Last year, I started researching the VESS/VEST families of Rockbridge County, Virginia whose origins are just as mysterious as the predominate VESS families of North Carolina and Alabama.
At this time, we have no Y-DNA data available to determine their relation to other VESS/VEST families.
Below are my current findings and notes…
Census Records
The earliest available census record for Rockbridge County, VA is dated 1810. The name “Vess” or “Vest” does not appear to show up via the search index; however, I did locate the VESS family in this census (see below), indexed under the name “Saml Nass.” I discovered Samuel Vess through clues from various other types of records dating back to 1810 connecting him to the Standoff family and other neighbors.
Census Records
| 1810 |
| Samuel “Vass/Voss” |
| 1820 |
| Samuel “Vess” |
| Hiram “Vess” |
| 1830 |
| Samuel “Vess” |
| Addison “Vess” |
| Hiram “Vess” |
| John “Vess” |
| 1840 |
| Samuel H. Vest |
| William Vest |
| William Vest |
| Samuel Vest |
| Hiram Vest |
| John Vest |
| Samuel Vest |
| Addison Vest |
| Hiram Vest |
| William Vest |
| 1850 |
| William Vest b. 1808 |
| Sarah (wife) |
| Children: Samuel A. , John, William A., Sarah A., Martha, James T, & Carlin |
| Margaret Vess b. 1831 |
| living with Alphin family |
| Addison Vest b. 1804 |
| Hannah (wife) |
| Children: John, Mary, Martha, William, Ester, Sarah, & Samuel |
| Andrew Vest b. 1826 |
| living with Morris family |
| John Vest b. 1825 |
| Matilda (wife) |
| Children: Hannah E., William P., Mary, & Matilda |
| Levi Vest b. 1807 |
| Betsy (wife) |
| Children: John W., P Givens K., Mary E., James A., George W., Lucy A., & Phebe J. |
| George Vest b. 1805 |
| Jane (wife) |
| Children: Sarah A., Julia, Margaret, & George |
Tax Records
The Vess/Vest name does not appear on tax records until 1814, via Hiram Vess. I believe Hiram Vess maybe the son of Samuel Vess.
Adam Vert
Earlier Rockbridge County, VA tax records do reveal an ADAM VERT, which predates any WEST, VESS, VEST families in Rockbridge County, Virginia, but I am not sure if he is connected to the Vess family. Adam Vert is the son of Conrad Vert from Loudoun Co, VA.
Just recently, I discovered an online PDF titled, “List of Slave Owners and Names of Slaves,” that consist of an unknown INDEX showing the names James and William Vess. I reached out to the source that posted it and they kindly told me that the Index comes from the book, titled, LOUDOUN COUNTY, VIRGINIA TITHABLES, 1758-1786, by Marty Hiatt & Craig Roberts Scott. 1994, 2011.
This was a bit surprising, because the only other earlier VESS name in Virginia that we knew of was in Patrick and Henry County. However, I do recall finding one mysterious source, showing the name Samuel and William “Vess” of Dunmore Co. VA, which would be close to Loudoun Co. VA.
It’s exciting to find more VESS names!
Also listed in this record is Conrad VERT, father of Adam Vert.
Note: The VESS family has records in various spellings: VESS, VEST, VERT, VISS, POST, and VOSS. So maybe there is a VERT-VESS connection; more research is needed.
Land Records & Maps
I thought the earliest VESS/VEST record I found dated 1801, but I cannot seem to relocate that record (still searching).
The VESS/VEST family lived in an area known as Collierstown which is along Colliers Creek. In 1818, Henry Standoff joined land with Samuel Vess. I have not found any land records specifically for Samuel Vess, so I do not know where his property was located. Land records for Henry Standoff, indicate his properties were along Buffalo Creek, a branch off Colliers Creek. View entire map on Library of Congress website- link in caption below.
Library of Congress⎜Rockbridge County Virginia Section no. 1: Colliers Creek
1818-1883
There is an 1816 land record for Christopher Coinhour (I think Hiram’s father-in-law) joining land with Hiram Vess near Brattons Run. Hiram Vess married Polly Cokenour in 1819.
Library of Congress ⎜Rockbridge County Virginia Section no. 2: Brattons Run
The Vess/Vest family also had land on Kerr’s creek in 1851 via Hiram Vess, not on the map.
Marriage Records 1800-1850
| 22 Jun 1819 | Hiram Vess | Polly Cokenour |
| 7 Apr 1828 | Addison Vess | Hannah Standoff |
| 28 Feb 1832 | Samuel Jr. Vess | Elizabeth Ford |
| 6 Aug 1832 | William Vess | Phebe Morris |
| 27 Sept 1832 | William Vess | Sarah T. Nowel (Noel) |
| 24 Feb 1832 | Elizabeth Vess | John Morris |
| 27 Feb 1833 | Samuel H. Vess | Ann McPherson |
| 14 Mar 1833 | Hiram Vess | Margaret Elliott |
| 14 Aug 1834 | Levi Vess | Elizabeth Bias |
| 29 Mar 1840 | George Vess | Jane Elliott |
| 27 April 1843 | Harvey Vess | Susan Lipstrap |
| 30 Oct 1845 | Lucinda Vess | Issac Lipstrap |
| 31 Dec 1845 | John Vess | Matilda Morris |
| 16 Dec 1845 | Margaret Vess | Adam Whilhem |
| 26 Dec 1848 | Mary Ellen Vess | George E. Hamilton |
| 4 Dec 1849 | Nancy Vess | Henry Hostetter |
| 7 Jan 1850 | Harvey Vess | Rachel Ailstock |
Vess Genealogy 