Bristol Parish Virginia

 

Bristol Parish was established in 1643. It included the parts of the Westover and Weynoake Parishes on the south side of the James River. A new chapel was erected in Bristol Parish. In 1752, it became the parish for Dinwiddie County as well.

Westover Parish on the north side of the James was established in 1613. The current church was built in 1730, before that the church was on Westover Plantation; built between 1630 and 1637. The church was destroyed during the Civil war when it was used as a stable for federal troops, who used the gravestones as tent floors.

Charles City County was one of the four corporations set up by the London Company in 1618. When the Virginia Colony was divided in 1634, the county included land both to the north and south of the James River, from James City to Henrico County. In 1703, the territory south of the river was formed into Prince George County.

The first colony was Charles City, established in 1612 as a fortification from the Indians on the south bank of the Appomattox. About the same time, on the north side of the James, about 12 miles from Jamestown, Governor Dale founded the plantations of West and Shirley Hundred, as part of his New Bermudas, around the main settlement of Bermuda Hundred. In 1617, Weyanoke was given to Sir George Yeardley by Opechancanough, with 2200 acres on the north bank of the James between Mapsico and Queen's Creeks. In 1618, Smith's Hundred was established- 100,000 acres between the Weyanoke and Chichahominy river on the north side of the James, but this plantation was anihiliated in the Indian massacre of 1622. Weyanoke plantation also extended south of the James River from Westover plantation on the east to Kennon's Creek on the north and Upper Chippokes Creek on the south.

Westover plantation was originally on land granted to Thomas West (Lord de la Warr) and his brothers on the West and Shirley Hundred, which was united by marriage of Thomas West to Cecily Shirley. This lay on both sides of the James River from Henrico County (Gunn's Run) on the north to Flowerdew Hundred on the south. 

On the south side of the river, Martin's Brandon plantation and Merchants Hope were established by Captain John Martin in 1618 and 1620 and later passed on to John Sadler, Thomas Quiney and associates in 1643.

The earliest church was St. Mary's in Smith's Hundred (later Southampton Hundred) by 1619, but most parishioners were affected by the massacre of 1622.

Wallingford Parish church, a brick building on Chickahominy Creek  near Kennon's Creek was likely built around 1648 but the parish was added to Westover in 1720.

Blandford church also had outlying wood frame chapels; the Ferry Chapel, near the home of Mrs. Elizabeth Kennon's brick house at Conjurers Neck, and another at Sapponey.

William and Martha Womack

Wm born Sept 10, 1723  bapt Jan 19, 1724

Laurana dtr of Eliz Womack b 20 March 1728

Ephaim son of Womack and Mable Pucket born 24 Jan bap 10 April 1721

Isham son of Womack and Mable Pucket  born 14 Oct 1723 bap 23 April 1724

Richard son of Richard and Martha Pucket born 17 March 1718

Phebe dau of John and Judith Pucket b 11 Jan bap March 5 1720

Wm son of John and Judith Puckett b 15 Sept bap 17 Dec 1720

Sources:

Vestry Book and Register of Bristol Parish 1720-1789

Chamberlain's Colonial Churches- Blandford Church

Meade's History of Bristol Parish

Births from Bristol Parish Register- Chamberlayne (Ancestry.com)

The Colonial Churches of Charles City County Virginia

Excitement at St. Stephens- the Capture of Aaron Burr

People of Old Saint Stephens

 

Ephram Kirby, first Alabama judge, appointed in 1804 to St. Stephens, Washington County, died soon after appointment of yellow fever

George Strother Gaines, appointed federal trader to the Choctaw Trading House at St. Stephens, Washington County in 1804. Lived in the old Spanish commandant's residence and ran a store and land office. Built the first brick building in 1811.

Battle of Burnt Corn- July 27, 1813

Burnt Corn, Monroe County, Alabama- July 27, 1813

Mississippi Territory Militia
Colonel James Caller commanding-Washington County Alabama
Capt. B. Heard's Volunteer Company- Fort St. Stephens
Capt. B. Smoot's Volunteer Company- Fort St. Stephens
Capt. P. Cartwright's Militia Company - Washington County Alabama
Capt. S. Dale's Volunteer Company
Capt. Dixon Bailey's Native American Company- Tensaw/Little River
William McGrew's, Robert Caller's, William Bradberry's Company-Fort Glass

Total force 180 men.
Casualties 2 killed, 15 wounded

Creek Warriors "Red Sticks"*
Peter McQueen commanding- Ikana chaka (Holy Ground)

Tallassees
Atossees
Alibamos

Total force about 100 warriors- est.
Casualties 10 killed, 8 wounded- est.

http://alabamatrailswar1812.com/muster.htm- has information on other nearby battles and massacres

http://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-3081

Patriots from Georgia and the Carolinas- the Overmountain Trail and our Womack family

 https://www.nps.gov/ovvi/planyourvisit/park-brochure-part-1.htmNPS Overmountain Trail and History

James C. Womack- Farms in Apple Springs in 1880

In June, 1880, fifteen years after the civil war had ended, they took an Agricultural Census in Trinity County, Texas. James C. Womack, lived in Beat #4. His closest neighbors included his brothers, George Franklin Womack, and Thomas Womack, and two of his brothers-in-law, William Taylor and James Taylor. The census shows the dollar value of different components of each local farm.

Source Citation

Census Year: 1880; Census Place: Beat 4, Trinity, Texas; Archive Collection Number: T1134; Roll: 41; Page: 3; Line: 6; Schedule Type: Agriculture

The first section shows that JC Womack owned his land. James had tilled land, wooded land, and a large section of "old fields." The total dollar value of his farm, including land, fences, and buildings, was about $500. He owned two horses and a mule- typical in 1880 for most families in the community His livestock was valued at $425.  He paid $75 for farm labor- more than most of his neighbors. He sold about $535 worth of farm products that year.

James (#6) owned 8 milk cows. The record shows that Fannie had made about 300 pounds of butter that year. She kept about 20 chickens which had provided them with about 135 eggs. (Only about 11 dozen!) James also owned 10 pigs and 27 head of cattle and slaughtered 2 for meat that year.  

James was a farmer as well as a rancher. He planted 12 acres in corn, which resulted in 200 bushels of the crop, and 4 acres in cotton, which resulted in only 3 bales. He planted 10 acres in cow peas, and Fannie had a small garden with Irish and Sweet potatoes and an orchard with apple and peach trees.

The family cut about 15 cords of wood from their woodlands.

James C. Womack- Apple Springs Community in 1880

It was June, 1880, fifteen years after the end of the civil war. James C. Womack and Nancy Frances, "Fannie," Taylor were 30 years old, living on their farm in Trinity County, Texas. They had been married for ten years, and had three daughters; nine-year-old Emma, six-year-old Dona, and three-year-old Leona. Fannie was pregnant with my grandmother, Mattie, who would be born six months later on January 6, 1881.

The small community of Apple Springs was mostly inhabited by close knit relatives. James had several family members on adjoining farms;

James' mother, 63 year old widow Rebecca Franklin Womack, lived next door to the family with his youngest brother, 22 year old Thomas.

James' brother, George and Fannie's sister Mary Jane, "Mollie" had married and lived next door with their three children; nine-year-old Leon, seven-year-old Oda, five-year old-Edna, and three-year-old Jennie.

His eldest sister, 39 year old Matilda Womack West, had lost her husband in the war, and lived with her two children, Robert 19 and Annie 17.

Fannie also had siblings on nearby farms;

Fannie's 59 year old mother, Jennie Ainsworth Taylor, had also been widowed and was living with her son 20 year old son William and a farm worker, Benjamin Rasberry.

Fannie's brother 31-year-old James Taylor and his wife Sarah were also neighbors with their four children; Thomas 9, Eugene 5, William 4, and Annie 1.

Her 34 year old brother Lee Taylor and his wife Lenora lived nearby with their three children William 7, Lula 6, and Edgar 1.

Extended family also lived  in Apple Springs;

Rebecca's Franklin Womack's sister, 65 year old Jemima Franklin McClendon, had lost her husband in 1861, and was living with her sons 29 year old Robert, who worked as a mail carrier, and 23 year old Frank, who worked the farm. Jemima was caring for a 2 year old grandchild, Walter McClendon.

Rebecca Franklin Womack's cousin, 50 year old Lucy Campbell, whom she had grown up with in Mississippi, was married to 62 year old Abram Womack, a distant relative of our Womacks. The couple never had children of their own, but had raised many orphans over the years.

There were two school teachers living in the community; 28 year old Homer Hunston and 20 year old Henrietta Hunston. Like most schoolteachers of the day, they boarded with a local family, the Craigs.

Source Citation

Year: 1880; Census Place: Precinct 4, Trinity, Texas; Roll: 1329; Page: 328A; Enumeration District: 110