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Franklin W. Yager, the subject of the biography you posted, is my 2nd great-grandfather. I am descended from his daughter "Jane," who was actually "Joan" or "Joanna" depending on the mood of the writer, and her husband Alfred J. Rhodes. She thought her name was "Joan." This is a messed-up biography in the sense that there was not a true understanding of Franklin's ancestors. Two generations were telescoped. The problem was, I believe, that Franklin's wife Harriet, who was a family-proud type of person, gave this information to the biographer. There are suggestions that perhaps Franklin was ill or incompetent by 1898. Franklin died in 1904. Franklin's father was Laban Yager and his mother Sarah Carpenter. Sarah was the first of Laban's 3 wives; she died in 1826 in VA. She was the daughter of Samuel Carpenter and Margaret (Peggy) Blankenbaker. Franklin was born in either Culpeper or Madison County, Virginia. (I tend to believe it was actually Madison County because his father, Laban, farmed land next to the homestead of Laban's grandfather "Blind" John Yager.) In 1836, the family migrated to Jefferson County, Kentucky, along with Laban's aunt, Diana Yager Smith, and several of her children and grandchildren. There they joined Laban's father, John W. Yager, who had migrated from Madison County, Virginia to Kentucky earlier, in 1822. Laban's father, John W. Yager was born 12 Nov. 1773; he married Margaret Wilhite or Wilhoit on Nov. 3, 1791 in what that year was Culpeper County and which shortly would be Madison County, they migrated to Boone County, KY, in 1822, and between 1830 and 1840 they migrated to Jefferson County, KY. He died 18 Apr 1851 and is buried in Hobbes Cemetery, outside Louisville, Jefferson Co., KY. Margaret was the daughter of George Wilhoit and had predeceased him on 25 Jan 1849; she also is buried in Hobbes Cemetery. Margaret was the daughter of George Wilhoit and Elizabeth Utz. I tend to use the spelling "Wilhoit" for ease but it is not necessarily how they spelled the name. John W. Yager, unlike what this biography states, was most certainly NOT the immigrant from Germany. That honor is reserved for John W's grandfather Adam Yager and Adam's father Nicholas Yager, who is listed as one of the original Germanna settlers and who is the progenitor of the family for whom Yager Mountain, in Madison Co., VA, is named. Harriet missed a couple of generations when she was describing the family for this 1898 biography! John W. Yager's father was "Blind" John Yager and his mother was Mary Margaret Wilhite or Wilhoit. You can see that the two similarly named generations would be pretty confusing to anyone, which is why many descendants use the term "Blind" John, and "Dubya" to differentiate father and son. Mary Margaret Wilhoit, Blind John's wife, was a 1st or 2nd cousin once removed from Margarent Wilhoit, her daughter-in-law. "Blind" John Yager was born 15 Dec. 1732 in Culpeper Co., VA, he lived to be very old and gradually grew blind, and died in 1826. His wife, Mary Margaret Wilhoit, was the daughter of John Christian Wilhoit and Waldburga Weaver. On anther website, there arose the question of whether or not Samuel Carpenter, father of Sarah Carpenter, Laban Yager's wife, was the husband of Dinah Christler. That was a different Samuel Carpenter, but I'll just note here that when Blind John died in 1826, his land was sold to "Dinah Carpenter," who may well be this Dinah Christler. "Blind" John Yager was the son of Adam Yager, who emigrated to Virginia with his parents when he was just 8 years old or so, and Blind John's mother was Susannah unknown. It was thought at one time that she was Susannah Kobler but that is no longer believed to be true. Adam was born in the area of Falkenstein, Pfalz, Germany, in 1708; he died in about 1793. Adam's father was Nicholas Yager, who was born, we believe, in Oberzell, Hesse, Germany, in about 1676. Oberzell is quite near the border of both Bavaria and Thuringia and is not far from Baden-Wurtemberg, and today is located in a UNESCO biosphere. Adam's mother was Anna Maria Seiber from Falkenstein, and she and Nicholas were married in 1706 in Marienthal, near Falkenstein, Pfalz, Germany. While I have a lot of information from John W. to the present on this family, I would say that Betty Johnson is the expert from John W. going back in time, or else Cathi Clore Frost who is NOT a Yager but who is writing a new Germanna Record on the Yagers.
In my last post, I identified the wife of Jacob Aylor (son of Henry Aylor) as Frances Sparks, daughter of Thomas and Mary (Towles) Sparks. In Germanna Record No. 12, it had been erroneously been published that his wife's name was Frances MURRY. This had been based on his affadivit in support of Mark Finks pension application in which he names James Murray as his brother in-in-law. This statement was true, but only because it was his sister Susannah Aylor who had married Lt. James Murray (Aylor Family article states she married Simeon Murray in 1812 - this needs more work).
My previous post proves that the wife of Jacob Aylor was Frances Sparks, according to the Clark vs. Towles chancery suit in Madison County (q.v.). Franky Aylor died in April 1840, as recorded in the minutes of F. T. Baptist Church in Sperryville, Rappahannock Co., VA. [Source: A. Paul Thompson, F. T. Baptist Church 1778-1978, (Orange, VA: Trustees of F. T. Baptist Church, printed by Green Publishers, Inc., 1979), p. 48.]
From there, we need to address the children of Jacob Aylor and Frances Sparks. There are two errors (Ephraim and Nancy) one omission (Bluford) and one questionable child (Aaron) from the list given in Germanna Record No. 12 by Sarah Aylor Lewis.
First, let us review the comments Ms. Aylor made about Jacob Aylor in "The Aylor Family," The Germanna Record No. 12 (Orange, VA: The Memorial Foundation of the Germanna Colonies, Inc., 1978) 5-70.
Ms. Aylor writes on page 8:
#5. Jacob Aylor was born ca 1748 and died in Madison Co., Va. in 1840 or before, 1840 being the year in which his estate was settled. [Reference needed] He married Frances Murray. [This is incorrect, he married Frances Sparks, daughter of Thomas and Mary (Towles) Sparks, see previous message to this board] James Aylor was a soldier in the Revolutionary War and was pensioned Aug. 26, 1833 at the age of 88 (Secretary of War's Pension Report, 1835, Vol. II). On Feb. 26, 1834, testifying to Capt. Mark FInks's application for a Revolutionary pension, he mentions Liet. James Murrary (his brother-in-law), and still gave his age as 85. These two records indicate that he was born in 1748.
NOTE: Copies of original records of these pension files are needed. There was no James Aylor in this time frame, and this is clearly a typographical error in Germanna Record No. 12. for Jacob Aylor. Jacob Aylor is listed in Class Number 87 (See: John Blankenbaker, The Culpeper Classes, Private Printing by the Author, 1999, 28). Suzanne Matson brings to my attention that the pension application of Jacob Aylor is on file at NARA, digitized image via footnote.com, Publication Number M804, file number S.8040. This needs further examination.
Children of Jacob Aylor and Frances Sparks (not necessarily in birth order. I will use the list provided in Ms. Aylor's article, and make notes accordingly:)
1. Martin Aylor (#23 on Ms. Aylor's report). He was born 1797 according to the 1850 Census of Culpeper census where his age is given as 53 years old. The Aylor article gives his date of birth as 1788, with no source. More about Martin Aylor in a subsequent post to this list.
In The Aylor Family article his wife's name is not known, and he is assigned a daughter Elizabeth. We will see that this incorrect, that his wife was Jane House, and he had one known daughter, Sarah Frances Aylor who married James Polk Kilby in Culpeper in 1868.
2. Thomas Aylor. Number 24 in The Aylor Family article, and born ca 1794 according to the Aylor Family article, with no documentation. He is named as an heir of Jacob and Frances (Sparks) Aylor in the Towles vs. Sparks chancery suit. Reported in The Aylor Family as having married (1) Mary J. Hoffman on 18 March 1836 and (2) Louisa Rosson on 8 November 1853.
3. Merry Aylor, b. ca 1789 (Ms. Aylor, citing 1810 Madison County tax lists). No. 25 in article, according to which he married Elizabeth "Betsy" Sparks on 2 August 1815 (p. 14 of The Germanna Records No. 12. This is confirmed in the published marriage records of Madison County by John Vogt & T. William Kethley, Jr. in Madison County Marriages 1792-1850, Iberian Publishing Co., Athens, GA, 1983, p. 10, though it gives the groom's name as "Mercy" Aylor.
Besty Sparks was a daughter of John Sparks and Phoebe Smith. John Sparks was another son of Thomas and Mary (Towles) Sparks, and therefore Merry Aylor and Betsy Sparks were first cousins. Marriage bond dated 2 August 1815, Madison County, Virginia. Merry Aylor is named as an heir of Jacob Aylor and Frances Sparks in Towles vs. Clark
Notes on Betsy Sparks and Merry Aylor:
Clark vs. Towles She is named twice, first as Betsey Sparks, daughter of John Sparks (A son of Thomas Sparks and Mary Towles), and second as the wife of Merry Aylor (son of Jacob Aylor and Frances Sparks). The 1845 deposition of Thomas Sparks (Junior, another son of Thomas and Mary Towles Sparks) says she died leaving four children who were (1) Jno P.Aylor, (2) Frances Wayland wife of William Wayland, (3) Thomas Aylor, and (4) Bluford Aylor. This is at odds with Sarah F. Aylor's genealogy in Germanna Record No. 12 (p. 14) which says the children of Merry Aylor were (1) John Parke Aylor, (2) Thomas Elzy Aylor, (3) Susan Frances Aylor wife of William Wayland and (4) Sally Aylor wife of John Fry. More work is needed on this line.
4. Bluford Aylor. Not named in The Aylor Family He was named as an heir of Jacob Aylor and Frances Sparks in Towles vs. Clark. No further record to date. Another Bluford Aylor was named in the suit, as son of Merry Aylor, above.
5. Ephraim Aylor, born 1796. Given as No. 26 in The Aylor Famly, Not named in Clark vs. Towles and was a son of Benjamin Aylor. He was not a son of Jacob Aylor. Members need to correct this data.
6. Aaron Aylor. Not named in Clark vs. Towles. Given as No. 27 in The Aylor Family, p. 9 for the reason he was not a son of either of Jacob's brothers. If so, he died before 1836 with no children. His only mention in the article is that he appears on the Hebron Church Register (no further explanation in the article was provided.)
7. Elzey Aylor. Given as No. 28 in The Aylor Family, p. 9. Not named in Clark vs. Towles, probably because he died with no issue in Madison County in 1836. The Aylor Family article gives good evidence that he was a son of Jacob Aylor in that his estate records mention his brother Merry Aylor and his father Jacob Aylor. (Citing Madison County Will Book 7)
8, Mary "Polly" Aylor, given as No. 29 in The Aylor Family, p. 9. Married William Hitt 21 February 1814 in Madison County, "Daughter of Jacob Aylor" (John Vogt & T. William Kethley, Madison County Marriages, 1792-1850, Iberian Publishing Company, Athens, GA, 1983, p. 39). She and her husband William Hitt are named in the Clark vs. Towles suit as heirs of Jacob Aylor. Living with her household on the 1850 census are her brother Martin Aylor, age 53, and his daughter Sarah F. Aylor, age 4.
9. Rhoda Aylor, given as No. 30 in The Aylor Family, p. 9. She married Evans Wilhoit, bond dated 9 December 1807, and they are named in Clark vs. Towles suit as heirs of Jacob Aylor. For marriage, see John Vogt & T. William Kethley, Madison County Marriages, 1792-1850, Iberian Publishing Company, Athens, GA, 1983, p. 80.
10. Nancy Aylor, given as No. 31 in The Aylor Family, p. 9. This is certainly an error. She was the daughter of Michael Aylor, and married Caleb Wilhoite in Boone County, KY ca 1812 according to The Aylor Family, p. 9. She is not named in Clark vs. Towles as an heir of Jacob Aylor and Frances Sparks. This needs to be corrected by the members on their databases.
M 804 Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Application File, NARA, taken from images digitized by Footnote.com, S. 8040. This file consists of fifteen scanned pages so the following is a brief review of the information in the file.
Jacob Aylor applied for a pension 11 June 1833 based on an Act of Congress passed 7 June 1832. In his Declaration of Service, Jacob Aylor listed his service as:
(1) September 1775 called to duty in the "minute services" under command of Capt. Abraham Buford. They were sent to Williamsburg and on to Norfolk and then to the Great Bridge where they encountered the enemy [enemy defeated] and returned to Williamsburg, having served 5 months 15 days;
(2) August 1777 drafted and "marched to the North" under Capt. Henry Hill and ----- [illegible] Gillison, arrived Bruce's Mills in MD and came under the command of Maj. Roberts, traveled to PA joining General Washington's Army, was discharged with regiment near Christmas, having served 4 months;
(3) 1781 called up again when Cornwallis was in VA, was present at siege of York, served 3 months plus additional time driving a wagon;
(4) also served a brief time at Falmouth but did not remember when or how long.
Jacob gave his birth date as 7 February 1749. When asked about his residence he replied that "when I was called up into service this county was a part of Culpeper and I now live, as you see, in Madison without having changed my residence". Jacob Aylor signed his declaration with an x.
William Taylor-age 79, Mu--oe [Muscoe?] Newman-age 78, and Col. David Jameson-age 80 swore affidavits in support of Jacob Aylor's declaration.
Jacob Aylor was awarded a pension of $45 per annum based on service of 13 months and 15 days. The file shows that he was paid in 1837 and 1838. He may have received money for other years but there are no documents in the file to support that.
An interesting note [at least to me] is that Jacob Aylor referred to the Culpeper militia as the "minute services" and Col. David Jameson referred to them as the "Culpeper Minute Battalion".
Items in brackets are my notations and not part of the file.
The Culpeper Minute Men Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution, lists him at http://www.cmmsar.com/members1.html. Which of these other men are Germanna descendants?
Suzanne,
Thank you so much for this further amplification. I will be in Culpeper and Madison Counties this coming week, and will try to squeeze in time to see if we can't flesh out some more details. My main interest in this thread is to show that the wife of Martin Aylor was Jane House, daughter of Aaron House, and that his daughter was not Elizabeth as given in The Aylor Family article, but instead she was Sarah Frances Aylor, born 1843. (I inadvertently gave her birth year as 1846 in my post above, she was 7 years old on the 1850 census, not 4 years old).
Of course I want to find out more about this "Burnt Woods" place.
The article makes it seem that Martin Aylor was living at the home of a daughter, when in fact he and his 7 year old daughter Sarah Frances Aylor were living in the home of his sister, Mary "Polly" Aylor Hitt, wife of William Hitt on the 1850 census.
From there, I know that Sarah Frances Aylor "daughter of Martin and Jane Aylor" married James P. Kilby in Culpeper County on 1 January 1869 (Marriage License and return by Rev. Silas Bruce).
I will continue with this story and the move to St. Louis County, Missouri once I put some handles on this bowl of jello. There is a 1907 deed executed by two of the children of Sarah Frances (Aylor) Kilby from St. Louis County, for their share of 86 acres of land in Culpeper County that was inherited by [their mother] Sarah Frances Aylor, and this 86 acres of land is supposedly mentioned in Aaron House's will and devised to his granddaugher Sarah Frances Aylor (at the time, unmarried.)
Suzanne, you have been an immense help. Perhaps we should write the article together. If Jeff Aylor is still lurking among us, he can fill us in on a lot of the blanks in the family of Jacob Aylor who went to Kentucky. I haven't heard from him since 1998.
I don't know of any living descendants of Sarah Frances Aylor Kilby, but I can't rule that out as a possibility, for reasons I will explain once I get the jello refrigerated.
Poor Frances Sparks. She has been ignored and left unmarried by two published genealogies. And poor Jacob Aylor, forever married to the wrong woman. This article seeks to set the record straight on this misunderstood couple.
(A version of this article by this author was originally published in Beyond Germanna Volume 10, no. 6, November 1998).
The problem begins with two published and long-held-as-fact genealogies of the Aylor and Sparks families. The first of these was published in the Sparks Quarterly, (Volume 4, No. 2, 1956). The second of these was a genealogy of the Aylor family by Sarah Aylor Lewis in her "The Aylor Family", in The Germanna Record Number 12 (The Memorial Foundation of the Germanna Colonists in Virginia, 1970.) They are both wrong.
The Aylor article states that Jacob Aylor married one Frances Murray. This is not true. It was Jacob Aylor's sister Susannah who married James Murray. The Sparks Quarterly states that Frances Sparks never married, and that Jacob Aylor married, instead, her sister Nancy Sparks. Also not true. Why it was ever written as such is not known.
The truth of the matter is that Jacob Aylor married Frances Sparks, daughter of Thomas & Mary (Towles) Sparks, as will be shown here. This was one of the earliest Germanna/English marriages in Culpeper County.
The will of Thomas Sparks was written 30 December 1784 and proved in Culpeper County on 19 February 1787 (Will Book C, 226). His will mentioned that he had already given land to two of his sons, who were John (m. Phebe Smith) and Humphrey Sparks (m. Milly Nalle).
He then sets off land to three men who were his sons-in-law, though the will does not specifically state this. These three men were James Kilby (m. Lucy Sparks), Russell Vawter (m. Mary Sparks) and Jacob Aylor.
The will of Thomas Sparks then continues to name all of his children, though he gives none of them a last name: John, Ann (Nancy), Humphrey, Lucy, Henry, Thomas, Mary and Frankey (Frances). The will also does not mention a fourth son-in-law, Jarvis Smith, who was the husband of Nancy (Ann) Sparks.
The proof for these marriages comes not from the will of Thomas Sparks, but from the 1836 lawsuit in Madison County titled Clark's Administrators vs. Towles Executor (Chancery File #45). This suit set aside the will of Henry Towles, "second of the name," and youngest of 13 children of Stokely Towles, by his 2nd wife Jane (Sparks) Wharton, sister of Thomas Sparks of this tale.
This suit is the virtual Gospel of Matthew in terms of who begat whom and when. When Henry Towles died in 1836 with no children, nearly all of his siblings has passed from this mortal coil, having long since moved away from Virginia and leaving children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in many "a distant state." (Mainly North Carolina and Kentucky.)
It is to the section regarding the heirs of his sister Mary Towles (first of the name) who married Thomas Sparks that we turn our attention. She was a daughter of Stokely Towles by his first wife, Ann Vallot. (When Stokely Towles married his 2nd wife, Jane Sparks, they apparently had run out of names and so repeated the names of Mary and Henry for their last two children. Strange but true, the chancery suit proves it.)
A court summons of 7 January 1841 states that the daughters of Thomas and Mary (Towles) Sparks were Jacob Aylor and Frances his wife, Jarvis Smith and Nancy his wife, Russell Vawter and Mary his wife, and James Kilby and Lucy his wife. (James Kilby had died in 1829. His heirs are named later in the suit.)
A second summons, dated 18 October 1844, inserts in lieu of Jacob and Frances Aylor, the names of their heirs who were Merry Aylor, Bluford Aylor, Thomas Aylor, Martin Aylor, William Hitt and Polly (Aylor) his wife, Evans Wilhoit and Rhoda (Aylor) his wife.
Not listed in this summons, but listed as children of Jacob Aylor in the Aylor article, are: Aaron, Ephraim, Elzy and Nancy reputed wife in the Aylor article of Caleb Wilhoite. As to the identiy of Polly Aylor Hitt, and Rhoda Aylor Wilhoit, this author leaves to the work of more informed researchers. They are either children or grandchildren of Jacob Aylor.
Hence we may add children Bluford and Rhoda, and add a husband for daughter Mary Aylor as William Hitt.
We may need to delete these children from this family: Aaron, Ephraim and Elzy (Nancy?) wife of Caleb Wilhoit.
The Aylor article erroneously asserts that Jacob Aylor married one Frances Murray and bases this assertion on the fact that Jacob Aylor gave a deposition to the Revolutionary War pension of application of Mark Finks, in which he refers to his brother-in-law Lt. James Murry.
James Murray was indeed Jacob Aylor's brother-in-law, but only because it was his sister Susannah Aylor who had married James Murray. As to why the Sparks Quarterly article has Jacob Aylor married to Nancy in stead of Frances, it is never stated.
Hopefully, this post will clarify the proper relationships and assist those who descend from the husband and wife, Jacob Aylor and Frances Sparks, and allow their souls to repose in the knowledge that their family has finally been at least partially rectified in print.
I have an Anthony Eiler who had a son named John George Aylor born 30 June 1764 and died Dec 1834. These Eiler/Aylors lived in the Shenandoah Valley. Any thoughts?
According to Jeff Aylor's web site at http://gen.jaylhouse.com, this Anthony Olermay have been the son of Caspar Oler of York County, Pennsylvania where he married Catherine Smith.
No Michael. No thoughts. I was attempting to correct just one mistake. That being said however, there is yet another Aylor I need to correct, later on in time. This is one Sarah Frances Aylor who married James Polk Kilby in Culpeper in 1868 and moved to St. Louis, Missouri shortly thereafter. She had been lost in the shuffle all these years until I managed to place her in the Aylor family proper.
While there will still be many things to entice you to participate in the July 2009 Germanna Conference and Reunion, a confirmed speaker is John Blankenbaker and learn a little of what he has in store for you on the News page.
The Germanna July 2009 Conference and Reunion is shaping up to be a very exciting event. Check the News page regularly for information on the speakers and other events that will make this year's event the most memorable to date.
This concludes mentions of Germanna in the Executive Journals 1705-1721
Source: H. R. McIlwaine, editor, The Executive Journals of The Council of Virginia Volume III (Richmond: The Virginia State Library, 1928. Reprint, 1976), p. 549.
Meeting of the Council at Williamsburg on 10 August 1721.
Present: The Governor (Alexander Spotswood)
Council: Edmund Jenings, Philip Ludwell, John Lewis, Nath'l Harrison, Cole Digges, Peter Beverley & Jno. Robinson, Esq.
This is a very lengthy discussion about a proposed peace meeting with the Five Indian Nations and suitable locations are discussed, Germanna being one of them. In one scenario, they would meet at Germanna itself. In another scenario, they would meet at Nottoway Indian Town and the Indian representatives would be given passport to travel through Germanna.
Though not related to the peace meeting, this same council notes that a number of negroes belonging to the Governor and others (the others not being named) "on the frontier" had run away for the mountains, and it was proposed to have the Indians capture and return them for a reward.
(Original source material, continued)
Several crown patents were approved by the Executive Council on 23 December 1724 in Williamsburg. Two in particular stand out.
Source: H. R. McIlwaine, editor, Executive Journals of the Council of Virginia, Vol. III (Richmond: Library of Virginia, 1928; Reprint, Library of Virginia, 1976.), 538.
1. "To Richard Hickman in behalf of himself and others his Partners--Twenty thousand Acres, joyning on the Germanna & Iron Mine Tracts--in Spotsylvania County--
Patent Book 11, p. 151, dated 23 July 1722 contains a patent to Edward Ripping, Richard Hickman and Ralph Gough for 10,000 acres on the South Side of the Rapidan River. The digitized image is found at the Library of Virginia web site. URL:
http://image.lva.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/GetLONN.pl?first=151&last=&g_p=P11... Patent
Patent Book 12, p. 433, dated 27 July 1722, contains a patent to Richard Hickman of Williamsburg for 28,000 acres of new land in Spotsylvania County on Russell Run. Library of Virginia digitized image is found at:
http://image.lva.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/GetLONN.pl?first=433&last=&g_p=P12... Patent
2. "To Cole Digges, Peter Beverley & Wm Robertson Twelve Thousand Acres lying on River Rappidan, and beginning at the Mouth of the Roberston [i.e. Robinson River, and running up the fork between the said two Rivers about three miles, thence Crossing the River Rappidann and continuing it's Courses on bothe sides the said River to include the said Quantity."
NOTE: See my previous post on this Robertson/Robinson patent for further details.
Are you saying that in No. 1 the tract mentioned first containing 20,000 acres is the same tract named in Patent Book 11, p. 151, dated 23 July 1722 containing 10,000 acres? I am not convinced they are the same.
It seems it may be PART of that tract.
This continues mention of all things Germanna in the Executive Journals of the Colony of Virginia from 1705 - 1721.
Source: H. R. McIlwaine, editor, Executive Journals of the Council of Virginia, Vol. III (Richmond: Library of Virginia, 1928; Reprint, Library of Virginia, 1976.), 487.
"1 November 1718
Present: The Governor [Alexander Spotswood]
Robert Carter, James Blair, Phil Ludwell, John Smith, John Lewis, Wm Cocke and Man Page, Esq.
"On the Petition of Will'm Robertson Leave is granted him to take up in one Tract Five thousand Acres of Land adjoining on the upline of the Land of Edward Barrow in the County of Essex and Extending between the Germanna Road and the River Rapidanne This Board being Satisfyed of his Ability to Cultivate the same according to Law."
Note: At this time (1718), this wilderness area was a part of Essex County, VA. Spotsylvania County was formed in 1721 from parts of Essex, King & Queen and Prince William Counties.
Reference: Patent Book 11, p. 147 - Crown patent signed by A. Spotswood for 12,000 acres on the South Side of the Robinson River in St. George's parish, Spotsylvania County dated 5 June 1722 to Cole Degges of York County, Peter Beverley of Gloucester County and William Robertson, Gent., of Williamsburgh, which may be part of this record.
See: http://image.lva.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/GetLONN.pl?first=147&last=&g_p=P11... Patent
See also: Executive Journals, Vol. III, p. 538, patent to Cole Degges, Peter Beverley and William Roberston for this same 12,000 acres, approved 23 December 1720.
Continuing in our efforts to provide original source material, the following:
Source: H. R. McIlwaine, Executive Journals of the Council of Virginia, Vol. III (Richmond: Virginia State Library, 1928; Reprint, Virginia State Library, 1976), 399-400.
"At a Council held at Williamsburgh the 26th of May 1715
Present: The Governor [Alexander Spotswood]
James Blair, Philip Ludwell, John Smith, William Cocke, Nath'l Harrison, Mann Page, Robert Porteus, Esq.
[Page 399: In a series of actions regarding all of the Savage Nations round them to extirpate his Majesties Subjects, That they have a sudden broke out into open hostility barbarously murdering many of the Inhabitants & destroying their habitations, & thereupon earnestly desiring that a Speedy supply of Arms & ammunition from hence to enable the people of that Province [South Carolina] to defend themselves the better...]
Page 400: "For the better defense of of the two Frontier Settlements of Christanna & Germanna, It is is ordered that their small pieces of Canon be be sent to the former, & a supply of Ammunition to the latter, & the Canon already there, be forthwith mounted."
Note: Fort Christanna was built in 1714 in what is now Brunswick County on the Merherrin River by Lt. Gov. Spotswood. See:
http://www.tourbrunswick.org/fort_christanna.htm
Further to our efforts to document original source material, this item is taken from:
H. R. McIlwaine, Editor, Executive Journals of the Council of Colonial Virginia, Vol. III (Richmond: The Virginia State Library, 1928; Reprint, The Virginia State Library, 1976), 371-372.
"April the 29th 1714
The Governor acquainting the Council that sundry Germans to the number of forty two men women & children who were invited hither by Baron de Graffenried are now arrived, but that the Said Baron not being here to care of their Settlement The Governor therefore proposed to settle them above the falls of the Rappahannock River to serve as a Barrier to the Inhabitants of that part of the Country against the Incursions of the Indians & desiring the opinion of the Council whether in consideration of their usefulness for that purpose the Charge of building them a Fort, clearing a road to their Settlement & carrying thither two pieces of Canon & some Ammunition may not properly be defrayed by the publick. It is the unanimous opinion of this Board that the sd Settlement tending so much to the security of that part of the Frontiers. It is reasonable that the expense proposed by the Governor in making thereof should be defrayed at the publick Charge of the Government, & that a quantity of powder & ball be delivered for their use out of her Majesties Magazine.
And because the sd Germans arriving so late cannot possibly this year cultivate any ground for their Subsistance much less be able to pay the publick Levy of the Government It is the opinion of this Board that they be put under the denomination of Rangers to exempt them from that Charge. And for the better enabling the sd Germans to Supply by hunting the want of other provisions It is ordered that all other persons be restrained from hunting on any unpatented Lands near that settlement"
Michael: I am much pleased to see you have obtained permission to post the article from the Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Magazine (vol. 21, 1971) by Col. Robert D. Burhans. I was happy to be a catalyst in this endeavor.
Your were wise to post the caveat about Spotswood's original intentions--whether he was seeking silver or to develop an iron mill. But, he did end up with an iron factory and that much is evident from the article. The Tubal Iron Furnace was in production by 1722. The furnace could not have been built overnight and in production, and to me its seems the 1717 colony, or the 1719 colony as you will, had someting to do with it. Some dispute whether the workers there were the 2nd Colony Germans or not (some say slaves--but I doubt that. African slaves were not skilled laborers in the making of iron at this time). I leave it to others to decipher and discuss. Your introduction on the web site version of the article merely says "built by others."....I only wish Col. Burhans had cited his sources.
I find this article a refreshing "overview" of the some of the events and Spotswood in general, but is by no means a complete history of Germanna which is only mentioned briefly. Still, it adds some spice and flavor and direction for further research which I hope the members will undertake. I also found some new informaton in this article which I had not read before.
Again, I am very pleased to have stumbled across this article and extremely pleased that you and the Northern Neck of Virginia Historical Society were able to come to terms on having it published on the Germanna web site.
Craig Kilby
Lancaster, Virginia
Susanna Broyles, daughter of Zacharias Broyles and Delilah Clore, born 30 May 1783 is reported by Dr. Keith to probably have married a Broyles as "She had three children named Broyles who seem to have been legitimate". She is listed as Susan Broyles age 65 in the 1850 census of Madison Co., Va and as Sucky Broyles in the 1860 census of Madison Co., VA age 78.
Benjamin Broyles, son of Zacharias Broyles and Delilah Clore, was born 7 April 1768. Dr. Keith does not list a wife for him however the death record of his daughter Jemima Broyles Berry in Page Co., VA lists her parents as Benjamin and Susan Broiles. Benjamin died sometime between the 1840-1850 census.
Is is possible that the records attributed to Susan/Susanna Broyles, sister of Benjamin, actually refer to his wife instead? Any thoughts on this, death date for Benjamin, transcription of Benjamin's will, etc. would be appreciated.
Thanks! Cathi
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Susanna Broyles, daughter of Zacharias Broyles and Delilah Clore, born 30 May 1783 is reported by Dr. Keith to probably have married a Broyles as "She had three children named Broyles who seem to have been legitimate". She is listed as Susan Broyles age 65 in the 1850 census of Madison Co., Va and as Sucky Broyles in the 1860 census of Madison Co., VA age 78.
Benjamin Broyles, son of Zacharias Broyles and Delilah Clore, was born 7 April 1768. Dr. Keith does not list a wife for him however the death record of his daughter Jemima Broyles Berry in Page Co., VA lists her parents as Benjamin and Susan Broiles. Benjamin died sometime between the 1840-1850 census.
Is is possible that the records attributed to Susan/Susanna Broyles, sister of Benjamin, actually refer to his wife instead? Any thoughts on this, death date for Benjamin, transcription of Benjamin's will, etc. would be appreciated.
Thanks! Cathi
**********End Of Original Post**********
Cathi, I started to answer your query and was about 99.99% finished when the power went off!!!!! Now, I have to start all over and I don't know if I can even remember what I had already said on this subject. But, let's try.
1) If the Susanna (Susan) who had children Ephraim, Garrett K., and Mary Elizabeth were actually the wife of Benjamin BROYLES, Sr. (b.1768), then she had the last child in 1819, when she was 49 years old. Hardly likely, though possible.
2) I will admit that other circumstantial evidence might lead one to believe that the two Susanna/Susan persons are one and the same.
3) Susanna (with unknown husband) had her last child in 1819. Susan, wife of Benjamin, Sr., died before 1820. If the two, Susanna and Susan, were the same, it is understandable that Susan/Susanna could have died during childbirth, or shortly afterward.
4) Both Benjamins are hard to trace in the Census Records. One has to look for Benjamin, Benj, etc., and for BROYLES, and who knows whatever variant of the surname the transcriber thought it looked like. I've finally found Benjamin BROYLES in the 1820 Census for Madison Co., VA, by just going through all the pages of the 1820 Census for Madison Co., VA. He's there, but you can't do a search for "Benjamin BROYLES" at Ancestry for the 1820 Census and find him. Whoever did the transcribing entered his surname, and, maybe, his given name, as something other than "BROYLES" or "Benjamin", and I have no idea how he is listed. You can see the 1820 Census Record for him at:
1820 Census for Benjamin BROYLES, Sr. by scrolling to near the bottom of the page.
5) It is evident that Benjamin, Sr., died between 1840 and 1850, from the Census Reports, and that his wife, Susan, died prior to 1820.
6) No, i've never seen a will for Benjamin, Sr.
To recap, I don't believe that Susanna, with unknown husband, and Susan, wife of Benjamin BROYLES, Sr., are the same person.
As to how Dr. Keith could have said, "...to probably have married a Broyles as 'She had three children named Broyles who seem to have been legitimate'." -- How could Keith have know that the children "seemed to have been legitimate"? "Seemed" and "were" are two entirely different things! While I don't discount the fact that Susanna "Susan" could have married a cousin BROYLES, or that she was actually the wife of Benjamin BROYLES, Sr., there is absolutely no proof of either, and I don't think we will ever find any such proof.
If anyone reading this has any more information on this subject and can shed some light, PLEASE contact me at GermannaResearch@comcast.net!!!!!
Yer Cuz,
Sarge
George W. Durman
(Mailing List Administrator for GERMANNA_COLONIES
and 22 more Germanna surname Lists.)
I was happy to discover the Germanna foundation and to become a member, and am also grateful for its work in preservation of Salubria the home of the Reverend John Thompson and Ann Butler Brayne Thompson and later his second wife, Elizabeth Rootes Thompson.
The Reverend John Thompson was the grandfather of Helena Maria Thompson, my great great grandmother. Helena was the daughter of Philip Rootes Thompson who moved his part of the Thompson family to Coals Mouth Virginia on the Kanawha river (now St. Albans WV) and was a state legislator and member of the US Congress.
Helena Maria Thompson married Col. John Philip Turner in Culpeper in 1830, and they lived in Coals Mouth
Is anyone aware of descendants of the Rev. John Thompson or Helena Maria Thompson and John Turner? I would like to get in touch with them if possible.
I had some contact with Thompson kin who were still living in California in the 1960's......an elderly cousin, Roberta Augusta Thompson LaFarge, who was the granddaughter of Robert Augustine Thompson (who was a member of the US Congress for Virginia, and later was Recorder of the California Supreme Court) and who was daughter of Frank Poulson Thompson.
Many thanks,
Jim Smith
It is great to have you as a part of the Germanna family. I'm sure that others more knowledgeable than myself can help you with your question but I wanted to thank you for participating.
Suzanne Matson asks when and how did Spotswood get all his land, which led to a little research on our parts today. I believe John Blankenbaker has addressed this before, but he rarely cites his sources. (When asked for them, he says to look them up yourself). So I did. Thanks to the LVA web site, here are the answers:
Alexander Spotswood "late Governor of this our Colony" perfected two patents on 11 April 1732 for land in (then) Spotsylvania County (much after the fact of the Germans arriving), viz:
1. Patent Book 14, p. 378. 40,000 acres for 200 pounds money to perfect title to land previously patented "by settlers patent" to Thomas Jones, John Clayton and Richard Hickman on 22 June 1722. (For this we look to Patent Book 11, p. 145, patent to these men on this date.
For this patent (PB 14:378) see
http://image.lva.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/GetLONN.pl?first=378&last=&g_p=P14... Patent
for the 1722 patent (PB 11: 145) see
http://lvaimage.lib.va.us/LONN/LO-1/010-2/010_0649.tif
2. Patent Book 14, p. 381. 28,000 acres, for 89 pounds current money of Virginia AND DUE FOR the importation of 48 people, who are named (Suzanne says this is the 1717 group Spotswood sued)
For an image of this patent, see:
http://image.lva.virginia.gov/cgi-bin/GetLONN.pl?first=381&last=&g_p=P14... Patent
This is a wonderful use of the message board.
I have been participating in the message board but not introduced myself and interests. I joined in Sept after visiting Germanna Memorial. My mother is a Kemper and my father and I are actively researching our lineage that I hope to share soon. My parents were thrilled to visit as well and have full intention of being at the 2009 reunion in July. They will then be 87.I haven't seen much info about Kempers but would like to connect with anyone interested. We are in the process of raising the funds for one of the slabs on the ground out back of the foundation(I'm sure there is a technical name for it) that we hope to have in place prior to July. If any Kempers want to donate, I can provide the information. It is my understnding that it is to be in the next newsletter.
Nancy Bolton
Johannes Kemper is my GGGGgrandfather. My Mother too, was a Kemper.
The following is my Germanna lineage:
Johannes "John" Kemper (1692-1759) who was in the first colony.
John Kemper (1722-1799)
Tillman Kemper (1759-1836)
Levi Bouri Kemper (1806-1882)
Francis Marion "Frank" Kemper (1849-1882)
Reuben B. Kemper (1878-1931)
Stella O. Kemper (1915-2005) is my mother. She married Ray Dempsey
Ella Dempsey Robinson
Feel free to contact me with the line you are searching, perhaps I can help.
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I am searching for any clues as to the maiden name of Catherine Holtzclaw, the second wife of Jacob Holtzclaw, the 1714 Immigrant. We know that Jacob's first wife, Anna Margreth Otterbach, died prior to 1729 as it is Jacob and Catherine, his wife, named in a deed in which Catherine is releasing her dower rights. We also know that Jacob's second wife, Catherine, had died prior to 1759 as she is not named in Jacob's will.
Who could Catherine be? Unfortunately, we have none of the church records from either Fort Germanna or from German Town. We don't know the exact date of their marriage or who the sponsors of their children were, which would help greatly.
Any and all help appreciated!
Barb Price
Finally got my user-name and password and decided to leave a message.
I like the new look of the website. Just wish mine looked as nice. Will work on it.
Regards,
Sarge
This is just a test post. But, if there are any other descendants of Jesse Rector (b. circa 1777 in Fauquier county, died 1852 in Taylor County (West) Virginia and his wife Rebecca Davis, I would like to make contact with them.
Reply to "Seeking Jesse Rector (c. 1777-1852) descendants"
Posted by Katharine Brown on Wed, 11/19/2008 - 19:27
I am interested in the parents, grandparents, etc. of Jesse Rector.
I can't fit him into the Rector family with the information I have.
He married Rebecca Davis, a sister of one of my direct ancestors. I have information about Jesse and Rebecca's offspring, if that's what you're interested in.
Thanks, Christine. Jesse Rector who married Rebecca Davis was a son of Harmon Rector, Jr. and his wife, Mary Nelson; grandson of Harmon Rector, Sr.; great grandson of John Jacob Rector the 1714 immigrant and his wife Elizabeth Fishback.
I would be delighted to have more information about Jesse & Rebecca Davis Rector's offspring. I think some of them stayed in the Grafton-Pruntytown area of present WV. I have those children listed as Elizabeth, b. 1801, Prudence b. 1807, Nelson b. 1809, Mary, b. 1810, and Jemima, b. 1813.
Prudence, married Thomas Chancellor, Jr., who was born in Fauquier County. They settled in or near Harrisville (now in Ritchie County, WV) and then in Parkersburg. Prudence Rector Chancellor was my g-g-g-grandmother. I would also be very interested in learning more about Rebecca Davis' parents and her siblings, including the sister from whom you descend. Thanks so much!