James Moore was born between 1718 and 1721, but we don’t know where. I’ve deduced his age, because we find him noted as exempt from taxes in both 1788 and 1791 in Halifax County and continuously thereafter until he disappears from the register in 1797. The senility at that time to become exempt from paying tariff was senility 70, so he was clearly born by 1721 and perhaps as early as 1718.
Amelia County, Virginia
Amelia County was formed from Prince George and Brunswick Province in 1735 and in 1754, Prince Edward would be formed from Amelia County.
In the essay, The Settlement of Prince Edward County by Herbert Bradshaw in loudnes 62, No. 3, pages 448 -4 71 of The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, we are told the following 😛 TAGEND
Two torrents of immigrants gathered up on the territory which became Prince Edward County and met there. The first pioneers came from eastern Virginia and their move into the upper part of Amelia County was the natural migration westward of a people attempting more and fresh territory. They came from various sections of the eastern part of the colony, from south of the James to the Northern Neck. Some of the immigrants belonged to the movement into southern Virginia and northern North Carolina known as the Hanover Migration. The number of people who went out from Hanover and its neighboring provinces during the course of its four decades before the Revolution was almost phenomenal.
The distance from Hanover County to Prince Edward County is about 80 miles- over a few weeks by wagon.
These immigrants from eastern Virginia were largely of English stock. Jacob McGehee who came from King William( County )… was of Scotch ancestry. John Nash who moved from Henrico( County )… was from Wales.
The second major flow of migration consisted of Scotch-Irish pioneers from Pennsylvania. These people who were Scottish in clan had the Irish hyphenated as a result of a sojourn of approximately a century in Northern Ireland. They had been adjudicated there by James I to repopulate a shore godforsaken by the armies of Queen Elizabeth I. Numerous migrated to Pennsylvania where they settled on the territory. Indian tribulations stimulated life perilous there, so many took again to the weary road and south to a haven in the “back parts” of Virginia.
About 1735 two Scotch-Irish villages, both under the leadership of John Caldwell were prepared in southside Virginia, one on Cub Creek in Brunswick( now Charlotte) County and the other on Buffalo River in Amelia( now Prince Edward) County. The Scotch-Irish for the most part moved in companies and realise their dwellings in a agree and for the purposes of protection, social contact and religious worship.
Bradshaw goes on to mention by list the Scotch-Irish pioneers , none of which are the surnames that are consistently associated with James Moore. Neither is the location of their colonization which was someplace in the region of Sandy Ford and Spring Creek, according to the road orders.
A third smaller group were the French Huguenots from Manakin in Goochland County. James Moore is not associated with those calls either.
The 1740 s in Amelia, eventually to become Prince Edward County, was defined by pioneers opening tract for farming, clearing roads, build homes and shape a community.
Moore’s Ordinary
Of course, innkeepers with permissions for everydays and taverns followed, with George Moore receiving permission to open an regular in 1748 known as “Moore’s Ordinary” in the town of present-day Meherrin, near the Meherrin River.
Today, a lonesome roadsign sites the way to a sleepy, virtually deserted village that was once thriving.
The original Moore’s Ordinary was turned into a private residence, then sobbing down year ago, with merely a grainy scene remaining today. You’d never guess that this building, below, was the famous ordinary. Certainly, James Moore would have visited this building, as everydays weren’t really taverns, but community centers where all kinds of business was transacted.
A cemetery, chiefly with unmarked tombs, is all that’s left nearby now.
For a long time, I belief George Moore was associated with our James Moore, but there is no direct exhibit today to suggest such. There is, however, some amount of circumstantial indicate, but given the community interactions and intermarriages between the families, it’s inconceivable without either definitive certificates or Y DNA exams to determine whether or not these men were actually relevant or simply associated.
For example. George Moore’s daughter married John Watkins who was the executor of the will of Joseph Rice, James Moore’s father-in-law. You can speak a summary now.
If you are a Moore male, delight, please go a Y DNA exam and attach the Moore Worldwide DNA Project at Family Tree DNA.
First Sighting of James Moore
Hanover County suffered lengthy record loss during the Civil War, so early Hanover Records aren’t available, for the essential points. I was not able to find any references to Moore kinfolks that would have been in the Hanover area simultaneously with Joseph Rice. The Rice family is first found in New Kent County, Virginia where Joseph was born.
There is a James Moore tolerate on November 13, 1718 in New Kent County to a parent specified James Moore, accoring to the St. Peter’s Parish Records. There are at least two James Moores in New Kent during this timeframe, because one dies on July 9, 1718 but another goes on to have more juveniles. In 1729, James and Agnis Moore had son, Robert. This pair is likely not our James Moore’s parents because the name Agnis is not found in the family and neither are other words of James and Agnis’s juveniles, like Valentine. There is no William Moore, probable brother to James Moore, bear during this time in New Kent.
Our first glimpse of James Moore in Amelia County might be in 1743, but I can’t tell if the James Moore on the tax list is our James or not.
In 1745, James Moore is working as on superior on the plantation of the Randolph’s. The Randolph family owns an immense amount of land.
James was a young man, between 24 and 27 years old. He may have been married when he arrived in Amelia County, or he may have married after arriving there.
According to the tax list, James lived “above Sailor’s Creek” and according to the court records, was along with several others to clear the road from Bush River Bridge to the Chapple.
A History of Dissent
According to the History of Prince Edward County, The Chapple was also known as Watkin’s Church, situated about eighteen miles from Prince Edward Court House( now the town of Worsham ), on the Lynchburg Road. By 1760, a considerable amount of religious disagreement was occurs in Prince Edward County, in part because of the taxes imposed is payable for the glebe tract of 3 different Anglican Churches, and in part because the upper church at Sandy River had been involved in scandal, including selling alcohol at and in faith. Watkin’s Church was not Anglican.
Dissenters continues to increase, with some Anglican officials themselves altering. In 1779, it’s mentioned in the vestry notes that the Presbyterians, “were then riding the top of the wave in Prince Edward.”
In 1759, Joseph Rice was given permission to build a dissension meeting house on his property, which had previously assumed to be Methodist, but there is no history of the Methodists in Prince Edward County at that time. It’s very likely that Joseph Rice was among the Presbyterian heretics, even though his grandson, William Moore, would, by 1775 be a founding Methodist circuit ride minister.
Dissenting seems to be a family tradition.
Given that Joseph Rice is James Moore’s father-in-law, this informs us that James more was probably not Anglican and was a dissenter himself. This probably too explains why no matrimony record exists for James Moore when he married Joseph Rice’s daughter. An Angican minister didn’t perform the ceremony and therefore no matrimony return was filed. At this time, simply Anglican ambassadors were authorized to perform unions, legally.
James is mentioned on the 1745 superhighway roster along with Henry Ligon, William Ligon, Alexander Frazier, James Rutledge and Charles Cottrel.
On this delineate, Sailor, likewise spelled Saylor Creek is where the crimson arrows degree, and Bush River is where the lettuce arrows moment. Both creeks drop into the Appomattox River to the north and are about 5 miles distant from each other, as the crow flies.
Sandy River, mentioned as an sphere heavy-laden with disagree kinfolks is the division drawn attention to by the purple arrow.
Apparently, the Rice land on Sandy River reached to Little Saylor’s Creek, maybe two miles distant.
Apparently the Joseph Rice family was the hotbed of the Sandy River dissenters.
Is William Moore James Moore’s Brother?
The only hint of kinfolk that I can connect with James Moore is William Moore, too living above Sailor’s Creek in 1748 in close proximity to James Moore and contiguou the Rice family.
In 1752, William Craddock sold 148 acres of land to William Moore on a small branch of Sandy Creek adjacent the lines of both Matthew Rice and William Ligon, ground patented to William Craddock on October 10, 1752.
Other events exist, but it’s difficult to identify those William Moores. There is a James Moore lives in Amelia County who is not our James Moore, proven by Y DNA testing. That James Moore been killed in 1772, having lad Anderson Moore who moved to Halifax County literally within a duet miles and across Mountain Road from our James Moore. That James Moore likewise had sons James and William Moore.
In 1754 William Moore became levy-free due to disability or age. We know he’s not a minister nor a sheriff.
In 1762, William Ligon sells 970 acres to James Atwood of Amelia County on the south side of Sandy River bounded by William More, Matthew Rice and others.
In 1762 William is tithed with himself and also a William Jr, who is likely at that time 16 -2 1, so suffer 1741 -1 745. Therefore William Moore Sr. is born 1720 or earlier, about the same time as James Moore.
In 1767, William Moore is charged with 147 acres.
In 1774 William sells with spouse Margaret 60 acres to Thomas Vaughan.
William disappears off of the tax lists in 1782.
In 1784 William , no spouse mentioned, sells 75 acres of land to Edmund D. Ford with John, Sarah and Sarah Moore as watches( yes, two separate Sarah’s ). A John Moore indicted Noel Waddell for obligation, so this John may be connected to this William. These transactions leave 13 acres unaccounted for.
In 1810, there is a William W. Moor in Prince Edward Co. with 1 male 10 -1 5, 1 male 16 -2 5, female under 10, female 10 -1 5, female 26 -4 4 and 5 slaves. The only other Moore in the province is Molly, widow of George who were killed in 1798.
Even more interestingly, in 1885, a William H. Moore sells 13 acres of land on Briery Creek to Annie E. Dotson. That 13 acres constructs up the full amount that William owned, although Briery Creek is a branch of Bush River , not Sandy Creek, so this could be a red herring. If this is the same land, it also means that there may be Moores of that bloodline in Prince Edward County, or someone researching them. I could find no William Moore in the census for Prince Edward County from 1840 -1 880, but in 1880 there is a William L. Moore who is living with a family in Halifax County as their cousin. He was born in 1828.
In 1830 in Prince Edward County, one William Moore, senility 40 -5 0( stand 1780 -1 890) with 3 sons, age 5-20 and 3 daughters of the same age lives in Prince Edward County
I was unable to determine what actually happened to William Moore although I suspect given that he was born about 1720 that he probably died when he disappeared from the tax list in the 1780 s.
James Moore identified his oldest two sons James and William.
James Moore’s life in Amelia and Prince Edward Counties
James Moore married one of the daughters of Joseph Rice about 1745, as is demonstrated by Joseph Rice’s will in 1766. In Prince Edward County, James Moore lives on Sailor( Saylor) Creek neighboring both Joseph and Matthew Rice. Matthew Rice was the friend of Joseph Rice.
In 1746, the court records a trespass event with James Moore as plaintiff and Garrett Smith as defendant. Trespass at that time was different than today. Generally, trespass meant that two farmers were having a dispute regarding the planting of cultivates over the realized property line.
The property tax list of 1746 appears to be in neighbor order with James’s “road” appearing to be George Lovall, Alex Frayser, Duglass Pickett, James More, James Rutledge and Thomas Rutledge, Charles Cottrell, John Waddill, Tho Certan and Wtopr. Certain, Richard Witt.
In 1747, although James Moore is not specifically scheduled, the Amelia County prescribe bible shows the following court order 😛 TAGEND
Joseph Rice, road to be cleared from the place Captain Walker’s old artery swept Sandy River by the nearest and best highway to Bush River, the Parson, Thomas Turpin, John Holloway, Richard Witt, Michael Rice, John Waddell and their tithables to do the work.
William Womack, road from Great Sailor’s Creek into the road a bit below Crawford’s house, with Thomas Certain, Abraham Vaughan, John Gentry, Jonthan Howell, William Brooks, Charles Spradling and their tithables and those at John Nash’s and Benjamin Runnins’ quarters to do the work.
We find the names of Womack and Spradling now and also as James Moore’s neighbors some years later in Halifax County. Joseph Rice was James Moore’s father-in-law.
On July 25, 1748, a land sale passed that may provide a much-needed clue about James Moore’s ancestry.
Abraham Womack of Raleigh Parish to James Moore of Raleigh Parish- July 25, 1748- consideration 15#- 100 acres on Saylor’s Creek adjoining the lines of John Hall, William Womack and Abraham Womack, being the upper aspiration of a larger tract patented to Abraham Womack on July 10, 1745. Witness Matthew Rice, Thomas Turpin, Thomas Nash and John Nash. Possession being obtained by James Moore on July 25, 1748. Deed recorded Aug. 19, 1748 after Jane, wife of Abraham, abandoned dower.
Somehow, I match more than 30 Womack descendants who also pair me and one another. Was Abraham Womack somehow applicable to James Moore?
In 1749, 1750 and 1751, James is noted as “above Sailor’s Creek.”
James Moore may be associated with a George and William Moore who also lived “above Sailors Creek”, although that may be happenstance. William Moore showed “above Sailor Creek” on the tax list of 1748 and acquired land on Sandy Creek, abutting Matthew Rice in 1752. There existed a Peter Moore for only 1 year in 1748 in this same Sailor Creek area. George Moore’s land abuts the district of the Randolphs, but the Randolphs were sizable absentee proprietors, so we have no way of knowing if this is really relevant.
In 1752, James Moore evidenced a land sale from Abraham Womack to William Womack.
Abraham Womack to William Womack June 23, 1752 for 15#- 100 acres on the upper side of Sailors Creek adjoining land of Benjamin Ruffin, James Moore and Charles Caython, being part of 400 acres patented to Abraham Womack on July 10, 1745. Witness James( x) Moore, John( x) Haloway( also Holloway) and John Rice. Possession and deed ordered recorded June 25, 1752.
James likewise performed on a jury and as a witness for Daniel Dejarnett who owed him for 7 days attending at court.
In 1753, James is again tariffed “above Sailor’s Creek.”
This portion of Amelia County became Prince Edward County in 1754.
In 1756, a heart-rending situation occurred as told in the History of Prince Edward County 😛 TAGEND
A perilous statu developed in 1756 when a slave of William Womack after having been proscribed seeking refuge in quarterss of John Stanton and defended himself with broadax and arrows. He had tried to kill his captain and neighbors tried to capture him alive. A group of Abraham Womack, Isham Womack, William Barry, James Moore and William Masters engaged with the slave and shot him. He died of his wounds.
I can’t help but feel the horror that slave have been required to felt, 263 year later. I was unable to discern the meaning of ” prohibited ” given this context. Was this boy ill, or simply hopeless? We’ll never know the answer to that, or the backstory. I is well aware that neither James Moore nor his sons or father-in-law owned slaves.
In 1759, the point of James Moore’s owned was more specific , noted on the tax list as between Ligon’s Rolling Road and Sailor’s Creek Old Road, Sailor’s Creek and Sandy River. The Ligon’s owned land on Sandy River and the Rolling Road would have been the road they flattened the tobacco hogsheads down to the Appomattox River. Threefore, the roads would run alongside the creeks and creeks north to the Appomattox.
Sandy River( red arrows) is the eastern branch of Bush River( left light-green arrow .) The privilege green arrows point to Sailor’s Creek and I’m guessing that the roads mentioned are between those rivers.
This map of Prince Edward County select during the Civil War depicts an approximate orientation, including Rice’s Station.
On February 4, 1760, Edith Cobbs of Amelia County sold 200 acres of land to Joseph Rice, moor patented to John Ford. James Moore who signed with a mark, along with Noel Waddell and Jeay( Icay ?) Rice were witnesses.
This deed states that it’s the other half of Ford’s original 400 acres and Joseph Rice had already obtained the other 200.
On February 20, 1760, James Moore of Prince Edward County sold 75 acres for 40# to Noel Waddill on Sailors Creek, part of a pamphlet that James acquired from Abraham Womack and bounded by Ryan, Matthew Rise( Rice ), the Mill branch, sign off James Moore. Witness Jacob Waddill, James Flowers, and Joseph Nunn.
Now if I only knew where the Mill Branch was located. Note on the planned, above, Ellington’s Mill to the right of Rice’s Station.
Today, the town of Rice is Rice’s Station and the Mill Branch is also available Ellington’s Mill.
On March 1, 1760, Abraham Womack of St. Patrick Parish sell off James Moore 11 acres for 5# adjoining James Moore and the new path agreed on by Abraham and William Womack. Witnesses were Joseph and Icay Rice.
In September of 1760, in a court proceeding, John Nunn wanted to build a mill across Childress Creek and James Moore is one of various workers making a judgement.
In April of 1761, Matthew Rice sold district to John Chapman on the Sandy River, bounded by Philip Ryon, Thomas Turpin and Matthew Rice, ever witnessed in James Moore who signed off by an “M”.
On April 13 th, the same day, Samuel Goode of Prince Edward County sold 330 acres of land to Charles Rice, on the upper side of Saylor’s Creek granted to the said Samuel by patent dated July 13, 1760 and bounded by Joseph Rice, Abraham Womack, the old line of Matthew Rice, William Barnes, Noel Waddil. Witnesses were Obadiah Claybrook, Matthew Rice, and James( M his rating) Moore.
This deed too may be very important.
James Moore listed his son born about 1765 Mackness. That unexpected mention is associated with the Rowlett family in Prince Edward County, with one Mackness Rowlett born about 1741 being the son of John Rowlett who died in 1776 with a will. The mention Mackness may well reach back in time to the marriage of one John Goode and Frances Mackarness. Samuel Goode is reported, but not substantiated to be their grandson.
James Moore didn’t just pick the mention Mackness out of the sky. There had to be a reason for James or his wife to select Mackness. Probably the same or a same reason that John Rowlett called his son Mackness in 1741.
In November 1761, James Moore evidenced a deed from John Maynard to William Spicer for land on the lower feature of Sailor’s Creek.
A year later, on December 13, 1762, Henry Barksdale sold 25 acres to Noel Waddell on the two sides of Great Sailor’s Creek bounded by a road in James Moore’s indication and likewise mentions Joseph Nunn. Witnesses were James( M) Moore, Phil Holcombe and Grimes Holcombe.
Between this information and the tax lists, it looks like James Moore owned land on a street on the north side of Sailor’s Creek, and probably neighboring to the Creek.
In February 1764, Noel Waddell sells to Francis Anderson of Amelia County, 250 acres and 203 acres on the lower slope of Great Sailor’s Creek patented July 10, 1755. John Stanton bought it from Abraham Womack “once owned” it and James( M) Moore evidenced again.
By this time, James Moore is more than 40 years old, possibly as aged as 47. He owns a total of 36 acres of land. He has probably been married for 25 years or so, which prepares the next part particularly significant and perhaps a turning point in his life.
Joseph Rice Dies
In 1766, James Moore’s father-in-law, Joseph Rice died, with a will that is recorded in the Prince Edward County Will diary 1, page 80. Bless his heart!
In the identify of God Amen I Joseph Rice of Prince Edward County being indisposed in organization but of perfect thinker and storage admired be to God for the same do make and constitute and ordain this and none other to be my last will and testament in manner and form following.
To my son-in-law James Moore 100 acres arrive whereon he now lives to be subdivided from the parcel I live on by a line that was run by Robert Farguson to him and his heirs forever.
To my shaft beloved son John Rice 100 acres of land joyning the aforesaid 100 of Moores and also divided by the said Fargusons argument and the tract whereon I now live to him and his heirs forever.
To my hole beloved son William Rice the East part of the area of arrive I now live on to be divided beginning on a line run by Robert Farguson on my Spring Branch…containing 100 acres more or less to him and his heirs forever.
To my shaft beloved son Charles Rice the residue one of the purposes of my arrive whereon I now live after the death of my reservoir affection wife to him and his heirs forever.
To my shaft beloved lad David Rice 133 acres of land whereon he now lives to him and his heirs forever
To my reservoir beloved son Joseph Rice 133 acres of land whereon he now lives to him and his heirs forever.
To my reservoir beloved sons John, William and Charles as they become of age 21 each a feather bed and furniture and one cow and calf to them and their heirs forever if the estate can yield it.
To my reservoir beloved daughter Mary Rice one feather bed and furniture and one cow and calf.
Well beloved wife Rachel remainder of private property during her natural life.
Sons John, William and Charles after decease of bride, 7# current fund of Virginia.
Rest of manor partitioned similarly after decease of bride. Wife Rachel and David Rice and John Watkins executors. December 1765.
Signed with assessment( long I with 3 crossmarks) witness John Watkins, William Womack, Charles Rice- Probated June 16, 1766.
This will tells us that in addition to the 36 acres that James Moore owns, he has been living on and raising 100 acres of his father-in-law’s land. Now James owns a total of 136 acres.
His land also abuts the Farguson land, another list we’ll see in Halifax County living contiguou James Moore.
The Problem with the Will
The problem with the will is that James Moore’s spouse is mentioned Mary according to later deeds in Halifax County. However, in Joseph Rice’s will, he specific was of the view that James Moore is his son-in-law, and he mentions his daughter Mary separately with the Rice surname, giving the impression that Mary Rice is not married.
Did James Moore marry two of Joseph’s daughters? First, an unnamed daughter, and eventually, Mary Rice? Did James Moore marry one of Joseph Rice’s daughters who have been killed after 1766, and James Moore remarried to a Mary, last name unknown, before his wife’s refer shall be reflected in Halifax County records a few years later? Is it is feasible that Joseph Rice’s daughter that was married to James Moore had already died before Joseph died? If that were the speciman, I’d presume that the tract would have been left to James Moore’s infants , not James himself.
We know from various records and sources( including DNA accords) that definitely, this James Moore is the James Moore that was Joseph Rice’s son-in-law, but why did Joseph refer to his daughter as Mary Rice if she was married to James Moore who had been mentioned previously in the will?
James Moore had a lad specified Rice Moore, birth about 1762- so the evidence is compelling that surely James was married to one of Joseph Rice’s daughters.
James Moore’s daughter, Lydia Moore, carry about 1746 married Edward Henderson and specified a lad Rice Henderson, so clearly Lydia’s mother was a Rice.
In 1767, on the tax list, James Moore is listed with 136 acres of land, two tithes, one of which is James Moore Jr. This means that James Jr. is over the age of 16 and possibly over the age of 21, so was born before 1750.
What’s Next?
James is nearing 50 years of age, the half century commemorate. You’d think he’d be interested in farming his land and maybe beginning to relax a little. By this time, he had grandchildren to enjoy. Perhaps his wife wanted to help care for her mother.
However, that’s not at all what happened. By 1770, James Moore and family had packed up everything they owned into a wagon, apparently sold their district in Prince Edward County, although I’ve never ascertained a deed, and migrated with a community once again. This time, to what is now the Vernon Hill/ Oak Level sphere of western Halifax County where he decided among the Spradlings, Womacks and Fargusons.
The curtain removes on Act 1 of James Moore’s life, a half-century in the making. What will Act 2 delivering?
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