Re: Ambrose Madison (Halifax County Virginia)
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In reply to:
Ambrose Madison (Halifax County Virginia)
Paul Madison 8/28/06
At the end of Ambrose's Estate account are the names of his children. They are John, Thomas James, Samuel, Sally, Polly, and Betsy. Since you last name is Madison, could you possibly be a descendant of one of his sons?
You know that Rogerw wife was Elizabeth Taliaferro. This a an article I published about 10 years ago regarding Elizabeth the mother of Ambrose and his daughters. Margaret
WHO DID ELIZABETH TALIAFERRO, DAUGHTER OF MARGARET FRENCH AND ROBERT3 TALIAFERROMARRY?
There are no extant records found to date recording the marriage ofElizabeth Taliaferro, daughter of Robert3 Taliaferro and Margaret French. A very strong preponderance of the evidence case can be made that she marriedRoger Madison, who wrote his will in 1789 in Halifax County, Virginia.Careful analysis of all the documentary evidence relating to the Taliaferro, French and Madison families must be considered in order to prove this hypothesis. Roger’s will, even though it does not mention a wife, provides several important clues to whom he married.
In order to test and verifythis hypothesis the following must be established:
• There was a Taliaferro/French connection.
• Which Taliaferro had the connection to the French family?
• This couple had a daughter Elizabeth.
• Roger Madison of the 1789/1802 will, appeared in the records in the same location as the Taliaferro family.
• Roger Madison had a wife Elizabeth.
BACKGROUND OF ROBERT TALIAFERRO:
The Taliaferro family is quite large.Robert Taliaferro the immigrant had five sons and at least one daughter who were adults by 1690.This familysettledearly in what is now Caroline County, Virginia and intermarried with various branches over and over again.It is necessary to sort it’smembers, through documents created by all the early members in order to eliminate all other Taliaferros of the era as possible fathers ofElizabeth4Taliaferro, wife of Roger Madison.The line of Robert3, Robert2, Robert1has been particularly difficultfor two reasons.One, Robert2 and theRobert3who died in Spottsylvania County in 1728, were telescoped together and the daughters of thisRobert3 were assigned toRobert2. Taliaferro. The second is the erroneous identification of Robert3‘s wife as Margaret Buckner.These early mistakes are perpetuated by family historians who use and circulate this same information over and over again as fact.These early undocumented articles that were published in a variety of magazines over a long period of time when not questioned,continue to prevent accurate verifiable pedigrees, for those who become discouraged when the information on their family does not agree with the literature, and give up.
Clearly Robert2Taliaferro died shortly after his marriage to Sarah Catlett, the daughter of John1 Catlett and his wife Elizabeth.Sarah [Catlett] Taliaferro was appointed administratrix of Robert2’s estate 6 June 1688.Evidence of the existence of a son born to this brief union, did not appear in the records until their son, Robert3soldland he inheritedas only son and heir ofhis father Robert2, mother Sarah Catlett, and grandmother, Katherine (Debman) Taliaferro.Dower releases executed by his wife Margaret aid in the process ofsorting him from the mass. The Robert3 Taliaferrowith a wife named Margaret, executed several deeds over his lifetime that help identify his lineage.
8-9 August 1711
Robert Taliaferro of Essex County, planter, to Samuel Short of same, planter...100 acres, part of a tract of 739 acres granted...17 March 1672/73...to Robert Taliaferro, deceased, father of the within named Robert Taliaferro.
11 August 1717
Robert Taliaferro of St. Mary’s Parish, Essex County, only son and heir apparent of Robert Taliaferro, late of same, deceased, to Thomas Catlett...200 acres in St. Mary’s Parish...part of 600 acres granted unto Mr. Charles Grimes 4 Sept. 1654...and by Charles Grimes given in his last will and testament to Katherine Dedman, grandmother to the said Robert Taliaferro.
7-8 May 1723
Robert Taliaferro to James Neelle...land containing 296 acres...being the moiety of a pattent containing 792 acres of land formerly granted to John Catlett Gent...10th day of September 1660 &...[by] John Catlett given to his two Daughters Sarah & Elizabeth the one moiety of which...doth...belong to me the said Robert Taliaferro (excepting 100 acres part therof which I sold to Henry & Thomas Samuel) I being the only Son & heir of the said Heir at Law the said Sarah
WHO WAS MARGARET?
Robert3Taliaferro, son of Robert Taliaferro and Sarah Catlett and grandson of Robert Taliaferro and Katherine Debman,married Margaret French, the daughter of Hugh French some time after March 1705.That year Margaret French, spinster, purchased a 36 acre tract of land from John Fossacker and wife, Elizabeth.She inherited one hundred thirtyacres from her father, Hugh French, by his 1701, Richmond County, Virginia will.The language in the 1705 deed, suggest there was a mix up in the acreage sold Hugh by John Fossacker, because the part of the deed dealing with Margaret’s inheritance says 100 acres.The 36 acreswere purchased presumably to satisfy the intent of her father. A survey was made thatincluded the metes and bounds of both the inherited and purchased land recorded inthe same deed.In 1710, a Robert Taliaferro, with a wife named Margaret, sold this land to Seme Cox.The deed generated by this transaction contains the same metes and bounds as the deed recorded for Margaret French, spinster, on 1 March 1705. After first eliminating the possibility that Robert Taliaferro purchased this land from Margaret French, by searchingthegrantor/grantee indexfor Margaret French and Robert Taliaferro, looking for deeds made by either between 1705 and 1710,and finding none, it is reasonable to conclude that this property followed Margaret into her marriage and her husband, Robert3Taliaferro, soldthis land. The 1710 deed does not name Margaret or Hugh French,in the text.This marriage is established because the two instruments contain the exact same metes and bounds and under the law of the time husbands controlled the wife’s property.Itcontains a dower release from a wife Margaret, whois now properly identified as Margaret French.
DID ROBERT3 AND MARGARET FRENCH HAVE ISSUE?
In 1724 a Robert3Taliaferro executed a deed of gift of slavesto daughters identified as Anne and Elizabeth.One of the witnesses to this deed was Daniel French. The will of Hugh French establishes Margaret French had a brother Daniel.Other French records establish he was living in 1724.Margaretwas probably recently deceased, and this deed appears to be a parental settlement by Robert3 on his daughters by Margaret, before he entered into a new marriage.In addition to the daughters mentionedin the 1724 deed, Robert and Margaret had at least one more child, a son Samuel.
This son Samuel is linked to Margaret French and Robert Taliaferro through two documents.One is the will of Samuel Sallis of St. Ann’s Parish, Essex County, Virginia, presented for probate in November 1730.Samuel Sallis bequeath his young breeding mare to his cousen Samuel Taliaferro.This record does not state the specific relationship implied by the term cousen, however, the marriage of Samuel Taliaferro’s paternal grandmother, Sarah (Catlett) Taliaferro to Samuel Sallis, Sr. by 6 December 1688, would make this Samuel Sallis his half-uncle.
On 9-10 March 1737/8, Samuel purchased 400 acres on a branch of Stanton’s River from John Garth and Mary his wife, implying Samuel was old enough then to enter into a contractThis would place his birth at circa 1716, a date when Margaret (French) Taliaferro was living.
Samuel Taliaferro is linked in several Caroline County, Virginia records with a Robert Taliaferro who was either his father or brother.On 8 April 1743 an action of debt was brought by Isaac Smith against Samuel Taliaferro.Samuel did not appear and a judgment was granted against the defendant and Robert Taliaferro, his security.
The second document is the will of Francis Taliaferro.Samuel Taliaferro had one son, Francis.He appeared in more than one record with his father in Albemarle County, Virginia.Francis Taliaferro’s will is of record in Todd County, Kentucky.Francis named one of his daughter’s Nancy French (Taliaferro) Edrington. The use of the name French serves to corroborate the other evidence showingSamuel was the child of Margaret French and Robert Taliaferro .
EVIDENCE ROBERT3MARRIED A SECONDTIME
The deed executed 8-9 August 1711 by Robert3 is accompanied by a dower release from Margaret. On 22September 1726,Robert3Taliaferro soldthe remainingparcelof this tract.This time thedower release was from a wife named Ann.Ann Taliaferro was probably the daughter ofWilliam Pittman, as a Robert Taliaferro signed a release for his interest in William Pitman’s estate in King George County in 1732.
Robert’s wife Margaret last made an appearance in the records with him on 7-8 May 1723 therefore she was living on that date. This record also helps toestablish a reasonabletime frame for the death of Margaret French and aids in establishing an age range for the births of her children. Now that the identity of this Robert3’s wifeis established correctly,the appearance of the witness Daniel French, on the 1724 deed of slaves takes on added significance.The Robert3Taliaferro who deeded slaves to his daughters, Anne and Elizabeth, was the one who married Margaret French.
After first establishing;exactly which Robert Taliaferro had a wife named Margaret, and identifying her as Margaret French and further demonstrating a Robert Taliaferro had daughters Ann and Elizabeth, it is time to introduce the will of the Roger Madison,that was probated in Halifax County, Virginia in 1802.
TRANSCRIPTION AND ANALYSIS OF LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF ROGER MADISON
In the name of God, Amen, the twenty Eighth day of April one thousand seven Hundred and Eighty Nine, I Roger Madison of the County of Halifax being Infirm & weak in Body but of Perfect Mind and Memory, thanks be to God do make Constitute and Ordain this my last Will and Testament Revolking all Former Will or wills whatsoever by me made and as touchingsuch Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life, I give, Devise and Dispose of in manner & form following
First I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Ann Cox one negro Boy named Isaac to her and her Heirs for ever.~
Secondly I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Mary Collins one Negro Girl named Lucy, to her and her heirs for ever~~
Thirdly, I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Elizabeth Moore one Negro Girl named Annacato her andher Heirs for ever~
Fourthly I give and Bequeath unto my Daughter Frances Collins one negro Girl named Ritter to her andher Heirs for ever
Fifthly I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Peggy French Madison one Negro Girl named Thinthia and one Feather Bed & Bolster, to her andherHeirs forever~
Sixthly I give and bequeath unto my Grandson Tolifarro Richards Twelve Pounds Current money to be paid to him when he shall arrive at the Age of Twenty one Years, if then living, Allsoone Negro Girl named Milly to him and his Heirs for ever and if the said ~ Tolifarro Richards shall die without Lawful Heir, then the said negroto go to his father George Richards~
Seventhly I give and Bequeath unto my Grandson Toliafarro Cox one Negro Girl named Phanny, to him and his Heirs for ever~
Eightly I give and Bequeath unto my Son Ambrose Madison all the Residue of my Estate both Real and Personal, to him andhis Heirs for ever...andfor the said Ambrose Madison to pay all Just demands that shall come against my Estate out of his part of the Estate. I do hereby appoint my Nephew George Camp & Ambrose Madison, my Executors of this my last will & Testamentin witness thereof
Carried over
brought over
I do hereunto set my hand & Seal this 28thday of April one thousand seven hundred and Eighty nine~~
Signd Sealed & acknowldged
In Presentsof____________________________Roger Madison
Ben Lankford
Epm Jackson
MosesXLawson
mark
At a Court held forHalifax County the 25th day of January 1802 The within written Last Will and Testament of Roger Madison dec’dwas exhibited in Court & proved by the oath of two of the witnesses thereunto & subscribed & ordered to be Recorded.
Teste John WimbishCHC
The will of Roger Madison contains onomastic evidence that strongly suggests the existence of a French/Taliaferro connection somehow within this Madison family.It does not establish that this Roger Madison had a wife named Elizabeth nor does it state a link for this Roger Madisonto other Madison’s who lived in colonial Virginia.There is corroborating evidence that when evaluated along with this will, solves both of these problems.The obvious solution is based in the knowledge Margaret French marriedRobert3 Taliaferro.The name of a daughter Peggy French Madison in this will takes on added significance when this knowledge is applied. to other facts relating to the French and Taliaferro families.The given name Taliaferro for two Madison grandsons,is another clue.There is a third important onomastic clue in this instrument.It is the use of the given name Ambrose byRoger for his only son.When all records on the Madison family are compiled the knowledge that Roger Madison chose as his executor “my nephew George Camp”takes on significance,as corroborating evidence.
THE MADISON FAMILY: A BRIEF OVERVIEW
James Madison, fourth President of the United States drew a pedigree chart that was preserved.It was published in the William and Mary Quarterly, Series One, Volume Nine. The original was said to have been the property of Mrs. Mary Madison McGuire of Washington City at the time of publication.It identifies his lineage only.His father was James Madison, grandfather, Ambrose Madison and great grandfather, JohnMadison. This Ambrose Madison appeared in the recordsin the region of King William County, that became part of Caroline and Spottsylavania after their formation.Was it a coincidence Roger Madison of Halifax County, named a child Ambrose or did it indicate he belonged to the same family as Ambrose Madison, the grandfather of the President?
The name Roger Madison first appeared in the records in Caroline County, Virginia on 14 March 1734/35 when he served on a jury.Jury service suggest he was of age by that date, therefore it is reasonable to assume he was born by 1714.The first person with the Madison surname to appear in the records for thatgeneral area wasJohn Madison.He patentedtracts of land beginning as early as 4 June 1653. There are no estate papers for this John Madison preserved.Two patent recordsabstracted by Nell Marion Nugent in Cavaliers and Pioneers, suggests he had two sons.A son John is identifiedin the following record.
John Madison ( Maddison) Junr., 430 acs., New Kent Co., St. Stephen’s Par., on N. side of Mattopany River, 16 April 1683, p. 246.Running through the old field land; to N. side of the Spring br., crossing the Road,...&c. 300 acrs granted John Madison, Snr., 18 Mar. 1662; l30 acrs. new taken...
Another patent, this time in the name of Edward Ware suggest that John Madison the immigrant had a son Henry also.It reads as follows:
Edward Ware, 815 acs. (O. & N. L.), K & Q. Co., in Stratton Major Par; on S, side of the Dragon Sw; adj. Dennis Macarty: Arthur Lett, in an old field in John Lewis’ line: crossing Timber Br: to Richard Todd; 22 June 1722, p. 106. 40 Shill. 415 acs sold by Henry Madison to Nicholas Ware, father to sd, Edward, by deed acknowledged in New Kent Co. Court 29 Nov. 1680; 20 acs. sold by James Martin to sd Edward, 12 Nov 1700: 380 acs. surplus found within part of patent granted to John Pigg & John Madison father to sd. Henry Madison dated 4 July 1664.
A third patent, this time for William Lea, establishes that a Madison family and a Thomas Camp lived very nearhim.It reads
William Lea, 100 acs. (Eschet L.) K. & Q., in St. Stephen’s par; on W. side of Mr. John Madison’s Mill Sw., on N. side of Mattapony Riv; adj. John Taylor; Mrs. Anne Wiltshire; & Thomas Camp 16 Dec. 1714 (Escheated from Thomas Ware, dec’d)
The Roger Madison, of interest, called George Camp, one of his executors, nephew in his Halifax County will.Another record significant to placing Roger Madison in the region with his family of origin isa description of patent granted to John2 Madison 23 October 1703.It is important because the description establishes John Madison owned land that had a line next to a Baylor family.It reads:
John Madison, 80 acs., K. & Q. Co., in St Stephen’s Par; beg. by W. side of Mantipike Road a little below the School house, up same where the Church Road crosses; along Baylor’s line; 23 Oct 1703, p. 564.
A deed executed 31 August 1741, reveals John Baylor had a line next to Roger Madison and places him next to other Madisons of the generation.
Duncon Bohannon of Caroline County, planter, and Susanna his wife, to John Baylor of Caroline County, Gent.For 5 shillings.Exchange of land.Duncon Bohannon and Susanna his wife in the right of Susanna Stand seized of 342 acres in Caroline County in St. Margaret’s Parish whereon Duncon Bohannon now lives...line of Thomas Madison by a branch...side of a pond...land of Roger Madison...line of John Baylor being also John Pickett’s corner...John Baylor stands seized of 342 acres in Orange County...on the south side of a branch of Baylor’s run...head of a valley...Hezekiah Rhodes’corner in John Baylor’s lane.
A notation in the Lunenburg County, Virginia, Court Order Books corroborates the placement of Roger in the family of Ambrose Madison.At the August 1757 session of the court, Henry Madison, Orphan of Henry Madison chose Roger Madison as his legal guardian.Henry Madison, the decedent had a daughter Isabel also. She chose Tschaner DeGraffenreid as her guardian.Isabelle was the name of John2 Madison’s wife.
Josiah Jackson of Charlotte County, Virginiawrote a letter to President James Madison, preserved among the Presidential papers, about his father-in-law, Henry Madison on 1 June 1809.Jackson begins
...Convey to you a few lines in the way of private letter, some account of a distant Branch of your Family...The head of which is an Old Gentleman by the name of Henry Madison about 65 years...son of Henry Madison who has been long dead, I believe of Caroline, he I understand was Brother of your Grand Father Ambrose...
The use of the name Ambrose by Roger Madison ofHalifax County for an only son is not a coincidence.The placement of Roger Madison near land once owned by John2Madison indicates a Roger Madison belonged to the same Madison family as Ambrose, the grandfather of the fourth president of the United States, thus linking Roger of Halifax, to the Madison’s in Caroline County and environs.The two Henry Madison records cited abovecorroborate this fact.
DID ROGER MADISON HAVE A WIFE NAMED ELIZABETH?
There are several deeds created overtime linking Roger Madison to a wife named Elizabeth.The first for this couple was recorded in Caroline County, Virginia, 14 June 1753 when Roger Madison and Elizabeth his wife acknowledged their deeds of lease and release to Robert Taliaferro, Gentleman.From Caroline County, this couple moved to Lunenburg County where they lived for about fifteen years.Roger purchased several parcels of land while living there.In October 1767 Roger sold Tschaner DeGraffennreid land on Ledbetter Creek.Elizabeth Madison relinquished her dower on 12 November 1767.Roger sold another tract of land in April 1769.Elizabeth relinquished her dower in this tract on 11 May 1769.
The last record for Roger Madison in Caroline County was created on 13 June 1755.In this record the estate of Roger Madison was attached to satisfy a debt Roger owed to William Waller, Gentleman.This record was not preceded in the records with an order for an estate inventory nor was there an appointment ofan administrator as would be the case if there was a decedent, therefore it is not evidence establishing a death date for Roger Madison nor is it proof oftwo generations ofRoger Madisons. The attachment of property known as one’s estatewas a custom in England. The House of Burgess found it necessaryto enact laws from time to timeaddressing theattachment of property designed to aid in recovering debts.One statute was passed in 1748 that seems to apply to the situation with Roger.It reads in part;
...That it shall be lawful for any justice of peace, upon complaint to him made by any person, that his debtor is removing out of the county privately, or absconds and conceals himself, so that the ordinary process of law cannot be served upon him, to grant an attachment against the estate of such debtor, or so much thereof as shall be of value sufficient to satisfy the debt and costs of such complainant; which attachment where the debt or demand shall be of the value of twenty five shillings current money, or two hundred pounds of tobacco, or upwards, shall be returnable to the next county court, and directed to, and served by the sheriff, or his under sheriff, unless in cases where the sheriff is a party interested, and then the same shall be directed to and served by a corner; and it shall be lawful for such sheriff or officer to serve and levy the same, upon the slaves,goods and chattels of the party absconding, wherever the same shall be found, or in the hands of any person or persons indebted to, or having any effects of the party absconding, and to summon such garnishee or garnishees, to appear at the next court to be held for the said county, there to answer upon oath, what he or she is indebted unto such party, ...
Other than the record for the attachment of Roger’s property, where the property is referred to as estate, there is nothing further suggesting the death of a Roger Madison occurred in 1755.Roger was the last of the children assigned to John2 and Isabella Madison to make an appearance in the records, implying he was their youngest son.When Roger came of age he probably did not have the wherewith all to set up a house hold right away.This would account for what seems to be marriage at an advanced age for him.
Marriage records for some of Roger’s children were recorded in Charlotte County, Virginia.Their age at marriage is not known. The first marriage that can be identified was for his daughter Ann, who married Henry Cox 5 April 1773 . This suggests a birth date for her of about 1753-55, assuming she married at 18-20 years of age. There were several daughters whose marriage date is not known.Richard Collins and Mary his wife is one.They are said to have had children marring in the 1780’s .If this is the case, then Mary’s marriage would have occurred in the 1760’s suggesting a birth date for her in the 1740’s.This would be compatible with other information on Roger and Elizabeth (Taliaferro) Madison.
Elizabeth Taliaferro’s date of birth, can not be established with precision.It could range anywhere from 1710 to 1724, therefore it is possible she married in the mid-seventeen forties.The destruction of large amounts of records for all the counties where this couple lived during their early years, makes it difficult to sort the Taliaferro and Madison families and the various branches.However, the absence of any contradictory evidence beyond those already discussed, makes it possible to identify the husband of Elizabeth Taliaferro, daughter of Robert3 and Margaret (French) Taliaferro as Roger Madison,through the weight of the preponderance of the evidence.