USA > Virginia > Albemarle County > Albemarle County > Albemarle County in Virginia; giving some account of what it was by nature, of what it was made by man, and of some of the men who made it > Part 27
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In 1764 John Scott purchased seventeen hundred and fifty acres on Totier from David Meriwether, the patentee. His wife was Margaret, daughter of Colonel Joshua Fry. He died in 1798, and his wife in 1811. His children were Ed - ward, John, Charles Alexander, Daniel and Frances. Daniel lived on his farm on Green Mountain, and died in 1851. He never married, and for want of other objects of affection, he surrounded himself with great numbers of wild geese. His fascination over these winged coursers of the air was so re- markable, that in their flights to and fro they made his plan- tation their stopping place, and some that remained the year round, he carefully nurtured and jealously protected. John married Elizabeth, daughter of John Bolling, of North Gar - den, and died before his father, leaving a son John. This John inherited the land about Scottsville, and was the founder of that town in 1818. He married Susan B. Woods, and his children were Elizabeth, Pocahontas and Mary.
Charles Alexander married Elizabeth, daughter of John Hudson. He was appointed a magistrate of the county in 1801. His children were Edward, William, Samuel, Charles A., John, and Martha, the wife of William M. Woods. Ed- ward settled in Powhatan, and married Elizabeth and Mary,
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daughters of his cousin John. William married Elizabeth Powell, of Amherst, and lived in Buckingham. Samuel became a physician, practised in Albemarle and Amherst, and recently died near Howardsville at an advanced age. His wife was Ann, daughter of Landon Davies, of Amherst, and his children Elizabeth, the wife of Charles Scott, son of her uncle William, and Landon, who married Louisa, daugh- ter of Dr. Charles D. Everett. Charles A. purchased from his cousin John the plantation on James River, ou the upper side of Totier, which in 1835 he sold to Dr. John W. Gantt. He subsequently lived on the farm of his uncle Daniel on Green Mountain. He was twice married, first to Ann and secondly to Pocahontas, daughter of his cousin John. His house was burned to the ground by the soldiers of Sheri- dan in the spring of 1865; and being out on his farm at the time, and suddenly hearing of the calamity, he fell dead on the spot. His brother John made his home in Fluvanna.
SHELTON.
Samuel Shelton was settled in the county from the begin - ning. In 1745 he purchased five hundred and fifty acres of the twelve hundred acre tract on James River, granted to Thomas Goolsby in 1732; the endorsement on the convey - ance of this land made in 1788, expressly mentions the destruction of the records by the British in 1781. Samuel Shelton died in 1793. His wife's name was Judith, and his children were Clough, Joseph, Samuel, David, Elizabeth, the wife of John Tindall, and the wife of John Lewis, who lived near Scott's Landing. Clough was a Captain in the Revolutionary army, and was taken prisoner at the surrender of Charleston. He died about 1833. His children were Nelson, Maria, the wife of Robert Anderson, Cicely, the wife of a Walker, and William A. Samuel in the early part of the century was engaged in business in Warren. In partnership with William Walker and John Staples, under the style of Samuel Shelton & Co., he conducted a large mill and distillery at that place. In 1810 he purchased from Gov- ernor W. C. Nicholas the Boiling Spring plantation, which
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he soon after sold to John Patterson, the Governor's son- in-law. He died in 1826.
A William Shelton, who died in 1789, lived on Mechum's River, not far from the present Depot. His wife's name was Elizabeth, and his children were John, Gideon and Thomas. In 1794 Thomas, his wife Mary, and his mother Elizabeth, conveyed what seemed to be Thomas's portion of the estate to Tarleton Woodson, and likely removed from the county. The relation of this family with others of the name cannot be ascertained.
In 1749 William Shelton, of St. David's parish, King and Queen, purchased land on Byrd Creek, in what is now Fluvanna County. His wife's name was Patience, and he had a daughter Sarah, who was the wife of Augustine Shepherd. It is thought he was also the father of Henry and William. Henry lived in the northeast part of the county, on the Barboursville Road. He died in 1799. It is said his wife was a Long, a sister of the wife of Thomas Garth Sr., and his children were Susan, the wife of Thomas Smith, Ann, the wife of Jacob Powers, who removed to Harrison County, Kentucky, Jane, the wife of Jeremiah White, Martha, the wife of Samuel Mansfield, Mourning, the wife of John White, Ann, the wife of Achilles Barksdale, Thomas L., Mildred, William and Austin. Austin settled on Mechum's River, above the Depot, and died unmarried in 1806. He was succeeded by his brother Thomas L., who also purchased in 1812 from the trustees of Menan Mills his mill, and the tract belonging to it, which he bought in 1789 from John Black. Thomas L. died in 1859. He married Susan, daughter of James Ballard, and his children were Martha, the wife of Martin Baker, Stapleton, Austin G., Dr. Thomas W., who recently died in Augusta County, Mary, the wife of David Jeffries, James H., and Lucy, the wife of George C. Omohundro.
William, son of William, owned land on both sides of Mechum's, near the Depot. His home was on the north side of the Staunton Road, on the place now owned by Charles H. Price. He died in 1815. He was twice married, first to
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Lucy, daughter of Robert Harris, and secondly to Sarah His children were William Harris, Mourning, the wife of Archibald Woods, Elizabeth, the wife of Richard Mobbery, Dabney, Sarah, Lucy, the wife of Elliott Brown, Agnes, Weatherston and Thomas. The first three emigrated to Kentucky. Dabney and Thomas, who sold their part of the estate in 1817 to Francis McGee, were living at the time in Augusta County. Weatherston, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Harrison, sold the same year to Ben - jamin Hardin the interests of himself and his deceased sis - ters, Sarah and Agnes, and removed to Mason County, Virginia.
SIMMS.
William Simms lived in the northeast part of the county, on the waters of Priddy's Creek and Blue Run. The first mention of his name occurs in 1779, when he bought land in that neighborhood from Josiah Bush. He was Captain of a militia company in the war of the Revolution. He built one of the first mills on Priddy's Creek, and for many years it was a noted point in that vicinity. He died in 1797. He and his wife Agatha had nine daughters and two sons, Mary, the wife of John During, Elizabeth, the wife of John McCann, Lucy, the wife of John Dalton, Joanna, the wife of James Ownsley, Ann, the wife of Samuel Brockman, Nancy, the wife of Ambrose Brockman, Agatha, the wife of William Catterton, Frances, the wife of Richard Flint, Rosamond,, AND WILL IF the wife of Joseph Williams, Richard and John. James Simms, who lived in the same section, was probably a An JAI brother of William, certainly the guardian of his younger children. He was twice married, first to Mildred, daughter of Richard Durrett, and secondly to Lucy, daughter of James Early. He had two sons, Richard D. and Isaac.
Richard D. married Elizabeth, daughter of David Clarkson, and his children were Eliza, the wife of Edward Wingfield, Jane, the wife of Tandy Brockman, Cornelia, the wife of Rev. Robert Watts, and Lucy Ann, the wife of James D. Watts, and William J. His home was near the mouth of Priddy's Creek, and he died in 1862. Isaac lived in the Buck
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Mountain district, and died in 1836. His wife was Nancy Catterton, and his children Mary, the wife of William Black- well, Eliza, the wife of Logan Maupin, Permelia, the wife of Samuel Crawford, of the Valley, Agnes, the wife of John D. Carr, Julia and Richard D.
John Sims lived in the Buck Mountain neighborhood, and died in 1798. His wife's name was Mary, and his children John, Francis, Nathaniel, and a daughter, who was the wife of Ison Walton.
SMITH.
Joseph Smith in 1734 joined with Edwin Hickman, Thomas Graves, and Jonathan Clark in entering thirty-two hundred and seventy-seven acres on the north side of the Rivanna, where it is crossed by the South West Mountain. In the partition of the tract, the portion of Smith coincided with the Pantops plantation. He devised it to his sons, John, Larkin, Philip and Thomas. In the interval from 1746 to 1765, they sold their shares, and eventually they all came into the possession of Mr. Jefferson. What became of the brothers, is not known. It is probable Larkin died in the county in 1763, and Larkin Smith, doubtless a son of his, or of one of his brothers, was a Captain in the Fourth Dragoons in the Revolutionary army.
About 1766, William, John and Charles Smith, of Han- over, purchased land on the head waters of Mechum's and Rockfish. They were probably brothers. Charles settled on Taylor's Creek, and William and John on Whitesides, where they both bought from Morans, William from Nich- olas, and John from John Moran. Charles died in 1771, William in 1801, and John in 1808. The name of John's wife was Elizabeth, and his children were Thomas, William, Mary, the wife of Francis Montgomery, Nancy, the wife of David Burgher, Joel, Martha, Elizabeth, the wife of Robert Page, and Charles. Joel married Martha, daughter of Charles Patrick, and his children were Mary, the wife of John Massie, John P., Elizabeth, the wife of John Wallace, Harriet and Thomas J. All this family except Mrs. Wal - lace and her husband, removed to Kentucky. Charles lived
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at the foot of Armor's Mountain on the border of Nelson, and died in 1842. His wife was Mary Bailey, and his chil- dren William, Joel, Robert P., Frances and Jane.
In 1769 Thomas Smith purchased a part of the Chiswell patent on the head waters of Mechum's. He died in 1783. His children were Thomas, John, Ann, the wife of William Grayson, Sarah, the wife of Nathan Crawford, Lawrence, Mary, the wife of (David ?) Buster, Susan, and another daughter (Ursula ?), the wife of a Ray. His son Thomas died in 1791. His wife's name was Susan, and his children were Nancy, the wife of James Lobban, Bolling, who re- moved to Lincoln County, Missouri, Elizabeth, the wife of Nicholas Merritt, Mary, Martha and Sebanah. The children of Nicholas and Elizabeth Merritt were Rhoda, the wife of Thomas Grayson, Thomas, Susan, the wife of Robert Haislip, Sarah, the wife of Andrew Black, Markwood, Rosanna, the wife of James Black, James and Retta, the wife of Jeremiah Dollins.
SOUTHALL.
Valentine Wood Southall, during a long and busy career, was one of the most prominent men of the county. He was the son of Stephen Southall and Martha Wood, and the grandson of Valentine Wood and Lucy Henry, a sister of the renowned orator. In early life he was engaged in busi- ness in Washington City, but afterwards studied law, and was admitted to the Albemarle bar in 1813. By his thoroughness and impressive elocution he soon attained a place in the front rank of the profession. In 1829 he was appointed Commonwealth's Attorney, and held the office till it became elective under the Constitution of 1850. He was a member of the Convention that formed that Constitution, and also of that of 1861, acting as the President of the latter during the sickness of its presiding officer. Though devoted to his legal duties, he took an active part in politics, and for a number of terms was a member of the House of Delegates, and also its Speaker. He died suddenly in the latter part of 1861. He was twice married, first to Mary, the daughter of Alexander Garrett, and secondly to Martha, daughter of
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James P. Cocke. The home of his early married life was on the northwest corner of High and Fourth Streets, the present residence of Dr. W. G. Rogers, but about 1829 he removed to the brick mansion near the corner of Jefferson and Second, which he built.
Sorrel SOWELL. Inder when this he be S
Thomas Sowell made one of the earliest entries of land within the bounds of Albemarle. In 1734 he obtained a grant of five hundred and fifty acres west of the southern end of Carter's Mountain. His name still distinguishes Sowell's Branch, a stream which passes through the land into the north fork of Hardware. He died in 1763. His wife's name was Martha, and his children were John, William, Joseph and Thomas. Thomas died unmarried three years after his father. The name of John's wife was also Martha, and his children were Thomas, Benjamin, Edmund, Elijah, Elisha, and Keziah, the wife of William Perry. Elisha Sowell mar -State ried Elizabeth Gilliam in 1808. In 1834 Lewis and Nimrod, sons of one of the brothers above mentioned, purchased from William Garland the lot on University Street east of R. F. Harris's Warehouse, where for many years they conducted the wheelwright business. Lewis married Mary Ann, daugh- ter of William Dunkum, and his children were William, Mary, the wife of Albert Gentry, and Benjamin. Pleasant, another descendant of the family, married Sarah, daughter of Edward Garland.
STAPLES.
Thomas Staples during 1783 and the next year took out patents for more than eight hundred acres on Hudson and Totier Creeks, and for one hundred and fifty in North Gar- den. He purchased more than four hundred more on Totier. Before the close of the century he sold most of this land to Samuel Dyer, much of it lying contiguous to Glendower. It is believed his wife was Ellinda, daughter of Castleton Har- per, and his children Thomas, Beverly, and Sarah, the wife of Littlebury Moon. Thomas was for years a leading mer - chant in Scottsville, and died in 1868. His wife was Ann, daughter of William Tompkins, and his children Sarah, the
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wife of D. P. Powers, Martha, the wife of John S. Martin, Olivia, the wife of - Spencer, Phaniel, the wife of W. D. Davis, Susan, Catharine, Marietta, Silas, William T., and John. Beverly died in 1865. He married Judith White, and his children were William G., Elmira, Maria, the wife of Chambers, Ann, the wife of John Tyler, Minerva, the wife of Alfred Flippin, Addison, and Emily, the wife of Mad- ison Porter.
STEVENSON.
Andrew Stevenson, born in Culpeper in 1785, was the son of Rev. James Stevenson, rector of St. Mark's, Culpeper, and St. George's, Fredericksburg, and his wife, Frances A. Lit - tlepage. He was a lawyer by profession, member of Con - gress, Minister to England, and Rector of the University of Virginia. In 1816 he married Sarah, daughter of John Coles. The next year he purchased upwards of seven hundred acres on Totier Creek from William Watkins, a descendant of Wil- liam Battersby, one of the original lawyers of the county. A stream passing through the place wert for many years by the name of Stevenson's Creek. This plantation he sold to Tucker Coles in 1833, and in 1836 he bought Blenheim, the old seat of the Carters, which he made his home till his death in 1857. He was buried in the Coles cemetery at Enniscor- thy. He married a second time, and his widow after his death resided in Washington City. His son, John W., was admitted to the Albemarle bar in 1834, settled in Covington, Ky., was elected Governor of that State in 1867, and repre- sented it in the United States Senate in 1871.
STOCKTON.
Among the earliest settlers in the western part of the county, who came as is said under the leadership of Michael Woods, was a family named Stockton. Though their name has entirely disappeared, they have in a number of ways left their mark behind. They consisted of several branches. They erected perhaps the first mill in that section of the county. The north fork of Mechum's River still bears the name of Stockton's Creek, the south fork in early times was called Stockton's Mill Creek, and the first name by which Israel's
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Gap was known was Stockton's Thoroughfare. The famous abbreviation of D. S. is also ascribed to the head of the fam- ily. One story recites that Michael Woods and Davis Stock- ton landed at Williamsburg, and came to the wilds of Goochland together, that arriving at D. S., they advanced in different directions, Woods continuing straight forward to Woods's Gap, and Stockton bearing to the left along the foot of the mountain towards Batesville, and that as a memorial of the place where they separated, Stockton carved his initials on a tree. While their landing on the eastern shores of Vir- ginia is contrary to all the best established traditions, there may be truth in the rest of the narration. Both were patent- ees of land, and they may have gone from the foot of the Ridge to Williamsburg on business ; on their return, the sep- aration would naturally have taken place at the point men - tioned, as Woods's home lay at the mouth of Woods's Gap, and the Stocktons were settled along Mechum's River, the south fork as well as the north.
As already intimated, the head of the family was Davis Stockton. His first entry of four hundred acres on Ivy Creek was made in 1739, and in 1741 he patented eight hun- dred more on both forks of Mechum's. Altogether the fam- ily connection obtained grants of nearly four thousand acres in that section. Davis died in 1760. His widow Martha seems afterwards to have been married to Samuel Arnold, who lived on Ivy Creek. Davis's children were Richard, Samuel, William and Thomas. Samuel and William had a mill on the south fork of Mechum's, not far from Batesville, the same no doubt their father built, which in 1767 they sold to James Garland. Prior to 1780 Samuel emigrated to Rutherford County, North Carolina, and was probably ac- companied by William. Richard lived in the fork of Me- chum's, near the old Black place; in fact, that place was a part of his land, he and his wife Agnes having sold four hundred acres to Rev. Samuel Black in 1751. He died in 1775, leaving five sons, Richard, Thomas, John, Robert and Davis. The name of John appears among the subscribers to the Albemarle Declaration of Independence, made in 1779.
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Previous to 1791 Richard and Robert removed to Henry County. Richard became Clerk of the Strawberry Baptist Association, and Robert entered the Baptist ministry, and subsequently went to Kentucky, where he died about 1837. Thomas, probably the son of Davis, died in 1783. He and his wife Rachel had six sons and two daughters, some of whom were still in the county as late as 1805.
Iu later years John N. C. Stockton came to the county from Pennsylvania. He was a proprietor of the Stage lines running in Virginia, and made Charlottesville his headquar- ters. He became a large landholder in the neighborhood. In 1830 he purchased from Andrew Leitch the old Stage lot on the corner of Market and Seventh Streets, in 1832 Carrs - brook from Alexander Garrett, as executor of Dabney Minor, and in 1835 Retreat from Jonathan B. Carr. He was also the owner of Camp Holly, on the Barboursville Road. He married Emily Bernard, a niece of William D. Fitch. In 1837 he came to an untimely end, by drowning in Mobile Bay. William P. Farish became the administrator of his estate, and ultimately one of his successors in the ownership of the Stage lines. William Stockton, brother of John N. C., mar- ried Sarah, daughter of Gideon Strange and Mildred Magru- der, and emigrated to Florida.
SUDDARTH.
William and James Suddarth were early settlers in the county. They were undoubtedly brothers. They and their descendants were located on the south fork of Hardware, between the Cross Roads and Covesville. Previous to 1750, William bought from Abraham Venable three hundred acres of a tract of fifteen hundred which Venable had patented in 1735 in that vicinity. In the year first named, William exchanged two hundred acres with James, for the same quan- tity which James had purchased from the same tract. Wil - liam seems to have died before 1768, as at that time Lawrence Suddarth, apparently his son and representative, conveyed to James the other hundred acres of William's purchase from Venable. Lawrence was a resident of Amherst, but subse-
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quently settled in Albemarle, on Green Creek. His wife's name was Martha, and he died in 1815.
James died in 1800, and left at least three children, Wil- liam, James, and Mildred, the wife of John Turner. These brothers lived near where the present Lynchburg Road crosses the south fork of Hardware, a mill known as Sud- darth's Mill having conspicuously marked that locality for many years. In 1830 William was assessed with more than thirteen hundred acres of land. He died in 1832. It is said his wife was Martha Sumter, and his children were William H., James, Sarah, the wife of Robert Porterfield, Martha, the wife of Richard Littleford, Richard P., who married Martha Morris, and whose daughter Sarah was the wife of Henry Darrow, Nancy, the wife of George Paris, Elizabeth, the wife of John W. Dettor, and Mildred, the wife of William Page. His brother James married Jane, daughter of John Randolph. He died about 1850, and his children were James, Randolph, William T., Mary, the wife of David Hicks, Patience, the wife of Rice Oaks, Thomas, John and Benjamin.
SUMTER.
The first mention of the Sumter name occurs in 1763, when William Sumter bought from Thomas Land one hun - dred acres on Priddy's Creek, which had been patented in 1739 by Major John Henry, the orator's father, and which Land had purchased from his son, William Henry. Sumter's next purchase was made in 1770 on the north fork of the Rivanna, at the south end of Piney Mountain. This land was conveyed by John Poindexter, who obtained the grant of it in 1738, and from whom the mountain was originally called Poindexter's Mountain, and the creek running through it (no doubt Herring's Creek at present ), Poindexter's Creek. William Sumter continued his purchases, till he owned between six and seven hundred acres. In 1776 he and his wife Judith sold off all his property. One of the sales was made to John Sumter, probably a brother, and the land John then bought lie and his wife Catharine conveyed in 1779 to Charles Bush. In all probability they sold to go elsewhere.
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No intimation appears as to the place of their removal; but as their kinsman, General Thomas Sumter, had already attained a distinguished name, it is almost certain they emi- grated to South Carolina, the theatre of his gallant achieve- ments.
A well founded tradition exists, that General Sumter was born in Albemarle, and in the section referred to as the home of William and John. It rests particularly on the testimony of Dr. Charles Brown, who was born just after the Revolution. The Doctor was familiarly acquainted with a sister of the General, Mrs. Martha Suddarth, the wife of William Sud- darth, who lived and died in the county. Mrs. Suddarth was well know in her day throughout the community, because of her intelligence and skill as a nurse. Mr. Jefferson, in one of his letters to his daughter, Mrs. Eppes, when in declining health, recommended her to seek the advice of Mrs. Sud - darth, as one whose experience and judgment were worthy of the highest regard. It may be that she and her eminent brother were children of one of the couples mentioned above ..
SUTHERLAND.
In 1774 Joseph Sutherland bought from Gamaliel Bailey nearly three hundred acres a short distance east of the Miller School. This place he sold three years after to Thomas Harlow, and purchased in the South Garden, near the gorge of the south fork of Hardware. He died in 1801. His first wife's name was Judith, and he married again Elizabeth, daughter of William Grayson. His children were Joseph, and Susan, the wife of Christopher Myers. Joseph married Elizabeth, daughter of Edward Garland, and in 1817 bought from him part of the old James Garland place about two miles southwest of the Cross Roads, which in those days went by the name of the Head of the Creek Plantation. He died in 1818, leaving four sons, Clifton G., Joseph, William and Edward. Clifton married Mary Ammonett, lived at the Cross Roads, had a large family, and died in 1868. Joseph in 1837 purchased from Dr. John W. Gantt the place adjoin - ing the Cross Roads on the southwest, where he lived until
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his death in 1866. His wife was Elizabeth, daughter of Richard G. Anderson. William married Lucy, daughter of Roland H. Bates, and lived on the Head of the Creek Planta- tion, where he recently departed this life. Edward lived on the Batesville Road, west of the Cross Roads. He married Ann Shepherd, who after his death became the wife of John P Mann.
TAYLOR.
William Taylor in 1737 obtained a grant of twelve hundred acres on Moore's Creek, which is believed to include the land whereon Charlottesville is situated. He also patented the same quantity on the north fork of Hardware in 1741. It must have been a part of this tract, nearly eight hundred acres, which James Taylor, most probably a son, sold to James Buchanan in 1765. The same year James sold to James Buchanan part of a patent of his own, which was lo - cated on Hardware and Murphy's Run in 1750, and on which he was then living. Nothing further is known of these per- sons, except that Nancy, a daughter of James, was the wife of John Eaves.
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