The following is the work of Joyce Hetrick.  All of her ancestors are our ancestors here.

Chapter

Caswell County, North Carolina

The Turners & the Yanceys

MILLEY TURNER-4 HOLMES’ father, YANCY TURNER-3, born October 30, 1786, was the illegitimate son of THOMAS GRAVES YANCEY and SUSANNAH TURNER-2 from Caswell County, North Carolina. Both of YANCY’s parents were from prominent families. THOMAS GRAVES YANCEY lived and died in Caswell County, North Carolina, but SUSANNAH TURNER-2 eventually married and moved to Sumner County with her husband, James Donoho, around 1805. [Doss, Simmons, Turner Family Bible, 1857.]

Illegitimacy was not as “rare” then as we might now suppose. In the post-Elizabethan- pre-Victorian era, women were frequently brought before the county courts to be prosecuted for producing bastard children. YANCY’s mother, SUSANNAH TURNER, however, because she was from one of the “better” families in the area, and would not become a “charge” [burden] on the church to support her and her child, was not prosecuted. In fact, SUSANNAH actually sued for, and apparently received, monetary damages from THOMAS YANCEY. In Genealogical Evidence, the author states on page 3, concerning bastards:

Sir William Blackstone summarized the rights [or lack of them] of illegitimate children thusly, “I proceed next to the right and incapacities which appertain to a bastard. The rights are very few, being only such as he can acquire, for he can inherit nothing, being looked upon as the son of nobody; and sometimes called filius nullius, somtimes filius populi. Yet he may gain a surname [sic] by reputation, though he have none by inheritance.

The first permanent settlement was made in the Carolinas about 1650. It wasn’t until 1729, when the proprietary government of the colony was dissolved, that North Carolina was divided into three precincts or counties: Albemarle, Bath, and Clarendon. In 1734, it was again divided, and again in 1748, when Anson was created. Anson contained areas that are now contained in Rowan, Iredell, and other counties. North Carolina was settled in the 1750s by overflow from Virginia, primarily by English, Scots, and Scots-Irish stock. North Carolina was more open to settlement than some of the previously settled colonies. In the pre-Revolutionary days, when some of our ancestors settled in Caswell County, in the north-central area, the lines between the colonies were rather vague. Whether they were in one colony or another didn’t matter a great deal because they were on the edge of the frontier. Land was not entirely “free,” as quit-rents or payments of some kind were in order, but land was more available.

Caswell was one of the premier “jumping off places” of the Carolinas and many of our families at least passed through this region for a generation or two. The county records are well indexed and abstracted and this has facilitated research for many families.

In trying to untangle the complicated records however, the fact that several influential men in the county were related to us has helped very much.

YANCY TURNER’s mother, SUSANNAH, was the daughter of HENRY TURNER, Sr., and his wife ANN___?__. From the family Bible of one of their daughters, we know that HENRY was born September 25, 1721. He may have been born in the area that became Culpepper County, Virginia. We know he lived there shortly before his move to Caswell County, North Carolina, probably during the early part of the Revolution. [Family Bible of James Kimbrough and Nancy Turner.]

Culpepper County, Virginia Research

The Finney Connection

Researchers have not found the name of HENRY TURNER’s father, though there are several other men named Turner in and around his residence in Culpepper County, Virginia. Culpepper County records are not complete, and this hampers the research. Apparently, too, the families in question came to the area predating the formation of Culpepper County in 1748. Since HENRY was born in 1721, he would have been an adult at the time the county was formed. The earliest mention found of what is our HENRY in church records, is in 1769, when he received cash for one bushel of salt from the vestry. Pre-dating our HENRY’s majority, though, there are one or two records that connect both him and other men named Turner to the “Finney,” family in the area. This family was also referred to as “Finnell” and “Finalson.”

Since deeds in most of the eastern portion of the country are in “metes and bounds,” deeds frequently mention lands that “adjoin” other lands, or “corner to” someone’s lands. This listing of the neighbors’ lands gives us some general idea who lived or owned land nearby. In this particular case, where many other records are missing, these deeds become very important for researchers.

The earliest Turner Family~Finney Family connection seems to be with a Mr. Robert Turner, who was resident there in 1731, and who was church warden for a couple of years, beginning in 1732. [HENRY would have been about ten years old at this time.] One of the other vestry men at the same time was “Major John Finlason, Gentleman.” The very fact that these two men were appointed to these two posts shows that they had some substance and influence in the community, which, at that time, was still pretty much a wilderness. In order to “make sense” of the sequence of things we must first point out HENRY’s connection to the Finney family [“Fennill and Finalson”], then “back track” and see if we can find an earlier record that might give us a clue to follow in future research. The most important piece of evidence is found in the will of James Finney of Culpepper County.

James Finney-i, in an instrument dated February 18, 1764, willed a piece of property in Culpepper County, Virginia, to “my well beloved brother-in-law, HENRY TURNER,” land at “Rawlin’s” and Rice’s dividing corner. He named his children: John Finney-ii, James Finney-ii, Mary Finney-ii, William Finney-ii, and Elizabeth Finney-ii.

A deed dated March 12, 1767, in which “Jeremiah Rowline of St. Margaret’s Parish, Caroline County, sold to William Plier, of Louisa County, Bromfield Parish, land which Rowline purchased of Ware, late of Caroline County, adj. [adjacent] land of James Finney and Michael Rice. Land now owned by Nathan Underwood,” seems to refer to this land.

An earlier deed, dated June 27, in Book 10, page 74-75, mentions lands that were “part of Orange called Augusta …part of patent granted to Thomas Zackery and James Finney for 400 acres in St. Thomas Parish in the Little fork on Rappadan River.”

A letter from Shirley Hern to the author says, “Notes from Bible Records of Josiah Turner [William Gaston DAR Chapter] grandson of HENRY TURNER, SR., said HENRY had a sister who married James Finney and brothers by the names of George, James, Rentley, Walker, Underwood, Barber, Throgmorton and Madison Turner.” It continued. “Old Aunt Dolly Harris lived with HENRY and came to North Carolina with him.” Shirley commented on the above, “I have not found any Turners with the unusual names listed above which are, of course, surnames, that may point to some family connection. I have seen a Martin Turner, possibly short for Throgmorton.”

It is also possible that the unusual given names were the “middle” names of these Turner men, by which they were familiarly called, but official records might identify them by their “first” names and surname, i.e., a man named “John Underwood Turner” might be called “Wood Turner” within the family, but official courthouse records might call him “John Turner.”

Interestingly enough, the surnames mentioned by Josiah Turner are found in families surrounding the area of HENRY TURNER’s residence in Culpepper. Culpepper’s records are not complete, which hampers research somewhat, but there are a few deeds and some church vestry minutes still existent. So, we will back-track a bit to the area that became Culpepper County in 1748. St. Mark’s Parish contained the lands that would become Culpepper, and some of the church records still exist.

The Vestry Book of St. Mark’s Parish mentions Mr. Robert Turner, in 1731, living near Isaac Norman, who was the father of Karrenhappuck Norman Turner, the wife of James Turner. Robert Turner was the Rector of the Parish levy for 1733. In 1735, James Turner, possibly the same James Turner who was married to Karrenhappuck Norman, was also listed in the parish. These are some of the men named Turner who lived in the area previous to HENRY’s majority.

Robert Turner and Katherine, his wife, of St. George’s Parish, Spotsylvania County, deeded to James Rawlins of said parish and county for 20 pounds current money, 40 acres in Spotsylvania County, part of tract coveyed to said [Robert]Turner by Rowland Thomas and part of a patent granted said [Rowland] Thomas, June 16, 1727. The deed was witnessed by Edmund Waller, Z. Lewis, and George Woodroof. [Spotsylvania County Records, pg. 153.] Spotsylvania predated the division of lands creating Culpepper.

The earliest mention of what is probably this man that has been found is the St. Mark’s Parish Levies 1731-1783, when in 1731, Robert Turner received 100 pounds of tobacco as “pay” for “assisting church wardens.” The same list mentioned “John Finlason, Gent, assigne of George Hoome for surveying, 800 pounds.”

In 1732, Robert Turner was paid by the St. Mark’s vestry for “delinquents and other charges” 1,304 pounds of tobacco. John Finalson, Gent, was paid 200 pounds for “services.” On page 12, Robert Turner was appointed Rector of the parish levy. He was directed to receive of the 755 tithables a tax of 69 pounds each. John Finlason was one of the two church wardens that year.

In 1733, the church wardens on behalf of the vestry offered the “Honorable Colln. Alexander Spotswood, esqire, the prfarance of chooseing a place in the New Church for aseate for himself and his family and that the church Wardens make return of his Hnrs. Answer to the next vestry.” [St. Mark’s Parish Levies, pg 14.]

There is a mention in the records in 1735 of James McCullough suing Jonathan Finney for assault on April 15, 1734. Jonathan Finney “by his attorney, Robert Turner, says he is not guilty…the plaintiff made an assault on him.” Later, “Jonathan Fennill, commonly called Jonathan Finney, not guilty of assault.” At the time this event took place, HENRY TURNER-1 would have been but a boy [age 13 or 14.] These records tie together the Turner and Finney families, at a date when HENRY was a child. These records also give an approximate date of birth for this Robert Turner of at least before 1714. [This would make him at least an age-peer of James Turner, who married Karenhappuck Norman, though he may have been older.] If this is the same Robert Turner mentioned earlier, a birthdate of before 1712 is provable, but is probably much earlier. A birth date of between 1690 and 1700 is much more likely.

It might also indicate that Jonathan Fennill was the stepson of Robert Turner. If that were the case, then it is possible that HENRY TURNER could be the son of Robert Turner, and James and Jonathan Finney/Fennill be the stepbrothers, or “brothers-in-law” to our HENRY. This is conjecture, of course, until we find more data to support this possibility.

Thomas Finnell witnessed a deed in November of 1748. In 1753, a deed had mentioned that Jonathan Finnel and Mary, his wife, of Orange County, had sold lands to Richard Vernon. In 1754, a deed mentioned “formerly a corner Jonathan Finnell, now Richard Vernon…south side Cave’s road, North side main road to corner.” Culpepper had been formed in 1748, so this would indicate that Jonathan Finnell/Finney had moved from the area into Orange County at least by 1753 or 1754. [Everton’s Handy Book for Genealogists, pg 302.]

In August of 1755, Seth Thurston sold lands to Richard Wayt of Orange County, and the deed was witnessed by James Finney.

July 28, 1757, a bond was taken of Nathan Turner concerning some lands. On April 14, 1761, Alexander Waugh of Orange County gave some land to his son, Alexander, Jr., “in the low grounds of Cedar Run, corner to Nathan Turner,” and witnessed by William Finnell. What is apparently this same land was sold by Alexander Waugh, Jr., of Orange County, and mentioned the “corner to Nathan Turner.” The first mention of these lands had been in 1751 when Alexander Waugh of Orange County bought them from John Spotswood. Nathan Turner was already “cornering” to these lands in 1751, and the deeds indicate he was still there as late as 1757.

In July of 1760,Thomas Chew sold lands “corner to Zachary Finney.” In 1762, Julius Christy sold land “corner to James Finney and John Zachary. These deeds, and the Christian name of Zachery coupled with the surname of Finney, might lead us to believe that there is a marriage bond between the Finney family and the Zachery family somewhere predating the deeds by a generation.

In 1767, a mortgage, to secure 112 pounds due November, 1767, with interest, was given by Thomas Oxford, of Culpepper, for a slave named Bimbo, and one named Bell, “now in the possession of William Turner of Culpepper by virtue of his marriage with my mother Margaret Oxford at whose death the property becomes vested in me….” The next year, William Turner gave a lifetime lease to John Hume [“Hoome”] for 50 acres of land, with a rental payment of 500 pounds of tobacco yearly. [Dorman, Culpepper Deeds, pg. 613-614.]

In 1767, James Duncanson and his wife, Mary, and Hannah McCawley and James Finney and Ann, his wife, sold to James Barbour, Jr., land divised by Dr. William Lynn, late of Fredericksburg, deceased, to Mary McAwley, the now wife of James Duncanson as by will and test of William Lynn October 1, 1757, 230 acres devised by his will to his daughter Ann Dent, now the wife of James Finney. In 1768, James Finney and Ann, his wife, mortgaged several slaves to Samuel Pritchard. Since his father, James Finney-i, was deceased by this time, this man was James Finney-ii, who had married Ann Lynn.

Other deeds of interest are intertwined with records mentioning James Turner, who married Karrenhappuck Norman. Usually, these may be distinguished by the mentioning of either Karenhappuck or of the Norman connection. However, several of the deeds concerning other Turners and Finney/Finnell deeds are in close proximity to the Turner/Norman lands, underscoring that there still may be some connections between our TURNERS and the James Turner who married Karrenhappuck Norman.

James Turner, who married Karenhappuck Norman, is frequently mentioned in the court minutes, deeds, and other records in the surrounding counties and in Culpepper County. He bought and sold, traded, and inherited lands, as well as received gifts from his wife’s father. He may be a relative of HENRY’s, but he is not likely to be HENRY’s father. There is a well-researched line from this man, and HENRY is not among his known children. Karenhappuck Norman Turner was a gallant woman, and nursed her wounded son after the battle of Guilford Court House. She has had a monument erected attesting to her bravery.

James Turner, in 1751, received a mortgage from Robert Frogit [later, this name was shortened to Frogg] of St. Mark’s Parish, Culpepper, and James was listed as “of Hamilton Parish, Prince William County” at that time. [Culpepper Co. VA Deeds & Court Records.]

In 1753, James Turner, acknowledged by Karrenhappuck, his wife, “of Prince William County,” sold land to John Ashley “dividing a tract of land by them taken up in partnership granted to them by patent June 19, 1735.” This would put the date of birth of James, husband of Karrenhappuck, as at least before 1714. It would make him old enough to be the older brother of our HENRY, at the very least. Researchers of this family, however, do not find the name of our HENRY connected to this family. [Culpepper Co. VA Deeds & Court Records.]

A deed in Book C, Culpepper, dated April 28, 1757, mentions land “formerly purchased by [Mr.] King of Isaac Norman and James Turner by deeds of lease and release acknowledged in the Court of Spotsylvania by Norman and [James] Turner 2 Feb 1730/1 corner to Thomas Turner….on top of the Mountain.” The mention of the date this land was acknowledged gives us an even earlier date of birth for James Turner, the husband of Karenhappuck. If he acknowledged lands in 1730/1 [OS/NS], he must have been 21; therefore, born by 1709 or before, making him at least 12 years older than HENRY TURNER. This and estate records for James Turner almost eliminate his being HENRY’s father, but might make him a candidate for a brother.

In 1757, Nathan Turner gave a bond acknowledging his interest to some land purchased by Robert Johnson. Several deeds list Nathan Turner as living on Cedar Run above White’s spring.

In 1758, James Turner was still living in Prince William County. He was listed on a deed in Culpepper as buying lands from Margaret Johnson, widow of Peter Johnson.

In 1761, Conrad Kabler and his wife, of St. Mark’s Parish, Culpepper County, sold to James Turner of same [Culpepper County], planter, 9 ¾ acres in the Great Fork of Rappahannock River on south side of Mount Poney. September 18, 1765, James and Karrenhappuck were listed as of “St. Mark’s Parish” when they leased land to Samuel Stigler and also the 9 ¾ acres they got from Kabler in 1761. This might indicate that they had moved back to Culpepper.

In 1765, James Turner gave a bond to William Lightfoot for l500 current money to convey the dwelling house and plantation of his former residence, together with 100 acres adjoining the plantation of Lightfoot. “Which Isaac Norman gave unto Turner on the marriage of his daughter Karrenhappuck for the consideration of 50 pistoles.”

November 14, 1768 William Turner of Culpepper sold to George Roberts 100 acres on the mountain run for the term of his natural life. William Turner and his wife Margaret …that his heirs shall at the expiration of his and his wife’s natural lives deliver up the 100 acres unto George Roberts. In another deed on the same date, George Roberts and his wife, Elizabeth, deeded to William Turner the same 100 acres for their natural lives. William Turner, on the same date, leased land to John Hume [Hoome?] for Hume’s natural life. That land was also on mountain run. [Culpepper Deeds pg 613-14.]

In 1758, John Shotwell of Culpepper transferred lands to his brothers “above parish which my father, John Shotwell, deceased, bought of Nicholas Copeland,” in Norman’s & Turner’s lines. [Dorman, Culpepper County Virginia Deeds Book C 1757-1762, Book B. 1753-1756.]

In 1765, Edward Turner, Junior, of Culpepper, bought lands. In May of 1765, Charles Turner witnessed a deed. The Waugh lands had been bought by Elizabeth Willis from Alexander Waugh, Jr., in 1762, and in 1764, she sold those lands to John Willis, her son, and the “corner to Nathan Turner” was mentioned again. [Ibid.] [Where was Edward Turner, Senior?]

At this time, we can’t connect all our pieces of this “fabric” into the “patch-work quilt” that makes up this community and these families, but at some future date, perhaps we can.

Will of James Finney

Dated 18 February 1764

James Finney of Brumfield Parish in the county of Culpepper being in an ill state of health.

To my well beloved brother in law HENRY TURNER a certain tract or parcel of land lying in Culpepper County and bounded as followeth viz. Beginning at Rawlin’s and Rice’s dividing corner thence with Ware’s line to three white oaks corner in Ware’s line and George Anderson’s line, then north 10 degrees west 72 poles to a pine red oak and hickory in a line of Moses Battleys thence with Battlerys line two hundred poles to a dead pine stump.

Unto my much respected friend Thomas Buford 116 acres of land in Culpepper….Battley’s line, Beautiful run, Mayfield’s line, to John Blueford.

I lend to my beloved wife Elizabeth all and every [part of] my estate both real and personal during the time of her widowhood and no longer. If my wife Elizabeth shall marry again after my decease she shall have and can and I do lend her a child’s part of all my estate for and during her natural life and no longer, my lands only excepted.

After my decease and the decease or day of marriage of my wife Elizabeth all and every my lands to be equally divided between my two sons John Finney and James Finney.

….Equally divided between my well beloved children John Finney, James Finney, Mary Finney, William Finney, and Elizabeth Finney. My son William Finney shall remain with my son James Finney as my son William is non compus menties…..”

Exhibited in Court by Elizabeth Finney 16 August 1764.

An indenture from 25 November 1775, between John Finney, James Finny, Elizabeth Finney, HENRY TURNER and ANN TURNER of Culpepper County of one part and William Walker of the other part. In consideration of the sum of [those named] do grant land in Culpepper County in the Robinson fork containing 360 acres and bounded by John Buford and William Walker…and James Finney, and John Tinsley to Jonathan Underwood….a tract of land lately held and deeded by My Lord Fairfax for James Finey in Culpepper County 1757. [Culpepper County, Virginia, Deed Book H, pg 164-167.]

The 1757 date of patent for this land by James Finney-i gives us a rough idea of James Finney’s age as “born before 1736,” since he would have been at least 21 in 1757.

It was signed by James Finny, Elizabeth Finny, and by HENRY TURNER [H] his mark, and ANN TURNER [+], her mark. Presence [Witness?] Josh Wood to HENRY TURNER & his wife. William Kirtley & Elizabeth Finny, William Grayson, John Walker, Finny & Wife.

The “H” mark of this HENRY TURNER, who was married to a woman named “ANN,” closely matches the “H” mark on the will of our HENRY. The preponderance of evidence is that the “Henry” in Culpepper is our HENRY. Another deed in Culpepper, signed June 13, 1772, and exhibited in court March 9, 1774, from Martin Rouse and his wife, Frances, of Brumfield Parish, Culpepper, to Joseph Earley of same, was witnessed by Adam Gaar, Michael Gaar, and HENRY “H” TURNER, his mark. This mark also corresponds to our HENRY’s mark on his will. A deed in 1779, after our HENRY left Culpepper county, from Joseph & Jane Early & Adam Gaar was witnessed by John Finney.

In Colonial Virginia, a woman had to relinquish dower on any lands sold by her husband. The courts protected a wife from having her husband “force” her to sign a relinquishment against her will. A wife had a “dower right” to a life estate in one-third of her husband’s real estate at his death. If he sold land and she did not relinquish her dower right, after being “privately examined,” then at the death of her husband, she had a lifetime claim upon that land. Few men would buy lands unless the wife of the seller relinquished her dower because she might subsequently claim the land. Women did sue and win suits about lands sold by their husbands, either against their will, or with insufficient “private examinations.” Because married women were presumed not to have a will of their own, and were subject to the wills of their husbands, the courts made every attempt to protect the wife’s dower rights. Virginia usually took this relinquishment of dower very seriously and numerous lawsuits were successful in overturning sales of lands because the “relinquishment of dower” was not properly worded in the deed, even though it had obviously followed the form.

For some reason, probably distance from court or pregnancy, ANN TURNER and Elizabeth Finney were examined by sending someone to them, rather than having them come into court to be examined.

George the third to Joseph Wood and William Kirtley Gent, Greetings whereas Henry Turner and Ann his wife, John Finney and James Finney and Elizabeth his wife have conveyed unto William Walker 360 acres and whereas said Ann and Elizabeth cannot conveniently travel to our said county court to make acknowledgments of the said conveyance we do give you power to receive the acknowledgments which said Ann and Elizabeth shall be willing to give and when you have received their acknowledgments that you certifie us thereof in our said court. [Dated] 22^nd day of November in the XVI year of our Reign 1775.

On the 23 day of November the same year, the above entitled men certified that they had examined ANN and Elizabeth privately and they willingly signed. The indenture was proven June 17, 1776.

The term “mother-in-law” and “brother-in-law” were sometimes used to mean “stepmother” or “stepbrother” as we use the terms today, not “brother of my wife/husband” or “husband of my sister.” There are at least four ways in which our HENRY TURNER could be the “brother-in-law” of James Finney, Sr.

1. James Finney, Sr.’s wife, Elizabeth, could be HENRY’s sister, “Elizabeth Turner.”

2. ANN __?__ TURNER, could be James’ sister, ANN “Finney” TURNER.

3. HENRY TURNER’s father could have married the widowed mother of James Finney.

4. James Finney’s father could have married the widowed mother of HENRY TURNER.

James Finney could be HENRY’s “brother-in-law” in any of the above cases. Even knowing these possibilities, however, does not give us a definitive answer about the connection to the Finney family. The Finney will, along with the tantalizing evidence of the deeds and church records, still leaves us unable to make a solid connection at this point. There seems to be some “oral history” connected with #1 above, but as yet, this author’s mind is open.

Anne ___?___ Turner

In addition to the speculation about HENRY TURNER’s origins, there has been much speculation among researchers on the surname of ANNE, the wife of HENRY TURNER. HENRY-1 had a son, also named Henry Turner-2. After the move to Caswell, there was evidence of a marriage between “Henry Turner” and “Nancy Kimbrough, the daughter of Thomas Kimbrough,” as evidenced by Thomas Kimbrough’s will in 1777 mentioning bequests to his daughter, Nancy [Nannie], and her husband, “Henry Turner.” Since the name Nancy and Ann are “nicknames” for each other, some researchers suppose that ANNE, the wife of HENRY, Sr., was the “Nancy” spoken of in the Kimbrough will, rather than the wife of Henry, Jr. HENRY, Senior’s wife, ANNE, was never referred to in records found by this researcher as anything but “Anne.” [Caswell County, NC, Record Book E, pg 255; Culpepper Co., VA Deed Book H, pg 164-7, Will of Henry Turner, Caswell County, NC.]

We do know that the family of Thomas Kimbrough was allied with our TURNER family in the generations after HENRY, Sr., as there were several marriages between HENRY’s children and the grandchildren of Thomas Kimbrough of Caswell County, North Carolina. The GRAVES family was also allied with the family of Thomas Kimbrough, pre-dating Caswell residence. Thomas Kimbrough’s wife was Eleanor Graves-6, sister of JOHN GRAVES-6, whose daughter, ANN GRAVES-7., was the mother of SUSANNAH TURNER’s “boyfriend” [THOMAS GRAVES YANCEY] the father of YANCY TURNER.

After the TURNER and Kimbrough families moved to Caswell, they frequently interacted, as evidenced by the many estate sales of relatives and friends which they attended as a group. The first of these in the new county of Caswell was the estate sale of Joel Nowel [Noel] [page 15. Caswell County Will Book A, June 1777 to June 1783.] where HENRY TURNER-1, Thomas Kimbrow, Senior, BARTLETT YANCEY, John Graves, Jr., Thomas Graves, Thomas Lea, and several other familiar names, were present. Estate sales were usually frequented by close neighbors, close friends, and by the family.

No record was found in Caswell of a marriage between Henry Turner-2 and Nancy Kimbrough, so it is possible the marriage took place in Virginia before the family moved to Caswell. Henry, Junior-2 was at least 22 years old at the time of the move into North Carolina.

Since we know, from the 1800 census records, that Henry Turner, Jr., was old enough to be married by the time of the will in 1777, this researcher has long supposed that was the case, and that he, not his father, was the husband of Nancy Kimbrough. [Caswell County, US Census 1800.]

Thomas Kimbrough

Thomas Kimbrough was probably born in Virginia where he married Eleanor Graves-6 prior to 1747 [Louisa County OB 1742-8.] She is a descendant of CAPTAIN THOMAS GRAVES-1 [1580-1635.] Her father was THOMAS GRAVES, the 5^th generation from the Captain. She was raised in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Eleanor’s brother, JOHN GRAVES, the 6^th generation from the Captain, also moved to Caswell County, North Carolina. A deed in Spotsylvania records dated May 24, 1728, witnessed by Thomas Kimbrough, conveyed lands to John Graves, Jr. We aren’t sure just which of the many men named John Graves this refers to, but this deed would give a birth date forThomas Kimbrough of at least 1707 or before, assuming that it is the same Thomas Kimbrough. Thomas Kimbrough, husband of Eleanor Graves, died in 1777.

Kimbrough researchers think that Thomas was the son of John Kimbrough-i found in New Kent County, Virginia, from an early date. There is much printed research, which will not be reproduced here, about this family. It is available at most large genealogical libraries or on-line.

The children of Thomas Kimbrough-i and Eleanor Graves-6 Kimbrough

1. Nancy Kimbough-ii, who married, this researcher believes, Henry Turner, Jr.-2, before her father died in 1777. This is based upon the age of Henry, Jr., as evidenced by the census age which would have made him old enough to have been married much before 1777, as well as the will of her father, Thomas. There is much controversy over this connection. It is possible that this woman is ANNE, wife of HENRY TURNER, SR.

2. John Kimbrough-ii, born about 1744, married Mary, and died in 1822 in Caswell County. He and Mary had a daughter named Sarah Kimbrough-iii, who married John Turner-2, the son of HENRY-1 & ANN TURNER. John Kimbrough-ii’s son, James Kimbrough-iii, married Nancy Turner-2, daughter of HENRY-1.

3. William Kimbrough-ii

4. Robert Kimbrough-ii

5. Thomas Kimbrough-ii

6. Graves Kimbrough-ii, was probably afflicted, as there were special provisions made for him in his father’s will.

7. Sucky Kimbough-ii, married Edward Nowell [Noel]. The Kimbroughs and the TURNERS attended the estate sale of Joel Nowel [Noel] in 1777 soon after they moved to Caswell. This author is unsure what the connection between Edward and Joel Nowel might be. Proximity would indicate some relationship.

8. Mary Kimbough-ii, married John Bryant.

9. Elizabeth Kimbough-ii, Betty/Betsy married Robert Bruce.

10. Frankey Kimbough-ii, married Caleb Carmon. HENRY-1 & ANN TURNER also had a daughter named Frances—“Frankie.”

HENRY TURNER-1 moved his family to Caswell County, North Carolina, sometime after June, 1776, and before June, 1777, when he is listed in Book A, page 15, as present at the estate sale of Joel Nowel, along with Thomas Kimbrough, Sr. The county was formed in May of 1777 from lands formerly in Orange County.

The children of Henry-1 and Ann __?__ Turner

1. Henry Turner, Jr.-2, born before 1755, [listed as over age 45 in 1800 Census], died 1812. This is about the only fact about this man not in contention by various researchers.

He may be, and probably is, the man named Henry Turner who married Nancy Kimbrough, daughter of Thomas Kimbrough, Sr., the man who died in 1777 leaving a will naming Henry Turner as his son-in-law. Some researchers think it is Henry Jr. that married Nanny Kibrough. Others think it is Henry Turner Senior and that ANNE Turner is this “Nanny Kimbrough.”

If Henry, Jr., was born as late as possible in this age range, he would have been born in 1755 when his father was age 34. Since he was probably one of the older children, he may have been born several years prior to 1755.

2. James Turner-2, born October 9, 1756, was a Revolutionary soldier, and died May, 1835. He had three wives, two of whom were Lucy Pleasant and Catherine W. White. James moved to Williamson County, Tennessee, about 1808. James-2 may have been named for James Finney, his father’s friend and “brother-in-law.” He may be the “James Turner, constable” referred to in a deed dated September 17, 1800, in which HENRY transferred lands to “James Turner, Constable” “being the land which Henry gave to James and the part he purchased of John Turner.” [Kendall, Caswell County Deeds, pg 213.] This transaction is mentioned in the will of HENRY.

3. John Turner-2, born about 1760, married Sarah Kimbrough-iii, the daughter of John Kimbrough-ii and his wife, Mary, on February 14, 1787, in Caswell. Sarah died and he married Catherine Cheeks Butler. John Turner left Caswell about 1800 for Wayne County, Kentucky, [Ibid.] where he remained until about 1825, then moved to Williamson County, Tennessee. He was murdered with an ax by a 16-year-old slave named Charlie in 1830. Charlie was hanged for the crime. He had daughters, Delilah and Nancy, named in his father’s will.

4. Frankey [Frances] Turner-2, married Richard Martin on October 25, 1783. From this marriage date, we may estimate her date of birth as around 1760 to 1768.

5. Milly Turner-2, married a man named Jones. [Will of Henry Turner.]

6. Nancy Turner-2, born March 18, 1764, died January 22, 1843. She married James Kimbrough-iii, son of John Kimbrough-ii, December 27, 1787. We have copies of her family Bible listing the date of her marriage, the dates of birth of her children, and the birth date of her father, HENRY. A transcription of this Bible record is found in “Kimbro-Kimbrough Genealogical Quarterly, Volume III, number 2, April 1966, pg. 20-22. This Bible was copyrighted in 1812, and dates recorded as early as the 1721 date of birth for HENRY. The author has a Xerox copy of the original records in her possession from Shirley Hern.

7. Sally Turner-2, married Benjamin French November 10, 1784. From this, we can estimate her date of birth as between 1760 and 1765. She died August 26, 1822. Benjamin French was in Madison County, Mississippi, in 1808, which is present-day Alabama. In 1814, he appointed James Kimbrough-iii his attorney. James was living in Giles County, Tennessee. The family Bible says “James Kimbrough left Giles County first day of April 1856.” Katherine C. King, in her article, “Sally Turner, first wife of Benjamin French,” states, without proof, that Sally was the daughter of “Henry Turner and Ann Kimbrough.” HENRY TURNER-1 named his granddaughter, Mary French, in his will.

8. William [Billy] Turner-2, died August 27, 1853. We can estimate his date of birth as about 1775. He married Ann Bartlett on December 4, 1802, in Caswell County. His daughter, Nancy Turner-3, married her first cousin, John M. Kimbrough-iii, the son of his sister, Nancy Turner-2, and James Kimbrough-ii.

9. Thomas Turner-2, born about 1770, married Betsy Haralson October 28, 1794. He died July 10, 1823. He was probably the younger Thomas Turner listed on the 1800 census with one young son and two young daughters, as well as seven slaves.

10. Elizabeth Turner-2, born about 1779, married Thomas Lipscomb October 14, 1799.

11. Mary Turner-2, married John Cochran and lived in Robertson County, Tennessee, in 1816.

12. SUSANNAH TURNER-2, mother of YANCY TURNER-3, eventually married and moved to Sumner County, Tennessee. She died after 1820. Her date of birth is estimated as 1766.

[Note: The specific birth and death dates of the above children of HENRY TURNER are from the family Bible of James & Nancy Turner-2 Kimbrough, publication date 1812, Xerox copy in the possession of the author, original owned by Mary Lee K. Harris, 1997.]

The 1784 tax list for Hillsborough, Gloucester District, [alphabetical] lists several Kimbro’s, including Eleanor [a widow], several Graves families, and HENRY TURNER, Sr., Henry Turner, Jr., and James Turner. Henry, Jr.-2, had no land listed, and was just a “poll,” though he would have been at least 39 years old that year and was probably married with a young family. HENRY TURNER, Sr. owned enough lands to supply his sons with plantations. HENRY, Sr., had 300 acres and three slaves. James Turner had 200 acres and one poll. That year, they were the only men named Turner, except for Joseph Turner and Berryman Turner who lived distantly in St. Lawrence district on lands that later became part of Person County.

The TURNERS are found on the Hillsborough District, Gloucester District, Census in 1790. Unfortunately, there isn’t any information given except the names of the head of household on the 1790 census. Two of HENRY TURNER’s sons, Henry, Jr.-2, and James-2, lived nearby. We know from deeds that HENRY-1 owned substantial land, and was probably a planter or farmer. The distinction between a farmer and planter seems to be whether or not they owned slaves, and how many. HENRY-1 owned several slaves, as did Henry Turner, Jr.-2.

Caswell County, Hillsborough District, North Carolina, US Census 1800

males females

The 1800 census shows HENRY-1 owned nine slaves. Besides ANNE and HENRY in the household, both listed as over 45 years old, there were several other family members. There was not a female in the household corresponding to the age of SUSANNAH.

Henry Turner, Jr.’s household in 1800 consisted of himself, age over 45, a “wife” age 26-45, and a “daughter” age 10-16. Males were ages 10-16, and 16-26. He also had nine slaves. In 1784, he had been listed with no slaves and no land, so he had made quite an advancement in the 16 years between the two records. This census record also proves that our Henry, Jr., was born before 1755, thus making him old enough to be the husband of Thomas Kimbrough’s daughter, Nancy, in 1777.

The fact that Henry Turner, Jr.’s household did not contain any children of a very young age might tend to indicate that his wife was past child bearing and was most likely approaching the higher end of the 26-45 age range.

There were two men named Thomas Turner, one called Senior, and five men named James Turner in the area.

One James Turner, age 16-26, lived in a household with three women.

The second James Turner was over age 45, and had two slaves.

The third man named James Turner was age 26-45, had two very young sons, two young daughters, and a wife age 16-26. He did not own slaves.

The fourth James Turner was over age 45, with a wife age 26-45, had several young children, and no slaves.

The last James Turner was over 45, had one son age 16-26, a wife his own age and two female children. He owned one slave.

Three men in the county named James Turner were listed in the county records. The records in the county court designate them with the additions of the names or initials of the creeks on which they lived. James “Hico,” James “P.” and James “C. L.” [These represented the creeks on which they lived.]

In 1786, HENRY TURNER’s daughter, SUSANNAH, may have caused quite a stir in the family by producing a bastard child by a neighbor, THOMAS GRAVES YANCEY, the son of another prosperous family living nearby. The YANCEY families who lived nearby on Country Line Creek were substantial and owned slaves and land. Whatever the reason, the two didn’t get married, and SUSANNAH sued THOMAS YANCEY for support for her bastard child. The agreement, recorded in the court records, stated that he would not try to take her “baseborn child” from her and she agreed to the amount he had paid which was unspecified.

It seems that there must have been a bit of spite or malice in SUSANNAH’s heart, however, for she named the child YANCY TURNER, as if she wanted the world to know who “done her wrong.” Since they didn’t get married, for some reason, even though they legally could have, why didn’t she name the child “John Turner” or “Henry Turner”—or anything except “Yancy”?

It is difficult to second guess someone’s motives over 200 years after the fact, or to imagine reasons and circumstances Why didn’t they just get married? It seems that would have been the simplest thing for them to do.

Susannah Turner & Thomas Graves Yancey

This is to certify that Susannah Turner of the County of Caswell, single woman do hereby acknowledge that I have received full satisfaction of Thomas Yancey concerning mantaing [sic] of her baseborn child hereafter provide he the said Yancey does not take away the said child from her. He paying up all costs whereof he has acqured [sic] in court or out of court given under my hand 19^th Jan 1787.

Susannah Turner X her mark

Test John Douglas

Robert Parks Acknowledged Test A. E. Murphery Clk.

[Will Book B, Caswell County, North Carolina, page 165, January Court, 1787.]

The agreement didn’t mention the name of SUSANNAH’s child, but we can still be sure we have the right connection. The name itself, YANCY TURNER, is almost, in itself alone, proof of the connection. In addition, the will of SUSANNAH’s father, HENRY TURNER-1, mentions YANCY [SUSANNAH’s child] as his grandchild, and the will of her husband, James Donoho, mentioned YANCY for a legacy, leaving him a portion of his estate.

“Bastardy,” “fornication,” and pre-marital sex were not as uncommon as we might now suppose they were in those days. It was a post-Puritan and pre-Victorian era, and although there were civil laws against “immorality,” the statistics kept by a midwife in her journal of the era show that about 40% of the first babies of married couples were conceived out of wedlock. Apparently, it was quite common then for a wife to be pregnant, and sometimes, “well gone,” before the wedding. The government’s interest in preventing or punishing out of wedlock births seems to have been more from an angle of preventing the child’s having to be cared for at public expense rather than from a moral point of view. [Ulrich, A Midwife’s Tale.]

The local midwife would question the mother at the time of the birth, and that testimony was enough to convict a man of parentage. The father was required to support the child or put up a bond that he would or could do so. It was important to the governing body that the child be provided for. The mother, by virtue of giving birth to an out of wedlock child was automatically “convicted” of being an unfit mother. If the father was upstanding, he could claim right to the child if he wanted it. Women usually had little if any legal standing in the situation. [Ibid.]

Rank or financial situation also had a great bearing on what happened to both the mother and the child. If the mother was an indentured servant, she might be held in bondage an additional year to compensate the master for the loss of her time during the pregnancy. This was true even if the child was his! Also, a poor mother might be given 50 or more lashes “well laid on her bare back” in the public square for her sin. The child of a poor mother might be bound out at birth, and kept in bondage up to age 30. Binding out was sometimes used as a form of “foster care”. The master was required to give a year’s schooling to the servant child, usually after the age of 15, and at the end of the time, the master had to equip the child with tools, clothes, and a little food. If the child worked well, and the master was a caring one, things went as planned. If the master was not a kind one, the servant would have very little recourse unless the master was very abusive, or outrageously so. Occasionally, a man would have his own bastard child bound to him and would raise the child in the house with his legitimate children. [Ibid.]

Bastard children did not inherit property from the father unless the father cared enough for them to give them a legacy in his will. Sometimes they were posthumously “adopted” by the father in his will. Generally, illegitimate children used the mother’s surname, though, at times they might use the father’s name as well, or “go by” both. If this had been the case with YANCY, he might have been known as “Yancy Turner, alias Yancey.” There would have been some stigma attached to the “baseborn” status of YANCY. Though mothers of bastard children usually went ahead and eventually married, SUSANNAH did not marry until her son was grown, so this “baseborn child” may have prevented her from obtaining a suitable marriage partner locally. When she did marry, she married a man who was not from that community, but had moved into the area, and would probably not have been so much concerned with her unwed-mother status as the local men might have been.

Plantation life in Colonial America included the women in a large capacity. Though they did not have full legal standing with men, they were part and parcel of the family plantation, whether it was a simple farm, or a large estate. The female members of the family were responsible for the household garden, care of the small livestock and milking, as well as the baking, scrubbing, cooking, laundry, birthing, administering nursing care within the family, and in the community. They shrouded and buried the dead, sewed the burial garments, and washed the body before interment. They gathered at the birth of new children to assist the midwife and help with the chores in the new mother’s household.

Sheep and flax, and in some places cotton, were grown for fiber. The wife and the daughters grew, processed, spun, and wove the fabric that clothed the family. The family vegetable garden was separate from the “fields.” The wife and her daughters grew the food for the family, butchered the meat, and preserved the seeds for next year’s crops. Providing for the family was a difficult task and required many hands. Before the Revolution, and for many years afterwards, hard currency was in short supply. The wife and her daughters spun thread for barter, and she traded and bartered in order to meet the needs of her household.

The local midwife was the provider of medical care and herbal remedies. Physicians [males], though more powerful in the social scheme of things, held little, if any, knowledge that was superior to the local midwife’s abilities, remedies, and knowledge. She practiced “social medicine,” administering her remedies to the female population, and the children, as primary care-giver. Male patients may sometimes have called upon her wisdom as well. [Ibid.]

Scarlet fever and group B strep were the primary causes of “chanker” and “rash,” which many times proved fatal to both children and new mothers. People weakened by worms and other health problems also succumbed. Cholera, malaria, pneumonia, and diabetes were frequently fatal. Remedies were frequently chilisters [blisters] applied to the skin to “draw out the evil humors.” They were applied to the back and chest. Herbs, “pukes,” and “purges” were also commonly administered medicines. Bleeding a patient was another way to reduce fevers. If these remedies were applied to one sufficiently sick, almost unto death anyway, they frequently pushed the patient over the edge, and sapped any remaining strength he had left to fight the disease. The main thing these remedies had in common was that they were very painful to the patient.

Due to lack of sanitation, intestinal worms were common. Round worms, as big as a pencil and twice as long, were not uncommon in children. These, though troubling and upsetting to the person who would pass them, actually did little to harm the patient, except to deplete the system of nutrition. But with worms added to other problems, it could be a factor that tipped the scale. Some worms, such as hook worms, could cause considerable damage to intestines.

Early midwives actually probably had less instances of childbed fever in their patients than did physicians. Physicians tended to use more drastic and dramatic active methods of delivering a child than the midwives who, more or less, “caught” the child when it emerged naturally. Physicians did considerable damage when they forcefully extracted the afterbirth or in forcefully removing a child. Waiting would have improved the result. [Ibid.]

SUSANNAH was probably one of the younger children of HENRY and ANN TURNER. Her father was born in 1721, and she had her child about 1786, so we know that if she were about 20 years old at the time she gave birth, she would have been born about 1766, or when her parents were middle-aged. She was most likely born in Culpepper County. She apparently stayed at home with her parents or lived with other relatives until she married a widower, James Donoho, April 23, 1802.

The same year that YANCY was born, in October, HENRY TURNER, Sr. bought another 400 acres from John McIntosh for 200 pounds cash.

HENRY TURNER-1 died December 9, 1809, at the age of 88. [Bible of Nancy Turner Kimbrough.] He had been born in 1721. ANNE lived several more years, possibly until as late as 1820. This might be an indication that ANNE was a younger [or second] wife. It also raises the question, was ANNE the mother of all of HENRY’s children? With ANNE still bearing children into the late 1770s, she must have been somewhat younger than HENRY, who would have been 58 years old about the beginning of the 1780s. ANNE was probably born no earlier than 1730. Assuming she was the mother of Henry Turner, Jr., born at least by 1755, she could not have been born any later than 1740. This narrows down the possible years of birth for ANNE as between 1730 and 1740, which would put her from 9 to 14 years younger than HENRY. If indeed ANNE was the first wife, that might imply a later date for the marriage, placing the marriage when she was at least 16 to 20 years old, therefore, meaning that HENRY might have been as old as 30+ before he married and started raising a family. At this time in Virginia, men tended to marry somewhat later than women, and did not usually marry until they could provide for a wife and family, either by their own work or by inheriting or receiving lands and goods from their parents.

Will of Henry Turner

In the name of God Amen, I Henry Turner of Caswell County and of the state of North Carolina, being very infirm in body, but sound in mind and memory, do make and ordain this my last will and testament.

I give and recommend my soul unto the hands of Almighty God and my body to the ground to be buried after Christian like burial.

After all my just debts are paid, I give unto my beloved wife Anne Turner the tract of land including the plantation whereon I now live together with half the interest of the mill and all the household and kitche furniture with the plantation tools of every kind; also three negroes, to witt; Sam, Winny and Abram, two good work horses, four cows and calves or with calf, fuor eues and lams, four sows and pigs and a sufficient quantity of corn and meat or provisions for to support her and her family and stock for the term of one year after my decease, also I give to my beloved wife my cart and sturz; all of which I give to her during her natural life or widowhood, and after her death or marriage, it is my will and desire that the whole of my perishable property not specifically divised to any of my children or grandchildren should be sold according to law, and the money arising therefrom to be equally divided amongst my heirs. Except my sons John Turner and Henry Turner.

Item; I give and bequeath to my son Billy Turner one hundred and sixty acres of land it being the tract of land on which I now live and including the tract which I gave to my son Henry Turner from whome he purchased the same. Together with half the interest in the mill aforesaid but not to … with the mill or plantation on the south side of the creek till after the death of my beloved wife Anne Turner, also eight pounds Virginia Currency to be drawn out of my perishable estate, to his heirs and assigns forever.

Item I give and bequeath to my beloved daughters Elizabeth Lipscomb, Franky, Martha, Milly Jones, and Nancy Kimbrough, sixteen pounds Virginia Currency to be raised out of my perishable estate to them and their heirs forever---

Item: I give and bequeath to my beloved daughter Sally French sixteen pounds Virginia Currency to her and her heirs and assigns forever.

Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary Cochran twenty four pounds Virginia Currency to her and her heirs forever.

I give and bequeath to my grandson Yancy Turner eight pounds Virginia currency to him and his heirs forever.

Item: I give and bequeath to my granddaughter Mary French…..

Item I give and bequeath to my granddaughters Fanney Turner, Delila Turner and Nancy Turner, daughters of John Turner, the sum of eight pounds Virginia money equally to be divided between them to be drawn out of my perishable estate

Item It is my will that my property which I have not herein divided shall be sold after my decease by my executors to the highest bidder and also at the death or marriage of my wife, the perishable property which I have divided to her should be sold and after the several legacies are discharged which I have divised in money this will that the surplus should be equally divided among my following children and grandchildren to wit: James Turner, Thomas Turner and Billy Turner, Elizabeth Lipscomb, Franky Martin, Milly Jones Susannah Donoho, Delilah and Nancy Turner Daughters of John Turner which is to draw one share between them.

Item it is my will and desire that my son James Turner in consequences of a purchase made by him from my son Henry Turner by my knowledge and consent that the said James should draw two share instead of one for his part.

I constitute and appoint my sons James and Thomas Turner my executors….

Signed with his mark H

Henry Turner

May 1807

Witnessed by

William Kimbrough

William S. Webb

Will book F, pages 83-84

Probated in the December Court 1809, and Thomas qualified as executor.

The family Bible of Nancy Turner-2 and James Kimbrough, flyleaf date 1812, gives the date of HENRY’s death as “Henry Turner, Sen. departed this life December the 9, 1809.” It gave his birth date as “Henry Turner, Sen. born September 25, 1721.” Neither the date of ANNE’s birth, marriage, or death are recorded in the Bible. [Xerox Copy in Author’s Possession.]

Thomas Graves Yancey

THOMAS GRAVES YANCEY, according to the 1800 Census of Caswell County, North Carolina, was between 26 and 45 years old that year. That would indicate a birth date of from 1755 to 1774. Since we know he was a father, at least by 1786, and had been unmarried up to that time, we may estimate his date of birth as closer to 1766. THOMAS was probably the oldest son of BARTLETT YANCEY, Sr. and ANN GRAVES. The YANCEY family contained some of the most prominent members of the Caswell County community and, in fact, the county seat, Yanceyville, would be named for a member of this family. A date of birth of 1766 for THOMAS is consistent with his father’s age.

YANCY TURNER-3 grew up not too far from his father’s family. THOMAS GRAVES YANCEY was a justice of the peace of Caswell County, and his brother, James Yancey, was the person for whom the county seat of Yanceyville was named.

The YANCEY family was an old one in America, having supposedly “come to the James River settlements in Virginia with Sir William Berkeley, the new governor.” There is no proof of this, however. There is also a lot of printed misinformation about the Yancey family. There was early confusion about a man designated “Ensign” Charles Yancey. It was widely accepted that “Ensign” Charles Yancey was the father of Charles, Robert and Jeremiah, and some recorded a fourth son, Archelaus [all brothers of Louisa County, Virginia.] Later research seems to show that Charles, Robert, and Jeremiah were indeed brothers but were sons of Robert, the son of Charles and his wife.[Mary Bartlett?] The “Ensign” Charles Yancey was apparently the son of Louis Davis Yancey. [Yancey Web Site.]

Recent research, and some store journals uncovered, listing purchases by the family, indicate that CHARLES YANCEY-1 and his wife, MARY, perhaps nee “Bartlett,” resided in Hanover County, Virginia, and had seven sons. A series of articles entitled, “Accounts from the Store of Thomas Partridge & Co., Hanover County, Virginia, 1734-1756,” published in the Magazine of Virginia Genealogy in 1982 shed new light on this family.

Page 13 of the store’s journals lists Mr. CHARLES YANCEY, SR., and accounts for “your son Archelus.” Page 15 lists Archelaus Yancey, “paid your brother, Charles.” Page 26 lists Charles Yancey, “cash by note drawn by your brother, Archelaus.” And May 17^th, “by cash rec’d of your brother, John.” Page 36 lists Mr. Richard Yancey in 1735. On page 43, Mr. John Yancey is listed along with “paid your brother Charles” and “Paid your brother, Jeconias.” Page 120 lists Mr. CHARLES YANCEY, SR., and “son Robert, and son John.”

From these records it can be determined that the children of CHARLES YANCEY-1 of Hanover County, Virginia, were JAMES-2, Charles-2, Richard-2, Robert-2, Archelaus-2, John-2 and Jechonias-2.

Our ancestor appears to be the CHARLES YANCEY-1, who was born about 1678 and was on the Quit Rent rolls of King William County, Virginia, in 1704 with 100 acres. He gave lands to his son, JAMES-2 in 1734 [William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 21, page 57] and he transferred a slave to his son, Robert Yancey-2, in 1745 which is the last document found to indicate that he was still alive.

Records of Hanover County record a deed dated February 6, 1734, where “I CHARLES YANCEY of St. Martin’s Parish….for fatherly love….do grant unto my loving son JAMES YANCEY, my plantation where he now liveth with 125 acres adjoining…the plantation being in the upper part of St. Martin’s Parish…at Stephen Pettus’ corner…John Garland deceased…Edward Garland deceased. Witness A? Tery and William Burrus.” The lands given his son, Archelaus, adjoined the lands given to JAMES and were listed on Horsepen Branch.

Some of the YANCEY families lived near the GRAVES and Turner families in Virginia and may have intermarried with them.

Children of Charles Yancey-1

[1678-1745]

1. Robert Yancey-2 lived in Louisa County, Virginia, and died prior to 1746. He left a will that mentioned his wife, Temperance, a daughter, Martha-3, and his sons, Charles-3 and Robert-3. His wife was Temperance Dumas, a daughter of Jeremiah Dumas

2. Richard Yancey-2 sold his land in Louisa County in 1753 and moved his family to Mecklenburg County, Virginia. He made his will August 24, 1768, and it was probated in 1781. Louisa County was approximately the same lands as “St. Martin’s Parish, Hanover County.

3. Archelaus Yancey-2 died in 1764. He had a son named Stephen-3 who was reportedly executed for murder. His will is recorded in Louisa County in Will Book One, page 62, and is dated May 4, 1756. It was proven in 1764. CHARLES-1 had transferred lands in Hanover County to him in a deed dated August 7, 1735.

4. Charles Yancey-2 may have married a Miss Dumas.

5. John Yancey-2 was a son of CHARLES-1 as determined from the store accounts.

6. Jechonias Yancey-2 was also a son of CHARLES-1 as determined from the store accounts.

7. JAMES YANCEY-2, was born about 1712, lived in Hanover County, Virginia, prior to 1753, and married ANN THORNTON in the 1730s. CHARLES-1 transferred land to him about 1734. About 1752, JAMES-2 moved just over the state line to Granville County, North Carolina. He served in various capacities in Granville County including Justice of the Peace in 1769, and Sheriff in 1774. He, or his son by the same name, was Captain of Militia in the regiment commanded by Colonel Richard Henderson. JAMES-2 was the executor of his brother Richard-2’s estate. JAMES-2 lived in the northeast part of the county. JAMES-2 bought 1,280 acres of land for 70 pounds from Robert Jones in 1752. Later, he bought an additional 1,280 acres and took up additional lands in Surrey County, Virginia, which he transferred to his son, Thomas Yancey-3. His land was located on the border of the two states, and about 25 or 30 miles from the county seat.

JAMES YANCEY-2 took his oath of allegiance to the Revolution on May 22, 1778, as an elderly man in County Line District, along with James Yancey, Jr., Lewis Yancey, Philip Yancey, and William Yancey. In 1769, he owned eight black polls. [North Carolina Colonial and State Records, Vol. 5 page 592.] William Howard Norwood, in his Genealogy of Yancey-Medearis and Related Lines, says on page 109, that “James Yancey, was a Captain under Colonel Richard Henderson of Granville County, NC. He was mentioned in Muster Roll of 1771 along with Joseph, Charles, James, and Lewis Yancey under command of Colonel Richard Henderson. ” The “List of Officers from Granville Co.,” lists “General Thomas Person from Granville, along with Colonel Thornton Yancey and Captain James Yancey.” This author is not sure if the “Captain” was James Yancey, Jr., or JAMES YANCEY, Sr. If it were JAMES YANCEY, Sr., then he would have been quite old, or at least in his mid-60s.

Children of James-2 & Ann Thornton Yancey

Charles Yancey-1; James-2; Bartlett-3; Thomas Graves-4

1. BARTLETT YANCEY-3, was born in 1734 in Hanover County, Virginia, and died in Caswell County, North Carolina. He married ANNE GRAVES [7^th Generation from CAPTAIN THOMAS GRAVES], the daughter of JOHN GRAVES, Sr. [6^th generation from CAPTAIN THOMAS GRAVES.]

2. Major Thornton Yancey-3 was a Revolutionary veteran and born about 1740. He died between 1792 and 1810. His wife was Elizabeth Williams [one source says Mitchell.] He was a “gallant officer” in the Revolution and a member of the North Carolina Assembly from 1778 until 1792, and in the Provincial Congress in 1776. He was one of the “movers and shakers” of the Revolution in Granville County. [Military Records, Wheeler’s History, page 85, of first series, North Carolina Records, Vol. 7, pages 702, 1768, Vol. 23, page 993, 1776, Vol. 19, page 531.]

3. Philip Yancey-3, married Dura Hester.

4. Thomas Yancey-3, to whom William and Elizabeth Clayton deeded 100 acres, retaining a life estate in the property for themselves.

5. Ann Yancey-3, married Jesse Saunders, October 19, 1765, in Granville, North Carolina.

6. Mary Yancey-3, married John Baynes and had a daughter, Nancy Baynes-4.

7. Lewis Yancey-3, was born in 1736, married Mary Graves, and was executor of JAMES’ estate. He was not mentioned for a bequest in the will, however. He died 1819.

8. Elizabeth Yancey-3, married James Moore, proven by the fact that James Moore bought a slave at the “family” slave auction.

9. James Yancey, Jr.-3, is one son about whom there is some confusion. James Yancey, Jr.-3, was not mentioned in the will of his father, but the estate sale of the slaves was limited to only the children [and sons-in-law] of JAMES-2. James, Jr.-3, was at that sale and bidding; therefore, he must have been a son. In 1769, James, Jr., owned six black polls. He married Mary Ann Elizabeth Bracey, August 15, 1765.

ANN THORNTON YANCEY must have died before 1761, when two deeds list JAMES YANCEY, [Sr.-2,] and his wife, Elizabeth, relinquishing her dower on the property being sold. There is a marriage record in 1765 for a James Yancey and Elizabeth Ann Bracy. James, Jr.-3 may have been the man who married this Elizabeth Ann Bracy, however, so we don’t know the surname of JAMES-2’s second wife.

Will of James Yancey-2, 1777

In the name of God Amen, I James Yancey, being very sick and weak, but of perfect mind and memory, thanks be to God, calling unto mind the mortality of the body and knowing it is appointed unto all men once to die, do make and ordain this my last will and testament.

I give and recommend my soul into the hand of almighty God, that gave it, and my body unto the earth to be buried in a decent Christian burial at the discretion of my executors—nothing doubting but at the General Resurrection I shall receive the same again, by the mighty power of God, and as touching such worldly estate, wherewith it has pleased God to bless me with in this life, I give demise and dispose in the following manner.

Item 1. I give to my son, Bartlet Yancey my tract of land lying on Lawson’s fork, a branch of the Pacolet in South Carolina, containing 300 acres.

Item 2. I give to my son-in-law Jesse Saunders, forty pound proc. Money.

Item 3. I give to my son, Philip Yancey 200 acres of land I now live on. When cleared out of the office at the expense of my estate to run parallel with his upper line south, beginning at the county line.

Item 4. I give the remaining tract of land I now live on to my son Thomas Yancey. To be cleared out of the office agreeable to an entry made by me with Robert Jones in the year 1763 at the expense of the estate also the best bed I have and the furniture thereto belonging.

Item 5. I give unto my daughter Jenny Saunders, one bay horse that I bought from the Edward Saunders estate.

Item 6 I give unto my granddaughter Nancy Baynes, ten pounds proc money.

Item 7 I give to my son Thornton Yancey a negroe woman named Kate, provided he pay unto my estate the sum of twenty pounds.

All negores I have now in my possession to be sold to the highest bidder among my children, no other person to be bidder.

The most valuable negroe to be set up and sold first, then the next and so on, until all are sold, all children to have equal parts. The residue of the other estate to be set up to the public at twelve months credit with bond and approved security with interest, to be applied to my just debts, the residue to be equally divided among my children.

It is my desire that the expense of my burial be allowed my executors out of my estate. I witness and hereunto set my seal this 30^th day of December 1777.

James Yancey, seal.

Recorded Granville, North Carolina, dated 30 December 1777, proved November Court 1779, Will Book 1, page 252.

JAMES-2’s sons Lewis-3 and Philip-3 were appointed sole executors of the estate though Lewis-3 did not receive bequests in the will. In reading the will, it appears interesting to note that he did not apparently want his slaves sold outside the family, but wanted them to stay with his children. His method of dividing the slaves appears to have been very fair and well thought out. All the children could bid, and the proceeds of the sale were then divided equally among all the children.

JAMES-2s’ son, BARTLETT YANCEY-3, married “NANCY” ANNE GRAVES-7, who was a descendant of an even earlier and more prominent family, CAPTAIN THOMAS GRAVES-1 of Jamestown. BARTLETT-3 was born about 1734 in Granville County and married ANNE GRAVES-7 sometime around 1765. He probably married her in Caswell County after he moved there. ANNE’s father, JOHN GRAVES moved to the Caswell area probably about the same time he did. ANNE had been born about 1740 in Spotsylvania County. Her father’s sister, Eleanor Graves-6, was married to Thomas Kimbrough-i who also moved to Caswell County from Virginia.

Bartlett was a man of great decision of character. He was greatly afflicted with rheumatism and sciatica and could not walk without crutches. During the Revolution, when he heard the cannon firing at the Guilford Courthouse, he made a servant put him on his horse, hand him his crutches, and he started to go to the battle. His wife, Anne, came out and took the bridle off the horse and would not let him go. He sat on the horse a while and she reasoned with him until she convinced him that he could do more good by not going and he might lose his life. He taught school for many years, but was not physically able to work on the farm. [According to a biographical sketch in the Caswell County Heritage.]

BARTLETT YANCEY-3 had arrived in “Orange” County, [the part that became Caswell], North Carolina, from Granville, North Carolina, about 1765. He is included in the first tax list of Caswell in 1777 and valued his assets at slightly over 976 pounds. It seems that BARTLETT-3 had first come there before 1763, but had trouble procuring a clear title to some land due to the Earl of Granville’s closing land sales. Lord Granville’s district was the source of discord and division in the colony. Grants were issued for the same tract of land to multiple people by one agent, and multiple people by multiple agents. Too, officials were bribed and charged excessive fees and quit rents.

The first Lord Granville probably wasn’t either involved in the abuses or indifferent to them, but was unable to stop them. Eventually, in 1759, an armed mob attacked the agent. The second Lord Granville was, however, indifferent to the plight of the people and closed the land office for a number of years. This stymied the growth of the colony and obviously caused problems for our BARTLETT. It is also why there is a highly disproportionate number of grants filed in the years 1761 and 1762.

Dorothy Gray quotes a source of military records in 1754 that lists BARTLETT as a private in the regiment of Col. William Eaton in Granville. Then again in 1755 in the company of Capt. John Sallis. Tax records of 1755 through 1762 in Granville, no township listed, show BARTLETT. This would date his arrival in Caswell as about 1762 or 1763.

In 1779, in Caswell County, North Carolina, BARTLETT had 259 acres on the South Fork of Country Line Creek and 362 acres on Gooch’s and Rice’s Creeks near present Pinson’s and Burk’s Creeks where they flow into County Line, a few miles south of Yanceyville.

During the twenty years that he was in Caswell County, North Carolina, BARTLETT established a prosperous plantation and supported the Revolutation. He and NANCY ANN GRAVES YANCEY had a large family. Their tenth child, BARTLETT-2, was still unborn when his father died in 1785.

Nancey Ann Graves was a decendant of Thomas Graves, who first came to Jamestown in 1608. 
You can read about Ann Graves ancestors here.

Chapter

Graves Family History

Will of Ann Graves-7 Yancey

[1740-1812]

Captain Thomas Graves-1; John-2; Thomas-3; John-4; Thomas-5; John-6; Ann-7

In the name of God, Amen, I ANN YANCEY of the County of Caswell and State of North Carolina, this 29^th day of April 1816, being of perfect mind and memory and calling to mind the mortality of my body do recommend my spririt to God that gav it, and as touching such worldy estates as it hath pleased God to belss me with. I give and dispose of the same in the following manner, that is to say:

In the first place I give and bequeath to my son Bartlett Yancey a negro man named Isaac. I have heretofore given to him and the right and title to which I do hereby confirm.

Item, I give and bequeath to my granddaughter NancyYancey One bed and furniture, One cow and calf and one ewe and lamb.

Item, I give and bequeath to my granddaughter Priscilla Howard one bed and furniture which I have heretofore [advanced?] to her one cow and calf, and one ewe and lamb.

Item, I give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth Slade one walnut [?] and table.

Item, I give and bequeath to my daughter Isabell Collier one large arm chair and my trunk.

Item, I give and bequeath to my granddaughter Sally Rice a sum of money to be raised out of my estate sufficient to purchase her a__?__ suitable for her at the discression of my executors.

I give and bequeath to my sons John, James, and Bartlett Yancey a negro girl named Milly and a negro boy named Squire upon the special trust and confidence however, that they, the said John and James and Bartlett or a majority of them, all annually appropriate to the use of my daughter Nancy Johnston or to her children all the profit and benefit arising from the hire or other use of the said Negroes for and during her lifetime of the said Nancy Johnston leaving it in the power and authority of the said John, James and Bartlett or a majority of them to permit said negores to be and remain in the possession and use of the said Nancy Johnston if they shall think it prudent to do so. And I hereby __ ?__ it upon them to do so if it shall appear to be the most convenient and safe for her the said Nancy and she shall request it.

After the death of the said Nancy Johnston I do hereby give and bequeath the aforesaid negores: Milly and Squire and the increas of Milly to the children of the said Nancy which bequest and gift as aforesaid I do in time and well as a full share or portion of all my estate to the said Nancy or any other person or persons claiming under her.

Item, my will is that the residue of my estate of every kind shall be divided between the following persons and in the following manner. To my grandson Yancey Wiley and my grandaughter Salley Rice I give and bequeath one eighth part of the residue of my estate to be raised out of the same in money. If they shall arise to the full age of twenty one years to be paid to them by my executors with interest there from and after two years from and after my decease and if they or either of them shall die before they arrive to that age the aforesaid one eighth part thus given to each of them shall be divided between all of my children or their representatives.

To my sons, John, James, and Bartlett Yancey I give and bequeath one eighth part of the residue of my estate to be raised in money upon this special trust and confidence that they the said John, James and Bartlett Yancey or a majority of them shall annually from and after two years after my decease appropriate to the use and benefit of my daughter Mary Graves otherwise Mary Riddle or to her children all the profit and benefit arising from the interest of the said money for and during the life term of said Mary and after the death of the said Mary, I do hereby give and bequeath the sum of money aforesaid to the children of the said Mary which bequest and gift as aforesaid I intend as her full share of all my estate.

To each of my sons John, James and Bartlett yancey and to my daughter Elizabeth Slade I give and bequeath the one eighth part of my said estate.

To my daughter Isabell Collier I loan the one eighth part of my said estate during her lifetime and the lifetime of her husband and after their decease to be equally divided between the children of the said Isabell Collier.

Lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my sons John, James and Bartlett Yancey to be the whole and sole executors of this my last will and testament revoking and annulling all others in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this day.

ANN X YANCEY [Her Mark

Published in the presence of Solomon Graves and Barzalai Graves

At the October, 1818, Court, the will was presented for probate. She obviously didn’t trust several of her daughters or their husbands not to squander the estate she was leaving them, so she placed it in trust with her sons John, James, and Bartlett. By giving the daughters only a “life interest” in the property, the property or slaves could not be sold during the life of the person. “Loaning” someone property or money for their lives was also a way to protect it from a husband, or anyone else, who might try to take it away for debts.

Chapter

The Turners

North Carolina to Tennessee

Henry Turner-1; Susannah-2; Yancy-3; Milley-4

About the turn of the century, SUSANNAH’s father, HENRY TURNER, Senior, started dividing up his land between his sons, as he was almost 80 years old. In 1799, deed records show that HENRY-1 gave his son Thomas-2 80 acres "where Henry Turner lives." Thomas-2 would later be the executor of HENRY’s estate. In 1800, HENRY-1 gave James-2 160 acres for 40 pounds, which included the "part purchased from John Turner-2." John Turner-2 moved to Williamson County, Tennessee, sometime about 1826 [or before]. His wife, Sarah Kimbro, daughter of John Kimbrough of Caswell, died before 1817, when her father's will was written. John Turner then married Catherine Cheeks Butler. James Turner was also living in Williamson County, Tennessee, and had moved there about 1807. In 1830, John was murdered with an ax at Hayes Creek by a 16-year-old slave named Charley. Charley was eventually tried, convicted, and hanged for murder. [Hern, “Henry Turner,” Caswell County Heritage, #734.]

About 1805, YANCY TURNER married MARY DILLON from Guilford County, North Carolina. MARY’s father was ISAAC DILLON and her mother was JEMIMA BRITTAIN. MARY was born October 2, 1788, according to the Doss-Simmons-Turner family Bible, published 1857.

The Dillons History

Hodgson Research

The wife of DANIEL DILLON-2, accepted by Hinshaw and all known DILLON researchers, is LYDIA HODGSON. The author has not personally thoroughly researched this line further, but has some information condensed from the Hodson Family Genealogy Web Page that concerns ongoing research into this family. They note that several of the families dropped the “g” from Hodgson, which seems to coincide with the research that the author has done.

From the web page, the “oral history” is recounted as “a Hodson family emigrated from Ireland to America. All aboard ship except one boy, George, died.” Later research quoted says:

New information shows that George Hodson, we thought to have been the first Hodson in America, was actually the second generation born in America. Its data are from the records of St. Michael’s Parish, Yorkshire England and the wills of Robert [Hodgson I] and Robert [Hodgson II] in America that show their issue.

The line which is traced in the web page states that the first of this line was Robert Hodgson-I, who had been involved with Cromwell during the English Civil War. His wife and daughter died. After the war, he was put in prison for killing a fellow officer. While in prison, he met George Fox, also an inmate of Exter Prison. Robert Hodgson was converted to the Quaker faith by George Fox. Fox secured the release of Robert Hodgson. Robert Hodgson became a Quaker missionary and was imprisoned in the town of Reading for preaching his faith and for refusing to remove his hat for a Magistrate.

A Quaker named Robert Fowler of Bridlington had visions about this time of a ship taking the Quakers to the colonies. They sailed to London in March of 1657 and left for America in June of 1657.

Robert Hodgson-I stayed in New Amsterdam and was imprisoned there. A promise to leave the colony secured his release.

No further public records may be found for Robert Hodgson until in 1659, George Fox requested his return to Yorkshire for a meeting. He married again that same year, but where is not known for sure. In 1661, he returned to America and remained in Rhode Island until about 1682. At that time, he received a grant from William Penn for 10,000 acres on the Susquehanna River.

The children of Robert Hodgson I were: Robert Hodgson II, George Fox Hodgson, Henry Hodgson, Mark Hodgson, Mary Hodgson, Rachel Hodgson, Matilda Hodgson, Phineas Hodgson and Alexander Hodgson.

Robert Hodgson II and his wife, Sarah, resided in Chester and Delaware Counties in Pennsylvania and their children were: George Hodgson-III who married Mary Thatcher, Joseph Hodgson-III, John Hodgson-III, David Hodgson-III, Richard Hodgson-III, Rachel Hodgson-III, Sarah Hodgson-III, Jona Hodgson-III and Robert Hodgson III.

George Hodgson-III [Robert I, Robert II] was the eldest son of Robert Hodgson II and was born January 6, 1701 in Chester County, Pennsylvania. He died in 1774 in Guilford County, North Carolina. He and Mary Thatcher were married February 21, 1729, in Wilmington, Delaware. She was born in 1712 and died in 1752. Another researcher identifies the wife as Mary Dix Thatcher. Apparently, they were disowned for eloping without the Meeting’s approval, but later their certificates were sent from Chester Meeting to New Garden Meeting in North Carolina.

George and Mary Hodgson lived in Pennsylvania until about 1750 when they moved with their family of seven children to Guilford County, North Carolina. This is about the same time that the DILLONS were moving to North Carolina.

The children of George Hodgson-III and Mary Thatcher Hodgson were: John Hodgson-IV, born August 4, 1731; Sarah Hodgson, born about 1733; Susannah Hodgson, born about 1735; Robert Hodgson, born March 11, 1738/9; Joseph Hodgson, born about 1740; and George Hodgson, Jr., born about 1744. He and Mary were received in the Deep River Monthly Meeting in 1789 [Hinshaw, pg 546]

John Hodgson-IV, who married Mary Mills, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Harold Mills, was born December 4, 1731, and died September 10, 1793, in North Carolina. Their marriage records are among those found in the New Garden Monthly Meeting, page 44, Volume I. They became members of the meeting shortly after it was formed and remained in North Carolina the rest of their lives.

Whereas John Hodson, son of George Hodson of the County of Roan [sic] in North Carolina and Mary Mills, daughtr of Thos Mills of the same place having declar’d their intention of marriage with each other before several monthly meeting of the people called Quakers of New Garden in the county afsd and having consent of parents and parties concerned their sd proposeals was alowd by the sd Meeting and they left to their liberty to accomplish sd marriage according to good order the which they did on the 7 day of the 5 month 1754 in the presents of many witnesses 12 of whose names are incerted.

The children of John Hodgson-IV and Mary Mills Hodgson were: Thomas Hodgson-V, who married Patience Dillon, Sarah Hodgson-V, John Hodgson-V, Ruth Hodgson-V, George Hodgson-V Jonathon Hodgson-V, Hur Hodgson-V, whose second wife was Achsah Dillon [granddaughter of DANIEL and LYDIA], Mary Hodgson-V, Solomon Hodgson-V, and Joseph Hodgson-V.

Patience Dillon and Thomas Hodgson were married at the New Garden Meeting on November 5, 1777. Patience Dillon was the daughter of DANIEL and LYDIA HODGSON DILLON. After Thomas’ death, Patience married Nathaniel Hines on February 28, 1799. Their children moved to Miami Monthly meeting in Ohio with the Quaker migration in 1803/4

The above information, even if correct, still does not clarify which of the descendants of Robert Hodgson I was the father of LYDIA HODGSON who married DANIEL DILLON. In the late 1700s, the name Lydia became quite common in her descendants, who married into the Hodgson line, however. Our LYDIA HODGSON would have been born circa 1720, so might be a daughter of one of Robert I or Robert II’s sons. The fact that her daughters and granddaughters married “in unity” into the Hodgson family would indicate that she was not “too closely” related to the families in which her children accomplished marriages “in unity.” The Quakers prohibited first cousin marriages.

So many of these Hodgson and Dillon descendants moved to Ohio and Illinois in the early 1800s, that a town was named Dillon, Illinois.

Cane Creek Meeting & New Garden Meeting of Friends

In 1752, DANIEL-2 and Peter Dillon got leave from Hopewell Monthly Meeting in Virginia to move to Cane Creek in North Carolina. Cane Creek was the first Meeting established in North Carolina. [Hinshaw.] DANIEL and Peter were probably either first cousins or brothers. They seemed to be very close friends as well. One entry in Hinshaw mentions Peter Dillon, son of Peter and Susannah, born 1725, in Opecan. This would make Peter a few years younger than DANIEL-2, and at closest, a first cousin, assuming that Peter [Sr.] was a brother to LUKE-1.

Because the distance to travel to the Cane Creek Monthly Meeting was more than 30 miles for some of the Friends, they petitioned to start a new Monthly Meeting called "New Garden." The Friends had been meeting unofficially for some time, but the official "start" was in 1754. Between 1754 and 1770, 86 Friends became members by migration to New Garden.

The story of the earliest meetings of Friends in Guilford County was passed on orally and written down in 1883.

Two large trees were felled so that the upper branches would join to form a triangle, and a third had fallen across the butts of these two trees, making a triangle or corrals, inside of which their horses were hitched. The Friends sat on the last tree to hold their meetings.

DANIEL DILLON-2 and Peter Dillon were both mentioned in the early Meeting Minutes of New Garden. [Hopewell Friends History, pg 540.] Several other families of the Frederick County Friends were also mentioned in New Garden. About 35 members were from Virginia. Some sources mention that DANIEL's wife was LYDIA HODGSON. There were many families of Hodgsons living near them, both in Virginia and in North Carolina and, in fact, one of them signed DANIEL's will as a witness. Both DANIEL and Peter Dillon were listed as received in New Garden in 1753 on the same day, although they may have been in the area for some time previously. [Hinshaw, pg 383.]

Thomas Beals, who had been living in Frederick County, Virginia, is credited with being the first settler in Guilford County about 1748. Cane Creek Monthly Meeting was officially established in 1751, but the first order of business was the request to establish "New Garden." At the time of the official start of New Garden there were "upwards of 40 families" in the New Garden area. [Hilty, New Garden Friends Meeting, The Christian People Called Quaker.]

Reedy Fork River [Creek] runs east and west through the northern one third of Guilford County. Feeding Reedy Fork are three smaller creeks, Beaver, Brush, and Horsepen. There are numerous deeds for land and a mill for DANIEL-2 and his sons on Beaver, Brush, Horsepen, and Reedy Fork Creeks. From the deeds, it seems that the lands probably were strung out along the three smaller creeks and on both sides of the Reedy Fork about where the three smaller ones fed in.

By 1779 and 1780, DANIEL DILLON-2 and his sons were still acquiring plots of land. They must have been industrious and reasonably prosperous men. They had been in the area about 30 years by that time.

A traveler of the late-eighteenth century described his observations of New Garden:

We passed in our ride New Garden, a settlement of Quakers from Nantucket. They were exemplary and industrius...every farm Iooks neat and chearfu1, the dwe1lings are tidy and well furnished, abounding in plenty... [Watson, Men and Times of the Revolution pg 293.]

The Nantucket Quakers arrived in the already established community in 1771, almost 20 years after DANIEL-2. [Hilty, Our Quaker Friends of Olden Times, pg 183.]

We are not sure where LUKE DILLON's son, DANIEL-2, was born, but he may have lived his teenage years and early married life in Frederick County, Virginia. About 1744, at about age 31, he married a girl named LYDIA HODGSON [b.c.1724] who was about 20 years old. Their first four children were born in Frederick County, Virginia, and the last seven of their eleven children were born in New Garden, Guilford County, North Carolina [Hinshaw.]

We’re not sure who LYDIA's father was, but several families named Hodgson [Hobson, Hodges, Hoge, etc.]were living in Hopewell, Virginia.

As we approach the East side of Round Hill, the homes of the Hodgson family were found about 1800....The first Hodgson to appear in the neighborhood mentioned was John, prior to 1800. In 1762 a Robert Hodgson obtained land from Hiland, adjoining lands of Hogue on drains of Opeckon." Records of court proceedings also mention George Hogson in the May, 1744, term, as well as James Hoge. [Cartmell, Shenandoah Valley, pg 444.]

Children of Daniel-2 and Lydia Hodgson Dillon

Luke Dillon-1; Daniel-2; Isaac-3; Mary-4

1. Nathan Dillon-3, was born July 6, 1748, in Hopewell, Frederick County, Virginia, and died about 1818 in Guilford County, North Carolina. He was disfellowshipped by the Quakers for his marriage in 1776 to a woman named Sarah. [Hinshaw, pg 537]. LYDIA’s father might have been named "Nathan," as in many Quaker families, the first male child was named for the mother's father. Nathan Dillon owned two slaves, Rhoda and Tom, whom he left to his wife in his will. Nathan built a mill on Beaver Creek in 1766 that still stands. His will, [Book B:0478] mentions a son, Peter-4, and Rachel Dillon [daughter?], Grandson Jake Dillon-5, and “all my daughters,” unnamed.

2. Martha Dillon-3, was born November 3, 1745, in Hopewell, Frederick County, Virginia, and married Robert Blakely about 1770. She was still living in 1805.

3. William Dillon-3, born May 9, 1750, also in Hopewell, Frederick County, Virginia, apparently moved back there about 1771, then back to Guilford. He was also disfellowshipped for his marriage in 1775.

4. Peter Dillon-3, was born February 6, 1751/2 in New Garden, Guilford County, North Carolina. He married Elizabeth Haworth August 11, 1773, in Guilford County, and died July 9, 1829. Peter moved to Westfield Monthly Meeting after 1783, and to New Hope in Green County, Tennessee, after 1795. His children were: James-4, born 1778; William-4, born 1782; Lydia-4, born 1783; Sarah-4, born 1774; Garrett-4, born 1776; Phebe-4, born 1786; Susannah-4, born 1789; and Jemima-4, born 1791. The given name of Peter's son, Garrett, may refer back to the maiden name of SUSAN [GARRETT?] [Barrett?] the wife of LUKE DILLON-1. [Hinshaw, pg 537.]

5. Jesse Dillon-3, was born October, 1753, and married Hannah Ruckman, January 20, 1778. [Hinshaw, pg 537]. She was mentioned in the will of Joseph Ruckman in 1792 [A:0325] as daughter, Hannah Dillon. He died October 3, 1823. Jesse and his family moved to Center, Ohio, about 1807. His children were Achsah Dillon-4 [daughter] born 1779, who married Hur Hodgson [see Hodgson Research] in 1798; Susannah Dillon-4, born 1780, married Gayer Starbuck; Jonathan Dillon-4, born 1783, married Agnes Stanley; Sarah Dillon-4, born 1785; Martha Dillon-4, born 1788; Luke Dillon-4, born 1790; and Abigail Dillon-4, born 1797. [Hinshaw, pg 537.]

6. Susanna Dillon-3, was born November 24, 1755, and married George Haworth November 1, 1773. [Hinshaw.]

7. Daniel Dillon, Jr.-3, was born March 20, 1757, married Ann Peugh, and died 1836. Daniel, Jr., was frequently counseled on his conduct by the Quaker sect, and was disfellowshipped for his marriage. He and his family moved to Miami Monthly Meeting in Ohio in 1804. He seems to have rejoined the sect several times. His children were Lydia Dillon-4, Jesse Dillon-4, Thomas Dillon-4, Walter Dillon-4, Ann Dillon-4, Jane Dillon-4, Nathan Dillon-4, William Dillon-4, and Absolom Dillon-4. [Hinshaw, pg 537.] He may be the man by that name located in Sumner County, Tennessee, in the decade after 1810.

8. Hannah Dillon-3, was born May 14, 1759, probably married a man named Wallace, and had two daughters. She died before 1805, as she was not named in her father's will, but her Wallace daughters were. [Hinshaw.] [Will of Daniel Dillon.]

9. An unnamed baby-3 who died in 1761. [Hinshaw.]

10. Patience Dillon-4, was born October 13, 1762. She married Thomas Hodgson November 5, 1777. As a widow, she married Nathan Hines on February 28, 1799. She died December 30, 1830. Her children were: Rebecca Hodgson, born August 10, 1779; Amos Hodgson, born May 21, 1782; David Hodgson, born June 12, 1784; Susannah Hodgson, born October 23, 1786; Joel Hodgson, born November 17, 1789; Rachel Hodgson, born February 21, 1792; Lydia Ann Hodgson, born March 17, 1794; Mary Hodgson, born May 27, 1796; and Daniel Hodgson. Her Hines children were Isaac, Nathan, Sarah, and Jesse. [Hinshaw. [Birth dates of the children are from the Hodson Family Web Page.]

11. ISAAC DILLON-4, was born May 23, 1766, the last of their children. He was our ancestor. ISAAC married JEMIMA BRITTAIN November 23, 1787. The Quakers shortly disfellowshipped him for the marriage "out of unity." We haven't at this time found evidence that ISAAC rejoined the sect after being disfellowshipped.

Naming patterns among Quakers were somewhat different from other groups. The first male child was usually named after the mother's father. The first female child was usually named after the father's mother. This pattern was not universal by any means, but was quite usual. A balance was struck between honoring both the mother and the father's parents, and then the later children might be named after the parents themselves. [Fischer, Albion’s Seed.]The names from ISAAC's siblings would be passed on among several nuclear families for several generations. We know of only one grandson of DANIEL-2 named Luke.

Peter Dillon, son of the Peter that came with DANIEL-2 from Virginia, [not Daniel's son] died in 1796 in Guilford County and his will [A:097] named Daniel, Jr.-3, and Charity, the widow, as executors. Daniel Dillon, Junior-3, was to receive his clothes and a horse and saddle.

New Garden in the War of Independence

ISAAC DILLION-3 married JEMIMA BRITTAIN November 23, 1787, with Nathan Armfield as the bondsman for the non-Quaker ceremony, for which ISAAC was disowned by the Quakers. [Hinshaw.]

Yancy and Mary Dillon Turner

YANCY TURNER had grown up not far from his father's family in Yanceyville in Caswell County, North Carolina. He and his mother probably remained in his maternal grandparent's home during his youth. There is no way for us to know if he had a relationship with his father, THOMAS GRAVES YANCY, or his father's family, or if the "stigma' of "Bastard" was a problem for him in the community. We do know that YANCY grew up to be an upright and successful man. His natural father, THOMAS GRAVES YANCY, died about the time YANCY TURNER married. The TURNER family and the YANCEY family were frequently at estate sales in the area together. By this we can know that they more-or-less “moved in the same circle.”.

We don’t know how much MARY DILLON was influenced by her father's Quaker background. Her father was disfellowshipped for his marriage, and unless her parents rejoined the sect sometime later, MARY may have had little Quaker influence in her early life. Since she married into a family where slavery was practiced, she must not have been strictly adherent to the sect's views. So far, we haven’t found any evidence that her father rejoined the Quakers after he was disfellowshipped for marrying JEMIMA BRITTON/BRITTAIN.

YANCY TURNER and MARY DILLON-4 probably married about 1804 or 1805, close to the time her grandfather, DANIEL DILLON-2, died.

YANCY and MARY moved from Caswell, North Carolina, to Sumner, Tennessee, about 1805. YANCY’s mother, SUSANNAH, and her new husband, James Donaho, moved to Sumner at the same time. Beginning October 19, 1805, deed records show that YANCY purchased a total of 1198 I/2 acres in Sumner County. The first record we have of a land purchase by him was when he bought 122 ½ acres from Isaac Hurt “on the ridge between Bledsoe’s Creek and Tramel Creek.” His stepfather, James Donoho, witnessed the deed.

There are no records of his selling any land before 1842, when his property fell into the new Macon County. In 1850, his real estate was valued at $1,600 and in 1860 he owned 10 slaves. The value of his property and his slaves made him one of the more affluent members of the community, although he was not extremely wealthy. Apparently, MARY’s father, ISAAC DILLON, and possibly some of her brothers, also accompanied the family’s move to Tennessee, as ISAAC and Daniel Dillon are found in Sumner County tax records owning land near YANCY TURNER on Long Creek. It appears that this same Daniel Dillion was living there in the 1830’s. We aren’t sure if this Daniel Dillon was MARY’s brother, uncle, or great-uncle.

The first piece of property bought by YANCY TURNER for which we find a deed was listed in Sumner County Deed book, Volume 4, February, 1806, to June, 1810, page 104, and recounts the purchase of 122 ½ acres of ground from Isaac Hurt, of Smith County, Tennessee, located “between Bledsoe’s Creek and Trammel Creek, beginning north corner of Hartwell Sayres, witnessed by James Donoho and Joshua Hudson.”

The Sumner County Tax list records 59 acres for YANCY “on the Ridge” for the years 1818 and 1819. In 1820, it records 75 acres on Long Creek near ISAAC DILLON and near land owned by James Donoho. In 1821, the tax records show 175 acres on Trammell Creek.

YANCY started buying more land in the 1820s and continued into the 1860s. Many pieces of land were on Trammel Creek, but also on Garrett’s Creek.

YANCY’s maternal Grandfather, HENRY TURNER, died in Caswell County, North Carolina, in 1807, only a couple of years after YANCY's move to Tennessee. James Donoho gave a power-of-attorney to “Friend Yancy Turner" to secure the inheritance he [James] had received from HENRY, probably SUSANNAH's share. We would assume that YANCY may have traveled back to Caswell County to take charge of the inheritances from HENRY's estate. YANCY also received an inheritance from his grandfather, HENRY TURNER.

SUSANNAH’s husband, James Donoho, had been born about 1767 in Virginia, according to one of his descendant’s research, and married Elizabeth Lowery in Bedford County, Virginia, January 26, 1789. Their first son, William Thomas, was born May 9, 1790. Other children were Elizabeth, who married a Mr. Gourldman; Sally Hana; and Nancy, who married Jobe Meador. Apparently, after his wife’s death, James moved to Caswell County, North Carolina, where he married SUSANNAH. They shortly moved to Sumner County, Tennessee, however, and he received a grant of land in 1809.

“Susannah Donoho” was shown on the Sumner County tax lists for the year 1821 after James died. She apparently lived long enough to see many of her grandchildren born.

Children of Yancey Turner and Mary Dillon Turner

Henry Turner-1; Susannah-2 [Thomas Graves Yancey]; Yancy Turner-3

Luke Dillon-1; Daniel-2; Isaac-3; Mary-4

1. Jemima Turner-4, was born February 2, 1807, in Sumner County and married Joshua Doss, a brick mason, February 1, 1832, and they had five children. She died February 18, 1891, according to the Bible of her daughter, Emiline F. Doss Simmons. Joshua Doss was born September 30, 1804, and died February 5, 1862, according to the same source.

2. MILLEY TURNER-4, was born December 10, 1810, [Emiline’s Bible said her birth date was December 2] and married ALBERT GARNER HOLMES when she was only 13 years old. They both died in 1854, and her children were mentioned in YANCY’s estate. She would have been old enough to have remembered her grandmother, SUSANNAH TURNER DONOHO.

3. Senith Frances Turner-4, born December 8, 1812, married Jordan Coleman December 25, 1838, and died January 13, 1858, in Macon County. Her father’s estate mentions her heirs.

4. Leatha [Leathey] Turner-4, was born December 22, 1814, married Benjamin P. Wilson, May 10, 1830, in Sumner County, and moved to Allen County, Kentucky, where she died May 11, 1896.

5. Bartlett Yancy Turner-4, born June 30, 1817, married Margaret Foster, January 23, 1838, and died March 24, 1862, probably in Macon County. He was a Justice of the Peace of that county and wrote a very legible handwriting. Some of the other children, not withstanding the relative prosperity of the family, were illiterate. The 1850 Sumner County Census lists him as living in District 15, page 189, house 864. He is listed as age 33, born in Tennessee. Margaret A., his wife, is listed as age 30, born in Kentucky. The children at home are William Y., age 11; Mary J., age 9; Martha, age 6; Abner D., age 4; James W., age 2; and Booker A., age 1. Emiline Hilborn, age 15, is also listed in the household.

6. Polly [Mary] Turner-4, born June 24, 1820, first married Zachariah Fagg, at age 14, August 11, 1834. Later, she married Marcus Keen about August, 1847. The family cemetery is called "Polly Fagg" cemetery. A man by this name was in the Seminole War, and listed on the muster roll of Capt. Joseph Meador from June, 1836, to January, 1837, in Sumner. [Durham, Old Sumner.]

7. Matilda Turner-4, was born January 17, 1825, and married Charles Hawkins about 1843 in Sumner County. She died August 8, 1898, and is buried in the Polly Fagg Cemetery in Macon County

8. Emily Carolyn Turner-4, was born April 3, 1834, the youngest child, according to Emiline’s Bible. She married Alfred J. Hodges on September 16, 1850. They moved to Texas in the late 1870s. [See HODGES Chapter for his family.]

9. James Allen Turner-4, was born June 21, 1827, according to Emiline’s Bible, and lived in Macon County in the 1860s and 1870s. His wife was named Margaret Ann. A descendant of James A. Turner, Dorothy Gray, contributed a great deal of oral history for this family. This Turner family moved to Texas about 1895 or 1896, and Clarence Beard Turner, a son of James Allen Turner, married there in 1898.

James Turner had a 500-acre farm on Trammell creek. He grew tobacco, and Dorothy has a long-stemmed pipe which either he or his wife, Margaret, smoked. Dorothy’s sister also has their Bible, which says James’s wife was named Margaret Ann. Charles Simmons said, in a letter to Dorothy, that the farm was bought by Josephus [Joe] Simmons when the family moved to Texas.

According to Dorothy, a couple of James’ daughters stayed in Tennessee when the family moved. One of them married a Carter, “according to the Bible, Cammie Turner VanSickle married D. L. Carter, September 18, 1891.”

10. Martin D. Turner-4, was a son for whom little is known. He was listed in the Bible of his sister’s daughter, Emiline F. Doss Simmons, with a birth date of October 27, 1822, making him the sixth child of YANCY and MARY. He was listed in the estate records for his father in Macon County, Tennessee. There is also a deed, recorded May 10, 1811, from Nathan Edwards to Alexander Rasco for land on Middle Fork of Station Camp Creek, witnessed by someone named Martin Turner. However, this could not be the son of YANCY. No descendants of this man have been traced by this author. The given name of Martin, however, makes us wonder if there is some family surnamed Martin who might be a connection.

In 1837, YANCY TURNER, along with his son-in-law, ALBERT HOLMES, and ROBERT HOLMES, ALBERT’s father, signed a petition to form Macon County. [History Macon County, Tennessee, pg. 20.] The 1838 “Scholastic Population” listed the names of each man or woman in Sumner County, the district in which they lived, and the number of children in school. YANCY TURNER was listed in District 15 and 3 children were enrolled in school that year. Martin, Matilda, and James were probably those three children, as the other children would be old enough to have graduated or left school, and Emily would have only been four years old that year. ALBERT HOLMES also lived in district 15 and he and MILLEY had three school-aged children that year.

“Kentucky lands” that were actually in Tennessee were bought by YANCY about this time. His lands were listed in Kentucky grants because they were “grants south of Walker’s Line.” This was an area that was in dispute between Kentucky and Tennessee. The line, run in 1779 and 1780, failed to establish the true parallel of the 36th degree and 30 minutes and the lands were really in Tennessee. YANCY had bought lands in this area in 1826, 1839, 1846, [two parcels] and again in 1851. There were over 500 acres of these lands.

In 1840, YANCY TURNER, along with others, including William Doss, who was commissioned overseer of the road, “from Charles Simmons to YANCY TURNER’s in place of Elijah Butler resigned. The Hands from Butler and also Nancy Doss, James Fagg, Joshua Doss, James Hunt, William Parish, Nancy Weatherford, Samuel Morris, and James Hoskins were to work the road.”

In 1841, a jury consisting of YANCY TURNER, and Samuel Morris, Bartlett Turner, Wm Smothers, and George Hunt were to lay out a road from old meeting house on Rock House Road [from Gallatin to Scottsville] to YANCY TURNER’S where it will intersect the Hartsville Road leading up to Trammel Creek, then down to Joshua Doss, thence take a point of ridge below James Hunt, Sr., the best way to intersect the old Ft. Blount Road from Scottsville to Long Creek.

Hartsville was a post town in the southeast corner of Sumner near Goose Creek and Cumberland. It is now located in Trousdale County. Long Creek is a branch of the Baren River and located in Smith and Sumner Counties.

YANCY and MARY’s eldest daughter, Jemima Doss, lived next door, but one, to her parents in 1850. MILLEY and ALBERT G. HOLMES lived nearby on land ALBERT had inherited from his father, ROBERT HOLMES. Because the families lived so close to each other, MILLEY and ALBERT had probably known each other since childhood. A Bible, owned now by Robert Witt, which was inherited from Carrie Doss [1871-1952] dated 1857, contained birth and death dates of YANCY and MARY as well as their children. This Bible is thought to have been owned by Jemima Turner Doss’s daughter, Emiline Doss. A transcription of the Bible record is available on the Sumner County site of the Tennessee Gen Web on the internet.

After the death of ALBERT HOLMES' parents, ROBERT and MARJORY HOLMES, in the 1840s, ALBERT and MILLEY continued to live on the farm near YANCY and MARY as they raised their family. The community-of-family seems to have been a close one with mutual assistance as needed. Unfortunately, as was the case many times in the days before antibiotics, many parents outlived their children. This was the case with YANCY and MARY TURNER. They outlived both ALBERT and MILLEY HOLMES by many years. YANCY and MARY “advanced” land, slaves, livestock, and cash to some of their children to help them establish independent homes as they matured and married.

An article, reprinted from the Gallatin Examiner newspaper dated September 22, 1876, [viewed on Microfilm from the LDS Library and supplied by Kathy Wilcox] says;

Mr. Yancy Turner of Epperson Springs is 90 years old. Notwithstanding the fact that he has passed the 5^th of a century beyond the allotted time of man, he attends regularly to his business, saddles, and harnesses his own horse, is but slightly gray and enjoys good health. His living children, grandchildren and great great grandchildren number two hundred.

YANCY and MARY TURNER died on the family home place where they had settled as a young bride and groom. They outlived several of their children and some of their grandchildren. Both lived through the Civil War which must have been a hardship on them, especially at their advanced ages.

MARY died August 11, 1870, and YANCY died January 2, 1878. [Doss, Simmons, Turner Family Bible transcription has these dates reversed, but since he was alive per the newspaper article, we will assume he died after 1876 when the article was published.] He was 92 years old when he died. They are buried in the Fagg Cemetery at Route One, Westmoreland, Tennessee. The only picture we have of YANCY shows him as an elderly man with a downturned mouth and a relatively large nose. His eyes were hooded and he looked very stern. He wore a white shirt and a coat with a wide lapel. The quality of the photograph is very poor, but he appears to be bald, with hair on the sides only.

PHOTO OF YANCEY TURNER

Photograph of Yancy Turner made from a copy owned by Theda Womack of the original.

Estate of Yancy Turner

The estate of YANCY TURNER-3 was decreased by the loss of the value of the slaves he had owned before the Civil War. By the time he died, the cash from his estate totaled only a little over $2,900 to be divided between 10 children, and/or their heirs. James A. Turner-4 was the administrator of the estate.

James Turner & others vs. Emily Hodges et al, order., J. A. Turner is made defendant by petition of complaint for whom proceeds will issue to June rules. [Volume D., August 1877-January 1886, Chancery Court Minutes, Macon County, TN, pages 234-5.]

The estate first determined how much each child had been advanced by YANCY before his death. A listing was made of all the surviving children and the heirs of those who were deceased.

Matilda [Turner-4] Hawkins had been advanced “a negroe girl worth $500,” one colt worth $45, one cow and calf worth $25, two sheep worth $1 each, $2, and one bee gum worth $3, total $575.”

James Allen Turner-4 had received a tract of land worth $500, a 3-year old colt worth $40, one other colt worth $30, one heifer worth $10, one cow worth $25, provision worth $25, one bedstead worth $3 for a total of $623.

Polly [Turner-4] Fagg had been advanced a tract of land worth $500, one crippled “avet” worth $10, and one bee gum worth $3 making a total of $513.

Jemima [Turner-4] Doss had received a tract of land worth $500, one cow worth $20, and a bee gum worth $3 for a total of $523.

Letha [Tuner]-4 Wilson had received a Negro girl worth $500 and one mule worth $100 for a total of $600.

Emily [Turner-4] Hodges had received a Negro girl worth $500 and a mule worth $100 for a total of $600.

MILLY [TURNER-4] HOLMES’ children had been advanced $500 in notes and money.

Martin Turner-4 had been advanced one stable horse worth $300, one gelding worth $100, one mare worth $75 and $900 cash for a total of $1,375.

Frances [Turner-4] Coleman’s heirs had been advanced only the family carriage worth $60 and $5 worth of hogs making a total of $65.

Bartlett Yancy Turner-4 had received one cow worth $25 and a bee gum and bedclothing.

The estate papers stated in the course of settling the estate that there were “10 original heirs to said estate” and named them.

Each of the 10 heirs, or their heirs, were entitled to $708.23 and 5/9 cents, which included their advancements. The loss of the value of the slaves after the Civil War had decreased the value of the estate by some unknown figure, but probably a substantial one. Before the war, at one time, we know that YANCY had owned about 10 slaves. If we calculate the value of the slaves, using the figure used in the estate of $500 each, this would have been a substantial amount of loss to the estate when the slaves were freed. Those children who received slaves as part of their advancements suffered the loss of that value from their share of the estate, whereas those children who had received livestock, money, or land, didn’t. MILLEY’s heirs had taken their advancements in money and other forms of liquid assets.

All of the heirs received enough cash to make them equal with the others, but Martin Turner’s share [and then some] had already been advanced to him.

Thanks to Kathryn C. Wilcox of Temecula, California, for supplying us with the copies of the estate which she transcribed from difficult microfilm records.