319. Note that this Amie Hill would have only been 13 years old when John Threewitts, 
Jr. died in 1756, and is thus unlikely to have been chosen as a witness to his Will. 

243 FamilySearch.org, Parish Register of Albemarle Parish of Surry and Sussex Counties, 1739-1778, Image 
15. 

244 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, 1738-1754, Part 1, Pages 327-329. 
245 Ibid. 

246 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Deeds, Vol. 5, Pages 433-435. 

247 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book A, Pages 34-35, Images 324-325. If he 
had left a Will, he would have an Executor rather than an Administrator. 

248 Thid. 

249 Thid. 

250 See discussion above under John Hill, Sr. section and FamilySearch.org, Parish Register of Albemarle 
Parish of Surry and Sussex Counties, 1739-1778, Image 69. 

21 Boddie, Southside Virginia Families, Vol. 2, Page 165. 

52 FamilySearch.org, Prince George County, Virginia Deeds, 1713-1728, indexed as “Mixed Records” 
under “Surveyor’s platt book, deeds, wills, inventories, and settlements of estates, 1711-1792”, Pages 
71-72. 

253 [bid. 

54 Ibid., Pages 262-263. 

255 Ibid. 


524 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


256 It is also possible that this is the same woman, a “Mary Ann Hill” who sometimes went by either of 
her names. However, it was common to remarry quickly after the death of a spouse, and this seems 
more likely to me. 

257 Ibid., Pages 89-90. 

258 Ibid., Pages 530-535. 

259 Ibid. 

260 Ibid. 

261 In 1720, parts of Martins Brandon Parish were combined with Westover Parish in Prince George 
County. That explains why the parish names have changed. John Hill I’s Will did not transfer the 
land to John Hill II on Ann remarrying, which was sometimes the case, but instead only on her death. 
But if she had remarried, so was likely living with her new husband and no longer had need of John 
Hill I’s plantation to support herself. So letting John Hill II sell the land before her death would have 
been reasonable. 

262 See discussion and sources above. 

263 FamilySearch.org, Prince George County, Virginia Deeds, 1713-1728, Page 1026. 

264 Library of Virginia, Land Grant, 20 Jun 1733, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007696560205756. 

265 The Vestry Book and Register of Bristol Parish, Virginia, 1720-1789, Pages 46, 48, available on Google 
Books at: books.google.com/books?id=b7GX427EbLAC. Jane Hill received this same amount “for 
Richard Price” in both 1726. I am unsure if there is a connection here. 

266 Ibid., Pages 34-35. 

267 Ibid. The same men were appointed to procession Warwick Swamp in 1731, and “from warwick 
Swamp to the Parish line between Jones Hole Road and Rowanty Road” in 1735. Pages 55, 77. 

268 Ibid., Pages 123, 128, 129, 131, 132, 134, 136 139. 

269 The Vestry Book and Register of Bristol Parish, Virginia, 1720-1789, Page 314. 

270 Ibid., Page 315. 

271 Ibid., Page 316. 

272 We have several additional land records for John Hill in areas that are not closely connected to our 
line. On 28 Sep 1730 John Hill patented 364 acres in Prince George County with Cuthbert Williamson, 
on both sides of Rockey Run. 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007696610205756. He also 
patented 200 acres in same area: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007696530205756. Maps for this 
claim appear at FamilySearch.org, Prince George County Virginia, Deeds, Page 94 (Image 60). 

On 28 Sep 1732, John Hill patented 400 acres on Beaverpond Branch of Flatt Creek in Prince George 
County. lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007696550205756, 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007696540205756. These 
patents from the early 1730s are unlikely to be from John Hill, Sr., but could be from John Hill II or a 
different John Hill. 

273 Ibid., Pages 314, 316. 

274 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book A, Page 49. 

275 Ibid., Book B, Page 166. 

276 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Marriage Records, 1754-1901, Page 322, Image 509. 

277 Ibid., Page 49, Image 332. 

278 Around this time, Michael Hill also received a patent for another 58 acres of land on the south side 
of Jones Hole Swamp. This could have either been granted to Michael Hill, Sr. near the end of his life, 


525 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


or to his son Michael Hill, Jr. Library of Virginia, Land Grant, 10 Jun 1755, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007697020205756. 

279 John Bennett Boddie, Births, Deaths, and Sponsors, 1718-1778, from the Albemarle Parish Register of 
Surry and Sussex Counties, Virginia, Page 65. 

280 Tbid. 

281 [bid. I believe this was a Richard Hill who married Anna. They had a daughter Elizabeth Mary Hill 
baptized on 28 Mar 1765, with Frances Threewitts as one of the sponsors. This would be a different 
Richard Hill than the man who married Margery Gilliam. 

282 Ancestry.com, Virginia, U.S. Select Marriages, 1785-1940, Marriage of Michael Hill and Nancy Tyus, 
16 Sep 1762, Sussex, Virginia, FHL Film No. 34154. 

283 We have the Will of her father, John Tyus, who lists a daughter named Anne Hill. This Will was 
dated 16 Feb 1763. FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book A, Page 266. It is also 
clear from this Will that John Tyus was the father of Elizabeth Mary Tyus who married John Hunt, so 
we know that he gave another daughter a first and middle name. 

284 Thid. 

285 Gertrude Richards, Register of Albemarle Parish, Surry and Sussex Counties, 1739-1778. I have not 
viewed this source personally, although it has been cited by other researchers. 


286 This sequence of marriages is later confirmed by Isaac Hill, son of Michael Hill and Nancy Ann 
Tyus, in an 1808 deposition which can be found here: 
archive.org/details/southsidevirgini71989/page/70/mode/2up; 
findagrave.com/memorial/46402738/ann-nancy-walke. 

287 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book B, Pages 95-95. 

288 Ibid., Page 183. 

26 Ibid., Pages 266-267. 

290 By this time, Michael Hill, Jr.’s widow Ann had remarried to John Holt. Boddie in Southside 
Virginia Families incorrectly lists this as “John Hill” which is confusing. We know from Isaac Hill’s 


later deposition in a case involving the Estate of James Bell that this was the same Nancy Ann Tyus. 
291 See discussion above. This marriage is inferred from numerous connections, although we do not 
have a marriage record. 

292 Boddie has “About 1718”. Per discussion above, he was almost certainly born before 1720 in Bristol 
Parish, Prince George County, Virginia. 

293 See discussion above, and records of their children’s births in the Albemarle Parish Register. 

294 The Vestry Book and Register of Bristol Parish, Virginia, 1720-1789, Page 312. 

295 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 248-249. The 1740 Will of 
William Cook lists his daughter Susanna Cook, wife of Michael Hill. William Cook left Susanna a 
slave girl named Jeny. 

2% Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 65 and discussion above. 

27 Ancestry.com, Virginia, U.S. Select Marriages, 1785-1940, Marriage of Michael Hill and Nancy Tyus, 
16 Sep 1762, Sussex, Virginia, FHL Film No. 34154. 

298 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book B, Pages 48, 123-124. Lucy Hill left a 
small estate. William Malone (her possible brother-in-law) arranged the funeral, and William Hill 
(her uncle or father?) delivered the sermon. William Wilburn administered the Estate. I suspect she 
was unmarried. She could have been the daughter of either William Hill or Michael Hill, Sr. 

299 On 16 Nov 1742, William Gilliam gave his daughter Margery Hill and her husband Richard Hill 
200 acres “for Love and Affection” in Surry County, Virginia. FamilySearch.org, Surry County, 
Virginia Deed Book, Book 4, Page 64. On 4 May 1763 Martha Gilliam deeded her Estate to Richard Hill, 
for “the better support of Richard Hill and his wife Margery.” FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, 


526 


Section IV, Part H: The Hill and Gilliam Lines 


Virginia Deeds, Book C, Page 12. Richard Hill died very wealthy, with 58 slaves. FamilySearch.org, 
Sussex County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, Book C, Pages 175-179, 197-198. There are some possible 
connections to our line, such as Michael Hill, Jr.’s Estate proceedings, but I’m not convinced that 
Richard Hill was the son of Michael Hill, Sr. 

30 Boddie, Southside Virginia Families, Vol. 2, Page 164. 

301 Library of Virginia, Land Grant, 15 Oct 1670, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007697000205756. 

302 FamilySearch.org, Prince George County, Virginia Land Patents, Vol. 1, 1666-1719, Book 6, Image 
1037. 


527 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


I. The Randolph and Green Lines 


Peter Randall | 


Peter Green, Sr. 


Peter R. Il 


Peyton W. Randolph John Randall/Randolph 


Olive Green 


1. Amanda Randolph (About 1825-About 1895) 


Amanda Randolph was the oldest daughter of Peyton W. Randolph and Margery Tucker. She lived 
the early part of her life in Wilson County, Tennessee, and later moved to Cheatham County, 
Tennessee with her husband William B. Link. The bulk of her life is discussed in William B. Link’s 
section above. Amanda lived until about 1895 and was the great-grandmother of the authors of The 
Links of Our Family book. Josephine Link, the mother of the authors, was born in 1882, and thus 
would have known her grandmother Amanda Randolph for the first 13 years of her life. 


Amanda Randolph’s Triple Irish Chain Quilt, Circa 1870-1880! 


Amanda Randolph was one of Hank’s maternal great-grandparents, and like another of his great- 


grandmothers Virginia Grace Glenn, she was an accomplished quilter. A “Triple Irish Chain” quilt 


529 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


made by Amanda Randolph (Link) between 1870 and 1880 is held by the Customs House Museum 
and Cultural Center in Clarksville, Tennessee.” At the time The Links of Our Family was written, it was 
believed that Amanda descended from the famous family of Virginia Randolphs. “William Randolph 
and his wife, Mary Isham Randolph, have been referred to as the ‘Adam and Eve of Virginia.’ The 
Randolph family was the wealthiest and most powerful family of 18 Century Virginia.” 


Famous Randolph descendants of this couple include Peyton Randolph, first President of the 
Continental Congress; Beverly Randolph, the 8 Governor of Virginia; Edmund Randolph, the 7* 
Governor of Virginia, second Secretary of State, and the first U.S. Attorney General; Thomas 
Jefferson, principal author of the Declaration of Independence and third President of the United 
States; John Marshall, fourth Chief Justice of the United States; and Robert E. Lee, commander of the 
Confederate Army of Northern Virginia.* Given this illustrious pedigree, it is understandable why 


Randolph family genealogists have sought to connect themselves to this famous line. 


The truth, however, is that our Randolph ancestors descend from a more humble family of 
shoemakers and farmers. They originated, to the extent my research has been able to trace them in the 
surviving records, from Surry County, Virginia in the early 1700s. At that time, they used the 
surname “Randall”, only fully transitioning to “Randolph” in the 1780s and 1790s. They moved to 
Warren County, North Carolina, and eventually to Middle Tennessee. Sorting out this family from 
the unfounded connections to the more famous Randolph line has been an interesting genealogical 


puzzle. 
2. Peyton W. Randolph (About 1797-1865) and Margery Tucker (By 1810-1835) 


Peyton W. Randolph was born around 1797. We know this approximate year from his U.S. Army 
enlistment from October 26, 1813, when Peyton was noted as just 16 years old.5 As a young recruit, 
Peyton Randolph was 5’4” tall, had blue eyes, brown hair, and a fair complexion.* His birthplace was 
listed as Warren County, North Carolina, which is just south of the border from Brunswick and 
Mecklenburg Counties in Virginia.” Peyton had the rank of Private in the company of Captain James 
H. Campbell and was enlisted by Lt. Hays in Wilson County, Tennessee. He joined the army during 
the War of 1812 and served in various companies over the next five years. His occupation was listed 
as “shoemaker.”® He served his full five-year term, being discharged on October 26, 1818 at the age of 
21. The military records of Peyton Randolph, his brothers, and his father tie these men together as 
family. 


On April 5, 1819, Peyton Randolph, of Blackstone’s 7‘ Infantry, received a land warrant of 160 acres 
in return for his military service.’ He had originally applied for this warrant on December 3, 1818 by 
appearing in person at the land warrant office in Nashville, Tennessee.'!° The land granted by the 
warrant was located in Carroll, Missouri, and since I have found no record of Peyton Randolph or his 
descendants living in this area, I suspect that Peyton sold it to another settler."' Also appearing in 
Nashville that day was John G. Randolph, of Blackstone’s 7‘ Infantry, who received 160 acres of his 


own.!2 


530 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


John G. Randolph joined the Army in October of 1813.'° Family tradition since the time of at least 
John G.’s great-grandson Jack Hughes Randolph is that his middle name was “Green.” This appears 
to be supported by the Randolph family connection with the Green family. As we will see below, 
John Green Randolph’s grandmother was Olive Green. Two years younger than his brother Peyton, 
John Green Randolph was only 14 years old when he enlisted. He was 5’2” tall, with blue eyes, brown 
hair, and a light complexion. His occupation was also listed as “Shoemaker.” Like Peyton, he had the 
rank of Private in Captain James H. Campbell’s company, and was enlisted by Lt. Hays in Wilson 


County, Tennessee for a term of five years.'5 


The third brother from this Randolph family of Wilson County, Tennessee was Grief Randolph. He 
was the older brother, 23 years old at the time of his enlistment on July 7, 1812.1° Grief was 5’8” tall, 
with hazel eyes, brown hair, and a light complexion. His occupation was “Bootmaker”, presumably 
the same general occupation performed by his shoemaker brothers. Like his brothers, he was born in 
North Carolina and enlisted from Wilson County, Tennessee.!” Grief Randolph joined the company of 
Captain N.A. Gray. Grief’s service remarks note that he was “at Ft. George”, the site of a major battle 
on Lake Ontario in Canada.'8 A list of American prisoners from the War of 1812 who were held 
captive at Ottawa, Canada includes “Grief Randall” from North Carolina.!9 Grief Randolph’s time as 
a prisoner of war appears to have been short. He later joined the company of James H. Campbell, the 


same company that his brothers joined in 1813.” 


The final member of the Randolph family of Wilson County, Tennessee who served in the War of 
1812 was John Randolph, the father of Peyton, Grief, and John Green Randolph. John Randolph 
enlisted on October 8, 1813 at the reported age of 43.7! His service records note that he was born in 
Virginia. As we will see below, it appears that John Randolph was actually born in 1764, and he may 
have shaved a few years off his age upon enlisting in the Army. He was a Corporal in the Company 
of James H. Campbell, the same unit where he three sons would serve.” He was 5’11” tall, with blue 
eyes, gray hair, and a red complexion. He was a shoemaker, which is the profession he must have 
taught to his children. As we will see later, the profession of shoemaker was passed down for at least 
four generations, and helps us link together the various men of this family. Sadly, John Randolph 
would not survive his military service. He died of dysentery on either April 13 or 15, 1815 at Camp 
Russell.” 


A prominent secondary source on this Randolph family is the book Henry Randolph I of Henrico 
County, Virginia and His Descendants, by Wassell Randolph. This book was published in 1952, and 
contains some notes on Peyton Randolph. Unfortunately, Wassell’s book appears to have many 
serious errors. Notably, he reported that Peyton Randolph “was a soldier in the War of 1812, was 
captured by the British, taken to Quebec and never heard from.” This is an incorrect reading of a 
passage from Reminiscences of the Early Settlement and Early Settlers of McNairy County, Tennessee by 
Marcus J. Wright. John Green Randolph moved to McNairy County from Wilson County in 1838, and 
this is how the Wright book described his life: 


“John G. Randolph was born in North Carolina [year illegible in copy]; when quite 


young moved to Wilson county, Tenn; his mother died when he was quite a child; 


531 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


his father enlisted in the war of 1812 with his two sons, Greef and Paton; the former 
was captured and carried to Quebec by the British; when this intelligence reached 
him he immediately went to war, but was too young to carry his musket in marching 
or drilling; served through the war; then served five years longer as a regular; his 
father died and was buried during the war at Pensacola; he returned to his home in 
Wilson county; remained there a few years; then was married near Jackson, 


Tennessee to Miss N. Gayle Wynne[.]”” 


A Daguerreotype of John Green Randolph, Restored by Descendant John Randolph” 


This report came from Matthew Adams, who was a descendent of John Green Randolph.”” The 
Adams account and the records above make it clear that Grief Randolph, not Peyton, was the brother 
was captured by the British. And of course, far from being “never heard from,” Peyton Randolph 


would go on to marry and have several children, including our ancestor Amanda Randolph.” 


On March 16, 1823, Peyton W. Randolph married Margery Tucker in Wilson County, Tennessee.” 
Peyton appeared on the 1830 census in Wilson County. In his household were two males under 5, one 
male between 5 and 10, one male between 30 and 40 (who must have been Peyton, with some slight 
fudging of his age or a mistake by the census taker), one female under 5, one female between 5 and 
10, and one female between 20 and 30 (which must have been his wife Margery).*° If accurate, this 


would indicate that Margery Tucker was born between 1800 and 1810, although as we just saw, 


532 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


reported ages on census records are only approximate. The Tucker Line originated in Maryland and 


came to Tennessee by way of Kentucky; they are discussed in their own section below. 


It should be noted that there was another man named Peyton Randolph of almost the exact same age 
during this time period who lived in Rutherford County, Tennessee, just south of Wilson County. 
That Peyton was born on December 5, 1797 to Harrison Randolph and his second wife Mary Jones.*! 
This other Peyton married Amanda S. Keeble on September 18, 1822.2 This Peyton and his wife 
Amanda had two children: Peter and Sarah Randolph.* Tragically, the Family Bible for this 
Randolph family notes that their Peyton Randolph was “shot by his brother in law December 18 and 
died on the 19% [of] 1826.”54 His widow Amanda would later marry John Edmondson.* Any family 


trees that show our Peyton Randolph married to Amanda Keeble are confusing him for this man. 


Our Peyton Randolph did not leave a will, and his children were grown by the time of the 1850 
census (the first to list the names for members other than the head of household). Thus, the evidence 
for his children with Margery Tucker comes from family history, as preserved in The Links of Our 
Family by the sisters Nancy Duke Murphy and Josephine Duke McMahan, and the circumstantial 
evidence such as locations and repeated family names. “Peyton Randolph, who lived in our 
Tennessee area within the memory of our elders, is the connecting link between what was known 


through family lore about the Randolphs and the findings of data in research.” % 


Peyton Randolph and Margery Tucker’s oldest child was our ancestor Amanda Randolph, born 
about 1825 in Wilson County, Tennessee.*”7 Around 1830, John Green Randolph was born, named 
after his uncle.** At the time of The Links of Our Family, nothing was apparently known about this son. 
Now that more records are available online, it appears that he moved to Sabine County, Louisiana, 
where he married Mary Ann Hall.*° The couple had six children, including Samuel Edward Randolph 
and John Green Randolph, Jr.4° Hank James currently has 21 DNA matches who trace their descent 
from this John Green Randolph. 


Peyton and Margery Randolph’s third child was Samuel E. Randolph, born about 1832.1 According 
to family history, he died during the Civil War and was buried in Valdosta, Georgia.# On the 1850 
census, Samuel E. Randolph was an 18-year-old living with his grandfather Edward Tucker.* I have 
not been able to confirm his military service, but given that I have not found any further records for 
this Samuel E. Randolph, his death at a young age during the war may very well be correct. As we 
just saw, the John Green Randolph who moved to Louisiana also named a son Samuel Edward 
Randolph. 


Peyton’s youngest child was Mary Jane “Ruby” Randolph. According to census records, she was born 
in February of 1836.“ It seems very likely that her mother Margery Tucker either died during 
childbirth or shortly thereafter. Ten months after Mary Jane was born, her father Peyton Randolph 
had a second marriage on December 26, 1836 to Mary “Polly” McCartney (maiden name Anderson). 
While divorce was still rare at this time, a widower with four young children would have been 


motivated to quickly find a new wife. I think the latter scenario is far more likely. The McCartney 


533 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


family were Wilson County, Tennessee neighbors, with Lewis W. McCartney listed right after Peyton 
and Grief Randolph on the 1840 census (and on the same page as James A. Link). 


Mary Jane “Ruby” Randolph married William L. “Buck” Neblett On January 14, 1857. Like her father, 
uncles, and grandfather, her husband was a “Boot and shoemaker.”*” This couple had children 
Samuel Randolph Neblett, Mona Neblett, Dove “Irene” Neblett, and Eddie Peyton Neblett.4* They 


raised their family in Obion, Tennessee and moved to Sweetwater, Texas later in life.” 


As of 1832, Peyton Randolph owned a small three acre piece of land on Round Lick Creek in Wilson 
County, Tennessee.*° Peyton appeared on the 1836 and 1838 tax lists for Wilson County, Tennessee. 
He did not own any land, and accordingly only owed $1 in taxes in 1836.°2 On the 1840 census, 
Peyton Randolph had two males between 5 and 10, 1 male between 10 and 15, 1 male between 15 and 
20, and 1 male between 40 and 50 years old.® One of the youngest boys would have been Samuel E. 
Randolph, about 8 years old. John Green Randolph would have been 10. Peyton himself would have 
been about 43. There were two females between 10 and 15 in the household, and one woman between 
40 and 50, who must be Peyton’s second wife Mary McCartney. Our ancestor Amanda Randolph 


would have been one of the teenage daughters. 


That leaves one 5-10 year old male child, one 10-15 year old female child, and one 15-20 year old 
male teenager unaccounted for. Some of these other children were likely the children of Mary “Polly” 
Anderson and her first husband Lewis McCartney. On May 8, 1809, Lewis McCartney filed a bond 
for his marriage to Polly Anderson.** Lewis McCartney died about 1826, and his widow Polly 
McCartney appears in the records of the Estate Sale. Therefore, the Mary “Polly” McCartney who 
remarried to Peyton Randolph in 1836 had the maiden name of Mary Anderson. Because Lewis 
McCartney died about 1826, however, he can’t have been the father of the 5-10 year old male child on 
the 1840 census. That may suggest that Peyton Randolph had other, unknown children who did not 
live to adulthood. Or these could have been the children of other relatives living in Peyton’s 
household in 1840. That practice appears to have been common, particularly in this branch of the 
family. 


On December 5, 1837, Peyton Randolph established a trust for the benefit of his second wife’s 
children. In establishing Edmond Crawford as a trustee, he stated that “[o]n the marriage of my 
present wife, I became seized and possessed of sundry property, and wishing the same to be applied 
to the benefit of my said wife’s children have conveyed the said Crawford some personal property.” © 
It appears that John McCartney, one of Lewis McCartney’s six children with Mary “Polly” Anderson 
had died by 1837. According to the terms of the trust, Peyton made John McCartney’s daughter, 
Polly, an equal heir and James Wilson McCartney was given the proceeds of the sale of certain 


property.” 


One of the witnesses to this 1837 trust was Christopher Lain. The Lain family appears to have been 
closely tied to our Randolph family, along with their McCartney neighbors. Thomas McCartney and 
Lewis McCartney were in Wilson County on Barton’s Creek as early as 1804.55 Armstead Lain 


married Nancy McCartney (a daughter of Lewis McCartney and Mary “Polly” Anderson).*° 


534 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


Armstead Lain was a witness in 1841 when Grief Randolph purchased land in District No 22. 
Armstead and Nancy Lain had named a son “John Randolph Lain” who was born in 1836 in Wilson 
County, Tennessee.®! This birth in 1836 was around the time that Peyton Randolph married Mary 
“Polly” Anderson (McCartney), so it seems likely that the Lain and McCartney families had even 
earlier connections to the Randolph family in order for Armstead and Nancy to name a son “John 
Randolph.” 


The Links of Our Family reports that Amanda Randolph spent some time living in the home of her 
uncle Grief Randolph as a child. “This uncle seems to have been an adopted parent for Amanda.” 
On February 18, 1850, James A. Link (Amanda Randolph’s father-in-law) sold Grief Randolph two 
acres of land in Wilson County for $6, with Peyton Randolph as one of the witnesses. On the 1850 
census, Samuel E. Randolph was living with his maternal grandparents, Edward and Tabitha Tucker, 
in Montgomery County, Tennessee.“ Peyton Randolph could still be found in Wilson County, aged 
52, with his wife Mary.© No children were living with the couple on the 1850 census. 


In January of 1850, James Lambeth sued Peyton W. Randolph for a debt of $100.° Part of this debt 
was occurred when Lambeth paid for the boarding and tuition of Peyton’s children. This could help 
explain why there were no children on the 1850 census. It appears that Peyton had been in financial 
trouble, with some of his children living with other family members, and others being educated and 
boarded while he racked up debts he could not pay. Peyton was involved in several lawsuits in 1851, 
one as a defendant against James T. Randolph (whose relation to our line, if any, is unclear) and the 


other as a plaintiff against George Harsh.°” 


On October 25, 1855, Peyton Randolph renounced his claim on the Estate of his second wife Mary in 
consideration of receiving one seventh part of a seventy-four acre plot of land on Barton’s Creek.® 
Given this document, we know that Mary “Polly” Anderson had died before 1855. Peyton eventually 
received this share of the Estate in 1857, and in a separate filing, Thomas Garner and his wife Mary 
(who was a granddaughter of Mary “Polly” Anderson) agreed that Peyton was entitled to a one 
seventh share.” I believe that this is the same Mary who was the daughter of John McCartney, and 
was likely living with Peyton Randolph and his second wife Mary on the 1840 census. 


Near the end of his life, Peyton Randolph moved to Cheatham County, Tennessee, likely to live with 
his daughter Amanda and her husband William B. Link. He died sometime before September 26, 
1865, when his Administrator (and brother-in-law) John D. Tucker provided an inventory of the 
Estate. His brother-in-law stated that Peyton owned one saddle and bridle, a buggy and harness, a 
feather bed, a silver watch, and “notes and accounts about one half of which I consider doubtful” in 
the amount of $100.7 


Children of Peyton W. Randolph and Margery Tucker: 


i. Amanda RANDOLPH was born about 1825 in Wilson County, Tennessee”! and died about 
1895 in Cheatham County, Tennessee.” She married William B. LINK on 4 Dec 1845 in 


Wilson County, Tennessee.” 


535 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


ii. John Green RANDOLPH was born about 1830 in Wilson County, Tennessee’ and died 
before 1870 in Louisiana.” He married Mary Ann HALL on 16 Apr 1851 in Sabine County, 
Louisiana.”6 

iii, | Samuel E. RANDOLPH was born about 1832 in Wilson County Tennessee” and likely died 
between 1861 and 1865 in Valdosta, Georgia.” 

iv. Mary Jane “Ruby” RANDOLPH was born about 1836 in Wilson County, Tennessee” and 
died about 1904 in Texas.8° She married William L. “Buck” NEBLETT on 14 Jan 1857 in 


Cheatham County, Tennessee.*! 
3. John Randall/Randolph (1764-1815) 


John Randall was born to Peter Randall/Randolph II and his wife Olive Green on October 7, 1764 in 
Albemarle Parish, Sussex County, Virginia.’ His godparents were Fred Green, John Powell, and 
Mary Tucker.*’ Why are we discussing a man named John Randall when tracing our Randolph line? 
As we will see below, this Randall family began switching to the Randolph surname in the 1780s and 
1790s, in conjunction with their move to Warren County, North Carolina. By examining the 
Albemarle Parish records along with the surviving court documents from Surry County, Virginia and 
Warren County, North Carolina, it is clear that our John Randolph, father of Peyton W. Randolph, 
was this same baby who was born in 1764 as John Randall. 


As Peter Randall/Randolph II’s sons reached adulthood, they began to buy property in Warren 
County, North Carolina and establish themselves as part of the community. On October 22, 1794, 
Edmund Green of Warren County, North Carolina sold “Peyghton Randolph” of the same county 436 
acres of land “on both sides of the south prong of Reedy Creek.” ® This Peyton was the brother of 
John Randall/Randolph, and the uncle of our ancestor Peyton W. Randolph. Peyton may have 
transferred about half of this plot to his brother, because on November 30, 1796, he sold 232 acres of 
land on Reedy Creek to our direct ancestor John Randolph.*® 


John Randall/Randolph became a respected member of the Warren County, North Carolina, 
community, and made at least part of his living working as a shoemaker. On February 27, 1797, John 
Randolph was granted a license to keep an Ordinary (i.e., a tavern) at his house, and entered a bond 
with Wilmot Egerton as his security.8° On June 1, 1798, a five year old “base born child” named 
Arthur Laughter was bound to John Randolph as a shoemaker’s apprentice.*” Arthur was the son of 
Betsey Laughter and an unknown father. John Randolph was charged with keeping Arthur until the 


age of 21 to teach him the business of being a shoemaker and also to teach him to read and write. 


536 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


Shoemaker’s Tools from Colonial Virginia®® 


As further evidence of his standing in the community, we know that John Randall/Randolph served 
as a Constable in Warren County, North Carolina for many years. His first appointment was on May 
30, 1799 when he was appointed as Constable and Gaoler (Jailer). This appointment was renewed in 
in 1803 and 1804. On August 28, 1800, he appeared before the Warren County Court “and entered 
his objections to the Gaol [Jail] as being insufficient.”*! During this time period, the United States was 
in the midst of a crime wave and general loosening of the social order. “Homicide rates in the 
Chesapeake and in the backcountry of the South reversed a century of decline and increased 
dramatically among both blacks and whites in the turbulent decades following the Revolution.” 
John Randall/Randolph likely would have dealt with the consequences of this change in his role as a 
Constable. 


John Randall/Randolph owned additional land in Warren County, North Carolina. On November 1, 
1798, he sold William Person 260 acres of land on Reedy Creek.% His brother Peyton 
Randall/Randolph also owned Reedy Creek land, which bordered John’s property. Peyton sold 641 
acres to William Person on September 5, 1798.94 Note that this Peyton Randolph is definitely not our 
direct ancestor, father of Amanda Randolph, since that Peyton was not born until 1797. Instead, it 


appears that our Peyton was named after his uncle. 


The elder Peyton Randall/Randolph only lived to be about 30 years old. A verbal Will made on his 
deathbed provides evidence of his relationship to his brothers John and Peter Randall/Randolph, and 
also nicely illustrates the transition between these two surnames. Evidence of the verbal Will survives 
in two different places in the Warren County records. In one, “John and Joel Randall” reported that 
Peyton Randall called them as witnesses “in his last sickness.” They reported that Peyton wanted all 
of his property to descend to “his Brother Peter Randall”, with “his Brother John Randall” serving as 


537 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


Executor of his Estate.%* Several records show John Randolph acting as the Executor of Peyton’s Estate 
in Warren County until 1802. This document was signed by “John Randolph” and Joel Randall. 


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The Signatures of brothers “John Randolph” and “Joel Randall”% 


In the second record, which appears to be a later transcription of the same document, the surname 
“Randolph” is used consistently for all of the brothers. This is the version of the document which was 
entered into the Warren County Court in November of 1799, and may have been transcribed from the 
original by the County Clerk.” This shows that the surnames Randall and Randolph were used 
interchangeably. It is possible that the two names were pronounced very similarly in the dialect of 
the time (one can imagine how they might sound the same in a southern drawl), and only appear as 


different names in the written record. 


When Peter Randall/Randolph II died around 1800, we see further evidence of the connections 
between these Randall/Randolph brothers. In February of 1800, Joel Randolph was granted 
guardianship of Peter’s minor children: Olive and Nancy Randolph. These must have been Peter’s 
two youngest daughters, born after the Albemarle Parish records end around 1776, and unmarried at 
his death around 1800. Olive and Nancy were old enough to come into court and choose their brother 
Joel as their Guardian.'™ Joel, John and Peter Randolph posted a bond in support. These were the 
three surviving sons of Peter Randall/Randolph II. No will has been found for Peter 
Randall/Randolph II, but Olive Randolph was named Administrator of the Estate, and submitted an 


inventory of his possessions.! 


John Randolph continued to live in Warren County, North Carolina for several years following his 
father’s death. In 1799, he purchased land from John Hawkins.' Unlike most of our Southern 
ancestors during this period, he appears to have spent at least some of his time living in town rather 
than on a farm or plantation. Over 90% of the American population at this time was engaged in 
farming.'! John Randolph appeared on the 1800 census, living in Halifax, Warren County, North 
Carolina.!% He was listed in the first few pages of this census report, which are totaled as 238 people 


living “in town,” and he may have made his living there primarily as a shoemaker. 


John Randolph’s 1800 household had 1 male child under 10, 1 male child between 10 and 16, 1 adult 
male between 26 and 44, three female children under 10, 1 woman or girl between 16 and 25, and 
three slaves. Based on other records, it seems likely that the elder son was Grief Randolph and the 


younger son was our ancestor Peyton, born about 1797. John Green Randolph’s Army enlistment 


538 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


suggests he was born around 1799, since he enlisted on October 24, 1813 at the age of 14. It is possible 
that he was an unreported small baby, or that he was born slightly later than his enrollment records 


indicate. 


I have not found any conclusive evidence for the identity of John Randolph’s wife, although some 
possibilities are discussed below. John would have been 36 years old in 1800, so presumably the 
woman between 16 and 25 was closer to the older end of the range and was his wife. The fact that his 
eldest son was named Grief Randolph may suggest that John Randolph had a first wife who died 
during childbirth, leading to this unusual name. That could help explain why John would have a 
significantly younger second wife by 1800. If this theory is true, then Grief would have been the half- 
brother of our ancestor Peyton W. Randolph.1% 


The three girls under 10 years old were likely John’s daughters. A later court document from 1820 in 
Wilson County, Tennessee lists John Randolph’s children as: Grief, Levina, Sally, Peyton, and John 
Randolph.” Given the 1800 census record, it is possible there was a third daughter besides Levina 
and Sally who died before 1820. 


The Minutes of the Warren County, North Carolina Court provide more information about John 
Randolph in the early 1800s. In 1802, John Randolph made several land sales in Warren County. On 
May 27t, he sold land to Marcus George, and on May 28', he sold land to Joseph Lee.°8 Also in that 
year John Randolph continued to manage the Estate of his deceased brother Peyton.’ On February 
24, 1803, he sold land to Robert Glassford.'!0 In December of 1803, William Haynes, the orphan of 
John Haynes, was bound to John Randolph. This may suggest that Haynes was a relative, and 
definitely indicates that John Randolph was a trusted citizen in Warren County.'!! As a reminder that 
John Randolph was a slave owner, we find a Bill of Sale from January 7, 1804 whereby John sold a 
slave girl named Polly, age 14, to Solomon Cotton for $300.1! 


In May of 1803, John Randolph purchased a half-acre lot, Number 100, in the town of Warrenton, 
North Carolina from John Hawkins." Less than a year later, on February 11, 1804, John Randolph 
sold this same lot back to Joseph Hawkins for 80 pounds."'* Somehow lot 100 in Warrenton appears 
to have ended up back in the Randolph family, because on May 13, 1808, Grief Randolph of Warren 
County sold lot 100 in Warrenton to Jacob Stiner for $200. Grief’s father John Randolph was one of 


the witnesses. 115 


Sometime between 1808 and 1810, John Randolph and his family moved from Warren County, North 
Carolina to Wilson County, Tennessee. There is a curious census record from 1810 in Wythe County, 
Virginia. Wythe County is about halfway between Warren County, North Carolina and Wilson 
County, Tennessee. In 1810, Grief Randolph (aged 16-25) appeared on the census in Wythe County, 
along with one male between 10 and 15 years old. The younger male is the right age to be our 
ancestor Peyton Randolph. It is currently unclear whether Grief Randolph was just passing through 
the area during their move west, or if the Randolph family had connections to Wythe County, 


Virginia." 


539 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


In any event, by 1810-1811, the Randolph family had arrived in Wilson County, Tennessee. They 
were part of a large westward migration during this time period, and the population of Tennessee 
was rapidly increasing.!!” On September 26, 1810, Joseph Martin sold John Randolph lot Number 3 in 
the town of Lebanon, Tennessee for $80.!!8 A few months later, John sold this same lot to his son Grief 
Randolph, and then on November 16, 1811, Grief sold the lot to Harry L. Douglass." 


As we saw above, Grief Randolph was the first member of this family to join the Army during the 
War of 1812.120 When Grief was captured and held as a prisoner early in the war, the rest of the men 
in his family appear to have been motivated to enlist. John Randolph, along with his sons Peyton and 
John Green Randolph, enlisted in October of 1813. All four Randolph men were employed as either 
Shoemakers or Bootmakers, and all enlisted from Wilson County, Tennessee.!2! John 
Randall/Randolph died of dysentery on either April 13 or 15, 1815 at Camp Russell.!?2 Camp Russell 
(also known as Fort Russell) was located in what is now Madison County, Illinois.!% At the time, 
Illinois Territory was the frontier, and during the War of 1812 the British backed Native American 
forces to fight against the United States.14 


In February of 1820, Bernard P. Brown came before the Wilson County, Tennessee court to prove that 
John Randolph had died in April of 1815. Brown noted that John had served in the U.S. Army, 24 
Regiment, which matches the records discussed above. He stated that John Randolph’s children were 
Grief Randolph, Levina Randolph, Sally Randolph, Peyton Randolph, and John Randolph.’ I have 
not been able to determine how Bernard Brown was connected to the Randolph family. It is possible 
he was the spouse of Sally Randolph, or he may have been a lawyer hired by the family to sort out 
any pension the children may have been owed due to their father’s military service. In any event, this 
document provides solid proof of John Randolph’s five adult children. On November 11, 1820, a 
Land Warrant for 160 acres was issued to “Payton Randolph and the other heirs at law of John 
Randolph, Sen. dec[eased].”!6 Our ancestor Peyton appears to have obtained this Warrant based on 
the service of his father John Randall/Randolph. 


On July 26, 1817, William B. Smith married Sarah Randolph in Wilson County, Tennessee.!?’ It is 
possible that this is the “Sally Randolph” discussed above, since Sally was a common nickhame for 
Sarah. On May 19, 1818, Samuel Calhoon sold “Levinia Randolph” a plot of land in the town of 
Lebanon, in Wilson County, Tennessee for $25.18 Levina Randolph would later marry John B. 


Holman on September 18, 1828 in Wilson County, Tennessee. !29 


Grief and John Green Randolph continued to live in the Wilson County area for several years. John 
Green Randolph owned land along Barton’s Creek, the same area as his brother Peyton and our Link 
ancestors.'*° In 1826 John Green Randolph purchased 323 acres on Hurricane Creek for $800, and the 
following year sold the same land to John Bond for $1,200, making a 50% profit.!5! John Green 
Randolph later moved to McNairy County, Tennessee around 1838 and had many descendants. !%2 
Hank currently has 21 DNA matches on Ancestry.com who trace their descent from John Green 
Randolph. Grief Randolph continued to live in Wilson County, Tennessee until at least 1859.15 In 
1860, Grief appears to have moved south to Grayson, Texas to live near his sons John Lewis and 
Thomas W. Randolph." Grief Randolph died in Grayson, Texas in 1865.15 


540 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


An Unsupported Connection to the Virginia Randolph Family 


It may be useful to future researchers to briefly outline some of the incorrect information surrounding 
our John Randall/Randolph. In an effort to tie into the ancestry of the famous Virginia Randolph line, 
many speculative claims have been accepted and repeated as fact. Much of the confusion seems to 
have started with Wassell Randolph, who stated that John Randolph, the father of Grief, Peyton, and 
John Green Randolph, was born in 1759 to Grief Randolph and his wife Mary Eppes in Chesterfield 
County, Virginia.'%° The Chesterfield County Grief Randolph does appear to have had a son named 
John. However, I have not found any evidence linking Grief’s son to Sussex County, Virginia, or later 
to Warren County, North Carolina where we know that our John Randolph lived based on the War of 
1812 Army records discussed above. 


Wassell reported that the John Randolph born in 1759 “was a Revolutionary soldier for three years in 
the Virginia Continental Line” from 1780 to 1783.'37 There were many men named John Randolph in 
Virginia during this time, including at least four who fought in the Revolution, and nothing links this 
particular John to our line. Further, Wassell states that our John Randolph was a Captain during the 
War of 1812. This is a misreading of the records. While a descendant from the wealthy Randolph 
family of Virginia, who previously served in the Revolution, would potentially have ranked as a 


Captain (an officer), our John Randolph was a humble Corporal, the first enlisted rank above Private. 


| 
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John Randolph, a Corporal and shoemaker in the 24* Infantry during the War of 1812.'°5 Note the 
subtle difference in abbreviation between “Corporal” Randolph and “Captain” James H. 
Campbell, his commanding officer. 


Further complicating the claim that our John Randall/Randolph served in the Revolutionary War is 
his birth in 1764, proven above using the Albemarle Parish records. I have found records for at least 
four Virginia men named John Randolph who served around 1777-1778.'° However, our ancestor 
would have been only 14 years old at this time, and there is nothing that links him with any of these 
men. The Revolutionary War carried on until 1783, so it is possible (or perhaps even likely) that John 
Randall/Randolph would have served in a local Virginia militia near the end of the war as a teenager. 


Unfortunately, Iam not aware of any surviving Virginia militia records from this time period. 


The other main source of confusion in our line has been a reported Family Bible belonging to John 
Randolph of Wilson County, Tennessee. Despite a thorough search, I have not been able to find a 
copy of this Bible’s pages. While Family Bibles are often excellent resources, there are unfortunately 
many reasons to suspect that this particular Bible contains the conclusions of an unreliable family 


historian writing long after the fact. The alleged contents of the Wilson County Bible are as follows: 


541 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


“Marriages: 


e John Randolph & Mary Whittington were married March 6, 1794 

e Peyton Randolph & Amander G. Keeble were married Sept. 18, 1822 

e Grief Randolph and Nancy Anderson were married October 31, 1829 

e John Green Randolph and Nancy Gayle Wynne were married Feby 14, 1834 


Births: 


e Grief Randolph was born January 11, 1795 
e Peyton Randolph was born July 6, 1797 
e John Green Randolph was born November 11, 1799 


Deaths: 


Mary W. Randolph, beloved wife of John Randolph, departed this life October the 6th, 1810, aged 34 
years John Randolph departed this life April 13, 1815, aged 45 years Mary G. Randolph departed this 
life August the 20th, 1815, aged 65 years, widow of John Randolph Sr. who preceded some 20 odd 


years.” 140 


The main problem with the Bible is a big one: the marriage of Peyton Randolph and “Amander G. 
Keeble” from 1822 that it reports was actually the Peyton Randolph from Rutherford County, 
Tennessee, not our Peyton Randolph. As we saw above, this was a different man than our ancestor 
Peyton Randolph of Wilson County. The Rutherford County Peyton died in 1826.1 I can find no 
reason that this marriage would be included in a Family Bible from our line, unless the records were 
added many years later by a well-meaning family historian who misread the records and confused 
these two men of the same name and age in Middle Tennessee. Additionally, the date of John Green 
Randolph’s marriage to Nancy Gayle Wynne is also off almost ten years. When he applied for a 
military pension in 1871, John Green Randolph testified that he married on December 3, 1825.1” 


Another problem with this Wilson County Bible is its reference to Mary Whittington as the wife of 
our John Randolph, via a 1794 marriage. I have not been able to find any evidence for this marriage. 
Instead, there is a record from Greensville County, Virginia showing the marriage of John Randall 
and Sarah Whittington in 1785." Greensville County, Virginia is located just to the southwest of 
Sussex County, where we know our John Randall lived. It was created from the eastern portion of 
Brunswick County in 1781. However, there were several Randall families living in Brunswick County 
around this time that could be the sources for the John Randall who married Sarah Whittington. 


Some researchers have suggested (again without any evidence that I am aware of) that Mary and 
Sarah Whittington were sisters or cousins and that our John Randall/Randolph married Mary after 
Sarah’s death. However, records from Greensville County indicate that John Randall and Sarah 
Whittington were still married as late as 1803.14 So how could John have married Sarah’s supposed 
relative Mary Whittington in 1794? Something doesn’t add up, and it again makes me question the 
reliability of this alleged Wilson County Family Bible. Unfortunately, Wassell Randolph’s book does 


542 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


not resolve this question either. He claimed, without any primary sources, that John Randolph 
married Mary Whittington in 1780.'46 Our John Randall/Randolph would have only been 16 years old 
in 1780, making this date unlikely. 


It is still possible that John Randall/Randolph married a woman with the maiden name Whittington. 
As we will see below, his mother Olive Green had an uncle named John Whittington (who married 
Elizabeth Green).” And this John Whittington was described in a 1744 Surry County, Virginia Deed 
as “of the Province of North Carolina.”'48 The Albemarle Parish Registry records the birth of two 
children to John and Elizabeth Whittington: a son Owen in 1747 and a daughter Sarah in 1750. So it 
appears that John Whittington, like the Randall/Randolph family, was moving between Virginia and 
North Carolina during this time period. Could this Sarah Whittington be a possible wife of John 
Randall/Randolph? Many family trees use “Whittington” as Peyton W. Randolph’s middle name, but 
no primary sources list his full name. The “W” initial is a possible clue, but not proof, as to his 


mother’s maiden name. 


There are additional inaccuracies in the Wilson County Bible. If our John Randall/Randolph did have 
a wife named Mary W., it is conceivable that she could have died in 1810 at the age of 34. That would 
mean she was born in 1776, and while it would have made her about 12 years younger than her 
husband, that was not uncommon during this time period. Remember that our John Randolph 
appears on the 1800 census living with a woman aged between 16 and 25, and we speculated that she 
could have been a younger second wife. A woman born around 1775-1776 could fit this census 


record and whatever family story had been passed down and made it into the alleged Family Bible. 


However, how do we account for the age and unusual name of Grief Randolph? A wide range of 
birth dates have been reported for Grief Randolph. His military enlistment suggests he was born in 
1789. The 1850 census reports he was born in 1780, and the 1860 census says he was born in 1786. A 
gravestone in Grayson, Texas suggests 1785. These records all conflict, but they suggest that the latest 
Grief Randolph was born was 1789, and likely closer to 1785. Why, then, does the Wilson County 
Bible report that he was born on January 11, 1795? My theory is that this later date was chosen to 
conveniently fit with the March 6, 1794 marriage date given for John Randolph and Mary 
Whittington. Note that these dates are nine months and six days apart. Given the difficulty of finding 
exact birth dates in the late 18" Century (absent Parish records), I suspect that these dates were at one 
point created out of wishful thinking and the assumption of a baby conceived during the 
honeymoon. It seems far more likely to me that Grief Randolph was born in the mid to late 1780s to 


John Randall/Randolph’s first wife, who died during childbirth, leading to his unusual given name. !° 


Finally, the Bible notes “Mary G. Randolph departed this life August the 20th, 1815, aged 65 years, 
widow of John Randolph Sr. who preceded some 20 odd years.” Presumably the Bible is claiming 
that “John Randolph, Sr.” and his wife Mary G. Randolph were the parents of John 
Randall/Randolph. However, if Mary G. Randolph was born in 1750, she would likely be too young 
to be the mother of John Randall/Randolph, born in 1764. In any event, the evidence discussed below 
proves that Peter Randall/Randolph II and Olive Green were the parents of our John 
Randall/Randolph. 


543 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


Curiously, the death dates for this couple do bear some similarity to what I have discovered about 
John Randall/Randolph’s actual parents. Olive Randolph, who had the maiden name Green, died 
around 1814 in Smith County, Tennessee. Her husband Peter Randall/Randolph II had died about 
fifteen years earlier, around 1800 in Warren County, North Carolina. Perhaps the story of this 
widowed mother and grandmother were passed down through family stories, with the details 
getting mixed up over time. Maybe the name of John’s father was lost over the years, and it was 
assumed to be John, Sr. instead of Peter. In short, all of the primary sources and reasonable inferences 
discussed above indicate to me that the alleged “John Randolph Wilson County Bible” is a later 
record created by a family historian using the incomplete, and ultimately incorrect, information 
available to them at the time, combined with some wishful thinking and made up dates to round out 


the story. 


Yet another possible source of confusion is the otherwise reliable book The Links of Our Family. Family 
historians Nancy Duke Murphy and Josephine Duke McMahan were unfortunately led astray by a 
professional genealogist who provided them with an incorrect link to the famous Virginia Randolph 
line. The authors were careful researchers, and admitted that “[e]fforts to connect our ancestry to the 


vast array of Randolph descendants has posed an almost insurmountable task.” 15! 


Like many other genealogists at the time, they were attempting to prove a connection with 
Pocahontas and the famous Randolph line. Some of the descendants of Pocahontas did in fact marry 
into the Virginia Randolph family. However, as we saw above, there is no evidence that we descend 
from this famous Randolph line or Pocahontas herself. The professional genealogist that the authors 
hired repeated Wassell Randolph’s claim that our John Randall/Randolph was the son of Grief 
Randolph of the Henry Randolph I line. The source provided by this genealogist did not prove the 
claim (which would conflict with all the evidence discussed and cited above). It was instead a 
speculative discussion, without primary sources, of this Grief Randolph’s descendants that was 


published in the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography.'!™ 


Ultimately, despite all of these misleading claims about our ancestor John Randall/Randolph, I 
believe we can be confident in his newly discovered origins. Rather than being a member of the more 
famous Virginia Randolph family, we can trace him back to his father Peter Randall/Randolph II, a 
shoemaker from Sussex County, Virginia. The identity of John’s spouse, or spouses, remains a 


mystery, but we know that he had at least five children, including our ancestor Peyton Randolph. 
Children of John Randall/Randolph: 


i. Grief RANDOLPH was likely born around 1789 in either Sussex County, Virginia or Warren 
County, North Carolina, although some records suggest he was born on 11 Jan 1785.4 He 
married Nancy E. ANDERSON on 31 Oct 1829 in Rutherford County, Tennessee. He died 
23 Feb 1865 in Grayson County, Texas. 16 

li. Sally RANDOLPH was born between 1790 and 1800 in Warren County, North Carolina.!” 
She may have married William B. SMITH on 26 Jul 1817 in Wilson County, Tennessee, but 


this conclusion is speculative.'* 


544 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


iii. Levina RANDOLPH was born between 1790 and 1800 in Warren County, North Carolina.!° 
She married John B. HOLMAN on 18 Sep 1828 in Wilson County, Tennessee.' She likely 
died before 1850.1 

iv. Peyton W. RANDOLPH was born about 1797 in Warren County, North Carolina.’ He 
married Margery TUCKER on 16 Mar 1823 in Wilson County, Tennessee.'© He married Mary 
“Polly” ANDERSON (widow of Lewis MCCARTNEY) on 26 Dec 1836 in Wilson County, 
Tennessee. He died before 26 Sep 1865 in Cheatham County, Tennessee. 1° 

Vv. John Green RANDOLPH was born about 1799 in Warren County, North Carolina.'% He 
married Nancy Gayle WYNNE on 5 Dec 1825 in Madison County, Tennessee.'*” He died 
before 1 Mar 1880 in McNairy County, Tennessee.!® 


4. Peter Randall/Randolph II (1740-1800) and Olive Green (1742-1814) 


Peter Randall was born on May 29, 1740 in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, Virginia to Peter Randall 
and his wife Mary.'® The sponsors at his baptism were Thomas Mitchell, Henry Mitchell, and 
Susanna Cain. The Mitchell and Cain families, along with the Greens and Yarbroughs, appear to have 
been part of a Surry/Sussex County kin group that included our Randall family.!” As discussed 
above, Peter’s last name was spelled “Randall” during the first part of his life, and he transitioned to 
“Randolph” spelling later. I will usually refer to him as Peter Randall/Randolph II in an effort to 
include both spellings, and to distinguish him from several relatives with the same name: his father, 
Peter Randall I; his son, Peter Randall/Randolph II; and his nephew, Peter Randall IV. As with other 


branches of our family, these are not suffixes or titles these men would have used during their lives. 


Peter Randall/Randolph II’s father died when he was a very small child, likely around one year old. 
On October 21, 1741, Mary Randall, as the Administrator of her husband’s Estate, submitted an 
inventory of Peter Randall I’s property to the Surry County, Virginia Court.’7! Peter’s widowed 
mother Mary also had a son named George Randall (described below as George Randall/Randolph 
III), and she soon remarried to William Yarbrough, who served as George III’s guardian. We know 
this because in 1746, we see that “William Yarbrough, who intermarried with Mary Randall, Widow 
who was guardian of George Randall, Orphan of Peter Randall” gave an account for the orphan 
George's Estate.!”2 William and Mary Yarbrough provided several accounts for George’s Estate up 
until 1749.1 They paint a picture of a fairly well-off young gentleman, whose estate was charged for 


clothing, education, and “expenses at and returning to Williamsburg at several times.” 14 


Interestingly, I have not been able to find any guardian accounts for our ancestor Peter 
Randall/Randolph II, despite the extensive accounting for his brother’s expenses as a young man. My 
theory is that Peter may have been so young at the time of his father’s death that he was informally 
adopted by William Yarbrough, and thus did not have separate finances of his own that needed to be 
tracked by the court as an official orphan. Because Peter Randall I died without a will, the bulk of his 
property would have descended to his eldest son George Randall III according to the colonial 
primogeniture laws, which followed the English Common Law.'” It was therefore his property, 


under the care of his guardian William Yarbrough, that the legal system would have been most 


545 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


interested in tracking. A procession from August 1755 in Albemarle Parish shows William 
Yarbrough, Peter Randolph, and George Randolph listed in order, which likely indicates that their 
property lines bordered each other.'” 


I believe that Peter Randall/Randolph II’s future wife Olive was the Olive Green born to Peter and 
Mary Green on March 24, 1742.1”7 While there is no definitive proof of this relationship, there is a 
large amount of circumstantial evidence. When Olive’s sister Mary Green was born in 1741, Mary 
Randall was one of the baptismal sponsors.'78 When another sister Millicent Green was born in 1744, 
William Yarbrough was a sponsor.'” As discussed below, I believe it is likely that Peter 
Randall/Randolph II’s aunt, the wife of George Randall II, was Mary Green, the daughter of William 
Green. So we know that the Randall and Green families were already well acquainted with each other 
in the 1740s. In addition, Hank James currently has 17 DNA matches on Ancestry.com that trace their 


descent from Peter and Mary Green, Olive’s parents.!*° 


As Olive Green neared adulthood, she began to appear as a baptismal sponsor herself. In 1758-1759, 
she was a sponsor for the Rainey, Parham, and Tucker families.'8! Most interestingly, on December 
23, 1758, Olive Green served as a sponsor for the baptism of Elizabeth Randall, the daughter of 
George Randall/Randolph III and his wife Betty Rutherford.'? Olive Green’s co-sponsors were 
Phoebe Green and Peter Randall, who I believe must be the same Peter Randall/Randolph II who she 
later married.'® George and Betty Rutherford Randall were Peter Randall’s aunt and uncle. I believe 
that Peter Randall/Randolph II and Olive Green were married in 1760, because on January 15, 1761, a 
daughter Mary Randall was born to Peter and Olive Randall, with sponsors William Yarbrough, 
Mary Yarbrough, and Betty Rutherford Randall.1*4 


Olive Randall continued to serve as a baptismal sponsor in Albemarle Parish, in several instances 
with members of the Green family. On January 24, 1763, she sponsored Mary Wade, daughter of 
Thomas and Susanna Wade.!*° Other children of this same Wade couple were sponsored by Peter 
Green and Mary Green (Olive’s parents), and William Yarbrough (Olive’s father-in-law). In 1763, 
Peter Green, Olive’s father, was living on land that bordered George Randall/Randolph III and James 
Cain.!® On April 4, 1766, Olive Randall was a sponsor for Sarah Hunt, along with Frederick and 
Leticia Green.!87 We know from the Albemarle Parish records, and Peter Green’s Will, that Frederick 


Green was Olive’s older brother.188 


Peter Randall/Randolph II and his wife Olive had six children recorded in the Albemarle Parish 
Register between 1761 and 1773. During this time period, Albemarle Parish was part of Sussex 
County, Virginia. Mary Randall was born in 1761, John Randall in 1764, Frances Randall in 1766, 
Peyton Randall in 1769, Elizabeth Randall in 1771, and Polly Randall in 1773.'8° The Albemarle Parish 
records have been lost after about 1776, and this couple had additional children that may have been 
recorded in those earlier lost records. The youngest four children of Peter and Olive 
Randall/Randolph can be inferred from surviving documents in Warren County, North Carolina, 
discussed above. They are Joel, Peter, Nancy, and Olive Randall.!? A 1782 census for Sussex County, 
Virginia shows Peter Randall/Randolph II’s household (listed as Peter Randall, Sr.) with 10 white 


family members and 3 black slaves.'*! 


546 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


The Randall/Randolph and Green families were heavily involved in St. Mark’s Church, which was 
part of Albemarle Parish. In 1768 and 1769, George Randolph (Peter Randall/Randolph II's brother 
George Randall/Randolph III) was clerk of St. Mark’s, and received payment of 1,200 pounds of 
tobacco for his services.!°? A Peter Randall/Randolph was involved in the administration of St. Mark’s 
Church. On October 20, 1773, Peter Randolph was reimbursed 500 pounds of tobacco for his work as 
Sexton of St. Mark’s.1° From at least October 15, 1775 to January 1, 1777, Peter Randall was the Clerk 
and Sexton of St. Mark’s, for which he was paid 3,735 pounds of tobacco.’ It is unclear if this was 
our direct ancestor Peter Randall/Randolph II, or his nephew Peter Randall/Randolph IV. The land 
for St. Mark’s was purchased from Peter Green, the father of Olive Green. As we will see below, Peter 
Green and his family served as the Sextons for St. Mark’s for many years. In 1768-1769, Peter Green, 
likely Olive’s brother, was serving as Sexton while George Randall/Randolph HI was Clerk.1% This 
connection with the Green family further supports the conclusion that Olive Green married Peter 
Randall/Randolph II in 1760.1% 


The tax lists from Sussex County show that the name Randall and Randolph was interchangeable 
during this time period, at least in our family. The 1782 land tax list has “Peter Randolph, Sr.” with 
145 acres of land.!%” It also records “Peter Randolph, Jr.” with 250 acres of land. Remember that 
during this time period, Sr. and Jr. were often used to distinguish two men of the same age in the 
same county, with the elder man receiving the Sr. designation, regardless of whether or not they were 
father and son. The man referred to here as “Peter Randolph, Sr.” is our direct ancestor Peter 
Randall/Randolph IL. “Peter Randolph, Jr.” was the son of George and Betty Rutherford Randall, and 
I refer to him as Peter Randall/Randolph IV.1% Our ancestor Peter Randall/Randolph II was the uncle 
of Peter Randall/Randolph IV. 


The personal property tax lists for this time period contain our Peter Randall/Randolph II. In 1783 he 
had 1 tithable and 4 slaves.!” In 1784, he was listed as “Peter Randolph, Sr.”, and his three slaves 
were listed by name: Judah, Sarah, and Sylvia.” The land tax list from 1785 has a list of corrections, 
noting that Peter Randolph, Sr. had sold his land to Thomas Hill.?°' This appears to be the time period 
when our Randall/Randolph family migrated from Virginia to Warren County, North Carolina. 


The 1785 North Carolina census for Warren County, North Carolina shows the family of Peter 
Randolph.” He was living in Captain John Weather’s District. Although only the head of household 
was listed by name, the ages and genders of this Peter Randolph household match up perfectly with 
the family of Peter and Olive Randall from the Albemarle Parish Register. The census shows two 
white males between 21 and 60 years old (Peter Randall/Randolph II and his John Randall/Randolph 
who would have just turned 21), three white males under 21 (sons Peyton, Joel, and Peter 
Randall/Randolph III), and seven white females (wife Olive and daughters Mary, Frances, Elizabeth, 
Polly, Nancy, and Olive). Peter Randall/Randolph II of Warren County, North Carolina also had four 


black slaves, which is consistent with the size of his slaveholdings from Sussex County, Virginia.” 


A man named William Yarbrough was also living in Warren County, North Carolina during this time 
period. I suspect that this William was the son of the William Yarbrough who married the widow of 
Peter Randall I. That would make him the step-brother of our ancestor Peter Randall/Randolph II. 


547 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


The 1785 census shows William Yarbrough in Captain John Weather’s District.2% William’s 
household had no adult white males between 21 and 60 years old, four males either under 21 or over 
60, and five white females.2° William Yarbrough also owned nine black slaves.2% In 1786, both 
William Yarbrough and Peter Randall purchased land in Warren County, North Carolina.?” 


In 1793, William Yarbrough drafted his Will in Warren County, North Carolina.” In the first section 
of the Will, he named sons William and Joel Yarbrough, who were both under the age of 21 at the 
time, and daughters Rebecca and Huldah Yarbrough. Later, he named a son Samuel Yarbrough and a 
daughter Rhoda Yarbrough. William Yarbrough left his grandson Edmund Harper a slave girl named 
Lucy, and his granddaughter Nancy Persons a slave girl named “Winnah”2” He named his “Brother 
in law John Mitchell” one of his Executors.?° William Yarbrough had married Hannah Mitchell back 
in Sussex County, Virginia by 1770.2"! The Will was witnessed by Samuel Morris, Peter Randall (i.e., 
Peter Randall/Randolph III), and Peter Randall, Jr.2!? 


“an Lae “— 


wes posed 


Tetx Ke, wlalY cowl 


William Yarbrough’s 1793 Will with two Peter Randall witnesses?"° 


Peter Randall/Randolph II died in 1799 or early 1800 in Warren County, North Carolina. Among his 
other personal property, Peter Randall/Randolph II owned “Shoemaker’s tools.”?"4 If there was any 
doubt that this Peter Randolph was the father of John Randolph and grandfather of Peyton W. 
Randolph, both of whom were shoemakers, this detail cements the connection. At the Estate Sale, our 
ancestor John Randolph purchased a negro girl named Lucy.*!5 Siblings Peter, Joel, Frances, Nancy, 
and Olive Randolph were also purchasers.”!© Widow Olive Randolph purchased a variety of 


household goods along with a negro woman named Judah.”!” 


As part of the estate proceedings, John, Peter, Olive, and Nancy Randolph, along with Epps Jones, 
conveyed a tract of land where their father Peter Randall/Randolph II lived to their brother Joel 
Randolph.?'* Epps Jones was the husband of Peter’s daughter Polly Randall/Randolph.?"? Henry Jones 
appeared by oath on behalf of Frances Randolph.2” As discussed above, we know that Peyton 
Randall/Randolph died shortly before his father, so this document likely confirms all of Peter 
Randall/Randolph II’s children who were living at the time of his death. Daughters Mary and 


548 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


Elizabeth Randall/Randolph (or their spouses) were not mentioned, so they had likely died prior to 
1800. Widow Olive Randall/Randolph appeared on the 1800 census in Warren County.”?! Besides 
herself, there were four other white family members living in the household, likely her children who 


had not yet married. Olive also owned seven slaves.?” 


Many of Peter and Olive’s children were getting married in Warren County, North Carolina around 
this time. As we just saw, in 1797 Polly Randall/Randolph married Epps Jones, with Thomas Green as 
a witness.223 In 1799, Peter Randall/Randolph III married Patsy Pace, with his brother John as a 
bondsman.” In 1800, Frances Randall/Randolph married Pink Harper.?% In 1801, Olive 
Randall/Randolph (the daughter of Peter, not his widow) married John Dawson.Ӣ In 1802, Joel 
Randall/Randolph married Huldah Yarbrough, the daughter of the William Yarbrough discussed 
above.”” Finally, in 1803 Nancy Randall/Randolph married William Wilson.” The only living 
Randall/Randolph sibling who doesn’t appear in the Warren County marriage records is our ancestor 
John, who was the eldest male sibling. It is likely that he married either in Sussex County, Virginia, 


before the family moved south, or in a neighboring county. 


John Randall/Randolph left North Carolina and moved west to Tennessee around 1808, and it 
appears that his mother Olive made this journey as well. On July 29, 1808, Olive Randolph of Smith 
County, Tennessee drafted her Will.?”9 Smith County is directly east of Wilson County, where John 
Randall/Randolph and his children settled. Several clues in the Will strongly indicate that it belongs 
to our Olive Green who married Peter Randall/Randolph II. First, she left her “grandson Peter Green 
Randolph one cow and calf and also one feather bed & furniture.” She left her “Son Joel Randolph 
one negro woman named Judith to him and his heirs forever, but never to sell her nor traffick her off 
in any wise. It is also my desire that said negro shall have time to go and see her children as often as 


is necessary.” 5! 


We know that Joel Randall/Randolph was Olive’s youngest son, and the existence of a grandson 
named “John Green Randolph” ties into the strong likelihood that Olive’s maiden name was Green. 
When her husband died around 1800, Olive purchased a slave woman named “Judah” as part of the 
Estate Sale.?>? She was likely the same slave named Judah that Peter Randall/Randolph II owned back 
in Sussex County, Virginia in 1784.7 I suspect that the “Judith” from Olive’s Will could be same 
woman, who had travelled with Olive across three states and had been her servant for over thirty 
years. Clearly the women had developed some level of relationship beyond merely master and slave, 
and Olive wanted to ensure that Judah/Judith was well treated in her remaining years. Olive’s Will 


was proved in November of 1814, so she likely died shortly before this date. 
Children of Peter Randall/Randolph II and Olive Green: 


0 Mary RANDALL/RANDOLPH was born 15 Jan 1761 in Albemarle Parish, Sussex County, 
Virginia.?> She likely died before 1800.76 

ii. John RANDALL/RANDOLPH was born 7 Oct 1764 in Albemarle Parish, Sussex County, 
Virginia®’ and died 13 Apr 1815 at Camp Russell, Madison County, Illinois.”8 His spouse is 


currently unknown. 


549 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


iil. 


Iv. 


vi. 


Vil. 


Frances RANDALL/RANDOLPH was born 29 Dec 1766 in Albemarle Parish, Sussex County, 
Virginia.”*° She married Pink HARPER on 24 Dec 1800 in Warren County, North Carolina. 
Peyton RANDALL/RANDOLPH was born 4 Jan 1769 in Albemarle Parish, Sussex County, 
Virginia! and died about 1799 in Warren County, North Carolina.” 

Elizabeth RANDALL/RANDOLPH was born 18 Apr 1771 in Albemarle Parish, Sussex 
County, Virginia.”# She likely died before 1800.74 

Polly RANDALL/RANDOLPH was born 3 Sep 1773 in Albemarle Parish, Sussex County, 
Virginia.“ She married Epps JONES on 5 Dec 1797 in Warren County, North Carolina.” 
Peter RANDALL/RANDOLPH III was born about 1774 in Albemarle Parish, Sussex County, 
Virginia.*“” He married Patsy PACE on 24 Dec 1799 in Warren County, North Carolina.48 

Joel RANDALL/RANDOLPH was likely born about 1775-1779 in Albemarle Parish, Sussex 
County, Virginia.” He married Hulda YARBROUGH on 21 Dec 1802 in Warren County, 
North Carolina.° He died after 1815.25! 

Nancy RANDALL/RANDOLPH was born after 1778, likely in Albemarle Parish, Sussex 
County, Virginia.» She married William WILSON on 19 Sep 1803 in Warren County, North 
Carolina.73 

Olive RANDALL/RANDOLPH was born after 1778, likely in Albemarle Parish, Sussex 
County, Virginia.*4 She married John DAWSON on 10 Jan 1801 in Warren County, North 


Carolina.255 


a. Peter Green, Sr. (By 1711—About 1746) and Mary (Unknown-A fter 1757) 


George Randall | 

Peter Randall | 

Peter R. Il Elizabeth 
Ma 


Peter Green, Sr. Lewis Green, Sr. 


Olive Green 


Mary 


Peter Green, Sr. and his wife Mary were the parents of Olive Green.*** As we saw above, it appears 


extremely likely that Olive married Peter Randall/Randolph II and was the mother of our ancestor 


John Randall/Randolph. Exploring the Green line uncovers some additional ties to our 


Randall/Randolph line, and expands the family tree. Peter Green, Sr. was likely born in Prince George 


County, Virginia. On May 27, 1728, a daughter named Martha was born to Peter and Mary Green in 


Bristol Parish of Prince George County.”” This is the right general location to be the eldest daughter 


of Peter Green, Sr. and his wife Mary, but as we will see below, Martha was not named in her father’s 


Will.28 


550 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


Peter Green, Sr. obtained land via two patents in Surry County, Virginia that were entered on 
September 28, 1732. This mean he must have been born by 1711, although he was likely born even 
earlier, particularly if he was the father of Martha Green born in 1728. The first patent was for 180 
acres on the north side of the Nottoway River, on the north side of the Woodyard Swamp.?” This 
tract was originally granted to Thomas Poythress in 1715, but it had lapsed due to not being settled.?% 
The second grant was for an additional 50 acres located in the same area on a fork of Woodyard 
Swamp.”6! As we will see below, this property on Woodyard Swamp helps to link Peter Green, Sr. 
back to his father Lewis Green of Prince George County, Virginia. 


Peter and Mary Green had the births of seven children recorded in the Albemarle Parish Register. 
They were Frederick (1732), Peter, Jr. (1734), William (1737), Jane (1739), Mary (1741), our ancestor 
Olive (1742), and Milden Green (1744).2® This final name is unusual, and difficult to read in the 
original records, but Peter Green, Sr.’s Will would later list a son named “Mildend.” 2 Mary Green’s 
1741 baptismal sponsors were John Farrington, Mary Randall, and Mary Brook. This Mary Randall 
was likely the wife of Peter Randall/Randolph I, the mother of Olive’s future husband Peter 
Randall/Randolph II. At Mildend Green’s 1744 baptism, his older brother Nathanial Green and 
William Yarbrough were sponsors.7 William would later marry Mary Randall, the widow of Peter 
Randall/Randolph I. 


The Green family had close ties to the Anglican Church. The first surviving meeting record of the 
Vestry from Albemarle Parish, Virginia, on October 12, 1742, notes that the inhabitants of “Stoney 
Creek” had petitioned the Parish to build a chapel in their area. At the next meeting, on November 
16, 1742, a motion to build the chapel passed, and it was “ordered that the said Chapel be placed 
upon the land of Peter Green on the north side of the Nottoway River, convenient to the best 
water.” 266 The Vestry set out detailed plans for the construction of the Chapel, which was to be 48 feet 
long by 24 feet wide.?” “This chapel was to be a frame building with brick underpinning, and a 
notable feature of its interior was a three-decker pulpit, with ‘a platform & steps for ascending to the 


Reading Pugh’ just below the pulpit.”2% 


551 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


- 
- 
>= 


715" DAYWNE'S GREEK CHURCH 1628 


ND LMAWNESS CREEK CHURCH 
=e 1650? 
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157 LOWER! SOUTHWARK 


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IS™ NOTTOWAY CHURCH 1710 

(NOTTOWAY RIVER CHAPEL) 

28° NOTTOWAY CHURCH 
1770-1774 } 


P 
DINWIDDIE 
ar “ANDREW'S CHURCH 
IST& 28° ST. MARKS} CHURCHES VESheton 
1744 81774 | 2 
GREEN'S CHURCH/BRIDGE CX 


PLATE 5 Map of Surry and Sussex Counties 
A Map of Surry and Sussex Counties, from Colonial Churches of Tidewater Virginia by George 


Carrington Mason, Page 25. St. Mark’s Church and “Green’s Church Bridge” can be seen at the 
bottom of the map. 


552 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


Peter Green set off two acres of land for the new church, and was paid 20 shillings and 6 pence per 
acre.26? The map above shows that St. Mark’s was located just south of Stony Creek. The church was 
expanded several times, and survived until after the Civil War, when it served as a school. The 
location of the old church “is commemorated in name by the Church Woods, at the edge of which the 
site now lies, and by Green’s Church Bridge over the Nottoway River, a mile and a quarter to the 
southeast. The road that crosses this bridge is still known as Green’s Road, suggesting that the 
original road and bridge were built by Peter Green for access to the church which stood upon his 
land. The side is now marked only by the remains of an ancient well, which once served to supply 


drinking water to the attendants of both church and school.”?”° 


St. Mark’s was finished by 1744, and at the July 26, 1744 meeting of the Vestry, Peter Green was 
appointed as its Sexton.?71 The Sexton was responsible for maintaining the church building and 
grounds, possibly including the graveyard, and Peter Green was paid 400 pounds of tobacco 
annually for his service.?”? The Clerk of St. Mark’s was Robert Farrington, a neighbor who would 
continue to be connected to the Green family.2% On July 20, 1743, William Gilliam and Peter Green 
were appointed to conduct a land procession “from Stoney Creek to Saponey Mill and from thence to 
Peter Green’s then down to [the Nottoway River] to the beginning.” 2” This procession showed many 
familiar names living in the area, including: Peter Green, Nathaniel Green, William Green, William 
Richardson, Henry Freeman, William Malone, Michael Hill, Col. Robert Bolling, Thomas Wynne, 


Robert Farrington, and William Gilliam.2% 


This Michael Hill is our direct ancestor, the same man we saw above in The Hill and Gilliam Lines. 
On November 13, 1740, Michael Hill, Sr. purchased 120 acres on the north side of the Nottoway River 
in Surry County from Israel Pickens.” This land bordered “Bollings line’, Lewis Green, Israel 
Pickens, and Thomas Chambers, and was original patented by John Mitchell.2”7 The Lewis Green 
mentioned here was likely the brother of our ancestor Peter Green, Sr., named after his father, also 
Lewis Green. Other members of our extended family lived in this area. Also as part of the 1743 
procession, James Cain and Robert Farrington were appointed to survey the land “from Peter Green’s 
to Saponey Mill, all between the lines that divide Prince George and this County and the Nottoway 
River and Harry’s Swamp.”?% In their district, we find the familiar names: William Rainey, Jr., 
Hinchia Mabry, Mary Randall, and James Cain.?” 


As a reminder that this was a small, tight-knit community, we see that at Christmas of 1748, Rev. 
Willie recorded that there were 40 parishioners at St. Mark’s Chapel.?®° If we could see a list of those 
gathering at St. Mark’s for the Christmas service, it would likely be filled with the familiar surnames 
of Green, Randall, Farrington, Cain, Hill, and Yarbrough. 


On December 7, 1745, Peter Green, Sr. signed his Will in Surry County, Virginia.?*! He left his 180 acre 
tract on Woodyard Swamp, along with “a parcel of land surveyed with William Wynne,” a horse 
named Derrick, and a slave named Bowser to Nathaniel Green, his eldest son.?82 His daughter 
Elizabeth Green received a slave girl names Agge and a feather bed. Sons Frederick and Peter Green, 
Jr. were to equally divide a 1,100 acre parcel of land “lying on the head of Southwestern Swamp.” 89 


Southwestern Swamp is in the same general area as Peter Green, Sr.’s other land, between Woodyard 


553 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


Swamp and Sappony Creek. Peter Green, Jr. also received a slave boy named Nat. A daughter Jane 
Green was given a slave boy named Arter. The son with the unusual name of Mildend Green 
received the fifty acre plantation on a fork of the Woodyard Swamp where Peter Green, Sr. lived. 
Peter’s widow Mary Green received a slave named Jamey and the use of the Plantation where he 
lived during her widowhood. After her remarriage or death, Peter Green, Sr. left £10 to his daughter 
Jane Green, and any remainder from his wife’s Estate went to his three children Mary, Olive, and 
Mildend.?*4 The Will was submitted to probate on March 19, 1746, so Peter Green, Sr. had died 


sometime between signing his Will and this date.?8° 


For some reason, the patent for Peter Green, Sr.’s 1,100 acres on the Southwestern Swamp was not 
entered until October 31, 1759, many years after his death.?8° The patent notes that Peter paid £5, 10 
shillings, and the land bordered Thomas Wilkerson and John Farrington.’ Perhaps the original 
patent was lost or misfiled, and his sons later corrected the records to ensure title to their inherited 
land. Peter Green, Sr.’s Estate Inventory shows his most valuable property as seven slaves and four 
feather beds.?** His other possessions included three cider casks, a still, a parcel of old books 
(indicating he was likely literate), a looking glass, and what appears to be “a parcel of shoemaker’s 
tools” along with “9 hides great and small.”?8° This suggests that both of John Randall/Randolph’s 


grandfathers were men named Peter who were shoemakers. 


After Peter’s death, it appears that his widow Mary Green continued to serve as the Sexton at St. 
Mark’s Chapel. On October 14, 1746, she was listed in the Vestry records as receiving payment of 400 
pounds of tobacco as the Sexton.” Originally, I suspected that she was simply receiving this payment 
on behalf of her deceased husband. However, in 1747, Mary Green was still receiving this payment as 
Sexton of St. Mark’s.?*! This suggests to me that she was officially the Sexton, which is not a role that I 
have seen performed by other women in the records. Mary’s service as Sexton highlights both the 
Green family’s involvement in the Parish, and the larger role that widowed women could serve in 
Colonial society. These women were always there and working hard to support their families and 
communities, but it is only when their husbands died and they became “legal persons” of their own 


that we see glimpses of that work in the surviving records. 


In 1748, Mary Green reported the death of Elizabeth Parker.” This was likely her eldest daughter, 
mentioned in the 1745 Will of Peter Green, Sr., who had married a Parker. In 1748, Nathaniel Green 
(likely the son of Peter Green, Sr. and Mary) served a brief term as Sexton, before Mary Green 
resumed this position in 1749.23 Throughout this time period, Robert Farrington was serving as the 
Clerk of St. Mark’s Chapel.?4 In 1750, Robert Farrington was serving as both Clerk and Sexton.” By 


this time he had remarried to the widow Mary Green. 


On November 20, 1750, Frederick and Peter Green, orphans of Peter Green, Sr., appeared in Court 
and chose Nathaniel Green as their guardian.”° Based on the birth records in Albemarle Parish, 
Frederick and Peter were 18 and 16 years old in 1750. In 1751, Mary Farrington submitted an Estate 
Account for Peter Green.?”” This shows that Mary had remarried and Peter’s rather extensive Estate 


was still working its way through the court system. There are records of many payments, including 


554 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


to Col. Robert Bolling, John Farrington, William Rainey, Lewis Parham, Maj. Robert Wynne, Robert 


Jones “for his advice,” Henry Holt (for the schooling of Frederick and Peter), and William Green.?% 


On May 21, 1751, Nathaniel Green, as the eldest son of Peter Green, moved to be appointed as the 


Guardian of his sisters, which was opposed by Robert Farrington, who had intermarried with Mary, 


the widow and relict of the said Peter. After a hearing, the Court agreed that Farrington should 


have the guardianship, and he was appointed Guardian of Jane, Mary, and Olive Green, with Robert 


Jones, Jr. and John Mason, Jr. providing security.° Robert and Mary Farrington would have one 


child, a daughter Amy who was born in 1752.°! Mary reported the death of Robert Farrington on 
November 30, 1757, so we know that she lived until at least that date. 


Children of Peter Green, Sr. and Mary: 


iil. 


Vi. 


Vil. 


Vili. 


Martha GREEN, born 27 May 1728 in Bristol Parish, Prince George County, Virginia may 
have been the daughter of Peter Green, Sr. and his wife Mary.> 

Nathaniel GREEN was born by 1730 in either Prince George or Surry County, Virginia.°° He 
married Phoebe UNKNOWN.3% 

Elizabeth GREEN was born before 1732 in either Prince George or Surry County, Virginia.>% 
She likely marred Unknown PARKER and died 14 Nov 1748 in Albemarle Parish, Surry 
County, Virginia.5% 

Frederick GREEN was born 11 Nov 1732 in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, Virginia.°” 
Peter GREEN, Jr. was born 22 May 1734 in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, Virginia.*° He 
likely married Judith UNKNOWN and had the births of six children recorded in the 
Albemarle Parish Register.>” 

William GREEN was born 10 May 1737 in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, Virginia.5!° He 
likely died before 1745.31! 

Jane GREEN was born 29 Mar 1739 in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, Virginia.3! 

Mary GREEN was born 24 Apr 1741 in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, Virginia.! 

Olive GREEN was born 24 Mar 1742 in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, Virginia.3!* She 
married Peter Randall/Randolph II in 1760.35 She died about 1814 in Smith County, 
Tennessee.*!¢ 

Mildend GREEN was born 10 Dec 1744 in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, Virginia.” He 
likely died before 1751.318 


Children of Mary (widow of Peter Green, Sr.) and Robert Farrington: 


i. 


Amy FARRINGTON was born 24 Feb 1752 in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, Virginia.5!9 


b. Lewis Green, Sr. (Before 1668—About 1730) 


Peter Green was the son of Lewis Green, Sr. of Prince George County, Virginia. Lewis Green, Sr. 


owned an extensive amount of land in both Prince George and Surry Counties. Unfortunately, 


although we know from other references that Lewis Green, Sr. wrote a will, it has not survived in the 


Prince George County records. From those references and other land transactions, we can determine 


555 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


several of his children, including Nathaniel Green. When Nathaniel signed his Will in 1726, he named 
his brother Peter Green as a residual beneficiary. If this is the same Nathaniel Green who was the son 
of Lewis Green, Sr., which seems likely, then our ancestor Peter Green was his son as well. 
Fortunately, there is additional evidence these Green men are related, because they all owned land in 
the same area of Surry County, Virginia: on the north side of the Nottoway River near the Woodyard 


and Southwestern Swamps. 


The area that would later become Prince George County, Virginia was originally part of Charles City 
County. There are several mentions of Lewis Green in the Charles City records from 1689 through 
1694. On February 4, 1689, the Administration of the Estate of Samuel Morris was granted to Lewis 
Green and William Gower, with Mr. Bolling as security.°% This could suggest a family relationship 
with both the Morris and Gower families. Later, we will see that Lewis Green, Sr.’s son had 
guardianship of a boy named Gower Parham.*?! The following year, Lewis Green gave a bond for the 
widow Anne to administer the Estate of her husband Edward Robinson,*” and he posted a bond 
along with William Eppes*® and Richard Jones to administer the Estate of Thomas Gent.3*4 


Lewis Green had several interactions with the grand jury organized by the Charles City County 
Court. On December 3, 1689, he was fined for non-appearance.** He was absent again in 1693, and 
was summoned to the next session of Court to answer for his neglect.°6 At the next session, Lewis 
Green’s excuse for not attending the grand jury was accepted.*?” However, a few months later he was 
again fined by the grand jury for non-appearance.*8 On August 3, 1692, Lewis Green was presented 
before the grand jury for the offense of “stopping a road.” He was acquitted for “having a gate.” °° In 
1693, he obtained a judgment against Richard Eyland, a runaway servant, and six months were 
added to Eyland’s period of indentured servitude as punishment.*° On August 3, 1694, it appears 
that Lewis Green finally fulfilled his service as part of the Charles City County jury.**! 


The first property record for Lewis Green, Sr. comes from a 1702 patent for 203 acres of land known 
as “High Peake” on the South side of Bayley’s Creek in what was then Charles City County.%*? The 
following year, in 1703, this land would become part of the new Prince George County, which 
consisted of the part of Charles City County that was to the South of the James River. This land is 
located near the present town of Hopewell, Virginia, near the James River. High Peak Lane appears 
on modern maps, south of Bailey Creek. The 1704 Quit Rent Rolls show Lewis Green with 149 acres 
of land in Prince George County.** I suspect that Lewis Green, Sr. had sold about 50 acres of his 
original 203 acre patent to the Parham family, because several years later when Lewis Green, Jr. 
acquired a 50% stake in the Mill, he also purchased 50 acres of adjacent land from James Parham.*4 
This would explain why Lewis Green, Sr. appeared with only 150 acres of land on the Quit Rent 
Rolls. 


Lewis Green, Sr. acquired several large tracts of land in Prince George and Surry Counties, further to 
the south and west as the frontier expanded in that direction. On November 2, 1705, he patented 97 
acres of land on Jones Hole Swamp in Prince George County for the importation of two people to the 
colony.3> This land was later devised to his grandchildren, and like the High Peake land, also 
contained a Water Mill.3% As part of the headright system, colonists could receive 50 acres of land for 


556 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


every passenger they paid to transport to the new colony. In many cases, these headrights were 
traded, and the patentee was often not the person who actually brought over the new settlers. This 
system was made more streamlined in 1699, when colonists could begin simply paying 5 shillings per 
50 acres of land.**” Jones Hole Swamp is about 20 miles south of Hopewell, Virginia and runs near the 
border with what was then Surry County, Virginia. Lewis Green, Sr.’s Jones Hole land bordered 


William Jones, Sr. and Thomas Wynne.*°8 


On March 4, 1706, Thomas and Mary Thrower sold land to Lewis Green, Sr. in Southwark Parish, 
Surry County, Virginia.**° During this time period, Surry County was divided into Southwark and 
Lawnes Creek Parishes.*° After 1738, Albemarle Parish was created for the southern portion of Surry 
County and this is likely where Lewis Green, Sr.’s Surry County land was located. Lewis Green, Sr. 
would often be referred to in land transactions as from Prince George County. It is clear that he 
owned several tracts of land, and much of it was along the border between the two counties, 


explaining his appearance in records for each area. 


On March 12, 1709, Edward Parham made his Will in Surry County, Virginia. His minor son Gower 
Parham was placed under the Guardianship of Lewis Green, Jr., who was also named one of the 
Executors.*41 As we will see, Lewis Green, Jr. was a prominent citizen of Prince George and Surry 
Counties. And although the Sr./Jr. distinction did not always indicate a direct relationship during this 
time period, it appears that these two Lewis Green men were in fact father and son. Lewis Green, Sr. 
was a witness to Edward Parham’s Will, signing with his distinctive “L” mark, along with John 
Gilliam, Jr.*42 The Parham and Green families had several other connections, and it is likely that they 


were related by marriage. 


In 1717, William Gower of Southwark Parish in Surry County sold Lewis Green of Bristol Parish in 
Prince George County 70 acres of land in Prince George County. This land was on City Creek, and 
bordered Lewis Green’s existing land.* The witnesses, and likely neighbors, were Edward 
Harrington, Uriah Chissell, and Hintia Mayberry.** We know this was Lewis Green, Sr., because on 
March 12, 1722, Lewis Green, Sr. gave this same seventy acre tract purchased from William Gower to 
his “son Lewis Green, Jr.”*45 As part of this same transaction, Lewis Green, Sr. gave his son Lewis the 
fifty acre tract where the former was living on the Appomattox River, which he purchased “of my 
Brother William Grigg.”*¢ It is not clear if Grigg was a half-brother or perhaps a brother-in-law of 


Lewis Green, Sr. 


Also in 1717 we see continued evidence of the connection between Lewis Green, Sr., his son Lewis 
Green, Jr., and the Parham family. When Ephraim Parham obtained a patent for 300 acres of land on 
the South side of the Nottoway River along the Flat Swamp, the land was described as bordering 
Lewis Green, Jr.54”7 Ephraim Parham, Sr. signed his Surry County Will in 1726, and it is possible that 
his wife Frances was the daughter of Lewis Green, Sr.*#8 Ephraim had a son named Lewis Parham, 
perhaps named after Frances’ father.**? Two of the witnesses to Ephraim Parham, Sr.’s Will were 
Peter Green (likely our ancestor Peter Green, Sr.) and John Whittington, who as we will see below 


was a son-in-law of Lewis Green, Sr.350 


557 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


Lewis Green, Sr. and Ephraim Parham, Sr. jointly owned a Water Mill that was located on the 
Easterly Run in Westover Parish, Prince George County, Virginia.*! In 1702, the Charles City County 
Court ordered Robert Bolling to survey the land for this Mill.5* According to researcher Judy Parsons 
Smith, Easterly Run is now known as “Manchester Run,” which lies near the High Peake land that 
Lewis Green, Sr. patented in 1702. Indeed, just to the east of High Peak Lane, near Manchester Run, is 
Mill Road. On July 31, 1717, Lewis Green, Sr. and Ephraim Parham sold one-half of their interest in 
this Water Mill to Lewis Green, Jr. for £50.%°° A few months later, James Parham sold Lewis Green, Jr. 
50 acres of land that bordered Green’s Mill, John Hardyman, and Captain Peter Wynne. 


Lewis Green, Jr. was a prominent citizen in both Prince George and Surry Counties. The first 
surviving record of the Vestry of Bristol Parish in Prince George County shows that Lewis Green, Jr. 
was a member of the Vestry and a Church-Warden for the south side of Bristol Parish.*> Other 
members of the Bristol Parish Vestry were Major Robert Bolling, Captain Peter Jones, Major William 
Kennon, and Captain Henry Randolph.*** Lewis Green, Jr. had extensive land holdings*’” On at least 
two occasions, there are records of Lewis Green, Jr. being appointed to act as an attorney on others’ 
behalf. The first was for James Parham’, and the second was for Elizabeth Browder.*° This suggests 
that, rather than just being a trusted gentleman, Lewis Green, Jr. may have been educated as a lawyer 
and earned at least part of his income from practicing the profession. Lewis Green, Sr. gave Lewis 
Green, Jr. another 100 acres of land on City Creek in Prince George County in 1722.30 And in the 


same year, he gave him his remaining share in the Water Mill on Easterly Run.%6! 


Like his son, our ancestor Lewis Green, Sr. continued to acquire large land holdings. At the same 
time, he was beginning to transfer some of his land to his other sons (and possibly his sons-in-law). 
On February 21, 1719, Lewis Green of Prince George County obtained a patent for 425 acres on the 
north side of the Nottoway River in Surry County.* This land bordered a tract that was surveyed for 
the use of Southwark Parish as a Glebe.** A Glebe is a portion of land set aside by the Parish for the 
support of the Parish Priest. In 1725, Lewis Green, Sr. gave 212 acres (half of the 425 acre tract) on the 
north side of the Nottoway River, bordering the Glebe, to his “son William Green.” 3 In 1723, he had 
sold the other 212 acres from this patent to William Richardson of Surry County for 5 shillings.5® 
Since a colonist could acquire 50 acres of land for 5 shillings, the sale of 212 acres for the same price 


may suggest a family relationship.> 


On February 21, 1720, Lewis Green, Sr. obtained a patent for 145 acres on the north side of the 
Nottoway River in Surry County, again bordering the Southwark Parish Glebe.*” These same 145 
acres were given to his “son Nathaniel Green” in 1725.5 This is described as the land where 
Nathaniel Green was living. Nathaniel Green died as a fairly young father. On January 23, 1726, he 
signed his Will, which was proved in the Surry County Court on November 20, 1728.56° The witnesses 
were William Richardson (possibly his brother-in-law), Henry Gawler, Simon Gale, and Mary Eppes 
(his sister).3”° The Will names a wife Faith and a son Nathaniel Green, Jr., who was his primary heir 
and received a Plantation, likely the one just mentioned.*”! Faith was also pregnant with another child 
when Nathaniel drafted his Will, and this unborn child was given a half-interest in a tract of land on 
Reedy Creek, to be divided with Nathaniel’s brother William Green.%” If either of Nathaniel Green’s 


558 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


children should die without heirs, the land was to descend to his “Brother Peter Green and the heirs 
of his body.”2”3 Given these details of Nathaniel’s Will, we can conclude that Lewis Green, Sr. had 


sons named Nathaniel, William, and Peter Green. 


We already have strong evidence that our ancestor Peter Green, Sr. was the son of Lewis Green, Sr. 
That evidence gets even more convincing when we discover that Lewis Green, Sr. owned land on 
Woodyard Swamp in Surry County, the same area where we later find Peter Green, Sr. On February 
21, 1720, Lewis Green of Prince George County obtained a patent for 200 acres on the north side of 
the Nottoway River, adjacent to his existing land. This tract bordered Charles Gilliam and the 
Woodyard Swamp.*% In 1725, Lewis Green, Sr. sold 80 acres of land on the north side of the 
Nottoway River, bordering Charles Gilliam, to Edward Farrington for £20.97> This may have been a 
portion of the original 200 acre tract from the 1720 patent. I have not been able to account for the 
remaining 120 acres of the original 1720 patent, and it seems possible that they would have been 


devised to Peter Green in Lewis Green, Sr.’s lost Will. 


On February 20, 1723, Lewis Green patented 135 acres on the South side of the Nottoway River in 
Surry County, adjacent to a corner of Ephraim Parham’s land, for 15 shillings.°76 Like many of his 
other tracts, we can trace this land through later transactions that point back to Lewis Green, Sr.’s lost 
Prince George County Will. In 1744, John Whittington sold Richard Jones 95 acres of land, which was 
described as part of a 135 acre parcel patented by Lewis Green, late of Prince George County, on 
February 20, 1723.57 This land was “by the aforesaid Lewis Green by his Last Will & Testament 
Devised to the said John Whittington.” John’s wife Elizabeth appeared in Court to release her 
dower interest in this land.*” Given these circumstances, it appears highly likely that John 
Whittington’s wife Elizabeth was the daughter of Lewis Green, Sr. 


The remaining 40 acres of the 135 acre patent were devised to William Green “by the Last Will and 
Testament of Lewis Green, late of Prince George County, part of a tract or parcel of land the 
remainder whereof was by the said Testator in his Will aforementioned Devised to John Whittington 
of Surry County.”%°° On September 19, 1744, William Green sold this remaining 40 acres to Ephraim 
Parham (likely the son or grandson of the Ephraim Parham discussed above).**! 


On February 23, 1723, Robert Bolling surveyed 294 acres for Lewis Green, Sr. in Prince George 
County, along both sides of the Nottoway River Road, adjoining the county line (the Nottoway River 
formed the border between what was then Prince George County and Brunswick County, and both 
counties shared a border with Surry, where the Nottoway flowed to the east).*** I have not been able 
to determine what happened with this land. It does not appear to have been given away by Lewis 


Green, Sr. before his death, so it is possible it was devised by the terms of his lost Will. 


In 1724, Lewis Green, Sr. patented a large tract of 400 acres in Surry County on the north side of the 
Nottoway River on Stony Creek, bordering John Gilliam, Maj. Robert Bolling, and the Southwestern 
Swamp.°** In 1739, we learn that Lewis Green, Sr. devised half of this patent to his daughter Susanna 
Green in his Will. On September 5, 1739, Lewis Green sold 200 acres of land to William Gilliam for 
£35.3*4 As part of that Deed, Lewis explained that “Lewis Green, Deceased, by his Last Will and 


559 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


Testament did give and bequeath unto his daughter Susanna Green two hundred acres of land, being 
part of a tract of four hundred acres situated, lying, and being in the County of Surry and on the 
north side [of the] Nottoway River, beginning at the mouth of Stony Creek” which was patented on 
February 22, 1724.5 According the directions of the Will, it appears that Lewis Green, Jr., as heir, was 
to sell the remaining 200 acres.**° Interestingly, as we saw above in The Hill and Gilliam Lines, the 
William Gilliam who purchased these 200 acres, originally patented by Lewis Green, Sr., gave them 
to his daughter Margery and her husband Richard Hill.**” 


We continue to see references to the Will of Lewis Green, Sr. throughout the 1740s in Surry County. 
On May 1, 1747, “Lewis Green, Jr.” of Albemarle Parish in Surry County sold Thomas Eldridge of 
Prince George County 150 acres on the north side of Jones Hole Swamp for £72, 6 shillings.%8§ This 
land bordered several familiar names connected to our Green and Randall lines: Henry Mitchell, 
Francis Mayberry, George Rieves, and Francis Eppes. This Lewis Green was actually the third man of 
that name, the grandson of Lewis Green, Sr. and son of Lewis Green, Jr. As their fathers died and 
their sons came of age, the men who formerly went by Jr. would switch to using Sr. These 150 acres 
were given to this Lewis Green in his grandfather’s Will.°°° It may have been the land that Lewis 
Green, Sr. purchased from Thomas and Mary Thrower in 1706.3 The size and location of that land 
was not listed, but we know that it was in Surry County, and it is one of the few tracts that we cannot 


account for with other records. 


The last mention of Lewis Green, Sr.’s Will gives us the actual date it was signed, and thus a good 
idea of when he may have died. On November 21, 1749, we see a transaction between Mary Eppes 
and her son Francis. This document references the Will of Lewis Green, late of Prince George County, 
bearing the date April 28, 1730.97! The Will left Mary 150 acres where she lived during her natural life, 
and then to her son “John Eppes and the heirs of his body.” If John died without children, then this 
land was to descend to his brother “Francis Eppes and the heirs of his body.” Because John Eppes 
in fact died without heirs while his mother Mary was still alive, Francis held title to the land “in fee 
tail expectant.” This means that he had a fee tail interest in the land (because of the “heirs of his 
body” language) that he could expect to acquire once his mother died. Rather than wait until that 
point, Mary Eppes sold Francis the 150 acres for £20.5% The location of this land was not mentioned. It 
is possible that it was the 149 acres that Lewis Green, Sr. reported on the 1704 Prince George County 
Quit Rent Rolls discussed above. 


From all of these various records we can gather a fairly accurate outline of the life of Lewis Green, Sr. 
Because his son Lewis Green, Jr. was already old enough to be appointed as a Guardian and Executor 
by the time of Ephraim Parham’s 1709 Will, the younger Green must have been born before 1688.° If 
Lewis Green, Sr. was around twenty years old at the birth of his first son, this in turn implies that he 
was born before 1668. Of course, he could have been born several years earlier and Lewis Green, Jr. 
may not have been his eldest child. Lewis Green, Sr. likely died shortly after signing his 1730 Will in 
Prince George County. Unfortunately, many of the Prince George records have been lost, and this 
Will was among those records. I have not found any primary sources that indicate the name of his 


wife.3% 


560 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


Children of Lewis Green, Sr. and Unknown Spouse: 


i. | Lewis GREEN was born before 1688.3 He died after 1740.39” 

li. William GREEN died 10 Dec 1749 in Surry County, Virginia.°* His Will named a widowed 
daughter Mary RANDALL, likely the wife of George RANDALL/RANDOLPH II who died 
around 1742.9 

iii. Nathaniel GREEN married Faith UNKNOWN. He died by 1728 in Surry County, Virginia. 

iv. Peter GREEN, Sr. was born by 17114! and died before 19 Mar 1746 in Surry County, 
Virginia.“?? He married Mary UNKNOWN.* 

v. | Susanna GREEN likely married William GILLIAM, son of Hinshia GILLIAM and his wife 
Fortune.** The Margery Gilliam who married Richard HILL and had a son named Green 
HILL was likely the daughter of Susanna GREEN and William GILLIAM.*% 

vi. Elizabeth GREEN married John WHITTINGTON. * 

vii. Mary GREEN married an EPPES, possibly Edward EPPES.*” 


Possible children of Lewis Green, Sr. and Unknown Spouse: 


Vili. Martha GREEN may have been the daughter of Lewis GREEN, Sr. She married William 
RICHARDSON.“8 
i. Frances GREEN may have been the daughter of Lewis GREEN, Sr. A woman named Francis 
married Ephraim PARHAM.* 


c. Earlier Greens 


There are several interesting records for men named Lewis and Peter Green in the early history of 
Charles City and Surry Counties in Virginia. No direct evidence links either of these men directly to 
our ancestor Lewis Green, Sr. However, given the locations and shared names of these men, it is 


possible that they are our ancestors. 


The mentions of the earliest Lewis Green in Charles City County are brief. On January 2, 16604", 
Walter Brookes testified that there was a pursuit by boat of a “fellow against whom there was a hue 
and cry issued.” Lewis Green was a nearby neighbor, and aided the pursuit in his canoe when the 
water became too shallow.‘ Later that same year, Lewis Green was among several men who 
received 100 pounds of tobacco for the killing of a wolf.4!? These are the only mentions I see for Lewis 
Green in the early records. If our Lewis Green, Sr. was born by about 1640, it is possible that he was 
the man we see here. That seems fairly unlikely, although not impossible, for a man who lived until 
1730. Instead, we can only speculate that this Lewis Green may have been related to the later Lewis 


Green, Sr. 


There are many more records for a man named “Peter Greene” who lived in neighboring Surry 
County. This surname was often spelled Greene in the early records, but I will use the later Green for 
consistency. The first mention comes from September 3, 1653, when Peter Green served on a grand 
jury to inquire in the death of a servant named John Briant.*! It is possible that Peter Green had 


arrived in the Virginia colony shortly before this time. 


561 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


On April 21, 1656, Howell Pryse, the Clerk of the Charles City County Court, obtained a certificate for 
the transportation of Peter Green to the colony.*'* Having a certificate for importing a new colonist 
entitled the holder to 50 acres of new land. Certificates could be acquired many years after the 
passenger first arrived, and not always by the person who paid for the original passage. Passenger 
rights in the early Colony were a tradeable commodity: brokers, such as Howell Pryse, would obtain 
large numbers of certificates and then sell them to wealthy speculators seeking multiple headrights 
for large tracts of land.*5 Pryse obtained certificates for 672 passengers between 1655 and 1657, but 
only used 20 of them for his own patents. The rest were sold or traded to other landowners, often in 
other parts of Virginia.“!° For example, it appears that Peter Green’s headright was sold to John 
Raven, who used 10 headrights to acquire 500 acres on the Potomack River in 1657.4! 


Peter Green obtained his own patent for 200 acres of land on the south side of the James River in 
Surry County on February 5, 1656.4! Peter used the headrights for four passengers: John Williams, 
Richard Henson, Thomas Sarson, and Elizabeth Sawer.*!? As we just saw, he may have simply paid 
the market rate to a broker such as Howell Pryse rather than personally importing these new 
Colonists. Peter Green’s land was located on the southeast side of the head of Sumpton Marsh. 
Several other records from 1655 show that Peter Green was established in Surry County.*”° In August 
of 1655, Peter Green assigned 500 acres of land in Surry County, on the south side of the James River 
at the head of Lower Chipoaks Creek, to Edward Pettiway.’?! In a possibly related transaction, on 
September 5, 1658, Peter Green was released of all debts he had to Edward Pettiway and William 
Mitchell.4#? Perhaps the earlier land transfer to Pettiway was payment for this debt. 


The connection to Edward Pettiway is interesting, because about 90 years later, Lewis Green, Jr. 
would sell 50 acres of land on the south side of Jones Hole Swamp to Edward Pettiway for £35.4% 
While these transactions are too far apart to provide proof that this early Peter Green is connected to 
our later Lewis Green, Sr. line, it does show that these men were living in the same general area and 


interacting with some of the same families. 


The most interesting records for this Peter Green come from the early 1660s. As a brief refresher on 
English history during this time, King Charles II was restored to the English throne on May 29, 1660. 
His father, King Charles I, had been executed in 1649 at the height of the English Civil War, leading to 
a parliamentary republic lead by Oliver Cromwell. Charles II was defeated in battle by Cromwell, 
and fled to continental Europe. After Cromwell’s death, Charles II was restored to the throne.‘ 
Many of the leaders of the Virginia Colony, including Governor William Berkeley, were royalists. 
This is the origin of the “Cavaliers” nickname, still used by the University of Virginia, which was 
then used by the royalist faction in England.4 When the monarchy was restored in 1660, Berkeley 


must have been overjoyed. Some of his fellow colonists, including Peter Green, were less enthused. 
Governor Berkeley instructed the officers of the Colonial counties to remain in their posts: 


“{Florasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God to invest our most gracious 
Sovereigne Charles the Second King of England, Scotland, France & Ireland & in the 


Dominion and just rights of his Royall father of ever sacred memorye — These are 


562 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


therefore in his Majestyes name strictly to charge & command you and every of you 
forthwith to cause the sd King to be proclaimed in every of your Respective 
Countryes and that all writs and warrants from henceforth issue in his Majestyes 
name — Here and fayle not as you will Answer the Contrarye at your utmost 
Perille.”46 


Robert Stanton, the Clerk of the Surry County Court, reported that “a great part of the county” were 
present as the officers of the Court proclaimed that Charles II had always been the rightful King and 
by the “Providence of Almighty God” had been restored to the throne.*” Peter Green, however, was 
willing to risk the “utmost Perille” of disobeying the Colonial Governor. On July 3, 1661, we see the 
following entry in the Surry County records: 


“To the Hon. Coll. Brown the Humble Remonstrance of Peter Green in protest of the 
oath administered, especially upon the commanders of the Colony of which I was 
then one of the number, in behalf of my King & Countrye the which oath seems soe 
Detestable & soe irrilegious to me that I not only Refuse to take it but do utterly 
detest the thoughts of it, being the most Damnable — imposition contrary to the 


fundamental laws of the Kingdom etc., etc.” #8 


Clearly, Peter Green was a man who was not afraid to speak his mind. Further controversy arose for 
Peter Green in 1662, when a jury was called to inquire into the death of his servant, Katherine 
Cotton.” Two depositions were taken, with Eveginus Christian, 26 years old, testifying that 
Katherine told him that “Mr. and Mrs. Greene had beaten her so terribly that she thought she would 
surely die, with kicks and blows that Mrs. Greene had given her.”4° The other witness, Anne 
Dawson, testified that she came by the Green house, and “was asked by Mrs. Greene to dress the 
corpse of Cotton, a maid servant, and saw no blood or bruises except a spot on the breast of her 
shift.”45! The jury’s verdict was that Cotton died a natural death.*? 


Peter Green would acquire another 350 acres on the south side of the James River, on the west side of 
the head of Lawnes Creek in 1663.4 When he sold part of his land to William Cockin in 1666, we 
learn that his wife was named Katherine.*4 He sold another tract of land to Nicholas Hill.°> Peter 
Green appears to have died by 1667, because by December 26, 1667 John Salway was married to 
Katherine, the widow, relict, and Executrix of Peter Green.*%6 There are several other records for John 
Salway and Katherine, although none of them demonstrate a clear tie between this Peter Green and 
our Lewis Green, Sr. line.8” Eventually, the remainder of Peter Green’s land on Lawnes Creek was 


sold to William Sherwood, with possession “delivered in the Mansion House of said Plantation.” 48 


563 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


5. Peter Randall I (About 1700-1741) and Mary 


George Randall | 


Peter Randall | 


Peter R. Il Elizabeth 


Lewis Green, Sr. 


Peter Green, Sr. 


Olive Green 


We now return to our Randall/Randolph line with Peter Randall I, the father of Peter 
Randall/Randolph II. Peter Randall I was born sometime after 1689 to George Randall I and his wife 
Elizabeth. We know this because on February 10, 1710, “George Randol” signed his Will in Surry 
County, Virginia. He left his “Son Peter” two cows, two young steers, one young heifer of about two 
years old, “five and twenty head of hogs over the River,” one ewe with two lambs, a small gun and 
sword, a young horse of about two years old, and a feather bed from his mother when he comes to 
the age of 21.49 George left this property in the hands of William Ramey until Peter reached 
adulthood.“ At the end of the Will, George added that Ramey “shall be obliged to give the said Peter 
three years school when the said Peter is able to learn.”“*! George Randall I was probably not literate, 


since he signed his Will with a mark. 


George Randall I’s Will, signed with his “R” mark‘? 


George Randall I’s Will also listed an unnamed “youngest son” who received two cows, a two year 
old heifer, a two year old steer, twenty five hogs, one young horse of three years old, one ewe and 
lamb, a flock bed with rug and blanket.“* I strongly suspect that this unnamed son was George 
Randall I, who lived in Surry County, Virginia and died about 1741.“ It is unclear why George II’s 
property was not left with a guardian, or why his education was not provided for, especially if he 
was younger than his brother Peter. Daughter Mary Randall received a similar amount of livestock as 


her brothers, and wife Elizabeth received the remainder of the Estate and was named Executor.“ 


564 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


The witnesses to the Will were Mary Laman, Francis Mybury, and Robert Wynne.“ Our 
Randall/Randolph ancestors had connections with the Wynne and Maybry families in Albemarle 
Parish, which along with the continued family names of George and Peter, provide solid evidence 
that this George Randall I and his wife Elizabeth were the parents of Peter Randall I.4” 


On March 8, 1723, Peter Randall I purchased 100 acres of land on the north side of the Nottoway 
River in Surry County from Marmaduke Brown and his wife Elizabeth.“* This suggests that Peter 
was born by 1702, at the latest, in order to be old enough to purchase land in 1723. This property was 
on the “Rocky Run” and Peter paid 5 shillings.“? On February 28, 1733, Peter Randall I received a 
patent for 180 acres of land in Surry County, Virginia on the north side of the Nottoway River.#° The 
patent notes that this tract bordered his existing land, and he paid 20 shillings.*! 


We know that Peter Randall I’s wife was named Mary, because on February 20, 1738, Peter Randolph 
and his wife Mary sold 100 acres of their land on the north side of the Nottoway River to George 
Randall for 5 shillings.*? This must have been George Randall II, Peter’s brother and the unnamed 
“younger son” in their father’s 1710 Will. The witnesses to this transaction were James Cain, Thomas 


Yarber (i.e., Yarbrough) and Sloman Wynne.*? 


Peter Randall I died before October 21, 1741. On that day his widow Mary Randall submitted an 
inventory of his Estate in the Surry County Court.‘ Peter’s possessions included the usual livestock 
and carpenters tools that we would expect for this time period, but also a few unique items that 
provide some clues about his life. He owned a parcel of books, a spelling book, a pen knife, and an 
ink horn.*> So we know that he had been educated according to his father’s wishes. He owned a 
carriage and set of wheels. He also had several different possessions that indicate he worked as a 


shoemaker, the same profession that was passed along to several generations of his descendants. 


First, Peter owned six raw hides and a parcel of tanned leather, along with a buck skin. These would 
appear to be the raw materials that he would need as a shoemaker. He also had 61 pounds of tallow. 
Tallow is used in the process of leatherworking to condition the leather; this large amount of tallow 
indicates to me that Peter Randall I was processing a significant amount of leather. Finally, he owned 
money scales and a parcel of small stillards (a type of scale). His total Estate was valued at just over 
£106. 


When Peter Randall I died he left at least two orphaned boys, our ancestor Peter Randall/Randolph II 
and brother George Randall/Randolph III. As the elder son, George Randall/Randolph II would have 
inherited his father’s real estate and any slaves.*” It seems likely that Peter Randall I and his wife 
Mary would have had other children, perhaps daughters who have proven harder to trace in the 
surviving records. By 1746, his widow Mary had remarried to William Yarbrough, who appeared as a 
guardian for George III for several years.*8 Mary had at least one child with her second husband 
William, a daughter named Mary Yarbrough who was born on June 21, 1746.4 In 1755, the 
processioning of Albemarle Parish recorded William Yarbrough, Peter Randolph, and George 
Randolph living on adjacent tracts of land.*° William Mitchell, who I believe was the uncle of Peter 


565 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


Randall/Randolph II and George Randall/Randolph, was present at the processioning and also lived 
in this district.4® 


George Randall/Randolph II died by 1772, and his son Peter Randall/Randolph IV administered his 
Estate.‘ Like his brother, this George Randall/Randolph also followed the family trade. Among his 
possessions were “Shoemaker’s tools.”43 So we can confirm that at least four generations of 
Randall/Randolph men practiced the shoemaking trade, starting with Peter Randall I. It seems likely 
that the shoemaking tradition extended back even further, perhaps to the family’s origins in England. 


Children of Peter Randall I and Mary: 


i. George RANDALL/RANDOLPH III was born about 1729 in Surry County, Virginia‘! and 
died by 1772 in Sussex County, Virginia.“ He married Betty Rutherford UNKNOWN in 
Albemarle Parish, Surry or Sussex County, Virginia. 

ii. Peter RANDALL/RANDOLPH II was born 29 May 1740 in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, 
Virginia**’” and died by Feb 1800 in Warren County, North Carolina.4 He married Olive 
GREEN in 1760 in Sussex County, Virginia.4° 


Children of Mary, Widow of Peter Randall I, and William Yarbrough: 


i. Mary YARBROUGH was born 21 Jun 1746 in Albemarle Parish, Surry County, Virginia.‘” 
6. George Randall I (Unknown-1711) and Elizabeth 


The origins of George Randall I are currently unknown. In the 1680s and 1690s, a man named Robert 
Randall lived in Surry County, Virginia. He was one of the wealthy, leading citizens of the area. 
Robert married the widow of Col. Thomas Swann, and Col. Swann’s daughter married Henry 
Randolph.#”! Robert Randall was a Captain and was appointed High Sheriff of Surry County, 
Virginia.“ There is no known connection between Capt. Robert Randall and our George Randall I, 
and given the disparity in social class, I think such a connection is unlikely. The earliest Randall 
reference I have found that may have some connection to our line is a John Randall, who was one of 
ten passengers imported by Edward Prince when Prince was granted 500 acres of land in Charles 
City County on the south side of the Appomattox River in 1639.43 


George Randall I signed his Will in Surry County, Virginia on February 10, 1710.47 From that 
document, we learn that his wife was named Elizabeth. The details of the Will are discussed above, 
and it establishes that George and Elizabeth had a son named Peter Randall, a daughter named Mary, 
and an unnamed younger son, who I believe would have been George Randall I. The Will was 
proved on November 25, 1711, so we know that George Randall I died by that date. An inventory 
of George’s Estate was taken and appraised on February 26, 1712.47 His possessions primarily 
consisted of livestock. He also had parcels of iron, pewter, and tin, two and a half yards of “Virginia 
cloth”, a looking glass, two beds, a gun, and a sword.*” His Estate was valued at just over £73. Based 
on these possession, it is unclear to me if George Randall I worked as a shoemaker, or if that family 


trade started with his sons. 


566 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


The Will and the Estate Inventory are the only glimpses we have into the lives of George Randall I 
and his wife Elizabeth. It seems likely that Elizabeth would have remarried, given that she still had 
minor children at her husband’s death. As we saw above, the sons of this couple, Peter Randall I and 
George Randall I, both died around the same time in 1741.48 Our direct ancestor Peter Randall I’s 
Estate seems to have been handled in a straightforward manner, with his eldest son George 
Randall/Randolph II] becoming the ward of William Yarbrough, and his youngest son Peter 
Randall/Randolph II likely adopted by the same man. However, the Estate of George Randall II was 
far more complicated. Those not interested in the fascinating details of estate law may wish to skim 


the following sections. 


The first sign we have that George Randall II died around 1741 is an entry in the Surry County Court 
proceedings from February of 1741. George Randall/Randolph III, the son of Peter Randal I, was 
summoned to the next session of the Court “to declare if he has anything to say against the proof of 
the Last Will and Testament of [his uncle] George Randolph, dec.”4”? James Cain had produced a 
document purporting to be the Will of George Randall II. However, George’s widow Mary 
challenged the Will. The document that Cain produced had an “Executor therein named being also 
dead since the death of the said George.” 48° Because we know that George Randall II’s brother Peter 
Randall I died around the same time, my guess is that he was named as the Executor in this disputed 
Will. And that is why Peter Randall I’s son George Randall/Randolph III was being summoned to 
Court to testify as to its validity. If the Will was found invalid, and George Randall II had no children, 
then his Estate would have reverted to his brother Peter Randall I (and then to George 
Randall/Randolph III, since Peter also died around 1741). 


On August 19, 1742, several witnesses were sworn in and examined before the Surry County Court, 
and the Court agreed that the document produced by James Cain “does not contain the Last Will and 
Testament of the said George.”4*! George’s widow Mary Randall was granted Administration of her 
late husband’s Estate, with William Green and Robert Jones acting as her securities.*? Mary Randall 
submitted an inventory of George Randall II’s Estate on January 17, 1743.48 George owned two 
slaves: a “negro woman” and a “negro boy.” He had a similar array of livestock to what his father 
owned at his death, including cows, steers, horses, and hogs. George Randall II owned “a parcel of 


Wu 


tand [tanned] leather,” “a parcel of buttons and buckells,” “a parcel of raw dearskins,” and a parcel of 
“money scales.” 44 I suspect that these were the tools and raw materials used in shoemaking. George 
Randall II also owned three books, so like his brother Peter Randall I, he had been educated, despite 
the lack of a specific provision for his education in his father’s Will. His total Estate was valued at just 


over £90. 


James Cain, the man who produced the invalid Will, was an interesting character. We know that the 
Cain family members served as baptismal sponsors for several members of the Randall/Randolph 
family, and they appear to have been a part of this extended kin group, or at least neighbors in 
Albemarle Parish, Virginia.*° On September 18, 1765, James Cain made a curious Will. First, he listed 
seven of his children and left them all only one shilling each.#*° An eighth child named, daughter 


Heziah Cain, received “one feather bed that I lie on.”48”7 He left the remainder of his Estate, with 


567 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


instructions that it not be appraised, to his daughter “Angillica Cain,” who was also named his sole 
Executor.*88 Naming an unmarried daughter as an Executor was unusual for this time period, 


especially when several sons were named in the Will, who received only one shilling. 


It is unclear why James Cain produced a Will purporting to be that of George Randall II, which was 
ultimately challenged and found to be false. Was Cain related to our Randall family? It seems 
possible that Elizabeth, the wife of George Randall I, could have either had the maiden name Cain or 
remarried to a Cain. Susanna Cain was one of the sponsors for Peter Randall/Randolph II’s 1740 
baptism.**° Was James Cain a scheming neighbor or extended relative, producing a false Will (with an 
Executor that had conveniently also died) that may have been to his benefit?#° Or was the document 
he produced actually George Randall II’s Will that was found deficient for some technical reason? 
Because the disproved Will does not survive in the records, this particular mystery may never be 
resolved. But the drama surrounding the Estate of George Randall II would continue for several more 


years. 


On May 18, 1743, William Mitchell and Mary his wife brought a complaint before the Surry County 
Court against Mary Randall as Administrator of George Randall’s Estate.4%! The Mitchells requested 
that “George Randall, Infant” be made a party to the lawsuit.” Based on the following documents, 
this appears to have been George Randall/Randolph II, the son of Peter Randall I. On the same day 
that the Mitchell’s filed their suit, “Mary Randall, Widow, is by the Court specially appointed 
Guardian to George Randall, Infant, to defend him in a suit in Chancery brought by William Mitchell 
and Mary his Wife.”4% At this point, the various women named “Mary” connected to this Randall 


family need sorting out. 


First, we have Mary, the wife of William Mitchell. I suspect that she is the same Mary who was 
mentioned as a daughter of George Randall I in his 1710 Will. That would make her Mary Randall by 
birth, the sister of George Randall II and Peter Randall I, and the aunt of George Randall ITI. This 
provides an explanation for why she was suing her late brother’s Estate and seeking to ensure that 
George Randall III received his rightful inheritance. Based on Albemarle Parish records, William and 
Mary Mitchell were of the same generation as Peter Randall I and George Randall II. They had 
children in 1739 and 1742.44 When their son Edward Mitchell was born in 1739, the baptismal 
sponsors were George Randall II, Lazarus Yarbrough, and Elizabeth Cain.*° So this Mary was not the 
Widow of George Randall II who had remarried to William Mitchell; she was already married to 
William Mitchell and having children while George was still alive. 


Second, we have Mary Randall, the widow of George Randall II. She was involved in challenging the 
Will produced by Peter Cain, and had been named the Administrator of her late husband’s Estate. As 


discussed below, I believe she may have been born Mary Green, the daughter of William Green. 


Third, we have Mary Randall, the widow of Peter Randall I. In a series of decisions that were clearly 
not considered with future genealogists in mind, both of the sons of George Randall I had married 


women named Mary, a name that was also shared with their sister. When both George Randall II and 


568 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


Peter Randall I died around 1741, there would have been two widows named Mary Randall. By 1746, 
the Mary in our direct line had remarried to William Yarbrough. 


Thus, I believe it was George Randall/Randolph II’s mother Mary, the widow of Peter Randall I, who 
was appointed as his guardian in 1743. It seems likely that Mary had not yet remarried to William 
Yarbrough by this time. And her son, as the eldest male child of the deceased Peter Randall I (who 
was the eldest son of George Randal I), would be entitled by the law of primogeniture to any land or 
real property (including slaves) that had been owned by his childless uncle George Randall II.4% 


On July 18, 1744, Mary Randall, as Administrator of George Randall II's Estate, submitted an account. 
An estate sale had been held, generating proceeds of £32, 10 shillings and 1 pence. After various debts 
and expenses, the Personal Estate of George Randall II was just over £15.4%” On March 21, 1745, The 
Surry County Court heard arguments on the complaint filed by William and Mary Mitchell, on behalf 
of George Randall III, against Mary Randall as the Administrator of George Randall II’s Estate.4% 
Because George Randall II died without a valid Will, his slaves were treated in the same way that 
land was treated during this time period: they automatically descended by the law of 
primogeniture.*” Since it appears that George Randall II did not have any children, his property 
would descend first to his father (George Randall I, who had died in 1711), then to his eldest brother 
(Peter Randall I, who died around 1741), and then to his eldest brother’s oldest male child: George 
Randall/Randolph III. 


So the Court declared that George Randall/Randolph III was entitled to his uncle’s slaves as the heir 
at law.5°° George Randall III had to pay his aunt £15, which was one-third of the value of the slaves: 
her dower right as the surviving widow.*! As the eldest male heir in the line of succession, George 
Randall/Randolph III would have already automatically inherited any land owned by his uncle 
George Randall II. The 1744 Estate account shows that Mary Randall had paid 7 shillings as 
“Quitrents of Land”, so it seems likely that George II did own land that passed to his nephew.* After 
this dower share was paid, George Randall III was entitled to “twenty shillings and seven pence, 
being his distributive part of the personal estate of the said George.”°° The personal estate, as 
opposed to land and slaves, did not descend according to the law of primogeniture, but instead 
passed according to the intestacy laws. Widow Mary Randall would have received a one-half share 
(since she does not appear to have had children with George Randall II), and the remaining half 
would have been divided by others in the line of succession, potentially including Mary Randall, wife 
of William Mitchell.5% 


Several records indicate that Mary, the Widow of George Randall II, remained unmarried for many 
years. On May 15, 1750, William Green made his Will.5% In it, he named a daughter “Mary Randall” 
who he described as a widow.° Given the connections between the Green and Randall families, it 
seems very likely that this was the widow of George Randall II. Mary Randall brought a lawsuit 
against George Robertson in 1751, and in 1753 she won this dispute, which appears to have been over 


a contract that Robertson failed to perform.” She was awarded damages of over £8.5% 


569 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


On November 20, 1750, the grand jury returned a presentment against “Mary Randolph for having a 
bastard child.”5° It is unclear to me if this was the widow Mary Randall. She seems to have 
consistently used the Randall spelling of her last name, and it is more likely that a younger woman 
named Mary was found to have had a child out of wedlock. However, on March 8, 1753, Mary 
Randolph signed her Will, and left her possessions to her daughter Rebeckah Randolph, a minor.>!° 
She named Joseph King as Rebeckah’s guardian, and Angelica and Winnifred Cain served as 
witnesses.>!! Remember that Angelica Cain was the daughter of James Cain, who had earlier 
produced the false Will for George Randall II. Thus, it seems possible that this Mary Randolph was 


George’s Widow, who never remarried and lived independently the rest of her life. 
Children of George Randall I and Elizabeth: 


1 Peter RANDALL I was born between 1689 and 1702, likely in Virginia.5!2 He died about 1741 
in Surry County, Virginia.>!* He married Mary UNKNOWN, who later remarried to William 
YARBROUGH by 1746.54 

li. George RANDALL II was born before 1710, likely in Virginia.>'5 He died about 1741 in Surry 
County, Virginia.>!* He married Mary UNKNOWN.?!7 

iii. Mary RANDALL was born before 1710, likely in Virginia.*!* She died after 1745.59 She likely 
married William MITCHELL.®2° 


570 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


References for Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


' The image is available at 
https://customshousemuseum.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/E2AEADC2-2DB1-471D-AD99- 
642211019629. Despite several requests for permission to use the image in this book, I have not heard 
back from the museum. The image is used here by Amanda Randolph’s descendants for non- 


commercial purposes. 

2 customshousemuseum. pastperfectonline.com/webobject/E2A EADC2-2DB1-471D-AD99- 
642211019629. 

3 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randolph family of Virginia. 

4 Ibid. 

5 Ancestry.com, U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914, Image 557 of 605. 

6 Ibid. 

7 Ibid. 

8 Ibid. 

9 Ancestry.com, U.S. War Bounty Land Warrants, 1789-1858, Pages 154-155. 

10 Ibid., Image 1012 of 1190, Warrant No. 19768. 

1 Ancestry.com, U.S. General Land Office Records, 1776-2015, Warrant No. 19768, 5 Apr 1819, Carroll, 
Missouri, Township 55-N, Range 23-W, Section 12. 

2 Ancestry.com, U.S. War Bounty Land Warrants, 1789-1858, Image 1013 of 1190, Warrant No. 19769. 
13 Ancestry.com, U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914, Image 440 of 605. 

‘4 The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, Tennessee 21 Aug 1927), Page 41, available at: 
newspapers.com/clip/109126110/jack-hughes-randolph-inquiring-about/?xid=637. 


16 Ancestry.com, U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914, Image 413 of 605. 
7 [bid. 


18 Ibid. 

9 Deborah Edith Wallbridge Carr, Index to Certified Copy of List of American Prisoners of War, 1812— 
1815, Page 16, available at: archive.org/details/indextocertifiedO0carr/page/16/mode/2up. 

20 Ancestry.com, U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914, Image 413 of 605. Grief Randolph was 
listed as one of the soldiers under Captain John Hayes or Chares Wade. Merritt L. Dixon, The History 
of Wilson County: Its Land and Its Life (Lebanon, Tennessee 1961), Page 304. 

1 Ancestry.com, U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914, Image 557 of 605. 

2 Ibid. 

23 Ibid. 

24 Wassell Randolph, Henry Randolph I, 1623-1773 [sic], of Henrico County, Virginia and His Descendants, 
1952, Page 89, available at: babel. hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89066245275. 

25 Marcus J. Wright, Reminiscences of the Early Settlement and Early Settlers of McNairy County, Tennessee, 
Pages 68-70, available at: play.google.com/books/reader?id=NIwVAAAAYAA]&pg=GBS.PA64- 
IA8&hl=en. 

26 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for John Green Randolph (1799-20 Feb 1880), Memorial No. 81659724, 
available at: findagrave.com/memorial/81659724/john-green-randolph/photo. 

27 Ibid. John Green Randolph’s daughter Martha is reported as having married T.L. Adams. 

28 Wassell seems to have obtained this misinformation from “Mrs Reese, 12/4/1942.” Mrs. Reese was 
presumably a distant relative of Peyton Randolph whose ancestors had simply not kept touch with 
Peyton or his descendants. 


571 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


29 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of Peyton W. Randolph and 
Margary [sic] Tucker, 16 Mar 1823, Wilson, Tennessee, USA. 

30 Ancestry.com, 1830 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Wilson, Tennessee; Series: M19; Roll: 182; 
Page: 106; FHL Film No. 0024540. 

31 See wikitree.com/wiki/Randolph-2879 and Randolph-Searcy Bible cited below. This line apparently 
descended from Edward Randolph of Bremo, son of William Randolph of Turkey Island. 

32 Ancestry.com, Tennessee, U.S. Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of Peyton Randolph and A.S. 
Keeble, 18 Sep 1822, Rutherford, Tennessee. 

33 Randolph-Searcy (Harrison Randolph of Rutherford County, Tennessee) Bible: 
digital.ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p15012coll1/id/60479. 

34 [bid. 

35 Edmonson Family Bible, available at: 
tsla.tnsosfiles.com/general/BibleRecords/TSLA/E/Edmondson/Edmondson3.pdf. 

36 Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 62. 

37 Ancestry.com, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 4, Cheatham, Tennessee; Roll: 
M593_1518; Page: 137B; FHL Film No. 553017. The 1880 Census also supports an 1825 birth year. 

38 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Beat 4, Rusk, Texas; Roll: M653_1304; Page: 
240; FHL Film No. 805304. 

3° Ancestry.com, Louisiana, U.S. Compiled Marriage Index, 1718-1925, Marriage of J. G. Randolph and 
Mary Ann Hall, 16 Apr 1851, Sabine, Louisiana, USA. 

40 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Beat 4, Rusk, Texas; Roll: M653_1304; Page: 
240; FHL Film No. 805304. Ancestry.com, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Ward 3, Sabine, 
Louisiana; Roll: M583_528; Page: 323B. 

“1 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Montgomery, Tennessee; Roll: M432_891; 
Page: 174B; Image: 351. 

# Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 65. 

48 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Montgomery, Tennessee; Roll: 891; Page: 
174b. 

“4 Ancestry.com, 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Justice Precinct 4, Fisher, Texas. The 1880 
Census reports a birth year of about 1837, supporting this date. The 1870 Census has been mis- 
transcribed on Ancestry.com, with an age of 56. On my reading, the actual age shows 36, which gives 
a birth year of 1834. Since the 1900 Census gives the most precise date of February 1836, I think that is 
mostly likely to be correct. 

4 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of Payton W Randolph and Mary 
McCartney, 26 Dec 1836, Wilson County, Tennessee. 

46 Ancestry.com, 1840 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Wilson, Tennessee; Roll: 537; Page 300; FHL 
Film No. 0024550. 

47 Ancestry.com, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 13, Obion, Tennessee; Roll: 
M593_1552; Page: 224A. 

48 Ibid. 

49 Ancestry.com, 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Justice Precinct 4, Fisher, Texas. 

50 Wilson County, Tennessee Land Entry Book, 1824-1845, Page 304 (provided by John Randolph). 

51 Ancestry.com, Tennessee, Early Tax List Records, 1783-1895, 1838, Wilson, Tennessee, Image 59 of 67. 
52 Ibid., Image 69 of 149. 

53 Ancestry.com, 1840 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Wilson, Tennessee; Roll: 537; Page 300; FHL 
Film No. 0024550. 

54 FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1802-1815, Image 443 of 1478. 


572 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


55 FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee Wills and Inventories, 1827-1830, Pages 153-154. 

56 Wilson County, Tennessee Trust Deeds, Book FF, Pages 206-207 (provided by John Randolph). 

57 Ibid. 

58 FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee Tax Lists, 1803-1807, Image 941, 976. 

5° Thomas E. Partlow, Early Families of Wilson County, Tennessee, Page 96, available on 
FamilySearch.org. 

60 FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee, Deeds, Vol. T, Page 477. 

61 Partlow, Early Families of Wilson County, Tennessee, Page 96. 

6 Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 68. Payton Randolph appeared on the 1843 
tax lists in District 22, Wilson County, Tennessee. He did not appear to own land. Grief Randolph 
appeared on the same list, with 95 acres of land valued at $300. FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, 
Tennessee Tax Books, 1842-1853, Images 111-112. 

63 FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee, Deeds, Vol. X, Page 527. 

64 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Montgomery, Tennessee; Roll: M432_891; 
Page: 147B; Image: 351. 

65 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 22, Wilson, Tennessee; Roll: 
M432_901; Page: 475B; Image: 331. 

66 FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee Circuit Court Minutes, 1848-1851, Pages 688-689. 

67 Wilson County, Tennessee, Circuit Court Minutes 1851-1853, Pages 165, 236-238 (Provided by John 
Randolph). 

68 Wilson County, Tennessee Trust Deeds, Book MM, Page 116 (provided by John Randolph). 

69 Wilson County, Tennessee Power of Attorney Receipts, 1853-1869, Pages 115, 158, 168 (provided by 
John Randolph); 

7” FamilySearch.org, Cheatham County, Tennessee Wills and Inventories, Vol. A, Page 270. 

71 Ancestry.com, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 4, Cheatham, Tennessee; Roll: 
M593_1518; Page: 137B; FHL Film No. 553017. The 1880 Census also supports an 1825 birth year. 

” Findagrave.com, Memorial for Amanda Randolph Link (1824-1895), Memorial No. 112351651, 
available at: findagrave.com/memorial/112351651/amanda-link. 

73 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of Amanda Randolph and William 
B. Link, 4 Dec 1845, Wilson, Tennessee. 

74 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Beat 4, Rusk, Texas; Roll: M653_1304; Page: 
240; FHL Film No. 805304. 

7 Ancestry.com, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Ward 3, Sabine, Louisiana; Roll: M593_528; 
Page: 323B. 

76 Ancestry.com, Louisiana, U.S. Compiled Marriage Index, 1718-1925, Marriage of J. G. Randolph and 
Mary Ann Hall, 16 Apr 1851, Sabine, Louisiana. 

7 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Montgomery, Tennessee; Roll: M432_891; 
Page: 174B; Image: 351. 

78 Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 65. 

79 Ancestry.com, 1900 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Justice Precinct 4, Fisher, Texas, Sheet No: 5; 
Family No.: 95. 

50 Findagrave.com, Memorial for Mary Jane Randolph Neblett, Memorial No. 15517176, available at: 
findagrave.com/memorial/15517176/mary-jane-neblett. 

81 Ancestry.com, Tennessee, U.S. Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of Mary J Randolp[h] and Wm. 
L Nablitte, 14 Jan 1857, Cheatham, Tennessee. 

82 FamilySearch.org, Albemarle Parish, Surry, Virginia, Computer Printout, Births and Christenings, 1739- 
1778, Image 814. 


573 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


83 John Bennett Boddie, Births, Deaths, and Sponsors 1717-1778 from the Albemarle Parish Register of Surry 
and Sussex Counties Virginia, (Clearfield Company, Baltimore, MD 1989), Page 116. 

84 FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina Deeds, Vol. 14, Page 172. 

8 Ibid., Vol. 24, Pages 431-432. 

86 Ginger L. Christmas-Beattie, Warren County, North Carolina Minutes to the Court of Pleas and Quarter 
Sessions, 1780-1813, Vols. I-VII, Page 447. In May of the same year, John Randolph entered a bond for 
Martin Smith to keep an Ordinary. Ibid., Page 458. 

87 Ibid., Page 492. 

88 Image from The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. Used here for educational and research 
purposes under the fair use doctrine. Available at: colonialwilliamsburg.org/locations/shoemaker/. 
89 Christmas-Beattie, Warren County, North Carolina Minutes to the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 
Pages 517, 519. 

0 FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina Wills 1802-1804, Vol. 12, Page 30; 
FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina Wills 1802-1804, Vol. 12, Page 323. 

°t Christmas-Beattie, Warren County, North Carolina Minutes to the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 
Page 554. 

2 Wood, Empire of Liberty, Pages 334-335. 

°3 FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina Deeds, Vol. 20, Pages 162-163. 

% Tbid., Vol. 24, Pages 426-427. 

9 FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina Wills and Estate Papers, 1663-1978, Image 2779 of 
2856. 

% Ibid. 

7 FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina Wills 1798-1800, Vol. 10, Pages 283; 
FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina Wills 1802-1804, Vol. 12, Pages 11-12. 

%8 Ibid. 

9 FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina Wills, 1780-1825, Vol. 4, Pages 51-52. 

100 Christmas-Beattie, Warren County, North Carolina Minutes to the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 
Page 536. 

101 FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina Wills 1798-1800, Vol. 10, Pages 205-207. 

102 Ibid., Pages 269-270. 

103 Christmas-Beattie, Warren County, North Carolina Minutes to the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 
Page 517 of PDF. The Warren County, North Carolina Deed Books appear to have been lost for 
records between 1799-1803, so we only have this short mention. 

104 Wood, Empire of Liberty, Page 318. 

105 Ancestry.com, 1800 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Halifax, Warren, North Carolina; Series: 
M32; Roll: 32; Page: 786; FHL Film No. 337908. 

106 Currently, Hank does not have any Ancestry.com matches that trace their descent from Grief 
Randall/Randolph using the ThruLines feature. This could be because any DNA relatives who have 
tested have not traced their genealogy back this far, or it could indicate that because of a half-sibling 
connection this far back, the amounts of shared DNA have become too small to effectively trace. 
Hank has 19 DNA matches that trace their ancestry through John Green Randolph. 

107 FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee Quarterly Court Minutes, 1819-1828, Page 47. 

108 Christmas-Beattie, Warren County, North Carolina Minutes to the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 
Pages 624, 625 of PDF. 

109 Ibid., Page 632. 

110 [bid., Page 648. 

1 Tbid., Page 669. 


574 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


112 FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina Deeds, Vol. 17, Page 133. 

113 Tbid., Page 651; FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina Deeds, Vol. 17, Page 462. 

114 FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina Deeds, Vol. 17, Page 40. 

5 Tbid., Vol. 18, Page 207. 

6 Despite searching the Wythe County records, I cannot find any other links to our Randolph line. 
117 Wood, Empire of Liberty, Page 316. 

118 FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee, Deeds, Vol. D, Page 489. 

119 [bid.; FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee, Deeds, Vol. D, Page 490. 

20 Ancestry.com, U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914, Image 413 of 605. 

11 Tbid., Images 413, 440, and 557 of 605. 

122 Ibid. 

123 fortwiki.com/Fort Russell (2). 

24 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilinois Territory in the War of 1812. 

125 FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee Quarterly Court Minutes, 1819-1828, Page 47. 

26 Fold3.com, War of 1812 Military Bound Land Warrants, 1815-1858, Warrant No. 24387, 11 Nov 1820, 
available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com. 

127 FamilySearch.org, Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950, Wilson, Image 892. 

128 FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee, Deeds, Vol. G, Page 141. 

129 FamilySearch.org, Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950, Wilson, Image 773. 

130 FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee, Deeds, Vol. I, Page 35; FamilySearch.org, Wilson 
County, Tennessee, Deeds, Vol. L, Page 359. 

131 FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee, Deeds, Vol. L, Pages 326-327; FamilySearch.org, Wilson 
County, Tennessee, Deeds, Vol. M, Page 93. 

182 Marcus J. Wright, Reminiscences of the Early Settlement and Early Settlers of McNairy County, 
Tennessee, Pages 68-70, available at: 
play.google.com/books/reader?id=NIwvAAAAYAA]&pg=GBS.PA64-IA8&hl=en. 

133 FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee Deed Books, Book D2, Pages 243-244. 

134 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Grayson, Texas; Page: 137; FHL Film No. 
805295. 

135 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Grief Randolph (11 Jan 1785-23 Feb 1865), Memorial No. 28338170, 
available at: findagrave.com/memorial/28338170/grief-randolph. 

136 Randolph, Henry Randolph I, Page 89. 

137 Ibid., Pages 88-89. Incidentally, Wassell Randolph says “he was awarded certificate No. 1761.” 
Instead, this was a record located in Volume 176, Page 253. These records can now be found online on 
Fold3.com. 

138 Ancestry.com, U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914, Image 557 of 605. 

13° There are records for men named John Randolph in the First, Third, and Tenth/Fourteenth Virginia 
Regiments, along with the 4** Continental Light Dragoons (the unit where Wassell placed our 
ancestor). 

140 Again, I have not viewed the pages of this alleged Bible. This report comes from the forum posting 


first found here: genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/randolph/3169/. It has been copied by several 


later researchers. 

141 Randolph-Searcy (Harrison Randolph of Rutherford County, Tennessee) Bible: 

digital ncdcr.gov/digital/collection/p15012coll1/id/60479. 

12 Fold3.com, War of 1812 Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files, John G. Randolph, Page 
6. 


575 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


143 FamilySearch.org, Greensville County, Virginia Register of Marriages, 1781-1853, Page 143. Sarah was 
the daughter of John Whittington. 

144 There is a John Randall who died in Brunswick County, Virginia in 1752. He had a widow named 
Frances, sons named Josias, John, William, and Peter, and daughters named Frances and Susanna 
(Ware). FamilySearch.org, Brunswick County, Virginia Will Books, Vols. 2-3, 1739-1785, Pages 116-117. 
There is also a William Randall who died in Brunswick County, Virginia about 1771. He also had a 
son named John Randall. Also had sons Coalby, Barnett daughter Anne Tillman, Elizabeth Randall, 
Susanna Jackson, Amy Randall. Widow Anne. FamilySearch.org, Brunswick County, Virginia Will 
Books, Vol. 4, Pages 67-68. Either of these John Randall men seem like better candidates for the 
husband of Sarah Whittington than our John Randall/Randolph. 

145 FamilySearch.org, Greensville County, Virginia, Will Book 1, Pages 452, 511-512; Will Book 2, Pages 
14-17. On 15 Feb 1803 John Randolph and Sally his wife, Richard Rawlings and Rebecca his wife, and 
John Wilkinson and Patsy his wife, heirs of Hannah Whittington brought suit against Lewis 
Whittington and Polly, Betsey, and Sally Whittington, infants of William Whittington dec’d by 
George Cain their Guardian. These were the children (and their spouses) of John and Hannah 
Whittington. 

146 Randolph, Henry Randolph [, Page 89. Wassell Randolph cites a large number of genealogy charts 
created by other family historians. To a modern researcher who has seen how easily incorrect family 
trees can be circulated and presented as true, relying only on other incorrect trees for evidence, these 
citations are not reassuring. 

147 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Deeds, Vol 4, Pages 239-241. 

148 [bid. 

149 Tn 1961, Mary Randolph died, and her death certificate was filled out by her son William Waldo 
Wilson. The certificate listed her father as “Thomas Whittington Randolph.” Thomas W. Randolph 
was a son of Grief Randolph, and he died in 1885. His daughter Mary Randolph was born in 1883. So 
she was only 2 years old when her father died. Would she (and her son) have known her father’s 
middle name with certainty in 1961? Wassel Randolph’s book was published in 1952, so it is possible 
that his speculations made it onto this death certificate as well. Alternatively, this could be evidence 
of an actual elusive Whittington connection to our branch of the Randolph family. Ancestry.com, 
Texas, U.S. Death Certificates 1903-1982, Mary Randolph Wilson, Birth Date: 26 Apr 1883, Sherman, 
Texas; Death Date: 16 Nov 1961, Beaumont, Jefferson, Texas. 

150 As possible support for this theory, Hank James currently has 29 DNA matches who trace their 
descent from Peyton W. Randolph and 19 DNA matches who trace their descent from John Green 
Randolph. Ancestry.com’s algorithm has not matched Hank with any descendants of Grief Randolph. 
Give the distance of these matches, that could suggest that Grief was a half-brother, and their smaller 
amount of shared DNA has diluted over time to be untraceable in modern descendants. 

151 Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 57. 

182 [bid., Page 63. 

153 Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 33, Pages 88-89. 

154 Ancestry.com, U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914, Image 413 of 605; FindAGrave.com, 
Memorial for Grief Randolph (11 Jan 1785-23 Feb 1865), Memorial No. 28338170, available at: 
findagrave.com/memorial/28338170/grief-randolph. The gravestone suggests he was born in Virginia. 
155 Ancestry.com, Tennessee, Marriage Records, 1780-2002. 

156 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Grief Randolph (11 Jan 1785-23 Feb 1865), Memorial No. 28338170, 


available at: findagrave.com/memorial/28338170/grief-randolph. 


576 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


187 FamilySearch.org, Wilson County Quarterly Court Minutes, 1819-1828, Page 47; Ancestry.com, 1800 
U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Halifax, Warren, North Carolina; Series: M32; Roll: 32; Page: 786; 
FHL Film No. 337908. See discussion above for explanation of these sources. 

158 FamilySearch.org, Tennessee, County Marriages, 1790-1950, Wilson, Image 892. This marriage was 
for Sarah Randolph, and “Sally” was a common nickname. We don’t have any other evidence that 
this was our Sally Randolph, although the location suggests that it could have been her. 

159 FamilySearch.org, Wilson County Quarterly Court Minutes, 1819-1828, Page 47; Ancestry.com, 1800 
U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Halifax, Warren, North Carolina; Series: M32; Roll: 32; Page: 786; 
FHL Film No. 337908. See discussion above for explanation of these sources. 

160 Ancestry.com, Tennessee, Marriage Records, 1780-2002. 

161 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 5, Wilson, Tennessee; Roll: 901; Page: 
359b. The entry for John B. Holman, a tanner living in Wilson County, Tennessee, does not list his 
wife Levina. 

16 Ancestry.com, U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914, Image 557 of 605. 

163 Ancestry.com, Tennessee, Marriage Records, 1780-2002. 

164 Ibid. 

165 FamilySearch.org, Cheatham County, Tennessee Wills and Inventories, Vol. A, Page 270. 

166 Ancestry.com, U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914, Image 440 of 605. 

167 Fold3.com, War of 1812 Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application Files. 

168 Ancestry.com, Tennessee, Wills and Probate Records, 1779-2008. 

16° Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 116. 

170 Ibid. These surnames appear often in the Randall family baptisms, and the Randall family members 
often appear as sponsors for these families in return. 

171 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 386-387. 

172 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Order Books, 1744-1749, Page 233. 

173 Ibid., Pages 375, 498; Surry County, Virginia Order Books, 1749-1751, Page 16. 

174 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Guardian Accounts, 1744-1762, Pages 30, 42, 72. 

1% genfiles.com/articles/primogeniture-succession/. 

7% Davis, Albemarle Parish Vestry Book, Page 103. 

177 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 53. 

178 Ibid. 

179 Ibid. 

180 These DNA connections are only circumstantial evidence. They are based on the accuracy of other 
researcher tracing their lines back to this point. However, the large number of possible connections 
does add to the evidence that Olive Green is our ancestor. 

181 [bid., Pages 105, 116, 142. 

182 Ibid., Page 115. 

183 T am not aware of any other Peter Randall/Randolphs who would have been the right age. Peter 
Randall I had already died, Peter Randall/Randolph III was not yet born, and Peter 
Randall/Randolph IV was only 8 years old in 1758. 

184 Ibid., Page 116. Olive Green sponsored Lucretia Tucker, daughter of Robert and Mary Tucker, on 
23 Dec 1759, so she probably did not marry Peter Randall until early 1760. Ibid., Page 142. 

18 Tbid., Page 145. 

186 Davis, Albemarle Parish Vestry Book, Page 153. 

187 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 70. 


577 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


188 Tbid., Page 53. He was the first child listed for Peter and Mary Green, born on 11 Nov 1732. 
Frederick Green was also listed in Peter Green’s 1745 Will. FamilySearch.org., Surry County, Virginia 
Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 520-522. 

18 Ibid. Boddie mistakenly listed Peyton Randall, born 4 Jan 1769, as the son of George and Betty 
Rutherford Randall. It is clear from examining the original and the other abstracts of the Albemarle 
Parish Register that Peyton was actually the son of Peter and Olive Randall. FamilySearch.org, Parish 
Register of Albemarle Parish of Surry and Sussex Counties, 1739-1778, Image 127. 

190 Joel Randolph was given guardianship of Peter Randolph’s Children: Olive and Nancy Randolph. 
Joel, John, and Peter Randolph posted a bond. FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina Wills 
1798-1800, Vol. 10, Pages 205-207. 

191 Boddie, Colonial Surry, Page 235. 

12 Davis, Albemarle Parish Vestry Book, Pages 179, 182. 

193 Ibid., Page 213. 

194 Tbid., Page 225. 

195 [bid., Page 179, 182. 

196 Davis, Albemarle Parish Vestry Book 1742-1786, Pages 2-6. 

197 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Land Tax Books, 1782-1800, Image 7. 

188 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 116. Peter Randall/Randolph, Jr. married Frances (Parham?), 
and died about 1786. The conclusion that Peter Randall/Randolph, Sr. and George Randall were 
brothers is discussed below. 

199 Ancestry.com, Sussex County, Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists, 1782-1812, Image 124. 

200 [bid., Image 160. He had the same three slaves on the 1785 list. Image 196. Note that Peter 
Randall/Randolph, Jr. also appeared on these tax lists, and with 11 slaves it is easy to distinguish him 
from his uncle Peter Randall/Randolph, Sr. 

201 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Land Tax Books, 1782-1800, Image 17. 

202 Ancestry.com, North Carolina, U.S. State Census, 1784-1787, Warren County, Image 8. 

203 Ibid. 

204 Ancestry.com, North Carolina, U.S. State Census, 1784-1787, Warren County, Image 7. 

205 Tbid. 

206 Thid. 

207 Christmas-Beattie, Warren County Minutes, Page 144 of PDF. Peter Randall purchased from 
Jameson Higgins and his wife Amey. William Yarborough purchased from Jordan Rowland. 

208 FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina Wills, Vol. 7, Page 5. 

209 Tbid. 

210 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Vol. B, Page 277. 9 Aug 1770—John Mitchell 
leaves his Will. Names a daughter Hannah, who is married to William Yarbrough. 

211 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Vol. B, Page 277. The Will of John Mitchell 
establishes that his daughter Hannah married William Yarbrough. This couple had three children 
reported in the Albemarle Parish Register. 

212 Ibid. In trying to determine which William Yarbrough drafted this 1793 Will in Warren County, 
North Carolina, it is helpful to refer back to the Albemarle Parish Register. On June 21, 1746, William 
and Mary Yarbrough had a daughter named Mary. Then, twenty-two years later, we see a William 
and Hannah Yarbrough begin having children in Albemarle Parish, with children named Patty, 
William, and Rhoda Yarbrough. Given that large gap between children, and the fact that William 
and Rhoda appear as two of the children in this William Yarbrough’s Will, it seems likely to me that 
these are not the same men. 

213 FamilySearch.org, Warren County North Carolina, Wills, Vols. 4-5, Image 472. 


578 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


214 Ibid. 

215 FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina Wills, 1798-1800, Vol. 10, Pages 317-320. 

216 [bid. 

217 Ibid. 

218 FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina County Court Minutes, 1777-1800, Image 702. 

219 Ancestry.com, North Carolina, U.S., Marriage Index, 1741-2004, Marriage of Epps Jones and Polley 
Randolph, 5 Dec 1797, Warren, North Carolina. 

220 FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina County Court Minutes, 1777-1800, Image 702. 

221 Ancestry.com, 1800 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Halifax, Warren, North Carolina; Series: 
M32; Roll: 32; Page: 827; Image: 826; FHL Film No. 337908. 

222 Ibid. 

223 FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina Marriage Bonds, Image 1294. 

224 Ibid., Image 845. 

225 Ibid., Image 100. 

226 Ibid., Image 58. 

227 Ibid., Image 843. 

228 Ibid., Image 276. 

229 FamilySearch.org, Smith County, Tennessee Will Books, Wills and Inventories, 1814-1816, Page 1 (Page 
2 of original book). 

230 [bid. 

231 [bid. 

232 FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina Wills 1798-1800, Vol. 10, Pages 317-320. 

233 Ancestry.com, Sussex County, Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists, 1782-1812, Image 124. 

234 FamilySearch.org, Smith County, Tennessee Will Books, Wills and Inventories, 1814-1816, Page 1 (Page 
2 of original book). 

235 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 116. 

236 Not mentioned in 1800 estate proceeding that seems to involve all of her father's living children. 
FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina County Court Minutes, 1777-1800, Image 702. 

237 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 116. 

238 Ancestry.com, U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914, Image 440 of 605. 

239 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 116. 

240 Ancestry.com, North Carolina, U.S., Marriage Records, 1741-2011. 

41 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 116. 

242 FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina Wills and Estate Papers, 1663-1978, Image 2779 of 
2856. 

243 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 116. 

244 Not mentioned in 1800 estate proceeding that seemed to involve all of her father's living children. 
FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina County Court Minutes, 1777-1800, Image 702. 

245 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 116. 

246 Ancestry.com, North Carolina, U.S., Marriage Index, 1741-2004, Marriage of Epps Jones and Polley 
Randolph, 5 Dec 1797, Warren, North Carolina. 

247 Ancestry.com, 1800 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Halifax, Warren, North Carolina; Series: 
M32; Roll: 32; Page: 827; Image: 826; FHL Film No. 337908. 

248 Ancestry.com, North Carolina, U.S., Marriage Records, 1741-2011. 

249 Joel was appointed Guardian of two of his siblings in 1800, so he was likely born by at least 1779 in 
order to be 21 years old in that year. FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina Wills 1798-1800, 
Vol. 10, Pages 205-207 


579 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


250 Ancestry.com, North Carolina, U.S., Marriage Records, 1741-2011. 

251 Joel appeared as Executor of his mother's Estate on 8 Feb 1815. FamilySearch.org, Smith County, 
Tennessee Will Books, Wills and Inventories, 1814-1816, Page 8. 

252 FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina County Court Minutes, 1777-1800, Image 702; 
Christmas-Beattie, Warren County, North Carolina Minutes to the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 
Page 536. She must have been born after 1778 in order to still be a minor when her father died around 
1800. 

253 Ancestry.com, North Carolina, U.S., Marriage Records, 1741-2011. 

254 FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina County Court Minutes, 1777-1800, Image 702; 
Christmas-Beattie, Warren County, North Carolina Minutes to the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, 
Page 536. She must have been born after 1778 in order to still be a minor when her father died around 
1800. 

255 Ancestry.com, North Carolina, U.S., Marriage Records, 1741-2011. 

256 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 520-522. 

257 Chamberlayne, The Vestry Book and Register of Bristol Parish, Virginia, Page 307. 

258 In addition, Peter Green was a witness to the 1726 Will of Ephraim Parham, Sr. in Surry County, 
Virginia. This may suggest he had moved across the border to Surry County by this time. 
FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 7, Pages 641-642. 

2° Library of Virginia, Land Grant dated 28 Sep 1732 for Peter Green, available at: 
Iva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007606600205756. 

260 [bid. 

261 Library of Virginia, Land Grant dated 28 Sep 1732 for Peter Green, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007606590205756. 

262 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 53. 

263 Boddie records it as “Millicent”, a daughter. Ibid. However, it is clear that the child is listed as a son 
in the original records. FamilySearch.org, Parish Register of Albemarle Parish of Surry and Sussex 
Counties, 1739-1778, Image 69. The computer printout record transcribes it as “Milledin.” 
FamilySearch.org, Albemarle Parish, Surry, Virginia Computer Printout, Image 711. We know from Peter 
Green, Sr.’s Will that it was a son named Mildend. FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and 
Deeds, No. 9, Pages 520-522. In addition, Nathaniel Green and his wife Phoebe had a son named 
Milden in 1750 (again mis-transcribed by Boddie as a daughter named “Mildred”). FamilySearch.org, 
Albemarle Parish, Surry, Virginia Computer Printout, Image 711. 

264 Ibid. 

265 Davis, Albemarle Parish Vestry Book, Page 1. 

266 [bid., Page 2. 

267 Ibid., Pages 2-3. 

268 George Carrington Mason, Colonial Churches of Tidewater Virginia (Richmond, Virginia: Whittet & 
Shepperson, 1945), Pages 46-47. 

269 Davis, Albemarle Parish Vestry Book, Page 4; FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Deeds, Vol. 4, 
Pages 193-194. 

270 Mason, Colonial Churches of Tidewater Virginia, Page 47. 

271 Davis, Albemarle Parish Vestry Book, Page 19. 

272 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexton (office); Davis, Albemarle Parish Vestry Book, Page 22. 

273 Davis, Albemarle Parish Vestry Book, Page 19. 

274 Ibid., Pages 8, 14. 

275 Ibid. 

276 FamilySearch.org, Surry County Virginia, Wills and Deeds, 1738-1754, Book 9, Part 1, Pages 327-329. 


580 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


277 Ibid. 

278 Davis, Albemarle Parish Vestry Book, Page 8. 

279 Ibid., Page 17. 

280 FamilySearch.org, Parish Register of Albemarle Parish of Surry and Sussex Counties, 1739-1778, Image 
ii 

281 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 520-522. 

282 Ibid. 

283 Ibid. 

284 Ibid. 

285 Note that the records list the date as 19 March 1745. This is due to the use of the older Julian 
calendar before 1752. Under the Julian calendar, the legal year switched on March 25. 

286 Library of Virginia, Land Grant for Peter Green, 31 Oct 1759, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007606610205756. 

287 Ibid. 

288 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 547-548. 

289 Ibid. 

290 Davis, Albemarle Parish Vestry Book, Page 24. 

21 Ibid., Page 29. 

2° Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 54. 

293 Davis, Albemarle Parish Vestry Book, Pages 46, 48. 

294 Ibid, Pages 24, 29, 46, 48. 

295 Ibid., Page 51. 

29 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Order Books, 1749-1751, Page 163. 

297 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 704-705. 

298 Ibid. 

299 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Order Books, 1749-1751, Page 216. 

300 Ibid. 

301 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 44. 

302 Chamberlayne, The Vestry Book and Register of Bristol Parish, Virginia, Page 307. Martha was not 
mentioned in her father’s 1745 Will. This could indicate she had died before this time, that she was 
already married and well-established, or that she was not in fact the daughter of our Peter Green, Sr. 
303 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Order Books, 1749-1751, Page 216; FamilySearch.org, Surry 
County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 520-522. 

304 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 54. Judy Parsons Smith has her has Phoebe Parham, but 
with no primary sources listed I cannot confirm this suggestion. 

305 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 520-522. She was listed in 
her father’s Will, and does not appear to be a minor at his death based on the Guardianship 
proceedings for her siblings. 

396 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 54. Her death was reported on this date by Mary Green. 
307 Ibid, Page 53. 

308 [bid. 

30 [bid., Page 54. 

310 [bid., Page 53. 

311 William was not mentioned in his father’s Will or the subsequent Guardian proceedings, unlike his 
older brothers Frederick and Peter Green, Jr. 

312 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 53. 

313 [bid. 


581 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


a4 Ibid, 

315 See discussion and citations above. 

316 FamilySearch.org, Smith County, Tennessee Will Books, Wills and Inventories, 1814-1816, Page 1 (Page 
2 of original book). 

317 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 53. 

318 Mildend Green does not appear in the guardianship proceedings, unlike his older siblings 
Frederick, Peter, Jr., Jane, Mary, and Olive Green. I also have not found any later references for 
Mildend Green. 

319 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 44. 

320 Weisiger, Charles City County, Virginia Court Orders, 1687-1695, Page 41. 

321 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 5, Page 416. 

322 Weisiger, Charles City County, Virginia Court Orders, 1687-1695, Page 74. 

323 3 Oct 1692— Lewis Green to reimbursed by William Eppes for two days attendance at Court as a 
witness. Weisiger, Charles City County, Virginia Court Orders, 1687-1695, Page 138. 

34 Weisiger, Charles City County, Virginia Court Orders, 1687-1695, Page 75. This was recorded as 
“Thom. Gent.” and I believe this was an abbreviation for Thomas Gent. 

325 Ibid., Page 71. 

326 [bid., Page 144. 

327 [bid., Page 147. 

328 [bid., Page 149. 

329 [bid., Page 131. 

330 [bid., Page 158. 

331 [bid., Pages 181-182, 184. 

33 Library of Virginia, 25 Apr 1702, Land Grant for Lewis Green, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007607960205756. 

333 Ancestry.com, The Quit Rents of Virginia, 1704. 

334 FamilySearch.org, Prince George County, Virginia Mixed Records, 1711-1725, Page 193. 

35 Library of Virginia, 2 Nov 1705, Land Grant for Lewis Green, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1ILVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007607970205756. This land 
was later devised by Lewis Green, Sr. to his grandsons Lewis and Burrell Green (the sons of Lewis 
Green, Jr.) in his Will. FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Deeds, Vol. 5, Pages 44-46. 

336 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Deeds, Vol. 5, Pages 44-46. 

337 genfiles.com/articles/headrights/. 

338 Library of Virginia, 2 Nov 1705, Land Grant for Lewis Green, available at: 
Iva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007607970205756. 

339 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Order Books, 1691-1718, Page 290. The location and 


amount of this land was not listed in the surviving record. It is possible that this was the 150 acres on 
the north side of Jones Hole Swamp that Lewis Green, Sr. left to his grandson Lewis Green in his 1730 
Will. In 1749, the grandson Lewis Green transferred this land to Thomas Eldridge, noting that it had 
been devised to him by his grandfather, Lewis Green of Prince George County. FamilySearch.org, 
Surry County, Virginia Deeds, Book 5, Pages 72-73. 

340 genealogytrails.com/vir/surry/church_ history.html. 

341 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 5, Page 416. 

342 Ibid. 

343 FamilySearch.org, Prince George County, Virginia Mixed Records, 1711-1725, Pages 181-182. 

a Ibid. 

345 FamilySearch.org, Prince George County, Virginia Mixed Records, 1719-1724, Page 587. 


582 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


346 Ibid. 

347 Library of Virginia, 22 Jan 1717, Land Grant for Ephraim Parham, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990008037840205756. 

348 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 7, Pages 641-642. 

349 Ibid. 

350 Ibid. 

351 FamilySearch.org, Prince George County, Virginia Mixed Records, 1711-1725, Page 189. 

382 Ibid. 

353 Ibid. 

354 Ibid., Page 193. 

355 Chamberlayne, The Vestry Book and Register of Bristol Parish, Virginia, Pages 1-2. 

356 Ibid. 

357 Library of Virginia, 11 Jul 1719, Land Grant for Lewis Green, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007606420205756. This was 
likely Lewis Green, Jr. because he later gave a similar tract of land to son Burrell Green in 1740. 
FamilySearch.org., Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 8, Page 169. He was described as 
“Lewis Green, Sr.” here, because by this time his father had died and he had a son named Lewis 
Green of his own. Library of Virginia, 21 Feb 1720, Land Grant for Lewis Green, Jr., available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007606470205756. 

358 FamilySearch.org, Prince George County, Virginia Mixed Records, 1719-1724, Pages 471-472. 

359 Ibid., Pages 481-482. 

360 [bid., Page 588. 

361 [bid., Page 589. 

3 Library of Virginia, 21 Feb 1719, Land Grant for Lewis Green, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007606410205756. 

363 Ibid. 

364 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 7, Page 599. 

365 [bid., Pages 479-480. 

366 Judy Parsons Smith suggests that Lewis Green, Sr. had a daughter named Martha who married 
William Richardson, but does not cite any primary sources. Smith, Windows Into Our Past, Vol. 6, 
Page 22, available at: crossedbrushstudio.com/windowsintoourpast/Volume-pdf/Volume6.pdf. 
307 Library of Virginia, 21 Feb 1720, Land Grant for Lewis Green, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007606430205756. 

368 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 7, Pages 600-601. 

369 [bid., Pages 878-879. 

370 Ibid. 

371 The Albemarle Parish Register notes that a Nathaniel Green died on 1 Dec 1749, and that may have 
been this Nathaniel Green. Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 54. 

372 Ibid. William’s surname is spelled “Greene” in this document, and the two spellings were often 


used interchangeably during this time period. 

373 Ibid. 

374 Library of Virginia, 21 Feb 1720, Land Grant for Lewis Green; FamilySearch.org, Surry County, 
Virginia Wills and Deeds, Book 7, Pages 878-879. 

375 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 7, Page 600. 

376 Library of Virginia, 20 Feb 1723, Land Grant for Lewis Green, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007606450205756. 

377 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Deeds, Vol. 4, Pages 239-241. 


583 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


378 Ibid. 

379 Ibid. 

380 Ibid., Pages 243-244. 

201 Ibid. 

382 FamilySearch.org, Prince George County, Virginia Mixed Records, 1724-1728, Page 762. 

383 Library of Virginia, 22 Feb 1724, Land Grant for Lewis Green, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007606460205756. 

384 FamilySearch.org., Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 168-169, Image 116. 

38 Ibid. 

986 Ibid, 

387 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Deeds, Vol. 4, Page 64, Image 58. 

388 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Deeds, Vol. 5, Pages 72-73, Image 343. 

om Tha, 

390 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Order Books, 1691-1718, Page 290. 

391 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Deeds, Vol. 6, Pages 38-39. 

392 Ibid. 

393 Ibid. 

394 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 5, Page 416. 

35 Ardath Jo Green reported that his wife was Susanna Grigg. We know that he mentioned a “Brother 
William Grigg,” and if that refers to a brother-in-law, could indicate that his wife was named Grigg. 
Although it could just as easily indicate that he had a sister who married William Grigg. Lewis Green, 
Sr. had a daughter named Susanna, but I am not aware of any reference that indicates this was his 
wife’s name. Green, Windows into Our Past, Vol. 6, Page 22. 

3% Lewis Green, Jr was a Guardian and Executor for Ephraim Parham in 1709. This suggests the 
Lewis was born before 1688. FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 5, Page 416. 
397 On 16 May 1740, he devised property to sons James and Burrell Green. FamilySearch.org., Surry 
County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 8, Pages 169-170. 

3% Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 54. The death of William Green was reported by James 
Jones. This date falls between the signing and probate of his Will. FamilySearch.org, Surry County, 
Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Page 635. He was granted and devised property by his father Lewis 
Green, Sr. FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 7, Page 599; 
FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Deeds, Vol. 4, Pages 243-244. 

5° See discussion and citations below. 

400 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 7, Pages 878-879. Granted property 
by his father Lewis Green, Sr. FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 7, Pages 
600-601. 

401 Library of Virginia, Land Grant dated 28 Sep 1732 for Peter Green, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007606600205756. 

402 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 520-522. 

403 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 53. 

404 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 168-169. In this document, 


Lewis Green of Prince George County, Virginia sold William Gilliam of Surry County, Virginia the 
remaining 200 acres of a 400 acre parcel that was patented by Lewis Green (father of this Lewis) on 22 
Feb 1724. The first 200 acres were given to Susanna Green in Lewis Green’s Will, and now Lewis 
Green, Jr., as heir at law, sold the remainder of the parcel to William Gilliam for £35. This is not 
definitive proof that William married Susannah Green, but it does make this connection likely. 

405 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 53. 


584 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


406 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Deeds, Vol. 4, Pages 239-241. This transaction notes that 
John Whittington was devised land by the Will of Lewis Green, Sr., and his wife was named 
Elizabeth. It seems highly probable that Elizabeth was born Green, daughter of Lewis Green, Sr. 

407 The Will of Lewis Green, Sr. named Mary Eppes, along with her children John and Francis. 
FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Deeds, Vol. 6, Pages 38-39. Annie Lash Jester, Adventurers of 
Purse and Person, suggests that Mary’s husband was Edward Epes, and that they had sons John, 
Francis, and Lewis. Jester, Adventurers of Purse and Person, Virginia 1607-1625, Page 163. I have not 
verified this research. 

408 Will of William Richardson in Surry County. Names wife Martha, and had land on Woodyard 
Swamp. FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 548-549. A 1723 land 
sale may suggest a family relationship: FamilySearch.org, Surry County Virginia, Wills and Deeds, Book 
7, Pages 479-480. 

409 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 7, Pages 641-642. Ephraim Parham’s 
Will was witnessed by Peter Green and John Whittington. It named his wife as Frances. We know 
that Ephraim Parham jointly owned land with a Water Mill with Lewis Green, Sr. Ephraim Parham 
and his wife Frances had a son named Lewis Parham. Given these connections, Frances may have 
been Lewis Green, Sr.’s daughter. 

410 1659 under the old Julian calendar. 

1 Fleet, Virginia Colonial Abstracts, Vol. 11, Charles City County Court Orders, 1658-1611, Pages 60-61. 
2 Ibid., Page 81. 

3 Eliza Timberlake Davis, Surry County Records, 1652-1684, Page 9. 

“Fleet, Virginia Colonial Abstracts, Vol. 10, Charles City County Orders, 1655-1658, Page 39. 

415 Edmund S. Morgan, Review: Headrights and Headcounts (The Virginia Magazine of History and 
Biography 1972), Vol. 80, No. 3, Pages 363, 366. 

416 [bid. 

“7 Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Page 351. 

418 Tbid., Page 344; Library of Virginia, 5 Feb 1656, Land Grant for Peter Green, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007606570205756. 

“19 Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Page 344. 

#20 Apr 1655—Col. Richard Meridale acquitted Mr. Peter Greene of a debt, witnessed by Francis 
Slaughter. Davis, Surry County Records, 1652-1684, Page 18; 3 Jul 1655—Deposition of Richard 
Warner, age 20, “that Richard Gossage did depart this life in the home of Mr. Peter Greene ... in the 
presence of him and Elizabeth Sawyer heard him tell Mr. Greene that Gossage would give, and did 
give him, Peter Greene, compensation to satisfy Green for his diet and trouble.” Davis, Surry County 
Records, 1652-1684, Page 18. 

“21 Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Page 312. 

“22 Davis, Surry County Records, 1652-1684, Page 39. 

#23 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Deeds, Vol. 5, Pages 44-46. 

44 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_ II_of England. 

#5 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia Cavaliers (historical). 

#6 Davis, Surry County Records, 1652-1684, Page 48. 

”7 Ibid. 

428 Ibid., Page 53. 

429 Ibid., Pages 57-58. 

430 [bid. 

431 Ibid. 

482 [bid. 


ps 


Ss 


Ss 


Ss 


585 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


483 Library of Virginia, 21 Feb 1663, Land Grant for Peter Green, available at: 
Iva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990007606580205756. 

434 Eliza Timberlake Davis, Surry County Records, 1652-1684, Pages 57-58, 79-80. 

435 Ibid., Pages 58, 80. 

46 Davis, Surry County Records, 1652-1684, Page 94. 

437 Ibid., Pages 64, 88-89, 102, 108 

438 Ibid., Page 108. 

489 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 6, Pages 81-82. 

440 George Randall III reported the death of William Rainey on 5 Mar 1769, at the age of 89 years. 
Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 116. This is likely the man who was guardian for Peter Randall 
1. 

441 Ibid. 

442 Ibid. 

48 Ibid. 

444 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Order Books, 1741-1744, Page 14. 

44 Ibid. 

446 Ibid. 

“47 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Registry, Page 156 (William Yarbrough and members of the Green 
family serving as baptismal sponsors for the Wynne family); Page 90 (Elizabeth Randall serving as 
sponsor for the Mabrey family). 

“48 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 7, Pages 519-520. 

489 Ibid, 

450 Library of Virginia, Land grant for Peter Randall, 28 Feb 1733, available at: 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/altrmk/alma990008116620205756. 

451 Ibid. 

452 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 10-12 

459 Ibid. 

454 Ibid., Pages 386-387. 

455 Ibid, 

456 Ibid. 

47 genfiles.com/articles/primogeniture-succession/. 

458 FamilySearch.org, Surry County Virginia Order Books, 1744-1749, Page 233. 

459 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 158. 

460 Davis, Albemarle Parish Vestry Book, 1742-1786, Page 103. 

461 bid. 

462 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book C, Page 3 

463 [bid. Peter Randall/Randolph IV married Frances Parham and died about 1786 in Sussex County, 
Virginia. FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book D, Page 412; Ancestry.com, 
Virginia, U.S., Compiled Marriages 1660-1800. 

464 Guardian accounts for George Randall/Randolph III end in 1749, suggesting he turned 21 in 1750. 
FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Order Books, 1744-1749, Pages 175, 375, 498; Order Books, 
1749-1751, Page 16. 

465 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book C, Page 3 

466 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Registry, Page 116. George and Betty Rutherford Randall/Randolph had 
at least six children in Albemarle Parish, including John Randall/Randolph IV (who appeared as John 


Randall/Randolph, Jr in the records), and frequently served as baptismal witnesses for members of 
this Randall/Randolph kin group. 


586 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


467 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 116. 

468 FamilySearch.org, Warren County, North Carolina, Wills, Vols. 4-5, Image 472. 

469 Olive Green was a sponsor of a 23 Dec 1759 baptism for Lucretia Tucker, and had her first child 
with Peter Randall (Mary Randall) on 1 Jan 1761. Thus she was almost certainly married in 1760. 
Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Pages 142, 116. 

470 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 158. 

471 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 4, Page 75. 

472 Ibid., Page 64. 

473 Nugent, Cavaliers and Pioneers, Page 117, available at: 
archive.org/details/cavalierspioneer00nuge/page/116/mode/2up?q=randall. 

474 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 6, Pages 81-82. 

475 Ibid. 

476 Ibid., Page 103. 

477 Ibid. 

478 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 386-387; FamilySearch.org, 
Surry County, Virginia Order Books, 1741-1744, Page 14. 

479 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Order Books, 1741-1744, Page 14. 

480 Ibid., Page 56. 

481 [bid. 

482 [bid. 

483 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Page 422. 

484 [bid. 

485 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Pages 21-22, 116. 

486 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Vol. B, Pages 239-240. 

487 Ibid. 

488 Ibid. 

489 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 116. 

490 In a 1747 procession in Albemarle Parish, James Cain and Robert Farrington processioned their 
district and renewed every property line, except that “between James Cain & George Robinson which 
the said George Robinson refused to have procession’d the reason was the former lines are Cut down 
And the said Robinson says the said James Cain hath removed his Land mark.” Davis, Albemarle 
Parish Vestry Book, Page 35. 

491 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Order Books, 1741-1744, Page 131. 

492 Ibid. 

493 Ibid., Page 133. 

494 Boddie, Albemarle Parish Register, Page 94. 

495 Ibid. 

496 genfiles.com/articles/wills-intestates-probate/; genfiles.com/articles/primogeniture-succession/. 
497 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 476-478. 

498 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Order Books, 1744-1749, Page 35. 

499 genfiles.com/articles/wills-intestates-probate/. 

500 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Order Books, 1744-1749, Page 35. 

501 genfiles.com/articles/dower-and-curtesy/. 

502 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 476-478. 

503 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Order Books, 1744-1749, Page 35. The 1744 Account 
submitted by Mary Randall showed an Estate balance of £60, 4 shillings, 6 pence, with expenses of 
£44, 7 shillings, 11 pence. That leaves a balance of £15, 16 shilling, and 7 pence. Although the numbers 


587 


Section IV, Part I: The Randolph and Green Lines 


do not line up perfectly, my interpretation is that 20 shillings, 7 pence was George’s share of the 
Personal Estate after he paid his mother £15 for her share of the slaves. 

504 senfiles.com/articles/wills-intestates-probate/. Based on the 1744 account, George Randall II’s 
Personal Estate had £60, 4, 6 after the Estate Sale, with £44, 7, 11 deducted for debts and expenses 
paid. That leaves £15, 16, 7. If widow Mary received a half share, that would leave £7, 18, 4 for the 
other descendants to split. 

505 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Page 635. 

506 Ibid. 

507 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Order Books, 1751-1753, Pages 12, 316 

508 Ibid. 

509 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Order Books, 1749-1751, Page 163. 

510 FamilySearch.org, Sussex County, Virginia Will Books, Book A, Page 13. 

511 Ibid. 

512 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, Book 6, Pages 81-82; FamilySearch.org, 
Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, Book 7, Pages 519-520. 

513 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 9, Pages 386-387. 

514 FamilySearch.org, Surry County Virginia Order Books, 1744-1749, Page 233. 

515 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 6, Pages 81-82. The argument that 
George Randall II was the unnamed youngest son of George Randall I is discussed above. It is not 
definitive, but seems highly likely. 

516 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Order Books, 1741-1744, Page 14. 

517 [bid., Page 56. 

518 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Wills and Deeds, No. 6, Pages 81-82. 

519 FamilySearch.org, Surry County, Virginia Order Books, 1744-1749, Page 35. 

520 See discussion above. 


588 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


J. The Tucker Line 


Edward Tucker | 
William Tucker | 


Edward Tucker II Elizabeth 


Margery Tucker 


Mildred 


Tabitha Dyson Roswell Dyson 


1. Edward Tucker IT (About 1782—After 1860) and Tabitha Dyson (About 1783- 


Unknown) 


Edward Tucker II and his wife Tabitha Dyson were the parents of Margery Tucker (wife of Peyton W. 
Randolph). From census records, we know that Edward Tucker II was born about 1782 in Maryland.! 
I have been able to trace the Tucker line from Tennessee back to Harrison and Bourbon Counties in 
Kentucky, and then to Frederick and Montgomery Counties in Maryland. The earliest ancestor that I 
can prove in this line is Edward Tucker I, the grandfather of our Edward Tucker II. Because Edward 
Tucker I had at least three grandchildren named Edward, I have used this numbering system to help 
keep them straight. 


Our first record for Edward Tucker and Tabitha Dyson (or Dison) is a marriage bond from April 1, 
1800 in Bourbon County, Kentucky.? Serving as a bondsman was Roswell Dyson, who was likely 
Tabitha’s father. Roswell Dyson appears on the 1790 census in Montgomery County, Maryland, the 


same area where our Tucker family originated. 


589 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


foturod® A ichs aAP2 


his 

Id and firmly bound unto 

ni efquire, Governor of mie 
>* to ¢ 

piecigls Aine Y fall Wath ‘ateh of oF Fy Peano cao ne 

reset “e d truly to be n de to our faid Gove L oegaher sai 

ment of which well and truly "chgncaliong, 
pe each of us bind ourfelves, and every . ved oe coy al nity es 


at. we 


KN ALL MEN b p Bese thefe : panaesat 


j° nt id ek auy firmly by thefe prefents, 

: é 107 “ 4) | see a ion age ; thortly intended to be 

I this obli ation is that w irl so. is 3 
condition of thi 1g ’ ga 


{olemnized styecn th papers Sound Forward 7% 4 coh a oa + ee | 
and Mydect ow if there is no lawful caufe to obfruct the 14 


$ chock fhall be ‘void, elfe to ome in full force and virtuc. . 


‘ WIC: ¢ 
“2 pnarriage, then thi 
ie ge 3 sl Cw ahd be, (Sesh) agp 


ee Sf bagrvele. oS [ely sanf. \s 


Edward Tucker and Tabitha Dison Marriage Bond‘ 


There are several men named Tucker who appear on an 1800 tax list for Bourbon County, specifically 
Alexander, Edward, John, Leonard, Samuel, Thomas, and William Tucker.> These men are all likely to 
be from our extended family, although given the repetition of these names within the Tucker line, it is 
difficult to know if the specific Edward Tucker mentioned here is our Edward Tucker II or one of his 
cousins of the same name. 


One of the themes of Edward Tucker II’s life, at least from the surviving records, is his habit of falling 
into debt. On April 1, 1803, Edward and William Tucker jointly signed a note promising to pay 
Dorcas Neale and Leonard Tucker £10, 13 shillings before the following April.© The debt was later 
assigned to John T. Langhorne, who filed a lawsuit in 1808 seeking to recover payment from Edward 
Tucker.” From later records, it is clear that William Tucker was Edward’s father, and the man co- 
signing Edwards’s debt here. Leonard Tucker and Dorcas Neale (maiden name Tucker) were the first 
cousins of Edward Tucker II. The extended Tucker family was involved in continued litigation in 
Bourbon County, Kentucky for more than 20 years, primarily over the Estate of Edward Tucker I but 
also over various debts to family members. While unfortunate for family harmony, the extensive 


documentation of these lawsuits provides excellent genealogical evidence. 


Sometime before his death in 1789, Edward Tucker I, the progenitor of this Kentucky Tucker family, 
gave his son William Tucker a 200 acre tract of land on Silas Creek.6 When Harrison County was 
formed out of the northern portion of Bourbon County, Kentucky in 1794, Silas Creek formed part of 
the border between the two counties.’ Accordingly, we see records for the Tucker family in both 
counties during this time period, with many of the mentions in Harrison County coming from our 
William Tucker branch of the family. 


590 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


In 1805, we see Edward Tucker II on the Harrison County, Kentucky tax list.!0 He was the only 
tithable member of the household, and did not own any land. In that same year, Edward incurred 
several more debts: for $30 to Leonard Tucker (co-signed with William Tucker),!! and for £35 to Dr. 
Elisha Warfield (co-signed with William G. Godman and William Tucker).!? Both of these debts 


resulted in 1808 lawsuits seeking to recover payment. 


On March 27, 1807, Edward Tucker II made a series of detailed promises to his extended family 
member Patty Tucker regarding the hiring of a slave named Billy. Edward promised to pay $30 to 
hire Billy’s services, and also to provide him with “two shirts, two pairs of linen overalls, one pair of 
shoes and stockings, one linsey hunting shirt, one pair of leather overalls, and the season of one mare 
to the horse Diomede.”'* When Edward failed to perform this contract, Patty sued in 1808. A writ was 
issued, and Edward posted a bond of $140 along with Roswell Dyson, promising to appear at the 
next term of the Court.5 The Sheriff was ordered to attach Tucker’s Estate for payment, but no 


property was found.!6 


The 1810 census shows an Edward Tucker in Harrison County, Kentucky, and I believe this was our 
Edward Tucker II.!7 There was also an Edward Tucker in Bourbon County, likely one of his first 
cousins of the same name.!* Edward Tucker was about 28 years old at this time, and appeared in the 
household along with his wife Tabitha.!? The couple had three white males under the age of 10. From 
later records, I can only account for a son John D. Tucker, born about 1810. So Edward and Tabitha 
may have had two older sons who either died before the 1820 census, or were old enough to be living 
on their own by that time.”° They also had three female children in 1810: two under 10 years old and 
one between 10 and 16. The eldest was likely our ancestor Margery Tucker, born about 1800. The 
younger girls were likely Mary N. Tucker and Sarah Tucker, who remained unmarried throughout 


their lives and continued to appear with their parents on the census. 


We already saw that Edward Tucker II was having financial troubles, and by 1811 he had moved 
away from Harrison County to Warren County, Kentucky. Warren County is about 150 miles to the 
southwest of Harrison, lying just north of the Middle Tennessee area where Edward would 
eventually settle. For five years, Edward Tucker II appeared on the tax lists for Warren County, 
Kentucky.?! He owned no land during this time, and started in 1811 with four horses. Edward 
appears to have slowly sold his horses, being taxed for three in 1813 and only one in 1816.” He does 
not appear on the 1817 tax list and had likely moved south to Tennessee by that time. 


A land transaction from 1814 provides further evidence that Edward and Tabitha Tucker had moved 
west to Warren County, and also provides solid evidence of Edward’s father and siblings. The selling 
parties to this transaction were “Edward Tucker & Tabitha his wife of the County of Warren and 
State of Kentucky” along with Samuel Tucker, Mary Jones, and the heirs of Sarah Godman (maiden 
name Tucker) of Harrison County, Kentucky and William and Elizabeth Tucker of Bourbon County, 
Kentucky.” The sellers collectively were the “heirs and representatives of William Tucker, deceased, 
of the County of Bourbon.”*4 The buyer was John B. Tucker, another child of William Tucker.”> Being 
sold was a tract of land on “Silas Run”, the same Silas Creek where William Tucker received land 
from his father Edward Tucker I. 


591 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


The details of the transaction are fairly complicated, but show the fallout from Edward Tucker II’s 
debts. The sellers stated that William Tucker originally gave “his oldest son Edward Tucker” this 
land which was then “returned back to the said William Tucker for the purpose of discharging the 
debts of the said Edward.”?¢ In essence, it appears that Edward Tucker II spent his inheritance before 
it was given to him by incurring large debts. William Tucker then sold the tract of land to another of 
his sons, John B. Tucker, for $450. However, William died before he could execute a deed. The 
surviving siblings apparently agreed that $600 was now a more appropriate price for the land, which 
is what John B. Tucker paid to his other siblings and their descendants.?”7 Compared to some of the 
complicated legal battles we will see later, this was a high point of cooperation and family harmony 


for the Tuckers, and shows that the descendants of William Tucker were on good terms. 


As a result of this sale, Edward Tucker II may have had a small amount of money to move his family 
and get a fresh start. On January 1, 1819, David Marshall sold Edward Tucker a plot of land in Wilson 
County, Tennessee for $100.78 This property bordered the southwest corner of “the schoolhouse lot” 
and based on the survey description, seems to have been one acre.”? The 1820 census showed Edward 
Tucker and his family in Lebanon, Wilson County, Tennessee.*° He owned no slaves, and the ages of 
the household line up well with the known members of his family.*! The only exception is the two 
white females under the age of 10. One must have been Jane Tucker, but I cannot account for the 
other daughter. A girl between 10 and 14 also appears on the 1830 census with this family, so I 
suspect this unknown daughter lived at least that long.** 


Unfortunately, it appears that Edward Tucker II found himself in debt again in short order. In 
connection with a lawsuit filed by Samuel Craswalt, the Wilson County, Tennessee County Court 
ordered a Sheriff’s Sale of the one-acre lot in Lebanon.* The notice indicates that this land was the 
property of Edward Tucker, “with a Carding machine and other improvements annexed to the 
same.” A carding machine was used to process raw cotton or wool to prepare it for spinning into 
yarn. During this time period, it was common for farmers and their households to also engage in 
textile production to supplement their income.*4 The economic “Panic of 1819”, triggered by lower 
demand for Cotton and resulting in a run on banks, may have contributed to Edward Tucker II’s 
troubles. The land was sold on August 5, 1820.%6 


592 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


A Slater Carding Machine from 1790” 


A few years later, it appears that Edward Tucker II re-acquired this same one-acre plot in Lebanon. 
On May 1, 1823, Robert Marshall sold a lot, with the same description as the 1819 sale by David 
Marshall, to Edward Tucker for $425.5° He appeared on the 1827 tax list for Wilson County, 
Tennessee with one acre of land.*? Edward Tucker II sold this lot and the adjacent wool carding 
machine again in 1827, to William W. Carter and James Frazer for $780.*° The Links of Our Family 
claimed that Edward donated land for the earliest school in Wilson County.*! That appears to be a 
misreading of these land transactions, since the one-acre lot bordered the schoolhouse lot by the time 
Edward Tucker II purchased it in 1819, and I have not found any records that he donated, rather than 
sold, the land. 


On March 16, 1823, the eldest daughter in the family, our ancestor Margery Tucker, married Peyton 
W. Randolph in Wilson County, Tennessee. Edward Tucker II continued to live in the Wilson 
County, Tennessee area. He appeared in an 1829 Land Entry book with 43 acres on the waters of 
Round Lick Creek.’ Son-in-law Peyton Randolph also owned a small three acre piece of land on 
Round Lick Creek.“4 Our Tucker family also appears on the 1830 census in Wilson County, 


Tennessee. 


As we saw above, it appears likely that Margery Tucker, wife of Peyton Randolph, died by 1836, 
when Peyton re-married to Mary “Polly” Anderson. This may have prompted Edward Tucker II’s 
move to Robertson County, Tennessee. Robertson is two counties to the northwest of Wilson County, 
but still in the Middle Tennessee area surrounding Nashville. Edward Tucker appears there in 1837 
with a plot of land worth $100.* The 1840 census also shows Edward Tucker in Robertson County.” 
Edward and Tabitha Tucker, along with all of their known, surviving children, can be easily 


593 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


accounted for based on the ages of the unnamed family members list on this census. However, there 
was also a boy between 5 and 10, and a boy between 10 and 15 that remain a mystery. As we saw 
above, Peyton Randolph had a least one boy between 5 and 10 living with him on the 1840 census 
that I can’t account for. Did this same child also move to live with his grandparents sometime during 
1840, ending up double counted on the census? Or were there even more children of Margery Tucker 
that remain to be discovered? 


NASHVILLE, Monday Evening, Oct. 21th, 5 o’clock, ~~ 


ONWARD IS THE CAUSE OF 


CLAY & FRELINGHUYSEN 


Glorious Whig Triumph!!! 


A Whig Broadside from the Republican Banner in Nashville, Tennessee** 


In 1844 we see evidence that Edward Tucker II was a devoted member of the Whig political party. 
The Whigs of Middle Tennessee held a convention on February 22, 1844 in Nashville. Appearing as a 
delegate to the convention from the Ninth District, Robertson County was Edward Tucker. “In 
numbers, character and aspect, the Convention was such as to make a strong and lasting impression 
upon all who attended it. We never saw any political assemblage marked by a higher enthusiasm or 
pass off in so unalloyedly agreeable manner.” The convention nominated Henry Clay of Kentucky 
for the 1844 Presidential election. “The Whig base of support was centered among entrepreneurs, 
professionals, planters, social reformers, devout Protestants, and the emerging urban middle class. It 
had much less backing from poor farmers and unskilled workers.”°° The Whigs were generally 
opposed to slavery, particularly against allowing new slave states to enter the Union. Edward 
Tucker’s exact political beliefs cannot be determined from his party membership. But we do know 
that he came from a family of devout Methodists, as we will see below. 


Edward Tucker II sold his lot in Springfield, Tennessee, in Robertson County, to C. F. Balls for $100 in 
1846.5! Given the sale price, this was probably the same land he owned in 1837. Edward and Tabitha’s 
sons both married during this time period. In 1848, son William G. Tucker married Susan Bassford in 
Robertson County. Edward Tucker II’s oldest son John D. Tucker had likely married around this 
time as well, since John D.’s eldest daughter with his wife Nancy Wright was born in 1847. This 
daughter was named Tabitha, after her grandmother Tabitha Dyson.® 


594 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


It was around this time that Edward moved a few miles west to bordering Montgomery County, 
Tennessee, which includes the city of Clarksville. We again see Edward Tucker II falling into debt, 
this time to his son William G. Tucker. On March 26, 1849, Edward Tucker made out a deed to his son 
William for 180 acres of land in District 5, Montgomery County, Tennessee for $5.4 In addition to the 
land was a long list of personal property, including livestock, household goods, and farming 
implements. “But this deed is made for the following uses and trusts and no other: that is to say, that 
I am indebted to said W. G. Tucker in the sum of $975 for work and labor done and for money paid to 
me and being desirous of securing the payment of said sum of money. Now if I pay the same on or 
before the 25' day of December 1850 then this deed is to be null and void, otherwise the said W. G. 
Tucker is hereby authorized to sell said property after giving 20 days notice to the highest bidder for 
cash and the proceeds applied to the payment of [the] said debt and the balance if any pay over to 


me.” 


The 1850 census finally listed the names for members of the family besides the head of household. We 
see that Edward Tucker was a 68 year old farmer living in Montgomery County, Tennessee. He was 
born in Maryland, as was his 65 year old wife Tabitha.** Living with this couple were their four 
unmarried daughters: Mary (40), Sarah (38), Jane (36), and Mazy (28). The daughters were all born in 
Kentucky. The last member of the household was Samuel E. Randolph, their 18 year old grandson.%” 
Edward Tucker II owned about 40 acres of land, worth $150, and owned livestock worth $125.58 
Directly next door to Edward and Tabitha was their son William G. Tucker, a 37 year old mechanic, 


and his wife Susan.°? 


Edward Tucker II continued to have financial troubles. An 1850 lawsuit filed by Joseph M. Dye 
against Edward Tucker and William G. Tucker resulted in the Montgomery County, Tennessee 
Chancery Court ordering that Edward’s 180 acres be sold. The land was initially sold to B.F. Moody 
for $325. Apparently, Moody was purchasing the land on behalf of Alva D. Cage. As we saw above in 
The Brewer Line, Dr. Alva Douglas Cage was related by marriage to the Moody family and was also 
associated with our Brewer line.*| He may have been the source of Sterling Cage Brewer’s middle 
name. When William G. Tucker informed Moody and Cage that he had an equitable interest in his 
father’s land (likely based on the 1849 deed discussed above), the two men sold him the 180 acres for 
$364 on August 13, 1852. 


By the time of the 1860 census, Edward Tucker was living in Cheatham County, Tennessee.® 
Cheatham was formed from parts of Montgomery, Robertson, and Davidson Counties in 1856, so 
rather than moving, the Tuckers may have simply been living in the area that became this new 
county. It seems likely that they would have lived near their Link and Brewer relatives, whose Oak 
Plains area homes were near the border of these three counties, on the road between Clarksville and 
Nashville. Edward (82) and Tabitha (81) are reported as several years older than we would expect 
based on the 1850 census. Reports to the census taker were often provided whichever family member 
could be contacted that day, so the ages are sometimes only approximate. The four unmarried 


daughters Mary, Sarah, Jane, and Mazy were living with their parents.® 


595 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


Edward Tucker II’s profession in 1860 was given as “Cabinet Maker.”® The Links of Our Family 
reports that “a family scrapbook says that he made furniture . . . . Handcrafted pieces of furniture 
inherited from the earlier generations give evidence of this specialty of the Tucker ancestor. My 
Murphy family has kept a child’s desk with was made for my mother.” 


Images of furniture from the Link home, thought to have been made by Edward Tucker.” 


On March 28, 1860, Edward and Tabitha Tucker granted a power of attorney to John D. Tucker, for 
the purposes of collecting their interest in the Estate of Tabitha’s sister, Margaret “Peggy” Dyson of 
Harrison County, Kentucky. Harrison County, Kentucky is about 250 miles northeast of Cheatham 
County, Tennessee which perhaps explains why this elderly couple nominated their son for the task. 
The records from Harrison County indicate that in April of 1860, either “Edmund” or Edward Tucker 
and his wife, through their attorney in fact “John B. Tucker” challenged the Will of Margaret Dyson. 
There is some ambiguity here, with “Edmond” instead of Edward appearing as the Plaintiff and John 
“B” Tucker (Edward Tucker II’s brother) instead of John “D” Tucker (Edward Tucker II’s son) serving 
as attorney in fact. It is possible there was a separate Edmond Tucker related to the Dyson family 
who took the lead on this lawsuit. But we do know that Edward and Tabitha were interested in any 
claim they may have had in her sister’s Estate, and the details of that Estate highlight the tensions 
around slavery just before and during the Civil War. 


596 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


Margaret Dyson first made her Will on September 7, 1832 in Harrison County, Kentucky.® In it, she 
declared that her slaves (Paulina, Harriet, Frank, Ann, Amanda, and Sarah) “should be set free at my 
Death and shall be set immediately at liberty free from the control and government of any person or 
persons whatsoever.”” By 1842, four more slaves had been born (Lucy, Jane, James, and Ane Louisa), 


so Margaret drafted a codicil to her Will including them.”! 


During this time period, the issue of whether slaves should be emancipated was a hotly debated topic 
in Kentucky. A Constitutional Convention was called in 1849 in the expectation of passing an 
amendment calling for the gradual emancipation of slaves in the state.” However, abolitionists 
underestimated the support of proslavery forces. The amendments which passed actually placed 
harsh restrictions on freed slaves. While owners were allowed to emancipate their slaves, the General 
Assembly was instructed to pass laws “to prevent them from remaining in this State after they are 
emancipated.”” “[A]ny free negro or mulatto hereafter immigrating to, and any slave hereafter 
emancipated in, and refusing to leave this State, or having left, shall return and settle within this 


State, shall be deemed guilty of felony, and punished by confinement in the Penitentiary thereof.” 


Faced with this amendment, Margaret Dyson added another Codicil to her Will on October 28, 1850. 
She noted the alteration in the Kentucky Constitution and directed her freed slaves to “go away out 
of this State.” “[F]or the purpose of enabling them to do so I hereby direct my Executor at my death 
to sell my land and all my personal property and everything belonging to me except my slaves . . . to 
be equally divided amongst my said emancipated slaves.” An 1849 Codicil which does not survive 
in the records had already freed slaves Frank and Amanda. An additional twelve slaves were listed in 


1850: Paulina, Harriet, Sarah, Jane, James, Eliza, Mary, Anne, Dolly, Julia, William, and Gwinny.” 


Margaret Dyson died before March of 1860, and some of her extended family members challenged 
the Will and the emancipation of the slaves. A lawsuit was filed entitled “E. Tucker vs. M. Dyson’s 
Devisees.”” The deposition of attorney John O. Hodges reveals that he drafted Margaret’s Will upon 
her request. Hodges testified that Margaret was about 38 years old when he drafted the first version 
of her Will, and was about 70 years old at her death.”* Hodges testified that Margaret Dyson was the 
daughter of Roswell Dyson, and had siblings George and Jane.” Although Hodges did not testify as 
to Tabitha Dyson, wife of Edward Tucker II, it seems probably that she was also a daughter of 
Roswell Dyson, since she was born about 1783 and Roswell signed the marriage bond.* The lawsuit 
primarily challenged the signatures of the witnesses to both the original Will and the Codicils, 
looking for some technicality that would allow the Will to be found invalid. Most of the witnesses 
testified that Margaret Dyson seemed to be of sound mind. 


One of the witnesses, James Tafferty, was not so straightforward. He testified that he signed the Will 
at the request of John O. Hodges and Margaret Dyson, but not without reservations. He asked to 
have the Will read to him, but “Hodges said she did not want what was written made public.”*! 
Tafferty then says he asked Margaret whether it was her Will and her answer was “she reckoned so.” 
Tafferty said that “he would not sign it on a reckon so. So she then said yes, it was her Will. She lived 
with her negroes, seemed to think as much or more of her negroes than anyone else, he says.” He 


supposed that Margaret “was as capable of making a Will then as she ever was. Supposed she was as 


597 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


competent to make a Will as most women in her circumstances. That she relied on her negroes, they 
traded for her. Frank, a boy she had free bought a tract of land for her, and the deed was made to the 


negroes, and this boy Frank was suspected in the neighborhood as not being very honest.” * 


After a lot of back and forth and an eventual trial, the Court held that Margaret’s Will was valid. The 
Tuckers appealed to the Circuit Court, but that appears to have been unsuccessful, because Margaret 
Dyson’s Will was entered on January 7, 1863*, and later that summer James King was directed to sell 
the property of Margaret Dyson, the proceeds of which presumably went to her former slaves.* This 
court case and the 1860 census are the last records I have found for Edward Tucker II and Tabitha 


Dyson. It seems likely that they died sometime before the 1870 census. 


Their daughter Mazy Tucker signed her Will on December 29, 1861, leaving her entire Estate to her 
sisters Mary N., Sarah, and Jane Tucker. Mazy’s Estate included a tract of land in Cheatham County, 
Tennessee. Her brother John D. Tucker and Alva D. Cage were the witnesses.8° On December 8, 
1871, Mary N. Tucker signed her Will. She left her interest in 150 acres of land on Parson’s Creek in 
Cheatham County, Tennessee to her brothers William G. Tucker and John D. Tucker.®” This may have 
been her share of the land that Mazy Tucker left to her sisters in 1861. However, Mary clarified that 
this land was “not to be divided during the lifetime of my sister Jane Tucker, but to remain a home 


for her as long as she lives.” 


In 1874, there was a petition filed in the Montgomery County, Tennessee County Court to divide 150 
acres of land among several members of the Tucker family.*? The petitioners were the heirs of “Sallie 
Tucker” who had died without a Will and had a one third interest in the tract of land. The exact 
details of who was entitled to what portion of the land are difficult for me to parse with access to only 
part of the Court records. However, it appears that Mary Neblett (born Mary Randolph) and John 
Randolph, the children of Peyton Randolph and Margery Tucker, were entitled to at least a portion of 
this land. Since four of Margery Tucker's sisters died unmarried and without heirs, it appears that 
part of Sarah “Sallie” Tucker’s interest in the land reverted to her parent’s heirs, which would include 


the descendants of Margery Tucker. 


Jane Tucker outlived all of her siblings by many years. On the 1880 census, Jane was living with the 
family of Samuel Albert Link, next door to our ancestor William B. Link.®! “Kept among family 
treasures were a few silver hammered or molded teaspoons. They were passed down to use from 
older Link relatives. The spoons were said to be from the Tucker possessions. Possibly they belonged 
to Aunt Jane Tucker, the last of her family, who made home with the Links during her later years.” 
Jane Tucker made her Will in 1895, and left her interest in 120 acres of land in Montgomery County, 
Tennessee to her nieces Mary J. Neblett and Amanda Link.® An obituary printed in The Links of Our 
Family reports that she was a devoted member of the Methodist Church and died on Jun 4, 1895 at the 


home of William B. Link in Thomasville, Tennessee.” 


598 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


Descendants of Edward Tucker II and Tabitha Dyson: 


iil. 


Vi. 


Vil. 


Margery TUCKER was born about 1802 in Harrison County, Kentucky® and died before 26 
Dec 1836.% She married Peyton W. RANDOLPH on 16 Mar 1823 in Wilson County, 
Tennessee.” 

Mary N. TUCKER was born about 1806 in Harrison County, Kentucky.% She died after 1861, 
likely in Cheatham County, Tennessee.” 

Sarah “Sallie” TUCKER was born about 1808 in Harrison County, Kentucky.! She died after 
1861, and likely around 1874, in Cheatham County, Tennessee. 1°! 

John D. TUCKER was born about 1810 in Harrison County, Kentucky.! He married Nancy 
WRIGHT, likely around 1845.19 He died after 1900, likely in Kentucky. '% 

William G. TUCKER was born about 1813 in Kentucky, likely in Warren County! and died 
after 1874.1 He married Susan BASSFORD on 14 Jan 1848 in Robertson County, Tennessee. 1°” 
Jane TUCKER was born about 1814 in Kentucky, likely in Warren County! and died on 4 
Jun 1895 in Thomasville, Cheatham County, Tennessee. 1! 

Mazy TUCKER was born about 1822 in either Warren County, Kentucky or Wilson County, 
Tennessee.!!0 She died between 1862-1867 in Cheatham County, Tennessee." 


2. William Tucker I (By 1757-Before 1812) and Mildred (Unknown-A fter 1815) 


William Tucker I and his wife Mildred were the parents Edward Tucker II. William was likely born 


by 1757.1 He appeared on a 1783 Maryland Tax Assessment as “William Tucker, of Edward.” In 


1783, William Tucker was living in Montgomery County, Maryland.' At that time, Montgomery 


County was divided into administrative districts called “Hundreds.” “While its etymology is unclear, 


[a Hundred] likely originally referred to an amount of land that could support a hundred families, or 


provide a hundred men at arms in wartime.”!4 The 1783 tax list placed William Tucker I in the 


Middle Potomac, Lower Potomac, and Georgetown Hundred area.'5 This section of Montgomery 


County is just north of the Potomac River in Maryland, with Georgetown being the same 


neighborhood that is now part of Washington, D.C. 


599 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


Hundreds in 1776 


Parr's Spring 


Patuxent River 


(Monocacy Ferry) 


{ a. 
Conrad's Ferry > 

e Mo an 
Poolesville 2 


1760 


Wm. Luckett's Ferry q << Beallsville 


Edward's Ferry > 
1791 


Key 


e@ Towns 
@ Fords 
7™~_~ Roads 


ow Waterways 
Division of Hundreds 


Northwest Branch 
Anocostia River 


Rock Creek 


Montgomery County, Maryland Hundreds''* 


Also appearing in the same area on the 1783 tax list were Alexander Tucker, two men named Edward 
Tucker, Jacob Tucker, Walter Tucker, and another man named William Tucker, Sr.1!”7 As we will see 
below, at least one of the Edwards was Edward Tucker I, the father of William Tucker I and his 
brother Alexander Tucker. 


It is possible that William Tucker I served as a solider in the Revolutionary War, but given his 
somewhat common name and the lack of detail in the records, I cannot be certain of this fact. A man 
named William Tucker served in the First Maryland Regiment in Lt. Charles Smith’s Company, 
commanded by Col. John H. Stone, from February 8, 1777 until April 3, 1779."8 The First Maryland 
was formed in the northern and western counties of Maryland, and was involved in several 
important battles throughout the war. A surviving Muster Roll of this William Tucker’s company 
does not show any other names that I can connect with our Tucker line. As we already saw, the 1783 
Tax Assessment showed two men named William Tucker in the Lower and Middle Potomac 
Hundreds Montgomery County area. There were also two men named William Tucker just to the east 
in the Rock Creek and Lower Newfoundland Hundreds of Montgomery County.!2° Given how 


600 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


common the name “William Tucker” was just in this small section of one Maryland county, it is 


difficult to confidently assign these service records to our ancestor William Tucker I. 


Edward Tucker I and several members of his family moved west from Montgomery County, 
Maryland to the Bourbon County, Kentucky area in 1785. An 1823 deposition of John Tucker, and of 
Edward Tucker I’s sons, provides a detailed account of this journey.! In the Spring of 1785, Edward 
Tucker I, along with his son William Tucker and son-in-law Hezekiah Speaks and their families, came 
to the home of John Tucker in Pennsylvania, near Redstone.!?? Hezekiah Speak had married Eleanor 
Tucker, the sister of William Tucker I.!% Edward Tucker was about 65 years old at this time, and this 
group of family members left Maryland and were travelling to Kentucky. This was a journey of over 
500 miles. John testified that Hezekiah Speaks and his brother William “were young and stout and 
Speaks appeared to be the driver of the team.” 4 


As we saw above, our ancestor Edward Tucker II was born around 1782 in Maryland. So as a small 
child in 1785, he took part in the long journey by horse and wagon to the Kentucky frontier with his 
father William Tucker I and grandfather Edward Tucker I. The Tucker family made it to the Bourbon 
and Harrison County area in Kentucky and began to set down roots. Edward Tucker I’s purpose in 
travelling to Kentucky was to secure land for each of his children. One of these purchases was for 200 
acres of land on Silas Creek, which he gave to his son William Tucker I. When Harrison County 
was formed from Bourbon County in 1794, Silas Creek became part of the border, and from later 
records it appears that William’s land was on the Harrison County side of the line. This area was later 


known informally as “Pleasant Green.” 176 


Edward Tucker I died by about 1789.!?” The lawsuits concerning his Estate would continue for over 
thirty years. This disharmony among the Tucker family is unfortunate, but it had the side effect of 
preserving many records that shed light on our ancestors, such as the deposition of John Tucker 
discussed above. On March 14, 1801, a Court Order from Bourbon County, Kentucky named the heirs 
of Edward Tucker I as Anne Clements, John Tucker, William Tucker, Alexander Tucker, Eleanor 
Speaks, and the heirs of Mary Tucker (who had predeceased her father).'8 An 1800 tax list shows 
several members of this Tucker family in Bourbon County, including a William Tucker who may be 
our direct ancestor.!2? This conclusion is complicated by the common practice of reusing names 
within the Tucker family. Edward Tucker I had three grandchildren named Edward Tucker and three 
grandchildren named William Tucker, in addition to his son William Tucker I. Given that our 
William Tucker I had land in neighboring Harrison County, the William in Bourbon County may 


have been one of his nephews. 


It appears highly likely to me that William Tucker I and members of his extended family would have 
attended the Cane Ridge Revival in August of 1801. Cane Ridge was the largest and most famous 
“camp meeting” of the Second Great Awakening, a spiritual revival that was sweeping the country 
during this time period. “There, huge numbers of people, together with dozens of ministers of several 
different denominations, came together in what some thought was the greatest outpouring of the 
Holy Spirit since the beginning of Christianity.”'°° The Cane Ridge Meeting House is only 15 miles 


away from the Townsend Creek area where the Tuckers lived. The Revival is reported to have drawn 


601 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


in up to 20,000 Presbyterian, Baptist, and Methodists from the surrounding area, up to about ten 
percent of the population of Kentucky.'! Given that many of William Tucker I’s descendants were 
closely connected with the Methodist Church, they likely experienced this great revival in Bourbon 
County, Kentucky. 


The 1810 census shows William Tucker I living in Harrison County, Kentucky.' There were three 
young men between the ages of 16 and 25 in his household. We know from later court proceedings 
that William Tucker I had sons Edward Tucker IT (who had married in 1800 to Tabitha Dyson), along 
with William Tucker II, Samuel Tucker, and John B. Tucker.'*° Those three younger sons were likely 
the males we see in William Tucker I’s 1810 household. William Tucker and his wife were the adults 
over age 45.154 William Tucker I also had two daughters who were married by 1810. Mary Tucker 
married John Jones in 1793, and was widowed when John was killed in a powder mill explosion in 
1809.15 Sarah Tucker married William B. Godman in 1802, and both died before 1818 leaving two 
young daughters, Charlotte and Elizabeth.'%* The 1810 census also shows William Tucker I with two 


slaves. 


William Tucker I died sometime before July 28, 1812. On that date, William Tucker II and Mildred 
Tucker, as Administrators of the Estate, submitted the results of an estate sale to the Harrison 
County, Kentucky Court.” This is the only indication we have that William’s wife was named 
Mildred. We have solid records for all of William Tucker I’s children, and they do not include a 
daughter named Mildred. A list of property “kept at the appraisement by the widow” shows that 
William was married at his death.'§ That makes it highly likely that the woman named Mildred 
administering his Estate was his widow. Many online trees report her as “Mildred Beale” but I have 
not been able to determine the source for this maiden name. The Beale family was very prominent in 
Montgomery County, Maryland, so this is certainly a possibility, but is not yet proven to my 
knowledge. 


The Estate Sale records show the usual mix of farming tools and livestock that would be expected for 
a farmer during this time period. There were several items that indicate that our Harrison and 
Bourbon County, Kentucky ancestor was involved in distilling the “Bourbon” Whiskey that this 
region of Kentucky would later become known for. William Tucker I owned 12 mash tubs, four 
bushels of rye, 150 bushels of wheat, 2 whisky barrels, and about 20 gallons of whisky. He appears to 
have been literate, since he owned 4 books.'39 Several names of family members appeared as 
purchasers at the sale, including John Tucker, Edward Tucker, Hezekiah Speaks, Mildred Tucker, 


William Tucker, Samuel Tucker, and Mazy Jones. 


As we saw above, William Tucker I’s land on Silas Creek was originally given to our ancestor 
Edward Tucker II, who was then forced to sell it back to his father (or his father’s Estate) in order to 
repay his debts. The land was then purchased by William Tucker I’s son John B. Tucker."4! 


A letter from the Bourbon County, Historical Society from July 22, 1869 provides further details about 
our Tucker branch, including the descendants of William Tucker I. The letter starts by providing its 


source as “Miss Tucker, of Boston, now visiting here, asked us to copy this letter from a scrapbook 


602 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


her cousin, Mrs. Renaker, of Cynthiana (in Harrison County, KY).”' The letter is signed by “B. N. 
Carter.” This account contains a few mistaken details, but in a broad sense captures the importance of 
the Methodist faith to our Tucker branch of the family: 


“This almost hallowed spot, known as “Pleasant Green,” situated on Townsend 
Creek in the lower or Northern part of Bourbon County near the line dividing it from 
[Harrison]'** County, Kentucky has many traditions, recollections and associations 
clustering about it which I have long desired time to speak of as they deserve. These I 
feel assured would be interesting to many of the descendant[s] of those who planted 
and nurtured Methodism in the neighborhood of “Pleasant Green Chapel” as well as 
others whose ancestors resided in that part of Bourbon three quarters of a century 
ago. Such traditions and recollections would if given, constitute such a part of the 
innocent curiosity, if it does not prove instructive and edifying. But necessary brevity 
compels me to confine this communication to almost a mere recital of names and 
dates.” 


“As early as the year 1784, three brothers, William, John and Alexander Tucker, 
accompanied by their aged father, Edward tucker, and Solomon Hoggins, emigrated 
from Maryland, near Baltimore, to Kentucky and settled in what is now the Pleasant 
Green neighborhood. They and their wives were Methodists. Here they planted 
Methodism, which for half a century had a greater moral influence than that of any 
other religious denomination in that locality. They were men who by their 
intelligence, industry and exemplary conduct proved the sincerity of their religious 
zeal and recommended the peculiarity of their faith to the notice of a respectable 


community.” 14 


The writer notes that in 1869, William Tucker II, the son of William Tucker I, was 80 years old and 
residing near Dry Ridge in Grant County, Kentucky. William Tucker II’s wife was Elizabeth Day, 
whose sister Mary Day married John B. Tucker. William Tucker II became a Reverend in the 
Methodist Church and was involved in the annual camp meetings near Townsend Creek and the 


1818 “great Pleasant Green revival.” 14 


“Nearly every one of the above mentioned persons I knew personally, and can testify 
that a better class of people is seldom, if ever, found. It was my privilege to visit the 
Pleasant Green Chapel often, in the capacity of an humble minister. There I met with 
and enjoyed the society of these men and women and their interesting families. 
Many of their names and features I cannot recall, but some were indelibly impressed 
upon my mind. Time seems to have passed away like a dream, the children of those 
who a few years ago were a living power in the church at Pleasant Green, have 
grown to manhood and womanhood, and became respectable and influential 


members of society; their fathers and mothers have gone to their homes.” 


603 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


Children of William Tucker I and Mildred: 


i. Mary TUCKER was born about 1775 in Maryland.'47 She married John JONES on 21 May 
1793 in Bourbon County, Kentucky.'* 

ii, Edward TUCKER II was born about 1782 in Maryland™ and died after 1860 in Tennessee. °° 
He married Tabitha DYSON on 1 Apr 1800 in Bourbon County, Kentucky.!! 

iil. Sarah TUCKER was likely born before 1784 in Maryland.!* She married William B. Godman 
on 14 Jan 1802 in Bourbon County, Kentucky.1% 

iv. Samuel TUCKER was born between 1785 and 1794, in either Maryland or Kentucky and 
died in 1832 in Harrison County, Kentucky.!° He married Matilda DILLS on 12 May 1831 in 
Harrison County, Kentucky.156 

v. John B. TUCKER was born 9 May 1786 in either Maryland or Kentucky and died 10 Aug 1838 
in Harrison County, Kentucky.” He married Mary “Polly” Day on 18 Apr 1815 in Bourbon 
County, Kentucky.!58 

vi. William TUCKER II was born about 1789 in Kentucky! and died after 1870, likely in Grant 
County, Kentucky.16 


3. Edward Tucker I (About 1720-1789) and Elizabeth (About 1720-Before 1789) 


Edward Tucker I and his first wife Elizabeth were both born around 1720. Based on the deposition of 
his son John, we know that Edward Tucker I was about 65 years old in 1785 when he left his home in 
Montgomery County, Maryland for the frontier in Bourbon County, Kentucky.'! A census of the 
Lower Potomac Hundred in Montgomery County, Maryland from August 22, 1776 shows several 
men named Tucker, including Edward Tucker, age 56, living with Alexander Tucker, age 21.1 We 
know that Edward Tucker I had a son named Alexander, and since the reported age in 1776 lines up 
with a birth year of around 1720, this must be him. 


This 1776 census was unusual in the sense that men and women were reported separately, not as 
members of their families. So in one section of the list we see Edward Tucker (56) and his son 
Alexander, along with several other Tucker families, headed by Walter Tucker (84) and Hezekiah 
Tucker (25). Then a few pages later, we see Elizabeth Tucker (56) listed with Eleanor (14).! We know 
from later records that our ancestor Edward Tucker I had a daughter named Eleanor (who married 
Hezekiah Speaks). Given that the Elizabeth Tucker here was the same age as Edward Tucker, and 
that each of them were living with one of the known children of Edward Tucker I, it seems highly 
likely to me that Elizabeth was the wife of Edward Tucker I and the mother of his children.'* 


A 1783 Tax Assessment shows several members of our Tucker family living in the Middle Potomac, 
Lower Potomac, or Georgetown Hundreds.'!® Of note are two men named Edward Tucker (one of 
whom must be our ancestor Edward Tucker I), Alexander Tucker, and “William Tucker, of 
Edward.” This William must be our ancestor William Tucker I. It is currently unclear to me if the 
William Tucker, Sr. listed here was connected to our line. Given the repeated use of the name William 


in this branch of the family, it seems quite possible that he was the brother, uncle, or perhaps even the 


604 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


father of Edward Tucker I. John Tucker, the other son of Edward Tucker I, had likely already moved 
to Pennsylvania by 1783, explaining why he does not appear on this list. 


We can make this last conclusion because of an amazing deposition that has been preserved in the 
Court records of Bourbon County, Kentucky. On July 31, 1823, a 75 year old John Tucker gave his 
testimony in a case regarding land originally purchased by his father Edward Tucker I.1°” John stated 
that prior to the year 1784, his father Edward resided in Maryland, while John lived near Redstone, 
Pennsylvania. In the spring of 1784, his father visited him in Pennsylvania and expressed his desire 
that John accompany him to Kentucky Territory. At this time, Kentucky was still part of Virginia, 
and would not become a separate State until 1792. John left his home in Pennsylvania and explored 
Kentucky with his father. 


“While on this journey and exploring the Country [my father] often mentioned that his object was to 
obtain land, and that he designed giving to each of his children who would come with him a tract” of 
land.! John and his father returned home. Then in 1785, Edward returned to his son John’s home in 
Pennsylvania along with John’s brother William Tucker I, his sister Eleanor and his brother-in-law 
Hezekiah Speaks and their families. “They had united their leaving, and all were removing and 
continued to remove together; [my] father was about 64 or 65 years old, and said Speaks and William 
Tucker were young and stout; Speaks appeared to be the driver of the team.” !” 


A Conestoga Wagon.!”! The Tucker Family May Have Used a Team of Horses or Oxen and a 
Similar Wagon on Their Journey from Maryland to Kentucky. 


Edward Tucker I and his travelling party arrived in Kentucky, and he quickly began purchasing land. 
On September 1, 1785, he purchased what he thought was 230 acres on the South Fork of the Licking 
River from James Garrard for £280.!” In later litigation over this land, it was revealed by a more 
accurate survey to contain closer to 273 acres.!7 John Tucker arrived in Kentucky the following year. 
During this time period Kentucky was still the western frontier, and tensions with the Native 
American inhabitants were high as white settlers poured into the area claiming land. John Tucker 


605 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


“built a cabin in his father’s yard (the times being very dangerous from Indians).”' During this time 
period, three generations of our director Tucker ancestors were likely living together along with other 


extended family: Edward Tucker I, his son William Tucker I, and his grandson William Tucker II. 


John Tucker testified that his father gave 150 acres of his land on the Licking River to his son-in-law 
Hezekiah Speaks, and reserved the balance for himself “which he thought would do him while he 
lived.”1”5 As we saw above, Edward Tucker I also purchased 200 acres in the same general area (on 
Silas Creek) and gave it to our ancestor William Tucker I.!7° On March 6, 1787, William and Sarah 
Hoy sold Edward Tucker another 400 acres in Bourbon County, Kentucky on Townsends Creek and 
the South Licking River.'”” This land was divided between Edward Ticker I son’s John Tucker and 
Alexander Tucker.'”8 John Tucker testified that his father never wrote out formal deeds for these gifts 


of land to his sons.!” 


As of 1786, Edward Tucker I had five living children as his heirs, along with five grandchildren from 
his daughter Mary Tucker, who had died sometime before 1785.1°° Mary Tucker had married 
Jonathan Tucker, and it is currently unclear to me whether this Jonathan was a cousin or simply 
shared the same Tucker surname. We have already seen that Edward Tucker I had sons William, 
John, and Alexander. His daughter Eleanor married Hezekiah Speaks. Another daughter, Anne 


Tucker, married William Clements and was still living back in Maryland.'*! 


Edward Tucker I acquired an interest in an additional 500 acres of land on the Licking River from 
Michael Cookendorfer.'** Cookendorfer had obtained a bond from Walter Beal of Montgomery 
County, Maryland, which obligated Beal to sell him 500 acres of land. Cookendorfer later assigned 
this bond to Edward Tucker I. In an 1802 Court case, Cookendorfer testified that Edward intended 
this land for his grandchildren, the children of his deceased daughter Mary Tucker and her husband 


Jonathan. !8° 


Edward Tucker I died in 1789 as the result of a tree cutting accident at the age of 69.'*4 In addition to 
livestock, farming tools, and household goods and furniture, an inventory of Edward’s Estate shows 
that he owned three slaves: a man named Will, an unnamed woman, and a boy named Adam.'* His 
son John Tucker administered the Estate, and an estate sale brought in over £158.18° The final 
settlement of the Estate shows that the Administrators needed to travel back to Maryland twice, for 
which they were reimbursed £30.18” We also see that Martha Tucker administered the Estate along 
with John Tucker, and that Edward Tucker I’s widow was due her one-third share.'8° It does not 
appear that Edward Tucker I had a daughter named Martha, so I suspect that this Martha Tucker was 
his second wife and widow after his death. It appears that all of Edward Tucker I’s children would 
have been with born to his first wife Elizabeth, since she was still alive in 1776 and their children 


were all born before that date. 


A March 14, 1801 Court Order named the heirs of Edward Tucker I as Anne Clements, John Tucker, 
William Tucker, Alexander Tucker, Eleanor Speaks, and the Heirs of Mary Tucker.'%° The Order 
described these individuals as the “Legatees” of the Estate, which implies that Edward Tucker I had a 
Will distributing his personal property. Technically, a legatee is one who receives personal property 


606 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


via a Will, while a devisee is one who receives land.! If Edward Tucker I did have a Will, Ihave not 
been able to locate it in the surviving records. Each child (or their descendants) was due over £37, 


with the widow receiving over £113.19! 


At the time of his death, Edward Tucker I owned about 1,330 acres of land on or near the Licking 
River in Bourbon and Harrison Counties in Kentucky.!* He had 230 acres from James Garrard, part 
of which went to his daughter Eleanor and her husband. He had 200 acres on Silas Creek that went to 
his son William Tucker I. He had 400 acres on Townsend’s Creek that was evenly divided between 
his sons John and Alexander Tucker. And finally, he had an additional 500 acres in the same area that 
was apparently intended for his grandchildren (through his daughter Mary Tucker). His daughter 
Anne and her descendants through William Clements also thought they had a claim on this land. The 
ensuing litigation over the next twenty plus years resulted from Edward not making formal deeds of 
his gifts, the lack of clear title to some of these tracts, and the ambiguity over exactly what land, if 
any, was intended for his daughter Anne Tucker.’ It also appears that the descendants of Mary 
Tucker felt slighted by the quality of the land they had received. 


The details of these lawsuits can be difficult to follow. The bottom line is that John and Alexander 
Tucker, after losing an initial lawsuit that would have required them to divide their 400 acre tract into 
six equal parts (one for each of Edward Tucker I's children), won their case on appeal and were each 
able to retain their 200 acres.1%* No one appears to have challenged our ancestor William Tucker I’s 
200 acres on Silas Creek. In 1794, the descendants of Anne Tucker and Mary Tucker signed a separate 
deed with Walter Beal and officially acquired the 500 acres that their father had originally tried to 
acquire back in the 1780s.!% In litigation over the 230 acres that Edward Tucker I purchased from 
James Garrard, it became clear that there were actually over 273 acres when properly surveyed. Most 
of this land remained with Hezekiah Speaks. John Tucker eventually purchased any interest that the 
children and grandchildren of Mary and Jonathan Tucker had in the remainder of this land, and he 
needed to pay Garrard’s Estate $106.25 for the additional acreage that was discovered. 


Children of Edward Tucker I and Elizabeth: 


i. Mary TUCKER was born about 17461” and died before 1785.1% She married Jonathan 

TUCKER about 1763.1% 

ii. John TUCKER was born about 17482 and died about 1834 in Bourbon County, Kentucky.” 

iii. Alexander TUCKER was born about 175572 and died in 1811 in Bourbon County, 
Kentucky.2° His first wife is unknown. He married Eleanor BERRY on 10 Aug 1808 in 
Bourbon County, Kentucky.2™% 

iv. William TUCKER I was likely born by 17572 and died before 28 Jul 1812 in Harrison 
County, Kentucky.2°° He married Mildred UNKNOWN.” 

v. Eleanor TUCKER was born about 1762.28 She married Hezekiah SPEAKS.” 

vi. Anne TUCKER married William CLEMENTS.?!0 


This completes my current knowledge of Hank’s maternal ancestors, and thus all of his known family 


on both lines. 


607 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


Genealogy research can always be continued as new materials come online or become more widely 
available. Existing records can be reviewed more thoroughly. Discovering a new person in the tree 
adds a new challenge: finding each of that person’s parents. In this way, a genealogist is never really 
done researching; they just give up on a particular line, for now. What started as a small book that 
was going to chronicle all the ancestors of both Henry Sterling “Hank” James and his wife Mary 
Hazel Noles has turned into over 600 pages of stories and research just on Hank’s line. It has been an 
amazing project, which increased my knowledge of our family, American history, and the practice of 


genealogy. With that, I have to give up on this line, for now, and move on to our other ancestors! 


608 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


References for Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


1 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Montgomery, Tennessee; Roll: 891; Page 174b. 
2 Ancestry.com, Kentucky, U.S. County Marriage Records, 1783-1965, Bourbon County, Image 267. 

3 Ancestry.com, 1790 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Montgomery, Maryland; Series: M637; Roll: 3; 
Page: 54; FHL Film No. 0568143. Roswell Dyson had two white males, four white females, and two 
slaves in his family in that year. 

* Ancestry.com, Kentucky, U.S. County Marriage Records, 1783-1965, Bourbon County, Image 267. 

5 Ancestry.com, Kentucky, U.S. Tax Lists, 1799-1801, Second Census of Kentucky, Image 315. 

6 FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Circuit Court Cases, Case No. 4808, Image 660. 

7 Ibid. 

8 FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Record Books, 1794-1800, Pages 296-315; Deposition of 
John Tucker: FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Circuit Court Cases, Case No. 13215, Images 
1823-1833. 

9 digital newberry.org/ahcb/map/map.html#KY. 

10 Janet K. Pease, FamilySearch.org, Kentucky County Court Records: Grant, Harrison, Pendleton, Vol. 14, 
Page 140, Image 323. 

1 FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Circuit Court Cases, Case No. 5138, Image 3388. 

? Ibid., Case No. 5244, Image 1258. 

13 [bid., Case Nos. 5138 and 5244. 

14 Ibid., Case No. 5459, Images 1185-1188. Patty was the second wife of Jonathan Tucker. Jonathan 
Tucker's first wife was Mary Tucker, daughter of Edward Tucker I. It is not clear if Jonathan Tucker 
was Mary’s cousin or other relative, or if they simply shared the same surname out of coincidence. 

15 Ibid., Case No. 5459, Image 1180. 

16 Ibid., Images 1185-1188. 

17 Ancestry.com, 1810 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Harrison, Kentucky; Roll: 6; Page 312; Image: 
Kym252_6-0326; FHL Film No. 0181351. 

18 Ancestry.com, 1810 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Stoner, Bourbon, Kentucky; Roll: 5; Page 220; 
Image: Kym252_5-0117; FHLM Film No. 0181350. This Edward Tucker owned a slave, providing 
further evidence it is not the same Edward Tucker who in 1808 was in Harrison County and had no 
property. 

19 They must be the adults who were between 26 and 45 years of age. Based on later census records, 
Tabitha was likely a year or so younger than her husband. 

20 An interesting land sale from 1821 may provide evidence for one of the sons of Edward Tucker 
listed on the 1810 Census. On December 1, 1821, Levi Tucker sold John Hickman 54 acres of land on 
Barton’s Creek in Wilson County, Tennessee. FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee Deeds, Vol. I, 
Page 116. As we saw above, both our Randolph and Link families owned land on Barton’s Creek. 
Could this Levi Tucker have been the eldest son of Edward Tucker II? Ihave not found any 
additional evidence that would prove this connection, so this is an area for future research. 

21 FamilySearch.org, Warren County, Kentucky Tax Books, 1811 (Image 660), 1812 (Image 751), 1813 
(Image 827), 1815 (Image 888), 1816 (Image 950). 

2 Ibid. 

23 FamilySearch.org, Harrison County, Kentucky Deeds, Vol. 4, Pages 305-306. 

24 Ibid. 

25 Ibid. 

26 Ibid. 

27 Ibid. 


609 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


8 FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee Deed Records, Book H, Page 293. 

29 The land was described as forming a rectangle with 15 poles on the long side by 10 and 2/3 poles on 
the shorter side. This makes 160 square poles, which appears to be equivalent to one acre. 
unitconverters.net/area/square-pole-to-acre.htm. 

30 Ancestry.com, 1820 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Lebanon, Wilson, Tennessee; Page: 391; 
NARA Roll: M33_122; Image: 353. 

31 1 white male under 10 (William G. Tucker), 1 white male 10-15 John D. Tucker), 1 white male 26- 
44 (Edward Tucker II), 2 white females under 10 (Jane and Unknown? Tucker), 2 white females 10-15 
(Mary and Sarah Tucker), 1 white female 16-25 (Margery Tucker), 1 white female 26—44 (Tabitha 
Tucker). 

32 Ancestry.com, 1830 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Wilson, Tennessee; Series: M19; Roll: 182; 
Page: 77; FHL Film No. 0024540. The youngest known daughter of Edward Tucker II and Tabitha 
Dyson was Mazy Tucker, who does not appear to have been born until about 1822. This unknown 
daughter could have died young, or lived and been married sometime between 1830 and 1840. 

33 National Banner and Nashville Whig, “Sheriff’s Sale” (Nashville, Tennessee 7 Jun 1820), Page 3, 
available at: newspapers.com/clip/110092939/sheriffs-sale-ordered-for-edward/?xid=637. 

34 Wood, Empire of Liberty, Page 704. 

35 Howe, What Hath God Wrought, Pages 142-143. 

36 FamilySearch.org, Executions of the County Court, Wilson County, Tennessee, 1802-1822, Page 306. 

37 Image from the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, available at: 
si.edu/es/object/nmah_1080980. Available under a Creative Commons Zero (public domain) license. 
38 FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee Deed Records, Vol. L, Page 328. 

3° FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee Tax Books, 1821-1826, Image 48. 

40 FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee Deed Records, Vol. L, Page 329. 

“1 Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 71. The book also notes that Wilson County 
has a neighborhood called “Tucker’s Crossroads” and attributes the prominence of our Tucker family 
in the area to this name. Based on my research, I think it is unlikely that our Edward Tucker II line is 
the source for this name. There were other, more prominent Tucker families in Wilson County and 
they likely settled at what became Tucker’s Crossroads. 

#” Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of Peyton W. Randolph and 
Margary [sic] Tucker, 16 Mar 1823, Wilson, Tennessee, USA. 

43 FamilySearch.org, Wilson County, Tennessee Land Entry Book, 1824-1844, Page 244. 

“4 Wilson County, Tennessee Land Entry Book, 1824-1845, Page 304 (provided by John Randolph). 

4 Ancestry.com, 1830 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Wilson, Tennessee; Series: M19; Roll: 182; 
Page: 77; FHL Film No. 0024540. 

46 Ancestry.com, Tennessee Early Tax List Records, 1783-1895, Robertson County, 1837, Image 23. 

47 Ancestry.com, 1840 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Robertson, Tennessee; Roll: 533; Page: 152; 
FHL Film No. 0024549. The slave listings on the facing page are difficult to line up, but I suspect that 
Edward Tucker is the listed near the middle with 10 total people and no slaves. 

48 Image in the public domain and available from the Library of Congress at: 
loc.gov/resource/rbpe.17500600/. 

49 The Tennessean, “For President, Henry Clay of Kentucky” (Nashville, Tennessee 23 Feb 1844), Page 
2, available at: newspapers.com/clip/20636250/m-m-andrews/?xid=637. 

50 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whig Party (United States). 

51 FamilySearch.org, Robertson County, Tennessee Deeds, Vol. 5, Pages 60-61. 

52 FamilySearch.org, Robertson County, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1829-1860, Page 55. 


610 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


53 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Sabine, Louisiana; Roll: 239; Page 122b. My 
guess is that John D. Tucker’s middle name was “Dyson” after his mother. 

54 FamilySearch.org, Montgomery County, Tennessee Deeds, Book Z, Pages 81-82. 

5 Ibid. 

56 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Montgomery, Tennessee; Roll: 891; Page 
174b. 

57 Ibid. 

58 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Census Non-Population Schedules, Census Place: Districts 1-4, Montgomery, 
Tennessee; Archive Collection No.: T1135; Roll 4; Schedule Type: Agriculture. 

59 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Montgomery, Tennessee; Roll: 891; Page 
174b. 

60 FamilySearch.org, Montgomery County, Tennessee Deeds, Book 1, Pages 584-585. 

61 Clarksville Weekly Chronicle, “Alva Douglas Cage, M.D.” (Clarksville, Tennessee 24 May 1879), 
Page 4, available at: newspapers.com/clip/53597177/clarksville-weekly-chronicle/?xid=637. 

® FamilySearch.org, Montgomery County, Tennessee Deeds, Book 1, Pages 584-585. 

68 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 4, Cheatham, Tennessee; Roll: 
M653_1243; Page: 205; FHL Film No. 805243. 

64 Ibid. 

6 Ibid. 

66 Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 72. 

%7 Ibid., Page 73. 

68 FamilySearch.org, Harrison County, Kentucky Deeds, Vol. 28, Page 182. 

6 FamilySearch.org, Harrison County, Kentucky Wills, Vol. H, Pages 379-381. 

70 Ibid. 

71 Ibid. 

72 explorekyhistory.ky.gov/items/show/180. 

73 1850 Kentucky Constitution, Article X, Sections 1 and 2, available at: 
wordservice.org/State%20Constitutions/usa1040.htm. 

7 Ibid. 

75 FamilySearch.org, Harrison County, Kentucky Wills, Vol. H, Pages 379-381. 

76 Ibid. 

7 The records of this case are available from the Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives. The 
case was filed in Harrison County, Kentucky, and appears to be case number 13798. I have viewed 


these files, which mostly consist of interrogatories and depositions challenging the signatures of the 
witnesses to the Will and Codicils. 

78 Tucker v. Dyson, Harrison County, Case No. 13798, Image 16 of 137, records available from 
Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives and viewed by the author. 

79 Ibid., Image 17 of 137. 

80 Ancestry.com, Kentucky, U.S. County Marriage Records, 1783-1965, Bourbon County, Image 267. 
81 Tucker v. Dyson, Harrison County, Case No. 13798, Image 80 of 137, records available from 
Kentucky Department of Libraries and Archives and viewed by the author. 

82 Ibid. 

83 FamilySearch.org, Harrison County, Kentucky Wills, Vol. H, Pages 379-381. 

84 FamilySearch.org, Harrison County, Kentucky Order Books, Vol. 31, Page 153. 

85 FamilySearch.org, Cheatham County, Tennessee Wills and Inventories, Book A, Page 359. 

86 Ibid. 

87 FamilySearch.org, Cheatham County, Tennessee Wills and Inventories, Book B, Page 51. 


611 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


88 Ibid. 

89 FamilySearch.org, Montgomery County, Tennessee County Court Minute Books, Vol. 28, Page 138. 

% Tbid., Pages 107-108. 

%t Ancestry.com, 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 4, Cheatham, Tennessee; Roll: 1247; 
Page: 43C; Enumeration District: 030. 

° Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 72. 

% FamilySearch.org, Cheatham County, Tennessee Wills and Inventories, Book C, Page 167. 

%* Murphy and McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 73. 

% This estimate is in part based on her 1823 marriage to Peyton Randolph and in part based on the 
Census records discussed above for her parents. Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, 
Marriage of Peyton W. Randolph and Margary Tucker, 16 Mar 1823, Wilson, Tennessee, USA. 

9° Peyton Randolph remarried on this date. Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, 
Marriage of Payton W Randolph and Mary McCartney, 26 Dec 1836, Wilson County, Tennessee. 

%” Ancestry.com, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1780-2002, Marriage of Peyton W. Randolph and 
Margary Tucker, 16 Mar 1823, Wilson, Tennessee, USA. 

% Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 4, Cheatham, Tennessee; Roll: 
M653_1243; Page: 205; FHL Film No. 805243. 

°° Mary appears as a devisee in her sister Mazy’s 1861 Will. FamilySearch.org, Cheatham County, 
Tennessee Wills and Inventories, Book A, Page 359. 

100 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 4, Cheatham, Tennessee; Roll: 
M653_1243; Page: 205; FHL Film No. 805243. 

101 Sarah appears as a devisee in her sister Mazy’s 1861 Will. FamilySearch.org, Cheatham County, 
Tennessee Wills and Inventories, Book A, Page 359. She is mentioned as Sallie Tucker, deceased, in a 
1874 lawsuit dividing up the Tucker Land. FamilySearch.org, Montgomery County, Tennessee County 
Court Minute Books, Vol. 28, Pages 107-108, 138. 

102 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 4, Cheatham, Tennessee; Roll: 
M653_1243; Page: 205; FHL Film No. 805243. 

103 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Sabine, Louisiana; Roll: 239; Page: 122b. On 
this Census, John D. Tucker was 40, and his wife Nancy was 25. They had two young children. When 
their son John H. Tucker died in Indiana in 1948, he listed his mother as Nancy Wright. 
Ancestry.com, Indiana Archives and Records Administration; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Death Certificates; 
Year: 1948; Roll: 04. 

104 John D. Wright appeared in the household of his son-in-law William S. Wright (incidentally, a 
shoemaker), in Boggess, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. Ancestry.com, 1900 U.S. Federal Census, 
Census Place: Boggess, Muhlenberg, Kentucky; Roll: 545; Page: 2; Enumeration District: 0068; FHL 
Film No. 1240545. 

105 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Montgomery, Tennessee; Roll: 891; Page 
174b. His father Edward Tucker II was living in Warren County, Kentucky during the period he was 
born. 


106 Involved in 1874 lawsuit over inheritance of Tucker land. FamilySearch.org, Montgomery County, 
Tennessee County Court Minute Books, Vol. 28, Pages 107-108, 138. 

107 FamilySearch.org, Robertson County, Tennessee Marriage Records, 1829-1860, Page 55. 

108 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Montgomery, Tennessee; Roll: 891; Page 
174b. 

109 FamilySearch.org, Cheatham County, Tennessee Wills and Inventories, Book C, Page 167; Murphy and 
McMahan, The Links of Our Family, Page 73. 


612 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


10 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Montgomery, Tennessee; Roll: 891; Page 
174b. This census suggests she was born in Kentucky, but if she was born in 1822, I suspect it was 
actually Wilson County, Tennessee. 

111 FamilySearch.org, Cheatham County, Tennessee Wills and Inventories, Book A, Page 359. Mazey's Will 
is among the 1867 Probate records, and was signed 29 Dec 1861. 

112 This estimate is based on the marriage of his daughter Mary Tucker to John Jones in 1793. If Mary 
was around 18 when she married, and her father William was around 18 when she was born, then 
William Tucker I was born by at least 1757. Ancestry.com, Kentucky, U.S. Compiled Marriages, 1802— 
1850, Marriage of Mary Tucker and John Jones, 21 May 1793, Bourbon, Kentucky. 

113 msa.maryland.gov/msa/stagser/s1400/s1437/html/1437mo.html. 

114 D.W. Rowlands, “How Different Parts of Montgomery County Used to be Divided and Named” 
(28 Sep 2018), available at: ggwash.org/view/68463/historic-place-names-in-montgomery-county. 


15 msa.maryland.gov/msa/stagser/s1400/s1437/html/1437mo.html. 
116 Map created by Dorinda Davis Shepley, MidMdRoots.com, available at: 


sites. rootsweb.com/~midmdroots/maps/mcmd1776.jpg. Used here with permission of the author, 
granted by email on 4 Jan 2023. 

17 Ibid. 

"8 Fold3.com, Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the 
Revolutionary War, available at: fold3.com/image/16859106?xid=1945. 

119 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_Maryland_Regiment. 

120 msa.maryland.gov/msa/stagser/s1400/s1437/html/1437mo.html. 

121 Deposition of John Tucker: FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Circuit Court Cases, Case No. 
13215, Images 1823-1833. 

122 Ibid. 

123 Ibid. 

124 Ibid. 

125 Ibid; FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Record Books, 1794-1800, Pages 296-315. 

26 sites. rootsweb.com/~kybcgs/church/pleasant_green.htm. 

27 FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky, Wills, Book A, Pages 24-26; Book B, Pages 103-106; 
Book B, Page 115; 

128 FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Order Books, Vol. C, Page 182; FamilySearch.org, 
Bourbon County, Kentucky Circuit Court Cases, Case No. 13215, Images 1866-1867, 1879. 

2% Ancestry.com, Kentucky, U.S. Tax Lists, 1799-1801, Second Census of Kentucky, 1800, Image 315. 
130 Wood, Empire of Liberty, Page 596. 

131 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cane_ Ridge Revival. 

132 Ancestry.com, 1810 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Harrison, Kentucky; Roll: 6; Page: 314; 
Image: Kym252_6-0328; FHL Film No. 0181351. 

133 FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Circuit Court Cases, Case No. 13215, Image 1879. 

134 Ancestry.com, 1810 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Harrison, Kentucky; Roll: 6; Page: 314; 
Image: Kym252_6-0328; FHL Film No. 0181351. 

135 FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Circuit Court Cases, Case No. 13215, Image 1879; 
Ancestry.com, Kentucky, U.S. Compiled Marriages, 1802-1850, Marriage of Mary Tucker and John 
Jones, 21 May 1793, Bourbon, Kentucky; Ancestry.com, U.S. Newspaper Extractions from the Northeast, 
1704-1930, New York Weekly Museum, Image 853. 

136 FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Circuit Court Cases, Case No. 13215, Image 1879; 
Ancestry.com, Kentucky, U.S. County Marriage Records, 1783-1965, Marriage of Sarah Tucker and 
William B. Goodman, 14 Jan 1802, Bourbon, Kentucky. 


613 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


137 FamilySearch.org, Harrison County, Kentucky Wills, Vol. A, Pages 297-301. 

138 Ibid., Page 298. 

139 Ibid., Page 300. 

40 [bid., Pages 297-298. 

141 Ibid., Pages 305-306. 

12 Saved to profile for Edward Tucker I on ChristensenJames tree at Ancestry.com, also available at: 
sites.rootsweb.com/~kybcgs/church/pleasant_green.htm. 

143 The transcribed version has “Bourbon” here which seems to be a clear mistake based on the 
geographical description. 

144 Saved to profile for Edward Tucker I on ChristensenJames tree at Ancestry.com, also available at: 
sites.rootsweb.com/~kybcgs/church/pleasant_green.htm. 

145 Ibid. 

146 Ibid. 

47 Based on an estimate of age 18 at her marriage in 1793. 

148 Ancestry.com, Kentucky, U.S. Compiled Marriages, 1802-1850, Marriage of Mary Tucker and John 
Jones, 21 May 1793, Bourbon, Kentucky 

149 Ancestry.com, 1850 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Montgomery, Tennessee; Roll: 891; Page 
174b. 

150 Ancestry.com, 1860 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: District 4, Cheatham, Tennessee; Roll: 
M653_1243; Page: 205; FHL Film No. 805243. 

151 Ancestry.com, Kentucky, U.S. County Marriage Records, 1783-1965, Bourbon County, Image 267; 
Ancestry.com, 1810 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Harrison, Kentucky; Roll: 6; Page: 314; Image: 
Kym252_6-0328; FHL Film No. 0181351. 

182 Based on an estimate of at least age 18 at her marriage in 1802. 

1583 Ancestry.com, Kentucky, U.S. County Marriage Records, 1783-1965, Marriage of Sarah Tucker and 
William B. Goodman, 14 Jan 1802, Bourbon, Kentucky; Ancestry.com, 1810 U.S. Federal Census, 
Census Place: Harrison, Kentucky; Roll: 6; Page: 314; Image: Kym252_6-0328; FHL Film No. 0181351. 
154 Ancestry.com, 1810 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Harrison, Kentucky; Roll: 6; Page: 314; 
Image: Kym252_6-0328; FHL Film No. 0181351. 

155 FamilySearch.org, Harrison County, Kentucky Wills, Vol. B, Pages 519-520. Samuel Tucker’s Will 
was signed on 13 Apr 1832 and probated on May of 1832. It named his wife Matilda, brothers John B. 
Tucker and William Tucker, and father-in-law Harmon Dills. 

156 Ancestry.com, Kentucky County Marriage Records, 1783-1965, Marriage of Samuel Tucker and 
Matilda Dills, 12 May 1831, Harrison, Kentucky. 

157 William Henry Perrin, History of Bourbon, Scott, Harrison and Nicholas Counties Kentucky (Chicago 
1882), Page 480, available on Ancestry.com. Information appears to have been provided by the 
descendants of John B. Tucker’s daughter Elizabeth, who married William G. Morris. Elizabeth was 
still alive in 1882, so this information may have come from her or family records such as a Bible. The 
dates may not be exact, but they do line up with the correct periods from primary sources. 
Ancestry.com, 1810 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Harrison, Kentucky; Roll: 6; Page: 314; Image: 
Kym252_6-0328; FHL Film No. 0181351. 

158 [bid.; Ancestry.com, Kentucky, U.S. County Marriage Records, 1783-1965, Marriage of John B. Tucker 
and Polley Day, 18 Apr 1815, Bourbon, Kentucky. 

159 sites.rootsweb.com/~kybcgs/church/pleasant_green.htm,; Ancestry.com, 1810 U.S. Federal Census, 
Census Place: Harrison, Kentucky; Roll: 6; Page: 314; Image: Kym252_6-0328; FHL Film No. 0181351. 
160 Ancestry.com, 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Census Place: Williamstown, Grant, Kentucky; Roll: 
M593_463; Page: 590A. 


614 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


161 Deposition of John Tucker: FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Circuit Court Cases, Case 
No. 13215, Images 1823-1833. 

162 Brumbaugh, Maryland Records: Colonial, Revolutionary, County, and Church from Original Sources, Vol. 
1, Page 186, available at: 
archive.org/details/marylandrecordsc01brumuoft/page/186/mode/2up?q=Tucker. 

163 Ibid., Page 191. 

164 The other Tucker women also appear on this page of the Census, with several adult women: 
Susanna (26), Elizabeth (28), Elizabeth (31), and Mary (35). There are also two young girls, Susanna 
(2) and Elizabeth (1). Ibid. My suspicion is that these are the spouses and children of either Walter 
Tucker (34), Benjamin Tucker (22), Joseph Tucker (25), or Hezekiah Tucker (25). Ibid., Page 186. It is 
unclear if these Tuckers are related to our line and which spouses belong together as couples. 

165 msa.maryland.gov/msa/stagser/s1400/s1437/html/1437mo.html. 

166 Ibid. 

167 FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Circuit Court Cases, Case No. 13215, Images 1823-1833. 
168 Tbid., Image 1823. 

169 Ibid. 

170 Ibid. 

171 Available at ExplorePAHistory.com and believed to be in the public domain, at: 
explorepahistory.com/displayimage.php?imgId=1-2-119. The image is captioned: “Farmer John 
Shreiner and his Conestoga Wagon, Lancaster County, PA, circa 1910.” Courtesy of the Landis Valley 
Farm Museum. 

172 FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Circuit Court Cases, Case No. 13215, Images 1841, 1852, 
1857. 

173 Ibid. 

174 Ibid., Image 1825. 

175 Ibid. 

1% Ibid., Image 1824; FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Record Books, 1794-1800, Pages 296— 
315. 

177 FamilySearch.org., Bourbon County, Kentucky Deeds, Vol. A, Pages 43-44. 

178 FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Circuit Court Cases, Case No. 13215, Image 1824. 

179 Ibid. 

180 Ibid. 

181 Ibid., Images 1830-1832. 

182 Ibid., Case No. 3106, Images 104, 115. 

183 Ibid. 

184 Tbid., Case No. 13215, Image 1828. 

185 FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky, Wills, Book A, Pages 24-26 

186 Ibid., Book B, Pages 103-106. 

187 Ibid., Pages 115-116. 

188 Ibid. 

189 FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Order Books, Vol. C, Page 182. 

190 legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/legatee. 

191 FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Order Books, Vol. C, Page 182. 

122 FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Circuit Court Cases, Case No. 13215, Images 1823-1833. 
193 FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Record Books, 1794-1800, Pages 296-315; 
FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Circuit Court Cases, Case No. 3106, Images 120-121; 
FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Order Book U, 1824-1826, Page 240; FamilySearch.org, 


615 


Section IV, Part J: The Tucker Line 


Bourbon County, Kentucky Circuit Court Cases, Case No. 4697, Images 1666-1667; FamilySearch.org, 
Bourbon County, Kentucky Circuit Court Cases, Case No. 13215, Images 1866-1867. 

194 FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Record Books, 1794-1800, Pages 296-315; 
FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Circuit Court Cases, Case No. 3106, Images 120-121. 

19 FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Record Books, 1794-1800, Pages 311-313. As part of 
their complaint, these descendants appear to have argued that this deed was fraudulently made 
without their knowledge. It is unclear to me if the Court ever rendered an opinion on that claim. 

196 FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Circuit Court Cases, Case No. 13215, Images 1866-1867. 
To keep things confusing, William and James Hoggins, two of the daughters of Milly Hoggins, dec, 
and grandchildren of Mary Tucker, did not sell their interest to John Tucker. Their interest was one 
eighth each of a one fifth part of Mary Tucker’s share (Mary had five children, and Milly had eight 
children). 

17 Brumbaugh, Maryland Records: Colonial, Revolutionary, County, and Church from Original Sources, Vol. 
1, Page 203, available at: 
archive.org/details/marylandrecordsc01brumuoft/page/186/mode/2up?q=Tucker. 

198 FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Circuit Court Cases, Case No. 13215, Images 1823-1833. 
199 Ibid. Marriage date estimated based on age of oldest son on 1776 Census. 

200 [bid., Case No. 13215, Images 1823-1833. 

201 FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Wills, Vol. J, Pages 482-483. 

202 Brumbaugh, Maryland Records: Colonial, Revolutionary, County, and Church from Original Sources, Vol. 
1, Page 186, available at: 
archive.org/details/marylandrecordsc01brumuoft/page/186/mode/2up?q=Tucker. 

203 FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Wills, Vol. D, Pages 220-222. Signed 15 Nov 1811 and 
proved Dec 1811. 

204 Ancestry.com, Kentucky, U.S. County Marriage Records, 1783-1965, Marriage of Alexander Tucker 
and Elenor Berry, 10 Aug 1808, Bourbon, Kentucky. 

205 This estimate is based on the marriage of his daughter Mary Tucker to John Jones in 1793. If Mary 
was around 18 when she married, and her father William was around 18 when she was born, then 
William Tucker I was born by at least 1757. Ancestry.com, Kentucky, U.S. Compiled Marriages, 1802— 
1850, Marriage of Mary Tucker and John Jones, 21 May 1793, Bourbon, Kentucky. 

206 FamilySearch.org, Harrison County, Kentucky Wills, Vol. A, Pages 297-301. 

207 Ibid. 

208 Brumbaugh, Maryland Records: Colonial, Revolutionary, County, and Church from Original Sources, Vol. 
1, Page 191, available at: 
archive.org/details/marylandrecordsc01brumuoft/page/186/mode/2up?q=Tucker. 

209 FamilySearch.org, Bourbon County, Kentucky Circuit Court Cases, Case No. 13215, Images 1823-1833. 
210 Ibid. 


616 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


In order to sort out the possible ancestry of John Brewer of Hertford County, it makes sense to look at 
the line of John Brewer I, an early colonist in Virginia from London, England. I will note at the outset 
that I disagree with the conclusions of several other Brewer researchers, notably Marvin Broyhill, Ben 
Brewer, and at times also Foy Varner (although his work has been critical to my own understanding 
of this line in several places). That disagreement should not be taken as a dismissal or lack of respect 
for their work and original research. But I do believe that a re-examination of the evidence with a 


fresh eye can lend some clarity to this confusing line. 


Note that unlike the rest of this work, this section starts with John Brewer I (born about 1595) and 
traces his descendants forward toward the present time. The theories presented here are more 
speculative and there are fewer definitive references to primary sources. While I cannot connect this 
Brewer line to our main tree, I have done a substantial amount of research, and want to capture that 
work for the benefit of other Brewer researchers, current and future. Everything presented below 


should be approached as a tentative theory to be either proved or disproved with further evidence. 


A. John Brewer I (About 1595—About 1635) and Mary Drake 


Throughout this section, the numbers such as “I” or “II” are those used by Marv Broyhill to keep 
track of the similarly named men in the Brewer family. They are not suffixes that would have been 
used by these men during their lives. Note also that aman named “III” is not always the son of a man 
named “II”. Although it can be confusing, I believe that even greater confusion would result from 


abandoning this convention used by other Brewer researchers. 


John Brewer I was born about 1595 in London, England.! His father was named Thomas Brewer. 
Thomas was named in John Brewer I’s 1631 Will as his father. Many of the later Thomas Brewers we 
see throughout southern Virginia were likely named in honor of this man. John Brewer I was a 
prosperous London merchant. Sometime before 1630, John Brewer I and his wife Mary immigrated to 


Virginia colony with their children. 


In 1629, John Brewer I acquired 1,000 acres of land from Thomas Flint in Stanley Hundred on 
Mulberry Island.? Stanley Hundred was founded by Sir George Yeardley on a strip of land called 
Mulberry Island, in what is now Newport News, Virginia.* Not a true island, this peninsula of land 
lies between the Warwick River to the east and the much larger James River to the west. The Stanley 
name apparently came from the ancestors of George Yeardley’s wife, Lady Temperance Flowerdew. 
Yeardley wanted to establish a town at Stanley Hundred, but died in 1627. Yeardley’s widow sold 
Stanley Hundred to Captain Thomas Flint in 1628, and Flint appears to have re-sold at least part of it 


to John Brewer I in the same year. 


617 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


John Brewer I died fairly young, a few years after moving to Virginia. He signed his Will on 
September 4, 1631 and likely died around 1633-1635. The Will was returned to London where it was 
probated. John made the following devises and bequests: 


e To his father Thomas Brewer, eight pounds a year for the rest of his life. 

e To his son John Brewer (II), his plantation called “Stanley Hundred” also “Brewer's 
Borough.” One third of the profits of that plantation were reserved for his wife Mary, 
along with one third of his goods and chattels. 

e To his son Roger Brewer and daughter Margaret Brewer he left 40 pounds each, 
payable at marriage or age 21. 

e To his brother Thomas Brewer he left 40 shillings, along with 10 shillings to each of 
Thomas’ children, John Brewer I’s nieces and nephews. 

e The residue of his Estate was left to his three children John, Roger, and Margaret, 
“but as they are now young, I appoint my wife Mary and my loving Uncle Roger 
Drake, citizen and clothmaker of London, to be overseers and guardians of my 


children; to each of them 40 shillings to buy them a ring.” 


From baptismal records, Brewer researchers have concluded that there were other children not 
named in the Will: Mary, Anne, and William. It is assumed that these children died prior to their 
father. John Brewer II appears to be the eldest son and received the bulk of the Estate. 


Mary, widow of John Brewer I, would have two short marriages after his death. She remarried to 
Rev. Thomas Butler by the middle of 1635. On June 11, 1635, Thomas Butler received land as the 
husband of John’s widow Mary.5 This was not the land in Stanley Hundred, but instead a different 
1,000 acres located across the James River “which had been obtained by headrights earned by John I 
for the transport of himself, his wife, and eighteen other people.”® This land was called Brewer’s Neck 


plantation. 


There is a Brewer’s Creek that starts in Isle of Wight County, and then runs south and east into the 
Chuckatuck Creek in Nansemond County, which drains into the much larger James River. From the 
patent, it appears that Brewer’s Neck was located in Nansemond County, right along the border with 
Isle of Wight County and on the south side of Brewer’s Creek. The exact border between the two 
counties was apparently disputed until 1674.7 There are several spots that form a “neck” of land 
between the various creeks and rivers in this area. The patent language is a bit ambiguous, but the 
general area can be seen on a map.*® This land was likely subdivided later and did not stay intact as 


one plantation. 


It appears that Thomas Butler died by 1637. Butler’s Will was proved by his friends Thomas and 
Mary Flint, the same couple that earlier sold Stanley Hundred to John Brewer I in 1628.9 Having no 
heirs, the land Butler obtained through his brief marriage to Mary (Brewer), widow of John Brewer I, 
may have reverted to John Brewer I’s children. Remember that the three surviving children of John 
Brewer I were John Brewer II, Margaret Brewer, and Roger Brewer. It seems that they would have all 


had an interest in “Brewer’s Neck”, located on the border of Isle of Wight and Nansemond Counties. 


618 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


Mary (Brewer) married again in 1638, this time to John Lewin.'° Her new husband again obtained 
land due to the actions of her previous spouse. On May 6, 1638 John Lewin was granted 500 acres in 
Upper Norfolk County (which became Nansemond). This land was due in right of Mary his wife, late 


the wife of Thomas Butler, who transferred himself and nine others.!! 


Mary seems to have had tragic luck in husbands; John Lewin also died on 20 Jul 1639. Between 1634 
and 1639, Mary (Brewer) had three husbands die in short succession. Around the time of his death, a 
land grant was recorded for John Lewin, granting 200 acres in Isle of Wight County, adjacent to his 
own land. Was this adjacent to his existing 500 acres in Upper Norfolk? That could mean it was close 
to Brewer's Neck, or even added to it, since that plantation was also located near the border of the 
two counties. This grant was for the transportation of four people. When John Lewin died, his brother 
Thomas Lewin transferred these 200 acres to Tristram Nosworthy, who in turn assigned it to Moore 


Fontleroy.!5 


I am not sure how this marriage to John Lewin impacted the ownership status of Brewer’s Neck. Did 
the land revert to John Brewer’s surviving heirs when Thomas Butler died, or did ownership stay 
with Mary and transfer to her new husband John Lewin? And if so, what happened after Lewin died? 
Presumably it finally did revert to Mary and the surviving children if it hadn’t already. 


Children of John Brewer I and Mary Drake: 


i. Ann BREWER was born about 1616 and likely died before 1631. 
iii John BREWER II was born about 1619 and died about 1669. 
iii. | Mary BREWER was born about 1620. 
iv. William BREWER was born about 1621 and likely died before 1631. 
v. | Margaret BREWER was born about 1623 and died about 1671. 
vi. | Roger BREWER was born about 1624. 


B. John Brewer II (About 1619-Before 1669) and Ann (Unknown-—After 
1700, Before 1718) 


John Brewer II was born about 1619 in London.’ When his father died around 1636 John II inherited 
the Warwick County, Virginia plantation called Brewer's Borough, which was part of Stanley 
Hundred. Later in life there is evidence that he primarily lived in Isle of Wight and Nansemond 
Counties, which are across the James River. That land was almost certainly the Brewer’s Neck 
plantation. But there are still several documents that indicate he maintained connections to the 
Warwick County area for many years. John II was married to a woman named Ann or Anne. Her last 


name may have been Reade, although that is uncertain.'° 


On July 1, 1643, John Brewer made a lease to Eusebius Williams in Warwick County.!” On the back of 
the lease was written a power of attorney. John Brewer ordained his friend John Smith to be his 


lawful attorney to recover against Williams all such matters which were due to him from 


619 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


nonperformance of the lease written on the other side. John Brewer II signed this document on 
January 9, 1650. It is possible that John created this power of attorney in 1650 because he was 
generally living on the Brewer’s Neck plantation across the James River and would not be able to 


conveniently manage his legal interests back in Warwick County. 


Another document from 1650 involves Moore Fontleroy, the man mentioned above who acquired 200 
acres of John Lewin’s land. This document, which is only available in a transcription, is difficult to 
interpret. It claimed to be a list of “bills, bonds, and accounts” left by Anselme Poynton in the name 
of Capt. Moore Fontleroy (spelled Fantlroy here), Gentleman, living in Virginia on Royes Rest.!8 
Poynton appears to have been a resident of London. One of the accounts is listed as “By John Brewer” 
for 139 pounds of tobacco. Fontleroy has a much larger obligation of 9,357 pounds of tobacco. On the 
back of the document, Fontleroy appeared to acknowledge receipt of Poynton’s bill, and promised to 
pay him the full 9,357 pounds of good merchantable Virginia tobacco and cask as one payment. He 
said he was living at the mouth of Chuckatucke Creek. This was the same general area as Brewer's 
Neck. 


On December 9, 1656, John Brewer II acquired an additional 300 acres in Stanley Hundred near his 
existing property.!? John Brewer was described as a gentleman living in Isle of Wight County. This 
land was originally patented by George Lobb in 1653 and then sold to John Brewer for 3,000 pounds 


of tobacco. 


There is a record of a lawsuit in the Virginia House of Burgesses between Plaintiffs Lt. Col. Miles 
Cary and Mr. John Brewer and Defendant Mr. John Harlowe. Based on the military career of Miles 
Cary, this suit was likely between 1657 and 1660, when he held the Lt. Col. title.2° That means the 
Brewer man here was John II, since John Brewer I had died around 1635. The suit was apparently in 
regards to “fifty acres of common, granted to Stanley Hundred in 1631.”?! It appears that Cary and 
Brewer were successful in their suit, and the fifty acres were considered to be part of Stanley 
Hundred. That brings the total acreage of the Brewer land in Stanley Hundred, Warwick County to 
1,350 acres. This consists of the original 1,000 purchased by John Brewer I, the 300 acres obtained in 
1656, and now these fifty acres from the lawsuit. 


The modern historical marker for Stanley Hundred, located in Mulberry Island, states that by the 
1660s the land was acquired by the Cary family.” It is helpful to remember that Stanley Hundred was 
a large area, not a single plantation. If the Cary family acquired the Brewer portion of Stanley 
Hundred, it would not have been until the very end of that decade, since John Brewer II granted land 
in Stanley Hundred to his son John Brewer III at his death.?? Those wishes do not appear to have been 
officially recorded until 1669, when John II’s sister Margaret testified that John Brewer III was to 
inherit the Stanley Hundred land. Miles Cary, the immigrant ancestor of that family, died on June 10, 
1667. Miles Cary owned over 2,200 acres of land in Warwick County.” If the Stanley Hundred land 
was not sold until after the 1669 proceeding then one of the four Cary sons, who were also large 


landowners in the area, may have acquired it. 


620 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


However, as discussed below, there is evidence that the Brewer family controlled land in the Stanley 
Hundred area until at least 1704. I believe Miles Cary likely acquired a different part of Stanley 
Hundred. Miles Cary’s 1667 Will gave his son William Cary “the land which lyeth up the Warwick 
River formerly belonging unto Capt. Thomas Flint and since purchased by me.”?6 Thomas Flint 
patented more than one tract of land in Warwick County, so this does not necessarily refer to John 
Brewer II’s land. In addition to the 1,000 acres acquired in 1628 and immediately transferred to John 
Brewer I, Flint also obtained 850 acres on March 1, 1637.” This was likely the land purchased by Miles 
Cary and devised to William Cary in 1667. 


Many years later, descendants of this Miles Cary family can be found in Southampton County, 
Virginia. An attorney named Miles Cary shows up repeatedly in the Southampton County court 
records. In 1766, he drafted his Will. Among other land holdings, he devised his “Warwick County” 
land to his son, also named Miles Cary.?* Another member of this family was James Cary.” He owned 
land on the Nottoway River in Nansemond and Isle of Wight Counties.*° Interestingly, there is a 
“Carys Bridge Road” that crosses the Nottoway River just south of Three Creeks in Southampton 
County (formerly Isle of Wight). It is possible that James Cary or one of his relatives owned land and 
built a bridge very near to the land owned by John Brewer of Hertford County. While this, by itself, 
does not show a definite family connection between John of Hertford and the Carys (or John Brewer 
I’s line), it does demonstrate the general pattern of migration from the original settlements in 
Warwick County, across the James River, and then further south and west into newly opened land. 


The descendants of John Brewer I followed a similar path. 


On February 4, 1664, it appears that John Brewer II was involved in an argument with a man named 
Thomas Pool. “Thomas Pitt, aged 28 years sayeth that on the 4'* of the present month of Feb. he was 
at the house of Mr. John Marshall, in a room with Mr. John Brewer and Thomas Pool came in 
contrary to the will and desire of Mr. Brewer and a quarrel between Mr. Brewer and Pool ensued. 
Arthur Skinner, aged 31, deposed concerning the difficulty between Pool and Brewer.”*! The 
discussion below indicates that Thomas Pitt owned land adjacent to John Brewer II. Arthur Skinner 


was the husband of Margaret Brewer, making him John Brewer II’s brother-in-law.” 


We don’t know the nature of the dispute between Pool and Brewer in 1664. It appears that John 
Brewer II was involved in another dispute in the same year. A summary of court proceedings in Isle 
of Wight states that “John Bond, aged 45, deposed in favor of John Askew, said Thomas Gross at an 
Orphans Court heard Mr. John Brewer revile John Askew and his wife aided Brewer’s sister-in-law 
when she ran away.”* This suggests that John Brewer II’s wife Ann had a sister, and she may have 
had a connection to either the Bond or Gross family.*4 This record establishes that John Brewer II was 
alive at least until 1664. 


John Brewer II died sometime before 1669 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia. The abstract of an estate 
appraisal document found in the Isle of Wight Court records indicates that the appraisal was taken 
on June 14, 1662. This date is likely to be in error based on the evidence above.* John Brewer II likely 
died sometime before 1669 when his nuncupative (i.e., verbal) Will was entered in court by his 


widow.*° I have not seen any evidence for the age of his wife Ann. However, because she would 


621 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


remarry and have additional children, I believe it is likely that Ann was significantly younger than 
her husband, who was in his early 40s when he died. John II died without a written will, but did 
leave verbal instructions with his sister Margaret Brewer (now Skinner).*” About seven years after his 
death, Margaret testified that: 


e John’s son John Brewer (III) should have 2/3 of his land at Stanley Hundred. 

e John’s son Thomas Brewer (I) should receive the 250 acres of land where his father 
lived. (This devise could be read as land where Thomas Brewer I lived, but that 
seems less likely to me). 

e John’s wife Ann was to retain 1/3 of Stanley Hundred given to John Brewer (III) and 
also 1/3 of the land give to Thomas Brewer (I). It is not clear if this is 1/3 of the profits, 
or 1/3 of the land itself. When she remarried to Anthony Holliday, it is not clear if she 


would have given up these 1/3 interests. 


Similar to an oral contract, which is sometimes referred to as “worth only the paper it is written on,” 
a nuncupative will can be problematic. Some researchers have concluded that John IIT and Thomas I 
were the only children of John Brewer II. I do not think we can definitively make that conclusion, 
although it does seem likely to me that they were his only surviving sons. The verbal Will seems 
focused on the transfer of John’s large land holdings. It is quite possible that he had other children, 
particularly daughters who did not inherit land.** According to Boddie, “John Brewer II left a very 
large estate which was valued at eighty-seven thousand six hundred and twenty-one pounds of 
tobacco, the standard of valuation then used in the colony. It included £155 in gold and silver money, 


and seventy-eight ounces of valuable plate.”*? 


A man named James Valentine also testified to John Brewer II’s nuncupative Will, confirming 
Margaret's testimony.“ James Valentine was 24 years old at this time, and later sold land to Anthony 
Holliday, the second husband of John Brewer II’s widow Ann. If John II actually died around 1662, 
then Valentine would have only been around 17 when he heard the dying wishes. This raises 
questions to me about both John II’s date of death and Valentine’s relationship to the rest of the 


Brewer family. Was Valentine just a neighbor, or was he perhaps a son-in-law of John Brewer II? 


We don’t know the birth dates of John III and Thomas I, but circumstantial evidence is helpful. I 
think they were born far later than the dates estimated by Marvin Broyhill.1 We know that John 
Brewer II’s widow Ann remarried to Anthony Holliday before October 19, 1671.42 Ann survived until 
at least 1700, because she was mentioned in court documents involving the guardianship of a 
granddaughter named Mary Brewer. Anthony Holliday did not die until 1718. If we optimistically 
assume he lived to 90 years old, then Anthony was born after 1628, and probably several years later. I 
estimate around 1630-1635. Anthony Holliday had at least five children.“ I have not seen evidence 
for an earlier spouse, so I believe that at least some, if not all, of these children were born of Ann 
starting around 1669.* If Ann was also born around 1635 and had a child every two years that would 
bring her to age 45 when her last child was born to Holliday, which seems plausible. That would also 


mean that John Brewer III was likely born no earlier than 1653.% 


622 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


Let’s consider some further circumstantial evidence. Ann was made the sole Executrix of her 
husbands Will. Although being an executrix was common for a widow, in my experience a son 
would also be named as co-executor if he was of legal age. Perhaps the best evidence that John 
Brewer II’s sons were very young when he died is a 1683 land transaction. On March 10, 1683, John 
Brewer III transferred his interest in 250 acres of land in Isle of Wight County bordering that of Mr. 
Thomas Pitt, Mr. Anthony Holliday, and Chuckatuck Creek.” This was very likely part of Brewer's 
Neck, and it is further evidence that this plantation straddled the border of Isle of Wight and 
Nansemond Counties. What is curious about this transaction is that John Brewer III was not 
supposed to inherit the Brewer’s Neck land. Instead, according to Margaret Brewer's testimony, that 
was supposed to belong to Thomas, with John III getting the Stanley Hundred land in Warwick 
County. 


So why was John III transferring land that should have already belonged to his brother? The text of 
the document explains that he transferred title to the land “for divers good causes and considerations 
me thereunto moving as brotherly love and as it was my Father’s last will that my Brother, Thomas 
Brewer should have the land whereon he then lived.”48 Unfortunately this final “he” is ambiguous. 
While it could refer to land Thomas lived on, I believe it makes far more sense as land that his father, 
John Brewer II, lived on.” In either case, it would not seem that John III had anything to transfer to 
his brother Thomas, unless Thomas turned 21 in 1683 and the brothers want to solidify their property 


ownership as he became a legal adult. 


I believe that is the most likely explanation. Lawyers are often fond of a “belt and suspenders” 
approach, and that may be what happened here. Although John II’s nuncupative Will left the 
Brewer’s Neck land to Thomas, if the children were very young, it is likely that land was being de- 
facto managed by their stepfather Anthony Holliday for many years. As the older brother, John III 
probably took control of the Brewer’s Neck land when he came of age, and then wanted to ensure 
that his younger brother Thomas I had proper legal title. The land was already granted to Thomas in 
the nuncupative Will, but this transfer put its ownership beyond doubt. 


All of the above evidence supports the theory that John Brewer III and Thomas Brewer I were young 
children when their father died. I believe that Thomas Brewer I was born about 1662. His brother 
John III was likely born a few years earlier, around 1655-1660. While these dates are estimates and far 
from certain, I believe they fit well with the known facts. In particular, they solve the problem of 
“Thomas II”, an unproven son of Thomas I. I believe Broyhill theorized this second Thomas into 
existence to explain some records where it looked like Thomas I was a very old man. But if he was 
actually born about 20 years later, those problems disappear. I don’t think there is any convincing 
evidence that Thomas II existed, so following Foy Varner’s terminology, I refer to the son of John 


Brewer II as Thomas I, II. 
Known Children of John Brewer II and Ann: 


i. John BREWER IT may have been born about 1655-1660 and may have died before 1698. 
ii. Thomas BREWER |, II may have been born about 1662 and died 4 Mar 1729. 


623 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


C. Anthony Holliday (About 1635-1718) 


Before discussing the sons of John Brewer II further, it is helpful to investigate Anthony Holliday, the 
man who married John’s widow Ann sometime before 1671. His name was spelled either Holliday or 
Holladay depending on the particular record. Because I believe that John II] and Thomas I, II were 
young children when their father died, Anthony Holliday would have played a significant role in 
their life as a step-father. I estimate that Holliday was born around 1635, but this is simply an 
educated guess based on his marriage to Ann before 1671, and the fact that he lived until 1718. He 


could have been born a fair number of years earlier or later. 


On February 8, 1671, Arthur Skinner sold Thomas Pitt 250 acres “formerly in the tenure of Thomas 
Butler.” Anthony Holliday retained the other 250 acres of this 500 acre parcel.5° Remember that the 
Brewer's Neck land was acquired by Thomas Butler in 1635, based on headrights earned by the 
recently deceased John Brewer I. As discussed above, when Butler died these 1,000 acres likely 
reverted to John I’s surviving children (John II, Margaret, and Roger) and widow (Mary). Foy Varner 
theorized that each would have obtained 250 acres.*! Arthur Skinner was the husband of Margaret 
Brewer, which would explain why he owned 250 acres of Brewer’s Neck in 1671. We don’t know 
what happened to Roger Brewer, and thus his 250 acres are more difficult to trace as are the 250 acres 


that may have reverted to Mary, widow of John Brewer I. 


The final 250 acres would have belonged to John Brewer II. As we saw above, John II gave his son 
Thomas 250 acres of his Brewer’s Neck land in the 1669 nuncupative Will, so in 1671 this land should 
have belonged to Thomas. So why was Anthony Holliday noted as owned the remaining 250 acres of 
this 500 acre tract that was presumably part of Brewer’s Neck? I believe the simplest explanation is 
that Thomas Brewer I, II was still a minor at this time, as discussed above, and the therefore the land 


was controlled by his step-father Anthony Holliday on his behalf. 


There is also evidence from 1671 that Anthony Holliday controlled land in Stanley Hundred in 
Warwick County.* Unfortunately, I have not been able to locate this record and have only seen it 
discussed by other researchers. Marvin Broyhill believed, in part because of this record, that Anthony 
Holliday “tried to gain control of Stanley Hundred.”*4 I don’t see any support for that theory, and I 
believe it stems from the earlier mistake about John Brewer III and Thomas Brewer I, II's ages. If John 
III was not born until about 1655, as previously estimated, then he would not turn 21 until 1676. The 
simplest explanation for Holliday controlling the Stanley Hundred land in 1671 is that John III had 
not yet reached legal age and was unable to manage it by himself. There is no need to assume that 


Holliday improperly took over the Stanley Hundred land. 


On December 9, 1671, Anthony Holliday purchased an additional 100 acres in the Brewer’s Neck area 
from John Valentine. In 1675 Anthony Holliday appraised the Estate of James Webb in Isle of Wight 
County, Virginia.® In 1699 Anthony Holliday was Sheriff of Isle of Wight County” and in 1702 he 
was likely the Captain Holliday of the Isle of Wight Militia.5** He was a member of the County Court 
from 1694 to 1702 and a Burgess for Isle of Wight in 1692-1693 and 1705-1706." In 1714 an Anthony 
Holliday was a Justice of the Peace in Isle of Wight. 


624 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


Records of a 1698 court proceeding involving Anthony Holliday and his wife Ann present an 
intriguing puzzle. Anthony and Ann claimed that “Samuel Hill and John Read did surreptitiously 
procure themselves to be assigned guardians to Mary Brewer, an infant, granddaughter to the said 
Anne of which guardianship they are not capable by law, one of them being a professed Roman 
Catholic.”®! At this time, an “infant” was anyone was not of legal age, and does not imply that Mary 
Brewer was a baby. Instead, it simply indicates she was younger than 21. The Hollidays also claimed 
that the illegitimate guardians “intended to convey the said Mary Brewer to Maryland there to be 


married to one of their faith.” So, who was this Mary Brewer, granddaughter of Ann? 


As discussed below, Ann’s son Thomas Brewer I, II lived until 1729. He did have a daughter named 
Mary, but since she appears to have been born about 1706, and her father was still alive in 1698, that 
Mary Brewer cannot be the same as this orphan. Ben Brewer, following Marvin Broyhill, believed that 
Mary Brewer was a daughter of Thomas Brewer I, and that Thomas must have therefore died before 
1698. Because I believe that Thomas Brewer I and II are the same man, who lived from about 1662- 


1729, I do not believe that the orphan Mary Brewer from 1698 can be his daughter. 


The only other known descendant of John Brewer II and Ann is John Brewer III. As discussed above, 
it is possible that John II had other surviving children who are currently unknown. However, if he 
did, I think it is more likely that they were daughters, since no other sons inherited land in his Will. 
Unless they were illegitimate, any children born to Brewer daughters would not have the “Brewer” 
last name. Thus, I think the most plausible explanation to fit the existing records is that John Brewer 
III had a daughter named Mary, and that John III died before 1698. That caused Mary to become an 
orphan and led to the legal wrangling over her guardianship. Because she appears to have been close 
to marriageable age in 1698, but still a minor, Mary was likely born around 1680. That age is 
consistent with my estimated birth of 1655-1660 for John Brewer III, if he was in fact her father. 


Another interesting aspect of this court case is the geography. Samuel Hill and John Read were 
presented as inhabitants of Warwick County, Virginia. However, it appears that Mary Brewer may 
have resided in James City County, which is where Samuel and John were ordered to appear to 
answer the complaint made against them. Note that John Read could be a relative of Ann, who may 
have had the maiden name Read or Reade.® If John Read was also a relative of Mary Brewer, that 
would help explain why men from Warwick County were involved in the custody of Mary Brewer in 
James City County.® James City County is located just to the north and west of Warwick County. It is 
across the James River from Surry County. This location is relevant to later discussions about other 
possible descendants of John Brewer III, including a man named John Brewer with connections to 


that area. 


The Hollidays were successful in their lawsuit. Samuel Hill and John Read were found to be 
“disaffected to the Government and of Popish principles” and therefore unfit guardians.” On May 17, 
1699, the Warwick County Court was instructed to find new guardians for Mary Brewer, and Ann 
was given custody until that time.® In February of 1700, Anthony Holliday was summoned to the 
Warwick County Court to provide a security for the guardianship of the orphan Mary Brewer. He 


failed to appear twice, and the issue was continued to the next court session each time. On September 


625 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


21, 1700, the court noted that Anthony Holliday and his wife Ann had still not signed the Bond, and 
an Order recognizing this fact was submitted to the General Court.” I am unclear if this had any 


further impact on the Holliday’s custody of Mary Brewer. 


On the 1704 Quit Rent roll for Isle of Wight County, Anthony Holliday was shown as owning 860 
acres.”71 A Thomas “Breever” owned 200 acres.” This is almost certainly a transcription error for 
Thomas Brewer (I, II), Anthony’s step-son.” Listed right above Thomas Brewer were 600 acres for 
Humphry Marshall. Because the list is not in alphabetical order, I believe it is likely that names near 
each other on the list were also located near each other geographically, similar to a census record. 
This is relevant because the Marshall family was closely connected to Anthony Holliday on many Isle 
of Wight records during this time. Humphry Marshall is discussed further below. 


In the Nansemond County 1704 Quit Rent roll, we see a Joseph Holliday who owned 1,000 acres. 
Marvin Broyhill characterizes this land as “in the Holliday family” and suggests it might have been 
Brewer’s Neck land that was still controlled by Anthony Holliday.“ Remember that it appears as 
though Brewer’s Neck straddled the line between Isle of Wight and Nansemond Counties. I am not 
sure it was always treated consistently across the various records. In any event, I believe these 1,000 
acres are unlikely to be the original plantation, and that the Brewer’s Neck land had already been 
subdivided by this point, as traced by Foy Varner and discussed above. This Joseph Holliday was 
probably Anthony Holliday’s son, born of Ann about 1669. That would make him a half-brother of 
Thomas Brewer I, II. Joseph’s land could have included part of Brewer’s Neck or simply been 


separate land in Nansemond County. 


Quit Rent rolls are an excellent historical resource, but unfortunately few records have survived. The 
next Quit Rent roll for Isle of Wight County is from 1714. At this time, Anthony Holliday owned 630 
acres.”° This record has a few more details than the 1704 list. We can see that at least some of these 630 
acres were originally patented by “Hum Marshall.” From other documents in this time period, it is 
clear that this refers to Humphrey Marshall, a close associate of Anthony Holliday. Marshall and 
Holliday appeared together in many court records as witnesses or estate appraisers. It is not clear 
why Anthony Holliday had 230 less acres in 1714, but it is not surprising to me that he could have 
sold and acquired land, possibly several times, in the intervening ten years since the last Quit Rent 


record. 


A man named Robert Marshall died in Isle of Wight County in 1698. One of Robert’s sons was 
Humphrey Marshall, who received land given to Robert Marshall by his father-in-law Richard 
Penny.” The witnesses to Robert Marshall’s Will were Anthony Holiday, Humphrey Marshall, and 
John Penny. Thomas Brewer was one of the estate appraisers.”2 When Humphrey Marshall died in 
1711, Anthony Holliday was a witness to his Will.” 


Anthony Holliday died on January 3, 1718.8 The Will listed several of his children and 
grandchildren. No wife was listed in the abstract, so Ann almost certainly died before 1718. One entry 
makes me suspect she died even earlier and that Anthony Holliday had a second wife. Anthony left 
his grandson Joseph Holliday “part of the land I bought of brother Marshall.” This must be the land 


626 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


we see on the 1714 Quit Rent roll as land originally patented by Humphrey Marshall. Humphrey 
Marshall does not appear to have been the brother of Anthony Holliday, but it seems possible that he 
could have been a brother-in-law. Perhaps Anthony Holliday married a Marshall woman after Ann 


died. Alternatively, “brother” could have been used here for a close friend and associate. 


Our ancestor John Brewer of Hertford County sold 110 acres of land on Three Creeks in Southampton 
County, formerly Isle of Wight, in 1752.°! One border of that land was described as “land formerly 
granted to Thomas Holliday, now Amos Harris, on the southeast part.” ®? Unfortunately, it is not clear 
how this Thomas Holliday is related, if at all, to the Anthony Holliday who married into the John 
Brewer II line. Thomas Holliday of James City County acquired his Three Creeks land on October 31, 
1716.8 That early date rules out a Thomas Holliday who was the great-grandson of Anthony 
Holliday.** Using conservative estimates, the earliest that Thomas Holliday could have been born is 


about 1710-1720, making him too young to be the man who was granted land on Three Creeks in 
1716.85 


Anthony Holliday’s father appears to have been named Thomas Holliday, who lived from about 1610 
to 1675.8 His sons were Anthony Holliday, Thomas Holliday, and John Holliday. This Thomas 
Holliday, the brother of Anthony Holliday, may have owned land in Isle of Wight County.*” At this 
point, it is not clear to me if the Thomas Holliday who patented the Three Creeks land in 1716 was 


Anthony Holliday’s brother, and more research is required on this line.*§ 
Children of Anthony Holliday and Ann, Widow of John Brewer II: 


i. Joseph HOLLIDAY died before 1718.% 
ii. Lemuel HOLLIDAY died in 1716.” 
iil. Jonas HOLLIDAY died after 1718." 
iv. Mary HOLLIDAY married James KNOTT. 
v. Sarah HOLLIDAY married William MURPHRY.% 


D. John Brewer III (About 1655-Before 1698) 


John Brewer III was the son of John Brewer II and his wife Ann. As discussed above, I believe he was 
born around 1655-1660, likely in Isle of Wight County, Virginia. We have few definitive records for 
John Brewer III, but what survives suggests that he owned land in both Warwick and Isle of Wight 


Counties in Virginia. 


John Brewer III inherited Brewer’s Borough in Stanley Hundred, Warwick County. A Warwick 
County court document from January 28, 1689 shows that the Estate of James Harding owed 4 
shillings to a Mr. John Brewer.*! There was also apparently a 1671 record of Anthony Holliday 
controlling land in Stanley Hundred, which would suggest that the land had not yet left the family.* 
I am not aware of any other John Brewer men who had ties to Warwick County during this time, so 
this estate record likely indicates that John Brewer III maintained connections back to the Stanley 
Hundred area longer than previously thought.”® 


627 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


On February 1, 1688, Thomas Brewer (I, II) sold thirty acres of land to his father-in-law Anthony 
Holliday for £20. The land was originally patented by Mr. John Brewer, now deceased. It was 
adjacent to land owned by “John Valentine and said Brewer, Jr. to a dividing line of Mr. Thomas Pitt 
and said Brewer.” As noted by Foy Varner, this abstract is difficult to decipher. Was the land 
patented by John Brewer II? We know that he owned land in this area and had died before 1688. Was 
it owned by John Brewer III in 1688? That seems to be the most reasonable interpretation of “said 
Brewer, Jr.” We know from the discussion above that Thomas Pitt, Anthony Holliday, and the 
Valentine family were all closely connected to John Brewer II. I believe this document is evidence 
that John Brewer III was still alive as of 1688 and owned land in or near Brewer's Neck, Isle of Wight 


County. 


The 1704 Quit Rent roll for Warwick County has a record that is abstracted as “Mr. Brewer Land” in 
the amount of 1,350 acres.” Does this refer to a man named Brewer Land, or to land owned by a Mr. 
Brewer? I believe it is the latter, for several reasons. First, when the word land appears in the rest of 
this abstract, it is capitalized even when it clearly not a surname. For example, there is a record of 150 
acres for “The County Land.”1 Second, I can find no other references to a man who would have been 
named Brewer Land in this area. The entry just before Mr. Brewer Land was for Jonathan Read, and 
the entry just after was for Mr. Henry Cary. We have seen that both the Read and Cary names were 
connected with the Brewers in Warwick County. Finally, the amount of 1,350 acres exactly matches 


the amount of land that I believe John Brewer II owned in Stanley Hundred. 


So, who owned this large tract of land in Stanley Hundred in 1704? Because it was referred to as Mr. 
Brewer’s land, I don’t believe that John Brewer III was living in Warwick County as of 1704. Other 
Warwick County land owners were just listed with their name. That suggests to me that either John 
Brewer III was renting out the land, or that he had died and the land was controlled by someone else. 


The latter possibility seems most likely to me. 


Remember the legal proceedings concerning the orphan Mary Brewer discussed above. If she was the 
daughter of John Brewer III, which I believe is the most likely explanation, then John Brewer III 
would have died some time before 1698. The fact that the large Stanley Hundred plantation was still 
referred to as Mr. Brewer's land in 1704, several years after the possible death of John ITI, may help 
explain the custody battle over the orphan Mary Brewer. 


Unfortunately, we do not have a Will for John Brewer III. I suspect it would have been probated in 
Warwick County, and very few records have survived. I believe John III was about 40 years old when 
he died. It is quite possible that Mary Brewer was the heiress to at least part of a large plantation. This 
would have made her a very attractive marriage prospect, and would explain why John Read and 
Samuel Hill were accused of plotting to marry her off to a Catholic man in Maryland. Her 
grandmother Ann and step-grandfather Anthony Holliday may have intervened in part to keep the 
Stanley Hundred land in the family, rather than see it fall into the hands of Mary’s potential 
(Catholic) husband. Because Ann and Anthony Holliday were granted custody of Mary, I believe that 


once again Holliday may have been controlling land on behalf of the Brewers. 


628 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


What happened to these 1,350 acres in Warwick County? There is a tract of land of the same size on 
the 1713 Quit Rent roll for Warwick County.!°! However, this land belonged to the family of William 
Cole. It was located near the Brewer land on Mulberry Island, but appears to be a separate plantation, 
referred to as Boldrup or Bolthrop.!” There is a record for this land, held by Colonel William Cole’s 
orphans, on the 1704 Quit Rent roll, just three lines down from Mr. Brewer’s land. Both plantations 
were 1,350 acres in 1704, so their similar size appears to be a coincidence. We know that Thomas 
Brewer (I, II) purchased land from a William Cole.! That land may have been in Nansemond 
County, where the Cole family was also prominent. The Brewer and Cole families likely had a 


relationship dating back to Warwick County as well. 


Foy Varner has theorized that a John Brewer from Middlesex County, Virginia could have been John 
Brewer III, but I have not found enough solid evidence for this theory.!°* Middlesex County is two 
counties further north from Warwick County, up the Virginia coast.!% That does not fit the general 
pattern of migration, which generally followed the course of rivers further inland. We have evidence 
that John Brewer III owned land in Warwick and Isle of Wight Counties into the late 1680s. It seems 
very unlikely to me that this same man owned land so far away without any additional evidence to 


tie him there. 


Varner reviews the records for the John of Middlesex County, but provides nothing to connect him to 
the descendants of John Brewer II.1% He states that we have no records tying John III to the Warwick 
County land he inherited, but the 1689 estate record discussed above does connect him to that area. 
Varner estimates that John of Middlesex County was born about 1640. That is compatible with 
Broyhill’s estimate for the birth of John Brewer III, but as already discussed, I think John Brewer III 


was born many years later, around 1655. 


Varner concludes his argument that John of Middlesex County could have been John Brewer III by 
stating “it is very illogical to assume that so many of the Brewers with similar names in the records 
were all separate men.”!” | find this unconvincing, not least because Foy Varner has written a 645 
page book that is almost nothing but a discussion of multiple men named John, Thomas, and William 
Brewer and their descendants who often shared the same names and lived in the same parts of 
Virginia. Yes, there were many men named John Brewer, and some of the records refer to the same 
set of men, but in my opinion that does not justify concluding that the John Brewer of Middlesex 
County, an area fairly removed from the rest of John Brewer II’s descendants and associates, is the 


same man as John Brewer III. 


So what can we conclude about John Brewer III? We know for sure that he was the son of John 
Brewer II and inherited the Stanley Hundred land in Warwick County. We know he was the brother 
of Thomas Brewer, also a son of John Brewer II. Beyond that, further conclusions require varying 
degrees of estimation or speculation. Based on the discussion above, I believe he was born around 
1655 to 1660. When he came of legal age around 1676 he would have taken control of the Stanley 
Hundred land from his step-father Anthony Holliday. I believe he likely had a daughter named Mary 
Brewer, born around 1680, which would indicate that John Brewer III was married by this time as 


well. He may have owned land in Isle of Wight County, near his brother Thomas and step-father 


629 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


Anthony Holliday. He likely died before 1698, and his land in Stanley Hundred may have remained 
in the family through his daughter Mary. While it is possible that John Brewer III had sons, I have not 


yet seen any definitive evidence for them. 
1. William Brewer, Sr.— Possible Son of John Brewer III? 


William Brewer, Sr. from Isle of Wight County, Virginia may have been the son of John Brewer III. In 
turn, it is possible that William Brewer, Sr. was the father of our ancestor John Brewer of Hertford 
County. There is only circumstantial evidence for this relationship. It should not be repeated as fact, 
and further investigation may either reinforce or disprove this speculation. I present it here to 
preserve the significant amount of research I have done on this Brewer line, and to help rule out other 
possible fathers for John Brewer of Hertford County, who often show up in online family trees with 
far less evidence than is presented here for William Brewer, Sr. What is the evidence that William 


Brewer, Sr. may be the father of John Brewer of Hertford County? Consider the following: 


1. William Brewer, Sr. died in 1749 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia.1°° Our ancestor John 
Brewer lived in Isle of Wight County and Southampton County, which was formed from Isle 
of Wight County. So William Brewer, Sr. lived in the right location. 

2. William Brewer, Sr.’s 1749 Will listed a wife named Catherine and eight children: George, 
Mary, Sarah, Elizabeth, Christian, Michael, William, and John.! So we know that William 
Brewer, Sr. had a son named John Brewer. 

3. William Brewer, Sr.’s son John received only a one shilling inheritance in the Will.!!° He may 
have received land or money earlier in life. This is consistent with what we know about John 
Brewer of Hertford County. He does not appear to have started life with a large inherited 
plantation, but rather a small fifty acre plot that he later sold to acquire further land holdings 
throughout his life. 

4. John Brewer of Hertford County was born around 1705-1710. Although we don’t know when 
William Brewer, Sr. was born, he lived long enough to have eight children.!" Foy Varner 
estimates that he was born around 1680 or earlier.'!* That means that our John was the right 
age to be one of William’s children. 

5. William Brewer, Sr. had a son named Michael Brewer." There was a Michael Brewer with 
numerous connections to the Fowler family. Reese Brewer sold land to Daniel Fowler, and 
Batt Fowler served as a witness for Reese Brewer in Wake County, North Carolina. If Reese 
descends from William Brewer, Sr., that could help explain his connections to the Fowler 
family. 

6. William Brewer, Sr. also had a son named William Brewer, Jr. There was a William Brewer on 
the 1755 tax list in Granville County, North Carolina. Bute County, North Carolina, where 
Reese Brewer lived, was formed from part of Granville County. This could be William 


Brewer, Jr., who would have been Reese Brewer’s uncle. 


With all that circumstantial evidence, why can we not conclude that William Brewer, Sr. was the 


father of John Brewer of Hertford County? The main reason is the existence of several men named 


630 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


William and John Brewer in southern Virginia and northern North Carolina during this time 
period.''4 None of the evidence above conclusively establishes that William Brewer, Sr. was the father 
of our John Brewer. It is also possible that John Brewer of Hertford County was an immigrant from 
England, and therefore does not descend from any of these Virginia Brewers. Foy Varner has 
researched these Brewers extensively, and a review of his work quickly shows how many different 
Brewer men with similar names were living in this area.!!5 Many of them were likely related, but the 
incomplete surviving records offer just as much opportunity for confusion as they do for clarity. 
Without solid evidence, it would be unwise to make unsupported connections that would only 


confuse other researchers working on this family. 


The connections between Reese Brewer and the Fowler men are promising, but could be a 
coincidence that does not establish any familial relationship. Similarly, I cannot prove that the 
William Brewer living in Granville County, North Carolina, near Reese, was the son of William 


Brewer, Sr. 


William Brewer, Sr. may have been the son of John Brewer III. Some of the circumstantial evidence 
for this connection has been laid out by Dave Brewer.'!6 William Brewer, Sr. owned 200 acres of land 
on the Blackwater River in Isle of Wight County.!!” In 1737, he sold fifty acres of this land to a man 
named John Lawrence."'8 William’s son Michael Brewer also acquired land along the Blackwater 
River.!!9 William Brewer, Sr. and his descendants would continue to have several connections with 
this Lawrence family, along with the Councill and Lankford families, all of whom are connected to 
the descendants of John Brewer II. 


A man named John Lawrence, Jr. was born around 1668 to John Lawrence and his wife Mary.'”° He 
may have been the man who purchased land from William Brewer, Sr. in 1737, or if not, it may have 
been his son of the same name. John Lawrence, Jr. married Margaret Murphy, the daughter of 
William Murphy and his first wife Frances. William Murphy’s second wife was Sarah Holliday, the 
daughter of Anthony Holliday discussed above in Section C. Anthony Holliday, you will remember, 
was the second husband of Anne Brewer, the widow of John Brewer II.!2! John Lawrence, Jr.’s Will 
was probated in Isle of Wight County in 1739. The witnesses to his Will were Robert Lawrence, 


Charles Councill, and Thomas Brewer III.!22 Thomas Brewer III was John Brewer III’s nephew. 


John Lawrence, Jr. and his wife Margaret had a son named William Lawrence. In 1749, William 
Brewer, Sr.’s Will was appraised by William Lawrence, John Lawrence (the son of John Lawrence, 
Jr.?) and William Edmonds.'” The land that William Brewer, Sr. left in his Will was on the Blackwater 
River in Isle of Wight County, near land held by the Lankford and Lawrence families.!24 There was 
clearly some connection between the Lawrence family and the descendants of John Brewer II. 
Because William Brewer, Sr. was also connected with this Lawrence family, that may indicate he 


descends from this Brewer line. 


Relationships with the Councill family also support this possible connection. In September of 1766, 
the records of an Estate Sale for Hodges Councill appear in the Southampton court records.’ The 


profits from the sale appear to have been evenly divided between five parties: Sarah Councill (the 


631 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


widow of Hodges), James Councill, Matt Vick, Michael Brewer, and John Brewer. The most likely 
reason for this equal division of the property is these four men were all family members. James 
Councill was likely Hodges’ son.!26 Were Matt Vick, Michael Brewer, and John Brewer all son-in-laws 
of Hodges Councill?!?7 


The Hodges Councill in this 1766 Estate document appears to have been Hodges Councill IIL, 
descendant of an early planter in Isle of Wight County of the same name. The first Hodges Councill 
died about 1699 in Isle of Wight County.!8 One of the sons of this first Hodges was Hardy Councill. 
Hardy was appointed sheriff of Isle of Wight County in 1727, and appears to have succeeded Thomas 
Brewer (I, II) in that position.’ This Thomas Brewer was the father of Thomas Brewer III mentioned 
above. As further evidence of this possible connection, John Brewer of Hertford named one of his 


youngest sons Hardy.!° 


Michael Brewer died in 1778 in Isle of Wight County. He was likely the son of William Brewer, Sr., 
and therefore possibly the brother of John Brewer of Herford County. He had children named Joshua, 
Priscilla (who married a Fowler), John, Joseph, Benjamin, and Holland (a daughter). The witnesses to 
his Will were Thomas Lankford, William English, Joseph Fowler, Ann English, and Peter Butler. 
His wife and Executrix was Martha. Could this Martha have been the daughter of Hodges Councill? 
That would explain the Michael Brewer who inherited in Hodges Councill’s Will. 


This is all circumstantial evidence that both Michael Brewer and John Brewer of Herford County’s 
married daughters of Hodges Councill. And if these men were the sons of William Brewer, Sr., the 
relationships with the Councill family provide further evidence for this line’s connection to the 


descendants of John Brewer II. 


E. Thomas Brewer I, II (son of John Brewer IT) 


I will note at the outset that I don’t believe there is any solid evidence for the “Thomas Brewer II” 
created by Marv Broyhill and discussed by Ben Brewer. Ben Brewer assumed that Mary Brewer was 
the daughter of Thomas I (without providing any sources for that connection), and thus that Thomas 
Brewer I must have died by 1698. He cites a source for a different Thomas Brewer in Northumberland 
County who died in 1698, but that Thomas Brewer has no obvious connection to the Brewer’s in Isle 


of Wight, Nansemond, or Warwick Counties. 1%? 


I believe the main reason for the creation of this hypothetical Thomas Brewer II was the incorrect 
assumption that Thomas Brewer I was born almost 20 years earlier than my estimate.'° By my 
reasoning, Thomas Brewer (I, II) was born about 1662 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia. Thomas 
Brewer (I, II) received 250 acres of land in Isle of Wight County in his father’s Will. This same land 
was also transferred to him by his brother John Brewer III in 1683. As discussed above, this is strong 


circumstantial evidence that Thomas Brewer turned 21 around 1683. 


In 1688, Thomas Brewer sold thirty acres, originally patented by John Brewer II, in Isle of Wight 
County to his step-father Anthony Holliday. That may explain why the 1704 Quit Rent roll for Isle 


632 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


of Wight County shows Thomas Brewer owning 200 acres, rather than the 250 acres he inherited from 
his father.'°5 It is also possible, as Varner suggests, that these 200 acres were those originally patented 
by John Lewin in 1643.16 


On March 10 1701/02, Thomas Brewer was listed as a Lieutenant from Isle of Wight County Militia. 
The captains of the militia in Isle of Wight County in July 1702 included Humphrey Marshall and 
Capt. Holliday (likely Anthony Holliday, Thomas Brewer's step-father).%” In 1714, Thomas Brewer 


was listed as a member of the “Quorum” in Isle of Wight County. 198 


In 1714, Thomas Brewer had 650 acres on the Quit Rent roll, and we learn this was land originally 
patented by Thomas Butler.!5? Remember that Thomas Butler patented the Brewer’s Neck plantation 
based on headrights earned by John Brewer I. That land appears to have been located on the border 
of Isle of Wight and Nansemond counties. If the land was allocated differently between the two 
counties between 1704 and 1714, that could explain the different acreages owned by Thomas 


Brewer.!“9 


Thomas Brewer was clearly a prosperous land owner. Perhaps inspired by his father’s death without 
a written will, Thomas created a living trust for his children in 1720.4! This trust was administered by 
Henry Applewhite! on behalf of Thomas’ four children: Thomas Brewer (III), John Brewer (IV), 
Mary Brewer, and Ann Brewer. Each child was to receive £200 upon either marriage or turning 21 
years old. This means that all of his children must have been unmarried as of 1720 and born after 
1699.18 Each of the children was also given a slave: “to Thomas one negro woman called Rose, to 


John one negro called Bess, to Mary one negro called Beck and to Ann one negro called Sarah.” 


In 1722, Thomas Brewer was among the Vestry of Newport Parish in Isle of Wight County who 
petitioned the Governor to have their large parish divided into smaller sections. '° In 1726, a Thomas 
Brewer was both the Sheriff of Isle of Wight County and a Justice of the Peace.'#° I am not sure if the 
same man could hold both offices at the same time. It may have been the case that Thomas Brewer I, 
II was the Sheriff and his son Thomas Brewer III was a Justice of the Peace. Thomas III would have 
been young for this position, around 25 years old. However as the son of a wealthy land owner and 
County Sheriff, Thomas III may have served as a Justice of the Peace despite being a fairly young 
man. In 1729 a Thomas Brewer was again Justice of the Peace, and this was also probably Thomas 


Brewer III.147 


Thomas Brewer (I, II) died on 4 Mar 1729 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia.“4* His son Thomas was 
Executor. Witnesses were Humphrey Marshall, Robert Marshall, and Elizabeth Marshall. Ben Brewer 
provided an abstract of the Will, while Foy Varner seems to have more details, perhaps based on the 
original Will cited by Broyhill. Daughter Mary received the land on which Thomas Brewer (I, II) 
lived, after the death of his unnamed wife. Daughter Ann Brewer received the plantation that 
Thomas had bought from John Hall, where the widow Mary Williams was living.'° Son John Brewer 
(IV) received “the tract I bought of William Thompson on Gray’s Creek in Surry County,” along with 
“the money in the hands of Mr. Perry.” 1° Finally, son Thomas Brewer III received “the tract I bought 
of Col. William Cole and the one I bought of Mr. Thomas Swann, called “Quin Quan.” 1 


633 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


In addition to these bequests listed in the abstract of the Will, Foy Varner says that each child 
received an additional £100, plus various personal possessions such as furniture and silver tableware. 
Two slaves were given to son John Brewer IV. The balance of his possessions were divided between 
his wife and three youngest children, and Thomas Brewer III was appointed Executor. This seems to 
imply that Thomas was the eldest child.’ It is clear that, like his father John Brewer II, Thomas 
Brewer LII died with large land holdings and a substantial estate. 


1. Thomas Brewer III 


Thomas Brewer III, son of Thomas Brewer (I, II), was likely born around 1702 in Isle of Wight or 
Nansemond County Virginia. I believe he was the eldest son of Thomas Brewer I, IT and based on the 
living trust that his father established in 1720, he could not have been born before about 1699. 
Thomas was a prominent citizen in Isle of Wight. As discussed above, he was likely a Justice of the 
Peace in 1726 and 1729. 


In 1731, Thomas Brewer, along with John Milner and Joseph Godwin, Jr. were appointed inspectors 
for warehouses in “Constancy and Sleepy hole.”'5> These appear to have been customs warehouses 
for regulating the tobacco trade. In 1732, he was an inspector of Sleepy hole, along with Anthony 
Holliday. In modern Nansemond County, Virginia, there is a Sleepy Hole park and golf course, 
located along the Nansemond River. This area is near the Isle of Wight border, very close the location 


of the original Brewer’s Neck plantation. 


In 1733, Thomas Brewer of Nansemond County purchased land in Isle of Wight County from Sarah 
Clothier, a spinster.'+ In the same year Thomas Brewer III was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 
Nansemond County.’ He resigned from the warehouse inspector position in 1734. The Anthony 
Holliday he served with in that role is likely one of two possible descendants of the Anthony 
Holliday who married Thomas Brewer III’s grandmother Ann. The first option is Anthony’s 
grandson through his son Lemuel, a man named Anthony Covington Holliday. The second option is 


Anthony’s grandson through his son Joseph, who I will refer to as Anthony Holliday II. 


Thomas Brewer III was a witness to the Will of John Lawrence, who died 27 Jan 1738 in Isle of Wight 
County.'56 Other witnesses were Robert Lawrence and Charles Council. This John Lawrence was 
married to Margaret Murphy, the granddaughter of Anthony Holliday through his daughter Sarah 
Holliday.'*” 


Thomas Brewer III died sometime after July 27, 1743, when he wrote his Will. The actual Will has not 
been located, and my guess is that it was probated in Nansemond County, where almost all records 
have been lost. We know of its existence from a May 20, 1761 court document involving his 
children.!* From that document we learn that Thomas Brewer III had at least three daughters: Julian 


(sometimes spelled Juliana), Patience, and Mary. 


Julian Brewer was left the Quin Quan plantation in her father’s Will. By this time, Quin Quan was a 


1,098 acre plantation in Southampton County, Virginia." Julian Brewer married William Haynes. 


634 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


The couple had children, but both Julian and the children died sometime before 1761.'° Under the 
terms of the Will, the plantation was then to revert to Mary and Patience Brewer, the only surviving 
daughters. This is circumstantial evidence that Thomas Brewer III may not have had any male heirs, 
since we only know of property passing to his daughters. That would be unusual for this time period 


if he had surviving sons. 


By 1761, Mary Brewer was married to Thomas Holliday. I believe that Thomas Holliday was the son 
of the Anthony Holliday II mentioned above.'*! This would make him the great-grandson of the 
Anthony Holliday who married Ann, widow of John Brewer II. If so, Mary Brewer and Thomas 
Holliday would have been second cousins. Patience Brewer was married to John Drew. Although 
Mary and Patience were now entitled to the Quin Quan plantation, they do not appear to have had 
any interest in taking it over. Instead, William Haynes purchased Mary’s interest for £150 and 
Patience’s interest for 5 shillings.’ This difference in price may represent a debt owed to Patience 
and John Drew, or there could have been another transaction between these parties to explain the 
discrepancy. The witnesses to this transaction were Anthony Holliday (likely Anthony Holliday II), 


Thomas Haliburton, and Charles Lawrence. 


Foy Varner discusses several other references for Thomas Brewer III, including a possible marriage to 
Elizabeth Zell from Surry County and a possible son Thomas Brewer IV. Dave Brewer is actively 
working to investigate this connection. I have not yet seen enough records to convince me that 
Elizabeth Zell’s husband was Thomas Brewer III. I suspect, but cannot prove at this point, that 
Thomas Brewer III did not have any surviving male heirs, and that the man named Thomas Brewer 


IV comes from a related Brewer line with more connections to Surry County. 
2. John Brewer IV 


John Brewer IV, son of Thomas Brewer (I, II), was probably born about 1704 in Isle of Wight or 
Nansemond County Virginia. We know from his father’s Will that he inherited land on Gray’s Creek 
in Surry County, formerly owned by William Thompson. He also received money that was held by a 
Mr. Perry. He would have received £200 from his father’s living trust, and an additional £100 in his 
father’s Will. This start in life as a property owner with additional financial resources is helpful to 
remember when tracing the men in surviving records who could be John Brewer IV. Although he 
was born around the same time as our John Brewer of Hertford County, his inherited wealth suggests 


to me that he was not the same man. 


The land that John Brewer IV inherited in Surry County was located on Gray’s Creek, which is in the 
northeast portion of that County. It was formerly owned by William Thompson. A helpful map of 
some early Surry county land grants shows two parcels for William Thompson.'® One was 150 acres 
patented in 1684, where Gray’s Creek starts to widen as it approaches the James river. Another was a 
larger 1,160 acre parcel located near the headwaters of Gray’s Creek, Pigeon Swamp, and Cypress 
Swamp. That parcel was granted in 1686 by William Thompson and Edward Chilton. It is not clear 
which tract John Brewer IV inherited, but based on the size of the plantation inherited by his brother 


Thomas Brewer III, I suspect it may have been the larger one. 


635 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


Dave Brewer has discovered that the daughters of Thomas Brewer III (the nieces of John Brewer IV) 
appear to have come into possession of the Gray’s Creek land in Surry County. Records from the 
early 1750s indicate that Patience Drew and Julian(a) Haynes sold their one third interests in this 
land. This suggests that John Brewer IV died before Thomas Brewer III, and the Gray’s Creek land 
reverted to him, and then was passed along to his daughters. This is another strong argument against 


our John of Hertford County being the same man as John Brewer IV. 


Marvin Broyhill believed that John Brewer IV was a John Brewer who is primarily found in 
Nansemond County. Varner noted several reasons to be skeptical that this John of Nansemond 
County is the same man as John Brewer IV. So far I remain unconvinced, but the records become 
sparse and hard to connect at this point. For purposes of our family line, I think it is unlikely at this 
point that John of Hertford County was John Brewer IV. Our ancestor John of Hertford County 
appears to have started with fifty acres of land and slowly worked his way up the property ladder by 
selling and buying slightly larger parcels. This is not definitive, but in my opinion it does not align 
with the substantial inheritance of John Brewer IV. 


636 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


References for Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


! This appears to be an estimate by Broyhill. Foy Varner, Brewer Families of Southeast America (2003), 
Pages 21-22, currently available at: drive.google.com/file/d/1-AOQVNDTuu_V6CFI- 
4hs3BANUGRIVKFx/view. On 28 Apr 2020, Foy Varner emailed the author with electronic copies of 
his main 645 book, a 4 page errata, and a 21 page supplement. Please contact by email me if you 
would like a copy of these materials. 

2 Varner, Page 26. A “hundred” appears to be a larger tract of land that could potentially encompass 
multiple plantations. Brewer’s Borough may have been John’s plantation within the larger area of 
Stanley Hundred. hmdb.org/m.asp?m=13953. Ben R. Brewer, The Long Brewer Line: Colonial Family 
Genealogy, (Tennessee Valley Publishing, Knoxville, Tennessee 1993), Page 18, available at: 
familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/596250-. As an interesting aside, the land that Thomas 
Flint patented bordered Robert Poole, John Rolfe, deceased, and Captain William Peirce. This may be 
the John Rolfe who married Pocahontas. 

3 Historical plaque on Mulberry Island, Virginia: flickr.com/photos/nostri-imago/3448344281/. 

4 Varner, Pages 26-27. 

5 lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01ILVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990007310110205756. 

6 Varner, Page 27. 

7 Varner, Page 30. 

8 andersonnc.files.wordpress.com/2016/12/early iow 3 decl61.jpg. This helpful map shows many 
patents in the area, but unfortunately not the land granted to John Brewer I/Thomas Butler in 1635. 
° Ben R. Brewer, The Long Brewer Line, Page 22. 

10 Ibid. 


" archive.org/details/cavalierspioneer00nuge/page/90/mode/2up/search/lewin. 


? archive.org/details/cavalierspioneer00nuge/page/154/mode/2up/search/lewin. 
13 [bid. 


14 These dates are all very rough estimates and need further research. 

'5 Per Ben Brewer, he was baptized 11 Apr 1619. He may have been born several years earlier. Varner, 
Page 29. I have not seen this record. At the latest, it appears he must have been born by 1623, when he 
was left 40 pounds by his grandfather John Drake. Ben R. Brewer, The Long Brewer Line, Page 15. 

16 The documentary evidence for this surname is weak. Ben Brewer cites a DAR lineage (Member No. 
8887), but I have generally found these records to be unsourced and unreliable. However, Ann was 
later involved in a custody dispute over her granddaughter Mary Brewer, and one of the other 
parties was a John Reade from Warwick County. This could indicate a family relationship. 

17 Ancestry.com, Warwick County, Virginia: Colonial Court Records in Transcription (The Jones House 
Association, Inc. Williamsburg, Virginia 2002), Revised Edition, Richard Dunn (editor), Page 179. 

18 [bid., Pages 182-183. 


19 archive.org/details/cavalierspioneer00nuge/page/506/mode/2up?g=brewer, Page 507; 


genealogytrails.com/vir/isleofwight/wills abstracts _booka29.html; Ancestry.com, John Bennett 
Boddie, Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight County, Virginia (Chicago Law Printing Company, Chicago 


1938), Page 522. 


20 encyclopediavirginia.org/Cary Miles bap 1623-1667#start_entry. 
21 archive.org/stream/jstor-4242377/4242377 dijvu.txt. Ben Brewer mistakenly characterized this as a 


suit between Cary and Brewer, when in fact those two men were joint plaintiffs. Ben R. Brewer, The 
Long Brewer Line,, Pages 19-20. 

2 Historical plaque on Mulberry Island, Virginia: flickr.com/photos/nostri-imago/3448344281/. 

23 However, note that the date of John II’s death is unclear. 


637 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


4 encyclopediavirginia.org/Cary Miles bap 1623-1667#start_entry; flickr.com/photos/nostri- 
imago/3448344281/. 


2 FindAGrave.com, Memorial for Miles M Cary (1622-10 Jun 1667), Memorial No. 9702282, available 


at: findagrave.com/memorial/9702282/miles-m-cary; 
archive.org/details/virginiacarysan0Oharrgoog/page/n83/mode/2up/search/brewer. It is also possible 


that the Stanley Hundred land was sold earlier on behalf of John Brewer II’s heirs, and John Brewer 
III simply inherited the proceeds of that sale. 
26 archive.org/details/virginiacarysan0Oharrgoog/page/n223/mode/2up/search/brewer 


27 lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/OILVA_INST/9cpp9qg/alma990007544520205756. 


8 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/willbk 2/index2.html. 


29 T am not certain of his connection back to the immigrant Miles Cary at this time. 

30 archive.org/details/virginiacarysan00harrgoog/page/n89/mode/2up/search/brewer. 

31 Ancestry.com, Boddie, Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight, Virginia, Page 539. 

3 Varner, Pages 31-32. This indicates that Arthur Skinner was born about 1633, which may mean 
Margaret Brewer was born around that time as well, a few years later than estimated above. 

33 Boddie, Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight, Virginia, Pages 535-536. 

34 The reference to “his wife” in this abstract is ambiguous. 

35 FamilySearch.org, Virginia, Isle of Wight County Records, 1634-1951, Wills and Administrations Book 
I, Image 21. 

36 Varner discusses this at Pages 542-543, but dismisses the 1662 date of the appraisal as a typo. I’m 
not sure why that assumption should be made. An examination of the actual record, if possible, 


would hopefully resolve the discrepancy. 

37 FamilySearch.org, Virginia, Isle of Wight County Records, 1634-1951, Wills and Administrations Book 
I, Image 17; Ben R. Brewer, The Long Brewer Line, Pages 24-25. 

38 Denton Brewer, The House of Brewer, Page 32 apparently lists daughters Mary and Ann, but without 
sources. He also provided incorrect lists for the children of John Brewer I and III, so his information 
cannot be considered reliable, and I am not relying on it for this statement. Rather, I am simply noting 
the possible existence of other children who did not inherit land through John Brewer II’s 
nuncupative Will. Varner, Pages 29-31. 

39 Ben R. Brewer, The Long Brewer Line, Page 25. 

40 [bid. 

“1 Broyhill seems to have based on his estimates on John Brewer II getting married at age 20 and 
immediately having children. Men often married later in life during colonial times and all the other 
evidence points to later birth dates for his sons. Varner, Pages 33-37. 

” Ben R. Brewer, The Long Brewer Line, Page 23. That is the date Ann appeared in court to enter the 
appraisal of the Estate, and she is called Ann Holladay, Relict and Administratrix of John Brewer. It 
seems likely to me that she remarried several years before 1671. 

48 FamilySearch.org, Virginia Isle of Wight County Records, 1634-1951, Wills and Administrations Book 
I, Image 94. 

“4 Boddie, Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight, Virginia, Pages 227-228. 

4 Zella Armstrong, Notable Southern Families, Vol. 2, Pages 162-163, available at: 
familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/194913-notable-southern-families-vol- 

2?viewer=1 &offset=1# page=127&viewer=picture&o=info&n=0&q=. This book uses a hard to follow 
and inconsistent numbering system. It suggests that Joseph Holliday, born 1669, is the eldest son of 
Anthony Holliday. If so, then Ann would likely be the mother of all of Anthony’s children, 
supporting the idea that she was substantially younger than her first husband John Brewer II. 


638 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


46 Foy Varner also realized that John Brewer III was likely born later than Broyhill’s estimates. He 
seems to have settled on 1640-1645 as a likely range. However, it appears he picked this range 
because it coincided with his theory that John III was a man who moved to Middlesex County. I don’t 
find that theory compelling. Varner, Pages 33-34, 61-64. 

47 FamilySearch.org, Isle of Wight County, Virginia Deeds, Vol. 4, Pages 273-275, Images 165-166. 

48 Ben R. Brewer, The Long Brewer Line, Pages 26-27. 

49 Varner, Pages 33-34. If it does refer to land that Thomas Brewer I lived on at his father’s death, then 
he was likely born earlier, as Broyhill suggests. 

50 Boddie, Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight, Virginia, Page 227. 

5! Varner, Pages 30-32. 

52 The 1704 Quit Rent Rolls show a Robert Breever (likely Brewer?) who owned 200 acres in 
Nansemond County. It is possible this is a descendant of Roger Brewer, and this is part of Brewer’s 
Neck. Unfortunately there are very few records for Nansemond County, so this is difficult to 
investigate. Varner suggests that this man may have descended from a Robert Brewer who 
immigrated in 1636. Varner, Pages 36-37. 

53 Varner, Page 33. Ben Brewer used this 1671 record to argue that Anthony Holliday “took control” 
of Stanley Hundred at this time, and that John Brewer II must have died before then, otherwise he 
would have prevented it from happening. I find this theory of a hostile takeover unnecessary and 
unsupported be the most likely reading of the documents, which is that John Brewer III and his 
brother Thomas were still minors as of 1671, and thus their land was held by their mother and father- 
in-law. Ben R. Brewer, The Long Brewer Line, Page 27. 

54 Varner, Page 33. 

5 Ibid. 

56 Ancestry.com, Virginia Land, Marriage, and Probate Records, 1639-1850, 17 Feb 1675, Book 2-140. 

57 H.R. McIlwaine, Executive Journals of the Council of Colonia Virginia (The Virginia State Library, 
Richmond, Virginia 1925) Vol. I, Page 445, available at: 
archive.org/details/executivejournal01virg/page/n7/mode/2up?q=holliday. 

58 Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck, Virginia’s Colonial Soldiers (Genealogical Publishing Co. Baltimore, 
Maryland 1988) Page 223, available at: 
books.google.com/books?id=0RpcjJOBm6A C& q=Brewer#v=snippet&q=Brewer&f=false. 

59 Boddie, Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight County, Virginia, Page 227; Ancestry.com, Encyclopedia of 
Virginia Biography, Vols. I-II (Lewis Historical Publishing Company, New York, NY 1915), Page 259. 

° The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography (July 1894), Vol. IL No. 1, Page 6. 

61 Boddie, Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight County, Virginia, Page 408. 

62 Ibid. 

63 The source that Ben Brewer cites for the 1698 death of Thomas Brewer has no connection to Thomas 


Brewer I. It is from Northumberland County, Virginia, where we have no record of any land or other 
documents for the Thomas Brewer in this family line. It is quite far away from Warwick and Isle of 
Wight Counties. 

64 Ben R. Brewer, The Long Brewer Line, Page 29. 

65 See John Brewer II section above. 

6 However, it is not clear to me at this point what relationship John Read may have had to Ann or her 
granddaughter Mary Brewer. Ben Brewer believes that this John Read would have been the father of 
Ann, and thus Mary’s great-grandfather. It seems unlikely to me that a great-grand father in this time 
period would have lived to see their great-grandchild reach the age of marriage. If there is a family 
relationship, I believe it is more likely that John Read was a brother, cousin, or nephew of Ann. 

67 Ben R. Brewer, The Long Brewer Line, Page 29. 


639 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


6 Ibid., Pages 30-31. 

69 Ancestry.com, Richard Dunn, Warwick County, Virginia, Colonial Court Records in Transcription (The 
Jones House Association, Inc. Williamsburg, Virginia 2002), Page 66. Varner raised the possibility that 
Mary may have been abandoned, rather than orphaned, but that is foreclosed by this record which 
clearly states she was an orphan. 

70 Ibid., Page 83. 

71 Ancestry.com, Virginia Tax Records, Virginia Quit Rent Rolls, 1704: Isle of Wight County, Page 428. 
7” Ibid, Page 429. 

73 Foy Varner notes that this may be the 200 acres granted to John Lewin, Ann’s third husband. That 
seems possible although I have no records to confirm it. This might also be part of the 250 acres of 
land that Thomas Brewer I, II received from his father John Brewer II and was again given ina 
transaction with his brother John Brewer III in 1683. Although fifty acres are missing, that does not 
seem definitive since it is quite possible that Thomas sold some of the land in the nearly twenty years 
between these two records. For example, we know that Thomas Brewer I, II sold fifty acres to 
Anthony Holliday in 1888, discussed below. 

7 Varner, Page 33. 

> Boddie, Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight County, Virginia, Page 228; Zella Armstrong, Notable 
Southern Families, Pages 162-163, available at FamilySearch.org. A grandson of this Joseph Holliday 
was Thomas Holliday, the husband of Mary Brewer. I believe this Mary was the daughter of Thomas 
Brewer III, who was the son of Thomas Brewer, I, II. 

76 John D. Neville, An Isle of Wight Quitrent Roll, 1714 (The Virginia Magazine of History and 
Biography Apr 1979), Vol. 87, No. 2, Page 177. 

7” FamilySearch.org, Virginia, Isle of Wight County Records, 1634-1951, Wills and Administrations Book 
I, Image 60. The abstract lists Penny as his father, but this site suggests he would have been Robert 
Marshall’s father-in-law, which seems more likely based on their surnames: colonial-settlers-md- 
va.us/getperson.php?personID=[022602&tree=Treel1. 

8 FamilySearch.org, Virginia, Isle of Wight County Records, 1634-1951, Wills and Administrations Book 
I, Image 60. 

79 Ibid., Image 81. 

80 Ibid., Image 94. 

81 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_bk_1/P¢%20489.ipg, 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_bk_1/Pg%20490,j 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_bk_1/Pg%20491 jpg. 

82 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_bk_1/Pg¢%20490.ipg. 

83 vaughan-vaughn.org/davidrobertsonfiles/V AlIsleofWight/V- 

VOrg Isle of Wight County _Land_Patents.htm, 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1ILVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990007712430205756. 

84 That Thomas Holliday married Mary Brewer, the great-granddaughter of John Brewer II and his 
wife Ann. That makes Thomas and Mary half second cousins since they were both great- 
grandchildren of Ann through different fathers. 

85 Joseph Holliday was the eldest son of Anthony Holliday and Anne, born about 1670. His son 
Anthony Holliday II (if he was the eldest son, which is not clear) would not have been born before 
about 1690. Anthony Holliday II’s son Thomas Holliday, who married Mary Brewer, would not have 
been born before about 1710-1720. See Appendix I. 

86 Zella Armstrong, Notable Southern Families, Vol. 2, Pages 162-163, available at: 
familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/194913-notable-southern-families-vol- 


640 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


2?viewer=1 &offset=1# page=127&viewer=picture&o=info&n=0&q-=. This book uses a hard to follow 
and inconsistent numbering system 


87 Ibid. It is unclear if the author of this book thinks Thomas Holliday died in 1703 or was married in 
1703. 

88 In 1769, Thomas Fitzhugh was granted 19 acres on the east side of Angelica Swamp, adjoining 
Simon Turner, John Holliday and Timothy Thorp. 
Iva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01LVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990007540150205756. Is this John 
Holliday a descendant of Thomas from the 1716 grant? 

8° Boddie, Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight County, Virginia, Page 228. According to same source, 
Joseph was the father of Anthony and John Holliday. This Anthony Holliday, grandson of Anthony 
Holliday, appears to have had a son Thomas Holliday, who married Mary Brewer, daughter of 
Thomas Brewer III. Joseph Brewer appears to have named one of his sons Brewer Holliday, lending 


support to the theory that Ann was his mother and they maintained close ties to the Brewer family. 

% Ibid. I have seen records using either name, but I believe they refer to the same son. Samuel/Lemuel 
was the father of Anthony Covington Holladay. 

%1 Ibid. 

% Ibid. 

%3 Ibid. According to the same source, this William Murphry had a daughter Margaret, who married a 
John Lawrence who made his Will in 1739. See discussion of this John Lawrence under John Brewer 
of Hertford County, who may have been connected to this family. 

% Ancestry.com, Richard Dunn, Warwick County, Virginia, Colonial Court Records in Transcription (The 
Jones House Association, Inc. Williamsburg, Virginia 2002), Page 662. 

% Varner, Pages 33, 543. I have not seen this record. 

°° Varner suggests that John Brewer III may have moved to Middlesex County, Virginia. While that is 
possible, this document appears to suggest that he still had ties to Warwick County until at least 
around 1689. Varner, Pages 33-34, 61-64. I don’t find this argument persuasive, for a few reasons. 
First, Varner says that there is no evidence that John III ever lived on the Warwick County land, but 
the record just cited suggests that he did. Second, Varner says that the Warwick County land “was 
eventually deed[ed] to [John Brewer III] by his brother, long after their father had died.” But that has 
the land and brothers confused. John Brewer III deeded Isle of Wight County land to Thomas Brewer 
I, II, as discussed above. I have not seen any evidence that Thomas Brewer I, II deeded Warwick 
County land to John Brewer III. 

” Boddie, Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight, Virginia , Page 600. 

9 Why does the abstract state the land was adjacent to “said Brewer, Jr.”? The phrasing “said” would 
tend to suggest that John Brewer III had patented the land and was now deceased by 1688. 
Unfortunately, only an examination of the original record is likely to resolve this confusion, and I 
don’t it is available online. 

*° Ancestry.com, Virginia Tax Records, Virginia Quit Rent Rolls, 1704: Warwick County, Page 464. 

100 [bid., Page 466. 

101 Virginia H. Rollings, Warwick Roll Listed Many Early Families (Daily Press, Newport News Virginia 
19 Aug 1990), Page J4, Image 118, available at: newspapers.com/clip/52960928/1713-warwick-county- 
quit-rent-portion/. 

102 However, it does appear that William Cole acquired a 1,350 plantation in Warwick County, called 
Boldrup or Bolthrope. encyclopediavirginia.org/Cole William 1638 or_1639-1694#start_entry. The 
historical marker for Boldrup is located right next to the marker for Stanley Hundred: 


hmdb.org/m.asp?m=13959. 


103 Left to his son Thomas Brewer III in his Will, along with Quin Quan. 


641 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


104 Varner, Pages 61-64. 

105 As Varner says, this is two rivers and two counties north of where John Brewer III inherited land. 
Varner, Page 62. 

106 There are many names associated with these documents, but none of them stand out to me as 
families that are connected with John Brewer II or his descendants. Varner, Pages 62-64. 

107 Varner, Page 64. 

108 FamilySearch.org, Isle of Wight County Records, 1634-1951, Wills and Administrations, Book II, 
1719-1760, Image 142; 

lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1ILVA_ INST/9cpp9q/alma990005386040205756. 

109 Ibid. 

110 Varner, Brewer Families of Southeast America, Pages 69-70. 

111 Many online trees have William Brewer, Sr. born around 1666 in Isle of Wight County, but there is 
no solid evidence yet for this date. 

12 Varner, Brewer Families of Southeast America, Page 68. 

13 FamilySearch.org, Isle of Wight County Records, 1634-1951 (Wills and Administrations, Book II, 
1719-1760, Image 142); 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990005386040205756. 

M4 Foy Varner’s Brewer Families of Southeast America chronicles these men in great detail by reviewing 
the earlier work of Marvin T. Broyhill, Ben R. Brewer, and others. 

15 Varner, Brewer Families of Southeast America. 

116 David Brewer, Tracing the Brewers of Colonial Virginia: The Trail of YDNA Subclade I-Y21524 and 
Beyond (2019), Pages 108-116, 126-128. 

"7 [bid., Page 109. FamilySearch.org, Isle of Wight County, Virginia Deeds, Vol. 5, Pages 152-153, Image 
394. 

8 [bid, citing Marvin T. Broyhill, The Brewer Families of Colonial Virginia, 1626-1776: Supporting 
Documentation Part I (Estill Springs, TN: Brewer Researcher, 1994), Page 86. 

119 [bid. FamilySearch.org, Isle of Wight County, Virginia Deeds, Vol. 5, Pages 329-330, Image 484. 

120 Ibid. 

121 Ibid. 

122 [bid. Thomas Brewer II] is discussed in Section E.1 below. 

123 FamilySearch.org, Isle of Wight County Records, 1634-1951, Wills and Administrations, Book II, 
1719-1760, Image 142; 
lva.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/O1LVA_INST/9cpp9q/alma990005386040205756. 

124 David Brewer, Tracing the Brewers of Colonial Virginia: The Trail of YDNA Subclade I-Y21524 and 
Beyond (2019), Pages 112-114. 

25 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/willbk_2/Pg%20169.jpg, 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/willbk 2/P¢%20170.jpg. 

1226 Judson Councill, Hodges Councill of Virginia and Descendants (J. H. Furst Company, Baltimore, 
Maryland 1941), Page 21, available at: 
archive.org/details/hodgescouncillof00coun/page/20/mode/2up. That document does not indicate any 
daughters for Hodges Councill, but the author does not appear to have had access to the original Will 
either. 

127 Note that there are Vick men associated with the Brunswick County Brewer line. This requires 


further investigation. Varner Supplement, Page 21. 
228 Councill, Hodges Councill of Virginia and Descendants, Pages 19-20. 
29 [bid., Page 23. 


642 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


130 Original Will of John Brewer, available on ChristensenJames tree on Ancestry.com, and also 
available at: brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/ct_ob_1778_84/Pg%20107.jpg. 

131 sherlene.wordpress.com/2007/07/12/thomas-lankford-d-may-june-1778-of-newport-parish-isle-of- 
wight-virginia-m-__-grandfather-of-ivey-lankford/. 

132 Ben R. Brewer, The Long Brewer Line, Page 27. 

133 Varner also heavily questions the existence of Thomas Brewer II for most of the same reasons. 

134 Boddie, Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight County, Virginia, Page 600. 

135 Ancestry.com, Virginia Tax Records, Virginia Quit Rent Rolls, 1704: Isle of Wight County, Page 429. 
136 Varner, Pages 36-37. 

137 Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck, Virginia’s Colonial Soldiers (Genealogical Publishing Co. Baltimore, 
Maryland 1988) Pages 216, 223, available at: 
books.google.com/books?id=0RpcJOBm6AC&q=Brewer#v=snippet&q=Breweré&f=false. 

138 The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography (July 1894), Vol. II, No. 1, Page 6. Ben Brewer listed 
him as a Justice of the Peace, citing Louis Des Cognets, English Duplicates of Lost Virginia Records. 
However, I believe this is a misreading of the original records, which shows Thomas Brewer as part 
of the Quorum. I am not completely clear on the difference between a Justice of the Peace and the 
Quorum, so this may be a distinction without a difference. 

139 John D. Neville, “An Isle of Wight Quitrent Roll, 1714” (The Virginia Magazine of History and 
Biography Apr 1979), Vol. 87, No. 2, Page 177. 

140 This discrepancy is discussed further by Dave Brewer, Tracing the Brewers of Colonial Virginia, Pages 
114-116. 

141 Ben R. Brewer, The Long Brewer Line, Page 32. 


12 Alternatively spelled Applewhaite in other references. 

143 Varner, Page 39. 

144 Ben R. Brewer, The Long Brewer Line, Page 32. 

145 William P. Palmer, Calendar of Virginia State Papers and Other Manuscripts, 1652-1781 (Richmond 
1875), Vol. I, Page 201, available at: 

archive.org/details/calendarvirginil 2palmgoog/page/n290/mode/2up?q=Brewer. Henry Applewhaite 
was a fellow vestry member and petitioner. 

14 Louis Des Cognets, English Duplicates of Lost Virginia Records, Page 35, available at: 
archive.org/details/englishduplicate00desc/page/34/mode/2up?q=brewer. 

\7 Ibid., Page 47. 

48 Ben R. Brewer, The Long Brewer Line, Page 33; FamilySearch.org, Virginia, Isle of Wight Probate 
Records, Wills and Administrations Book II, Page 52. 

149 Ann Brewer, daughter of Thomas (I, II) married Edmond Godwin. Varner, Page 58. They had a son 
named Brewer Godwin, who appears in many records during this timeframe. Ben R. Brewer, The 
Long Brewer Line, Page 33. 

180 Thid. 

151 [bid. 

1582 Varner, Page 39. 

153 archive.org/details/executivejournal04virg/page/236/mode/2up?q=brewer. 

154 FamilySearch.org, Isle of Wight County, Virginia Deeds, Vol. 4, Pages 308-309, Image 183. 

155 archive.org/details/executivejournal04virg/page/298/mode/2up?q=brewer 

156 FamilySearch.org, Virginia, Isle of Wight Probate Records, Wills and Administrations Book II, Page 
93. 

157 Boddie, Seventeenth Century Isle of Wight County, Page 229. 


643 


Appendix I: The Earliest Virginia Brewers 


158 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_ bk 3/P2%20093.jpg, 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_bk_3/Pg%20094.jpg, 


brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_bk_3/Pg%20095.jpg 

159 Ibid. Southampton County was formed from the southwestern portion of Isle of Wight County in 
1749. 

160 [bid. 

161 Zella Armstrong, Notable Southern Families, Vol. 2, Pages 162-163, available at: 
familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/194913-notable-southern-families-vol- 

2?viewer=1 &offset=1# page=127&viewer=picture&o=info&n=0&q=. This source is confusing and I do 


not take it as authoritative. 
162 brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_bk_3/P2%20093.jpg, 


brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_bk_3/Pg%20094.jpg, 
brantleyassociation.com/southampton_project/gallery/deed_bk 3/Pg%20095,j 


163 Available at: andersonnc.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/map_surry8.jpg. 


164 Varner, Pages 47-51. 


644 


Appendix II: Halifax, Virginia Tax Rolls, 1782-1829 


The information below was transcribed from the Tax Rolls for Halifax County, Virginia from 1782- 
1820, available on FamilySearch.org inspired by a similar effort of Walter V. Turner. Notes in 
brackets are not in the original and are my attempt to fill in missing details. Byrd is often spelled Bird, 
but I have used the former for consistency. Links continue to appear after 1829, but the family of our 
John Link line (highlighted in green) has mostly moved away by this time, aside from son Thomas 
Link. 


Men are color coded by family to assist tracking over time: John Adam Link and his four sons, 
William Link, John Link, Thomas Link, and Barton Link. 


1782 Free Men over 16, including | Slaves [Often | Horses 
man listed in first column | broken into over 
[Educated guess at sons in| 16 and _ between 
brackets] 12-16, added 
together here] 
John Adam Link [image 17] 1 3 Z 
William Link [image 17] 1 il 4 
John Link [image 17] 1 il 5 
Thomas Link [image 17] 1 2 
1783 
William Link [image 31] 1 1 (Dick) 4 
John Link [image 31] 1 1 (Ben) 5 
Thomas Link [image 31] 1 2. 
John A. Link 0 [John Adam appears to |3 (Hos?, Peter, | 1 
have been exempted from | Sam) 
tax late in life] 
Barton Link il 2. 
1784 
John Adam Link [image 59] 0 3  (Joice?, Peter, | 1 
Jim) 
William Link [image 59] 1 1 (Dick) 5 
Thomas Link [image 59] 1 2 
John Link [image 59] 1 1 (Ned) 5 
1785 
William Link [image 70] il il Th 
Thomas Link [image 70] 1 2. 
John [Adam] Link [image 70] 0 3 1 


645 


Appendix II: Halifax, Virginia Tax Rolls, 1789-1829 


1786 
John Adam Link 0 3 il 
William Link 1 2 1 
John Link 1 2 4 
Barton Link 1 1 
Thomas Link 1 2 
1787 
Thomas Link 1 3 
John A[dam] Link 1 3 2 
William Link 2 [John] 3 5 
John Link 2 [William] 3 3 
Barton Link 1 1 2 
1788 
[John] Adam Link Exempt 2. 2 
Thomas Link 1 2 
John Link 2 (1 son [William]) 3 5 
William Link 2 (1 son [John]) 2 5 
Barton Link 1 1 2 
1789 
William Link 2 (1 son [John]) 2. 6 
John Link 3 (1 son [William], 1 | 4 6 
Overseer) 
Barton Link 2 (1 son, [Byrd B.]) 1 4 
1790? (1789 c list) 
William Link 3 (2 sons [John, Byrd]) 2 6 
John Link 2 (1 son [William]) 4 5 
Barton Link 2 (1 son [Byrd B.]) 1 2 
1791 No list 
1792 
Barton Link 2 [Byrd B.] 2 p. 
William Link 4 [John, Byrd, William] 3 4 
John Link 2 [William] 4 6 
1793 
Barton Link 2 [Byrd B.] 2 3 
William Link 4 [John, Byrd, William] 3 5 
John Link 2 [William] 4 6 
1794 
Byrd B. Link [son of Barton] 1 1 


646 


Appendix II: Halifax, Virginia Tax Rolls, 1789-1829 


John Link [Sr.] 1 6 
William Link 4 [John, Byrd, William] 6 
William Link, Jr. [son of John, Sr.] 1 1 
Barton Link 1 1 
1795 

Byrd Link [son of Barton] 1 2 
John Link, Jr. [son of William, Sr.] 1 1 
Barton Link 1 3 
John Link [Sr.] il 5 
William Link [Sr.] 2 [Byrd or William?] 3 
William Link, Jr. [son of John, Sr.?] | 1 1 
1796 

Barton Link il 3 
John Link [Sr.] 2 [John] 6 
William Link [Sr.] 4 JJohn?, Byrd, William] 6 
William Link, Jr. 1 1 
1797 

Bartlett [Barton] Link 2 [John] 2 
Byrd B. Link [son of Barton] 1 il 
Byrd Link, Jr. [son of William, Sr.] | 1 3 
William Link, Sr. 3 [JJohn?, William] 4 
William Link, Jr. 1 1 
John Link [Sr.] 2 [John] 6 
1798 

Byrd B. Link [son of Barton] 1 2 
Byrd Link [son of William, Sr.] 1 D 
Bartlett [Barton] Link 2 [John] 3 
John Link, Sr. 3 [John, Thomas] 7 
William Link, Son of John [Link, | 1 1 
Sr.] 

William Link, Sr. 1 3 
John Link, Jr. [son of William, Sr.] 1 1 
William Link, Jr. [son of William, | 1 2 
Sr.] 

1799 

Barton Link 1 3 
Byrd B. Link [son of Barton] 1 4 
Byrd Link [son of William, Sr.] 1 1 
William Link, Son of William [Sr.] | 1 1 
John Link, Sr. 2 [2] 7 
William Link, Sr. 1 4 


647 


Appendix II: Halifax, Virginia Tax Rolls, 1789-1829 


John Link, Jr. [son of William, Sr.?] | 1 il 2 
1800 
Byrd Link [son of William, Sr.] 1 1 3 
William Link, Son of William [Sr.] | 1 1 
William Link, C 0 Jno? [Child of | 1 1 1 
John?] 
Byrd B. Link [son of Barton] il 2 
John Link, Sr. 4 [John, Thomas, Jesse] 6 8 
William Link, Sr. 1 4 4 
John Link, son of William [Sr.] 1 1 2 
Barton Link 1 2 2 
1800 Qualified Voters: William | Required owning land (100 
Link, Sr., John Link, Sr., Byrd Link. | acres unimproved or 

twenty-five acres 

improved). 
1801 
William Link, Jr. 1 1 
John Link, Jr. [son of William, Sr.?] | 1 1 1 
Barton Link 1 2 3 
Byrd Link [son of William, Sr.] il 1 4 
William Link, Sr. 2 [Overseer? All known | 5 4 

sons accounted for] 
Byrd B. Link [son of Barton] 1 2 
John Link, Sr. 4 [John, Thomas, Jesse] 7 8 
1802 
William Link, Sr. 2 [Overseer?] 4 6 
John Link son of William [Sr.] il 1 2 
Byrd Link [son of William, Sr.] 1 5 
William Link son of William [Sr.] 1 1 
John Link, Sr. 3 [Thomas, Jesse] 8 7 
John Link, son of John [Sr.?] 1 3 
Barton Link 1 6 3 
Byrd B. Link [son of Barton] il 2 
1803 
William Link, Sr. 2 [Overseer?] 4 6 
William Link, Jr. [son of William, | 1 2 
Sr.] 
John Link son of William [Sr.] 1 1 3 
Byrd Link [son of William, Sr.] il D 
John Link son of John [Sr.?] 1 1 3 
Byrd B. Link [son of Barton] 1 1 1 


648 


Appendix II: Halifax, Virginia Tax Rolls, 1789-1829 


Barton Link 1 zB 3 
John Link son of B[arton] il il 
John Link, Sr. 2 [Jesse] 7 7 
Thomas Link 1 1 
1804 

Thomas Link 1 1 
John Link son of William [Sr.] 1 il 2 
William Link, Jr. [son of William, | 1 2 
Sr.] 

Byrd B. Link [son of Barton] 1 1 2 
Barton Link 1 3 
John Link son of Barton 1 2 
John Link [Sr.] 2 [Jesse] 7 6 
William Link, Sr. 2 [Overseer?] 4 5 
Byrd Link [son of William, Sr.] 1 z 
1805 

John Link son of William [Sr.] 1 1 z) 
Byrd B. Link [son of Barton] 1 1 
Barton Link 1 3 3 
John Link, Jr. [son of John, Sr. or | 1 

duplicate?] 

John Link [son of Barton or] 1 5 
duplicate?] 

Byrd B. Link [duplicate?] 1 3 
John Link, Sr. 2 [Jesse] 7 8 
Thomas Link 1 2 
William Link, Sr. 2 [Overseer?] 5 3 
William Link, Jr. [son of William, | 1 2 
Sr.] 

Byrd Link [son of William Sr.] 1 3 
* See note below for this year 

1806 

John Link [son of Barton?] 1 1 
John Link son of William [Sr.] 1 i 2 
Byrd Link [son of William, Sr.] 1 2 3 
John Link, Sr. 1 6 4 
Thomas Link 1 1 4 
Jesse Link 1 1 
Barton Link 1 3 5 
Byrd B. Link [son of Barton] 1 1 2 
William Link, Jr. 1 » 
William Link, Sr. 1 5 3 


649 


Appendix II: Halifax, Virginia Tax Rolls, 1789-1829 


1807 


William Link [Jr.] 


John Link [Sr.] 


Thomas Link 


John Link [son of William, Sr.] 


Barton Link 


William Link, Sr. 


Byrd B. Link [son of Barton] 


John Link, Jr. [son of Barton?] 


Byrd Link [son of William, Sr.] 


Salo Sy Sapa 


NP RIN] OT] OQ] rR 


NIWOINRPOINININ]N 


1808 — No list 


1809 


Byrd B. Link [son of Barton] 


Barton Link 


John Link, Sr. 


[James Adam] 


Thomas Link 


Jesse Link 


Bird Link [son of William, Sr.] 


William Link, Sr. 


William Link, Jr. [son of William, 
Sr.] 


Se SSS ea 


BRIANA 


RPIOINININI|AD/]-&]o1 


1810 


William Link, Jr. 


Barton Link 


Byrd Link [son of William, Sr.] 


Byrd B. Link [son of Barton] 


John Link, Sr. 


[James Adam, Overseer?] 


NI] QQ] IN | N [re 


Thomas Link 


Jesse Link 


William Link, Sr. 


mle lRlwolR}RefR|R 


BIN IN ININ IN | O1)Ny 


1811 


Byrd Link [son of William, Sr.] 


Barton Link 


Thomas Link 


John Link, Sr. 


[James Adam] 


Jesse Link 


William Link, Sr. 


William Link, Jr. [son of William, 
Sr.] 


Bile IN]Re let 


NIA)RIN 


NOT OIN IN |a]NM 


Byrd B. Link [son of Barton] 


John Link, Jr. [son of Barton?] 


650 


Appendix II: Halifax, Virginia Tax Rolls, 1789-1829 


1812 

Byrd B. Link [son of Barton] 1 3 4 
John Link, son of B[arton] 1 Il 2D 
Barton Link 1 4 4 
Byrd Link [son of William, Sr.] 1 1 2 
William Link, Jr. [son of William, | 1 1 D 
Sr.] 

William Link, Sr. 1 6 5 
Jesse Link 1 1 5 
John Link, Sr. 2 [James Adam] 7 6 
Thomas Link 1 1 
1813 

Thomas Link 1 1 
William Link, Jr. [son of William, | 1 1 3 
Sr.] 

Barton Link 1 3 6 
Jesse Link 1 1 5 
William Link, Sr. 1 6 3 
John Link, Sr. 2 [James Adam] 7 6 
Rachael Link [widow of John Link, 1 

son of Barton?] 

1814 

Jesse Link 1 1 4 
William Link, Jr. [son of William, | 1 D 3 
Sr.] 

Thomas Link 1 2 
John Link, Sr. 1 7 5 
James A. Link 1 1 
William Link, Sr. 1 6 3 
Barton Link 1 3 5 
1815 

William Link, Sr. 1 7 3 
William Link, Jr. 1 2 4 
John Link [Sr.] 1 8 6 
Thomas Link 1 1 2 
James [A] Link 1 1 
Jesse Link 1 1 4 
Barton Link 1 4 4 
1816 

William Link, Sr. il 6 3 
William Link, Jr. 1 2 3 
John Link [Sr.] 2 [James A. or Overseer? | 8 5 


651 


Appendix II: Halifax, Virginia Tax Rolls, 1789-1829 


Barton Link 


Thomas Link 


1817 


Barton Link 


William Link [Sr.] 


Thomas Link 


John Link [Sr.] 


James A. Link 


William Link, Jr. 


SSS) — 


WR] OTsR | OQ] 


1818 


James A. Link 


Mary Link [widow of John, Sr.] 


William Link, Jr. 


Thomas Link 


RloOl ele 


John Link, Jr. [son of William, Sr?] 


William Link, Sr. 


Barton Link 


=a) es 


1819 


Thomas Link 


Mary Link [widow of John, Sr.] 


Barton Link 


William Link [Jr.] 


oles |atR 


James A. Link 


William Link, Sr. 


= | — 


DIRIN|W]}o 


ies) 


1820 


William Link, Jr. 


Thomas Link 


Barton Link 


William Link, Sr. 


He | HR |r | Go 


James A. Link 


| fe ee | 


Mary Link [widow of John, Sr.] 


1821 (only slaves/horses) 


James A. Link 


Mary Link Jr. [widow of John, Sr.] 


William Link 


Mary Link [widow of William, Sr.] 


NR] oO 


WoO] RI Re 


1822 (only slaves/horses) 


Thomas Link 


Barton Link 


William Link 


652 


Appendix II: Halifax, Virginia Tax Rolls, 1789-1829 


Mary Link, Sr. [widow of William, 2 D 
Sr.] 

Mary Link, Jr. [widow of John, Sr.] 3 4 
James A. Link 1 

1823 (only slaves/horses) 

William Link 1 2 
Mary Link [widow of William, Sr.] 2 2D 
Barton Link 3 3 
James A. Link 1 1 
Mary Link [widow of John, Sr.] D 4 
1824 (only slaves/horses) 

Barton Link 4 3 
Mary Link, Jr. [widow of John, 2 1 
Sr.?] 

Thomas Link 1 1 
Mary Link [widow of William, 3 5 
Sr.?] 

James A. Link 1 1 
William Link 

1825 (only slaves/horses) 

Barton Link 5 2 
Mary Link, Jr. [widow of John, Sr.] 2. 3 
Thomas Link 1 
James A. Link 1 1 
Mary Link, Sr. [widow of William, 1 
Sr.] 

William Link 1 2 
Peggy Link [daughter of William, 1 2 
Sr.] 

1826 (only slaves/horses) 

Thomas Link 2 1 
Mary Link [widow of John, Sr.] 3 3 
James A. Link 2 
Barton Link 4 2 
William Link 1 3 
Mary Link, Sr. [widow of William, D 1 
Sr.] 

Peggy Link [daughter of William, 1 3 
Sr.] 

1827 (only slaves/horses) 

Barton Link, Sr. 6 4 


653 


Appendix II: Halifax, Virginia Tax Rolls, 1789-1829 


Barton Link, Jr. [grandson of 1 
Barton, Sr.] 

William Link 1 4 
Mary Link, Sr. 

Peggy Link [daughter of William, 1 3 
Sr.] 

Thomas Link 1 
Mary Link, Jr. [widow of John Sr.] 3 3 


1828 (back to including tithable 
white men) 


William Link 2 1 4 
Mary Link, Sr. [widow of William, 

Sr.] 

Peggy Link [daughter of William, 1 3 
Sr.] 

Mary Link [widow of John, Sr.] 3 
Thomas Link 1 » 
Barton Link, Sr. 1 2 
Barton Link, Jr. 1 1 
1829 

Thomas Link 1 5 4 
Barton Link, Sr. 1 3 2 
William Link 1 4 
Peggy Link [daughter of William, 3 3 
Sr.] 


*The 1805 tax list is particularly strange. There were four men named John Link, but I can only 
account for three of them: John Link, Sr., John Link son of William [Sr.], and the John Link son of 
Barton Link. The John Link who was the son of John Link, Sr. appears to have died in 1803 or early in 
1804. Another issue is the three men named Byrd Link. In every other year, there were only two 
Byrds: the Byrd B. Link who was the son of Barton Link, and the Byrd Link who was the son of 
William Link, Sr. My guess is that this third Byrd Link and fourth John Link were mistakes in the 
records, but that is not proven. Genealogist Robert W Baird has explained some of the complications 


that could arise when compiling the tax lists: 


“Tt was not, strictly speaking, required that persons report their tithables to the justice or 
commissioner for their home precinct. If convenient, they could report to another justice. Whether or 
not their name ended up on the correct precinct’s list is undeterminable. As a result, we may find 
persons occasionally listed in a different precinct, giving the possibly erroneous impression that they 
had relocated within the county. However, recall that the precinct’s justice had a significant incentive 


to assure that his precinct was correctly enumerated, and was therefore motivated to include the 


654 


Appendix II: Halifax, Virginia Tax Rolls, 1789-1829 


name on his own list. This probably explains the occasional duplicate listing.” 


(genfiles.com/articles/tithables/). 


I suspect that is what happened here, but further research may uncover more information. 


655