Adam See (1764 - abt. 1840)

Born 29 Nov 1764 in Moorefield, Hardy, (West) Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Margaret (Warwick) See — married 1795 in Bath co, Virginia

Descendants

Died about 21 Aug 1840 at about age 75 in Huttonsville, Randolph, (West) Virginia, USA

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Adam See Biographical Info compiled by Sara Stevens Patton

Adam was the second son of Michael and Barbara Harness/Ernst See and was born on the family farm on the South Branch of the Potomac in what is today Hardy Co, WV in 1764. Many researchers give the exact birth date as 29 November 1764 but no source. The date may have come from a headstone but have not been found in any records. Adam's father, Michael (who some mistakenly refer to as Adam), died intestate without naming his children but Hardy Co land records indicate that Adam and George were two of his sons. A number of land transactions in the 1790s show Michael selling land to George and Adam at the same time the two younger men were buying land in Randolph Co. However, Bosworth's "History of Randolph Co" and the TJJ SEE "History of the See Family" claim Adam to be the son of his brother George. Adam's birthdate 1764 makes it impossible for him to be the son of George said to have been born ca 1752-57.

After some preparatory study elsewhere, Adam enrolled in Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA in 1788. He subsequently studied law and for a time attended the courts in both Hardy and Pendleton (WV) counties. Just two years prior to their father’s death, Adam and his younger brother Michael Jr., crossed the Allegheny mountains from Hardy to Randolph county and in 1793, Adam was admitted to the bar there.

On May 13, 1794, Adam married Margaret "Peggy" Warwick of Clover Lick, Pocahontas Co, WV, then part of Bath Co, VA. She was daughter of Jacob Warwick, a Rev War vet and prominent land owner and stock raiser in Pocahontas County VA. [1794, May 2: Marriage bond for Adam See and Margaret Warwick. Surety Charles Cameron. Minister return by George Guthrie, not dated. (Bath Co Marriage Bonds and Ministers' Returns for 1791-1853, compiled by Constance Corley Metheny and Eliza Warwick Wise. (Warm Springs, VA Bath Co Historical Society, 1978) p. 8.

SSP NOTE Charles Edward Cameron, who was the surety for Adam's marriage bond, was the first County Clerk of Bath Co, and brother-in-law to Margaret Warwick. (He married her sister Rachel.) He was a soldier at Point Pleasant where his only brother was killed. General Lafayette, a personal friend, presented him with a gold headed cane in 1781. About 1790 he settled at Fassifern in the Cowpasture Valley of VA which he named after his ancestral home in the Scottish Highlands. He died in1829. Only one son grew to maturity, Andrew W. Camerson. Colonel Cameron also reared Andrew Gatewood and Charles L. Franciso, son of his half-sister Mary. He was held in high esteem. (from Annals of Bath Co., p. 191. Not only did Charles Cameron stand surety for Adam, but the Sees named their third son "Charles Cameron See."

Adam was said to have been tutored by his educated and wealthy wife who read law with him.

The couple lived near Huttonsville, twelve miles southeast from the county seat in the beautiful Tygart Valley where they raised a family of ten children: three sons and seven daughters all of whom reared families, so that there were more than fifty grandchildren. Between 1796 and 1817, Adam and Margaret had ten children George, Jacob, Charles, Mary, Elizabeth, Christina, Rachel, Dorothy, Margaret, and Hannah.

In 1798, Adam became the prosecuting attorney in Randolph Co--the 3rd prosecuting attorney in WV and served in that position until 1809. In 1800, he was appointed as a captain of militia. He was later elected as a delegate to the Virginia General Assembly for several terms: 1797-1798, 1800-1802, 1809-1810, 1814-1816, and 1822-1823. His letters to and from his wife during the War of 1812 are interesting to read. Adam also represented Randolph County in the Constitutional Convention of 1829-1830 at the age of 65. The Constitutional Convention was an effort to reorganize the legislature of Virginia, extending suffrage to all freemen, not just property owners. However, because the Tidewater counties had a majority of representatives in the House of Delegates (representation based on population including slaves which hurt the western counties with more population but fewer slaves), no changes were made. Adam’s image is included in the painting of the Virginia Constitutional Convention delegates in the collection of the VA Historical Society where he is depicted as baldheaded.

Adam died at his home in Huttonsville, VA/WV on 21 Aug 1840 (headstone) at age 75 and was buried in the Brick Church cemetery in Huttonsville. His wife died eleven years later.

From: "Karen Hewett" <mama2gems@gmail.com> Adam and Margaret's children (and their respective spouses): 1. George SEE (1796-1832) m. Mary SEE (1797-1882, d/o Michael SEE and Catherine "Kitty" BAKER) in 1825 2. Jacob Warwick SEE (1798-1862) m. Mary Ann BAXTER (1804-1874, d/o George BAXTER and Ann FLEMING) 3. Charles Cameron SEE (1800-1852) - 1st m. Katherine/Catherine HUTTON (d/o Jonathan HUTTON); 2nd m. Harriett C. BOSWORTH (1817-1889, d/o Dr. Squire BOSWORTH and Hannah BUCKEY) - 4. Mary Jane SEE (1803-1880) m. Andrew Gatewood MATTHEWS (b. 1803) 5. Elizabeth "Eliza" Ann SEE (1805-1887) m. Dr. Robert GAMBLE (1803-1875, s/o Capt. John GAMBLE and Rebecca McPHEETERS) in 1831 6. Christina SEE (1808-1887) m. Washington G. WARD (b. 1808) 7. Rachel Cameron SEE (1810-1887) m. Paul H. McNEIL/McNEEL (1803-1887) 8. Dorothy "Dolly" SEE (1812-1880) m. John Adam HUTTON (s/o Jonathan HUTTON, brother of Katherine/Catherine HUTTON) 9. Margaret Warwick SEE (1815-1876) 1st m. Noah SEE (1815-1890, s/o Michael SEE and Catherine "Kitty" BAKER) in 1838 - later divorced 2nd m. Washington J. LONG 10. Hannah SEE (1817-1883) m. Henry HARPER (1813-1886) 1820 Randolph Co, VA Census p. 271A Adam SEE 00301-3311 8 in agric 3m-16-26 3 f under 10 3 f 10-16 1 f 16-26 1 f 26-45 1 m=45+ Adam See appears often in the history of Randolph County, WVA, along with other family names from Hardy County such as Bogard, Harness, Morris, Petro (Peatro and Pedro), Westfall, and Yoakum.

Other notes and souces: All dates and names that I use for this family and descendants are found in J.Lynn See mss. based on information from descendant, Georgianna Arnold. Most of the data gathered by Georgianna Arnold was sent to her from Mary Gamble See, the granddaughter of Adam and Margaret See, and daughter of Dr. Robt Gamble & Eliza See. Mrs. Mary Gamble See states that Adam was born in 1764, a son of Michael and Barbara Harness See. Adam married Margaret Warwick in 1794. Mrs. Arnold cites the Lineage Book, DAR 84, Mrs. Ira Robinson's papers. According to Georgianne Arnold, writing in 1931, Adam See and his younger brother Michael, Jr. went to Randolph County, WV ca. 1793. "Adam was an able lawyer and began to practice law the year of his arrival." He studied at Dixon College, Carlisle, PA and married Margaret Warwick, daughter of Jacob Warwick, apparently in Bath Co., VA. The Dyke Papers in the Ohio State Library carries same children, spouses, and approximately same dates. Mrs. Dyke states that the gravestones of Adam and Margaret Warwick See, and those for Charles C. See and Margaret See Long were restored by Mr. Rupert A. Sinsel of Clarksburg, Harrison Co, WV, as descendent of Charles Cameron See and Harriet Bosworth.

See also "The Compendium of American Genealogy", Vol I, F A Virkus, GPC 1987, p. 43 for WARWICK family. Vol VI, P-204 cites education at Dickinson College, settled at Huttonville, Randolph Co, WV, admitted to bar in Randolph Co, WV 1794, member of the VA Legislature 30 yrs. Mrs. W.A. Christiansen of Salt Lake City, gives essentially same info citing WV R2 p. 378, 391, adjusted for Martin L. Yokum (2 ggson to George See-4 (Adam-3, Michael-2, George-1) of Baltimore Md in 1965, Brick Church Cemetary records Huttonville, WV, Marlinton Cem., WV; Randolph Co Marriage and death records; census 1850-1880; Price's History of Pocohontas Co VA p.234; Wm T Price, "Historical Sketches of Pocahontas Co, WV" 1901, p. 255-258-lists descendants; Bosworth & Maxwell's histories of Randolph Co, WV; Beal Family VA FBS Hodges p. 270-72; East West Augusta Pioneers, p.232; Fam rec Rupert Sinsel, Clarksburg, WV; Ruth D. See of Richmond, VA.

VA STATE LIBRARY COLLECTION has several original letters of Adam See: See, Adam, 1764-1840. Letter, 1815 Apr. 3. Personal papers collection; 22378. Letter, dated 3 April 1815, from Adam See (1764-1840) of Randolph County, (West) Virginia, to John Granbery (1759-1815) of Norfolk, Virginia, discussing the end of the War of 1812 and politics in Randolph County. He also comments on a new teacher for his children and potential buyers for land that Granberry owned in Randolph County. Copies of correspondence between Adam and his wife have survived and can be read in the TJJ See mss.

Notes on Adam See can also be found in the Hardy Co, WV Library in the Lillie Cunningham Ledger, p. 234. However, many of the details are incorrect. Mrs. Cunningham does not list her source but they appear to have come from Bosworth or TJJ See which contain many errors. When documentary evidence shows the information to be incorrect, the correct info appears in brackets or footnotes. Cunningham writes, "About the year 1760 several families of immigrants from Holland came from New York to the Valley of the South Branch of the Potomac. Among these was George See, the father of Adam and Michael See who will be mentioned in this sketch.* He settled on a farm near Moorefield in Hardy County Va. Here (probably) Adam See was born Nov. 29" 1764. These settlers were a thrifty energetic people and all seem to have had some financial means for securing their new homes in Va. [*Documents show that Zeh/See family were not part of the Dutch emigration, but were among the German families who came to the South Branch from Tulpehocken area of PA. The See family came in 1749. George was the father of Frederick See (who went to the Greenbrier ca 1751) and Michael See who married Barbara Harness.] Adam See was born 29 November 1764 in Hampshire County, (West) Virginia, to Frederick Michael See*(1727-1795) and Barbara Rebecca Harness See (1732-1820). [*The name Frederick Michael See is actually a combination of two sons of George Zeh/See: Frederick (who went to Greenbrier and was killed by Indians in 1763) and Michael who stayed in Hardy Co, and was killed by lightning in 1795. Adam’s father was Michael.] Correspondence from Harold J. See. “I am on the trail of Adam See, the 3rd prosecuting Attorney for WV…. My lead came from my father’s book that stated that Adam attended Dickinson College in Pa. prior to becoming an attorney in WV. I wrote the college in Carlsile, Pa and requested any record of Adam, they said no record of same. I then asked if they had an Adam Lee and they sent me information that they did have an Adam Lee who attended in 1788-89 (class of 12). Since I have genealogy referring to him there, they felt it was a misreading of their records and in 1900 when the records were copied the name See was spelled Lee. They acknowledged that in old English script the L looks like a S to modern writers.

“They have no record of where he went to or any other information about this Adam Lee. …Carlsile, Pa is maybe (50) miles west of Tulpehocken, Pa. where it is reported a George Say/See left and went to Hardy Co. Virginia in 1745/49.” Stevens-2498 23:36, 30 October 2018 (UTC) The following information is taken from a manuscript entitled "Records of the See Family of Virginia" by T.J.J. See. The biographical information was written by Adam's nephew, Noah See, son of Michael See. While much of the information in the manuscript is since been proven incorrect, this section is probably fairly reliable.

"Adam See, ...brother of Michael, George, Charles and John, married Margaret Warwick, his wife’s mother being a Miss Vance. Adam and Margaret See raised 10 children, namely their sons’ George, Jacob, Charles G., their daughters, namely: Mary, Eliza, Christina, Rachel, Dorothy, Margaret, Hannah. Mary married Andrew Matthews, Eliza married Dr. Robert Gamble, Christina married Washington Ward, Dorothy married John Rutton of Huttonville, Randolph Co., W.Va. Margaret married Washington I. Long, of the same county, a very wealthy man; Hannah married Henry Harper, and moved to and died in Missouri.

"George See married Mary See, a sister of the writer of this sketch and her first cousin. Jacob __ See married Mary Anne Baxter, a daughter of the Rev. Dr. Baxter, an eminent Presbyterian Minister. Charles C. See married Catherine Hutton of Huttonsville, Randolph County W.Va., and after Catherine’s death married Harriet Bosworth of Beverly, same county.

"Andrew and Mary Mathews lived in Pocahontas Co, W.Va., raised a large family and died there.

"Dr. Robert and Eliza Gamble lived in Augusta County, Va. Rachel See married Emul McNiel of Bath County, Va. Rachel McNiel and Elisa Gamble are all of the Adam See family now living.

"Adam See was a man of fine education, has an extensive law library, held high offices but was too conscientious to practice his profession; lived and died in 1840 on his farm in Randolph County, W.Va. (see note at end)

"The foregoing sketch is subject to correction, but in the main is literally true, and obtained through a number of sources dating back to 1734, and endeth this biographical sketch at present.

(Signed) Noah See Stevens-2498 23:36, 30 October 2018 (UTC) In August 1901, Mrs. Crouch of Phillippi, W.Va., showed to Thomas J.J. See, then on a visit to Author, son of Hon. A.G. Dayton, an original letter written by Adam See to his wife while a Senator at Richmond, Va., in 1812. He expressed himself as greatly alarmed at the outbreak of the war, and said it would “shake the pillars of our Government.” The letter was written in a beautiful and classic style, and evinced both his great learning and his devotion to his wife. The statement that “he held high offices”, is therefore unquestionably correct. The other statement made in Rose and Bryan’s History that he “was a prominent lawyer”, must be taken rather in the sense of “law-maker”, for the reasons pointed out by Noah See in the above paragraph. Stevens-2498 23:36, 30 October 2018 (UTC) Letter from Senator Adam See to his wife, addressed:

Mrs. Peggy See Huttonsville, Randolph County, Va.

November 9, 1814

My Dear Wife,

"I yesterday received your letter of the twenty fifth and avail myself of an opportunity offering by mail to answer it. Last night I indulged myself in the first unnecessary mercenary dissipation since I left home in paying one dollar to hear the famous Oglehy(sic) deliver an oration on the progress of civilization and its probable influence eventually on the political prospects of the United States, which was delivered with considerable elegance and theatrical pomp, but appeared more like the ornaments of an oration passing in triumphal pomp before the audience than like an oration.

"I this morning as usual lay a long time awake, not having candle or fire to rise by. My thoughts were employed on the nature of the universe and on one of the noblest of his works. My thoughts are never directed to the first but I see the latter standing with our numerous offspring round here like a handmaid with humility ready to do the will of her divine master. My constant prayer and ardent wish is that we may again meet in health in this world with the deer pledges of our mutual affections around us. But if this greatest of earthly blessings be denied us I feel a confident hope we shall meet again in the regions of pure and everlasting bliss where the wicked cease to trouble and the weary are at rest, and where bodily diseases shall cease to afflict.

"As to our little property affairs I only think of as the means of our support and as they will enable us to prepare for useful and happy lives chose children with when God in his mercy and goodness has so singly blessed us.

"As to the policy of our State, we have a great number of offices to fill from the afflicting condition of the nation important. We are loudly and incessantly called upon for union, but they will not allow us to stray in our selections beyond the pale of orthodox democracy. The employment of the Federals here is but a choice of evils in which they may have some weight. The party will not shrink or pause. They with brazen afrontery (sic) deny the cause of national distress. They change it to the Federalists, the British and the Devil.

"I expect you to see in the papers the propositions of the British Minister at _____, all parties are ready to give them decided negation end to prosecute the war with. But as to the means of men and money but for understand how they are to be attained.

"I have heard nothing particular from Norfolk since my last. I was told by Mr. Mercer, our Inspector General, that the sickness was abating. Virginia has suffered more by the defense of Norfolk than Kentucky in all her sad expeditions.

"If the elections to Congress in the other states, as in Virginia, had taken place next spring instead of this fall, the next Congress would have been composed of a majority of Federalists, but I fear the best tenants united with patriotism would be no longer able to save us from political ruin.

"As to the school I had written to Mr. Hutton on the subject, and my course which he with your approbation shall adopt. I shall for the present be reconciled to. It is out of my poser with seeing and conversing with the master, as the people who might be disposed to give directions for a permanent plan.

"You inform me of your view in sending the children to Brother Michael’s. It is all very well, but charge them to lose a day at any time rather than run any risk in crossing the river.

"I fear there is a storm gathering in the east that will shake the pillars of our government. Endeavor to provide for the preservation and welfare of the family and yourself, and as much care as can be, consistent with the above objects, to prevent losses and waste.[1]

"I hope to be home about the first of next month. If Mrs. Brady needs any attention in your power afford I know you will not let her suffer. I must go to the house if I can get leisure. I will write Mr. Montague on the subject of the school. Accompany my compliments with my best wishes for their well fare, and happiness to all inquiring neighbors, and accept for yourself and children my sincerest and most devoted affections.

Your husband,

Adam See

Stevens-2498 23:36, 30 October 2018 (UTC)Letter from Mrs. Peggy See to her husband,

Mr. Adam See

Richmond, Virginia

December 13, 1814

"Dear Husband:

"Having received no letter last mail it is uncertain whether this letter will be put in the post office, as the boys will attend at Mr. Hutton’s this evening; and if they receive a letter from you to send a horse they will not send this letter as it would pass you. But my desire is so great to relieve your anxiety that I shall write every post.

"When I wrote you last my little infant was very sick, but it has recovered and is very much caressed by all the family, although there is so many girls in it. The rest of the children was all well on Sunday and I am better myself.

"Caty Warner is with us and is well. The Black people is all well and appear very desirous to see you. When will that happy day come I look forward to it with pleasure. I pray to the Almighty that no cloud of adversity arise to darken the prospect.

"I do not wish you to leave Legislature while you can contribute the least service to our Country, for it appears that something is necessary to be done for its preservation. I am afraid that squall in the East will over set the vessel.

"Mrs. Brady requested me to get you to write to her husband as she does not know where to direct her letters to, that she was safely delivered of a fine daughter the seventh of this month and that she is doing well and that the family is all well.

"If you write to Brady tell him to let George Riffle (know) that his family is well. Poor creature, I pity them all. They say there was letters come from Norfolk that several of Wansley’s Company is dead and a great many is in the hospital.

"Give my love to Brother Andrew, and tell him my beloved father has been to see us since I wrote you last. That he was at Jackson’s River a few days before that. Mister Warwick and little James was well.

"The children joins (sic) me in love and affection. As ever

"Your loving wife.

Peggy See

[1] When he writes this letter, the United States was at war with Great Britain in the War of 1812.

Biography

• He is the son of Michael Adam See and Barbara Harness. Adam was an attorney. He was a legislator at Richmond, Virginia for several terms. He was educated at Dickson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. He and his wife lived at Huttonsville, Randolph County, West Virginia.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ Entered by Dee Christophel D'Errico, Jan 28, 2012

• A Chronicle of the See Family and their Kindred by Irene See Brasel.
• MyFamily.com, Inc., Colonial Virginia Source Records, 1600s-1700s, Marriages of VA Residents Vol II, Part III, 136, Bath, p. 132.
• Martin L. Yokum, The Harness Family, 1980, 31.
• Find A Grave: Memorial #89073239

Acknowledgements

• Dee Christophel D'Errico, firsthand knowledge. Click the Changes tab for the details of edits by Dee and others.