In my ongoing quest to connect my Henderson line back to Scotland, even DNA testing has been able to offer little in the way of meaningful progress.
While we have had several solid matches with lines previously not known to be connected with
us, none can trace their lineage back to the old country. In fact, few can trace themselves back even so far as the two oldest identified groups (the family of James Henderson of the Delmarva Peninsula and the family of James "Isaac" Henderson of Onslow County NC, arrived mid-1660's and prior to 1720 respectively). Record-keeping in Scotland and Ireland during the 17th and early 18th century was incomplete, at best, and I have nearly despaired of finding a definitive paper trail since these two related-but-we-don't-know-how ancestors arrived in the colonies so long ago.
I have begun to toy with the idea that we might have come to Virginia and North Carolina via Ulster rather than directly from Scotland. A mid-19th century Baltimore City census record that is believed to be connected to one of our Henderson DNA matches hints that their line of the family came from Ireland. However, another record in the same census leads us to believe that the family came from Scotland. This is the newest DNA matching line of immigration we can identify, and I had hoped they would lead us back to the right spot in the UK, but so far, only more confusion.
I really can't put much credence in either claim, even if it turns out that both census records in question are indeed connected to our DNA tester. How many times have I spoken to various branches of various families and been told of their "Irish," "Cherokee" or "Dutch" blood, only to verify through records and research that they were actually English, had not a single drop of Cherokee (or other native) blood, or were actually German (Deutsch)? Too many times to be fooled again.
I was having a look tonight at the latest Henderson DNA results and I see that Jim has re-categorized our family line (previously the G1 group) into a new family group of C4 with a subclade of R-M269. I looked up the Wikipedia article on R-M269 and I see that the highest frequency of that DNA signature is found in Wales (92%), Ireland (82% with some pockets as high as 95%), and Scotland (70%). While this isn't particularly useful in helping me narrow things down, the high concentration of this subclade in Ireland cannot allow me to eliminate the possibility that our family may have originated there, or at least have lived there, possibly as settlers of Ulster.
Sunday, January 25, 2015
New Advances in DNA Haplogroup Studies Reveal Brooks Origins in Norway
The private Yahoo Group that our Brooks R1a DNA testers use to communicate has been pretty quiet for the last year or so and I wanted to check in with surname project administrator Nigel Brooks to see if there had been any new developments for our specific Brooks researchers. Although Nigel is descended from a different Brooks family, he does a wonderful job of keeping track of all of the different lines and letting us know when anything significant has been discovered that affects our group.
I've been out of the DNA loop for the last few years and advances have occurred that can help us understand more about different haplogroups and surname origins in general, and our testing lines in particular. But as much light as these new advances have shed in some areas, they seem to throw other areas into even more shadow.
For example, a 111-marker surname match was at one time considered proof positive of a very close relationship within a very recent genealogical time period. Now we know that that might not always be the case, as Nigel tells me that he's seen results of "very close STR 111-marker results [within the R1b Haplogroup] with different SNP results which can branch thousands of years ago," and he fears that that might also hold true within our R1a Haplogroup.
Seems like nothing is ever straightforward in DNA analysis, and you just have to keep trying the different pieces of the puzzle to see what fits. Even when you think a piece fits now...as we learn more about DNA, it might not fit quite as well later, as we learn more. That's the bad news.
The good news is that we do have a number of solid matches within the family lines of our R1a Haplogroup of Brooks testers. We are sorting ourselves out (slowly) into a cohesive, proven family group, and into distinct lines within that group.
We also have a couple of mysteries to work through.
Three testers with non-matching surnames of Bradberry, Perry and Walkland continue to match some of our Brooks testers at 111-markers. Did you catch that? These three non-surname matches are matching some Brooks testers at 111 markers, but not all of our R1a Brooks testers. Nigel is now trying to determine if these three non-Brooks testers are a result of the same sort of coincidental SNP matching he has observed in the R1b Haplogroup projects.
Take a look at this chart. You see the purple group titled "R1a1a1b1a3b2 [CTS8277+] "Cocke County TN" testers? That's us. All in all, our matches are pretty consistent. Just a couple of mutations here and there over the past centuries. But where are these Bradberry, Perry and Walkland testers coming from? Are they actually Brooks NPE's (non-paternal events) or are they random, coincidental relatives showing up out of the deep mists of time? We just don't know yet. I have recently upgraded my great-uncle's test to 111 markers and the odd birds continue to match us. This seems to be narrowing the mutation down to the line of the Brooks who doesn't match the odds.
Confused yet? Don't worry about it, because all of that wasn't really even what I was writing to tell you.
What I'm really writing to tell you is that Nigel has identified our group as part of an ancient Viking cluster! We descend from subclade CTS8277 which is classified as "Norsemen." So yeah, Vikings! Well, to be technically correct, our origins in Norway long pre-date the age of going a' viking, (we're not talking about the sacking of Paris, here, more like 4,500 years ago), but you get my point. Have a look at the information (and chart) on this page to learn more about the deep origins of the CTS8277 subclade. This is very exciting news as we had previously classified our deep ancestry rather vaguely as "eastern European."
So now we know. Norway.
I've been out of the DNA loop for the last few years and advances have occurred that can help us understand more about different haplogroups and surname origins in general, and our testing lines in particular. But as much light as these new advances have shed in some areas, they seem to throw other areas into even more shadow.
For example, a 111-marker surname match was at one time considered proof positive of a very close relationship within a very recent genealogical time period. Now we know that that might not always be the case, as Nigel tells me that he's seen results of "very close STR 111-marker results [within the R1b Haplogroup] with different SNP results which can branch thousands of years ago," and he fears that that might also hold true within our R1a Haplogroup.
Seems like nothing is ever straightforward in DNA analysis, and you just have to keep trying the different pieces of the puzzle to see what fits. Even when you think a piece fits now...as we learn more about DNA, it might not fit quite as well later, as we learn more. That's the bad news.
The good news is that we do have a number of solid matches within the family lines of our R1a Haplogroup of Brooks testers. We are sorting ourselves out (slowly) into a cohesive, proven family group, and into distinct lines within that group.
We also have a couple of mysteries to work through.
Three testers with non-matching surnames of Bradberry, Perry and Walkland continue to match some of our Brooks testers at 111-markers. Did you catch that? These three non-surname matches are matching some Brooks testers at 111 markers, but not all of our R1a Brooks testers. Nigel is now trying to determine if these three non-Brooks testers are a result of the same sort of coincidental SNP matching he has observed in the R1b Haplogroup projects.
Take a look at this chart. You see the purple group titled "R1a1a1b1a3b2 [CTS8277+] "Cocke County TN" testers? That's us. All in all, our matches are pretty consistent. Just a couple of mutations here and there over the past centuries. But where are these Bradberry, Perry and Walkland testers coming from? Are they actually Brooks NPE's (non-paternal events) or are they random, coincidental relatives showing up out of the deep mists of time? We just don't know yet. I have recently upgraded my great-uncle's test to 111 markers and the odd birds continue to match us. This seems to be narrowing the mutation down to the line of the Brooks who doesn't match the odds.
Confused yet? Don't worry about it, because all of that wasn't really even what I was writing to tell you.
What I'm really writing to tell you is that Nigel has identified our group as part of an ancient Viking cluster! We descend from subclade CTS8277 which is classified as "Norsemen." So yeah, Vikings! Well, to be technically correct, our origins in Norway long pre-date the age of going a' viking, (we're not talking about the sacking of Paris, here, more like 4,500 years ago), but you get my point. Have a look at the information (and chart) on this page to learn more about the deep origins of the CTS8277 subclade. This is very exciting news as we had previously classified our deep ancestry rather vaguely as "eastern European."
So now we know. Norway.
Merging Margarets (Margaret J. Ramey Osborne Wheatley)
Originally published March 25, 2014
It's been a while since I have had a chance to work on genealogy, but I hope to ramp up my old pastime this year and get a new website online. I've added quite a few tidbits here and there during the years since my last major update and I think it's time to get the new stuff out there.
This week, though, I had a pressing genealogical matter to attend to. Oddly enough, while Tom and I were in Italy earlier this month, we met a couple with the surname of Wheatley (this was an American couple, not an Italian couple). I mentioned that my great-great grandmother's sister, Margaret J. Ramey, had married a Wheatley, and since this couple was from Maryland, I wondered if there was a connection. Mr. Wheatley said he guessed probably not since he was originally from Wise County, Virginia.
Well faint, and fall over dead. Small world, indeed.
Although he wasn't familiar with my GGG Aunt's husband, John W. Wheatley, the Wheatleys are a relatively small family, so I thought I'd have another look at GGG Aunt Margaret's file and see if I could find out more.
A lot of new information has come online since the last time I worked on her documents, so imagine my surprise when I discovered that she was not the "late bloomer" I had assumed when she married John Wheatley at 38 - she was a widow with four children! And just to make the story even better, I had unknowingly duplicated her in my database. She was the Margaret Ramey ("parents unknown") who married my GG-grandfather Jonathan Corder's double-first cousin, Hiram Osborne, in 1854. How is that for a tangled web?
So in other words, double first cousins (Hiram Osborne and Jonathan Corder) married sisters (Margaret J. Ramey and Emily A. Ramey, daughters of Henry Ramey and Prudence Robinette Ramey).
Hello! "Merge documents!"
Hiram Osborne died in the fall of 1865. Although he was a confederate soldier, it is unclear to me whether his death was war-related since it came several months after the end of the war. Relatively little is known of their four children, Andrew J., Emaline, Winfield and Savannah. Savannah was living with her Ramey grandparents in Gladeville in 1880, and later she married Patrick Wells and had one daughter that I can find. Other than that, I have very little on these double-and-triple cousins of mine. If any of their descendants see this post, please provide what information you can.
The upshot of the pressing genealogical matter was that I got distracted from my original Wheatley mission, but I learned that my GGG Aunt Margaret was left a widow with three small children and an infant during the year the unpleasantness between the states came to a close. She remained a widow for nearly 10 years before remarrying to John W. Wheatley on 19 January 1875 in Wise County.
I will be updating a combined Person Sheet for Margaret J. Ramey Osborne Wheatley with additional details this year.
It's been a while since I have had a chance to work on genealogy, but I hope to ramp up my old pastime this year and get a new website online. I've added quite a few tidbits here and there during the years since my last major update and I think it's time to get the new stuff out there.
This week, though, I had a pressing genealogical matter to attend to. Oddly enough, while Tom and I were in Italy earlier this month, we met a couple with the surname of Wheatley (this was an American couple, not an Italian couple). I mentioned that my great-great grandmother's sister, Margaret J. Ramey, had married a Wheatley, and since this couple was from Maryland, I wondered if there was a connection. Mr. Wheatley said he guessed probably not since he was originally from Wise County, Virginia.
Well faint, and fall over dead. Small world, indeed.
Although he wasn't familiar with my GGG Aunt's husband, John W. Wheatley, the Wheatleys are a relatively small family, so I thought I'd have another look at GGG Aunt Margaret's file and see if I could find out more.
A lot of new information has come online since the last time I worked on her documents, so imagine my surprise when I discovered that she was not the "late bloomer" I had assumed when she married John Wheatley at 38 - she was a widow with four children! And just to make the story even better, I had unknowingly duplicated her in my database. She was the Margaret Ramey ("parents unknown") who married my GG-grandfather Jonathan Corder's double-first cousin, Hiram Osborne, in 1854. How is that for a tangled web?
So in other words, double first cousins (Hiram Osborne and Jonathan Corder) married sisters (Margaret J. Ramey and Emily A. Ramey, daughters of Henry Ramey and Prudence Robinette Ramey).
Hello! "Merge documents!"
Hiram Osborne died in the fall of 1865. Although he was a confederate soldier, it is unclear to me whether his death was war-related since it came several months after the end of the war. Relatively little is known of their four children, Andrew J., Emaline, Winfield and Savannah. Savannah was living with her Ramey grandparents in Gladeville in 1880, and later she married Patrick Wells and had one daughter that I can find. Other than that, I have very little on these double-and-triple cousins of mine. If any of their descendants see this post, please provide what information you can.
The upshot of the pressing genealogical matter was that I got distracted from my original Wheatley mission, but I learned that my GGG Aunt Margaret was left a widow with three small children and an infant during the year the unpleasantness between the states came to a close. She remained a widow for nearly 10 years before remarrying to John W. Wheatley on 19 January 1875 in Wise County.
I will be updating a combined Person Sheet for Margaret J. Ramey Osborne Wheatley with additional details this year.
Author Joseph C. Carlin loans J. Van Lindley family photos to the Eliza H. Lindley Collection
Originally published December 20, 2011
Author Joseph C. Carlin has generously loaned a number of J. Van Lindley family photos to the Eliza H. Lindley Collection (a digital archive). Mr. Carlin's new book, J. Van Lindley: His Ancestors, Life and Legacy follows the journey of the Lindley family from England to Ireland as they became some of the first American Colonists of Pennsylvania and then central North Carolina. This book, citing over 100 sources, takes advantage of Joe's research and business background as he documents the evidence left by this line of the Lindley family and how they intersected with well-known historical events.
Eliza H. Lindley was the wife of Isaac R. Henderson b. 1827- d.1862, Chatham County NC. John Van Lindley was the first cousin of Eliza H. Lindley.
Author Joseph C. Carlin has generously loaned a number of J. Van Lindley family photos to the Eliza H. Lindley Collection (a digital archive). Mr. Carlin's new book, J. Van Lindley: His Ancestors, Life and Legacy follows the journey of the Lindley family from England to Ireland as they became some of the first American Colonists of Pennsylvania and then central North Carolina. This book, citing over 100 sources, takes advantage of Joe's research and business background as he documents the evidence left by this line of the Lindley family and how they intersected with well-known historical events.
Eliza H. Lindley was the wife of Isaac R. Henderson b. 1827- d.1862, Chatham County NC. John Van Lindley was the first cousin of Eliza H. Lindley.
Ruth Henderson m. David Ramey 1700 Frederick County VA. Or not.
Originally published July 11, 2011
Since I am a Henderson (on my father's side, obviously), I am intrigued by the possibility that I might descend from Hendersons through my maternal line as well. Years ago I came across a post online that named the wife of David Ramey (s/o James and Elizabeth Ramey) as "Ruth Henderson." Since much of the other information the poster provided on the Ramey line seemed generally correct, I went with it, making a note to verify the name and connection. Easier said than done.
The Ruth Henderson in question was supposedly born in about 1750, and married David Ramey in "1770, Frederick County, VA." I'm reasonably familiar with the inhabitants of 18th century Frederick County, VA and Henderson is not a name that shows up to any great degree, but still, I made a trip to the library to put my hands on a copy of Frederick County, Virginia Marriages 1771-1825 by Eliza Timberlake Davis. I realize that my method is Old School since you can search and browse the book online using Google, but I'm in a tactile mood. I realize too that we're looking for a marriage that happened in 1770, but if Hendersons were in Frederick County getting married in 1770, then they were probably still there, getting married in 1771 and years following so I might get some idea of the family group they belong to.
The results weren't encouraging. Only one entry - 27th May 1788, Mary Henderson to Henry Louder (possibly Souder). No additional details. This couple may have died childless because no one seems to be looking for them, and there is almost nothing about them online. Well, at least there was a Henderson living in Frederick County 18 years after our target date. Can't rule the Hendersons entirely out of Frederick.
There is supposedly another book that covers 1738-1850 (Frederick County Marriages 1738-1850 by Vogt and Kethley), but the library doesn't seem to have the more comprehensive volume and I can't find it online. I should go up to the Handley Library in Frederick County, but I don't have time today so I try the next best thing - Ancestry.com.
I try searching for any Ruth Henderson marrying anywhere in Virginia in 1770. Nothing. Absolutely nada in Virginia. I try any Henderson marriage in Virginia in 1770 looking for contemporary Hendersons - bound to find something - and I do. James Henderson m. Mary Booker in 1767. These are the Amelia County VA Hendersons. Gut says "no." The Genealogists Gut Instinct (GGI) is a powerful -- and frequently fallible-- thing. I have learned to distrust mine, but still, I move on.
A Mary Henderson m. James Finley in Virginia in 1778, but no county is given. I do a little more poking around and find that Mary and James were from Augusta County. That's about as precise as saying they were from "Virginia." Perhaps less so. The boundaries of Augusta originally stretched from the Blue Ridge to the Great Lakes to the Mississippi, so it doesn't help us nail much down, but Augusta and Frederick counties were both formed from Orange County in 1738, and part of Augusta later was combined with Frederick, so again, we can't rule out this Augusta County family of Hendersons. I find a Finley genealogy onlineand it seems that these Finleys mixed with Hendersons down through the generations. Capt. James Finley's 1800 will, made in Wythe County VA (where he received land for his revolutionary war service) mentions a nephew, Jonathan Henderson. Hmmm...this family is moving in the same geographical direction the Rameys (and most of the rest of the colony) moved. I'll keep them in the hopper and do some more looking.
The internet connection at the library is slow so I decide to go home and keep looking from the comfort of the sofa. I have Genealogical Attention Deficit Disorder (GADD!) and tend to get easily distracted, heading off on ancestral tangents. This time I'm going to try to stick to the mystery of Ruth Henderson Ramey until I either solve it or disprove it...Oh look! There's a squirrel! I wonder who it's ancestors were...?
Comments:
Nerissa Short said...
Laura Henderson said...
Laura Henderson said...
Since I am a Henderson (on my father's side, obviously), I am intrigued by the possibility that I might descend from Hendersons through my maternal line as well. Years ago I came across a post online that named the wife of David Ramey (s/o James and Elizabeth Ramey) as "Ruth Henderson." Since much of the other information the poster provided on the Ramey line seemed generally correct, I went with it, making a note to verify the name and connection. Easier said than done.
The Ruth Henderson in question was supposedly born in about 1750, and married David Ramey in "1770, Frederick County, VA." I'm reasonably familiar with the inhabitants of 18th century Frederick County, VA and Henderson is not a name that shows up to any great degree, but still, I made a trip to the library to put my hands on a copy of Frederick County, Virginia Marriages 1771-1825 by Eliza Timberlake Davis. I realize that my method is Old School since you can search and browse the book online using Google, but I'm in a tactile mood. I realize too that we're looking for a marriage that happened in 1770, but if Hendersons were in Frederick County getting married in 1770, then they were probably still there, getting married in 1771 and years following so I might get some idea of the family group they belong to.
The results weren't encouraging. Only one entry - 27th May 1788, Mary Henderson to Henry Louder (possibly Souder). No additional details. This couple may have died childless because no one seems to be looking for them, and there is almost nothing about them online. Well, at least there was a Henderson living in Frederick County 18 years after our target date. Can't rule the Hendersons entirely out of Frederick.
There is supposedly another book that covers 1738-1850 (Frederick County Marriages 1738-1850 by Vogt and Kethley), but the library doesn't seem to have the more comprehensive volume and I can't find it online. I should go up to the Handley Library in Frederick County, but I don't have time today so I try the next best thing - Ancestry.com.
I try searching for any Ruth Henderson marrying anywhere in Virginia in 1770. Nothing. Absolutely nada in Virginia. I try any Henderson marriage in Virginia in 1770 looking for contemporary Hendersons - bound to find something - and I do. James Henderson m. Mary Booker in 1767. These are the Amelia County VA Hendersons. Gut says "no." The Genealogists Gut Instinct (GGI) is a powerful -- and frequently fallible-- thing. I have learned to distrust mine, but still, I move on.
A Mary Henderson m. James Finley in Virginia in 1778, but no county is given. I do a little more poking around and find that Mary and James were from Augusta County. That's about as precise as saying they were from "Virginia." Perhaps less so. The boundaries of Augusta originally stretched from the Blue Ridge to the Great Lakes to the Mississippi, so it doesn't help us nail much down, but Augusta and Frederick counties were both formed from Orange County in 1738, and part of Augusta later was combined with Frederick, so again, we can't rule out this Augusta County family of Hendersons. I find a Finley genealogy onlineand it seems that these Finleys mixed with Hendersons down through the generations. Capt. James Finley's 1800 will, made in Wythe County VA (where he received land for his revolutionary war service) mentions a nephew, Jonathan Henderson. Hmmm...this family is moving in the same geographical direction the Rameys (and most of the rest of the colony) moved. I'll keep them in the hopper and do some more looking.
The internet connection at the library is slow so I decide to go home and keep looking from the comfort of the sofa. I have Genealogical Attention Deficit Disorder (GADD!) and tend to get easily distracted, heading off on ancestral tangents. This time I'm going to try to stick to the mystery of Ruth Henderson Ramey until I either solve it or disprove it...Oh look! There's a squirrel! I wonder who it's ancestors were...?
Comments:
Laura:
Hello! I believe I have some info regarding a Ruth Henderson married to David Ramey (his birth 1750.) My search has led me to your blog somehow?!?!
My name is Nerissa (Short) Behrmann and have traced my Grandmother's ancestors (she was Maude Ramey Short, Harlan, KY)to the David Ramey married to Ruth Henderson, Fredrick Co., VA - they had 2 children: Daniel "The Monarch" Ramey Sr. born 1778 and Timothy Ramey born 1786 (my Great x5 Grandfather) who married Nancy Penix June 15, 1806.
I (or my cousin) haven't been able to trace Ruth Henderson's side of the family. I am brand new to this Genealogy stuff so please forgive me if I am completely off about our connection. So, basically if we are of the same Ruth Henderson I can get you beyond that :) I just can't trace any further of the Hendersons. I look forward to hearing from you if this is a help.
Nerissa
Hello! I believe I have some info regarding a Ruth Henderson married to David Ramey (his birth 1750.) My search has led me to your blog somehow?!?!
My name is Nerissa (Short) Behrmann and have traced my Grandmother's ancestors (she was Maude Ramey Short, Harlan, KY)to the David Ramey married to Ruth Henderson, Fredrick Co., VA - they had 2 children: Daniel "The Monarch" Ramey Sr. born 1778 and Timothy Ramey born 1786 (my Great x5 Grandfather) who married Nancy Penix June 15, 1806.
I (or my cousin) haven't been able to trace Ruth Henderson's side of the family. I am brand new to this Genealogy stuff so please forgive me if I am completely off about our connection. So, basically if we are of the same Ruth Henderson I can get you beyond that :) I just can't trace any further of the Hendersons. I look forward to hearing from you if this is a help.
Nerissa
Hi Nerissa, thank you for getting in touch. I have the Rameys traced back to Adam (well, practically), but would love to add your line down from David and Ruth to my database if you would like to share. I'm really just trying to place this possible Ruth Henderson with her proper Henderson family.
If you'd like to contact me directly, you can send me an email at [genealogy at laurahenderson.com].
If you'd like to contact me directly, you can send me an email at [genealogy at laurahenderson.com].
Decided to revisit the Ruth Henderson myth-tery. I'm beginning to think it is one. While most sources say David Ramey married a Ruth Henderson in 1770 in Frederick County, VA, I can find no record of such a marriage (yet). There are very few contemporary Hendersons in the vicinity of Frederick County, only a large group from the nebulous environs of "Augusta County." From that group springs the only viable Ruth Henderson that I have been able to find, and she married a John Stiffy around 1789-80 and moved to Tennessee. I tried searching for a marriage between David Ramey and a Ruth Stiffy - just in case - but no cigar. I'm about ready to remove the name "Ruth Henderson" from my data unless someone can produce some documentation...
Combing Shenandoah Valley Settlement Records for Our "Adventurous" Corder Ancestor
Originally published June 27, 2011
I continue to pick my way painstakingly through various records of the settlement of the northern Shenandoah Valley looking for clues that might shed light on the arrival in this area of our oldest known Corder ancestor, Edward Sr. I keep hoping to find some name, some place, some event that might begin to illuminate a path between Edward's arrival in Annapolis MD (1722) to his eventual settlement in northern Virginia (1738).
After his arrest and transport to the colonies (arriving in Annapolis MD in July 1722), he is missing in action until he shows up in then Orange County VA in 1738 as a petitioner for a road to Jost Hite's mill near present-day Winchester. This absence from official records is not wholly unexpected during the period of approximately 1722-1727, as an indentured servant is unlikely to appear in court unless for some misdeed. On the other hand, given Edward's history, perhaps it is surprising that he managed to remain out of sight... But I digress.
Edward is called one of seven original "adventurers" to have settled on the property that Lord Fairfax would eventually (1745) designate as the manor of Greenway Court. Apparently Edward was a good judge of dirt since Fairfax subsequently decided to settle on the property himself, which was of course perfectly within his rights as proprietor. As an interesting aside, Lord Fairfax was the only titled member of the peerage to make his permanent home in the colonies.
Fairfax let Edward stay on the property for a token rent and the promise to make and maintain improvements to the property (which leads me to wonder whether Edward had made none prior to the lease). The rent for the tract of land was one fat Christmas turkey annually, resulting in the property being referred to as "The Turkey Tract." [Photo] According to the terms of the lease, which ran for Edward's lifetime, if the turkey, when delivered, was not sufficiently fat...game over.
And so, here I sit at the library once again, sifting through moldy tomes in the local history room. Brittle pages, smelling faintly of something I can only identify as age, yield a tidbit here, a snippet there. I add them to the timeline, trying to piece together a picture from all of the various oddly-shaped puzzle pieces. You are welcome to download the Excel spreadsheet from Box.net to refer to my notes. Please do NOT redistribute the document -- leave it to others to download the most updated version from Box when interest warrants.
Read more about Lord Fairfax's manors (including the Manors of Leeds and Gooney Run), and learn how the wily old fox protected his hereditary property rights in the event of such acts of God as, oh, say...revolution.
I continue to pick my way painstakingly through various records of the settlement of the northern Shenandoah Valley looking for clues that might shed light on the arrival in this area of our oldest known Corder ancestor, Edward Sr. I keep hoping to find some name, some place, some event that might begin to illuminate a path between Edward's arrival in Annapolis MD (1722) to his eventual settlement in northern Virginia (1738).
After his arrest and transport to the colonies (arriving in Annapolis MD in July 1722), he is missing in action until he shows up in then Orange County VA in 1738 as a petitioner for a road to Jost Hite's mill near present-day Winchester. This absence from official records is not wholly unexpected during the period of approximately 1722-1727, as an indentured servant is unlikely to appear in court unless for some misdeed. On the other hand, given Edward's history, perhaps it is surprising that he managed to remain out of sight... But I digress.
Edward is called one of seven original "adventurers" to have settled on the property that Lord Fairfax would eventually (1745) designate as the manor of Greenway Court. Apparently Edward was a good judge of dirt since Fairfax subsequently decided to settle on the property himself, which was of course perfectly within his rights as proprietor. As an interesting aside, Lord Fairfax was the only titled member of the peerage to make his permanent home in the colonies.
Fairfax let Edward stay on the property for a token rent and the promise to make and maintain improvements to the property (which leads me to wonder whether Edward had made none prior to the lease). The rent for the tract of land was one fat Christmas turkey annually, resulting in the property being referred to as "The Turkey Tract." [Photo] According to the terms of the lease, which ran for Edward's lifetime, if the turkey, when delivered, was not sufficiently fat...game over.
And so, here I sit at the library once again, sifting through moldy tomes in the local history room. Brittle pages, smelling faintly of something I can only identify as age, yield a tidbit here, a snippet there. I add them to the timeline, trying to piece together a picture from all of the various oddly-shaped puzzle pieces. You are welcome to download the Excel spreadsheet from Box.net to refer to my notes. Please do NOT redistribute the document -- leave it to others to download the most updated version from Box when interest warrants.
Read more about Lord Fairfax's manors (including the Manors of Leeds and Gooney Run), and learn how the wily old fox protected his hereditary property rights in the event of such acts of God as, oh, say...revolution.
Hunting for Fauquier Corders in Stafford County VA
Originally published June 13, 2011
This past Friday (June 10, 2011) I drove down to Spotyslvania County, VA to meet with Bob Corder, founder of the National Corder Family Association and long-time researcher of the Corder line that traces back to William Corder b. ca. 1702. Having over the years exhausted all of the low-hanging Corder records, Bob and I decided it was time to drag out the ladders and begin shaking the limbs higher up (or further back, in this case).
My Edward Corder is first found in Virginia in an Orange County petition dated February 22, 1738. Orange County was formed from Spotsylvania in 1734 so I had hoped that a careful search of Spotsylvania records might yield something new for the Greenway Court line.
Bob and I strategized at the Spotyslvania Courthouse Cafe and realized that he was unlikely to find anything relevant to the Fauquier line in Spotsylvania, since Fauquier was formed in 1759 from Prince William (formed in turn from Stafford in 1731). We decided to press north about 15 miles to Stafford and seek our fortune there.
Stafford's records begin in the last decade of the 17th century. It's a sensational thing to hold in one's hand papers that last felt the scratch of a pen in the year 1699. I pulled out the oldest Will Book I could find (1699-1709) while Bob settled in with the oldest Deed Book. A cursory search of the county's digitized indices had yielded nothing, but a cross-reference of names from the first few pages of these older books revealed that there were many, many names mentioned in the deeds, wills and inventories which did not appear in the county's computerized data. This was very good news indeed. There were literally thousands of pages of possibility stacked on the shelves in front of us - all we had to do was start reading.
We quickly accustomed ourselves to the spidery script, and while Bob stayed on task, rapidly skimming the pages in search of the Corder name, I began to familiarize myself with the residents of Stafford County, Virginia in the year 1699. Prominent among them were George Mason, grandfather of the revolutionary patriot of the same name, John Washington, son of emigrant Lawrence, and William Fitzhugh, who represented Stafford in the house of Burgesses. Common surnames at the turn of that century were Withers, Newton, Burkner, Thompson, Waugh, Massey, Wright, and Downing. For several hours I snooped through the worldly goods of these old Virginians and by the end of the day Bob was nearing the 300th page of his book while I finished a far second on page 132 of mine.
While neither of us hit the mother lode -- this time -- I did find one entry with a familiar name: John Ashby (probably formerly of Lancaster County VA). In the same record was a name that looked like it could be either John Condon, Cordon, Cordor or Condor. We know that the Ashby's were one of the earliest settlers of the area that would later be home to both (apparently unrelated) lines of the Corder family, so it's a name I always watch for.
Bob and I will re-group in the winter and return to Stafford to carry on a line-by-line search of the records in which Bob will, no doubt, outdistance me again as I tarry in centuries past.
This past Friday (June 10, 2011) I drove down to Spotyslvania County, VA to meet with Bob Corder, founder of the National Corder Family Association and long-time researcher of the Corder line that traces back to William Corder b. ca. 1702. Having over the years exhausted all of the low-hanging Corder records, Bob and I decided it was time to drag out the ladders and begin shaking the limbs higher up (or further back, in this case).
My Edward Corder is first found in Virginia in an Orange County petition dated February 22, 1738. Orange County was formed from Spotsylvania in 1734 so I had hoped that a careful search of Spotsylvania records might yield something new for the Greenway Court line.
Bob and I strategized at the Spotyslvania Courthouse Cafe and realized that he was unlikely to find anything relevant to the Fauquier line in Spotsylvania, since Fauquier was formed in 1759 from Prince William (formed in turn from Stafford in 1731). We decided to press north about 15 miles to Stafford and seek our fortune there.
Stafford's records begin in the last decade of the 17th century. It's a sensational thing to hold in one's hand papers that last felt the scratch of a pen in the year 1699. I pulled out the oldest Will Book I could find (1699-1709) while Bob settled in with the oldest Deed Book. A cursory search of the county's digitized indices had yielded nothing, but a cross-reference of names from the first few pages of these older books revealed that there were many, many names mentioned in the deeds, wills and inventories which did not appear in the county's computerized data. This was very good news indeed. There were literally thousands of pages of possibility stacked on the shelves in front of us - all we had to do was start reading.
We quickly accustomed ourselves to the spidery script, and while Bob stayed on task, rapidly skimming the pages in search of the Corder name, I began to familiarize myself with the residents of Stafford County, Virginia in the year 1699. Prominent among them were George Mason, grandfather of the revolutionary patriot of the same name, John Washington, son of emigrant Lawrence, and William Fitzhugh, who represented Stafford in the house of Burgesses. Common surnames at the turn of that century were Withers, Newton, Burkner, Thompson, Waugh, Massey, Wright, and Downing. For several hours I snooped through the worldly goods of these old Virginians and by the end of the day Bob was nearing the 300th page of his book while I finished a far second on page 132 of mine.
While neither of us hit the mother lode -- this time -- I did find one entry with a familiar name: John Ashby (probably formerly of Lancaster County VA). In the same record was a name that looked like it could be either John Condon, Cordon, Cordor or Condor. We know that the Ashby's were one of the earliest settlers of the area that would later be home to both (apparently unrelated) lines of the Corder family, so it's a name I always watch for.
Bob and I will re-group in the winter and return to Stafford to carry on a line-by-line search of the records in which Bob will, no doubt, outdistance me again as I tarry in centuries past.
Jonathan O. Corder, CSA, a Man of Many Battalions
Originally published June 6, 2011
Let's skip ahead more than 100 years and talk for a minute about Edward Corder Sr.'s great-great-grandson, Jonathan O. Corder of Scott County, VA, and his service during the American Civil War. Why? Because I am a non-linear researcher.
I have tried to untangle Jonathan's web of transfers and battalion splits which, when combined with the lack of accurate rosters from some of his units, were complex enough to cause even the pension office to challenge his claims of service. Add to this the fact that the Virginia Regimental Series mis-transcribed Jonathan's name as "Corden" (an easy mistake in days when spidery script made an "r" looked like an "n", and one that possibly appeared on the original documents), and all of that makes Jonathan a hard feller to foller. But here's what I've been able to make out...
Military Service - CSA
On the 21st of March 1862, at about the age of twenty, Jonathan O. Corder enlisted in the 1st. Battalion Kentucky Mounted Rifles in Dungannon, Virginia, near his home in Osborne's Ford (Scott County). His original pension application dates the beginning of his service as May1862 and adds that he enlisted in General Marshall [illegible] Regiment, Company E. His immediate superior officers were “Major Bradley” and “Captain Bob Stoner.” He mentions fellow comrades in arms Nathan Dickenson and cousin Stephen J. Osborne, who, when his pension application was challenged in 1916, later swore oaths that Jonathan did indeed serve with them during the course of the war. The challenge arose due to the lack of complete rosters for some of the units in which Jonathan served.
Jonathan was transferred November 20, 1862 from the Kentucky Mounted Rifles to Vinson A. Witcher's 34th Battalion Virginia Cavalry. The 34th cavalry performed more in the capacity of mounted infantry, riding in, dismounting and firing at an advancing line. The Virginia Regimental Series notes that:
“Early in the war, Witcher and the 1st Battalion Virginia Mounted Rifles (precursor to the 34th) developed a dual reputation. One Confederate officer commented that Witcher could not pass up a farm that had a fine horse in the field. Most disparaging remarks, however were initiated by the bitter John B. Floyd, a political general and past governor of Virginia. Merited or not, Floyd's use of polemics helped to establish a tainted reputation for the unit, that was perpetuated by Yankee officers. Witcher and the 34th Battalion were greatly appreciated by other Confederate officers though. The immortal J.E.B. Stuart and Robert E. Lee, each highly praised the unit, and Stuart wrote an enviable commendation for Witcher.”
The company of Captain Caldwell (including Jonathan) was withdrawn from Witcher’s battalion and divided between Captain Caldwell and Captain McFarlane. Jonathan was assigned to Captain McFarlane's Company of Virginia Cavalry, which was then split into Jesse's Battalion of Kentucky Mounted Riflemen, and the 6th Battalion Confederate Cavalry.
Some sources say that Jesse's Battalion of Kentucky Mounted Riflemen became the 6th Battalion Cavalry of the Confederate States. (Jonathan's gravestone bears an inscription attesting to his service in Company E of this battalion.) In May of 1864 Jesse's Mounted Riflemen and the 6th Confederate Cavalry became companies H, and I of Witcher's 34th Virginia Cavalry. Jonathan Corder's Company H, was commanded by Capt. Robert C. Boyd, formerly a second lieutenant in McFarlane's Company.
When asked on his pension application when and why he left the service, Jonathan replied “at the surrender, at home in Scott County, VA [illegible]” but when questioned later he responded that he was “unable to tell where I was in April ‘64.” He adds that he was in the Cavalry during his whole time in service, having joined under Major Bradley of Kentucky, with whom he served for twelve months before being transferred to a Virginia Battalion under Captain McFarlane. He then recounts that the battalion was divided, and he ended up under Captain Boyd. He ends “later, and for the rest of the War, I was under Col. Witcher. I do not now remember the number of this Battalion, but it was a Virginia Company.”
If you'd like to take a look at Jonathan's pension application and his subsequent correspondence with the pension office, you can download a PDF here from the Edward Corder Memorial Library. If you can make out the words better than I have, please correct my information in comments below.
Edward Corder I > Edward Corder II > Elijah Corder I > Elijah Corder II > Jonathan O. Corder
Let's skip ahead more than 100 years and talk for a minute about Edward Corder Sr.'s great-great-grandson, Jonathan O. Corder of Scott County, VA, and his service during the American Civil War. Why? Because I am a non-linear researcher.
I have tried to untangle Jonathan's web of transfers and battalion splits which, when combined with the lack of accurate rosters from some of his units, were complex enough to cause even the pension office to challenge his claims of service. Add to this the fact that the Virginia Regimental Series mis-transcribed Jonathan's name as "Corden" (an easy mistake in days when spidery script made an "r" looked like an "n", and one that possibly appeared on the original documents), and all of that makes Jonathan a hard feller to foller. But here's what I've been able to make out...
Military Service - CSA
On the 21st of March 1862, at about the age of twenty, Jonathan O. Corder enlisted in the 1st. Battalion Kentucky Mounted Rifles in Dungannon, Virginia, near his home in Osborne's Ford (Scott County). His original pension application dates the beginning of his service as May1862 and adds that he enlisted in General Marshall [illegible] Regiment, Company E. His immediate superior officers were “Major Bradley” and “Captain Bob Stoner.” He mentions fellow comrades in arms Nathan Dickenson and cousin Stephen J. Osborne, who, when his pension application was challenged in 1916, later swore oaths that Jonathan did indeed serve with them during the course of the war. The challenge arose due to the lack of complete rosters for some of the units in which Jonathan served.
Jonathan was transferred November 20, 1862 from the Kentucky Mounted Rifles to Vinson A. Witcher's 34th Battalion Virginia Cavalry. The 34th cavalry performed more in the capacity of mounted infantry, riding in, dismounting and firing at an advancing line. The Virginia Regimental Series notes that:
“Early in the war, Witcher and the 1st Battalion Virginia Mounted Rifles (precursor to the 34th) developed a dual reputation. One Confederate officer commented that Witcher could not pass up a farm that had a fine horse in the field. Most disparaging remarks, however were initiated by the bitter John B. Floyd, a political general and past governor of Virginia. Merited or not, Floyd's use of polemics helped to establish a tainted reputation for the unit, that was perpetuated by Yankee officers. Witcher and the 34th Battalion were greatly appreciated by other Confederate officers though. The immortal J.E.B. Stuart and Robert E. Lee, each highly praised the unit, and Stuart wrote an enviable commendation for Witcher.”
The company of Captain Caldwell (including Jonathan) was withdrawn from Witcher’s battalion and divided between Captain Caldwell and Captain McFarlane. Jonathan was assigned to Captain McFarlane's Company of Virginia Cavalry, which was then split into Jesse's Battalion of Kentucky Mounted Riflemen, and the 6th Battalion Confederate Cavalry.
Some sources say that Jesse's Battalion of Kentucky Mounted Riflemen became the 6th Battalion Cavalry of the Confederate States. (Jonathan's gravestone bears an inscription attesting to his service in Company E of this battalion.) In May of 1864 Jesse's Mounted Riflemen and the 6th Confederate Cavalry became companies H, and I of Witcher's 34th Virginia Cavalry. Jonathan Corder's Company H, was commanded by Capt. Robert C. Boyd, formerly a second lieutenant in McFarlane's Company.
When asked on his pension application when and why he left the service, Jonathan replied “at the surrender, at home in Scott County, VA [illegible]” but when questioned later he responded that he was “unable to tell where I was in April ‘64.” He adds that he was in the Cavalry during his whole time in service, having joined under Major Bradley of Kentucky, with whom he served for twelve months before being transferred to a Virginia Battalion under Captain McFarlane. He then recounts that the battalion was divided, and he ended up under Captain Boyd. He ends “later, and for the rest of the War, I was under Col. Witcher. I do not now remember the number of this Battalion, but it was a Virginia Company.”
If you'd like to take a look at Jonathan's pension application and his subsequent correspondence with the pension office, you can download a PDF here from the Edward Corder Memorial Library. If you can make out the words better than I have, please correct my information in comments below.
Edward Corder I > Edward Corder II > Elijah Corder I > Elijah Corder II > Jonathan O. Corder
Finley and Harris Connections Need Examination
Originally published October 9, 2010
As I was running down the Athey line, I was lead back to Charles Fenaly (Finley) who in 1711 married to Elizabeth Harris in St. John's Parish, Prince Georges County, MD. These two were supposedly the parents of ten, including an Elizabeth Finley (b 26 May 1720) who married Thomas Athey (b ca 1695 MD). At this point I have no cause to doubt Elizabeth Finley's parentage, but would love to see a parish register entry of her birth if anyone has such a thing.
I am concerned about this Finley/Athey connection because according to other researchers, Thomas Athey (s/o Capt. George & Sarah Marsh) begins having children in 1719. Obviously these cannot be with Elizabeth Finley, not yet born. Later children of Thomas Athey, born in the late 1730's to mid 1740's could possibly be Elizabeth's, but Thomas Athey produced children at a regular rate from 1719 to 1746 with only a break of about 7 years: in 1725 he began exercising restraint, but took up his procreation efforts again around 1732 - still too early to be working with Elizabeth - and continued on until 1746, when his last known daughter was born.
And yet, there does seem to be a Finley connection. Thomas named his 10th child Mary Fenley Athey (according to researcher Christopher Athey) and his eleventh Elizabeth.
Was Elizabeth Fenley Thomas's second, much younger wife? If so, who was his first? Am I missing something that is generally known by other researchers? If so, please use the comments area below to add to my information.
(Line Ascending: Claude T. Brooks > Ibbia Kennedy [Brooks] > Mary Elizabeth "Bettie" Talbert [Kennedy] > Thomas S. Talbert > Thomas Athey Talbot > Sarah Athey [Talbert] > Elizabeth Fenley [Athey] > Charles Fenaly & Elizabeth Harris)
As I was running down the Athey line, I was lead back to Charles Fenaly (Finley) who in 1711 married to Elizabeth Harris in St. John's Parish, Prince Georges County, MD. These two were supposedly the parents of ten, including an Elizabeth Finley (b 26 May 1720) who married Thomas Athey (b ca 1695 MD). At this point I have no cause to doubt Elizabeth Finley's parentage, but would love to see a parish register entry of her birth if anyone has such a thing.
I am concerned about this Finley/Athey connection because according to other researchers, Thomas Athey (s/o Capt. George & Sarah Marsh) begins having children in 1719. Obviously these cannot be with Elizabeth Finley, not yet born. Later children of Thomas Athey, born in the late 1730's to mid 1740's could possibly be Elizabeth's, but Thomas Athey produced children at a regular rate from 1719 to 1746 with only a break of about 7 years: in 1725 he began exercising restraint, but took up his procreation efforts again around 1732 - still too early to be working with Elizabeth - and continued on until 1746, when his last known daughter was born.
And yet, there does seem to be a Finley connection. Thomas named his 10th child Mary Fenley Athey (according to researcher Christopher Athey) and his eleventh Elizabeth.
Was Elizabeth Fenley Thomas's second, much younger wife? If so, who was his first? Am I missing something that is generally known by other researchers? If so, please use the comments area below to add to my information.
(Line Ascending: Claude T. Brooks > Ibbia Kennedy [Brooks] > Mary Elizabeth "Bettie" Talbert [Kennedy] > Thomas S. Talbert > Thomas Athey Talbot > Sarah Athey [Talbert] > Elizabeth Fenley [Athey] > Charles Fenaly & Elizabeth Harris)
A Correction on the Talbert Family Line
Originally Published October 8, 2010
The Year of the Great Finishing (in which I attempted to finish all of those little niggling 'round-tuits) was hijacked by The Year of the Never-Ending Condo Move, so I have done very little with my genealogy in quite some time. As a result of this neglect, a new connection on the Kennedy and Talbert lines has languished in my Genealogy Inbox.
This past week after going to see my favorite Irish band, I was suddenly seized with a powerful curiosity about the Irish lines of my ancestry, and I decided to poke around a little tonight on Ancestry.com in an attempt to see if I could confirm existing information or learn anything new. I was immediately sidetracked (as so often happens) from the Kennedys and ended up tinkering with the Talberts, where I realized that most researchers had a different set of parents for my Thomas S. Talbert who married Rebecca Gobble (or more correctly, Gabel). After some review of my notes, I decided to leave my info as it was, since our Thomas had two cousins of an age who were also named Thomas, which potentially could have created confusion. I didn't want to go to the effort of making corrections if it were all for naught. Then I remembered those Talbert emails still waiting in my Inbox and had another look.
After reviewing the information of researcher Charles E. Talbert of California, PA, I am convinced enough now to go ahead and change my data. I agree with him that it is indeed more likely that Thomas S. Talbert (not "L" as sometimes stated) was the son of Thomas Athey Talbert and his wife Agatha. I have asked Charles if I can post his message to help other researchers confirm or correct their information if they have listed Basil Talbert Jr. (brother of Thomas Athey Talbert) and Polly Logan as the parents of the Thomas S. Talbert who married Rebecca Gobble. If he agrees, I will amend this post.
The Year of the Great Finishing (in which I attempted to finish all of those little niggling 'round-tuits) was hijacked by The Year of the Never-Ending Condo Move, so I have done very little with my genealogy in quite some time. As a result of this neglect, a new connection on the Kennedy and Talbert lines has languished in my Genealogy Inbox.
This past week after going to see my favorite Irish band, I was suddenly seized with a powerful curiosity about the Irish lines of my ancestry, and I decided to poke around a little tonight on Ancestry.com in an attempt to see if I could confirm existing information or learn anything new. I was immediately sidetracked (as so often happens) from the Kennedys and ended up tinkering with the Talberts, where I realized that most researchers had a different set of parents for my Thomas S. Talbert who married Rebecca Gobble (or more correctly, Gabel). After some review of my notes, I decided to leave my info as it was, since our Thomas had two cousins of an age who were also named Thomas, which potentially could have created confusion. I didn't want to go to the effort of making corrections if it were all for naught. Then I remembered those Talbert emails still waiting in my Inbox and had another look.
After reviewing the information of researcher Charles E. Talbert of California, PA, I am convinced enough now to go ahead and change my data. I agree with him that it is indeed more likely that Thomas S. Talbert (not "L" as sometimes stated) was the son of Thomas Athey Talbert and his wife Agatha. I have asked Charles if I can post his message to help other researchers confirm or correct their information if they have listed Basil Talbert Jr. (brother of Thomas Athey Talbert) and Polly Logan as the parents of the Thomas S. Talbert who married Rebecca Gobble. If he agrees, I will amend this post.
Pinning Down Edward Corder Senior's Arrival in the Shenandoah Valley
Originally published March 15, 2010
I recently came across an interesting article by Mitchell Farish, an employee of the library at the University of Virginia. The first part of his article is of great interest in helping us understand the early settlement of this area of the northern Shenandoah Valley. We should take parts of his information into consideration when we try to pin down Edward Corder's date of arrival here.
Farish writes of the partnership between Jost Hite (a German speculator) and Robert McKay (a Scots Quaker) as they attempted to secure a massive land grant in northern Virginia through the headright settlement system. Their ambitious plan to claim 100,000 acres of land (by "seed[ing] the land with one hundred Pennsylvania families they said were ready to make homes on Virginia's frontier") was harder to realize than they guessed. The headright settlement system allowed a thousand acres of land per family, but by 1735 the pair had only managed to convince 54 heads of household to relocate to the valley, so things weren't going as well as they'd hoped.
Of very great interest to us is Farish's statement that "Before 1732 the Shenandoah Valley had been virtually empty of humans except for wandering Indian hunters and a few Germans on the South Fork." We know that Edward was here by 1738 (when he petitioned for a road to Jost Hite's mill). We know also that he has been called "one of the seven original adventurers" in this area. In the past we have speculated and wondered whether he was part of Hite's settlement, but since Corder was not German, and is called one of seven "original" adventurers, could he have actually have arrived here prior to Hite and McKay's headright settlers? On the other hand, might Edward have been married - possibly to a German woman - and been somehow related to those "few Germans on the South Fork?"
I estimate that Edward's indenture probably expired around 1728. I am guessing that he served his time in Maryland, or possibly Virginia. Pennsylvania seems less likely, but is not out of the question. We have absolutely no idea where he was or what he was doing between 1728 and 1732, but it's possible that he was indeed one of seven very early settlers to arrive on or around that latter date (I would really love to know who the other six were!). I doubt Edward knew (or cared) that the land he was settling on was part of Lord Fairfax's proprietorship, and so it may have come as a surprise when Fairfax arrived from England demanding rents from those who were "squatting" on his land. (Lest I give the wrong impression, Fairfax was by all accounts a very well-liked landlord, and the settlers probably didn't much care whether they paid their quit rents to Williamsburg or Fairfax.)
To be safe, we can estimate Edward's arrival here during a 10-year span (between 1728-1738), or possibly narrow it per the Farish article to a 6-year span (1732-1738). I would imagine (again, relying on the "original seven adventurers" reference, and assuming he pre-dated the arrival of Hite's settlers) to be on the earlier side, more like 1728-1735.
Follow up comment:
Laura Henderson said...
I recently came across an interesting article by Mitchell Farish, an employee of the library at the University of Virginia. The first part of his article is of great interest in helping us understand the early settlement of this area of the northern Shenandoah Valley. We should take parts of his information into consideration when we try to pin down Edward Corder's date of arrival here.
Farish writes of the partnership between Jost Hite (a German speculator) and Robert McKay (a Scots Quaker) as they attempted to secure a massive land grant in northern Virginia through the headright settlement system. Their ambitious plan to claim 100,000 acres of land (by "seed[ing] the land with one hundred Pennsylvania families they said were ready to make homes on Virginia's frontier") was harder to realize than they guessed. The headright settlement system allowed a thousand acres of land per family, but by 1735 the pair had only managed to convince 54 heads of household to relocate to the valley, so things weren't going as well as they'd hoped.
Of very great interest to us is Farish's statement that "Before 1732 the Shenandoah Valley had been virtually empty of humans except for wandering Indian hunters and a few Germans on the South Fork." We know that Edward was here by 1738 (when he petitioned for a road to Jost Hite's mill). We know also that he has been called "one of the seven original adventurers" in this area. In the past we have speculated and wondered whether he was part of Hite's settlement, but since Corder was not German, and is called one of seven "original" adventurers, could he have actually have arrived here prior to Hite and McKay's headright settlers? On the other hand, might Edward have been married - possibly to a German woman - and been somehow related to those "few Germans on the South Fork?"
I estimate that Edward's indenture probably expired around 1728. I am guessing that he served his time in Maryland, or possibly Virginia. Pennsylvania seems less likely, but is not out of the question. We have absolutely no idea where he was or what he was doing between 1728 and 1732, but it's possible that he was indeed one of seven very early settlers to arrive on or around that latter date (I would really love to know who the other six were!). I doubt Edward knew (or cared) that the land he was settling on was part of Lord Fairfax's proprietorship, and so it may have come as a surprise when Fairfax arrived from England demanding rents from those who were "squatting" on his land. (Lest I give the wrong impression, Fairfax was by all accounts a very well-liked landlord, and the settlers probably didn't much care whether they paid their quit rents to Williamsburg or Fairfax.)
To be safe, we can estimate Edward's arrival here during a 10-year span (between 1728-1738), or possibly narrow it per the Farish article to a 6-year span (1732-1738). I would imagine (again, relying on the "original seven adventurers" reference, and assuming he pre-dated the arrival of Hite's settlers) to be on the earlier side, more like 1728-1735.
Follow up comment:
As a follow-up to my entry above, upon further consideration, it seems unlikely to me that Edward was associated with the Hite settlement. Jost Hite became embroiled in a lifelong conflict with Lord Fairfax over property boundaries. Edward was clearly a Fairfax man (reference the generous terms of his lease from Fairfax and the fact that Fairfax sent Edward [or possibly his son and namesake] as part of Geo. Washington's surveying crew), so it seems unlikely that had any allegiance to Hite.
Don't Miss the "Young Virginian" Exhibit at Mount Vernon
Originally published March 15, 2010
The last of the Blizzard of 2010 has been washed away by several days of rain and we have had some almighty flooding here in the northern Shenandoah Valley. Several main roads are closed, so I had to take the long way around to get up to Long Branch last night to hear Jim Rees, curator of Mount Vernon, speak about George Washington. His engaging presentation covered diverse facets of Washington's life as well as updates on the fabulous new additions to the Mount Vernon estate. Mr. Rees' talk was accompanied by a slide show of beautiful paintings and illustrations of Washington, both familiar and obscure.
Descendants of Edward Corder Sr. will want to make a special effort to visit Mount Vernon to see the new visitor's center and museum. This is top-shelf stuff, I'll tell you, but in addition to being a delight to explore in general terms, the museum contains an exhibit of particular interest to our family.
In The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation Gallery one will find the "Young Virginian" exhibit which includes a life-size model of Washington as a 19-year-old surveyor. From their web site: "Forest sounds and moving animals set the stage for 18th-century western Virginia, where visitors see Washington’s original surveying tools and learn how to conduct a survey themselves." Notice that the exhibit contains Washington's original surveying tools! Are these the same measuring chains our ancestor carried with John Lonem when laying out the town of Little Washington? We know that Edward was with Washington on at least 11 surveys, so it seems probable that he would have carried these very chains at some point (since he is unlikely to have owned his own).
This new exhibit lets us look on the face of Washington as Edward Corder saw him, and since we can't look on the face of Edward, this will just have to be the next best thing.
The last of the Blizzard of 2010 has been washed away by several days of rain and we have had some almighty flooding here in the northern Shenandoah Valley. Several main roads are closed, so I had to take the long way around to get up to Long Branch last night to hear Jim Rees, curator of Mount Vernon, speak about George Washington. His engaging presentation covered diverse facets of Washington's life as well as updates on the fabulous new additions to the Mount Vernon estate. Mr. Rees' talk was accompanied by a slide show of beautiful paintings and illustrations of Washington, both familiar and obscure.
Descendants of Edward Corder Sr. will want to make a special effort to visit Mount Vernon to see the new visitor's center and museum. This is top-shelf stuff, I'll tell you, but in addition to being a delight to explore in general terms, the museum contains an exhibit of particular interest to our family.
In The Mary Morton Parsons Foundation Gallery one will find the "Young Virginian" exhibit which includes a life-size model of Washington as a 19-year-old surveyor. From their web site: "Forest sounds and moving animals set the stage for 18th-century western Virginia, where visitors see Washington’s original surveying tools and learn how to conduct a survey themselves." Notice that the exhibit contains Washington's original surveying tools! Are these the same measuring chains our ancestor carried with John Lonem when laying out the town of Little Washington? We know that Edward was with Washington on at least 11 surveys, so it seems probable that he would have carried these very chains at some point (since he is unlikely to have owned his own).
This new exhibit lets us look on the face of Washington as Edward Corder saw him, and since we can't look on the face of Edward, this will just have to be the next best thing.
Jonathan O. Corder's Confederate Pension Application Posted
Originally published February 26, 2010
I've just added a new PDF to the "Original Documents" section of the Edward Corder Memorial Library. Jonathan O. Corder's Civil War pension application contains much valuable information to help us trace his service during the four years of the war. The pension application was made during the summer of 1916, when Jonathan was 73 (and earning only $20.00 per annum as a farmer). Due to a series of frequent and convoluted transfers and splits of command of his cavalry unit, the state of Virginia required some clarification from the applicant, so we're fortunate that there was some correspondence between Jonathan and Richmond wherein he explained a service record that would have otherwise been very difficult to follow. (Sort of like that sentence.)
Jonathan was one of the sons of Elijah Corder Jr. and Nancy Osborne Corder of Scott County, VA (and my gr. gr. grandfather).
You can find the PDF near the bottom of the page at this page.
I've just added a new PDF to the "Original Documents" section of the Edward Corder Memorial Library. Jonathan O. Corder's Civil War pension application contains much valuable information to help us trace his service during the four years of the war. The pension application was made during the summer of 1916, when Jonathan was 73 (and earning only $20.00 per annum as a farmer). Due to a series of frequent and convoluted transfers and splits of command of his cavalry unit, the state of Virginia required some clarification from the applicant, so we're fortunate that there was some correspondence between Jonathan and Richmond wherein he explained a service record that would have otherwise been very difficult to follow. (Sort of like that sentence.)
Jonathan was one of the sons of Elijah Corder Jr. and Nancy Osborne Corder of Scott County, VA (and my gr. gr. grandfather).
You can find the PDF near the bottom of the page at this page.
Searching for very old Henderson Bible last seen in 1970 in Burlington, NC
Originally published December 14, 2009
I am searching for anyone who knows or knew Mrs. V. D. Campbell (living in Burlington, NC as of 1970). Mrs. Campbell was the person last known to own the Henderson family Bible which belonged to Obediah Henderson b. 1799, son of Isaac Henderson b. 1753, who was in turn the son of Argalus / Argaleus Henderson b. ca. 1727 of Chatham (formerly Orange) County, NC.
According to my aunt Thelma Henderson Schoolfield: "The Henderson family Bible exists, printed in 1815 and containing recorded births in the 1700’s. It is owned by Mrs. V. D. Campbell, 1144 Church Street, Burlington, N. C. (1970). Mrs. Campbell’s ancestor, Obediah Henderson, gained possession of the Bible at his mother’s sale of household property following her death (Henrietta Henderson). It has remained in that branch of the family since."
If anyone knows of Mrs. V. D. Campbell or any of her relatives or descendants, or what Mrs. Campbell did with the Bible after 1970, please contact me (Laura Henderson) at genealogy@laurahenderson.com. I am trying to prove my line back to Argalus Henderson and this Bible is the "missing link" that I seek.
I am searching for anyone who knows or knew Mrs. V. D. Campbell (living in Burlington, NC as of 1970). Mrs. Campbell was the person last known to own the Henderson family Bible which belonged to Obediah Henderson b. 1799, son of Isaac Henderson b. 1753, who was in turn the son of Argalus / Argaleus Henderson b. ca. 1727 of Chatham (formerly Orange) County, NC.
According to my aunt Thelma Henderson Schoolfield: "The Henderson family Bible exists, printed in 1815 and containing recorded births in the 1700’s. It is owned by Mrs. V. D. Campbell, 1144 Church Street, Burlington, N. C. (1970). Mrs. Campbell’s ancestor, Obediah Henderson, gained possession of the Bible at his mother’s sale of household property following her death (Henrietta Henderson). It has remained in that branch of the family since."
If anyone knows of Mrs. V. D. Campbell or any of her relatives or descendants, or what Mrs. Campbell did with the Bible after 1970, please contact me (Laura Henderson) at genealogy@laurahenderson.com. I am trying to prove my line back to Argalus Henderson and this Bible is the "missing link" that I seek.
New Information on the Baltimore Hendersons lends credence to theory that they may have come to America by way of Ireland
Originally published December 12, 2009
We've made some significant progress on the Baltimore Hendersons since first learning of their relationship to the G1 Family Group. Credit goes to Carol B. for inviting cousin Joyce E. to share her excellent research with the group. Joyce has been working on the G1-K096 (Baltimore) family for many years and has traced the line back to John W. Henderson, born in Scotland (or possibly Ireland)...OR...Alexandria VA...OR...Baltimore MD. The trick now is to find out which place!
A cursory examination of the book Passenger Arrivals at the Port of Baltimore 1820-1834 (transcribed by Elizabeth P. Bentley, edited by Michael Tepper) shows sixty Henderson immigrants. All but seven of these Henderson immigrants are listed as having come from Ireland, but there is no way to be sure which of the John Hendersons (if any) on this list might be our John W. Henderson. (Three of the seven non-Irish Hendersons are Johns). I will blog more about this resource in my next entry.
According to Joyce's work, John W. Henderson married Kiturah/Keturah Bowen on 31 July 1827 in Baltimore, Maryland. Their large family appears regularly throughout mid-to-late 19th century Baltimore census records, but those records appear to indicate that John W. died prior to 1850.
I am currently working on inputting Joyce's notes into my database and will add a summary of information on this line as soon as I have had a chance to absorb and summarize the implications of what I learn there.
Note: Our family group has since been re-categorized on the Henderson DNA results page and no longer falls under the G1 designation. Our line is now part of Group C4, R-M269. Our family group runs from test number 82161 through 69522 as of 1/25/15.
We've made some significant progress on the Baltimore Hendersons since first learning of their relationship to the G1 Family Group. Credit goes to Carol B. for inviting cousin Joyce E. to share her excellent research with the group. Joyce has been working on the G1-K096 (Baltimore) family for many years and has traced the line back to John W. Henderson, born in Scotland (or possibly Ireland)...OR...Alexandria VA...OR...Baltimore MD. The trick now is to find out which place!
A cursory examination of the book Passenger Arrivals at the Port of Baltimore 1820-1834 (transcribed by Elizabeth P. Bentley, edited by Michael Tepper) shows sixty Henderson immigrants. All but seven of these Henderson immigrants are listed as having come from Ireland, but there is no way to be sure which of the John Hendersons (if any) on this list might be our John W. Henderson. (Three of the seven non-Irish Hendersons are Johns). I will blog more about this resource in my next entry.
According to Joyce's work, John W. Henderson married Kiturah/Keturah Bowen on 31 July 1827 in Baltimore, Maryland. Their large family appears regularly throughout mid-to-late 19th century Baltimore census records, but those records appear to indicate that John W. died prior to 1850.
I am currently working on inputting Joyce's notes into my database and will add a summary of information on this line as soon as I have had a chance to absorb and summarize the implications of what I learn there.
Note: Our family group has since been re-categorized on the Henderson DNA results page and no longer falls under the G1 designation. Our line is now part of Group C4, R-M269. Our family group runs from test number 82161 through 69522 as of 1/25/15.
Pursuing an Ulster Connection for the Hendersons
Originally published October 20, 2009
There is longstanding speculation as to whether or not the Chesapeake Hendersons came directly to Virginia from Scotland, or whether the family may have been in Ulster for one or two generations prior to emigrating to America. A recent DNA match with a line of Hendersons first identified in Baltimore in 1833 fuels the speculation further. 1880 census information from two Baltimore Hendersons believed to be brothers gives conflicting "place of birth" information for their father. One says "Scotland," the other "Ireland." Unfortunately, later census information says the father of the men was born in "Maryland," so no firm conclusions can be drawn.
In an effort to explore a possible connection to Ulster, I am seeking to correspond with Hendersons who can document their ancestry back to that area of Ireland. I was recently contacted by Bill Henderson, a resident of the Isle of Man, who can trace his family back to County Londonderry in the early 1700's. Bill is interested in DNA testing, and while it's definitely a long shot, I find myself hoping he is a match to us. If any readers of this blog are Hendersons who can document their ancestry back to the Ulster Plantations, please leave me a comment with your contact information.
There is longstanding speculation as to whether or not the Chesapeake Hendersons came directly to Virginia from Scotland, or whether the family may have been in Ulster for one or two generations prior to emigrating to America. A recent DNA match with a line of Hendersons first identified in Baltimore in 1833 fuels the speculation further. 1880 census information from two Baltimore Hendersons believed to be brothers gives conflicting "place of birth" information for their father. One says "Scotland," the other "Ireland." Unfortunately, later census information says the father of the men was born in "Maryland," so no firm conclusions can be drawn.
In an effort to explore a possible connection to Ulster, I am seeking to correspond with Hendersons who can document their ancestry back to that area of Ireland. I was recently contacted by Bill Henderson, a resident of the Isle of Man, who can trace his family back to County Londonderry in the early 1700's. Bill is interested in DNA testing, and while it's definitely a long shot, I find myself hoping he is a match to us. If any readers of this blog are Hendersons who can document their ancestry back to the Ulster Plantations, please leave me a comment with your contact information.
Laura HendersonDecember 12, 2009 at 4:47 PM
As a follow-up to this post, Bill's DNA test results are in, and he is not a match to our line. Nevertheless, I am confident that the more we test, the more we'll know! Please contact me if you are a UK male Henderson who can trace your roots prior to 1800 and would be willing to participate in the Clan Henderson Society's DNA project to help other Hendersons discover their origins!
More on the Brooks Brothers and Daniel Boone
Originally posted July 1, 2009
I didn't have as much time at the Warren County Heritage Society today as I'd have liked, so I didn't get to really dig into a book on Daniel Boone that I found found a few minutes before I had to leave. There were references to the scrappy Brooks brothers, though, and I learned that Thomas Brooks married Daniel's niece, Sarah Boone. According to the author of the genealogy, Thomas, William and Samuel were natives of Fauquier County, VA. A quick search online when I returned home seems to indicate that these three Brookses were descendants of a Peter Brooks, although at least one researcher says there is no proof of them having come from Fauquier.
Three Brooks Brothers were involved in the adventures of Blue Licks, KY with Daniel Boone
Originally posted June 30, 2009
I continue to plug along through my Brooks Genbox, reading and sifting. One of the interesting leads found by Carol Redd deals with three Brooks brothers who were part of Daniel Boone's party. Although we don't know if these Books belong to the R1a line or not, it's still an interesting story and character sketch. Carol's family has an oral tradition of her Brookses having some association with Daniel Boone.
In 1782 a list of salt makers captured by indians at The Blue Licks (in Kentucky) includes a William Brooks and Samuel Brooks. A Thomas Brooks (Boone's scout and brother to William and Samuel) was not captured. William was ransomed to the British at Detroit along with many others captured at the same time, but Samuel died in captivity.
John Mack Faragher's book on Daniel Boone includes the following intriguing passage: "Communications between settlements depended on the scouts Thomas Brooks and Simon Kenton at Boonesborough, both men in their early twenties but hardened to life on the border, 'men with the bark on,' as people then put it. Brooks, who later married a Boone woman, was one of three equally irascible brothers. He so loved a fight, it was said, that after going a spell without one, he offered a big stranger a guinea to go a round or two in a local tavern. The man accepted and proceeded to beat him up badly; Brooks left the tavern hurting but happy."
In 1782 a list of salt makers captured by indians at The Blue Licks (in Kentucky) includes a William Brooks and Samuel Brooks. A Thomas Brooks (Boone's scout and brother to William and Samuel) was not captured. William was ransomed to the British at Detroit along with many others captured at the same time, but Samuel died in captivity.
John Mack Faragher's book on Daniel Boone includes the following intriguing passage: "Communications between settlements depended on the scouts Thomas Brooks and Simon Kenton at Boonesborough, both men in their early twenties but hardened to life on the border, 'men with the bark on,' as people then put it. Brooks, who later married a Boone woman, was one of three equally irascible brothers. He so loved a fight, it was said, that after going a spell without one, he offered a big stranger a guinea to go a round or two in a local tavern. The man accepted and proceeded to beat him up badly; Brooks left the tavern hurting but happy."
Google Books allows you to search and read from this book: Daniel Boone: The Life and Legend of an American Pioneer.
Without a Doubt, the Blood Will Out!
Originally published Tuesday, June 30, 2009
New DNA Match links James (Isaac) Henderson line to Chesapeake/Delmarva Hendersons
A 12-marker match between two descendants of James (Isaac) Henderson and a descendant of Barnabas Henderson has ended years of speculation about a link between the two families.
The Barnabas Henderson line of Onslow County, NC can trace their roots back to the 17th century James Henderson who settled in Accomack/Northampton County, VA and Somerset County, MD. Eastern shore records on James Henderson are relatively plentiful (in consideration of the era) and further examination of available documents and research will be required in order to determine whether James (Isaac) Henderson was a descendant of the Chesapeake group, or a cousin with a common ancestor in the UK.
A 12-marker match between two descendants of James (Isaac) Henderson and a descendant of Barnabas Henderson has ended years of speculation about a link between the two families.
The Barnabas Henderson line of Onslow County, NC can trace their roots back to the 17th century James Henderson who settled in Accomack/Northampton County, VA and Somerset County, MD. Eastern shore records on James Henderson are relatively plentiful (in consideration of the era) and further examination of available documents and research will be required in order to determine whether James (Isaac) Henderson was a descendant of the Chesapeake group, or a cousin with a common ancestor in the UK.
Updates to Corder Family Timeline
Originally published Monday, June 29, 2009
This is a link to an Excel spreadsheet of my working timeline for this family. The file includes tabs for unidentified individual records and limited entries for lines or individuals known to be unrelated to ours (to help distinguish from our own entries). This is an ongoing work in progress. Please feel free to download this file or share the link, but I request that you not share or re-post the actual Excel file since it is updated frequently. Please subscribe to this blog to be notified of updates.
Corder Family Timeline.xls
Corder Family Timeline.xls
Could Susannah (or her first husband) have been a Harvey?
Originally posted Sunday, June 28, 2009
Those of you who have been following the Corder Family DNA project will know that we had a genetic mismatch between two sons of Susannah [maiden name unknown] Corder, wife of Edward Corder II. Eldest son Benjamin Corder's Y-DNA signature does not match the Y-DNA signatures of younger sons Elijah Corder Sr. and Stephen Corder. This has lead us to conclude that Susannah already had one or more children when she married Edward Corder II sometime in the 1760's. It is possible that Susannah had a prior marriage, as she apparently also had one or more daughters believed to be older than Benjamin.
On January 19, 1797 Elizabeth Corder (daughter of Susannah, although she may or may not have been the biological child of Edward) married Thomas Cassidy in Burke's Garden, Tazewell County, VA (formerly Montgomery County, VA). Thomas and Elizabeth Corder Cassidy had six children before she died in about 1815. They were: Hiram b. ca 1799, Benjamin b. October 18, 1800; Elizabeth b. ca 1806; Thomas b. ca 1812; Harve b. ca 1814; and Margaret b. ca 1815.
It looks like Elizabeth named one child for her brother Benjamin. She named a younger son Harve (Harvey). Benjamin's family line uses the name Harvey frequently through the subsequent generations. Notice that Elizabeth does not name any of her children Edward, nor does she name any of her sons after her younger brothers. From what I've seen, the lines of Edward's biological sons do not use the names Benjamin or Harvey (although they do use Stephen, Edward, John [a brother to Edward II], Elijah, and Elinor [possibly the name of Edward II's mother] frequently).
Based on these naming patterns, I wonder if it makes sense to theorize that Elizabeth and Benjamin were full siblings through their mother Mary Susannah's (or Susannah Mary) first marriage, and that either Susannah's maiden name was Harvey (although if so, you would think that the name would have been passed through the younger Corder lines as well), or more likely, their biological father was named Harvey (first or last name)?
The following comments were made to the original blog post:
Laura,
I have just started to pick up work on our family where my sister left off (to save her sanity!). I have just found our connection to Edward Corder and Susannah through Elizabeth Corder (her daughter Elizabeth Payne Cassady married our Robert Dillow and Thomas Cassady lived his last years in the Robert/Elizabeth Dillow home in KY. From your research, it looks s though the Elizabeths may not be a blood line to Edward. When my brother completes the Family DNA would this verify yes or no?
I have just started to pick up work on our family where my sister left off (to save her sanity!). I have just found our connection to Edward Corder and Susannah through Elizabeth Corder (her daughter Elizabeth Payne Cassady married our Robert Dillow and Thomas Cassady lived his last years in the Robert/Elizabeth Dillow home in KY. From your research, it looks s though the Elizabeths may not be a blood line to Edward. When my brother completes the Family DNA would this verify yes or no?
Katharine, it appears that Susannah probably already had Benjamin (and therefore any of his older sisters) when she married Edward Corder. Unfortunately a DNA test for your brother won't provide any information on the Corder line. The Y-chromosome test only gives information about the direct-male line (your brother's father's, father's, father's, father's line, in other words).
I would love to keep in touch with you on the Corders, though, as we try to identify Susannah, our common ancestress. Please email me directly at genealogy@laurahenderson.com
I would love to keep in touch with you on the Corders, though, as we try to identify Susannah, our common ancestress. Please email me directly at genealogy@laurahenderson.com
Anonymous said...
Laura,
My maternal g'father was Stephen Nicholas Corder, son of James Browden (Jim) Corder, son of James Corder, son of Benjamin. I'm also very interested in following this line. Thank you for all the work you've put into this! Nicki Hughs Ryan
My maternal g'father was Stephen Nicholas Corder, son of James Browden (Jim) Corder, son of James Corder, son of Benjamin. I'm also very interested in following this line. Thank you for all the work you've put into this! Nicki Hughs Ryan
I've come across something that might possibly be of interest in the Marriage Certificates from the Hopewell Monthly Meeting in Frederick County VA. On the "5th day of 2nd month" of 1794 one Job Harvey (of Berkley Co., VA, whose parents Amos and Kissiah were deceased) married Eleanor Ellis. Witnesses signing the marriage certificate included a Susannah Carter. Probably nothing, but thought I'd note it here. Since we don't know when or where our Susannah Corder died, I don't want to entirely rule out the possibility that she might be this Susannah "Carter." Total long-shot, but worth keeping on the table.
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