SC Timmons beginnings -Huguenots?
http://timmonstree.org/timmons.htmhttp://timmonstree.org/timmons.htm
www.timmonstree.org
The Timmons name is usually associated with England, with the name indicating that they
lived along the Timms river.Tradition says that my Timmons line is descended from John
Timmins(Timon?), born about 1662 supposedly in Pons, Saintonge, France and supposedly a
member of the French Huguenot Church there. Recent investigation cannot find any spelling
of Timmons in the Pons Huguenot Church or anywhere around Pons. It is believed that he came
to South Carolina by way of Virginia.
Recent yDNA tests have linked several Timmons families in Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and
South Carolina. Our Haplogroup is R1b1b2a1a1d* (The * indicates that we are slightly different
from the standard R1b1b2a1a1d.)This is indicative of Frisian ancestry. Today R1b1b2a1a1 is
found mostly on the fringes of the North Sea in England, Germany and the Netherlands, where
it reaches levels of one-third. That distribution suggests that some of the first men to bear
the haplogroup in their Y-chromosomes were residents of Doggerland, a real-life Atlantis that
was swallowed up by rising seas in the millennia following the Ice Age. Doggerland was a low-
lying region of forests and wetlands that must have been rich in game; today, fishing trawlers
in the North Sea occasionally dredge up the bones and tusks of the mastodons that roamed there.
When the meltwaters of the gradually retreating glaciers caused sea levels to rise, drowning
the hunter's paradise. Doggerland's inhabitants retreated to the higher ground that is now the
North Sea coast. (The name Dogger comes from an early Dutch name for boat.)
It is possible that the Timmons/Timmins/Timon in France came to Northern France from
England or Ireland, unless the original name turns out to be Timon, which is indeed French.
It is also possible that they came to the U.S. from France by the way of Ireland. Too
much emphasis should not be given to the difference in spelling (Timmons, Timmins or Timon)
since names were most often written the way they sounded back then and the same name is
often spelled many different ways.The French City of Pons is in Saintonge, not in
Bretagne/Brittany (the north-west coast of France that had many settlers from Britian)
as stated in the Happy Heritage(1) book (Bretagne is French for Brittany).Bretagne did
indeed extend beyond it's present area in years past, but never included Pons.Pons is near
La Rochelle on the Seugne river.This may account for the Pons name(either from pont, French
for bridge, or pontius, Latin for marsh)(2).Pons is in the Charente-Maritime region on the
coast.The family legend is that John Timmins(Timon?) was an officer in the French Navy. If
so he and if he was from Pons, he most likely sailed from La Rochelle.I have examined
the Pons Huguenot Church 1648-1680 registry and have not found a Timon/Timmons. However, the
Timon name did exist in that area in 1700's.I have found a Jean TIMON in France in the
correct time period, but he appears to be in a Catholic area.Have also found a Captain Oliver
TIMON that sailed from Cancale France, but again, he seems to have been Catholic.
Thomas Timmons of Charleston, wrote a will in 1756 that mentions a brother John that is a
gunsmith in Joppa, Maryland and a sister Sarah Gallery that is in Lurgan, county Armagh,
Ireland.It turns out that the brother John Timmons was also a weaver.yDNA links my Lynches
River John Timmons to this John Timmons in Maryland, and therefore to Thomas and his sister
Sarah. Right down the Lagan river from Lurgan, near Edenderry, there is a Quaker entry for a
burial of Charles Francis TIMMONS M. D., de la Valette, Normandy.There are 2 La Valette
hamlets in Normandy that are too small to appear on current maps.
From "The Huguenot Settlements in Ireland", by Grace Lawless Lee, 1936,
ISBN: 0788420054
"The most important settlement north of Dublin and perhaps the most
important in Ireland where that country is concerned, was established in
the ruined village of Lisnagarvey in 1698: other colonies, more or less
off shoots of this are to be found in Dundalk and Lurgan"
Lurgan is marked on a map in the book as a Huguenot weaving center.
Lurgan became known for Linen, according to the book linen and such
were "unknown" in the north until the French arrived.However, there
was no Huguenot church in Lurgan, so if they attended a church, it
had to be another protestant denomination.
"by intermarriage with the Anglo-Irish population, and the Anglicization
of the French names, the settlements grew indistinct, and little now
remains to mark them"
See A short Huguenot history for more information about the
persecuted Huguenot minority.The Huguenots began arriving in Virginia and South
Carolina as early as 1688. In the period between late 1699 and early 1700 there were
five embarkations from England to Virginia and Carolina. The names of 3 of the 5 ships
which transported Huguenots were 'Peter and Anthony', 'Nassau' and 'Mary Ann.'Because
England and the American colonies were at war with France, many of them anglicized their
names to more easily fit into American society.In 1687, the Huguenot Relief Committee
in London aided 600 Huguenots in their move to VA.
There is a legend that our John Timmins(Timon?) was a French Naval Officer that landed
in Virginia before 1700 and came to Charles Town, S.C. on horseback to join his Huguenot
church members from France. A John Timmons was Captain of the schooner called Harriet Ann/
Harriett Anne of Baltimore, burthen 39 tons or thereabouts - per carpentry certificate
she was enrolled as a new vessel the 28th day of April 1819 - built in Gunpowder Neck,
Harford County, Maryland (along with a scow) for Edward and John Timmons (father and son)
by John Lief. (3)
My ancestors on the TIMMONS side that have been accepted by the Huguenot Society of the US
are: Benjamin SIMON(S), Anthione BONNEAU, and Pierre VILLAPONTEAUX.These are also certified
by the Huguenot Society of SC as well as is my John TIMMONS.
While the statement below is written in a book by the well respected Arthur Henry Hirsch,
the part about Pons Congregation of Elias Prioleau joinining him in Charleston is not
true (See "From New Babylon to Eden" by Betrand Van Ruymbeke.)
"The Charles Town French Church was an extension, or
perhaps better, a transferred reestablishment of the French
Protestant Church of Pons, France, whose pastor was Elias
Prioleau. He, with his congregation, in April, 1687, witnessed
the destruction of their church building in that place
by their Catholic enemies. While it was being demolished
Mr. Prioleau gathered his congregation about him, and after
he had addresed them regarding their plans for the future,
they determined to embark for England. How many followed
him is not known, but the names of a number of
French families denizened the same day that Mr. Prioleau
and his family were denizened in England, names that in
later years are familiar in Carolina, indicate reasons for the
supposition that at least a number followed their spiritual
leader to England and subsequently to South Carolina.
Others probably followed as it became possible. Hands ruthless
in the destruction of visible buildings were unable to
destroy the church organization. It reasserted its life on
American soil. The members of the church followed their pastor Rev.
Elias Prioleau and many settled on the Santee River in South
Carolina." (4)
(Note that an examination of the registry of the Pons church finds few, if any, people that
came to Charleston.Therefore, most of the people that joined Rev. Prioleau must have come
from other parts of France and joined him in England.)
Cannon, in Happy Heritage says that our John Timmons name was on the church roll displayed
at the Pan American Exposition in Charleston, SC, 1902 by Dr. Vedder, pastor for the Huguenot
Church. (1)This roll book cannot now be located.Most believe that all roll books were
burned in the Charelston fire before the fair.I have examined Dr. Vedder's journals at
the Caroliniana and found that while he was involved in several aspects of the fair, there
is no mention of this roll.
There were more Huguenot's in Charleston than in Santee.The only Timmons I can find in
records of the Santee settlement is a Thomas Timmons (5), but there are records of Timmons
in Charleston.
It is believed by some that my GGGGGG Grandfather was a John Timmons that fought for George
Washington in Virginia from December, 1776 until December, 1779. yDNA has linked my GGGGG
Grandfater John in the Pee Dee area of South Carolina to the Spartanburg Abner Timmons
(Abner later moved to Kentucky).
Although the will The John in South Carolina says that he is John Senior, in the Audited
accounts (AA7816 page 7) Samuel possibly mentions John his brother.Also, Thomas in X1252,
mentions John, with adjacent entry X1251 for Abner and X1253 for Samuel with the same date.
Entries Z296 and Z297 for Samuel and John are adjacent and the same date, even though not
in alpha-betical order.These and other reasons, along with yDNA tests makes some believe
that this John's father is the John Timmons from Virginia that had other sons of Samuel,
Thomas, Moses and Abner.
My GGGGG Grandfather, John TIMMONS moved from Virginia to Georgetown, then to what
is now Florence County, SC.See SC Land Grants for early land grants and plats.
John Timmons fought in the Revolutionary War for Francis Marion.Several of his wife's
relatives were also members of Marion's Militia.See Simons cousins that fought in the
Revolutionary war here. A Capt. John SIMONS was killed at the battle of Eutaw Springs.
He is mis-named as my John TIMMONS in several books.The audited accounts prove that my
John TIMMONS fought at the battle of Eutaw Springs, but that he survived.
Audited Accounts show that John Timmons also provided provisions to Marion, Morgan and
others, such as five steers and five hundred (pounds?) of flour Feb 9, 1780, "eight days
horse hire" in 1781 and also provisions worth more that seven pounds sterling in 1781.
John Timmons, (Jr.?) served for "two hundred and seventy two days as a private in Capt
Peter Youngbloods Troops".A Peter Youngblood was one of Francis Marion's officers, but
there was anotherdifferent Peter Youngblood.See Audited Account Revolutionary War
documents concerning John Timmons.
See John Timmons 1824 tax return here (is there a middle initial at the bottom?).His
will is here.
His Grandson, William TIMMONS's estate reached from Effingham station to Old Elim Church.
The Effingham Post Office was in his store. Series S213190 microfilm Volume 40, page 319
has a plat of 2,415 acres on Lynches "Creek", Marion District for Maj. William TIMMONS.
Locations are Lynches "Creek", Cockfield Bay, Little Cypress Branch, Oakey Bay, Mill Pond,
Flat Bay and Gallington Bay.
The Rev. John Morgan TIMMONS was granted 1,384 acres by Gov. James Hamilton, Jr., later
he bought a pine stand that is now Timmonsville, SC.John Morgan set the railroad
path through NorthEast SC and negotiated purchase of the land.John Morgan signed
the SC Ordinace of Succession in 1860.John Morgan founded and was the first pastor
of Hebron Baptist Church located at Friendfield, SC.He was also pastor of the Old
Elim Baptist Church.
My Great Great Grandfather Randelson Meyers TIMMONS had a plantation on the Lynches
River South of Hebron Church. Randelson and and his wife Martha were buried with their
slaves on their land near Lynches River (behind Dorsey Timmons farm).The Huguenot
tradition was to bury family in the back yard.Their burial site is located off
Friendfield Rd, toward Lynches River on Eugenes Club House Rd. He was active in
Hebron Baptist Church with 78 Entries in Hebron Baptist Church minutes.The Hebron
Baptist Church minutes, page 239, appears to say that he died in 1893, but his
tombstone says 1892.The house of my Great Grandfather, Jimmy TIMMONS still stands
on the other side of Friendfield Road.His house can be seen in a 1913 map identified
as J. H. Timmons above "Mill Pond".
(1)Happy Heritage, By Lyndon Lee Cannon.
(2)Email from Dominique RICHARD.
(3)Email from Mary TIMMONS.
(4)The Huguenots of Colonial South Carolina,
By Arthur Henry Hirsch, Professor of History In Ohio Wesleyan
University, 1928, Duke University Press.
(5) Petitions for Land from the South Carolina Council Journals - Volume IV, by Brent
H. Holcomb, page 164 Thomas Timmons "two hundred acres of vacant Land on the waters of
Santee" Dated July 4, 1755.
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Re: SC Timmons beginnings -Huguenots?
Frances Meinhardt 10/13/13