Zachariah Philpott (1758 - 1836)

Born 20 Dec 1758 in Charles County, Maryland, British Colonial America [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Cassandra (Garrott) Philpott — married about 3 Dec 1781 in Frederick County, Maryland

Descendants

Died 9 Nov 1836 at age 77 in Cumberland County, Kentucky, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: L Philpott [send private message]

Were Charles T. and Zachariah Philpott really sons of John Philpott?

The past few years have brought about a revolution in genealogical research in the form of DNA testing. People are now able to narrow down, much more accurately, the identities of their direct paternal and maternal ancestors. These results can sometimes challenge family histories that have been passed down orally, and in written form. Such may be the case with Charles T. Philpott, and his brother, Zachariah Philpott.

In the summer of 2016, a direct descendant of Zachariah Philpott had his DNA tested at FamilyTreeDNA, expecting that the results would connect him to all male descendants tracing back to Edward Philpott (c1597-1678) of Charles County, Maryland. The surprising result, however, was that he shared a very close, common ancestry with several descendants of a Vaughan family who settled in Virginia. The closest (with a genetic distance of one) is a descendant of Matthew Vaughan (1739-1799) of Virginia. It is likely that Matthew Vaughan was a grandson of John Vaughan and Sarah Poindexter of New Kent County, Virginia, though early county records that could prove the relationship were destroyed. The Vaughans believe that their ancestry originated in Wales, though the exact progenitor has not yet been identified.

Did the break in this person’s ancestral line occur in America, or did it occur before the arrival of Edward Philpott in the mid-1650s? Philpott ancestries were consulted: the only location found where both lines lived near each other and interacted was in Henry County, Virginia circa 1800. Still, no information was found in Henry County records to prove the Philpotts and Vaughans were related at this point in time.

There is, however, collateral evidence that suggests that the break could have occurred with Charles Thomas Philpott, and his brother, Zachariah Philpott. First, a letter written by a great-great-granddaughter of Zachariah Philpott states the following:^[1]

"I have heard of several records that try to connect our line to the 17th century Charles and John of Charles County, Maryland. But we have an oral tradition handed down through the family that says: When the widow of one John Philpott of Wales (if his name was John) remarried, she sent her two stripling sons, Charles and Zachariah, to her brother in America . . . we feel an oral tradition should be given credence. At any rate we are happy with it."

Secondly, the earliest known written record of the descendants of Zachariah Philpott was made by his great-granddaughter, Martha Margaret Philpott, prior to 1900. She wrote: "John Philpott was the father of Charles and Zechariah Philpott. (or his name was supposed to be John.)"^[2] Did she have reason to doubt that John Philpott was the father of Zachariah? Thirdly, and perhaps the most curious: while Charles Thomas and Zachariah were named as sons in the will of John Philpott (1720-1762), they were not named in the will of John’s second wife, Mary Unknown. [See biography below.] Were Charles Thomas and Zachariah actually sons of a sister of John Philpott, who had, perhaps, married and/or resided in Wales? Did John adopt the two boys? This might explain why John named them as sons, but Mary omitted them in her will. Interestingly, John Philpott’s parents, Charles Philpott and Elizabeth Barton Smoot were believed to have traveled from Gloucester, England to Charles County, Maryland. (Wales is an immediate neighbor of Gloucester, on the north side of the Bristol Channel).^[3]

The question regarding the parentage of Charles Thomas Philpott and Zachariah Philpott has not been yet resolved. It is presented here in an effort to encourage discussion and further research. Comparison of DNA results from other descendants of John Philpott (1720-1762) or his father Charles Philpott (1693-1753) will help to solve the puzzle. Additional input from other descendants is most welcome!

Biography

Birth and Early Live

Zachariah Philpott was born 20 December 1758. He may have been a son of John Philpott and Mary Unknown. If so, he was born in Charles County, Maryland. [See discussion, above.] ^{[2] [4]}

On 16 October 1761 (probated 30 March 1762), Zachariah was named as an heir in the will of John Phillpot (1720-1762), of Charles County, Maryland:^[5]

"I Give to my son Zachariah Phillpot one Negro Boy called John and one Cow and Calf."

This would indicate that Zachariah was, indeed, the son of John Philpott. However, on 29 April 1766, Mary, the widow of John Philpott (1720-1762), wrote a will (probated 18 May 1766). In her will, she named her heirs: "my Loving Daughter Sarah Warren Philpott", "my son Samuel Philpott", and "my son Philip Glover". The names of Charles Thomas and Zachariah are noticeably absent.^[6]

Zachariah was only three years old when John Philpott died in March 1762, and only seven years old when Mary Philpott died in 1766. Charles County guardian bonds are not available for this time period to indicate who Zachariah lived with following John or Mary’s deaths. However, on 25 March 1767 a guardian bond was filed in Prince George’s County, Maryland by Barton Philpott, John Wynn and James Alder. ^{[4] [7]} The two brothers would spend the majority of their childhoods with the family of their uncle, Barton Philpott, and his wife, Martha Musgrave. [Note: John Wynn and James Alder were, both, relatives of Barton and Martha Philpott. John Wynne’s mother, Anne Smallwood, and Barton Philpott’s father, Charles Philpott, were step-children of Elizabeth Hawkins though they were not related by blood. Anne Smallwood and Charles Philpott would have grown up together in the household of Edward and Eleanor (Hawkins) Philpott. James Alder was a first cousin to Martha Musgrove (their mothers, Elizabeth and Martha Keech, were sisters).]

Barton Philpott first purchased land in Frederick County, Maryland in 1765 (Frederick County Land Deeds Book BD 2, page 144), but did not sell his land in Prince George’s County, Maryland until 1772 (Prince George’s County Land Deeds, Book BB 3, page 94). He became the guardian of Charles Thomas and Zachariah in 1767 and, at some point, they all settled in Frederick County. Neither Charles Thomas nor Zachariah owned land in Frederick County, so they may have continued to live on their uncle’s land, as young adults. Barton Philpott’s land was located near the present-day village of Knoxville, and the hamlet of Weverton.

Zachariah lived in Frederick County during the upheaval of the Revolutionary War. Several members of his family have documented service as American patriots, including his elder brother, Charles Thomas. Zachariah, who didn’t reach the age of 18 until late 1776, must certainly have participated in some capacity, but no records of his service have been found. ^[4]

Marriage

On 3 December 1781, Zachariah Philpott and Cassandra Garrott obtained a marriage license in Frederick County, Maryland. They married on that date or soon after. Zachariah was 22 years old, and Cassandra was 16. ^{[8] [9]} Cassandra’s father, John Garrott, had purchased land in Frederick County at about the same time as Zachariah's uncle, Barton Philpott; they were neighbors. Zachariah's brother, Charles T., married Cassandra's sister, Elizabeth.

Zachariah Philpot appeared as Head of Household on the 1790 U.S. Census at Frederick County, Maryland. His household included 1 white male age 16 and upwards, 2 white males under age 16, 3 white females, and 2 slaves. ^[10]

Move from Maryland to Virginia

It was at this time that Zachariah must have begun moving his young family to Virginia, for, on 21 June 1790, a deed was recorded in Henry County in which Elizabeth Anthony, Mark Anthony, and Bowling Anthony of Wilkes County, Georgia had sold 370 acres of land on Beaver Creek to Zachariah Philpott of Henry County. (Henry County Deed Book 4, pages 129-131). ^[11] Beaver Creek was a major tributary of the Smith River that joins the Smith River near Martinsville. ^[12] Henry County had been formed from part of Pittsylvania County, Virginia in 1776. In 1791, Henry County was further divided into Patrick and Henry counties. Three of the other children that were named in the will of John Philpott (1720-1762)—namely John, Sarah Warren, and Samuel—had already moved to Pittsylvania and Henry counties. By July 1793, Charles Thomas would also join them. ^[4]

Zachariah Philpott was appointed Lieutenant in the Henry County Militia in 1791. This would indicate that Zachariah had had previous military training, though no further record has been found that would prove he would qualify as a patriot of the American Revolution.^[4]

On 20 November 1792, another Henry County deed was recorded in which William Brethart (aka Breatheart) and Elizabeth, his wife, sold to Zachariah Philpott 1,000 acres of land on Beaver Creek, adjoining Ambrose Jones and Joseph Cooper. (Henry County Deed Book 5, pages 44-45) ^[13] Zachariah paid taxes on his land in Henry County from 1792 to 1817. ^{[12] [14]}

Zackeriah Philpott sold to Charles T. Philpott about 500 acres of land on Beaver Creek at the mouth of Long Branch, recorded 28 January 1797 at Henry County, Virginia. The deed was witnessed by John Philpott and Samuel Philpott. (Henry County Deed Book 5, page 311) ^[13] Then, Zachariah Philpott sold to George Hairston 20 to 30 acres of land on the waters of Beaver Creek, recorded 27 November 1797 at Henry County, Virginia. (Henry County Deed Book 6, pages 21-22) ^[13] William Jones of Patrick County, and Zacheriah Phipott of Henry County sold to George Hairston of Henry County, about 150 acres of land on the branches of Beaver Creek, recorded 28 April 1800 at Henry County, Virginia. (Henry County Deed Book 6, pages 228-229) ^[13]

In 1817, Zachariah and Cassandra made plans for their elder years by deeding their land to their two sons, Barton and Horatio: (Henry County Deed Book 8, page 229)

"This deed gave the land to their sons on the condition that they were to give their parents, who were getting old, life long care and also care for their sister Cassandra Philpott."^[4]

Move from Virginia to Kentucky

By 1818, however, Barton and "Orasha" [Horatio] Philpott sold Zachariah’s land to Redd and Waller. (Henry County Deed Book 8, page 245) Zachariah and Cassandra had decided to move to Cumberland County, Kentucky. Five of their seven children made the move, as well; three of them brought spouses and children. ^{[4] [14]}

On 22 May 1819 (probated 8 April 1822), Zachariah’s older brother, John Philpott wrote a will in Henry County, Virginia. The greater part of his estate was left to John’s brother, Samuel Philpott. Samuel was willed 22 acres in Patrick County, and he was loaned the use of 1700-1800 acres of land on both sides of Smith River, for life. After his death, the proceeds of the loaned lands were to be split five ways between the eldest sons of John’s five siblings. Four-fifths of the estate would go to the eldest sons of David Philpott, Charles T. Philpott, Sarah W. Mitchell, and Samuel Philpott. Bartin Philpott and Rachea [Horatio] Philpott, sons of "Brother Zacariah", were to share one fifth of the estate. (Henry County Will Book 3, page 26) ^[12]

Zachariah Philpot Sr., appeared as Head of Household on the 1820 U.S. Census at Hanover, Cumberland County, Kentucky. His household included the following: 1 free white male 45 years and over, 2 white males age 16-25, 1 white female age 45 and older, and 6 slaves. In the household, 3 persons were engaged in agriculture. ^[15] Zachariah and Cassandra built a house at Wash’s Bottom in 1820. They and their descendants lived in the house continuously for 130 years, until it burned down in 1950. ^[4]

Zachariah was not listed as Head of Household on the 1830 U.S. census, but it is presumed that he was the male, age 70-79, living in the household of Barten Philpot, located North of the Cumberland River, at Cumberland County, Kentucky. It appears that Zachariah and his wife, Cassandra, were living with Barton and his family. ^[16]

Death

Zachariah Philpott died, when crushed by a tree that he was felling, 9 November 1836 at Cumberland County, Kentucky. He was 77 years old. ^{[2] [4]} He was buried in the Philpot Cemetery at Wash’s Bottom, Cumberland County, Kentucky. ^{[2] [17]}

Sources

• "Maryland County Marriages, 1658-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F4JQ-N3N : 22 December 2016), Zachariah Philpott and Cassandra Garrett, 03 Dec 1781; citing , Frederick, Maryland, United States, clerk of the circuit court from various counties.; FHL microfilm 14,082. [NOTE: Spelling of Cassandra's surname differs from rest of record.]

1. ↑ Letter from Bellah Philpott (Miss Bellah Philpott, 5733 Goliad, Dallas TX 75206) to Agnes Ollerdessen 1 June 1971; held in 2016 by L. Philpott. The late Miss Bellah Philpott was great-great-granddaughter to Zachariah Philpott.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Martha Margaret Philpott, Philpott (no place, privately printed, date unknown but before 1900). "Miss Maggie" Philpott, author, was a great-granddaughter of Zachariah Philpott and Cassandra Garrott. She made a record of their descendants. It was written in long-hand, and, later, typed up as a booklet by an unknown person. One of the original booklets was given to Agnes Ollerdessen circa 1966 by a descendant still living in Kentucky. The book has been used as a guide by many Philpott descendants, and improved upon by other researchers who have added dates, places, and more descendants to the original information.
3. ↑ H.L. Ludlow, Genealogical Sketch of the Philpott Family, circa 1890. Mr. Ludlow based his sketch on information provided him by Reuben Davis, husband of Eleanor P. Taylor (a great-granddaughter of Charles Philpott and Elizabeth Barton Smoot). Mr. Ludlow reported that Charles and Elizabeth Philpott were the progenitors of the Philpott family in Charles County, Maryland, but this has been disproven.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8} Noland Bowling, Meet Your Ancestors: Some Descendants of Edward Philpott (1597?-1678), William Barton (1605?-1674), Francis Posey (1600-1654), William Smoote (ca 1597-1673), Moses Hobart (1709-1780), and Moses Hubbard (1774-1856), (Utica, Kentucky: McDowell Publications, 1995).
5. ↑ John Phillpot will (1761), Maryland Prerogative Court (Wills) 1635-1777 S538 series, Liber 31: folios 645-646, Archives of Maryland Online aomol.msa.maryland.gov, Maryland State Archives, Annapolis, Maryland.
6. ↑ Mary Philpott will (1766), Maryland Prerogative Court (Wills) 1635-1777 S538 series, Liber 34: folios 138-139, Archives of Maryland Online aomol.msa.maryland.gov, Maryland State Archives, Annapolis, Maryland.
7. ↑ Charles Thomas Philpott and Zachariah Philpott guardian bonds (1767), Liber Guardian Bonds 1703-1779 , folio 251; Orphans Court of Prince George’s County, Maryland.
8. ↑ Margaret E. Myers, compiler, Marriage Licenses of Frederick County 1778-1810, (Silver Spring, Maryland: Family Line Publications, 1986).
9. ↑ Dodd, Jordan, Liahona Research, comp. Maryland Marriages, 1655-1850 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.
10. ↑ Zachariah Philpot household, 1790 U.S. Census, Frederick County, Maryland population schedule, page 223, National Archives micropublication M637-3, no enumeration date.
11. ↑ Lela C. Adams, Abstracts of Deed Books III and IV of Henry County, Virginia (Bassett, Virginia: self-published, 1978).
12. ↑ ^{12.0 12.1 12.2} Jane and Charles H. Philpott, Philpotts in Patrick and Henry Counties Virginia (1772-1843) (Durham, North Carolina: privately published, 1966).
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3} Lela C. Adams, Abstracts of Deed Books V and VI of Henry County, Virginia (Bassett, Virginia: self-published, 1979).
14. ↑ ^{14.0 14.1} June Alice Bruce Stubbs, We Are Our Ancestors, (Columbia, Missouri: privately published, 1981).
15. ↑ Zachariah Philpot Sr. household, 1820 U.S. Census, Cumberland County, Kentucky population schedule, Hanover, page 143, National Archives micropublication M33-19, no enumeration date.
16. ↑ Barten Philpot household, 1830 U.S. Census, Cumberland County, Kentucky population schedule, North of Cumberland River, page 145, National Archives micropublication M19-35, no enumeration date.
17. ↑ Find A Grave, Undocumented database and images (https://www.findagrave.com: accessed 24 July 2018), memorial page for Zachariah Philpott (19 Dec 1758-9 Nov 1836), Find A Grave: Memorial #20258328, citing Philpot Cemetery, Cumberland County, Kentucky, USA; maintained by Roots and Branches.