Chat
|
Daily Search
|
My GenForum
|
Community Standards
|
Terms of Service
|
|
|
Assessment of the Edmondsons in Frederick County, Virginia
Three distinct families of the name lived here in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s. One of these families was really the Edmonstons, originally from Prince Georges County, Maryland, who moved to Frederick County, Maryland, and across the Potomac to Frederick County, Virginia, but had begun to use the Edmondson spelling.
October-December, 1755. Capt. Charles Lewis in his journal relates his company’s march from Fredericksburg to Winchester where they joined Colonel Washington’s forces in October. The oldest person in Capt. Lewis’ company was 48 and the youngest 17. Thomas Edmundson, age 25, 5 feet 8 inches height, a planter by trade and born in Virginia, was listed on the roll of Capt. Charles Lewis’s Company, July 13, 1756. He enlisted in September, 1755, in Essex County. He would have been born about 1730-31. (Virginia Military Records,pp. 380-38, pub.in Virginia Magazine of History and Biography. Gen. Pub. Company, 1983. Ref. from Lee Edmundson). This is the first record we have of an Edmondson coming to Frederick County.
Lee Edmundson assumed this Thomas Edmondson settled in Frederick County and is the Thomas Edmondson from Essex County referred to in various documents as living there for years. The other candidate for this soldier would be the eldest son of Captain Thomas Edmondson and his first wife, the widow Sarah Smith. This man’s age fits nicely. We have no proof of what happened to him, however. Lee Edmundson quotes Virginia County Records, Vol. II, Virginia Colonial Militia, 1651-1776, edited by Wm. Armstrong Crozier, Gen. Assn, NY, 1945: “Thos. Edmondson, entitled to 200 acres of land under the Proclamation of 1763, Williamsburg, Apr. 18, 1774, Dunmore”. Lee clarifies that the King’s Proclamation of 1763 granted certain amounts of land for participation in the French & Indian War and for service in the militia in defense of the frontier. Field officers received 5000 acres, captains, 3000 acres, staff officers, 2000 acres, non-commissioned officers, 200 acres, privates, 50 acres. Lee quotes from Bounty and Donation Land Grants in British Colonial America, p. 113, by Lloyd deWitt Bockstruck, Clearfield Publishing, 2007: “Edmundson, Thomas. He served as a noncommissioned officer in the French and Indian War and assigned his 200 acre warrant in Virginia. He also appeared as Thomas Edmiston.”
We do not know where the soldier settled. The record above says he assigned his warrant, meaning he sold or gave it to another person. We have no evidence at all as to what happened to this soldier. It would be usual for militia men to return with their unit to their home and claim any land years later, not remain in the area where they fought.
Were Thomas Edmondson, son of Thomas and Constance, the soldier, he like others would have returned to Essex after the war. That he was apparently not there in 1766 tells us nothing about where he actually was and certainly provides no proof that he was the soldier or that he was in Frederick County at the time. There is only a possibility. Lee Edmundson’s contention that “Thomas Edmondson of Winchester is almost certainly the same person recorded in Captain Lewis’s company of Virginia militia” and the son of Thomas and Constance Edmondson of Essex County, Virginia, has only supposition to support it. .
.
The first actual Edmundson settler seems to have arrived by 1766, however, the man whose son William was named in a deed by William Harry. See review below. .
The three Edmondson families:
I. The Edmondsons from Essex County, Virginia.
Thomas Edmundson, son of Thomas and brother of James, married Constance Parr, James’s stepdaughter. Thomas died in 1750. Constance Edmondson, Thomas Edmondson, Junior, and John Edmondson gave bond of five hundred pounds to administer the estate. Constance and Thomas Edmundson, Junior, were the administrators.
The will of Leah Edmondson, widow of William Edmondson, son of the deceased Thomas above, dated March 14, 1779, refers to six silver spoons that Thomas Edmondson of Winchester had the silver to have made. Leah died in 1780. Copy of Leah’s will provided by Lee Edmundson.
Deed Book 32, pp. 240-241, records an indenture between Philip Parr Edmondson of Charles City County, James Edmondson Senr. of Essex County and Prisilla his Wife, Thomas Edmondson of Frederick County and Mary his wife, and John Mann of sd. County of Essex and Judith his Wife of the one part and Thomas Roane of King and Queen County and William Roane of Essex County. The name of James Edmondson’s wife is also spelled Drisella (probably Drucilla). The Edmondson heirs of William Edmondson were selling land on the south side of Daningerfield’s Mill Pond in Essex, bought by William and devised to his brothers and sister.
Thomas Edmondson in this deed is the same man named in Leah’s will as a resident of Frederick County.
It is not clear when Thomas Edmondson of Essex moved to Frederick County. The county had been cut out of old Orange in 1744. Taxables in old Orange County in 1736 included two Thomas Edmundsons. The tithe list in 1738 listed Thomas Edmundson. The 1746 Taxables list included Thomas Edmundson, 7 taxables. This man would be too old to be the son of Thomas and Constance of Essex, but who was he?
Land transactions in Frederick must be carefully reviewed to determine which involved Thomas of Essex and which the other Thomas so prominent there in the late 1700’s. The 1782-87 Census of Virginia shows on the list of Col. Kennedy, Thomas Edmondson, p. 22, with 6 whites and 10 blacks in the household. If this is Thomas of Essex, he might be the man who bought 302 acres Oct. 10, 1777, from Philip Bush. And the man who bought another 83 acres from attorney Philip Bush , acting for Daniel Bush of the Mississippi Settlement, August 5, 1778. (Deed Book 17, p.525). This land was on the drains of the Opocken. This Thomas seems to be a planter who lived outside Winchester. The Diary of Baylor Hill shows under date of Jan. 1, 1779, Winchester: “Went to Mr. Thomas Edmondson’s house to dinner and at night went to a dance, about a mile from Mr. Edmondson’s and three miles from Winchester where happened a surprising. It was thought he had fainted, but soon convinced otherwise. His eyes immediately sett, and in three hours he expired in Apoplexy Fitt. From the dance went to Mr. Thomas Edmondson’s and from there to Winchester.”
Thomas Edmondson from Essex was married to Mary as shown in the document in 1781. Her maiden name and date of death are not known. He had several children before he married the widow Ann Campbell, probably Ann Powell Campbell, March 16, 1786. He apprenticed two of his sons, William and George, to James Burgess, Feb. 11, 1792, about the time he began to make arrangements to move to Pendleton District, SC. See Chalkley, Vol. I, p. 268. Thomas advertised in Bowen’s CENTINEL AND GAZETTE—WINCHESTER POLITICAL REPOSITORY, Frederick County, Volume #218, June 4, 1792. “As I intend shortly to move out of the state, I propose selling the premises where I now live…..Thomas Edmondson”
A deed April 20, 1793, Deed Book 29, shows sale of land to James Edmondson, probably his oldest son who would remain in Virginia for awhile. A sale of land April 29, 1793, to John Peyton might also involve this Thomas Edmondson. These and other deeds need to be reviewed in detail for information.
1796. Thomas Edmondson was living in Pendleton District, SC, when he made a deed of gift in trust to his wife Nancy Edmondson of 200 acres in Pendleton District, where “John Powell now lives”. (Pendleton County and Anderson County SC Wills and Estates, by Wilie). This land was later sold by Thomas, Edmonds, John and David Powell, heirs of Ann Edmondson.
April 23, 1796. Pickensville, Pendleton District, SC. Thomas Edmondson sells for 500 pounds sterling a plantation in the edge of Pickensville to his son John Edmondson of Charles City County, Virginia, retaining a life interest. The deed names two other sons, George and Benjamin and a grandson, Thomas, whose father is William Edmondson. This does not indicate William had died as he is named in Thomas’s will. The deed mentions a granddaughter, Mary Boulware, daughter of Philip Boulware. His son James is not named. Several slaves are named. The deed is witnessed by James Edmondson, John Powell, William Edmondson and Waddy Thompson. James Edmondson is probably his brother but possibly a nephew, son of the brother. .
Thomas’s son, John Edmondson, moved to Augusta County, Virginia, where he left a will in 1803 which named four brothers and one sister which match the children of Thomas of Pendleton. John’s wife was Lucy Cox or Cocke, his second wife as he had married first Elizabeth Harrison Rickman. He named his brother James as one of his executors. The will mentioned one child, John, but he and Lucy appear to have had two others. Drucilla, Thomas and John Edmondson in Pendleton County, SC, would appear to be the children of another John Edmondson as only one of their names is a match for those of John Edmondson of Staunton, Virginia.
May 16, 1807. The will of Thomas Edmondson of Pendleton District, SC, named his wife Ann, sons William, James, George and Benjamin, daughter Elizabeth Boulware. Various slaves are named. He gives to his wife the tract of land on which John Powell lives and most of his estate to his sons George and Benjamin to be divided equally between them. William, James and Elizabeth Boulware each received “the sum of three dollars”. Cols. John Brown and Henry Norton are his executors. Henry Norton and John Powell witnessed the will. It was proved March29, 1809. (Wills, Vol. I, 1800-1834, Will Book A, p.107, Anderson District, SC. The records of old Pendleton District are found today in Anderson, Anderson County, SC).
Thomas’s son James is believed to be the man sometimes called “Hotel James”, said to be born in Winchester in 1763. If he was born in Winchester, his father would have moved to Frederick County by this date. James married Elizabeth Gregory, daughter of Capt. Gregory, born in Hanover County, March 25, 1768. He moved to Staunton, Augusta County, about 1793-94. He and Elizabeth sold lots in Winchester in 1797, (Deed Book 29, p. 283, Augusta County) to John Edmondson of Charles City County and others. John Edmondson and James Edmondson both signed the deed. Chalkley, Vol. II, makes reference to the tavern of James Edmondson of Staunton. James and Elizabeth moved on to Maury County, TN, (1820 Census) and Davidson County, TN (1830 Census) where he owned hotels. He died in 1851, leaving one son, Thomas.
The descendants of Thomas Edmondson in SC are being researched by Stephen Edmondson.
Thomas’s brother James appears to have moved to Pendleton District about the same time Thomas did. He possibly lived briefly in Winchester and Staunton before he moved to SC. A suit in equity in Essex in 1797 indicated he and his sister Judith were still living and he was thought to have moved to SC. There are three men named James Edmondson in the Pendleton County SC census in 1800. James Edmondson deeded half his farm property to a grandson, Samuel Edmondson, son of James Edmondson, Jr. in 1807. The 1810 census showed one James Edmondson living in the county.
The above referenced equity suit stated Philip Parr Edmondson had died insolvent. He had married Martha, the widow of William Cole, in 1756. He then married her sister Elizabeth. He is listed among Virginia Taxpayers, 1782-1787, Fothergill and Naugle, as living in Charles City County with five slaves. No known children. There were widespread debt problems just after the War for Independence which created social turmoil approaching rebellion. Philip might have been a victim of this.
.
************************************
II. The Edmonstons, who settled in Prince Georges County, Maryland, and moved to Frederick County, Maryland, and Frederick County, Virginia. Public records often spelled their name Edmondson, a practice adopted by many Edmundsons as well in various locations.
It is postulated that Will Edmondson listed in 1782 in the Frederick County Tax List is actually William Edmonston. He was on the list of Colonel Smith, p. 20, and had four whites and one black in his household.
Oct. 29, 1789. Archibald Edmondson/Edmonston married Nancy Wrenn. Several of their children moved to Christian County, KY, and Weakly County, TN, and married there. Another Archibald Edmonston settled in this area of Kentucky and married Nancy Meredith. He is said to be a son of William Edmonston below, though not named in his will.
1793. Will of William Edmonston (abstract). My beloved wife Elizabeth to have my estate to be divided after her death to my children: Ann, Thomas, Sarah, William, John, Elizabeth. Wife to be executor. Signed May 6, 1793 with an x and witnessed by Hugh Magruder, Philip Jackson, Samuel Nichols and Ninian Magruder. (See EFAB No. 59, p. 66). This would be the man who married Elizabeth Magruder, sister of Eleanor Magruder Talbot. William was born Dec. 17, 1742. He had another son, Archibald, not named in his will. In various land transactions in Frederick involving Edmondsons the name might actually be Edmonston
.
William Edmonston/Edmondson was a son of Thomas Edmonston (1718-1795) and Elizabeth Offutt Edmonston and grandson of Col. Archibald and Jane Beall Edmonston. He had brothers: Maximilion Edmonston, b. March 29, 1744; Thomas Edmonston, b. Sept. 9, 1746; Ann Edmonston, b. Feb. 1, 1749.
April 28, 1795. Ann Edmondson married Samuel Nichols in Frederick. She was clearly a niece of Eleanor Magruder Talbot and probably the daughter of William and Elizabeth Magruder Edmonston named in the will above.
.
Sept. 1, 1800. Will of Eleanor Talbot, widow of Edward, drafted in 1795. Edward had died in 1793. He was from Calvert County, Maryland. . His will was probated in Frederick County, Virginia. Eleanor Magruder Talbot’s will named her nephews, Archibald Edmondson and Daniel Magruder, her niece, Ann Nichols, wife of Samuel Nichols, her brother, Hezekiah Magruder; his children Daniel Magruder, Ann (wife of Jonah Harding), and George Magruder. Other legatees were: Theodore Magruder, son of Daniel Magruder; Thomas Edmondson; Lancelot Lee; Hezekiah Young; Ann Harding (wife of Isaiah Harding. To nephew Archibald Edmondson for life, 200 acres formerly in possession of Robert Porterfield and after his demise to Thomas Edmondson; to Archibald Edmondson “my nicest feather bed, green bedstead and all the furniture belonging thereto”. Payment of half of all money due Lancelot Lee. Hezekiah Magruder was named executor and Daniel Magruder named administratior. Will Book 6. (See EFAB, No. 99).
1810 Tax List and Census.
Ann Edmondson, 1-0-1-0-1 males 1-0-1-0-0 females. No slaves.
(This would appear to be Nancy Wrenn Edmondson).
Nov. 9, 1811. Will of Thomas Edmondson, Frederick County. Probated March 2, 1812. “ I, Thomas Edmondson of the county of Frederick, Virginia, being sick and weak in body, do dispose of all my worldly estate in the following manner: Item # 1. I give and bequeath to my beloved mother Nancy Edmondson all my right and interest in a certain tract of land willed me by my Aunt Eleanor Talbot lying in Frederick County, Virginia, to her, her heirs and assigns forever. Item # 2. I will all my personal estate I am possessed to be equally divided amongst my brothers and sisters. And lastly I do appoint my mother my executor. Witnessed by Alexander Miller and Zadock Rogers.
Court Clerk James Keith. 2nd day of March, 1812.
(From the papers of Dr. Frank Edmundson of Pittsburgh, PA, father of Dr. Walter Edmundson of Florida).
Compiled November, 2007.
Stephen W. Edmondson swedmondson@windstream.net
Information on the third family will be posted next.
Notify Administrator about this message?
Followups:
|
| http://genforum.genealogy.com/edmondson/messages/2275.html | ||
 |
Link to GenForum Add Forum |
|