Re: keyes/keys in VA
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In reply to:
Re: keyes/keys in VA
Susane McCarter-Barton 11/29/05
Here are my program notes as you requested.I have dates & other info. too if you need it.
Zachary Taylor Keyes' father was Robert William Keyes.These are my notes on Robert:
From East Tennessee Roots, Oak Ridge, TN, Vol. 3 (No. 4), Winter 1986:
Keys Family Bible
Original owner:Robert W. Keys; present owner:Miss Kate Keys, Mountain City, TN
Copied by Lucile Thomas of Mountain City, 07 Apr 1937
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BIRTHS:
Robert W. Keys was born Jan. 9, 1814.
Susan Wills Keys was born Feb. 27, 1818.
Marcus A. Keys was born Oct. 1, 1841.
Caina Hesteline Keys was born April 4, 1843.
Emma Louise Keys was born Nov. 2, 1844.
Zachary Taylor Keys was born Sept. 18, 1846.
Veteria Ann Keys was born Nov. 10, 1848.
James Donnelly Keys was born Oct. 1, 1850.
Margaret Catherine Keys was born Sept. 2, 1852.
Mary Adeline Keys was born Nov. 6, 1854.
Robert Russel Keys was born May 3, 1857.
Susan Rebecca Keys was born Nov. 12, 1859.
David Dick Keys was born Oct. 20, 1863.
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MARRIAGES:
Robert W. Keys and Susan Wills, Dec. 3, 1840.
Marcus A. Keys and Mary E. Smith, March, 1861.
Emma P. Keys and Landon H. Hawkins, Dec. 5, 1867.
Veteria Ann Keys and Jacob Cornett, Oct. 25, 1866.
Margaret C. Keys and Tiley Thomas, April 29, 1875.
Mary A. Keys and Richard D. Hawkins, Jan. 25, 1877.
David D. Keys and Martha Ellen Ramsey, Jan. 28, 1887.
1850 U. S. Census, Tennessee, Johnson Co., District 1, 17 Aug. 1850, #54, #56 (living next door to brother David L. Keys & parents):
Robert W. Keys, 36, male, farmer, $1500 value real
estate, b. TN
Susan Keys, 32, female, b. TN
Marcus A.,8, male, b. TN, school in year
Calvina H.,7, female, b. TN, school in year
Emma L.,5, female, b. TN
Zachary T., 3, male, b. TN
Veturia A., 1, female, b. TN
1860 U. S. Census, Tennessee, Johnson Co., Dist. 1, Words Forge, #71, #71, June 6, 1860, p. 10/11, taken by James Keys:
Keys, Robert W., 46, male, farmer, $4500 value real
estate, $700 value of personal property, b. TN
Susan, 42, female, housewifing, b. TN
Marcus A., 18, male, farm laborer, b. TN
Calvina H.,17, female, housewifing, b. TN
Emma L.,15, female, housewifing, b. TN
Zachary T.,13, male, b. TN
Veturia A.,11, female, b. TN
James D.,9, male, b. TN
Margaret C., 7, female, b. TN
Mary A., 5, female, b. TN
Robert R., 3, male, b. TN
Susan R., 6/12, female, b. TN
1870 U. S. Census, Tennessee, Johnson Co., Dist. 7, Taylorsville, #60, #60, 23 June 1870, p. 5:
Keys, Robert W., 56, male, farmer, $400 value real
estate, $10,900 value personal property, b. TN
Susan, 52, female, keeping house, b. TN
Catherine H., 27, female, b. TN
James D., 19, male, farm laborer, b. TN, school in year
Margaret C., 17, female, b. TN, school in year
Mary A., 15, female, b. TN, school in year
Robert R., 13, male, hired laborer, b. TN, school in
year
Susan R., 10, female, b. TN, school in year
David D., 6, male, b. TN, school in year
William J. (W. or M.)8, male, b. TN, school in year
Is William J. W. (or M.) a son or a nephew?
Moved from Tennessee to Oregon.
And for James Keys, Robert's father & Benjamin's son:
Washington County, Virginia, District Court Deed Book B, 1801-1840, p. 98-99, record 206:
In the name of God Amen:I Benjamin Keys being weak but of perfect mind and memory do make and Ordain this my last Will and Testament in the manner and form following to wit; first I give and bequeath to my wife Elizabeth one third part of all the profits of all my lands with the Mantion house enduring her natural life if she marry not again and also the whole of my house hold furniture and live stock to be disposed by her as she thinks best for the benefit of the family during her life.
Secondly I give to my son Roger Keys the part of my plantation west of the creek and also the mill and small still with the utentils to work her to be freely possessed by him.Thirdly I gave to my son Robert Keys the other part of my plantation that lies East of the creek to be possessed by him.Forthly I gave to my daughter Jean one good horse and saddle and bridle to be purchased by Roger out of his part of the estate to be possessed by her.Fifthly I gave to my daughter Lucinda one good horse, saddle and bridle to be purchased by Roger out of this part of the estate, to be enjoyed by her.Sixthly I gave to my son John Keys all my part of the tract of land which Andrew Russell and myself are in partnership about to be enjoyed by him, and also a small tract on the north side of the River.Seventhly I gave to my dauter Nancy one good horse and saddle and bridle to be raised by Roger out of his part of the estate to be possessed by her.Eightly, I gave to James Keys one gray horse which he now claims and my seventy gallon still with the tubs to work her.Ninthly I gave to my son James One dollar to be raised out of my movable property.Tenthly I gave to my dauter Sally Berry one dollar to be raised out of my movable property.And I do utterly disallow and Revoke all other former Wills and Testaments Ratifying and confirming this to be my last Will and Testment as Witness my hand and seal this 23rd day of August 1808.
I do appoint James Keys and Robert Edmiston Executors to this my last Will and Testament
Sig.Ben Keys
Wit.James Keys, Robert Edmundson, John Williamson
Recorded:At a District Court held at Washington Courthouse the 3rd October 1808.On motion of James Keys and Robert Edmundson the last Will and testament of Benjamin Keys decd. was proven in court by the oath of John Williamson and the said James and Robert the witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded.And on further motion of the said James & Robert the executors therein named who made oath thereto and together with John Williamson, William Snodgrass, Thomas Berry and Francis Kincannon their securities entered into and acknowledged their bond in the sum of one thousand five hundred dollars conditioned as the law directs.A certificate for the probate of the said Will is therefore granted the said James and Robert in due form.
1850 U. S. Census, Tennessee, Johnson Co., District 1, 17 Aug. 1850, #52, #54 (living next door to sons', David L. & Robert W. Keys, families:
James Keys, 72, male, farmer, $200 value real estate,
b. VA
Margaret Keys, 66, female, b. VA, can't read/write
And for Benjamin Keys:
Bockstruck, Lloyd DeWitt, Virginia's Colonial Soldiers.Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.: Baltimore, 1988, p. 341:
At a Court Martial Held 9 Apr 1771, Augusta County, Virginia:
Capt. Samuel McDowell's delinquents for 1770:Henry McClung, John Keyes, Benjamin Keyes, William McClung, William Peoples, John Peoples, ....They are to appear at next court to show why they did not appear at the general muster held 9 April 1770.
Granted a "Certificate of a Wolfs Head" on June 5, 1784.This refers to the 18th century custom of giving recognition to anyone who killed a wolf.The hunter was usually given some small privilege and the wolf's head was nailed to the outside of a church.
Came to Washington Co., Virginia with brother John in about 1780.
Washington County, Virginia, District Court Deed Book B, 1801-1840, p. 98-99, record 206:
In the name of God Amen:I Benjamin Keys being weak but of perfect mind and memory do make and Ordain this my last Will and Testament in the manner and form following to wit; first I give and bequeath to my wife Elizabeth one third part of all the profits of all my lands with the Mantion house enduring her natural life if she marry not again and also the whole of my house hold furniture and live stock to be disposed by her as she thinks best for the benefit of the family during her life.
Secondly I give to my son Roger Keys the part of my plantation west of the creek and also the mill and small still with the utentils to work her to be freely possessed by him.Thirdly I gave to my son Robert Keys the other part of my plantation that lies East of the creek to be possessed by him.Forthly I gave to my daughter Jean one good horse and saddle and bridle to be purchased by Roger out of his part of the estate to be possessed by her.Fifthly I gave to my daughter Lucinda one good horse, saddle and bridle to be purchased by Roger out of this part of the estate, to be enjoyed by her.Sixthly I gave to my son John Keys all my part of the tract of land which Andrew Russell and myself are in partnership about to be enjoyed by him, and also a small tract on the north side of the River.Seventhly I gave to my dauter Nancy one good horse and saddle and bridle to be raised by Roger out of his part of the estate to be possessed by her.Eightly, I gave to James Keys one gray horse which he now claims and my seventy gallon still with the tubs to work her.Ninthly I gave to my son James One dollar to be raised out of my movable property.Tenthly I gave to my dauter Sally Berry one dollar to be raised out of my movable property.And I do utterly disallow and Revoke all other former Wills and Testaments Ratifying and confirming this to be my last Will and Testment as Witness my hand and seal this 23rd day of August 1808.
I do appoint James Keys and Robert Edmiston Executors to this my last Will and Testament
Sig.Ben Keys
Wit.James Keys, Robert Edmundson, John Williamson
Recorded:At a District Court held at Washington Courthouse the 3rd October 1808.On motion of James Keys and Robert Edmundson the last Will and testament of Benjamin Keys decd. was proven in court by the oath of John Williamson and the said James and Robert the witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded.And on further motion of the said James & Robert the executors therein named who made oath thereto and together with John Williamson, William Snodgrass, Thomas Berry and Francis Kincannon their securities entered into and acknowledged their bond in the sum of one thousand five hundred dollars conditioned as the law directs.A certificate for the probate of the said Will is therefore granted the said James and Robert in due form.
And for Roger Keyes:
Emmigrated from the north of Ireland in 1730 to his probable port of entry, Philadelphia.He settled on the west bank of the River Mary (now known as the South River) in Rockbridge Co. or Augusta County, Virginia in 1746.Helped build the Timber Ridge Presbyterian Church.
Roger & Sarah (Adair) Keyes were one of the first families to have settled in this area, and their names appear on many of the earliest records.They farmed and lived out their lives on land that was granted to the previous owner, a man named John Paul, by King George III of England.This land was part of a 92,100 acre tract once belonging to Benjamin Borden, a very wealthy Englishman.
Roger Keys and Sarah, his wife, won in a slander suit in 1748 in Rockbridge Co., Virginia, against Ephraim McDowell.John Lyle was witness.
"Early Southwest Virginia Families: Families of Kelly, Smyth, Buchanan, Clark and Related Families of Edmondson, Keys, Beattie, Ryburn, McDonald",by Elizabeth Kelly Allison, Auburn, Alabama, 1960, Chapter XVI - Keys Family and Location
There is a tradition in the family that the Keys family came over on the Mayflower.I have not been able to varify this, which does not mean that it is not true --- only that I have not been able to find the connection.
Roger Keys was in Augusta County, Virginia,in 1748 and 1749 as his name is listed as witness to legal papers.He witnessed Benjamin Borden, Jr.'s will in 1753 and was one of the appraisers of his estate in 1754.He bought land from John Paul in 1754.He was executor of John Wilson's estate in 1754 and guardian of William Wilson in 1763.He is named in the will of William Adair as a beneficiary and also as one of the executors.The will was dated 17 Oct., 1763.His wife's name was Sarah as his will shows.She was a daughter of William Adair, who mentions daughter Sarah Keys first, in his will.He also mentions Roger Keys, John Keys, Samuel Keys, Benjamin Keys, Margaret Keys, William Wilson, Ann Poage, Nancy Wilson, Alex McMullan, William McMullan, Ann Poage Baxter and Esther McMullan Poage.
Roger Keys signed the call in 1753 to the Rev. John Brown, inviting him to become pastor of New Providence and Timber Ridge Churches.He died in 1781.His will was recorded April 3, 1781, in Lexington, Virginia.He leaves his plantation of one hundred and thirty-six acres to his wife during her life, and to his son-in-law, Thomas Haman, the privilege of living on his plantation during his wife's life time and seven years after her death.The plantation then goes to his son Benjamin Keys.He leaves his son John Keys five shillings.Sarah, his wife was executor.
From Genealogy Magazine, Ocean Grove, NJ, Vol. 10, No. 2, June 1921:
KEYS: --- Will of Roger Keys, of Rockbridge Co., Va., dated 14 March, 1781, names his wife, Sariah, his sons, Benjamin and John, and his son-in-law, Thomas Haman.
Notes:
1.The area that became Augusta County was settled primarily by the Scots-Irish in the early 1730s. Formed from Orange County, Augusta County was created in 1738 by an Act of the General Assembly which provided that its territory should remain a part of Orange County until there were sufficient inhabitants to support a local government.The first Court was held in 1745. The primary religion of the area was Presbyterian.
2.Rockbridge County, VA was formed in 1778 from Augusta and Botetourt Counties. However, the settlement within the bounds of present day Rockbridge began in 1737, in Borden's Grant. The area was then a part of Orange County, VA. Augusta County began keeping records in 1745, and covered what is now many states.
In 1770, Botetourt County was formed from Augusta. The present Mary River formed part of the boundary. It was then called North River.
More Replies:
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Re: keyes/keys in VA
David Mills 5/17/10
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Re: keyes/keys in VA
Sharon Keys 5/18/10
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Re: keyes/keys in VA
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Re: keyes/keys in VA
Susane McCarter-Barton 12/02/05