Col. James Gibbs In the Revolutionary War somewhere in the south

Col. James Gibbs

1740–1794

Birth 1740 • Virginia

Death 7 AUG 1794 • Union District, South Carolina, USA

My fourth great-grandfather on the George Rogers Family Tree.

Some of Col. James Gibbs' descendents visiting his and his wife's graves, now in a cow pasture near Spartanburg, SC

"James was a Revolutionary War Veteran, having served a total of 481 days in; 1778, 1779, 1780, he is also listed as serving 10 days in 1782. This was in the SC Archives No. 79, 1006/8, Bk 26, DAR Patriot Index, Vol II p.82. I have not determined a Unit Name he served with, however, most of the Union Co Patriots were in Col Thomas Branhon's unit." (note in Ancestry by Patricia Rogers Seliger)

The American Genealogical Biographical Index has two entries for his name...but I'm not certain that they are both/either speaking of his service.  One names James Lewin Gibbs as a LT.  The other has him as a "seaman."

See record info below:

Name	James Lewin Gibbs
Birth Date	1740
Birthplace	Virginia,
Volume	62
Page number	156
Biographical Info	lt.
Reference	Historical reg. Of Virginians in the Rev., soldiers, saliors and marines, 1775-1783. Ed. By John H. Gwathmey. Richmond, Va. 1938

----------------------------------------------- and---------------------------------------

Name	James Gibbs
Birth Date	1740
Birthplace	Virginia,
Volume	62
Page number	155
Biographical Info	seaman
Reference	Historical reg. Of Virginians in the Rev., soldiers, saliors and marines, 1775-1783. Ed. By John H. Gwathmey. Richmond, Va. 1938

------------------------------------------------

So though the records at ancestry call him Col. James Gibbs, here he had a rank of LT...Lieutenant. 

And he is also listed as a "seaman." There is also a record of a James Lewin Gibbs born in 1850 to James and Ann Gibbs in Maryland, which wouldn't be my ancestor in all likelihood, since the birth date is 1850 instead of 1840.

A more recent memorial stone

My cousin Patricia Rogers Seliger did some research with the DAR records, and also says this about him:

James married Anne "Ann' Johnson Barnett, on July 8, 1771, in Orange Co VA...

They are buried in their old family garden, at the Gibbs Cemetery. Today, this place is known as the "C. T. S. Wilburn home place", Mrs Wilburn was the Gr-Gr Grand daughter of James Gibbs.

James & Ann had 9 known children:

Zachariah, John, Ambrose, James, Hiram, Agatha, Susan, Mary and Anna. Some are buried at the Gibbs Cemetery.

He was the son of John Gibbs Esq. of Middlesex Co VA, and Susanne Phillipe. It has been said, that his father died in 1770 in Charleston SC, his mother died in Spartanburg Co SC about 1786.

James moved from VA to NC and SC, they arrived in Union Co SC, then Old 96th district, before the Revolutionary War, building their first home near the Lower Fairforest Baptist Church. His father had recieved a land grant of 500 acres on Fairforest Creek in 1768. James received a grant of 640 acres on the Fairforest in 1772.

James left a will SPT Book 1, p.34, book 2, p.43 and book C, p.251. He left his son Zachariah as administrator, and names his living children in the Will.

This will is also availble through Ancestry.  The 2 hand written pages are legible, for slow careful readers, and there's also a typed a version of it, again for slow careful readers.

The location of where the Gibbs land was, near Lower Fairforest Baptist Church

I plan to post about Col. Gibb's wife, Anne Barnett Johnson Gibbs Nov. 29 2017 though her birthday is Nov. 30.

Today's Quote:

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.

William Arthur Ward

Early Immigrant to Connecticut: Anthony Beers

Anthony Beers

1620–1679

Birth 1620 • Gravesend, Kent CO, England

Death 14 MAY 1679 • Fairfield, Fairfield, Conn

There are some interesting details on Ancestry...where they quote  "New England Marriages Prior to 1700," see below.  Apparently Anthony Beers has some connection to Richard Beers.  Richard Beers may have been related...and he died in the King Phillips War in 1675.  He may also have been married to the same woman, Elizabeth Firmin as indicated in this document.

 

Anthony Beers married first Elizabeth Firmin in Watertown/Roxbury/Fairfield.  And then he married second Mary Adams, in Fairfield, CT.  His name has (see Richard) immediately after it, and Richard's has (see Anthony) following his.  But since they had different dates of death, it seems they are different men.

I'm afraid I can't figure out these listings.  And Ancestry is even more confusing because it calls Elizabeth as Fairfield (the name of the town) rather than Firmin.  And so all the trees call her that, though I found one that mentioned a father named Fermin. More investigation needed.

So I'm grateful that Anthony and Elizabeth had Barnabus Beers, their son. Anthony was the great-grandfather of Elizabeth Beers Booth, who married Zachariah Booth.  (If this should change, I'll come back here and edit and leave a comment! It's pretty amazing how fluid the ancestry history is, though I know these folks really did live and die in actual dates, the records seem full of disagreements.)

And now I have another war to learn about, King Philip's War (I only know King Philip was a Native American in New England).

Today's quote:

People often say that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” and I say that the most liberating thing about beauty is realizing that you are the beholder. This empowers us to find beauty in places where others have not dared to look, including inside ourselves.

Salma Haye

 

A taylor (tailor?) in my ancestry, perhaps **

James Clack, Jr. 1698–1757

Birth 1698 • Ware, Gloucester, Virginia Colony

Death 29 JUN 1757 • St Andrews Parish, Brunswick, Virginia Colony

father of Col. John Clack,

grandfather of Lt. Spencer Clack of Sevierville, TN

When James Clack was born in 1698 in Gloucester, Virginia, his father, Rev. James, was 41 and his mother, Jane, was 23. (See below for information about Rev. James Clack)*

When he was 16 his mother died giving birth to his sister, Dorothy. He also had another sister and a brother. His father Rev. James Clack lived to be 66 years old.

 

He married Mary Ann Sterling in 1718 in his hometown. They had ten children in 16 years. He died on June 29, 1757, in Brunswick, Virginia, at the age of 59.

There are very few records about his life, but he did have an apprentice, John, son of Thomas Read, who was indentured for his cost of coming to America by learning "devices." There's also the word Taylor in this 1717 hand written document.  Perhaps that was his profession.

entry no. 2, dated Aug. 3. "James clack of D --- Taylor ------John son of Tho Read of the Devices - D---7 July -"

He's my seventh great grandfather on the Rogers family tree (and of my first cousins)

*Rev James Clack, James Clack Jr's father, is not only remembered in the history of the Ware Church, but his grave still stands. I'll honor him on his birthday in March

The next known minister (at Ware Church) was Rev. James Clack, who served from 1679 until his death in 1723. His tomb is four feet from the east wall, outside the church with this inscription. (Stone broken)

“Here lyeth the Body of James Clack, the Youngest Son of William and Mary Clack

Born in the Parish of Marden, miles from Devizes, the county of Wilts, came out of England August 18.

Arrived in Virginia upon New Year’s day following. Came into this Parish of Ware at Easter, where he Continued Minister near forty-five years, till he Dy’d. He departed this life on the 20 day of December, in the year of Our Lord God 1723, in hopes of a joyfull Resurrection to Eternal Life, which God Grant him for his Blessed Redeemer’s Sake. Amen.”

Under his ministry the present church was built. His descendants are still in the parish and have done much to maintain the gracious mission of the ancient church.
SOURCE: Colonial Churches in the Original Colony of Virginia, Publ. 1908.
Transcribed by: H. Coughlin

Today's quote:  

Giving frees us from the familiar territory of our own needs by opening our mind to the unexplained worlds occupied by the needs of others. BARBARA BUSH

 

 

Bermuda Hundred, VA

My ancestors came from western Europe and more specifically England.

My ancestors arrived in the American colonies in different areas.
The Swaseys were in New England, so that is my grandmother Ada Phillips Swasey Rogers tree.
The Rogers came through Virginia, my father, George Rogers tree.
And the Booths came through New England, following Eugenia Booth's tree to my mother's family.

A few days ago I posted a photo called Bermuda Hundred, HERE, with a marker talking about John Rolfe and Pocahontas, and it also referred to my ancestors, the Bollings, Worshams, and the Kennons.

Here's a pretty good article describing what it is.

Bermuda Hundred during the Colonial Period

Contributed by Emily Jones Salmon

 

Bermuda Hundred was established by Sir Thomas Dale in 1613 at the confluence of the James and Appomattox rivers..[as a plantation] The term "hundred" comes from the English practice of locating ten towns, or tithings (groups of ten families), at a settlement. One of Bermuda Hundred's most famous residents was John Rolfe, who may have grown his first marketable tobacco there—Nicotiana tabacum, a West Indian plant with which he had been experimenting since 1612. Rolfe may have lived there with his wife Pocahontas, the daughter of the Powhatan Indians' paramount chief, Powhatan. The population of Bermuda Hundred, like that of other early English settlements in Virginia, was nearly wiped out by a massive assault orchestrated by one of Powhatan's successors, Opechancanough.

Time Line

• 1611 - Sir Thomas Dale recommends establishing a fortified site on the James River near Henricus.
• September 1611 - Sir Thomas Dale marches against Indians farther up the James River from Jamestown and establishes a settlement on a bluff that he calls the City of Henrico, or Henricus, in honor of his patron Prince Henry.
• December 1611 - Sir Thomas Dale and his forces attack the Appamattuck towns near the City of Henrico on the James River and later found on the Indians' land the settlement known as Bermuda Hundred.
• July 1612 - By this date, John Rolfe is growing the Spanish tobacco Nicotiana tabacum, either at a farm at Jamestown or at Bermuda Hundred.
• 1613 - After enclosing the peninsula at Bermuda Hundred in palisades, Sir Thomas Dale begins construction of a fort there.
• 1616 - The population of Bermuda Hundred stands at 119 people, 17 of whom are farmers. The rest are laborers for the Virginia Company of London.
• ca. 1617 - Johannes Vingboons, a mapmaker for the Dutch West Indies Company, creates a navigation chart of the James River. Among the sites listed on the map is Bermuda Hundred.
• 1619 - Bermuda Hundred's palisades have fallen into ruin.
• March 1620 - The population at Bermuda Hundred increases to 184 when survivors of the summer illness at Captain Christopher Lawne's plantation relocate to the site.
• March 22, 1622 - Indians under Opechancanough unleash a series of attacks that start the Second Anglo-Powhatan War. The assault was originally planned for the fall of 1621, to coincide with the redisposition of Powhatan's bones, suggesting that the attack was to be part of the final mortuary celebration for the former chief.
• 1624 - The population of Bermuda Hundred stands at 41 people—a result of the March 1622 attacks organized by Opechancanough. Bermuda Hundred sends two men to the General Assembly to serve as burgesses.
• 1640 - The area including Bermuda Hundred becomes part of Henrico County.
• 1688 - Francis Eppes and William Randolph lay out the town of Bermuda Hundred.

 For more detailed information, see the article that is quoted above:
.https://www.encyclopediavirginia.org/Bermuda_Hundred_During_the_Colonial_Period#start_entry

Unfortunately, many of the early documents of Virginia were lost through the years.  But there are some land and court documents, and wills, which give genealogists something to follow that provides sketchy information about our ancestors.

I admit to being an amateur genealogist, and defer to those who have spent many years tracing documents and know the difference between what is posted frequently on Ancestry or in Wikepdeia, just on the whim of some descendant.  That misinformation (fake news!) is then passed along with the free ability to copy from each other on line.

So saying that, I have made every effort that my ancestry has something behind each person's information...but I'm sure I've fallen into the ease at times of just assuming some of it is true, and it may not be in fact.

I hope that in honoring these real people who lived, had children, and died, I can share with others who also have their blood flowing in their veins.

These Virginia ancestors represent those in George Rogers' tree, my father.

Today's Quote:

We are not permitted to choose the frame of our destiny, but what we put into it is ours. DAG HAMMARSKJÖLD

Old buildings of George Washington Rogers

I'm adding some new photos to my ancestor's site, as well as here in my blog, where I keep an archive of whatever I've learned about them.  These were recently posted on Facebook.

George Washington Rogers 1820-1864

George Washington Rogers lived in a really nice home in Huntsville Texas. I spoke about his life several years ago, where he fought in the Mexican-American war of 1846. See"When I was 69" Blog.

George W. Rogers home built 1844, Photo by Patricia Rogers Seliger

My cousin Patricia, who has joined all kinds of genealogical societies, wrote this in Ancestry...

Home at... "1418 University, Huntsville, TX.  Description: George Washington Rogers and his wife, Lucinda Benson Gibbs purchased 600 acres of land in Walker county in 1844 from Pleasant Gray and his wife, Hannah. (This being out of their Headright.) Mr. and Mrs. G.W. Rogers were said to be the wealthiest family in town and their Greek-Revival style home on University Avenue was the finest in its heyday. The aristocracy from East Texas were entertained there. (G.W. Rogers was Huntsville's first Treasurer.) One feature was a huge ballroom that occupied the southeast wing. In later years, the house served as the president's mansion for the third president of Austin College - Rufus Bailey. The house also became the home of H.H. Smith, the second president of Sam Houston Normal Institute. Other owners made changes in the house, but it has been restored and is still standing today. http://files.usgwarchives.net/tx/freestone/bios/gwrogers.txt

Thanks to Photos of Town - here Huntsville TX

My other cousins who live in Texas, visited the Rogers home in 2015.  Cynthia Rogers took these following photos:

Photo by Cynthia Rogers

Photo by Cynthia Rogers

Photo by Cynthia Rogers

Photo by Cynthia Rogers

Photo by Cynthia Rogers

These photos show how the home had been changed over its lifetime, and it's hard to figure out some of the additions that have been made to it.

Photos by Town

Austin College Building - Now part of the Sam Houtson State University campus, site originally owned by Col. George W. Rogers. Photo by James Peavy

Notes from Facebook on the Austin building above:

The original Austin College Building was built in 1851-52 on a magnificent hill that was part of the original land grant of Huntsville founder Pleasant Gray. It is a nationally recognized historic landmark. Col. George Washington Rogers purchased a large sum of land from Gray and built his home on this site in 1844-45. When hopes were that Huntsville would be chosen for the permanent location of the capital, Rogers relocated his home to its current nearby location (where it has been preserved as the oldest home in Huntsville) and offered this five-acre hill to serve as the location of the new state capital. It became known as "Capital Hill". When that ambition failed, the town searched for another meaningful purpose for "Capital Hill". In the meantime, the Presbyterians were searching for a suitable location for a new college and Huntsville was chosen. Two Presidents of the Republic, Sam Houston and Anson Jones, served on its board. Austin College became the first law school in Texas in 1855. After the Civil War followed by the Huntsville yellow fever epidemic of 1867, Austin College relocated to Sherman, TX in 1876. Since about that time, Austin Hall, as it is now known, has been the heart of Sam Houston State University (originally Sam Houston Normal Institute) where it is the oldest building west of the Mississippi in continuous use as a college facility.

Quote for today (yes another one, but perhaps inspirational!)

We develop grace as we learn with the guiding hand of the universe, life will unfold exactly the way it should. Madisyn Taylor - Daily Om

 

Why three trees?

George Elmore Rogers, Jr.
One of my family trees (which has about 1500 members on it already) is named after my father.

I've posted before, on his 100th (Here) and his 99th (HERE) birthdays.  I won't go through all that personal sharing again.  But please feel free to check back to my posts.

The George Rogers tree that will be cited on this blog will look along the ancestors who are on the Rogers side going back from my grandfather George Rogers, Sr.  And it will include the wives of these ancestors, of course, as well as many sisters, brothers, and cousins.

The ship James brought some of my ancestors to America

But I diverged from the Rogers tree and made a separate one for my grandmother Ada Phillips Swasey Rogers.  I'm glad I did, because she has about as many ancestors on her parents tree as my grandfather Rogers.

Modern day Liverpool, England

The third tree in this series is based upon my mother's ancestors, named after my great grandmother Eugenia Booth.  But since I'm the primary member of that tree (which has about 1000 names on it) it also includes my mother's father's family, the Webbs.  And the Miller girls, of which my mother's mother was one of 4.  There are a lot of living cousins that aren't being mentioned here, any more than they are on Ancestry's trees.

Another 16th Century ship

I try to provide some personal insights to entertain with each post.  Sometimes all I have are some dates and places.  But sometimes there's more than one post can handle.  We'll try to keep it manageable!

Today's Quote (I like having this sharing of ideas at the end of a post, kind of well wishes for a reader.)

Both emotional and physical pain are messages that we need to stop and pay attention.