Source:
Samples, Wanda. Painting of Sawyer Homeplace. c. 1970. Digital image. Privately held by homeowner, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Warrensburg, TN. 2011.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
The Sawyer Homeplace
Source:
Samples, Wanda. Painting of Sawyer Homeplace. c. 1970. Digital image. Privately held by homeowner, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Warrensburg, TN. 2011.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Slaves named in Sarah Porter's Will (1833) - Amanuensis Monday
Thanks to John at Transylvanian Dutch who originated the Amanuensis Monday meme, providing a framework (and nudge) for transcribing family records, news clippings and other treasures.
I am continuing to process the documents acquired during my recent travels. This is a transcription of the will of Sarah Turner Conway Porter (10 Jun 1774 - 9 Jan 1834), my 4th great-grandmother. She was born in Fauquier County, VA and died in Jefferson County, TN. I found a photocopy of the will at the Daughters of the American Revolution Library. It was part of their Ancestor File for my 4th great-grandfather and Sarah's first husband, Joseph Conway. The will includes bequests of slaves to her heirs.
I am continuing to process the documents acquired during my recent travels. This is a transcription of the will of Sarah Turner Conway Porter (10 Jun 1774 - 9 Jan 1834), my 4th great-grandmother. She was born in Fauquier County, VA and died in Jefferson County, TN. I found a photocopy of the will at the Daughters of the American Revolution Library. It was part of their Ancestor File for my 4th great-grandfather and Sarah's first husband, Joseph Conway. The will includes bequests of slaves to her heirs.
Though no source information was included in the file regarding the filing date or location of the original will I have been told it was filed in Jefferson County, TN. There was a lawsuit resulting from the will that ended up being heard by the Tennessee Supreme Court in 1840.
Sarah Porters Will
The last Will and Testament of Sarah Porter of Jefferson County, East Tennessee. Considering the uncertainty of this mortal life and being of Sound mind and memory ____ __ almighty God for the same, do make and publish this my last Will and Testament in ____ and Terms Following: That is to say, First. I give and bequeath unto my daughter Sarah Hogain, the Mahoggany sideboard and one dozen gilt Windsor chairs. Item I give and bequeath all the balance of my property both real and personal, that I die possessed of, ( Consisting of four negroes, Viz., Charlotte, Abraham, Ann and Warner household and kitchen furniture, farming utensils stock of all kind, Waggons gears & Horses and Lands ) to be divided into four equal fourth shares and shares alike. First to my daughter Sarah Hogain and her heirs I give on share. Secondly to my son William Turner Conway and his heirs I give one other share. Thirdly I give one other share to my son James Christopher Conway and his heirs Fourthly, I give to my grandson Joseph Porter Conway ___. the fourth and last shares. But in case my said Granson Joseph Porters Conway should depart this life before he becomes of lawful age or before he has a lawful heir of his own body then and in that case the above devised share to my grandson Joseph Porter Conway should decend to his full blooded sisters and brothers, and lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my esteemed friends Major William Conway and William C. Hogain Esq of Green County and Peters Beckers and Charles T. P Jarnagin of Jefferson County, East Tennessee my lawful executors of this my last Will and Testament ___ing and annulling all former Wills by me made Testifying and Confirming this and none other to be my last Will and Testament. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this the day of June in the year of our Lord One Thousand eight hundred and thirty three.
Sarah Porter {Seal}Signed Sealed published and declared by the above
hand Sarah Porters to be her last Will and Testament
in the presence of us who at her request and in her presence
have subscribed our Names as Witnesses Hereunto
Eleventh line from the bottom on the first page interlined before signed
John W. HaillWilliam HaillAbraham {his X mark} DawsonA.
Notes - The lawsuit I referred to above states that Sarah Porter died in 1835. The information I've had handed down to me gives a date of 9 January 1834. I have not researched her death date and have no supporting documentation for the date I've used.
The photocopied will shows no date for Sarah Porter's signature beyond June, 1833.
Major William Conway was the nephew of Sarah's first husband, Joseph Conway. William Conway Hogain was the husband of Sarah's daughter as well as her first husband's grand-nephew. Charles Jarnigan was Sarah's grandson (through his mother Elizabeth Maree Conway, who died before her mother) and party to the subsequent lawsuit. There is no known relationship to Peter Beckers.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Serendipitous Results
When I started blogging last year I'd no idea who, if anyone, would be reading what I posted. Blogging was the first step in addressing the issue of what happens to Mom's stuff when Mom is off to greener pastures - be they eternal or the result of wanderlust. My goal was to share the stuff, most of which has been entirely private, with present and future family historians.
I'm blessed/cursed to be the family archivist. I have vital records, letters, diaries and photographs of my immigrant grandparents; boxes of papers and photo albums hauled up from my great-grandfather's house in 1996; crates of my grandmother's letters, photographs, research notes, grocery lists, bills, and newspaper clippings. There are a couple bags of research and photographs from my mother and aunt. This summer I've added digital copies of my husband's great-grandmother's papers to the mix. It's overwhelming. Who would be interested in this?
Well, it turns out people are!
GeneaBloggers LOVE reading each other's work. I suspect many of us have few people in our daily lives who are fascinated by the details of what we do. This was unexpected, but has been great fun.
Cousins have contacted me after reading the blog - especially on my father's side of the family. This has been a joy. It's the reason I began. Nothing beats connecting with family members interested in family history.
I've not had as much luck connecting with cousins in the more established American families I research, but I have been amazed by who has contacted me about those lines. I expected interest in the blog to be limited to family historians, but, with the power of Google, other researchers are finding posts of interest. I've had a wonderful exchange with a gentleman researching the history of his high school, a school where my great-uncle coached (more on that in a later post).
Three people researching house histories have emailed me. One man is researching a family home in the area where Thomas James Meredith's son settled. He kindly told me my Meredith posts have been helpful (hallelujah!!). Given how besotted I am with the family, this pleased me more than I can express. He's confirmed that the Thomas Meredith in Gloucester County is the son and generously offered to share some documents and photographs. I do love those Merediths!
Two people actually live in homes that belonged to great-grandparents. They found the blog by googling their addresses or the previous owners' (aka my g-grandfathers') names. Both are restoring the homes (to my delight) and have appreciated pictures and information about the houses and families that lived there. I've learned about present day adventures and had the chance to visit with the family living in my Sawyer family's homestead. I'd not been back since my last great-aunt died in 1996. It was beyond wonderful to see another family making the home their own. I even found an old painting of the house tucked in my archives (basement) and returned it to Tennessee. Far better it should hang there than gather dust and who knows what else in my "archives".
Not at all what I expected when I began this project, but these experiences have heartened and encouraged me to keep on digitizing and blogging. Now, back to work. Only a few thousand items left to scan or transcribe...
UPDATE
I mentioned that GeneaBloggers love reading one another's work. That this work also inspires and motivates us is not always so clear. I was catching up on back reading and saw once more a grand series of posts last month by Heather Wilkinson Rojo on her Nutfield Genealogy blog. She spent a week blogging about the joys of unexpected results in her Serendipity posts. I read them at the time and loved them. I have to think they inspired the theme and title of this post, though I was slow to recognize it. Belated hat tip to Heather!
I'm blessed/cursed to be the family archivist. I have vital records, letters, diaries and photographs of my immigrant grandparents; boxes of papers and photo albums hauled up from my great-grandfather's house in 1996; crates of my grandmother's letters, photographs, research notes, grocery lists, bills, and newspaper clippings. There are a couple bags of research and photographs from my mother and aunt. This summer I've added digital copies of my husband's great-grandmother's papers to the mix. It's overwhelming. Who would be interested in this?
Well, it turns out people are!
GeneaBloggers LOVE reading each other's work. I suspect many of us have few people in our daily lives who are fascinated by the details of what we do. This was unexpected, but has been great fun.
Cousins have contacted me after reading the blog - especially on my father's side of the family. This has been a joy. It's the reason I began. Nothing beats connecting with family members interested in family history.
I've not had as much luck connecting with cousins in the more established American families I research, but I have been amazed by who has contacted me about those lines. I expected interest in the blog to be limited to family historians, but, with the power of Google, other researchers are finding posts of interest. I've had a wonderful exchange with a gentleman researching the history of his high school, a school where my great-uncle coached (more on that in a later post).
Three people researching house histories have emailed me. One man is researching a family home in the area where Thomas James Meredith's son settled. He kindly told me my Meredith posts have been helpful (hallelujah!!). Given how besotted I am with the family, this pleased me more than I can express. He's confirmed that the Thomas Meredith in Gloucester County is the son and generously offered to share some documents and photographs. I do love those Merediths!
Two people actually live in homes that belonged to great-grandparents. They found the blog by googling their addresses or the previous owners' (aka my g-grandfathers') names. Both are restoring the homes (to my delight) and have appreciated pictures and information about the houses and families that lived there. I've learned about present day adventures and had the chance to visit with the family living in my Sawyer family's homestead. I'd not been back since my last great-aunt died in 1996. It was beyond wonderful to see another family making the home their own. I even found an old painting of the house tucked in my archives (basement) and returned it to Tennessee. Far better it should hang there than gather dust and who knows what else in my "archives".
Not at all what I expected when I began this project, but these experiences have heartened and encouraged me to keep on digitizing and blogging. Now, back to work. Only a few thousand items left to scan or transcribe...
UPDATE
I mentioned that GeneaBloggers love reading one another's work. That this work also inspires and motivates us is not always so clear. I was catching up on back reading and saw once more a grand series of posts last month by Heather Wilkinson Rojo on her Nutfield Genealogy blog. She spent a week blogging about the joys of unexpected results in her Serendipity posts. I read them at the time and loved them. I have to think they inspired the theme and title of this post, though I was slow to recognize it. Belated hat tip to Heather!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Out for a Stroll - (Almost) Wordless Wednesday
 |
| l to r - Annette Clark, Jerry Clark, Iva Sawyer, Bob Sawyer |
This picture of my grandparents (on the right) and their friends has always amused me. It was taken in 1925, shortly after they were married in Portland, OR. They seem awfully dolled up for a picnic or park outing, yet the setting seems to indicate that's exactly where they were.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Selling the Meredith Land - Amanuensis Monday
Thanks to John at Transylvanian Dutch who originated the Amanuensis Monday meme, providing a framework (and nudge) for transcribing family records, news clippings and other treasures.
I am beginning to process the documents copied at the Library of Virginia during my recent travels. This deed documents the 1838 sale of the land my husband's 3rd great-grandfather, John Meredith, willed to his eldest son, Thomas James Meredith in 1834.
I am beginning to process the documents copied at the Library of Virginia during my recent travels. This deed documents the 1838 sale of the land my husband's 3rd great-grandfather, John Meredith, willed to his eldest son, Thomas James Meredith in 1834.
This Indenture made the 17th July 1838 between Thomas J. Meredith of the County of Richmond of the one part and George W. Flowers of the county of Lancaster of the other part each of the state of Virginia: witnesseth that the said Thomas J. Meredith for and in consideration of the sum of Three thousand five hundred dollars to him by the said George W. Flowers agreed to be paid hath granted bargained and sold and by these presents doth grant bargain sell and convey unto the said George W. Flowers his heirs and assigns a certain tract or parcel of Land containing one hundred and seventy four acres or the same more or less lying and being in the County of Lancaster and on Dymers Creek and being the same tract of Land devised by the last will and testament of John Meredith decd: to the said Thomas James Meredith --
To have and to hold the said tract or parcel of Land with the appurtenances thereto belonging from and after the first day of January next To him the said George W. Flowers his heirs and assigns forever: and the said Thomas James Meredith for himself and his heirs exors & admons doth hereby convenant and agree to and with the said George W. Flowers his heirs and assigns that he said Thomas J. Meredith and his heirs the said tract or parcel of land with its appurtenances unto the said George W. Flowers his heirs and assigns against him the said Thomas J. Meredith and his heirs and against all persons whomsoever shall and & will by these presents forever warrant and defend. In witness whereof the said Thomas J. Meredith hath hereto set his hand & affixed his seal the day and year above written --
signed sealed and delivered } Thomas J. Meredith {Seal}
in presence of }
Ro: T. Dunaway
B. M. Walker
James E. Waddey
The grave yard on the premises hereby conveyed is excepted & reserved to the said Thomas J Meredith his heirs and assigns forever say one fourth of an acre.
witness Geo: W. Flowers
Ro: T. Dunaway
At a Court held for the County of Lancaster on the 16th day of September 1839. This deed from Thomas J. Meredith to George W. Flowers was proved by the oaths of Ro: T. Dunaway, Benjamin M. Walker & James E. Waddey witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded.
Teste,
Benjamin M. Walker cl
Notes ~ This deed narrows the locations possible for John Meredith's land, land he had inherited from his father, William Meredith. His home was referred to as Plum Hill in an obituary appearing in a Richmond newspaper. No such name exists in the area today, but Place-names of the Northern Neck of Virginia by Mary Ruth Miller (Richmond, VA: Virginia State Library 1983) mentions Plum Tree Swamp as a marsh, located in Northumberland or Lancaster Counties in the vicinity of Fleets Bay. The deed's mention of Dymers Creek supports a Fleets Bay location. Dymer Creek is located in Lancaster County and separates Fleets Bay Neck and Poplar Neck before it empties into the Bay.
The mention of a graveyard intrigues me. My assumption is that William and Caty Yerby Meredith (John's parents), John, at least one of his three wives, and other Meredith siblings were buried there. I've found no other mention of a Meredith graveyard before this. The map above does indicate two cemeteries that are not visible on Google Earth.
Sources
Lancaster, VA, Deed Book 39:78, Thomas J. Meredith to George W. Flowers, 17 Jul 1838. Library of Virginia Film #13. Digital image.
Map from the Virginia Department of Health's Shoreline Sanitary Survey for Indian, Dymer and Tabbs Creek, dated 11 June 2011. (http://www.vdh.state.va.us/EnvironmentalHealth/shellfish/shoreline/survey016.pdf. Accessed 31 Jul 2011.)
Lancaster, VA, Deed Book 39:78, Thomas J. Meredith to George W. Flowers, 17 Jul 1838. Library of Virginia Film #13. Digital image.
Map from the Virginia Department of Health's Shoreline Sanitary Survey for Indian, Dymer and Tabbs Creek, dated 11 June 2011. (http://www.vdh.state.va.us/EnvironmentalHealth/shellfish/shoreline/survey016.pdf. Accessed 31 Jul 2011.)
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