Possible Origin of Baldwin Lunsford

As told here many times before, we do not know the exact origin of our earliest known ancestor Baldwin Lunsford (~1764 - 1850) of Fauquier County Virginia.. Sadly, there are family trees on genealogy web sites that claim his lineage, but sadly they fail to offer credible proof of these connections through primary source citations. It amazes me still how people will blindly cut-and-past genealogy data from one web source to the next without bothering to confirm any of the primary records. That is why commercial sites like Ancestry.com are best used for primary source retrieval while the family trees uploaded there need to be viewed with a lot of skepticism. 

So with dead ends on both the primary record and DNA fronts, I reached out for some professional help. A fellow researchers referred me to Don Wilson. He was know in the DMV as the "Tree Doctor" for his work helping folks with genealogy research in the The Ruth E. Lloyd Information Center (RELIC) of the Prince William County Public Library. Since Fauquier County is derived from Prince William County, it makes sense to use their resources when researching our Lunsford family for events prior to 1759.

Don was very helpful and we exchanged emails over several weeks. It got to the point where I was making plans to go visit with him and plot next steps, but sadly, he passed away in March 2023. So I thought it fitting to compile our email exchanges with the following summary. 

The evidence suggests that Amos Lunsford, who died in Fauquier County in 1784, was probably Baldwin's father. Amos was established in Fauquier by 1778, when he appears in the Upper Parish tithable records. His estate inventory listed two enslaved women, Dinah and Sarah. In 1807, Rodham (aka Rhodham) Lunsford, in settling matters concerning Amos's estate, released his claim to Sarah, stating that Baldwin Lunsford was to take her and her increase. This strongly suggests that Baldwin was an heir to Amos and established an important connection between Baldwin and Rodham.

Additional evidence supports the possibility that Rodham and Baldwin were brothers. In the 1785 Fauquier census, Rodham's household contained two white persons, possibly Rodham and his unmarried brother Baldwin. Rodham was born about 1762, and Baldwin about 1764. Being about two years apart is reasonable for sibling births. The Fauquier records show Rodham by 1784 and Baldwin by 1787. At that time aged 22 and 23 years. There also is a 1786 tax entry in which Rodham received credit for the tax on a free male over 21—almost certainly Baldwin. Rodham subsequently married Clement Ball, while Baldwin married her sister Ann Ball. Baldwin was also recorded as an adult male in Fauquier tax records by 1786–87.

Two Lunsford men of nearly identical age marrying two Ball sisters is exactly the sort of pattern that strongly suggests these Lunsford men were brothers. And there is contemporary family context: Benjamin Ball's household appears in the 1785 Fauquier census immediately near the Rodham Lunsford entry. Benjamin Ball later became Baldwin's father-in-law. Likewise, Baldwin’s first-born son was named Benjamin.

Linking the Fauquier clan to the Virginia Northern Neck counties is the next level of research to be undertaken. Due to geography, it is reasonable to assume that at some point various Lunsford families migrated up the Rappahannock River toward Northern Virginia. 

What about William Lunsford and Mary Waugh, the so called parents from all the on line trees? The proposed pedigree is:

William Lunsford (c.1722–1781) × Mary Waugh

↓

Sarah, Mary, Benjamin, Hannah

↓

Rodham / Baldwin, etc.

There is legitimate evidence that William and Mary were a family unit. John Waugh's 1742 will explicitly mention Mary Waugh Lunsford and gives her land. And the Overwharton Parish register records children of William and Mary as:

Sarah, b. 1744/45

Mary, b. 1747

Benjamin, b. 1749/50

Hannah, b. 1751

So, William Lunsford and Mary Waugh unquestionably appear to have been a real couple. But there is no discovered primary record connecting their supposed son Baldwin to the Baldwin who appears in Fauquier at that time. And the chronological gap is troublesome. William and Mary’s documented children stop in 1751, whereas Baldwin was born around 1764. That doesn't disprove the relationship—there could have been later children—but it makes the pedigree dependent upon an undocumented assumption.

A point to keep in mind regards a second Rodham Lunsford living in the Northern Neck and contemporary to the Fauquier clan, the 1791 will of Rodham Lunsford of Lancaster County names his sons John, Rodham, and Lenton, plus daughter Judith Carter and her children. There is no Baldwin. Moreover, this younger Rodham married Sally Cox in Lancaster in 1794, whereas the Fauquier Rodham was already married to Clement Ball at that time. These were two separate Rodham Lunsfords that often are confused in the various online genealogies. Therefore, the very common online pedigrees connecting Baldwin → Rodham Sr. of Lancaster should be discarded unless new evidence emerges that documents a true connection.

An AI-assisted land record search identified a potentially important King George–Stafford connection. James Lunsford received a 129-acre patent in 1705. While in 1769, John Lunsford and Elizabeth conveyed another 129-acre tract to William Rowley. This strongly suggests that the two records may concern the same tract and raises the possibility that John Lunsford inherited or otherwise acquired James Lunsford's property. The missing link between James and John remains to be discovered. This King George/Stafford group is particularly noteworthy because the same neighborhood included the Rowley, Rosser, Bryan, Owens, Jeffries, Grigsby, and related families. These associations provide a possible geographic and social connection between early King George/Stafford Lunsfords and the later Fauquier family as these surnames appear in later Fauquier records.

Another important clue is Thomas Lunsford, who appears in the Prince William County rent roll of 1735–36. His exact relationship with James, Amos, or the later Fauquier family is unknown. The chronological and geographical sequence—King George/Stafford → Prince William → Fauquier—is plausible, but the generations connecting these families have not yet been demonstrated.

As noted below, our DNA research provides an independent avenue for testing these hypotheses. I have established a distinctive paternal Y-DNA line among documented descendants of Baldwin, but it has not yet demonstrated a connection to the early King George/Stafford Lunsfords due to the absence of male Lunsfords available for testing. Testing of documented male descendants of Rodham Lunsford of Fauquier, and those of James or John Lunsford of King George, would provide powerful evidence for or against these proposed relationships.

Present conclusion: The most reasonable working reconstruction is Amos Lunsford → Rodham and Baldwin Lunsford, with Amos probably being their father. 

Honoring and Remembering Our Ancestor Burials

 My great-great grandfather, Elijah Chilton Lunceford, lies at rest in the Marshall, VA cemetery. Along with my great great grandmother, my great grandparents and a great uncle or two. As a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans (SCV), I'm registered as the official caretaker of Elijah's grave site as he was my membership ancestor. Two years ago I began a restoration of his Veterans Administration grave stone as well as repainting his SCV Honor Cross.

Before restoration

 

After restoration

But there was another Lunceford marker close by that I often wondered about since it also had an E.C. Lunceford inscription. The lettering was hard to read, so back in June I decided to began chemical treatments. Here are some before/after shots of the three faces.

Overall the transformation was amazing considering only one treatment and only a month of environmental exposure. 

But who are these people?

WH is William H. Lunceford, son of John Henry Lunceford (1846 - 1934); direct line from Baldwin Lunsford and Anna Ball. EC is Elizabeth C. (nee Jeffries) Lunceford, his wife. The marker shows her DOD as 1931 but various on line sources indicate 1930. I could not find an official VA death certificate for her. WH's DOD is not inscribed but on line sources show it as December 5, 1940. No death certificate for him either.

WJ is William J. Lunceford, their son. I need to do some more research to see if they had other children. WJ had an official VA death certificate. His cause of death was ileocolitis with epilepsy as a contributing factor. They were living in The Plains at that time and his father was the informant. His occupation was "living at home/no occupation". At only 22 years old, I wonder if the epilepsy was enough of a disability to keep him at home and not working. A 22 year old at that time most likely would have been out on his own.

I plan to keep an eye on this marker as I make my periodic visits to my direct line ancestors. It is the least we can do for our Lunceford/Lunsford cousins.

Using AI in Genealogy Research

 Now that artificial intelligence (AI) is all the rage, one can imagine ways it might be useful for genealogy research. Lately I've been using it to help me transcribe original source documents since I have a major mental block when it comes to reading old script handwriting. 

Here's a fairly simple test case using my fourth great grandfather's (Elijah Willoughby Griffith) will. Overall it is easy to read and a good test case. Here I used ChatGPT with a prompt to use "diplomatic" transcription that preserves spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and the order of the text as closely as possible. The language was not modernized. 

 

"I Elijah Griffith, of the County of Fauquier, do hereby make

my last will and testament in manner and form following, that is

to say,

1st I hereby release and discharge my sons Evan Griffith

and John Griffith, and son in law Benjamin Lunceford from all,

and any charges for land rent, or other charge or accounts

whatsoever.

2d I give to my wife One hundred and fifty acres of

land, that on which we now live, also the following slaves that

is to say Sam, Charles, Townsend, Berkeley, Ellen and Jane; and

the household furniture and kitchen utensils, and one third part

of all the dead provisions and grain that may be on hand at

the time of my decease to her during her natural life, and

after her death to be equally divided between my daughters

Judith, and Hannah, but my wife may during her life, give

such portions of the foregoing property to either of my said daugh-

ters as may seem good to her, having regard to an

equal division in the end.

Item 3d — I give in trust for the benefit of my

daughter Sarah Brown and her children a portion of all

one seventh part of my slaves and chattels property to

them and their heirs forever.

4th — I give all my lands, except those

above disposed of, to be equally divided by valuation

among my following children, that is to say John Griffith,

Evan Griffith, Mary Lunceford and Patey Ball; the said John

Griffith, Evan Griffith and Mary Lunceford to hold in the said

division the places now occupied by them, them and their heirs

forever, and that part to Patey Ball I give in trust for

the benefit of my said daughter Patey and her children

forever.

5th I give the balance of my slaves to be equally

divided by valuation among my children John Griffith,

Evan Griffith, Mary Lunceford and Patey Ball, after

taking out the one seventh part mentioned in the third

item for the benefit of Sarah Brown, which seventh

part is to be of the slaves exclusive of those given to

my wife.

6th. Whereas my son Evan Griffith is bound

in bond as security for Peyton Ball to Leathem Owens

executors for sixty four dollars, with interest and

cost accruing thereon, I hereby give my son Evan

a lien upon the chattels portion devised my daughter

Patey Ball as shall indemnify him for any damage

he may sustain by said securityship.

My daughter Judith claims a bed and furniture and my daughter                                           Hannah claims two beds and furniture, which I hereby

acknowledge as theirs, and that no charge be set against

them for said beds.

7th I direct that my executors hereinafter named

sell as soon after my decease as the law directs all my

perishable property, not herein before disposed of on a

credit of twelve months and out of the proceeds thereof

first pay all just claims against my estate, and the

residue to be equally divided among five of my children,

that is to say Evan Griffith, John Griffith, Sarah Brown,

Mary Lunceford, and Patey Ball. all portions of my

estate herein devised to Sarah Brown and Patey

Ball, are in trust for their benefit and their children

forever.

And lastly, I do hereby constitute and appoint

my son Evan Griffith, and Benjamin Lunceford executors

of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking

all other or former wills or testaments by me made.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand

and affixed my seal this 26th day of August in the

year 1843.

Signed, Sealed and acknowl-

edged by Elijah Griffith as

his last will and testament who at

his request and in his presence

have subscribed our names as

witnesses

James Pickett

Daniel Adair

A. G. Pickett

At a Court held for Fauquier County on the 25th day of

September 1843.

This last will and Testament of Elijah

Griffith deceased was proven in open Court, by the oaths

of James C. Pickett, Daniel B. Adair and A. G. Pickett,

subscribing witnesses thereto, and ordered to be recorded.

Evan Griffith and Benjamin Lunceford

the executors therein named qualified and gave bond

and security according to law the security having

justified.

Teste,

A. Marshall, clk

Copy—Teste

A. Marshall, clk"

Keep in mind that AI is only as good as the language models it queries to generate output. You still need to be skeptical of the product, and for especially problematic documents, check it with another model such as Claude. And keep in mind that AI models can sometimes generate highly convincing but completely false or inaccurate information. These are known as AI "hallucinations". They also are subject to bias since they learn from existing data on the interwebs. Case in point, while this transcription looks accurate, ChatGPT insisted on using Orange county in place of Fauquier even though it clearly is Fauquier. I just substituted Fauquier as appropriate, but I still find this a bit odd.

Generative AI is a subset of AI. This is where it gets really interesting because new content can be generated by learning patterns from massive datasets. Although I haven't gotten to that point yet, I wonder if we could use it to build probable ancestry for our brick wall ancestors like Baldwin. It also may be useful for comparing photos for identification purposes.

The Tragic Shooting of Robert Joseph Lunceford (November 1921)

Here is an historical gem contributed by Cousin Kevin Pearson; a newspaper clipping he found in his grandmother's papers. This clipping is from the front page (right column) of the Fauquier Democrat of 19 November 1921. It describes the tragic shooting of Robert Joseph Lunceford. Robert is in Baldwin Lunsford's Judith Creel line. You can click on his name to get his family tree entry.

Let's start with a transcription of the clipping.

Many Rumors As To Fatal Shooting

How Robert Lunceford of Dudie, VA Met Death Is Mystery at Winchester – No Official Probe Begun

Winchester, VA., Nov., 13 – After lying in a morgue here 32 hours unclaimed, the body of Robert Lunceford, 27 years old, of Dudie, Fauquier county, alleged to have been shot by the Sheriff or one of his deputies in a pistol battle near Washington, Rappahannock county, late last Thursday night, was last evening taken in a motor truck to his home.

L. H. Royston, funeral director, of Marshall, VA. who came for the body, said it was the intention to hold the funeral some time today. He did not know whether an inquest would be held. He said he had not heard of any steps being taken to conduct an official investigation of the exact manner in which Lunceford came to his death.

Brother In Ignorance

Ernest Lunceford, a brother of the dead man, said he knew nothing whatever about the shooting, as he was in Fauquier county at the time, and all he knew was that word came to the home place that his brother had been shot and fatally wounded. The funeral director said he had been told the body would be interred in the family graveyard near Marshall.

When the body of Lunceford was removed from Memorial Hospital on Friday morning to a morgue the undertaker was directed not to prepare it for burial and to leave the corpse just as it was until an officer came from Rappahannock county, in which the shooting occurred, to make an inspection of the wound. The orders were complied with, but no officer put in an appearance. Instead the undertaker and a brother of the dead man came last evening and took the body home.

Many Rumors Afloat

Word came from Rappahannock county that many conflicting rumors were afloat as to the how Lunceford met death. Officers of that county reiterated their original version to the effect that Sheriff Hubert F. Keyser, armed with a warrant, and his deputies had gone from Washington, the county seat, into the country several miles to intercept a car alleged to contain contraband liquor, and that when commanded to halt the driver of the car stepped on the gas. As the car sped away a shot is said to have been fired at the Sheriff’s party. The later is understood to have returned the fire, and in a short time a pitched battle was in progress along the lonely mountain road.

Another report said the shooting was not done from automobiles, but that the men were on the ground at the time. The wound that resulted in Lunceford’s death shows that the bullet entered low in the back, shattering his liver.

Doctors and hospital nurses who attended the wounded man here positively refused to make any statement concerning the case, and would neither confirm or deny inquiries as to whether he made a statement before dying. Rappahannock county officers were anxious to learn whether any such statement had been made.

Resentment Reported

Information reached here today from Rappahannock and Fauquier counties indicating a feeling of resentment, at least among friends of the dead man, although there was nothing to indicate a disposition to take violent measures. It was stated however, by one that the shooting was “a brutal affair”.

Asked what the people thought of it, the man said he did not think they had yet fully realized the gravity of the situation. He added that Lunceford’s people stood very well among their friends and neighbors, and that much sympathy had been expressed by acquaintances who had heard of the tragedy.

Lunceford was married. He was exempted from military service during the World War because of dependents. His wife was formerly Miss Annie Creel. They have three children. His father, Frank Lunceford, his mother and five brothers, Walter, Charles, Ernest, Wilbur and Clarence, and three sisters, Mrs. Margaret Mc Cormick and Misses Lucy and Ella Lunceford, survive.

Rappahannock county officers are endeavoring to locate three men named Smith, one colored, alleged to have been with Robert Lunceford, of Dudie, VA., charged with bootlegging, when the later was mortally wounded last week in a gun battle with Sheriff Hubert Keyser and deputies near Washington, Rappahannock county.

What a fascinating but tragic story of a young father finding himself on the wrong side of the law running some Fauquier shine so it seems.

A few questions remain; where did the actual gun battle take place, and why did he wind up in the Winchester hospital? Did the pursuit go all the way over the Shenandoah ridge line? The article claims that the burial was handled by Royston's but the undertaker on the death certificate is listed as George Kurtz of Winchester. I also have not been able to find an entry for his grave on Find-A-Grave. Definitely not in the main Marshall cemetery unless it is unmarked. Is there another Lunceford cemetery in the Marshall area?

Robert's death certificate (click for larger image)

At the time of his WWI draft registration he was living in Warrenton. This also shows his place of birth as Orlean, VA.

WWI draft registration (click for larger image)

The Long Branch Baptist Church in Halfway Virginia (UPDATED)

 

From: https://lbbaptistchurchtheplains.com/

On Saturday I had the chance to tour the inside of Long Branch Baptist Church in Halfway and hear more about it's history; courtesy of Rev Billy Tatum of Antioch Baptist Church and member Sally Griffith. After years of driving by this historical gem, it truly was an honor to finally get inside the sanctuary and see where many of our ancestors worshipped. It appeared that both the lower and upper pews are original and not refinished from the day they were installed.

According to a 1937 Works Progress Administration of Virginia Historical inventory by researcher Francis B. Foster, Long Branch began life in 1786 "some three quarters of a mile from the present structure"(1). It was situated at the fork of The Plains and Hopewell roads on Long Branch, a tributary of the Little River. Apparently this earlier church was of wood construction. And there is mention of a "burying ground" long since obliterated. The current church does not have a cemetery. An auxiliary wing was added in 1959.

For a more detailed history, we can turn to John Gott's book (2). Here we learn that following the disconnect of Virginia government from the colonial era Church of England, a religious revival of sorts began around 1785 that lead to the establishment of many new churches and meeting houses of Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian denomination. During this era "It was under the pastoral care of Elder Monroe that Long Branch Church was constituted, in the year 1786, with a membership of twenty-five persons, and united to the Ketocton Association".

In 1817, it was resolved that a new church be built. The "hauling of stone commenced in March [1818] and first meeting was held in the new house in July 1820. The deed for the house was given by James S. Pickett and wife".

In addition to a detailed history for the years leading up to 1967, Gott includes excerpts from the Record Books as well as a member list for the years 1807-1868. Here we see the names of many of our ancestors and local residents of the Halfway area. Of particular note for descendants of Baldwin Lunsford we find listings for Wormeley Lunceford (baptized 1857), Mary Lunceford (1830). Marian Luntzford (1841; actually Marion P. Lunceford m. Ephraim Hawes), Judith Luntzford (1841; actually Judith "Judy" Lunceford m. Craven Walker), Margaret Luntzford (1841; married W. Garrison), Mrs. Wormeley Lunceford (1857) and Mrs. E. Chilton Lunceford (1857). 

(1) Long Branch Baptist Church. Works Progress Administration of Virginia Historical Inventory. Francis B. Foster. February 15, 1937. WPA, US Government.

(2) History of Long Branch Baptist Church, Fauquier County, Virginia (1786-1967). Edited and self published by John K. Gott. The Williams Printing Co., Richmond, VA,1967.

UPDATE: Last Sunday (September 17, 2023) we attended the Long Branch  homecoming service and luncheon. It was a real treat sitting in the pews and wondering where our Lunceford/Lunsford ancestors sat when they were there. 237 years and still going strong.

Y-chromosome Update

 

Due to a first cousin in our paternal line getting his Y-chromosome analyzed recently, we now have our very own branch on the greater phylogenetic tree. Our Fauquier clan now is designated I1-FT112485*. In addition to converting all of our private SNPs to a public designation, this additional data not only strengthens our project but serves as a critical quality control check overall. 

This new data also separated us from an old French family (Mafille) that still has FT116446 designated as their terminal SNP. In that case, there are 13 SNPs separating our two clans suggesting that we shared a common paternal ancestor well before the advent of surnames in Europe.

Guest Post: The Allens of Parkgate Farm

Mary Alice (Manuel) & William T Allen

My great aunt Vera Jones retired in the early 1970s after a decades long career as a nurse and occupational therapist.  After she retired she devoted herself to caring for her mother, my great grandmother, Millie Mae Allen Jones, and to extensive genealogy research.  She was particularly focused on her mother’s Allen family. That work resulted in major contributions to the book "Allens: Quakers of  Shenandoah", which was privately published in 1984 by Rudelle Mills Davis and Peggy Davidson.  

Vera Jones

Millie married Clinton Porter Jones in 1913 and they lived on their farm on Ox Road in Fairfax, Virginia for the rest of their lives.  Vera, my grandfather and my mother as well as others were born on that farm.  In 1980 my parents built a home on the back part of what remains of the Jones farm and have lived there to this day.  Vera had moved back to the farm to care for her mother and remained there until her final days, my mom in turn caring for Vera in her last years.

Me with Millie Mae (Allen) Jones

 

Millie Mae (Allen) Jones, Clinton Porter Jones, Allen Jones and Vera Jones at their home ca. 1927

I visited with Vera fairly often.  She loved to talk about genealogy and various aspects of the family history. Initially as a teenager I didn’t really understand much of what she was talking about.  To be honest, some of it caused me to glaze over.  

I knew she drove all over the place to visit courthouses, cemeteries, libraries and any other places that might have information useful to a genealogist. She subscribed to multiple newspapers so she could check the obituaries, birth and marriage announcements.  She often spoke of “working the census” which I did not understand at the time.  Now I realize that meant going to the National Archives or other places and going line by line through huge books of the national census.  I can’t imagine how many hours that took.  Vera also subscribed to multiple genealogy periodicals and would post ads seeking information on her brick walls.  Correspondence with other researchers was done almost entirely via US Mail. She mailed family group sheet forms to anyone and everyone in hopes they would fill them out and send them back.  Genealogy was a much different business back in those days. It is amazing she was able to accomplish as much as she did.  But she spent countless hours for more than two decades compiling a tremendous amount of information that now resides in dozens of binders and notebooks in my parents’ basement.  Her interest in the family history extended back to when she was a little girl constantly asking questions of various family members.  I truly appreciate that she could relay firsthand knowledge to me about my great-great grandparents. She would talk to me about her grandparents and their siblings as if they had only been gone a few years. It took me a bit to get used to when she would say Grandpa did such and such, she was talking about someone who was born over 150 years ago and had been gone over 70 years.  

 I became actively interested in genealogy in the late 1990s.  Fortunately, Vera was still alive and could offer me quite a bit of useful guidance.  Or course much had changed by that point.  She kept handing me blank family group forms, telling me to fill them out and organize them.  I would tell her I was entering the information into a computer database, but that was pretty well lost on her.  She was still invaluable for understanding the basic concepts.  I began with entering in the info she had accumulated after all those years.  It took many months to get the core information done.  I live in Austin, Texas, so I could only do data entry from her binders when I was visiting.  Sometimes I would photocopy her documents so I could enter stuff later.  Vera had such a tremendous amount of information on paper, I am still finding new and useful tidbits. Once I got the basic information entered, I started searching via the various online services, which were mostly fairly new at the time.  I was able to fill in some gaps and even break through a few of Vera’s brick walls.  Our most frustrating brick wall in the Jones line still remains, but that is another story.

As I said, Vera spent much of her time working on her mother’s Allen family.  Dwayne and I are Allen descendants and he has asked me to write about the Allen family, Vera’s work and other related items, including the history of Park Gate farm.  

The Allens were among the earliest settlers in the Colonies.  According to a passenger list, the immigrant ancestor, George Allen, arrived in New England in 1635 or 1636 with his wife, Katherine and sons George, William and Matthew.  Ralph Allen is thought to be George’s eldest son and from a previous wife.  It is not known when he joined his family in New England.  Ralph’s son Joseph ventured out of New England, living in New Jersey, Maryland and possibly elsewhere.  Two of Joseph’s sons, Benjamin and Reuben, were the first of the family to settle in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia around the 1730s.  They are likely the first to settle in the area now known as Mt. Jackson.   It is not known if Benjamin married or had children.  The bulk of the book, Allens: Quakers of Shenandoah is made up of 14,000+ descendants of Reuben and his wife Mary [1].

Reuben and Mary’s 4th child was Joseph Allen.  The 4th child of Joseph and his wife Ruth was William Allen, who was born in 1762 and lived no later than 1826. William married Rachel Keeran in 1802. Vera was responsible for the research on the descendants of William and Rachel Allen.  The 6th child of William and Rachel was Isaiah Allen who is the third great grandfather to both Dwayne and me [1].

Isaiah Allen

Starting around the 1820s to 1830s, many in Virginia began heading west, particularly to Ohio, but also Indiana, Tennessee and Kentucky.  This included the rapidly growing Allen and related families in the Shenandoah Valley.  Primarily, they needed more land to farm.  To make matters worse, decades of extensive tobacco farming had fatally depleted much of the land in Virginia. Our Isaiah headed to La Porte County, Indiana at some point after marrying Mary Jane Henkle in April of 1846.  However, he shortly returned to the Valley.  We are not sure why.  As a farmer, he likely would have faced the same problems that caused him to leave in the first place.  Maybe he simply missed his family that still remained there?

Isaiah’s first child was Reuben Ellwood Allen, born 11 March 1847 while Isaiah was still living in La Porte County, Indiana.  Reuben is Dwayne’s great-great grandfather.  His second child, William Thomas Allen was born 29 November 1848 in Shenandoah County. This is my great-great grandfather [1].

In January 1877 William T Allen married his first wife Henrietta “Nettie” Maphis in Shenandoah County.  In October of that year, their first child, Guy Gilbert Allen was born.  For the next few years after that, William and his growing family lived in different parts of Virginia.  Elzora Allen was born 1880 in Page County.  In 1881 William T Allen and his father, Isaiah, moved to a farm they purchased in Linville, Virginia [3]. William’s daughter Bessie Allen was born 1882 in Linville [1]. They sold the farm in Linville in 1883 [2].  

In 1884, or possibly late 1883, William T Allen and his family moved to Park Gate Farm in Nokesville, Prince William County, Virginia.  In October 1884 Isaiah and his wife Mary Jane joined William T Allen in Nokesville.  It is not certain if Isaiah and Mary Jane lived at Park Gate for any part of that time, but evidence points to them having a home across the road from Park Gate. Reuben E Allen’s children came to Nokesville with Isaiah and Mary Jane. Among those children was Dwayne’s great grandfather, Luther.  Reuben’s wife, Louisa, had died the year before, presumably in Shenandoah County.  Reuben eventually found his way to Prince William County where he married his second wife, Emma Elizabeth Holmes in November 1891. He eventually found his way to Catlett, Virginia, and I will let Dwayne speak more on that at some point [1,2].

Detail from the 1901 map of Prince William County
(click for larger image)

Also in October 1884, the Allendale school opened, serving the children of the area farmers.  It was built by William T Allen adjacent to Park Gate. William also served a number of years as clerk for the Brentsville District School Board [4, 5].

William T Allen had two more children with his first wife, Henrietta “Nettie”, at Park Gate. After she died he married Mary Alice Manuel in May 1894.  With her they had three more children, including my great grandmother, Millie Mae Allen, along with William Jennings Bryan Allen and Nettie Louise Allen [1,2].

Allen family at Park Gate circa 1898. Mary Alice (Manuel) Allen is sitting with Millie Mae Allen and William Jennings Bryan Allen. Standing are older sisters Bess, Zora and Lucy Allen
(click for larger image)

It is uncertain why this part of the Allen family found their way to Prince William, Fauquier and other places in that general area when most of the rest of the family either headed west or stayed put in the Shenandoah Valley.  It is also not certain if the Allens knew of the historical significance of Park Gate farm when they bought it. Further, it is not known why the Allens left Park Gate in 1904 [2]. They went from owning a large and beautiful farm to renting something much more humble. Whatever happened, William T Allen remained an active and prominent member of the Nokesville community.  In 1910 he founded the Bank of Nokesville and served as its president, while his brother in law, Joseph B Manuel served as vice president. He continued to serve on the school board and at some point was also Justice of the Peace [4, 5, 6].

Various Obituaries for W. T. Allen in the local newspapers of the time
(click for larger image)

Park Gate Farm

The Park Gate house is on the National Register of Historic Places as well as the local and DAR registries. Despite its historic nature, information about Park Gate and its inhabitants is relatively scarce and sometimes contradictory. The information that follows is accurate as far as I know, but some of it relies on assumptions and taking the word of others without documentation or other evidence. The  information I have found in books and newspaper articles I am fairly certain is incorrect.

Park Gate is one of the few remaining colonial era structures in Prince William County, Virginia.  In 1686 George Brent and three other men received a land grant of 30,000 acres from King James. A testament to his prestige in the area, the land was called the Brenton Tract. It is thought George Brent built a cabin or some structure on the land in 1691. That structure and/or the one that replaced it became the summer kitchen for Park Gate and may have also served as slave quarters.  The chimney still standing is believed to be from the original 1691 structure.  After George Brent’s death in or after 1694, the rights to the tract passed to his grandson, also named George. Up until this point, little progress was made on plans to settle the tract [7, 8, 9].

This is believed to be the chimney from the original 1691 structure

In 1737, six years after the formation of Prince William County, the original 30,000 acre tract was divided into four parcels for the families of each of the four original proprietors [7, 8]. At some point after that, George Brent (the grandson) built the Park Gate house on the Brent parcel.  The current owner of Park Gate, Tom Russell, believes the house was built in 1738 [9].  Others think it was later, but not likely later than 1750 [12, et al]. Any official documents were likely lost during the Civil War. The house is an example of Tidewater style architecture, which originated out of Maryland.  The Brent family had deep roots in Maryland.   

The original purpose of the house is uncertain. It seems most likely it was used by the caretaker of the Brent parcel, which was being leased in smaller chunks for tobacco farming [9]. There doesn’t appear to be any indication that any of the Brent family were living there at the time. Further testament to the uncertainty of purpose, Park Gate has been referred to variously as a “tenant house,” “plantation home” and “mansion.” It is far larger and nicer than any typical tenant house of the time.  Plantation house or mansion don’t quite sit right either.  Tobacco farming continued on the land until the soil was nearly depleted right before the American Revolution. Many farmers started looking to other crops and farming techniques.  The war and some other political factors further caused a move away from tobacco farming.  George died around 1778 or 1779 and the land passed to his grandson, still yet another George. In, or just prior to 1782, the land transfers to George’s distant cousin, Daniel Carroll Brent [10], who descends from Giles Brent, the uncle of the original George Brent. At that time, he owned 5700 acres of the Brenton Tract. In 1785 he offered that land for sale in 1, 2 and 3 hundred acre lots [11].  Daniel Carroll Brent is of some historical interest, having dealings with Thomas Jefferson and being involved with the development of the city of Washington, DC, as well as being influential in Stafford and Prince William counties [7, 8].

In (or around) 1790, Daniel Carroll Brent sold the parcel with the Park Gate house to Thomas Jesse Lee [9, 12, et al], who had been married to Daniel’s sister Elizabeth “Eliza” Ashton Brent.  About five years earlier Eliza died in childbirth, but their daughter Eleanor survived [8, 13,14]. Thomas Lee was the eldest son of Richard Henry Lee, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. His second wife, Mildred, was George Washington’s niece. During the Revolutionary War, Thomas Lee was a courier and aide-de-camp to George Washington.  Washington made many trips to Culpepper, Virginia and it is believed he would stop off at Park Gate on the way [9, 12, et al].

Many have listed Eliza as Thomas’ second wife after Mildred. I believe this might be the result of confusing her with her daughter Eleanor. This mistake is found in the application for the National Register for Historic Places, which also lists Eliza as Daniel C Brent’s daughter, rather than his sister.  Some have even listed Thomas’ wife as Eleanor. 

Mildred and her child died in childbirth at Park Gate in 1796 [9] or as late as 1798. I have found no solid source for a specific date. Thomas Lee died there in 1805 according to the Brent book and other sources [8, et al]. His obituary in the Alexandria Daily Advertiser indicates he died at the home of his brother, Ludwell, in Loudoun County [25].  Thomas and Eliza’s daughter, Eleanor, married Gerard Alexander.  She died within weeks of giving birth to her son, Thomas Ludwell Alexander, in October 1807, likely at Park Gate [8]. Thomas, Eleanor, Mildred and her baby, as well as others are thought to be buried at Park Gate, but no grave markers exist.  It should also be noted the third George Brent died in 1804 at Woodstock and Daniel C Brent died 1814 at his home in Richland [8].

It appears that Gerard and his son stayed on at Park Gate. It also is likely Gerard remarried and started having more children at Park Gate.  His father, Richard Barnes Alexander died at Park Gate in December 1821, although he had been living in Kentucky [18].  They may have been joined by others of the large extended and confusing Alexander family.  The name is spelled either Gerard or Gerrard and sometimes Girard.  There were multiple men with that name in the area at the time.  Two Gerard Alexanders appear on the 1810 census for Prince William County and one appears on the 1820 census.  Genealogists know that census workers can easily misspell a name.  And unfortunately the early census provided very little details.  They do show a few dozen slaves for each listing. My hunch is there were two adult Gerrard Alexanders, father and son that were different from our Gerard at Park Gate with a single rather than double G in the middle of his name.  Gerard may have had a young son named Gerard around this time. The Alexander family is also connected to another historic home in the area, Effingham Plantation, built by William Alexander around 1765. They are also the namesake for the city of Alexandria, Virginia. 

(click for larger image)

In 1823 Park Gate was listed for sale by authority of Thomas Lee’s only surviving brother, Ludwell, and in accordance with Thomas’ will. Was there some sort of arrangement that Thomas’ son-in-law and grandson could stay there for a certain period of time after his death? Or were they waiting out settlement of the estates involved?  The sale listing indicates that Gerard Alexander is living at Park Gate [19].

It appears Park Gate did not sell after the 1823 listing. In 1824 it was listed for sale as the result of a lawsuit between the estate of Daniel Carroll Brent and the estate of Thomas Lee [20].  The assumption is that money was still owed to the Daniel C Brent estate for the mortgage.  There were many suits involving the Brent estate [7], which might explain why they dragged  on for so long.

Thomas Ludwell Alexander and his father Gerard Alexander, along with their new family headed off to Kentucky at some point prior to about 1829.  They may have lived elsewhere in Prince William for a year or so. It is believed Park Gate received some much needed restoration work around this time [9]. It is uncertain if this work was in preparation for the sale or if done by the new owners.  

Daniel C. Brent’s widow, Euphan Wallace Washington Brent, moved into Park Gate at some point, along with relatives from her first marriage to Bailey Washington.  Her obituary indicates that she died at Park Gate in 1845 and that she had been living there for some time [21]. Did she get Park Gate somehow as a beneficiary of Daniel C Brent’s estate? That seems logical, but there is no evidence and it is not known when she moved there.  Or maybe she or one of her children purchased it? Or were they leasing it?

The following evidence is known about the Washington family at Park Gate:

Euphan’s son, James Wallace Washington died there in 1869 [22]. Euphan’s grandchildren (1st cousins) William T Washington and his wife Frances (Fanny) have listings at Park Gate for these children:

1. An unnamed daughter, most likely Euphan, born 5 Sept 1857 [16]
2. Elizabeth W Washington born 15 Oct 1864 [16]
3. Infant daughter, Camelia, died in August 1873 [23]

William’s mother, Euphan Macrae Washington died at Park Gate 17 June 1875 at age 75 [24]. Her husband (and 1st cousin) Col. John Macrae Washington, a career military man, died at sea in 1853. William T Washington had a grandmother, mother, aunt and daughter all named Euphon, which can make things rather confusing. Washington and Macrae cousins marrying also makes for further confusion.

The 1870 census shows William Washington age 38 and his wife Frances with daughters Elizabeth, Euphan and Mary along with son John. It also shows his mother,  Euphan Washington, age 70.   Also there is a black female listed as domestic servant, three black children, one black female teenager and a black farm laborer. 

The 1860 census lists William T Washington and Frances and their daughter Euphan.  William’s brother, Dr. Henry William Macrae Washington is also listed along with their mother Euphan. The town for both 1860 and 1870 is Brentsville and it seems likely this was at Park Gate.  Unfortunately, these censuses lack details.  

By the 1880 census, the Washington family was living in Washington, DC.  So, they probably left Park Gate somewhere between 1875 and 1880.

The current owner, Tom Russell has said that Park Gate changed hands many times during the Civil War [9]. The Washington family lived there before and after the war, but it is uncertain if they were there during the war.  It is possible they could have come and gone.  Crazy things can happen in war time.  The house managed to avoid any damage from the war despite general devastation in the rest of Prince William County. It is believed Park Gate was used as a field hospital [9]. A February 1865 Virginia State Journal article mentions “a body of Yankee Calvary near Park Gate.”

As noted above, the Allens lived at Park Gate from 1884 until 1904.  In 1910 the new owners installed the first bathroom in the house [9].  Probably in the early 1920s, Isaac Liskey purchased Park Gate. He and his wife, Osceola, remained there for the rest of their lives.  He died in 1956 and she died in 1964. The eldest son, Glenn, marries and then later moves out.  The only other son, Reuel, remained in the house until 1976. He was there by himself for the last 12 years.  He lived at Park Gate for around 50 years, far longer than anyone else. He died in 2006.  The house unfortunately fell into serious disrepair.  Dean and Gail Niedernhofer purchased the farm in 1976 from Reuel and his sister-in-law, who owned half of the 140 acres of  land.  It is recommended to the Niedernhofers that the house be demolished.  However, they spend a considerable amount of time, effort and money to restore the home, which eventually leads to it getting listed on historic registries.  

The Niedernhofers listed Park Gate for sale in 1998. I visited Park Gate in 2009, when it was owned by a fireman raising alpacas.  The current owner is Tom Russell, who is maintaining a horse stable on the land.  

Park Gate in 2009

The Park Gate Porch; 120 Years Ago and Today

William and Millie Allen circa 1902; Dwayne Lunsford 2022

References

1. Davis, Rudelle Mills; Dick, Peggy Davidson. Allen’s: Quakers of Shenandoah. Self published. El Paso, TX. 1984.

2. Jones, Vera C. Personal papers, including Zirkle family documents.

3. Staunton Spectator 29 March 1881

4. Scheel, Eugene M. Crossroads and Corners, A Guided Tour of the Villages, Towns and Post Offices of Prince William County, Virginia Past and Present. Historic Prince William Inc. 1996

5. Breeden, Morgan E. (transcriber). Brentsville District School Board 1908-1922 School Board Minutes. 2014

6. William T Allen obituaries in various papers. 

7. Sackett, Pamela Myer. “From Outpost to Courthouse: Plotting Brentsville” Prince William Reliquary, Manassas, VA, Vol. 2, No. 2. April 2003.

8. Brent, Chester Horton. Descendants of Coll Giles Brent, Captain George Brent and Robert Brent, Gentlemen, Immigrants to Maryland and Virginia. Rutland, VT, Tuttle Pub. Co., 1946.

9. Russell, Tom, Interview from YouTube video: History and Haunts of Park Gate Plantation https://youtu.be/K33QqI0R4Ow (Tom Russell is the current [2022] owner of Park Gate Farm.)

10. Prince William County Land Tax Records 1782-1861, Reel 2, Microfilm,    1782B

11. Virginia Journal & Alexandria Advertiser 13 Jan 1785

12. National Register of Historic Places, Inventory-Nomination Form. National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior.  June 1986

13. Geiger, Sister M. Virgina. Daniel Carroll II, One Man and His Descendants,1730-1798. College of Notre Dame of Maryland. 1979.

14. French, David M. "The Brent Family" LDS Film #1598283, item #16. References cited therein.

15. United States Federal Census 1810-1950

16. Binning, Margaret B. (compiler). Birth Records of Prince William County Virginia, Prior to 1912.  Bull Run Regional Library, Manassas, Virginia. 2021

17. Ratcliffe. This Was Prince William County. Potomac Press. 1978

18. Alexandria Gazette & Daily Advertiser 28 November 1821

19. Public Sale ad in Genius of Liberty 3 June 1823

20. Alexandria Gazette 18 November 1824, et al

21. Richmond Enquirer 11 April 1845

22. Alexandria Gazette 2 February 1869

23. Alexandria Gazette 11 August 1873

24. Staunton Vindicator 2 July 1875

25. Alexandria Daily Advertiser 10 September 1805

26. Prince William County Virginia Map 1901 https://tinyurl.com/mww4dyhb

General information from newspaper articles:

 Potomac News, Woodbridge, VA

“Park Gate Mansion, One of the Oldies.” September 19, 1973

“Seven County Landmarks Added to County List.” December 1, 1976

“The Way it Was, Park Gate.” June 6, 1980

Untitled short blurb. October 25, 1990

“Link to Revolutionary War earns Nokesville House Recognition.” October 7, 1993

Journal Messenger, Manassas, VA

“Park Gate Ceremony.” October 13, 1993

Michael Kevin Bell
Austin Texas

Undocumented Genealogy is Mythology (and who was Amos and George Lunsford?)

 Over on the Twisted Twigs on Gnarled Branches Facebook page, I saw a meme that all careful genealogists should live by: 

"Undocumented Genealogy is Mythology"

How true that is, especially so when dealing with brick wall ancestors. While we continue to search for the true genealogical origin of Baldwin Lunsford, a certain degree of mythology continues to be perpetuated through online family trees.

Once a year or so I dare to venture into the leading repository of undocumented and questionable family trees, Ancestry.com, looking for any new leads on Baldwin. This is usually a lost cause but there are some interesting connections between Baldwin and various William Lunsfords from colonial Virginia. These almost always link back to the elusive Sir Thomas Lunsford. Never mind that there is absolutely no evidence that Sir Thomas left any sons in either Virginia or England from which said Williams could have descended. None of the trees provide source citations. and the owners rarely reply to my inquiries. When they do respond they tell me they just "got that off Ancestry.com". 

Sigh................

We know from Jim Ball's careful research that Baldwin likely had an older brother, Rodham Lunsford, who served in the Virginia Line during the Revolution and removed to Lincoln County Kentucky shortly after the war. From Jim we learn:

"Upon his return from the military, Rodham became the administrator for the estate of Amos Lunsford in 1784 and ordered to perform an inventory. This he undertook and it is known that a deed was granted Baldwin Lunsford by Rodham to clear the estate of Amos. Most interesting is that the Administration Bond was signed by "George (X) Lunsford" and that this George was unquestionably Rodham as noted in the court records (March 1784 Court; Minute Book 6, page 255). More to this is that there was a George Lunsford who left an estate in Fauquier in 1781. His estate was administered by George Carter who, along with George Cordell, posted a bond of £40,000. There is evidence this George Lunsford was a resident of the county of Fauquier as he was a jurist in 1780.

Rodham Lunsford married Clement Ball in 1786. In 1792 Baldwin Lunsford married Ann Ball, Clement's sister. This alone leads one to believe Rodham and Baldwin are brothers, but their relationship to Amos (d. 1784) or George (d. 1781) is not clear."

So who were Amos and George Lunsford? Was one the family patriarch? Another a brother to Rodham and Baldwin? Maybe an uncle? And why would Rodham use the "George" alias at one point? As you might expect, none of the online trees for Baldwin ever mention an Amos or George Lunsford. Complicating matters there appears to have been other unrelated Rodham Lunsfords in the Virginia Northern Neck at this time.

Who knows if we will ever be able to get Baldwin's paternity figured out using standard paper-based genealogy records. This is why I'm trying my best to break through the brick wall with DNA testing. So far I've tested three males outside of our Fauquier clan who claim ancestry to Virginia. But they don't match our Y-chromosome profile. Neither do males in another Lunsford DNA testing project. Likewise we have no DNA matches to anyone in genealogically relevant time frames suggesting a non-paternity event since the founding of Virginia. Its almost like we just dropped in from space and found a happy home in the scenic countryside of Fauquier County.  

 

 

A Working Family Heirloom - The Kodak Brownie 2A

 

The Kodak Brownie Model 2A

Several years ago my dad gave me an old Kodak Brownie camera that was found in the personal effects of his uncle, Crilly Marshall Lunsford shortly after his death. Until recently this antique curiosity sat on my bookshelf collecting dust. 

From the Brownie Camera Page, we find the following specifications:

Introduced: April 1907

Discontinued: 1936

Film size: 116

Negative size: 2 1/2 X 4 1/4"

Lens type: meniscus

Shutter type: rotary

Units made: over 2,100,000 before 1921

Original price: $3.00

After doing a bit of research, I soon found that these old gems may still work. While the original #116 film no longer is available, I found a source for adaptors that allow the use of modern #120 roll film. So after a bit of cleaning, I decided to give it a try. 

Each roll allows for six pictures. And unlike a few decades ago where every drug store offered film processing, this film can only be handled by a few specialty labs across the country and its a bit pricy (around $20 per roll). So far I've had good success with this lab although it can take several weeks to get digital scans back.

Here's an outdoor shot on a snowy overcast day using Kodak B&W T-Max 400 film. This used the middle stop opening and the internal shutter speed.

 Whereas this is a two second exposure of an indoor scene. It was taken by placing the camera on a table in a room with a western exposure on a sunny day. There is a small tab that can be pulled out on the camera to allow for manual shutter speed control.

Overall, this is a fine little box camera that produces a respectable picture. And the picture clarity is not bad for what is essentially a card board box with a single lens and very basic shutter mechanism. And after years of digital photography, it was nice to once again experiment with film.

Guest post: Lunceford/Lunsford Ancestors in the American Civil War

 

Benjamin Richard Lunceford
Company C, 8th Virginia Infantry

When my aunt, Dorothy Lunceford Ayres passed at 99 in 2014, we discovered among her things the entire muster records of her grandfather (my great-grandfather) Benjamin Richard Lunceford (1837-1900). Benjamin Richard was married to Amanda Creel and they had 8 children, my grandfather, Benjamin Harrison (1881-1931) was one of them.  Sparked by this find, I started to investigate Benjamin Richard and have come to discover quite a bit about him, his brothers and cousins and their service in the American Civil War.

 As a child we visited the Warrenton Cemetery at holidays and saw the cast Confederate Veteran iron cross at the base of Benjamin Richard’s headstone (located directly behind my grandparents) but was unaware of his Civil War service. Growing up I never really heard many ancestral service stories other than my uncle Carlton Lunceford (KIA Anzio WWII). I think it was because my grandfather died in 1931 in a farm accident and my grandmother Addie Pearl Griffith Lunceford died in 1960 when I was 4. So the stories had faded.

On another note, my father John Turner was from Newport, Kentucky (across from Cincinnati). His grandfather, Thomas Z. Turner, was in the Union Army with the 155th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He appeared to have enlisted in 1862 and served until June of 1863 just prior to the Gettysburg campaign.

When reviewing old historical documents, I need to qualify some of my findings. Getting fully sourced information is difficult and sometimes you must read between the lines or make assumptions based on deduction. There are also some contradictions and assertions in conflict from one account to another.  If you are reading this, you may have family lore that I am not aware of and could add to the discovery. Any information you would like to share can be added to the comments at the end of this post.

 Ancestor Lineage and Civil War Muster Records

I have tried to include all Lunceford/Lunsford brothers and cousins as I could confirm. But there are cousins that I have yet to investigate. They would be Creels and Balls, etc., and they are offspring of the daughters of Baldwin and or Benjamin. Number to the right of birth/death in [..] is age in 1861. Click on the name to go to their family sheets in the database.

Baldwin Lunceford/Anna Ball > Benjamin >

    1)    Benjamin Richard - (1837-1900 [24]) - 8th VA INF

    2)    Evan Owen - (1833-1901 [28]) - 8th VA INF 

    3)    Elijah Chilton - (1829-1921 [32]) – 43rd VA CAV (Mosby’s Men)

Baldwin Lunceford/Anna Ball > Benjamin > James W. >

    4)    John Henry - (1846-1934 [15]) – 43rd VA CAV (Mosby’s Men) 

    5)    James William Jr. - (1848-1935 [13]) – 43rd VA CAV (Mosby’s Men)

Baldwin Lunceford/Judith Creel > Wormley >

    6)    Joseph Blackwell - (1841-1861 [20]) - 8th VA INF

    7)    William A. - (1843-1864 [18]) - 6th VA CAV

Baldwin Lunceford/Judith Creel > Harrison >

    8)    James D. - (1834-1864 [27]) - 8th VA INF

    9)    Samuel - (1844-???? [17]) - 16th VA INF

1) Benjamin Richard Lunceford (my great grandfather, sometimes called “Benedict” Lunsford and “Lansford”), Company C, 8th Virginia Infantry. He mustered into service on July 13th, 1861 in Leesburg by Capt. Edmund Berkeley. He seemed to be somewhat of a rascal as I have found references to him as being a sharpshooter and possibly credited with shooting Col. Edward Baker (a sitting United States Senator from Oregon) at The Battle of Ball’s Bluff in October 1861 (Note 1). He also is known for his shooting skills at The Angle during the battle of Gettysburg, July 1863 where he and two other Luncefords (his brother Evan and cousin James) fought. He and his cousin James were captured, as reflected in their muster records. He is listed as a private, corporal, sergeant and even a Colonel in different excerpts and as having been admitted to the famous Chimborazo Hospital in Richmond for something called ‘Catarrh Fever’ from June 12 - 23 1862. He was imprisoned at Ft. Delaware Prison and later paroled at Point Lookout, MD February 18th, 1865. Buried in the Warrenton cemetery.

2) Evan Owen Lunceford (my great grandfather’s brother) Company C, 8th Virginia Infantry, listed as wounded at Gaines Mill (also Chickahominy) June 27, 1862. Listed as captured July 3rd, 1863 (in some excerpts) at the Angle, Gettysburg along with Benjamin and their cousin James D. However, his muster records are contradictory as to capture where Benjamin's and James D.  records clearly state that they were captured July 3, whereas Evan’s record does not. Buried in the Oak Grove Baptist cemetery, Greenwich, VA.

3) Elijah Chilton Lunceford (my great grandfather’s brother). He rode with Mosby’s Raiders, Company E. His service is described in a previous post (Note 2). Buried at the Marshall Cemetery.

4) John Henry Lunceford (my great grandfather’s nephew) - Signed on with Mosby at the very young age of 16 or 17 as a scout(?). Listed as captured by the Federals with some controversy that can be researched elsewhere. Buried in the Westminster cemetery, Delaplane, VA (Note 3).

5) James William Lunsford (my great grandfather’s nephew) - Also rode with Mosby (Company E) as a scout(?) albeit briefly in 1864-5 as he too was barely 15 or 16 years old.

6) Joseph Blackwell Lunceford (my great grandfather's 1st cousin) 8th Virginia Infantry. Killed approaching the old Stone House at First Manassas, July 21, 1861. Wound listed as through the heart. Believed buried in a mass grave at the Groveton Cemetery on the battlefield (Note 4).

7) William A. Lunceford (my great grandfather's 1st cousin) 6th Virginia Cavalry. Died in hospital, Winchester, VA, 12 Nov 1864 from wounds sustained two months earlier at Newtown (Stevens City). His burial is at the Stonewall Confederate cemetery in Winchester, VA (section VA-95) (Note 4).

8) James D. Lunceford (1st cousin to Benjamin and Evan). Company F, 8th Virginia Infantry. Reported as wounded at Gettysburg and listed as “having killed more Federals than any in other” that day. His muster records are interesting and contain some controversial statements. For instance, he is listed as present March & April 1863, absent September & October 1863 and November & December 1863 - “Taken prisoner at Gettysburg July 3, confined in Ft Delaware”.  For the period January & February 1864, the remarks say “Made prisoner at Gettysburg July 3, 1863. Afterwards joined the enemy. Deserter”. Reported as died in captivity at the notorious Ft. Delaware Federal Prison, March 12, 1864 due to inflamed lungs. He was also wounded at Darbytown June 30, 1862 and sick in 1861 (Note 5).

9) Samuel Lunceford, 16th Virginia infantry. Many listings for being sick (Impetigo, lower left thigh infection, scurvy or wounded) also at Chimbarzo and the Episcopal Church Hospital, Williamsburg.

Notes:

1)  Regarding the battle of Ball's Bluff, from: “The 8th Virginia Infantry Regiment, "The Bloody Eighth" by JDWoody. 

“Hunton ordered his skirmishers out into the adjacent tree line to open fire on the commander and his men. Sergeant Benedict R. Lunceford led his squad into the trees to open fire on the Yankees. Loading his Model 1861 musket, Sergeant Lunceford took aim at Colonel Baker. Readying his shot, he squeezed the trigger and fired, sending a roundball through the neck of Colonel Baker. The Union colonel fell to the ground grasping his bloodied neck, choking to death on his blood. Sergeant Lunceford had just killed the first and only U.S. Senator to die in combat.”

In Benjamin Richard’s service record, there is no listing as being a sergeant, nor is there any other evidence for his role in the Baker shooting. This point requires more research.

From: “Pickett’s Charge: A New Look at Gettysburg’s Final Attack”. By Phillip Thomas Tucker, PhD. Skyhorse Publishing, NY 2016.

“Tragedies among Brothers…..Meanwhile, two sets of 8th Virginia brothers, advanced side by side: Privates John L. Bailey and Edwin S. Bailey of Company D (Champe Rifles),………and Corporal Benjamin R. Lunceford and Private Evan[s] O. Lunceford, both of whom enlisted in the summer of 1861 at Leesburg, Virginia of Company C (Evergreen Guards)………”

“Savage Hand-to-Hand Combat at the Copse of Trees…… The men who had gained the stone wall and the clump of trees continued to inflict damage on the resurgent Yankees, especially the 69th Pennsylvania. One Rebel excelled in the grisly art of killing his fellow man. He was an expert marksman who never missed a shot. Firing through a narrow gap in the stone wall where piled-up stones had either knocked down or deliberately removed, Private James D. Lunceford, of Company F (Blue Mountain Boys), 8th Virginia, on the far right of Garnett’s brigade, blasted away through this ideal firing position that provided protection. Meanwhile, comrades, including a brother, hurriedly hand-loaded and passed muskets to Lunceford in an assembly line of death. Because of the density of the encroaching blue ranks, some of Lunceford’s well-aimed bullets dropped two men with a single shot, with the bullet whizzing completely through the foremost Federal to find another victim immediately behind him. From this vantage point, this especially young Blue Mountain Boy “killed more men than any other during the assault.” However, Lunceford fell wounded and was captured. He was fated to die a captivity prisoner in a filthy northern prison, earning a shallow grave in New Jersey soil in 1864. James paid the ultimate price for “getting two [Yankees] at a crack”.”

From: “Pickett’s Charge – The Last Attack at Gettysburg” by Earl J. Hess. The University of North Carolina Press, 2001.

 “The same process took place among many other groups along the outside of the stone fence. First there was fierce defiance, then there was doubt about the prospects of help arriving, then there was the grim realization that a decision between flight and capture had to be made. Lt. Charles Berkeley of the 8th Virginia gave his handkerchief to Cpl. Benjamin R. Lunceford and told him to put it on a ramrod and wave it as a token of surrender. But Lunceford was so intent on firing, having been supplied with a steady source of off-loaded and capped muskets by his brother, that he exclaimed, "Hold on awhile Lieut. I am getting two at a crack." His comrades later argued that no one in the division killed more Yankees during these few minutes than Lunceford.”

2) See previous post, “Family Mementoes and Warrior Ancestors”.

3) See previous post, “A Close Encounter with COL Mosby's Pistol”.

4) See previous post, “A Priceless Family Heirloom; Wormley and Mahala's Bible”. 

5) See previous post, “Guest Post: Which John?”

Carl Turner