Bill's Ancestors among American Patriots³

A Working Resource Page

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Last edit 2019-06-30.
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Caveats.

Names in the records are not uniformly spelled, thus Reaves is Reeves, George Ann is Georgian, Moseley is Mosley, Crofford is Crawford and so forth.

When I know a precise location, I use the current county. For example, the area south of Rowetown Church in Berrien was originally Irwin, then Lowndes, and now Berrien. Similarly, in an example case, an obituary asserts a county of birth before the county was formed, so I made proper adjustments. In some cases, however, I simply do not know and leave the county of record, though that might not be current county name for that location.

Furthermore, the terminology esp. in SC re area organization can be maddening and I know that I might have stepped across a spacial or time boundry. Read for yourself.

This table was hastily assembled, given only the attention that it deserved in my priorities. If a statement is significant to you, by all means, verify. Genealogy is fraught with error, and I hope I have not introduced more. I'm grateful to have errors pointed out to me.

More about many of the persons listed can be found by searching.

Abbreviations.

DAR, Daughters of the American Revolution; NSSAR, National Society, Sons of the American Revolution.

Common References.

Gregg, A. Reprinted 1905 History of the Old Cheraws. The State Company, Columbia (The original of Dr. Gregg's book was published in 1867.)

Holtzclaw, B.J. 1971 The Outlaw Family of Virginia . . . in Historical Southern Families V. XVI, ed. Mrs. J.B. Boddie, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. Baltimore

Huxford, F. 1951 (and later volumes) Pioneers of Wiregrass Georgia. Cooper Press. Jacksonville

McMillan, R.H. Jr. 1985 Record of Connell-Morris and Allied Families. (Publisher not given)

Outlaw A.T. 1930 Outlaw Genealogy. Kenansville, NC; edited and supplemented version: Outlaw, A.H. 1972, Greensboro, NC (publishers unknown).

Paulk, J.H., D.M. Paulk. 2005 First Families of South Georgia. V4. Luke. Paulk Research & Genealogy, Salem, FL

R.D. Tucker. 1991. The descendants of William Tucker of Throwleigh Devon. The Reprint Company, Spartanburg (SC) (Regrettably, this book does not appear to be online now.)

Footnotes.

¹ McMillan starts with James Endleman Connell Jr. (1770-1853) indicating that he was the son of North-Carolinian James Endleman Connell; others (e.g., this public tree) put the latter's birth in 1740 in Scotland, but I note that I have not reviewed documents supporting this last information. Grand Jury records via Ancestry.com indicate the Connells had moved to SC by 1780 and McMillan provided additional information (viz. to Darlington District, SC, where James Jr. married Virginia-native Sarah Reeves in SC in 1794). After the Connell family moved to present-day Berrien County in 1832, James Jr. and Sarah were charter members of Pleasant (1835) south of Nashville, GA. Although there are descrepancies among accounts, the central common element is that the Connells lived in/around Darlington Co., SC from before 1780 until 1832. In corroboration, no James Connell was enumerated in the 1790 FC in NC, but one (and only one) James Connell did reside in SC. It is important to note the very small populations in SC (36,000 white males 16 and older) and Georgia (13,000 white males 16 and older) in the first (1790) census. Thus, there is less opportunity for ambiguity than with today's larger populations, but I always like to leave room for doubt, hence the question mark (probably excess caution).

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² He was sometimes W.H., sometimes W.H.H. Oral history indicates his full name was William Henry Harrison Outlaw and that he went by the nickname "Dick." W.H.H. Outlaw was born in 1840 when William Henry Harrison was well known as a military leader and politician, having run unsuccessfully for president in 1836 and successfully in 1840.

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³ As a first approximation and only for perspective, my 4^th greatgrandfathers were those generally of military age at the time of the American Revolution. Of these, I have 16, but many are not known to me and many are simply unknowable. For example, I do not know the identity of the father of my 2^d greatgrandfather Mark R. Watson (1816-1898) or the parents of his mother, Martha "Patsey" née Rouse Sirmans (1787-1884) or the parents of his spouse and my 2^d greatgrandmother, Rachel née Slaughter (1822-1874) with even remote certainty (though I am aware of published records of her father). Similarly, I do not know with certainty the identity of the father of my 2^d greatgrandfather Berry C. Thompson (1822-1901) or the parents of his mother, Pheroba Thompson (1802-1879). . . .and, as implied, I have many lines (Mullis, Carroll, Austin and others) that await exploration.

mfr who in future revision: evaluate evidence that Berry C. Thompson was the son of William Con Phillips; I have not viewed the court records that are used as a basis for this claim. (At the time of the birth of Feroba Thompson's children (Berry and Edith), William Con Phillips had a spouse and family.) If paternity is probable, then add his father, John Phillips, R.S. There is a connection between this John Phillips and Mark Phillips (father-in-law of William Brantley Mosely). But, that connection will have to be sorted out as it is confounded by Sr./Jr. and also grandfather/grandson.

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⁴ The LSD website (familysearch.org) lists a William Luke (aka William Mack "MacLuke" Luke) who was born in Marlboro County (part of Cheraw District) SC, in 1755, and who died in 1815. Corroboratively, William Luke is shown in the 1790 FC (St. Thomas, Cheraws District, SC), where he headed a household of four. This is almost unquestionably the William Luke, born 1755 (from Paulk), who was the father of William Luke, whose murdered sons I wrote about earlier. In corroboration, a well-documented public member tree shows William Luke (1755-1815) was the father of William Luke (1812-1880) who died in Irwin County GA. I have ignored information I believe to be spurious.

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⁵ The genealogical data were mostly from McMillan.

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⁶ DAR provided evidence that Tobias was the son of William, and of miscellaneous information. The connection between Tobias, James, and John was provided by Huxford and more Huxford. From there, I had personal knowledge. William's life dates were from this family tree and are consistent with the constraints of DAR.

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⁷ The primary source for the genealogy was an archived location.

mfr who in future revision: include William Brantley Moseley Sr.'s father-in-law, Mark Phillips, another of my patriots.

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⁸ In general, the painstaking genealogy work of Holtzclaw was followed; much of the primary work by Holtzclaw on the earlier generations had been compiled by Outlaw (see References). There is one hiccup. He inexplicably does not list W.H.H. Outlaw as the issue of Alexander Outlaw and his first wife, Pillie née Webb Outlaw. Immediately preceeding, however, he cites a manuscript ("Old Settlers and the names of their Sons who lived in or near the Junction of the East and West Choctawhatchee prior to 1860," which can be found on Ancestry) showing that William H. Outlaw was Alexander's son. This accords with the oral history of "Old Alec" from Alabama as being W.H.H. Outlaw's father. The explanation is straightforward: Pillie died soon after W.H.H. was born, and W.H.H. was sent to be raised by the Dawson Webb family in what became Berrien Co., GA; Alexander remarried and the family was split, leaving Holtzclaw unaware. As further explaination, the Webbs and Outlaws had both lived for a period (nom. 1820-1835) in Wilkinson Co., GA, and it is probably there that Alexander and Pillie met. If Pillie was the daughter of Dawson (as Jimmie Webb cogently argues, pers.comm.), Dawson is my ancestor twice over (on the Outlaw side as well as the Sutton side). The enumerator of the cited census incorrectly listed GA as the place of birth for W.H.H.; in his CSA pension application W.H.H. states that he was born in Dale Co., AL, and moved to Berrien Co., GA, in 1846.

In Holtzclaw's extensive biography of Benjamin Outlaw (#25 in Holtzclaw), Holtzclaw puts forth that Benjamin moved to the Cheraw District, SC, in the 1770s but had to return to NC because of the dangers during the revolution; he cites a Miss Revill: "Cheraw District . . . was a hotbed of Tories during the Revolution and that many families there fled and only returned after the Revolution." Anyhow, Benjamin was back in his place of service, SC, by 1783. When I first read this passage 40 years ago, I internalized it intellectually, but the gut response was absent until I read Gregg, who described this area as being a frontier zone in the war, where on opening a door, a person might be met with a hail of bullets, or that a person might be summarily hanged notwithstanding the pleas of soon-to-be widow and orphans, homesteads were burned, enemies' lists were developed, estates were confiscated. Civil war is the worst--it was not King George vs. the Patriots; it was neighbor against neighbor, particularly in some areas. Elsewhere, I learned that NC was not safe either as Lewis Outlaw was murdered by loyalists.

The Outlaws were staunch Whigs. Thus, Benjamin's service was not unique to his immediate family, which it is thought comprised six sons "practically all of them . . . Revolutionary Soldiers" (Holtzclaw). Outlaw's summary ("All active in the revolution") was unqualified. Brother Lodwick (#26 in Holtzclaw, abt 1742-1782, also Ladswick, Leudovick) moved to Burke Co. (Georgia), as had their father, and was a solidier in the Revolution (Burke County Rangers). He was a "Georgia Refugee" (one who left his home in Georgia and crossed the Savannah to fight the British) and died on the retreat from Augusta to Savannah. Brother George (#27 in Holtzclaw, 1745/50-1795/1800) was in the First South Carolina Regiment of Continental Troops. At some point, he was taken prisioner. Brother Bently (#28 in Holtzclaw, abt 1751-1852; Ancestor # A084945 at DAR) states that his principal duty was to chase down Tories and that at one time, they were so bad he had to leave home. He participated in the actions at Hemp Branch, twice on Black Creek, and at the Battle of Eutaw Springs. If we go further afield, Benjamin's first cousins Colonel Alexander Outlaw (#17 in Holtzclaw, 1738- a.1825) and Captain James Outlaw (#20 in Holtzclaw, 1744-1826; Ancestor # A084952 at DAR), sons of Edward Outlaw (#7 in Holtzclaw, abt 1713-1759), were prominent in the American Revolution and events after. . . . and there were several others, a James Outlaw was in the Tenth NC Regiment, but exactly which James this is can't be known with certainty. Likewise, there was a Captain William Outlaw (#47 In Holtzclaw, abt 1745-a. 1800; Ancestor # A084960 at DAR) who was the son of William Outlaw (#12 in Holtzclaw, abt 1716-a. 1794).This list is not complete, but suffices to document a dedication by the Outlaw clan to the revolution.

mfr who in future revision: add sentence re Bentley's capture by and escape from the Tories.

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⁹ The primary source for the genealogy was McMillan, but descrepancies require resolution.

Joshua Sutton from New Hanover is who McMillan based his designation of "R.S." on (see the link to history in the Service column of the table). In extant records, I found that the Joshua Sutton of New Hanover bequeathed in his Mar 11, 1796, will, land to his son Benjamin, who McMillian indicated died in 1777 in the American Revolution. The Joshua Sutton of New Hanover indicated in his will that his spouse was Nancy, not Ann as in McMillan, but that alone is not a stretch. In this will, a son Anthony appears, but he is not shown as a descendant in McMillan. It thus appears that the Joshua Sutton profiled by McMillan is not the Joshua Sutton of New Hanover as he apparently believed. There was a second Joshua Sutton, of Bertie, NC, in the 1790 FC, which might be the source of confusion; I do not know. There are other descrepancies that the reader might try to untangle, too. Link for subscribers at Ancestry.

There are additional points of contention when we turn to David Sutton, R.S. McMillan profiles him as the son of Joshua, above, and indicates that he was born in 1745 in Westmoreland Co., VA and died about 1812 in Wayne Co., GA. He lists 5 sons (David, Amos, John Shradrick, and Moses G.). Huxford (1:248) profiles David Sutton, R.S., and gives a similar date of birth, death, and place of death. He lists the first four sons, but not Moses G. He points out to the settlement of the estate by the first four sons, again leaving out Moses G. Huxford's David-Sutton profile adds that he lived in Pitt Co, NC. This David Sutton is likely to be DAR #A111301 though the dates of birth and death are not exact. As usual, one can find whatever on the Public Trees on Ancestry; it is a fantasy land.

For clarity, the line back to Moses G. Sutton Jr. is correct. Documentation is required for the earlier putative ancestors.

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¹⁰ The earlier genealogical information was mostly from Tucker (see Refs). Descendants will find this detailed book fascinating, including a gradual plan to emancipate slaves. I feel really lucky to share a recent ancestor with R.D. Tucker and thus have his valuable resource. In my opinion, this painstaking work ranks above the notes on DAR and Huxford (both with whom there are descrepancies; also descrepancies elsewhere re place of birth and, of course, exact life years). South-Georgia Tuckers will value the descriptions of how the Tuckers moved South. Thus, Henry C. Tucker was for a while in Wilkinson Co, where also were my Webbs, Fountains, and Outlaws, and Montgomery Co, where were my Fountains and Thompsons.

According to Tucker , Henry Crawford Tucker served with his brother John under Col. Rogers at Yorktown and was also in the action at Brandywine, Petersberg, and Monmouth Courthouse. Tucker also places him at Valley Forge, as indicated in his father's will, witnessed Jan 13, 1778.

As a personal aside, I smile a little with pride when we pass Bethel Baptist Church (between Barney and Pavo) as Henry C. Tucker and his wife Sarah née Hunter (of Chatham Co., GA) were founding members, 1826. Then, I swell with pride when I remember he was excommunicated for inattendance and drinking. It is also interesting to me that family tradition holds that he built the first house in Tallahassee, on the State Capitol grounds, and which stood until about 1940 (again, according to Tucker, also see); there might be something to this tradition as he is identified as the first white man to live in Tallahassee. Very cool to think of, but what is the evidence? On the one hand, according to Ellis & Rogers (Ellis ML, Rogers WW 1986 Tallahassee Leon County: History and Bibliography, Florida Department of State), following the September, 1823, Treaty of Moultrie Creek, white settlers were anxious to move into the area and the first were John McIver's band in April of 1824, merely months before the first capitol was built (cf. Tucker's domicile presumbed to be in 1823). Though not by name, the WPA Historical Sketch of Leon County, page 9, indicates the same. . . . and Tucker is not shown in the transcript of the 1825 Census of Leon County. On the other hand, the late historian and professor Rogers, cited above, in his last book with Ellis on Tallahassee (Ellis ML, Rogers WW 1988 Favored Land. Tallahassee. The Donning Company. Norfolk) walked back somewhat in a sidebar and recognized a newspaper claim that Henry C. Tucker Jr. (the son of my 5^th great grandfather) came first in 1823. If it is even possible to sort out the "truth," there will be significant barriers. Leon County was formed in late 1824 from Escambia and Gadsden. Land was set aside for the state government in mid-1824. I presume that the land that was set aside had not been formally owned by any individual. But if either Tucker had an official claim to it, it should appear in the Clerks' offices of either Gadsden (grantee/grantor) or of Leon (grantor). I have examined the indices of the first three deed books in Leon. The first (lengthy) record begins "This indenture made the Nineteenth day of ??? in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and twenty-five . . . ." between parties from Nashville and New York. No record of sale anywhere by either Tucker. (Many thanks to Robert C. Buccellato and Anita Richards for professional assistance.) Having made a stab at the easiest-to-access records, I'm putting aside this search as seemingly futile, unless I don't (Quincy--Gadsden Co. seat--is not too far away). I close by noting that there is nothing inconsistent between an impermanent 1823 homestead by H. C. Tucker, albeit undocumented in the usual sense, and the McIver band's arrival in 1824. Until I learn differently, I will accept the Tucker claim as the first white resident of Tallahassee.

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¹¹ I have complete confidence in the genealogy starting with Ethelred Fountain. My evidence that Etheldred was the son of John Fountain, R.S., of South Carolina, comes primarily from Huxford (Vol 7, page 145): "Ethelred Fountain was born in North Carolina in 1785, a son of John Fountain, R.S. After the Revolutionary War . . . the family moved to South Carolina . . . ." In addition, Victor Davidson (1930. History of Wilkinson County. Clearfield Company, Macon [GA]) cites a 1903 article by Meade, thus: "We have reason to believe, however, that John [of North Carolina] was the father of Israel Fountain [Ethelred's brother] of Wilkinson County, GA." Numerous family trees on Ancestry accept that John was Ethelred's father, but I am always skeptical about these sources. The pieces do fit (e.g., Ethelred reports on a census that he was born in North Carolina, and an authentic revolutionary soldier is documented for South Carolina), and I will probably be unable to document further due to time and financial constraints.

Over the years, it has been posited that John Fountain, R.S., was a descendant of the Hugenot Jean de la Fountain but that has been disproven: The DNA of two of John's grandsons (via son Israel) did not match that of three descendants of Jean. Although I have read of this study in several places, I do not have a primary source to document. . . as much to unlearn as to learn.

Though not shown on this chart, my 2^d and 3^d greatgrandparents Fountain lived for a good period in what became, in 1856, Berrien County, GA. Thus, in the 1850 FC, Ethelred Fountain (b. 1785 in NC) and his spouse Eleanor (née Ingram; b. 1786, GA), my 3^d greatgrandparents, were enumerated in then-Lowndes County, GA, and adjacent to their son and my 2^d greatgrandfather James I. Fountain (b. 1819, GA) and my 2^d greatgrandmother Sabrina (née Chambers; b. 1832). Specifically, James I. Fountain went back to middle Georgia about 1875. However, some of the Fountains remained in Berrien Co. GA, e.g. William E. (who married Frances née Webb, a relative on my Sutton and my Outlaw lines) and who settled in the New Lois Community and Nancy Carolina née Fountain (who married David M. Robinson, whose descendant Bessie Robinson married my father's brother) and who settled in Oakey Grove, Berrien Co., GA.

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¹²Thomas' brother Francis V was also a prominent Revolutionary-War officer in Bertie Co. Shadrach's service comprised a series of 3-month enlistments, one being in the calvary.

There are some foggy issues in my mind concerning the relationship between this Thomas and his (putative?) son Shadrach. It is odd to me that Thomas mentioned his sons William, Thomas (dec), and Francis (dec) in his will, but did not mention Shadrach. There was, at least, a big difference between the vast wealth of Thomas and the modest means of Shadrach. The internet tells us unequivocally that Shadrach was a son of Thomas and of his wife Mary Scott, but I think possibly not of Mary. I hope to have an opinion on the next update of this page.

mrf who in future revision: transcribe Thomas's will (which I have linked on Ancestry) and try to understand why Shadrach was not listed, the whys and wherefores of Shadrach's name change from Hinton to Pugh (assuming this event pertained to the same Shadrach Pugh), and why Thomas Pugh referred repeatedly to his son William Pugh Scott instead of William Scot Pugh (William's mother was Mary née Scot).

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