Archive for September 2016
Charles City County, VA… found records
Charles City records taken by Union soldiers during Civil War are now returned…
I suspect they may show up here…
Please share a link if you find them before me…
They threw out a few sample bones for us to ponder…. one got my interest…
A similar event in 1991…
Dear Mr. Anderson,
Thank you for your inquiry. The Library of Virginia is currently conserving the pages of the early Charles City record book that were returned to the Commonwealth earlier this year. We hope to have it conserved and digitized by the end of December. Please check back with us in January for an update as it may take longer than that.
The Library of Virginia Archives Reference Services
Groan…. its like watching grass grow…
A mystery Robert Coleman in Nansemond… (well, sort of Nansemond but not quite)
Modern Gates/Chowan County, NC to be precise… but it was in the area that VA and NC disputed until 1728…
Benjamin Small and wife Mary, to Robert Coleman, of Nansemond
Co., Va. 167 acres near the head of Bennett’s Creek, adjoining
land of Win. [Wm.] Speirs and Daniel Push. [Pugh] 467 acres issued by
grant to Jno. Small, of Xansemond County, Va.. -June 16, 1715.
This deed is dated July 16, 1734. Test, Thos. Rountree, Thomas
Wallis.
Bottom line (from a research point of view)… this is the first Coleman I know of in what could be reckoned as “Nansemond” since the removal of Robert Coleman in the early 1700s. The question is “were they related”?
I searched the onsite VA patents to frustration… then I found this reference… (thanks to the hard work of Mr. Rodenhizer)
http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/mecklenburg/misc/ntsmall.txt
All of the early court records on Nansemond have been destroyed, but
there are early land patents listed. John Small and John Small, Junr.,
patented several tracts of land; the first in 1714, the last in 1731.
John Small 69A. (N.L) upper part of Nansemond County on the west side of
Mabering (Meberrin?) Swamp down the Pipeing Branch – 16 June 1714.
Importation of two persons, John Gordon and Ursillas ____ (Gordon?).
(Patent Book 10, p. 133)
16 June 1714, he also patented 467A. (N.L.) on Bennitt’s Creek. (Patent
Book 10, p. 176) Importation 10 persons.
24 Jan. 1717, 350A. in Nansemond Upper Part (Ibid. p. 358)
13 November 1721, 150A. in Nansemond (Patent Book 11, p. 66)
31 October1726, 230A. in the Maple Pocoson. (Patent Book 13, p. 45)
John Small, Junr., patented two tracts.
11 July 1719, 178A. on south side of Loosing Swamp. (Patent Book 10, p.
444)
25 August 1731, 52A. on the NE side of a place called the Bear Garden by
a cart path. (Patent Book 14, p. 294)
This means I will have to construct a map of the East side of the Chowan River to figure out these Olde Chowan “Precinct” patents… many of them are under the Virginia patents…
I do have an interest because the STALLINGS of Edgecombe County also originated from this area…
Groan…. don’t get me wrong, this is my hobby.. but it is a pain…
—————————————————————-
15 Dec 1739 – William Coleman, son of Robert Coleman of the Upper Parish of
Nansemond Co., Virginia, deeded to Robert Peale son of William Peale of Parish and
Co., aforesaid in consideration for 20 Pounds, 167 acres in Chowan Precinct, NC near
Bennetts Creek, lately purchased by Robert Coleman father of William Coleman, 16
July 1734, & willed by the said Robert Coleman to son William Coleman, land adjoining
William Spires, Olive Morgan, Thomas Norfleet, Capt. Dan Pugh, John Joanes. Signed
William (his W mark) Coleman and Jain (her J mark) Dickinson. Witnessed: John (his
X mark) More, Jesse (his J mark) Peele, William Peele. Recorded Oct 1758. (Chowan
County, NC, Deed Book M, Page 60.)
Note above “Jain (her J mark) Dickinson”… it seems logical that Jane was a sister of William Coleman… so there is a clue if a DICKINSON connection can be made. (I haven’t found one YET).
Taking another tack…
I fell back to the venerable Hathaway, Vol. 1… (he wrote around 1900… he was a bit older than me)
This is a Red Flag if I have ever seen one... The names KADER and MOSES show up prominently in the Coleman line... and KADER is unusual. And I think it is plausible that this Francis Roun(d)tree was the same who had land on Catherine Creek on the EAST side of the Chowan River early on. This was a buggy ride from where the Coleman property was... Note the date... "15 Dec 1739 - William Coleman, son of Robert Coleman of the Upper Parish of Nansemond Co., Virginia" sold out his property near Bennet's Creek. I found this in the Colonial Records... note the date...
At a Council held at Newbern the 14th February Anno Dom 1739/40
Present His Excellency the Governour
The Honoble Ch Jus Smith Esqr Member of Council
The Honoble Nath Rice Esqr Member of Council
The Honoble Col Halton Esqr Member of Council
The Honoble Edwd Moseley Esqr Member of Council
The Honoble Eleazr Allen Esqr Member of Council
The Honoble Roger Moor Esqr Member of Council
The Honoble Math Rowan Esqr Member of Council
Read Sundry petitions for Patents Vizt
Wm Bartrim for 70 Bladen, John Bull 200 Bertie, Jno Collins 400 Do, John Cain 160 Edgcombe, Benja Larkeed 300 Tyrril, Jno Cox 200 Craven, James Craven 646 Tyrril, Wm Drake 160 Edgcombe, Jos Dwight 250 Beaufort, Jno Etheridge 300 Currituck, Wm Taulk 400 Edgcombe, Christo Gun 500 Do, Wm Gardiner 160 Tyrril, Christo Guin 400 Edgcombe, Robert McRee 300 Tyrril, Jerman Howard 640 Onslow, Thos Hall 100 Do, Wm Howel 200 Edgcombe, Jno Holmes (560ac retd) 640 Do, Wm Horne 160 Do, Jere Hilliard 200 Do, Eman Jones 300 Onslow, Wm Johnston 300 Edgcombe, Eman Jones 350 Onslow, (Thos Murphy for a resurvey of the Land whereon he Dwells), Jos Moore 400 Edgcombe, Edmd Peirce 190 Beaufort, Benja Regney 225 Do, Jno Worsley 640 Do, Nath Draper 500 Do, Jeremiah Sunions 300 N. Hanover, Sam Noble 320 Carteret, Jno Pope 400 Edgcombe, Jno Veal 240 Bertie, Chas Stevenson 1,280 Do, Wm Suggs 140 Craven, George Suggs 400 Edgcombe Richd Wiggins 160 Do, Frans Roundtree 200 Do, Jno Vernan 500 Beaufort, Eliz Procter 250 Do, Edward Bunch 200 Bertie, Jno Worsley 300 Beaufort Frans Hoptons 400 Tyrril, Moses Houston 300 Carteret, Jas Herbert 200 Craven, Robt House 210 Bertie, Steph Howard 640 Onslow, Robt Halton 500 (be marked J
[ Do means ditto]
——————– page 441 ——————–
Oathy he had granted formerly for the same) N. Hanover, Wm Kennedy junr 320 Tyrril, Anthony Lewis 150 Onslow, Jos Lane 400 Edgcombe, Jos Moore 240 Do, Thos Fulcher 150 Craven, Jno Jewell 300 Beaufort, Seth Pilkington 640 Do, Frans Roundtree 400 Edgcombe, Dan Sunions 200 Beaufort, David Wharton 300 Do
The Court adjourned till tomorrow morning 9 o’Clock.
http://docsouth.unc.edu/csr/index.html/document/csr04-0151#p4-440
He wrote his will and died 1748… why it mentions “Johnston” (which I assume is the county he died) I do not know… perhaps he was living with a child at his death?
A 1739 “Edgecombe” reference…
Edgecombe Co Deeds 1732-1741, p. 287:
August 15, 1739. Jacob Pope of Edgecombe sold Thomas Woodward of Nansemond Co. for 14 lbs a tract of 275A on Cypress Pocoson (from a patent dated June 12, 1730); witnessed by Robert Coleman and John Sykes.
John Browne (the dessert map)
I’ve set the table over several years…
The details of my research are scattered over numerous Pages and Posts … use the Search Box if you are brave. A caution that it has broken dishes and burnt recipes.
It all turns out to be so simple when all the pieces are arranged…
Not to say that this is finished… but this a point where you folks can decide if this is theory or fact.
And one more time… the widow of Thomas Browne (Christian) did NOT re-marry to William Maule.
see here for the map you can zoom in on… of particular interest is the land next to John Browne Sr on Petty Shore…
James Curlee (noted in the patent for John Browne) did not have a patent that I can find… that is because the property was ceded to him by the widow of George Smith (whose patent I also cannot find… he most likely bought the land himself). At the same time George Smith was dying… he sold part of the land to Isaac and Jacob Lewis (sons of Bridgett Brown). Confused yet? So her two sons were living next door to her in her widowhood (undoubtedly on the “widow’s third”) She seems to die sometime prior to the disposal of the property in 1727. Also the name “John Smith” is noted in the John Browne patent… it threw me for a loop until I discovered the George Smith connection. Simple now that I have scratched off the last hair on my head.
Susanna Brown, daughter of John Brown Jr also had two bastard sons at this location of Petty Shore. She and her two other sisters, Sylvester and Grace later moved to Horse Swamp a few miles to the west. A Charles Brown, son of Susanna should be of interest to anyone who has a mysterious Brown show up today in their DNA… if you catch my drift. His last name started with “M”. For reasons unknown to me the sisters “gifted” the Petty Shore property to their sister Elizabeth in 1727. That is the date that I place for the death of John Browne JR. There is no will that I can find… or a reference to his death for that matter, other than the statement in the deed “Land formerly belonging to our father, John Brown dec’d. “. John Warren (wife Grace Brown) also purchased 100ac on Horse Swamp. All the daughters of John Brown Jr may have been living together there. The remaining daughter Elizabeth lived with her husband John Joyner in Isle of Wight (which today is Southampton County, VA.) The Joyners finally sold the Petty Shore property in 1741.
All these facts are in my notes. But even I have to “search” to find them. So. There… do some digging.
__________________________________________
An afterthought…
I always hunt for that “smoking gun” proof. I have not found one for any of the sons of John Browne SR. With that said though, even professional genealogists recognize that it is not always forthcoming… they will concede to the “preponderance of evidence” factor just as we sometimes do in a court of law.
Just today I finally put the clues together concerning two sons of Bridgett (Lewis) Browne. And there staring me in the face was the one son of John Browne who I least expected to find…William. William Browne married Martha Braswell… he also had property in IOW (now Southampton, VA) near another son of Brigett (Lewis) Browne… Anthony Lewis (of Anthony’s Delight fame). William Browne and Anthony Lewis were step- brothers as it were. At this place in old IOW also shows up Thomas Browne who is associated with a property deal with his brother William.
Along with the tool of research that we call “the naming pattern” is a similar pattern that folks of the early days “stayed around to help each other”. An intermarriage was for keeps. Family was kin.
With that said, and to make a simple point… the folks were “isolated” from each other… day to day… Their “plantations” were often a mile or so from neighbors. So when the “quarterly Court” time came around, it was time to take care of business and well…Hoop, holler and raise some hell… hug the kinfolks, shake hands with friends… drink some likker. You get my drift.
William Browne had to travel from Roanoke River (or his land in Southampton…hard to pinpoint EXACTLY where he was living in 1714) to get to the shindig of the “quarterly Court” where these deeds were accomplished:
By horseback… a wagon if he brought the family… and he undoubtedly had to ford some swamps and pocosins… snakes and such…
Note the hard clues in the #411 deed above… “on ye west side of Wicacon Creek” is a little confusing (I would say north)… “joining a branch of Brooks creek” is spot on (Brooks Creek is on modern maps)… and this little jewel “next to Little Town near James Corlee”… I note the history of Little Town on my larger map. There were actually two “Little Towns” at this time in history… the other one was near where the Nottoway, Blackwater and Chowan Rivers meet, known today as Wyanoak.
I’m enjoying a Mich Ultra… thank you very much (smiling).