William Nodding Research by Robert Fillerup

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Fairfax, Virginia
Surnames/tags: Nodding Brewster

Regarding William Nodding Sr

Who were the parents of William Nodding By Robert Fillerup

This research was shared by Andrew Hill. Original document prepared and maintained by Robert Fillerup - a descendant through William and Elizabeth Nodding Calvert. Shared on ancestry.com by "kphummingbird"

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Numerous "online" genealogies show William Nodding's wife as Mary Brewster, the daughter of Thomas Brewster. It is clear, however, that Thomas Brewster's daughter Mary married Thomas Finch, and not William Nodding. The maiden name of William Nodding's wife Mary is currently unknown. All of this is explained more fully below in the entry for 10 Dec 1755.

William Nodding Sr. was born by at least 1728, with the place of his birth being currently unknown. The date of birth of 1728 is estimated from the Fairfax County, Virginia List of Tithables for 1749. He would have been 21 by that date to appear separately as a tithable (a taxable person). After extensive searching, (Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania) this is the earliest document that I have found which mentions our subject Noddings. This could indicate that the family (including perhaps the Brewsters or Bruisters) were immigrants near that time. William Brewster, who is somehow connected to Thomas Brewster, on 19 June 1749 received parts of two tracts of land that were originally patented by James Carter. The heirs of Thomas Brewster also divide up land that was originally patented by James Carter, further affirming a connection.

When and where William Nodding Sr. married is unknown. His was probably married by 1749 when he appears on the list of tithables. He mentions his wife Mary in his will. His wife Mary, however, was NOT the daughter of Thomas Brewster. See the entry for 10 December 1755 below.

William Nodding Sr. lived in an area in Virginia which became part of Prince William County in 1731, part of Fairfax County in 1742, and then part of Loudoun County in 1757. This was about 1 1/2 miles above the Great Falls of the Potomac River - on the north side of Difficult Creek. The Brewsters apparently lived south of William Nodding Sr., but apparently still on the north side of Difficult Creek (Difficult Run)

This was in an area that was part of Fairfax County in 1742, became part of Loudoun County in 1757, but then became part of Fairfax County again in 1798. It is possible that Thomas Brewster's land eventually ended up partly in Loudoun County and partly in Fairfax County, since deeds ultimately disposing of the land by his heirs are recorded in the land records of both counties.

The Brewsters and Noddings were either Baptists before they appeared in Fairfax County, or were converted during the religious "revivals" that were sweeping the area. The names of John Nodding, Daniel Hill, Daniel McCreay, and Thomas Finch appear on the "Ten-thousand Name Petition" that was circulated during the summer of 1776 and presented to the Virginia House of Delegates on October 16, 1776. Virginia was still heavily under the influence of the Anglican Church during this period, and there was severe persecution of the Baptists in northern Virginia. The fact that Ann Nodding and Elizabeth Nodding went down the Potomac River from their father's property to Cabin John, Montgomery County, Maryland to be married by an Anglican minister, Joseph Threlkeld, is rather curious however. Perhaps there was some conflict with the religious leaders of the Cameron Parish where they resided.

Some have speculated that Elizabeth Nodding married William Calvert in Montgomery County, Maryland, because William was from there.

[Added research note by TLD - in 1778 William Nodding is in Washington Co NC and was appointed to serve on the Grand Jury for the 1778-1779 term. Some of his sons-in-law already owned property there by 1778]

Sometime in late 1780, [based upon the sublease in June 1780 by William Nodding of the land he was leasing in Loudoun County, Virginia, and the marriage date of William Calvert and Elizabeth Nodding in July, 1780], William Nodding, Sr. and his family, including his sons-in-law Daniel McCray, Samuel Bayless, Daniel Hill, John Brown, and William Calvert, John and Priscilla Nodding, William Nodding Jr., and at least others of the Bayless and Brown families moved down the "Wilderness Highway" on the western edge of Virginia to Washington Territory, then part of North Carolina.

Whether they went as a large group and all at the same time is unknown. John and Priscilla Nodding appear to have signed a deed on October 8, 1781 in Loudoun County, so perhaps they remained behind, or else the group moved after that date. They arrived at least by November 6, 1782, because John Nodding executes his will in Washington County on that date.

The area where they settled was at the time part of North Carolina. Shortly thereafter it was part of the envisioned State of Franklin (1784-1788) and then became Sullivan and Washington Counties in the new state of Tennessee in 1796. We find land grants to William Nodding Sr., William Calvert, Samuel Bayless, and John Brown in the North Carolina records in 1780, in this same area.

The area where the families settled was later named Tennessee

Samuel and Mary Bayless, William and Mary Nodding, Daniel and Sarah McCray, and Priscilla Nodding are among the earliest members of the Limestone Baptist church organized there in the early 1780s.

William Nodding Sr.'s will was dated in 1804, but was not admitted to probate until May, 1812. Since he appears in the Washington County,

Tennessee tax records up through 1812, it can be concluded that he died in early 1812 in Washington County. He was undoubtedly buried there also.

Little is known about John Nodding, other than he married Priscilla Brewster, daughter of Thomas Brewster and his wife Mary, and that he died on December 28, 1782, in what is now Washington County, Tennessee. The first mention of John Nodding that I have been able to locate is in the List of Tithables for Loudoun Co., VA for 1775. Thomas Finch, (Thomas Brewster's son-in-law) also first appears in the Tithables for 1775, suggesting that they both either turned 21 about then, or else moved to Loudoun County from elsewhere in that year.

The following is a chronological listing of dates associated with William Nodding Sr., John and Priscilla Brewster Nodding, and Thomas and Mary Brewster. Also included are documents associated with the three daughters of Thomas and Mary Brewster, i.e.; Priscilla Brewster Nodding, Mary Brewster Finch, and Ann Brewster Lewis. Links are provided to transcribed documents and sources. Curly brackets {in red} surround my comments inserted into documents.

• 5 Feb 1725 - Prince William Co., VA The date of a grant to James Carter for 393 acres on the Potomack River 1 1/2 miles above the Great Falls. [Grant No. 121, Narrow Neck Grant C:15]. This is the same property that had been granted to John Radford of Maryland [Grant No. 120, Narrow Neck Grant A:189, Reports of Survey 1:47], which was adjacent to William Harrison. Radford's grant had been canceled. Source: Beth Mitchell, Beginning at a white Oak, Patents and Northern Neck Grants of Fairfax County Virginia, (Fairfax, Va., Fairfax Admin. Services, 1977), pp. 139, 233; Gertrude E. Gray, Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants, 1694-1742,(Baltimore, Gen. Pub. Co., 1988), pp. ___, 100.
• 13 Jun 1731 - Prince William Co., VA A grant to James Carter of 607 acres above the falls of the Potomack adjacent to his own land. [Grant No. __, Narrow Neck Grants, C:159. John Carter, an heir of Charles Carter, later sold part of this and the 393 acre tract to William Brewster - see below for 19 Jun 1749.] Source: Beth Mitchell, Beginning at a white Oak, Patents and Northern Neck Grants of Fairfax County Virginia, (Fairfax, Va., Fairfax Admin. Services, 1977), p. 139; Gertrude E. Gray, Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants, 1694-1742,(Baltimore, Gen. Pub. Co., 1988), p. 109.
• 27 Sep 1744 - Fairfax Co., VA Thomas Brewster is a sworn chain carrier for a 602 acre survey for the Honorable William Fairfax near Potomac River about 1 1/2 miles above the Great Falls. Daniel Jenkins is the surveyor. Source: Fairfax County, Virginia, Record of Surveys, Survey No. 8. FHL Film# 31320-2; Card index of records of Fairfax Co., VA, FHL Fiche# 6331436-4.
• 25 May 1745 - Fairfax Co., VA Grant to John Jenkins of Fairfax County, of 602 acres called "Salem Downs" in Fairfax County. On the Potomac 1 1/2 miles above the Great Falls, adjacent to John Reed, James Carter, Edward Emons, William & John Harle. Surveyor was Mr. Daniel Jennings. [Grant No. 373, Northern Neck Grants F:215] Source: Beth Mitchell, Beginning at a white Oak, Patents and Northern Neck Grants of Fairfax County Virginia, (Fairfax, Va., Fairfax Admin. Services, 1977), pp. 198; Gertrude E. Gray, Virginia Northern Neck Land Grants, 1742-1775,(Baltimore, Gen. Pub. Co., 1988), Vol. II, p.11.
• 28 May 1745 - Fairfax Co., VA John Jenkins sold to William Fairfax 602 acres. Source: Beth Mitchell, Beginning at a white Oak, Patents and Northern Neck Grants of Fairfax County Virginia, (Fairfax, Va., Fairfax Admin. Services, 1977), pp. 198.
• 17 Jun 1749 - Fairfax Co., VA John Carter, an heir of Charles Carter, sold part of James Carter's 393 acre and 607 acre tracts to William Brewster. Source: Beth Mitchell, Beginning at a white Oak, Patents and Northern Neck Grants of Fairfax County Virginia, (Fairfax, Va., Fairfax Admin. Services, 1977), pp. 139.
• 1749 - Fairfax Co., VA. [List of Tithables] Bruster, Tho - Wh.4, Neg. 2 [Whites 4, Negroes 2] Noddin, Wm - Wh. 1 [Whites 1 - meaning one male over 21 years of age.] Source:"Loudoun County Virginia Tithables, 1758-1786," vol 1, compiled by Marty Hiatt & Craig Roberts Scott, Athens GA, 1995, pp.3 & 13. Note: William Nodding would have been 21 years old by this time in order to be listed as a "tithable", therefore he would have been born by at least 1728.
• 1750 - prob. Fairfax Co., VA Estimated year of birth of Sarah Nodding, daughter of William Nodding Sr. and Mary. Source: See the entry for 23 Nov 1769 where Sarah McCrae is listed as the wife of Danile McCrae. Since Sarah was married by that date, she would have been born somewhere around 19 years earlier.
• 24 Sep 1751 - Fairfax Co., VA William Nodden ordered with John Summers, Roger Wiggington & John Trammell to inventory and appraise the estate of William Bruester, deceased. Source: Fairfax Co. Order Book, 1749, p.163, from card index of records of Fairfax Co., VA, FHL Fiche US-Can#6330141. Note: I have not tried to determine the relationship between William Bruester or Brewster and Thomas Brewster.
• 1752 - prob. Fairfax Co., VA Estimated year of birth of Mary Nodding, daughter of William Nodding Sr. and Mary. Source:[Simply a guess at this point!]
• 24 Mar 1754 - Fairfax Co., VA Survey of part of 570 acre tract on Deep Branch and Potomack River, surveyed for William Carter, shown as William Carter's part, now Thomas Breweter's land - was about 3 miles above the Great Falls.
• [same date] William Noddy was chain carrier for survey of 570 acre tract on Potomack River and Deep Branch, requested by William Carter. Source: Fairfax County, VA Survey Book, p.93 from card index of records of Fairfax Co., VA, FHL Fiche# 6331436-4 and 15.
• 15 July 1755 - Fairfax Co., VA William Noddon was discharged from attachment in the case of Carter (James) v. Holyfield (Ralph) Source: Fairfax County, VA Court Records, p.93 from card index of records of Fairfax Co., VA, FHL Fiche# 6330162.
• 10 Dec. 1755 - Fairfax Co., VA [back] The date of the will of Thomas Brewster. The will mentions his daughters Mary, Anne and Priscilla, and his wife Mary. The married names of his daughters are not stated in the will. William Nodding (spelled "Nodin") was appointed as an executor. One of the witnesses to the will was Mary Nodding. The copy of the will as recorded in the County Will Book is damaged at the bottom of the first page and has portions of at least two lines missing. The married names and spouses of the daughters of Thomas are given in a Loudoun County, Virginia document dated 5 Feb 1796, which divided the land among them. They are:
  • Mary Bruister [who later married Thomas Finch];
  • Anney Bruister [who later married Daniel Lewis];
  • and Prisilla Bruister [who later married John Noding].

See entry for 5 Feb 1796. But it is clear from the referenced deed that Mary's married name was "Finch" and was not "Nodding."

If William Nodding Sr. was the grandson of Thomas Brewster, he could not act as a witness, (which he was not) although he could be an executor

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An older document states that the parents of William Nodding Sr. were John Nodding and Priscilla Brewster Nodding and that his maternal grandparents were Thomas and Mary Brewster. The document was written by Elijah Embree Hoss, a grandson of Samuel Bayless and Mary Nodding Bayless. The document was aparently written sometime before Elijah's death in April 1919. Elijah was born in 1849 in Washington County, Tennessee and was ten when his grandmother Hannah Bayless Hoss died, and 35 when his father Henry Hoss (II) died. It is possible that Elijah learned the genealogy contained in the document from them.

A transcript of the document was provided to the "Bulletin of the Watauga Association" in 1987 by Irene Bachner of Fort Worth, Texas, who had the original in her possession. The transcript can be found here. William R. Phillips in the "Bulletin of the Watauga Association of Genealogists," Vol. 18, No. 2, 1989, p. 148 also identifies John and Priscilla Nodding as the parents of William Nodding, Sr., although no source was given.

There are several factors, however, which weigh against John and Priscilla Nodding being the parents of William Nodding Sr. and against Thomas and Mary Brewster being his grandparents. These factors are:

Apparently none of the daughters of Thomas Brewster, including Priscilla Brewster were married at the time their father Thomas Brewster wrote his will in 1755. William Nodding was already alive, and probably over 21 by this time.

• John Nodding first appears in 1769 as a tithable in the household of William Nodding Sr., indicating that he "became of age" at that time [there is some confusion whether the age to be included as a tithable was 16 or 21].
• Mary Brewster was apparently pregnant when Thomas Brewster died in 1755, because her son Perrione (Perry) Brewster first shows up as a tithable in 1778 - meaning that he was not of age to be counted before then. Perry Brewster is not mentioned in Thomas Brewster's will, indicating that he was not yet born.
• John Nodding only mentions his wife Priscilla as an heir in his will. It seems highly unlikely that if William Sr. was his son that he would have omitted his mention as an heir.
• The inventory of the estate of John Nodding (1783) mentions a brother William, but not a son William. ["... one rifle Gun he gave to his Brother in Law -- Pannune Brusler, all his clothes he gave to his Brother William Nodding -- ..."]
• The will of William Nodding Jr. (1792) mentions a brother John who appears to be deceased. ["mill seat where my brother John Noding lived."]

Mary Brewster did not die until December, 1804. If she was indeed the grandmother of William Nodding Sr., and if Priscilla was born when Mary was as young as 13, and if William Sr. was born when Priscilla was as young as 13, and if William Nodding Sr. was born as late as 1730, it would mean that Mary Brewster was born no later than 1704 and lived to be 100! [It is possible, of course, that Mary is a younger second wife of Thomas Brewster, and was not the mother of Priscilla, Ann and Mary.]

To match up with the Hoss scenario, there would have to be at least three William Noddings (William Jr., William Sr., and William the brother of John) and at least two John Noddings (John the brother of William Jr. and John the father of William Sr.) However, I have encountered no references which would suggest a third William or a second John. The explanation which allows the best fit is if John Nodding who married Priscilla Brewster is a brother to William Jr. and a son of William Nodding Sr. This would mean that Elijah Embree Hoss was confused in his account. Unless additional documents are discovered, we may never know the actual relationship between John Nodding and William Nodding Sr.

[Research note- John Nodding who married Priscilla Brewster is accepted to be the son of William Nodding Sr, and left no known descendants]