I don’t like wild goose chases, but this one is pretty interesting and has really caught my attention.
Interesting Notes On Peter’s 1840 Census
Looking at Peter’s 1840 census record, he appears to be near the Pettit, Mooney, and Toney families again. What happened to Cedar Creek?
The most fascinating thing about Peter’s 1840 census is that everyone listed (below) has, at one time or another, been associated with Bill’s Creek Baptist Church. This blew my mind, but I don’t know if it means anything.
The Hambrick Family
In a previous post, Vince sent me a link about the Sparks family living in Rutherford County, North Carolina via Lewis Morgan Sparks. Lewis Morgan Sparks married Sarah Bridges, daughter of Samuel Bridges and Mary Hamrick.
Peter is also shown on the 1820 census with the Hambrick and Bridges family (below). According to The Hambricks Generations, the Blantons, Greens, Bridges, Champions, Washburns, Bowens, and McSwains came to America with the Hamrick / Hambrick family (pg.13). This publication also states the Bridges and Logan families were close. This is very interesting, because we find Peter Vess smack dab in the middle of all those inter-related families. For example, James Young is married to a Blanton. McSwine (McSwain) is listed on the 1820 census, with Logan on the next page with more Bridges. Even more interesting, is that these families also have connections with Bill’s Creek Baptist Church.
Henry Pettit 1810 Census: John BEAS
Since Peter is on census records listed closely with the Pettit family and we know Henry Pettit is from Spartanburg County, South Carolina, I decided to take another look at his 1810 census record.
On the list with Henry Pettit is John BEAS. Now, at first, I thought maybe this name was suppose to be “BIAS” and BIAS is often associated with BYERS (because of the sounds of I and E). However, there is a BYERS listed here, so the census taker clearly knew how to spell BYERS, so BEAS is likely not a mistake and is probably spelled to sound like “BESS.” Interesting.
John Bess of Thicketty Creek
I can’t find anything on John “BEAS,” however, I did find a South Carolina land record for John BESS with a Cantrell neighbor. On the 1810 census record (above), John BEAS is listed next to Reubin Cantrell.
1800 Census Record: John BESS
I found John Bess on an 1800 census record for Spartanburg County, South Carolina. This is an interesting record, because the page prior, we have Henry Pettit’s father listed (Joshua Pettit). We also have him listed near Samuel Dunaway. John Bess land record for 1810, also mentions DUNWAY.
Thicketty Creek: Broad River Basin – Tryon County
The Thicketty Creek area is very interesting, because it used to be part of Tryon County, North Carolina. It is directly beneath Sandy Run and Shoal Creek where we later find Peter Vess with the Hambrick and Bridges families. It is also near the Pacelot River where we find the Pool, Pettit, Willis, and many other interesting families.
SPARKS Family Near Enoree River
Listed on the 1810 census with John BEAS and Henry PETTIT are a few PENNINGTON families. According to Anna Popejoy, the Pennington and Whitlock family traveled to Franklin County, Alabama together and we know that the Pennington family had a lot of land near FoxTrap. In short, Pennington is a family of interest.
Vince is looking into triangulating with Pennington families who are supposedly descendants of an “Ephriam Pennington.” He mentioned Kentucky, but I did find an Ephraim Pennington in South Carolina via an early marriage record (not specifically dated though). I not sure if it means anything right now.
While investigating the Pennington families on the 1810 census with John BEAS, I found Isaac Pennington (1715-1760) whose son-in-law is Charles King to be very interesting. His neighbor, per land records, was Zachariah SPARKS and they lived near the Enoree River.
Quick note: Isaac Pennington had a son that went to Kentucky, so maybe there is a connection with what Vince is looking at with the descendants of Ephraim Pennington??
Zachariah Sparks 1790 Union County, SC Census: GEORGE VOST
Zachariah is not found on any records for Spartanburg County, NC, but it is important to note that boundaries of early South Carolina were a mess and early records could be listed under anything.
However, I did find him on a 1790 census record which has some very interesting names: George VOST, RAINEY BELLEW Jr., and Zachary SPARKS.
So, I don’t know if this just another wild-goose chase or a really good lead that should be further investigated. This John BEAS is in a really good location. He is listed on a Samuel Dunaway Will dated 1815, so I think I am going to look a little more into Dunaway. Maybe, there are connections to other familiar families.
I am very excited to have found a new record for Peter Vess!
1838 Rutherford County, NC Court Minutes
In the Fall of 1838, Peter Vess was selected as a Juror for next January; however, later records indicate he failed to appear.
Unraveling Peter and Catherine’s Past
Many sources say Peter Vess died a pauper and is buried in Bill’s Creek Baptist Church, but is that true?
Peter obtained land in 1831 on Cedar Creek in the Broad River Township of Rutherford County, North Carolina (below). According to Bill’s Creek Baptist Church: Two Hundred Year History, by Helen M. Lu, Peter and Catherine were members until 1836.
The last record I discovered of Peter Vess was a church record dated 1838 for Bethlehem Baptist Church in Burke County, which explains what happened to them after 1836.
Bethlehem Baptist Church is located in today’s McDowell County (below), not far from Peter’s property on Cedar Creek in the Broad River Township of Rutherford County, NC. McDowell County did not exist until 1842 and Broad River Township area didn’t become part of McDowell County until 1844. So, it makes sense that we find Peter in two different places in 1838.
With Peter being a resident of Rutherford County, NC (1840 census), but yet a member of Bethlehem Baptist Church across the county border in Burke/McDowell County, NC, certainly makes it difficult to find records on him.
According to Helen M. Lu, Catherine Vess came back to Bill’s Creek Baptist Church in October 1844 without Peter. We can probably accurately conclude that Peter had died and if so, records of his death would be floating between Rutherford and McDowell Counties, because his property in Broad River Township of Rutherford County, became part of McDowell County in 1844!
So the question is, which county settled his estate?? If Catherine moved back to Bill’s Creek in 1844 (1850 census), his property must have been sold and if so, to who?
Zilla Vess, wife of Josiah Vess (son of Peter), is the only VESS buried in Bill’s Creek Baptist Church cemetery (per church cemetery records) and recent research suggests the Vess family (Catherine and her younger children) may have moved to Buncombe County, NC after 1850. To be honest, I think Peter is buried in McDowell County whose tombstone is likely too deteriorated to recognize.
In addition, I do not think Catherine died in Rutherford County either. Despite her last record showing her in Bill’s Creek, her younger children are shown on the 1860 census record living with Dempsey Sumners in Buncombe County, NC. Dempsey Sumners has spent his entire life in Buncombe County, so the only way I can assume he ended up with the VESS children is if Catherine had moved to Buncombe County in between 1850-1860.
I am not sure if Dempsey Sumners is kin, but his mother is Elizabeth Grace Davis. I am told that the Davis and Vess families are very close. Andrew Logan Vess is buried in Davistown Cemetery, which originally was a private Davis family cemetery.
I still do not know how the Davis and Vess families are considered close. My VESS family tree only has 1 DAVIS relative (Dicie Augustus Davis) and it doesn’t look like her family has any connection with Elizabeth Grace Davis. However, the Davis family that Nathaniel Vess line married into is related to Elizabeth Grace Davis – is there a connection?
When it comes to the North Carolina VESS family tree, we can all pretty much agree that our earliest known ancestor is Peter Vess; however, Peter was not the only VESS family in North Carolina during his time. According to the 1830 census, Nathaniel Vess and Clarinda Bellew (with her father John Bellew) were also in Rutherford County, North Carolina. For the most part, our family trees from these two men are pretty accurate; however, what if I told you that Sarah Jane Vess (wife of Jackson Pressley), shown as a descendant of Nathaniel Vess, might actually be a descendant of Peter Vess??
DISCLAIMER:
Please note that the information provided within this post is a personal opinion based on personal interpretation of genealogical records and DNA data. Individual researchers and readers are strongly encouraged to do their own research and come to their own conclusions.
Only 1 Connection With The Nathaniel Vess Line
It’s odd, but all my DNA connections to the Nathaniel Vess line are all through the descendants of Sarah Jane Vess and Jackson Pressley.
Now, I just assumed that maybe descendants of other Nathaniel Vess lines are just not testing or maybe DNA relatives are too distant to show up as a DNA match (perhaps Peter and Nathan Vess are half-brothers or cousins). There is also the possibility, I am related to this particular Nathaniel Vess line via my mother’s side who also has deep Carolina roots, but there are other descendants of Peter Vess reporting the same particular Nathaniel Vess connection (so, it’s clearly not on my mother’s side).
However, just recently, Vince informed me that a new tool called, Theory of Family Relativity on myHeritage.com, suggests the descendants of Sarah Jane Vess and Jackson Pressley may be related to Peter Vess via his son John Vess.
That’s a lot to take in!
So, I decided to dust off some old research notebooks and take another look at Nathaniel and Peter Vess.
Sarah Jane Vess VS Mary Jane Vess
Reviewing numerous family trees for Nathaniel Vess, his daughter is often listed as either “Sarah“ Jane Vess or “Mary” Jane Vess; both shown as the wife of Jackson Pressley.
Many researchers have noted that Sarah and Mary are probably the same person, whereas others list them as separate people. However, upon further investigation, Sarah Jane Vess and Mary Jane Vess appear to be two different people who just so happened to be born at the same time (1840) and both have connections to Haywood County, North Carolina!
So, who is who?
In my opinion, based on genealogical records, Mary Jane Vess is likely the daughter of Nathaniel Vess and Clarinda Bellew, whereas Sarah Jane Vess is likely the daughter of John Vess, son of Peter Vess. I come to this conclusion based on marriage and census records, in addition, to the history of John Vess.
What We Know About John Vess (Peter’s son)
John Vess was born about 1820 in North Carolina to Peter and Catherine Vess. He married Elizabeth Taylor and they had 4 children together: Sarah, Silus, Mary, and Sophrona.
Silus and Mary appeared to have died young, Sarah appears to have disappeared, and Sophrona married Columbus Summey.
John Vess disappeared after 1850, during the same time the rest of the Vess family kind of split up; presumably after the death of Catherine. In 1854, we have a newspaper clipping announcing a Petition for Divorce between Elizabeth and John Vess, suggesting John Vess had moved out of state. During the same year, Elizabeth reverts back to her maiden name and marries Joshua Souther. We find her and her children (Viss) living with Joshua Souther in Henderson County, North Carolina in 1860.
Henderson County, NC Makes The Difference
Sarah Jane Vess and Jackson Pressely were married in 1856 and according to the 1860 census record, Sarah and Jackson were living in Henderson County, North Carolina, same county as Elizabeth and Joshua Souther.
In 1860, Mary Jane Vess, was still living with her parents Nathaniel and Clarinda Vess (Vert) in Haywood County, North Carolina. So, clearly not the same the person.
In 1863, Mary Jane Vess married Phillip Davis in Haywood County, North Carolina.
A connection with the Davis family makes sense, considering Andrew Jackson Vess (son of Nathaniel Vess) supposedly married Mary Davis in 1862.
I think the confusion between Sarah Jane Vess and Mary Jane Vess is with their connection to Haywood County, NC, for that we know that Nathan’s family once lived in Haywood County, NC. However, Sarah Jane Vess doesn’t appear in Haywood County until 1870 with Jackson Pressely, after Nathan’s family moved to Tennessee.
I did find a few family trees showing Mary Jane Vess as a descendant of Nathaniel Vess married to Phillip Davis, instead of Jackson Pressley, and interestingly, I am not a DNA match.
Also, I noticed a lot of family trees stating Sarah / Mary Jane Vess died in Washington. However, I believe Sarah Jane Vess, wife of Jackson Pressley, was remarried to a man named Eli Glen, where she eventually moved to Georgia (below). Further research is needed though and surprisingly opens up an entirely new theory about John Vess’s whereabouts about his divorce with Elizabeth Taylor (to be shared in a later post).
Based on genealogical evidence, I am convinced that Mary Jane Vess and Phillip Davis are part of the Nathaniel Vess line whereas Sarah Jane Vess and Jackson Pressley are part of the Peter Vess line.
Connection Between Peter Vess and Nathan Vess Still A Mystery
Well, Sarah Jane Vess was my only DNA connection to Nathaniel Vess. Now, that research strongly supports her connection with Peter Vess instead of Nathan Vess, does that mean Peter and Nathan are not related?? No way!
My Autosomal DNA only goes back 6-8 generations. It barely picks up the descendants of Peter’s children, so technically, if Nathan and Peter are related, it would likely be too distant to show up on my Autosomal DNA test results.
We really need a male Vess descendant from Nathaniel Vess’s line to do a Y-DNA test to confirm a genetic connection between Nathaniel, Peter, and Willis Vess. Until then, we can only assume they are related and we must continue to search for genealogical evidence to confirm their family relationship to one another.
The good stuff is often found in unindexed microfilmed records that force us to skim through each individual record hoping to come across a familiar family name. Oddly, as a genealogist, the one thing I hate to do is read…
It’s not that I don’t know how to read or I struggle to read, I just don’t have time to read. I am a kind of person that reads the summary on the back of books and waits for the movie (except Harry Potter- I read those books).
I’ve come to a point in my research, where I think I’ve pretty much found as much as I could about the VESS family via Indexed records. You know, type in a few keywords and Whola! Desired records appears like magic! Only just recently have I started to make time, with a few cups of coffee, to scour thousands of microfilmed records.
I must admit, once the brain adjusts to deciphering Old English, local history bursts into life!
These records appear to be “continuance” notes. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find the original entry about what the dispute may have been about nor an entry about it’s resolution. I also cannot make out the last entry above. Others listed above, do have recorded resolutions. Either I missed it, due to the handwriting or the dispute was dismissed entirely and not worth recording.
Land Transfer 1793
Below is the deed transfer between Peter Vess and John Dunkin (Duncan) to John Spencer in 1793. The transcribed typed document, Patrick County deeds 1791-1801, mentions Peter’s wife, but Peter’s wife is not mentioned here.
Other Interesting Records: 1794
In 1794, we can probably safely assume that Peter Vess had left Patrick County, VA; however, there are a couple of records I think are pretty interesting.
Below, we see that Charles Vest, father of William Tunwell Vest, was in Patrick County, VA in 1794. Is this proof that Peter Vess belongs to the Charles Vest family (Haplogroup I)?
Not necessarily, largely because Charles Vest, per other court records, tells us he traveled a lot. He was a manufacturer (builder) by occupation and he often traveled to other counties putting in building bids. An interesting account is via a record in Guilford County, NC where he put in a bid to rebuild the Guilford Court house (after it was destroyed by a battle); however, he “walked out” and never came back. Due to his absence, the bid was granted to another bidder.
Another record I found interesting, looks to be like a record for a John Gosnell. It would be interesting if the Gosnell family was also in Patrick County, VA at the same time as Peter and William Vess, as that may further support a connection between Nathaniel Vess and Peter Vess. The Whitlock family is also in Patrick County, VA.
A genetic genealogy method known as Triangulation recently suggests the VESS family may have a SPARKS – ROSE maternal ancestor. I think this is incredible, unfortunately, I was on a hot trail until I accidentally lost all my recent research due to epic user error. So, below is a look at the bits and pieces of what I’ve been working on lately…
Not Too Far From Foxtrap
Hidden in plain sight, I discovered SPARKS, HESTER, and WILLIS families west of Foxtrap (Franklin County, AL). Interestingly, these families have documented history with records dating back as early as 1820! FINALLY!
A few SPARKS family websites reference Russellville, but they also mention an earlier place called, “Frankfort,” which is actually on the plat-map (below). I am guessing Frankfort came first, as we know that many of the early residents in the area had to travel north for supplies.
Below, I outlined Foxtrap and Mountain Star (red box) where Willis VESS and John WILLIS have property. And I outlined (blue box) the SPARKS, HESTER, and WILLIS, west of Foxtrap area. I also highlighted Frankfort, family cemeteries and Foxtrap / Mt. Star, just to give you an idea where the families are geographically from one another.
It is strongly believed that Willis VESS was named after the WILLIS family, suggesting the two families may have a longer history together. At this time, I do not know if John WILLIS (neighbor to Willis Vess) is connected to the WILLIS family in the Frankfort area; however, further research strongly suggests a likely connection.
Andrew Jackson Willis & Artamissa Sparks
My discovery of the SPARKS, HESTER, and WILLIS families, was accidental. Somehow I came across records of Andrew Jackson Willis and Artamissa Sparks.
Again, I am not sure if Andrew Willis and John Willis are related. It pretty much led me to a dead end. However, I was able to find information on the Sparks family:
Artamissa was born in Spartanburg County, SC (1816).
Her parents are William Sparks and Eunice Woodruff.
William Sparks lived on the Enoree River. In the 1820 census, he is listed on a page with Nancy Pool, Woodruff family, and looks like a John Willis.
He was born in Wilkes County, NC.
He is a descendant of Mathew Sparks and Sarah Thompson. (Thompson is a big name in Franklin County, AL too)
I match with the Sparks family on both sides of my family (just to make it more challenging). However, I do match with a Hester line from Franklin County, Alabama (they are shown on the map above too, with Sparks and Willis families). This is a 5th-8th cousin, descendant of William Sparks and Eunice Woodruff.
Artamissa’s brother, married Nancy Benson who is from White County, Tennessee. I am not sure if she is related to David Benson who is in connection with Charles Travers in Anson County, NC.
Now, I also match with a descendant of William Sparks (1783-1869) and Rhoda Pennington (4-6th cousin) of White County, Tennessee.
This William Sparks is brother to Solomon Sparks Sr. who married Sarah Thompson. Solomon and Sarah had Reuben Sparks, who had John Sparks that married Elizabeth Rose, daughter of Emmanuel Rose (Wilkes County, NC).
I also match with descendants of Solomon’s other son, John Wesley Sparks who married Sarah Shores.
It appears all these Spark families are related, but the family tree is a little complicated.
William Sparks, husband of Eunice Woodruff, is a descendant of Matthew Sparks, who is supposedly (it differs between sources) the brother of William and Solomon Sparks (mentioned above). Between different sources, the generations differ, but all of them at one point or another connect to Joseph Sparks. It’s very confusing.
Also, I match with a descendant of Jonas James Sparks from Tazewell County, VA. I am not sure how he falls on the Sparks family tree.
So, there is definitely a Sparks connection on the Vess side!
William Sparks and Rhoda Pennington are very intriguing because they settled in White County, Tennessee. Pennington is a big name in Franklin County, Alabama. Anna Popejoy says Pennington families traveled with the Whitlock family. Rhoda Pennington is supposedly the daughter of Major Jacob David Pennington and Mary Tuttle (both born in SC). I don’t know how William Sparks ended up in White County, TN, but he’s not the only Sparks to do so. It probably had something to do with the War of 1812 or crossing over from Wilkes County, NC.
Sparks has a connection with Duncan and Watson, which are family names on the Patrick County, VA deed list with Peter and William Vess. I am not sure if it’s related, but I just wanted to make note of it.
*Note: Some of my DNA matches to descendants of the Sparks Family of Wilkes County, VA may also be via the COX family. My great-grandmother Pearl Lena Cox married my great-grandfather James Elmer Vess. At this time, I believe my DNA matches with the VICE family (South Carolina and KY) and VESS family from Tazewell County, VA might also be through my COX line connected through the Cordell family. [Not confirmed yet]
Exploring Wilkes County, North Carolina: William Vest
We find a William Vest in Wilkes County, as early as 1789. Records confirm he is not William Tunwell Vest of Stokes County, NC. William is listed on the 1790 census record next to Thomas Hodge.
Thomas Hodge was born in Virginia, possibly having ties with the Hodge family in Franklin County, Virginia (Vess family has genetic ties to the Hodge family in VA-specific connection not known yet). Thomas Hodge has a documented history which states his family settled in a place called Hodges Gap.
Hodges Gap is located in the town of Boone, in today’s Watauga County, NC. Watauga County was established in 1849 from parts of Ashe, Caldwell, Yancey, and Wilkes. The town Boone was named after Daniel Boone of Wilkes County. From my perspective, overlaying these county maps, Hodges Gap appears to have once been part of Wilkes County (which explains why Thomas Hodge and William Vest are close together on a Wilkes County census record).
Also, on the same page of the 1790 census are numerous Rose families. The Sparks family (related to Solomon Sparks) is also in Wilkes County, NC at this time, but there is also a few Sparks families in Surry County, NC too.
Now, Wilkes County is a mess when it comes to boundary changes. Wilkes County was established in 1778 from Surry County, NC and Washington District.
State of Franklin and Washington District (Watauga Association)
There is no better place than here for ancestors to disappear!
Portions of Wilkes County, NC was once part of the Washington District, which was part of the brief existence of the State of Franklin. The State of Franklin comprised of several Tennessee Counties and the Washington District, where the Washington District eventually dissolved into Washington County, TN, that once extended to parts of Wilkes County (which is now part of Watauga County).
I know, super confusing!
Anyway, the Washington District was established by settlers of the Watauga, Nolichucky, and Holston river valleys who created their own short-lived government called the Watauga Association.
The Holston River is where we find James Heron (who also has land in Abbeyville Co. SC as well as in Patrick County, VA along side William Vess/Voss and Peter Vess), Henry Vice, and the White family who later have connections with Johnathan Vess via his wife Elizabeth Heron who married Peter White.
So, clearly there is a lot going on up there in the Washington District area.
I haven’t looked up all the names above, but I can tell you that Zac Isbell stands out.
There is an Isbell family in Franklin County, Alabama near Willis Vess. Miller Isbell (below) is related to Zach Isbell (above). I am still in the process of researching more information about this, but I thought that was pretty interesting.
Sparks Family in Rutherford County, North Carolina: Possible Connections To Peter Vess
Vince sent me a potential lead about a Sparks family in Rutherford County, North Carolina, which really made things interesting!!
In Rutherford County, NC there is a Sparks family via Lewis Morgan Sparks, son of John Sparks.
According to the link Vince sent me, “Sparks Cemetery – A Civil War Era Memorial,” by David Abbott, John Sparks is often confused with John Sparks in Wilkes County, related to Solomon Sparks. So, there is a possibility that perhaps the Sparks-Rose connection we get via Triangulation may be referring to this line, instead of the Solomon line. Further research is needed though.
John Sparks in Rutherford County, NC supposedly has connections with Spartanburg County, South Carolina (Enroee / Tyger River area). There is a Sparks family in Spartanburg County, SC (Matthew Sparks 1790) who is from Maryland and they are neighbors with Richard Willis, which is interesting, because I believe John Willis in Franklin County, Alabama maybe related to Richard Willis of Spartanburg County, SC (not confirmed yet).
Early census records show the Sparks and Willis family are close to the Pool family, who has family connections with Henry Pettit (neighbor of Peter Vess in 1820).
The Sparks family in Rutherford County, North Carolina lived on Sandy Run and Shoal Creek, near Willis Branch (map below). Even in North Carolina, the Sparks and Willis families are close together. Interesting to note, Henry Pettit later obtains land in this area too.
This area is located in today’s Cleveland County (was once part of Rutherford County). North of Shoal Creek, we interestingly have “Knob Creek.” This is not the Knob Creek near Bill’s Creek, but Knob Creek near the Lincoln County line, where the Mooney family lives and where the Tryon courthouse was located (a family home). Turns out, Knob Creek is also Township 10 in Cleveland County.
According to Abbott, Lewis Morgan Sparks was married to Sarah Bridges, daughter of Samuel Bridges and Mary Hamrick. Bridges and Hamrick are super familiar family names and I can’t tell you how excited I was when I pulled up the record in which I remembered seeing those names: 1820 census record for Peter Vess!
Another interesting find, is that the neighbor of Samuel Bridges on the 1820 census is ALFRED WEBB. Could Alfred Webb Vess be named after Alfred Webb?? Also, James Logan is in the area too! Esom Logan (above) is the son of James Logan!
Further research on the Bridges and Hamrick families reveals they were once neighbors with a George Vaughn. Could he be related to Pugnance Vaughn, wife of Peter Vess of VA or Margaret Vaughn, wife of John Vess of AL??
Prior research narrowed Peter’s location to a Knob Creek and now current research appears to have narrowed it down even further, possibly to Sandy Run / Shoal Creek area!! Which makes total sense! The Mooney family had lots of property in this area too, which could explain David Mooney on the 1820 census record above.
My Final Thoughts
Current research strongly suggests some kind of triangle-connection between North /South Carolina border area – Franklin County, Alabama – and Tennessee/North Carolina area. Pretty much all the leads I come up with bounce between these three geographical places.
It is plausible our Vess family trail is lost in the area that was once part of the short-lived State of Franklin and there definitely appears to be a Vess connection somewhere with the Sparks family.
I am excited to have narrowed down Peter Vess to a more specific (much more plausible) area in Rutherford County, North Carolina in 1820.
I still have a handful of leads to explore! I am so excited!
If there is one thing in Vess Genealogy that bothers me the most, it is the close genetic connection between Peter and Willis Vess. I mean, how are they so closely related?
A number of descendants of Willis Vess show as DNA matches on my Autosomal DNA test, which means there is an early connection somewhere between 6-8 generations back. For me, my 3rd great-grandfather, Andrew Logan Vess, would be the 6th generation. Is Willis Vess the brother of Peter Vess?
Andrew Logan Vess
Before we found out that Peter and Willis Vess were part of the same Vess family (via Y-DNA), I figured I must be connected to Willis Vess through an ancestor on my mother’s side, whose family also had deep roots in Georgia and the Carolinas. But, now I know descendants of Willis Vess also show up as DNA matches for a number of other descendants of Peter Vess.
So, where does Peter and Willis Vess fall on the Vess family tree?
Consistent Geographical Places
As research continues, we have discovered that the Vess family live in communities whose residents appear to be consistently associated with the same geographical places:
1. Enroee River, Spartanburg County, South Carolina 2. Abbeville County, South Carolina 3. Wilkes County, North Carolina 4. White County, Tennessee
You would think that mountainous terrain and dangerous confrontations with Native Americans would have hindered families from traveling large distances; however, that is far from the truth. Many early families owned and maintained land in other states; in which often required the head of household to travel back and forth for business. A lot of families were also uprooted due to wars or the expansion of the new frontier.
Connections To Abbeville County, South Carolina
What also boggles my mind, is that while we find early Vess families in communities associated with common geographical places, there still appears to be no early existence of the Vess family. Generally, one would expect to find at least 1 or 2 close relatives hanging around nearby, as families often traveled together. But in our case, it is as if Peter and Willis Vess, even Jonathan and Nathaniel Vess, seemingly appear into their community out of nowhere!
What is even more curious, is that Alfred Webb Vess, son of Peter Vess, settled in Georgia (prior to the Civil War), while the rest of the Vess family pretty much stayed in North Carolina. Why did he move out of state?
Alfred Webb Vess
It is interesting to note, that he left North Carolina in the early 1850’s, which may have been after the death of his mother, Catherine. In 1860, the entire Rutherford County, N.C. Vess family is shown having had split their ways, with the youngest of Peter and Catherine’s children shown to be living with another family (largely suggesting Catherine had died).
I have yet to figure out why the youngest children of Peter and Catherine went to live with a man named Dempsey Sumner in Buncombe County, NC. I have not found any evidence suggesting any kind of family connection between them. However, I do have reason to believe, Sumner may have given Jasper an apprenticeship, for that Jasper later acquired some of him land. [Note: Indentured servant contracts were still going on prior to the Civil War.]
Alfred Webb Vess married Mary Elizabeth McFarlin, daughter of Benjamin McFarlin and Nancy Stone. They married in 1853, in Franklin County, Georgia, not too far from Mary’s roots in Abbeville County, South Carolina.
Is that a clue that the Vess family also had early roots in Abbeville County, South Carolina, as other research suggests? Was there Vess family in Abbeville County, SC that Alfred went to after Catherine’s death?
Franklin County, Georgia- Abbeville County, South Carolina
This intrigues me, because many residents in Franklin County, Alabama also have earlier connections with Abbeville County, SC. Jonathan Vess of Texas also appears to have connections with Abbeville County, SC, through the families his children married (like McBee and McCullough families). In addition, James Heron (from Patrick County, VA) also owns land in Abbeville County, South Carolina and do not even get me started on the bulk of Travis families who descend from Cork, Ireland also living in Abbeville County, SC, with one of them becoming an important part of early Texas history [William B. Travis: The Battle of the Alamo].
Exploring The TRAVESS Name
Earlier this week, I’ve started to explore the TRAVESS name. I find it interesting that this name is found in Caroline County, Maryland. Although Y-DNA tells us there is no recent connection between the Vess family and the Travers family of Dorchester, Maryland (next to Caroline County); that doesn’t mean, a different Travers family (perhaps with a similar name) wasn’t ever in Maryland. The TRAVESS name, is interestingly, a name that can also be found in both England and Ireland, particularly in Lancashire, England and Donegal (not Cork), Ireland.
Unfortunately, there is no DNA evidence (as of yet) suggesting a connection with any early TRAVESS families (not even sure if TRAVESS is even related to TRAVERS); however, it is a name variant (along with TRAVIS) that we might want to take in consideration when exploring these earlier common geographical places; as it is abundantly clear that our family’s mysterious tracks throughout early Colonial America are hidden behind a different surname.
As you may know, I have been investigating a family story about an “outlaw” that the Vess family was supposedly involved with at one time. Thus far, I’ve explored possible connections with the outlaw, Lewis Redmond, who was “loved and respected” by the residents of the Dark Corners of South Carolina; however, there is no evidence of a direct connection with the Vess family. I’ve also explored a genetic allied-family connection with John “Redhead” Hodge; yet, there is no evidence suggesting he was an outlaw.
Perhaps, the Vess family has nothing to do with an outlaw (or particularly one with “red hair”), or perhaps I’ve been looking in the wrong place…
This weekend, I explored a series of newspaper articles (1835) that frequently mentioned the name “Vess.” The articles appear to be a continuing narrative of true events; however, without starting with the very first article, it is very difficult to tell who this “Vess” person is, in which, these articles are talking about; so I began to dig around…
John Andrew Murrell
After much research, I discovered that these newspaper articles are about the notorious outlaw, John Andrew Murrell.
John Andrew Murrell, according to family history sites, is strongly believed to have been just a horse thief whose notorious reputation as a legendary dangerous outlaw was the result of fabricated stories by Virgil A. Stewart and others.
In Stewart’s narrative, he often mentions his experiences dealing with Matthew Clanton and William Vess; in which he accuses them of damaging his reputation. In one article, he tells a story on how the Vess family tried to poison him and take his land.
Later, by a petition of neighbors, Mathew Clanton’s side of the story was published, refuting the accusations against him and the Vess family that Stewart wrote about in his narrative. According to numerous websites, historians believe Virgil A. Stewart’s narrative was “overly-exagerated” and “fictitious.”
Who Was William Vess?
The short answer: I don’t know. But, the little information I was able to dig up, is intriguing!
According to FindAGrave.com, Virgil A. Stewart was involved in John A. Murrell’s gang and betrayed him in 1834, having him convicted for slave stealing. John A. Murrell was sentenced 10 years in prison at the Tennessee State Penitentiary.
Virgil A. Stewart came to the Choctaw Purchase (today known as Grenada County, Mississippi) for prospects of land. According to H.R. Howard, “The History of Virgil A. Stewart and his Adventure in Capturing and Exposing the Great Western Land Pirate and his Gang…,” Virgil was employed by Matthew Clanton, who owned a store, and was recommended to board with the Vess family, who were close friends of Matthew Clanton. The publication implies that Mathew Clanton and William Vess were “associates” of John Andrew Murrell.
I found Mississippi records for both William Vess and Matthew Clanton; however, they are dated 1840, five years after the publication of Virgil A. Stewart’s narrative. Were they all previously in Tennessee at one time?
According to Holcomb.org, the area in which the above events took place, known as Tuscahoma (Choctaw Purchase), no longer exists. Therefore, any early records pertaining to the residents living in the areas that was once part of the Choctaw Purchase are likely scattered among several different counties.
In 1840, there are numerous land records for both William Vess and Matthew Clanton. William Vess can be found on the 1840 census record in Yalobusha, Mississippi.
I also found records for a William “Voss.” There is an 1848 land record for a William Voss, with a “heir” named John Voss. In addition, I discovered an early Mississippi marriage record (1803) for a William T. “Voss” and a Mary Caroline “Willis.”
There might be a William Voss Sr. and Jr., for that there is an 1814 probate record for a William Voss in Adams County, Mississippi, where William and Mary were married. I do not know if William “Vess” and William “Voss” are of the same family.
I am not entirely sure how William Vess and Mathew Clanton are connected to John A. Murrell from Tennessee. However, Virgil A. Stewart’s published narrative, seems to suggest they were associates “protecting” John A. Murrell.
I wonder if this legend inspired our Vess family story, for that genealogical records not only reveal William Vess with records under the “Voss” surname, but also family descriptions that John A. Murrell was somewhat a red-head. According to FindAGrave.com, it mentions him having “curling auburn hair.”
Could this mysterious William Vess/Voss have any connection with the “William Vess” shown connected to Peter and Willis Vess of White County, Tennessee? AND how would our Vess family know that the William “Vess” published in newspapers, used the “Voss” name too.
Originally Published September 27, 2021 • Updated February 24, 2024
The Moffitt family is one of my favorite families to research. They have been in America since before the American Revolutionary War and not only do they have interesting family stories, but also have interesting family connections.
When researching families in North Carolina, it’s not uncommon to come across a Moffitt. Although they are not considered a so-called “prominent” family (one with political power or wealth), they were indeed a well-known family.
Cora Nevada Moffitt and Pinkney Elcanah Vess
Cora Nevada Moffitt
Cora Nevada Moffitt is my 2nd great-grandmother, wife of Pinkney Elcanah Vess, daughter of Rev. James Ivy Moffitt and Nancy Murphy.
She was born in Missouri on March 31, 1873. It is my understanding that her father traveled for his work. Home for the Moffitt family was in McDowell County, North Carolina (BroadRiver Township).
On August 4, 1889, she married Pinkney Elcanah Vess, son of Andrew Logan Vess and Lucy Linnia Malinda Halford. Not much is known about Pinkney, except that he was a farmer. [Below: Pinkney is mentioned in local newspaper 1915].
They lived in McDowell County, NC and had 7 children together: Rev. Lennie Oran Vess, Rev. Arthur Lee Vess, James Elmer Vess, Emmett Flyod Vess, McKinley Vess, Marion Beverly Vess, and William Herman Vess.
Cora Nevada Moffitt died on December 2, 1933 in Old Fort, McDowell County, North Carolina and is buried beside her husband, Pinkney E. Vess in Old Fort City Cemetery.
Top Left: Marion Beverly Vess Right Top Right: James Elmer Vess Middle Left: Cora Moffitt (children not named) Middle Right: James Elmer Vess “dad Vess” (cannot make out other names) Bottom Right: Rev. James Ivy Moffitt (Cora’s father)
*Photos colorized be author
The Moffitt/Maffitt Story
A publication on Ancestry.com titled, A Letter To Emily and John Maffitt, written by Richard Bird Maffitt, the son of John Moffitt and Matilda Bird, provides us some history about the Moffitt / Maffitt family. Because it is difficult to follow who-is-who in the letter, I will summarize by using Cora Nevada Moffitt as a point of reference on the family history tree; as well, as include additional information I have discovered about the Moffitt family.
John Maffitt (Moffitt) and Sarah Donahue, Cora’s 2nd great-grandparents, came to America before the Revolutionary War from Donegal, Ireland. They had two sons, William and John. Our family descends from John Maffitt (Jr.).
Richard Maffitt writes that John Maffitt Jr. was an indentured servant for General Davidson (Burke County) until he was 21 years old, learning the “art” of tanning. General Samuel Davidson and Benjamin Burgin were prominent land-owners at the time.
John Maffitt Jr. married Sarah Whitaker (Cora’s great-grandparents). Sarah Whitaker’s father was a Whig and a solider of the Revolutionary War. Sarah went to live with General Davidson after her mother had died and her father’s property was destroyed by tories. After John fulfilled his indentured servant contract, they got married and moved to what is now McDowell County, North Carolina.
They had 9 children together: John Maffitt who married Matilda Bird Mary Maffitt who married Thomas Curtis James Maffitt who married Eleanor Mackey Elizabeth Maffitt (never married) Sarah Maffitt who married Curtis Saunders William Maffitt who married Elizabeth Eliza Bird (Cora’s grandparents) Abagail Maffitt (never married) Josiah Maffitt who married Sarah Huggins
A Letter To Emily and John Maffitt (Summary)
William Whitaker Maffitt and Elizabeth Eliza Bird
Cora’s grandparents are William Whitaker Maffitt (1795-1874) and Elizabeth Eliza Bird (1804-1885). Elizabeth’s father, Cora’s great-grandfather, Richard Bird, was a traveling Methodist minister.
Richard Bird Ancestry.com submitted by KarenByrd10
William Maffitt and Elizabeth Bird lived in McDowell County, North Carolina. From what I can tell, they had 16 children!
Rev. James Ivy Moffitt & Nancy Elizabeth Murphy
James Ivy Moffitt (1843-1921) and Nancy Elizabeth Murphy are Cora Nevada Moffitt’s parents. They lived in the BroadRiver Township (Buncombe County/ McDowell County). They were married on November 2, 1865 and had 9 children together:
Cicero Stuart Moffitt (1866-1946), Olive Antoinette Moffitt (1868-1898), Ulysses Sherman Moffitt (1877-1953, Cora Nevada Moffitt (1873-1933), Wilson Albert Moffitt (1874-1877), Nancy Elizabeth Moffitt (1877-1961), Gemma Alephair Moffitt (1881-1972), Gertrude Moffitt (1882-1928), and James Frederick Moffitt (1885-1906).
James Ivy Moffitt and Nancy Elizabeth Murphy divorced, with James leaving North Carolina for Texas. It is said that he didn’t want to divorce Nancy and that he tried to get her to come with him to Texas, but she refused (I don’t know if this is true or not).
Children of James Ivy Moffitt and Nancy Murphy
Top Left: Gemma Alephair Moffitt Top Right: Olive Antoinette Moffitt Middle Left: Cora Nevada Moffitt Middle Right: Cicero Stuart Moffitt Bottom Left: Ulysses Sherman Moffitt and wife, Harriett “Hattie” Bell Lydia Clubb
Big Jim Burgin and Gertrude Moffitt
James “Big Jim” Burgin married Gertrude Moffitt, daughter of James Ivy Moffitt (Cora’s sister).
He worked on the Mount Mitchell Railroad. I believe Gertrude’s nephew, James Elmer Vess, son of Pinkney E. Vess and Cora Moffitt, also worked on the Railroad with James Burgin.
James Burgin is related to the prominent Burgin family of North Carolina; distantly related to Pioneer Ben Burgin. The Burgin family not only had large tracts of land, but also held positions in local government.
The Murphy Family : William Albertus Murphy Stories
Nancy Elizabeth Murphy is Cora’s mother. Nancy’s parents are William Albertus Murphy and Zillah Owneby (Granny Duck), Cora’s grandparents. The Murphy family is connected to many well-known families in Vess Genealogy, such as Ledbetter, Owenby, Hodge, Searcy, Dalton, Elliott, and many, many, more. There is a publication on Ancestry.com, titled William Albert Bertus Murphy, in which I would like to share:
Interesting Story Between William and Zillah (Summary)
William Murphy and Zillah Owenby had an interesting beginning together.
Zillah Owenby and Squire Tom Ledbetter had a child together, but Ledbetter did not want to marry Zillah; so he paid William Albertus Murphy to marry her instead (abt. 1840). Zillah and William did not live together and William took a job as a stagecoach driver. As the story continues, he came back and opened a store in which Zillah and her daughter (Ledbetter’s child) appears to have visited often in which a true relationship started to form. After awhile, Zillah and William eventually moved in together (although already married).
Ancestry.com 3/7/2014 johnfbays William Albert Bertus Murphy
James “Jim” Westly Murphy (Summary)
During William Murphy’s time as a stagecoach driver, he got a woman pregnant by the named of Fagans. William brought the boy, named “Jim,” home with him for a visit when the boy was 12 years-old. The story continues that (Nancy) Fagans, came after her son, but her son refused to go back home with her. She had brought a man with her to help take back her son. She told the man to help her “tie” up her son. William stopped them from tying up the boy and told them, “Don’t you lay your hands on my SON, he can stay with me if he wants to!” The boys mother left without him and Jim took on his father’s surname: Murphy.
Ancestry.com 3/7/2014 johnfbays William Albert Bertus Murphy
The publication, William Albert Bertus Murphy, available on Ancestry.com, has a few more stories on it that I recommend you checking out!
Top Left: Nancy Murphy on the porch Top & Botton Right: Zillion “Granny Duck” Murphy (Ownby)
On Ancestry.com, you can find pictures of what is left of the house above.
This is only a tiny glimpse of some incredible family history. I can write about the Moffitt and Murphy families all day long! They are one of oldest families in McDowell County and a family with many other fascinating family connections!
Learning their family histories has helped me learn more about the other families in the area in which Peter and Catherine Vess once lived. Everyone seems to be related! Even if your Vess line has no direct connection to the Moffitt family, I bet if you dig deep enough, you’ll find that one is either a distant relative, close neighbor, or part of a family members story!
We’ve made a new significant discovery, but we need your help!
If you have completed an Autosomal DNA test through Ancestry or 23andMe, please help us by transferring your results for free to Familytreedna.com so that we can continue our research. If you need help completing the process or have any questions, please email vessgenealogy@gmail.com for assistance.
What Is Triangulation: Genetic Genealogy
Triangulation is a method used in genetic genealogy where segments of DNA are analyzed and compared between shared DNA matches. Those who share the same segments of DNA are likely to share a common ancestor and their family trees (and family histories) provide clues to help identify those common ancestors.
Recent Findings Via Triangulation: Rose-Sparks Connection
Vincent Vess is working on using triangulation methods to identify the parents of Peter Vess and Catherine Cook. His recent finds are super intriguing!
He analyzed segments of DNA of 3 different VESS descendants whose most recent common ancestors are Peter Vess and Catherine Cook. Each, different descendant, descends from a different son of Peter and Catherine [Andrew Logan, Jasper, and Josiah Vess]. The importance of having different descending lines from Peter and Catherine not only help confirm a solid Vess connection, but also helps in identifying early maternal lines (the parents of Catherine Cook).
He then triangulated one segment of DNA on the 5th Chromosome with other shared DNA matches who have public family trees. He discovered 4 matches who share the same segment of DNA as the 3 Vess descendants, yet none of those 4 matches have VESS in their family trees; suggesting all 7 matches share an earlier common ancestor prior to Peter and Catherine Cook.
Between the 4 matches, he discovered they share common connections with Emmanuel ROSE and Reuben SPARKS families in Wilkes County, North Carolina.
The connection between Rose and Sparks maybe recent, for that those names come up frequently as shared DNA matches in Ancestry for both Vincent and I (we suspect it will for other Vess families too).
Wilkes County Is Our Mark
Ever wonder about that War of 1812 record with Peter Vest listed on it?
A good portion of names listed have no records in Surry County. In fact, only 15 of them can be found on the 1810 census record, most having earlier land records, suggesting they were older soldiers. Most of the other names listed are younger soldiers who were not head of household yet in 1810 and many of them actually have later connections with Wilkes County. This is because Wilkes County was made from parts of Surry County in 1777 and a few names on the list (confirmed by maps) had their properties split by the county border. Although no longer part of Surry County, their close proximity to the border probably had them doing much of their business in Surry County, which explains why so many were drafted under Surry County rather than Wilkes County. Is this the case for Peter Vess?
North-Western North Carolina: Migration Routes Converged
Earlier ancestors of the names listed above have original land records issued by Rowan County, for that Rowan County once covered the western parts of North Carolina. When Surry County was formed, the portion of what will become Wilkes County was the District of Washington (but it only lasted a year). In 1777, Wilkes was created in between Surry County and Washington County (formerly District of Washington).
In 1784, the short-lived STATE OF FRANKLIN was formed, mixing records like a tossed salad with the formation of Wayne County (State of Franklin) in a good portion of Wilkes County.
This affected many families in the surrounding areas, especially, those living in Wilkes County.
Why is this important to Vess Genealogy? Because what we have discovered is that many families coming down the Great Wagon Road or those coming up from South Carolina into Tennessee, all converge in this area at one time or another. This was the area in which families traveled across the Cumberland Gap into Kentucky, into Tennessee, or down into the Carolinas.
Vincent Vess discovered the following names listed on a North Carolina, U.S. Census, 1784-1787 (Ancestry.com).
Samuel McQueen/Queen, John Sparks, Joshua Pennington, Richard Estes, William Sparks, Thomas Hodges, Agnis Nichols, Robert Whiteside, William Underwood, William Pennington, Jacob Nichols, Joseph Pruitt, Emmanuel Rose, John Turner, James Webb, Stephen Caudill, Roger Turner, William Hodges, James Caudill, Benjamin Rose, Timothy Buttery, John Rose Sr., Abraham Cook, Thomas Cook…
These names are extremely familiar to us as they are becoming more repetitive in our family research.
Also, included in this list of names is a William Vest, who we have not been able to identify his origins yet. Perhaps, he might have a connection with James Harvey Vest due to the presence of the Caudill family or maybe he is related to Peter Vest on the Surry County War of 1812 record?
Reuben Sparks and Emmanuel Rose
The 4 matches (as mentioned earlier) are connected to the Sparks and Rose families of Wilkes County.
Reuben Sparks and Emmanuel Rose are of the same generation as Peter and Catherine Cook, so a common ancestor would likely be someone prior to them.
These families are intriguing for a number of reasons, but one particular fact that interests us (or at least me) is that both families originated in Maryland, with the Sparks family having come from Frederick County, Maryland and the Rose family having come from Calvert County, Maryland. Note: Calvert is across from Dorchester County, Maryland (Travers family).
Following Geographical Features Rather Than Records
Fortunately, the father of Reuben Sparks, Solomon Sparks, has a lengthy recorded history. He first settled in Surry County when it was Rowan County, then his land was split between Surry and Wilkes County, making him a Wilkes County resident. We can easily track where the Sparks family have gone, for that notes are specific on the Rivers and Creeks in which the Sparks family resided on, making it much easier to locate records due to county changes.
We can use the geographical features mentioned in the genealogical notes provided by the Sparks family to reconstruct the community (like we did for the Tyger River community in SC) further identifying more families in the area that may offer more clues to Vess Genealogy.
Both Sparks and Rose families lived off the Yadkin River, something I look forward to further investigating.
Rose & Travers Family in Anson County, North Carolina
Emmanuel Rose may have a brother named Samuel Rose, who supposedly ended up in Anson County, North Carolina. He is found on the 1763 taxpayer record. Interestingly, so is John Travis (Travers).
John Travis, is supposedly the son of Dr. Edward Travers who came from Cork, Ireland. Also, we recently discovered a Charles Travers in Anson County, NC who may be the brother of John Travis (Travers). Research states John Travis ended up in Abbeville County, South Carolina; which is another place of interest in Vess Genealogy.
Is there a connection? I am interested in finding out!
Genetic Genealogy: The Door To Answers
Genetic genealogy helps us identify specific families that we share a common ancestor. By exploring these families, we can narrow down the genealogical search to specific geographical places.
We have genetic proof that our name changed, but we don’t exactly know when our name changed to VESS, making it very difficult to find early records. Identifying families we are closely related to can help us explore the areas they once lived, thus helping us look for evidience of families with names similar to Vess or Travers.
At this time, we have no genealogical proof of Catherines maiden name (is it really COOK?) nor Peter’s mother’s maiden name; so with more Autosomal DNA kits to analyze, compare, and triangulate, the more matches to family trees we can identify and further explore for answers to Vess Genealogy.
The Vess family came over to America with an O’Donnell and O’Neill. O’Neill was an outlaw, wanted by the English Crown. He changed his name to Mac Hugh or something referring to his red hair. The Vess family loved and respected him.
Descendant of David Andrew Vess
The O’Donnell Vess
On Ancestry.com, many family trees show the father of Peter Vess as O’Donnell Vess from Tyrone County, Ireland.
I had the opportunity to meet a descendant of David Andrew Vess who kindly shared with me the story of O’Donnell Vess, stating it to be a very important family story.
I’ve researched the O’Donnell-Vess connection extensively, but found no genealogical records to support a connection. So, who was this Mac Hugh our family so highly respected?
I did; however, discovered a true historical event regarding an O’Donnell and O’Neill family during the 16th century in Ulster, Northern Ireland.
“Red Hugh O’Donnell” is a real person from Donegal Ireland who was rivals against the O’Neill family from Tyrone, Ireland. Red Hugh was in-prisoned by an English Lord in Dublin Castle, but later escaped with the help of the O’Neill family. Unfortunately, neither of them came to America; however, this is a well known Irish story that Irish settlers would have most certainly brought to the new world. But why was this story so important us?
O’Donnell – O’Neill families fought a Nine Year War in Ireland together and is a very important part of Ireland history.
Because the O’Donnell and O’Neill family did not seem to have connections with America or any direct connections with the Vess family (that I can tell), I began searching for American outlaws. Perhaps, the family story was a mix of different people and events?
Interestingly, during the time of David Andrew Vess, there was a notorious American outlaw who was highly respected by the residents in the Dark Corners of South Carolina. The Dark Corners included Glassy Mountain, Greenville, South Carolina where the Bellew and Gosnell families were well established; and David Andrew Vess married Magnolia Gosnell. The outlaws name was Lewis Redmond.
Again, I was unable to find a direct connection with the Vess family. Perhaps the family story…is just a story.
The Mysterious Hodge-Vess Connection
The story of the man named after his red-hair that the Vess family highly respected was something I forgot about until just recently, when I stumbled upon John “Red Head” Hodge.
The HODGE (HOGE) name has come up in discussion several times over the past year between me and the co-admins of the Vess Family DNA Project, but we just don’t know how they fit into Vess Genealogy.
The Willis and Peter Vess lines appear to match closely with a HODGE family, but their connection is unknown.
Vincent Vess, who had researched the Hodge family much more extensively than I, had pointed out that there is a Hodge family living near the Vess family in White County, Tennessee.
Further research reveals that this Hodge family comes from Franklin County, Virginia (once part of Patrick-County, VA). I discovered that Robert Hodge, father of Abner Hodge (above) was living in a place called Chestnut Creek, about 30 miles away from William Vess/Voss & Peter Vess on Koger Creek in Patrick County, VA!
According to information provided to me from the co-admins of the Vess Family DNA Project, we match closely with the descendants of Isham Hodge, Abner’s brother. However, we have yet to discover a connection.
Supposedly, Isham and Abner Hodge have a brother whose name is John “Red Head” Hodge. Is this the man named for his red hair that the Vess family highly respected???
John “Red Head” Hodge- Research In Progress
I’m still researching John “Red Head” Hodge.
There are numerous John Hodges (of course, with a name like John), but right now, my focus is on two of them:
The first one that caught my attention is a John “Red Head” Hodge , brother of Isham Hodge, who supposedly married Lucy Elizabeth Dalton, daughter of David Dalton Sr. of Rutherford County, NC.
Lucy Elizabeth Dalton is the sister of Nancy (Sally) Dalton, grandmother of Lucy Malinda Linnia Halford, wife of Andrew Logan Vess! However, other family trees, state she married Reuben Searcy instead (perhaps she married both). So, who is this Lucea Dalton and John Hodges in Franklin County, VA and is this John, in fact, John “Red Head” Hodge?
I mean, it would make sense considering the Vess and Dalton families have known each other for what seems like forever!
There is another John Hodge that some on Ancestry refer to as “Red Head” Hodge, but he resides in Abbeville, South Carolina and married Frances Anderson. According to other genealogy websites that provide more ancestral history, he was known as “Major” Hodge, for having served in the Revolutionary War. I am not sure if he is actually “Red Head” Hodge, but his presence in Abbeville is intriguing.
I wish I had more to share, but at this time, I am still researching.
Vess Genealogy 