Re: Rivers/Wilson/Ezell/Scott/Roper/Harwell/Pepper/Rives/Tooke
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In reply to:
Re: Rivers/Wilson/Ezell/Scott/Roper/Harwell/Pepper/Rives/Tooke
1/08/07
Here is what I have:
"Your Inheritance"
by Robbie Lee Gillis Ross
Part X Chapter 1
Mason H. Rivers
b.
d.
The Settler to AL 1814.He witnessed a signature deed of William H. Jones, selling lots in Suggsville, Clarke Co., AL, on May 26, 1821.Mason was security for Joel T. Rivers in Monroe co., AL 1817 when it was ordered that a Taverns License be granted to Joel T. Rivers.He was the eldest son of Joel and Rhoda Harwell Rivers.
Part X Chapter 2
Joel Rivers
Joel Rivers was born about 1750-55.West, in his 'History of Methodism in Alabama,' and family letters from descendants of two of his daughters state that he was born in England.One old letter in the papers of Ada Elizabeth Wilson Campbell (now owned by the author of the book), great-granddaughter of Joel Rivers, states that Joe was born in England and came with his parents to VA when he was a boy.Two of his known brothers were Richard and Robert.One letter claimed that Joel was descended from "Lord Rivers" of England.Due to the loss of records in Monroe Co., AL, Joel's death date is not known.It was between 1822 and 1833 when records were started again.A fire in the courthouse at Monroeville, County seat of Monroe Co., destroyed nearly all the records prior to 1833.Only a few books were saved.
A letter dated June 16, 1961 from Mrs. E.W. Deer, Claiborne, AL, whose husband bought the old Dellet Mansion in Monroe co., states that the grave of Joel Rivers is in the woods on the Cobb Commack place.This place is on the western side of the Alabama River, but still in Monroe Co.Mrs. Deer further states: "His grave is on a lonely bluff overlooking the valley about two miles from the Alabama River, looking towards Claiborne.Joel Rivers was an affluent man, yet his marker was carved out of limestone and quite crude, which does not reflect the circumstances of him or the members of his family."
Joel's first wife was Rhoda Harwell, daughter of Mark and Sarah Pepper Harwell, of Sussex co., VA.She was born about 1755.She was "Rhoda Harwell" as of November 7, 1773, when she was godmother to Rhoda Yarborough, daughter of William Yarborough and his wife Hannah.It is estimated that she and Joel were married about 1773-4.One son, Joel T. Rivers, was born in 1776 in VA.Rhoda Harwell Rivers died in Franklin Co., NC, December 31, 1810.
Joel's second wife was in Claiborne and it is thought that his widow may have been the Mary "Rivin" who appears in the 1830 census of Monroe Co.She was born between 1760-1770.Her estate settlement was made in September 1835 and the following facts are shown:
1.The administration of the estate was entrusted to Stephen Steel - son in law of Joel Rivers.
2.In his reports, Stephen Steel shows the collection of a note and interest from Richard Rivers (son of Joel).
3.He shows payments to T.B. Rivers (Dr. Thomas Burton Rivers was son of Richard Rivers and grandson of Joel).
4.Stephen Steel shows a payment to Joel Rivers, son of Joel Rivers, Sr.
The last two items were for medicine or burial during or after the last illness.The settlement does not show the distribution of the corpus of the estate of $1671.00, and since the proceedings were started in the Orphans Court prior to the courthouse burning in 1833, it is not possible to go back of this settlement and get the order of the court in the order book approving the settlement.
The Rivers families were seated in Surry, Charles City, and Isle of Wight counties, VA, in the 17th century and moved thence to Prince George and Dinwiddie Counties.The family is quite distince in it's origins from the Rives family, althought it is not always easy to distinguish between members of the two families in the county records because of the similarities of their names.The Rives families given names are different from that of the Rivers and their land was in a different section of the county.
A letter dated October 1, 1885 to Lavinia Jehu Scott Wilson, only daughter of Hannah Rivers Scott and granddaughter of Joel and Rhoda Harwell Rivers, from Lafayette Stell, son of Hannah's sister Elizabeth Rivers Steel (wife of Stephen Steel) states that once he had a book which gave much information about the Rivers family in England but, "in perigrimations, I have lost it and have forgotten its name.I remember this, however, that there is little doubt that we are of royal origin.What a consolation this is in the era of 'mugwamps, snobs, etc.'..."
Records show that there were two Joel Rivers in VA in the 1760-1785 period.One, a Revolutionary war soldier of Prince Edward Co., who later settled in GA and whose descendants are known.
The other Joel is shown to have been living in Dinwiddie Co., VA in 1782.The person property and land taxes for Dinwiddie Co. show:
Robert Rivers paid a White Tithe of 1, Black Tithe of 5, Horses 4, Cattle 27, Acres 440
William Rivers had a White tithe of 1, Black Tithe of 9, 6 Horses, 12 Cattle and 466 + 225 acres
Joel Rivers had 1 White Tithe, 5 Black Tithes, 5 horses, 9 cattle and 310 acres
Joel Rivers appears on both the personal and land tax records until his last appearance in 1784.In the land book alterations for October 1783, thought November 1784, it is disclosed that Joel Rivers sold his 310 acres of land to James Greenway.The names of the slaves of Joel Rivers (of taxable age) were given as Sam, Aggy, Nan, Winney, and Glasgow.In the 1784 tax list another slave named Jane was added.
Later records searched prove that Joel Rivers of Dinwiddie did not die in 1784 in that county and therefore he removed to some other county or state.His daughter Hannah was born in NC in 1785, according to old family letters.
A gun to the Continental Army was furnished by Joel Rivers of Dinwiddie Co.Records are in the Public Service Claims 1782.In the same reference, court booklet, p27, (8th line from the top) October 28, 1782, the value of Joel River's gun was obliterated.
The commisions Book 1, p343, dated Augus 13, 1783 shows:"To Joel Rivers for a gun December 1781 per ditto, 3 pounds, 0 shillings and 0 pence - Paid".
A Public Service Claim for Joel, his slaves, and 310 acres of land in Dinwiddie Co. Va in 1782 prove his residence at that time.He was gone by 1784-45.
Joel defended himself in a Greensville Co. Court suit on Dec. 23, 1785 and was ordered to pay unto William Chappell 330 pounds of tobacco and William Rivers 294 pounds of tobacco traveling expense and for being witnesses in a suit brought by Elisha Wilkinson.This was tried before a jury for non-performance of some type of agreement and which trial went agains Joel in the sum of 6 poujnds, 13 shillings and 4 pence...plus costs.
...........it seems evident that after Joel left Dinwiddie Co., in or about 1784-5 and from wherever he was living, he came back to Greensville the latter part of 1785 two days before Christmas, to appear in a court suit which does not indicate from whence he came.He was in Granville Co., NC, brifly in 1785 when one of his daughters, Hannah, was born.
The earliest date for Joel Rivers in Warren co., NC is November 2, 1785, "when john Williams of province afsd of Halifax sold 800 acres to Joel Rivers of "Province beforementioned and Co. of Warren".This tract was on the south side of Schocco Creek.Two of the witnesses are Sterling Harwell and William Rivers.The tax lists from 1785-90 show Joel Rivers with this 800 acres of land and "two carriage wheels."
...more info along the same line...
Records prove Joel Rivers to have been in the following places, before removing to Claiborne Co., Monroe Co., AL in 1816.
1782-84Dinwiddie Co., VA
1785-1801 Warren Co., NC
1802-1814 Franklin Co., NC
1815-1816 Warren Co., NC
1816-death Claiborne, Monroe Co., AL
Some of Joel & Rhoda's relatives had settled in South Alabama, near the Alabama River and, about 1816, at the age of 60+, Joel sold his lands and removed with his family, all grown to Ft. Claiborne, Monroe Co., AL.Three of his sons first went to Fayette Co., TN.Robert stayed in TN, but later, Joel, Thomas and Richard settled in Clarke and Monroe Co., AL just across the river from Ft. Claiborne, where they lived and died.
The 1790 census reports of Warren Co., 1810 in Franklin Co., both in NC, census reports in AL, family letters and papers, and from descendants of Joel and Rhoda Harwell Rivers show their ten children as:
NOT IN ORDER OF BIRTH
Son - name unknown (1790 census)
Joel Thomas Rivers - See Part XI - Chapter 1
Nancy Rivers
Daughter who m. Methodist minister "unk Crook"
Robert Rivers
Hannah Rivers
Richard Rivers
Susan H. Rivers
Elizabeth Rivers
Sheila, I'm not sure if your Mason Harwell Rivers is the son of Joel Rivers or of his son Joel Thomas Rivers.Maybe you will know, but he is the child of this family.
Parts X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV refer to the following
Early Rivers Notes, Joel Rivers, Hannah Rivers, Joel T. Rivers, Richard Rivers, Elizabeth Rivers, Early Harwell Notes, Samuel Harwell, Mark Harwell, Rhoda Harwell, Issueof Mark and Sarah Pepper Harwell (10 listed), Early Pepper Notes, Richard Pepper, Sarah Pepper
I hope this has been of help.Please remember to credit the book and the author.Thanks, Shannon