Langston and Boyette in Gates/Nansemond Counties

Hello,

I have found documents recently that suggest many interactions between the Boyette family and Native and/or free people of color in the area of Gates and Nansemond Counties.

A few examples:

–          A Gates County, NC estate record from 1866 lists three to four people named Langston and one person named Brown as “acting for the heirs” of Dempsey Boyette.  The names are George Washington Langston, Thomas Barnes Langston, John Dempsey Langston, and Robert A. Brown (a “Timothy Langston” is also written in another part of the record).  All of the Langston names on this record appear to be Native.  They are listed as the grandchildren of Timothy Langston and Nancy Anne Vann, as well as the descendants of John Langston II and Anne Vann.  It’s possible that Robert A. Brown, who was married to Sarah Boyette (likely a child of Dempsey Boyette), was also Native.

–          There are at least two marriage records in Gates County between people named “Boyette” and “Langston.”  An 1826 record shows a marriage between “David Boyt” and “Nansey Langston” (a sibling of the Langstons mentioned on the estate record above) and an 1860 record shows a marriage between “Mary Boyt” and “Miles Langston.”

In addition to the Langstons, the Boyettes appear to have been interacting with and in close proximity to other Native people and/or free people of color in the area.  Some of the other names that appear often are Boone, Duck, and Everett.

With this information, I am looking at an 1850 Nansemond County, VA census record differently than before.  The ancestor who I am researching is “Martha/Patsey Boyette,” who married a member of the Boyette family.

Patsey Boyt                        50           W

Elizabeth Boyt                   22           W

William Boyt                      18           W

Mary Ann Boyt                  14           W

Eley Williams                      33           M

Welthy Williams                24           M

Norfleet Williams             7              M

Tremella Williams             6              M

Margaret J Williams         3              M

Martha C Williams            1              M

Mary Langston                  67           W

Charlotte Williams            67           W

Bolson Williams                 34           M

“Welthy Williams” (listed as “Wealtha” on Ancestry tree charts) was named Wealtha Langston prior to marrying Eley Williams.  Wealtha Langston appears to have been the child of Lot Langston and Fanny Ellis, and there is information that suggests a connection between these Langston names found in Nansemond County and those listed above in the records from neighboring Gates County.

The Williams family is listed as “mulatto” for three out of four available census records while being listed as “white” for one census.  Charlotte Williams, listed with Mary Langston, is a parent of Eley Williams.  It is likely that Bolson Williams is another child of Charlotte Williams.  I am unsure of how Mary Langston is related to Wealtha Langston at this time.

Martha Boyette is listed as around the same age as Wealtha Langston’s parents, Lot Langston and Fanny Ellis.  Lot Langston is listed as being born in 1798, Fanny Ellis in 1800, and Martha Boyette from 1800 to 1802.

Considering the similar age of Martha Boyette to Wealtha Langston’s parents, as well as the many interactions between the Boyette and Langston families, is it possible that Martha/Patsey Boyette’s last name could have been Langston (or Ellis) prior to marriage?  Does anyone have any information about the Langston family located in Nansemond County, VA (now Suffolk, VA)?

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One final note: In contrast to what I wrote in a previous post, I have found information that makes me wonder if some members of the Boyette family (such as Thomas S. Boyette, who Martha/Patsey Boyette married) are of Native descent.  However, I will have to search for more information.