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I ought to add that I checked on my Horner. She is from Queenstown, MD, not what I said earlier. However, it is interesting that Potters are on the list of names you posted earlier in MD and Potters are found near my Sinkeys in central PA. My original Potter is from MD, but I have to check where, just to see if Queenstown might be on the route between these two places.
Techteach
Originally posted by vance hawkins
You mentiond the Cherokee and Catawba in Maryland. The year was 1757.
The reason they were that far North that year was that they were asked to fight in the French and Indian War against the Northern Indians. The Catawba first, and later the Cherokee returned to their homes in E Tn (Cheorkee) and NC/SC (Catawba).
Dagworthy’s hope for a large English supporting Indian alliance never materialized.
vance
Vance,
What I am curious about here is
1) the reference to the Nottoway. What’s the story on them?
2) and what I am really wondering about is what Dagworthy did between the French & Indian War and the Revolution. He was granted the land where Blackfoot Town was for service in the Fr. & In. War. Looks like he deserved it as the MD assembly was a pain to put up with and try to get $ from for supplies, Indian presents, etc. – when did it become known as Blackfoot Town?– the name was changed to Dagsboro abt. 1785 when he died. He started a saw mill there — there was a tannery there– he had a lot of slaves and became wealthy— anything else? Wonder if he was in the trade, too, or used Indians in any aspect of his commercial endeavors? What was the town like when he was alive? He sure was familiar with a lot of Indians, Eastern Shore and otherwise, it seems.
I am aware of the “bad manners” of some of the settlers in Virginia in attacking, rather than feeding, Cheorkee allies traveling through and of some of the issues that led up to the Cherokee War of ’60-’61, but I still want to know more about the dealings of Gist, Pearris, Dagworthy, Cresap, Croghan, et al. What I am seeing in the MD archives makes it apparent that various Cherokee were part of the force, and that there was a lot of problems over payment & presents. The Colonial Governors seem to bicker back and forth, too, with Virginai so far looking a bit more stingy. BUT, Gist, Dagworthy, Pearris show up in the records so it is a way to get a better feel for them.
Brenda
Linda,
You called the town? Gutsy move.
What else do they know? Do they have a history of the town for sale?
No, sorry, I haven’t done anythin gutsy today, haha. That’s the information that’s posted on the town’s website.
Originally posted by Linda
The town of Dagsboro (sp?) reports that it was called “Blackfoot Town” from 1740 to 1780.
Isn’t that 1740 date a bit suggestive? Very interesting……
Delaware genealogy books
http://delmarvaroots.com/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/scstore/shophome.html?E+scstore
Nanticoke of Delaware
http://www.graydovetrading.com/Nanticoke.html
Genweb for Delaware [note: I did a stte search for Blackfoot and got zero hits. Felt bad until I did a searchfor Dagsboro and got only 12 hits].
Maybe this will get somewhere —
There is a link from lasst website to this one — a map of Indian settlements in Indiana — note Shawnee and Delaware in southern Indiana near that Blackfoot Church.
http://www.statelib.lib.in.us/www/ihb/amerindians/findingsettlements.html
http://www.statelib.lib.in.us/www/ihb/amerindians/findingsettlements.html
The website above says —
Indian names are of two major groups. Those that derived from real Indian names, and the ones that were given by white men because of some real or supposed association with Indians. Of the latter can be included: Indian Beach, Indian Branch, Indian Bridge Creek, Indian Cabin Branch, Indian Cabin Neck, Indian River, Indian River Road, and on and on. The Indian names derived from the Indian language are Algonkian. The Indian Museum near Millsboro has a library and as we understand, an Association which includes some elder members whose opinions we value.
Many places have had one or more names. For instance Dagsboro was formerly known as “Blackfoot Town” which poses a mystery since no Blackfoot Indians are known to have inhabited Delaware. Folk with black feet from North Carolina were known as Tarheels, so perhaps the residents of Dagsboro also walked through pine tar? Ellendale we understand, was formerly known as Flea Town, and a friend who was born at Grays Branch may be surprised to learn it was formerly known as ‘Socum’, but then all of lower Delaware was once known as Sockum.
http://www.sussexcountyonline.com/towns/dagsboro.html
The town, in the Indian River School District, was founded in 1747 and has been known as Blackfoot Town, Dagsbury and Dagsborough.
http://www.accessible.com/amcnty/DE/Delaware/delaware76.htm
DAGSBOROUGH VILLAGE is located on that part of “Dagworthy’s Conquest” taken up by General John Dagworthy, from whom it derived its name. In deeds recorded previous to 1785, it is mentioned “as the place formerly called Blackfoot town, but now Dagsbury.” [note: did he conquer the town of Blackfoot?]
http://www.ipa.udel.edu/localgovt/municipalities/ dagsboro/dagsboro-comp-plan_text.pdf
1-2b. HistoryPrior to 1785, the area that is now Dagsboro was called Blackfoot Town, named after the NativeAmerican village of earlier days. After the death of General John Dagworthy in 1784, the town wasnamed Dagsborough in honor of him.
http://baker.canavancentral.com/WilliamWhaleyville.html
Son Walter Evans (D1740) married Mary Powell, daughter of Walter Powell of HILLIARDS DISCOVERY. He sold the land for Prince Georges Chapel at Blackfoot Town on the east side of Peppers Creek.
www2.newszap.com/lookingback/archives/baseball.html
The history is titled ”Blackfoot Town … Dagsborough … Dagsboro, A Geographical Biography of Dagsboro, Delaware,” written by Mrs. Evelyn D. Simpson in 1989.
http://69.5.64.196/modules/freecontent/index.php?path=http://www.saponitown.com/Blackfoot.htm
Cindy,
There’s a connection here that I missed before. Well, maybe several but one that is glaring. Nathan Potter was born 29 Oct 1795 in Baltimore, MD. That means that his father William Potter that married Rachael Horner were in Baltimore at the time of Nathan’s birth. I didn’t think there was a connection with the Potters before PA but…that burning question I told you I had about Mary McCartney being born in Baltimore, MD in 1770 and how she met and connected with William Sinkey? Maybe the connection was the Potter’s in MD before PA. Since Dad’s DNA test we know that the Sinkey men were English. I thought the Indian came in with Nancy Huston (which on my info interestingly enough is spelled Houston like the DE list that Bess posted) but the notation Grandma had in her notes about Mary McCartney carrying water jugs on her head and both arms has always made me wonder if she was Native. Not a typical Irish or English trait is it? Other names I picked up on in the list were the Long’s, one of Richard Sinkey’s sisters married a Long,Sharp, Potter, Houston….looked for McCartney..not there. Another thing….there is so much info here I can’t remember who posted it, Vance I think about the New Castle, DE info. The Sinkey family tradition says they came to New Castle, DE from the north of Ireland and stayed there until land opened up in PA. I have tried to follow up on it so many times and just got a dead end but all this time later….it shows up again. Kinda of weird. I knew when I read the article about the survey of the land Penn negotiated for that I had read that material before. One of the articles mentioned here I think talked about the ‘Old Warrior’s Path’ and people shuffling between MD, DE,PA. That clears up alot I think. Richard’s land was on the Warrior’s Path or just off it. The 1800 Heads of Households listed a Samuel Butler…why is that name familiar to me…was he in Williams Rev War troop?
Deb
Vance, that last link you gave is to a website for Highland County, Ohio. For some reason, they’ve copied my “Other Blackfoot” article onto one of their pages. I wonder why?
Sinkey Cousin:
Not that I am aware of. However, there are several William Sinkeys listed on the PA Rev. War records site. If one of them, besides the one listed as the PA Ranger, is our William, and I think it is – I think he served in the Bedford County militia also – Butler might be there. However, the Ralstons lived in Butler County.
Now, what I have not told you is something I just found on someone’s Rev Richard Sankey, Rev. John Thomson’s genealogy. Thomson arrived in New Castle and he and Sankey lived in Lewes, DE while Thomson is preaching in Lewes. Lewes is only 22 miles from Blackfoot Town. From Lewes, they both go to preach in the Donegal Presbytery, Sankey to Octoraro Church, the one that is known to have been mixed. Then they go to VA and later, our Richard Sinkey appears on the Juniata.
BTW, those records have Ezekial Sankey and Thomas McCartney serving as rangers in the Kosquillas (sp) valley, same as our William.
Techteach
Found an interesting link on history of Blackfoot Town : http://www.accessible.com/amcnty/DE/Delaware/delaware76.htm
Techteach
Brenda asked —
1) the reference to the Nottoway. What’s the story on them?
reply —
Others can probably answer that better than I –as far as I can tell they were once a powerful Algonquin tribe in Maryland.
If you look at the map of tribes in Indiana per the map I referenced online, the Notaway were therebut in the central part of the state, not anywhere near the Blackfoot Church. It would be very interesting to discover more about this band of Nottaway in Indiana. re they composed of the tribes in Blackfoot town before Dagsworthy took it over, and given the name Notaway because they were the biggest remnant tribe left? Since none of them are in Oklahoma (that is there is no federally recognized tribe in Oklahona called Nottaway), and there is a Notaway River near the Kansas/Oklahona/Missiori border, maybe they stopeed there for awhile? I bet they merged with one of those tribes in NE Ok (Miama, Peoria, Seneca/Cayuga, Ottowa, and others). I think there are 8 federally recognized in that one small county in NE Ok.
Brenda asked —
Indian presents, etc. – when did it become known as Blackfoot Town?
reply —
One of those sites said 1747, but I wonder . . . note: that was a few years after some Saponi were asked to leave Orange Co, Va for hog steakling.
Brenda asked —
but I still want to know more about the dealings of Gist, Pearris, Dagworthy, Cresap, Croghan, et al.
reply
I don’t know much about most of those people — sorry. Have read a little on the Gist/Pearis feud, tho.
Pearis and Gist were feuding for Cherokee business. Nathaniel Gist (Christopher’s son) tricked Pearis and made him look foolish to the Cherokee.
Pearis was a South Carolina Indian trader and Gist was a Virginia Indian trader. The governors of thsose 2 sates were feuding over who’d get the business with the Cherokee.
One record said the presence of over 200 Cherokee warriors really impressed the Northern Indians siding with the French and made them a bit skiddish in one battle, I forget which. But as I said, some troubles happened and the Catawba and Cherokee left the alliance.
Virginia’s governor accused South Carolina’s Governor of preventing more help from the Catawba but I don’t recall many details.
Originally posted by Coharie Roy
Brenda,
Dr. Rountree documents other Indian Reservations/Towns which “dried up.” There was a town exactly situated where present day Snow Hill, Maryland is, along the Pocomoke River. Another was Manokin Town (where my REVELL ancestor first appears) – once again on the site of the present day town of Princess Anne, Maryland. There was another Indian reservation/town set aside for the Nanticoke Indians by the Maryland General Assembly in the late 1600’s along the Choptank River. The name of the Indian town/reservation was Chicone. Once again, the present day town of Vienna, Maryland now sits on the exact spot where Chicone once sat. ….
Now, all those Indian reservations/towns were all loosely associated with the Nanticoke Indians (the most powerful tribe on the eastern shore of Maryland … or, more correctly, on the entire Delmarva pinnensula [ sp? ]). AND, all those towns were easily within one to two day’s travel to Blackfoot Town (Dagsworth, Delaware). Just look at the map. I used to live in Salisbury from 1972 to 1974 and all these towns are within a 15 to 40 mile arc from Blackfoot Town. I have no doubt that there was communication between all the Indian towns/reservations.
So, what happened to all those people after the reservations emptied out?
Has Dr. Rountree done a book on the Maryland Indians? I have “Pocahontas’ People”, her work on the Viriginia Powhatans and find it very illuminating as far as understanding the historical process. Also some interesting refererences to some Pamunkys who moved down with the Catawba and vice versa…. Would love something this comphrehensive on Maryland area.
Check out the Revell will below. What do y’all think this means? I think Blackfoot Town would have been in Somerset Co. still in 1718. Worcester formed from Somerset 1742. Boundary dispute between MD & DE continues until 1760’s…..Somerset was an original county, formed 1666.
Brenda
“Reavell (Revell), Randall, yeoman,Somerset Co.,13th Apr., 1717;
18th June, 1718.
To daus. Sarah Bosman and Alice, personalty and 12 pence.
To 3 sons, exs. jointly, Charles, Randall and William, and their hrs., all land equally. Shd. any of them die without issue, portion of deceased to be divided between survivors.
To 3 sons an equal privilege of the Marsh. Dwelling plantation to son Randall, the plantation joining Mr. Gray’s to son Charles, and “Raccoon Point” to son William. Also to 3 sons afsd. and to dau. Mary, certain personalty, to be divided among the four when son William comes to age of 18 yrs., at which time he and son Randall are to be free.
The four child., viz.: Charles, Randall, William and Mary, are to make over to Job Shary an Indian girl, Bess.
William Wheatly to have no share in estate.
Exs.: Sons Chas., Randall and William, jointly.
Overseers: Capt. Plantmer, Job Shary.
Test: John Gibbins, Job Shary, John Benton (Benson).
Cod. dated 7th May, 1717, states that shd. testator have hereafter any interest in any other land, he desires that it be divided bet. 3 sons afsd.
Daus. Sarah, Alice and Mary and their hrs. to have no interest in such land.
Same testes. 14. 622.
MARYLAND CALENDAR OF WILLS: Volume 4″
The reference to the marsh may be the Cypress marsh and/or the marsh where the Indians gathered to confer about their “plot” in 1742…..interesting turn of a phrase “are to be free”, and note the Indian girl, Bess….
Brenda,
Are you the one looking for Steel’s? On a Delaware website:
http:/ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/de/sussex
there is a 1693 tax list, I was scrolling down through the names and saw
John Streele sen
John Streate junr
don’t know if it’s pertinent, but thought I’d pass it on.
Cindy told me to look at a web address for Delaware Probates, so I did. I found:
Sinkey, Hannah 1778 New Castle County
Sinkey, Thomas 1771 “
Heath, John 1748 “
Sankey, Abraham 1789-1800 “
Sankey, Hannah 1780 “
Cooley, Daniel 1783-1793 Kent Co.
Mayfield, George 1833 New Castle
Mason (10 different ones in New Castle Co in that time
period )
Potters (tons of them)
Huston, Charles and Rev Alexander
Houston, George 1761 New Castle
Greens ( 9 pages of them)
Cooley, Daniel 1783-1793 Ken County
Cooley, George H. 1893 New Castle Co
Wheeler, William 1774 Kent Co
There are McCartney’s in New Castle but not until 1892.
Everyone of these names are intermarried with the Sinkey/Sankey families. I forgot to check for Twig. Looks like at one time, before PA, they were all together. There are other names in Sussex and Kent Counties but when I looked I thought we were looking for New Castle Co. Will go back and look again tonite.
(Sorry about the typing, I really have to go to work and will check back when I get home tonite.)
Deb
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