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Running a lot this week getting kids ready for a new school year, but I want to second that this is indeed an important area. The trading family that I am interested in from this time and place is the Swedish trader Charles Mounts Anderson and his son Joseph Mounts. Charles was initially in Cecil County, MD and then had a trading cabin on the Monocacy in the 1720’s. By the 1730’s his spot was near Scrabble, WV- very near Sheperdstown, present day Berkley County. Then, he moved up the Potomac to the area of Old Town [Oppessa’s Town or Shawnee Old Town], across the river on the Virginia side. I think most all the families here very early were involved in the trading life and were following their customers westward.
Bess and Brenda:
Sorry I did not respond sooner; I was up at the old house cleaning. I think I am ready for a new name, Cinderella, not Cindy. I have been cleaning both houses for 2 weeks.
Brenda, I don’t recognize your names, but that is a similar path for some member of my family. Somone comes from Cecil County, but I am not sure who at this point, though (Part of the problem is that both my grandparents had ancestors from this area and I get confused. Grandpa’s ancestors included the Swearingens from this area.). And, Brenda and Bess, having just moved, I have yet to find my copy of “The Green Tree.” Brenda, I do know, though, that I think that town, Scrabble, used to be called Buttstown. And, there was a Greentown there too. Butt is a name that follows my family everywhere. I regularly correspond with a group of cousins who all have Butt/Green ancestry. (Sheree has a Butt from here who marries into her family.) William Green marries Dinah Darke Butt, and the families stay together to Ohio and Iowa. There might be further information in “The Green Tree” when I find the box it is in. One of these cousins believes that Dinah Darke Butt was the source for the Indian in the family. However, another cousin, who put my Green genealogy together, had this to say about William Green,
“Notes for WILLIAM GREEN I:
It is recorded that there is an indenture by William Green’s son and heir, Regnal Green I, to a Jospeh McMurran, dated Dec 11, 1800 stated that his father ( William Green I ) had purchased 297 acres of land, by deed, from Thomas Lord Fairfax, on the 13th day of J_____(blank), 1751. No record of this event can be found, other than in this indenture by William’s son 49 years later.
Source for William’s birth: Colonial Records of Southern Maryland
Will: Berkeley Co, Virginia, November 12, 1776: Will Book I, March 21, 1780. Balance Due estate L 2259-7-1. To funeral expenses L 100-0-0 (largest amount for funeral record by researcher)
According to the book “The Green Tree” by Robert M. Green, William and his family settled about 4 miles east of Sheperdstown, Virginia around 1751. William purchased his land from Lord Thomas Fairfax (297 acres) in 1751. Lord Fairfax had this land surveyed by a young George Washington prior to the sales.”
Her notes say that William was born in Portobacco on Dec. 28, 1694 and that he marries Dinah (born February 05, 1706/07) , from Queen Anne Parish, daughter of Richard Butt and Mary Medcalf/Metcalf.
Cindy
PS: Interestingly enough, Regnal refuses to report for his muster for the French and Indian War.
Bess,
Let’s see, you asked about the Monacacy Road. I have found this information – Rev. Hugh Vance, Presbyterian minister, marries many of the Greens at Shepherdstown. Shepherdstown was a part of the Donegal synod; Donegal is near Lancaster. Rev. Richard Sankey was minister of Donegal as was his father-in-law, John Thomson. John Thomson was known as a leader of the Old Lights and I believe, was kind of expelled from the north, as was his son-in-law. Richard said it was Indians, but there was no problem at the time he left, but the Old Light and New Light controversy was going on at the time. Both ministers move to Cub Creek, VA. From there, Thomson goes on to work in Mecklenberg, SC. I have come to believe that he might have been a connection between the Sinkeys and Greens. He also was in the area near Hagerstown where Lynella and my Ricketts were originally before they move north to PA. I have come to believe that the church links all these groups
There were Greens related to the Sinkeys in PA who were in or near Lancaster. The Sinkeys were also the Sankeys (I kind of believe that Sinkey marries native while Sankey marries white. Supposedly, my William was one of four brothers and the only one to take the Sankey name. They seem to have not communicated later. William comes to Iowa.) Deb and I believe that this Green was part of the WVA Greens and that both groups were related. We have not proven it; we just believe it.
Does this answer your questions?
Cindy
Cindy
Originally posted by Bess [ It was a refugee village where the Conoy indians were the dominant element, but Seneca, Shawnee, Nanticoke and Tutelo/Totra were also represented. It was here that the failed 1742 Indian uprising, involving PA, MD, and DE native people, was planned:
http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us/m…/am42–654.html
Thank you, Bess. I think refugee is an important discriptor to consider. There was a lot of fluidity between groups, places, & cultures during this time period. Here is a link to a little more on the aborted uprising.
[Linda- wasn’t BLACKFOOT TOWN close to the Winnasoccum area where this uprising was discovered by the MD authorities??? So, do we have a link beween Conoy Town and the area of Blackfoot Town??]
and NOTE THE MIGRATIONS OUT OF MD AFTER ATTEMPTED UPRISING: PENNSYLVANIA, CANADA TO IROQUOIS, & WEST [old northwest EAST of the Mississipi] WITH LENAPES
“…..The Indians return to their homes. But Indian resistance on the Delmarva is all over. On September 13, 1744 Simon Alsechqueck, Chief of the Broad Creek Nanticokes will request permission to lead his band out of Maryland. He will follow other Nanticokes north to live under the protection of the Iroquois. By 1754 Broad Creek was deserted although Chicacoan survived a bit longer as did Locust Neck.
Many of the people who left moved north into Pennsylvania along the same routes taken by earlier migrants; from there some continued north to live among the Iroquois in New York State, some moved west with departing Lenapes.
Of course, not all of the Indians left. Many chose to stay. Puckhams ended up in Cheswold, Courseys at Indian River. Many ended up as members of the mixed blood communities at Indian River and Cheswold where their descendants live to this day.
http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/jacklyn001/uprising.htm
Winnasoccum
from C. A. Weslagers Delaware’s Forgotten Folk , University of Pa. Press, 1943
The year is 1742. For over one hundred years the Native peoples on the Delmarva ………
——————————–
I’d love to find a copy of this particular book by Weslager. A copy just sold on e-bay for almost $200.00!!
Cindy and Brenda.
Here is some more background material on the importance of this location (sheperdstown) for the fur trade and movements of native americans and later the European settlers, between the upper Patomac and the Susquehanna watershed. Excuse the lenghth of this pasage taken from the book “A History of Jefferson County West Virginia†by Millar Kessler Bushong; Jefferson Pub. Co., Charles Town 1941: 8-11.
“CHAPTER TWO
EARLY DAYS
EXPLORATIONS.
Slightly more than a mile east of Shepherdstown on the Potomac River is a place where the water may be easily forded. The banks slope gently down and a broad, flat. rock extends across the bed of the stream. For many years this crossing- was known as Pack Horse Ford. Later, it received the name of Botelers Ford or Blackford’s Ford from nearby property owners. For ages a great game trail crossed the river at this location and buffalo, deer, elk, and bear roamed in abundance. Large game trails generally follow natural pathways through the country.
As might be expected, the Indian trails followed those made by the wild animals. One of them, the Warriors Path, led northward through the Shenandoah Valley to Winchester, where it divided. A branch crossed the Potomac River a few miles north of present Shepherdstown and another crossed it a mile below at Pack Horse Ford. Tradition tells of a fierce fight at the latter spot between the Delawares and Catawbas. The numerous arrowheads, tomahawks, and other implements of war which havebeen found there at various times indicate that such a struggle actually took place. According to this tradition, the northern Indians did not fare so well, for it is said that every Delaware except one was killed. He fled as far as the Susquehanna River, where he was overtaken by a pursuing Catawba and slain.
SETTLEMENTS.
The date of the first settlement in the Shenandoah Valley is not definitely known. Evidence points to the possibility of a settlement at or near Shepherdstown in 1719. The New Castle Presbytery and the Philadelphia Presbyterian Synod records reveal the existence of settlers south of the Potomac River at that early date. On September 19, 1719, the records state that the Synod had received a letter from the people of “Potomoke, in Virginia,” requesting that a minister be sent to them. It is not certain that this settlement was at or near the present site of Shepherdstown. but a review of the facts makes’ such an assumption logical.
In the first place, the phrase “in Virginia” eliminates all possibility that Potomoke could have been “Pocomoke” or some other name that was identified with settlements in Maryland. Shepherdstown was frequently called “Potomack” and “Potomoke” may have been an earlier spelling of this name. Additional support to the above belief is furnished by the Donegal Presbytery record of June 22, 1745. It states that the Rev. Samuel Caven was appointed to supply the Potowmack, Opeckon, and Bullskin churches, all of which were probably close to each other. If the Potowmack congregation was the same as the earlier “Potomoke” congregation and had been located very far from the other two, it would have been impossible for the same minister to supply all three in that day of slow travel. Another record, under date of August 31, 1762, states that a Mr. McGanis was ordered to supply the churches at “Tuscarora and Potomack in Virginia.” This indicates the proximity of “Potomack” to the Tuscarora church near Martinsburg.
Since “Potomoke” was in Virginia and near churches in the Shepherdstown vicinity, it seems probable that the term must refer to a place at or near present Shepherdstown. The latter is nearest Pack Horse Ford and hence would be the first to be seen by settlers from Pennsylvania. It appears likely that these pioneers would have settled upon the desirable land near the ford rather than move further away’where the land was no better, if as good.
The Potomoke request of 1719 was answered by the appointment of the Rev. Daniel McGill, who served this congregation fort several months. His work was so satisfactory that he was asked to remain as the permanent minister. There is no evidence that he did so, as his name does not appear on the Presbytery records until June 6, 1721. On that date he was elected moderator of the Philadelphia meeting of tlie synod. The spread of Presbyterianism in the Potomoke vicinity is attested by the fact that in 1722 three ministers were sent into that field. The following year more came. Soon the names of the Rev. Hugh Conn, John Orme, William Stewart, and Jonathan Dickinson appear as ministers for the Potomoke region.
If the assumption that “Potomoke” referred to a congregation near present Shepherdstown be accepted, then it can be stated that a settlement large enough to ask for and receive a minister existed in the Shenandoah Valley in 1719. This contradicts the generally accepted tradition that Morgan Morgan was the first white settler in the region. He is said to have established himself on Mill CreeK. near Bunker Hill, Berkeley County, in 1726. As a matter of record, Morgan Morgan was a coroner in Delaware from 1726 to 1729, inclusive, and did not purchase Virginia lands until the early 1730’s. Consequently, it would have been impossible for him to have settled on Mill Creek in 1726.
In 1727 German settlers from Pennsylvania crossed the Potomac River at Pack Horse Ford and founded the town of New Mecklenburg, later renamed Shepherdstown. They had emigrated from the Rhine Valley to America because of intolerable conditions in the fatherland. The tyranny of autocratic rulers, devastation caused by numerous wars, and crop failures, all contributed to tile exodus. Other factors in the mass movement were the cooperation of the British Government in providing transportation and the activity of shipping companies which sought cargo for their immigrant trade. Many of the unfortunates went directly to Pennsylvania and when the areas in the southern and eastern portions of that colony had.been taken, they overflowed into the Shenandoah Valley and through the back country,
After New Mecklenburg was settled, many tracts of land were sold. On June 17, 1730, John Van Metre was assigned 10,000 acres in the fork of the Shenandoah, including’ the places called Cedar Lick and Stony Lick. In addition, his grant was to contain 20,000 acres not already taken up by Robert Carter and Mann Page, “or any other living in the fork between the Sd River Sherrando and the River Cahongaroota, & extending thence to Opeckon & up the South Branch there of . .. .Isaac Van Metre obtained a grant of 10,000 acres lying between Carter’s tract, the Shenandoah River, and Opequon Creek.
In 1731 the Van Metres sold portions of their land to Jost IIite and a group of associates. Part of Hite’s grant was included in that which Governor Croooli patented to Thomas Shepherd on October 3, 1734, and which became the site of present Shep-herdstown. The original town consisted of fifty acres from this tract. Later additions of 172 and 50 acres, respectively, furnished more room for the settlement.
Jost Hite and his sons-in-law, George Bowman, Jacob Chrisman, and Paul Froman, with their families, came to the Valley, in the fall of 1731 and settled near Winchester. Other pioneers ^ in the neighborhood were: William Stroop, Thomas and William Forester, Israel Friend, Thomas Swearengen, Van Swearengen, James Froman, Edward Lucas, Jacob Hite, John Lemon, Richard Mercer, Edward Buckles, John Taylor, Samuel Taylor, and John Wright.
At the time the Germans were establishing themselves at New Mecklenburg newcomers were appearing in the western part of Jefferson County along Opequon Creek. John Smith and Rees Smith, millwrights, were among these early pioneers and were greatly chagrined to discover that they were on land patented to the Van Metres in 1730. The difficulty was subsequently adjusted, for on August 20, 1734, Governor Gooch granted the Smiths 420 acres. This tract was located along both sides of a branch of Opequon Creek called Turkey Run. It included the entire course of the stream almost, from its source to Opequon Creek, as well as the site of present Middleway.â€
Cindy, from what I have read, WILLIAM GREEN lived a few miles down river from Pack Horse Ford, which places him in the immediate vicinity of the Warrior’s Trail that passed over the Ford. On the other hand, Brenda, JOSEPH MOUNTS at “Scrabble“ was living along that branch of the Warriors path that passsed just north of Shepardstown. Scrabbble was near the mouth of “Rocky Marsh Runâ€, which fed into the Potomac, about 6 milies upriver from Shepherdstown. The SWEARINGEN and SHEPHERD properties were in between both of these locations, mainly, on theVirginia side of the Potomac River. Here is a site on the Swearingen Ferry near Pack Horse Ford: http://www.jssxpress.com/id51.htm
I think the SWEARINGEN family may be one of the links connecting your ancesters to Native Americans from this region. It is known that unamed “indians†were working along the river at the Ferry as late as 1840.
Bess
http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us/m…/am42–654.html
when I try to access the above website, all I get is an error message. 🙁
vance
Bess and Brenda,
Haven’t read your posting yet, just the last line. I have always suspected the Swearingens as being a link, and not because of the Marmaduke business. The name Swearingen appears in many of the Green families later as a first name, as does the name Van, as in Van Swearingen. And if I am not mistaken, I think I remember that the name Regnall appears in some of the Swearingen lines.
I will come back later tonight and read the rest.
I also think that the Rickett family needs investing. I jumped the gun earlier when I said I connected them (in other people’s genealogies online). I can’t find the one I thought I remembered Cheney Rickett to the Blackfoot Cemetery. Regardless, I did follow them from Anne Arundel to Hagerstown to near my Sinkeys (where they intermarry and serve in the same ranger group in the Rev) to Licking County, Ohio. Then they go to Indiana, but not that far south. Regardless, Ricketts is a name in the Blackfoot Cemetery.
Brenda, I found my genealogy box. (Pant, pant, it was heavy!) There is a Mount, William who marries into what I believe is my direct line, Pamela or Millie Mount. She was born in Pennsylvania and was the daughter of William Mount. I remember my uncle talking about those names. I wouldn’t doubt that he has more information, but I can also check his CD. He gave it to me; I just have to boot my PC. I am using my Mac. But not yet; I have to put away boxes and help string cabling first. Only one Mounts in “The Green Tree” – a woman who marries someone in the family at the turn of this century.
Techteach
PS – Back later.
Bess and Brenda:
Caven is a name that is found in the cemetery with my Blackfoot ggggrandmother. In fact, the cemetery caretakers are Cavens and there is an old stone schoolhouse built in the mid-1800s, the Caven school, that is on the registry of historical places just around the corner from the cemetery.
The Presbyterian Church connects all the locations of the branches of my family. Rev. Richard Sankey and his father-in-law, John Thompson, served churches in all these locations; well Richard didn’t but John did.
And, I believe that Richard Sinkey/Sankey’s home on the Juniata is near the Warrior’s Path also. He lived very near the Standing Stone, I believe.
One other name here is that of William Sinkey’s wife, Mary McCartney. We did DNA on William’s male descendent with no NDN, so the NDN either comes through Mary and/or the Green/Huston line by process of elimination.
Techteach
Originally posted by vance hawkins
http://www.mdarchives.state.md.us/m…/am42–654.html
when I try to access the above website, all I get is an error message. 🙁
vance
Vance,
You may just have to go to the Archives of Maryland On Line and get on that way. There are pages that talk about this, a number of depositions. Here is one with the volume and page number so you can find it that way. Brenda
“Archives of Maryland On Line
Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1732:1753
Vol. 28; p. 262
“The Examination of Jacob Pattasahook a Nanticoke Indian
this Examinant saith about a Month ago he was at the Conoy
town on Susquehannah River and was told by the Indians of
said Town that the Seneca and Totra Indians in Conjunction
and by the Advice of the French had agreed to cut off the
English Inhabitants in Pensilvania Maryland and other adja-
cent Parts of this Continent and the Indians in Somerset and
Dorset Counties, and to that End the Seneca Indians were
soon to go to Philadelphia to dispose of some part of their
Lands for Arms and Ammunition, and having so done the
Seneca, Totra, and Other Indians were in roasting Ear and
Apple time to fall upon the Back Inhabitants and at the same
time the French who was to come by Sea, were to land on the
Sea board side of Somerset County in order to meet the said
Indians, and further this Examinant saith not
his
30 June 1742 Jacob X Pattasahook
certifyed by Henry Trippe Mark”
Bess,
Thank you very much for this detailed inforrmation. I will be back on with comments/questions in a bit. The information about Pack Horse Ford and Rocky Marsh Run are really helpful. I also suspect there was a Swearingen connection…..
Do you know anything about Long Marsh Run and Bullskin Run? I think the trader Pennington had a grant close to Long Marsh Run.
I also have a lot of musings about what if any of these men slipped on down to Carolina on the Great Trading Path….more on that later, but are there any good sources showing movement to and from this area of Virginia to the Carolinas?
Brenda,
I did some investigating of John Thompson of the Presbyterian Church. He preached in each location of my family branches: Donegal, Shepherdstown, Western Pa (where my Blackfoot gggrandmother was), Prince Edward County, VA, and Mecklenberg County, North Carolina. His son-in-law, Richard Sankey, also preached in these areas, except for North Carolina, and was document as taking many of his Donegal church members south to Cub Creek with him in 1752, ostensibly because of the threat of Indians, but there wasn’t a great deal of Indian activity at the time. I believe it was due to the tension between the New Lights and Old Lights of the Presbyterian Church at the time. His father-in-law, John Thomson, was the leader of the Old Lights. I read that ministers came and went based on the leanings of the congregation and at times, took members with them.
Anyway, Sankey and Thomson preached in the frontier areas. Thomson was documented as preaching in the frontier areas of Mecklenberg County. Bill traced his descendents to Tennessee, traveling with(as?) known mixed folks. Anyway, I think as he moved, he may have taken folks with him, due to the tension in the church at the time. Certainly, Sankey did.
Techteach
Brenda,
Thank you very much. That last link got me there. I need to research all that information.
Thanks for the info that there was a Wayland there, also. I believe he was there in the 1770s and the revolt was in the 1740s wasn’t it? I’ll try to look up that Wayland . . . on a very good Wayland research site and see if I can find him.
so much to research and so little time . . . 🙁
vance
Vance, you are very welcome. I think it is hard for anyone to get anywhere with this Blackfoot topic unless we try to look at other surnames associated with the ID and be open to discovering patterns. I know your Wayland was in SC at least by 1790, but wondered where he/they came to SC from and when. The Wayland on Conoy Creek sold land there in 1773… so that is the date I used for the approximation. It would make sense that he was there EARLIER than 1773. The Winnasoccum revolt was in 1742….Maybe there is something in the land or court records, or the PA archives to help you develop info. on him. Has anyone discovered the parents of Neveil and William? The old county histories like the one I found the information in are nice to get an orientation to an area, but because they are summaries they often miss or even distort important details. That is just the nature of summaries and also “textbooks.”
Cindy, Thanks for the info on the Monocacy. What I see here and elsewhere, with your Greens, Sinkeys etc. is that they do appear along the critical trading paths mentioned so far, especially the Warrior’s trail and the Monocacy, between Shepherdstown and Lancaster county, Pa. To get a clearer pattern of the movements and possible connections to native groups, it would be helpful if you could give some more detail on
1. The links between the Greens and Sinkeys in PA. (places and time frame)
2. Any info on a possible connection between the people at Donegal Synod to Conoy town in Lancaster Co., PA.
3. Details on your remote ancestors who came form Cecil County MD and more on the William Green. Sr; For example did any of his ancestors or siblings live in PA, before coming to Charles County, MD?
Brenda, Your observation on the trend of the traders to follow their customers is correct in this case. Pennington is in the Shepherdstown area in the1730s along Long Marsh Run/ and Kableton. This creek flows into the Shenandoah River about 10-15 before the Shenandoah meets the Potomac River. In the early days of European penetration of the Berkeley county region, a lot of fur traders carried on business locally, but they had operations down the Shenandoah valley, all the way to East Tenn. and the Yadkin. I have mentioned them in previous post so you should search the Saponi town site for Hite, VanMeter, Pearis, and Hatton for the details.
Here, are some sites which give more details on the Indian traders of this area with reference to some of the specific names both of you are concerned with:
These are long files. To help, search for these terms: Pennington, Bryan, Yadkin, Anderson, Swearingen, Demoss, Hite, Cecil Co MD, Kentucky, Monocacy
http://www.popenoe.com/Shenandoah.htm
http://www.vanmetre.com/Misc/washington_herald_1907.htm
As you will find out in going through the material, several of the trading families (Swearingen, Strode, Bedinger, Morgan Duncan etc.) moved to Bourbon County Kentucky in 1779). This may be the reason persons with the Mounts surname appears in this region afterwards. Also, Swearingen/ Strode had descendents in Fleming County, Kentucky where the Mounts surname appears later on.
Here are a few more quotes for the book Historic Shepherdstown that may “ring some bellsâ€â€.
Pg.62-73 Rent Roll of Berkeley County for the years 1774-1781
Richard Butt 200 acres
Wm Green 130 acres
Reynold Green 63 acres
Joseph Gist 231 acres
Peter Light 890 acres
Robert Lowry 100 acres
James Lowrey 325 acres
John McClane 207 acres
Samual Mount 15 acres
(The other well know traders mentioned above were on the list but I saw no need to include them here)
Pg. 259
General Darke. “Dark’s hatred to Indians was marked after the death of his son. On one occasion he attended service at the Elk Branch Church near his home, when a stranger, a man of swarthy complexion, stood up to preach. Darke muttered, “Indian!†and immediately got up and left.â€
Pg. 273
“Colonel Joseph Swearingen, a tall, robust, soldierly man, with a Roman nose that overshadowed the rest of his countenance, was a kind hearted …â€
Pg. 350
“Swearingen, Benoni. Benoni was six feet, four inches, in height, dark, and extremely handsome….â€
Pg. 352
“Swearingen, Van Jr. He was the son of Thomas, Sr. and a brother of Joseph and Benoni, He early removed to western Pennsylvania. At first he was an Indian trader and was distinguished from others of the name by the title “indian van..â€
Bess.
Originally posted by techteach
Anyway, Sankey and Thomson preached in the frontier areas. Thomson was documented as preaching in the frontier areas of Mecklenberg County. Bill traced his descendents to Tennessee, traveling with(as?) known mixed folks. Anyway, I think as he moved, he may have taken folks with him, due to the tension in the church at the time. Certainly, Sankey did.
Techteach
This is an interesting dispersal route. Is there more info. about the known mixed folks?
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