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Frank,
I am glad to hear from an Edmondson of Putnam County. I went to medical school with Charles Wike, one of your cousins, who has returned to Eatonton in semi-retirement. I expect to meet him for lunch the next trip I make to Savannah. I live in the Georgia mountains in Rabun County now and have projects going in Chatham County. I have done considerable research on your Edmondsons, looked through courthouse records last year when I learned Charlie was back in Eatonton.
Miss Martha Edmondson put together some errors in her DAR record, I think. I have copied below my account of James Edmondson, Jr. and his family. He joined a militia company headed by his cousin John Edmondson, the member of the House of Burgesses, in 1779. I think James, Jr. was a son of John and Catherine Dunn Edmondson as the account shows. He must have been called Jr. because he was younger than his cousin James, the owner of Charleton Hill and brother of John the Burgess. James,too, served in the Burgesses and several conventions in the 1770's. Neither he nor his brother left any known children except John's daughter Susannah who died without a child. John and Catherine had many descendants. James Jr. died soon after he joined the militia company, possibly from smallpox while on campaign. He left two known children as far as I know: John and Elizabeth. As he and the widow Ann Singleton McCarthy married in 1775, your John Thomas could not be their son if he was indeed born in 1768. It is possible James Jr. had a prior marriage as his will in 1776 mentions several small children, not named. He and Anne had been married too short a time to have several children. I have seen no proof or indication of a prior marriage but that seems likely.
Your ancestor, Thomas of Columbia County and Putnam County, has always been considered to be a native of Essex County, Virginia. I know of no proof of that. Do you? It is likely. However, I have never seen him called John Thomas or Thomas John in any record. Do you have a source for that? In my opinion, whether he is son of James Jr. and Ann McCarthy Edmondson is an open question. I do not think he was a descendant of Thomas Edmondson and Dorothy Todd Edmondson. Their descendants are well documented. John who married Catherine Dunn was Thomas's brother, both sons of James and Judith Allaman Parr Edmondson.
I have a large file on Putnam County Edmondsons. You probably have most of it. If you will provide me your e-mail address, I will forward it if you want it. Write me at swedmondson@windstream.net. Where are you living now?
Stephen Edmondson
JOHN EDMONDSON (Thomas-1; James-2)
John Edmondson was a son of James Edmondson and Judith Allaman Parr Edmondson. He was born in Essex County.
John Edmondson was executor of his father’s will in 1741. He is listed Nov. 20, 1741, as voting for Wm. Beverly and James Garnett for the House of Burgesses. It was probably he who signed the administrator’s bond for his brother Captain Thomas Edmondson in 1750 when their uncle Thomas died. It is not now clear whether it was he or his nephew John Edmondson, son of James Edmondson, and grandson of James and Judith, who produced a commission “from the hand of the Honorable Robert Dinwiddie, appointing him ensign in a company of foot soldiers commanded by Captain Thomas Edmundson, 1755” (Order Book 2l, Essex County, p. 117). This John would appear to be a brother of Captain Thomas Edmondson but could be a nephew. It was probably the subject who was a member of the Westmoreland Association in 1765 and signed the Westmoreland Resolutions with a large number of well known planters in the area, including James Edmondson. However, the John and James Edmondson who signed might have been the sons of Capt. Thomas Edmondson who were the subject John’s nephews.
He was a bondsman for the execution of the will of Joseph Greenhill, April 19, 1758. The will, transcribed by Christine Urban in 2002, was provided by Beverly Brunelle and is summarized:
I Joseph Greenhill of the county of Essex……I desire my land whereon I now live to be sold by my executors to discharge my just debts and all my Hoggs and sorrel horses and old bay mare and my crop of tobacco that is now remaining and in case the above mentioned things should ever pay my debts my desire is that remainder of the money give to my two godchildren John Dunn and Philip Edmondson for their schooling. ….I give to my wife Mary Greenhill six negroes….and all my household goods and all my stock of cattle and my bald face horse and my young sorrel mare which I bought of Ambrose Jones Jr. and a woman’s saddle and bridle…..I give to my sister Elizabeth Greenhill one Negro girl….I give to my sister Angenlinah Greenhill one Negro girl….I do appoint my beloved wife Mary Greenhill and William Dunn…sole executors…In witness I have …let my hand and seal this nineteenth day of April Anne Domi One thousand seven hundred and fifty eight. Joseph Greenhill.
Witnesses: John Rennolds, R. Waggenor, Leah Edmonson x her mark, Margaret Blake x her mark.
The will was presented for probate at Essex Court at Tappahannock, the 18th day of July 1758 by William Dunn. It was proved by the oaths of John Rennolds, Rubin Waggener and Leah Edmonson.
William Dunn and John Edmonson made bond to Francis Waring, William Covington, Robert Brooke, James Webb and Archibald Ritchie, Gent., justices of the court of Essex County in the sum of five hundred pounds current money, 18 July 1758, in the 32nd year of the reign of our sovereign Lord George the Second. William Dunn
John Edmonson
He died in 1773, probably of smallpox.
He married Catherine Dunn, daughter of William Dunn and Winifred Waters Dunn, owners of Dunn’s Mill. John and Caty Edmondson were half owners of Dunn’s Mill by inheritance from her father. Her mother appears to have deeded the rest of the mill to her after John Edmondson’s death: Winney Dunn of the parish of South Farnham “for love and affection to daughter Caty Edmondson, the mill which formerly belonged to my late husband, William Dunn, and Thomas Dunn, his brother, and was lately held by my son William Dunn and John Edmundson, deceased, situated in Matthews Swamp”.
A deed dated Dec. 18, 1773, Deeds Book 31, p. 1666, records the sale of 25 ˝ acres of land by James Edmondson, son and heir of John Edmondson, dec’d, and Katherine Edmondson, widow of the sd John to Wm Williamson, land bounded by Thomas Allen, John Broocke, Thomas Henry Broocke. Signed by James Edmondson, Jr.
The inventory of the estate of John Edmondson in 1774 included Negro slaves Harry and Rose inherited from his mother Judith Edmondson by the will of his father James. John appears to have inherited all his land as Essex County records show no purchases, according to professional researcher Susan Derieux. Cathy Edmondson, shown as Kally Edmondson, is listed on p. 52 of the 1783 Tax List, p. 52, District No. 6, with 3 whites and 3 blacks in the household. See listing for her son Edmund below.
July 16, 1787, Catherine Edmondson, widow and relic of John Edmondson, dec’d & William Edmondson and Dicey (Dianna) his wife sold 40 acres to James Banks. (Deed Book 33, p. 69). Dec. 16, 1790. Caty Edmondson of Essex & Wm. & Dianna Edmondson of King and Queen County sold land to Leroy Cole, 200 acres for 250 pounds, bounding on the mill swamp, Nathaniel Dunn, between Thomas H. Brookes & Cole, the land lying between Caty Edmondson and Cole. Deed Book 34, p. 174.
Edmondson & c. vs. William Dunn’s executor sought a Bill of Injunction from the Justices, March 10, 1801, in chancery. Caty Edmondson, Wm Purkins and William Edmondson stated a judgement had been rendered in this Court against Caty Edmondson, Wm. Pukkins and William Edmondson, their common bail, in behalf of Carter Croxton executor of Wm. Dunn on a bond dated sometime in 1775. Soon after the date of the bond a deed of gift for a valuable mill on Matthews Swamp commonly called Dunn’s Mill Swamp was made by Winney Dunn the mother of your oratrix to your oratrix to be held & enjoyed during the life of the said Winney Dunn, the same having been devised to her by her husband Wm Dunn and the Deed of gift and will of Wm Dunn both of which have been proved & recorded in this worshipful court are referred to & prayed & be taken as part of this their answer bill….The plaintiff at law knew well the right of Winney Dunn to the said mill…transferred to your oratrix. …the said mill was a running mill and held by William Dunn….he paid no consideration to your oratrix for the use of the mill and never furnished her with corn or any other necessary….your oratrix averse to litigation and particularly with her brother rested assured that no demand would ever be made for payment of the said bond by reason of his holding and enjoying your oratrix’s property for at at least a year William Dunn was indebted to your oratrix…the testator (William Dunn) never in his lifetime demanded payment of the bond or made mention of it and it is the sincere belief of your oratrix that no demand would yet have been made if the said testator had been alive. …your orator Wm. Edmondson has often been interrogated bye the testator about the deed of gift referred and that he appeared to be under considerable apprehension lest suit should be instituted against him for the use & occupation of the said mill during the life of Winny Dunn who died about seven years ago. (The appeal goes on to say Carter Croxton refuses to consider paying the amount due for use of the mill by Wm Dunn and asks the court to require Croxton to submit to interrogation on the matter, stating a number of questions to be answered. An accounting of the value of the said mill during the time Wm Dunn held it from the date of the deed until Winney Dunn’s death and the amount due Caty Edmondson was asked. A subpoena for Carter Croxton was requested of the court. Filed with Essex Court at Tappahannock, March 20, 1801. The Court granted an Injunction and stay of proceedings of the judgement rendered the previous day which required Caty Edmondson, William Edmondson and William Purkins to pay the debt of 9 pounds 16 shillings, 1 pence damages and $11.35 court costs. A bond was required as the court case went on.
Caty Edmondson, William Purkins and her son William Edmondson were plaintiffs in a suit in chancery against Carter Croxton, executor of William Dunn, defendant. James Croxton gave an affidavit, July 15, 1803. He deposed that a short time before Carter Croxton brought suit on a bond of Mrs. Caty Edmondson & William Purkins, James Croxton was at Mrs. Dunns and Carter Croxton asked him to go to Mrs. Edmondson’s. When they got there, she was sick in bed. After some conversation not related to business, Carter Croxton presented to Mrs. Caty Edmondson the bond of herself & William Purkins to Wm Dunn. He asked her if she owed the money. At first she said she did not believe it was due but believed it was paid. Then Carter Croxton read the bond to her & she said it had not been paid and that her son William would have all her effects and he must pay it. When Carter Croxton told her it must be paid & he could not wait longer, she said she would sell a cow and pay it off as soon as she got well & she said the bond was given for hogs purchased from her brother when the mill was broke up. This deponeth sayeth Caty Edmondson was the widow of John Edmondson and that he lived very near the mill called Dunn’s mill, which name it born ever since he can remember, and when he first knew it, it belonged to Wm. Dunn and John Edmondson, & after John Edmondson’s death the mill run down & sometime thereafter, but how long this defendant does not recollect, Wm. Dunn, Carter Croxton’s testator, rebuilt her & afterwards sold a moity of her to Wm. Edmondson, a son of the said John & one of the plaintiffs; and he saith there is an old dam about a quarter of a mile up the pond from where the mill now stands& he has always understood from the old people in the neighborhood that the said mill stood there in the lifetime fo Wm. Dunn, the father of Carter Croxton’s testator, and afterwards the mill was moved down to where she now stands, but he does not recollect to have heard whether Carter Croxton’s testator or or his father moved her down. And he saith that before Wm. Dunn rebuilt the mill he knows that the plaintiff Caty Edmondson used to get corn from the mill very frequently, and this deponent was well acquainted with her situation & believes she never did make corn for the support of herself & her family and after the mill was rebuilt, he has known her people frequently to carry corn from Mr. Dunn’s house & he used to complain of her being very troublesome in sending so often after for corn & brandy (both of which he has known to be carried by her people from thence very often) & which he could not get over sending although it was very inconvenient & this deponent conceived it was because she was his sister. (This deposition gives a good history of the Dunn’s Mill property and Caty’s sense of entitlement to corn from the mill run by her brother). (From Tom Moore and Beverly Brunelle).
The case went on and on. Notes on the jacket indicate a court date April 19, 2003, continued until May 19. On May 19 William Edmondson’s part in the suit was abated by his death and continued for deponents. A court date on Dec. 20, 1803, was continued on January 17, 1804, at which date Caty Edmondson’s suit was abated due to her death and continued for deponents.
John Smith, administrator of the will of William Edmondson, stated Caty Edmondson died about 17 December, 1803.
Deposition of Gabriel Purkins, Nov. 9, 1805: …somewhere about eighteen or nineteen years ago, William Edmondson ab (hole in paper) to him that he discovered a coolness in (hole) thaniel Crow and William Howerton towards him, in consequence of his taking a bill of sale on his Mothers property, and he Requested this deponent to inform the said Crow & Howerton that he had no other view in taking the Bill of sale than to save his mother harmless from his cosin Capt. James Edmodnson…about five or six years ago, he heard Catharin Edmondson say the above bill of sale was a sham t ( )ve her harmless from Capt. James Edmondson. Question: Did not Catherine Edmondson break up housekeeping about the year 1784 and live at old Capt. Woods. Answer: Yes.
A chancery suit between John Smith, administrator of her son William Edmondson’s estate, and Wm. Howerton, administrator of Catherine Edmondson, deceased, followed the deaths of son and mother. The Rev. Leroy Cole gave his affidavit April 15, 1808, at the house of Sammy Cole. Cole attested that he bought 200 acres from William Edmondson that Catherine had a right of dower in. In lieu of dower, a tract of 38 ˝ acres was laid off for her and another 10 acres added which was left over from the 200 acres he bought. He paid William Edmondson 25 shillings per acre, only small sums being paid to Catherine on orders of William, not more than ten dollars. These sums were not part of her dower.
An earlier affidavit of Capt. James Dix, Nov. 9, 1805, in this chancery suit stated he had heard Caty Edmondson say she had made a will in which she gave all her property to her daughter Judith Edmondson. Previous to this he heard her say she had a suit instituted against her which money had been paid but let the worst come of it they could get no property, for all of it was made over to her son William in a bill of sale. Dix went on to say in response to several questions that Caty seemed satisfied with the land set aside for dower, but but not with the housing her son William had promised to build. It was a small wood house with wooden shingle about 12 by 14 feet and was not finished, being neither lathed or plastered. A slave girl Sally was sold to William but Caty was to hold Sally during her lifetime.
Deposition, May 15, 1809. John Brookes, Tappahannock. …he lived with Caty Edmondson at the time Wm Edmondson executed a deed for land to Leroy Cole. Wm asked Caty to give up her right to the land. ..she said she would if he built her a house, and he said he would on 30 or 36 acres she could occupy for life. This was about 17 years ago. Question: What was your father’s name. Answer: Thos. Broocke & he was the son of Thos. Henry Broocke of Essex County.
Deposition of Thomas Jessee, Nov. 23, 1810. …he lived with Capt. James Edmondson of Essex County as an overseer in 1787…”during the time I lived on the said James Edmondson plantation it appeared to me he was in need of money”.
Beverly Brunelle discussed the family of Catherine Dunn Edmondon in a communication Feb. 26, 2008. “Caty Dunn’s sister Mary married Joseph Greenhill (John is one of the bondsmen to settle the estate of Joseph Greenhill and Joseph names Philip Edmondson as a godson—leaving money for his education). The only other sister I have for Caty Dunn Edmondson is Alice. Gideon Shipp was born in Caroline County where he married Mrs. Alice Dunn Emmerson, daughter of William Dunn and widow of James Emmerson of Essex. Is this “Edmondson”, Beverly asks. ….Gideon Shipp died in Essex County prior to 14 June, 1797, when his four children, Alice, Katy, Thomas and Ann Shipp, had legal guardians appointed.
John and Catherine Edmondson probably had these children:
1. James Edmondson, Jr. A marriage bond dated April 19, 1775, for James Edmondson, Jr. to marry Ann McCarty Singleton, Warsaw, Richmond County, was signed by him as James Edmondson, Jr. Surety was Robert Singleton, Ann’s brother, who married Drusilla Webb. Her parents were Joshua Singleton, Jr. and Ann Samford and her grandparents Joshua Singleton and Anne McCarty. When Philip Edmundson moved to Tennessee, Singletons lived in Bedford County near him. James and his wife Ann sold land to William Edmondson, probably his brother, May 19, 1778 (Deed Book 31, p. 395), bounded by James Booker, Thomas Wood, Benj. Jones, Thomas Allen, and William Edmondson, William Dunn, Elizabeth Dunn, Nathaniel Dunn and Edmond Dunn, 300 acres. James Edmondson, Jr., is listed as serving as Ensign in Capt. John Edmondson’s Company, April 20, 1779. (Historical Register of Virginians in the Revolution, by John H. Gwathmey). James Edmondson, Jr., died in 1779, possibly from smallpox. See Will Book 13, p. 262. Deed Book 31, p. 166. The will was dated October, 1776 and probated Nov. 15, 1779 in Essex. The will indicated several small children, possibly of a prior marriage. Anne McCarthy Edmondson was appointed guardian of John and Elizabeth Edmondson in March Court, 1780. Anne McCarthy Singleton Edmondson married Epaphroditus Hubbard, Oct. 20, 1785, in Fauquier County (EARLY VIRGINIA MARRIAGES, p. 16, by Crozier). As only John and Elizabeth were placed under Anne’s guardianship, it is doubtful there were more surviving children.
2. Philip Edmondson. He was a godson of his uncle, Joseph Greenhill, husband of Catherine’s sister Mary Dunn, who left money for his education in his will, dated 1756. . Philip was apprenticed in January 17, 1774, to Joshua Lindsay, but this was not finalized. Essex County Order Book No. 29, p. 167. Was he the Philip Edmondson listed as a Captain in the Revolution? (Historical Register of Virginians in the Revolution, by John H. Gwathmey). See account which follows.
3. Edmund Edmondson. He was apprenticed in April, 1774, to Thomas Wood. He was a Revolutionary soldier under Thomas Wood, probably the Capt. Wood with whom Caty Edmondson lived in 1784 (see affidavit). He is also listed as serving in the 1st Light Dragoons and the 9th Regiment, Colonial Line, possibly the same unit commanded by Capt. Wood. He is shown in Essex County Tax List, 1783, p. 52, with 3 whites and 4 blacks in his household. District No. 6. He married Jane Howerton, daughter of Wiliam Howerton and Mary Hayes Howerton in 1782 and moved to Halifax County. See later account.
4. Joseph Edmondson. He is possibly the Joseph Edmondson who served in the 14th Regiment, Continental Line (Historical Register of Virginians in the Revolution, by Gwathmey). The man who married Mary Watts and had five children in 1790 might be this Joseph. Joseph Edmondson in Halifax County, NC, who with wife Marrianah and George Hill and his wife Ann sold 100 acres adjoining John Duncan, April 2, 1760, would appear to be too old and living in the wrong place. He needs research.
5. William Edmondson. He was married to Diana, widow of Charles Evans, then to Elizabeth Banks, (widow of James Edmondson who died 1792 and then of Robert Banks who died 1797) just before his death. William’s will in 1803, probated June 20, named his mother Caty Edmondson and sons: William, James, John, Thomas; Clark Rowe; daughters, Nancy, Caty, Ann who married Wm. Harwood, a daughter who married James Montague, Polly (Mary), and Patsy (Martha). Will Book 33, p. 332, and Will Book 34, p. 174. There was a chancery suit. His son Thomas is possibly the Thomas Edmondson from Essex County who settled in Columbia County, Georgia, and moved to Putnam County. Thomas Edmondson who lived in Elbert County, Georgia, whose son James was a partner of James Banks in many real estate transactions in the early 1800’s and who died in Murray County, Georgia, could not be John and Caty’s son. He was born in Mecklenburg County.
6. Catherine Edmondson, born March 28, 1760, who married William Howerton, June 11, 1782, in Essex County. (He was brother of Jane Howerton who married Edmund Edmondson). The Howertons lived on Dragon Swamp in southern Essex County. They had: John, 1783-86; Nancy Ann (1784-1850); William Roane (1787-1859); James H. Howerton (1789-1868); Catherine Edmondson Howerton (1791-1841?); Philip (1793-1879), who moved to Halifax County; Winifred (1795-1833); Thomas (1798-1854); Eldred (1800-1855); Charlotte (1802-1842). After Catherine died Jan. 14, 1815, , William married Ann W. Kerchevall Oct. 31, 1816, the widow of Richard Covington. (Letter of Mrs. George Clark, Indianapolis, IN, in 1977. EFAB No. 35) James H. Howerton served on the staff of Gen. Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans and managed Jackson’s plantations in Mississippi after 1837 until 1850 when he moved to Calhoun County, Texas. All the children moved west except Phillip. He lived at “Oakland” in Halifax and he and his brother James served as sheriff of Halifax for several terms from 1823-1835 and was Captain of militia. He died Sept. 5, 1879.
7. Judith Edmondson, mentioned in a deposition, Nov. 9, 1805. Possibly the Judith who married William Meredith, April 30, 1782, Christ Church Parish, King and Queen County. Needs research.
(See Tyler’s, Vol. 7, pp. 263-64. The Edward P. Valentine Papers, Vol. 4, p. 518, 791, 1507, for references to John Edmondson, possibly this man)
Revised Sept. 15, 2008. SWE.
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