Author: J. V.

Rockbridge Vess Family: A Rockingham County Record Found 1806

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The Vess family of Rockbridge County, Virginia.
A family whose origins are just as mysterious as the origins of the North Carolina Vess family.

We don’t know where the Vess family in Rockbridge County, Virginia originally comes from. Some say they are descendants of the West family, while others say Vest family.

Rockbridge County, Virginia Records: As Early As 1810

The Vess family first appears on record in Rockbridge County, VA, on the 1810 census, for Samuel Vess (Vass/Voss).

Between 1816-1818, we have records that tell us that Samuel Vess joined land with Henry Standoff, on a branch of Colliers Creek, and Hiram Vess joined land with Christopher “Coinhour” (Cokenour) on Brattons Run. Hiram Vess doesn’t appear on census until 1820.

Unfortunately, there doesn’t appear to be any clues, as to where they came from prior to 1810.

Rockingham County, Virginia: 1806

During my search for early Vess records this week, I discovered Samuel and Hiram Vess in Rockingham County, Virginia in 1806!

Familysearch.org


They are listed on the 1806 Rockingham County, Virginia Personal Property Tax List. I wasn’t able to find them in any other tax years though.

However, we might be on the right track, as there is a Cokenour family in Rockingham County, VA too. I apologize for misspelling their surname.

Hiram Vess married Polly Cokenour in Rockbridge County, Virginia in 1819. According to their marriage record, Polly is the daughter of Christian Cokenour. So, I wonder if “Christopher” whose land is next to Hiram Vess, is suppose to read as “Christian.” I’ve only seen the transcribed typed record.

However, the Cokenour family in Rockingham Co. Va is via Joseph and Jacob Cokenour (Cockenour). Joseph’s wife is named Barbara, and that’s about all I’ve uncovered thus far.

Perhaps, by researching their family, it might reveal connections to earlier ancestors of Samuel and Hiram Vess, as families often traveled together.

It will be interesting to see if any more records come up!

End The West vs Vest Debate with Y-DNA Testing

There are active DNA projects for the VESS, VEST, and WEST families on Familytreedna.com.

I strongly encourage descendants of the Vess family from Rockbridge County, Virginia to complete a Y-DNA test. We can see if your results match with the VESS, VEST, or WEST family. OR maybe a completely different family!

For the R1a2 Vess Lineage, we can check for a potential match now!
If you are a direct male descendant of the Rockbridge Vess family (with the Vess surname) and have already done an autosomal DNA test, check your results!

🔲 If your Autosomal DNA test was completed through 23&Me or FTDNA, check to see if your results show M420.

🔲 If your Autosomal DNA test was completed through Ancestry, download your raw DNA data and run it through The Clade Finder, to check to see if your results show YP4141 or R1a.

If your results show M420, YP4141, or R1a, please reach out to us, so we can talk about possible Y-DNA testing! You can reach the admins via the Vess Family DNA Project or send an email to vessgenealogy@gmail.com.









































Samuel Vest: Spartanburg Co. South Carolina 1800

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The descendants of Nathaniel Vess are adamant that Jonathan Vess was, at some point, in South Carolina. I am not one to ignore family stories, so I promise ya’ll I’ve been searching for him in South Carolina for a long time!

Unfortunately, I haven’t found any evidence to suggest Jonathan Vess, himself, was ever in South Carolina, but there are records to suggest there was a “Vess” in South Carolina prior to 1830. I am just trying to figure out who…

The earliest known “Vess” records discovered thus far in South Carolina (to the best of my knowledge), date back to 1830, via land and census records for a Polly Vess in Greenville, South Carolina. Unfortunately, that is where it ends.

However, we do have two John Vess families during the 1850’s, that claim to have been born in South Carolina (around the early 1820’s), which indicates that there must have been an earlier Vess family in South Carolina evading the census records.

I have searched for years for a potential early Vess/Vest family in South Carolina and have found nothing, until now…

Nathaniel Vess: War of 1812 Pension Request

On Fold3, I was able to finally access Nathaniel’s full War of 1812 pension record. I’ve heard there was more to his record than what was available on Ancestry.com, but I was never able to find the entire record online until today!

In May of 1879, at the age of 85, Nathaniel Vess filed a pension request for his service during the War of 1812.

The claim states he served as a private (volunteered), in the company commanded by John Gaffney, of the South Carolina Militia, under Col. Richard Arnold. He enlisted at the age of 18 or 19 years old in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. It was noted that he was unable to remember specific dates. However, he claims to have served for 20 days and [illegible] and was discharged in Spartanburg County, South Carolina.

His discharge certificate is reported to have been consumed by fire.

The claim also goes into detail about his residency. He resided in South Carolina, then moved to North Carolina in 1845, having stayed for 18 years, before relocating to Tennessee.

However, census records show he arrived in North Carolina in 1830, and he was there for over 20 years. We have to remember, when he filed this claim, he was 85 years old! So, his memory might not have been the best.

Unfortunately, seven months after filing this claim, Nathaniel Vess died from consumption and his pension request was denied, because they were unable to find him on any of the muster rolls. I bet they couldn’t find him, because they misspelled his surname.

What We Already Know

So, with the new information obtained from Nathaniel’s War of 1812 pension record, I shifted my search to Spartanburg County, South Carolina (again). But, not without reviewing what we have already discovered first…

🔲 Nathaniel Vess married Clarinda Bellew, who is supposedly the daughter of John Bellew and Clarinda Gosnell. These two families (Bellew/Gosnell) are prominent families of Glassy Mountain, Greenville, South Carolina.

🔲 The earliest “Vess” records date back to 1830 for Polly Vess. She is on the 1830 Greenville, South Carolina census, suggesting she might be a “Vess” widow. She is also on a handful of land records with a Joel Callahan during the 1830’s.

🔲 We have two John Vess families in South Carolina during the 1850’s whose records state they were born in South Carolina prior to 1830. One has a Civil War record, claiming he enlisted in Greenville, South Carolina. Note: During the Civil War, to the best of my knowledge, Nathaniel and Peter’s children in North Carolina were still in North Carolina.

🔲 Records for Nathaniel Vess indicate that he was born in South Carolina. He enlisted in the South Carolina Militia at the age of 18 in Spartanburg County, South Carolina. And, census records, show him in North Carolina in 1830, listed next to John and William Bellew.

Records strongly suggest that there was an earlier Vess (or family with a similar surname to Vess) in South Carolina prior to 1830. They just don’t seem to be on record anywhere.

Spartanburg County, South Carolina: Samuel Vest

So, with the information we have so far, it does make the 1790 Spartanburg County, South Carolina census more interesting! Gosnell, Bellew, and Callahan!

All of them, eventually settled in Greenville, South Carolina! We have the Gosnell/Bellew (connection to Nathaniel through his wife) and Joel Callahan (connection to Polly Vess). Is there a connection between Nathaniel Vess and Polly Vess? Super interesting!

Ancestry.com



But, no Vess/Vest families are listed near them on the 1790 census. There is a curious “William West,” but nothing that stands out as a potential “Vess.”


However, browsing Spartanburg County records using the Full Text AI search in Familysearch.org, I came across a land record, dated 1800, between Thomas and William Phillips that was witnessed by a “Samuel Vest.”

Spartanburg Land Records 1803-1805

To the best of my knowledge, there are no known early “Vest” families in South Carolina; especially, during the early 1800’s. What makes this record even more intriguing, is that it is a “Samuel Vest.”

I lost track of Samuel Vess in Patrick County, Virginia after 1795! Could this be him?

New Theory: The Real Three Brothers, Jonathan, Peter, & Nathaniel

There is just something about Nathaniel Vess that tugs at me. While I am a 100% confident that Peter, Willis, Jonathan, and Nathaniel Vess are all related, and without a doubt, certainly related to the earlier Patrick County, Virginia Vess family, Nathaniel Vess, is the only one who doesn’t have an early connection to Wilkes County, North Carolina.

It’s also interesting, that Nathaniel doesn’t seem to have any close connections to Peter Vess in Rutherford County, North Carolina. You’d think, if brothers (half or not), they’d be close together on census, attending the same church, and sharing the same family connections. Isn’t that just strange?

I am looking back at the tax lists…Jonathan Vess disappeared from Patrick County, Virginia the same time as Samuel Vess! The last known record of them in Patrick County, Virginia, was on the 1795 tax list!

Do you think…maybe, Samuel and Jonathan Vess came down to Spartanburg County, South Carolina after 1795 from Patrick County, Virginia, and then Jonathan Vess went back up to Wilkes County, North Carolina in 1803, before making his way to Missouri? But, why leave Nathaniel Vess behind in South Carolina?

UNLESS, Nathaniel Vess has a different mother OR Nathaniel Vess is the youngest child of Samuel Vess of Patrick County, Virginia!

If Nathaniel Vess is the youngest child of Samuel Vess in Patrick County, Virginia, he would then, be the brother of Jonathan and Peter Vess of Patrick County, Virginia. AND, that would fit our family’s origin story referencing the three brothers: Jonathan, Peter, and Nathaniel Vess!

That would be wild, if true!



Let me know your thoughts on this theory in the comments.


That would explain, why autosomal DNA matches between the descendants of Peter and Nathaniel Vess are so distant from each other! They weren’t half brothers, but possibly uncle and nephew. It’s completely mis-leading to researchers, because Peter is slightly older than Nathaniel, but not entirely far fetched, because I know families, whose uncle and nephew / aunt and niece were born around the same time! It happens a lot in large families!

BUT…there is no evidence what so ever to say that this Samuel Vest in Spartanburg County, South Carolina is the same Samuel Vess in Patrick County, Virginia. But, the “Vest” surname in a South Carolina county where Nathaniel Vess says he later join the militia, is super intriguing!

I do hope Samuel Vest in South Carolina has more records!


















Benjamin and Andrew Vess: Polk County, NC 1856

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When I see “Andy Vest” in a North Carolina record, I immediately think of Andrew Logan Vess, but turns out, this is not Andrew Logan Vess at all. This is another unknown VESS!!

I found this record a while ago, for Benjamin and Andy Vest. It comes from the Polk County, North Carolina Court Records, dated 1856. They were ordered to be brought to court to be “dealt with,” no further details were provided.

I was left wondering who in the world is Benjamin (assuming Andy was Andrew Logan Vess), and what in the world did they do!

Turns out, Benjamin and Andy (Andrew) Vess are young teenagers, born between 1846/1847 in North Carolina. They appear to have the Vess surname, with records alternating between Vess and Vest in court-records. Interestingly, later records show that Benjamin settled with the VEST surname, while Andrew appears to have settled with the VESS surname.

1856 Court Records

In March of 1856, they were ordered to be brought to court to be dealt with; assuming they might be orphans.

In June of 1856, they were separated, with the courts ordering the Sheriff to take Benjamin Vest to Jonathan Arledge and Andy Vest to Thomas Littlejohn.

In September of 1856, Benjamin “Vess” entered into an apprenticeship under Jonathan Arledge until the age of 21.

In December of 1856, Andrew “Vess” entered into an apprenticeship under Thomas Littlejohn until the age of 21.

Records indicate that Benjamin “Vest” married Harriet Davidson in 1872 and Andrew “Vess” married a woman named Liewanner in 1899.

Where Did They Come From?

I do not know who the parents of Benjamin and William Vess are or where these kids even came from, but their Polk County court record references Henderson County. Polk County was formed in 1855 from parts of Henderson and Rutherford County.

I am only aware of one VESS family associated with Henderson County, NC.
Elizabeth Vess, (ex-wife of John Vess) married Joshua Souther in Henderson County, North Carolina in 1856, but later records show them as residents of Buncombe County. Joshua Souther adopted Elizabeth’s youngest children, so I do not know where Benjamin and William would even fit in.

There must be another Vess/Vest family in the area that we aren’t aware of yet.

New Peter Vess Record!

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I am always saying it! Just when I think there is nothing more to discover, I end up stumbling across something new!

This record is great, as it further supports a Vess-Crook connection.


In 2023, it was discovered, via genetic genealogy methods, that the maiden name of Peter’s wife, Catherine, is CROOK, instead of Cook. An incredible discovery that has opened the door to potential discoveries of Peter and Catherine’s earlier lives and family history.

Catherine Crook is the daughter of John E. Crook and Rachel Haynes of Rutherford County, North Carolina, with the Crook family also having ties to Buncombe County, North Carolina.

During the early 1800’s, John E. Crook, obtained land in Rutherford County, North Carolina, joining his in-laws property (Haynes) on Cove Creek near Broad River, close to Bill’s Creek Baptist Church.


In 1830, Zephaniah Crook, (son of John E. Crook, Catherine’s brother) obtained land joining his father’s land in Buncombe County, North Carolina (on the Swannanoa River), with the land record indicating that John E. Crook is deceased. I haven’t found any records as to what happened to his land; maybe it eventually transferred to Zephaniah.

In 1831, Peter Vess obtains land on Cedar Creek in Rutherford County, North Carolina (later to become Buncombe County). Although Peter lived in Rutherford County, NC, he appears to have a connection to Burke County, North Carolina (later McDowell County), with his children having connections to both Burke and Buncombe County, suggesting possible early family ties to both counties.

Some of the earlier families of Burke County, NC eventually settled in the same general area as the Crook family, in Buncombe County (including the Souther family). There is a family relationship between Peter and these earlier families, but those specific relationships have yet to reveal itself. We also find Peter’s youngest children in Buncombe County, after Catherine’s death.

In 1835, Zephaniah Crook sells his property on Swannanoa River to Frederick Burnett. Peter Vess is listed as a witness. I had to do a double take, because the document is titled, Buncombe Deeds 1890, yet, the land record itself, is specifically dated 1835, not 1890. This isn’t entirely surprising, as I’ve uncovered records from much weirder places.


By researching Catherine’s family, we might be able to find clues to Peter’s past, as I would think they would have met through mutual families.

Jonathan Vess: Another Missouri Record

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I was able to dig up another record for Jonathan Vess in Lincoln County, Missouri.

This is exceptionally rare! I was not expecting to find any more records in Missouri, as records prior to 1830 in Missouri are extremely limited!

I found him, out of chance, in the Lincoln County, Missouri Probate Records. The date appears to be 1826, listed in a guardianship record for William Quinn, who was appointed guardian of Isiah Gilmore. William Quinn was ordered to pay bond to 3 men, Jonathan Vess, John “Hepperson,” and Chirstopher McVay, as securities.

In short, these men, usually close neighbors or family members, will be responsible for paying the bond with their own money, in the event, William Quinn were to mismanaged the funds for Isiah Gilmore. It’s my understanding, that this is kind of like an insurance policy for a child who inherited cash/property.

Unfortunately, none of these records seem to provide us any clues as to where Jonathan Vess was prior to 1825; which means, we’ve likely hit another brick wall!

However, it does appear that Christopher McVay and Jonathan Vess in the probate record with William Quinn might have been neighbors.

In 1825, Jonathan Vess obtained land from Alfred Gordon, whose property joined Benjamin Allen’s line. On the 1830 census (the first available census for Lincoln County, Missouri), shows Christopher McVay, listed next to Benjamin Allen, and John Quinn (possible relative of William Quinn). Had Jonathan Vess remained in Missouri after 1829, he probably would be listed on census in between Benjamin Allen and Christopher McVay.

While this strongly suggests he is neighbors with those listed on the probate record, it doesn’t mean they couldn’t be related to them either. Families often traveled in groups, and reside next to each other (or really close to each other). He could have a sister or older daughter, who might be married to one of his neighbors. Or, one of these neighbors could be a cousin.

We just don’t have enough information, to determine whether Jonathan Vess is a lone wolf in Missouri, or if he is following family.

Interestingly, I have been reviewing the Stephen F. Austin Registry of Families to see who else might have arrived in Texas the same time as Jonathan Vess in 1829 and so, far, I have found a John Brown, with his wife Nancy, who not only arrived in Texas in 1829, but also did their oath around the same time in December. Furthermore, I discovered a land record in Jackson County, Texas dated 1830 for a John Brown. I am curious, if this is the same John Brown from Missouri, and if so, what part of Missouri did Mr. Brown come from?

Of course, more research needs to go into this, but it’s the only lead I have for right now.








Vess Genealogy: Remarkable Discoveries Between 2020-2026

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Vess families have been pondering their family origins for generations, and in 2020, the journey to find out had official begun…

In 2020, when I started this genealogy adventure, I didn’t know my Vess family even came from North Carolina, let alone had been there for so many generations (over 200 years).

For all I knew, in all seriousness, our original Vess ancestors landed on America’s rocky west coast directly from Ireland (having taken the scenic route, I guess). I also didn’t know how to do genealogy, what in the world genetic genealogy was or how that worked, nor did I know my American history (rusty since high school). Furthermore, I never in a million years, imagined, I’d develop such a passion for genealogy itself!

In the last 6 six years, I’d say a lot has been accomplished in uncovering the history, lineages, and origins of the Vess family. None of which would be possible, without the Vess Family DNA Project admins, Michael Travers and Vincent Vess, the vast amount of Vess families (and those with similar surnames) sharing their own research with us, their incredible family stories, and providing consistent support and interest, motivating us to continue our research!

We Only Had Oral Tradition’s To Work With

In the beginning, we only had oral tradition’s to work with, on top of a handful of records that have been discover thus far.

We didn’t know Willis Vess of Franklin County, Alabama even existed, or that his family was related to the Peter Vess family. In the beginning, we were told that there were just only three brothers: Jonathan, Peter, and Nathaniel Vess. How many more early Vess families are left to be discovered?

The Vess family comes from three brothers from Ireland: Jonathan, Peter, and Nathaniel Vess, with Nathaniel believed to be a half brother. Jonathan settled in Virginia, Peter in North Carolina, and Nathaniel in South Carolina. No matter what lineage you talk to, everyone is adamant that the Vess surname is not their original surname. Jonathan married Elizabeth Heron, Peter married Catherine “Katie” Cook, and Nathaniel married Clarinda Bellew.


Below is a list of what has been discovered thus far, changing everything we were once told about the Vess family…

2020: Intro to Genetic Genealogy

🔲 A descendant of Willis Vess interestingly appears as a match on the R1a2 lineage (Y-DNA) with the Travers/Hays families.

🔲 Willis Vess is an unknown Vess, requiring further investigation.

🔲 It is eventually determined, by the end of the year, that the North Carolina Vess family (Haplogroup R) is unrelated to the early Virginia Vest family (Haplogroup I). This will become a valuable tool used to help sort out the different early Vess/Vest families.

🔲 It is determined, by reviewing available genealogical records for Nathaniel Vess, that he may have earlier connections specifically to Glassy Mountain, Greenville, South Carolina.

2021: The Vess Family DNA Project

🔲 A “Vess” family was discovered in Patrick County, Virginia (Deed record dated between 1790-1800).

🔲 We discovered that Willis Vess lived in Franklin County, Alabama and that he was born in North Carolina. He was extensively researched by genealogist Anna Popejoy, whose work was published in Whitlock Gleanings and FindAGrave.com.

🔲 We discovered Peter Vess and his family in the book, “Bill’s Creek Baptist Church: Two Hundred Year History,” by Helen M. Lu.



🔲 The Vess Family DNA Project was established.

🔲 Descendant of Peter Vess completed Y-DNA testing, resulting in a match to the R1a2 lineage with Willis Vess and Travers family. The match suggests, Peter and Willis Vess are related as part of the same Vess family.

🔲 Y-DNA results, reveal that Peter and Willis Vess are English in origin, and are descendants of the early Travers family of Lancashire, England (no specific lineage identified yet).

🔲 It is suggested that the the Vess surname might be a shortened version of TRAVIS (TRAVESS), a variant of the surname Travers.

🔲 The Vest family in White County, Tennessee peeks my interest, although there is no evidence to suggest a connection to the Vess family.

🔲 A family story about how the Vess family once adored a red-headed outlaw fascinates me, and leads me to explore a popular newspaper article about a William Vess and the auburn haired Great Western Land Pirate, John Murrell.

🔲 The DNA Triangulation Method directs our attention to the SPARKS, PARKS, and ROSE families in Wilkes County, North Carolina, suggesting a potential maternal Vess ancestor, requiring traditional genealogy methods to unearth records. The matches strongly suggest a connection more likely via ROSE, than Sparks or Parks.

🔲 We discovered, through genetic genealogy, that Sarah Jane Vess, wife of Jackson Pressely, is not a descendant of Nathaniel Vess, but of Peter Vess, via son, John Vess and wife, Elizabeth Taylor.

🔲 More records for the Vess family in Patrick County, Virginia were uncovered, dating further back to 1782, with a William and Samuel Vess. In addition to marriage records for Peter Vess and Poignance Vaughn and Jonathan Vess and Elizabeth Heron. Records reveal that the Vess family lived directly on the border of Henry/Patrick County, VA, on the Mayo River, near the Abraham Penn and George Hairston plantations.

2022 Wilkes County, North Carolina & Their Connection To Tennessee

🔲 We discovered Revolutionary War records under the “Vess” surname, via Samuel, William, and Col. Peter Vess, all from Dunmore County (now Shenandoah County), Virginia.

🔲 We discovered, a “Vest/Vess” family in Wilkes County, North Carolina, while researching the Sparks, Parks, and Rose families. These families include: Peter, Pryor, William, Jonathan, and Absalom.

🔲 Records suggest a potential DODSON family connection to the Vest/Vess family in Wilkes County, North Carolina. We see them as neighbors in Patrick County, VA, prior to seeing them again as neighbors in White County, TN. They are also related to the earlier Whitlock family.

2023: Irish Traditions Influenced By Crook Family

🔲 We discovered, through genetic genealogy, that the true maiden name of Peter’s wife, Catherine, is CROOK, not Cook.

🔲 We discovered, through traditional and genetic genealogy, that John Vess (son of Peter Vess) has a son named William River Vess.

🔲 We discovered, through land records, that the wife of Samuel Vess in Patrick County, Virginia is named Catherine.

🔲 We discovered, through newspaper articles, that Pryor Vest in Tennessee died a horrific death in 1831, while in jail.

🔲 We discovered even more earlier “Vess” records, via William and James Vess of Loudoun County, Virginia dated between 1760-1770.

🔲 We discovered, through traditional genealogy methods, that Peter’s wife, Catherine is of Irish descent. Her parents are John Emmanuel Crook and Rachel Haynes. The father of Rachel Haynes, William Haynes, is said to be the first pastor of Bill’s Creek Baptist Church, in the book, “Bill’s Creek Baptist Church: 200 Year History,” by Helen M. Lu. John Emmanuel Crook, is the illegitimate child of Andrew Crook(s) from Ireland. It is observed that all of Peter’s children are named after those on Catherine’s side of the family, suggesting our Irish traditions may stem from her side of the family.

2024: Exploring The Individual Vess/Vest Families

🔲 We begin to discover that the Vest family in Wilkes County, North Carolina also have records under the “Vess” surname, which are often used interchangeably.

🔲 We discovered records, revealing that Peter Vess in Patrick County, Virginia, is Peter Vest, in Wilkes County, North Carolina.

🔲 We discovered records, revealing the life of Absalom Vest (Vess) and his wife, Hannah Raymond (believed to be Reynolds).

🔲 We noticed that Peter Vess in Rutherford County, North Carolina has an unusual amount of records involving the Souther family, the same Souther family we see next to Absalom Vess in Wilkes County, North Carolina.

🔲 We discovered records in White County, Tennessee showing Peter Vess and Willis Vess together, transferring land to Zachariah Simmons. This record, among previous ones, suggests, Peter, Pryor, William, and Willis are part of the same Vest/Vess family from Wilkes County, North Carolina/ Patrick County, Virginia.

🔲 We discovered Pyror Vest has a history of causing trouble, with a growing list of court-records regarding assaults and affrays (disturbing the peace). These records often involve William and Peter Vess.

🔲 We discovered an additional “Vess” in White County, Tennessee, via James Vess, on tax lists with Willis and William Vest/Vess.

2025: Unexpected Discoveries

🔲 We discovered that Jonathan Vess in Jackson County, Texas, has a Will, but is only available in-person – not online.

🔲 A further look at the Stephen F. Austin Register of Families, for Jonathan Vess in Texas, state he came from Missouri, not South Carolina, as often told. The record also states he arrived with 2 children and 4 dependents, suggesting the children we were told he had, may not all be his biological children.

🔲 We discovered, through genealogical records, that the 3 youngest children of Jonathan Vess are actually the children of William Vess.

🔲 We discovered a court record in Buncombe County, North Carolina, that two children of John Vess (son of Peter Vess) were adopted by a Souther.

🔲 We discover court records in Henry County, Virginia, that Pryor and William Vest in White County, Tennessee are in fact, Pryor and William “Vess.” This led to discovering other Tennessee records under the “Vess” surname.

🔲 We discovered a court-record, suggesting Catherine’s full name, may be “Eleanor Catherine Crook.”

🔲 We discovered land and court-records for Nathaniel Vess in Haywood County, North Carolina.

🔲 We discovered records that tell us that Peter Vess, while a resident of Rutherford County, North Carolina, went to church and estate sales in Burke County, North Carolina.

🔲 We discovered further evidence to suggest Willis Vess of Franklin County, Alabama may likely be related to Pryor and William Vess in White County, Tennessee.

🔲 We discovered, through genetic genealogy, that the Vess family has DODSON matches, in addition to the SPARKS, PARKS, and ROSE matches. This suggests the Vess family may have a maternal ancestor related to one of these families. It is strongly suggested, that it might be specifically via a DODSON/ROSE family.

Interestingly, there just so happens to be a DODSON-ROSE family, from Richmond, Virginia, who are related to the DODSON families in Patrick County, Virginia. Furthermore, Absalom Vess is a witness to a land record, in Wilkes County, NC, for a DODSON, who is a direct descendant of the DODSON-ROSE line.

2026: Entering A New Chapter

🔲 We discovered a land record for Jonathan Vess in Lincoln County, Missouri dated 1825, mentioning his 2 sons, William and Lofton Vess.

Conclusion

Perhaps we finally have enough records to start piecing together a more comprehensive picture of the earlier Vess families, and hopefully, it may lead to new discoveries!

Please be sure to follow this blog, as we enter a new chapter in Vess Genealogy!!









Johnathan Vess: I Finally Found Him In Missouri

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Jonathan and Elizabeth Vess of Jackson County, Texas.

We’ve all been told that Jonathan and Elizabeth Vess arrived in Texas from South Carolina, but according to Stephen F. Austin’s Register of Families, it was Missouri.

In 1829, at the age of 50, according to the Stephen F. Austin’s Register of Families, Jonathan and his wife, with 2 children and 4 dependents arrived in Texas from Missouri. Unfortunately, if they came from Missouri, there are no census records for Missouri prior to 1830.

There are other earlier Missouri records available, but who knows where to start! Texas genealogical records doesn’t give us any clues, as to which area in Missouri to even start looking for Vess families. In fact, it’s like searching for a needle in a haystack.

But, wouldn’t you believe, that Jonathan Vess has a record in Missouri, under the VESS surname! It wasn’t easy to locate though, because the record is indexed under the surname WEST, even though it clearly reads VESS.

Using AI to Track Down Jonathan Vess In Missouri

Jonathan Vess has a land record in Lincoln County, Missouri, dated 1825.

I used AI to search indexed records under the name “Jonathan West” in Missouri, as “West” seems to be another variant of Vess, as seen in Peter Vess records in Wilkes Co. NC between 1800-1803.

Remarkably, it pulled a deed record that read Jonathan “Vess.”

Jonathan Vess acquired land from Alfred Gordon in 1825. The description box for the property states “see record,” which suggests there might be another record available for this transaction.

Using AI again, nothing came up under the name Jonathan “West,” or under any of the usual variants of Vess. There weren’t any results under the name Alfred Gordon either.

However, the first record did provide us with a Book and page number for the record detailing the description of the property. Generally, not all books are available online though. If they are, they are sometimes locked, requiring a trip to the library to unlock it. And even then, it doesn’t mean it’s on the correct page.

Luckily for us, the Book was available online and the record was exactly where it should be: Book C pg. 387 (continued on pg. 388). A land record between Alfred Gordon and Jonathan Vess, with the Vess surname written in Old English (Vefs).

The description of the property doesn’t identify a river or township, just marked by coordinates, trees, and joining neighbors, Alfred Gordon and John Ezells, neither who sound familiar to me.

Now, the next question is….
How are we sure this is the same Jonathan Vess in Jackson County, Texas?

Jonathan, William, and Lofton Vess In Missouri Together

Luckily for us, the record specifically states William and Lofton Vess are the “2 sons” of Jonathan Vess. Good thing “Lofton” isn’t a common name.

In Jackson County, Texas, we have records of a William and Lofton Vess. William married Minerva Millican in 1835, and Lofton married Mary Ann Ryan in 1837.

Interestingly, Jonathan Vess arrived in Texas with 2 children and 4 dependents, which I assumed his 2 children were William and Mary Lorena; but perhaps those 2 children were in fact, William and Lofton Vess.

Which if true, would mean, the “4 dependents,” would be the girls: Mary Lorena, Malinda, Sarah Ann, and Louisa Elizabeth. In my opinion, I still strongly believe the “4 dependents” could be grandchildren of Johnathan Vess, from a deceased child, as Jonathan arrived in Texas at the age of 50. It will be interesting to find out their lineage, if possible.

South Carolina

This Missouri record tells us that Jonathan Vess and his family were in Missouri between 1825 and 1829, prior to settling in Texas. So, where was he prior to 1825?

I am still looking for early Vess records in South Carolina. Not only is the Vess family adamant Jonathan Vess was there (at some point), we’ve found later genealogical records of at least 2 “Vess” families, claiming to have been born in South Carolina prior to 1820.

There are no VESS records prior to 1830 in South Carolina. So who are these later Vess families related to, that was in South Carolina prior to 1830!

I am curious to find out!

Citation:

“Lincoln, Missouri, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://

http://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSH9-H9Z5-C?view=fullText : Feb 7,

2026), image 209 of 605; Lincoln County (Missouri). Recorder of Deeds.

Image Group Number: 007903817

Rachel Melinda Vess: New Vess Ancestor

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It’s always exciting to add newly discovered ancestors to the Vess family tree!

Rachel Melinda Vess (1881-1969) is a new addition to the Peter Vess lineage. She is the daughter of James Harvey Vess and Mary Josephine Dalton, granddaughter of Andrew Logan Vess and Lucy Malinda Halford, and great-granddaughter of Peter Vess and Catherine Crook.

Rachel M. Vess never appeared on census, due to the 20 year gap in missing census records between 1880 – 1900. Imagine how many Vess ancestors are missing due to the lost 1890 census!

Rachel Vess married Henry O. Smith on May 11, 1899 in McDowell County, North Carolina. Together they had 5 children: Ella Mae, Lina, Alan, Nelson Burlan, and Bulah Josephine.

From what we can tell, the names “Rachel” and “Melinda” hold significant importance to the Peter Vess family, as we see these names repeated throughout several earlier generations. We do know that Rachel is the name of Catherine Crook’s mother, Rachel Haynes. We also know that Peter and Catherine had a daughter named Rachel. However, I am not sure where the name Melinda comes from – perhaps Peter’s side of the family? Records tell us that one of Peter and Catherine’s daughters also went by the name Melinda.

Josiah Vess 1822 – Bef. 1860

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Josiah (Joseph) Vess is the son of Peter Vess and Catherine Crook in Rutherford County, North Carolina. Not much is known about him, as he seems to have disappeared after 1850, like his older brother John. Fortunately, I was able to dig up a little something…

Burke County

Josiah Vess was born in Rutherford County, North Carolina, in 1822, most likely on Knobs Creek. In 1831, his father obtained land on Cedar Creek (located in the Broad River Township), which is sandwiched in between Burke and Buncombe County.

We know from Peter’s records, that the family had connections to Burke County, even though they were residents of Rutherford County. This was likely because Cedar Creek is located closely to the Burke County border.

His parents, Peter and Catherine, left Bill’s Creek Baptist Church prior to 1836, and by 1838, they appear to have become members of Bethlehem Baptist Church, located in Crooked Creek of Burke County. This area of Burke County, will later become part of McDowell County in 1842.

Bastardy Bond: Elizabeth Justice

In 1844, Josiah Vess of Rutherford County, was called to McDowell County, to answer to a Bastardy Bond via Elizabeth Jutis (Justice).

I could not find any more court records about it, so I cannot confirmed whether or not Josiah Vess had a child with Elizabeth Justice. But, if true, the child may have been William A. Justice.

William A. Justice was born in 1844 in McDowell County, and died during the Civil War from disease. The 1850 census reveals his mother’s name was Elizabeth Justice, and there was no father listed on census with her.

1846: Family’s Return To Bill’s Creek

On April 27, 1846, Josiah married Zillah (Zilia) Early, daughter of Andrew Early and Nancy Duncan. Together they had six children: Mary Jane, William Bailey, Rhoda Adeline, Zilla, John Jefferson (pictured below), and Emmaline.

Josiah’s son, John Jefferson Vess and wife, Dorce Sylvain Laughter, with children, Jason and baby Zilla.


During the Fall Court of 1846, Josiah, and his older brother John, are part of the deed transaction between his father, Peter Vess, and Joseph Souther. This is when Peter gave his land (on Cedar Creek) to Joseph Souther to settle a $50 debt.

On December 26, 1846, Josiah and his wife, Zilla, along with his brothers John, Andrew, Alfred, and Alexander, become members of Bill’s Creek Baptist Church, joining their mother, Catherine who returned in 1844.

On the 1850 census, the Vess family is back in Bill’s Creek (Rutherford Co).

Here we see Josiah, listed with his wife, Zilla, and two of their children, Mary and William. His older brother, John and his family are also listed, as well as their mother Catherine, with the rest of his siblings (except for Andrew, who is living near his Halford in-laws).

Peter probably died shortly after transferring his land to Joseph Souther in 1846.

1849-1853 Conflict With Father-In-Law

We can find records of Josiah Vess in the book, “Bill’s Creek Baptist Church: Two Hundred Year History,” by Helen M. Lu.

Lu notes that Josiah Vess was a member of the church in 1846, 1847, 1848, and 1849.

On October 15, 1853, he was excluded due to excessive drinking.
In November, he was charged for threatening to kill his father-in-law (Andrew Early). However, his membership was restored in December, after admitting that he did make “some threat,” but did not follow through with it.

Death of Josiah and Zilla Vess

There is no official record of Josiah’s death, however, Josiah and his family seem to have disappeared after the 1850 census, with their children reappearing after 1870 as adults.

We do know that Zillah died on December 26, 1862, as we find her memorial in the book, “Bill’s Creek Baptist Church: Two Hundred Year History,” by Helen M. Lu. Her memorial does not mention her husband, focusing largely on her young children, suggesting he may have passed away prior to 1860.

“Sister Vess left behind a numerous family of helpless little children to mourn their irreparable loss.”
– Bill’s Creek Baptist Church: Two Hundred Year History, by Helen M. Lu.

1860: The Nanney Family

Although Zilla’s death is reported to be in 1862, her children appear to be living with the Nanney family on Cathey’s Creek in 1860.

On the 1860 census, in Cathey’s Creek, Rutherford County, North Carolina, Amos and Temp Nanney list their children as “Thomas, Mary, Zeruah, Jothan, William, and Infant.”

Thomas is the son of Amos Nanney, as later records reveal; but, the other listed children, do not appear in future records or are listed on any family trees. However, their names do match the names of Josiah’s children (Mary, Zillah, John, and William), strongly suggesting, these children are likely VESS.

I cannot confirm 100%, that the children of Josiah were living with a Nanney family in 1860, as the record itself is badly faded (below is just a transcription of it); however, there are a couple of other Nanney-Vess connections.

Nanney Family Connections

Josiah’s oldest daughter, Mary, married Charles Nanney, son of Randal Nanney. And, his son, John Vess is listed in the will for Tinsey Searcy (Nanney), daughter of James Nanney (Amos Nanney’s uncle).

I wasn’t able to find any earlier Vess-Nanney connections. They do not appear as members of Bill’s Creek Baptist Church, so I am not sure how the children of Josiah and Zilla became acquainted with the Nanney family.



Citation:

“North Carolina, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSYD-27JL-6?view=explore : Jul 25, 2025), image 1711 of 2031; . Image Group Number: 008357713

“Rutherford, North Carolina, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9B8-T9F6-G?view=explore : Jul 25, 2025), image 44 of 216; . Image Group Number: 007718487

“Rutherford, North Carolina, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:37SQ-296S-MP9?view=explore : Jul 25, 2025), image 125 of 462; North Carolina. County Court (Rutherford County). Image Group Number: 004779253

Ancestry.com. North Carolina, U.S., Marriage Records, 1741-2011 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015.

Historical Data Systems, comp. U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2009.

Lu, Helen Mason. Bill’s Creek Baptist Church, Two Hundred-Year History, 1782-1982. 1982.

Peter Vess: A New Burke County Record

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Burke County, North Carolina is interesting, because many families in Wilkes County, North Carolina relocated to this area after 1800, including our families of DNA interest: the Rose, Parks, and Sparks families. But, so did the Souther family, who were once close neighbors of Absalom Vess in Wilkes County, North Carolina.

Peter Vess seems to have a connection with some of the Wilkes County, NC families in Burke County, NC, but whatever those connections are specifically, have yet to reveal itself…

I found a new Burke County record, dated 1833, with Peter Vess listed on the “Sale of the Estate of Moses Noblitt/ Noblett,” having obtained an ax and a saw from the sale. Also listed, but not the least surprising, is also John Souther. Another record with Vess and Souther.

You can find Noblitt/Noblett on the Vess Family tree, but the connection is generations later, via sisters, Lola Mae Vess and Mattie Vess, daughters of Alfred Vess and Nancy Banther (descendants of Andrew Logan Vess). They married Noblitt cousins, related to the earlier Noblitt family of Burke County, NC.

Moses Noblitt lived on Crooked Creek. In 1831, he added 5 acres to his existing property next to the Davis family. This is interesting for several reasons:

The Vess and Davis families have a long oral history of being old close families, but no one seems to know their history together. We don’t have a lot of Davis-Vess connections on the family tree. Yet, Andrew Logan Vess is buried in the Davistown Free-Will Baptist Church cemetery, that used to be a private cemetery for the Davis family.

Michael Souther, from Wilkes County, North Carolina obtained land in 1801 on Crooked Creek. This makes me wonder if Peter Vess could have also been on Crooked Creek prior to 1820.

Other interesting families on Crooked Creek include the Burgin, Bird, Bellew, and Crawford families:

a) Burgin and Bird are some of my earlier ancestors via my 2nd great grandmother, Cora Nevada Moffitt, wife of Pinkney Vess (son of Andrew Logan Vess).

b) The Burgin family was a prominent family in North Carolina, with large tracts of land and plantations, who were also involved in politics. A website during the early 2000’s, mentioned Burgin having a “Vess” servant, which has been long since deleted (I never saved a copy). If not a man named “Vess,” I do not know what a “Vess” servant could mean. But the idea of Peter having been an indentured servant is not new.

c) Jesse Souther, brother of Michael Souther, came to Burke County after 1810 and appears on record near the Burgin, Bird, and Bellew families.

d) Bellew interests me, because we don’t exactly know (100% for sure) the origins of Nathaniel Vess and Clarinda Bellew.

e) Crawford interests me, because I share DNA matches with Willis Vess of Franklin County, Alabama via a Crawford connection – which is bizarre, as the Willis Vess family, to the best of my knowledge, has never been to Burke, Rutherford, or Buncombe County.

Peter Vess obtained land on Cedar Creek in Rutherford County, North Carolina in 1831. This property is located in the Broad River Township, which is sandwiched in between Buncombe and Burke County. Peter’s property is close to the Crooked Creek area, where we are finding records of him in Burke County.


There is so much more to explore in Burke County, North Carolina; especially, in the Crooked Creek area (now McDowell Co), as many of those families later relocated to Buncombe County, where we have more Vess connections.

Citation:
“Burke, North Carolina, United States records,” images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-G1KJ-Q5J?view=explore : Jul 24, 2025), image 1618 of 2131; North Carolina. Division of Archives and History. Image Group Number: 005274805