The Carson Family

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

 

Who were David Carson's Parents?

 

David Carson is the earliest family member in this Carson line that we are able to identify. There is no agreement on who are his parents or from where he came. He was in Washington County, Virginia as early as 1772. (At that time he was already married to Elizabeth Dysart.)

Washington County is located in the southwestern corner of Virginia at the southern end of the Shenandoah Valley. 

In 1738, two Virginia counties were formed west of the Blue Ridge Mountains: Frederick in the north and Augusta in the south. At the time that Augusta County was organized, the Governor of Virginia Colony allowed dissenters from the Church of England to establish churches in the area. As a result, beginning in 1745, many Scots-Irish moved from Pennsylvania down the Shenandoah Valley. Source: Summers “History of Southwest Virginia”

In 1753, because the Virginia Colony wanted to expand its foothold in Augusta County (to counter the influence of the French who controlled the upper Mississippi River area), it passed a law saying that any Protestants living in or moving into the county would be exempt from public or parish levies for 15 years. Source: Summers “History of Southwest Virginia”

The start of the French-Indian War (1754-1763) stopped the surveying and selling of land in Augusta County and forced many settlers to move out of the area. Source: Summers “History of Southwest Virginia”

The English and the French signed a peace treaty in 1762. However, the Indians continued to fight in Southwestern Virginia for another year. The small number of settlers (Col. William Preston, James Davis) that remained in the area were confined to their forts. During this period, a number of white hunters visited the area (Elisha Wallen, Scaggs, Daniel Boone, and Nathaniel Gist). Source: Summers “History of Southwest Virginia”

In 1764, in an attempt to make peace with the Indians, the British said that no whites could hunt or settle west of the Alleghenies. This could have voided the land grants of the Loyal Company (Dr Thomas Walker) and the heirs of James Patton, but in 1778 the British allowed these claims to stand. Source: Summers “History of Southwest Virginia”

In 1765, Fort Edmiston was built in the Liberty Hall neighborhood of Washington County, Virginia. William Edmiston (Edmondson) received a 1763 land patent from Charles II because he was an officer in the French and Indian war. His neighbors in the Liberty Hall neighborhood were the Buchanans and the Moores. Source: Summers “History of Southwest Virginia”

In 1768, under the Treaty of Fort Stanwix, the Six Nations ceded all of the land to King George. This resulted in large numbers of settlers moving into Augusta County in the winter of 1768 and early 1769. Source: Summers “History of Southwest Virginia”

 

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A review of the family and associates of David Carson will lead one to the conclusion that he was part of the Irish immigration into Augusta and Rockbridge counties that occurred in the 1740s and afterward.

Rockbridge County, Virginia was established in October 1777 from parts of now neighboring Augusta and Botetourt counties.

Notes from
A History of Rockbridge County, Virginia
by Oren F Morton
1920
The McDowell family, in 1729, immigrated from Ulster to Philadelphia. In 1737, they were with a group that planned to settle in the Beverly Manor tract in the Shenandoah Valley. A relative of the McDowells, John Lewis, had founded in 1732 the nucleus of the Augusta settlement, and by this time several hundred of the Ulster people had located around him. A man named Benjamin Borden (from New Jersey) acquired a Virginia grant for 100,000 acres on the James River, but he could not locate the boundaries. John McDowell, in exchange for 1,000 acres, agreed to locate and survey "The Borden Tract." The patent to Borden was not issued until November 6, 1739. It is based on the representation that a family had been located for every 1,000 acres of the grant. Prior to Revolutionary War, there were very few Germans in Rockbridge County. Mostly Ulster people (Presbyterian).

From "A History of Highland County, Virginia", By Oren Frederic Morton:
The Germans and the Scotch-Irish arrived at port at Philadelphia. The area surrounding Philadelphia was occupied by Quakers.
The Germans remained in Pennsylvania and settled west through the Cumberland Valley. They then pushed through that valley into the adjacent section of Maryland, and across the Potomac into the valleys of the Shenandoah River and the South Branch of the Potomac River.
The Scotch-Irish settled in western Pennsylvania, and in the Shenandoah Valley south of the Massanutton Mountain. They skipped over the flat land between the mountains and chose areas with timber and mountain streams.
The Augusta County area was the starting point of the Scotch-Irish settlement of the Valley. The dispersion from this center was governed by gaps in the mountains. So, in moving westward into Bath and Highland the settlers did not go over the Shenandoah Mountain, but flanked it by way of Panther Gap, southwest of Staunton.

Notes from
Annals of Augusta County, Virginia, from 1736 to 1871
JOS. A. WADDELL
The early settlers of Augusta County were Scotch-Irish; and, up to the time of the Revolutionary war, very few persons of any other nationality came to live in the county. (During the time of Cromwell, a number of French Protestant refugees settled in Ireland, and afterwards, upon the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, many more came over. Being of the same religious faith as the Ulster Presbyterians, they affiliated with them, and thus it is that some French names appear among the Scotch-Irish.)
pgs 147-149 THE CAMPBELLS.
John Campbell came from Ireland to America in 1726, with five or six grown sons and several daughters, and settled first in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Six or eight years afterwards he removed to that part of Orange County, Virginia, which, in 1738, became Augusta County, where many of his numerous descendants lived for many years.
Three of John Campbell's sons came with him to Augusta, viz: Patrick, Robert and David.
Patrick Campbell, who died in Augusta, had at least two sons - Charles and Patrick. Charles Campbell, son of Patrick, died in Augusta in 1767. He was the father of General William Campbell, of King's Mountain fame. In his will, dated August 4, 1761, proved in court and admitted to record March 17, 1767, he speaks of himself as a resident of Beverley's Manor. He appointed his wife, Margaret, sole executrix, provided for her support, left 1,000 acres of land on the Holston to his son William, and lands in the same section to his daughters. The inventory of the estate shows a larger amount of personal property than was common at that time.

[Notes: 

Summers “History of Southwest Virginia” 
Page 370
In 1781 a number of men qualified to be deputies to Robert Preston, the Washington County Surveyor, including: David Carson, Walter Preston, and Charles Campbell. (Who is this?)

David Carson and his wife Elizabeth Dysart named their youngest child, Charles Campbell Carson (born July 18, 1786 in Abingdon, Washington Co., Virginia and died on March 15, 1863).] 


David Carson married Elizabeth Dysart, a relative of James Dysart. James Dysart in a deposition identified himself as an immigrant from Ireland. James Dysart in 1775 in Botetourt County, Virginia married Nancy Agnes Beattie, who was born in 1754 in Rockbridge County, Virginia.

The first born child of David Carson and Elizabeth Dysart, James Carson, (1766-1818), on January 23, 1789 in Rockbridge County, Virginia married Isabella Gibson. The second born child, Mary (Carson) Craig was born about 1772 in Botetourt County, Virginia. 

In 1765, Fort Edmiston was built in the Liberty Hall (near Lodi) neighborhood of Washington County, Virginia. William Edmiston (Edmondson) received a 1763 land patent from Charles II because he was an officer in the French and Indian war. His neighbors in the Liberty Hall (near Lodi) neighborhood were the Buchanans and the Moores. [Source: Summers “History of Southwest Virginia”]

Washington County, VA Survey records abstracts David Carson...400 ac...Commissioners Certificate...on a branch of the Middle Fork of Holstein River and on the south side of said fork...Beginning corner with Collin Crelly's [Crilley] land...on Thomas Montgomerys line...on Samuel Buchanans patent line...to Robert Buchanans land...March 29, 1783 - David Carson, assignee of John Campbell...400 ac...on a branch of the Middle Fork waters, includes improvements, actual settlement made in 1772...August 24, 1781

The Buchanans, the Campbells, and the Edmondsons were Irish immigrants who previously lived in the Augusta/Rockbridge area of the Shenandoah Valley.

In April of 1773, two Presbyterian congregations (Sinking Springs in Abingdon and Ebbing Spring on the Middle Fork of the Holston River) asked Samuel Edmiston (Edmondson) to present a call letter to the Rev. Charles Cummings when the Presbytery of Hanover was setting at Tinkling Springs in Augusta County. The members of the two congregations signed the letter and it was presented in June 1773 at Brown’s meetinghouse in Augusta County. The signers included: Robert Edmiston, Saml Evans, Robert Craig, James Craig, James Montgomery, Samuel Houston, George Buchanan, James Dysart, David Snodgrass, James Thompson, William Edmiston, Saml Edmiston, Margaret Edmiston, John Edmiston, David Carson, Samuel Buchanan, Robert Buchanan, Thomas Evans, Wm Edmiston, Thos Edmiston, John Beaty, David Beaty, Rob Buchanan Jr, James Inglis, Richard Moore, David Craig, Moses Buchanan, Saml Buchanan, Thos Montgomery, John Campbell, Thomas Ramsey.

 

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PENNSYLVANIA CARSON CONNECTION?

VIRGINIA CARSON CONNECTION?

DNA STUDIES

Alexander Harvey Carson

                             

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William Schrader published an article in the Bulletin (Series II, No. 45, 2008) of the Historical Society of Washington County, Virginia regarding David Carson, a Deputy Surveyor for Washington County, Virginia.

 

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Were James Dysart (born 26 May 1744 in Donegal County, Ireland), David Carson (the deputy surveyor of Washington Co., Virginia), and Samuel Carson (born about 1739) all from the same area of Ireland?

In 1761, when James Dysart (born 26 May 1744 in Donegal County, Ireland and died 26 May 1818 in Rockcastle County, Kentucky), the Kentucky long hunter, was seventeen, he came to America with his grand-father, Samuel Dysart, and two of his grandfather's brothers. [Elizabeth Dysart, the wife of David Carson the deputy surveyor of Washington Co., Virginia, is thought to be the grand-daughter of one of Samuel Dysart's brothers.]

Shortly after coming to America, the western part of Pennsylvania, James joined James Knox and others in a group to explore Tennessee and Kentucky, known in history as the Long Hunters. About 1770 he reached the Little Holston River, where Abingdon, Washington County, Virginia now stands. 

David Carson

Land records show that David Carson, the deputy surveyor of Washington Co., Virginia, was on branch of the Middle Fork of the Holston River in Washington County, Virginia as early as 1772. 

In April of 1773, two Presbyterian congregations (Sinking Springs in Abingdon and Ebbing Spring on the Middle Fork of the Holston River) asked Samuel Edmiston (Edmondson) to present a call letter to the Rev. Charles Cummings when the Presbytery of Hanover was setting at Tinkling Springs in Augusta County. The members of the two congregations signed the letter and it was presented in June 1773 at Brown’s meetinghouse in Augusta County. The signers included: Robert Edmiston, Saml Evans, Robert Craig, James Craig, James Montgomery, Samuel Houston, George Buchanan, James Dysart, David Snodgrass, James Thompson, William Edmiston, Saml Edmiston, Margaret Edmiston, John Edmiston, David Carson, Samuel Buchanan, Robert Buchanan, Thomas Evans, Wm Edmiston, Thos Edmiston, John Beaty, David Beaty, Rob Buchanan Jr, James Inglis, Richard Moore, David Craig, Moses Buchanan, Saml Buchanan, Thos Montgomery, John Campbell, Thomas Ramsey.

Both David Carson, the deputy surveyor of Washington Co., Virginia, and James Dysart (born 26 May 1744 in Donegal County, Ireland and died 26 May 1818 in Rockcastle County, Kentucky), were active in civic affairs.

March 22, 1780, Washington County, Virginia Court, Present: William Campbell, James Montgomery, James Dysart, John Kinkead, John Snoddy, and Robert Craig.
Ordered that John Campbell, David Carson, and Allexander Montgomery appointed Commissioners of the Tax for 1788.
Source: "Annals of Southwest Virginia" by Lewis Preston Summers, Page 1054.

March 20, 1781, Washington County, Virginia Court, Present: William Edmondson, James Dysart, James Fulkison, Alex. Montgomery, and Alex. Burnett.
* Ordered that Robert Edmondson, Alex. McNutt, David Carson, and Samuel Buchanan or any three of them appraise the estate of John Henderson.
* David Carson appointed Deputy Surveyor “if duly qualified after examination of Arthur Campbell and Ephraim Dunlap.”
Source: "Annals of Southwest Virginia" by Lewis Preston Summers, Page 1072

Two sons of David Carson (William and Charles Campbell Carson) married two of James Dysart's daughters (Eleanor and Elizabeth). 

Two sons of David Carson (William and David, Jr) and James Dysart first appear on the Lincoln County, Kentucky tax list in 1803 (in the area that would later be Rockcastle County). In 1804 three sons of David Carson (William, Joseph, and David Jr,) are listed on the Lincoln County, Kentucky tax list (in the area that would later be Rockcastle County). 

Samuel Carson

Samuel Carson, was born about 1739 in County Downs, Ireland. He came to America at the age of sixteen years, on board of a British Man-of-War with General Edward Braddock. (General Braddock landed in Virginia on 20 February 1755 with two regiments of British regulars.) Ater Braddock's Defeat, Samuel Carson settled in Berkeley County, Virginia and then relocated to Washington County, Virginia.

On October 22, 1789 Robert Edmiston (of the County of Davidson State of North Carolina) for 28 pounds sold to Samuel Carson 92 acres on the South Side South Fork of Holston River. Source: “Annals of Southwest Virginia” by Summers page 1289

Samuel Carson, born about 1739, of Washington County, Virginia was the father of: David, born April 15, 1774 who on January 29, 1804 married Mary DeBusk; and Samuel, born about 1777 who about 1805 married Katherine Margaret DeBusk. (Mary and Katherine Margaret were the daughters of Elijah DeBusk and Catherine Rouse.) [Around 1800 the sons of David Carson (1741 - 1803) relocated from Washington County, Virginia to Tennessee and Kentucky. After 1830 the sons of Samuel Carson, born about 1739, relocated from Washington County, Virginia to Illinois.]

Washington County Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists Volume 2 1791-1799 Abstracted by Thomas Jack Hockett
Washington County Personal Property and Land Book 1792 Upper District: List of David Carson
Tithable             # of White County Levys     # of Slaves
Carson, Samuel             2                                         0
Carson, William            1                                         0
Carson, David               1                                         0

 

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In Family Tree Y-DNA studies, a 4th great grandson of David Carson (the deputy surveyor of Washington County, Virginia) and a 4th great grandson of Samuel Carson (born about 1739 of Washington County, Virginia) at 37 markers had a Genetic Distance of three.

Distance: 3 - Related
34/37 You share the same surname (or a variant) with another male and you mismatch by three 'points' --a 34/37 match. Your mismatch is likely within the range of most well established surname lineages in Western Europe.

In comparing Y-DNA 37 marker results, the probability that the two subjects shared a common ancestor within the last...

COMPARISON CHART
Generations     Percentage
4                     11.92%
8                     46.90%
12                     75.95%
16                     90.91%
20                     96.95%
24                     99.06%
28                     99.73%

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