I34883: Howard BLEDSOE (11 Jan 1787

Notes

Aka: Moses. In 1785 when Moses bought the land on the south side of Paint Lick Mountain, it was still in Washington Co., not Tazewell Co. Between 1793 and 1799 yearly petitions for the formation of a new county were circulated amongst the settlers. The names of both Moses and his brother Robert appear on the very first of those petitions in 1793. Tazewell county was not voted into existence until Dec 1799 and was not formally created until May of 1800. Tazewell Co. was formed from parts of Russell, Washington and Wythe Counties.

Living in Botetourt Co., VA in 1774. He came to Tazewell Co. and settled on the south side of Paint Lick Mountain at Liberty Hill or Knob. He was a hatter by trade. - Virginia D. Brown letter, Jan 6 1995.

Pioneer Settler of the SW VA Backwoods of Washington Co. VA. Alias: Old Moses HIGGINBOTHAM. Nellie White Bundy (1921-1996) In establishing the museum with A. Jefferson Higginbotham, Jr., owner of the site, Bundy succeeded in creating Tazewell Counties first organized tourist attraction.

It is Southwest Virginia's most comprehensive historical museum, drawing more than 15,000 visitors a year from all of the United States and, to date, 43 other nations. The museum serves school systems in 13 Southwest Virginia and Southeastern West Virginia counties.

For many years this Moses was mistakenly identified as a "Junior", primarily because early family researchers found it necessary to make a clear distinction between him and his father Moses of Amherst Co. This erroneous identity was published in the early 1920s and several years of meticulous investigation Earl & Lena Higginbotham found the revealing document buried in the old land records of Washington County, VA in 1988, which proved his true identity as James Moses Higginbotham. This important discovery unlocked the key to the identity of one James Higginbotham who fought in the Revolution, side by side with his brother Robert at Kings Mountain, and Guilford Courthouse. It also explains why his son Moses is in fact referred to as Moses Jr. rather than Moses III. (see complete story in Appendix-p. 404 of Earl Higginbothams book).

"History of Tazewell County," by William Pendleton as published in "Family Newsletter," by and for the descendants of Jefferson Davis Jamison and Nancy Loucinda Peery, Vol. 1, No. 4, Summer 1995, p. 17.

The Russell County Surveyors Book 1 1786-1799: Robert Belshee, assignee of James Madison, assignee of James Currie - 178 ac - Treasury Warrant 21576 dated December 23, 1783 - about 3 miles from the Maiden Spring adjoining his own land - tract granted to Robert & Moses Higgenbotham - near an old fort in Higgenbotham's line - December 9, 1786

Petition to Form Russell County - December 1785: The petition of sundry inhabitants of Clinch River, Moccasin Creek, Powells Valley, and others, citizens of Washington County humbly represent that your petitioners are situated from the line of Montgomery as it crosses near the source of the Clinch River, down the same eight miles; thence to the extreme settlements of Powells Valley forty more. The greatest portion of your petitioners have to travel from twenty five miles and some eighty or an hundred; moreover are generally interrupted by Clinch Mountain and the north branch of the Holstein River; the former affording very difficult passes; the latter much danger and difficulty in crossing it in spring and after considerable rains; continuous to its southern bank, a chain of hills almost as difficult as Clinch Mountain; so that great difficulty arises to your Petitioners not only in attending Courts, but Courts Martial. And from the extent of schism between our small settlements make it exceedingly difficult to arrange companies without subjecting some to travel 15 and 20 miles to private mustery. There are two difficulties in the militia law that principally affect your Petitioners. There are evils small indeed to the feelings we constantly undergo when obliged to leave our helpless families exposed at so very greast distances to obey the laws of our country. And however evident the danger may appear to us will not certainly on our failure of duty plead our excuse. Circumstance alone is sufficient to claim the human respect of the Legislature to remove the grievance. We therefore pray your Honorable House will take our case into consideration and divide the county. We further pray a line may be fixed along Clinch Mountain to the Carolina line; or with the line at present dividing the county into two regiments to the aforesaid Carolina line; then with the said line to Cumberland Mountain including that existing county between Cumberland Mountain and Montgomery line and Clinch Mountain, or the aforesaid regimental line for the new county and southeast of the said Clinch Mountain remain Washington County; and we your Petitioners as in duty bound will ever pray.
Higgenbothan, Moses
Higgenbothan, Robert

ABSTRACTS OF TAZEWELL COUNTY VAWILL BOOK #1-1800-1832, pg.190.

MOSES HIGGINBOTHAM, (page 211); made 27 October 1826; Proven Nov 1826
Wife, Betsy---all real and personal estate so long as she remains single. Confirms gift of land to son Joseph, beginning at the white oak corner, running with fence to the corner of the meadow, running up the fence to the dry brand to the water gap, thence to the walnut stump joining the said Joseph Higginbotham's own land.

After death of wife, all land to three children; George, Charles and Thomas. Thomas is to have the home place. Wills the sugar place to Moses and Aaron Higginbotham. It is his wish that all his children receive an equal portion of his estate and those children who have received no portion should receive equal portion with the others. To daughter Francis---negro girl named Sall. To daughter, Jane---negro girl named
Sophia. To daughter Rachel---a negro girl named Emily. If the children all can agree, Stephen can choose his own master among the children, if he behaves himself. Executors; sons William and Joseph. Witnesses; James Stephenson, David Belchee and Joshua Belchee.
Appraisement: (Page 215) 21 December 1826
Negroes: Stephen, Egypt, Pleasant, Milly, small boy: Sampson, Fanny, Amy, Adam, Henry. Appraised by William Barns, William Thompson, Reese Bowen.

ABSTRACT OF TAZEWELL COUNTY VIRGINIA WILL BOOK #1-1800-1832, pg.193

MOSES HIGGINBOTHAM, (page 243), 23 June 1828 Settlement of Estate. Widow: Elizabeth. Slaves: Egypt, Amy & child. Milly, Addam, Pleasant, Sampson, Henry. "Heirs of the said Moses Higginbotham, dec'd, all being present (to wit): William, Moses, James, Joseph, George, Aaron, Charles, Thomas and Rachel Higginbotham & Bolam Boling and Francis, his wife (late Francis Higginbotham), Samuel Sawyers and Jane, his wife (late Jane Higginbotham), and Elizabeth Higginbotham, guardian for Thomas and Rachel, infants." Commissioners: Henry Bowen, William Thompson, William Barns.
This is an addendum to the Moses Higginbotham Will, listing the division of his slaves.

Tazewell Co., VA Will Book 1 Page 243: Pursuant to a Commission from the County Court of Tazewell directing us to divide a part of the personal estate of Moses Higginbotham, deceased, equally between the heirs of said Higginbotham we have valued the slaves surrendered to us for that purposes by Elizabeth Higginbotham, widow of said Moses Higginbotham, deceased, in the following manner, viz, Eqypt at $400, Amy and child at $333.34, Milly at $290, Addam at $325.34, Pleasant at $308.34, Sampson at $175, Henry at $175, and the heirs of said Moses Higginbotham, deceased, all being present, to wit, William, Moses, James, Joseph, George, Aaron, Charles, Thomas and Rachel Higginbotham and Balaam Boling and Francis his wife, late Francis Higginbotham, Samuel C. Sawyers and Jane his wife, late Jane Higginbotham, and Elizabeth Higginbotham guardian for Thomas and Rachel, infants, consented and agreed to and divided the above slaves as follows: Joseph, Milly at $305; Moses, Addam at $350; James, Eqypt at $321.22 and Amy and child at $333.34; Aaron, Pleasant at $335; Thomas, Henry at $182.73, that being the amount of each heir. Interest in the above slaves agreeable to the above valuation and Charles, Sampson at $182.73, given under our hands this 23rd Day of June, 1828.
Henry Bowen
William Thompson
William Barnes

ANNALS OF TAZEWELL COUNTY, VIRGINIA, pg.#459.
THE HIGGINBOTHAM FAMILY OF TAZEWELL COUNTY
Moses Higginbotham, who came from Amherst County, Virginia, is the progenitor of the Tazewell County branch of the family. It is understood that he was a hatter near Liberty Hill, in that part of Tazewell County which was, at that time, embraced in Russell County. He selected for his home a spot where squirrels were plentiful. The old homeplace where he resided at the time of his death and where his widow lived, is located on the south side of Paint Lick Mountain within a half mile west of Liberty Hill, or Knob, as it was later called. Most of the Higginbothams were born in and near this little village. Liberty Hill is about eight miles west of Tazewell Courthouse and was formerly a prominent business and social center.

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My Southern Family

Howard BLEDSOE

11 Jan 1787 - 11 Jan 1851

ID Number: I34883

Sources

Merry Lynn BUCKLES

Artemisa CORLEY

20 Mar 1849 - 3 Dec 1928

ID Number: I914

Sources

Fielding GATEWOOD Jr.

25 May 1830 - 5 Nov 1870

ID Number: I82862

Notes

Sources

James "Moses" HIGGINBOTHAM

1755 - 1 Nov 1826

ID Number: I2444

Notes

Sources

Mary Anne HOWARD

16 Feb 1806 - ____

ID Number: I95466

Notes

Sources

Sir JOHN MOR of Lennox

____ - ____

ID Number: I86183

Sources

Sophronia "Sophie" Teresia MOSS

1863 - 1903

ID Number: I32513

Sources

Martha Patty PANNELL

22 Mar 1748 - 24 Mar 1789

ID Number: I78946

Sources

Elnora or Leona SANDIFER

1883 - ____

ID Number: I45117

Sources

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