Ancestors of Gary and Ardis Dahlstrom Morrison

The Elder DNA Project results suggest that our Elder line is descended through the Franklin County, Pennsylvania Elder line.  Just how that linkage goes is uncertain at this time.

According to Tharp researcher, Elaine Tharp Dean, Solomon enlisted in the 4th Infantry Regiment of the state of New Jersey January 15, 1777 and served as a private in Captain Bond's Company under the command of Col. Ephraim Martin.  During his time in the service he received pay of $6.66 per month.

After Solomon enlisted, the New Jersey troops were deployed immediately with the Continental forces in the defense of Philadelphia, the Battle Brandywine, and the Battle of Germantown before their 1777-1778 wintering in Valley Forge.  The Revolutionary Army defeat at the Battle of Brandywine enabled the British to occupy Philadelphia, the Revolutionary capitol.  Congress had fled to York where the seat of government was established.  Valley Forge was chosen as the location for the winter encampment because it was located near the main road between Philadelphia and York.  The area had natural defense barriers of Mount Joy Mount Misery (no pun for the misery the soldiers endured), and the Schuykill River.  Two of Solomon�s pay vouchers specifically state his encampment there.  After breaking camp at Valley Forge, Solomon's regiment participated in the Battle of Monmouth and more.

The 4th New Jersey Regiment was authorized on September 16, 1776, organized between November 27, 1776 and February 17, 1777 at Morristown, and on May 22, 1777 was assigned to the New Jersey Brigade, an element of the Main Continental Army.  In January 1779 General George Washington reorganized the Continental Army which resulted in the 4th regiment being disbanded.  Solomon was reassigned to the 1st New Jersey Regiment where he served out the War as a private.

By the end of the War in 1783 the 1st New Jersey Regiment was the State's sole Continental regiment.  The men were furloughed in June 1783 upon news of a preliminary peace treaty, but not formally discharged until November.  It is not clear that Solomon was with the unit in those final months of duty.  Solomon appeared present on every roster that has survived to this day with a couple of exceptions.  In late September into mid-October 1777 the unit roster shows Solomon's status as "sick in hospitle".  Then, in January 1783 through April 1783 his status is "sick absent", with the January roster indicating his last date present as December 24, 1782.  No reports exist after the April 1783 report.

After his Revolutionary War service he and the family likely remained in the Delaware and New Jersey area for a time, after which he and his young family moved to the Shenandoah area, in Culpepper Co., VA, near the Rapidan River.  The family moved to Bedford Co., VA about 1799 and then to Champaign Co., OH, settling at King's Creek.  They were in this area before 1811, and then by 1820 were living and farming in Logan Co., OH after Logan Co. was formed from part of Champaign Co. in 1818.  It was here that Hannah (Tate) Tharp died, according to the census, between the years 1830 and 1840.

Solomon moved to Cass Co., MI with some of the children in 1842.  He died there in 1849 and was buried near Cassopolis, Cass Co., MI.  The cemetery no longer exists.  Some graves were removed to Reames-Norton Cemetery, though there is no evidence that the grave of Solomon was among those relocated  Nevertheless, a grave stone, with adjacent bronze plaques, has been installed there by the DAR (about 4 rows from the western boundary and 10 plots in from the southern boundary).

The plaque on the left bears his name and that on the right reads:

Solomon Tharp, New Jersey, Pvt. in N.J. Regiment Revolutionary War 1753-1849.

A memorial to Solomon Tharp, ancestor of many buried here, Revolutionary War Soldier, 1777-1778.

Was at Valley Forge 1777-1778.

Fought for his countrymen's liberty at Brandywine, Germantown, Monmouth, Springfield and Yorktown.

He marched with the New Jersey Continental Army through West New York, Senecca Indian settlements.

Eternal Vigilance and Sacrifice and the Price of Liberty.

The Tates were Quakers with the Kennett Monthly Meeting in Chester County, Pennsylvania.  She was disowned on July 14, 1774 in the said Kennett Monthly Meeting.  The meeting minutes read: "Whereas, Hannah Tharp (formerly Tate) hath had a Right of Membership amongst us the People called Quakers but for want of a Strict attention to the Dictates of Truth in her Heart hath So far Erred as to have Carnal knowledge with him that is now her Husband before Marriage and Accomplished Said Marriage by a Magestrate.  Therefore for Clearing the Society from the Reproach Such Conduct Ocassions we Account the Said Hannah Tharp no member thereof Until by Repentance and Amendment of life She shalt Condemn her Said Outgoings which that she may Happily Experience is our Sincerest Desire.  Given forth by our Monthly Meeting of Kennett held the 14th of the 7th Month 1774 and Signed by order of the Society.  By Caleb Peirce, Clerk".

The complaint stated she was guilty of fornication.  For the Quakers of the time this could be as simple as holding hands, hugging or kissing prior to marriage.  The first complaint was made on or before June 16, 1774 thus suggesting the marriage before a magistrate, also a no-no for Quakers, was before that date and already a done deal.

Richard and Frances were Quakers.  Richard as son of John is first found in the East Nottingham Monthly Meeting minutes of June 20, 1752 in Chester County, Pennsylvania where, "Richard Sidwell son of John Sidwell Requests a Certificate to friends of Carvers creek or Elsewhere in North Carolina this meeting therefore appt Thos Coulson and Michael King to make the necessary Enquirey into his Conversation etc & prepare a Certificate for him & bring to next monthly meeting if they find nothing to Obstruct."  Two notations were added that both appear to be in pencil suggesting being added at quite some later date.  The first addition was the insertion of "& Mary" between "John" and "Sidwell".  The other note was added to the right margin and reads "Note: His cert was send at Cane Creek MM, NC."  At the July 18, 1752 meeting "The friends appointed to prepare Certificates for ... & for Richard Sidwell Junr(sic) haveing found nothing to obstruct produced them to this meeting which after Reading were approved of & Signed Recommending them to the Respective places mentioned in the foregoing minutes of Said meeting."

At the December 02, 1752 Cane Creek Monthly Meeting of Orange (current day Alamance) County, North Carolina "Richard  Sidwel produced one (artifact) from the mo. meet of East Notham in Pensylvania dated the 18th of 7th mo. 1752 Which was accepted."  This was within the first year of the Cane Creek Meeting.

Then at the Monthly Meeting held at Newgarden, Orange (current day Guilford) County, North Carolina June 28, 1755, "Richd Sidwell of Cain Creek and Frances Brown appeared at this meeting and Declared their Intentions of taking Each other in Marriage it being the first time, this meeting Desires the young Man to Produce a Certificate against our next meeting to Certify his Clearness in Respect of Marriage with other and what else may be needfull."  At the Newgarden Monthly Meeting of August 30, 1755 "The friends appointed to attend the Marriage of Richd Sidwell, and Frances Brown, make Report it was Orderly Accomplished."  At the Cane Creek meeting of November 01, 1755 Frances produced a certificate from the Newgarden Monthly Meeting which was accepted.  This marriage starts a roller coaster ride for Frances and family.

The next appearance of Richard in the records is at the Cane Creek Monthly Meeting of June 03, 1758 where he received a certificate in order to settle in Pennsylvania.  However it does not appear they went to Pennsylvania as the Newgarden (North Carolina) Monthly Meeting of August 26, 1758 reports, "Richard Sidwell produced a Certificate from Cane Creek in this province for him self wife and Children which was read and Accepted."  This area was where Frances was living when she and Richard married.  It is possible they went there to visit her mother before leaving for Pennsylvania and found reasons to stay.  It is possible her mother was in ill health as it would be less that 5 years before she died.

Whatever the reason for staying Richard again resumed the effort to move to Pennsylvania.  At the May 30, 1760 Newgarden Monthly Meeting, "Richard Sidewell Requests Certificate for Him Self and family in order to Settle within the Verge East Notingham in Pensylvania apoint Thos Beals and Zachariah Dicks to make Enquirey into his Conversation Settlement of affairs and what Else may Be Needfull and prepare one against our Next Meeting if they find nothing to obstruct."  At the July 26, 1760 "The Friends apointed to prepair a Certificate for Richard Sidwel make Report that his affairs in not Settled to Satisfaction.  This meeting apoints the Same Friends to Inform him and report to our Next meeting..."  A report was made to the August 30, 1760 Meeting that they had so informed Richard of the issue at hand.

Whatever the issue, Richard must have handled it promptly as the August 29, 1761 minutes of the East Nottingham Monthly Meeting state, "Richard Sidwell produced a Certificate from Newgarden Monthly Meeting in North Carolina, on behalf of himself, Wife & young children, Dated the 25th of the 10th mo last, which was read here & received."

At the October 03, 1761 East Nottingham Monthly Meeting "There was a Certificate produced here for Richd Sidwell & Frances his wife & their Children namely Hannah, Ruth, Susannah, & Elizabeth, from Newgarden in North Carolina dated the 25th of ye 10th mo 1760 Signifying their Conversation to be in a good Degree orderly which was read & received accordingly."

The family settled for a while, but got restless again by 1769, or perhaps were running from some troubles.  The July 29, 1769 Monthly Meeting reports "West Nottingham Informs this Meeting that Richard Sidwell Removed himself and family to Carolina last fall, without Settleing with his Crediters, Joseph Brown and Henry Reynolds Jur are Appointed to Inspect into the case more fully & Report to Next Meeting."  That report at the next meeting, August 26, 1769, reads "It appears that Richard Sidwell removed himself Wife and familie in the Night and did not Settle where he propos'd; and has left Many Debts Unpaid, some of which they Contracted Immediately before they went away; all which being Scandelous in any, and as he is gon far from hence, not like to do anything to wipe of the Reproach Occasioned thereby, the Meeting Appoints Isaac Williams and Henry Reynolds Jur to Consider the Nature of the Case and prepare a Testimony Suitable thereto, and Product it to Next Meeting; also to Enquire whether they are Setled among friends or not and Report."

The November 11, 1769 East Nottingham Monthly Meeting reported on Richard's case as follows, "The Testimony against Richard Sidwell & Wife and the paper that Joseph Coulson gave to the Meeting not being read, Henry Reynolds Jur is to take care they be read before Next Meeting and Report.  They have done as they were directed about the Children of the Above Richard Sidwell, & find they are setled in or near Newgarden in North Carolina & have prepar'd a Certificate for them, Inserting their Names (viz) Hannah, Ruth, Elisabeth, John and William, which being read was approved & Sign'd by the Clerk, & after a Copy taken is to be put into the Care of Henry Reynolds Jur to be forwarded to that Meeting with a Copy of the Testimony against the Parents anexed thereunto, and as we know not the Ages of the Children it is Recommended to the Particular Enquirey of Friends there."

The testimony sent to the Newgarden Meeting clearly set forth that Richard and Frances were disowned by the East Nottingham Meeting and named the children along with their belief that "they being all Young, we therefore Recommend them to Devine Protection and your Christian Care, Desiring their Welfare every Way..."  An additional note was included as follows, "P.S. as the three Eldest were Born in Carolina, we have not the Oppertunity of knowing their Ages, and their Parents being somewhat Unsettled here, we know not the Ages of those Born here."

With Richard and Frances now disowned, it is difficult to follow them after 1769. Their oldest child, daughter Hannah, married in Guilford County, North Carolina December 29, 1777.  And daughter Ruth, their second born, married William Davison November 30, 1778 in Guilford County.  Thus their children were still in North Carolina, and likely Richard and Frances remained there, for a while at least.  Son William Sidwell, Sr. has Quaker entries that show him in Tennessee by September 1797, and his marriage shows it was much earlier, in 1791.  As it turns out, Richard was also in Tennessee at least by 1793, and several of the children also appear there in the 1790s.  According to Tennessee Archives Record Group Number 50 Early Land Records, Series 4 Grants, Book 19 Grants-North Carolina 1791-1794, pages 102-103, Grant No. 406 Richard Sidwell was granted 400 acres on the head spring of Nob Creek waters of Beaver Creek & Clinch River in Hawkins County.  It is worth noting that the county boundaries were very different in 1793 from current day, and Hawkins in particular had strange boundaries extending from the northeast part of the state all the way to the southern border of the state. While the grant clearly states his tract contained 400 acres, the registry entry says he had purchased 100 acres.

In fact it appears Richard was likely in Tennessee well before 1793.  Irene M. Griffey, in her book "Earliest Tennessee Land Records & Earliest Tennessee Land History" Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, 2000, identifies the Entry Date for Richard's tract was April 8, 1780.  She goes ahead to define the Entry Date as "the date the locator actually made location of the land.  It documents the claimant's (Richard Sidwell) first intent to claim that particular land."  Additionally it appears William and Richard were in this together, but with a different amount of acreage yet again. According to "Genealogical Abstracts From Tennessee Newspapers 1791-1808", compiled by Sherida K. Eddlemon, Heritage, Books, Inc., Bowie, Maryland, 1988, pages 18-20, "The Tennessee Gazette issue of July 29, 1801, Knox County, Tennessee Collection District No. 7.  The following tracts of land are being sold for nonpayment of a direct tax within the United States on the 15th day of October next.  Thomas Brown, Col. July 1, 1801,... Richard Sidwell 178 acres H. Valley, William Sidwell 178 acres H. Valley..."  H. Valley likely refers to Holston River Valley.  By this time William is living in Cumberland County, Kentucky, and I assume Richard is likely dead.

Richard and Frances likely had more children than those listed in the Nottingham Meeting communication to Cane Creek.  Some additional possibilities are identified with explanations in son William Sidwell, Sr.'s narrative.  Some researchers have mother Frances dying in Jefferson County, Tennessee in 1799.  I have not been able to find evidence of that although this narrative would suggest she could have been in Tennessee by 1793 at the latest.

Frances was born to Thomas Brown and Ruth Large Brown circa 1736 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.  Her parents were members of the Buckingham Monthly Meeting of Friends Society.  At a Buckingham Monthly Meeting the 2nd of the 1st month 1741 (April 02, 1741) "At this Meeting Thomas Brown Requested a Certificate for himself and wife and Children Except his Eldest Daughter to the Monthly Meeting at Hopewell in Orange County in Virginia in order to Remove there..."  In the Buckingham Monthly Meeting of 4th of 3rd month 1741 (June 04, 1741) a certificate was produced and the family was on its way to Virginia.  Except for the eldest daughter who had married out of unity and was disowned.  She remained behind in Pennsylvania.

While Thomas was going before the Men's meeting asking for a certificate of removal.  "At our Womens Monthly Meeting held at Buckingham the Second of the first mo 1740/1 (April 02, 1741),  At this meeting RuthBrown requested a Certificate to hopewell monthly meeting in Orange County in Virginia She being to remove thither with her husband and Children..."  The Women's Meeting seemed to be more expeditious as they approved the certificate and produced it in the one meeting.

John set about amassing a sizable estate.  On December 30, 1749 Thomas wrote a will and it was probated May 08, 1750 in Frederick County, Virginia.  Because of the size of the estate his will was lengthy, and accommodated his wife all of his children - Thomas, Samuel, Joseph, William, Deborah, Ruth, Elizabeth and Frances.  As for Frances, first he willed "I give and bequeath to my daughter Deborah a mare called Rose & that my daughter Frances have the colt the said mare is now with if it live; otherwise the first she bringeth that shall live to them their heirs and assigns forever."  And "All the remainder of my estate both real and personal I desire to be sold and the money of the sale to be equally divided betwixt my four daughters Deborah, Frances, Ruth, and Elizabeth."

A couple of the sons chose to move on from Virginia, and Ruth, along with some of the daughters, went along.  At the Cane Creek Monthly Meeting held at Newgarden, North Carolina November 4, 1853, "Ruth Brown with Son Samuel Brown produced certificates from the mo. meet of Hopewel dated the 6th of 8th mo. 1753 which were accepted.  Thomas Brown produced certificate from the same place and same date which was also accepted."  This set the stage for Frances and Richard to meet and marry.

"First Families of Tennessee"; East Tennessee Historical Society; 2001 states that Adam Guthrie was born in Ireland, with little else known of Adam's early years.  There are no land, tax or militia records for Adam in Augusta County, Virginia yet I suspect he was in Augusta County in the 1765 to 1770 timeframe.  One reason is because the will of George Anderson of Augusta County, which was proved in the year 1789, identified Adam as his son-in-law.  George and his family were very early settlers in the South River area of the Shenandoah River in the northeast extreme of the Berkeley Manor tract and it is assumed that Adam immigrated to this same area.  This was an area of significant Scotch Irish immigration and it is supposed that Adam migrated to this area, met Mary Anderson and married her there, probably in the 1765-1770 timeframe.  It may be that he was drawn to this area by relatives who had preceded him, as according to the "Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia, Vol. 1" by Lyman Chalkley; The Commonwealth Printing Co., Roslyn, Virginia; 1912, page 211 "James Brown and Adam Guthery granted certificates as nephews and heirs at-law of James Dunlap, deceased, who served as Lieutenant in Capt. Hog's Company of Rangers and was destroyed by the enemy at the fort in the upper tract of the South Branch of Potomac in 1758, and James and Adam are the only legal heirs now in this State."  Further description is noted in the Fort Seybert Massacre extracted from "Chronicles of Border Warfare" by Alexander Scott Withers, Edited and Annotated by Reuben Gold Thwaites; Stewart & Kidd Company, Cincinnati; 1895, "Seybert's Fort was situated on the South Fork, twelve miles northeast of Franklin, in Pendleton County.  At the time of this invasion, there was a fort located on the South Branch, garrisoned by Capt. James Dunlap and a company of rangers from Augusta county.  Preston's Register states, that on the 27th of April, 1758, the fort at which Capt. Dunlap was stationed, was attacked and captured, the captain and twenty-two others killed; and, the next day, the same party, no doubt, attacked Seybert's Fort, killing Capt. Seybert and sixteen others, while twenty-four others were missing.  Washington at the time, placed the number as 'about sixty persons killed and missing.'"  Lastly, "Fincastle and Kentucky, Virginia - Kentucky Records and History Vol. 1" by Michael L. Cook and Bettie Anne Cook; Cook Publications; 1987 records a lawsuit of March 3, 1773 in Order Book No. 1 County Court for James English v. Adam Gutterey, on command.  Suit being agreed, case dismissed.  This book also records a subsequent lawsuit of May 3, 1774 in Order Book No. 2 County Court for James Inglis v. Adam Guthry, on attachment.  Isaac Riddle and George Armstrong entered themselves as sureties for the defendant.  Robert Topp not appearing as garnishee, attachment ordered against him.  Continued.  It would seem this demonstrates that Adam was living in Fincastle County at that time.  There were several John, James and William Andersons in the region at this time, but not enough information is given to distinguish them as Augusta County Andersons.

Some Anderson relation explored the Southwest territory that would become East Tennessee at an early day.  In "Augusta County, Virginia in the History of the United States" by Boutwell Dunlap; The Kentucky State Historical Society, Frankfort; 1918, page 54 "Colonel John Sawyers, who conducted Gilbert Christian and William Anderson, both from Augusta county, in an exploring trip as far as Hawkins county, Tennessee, in 1768-69."  In what seems at first to be somewhat conflicting information, letters from George Christian to Lyman C. Draper appear to place Adam in territory that would eventually become East Tennessee in and around the same timeframes as mentioned above.  These letters contain interesting information about the early settlers and history of East Tennessee.  Some of the content as reprinted in "The King's Mountain Men" by Katherine Keogh White; reprinted for Clearfield Coumpany, Inc. by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.; Baltimore, Maryland; 2002 includes, "My father Gilbert Christian was a native of the State of Virginia, born and raised in Augusta county about the year of 1723-4 (sic), and was the son of Robert Christian, there were two other brothers, John and William.  All three settled on Christian creek, which took its name from the three brothers.  They were the first settlers of that country."  This area was in Beverley Manor not far from where the Andersons settled.  "Father was married in 62 or 3 to Margaret Anderson, daughter of George Anderson of Middle river, Augusta Co., Va. (my note - this would make Gilbert Christian and Adam Guthrie brothers-in-law) ... I think from what I can find out since I wrote you, Father must have moved to Holston in 72 or 3, made a temporary settlement on the waters of Reedy Creek, seven or eight miles from Holston river from whence he removed in the Autumn of '75 to Holston river, at the mouth of Reedy creek opposite the Long Island, where we remained until the next summer at the breaking out of the Cherokees."  This area would have been near where current day Kingsport, Tennessee is located.  With boundaries not well established in those days this location might have been considered either Virginia or North Carolina territory, and in fact, Fincastle County extended all the way down to what would eventually become the Tennessee state line.  The location on Reedy Creek, seven or eight miles from Holston river would almost certainly have been in Fincastle County territory and, in fact, another researcher identifies Gilbert Christian in 1774 as a Lt. in the Fincastle County militia and the commander of Kings Mill Fort built on the North Fork of the Reedy Creek.  Christian goes on to write, "At this time they were five children of us, one daughter the oldest of us.  The first intimation we had of the approach of the Indians was given to us by a trader named, I think, Ellis Harlan...On the first intimation of the hostile movements of the Cherokees, the frontiersmen left their farms and collected in Stations or in some cases several families banded together for mutual defense as was the case with us.  On rec't of the intelligence bro't by Mr. Harlan we were removed some miles to James Clendennin's where they were eight or ten families collected I think with intent to build a fort.  But after collecting at this place a second express arrived, more alarming than the first...So urgent was the news that an attack was apprehended for that same evening.  It was thought it would begin about three o'clock.  At this time Father was home having gone to the farm.  Our horses all in the woods, mother had a brother and brother-in-law in company.  Her brother in bad health, each of those had a wife and one child...But a little before sunset Mother and all her children were all mounted and on the road for the interior...We then proceeded at a rapid pace until dark closed in, which checked our progress, but we were flying for our life, so the difficulty was encountered cheerfully.  We must have traveled some 15 miles this night.  Was joined next day by Father, who conveyed us some forty miles to a relation, Mr. Trimble, where he left us and returned to Eaton...From Trimble's Mother with her brother John Anderson and her Brother-in-law, Adam Guthery, proceeded to Augusta where we remained until the Autumn of '78, when Father, who had stayed on the Holston, went on with a wagon and brought us home."  What was being described here became the Battle of Island Flats.  Is it possible that Adam was in Augusta County circa 1770, then Fincastle County by 1773 before going to the territory that was to become East Tennessee, then back to Augusta about the time mentioned in Chalkley's?  Or was there another Adam Guthrie in Virginia at this time?

George Christian's letter clearly identifies Adam Guthrie as the same Adam in George Anderson's will, and identifies Adam as a very early settler in the Southwest territory that would eventually become East Tennessee.  But did Adam return to the Holston and Long Island region in 1778 when the Christian family returned?  Land records seem to suggest that he did.  According to North Carolina warrants in the territory that would become Tennessee as recorded in "Tennessee Land Entries: Washington County, 1778-1796, Vol. 1-3" by Dr. A. B. Pruitt, 1997:

Adam stayed on in this territory, as evidenced by the following deed of Greene County North Carolina District, Deed Book 3, page 454:

This deed predates Tennessee statehood, and so was part of North Carolina's Greene County in North Carolina's western territory.  This property lies in what is now current day Sevier County, Tennessee.  Adam's property bordered that of James Hubbard (Hubbert) and was on the French Broad River just above Bryant's Ferry.  James was noted for his hatred of the Indians because his father's family in Virginia had been cruelly murdered by the Shawnees.  His hated was so deep that his actions were not always honorable as demonstrated by his command to murder Old Tassell, a Cherokee, and his son under a flag of truce in 1788.  The second wife of James Hubbard was Elizabeth Anderson, possibly a relative to Mary Anderson Guthrie.  Adam maintained ownership of this property to his death and passed it on in his will.  While many other grantee properties in the immediate area were identified as military grants, Adam's property was not identified as such, further verifying that while he had many opportunities, Adam did not serve, militia or otherwise.

While Adam retained ownership of this property, he did not live there for the rest of his life.  According to "The Kentucky Land Grants" by Willard Rouse Jillson; Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, Maryland; 1971, Adam and two of his sons purchased land in Cumberland County, Kentucky as below from Vol 1, Part 1, Chapter IV, page 324:

These grants are among a group of records entered from 1797 to 1866 known as Grants South of Green River.  These were known sometimes as "Headright Claims," and were based upon an act of the Kentucky General Assembly of December 21, 1795.  Before Kentucky became a state, Virginia had reserved all the lands in Kentucky south of Green River as bounty land for its soldiers.  Until 1797 only soldiers could enter a survey within this large land area.  After Kentucky became a state and gained control of the remaining vacant land new legislation opened up this area south of the Green River to any persons possessed of family and over twenty-one years of age.  The only condition was they must have been legitimate settlers on the land for one year before they came into actual possession.  Until 1820 Illwill Creek was about 12 miles north of the Kentucky/Tennessee state line.  This is because the current northern Tennessee state line was under dispute the first two decades of the 19th century.  The latitude of 36 degrees and 30 minutes north was established by royal charters as the boundary line between the colonies of Virginia and North Carolina.  By extension that latitude was to be the line dividing Kentucky (a Virginia possession) and Tennessee (a North Carolina possession).  In 1779 a survey team was charged with running this line to the west to physically mark the boundary between Kentucky and Tennessee.  The line that was extended to the Tennessee River was called the Walker Line after Dr. Thomas Walker, a survey team member from Virginia.  It was found after the fact that due to improper corrections the Walker Line was actually about 12 miles north of the true 36 degree, 30 minutes latitude.  Kentucky refused to release claim on this strip of land of 12 miles width until after a compromise made February 4, 1820 fixed the Tennessee and Kentucky boundary line as we know it today, giving that 12 mile strip to the jurisdiction of Tennessee with the right to issue grants given to Kentucky.  This places Illwill Creek just on the Kentucky side of the current state line and still located in Cumberland County until 1836.  In 1836 Clinton County, Kentucky was created, taking the southeast portion of Cumberland County and Illwill Creek then became located in the southwest corner of this new county.  It is now a major feeder for Dale Hollow Lake.

It is likely Adam divided his time early between Cumberland County and his property in eastern Tennessee in the early days.  I say this because he is not found in the 1810 Cumberland County census although two of his sons are found there.  He is also not found in east Tennessee tax list of that time, and eastern Tennessee census records for 1820 and before are lost.

Note that Adam's enumeration has 2 females of age 26 and under age 45, clearly his two daughters, but no female age 45 and above.  Adam's will as transcribed below, identifies all family members except his wife, which seems to indicate he was a widower at the time of his death.  The 1820 census would seem to show that he was already a widower at that time.  Adam lived out his life in Cumberland County, dying in 1827.  Following is the transcript of his will, written May 1, 1825 and proved August 20, 1827.

Adam's will gives us the names of his children alive at the time of his death.  We have no way at this time of knowing whether he and Mary had other children who did not survive.  By 1830 George (my direct ancestor) and family, along with Sidwells living nearby in Cumberland County, had moved to Fayette County, Illinois.

From "The Tinkling Spring Headwater of Freedom" by Howard McKnight Wilson; The Tinkling Spring and Hermitage Presbyterian Churches; Fishersville, Virginia; 1954, Mary Anderson, daughter of George, was baptized on March 18, 1744 by John Craig, first permanent pastor in frontier Augusta County in 1740 and founder in 1741 of the Stone Meeting House.  It is thought that Adam married Mary, probably sometime about 1770, and most likely in Augusta County, Virginia.  No marriage bond has been found to certify that it was Mary Anderson who married Adam, but it is surmised via circumstantial evidence.  First, it is clear from George Anderson's will and from George Christian's letter to Lyman Draper that Adam was the son-in-law of George and brother-in-law of Margaret Anderson Christian.  Now there were no other daughters of George born between 1740 and 1749.  Anyone born after this point would likely be too young to have married Adam and be in Fincastle County and the Southwest Territory in the mid-1770s.  So at this point Mary looks to be the best bet.  The only question is whether George had an older daughter who immigrated with the family when they moved to Augusta County.  When George made his oath in Orange County, Virginia Court on May 22, 1740 regarding who he imported into the region one Frances Anderson's relation to George is unknown.  If this was a daughter of George, it is possible she could have been Adam's wife.  But taking into account the approximate birthdate of Adam's last child, Mary would have given birth at age 45 while Frances would have been 50 or older - which would be stretching it some.  For these reasons I believe Mary to be Adam's wife.

Nothing more is known of Mary.

This parentage for Stephen of James and Mary Fuqua Roberson is proposed based on DNA results showing Stephen being descended from a common ancestor of those known to descend from James and Mary.  Information that attempts to tie Stephen with this family is presented in the family pre-1810 history noted in the last paragraph.

Nothing is known of James' ancestry, although much has been speculated with much of the speculation published.  Some information was published based on interviews with great grandsons of James.  A significant amount of time would have passed between those generations and with no documentation such as bible records or the like the results serve as a starting point from which to check for supporting documentation.  This is not unlike the early history of son Stephen as written by Fred Robertson (see Stephen's link below).

One approach purports the parentage of James Roberson is James Robertson and Rebekah Royston of Albemarle County, Virginia.  This would seem to make sense given the name of James' first born, Roysdon.  Except that no documentation exists to support that assertion, and DNA results in fact show them not to be of the same Robertson family.  Another assertion shows James as Scottish born and the son of an Andrew Roberson and Elizabeth Monroe.  Another researcher of this family paid professional reserachers to look into this parentage and they were unable to find any evidence that would support it.

James married May Fuqua circa 1756.  Much of James and Mary Roberson's early history (pre-1810) can be found in "The Stephen Robertson Family of Brown County, IN" pages found on this web site (available from the home page or from this link).  That dialog shows James moving to Bledsoe County, Tennessee along with 3 or 4 of his children.  He died there January 3, 1828 (date comes from a memorandum in the possession of a descendant) and is buried in "the Old Indian Burial Ground" on the west side of Sequatchie Valley, about 8 miles from Pikesville.

We know Mary's maiden name as a result of her father's will.  Ralph Fuqua's will was filed in Bedford County, Virginia on July 24, 1770 and in it he mentions three times that Mary Robinson, one of his daughters, is to inherit property.  Her birth date is estimated based on information found in a 1761 Bedford County deed conveying property from her father to she and her husband, and an estimate of the birth year of their first born son, also named in that deed.  Mary's birth location is assumed based on where the Fuqua family was located at the time of her estimated birth year.

This parentage of son Stephen is assumed based on DNA testing (see the early history per James' narrative above).  Part of Stephen's history is the biographical article concerning son Joseph and his comment that Stephen was one of eleven children who sought refuge in a fort during the Revolutionary War.  The following are thought to be children based on documentation and association, largely in Bledsoe County, Tennessee.  Stephen has been added based on DNA results, and additional children could be Moses, Joseph, David, and possibly Thomas, per the pre-1810 history narrative.

Thomas Caton/Kitten/Kitton is an early settler in the Amwell Township, Washington County area of Pennsylvania, appearing there before Washington County was created from Westmoreland County on March 28, 1781.  His name is found on a petition requesting the formation of a new state, to be called "Westsylvania", that was circulated for signatures between 1776 and 1780.  Between the years 1770 and 1780 both Pennsylvania and Virginia claimed the area now known as southwest Pennsylvania.  The overlapping claims often led to open hostilities, narrowly avoiding bloodshed at times.  The petitions were presented to the Continental Congress asking that the disputed territory be organized into this new state.  In describing the length and breadth of the territory to be so organized the presenters went ahead to state that 25,000 families had settled with the described boundaries since 1768.  According to "The Ten Mile Country and Its Pioneer Families" by Howard L. Leckey; Closson Press; Apollo, PA; 2001 a petition was found in the Library of Congress that contained the names of pioneer settlers of what is now Fayette, Washington and Greene Counties.  Among the names are found Thomas Kitten on page 148 and Daniel Caton on page 142.  One wonders who Daniel Caton is.  The names are not in close proximity on the petition, so there is no guarantee the two individuals were in close proximity geographically.  It is an interesting question since one of Thomas' sons is Daniel.  This citation places Thomas in the future Washington County area as early as 1780, and likely earlier since son George says on the 1850 and 1860 censuses he was born in Pennsylvania.

On page 199 of the "Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3, Vol. XXIII, Rangers on the Frontiers - 1778-1783" one Thomas Kitten is listed as a private in Captain Abner Howell's unit of Frontier Rangers.  Frontier Rangers were the Minute Men of the Frontiers.  They formed volunteer units, under elected officers, and were subject to call at a minute's notice, although their service was not continuous like that of the Continental Army.  Their primary function was to guard the forts of the area and patrol the line of settlements to prevent the Indians in alliance with the British from raiding the frontier country.  I have not found any record of any engagements that Thomas might have been involved in.  It is assumed he participated in the Rangers during most if not all this period as all men over sixteen and under forty-five years were held as minutemen in the militia of Pennsylvania and expected to march at a minute's notice until the close of the Revolution.  He was at least activated some during this time based on "Pennsylvania Archives Series 5, Vol. IV" page 715 where Thomas Kitten, private, is listed among "Soldiers of the Revolution who received pay for their services taken from Manuscript Record, having neither date nor title, but under 'Rangers on the Fronters, 1778-1783' was published in Vol. XXIII, Penna. Archives, Third Series, by the Former Editor."  During some of this period Thomas was also in Captain Abner Howell's 3rd Battalion Washington County Militia ("Pennsylvania Archives, Series 6, Vol. II, Muster Rolls Relating to the Associators and Militia of the County of Washington") appearing on page 119 as a member of the 3rd Class under the name Thomas Ketton.

Note: Some researchers attribute a title of Captain for Thomas and state that it is because he served as Thomas Caton in the New Jersey Continental Line starting in March 1776 and serving for the term of the Revolutionary War.  While there was such a Thomas Caton, there is not enough proof to suggest he is the same person who is the subject of this narrative.  In fact, I suggest it is not the same person.  The above notes suggest Thomas was present in Washington County during some, if not all that time.  Thomas' son George is thought to be born circa 1774, and he gave his birth location as Pennsylvania in the 1850 and 1860 censuses.  Thomas of this narrative seemed to be known as Kitten/Kitton/Ketton until the late 1780s and 1790s where he began to assume the surname Caton.  There was a Thomas Caton in New York State, in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, in Frederick County, Virginia, and other locations I am sure.  There is simply not enough information to assume Thomas of Washington County, Pennsylvania was the Thomas Caton of the New Jersey Line.  Thomas of Washington County was known as Captain because of his militia rank described below during Indian uprisings in 1792.

"Pennsylvania Archives, Series 3, Vol. XXVI, Provincial Papers Warrantees of Land in the County of Washington, 1784-1892", page 573 lists Thomas Kitton for 250 acres with date of survey of October 18, 1784.  The date given in the Archives is titled date of survey, but is actually the date of the warrant.  In a 1905 copy of the original survey "The above is a Draught of a Tract of Land Sittuate on the waters of ten mile Creek Callel's Fox Hill containing two hundred & ninety acres fourty nine perches & usual allowance.  Surveyed March the 2d 1785 In pursuance of a Warrant Granted to Thomas Kitton & dated at Philadelphia October the Eighteenth 1784.", signed Jno Hoge D.S.  This appears to be formalization and expansion of Thomas' prior homesteading as recorded by tax lists of Washington County, Pennsylvania prior to and following the warrant:

	Year	Township	Acres	Horses	Cows	Sheep	Negro	Value
	1781	Amwell	100	12	5	1		118£
	1782	Amwell	100	12	5	1		118£
	1785	Amwell	150	3	4			36£
	1787	Amwell	180	4	4			52£
	1788	Amwell	190	4	4		1	48£ 5shillings
	1789	Amwell	190	3	4		1	34£

All of these citations show Thomas as a settler in Amity Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania by 1780 and as early as 1776, with identified militia activity during the Revolutionary War.  He also continued to support his community after the War by leading a militia company on a 35 day engagement commencing June 16,1792 (Pennsylvania Archives Series 6, Vol. V, pages 569- 571).  Thomas was Captain of a unit of 59 militiamen, which included Henry Vankirk as one of two Sergeants.  The Captain of a militia unit was often chosen by the unit to serve as their leader and usually meant he was held in high regard by the men, who would have been local settlers with whom Thomas would have interacted on a regular basis.  This particular engagement is described in more detail in a document posted on the internet by The Southeastern Ohio Digital Shoebox Project (www.digitalshoebox.org).  That document "Book: Ohio Records and Pioneer Families 1971-1999" contains "extractions from Volume 12 (1971) through Volume 34 (1999) with reference to Jefferson County, Ohio", a publication of the Ohio Genealogy Society.  This article is entitled "Ohio River Front Guards 1792, Jefferson County, Ohio" and reads "Names of the men who guarded the river front the summer of 1792 - stationed at four points - the main body at Yellowcreek Blockhouse, 12 at Spillers Creek (now Goose Run or Port Homer), 12 at Croxon's Run, Toronto and 12 at Cable's Blockhouse at Island Creek.  Payroll of a party at Washington Co., Pa. Militia under command of Capt. Thomas Caton to repel hostile Indians."  The locations identified in the article can be found in the northern part of Jefferson County along the Ohio River.  The payroll given in the article matches that printed in the Pennsylvania Archives listing above.  On page 572 of the above Pennsylvania Archives Captain Thomas Caton and Company are noted as being ordered on duty again October 18, 1792 - this time for 20 days for "the removal of a party of the Six Months Militia from the frontier of Washington County and at the request of Major McCully and the Inhabitants."  According to "Early Records of Washington County, Pennsylvania" by Raymond Martin Bell; self-published; Washington, Pennsylvania; 1979, "Thomas Kitten was an Amwell Township Supervisor in 1787" - another indication of the high regard his neighbors had for him.

Thomas has been shown to have been in that area that was to be Washington County as early as 1780 and perhaps 1776.  James Veech published "The Monongahela of Old; or, Historical Sketches of South-Western Pennsylvania to the Year 1800", copyright 1892.  Included in the material is a "List of Settlers in Fayette and in Contiguous Parts of Greene, Washington & Westmoreland Counties, in 1772: Copied from the Official Assessment Rolls of Bedford County for 1773".  In 1772, and until the erection of Westmoreland in 1773, Bedford county embraced all of southwestern Pennsylvania.  Thomas does not appear on these rolls, thus it is possible that he did not arrive in southwestern Pennsylvania until sometime after 1772, but before 1776-80.

Thomas died intestate February 1795 in Amwell Township.  His children are identified in "Estate Records, 1781-96 and Deed Records, 1782-85 in Washington County, Pennsylvania" by Raymond Martin Bell; self-published; Washington, PA; 1977, page 3, "CATON Thomas; bd 95; ch 96 (George, Milce m Thomas Praul, Susannah, Daniel, Priscilla, Dorsey, Agnes)," where "bd" means administration bond and letters granted (i.e. 1795) and "ch" means children named in estate distribution or partition.  The probate file shows wife Susanna was administratrix for the estate.  Thomas was very active in the county, and left several entangled debt transactions to work through in the administration of the estate.  As a result, the probate was not closed out until the year 1806.  Most researchers have identified 1794 as the year of Thomas' death, but I believe it to be closer to February 1795.  The estate probate file is found in Washington County Probate Files Book C, File #26, Year 1806.  The second item in the probate file was an IOU from Thomas Caten to Adam Gardner where Thomas acknowledged he owned Adam 5 shillings 6 pence for the act of "laing a mill spindle" on October 24, 1794, and 1 shilling 6 pence for the act of "making 2 hooks and one Clip and Welding a Clip" on December 6, 1794 for a total debt of 7 shillings.  On the bottom of the debt note William McFarland, a Justice of the Peace for Washington County, noted that Adam Gardner appeared before him on May 21, 1795 to swear that the debt noted was just and true and that he had not been compensated for same.  Thus Thomas was alive in early December 1794, but dead by mid-May 1795.

Another debit note was presented for money owed for "wiskey" sold to Thomas Kitton by James Neilson.  The last entry on the ledger was "February 3, 1795 for two 1/2 pints of wiskey in the amount of 1 shilling 2 pence."  Washington County Justice of the Peace William Meetkerke reported on April 1, 1795 that James Neilson appeared before him to prove the amount of the debit note.  This now seems to narrow the timeframe to February - March 1795.  One of the earliest payments by Susanna in fulfillment of her estate duties came May 1st, 1795 for payment of 1794 county taxes.  But the document that seems to fix the month more clearly, in conjunction with the above noted debts and associated dates, is the statement of the Administratrix Bond.  "Know all Men by these Presents, That we Susannah Caton - relict of Thomas Caton late of Washington County deceased - and Gabriel Blakeney and William Meetkerke Esquires of the town of Washington and county aforesaid are held and firmly bound unto James Marshel, Esquire, Register for the Probate of Wills and granting Letters of Administration in and for the county of Washington, in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the sum of one thousand five hundred pounds, to be paid to the said James Marshel, his successors, administrators or assigns: To which payment well and truly to be made we bind ouselves jointly and severally, for and in the whole, our heirs, executors and administrators, firmly by these presents.  Sealed with our seals.  Dated the twenty first day of February in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety five."

As the probate process is winding down in 1806 a couple of documents with essentially the same message confirm the appropriateness of this date.  Both documents have to do with a debt owed by Thomas Caton to William Meetkerke which was unsettled at the time Thomas died, and for which Susanna, as administratrix of the estate, had employed George Caton to settle same with the transfer to William of a certain number of hogs.  This document begins, "Washington County, February 24, 1806.  Personally before me the Subscriber one of the Justices of the Peace in and for said County came William Meetkerke who being duly Sworn as the Law directs, deposith and Saith that at the decease of Thomas Caton, late of Amwell township in Said County which happened Sometime in the early part of the year 1795 ..."

Susanna appears in Thomas' narrative above as the administratrix of his estate.  Susanna Caton appears as head of household in the 1800 Amwell Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania census, page 696 along with Theophilus Caton and George Caton.  I have not been able to locate a marriage license for she and Thomas, so how do we know her surname is Plummer?

According to Archives of Maryland Online, Volume 625, page 5, General Assembly December 4, 1820 - February 19, 1821 Session Laws:

This provides a good summary of the deed dated May 25 1819 where Susanna sold her rights to Yate for $159.70 (Liber JS-9, folios 108-111).  This deed/summary clearly fixes her as Susanna Caton from Washington County, Pennsylvania and tells us her maiden name was Plummer, while also providing a couple of leads to follow up on.  Who was Yate Plummer?  Why was the property in Anne Arundel County, Maryland?

The name Yate is unusual enough as to make it easy to hopefully find more information.  The will of a Yate Plummer written September 1, 1763 and probated August 31, 1764 in Anne Arundel County (Liber 32, folio 341) includes "... To sons: Robert, Daniel, Thomas and James, tract called 'Plummer's Pasture' to be divided between them Profits from iron ore to wife and children: John, William, Yate, Robert, Daniel, Thomas, James, Susannah, and Elizabeth Plummer..."  So it appears Susanna was selling to brother Yate Plummer, Jr. her interest in Plummer's Pasture willed to her by her father Yate Plummer, Sr.  Richard Dwight Prall in his book "The Prall Family, 1st Edition"; self-published; Albuquerque, NM; 1990, page 377 provides the following information: This seems to cement the Thomas Kitten and Susanna Plummer relationship and the Susanna Plummer relationship to the Yate Plummer, Sr. family of Anne Arundel County, Maryland.  This also appears to place Thomas Kitten in Anne Arundel County, and to place them in Anne Arundel County in 1773.  This libel action does not identify Thomas and Susanna as being from Washington County, Pennsylvania or any other "foreign" location and it is doubtful that if they lived in Washington County, Pennsylvania they would be in a position to leverage Letters of Administration.

In the 1800 Amwell Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania census (page 696)Susanna is enumerated in the age 45 and over category.  In the same household is 1 male under 10 years, 1 male of 10 and under 16 years, and 2 females of 10 and under 16 years.  The males are Daniel and Dorsey since George is enumerated as head of his own household.  The girls are likely Priscilla and Agnes under the assumption the children are names oldest to youngest in Thomas' estate listing.  In addition to these enumnerations there is 1 in the column "all other free persons except Indians not taxed" and 2 slaves.  The one "other free person" is most likely Gabriel Blackeney, the inmate spoken of below.  It is interesting that Susanna is of Quaker upbringing yet she has 2 slaves in the census.

Notice of Susanna's death was reported in the February 9, 1824 issue of the Washington Reporter newspaper of Washington, Washington County, Pennsylvania, "DIED - On Thursday morning last, at an advanced age, mrs. SUSANNAH CATON, of of (sic) Amwell township.", fixing her death date as February 5.  Susanna's will, written January 10, 1823, was entered into probate March 27, 1824 (Washington County, Pennsylvania Will Book 4, pp 165-166).  At the time of Thomas' estate seven children were identified - George, Milce m Thomas Praul, Susannah, Daniel, Priscilla, Dorsey, Agnes - per his narrative above.  Interestingly she writes "...I give and devise to my old friend & trusty inmate Gabriel Blackeney all my real and personal estate of whatever kind or nature soever during his natural life ... meaning thereby to give him the said Blackeney a complete life estate in my real property in Washington County or else where and an absolute right in and to all my personal property of whatever kind or nature it may be..."  She then goes ahead to state "...that after the death of the said Gabriel Blackeney I will and devise to my sons George Caton & Dorsey Caton and to my daughters Milcah Prawl Susanna Lackey and Anna Conklen all my real aforesaid to be equally divided between them..."  Regarding the children missing from this list her will states "...I give and demise (sic) to my grand daughter Lucy Vankirke aforesaid daughter of my deceased child Priscilla Vankirk..."  From "History of Washington County, Pennsylvania" by Boyd Crumrine; L. H. Everts & Co.; Philadelphia; 1882, page 660, "...Daniel died a bachelor..."  Evidently Daniel also predeceased Susanna.

Rudolph's baptism gives his parents as Johannes Zimmermann and his wife Clara.  Witnesses to Joseph's baptism were Rudolph Utzmann, bachelor, and the spinster Magdalena Gantner.

The record of Rudolph's death/burial simply identifies him as a citizen of Massenbachhausen.

The record of marriage states that Rudolph was a widower when he married Theresia Gintnerin (first wife Catharina).  The witnesses were Christian Heinhe and Joseph Zimmermann.

The record of Maria's baptism identifies her parents as Martin Gantner and wife Luisa.  The sponsors were Catharina, wife of Mathias Weber, and Caspar Weiss, both of Massenbachhausen.