Zephaniah Vess was born in 1842 on Cedar Creek in Rutherford County, North Carolina. He was the sixth son of Peter Vess and Catherine Crook, named after his uncle, Zephaniah Crook of Buncombe County. He had a fair complexion, with blue eyes, and light-colored hair.
Life with his parents was short. His father, Peter, died between 1846 and 1850 after the family lost their farm, and his mother, Catherine, passed away shortly thereafter in 1852. Following his mother’s death, his younger siblings went to live with Dempsey Sumner, a close family friend who lived between the Crook and Souther families in Fairview, Buncombe County.
It is uncertain, if Zephaniah joined them, as records have been lost; but it was also common for close family and friends to take in orphans informally without having to involve the court.
In 1860, while his siblings were in Buncombe County, 18-year-old Zephaniah was living with N.H.P. Whiteside (Noah Patterson Whiteside), a young local landowner in Rutherford County. He was likely hired to help on the farm, as later records state he was a farmer by occupation.
The 1860 Court Case: A Neighborhood Feud
In 1860, Zephaniah Vess and Isaac Bradley found themselves sued by George Nix for “trespass with force and arms” alongside a staggering $2,000 in damages.
A sheriff’s warrant was issued to round up a massive list of defendants from the Buffalo Creek area, including members of the Whiteside, Ledbetter, and Bradley families. Highlighting the tight-knit nature of the community, N.H.P. Whiteside stepped up to post a massive $4,000 appearance bond to ensure Zephaniah Vess and Isaac Bradley made it to court.
Unfortunately, court records detailing the cause and outcome of the dispute appear to be lost, but the records we do have apparently suggest a fierce local neighborhood clash.
Civil War: Changing Sides
When the Civil War erupted, Zephaniah enlisted in 1862 on the Confederate side, likely pressured by the military service of his older brothers and the strong military legacy of the Whiteside family.
However, life as a Confederate soldier was harsh, and like many men from Western North Carolina, Zephaniah soon deserted. By 1863, he made his way to Tennessee and enlisted in the Union Army (joining the Mounted Infantry). Union enlistment offered better conditions, regular pay, and vital legal protection from being executed as a Confederate deserter.
Proving himself a capable soldier, Zephaniah was promoted to Corporal in 1864. He served faithfully for three years, but tragedy struck just as the war was coming to a close. Zephaniah, age 22, died on April 4, 1865, at the Asylum Hospital in Knoxville, Tennessee, from typhoid pneumonia—just weeks before the peace he had fought so hard to reach.
We know that Peter Vess lost his land to the Souther family in 1846 to cover a $50 debt; however, this particular record between Vess and Souther, reveals so much more…
Court Debt
This record between Vess and Souther is a “Deed Trust to Indemnify a Surety.” A landowner (Vess) puts up their property (Cedar Creek) as collateral to protect someone (Souther) who agreed to act as their financial guarantor for a legal obligation or court debt. This means the court would hold Souther liable if Peter defaulted on his court fees.
This record tells us that there was a suit between Peter Vess and the William Young estate. The specifics of their case appear to be lost to time, but whatever the case was, it was worth risking his entire property.
This record also reveals just how deeply the Vess and Souther families were connected, as such contracts were rarely, if ever, between strangers. These types of contracts were almost always made between relatives or deeply connected family allies. Thus, making their mysterious relationship to each other even more curious.
Peter Vess was allowed to remain on the property, so long as he did not default with the court.
Peter likely defaulted with the court, due to his death; as he is not listed with Catherine and the children on the next census in 1850, and they were no longer residing on Peter’s property on Cedar Creek in Broad River (they relocated to the Bill’s Creek community).
Due to his death, the court would have found Peter Vess in default. This would make Joseph Souther liable for the payment to the court.
To avoid having to pay out of his own pocket, Souther had no other choice but to evict Catherine and her children from the property to sell it. Unfortunately, he couldn’t sell the property while Catherine was still living.
Catherine didn’t sign over her dower rights in the 1846 Deed to Joseph Souther, preventing Souther from ever owning the land outright. At the time of Peter’s death, Catherine lost her right to live on the property due to the 1846 deed to indemnify a surety, but through her dower rights, she still claimed a portion of the value of the land; therefore the property could not be sold until after her death in 1852.
Displacement
In 1850, we see Catherine and the children listed on census next to her oldest son, John Vess, who probably provided for his mother and siblings financially after Peter’s death.
John was probably a tenant farmer for the Conner/Crawford families, as we see them listed nearby with land. Peter and Catherine’s son, Andrew Logan Vess will later marry Cynthia Conner in 1867.
In 1852, Catherine’s estate (the value she still held claim to), on Cedar Creek, was sold to another family, clearing up whatever debts were owed to Joseph Souther and the court .
A guardian ad litem was appointed for the minor children to represent their share in the estate and notices went out to the adult children who were non- residents of Rutherford County, North Carolina. After all the debts were paid, the children would receive whatever was left (if anything).
It appears the minor children were bonded out to a close family friend, Dempsey Sumner, who lived in between the Crook and Souther families in Fairview, Buncombe County, NC. We see them on the 1860 census together; except for Zephaniah Vess, who lived with the Whiteside family in Rutherford County, NC.
Dempsey Sumner likely had a family connection with the Vess family. He obtained custody of them as a single man, which was rare, if not family. The children also stayed with him long past the ages of a normal legal indentured contract, further suggesting a family connection. He also lived out the rest of his life, childless, on his property, even after he sold it to Jasper Vess, the youngest son of Peter and Catherine Vess.
Strategic Separation: Economic Survival
John Vess disappears somewhere out of state after 1850, leaving his wife and children behind in North Carolina.
He likely traveled out of state to find work, as many often did during poverty. I believe I may have found him in Greenville South Carolina, in 1857, working for the Tyger River and Mush Creek Ditch Company. This company offered housing for their workers, which is probably why we do not see him on the 1860 census.
In 1854, the divorce between John and Elizabeth Vess was posted in the newspaper; on the very same day, Elizabeth married Joshua Souther. This strongly suggests that John’s divorce in 1854, was mutually planned to ensure his wife and children were financially secure. Generally, there would have been a period of courtship between divorce and a new marriage.
Without the family farm, John Vess also faced poverty. After his mother’s death, the minor children were re-homed with close family in Buncombe (Dempsey Sumner), leaving his own family without financial security. Allowing his wife to divorce and remarry, would be the best option for his family to survive economically and the only way a woman could divorce, was if her husband deserted /abandoned her. Thus, John moved out of state.
Having married into the same family that took away the family farm in the first place, and married on the same day as divorce was announced, may look like betrayal, but at that time, it was economic survival.
John’s children had better opportunities with the Souther family, and thus they did, as his children were bond out to Joshua Souther in 1855, promising clothes, housing, food, a trade apprenticeship, and an education.
This was economic survival, mutually planned and executed between close family allies. The question still remains – how and why, were the Souther families deeply connected to the Vess family?
Peter Vess obtained land on Cedar Creek in Rutherford County, North Carolina that is now part of Buncombe County (Broad River Township). He entered the claim in 1829 and the grant was officially issued in 1831.
Family researchers noticed that there is a “John Vess” on the land record, which is unlikely to be his son, John Vess, as his son would have been around 11 years old at the time.
In extremely rare cases, an 11 year old could have been listed as a witness, but today, I learned that “John Vess” on this record is not a witness but a Chain Bearer.
Chain Bearers (C. C. )
Names, followed by the abbreviation C. C., at the bottom of survey plat maps mean “Chain Bearers/ Chain Carrier.”
Chain bearers consisted of two adult males, who assisted the county surveyor, by physically walking the property boundaries, using a chain to place down marking pins. The county surveyor administered an oath to both men, swearing to measure the distances accurately and honestly without altering the count.
Chain bearers were often times close relatives (father, brother, adult son, cousin) or next door neighbors, as it was cheaper, than having to the county surveyor hire a local laborer.
What This Information Tells Us
This information tells us that John Vess was a living, breathing, adult relative of Peter Vess who physically walked Peter’s property in Rutherford County, North Carolina.
Chain bearers did not have to be county residents, they could travel from another county or even another state.
In this case, John Vess might be the recently discovered “John Bess” in Spartanburg County, South Carolina with Nathaniel Bess (potentially Nathaniel Vess). If true, they would certainly, without a doubt, be brothers, as we have records of each of their ages! AND, if true, they would have been orphaned (kind of), as “John Bess” is on census with an older woman, who may have been his widowed mother.
John, Peter, and Nathaniel Vess as potential brothers– now that’s intriguing!
Unfortunately, we need more information. BUT, what we do know as a solid fact, is that Peter Vess had a close adult Vess relative (not his son) help survey his property in 1831.
When they say that genealogy requires organizational skills, they aren’t kidding!
I am always casually searching family records, saving anything and everything that interests me to my desktop…that I often later forget about! Seriously!
How I manage to do genealogy at all surprises me, because I seriously lack an organizational system. My version of organized, is a bunch of genealogy “SORT” folders on my desktop, that in total, contain 1,532 files of genealogy records, website links, screenshots, and maps. Half of them aren’t even labeled!
My workspace kind of has that 1950’s detective vibe, a dim lamp that flickers, papers scattered across the desk, scribbled notepads, fifty pens, a stack of resource books, numerous mugs of half-drunken stale cold coffee, chocolate wrappers, and instead of a bulky type-writer, an old hand-me-down laptop with low memory.
I think I can even relate to those moody detectives on tv…we’re cranky, because we store everything in our heads and there’s never enough coffee!
This week, I am organizing my genealogy folder of 1,532 files! It’s a treasure trove of information!
▪︎ Duplicates: I have an enormous amount of duplicate records and screenshots, which probably means they have some kind of important significance – I just can’t quite put my finger on it yet.
▪︎ Maps: I got maps for everything! Because counties often changed, I have all kinds of state and county maps, which helps determine where records could potentially be stored (sometimes more than one county).
My favorite maps are the modern day streams and rivers topography maps, that I use with county maps. Early ancestors often lived near rivers and streams. If an early ancestor lived on a stream/river near the county border, there is a good chance, they’d have records in the neighboring county. While they may be a resident of one county, they might have done business or attended a church, in another, whatever was closest at the time.
Modern topography maps also reveal areas named after early families, that don’t appear on other maps.
However, the best maps, are the old community maps with the names of families listed along waterways, but those are so hard to find!
▪︎ Family Trees: Although I know not all family trees are accurate, they are useful for genetic genealogy. I also use them to look at neighbors of Vess families, to see if any neighboring families have a “Vess” on their family tree.
▪︎ Family Stories: I love family stories! I am a firm believer that every family story has some ounce of truth in it. Extracting the truth is the difficult part!
▪︎ Website Links: At some point, I started saving website links to odd-ball sources (archives, library, online books, family history sites, etc.). These websites are hidden deep in the Internet.
Some are professional websites that you’d never think for a million years would contain family records, others are poorly hosted family websites with fantastic information (even if a little glitchy and probably virus infested).
I discovered a really quirky website once, that locks out visitors who stayed too long, with a pop up accusing them of stealing their family research. It was a good website too, well-sourced, with detailed family tree information.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of family researchers out there, who are very strict gate-keepers of their family history, tree, records, and research.
Not here! Vess genealogy is for everyone! I am happy to share with you all my discoveries, because that’s what makes Vess genealogy so much fun – talking about it!
▪︎ DNA Info: I have a ton of sources regarding DNA, from DNA data to tutorials on how to do genetic genealogy.
▪︎ History: I am pretty sure you can do genealogy without having to know American or local histories, but I find it extremely useful and interesting.
History gives us clues as to where to find our earlier ancestors, by learning about court-house fires, county changes, migration patterns, wars, conflicts, as well as, identify specific areas settled by different groups.
But, also knowing the history of the areas they lived in, the struggles their community faced, and the victories they won, brings our early ancestors to life!
Our early ancestors, whether they were early pioneers, prominent wealthy landowners, farmers and laborers, or even immigrants through Ellis Island, all played a role in American history – and to me, I just think that is fascinating!
▪︎ Newspaper Articles: You’re not going to find too many early Vess ancestors in the newspaper, but you will find a lot of fascinating articles about their neighbors and some of their allied families. Sometimes, family histories were published in the newspaper, going back a couple of generations, which is always super helpful!
▪︎ Memes: Interestingly, I have an unhealthy stock pile of genealogy memes. Just saying.
▪︎ Traditional Genealogy Records: I have census, birth, death, military, probate, bastardy, court, and land records all over the place!
I have so much genealogy to share, I am not sure where to start! I guess that’s why I am spending all week organizing all these files.
Even though I just started going through all these records, I did notice something new….Jonathan Vess was called to court for the same case as Absalom Vess! I also found some more court-cases for Pryor Vess (healways in trouble). I saved a lot of unknown Vess families – that will be fun to go through. AND, I didn’t realize it, but I apparently found a bunch of John Vess (son of Peter Vess) records!
Who knows what other treasures I’ve found, saved, and forgotten!
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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…
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
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.
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.
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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.
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.
Originally Published September 27, 2021 • Updated February 24, 2024• Updated August 26, 2026
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…
I’ve been exploring 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- The Great Western Land Pirate
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.
Virgil A. Stewart came to the Choctaw Purchase (today known as Grenada County, Mississippi) for prospects of land. According to H.R. Howard, 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.
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.”
William Vess – Disappeared Into the Swamp
Genealogical records confirm that both William Vess and Matthew Clanton were real people. There are land records for Matthew Clanton and William Vess (wife Ann) between 1835-1840 in Mississippi.
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 (Grenada, Yalobusha, Tallahatchie, etc).
William Vess can be found on the 1840 census record in Yalobusha, Mississippi, showing just him and his wife, Ann. In 1850, in Tallahatchie, Mississippi, Ann Vess is shown living with a young Martha A. Worsley (age 11), but no William Vess.
In the 1850 Probate records for Tallahatchie, Mississippi, Ann “Vest” petitioned for and was granted letters of administration, allowing her to settle her husband’s estate (William R. “Vest”), who did not have a will.
She explains that her husband disappeared in September of 1849. He left without telling her where he was going. She heard from him 10 days later, that he was in the “swamp west,” and hadn’t heard from him since. She believes he may have “perished in the swamp.”
It appears that William and Ann Vess didn’t have any children, and she sought to protect her right to keep his land.
But, what is this “swamp west” Ann mentioned in the probate record?
In 1849, Congress passed the Swamp Land Act, where local governments can sell land in the swamp areas. At this time, it only applied to Louisiana, however, Mississippi residents ventured off into the western Mississippi Delta swamps early, anticipating that the Swamp Land Act would expand to Mississippi.
William Vess most likely set out to the swamps to make an early claim on land; which he probably didn’t tell anyone about, as it wasn’t legal yet.
However, the western Mississippi Delta swamps were notoriously dangerous, with floods, disease, and outlaws. A lot of prospectors died venturing off into the swamps.
Because he has a recent past tangled up with the John A. Murrell conspiracy, one can’t help but wonder, if he had intentionally disappeared into the swamp (as some often did) to start a new life, or meet up with the remaining “land pirates” who hid there.
We’ll likely never know.
William R. Vess – Connection To Pryor and William Vess
I am curious though, if William R. Vess could also be or related to Pryor and William Vess in White County, Tennessee. Only because it sounds like a Pryor and William Vess kind of adventure…
Pyror and William Vess are documented trouble makers, from Virginia all the way down into Tennessee. Interestingly, William Vess disappears from record after Pryor Vess died in jail in 1831 (Warren County, TN). AND, William R. Vess, doesn’t appear in Mississippi until 1835. Hmmmm.
Also, there is a young William R. Vess living with the Dodson family in 1850 (not sure who he belongs to); could he be related to William R. Vess in Mississippi??
I wonder if William R. Vess in Mississippi could be related to our R1a2 Vess family. I mean, the story must of come from somewhere, right?
According to FindAGrave.com, it mentions John A. Murrell having “curling auburn hair,” and he was an outlaw, an outlaw that had “followers,” rather than actual “gangs,” and he was named in a conspiracy involving a “Vess.”
Maybe it’s just a coincidence or perhaps, this widespread publication influenced a Vess family story about a red-headed outlaw the Vess family followed and adored. It certainly makes one wonder…
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.
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 familylineage) 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!
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!
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.
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.”
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!
