My Pennsylvania Dutch Contingent
The Backus, Swiger and Related Families
of Northern Harrison
CountyBy Diane Hill Zimmerman
“A plump
wife and a big barn never did a man harm.”
Pennsylvania Dutch
saying
The Backus and Swiger
families are of German extraction. Peter was the first Backus emigrant
and John William Swiger the first of that family to emigrate. Their
migration route was largely the same and the two families later
connected in marriages. They eventually settled in Harrison
County.
PETER BACKUS and
SARAH Peter Backus was b. abt. 1720, prob. in the Palatinate,
Germany, and d. 22 Mar 1785 in Fayette County,
Pennsylvania.
He md. Sarah abt. 1739 in
Germany. She was b. abt. 1720 prob. in the Palatinate,[1] Germany, and d.
1788 in Fayette County.
They are both
buried in the Great Bethel Baptist cemetery in Uniontown, Fayette,
Pennsylvania. Children: John, William and Sarah
Ann.
[1]
A palatinate is a territory administered by a count palatine, originally the direct representative of the sovereign, but later the hereditary ruler of the territory subject to the crowns over lordship. It's territory was chiefly on the left bank of the Rhine. Later in included territory that lay on the right bank of the Rhine, containing the cities of Heidelberg and Mannheim.
Previously an entirely Catholic region, the Palatinate accepted Calvinism during the 1560's. The Thirty Years War, touched off in 1618, was a complicated catastrophe from which the Palatinate never really recovered. The Palatinate became a spoil, fought over by other states and countries including France and Britain. These struggles became known as the War of the Palatinate (or the War of the Grand Alliance or War of the League of Augsburg, 1688 -
Peter Backus was probably from the region of Germany where the
Palatinate Crop failures sent many down the Rhine to Rotterdam where
they were housed in shacks covered with reeds. Queen Anne of Britain had
extended an invitation to Protestant Palatines to settle in the British
Commonwealth. The ones who made it to London were housed in 1,600 tents
surrounding the city. Londoners were resentful. Other Palatines were
sent to other places, such as Ireland, the Scilly Isles, the West
Indies, and New York. region in
Current Pennsylvania counties of Green
and Fayette, in the corner of WV panhandles, were in the disputed
area.
Germany. He sailed on the ship Ranier, on September 26,
1749, from Rotterdam, previously from England, with Henry Browning,
Master. There were 227 passengers listed as foreigners from Hanau,
Wirtemberg, Darmstadt and Heisenberg. He was naturalized at the
Philadelphia County Supreme Court, before the judges in the April term
of 1753.
The majority of German
immigrants before the Revolution landed at Philadelphia - a few at
Annapolis, Maryland. Peter may be one of the latter as he traveled to
Winchester in Frederick County, Maryland before continuing to what is
now Fayette County, Pennsylvania.
In
The Horn Papers biographical sketches: “Peter Backus, a German from
German Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, but registered as a
Virginian, lived in what is now Monongalia County, West Virginia, from
1766 to 1773.” This territory was the cause of a dispute between
Pennsylvania and Virginia. It later became Frederick County, Maryland.
He is also listed in the Poll Returns
made by D. Moredock, Sr. on August 24, 1773 and as serving in “the
Virginia Militia, in 1777, for home guard duty.”
Concerning the land
dispute: In October 1747, Christopher Gist and Dr. Samuel Eckerlin
completed their survey and estimation of the distance westward of
Penn's claims and made their report to the House of Burgesses. This
report found the western limits of Pennsylvania to be twenty-two miles
east of the Monongahela River, and by this understanding it was agreed
in April 1766 to have the same surveying party continue the extension
of the Mason and Dixon Line westward to that point. When Pennsylvania
and Virginia became the contracting parties, much new interest was
awakened in the result of the extension of the survey and the exact
location of the southwest corner of the full claims of
Pennsylvania.
When the site of
Gist's Ridge was reached where the surveyors were to end their labors
and set their findings to the end of [William] Penn's claims, they
kept on until they had crossed the divide beyond the Cheat River and
at last reached the Monongahela River. Here the Virginia authorities
ordered the surveyors to cease, but they claimed they had several
miles to go to reach the western limits of Penn's five degrees. This
caused consternation through the colony of Virginia and open rebellion
in the Monongahela Valley.
For a
time, this area was the scene of a battleground between the
governments of Pennsylvania and Virginia, both of whom wanted to claim
this choice land. From 1774 to 1776, the bewildered settlers “. . .
were under the jurisdiction of two governments, differing in
principle, with two sets of laws, and two sets of magistrates to
enforce them. Pennsylvania authorities seized and imprisoned the
Virginia magistrates, who, in turn, seized the officers of the
Pennsylvania government.”[2]
Fort DuQuesne/Fort Pitt
[2]
Samuel T. Wiley, History of Monongalia County, West Virginia, from its first settlements to the present time with numerous biographical and family sketches. (kingwood, West Virginia, Preston Publishing Co., 1883) pp.45-46
Fort Pitt was captured
by Captain John Connolly in the name of Virginia and the name changed
to Fort Dunmore, after the governor of Virginia. This farce was
finally ended by the Revolutionary War.
West (Western) Virginia in
1794.
In 1763, Christopher
Gist succeeded in planting sixty-three settlers on the east side of
the Monongahela River in Fayette County, between the mouth of Cheat
River (Gist Point) and Fairchance. These were formerly from New
Jersey, Maryland and Virginia - all loyal Virginians. Having come
through Staunton and received their free land grant to claims in this
territory, they took homesteads, fully believing this to be Virginia’s
territory. These homesteaders lived on their claims during the years
of 1763 to 1765.
In October 1765, it
was reported that through William Crawford and two of his Cumberland
County frontiersmen, Virginia had agreed to make the Monongahela River
the boundary line between that colony and Pennsylvania. This caused
great confusion, general open rebellion, and a determination by the
settlers to leave the east side of the river and cross over into their
territory on the west side of the Monongahela into what is now Greene
County, Pennsylvania. Peter then traveled to southwest Pennsylvania in
1765 and settled in German Township where he and Sarah lived out their
lives.
The Van Meters, Armstrongs,
Swans, Teegardens, Thomas Hughes, William Minor, John Doughty, Samuel
Jacobson, Enoch and Nathan O'Brine, James Carmichael, Jacob Clarstow,
Morgan Estle, Edward Dought, Gist Culver, Peter Backus, George Brown
and Theophilus Phillips were among the settlers who took up their
homesteads [in Green County, PA] in March and April 1766. They lived
on their tomahawked claims until their patents were taken out after
January 1785, when the first land patents were issued to the settlers.
This was after the final settlement of the boundary question and the
last act of the Mason and Dixon Line had been staged at the setting of
the post of Dec. 24, 1784.[3]
[3]
W.F. Horn, The Horn papers; early westward movement on the Monongahela and upper Ohio, 1765-1795 (Waynesburg, Pennsylvania: Committee of the Greene County Historical society, 1945) p.448.
In his will, Peter left
his farm [4]divided into three parts for his three children. William got
one part; Peter, son of John [deceased] and Catherine, got the middle
part; and Silas Bailey, husband of Peter's daughter, Sarah Ann, got the
third part.
Peter Backus’s will is as follows:
IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN, I, PETER BECHUES of the
county of Fayette and the State of Pennsylvania and in the year of Our
Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and eighty-five being weak in body but
sound of mind and memory, Blessed be God, do this 10th day of March
and year written above do constitute, make and publish this my last
will and testament in manner and form following. And first I give and
bequeath unto my loving wife all the flax that I now have and likewise
the linen that is now in the loom and her full third of all the
movables to her and her heirs or assigns forever and likewise her
third in the land as the law in that case directs - Also I give and
bequeath unto Peter Bechues, eldest (son) of John Bechues (deceased)
one hundred acres of land, more or less whereon the Relict of said
John Bechues now lives and divided by a line made in the presence of
Silas Bailey. To have and to hold the said tract of land the said
Peter Bechues, his heirs and assigns forever. Also I give and bequeath
to Catherine Bechues, widow of John Bechues, deceased, the full sum of
five shillings. Also I give and bequeath unto my son, William Bechues,
the two thirds of all the movables after the legacies and just debts
are discharged to him and his heirs forever. Also I give and bequeath
unto my daughter, Anna Bailey, the thirty pounds that is due me from
Silas Bailey, her husband, to their heirs or assigns forever - and I
make and ordain Sarah, my wife, Executrix and my son, William Bechues,
Executor of my last will and Testament according to the instant and
meaning hereof. In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Bechues, have to
his my last will and Testament set my hand and seal this day and year
written. Zadook Springer Basil Powel
Peter Backus X His Mark[5]
[4]Fayette County, Pennsylvania Deed Book, Vol.G.,p.66
[5]
Will dated March 10, 1785, Court Records, Uniontown, Fayette Co., PA.
Peter’s son, John, was
probably killed during the Revolutionary War. John had married
Catherine Franks in Maryland and also settled in German Township in
1765 with Catherine’s father, Michael Franks, Michael’s two sons,
Jacob and Michael, Jr., and their families from Frederick County,
Maryland.
John was accepted as a
newly discovered Revolutionary War soldier by the DAR and a reference
to him was published in the March issue of the DAR Magazine, page 154,
in 1984. Research was submitted by Frances Brunelle Lawrance. John
Backus was listed under the command of Capt. William Harrod, at the
Falls of the Ohio, in May 1779. (Vol. 17 in the George Rogers Clark
Papers: Series J in the Draper Collection). Both the Pay Roll and
Muster Roll contain the name, John
Bechus.
Apparently, he was dead in
1783, at age 43, when Catherine's name was listed as head of family in
the tax list for Fayette County. John was on the Assessment rolls
1773-1784 p. 126-138 and Roster of Revolutionary Soldiers 14-19, 255,
303-306.
As the experiences of the
Backus and Franks families were similar, I’ll include some excerpts
from the Michael Franks Family History by Alice Rowley Franks.
They came across the
Allegheny Mountains the summer of 1765 settling in the vicinity of
what is now the Jacobs Lutheran church in September or October of
1765. At once they erected a block house for their comfort and
protection against the depredations of Indians and wild beasts which
prowled around the cabin at night. This was the first white
settlement in what is now known as German Township. Here the Franks’
two sons and a son-in-law, each 'tomahawked' a large tract of land,
for which they later received a patent of
deed.
Prior to the opening of the
land office in Fayette County in 1769, settlers west of the
Allegheny Mountains held their claims which they occupied by
'tomahawk' right. These were called 'tomahawked improvement' claims.
To record his claim, a settler had to deaden a few trees near a
spring and cut his initials in the bark of other trees. This marking
of trees indicated his intentions to hold or occupy the lands
adjacent to or surrounded by these marked trees. Although these
claims were not sanctioned by law, they were respected by the
other settlers. The
Franks and Baccus families had barely gotten settled and their land
cleared sufficiently when the Revolutionary War broke out. Both John
and his brother, William, served in the war. Although John paid
taxes to Pennsylvania, he fought with his neighbors in the Virginia
Militia. The Monongahela area where the Baccus’ lived was claimed by
both states for many years.
The
five sons of John and Catherine Backus appear to have been born in
the following order: Peter II, Michael, John II, Christian, James.
Little information has been
found about their two daughters. One daughter,
Sarah Baccus, married William Snyder. From Fayette County PA Deed
Records---William Snyder and wife, Sarah, signed a release (Quit
Claim Deed), together with Christian Backus and wife, Sarah, May 24,
1806. It is believed there was another daughter, but her name is
unknown.[6]
[6]
Dean D. and Jean Bacus, Peter Bacuss' Descendants and Related Families (indianapolis [Indiana]: D, Bacus, 1989) pp. 4-8.
William [2], Peter [1]
WILLIAM BACKUS and
MARY
William Backus was
b. prop. in the Palatinate, Germany abt. 1748, son of Peter Backus
and Sarah, and d. in Harrison County, Virginia 13 Apr
1814.
He md. Mary, b. abt. 1758
and d. 1814 in Harrison, Virginia. Children: Henry, William,
Nancy, Eleanor, Searcy, Thomas, Sanford, Thomas, Sally and
Sarah.
William Backus was
granted 400 acres in Harrison Co. on the West Fork River in 1788, b.
3, p. 79 of the State Auditors Deed Books.[7] In a deed record, Charles
and Hannah McIntire, of Harrison County Virginia to William BACHUS
of same for $100.00, Simpson Creek . . . up to land claimed by
William McIntire. Signed Charles McIntire and Hannah McIntire.
Recorded Sept. 1803, dated 31 Aug 1803.[8] In Harrison Co. Grantee
Index, 93, 11, John G. Jackson grantee and William Bacchus, grantor
on 15 Sep 1809, 400 acres on Lamberts Run.
Will of William
Backus: (Backas, Bacchus): Dated April 13, 1814: Devisees: Mary,
wife, one-third of all property, real and personal, for her life
time; William second son, $2.00; Nancy Swiger and Eleanor Swiger,
daughters, $2.00 each; Sanford and Thomas, youngest sons, all
lands, equally; Sallie and Sarah, youngest daughters, $40.00 each;
Henry, eldest son, $20.00; and Thomas, son, and Sallie and Sarah,
daughters, all other personal property. Witnesses: Jacob, Israel,
David Tichenal, Mordecai Madden and Benjamin N.
Madden.[9]
I couldn't find a
pension record for William Backus in the National Archives so he may
not have applied for one. In August 2003, Dorothy Wilson forwarded
evidence to the DAR of his service in the Revolutionary War in
Ichabod Ashcraft's Company as a private. He is also listed on the
payroll of Ensign Charles Mitchell's Westmoreland County,
Pennsylvania Militia in 1782. He received sums for services rendered
1782 and before.
He also received
a land grant of 400 acres for Revolutionary War Service.[10] Also listed
in Navy and Line, Militia and Rangers, 1775-1783 on page 284 under
Rangers on the Frontiers - 1778-1783.[11] In the 1810 Harrison Co. Tax
list, William Backus, is listed with 2 white tithable males; 3
horses and 1 slave over 12.
"After
immigrating from Germany, he first settled in Pennsylvania. He
married at about age 20. Afterward they migrated southward and
settled on a pioneer farm near Brown, Sardis District, Harrison
County, now West Virginia and here they spent the remainder of their
lives and reared their family."[12]
[7]
M.H. Dyer, Dyer's Index to land grants in West Virginia. (Salem, Massachusetts: Higginson, 1996) p.74
[8]Harrison County, West Virginia Deed
Records, 1785-1830, p. 321
[9] Harrison County WV Estate Settlements 1785-1830, West Virginia Review vol. 1, No. 2, p.18
[10]Pennsylvania Archives, 6th Series, vol. 2, p. 354
[11] William Henry Egle, editor, Pennsylvania Archives, 3rd Series, (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: J. Severns, 1852-1856, 1874-1935) vol. XX III.
[12]Ethel Swiger, Elkins, WV.
Jacob[2], John William[1]
JACOB SWIGER and NANCY
BACKUS
Jacob Swiger was b.
abt. 1768 in Loudoun County, Virginia, son of John William Swiger
and Mary and d. aft. 1832 in Harrison County,
Virginia.
He md. Nancy Backus on
6 Aug 1793 in Harrison County. She was b. abt. 1778 in Harrison
County, dau. of William Backus and Mary. She d. bef. 1833 in
Harrison County. Children: Mary Ann, Sarah, Jeriah, John,
Christopher, Sanford, Reuben, Nancy, Jacob, Eleanor and
Austin.
Jacob Swiger came
thither from [Fayette County] Pennsylvania at age six, in a very
early day and located in the woods near Sardis, [Lambert's Run in
Eagle District] where he improved a farm on which the remainder of
his life was spent. He was of German-Dutch descent; was a man of
fine physique and vigorous constitution, and his children
inherited these qualities, seven of whom lived to be over eighty
years of age. He became quite a noted Nimrod and many of the wild
animals that roamed the woods at that time fell victim to his
unerring aim. His wife's father was a Pennsylvanian and on coming
to this section located and spent the rest of his life on Tenmile
Creek. He was a consistent reader of and believer in the Bible,
having read it through more than fifteen
times.
Jacob weighed more than
300 pounds [which makes one wonder about the “fine physique”]and
on a very hot day, he rode into Clarksburg and was overcome with
heat and died that same day. He was at an advanced age. Soon after
his marriage, he settled near the mouth of Gregory's Run in a
cabin, the main part of which is still standing (1916) and had
several hundred of acres of land. He spent the remainder of his
life here. It is also known as the "Old Coffman
Farm."[13]
“Jacob Swiger is
bridegroom to Nancy Barnes on 5 Aug 1793. She is daughter of William
Barnes [actually Backus].”[14]
“Jacob
Swiger bought 60 acres on Lambert's Run in Harrison Co. On 4 May
1825, he purchased 40 acres on Lambert's Run.”[15]
Christopher[3], Jacob[2], John[1]
CHRISTOPHER or STUFFIELD SWIGER and SUSANNAH
BLACK
Christopher Swiger
was b. 4 Sep 1804 at Gregory’s Run, Harrison, Virginia, son of
Jacob Swiger and Nancy Backus. He d. 22 Aug 1882 at Caldwell Run,
Harrison, West Virginia. He md. Susannah Black in 1829. She was b.
27 May 1810 in Lewis County, Virginia and d. 17 Aug 1856 at
Caldwell Run, Harrison, Virginia. Children: Edmund, Asenith or
Sena, Margaret Eliza, Mary E., Delilah R., William H.,
George W., Elmus Hamilton, and Harriet.
He was called
"Stuffield,” supposedly German for Christopher. “According to Mr.
Barrett (not identified) Christopher and his wife and family of four
in about 1841 set out to greener pastures, migrated west by way of
Crawford County, Indiana, and on to the State of Illinois. Dolly,
(Delilah) their daughter, was born in Crawford County. They then
headed for Greene County, Virginia, where he states that William was
born.” [The 1870 Harrison Co. WV census, lists William as being born
in Indiana. Greene County, VA is a long way from Indiana so I wonder
if he wasn’t born in Greene County, IN or even Greene County PA].
Anyway, this family returned to
their roots in Harrison County and settled on a farm near the mouth
of Caldwell Run near Brown. Here Christopher and Susannah lived the
remainder of their lives. They appeared on the census of 15 Jun 1850
at Harrison County, Virginia, listed as
farmers.
Also on the census of 1860
at Harrison County, West Virginia, listed as a farm laborer, with
two children.
In 1833 he was
granted 75 acres on the waters of Tenmile Creek.
[13]Ibid.
[14]West Virginia Review, vol. 2, No. 3
[15]Harrison County Deed Records, b. 4, p. 512 and b. 5, p. 60.
[16]Danny Jenkins, The Swiger Connection, pp. 532-533
[17]WV State Auditor's Book 7, p.24.
JOHN WILLIAM SWIGER AND MARY
John William Swiger was b. abt. 1730 in Bayern, Germany and d. aft. 1773. He md. Mary abt. 1755 prob. in Bayern, Germany. She was b. abt.1730 and d. near Hepzibah, Harrison County, Virginia at an unknown date. Children:
Christopher Columbus, John, Eve, Elizabeth, Jacob, Lavinia or
Libby and Mary.
Ira L. Swiger began
his research for his book by interviewing the oldest members of the
family and found two distinct accounts, differing in details, from
widely separated sources who were not acquainted with each other. He
found them both to be true -
. . . in the main after checking the records of
the Commonwealth of Virginia. Both accounts declare that the
Swiger family was one of the prominent families of the German
Empire, and that John William Swiger and Mary Swiger, his wife,
sometime prior to the Revolutionary War, emigrated to America and
first settled, one account has it, in Fayette County,
Pennsylvania; the other, that they first settled in Virginia,
removing from there to Fayette
County.
Information from the
Pension Department at Washington, establishes the fact that the
Swiger family first established themselves in America in Loudoun
County, Virginia in about the year 1755, where, no doubt, all the
children were born, except Christopher, before the family removed
to Fayette County, Pennsylvania. It is not certain that
Christopher is the oldest son or was born in Pennsylvania but both
accounts declare they had one son when they came to America. Jacob
was definitely the youngest and John has a birth record in Loudoun
County.
In an old historical
volume which came into [Ira Swiger’s] hands a few years ago, which
was written sometime in the sixties [1860s] --we find the
following biographical sketch: “Prior to and during the war John
William Swiger was engaged in mercantile pursuits and had a large
distillery in Greene County, Pennsylvania, and in this way came
into possession of considerable Continental money. His executors
invested it in a large tract of land, in what is now Barbour
County, WV (then VA), this being the only way in which the
government would redeem the money. The heirs of this land failed
to look after and pay the taxes and revenues upon it and the land
reverted to the government.”
. . .tradition has it that he,
finding that his stock of wares was becoming short and desiring to
replenish it-sailed back to his native land for that purpose; but
was never heard from again. It is supposed that he and his little
craft were swallowed up by the waters of the
ocean.
In a "Special Report of
the Department of Archives and History of Virginia for 1911," by
Hon. H. J. Eckenrode, Archivist, is a list of the Revolutionary
soldiers furnished by the State of Virginia. Both the names of
John and Christopher Swiger, sons of John William, and that the
latter's name appeared on a manuscript list with others that were
paid off at Pittsburgh [Fort Pitt] after the war was over.
John William’s family had settled
on Coon's Run, in what is now Clay District, Harrison County,
West
Virginia.[18]
“After Mr. Swiger failed to return [from his business trip to Germany], tradition from
two distinct and different sources have it that his widow soon
married Joshua Barnes Allen, a Scotsman and a widower, who had one
son, Barnes, born in Scotland, who . . . married Eve Swiger, the
daughter of the stepmother. Mary and Joshua settled on what is yet
known as the old Allen farm, near Hepzibah.”[19] [Sarah Allen, sister of
Joshua Barnes Allen is another of my ancestors. She married Aaron
Smith, Sr.]
[18]Harrison County Genealogical Society Newsletter, June 1997, p. 26.
[19]Ira L. Swiger, A genealogical and biographical history of the Swiger family in the United States of America, (Fairmont, West Virginia: Fairmont Printing & Pub. Co. C.1916) pp. 207, 208 & 315.
L-R: Hallie & Bob Harbert,
Annie Thompson Harbert & Joseph R. Thompson
JOSEPH REZIN
THOMPSON and MARGARET ELIZA SWIGER
Joseph Rezin Thompson
was b. on 4 Oct 1836 at Boothsville, Marion County, Virginia, son of
John W. Thompson and Frances T. Gray and d. 12 Mar 1918 at Little
Rock Camp, Harrison, West
Virginia.
He md. Margaret Eliza
Swiger on 8 Apr 1858 at Flag Run, Harrison, Virginia. She was b. 22
Dec 1836 in Sardis District, Harrison, Virginia, dau. of Christopher
Swiger and Susannah Black She d. 21 Mar 1906 in Harrison
County.
They are both buried in the
old Odd Fellows cemetery at Brown, Harrison, West Virginia.
Children: Harriet Anna, Lloyd G., Floyd E., Ella May, Ellsworth,
Mattie E., Rosie L. and Claudius
Melvin.
Joseph and Margaret’s
story was on the website previously so won’t be repeated here.
JOHN W. THOMPSON and FRANCES T. GRAY
John W. Thompson was b. abt. 1800 in Rockingham County, Virginia and d. bef. 1858 in Harrison County, Virginia.
He md. Frances T. Gray abt. 1824. She was B. abt. 1804 in Fauquier County, Virginia, dau. Of Thomas Gray and Martha “Patty”
.
She d. in Harrison, West Virginia. Children: John G., Joseph Rezin, Lorenzo, Jane, Henry and Marcellus. Frances md. 2nd to Anthony W. Garrett on 16 Aug 1858 in Harrison
County.
John Thompson is
buried near Tenmile Creek near Brown, possibly in the old cemetery
where his son is buried. He came from Culpepper Co., VA, in 1834 and
settled on the Daniel Whiteman place on Coons Run. Frances is buried
at Salt Well, West Virginia. [20]Frances or “Fanny” was living with her
son, Lorenzo, at the 1870
census.
Thompson researcher, James
McIntyre, thinks they settled briefly in Hampshire Co. after moving
from Culpepper Co. A message on the Fauquier Co. list by Debbie
Malic stated they moved to Harrison Co. around 1830 and that John G.
Thompson was born Rockingham Co., VA.
THOMAS GRAY and MARTHA or PATTY PAYNE
Thomas Gray was b. abt.
1770 in Fauquier County, Virginia and d. abt. 1811 in Fauquier
County.
He md. Martha or Patty
Payne dau. of John Payne Sr. and Floweree on 30 Jan 1792 in
Fauquier County. She was born abt.1771 in Fauquier County and
survived her husband. Children: Frances T. and
others.
Patty is a nickname for Martha. Augustine Payne was the bondsman for this marriage. He is probably her brother as he is listed in John Payne’s will. ; Thomas Gray first appeared in the Fauquier tax list in 1787 and was taxed thru 1791. There were several adult male Gray's in Fauquier Co. in 1787, but Thomas was the only one on the "B" tax list. Alcock from Fauquier Families identifies this list as in the northwest district of the county; tax was taken by Edward Humston in 1791. In 1791, Thomas Gray was on the "H" list.
--- still Edward Humston"s district.
[22]
[20] Harrison County Genealogical Records collected by Guy Tetrick
[21] Fauquier County, Virginia Will Book 5, p.203.
[22]John Alcock, Fauquier Families,1759-1799 (Athens, Georgia: Iberian Publishing company c1994, 2001)
JOHN PAYNE and MISS FLOWEREE
John Payne was b.
abt. 1736 in , King George County, Virginia, son of William Payne
and Mary Jones. He d. in Apr or May 1811 in , Fauquier County,
Virginia.
He prob. md. abt. 1757,
a Miss Floweree, dau. Of Daniel Floweree of Salem (now Marshall)
County, Virginia. Children: William, Augustine, Daniel Floweree,
Martha or Patty, Molly and Susannah.
John was SAID to have
married a Miss Floweree, dau. of Daniel Floweree of Salem, now
Marshall, Fauquier County, Virginia. No evidence of this marriage
other than a son named Daniel
Floweree.
I have a book of
abstracts of Fauquier Co wills 1800-1865. According to this book,
John Payne's will was written 25 Apr 1811 and probated 27 May 1811.
His wife was mentioned, but not named. Children named were William,
Augustine, [Daniel] Floweree, Patty, Molly, and Susannah. Witnesses
were Joseph Chilton and Wm. G.
Johnston.[23]
When the assets of the
estate were distributed in Feb 1812, they were divided among Daniel
F. Payne, William Payne of John, Reuben Gutridge, Augustine Payne,
William Payne of Francis, and Patty Gray.[She was married to Thomas
Gray by this time].[24]
Alcock
identifies several John Payne's prior to 1800 in Fauquier. The one
that seems likely to be the above John is John Payne Sr., who, in
1767 obtained a lease in the manor of Leeds for three lives -- his
own life and his sons William and Augustine. The lease was for 100
a. on the southwest side of Cobler Mountain in Fauquier County. He
was also in the 1770 rent roll.
[23]Fauquier County, Virginia will Book 5, p. 203.
[24]Brooke Payne, The Paynes of Virginia, (Harrisonburg, Virginia: C.J. Carrier, 1977)
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