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Charles Moorman (bef. 1686 - bef. 1757)

Charles Moorman
Born before in New Kent County, Virginiamap
Ancestors ancestors
Husband of — married 1704 [location unknown]
Descendants descendants
Died before at about age 71 in Green Springs, Louisa, VAmap
Profile last modified | Created 31 May 2011
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Contents

Biography

U.S. Southern Colonies Project logo
Charles Moorman was a Virginia colonist.

Probate

14 MAY 1757 Place: Louisa County, Virginia
Text of Charles' will 
In the name of God Amen. I Charles Mo[orman of Lo]uisa County being perfect health sence and memory blest to [al]mighty God for the same do acknowledge this to be my last will & [testa]ment this ninth day of May in the Year of our Lord One thousand [seven] hundred and Fifty five which is as followeth.
Item I lend unto [my be]loved wife Elizabeth all my household furniture and Stock of oxes ...le horses and mares with four Negroes named Toby Jack Cuffee ... Dina for her proper use during Widowhood or Life and after her [dea]th these four above named Negroes with the Increase and ...forementioned Goods and Chattels to be Equally Divided between my Sons Thomas Charles and Achelus Moormen.
Item I give & bequeath unto my beloved Son Charles Moormen three hundred and ...enty Acres of Land being more or less lying and being on both sides of .... Creek the land whereon he now Lives to him his heirs and assigns forever.
Item I give and bequeath unto my beloved Son Archilus Moormen the Land and Plantation whereon I now live Containing Four hundred and twenty Acres more or less to him his heirs & assigns forever.
Item I give & bequeath unto my Sons Thomas Charles and Achilus Moormen four Negroes named Harry little Harry Jenny and Nany to be Equally divided in value between all three above names Sons.
Item I give unto my Daughter Judith the wife of John Douglass One Shilling Sterling money.
Item I give unto my Daughter Ann the wife of Thomas Martin One Shilling Sterling money and I do appoint & leave my three Sons Thomas Charles & Achelus Moormen with my wife Elizabeth Executor & Executrix of this my Last Will & Testament. I ... Estate may not be Appraised.
his
Charles X Moorman (seal)
mark
Signed in Presence of
George Taylor Joseph Megea Thomas Clark
At a court held for Louisa County on the 24th day of May 1757 This will was this day proved in open court by the oaths of George Taylor & Thomas Clark Witnesses thereto & by the ... admitted to record & is recorded.
Teste
James Littlepage[1]

Inventory

Date: 1 DEC 1757 Place: Louisa County,
Virginia[2]


Birth

Date: BEF 1686 Place: New Kent Co., VA Note: He is supposed to be the oldest child of Thomas & Elizabeth. As such, it is probable that he was born before the baptism of his sister Mary (29 Aug 1686)
Another, undocumented, source states his birthdate as 19 August 1690 in Green Springs, New Kent Co., VA. Note that "Green Springs" is an area in central Louisa County which was not created until 1742.

Death

before 14 MAY 1757, Louisa Co., VA, the date his will was probated

Biography

Charles MOORMAN and Elizabeth REYNOLDS

by Linda Sparks Starr March 1999

I have as many "guesses" for Charles' birth year (1670 to 1690) as I have traditional accounts; the bottom line is all are guesses, no matter who reported the information. My "best guess" is a more narrowed range: not before 1680 and no later than 1684. My reasoning: Charles appears in St. Paul's vestry records before his brother Andrew (baptized 1689 [1]); therefore I project him the elder of the two. With a sister baptized in 1686, Charles' birth is moved backward once again. Because he doesn't appear in processiong records until 1708/9, I think he was born after 1680. This also agrees with what is known about his "probable" father, Thomas. [THSMORMA.txt] Thomas Moorman is found in Blisland Parish in 1677 and in St. Peter's Parish in 1689. St. Peter's was cut off from the upper part of Blisland Parish in 1680. Therefore, with a birth between 1680-1684, we can say Charles Moorman was "probably" born in St. Peter's Parish, New Kent County, Virginia.

There are at least two good reasons for the lack of birth records for Charles: Blisland's birth register is not extant and St. Peter's doesn't begin until 1682. Even then several of the first few pages are completely missing or have many torn places. I project Charles' birth record is among those missing entries - and believe this is the only reason for lack of his birth record.

We perhaps have better luck with Elizabeth REYNOLDS. Although more research is called for, I project the "Eliz. daugh' to Tho. Renalls Bapt 15 of March 1690-1" [2] is the same Elizabeth who married Charles Moorman. Louisa Court records identify Charles' wife as "Elizabeth" and tradition says REYNOLDS. Although Tillman and others say she descends from Christopher Reynolds of Isle of Wight Co., VA, I believe Thomas as her father makes a far stronger case.

Charles and Elizabeth's marriage date is problematic, but surely comes within the first five years of the eighteenth century. Tradition says Elizabeth was 13 when she married - IF she's the above Elizabeth baptized March 1690/1 [1691] that gives them a marriage date circa 1704. However, the same tradition says Charles was 15, thus born circa 1688. St. Peter's records show the baptism of his sister in 1686 and his brother in 1689. It's possible, but not likely his mother would have three children in three years and his father would fail to register the birth of only one. For all the above reasons, I personally believe Charles was born circa1683.

Every four years the General Assembly required parish vestries to perform a task called "processioning." In the days before property was fenced, neighbors walked their boundary lines with two neutral overseers as witnesses. In the process they re-stacked fallen marking stones and remarked all those hickory and red oak trees seen in early deeds. This kept boundary disputes from taking up court time.

In 1706 St. Paul's Parish was created from the upper portion of St. Peter's Parish, but both parishes remained in New Kent County. The first vestry book entry regarding processioning begins "July ye 28th 1708, Ordered that the parish be forth[ ]th divided into precincts for processioning according to law ." [3] The order further directed this be carried out between September 30 and March 31. The vestry met that September to divide into precincts; the results from its 39 precincts were returned 14 March 1708/9.

Charles makes his first appearance in Virginia records in 1708/9 among those living in the 19th processioning precinct: James Tate, Geo. Phillips, Chas MOORMAN, Nich: Mills Jr. and Thos Glass. Tate and Glass were appointed precinct overseers that year. [4] A study of land patents [5] suggests this group of neighbors lived near Totopotomoy Creek, Whiting Swamp and the Pamunkey (then called York) River. However, since so many of these men owned several tracts of land, it is difficult to determine which was the residential tract for any single individual.

In 1711 the vestry appointed three committees to divide the parish into processioning precincts; each committee was assigned to one large area -- between "the lower line and Totopottomoy's Creek"; between "Totopottomoys Creek and Machumps Creek"; and "above Machump's Creek." [6] The returns of 30 precincts were reported to the vestry 17 MAR 1711/12. This time Charles lived in the 6th district composed of: Anthony Winston, Thomas Glass, Jno Sanders, widow Winston, John Brown, Charles Moorman, Nich. Mills, James Tate and Geo Phillips. Thus we know he didn't move; the precinct number merely changed. The precinct number and neighbors remained mostly unchanged in the 1716 processioning as well.

However, Charles' name also appears in the 15th district with neighbors: Edwd Moore, Joseph Baughon, Wm Bostick, Widd [or Didd] Leak, Simon Woody, Chas Bostick, James Woody, Charles MOORMAN, Chas Brian. Overseers Moore and Baughon returned the list 8 DEC 1711 with notation it was "subscribed by all persons except Moorman." This notation suggests Charles did not live on this particular tract, for was not available to walk the lines with his neighbors. The composition of this new neighborhood is surprisingly similar to the 1689 list of neighbors in then St. Peter's Parish: Char. Brya[], Char. Bostick, Chris. Baker, Tho. MOORMAN, Tho. Snead, Jam. Moor, Edw. Qurill [Dorill]. [7]

Andrew Moorman makes his only appearance in St. Paul's Parish records in 1716. He is listed among the same 15th district neighbors where Charles' name appeared four years earlier: Joseph Baughan, Wm Bostock, Edw Moore, Widd: Leak, Simon Woody, Walter Leak, Chas Bostock, Andrew MOORMAN, Jas Woody and Chas Brian.

Based on these three processioning lists, it is almost too easy to come to this logical conclusion: St. Peter's birth register proves Thomas is father of Andrew; thus Thomas is father of Charles Moorman (c1683-1757). This agrees with tradition and all but one of the earlier researchers. Brother Ambrose thought Charles was the son of Zachariah and Mary. However, I'm very uncomfortable with the 23-year gap between the St. Peter's record showing Thomas Moorman living among these neighbors and the St. Paul's record with Charles and then Andrew living in the same neighborhood.

Based on these same records, we can show Thomas REYNOLDS was another near neighbor to Thomas Moorman as was Edward Johnson and various SNEADs. (BLDFNTES.txt and EDWJOHNS.txt) We tend to think of these processioning precincts as distinct neighborhoods, when in fact the lines were arbitrarily drawn, often dividing known family groups. Therefore, to point out a pitfall in making assumptions based on too few records, I present the following "What if" scenarios: "WHAT IF Elizabeth inherited this tract from her father?" As a married woman, her husband's name would appear on all legal records. This explains his name on the 1711/12 processioning record. Then "WHAT IF they sold this tract to Andrew Moorman?" Or `WHAT IF Thomas Moorman sold this tract several years earlier?" and `WHAT IF Thomas Reynolds was the purchaser and then bequeathed it to his daughter in his will?" Or "WHAT IF Charles Moorman simply purchased the tract between the 1708/09 and 1711/12 processionings?" The records are just not available to say which, if any, of the above is correct; we can't be sure it's even the SAME tract or just in the same neighborhood. My point in this is to say: "It's just not good genealogy to make assumptions with so few records." We are hindered from making further conclusions by the lack of New Kent County records; the 1704 Quit Rent roll [8] is little help for only shows that no person named MOORMAN had patented land by 1704. Quit Rent was only required on patented land (granted by the King's agent), and not on that received by deed of gift (will) or purchased from an individual. [9]

Hanover County

By 1719 the list of neighbors for Charles and Elizabeth changed dramatically suggesting they moved north and west after the spring of 1716 and before fall 1719. However, this closely coincides with the creation of a new county so one has to be careful. Almost all the early Hanover County records were destroyed; but one small Court Orders book survived and does contain helpful information. The will of Thomas Glass (Jr.) dated 21 FEB 1725/6 gives "to son Robert 150 acres left me by my father joining upon land I bought of Charles Moreman . to son Thomas the 100 acres I bought of Charles Moreman."[10] A look back at St. Paul's 19th precinct list in 1708/9 and 6th list in 1711/12 shows Thomas Glass as near neighbor of Charles Moorman. This will proves Charles sold land to Thomas Glass before 1726; that coupled with the sudden change of neighbors on procession lists between 1716 and 1719 implies Charles and Elizabeth moved from one area of "now" Hanover County to another between the two processions. Meanwhile, Charles' neighbors in his old precinct remained nearly the same in 1719/20 as they had been. They were Thos. Glass, John Saunders, Widd Winston, John Brown, Nicho: Mills, for Jno Glass's orphan, James Tate, Isaac Winston for Anth Winston's Orphan & Geo. Phillips. [11] The combination of Glass' will and the 1719/20 processioning convinces me that Charles had in fact moved.

The other Court Order entry names Charles Moorman, John Douglas and Anthony Pate appraisers of the estate of Robert Holt 22 MAR 1734. This John Douglas is likely the one who married Judith Moorman, daughter of Charles and Elizabeth.

Names on the 1719 processioning list include: Sam Chamberlayne, Jere: Parker, Stephen Sunter; Charles MOORMAN, Maj. Nich'l Meriwether, Cap Nath'l West, Wm Pulliam, Thos Johnson, Wm Williams, Doct Blair and Haunce Hendrick. A note explains Hendrick's lands now belong to the orphans of Anth. Winston, lately dec'd. Some of these names reappear on a road maintenance order by St. Paul's Vestry: "In obedience to an order of Court dated ye 4th of 8br 1723. Ordering Charles Moorman to Succeed Jere: Parker, deceas'd in ye Road he was Surveyor of: Order'd that he have to assist him in Maintaining the said road, William Webb, Thomas Johnson, Rich'd Allen, John Killcrease, Franc's Clark, John Smithin, Thos Rowland, William Thacker, John Raglan, Stephen Raglan, Timothy Sullivan, Timorthy Reach, & Wm Harris, with all their male Tithables." [12]

Thus we have a list of several near neighbors; the trick now is to locate the general area where they lived. Charles' patent for this land is found in Book 12: "Charles Moorman 111 acs (N.L.), Hanover Co; beg. At Charles Moremon's cor. In Moor's line; to Thomas Rowland; on Licking Hole Swamp; 9 July 1724, p. 35. 15 Shill." [13] ("N.L." means "new land" and "Moreman's cor" indicates they already owned land in the area before the survey was made.) To get from locating unclaimed land to the actual patent required many steps and usually several years. Today, there are several Licking Hole Creeks in VA, but no Licking Hole Swamps; however, the designation "creek" and "swamp" appear to be interchangeable in early records. Neighbor Thomas Rowland's 1728 patent is more helpful: "on both sides Ash Cake Road; adjacent to Henry Kirby, Thomas Rowland, Charles Moreman, and Moore's line; on Licking Hole swamp." [14] (Today, Ashcake Road in Hanover County meanders from near the Pamunkey River to where it intersects with Licking Hole Creek just south of the town of Ashland before heading off to the northwest.) A road order dated 29 8br 1720 [OCT] shows Jeremiah Parker's precinct stretched from "Stony Run between Chickahominy Swamp, and the branch of Machum's Creek . to Megirts path, to Tottopottomoy's Creek and from thence to the mouth of Stony Run." [15] This precinct was divided in 1721 with the area between Ash Cake Road and Machumps Creek remaining in Parker's precinct. The fact Charles took over supervision of this precinct [by order dated 4th 8br 1723] after Jeremiah Parker's death is very important. It "implies" that Charles lived in the precinct, thus matches up with his owning land in the area before the 1724 patent. But how he acquired this land is lost with the New Kent Co. records.

For some reason, processioning records for the St. Paul's Parish during the 1720s are not available. Neighbors in the 9th precinct (returned January 1731/2) include: Henry Bowe, John Anderson, Joseph Perrin, Wm Alsup, Timothy Sillivant, Thos Rowland, Peck's orphans, Stephen Ragland, John Ragland, John Guess, Ed Davis, John Smithin, Chas Moorman, Wid Cole, John Snead, John Pulliam, Chile's orphans, Michael Holland, Francis Clark, John Gilchrist, Geo Davis, Thos Johnson, Chas Talley, Wm Nichols, Robt Allen, John Cannon, Thos Cawton, John Ragland, Wm Alsop. A note indicates that Clark and Allen didn't show. This list of neighbors remained much the same on the 1735, 1739 and 1743 processioning lists although the precinct became the 3rd in 1735.

This 1743 list is the last time Charles Moorman's name appears in St. Paul's Parish records. However, we have one problem: Charles Moorman Jr. married Mary ADAMS circa 1736. Tradition has Charles and Elizabeth in the Green Springs community well before 1743. So WHICH Charles is the one participating in the processioning task for St. Paul's Parish from 1735 through 1743? It easily could be the younger Charles who remained behind when his parents moved to Green Springs. But which years is it he, and which his father? Or Charles and Elizabeth didn't move to Green Springs as early as tradition has them? Lack of Hanover County records is particularly burdensome here. Coupled with the lack of County records, is the formation of another parish, whose records are also lost.

In 1726 St, Martin's Parish was cut off from the part of Hanover County and St. Paul's Parish that eventually became Louisa County. But when Louisa County was cut off from part of Hanover County DEC 1742, Fredericksville Parish was carved at the same time from St. Martin's Parish. Depending on the source, a small strip of far-eastern Louisa County remained in St. Martin's Parish or Fredericksville Parish covered the entire area that was Louisa County. At this time, Fredericksville Parish and Louisa County also includes a large chunk of present day Albemarle County. But for now, we are interested in only a small area of Louisa, referred to as the Green Springs community.


Green Springs, Louisa County

Tradition errs by stating Charles was born at Green Springs, VA; the only Green Springs in Virginia in the 1600s is Gov. Berkeley's plantation of that name which lay near Jamestown. In fact land patents suggest land speculators didn't reach the area of the green springs until 1720s. In 1836 Joseph Martin described this area: "Towards the upper part of the county is a singular tract of country, of about 8 or 10,000 acres, called `Green Spring land', (from the mineral spring of that name situated in it.) This tract lies in an irregular circle, or from four to six miles diameter, and far exceeds all other high land in the county, both in native fertility, and in susceptibility of improvement. Its soil is a dark grey, containing very little sand or stone of any kind; and resting, at a depth of 12 or 15 inches, upon a stratum of compact, firm, red clay, scarcely penetrable by water." [16] The National Historic Landmark pamphlet for Green Springs adds: "By the early 1740's Quakers had settled in Green Springs, their arrival a result of a search for fertile land and a desire to escape from the persecution found in more settled areas further east. By 1742, when the Quaker Camp Creek monthly meeting was formed, 16 Green Spring Quaker families were members." Tradition has Charles and Elizabeth among these 16 families and patent records show Charles was indeed scouting for land in the area before this.

He patented 400 acres in then Goochland County, (now Albemarle) at a Fork of the Rivanna River near the Blue Mountain (1735) and 483 acres in Hanover County on both sides of Rockey Creek (1737). [17] The reference to Blue Mountain is likely the Blue Ridge and the fork of the Rivanna River probably became Moorman's River. The Rockey Creek tract fell into the area of Hanover that became Louisa Co. In fact this Rockey Creek tract confirms Charles and Elizabeth owned land in Louisa before its creation. The third entry of Deed Book A identifies Charles as "of St. Martin's Par., Louisa Co., planter" when he sold 403 acres to James Buchannan 8 JAN 1742/3. The land description includes: ". Price's corner . being 483 acres excepting 83 acres at lower end of tract on both sides Rocky Creek." That same day he sold the withheld 83 acres to Alexander Galaspa. [18] Obviously this is the entire tract he patented in 1737. Charles Sr. was one of the witnesses FEB 1749 when James Buchanan sold 200 acres from this tract to Munford Robinson; [19] but, Charles Jr. and his wife Mary witnessed the deed when Munford Robinson sold those same 200 acres in 1752. The tract was then described as "200 acres on south fork of Foster's Creek; part of land taken up by Charles Moorman; conveyed to James Buchanan . Foster's Creek . to Forrest Green's road ... between Foster's Creek and Rocky Creek." [20]

Rocky and Foster's Creek are parallel branches of the South Anna River and near Camp Creek where the Meeting House was located. At the September 13th, 1743 meeting of the Fredericksville Parish vestry, Charles Moreman and Forrest Green were appointed overseers of the 10th precinct "from Hudson & Morris upper line between Goochland line, the River and Fosters Creek." [21] Their brief report to the vestry reads: "March 12, 1743/4 in Obediance to an Order of Vestry wee have peaceably and Quietly processioned all the lands within our bounds." [22]

The August 1745 patent for Charles Francis further describes this area: "on both sides the Goochland Road, on the Goochland Co. line [N60 degrees W]; adj. Secretary Carter, James Merideth & Charles Moreman." [23] Thanks to Doug Tucker for sharing this experience: "I have `walked' the entire Green Springs area with a local historian, Martha Purdy Adams, who was able to point out the locations (and ruins) of many of the homes you are talking about as well as the original Camp Springs Quaker Meeting House location which was on Charles Moorman's property. Charles actually lived on a low hill the north side of Foster's Creek close to where it enters the South Anna River. The Camp Creek meeting House was located on the south side of Camp Creek close to where Camp Creek enters Hudson Creek and Hudson enters the South Anna River not far from the crossroads shown as Poindexter on today's maps."

No one questions that Charles Sr. is the one who originally donated the land for the Camp Creek Meeting House; but it "appears" that Charles Moorman Jr. is the one who legally deeded the Meeting House property to the Quakers. The wording retained in the abstract reads: "10 April 1764 Charles Moorman of Louisa Co., Trinity Par., To John Davis and Christopher Johnson; 5 shillings; one certain acre of land in Trinity Par. On which sd. Acre the meeting house or place of Worship of the people called Quakers is situate. Sd. Acre is hereby Covenanted to be laid off and bounded so as the sd. Meetinghouse shall be exactly or as near as may be in the Center thereof which said Meeting house is Generally called or known by the Name of Camp Creek meeting House. The people called Quakers shall forever freely use and meet on the sd. Acre for the purposes of Public Worship or for the Regulation of Church Discipline and the People Called Quakers shall at all times have free entry to and from sd. Meetinghouse without Trouble, hindrance or Molestation or Denial of any person or persons." [24]

Returning to the Fredericksville Parish vestry processioning lists, we learn that in 1743 Charles also owned land in the 17th precinct that fell into the area "from Harrisses Creek to Gibsons Land between the River and the Road" [25] overseen by Henry Tate and John Davis. Neighbors, based on their report to the vestry include: "part of Madm. Johnson, part of Jams. Watsons, part of John Mechie, part of Love Statom's. part of Mrs. Jouets. Part of Mrs. Jane Chapmans. part of one tract of John Raglands. Nathan Watson's Finish'd. some Tracts of John Raglands finish'd. part of Capt. Hollands & some Finish'd. Salem Bocock Finish'd. Francis Smethings Finished. Part of Chas. Moremans. part of John Bunches. Jams. Lasley finish'd. Robert Davis finish'd. Saml Johnsons finish'd. Thos. Gibson's Finiah'd. part of Gilbert Gibsons and our Own." [26]

Since Charles sold the entire tract he patented, how he acquired his "home plantation" was destroyed with other Hanover Co. records. However, we can pinpoint the location of their "home planation" as near their 1737 patented land through other deeds, parish records, and his will. He bequeathed his residence to his son, Achilles, who sold it in 1772. The legal description on that deed reads: ". both sides of the South Fork of Pamunkey River . Hudsons Creek on John Bunches line . along a line marked without Survey by Charles Mooreman, dec'd, between his son Charles Mooreman and the above Achelis Mooreman . to Hudsons Creek." [27] His will gave "son Charles three hundred and --eventy acres more or less he lives on" and "son Achilles four hundred twenty acres more or less I live on." The above deed says Achilles' land adjoins that of his brother Charles. The combination of the will and deed "suggests" Charles' home plantation was an undivided 790 acres or so tract. Lacking Hanover Co. records, we'll never know for sure.

The remaining entries in the Fredericksville Parish vestry book are interesting, if not terribly informative. In 1747 Charles and Thomas Moorman were appointed overseers for the 15th precinct "between Cuffys Creek, Hudson Creek and the River." [28] In 1752 Thomas and Charles Moreman "Jr." were appointed overseers for "all land between Hudsons Creek, Camp Creek and Machunks Creek". [29] The use of "Jr." in the 1752 entry shows that two Charles Moormans now reside in Louisa County. The lack of "Jr." or "Sr." in the 1747 entry suggests that only one Charles Moorman lived in Louisa at that time. Other records show the "father" Charles in the county, so the 1747 entry is "father" Charles and his "son" Thomas. But the 1752 return shows "brothers" Thomas and Charles Jr. as the overseers. Then in 1760, (after Charles Sr.'s death in 1757) we again find "only" Charles Moorman in records. He then becomes Charles Sr. when nephews and his own son (all named Charles) enter the records.

A Goochland County deed indicates one Charles Moorman owned another tract which eventually fell into Albemarle County; this one ". on the side of hill nigh Carrolls Creek, a branch of Mountain Falls Creek . " [30] But again, we have to be careful about distinguishing between Charles and his son. I think this Goochland / Albemarle tract is more likely Charles Jr. since his father- in-law, Robert ADAMS, owned property on Carrel's Creek. In fact, this tract might be part of the land at the foot of Sugarloaf Mountain Robert bequeathed in his 1738 will to his daughters Mary Moorman and Judith Clark. [ROBTADMS.txt]

By all accounts, Charles and Elizabeth were among the early settlers in the area. The real question is: "When did they become Quakers?" The very first time any MOORMAN appears in VA Quaker records is "1744, 9, 10 Charles & s. Thomas, co of a mtg lately settled in the upper part of Louisa Co."[31] Yet, we have other known neighbors (from processioning lists) who regularly appear in Quaker records from 1700 on. I have no argument with them being charter members of Camp Creek Monthly Meeting; it's the period before Camp Creek was organized that I am discussing. Here's some background from Hinshaw: "Many of the charter members of Camp Creek and Fork Creek seem to have been heredity Friends, but the records would also tend to show that the majority of the membership of this new monthly meeting were Friends by recent conversion. A letter written by Gershom Perdue in 1878 seems to uphold this interpretation. I quote in part: `These two families (John & Wm Johnson) with many others of the higher class in the vicinity, by the preaching of old Joseph Newby of lower part of North Carolina, became Friends and built up Camp Creek Monthly Meeting and the meetings composing it: Carolina meeting, Douglas Meeting and Park (Fork) Meeting. Among other worthies were Christopher Clark, the Lynches, Anthony, Douglas, Moormans, Terrills And Ballard and many others ." Gershom Perdue." [32]

Charles' Louisa Co. VA will is dated 9 MAY 1755 and was probated 24 MAY 1757. [See above for transcription.] Elizabeth's will is dated 29 JAN 1761 and was probated 11 MAY, 1765. Presumably each died shortly before their wills were submitted to court. Only five children are named in these wills: Thomas, Charles, Achilles, Judith and Ann.


[1] The Parish Register of Saint Peter's, New Kent County, Va. From 1680 to 1787_, published by the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America, Parish Record Series, No. 2, Richmond, 1904, page 22.

[2] Ibid, page 33.

[3] Vestry Book of St. Paul's Parish, Hanover County, Virginia, 1706-1786, transcribed by C. G. Chamberlayne, reprint ed. 1989, VA State Lib., page 27. [Some quotes from notes on which I didn't record page numbers.]

[4] Ibid.

[5] Cavaliers and Pioneers: Abstracts of VA Land Patents and Grants, abstracted by Nell Marion Nugent, vol. II: 1666-1695, VA St. Lib, 1977.

[6] Chamberlayne, page 51.

[7] Vestry Book of St. Peter's Parish, New Kent Co. Virginia 1684-1786, transcribed by C. G. Chamberlayne, page 21.

[8] The Quit Rents of Virginia 1704, compiled by Annie Laurie Wright Smith, Genealogical Publishing Co. Inc., Baltimore, 1980, pages 62-3.

[9] "Tidewater Virginia Families: A Magazine of History and Genealogy", vol. 7, No. 4, FEB/MAR 1999 within article "John Burrows, 1608 James City County" by Virginia Lee Hutcheson Davis, page 212.

[10] Hanover County, VA Court Records 1733-1735: Deeds, Wills and Inventories, abstracted by Rosalie Edith Davis, 1979. [My notes do not include page numbers.]

[11] Chamberlayne, St. Paul's, page 257.

[12] Chamberlayne, St. Paul's, page 108.

[13] Cavaliers and Pioneers: Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants, vol. III 1695-1732, abstracted by Nell Marion Nugent, VA State Library, Richmond 1986, 2nd impression, page 266.

[14] Ibid, page 348.

[15] Chamberlayne, St. Paul's, page 92.

[16] "A New and Comprehensive Gazeteer of Virginia." by Joseph Martin, 1836.

[17] Cavaliers and Pioneers: vol. 4 1732-1741 , edited by Denis Hudgins, VA Genealogical Society, Richmond, 1994, pages 86; 132.

[18] Louisa Co. VA Deed Books A and B 1742-1759 , abstracted and compiled by Edith Davis, Bellevue, Wash. 1976, page 1; Deed Book A, pages 7 to 10: Charles Moorman to James Buchanan / Alexander Galaspa.

[19] ibid, page 55, Deed Book A p. 382-3, James Buchanan to Mumford Robinson.

[20] ibid, page 72-3, Deed Book A, p. 459-460 Munford Robinson to John Askew.

[21] Fredericksville Parish Vestry Book 1742-1787, vol. 1 , edited and compiled by Rosalie Edith Davis, Manchester, MO 1978, page 10.

[22] Fredericksville Parish Vestry Book: Indenture and Processioning Returns 1742-1787, vol. 2, transcribed and edited by Rosalie Edith Davis, Manchester, MO 1981, pages 1.

Information re: boundary changes for parishes and counties from the Library of Virginia's "Parish Lines Diocese of Virginia" [3]


Marriage

Husband: Charles Moorman Wife:
Elizabeth Reynolds Child:
Charles Moorman Child:
Achilles Moorman Child:
Thomas Moorman Child:
Judith Moorman
Date: about 1703

Biography Notes

...Among the most influential of these Quakers was Charles Moorman(3) of Louisa County, who married Elizabeth Reynolds. She bore him five children, Thomas(4) (1708-1766), Judith(4) (Douglas), Ann(4) (Martin), Achilles(4) and Charles(4). The family purchased considerable land in Albemarle County on and near Moormans River, a stream named for Thomas.[4]

There is no documentation for the birth date or parentage of the Charles Moorman who married Elizabeth Reynolds.

However, land records including the processing records of St. Peters and St. Pauls parishes of New Kent and Hanover counties lead me to believe that Charles was the eldest son of Thomas of New Kent County. Thomas had land in New Kent and appears in 1689 as a processioner in St. Peters Parish. St. Pauls Parish was cut off from St. Peters and Thomas' land was in the new parish. Charles' land was processioned along with many of the same people who had been Thomas' neighbors. Although there is no direct evidence, it is likely that Thomas had died and Charles, as eldest son, had inherited his land. Later, Charles moved farther west (near present day Ashland) and his younger brother, Andrew appears with the same neighbors Charles had earlier.

We don't know Charles' birthdate but it was likely before the known baptismal dates of his siblings, Mary and Andrew (29 Aug 1686 and 4 Nov 1689).[5]

..Charles, the other son, lived in Louisa County near "Green Spring" where he had settled in 1704. [Note: Louisa County did not exist until 1742.] He married Elizabeth Reynolds. They were both devout Quakers, although they owned slaves. Charles was a Justice of the Peace and with his son, Thomas, was an overseer of the Society of Friends. Charles died in 1756.

He had five children by Elizabeth Reynolds.

The first was Thomas (1705-1765) who married Rachel Clark. They lvied in Louisa County ner Green Spring, but a few years before he died, he and his family moved to Bedford County where he held large tracts of land. Records at Bedford show that he first bought land in that County, July 17, 1762. His will is dated July 22, 1765; it was probated in November of the following year.

The second child of Charles and Elizabeth was Judith, who married John Douglas.

The third child, Charles, married Mary Adams; the fourth child, Achilles, married Elizabeth Adams and lived in Bedford County.[6]

Sources

  1. Source: #S132 WB 1, p. 35
  2. Source: #S132 Inventory Book 1743-1791, p. 46, recorded 20 Feb 1758
  3. Source: #S536 http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~lksstarr/reports/chaseliz.txt; downloaded 25 March 2007
  4. Source: #S644 "The Moorman Family of Virginia"; Paullin, Charles O.; 2nd Series, Vol. 12, No. 3 (July 1931), pp. 177-180
  5. Source: #S633 Stewart, Mary E.; email address removed for privacy 20 June 2005
  6. Source: #S645 pg. 60-61
  • Boddie, John Bennett, and Mrs. James E. O'Donnell. "Moorman of Virginia." In Historical Southern Families, 20-22. Vol. IV. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub., 1968.
  • Source: S536 Internet Web Page
  • Source: S633 E-Mail Message
  • Source: S644 William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine
  • Source: S645 A History of Lynchburg's Pioneer Quakers and Their Meeting House Brown, Douglas Summers. Warwick House Publishers, Lynchburg, VA, 1997
  • The Genealogical and Political Achievement History of the Descendants of Thomas Moorman of the Isle of Wight, England, in the United States from 1620 to 1971, Tillman, Stephen Frederick. Privately Printed, 1972
  • Tillman, Stephen Frederick. The Rennolds-Reynolds family of England and Virginia, 1530-1948; p. 344 Publication: [Ann Arbor, Michigan, Lithoprinted by Edwards Bros.], Washington, 1948

Acknowledgements

  • WikiTree profile Moorman-103 created through the import of MOORMAN FAMILY.GED on May 31, 2011 by Mary Elizabeth Stewart.
  • WikiTree profile Moorman-235 created through the import of EBENSTEIN-GRANGER.GED on Aug 19, 2011 by Merryann Palmer.
  • WikiTree profile Moorman-231 created through the import of My Family File072211.ged on Jul 25, 2011 by Grady Lucas.
  • WikiTree profile Moorman-219 created through the import of Shurtliff Family.ged on Jun 20, 2011 by Mark Shurtliff.




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Moorman-408 and Moorman-102 appear to represent the same person because: Same dates, same mother's name, same place
posted by Deena (Smith) Cross