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Howdy, I posted a while back with some names, thought I’d try again with more specifics. My grandmother, her cousins, uncles, aunts, parents, and grandparents have all considered our family to be of Indian descent. These folks are mostly from western Hanover county Virginia, but moved to NE TN about 100 years ago, were they associated with local Indians. I just can’t find anything on Indians in Hanover, so I was hoping you folks could help. My research is limited to the internet, being that I live so far away, otherwise I’d be doing this myself.
My grandmother’s grandfather, Samuel Cooke SMITH Sr (b 1870, Beaver dam, Hanover co), claimed his ancestors were Indian. Samuel’s wife said his Indian blood came from his mother, Oteria Agnes BUTLER (b abt. 1840 Hanover co). Oteria’s parents were Clayton Calvin BUTLER (b. 1807 Hanover co) and Judith LAWRENCE (b 1805 Hanover co). I’m not sure which of her parents were Indian, but in all the censuses they are all marked as white, so they have to be well mixed. I’ve been told the LAWRENCE family comes out of Nansemond county, but I have no sources. They are also associated with the Stanley and Strong families in Hanover, who have families with whites and free coloreds.
Clayton’s father was William BUTLER of Hanover, and his parents were John BUTLER and Mary THACKER(her first child born in 1763). Both of Hanover county. I don’t know how to get copies of the documents on this, but I know the sources. I have also read on the internet that Thackers were associated with a mixed community in Louisa county, which included the names Gibson, Branham, Collins, Cooper, Tyree, Bunch, Dalton, Napper, Sprouse, and others, and that they were Pamunkey or Cherokee. But I can’t find confirm any of this or link my Thacker to them.
My family also claims descent from the COOKE family, but I can’t find were it comes in. I’ve been told that name is associated with the Pamunkey.
Thanks for any help!
Shad
1772 Lunenburg Co., Va Tax list enumerates Jury Lawrance as an Indian
1758 Brunswick Co. Order Book #7, p. 244 Ricard Lawrance described as “an Indian boy”
Charlotte Co, Va Free Negro Registration Book 4/15/1811 Woody Lawrance described as “son of Indian Robin Lawrance”
Hope that helps
Thank you for your response. I just figured out how to search through the forum archives for old postings. Lo and behold, theres names and dates of Thacker Indians, including from Hanover county. Guess I better look before I write, eh?
Cheers,
Shad
I have Thackers as well. They are from Louisa County. Mary Thacker b. before 1780. She married a Fielding Meade. Her parents are Nathaniel? Thacker b abt 1740 Louisa Co. and Kesiah Evans b. before 1749. Thats all I know about them.
Hi CR21,
I also found some information on your Mary Thacker, don’t think she is the same as my Mary, but I think they are related. My family lived in both Louisa and Hanover counties, they moved every so often and Louisa was formed from Hanover. I am also descended from the Meade family in that area, but I don’t know if your Meade is one of my ancestors.
I am also researching the lines of John Butler and Mary Thacker. I descend from Thomas Butler, said to be the son of John Butler and Mary Thacker. Thomas and Polly had Thomas G. Butler, who married Sarah A Sacra(e), daugher of Reuben Sacra(e) and Susan unknown. Thomas and Sarah A. had my GGG Grandfather, Reuben Edmund Butler, born 1845 in Hanover County, VA. He married Nancy Ellen Jenkins, daughter of John H and Susan Jenkins, in Hanover. They had Chastain Thomas Butler, born April 29, 1876, my GG Grandfather, who married Virginia Elizabeth “Minnie” Gray, of Caroline County, VA. Their Daughter, Sadie Lee Butler, was my Great Grandmother. Research shows that they were in the Beaver Dam area of Hanover, as well as Ashland and later, Doswell, VA. There have been rumors that we also have Indian blood from the Butlers, and several of my ancestors appear to be dark. Like you, though, the census records indicate white. The belief is Pawmunkey, Delaware, and that they left the area for a short time, but returned. I am not sure when this occured yet, but this information just came by way of my mother, and I am just starting to check it out. My Butler ancestors stayed in Hanover from that point on, and some descendents are still there. I have lots of information to share. One of Thomas and Sarah’s son’s was William Thomas Butler, who married Elizabeth “Betsey” Mallory, and had several children. He then married Mary Ellen Grimes, and moved to Summersville, WV, where he had several more children. I do have some ca 1890-1900 photo’s of Butler ancestors, as well as a lot of 1920’s, 30’s 40’s 50’s of related family. Some are identified, most are not, since they did not put the names on them, and my great grandmother died in 1984, and my grandmother passed away in 1999. The pictures and hand written genealogy notes my Great Grandmother had (ca 1930’s) weren’t found until after. I became interested in genealogy at that time. I am currently working backwards and forwards to connect all the Butlers in the Hanover County area, beginning with the census records, WWI draft registrations, etc., but live in Texas, so research is done mostly online and with related cousins who do live in Hanover County. Also have been in contact with a Gary Lester, also related through John and Mary Butler. He is who indicates that Thomas G Butler may be the son of Thomas Butler, son of John & Mary. Record losses hinder my research alot. Would like to compare notes.
I visited relatives in Salt Lake City and Washington DC, and was able to do a little more research on my BUTLER and THACKER family. These families lived in Hanover and Louisa counties in VA. I’m able to trace my line back to John Butler and Mary Thacker. The will of John Butler, husband of Mary Butler, names a son Thomas. Mary’s father was most likely William Thacker. I have seen claims that William’s wife was Cherokee, but I have found no documentation yet. I found another researcher from this family who also felt they were Pamunkey. Evidence does suggest this family has an Indian background.
A couple of sources so far:
“A Genealogy of the BROADY, HARRIS, NAPPER, THACKER and TRENT Families”. These families were mixed race and migrated from Louisa county Virginia to Jackson co, Pike co, Gallia counties Ohio. The Thackers, Nappers, and DORTONs claimed to be of Cherokee ancestry. Census records have shown them as mulatto, colored, and white. There are Thackers and Nappers who remained in Louisa county, my family appears to be related to them.
“Tracking Benjamine, the Story of the Thacker Family”. Benjamin was from Virginia, and was related to the SPROUSE family, and associated with the Nappers, other mixed families.
Census records in Hanover and Louisa county also show mixed race butler and Thacker families.
I also have copies of other records, what few exist, from Hanover county.
Several elderly family members descent from this line decided to take DNA tests to see if that showed any Indian ancestry. The testes showed they had more than enough to account for any error, although these folks may also have Indian from other branches of their family.
I too have lots of information to share. Please e-mail me at my personal address.
History of Logan County, W.Va.
by Henry Clay Ragland
“Reuben Thacker made the first settlement at what is now known as Thacker. He came from the James River Valley, remained for a few years, giving to the creek its name, and then moved further west. ”
http://mingogenealogy.com/Early%20Settlers/Reuben%20Thacker.html
I have no way of knowing if the Thackers in Pike Co. KY & Logan Co. WV are related to the Thackers being discussed here or not, but it would be nice to know if they were since the Tug River and Big Sandy area of WV & KY has been a location where we find reports of Blackfoot ancestors.
My 3 great grandpa James Vance was shot & killed by a McCoy “posse” from Kentucky up on Thacker Mountain. My Grandpa Harry Steele worked at the Thacker station for the N & W railroad when he was a young man.
I found this lady’s page through the Pike County usgenweb site. I don’t know if the Benjamin she has is connected to the Benjamin above or not:
“William THACKER [Parents] was born about 1690. He died in 1767/1768 in Hanover County, VA.
He had the following children:
M i Benjamin THACKER “
She has quite a list of Thackers:
http://www.geocities.com/jennyejustice/index3.htm#Thacker
“Absolem THACKER [Parents] was born about 1780 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. He died about 1860 in Pike County, Kentucky. He married Sarah ADKINS on 3 May 1808 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia.
Other marriages:
ADKINS, Nancy”
This lady has Greens, too.
http://wwwgeocities.com/jennyejustice/pafg08.htm#235.
Brenda
Here is an older Thacker thread— maybe that there are tie ins.
The earliest I can trace my Thacker family is in Hanover county in the early 1700’s. Some folks later went to Pike co Ohio, some to West Virginia, my family stayed in the Hanover/Louisa county area until about 1900. Those Thacker families from Ohio, WV, and Virginia, including the earlier links on this forum, all appear to be descended from this same family out of Hanover. One of the names that married into this family in Virginia is Sprouse, look up Benjamin Sprouse on the Logan Co WV link, and you see that his brother in law was Reuben Thacker. Look at my other posts to see other associated names, and I have also seen the Adkins surname married into the Thacker family as well.
Some sources I’ve found:
The Vestry Book of St. Paul’s Parish, Hanover County, Virginia, 1706-1786
A William Thacker is mentioned as a landowner in 1723,1739, and 1743. This was the only Thacker I could find that far back. Reuben, Benjamin, and Absolem Thacker are considered to be descendents of this William.
William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vol. 23, No. 1.
(Jul., 1914), pp. 21-30.
Apr. 5, 1785 – Echo X Thacker & Mary Thacker, his wife, of St. Paul, to Wm
Elmore 100 a. on waters of Stoney run, adj. Benj. Bowles, Jas. Bagley, Lucy
Thacker, Wm Jones & Jno Mansfield
Hanover county deeds: p 81. 7 Jan 1784 Land sold to Benjamin Bowles of St Pauls Parrish Hanover co, a neighbor of Echoe Thacker, witnessed by Edward Thacker, David Butler, and Phillip Thacker.
A petition signed in 1777 for the division of Fluvanna from Albemarle VA was signed by Benj. Thacker, Vinson Sprouse, Thomas Napier, Rich Napier, John Napier, Ashford Napier, Rob Napier, among others.
Yes, http://www.trevilians.com has a lot on my family out of Louisa county Virginia, its the best research on the web I have found so far for Louisa co. genealogy. Its from the Va genweb project. I wish Hanover county had something like that.
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