| Notes |
- RESEARCH_NOTES:
1. Website <http://www.rootsweb.com/~gamorga2/> as part of Gagenweb: Georgia: Morgan County: Morgan County, GA 1811 Tax Digest Index. This file was contributed by: Morgan County Archives Mr. Marshall W. Williams P.O. Box 130 Madison, GA 30650 (706) 342-3605. The tax digests contain (a) evidence that a person was, in fact, living in the district; (b) that if he owned more than one parcel of land, the one on which he lived is the one which he paid poll tax on; (c) the district number and land lot number of his lands (d) the nearest water course; (e) how many slaves he paid tax on; (f) whether or not he was a lawyer or physician; (g) how much stock-in-trade he carried if he was a store owner; (h) whether he owned any two or four wheel carriages; (i) and the amount of his tax; (j) the militia district he lived in; (k) where any out of county land was that he owned. There may be accidental omissions of names. Included in the listings for 1811 (note no Adairs are listed in the Tax Digest Indices for 1809 nor 1810):
Adair, John 128
Adair, John 94
Same site for same record type for 1812:
Adair, Farmer 136
Adair, John 138
Adair, John F. 96
Next index in website is for 1817:
Adair, Farmer 70
Adair, John 80
Adair, William 74
1818:
Adair, Farmer 76
Adair, Hiram 86
Adair, Robert F. 158
Adair, William 86
1820
Adair, Farmer 60
Adair, Hiram 30
Adair, John 130
Adair, Jones 60
Adair, Jones 74
Adair, William 74
Records on website continue to 1900.
2. From Lee Adair 13 Sep 2005 [wadair1@tampabay.rr.com]: "As a direct descendant of John and Jane Adair, I have had an abiding interest in their descendants in particular. Although I have visited Morgan County twice I have not actually seen John Adair's tombstone (it's on private property and I just didn't have the time). It was erected there by his descendants and is not the original stone, as far as I know. That his widow Jane married Green Jackson is consistent with all the available data but there is no marriage record for them that I have seen. The archivist of Morgan County thinks there may be a marriage book missing from the courthouse. The best corroborative evidence comes from Green Jackson's will that is on file in the Perry County, Alabama courthouse. One of the witnesses was Joseph A. Adair (most likely Joseph Alexander Adair), one of John and Jane's sons. As you noted, Joseph and Jane are listed in the 1850 Perry County census. Green Jackson, who died in 20 Nov 1849, is buried in Shiloh Cemetery in Perry County, a cemetery that is out in the woods and in pretty bad shape, based on secondhand reports. One of my planned trips to Alabama includes a visit to that cemetery. If Jane is not buried there (James Barnett Adair's book implies that she died in Perry County) she may have gone with her son to stay with his niece Mary Jane Adair Griffis who was living in Autauga County. Joseph is supposed to have died there. There is a Griffis cemetery in Autauga that has not been surveyed (it's way back in the woods according to an Alabama State Highway map of the county) and that is also on my list of cemeteries to visit."
3. Jones Adair, apparent son of John Adair and Jane Jones is buried in Prospect Cemetery in Morgan Co., Georgia with the following tombstone inscription: "Adair, Jones Sr., Oct 13 1798, Mar 31 1883." He shows up in early tax records as cited above. No apparent gravestone for his father John. Source: http://www.rootsweb.com/~gamorga2/
4. The book "Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution," by Bobby Gilmer Moss, lists the following, the first of whom is for probably this individual. Some information may be from more modern and perhaps undocumented family histories. I do not have the abbreviation list as to the sources he gives:
"John Adair, b. 1759, Duncan Creek, S.C. d. 1812, m. Jane Jones. He enlisted during 1779, was captured near Charlotte and his in prison at Camden. (Moved ot Ga.) McCall, III, 2."
There is another John (or perhaps the same) in the vicinity listed as follows: "John Adare. He served under Capt. James Dillard in Col. Levi Casey's Little River Regiment of Picken's brigade during 1782. N.A. 246."
There is another John listed who may be a totally unrelated to the Laurens Co. Adairs: "John Adair, Jr. He served in the militia under Col. Anderson after the fall of Charleston. A.A. 22, S349."
There is another who is definitely not related. He is John Adair, son of William, who lived in Chester Co. or the Waxaw Colony. His entry for reference only is as follows: John Adair. W2895. BLWt 21750-160-50. b. 9/20 January 1757, d. 8/9/19 May 1840, m. Catherine Palmer. He served from 1779 to 1780 under Col. Winn and was in the surrender of Charleston. Thereafter, he joined Gen. Sumter as a militiaman and was in the engagements at Williamson's Plantation, at Rocky Mount and at Hanging Rock and was made a captain shortly thereafter by Sumter. By the fall of that year, he was a major. He was captured once and exchanged. He engaged in fourteen battles, the last of which was Eutaw Springs. At one time he was aid de camp to Sumter. He served as a general in the war of 1812. Later, he became a member of Congress and was governor of Kentucky. Patriot Index; D.A.B.; (Kitchens, Zachary, R5999)."
5. The following John Adairs are of the right age to be the John Adair of this database. Laurens County Estate Book A-1:
Pp. 55-60: "Appraisement of the Estate of Robert Bell decd. Total ₤148 12 2-1/2 (no appraisers, no date). Purchasers at sale: Richd Bell, Isabella Bell, Patrick Scott, Nathl Cannon, Ann Mclure, Evan Robarts, James Ramage, Daniel Davis, Samuel Ewing, John Harris, Adam Bell, Gilbert Memory, James Pollock, John Roberson, Nathan Davis, John Harvis, Joseph Adair son of James, John Owings, John Owings, David Beayty, John Awsten, Wm Blackburn, Josiah East, Joseph Huddleston, John Adair son of Joseph, And. McCrary, David Bailey, Wm Price, John Calahan, Ann Dradock, John Archer Elmore, Charles Russel, John Huston, John Robinson, John Hunter, Wm Gray, Samuel McConehey, John Willson, John Walker, Thomas Entrecan,Thomas East Junr., thomas East Senr., Samuel Eakins, John McCartey, John Derumple [Dalrymple] Junr. Sold 15 Aug 1792, by Richd. Bell, admr."
Pp. 62-63: "An account of the appraisement of the Estate of Thos. McCall, decd. includes one silver watch, 20 yeards of linnen, 13 yeards of linen, saddlers tools, cash due by Gazaway Rodgers, John Walker, Charles Pucket, John Adair. Appraised 12 Nov 1791 by Thos. Ewings, John Owings, Wm Craig."
Pp. 155-156: "An Inventory of the Goods and Chattles of William Price Decd. Total ₤ 101 11 8 certifyed 5 Nov 1796 by Joseph Adair, Thomas Gammel, Patrick O Briant. Memorandum of the goods and Chatles of Wm. Price decd sold at public Sale on 15 Nov 1796. Purchasers: Margret Price, Ruth Price, Sarah Price, Mary Cunningham, John Adair, William McCoy, William Barksdale, James Adair, Joseph Adair."
Pp. 210-213 [John's wife is Jane Jones who is perhaps related somehow to John Jones]: "Memorandum of articles sold the estate of John Jones decd, 16 Jul 1784 by Patrick Bryant admr. Purchasers: John Adair, James Dillard, James Adair, Philip Harvey, Littleberry Harvey, Patrick Bryant, Samuel Ewing, Wm Price, John Gorley, Philip Harvey, Thomas Donaldson, John Huston, John Owens, John Robeson, John Rammage, David Simpson, Thomas Hughs, John Robinson, Reuben Pyles, Haunner Miller, Thos Ewin, Jas Saxon, Wm Brown; copy from my office Julius Nichols Junr. [This estate was probated originally in Ninety Six District, the papers of which are in Abbeville County Court House]."
6. Excerpts of "Adairs" from the book "Laurens County South Carolina - Minutes of the County Court, 1786-1789," by Brent H. Holcomb, SCMar, Columbia, South Carolina, 2004. The book notes: "This is a record that has only been recently found after being lost for so many years. It is incomplete missing the first 54 pages, pages 103-126, and an unknown number of pages at the end of the volume. There is at least one other volume, still missing, covering the years 1790-1799."
It also notes: "Laurens County was formed in 1785 as a county of Ninety Six District. In that year justices of the peace were elected by the General Assembly to be administrators of the county courts. Within the pages of these court minutes are small court cases, lists of deeds presented to be recorded, applications for administrations on estates and wills proved (beginning in 1787), jury lists, petitions of various kinds, appointments for various offices, apprenticeships, estray animals tolled, and other items. The cases heard for debt or damages could not exceed £50, and cases heard for personal damages could not exceed £20. Criminal cases heard could not call for the loss of life or corporal punishment. Larger court cases were heard in the district courts, such as Ninety-Six."
There are many listings of Adair and associated family members. Included are the court records below for John Adair whose wife was a Jones. This entry occurs after the other John Adair of the area whose wife was Sarah died in the Revolutionary War leaving only this John Adair applicable to this quote. Note also that John's wife, Jane Jones, was probably related to the deceased John Jones as a sibling:
Pp. 168-169, 13 June 1787: "John Adair vs. Seth P Pool. Si. P. This day came the Parties by their attys and after several witnesses being sworn and examined tuching the premises of the Council heard on both sides it is considered by the court that the Plft Adair Recover against the said Pool Deft. The sum of £2 s6 & his cost by him in this behalf Expended."
Pg. 234, 10 Jun 1788: "Sarah Jones Infant orphan of John Jones dec'd with the approbation of the Court made Choice of John Adair as Guardian, who Together with Joseph Adair his Security entered into and acknowledged their Bonds in the sum of £100 conditional to secure the said Orphans Estate and Indemnify the Court."
7. Jett Hanna [jettplane@aol.com] provided me on 8 Jul 2005 with a copy of his analysis of the Brownlee manuscript as follows. It mirrors my own understanding; however, anything with which I disagree I note in [brackets]. Jett entitles his paper as "Laurens County Area Adair Family Trees." It is broken down by three families: James Adair who married Eleanor, his brother Joseph who married Sarah Laferty, and a William of whom absolutely nothing is known except just his name on the Williams Petition and that Brownlee notes he died 1780-84 and that his estate was administered 1784 per Abbe Wills, p. 10. Text quoted as follows:
"This tree is based on Early Adairs of Laurens County, South Carolina, by Mildred Brownlee. This was provided to me by W. Lee Adair, who obtained it from the Laurens County Public Library. Handwritten notes show a date of 1990 on Brownlee's manuscript. I have not examined these deeds personally. In some cases, notes and questions below are my own additions. This analysis seems to discredit some of the trees in the Adair History and Genealogy, and adds significantly to what is know of the Laurens area Adairs. I have not fully finished analyzing this work, and may have left out parts that are not as critical to my work.
"Based on this work, it appears very possible that the elder Joseph Adair (m. Sarah, m. Susannah) and his brother James (m. Eleanor) settled in Laurens County at the same time, as suggested by the Adair History and Genealogy. I do not believe, however, that this James was the author of the book on the Indians and reputed patriarch of the Cherokee Adairs. This James was a cooper (barrel maker) according to the deeds. Modern editions of the History of the American Indians suggest that the author James Adair was a direct immigrant to South Carolina, but with no concrete evidence.
"The Williams Petition: In the tree, LCW is Laurens County Wills; LCD is Laurens County Deeds. Also mentioned is the Williams petition. This petition is a significant document in analyzing the Laurens County Adairs. Published in the South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. XV, No. 1 1987, p. 32-33, the original is #5767, Manuscript Department, Wm. Perkins Library at Duke University. The petition is in support of Colonel James Williams, a militia leader of the Patriots in the Laurens area (Little River Regiment). The petition, signed by members of the Little River Regiment, is directed to the Governor of South Carolina and the Privy Counsel, and attests to Williams' devotion to the Patriot cause. Williams led militia in a number of battles. I suspect that this petition was provided prior to Williams' elevation to the rank of Brigadier General following the Battle of Musgrove Mill, which was fought in what is now Laurens County. Williams had been accused of puffing his role in the battle. Williams went on to die at Kings Mountain - one of the few Patriot casualties that day on October 7, 1780. Williams had run for the South Carolina legislature as a Patriot in 1778, only to lose to Robert Cunningham, the infamous Loyalist leader. For more on Williams, see Draper, "Kings Mountain and Its Heroes," (Cincinnati, 1883). Signers of the Williams petition include the following Adairs: Isaac Adair, Jms. Adair, James Adair, Sr., Joseph Adair, Jr., Joseph Adair, Benjamin Adair, Joseph Adair, Sr., James Adair, Jr, son of James, William Adair, John Adair, and John Adair, Sr., and Alexander Adair. Comparing deed and will records to the names, Brownlee identifies the Adair signers [copies Brownlee's explanations]. Brownlee's identifications look very logical to me.
"The Laurens County Adair Tree:
2. Joseph Adair m. Sarah Lafferty, m. Susannah Long: 250a land grant, present site of Duncan Creek Presbyterian Church. Was sold 1778 to Benjamin Adair LCD A/189, 1778). Release by wife??? Will in LCW A-1/19, dated 1788, other info says death 1801. Joseph 414(5) 1790 Census?
2.1 Joseph Adair m. Elizabeth - Joseph's son named in father's will. His will LCW D-1/104; Bundle 65, Pkg. 10, proven 1/14/1813.
2.1.1 John m. Jane Jones: John named as son in father's will.
2.1.2 James m. Rebecca: James named as son in father's will.
2.1.3 Robert: Robert named as son in father's will.
2.1.4 Elisha m Elizabeth (Betsy) Reese?: Elisha named as son in father's will.
2.1.4.1 Joseph: Named as grandson in grandfather's will
2.1.4.2 Washington
2.1.4.3 Isaac
2.1.4.4 Thomas R. m. Jane Blakely
2.1.4.5 Allen
2.1.4.6 Richmond
2.1.4.7 Matilda
2.1.5 Elizabeth m. George Davis: Elizabeth named as daughter in father's will. Husband's name in will is John Huston.
2.1.5.1 Mary Davis m. Robert Cunningham Hanna
2.1.5.2 Hannah Davis m. Robert McCord
2.1.5.3 George Davis
m. John Huston
2.1.5.4 Joseph Hughston
2.1.5.5 Elisha Hughston
2.1.5.6 Nancy/Agnes Hughston m. James Wilson
2.1.6 Jean m. Thomas Holland: Jean named as daughter in father's will. Husband's name is in will. Thomas Holland 101 1790 Census?
2.1.7 Cassy m. Thomas McCrary: Cassy named as daughter in father's will. Husband's name is in will.
2.1.8 Charity m. ___ Farmer: Charity named as daughter in father's will. Husband's name in will is David Little.
2.1.8.1 Mary Farmer: stepdaughter mentioned in will of David Little.
m. David Little
2.1.8.2 David Little
2.1.8.3 Elizabeth Little
2.1.8.4 Joseph Little
2.1.8.5 James Little
2.1.8.6 Jane Little
2.1.8.7 John Little
2.1.8.8 Nancy Little
2.1.8.9 Thomas E. Little
2.1.8.10 Holland Little
2.2 James Adair m. Rebecca Montgomery: James named as son in father's will. 110a from Nathaniel Hillen, 144a granted to him directly. POA to brother Benjamin in Book G, Pg. 666. Does POA mention Rebecca? Or dower releases? Deeds LCW J/161-162, A/308. J/161 is sale to sons of James Sr. -Joseph and George R. James 327 1790 Census? If 13 children, only 10 in this census.
2.2.1 Joseph Adair: LCW J/160 sells interest to brother George R.
2.2.2 George R. Adair m. Rachel Musgrove: George named in deed from brother Joseph.
(From Indiana Data according to Brownlee:)
2.2.3 Margaret Jane Adair m. John Ewing
2.2.4 Rebecca Adair m. James Remy
2.2.5 John Adair
2.2.6 Jane Adair m. ___Eads
2.2.7 Isaac Adair m. Jane Holland
2.2.8 Lucretia Adair m. John Wildridge
2.2.9 James Adair
2.3 Benjamin Adair m. Nancy (George?): Benjamin named as son in father's will. Benjamin's will Box 1, Pkg 1. I have seen another cite for will. Benjamin 133 1790 Census. Only 3 of 5 sons accounted for, 2 of 4 daughters. Children below in his will.
2.3.1 Zadock
2.3.2 William
2.3.3 John
2.3.4 d m. James Jamieson
2.3.5 d m. Samuel Bowie
2.3.6 Isaac
2.3.7 Benjamin
2.3.8 Margaret
2.3.9 d m. William Craig
2.4 Jean/Jane Adair m. Ramage
2.5 John Adair m. Sarah Adair (son of Joseph???). Died in Revolution. Note: Sarah named in Joseph's will. Might have been daughter in law, wife of the deceased son John. [Jett places John as a son of Joseph Sr. whereas Brownlee makes a case for him being a possible son of either Joseph or his brother James.]
2.5.1 Benjamin Adair, Jr.
2.5.2 Joseph Adair
2.5.3 Martha Adair
2.5.4 Hezekiah Adair
2.5.5 Isaac Adair
8. From Ancestry.com's "Blacks Found in the Deeds of Laurens & Newberry Counties, SC: 1785-1827" is found Roger Brown as Justice of the Peace from 1792 through 1799. Some of the transactions involved Adairs as follows. I am not sure exactly which Adair family since the names were so repetitive among cousins, but I believe the most likely candidate is Joseph Adair who had the sons John, Robert, and James:
"Deed Book D: 155. April 17, 1792. Bill of Sale. James Flin, of Laurens County, South Carolina in consideration of the sum of ₤120 Sterling have sold unto John Doyal, a negro woman named Sela, about 35 or 36 years of age, country born. Also one negro girl named Tabbey about 10 or 11 years of age, also one other negro girl child named Willey about 7 years of age and one other negro child named Dicey about 2 years old all three the children of said Sela. James (mark) Finn, Wit. Robert Adair, James Adair. Proved by Robert Adair 11 May 1792 before Roger Brown. J.P. Recorded May 15, 1792."
"Deed Book E:370. February 12, 1795. bill of Sale. I Patrick O'Bryant, planter, of Laurens County, South Carolina in consideration of the sum of ₤60 Sterling paid by Joseph Adair of the County and State aforesaid sell one Negroes Wench named Poll ages about 40 years old, one Negroes boy named Jacob, One grey horse, one black mare, and one bay cold mare, three cows, one black, one spotted, one red and 3 calves... 12 February 1795. Signed Patrick (O) O'Bryant. Wit. John Adair, James Adair. Proved by John Adair 14 Feb. 1795 before Roger Brown, Justice of said County. Recorded February 18, 1795."
"Deed Book F: 184. December 15, 1796. Bill of Sale. Joseph Adair and Thomas Hughey, both of Laurens County, South Carolina, planters, to Bryant Leek, of the same place in consideration of the sum of $152, sell one negro boy named Jacob to said Bryant Leek. Joseph Adair, Thomas Hughey. Wit. Robert Adair. William Saxon. Proved by William Saxon 4 January 1797 before Roger Brown, J.P. Recorded February 21, 1797."
"Deed Book F: 431. September 1, 1798. Bill of Sale. Thomas Gary, of Laurens County, South Carolina in consideration of the sum of $00?? have sold to James Adair for, of the same place, two negroes, one woman name Cynthia and the other a negro girl named Jemina. Thomas Gary, L.S. Wit. J.P. Williams, David Mason. Proved by David Mason. 19 February 1799 before Roger Brown, J.P."
9. The publication "Laurens County Kinfolks Volume 1 Book 2," by Richard W. Fowler, gives the following family: "John Adair (s. of Joseph, gson. of Joseph) was b. 1758 and d. 1812. He m. Jane Jones. Served in Rev. War. Moved to Georgia in 1800. Children:
A. Joseph Alexander, b. 1784.
B. John Fisher, b. 1786.
C. Hiram, b. 1788.
D. Jones, b. abt 1790.
E. Elizabeth 'of John Adair', b. abt 1791, m. Miles Garrett.
F. William, b. 1792.
G. Mary, b. abt 1794.
H. Farmer, b. abt 1796.
I. Susan, b. abt 1798,
J. Sallie, b. abt 1800.
K. James, b. abt 1802 in Morgan Co. GA. D. in GA.
L. Joel Hayden, b. abt 1806."
10. Typescript "Early Adairs of Laurens County, South Carolina." Compiled by Mildred Brownlee; Source Records: Wills; Intestate Estates; Deeds; Court Records; Cemetery Inscriptions. Some dates of birth and death obtained from Lineage Charts. Dates of birth and death subject to correction. Spelling of names subject to correction. [Note that bracketed comments are later additions by other reviewers including myself - Kerry Petersen.]
A. "Recorded in Will Book D-l, Page 104, Bundle 65, pkg. 10. Proven January 14, 1813. David Anderson Ordy. Will of Joseph Adair:
"State of South Carolina Laurens District. In the name of God, Amen. Know all men by those presents that I Joseph Adair of tho same State and District are now in good health and in my natural senses at this date and time make this my last will and testament. At my death I bequeath my body to tho tomb, my soul to the almighty God, my maker and created and Jesus Christ my redeemer. Likewise I give and bequeath unto John Adair my son all the land that I layed off for him, that Richard Hollen and John Frier now lives on and one Negro woman named Jude. Likewise, I give and bequeath unto my son James Adair all that part of a tract of land he now lives on lying on the South Side of Little Dunkins Creek bounded on land of Thomas McCrary, Alexander Wilkerson, Elisha Adair and one Negro man named Duke. Likewise, I give and bequeath unto my son Robert Adair the money that he did receive from Alexander Wilkerson for a tract of land made over by me and my son Elisha Adair to said Wilkerson and one Negro girl named Tamer. Likewise I give and bequeath to my son Elisha Adair all that part of land I now live on containing three hundred and seventy five acres more or less, resurvayed by John A. Elmore one Negro boy named Morris, one new waggon and all her harness. Likewise, I give and bequeath unto my grandson Joseph Adair, son of Elisha Adair, one set of silver coat buttons, and one set of silver breeches buttons to my son Robert Adair. I likewise, give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth and her husband John Huston, one Negro girl named Clartis to be thern during there natural life, and at their death to be equally divided among all Elizabeth Huston's children of her natural body. Likewise, I give and bequeath unto my daughter Jean, wife of Thomas Holland. one Negro girl named Dice. Likewise, I give unto my daughter Cassy, wife of Thomas McCrary one Negro woman named Lid. Likewise, I give and bequeath, unto Charity, wife of David Little, one Negro woman named Sarah and all the rest of my perishable property to be equally divided among my eight children of my natural body. I hereby set my hand and seal this 20th of January, 1812. It being the thirty sixth and thirty seventh years of American Independency. And l do here appoint Elisha Adair and John Adair my Executors.
Joseph Adair (Seal)
Witness present: Richard Holland, William Adair, George McCrary
Recorded in Will Book D-1, Page 105. Recorded date not available. Proven Jan, 15, 1813. David Anderson Ordy."
B. "John Adair, b. c1760, died in Morgan Co., Ga. Feb. 1813. "to John Adair, my son, the land I laid off for him that Richard Holland & John Frier now live on" and one Negro woman Jude." John Adair married on 14 June 1783 (date from family chart) Jane, said to have been Jones. She was born c1766, died in Perry Co., Ala. in 1852. The 1850 census of Perry Co. Ala. shows her age as "84." John Adair bought and sold a number of tracts of land while living in Laurens Co. When John and Jane moved their family to Ga. c1800/1801, John Adair deeded to Richard Holland title to the land willed to him by his father, Joseph. The slave Jude was still the property of Joseph and remained in Laurens Co. After John Adair died in Ga. in 1813, Elisha Adair petitioned for administration of the SC estate of John Adair, dec'd. stating that the estate consisted of one Negro woman. Petitioner also stated that John Adair left a number of legatees and a widow (names not stated). He also petitioned for sale of the Negro woman Jude and her child. Amount of sale was $456.00. (Probate Box 3, pkg. 10) Page 152 of Dr. J.B. Adair's History gives names of the children of John and Jane Adair which seem to be very nearly accurate. Marriage records of Morgan Co. Ga. agree with a number of the marriages stated on this page. On p. 153, Dr. Adair is in error regarding the ages of John and Jane Adair. In 1823, Elisha owned the slave Jude."
11. From the book "Adair History and Genealogy," by James Barnett Adair, 1924, p. 150: "John Adair, a Revolutionary soldier, migrated to Morgan County, Ga., 1800." Considering the statement of his father in his 1812 will, the timing of this move is suspect since the will states James is living in Laurens co. in 1812. We also know some of his children were born there after 1800.
12. FHL film 446460, Patron Research Dept. for Marie G. Sheranian, has the following entry from "Land Grants recorded at Clerk's Office, Laurens, S.C., assigned to an unspecified John Adair who can only be this one since the other John of this era in my database was born in 1782:
"Aug 3, 1793 - John Adair from John and Sarah Gamble, 175 A., Bk. [?], p. 207."
Note that Brownlee as quoted above indicates this John was involved in several Laurens Co. land transactions.
13. James Williams Petition listing the Adair family Patriots. Note that Thomas Adair's parents are the ones listed as number 4 (Joseph and Sarah) and his grandparents are number 3 (James and Eleanor). Most of the other Adairs were brothers or cousins. The petition has come to me from Mildred Brownlee's manuscript "Early Adairs of Laurens County, South Carolina" and also from the "South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research," vol. 15, p. 32. James Williams was one of the most renown Patriots of the Laurens area and this listing of signers of the petition of the area gives us a good source of patriots also associated with him. Col. James Williams and Capt. Josiah Greer were also military leaders of many of these same individuals during the 1778 American invasion of British East Florida per the source of Doctor George Ross' medical reimbursement papers quoted in this database under Rebecca Montgomery's notes. This petition typescript is item #5767, Manuscript Dept., Wm. M. Perkins Library at Duke University, Durham NC. Submitted by Mrs. Mary Ann McCrary and published with permission of the Manuscript Dept. This petition pre-dates the Battle of Kings Mountain (7 Oct 1780), as Col. James Williams was killed at that time. [NB: a second version of the petition was located in the South Carolina Library in 1999 and the gaps in the Duke University petition were filled in as indicated by brackets.] {Any notes or comments added by me are in these brackets.}
"To his Excellen[cy John Rutledge, E]sq. Governor & Commander in Chief in & [over th]e state of South Carolina, the Honourable the privy Counsel, the Honourable the Senate & House of Representatives in General Assembly.
Whereas we (the zealous friends to our country, and to all who love and distinguish themselves in her cause) do understand & are exceeding sorry to hear that there are false & [evilly designing] Accusations either lying on or about to shortly be laid against James Williams, our present Colonel in & over Little River Regiment, and designed (as we believe) by the private Enemies of our country to deprive us of so worthy a friend of his Country in general a good officer to us in particular & thereby do a very singular Piece of Service to the common enemies of America. We do briefly & anxiously remonstrate this: that we experimentally know Colo. James Williams to have been a zealous Patriot from the commencement of the America contest with Briten; and to have always stood foremost in every occasion when called upon to the defence of his country. We do further declare that we have never known said Colo. [Jas.].Williams to distress any individuals in the Regiment who voluntarily & judiciously, when legally called upon and commanded to the field, have turned out in the Defence if their Native Rights & Privileges together with that of their Country; & we do avow it from our knowledge, that whensoever Colo. Jas. Williams either directly or indirectly executed any distressing things, it was upon the stubborn & refractory, whose practices of obstinacy declare them inimical to their country: & and that this he did, as being last promissing Effort to reduce them to the dutiful obedience of loyal & fellow citizens. Without delaying you; we your humble Petitioners do earnestly beg that you will hear this our faithful Remonstrance & proceed with our respected Colo. James Williams & all such unjust & disaffected Clamours as may come before you against him, as your superior Judgements may direct: only begging leave to conclude with this one Remark, that doubtless you know that such clamours are frequently the necessary Effect of Disaffection to the Country.
[Signed:] Robt. McCrery Lt. Colo.; George Davis, Capt.; Matthew McCrar[e]y, Lt.; George Young; Matthew Cunningham; Andrew McCrary; James Greer; [James Dillard]; [John Owens]; [Samuel Ewing]; [William Davis]; [Absolom Filby]; [John McCrary Sener]; [John McCrary Juner]; [Robert Long]; [Matthew McCrary]; [William Bean]; [John Williams J.P {note J.P. is crossed out}]; [Wm. Arthur Capt.]; Josiah Greer; Joseph Ramage; John Robinson; John Bourland; John Greer Juner; Isaac Adair; Jms. Adair; [Thos McCrery J.P.]; [James Ones]; [Andrew Ones]; [John Watson]; [Hughes Manford (?)]; [David Watson]; [Isaac Greer]; [James Ralley]; [John Ramage]; [John Glenn]; [John Jones (M L. (?)]; Henry Atwood; James Adair, Sr.; Joseph Adair Jr.; Joseph Adair; Benjamin Adair; Joseph Adair Sr.; James Adair Jr., son of James; [William Adair]; [John Finney]; [John Adair]; [John Adair Sener]; [James Craige]; [William Craig]; [James Howerton]; [Phillip Whitten]; [John Gray]; [John Greer]; [James Montgomery]; Thomas Ewing; William Blake; James Gamble; [Edward Stapleton]; [John Gamble]; [William Huddleston]; [James Huddleston]; [Alexander Adair]; [Benjamin Willson]; [Benja. Goodman]; [Daniel Williams]
Suggested identification of the Adairs who signed this petition:
1. Isaac Adair - Killed in Apr. 1781, left widow, Ruth.
2. Jms. Adair - b. 1747, son of' Joseph Adair, Sr.; mar. Rebecca Montgomery.
3. James Adair, Sr. - died before 1796; wife, Eleanor.
4. Joseph Adair, Jr. - Son of above James & Eleanor; wife Sarah.
5. Joseph Adair - died 1812; son of Joseph Adair, Sr.
6. Benjamin Adair - died 1823; son of Joseph Adair, Sr.; wife Nancy.
7. Joseph Adair, Sr. - died 1789-90; wife: Susannah.
8. James Adair, Jr., son of James - son of James Adair & wife Eleanor; died 1818, wife Hannah.
9. William Adair - died 1780-84. Estate administered 1784, Abbe. Wills, p. 10.
10. John Adair - died 1813 in Ga., wife Jane; son of Joseph Adair; grandson of Joseph Adair, Sr.
11. John Adair, Sr. - Killed in 1782, wife Sarah. Abbe. Wills, p. 10. Probable son of Joseph Adair, Sr. {Kerry's note: or maybe James Adair, Sr.}
12. Alexander Adair - Scotch-Irish immigrant in 1767? See Protestant Immigrants to SC - Janie Revill, p. 74.
{Note the above suggestions are as provided by Mildred Brownlee. I make the following additions of individuals related to the Adairs:
13. James Gamble - father of William Gamble who marries Martha Adair, daughter of James Adair who was son of James Adair, Sr., the original settler and cooper.
14. Robert Long - Son of Susannah Murdough from her first marriage before she married Joseph Adair the cooper.
15. John Owens - Husband of Mary Long. Mary was the sister of Robert Long and a daughter of Susannah Murdough from her first marriage before Joseph Adair.
16. John Ramage - Husband to Jean or Jane Adair, the daughter of Joseph Adair the cooper and his first wife Sarah Laferty.
17. George Davis - Died 1781- 1783. First husband to Elizabeth Adair, daughter of Joseph Adair, Jr. and Elizabeth ___.
18. James Montgomery - Father to Rebecca who married James Adair, the saddler and son of Joseph Adair the cooper. James' other daughter Isabella married Dr. George Ross who was a physician with many of the above in their East Florida expedition in the early days of the Rev. War.
19. John Jones - There were two John Jones in the area at the time. One was the husband of Hannah Adair, daughter of James and Eleanor Adair. Unsure which John Jones this may be. Our John Jones died before Sep 1788."
14. From Jett Hanna [jettplane@aol.com]: "I'm pasting a couple of emails Shawn Potter and I traded on John Adair, who supposedly married Nancy Gahoga Lightfoot (Cherokee) and "Jean"/Jennie/Jane Kilgore. Newest emails are first; might make more sense starting at the bottom. Jett:
"A few parting comments on this thread:
To summarize, there are three John Adairs we know of who could be involved ... plus the John Adair who became governor of Kentucky, son of William, who was supposedly in the Waxhaws and left shortly after the Revolution: 1) John m. to Sarah, probably son of Joseph Sr. (Benjamin was named guardian of his children) who died in the Revolution; 2) John m. Jane/Jean/Jennie Kilgore, who we first have definitive knowledge of in Pendleton County, is the subject of a probate there in 1815; 3) John m. Jane/Jean Jones, son of Joseph Jr., who apparently moved to Georgia about 1801, d. 1813. Brownlee apparently found several land transactions for John m. to Jane/Jean, but one appears to be missing from her work. Both Jane/Jean's can be demonstrated to have been referred to by both names. One of the Johns had land bordering James Sr. m. to Eleanor, but that land also bordered John Jones who was may have been Jean Jones' father.
Brownlee herself raised the possibility that the tract bordering James m. Eleanor was owned by their son John. "So ... was John Adair son and heir of James and Eleanor?" (bottom of page 14.) She said this in a discussion of the lands that clearly were owned by the deceased John Adair, son of Joseph Sr., as he had lands that bordered on James Sr. married to Hannah, too! Those lands are described in Deed book F, 49-50; Deed Book E, 405.
On the age of Joseph Jr., I guess anything is possible, but it sure seems like a James was the father of both James Sr. and Joseph Sr., given the predominance of the name James among the kids. And we know that James, son of Joseph Sr. (corrected from original) was born in 1747, which coincides nicely with the marriage record for Joseph and Sarah in Delaware in 1746. The naming tradition was that the first born son was named after the grandfather, though that broke down by 1800 to a large degree.
I'll see if I can place all this on the grant maps.
Jett:
Can't prove definitively ... but the potential for confusion is great. Joseph Jr. had a son John married to Jane said to be Jones, according to Brownlee at pg. 6. Deed No. 4 on your list below says "Jean," but as we have previously discussed such a variant of Jane was not unusual. There appears to have been a probate of Joseph Jr.'s son John's estate in 1813 in SC, though he died in GA. Of course, there is the other John Adair whose wife is shown to be Jean Adair in the Pendleton probate records, but if we believe this to be "Jane" Kilgore her name is not consistently rendered, either.
It is possible, but I couldn't conclude, that the John married to Jean in your Deed No. 4 below is the John who moved to Pendleton. The timing is about right, as John first appears in the Pendleton records a couple of years after 1790. I've never seen reference to that Deed No. 4 before, though Brownlee, uncharacteristically leaving out cites, states on pg. 6, referring to Joseph Adair Jr.'s son, that "John Adair bought and sold a number of tracts while living in Laurens Co."
While we don't have field notes, I'd say it is pretty certain that Deeds 1, 2 and 4 all refer to the same John Adair tract. The John Jones border reference in Deed 4 is what was conveyed from James and Eleanor to John Jones in Deed 2. Deed 1 (not really a deed, but a grant to James Adair) could refer to John Adair even though he does not appear to get a grant until 1786. It must be remembered that a lot of land did not have title confirmed until 1785 or after, even if the original occupant began possession much earlier. In 1785, the government decided to allow anyone with a survey to get a grant even if they had not fulfilled terms of previous warrants, or were just squatting. Lots of papers were lost during the Revolution, and lots of folks didn't venture own to Charles Town to observer formalities prior to 1785. In 1785, the counties were formed and real property records no longer had to be filed in Charles Town.
Odds are pretty good that Deed No 5 also refers to the same John Adair tract. As for the witnesses on Deeds 3 and 5, good luck on showing who they were.
I'll review the other emails as I can.
In a message dated 1/12/2003 Shawn Potter shpxlcp@comcast.net writes:
Hello,
Can anyone prove whether the John Adair cited in the following records is a son of James and Eleanor Adair or of Joseph Adair, son of Joseph and Sarah (Lafferty) Adair? An examination of the chronology of these families might provide the answer.
For example, if Joseph Adair was a son of both Joseph Adair and Sarah Lafferty, then he was born no earlier than about 1749 -- despite family charts to the contrary -- because Joseph Adair married Sarah Lafferty in September 1746 and James Adair, son of Joseph Adair and Sarah Lafferty was born July 30, 1747. This means that Joseph Adair, son of Joseph Adair and Sarah Lafferty, married no earlier than about 1770. This means that John Adair, whose estate was administered by his brother Elisha Adair in 1813, was born no earlier than about 1772. This means that John Adair, brother of Elisha Adair, was no older than about 14 -- and probably younger, since he and/or his father may have been born later than these earliest possible dates -- when the property in record 4 below was granted to John Adair, whose wife was Jane. This analysis could be strengthened, or refuted, by reliable evidence concerning the dates of birth of Joseph Adair, son of Joseph Adair, and of John Adair, brother of Elisha Adair.
Also, we know that John Adair, son of Joseph Adair and Sarah Lafferty, died about 1782 and left a widow named Sarah. So, this John Adair cannot be the person mentioned in the records below.
At the same time, we know that John Adair, who married first Nancy Gahoga Lightfoot, married second Jane Kilgore about 1790 [the latest exact birth date of a child of John Adair and Gahoga is February 7, 1789]. We also know that Jane Kilgore's father, Benjamin Kilgore, lived on Duncan Creek in 1789. So, without further information, doesn't it seem reasonable to conclude that the John Adair mentioned in the records below was a son of James and Eleanor Adair?
Thanks for your thoughts, Shawn Potter
1. James Adair, Sr., 7 Jan. 1775: 200 acres in 96 District on Duncins Creek between Broad and Saludy Rivers. Bounded W on John Brotherson; N and W on John. Adair; NW on James Montgomery; NE on John McCrory; E on Saml. Young. Survey certified 3 June 1773; granted 11 Aug. 1774. Quitrent in 2 years. John Rodgers, DS. Delivered 14 Aug. 1775 to James Adair. [13-230:1] [Motes, Jesse Hogan III and Margaret Peckham Motes, "South Carolina Memorials: Abstracts of Land Titles: 1774-1776, (Greenville, SC: Southern Historical Press, Inc., 1996, pp. 209-210]
2. February 25, 1784. James Adair, Sr. and wife, Eleanor, sold to John Jones, blacksmith, 150 acres adjacent southwest on John Adair, northeast on James Montgomery, and southeast on John McCreary. Original survey certified June 3, 1773, granted 200 acres on August 11, 1774, and memorial entered in Auditor General's Office, Book M, No. 13, p. 230, on January 7, 1775. Signed: James (his ? mark) Adair, Eleanor (her ? mark) Adair. Witness: James Adair, saddler, James Adair, Jr., James Miller. [Laurens County Deed Book F, p. 10] [Is this abstract correct about James Adair, Sr. signing with a mark? He signed a full signature on the James Williams Petition. If he did sign this deed with a mark, did the mark look like this - as given by Brownlee? If so, aren't these unusual marks?]
3. 10 Dec. 1788, 7 Jan. 1790. William Price and wife, Margaret, of 96 Dist. sold to Robert Black, of same, for £25, 42 acres on branches of Duncan's Creek, waters of Enoree River. Adjacent to Isham East and John Hunter, being part of a tract of 150 acres originally granted to James Young on 31 Aug. 1774. Witnessed by: John Adair and James Brown. Brown made probate on 10 June 1789 before John Hunter, JP. [Laurens County Deed Book __, pp. 117-118]
4. 6 Mar. 1790, 14 Oct. 1790. John Adair and wife, Jean, to William Davis, all of Laurens Co., for £40, 100 acres on Duncan's Creek of Enoree River in Laurens Co., originally granted to said John Adair on 5 June 1786. Bounded by Joseph Adair, James Miller, Joseph Glenn, John Jones. Witnessed by: Ayres Gorely, Sally Jones. Gorely made probate 21 Sept. 1790 before John Hunter, JP. [Laurens County Deed Book __, pp. 277-278]
5. 9 Feb 1791, 17 Mar 1791. William Huddleston of Laurens County, blacksmith, to Patrick Bryan, in trust for the heirs of John Jones, deceased, 250 acres on branch of Duncan's Creek, being part of 476 acres granted to Huddleston, adjacent to John Adair, now in possession of Patrick Bryan in his wife's right of dower and administrator of estate and guardian to the heirs of John Jones, deceased. Signed by: William Huddleston, Jane (her x mark) Huddleston. Witnessed by: Robert Hanna, Thomas Ewing, John Adair. Ewing made probate 17 Mar 1791 before Joseph Downs. [Laurens County Deed Book __, pp. 335-336]
PS: Does anyone know if there are family links between these Adairs and William Huddleston, Patrick Bryan, John Jones, William Price, or Margaret Price?
Jett:
You are right. So we have Jean, Jane and Jennie in various places-could be the same person, but not necessarily...
Shawn:
You say that "Benjamin Kilgore's children are listed in a will in Livingston Co, KY in 1802. No Jennie or similar name." Yet on the 16th line of his will - in this transcript, Benjamin writes: "... and I also give to my daughter Jane Adair the like sum of two dollars as her full share of my estate ..." Jane and Jennie are all the same name
Jett:
Jean Jones, not Jane Kilgore, was the wife of John son of Joseph Jr per Brownlee. Only references I find for the name of a wife of John who may have been the son of James the trader author is "Jennie Kilgore." The abstract I've seen of the Anderson will refers to John's wife "Jean." As noted earlier, Jean Faires is listed in one account as a wife of that John. Hence the confusion...
I don't think we know that Jennie Kilgore was the daughter of Benjamin Kilgore, and lack of a mention in his 1802 will is a problem. I've seen one account claim that Jennie Kilgore was a Cherokee, though Starr indicates she was "a white woman." There was a Charles Kilgore in the 1790 census for Pendleton County, with a possible daughter. See <http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/sc/census/1790/transcriptions/082.gif> I don't think the Benjamin Kilgore link is that strong.
I also noted a John Adair in York Co. in the 1790 census, with a wife.
In a message dated 11/18/2002, Shawn Potter shpxlcp@comcast.net writes:
In your note you say "Earlier in the text she [Brownlee] lays out the Laurens County evidence on John Adair and Jane Kilgore." Are you referring to Brownlee's account of John Adair, who was born about 1760 and died in Morgan County, GA, Feb. 1813. If so, either Brownlee has badly mangled the details about John and we need to correct what we know about him, or he cannot have been the person who married Jane Kilgore. First, John Adair who married Jane Kilgore died between November 4, 1815 - when he wrote his will, and December 4, 1815 - when his will was proven in Abbeville County, SC. And also, as I mentioned in my previous email, Brownlee says that the John Adair who died Feb. 1813 married Jane (possibly Jones) on June 14, 1783; but the John Adair who married Jane Kilgore about 1791/2 did so after his last child (John Adair, Jr.) was born to Nancy Gahoga Lightfoot in about 1791 and before his first child (James Adair) was born to Jane Kilgore about 1793. Regarding the birth date of Joseph Adair, Jr., this question has a profound impact on what we know about his children. Brownlee has Joseph's children being born from the late 1750s into the 1770s. If Joseph Adair, Jr.'s birth year was about 10 or more years after the one given on the chart referenced by Brownlee, then not only do certain dates of Joseph's children need adjusting - some (whose dates are known because of other contemporary records) weren't his children - he would have been too young to be their father. On the other hand, if Joseph Adair, Jr.'s birth year as given in the chart is correct, then we may not have a problem with connecting his children to him but we are presented with a new question - why was there a 10 year gap between the births of Joseph Adair's first and second Child? Normally, if a man's wife died leaving him with one or more Children, he needed to marry quickly to provide a mother for his orphaned child or Children.
My statement about "positive evidence" was not an attempt to qualify the value or pursuasiveness of the evidence but to contrast that type of evidence with negative evidence. I suppose I was thinking about a geometric proof, where you can prove a statement either by providing positive evidence that the statement is true or by providing negative evidence that all other possibilities are not true. The positive evidence regarding the proposition that John Adair who married firstly Nancy Gahoga Lightfoot and secondly Jane Kilgore was a son of James and Eleanor Adair of Laurens County is as follows:
1. John Adair was connected to James and Eleanor Adair by time, location, and association
a. John Adair was born during the general period when James and Eleanor Adair had their children (time)
b. John Adair's home plantation was located about 50 miles southwest of James and Eleanor Adair (location)
c. John Adair married secondly a neighbor of James and Eleanor Adair (association).
The negative evidence regarding the proposition that John Adair who married firstly Nancy Gahoga Lightfoot and secondly Jane Kilgore was a son of James and Eleanor Adair of Laurens County - because there is no apparent link between him and anyone else - is as follows:
2. I have seen no connection between John Adair and other traditional contenders for James Adair the author and Indian trader (esp. James Adair who died in Bladen County in 1783).
3. Other Adairs that lived in the area and were old enough to have been the father of John Adair had sons named John who did not marry firstly Nancy Gahoga Lightfoot and secondly Jane Kilgore.
a. Joseph Adair, Sr.'s son, John, was killed in 1782 leaving a widow named Sarah.
b. William Adair's son, John, moved to Kentucky and became the governor of that state.
c. Joseph Adair, Jr.'s son, John, died two years before John Adair who married Nancy Gahoga ... wrote his will.
I'm not saying that the above thoughts are conclusive - because many questions remain, such as whether or not there were any other Adairs in the area who were old enough to have been John Adair's father, just that these circumstances suggest a conclusion that warrants further investigation.
By the way, I received a copy of James Adair's book in the mail today. So, I will be reading through that tonight. If I see anything of interest, I will let you know.
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Chris & Julie Petersen's Genealogy
1756 - 1812 (56 years)