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.
Well folks, the plot in Vess genealogy thickens! Dun…Dun…DUN!! Are you ready!!!
The Travers and Vess families appear to be one family!
Awaiting Nail-Biting Seat-Clinching Results
Results from Big-Y tests are remarkably fascinating and invaluable to Family DNA projects, as they have the potential to shake up the ancestral tree with the equivalent force of an 8.0-magnitude earthquake! In short, big changes can occur, rewriting family history!
We’ve been anxiously waiting test results for a Big-Y-tester whose Travers family line connects to the early Travers families in Cork, Ireland.
Although it has been highly suspected that the Travers families of Lancashire, England and the Travers families of Cork, Ireland are related, there has been no genealogical evidence (records) to prove it.
Travers families from both Lancashire, England and Cork, Ireland migrated to America during the late 1600’s; but again, there is no genealogical evidence (or DNA evidence) to prove these two Travers families are of the same lineage. Those from Lancashire, England, settled in Dorchester, Maryland and those from Cork, Ireland settled in areas around Pasquotank, North Carolina.
For the Travers family, a genetic connection between the two geographically distant Travers families (England and Ireland) would be a great new discovery!
For the Vess family, it may provide more answers to our mysterious connection with the Travers family and possibly revealing our true origins!
The TRAVERS/VESS Branch
The Big-Y test assigned the new Travers line (with Ireland connections) to R-CTS11317, which is an English/Scottish branch consisting of the Travers and Vess families.
DNA results strongly suggest (without a doubt) that the TRAVERS and VESS families are one family. Not only is our Vess family genetically related to numerous Travers families from England, but also now a Travers family line from Cork, Ireland!
These DNA results are exciting for everyone! For the Travers family, this opens the door to further explore more early Ireland – England family connections. With more Y-testers, researchers may be able to determine (approximately) when the Ireland lines split from England. For the Vess family, this opens the door to explore Travers genealogy for clues to our “Vess” origins. With more Y-testers, we may be able to identify our direct Travers-Vess line!
DNA results also strongly suggest the Travers and Vess families may have a Norman connection, which is further supported by research published by Albert E. Casey, titled: “Southern Travis, Travers, Traverse families from Lancashire and post-Elizabethan Ireland.” According to Casey, the Travers family is an old Norman family name that settled in Lancashire, England when William the Conquerer invaded England in 1066.
English / Scottish Branch: Travers-Vess branch boxed in yellow
Unfortunately, the newly added Travers line with Ireland connections did not provide any further information about the Travers-Vess lines in America; most likely, because this particular Travers line did not go to America. The ancestral split between the Vess family and this particular Travers line has not been determined yet.
When it comes to looking at the Travers and Vess families in America, DNA data does reveal that the Vess family (descendants of Peter and Willis Vess) split from the Travers of Dorchester, Maryland sometime prior to 1665 in England/Scotland. This means, the Vess families of Rutherford County, North Carolina and Franklin County, Alabama did not directly descend from the Travers families from Maryland in America; but instead, the Vess family most likely broke off from a different unknown Travers line. Whether that ancestral split occurred in America or across the Atlantic, is still yet to be known.
Y-DNA Testing For Vess Families Is Important
Even though it appears the Vess family surname is relatively “young,” in comparison to the Travers surname that appears to date back to William the Conquerer, it is still important for Vess families to do more Y-DNA testing as there is so much we do not know about our family’s early history in America.
There is no available Y-DNA data for Nathaniel and Jonathan Vess yet; however, such testing would most likely provide fascinating results! It’s been highly suspected that Nathaniel and Jonathan Vess are related, but there is no genealogical evidence (records) to prove it and because they lived over 200+ years ago, Autosomal DNA tests will eventually (sooner rather than later) no longer be able to detect shared DNA relatives.
Y-DNA testing from descendants of the Nathaniel and Jonathan Vess lines will not only help us better understand their connection to each other, but also to other Vess lines in America. At this time, we aren’t even sure if they are related to Peter and Willis Vess or if they too have a genetic connection with the Travers family.
In addition to Nathaniel and Jonathan Vess, we also have other Vess lines to explore, such as the Vess family in Ohio who are descendants of Hiram Vess of Rockbridge County, Virginia. At this time, we do not know the origins of the Vess family in Rockbridge County, Virginia. Are they related to the Travers family too OR are they related to another family with a similar surname: VOSS, VASS, VICE, or VEST.
Although Peter and Willis Vess did not split from the Travers family from Maryland directly, could there be another Vess line that did who we have yet to discover?
Y-DNA testing from descendants with the Travers, Travis, Traverse, Vess, Voss, and Vass names still have so much to tell us!
Vess Origin Story Historically AccurateAfter All?
Interestingly, Y-DNA data is beginning to prove our Vess family origin story as somewhat historically accurate!
According to the Vess family origin story, the Vess family descends from three brothers from Ireland. One version told, specifically states it was “Cork,” Ireland. Also, as if universally accepted as family fact, the Vess name is not our original surname. Some say it was once pronounced as “Voss” whereas others say it was shortened or completely changed.
This is incredibly fascinating, especially, as there are genealogical records for the Travers family in America under the surname “TRAVESS.” TRA-VESS (or perhaps once pronounced as TRAVOSS) eventually evolved into the surname TRAVIS. We have found that the South Carolina TRAVIS families to be connected to the TRAVERS families in North Carolina who came from Cork, Ireland.
This has lead some Vess family researchers to wonder, if the VESS surname was formed in America rather than across the Atlantic? And, if more Travers families test, will we find an ancestral split between the Travers and Vess families, perhaps along the Cork, Ireland Travers line?
It’s only a matter of time, before the mysteries of our Vess family’s history are finally revealed!
This summary of recent Y-DNA updates is based on information available on familytreedna.com and information kindly provided by Michael Travers, co-admin of the Vess Family DNA Project. Thank you Mike!! 🙂
This is a long post, but I assure you it is worth the read…
Friendly Reminder: The opinions and thoughts in this post are based on my own personal point of view researching these families. Links to sources are provided to allow the reader / researcher to form their own opinions, thoughts, and conclusions.
Tangled DNA Matches
Genetic genealogy is a great tool in locating stuborn early ancestors; however, the colossal challenge of analyzing autosomal DNA is that it is limited to only 6-8 generations.
For me, my autosomal DNA largely captures descendants of Andrew Logan Vess and Lucy Malinda Halford (my 3rd great grandparents – 6th generation). It also detects a good portion of descendants of Andrew Logan Vess and Cinthia Conner, because we share a good deal of DNA from Andrew Logan Vess.
As we move over on the Vess family tree to the siblings of Andrew Logan Vess (John, Josiah, Alfred, etc.), those matches are more distant as they are barely detectable with <1% DNA match. Interestingly though, comparing the number of shared DNA segments (cM), I match closer to descendants of Willis Vess than I do to the descendants of Nathan Vess, sometimes more closely than the siblings of Andrew Logan Vess! This, in my opinion, likely has A LOT to do with my mother’s deep roots in South Carolina and Georgia.
It is extremely difficult to pry apart my parents shared southern DNA matches. My mother matches with ALL the descendants of Andrew Logan Vess and Lucy Malinda “Linnia” Halford (the bulk of my shared Vess matches) on my father’s side, because Linnia Halford’s mother, Sarah Jane “Lollie” HILL, is a descendant of William Augustus Hill, my mother’s 7th great-grandfather. To make matters worse, the Halford and Hill families lived next to each other on Knobs Creek in Rutherford County, North Carolina, mingling with so many families connected to the Vess family!
Thomas J. Halford & Sarah Jane “Lollie” Hill Rutherford County, North Carolina
My mother’s Hill line eventually settled in Anderson, Abbeville County, South Carolina, which just so happens to be a hot spot where many families of interest seem to have converged at one point or another. One HILL ancestor of mine, found his way to Greenville, South Carolina and connected with a BENTLEY from Georgia, opening the flood gates to even more deeper roots in the South.
With this, my mother seems to shares DNA matches with many southern families, including the Nathaniel Vice family (via a Turley connection) that migrated to Alabama as they passed through Georgia.
Interestingly, my mother does not share DNA matches with descendants of REUBEN VICE of South Carolina, who is the son of John Vice and Frances Roebuck. She also does not share DNA matches with VICE families in Kentucky who are likely connected to Nathaniel Vice II (brother of John Vice of South Carolina). This is interesting, because if she doesn’t share those matches, it is likely a connection on my VESS line.
How do I know it’s not a connection on my parents maternal lines? DNA matches suggest a connection within 6-8 generations back, which would greatly eliminated my parents maternal sides who arrived late to the United States and had very little connection with the south. My father’s maternal side arrived in Ohio in 1894 from Austria and my mother’s maternal side arrived in Michigan in 1948 from England. When looking at shared matches, it is easy to identify and eliminate leads connected to my parents maternal sides.
Exploring Sarah A. Vess & Vardry McBee Connection
Vincent Vess, co-admin of the Vess Family DNA Project, has made an interesting discovery analyzing his own autosomomal DNA.
He discovered a shared DNA match with a Vess descendant of Alabama and a descendant of Sarah A. Vess and Vardry “Nodsed” McBEE; Sarah being the daughter of Jonathan Vess and Elizabeth Heron in Jackson County, Texas.
If the name Vardry McBeesounds oddly familiar, that is because it is a name often seen on many records in North Carolina. According to the Biographical Information section of McBEE Family Papers, Captain Vardry McBee was a constable in 1770 in Tryon County, North Carolina. His son, Vardry McBee Jr., later became a court clerk in Lincoln County, North Carolina in 1812.
The name “Vardry” is used numerous times throughout their family tree. Vardry “Nodsed” McBee, husband of Sarah Ann Vess, being one of them.
Vardry “Nodsed” McBee descends from Captain Vardry McBee (1734) and Hannah ECHOLS from Virginia via Silas Echols McBee Sr. (1765) who is the older brother of Vardry McBee Jr (1775), court clerk of Lincoln County, NC.
Unfortunately, not much is mentioned about Silas Echols McBee Sr. (1765) who appears to have settled in Kentucky. However, according to South Carolina Digital Records, there is a 1785 land record for Silas McBee, next to Vardry McBee (I assume his father-Sr.) on Thickety Creek in the 96th District of South Carolina. [Located North of the Pool and Pettit families] According to Revolutionary War Rosters, Silas and Vardry McBee served under Col. Roebuck (related to Francis Roebuck, wife of John Vice).
We do know that John Vice also had family in Kentucky via Nathaniel Vice II; however, very little is known about them.
Peter White of Texas – Discovery of Henry Vice of Virginia
When Jonathan Vess of Texas died, Elizabeth Heron married Peter White.
Peter White was born in Virginia (1801) to Shadrick White and Sarah Gibson. According to the Annuals of Soutwest Virginia 1769-1800 (pg. 1252), Shadrick was living in an area on or near “Madien Spring Fork Clinch River,” which is located in Tazewell County, VA near the North Fork Holston River.
*Note: Jonathan Vess and Peter White are both listed in Stephen F. Austins Register of Families, both having traveled from Missouri.
I decided to check for VICE families in and around the area and surprisingly, I discovered Henry VICE, living on South Fork Holston River, less than 50 miles away from the White family. Unfortunately, I do not know if Henry Vice is related to John and Nathaniel Vice, however, further research suggests there may be a connection.
1792: Henry Vice joins land with John Vaught and and Jarvis Smyth 1803: Henry Vice adds 60 acres to his own land 1803: Henry Vice joins land with Alexander Campbell and Crockett family 1806: Joseph Williams joins land with Henry Vice
County Boundaries Notes: Although records for Henry Vice state Wythe County, the South Fork of Holston River is not in Wythe County. It begins in modern day Smyth County and flows through Washington County. Wythe County used to cover parts of Smyth and Washington County prior to 1792. Wythe County also included modern day Tazewell County and extended all the way to Patrick County. Residents in the Holston River area are likely to have records under several different counties.
James Harvey Vest
A few months back I gained an interest in James Harvey Vest (1838) from Patrick County, VA. I noticed the name was on a list of Y-DNA results next to Willis Vess; however, it was explained to me that they are not related to each other, but curiously, neither of them are related to the VEST family of Virginia.
I reached out to W. Langdon, whose family has done extensive research on James Harvey Vest. With their help, I was able to check for shared DNA matches between our families and it turns out that my aunt (via her Vess line) does share a DNA match with a descendant of James Harvey Vest with two interesting families on their family tree: CAUDILL and VESSE (specifically Ephremia Vesse).
We could be connected through our family’s COX line (Pearl Cox), for that the COX and CAUDILL families were close together in Wilkes County, North Carolina. Interestingly, this was during a time when a William Vess was there.
I’ve seen Ephremia Vesse on many trees of shared DNA matches. She is the daughter of John “Vessey” and married Partick Conyngham (Cunningham). The interesting part is that sources say she died in Augusta County, Virginia. A place we have found shared DNA matches among the descendants of Willis and Peter Vess with a descendant of an early Logan family living in Augusta County, near the VESS/VEST family of Rockbridge County, VA. [I will share those findings in a different post, as I have found more pockets of VESS/VEST/ VICE families all along the western counties of Virginia]
CAUDILL and VESSE are also interesting, for that the VICE family supposedly descends from a VESSEY in Frederick County, VA and according to Appalachian Home website, CAUDILL and VICE families are listed as “Allied families.” What is the connection though?
In 1850, James Harvey Vest (1838) and his sister Nancy Vest were in Tazewell County, Virginia. His sister Nancy, married Joseph White, who I believe is related to the same White family as Peter White and her marriage record states she was born in Patrick County, VA and that her father is “Henry VOSS” and “Mary” (no last name). According to public trees on Ancestry.com, Mary may have a connection to the Caudle family. Could James Harvey Vest be related to Henry Vice?
But, it gets even more interesting…
James Heron: Holston River
I looked at land records for the Holston River area and discovered James Heron. Not only did he have land on the South Fork of the Holston River (like Henry Vice), but also on all the Forks of the Holston River, including the North Fork near the White family.
I can’t help but wonder,is this the same James Heron we see on the Patrick County, VA Deed Records 1791-1801 on Bull Mountain and Koger Creek with William Vess/Voss? Is this James Heron related to Elizabeth Heron, wife of Jonathan Vess of Texas?
The Genealogy Monkey Wrench: Y-DNA
I hate busting bubbles, but James Harvey Vest does not appear to be genetically related to our Vess family. Although we do share the same parent Haplogroup (R), our lineages separated thousands of years ago into R1a and R1b subgroups. Our Vess family branches from R1a, whereas James Harvey Vest branches from R1b. Yet, curiously, genealogical records strongly suggest that both our families may have a connection with the Vice family.
Unfortunately, to the best of my knowledge, there is no available information regarding Y-DNA testing for the VICE family.
But, there is a slight glimmer of hope for a connection, for that our VESS family is mysteriously closely related to the Travers family. So, in theory, it is still plausible that there could be a connection to all these families, perhaps through a half-sibling somewhere.
Quick Recap:
Genealogical records suggest a connection between the VESS and VICE families.
There appears to be a distant connection between an Alabama Vess and a descendant of Jonathan Vess of Texas (via Sarah A. Vess and Vardry McBee).
McBee family has history in North Carolina.
Elizabeth Heron married Peter White after the death of Johnathan Vess. The White family is from Tazewell County, Virginia.
Henry Vice (relation to John Vice family unknown) has land in the Holston River area near the White family.
Research strongly suggests that James Harvey Vest from Partick County, Virginia living in Tazewell County, VA in 1850, may have a connection with the Vice family too.
A marriage record for James Harvey Vest’s sister states their father is “Henry Voss.”
James HERON also has land in the Holston River area. Interestingly, we see the name James HERON with William VESS/VOSS on Bull Mountain and Koger Creek in Patrick County, VA deed records 1791-1801. Is this the same James Heron?
Jonathan Vess and Elizabeth Heron were married in Patrick County, VA.
Further research and autosomal DNA analysis suggests a Vess connection with early VICE families in Virginia and records have revealed more pockets of VESS/VEST/VOSS/VICE families throughout the western counties of Virginia.
Let’s start in Patrick He was born in Virginia, 1779 and married Elizabeth Heron in 1791, in Patrick County, Virginia. We have discovered a William Vess/Vest in Patrick County, Virginia living near the Heron family (Patrick County deed records). This is either Jonathan William Vess himself or perhaps his father.
In the mid-1820’s him and his wife, Elizabeth Heron, traveled to Missouri and then down to the Republic of Texas with Stephen F. Austin. In 1831, Jonathan received land from the Mexican government and gave a portion of his land to build the town of Morales, TX (a ghost-town today with a history of outlaws).
John died in 1846. His daughter, Mary Lorena Vess, married Samuel McCulloch Jr., who was a free-slave, famously known for fighting in the Texas Revolution.
While investigating Willis Vess, I may have found my way back to the Patrick County, VA Vess/Vest family!
My game plan to try to uncover the origins of the Alabama Vess family include looking at maps, neighbors, spouses, genealogy records (census, land, probate, etc), and the history of Alabama.
Investigating Land Records
Franklin County, Alabama was first established in 1818, before Alabama became a state (December 14, 1819). Records of early settlers of northern portions of Alabama may be found in the Mississippi Territory records. Unfortunately, I haven’t found any records of interest.
The earliest record I’ve found on Willis Vess is an 1830 census record for Franklin County, Alabama. However, he is listed as being between the ages of 30-40, living with two females between the ages of 15-30. This does not appear to match the timeline reported on family trees. Also, he is 10 years younger in the 1840 census (listed as being between the ages of 20-30). Census records are notorious for their mistakes.
Interestingly, on the 1830 census record, I do recognize two familiar family names next to Willis Vess: SUGG and THARP.
Willis Vess lived near both of them and the Sugg family has records as early as 1819. In fact, despite the 1820 Alabama census record being supposedly incomplete, it does contain some families from the Foxtrap area [THARP, SUGG, MATLOCK, THOMPSON, and DEBOIS].
Littleberry Matlock is shown on the Alabama Genweb plat map, living next to Willis Vess. Further research reveals that he married Phoebe Tharp whose father is Robert Tharp (1820 censusabove) and supposedly (not confirmed yet) her mother is a Thompson from Rutherford County, North Carolina. Interesting!
After 1830, we believe Willis Vess married Talitha Whitlock; unfortunately, I have not been able to find a marriage record. However, we do know a lot about the Whitlock family due to extensive research by Anna Popejoy and published works by the Whitlock Newsletter via Google. The Whitlock family arrived in Alabama in 1820 and lived in an area referred to as Saints cross (which is near Foxtrap). I figure this may be how Willis Vess and Talitha Whitlock met each other.
The oldest children of Willis and Talitha Vess married into the Willis family, which may suggest the Vess and Willis families were close (they were close neighbors shown on the map below) and it is believed that the Willis family may have connections with the parents of Willis Vess (no evidence yet).
I do not know when the Willis family arrived in Franklin Alabama, however, both John Willis and Willis Vess appear on the 1830 census record (several pages apart).
Looking at the President’s name on their undated land records for Franklin County, Alabama, it appears that John Willis purchased land near the Foxtrap area before Willis Vess. John Willis’ record [No. 5972] was signed by Andrew Jackson who was President between 1829-1837 and Willis Vess’ record [No. 8737] was signed by Martin Van Buren who was President between 1837-1841.
The map below (looking at surrounding families) seem to have been something that was put together sometime after the 1850’s. The earliest known neighbor near Willis Vess is James Dubois [No. 8705, also issued in 1837] who is seen on the 1820 census record (above). The land record for John Willis signed by Present Andrew Jackson is not dated, but was likely issued between 1829-1837 and land records No. 19711 and 19712 was signed between 1857-1861 when James Buchanan was President. Unfortunately, nothing seems to reveal any clues about the Vess family prior to 1830.
Willis Vess appears to have owned several properties in the Foxtrap area.
I found 3 land records for Willis Vess: No. 8737 August 5, 1837 No. 20457 & 20252 April 2, 1857*No. 20451 & 20452 on map (above) No. 25798 March 1, 1858 (William Vess as heir) *No. 25797 on map (above)
Who is William Vess? None of the family trees I have come across for Willis Vess have a William Vess on them, so I am not entirely sure who he is; however, it certainly makes my next discovery extremely intriguing…
1846 Tennessee Record: Peter, Willis, William Vess/ Vest
There is one Willis Vess record that intrigues me the most and it is a land record for White County, Tennessee (1846) on Caney Fork.
Willis Vess of White County, Tennessee, appears to have 2 land records for a property on Caney Fork: No. 2012 dated 1831 No. 9156 (addition to No. 2012) dated 1849
The property interestingly joins Daniel Dotson (Dodson).
Looking at census records, I do not see a Willis Vess; however, there is an 1820 and 1830 census record for Peter Vest, whose neighbor is Daniel Dotson (Dodson).
In addition, there is also a William Vess. He also purchases land in 1831 No. 2071, whose property takes over land once owned by John Medley (see 1820 censusabove). William Dodson and Sam Moore are witnesses listed on the record. William Vess can be found on the 1830 census record. Is this William Vess, the William Vess who is “heir” to the Willis Vess of Alabama’s 1858 land record in Franklin County, Alabama??
And, furthermore, is this Peter Vest, the same Peter Vest listed on the Patrick Co. Deeds (1791-1941 Indexes, grantor pg. 77 on FHL Film 33,333) with wife “Margaret,” who appears to have land next to the Dodson family on North Fork in Patrick County, Virginia? A 1793 transaction which was witnessed by George Dodson Sr., George Dodson Junior, Benjamin Fletcher, and Thomas Dodson.
Perhaps, it is Peter and William Vess of Patrick County, Virginia (Deed Records) on North Fork with William Willis??
Is there an actual connection or is this just coincidence?
Conclusions
Wow!
A Franklin County, Alabama land record for Willis Vess and “heir” William Vess. A Willis and William Vess in White County, Tennessee, with a Peter Vest. All near a Dodson family. And… interestingly, there is a Peter Vess and William Vess in Patrick County, Virginia, not only living next to a Dodson family, but ALSO a Willis family.
I don’t have enough documented evidence to make any solid connections, but I am absolutely intrigued! Tennessee is a mixing pot of Vest, Voss, Vaulx, and Vess families! Hopefully, with more research, we can determine which family the Vess/Vest family of White County, Tennessee belongs to!
I am so thrilled to have finally reached a new chapter in Vess Genealogy!
When I started this blog last Fall (August 2020), it was simply just a place to organize digital sources and share my genealogy experiences researching the Vess name. I gave it 2 months!
Remarkably, Vess Genealogy kept on going! I never would have ever imagined I would get to work with so many different people interested in the VESS name nor get an opportunity to meet so many different VESS families! This has been such an amazing genealogy adventure!
A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone helping me unravel the mysteries of the VESS family!
If New To Vess Genealogy, Here’s What You Missed!
For generations, three different VESS lines (maybe more) haven’t been able find their ancestors prior to 1820. A frustrating endeavor leaving many of us to just give up.
However, since last Fall, we achieved the following:
1. We learned more about Peter Vess and his family. 2. We learned a lot about Andrew Logan Vess and his family. 3. We likely uncovered Nathan’s origins in the Dark Corners of South Carolina. 4. We discovered that Peter and Willis Vess are closely related and that our family is closely related to the Travers family! 5. We explored families in Knob’s Creek from Peter’s 1820 census record. 6. We discovered “Vess” records in Virginia connected to an unknown Vest/Vess family! 8. We confirmed (via DNA) that the VESS family is not related to the BASS, BEST, WEST, or VEST families; eliminating them as possible family connections.
Brief Recap On Vess Genealogy
We now know that Peter, Willis, and Nathan Vess are related; however, we have not yet determined how they are related to each other.
Peter and Willis were born in North Carolina and Nathan was born in South Carolina. Peter first appears on record in Rutherford County, North Carolina in 1820 on Knobs Creek with the Toney, Pettit, and Mooney families (all members of Bill’s Creek Baptist Church).
Nathan’s first appearance on record is also in Rutherford County, North Carolina, but in 1830 with his in-laws, the Bellew family. The Bellew and Gosnell families are related and are prominent families in Glassy Mountain, Greenville County, South Carolina (aka Dark Corners). Also, Peter’s grandson, David Andrew Vess married Magnolia “Maggie” Gosnell, who is related to Nathan’s wife, Clarinda Bellew.
Willis first appears on record in Franklin County, Alabama in 1830. According to Anna Popejoy, long time researcher of the Vess and Whitlock families, states that the father of Willis Vess (John Vess) had been living in Foxtrap since 1819. Y-DNA analysis, via familytreedna.com, confirms Willis Vess and Peter Vess (Andrew Logan Vess) are definitely part of the same VESS family.
Familytreedna.com (FTDNA) also shows that the VESS and TRAVERS family are closely related; however, we do not know how they are related. There are several reasons as to why FTDNA may group two different surnames closely together; either we are extremely close cousins, one family that split apart during a time before surnames, or a male Travers ancestor took on the Vess name (orvice versa).To unravel this mystery, it would be extremely helpful to have more male Vess descendants participate in Y-DNA Testing.
The Travers family is from Lancashire, England and they have traced their family to Dorchester, Maryland. Whether there is a connection between the Vess and Travers family in Colonial America has yet to be discovered (the families may have split long before they arrived in America).
With the help of Y-DNA and documented family histories, we’ve been able to eliminate the BASS, BEST, WEST, and VEST families as potential ancestors for the Vess family.
The BASS family has a rich Native American background. The BEST family (original surname BOSCH) can trace their family back to their arrival in the 1740’s with the Ecker family (in-laws) from Germany. The WEST family has been ruled out by their extensive West Family DNA Project. And the VEST family, descendants of John Daniel Vest belong to an entirely different Haplogroup than our VESS family. To my knowledge, there is no available DNA information on the VASS/VOSS/ VAULX families.
We have recently discovered a VEST/VESS family in Patrick County, Virginia who may be related to the VEST/VESS family in Rockbridge, Virginia. We have yet to find any records suggesting that they may belong to the VEST family (John Daniel Vest), which is extremely encouraging for our VESS family, andtherefore a new chapter begins!
I am in the process of investigating the Life of Willis Vess and hopefully, with any luck, we can uncover some of Anna Popejoy’s research to help us! I plan to explore more families in and surrounding Patrick County, Virginia – including Surry and Stokes County, North Carolina. All in addition to finding out more about the VOSS/VASS/ VAULX families who seem to live very close to the TRAVERS family in both Dorchester, Maryland and the abolished Albemarle County in North Carolina.
We so badly want to connect our VESS family to William Tunwell VESTof Stokes County, North Carolina; mostly, because it seems to be the only thing that makes the most sense!
While researching Willis Vess in Alabama, I took a slight detour back to the VEST family of Virginia, because I discovered a VEST family 2 counties east of Willis Vess taunting me with records as early as 1818. I had to figure out who they were.
Long story short, I searched for every early VEST record I could find in Virginia and started plotting them on a map. Then, with the help of Y-DNA information provided by a fellow researcher, I started the process of elimination. The final results surprisingly revealed another VEST / VESS family!
Why Does William Tunwell Vest Seem Like A Connection?
Despite having BEST, VOSS, and VASS families also in North Carolina to consider, I was hoping there was a connection with William Tunwell VEST; mostly, because he makes the most sense for the time, place, and names.
Peter Vess Peter Vess of Rutherford County, NC was born between 1791-1794 in North Carolina and most of his records are found under the “VEST” surname; except for the 1830 census (Voss) and his 1831 land record (Vess).
After his death sometime before 1844, the “VEST” surname continued with his wife Catherine and their sons, as shown in Bill’s Creek Baptist Church: Two Hundred Year History, by Helen M. Lu. It wasn’t until 1849, when the “Vess” surname really stuck, in both census and church records. Therefore, it is easy to assume that Peter maybe connected to the VESTfamily.
We were even 100% confident that we had discovered his connection with the VEST family when we found a Surry County War of 1812-1814 record listing a “Peter VEST.” Not only is Surry County right next to Stokes County in North Carolina, but also the names of the other soldiers listed with Peter VEST seem to have connections with the grandchildren of William Tunwell VEST through his son Isham VEST. Because there doesn’t appear to be any VEST families in Surry County, the VEST family next door (in Stokes County) seems like a good fit.
A possible connection to William Tunwell VEST became even more enticing when records for Peter Vess suggested his father may have been named John Vess (1831 Rutherford Co. land grant record). According to the Last Will and Testament of William Tunwell VEST (1812), he just so happens to have a son named John VEST!
Willis Vess William Tunwell Vest also seems like a potential ancestor to Willis Vess.
Willis Vess was born in North Carolina (abt) 1810, supposedly to “John Vess and Maragaret Vaughn” who are said to have also been born in North Carolina. Because William Tunwell VEST had a son named John VEST, it appeared there could be a connection; however, John VEST married Eliza RAY (not Margaret Vaughn). Of course, John could have been married twice, but records show us that John VEST (despite who he was married to) appears to have been living in North Carolina (or Indiana-whichever source you pick) during the time that the father of Willis Vess was living in Alabama; therefore they must not be the same person.
Nathan Vess Interestingly, there haven’t been any plausible ideas between William Tunwell Vest and Nathan Vess. Because Nathan was born in South Carolina, one could possibly conclude he is Peter’s cousin rather than his brother. So, Nathan’s lack of connection to the VEST family in Stokes County, NC never really seemed like such a big deal.
The VEST & VESS Families Are Not Related
According to information from FamilytreeDNA.com, the VEST and VESS families are not related! In fact, they don’t even share the same Haplogroup!
The descendants of John Daniel VEST (VEST family of Virginia) belong to Haplogroup-I, whereas the descendants of Willis Vess and Andrew Logan Vess (our VESS family) belong to Haplogroup- R (R1a). That’s quite a distance from each other on the Y-Haplogroup tree.
So, we can pretty much eliminate any VEST family related to John Daniel Vest as being possible ancestors, including William Tunwell VEST of Stokes County, North Carolina.
I was holding onto William Tunwell VEST for a long time, just in case; however, I eventually discovered that he is the son of John Daniel VEST.
In the Last Will and Testament of John Daniel Vest (1765) of Chesterfield County, Virginia, John names his wife “Ann Vest” (likely Charolette Ann Bakes) as well as his 7 children: “John Vest, Valentine Vest, Elizabeth Vest, James Vest, George Vest, Phillip Vest, and William Tunwell Vest.” [Transcribed by Sandra Lake Lassen March 1993 – Ancestry.com]
By the way, I discovered the VEST family near Willis Vess in Alabama are descendants of John Daniel Vest through George Washington Vest– so, no relation to Willis Vess.
Mapping VEST Families
Instead of trying to untangle the many different branches of the VEST family, I decided it would be better to us their records to plot them all on a map. During this process, I came to discover that a lot of VEST families do seem to be descendants of John Daniel Vest and Charolette Ann Bakes. The family appears to have originated from Chesterfield and Powhatan County, VA and then migrated westward into Bedford County, then down into Franklin and Floyd Counties, before conquering the rest of the United States.
After finishing my map, two VESS/VEST families who do not seem to have any connection with the John Daniel Vest family stood out!
The Map The counties [below] highlighted inredcontain VEST records. The counties marked with an X have records that strongly suggest a relationship with John Daniel Vest. And, the counties left, with no X, have records with both the VESS and VEST surname.
This map is not 100% accurate. It is very likely that there are areas and families I missed; especially, since documentation of these VESS-VEST families is scarce and require deep digging into Virginia archives. The purpose of this map is to see if we could identify any “separate” families, such as those using the VESS surname.
Exploring VESS/VEST Families
Rockbridge County and Patrick County, Virginia are the only two counties where I have found records with the VESS name and families whose records seem to use the VESS and VEST surname interchangeably, and interestingly, neither of them seem to have any records that suggest (at this time) they are connected to the John Daniel Vest family! So, who are they and do they have any connection to our VESS family?
VESS/VEST family of Rockbridge, Virginia
According to my ancestral DNA, I have distant DNA-relatives who are descendants of Addison Vess of Rockbridge County, Virginia through my VESS line. My project, of course, could be flawed as the connection could be distant, possibly connected between different families related to Addison Vess.
However, I used the same search method again for the VEST name and more DNA-relatives came up; all related to Vess families in Rockbridge, VA. I did not get any DNA-relatives descending from the John Daniel Vest family.
The Vest/Vess family living in Rockbridge are found near Colliers Creek and Kerrs Creek. Library of Congress Looking at this map [below], there are family surnames that I recognize from bits and pieces of my research on the Vess family: Hostetter, Ailstock, Noel, Morris, and Tolly, and Armstrong.
William, Peter, & Samuel VESS/VEST of Patrick County
As mentioned in a previous post, “What We Know So Far,” we recently discovered a Vess/Vest family in Patrick County, Virginia who we have no idea (like the Rockbridge family) as to whether they are related to the VESS or VEST family (perhaps neither).
I was provided a list of land deeds for Patrick County, Virginia (1791-1801) to compare to the residents in Tryon County, North Carolina (1769-1779) to see if there was any kind of connection. Unfortunately, I did not find anything significant, for that Tryon County records are much older than the Patrick County records and it just wouldn’t make sense that families would travel so far south just to end back up North. I guess they could have, but probably unlikely during a time when families were migrating out west and down south.
The records we find in Patrick County, Virginia include a William, Peter, and a Samuel Vess (VEST/VOSS) who lived on the border of Patrick County and Henry County (as shown on the mapbelow) in Bull Mountain, North Mayo River, and Koger Creek, just below Franklin County, Virginia.
These records also show family surnames that I recognize from bits and pieces of my research on the Vess family: Duncan, Dodson, Willis, Watson, Reynolds, Sharp, Hooker, and Randal.
HAIRSTON & PENN Families: A Little Local History While researching some of the families on this deed list, I discovered that the HAIRSTON and PENN families (both on the deed list) have a bit of history in the area.
George HAIRSTON built Beaver Creek Plantation which was a tobacco plantation and a very large slave-trading post in Martinsville, VA (east of Koger Creek in Henry Co.). He served under Col. Abraham PENN who was the original owner of the land that George Hairston built his plantation on (using a royal grant). The PENN family built “Poplar Grove” plantation in Patrick County, VA near Patrick Springs (west of North Mayo River). And both HAIRSTON and PENN families married into the STOVALL family- all connected.
There appears to be several plantations in the area, all of which utilized slaves and indentured servants. Indentured servants generally had a 7 year contract and in return for their service, their masters often granted them land. Looking at records on Patrick County, VA Genweb, we find deed records referred to an “Indenture,” where land was transferred to the “apprentice” after all debts and terms of their contract have been satisfied.
Jonathan William Vess of Texas: Koger Creek According to the deed list, William Vess/Vest is shown near a Herron/ Heron family and as previously known, marriage records show Elizabeth Herron having married Johnathan William Vess in 1791 in Patrick County, Virginia. Johnathan William Vess and Elizabeth Heron traveled with Stephen F. Austin from Missouri to Texas (Republic of Texas) during the 1820’s. This William Vess/Vest on the Patrick County deed list may either be Jonathan himself or perhaps his father.
Peter Vess and William Vess/Voss: North Mayo River According to the deed list, west of Koger Creek are residents of the North Mayo River which includes Peter Vess, William Vess/Voss, Samuel Vess, William Willis, and William Sharp.
This Vess/Voss family is most interesting for that we see them with the Willis, Dodson, and Sharp families (family surnames that are also found in Franklin County, Alabama with Willis Vess).
To make things even more interesting, we found a 1785 marriage record for Peter Vess and Pugnance Vaughn in Henry County. (Henry County is next to Patrick County, and there was a time when both counties were one, called Patrick-Henry County)
What is interesting about this, is that according to Anna Popejoy, the parents of Willis Vess were John Vess and Margaret Vaughn. To this day, we do not know where she got this information; however, we are now wondering, if this is them.
Perhaps their full names were John Peter Vess and Pugnance Margaret Vaughn??? Also note, that the brother of Willis Vess is supposedly “John Peter Vess,” perhaps he was a John Peter Vess Jr.?
In addition, records also show land transactions between Peter Vess and Samuel Vess via John Duncan. At the bottom of this particular deed list (with Peter and Samuel), you will also find a Whitlock family.
Are These VESS/VEST Families Related
It is plausible that the Rockbridge VESS/VEST family and the Patrick County VESS/VEST families are related to each other, for that records of the Patrick County family (earliest record 1785) come before the records of the Rockbridge family (earliest record 1818); suggesting one of the Vess members may have migrated to Rockbridge, Virginia from Patrick County, Virginia.
It has also been observed that Samuel Vess of Patrick County, Virginia disappeared before Peter and William Vess; which makes us wonder if he is (or is related to) Samuel Harvey Vess of Rockbridge, Virginia (1830 records).
We do not know if they are genetically related to the our Vess family; however, genealogical records seem to support some kind of connection.
Full Recap
The Vest family of Virginia and our Vess family are not related (two separate Haplogroups).
There is no genetic relationship between our Vess family and William Tunwell Vest in Stokes County, North Carolina.
Maps reveal a separate VESS/VEST family residing in Rockbridge and Patrick County, Virginia. It is not yet know if these two VESS/VEST families are related, but it is plausible considering the record dates.
We have likely discovered the families of Jonathan William Vess and Elizabeth Heron (of Republic of Texas) in Patrick County, Virginia on Koger Creek.
We have discovered that there is a Peter, Samuel, and William VESS/VOSS on the North Mayo River with a Willis, Sharp, and possibly a Whitlock family.
The area in which we find these families in Patrick County, has a history of plantations and records that suggest some of the land owners were once indentured servants.
Many family surnames found in both Rockbridge and Patrick County, Virginia are familiar names seen elsewhere in Vess family research; especially, regarding Peter and Willis Vess.
No definite conclusions can be made at this time; however, these new discoveries seem promising! It appears that a new chapter in Vess Genealogy has just begun!
If you are or know someone who is a male descendant with the VESS or VEST surname, please consider participating in Y-DNA testing through FamilytreeDNA.com to help us unravel the mysteries of the VESS family!
Again, a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who has shared their findings with me on the Vess name in effort to piece together VESS family history!
This past weekend, I began to research Willis Vess of Alabama, just as extensively as Peter Vess of North Carolina; but I immediately stumbled upon a couple of genealogy road-blocks.
First of all, early Alabama records are weird.
Locating The Vess Family
In my opinion, the best way to research early families is to pin-point where they once lived and explore every part of their community, leaving no stone unturned.
Census records tell us that Willis Vess lived in Franklin County, Alabama (1830-1860) and then in Colbert County, Alabama (1870-1880). I suspect a county change rather than a physical move; which was later confirmed by maps.
Willis Vess was a farmer who had several properties and without the assistance of maps, I would have never been able to locate his properties; let alone find them in the correct county.
His land records state “Huntsville.”
Huntsville is in Madison county, a couple of counties east of Franklin and Colbert County.
This was confusing, especially, since the description of land does not reference rivers or creeks, but instead “Huntsville” coordinates; which kind of implies the property is in Huntsville.
Did Willis Vess live in Franklin / Colbert County, but had farm land in Madison County?
Well, turns out that Huntsville was just a place that sold land. It says so, on an official land record available for Willis Vess; as if it was written in Old English by Dr. Suess!
Image below reads: “the North West quarter of the North East quarter of Section two in Township six of Range seven West, in the District of Lands Subject to Sale at Huntsville Alabama, certifying forty acres and four hundredths of an acre.”
Or so, that is what I think it reads. I had to read it several times, before finally comprehending what it really says!
But yeah, the “district of lands subject to sale at Huntsville Alabama,” means Willis Vess purchased his land (located in Franklin County) through the Huntsville land-office in Madison County. And note, the only reference to “Franklin County” on this record, is its greeting to “Willis Vess of Franklin County, Alabama.”
And we wonder why so many records get lost!
Fox Trap Creek
If there are no creeks or rivers to reference, where does one start to look?
Fortunately, I got a hint from FindAGrave.com (of all places). If you look at the memorial for John Vess, father of Willis Vess, created by Anna Popejoy (long-time researcher), it states:
“Mr John Vess was in Foxtrap by 1818. He built a Log Cabin in 1819/20. Cabin is still standing.” I scoured the Internet. I didn’t know if Foxtrap was a community, creek, river, town, fort, plantation, mountain- or just some special spot only known to locals.
Surprisingly, I found Foxtrap on Google maps, by searching around Mountain Star (per sources on Ancestry.com). It is a creek that starts in Colbert County and extends downward into Franklin County, crossing Mountain Star Rd; which accurately reflects the county change seen in the census records for Willis Vess.
Interestingly, there are a few creeks named after early families surrounding Mountain Star; most notably: DODSON Branch and WHITLOCK Branch.
And for a good chuckle, there is also Rock Creek, Mud Creek, & Spring Creek (I assume these particular creeks had rocks, mud, and a spring) and then there is also Stinking Bear Creek which I would love to hear the story behind that one!
Then, after I spent an hour doing it the hard way….I found this on Alabama Genweb (Land Patent Mapping)! It has everyone!
This is a great resource to help me research neighbors (like I did with Peter and Nathan VESS), but I wish it had a date on it. I mean, some of these neighbors could have settled in as late as the 1880’s, which is not exactly helpful in tracing early settlers prior to 1820.
Where Did John Vess Come From
Of course this is multi-million dollar question! Where in the world did John Vess come from!
Besides an old cabin, there really isn’t any proof that John Vess ever existed – no census records or even a grave stone.
Franklin County, Alabama was established in February 1818 and according to Anna Popejoy (FindAGrave.com), this is about the time John Vess arrived to Foxtrap and according to Whitlock sources, it wasn’t until the 1820’s that the Whitlock family arrived from Georgia with the Thompson and Pennington families.
Looking at old maps between 1810-1820, it’s all Indian territory (including the western parts of Tennessee directly above Alabama).
One doesn’t just pack up their entire family and head 400+ miles for Indian territory alone; so there is a really good chance the Vess family didn’t travel alone. And, the safest route (I can think of) from North Carolina to Foxtrap Creek in Alabama would have probably been to go through territory already owned by the United States: South Carolina, Georgia, then Alabama.
So instead of traveling through Tennessee, John might have gone down through Rutherford County, North Carolina (Willis family) into Greenville County, South Carolina (Bellew and Gosnell family), through Georgia (Whitlock family), and straight across into Madison County (Huntsville) and finally settling in Foxtrap.
Of course, that is just a theory; one that might change if we find evidence of a connection with the VEST family who seem to have migrated into Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio.
The 1820 Census Blunder
If John Vess was living in Foxtrap since 1818, why is he not found on the 1820 census? Was he so remote he got missed?
I guess I am not the only one who noticed, because apparently there is a very good chance he was missed!
According to an article posted on AL.com, there was a “mortifying miscount of the 1820 census,” where census workers supposedly quit during the census-taking process!
I don’t think any of the families in the Mountain Star area had been counted, because I do not recognize any of the names on the 1820 census for Franklin County, Alabama. There are no Whitlock, Dodson, Orr, Willis, Smith, Vandiver, or Isabell families listed on the census, but maybe they hadn’t arrived yet.
However, I still do not think the VESS family was alone.
Courthouse Fire
Not only do we have an incomplete census (when we really need one), but Franklin County also had a court house fire (in 1890). Who knows what records were lost (perhaps missing census tallies).
A Quick Recap Of What We Know
Despite such a stumbling start, we have learned quite a bit!
With DNA testing, we now know that Willis Vess of Alabama and Andrew Logan Vess of Rutherford County, North Carolina are closely related; but we have yet to figure out where they connect on the family tree.
Willis Vess appeared on record as early as 1837 (land record). He was a farmer who lived around Mountain Star along Foxtrap Creek in Colbert County, Alabama (once Franklin County). He married Talitha Whitlock, whose family arrived sometime during the 1820’s with the Thompson and Pennington families.
Records are scarce due to a census fail in 1820 and a courthouse fire in 1890.
Fortunately, we have a bunch of other resources to explore!
We have a map of neighbors, which means, we can explore records of close neighbors. We might also be able to locate the first settlers who may have traveled to Alabama with John Vess.
We also have the Mississippi Territory census record of 1816 to explore, which covered parts of Alabama before Alabama became a state! It really depends on when and where John Vess arrived in Alabama (via Tennessee or Georgia).
I really look forward to learning more about the VESS family of Alabama!
Vess Genealogy 