The Family Register of Nicholas Taliaferro with Notes; Wm. and Mary Qrtly., 2nd, Vol.1, No. 3 Transcribed by Kathy Merrill for the USGenWeb Archives Special Collections Project ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net *********************************************************************** The Family Register of Nicholas Taliaferro with Notes William Buckner McGroarty William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, 2nd, Ser., Vol. 1, No. 3. (Jul., 1921), pp. 145-166. WILLIAM AND MARY COLLEGE QUARTERLY HISTORICAL MAGAZINE VOL. 1 SECOND SERIES JULY, 1921 NO. 3 THE FAMILY REGISTER OF NICHOLAS TALIAFERRO WITH NOTES. By WILLIAM BUCKNER MCGROARTY. "The following Family Register, &c., &c., of our grandfather, Nicholas Taliaferro, was transcribed literally from "OLD BUCHAN"(1), by Thomas A. Marshall(2) of Vicksburg, Miss., for his sister, Mrs. Mary A. P. Doniphan(3) of Augusta, Ky., on the 21st day of June, 1849; Viz:-- My Honored Grandfather, John Taliaferro(4), was married to my honored grandmother, Mary Catlett(5), the 22d day of December, 1708; my honored grandfather departed this life the 3d of May, 1744. My Uncle, Lawrence Taliaferro (6) ws born the 8th of September, 1721; he married Susanna Power, youngest daugh- ___________________________________________________________________________ (1) "Old Buchan" was a family medical and recipe book on the blank pages of which Nichiolas Taliaferro had transcribed his "Family Register." This book was carried to Vicksburg, Miss., from Kentucky by Judge Marshall and it was lost in the fire which destroyed "Openwoods," the Marshall family home, during the siege of that city in the Civil War. (2) Judge Thomas A. Marshall was the son of Nicholas Taliaferro's daughter, Matilda Battaile, whose husband, Martin Marshall, was the son of Rev. William Marshall and his wife, Mary Ann Pickett; he was a first cousin to the Chief Justice. (3) Mary Ann Pickett Marshall married George Doniphan, b. King George Co., Va., July 4, 1790, a direct descendant of Capt. Alexander Doniphan, b. 1650, who was a justice in Richmond Co. 1692-1704, commanded a troop of horse against the Indians 1704, Sheriff of Richmond Co. 1716 (See Quarterly, Vol. 3; Vol. 17; Va. Mag. Hist., Vol. 1.) (4) John Taliaferro of "Snow Creek" was the son of John Taliaferro (the first to bear the name of John in Va.) and the grandson of Robert Taliaferro the immigrant. The wife of the first John was Page 146. ter of Major Henry Power(7), and had issue, Sarah Taliaferro, born 13th October, 1746, O.S., now the wife of Captain William Dangerfield. He died the first of May, 1748. My Aunt, Martha Taliaferro, was born the 24th of June, 1724 and married Mr. William Hunter(8), and had issue by him, James Hunter(9) born 6th November, 1746, William Hunter born 24th August Anno 1748 O.S., Martha Hunter born 20th October 1749 O.S. Mr. William Hunter died the 25th of January, 1754. My honored father, William Taliaferro(10), was born at "Snow Creek"(11), Spotsylvania County,Rappahannock, Va., the 9th of August, 1726, and departed this life at "Newington"(12), his seat on Mountain Run, Orange County, Virginia, after a painful illness without a groan the 21st of April 1798, aged seventy two in August, 1798. My honored father William Taliaferro was married to my honored mother, Mary Battaile, the 4th October 1751 by the Reverend Musgrove Dawson(13). She was born the 18th of September 1731 and died the 9th of November 1757, the daughter of Captain Nicholas Battaile(14), of "Hays", Caroline County, Rappahannock Virginia. My grandmother's maiden name was Thornton(15). ____________________________________________________________________________ Sarah Smith, daughter of Major Lawrence Smith; the wife of Robert was Sarah Grymes, daughter of the Rev. Charles Grymes of "Brandon", then of Gloucester, now of Middlesex Co. John of "Snow Creek" is the Major John who was re- quested "to bring up the Surplice", in 1730, to the newly established church at Germana; he was a man of note in the colony. (5) Mary, daughter of Col. John Catlett, Jr., and Elizabeth Gaines, his wife. Their seat was a large estate at the mouth of Golden Vale Creek, in the present Caroline Co. Col. John, Jr., b. 1658, was the son of Col. John Catlett, Sr., and his wife, Elizabeth Underwood, who had been previously married to the first Francis Slaughter. (6) Lawrence Taliaferro (1721-1748), and his father, Col. John of Snow Creek (1687-1744), were buried at Old Hickory Neck Church, in James City County, near the present village of Toana; up to some thirty-five or forty years ago their tombs were well preserved. At the present time no trace of them remains, except that a few fragments of the stone of Lawrence T. have been discovered and have been embedded in the cement floor of the small entrance porch which Page 147. John Taliaferro, son of William and Mary Taliaferro, was born Tuesday morning, seven o'clock, the 31st July 1753 and was baptized by the Reverend Musgrove Dawson; his sureties were Colonel John Thornton(16), Colonel Henry Fitzhugh's lady(17), Mr. Charles Lewis and his lady(18), the 24th August, 1753. Lucy Mary Taliaferro(19) was born the 13th of December Anno 1755, Tuesday nine o'clock at night and was baptized by the Reverend Mungo Marshall(20), her sureties were Mr. Reuben Thornon(21), Mr. Henry Willis(22) for Mr. Henry Heath(23) Mrs. Elizabeth Thomas(24) and Miss Mary Waugh(24). Nicholas Taliaferro(25) was born the 30th October, A.M., 1757; his sureties were Colonel George Taylor(26), Mr. Erasmus Taylor(27), Mrs. Sarah Slaughter(28), Miss Betty Slaughter(29) and Mrs. Mildred James(30. My Honored father was married to Miss Elizabeth Taliaferro(31), a second wife, on Tuesday the 5th of December 1758 by the Reverend Musgrove Dawson(32). She was the daughter of Francis and Elizabeth Taliaferro, of "Epsom(33), Spotsylvania County, Rappahannock(34), Virginia, and was born the 4th October 1741. _____________________________________________________________________________ has recently been added to the venerable little building. A description of these tombs can be found in Vol. 9, Va. Hist. Col. Bishop Meade has but little to say about Old Hickory Neck Church: "The building is the original one," he records, "now much out of repair and used indiscriminately by various sects." It was for many years used as a school room. No one knows when it was built, but it must have been some time prior to 1744: originally, no doubt, it was a Chapel of Ease for Bruton Church, Williamsburg, ten miles distant; and it is pleasant to be able to say that it has been restored to its ancient connection with that historic congregation and is once more serving the purpose for which it was originally intended. Among the historic churches of Colonial Virginia it is perhaps the smallest, being hardly more than 25x30 feet, yet its story, if it could be fully told, would reveal a mixture of religion, romance and tragedy pathetic in the extreme and perhaps unequalled. That is has been rescued and restored is due to the untiring eforts of the Rev. E. Ruffin Jones, rector of Bruton Parish Church. (7) "I have seen a copy of a very old Power pedigree, by which it Page 148. Ann Hay Taliaferro(35) was born Wednesday the 27th February 1760 at three quarters after eleven o'clock at night and had private baptism by the Reverend James Marye, r.,(36) and died the 2d of March, 1760 at seven o'clock A.M. FAMILY REGISTER. Nicholas Taliaferro was married to Ann Taliaferro on Saturday the 3d November 1781, eleven o'clock, by the Reverend James Stevenson(37). My beloved wife, Ann Taliaferro, was the daughter of Colonel John(38) and Ann Taliaferro, of "Dissington", was born the 7th of April 1756 and departed this life the 3d February 1798. Lucy Mary Taliaferro, daughter of Nicholas and Ann Taliaferro was born Tuesday morning, nine o'clock, 6th August, 1782 and was baptized by the Reverend William Douglas(39) the 18th January, 1783; Her sureties were Mr. Winslow Parker(40), Mrs. Lucy Mary Thurston(41), Miss Ann Thurston(41), my wife and self. John Champe Taliaferro was born Tuesday morning 7 o'clock the 12 of October 1784 and was baptized by the Reverend ______________________________________________________________________________ would appear that Dr. Henry Power was the family of Lord Power, of Remaine, Ireland." See Quarterly, Vol. 1, reprint, p. 144. Major Henry Power of James City Co., who died Dec. 20, 1739, was a son of Dr. Henry Power of York Co., and Mary Foliott, his wife, of Hampton Parish. The name of Major Henry Power's wife is not known, but those of his children are given in the article from which quotation given above is taken; among them is "Susannah, Married Lawrence Taliaferry (d. 1748), son of Col. John Taliaferro of "Snow Creek," Spotsylvania Co., who left one daughter." (8) The will of William Hunter, of Fredericksburg, dated Nov. 5, 1753, names Exors., Cousin James Hunter, brother-in-law William Taliaferro, of Orange Co., Mr. Fielding Lewis, Mr. Charles Dick. To son James lots I now live on called Ferry Lots, with benefit of the ferry; land adjoining town known by my name; also a tract at Fall Hill commonly called Silvertown Hill; to son William 300 acres lying at the Robinson in Orange Co; 400 acres in Culpeper Co and house and plantation where Abram Simpson now lives, to daughter Martha one thousand pounds currency; testator desires boys to be educated at William and Mary. Page 149. James Stevenson the 27th of April 1786. His sureties were Mr. John Grin- nan(42), Mr. Joseph Stewart(43), Miss Francis Willis Stewart(43) and his mother and departed this life 26th February 1811 after a painful illness. Matilda Battaile Taliaferro was born Sunday morning eight o'clock the 30th September Anno 1787 and was baptized by the Reverend James Stevenson the 24th August 1788; her sureties were Mr John and Miss Ann Grinnan(44), and her mother. Mary Willis(45) Taliaferro was born One o'clock the 11th August 1789 and was baptized by the Reverend James Stevenson the 15th November 1789. Her sureties were Mr. John Stevens(46), Mr. Joseph Morton(47), Miss Elizabeth Taliaferro(48), Miss Ann Hay Taliaferro(48) and her mother. She departed this life the 25th January 1797 and was buried in Pennsylvania, where General Braddock was defeated(49), Alleganey County. George Catlett Taliaferro was born Wednesday evening, four o'clock, the 21st of March Anno 1792 and was baptized by the Reverent Mr. Woodville(50) the 23d December 1794; his sureties were Mr. John Grinnan, and wife(51) Lucy(19) and myself. William Thornton Taliaferro was born Friday, January 16th, 1795 at eleven PM. and was baptized by the Rev. Mr. O'Neal(52), ____________________________________________________________________________ On August 2d, 1758, William Taliaferro gave bond as guardian of the three children in the sum of twelve thousand pounds, with Edward Rice and Joseph Jones as security. (9) James Hunter, the eldest son in the "Mr. Hunter" who owned the Iron Works at Falmouth, mentioned by James Mercer in his letter to Gov. Jefferson, April 14, 1781, which is reproduced in the Quarterly, Vol. 27, p. 92. He says these works supplied all the camp kettles used by the state troops during the Revolution, all the anchors for Virginia and Maryland and that "without the bar-iron made there, even the planters hereabouts and to the Southward of this place would not be able to make bread to eat." (10) William Taliaferro was Lieut. Colonel of Orange co. Militia; his Commission was dated May 5th 1756. (Order Book 1755 to 65). (See Vol. 2, Va. Co. Records, p. 126-Crozier). As "Col. William Taliaferro" he is mentioned as one of the sponsors (1758) of Catlett Madison, a brother of the President. He is sometimes confused with Col. William Taliaferro of the Revolution. Page 150. his sureties were his grandfather(53) who named him, Mr. Hay Taliaferro(54) and Hay Taliaferry Jr., his grandmother(53), mother and Miss Abby Gibson(55). Nicholas Taliaferro was a second time married(56), to Miss Frances Blasingame, daughter of Mr. James and Mary Balsingame(57), and had issue: Carr Blasingame Taliaferro who was born Tuesday 13th August 1799 half after two in the evening. Lawrence Washington Taliaferro(58) was born Tuesday, nine o'clock, 28th October 1800. Ann Patterson Taliaferro was born Friday night ten o'clock 29th October 1802, and departed this life Tuesday night about twelve o'clock 25th November 1803; she was cutting teeth and was taken with the epilepsy fits; her two eye teeth came through the gums before she died. James Hay Taliaferro was born the second day of September 1804; very warm sunshiny day. Nicholas Taliaferro was born Thursday half after eight o'clock the 14th August 1806, in the morning. Marshall Howe Taliaferro was born the ninth of March, 1809, eleven o'clock at night. _____________________________________________________________________________ (11) Snow Creek flows into the Rappahannock river a short distance below Fredericksburg. When John Taliaferro and Francis Thornton settled there, that section belonged to Essex Co. and they were near neighbors and brothers- in-law, the latter having married the former's sister, Mary. The act creat- ing Spotsylvania Co. (1720), specified Snow Creek as its Southern boundary. This threw John Taliaferro into the new county and left Francis Thornton in the old. According to the Westover Papers, John Taliaferro settled at Snow Creek in 1707. (12) "Newington" is located on Mountain Run, some twelve miles to the Southeast of the town of Orange, and was for more than seventy years, prior to 1910, owned by Mr. Lawrence Sanford, who purchased it from Elizabeth, the second wife and relict of William Taliaferro, and later the wife of Capt. Benjamin Hume; she died at "Newington," at the age of 90. It is now the property of Mr. E. Clay Pannell; a part of the house remains as originally constructed, about 1753. The old burying ground lies about one hundred yards distant while the site of the first Page 151. Carr Blasingame Taliaferro departed this life Thursday morning half after nine, 1806. James Hay Taliaferro departed this life Thursday night twelve o'clock, 18th August, 1808. John Champe Taliaferro(59) died 26th February, ten minutes after two in the morning, 1811. Frances Ann Taliaferro(60) was born Saturday, eleven o'clock P.M., Ninth November, 1811. William Buckner(61) was born the 19th June, 1780, and was married to Lucy May Taliaferro 26th June, 1799, and had issue: Philip Johnson Buckner(62), born 8th August, 1800. Ann Whitaker Taliaferro Buckner born 8th January, 1803. Nicholas Taliaferro Buckner, born 29th June, 1805. My brother, John Taliaferro, married Ann Stockdell, daughter of Captain John(63) and Mary Stockdell of Orange County Virginia and had issue; Mary Taliaferro, born 17th June 1773, married Robert Reynolds(64) and died with her first child which is called Thornton. Elizabeth Hay Taliaferro was born 4th May 1778. Lucy Mary Battaile Taliaferro was born 14th May 1780. _____________________________________________________________________________ Court House erected in Orange (of which merely a trace cane located) is but another hundred yards removed. A feature of "Newington" is its striking hall and stairway. (13) Bishop Meade, in speaking of St. Mary's Parish, Caroline Co., formerly Essex, says, "In 1754 one of the three John Brunskills was the minister; in 1758 the Rev. Musgrave Dawson was there"; it is apparent from this record that he was there also in 1751 and in 1753. He will be found later in St. Mark's Parish, in that part which became St. Thomas's, in Orange Co. (14) Nicholas Battaile, b. 1701, son of Col. John Battaile, Sr. (d. 1708) and Elizabeth, daughter of Major Lawrence Smith, and sister of Sarah Smith, the wife of the first John Taliaferro. (15) Mary Thornton (1731-1757), wife of Capt. Nicholas Battaile, was the daughter of the second Francis Thornton and Mary Taliaferro, his wife. He was the son of Francis Thornton and Alice Savage and grandson of William Thornton, the immigrant. (16) Col. John Thornton, the infant's maternal great-uncle. His wife was Mildred Gregory, one of the three Gregory sisters, who married Page 152. William Taliaferro was born 23d March, 1782. Sarah Taliaferro was born 20th February, 1784. John Taliaferro was born 6th April 1786. Martha Taliaferro was born 22d January 1789. Nicholas Hay Battaile Taliaferro was born 15th June, 1793. Lawrence Wesley Taliaferro was born 5th August, 1796. A REGISTER OF THE NAMES AND AGES OF MY NEGROES. 1. James, born in March 1756. 2. Rachel was born in November 1773. 3. Clemintina was born in February 1781. 4. Anthony born 12th March 1784, 9 o'clock in the morning. 5. Billy was born 9th December 1785, eleven o'clock at night. 6. Hannah, born 19th August 1786, four o'clock in the morning. 7. Sarah born 10th June 1773. 8. Betty born 15th September 1788. 9. Sally born 10th July, 1788. 10. Phil, born 5th August 1789. ___________________________________________________________________________ Thornton brothers. They were the daughters of Roger Gregory and Mildred Washington, aunt and Godmother to the President. After Roger Gregory's death she married Col. Henry Willis, of Fredericksburg, his third wife. (17) Henry Fitzhugh3 (Henry2, William1) married Sarah Bataile, Oct. 23d, 1746 in Carolne Co. Will dated feb. 12th. Proved in King George June 5th, 1783. She was the daughter of Capt. Nicholas Battaile and the sister of Mary (Battaile) Taliaferro, the infant's mother. Henry and Sarah Fitzhugh lived in St. Paul's Parish, Stafford Co., now in King George Co. (Va. Mag. Hist., VII; Va. Co. Rec'ds, Vol. 9). The line dividing Stafford and King George formerly ran east and west and was changd to north and south on Jan'y 1st, 1777. (Hen. 9-244). (18) "Col. Charles Lewis4 (Major John3, John2, Robert1) married Lucy, daughter of Col. John Taliaferro of the Manor plantation, Snow Creek, Spotsyl- vania County, Va., about 1750" (Lewis Gen.). Charles was the brother of Col. Fielding Lewis, who married 1st Catherine, and 2d Betty Washington. Col. Charles Lewis' lady, the sponsor, was the infant's paternal aunt. Page 153. 11. Daniel born the 12th January 1792 12. Jenny was born the 6th November 1794 13. Sharlotty was born the 10th February ----. 14. Ben was born the 25th October 1798 15. Nelly was born the 5th January 1801, in the morning. 16. Mary born 12th March 1803, half after eleven, apparently still born. 17. Lucy, born 11th August 1805, three o'clock in the afternoon. 18. Joe, born 9th November 1806, twelve o'clock, Sunday. 19. Prissy, born Sunday night 11th December, 1808. 20. Caroline, born Tuesday morning 28th September 1809. 21. Simon, born Sunday morning 2d September, 1810. 22. Henry born 22d May, 1811. 23. Charles, born 1810. I left "Totter-down-hill"(65) my seat on Cedar Run, Culpeper County State of Virginia on the 11th of October 1796 an dlanded at the Lower Brooks at Limestone(66), in the State of Kentucky on the fifth of February 1797(67) and bought a lease of Lewis Day on John Craig's land where I lived till the 15th March 1798 and then moved to Bracken County, my present seat, the Grampian Hill(68). Nicholas Taliaferro 15th March, 1811. _____________________________________________________________________________ The sponsors for Augustine, one of the sons of Col. Fielding and Betty (Washington) Lewis, 1752, were "Charles Lewis and Charles Washington, uncles, godfathers; aunt Lucy Lewis and Mrs. Mary Taliaferro, godmothers"; the latter was the mother of Lucy Lewis and the widow of Col. John Taliaferro of Snow Creek (see Note 5). She died in 1771, over 80. Col. John Thornton and his wife, Mildred (Gregory), were sponsors for the next child, Warner Lewis, 1755; and for Samuel, another son, the sponsors were Rev. Musgrove Dawson and wife (Notes 24 and 32), and Mr. Joseph Jones and wife, the latter another daughter of Mrs. Mary (Catlett) Taliaferro, the daughter, Mary, mentioned in the will of her father, 1744. For the son, Lawrence, 1767, one of the sponsors was Mr. Francis Thornton; another Francis Thornton was a fellow sponsor with Col. Charles Washington and Betty Lewis at the christening of her grandson, Samuel, in 1780. Page 154. This seat I bought of Mr. James Blasingame, three hundred and thirty seven and one half acres at twenty four dollars per acre, and paid the whole money(69). N.T.(70) ______________________________________________________________________________ Most of the sponsors here mentioned were closely related to the parents of Nicholas Taliaferro by blood or marriage, or both. As has been noted elsewhere the wives of the three Thornton brothers were sisters, and first cousins of Betty Washington Lewis. (19) Before the birth of Lucy Mary the family had removed from St. Mary's parish, Caroline, to what had been St. Mark's and was then, as now, St. Thomas' parish, Orange Co. She was married June 11th, 1773 to William Plummer Thurston, and 2d, on Apl. 5th, 1791 to Hay Taliaferro, of "Cheerful Hall" (Orange Co. Marriage Recds.). (20) Unhappily the records of St. Thomas' parish have been lost. The Rev. Mungo Marshall was minister in 1753. There was once a tombstone over his grave, but that too, was appropriated and was used to fess hides upon." (Slaughter's St. Mark's). He married Lucy Marye. His death occured in 1757 or 1758. (21) Another brother of the infan'ts maternal grandmother; his wife was Elizabeth Gregory, widow of Henry Willis. (22) This Henry Willis was the son of Col. Henry of Fredericksburg and Ann Alexander, his first wife. He married Elizabeth Gregory, who, after his death (without issue), married his fellow sponsor, Reuben Thornton. See Quarterly, Vol. 6. (23) Henry Heath's name appears frequently in the Spotsylvania Co. records of his day; he witnesses the will of the elder Rev. James Marye, whose daughter, Susanna, b. 17th June, 1735, was his wife; he was therefore the brother-in-law of the Rev. Mungo Marshall and of the Rev. James Marye, Jr. In 1758 Charles Dick executed a deed to Henry Heath, in which he is mentioned as "A Doctor of Physick", which was witnessed by Lawrence Taliaferro. (24) Miss Mary Waugh was the daughter of Alexander Waugh, Sr., whose will was proved in Orange Co. in 1793. Mrs. Elizabeth Thomas was her sister, the wife of Joseph Thomas. An account of the family can be found in the Quarterly, Vol. 15. The founder of the family was the Rev. John Waugh, one of the picturesque characters of early Stafford. The name of the wife of Alexander Waugh is not disclosed, but the fact that her daughters were selected as sponsors seems to point to a family connection with the Taliaferros or Battailes. (25) Nicholas Taliaferro neglects himself sadly in his recital. Fortunately, the omission is easily supplied. Hietman in his Register of Revolutionary Officers, says: Page 155. "Taliaferro, Nicholas, (Va.), Sergeant, 10th Va 25th Nov. 1776; Ensign, 5th Aug. 1777; 2d Lieutenant, 15th Nov. 1777: Reg't designated 6th Va, 14th Sept 1778; taken prisoner at Charleston, 12th May 1780; transferred to 3d Va, 12th Feb. 1781; 1st Lieut, 18th Feb. 1781; retired 1st Jan, 1783; Died 1812." Nicholas Taliaferro died in January, 1812, and his will was probated in Bracken Co., Ky., court in March same year. It was witnessed by John King, Anderson Keith and James Boyd. The Va Land Bounty Records show that Warrant #854 was issued to Nicholas Taliaferro for 2666 2/3 acres, on June 17, 1783; there is nothing to indicate that he ever took up the land. He was an original member of the Society of Cincinnati, in which he never had a successor. He was present at Yorktown at the surrender of Cornwallis, the terms of which were arranged in the Moore House, which is still standing, which had belonged to his great-great-grandfather, Major Lawrence Smith, and which was then owned and occupied by Lucy, the great-grandaughter of Major Lawrence Smith and the wife of Col. Augustine Moore. This estate is now known as Temple Farm. Nicholas Taliaferro was born at Newington. (26) Col. George Taylor (James2, James1), b. 1711, was the great uncle of the President. He married for his second wife, Sarah Taliaferro, the widow of Francis Conway 2s. Hayden, quoting from The Richmond Critic, Vol. 3, says she was the daughter of John and Sarah (Smith) Taliaferry and grand- daughter of Charles and Mary (Carter) Taliaferro; as John and Charles were brothers and sons of the immigrant, Robert T., this is manifestly an error. She was the granddaughter of Charles, by an only son who predeceased his father and who was also named Charles. The will of the elder Charles (1734) devises his estate to three granddaugthers, Mary, Sarah and Catherine Taliaferro, with reversion to daughter-in-law, Sarah Taliaferro. Hayden quotes the will in full; in 1749 Thomas and Mary (Taliaferro) Turner and Francis and Sarah (Taliaferro) Conway convey the same property by deed. Sarah T. and Francis Conway were married in 1744. The 2d wife of Col. George Taylor was therefore a cousin, though not a first cousin, of the infant's father, William Taliaferro. She was born 1727 and died 1784. In passing it is interesting to note that one of the Excrs to the elder Charles Taliaferro's will was Francis Thornton, whose wife was Mary, the sister of John Taliaferro of Snow Creek and a niece of the decedent; one of the witnesses to the will was Thomas Slaughter, whose wife was Sarah, Francis Thornton's daughter. The grouping of these people in this connection may give a hint as to the identity Page 156. of Sarah Taliaferro, the daughter-in-law. She was probably a Slaughter. "Bishop Meade says that Col. George Taylor had fourteen sons of whom seven served in the Rev. Army and that thirteen held office under the Govern- ment at one time. Mr. Stanard says that Col. Geo. Taylor was Burgess from Orange co. 1748-58, Member Orange Co. Committee, 1774, and of the Va. Con- vention, 1775." (Hayden, p. 673). (27) Erasmus Taylor was the brother of Col. George. He married Jane Moore. Their daughter, Milly, married Wm. Morton. Jane Moore was the daughter of John and Rebecca (Catlett) Moore, who was the widow of the first Francis Conway and whose daughter, Nelly Conway, half-sister to Jane Moore, married Col. James Madison. They were the parents of the President. Col. Frank Taylor, in his diary, quoted by Dr. Slaughter, records, "July 19, 1794, died, Erasmus Taylor, eighty three years old." (28) She was Sarah Thornton, the infant's great aunt, and sister of Col. John, Reuben and Francis Thornton 3d. Her husband was Thomas Slaughter, the witness to the will of Charles Taliaferro, of which her father, Francis Thornton 2d, was an Eexc'r. Thomas Slaughter4 (Robt.3, Francis2, Francis1) was the great-grandson of the first Francis Slaughter and Elizabeth Under- wood, who married, 2d, the first Col. John Catlett. He was a vestryman in St. Mark's. (29) Not able to identify; presumably a daughter of Thomas and Sarah. (30) The earliest record of the James Family seems to be that quoted in the Quarterly, Vol. 5, p. 276: "John James and his wife, Justina (Thruston) came to Virginia (James City Co.) 1713"; but the genealogical chain is in- complete. Bishop Meade (p. 259) mentions John James and Ann Strother, his wife, of Stafford, their son, Hon. Benj. James and the latter's daughter, susan Washington James, who was born in Stafford in 1804. Among the descendants of the three Gregory sisters who married Thorntons, a numer of girls were named Mildred after their mother, Mildred Washington. All of these were related to the Taliaferros and Battailes, and the writer has a feeling that Mrs. Mildred James was one of these, but, which one? (31) Nicholas Taliaferro's mother died at his birth; the only mother he ever knew was Elizabeth, whom family tradition credits with being a mother indeed. Her father, Francis Taliaferro, was the son of Lawrence and Sarah (Thornton) Taliaferro, the daughter of Col. Francis Thornton first and Alice Savage. Lawrence Taliaferro and his brother John had patented large tracts of land in the neigh- Page 157. borhood of Orange C.H., which descended to the children of Francis. Elizabeth inherited a tract of 1000 acres adjoining "Newington" and was therefore the near neighbor of her distant cousin, William Taliaferro, whom she later married. Her mother was Elizabeth Hay. Among the many broad acres originally belonging to Lawrence Taliaferro there is but one tract, as far as the writer knows, which has descended in an unbroken line and still stands in the family name. This is "Mt. Sharon," the beautiful estate of Mr. Charles Champe Taliaferro, six miles from Orange C.H. The original patent, bearing date of 1728, hangs there on the library wall. (32) Bishop Meade gives the name as Musgrave; while Dr. Slaughter spells it as does Nitcholas T. - Musgrove; the latter form is correct. In the Orange Co. marriage records we find, "November 24th, 1757, Rev. Musgrove Dawson and Mary Waugh." She was the sponsor previously mentioned. (33) This estate still known as "Epsom", lies four miles below Fredericks- burg, one mile above Massaponax Run. Its present owner is Mr. J. A. Jones. All the improvements on the place were destroyed during the Civil War. It was an extensive plantation in the early days, and still is one of note. (34) "Old Rappahannock," to distinguish it from the present county of that name, was formed from Lancaster in 1656, extended on both sides of the river, and was in reality without definite bounds. It was in itself a realm and as such impressed itself on the minds of the colonists, especially those who went in later years to "Kentucky County." Old Rappahannock became extinct in 1692, when it was divided into Essex and Richmond. (Hen. 3, p. 104). (Bulletin Va. State Library, Vol. 9, p 86). (35) This infant whose life was so brief was the only issue of Col. Wm. and Elizabeth Taliaferro; there was no issue of her second marriage with Capt. Benj. Hume. (36) Bishop Meade (Vol. 2, p. 69), speaking of St. George's parish, Spotsylvania Co., says, "In the year 1767 Mr Marye died and was suceeded by his son, James Marye, Jr., who was born in Goochland in 1731, was educated at William and Mary and had been minister in Orange Co." Later (p. 89), speaking of St. Thomas parish (formerly a part of St. Marks), Orange Co., he says, "His first recorded official act to which we are able to refer was his preaching the funeral sermon of the paternal grandmother of President Madison, who died Oct. 25, 1761 and whose funeral was preached the 30th of December following by the Rev. James Marye, Jr.," Rev. James Marye, Sr., was a French Huguenot, who came to America with his wife in 1729 and settled at the Huguenot center, Page 158. Manikin Town, where James Jr., was born. His first child, Susanna, already mentioned, was born on the voyage across. (She m. 1st, Rev. Mungo Marshall, 2d, James Marsden, M.D.). James, Jr., was born 1731. He died in his father's old parish, St. George's, Spots. Co., in 1780. He m. 1st Letitia Courtney, 2d, Elizabeth (Osborne) Grayson. (Huguenot Emigration to Va.; Brock; Va. Hist. Col). (37) 1780, in the ensuing April the vestry met at the glebe and agreed to accept the Rev. James Stevenson as minister of the parish." (Slaughter). He was a man of fine attainments and Dr. Slaughter refers to him many times. He married Miss Littlepage, the sister of Lewis Littlepage whose remarkable letter is published by Slaughter. Their son, Andrew Stevenson, was Speaker of Congress and Minister to England, and his son, John White Stevenson, was Governor of Kentucky and U.S. Senator. Bishop Meade gives the name Stephenson. (38) Col. John Taliaferro, Sr., of "Dissington", King George, was the son of Lawrence T. and Sarah Thornton. He married Ann Champe, the daughter of Col. John Champe, Sr., of Lamb's Creek, King George, one of the wealthiest and foremost men of the colony. (Hen. 6 and 7). Col. Champe had six daughters, all noted beauties. Elizabeth married Judge Fleming. Jane married Col. Sam'l Washington; Mary married Col. Lewis Willis; Lucy married Austin Brockenbrough; Ann married col. John Taliaferro of "Dissington", and Sarah married Col. Edward Carter of "Bleinheim", Albemarle County. "Oct. 31st, 1781; St. Thomas parish; Nicholas Taliaferro and Ann Taliaferro. Witness, Francis Taylor; Bondsman, Francis Taliaferro; Permission Ann Taliaferro." (Orange Co. M. Records). The witness mentioned was Col. Frank Taylor, the Diarist. The bondsman was the bride's brother and permission was given by her mother. (39) See Meade, Vol. 1, p. 458, for a detailed account of the Reverend William Douglas. "He came to Virginia in 1748 or 9 as a teacher in the family of Col. Monroe of Westmoreland; President Monroe was one of his pupils; so also, at a later date, was Jefferson; his only child, Margaret, always called Peggy, married Nicholas Merriwether, and they were ancestors of many of that name in Virginia." He had the remarkable record of having solemnized 1,388 marriages and 4,069 baptisms, says Meade. Nicholas Merriwether was the son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Thornton) Merriwether and grandson of Francis and Mary (Taliaferro) Thornton. (40) Winslow Parker was a Spotsylvania Co. man who had found a wife in Orange Co. In the marriage records of that Co. we find Page 159. "Aug, 4th, 1774, St. Thomas parish, Winslow Parker and Mary Thomas, Spinster; by license." (41) See Note 19. In December, 1788, Wm. P. and Lucy M. Thurston execute a deed conveying land in Spots. co., which is witnessed by Winslow Parker. Miss Ann Thruston is presumed to be sister to Wm. P. (42) "Daniel Grinnan, Sr., of Accomac Co., Va., 1739, removed to Culpeper and settled on Cedar Run, near Mitchells station. He served in the Rev. War under Gen. Edward Stevens, in a Virginia Brigade; his eldest son, John, was in the Quartermaster's Department of the same Brigade." (Slaughter). This John Grinnan was the uncle of the late Dr. Andrew Glassel Grinnan, whose beautiful home, "Brampton", lies in Madison Co., about five miles from Orange C.H. (43) There is on record in Orange Co. (Deed Book 13), Aug. 22d, 1759, a deed from Jonothan Gibson and Susanna, his wife, to Joseph Steward of Spots. Co., for 1,000 acres in Orange, formerly Spots., with houses, Orchards, &c., adjoining Col. Spotswood and close by Col. William Taliaferro, at "Newington". He was a witness, 1755, to the will of John Spotswood, in Spots. Co., of which Col. John Champe ws one of the Excrs., and in which a business trans- action of a large import with Col. John Thornton is recited. In this will, in which he identified himself as of St. George's parish, Spots. Co., he mentions daughter Frances, sons William, Joseph, and John; also mentions wife, no name. Will dated Feb. 2, 1778, and proved in Culpeper in 1785. The two children, Frances and Joseph were the sponsors. The will of Joseph, Jr. (the sponsor), also on record in Culpeper, disposes of a very large estate; he leaves everything to his wife, Sarah, including "All the Slaves that came by her"; at her death estate was to be divided among nephews and nieces and friends. His wife was Sarah Roberts, to whom he was m. June 7th, 1796 by the Rev. Isham Patterson (Or. Co. M. Rec.). (44) Miss Ann Grinnan is supposed to have been the sister of John. (45) This name, Mary Willis, came from Mary Champe, the daughter of Col. John, and sister of Ann Champe. She was the first wife of Col. Lewis Willis, and was the infant's maternal great aunt. (46) The will of Gen. Edward Stevens, Culpeper's Revolutionary hero, proved in Culpeper, Aug. 24, 1820, leaves all his property after providing for his wife, Gilly, and daughter-in-law, Polly, to his sister's children and the children of friends. John (sponsor), his only son, had pre-deceased him, his will being proved Feb. 21, 1820. John's will is brief -- "everything to wife, Mary"; Gen. Stevens' wife was Gilly Coleman; John's wife was Mary Williams. (Slaughter). Col. Page 160. Frank Taylor makes note of this marriage in his diary, "Dec. 8, 1789; John Stevens married to Polly Williams of Culpeper." "Gen. Stevens . . . was soon made Colonel of the 10th Va., with which he joined Washington; and at the battle of Brandywine (Sept. 11th, 1777) by his gallant exertions saved a part of the army from capture and covered the retreat." (Slaughter). Nicholas Taliaferro, then twenty years of age, was an Ensign in this regiment and participated in this campaign. The two families were close neighbors; friends in peace and companions in war. (47) Marriage bonds of Pittsylvania Co.; "Joseph Morton and Claracy Harrison, May 6th, 1788." His estate, in Orange Co., was appraised in 1816. (Will Book 5). (48) They were the daughters of Col. Lawrence Taliaferro of "Rose Hill", Orange Co. Ann Hay T. m. Lawrence Battaile Jany, 31, 1790; and Elizabeth married Battaile Fitzhugh, of "Santee", Caroline Co. (49) The family was then en route to a new home in Kentucky, and on the date of the funeral had been on the way three and one-half months. (50) Rev. Mr. Woodville was born in the North of England. He married Sarah, daughter of the Rev. James Stevenson, already mentioned. "He was a link between the two centuries, overlapping several generations. Patriarchs who were once his pupils still linger on the horizon". He died a very old man. Dr. Slaughter and Bishop Meade have much to say about him. (51) Dr. Slaughter says John Grinnan married "Stuart". It is the belief of the writer that she was Miss Frances Willis Stewart, a fellow sponsor on a previous occasion tho' no record has been found to prove it. (52) "Mr. O'Neill was the Minister from 1790 to about 1800 . . . He was an athletic Irishman who believed in what Hudibras calls 'Apostolic blows and knocks' more than in the Apostilic succession; . . . He never spoiled the child by sparing the rod; he taught school near Pine Stake Church in the family of Col. Taliaferro." (Slaughter). (53) These were William Taliaferro of "Newtington" and his wife, Eliza- beth; she was the infant's step-grandmother. (54) There were several Hay Taliaferros in the immediate neighborhood. Hay of "Piedmont", called "Blenheim Hay", to distinguish him from Hay of "Cheerful Hall", whose brother, Francis Whitaker T., had married Jane Taliaferro of "Blenheim", the sister of the first mentioned Hay. Elizabeth, the step-mother of Nicholas T., was the sister of Hay of "Cheerful Hall", of Francis Whitaker (who inherited "Epsom") and of Col. Lawrence Taliaferro of "Rose Page 161. Hill". Hay Taliaferro, Jr. (1757-1834) was the son of the latter and is one mentioned in Col. Taylor's diary - "March 16th, 1797; Hay Taliaferro married Sukey Conway and my son and daughter went to the wedding; the horses ran away ad they did not get back." Hay Taliaferro of "Cheerful Hall" was the 2d husband of Nicholas T.'s sister, Lucy Mary T. Thurston. (55) There were several families of this name in Orange and Culpeper, and they are mentioned often in Col. Taylor's diary. The estate of Abraham Gibson was appraised in Culpeper July 1, 1780; the first item recorded is "32 books"; another, "A gun and an old sword"; the Appraisers were Dan'l Grinnan, James Thomas, and Greensby Waggoner; May 20th, 1782, the Court ordered a division among the heirs, who were the widow and two daughters, Abbia and Ann (Culpeper Wills). In the marrige records, same Co., we find, "June 5th, 1797, Taliaferro Hubbard and Abby Gibson; Rev. N. Sanders." "March 7th, 1797, Joseph Bowen and Nannie Gibson; Rev. N. Sanders." (56) The family was now in Kentucky; the death of the first wife has already been recorded. (57) No information seems to be available as to the origin of the Blasingame family. I think they were from South Carolina. (58) It is somewhat remarkable that Nicholas Taliaferro had not earlier introduced the name of Washington among his children, for his kinship with that family was close. His three great-uncles, Thornton brothers, had married the three Gregory sisters who were Washington's first cousins, and their children, who, in turn, had married Washingtons, were his mother's own cousins; these were Mildred (of Francis) who m. Charles Washington, Mildred (of Col. John) who m. Col. Sam'l Washington, and John (of Francis) who m. Jane Washington -- the President's two brothers and niece. In addition, Elizabeth Thornton (of Col. John) had m. Col. John Taliaferro, of "Dissington", the brother of Ann, his wife, whose maternal aunt, Jane Champe, had been the first wife of Col. Sam'l Washington and whose maternal uncle, Wm. Champe, had m. Mary Thornton (of Francis), the sister of Mildred and John who had married Charles and Jane W., and own cousin of Mildred (of Col. John), the 2d wife of Col. Sam'l W. A blood relationship so often repeated and so involved, could not well be forgotten. Another link connecting the two families (Note 18) was the marriage of Lucy Taliaferro, the aunt of Nicholas, with Col. Charles Lewis, brother to Fielding Lewis, who had married into the Washington family twice. (59) Aged twenty-seven; he married Susan Buckner. Page 162. (60) This was the last of Nicholas Taliaferro's children. It will be noted that there were no "Sureties" for the second set. They were no longer living in Virginia with its stately customs and traditions and wide circle of kinsfolk. They were indeed living in another world. (61) William Buckner was the brother of Susan. They were the children of Captain Philip and Tabitha Ann (Daniel) Buckner, of Port Royal, Caroline Co., Va., who with their large family and forty servants had preceded the Taliaferros to Kentucky by several years. Capt. Philip Buckner (John3, Richard2, John1) was born in 1747, died 1820. He founded, in 1797, the town of Augusta, Bracken Co., Ky., on the Ohio river, about forty miles above the city of Cincinnati. Nicholas T.'s home was near this village. For full account of the descendants of John Champe and Lucy Mary Taliaferro see "The Buckner Family of Virginia". (Crozier). (62) Nicholas T. records the birth of a son, Wm. T., in 1795. This was the celebrated Dr. William Thornton Taliaferro, of Cincinnati, Ohio (dsp.): his nephew Dr. Philip Johnson Buckner, but five years his junion, practiced with him and became equally famous as a physician and surgeon, and the same is true of another of his nephews, Dr. Nicholas Taliaferro Marshall. Dr. William Thornton Taliaferro, a boy of 17, volunteered in the war of 1812, in Bracken Co., Ky. He was present at the defense of Fort Stephenson, under Col. Crogan, on Aug. 2d, 1813, and, quoting from a letter written by himself in 1858, "The memorable Battle of Lake Erie was a most brilliant achievement. Shortly after Col. Crogan's victory, where I was; on the morning after the British made good their retreat, I volunteered at Camp Seneca, and was led by Ge. Wm. Henry Harrison to Perry's fleet." During the years 1860-68 the State of Kentucky awarded handsome gold medals to six venerable survivors of the Battle of Lake Erie - Dr. Taliaferro being the first so honored. (63) Orange Co. marriage records - "May 12th, 1772, John Taliaferro to Ann Stockdell." The John Stockdell who was a member of the Commander-in-Chief's Guard, to which he had been transferred from the Va. Line, it is believed was a son of the Captain John mentioned, and a brother to Ann (Godfrey, The Com'r-in-Chfs. Guard, p. 253). (64) "April 16th, 1790, married Robert Reynolds and Mary Taliaferro." (Orange Co. Mar. Records). (65) In Culpeper there is a deed, 1782, from Peter Gatewood and Sarah, his wife, to Nicholas Taliaferro, 188 acres, consideration L400; this tract was bounded on two sides by Foushee and on the others by Page 163. Dan'l Grinnan and Spotswood. (Book L-182). This was unimproved land and on it Nicholas Taliaferro, in the same year, built "Totter-down-hill", which he sold to Peter Hansborough, Jr., of Prince William Co., for L675 "Current money of Virginia": the witnesses to this deed were French Strother, Charles Carter and D. Jameson; they also witnessed Ann's acknowledgment; both instruments were dated May 10, 1796. Hansborough soon after sold to Isaac Winston and he to William Winston, his son. Isaac Winston changed the name of the place to "Zhe Hol", by which name it has been knkown for more than a hundred years, so that its former name has been forgotten in the neighborhood. It is now owned and occupied by the Misses Slaughter (great-grandaughters of William Winston), to whom the writer makes acknowledgment for the cordial welcome extended him on the several visits which he has made to their cherished ancestral home. The house is located about two miles from Mitchell's station, on a sharp incline some two hundred yards above Cedar Run. It is of frame, two stories in the central part, with story-and-a-half dormer-windowed wings on either side, shaded by low roofed porches. There are huge stone chimneys on either end and one still larger in the central portion. At some distance from the main building is the stone kitchen in whose wide and time-scarred fireplace still hangs the ancient crane. (66) "Limestone" is now Maysville. It was here that so many Virginians forsook their flat-boats and scattered over the Promised Land. Limestone was the rendezvous of Daniel Boone and other celebrated frontiersmen. It was, and is, but a few miles distant from Augusta, the town previously mentioned. (67) The journey had consumed four months, lacking a few days; the first stage had been to Red Stone Old Fort (now Brownsville, Pa.), at the head of navigation on the Monongehela River. Here they had wintered, building the boats in which they were to travel and awaiting the assembly of a sufficient body of travelers to insure assistance and protection. When once the water journey had begun the movement was speedy. They had not proceeded very far when on January 25th, they landed "Where Brad- dock was defeated - Alleghany County," to bury the little Mary Willis; on the eleventh day following they were at Limestone. Regarding Redstone, a traveler wrote in 1769, "This post known in border history as Redstone Old Fort, became the rallying point of the pioneers, and was familiar to many an early settler as his place of embarkation for the dark and bloody ground." Redstone Old Fort Page 164. was a pre-historic formation similar to those discovered elsewhere in the Ohio Valley. No trace of it remains today nor any adequate decription of it. Dr. Slaughter says, "Col. Frank Taylor's diary enables one to form a life-like conception of the animated social circle of which Orange C.H. was the center from 1786 to 1799 . . . there was an almost continuous influx of visitors, chiefly from Spotsylvania, Caroline and Culpeper, and a stream of visitors to and from Kentucky by way of Culpeper, Winchester, and Red Stone in Monongalia". (68) After the death of Nicholas T. his widow with her young children and step-children continued to live at Grampian Hill. It is located about seven miles from Augusta, Bracken Co., and some three miles from Minerva, a village in Mason Co. The estate passed to Nicholas, Jr., and there he lived a long and useful life; he was married in 1829 to Elizabeth Kelsey (whose mother was a Fee), and they had issue, two children, William Alonzo and Laura Augusta Caroline. Grampian Hill is now owned by Mr. and Mrs. C.D. Asbury, the latter a daughter of William Alonzo and great-granddaughter of Nicholas, Sr. The original home is no longer standing; the present home was built by Nicholas 2d. (69) While the "Register" is remarkable for the completeness with which its many names, dates and details is attended, it is also somewhat remark- able for its omissions. From the fact that Nicholas mentions only one aunt, Martha (Hunter), it has been supposed in some quarters that his father had but the one sister; yet from his grandfather's tombstone we learn that he "Had issue two sons and three daughters". These daughters were Martha, Lucy and Mary. It was from these two sisters that William T. derived the double name, Lucy Mary, which he bestowed upon his only daughter and which Nicholas, in turn, bestowed upon his own daughter. These three daughters were also mentioned by name in their father's will, 1744. (Spots. Co. Will Book A, p. 395). Lucy married Col. Charles Lewis and Mary married Joseph Jones. (Note 18). Nicholas does not mention the marriage of his sister, Lucy Mary, though he records her among the sureties for his infant daughter who was her namesake, as "Mrs. Lucy Mary Thurston". As a matter of fact she was twice married, both recorded in Orange Co.: "June 5th 1773, William Plummer Thurston and Lucy Mary Taliaferro"; "April 5th, 1791, St. Thomas' parish, Hay Taliaferro and Lucy Mary Page 165. Thurston (Widow); Witness Lawrence Taliaferro, Bondsman Francis Dade." Nicholas mentions the marriage of only one of his children, Lucy Mary to William Buckner; yet two others had married prior to 1811, Matilda Battaile to Martin Marshall, 1803, and John Champe to Susan Buckner, 1808. (For descendants of Matilda Battaile (Marshall) see Paxton's "Marshall Family"). It is a somewhat remarkable fact that there is at this time, as far as it is known to the writer, but one living descendant of Nicholas Taliaferro in the line male; on the distaff side, however, they are numerous and widely scattered. (70) Of the other children who reached maturity, and married, George Catlett had issue, Motica Ann and John N. Lawrence Washington had at least one child, Matilda, who married Col. Alfred Soward. Nicholas, Jr., as already mentioned had two children, Wm. Alonzo and Laura Augusta Caroline. In his will Nicholas made a bequest to his son, Nicholas, Jr., then only five years old, of a case of pistols, razors and shaving utensils, "As articles of Antiquity"; this case he confided to Mr. Martin Marshall, his son-in-law, enclosing it in a memorandum of his wishes in the premises. This memorandum is still preserved at Grampian Hill and it is here re- produced in facsimile; it reads: "Kentucky, Bracken County, May 25th, 1811: This box with its contence as a peice of Antiquity I give to my son Nicholas Taliaferro to the care of Mr. Martin Marshall with my hone and pistols and the said Marhsalls use untill my son Nicholas should come of age; in case my son Nicholas should Die before he comes of age then the above shall be given to my grandson Nicholas T. Marshall and if they boath should die before mature age then it will (be) my desire that Mr. Martin Marshall shall dispose of same agree- able to his own judgement as it is presumable my hand write is so well known I shall have no witness doen by myself advised nor interupted by no wone." Nicholas Taliaferro Sen'r. on the Grampian Hill. Page 166. INSERT TREE