Carson in Florida

The Carson Family

From Washington County, Virginia
To Rockcastle County, Kentucky
To Jellico, Tennessee
To Davie, Broward County, Florida

James Holman (Holdman, Holeman)
Born: about 1814 in Madison County, Kentucky
Died: about 1886 in Crab Orchard, Lincoln County, Kentucky

James Holman (Holdman, Holeman) was born about 1814 in Madison County, Kentucky. He lived in the area of Brodhead (Stigall's Stand) and Crab Orchard, Kentucky, which are on the border of three Kentucky counties: Lincoln, Garrard, and Rockcastle.

On June 4, 1835 in Garrard County, Kentucky, James Holman was married to Martha Ramsey, the daughter of Alexander Ramsey, by Baptist minister Benjamin Polston.

***

The results of the DNA tests show that the descendant of James Holeman, b. 1814 is:

"very tightly related" to the descendant of the Daniel Holman who was born about 1787 in North Carolina, had children in Tennessee, and homesteaded in Douglas, Missouri;

"very tightly related" to the descendant of the Kenneth Holeman who died in 1871 in Upperfreehold, Monmouth Co., New Jersey who is thought to be a descendant of Robert Holeman, died 1709 in New Jersey;

"related" to a descendant of the Elias Holeman (1759 - 1827, Burlington County, New Jersey); and

"related" to the descendants of Thomas Holeman, born about 1723, who moved from Virginia to North Carolina in 1752.

***

A possible explanation for the North Carolina/New Jersey connection is a suggestion (proposed by Holman researcher Randy Holman Schmidt) - the Virginia Holemans who relocated to North Carolina may be descendants of the New Jersey Holemans. Randy Holman Schmidt has raised the possibility that two of the sons of Robert Holeman (Daniel b. 1689 and Thomas b. 1686) of New Jersey are in fact "Old Daniel" Holman and his brother Thomas Holman of Shenandoah, Virginia. They first relocated to Kent County, Maryland and then to the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Daniel and Thomas Holeman of Virginia lived opposite one another on Holman's Creek. (See Wine Book, Life Along Holman's Creek.) One of them (probably Thomas) had a son named Thomas Holman, born in 1723, and he is the one who migrated to Wilkes County, North Carolina.

I have not located any documentation to show that the Daniel Holman of the Shenandoah Valley actually lived in Maryland. However, I believe that he was "associated" with John Van Meter of the Monocacy Valley in Maryland.

I do not believe that it is a coincidence that Jost Hite and the Van Meter brothers received their Virginia land grants at the same time. The two families were closely associated with each other. Jost Hite had wealth and political connections. The Van Meter brothers were very familiar with the lands near the North and South Branches of the Shenandoah River and the South Branch of the Potomac River.

I believe that Daniel Holman was one of the "settlers" on the John Van Meter grant in Virginia and when Hite acquired the Van Meter grants he also acquired the Van Meter settlers.

The Holman family connection to the Van Meter family may have started in New Jersey and continued in Maryland.

***

There were two identified Holman lines in Maryland:

1. Edward Holman, born about 1700, married Rosata VanSant about 1739 in Kent County, Maryland, and died about 1743 in Kent County, Maryland. He is thought to be a cousin of "Old Daniel" Holman of the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia. (Was Edward Holman related to: the Robert Holman who left a will in 1709 in Monmouth, New Jersey, or the Samuel Holman of Newport, Rhode Island who purchased Middletown lot # 13 in Monmouth, New Jersey?) In addition to Maryland, the Van Sant family was in Staten Island (in Richmond Valley), New York; Matchaponox Neck, Monmouth County, New Jersey; and Bensalem, Bucks County, Pennsylvania.

2. Abraham Holeman, an Englishman, who immigrated from Virginia to Maryland in 1649 with a group of Puritans, and in 1650 received a Anne Arundel County, Maryland land grant: Broad and Town Neck Hundred - located between Severn and Magothy Rivers.

***

Henry and Edward Holman by Marlou Belyea
material provided by Bill Utermohlen added substantially to this narrative

The Holmans and Rues of Maryland

Edward Holman (born abt. 1687 Kent County, Maryland) married Rosetta Van Sandt (born 1716 in Maryland) in either 1730 or 1735 making her only 14--19 years old and him in his mid forties. She was the daughter of Joris/George Van Sandt and Maike Vandergrift. Edward and Rosetta Holman had Henry (born 1735), George (born 1737), and Edward (born 1741). Edward Holman Sr. died at age 56 on 11 Sep 1743. Rosetta would remarry twice more before dying around 1760 in Kent County.

Rozetta/Resultah Van Sandt/Sant had been born in 1716 in Maryland to Joris/George Van Sandt and Maike Vandrgrift. They had sold their farm in Bensalem, PA in 1714 and gone to Maryland. On 29 Feb 1721 they purchased a tract of land from Gideon Pearce called “Forks and Revision”. He would later purchase a tract called Tolchester. On 17 Oct 1733 they conveyed part of the two tracts to son Nicholas and retitled it as “Nicholas’ Inheritance”. They also conveyed lands to their son George calling it “George’s Inheritance”. On 14 May 1737 they received lot 20 in George Town, the capital of Kent County, from Joris’ brother Albert and his wife Rebecca. George and Maike also purchased part of the tract called “Tolchester” from Albert. On 22 April 1738 they conveyed to son Benjamin lot 7 in George Town, although they excepted 46 square feet which he conveyed to a son-in-law, Thomas Newcomb. In 1738 George Van Sandt sold part of lot 8 to a merchant, David Witherspoon. In 1745 he gave to his son Benjamin, a tailor, lot 20. He gave his son Ephraim, a bricklayer lot 8 in George Town. He also gave Benjamin and Ephraim parts of “Tolchester”. George Van Sandt died on March 22, 1755 in Kent, Cecil, County, Maryland at the age of 67. In his will he gave the plantation he was then living on to son Cornelius with bequests to an unborn child of 100 pounds when it reached 21 years. He also gave ten pounds to each of his four married daughters: Elizabeth the wife of Peter Cole; Hester Newcombe, Resultah Salisbury, and Ann Smith. Nicholas received 1 shilling and the other five sons were to have a share of the estate only after all the bequests and legacies were paid including securing his wife Maike (now called Mary) her widow’s third of the estate. George Van Sandt and Maike Vandergrift had 12 children: Elizabeth born 1706, Nicholas born 1709, George born 1712, Hester born 1714, Resultah (or Rozetta) born 1716, Cornelius born 1717, Benjamin born 1719, Ephraim born 1721, Ann born 1723, John born 1724, Jacob born 1726, and Mary 1730. Elizabeth had married first Fulkert Vandergrift on 6 May 1719 in the Dutch Reformed Church, Bucks county; they had ten children. After her first husband’s death, she remarried to Peter Cole; she died 3 Oct 1763 in Bensalem. Nicholas Van Sandt died 1755. George Van Sandt married first Elinor Clark in 1732 and second Rebecca Wilson in 1737 and he died 6 Jun 1770. Hester Van Sandt married Thomas Newcombe on 22 apr 1738 in Kent, MD. Hester VanSandt Newcombe died 5 Feb 1775. Cornelius Vansandt married Elizabeth Doring in 1746; they had George, James and John; he died 3 Mar 1795 in Kent, MD. Benjamin VanSandt married Nancy Hammond; he died 6 Apr 1792. Ephraim Vansant married Elizabeth Hall on 22 Jan 1746 in Shrewsbury Parish, Kent county, MD. He died 24 Mar 1803 Georgetown, Kent, MD. Ephraim Vansant served in the Revolutionary War in William Henry’s company, Kent County [other Vansants in the company are John, Christopher, Benjamin as privates, George as sergeant, and Garret as corporal see Records of Maryland Troops in the Continental Service –A List of the Minute company from Kent County p. 646]]. His son Ephraim Vansant served in the war of 1812 as a Captain of the 33rd regiment from 27 Apr to 9 May 1813. Ephraim Vansant, bricklayer, conveyed land to George Vansant [prob.son], bricklayer, 5 Feb 1785. Ann Van Sandt married ? Smith in 1748; she died 6 Dec 1779 Kent, MD. Jacob VanSandt died 2 Feb 1773 Kent, MD [though this may not be his son as he is not mentioned in will]. John Vansandt married Isabella Bowers on 10 Nov 1749 in Kent, MD; he died 2 Feb 1773 Kent, MD.

1790 US. Census of Kent County, Maryland: Name of heads of families then Number of Free white males of 16 years & upwards, incl heads, then free white males under 16 years, then free white females incl. heads of families, and the fourth number is slaves. Cornelius Vansant 3,0,2,10; Benjamin Vansant 4,0,3; George Vansant 1,2,3; John Vansant 1,0,5,7; William Vansant 1,2,2,3; Christopher Vansant 1,1,1,1; Joshua Vansant 2,3,6,11.

There are Holmans who came as bond servants to Maryland early in the 17th century, developed tobacco plantations there, and had court cases recorded but we cannot trace the connection to Edward Holman, husband of Rosetta Van Sandt. The Holman family held slaves in Maryland. Edward Holman, the father of Henry, Edward, and George, had purchased two tobacco plantations, “Biman” and “Mackay’s Purchase”. The price of Biman was 4,000 pounds of tobacco and the grantors were George and Silonah Sanders and William and Katherine Johnson (Silonah and Katherine seem to have been Edward’s sisters), all of whom signed by marks. (Cecil Co. LR JD#2:68) The 1721 estate papers for William Johnson establish that there was a close relationship between the parties to the 1705 Biman deed. On 21 Jun 1721, Edward Holman and George Sanders were bondsmen for Katharine Johnson, Administratix of the estate of William. (Kent Co. Bonds, Box 3, Folder 314) And, on 12 Aug 1721, Sanders and Edward "Houldman" signed William Johnson's inventory "being two of the nearest of Kinn." (Kent Co., Box 5, Folder 10) As mentioned above, Edward Holeman bought the remainder of "Biman" on 14 Nov 1705 and he was probably 21 by that date. He bought “Mackey’s Purchase” on June 1, 1714 for 5,000 pounds of tobacco. On 1 Jun 1714, Edward Howleman or Holman, planter, purchased the 150 acre tract called "Mackey" or "Mechays Purchase" from Alexander and Anne Mackey for 5,000 pounds of tobacco. This land was on the east side of the main branch of the Gestlike or Costicke Creek. (Kent Co. deeds BC:18; MD land patents 22:40) Biman and Mackey’s Purchase were closely connected. Biman" originally was granted to William Hensley. Hensley assigned the property to Robert Mackey (also spelled "Michai," "Mackehi," and "Macahay") of Cecil County on 19 Sep 1682 (MD land patents Kent Co. 21:479) and Mackey had it surveyed on 2 Oct 1682 (MD Proprietary Rent Rolls [Kent Co.] 5:29).

Edward Holman's inventory came to ,327, 17 shillings and included 4 very old books, a pair of spectacles, 100 pounds of bacon, 50 bushels of wheat, 50 bushels of rye, 5 pounds and 23 barrels of Indian Corn, 10 pounds of flax and 2 bushels of flax seed, 12 pounds of wool, 720 pounds of tobacco, 8 breeding sows, 4 two-year-old barrows, 13 shoats, 14 pigs and 3 small shoats, 6 cows and 2 two-year-old heifers, 2 other cattle, 2 two-year-old bulls, a yearling steer, 9 sheep, a small bay horse, a yearling mare colt, a small mare, a brown plow horse and another small horse, 12 geese and 6 slaves:
1 Negro man Named "Sepip"     aged 30 year
1 Negro man "Toney"                 22 years old
1 Negro Woman "Joan"              19 years old
1 Negro Woman "Sarah"             26 years old
1 Negro Boy "Sambo"                 3 years old
1 Negro woman "Judy"                5 years old
The six slaves were used for tobacco production. The six slaves also represent only a moderate sized plantation. In the Tidewater area about 40 percent of the households had three or more slaves. However, 30 percent of Africans lived on plantations of 21 slaves or more.

Rosetta, mother of Henry, Edward, and George, remarried in 1744, to a man quite a few years her junior, Cuthbert Hall (born 1725), but he would die before 1748. She remarried in 1749 to William Salisbury (born 1719 Pennsylvania). She was 43 and he was 29. They had Mary (1750—8 Nov 1788), Elizabeth (1751), and Sarah (1753). It seems likely that Rosetta's life with William Salisbury, and, presumably, the life of her three Holman sons until they left home, was quite comfortable for the time. When Salisbury died in 1781, he left a personal estate valued at ,942/19/8, including 12 horses and seven slaves. (Kent Co. Inventories, Box 36, folders 33 & 64) Salisbury was a blacksmith and a farmer. At the time of his death, he was living on adjacent properties of more than 400 acres total known as "Forest" and "Chance," which he had owned for many years. He also owned a 209 acre tract known as the first part of the "Free Gift," which he had purchased in 1766 and on which his son-in-law Oliver Smith resided at Salisbury's death. Rosetta Salisbury appears to have died subsequent to the 1760 payment of the quit rent on "Mackeys Purchase." Certainly, her death occurred prior to 29 Nov 1772, when William Salisbury's last wife, Isabel, gave birth to a son James. (Annie Walker Burns, Shrewsbury Parish Register at 134 [311]) Despite Rosetta's having been recorded in 1769 as paying the quit rent on her former lot in Georgetown, I think it is possible that she died prior to 14 Dec 1761, when her son Henry Holeman conveyed the property "Biman" to his brother George. This seems to have been part of an implementation of the father Edward's testamentary instruction that Henry and George divide their father’s real estate after the death of their mother.

We have a much more complete history of Mary and Richard Rue, children of Samuel Rue and Aaltje Van Sandt. Richard Rue’s sister Mary married first John Morris Burgin and second Edward Holman Jr. On 28 Sep 1767, Mary Burgin is mentioned as one of the executors of the will of her husband John Morris Burgin. (Kent Co. Inventories, Box 25, Folder 51) By 24 Nov 1770, she had married Edward Holman because, on that date, Edward Holeman of Kent Co., weaver, and his wife Mary, "late Mary Burgin," and William Blay Tildon (the other executor of Burgin) conveyed the tracts "Irvingo" and "Stanaway." (Kent Co. LR DD#3:375) The family story is that Richard Rue was a weaver; he may well have been trained as one by his brother-in-law, Edward. In the colonial period, almost all weavers were men. It was a heavy piece of equipment and weavers often traveled to various sites and wove on site for clients. Only 10% of all households had looms (and only 50% had spinning wheels).

Edward’s brother, Henry Holman married Elizabeth (?) whose name is on a number of conveyances of land. They had Nicholas born 1757, Edward born 1760, Rosetta born 1763, Elizabeth Railsback born 1764 (she would marry Richard Rue) , Mary born 1766, and William born 1767. They adopted nephew George in 1765 (though it appears from a court deposition in Kentucky that uncle Edward Holman would later be the legal guardian of George). Elizabeth died in 1772 in Kent County at the age of 36. Her name is on several land conveyances. Henry Holman sold land to another relative, Benjamin Vansant. Henry Holman with the consent of his wife Elizabeth, sold, on 7 May 1763 a three acre part of the tract “Mcays” to Benjamin Vansant for 24 pounds (Kent County Deeds DD #1:326). Ten days later Henry and George Holeman (his brother George) sold to William Downs one acre from “McCays Purchase” for 25 pounds. Martha, George’s wife, and Elizabeth, Henry wife, consented to this sale on 24 May 1763. (Kent Co. Deeds #1:329) On 6 Nov 1773, Henry Holeman, Farmer, sold the 150 acre tract “Mechays Purchase,” formerly lying in Cecil County then lying in Kent County, excepting four acres, to Robert Maxwell for 965 pounds. The property was then subject to a lease to Charles Conner. No wife of Henry participated in this conveyance (Kent Co. Deeds DD #4:264-66) suggesting that Elizabeth had died before this. Elizabeth was the mother of Nicholas (b. abt. 1757—d. 1791 in Kentucky, unmarried); Edward (b. 24 Jan 1760—d. 6 Apr 1842 St. Aubert, Callaway Co., Mo., married Abigail Williams); Rosetta (b. 13 Apr 1763—d. 13 Nov 1848 Callaway Co., MO., married David Darst); Elizabeth (b. abt 1764—d. 18 Apr 1833 Wayne Co., Indiana, married Richard Rue); Mary (b. Mar 1789—d. 2 Nov 1857 Wayne Co., Indiana, married Aaron Martin); William (b. after 1769—d. 11 Apr 1863 Ripley Co., Indiana, married Mary Foster).

George Holman, the son of Edward Holman and Rosetta Van Sandt, was born about 1738 in Kent County, Maryland. He married a woman named Martha sometime prior to 25 Dec 1757 when the birth of their daughter Mary is recorded in the Shrewsbury parish register. George Jr. was born about 1762. George Holman Jr. was asked in his pension application “have you any record of your age?” answered, “I have not. I was an orphan boy and never saw a record of my age.” In the application for a Revolutionary war pension in 1833 he gave his age as 71. In his bounty land application of 13 April 1855 he gives his age as 90. Joseph Holman in writing about his father to Lyman Draper stated, “”Rue & Father always in my hearing when Speaking of their ages said Rue was 18 months older than Father that Father was small of his age.” Since Rue died on 12 Dec 1844 and his gravestone gives his age as 84, then he was born abut 1760 consistent with the age that Joseph Holman would later give to Andrew Young for his History of Wayne County (1872) that his father George was born on 11 Feb 1762.

George Sr. and his brother Henry had been willed the land of their father Edward. Upon attaining their majority, they divided the land, George retaining most of the 100 are tract known as “Biman” and Henry receiving the 150 acre tract “Mackeys purchase.” Henry conveyed his interest in Biman to George Sr. for 300 pounds on 14 Dec 1761; George would sell Biman to Joseph Redgrave for 300 pounds, his wife Martha giving her consent, on 29 Nov 1764. He then moved to Queen Anne’s County and purchased “Edenborough” from John Falconer for 300 pounds. George Sr. had money and legal problems. In 1765 he pled guilty to assault against Elizabeth King and the next year he brought suit against John Falconar from whom he had bought “Edenborough”. His creditors brought statements of his accounts into court to prove what he owed them. Even for the times, he seemed to be consuming a lot of alcohol. George’s financial affairs collapsed in 1768 when creditors obtained attachment of part of his property alleging that George had removed himself secretly to parts unknown with a portion of his property in order to defraud his creditors (this property was apparently a negro slave named Dinah and a horse named Sterling) . In addition to his land George’s creditors sold an old horse, two old chests, two iron pots and an iron skillet, an old trunk, two bedsteads with one mattress and one bed cord, an old cupboard, a tub, an old wheel, a chair, “Iron Mongery”, two pair of iron traces with 2 hooks, a parcel of earthen ware, two old tables, a parcel of pewter, a parcel of tin, a frying pan, three bottles, a strainer, knives and forks, a rolling pin, wooden ware, a cow bell, two iron wedges, two old chests, a tray, a candlestick, and a bed and rug (Queen Anne’s county Court Judgment Record, 1767—1768, MdHR 8843, p. 631). A contractor sued for payment for work and materials on a house. George Seward sued George Holman at the November court in 1768 for an account that had been debited on 12 Jul 1768 for “getting the Frame of a House putting it up and getting 1350 Shingles and 1500 Boards.” (Id. At 739) The frame of a house and a parcel of shingles and boards were among the property of George that had been sold to satisfy the debt of another creditor, John Vansant. These legal and financial difficulties along with the death of his wife may have led George Sr. to give up his son George to his brother Henry to raise. “Fathers mother died in Maryland some years before he was started for Kentucky he was placed by his Father with his uncle Henry to live with him; his Father named George marryed again, before they left Maryland, & he never had the opportunity of Seeing him again” (letter from Joseph Holman, son of George, to Lyman Draper dated 2 Sep 1869). A Maryland census places George Holman in Frederick County, Maryland in 1776.

Despite this statement about Henry Holman, Edward Holman stated in a deposition that he was the guardian of George. “The Depositon of Edward Holeman of full age being duly summoned and sworn. Deponant saith that he the said Deponant brought up the said George Holeman from a child and brought him with him when he moved his family to Kentucky in the year 1776, and when the Commissioners (for settling and adjusting the Claims to unappropriated land in this District) Sat at the Falls of the Ohio where he the said deponant then lived.”

Henry Holman and presumably his younger brother Edward moved to the Pennsylvania frontier. A list found in series 3, volume 23 of the Pennsylvania Archives appears to show Henry and his two oldest sons or possibly his brother, Edward, paid by the colony for their services as rangers.

Cumberland County (p. 259)
Henry Holeman

Westmoreland County (p. 283)
H’y Holeman
Nicholas Holeman

Westmoreland County (p. 314)
Henry Holeman (served in Andrew Robb’s Company)
Nicholas Holeman

Westmoreland County (p. 330)
Edw. Holeman (served John Kyle’s Company)

In a statement supporting his claim for a Revolutionary War pension, Richard Rue said, “At a very early age I lost my father who died in Kent County and State of Maryland and being left an orphan I was taken into the family of my brother in law Edward Holman and there brought up a farmer. Sometime in the year 1774 to the best of my recollection the said Edward Holman removed with his family including George Holman and myself to the County of Monongahela in the State of Pennsylvania.” George Holman (Sr.) gave up his young son to his brother Henry Holman according to George’s son, Joseph. Joseph Holman wrote Lyman Draper, “Rue & Holman came from Maryland together, Father was born there, near the shore, on their way Stopped one year in, or about Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Father lived with his uncle Henry & him & his Brother Edward, Rues Brother in law, in moving on to Kentucky, made one crop on the Island below the falls, with their hoes, Indians having stolen all their horses, then to Herodsburgh station, then around where need required most, through the ravages of the war…” George Holman (Jr.) applied for a pension pursuant to the Act of June 7, 1832 on 12 Nov 1832. “I was born in the state of Maryland in the year 1761 or 2 where I lived until the year 1774, when to the best of my recollection Edward Holeman and family, with Richard Rue and myself removed from that state to the County of Monangahela in the state of Pennsylvania. Afterwards early in the spring of the year 1776 the said Edward Holeman with myself and the said Richard Rue descended the Ohio River and settled at the mouth of Kentucky River which surrounding Country was then a territory and a savage wilderness. We planted a small piece of corn at the mouth of the said River, in a field which had been cleared by one Robert Elliott, who had before that time [departed] the country in consequence of the hostilities of the Indians, who had killed one man and took two Boys prisioners, but a short time before, and carried them to their Towns on the Kentucky River near where Frankfort is now situated. The prospects looked dangerous on account of which we shortly afterwards removed to McClenan’s station near the spot where George Town now is situated. We tarried here but a short time. And late in the Summer or early in the fall of the same year, we went to Herodsburgh where we resided until the last of February or the first of march 1777…

Richard Rue’s pension application stated, “Afterwards early in the Spring of the year 1776 the said Edward Holman George Holman and myself descended the Ohio River and settled at the mouth of Kentucky River, then a territory and the surrounding Country a Savage Wilderness. We planted a small piece of land at the mouth of said River in corn, in a field which had been cleared by one Robert Elliott who had before that time abandoned the Country in consequence of the hostilities of the Indians, who had killed one man and taken two boys prisoners but a Short time before, and carried them to their Towns on the Kentucky river near where Frankfort is now situated. The prospect looked dangerous on account of which we shortly afterwards removed to McClenan’s Station near the spot where Georgetown is now situate. We tarried here but a short time, and late in the summer or early in the fall of the same year we went to Harodsburgh where we resided until the last of February or the first of March 1777, when James Ray with William Ray his brother and two hired men Thomas Shores and William Conrad were boiling sugar water and making some improvements for Hugh since Colonel Megary at Shawnee Springs about four miles from Herodsburgh a large party of Indians fell upon them and killed William Ray and took Thomas Shores prisoner. James Ray since General Ray escaped and apprised the people at the station of their danger On the next day the fort was besieged by the Indians and a severe battle was fought, all the men capable of bearing arms and doing military duty were formed into a company under the Command of George Rodgers Clark, then acting as major and since General Clark. I was engaged in this battle, James Herod since Col. Herod was our Captain Levi Todd Lieutenant Francis McConnel ensign Edward Holman first serjeant. In about a month after the first siege the Indians again besieged the fort at Harrodsburgh and a hard fought battle ensued in which Francis McConnell our Ensign was killed and Garret Pendegrass fell. Two others were taken prisoners and others were wounded. I fought in this battle under the above named officers.”

***

Kent County Maryland Court November 1716
Sarah Straighton (spinster), servant to Edward Holman (planter), had a child out of wedlock with John Murphey.
Court ordered her to pay Edward Holman thirty shillings and two hundred and twenty eight pounds of tobacco.
Also, she must add an additional six months to her time as a servant for trouble, loss of time, disgrace, and for keeping the child.
The child, George Straighton, was bound to Edward Holman till he comes to the age of twenty one years.

***

Rosetta Holman (born April 13, 1763 in Kent County, Maryland; died Nov 13, 1848 in Callaway County, Missouri) married David Darst on Jan 14, 1784 in Lincoln County, Kentucky. She was the daughter of Henry Holman (abt 1735-1789) and his wife Elizabeth

---

Notes from "History of Woodford County"

Prior to the Revolutionary War the Holemans were residents of Kent County Maryland.

In 1774, Henry and Edward Holeman moved from Kent County, Maryland to the part of southwestern Pennsylvania that was also claimed by Virginia. With them were George Holman, a nephew, and Richard Rue -two orphans who had been adopted by Henry and Edward. (This is the George Holeman that signed the will of Henry Holman.)

In the spring of 1776, went down the Ohio River to the mouth of the Kentucky River. They started to farm, but because of the pending war, they moved up the Kentucky River to Clemens Station, near the present site of Georgetown.

They then moved to Harrodstown (now Harrodsburg). In the spring of 1777, Indians attacked a nearby camp. Everyone then moved to defend the Garrison at Harrods Station, under the command of General George Rogers Clark (the unit was called Harrod's Company).

Henry Holman, Senior was killed by Indians in August 1789.

Rosetta, the daughter of Henry Holeman, Senior married David Darst. Darst was born in December 1757 in Shenandoah County Virginia. He was one of the executors of the estate of Henry Holeman, Senior. Rosetta was born in Maryland in January 1763 and died in Calloway County Missouri in November 1848. Darst came to Woodford County, Kentucky in 1784 and in 1798 moved with his wife and seven children to Charles County, Missouri. The area, near Daniel Boone's home, was called Darst's Bottom. When Darst and Daniel Boone went to Missouri, it was under Spanish control. Both received land grants from the Spanish authorities in St. Louis. Danst's children were Mary, Elizabeth, Absalom, Isaac, Sarah, Jacob, Samuel, Nancy, and David H. Jacob Darst later went to Texas and was killed with Col. Crockett at the Alamo.

---

Notes from "A History of Shenandoah County, Virginia" by John Walter Wayland, pg 597

David Darst, born 1757 in Shenanndoah County, Virginia, moved to Woodford County, Kentucky in 1784, and to Charles County, Missouri in 1798.
Spanish land grant: Darst's Bottom near Daniel Boone
Married Rosetta Holeman
Son, Jacob died at Alamo with David Crockett

---

March 25, 1777 Dunmore County court
"Jacob Holman, Evin Dobbin, Mounce Bird, John Scoin (Seehorn?), or any three, were to appraise the estate of Mary Dust, dec'd."

---

1785 Shenandoah County census - Evan Jones List (includes New Market, Quicksburg, Forestville, and Moore's Store)
Cathy, William Sr
Cathy, William Jr
Durst, Abraham
Durst, Daniel
Holeman, Mary
Moor, Joseph
Newman, Walter
Readen, George (Rader)
Seaborn, Nicholas

----

Rev Andrew Moffett, b 1744 (son of Henry Moffett, b. 1705, and Mary Anderson of Fauquier County, Virginia).
Settled in vicinity of Mt Jackson and New Market in Shenandoah County, Virginia (as early as 1782).
Pastor of the Smith Creek Baptist Church

Marriages

Aug 7, 1787     Paul Dust              Sarah McCarly         by A. Moffitt

May 22, 1792 Wm. Thompson     Reuhamy Boone     by A. Moffitt

Sept 12, 1799 John Durst             Frany Overholtzer     by A. Moffitt

----

***

Abraham Holeman

Anne Arundel County, Maryland

Notes from "History of Anne Arundel County in Maryland" by Elihu S Riley, 1905
* Maryland settled in 1632. (Charter granted by English King Charles to Cecelius Calvert, second Baron of Baltimore.)
* England gave up right to tax Maryland inhabitants, however, residents of Maryland did not give up rights as native Englishmen.
* Cecelius Calvert named his brother, Leonard, as governor of the colony.
* Appointed leaders in Maryland were wealthy and Roman Catholic. Ordinary colonists were Protestants. Leaders were careful to be tolerant of Religious freedom (unlike it was in Virginia).
* In Virginia, the leaders (who were Protestant) objected to the formation of the Congregational or Independent Church (Puritans).
* In late 1648, head of the Congregational or Independent Church took refugee in Maryland and negotiated the resettlement of the Puritans from Virginia to Maryland. At first the Puritan Englishmen objected to taking oath of fidelity to Lord Baltimore (in exchange for grants of land), but eventually agreed.
* Broad and Town Neck Hundred - located between Severn and Magothy Rivers - in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland: On June 15, 1650, a grant of land was made to Robert Burle (450 acres on north side of Chesapeake Bay) and in same year, grant to Abraham Holeman.
* After English King Charles I was executed (1649), Cromwell tried to take control of the colony from Lord Baltimore. The problems in England lead to a period of unrest and uncertainty in the colony.

Notes from "The Founders of Anne Arundel & Howard Counties, Maryland" by J.D. Warfield, 1905
* In 1620 Edward Bennett, a rich merchant of England, organized a company and sent two hundred settlers to Virginia. Most were killed by the Indians in 1622.
* In 1642, his nephew Richard Bennett, came to Virginia to restart the settlement. He brought with him members of the Independence Church of England (Puritans) who were looking for Religious freedom.
* They settled at the Edward Bennett 2,000 acre plantation on the Elizabeth River in Nansemond County, Virginia.
* The Puritans sent to Boston for ministers, but when the Virginia Governor restricted their practice, the ministers returned.
* In 1648 Lord Baltimore appointed Wm. Stone, a Virginia Protestant, as Governor of Maryland. Stone encouraged the Virginia non-conformists (Puritans) to relocate to Maryland. They were offered land, the liberty of conscience, and the privilege to chose their own officers.
* The war in England between the King and the Parliament created trouble for Lord Baltimore. It was resolved with Lord Baltimore retaining control of Maryland, which was reduced in size.
* In 1657, the disagreement between the Puritans and Lord Baltimore was settled. Lord Baltimore remained in control of Maryland, but the settlers were still independent.
* In 1657 and again in 1660, Robert Burle was named one of the Justices of the county of Anne Arundel. In 1662 and 1665, he was named Delegate.
* In 1672, Ralph Williams was witness to Will of Robert Burle, "an associate justice and legislator from the Severn."

***

New Early Settlers of Maryland
by Dr. Carson Gibb
In these records “transport” means pay for the transportation of. Most settlers were transported by somebody else. A few transported themselves.

Holeman, Holman, Abraham [Of Severn?], transported himself about 1649
Holman, William Transported 1649
Holeman, William Brother to Abraham, transported himself in 1658
Holman, Elizabeth Transported by 1670
Hollman, John Transported 1680

Question: Were the brothers (Abraham and William Holman) from Hornchurch, Essex, England?

Foreword to Supplement to Early Settlers
by Christopher N. Allan
Deputy State Archivist
1998

Maryland is fortunate to have a remarkable collection of records at the State Archives that documents the history of the colony and state. At the heart of this rich archival heritage are the records of the Land Office from which all title to land in Maryland derives and in which are found the headrights upon which many of the original tracts were granted. The Archives has also a group of dedicated volunteers, including Carson Gibb, who not only help the public find and understand records, but also, clearly interested in the records, process collections and improve our indexes.

In 1994, Dr. Gibb told Edward C. Papenfuse, Archivist of the State of Maryland, that he had found in the Land Office records names not in The Early Settlers of Maryland and that he was ready to search the records for more. Dr. Papenfuse invited Dr. Gibb to use a computer in the Archives, arranged for Lynne MacAdam and Betsy Bodziak to guide him through the process of database indexing, and offered to publish his work in both electronic and book form. Dr. Gibb proceeded accordingly and, over a period of several years, found over 8600 omissions and other errors now corrected in A Supplement. In doing so, he helped us not only to understand better the nature of the records but also to think more carefully about designing indexes in the future.

The Conditions of Plantation

In helping us to understand better the records of migration to Maryland, Dr. Gibb has focused our attention on the headright system, not only whether its records are reliable, but also on when and why it ended. It was initiated by Cecilius Calvert, Second Lord Baltimore, as an inducement to those considering emigration to Maryland. The promise of land is a powerful attraction and figures often in the development of America. When and why it was terminated is not widely known. The title page and the entries in Early Settlers imply that it ended in 1680, but Warrants WC4 has warrants issued for headrights as late as spring 1682/83. These questions give a glimpse of the vicissitudes of administering a colonial venture.

Charles Calvert, the Third Lord Baltimore, first suggested that he was going to abolish the headright system in a proclamation issued June 3, 1676. He complained that his agents had not properly returned many of the rights to land proved before them to be entered among the records. Even when this was done, he was not certain that the secretaries had made the appropriate entries. Calvert believed that, as a result, "the titles of divers of the said adventurers to their land are dubious and questionable and may hereafter be questioned to the great prejudice of the inhabitants of this province in after times when things cannot be made appear." Having suggested that the current system was not effective, he stated his intention to cease offering land in return for providing transportation to the province within two years. (LAND OFFICE (Patents) 19:459-460 MSA S11-23)

Despite reiterating his desire to end the system of headrights in 1678 and issuing several further proclamations to that effect, the Proprietor issued two extensions that, in effect, appear to have kept the headright system alive. In June of 1678, he allowed eight more months for rights to land to be proved. The first was an order for the relief of residents in Somerset County dated June 14, 1678. It did not extend the time in which people could immigrate or be transported and claim a headright to land. It merely offered additional time to prove rights to land due to those already in the province. (LAND OFFICE (Patents) 19:636-637 MSA S11-23) The second proclamation, dated June 19, 1678, applied the terms suggested for Somerset County to the whole colony, however, noting that "severall inhabitants of this province have informed me, that by reason of the late troubles with the Indians, and other urgent occasions in their cropps hindering, they could not attend the Secretary's Office for finding out their Patents." It does not forbid the issuance of new headrights for new arrivals. (GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL (Proceedings) RR:164 MSA S1071-7)

Thus, it does not appear that the practice of granting land for immigrants ceased with either of these orders. Another proclamation, dated May 15, 1683, again stated that land would be sold for 100 lbs of tobacco per fifty acres. Lord Baltimore emphasized that "the taking up of land by rights within this our province of Maryland hath proved not only grievous and burthensome to the inhabitants -- for paying for the same extravagant and extortious rates when to be procured but also very injurious and prejudiciall to ourselves by undue and unjust probate made of such rights." (GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL (Proceedings) RR:190 MSA S1071-7)

Lord Baltimore's stated concerns in ending the system are essentially (a) that his agents had not been diligent in performing their duties, thus jeopardizing title to land for those who received grants; (b) the process was very expensive for the prospective landowner; and (c) he believed the administration of the system had deprived the Proprietor of a great deal of income.

The cause of these concerns was the speculative manipulation of the system. A thriving business had evolved in the rights assigned by those entitled to land. While a number of people appear to have prospered in this trade, Lord Baltimore did not profit. Further, while the market for the headrights was thriving and warrants for land were being bought and sold, the expected surveying and taking up of land did not follow. Lord Baltimore's revenue came from the fees for warrants, certificates of survey, and patents and from the quitrents paid on land once it was patented. So not only had the system not benefited Lord Baltimore, but the speculation that sprang from it may actually have hindered the settlement upon which his income depended.

Further complicating matters was the influence of the people involved in this speculation, most of Lord Baltimore's principal officials. John Llewellin, Clerk of the Council and Vincent Lowe, Surveyor General, received a number of assignments. So did other members of the Provincial Council: Henry Darnall, William Stevens, George Talbot, and William Digges. Their participation certainly is one of the reasons why the end of the headright system was delayed until 1683.

The occasion of the end of the system was probably the fall in the price of tobacco. It reduced the number of new settlers claiming land and thus made speculation in headrights a marginal undertaking. Considering the status of the participants, this must have been a convenient juncture at which to end the practice. Whatever may be learned in the future about the end of the headright system, what we have learned is partly due to Dr. Gibb's work.

***

Residents Appearing the Provincial Court (1647-1656); Kent Co., Maryland
Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Andrea K. Haga

1651-52 Abraham Holloman oath to Commonwealth

1657-58 Abraham Holeman gave deposition otherwise known as Hollman

-------------------

Hollman, Abraham, 1659 150 acres Bushtwood Tract in Harford County
Hollman, Abraham, 1659 100 acres in Hole Wood Tract in Harford County
Hollman, Abraham, 1659 150 acres in Huntsingworth Tract in Harford County

-------------------

Notes from: "Archives of Maryland" by William Hand Browne, Maryland Historical Society

page 111
Provincial Court Proceedings 1658
Margret Brent sued Abraham Holeman for five thousand pounds of tobacco. Case dismissed.

pages 317-318
Provincial Court Proceedings 1659
William Holman sued Thomas Chapman because Chapman did not pay him for work performed
(work was "sett up 25 Tun of Cask")
(payment was a cow that died which was to be delivered by Chapman's agent, George Dorrell).
Abraham Holman, brother of William, testified.

-------------------

The Washington Ancestry and record of the McClain, Johnson, and forty other colonial American Families by Charles Arthur Hoppin , 1932
May 1655
Nathan Pope sued Thom Hawkins (Hawkins' attorney was Abraham Holman)

-----------------------

MARYLAND INDEXES
(Probate Records, Colonial, Index)
H, 1634-1777, SE4-8
Image No: 008825

Holman, Abraham
1686
Will Box H, Folder 86
Inventory Box 5, folder 69
Will Liber 4, folio 219

----------------------

Maryland Historical Magazine Vol. 54, No. 2
June, 1959 Page 153
Freight Rates in the Maryland Tabacco Trade: Appendix
by John M Hemphill, II (Continued from March)
Anne Arundel Deeds
Date                         Master                             Ship
23 Jan 1705/06      William Holeman             Globe
5 May 1712           Wm Holeman                   Globe
8 May 1713           William Holeman             Globe
31 May 1714         William Holeman             Globe
5 Feb 1715/16       William Holeman             Globe

----------------------------

***

HOLMAN and JOHNSON Relationships

Maryland State Archives
Judicial and Testamentary Business of the Provincial Court, 1649/50-1657
Volume 10, Pages 500, 523 and 524 Court and Testamentary Business, 1657.
(Liber B. No. 3. pages 271, 304, and 305)

Two court cases indicated that Abraham Holman and Captain Peter Johnson had a relationship.

* John Brown suited William Dorrington (the administrator of the estate of Captain Peter Johnson) to get 300 pounds of Tobacco and Caske,
alleging that Johnson owed that amount to Abraham Holman and that Holman assigned the claim to Brown.

* William Dorrington sued Abraham Holman alleging that Holman detained two of Dorrington's servants,
and asking that Dorrington would not have to pay Holman one hogshead of Tobacco (of Captain Peter Johnson, the predecessor of Dorrington)

--------------

Katherine Holeman, the sister of the Edward Holeman (born bef Nov 1684) who married Rosetta Van Dant, married 1st William Johnson before Nov 1705 and married 2nd Thomas Massey.

Henry and Edward Holman by Marlou Belyea
Edward Holeman bought:
" All ye remainder of a tract of land called Biman, beginning att a marked forked oake standing on ye north side of the maine roade and neare the head of a creek called Palmer's Creek, being on ye south side of the Sassafras River."
The price was 4000 pounds of tobacco and the grantors were George and Silonah Sanders, and William and Katherine Johnson. All of whom signed by marks.
The 1721 estate papers for William Johnson establish that there was a close relationship between the parties to the 1705 Biman deed. On June 21, 1721, Edward Holeman and George Sanders were bondsmen for Katharine Johnson, administratix of the estate of William Johnson. And on August 12, 1721, Sanders and Edward Holeman signed William Johnson's inventory, "Being two of the nearest Kinn."

----------------

Notes from
The ancestry of Grafton Johnson: with its four branches, the Johnson, the Holman, the Keen, the Morris
by Damaris Knobe

Pages 013 - 022
Isaac Johnson, born about 1722 (the first)
* Parents and siblings unknown.
* Started a frontier settlement in the Shenandoah valley of western Virginia about 1745.
* Established a plantation at the head of Holman Creek (north fork of Shenandoah River) in part of Augusta County that became Rockingham County.
** Surveyed Oct 26, 1749 - 220 acres "at the foot of North mountain on the head of Holeman's Creek" adjoining "Fairfax line".
** Surveyed Dec 9, 1754 - 170 acres "on the North River of the Shanando".
** Surveyed Mar 26, 1755 - 200 acres "on the waters of Smith Creek".
* Witness to Will of William Hill, 1748, Augusta County, Virginia
* Living nearby was a David Johnson, assumed to be a relative, who in 1751 relocated to the part of Rowan County that became Davie County, North Carolina

Pages 107 - 108
Elizabeth Holeman, born about 1751 (daughter of Isaac Holeman)
* Married Isaac Johnson of Virginia.

Pages 021 - 035
Isaac Johnson (1745 - 1814), son of Isaac Johnson, the first
* born in part of Augusta County that became Rockingham County, Virginia
* Relocated to North Carolina about 1765
* Married Elizabeth Holeman (about 1751 - 1840), oldest daughter of Isaac Holeman
* Isaac and Elizabeth relocated to Rockingham county, Virginia around 1768
* From Virginia, enrolled in Rev War
* Returned in 1783 to part of Rowan County that became Davie County, North Carolina
* Relocated in 1790 to part of Fayette County that became Jessamine County, Kentucky.
* His brother-in-law, Daniel Holeman (son of Isaac Holeman) was already living in part of Fayette County that became Woodford County, Kentucky.
* Will probated in Jessamine County, Kentucky in 1814.
* Son David Johnson married Polly Burch in 1792 and relocated to part of Franklin County that became Anderson County, Kentucky.
* Johnsons and Holemans living in Anderson Co., Kentucky claim to be related, and to descend from the Thomas Holeman who married Mary Graham. (Thomas Holeman was the son of Isaac Holeman and Mary Benton Hardy.)
* Living near this Thomas Holeman was a Richard Holeman who in court testimony denied being a "brother".

-----------------------

Notes from
The ancestry of Grafton Johnson: with its four branches, the Johnson, the Holman, the Keen, the Morris
by Damaris Knobe

pages 76 - 77
Isaac Holeman moved about 1752 from Virginia to North Carolina. (undoubtedly associated with the Holeman settlement in the Shenandoah Valley)
* brought with him his parents, who are buried on his own land.
* after he moved, two of his younger brothers followed him to NC: William Holeman and James Holeman
* the three brothers had land grants in the part of Rowan County that became Davie County (adjoining plantations)
* granddaughter of William Holeman said that William's father and brother came to this country from England, before the Rev War. They separated and info on other brother unknown.

Pages 84 - 88
William Holeman
* next to oldest of the three sons who went with parents from Virginia to part of Rowan County that became Davie County (adjoining plantations).
* first land grant in 1786. On dividing line between Davie and Yadkin counties (and previously Rowan and Surry counties)
* served in Rev War.
* married twice: Elizabeth Johnson, Sarah Whitlock
* his sons (David Holeman and Samuel Holeman) relocated to Preble county, Ohio.

The Holmans in America concerning the descendants of Solaman Holman, Volume One
by David Emory Holman, M.D.

Letter from Elizabeth (Holeman) Smith, written in 1887
* great-grandfather and his brother came to this country from England long years before Rev War.
* do not know names or where they landed.
* brothers separated. all trace of other lost.
* Number of children of great-grandfather unknown.
* Her grandfather was William Holeman
** married twice
** second wife was Sarah Johnson, relative of Col. Dick Johnson.
** lived in Surrey Co, NC and had nine children.
** better class. Lived on farm and had slaves.

[Note: I believe that William Holeman was the son, not the brother, of Isaac Holeman.]

[Note: Richard Johnson (abt 1780 – 1850) was the ninth Vice President of the United States, serving in the administration of Martin Van Buren.
At the outset of the War of 1812, Johnson was commissioned a colonel in the Kentucky Mounted Infanatry. He participated in the Battle of the Thames.
Anderson County, Kentucky:
Holeman, Reuben
Served as a pvt. in Capt. Jacob Elliston's Company of Col. Richard Johnson's regiment of Ky. Mounted Infanatry. Enlisted from Franklin County May 20 1813. Regiment was first Americans to come upon the Battlefield from Raisin River Massacre, gathering what remains could be found. Also served during the Battle of Thames Canada Oct. 5 1813 where Tecumseh was killed. Appeared in early records of Salt River Church, and was living in County 1830
Johnson, Isaac
Served as a pvt. in Capt. Jacob Elliston's Company of Col. Richard Johnson's regiment of Ky. Mounted Infanatry. Enlisted from Franklin County May 20 1813. Regiment was first Americans to come upon the Battlefield from Raisin River Massacre, gathering what remains could be found. Also served during the Battle of Thames Canada Oct. 5 1813 where Tecumseh was killed.

-----------------------

Rachel Holeman (born about 1743), the daughter of Thomas Holeman (1723-1798) and Mary Thompson, married a Henry Johnson.
Henry Johnson:
* Served as a Private in Captain Ingle's Company, 2nd N. C. Regiment. Enlisted May 1777 to serve three years.
* March 7, 1786, North Carolina land grant for 640 acres of land in Davidson County on the north side of Tennessee River on Blount's Creek
* The Times, Springfield, TN, June 1, 1972 article regarding DAR dedication of a headstone at the grave of Henry Johnson.
** born in Ireland in 1738.
** Older brother, Isaac Johnson, born in 1722
** Isaac and Henry migrated to Maryland
** Rachel Holman, born 1743 in Massachusetts. (I believe this is wrong. It may be that someone read "MA" as the birth state and assumed Massachusetts, not Maryland.)
** Marriage in March 1763 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
** Relocated to North Carolina near the Yadkin River.
** Their son, Thomas Johnson, migrated to Springfield, Tennessee in 1789.
** Later Henry and Rachel followed their sons (Thomas and Henry, Jr) to Springfield, Tennessee.

Isaac Johnson (died 1838), the son of Henry and Rachel (Holeman) Johnson, married Amelia Holeman about 1805 in North Carolina. Amelia Holeman was the daughter of Reuben Holeman (abt 1759-abt 1829) and Mary Cook; and the granddaughter of Isaac Holeman and Mary Benton Hardy.

Two of the children of Isaac and Amelia (Holeman) Johnson married Holemans:
* William Cook Johnson (born 1823 in Tennessee) married his first cousin, Mary "Polly" Holeman, the daughter of William Holeman (1779 - 1857) and Martha Pinchback, and the granddaughter of Reuben Holeman (abt 1759 - abt 1829) and Mary Cook.
* Lillis Houston Johnson (born abt 1817) married her second cousin William Holeman (died 1900 in Barry Co., Missouri), the son of Hudspeath and Justine Holeman and the grandson of Isaac Holeman and Mary Benton Hardy.

----------------------

"COUNTIES OF MORGAN, MONROE & BROWN, INDIANA. HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL."
CHARLES BLANCHARD, EDITOR. CHICAGO: F. A. BATTEY & CO. PUBLISHERS. 1884.
F. A. BATTEY. F. W. TEPPLE

MORGAN COUNTY, INDIANA
GREEN TOWNSHIP
PAGE 360

SARAH RADCLIFF, widow of John Radcliff, was born in Madison County, Ky., on April 1, 1824, and is a daughter of Daniel and Rebecca (Johnson) Holman, natives of Virginia. Daniel Holman was married in Virginia in an early day, and then moved to Kentucky, where he died. Mrs. Holman afterward moved to this county, and died here. Their children were Alfred, Joel, Abel, Harden, James, Harrison, Tarleton, Jackson, Madison, Perlina, Parmelia, Amanda, Minerva and Sarah. Sarah Holman, our subject, was married in Anderson County, Ky., on August 15, 1844, to Edward J. Rice. The couple settled in Mercer County, Ky., and in 1848 came to Morgan County, Ind., where Mr. Rice died November 18, 1867. In 1869, Mrs. Sarah Rice married John Radcliff, who died on January 25, 1879. She owns 175 acres of very fine land. Mrs. R. has no family.
(See Holmans in Hardin County, Kentucky)

---------------------------

***

Click here to go to Next Steps

Click here to return to James Holman Where to Look

Click here to return to James Holman

Click here to return to Claudia Lung Carson

Click here to return to Judge John Evans Carson

Click here to return to Joseph Carson, born 1777

Click here to return to David Carson, born 1741

Click here to return to WAM Founders home page

Click here to return to Nose4BS.com home page

Copying or Publishing this information strictly prohibited without written permission from the author.