CRAIG COUNTY, VA - Biographical Sketches - John Reynolds, b. ca 1751, d. ca 1814 ----¤¤¤---- A Biographical Narrative of John Reynolds Botetourt County (now Craig County), Virginia Wife: Magdalin Thomas, d/o Lodowick & (-?-) Thomas Parents: Thomas & Ann (-?-) Reynolds John Reynolds was the oldest son and possibly the oldest child of Thomas Reynolds and Ann -?- of Caroline, Madison and Botetourt Counties, Virginia. No records have been found for John Reynolds prior to his appearance in Botetourt County ca 1772/73. As a child, he would have lived with his parents in Caroline County and possibly Essex County, although no proof of a residence in Essex has been located. His approximate birth date is 1751, and he was probably born in either Caroline or Essex County, Virginia. The first record of John Reynolds in Botetourt County is found in the Will of his father-in-law, Lodowick Thomas. Lodowick's Will was written August 15, 1775, and states: "...I do hereby appoint my trusty and well beloved friend John Runnels Executor of this my last will and testament ...." Lodowick left all of his land in Botetourt County to his daughter, Magdalin Runnills (wife of John Reynolds). This property consisted of two tracts, one about 200 acres where he formerly lived adjacent to John Caldwell and one about 100 acres located on the north fork of Johns Creek near Gasper Sarver. The survey of one of these tracts of land, probably the one on Johns Creek, wasn't properly returned to the Land Office to be recorded. John Reynolds initiated this final transaction in Lodowick's name, and Governor Thomas Jefferson signed the grant on February 1, 1781. This survey, dated September 9, 1772, contained 185 acres. John and Magdalin sold the 185 acres on October 12, 1802, to Archibald Caldwell. John's signature was on the deed and Magdalin signed with her (X) mark. Magdalin's father, Lodowick Thomas, was an early resident of the Sinking Creek/Johns Creek area. He is known to have been in that area of Botetourt (then Augusta County) when he was a drummer in Capt. William Christian's 1764 Militia Company which was organized to protect the frontier from Indian attack. He probably had lived there for some years prior to that date. Lodowick may have been the Ludwick Thomas, age 34, who arrived at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on the ship Queen Elizabeth, September 16, 1738. This possibility has not been proven, but if true, Magdalin and some of her siblings could have been born in Pennsylvania prior to the family's relocation to Virginia. A marriage record for John Reynolds and Magdalin Thomas has not been found. It is likely John and Magdalin were married in the area where her family resided in Botetourt County. Their marriage is estimated to have been between 1771 and 1775. John Reynolds was a member of the local militia. He is found on the list of officers recommended or appointed by the County in July 1780. Botetourt County Court Order Book 5A, page 42: "Joseph Loony is appointed Capt in Capt McMurtrays Co. John Reynolds Leut, and Abraham Looney Ensign." This militia company consisted of men who lived in the Sinking Creek Valley area of Botetourt. Capt. Joseph Looney was made commander of this unit the same year. Capt. Looney's militia company was quite active during the Revolutionary War; it is known to have served at the Lead Mines on the New River, Guilford Court House and Yorktown. Lt. John Reynolds is also listed on the 1782 muster roll for Looney's company. No record of John Reynolds' militia service at any specific time or place has been found, even though it is likely that he was with the company during most of their tours of duty. No known DAR or SAR membership have been granted using Lt. John Reynolds' service record. John Reynolds compiled the list of tithables in his District for the year 1785. He was appointed Constable in Botetourt County on September 13, 1791, an appointment he held until his death. In 1813 John gave a title bond for part of a tract of land where he then lived to his son, William. John's home tract was located on the headwaters of Sinking Creek, a branch of New River probably between the head waters of Sinking and Meadow Creek, a branch of Craig Creek, a branch of the James River. Another description states that it was located on the Sinking Creek side of Johns Creek Mountain. A deed was made for this tract August 24, 1816 and partly proved at April Court 1817 & finally proved and recorded January 12, 1835. This deed names all of John and Magdalin's children: 1. James Reynolds and Susanna his wife. 2. Thomas Reynolds and Sarah his Wife. 3. John Reynolds and Susanna his wife. 4. Joseph Givens and Anna his wife. 5. Joseph Taylor and Frances his wife. 6. William Reynolds (Wife was Sarah "Sally"). John Reynolds died intestate, probably at his home in Botetourt County, in the late fall of 1814, but his death might have occurred in early January 1815. There is a reference to this fact in court papers. At the Thursday, January 10, 1815, Botetourt Court, his son-in-law, Joseph Givens, was "... appointed Constable in this county in the room of John Reynolds dec'd." At Botetourt County Court, Thursday, March 14, 1815, administration of John Reynolds' estate was granted to his wife, Magdalin Reynolds, and son-in-law, Joseph Givens. An inventory of the estate was ordered. Listed with the estate were the following slaves: 1 Negro Woman, Milly, age 50 1 Mulatto Woman, Zellah, age 19 1 Mulatto Woman, Happy, age 17 1 Negro girl, Mahaly, age 12 1 Negro girl Eliza, age 9 1 Negro girl Franky, age 7 1 Negro boy Jerry, age 14. Magdalin Reynolds' Dower share of the estate was allotted to her at the April 1815 Court. Her share consisted of land and three female slaves: Milly, Negro, age 50, Zillack/Zellah, Mulatto, age 19 and Franky, Negro, age 7. These slaves and others who had originally belonged to the Reynolds family would attempt to gain their freedom in a court case initiated by Milly in 1815. This case would span about 25 years before its final resolution in 1840. Many participants in this suit would be dead before the final outcome was decided. In April 1817, Joseph Givens traveled to Madison County, Virginia, while settling John Reynolds' estate. He claimed $8.22 for his expenses incurred during the trip. The exact purpose of this visit is unknown. John Reynolds' brother, Henry "Harry" Byne Reynolds, is known to have lived in Madison County as well as his mother, Ann Reynolds, before her death ca 1810. The Reynolds family slaves were probably the reason for the visit, and Henry Reynolds would be the only known person in Madison County with an interest in their disposition. Joseph Given died ca 1831 and the last known administrator of the John Reynolds estate was John T. Anderson. Several inventories were made of John Reynolds' estate. One, in 1831, includes the following list of the slaves belonging to the estate: Negro woman, Happy, age about 32 Negro boy Davy, age 10 Negro girl Mary, age 6 Negro boy Roland, age 3 Negro woman Mahalah, age 28 Negro woman Eliza, age 27 Negro girl Lucinda, age 5 Negro girl Matilda, age 3 Negro girl Mahalah, age 7 mo. Negro boy, Daniel, age 5. Another inventory, conducted in 1841, included the names of the following slaves: Happy, age 42 Two children age 2 & 4. David, age 20 Mary, age 18 Maria, age 16 Rowland, age 13 Mahala, age 38 Eliza, age 37 Lucinda, age 15 Matilda, age 13 Mahala, age 10 Daniel, age 15, Samuel, age 9 Wm. (William), age 7 Lunceford, age 6 Almina, age 4 Juby, age 2 Magdalin Reynolds died testate at Botetourt County ca Fall of 1821. Her will, dated August 30, 1821, was probated at the 1821 November Court. In it, she named the following children and grandchildren: Anna Reynolds d/o son William Jane Reynolds d/o son -?- (probably James) 1. James Reynolds 2. Thomas Reynolds 3. John Reynolds 4. Ann Givens 5. Fanny Taylor 6. William Reynolds. The names and number of children in this will agree with the 1816 deed and appear to be listed in the order of birth. There were three court cases filed against John Reynolds and his estate from which most of the details of his family are drawn. Two against his estate were initiated in Botetourt County, Virginia. His mother initiated the third case in Madison County, Virginia, prior to 1808. Details of the Madison County case have not been located. The case was probably tried in Madison County, but no attempt has been made to locate Court records of the outcome. Madison County (Ann Rennolds/Reynolds') Case: John Reynolds' mother, Ann Rennolds/Reynolds, wrote her last will and testament on May 17, 1808, in Madison County, Virginia. In this will, she referenced an active District Court case against her son, John Reynolds, by the following: "My son John Rennolds haveing a parcel of Negrows now in his percession which his Father (Thomas Reynolds) let him remove to his Hous & at the death of his Father he willed them to certain other persons which records will shoe & he the said John Rennolds refuseing to give up said Negrows & a suit is commeced & now depending in the District Cort and undetermed now if he the said John Rennolds shuld by virtue of Law obtain & keep the Negrows now at law for then he the said John Rennolds is by this my will to have no part of my Estate, but if he the said John Rennolds shuld by virtue of law be forst to give the said Negrows up then he the said John Rennolds his heirs shall inherit an equal moite with the rest of my Children." John Reynolds' father, Thomas Reynolds, was born abt. 1725 in either Caroline or Essex County, Virginia. His occupation was School Master. He was married ca 1750 to Ann -?-. (There is a possibility that Ann was the d/o Maj. Simon Miller of Essex County, but this is only speculation at this time.) Thomas' actual birth date is unknown but 1725 is estimated based on a probable marriage to Ann ca 1750. Records from Caroline County indicate that they were living in that county in 1772. In 1782, Thomas resided at Port Royal where he lived and held classes at the home of a Mr. Frawner. The only land Thomas is known to have owned in Caroline County was 50 acres that he purchased from the Ship family in 1782. His ownership of this land was later in dispute. Thomas and Ann were slave owners and probably most of the slaves were hired out to others for income. Thomas and Ann Reynolds continued to live in Caroline County until about 1786/87 when they separated. Thomas moved to Botetourt County to live with their oldest son, John. Ann moved to Madison County where she purchased two tracts of land. She lived on one of these and she loaned the other to her youngest son, Henry "Harry" Byne Reynolds. The reason Thomas and Ann lived apart is unknown. Thomas was living in Botetourt County by about 1786. He continued to live there until his death except for a period when he, according to a neighbor, Daniel Givens, "went down county." He was probably with Ann in Madison County during this time. Thomas died testate in 1804 in Botetourt County, and Ann died testate in 1810 in Madison County. Thomas & Ann Reynolds' Children: (Birth order of children has been interpreted from Ann Reynolds' listing of her children in her Will of 1808; only Martha's birth date, ca 1757, has been found to date.) 1. John Reynolds, b. ca 1751 (subject of this narrative) 2. Bettie (Elizabeth?) Reynolds, m. Samuel McGee and probably lived in Caroline County, Virginia. 3. Sarah Reynolds, m. Thomas Loyd/Lloyd. 4. James Reynolds 5. Martha "Patsy" Reynolds, b. ca 1757; m. John Pettis, a Revolutionary War veteran. They were wed at Port Royal, Caroline County, Virginia, in 1786 and later lived in Spotsylvania County. Patsy removed to Orange County, Virginia, to live with one of her sons after John's death. 6. William Reynolds 7. Thomas Reynolds removed to Kentucky by 1804. 8. Reuben Reynolds 9. Henry "Harry" Byne Reynolds, m. prob. Polly Zachary, 1796 in Madison County, Virginia. Thomas Reynolds brought a Negro woman slave along with him when he came to live with his oldest son, John, in Botetourt County ca 1786/87. Thomas had moved to Botetourt from either Caroline or Madison County, Virginia. This slave was named Milly, the same Milly, age 50, listed on the 1815 inventory of John Reynolds' estate, part of Magdalin's Dower, and the one freed by Thomas's Deed of Emancipation (see below). (The slaves referenced in Ann Reynolds' Will would have been Milly and her children, who were born in Botetourt between Thomas' arrival ca 1786/87 and his death in 1804.) John was still in possession of Milly and her descendants when he died in the Fall of 1814, thus, it is apparent that Ann's suit (cited above) to regain the slaves failed. (Details of that court case, when found, could give valuable clues as to how Thomas and Ann obtained ownership of Milly and their other slaves.) Since Thomas was a School Master, it is unlikely that he purchased slaves himself. There is a possibility that Ann may have inherited the slaves from another person or perhaps from her father. Sometime after Thomas arrived in Botetourt County, he sold Milly and one or more of her children to his son John for 200#. (The number of Milly's children depends on when the sale was made.) Part of this agreement appears to have been that John was to take care of his father. In 1797, Thomas told one of his neighbors, Ammy Handly, that John was not properly caring for him. Another neighbor, _____ Givens, stated that he had heard Thomas Reynolds say: "... that he had sold to John Reynolds or let him have the negroes & that said John was to keep him & furnish him with suitable clothing, which he had failed to do ..." Thomas must have thought that John had broken the promise he had made to care for him when he had sold him the slaves. Whatever the circumstances and apparently without telling anyone, in the Fall of 1797, Thomas journeyed to Sweet Springs, where the District Court was located, and initiated a Deed of Emancipation freeing all of the slaves that he thought were or should be his property. What evidence he used (if any) to prove his ownership is not known. The "for certain good causes" he refers to in the Deed (see the following) was probably his dissatisfaction with how he thought his son was treating him. Note the name and age of the slaves given in the Deed. Milly was the mother of the children. Isaac, age 10, was Milly's first born after she arrived in Botetourt County. This would indicate that Thomas and Milly arrived in Botetourt about 10 or 11 years prior to 1797 (1786/87). The source for this information was John Reynolds' neighbor, Daniel Givens, father-in-law of his daughter, Anna. Thomas Reynolds' Deed of Emancipation, 1797: "Be it Remembered to all whom it may concern - that for certain good causes but especially that it is contrary to the commands of Christ to keep my fellow creatures in bondage, I do hereby liberate all my slaves and relinguish all my rights, tittle & interest in them, to wit, Milly Man, Isaac Man, Jacob Man, Minny Man, Ester Man, Sally Man, Frances Man, reserving to myself the guardian care of (Isaac aged ten, Jacob aged eight, Minny aged six, Ester aged four, Sally aged two, Frances aged one month) untill they arrive at the age of twenty one, In witness whereof I do hereunto set my hand & seal this 18th day of October 1797. Signed - Thomas Reynolds (Seal) Test-Saml Mitchell, Mitchell Porter At a district court held at the Sweet Springs the 19th day of October 1797 this instrument of writing from Thomas Reynolds for liberating the slaves within mentioned was acknowledged by the said Thomas Reynolds and ordered to be recorded. Teste Samuel Dew CDC" Thomas had a short memory or he was getting senile, because in his Will he left these same slaves to his children and grandchildren. Botetourt County (Milly Mann's Case) (Case No 1): It is not clear when John found out about the Deed of Emancipation. It might have been after Thomas died in 1804. John made several inquiries about the validity of the Bill of Sale he had gotten from Thomas when he had purchased the slaves from him. He was assured that it was good and any other action taken concerning the ownership of the slaves was not valid. Thomas must have told Milly about the deed, but, in any case, after John's death in 1814, she must have seen her chance to use that knowledge. She contacted several lawyers, and, on her behalf, they initiated a case at the Botetourt County August 1815 Court to gain the freedom for herself and her children that Thomas had granted them in his Deed of Emancipation. The eventual result of the trial was that they were found to be free based on Thomas' Deed and the lack of proof that Thomas had ever sold the slaves to his son, John. The bill of sale had vanished. Upon and during a lengthy appeal of the verdict, Milly, her children and grandchildren, remained enslaved. After years of legal maneuvering, the original trial was set aside and the one case broken up into five separate ones. On Tuesday, Sept. 8, 1840 a new jury trial of all five cases was held with the following results: "We the Jury find that the Plaintiffs are slaves as the Defendants in the pleading have alleged. We therefore find for the Defendants." Botetourt County (Ann Givens') Case (Case No 2): Joseph Givens married John Reynolds' daughter, Anna. Joseph was co- administrator, along with the Widow, Magdalin, of John's estate. Joseph died ca 1831. After the completion of the above slave trial in Sept 1840, Anna initiated a Chancery suit in late 1840 or early 1841 for a final division of John Reynolds' estate among the heirs. The court records of this case include a list of all of John and Magdalin's children and grandchildren who were included in this suit. The case was decided in April 1842, and the Court ordered the remainder of the John's estate be sold and the money divided among the heirs. Actual amounts for each heir to be determined according to what they had already received from the estate. The sale was to include the slaves and two tracts of land remaining in the estate. Heirs of John Reynolds listed in Givens Vs Reynolds Heirs and Representatives 1841/1842 (Botetourt County Case No.2): The heirs of John Reynolds' deceased children were made a party to the case and are named in the Court papers. Some spouses named in the suit are known to have been from a second marriage and so could others. Some of the names are confused and it is difficult to place them with the proper parent. All need to be verified. Residence ca 1841 are given in the records when the location was known. 1. James Reynolds, deceased, his children are named. (First wife: deceased (probably Susanna Hughes) (Second wife: deceased (Susanna Trout) Proved by others. a. Thomas b. Jacob (Jefferson County, Illinois) c. John (Vermilion County, Illinois) d. William H.(Vermilion County, Illinois) e. Andrew (Vermilion County, Illinois) f. Calvin (Vermilion County, Illinois) g. Lewis B. (Henry County, Indiana) h. Senia/Cenia/Seney m. George W. Pate (Vermilion County, Illinois) i. Nancy m. William Cassell/Cassel/Castle (Vermilion County, Illinois) j. Frances Ann "Fanny" m. Jefferson Ward (Henry County, Indiana) k. Hannah Magdalene m. William Stephens/Stevens (Henry County, Indiana) 2. Thomas J. Reynolds, deceased, his wife and children are named. Wife: Sarah -?- (probably Sarah Caldwell) a. James b. Hugh d. Henry e. Margaret m. William Stokes/Starkes f. Mary m. Martin Moody g. Ruth m. John Caldwell h. Alexander, infant - (William Kile, guardian) i. Breckenridge, infant - (William Kile, guardian 3. John Reynolds, living, (Giles County, Va.), wife from other sources. Wife: Susanna Taylor (John and Susanna's children and their spouses are from other sources and not verified unless noted): a. James m. "Katie" Caldwell d. John m. Elizabeth Wallace e. Andrew m. Amanda Lucas b. Joseph m. Elean Lucas f. Mary "Polly" m. George Stafford Williams (verified) g. Nancy m. William Givens h. Alexander m. Elizabeth Williams i. William m. Ann Givens 4. Anna, living, (Botetourt County, Va.) Husband: Joseph Givens, deceased. (Children are from this case & a separate Chancery cause by John Givens infant of Joel, deceased vs. Widow & children of Joseph Givens, deceased. Givens vs. Givens case was transferred to Craig County after formation in 1852, final outcome unknown.) a. John b. William c. Madison d. James H. e. Patsey m. John Sarver f. Mary m. William Leffel g. Frances m. Boston (Sebastian) Rowan h. Joel, deceased, had an infant son John, John Givens guardian. 5. Frances "Fanny", living (Carroll County, Indiana) Husband: Joseph C. Taylor 6. William Reynolds, deceased, his wife and children are named. Wife: Sarah Ferrier a. Lewis (Warren County, Indiana) b. Margaret/Margaretta m. -?- Wells (May have first m. -?- Trenor) c. Ann m. Elias Smith d. Robert e. James (infant) - (William Kile, guardian) f. Trenor (infant) - (William Kile, guardian) g. Joel (infant) - (William Kile, guardian) Note: Guardians for the various infant children were appointed by the Court to represent them in the Chancery suit. Some of these children may not actually be infants. The existing records are not clear. *********************************************************************** John and Magdalin (Thomas)Reynolds lived in the part of Botetourt County, Virginia that is now Craig County. See Will and Land Records archives for more Reynolds Family information. (Author's Note) Rev. 0, April 19, 2003. Rev. 1, January 27, 2004. Corrections and general revisions made. *********************************************************************** ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Roger T. Morris http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000743 ----------------------------------------------------------------------