Mystery Monday: ELIZABETH JONES, wife of THOMAS SCOTT, THOMAS MAYFIELD, or Both?

My ggg grandmother ELIZABETH JONES was born about 1783 in Granville Co NC, the daughter of NICHOLAS JONES and MARTHA "PATSY" MOORE, and granddaughter of ARTHUR MOORE who died 1821 in Franklin Co TN.

On March 3, 1802, ELIZABETH JONES married THOMAS SCOTT, as per a  marriage record from Pulaski County,  Kentucky.  On the marriage record there is a note from her parents, NICHOLAS & PATSY JONES, indicating that their daughter "was of age".

These three families, SCOTT, MOORE & JONES,  have been fairly difficult to research & trace, partly owing to their very common surnames, and the fact that they moved around a lot, their migration path being from Bertie Co NC to Granville Co NC, which part became Orange Co NC, which part became Caswell Co NC, which part became Person Co NC;  then on to Madison Co KY(1789) for several years, then through Pulaski Co KY(1800), to Rutherford Co TN (1810), Lincoln Co TN (JONES & SCOTT family, 1820),  Franklin Co TN (MOORE family, 1820) and McNairy Co TN (SCOTT family, 1830-1840).  The only saving grace is that they seemed to move together, can be found in census records together, and a few had unusual names, making them at least a little more traceable.

I verified this marriage with the marriage record mentioned above, census records,  and a biography of WILLIAM WARD SCOTT of Christian Co Missouri in the book "A Reminiscent History of the Ozark Region", by Goodspeed.  WILLIAM was the son of THOMAS SCOTT & ELIZABETH JONES who married 1802 in Pulaski Co KY;  the bio lists all the eight children of that couple--including my gg grandmother LAVINA SCOTT who married THOMAS BRUTON in McNairy Co TN.

Then, recently, I discovered a couple of records & sources indicating that a THOMAS MAYFIELD of Rutherford Co TN married an ELIZABETH JONES.  I have not found a marriage record, but the marriage may have taken place in Rutherford County Tennessee, where the MAYFIELD family lived, and where the family of NICHOLAS JONES was living in 1810.

Information on this THOMAS MAYFIELD & ELIZABETH JONES family and their children can be found in the book   "The Millers of Millersburg and Their Descendants" by John Bailey Calvert Nicklin, self-published in 1923.   Their nine children included NICHOLAS JONES MAYFIELD b abt 1820, who married ELIZABETH McCLUNG; and MARTHA MAYFIELD birthdate unknown, who married WILLIAM TANNAHILL.

And then, in the book "Land Deed Genealogy of Lincoln Co TN 1818-1828" page 27,  I found the following deed, dated Sept 16, 1818:

"THOMAS MAYFIELD of Rutherford Co TN to RHEUBEN WASHBURN of Lincoln Co TN; a tract of land...containing 10 acres, being entered by THOMAS MAYFIELD and surveyed by WILLIAM RAY. Witnessed: NICHOLAS JONES and PATSY JONES. Registered 7th Jan, 1819." 

In the following census (1820 Lincoln Co TN) REUBEN WASHBURN lived right next door to NICHOLAS JONES & MARTHA PATSY (MOORE) JONES.  So the tract of land that THOMAS MAYFIELD originally purchased was right next to them.

The evidence seems to suggest that ELIZABETH JONES who married THOMAS MAYFIELD of Rutherford Co TN was the daughter of NICHOLAS JONES & MARTH PATSY (MOORE) JONES.

 And yet in 1802, their daughter ELIZABETH JONES, my ggg grandmother, married THOMAS SCOTT and produced my gg grandmother LAVINA SCOTT in around 1815.   And the census records for THOMAS SCOTT in 1810 Rutherford Co TN, 1820 Lincoln Co TN, and 1830 McNairy Co TN show the exact number of children & correct boy/girl ratio, as listed in the bio of WILLIAM WARD SCOTT, the son of THOMAS SCOTT & ELIZABETH JONES.

So what's going on here? I see three distinct possibilities.

1) ELIZABETH JONES who married THOMAS MAYFIELD was the granddaughter of NICHOLAS JONES & MARTHA PATSY MOORE, possibly the daughter of WILLIAM JONES, who I have been researching as a possible eldest son of NICHOLAS & MARTHA.

2) ELIZABETH JONES, my ggg grandmother,  married both men.  She could have separated/divorced from THOMAS SCOTT in around 1815, after the birth of my gg grandmother LAVINA SCOTT, and married THOMAS MAYFIELD (there's little info on the birthdates of their children, but it looks like they were all born in the 1820s.).  THOMAS SCOTT could have also remarried, thus showing a couple in the census records.  However,  I have not yet found any court records to support this theory.

3) The JONES woman who married THOMAS MAYFIELD was a daughter of NICHOLAS JONES & MARTHA PATSY (MOORE) JONES, but her name was not ELIZABETH.  The only source I have found so far naming THOMAS MAYFIELD's wife as "ELIZABETH JONES" is the self-published book by John Bailey Calvert Nicklin.  The 1810 Rutherford Co TN census does show that NICHOLAS & MARTHA JONES had a second daughter born 1790-1800, plus 7 sons.  So it is entirely possible that the woman who married THOMAS MAYFIELD was indeed their daughter, but a different daughter from their eldest daughter ELIZABETH who married THOMAS SCOTT in 1802.

Death info on both women, if they are two different women, is sketchy.

The Nicklin book says that "ELIZABETH died on the day of THOMAS MAYFIELD's death"--but she is not at all mentioned in his will--which was definitely written before his death--so I'm thinking that's unlikely.  She must have died before 1846.

Here is a transcription of the will of THOMAS MAYFIELD, written Sept 22,1846 Rutherford Co TN; proved Nov Court 1846 Rutherford Co TN:

"In the name of God, I, THOMAS MAYFIELD....do make this my Last Will & Testament as follows: 1) first to my four sons and daughter, to wit: JESSE W MAYFIELD, JOHN A MAYFIELD, NICHOLAS MAYFIELD, RICHARD MAYFIELD and ELIZABETH MILLER  two negroes WAKE and HAGAR;  2) to my three daughters to wit: MARY HUTSON, JANE SMITH, and MARTHA and their bodily heirs: to my daughter MARY, one girl named MARY; to my daughter JANE, one girl named MANDY; to my daughter MARTHA one girl named HAGAR.  3) to my (son) THOMAS, one boy WESTLY, and 30 acres of land; to JOHN one house and lot in the state of Alabama, Blountsville.  And all the remaining part equally amongst my children. THOMAS MAYFIELD X his mark

ELIZABETH my ggg grandmother, who married THOMAS SCOTT in 1802,  seems to disappear off census after 1830 in McNairy Co TN.  So it is possible she died between 1830-1840. THOMAS SCOTT did not remarry, apparently, and is possibly listed in the 1840 McNairy Co TN census with the family of  his son THOMAS SCOTT Jr.  THOMAS SCOTT Sr died 1849 in Scott Spring, Greene Co Missouri, as per the bio of his son WILLIAM WARD SCOTT.

Have a great day!

Betty

© Betty Tartas  2012

Blogoversary!

Today, Aug 21, is my 4 year Blogoversary!  Thanks to all who have encouraged me and follow my posts!

Here's to many more!

Have a great day-

Betty

Surname Saturday: Major RICHARD SANDERS of Caswell Co NC and Wilson Co TN

For the past several months, I have been spending most of my time actively researching my SAUNDERS or SANDERS family of Virginia, North Carolina & Tennessee.  I have been working with Justin Sanders trying to connect his branch of the SANDERS family, from Bedford Co TN & Sevier Co AR, to my branch of the family, which produced NC judge & statesman ROMULUS MITCHELL SAUNDERS.  Gary Sanders of the Sanders DNA project has also provided help & support.

Basically we've been researching the four sons of JAMES SAUNDERS Sr b about 1706  New Kent Co VA who died May 1776 Orange Co NC (which part later became Caswell Co NC).  He likely married 1st) ANNE PATTERSON, sister of GIDEON PATTERSON (established thru Virginia & Caswell Co NC deeds) and, possibly, 2nd) CASSANDRA HAYDEN or HAIDEN (no primary source records).  The sons were:

--Col JAMES SAUNDERS or SANDERS  b about 1733 VA, never married, died 1825 Caswell Co NC as per his will, and left all his property to his siblings, nieces & nephews (see previous blogpost). He was a politically prominent person in Caswell Co NC, and after the 1803 death of his youngest brother, Capt WILLIAM SAUNDERS  in Smith Co TN, Col JAMES raised Capt WILLIAM's son ROMULUS MITCHELL SAUNDERS.

--THOMAS SAUNDERS or SANDERS b abt 1735 VA, who married MARY MITCHELL (maiden name unverified), and lived on lands in Buckingham Co VA which belonged previously to his father JAMES SAUNDERS Sr (this can be proven through the few deeds that exist). THOMAS & MARY lived in Buckingham Co VA until at least 1800, and then joined their children in Sumner & Davidson Co TN, where THOMAS died in 1812.  THOMAS is not mentioned at all in the May 1776 Orange Co NC will of his father JAMES SAUNDERS Sr, but he is named as a deceased  brother and his children as nieces & nephews in the 1825 Caswell Co NC will of Col JAMES SAUNDERS or SANDERS

--Major RICHARD SAUNDERS or SANDERS b 1756 VA, married ELIZABETH "BETSY" PAYNE b March 31, 1763 Goochland Co VA. This blogpost will be about the records we have found for him.

--Capt WILLIAM SAUNDERS or SANDERS, b 1759 in VA; married 1st) ELIZABETH "BETSY" MITCHELL (not HANNAH!!!) and 2nd) NANCY CUNNINGHAM. Lived in Caswell Co NC until at least 1795, then moved to Sumner Co TN, which part became Smith Co TN by the time he died in 1803. He was the father of NC statesman ROMULUS MITCHELL SAUNDERS.

There is major confusion about this SANDERS/SAUNDERS family.  Most researchers simply regurgitate the information found in the 1899 book "Early Settlers of Alabama" by James Edmond Saunders, which is mostly incorrect for this particular line, and which attributes some or all of these four brothers to a couple named WILLIAM SAUNDERS & AGNES ADAMS.  I have never found any primary source records for this couple and in fact believe that they never existed.  After 12 years of research, it is now clear to me that for this branch of the SANDERS/SAUNDERS family, the author James Edmond Saunders actually scrambled together at least two different, but related, SANDERS/SAUNDERS families from VA & NC.

Major RICHARD SANDERS b 1756 married ELIZABETH BETSY PAYNE, the daughter of ROBERT PAYNE b 1738 Goochland Co VA, d bef May 1791 Pittsylvania Co VA, and ANNE BURTON, and granddaughter of JOSIAH PAYNE b Oct 30, 1705 in Goochland Co VA, d March 5, 1785 in Pittsylvania Co VA, & ANNE FLEMING.

I have not yet found a marriage record for them, but in ROBERT PAYNE's 1791 Pittsylvania Co VA will, his daughter is listed as BETSY SANDERS.  The PAYNE surname is carried through the children & grandchildren of Maj RICHARD SANDERS & ELIZABETH BETSY PAYNE. Here is a list of their children as per his 1834 Wilson Co TN will:

--JAMES P SANDERS b 1782 Caswell Co NC; married possibly MARY POLLY DIX Sept 22, 1809 Caswell Co NC; prob died TN.

--ANN PAYNE SANDERS b abt 1784 Caswell Co NC, d aft 1870 Dallas Co AR; m JOSIAH SAMUEL(S) Feb 27, 1804 Caswell Co NC, only one child ELIZABETH BETSY PAYNE SAMUELS who married THOMAS ATKINSON (all three named in the 1825 Caswell NC will of Col JAMES SANDERS).  ANN never remarried after her husband died in 1827, and moved with her daughter's family to Dallas Co AR (as per census).

--JOSIAH PAYNE SANDERS b abt 1790 Caswell Co NC, d after 1835 in TN.  Wife unknown; was listed in the 1830 Wilson Co TN census just below his father, and just above his brother NATHANIEL. (named as "Joseph P Sanders" son of Richard in the 1825 Caswell Co NC will of Col JAMES SANDERS)

--ELIZABETH SANDERS b abt 1800 Caswell Co NC, d after 1835 TN; married unknown WIER or WEIR.

--NATHANIEL C SANDERS b abt 1801 Caswell Co NC; d after 1835 TN; married possibly NAOMI SOMERS/SUMMERS Feb 2, 1822 Wilson Co TN

--WILLIAM SANDERS b abt 1803 Caswell Co NC; d after 1835 TN; he was living in Smith Co TN by 1833, according to a court record involving one of his father's slaves, and was involved in the "tobacco manufacturing business".

According to census records, Maj RICHARD SANDERS lived in Caswell Co NC until 1820.  His wife died before 1810 census, and it appears that he did not  remarry.  The census also shows that he had two more sons than are named in this will, born 1790-1800.

Maj RICHARD SANDERS moved to Wilson Co TN sometime after the 1820 Caswell Co NC census but before the 1830 Wilson Co TN census.  He is enumerated in the 1830 Wilson Co TN census as simply "Richard" with no surname,  making him difficult to find by searching on Ancestry.com or other such sites.  The record shows an elderly man living with a younger couple & children, and many slaves. He is listed directly above his sons JOSIAH P SANDERS & NATHANIEL SANDERS in the census record.

Maj RICHARD SANDERS did fight in the Revolutionary War (Caswell Co NC), and applied for his pension in 1832 in Sumner & Wilson Co TN.  His pension file is available on the website Fold3.com  According to the pension file, he died Feb 13, 1834.  His will was probated the following year, Feb 3, 1835.  Here is an abstract of the will of Maj RICHARD SANDERS:

--Will probated Feb 3, 1835 Wilson Co TN (one other source online says Bedford Co TN, but that is incorrect).  Heirs: sons JAMES, NATHANIEL C,  JOSIAH P, and WILLIAM SANDERS; daus ANN P SAMUEL, and ELIZABETH WEIR; AGNES SANDERS, ROLFE S SANDERS & MARY ANN ELIZABETH SANDERS, the children of his son JOSIAH P SANDERS;  GEORGE WASHINGTON LAFAYETTE SANDERS, child of his son WILLIAM SANDERS. Wilson Co TN Will book 1834-1837, p 78


If you have questions, please contact me.  I have accumulated  an extensive list of primary & secondary sources for these families.

Have a great day!

Betty

© Betty Tartas  2012