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
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 the Shenandoah Valley to North Carolina in 1752.
***
Any Holman from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, or the Lord Fairfax controlled area of Virginia who wanted to go to North Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, or the Ohio River Valley during the period 1730 to the Revolutionary War passed through the Shenandoah Valley.
***
Notes from
Old Tenth Legion Marriages
Marriages in Rockingham County, Virginia from 1778-1816
taken from the marriage bonds
compiled by Harry M Strickler
1928
page 39
Date 1808
Groom: Campbell, Jno H
Bride: Darcus Holman
Father: David or Dan.
Surety: David Holman
Page 65
Date 1780
Groom: Holeman, Wm.
Bride: Agnes Shepherd
Father
Surety: Rich. Madison
Page 65
Date 1805
Groom: Holeman, Jacob
Bride: Phebe Dunkerson
Father: Tom.
Surety: same
----------------------
Note:
The Jacob Holman, who married Phebe Dunkerson, and the Dorcus Holman, who married
John H Campbell, are the children of Daniel Holeman (1766-1784), the grandchildren of
Jacob Holeman, and the great grandchildren of "Old Daniel
Holman" of Shenandoah Valley. After Daniel Holeman (1766-1784) died, his widow
Mary Robinson (1759-1825) married John Homan (Hohman, Hamen), born 1755 in Germany. Mary Robinson (1759-1825) was the daughter of
David Robinson and Dorcus Moore, and the grand daughter of Riley Moore (1703-1765) and
Sarah Holland.
Phebe Dunkerson is the daughter of Thomas Dunkerson and Lucretia Moore
[daughter of Thomas Moore (1732-1797) and granddaughter of Riley Moore (1703-1765)].
Thomas Dunkerson is in the Christian County, Kentucky census for 1810. Jacob Holeman is in Rockingham County, Virginia census for 1810 (on the same page are
Andrew Campbell and Abraham Paine). Jacob Holeman is in the Christian County, Kentucky census for 1820 and 1830. Christian County was created December 13, 1796 from
Logan County, Kentucky.
John H Campbell, born 1779 in Virginia, was in the 1810 census for Shenandoah County (on same page:
Walter Newman, Benjamin Newman, and Reuben Newman) and the 1820, 1830, 1840 (on same page
Jacob Holdeman), and 1850 census for Rockingham County, Virginia.
Jno H Campbell in the Virginia, Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1983
Name: Jno H Campbell
Probate Place: Rockingham, Virginia, USA
Inferred Death Place: Virginia, USA
Item Description: Will Book, Vol A, 1803-1862
Notes from the Original (Partial writing)
pg 175-176
wife Dorcas Campbell
four daughters
daughter (or granddaughter?) Lavinia R Hopkins
grandson Wm. C. Hopkins
daughter Margaret Erwins (her sons: John H and Andrew)
daughter Elizabeth Shumate
daughter Nancy Bare
June 1850
Source Citation
Will Book, 1803-1862; Author: Rockingham County (Virginia). Clerk of the Circuit Court; Probate Place: Rockingham, Virginia
Dorcas Campbell in the Rockingham County, Virginia, Death Index, 1862-1877
Name: Dorcas Campbell
Race: W
Sex: F (Female)
Death Date: 12 Sep 1865
Cause of Death: HEART DISEASE
Age: Years: 80
Months: 7
Days: 5
Father's name: Daniel Holman
Mother's name: Mary
Birthplace: Rockingham
Source Information
Ancestry.com. Rockingham County, Virginia, Death Index, 1862-1877 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.
John Hamilton Campbell died in June 1850 and Dorcus Holeman in 1865. Both are buried in the Cooks Creek Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Rockingham County, Virginia
John Hamilton Campbell was the son of Charles Campbell (c1740-c1800) and his wife Agnes.
Charles Campball in the Virginia, Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1983
Name: Charles Campball
Probate Date: Apr 1806
Probate Place: Shenandoah, Virginia, USA
Inferred Death Year: Abt 1806
Inferred Death Place: Virginia, USA
Item Description: Will Book, Vol E, 1800-1802; Will Book, Vol F, 1802-1807
Table of Contents 3 images
Cover Page 1
Will Papers 2–3
Source Citation
Will Books (Loose Documents), 1772-1811; Author: Virginia. County Court (Shenandoah County); Probate Place: Shenandoah, Virginia
notes from the original:
wife: Agnes
Two sons: Andrew Campbell and John Hamilton Campbell
oldest daughter: Elizabeth and her husband John Campbell
daughter Janet
daughter Agnes
daughter Margaret
Oct 27, 1798
Witness
Walter Newman
James Lokay
David Strickler
Recorded April Court 1806
--------------
***
Notes from:
"Records of Rev. John Casper Stoever Baptismal and Marriage
1730 - 1779"
Harrisburg, PA
1896
* German born minister. Based in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. Traveled down from
Pennsylvania through Maryland to Virginia.
* Original record "was written in German and contains many Latin phrases as
well as a few English and French".
Rev. Stoever organized his journal by listing the head of the household and his or her location. Below that he listed the date of the event for the family members. He did not give the location of the event, however, the location must have been nearby the residence of the household.
On May 16, 1735, he baptized persons in the following "Opequon" households: JACOB SIKLES (Sponsors.
Jost. Heydt and wife), PETER STEPHAN, ABRAHAM WEISSMAN, JACOB CHRISTMAN,
GEORGE BAUMANN, PAUL FROMMAN, JOHN COLVERT, JOHANNES SCHNEPF, JOHN
PHILIPP KLEESZ, and JOHN ULRICH BUGER.
In April and May, 1736, he baptized persons in the following "Monocacy" households: BALTHASER FAUTH, JACOB FAUTH, MATTHIAS ROESSEL, JOHANNES MITTAG, GEORGE LATHLY, JOHN JACOB HOOF, ADAM BAKER, and HENRY PREY. Also, in May 1736, he
baptized two persons in these "Opequon" households: RUDI MAAG and WILLIAM CRISP; and married two English couples at Opecken, in the presence of
Lord Fairfax, in the county of Orange and in the colony of Virginia.
(See Monocacy.)
On June 8, 1737, the date of the marriages of John Hodge and Elizabeth Windseeth, Jacob Thigh and Mary White,
Daniel Hoolman and Elizabeth Cartlay, he also baptized persons in the following
"Shenandoah" households: ANDREW BIRD, RILIE MOOR, JAMES GUILL, JOHN DAWBIN, JOHN HODGE,
and WILLIAM WHITE.
BAPTISMS
page 12
ANDREW BIRD (Shenandoah)
Bird - Rebecca, b. July 6, 1732; Bap. June 8, 1837
Evidences, John Gill and Sarah Moor
WILLIAM BREEDYES (Shenandoah)
Breedyes, James, b. Oct. 1733; bap. June 8, 1737
,
Hanna, b. Aug., 1734; bap. June 8, 1737
Testes, the parents themselves
RILIE MOOR (Shenandoah)
Moor, Terkis, b. Feb 15, 1731; bap. June 8, 1737. Testis, Catherine Gerlach.
, Thomas, b. October. 1732; bap. June
8, 1737. Testes, Theobaldt Gerlach and wife.
, Jacob, b. Dec. 1734; bap. June 8,
1737. Testes, Andrew Bird.
, John, b. Nov., 1736; bap. June 8,
1737. Testes, Charles Ehrhardt and his wife Clara.
JAMES GUILL (Shenandoah)
Guill, Thomas, b. Sept. 15, 1728; bap. June 8, 1737. Testis, John Dawbin.
, James, b. Aug. 1732; bap. June 8, 1737,
Testis, Elizabeth Dawbin.
, Mary, b. Jan 15, 1735; bap. June 8, 1737.
Sponsor, the father himself.
, John, b. May, 1737; bap. June 8, 1737.
Sponsor, the father himself.
JOHN DAWBIN (Shenandoah)
Dawbin, Thomas, b. Nov 8, 1736; bap. June 8, 1737. Testes, James Guill.
JOHN HODGE (Shenandoah)
Hodge, David, b. Aug. 2, 1733; bap. June 8, 1737
, Elizabeth, b. April 7,
1735; bap. June 8, 1737
, Rohamy, b. May 8, 1738;
bap. ___
Testes, to the above baptisms, James Guill and his wife and the parents
themselves.
WILLIAM WHITE (Shenandoah)
White, Ruth, b. Feb 28, 1732; bap. June 1737.
, Charity, b. March 6, 1734;
bap. June, 1737.
, Benjamin, b. in Jan., 1736;
bap. June 1737. Sponsors, the parents themselves.
DANIEL HOOLMAN (Shenandoah)
Hoolman, Isaac.
,
Rebecca
Testes, James Guill and the mother herself.
JOHN LEENWILL (Shenandoah)
Leenwill, Lewis, b. Feb. 20, 1737; bap. June 7, 1737. Testis, Stephen Lewis.
THEOBALDT GERLACH (Shenandoah)
Gerlach, John George, b. Nov 22, 1737; bap. June 4, 1738. Sponsors, John George
Baumann and wife, Maria
page 13
ADAM MUELLER (Shenandoah)
Mueller, Catarina, b. Dec. 20, 1734; bap. May 1, 1739.
, Adam, b. July 16,
1736; bap. May 1, 1739.
, Anna Christina,
b. Oct. 18, 1738; bap. May 1, 1739. Testes, pater, mater and Anna Christina
Selzer.
MICHAEL RHEINHARDT (Shenandoah)
Rheinhardt, Emma Christina, b. Jan. 26, 1739; bap. May 1, 1739 Sponsor Anna
Christina Seltzerin.
page 19
FREDERICH GEBERT (Shenandoah)
Gebert, Susanna Catarina, b. June 27, 1736; bap. Aug. 29, 1736. Sponsor, Clara
Strubel.
NICOLAUS BRINTZLER (Shenandoah)
Brintzler, John Frederick, b. Feb. 17, 1735; bap. March 31, 1735. Sponsor, John
Frederick Strubel
, Maria
Elisabetha, b. Jan. 24, 1738; bap. April 9, 1738. Sponsors, the above.
page 53
MARRIAGES
Record of persons united in Matrimony by me, John Casper Stoever, Evangelical
Lutheran Minister in Pennsylvania, Anno 1730:
page 54
1735
August 16. Two English couples at Susquehanna River, in Creesop's house. [Is this the
Thomas Cresap who was born in England in 1730 and settled in Pennsylvania on west side of
the Susquehanna River, in area claimed by both Pennsylvania and Maryland?]
page 55
1736
May 3. Two English couples at Opecken, in the presence of Lord Fairfax,
in the county of Orange and in the colony of Virginia.
1737
June 8. John Hodge and Elizabeth Windseeth, Jacob Thigh and Mary White, Daniel
Hoolman and Elizabeth Cartlay. North River, Shenandoah. vulgo. Cockel
Town in Orange county, in the Colony of Virginia.
page 57
1739
April 30. Peter Maag and Juliana Rheinhart, Opecken in Orange county, Va.
--
[Note:
From "The Memorial Foundation of the Germanna Colonies in Virginia, Inc."
The Germanna Colonies consist primarily of the First Colony of 42 persons from the Siegerland area in Germany brought to Virginia to work for Spotswood in 1714, and the Second Colony of 20 families from the Palatinate and Baden-Wuerttemberg area of Germany brought in 1717, but also include other
German families who joined the first two colonies at later dates. At the time, the Germanna area was the westernmost outpost of colonial Virginia.
In 1725, most of these Germans moved west to the Robinson River Valley, and in 1733, Johann Caspar Stoever became the first pastor of their German Lutheran Church. He came to America in 1728 with an adult son of the same name, and a daughter, Elizabeth Catherine, who married Johannes Kuntz in 1738 in
Pennsylvania. The son of Johann Caspar Stoever, Sr. was the Pastor of the Lutheran Congregation of the Hill Church in Cleona, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania.]
--
[Note: In 1737 Johann Caspar Stoever, Jr. married Daniel Hoolman and Elizabeth Cathay on North River, Shenandoah. vulgo. Cockel Town in Orange county, in the Colony of Virginia.
Which river did Rev. Stoever mean?
* The Shenandoah River divides into the north branch and the south branch near present day
Front Royal.
* The North River empties into the south branch of the Shenandoah River near present day Port Republic. The Middle River, previously called Carthrae's river, empties into the North River, between the North River and the South River.]
--
[Note: The common name "cockle" is also given by seafood sellers to a number of other small, edible marine bivalves which have a somewhat similar shape and sculpture, but are in other families such as the Veneridae (Venus clams) and the ark clams (Arcidae). Cockles in the family Cardiidae are sometimes referred to as "true cockles" to distinguish them from these other species.
Sustaining America’s Aquatic Biodiversity
Freshwater Mussel Biodiversity and Conservation
Louis A. Helfrich, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Virginia Tech
Richard J. Neves, Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Virginia Tech
Hilary Chapman, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Freshwater mussels live on the bottoms of lakes and streams throughout the world. About 1,000 species have been identified worldwide, and 300 (nearly 30 percent) of these occur in North America. Early pioneers to this continent were surprised by the richness of mussel species. Individual rivers contained more
than five times the number of mussel species as found in all of Europe. Considering the fact that fewer than 20 mussel species are found in most other countries of the world, our streams are truly “mussel rich.”
Historically, freshwater mussels provided food for early man and Native Americans, but their relative
tastelessness and rubbery consistency did not make them a preferred food like their saltwater counterparts, oysters and clams. Mussel shells were used for jewelry, for making pottery and utensils, as currency, and for trading by certain Native American tribes.
Chahta Anumpa Aiikhvna
School of Choctaw Language
An authorized web site of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
* Freshwater mussels, known as "oka fulush" in the Choctaw language, are more diverse in the southeastern United States than in any other place in the world
* In the Choctaw homeland today, massive piles of mussel shell can still be found on the banks of rivers, near villages where ancient people pulled the mussels out of the water, cooked and ate them.
* Beginning around 1,000 years ago, ancestral Choctaw potters began mixing mussel shell into the clay that they used for making pottery.
* Choctaws made several types of objects from raw mussel shells. The biggest, thickest shells were often used as tools.
* "Oka falush ishtimpa," or mussel shell spoons were commonly made from the shells of mussel species such as Elephant-ear, which were relatively thick and flat.
* Jewelry was also made from some of the flat shells. The types included flat, disk-shaped beads as well as gorgets. Gorgets are large necklace pendants that were often decorated by engraving designs into the surface of the shell and then rubbing it with pigment.]
--
***
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 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, NC
* Relocated in 1790 to part of Fayette County that became Jessamine County,
Kentucky.
* His brother-in-law, Daniel Holeman (son of Isaac Holman) 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.
* Living near this Thomas Holeman was a Richard Holeman who denied being a
"brother".
[Note: The Thomas Holeman who married Mary Graham is the son of Isaac Holeman, died 1808.]
***
Notes on
History of the Lower Shenandoah Valley Counties of Frederick, Berkeley, Jefferson and Clarke: their early settlement and progress to the present time, geological features, a description of their historic and interesting localities, cities, towns and villages, portraits of some of the prominent men, and
biographies of many of the representative citizens. By J. E. Norris, Chicago, A. Warner, 1890.
--
Col Alexander Spotswood. 1716 expedition from Richmond to see the other side of the Blue Ridge
Mountains
From 1716 to 1725 no attempt to make a settlement in the Valley
1720 Act created Spotsylvania County: "That the frontiers towards the high mountains are exposed to danger from the Indians, and the late settlements of the French to the westward of the said mountains..."
In addition to land east of Blue Ridge mountains, included area of Valley from Potomac River south through what is now Augusta County.
In 1734 another Act took the northern half of Spotsylvania County to be new Orange County.
In 1738 Frederick County and Augusta County created. Dividing line: from head spring of Hedgman river to the head spring of river Potowmack (Potomac). Stayed part of Orange
County until populated.
--
King Charles the Second gave to group of friends land grant for the northern neck of Virginia. One of them,
"Thomas, Lord Culpeper" acquired all the rights. His daughter married
"Thomas, Lord Fairfax."
Original thought was that grant did not go beyond the Blue Ridge. Lord Fairfax learned that headwaters of Potomac were west of Blue Ridge and got
the western boundary of his claim extended, with the understanding it would not interfere
with any grants already made by Virginia Governor.
Pennsylvania Germans moved south through Maryland, crossed the Potomac a few miles north of what is now Harper's Ferry, settled along the Potomac river (up to 10-15 mile west of junction with Shenandoah River)
Founded village in 1726-1727 called New Mecklenburg. Later renamed Shepherdstown, by
Thomas Shepherd.
Many of these squatters later bought land from Richard Ap Morgan, who had a land grant.
About 1730, Alexander Ross, a Quaker, secured grant from Virginia Governor Gooch for forty thousand acres in neighborhood of where Winchester now stands.
A squatter, Abraham Hollingsworth (583 acres, survey dated 1732), first bought his land from Ross, and later from
Lord Fairfax.
Hollingsworth neighbors: Parkins, Bransons, Luptons, Walkers, Beesons, Barretts, McKays, Hackneys, Neills, Dillons.
--
Shawnees controlled county along the Shenandoah River from the Potomac River south. Delaware Indians would attack from north. On one expedition,
John Vanmeter traveled with the Delawares.
Vanmeter saw good land and applied to Virginia Governor for grant of forty thousand acres. Encouraged his sons to settle there (along Opequon river). Sold grant to
Joist Hite of Pennsylvania
Joist Hite came from York County, Pennsylvania
Along with three sons-in-law (sixteen families in total) relocated to the Valley
Settled on Opequon River (five miles south of Winchester) near the great road.
Jacob Chrisman, two miles south
George Bowman, further south on Cedar Creek
Paul Froman, several miles west of Bowman on Cedar Creek
Others in Hite group:
Peter Stephens settled in Stephens City (aka: Stephensburg, Newtown, Newtown-Stephensburg)
Robert McCay settled on Crooked Run, nine miles southeast of Stephensburg
William Duff and Robert Green settled east of Blue Ridge. William Duff and Robert Green later joined with Hite to get additional land.
About 1734 Robert Harper established a ferry at junction of Potomac and Shenandoah.
About 1734, Thomas Shepherd came to area, bought the German settlement, Mecklenburg, and renamed it Shepherdstown.
--
Col Robert "King" Carter
1730 grant 63,000 acres "just below the forks of the Shenandoah along the river for about twenty miles." No settlers. Farmed by slaves and overseers of King Carter.
Lord Fairfax began to secure payment from people on land covered by other claims.
Joist Hite refused to pay.
1736 beginning of the Hite-Fairfax litigation.
Settlers avoided the disputed area, moved south to the Beverly grant (Augusta County). As a result, for a time, upper valley (in the south) was more populated than lower valley (in the north)
--
1742 fifteen families (Baptist) relocated from New Jersey to area that is now Gerrardstown in Berkeley
County. (Rev John Gerrard)
--
In addition to the settlers who came down through Pennsylvania and Maryland, and located along the Potomac River from Harper's Ferry (or as it was then known, the Great Falls), westward on that stream, there was a tide of
immigration from eastern Virginia. Numbers of the old families, sold out their property in the poor lands of the tide-water region, and obtained large tracts of land from Lord Fairfax, in some cases at merely nominal prices. This immigration from
eastern Virginia began about 1760.
--
CHAPTER XIX.
SHEPHERDSTOWN, MIDDLEWAY AND WIZARD CLIP.
Shepherdstown can undoubtedly claim the honor (and with reasons entirely justifiable) of being the spot whereon the first settlers located when they crossed the Potomac at what was afterward known as the Old Packhorse Ford.
When the Germans came down from Pennsylvania and settled here they naturally lived in close proximity to each other, and for the usual reasons-mutual protection and the society of their fellow-man.
Settling thus, together, the Germans named their little nucleus of a village New Mecklenburg. The precise date of their arrival can not now be ascertained
It was the outer edge of Spottsylvania County, so remote from the settlements in
eastern Virginia as to be thought useless and worthless. The lands were not for sale, and it was several years after these Germans came before even a "grant" was made by
Gov. Gooch. Lord Fairfax had not as yet arrived in the colony of Virginia, and had not, possibly, the remotest conception of his immense estate between the Rivers Rappahannock and Potomac, comprising about 5,500,000 acres of the best land on earth. These Germans simply "squatted" on the rich tract of virgin soil about the present site of Shepherdstown, and when
Richard Ap Morgan, the Welshman, shortly after 1730 obtained his large grant from the colonial government, they paid for their farms, or claims, and received titles from him.
But Thomas Shepherd came in and, purchasing land, went to work to improve the picturesque little hamlet by the river.
The General Assembly of the colony of Virginia in November, 1762, passing "An act for establishing the town of Mecklenburg, in the County of Frederick," as follows:
"WHEREAS, It is represented to this General Assembly of Virginia that Thomas Shepherd, of the County of Frederick, hath laid off about fifty acres of his land on Potowmack river, in the said county, into lots and streets for a town, and hath disposed of many of the said lots, the purchasers whereof have made
their humble application that the said land may be established a town, being pleasantly and commodiously situated for trade and commerce.
Shepherd, it will be noticed, retained the ancient name of Mecklenburg, by which it was known for many years after the above act. In fact, when the town assumed the "Trustee" form of government in 1793 it was still called Mecklenburg, and so named in the act. It was only on its
incorporation, after 1800, that the title Shepherd's Town came into use,
Biographies
Henry Shepherd, Shepherdstown, W. Va. This gentleman comes from a line of Shepherds, who were pioneers in the settlement and development of this section. From the frequent mention of the Shepherds in the main historical part of this work, much can be gleamed of the early history of this enterprising and
prominent family.
One of them, Thomas Shepherd, located here about 1733 or 1734, at a time when the entire region, from the Potomac river on the north, to the Augusta county line on the south, and from the Blue Ridge mountains eastward, was
Spotsylvania county.
Capt. Abram Shepherd, a son of said Thomas, was a gallant soldier in the Continental army.
Henry Shepherd, a son of said Abram and father of the subject of this sketch, spent his lifetime upon the family estate, devoting his attention almost exclusively to agricultural pursuits.
--
***
The Friendly Virginians: America's First Quakers
by Jay Worrall, Jr., clerk of three Friends' Meetings in Virginia
Iberian Publishing Co., Georgia, 1994
Chapter VI: "West of the Blue Ridge 1733-1750"
Ever since the Huguenots had been seated in Manakin Town, Virginia's politicians favored the idea of inducing "societies" to settle on the Western frontier, to be "buffers" against Indian attacks. In September 1701, the Burgesses had passed an act "For the Better Strengthening of the Frontiers and Discovering the
Approaches of an Enemy." This law empowered the Governor to allot 10,000 to 30,000 acres of unclaimed frontier land to any suitable "society."
The law was little used for 26 years, until William Gooch became Virginia's governor in 1727. Governor Gooch immediately began to promote the Valley as a place to live. He was acting on instructions from London, where there was growing concern that the French in the Mississippi Valley might be planning some
military move against England's Colonies.
The new governor was not troubled at all that the Indians, ancient inhabitants of the Valley, were the real owners of the land. But his effort to people the Valley was somewhat impeded by the fact that hundreds of square miles of the northern Valley were already claimed as private property by an Englishman. This
was Thomas, sixth Lord Fairfax, Baron of Cameron, a 34 year old bachelor who lived in a towered castle in Kent. King Charles II, in exile in 1649, had given outright the whole Northern Neck of Virginia - all the land between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers - to some of his "right trusty and well beloved"
companions in exile; and the patent to this mighty tract had come down to Lord Fairfax through his mother.
Robert "King" Carter was Fairfax' land agent in Virginia and he was also the senior member of Governor Gooch's Council. He objected strenuously to Gooch's plan to grant away the Valley land claimed by Fairfax. But the Lords Commissioners in London, fearing the French, pressed Gooch to get on with it. And
so, between 1728 and 1736 the Governor signed Orders in Council which granted 15 or more huge virgin tracts of Valley land to various applicants. The grants ranged in a
magnificent arc north to south, from large "Fairfax" acreage along the Potomac taken by
Richard ap Morgan of Pennsylvania, to 105,000 acres taken by William Byrd around the present-day city of Roanoke. Typically the grantees paid 10 shillings per 100 acres for the land and also promised to settle a given number of families on their tracts - usually one family on each 100 acres.
Four of the grants involved Quaker applicants -
* Alexander Ross, 48, a Friend of the Nottingham Meeting in southern Chester County,
Pennsylvania, and his Scotch-Irish partner, Morgan Bryan, went to Williamsburg in October 1730. There they obtained an Order in Council for 100,000 acres of beautiful land on both sides of Opequon Creek just north of present-day
Winchester.
* Robert McKay, also a Nottingham Meeting Friend and his German partner,
Yost Hite, went to Williamsburg a year later in October 1731. They obtained 100,000 acres to the south of Ross and Bryan's grant. They also bought 40,000 acres allotted to the
Van Meter brothers north of present-day Front Royal.
* Jacob Stover, the first settler, acquired two Quaker partners - Johan Ochs the Younger and
Ezekiel Harlan of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. The three went to Williamsburg in 1730 to ask for an enormous wedge of Fairfax-claimed land along the Potomac where they proposed to establish a colony of Protestants from
Switzerland. When they were turned down by Governor Gooch and King Carter, they went on to London. There they appealed to His Majesty's Commission for Trade and Plantations. They were opposed there, however, by Lord Thomas Fairfax in person and were turned down again. Ezekiel Harlan died in
London during the hearings. Stover and Ochs were granted parcels totaling about 14,000 acres further south in the Valley.
* Benjamin Borden (1692-1743), a Friend from Freehold, New Jersey, was an ambitious businessman with his eye on the main chance. When King Carter died in 1732, Borden sailed to England and applied to Lord Fairfax to succeed Carter as Fairfax' land agent. When Borden did not get the job, he promptly
returned to Freehold, moved his family to Virginia and finally, in 1736, got a patent for a "Great Tract" of 99,129 acres around present-day Lexington.
***
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