Marcum Family Biography

This biography of the Marcum family starts with James Marcum, my Great Grandfather.  He is the father of Etta Marcum who is my paternal grandmother.  In other words, my dad’s mother.  I have already written a bio for her and her husband Edward Markham, my paternal grandfather.  I’ll cover what I know about the Marcums, what I don’t know, my speculation as to possible ancestral connections, and how DNA analysis helped to discover several of my ancestors.  I’ll include great grandfathers and great grandmothers where I know them. 

There seems to be a theme in that the Marcums kept a low profile, they were “under the radar.”  This makes them harder to research.  In addition, many records in Tennessee and Kentucky have been lost.  Fires destroyed a lot of records.  For example, while the first U.S. Federal Census was taken in 1790, the first surviving census for Tennessee is 1830.  Records for Virginia are not available until 1810.  Many early census records were destroyed when the British burned several office buildings in Washington, D.C. during the War of 1812.  Records for birth, marriage and death weren’t required to be kept in Campbell County, Tennessee until 1838.  The Campbell County courthouse was damaged by fires in 1826 and 1883 which meant losing papers and records.

How did my name become Marcum when my dad was a Markham?  My dad was born Theodore Edward Markham.  He was known as Ed.  His parents were Edward and Etta Markham.  After separating from his first wife, he changed his surname to Marcum.  He did this as his mother’s maiden name was Marcum.  He was a Marcum when he married his second wife, who would become my mom.  Thus, I’m a Marcum by birth, and a Markham by lineage.

Origins of the Markham Name

The Marcum name comes as a variation of the spelling of Markham.  The name began in England, in Nottinghamshire, at a parish called Markham.  Today there are two villages, East and West Markham.  The population of the combined villages is about 1400 people.  East Markham is home to St. John the Baptist church.  This church, which we visited in 2011, was built in the 1300’s.  Inside there is the tomb of Judge John Markham who died in 1409.

The early spelling was Marcham.  It is a surname of origin, the first (and only) people to use “de Marcham” and then later “Markham” were those who lived there.  The name Markham comes from two words: “ham,” which means village, and “mark,” which is cultivated township land.^[1]  Before the use of surnames became commonplace a person named John would have been referred to as John of Markham.

There are many variations of the spelling of Markham.  Marcum is one of those, others include Markam, Markem, Markum, Marcham and Marcom.  I think that as the early Markhams in Virginia migrated to Tennessee and Kentucky, one or more of the family lines started using the spelling of Marcum. 

A large part of this biography focuses on Marcums in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia.  In the 1840’s there were 92 Marcum families identified in the U.S. Federal Census.  Half of these lived in Tennessee and Kentucky.  For the Markham surname, there were 187 families in the U.S.  The most Markhams were in New York, at 34%.

The Y-DNA of most male Markhams/Marcums does trace back to Markham, England.   This is shown by a DNA project at Family Tree DNA for Markham/Marcum.  There are many current members of this project whose Y-DNA is the group R-M269.  Some members have traced their ancestry back to known descendants of Markham, England.  The first generally recognized Markham is Sir Alexander Markham (referred to as Alexander de Marcham) who was born around 1130 and lived in Markham, England.

James Marcum

James Marcum is the father of Etta Marcum, who is the mother of my dad, Ed.  James is my great grandfather.  He was born in about 1833 in Campbell County, Tennessee.  The exact date is not known.  A summary of a church entry saved at the Family History Library (familysearch.org) has the date of November 17, 1833.  But there is no source for this record, and the specific church is not listed.  I have not been able to find this record anywhere else.  His gravestone says he was born in 1832.  On the 1850 Federal Census his age is listed as being 13, which would put his birth year at 1837.  On the 1900 Federal Census he lists his birth as being in November of 1833. 

James died in 1917 at age 83 or 84.  This date is from his gravestone.  He died in Union township, Wright County, Missouri and is buried in Mount Zion Cuba Cemetery in Grovespring, Missouri.

His mother is Biddy Jane.  This is shown on the 1850 Federal Census.  She was born about 1813 in Tennessee, which is from her age on Federal Census records.  She died after 1880 in Union, Wright County, Missouri.  There is a birth record posted for her at the Family History Library, but it does not specify the source.  This record shows her maiden name as being Pemberton and her birth year as 1818.  Many online genealogy trees have her last name as Pemberton. This could be correct but we have not found any proof of this.  There were Pembertons in Cambell County, Tennessee at this time.  But I have not been able to prove a Pemberton father for her.

The father of James Marcum is not known.  Many online trees have his father as being Richard A. Marcum.  But we have not found any proof of this.  There is no record of a Richard Marcum in Campell County in this timeframe.  An interesting note is that on Ancestry.com there are 250 family trees containing a Richard A. Marcum as the father of James.  Of course, many of these were just copied from another erroneous tree.  None of them contain a source to prove this relationship.  For DNA matches, I have 185 DNA matches on Ancestry.com that have Richard A. Marcum in their family tree.  But again, Richard was copied erroneously.  I would like to find the person that was the first to place Richard as the father of James.  I’d like to know where they got the information to do this.  As I’ve said, I have not been able to find anything to prove this.

Biddy Jane is shown as a Marcum on census records and tax records.  All four of her children are Marcums, and she is listed as Biddy Jane Marcum on the 1850 Federal Census (which is the first census we find her listed on).  She is shown to be the head of household.  Her husband must have been deceased at that point and she was a widow.  Biddy Janes’ fourth and last child was born in 1847, so her husband must have been alive until at least then.  Given that Biddy Jane was born around 1813, the father of her children would probably have been born about the same time.

James married Nancy Jane Brown on June 9, 1857 in Wayne County, Kentucky.^[2]  Nancy Jane was born in 1840 in Wayne County, Kentucky.^[3]  She died after 1880 and before 1884 in Glasgow Junction, Barren County, Kentucky.  She was listed on the 1880 Federal Census.  James married his second wife, Martha Pedigo, on February 8, 1884.^[4]  Nancy Jane’s burial location is unknown.

Nancy’s parents were William “Willie” Brown and Sarah Sallie Wood (1820-1894).  Willie was born in 1819 in Adair County, Kentucky and died in 1855 in Wayne County, Kentucky.  Sarah was born March 20, 1820 in Madison County, Kentucky.  She died December 23, 1894 in Wright County, Missouri.

James and Nancy had the following children:

• Anna Marcum, born 1858, Kentucky; married Simon Adams, 1875; died in 1902, Wise County, Texas.
  
• Arthur W. Marcum was born on 11 May 1859 in Wayne County, KY. He died on 14 Jun 1910 at the age of 51 in Union, Wright, Missouri.  He is buried in O’Dell Cemetery in an unmarked grave. He died from TB.  Arthur was a farmer.  Missouri death certificate #19049 lists his parents as James Marcum (TN) & Nancy Brown (KY).  James Marcum signed the death certificate. He was buried in Wright County, Missouri.
  
• William Marcum, born 30 Mar 1860, Wayne County, KY; married Annalocka Jane “Janie” Wisdom, 16 Sep 1880, Barren County, Kentucky; died 31 Mar 1900, Wright County, Missouri.
  
• Francis Marion Marcum, born 28 Mar 1864, Wayne County, KY; married Florence Mansfield, abt. 1889; died 8 Mar 1919, Union, Wright, Missouri.
  
• Lindy “Malinda” Marcum, born 1866, Wayne County, KY; married John Crumpton, 11 Jul 1884, Glasgow Junction, Barren, KY; died 4 Feb 1921, Joplin, Missouri.
  
• Sallie “Sarah” Marcum, born 1867, Wayne County, KY; married Charles E Atkinson, 1887; died 29 Mar 1935, Franklin, Laclede, Missouri.
  
• Biddy Marcum, born 9 Oct 1870, Glasgow Junction, Barren, KY; married Hershell Porter Huckaby, 23 Mar 1895, Webb City, Jasper, Missouri; died Feb 1921, Joplin, Jasper, Missouri.
  
• Nancy Marcum, born 1874, Glasgow Junction, Barren, KY; married John C Morgan, 1891; died 25 Sep 1936, Seattle, King, Washington.
  
• Etta “Maryetta” Marcum, born 16 May 1875, Glasgow Junction, Barren, KY; married first John Allemann, 22 Oct 1893, Carthage, Jasper, Missouri; married second Edward Markham, 22 Oct 1914, Carthage, Jasper, Missouri; died 12 Feb 1951, Miami, Ottawa, Oklahoma.  Etta and Edward are my paternal grandparents.
  

After the death of Nancy Jane, James married Martha Pedigo on February 8, 1884 in Barren County, Kentucky.  James and Martha had the following children:

• Mandy Marcum, born 4 Jul 1885, Barren County, Kentucky, USA; died 4 Mar 1935, Missouri.
  
• Benjamin Marcum, born 19 Nov 1886, Kentucky; died May 1986, Clinton, Henry, Missouri.

• Vada Marcum, born 3 Jun 1892, Missouri; married Charles Harrison Pitts, 19 Nov 1912, Laclede County, Missouri; died Apr 1967, Missouri

The marriage record for James and Nancy Jane contains this statement about James: “born at the house of Elizabeth Marcum in Campbell County, Tennessee.”  This gives us his birth location, but raises a question about who Elizabeth is.  There is an Elizabeth on the 1830 Federal Census in Campbell County and she is a head of household.  Her age is 30-40, which means she was born in the 1790’s.  I assume that Marcum is her married name and her husband is deceased.  Then she is in Wayne County, Kentucky on the 1840, 1850 and 1860 Federal Census Records.  This move to Wayne County around 1840 aligns with Biddy Jane also moving to Wayne County before her second child was born in 1842. 

Here are some other records and information for Elizabeth:

• A fellow named Sampson David ran a general store in Jacksboro in Campbell County.^[5]  After his death his wife Martha ran the store.  Then after her death a probate inventory was conducted which included the items in the account book for the store.^[6]  In this account book there is an entry for Elizabeth Marcum for March, 1827 for $7.62.  This means she bought some items on credit at the store.
• In September 1833 Elizabeth Marcum entered for 25 acres of land in Campbell County on Buffalo Creek.^[7]  Entering for land was the first step to receive a Land Grant from the state of Tennessee.  We did not find a record that finalized a Land Grant for Elizabeth.  But she was most likely living on this land, you could basically stake out some land that wasn’t already spoken for and claim it as yours by submitting an entry for a land grant.  The Buffalo Creek area is also where other Marcums lived.  We will explore this more.
• Elizabeth is on the Wayne County, Kentucky Tax Records beginning in 1840 and continuing through 1862.^[8]  She and Biddy Jane are shown to be living in the same area based on these records.  Biddy Jane is on these records beginning in 1844 (her second child was born in Wayne County in 1842).
• Elizabeth and Biddy Jane live close to each other according to the 1850 census in Wayne County.  They are 5 entries or dwellings apart.  So, while not living together, they are in close proximity.  Elizabeth is shown as owning land.  Biddy Jane, while being head of household and with her children living with her, does not own land.

Elizabeth and Biddy Jane are likely related somehow.  But there are questions about this.  Are they both widows who had married a Marcum, who then must have died relatively young?  Why didn’t Elizabeth and Biddy Jane live together?  For an adult woman to live as a head of household in those remote areas would have been challenging. 

I can’t prove who Elizabeth’s parents were using traditional genealogy research.  But using DNA analysis I have been able to put together several relationships.  Some of these are relationships I did find on Wikitree and Find-A-Grave, but they did not have any source documentation.  The DNA analysis shows that I have various levels of cousin relationships with dozens of people who are descended from Jordan Delk and Martha Byrd, as well as Arthur Marcum and Anna (Bransgrove) Marcum. This can only be true if I also have an ancestoral connection to the same group.  Each cousin relationship must have a common ancestor, a grandparent that we share.  So, the proof of Delk, Byrd and Arthur/Anna being my ancestors is based upon these DNA connections.  I used the Thrulines tool on Ancestry.com to do this analysis.

I believe that Elizabeth’s mother was Martha “Patsy” Byrd.  Elizabeth Bird was born out of wedlock in about 1798 in Buncombe Co., North Carolina to Martha.  The father was Jordan Delk.  Since she was not married, Martha gave Elizabeth her Byrd surname.  Martha and Delk were neighbors.  On December 12, 1807 Martha sold her land in North Carolina and moved to Campbell County, Tennessee.^[9]  Three days earlier, on December 9, 1807, Delk had sold his land.  He also went to Campbell County.

On the 1830 census Martha is with her son William Byrd in Campbell County.  William was a brother to Elizabeth, and also to John Byrd.  In addition to daughter Elizabeth, Martha had three sons:  William, John, and Jesse.  She also had another daughter named Isabelle.  I do not know the father of Martha’s other children.  It appears that Martha was never married and that her maiden name was Byrd.  This certainly seems odd, but based upon the available information this appears to be the case.

The plot thickens here.  John Byrd was murdered while on a hunting trip by himself in Campbell County.  The only suspect was a Joe Marcum.  But there wasn’t enough evidence to try and convict him.  It was known that the two men apparently did not get along, but that wasn’t enough proof to accuse him in court.

I found an article posted on Ancestry.com attached to the Byrd family.  It is titled “The Byrds of Scott County Tennessee” and was written by Paul W. Lemasters.  It tells the story of John Byrd’s murder.

It is possible that Elizabeth married a man named Joseph Marcum.  This would have been in Campbell County.  She is thought to have had a son named Simeon Marcum.  The source for establishing Simeon as a son of Elizabeth comes from his death certificate.^[10]  His mother is listed as Bettie Byrd and father as S. Marcum.  Bettie is a nickname for Elizabeth, especially from the past.^[11]  Simeon was born in Campbell County, Tennessee in about 1833.  This is where Elizabeth was. 

The S. on the death certificate could be for Joseph Simeon Marcum.  He must have died before 1830 as Elizabeth is on the census for that year as a head of household.   But Simeon was born in 1833 according to his death certificate.  This doesn’t fit.  There is a Jo on the 1830 census that could be Joseph, and this obviously doesn’t fit either.  Why would he be living separately on the census?  Another part of the story is that this Joseph is the son of Arthur and Anna, who are discussed further below.  And he could be the Joe Marcum suspected of murdering John Bird.

Another twist to this story is that John Byrd supposably fathered a child with Tabitha Marcum out of wedlock.  Neither of them was married at the time.  The child was named Lavena Marcum, born in 1824 in Campbell County.  Tabitha was a sister to Joseph Marcum.  Perhaps Joseph, or Joe, didn’t like what John Byrd did to his sister.

If the mother to son relationship is true for Elizabeth and Simeon, then this is another indicator that Elizabeth’s maiden name is Byrd.  There are quite a few Byrd’s in Campbell County.  Simeon sold land to a Joseph Byrd in Campbell County in 1869 (which was Scott County at that time).  We have not researched this further.

I believe that the connection between Elizabeth and Biddy Jane is mother and daughter.  This is why they stayed close to each other in Campbell County, Tennessee and in Wayne County, Kentucky.  And Biddy’s first child, which is James, was born at Elizabeth’s house.  The last record we have for Elizabeth is the 1860 Federal Census.  She was 65 years old at that point.  She must have passed away after that.

To summarize the relationships starting with James, while we still don’t know who James’ father was, we know his mother was Biddy Jane.  Biddy Jane’s mother was Elizabeth Byrd.  Elizabeth’s mother was Martha Byrd and her biological father was Jordan Delk.  Elizabeth may have been married to Joseph Marcum. Joseph’s parents were Arthur Marcum and Anna (Bransgrove).

While I can’t prove a genealogical relationship to Arthur and Anna, I can show that I have dozens of DNA matches to cousins who are descended from them.  The DNA matches are through the various children of Arthur and Anna, so it’s not just one line (which could be an incorrect connection).  My match with these cousins must have a common ancestor, and this is Arthur and Anna.  Based on this, I do believe that Arthur and Anna are my 4^th Great Grandparents.  And my line to them goes through James.

The Two Arthur Story

At this point I need to explain some confusion surrounding Arthur, my 4^th Great Grandfather.  There were two Arthurs in Virginia in the same timeframe.  I’ll refer to “my” Arthur as “Tennessee Arthur” as he moved from Virginia to Tennessee.  I’ll refer to the other Arthur as “Georgia Arthur” as he moved from Virginia to Georgia.  After a vast amount of research, I have determined that Georgia Arthur is really Arthur III, being the son of Arthur II.  I do not know the origin of Tennessee Arthur.  The first year I have records for him is in 1794 when he shows up on the Washington County, Virginia tax list.  He also marries Anna that same year.  The vast majority of Marcum trees on Ancestry.com have a single Arthur III being the son of Arthur II, the distinction of two Arthurs is not known.  One source that does distinguish Georgia Arthur separately is a book written by William H. and Fonda Marcum titled “The Way it Was with Our Ancestors.”  Written in 1892 and self-published, this book is a wonderful source of information regarding the Markham/Marcum line from Thomas Markham arriving in Virginia around 1635 down to Arthur III in Georgia.  The author William Marcum is descended from this Arthur III and conducted extensive research.  This is the only source I have seen that acknowledges a second Arthur in Tennessee.

To further elaborate on this, at the time I’m writing this I have 137 DNA matches to cousins with Arthur II as the common ancestor.  This is on Ancestry.com using the DNA Thrulines tool.  Of the 137 matches, 82 are through Tennessee Arthur (These trees are incorrect, as I have stated Tennessee Arthur is not the son of Arthur II but these trees wrongly show that he is).  The remaining 55 are to Arthur II through the siblings of Arthur III – James, John, Thomas, and Sarah.  Cousin matches through the siblings of Arthur III show that our common ancestor is Arthur II.  This shows that I am descended from both Tennessee Arthur and Arthur II, even though Tennessee Arthur is not the son of Arthur II.

I’ll describe the line going back from Arthur II later, which includes Arthur II > Arthur I > Thomas Jr. > Thomas Sr.   Thomas Sr. is the immigrant ancestor for my Marcum line.  The early ancestors went by Markham.  Over time some lines started going by Marcum.  But this is inconsistent, sometimes they even switch back and forth. 

This means that James’ great grandparents were Tennessee Arthur and Anna Marcum.  Arthur was born about 1763 in Prince Edward County, Virginia and died before 1830 in Campbell County, Tennessee as he isn’t on that year’s census records.  He and Anna were married in 1794 in Washington County, Virginia and moved to Tennessee in about 1800.  Anna was born about 1779 in Washington Co., and died after 1854 in Scott County, Tennessee.  Her maiden name was Bransgrove.

As a note, Scott County was formed in 1849 from Campbell County, which was formed in 1806 from Anderson County.  Arthur and Anna went to Anderson County in their 1800 move.  The area they lived in, Buffalo Creek, would have the county named changed twice after that, becoming Scott County.

Much of the information about Arthur and Anna comes from two sources.  First, a Revolutionary War pension request letter written in 1851 by Anna.^[12]  This is where her birth year is derived.  It also validates her marriage to Arthur, the birth year of Arthur, and that the couple moved from Washington County, Virginia to Anderson County, Tennessee in about 1800.  We also have the record showing their marriage on June 26, 1794 in Washington County, Virginia.^[13] 

Second, there is a story written by Julia Ann Marcum in 1926.  She wrote her personal story about her experience in the Civil War.^[14]  This Julia is the daughter of Hiram C. Marcum, who is the son of Arthur and Anna.  In the story she lists her father’s parents and her father’s siblings.  Julia is the only woman in the United States to have received a Civil War pension on her own merit.  An original copy of her story can be found at https://www.kyhistory.com/digital/collection/MS/id/10182.  It’s a great story that is well worth reading.  It also provides genealogical information by listing the names of the children of Arthur and Anna, as well as the children of Hiram.  Children of Arthur and Anna are:

• Joseph – Birth date unknown, probably born around 1795 in Washington County, Virginia.
  • Joseph is mentioned in a land survey record in 1825 as a former landowner of property on Buffalo Creek.^[15]  This surveyor record says that Joseph sold his land to Fredrick Smith (I have not been able to find this land record).  Fredrick is the husband of Joseph’s sister Tabitha. 
  • Another record we have found for Joseph in this timeframe is an entry in the Sampson David account book.  In 1824 he owed $1.30.^[16]
  • The name Jo Marcum is on the 1830 Federal Census in Campbell County.  This could be Joseph, but it could be a Josiah or John.  He is age listed as 20-30, and there is a woman/wife that is also 20-30, along with two female children.  There is also a John on the 1840 Federal Census (no Jo or Joseph), but this one is in the same 20-29 age group as the Jo in 1830 (which if it’s the same person should be 10 years older).
  • There is an 1831 land record for Fredrick Smith where Fredrick is selling a piece of land to John McKiney.^[17]  Interestingly, Joseph Marcum is paying the $45 for the sixteen acres of land.  There is no additional information to explain the relationship between Joseph and McKiney, why Joseph is paying.  But we do know that Joseph sold land to Fredrick several years earlier.
• Phariba “Polly” – Born about 1806, assuming she was older than her sisters.  The 1850 census, which shows her being the wife of Reason West, indicates she is 37 years old, so born in 1813.  But this seems to conflict with the births of other siblings.  She is listed in the Sampson David Account Book in 1824, I doubt she would have received credit if she was younger than 18.  Married Reason West in 1830.
• Tabitha – Born about 1808 (from the 1850 census).  Entry in Sampson David Account Book for 1824.  Married Frederic Smith in 1835.
• Lavina – Born about 1810 (from the 1850 census).  Was married to Elisha Daugherty in 1839.  On the 1830 census Elisha is next door to Anna, who has Lavina living with her.  They are shown together on the 1840 census. Interestingly, on the 1850 census she was listed as Lavina Marcum and was the head of household.  Her children were also listed as Marcum.  On the 1860 census she is living with Elisha again, the children are shown as Daugherty.  Then, she did divorce Elisha in 1862.
  • There is some confusion about Lavina.  There is another Lavina Marcum born about 1824 that married Jarett Trammell in 1839.  This Lavina is the daughter of Tabitha (daughter of Authur and Anna) and was born out of wedlock with the father being John Bird (Tabitha would later marry Fredrick Smith).  This John Bird was murdered while hunting.
• John – Born about 1812 (from the 1850 census).  Married Rachael West.  Is in court records as being road surveyor, a witness for trials, being constable and other things.^[18]  Sometimes he is in these records along with brothers Hiram, George, and William. 
  • Rachael West is the sister of Reuben West (this is from Wikitree), Reuben West is the father of Reason West.  Reason is a witness for Anna’s court case.   This shows another connection between John, the husband of Rachael West, and Arthur and Anna.
  • There is another John Marcum in Campbell County about the same age that married Catherine Delap.  He died in 1847.  His parents are not known.
• Hiram C. – Born about 1813 (from the 1850 census); married Permelia Huff.  Hiram is the father of Julia who wrote the Civil War story mentioned above.
• George W.  – Born about 1816 (from the 1860 and 1870 census); married Mary Ann Hanks in 1843.
• Arthur – Born about 1818 (from the 1860 and 1870 census); married Nancy Delk in 1843.
• William C. – Born about 1821 (from the 1850 census); married Cynthia Gentry in 1846.
  • There is another William Marcum, also born in 1821 (also on the 1850 census); married to Lucinda.  This other William does live close to Hiram on the 1850 census.  His parents are not known.

An observation is the 10 years between the births of their first and second children, Joseph and Phariba.  After this the rest of the kids are born pretty evenly apart.  Ten years is obviously a long time between children.  Perhaps Anna had several miscarriages or they lost some babies very early.  I have not been able to find any records to explain this gap. 

Here are the records we found for Arthur and Anna:

• Arthur on the 1794 and 1795 tax list for Washington Co., Virginia.^[19] 
• Arthur and Anna were married in 1794.
• He is on the Lee Co., Virginia tax lists from 1796 to 1801.^[20]
• Arthur on the 1802 tax list for Anderson Co., Tennessee.^[21]
• Arthur on the 1804 list of those in Anderson Co. Court recs with taxes not paid. ^[22]
• Arthur – We could not find any land records for him in Virginia or Tennessee.  However, Anderson County land records are not available online (where they lived was Anderson County until 1806, then it became Campbell County).  We searched early Tennessee, Virginia, and North Carolina land grants, and also all available Anderson County and Campbell County records.  He would have certainly acquired land when they moved from Virginia to Tennessee.  But we have not found a record of that.
• There is a land grant entered in 1815 by Anna and received in 1823 for 10 acres on Buffalo Creek.^[23]  This raises the question of why isn’t Arthur listed on this.  It does not make sense.
• Anna is listed as owing money in the Sampson David Account Book in 1827.^[24]
• She entered another land grant in 1828 and received title to the land in 1836.  This was 50 acres next to her original 10 acres on Buffalo Creek.^[25]
• Anna is on the 1830 Federal Census as a head of household. 
• Anna is on the 1838 & 1839 tax lists for Campbell Co.^[26]  Note:  tax lists are available for Anderson County only in 1802 and 1805; for Campbell County they are only available for 1836, 1838 and 1839.  I was not able to access 1836.
• She is living with her son Hiram on the 1840 census.
• In the Campbell Co. Court Minutes for 1844, Ann Marcum is given $10 to care for Sarah Wilkison.^[27]
• She transfers 60 acres of land to her sons Hiram and George in 1845.  The deed says “for the love and affection entertained for my sons Hiram C. Marcum and George W. Marcum.”^[28]
• From 1847 to 1853 Anna was in a prolonged court case with Thomas Chambers.  We have not been able to access the original case, 1847 is not available online.  But 1848 to 1853 are online.  We don’t know the premise of the original case, but she had put up part of her land for security.  Then she later sued Chambers for trespassing.  She won the initial trespassing case then lost the appeal.
• She is on the 1850 census as a head of household living by herself at the age of 72.
• As mentioned above, in 1851 she wrote a letter requestion a Revolutionary War pension.  Her request was denied due to a lack of documentation.
• In 1854 she gives land to her daughter Lavina Daugherty.^[29]  The land is on Buffalo Creek but the acreage is not specified.  Based on her acquiring 60 acres before and giving 60 acres to her sons, it is not clear where this land came from.  She would have been 76 years old at this point.  As Anna signed her land documents with an X, this indicates that she could not read and write.

There is no Richard A. to be found in Campbell County.  With James being born in the early 1830’s, his father would need to have been born around 1810 or earlier.  Arthur and Anna were in Campbell County, Tennessee at that point.   They lived in the Buffalo Creek area.  I mentioned earlier the marriage record for James and Nancy Jane saying that James was born at the house of Elizabeth in Campbell County.  Elizabeth applied for land in the Buffalo Creek area.  They were all in that same vicinity. 

Another observation is that James and Nancy Jane named their first two children Anna and Arthur.  Biddy Jane also had a son named Arthur.  Kids were commonly named for family members.  This certainly is another clue.

With the connection back to Arthur and Anna, then the Marcum line does trace back to a Thomas Markham/Marcum that arrived in Henrico County, Virginia before 1635.^[30]  Many Marcum’s in the southeast part of the country probably descend from this Thomas.  And I do believe this Thomas is the ancestor of my James.  I’ll lay out this ancestral line further below.

In addition to Arthur, there were several other Marcum men in Campbell County.  Campbell was called Anderson County before 1806, and then before that Grainger County, and before that Hawkins County.  Before Hawkins being a county Tennessee was not a state, becoming one in 1796.  It is a little confusing before this, but for a while today’s eastern Tennessee was part of western North Carolina.  Early land grants for today’s eastern Tennessee are in the North Carolina records.

Here’s a summary of other Markham/Marcum men in Anderson/Campbell County early on:

• William – He is on the 1805 Anderson County tax list.^[31]  He is mentioned in a court case in 1806^[32] and is on a jury in 1808.^[33]  His will is dated 1808 and lists his wife Obedience.^[34]  A witness is Tabitha who is William’s daughter and married Robert Delap.
  • William’s ancestral line goes back to a Lewis Markham.  Lewis was in the Potomac area of Westmoreland County, Virginia by about 1660.  He lived on an estate of George Washington’s grandfather, Lawrence Washington.  He was a Justice of the Peace and operated a tavern in Westmoreland.  This is a separate Markham line from Thomas.
• Josiah – On the 1802 tax list.^[35]  Also in Court minutes for recording his livestock mark in 1802.^[36]
  • Brother of William, also goes back to Lewis
  • Josiah and William both had land in the same area of Washington County, Virginia which was called Poor Valley; and are on that county’s tax lists.  They are also on the Lee County tax lists.
• Bartlett – From the 1805 tax list.^[37]
  • Brother of William and Josiah.
• Joseph – Listed in an 1802 court case as being not guilty.^[38]  Was also on a jury in 1802.^[39]  There is also a Joseph who signed multiple land grants as a witness in 1797.^[40]  These dates are too early for this Joseph to be the son of Arthur and Anna.
• John – Listed in an 1804 court record for his poll tax not being paid.^[41]
  • There are multiple entries for a John Marcum in early Tennessee land grant records, but the county is not always indicated in the summary entries.
• Stephen – Referenced in an Anderson Co. court case in 1803.^[42]
• Jacob – In a book about the history of Tennessee is this: “Shadrach Morris and Jacob Marcum came to the Cove with Micajah Cross.”  Cross was the first white man to bring his family into the cove for permanent settlement, in 1798.  This reference to the Cove is an area in Anderson County.  From: “The Land of the Lake,” by Dr. G. L. Ridenour, page 16.^[43]

Getting back to James

Some or all of these men could be related to James.  As mentioned earlier, many records for this area were either not kept or have been lost or destroyed.  Genealogical research suffers because of this. 

James was born in the Buffalo Creek area of Campbell County, Tennessee.  The population of the county was 5,110 in 1830.  The closest town was Jacksboro, about 10 miles away.  So, they lived in a pretty isolated area.  I would say they lived out in the “boonies.”  James would have learned at a young age how to live off the land.  They would have grown vegetables and fruit, and gone hunting for meat.  They basically lived a subsistence lifestyle.  Going to town would have been a big deal.

There were other Marcum families living in the Buffalo Creek area.  Elizabeth lived there.  So did Anna, widow of Arthur who had passed away before the birth of James.  Anna’s children did as well, particularly Hiram, George, John, William, Lavina and Tabitha.  They would have helped each other and gotten together at times.  James was the only child of Biddy Jane while they lived at Buffalo Creek.

The family moved to Wayne County, Kentucky by 1842.  This is where James’ younger brother Arthur was born.  We could not find Biddy Jane on the 1840 Federal Census for either Tennessee or Kentucky.  As only head of households are listed on the census records before 1850, she and James may have been living with someone else.  In Wayne County they lived in the South Fork Creek area close to Parmleysville, a very small place in the southeast part of the county.

After her second son, Arthur, Biddy Jane would have two more children in Wayne County.  Sarah was born in 1845 and William was born in 1847.  Biddy is listed on the 1850 Federal Census as a head of household with her four children.  Her husband must have been deceased at this point.  This census also tells us that Biddy does not own real estate, and that she cannot read and write.  James and Arthur did attend school.  Biddy and James were born in Tennessee.  Arthur, Sarah, and William were born in Kentucky. 

As the oldest child and son, and with no father, James would have had a big responsibility to help his mother with the household.

James married Nancy Jane Brown on June 9, 1857 in Wayne County.  The marriage record contains a lot of useful information.  It says her middle name is Ann, but she seems to be most often referred to as Nancy Jane.  They were married “at the house of Calvin Jones.”  Others present were George Gibson, James Gibson, Bellpha (Belfield) Woods and Sim Markcum.  The Gibsons lived close by, as seen on the 1850 census.  Belfield Wood is Nancy Jane’s uncle; he is the brother to Nancy’s mother Sarah Sallie (Wood). 

The groom was 21 years old and lived in Wayne County, and as stated earlier he was born at the house of Elizabeth in Campbell County, Tennessee.  The bride is shown to be 17 and was born at her parents’ house in Wayne County, Kentucky.  Her father is William Brown, however William died a couple of years earlier in about 1855.  He apparently died from falling off a roof and breaking his neck. 

Two years after William’s death, Nancy’s mother Sarah Sallie married Calvin Jones in January of 1857.  So, Calvin is Nancy’s step-father. 

Who is Sim Marcum?  The Sim Marcum in attendance would be Simeon Marcum, possible son of Elizabeth (discussed earlier).  It is not proven that he was her son, but I do believe that he was.  By 1860 Sim was living in Clinton, Kentucky (according to the 1860 Federal Census).  But he was on the Wayne County Tax List from 1854 to 1858, and listed next to Elizabeth and Biddy Jane.^[44]  If Elizabeth is indeed his mother, they lived close by where the wedding was in Wayne County.  Interestingly, on the 1860 Federal Census Elizabeth has an 11-year-old presumed grandson living with her named Simeon. 

James’ three siblings were Arthur, Sarah, and William.  Arthur married Elizabeth Boston in 1863.  On the marriage license he lists for parents only Biddy, no father.^[45]  This record also confirms he was born in Wayne County, showing that Biddy had moved there from Tennessee.  Arthur lived in Wayne County, Kentucky his entire life.  He was in the Union Army during the Civil War.

Sarah was James only sister.  Her death certificate says that her father’s name was Crabtree, and that her mother’s maiden name is unknown.^[46]  The informant for this certificate was her son Jesse Davis.  The death certificate for her son Arthur says his mother’s maiden name is Crabtree.^[47]  Both of these records are odd in stating that Sarah’s name is Crabtree.  On the 1850 Federal Census Sarah is listed as a daughter of Biddy Jane, and she and her siblings are all Marcum’s.  Her daughter Rebecca’s social security record shows her mother as Sarah Marcum.  So, this makes sense, but contradicts the two other records.  This just adds to the mystery of who Biddy Jane’s husband, and father of her children was.

William was James’ youngest brother.  He was in the Union Army in the Civil War.  According to his obituary he moved to Missouri in 1874, in Wright County.  He lived in Wright and then Laclede County (north and adjacent to Wright) the rest of his life.  His obituary quotes him as saying “he was raised from infancy by an old woman, as an orphan.”^[48]  He also mentions that he had an older brother, 12 years older.  This would be James.  His statement that he was raised by an old woman, and as an orphan, is odd.  He is listed on the 1850 and 1860 Federal Census as living with his mother Biddy Jane, along with his siblings. 

In addition to the marriage of James and Nancy Jane in 1857, another event that year was The Panic of 1857.^[49]  This was a U.S. financial crisis.  Because of the invention of the telegraph in 1844, this was the first financial crisis to spread rapidly through the U.S., and the world.  It didn’t last too long.  The economy was back to normal before the Civil War started in 1861.

James applied for a land grant in 1858.  The Wayne County Court Orders show this in an entry dated August 7 where James requested 50 acres.^[50]  A lot of 50 acres was surveyed on August 19 and the land was granted to James on May 19, 1959.^[51]  This land was in the Beaver Creek area of Wayne County and was next to his mother-in-law Sarah Sallie.

The 1860 Federal Census shows James as a land owner, but his occupation is a Day Laborer.  He and Nancy lived next to Calvin Jones and Sarah Sallie, Nancy’s step-father, and mother.

I have not found any Civil War records for James.  I did find him being listed as “Enrolled in Militia” in the Wayne County Tax Lists.^[52] This was an information item tracked starting in the Kentucky annual tax lists in 1861, which was the beginning of the War.  This does indicate that he was in the Kentucky Militia in some capacity.

He might or might not have been involved in a battle.  He would have been about 30 years old and had 4 young children.  His two younger brothers both served in the Union Army, as did his step father-in-law Calvin Jones.  And Calvin lived next to James at that time.  So, it does seem like he would have somehow been involved.  But I have not found a Civil War battle or muster record that can be identified as my James.

There were 13 battles in Kentucky during the Civil War.  One was the Battle of Mill Springs, which was in the northern part of Wayne County on January 19, 1862.^[53]  This was just a few miles from where James lived.  It was a substantial battle, each side had about 5000 soldiers involved.  The Union won.  At that time, it was the most significant victory for the Union during the war and was highly celebrated in the press.  Overall, about 100,000 men from Kentucky served in the war, 75,000 Union and 25,000 Confederate.

There were several other James Marcums in Wayne County.  A John Marcum was an early settler in Wayne, he is on the 1810 Federal Census.  He came from Virginia and had eleven children.  One of these was a James who was born in 1795.  This James had a son named James, born in 1823.   Three other sons of John – Archibald, Edmond, and Thomas, also had sons named James.  This makes five James just from the family of John.  This family mostly lived in the Otter Creek area of Wayne County.  I refer to them as the Otter Creek group to separate these James from my James. 

I assume that the Otter Creek Marcums are cousins, but I don’t know what the connection is.  I do think all these Marcums came from Virginia originally.  (Note:  I eventually learned that this early John died in Wayne County in 1815 and was a son of Thomas 1745-1792 (wife Jane Clay) > Thomas 1711-1749 > Arthur I)

James signed the wedding bond of Edward Brown, son of Willy and Sarah Brown, in 1865.^[54]

In November of 1870 James bought 75 acres from his brother Arthur.^[55]  Arthur had acquired this in a Land Grant in 1867.^[56]  This land was also on Beaver Creek.  Less than a year later, in March of 1871, James sold this land.^[57]  He bought the land from his brother for $75 and then sold it for $75.  James and Nancy both signed the land sale with an X, indicating that they could not read and write.  This is also indicated on several census records.  The 1870 census shows James as a farmer.  While we know he owned land, the value of real estate is empty. 

Kentucky had an annual tax that was executed by each county.  The tax list that was created each year is basically a census of the heads of household, as every household was to be included.  Information gathered included quantity of land in acres and the waterway that was close by (as appropriate).  This helped to identify my James on Beaver Creek from the other James’ on Otter Creek.  Various counts of livestock and quantity of crops grown were included.  Taxes were also collected for items such as jewelry and buggies or carriages, even for pool tables and pianos.  A complete set of records is available for Wayne County; this is not the case for all counties.  Here’s a summary of the records for James:^[58]

Year	Land	Summary of items shown on tax list
1857		1 white male over 21
1858		1 horse, 1 cow, 1 hog, tax value $40
1859		5 hogs, 30 bushels of corn, no tax value
1860	50 acres	50 bushels of corn, tax value $50 (James received a land grant in1859 on Beaver Creek for 50 acres)
1861	50 acres	5 hogs, 30 bushels of corn, total tax value $25; Enrolled in Militia
1862	50 acres	4 cattle, 2 hogs, 25 pounds of tobacco, 50 bushels of corn, tax value $50; Enrolled in Militia
1863	Not shown	1 horse, 2 cattle, tax value $25, 1 child 6-20, 5 bushels of corn; Not enrolled in Militia
1864	Not shown	1 child 6-20, 3 hogs, 200 bushels of corn, 50 bushels of wheat; Enrolled in Militia
1865	50 acres	1 cow, tax value $50, 1 child 6-20, 1 bull, 50 bushels of corn; Enrolled in Militia
1867	50 acres	2 cattle, tax value $50, 1 child 6-20, 1 hog, 50 bushels of corn; Enrolled in Militia
1868	150 acres	1 mule, 2 cattle, tax value $150, 2 children 6-20, 2 hogs; Enrolled in Militia
1869	180 acres	2 cattle, tax value $75, 3 children 6-20, 1 hog, 80 pounds tobacco; Not in Militia

In October of 1870 James and Nancy had their 7^th child, a daughter named Biddy.  This name obviously came from James’ mother Biddy Jane.  Daughter Biddy was born in Glasgow, Barren County, Kentucky.^[59]  This is the first reference to James and Nancy Jane being in Barren County.  They must have moved from Wayne County that year, as they are in Wayne on the 1870 census taken in June and then little Biddy is born in October in Barren.

James is listed on the Barren County Tax List in 1872.  It does not show him owning land.  The only item listed is one horse.  He has four children between 6 and 20 years old and he is enrolled in the militia.  Unfortunately, the Tax Lists for Barren County are not available for 1873 to 1884.  These years were apparently lost somehow.  Here is a summary of the records that are available for James during his time in Barren.

Year	Land	Summary of items shown on tax list
1872	None	1 horse, 4 children 6-20, Enrolled in Militia
1885	15 acres	Sim Adams is closest neighbor, 1 horse, 10 hogs, 2 cows, tax value $95, 1 legal voter, 7 children 6-20, 500 pounds tobacco, 200 bushels corn
1886	None	S.W. Kinslow is closest neighbor, 2 horses, tax value $100, 8 children 6-20, 1000 pounds tobacco, 100 bushels corn
1887	None	Nancy Poyules(?) is closest neighbor, 2 horses, tax value $100, 1 legal voter, Enrolled in Militia, 7 children 6-20, 200 bushels of corn
1888	None	W. Wilkinson is closest neighbor, 2 horses, tax value $60, 1 legal voter, not enrolled in Militia, 8 children 6-20, 2 cattle exempt from tax

In 1885, the closest neighbor Sim Adams is the son-in-law of James.  Sim married Anna, the oldest daughter of James and Nancy Jane.

The annual tax list had a lot of taxable items listed to be inventoried (with the help of the county tax collector).  Some taxable items on the form that James did not have includes watches, clocks, jewelry, diamonds, furniture value over $250, library value over $250, sewing and knitting machines over $30, pianos, safes, wagons, carriages, buggies, boats, steam engines, whiskey, wine, brandy (alcohol beyond personal use), tavern license, tons of coal, tons of iron and money.  These were in addition to farm implements, manufacturing assets and land dedicated to particular crops.

The Panic of 1873 brought another financial crisis to the U.S.^[60]  This one lasted several years and at the time was called the Great Depression (until the more significant depression starting in 1929).

The 1880 Federal Census shows the family in Barren County.  James is shown to be a farmer.

In 1882 Nancy Jane died.  They had 9 children together and 6 were under 18 years old at that time.  Two years later in 1884 James remarried to Martha Pedigo.

I could not find a deed record where James bought land in Barren County until one dated 1885.  On March 25^th James bought 15 acres with a 9-year-old brown home on Boyd’s Creek.^[61]  So, this indicates that the family moved from Wayne to Barren County about 1870, but didn’t own land until 1885.  Using the 1880 Federal Census and an 1879 map of Barren County^[62] I was able to use the neighbors on the census to identify the location on the map where they lived.  Also, Belfield Brown, Nancy’s brother, lived next to them on the census.  Based on the birth dates and birth place of Belfield’s children, it looks like he moved to Barren a couple of years after James. 

Another neighbor on the census, who is not on the map, is Lee Bird (Byrd).  While this is speculation, it’s possible that this Byrd is related to the Elizabeth I discussed above, and therefore is a family member.  James and Nancy may have lived on his land.  They had their own dwelling according to the census.  But they must have been on land they didn’t own (as I couldn’t find a land record and this census did not indicate land ownership).  There is not another neighbor that we can identify as a relative of the Marcum’s, and they had to know someone in order to move from Wayne and put down roots in this new place.  While I have not been able to locate a deed record for James in Barren County before 1885, it is possible that he did acquire a piece of land and it isn’t listed in the records.  While Lee Byrd and Belfield Brown both had dwellings according to the 1880 Federal Census, I was unable to locate any deed records for either of them.  So once again it is unclear what the arrangement was for the land these families lived on.

After buying the land in Barren in 1885 James sold it just one year later in 1886.^[63]  On October 7, 1893 James received a grant for 160 acres in Wright County, Missouri.^[64]  The family moved from Barren County, Kentucky to Missouri.  Once again there is a gap in the land records.  They would have entered for and taken assumed ownership of the land in Wright before receiving the official grant.  So, they were likely in Wright County well before 1893, but we have no record of when.  There is no 1890 Federal Census.  It was destroyed in a fire in Washington, DC in 1921.  The 1893 land grant is the first land record we have for James after he sold the Barren land in 1886.  Based on the Barren County Tax List records, he went to Wright late in 1888 or shortly after and staked claim to a piece of land that he later received the grant for.  The formal process would take several years.

What is not known is where James and his family lived in 1887 and 1888.  They sold their land in 1886, but were still in Barren in 1888 according to the tax records. 

The Federal Homestead Act of 1862, which was passed by Congress and put into law, provided a lot of 160 acres of land in the western United States to an adult head of household who paid an $18 filing fee to file a claim (about $500 today), built a home on the land, stayed on it, and improved it for five years.  At that time the applicant received a grant document giving title to the land.

Belfield Brown also moved to Wright County.  He was there by 1890 according to an 1890 Veterans Schedule^[65] and he received a land grant in 1891.^[66]  James’ mother Biddy Jane and his step father James Atkinson, his brother William, and his sister Sarah were all in Wright County.  Sarah Sallie and Calvin Jones were also there.  It is interesting how many in this family went to Wright County, Missouri.  It makes you wonder what attracted them there.  They certainly did stick together.

The nearby town, called Grovespring, was very small.^[67]  Early on there was a flour mill, a sawmill, a general store and two blacksmiths.  Over time there was a bank, drug store, canning factory, liquor store, funeral home, barber shop, telephone station, a hotel, and a post office.  The downtown was destroyed by a fire in 1905 and had to be rebuilt.  Tornados hit the county in 1880 and 1917, doing a lot of damage both times.  There was a flood in 1885.  In 1888 a hailstorm left about four inches of hail on ground, with drifts up to eight feet.  Fires at the County Courthouse in 1896 and 1897 caused many records to be lost. 

The population of Wright County in 1890 was 14,484.  In 2020 the population was 18,188.  The population of Grovespring is 187 today.  It’s a small place.

James remained in Wright County the rest of his life.  He died there in 1917 and is buried in Mount Zion Cuba Cemetery.^[68]

At some point James also acquired a piece of land in Laclede County, which adjoins Wright on the north.  This was an 80-acre lot.  After James’ death the taxes were not paid on this land.^[69]  Taxes were past due for 1917 and 1918, the total tax amount due was $15.45.  James’ widow Martha and his heirs are the defendants.  Then there was a newspaper announcement that the land would be sold at auction on February 9, 1921 in order to generate funds to pay the taxes.^[70]  Martha may not have had the money to pay the taxes, or maybe she could not keep this land up or use it. 

James was a farmer for most of his life.  I doubt that he was ever in a big city, he lived in some very isolated areas.  I would say he lived out in the boonies. He was off the radar a lot; he didn’t engage in any public positions.  But he must have been a law-abiding man, he was not on the wrong end of any court records (we reviewed all available court records for the relevant counties in Tennessee, Kentucky, and Missouri).  He was certainly taking care of his large family.  Losing his first wife would have been tragic for him and his children. 

Most epidemics were worse in the big cities, but there were diseases that did sweep through the U.S.  There were three waves of cholera from 1832 to 1866.  In 1858 there was a wave of scarlet fever.  Yellow fever went through the Mississippi Valley area in 1878.  Typhoid fever was a big issue in 1906.  James managed to avoid all of these.  But Nancy Jane died in 1882 at the young age of 42.  Her cause of death is not known.

When he went to the nearby small town for supplies, he would have seen the first trains and automobiles.  He would have lived a life without electricity and without ice in the summer to keep things cold.  A Civil War battle took place just a few miles from where he lived.  World War I wouldn’t have affected him directly as an older man at that point, but everyone was affected by the ups and downs of the U.S. economy during and after the war.  His life was close to subsistence living.  He lived to be 84 years old.  We have not found a will or any probate records for him, or a death certificate.  He is buried at and does have a gravestone at Mount Zion Cuba Cemetery outside of Grovespring, Missouri.

Biddy Jane – Pemberton?

As discussed earlier, Biddy was born about 1813 in Tennessee.  Her parents are not known.  DNA analysis does indicate that her mother was Elizabeth (Bird) Marcum.  Her father could be Joseph Marcum, but I consider this to only be a possibility.  She died after 1880 in Wright County, Missouri.  We assume that she married either a Richard Marcum or some other Marcum around 1830.  This date comes from the birth of her first child James being about 1833, in Campbell County, Tennessee.  We have covered the mystery surrounding her husband.  Whoever he was had died by 1850 as there is no husband with Biddy on the 1850 Federal Census.  By the time of the birth of her second child, Arthur, in 1842 she is in Wayne County, Kentucky. 

Biddy shows up on the Wayne County Tax List beginning in 1844.^[71]  She is listed next to Elizabeth.  The only item shown for Biddy is that she has two children between the ages of 5 and 16.  Elizabeth has 1 horse worth $10 and 1 child between 5 and 16.  On this year’s record neither of them own land or any livestock.  Biddy is on the tax list most years until 1861.  At this point she is with her second husband.

Biddy’s name on the annual Tax List starting in 1844 raises the question of where is her husband?  Why is she listed and not him?  She had three children in Wayne County:  Arthur (born in 1842), Sarah (1845), and William (1847).  Someone fathered these children.  It really is a mystery.

Biddy married her second husband, James Atkinson, on April 13, 1860 in Wayne County.^[72]  Her son William would later marry Sarah Atkinson, daughter of James.^[73]  By 1880 James Atkinson and Biddy had moved to Wright County, Missouri.  They would live there the rest of their lives.

Biddy could not read or write.  She was a mother and homemaker.  After the death of her first husband before 1850, she lived as the head of household until she married James Atkinson.  She took care of her children.  James being the oldest would have helped her a lot in his teenage years.  Not a lot of women did this in the remote area of Kentucky where she lived.  She had to be a pretty tough and capable woman.  She basically led a subsistence level life.

Nancy Jane Brown

Nancy Jane, wife of James, was born about 1840 in Wayne County, Kentucky.  Her parents were William (Willie) Brown and Sarah Sallie Wood.  She was born in her parent’s house.  Her father died when she was 15.  She was about 17 when she married James.  She had nine children. 

Nancy’s middle name is sometimes written as Ann, but it seems to be most often Jane.  We assumed Jane was most likely. 

Nancy died in 1882 at about 42 years of age in Barren County, Kentucky.  Her cause of death is unknown, as is the location of her burial. 

Nancy’s father Willie Brown was born about 1819 in Adair County, Kentucky.  He married Sarah Sallie Wood in about 1836.

William Brown does not appear in any census with his family.  There are few records of him at all. 

• On the 1850 Federal Census he is in Wayne County living with his mother, sister Nancy, and brother Charles.  His wife, Sarah, is in Fentress County, Tennessee with their children.
• On the marriage record of his daughter in 1857, Nancy Jane Brown, it says she was born at the house of William Brown in Wayne Co., Kentucky.^[74] 
• On the tombstone of his wife, Sarah Sallie Wood Brown Jones it says “wife of Wm Brown & C. Jones”.^[75] 
• On the death record of son Wyatt Brown, it states that his parents were Willie and Sallie Brown.^[76]  Wyatt was born in 1855 and died in 1904. 
• Son Edward Brown was married in 1865, on the marriage record his parents are listed as William and Sarah Brown.^[77]

There was a William Brown from Kentucky who was killed in the Mexican War, but there is no proof for this being our William Brown.  However, as the Mexican War ended February 2, 1848 that would mean that at least three of the children attributed to William Brown would have been sired by another man.

There was also a William Brown in Wayne County that married Rebecca Chesney in 1836.^[78]  This William was on the Federal Census in 1840, 1850, and 1860.  He owned land and is on the tax lists.  There is also a land record that deals with the disposition of his land after his death.^[79]

The 1840 Federal Census for Pulaski County, Kentucky has a William Brown with a wife and two children (before 1850 the Federal Census the census records only listed heads of household, along with a count of males and females by age group).  It is possible this could be our Willie.  Pulaski is adjacent to Wayne County, and Willie would have had two children at that point.  But there is no proof either way on this. 

There are 265 William Browns in Kentucky on the 1850 Federal Census.  So, there is certainly some difficulty in tracking down a particular one.

Willie died around 1855 or 1856, after the birth of his son Wyatt in 1855 and before the marriage of Sarah Sallie to Calvin Jones as her second husband in 1857.  There is a family story that he died after falling off a roof and breaking his neck.  Oddly, there is a death record for a William Brown in 1856 that states the cause of death as being a broken neck from a fall.^[80]  But this is a black man.  This could be where the family story came from and someone made a bad assumption about what William the record referred to.  A death certificate or obituary has not been found.

Willie’s parents were Thomas Brown (1780-1845) and Priscilla Dorton (1784-1863).  I believe this to be true but cannot prove it.

Thomas Brown

Thomas was born around 1780 and probably in Virginia.  We don’t know anything about his early life.  We do know that he was in the War of 1812.  In the deed records for Wayne County, Kentucky is an entry dated July 3, 1815 for Thomas Brown assigning an attorney, James Frost, to “ask demand and receive from the paymaster of the 15^th Regiment of detached Kentucky Militia late in an expedition to Orleans all my wages that may be coming to me as a private in the Company of Capt. Vickery.”^[81]  This is referring to the Battle of New Orleans, the last battle of the war. 

Thomas and Priscilla Dorton were married by about 1813.  Their first son, Joseph, was born in 1814.  They had two daughters, Sarah and Nancy, that were also born close to this same time and one of them may have been born earlier than 1814.  This would make the marriage even earlier.  We have not been able to find a marriage record.  Joseph, whose birth date comes from a picture of his gravestone, was born in Wayne County, Kentucky.^[82]  Thomas and Priscilla would stay in Wayne the rest of their lives.

Admittedly, the proof for Willie being their son is circumstantial.  William is listed in the will of Thomas, which was written in 1844.^[83]  In his will, Thomas stipulates that he wants his wife and children to remain living together on the family land.  His words from his will are

It is also my Will that my Wife –William Charles-Nancy and Sally live and remain together as one family without any division of the personal property until they or either of them shall marry or otherwise sepirate then to receive each one his or portion in manner & form to the extent mentioned [earlier in this will]

Another observation is that on the 1850 census for Wayne County there are only two adult William Browns.  I have already mentioned that Willie is living with Priscilla.  The other is a head of household and is married to a woman named Rebecca.  This William is found in several land and court records that I have reviewed.  He is not my Willie and he is not connected to Thomas in any documents.  This makes the Willie living with Priscilla the only William in Wayne County connected to Thomas.  In addition, there are no William Browns in Fentress County, Tennessee in 1850 that are at the right age to be my Willie.

Another source of information is the Wayne County tax lists.  Thomas appears on this list starting in 1814.^[84]  Beginning in 1838 William is listed and is next to Thomas.  Joseph is also listed next to Thomas in 1839.  Thomas and William are together each year thru 1844, when Thomas dies.  After this, either Priscilla or the Heirs of Thomas are shown along with a list of the children of Thomas.  In 1848 the total land taxed is 1100 acres.  This is a pretty large estate.

Thomas acquired quite a bit of land.  Here is a summary of his acquisitions.^[85]

• Bought land 1814, vol B, page 159, 45 acres, 42 pounds; Beaver Creek.
• Also 1814, vol B, page 197, 200 acres, $1200; Otter Creek.
• 1814 is also the first year he shows up on the tax lists, 245 acres on Beaver Creek (which based on the deeds should be 45 on Beaver Creek and 200 on Otter Creek).
• Assigns attorney in 1815 to act on his behalf for Kentucky militia wages (War of 1812), vol B, page 237.
• Bought land 1818, vol C, page 52, 1 acre, $5; including a still and small mill.
• Bought land 1820, vol C, page 135, 46 acres, $100, Otter Creek.
• Bought land 1826, vol D, page 225, 30 acres, $500; Beaver Creek.
• Bought land 1826, vol D, page 227, 170 acres, $1500; Otter Creek.
• Bought land 1826, vol D, page 274, 72 acres, $500; Otter Creek.
• Bought land 1838, vol G, page 336, 250 acres, 2 tracks, $1175, watercourse not mentioned.
• In 1844 Relinquished 50 acres of the land bought in 1838 on Beaver Creek that was mistakenly included; vol J, page 392, has wife Priscilla.
• Total 764 acres purchased.

In addition, he had three land grants.^[86]

• Granted land 1828, book Y, page 452, 13 acres, Otter Creek.
• Granted land 1830, book D-2, page 494, 100 acres, Indian Creek.
• Granted land 1836, book K-2, page 29, 119 acres, Beaver Creek.
• Total 232 acres granted

This gives him a grand total of land 996 acres purchased and granted.  This is 104 acres less than the 1100 taxed in 1848, so there was probably another piece of land he somehow acquired.

After Priscilla had died in 1863, the heirs which were Nancy, Charles, and the children of Joseph (who died in 1859), filed for a division of Thomas’ land in Wayne County Court.^[87]  The court ordered the land divided into three equal parts.  The children of Joseph then had to subdivide this amongst themselves.  William or his children are not mentioned in this court record.  The quantity of land is not mentioned.  The purpose of this action was to provide a deed for each of the divided land tracts to the heirs.

While we don’t know much about the early years of Thomas, we know he was in the War of 1812.  After that he went to Wayne County where he was a farmer and lived the rest of his life.  While he did acquire a lot of land, he must have led a simple life.  He died at the age of 65.

Priscilla Dorton was born about 1784 in Washington County, Virginia.  She was the daughter of William Dorton Jr. and Mary Elizabeth Fugate.  As we have reviewed that Thomas stated in his will that he wished for his family to remain together, on the 1850 census Priscilla is living with three of her adult children, William, Nancy, and Charles.  Priscilla is the head of household and has real estate valued at $5000.  On the U.S. Census Non-Population schedule for that same year, she is shown to have 200 acres of land valued at $2000.  I’m not sure why there is a $3000 difference.

In 1860, after the death of William, she is living with Charles and Nancy.  On this census Charles is the head of household and has real estate valued at $18,000.  On the Non-Population schedule Charles is shown to have 900 acres and the value is consistent at $18,000.

Priscilla died in Wayne County in 1863 at the age of 79.  Her burial location is unknown.

Priscilla Dorton’s father was William Dorton Jr.  William was born in 1750 in Powhatan, Virginia.  He married Mary Elizabeth Fugate, who was born in 1760 in Russell, Virginia and died in 1842 in Russell.  William was in the Revolutionary War.    A battle he was in was the Battle of Kings Mountain in 1780.  He was an Ensign.  After the war he was a Captain in the Virginia Militia.  William Jr. is recognized as a Patriot by DAR.  His ancestor number is A200420.^[88]  His father was William Dorton Sr.

William Dorton Sr. was born December, 1730 in Powhatan, Virginia.  He married Elizabeth Watts, who was born in 1732 in Spotsylvania, Virginia and died in 1790 in Russell, Virginia.  William Sr. served in the Revolutionary War as a surveyor.  He also built Dorton’s Fort, which was a place to provide safety from hostile Indians for settlers in the Russell County, Virginia area.  William Sr. is recognized as a Patriot by DAR.  His ancestor number is A033306.^[89]

Nancy Jane’s mother Sarah Sallie Wood was born March 20, 1820 in Madison County, Kentucky.  She was the daughter of Belfield Wood Sr. and Nancy Kidwell.  Sarah and William Brown were married about 1836 and they had seven children.  An oddity is that on the 1850 Federal Census Sarah is listed as the head of household.  All of her children are with her.  But Willie is not.  She is living in Fentress County, Tennessee, which is adjacent to the south of Wayne County, Kentucky.

After William’s death she married Calvin Jones in 1857.^[90]  They lived in Wayne County, then moved to Barren County, Kentucky.  Then they moved again, this time to Wright County, Missouri.  Sarah died December 23, 1894 and is buried in Brown Cemetery in Wright County. 

Belfield Wood was born about 1752 in Orange County, Virginia.  His first wife is not known.  They had at least one son and this wife must have died pretty young.  He married as his second wife Nancy Kidwell in 1810.^[91]  She was 40 years younger than him.  This seems like a big age difference, but I have seen it documented in several places.  They were married in South Carolina.  Then they went to Madison County, Kentucky.  After a few years there they moved to Wayne County, Kentucky, then again, they moved to Fentress County, Tennessee.  Belfield died April 8, 1836 in Fentress.  The location of his grave is unknown.

An interesting note, Belfield was in Washington County, Virginia, on the 1782 tax list.  This is where Arthur and Anna were.

Belfield was in the Revolutionary War.  His pension application written in 1833 describes his service.^[92]  He entered service in Burke County, North Carolina, where he lived at that time.  He was mostly in battles with the Indians who were loyal to the British, such as the Cherokee.  He was also a spy for Indian activity.  Some of his time served was at Davidson’s Fort.  This fort was built in North Carolina in 1776 to protect white settlers from the Cherokee.  Belfield also served at Cathey’s Fort in North Carolina, and Quaker Meadow Fort also in North Carolina. 

Belfield is recognized as a Patriot by Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).  His ancestor number is A215059.^[93]

Nancy Kidwell was born about 1792 in Orange County, Virginia.  She and Belfield Wood were married in 1810 in Pendleton County, South Carolina.  After the death of Belfield, she married Thomas Milsaps in 1847.  Nancy outlived Thomas.  She then lived with her son Belfield Jr.  She died in November of 1870. 

Arthur Marcum and the Markham ancestry beginning in Virginia

Much of the information in this section comes from the Markham family book mentioned earlier, “The Way it Was with Our Ancestors.”^[94]

Thomas Markham

The first Markham in this line to come to the Colonies was Thomas Markham, born about 1606 in England; died about 1679 in Henrico County, Virginia.  He married Susan (Unknown) Greenleafe (widow of Richard Greenleafe) before November 1635 in Henrico. 

In August 1610, Robert Greeneleafe, born 1582, presumably in England, arrived on the ship the Tryall/Trial, thus narrowly avoiding the starving time in Jamestown during the winter of 1609/10.^[95]  He was part of the original Virginia company, and was therefore an “Ancient Planter”.

In May of 1620, Susan Unknown, b 1602, presumably in England, arrived on the ship The Jonathan, which was the right timing for the ship of 90 “maids of good character” that the British government sent to marry the settlers.  There were many young men in Jamestown and not many young women.  The Virginia Company was trying to increase the population of young women by recruiting them from England to join the adventure in the Jamestown Colony.^[96]  Sometime after arriving Susan married Robert Greeneleafe, who was twenty years her senior.

After the Powhatan massacre of 1622 in which about a third of the settlers were killed, the government sent out a census taker to see who had survived, who owned which land and, of course, whom to tax.^[97] In 1624, Robert is on the “List of living and dead in Virginia” as living on a plantation (located on the Neck of Land area on the Curles portion of the James River) and
he is called Robert Green and has an unnamed wife and one unnamed son.

In Jan and Feb of 1625, the government did another survey to determine who was living and what provisions and weaponry those people had to survive.  Many questions were asked of each household, and Robert Greenleafe (still in the same location) reported the ship on which he had arrived and when, his age, and his household members, which were Susan, his wife,
giving her age in Jan/Feb 1625, the ship and arrival date, which is how we know for certain when these folks were born and when they arrived in the Jamestown area.^[98]  Additionally, they reported having a son Thomas Greeneleafe, three years of age in Jan/Feb 1625 and a daughter Ann, 22 weeks old at the time.  They had a fixed peece (long gun), lead and powder, a house, some beans and corn, 10 poultrie and a sow pig.  There were lots of things they didn’t have that were asked of them, but they were relatively okay for survival.  How they got through the 1622 massacre with her either pregnant or nursing a newborn is unknown, but they did.

Although there had been a Markham or two in the colonies previously, there were no Markhams on either the list of living and dead in 1624 or the muster roll taken in 1625.

By 1635, Susan Unknown’s first husband, Robert Greeneleafe, had died and she had remarried to Thomas Markham.  This is shown on land grant records, the grant was for 300 acres to Thomas Markham, 100 for coming to Virginia, 50 in right of Susan, relict of Robert Greeneleafe, which is how we know she was his widow and the same person who appeared on the 1624 List and the 1625 Muster Roll.  Also 50 acres in right of Robert as an ancient planter, and two 50-acre headrights for men Thomas Markham transported to Virginia (proving he was not a servant or pauper).  It is not known what ship Thomas sailed on to get to Virginia, nothing is known about him before 1635.  Here is what we know about Thomas:

Thomas Markham, Jr., born about 1640 in Henrico County, Virginia; his death date is unknown. He apparently left Henrico County and lived in New Kent County, Virginia by 1704.  No wife has been found.

• New Kent County, Virginia 1704 tax roll, had 100 acres in the Parish of St. Peters & St. Pauls.^{[110] [111]}
• Land reference, in a grant to Richard Lipscom and others in 1714, the land is described as being next to Markham’s line.  This could be the same land as on the 1704 tax roll as the county is King William, which was formed in 1701 from what was earlier New Kent.^[112]

Arthur Markham I, born about 1670 in Henrico County, Virginia; died March 31, 1732 in Henrico County, Virginia.  Married Elizabeth (Unknown) Bradshaw before 1711 (as her second husband).  Arthur’s marriage to Elizabeth Bradshaw is shown by court records in 1711 and 1713 listed below.

• In a Henrico County court record dated April 7, 1711, Arthur as plaintiff is owed 6 pounds by the defendant, James Scot.  A description of this case is not contained in this court summary.^[113]
• On May 7, 1711, the court case against James Scot is continued.  Arthur did not present his suit and the case was dismissed.^[114]
• Also on May 7, 1711, Arthur brings a lawsuit against Abraham Womack, administrator of the will of Allanson Clarke; case to be continued next session.^[115]
• A court record dated July 2, 1711, Arthur and his wife Elizabeth register a complaint against Jane Bayley who they allege unlawfully detained her son (from her previous marriage to John Bradshaw).  Her son is listed as a servant.  Elizabeth is referred to as Arthur’s wife.^[116]
• On the same day, July 2, 1711, Arthur is plaintiff in a suit against Abraham Womack about a dispute over the quantity of tobacco owed to Arthur.  He is asking for about six thousand pounds but ends up getting about three thousand pounds.^[117]
• On August 4, 1711, the lawsuit of Arthur and Elizabeth against Jane Bayley is heard in court and dismissed.^[118]
• May 5, 1712 a lawsuit brought by Arthur against James Scot was dismissed as neither party appeared.^[119]
• May 4, 1713 Arthur was plaintiff in a lawsuit against Giles Webb.  The case was dismissed as Webb was deceased.^[120]
• August 3, 1713, a case with Elizabeth Marcum as the plaintiff and William Ballew the defendant.  Elizabeth accuses Bellow for mistreating her son, Benjamin Bradshaw, who is an indentured servant.  Ballew is ordered to treat Benjamin properly.  This case documents Elizabeth as having the name Bradshaw which is from her first marriage.^[121]
• October 5, 1713, Benjamin Bradshaw complains that his master, William Ballew, is misusing him.   The court orders the sheriff to summons Ballew to appear in court.^[122]
• November 2, 1713, Benjamin Bradshaw versus William Ballew.  The court hears the case, including witnesses.  They order the case dismissed, and that Ballew pay the court costs.^[123]
• On the same November 2, 1713, Arthur is defendant with James Scot being the plaintiff.  The purpose of the case is not described in the minutes.  The lawsuit is dismissed as Scot did not present his case.^[124]
• Witness to the will of John Woodson on November 25, 1715.  Woodson had a substantial amount of land that the will lists.  Some of this land is in the same Curles area of the James River where the land of Thomas Sr. was.^[125]
• Reference to his land location in 1716 on the North side of the James River in Henrico County.  This is significant in that it places Arthur on the same land that Thomas Sr. owned.^[126]
• Land purchase on November 5, 1716, north of the James River, from Henry Gill, 150 acres for 20 pounds.^[127]
• On December 3, 1716, Henry Gill sold another piece of his land and referenced it being next to the land sold to Arthur Marcum.^[128]
• On April 4, 1718, Arthur is a witness for a land sale from Thomas Pleasants to Charles Burke.  He signs with his mark.^[129]
• Arthur is listed on September 5, 1720 as defendant in a court case with William Bradshaw as the plaintiff.^[130]
• On Feb 6, 1720 (which is 1721 by our Gregorian calendar) the court case with Bradshaw is continued.  Bradshaw claims that Arthur owes him a little over two pounds sterling.  Arthur says he doesn’t owe anything.  The court finds for Bradshaw and Arthur is ordered to pay.  The court minutes do not state what the debt was a result of.  Later the same day the records show that another Bradshaw (first name unreadable) was a witness for five days and the court orders Arthur to pay the witness costs.^[131]
• In 1720 Arthur is mentioned in a list of transactions by Joseph Pleasants, once for a deed to Arthur and once as a deed to Pleasants.  The court minutes show these two transactions, both on the same day.  There is not a description of the land, acreage or price mentioned.^{[132] [133]}
• On July 3, 1721 Arthur is in a court hearing as the defendant with Thomas Jefferson who is the plaintiff.  Jefferson is accusing Arthur of owing him 9 pounds.  While this record is in the court minutes, we don’t have the full description of the case.  What the debt is about is not described.  The end result is that Arthur is ordered to pay Jefferson four pounds.   This date is too early to be the Thomas Jefferson who becomes President, but it is likely either his grandfather or uncle.^[134]
• On February 5, 1721 (1722) Arthur is the plaintiff in a case against the defendant Miles Riley, but neither party appeared so the case was dismissed.^[135]
• On April 2, 1722 Arthur is in another court case with Thomas Jefferson.  Arthur is the defendant and is accused of owing 55 and a half bushels of corn to Jefferson.  This case isn’t decided until October 1, 1722, each month until then it is listed as continued.  The final decision was that Arthur was ordered to pay 39 bushels of corn.  In this final judgement Thomas Pleasants was a plaintiff along with Thomas Jefferson.   Thomas Randolf was engaged by the court to facilitate a solution.^[136]
• On April 24, 1732, Arthur’s son Thomas sold 286 acres in Henrico County for 5 pounds.  This was land originally patented to the Pleasants and is probably the land purchased by Arthur from Joseph Pleasants in 1720.  The land is at the head of White Oak Swamp (which is about 3 or 4 miles north of the Markham land on the Curles of the James River).^[137]

It is believed that Arthur I died on March 31, 1732.  This could be a situation where Thomas, his son who lived in Goochland County, Virginia, went back to Henrico to help take care of Arthur’s affairs and sold this land.  There is no mention of Arthur’s wife Elizabeth on this land record.  This indicates that she was deceased.

Arthur Markham II, born between 1720-1730 in Henrico County, Virginia; died about 1801 (his death is based on court records as identified below) in Bedford County, Virginia.  Married Martha Hill on May 2, 1792, in Bedford, as his second wife.^[138]  Martha was a widow, her maiden name is unknown. Arthur’s first wife is unknown, she was the mother of Arthur II’s four sons:  James, Arthur III, Thomas, and John, and probably one daughter Sarah.

• Was in Amelia County by 1747, until 1752 (is on tax lists for each year) (Note: Amelia was formed from Prince George in 1734, Prince George was formed from Charles City in 1702, Prince Edward was formed from Amelia in 1753 – which explains why the last year he is on the Amelia tax list is 1752, the area he lived in became Prince Edward)^[139]
• Had a land survey for 300 acres on March 28, 1750, in Amelia on the head branches of Spring Creek.^[140]  He probably entered for this land in 1747, which put him on the tax list.
• In Prince Edward County on July 17, 1754 and July 15, 1758 based on the poll list (voters list) for election of Burgesses for the Colony of Virginia.^[141]  In 1754 his name is listed as Manom, which is an error in transcribing, he is listed next to many of the same people as in 1758 and it obviously should be Arthur Marcum.
• Gets the 300 acres in Prince Edward on a land grant in 1759, by the head branches of Spring Creek and Morrison’s corner, adjacent to Ornsby and Thomas Alexander.^[142]  This land was in Prince Edward in 1759, but grant says Amelia as that was the county when he entered for the land.
• October 22, 1767 Newspaper item, Arthur found a stray horse in Prince Edward.^[143]
• March 14, 1777 Newspaper item, Arthur found two strays, a horse, and a steer in Prince Edward.^[144]
• In Prince Edward County in 1782 to 1786 (is on tax lists for each year, 1782 is the first year for these tax recs).^[145]
• On the 1785 Heads of Household list for Prince Edward, shows 1 dwelling and 1 other building.^[146]
• Sells the Prince Edward land, 200 acres, in 1785.  The original grant in 1759 was 300 acres.^[147]
• Land purchase in Bedford in 1786, 200 acres on Ivy Creek.^[148]
• Is in Bedford County from 1787 to 1800 on the tax lists each year.  1787 is the first year on the tax lists where he doesn’t pay a tithe for himself, it could be that he is 60 years old.^[149]
• Arthur is surety for the marriage bond for his daughter Sarah Markum and Owen Wilkerson on February 17, 1787 in Bedford.^[150]  Arthur II’s son Thomas married Nelly Wilkerson in 1785; she was daughter of Joseph Wilkerson and sister of Owen.
  • Joseph Wilkerson’s land was next to Arthur’s land (from the 1786 land purchase).
• 1790 Reconstructed Census for Virginia, Arthur is listed in Prince Edward County.  These records were reconstructed from various sources, one of which was tax lists.  I believe he is listed as still being in Prince Edward County as those were the tax lists being used.^[151]
• Court cases in Bedford County Chancery Court from 1791 to 1801 – indicates he died about 1801.
  • Philip Irion vs Arthur Markham, 1791, concerning dispute over land purchase by Arthur, Irion saying that Arthur hasn’t fully paid him, Arthur saying that part of the land did not have a clear title.^[152]
  • Arthur Markham vs Phillip Irion, 1793.^[153]  This suit is Arthur saying that part of the land didn’t have clear title.
  • Thomas Markham vs Arthur Markham & Samuel Scott, March of 1795.^[154]
    • This entry is just to summon Arthur and Scott to court due to a complaint by his son Thomas (this is probably the case that caused Arthur to give his son Thomas land at a later date, we have not been able to locate the records for this case that explain the situation).
  • Joseph Poindexter vs Arthur Markham, 1801; mentions Arthur’s decease as a note made in May of 1801 saying “abated by the defendant’s death”.^[155]
• Marriage consent given for Martha’s daughter Priscilla Hill in 1794 in Bedford, this indicates that Arthur II is Priscilla’s stepfather and Martha is her mother, from Martha’s first marriage; marriage is to Christopher Tolley.^[156]
• Land sale, 200 acres in Bedford in 1794, this is the land on Ivy Creek he bought in 1786.^[157]
• Land purchase in Bedford in 1796, 100 acres on Reed Creek.^[158]
• In February of 1796 Arthur’s land is included in a list of land processioned, his land is in Thomas Hubbard’s Militia Company, in Bedford County.  Processioned is the process of walking around the boundary of a piece of land to verify the property lines, this was required by the court to be done periodically.^[159]
• Land in Bedford given to his son Thomas to settle a dispute in 1798, 196 acres.  It was described as the land where Arthur now lives, to be given upon his death.^[160]
  • This could include the 100 acres he bought in 1796, but there is another 96 acres still not accounted for.

The Two Arthur Problem

The confusing issue is that there are two Arthur’s: the Tennessee Arthur and the Georgia Arthur.  While I don’t know where Tennessee Arthur came from, Georgia Arthur is the Arthur III descended from Arthur II.  As stated earlier, I have DNA matches with cousins and the common ancestor is Arthur II.  So, I am descended from him in some way.

I have already written about Tennessee Arthur.  Here is what I know about Georgia Arthur.

Arthur Markham III, was born about 1757 in Prince Edward County, Virginia.  His death date is unknown, but he is not on the 1830 Federal Census and is not recorded as receiving a Revolutionary War pension which would have begun in 1832.  He married Francis Stowers on May 8, 1784 in Prince Edward.^[161]  It appears that Francis died about 1790, probably in Georgia.

• On May 25, 1778 Arthur enlisted in the Revolutionary War.  He was in Captain Saleswhite’s Company in Granville, North Carolina.  He is listed as being 21 years old and as being a carpenter.  The description of him is being 5 feet 10 inches tall, darkish colored hair and complexion, and well set.^[162]
  • This is where the 1757 birth date comes from.
• Arthur Sr (II) and Jr (III) are both on the tax lists in Prince Edward in 1784 & 1785.^[163]
  • Jr is listed with Gideon Booker on the 1784 and 1785 tax list.  He may have been a farm worker.  Gideon was born about 1756 in Prince Edward County, Virginia.  He was a Captain in the Rev War and served in Georgia.  Gideon received land in 1784 in GA in an area referred to as the Reserve, which is Franklin County.  He received land again in Franklin County, GA in 1801.  Franklin GA is where an Arthur was on the 1801,2,3 tax list and applied to receive a land grant in 1805.^[164]
• Married Francis Stowers on May 8, 1784 in Prince Edward.
• Land grant in Richmond County, Georgia, warrant dated Sept 3, 1787 for 100 acres.^[165]
• On the 1790 census for Richmond, Georgia.  This reconstructed census entry is likely based on his 1787 land grant.^[166]
• Constable in 1790, Richmond, Georgia.^[167]
  • Columbia County was formed from Richmond County in 1790, Arthur’s land was in Columbia.
• On July 2, 1792 Arthur files an affidavit of Revolutionary War service.  He does this in Columbia County, Georgia.  That same day he also files a power of attorney appointing Joshua Grimage (?) to act on his behalf regarding any pension funds due him from his service in North Carolina.^[168]
• Sr (II) and Jr (III) are both on the tax lists in Bedford, Virginia in 1793.^[169]
  • It appears that he went to Georgia about 1786 and then went back to Virginia by 1793.  There were not any other Marcums in Richmond County, Georgia in that timeframe (also no Stowers). 
• Arthur Marcum is in Franklin County, Georgia again beginning in 1799 where he was a witness to several land transactions up to 1806.^[170]  He is on the Franklin tax lists in 1801, 1802 and 1803.  In 1805 he received a land grant in Franklin County.  There is no record of an Arthur in Georgia from 1792 until 1799.  This could be a gap in records, a case where he was there but just didn’t do anything resulting in a record, or he could have left Georgia and then returned. 

Summary of the Two Arthur problem

My original theory on Arthur III was that he was born in 1763 in Prince Edward County and was the son of Arthur II.  His mother is unknown.  He married Francis Stowers in 1784 in Prince Edward.  Arthur II and III are on the Prince Edward tax lists in 1784 and 1785, shown as Sr. and Jr.  

Then Arthur III apparently went Georgia.  He gets land in 1787 in Richmond, GA.  He is constable there in 1790. 

In 1793 he is back in Virginia, in Bedford County where again both Sr. and Jr. are on the tax list for that year.  There is only one Arthur on the Virginia county tax lists from 1786 to 1792.  This is Arthur Sr.  The indication is that Jr. was not in Virginia in these years and therefore could have gone to Georgia.

Tennessee Arthur appears on the Washington County tax list in 1794 and 1795.  He married Anna Bransgrove in 1794 in Washington (in this scenario it looks like his first wife Frances died in Georgia about 1790 which could have prompted him to return to Virginia).  As Lee County was formed from Washington, he is next on the Lee tax lists each year from 1796 to 1801.

He then moves to Anderson County, Tennessee where he is on the 1802 tax list. 

All of this tracks pretty well from 1784 in Prince Edward to 1802 in Anderson.  But, there is an Arthur in Franklin County, Georgia on the tax lists in 1801, 1802 and 1803.  Then this Arthur gets a land grant in Franklin in 1805.  Gideon Booker is an important person in that this Arthur was with him in Bedford, Virginia and then also in Georgia.  Gideon and Arthur were connected in both places.

It’s obvious that Arthur III cannot be in both Tennessee and Georgia in the 1802 and after timeframe. 

I believe that the Arthur and Anna in Anderson, Tennessee are mine.  Anna’s Revolutionary War pension letter describes how she and Arthur were married in Washington County, Virginia then moved to Tennessee about 1801.  This letter is consistent with the timeline.  I am confident that the Arthur in Tennessee is the same Arthur that was in Washington County, Virginia.

So, the question became, which Arthur III is the son of Arthur II – the one that ended up in Tennessee or the one that ended up in Georgia?  I’m sure it’s the one that went to Georgia.  I have not been able to find earlier records of “my” Tennessee Arthur to trace him back to his parents.

Some key points:

• There is a son William born to Georgia Arthur and Francis in about 1783 which doesn’t make sense with their marriage being in 1784.  This marriage date is sometimes confused as 1781, but the original doc does appear to be a poorly written 4, not a 1.  As the Markham book has the marriage as being 1781, I’m guessing that the ca 1783 birth is based on this.
• There is also a son William born to Tennessee Arthur and Anna in 1821.  It is not likely that he had two sons named William.  So, this is an indicator that the same Arthur wasn’t married to Francis and then Anna.
• In her Revolutionary War pension request letter Anna provides a lot of info, but does not mention Tennessee Arthur being previous married. 
• Georgia Arthur’s signature on his marriage doc to Francis and on the Rev War pension letter docs (in the Markham book) do look to be written by the same person.  They appear to be the same Arthur.  This means that the Arthur in the Revolutionary War in North Carolina also married Francis Stowers.
• The captain whose group Georgia Arthur was in during the Rev War is not the same in the North Carolina roster book (Capt. Thomas Saleswhite in Granville County, North Carolina) and the pension docs in the Markham book (Capt. John Fane (?) and Col. Little (Archibald Lytle, could also be Granville)).  Also, Anna’s Rev War pension letter states that Tennessee Arthur enlisted in Capt. Billy (William) Campbells group in Washington County (should be Prince Edward at that time), Virginia.  There is also an Arthur Markum in Carolina Township, Pitt County, NC with a pay voucher doc in 1792 (need to figure out who this is, there are no Marcums on the 1790 or 1800 census in Pitt Co., also no Marcums in early land record deed records in Pitt Co., and no Arthur on the North Carolina tax lists for this timeframe).
  • The affidavit of Rev War service and the power of attorney doc for Joshua Grimage to act on Georgia Arthur’s behalf regarding any North Carolina Rev War pension funds were both filed on July 2, 1792 in Columbia County, Georgia.
  • Note: There is no Arthur Marcum/Markham in DAR or SAR.
• Georgia Arthur is listed as being with Gideon Booker on the Prince Edward, Virginia tax lists for 1784 and 1785.  So, they were somehow connected.  Then Arthur and Gideon were both in Richmond/Columbia Georgia in 1790 and then also in Franklin, Georgia in 1801 and beyond.  This ties them together in Virginia and Georgia, meaning that the Arthur in Prince Edward in 1785 is the same Arthur that is in Franklin, Georgia in 1801, and therefore this Arthur can’t be in Anderson County, Tennessee at the same time.
  • Gideon was a Captain in the Rev War and served in Georgia.  He received the first of three land grants in Georgia in 1784 in an area called the Reserve, which is in Franklin County, GA.
• Georgia Arthur’s brother James (son of Arthur II) also ended up in Georgia (from the Markham book).
• Georgia Arthur and Sr. (Arthur II) were both on the 1784 and 1785 Prince Edward tax lists. 
• Georgia Arthur has a gap in his time in Virginia from 1786 to 1792.  This timespan can be explained by the events in Georgia.
• In 1793 Arthur Jr. and Sr. are both on the Bedford, Virginia tax list, so after the Georgia time gap he is living close to his family in Virginia again.
• Tennessee Arthur shows up in Washington County, Virginia and is on that tax list in 1794.  He also marries Anna in 1794 in Washington County.  He is on the tax lists for Washington and then Lee County every year until 1801.  Then he moves to Anderson County, Tennessee where he shows up on that tax list in 1802.  This is consistent with Anna’s Revolutionary War pension letter.

I have 137 DNA matches to cousins with Arthur II as the common ancestor.  This is on Ancestry.com using the DNA Thrulines tool.  These matches go through Arthur II’s other four children – James, John, Thomas, and Sarah.  I have 82 matches with Tennessee Arthur.  This shows that I am descended from both Tennessee Arthur and Arthur II.

Summary

This biography of my Marcum family line has been difficult, primarily because we cannot determine who the father of James Marcum is.  There needs to be proof, just seeing Richard A. on some Ancestry.com trees that do not have a source is not good enough.  Especially when we were not able to find a man named Richard in the right place and right time.  My biggest regret in writing this is that we have not discovered who James’ father was using traditional genealogy sources.  Biddy Jane’s maiden name is also a problem.  It might be Pemberton.  But we need proof.  Using DNA I was able to connect my Marcum line from James to his great grandparents, Arthur and Anna (Bransgrove) Marcum.  DNA also helped to define the line from Biddy Jane to Elizabeth, and then to Martha Byrd and Jordan Delk.  I am hopeful that at some point we will discover more information to understand my Marcum line ancestry.  I really want to know who the father of James was. It really is a mystery.

Other suggested reading:

“The Land of the Lake: An Early History of Campbell County, Tennessee,” by Dr. G. L. Ridenour, Published by Action Printing, LTD., Jacksboro, Tennessee, 1941.

“History of Tennessee,” The Goodspeed Publishing Company, Chicago and Nashville, 1887.

“History of Kentucky,” by William Elsey Connelley and E. M. Coulter, Five Volumes, Published by The American Historical Society, Chicago and New York, 1922.

“A Century of Wayne County Kentucky, 1800-1900”, by Augusta Phillips Johnson, Published by The Standard Printing Company Incorporated, Louisville, Kentucky, 1939.

“History and Families – Wright County, Missouri, 150^th Anniversary 1841-1991”, by Turner Publishing Company, Paducah, Kentucky, 1993.

“History of Laclede, Camden, Dallas, Webster, Wright, Texas, Pulaski, Phelps and Dent Counties, Missouri,” The Goodspeed Publishing Co., Chicago, 1889, Reprint 1974.

“History of Southwest Virginia, 1746-1786, Washington County”, by Lewis Preston Summers, Originally published  in Richmond, Virginia, 1903.

“Everyday Life in Early America,” by David Freeman Hawke, Harper & Row, Publishers, 1988.

There are several historical family books written by Markhams:

“A History of the Markham Family,” by Reverend David Frederick Markham, John Bowyer Nichols and Sons, London, 1854.

“Markham: The Church and Parish,” by Clements R. Markham, C.B., T. Richards, 37 Great Queen Street, W.C., 1882.

“Markham Memorials,” by Sir Clements Markham, K.C.B., Spottiswoode & Co. Ltd., New Street Square, London, 1913.

Other Markhams who wrote books.

Allan Byron Markham Sr., 1896-1977, was a local genealogist who published maps of land grants in present-day Orange, Wake, and Durham counties in North Carolina. https://archive.durhamcountylibrary.org/repositories/2/archival_objects/31104

“History of Pasquotank County” (North Carolina) by Fred P. Markham.

Books about the Markham family genealogy:

“The Bramford – Earls Colne Connection” by Jack White and D. Jolene White, published by Otter Bay Books, LLC, Baltimore, MD, 2012.

“Descendants of Deacon Daniel Markham” by Curtis and Nancy (Markham) Hartwig, 2008, self-published.  (after Nancy passed away and Curtis “retired” from genealogy we became the custodians of this book and all of the material Curtis and Nancy put together)

“Deacon Daniel Markham – His Life and Times,” by Mark Goodmansen, privately published.

“The Way it Was with Our Ancestors” by William H. and Fonda Marcum, written in 1892, self-published.

Biography written by Kem & Becky Marcum; July, 2025.

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^[1] Information on the origin of the Markham name comes from House of Names (houseofnames.com) and Forebears (forebears.io).

^[2] Wayne County, Kentucky, Marriages and Vital Records, 1801-1860, Volume two, Marriages “K-Z”, Compiled and published by June Baldwin Bork, 1973, Page 40.

^[3] Ibid, Wayne County, Kentucky, Marriages, and Vital Records; this source includes her age at time of marriage.

^[4] Kentucky, County Marriages, 1783-1965, Barren County; accessed at Ancestry.com.

^[5] “The Land of the Lake:  An Early History of Campbell County, Tennessee”, by Dr. G. L. Ridenour, Published by Action Printing, LTD., Jacksboro, Tennessee, 1941, page 50.

^[6] Records from Sampson David Account Book, contained in Wills, bonds and inventories, v. 6 1807-1841, Campbell County, Tennessee, accessed on familysearch.org

^[7] Campbell County, Tennessee Land Entry Books, A, B, D and Miscellaneous Entries, 1827-1902, Abstracted, compiled, and indexed by Paul W. Lemasters, 2001.

^[8] Wayne County, Kentucky Tax Books, 1801-1875, accessed at familysearch.org.

^[9] Deed records, 1789-1964; Index to deeds 1789-1962, Buncombe County, North Carolina, Volume D, Page 202, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[10] Tennessee, U.S., Death Records, 1908-1965, for Simeon Marcum, accessed at Ancestry.com.

^[11] Betty: Meaning and Origin of First Name, accessed at Ancestry.com.

^[12] Southern Campaigns Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters, Entry for Arthur Markum (Marcum) R6907, accessed at revwarapps.org.

^[13] Virginia, Marriages, 1785-1940, entry for Arthur Mareum (is misspelled in the records), 1794, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[14] Handwritten Personal History of Julia Marcum, August 7, 1926; Kentucky Historical Society, accessed at kyhistory.com.

^[15] Campbell County, Tennessee, Surveyors Records of Entries, 1825-1833, by The Historical Records Survey, Works Progress Administration.

^[16] Ibid, Sampson David Account Book.

^[17] Land records, 1806-1902; index, 1804-1912, Campbell County, Tennessee, Register of Deeds, Volume F, Page 45, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[18] Court Minutes, 1839-1895 for Campbell County, Tennessee, Volume 4-5, Page 475, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[19] Personal property tax lists of Washington County (Virginia), 1782-1850, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[20] Personal property tax lists of Lee County (Virginia), 1795-1850, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[21] Tennessee, U.S., Early Tax List Records, 1783-1895, Anderson, 1802, accessed at Ancestry.com.

^[22] Anderson County, Tennessee, County Court Minutes, 1801-1809 and 1810-1814, by The Historical Records Survey, Works Progress Administration, 1936 and 1938, Page 70.

^[23] Campbell County, Tennessee, Deeds, 1806-1831, Abstracted, compiled, and indexed by Paul W. Lemasters, 2001, Page 95.

^[24] Ibid, Records from Sampson David Account Book.

^[25] Land Records, 1806-1902; index, 1804-1912, Campbell County (Tennessee) Register of Deeds, Volume J, Page 297, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[26] Ibid, Tennessee, U.S., Early Tax List Records, 1838 & 1839.

^[27] Campbell County, Tennessee, Court Records, 1813-1846; Minutes, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, Volume 4, 1839-1846, Page 327, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[28] Ibid, Land Records, Campbell County, Volume J, Page 427.

^[29] Deeds, 1850-1885; index to deed and mortgage records, 1850-1915, Scott County (Tennessee) Register of Deeds, Volume A, Page 107, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[30] “The Markham Family”, by Lidie Avirett Rivers, The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Volume 6, No. 1 (July, 1898), Page 81, Published by the Virginia Historical Society, accessed at www.jstor.org.

^[31] Ibid, Tennessee, U.S., Early Tax List Records, 1805.

^[32] Anderson County, Tennessee, County Court Minutes, 1801-1809 and 1810-1814, by The Historical Records Survey, Works Progress Administration, 1936 and 1938, Page 96.

^[33] Ibid, Anderson County, Tennessee, County Court Minutes, Page 112.

^[34] Campbell Co., Tennessee, Wills, Bonds, and Inventories, transcribed by Gertrude Nolan, Published by Pellissippi Genealogical & Historical Society, Clinton, TN, 1993, page 9.

^[35] Ibid, Tennessee, U.S., Early Tax List Records, 1802.

^[36] Ibid, Anderson County, Tennessee, County Court Minutes, Page 20.

^[37] Ibid, Tennessee, U.S., Early Tax List Records, 1805.

^[38] Ibid, Anderson County, Tennessee, County Court Minutes, Page 14.

^[39] Ibid, Anderson County, Tennessee, County Court Minutes, Page 19.

^[40] Tennessee, U.S., Early Land Registers, 1778-1927, accessed at Ancestry.com.

^[41] Ibid, Anderson County, Tennessee, County Court Minutes, Page 70.

^[42] Ibid, Anderson County, Tennessee, County Court Minutes, Page 25.

^[43] “The Land of the Lake:  An Early History of Campbell County, Tennessee”, by Dr. G. L. Ridenour, Published by Action Printing, LTD., Jacksboro, Tennessee, 1941. 

^[44] Ibid, Wayne County, Kentucky Tax Books.

^[45] Marriage bonds, 1801-1900, Wayne County, Kentucky, accessed at Familysearch.org

^[46] Missouri Death Certificates, 1910-1973, Certificate number 15587 for Sarah Jones, accessed at Missouri Digital Heritage, https://s1.sos.mo.gov/records/archives/archivesmvc/deathcertificates.

^[47] Ibid, Missouri Death Certificates, Certificate number 6081 for Arthur Davis.

^[48] Laclede County, Missouri: History and Families, Volume 1, by Laclede County Genealogical Society, Page 216;  also at Find A Grave website, entry for Sarah (Atkinson) Marcum (wife of William), memorial # 13203397, accessed at www.findagrave.com.

^[49] “Panic of 1857”, Wikipedia, accessed at en.wikipedia.org.

^[50] Wayne Co. Court Orders, 1802-1902, Kentucky, Vol G-H 1858-1878, page 31, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[51] The Kentucky Land Grants, 1782-1924, by Willard Rouse Jillson, The Standard Printing Company, Inc., Louisville, Kentucky, 1925; Land Grant number 30.231 from book 54 page 287 was ordered from the Kentucky Office of Land Administration in March 2018.

^[52] Tax Books, 1801-1875, Wayne County, Kentucky, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[53] “Battle of Mill Springs”, Wikipedia, accessed at en.wikipedia.org.

^[54] Kentucky, U.S. County Marriage Records, 1783-1965, Wayne County records 1859-1871, accessed at Ancestry.com.

^[55] Deeds, 1800-1901; general index to deeds, 1800-1960, Wayne County (Kentucky), Clerk of the County Court, Volume R, Page 112, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[56] Ibid, The Kentucky Land Grants, Grant number 40.154 from Book 71 Page 225.

^[57] Ibid, Deeds, Wayne County, Volume R, Page 307.

^[58] Ibid, Tax Books, Wayne County, Kentucky.

^[59] Ibid, Missouri Death Certificates, Certificate number 4241 for Biddy Huckaby (she was married to Hershell Huckaby.

^[60] “Panic of 1873”, Wikipedia, accessed at en.wikipedia.org.

^[61] Deeds, 1798-1902, 1961; indexes, 1798-1935, Barren County (Kentucky), Clerk of the County Court, Volume 21, Page 365, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[62] Map of Barren County, Kentucky, Published by Beers & Lanagan, Philadelphia, 1879, accessed at https://www.loc.gov/item/2012593100/ (Library of Congress).

^[63] Ibid, Deeds, Barron County, Volume 29, Page 103.

^[64] U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796-1907, Wright County, Missouri, Document Number 9318, accessed at Ancestry.com.

^[65] 1890 Veterans Schedules, Elk Creek and Union, Wright, Missouri, accessed at Ancestry.com.

^[66] Ibid, General Land Office Records, Wright County, Missouri, Document Number 7533.

^[67] History and Families – Wright County, Missouri, 150th Anniversary 1841-1991, by Turner Publishing Company, Paducah, Kentucky, 1993, Page 11.

^[68] Find A Grave website, entry for James Marcum, memorial # 20005834, accessed at www.findagrave.com.

^[69] The Laclede County Republican, “Order of Publication,” August 6, 1920, Page 5.

^[70] The Laclede County Republican, “Sheriff’s Sale,” February 4, 1921, Page 3.

^[71] Tax Books, 1801-1875, Wayne County, Kentucky, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[72] Kentucky, U.S., County Marriage Records, 1783-1965, Wayne County, Kentucky, accessed at Ancestry.com.

^[73] Ibid, Kentucky County Marriage Records.

^[74] Ibid, Wayne County, Kentucky, Marriages, and Vital Records; this source identifies where the birth took place.

^[75] Find A Grave website, entry for Sarah “Sallie” Wood Brown, memorial # 11825141, accessed at www.findagrave.com.

^[76] Kentucky, U.S., Death Records, 1852-1965 for Wyatt Brown, accessed at Ancestry.com.

^[77] Kentucky, U.S., Marriage Records, 1852-1914, Wayne County, accessed at Ancestry.com.

^[78] Kentucky, County Marriage Records, 1783-1965, Wayne County, accessed at Ancestry.com.

^[79] Deeds, 1800-1901; general index to deeds, 1800-1960, Wayne County, Kentucky, Volume P, Page 266; accessed at Familysearch.com.

^[80] Kentucky, U.S., Death Records, 1852-1965, Wayne County, accessed at Ancestry.com.

^[81] Ibid, Deeds, Wayne County, Volume B, Page 237.

^[82] Ibid, Find A Grave, entry for Joseph K. Brown, memorial # 43538723.

^[83] Kentucky, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1744, 1989, Wayne County, Volume A, Page 86, accessed at Ancestry.com.

^[84] Ibid, Wayne County, Kentucky Tax Books.

^[85] Ibid, Deeds, Wayne County.

^[86] The Kentucky Land Grants, William Rouse Jillson, Sc.D., The Standard Printing Company, Inc., Louisville, Kentucky, 1925.

^[87] Court Orders, 1802-1902, Wayne County Court, Kentucky, Volume G, Page 351, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[88] Ibid, DAR, William Dorton Jr.

^[89] Ibid, DAR, William Dorton Sr.

^[90] Ibid, Kentucky, U.S., Marriage Records, 1852-1914, Wayne County.

^[91] “Some Tennessee Heroes of the Revolution”, by Zella Armstrong, reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1975, Page 81.

^[92] Southern Campaigns Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters, Pension Application for Belfield Wood, accessed at revwarapps.org.

^[93] Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Ancestor Search for Belfield Wood, accessed at services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search.

^[94] “The Way it Was with Our Ancestors” by William H. and Fonda Marcum, written in 1892, self-published.

^[95] The Original Lists of Persons of Quality, edited by John Camden Hotten, London, 1874, Reprinted by Empire State Book Co., New York, Page 204.

^[96] American Genesis; Captain John Smith and the Founding of Virginia, by Alden T. Vaughan, Published by Little, Brown and Company, Boston, 1975, Page 132.

^[97] Ibid, American Genesis, Page 158.

^[98] Ibid, Original Lists of Persons of Quality.

^[99] Cavaliers and Pioneers; Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants 1623-1800, by Nell Marion Nugent, Richmond VA, Press of the Dietz Printing Co., 1934, Volume 1, Page 34. 

^[100] Library of Virginia, Virginia Land Patents and Grants, patent 1, page 314; accessed at lva-virginia.libguides.com/land-grants.

^[101] Ibid, Cavaliers and Pioneers; Volume 1, Page 45; and Virginia Land Patents, patent 1, page 371.

^[102] Ibid, Cavaliers and Pioneers; Volume 1, Page 60; and Virginia Land Patents, patent 1, page 436.

^[103] Ibid, Cavaliers and Pioneers; Volume 1, Page 87; and Virginia Land Patents, Patent 1, Page 552.

^[104] Ibid, Cavaliers and Pioneers; Volume 1, Page 268; and Virginia Land Patents, Patent 3, Page 143.

^[105] Ibid, Cavaliers and Pioneers; Volume 1, Page 432; and Virginia Land Patents, Patent 4, Page 607.

^[106] Ibid, Cavaliers and Pioneers; Volume 1, Page 464; and Virginia Land Patents, Patent 5, Page 119.

^[107] Ibid, Cavaliers and Pioneers; Volume 2, Page 191; andVirginia Land Patents, Patent 6, page 663.

^[108] Henrico County, Virginia, court records, 1677-1739, Volume 1, Page 108, slide 42 (index slide 40), accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[109] 1679 Tithe List for Henrico County, Virginia, accessed at https://henricohistoricalsociety.org/genealogy/Tithe_List_1679-1.pdf.

^[110] “Virginia Quit Rent Rolls, 1704”, The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, July, 1923, pages 215-231, by James Mosse, Published by Virginia Historical Society; accessed at www.jstor.org.

^[111] All Early Virginia Families Along the James River: Their Deep and Tangled Branches, Volume I (has land patents and rent rolls), accessed at https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/49134/.

^[112] Ibid, Cavaliers and Pioneers; Volume 3, Page 164.

^[113] County Court records, deeds, wills, settlements of estates, etc., Henrico County, Virginia, 1677-1787, records in file for 1697-1714, volume for 1710-1714, part 2, page 63, slide 565 accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[114] Ibid, Henrico County Court records, page 70, slide 569.

^[115] Ibid, Henrico County Court records, page 71, slide 569.

^[116] Ibid, Henrico County Court records, page 80, slide 574.

^[117] Ibid, Henrico County Court records, page 80.

^[118] Ibid, Henrico County Court records, page 89, slide 578.

^[119] Ibid, Henrico County Court records, page 139, slide 603.

^[120] Ibid, Henrico County Court records, page 202, slide 650.

^[121] Ibid, Henrico County Court records, page 248, slide 658.

^[122] Ibid, Henrico County Court records, page 253, slide 660.

^[123] Ibid, Henrico County Court records, page 259, slide 663.

^[124] Ibid, Henrico County Court records, page 263, slide 665.

^[125] Henrico County, Virginia, Wills & Deeds, 1677-1737, by Benjamin B. Weisiger III, Reprinted by Iberian Publishing Company, Athens, Georgia, 1998, Pages 134-136.

^[126] The Edward Pleasants Valentine Papers, Volume 2, Published by The Valentine Museum, Richmond, Virginia, Page 1108; accessed at Ancestry.com.

^[127] County Court records, deeds, wills, settlements of estates, etc., (Henrico County, Virginia), 1677-1787, Volume containing years 1714-1737, Page 116, Slide 80; accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[128] Ibid, Henrick Court records and Deeds, Page 125-126, Slide 85.

^[129] Ibid, Henrick court records and deeds, Page 247, Slide 156.

^[130] Court orders and minutes and miscellaneous court records, 1650-1807, Henrico County, Virginia, records for 1729-1723, Page 46, Slide 39, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[131] Ibid Henrico Court Minutes, Pages 59-60, Slides 45-46.

^[132] The Edward Pleasants Valentine Papers, Volume 2, Published by The Valentine Museum, Richmond, Virginia, Page 1097, accessed at Ancestry.com.

^[133] These two transactions are referenced here:  Court orders and minutes and miscellaneous court records, 1650-1807, Henrico County, Virginia, records for 1719-1723, Page 48, Slide 40, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[134] Ibid, Henrico Court Minutes, Pages 103 and 110, Slides 67 and 71.

^[135] Ibid, Henrico Court Minutes, Pages 158, Slide 95.

^[136] Ibid, Henrico Court Minutes, Pages 173 & 213, Slides 102 & 122.

^[137] Ibid, Henrico Court records and Deeds, Page 376, Slide 379.

^[138] General Index to Marriage Bonds, Wives A-Z, 1754-1870, Bedford County, Virginia, accessed at Familysearch.org. 

^[139] Amelia County, Virginia tax lists 1736-1764, An Every Name Index, by T.L.C. Genealogy, Miami Beach, Florida, 1993, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[140] Lists of Tithables, 1736-1782, and miscellaneous documents, ca. 1740-1795, Amelia County, Virginia, records for March 28, 1750, slide 324, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[141] Miscellaneous papers, Prince Edward County, Virginia, item 2, pages 1 & 16, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[142] Library of Virginia, Virginia Land Patents and Grants, search for Arthur Marcum, patent 34, page 466; accessed at lva-virginia.libguides.com/land-grants.  Also at Cavaliers & Pioneers, Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants, Edited by Dennis Ray Hudgins, Volume six: 1749-1762, Published by Virginia Genealogical Society, Richmond, VA, 1998, Page 362.

^[143] The Virginia Gazette, Williamsburg, Virginia, October 22, 1767, Page 2; accessed at research.colonialwilliamsburg.org.

^[144] The Virginia Gazette, Williamsburg, Virginia, March 14, 1777, Page 12; accessed at Newspapers.com.

^[145] Personal property tax lists, 1782-1850, Prince Edward County, Virginia, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[146] 1785 Prince Edward County Census Heads of Household, accessed at www.usgenwebsites.org/vagenweb/princeedward/.

^[147] Deeds, 1754-1866; general index to deeds, 1754-1916, Prince Edward County, Virginia, Volume 7, Page 209, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[148] Deed books, 1754-1901; general indexes, 1754-1929, Bedford County, Virginia, Volume 8, Page 61, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[149] Personal property tax lists, 1782-1875, Bedford County, Virginia, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[150] Marriage bonds of Bedford County, Virginia, 1755-1800, accessed at Ancestry.com.

^[151] First Census of the United States 1790, Records of the State Enumerations: 1782-1785, Virginia, Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 1908.

^[152] Chancery Records Index, Virginia Memory, Library of Virginia, Index Number 1791-005, accessed at www.virginiamemory.com/collections/chancery.

^[153] Ibid, Chancery Records Index, Virginia, Index Number 1793-001.

^[154] Ibid, Chancery Records Index, Virginia, Index Number 1795-004.

^[155] Ibid, Chancery Records Index, Virginia, Index Number 1801-006.

^[156] Marriage bonds of Bedford County, Virginia, 1755-1800; accessed at Ancestry.com.

^[157] Deed records, 1789-1814, Virginia, Superior Court of Law, Franklin County, Deed Book no. 1, 1789-1802, Page 113 and 130, Slides 65 and 74, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[158] Deed books, 1754-1901; general indexes, 1754-1929, Bedford County, Virginia, Volume 10, Page 103, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[159] Processioners book, 1796-1812, Bedford County, Virginia, page 17, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[160] Deed books, 1754-1901; general indexes, 1754-1929, Bedford County, Virginia, Volume 10, Page 438, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[161] Marriage Bonds, 1788, Prince Edward County, Virginia, accessed at Familysearch.org. 

^[162] Roster of Soldiers from North Carolina in the American Revolution, Muster roll of part of the 6th N.C. Regiment, Slide 241, Page 229, Accessed at Ancestry.com;  Southern Campaigns Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters, “Size Roll taken by Capt. Ralph Williams of Men enrolled in Granville County May 25th 1778 to fill the North Carolina quota of Continental Soldiers”, Item B250, Transcribed by Will Graves, Accessed at revwarapps.org/b250.pdf.  

^[163] Personal property tax lists, 1782-1850, Prince Edward County, Virginia, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[164] Georgia, U.S., Property Tax Digests, 1793-1892, Franklin County, accessed at Ancestry.com; List of Persons Living in Franklin County Who Registered to Draw in the Lottery of 1805, contained in Franklin County Georgia Records, compiled by Frances Wynd, Albany, Georgia, Page 52, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[165] Record of plats, 1783-1790, Georgia, Superior Court, Richmond County, Volume A, Page 313, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[166] The Reconstructed 1790 Census of Georgia, Richmond County, Page 143, accessed at Ancestry.com.

^[167] Oldest Book of Inferior Court Records, 1790, Georgia Genealogy Trails, Richmond County, accessed at genealogytrails.com/geo/Richmond/courtrecords2.html.

^[168] Ibid, “The Way it Was with Our Ancestors.”

^[169] Personal property tax lists, 1782-1875, Bedford County, Virginia, accessed at Familysearch.org.

^[170] Ibid, “The Way it Was with Our Ancestors.”