Editor’s note: This post comes to us courtesy of James D. Ball of Uniontown, Ohio. Jim has done extensive work on the Ball family and is particularly interested in our Baldwin through his first wife Anna Ball (d. ~1796). Here he describes his research on Rodham Lunsford and how he relates to Baldwin and our clan as well as other Lunsford family units in the 1700s. Please visit his web site, "The Ball Family of Carter's Run" (http://www.ballsplace.com ).
There has been questionable research on Rodham Lunsford of Fauquier County Virginia. He was not the son of Rodham Lunsford and Lettice Linton of Lancaster County as proposed by many researchers. That Rodham Lunsford (d. 1791) did have a son Rodham by his first wife. But that Rodham (Jr) married Sally Cox in 1794 in Lancaster Co. VA. The Rodham of this analysis lived in Fauquier at this time and his wife Clement was alive and well in 1807 as she was included in a Ball to Ball land transfer and several chancery causes. Additionally, other linked names, namely Amos and Baldwin, do not seem to connect directly to the Lunsford families of Lancaster and Northumberland. It is unfortunate that some of this erroneous information has been commonly accepted, even by the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).
The birthplace of Rodham Lunsford has been reported as either Northumberland or Lancaster County. These possibilities were presented in many early genealogies apparently based upon the surname being prevalent in these locations. Without doubt he connects to these families, but the Lunsford name is found throughout Virginia's Northern Neck in the time frame Rodham would have been born, including Prince William and King George counties. His actual place of birth remains a mystery. Likewise, his year of birth is somewhat nebulous. It is generally accepted as 1762 which is based upon his stated age when he filed for his Revolutionary War pension. The census record is very inconsistent in this matter. The year of 1762 falls before the tabular range given in the 1810 census while in the 1840 data it falls later. Suffice it to say this Rodham could not write his name. In all known documents he signed with a mark.
Rodham enlisted in the Virginia Line in Fauquier in March 1779 for a three-year term, enrolling in Capt. Butler's Company. His Lieutenant was Phillip Mallory, his Ensign was Ray Heath, and his General was Charles S. Scott. His unit was stationed in Petersburg, Virginia during the Fall of 1779. They then marched to South Carolina where he was taken prisoner at the siege of Charleston in May of 1780. He was detained as a prisoner even following the surrender of Cornwallis. His time of service amounted to 3 years and 9 months. During his captivity he "suffered every sort of privation". In his application of 22 Oct 1832, he states he was 70 years of age. He was granted Pension Number S13803 (Historical Records of Old Crab Orchard Lincoln County, Stanford, KY).
Without question Rodham Lunsford had family in Fauquier Co. prior to the Revolution. But defining this family unit has proven difficult. Upon his return from the war, Rodham became the administrator for the estate of Amos Lunsford in 1784 and was ordered to perform an inventory. This he undertook and it is known that a deed was granted to 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).
Rodham 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.
Rodham’s children were all born in Fauquier Co. He moved his family to Lincoln Co. KY ~1807, following the signing of a Ball to Ball Deed in which Benjamin Ball acquired his sister Clement's share of their father's estate (see will below where he accounts for his children). Many early genealogies have referred to Clement Ball as "Clementine". But nowhere in the historical record is she referred to as Clementine. While she was generally referred to as Clement and even Clements, her proper name is "Clemence", having been named after her aunt. The given name itself originates with the Owen family of Middlesex County and likely was derived from the surname of the Clemence family.
Rodham is first listed in the Lincoln Co. KY tax list on 10 Jan 1808 as "Rhodam Lunsford". On the 24 May 1809 list he is listed as "Rwrodum Lunsford" and on the 1811 list as "Rhodunt Lanceford". In each case he is the only white male over age 21 in the household.
Complicating matters, there were three Lunsford family groups residing in Fauquier in the late 1700s. First were the families of NW Fauquier west of Carters Run also known as The Free State. This included Rodham and Baldwin. The second family was in the southern section or Hamilton Parish. They were headed by Jemima (sic) Lunsford (widowed by 1778). The third family resided in the NE District and included George (d. 1781), Amos (d. 1784), Absalom, and James. George Lunsford appears to have lived near Cedar Run.
The initial years for which these early Lunsfords paid taxes in Fauquier were:
Absalom 1792, no further information. Resided NE District.
Amos 1781, Resided NE District. Died intestate 1784, Admin. by
Rodham Lunsford. Note: Letter of Administration
indicates Rodham also may have been known as "George".
Bailey 1789 paid by Jemima and in 1790 by Hazel (Haisle). Resided
South District.
Baldwin 1787 paid by Benjamin Ball. Resided NW District.
George No tax recorded. Died intestate 1781. Admin. by George
Carter. Appears to have resided in NE District.
Haisle 1787, paid by Jemima through 1789.Resided So. District.
James 1796 paid by Richard M. Scott. Resided NE District.
Jemima 1778 (last record 1789). Resided So. District.
Lewis No year listed but he signed the 1776 religious petition.
Moses 1787 paid by Jemima. Resided So. District.
Nicholas Bound out to Benjamin Pettit in 1782.
Rodham 1784 initial tax year (following the war). Resided NW District.
Lewis Lunsford listed above was an adult in 1776, over age 21, and thus born before 1755. It is unclear if he connects to the Leeds Parish family. Rodham did however have a son named Lewis. Also, there was a George Lunsford who left an estate in Fauquier in 1781. It was administered by George Carter who, along with George Cordell, posted a bond of £40,000. There is evidence this George Lunsford was of Fauquier Co. as he was a jurist in 1780. Tying the two Lunsford families of Leeds (northern Fauquier) together is Amos whose estate was administered by Rodham who was senior to Baldwin. Rodham may have been the eldest Lunsford available to administer the estate. It is unknown if there was a connection between the family of Jemima Lunsford of Hamilton Parish and those families in Leeds Parish. It is interesting to note that Moses Bailey was one of the appraisers to the estate of George Lunsford. Jemima had sons Bailey and Moses.
I suspect these early Fauquier families are associated in some way with the James Lunsford family of King George. This man was close to the Jeffries, Owens, and Rowley families and those associations carry through later in Fauquier. His will is not extant, and we don't know the members of his immediate family. There was however a James and a John Lunsford in King George in the years prior to the formation of Fauquier Co.
Several genealogies list Merryman Lunsford as a son of Rodham and Clement. He is in fact a DAR approved descendent which is inconsistent with the data. Census records show this man was born in 1782-1784, before Rodham and Clement married. Merryman married in Bedford Co. VA in 1822 and is found residing in Botetourt Co. VA. In 1850 he is listed as a Baptist minister and in 1860 as a farmer. He died prior to 1870. There is no evidence Merryman or "Marrimon" connects to the Rodham Lunsford family.
Another individual some attribute as a daughter of Rodham and Clement is Elizabeth Lunsford who married Isham Gentry 22 Sep 1803 in Lincoln Co. KY. This is several years before Rodham and Clement left Fauquier Co. They removed to Platte Co. MO. This Elizabeth Lunsford may connect to Nelly Lunsford/Langford who was in Lincoln Co. KY prior to the arrival of Rodham. Census data indicates Nelly was born 1771-1780 and widowed between 1795 and 1810, based upon the age of her son in the census record. There is no indication as to the identity of Nelly's husband. Nelly appeared initially on the Lincoln Co. KY tax list in 1792 as "Milly" Langford. As Nelly and Rodham both lived in Crab Orchard there is a strong possibility of a connection.
Cynthia Lunsford is thought by some researchers to be a daughter of Rodham. She married Thomas Yates 11 Jul 1809 in Lincoln Co. KY. No further information has been located, but she is not recognized as a daughter of Rodham in his will. She too may connect to Nelly Lunsford.
Also, of interest is a George Lunsford who married Mary "Polly" Petter 20 Mar 1821 in Lincoln Co. KY and removed to Jasper Co. MO. He was born about 1795 in Kentucky and died before 1860. He is not associated with Rodham and was born following Nelly becoming a widow. This leads to the possibility of at least three Lunsford families residing in early Lincoln County KY.
Research Notes
•Common surname variations found in the historical record: Lunsford, Lunceford, Lunce.
•Common given name variations found in the historical record: Rodham, Rhodam, Rody, Clement, Clements, Clemmy.
•McGhee, Lucy Kate; "Historical Records of Old Crab Orchard: Lincoln County, Stanford, Kentucky"; Pub. unk; Washington, DC (195?).
•National Archives Film Series M805, Roll 542, File S13803.
•Fauquier Probate/Fiduciary Record 1784-003, Estate of Amos Lunsford. [Rodham Lunsford signs Administration Bond as "George (X) Lunsford"].
•Sutherland, James F. (comp.); "Early Kentucky Households 1787-1811"; Genelaogical Publishing Co.; Baltimore (1986).
•1787 Fauquier Co. VA Tax List 'B'; pg. 30 [Rhodam Lunsford (sic)].
•1799 Fauquier Co. VA Tax List 'B'; pg. 30 [Rhoda Lumford (sic)].
•1810 Lincoln Co. KY; pg. 128 [Roadham Lunceford (sic), Clement, one son and four daughters present].
•1820 Lincoln Co. KY; pg. 67-68 [Rodam Lonceford (sic), Clement, one son and two daughters present].
•1830 Lincoln Co. KY; pg. 367 [Rhasam Lanceford (sic), and Clement, no children, one apparent granddaughter].
•1840 Lincoln Co. KY; pg. 084 [Rodham Lunsford, Clement deceased].
•Letter of 11 Jan 1991 from Mrs. Mabel Singleton of Norris City IL to
Rodham Lunsford Will of 9 Mar 1841
Entered for probate 3 May 1841; (Lincoln Co. KY Will Book 'N'; pg. 216). Punctuation and spelling as supplied courtesy of the DAR. Here Rodham accounted for all his children.
"In the name of God Amen I Rodham Lunceford of the County of Lincoln and State of Kentucky being of Sound and disposing mind and memory do make and ordain this to be my last will and testament hereby revoking all others. And as I have through the blessing of God lived to a good old age, and calling to mind that it is appointed by devine providence for man to die and after that the judgement, It has pleased God in the world to bless me with some property, and having been blessed with a family of children I deem it my duty to make a distribution of the same Item 1st It is my will and desire after my death that my body be buried in a plain Christian like manner.
Item 2nd It is my will and desire that my executors herein after named pay all my just debts if there should be any remaining unpaid at my death, 3rd I give and bequeath to my daughter, Betsy who is intermarried with Daniel Ball the following Negroes, to wit, One Negro woman Jenny which negro she now has in possession, and all the children she now has in possession or any she may hereafter have one negro woman by the name of Keziah and her son Milton and all Said Keziah's children younger than Milton, to her the said Betsy Ball and her heirs forever. 4th I give and bequeath to my daughter Nancy Parks, wife of Reuben Parks the eight hundred and twenty dollars in cash and the negro girl which I heretofore give her which I consider to be one full equal portion of my estate, and it is here fairly understood that she is to have no more of my estate. Item 5th I give and bequeath to my daughter Hannah, wife of William Parks the one thousand and twenty dollars in cash all of which she has heretofore received which I consider to be her full portion of my estate, and it is here fairly understood she is not to have any more of my estate. 6th I give and bequeath to my daughter Sarah who intermarried with Joel Sartain the four hundred and fifty dollars in cash and the two negro girls all of which she has heretofore received which I consider to be her full portion of my estate and it is here fairly understood that she is not to have any more of my estate. 6th It is my will and desire that executors pay over to my four grand children who is children to my deceased daughter Lucinda who intermarried with Charles Adams two hundred dollars each out of my estate as they may arrive at the age of twenty one years, and it is further to be understood, that Said Executor is not to be chargable with interest until they make application for the money after they become of age. 7th It is further my will and desire and i do hereby give and bequeath to my son Lewis Lunceford the plantation on which I now live containing about three hundred and twenty five acres by deed but he is to have all more or less, Also I give to my said son Lewis all the balance of my negroes and other estate both real and personal of every description after the special legacies are paid of herein named. Lastly I hereby constitute and appoint my said Son Lewis Lunceford Executor of this my last will and testament. In testimony of which I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 9th day of March eighteen hundred and forty one."
John Stone His
Rodham X Luncefore
David Shanks Mark
James D. Ball
Uniontown, Ohio
jd_ball2001@yahoo.com
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