Elizabeth (Pledge) Poindexter (abt. 1740 - 1816)

Born about 1740 in Goochland County, Virginia

Ancestors

Wife of Thomas Poindexter Jr. — married 22 Feb 1760 in Goochland Co, Virginia

Descendants

Died 9 Feb 1816 at about age 76 in Surry County, North Carolina

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Biography

Elizabeth "Betty" Pledge was supposedly born about 1740 (on her grave marker placed many years after her death) but was more likely born about 1745/6. There is a persistent story that Elizabeth Pledge was part Cherokee. In that story her mother was the daughter of Chief Donohoo and a white woman named Mary (others say Elizabeth) Wentworth. William Pledge, father of Elizabeth did marry Ann Redford, but the possibility that he had an earlier marriage to a different Elizabeth cannot be ruled out. Other children ascribed to this earlier and illusive Elizabeth include Francis "Frank" Pledge, John Ayers and Junalusky. [John Ayers & Junalusky seem to have been made up...] Eventually some 1500 individuals attempted to claim Cherokee bloodlines from these four "children" of Elizabeth, daughter of Donohoo & Mary Wentworth (collected under Application #664 in the Guion Miller Eastern Cherokee Rolls). All claims were rejected as a group at the time, as no one could prove Chief Donohoo was actually Cherokee, ever lived with that tribe, or even existed. ^[1]

Betty married Thomas Poindexter in 1760. She was underage (parental consent was required for girls under sixteen), so her father wrote a letter of consent. ^{[2] [3]}

They were the parents of at least five children born in Virginia:

1. Ann ^[4]
2. Francis, ^[5]
3. William, ^[6]
4. Patty (Martha), ^[7]
5. Thomas, Jr. ^[8]

Thomas' Sr's 1807 estate records named eleven children (Francis died in 1802), including additional children: ^[9]

1. John,
2. Archibald
3. Robert
4. Elizabeth,
5. Mary,
6. Sarah,
7. Dorothy.

By 1790, the family had moved to North Carolina, ^{[10] [11]} where Thomas died about 1807. ^[12]

Elizabeth appears on the 1810 Census, in Surry County, North Carolina, possibly living with a daughter. ^[13]

Elizabeth Poindexter is also listed in Capt. Stow's District, 1812 Surry Co tax list with 247 acres. Daughter Dorothy, sons John G., Robert, Archibald, and Thomas P. W. are on the same list, as is John (Stray) Poindexter believed to be a nephew.^{[citation needed]}

Elizabeth died in 1816. Her estate records are located in Surry County NC. ^[14]

An account of the property sold of the Estate of Elizabeth Poindexter deceased by William Poindexter and Robert A. Poindexter, the 7th and 8th of June 1816.

Thomas W. P. Poindexter bought a plow, coffee mill, hogshead of cider, a bee hive, 6 head of cattle, pot & hooks, bacon, a table, rye in the field for a total of £66.6.8

Robert a Poindexter bought potatoes, log chain, cider, bee hive, bedstead, piece of leather, an apple mill & utensils, other small items. £31.1.7

William Poindexter bought a plow, fodder, pot & skillet, chair, soap, looking glass, etc. for £10.13.5

William Pratter bought 5 barrel of corn and a crock of fat

Matthew Taylor bought one pair of gears.

Isaac McCammon bought a plow, 5 bars of iron, a cupboard, a scythe. £18.7

John G. Poindexter bought an axe, a hogshead of cider, a table, a counterpane, 5 chairs, a wheel, a tablecloth. £9.12.2

William Scott bought rye, 5 barrels of corn, and then another lot of 7 1/2 barrel of corn for a total of £22.16

Anne Scott bought a flax wheet, 10 gallons of vinegar, a chest, sheet & towels, salt cellar, counter pane [bedspread]. £7.2.5

Edward Lovill bought 80 gallons of cider and a smoothing iron. £3.15.11

Jesse Ridings bought a hogshead, candle snuffers, a Testament, and three Negroes for a total of £401.15.9

Laughlin Flyn bought 5 barrels of corn 6sh 7p.

Edmond Kerby bought a cow & calf.

Joshua Prim bought the hogs for just over £20.

Dorothy A. Poindexter bought a bedstead 7 furniture, table. £18.0.6

James Hammons bought an umbrella, shears, harness, scythe

William Logan bought crocks, pewter, knives & forks bid off by Hammon Miller

John Kelly bought candle moulds

Leonard Scott bought the loom

Patrick Logan bought a seive

Anne Petitt bought an oven

There were several small items not sold.

August Term 1816. Sale of the Estate of Elizabeth Poindexter deceased was returned and ordered recorded. Jo.Williams, CC

p.198:

Inventory of the property of Elizabeth Poindexter deceased sold to William & Robert Poindexter, 7 Sep 1816. [appears to be just the last of her estate and the items left over from the first sale as divided among the sons]

Robert A. Poindexter bought spice mortar, bits of iron, oat stack.

Thomas W. P. Poindexter bought a meal bag, tray & skillet.

William Poindexter - 10 1/2 bushels of oats, a tub

John G. Poindexter, half bushel, flax brake.

The total was about 11sh

Feb Term 1817. Returned & recorded.

p.269

29 Jul 1818. Agreeable to your order to us directed we have proceeded the perform the duties assigned us. We from the amount of sales find the Estate of Elizabeth Poindexter decd. to be worth $1279.51 1/2 cents. We allow the Admrs of the within Estate paid upon the whole amount by us. Edward Sweatt, JP. Thos Dugless, JP; Aug Term 1818. Settlement with admrs. of Elizabeth Poindexter deceased returned and ordered to be recorded. Jo. Williams, CC

Research Notes

Evidence that suggests perhaps William Pledge had daughters older than Elizabeth & Frank, descent from whom do not carry the Indian tradition. This would also cast doubt that they were children of any sort of Indian relationship. At the time William Pledge was having children, he was living in Goochland County, Virginia, a relatively settled area no longer under threat of Indian attack.

An interesting version of this story is in the Dec 1989 "Yadkin County Historical & Genealogical Society Journal" titled "Chief Donnahoo, My Indian Ancestor" compiled by Ruby Bray Canipe. These stories are so persistent that the Pettitts concluded in their book that there was possibly Indian blood but perhaps from an earlier generation. Likely this problem will never be solved. The truth is that the Poindexter's had a ferry that crossed the Yadkin at a settlement known as Donnaha. There was living nearby a Donnaha family - white, not Indian. I have often wondered if bedtime stories were told about the name "Donnaha" adding certain Indian flavor. . .stories that later took on a life of their own.

Another version of the tale is in The Heritage of Yadkin County, 1980, Frances H. Casstevens, Editor, Article 184. It says in part, " Donnahoo. . .was a Cherokee Chief and that he married a white woman, Elizabeth Wentworth" and is from a manuscript written by A. H. Jarratt Sr. about the stories handed down in several Yadkin Co families. In reading this fanciful tale about a young Donnahoo rescuing a young English woman from hostile Indians there are some serious discrepancies. First of all Jarratt describes an Elizabeth Wentworth, in other versions she is described as Mary Wentworth who was rescued. Elizabeth being the daughter who would marry Pledge. The most disturbing part about the story is the presence of William "Bill" Pledge in the area near Edenton, North Carolina at a time he was instead living in Goochland, Virginia. I simply do not believe he was in North Carolina to meet Elizabeth Wentworth - and it's just as unlikely the incident related took place when William Pledge was in Virginia, as it was a relatively settled area. Jarratt calls Bill Pledge a trapper - nothing in the records of Goochland indicate William Pledge was anything other than landed gentry, or that he made early hunting forays into North Carolina. In fact, William Pledge died in Goochland Co VA never living in North Carolina at all.

The Poindexter family was fond of using family names and the name Wentworth is used among the children of Elizabeth Pledge and Thomas Poindexter. There are other possibilities. Wentworth could very well have been the surname of Dorothy, mother of William Pledge and Elizabeth Pledge's grandmother, as her surname has never been discovered. Wentworth could have been a surname in the family of Thomas Poindexter's first wife. William Pledge could have been married more than once, and Ann Radford his second wife.

The Supplemental DAR application of Martha Eileen Duffy Douglas, National #617278 who is a descendant of William Arche Poindexter & Rebecca Flynn [makes her my double cousin - Poindexter & Flynn] has Elizabeth Pledge Poindexter as a Patriot in the Revolution. Here is her summary of her ancestor's service taken from the DAR Patriot Service Index: "Elizabeth Pledge Poindexter performed Patriotic Service in NC during the Revolutionary War. Elizabeth is listed as a Patriot as a result of sewing letters to her daughter's petticoats and the daughter went through the lines delivering letters to proper parties. [DAR #494459]" Then she cites the DAR Patriot Service Index, p.539 as her authority. However, the person checking the applications usually adds notes/corrections and the following had been written in: "In Data File: Notarized Statement by Great Granddaughter [of Elizabeth Pledge Poindexter] given in 1916. She was the Granddaughter of Mary Poindexter Ridings - who was the little girl who delivered the letters. She was told the story by her grandmother." So apparently at some time this notarized statement was in the DAR files and has been accepted as proof. Someone visiting the DAR library could get copies of the statement if it existed, but it apparently does not. Dar application #494459. Copy sent by email from Richard Elliott. Application for #617278 is also in my files. No one is allowed to join DAR on this line any longer. The line has been closed if you cannot furnish new proof.

From Find A Grave website bio:

Born about 1740. Listed on the DAR Patriot Index #494459. She is listed because she sewed letters to her daughter's petticoats and the daughter went through the lines, delivering letters to proper parties. One of Elizabeth's experiences included a future President of the United States. Elizabeth purchased a wild turkey for 50 cents from a young lad who said "Mrs. Poindexter, I like wild turkey and when you cook that turkey, I'd like to eat dinner with you." So when the turkey was served, this lad was present and refused all other dishes except the turkey. This lad was Andrew Jackson. (Source: book written by M. Silver, a great-granddaughter of Capt. Thomas Poindexter, who served in the Revolutionary War, and contributed by Gladys Martin Crawley, a direct descendant of Capt. Thomas Poindexter.

Buried at Poindexter Cemetery, Yadkin County, North Carolina.

Sources

1. ↑ digitized at Fold3 beginning at Poindexter
2. ↑ "February 12, 1762 Thomas Poindexter to Elizabeth Pledge, daughter of Wm Pledge. sec: Wm. Robards; William Pledge's letter of consent." Bentley, Elizabeth Petty, indexer. Virginia Marriage Records: From the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, the William and Mary College Quarterly, and Tyler's Quarterly. Baltimore, MD: Genealogy Publishing Co., Inc., 1984. [1]
3. ↑ Virginia, Select Marriages, 1785-1940, Elizabeth Pledge, female, married on 02/22/1760 at St. James Parish, Goochland County, Virginia. Father: Thomas Poindexter. spouse: Thomas Poindexter.
4. ↑ "Virginia Births and Christenings, 1584-1917", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRR4-HGT : 28 January 2020), Elizabeth Pledge in entry for Ann Pindexter, 1761.
5. ↑ "Virginia Births and Christenings, 1584-1917", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRRZ-715 : 28 January 2020), Elizabeth Pledge in entry for Francis Poindexter, 1765.
6. ↑ "Virginia Births and Christenings, 1584-1917", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRRH-QTX : 28 January 2020), Eliz. Pledge in entry for William Pledge Poindexter, 1767.
7. ↑ "Virginia Births and Christenings, 1584-1917", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRRW-TZG : 28 January 2020), Eliz. Pledge in entry for Patty Milner Poindexter, 1769.
8. ↑ "Virginia Births and Christenings, 1584-1917", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRR4-2D2 : 28 January 2020), Eliz. Pledge in entry for Tho. Wentworth Poindexter, 1771.
9. ↑ Thomas Poindexter, Surry County, North Carolina, Estate Records 1771-1943; Author: North Carolina. Superior Court (Surry County); Probate Place: Surry, North Carolina, Estate Records, Pell, T W - Ramey, C W. digitized at Ancestry.com, see attached image.
10. ↑ "United States Census, 1790," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHK1-84Q : accessed 20 July 2021), Thomas Poindexter, Stokes, North Carolina, United States; citing p. 545, NARA microfilm publication M637, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 7; FHL microfilm 568,147.
11. ↑ "United States Census, 1800," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHRD-H9N : accessed 20 July 2021), Thomas Poindexter, Salisbury, Surry, North Carolina, United States; citing p. 683, NARA microfilm publication M32, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 32; FHL microfilm 337,908.
12. ↑ "North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2Z7-3JC3 : 17 March 2018), Thomas Poindexter, 1807; citing Surry, North Carolina, United States, State Archives, Raleigh; FHL microfilm
13. ↑ "United States Census, 1810," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH2V-W3Q : accessed 20 July 2021), Elizabeth Poindexter, Surry, North Carolina, United States; citing p. 663, NARA microfilm publication M252 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 43; FHL microfilm 337,916: Elizabeth Poindexter. No males in household. One female age 26-45, 1 female over age 45.
14. ↑ Surry County, North Carolina book of Inventories, Bonds, etc. dated 1809-1818 digitized on FamilySearch.org. "North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2Z7-3JMK : 17 March 2018), Elizabeth Poindexter, 1816; citing Surry, North Carolina, United States, State Archives, Raleigh; FHL microfilm, p.172-174 -

See also:

• Mary Jane Comstock, Compiler; Comstock-Haggard and Allied Families; (Chicago: Adams Press, 1973)

• National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, "Application for Membership to the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution," Office of the Registrar General, 1776 D Street NW, Washington DC 20006-5392: Supplemental. Martha Eileen Duffy Douglas, #617278

• W. Mac Jones, editor, The Douglas Register. Detailed record of Births, Marriages, Deaths.....as kept by the Rev. William Douglas, from 1750 to 1797. [Note: Douglas went to Goochland in 1750 but did not start the Register until 1756.] An Index of Goochland Wills. Notes on the French-Huguenot Refugees who lived in Manakin-Town. (Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. Baltimore Reprinted 1985; Original, 1928. c1966) Available online at Ancestry.com by subscription. Note: Copies sent by Jean B. Willis (1977 printing) National Genealogical Society Lending Library (1985 Printing). Also available at FHC in Montgomery Repository: #R1

• Mary Courtright Pettitt and Robert J. Pettitt, Thomas M. Pettitt's Family (Self Published. Highland CA: c1996. Out of print but available on LDS Microfilm #1750818, Item 13.) Note: 3037 Mountain Top Drive, Highland, CA 92346. Sent to me (??) by Richard Elliott 11/98; Call Number: Copies [Poindexter/NC/101] Page: "The Pledge Family" p.B83-100

• Find A Grave: Memorial #14840578