WILSON Family

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UNTANGLING MARY ISRAEL, WIFE OF JOHN WILSON OF MECKLENBURG Co., VA

Thanks to the efforts of Olen Lewis of Williamsburg, Virginia, we now can add a new chapter to the story of Mary Israel, who married John Wilson in Amelia Co., VA and moved south to Mecklenburg Co., Virginia. By studying the Amelia Co. Judgments at the State Records Center in Richmond, Olen had already worked out for himself Mary Israel’s connections with the Israel, Bott, and Hall families when I asked him to help me untangle her Wilson family connections. Below are the citations for each document. I have not put them online in their original form, but I have personally retrieved them from Amelia Co. and Mecklenburg Co., VA from the deed books and court order books, and many are in McConnaughey’s abstracts. What I have put online is the images of six original documents which are only available through the State Records Center in Richmond, which has limited hours.

Here are the facts as we now know them:

· Judah Israel owned a slave named Jammy. The justices decided he was twelve years old in 1740. (Amelia Co., VA Court Order Bk 1, p. 129, court of 21 Nov 1740, McConnaughey’s abstracts)

· Judah Israel’s wife was named “Ann.” (Amelia Co., VA Deed Bk 2, p. 5, a deed between Judah Israel and Samuel Goode of Henrico Co., VA, McConnaughey’s abstracts. Wife Ann relinquishes her dower, actual Court Order Book 1, p. 263)

· Judah Israel obtained three pieces of property in Amelia Co., VA and sold two, between the years 1740-1743 (Amelia Co., VA Deed Bk 1, McConnaughey abstracts). He kept his 195 acres from his land patent of 1741 (visible in full version by searching Library of Virginia’s Catalog using the Images & Indexes tab).

· Judah Israel died in Nov 1743, as is evidenced by the many judgments against his estate (Amelia Co., VA Court Order Bk 1, pp. 251B, p. 253B, p. 254A, 254B, p. 255A, p. 258A, p. 258B, p. 259A, p. 260B, p. 263A, p. 263B)

· Two or three weeks before Judah Israel died (on 26 Oct 1743) he sold the slave named Jemmy to Thomas Bott. (Amelia Co. Judgments, Box 2, 1741-1744, unlabeled original document [box is barcoded BC1160422] Click)

In this manner Judah made sure that his wife Ann’s father had clear title to Jemmy. Likely Judah knew he was not going to survive long.

· Thomas Bott does not take possession of the slave he had bought until after the death of Judah Israel (Amelia Co., VA Court Order Bk 1, p. 254A). From this we begin to see that Ann Israel in the deed above (Amelia Co., VA DB 2, p. 5) was Ann Bott, daughter of Thomas Bott, who later married William Hall of Amelia Co., VA.

· In 1770 Thomas Bott made certain that the slaves he had lent to his daughter Ann during his lifetime would remain hers, and that they could not be sold by William Hall. (Chesterfield Co., VA Deed Bk 6, pp. 224-225, deed retrieved from Chesterfield Co., VA Circuit Ct.) At some point Jemm and Ann’s female slave Dilsey must have “jumped the broom.”

The same deed also states that Jemm and Dilsey’s son Charles has been given to Mary Willson, wife of John Willson. John Wilson does have a slave named Charles named in his probate papers (Mecklenburg Co., VA Will Bk 3, p. 330, retrieved from Meckl. Co., VA Circuit Ct.), very likely the same Charles who is in Mecklenburg Co., VA’s 1787 personal property tax list B with the same John Wilson (from The 1787 Census of Virginia, compiled by Netti Schreiner-Yantis and Florene Speakman Love, 1987, Vol. 1, p. 587.) Note also: William Hall’s will in 1778 in Amelia Co., WB 3, pp. 199-200, retrieved from Amelia Co., VA Circuit Ct., states that his granddaughter Mary Willson and granddaughter Ann Willson are both daughters of John Willson of Mecklenburg Co.

· On 6 Aug 1776 Thomas Bott reconfirms that Ann is to retain Jemm and Dilsey and Mary Willson is to keep Charles, when he writes his will (Chesterfield Co., VA Will Bk 3, pp. 87-91, retrieved from Chesterfield Co., VA Circuit Ct.).

· Ann Bott’s birth date is listed in Bristol Parish, Amelia Co., VA records as December 1723, and she was baptized 1 Feb 1724. (Births, 1720-1792, from the Bristol Parish Register of Henrico, Prince George, and Dinwiddie, by John Bennett Boddie, p. 280, abbreviations interpreted.)

· Her second husband, William Hall, was born 22 Apr 1721 (Bristol Parish Register). Their marriage would have happened ca 1744, since Judah died in Nov 1743.

· Interestingly, Mary Israel inherited the total of her father’s 195 acres from his land patent due to the laws of succession. (Copy of this deed, Amelia Co., VA DB 7, p. 63, retrieved from Amelia Co. Circuit Ct., and compared with Judah Israel’s land patent description.) During her entire lifetime primogeniture was still in effect in Virginia. (“Commentaries on the Laws,” by Sir William Blackstone, 1768, Book 2, Chapter 14 – available in any major university with a law dept. as part of the Gale database called “Eighteenth century collections online.”

We can know from this event that she was an only child, or at least, the only child to survive by the time her father died. Since she is called “spinster” in her marriage bond of 1759, we know that she was born at least as early as 1738

· In Jun 1759 Mary Israel married (Amelia Co., VA, copy of original marriage bond, retrieved from Amelia Co., VA Circuit Ct.) and in Aug 1759 she sold her land with her new husband, John Wilson, “Jr.” That it is her personal land is shown by the fact that her name comes first in the deed, and she signs first. (Note that she is literate. There is no symbol with “Her mark.” Interestingly, Unrecorded Deeds and Other Documents of Amelia Co., by McConnaughey, 1981, p. 103 shows that Mary Willson, wife of John of Amelia Co., was illiterate, like her husband.)

Who is Mary Israel’s John Wilson?

The truth about this John Wilson was hidden until John W. Pritchett, author of Southside Virginia Genealogies, 2007 brought to light on p. 2575 that:

· George Willson of Amelia Co. who died in 1753 left bequests to two grandsons named John. Since George did not spell out that he had two grandsons named John, it took careful thinking to realize that the one who received 217 acres in Chesterfield Co. was a different John Wilson than the one who was to receive a slave and her increase when he came of age. (It is the latter John Wilson, Jr. we are following.)

· Seth Moore is the “father [stepfather] and next friend” of John Willson, Jr. in a trespass and assault and battery lawsuit against William Dunnivant, a neighbor (Chesterfield Co., VA Court Order Book 1, p. 50, retrieved from Chesterfield Co., VA Circuit Ct.).

· Pritchett also notes that Seth Moore is a witness at John Talley’s will (Amelia Co. Will Bk 1, p. 10).

From that help, we went on to find out more:

· Seth Moore dies in Mecklenburg Co., VA before 8 Dec 1766. (Meckl. Co., VA Order Bk 1, pp. 236-237) Since there is a 1773 deed at Aaron’s Creek witnessed by a Seth Moore, it is difficult to know which Seth Moore was with John Wilson, or whether both were with him, but likely it was the father who died in 1766 and a son or nephew found in Meckl. Co., VA Deed Bk 4, pp. 166-167.

· John Wilson, Jr. of Amelia Co., VA who became John Wilson of Mecklenburg Co., VA was born as early as 1733, since he is not of age in 1750 nor in 1753, when his grandfather remembers him in his will. He is apparently 21 by the time he marries 22 Jun 1759. (No one gives consent for John Wilson to marry due to his age. It would have been Seth Moore or a Wilson relative who would have had to give consent.)

· Seth Moore moved to Mecklenburg Co., VA, where he was given a land patent of 3600 acres on 4 Jul 1759, just six weeks before Mary Willson and John Willson, Jr. of Amelia Co. sold Judah Israel’s property (23 Aug 1759 deed).

· Where was this property? http://www.directlinesoftware.com/Pool/mecklenb.txt shows:

Item 432 Seth Moore 4 Jul 1759 Virginia Patent Bk 33:581 3600a Lunenburg/ E side of Allens Cr.

· John Wilson witnessed some deeds in Lunenburg Co. for Seth Moore and John Talley, Sr. in 1760-1761 before he bought 200 acres that was part of Seth Moore’s land patent from John Johnson in 1762

· John Wilson does not sell this 200 acres until 1781, when Mary Israel is dead and he has remarried, to Tabitha Cheatham. (Meckl. Co. DB 6, page 126. Jun 11, 1781 from John Wilson of M[ecklenburg] and Parish of St James, to William Malliott of Lunenburg County and Parish of Cumberland, from Meckl. Co., VA Deed Abstracts, by TLC Genealogy)

· When does Mary (Israel) Wilson die? Most assume ca 1776-1777, as a slave exchange deed of 26 Mar 1777 shows that Leonard Cheatham is John Wilson’s father-in-law now. (Click here to see the original document, retrieved from the State Records Center in Richmond.(Use your "back" feature to return to this page.) Her last child, Daniel, was born ca early 1776, and it is possible that she died in childbirth. (See endnote vii for more on Daniel.)

On 12 Mar 1774 John Wilson sold his 350 acres at Allen’s Creek to Mathew Green. We would expect to find a relinquishment of dower from Mary, but so far one has not been found in the deed book nor in the court order book for that time period. (Click here to see the original document, retrieved from the State Records Center in Richmond. Page 2|Page 3|Page 1 not included) (Use your "back" feature to return to this page.)

The last two deeds are especially useful, in that they show that John Wilson of Allen’s Creek is the same John Wilson who moved to Bluestone Creek and married second, Tabitha Cheatham.

· The only other sale of land John Wilson made was one in conjunction with three other men, and none of the wives relinquished their dowers. The land was purchased in Nov 1770/71 and sold for a 66% profit in 1772. It is difficult if not impossible to find Mary named in the order books of Mecklenburg Co., VA, but we at least know of her through the 1759 deed in Amelia Co.

Olen Lewis of Williamsburg, VA has learned to follow signatures on original documents when it gets otherwise impossible to separate people of the same name. Because John Wilson, Jr. (who became simply John Wilson in Meckl. Co.) is often confused with John Wilson, Jr. who becomes John Wilson of Amelia Co. in the 1780 Chancery Court case there, Olen tried to locate some original documents to show the difference in signatures. He did find a difference: John of Amelia Co. was illiterate and only signed with symbols, while John of Meckl. Co. was literate and thus signed his name. Here are the documents obtained from the State Records Center, besides the two mentioned above. The ones below are for the John Wilson who remained in Amelia Co., VA:

· Photocopy of John Wilson of Amelia Co.’s actual will, 1794, from State Records Center – it shows him to be illiterate (Page 1|Page 2) (Use your "back" feature to return to this page.)

· Photocopy of John Wilson of Amelia Co.’s original deed, 1780, from John Wilson to Archer Wilson, from State Records Center – this also shows him to be illiterate (Click) (Use your "back" feature to return to this page.)

· Photocopy of John Wilson of Amelia Co.’s original deed, 1780, from John Wilson to William Wilson, from State Records Center – this, too, shows him to be illiterate. John Wilson used a variety of symbols to sign his name. (Click) (Use your "back" feature to return to this page.)

One last word about William Hall’s connection to Mary Israel and her descendants:

When William Hall writes his will 30 Oct 1778, (Amelia Co., VA Will Bk 3, pp. 199-200, retrieved from Amelia Co., VA Circuit Ct.) he speaks of his “grand daughter Mary Wilson.” Six weeks before this date, on 15 Sep 1778, he has signed the marriage bond for Mary Israel Wilson, saying that she is his granddaughter who is living with him. That he does not call her “Mary Israel Elam” tells us that the marriage to Barkley Elam has not yet taken place.

That he says she is his granddaughter has been taken literally by some, but in fact he likely was just being a decent step-grandfather to his (deceased) stepdaughter Mary Israel’s unmarried daughter. (He also includes in his will his other unmarried grand daughter, Ann Wilson, saying that they are “both daughters of John Willson of Mecklenburg Co.”) In Ann (Bott) Hall’s will (written 11 Feb 1785), we learn that her daughter is/was “Mary Israel Wilson” and that her granddaughter is “Mary Israel Elam”(Amelia Co., VA Will Bk 4, pp. 123-124, retrieved from Amelia Co., VA Circuit Ct.).

At least three children of John Wilson and Mary Israel named descendants after Mary:

1. Elizabeth (Wilson) Pulliam named a daughter “Mary Israel Pulliam.” She married James Butler. Endnote
2. Mary Israel (Wilson) Elam named a daughter “Mary Israel Elam,” and she married William Harris. Mary and William named a daughter “Mary Israel Wilson Harris.” Endnote
3. Miles Wilson named a daughter “Mary Israel Wilson,” who had a granddaughter, “Mary Israel Pescud.” Endnote

Regarding John Wilson and Mary (Israel) Wilson’s children, from the will of John Wilson of Mecklenburg Co., VA and the property inherited or not inherited after Tabitha (Cheatham) Wilson’s death, it appears that only the last four children were from the second wife:

1. Elizabeth (Wilson) Pulliam born 1 May 1760 Endnote died 1824 in Granville Co., NC

2. Mary (Israel Wilson) Elam born ca 1762 Endnote died in Halifax Co., VA before 1811

3. Ann (Wilson) Cheatham born ca 1764; “Nancy” had daughter Mary in KY; died in OH

4. Thomas born ca 1766 marr 10 Nov 1789 to (1) Elizabeth Vaughan in Meckl. Co., VA, (2) Lucinda Pope in Richmond, VA, became mayor of Richmond, died 1818 Endnote

5. John born ca 1768 marr 12 Sep 1791 to Elizabeth Smith; died in Halifax Co., VA in 1811

6. Miles born ca 1770 marr 13 Feb 1809 to Margaret Feild; died in Meckl. Co., VA in 1823

7. Daniel born before in 1775-1776 Endnote marr Henrietta Johnson b. 1775; became doctor in Louisville, KY; died 1831

8. James born ca 1780 marr Susan Pritchard in Richmond, died in Hendersonville, KY

9. Lucy born ca 1782; marr Bennett Marshall, died in Hendersonville, KY

10. Tabitha born ca 1784 marr 24 May 1798 Obadiah Smith (son of Peartree Smith), died in Henderson Co, KY in 1837; Obadiah remarried, to Elizabeth Hart Eaches

11. Uel born ca 1786 prob the one who graduated from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, KY 1811 Endnote

The Guardian records (Wards [Guardian Bonds], 1764-1849, FHL #1870861) show that Daniel chose John Wilson, Jr. as his guardian, and that Tabitha was the guardian for her four children until 1802, when James Wilson became their guardian. Daniel must have been 20 when his father died.

The Dickins Bible, while a secondary source, shows the family’s version of which children belonged to which wife, and it agrees with the above rendition. I am grateful to Georgane L. Easley for sending me a copy of the original Bible and also a published transcription from the Panola, MS Genealogical Society’s journal.

Contributed 2012 Sep 25 by Kathy Turner