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 30
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A John Wood, who lived in the same section, and died about 1792, married Eleanor, daughter of Solomon Israel. His children were Solomon, William J., Sarah, Mary Ann, the wife of Reuben Woody, Susan, the wife of Jonathan
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Bolling, Elizabeth, the wife of John Clack, and Mildred, the wife of Reuben Mitchell. Many of this family removed to Barren County, Kentucky. A William Wood also lived in the same section. His wife's name was Mildred, and his children were Jesse, who was distinguished by the affix of Cull-whether because he came from Culpeper, or for another reason, is not known-and Mildred, the wife of Jechonias Yancey.
In 1774 David Wood came from Louisa, and purchased land from David Watts, on the west side of the South West Mountain. In that section he established his home. He died in 1813. His wife was a Watson of the Green Spring family, and his children Martha, the wife of Nathaniel Thomason, Elizabeth, the wife of Micajah Carr, Mary, the wife of John Sandridge, who emigrated to Green County, Kentucky, Drury, Lucy, the wife of Elisha D. Gilliam, who removed to Christian County, Kentucky, Henrietta, the wife of James Jeffries, Nancy, the wife of Meekins Carr, James, Sarah, the wife of a Gooch, who emigrated to Lincoln County, Kentucky, and Ann, the wife of Barnett Smith. Drury resided at Park Hill, opposite the bend of the north fork of the Rivanna, near Stony Point. As a man of busi - ness he was judicious and energetic, and acquired a large estate. He died in 1841. He married Malinda, daughter of Jolın Carr, and his children were Sarah, the wife of Nathan- iel Burnley, James, who married Frances, daughter of Han - cock Allen, David, who married Lucy, daughter of Richard Duke, William, George, Fendall-these five brothers emi- grated to West Tennessee-Rice W., Thomas, Drury, Mary, the wife of Robert Durrett, Martha, the wife of James D. Allen, and Caroline, the wife of Thomas J. Early. Rice was admitted to the bar in 1821, and represented the county in the House of Delegates. He died in 1831, on the thres- hold of a promising career. His wife was Sarah Donahoe, of Staunton, and his children Cornelia, the wife of George D. Brent, Alice, the wife of John J. Winn, Mary and Antoin- ette. Thomas was admitted to the bar in 1830-at the time of his death its oldest member-and was also a member of
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the Legislature. He was twice married, first to Mary Morton, of Prince Edward, and secondly to Mrs. Sturdivant, of Wash- ington City. He died without children in 1895. Drury also became a member of the bar in 1842.
In 1779 William Wood came from Maryland, and bought land on the west fork of Priddy's Creek. He was the ances- tor of nearly all the families of the name who have resided in the northern part of the county. About the same period there came from the same State, and settled in the same neighbor- hood, Thomas Wills and John Turner, and a few years later Michael Catterton, Samuel Wills, John Ward and John Elliott.
WOODS.
The first Woods who settled in Albemarle was Michael, who was born in the north of Ireland in 1684, and with his wife Mary Campbell, and most of his children, came to this coun- try sometime in the decade of 1720. Landing on the banks of the Delaware, he spent some years in Lancaster County, Penn- sylvania, thence ascended the Valley of Virginia, and crossed the Blue Ridge by Woods's Gap in 1734. In 1737 he entered more than thirteen hundred acres on Mechum's River and Lickinghole, and the same day purchased two thousand acres patented two years before by Charles Hudson, and situated on the head waters of Ivy Creek. It is believed he was the first settler in western Albemarle, and perhaps anywhere along the east foot of the Blue Ridge in Virginia. His home was near the mouth of Woods's Gap. He died in 1762, and was interred in the family burying ground about a hundred yards from the dwelling. His tombstone was standing just after the Civil War, when it was broken to pieces and disap- peared ; but a fragment discovered a few years ago indicated the year of his birth. His will is on record, in which are mentioned three sons and three daughters, Archibald, John, William, Sarah, the wife of Joseph Lapsley, of Rockbridge, Hannah, the wife of William Wallace, and Margaret, the wife of Andrew Wallace.
Archibald, whose wife's name was Isabella, was one of his father's executors, and in 1767 joined with John, his co-exec-
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utor, in conveying nearly seven hundred acres of the land on Ivy Creek to Rev. James Maury. In 1771 he purchased land on Catawba Creek in Botetourt County, now Roanoke, and removed thither about that time. He died in 1783. His chil- dren were James, who removed to Fayette County, Kentucky, John, Archibald, Andrew and Joseph. Joseph died in Roa- noke about 1840, devising half of his property to the Presby- tery of Montgomery. The descendants of John are still citizens of that county, his grandsons John W. being the present Judge of Roanoke City, and James P. its present Mayor. 1
John lived on Mechum's River, not far above the Depot of that name. In 1745 he was sent as a Commissioner to pros- ecute before the Presbytery of Donegal in Pennsylvania, a call which the churches of Rockfish and Mountain Plains had given to Rev. John Hindman. He is the only one of the original family, the dates of whose life are certainly known. He was born February 19th, 1712, and died October 14th, 1791. He married Susanna, daughter of Rev. James Anderson, whom he knew as a child in Pennsylvania, and whom years later he returned to woo as his wife. His children were Michael, James, Susan, Mary, Luta and Ann. Michael lived on his father's place on Mechum's till about 1801, when he removed to a farm in Nelson on the south fork of Rock - fish, recently occupied by Charles Harris. His wife was Esther Carothers, of Rockbridge, and his children were Wil- liam M., Mary, the wife of Hugh Barclay, Susan, the wife of Nathaniel Massie, John, James and Samuel. William M. was twice married, first to Louisa, daughter of William S. Dabney Sr., and secondly to Martha, daughter of Charles A. Scott. He left eight children, who removed to Mississippi. His brothers, John, James, and Samuel, who married Sarah, daughter of John Rodes, emigrated to Marion County, Mis- souri. James (1748-1823) was an officer in the Revolution - ary army, married Mary, daughter of James Garland, of North Garden, and removed to Garrard County, Kentucky, where he had a family of twelve children. Susan became the wife of Daniel Miller, who removed to Kentucky, and
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from whom descended General John Miller, who fell at Per- ryville on the Federal side, Mary, the wife of John Reid, Luta, of Samuel Reid, and Ann, of James Reid and after - wards the second wife of her cousin William Woods.
William, no doubt the oldest of the family and born in 1706, succeeded his father at Mountain Plains, the old home- stead. He seems to have been unfortunate in his business affairs. Twice he mortgaged his property, first to Thomas Walker, and then to a number of Valley men, among whom were his brother-in law, John Bowyer, and his nephew, Sam- uel McDowell. At length in 1774 he made sale of it to Thomas Adams, of Augusta. At that time he was living in Fincastle County. His wife was Susanna, a sister of his brother-in- law, William Wallace, and his children, Adam, Michael, Peter, John, Andrew, Archibald, William, Sarah, the wife of a Shirkey, Susan, and Mary, the wife of George Davidson. All the children except William emigrated to Kentucky, and from there some went to Tennessee, and some to Missouri. Adam, Peter and Andrew became Baptist preachers. Archi- bald is mentioned in Hening's Statutes as a trustee of the the towns of Boonesboro and Milford, Ky., and in that State he died in 1838, at the age of eighty - nine. William remained in Albemarle. He lived on Beaver Creek, about a mile north of Crozet; on this account, as there were two other William Woodses contemporaneous, he was commonly known as Beaver Creek Billy. In many respects he was a remarkable man, in his sphere somewhat of a born ruler, of fine sense, and great decision. Many amusing stories have been told of his management of men and things, particularly of his foster- ing care over Mountain Plains Church. He died in 1836, ninety-two years of age. He was married three times, first to his cousin Sarah Wallace, next to his cousin Ann Reid, and thirdly to Mrs. Nancy Richardson. He had one son, William, who married Mary, daughter of William Jarman, and died in 1829. Their children were James, who lived on Beaver Creek, married Ann Jones, of Bedford, and died in 1868, William, who lived near Crozet, married Nancy, the daughter of John Jones, and died in 1850, Peter A., who was
-23
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a merchant in Charlottesville and Richmond, married Twy - monia Wayt, and afterwards Mrs. Mary Poage Bourland, of Augusta, and died in 1870, Thomas D., who married Miss Hagan, lived near Pedlar Mills in Amherst, and died in 1894, and Sarah J., the wife of Jesse P. Key.
According to credible evidence, Michael Woods and his wife Mary Campbell had two sons and two daughters in addi- tion to those just mentioned, Michael, Andrew, Magdalen and Martha. Michael lived southwest of Ivy Depot till 1773, when with his wife Ann he removed to a plantation in Bote - tourt, on the south side of James River, a few miles below Buchanan. He died in 1777, leaving eleven children, among whom were Samuel, from whom descended Rev. Neander M. Woods, of Memphis, and Rev. William H. Woods, of Balti - more, and William. William remained in Albemarle, and became a Baptist minister, on which account he was known as Baptist Billy. His home was also southwest of Ivy. He represented the county in the House of Delegates in 1799, and in 1810 removed to Livingston County, Kentucky, where he died in 1819. His wife was Joanna, daughter of Christopher Shepherd, and his children Micajah, David, Mary, John, and Susan, the wife of Henry Williams. Micajah resided in Al- bemarle, was appointed a magistrate in 1816, served as Sher- iff in 1836, and while filling that office died at his country seat near Ivy in 1837. He was twice married, first to Lucy Walker, and secondly to Sarah, daughter of John Rodes, and widow of William Davenport. His children by the first mar- riage were Martha, the wife of John Wilson, Mary, the wife of James Garth, Elizabeth, the wife of John Humphreys, and Henry, who died young, and by the second William S., who died unmarried, and Dr. John R., still pleasantly remem - bered in the community.
- Andrew lived at the foot of the Blue Ridge near Green- wood Depot, a few hundred yards south of the brick mansion, long the home of Michael Wallace's family. He owned nearly five hundred acres in that vicinity, and nearly nine hundred at the foot of Armor's Mountain. He sold his prop- erty in 1765, and removed to Botetourt. He was one of the
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first magistrates of that county, and was appointed its Sher - iff in 1777. His home was about nine miles south of Buch - anan, not far from the Mill Creek Church. He died in 1781. His wife was Martha, daughter of Robert Poage, of Augusta, and his children James, who lived and died in Montgomery County, on the north fork of Roanoke, and whose descend - ants removed to Nashville, Tenn., Robert, Andrew, Ar- chibald, who all removed to the vicinity of Wheeling in Ohio County, Elizabeth, the wife of David Cloyd, of Rockbridge, Rebecca, the wife of Isaac Kelly, of Bedford, Mary, the wife of James Poage, who removed to Mason County, Kentucky, and then to Ripley, Ohio, and Martha, the wife of Henry Walker, of Botetourt. Archibald married his cousin Ann, daughter of Thomas Poage, of Augusta, represented Ohio County in the House of Delegates, and the Constitutional Convention of 1788, and when he died in 1846, had been for many years the senior magistrate of that county. The writer of these notes is his grandson.
Magdalen Woods was married successively to John Mc- Dowell, Benjamin Burden Jr., and John Bowyer. She is said to have lived to the age of one hundred and four years. Her children were Samuel, James, and Sarah McDowell, the latter the wife of George Moffett, and Martha Burden, the wife of Benjamin Hawkins. Martha Woods was the wife of Peter Wallace.
Another branch of the Woodses, though beyond question of the same stock, came to the county a few years later. James, Samuel and Richard Woods were most probably brothers. James first appears in 1749, when he patented two hundred acres on Stockton's Creek. He lived on the north fork of Rockfish, and at his house the District Com- mittee met in 1775 to devise measures in furtherance of the Revolution. Samuel lived in the same section. He was one of the original purchasers of lots in Charlottesville. He died in 1784. His children were Barbara, the wife of George Martin, Margaret, the wife of Richard Netherland, who re - moved to Sullivan County, Tennessee, John B., Mary, the wife of Benjamin Harris, Jane, the wife of Joseph Montgom-
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ery, and Elizabeth, the wife of William B. Harris. Richard lived north of Taylor's Gap, on the road from D. S. to Rock- fish Gap by way of the Miller School, a road which he is said to have laid out, and which is still called by his name. He dealt largely in real estate both in Charlottesville and the county. He was twice married, first to Margaret -, and secondly to Eliza Ann, a sister of Colonel John Stuart, of Greenbrier. His children were William, George Matthews, Richard, and Elizabeth, the wife of James Brooks. He died in 1801. William succeeded his father at the homestead near Taylor's Gap. He was the County Surveyor from 1796 to 1828, whence he was generally known as Surveyor Billy. He was appointed a magistrate in 1816, succeeded Micajah Woods in the Sheriffalty, and was a ruling elder in Mountain Plains Church. He and his brother George gave much atten- tion to improving the breed of horses, bringing to the county a number of sires from the stud of John Randolph of Roa - noke. His wife was Elizabeth, daughter of Jacob Warwick, of Bath, but he died without children in 1850. George lived on the opposite side of the road from his brother, filled for many years the office of Commissioner of the Revenue for St. Anne's, and died in 1847. He married Jane, daughter of Sampson Matthews, of Bath, and his children were John, Sampson L., William, Andrew, J. Warwick, George, Mary, the wife of Tillotson Janney, and Martha, the wife of Dr. Day. The daughters and their husbands removed to Lewis County. Richard was deputy Surveyor under his brother, and died unmarried in 1822. His place was near the Miller School, and is now in the possession of Thomas G. Michie.
WOODSON.
In 1769 Tucker Woodson became the deputy Clerk of Albemarle. He was the son of Tucker Woodson, of Gooch- land, and his wife Sarah Hughes. He married Elizabeth, daughter of John Moore, and his home was on the land just north and west of Charlottesville, given to his wife by her father. He died in 1779; and in 1782 his widow became the wife of Major Joseph Crockett, an officer of the Revolution -
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ary army, who soon after removed to Kentucky. Tucker Woodson left two sons, Tucker Moore and Samuel Hughes. Tucker M. about the beginning of the century purchased a considerable amount of real estate in town and county, among other places the plantation of Viewmont, which in 1803 he sold to Captain John Harris. The next year he removed to Kentucky. His wife was Martha Eppes, daugh- ter of Charles Hudson. Samuel had emigrated to Kentucky some years before. He received from his mother her land adjoining Charlottesville, and part of it he sold to Charles Jouett in 1799, and the remainder to Alexander Garrett in 1808. He became Clerk of Jessamine County, Kentucky, and in 1821 represented his district in Congress.
In 1769 John Woodson, of Goochland, most probably a half-brother of Tucker, bought land on the head waters of Ivy Creek. He departed this life in 1779. His wife's name was Elizabeth, and his children were Tarleton, Susan, the wife of Micajah Wheeler, and Sarah, the wife of John Everett. Tarleton is believed to have married Annis, daughter of Augustine Shepherd, and his children were Tarleton, Augustine and Prior. Prior married Josephine Abell, and was the father of John, who recently died on or near the same land his ancestor had purchased more than a century and a quarter before.
In later years, about 1835, Thomas Woodson came to Charlottesville from Goochland. He was for many years one of the teachers of the town, and a ruling elder in the Presby - terian Church. He died in 1862. He was twice married, first to a sister of James C. Halsall, a member of the Albe - marle bar, and secondly to Clarissa, daughter of D. Ferrell Carr. His daughter Mary became the wife of Charles C. Preston, of Southwest Virginia.
YANCEY.
Jeremiah Yancey was the first of the name who settled in Albemarle. He purchased land on Moorman's River in 1765, and during the next few years patented several small tracts on Buck's Elbow. He died in 1789. His wife's name
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was Margaret, and his children were Robert, Charles, Mary, the wife of David Rodes, Elizabeth, the wife of John Wood, Jechonias and Joel. Jechonias married Mildred, a sister of Jesse Wood, Cull, was appointed a magistrate in 1807, and died in 1820. His children were Jeremiah, a soldier of the United States army, who died in 1828, William, Charles, David, Martha and Joel. Joel, the brother of Jechonias, married Martha, daughter of David Rodes, and in 1811 removed to Barren County, Kentucky.
Charles Yancey, who was a prominent man in the early part of the century, was the son of Robert Yancey, of Buck - ingham. An energetic man of business, he conducted a tavern, store, mill and distillery at what was afterwards May's, and still later Cocke's, Tavern. This was originally the location of the postoffice called Yancey's Mills, and though transferred to the more important centre of Hills- boro, the old name is retained. Mr. Yancey was appointed a magistrate in 1796, became Colonel of the Forty-Seventh Regiment in 1806, and served as Sheriff in 1821. He was twice married, first to Sarah, daughter of Robert Field, and secondly to Jane Alexander. His children by the first mar- riage were Jeremiah, Joel, Charles and Robert, and by the second Jechonias, Sarah, the wife of J. W. Ralls, Alexander K. and Jane. Jeremiah married Sarah, daughter of Clai- borne Rothwell. He and his brother Joel built the mill on Lickinghole near Crozet about 1820, and sold it in 1822 to Philip S. Pleasants. Alexander K. married Sarah, daugh- ter of Col. John S. Farrar, transacted business as a mer- chant in Hillsboro, and died in 1889.
YERGAIN.
John Yergain came to the county in the latter part of the last century, probably from Tidewater Virginia. He was a resident of Charlottesville in 1796, and in that year obtained a license for keeping an ordinary. He subsequently bought one of the houses that are situated to the east of the Farish House, and there for many years kept a store, chiefly for the sale of liquor. He never married, and lived alone.
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Hard and parsimonious, he hoarded his earnings, and was reputed to be rich; and this impression was strengthened by his mode of living, and the jealous care he took in his latter years to barricade his door against all who approached. A report prevailed that he had a large amount of specie buried in his cellar. Altogether from his peculiar habits, his solitary life, and the rumors of his hidden wealth, he was an object of great curiosity in the community. He died in 1837. The reports of his concealed treasure were verified after his death, but its amount fell far short of the general supposition. A relative named William Lee appeared from New Kent, and administered on his estate.
HEBREWS.
The people destined to be "wanderers among the nations," have been represented in Albemarle from the earliest times. In 1757 Michael Israel patented eighty acres in North Garden near Stockton's Thoroughfare, which he and his wife Sarah sold in 1770 to William Williams, of Goochland. It will be seen he was one of the Border Rangers. In 1772 he purchased more than three hundred acres on Mechum's River in the same section, which he sold in 1779. Solomon Israel, a brother or son, bought in the same neighborhood in 1764. Eleanor, a daughter of Solomon, was the wife of John Wood, and in 1783 Solomon gave his land to his grandson, Solomon Wood. Whether the Israels died in the county, or removed elsewhere, is not known, but their name has been left as a permanent memorial. The conspicuous pass through the mountains between North Garden and Batesville, is no longer Stockton's Thoroughfare, but Israel's Gap.
Isaiah Isaacs died in Charlottesville in 1806, leaving six children, Frances, Isaiah, Henrietta, David, Martha and Hays. They for the most part removed to Richmond. David remained in Charlottesville, was one of its merchants in the decade of 1820, was the owner of a number of lots on Main Street, and died in 1837. One of his sisters was a milliner of the place at the same date. Jacob and Raphael were also Jewish merchants in Charlottesville at that period,
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and besides their business there, they at the same time con- ducted stores at Stony Point and Port Republic.
ITALIANS AND FRENCH.
In early times a number of persons came to the county from Italy and France. They were induced to this step by the influence of Mr. Jefferson, who in his comprehensive views of things sought to promote in this country the culti- vation of the vine. Foremost among them was Dr. Philip Mazzei. He settled here in 1774, and to be a neighbor of Mr. Jefferson fixed his residence at Colle. He was warmly interested in the American cause during the Revolution, and to promote its interests went back to Europe in 1779. He visited this country again in 1785, presumably to dispose of his property, but soon returned permanently to his former home, where he died in 1816.
About the same time came the family of Gianniny, descend- ants of which are still living in the county. In 1784 Anthony Gianniny bought land on Buck Island Creek. In 1792 he petitioned for liberty to build a mill on that stream. One of the same name, no doubt a son, became a Baptist minister, and was licensed to celebrate the rites of matrimony in 1807. A Nicholas Gianniny was one of his sureties.
Peter Plumard de Rieux bought a hundred and fifty acres south of Milton, which in 1790 he sold to Anthony Mullins, and which afterwards became a part of Mr. Monroe's estate. He then purchased a house and one hundred and thirty acres on the west side of Charlottesville, which in 1795 he conveyed to Colonel Thomas Bell to pay his debts. His daughter Sarah was bound in 1801 to Mrs. Samuel Taliaferro. Claude de La Cour died in the county in 1789. His will written in French is on record. In 1809 Charles Elvy Bezet was the owner of a parcel of ground west of Charlottesville, extend - ing from the Staunton to the Barracks Road. There appear also the names of De Prado, Colecassieu, La Porte and Modena. In 1820 Francis Modena, who was a carriage maker by trade, became the owner of Lot Forty on Main
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Street, which he and his wife Mary subsequently sold to Dabney Minor.
In later times D'Alphonse came to the county as Instructor in Gymnastics at the University. He purchased the tract of land which is still known to the older citizens as D'Alphonse's Garden. It lies in the southwest angle of the intersection of the Whitehall Road and the Southern Railroad. During his residence he was popular among the students. When the war broke out, he went North and joined the Federal army. He came back to Charlottesville with Sheridan as a Captain of cavalry. When hostilities were past he returned, propos- ing to occupy his old place at the University ; but the coun- tenances of students and people were turned on him so coldly, that he shook off the dust of his feet, and quit Virginia in disgust.
Another distinguished foreigner was connected with Albe- marle. Thaddeus Kosciusko, the illustrious Pole, who per - formed so gallant a part in the war of the Revolution, made his will while in this country. On returning to Europe, he left it with Mr. Jefferson, whom he had appointed his execu- tor. When Mr. Jefferson heard of his death in 1817, he had it recorded in the office of the Albemarle Circuit Court, where the original document remained on file until May, 1875. At that time, in response to a resolution of the General Assem - bly, the Court ordered it to be transmitted to the Secretary of the Commonwealth, to be deposited for preservation in the State Library.
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APPENDIX, No. I.
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