Elizabeth (Sturdivant) Ragsdale (abt. 1768 - abt. 1829)

Ancestors

Wife of Drury Ragsdale — married 30 Jan 1790 in Lunenburg, Virginia, USA

Descendants

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Deana Willingham [send private message] and Dane Pehrman [send private message]

Biography

Elizabeth was born about 1768. She was the daughter of James Sturdivant. She passed away about 1829.

Research Note

James Sturdivant and Mary Rottenberry were not married. They had a son, John Rottenberry, who was born on 3 Mar 1763, and christened on 10 Apr 1763, Albemarle Parish, Sussex Co., VA.

“John s. of James Sturdivant and Mary Rottenberry; b. March 3; c. April 10, 1763; gdpts. Holborn Sturdivant, John Winfield, Mary Sturdivant.” ^[1]

In the 19th century, and earlier, illegitimate children had no legal right to use their father's surname. The child’s legal surname was the surname of the mother at the time of their birth.

Before 16 Nov 1767, Mary Rottenberry married _?_ Tyus. Her mother’s ( Susannah (Williamson) Rottenberry) will, written on that date, names “John Rottenberry son of my daughter Mary” and “my daughter Mary Tyus.” ^[2]

Mary was still “Mary Tyus” on 19 May 1768, when she and her sisters sold land in Sussex Co., VA, to Hartwell Marable.

Based on this timeline, Mary (Rottenberry) Tyus couldn’t be the mother of Jemima (Sturdivant) Dunman (b. 1765). Unless Mary (Rottenberry) Tyus married James Sturdivant after 19 May 1768, she also couldn’t be the mother of Elizabeth (Sturdivant) Ragsdale (born c. 1768, according to her profile), nor James Sturdivant, Jr. (b. c. 1775, according to his profile).

I’ve unlinked Mary (Rottenberry) Tyus as the mother of Jemima, Elizabeth, and James.

Bible

Sources

1. ↑ Richards, Gertrude R. B., PhD, “Register of Albemarle Parish, Surry and Susex Counties [Virginia], 1739-1778,” The National Society Colonial Dames of America in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Richmond, VA 1958; reprinted, Southern Historical Press, Easley, SC, 1984, p. 88.
2. ↑ Will of Susanna Rottenberry. Sussex Co., VA, WB B, pp. 143-144, written 16 Nov 1767, proved 17 Dec 1767 Digital image at Ancestry.com - https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/62347/images/007676314_00089?ssrc=&backlabel=Return

• Daughters of the Americvan Revolution database, record for Ancestor #: A110694.

http://services.dar.org/public/dar_research/search_descendants/?action=list&MyPrimary_Seqn=1225971&MyLineageCount=1