Posted By:	William Senter
	Email:
	Subject:	Variant spellings of the name Senter/Center
	Post Date:	August 21, 2003 at 13:04:14
	Message URL:	http://genforum.genealogy.com/senters/messages/31.html
	Forum:	Senters Family Genealogy Forum
	Forum URL:	http://genforum.genealogy.com/senters/

While researching the Virginia > Tennessee >>Stephen>Tandy>etc. Senter line, I came across several Senter references in pre-Revolutionary Virginia documents from the entrance of William Senter into Gloucester, Co. on the easternmost side of Mockjack Bay to Senters especially Stephen in Henrico, Co. in 1720, in Halifax Co., Hanover Co., many references in Pittsylvaia Co.(even up to 1790), and in Bedford Co. Much of this movement from the sea inland county by county probably can be attributed to (as was the case in all state) "new" counties being carved from "old counties." There are other Senters also in other Virginia counties. Most often, the name Senter was used, followed by (in descending order) Sunter, Seuter, Sen, Seunter, and Sentall. There were a few references under Center, however, that variant was rare in Virginia records, but became more frequent in Tennessee records. In fact, the S and the C spellings were apparently interchangeable in East Tennessee records between 1790 and ca. 1850. Additionally, one of Stephen's other sons, Milton, and most of his offspring used the Center spelling. Assuming that it was Milton's descendents that moved into Kentucky in the 1820's, one finds more Center spellings than Senter spellings. I would appreciate more information and enlightent from those cousins. I am not very familiar with the variants found in the North Carolina Stephen Senter line and would appreciate any information and enlightenment from those cousins. Like most colonial families, south and north, many of the Senters/Centers owned slaves and several were granted their freedom during the lifetime of their owners or freed on the death of their owners or freed themselves by running away or were freed by the Emancipation Proclimation. Hence there are many "Senters" / "Centers" of African-American descent. Additionally there are some Senter and Center families whose ancestors were baptized under their owner's names Senter/Center without the "possessive 's'- a very common practise prior to the Civil War. I would appreciate any further information and enlightenment in this area too. Also, it is my understanding that at one time there were Senters/Centers who claim(ed) Meleungeon ancestry. After about 1840 it seems that most if not all of the Tennessee descendents of Stephen > Tandy & Milton and those of the NC Stephen who migrated into lower East TN all used the spelling Senter as they moved westward across the state and thence into north west Mississippi. There was always the "family story" of a Tandy & Milton Senter brother who went into KY and his descendents then came into Northeast Mississppi, locating in Itawamba Co. and around Fulton, MS. I have met some of them years ago, but at the time only felt we were distantly related. Unfortunately developing that lead is still on my to do list.