Unidentified Vess/Vest Families

A Potential Early South Carolina Vess Family: John “Bess”

/ J. L. / 1 Comment

There was an early Vess family in South Carolina prior to 1830, but we have yet to identify them, largely due to lack of available South Carolina records and poor literacy. We do know they were there, because we are discovering later Vess families, who claim to have been living in South Carolina prior to 1830.

● Nathaniel Vess stated in his military pension request, that he was living in Spartanburg County, when he enlisted in the War of 1812.

● Polly Vess appears in Greenville, South Carolina as a widow in 1830, living with Joel Callahan. Joel Callahan was a prior resident of Spartanburg County, SC who was listed on the 1790 census next to the Bellew and Gosnell families, and is on Glassy Mountain maps with the Bellew and Gosnell families. Polly Vess is believed to have been the daughter of Joel Callahan, but not confirmed.

● John Vess (1850), husband of Drucilla Turner in Abbeville Co. SC (Greenwood), claims to have been born in South Carolina prior to 1830.

● Another John Vess (1860), states in his Civil War record that he was born in South Carolina prior to 1820 and comes from Greenville, South Carolina.

● Descendants of Nathaniel and Jonathan Vess are adamant that Jonathan Vess was in South Carolina prior to settling in Texas.

But, where are the records for this mysterious early South Carolina Vess family?


John Bess, Spartanburg County, South Carolina

Records are scarce, and we’ll likely never find solid genealogical proof of their early existence in South Carolina, but if I were to give my honest best guess, after staring at South Carolina records for nearly a decade, I’d suggest the mysterious Vess families of South Carolina are related to JOHN BESS of Thickety Creek in Spartanburg County, South Carolina.

Oddly enough, I might have found some additional information to support it…

1800 Census Listed near Samuel Dunaway
1809 Lane Record Obtains 684 acres of land on Thickety Creek
1810 Census Listed next to Reubin Cantrell
1811 ProbateListed on an Estate Sale: John Herron
1815 Court Jury Duty
1817 ProbateWitness to Samuel Dunaway (Sr.) Will

Shared DNA Matches: Descendants of Nathaniel Vess

John Bess hit my radar a few years back, when I saw him on census near the Dunaway and Cantrell families.

This intrigued me, because I have a cluster of shared DNA matches with descendants of Samuel Dunaway and Isaac Cantrell on my paternal side, that I can’t explain.

My best explanation, is that my connection to Dunaway/Cantrell is probably through one of the descendants of John Alexander Vess (son of Andrew Logan Vess and Linna Halford -my 3rd great grandparents) who settled in Spartanburg County, South Carolina from North Carolina. I imagine one his descendants, somewhere, married a descendant of Dunaway and/or Cantrell when they lived in South Carolina.

However, reviewing Ancestry-Thru Lines, I have 4 (distant) shared DNA matches with descendants of Nathaniel Vess. Extremely distant (1%), suggesting that connection is somewhere 8-12 generations back (so probably before Peter). Interestingly, we all have shared DNA matches with descendants of Isaac Cantrell (not so much Dunaway) via Reuben Cantrell of Spartanburg County, South Carolina. AND, John Bess was neighbors with Reuben Cantrell.

I don’t know if that is just coincidence or a potential discovery. But, intriguing nonetheless.

Sebastian (Boston) BEST Family

There are a couple of Ancestry trees that show John Bess of Thickety Creek, as the son of Sebastian (Boston) Best from Lincoln County, North Carolina; however, none of them have supportive genealogical records to see how they came to that conclusion.

Majority of Sebastian (Boston) Best family trees online, do not connect their family to John Bess in South Carolina at all.

The Sebastian (Boston) Best family does have records under the “Bess” name; which is frustrating when you are looking for a “Vess,” whose surname even today is often mistaken as “Best” or “Bess.” But, fortunately for us, they were a prominent early pioneer family, whose family history has already been extensively researched by their family.

So…with that said, looking at the BEST family tree (those with documentation, of course), show several potential John Bess/Best candidates. However, there doesn’t seem to be any records to suggest any of them having ever lived in South Carolina.

While the Best family from Lincoln County, North Carolina owned land in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, many of their records strongly suggest (some even clarify), that they were not residents of South Carolina.

John Bess 1800 Census (Female Widow): Observation

On the 1800 Spartanburg County, South Carolina census, John Bess appears to be between 16-25 years old, living with a female who is 45 years and older, suggesting, she is probably his mother or mother-in-law, who is probably a widow.

Interestingly, if you compare this to the Sebastian (Boston) Best family tree (those that are well documented), we see that the potential John Bess/Best candidates, were either not born yet, too young to be on census, and/or had both living parents at the time.

Nathan Bess: Excused Jury Duty 1818

There is a Nathan Bess on the 1818 Jury Duty list, who was later excused from jury duty. The courts did not indicate why people were excused, but generally, they would excuse them, if they didn’t own land, were sick, or were no longer residents of the county.

Nathan Bess, I imagine, is likely related to John Bess.

The courts pooled jurors from the State Poll Tax, which included all male adults (21 and older). However, those pooled, that didn’t own land, were sick, or no longer a resident of the county, were often excused.

*The Sebastian (Boston) Best family do not appear to have a Nathan Bess/Best on their family tree.

Herron Estate Record 1811

But, the most intriguing record of them all, is a probate estate account for John Herron, which appears to list financial transactions related to his estate, and it includes John Bess.

Records indicate that John Herron’s wife is named Judith, and we see her on the 1810 census as a widow, on the previous page from John Bess (John Beas).

Who is John Herron? Any relation to Andrew Heron, father of Elizabeth and James Heron of Patrick County, Virginia, who were also close neighbors to the Vess family?

Cherokee County, South Carolina (Same Geographical Area)

Thickety Creek is located in today’s Cherokee County.

The record with Samuel “Vest” dated 1800, was for a property on People’s Creek, which is also located in today’s Cherokee County.

I currently believe that Samuel “Vest” is Samuel Vess from Patrick Country, Virginia, who disappeared from record, with the other Vess families, after 1797.

But, even more interesting, is that according to the military pension request from Nathaniel Vess, he stated he enlisted under the command of a “John Gaffney” and “Col. Richard Arnold,” who couldn’t be verified; therefore, his pension was denied.

Nathaniel probably meant Captain “Michael” Gaffney, whose company included a lot of Thickety Creek and Peoples Creek residents. There is no record of a John Gaffney – believe me, I’ve searched for years!

Col. Richard Arnold was likely Richard Arendell (another name for Arnold) and he has a deed entry before Thomas Phillips, where we see Samuel “Vest.” There are no records to suggest Richard Arendell / Arnold was ever a Colonel.

Again, not sure if it’s just coincidence or if it has any significant meaning, but it is an intriguing observation, nonetheless.

Could This Be Jonathan and Nathaniel Vess?

First off, I am 100% confident that Nathan “Bess” in 1818, Spartanburg Co. SC, is our Nathaniel Vess. But, I’m not 100% confident John Bess is our Jonathan Vess.

Jonathan Vess married Elizabeth Heron in 1792 Patrick County, Virginia. We see him in Wilkes County, North Carolina in 1803, but we don’t see him again, until 22 years later in Lincoln County, Missouri, prior to settling in Texas in 1829. We’re missing 22 years of his life!

Descendants of Jonathan and Nathaniel Vess are adamant that Jonathan and Elizabeth Vess were in South Carolina prior to settling in Texas.

BUT, there is clearly an age difference between Jonathan Vess and John Bess- comparing records. SO…my best guess, if John Bess is truly a VESS, is that John and Nathan Bess could be brothers; probably sons of Samuel and Catherine Vess, who I believe is “Samuel Vest” in the 1803 Spartanburg Co. land record for Thomas Phillips.

This John Bess, if a Vess, could also be the mysterious older “John Vess,” we see on Peter’s 1830 land record in Rutherford County, North Carolina, as Peter’s son, wouldn’t have been old enough to be listed as a witness.

So, where does that put our Jonathan Vess?
Well…Jonathan Vess could be the oldest son of the oldest William Vess in Patrick County, Virginia (instead of Samuel Vess), with Pryor and William Vess, being the children of the youngest William Vess. I discovered a record showing a William Vess Sr. and a William Vess Jr. (Too many darn William’s).

While I don’t know how everyone is related (as I keep finding more and more of them), I am confident that there are multiple generations of Vess families in Patrick County, Virginia between 1780-1797.

But, again… descendants of Jonathan and Nathaniel Vess are adamant that Jonathan and Elizabeth Vess were in South Carolina. AND, I agree!

Jonathan and Elizabeth “West” of Greenville South Carolina

I am currently researching a Jonathan “West” in Greenville South Carolina, as a potential candidate for our Jonathan Vess.

We know that Peter Vess and his wife, Margaret Vaughn, were listed under the “West” surname in Wilkes County, North Carolina between 1800-1803; so, there is a possibility, that Jonathan and Elizabeth Vess, may also be temporarily hiding behind a “West” surname too, possibly in South Carolina.

More South Carolina Records Coming Available

A few years ago, South Carolina had very few available online records, but genealogical websites like Ancestry, FamilySearch, and even the South Carolina Department of Archives have recently updated their databases to include more records, searchable via index and AI.

As more records become available, we might, someday, bring some light to the mysterious early Vess families of South Carolina.














O’Donnell Vess

/ J. L. / Leave a comment

Family stories are one of those things genealogists love, but are discouraged to use in their research, due to the fact family stories are not always accurate, most of the time exaggerated, or made up entirely. But, I am not like most genealogists…I’d like to believe that family stories still contain some ounce of truth, even if it’s hidden deep behind the fluff.

—–

A long time ago, a descendant of David Andrew Vess (Peter Vess and Catherine Crook line), shared with me a fascinating story about how the Vess family followed and adored a red-headed outlaw.

We were discussing O’Donnell-Vess, which you may have seen on some Vess family trees online. I was told that “O’Donnell -Vess came over from Ireland with an O’Neil, and that our Vess family followed and adored a red-headed outlaw (Mac Hugh or something, named for his red hair).”

Red Hugh O’Donnell

We now know Peter’s family was heavily influenced by his wife’s side of the family, who were of Irish and Scottish descent. Her Irish father, John Crook, would have certainly passed down the story of The Nine Years’ War (1693-1603), involving the O’Donnell’s and the O’Neill’s.

“Red Hugh O’Donnell,” was a real person from Donegal Ireland. He 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.

This story is significant, in the fact, that it teaches the next generation, to stand up for what is theirs, even if they lose everything; symbolizing pride and survival.

It appears, that at some point, the Vess and Crook family stories merged, and we got the “three Vess brothers from Ireland.”

While Jonathan, Peter, and Nathaniel Vess did exist, and genealogical records suggest they might have been brothers, we can safely say, through Y-DNA testing, that the Vess family is not of Irish descent, but of Norman/English descent.

John A. Murrell – The Great Western Land Pirate

Although O’Donnell and O’Neill were officially declared “outlaws” by the English Crown during the Nine Years’ War during the 16th century, there is no evidence to suggest they had a direct connection to a Vess family.

In 1835, a pamphlet titled, “A History of the Detection, Conviction, Life and Designs of John A. Murel, the Great Western Land Pirate,” began circulating through newspapers, documenting a man named Virgil A. Stewart and his experiences with a William “Vess,” who Virgil A. Stewart claimed was an associate of John A. Murrell a.k.a, The Great Western Land Pirate.

You can read more about that here: William Vess and The Great Western Land Pirate .

This widely circulated conspiracy, may have largely influenced the Vess family story that our “Vess family followed and adored a red-headed outlaw,” as there was a “Vess” connected to the conspiracy of John A. Murrell, an outlaw, who just so happened to be a red-headed, who historians say had “followers,” not gangs, who sympathized with him.

Whether the Vess family actually knew William Vess, or if he had been a relative, is still under investigation.

Oral Traditions

I love oral traditions and this is still one of my favorite Vess family stories, even if it might have been influenced by an Irish tradition and an American bandit.

But, who knows…maybe there is an O’Donnell-Vess I have yet to find, that was the true basis of this Vess family story.

Research Update 2026

/ J. L. / Leave a comment

It took me awhile, but I have FINALLY posted my personal perspective on Vess genealogy, based on the traditional and genetic genealogical evidence collected since 2020.

The World of Vess Genealogy


Our lineage, history, and origins prior to 1820, still remain somewhat a mystery; however, new genealogical records paired with genetic genealogical research is now forming a comprehensive hypothesis, with new discoveries consistently reminding us that we’re clearly on the right track.

Please remember that I share these thoughts, opinions, and discoveries to collaborate with other researchers and families interested in Vess genealogy. Information provided within this site is subject to change, as research continues.

The only portion of this site that I would consider as pure fact, are the Y-DNA findings (connection to the early R1a2 Travers family lineage) and the early ancestor profiles with their attached lineages, as those have been thoroughly checked and verified by solid genealogical sources and genetic testing.

The rest is on-going research, as we continue to explore this new hypothetical family tree through traditional and genetic genealogical methods.

I have a lot of new discoveries to post about, so please be sure to subscribe, so you can get those discoveries directly into your inbox. If you have any questions about this research, interested in collaborating on research or are interested in participating in the Vess Family DNA Project, please send an email to vessgenealogy@gmail.com


A HUGE THANK YOU to all of those who have been following and assisting with this research! We wouldn’t be here today, without you!



































Samuel Vest: Spartanburg Co. South Carolina 1800

/ J. L. / 1 Comment

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

/ J. L. / Leave a comment

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.