|
The Aaron Stark Family Chronicles Volume 4: Descendants of Jonathan Stark & Sarah Lacock; The Kentucky Stark Families Part 2: From Connecticut to Kentucky Chapter 4: Jonathan Stark & His Sons; Their Journey From Connecticut to Kentucky By Clovis LaFleur, February 2008 [Home]
[Table of Contents] Chapter 4
Attachment:
|
||||||
|
Born to William and Experience (Lamb) Stark on December 12, 1712 in New London County, Connecticut was a son, Jonathan Stark – destined to be the progenitor of the Kentucky descendants of Aaron Stark [1608-185].[1] He was the great-grandson of Aaron and grandson of William Stark (Senior). Over a period of 100 years, Jonathan and his descendants would migrate from Connecticut; to New Jersey; to Northern Virginia, then western Pennsylvania; eventually arriving in Kentucky in 1785. The journey began with Jonathan, his relatives, and some of his neighbors, leaving Connecticut in search of a place where they could worship as they pleased. Their journey ended in Kentucky, near present day Louisville. Their descendants would later move north of the Ohio River into southern Indiana; a place where their religious beliefs were not only tolerated – but all men could live freely as neighbors and friends – and as a bonus, own excellent farm land free of the encumbrances of the territorial bickering they found as they moved from New Jersey to Kentucky. At the age of one, Jonathan’s father received as a gift from William Stark (Senior), a sizable amount of property in Groton.[2] However, four months later, Jonathan’s father exchanged this property with his father-in-law, Isaac Lamb, for a smaller plot of land.[3,4] Jonathan’s Grandfather Stark was most displeased with his son for keeping property in the family was important to these early colonials. March 3, 1715/16, William (Senior) again conveyed property to his son as a gift – inserting a clause which prevented William (Junior) from selling the property during his natural life. The clause allowed William (Junior) to improve the property during his natural life, but upon his death, the property would then pass to Jonathan, age three at the time this deed was signed into the record. At a very young age, Jonathan was essentially a land owner; or at least would become a land owner when his father died. The clause stated:[5]
Jonathan’s grandfather was a Baptist at a time when Connecticut was ruled by a Theocracy; it’s leaders opposed to religious beliefs that were contrary to the scriptures as interpreted by the Congregational Church. Within this Baptist movement in Connecticut arose a small, radical group, known as the Rogerenes; followers of John Rogers. The Rogerenes believed there was no basis in fact in the scriptures that required the day of worship to be the first day of the week – Sunday. Instead, they believed that man had decreed Sunday as the day of worship – not God. Because the Rogerenes refused to worship on Sunday and chose to work on the Sabbath, the Rogerenes were severely persecuted. These early Stark family members, although Baptist, were divided on this issue and just before 1720, Jonathan’s parents, his Lamb relatives, and several Stark Cousins who were sons of Aaron Stark (Junior), probably became followers of John Rogers. One of their neighbors, John Culver, became the leader of the Rogerenes when John Rogers died in 1721. For a period, the group attempted to continue living in New London County, some even moving to Colchester after 1721 to form a Rogerene community. But the persecution continued. By 1730, the Rogerenes had decided to move to New Jersey – a Colony that was more religiously tolerant than Connecticut. Jonathan’s parents continued to live in New London County, Connecticut, but most likely before 1736, William (Jr.) died for Jonathan sold the property which would have come into his possession upon the death of his father.[6] Jonathan’s Mother, Experience, then married John Larkin in 1738.[7]
The Rogerenes left New London County in 1732, bound for New Jersey where they settled on the east slope of Schooley's Mountain – where they were known as the "Colverites" by local residents. Three years later, this religious sect removed to Monmouth County, living their for 11 years before returning to live on the summit and western slope of Schooley's Mountain.[8] Jonathan chose to follow his relatives to New Jersey where he first appears in the New Jersey records in 1734 as an a witness to a deed transaction for Mary Insley of Woodbridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey.[9] This is where he would meet his future wife, Sarah Lacock, whom he would marry between 1734 and 1738.[10] Jonathan’s father was deceased before May 5, 1836; for this was the date that Jonathan sold the property he received upon the death of his father – to his cousin, Aaron Fish.[6] Jonathan had been living in New Jersey at least two to three years by this time. He did not move with the Rogerenes from Schooley’s Mountain, but remained in the area, eventually building a grist mill. He later lived in that region of northwest New Jersey that is present day Hardwick Township. Hardwick was incorporated on January 22, 1750, which included the present day townships of Frelinghuysen and Allamuchy in Warren County and Hackettstown and Green in Sussex County. On March 6, 1750, Jonathan advertised he had property for sell or lease with – grist-mills in Bethlehem, adjoining land of Mr. Allen to be sold or let by Jonathan Stark in Bethlehem.[11] By 1750, about 600 residents lived in the region around Hardwick and they began to petition for their own County due to the hardship of traveling all the way to Morristown for court business. On June 8, 1753, the colonial legislature created Sussex County from part of Morris County. Jonathan and his family were now Baptist, known to have belonged to the Bethlehem Baptist Church in 1754 and later, were among fourteen members who formed a Baptist Church in Knollton, Sussex County.[12] His father-in-law, Joseph Lacock, and other associated families were also members of these Churches. After August 27, 1760 and before October 8, 1760, Jonathan’s father-in-law, Joseph Lacock, died in Hardwick, Sussex County. His Will was witnessed by James Stark and named Sarah (Lacock) Stark as his daughter. Her brothers, Joseph, Nathan, and William (the administrator of his father’s estate) were also named in the Will.[13] The Stark and Lacock families lived relatively quietly in Hardwick until Jonathan died in late December of 1764, his estate probated on January 3, 1765. Sarah (Lacock) Stark and James Stark were named administrators of the estate and Sarah’s brother, Joseph Lacock (Junior), was named fellow bondsman.[14] Sarah was now a widow with a number of underage children living at home. James Stark, her oldest, was probably about 26 years of age or older. The other children ranged in age from about 10 to 23. The names of the known children were James, Jonathan [the younger], Daniel, Joseph, Christopher, William, Sarah, and John. Sussex County, situated in northwest New Jersey, was well off the beaten path in those days. The Kittatinny Mountains cut across its entire northwestern region, creating highlands which were heavily-wooded. Rising upward from the Kittatinny Valley in the eastern part of the county, these rock covered hills made farming a difficult occupation, especially in Hardwick Township. At the beginning and throughout the French & Indian War, residents in Sussex County were subjected to especially violent attacks from the Delaware Indians who had declared independence from the Iroquois. Faced with unspeakable violence, many residents of Hardwick fled to more civilized locations. This continued throughout the war until peace was restored in 1763. Before and at the conclusion of the war, there was a boundary dispute between New York and New Jersey which was the source of further violence in the region until resolved in 1769. By 1764, the Lacock and Stark families had begun to look elsewhere for a place that was more settled and with better farm land to support their families. The first to begin that search was William Lacock. William Lacock, one of the executors of his father's Will in 1760, was a resident of Loudoun County, Virginia by 1764 and purchased property from Lord Fairfax in 1765.[15,16] At that time, this region of Virginia was rumored to offer excellent opportunities for farming and growing tobacco – the cash crop of the period. The reasons for moving from New Jersey could have been due to the rocky conditions and poor soil in Hardwick Township; the threat of Indian attacks; the boundary dispute with New York; or a division or disagreement within the Baptist Church. For any or all of these reasons, the Lacock and Stark families, united through the marriage of Sarah Lacock to Jonathan Stark, prepared to join William Lacock in Virginia.
In 1767, Daniel Stark was living near his Uncle William Lacock in a region of Loudon County bounded by Vestal's Gap, Blue Ridge, and Catacton Creek. By this time, Daniel was married to Elizabeth ( believed my many to be Elizabeth Wells). It’s quite probable his mother, Sarah (Lacock) Stark, sister, Sarah Stark, and youngest brother, John Stark, were all living together.[17,18] In the same year, James, Joseph, and William were living near Nathan Lacock. William was reported as a tithable of James, indicating William was probably between 16 and 21 years of age. Joseph was over 21 for he was not reported as a tithable of James. They were living in a region of Loudon County bounded by William's Gap; to Vestal's Gap; to the junction of Vestal's Gap; to the Blue Ridge; and then to Kittocton Mountain.[17] All three were bachelors, probably working as laborers on their Uncle Nathan Lacock’s farm. Soon after his father died, Jonathan Stark [the younger] married Margaret Ball May 15, 1765 – in Morris County, New Jersey – and remained in New Jersey with his Uncle Joseph Lacock. Christopher also remained in New Jersey until 1768, probably living with Jonathan [the younger] or with his Uncle Joseph. Christopher Stark joined his brothers in Loudoun County in 1768.[17] Of the five related men with the surname Stark found living in Loudoun County in 1768, only James Stark appears on the tithable list for 1769. Also missing from the tithable list for 1769 was a gentleman named William Wood, who was living near Daniel Stark in 1767 and 1768. William Wood married Daniel’s sister, Sarah, February 14, 1769.[19] Soon after Sarah Stark was married, her husband moved his new bride to the settlement at Redstone Fort, located near the region that became present day Washington County, Pennsylvania. But soon after their arrival, Indian trouble disrupted further settlement and William brought his pregnant bride back to Loudoun County where their first born, Elizabeth Wood, was born in December of 1769.[20] Sarah's older brother, James, may have still been a resident of Loudoun County at that time, as were her Uncles, William and Nathan Lacock. This was probably a safer place for Sarah to give birth. Is it possible Daniel, Christopher, Joseph, and William moved to Redstone Fort in 1769 with William Wood? If the named brothers and William Wood did move to Redstone Fort in 1769, what was the attraction? November 5, 1768, the treaty of Fort Stanwix was made with the Indians which opened up the lands west of the Allegheny and Ohio Rivers for settlement. April 3, 1769, the land office opened in Philadelphia and on the first day twenty orders of survey were issued for land in present day Washington County, then a part of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Within one month there were 3200 applications for warrants, mostly made by the Scotch-Irish living in eastern Pennsylvania. The 1770 tithable list discloses Christopher Stark, Joseph Stark, and William Wood were once again in Loudoun County. They may have been at Redstone in 1769 and returned to Loudoun County when the Indians problems erupted in the region. However, after 1768, no record of Daniel Stark can be found in Loudoun County nor can records for James Stark be found after 1769. Nor was William Stark found in the Loudoun County records after 1768 and he then disappears altogether from the records – suggesting he may have died as a result of the Indiana hostilities or some other calamity. In 1770, Nathan Lacock, William Lacock, and Joseph Lacock appear on the Loudoun County tithable list; the first known record suggesting Joseph Lacock had removed from New Jersey to Loudoun County by 1770. The Loudoun County Court minutes record Joseph Lacock, William Lacock, and Nathan Lacock were still in Loudoun County in 1771 and as late as December 10, 1771. After 1771, the surnames of interest begin to disappear from the Loudoun County records. The last record found for James Stark was dated September 13, 1769 in the Loudoun County Court minutes. In addition to Joseph Stark being reported on the tithable list, he last appears in the Loudoun County Court minutes March 14, 1770.[21] By 1771 or 1772, the Stark men are no longer present in the Loudoun County public records – suggesting the brothers had moved elsewhere. Where could the families have been after early 1772? Pennsylvania & Lord Dunmore’s War
As mentioned above, April 3, 1769, the Pennsylvania Proprietary Land Office opened. Over the next two years, pioneers moved in large numbers into the regions that were west of the Monongahela River and south of Pittsburgh. On March 9, 1771, Bedford County was formed from the western part of Cumberland County and included this region. At this time, Pitt Township and Springhill Township were created, the latter taking in the region south of present day Washington, Pennsylvania. The 1772 tax-rolls for Springhill Township, Bedford County, reveal 308 landholders, 89 tenants, and 58 single freemen, most from Virginia and Maryland. In late 1773 and early 1774, Virginia attempted to establish court jurisdiction over this part of Southwest Pennsylvania. Lord Dunmore, Governor of the Colony of Virginia, visited Fort Pitt in late 1773 where he met Dr. John Connolly. Dunmore appointed Connolly "Captain and Commandant of the Militia of Pittsburgh." On January 1, 1774, the unsettled boundary between Pennsylvania and Virginia became hotly contested when Connolly posted a proclamation on the walls of Fort Pitt to announce his appointment and Lord Dunmore's intention to claim the region for Virginia. Within this proclamation, Connolly ordered those men in the region dependant on the fort for protection to assemble the militia on January 25.
However, within several months, trouble with the Indians in the region erupted when several relatives of Mingo Chief Logan were murdered at Baker's cabin on April 30, 1774. This was the beginning of a six month conflict between the settlers and Native American tribes that became known as Dunmore's War. James Stark, Daniel Stark, Christopher Stark, and William Wood participated in Dunmore's War for there is documented evidence they were paid at Fort Pitt in October of 1775 for militia service in the companies of Captain Joseph Mitchell and Lieutenant David Enoch.[22] At the beginning of hostilities, their place of residence is not known with certainty. They may have been living near Pigeon Creek, at that time within Springhill Township created by Pennsylvania in March of 1771. William Wood was reported as owning land on a tributary of Pigeon Creek in a 1780 Virginia Survey suggesting this may have been one possible residence of some or all of the brothers before May of 1774.[23] This property was located about five miles west of the Monongahela River and half-way between Redstone and Pittsburgh. Records from Dunmore's War report Daniel Stark and Christopher Stark served in Colonel William Crawford's Frederick County, Virginia Regiment under Captain Joseph Mitchell, their company commander. Two others serving in Captain Mitchell's Company were Lieutenant Nathaniel Fox and Sergeant Zophar Ball. The length of service of Captain Mitchell, for which he was paid 79 pounds and 10 shillings, was 159 days.[22] Assuming hostilities ended before the end of October 1774, Mitchell's pay period probably ended about November 1, 1774, implying his pay period began about May 20, 1774. Therefore, the Stark brothers probably served in Colonel William Crawford's Regiment between May 20, 1774 and November 1, 1774. Historians report William Crawford departed from his home at Stewart’s Crossing with 100 men May 8th – his destination Fort Pitt – where other men of the surrounding area militia were to assemble. By the time Crawford was ready to leave Fort Pitt for Wheeling he had a command of between two hundred and three hundred men, many apparently living on both sides of the Monongahela River and as far east as Laurel Hills. It’s possible some of these men traveled over the mountains from Frederick County, meeting at Steward's Crossing before proceeding on to Fort Pitt with Crawford. Joseph Mitchell could have been one of these men. Because Pigeon Creek was in close proximity to Stewart's Crossing, the Stark brothers may have been among those who assembled at Steward's Crossing. Once the men had assembled at Fort Pitt, they surely were organized into companies, not all of the men in each company necessarily from the same region but assigned to regional Captains. Historical accounts reveal the region between the Monongahela and Ohio Rivers had been mostly evacuated of settlers and their families by late May of 1774. Allowing Daniel and Christopher time to move their families to safety on the east side of the Monongahela River between April 30 and May 20, they probably had time to travel to Fort Pitt to participate in the militia assembly or could have been assigned to Mitchell's Company May 8th at Steward's Crossing. If they served in William Crawford's Regiment, then they most likely participated in much of the activity attributed to his regiment during Dunmore's War. During there months of service, Daniel and Christopher participated in the construction of Fort Fincastle and may have been participants in Angus McDonald’s expedition that was ambushed August 2nd near the Muskingum River – Lieutenant Nathaniel Fox of Mitchell’s command wounded in this skirmish. Alternately, rather than serving with McDonald, they could have been among 200 hundred to 300 men ordered to remain with William Crawford at Fort Fincastle.
Captain Mitchell's Company probably participated in concert with William Crawford's Regiment after September 30, 1774 and would have participated in a skirmish with the Mingo's late in October, the last hostile act in Dunmore‘s War.. At the conclusion of the War in late October, Crawford's regiment was relieved or disbanded for William Crawford wrote a letter November 14, 1774 to George Washington from Stewart's Crossing reporting those events in which Crawford participated.[24] However, did the Stark brothers complete their tour at that time and return to their families? The records of payment for Dunmore's War reveal John Connolly was still in Command of the West Augusta County Battalion. After Lord Dunmore's return to Redstone November 17 and from there to Williamsburg, Connolly resumed command of the forces remaining in the District of West Augusta. Although a treaty had been signed and honored by the Shawnee, there were other Indian tribes which did not want to honor the agreement. Therefore, as a safety precaution, one would have to presume companies of men would have been garrisoned at forts on the Ohio River as a first line of defense in the event these tribes chose to renew their raids. Within Connolly's command was Lieutenant David Enoch. The length of service of Lieutenant Enoch, for which he was paid 79 pounds and 10 shillings, was 132 days.[22] Serving in Enoch's Company was Sergeant Zophar Ball, a Sergeant who had served in Joseph Mitchell's Company. From the military records, there were a number of men who appeared on the rosters of both Joseph Mitchell’s company and David Enoch’s company. Among these men were Daniel Stark and Christopher. James Stark was not on the roster of Mitchell’s company but was reported on the roster of Enoch’s company. The brothers participation in Dunmore's War suggests they were living between the Monongahela and Ohio Rivers at the time of the massacre of Chief Logan's relatives at Baker's Cabin. A compelling reason for believing they lived in the region was their service under Lieutenant David Enoch. The Enoch family has been documented as having lived at the time of Dunmore’s War on Ten Mile Creek – located southeast of present day Washington, Pennsylvania. Historical accounts report they had build a blockhouse only two miles from the Monongahela River on that same creek. One could easily speculate David Enoch's men lived near the blockhouse, providing protection in that region against Indian attacks, and that these same men had served earlier in Joseph Mitchell's Command. If this were true, then the men in Enoch's command could have been living near the blockhouse. This would be only one of several possibilities, for they could have also garrisoned any of the several forts built along the Ohio River. Their service in Mitchell's Company would seem to imply they came from Frederick County, Virginia, the regional name given to their Regiment commanded by William Crawford. However, the historical account clearly reveals Crawford was a Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania official on April 30, but then appointed a Major in the Virginia militia after April 30. Therefore, it would seem reasonable to expect men under his command were not all residents of Frederick County. Many were probably members of the local militias that assembled at Stewart's Crossing, Pittsburgh, and Wheeling. What is known for sure is James Stark, Daniel Stark, Christopher Stark, and William Wood were paid at Fort Pitt for their service in Dunmore's War, which suggests they were living near Pittsburgh by October of 1775; and their participation in Dunmore's War further suggest they could have been living over the mountains in the boundary disputed region before April 30, 1774. By 1775, all of the Stark brother’s were married accept for the youngest, John Stark. James probably married his spouse, Hannah, sometime between 1767 and 1769, this marriage probably occurring in Loudoun County, Virginia.[26] Daniel Stark had married Elizabeth around 1767; Christopher Stark married Martha Vineyard probably no later than 1772;27 and Joseph Stark most likely married his spouse, Hannah, about 1775. John Stark, the youngest, did not marry Elizabeth Eddy until sometime between 1780 and 1782 for the couples first child, Benjamin, was not born until 1783 near the conclusion of the Revolutionary War.[28] Pennsylvania & The Revolutionary War Early in May of 1775, communication arrived form the east reporting that on April 19th a detachment of Royal troops under the command of General Gage at Boston, Massachusetts, had fired on provincial troops at Lexington. These were the opening shots of the Revolution. The boundary dispute between Virginia and Pennsylvania was temporarily set aside, but there were still hostile feelings on both sides of the argument for Augusta County, Virginia, and Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, had separate meetings on May 16th to discuss these developments. Inhabitants living west of Laurel Hill and claiming allegiance to Augusta County met at Pittsburgh. The term "west of Laurel Hill" suggests the West District of Augusta claimed jurisdiction over the region on both sides of the Monongahela River as far east as Laurel Hill. Several familiar names chosen as members of a committee for the District of Augusta were William Crawford, Henry Enoch, and James Ennis, whom we will learn later was a neighbor of William Wood near Pigeon Creek. The appointed committee had the
Colony in this instance meant Virginia, not Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania had been founded as a Quaker pacifist colony, and as such, Pennsylvania did not have a military organization. This was probably one of the reasons Virginia was able to establish control of Pittsburgh and the surrounding region during the boundary disputes. Therefore, early in 1775, certain localities organized volunteer companies called "military associations." On June 30, 1775, the Pennsylvania Provisional Assembly gave official recognition to the Military Associations and grouped their companies into battalions. The Stark brothers were probably not members of the Continental Line detachments originating from Pennsylvania or Virginia during these early years of the conflict. Author Boyd Crumrine summarized these years as follows: [25]
This assessment would most likely apply to the Stark brothers who were living west of the Monongahela River. Much of their active duty in the early years of the conflict probably consisted of garrison duty in small companies of about 50 men or less, probably manning forts and blockhouses. The companies participating in this garrison duty were probably rotated on a regular schedule. The Pennsylvania Archives report James Stark, Daniel Stark, Christopher Stark, and Joseph Stark served in the “Rangers of the Frontier,” being paid for active service between 1777 and 1783. They served with Captain Abner Howell, Francis Vineyard, John Vineyard, and Thomas Vineyard.[29] Their brother, Jonathan Stark [the younger], continued to live in New Jersey. He enlisted for one year on January 8, 1777, serving as a Corporal in Captain Wade's Company, 4th Regiment of the New Jersey Continental Line and deserted in October of 1777 before his enlistment had expired.[30] On June 10, 1782, Jonathan was reported to be a member of Captain Cravens Company of the 5th Battalion of the Washington County Militia. This is the first record suggesting Jonathan [the younger] had moved from New Jersey and joined his brothers in Pennsylvania.[31] Captain Abner Howell's Company may have participated in Colonel Brodhead's expedition up the Muskingum River from April 19, 1781, to May 22, 1781. On page 219 of the "Pennsylvania Archives," 6th Series, Volume 2, is the beginning of a list entitled "Roll of the Militia of Washington County - Officer list with dates of when service was performed." Howell's militia company was on active duty from April 8, 1781, to May 10, 1781. The company was again active from May 13, 1781 to June 13, 1781. These periods of active duty, which appear to be continuous accept for two days between May 10th and May 13th, coincide with the time window of Brodhead's expedition up the Muskingum River.[32] In 1779, Colonel Daniel Brodhead replaced General Lachlin McIntosh as Commander of the Western Department. His orders provided him with discretionary powers to order out the militia of the western counties through their county lieutenants. Early in 1780, between forty and fifty men, women, and children were killed or captured in the regions west of the Monongahela River. Colonel Brodhead attempted to organize troops for an expedition to carry the attack to the Indians. Brodhead ordered Colonel Joseph Beelor [county Lieutenant for then Yohogania County, Virginia] to draft men who lived in the region between the Monongahela and Ohio Rivers. However, Brodhead had problems procuring provisions and the draft of men was stopped May 20, 1780 and the expedition was abandoned. Most of these problems throughout 1780 were the result of the boundary dispute between Pennsylvania and Virginia – there being uncertainty as to which state had jurisdiction over the region. When the Delaware Indians became hostile late in 1780, Brodhead was finally able to muster the men and supplies to launch an expedition in the spring of 1781. According to Crumrine "Being unable to obtain any troops by draft from the militia of Westmoreland, he (Brodhead) called for volunteers, and the call was responded to, principally by men from the territory of the newly-erected (though not organized) county of Washington." Three hundred men answered the call, of which about half were volunteers. They mustered at Wheeling (Fort Henry) and began a march to the Muskingum River, arriving at a place near present day Coshocton, Ohio on April 19, 1781. After attacking and destroying several Delaware villages, Brodhead returned to Fort Pitt, arriving before or about May 22, 1781. Howell's company was again on active duty from July 25th to August 25th of 1781; and again active from August 27th to October 1st of 1781. Accept for one day between August 25th and August 27th, these periods of active duty appear to be continuous and fall within the time window of two planned excursions into the Indian country. The first was conducted by General George Clarke and the second, planned during approximately the same time frame, was ordered by Colonel Brodhead. August 4th, General Clarke's main body of troops and supplies gathered at Fort Henry (Wheeling) after considerable difficulty due to the boundary dispute. The campaign was supported primarily by Virginia, but conflicts of command and jurisdiction had delayed the campaign by about three months. During the same time frame, Colonel Brodhead was collecting a force – this activity competing with Clarke’s efforts to raise men and supplies. General Clarke's objectives were to attack the Indian towns on the Sandusky River and capture or destroy Detroit. From the start, the expedition was plagued with desertions and further hindered by a failed rendezvous with a trailing Westmoreland County detachment under the command of Colonel Lochry. By the end of August, General Clarke abandoned the enterprise at the Falls on the Ohio (present day Louisville, Kentucky). The men of his command then had to made there way back to their homes, encountering many perils and hardships along the way, the journey for some taking two months. As early as August 23rd, Colonel Brodhead mentioned a proposed enterprise in a letter to the president of the Council "An Expedition against the Sanduskies is in Contemplation, and I wish to promote it, but what can be done with naked and starved men, unless the Country will afford a generous supply, you will easily Determine." Colonel Gibson, commander of the Seventh Virginia Regiment, was to lead the expedition and was ordered to rendezvous at Fort McIntosh on September 5, 1781. A considerable number of volunteers were recruited, including many of the leading citizens of Washington County. But, as on previous occasions, procuring supplies was encountered. On September 24th, Brigadier General William Irvine relieved Colonel Brodhead as commander of Fort Pitt and the enterprise was abandoned on the General's orders. Abner Howell's Company probably was not a part of General Clarke's command and most likely the active duty reported from July 25th to October 1st was related to Colonel Brodhead's aborted attempt to send a force down the Ohio River. Some of the Stark brothers may have been active in other expeditions, but without records of confirmation, their participation cannot be ascertained with certainty. Residents of Washington County, Pennsylvania September 27, 1785, a deed description was filed which reported Reverend William Wood had 349 acres on Sugar Camp Run near Pigeon Creek which bordered the land of James Innis. This property was adjacent to the property of James Stark, his property bordered by the land of Noah Williams.33 This land was within the bounds of Fallowfield Township on this date. The 1783 Washington County Tax list reports James Stark owned 140 acres in Fallowfield Township and on this same Fallowfield Township list were Daniel Stark and Jonathan Stark, neither owning land.[34] If this property owned by James was the same land described in the property description, then his land shared a border with the property of William Woods, the same 349 acres surveyed June 8, 1780 and presented in a survey map produced for the Virginia Settlement (certified by Colonel William Crawford, County Surveyor for Yohogania County).[35]
This survey map records Sugar Camp Run as a border of the Wood property to the west and south while Innis Run bordered the property to the west. To the north and northwest, the 349 acres was bordered by the property of James Innis. From the description given, the property of James Stark was apparently adjacent to Sugar Camp Run and the property of Noah Williams. The 1783 Washington County, Pennsylvania tax list records the names of all of the Stark brothers and their Lacock, Vineyard, and Wood relatives. The list suggests Jonathan [the younger], Daniel, and Christopher Stark did not own property – but were living in Fallowfield Township – most likely near or with William Wood and their brother James Stark. The list reported Joseph Stark owned 240 acres in Amwell Township and living near or with Joseph was John Stark; owning no property at that time.[36] Although the location of the Joseph Stark property in Amwell Township is not known with certainty, they could have been living near the Lacock families. The 1783 tax list provides the best documented evidence of the place of residence in 1783 of the Stark brothers and suggests their probable place of residence prior to that year. Virginia had approved William Wood’s claim to his property June 8, 1780, before the boundary dispute had been settled. Pennsylvania claims of land ownership in Washington County came from warrants issued by Pennsylvania from 1769 thru 1776. Conflicting with these claims were certificates issued by the Virginia authorities in 1779 and 1780 to persons, who, thinking they were in Virginia, had made bona fide settlements (a corn crop or one year's residence) before January 1, 1778. William Wood's property was one of many surveys conducted by Yohogania County, Virginia related to these certificates of ownership.[37] The land office of western Pennsylvania closed December 2, 1776 and did not reopen until July 1, 1784. At that time, Pennsylvania began issuing warrants for two types of applications; those made through regular Pennsylvania channels; and those made by virtue of the Virginia certificates. By 1785, most persons with a property grievance were satisfied they now owned property in Washington County by virtue of new warrants being issued. However, one must presume not all of the property claims were settled to the satisfaction of the land owners, which was probably the case for William Wood. Five months after the land office opened, William Wood departed from Washington County, bound for Kentucky – at that time under the jurisdiction of Virginia. Wood departed from Washington County in December of 1784 with a number of his neighbors who lived near Pigeon Creek and had received certificates of ownership from Virginia. One can only speculate, but this sudden move must have become necessary because the State of Pennsylvania did not validate all of the Virginia certificates of ownership. Although one could argue the above deed description recorded in September of 1785 belonged to William Wood, before a new Pennsylvania Warrant could be issued to a potential new owner, the original Virginia survey may have been used as a documented description of the property. This theory would seem to be supported, for there are no land records in Washington County reporting William Wood, James Stark, or Joseph Stark actually sold their property recorded on the 1783 tax list. If many of the Virginia certificates were nullified, then it would seem probable this was also true for James and Joseph Stark. The area which later became the state of Kentucky in 1792 was within the jurisdiction of Virginia in 1785 and the families probably moved to that region to purchase land grants they had lost in Pennsylvania as a result of the boundary dispute settlement. The Stark brothers would soon follow William Wood to Kentucky; while the Lacock and Vineyard families would remain in Pennsylvania.
|
||||||
|
Other than that work created by other acknowledged contributors or sources, the articles presented were authored and edited by Clovis LaFleur and the genealogical data presented in this publication was derived and compiled by Pauline Stark Moore; Copyright © 2003. All rights are reserved. The use of any material on these pages by others will be discouraged if the named contributors, sources, or Clovis LaFleur & Pauline Stark Moore have not been acknowledged. Disclaimer This publication and the data presented is the work of Clovis LaFleur & Pauline Stark Moore. However, some of the content presented has been derived from the research and publicly available information of others and may not have been verified. You are responsible for the validation of all data and sources reported and should not presume the material presented is correct or complete.
|
