Thomas Redd (abt. 1730 - bef. 1801)

Born about 1730 in Virginia Colony

Ancestors

Descendants

Died before 15 Jun 1801 before about age 71 in Prince Edward County, Virginia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Jim Miller [send private message]

Biography

Thomas Redd was a Virginia colonist.

Journal Article, Captain Thomas Redd (ca. 1730-1801) and His Family; The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography Vol. 51, No. 2 (Apr., 1943) published by Virginia Historical Society - link below (has a good bit of detail on the Redd family:

• https://www.jstor.org/stable/4245237?read-now=1&refreqid=excelsior%3A744920e4ad4989a402108c6b0a90982a&seq=8

Thomas Redd of Prince Edward County^[1]

Origin

Thomas was born about 1730,^[1] possibly at Goochland County (Cumberland formed in 1749 from Goochland), Virginia Colony.^[2]

Alternate birth date 1724, without evidence.

Uncertain Marriages and Children

1786 Prince Edward County, Virginia: An Ann Redd, daughter of Thomas Redd married a George Watkins. This Thomas Redd (father of bride) may be the Thomas Redd of this WikiTree profile. Ann Redd likely would have been born circa 1768 when Thomas Redd of this WikiTree profile was likely in his late 30's or early 40's.

1/9/1800 Prince Edward County, Virginia: A Polly Redd (estimate born circa 1780, daughter of Thomas Redd married a Nathaniel McClung. This Thomas Redd (father of bride) could have been the Thomas Redd of this WikiTree profile. Thomas Redd would have been approx. 50 years old when Polly Redd was born.

Thomas married twice, or possibly three times.

According to The William and Mary Quarterly of 1917, he married twice, first to an unknown wife.^[1]

• He married as his 1st, to Unknown Unknown.^[1]

John G. Herndon, writing for The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography in 1943, believes that Thomas married three times, the first two to Wright sisters, possibly daughters of John Wright (from whom Thomas purchased property in 1763).^[3] Herndon also attributes additional children, not mentioned in Thomas' will (these have not yet been added to this biography).

• Both authors agree that Thomas married as his 2d to Frances Anderson, daughter of Charles Anderson of Cumberland County, Virginia.^[1] The will of Charles Anderson (written August 26, 1783 Cumberland Co., probated Feb 27, 1786) mentioned daughter, Frances Redd [Cumberland County Records Will Book No. 2, Page 391].^[1]

Children with his 1st Unknown wife (probably others, too):^[1]

1. John Redd b Nov 11, 1756, d July 22, 1840

Children (from his will):^[1]

1. George Redd
2. Thomas Redd
3. William Redd
4. Charles A. Redd
5. Fanny Cunningham
6. (Elizabeth) Betsy Billups
7. Charles Anderson Redd
8. Polly Redd
9. Sally Anderson Redd
10. Patty Redd

Property and Positions

On 24 November 1763, Thomas purchased property at Prince Edward County from John Wright as Thomas Redd "of Cumberland." For July 1766, his name appears on the list of tithables for Cumberland.^[3] Between 1766 and 1769, Thomas settled at Prince Edward.^[3] In 1776, Thomas removed from Prince Edward to Buckingham County. This is evidenced by the 1774 ad 1775 List of Tithables for Prince Edward which include his name, but the 1776 and 1777 do not.^[3] During the Revolution, he served as Captain of a Buckingham Militia and continued there until about 1779 or 1780.^[3] After 1779, he returned to Prince Edward, as all documents called him, of Prince Edward County beginning in 1779.^[3]

7/9/2022 Note by Jim Miller: Doing unrelated research, I noticed today that Thomas Redd appears on the 1773 Buckingham County, Virginia List of Tithables (only 1 person noted in his household). On this same 1773 list there are a few Curd's; Perkins'; and Anderson's that are 1st to 3rd cousins of mine or connected to related Miller's by marriage). Indications are that the Miller's arrived in the counties around Prince Edward due to their involvement with merchant trade from Richmond up/down the James River to at least now Scottsville, VA; and about a generation later trade from Petersburg up/down the Appomattox to the area around Farmville, VA. By the early 1800's the Miller's involved with the Virginia tobacco trade back to England and Glasgow, Scotland gradually moved into farming operations as merchant trade by family groups disappeared and merchant trade via roadways and later by rail became dominate. My 1st cousin, Thomas Redd Miller (named after Thomas Redd of this WikiTree profile, his mother's grandfather) was born in Prince Edward County, VA, but relocated to Texas where he was one of the 32 Texas Rangers killed at the Alamo. Thomas Redd Miller owned a tavern and store not far from the Alamo as many Miller's owned taverns and stores related to their merchant trade activities.

Beginning in 1779, Thomas purchased several properties at Prince Edward. These were located on the north side of the Bush River and on both sides of Mortons Creek, on the south side of the Bush, on the branches of the Bush, on both sides of Camp Creek.^[3] During the 1790's, some of these properties were sold to son Thomas Jr. and from him to brother, William Redd, who sold it in 1796.^[3] In 1800, the Prince Edward County tax valuation record showed sons George and John owned 1,642 and 468 acres, respectively. Thomas, Sr. owned two parcels of 530 and 67 acres each, valued at $1,010.^[3]

Slave Owner

Thomas Redd owned between 24 and 30 slaves from 1782 to 1787, and these same years, he also owed 10 or 11 horses and 40 to 51 cattle.^[3] Beginning in 1788, his holdings decreased substantially, and he owed between 13 and 19 slaves during the rest of his life. John Herndon, writing for The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, relates this to the birth date of Thomas, Jr in about 1773, making him 15 years old in 1788. Fourteen was the age at which males could own property in colonial Virginia.^[4]

Death and Legacy

Thomas wrote a will dated January 17, 1799, and it was recorded on June 15, 1801 [Prince Edward County Will Book 3, p 238].^[1] Executors were: George Redd, John Redd, William Redd, James Cunningham.^[1] Witnesses were: Daniel Dodson, Jr., Richard M. Venable, and Charles Morton. In addition to the children above, Thomas also mentioned his granddaughter, Polly Watkins [child of Ann Redd and George Watkins], "all the children of daughter Betsy Billups,"^[1][5]

Last Will & Testament

Except for modernization of the punctuation, the following is an exact copy of the will of Thomas Redd:

I, Thomas Redd, of Prince Edward County, being in health and thinking it prudent to direct in what manner my estate shall be disposed of at my death, do make this my last will and testament, as follows:

It is my desire that each of my children, Charles Anderson Red, Polly Red, Sally Anderson Redd, and Patty Redd, as they come of age or marry, should have to them and their heirs out of my estate three likely negroes, between the age of twelve and twenty years. Also I will to each of my children above named, to be delivered up to them, as they come of age or marry, fifty pounds cash or the value thereof in such stock and household furniture as they may choose and my wife can spare from the estate.

Further, I lend to my wife Frances Redd, all my estate, both real and personal, during her natural life, subject to the legacies above mentioned; and at the death of my wife, I devise to my son Charles Anderson Redd the land where I now live, containing six hundred acres (be the same more or less), to him and his heirs.

And all my personal estate that shall remain, after my four younger children above named shall be advanced as above directed, I bequeath, on the death of my wife, to be equally divided among my children: George Redd, John Redd, Thomas Redd, William Redd, Charles A. Redd, Fanny Cunningham, Polly Redd, Sally Redd, [and] Patty Redd; also one child's part to my grandaughter Polly Watkins; also an equal child's part among all the children of my daughter Betsy Billups, to them and their heirs forever.

My will further is that, provided my grandaughter Polly Watkins should die before she comes of age or marries, that the legacy intended for her shall not take effect but shall remain a part of my estate and be divided as the rest of my personal estate which shall remain after the death of my wife.

I appoint George Redd, John Redd, William Redd, and James Cunningham executors of this my will.

Signed with my own hand as my last will and testament this 17th day of January, 1799.

Thos. Redd [3 Prince Edward Wills 238]^[3]

The next day, the following codicil was added:

I, Thomas Redd, hereby direct that, provided my daughter Betsy Billups should survive my wife, that my said daughter Betsy shall have the use for her life of that part of my estate which is, by my will, directed to be divided among her children.

Tho. Redd^[3]

Two years later, on 17 April 1801, this codicil was added:

I hereby revoke and annull so much of my foregoing will and testament as gave to my daughter Polly any property or interest in my estate; and all the property and interest which was intended for her in the foregoing will I do now give to my son John Redd and his heirs, to be held in trust by him for the use of the children which my daughter Polly now has or may hereafter have; and I further desire and empower my son John to apply the profits of the said property given him in trust to the support of my daughter Polly and her children, in such manner as he may think proper, without any other guide or restraint than his own discretion. At the death of my daughter Polly it is my will that the said property, given in trust, shall be equally divided among all her children or their legal representatives. It is my desire that my son John shall never be compelled to render an account of the profits of the estate so given him in trust or be accountable to anyone for the manner in which he applied it. My will further is that, in the case of the death of my son John, he may by will or otherwise direct who shall take the management of the said estate given in trust.

his

Thomas X Redd (SEAL)

mark^[3]

Death date at:

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10} "McGehee Family in Virginia." The William and Mary Quarterly. (Vol. 25, No. 4 (Apr., 1917), pp. 287-88) Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture, JSTOR.org accessed November 22, 2015.
2. ↑ Germanna Colonies, "History of County Formations in Virginia 1617-1995." Germanna Colonies Family History: The State of Virginia, accessed November 22, 2015
3. ↑ ^{3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12} Herndon, John Goodwin, "Captain Thomas Redd (ca. 1730-1801) and His Family." The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography. (Vol. 51, No. 2 (Apr., 1943), pp. 203-210) Virginia Historical Society, JSTOR.org accessed November 22, 2015.
4. ↑ Baird, Bob, Legal Age Bob's Genealogy Filing Cabinet, accessed November 22, 2015.
5. ↑ Clemmer, Carol Rumburg, Re: MARY POLLY REDD from Prince Edward Co. VA June 10, 2011, accessed November 22, 2015.

• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LHD3-385

User-contributed:

• Ancestry Family Trees Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.
• https://www.familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=75&query=%2Bgivenname%3A%22Betsey%20Moseley%22~%20%2Bsurname%3AMiller~%20%2Bbirth_place%3AVirginia~%20%2Bbirth_year%3A1800-1820~%20%2Bfather_givenname%3AArmistead~%20%2Bfather_surname%3AMiller~%20%2Bmother_givenname%3ASusanna~%20%2Bmother_surname%3ARedd~