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William and John Sumpter of Caldwell County, North Carolina, are sons of William and Elizabeth (Unknown) Sumpter, of Albemarle County, Virginia.
Almost everything found on the internet in regard to these two people has absolutely no basis in fact - neither the required documented proofs, nor the required alternative of documented circumstantial evidence "sufficient to constitute proof in a court of law".
We don't really know where William Sumoter Sr. came from, who his parents were, when he came to colonies, how he came, why he came, where he first lived, when he married, where he married, who he married, and don't know with certainty what he did for a living, everywhere he lived, and exactly how many children he had.
It's reported, but I haven't personally verified, as required, that a Baptismal record in Hanover County, Virginia, positively identifies Patience Sumpter as his daughter.
I have personally verfied that his will in Louisa County, Virginia, gives no description of his property, or listing of his posessions, identifies his wife only as "Elizabeth", and names only two children, sons "William and John".
Thomas Sumpter, I believe, but haven't verified, identified himself, and two daughters have been identified, and I've verified this, by contemoraries. Major John Reddd, in The Draper Manuscripts reports of General Thomas Sumpter, "I knew of one sister who married a Lan(d). That's Ann/Anna, wife of Thomas Land. And Dr. Charles Brown ia quoted by the Reverend Wood in his county history, as having known well the midwyfe, Martha Supter, sister of Thomas Sumpter, and wife of William Suddarth. (Her sister, Patience Sumpter, married first, a Benjamin Franklin, and secondly a James Sudderth.)
We know then that William Sumpter Sr., and presumably wife, Elizabeth (Unknown) Sumpter had six children, William, John, and Thomas Sumpter, Patience Sumpter Franklin Sudderth, Ann/Anna Sumpter Land, and Martha Sumpter Sudderth. As far as I know, and I have searched, there are no records found for any other people surnamed Sumpter living in Albermarle, where William and Elizabeth's children are known to have lived, in Louisa where they're known to have lived themselves, or in Hanover, where they're reported to have lived. This appears to be their entire family.
William and John Sumpter didn't acquire property in Albemarle County until after the death of their father in adjoining Louisa County. Their father's property and posessions, except for horses given to William and John, was left to their mother for the duration of her life, or widowhood. What became of William Sumpter Sr.'s property isn't presently known to me.
It's simply assummed, not proven, that William and Elizabeth lived on Priddy's Creek in that part of Louisa County that became part of Albemarle County after William Sumpter Sr.'s death. The assmption is based on the fact all their children were afterwards living in Albemarle.
It assummed, not poven, that William Sumpter Sr. was a miller. The assumption is based on the fact, when men typically learned their job skills from their fathers, William Sumpters Sr.'s sons, William and Thomas, both owned mills.
Major Redd reported Thomas Sumpter was born and raised in in upper Orange County "near the Blue Ridge". He reported William Sumpter Sr. wasn't wealthy, but (in his own words) was comfortably situated. He also said William Sumpter Jr. "Wasn't of much note", but gave no reason for the comment. Other historical writings make clear that young Tom Sumpter, and his best friends, Joe Martin and Ben Cleveland, both of whom would also become Revolutionary War heroes, weren't held in high regard in their youth. It was reported by people who knew them then that they "didn't work much", and they mostly just "hunted, traded, and gambled".
It is proven that William Sumpter Sr. definitely was not married to Patience Iverson. She and her husband both lived out their lives, and died in England. That he's the son of Nicolas Sumpter is a baseless assumption. There's nothing to support it except that a Sumpter family in England named a child, William. The same is true of reports William of Louisa County,Virgina is the William Sumpter, married in an unamed county in Virginia, who appears in a court document there. There could have been several William Sumpters living in Virginia. Few records were kept, and of the few that were kept, most have long since disintegrated, or been destroyed.
Stories of William having been an orphan, and having had a wealthy aunt in England who sent him valuable things that were stolen by his cruel master, and of Elizabeth having jumped out of a third floor window, to run away with a man she loved of whom her wealthy parents disapproved, are familiar fairy tales. They're found with slight variation in many, many, families. The known facts about William and Elizabeth disprove some aspects of the stories told about them, and cast serious doubt on other aspects.
I can't urge you strongly enough to follow the cardinal rule of genealogical research, which is for you to personally verify, from the source document, anything reported by someone else. If you haven't seen the source document yourself, throw the information out, and do the research ncessary to find out from reliable sources what you want to know. Don't depend on people on the net to give you the facts. Ninety percent of the time, they'd don't have them.
Always,
Lynn
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