52 Ancestors: #31 - Ephraim RUCKER

Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small has issued a challenge:  write one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor.  It can be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem – anything that focuses on one ancestor.

My 5X great-grandfather Ephraim RUCKER was the sixth son and ninth child of ten born to Elizabeth and Peter Rucker.  The goal for many Rucker researchers is to trace their line to “Peter the Immigrant,” the first to settle in Virginia.  The Ruckers are well-researched and well-documented but not without controversy stemming from errors in early research and not without some dramatic legends.  One of the most interesting of the legends is that Peter Rucker was shipwrecked on the James River and floated to land clinging to a barrel of whiskey.  That story gets told in various ways, sometimes with two of his sons being the stars of the story.  At any rate, Peter is responsible for the long line of Ruckers in Virginia and across the country. 

Historic marker
Ruckersville, Greene Co, Virginia

Peter settled in Essex County about 1700 where he and Elizabeth raised their family.  He died in Orange County, but this doesn’t necessarily mean he moved because Orange was created out of Spotsylvania County which was created from parts of Essex.  Between 1700 and 1743/44 (double dates due to old calendar style), Peter amassed quite a bit of land and by all accounts appears to have been a successful landowner and farmer.  In his will he left everything to his wife, and then one slave to each of his children.  Ephraim, my 4X great-grandfather, and his brother James were appointed executors.

Ephraim, like his father, owned hundreds and hundreds of acres of land.  He paid taxes on land in both Culpeper and Madison counties, both formed from Orange County.  Ephraim was a frequent grantor and grantee in the land game, no doubt keeping the court clerks hopping. 

A timeline of land deals involving Ephraim Rucker

• 1750 –  200 acres in Culpeper Co, VA, were deeded by John Vawter to his son-in-law Ephraim Rucker and Margaret 
• 1751 – 159 acres in Orange Co, VA sold by Angus and Ann Vawter to Ephraim and James Barbour (Orange Co Deed Book 13, p. 272)
• 1759 – 100 acres in Culpeper Co on Elk Run at the fork of the Robinson and Rapidan Rivers purchased from brother-in-law Isaac Tinsley and wife Margaret Rucker
• 1773 – 505 acres on Elk Run at the fork of the Rapidan and Robinson Rivers purchased from William Twyman of Culpeper 
• 1774 – sold some land in Culpeper Co, VA; also Ephraim and his wife paid for three years of their grandson’s schooling:  “ …  paid 30 shillings for the present years schooling of Charles George Cook, and thirty shillings for the next, and for the year following.” (Culpeper Co Deed Book H, p. 22) 
• 1775 – grandson Charles G. Cook paid 21 lb. to Ephraim for 60 acres of land, 1/2 mile above the bridge, which crosses Elk Run
• 1775 – Ephraim deeded 150 acres at the fork of the Robinson and Rapid Rivers to son Angus Rucker; another 150 to son-in-law Edmund Gaines; and 150 to James Davis (whose relationship has yet to be determined) 
• 1776 – sold 159 acres to Jeremiah Jarrell

A timeline of tax activity

Land and Personal Property tax books in Orange Co mention “Col. Ephraim Rucker” paying on 63 acres, 13 head of cattle, and 8 slaves named Sambo, James, John, Giles, Hog, Ishal, Rachel, and Adams.

Ephraim owned property in a section of Orange that later became Greene Co, but he was living north of the Rapidan River in Culpeper Co which was later carved out to become Madison Co.  (Which way did he go?  Which way did he go?)

Land and Personal Property tax books in Culpeper Co show Ephraim paying on 400 acres of land and a number of slaves:  Harry, Ben, York, Cloe, Venus, Diana, Will, Phil, Moll, George, James, Milly, Violet, Phillis (this was the slave given to him by his father Peter Rucker), and Frank. 

• 1787 – In Culpeper Co, Ephraim paid personal tax for two sons, Julius and Elliot, who were still involved in service related to the Revolutionary War
• 1792 – When Madison was formed from Culpeper, Ephraim paid on the same 400 acres as he did until his death in 1796. His estate continued until 1811. 
• 1796 – Ephraim paid taxes for two grandsons and for his son Julius as well as his own.  Julius had been injured during the Revolutionary War, so perhaps he was unable to work.
• 1799 – Margaret Rucker paid on 7 slaves in Madison Co. 
• 1800 - 1813 – Margaret Rucker paid for her son, most likely Julius 

The well-dressed Continental Army
image from wikipedia in public domain

Revolutionary War Service

Apparently no one applied for a pension based on Ephraim’s service.  However, families of young soldiers certainly did for their husbands, fathers, and sons.  In providing proof of service, many referred to particular battles or marching under the command of “Captain Ephraim Rucker” or “Col. Ephraim Rucker.”

Culpeper Court records of 1776 indicate Ephraim was a captain.  But the next year, he was appointed Lieutenant Colonel along with James and John Slaughter.  In my research, he is most often referred to as “Colonel Ephraim Rucker.”

Will of Ephraim Rucker

Dated Sept. 24, 1796, probated Dec. 28th, 1797 (Will Book 1, p. 348, Madison Co)

To my wife, Margaret, my whole estate until her death, then 1/7 to son Angus, and the land whereon he now lives.  1/7 to son Elliott, 1/7 to son John, 1/7 to daughter Tabitha Gaines, 1/7 to daughter Mary Vawter, 1/7 to daughter Tomagen Rucker and her sons John and Ambrose Booten, and her daughters Ann and Elizabeth Rucker.

To my daughter, Margaret Morgan, and her sons, Elliot and Joseph Minor, and her daughter Mary Early. Witness: James Ridish, George Allen and Joseph Bradford.  

Executors: Sons Angus, Elliott and John.

Angus and John gave bond in the sum of $10,000.00 Dec. 28, 1797, with William Blakey and Joseph Bradford, security.

Using the handy inflation calculator at Dave Manuel.com, I see that the Rucker brothers forked over a hefty bond.  Today that $10,000 equates to over $185,000. 

Those Ruckers did all right. 

THREE GENERATIONS:

Ephraim RUCKER ( 1718 Essex County, VA – 24 Sep 1796 Madison County, VA) & Margaret VAWTER (1720 – 1813)  25 Mar 1738 Essex County, VA

1. Margaret RUCKER ( 1738 Culpeper Co, VA – 1797 Madison Co, VA ) & m1) Armistead MINER ; & m2) William MORGAN 17 Oct 1795 Madison Co, VA

          Armistead and Margaret had the following children:

• Mary Allen MINER ( 04 Oct 1781 Culpeper Co, VA – 15 Jun 1841 Boone Co, KY) & Whitfield EARLY (10 Jan 1777 Culpeper Co, VA – 05 Aug 1866 Boone Co, KY)  15 Dec 1795 Madison Co, VA
• Joseph MINER (1782 Madison Co, VA – 08 Jun 1858 Missouri) & Sara YOWELL (18 May 1781 – 11 Nov 1861 Chariton Co, MO)
• Elliott MINER (1785 Madison Co, VA – After 1860 Boone Co, KY) & Jane RUCKER (1791 Madison Co, VA – After 1870 Boone Co, KY)

2. Tabitha RUCKER ( 1745 Culpeper Co, VA – 1815 Madison Co, VA ) & Edmund Pendleton GAINES (1743 – 1816)

• Sarah GAINES ( 27 May 1775 Culpeper Co, VA –  Feb 1863 Madison Co, VA ) & Thomas Abraham LEWIS ( 23 Jun 1772 Culpeper Co, VA – 05 Sep 1823 Madison Co, VA ) 10 Jul 1806 Madison Co, VA

3. Angus RUCKER ( 1746 Culpeper Co, VA – 21 Sep 1836 Madison Co, VA ) & Jane ALLEN (1755 – 1830 Madison County, VA ) about 1770 Culpeper County, VA

• Sallie RUCKER (20 Jun 1782 Madison Co, VA – 31 Aug 1858 Fayette Co, IN) & William M. GAINES (31 Jan 1771 Virginia – 18 Nov 1836 Fayette Co, IN)  04 Oct 1804 Madison Co, VA
• Catherine RUCKER ( 27 Oct 1786 Madison Co, VA – Aft 1860 Madison Co, VA ) & William EARLY ( Oct 1773 – 1839 Madison Co, VA ) 02 Feb 1804 Madison Co, VA
• Jane RUCKER (1791 Madison Co, VA – After 1870 Boone Co, KY) & Elliott MINER (1785 Madison Co, VA  – After 1860 Boone Co, KY)
• Margaret RUCKER ( 1793 Madison Co, VA – 03 Aug 1888 Missouri) & James BLAKEY (25 Dec 1794 – 30 Mar 1847 Madison Co, VA)  19 Nov 1813 Madison Co, VA
• John Frank RUCKER ( 1794 Madison County, VA – 15 Dec 1839 Rockingham Co, VA) & Mary  P. JARRELL  (1791 Madison Co, VA – Sep 1871 Rockingham Co, VA) Feb 1816 Madison Co, VA
• George Allen RUCKER (1798 Madison Co, VA – 01 Oct 1844 Saline, MO) & Anna Marie VAWTER (1800 – 21 Sep 1844 Saline, MO)  07 Jul 1821 Madison Co, VA

4. Julius RUCKER (1747 Culpeper Co, VA – 1804 Virginia )

5. Elliott Legrand RUCKER (1748 Culpeper Co, VA – 19 Mar 1832 Shelby, KY) & Nancy SMITH 06 May 1789 Orange, VA

• George Washington RUCKER ( 1790 Culpeper Co, VA – 1844 Kentucky) & Maria VAWTER (1792 – )  06 Oct 1810 Woodford Co, KY
• Legrand F. RUCKER (28 Aug 1793 Culpeper Co, VA – 02 Dec 1836 Shelby Co, KY) & Harriet DAVIS (22 Jan 1802 – 23 Aug 1859 Shelby Co, KY) 02 Jul 1821 Woodford, KY
• Merial RUCKER & John Earle DENEALE

6. Tomagen RUCKER ( 1749 Culpeper Co, VA – 1814 Madison Co, VA) &  m1) Ambrose BOOTEN ; & m2) Augustine RUCKER (1750 – 1815)

          Tomagen and Ambrose had the following children:

• John BOOTEN ( 1765 –  11 Feb 1819 Madison Co, VA) & Frances Fanny CLARK (1770 – 1840)  24 Jan 1786 Culpeper Co, VA
• Ambrose BOOTEN JR. ( 1767 Culpeper Co, VA  – 1775 Culpeper Co, VA)

         Tomagen and Augustine had the following children:

• Polly RUCKER (1777 Culpeper Co, VA – ) & Thomas PARROTT 13 Apr 1802 Madison Co, VA
• Ephraim RUCKER ( 1778 Culpeper Co, VA – 08 May 1858 Anderson Co, KY) & Rosamond WRIGHT  (03 Mar 1800 Virginia – 1858 Anderson Co, KY)  04 Jan 1816  Madison Co, VA
• Ann RUCKER  (1782 Culpeper Co, VA – )
• Elizabeth RUCKER  (08 Jan 1782 Culpeper Co, VA – 31 Mar 1828 Nashville, TN) & Severn DONALSON (1779 – 1818)
• Larkin RUCKER (02 May 1783 Culpeper Co, VA – 15 May 1860 Greene Co, KY) & Lucy TERRY ( 01 Apr 1787 Madison Co, VA – 1840 Madison Co, VA ) 20 Feb 1815 Madison Co, VA

7. Mary RUCKER ( 1749 Culpeper Co, VA – about 1798 Kentucky) & William VAWTER (1758 Essex Co, VA – 27 Nov 1823 Boone, KY)  04 Jun 1784 Orange Co, VA

8. John RUCKER ( 1751 Culpeper Co, VA – 1792)

Sources: 

Brydon, Jeannie. "Peter Rucker, Immigrant. Updated Feb 2012." Rucker Family Society Homepage. Web. 25 July 2014. http://www.theruckerfamilysociety.org/

"Peter Rucker, d. abt 1743 in VA." Excerpt from "Rucker and Edwards Heritages." Rucker, William Robert. Dallas, TX. 1983.  Web. 25 July 2014. https://familysearch.org/photos/stories/877714

Wood, Sudie Rucker. The Rucker Family Genealogy. Old Dominion Press, Richmond, VA. 1932. Web. July 25, 2014. http://www.vawterfamily.org/Rucker/Rucker.pdf

© 2014, Wendy Mathias.  All rights reserved.

Sepia Saturday: On a Wingtip and a Prayer

Sepia Saturday challenges bloggers to share family history through old photographs.

This week’s Sepia Saturday photo prompt is a humorous scene of a towel-bedecked man unaware that he is about to be tickled by a mischievous woman.  A similar scene took place in 1949 in Cullman, Alabama, only that time the man caught unaware was my father, and the mischief-maker was no woman.

Left:  Fred Slade ; Right: unknown friend
at St. Bernard's College spring 1949

Daddy was then a student at St. Bernard’s College.  It must have been a good day to catch some rays while studying for a big test.  Look at all those books and notebooks.  He graduated from the junior college and went on to the University of Virginia, so apparently he suffered no brain damage from getting clobbered with a shoe.  

It is funny to see Daddy (left) wearing a necklace.
I never saw him wear any jewelry except a watch. 

The same can’t be said for the mouse that got into our upstairs bedroom in the mid 1960s.  My sister and I were in our beds; Daddy, still dressed from work, was reading and waiting for us to go to sleep.  Then suddenly BAM! THUD! BLAM!  

Downstairs Momma and Grandma came running thinking someone had fallen.  But no, it was just Daddy throwing his shoes at the mouse.  It took a couple tries ….

Who needs a cat when you have a man wearing Wingtips?

Wingtips are no joke.  They are HEAVY shoes!

To see what mischief my friends are up to, please visit Sepia Saturday.

Wordless Wednesday: Dog Days of Summer #3

Wordless Wednesday is a daily prompt at Geneabloggers that asks family historians to create a post in which the main focus is a photograph or image.

 

from the album of Helen Killeen Parker 1918-21
she captioned this "Me and My Dog"

Counting down the number of photos of dogs in my collection

52 Ancestors: #30 - Ann Elizabeth JOLLETT

Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small has issued a challenge:  write one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor.  It can be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem – anything that focuses on one ancestor.

This week I’m breaking from my usual plan which has been to report on the oldest names in my various lines (and to update my own research along the way).  But a recent discovery has pushed me a decade further in tracing the whereabouts of one particular family whose collective stories have been  interesting  to say the least – at least to me.  I'm excited to share that story.  

Over the years, I have from time to time come across references to The Freedmen’s Bureau (formally known as Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands).  I knew its purpose was to aid freed slaves at the conclusion of the Civil War.  So it never occurred to me to search for my ancestors through any records of the Freedmen’s Bureau.

Freedmen's Bureau
Wikimedia Commons - public domain

It must have been in a moment of boredom, I suppose, that I clicked on the link to the Freedmen’s Bureau records at FamilySearch and typed “Jollett” into the Search box.  Surprisingly – Amazingly – four hits appeared, all leading to Elizabeth Jollett.

The details in a series of letters and reports convinced me that at long last I had found Ann Elizabeth Breeden/Breeding JOLLETT, the widow of my half second great-granduncle Emanuel Jollett.  I lost her after 1860 when she was last enumerated in Page County, Virginia, along with four daughters and two sons.  In 1870, they were nowhere to be found, save son William who was in jail in Richmond for stealing a horse.  I theorized that Ann Elizabeth and her daughters had married, and perhaps the other son Andrew had died. 

While Ann Elizabeth’s story seemed to have ended in 1860, William’s story was just getting started.  In fact, I wrote a series about William’s life of crime and new identity.  One part of the story in particular always puzzled me:  after William was released from prison in 1874, he went to Shenandoah County to visit family.  That confused me because I knew of no family there, but evidently it was William’s mother and sisters.  How do I know that now for sure?  Because Ann Elizabeth asked the Freedmen’s Bureau in Shenandoah County for help.

What I’ve learned is that the Union soldiers who manned the various posts did more than help former slaves get an education and find work.  In addition to aiding in the transition from slavery to freedom, the Freedmen’s Bureau kept good records of bounty payments, pensions, and records related to property restoration and homesteads.  The Bureau helped reestablish order by investigating instances of violence, mediating labor disputes, and issuing rations to both freed slaves and refugees. 

In one of the letters, Ann Elizabeth Jollett was determined to be a refugee.  When I was in school, “refugee” was not a term that came up in our study of the Civil War.  Come to find out, the term can refer to former slaves, Southern Unionists, and Confederates.  Most often “refugee” means Confederates who had fled their home to escape advancing Union troops.  One of the problems the Bureau faced was that such refugees frequently had trouble finding work or a place to live.  Towns and cities often lacked resources to feed and house refugees, many of whom finding themselves victims of extortion and price-gauging as a result.

Apparently Ann Elizabeth Jollett and her daughters moved from Page County sometime between 1860 and 1866 to the town of Woodstock in Shenandoah County.  Her situation as a refugee is all the more puzzling because there was plenty of family back in Page County, so if she actually fled for her life, I wonder why.   After all, her father-in-law and two brothers-in-law stayed put.  Maybe she had other reasons to move.

So what brought Ann Elizabeth Jollett to the Bureau office?   Fear!  She asked for military protection because the safety of her family was threatened by a gang of men from nearby Edinburg. 

Report of Lt Hall Asst. Supt. (dated Woodstock, Va July 28, 1866) in which he states that a family of women have applied to him for military protection agst. the depredation of a gang of young men lead by an ex-Rebel Captain.  That the [ possibly abbreviations for particular ranks in the army] are afraid to interfere ask instructions.

Bu. R. Fr. & A. L.

H. Qrs. Shen. Div. 

[Headquarters Shenandoah Division]

Winchester Va Augt.1/66

Respectfully referred to Col. J. V.

Bumford, Comdr  Post at Winchester

with the request that the protection

asked for be affirmed

J. H. Remington

Capt. Of Battalion 6

Supt. Shen. Div.

Woodstock, Va

August 1, 1866

Elizabeth Jollett widow

Complains that a gang of young men of Edinburg broke into her house & made indecent proposals also that a magistrate to whom she complained introduced to her house a man under the name of Lt. Hall who tried to compromise the affair.  This same magistrate has since then threatened to burn her house.

B. R. F. & A. L. Asst. Supt. Sub Dist. “D”

Woodstock Va  Aug. 1/66

Respectfully referred to Bat.Maj. J. H. Remington Supt. & c with the request that as the affair seems to have assumed increased disagreeable proportions a small detachment of troops be stationed at this Post.

J. W. Hall

Lt. [?] & Asst. Supt.

Lt. Hall forwards complaint of Elizabeth Jollett, widow, that a party of young men from Edinburg broke into her house & made indecent proposals. Desires military protection.

Bur. R. F. & A. L.

Hd. Qrs. Shen. Div.

Winchester, Va Aug 3/66

Respectfully returned / Lt. Hall, Asst. Supt. for report as to whether this woman is a Refugee or freedwoman.

J. H. Remington

Capt. Bureau [?]

Shen. Div.

B. R. F. & A. L. Asst. Sup. Sub Div D

Woodstock, Va Aug 4/66

Respectfully returned to Maj. J. H. Remington Supt. & C. The sons of the woman are Refugees still.

Very Respectfully,

Your Obt. Servt. 

[Obedient Servant]

J. W. Hall

Lt. [?] & Asst. Supt.

I’m unsure about the mention of “sons” since the first report mentioned a widow and three daughters.  Possibly this was a mental slip or a response to another inquiry as to whether there were any men in the house.  Andrew would have been only 10, so he should have been there unless he was already dead or he was staying with relatives elsewhere.  William, a Confederate soldier, might have been a refugee in Shenandoah County or another location.

Head Quarters 8^th US Infantry

Winchester Va July 7^th 1866  [I don’t understand this date as it predates the initial report.  Maybe he meant to write August.]

Sir

In accordance with S.O. No. 111 Dated Hd. Qrs. Post of Winchester August 5^th 1866.  I proceeded to Woodstock and have the honor to submit the following as the result of my investigation.  Upon arriving at Woodstock, I called on Lieut. Hall of B. R. F. & A. L. and learned from him that a family named Jollett had complained to him of threats made against them by some gang of men from Edinburg.  This family consisted of a widow and three daughters.  I afterwards called on the family (who having moved since the complaint was made – and they all agreed that there is no necessity at present for any other protection than they now have. They anticipated no further interference.  Deeming the matter settled for the present I returned to this post.

I am Sir very Respectfully

(signed) Saml. J. Ferris

1^st Lieut. 8^th US Infantry

Ann Elizabeth had four daughters:  Susan or Susannah, Margaret, Nancy, and Sarah.  However, the reports reference only three.  Nancy most assuredly was one since she supplied a horse for her brother William (Part 2 of the Man on the Run series).  Sarah was only 14, so she was likely one of the three.  Susan was already married but widowed thanks to the Civil War.  She could have been living with her mother or she might have remarried – I have not found her either.  And that leaves Margaret, age 21.  She or Susan – but which one, I don’t know. 

While how the story of Ann Elizabeth and her daughters ended is still a mystery, I am convinced they were in Shenandoah County as late as 1876 when William Jollett passed through on his way to obscurity and rebirth as William Boyd.  A lot could have happened between 1866 and 1876, but if I’ve found this much, I can surely find more.  

© 2014, Wendy Mathias.  All rights reserved.

Sepia Saturday: A Cure For What Ails Ya

Sepia Saturday challenges bloggers to share family history through old photographs.

This week’s Sepia Saturday prompt is a street scene with imposing buildings, most with signs announcing the work offered by their tenants.  When these drivers posed in front of their trucks in 1941, the Elkton Lithia Bottling Company had been in business for about 35 years. 

Elkton Lithia Bottling Company
photo courtesy of Casey Billhimer

Bottling lithia water was a logical enterprise for Elkton.  After all, the town is situated near three lithia springs.  These natural mineral springs were unique in that they contained lithium salts known for various health benefits. 

ad in New York Daily Tribune Dec. 1901
from Chronicling America

Newspapers of the late 1890s and early 1900s are full of humorous testimonials affirming the wonders of lithium water.  Eminent doctors with glowing credentials claimed immediate relief from gout, gravel in the bladder, insipient Brights Disease, nervous dyspepsia, rheumatism, “female complaints,” eczema, and just about any disease associated with the kidneys and digestion.  And those claims weren’t in support of just any ol’ mineral water.  No, water from Bear Lithia Springs in Virginia was the best, so there should be no reason for anyone to look elsewhere.

Hotel at Bear Lithia Springs 1890s
photo courtesy of Casey Billhimer

In the early to mid-1900s, resorts boasting the presence of hot springs and mineral springs were almost guaranteed a steady flow of tourists in search of relaxation and better health.  Elkton was right in the mix with several large hotels advertising not only being close to the lithium springs but also having it available right in the hotel itself.

from Richmond Times Dispatch 1920
Genealogybank.com

An ad for the Elkton Hotel in 1917 promised modern conveniences including private bath, water pumped from the springs, and “no malaria, always cool.”

Bear Lithia Springs is midway between Elkton and the town of Shenandoah where my relatives lived for many generations (and some still do).  They visited Bear Lithia Springs often for picnics, fresh air, and maybe even to cure that nagging nervous dyspepsia. 

This photo was captioned "Bear Lithia Springs Sept. 1924"
Second grandaunt Laura Jollett Sullivan, 2nd grandaunt Victoria Jollett Breeden,
Laura's husband Will Sullivan, Laura's oldest daughter Minnie Sullivan Breeden,
unknown child, unknown woman in glasses, unknown man
grandaunt Violetta Davis holding her hat, Laura's daughter Leota Sullivan in glasses and hat,
grandaunt Velma Davis in hat

While it is now spelled “Bear,” the spelling was originally “Baer” for the family who lived there originally:  Jacob and Barbara Baer, who were among the first German settlers in the Shenandoah Valley.  Small world factoid:  my sister’s college roommate from Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania is a descendant of the Baer family of Virginia. 

For more signs of the times, please visit Sepia Saturday. 

© 2014, Wendy Mathias.  All rights reserved.

Wordless Wednesday: Dog Days of Summer #2

Wordless Wednesday is a daily prompt at Geneabloggers that asks family historians to create a post in which the main focus is a photograph or image.

My grandaunt Helen Killeen Parker about 1920-21
outside her home on Charleston Avenue, Portsmouth, Virginia

Counting down the number of photos of dogs in my collection

52 Ancestors: #29 - July Ann Catherine SHIFLETT Lamb

Amy Johnson Crow of No Story Too Small has issued a challenge:  write one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor.  It can be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem – anything that focuses on one ancestor.

My third great grandaunt July Ann Catherine Shiflett was the baby of the family born to Jacob Shiflett and Polly Jarrell in July 1828.  When her father prepared his will prior to his death in 1841, Jacob made special provisions for his unmarried daughter:  $100 over and above what was to be divided equally among all the children. 

Six years later in 1847, though, July Ann married Pemberton Lamb.  Aren’t those fabulous names?  I always thought “July Ann” had a great Southern ring to it, but more often than not, census records spell her name “Julia Ann,” so I have to wonder what her name really was. 

In the 1850 census, there were no children.  Pemberton was a farmer, but he reported no land value, so probably he did not own his own farm at that time.  In 1860, the household boasted one daughter Melissa Ann, age 10.  July Ann’s widowed brother Madison and his children were there too, but apparently only temporarily since Madison was enumerated a second time several months later in his own home.  In 1870, three children were named in the census, and no one in the family could read or write.  Pemberton was still a farmer but with no land value reported. 

By 1880, July Ann and Pemberton’s status must have improved somewhat.  While they didn’t report any land value in the census, Pemberton’s report on the non-population agricultural schedule paints a different picture, although it’s not a glowing report by any means.  He worked only 15 acres of land while 100 acres remained unimproved.  By contrast, his neighbors farmed 30-100 acres.  He estimated his farm, with its fences and buildings, was worth $200 and livestock worth $75; he did not report on the value of machinery and tools.

In the 1900 census, July Ann and Pemberton were “empty nesters.”  She reported having had 15 children, but with only 3 surviving. 

In July 1902, July/Julia Ann applied for a widow’s pension.  Pemberton died that same month from some unreadable condition of the bladder.  Julia Ann was living alone and had no form of income; she also claimed to own no land.  Pemberton had served in the 7^th Virginia Regiment Kemper’s Brigade, Pickett’s Division under Longstreet’s Command.  So evidently he saw the horror in Gettysburg. 

Since Julia Ann Lamb’s name does not appear in the 1910 census, she apparently had died by then.

THREE GENERATIONS:

July Ann Catherine SHIFLETT ( Jul 1828 Orange, VA - After 1902 ) & Pemberton LAMB ( Sep 1822 - 18 Jul 1902 Greene Co, VA )  26 Jan 1847 Greene Co, VA

1. Melissa Ann LAMB (1850 Greene Co, VA - After 1910) & m1) James W. TAYLOR ( 1841 – About 1880 Greene Co, VA )  13 Jan 1871 Greene Co, VA ; & m2) Meshack T. SAMUELS ( 1834 Greene Co, VA – 1913 Greene  Co, VA )  19 Jun 1886 in Greene Co, VA

Melissa Ann and James Taylor had the following children:

• James Edward TAYLOR  ( 1873 Greene Co, VA - 30 Apr 1955 ) & m1) Martha L. BREEDEN ( 1866 Page Co, VA - ) 05 Jan 1893 Page Co, VA ; & m2) Della Marie DEAN (02 Feb 1897 Page Co, VA - 15 Jan 1979 Staunton, VA )  24 Dec 1919 Page Co, VA
• Charles TAYLOR ( 1878 Greene Co, VA – After  1930 Greene Co, VA ) & He m1) Ardista Florence BREEDEN ( 1879 Rockingham Co, VA - Before 1923 Greene Co, VA  ) 29 Jan 1897 Rockingham Co, VA ; & m2) Mary Ellen Bettie LAMB ( 1890 - )  19 Mar 1923 Greene Co, VA
• John TAYLOR ( Aug 1879 Greene Co, VA - )

Melissa Ann and Meshack Samuels had the following children:

• John W. SAMUELS ( 1882 Greene Co, VA - )
• Joseph SAMUELS  ( Jun 1884 Greene Co, VA - 24 Dec 1914 Greene Co, VA )
• Thomas Grover SAMUELS ( 07 Mar 1886 Greene Co, VA - Jun 1972 Bloomsburg, PA ) & Elizabeth B. Lizzie LAM ( Aug 1888 Page Co, VA - 28 May 1961 Pennsville, NJ )  12 Oct 1911 Page Co, VA
• Suel F. SAMUELS ( 29 Jun 1888 Greene Co, VA - ) & Daisy Lee Lessie SNOW ( 1895 - ) 01 May 1917 Monroe, WV
• Pannie SAMUELS ( 26 Jun 1889 Greene Co, VA - Mar 1974 Madison Co, VA ) & m1) Maggie LAMB ( Dec 1892 Greene Co, VA – 20 Mar 1974 ) 02 Feb 1911 Greene Co, VA ; & m2) Myrtie Mae LAM  ( 04 Jun 1898 Rockingham Co, VA - 05 Jul 1984 Madison Co, VA ) 16 May 1918 Greene Co, VA
• Cicero SAMUELS ( 07 Sep 1892 Greene Co, VA - Jan 1980 Gordonsville, VA ) & Delia Nellie TAYLOR ( 27 Jul 1896 - 18 Mar 1986 Gordonsville, VA )  15 Jan 1914 Greene Co, VA 

2. Hiram J. LAMB ( 22 Sep 1854 Greene Co, VA - 1922 Greene Co, VA ) & m1) Lucy Ann GEAR (May 1856 Greene Co, VA  -  03 Jun 1917 Greene Co, VA )  20 Jan 1876 Greene Co, VA ; & m2) Virginia “Sis” BREEDEN ( 1876 - )  09 Apr 1919 Greene Co, VA

Hiram and Lucy Lamb had the following children:

• John Wesley LAMB ( Jan 1877 Greene Co, VA - 19 Nov 1952 Beckley, WV ) & Levvie N. TAYLOR (1880 Greene Co, VA -  09 Dec 1958 Beckley, WV )  18 May 1906 Page Co, VA
• George Harvey LAMB ( Jun 1878 Greene Co, VA - 24 May 1958 Charlottesville, VA ) & Emma Capitola Annie MEADOWS (24 Feb 1885 Page Co, VA - 06 Oct 1939 Greene Co, VA ) 08 May 1902 Greene Co, VA
• Alexander LAMB ( May 1879 Greene Co, VA - )
• James Cal LAMB ( 1883 Greene Co, VA - ) & Maude TAYLOR (21 Mar 1889 Page Co, VA - 11 Jul 1971 Charlottesville, VA )  09 Nov 1916 Greene Co, VA
• Lucy LAMB ( 1885 Greene Co, VA - )
• Irvine Dorsey LAMB ( 09 Jan 1887 Greene Co, VA -  05 Mar 1910 ) & Etta Florence SHIFLETT (Jul 1890 Greene Co, VA - )  06 Jan 1910 Greene Co, VA
• Willie Jackson LAMB ( Oct 1889 Greene Co, VA - Jan 1973 ) & Dalga I. Dollie LAMB (Dec 1898 Greene Co, VA - 25 Nov 1983 Greene Co, VA ) 27 Dec 1917 Greene Co, VA
• Maggie LAMB ( Dec 1892 Greene Co, VA - 20 Mar 1974 ) & Pannie SAMUELS (26 Jun 1889 Greene Co, VA -  20 Mar 1974 Madison Co, VA ) 02 Feb 1911 Greene Co, VA
• Mary LAMB (1898 Greene Co, VA - )

Hiram and Sis Lamb had the following child:

• Floyd LAMB ( 1912 Greene, VA - )

3. Unnamed LAMB ( 1855 Greene Co, VA - 10 Oct 1856 Greene Co, VA )

4. Houston LAMB ( 1858 Greene Co, VA - ) & Ardista JARRELL  ( 1872 Greene Co, VA - ) 1889 Greene Co, VA

• James LAMB ( 12 Apr 1890 Greene Co, VA -  29 May 1986 Greene Co, VA ) & Carrie Etta UNKNOWN (31 Oct 1895 - 14 Aug 1969 Greene Co, VA )  11 Jun 1913 Greene Co, VA
• Maud LAMB ( Mar 1892 Greene Co, VA - 15 Sep 1970 Charlottesville, VA ) & Mathew LAMB ( 1876 Greene Co, VA - )  03 Oct 1916 Greene Co, VA
• Lena B. or Cora LAMB ( 05 Aug 1894 Greene Co, Va - 17 Aug 1972 Greene Co, VA ) & Herndon SHIFLETT (21 Mar 1896 Greene Co, VA - 27 Dec 1968 Charlottesville, VA )  16 Nov 1916 Greene Co, VA
• Lester B. Lirty LAMB ( 03 Sep 1896 Greene Co, VA - 29 Nov 1968 Falls Church, VA ) & Sadie S. JARRELL ( 27 Feb 1901 - 31 Jul 1939 )
• Dalga I. Dollie LAMB ( Dec 1898 Greene Co, VA - 25 Nov 1983 Greene Co, VA ) & Willie Jackson LAMB ( Oct 1889 Greene Co, VA - Jan 1973 ) 27 Dec 1917 in Greene Co, VA
• Gratten Fenton “Dick” LAMB ( 1901 Greene Co, VA - 1973 Greene Co, VA ) & Bertha TAYLOR ( 19 Aug 1905 Greene Co, Virginia, VA - Feb 1984 Greene Co, VA )
• Levie LAMB  ( 1903 Greene Co, VA - 1972 Greene Co, VA ) & Jesse E. LEIGH ( 30 Jul 1903 Madison Co, VA -  Jun 1986 Greene Co, VA )  04 Aug 1928 Greene Co, VA
• Ella Pearl LAMB ( 20 Sep 1905 Greene Co, VA - 17 Feb 1986 Greene Co, VA ) & Roy TAYLOR (19 Sep 1899 Greene Co, VA - 02 Jul 1981 Greene Co, VA )  17 Sep 1928 Greene Co, VA
• Preston LAMB ( 07 Oct 1907 Greene Co, VA - on 21 Feb 1985 Charlottesville, VA ) & Nellie TAYLOR (15 Jul 1918 - 10 Feb 1978 )
• Lilian LAMB ( 1909 Greene Co, VA - )
• Luda Luttie LAMB ( 1911 Greene Co, VA - 1939 Greene Co, VA ) & David SNOW  (12 Oct 1912 -  05 Jan 1980 Greene Co, VA )  04 Jan 1934 Greene Co, VA
• Frank L. LAMB ( 02 Oct 1914 Greene Co, VA - Aug 1985 ) & Mary Branch DEANE ( 02 Jun 1918 - 15 Oct 2010 Greene Co, VA )

© 2014, Wendy Mathias.  All rights reserved.