Rochelle Family

George Newton Rochelle (1851-1924)& wife Virginia Batson, Hickman Co., TN ~ Great-great-grondson of John Rochelle & Elizabeth Boone (through their son William)

Capt. James Rochelle (1789-1837) Tombstone on Rochelle Hill Ceme., 1 mi. N.W. of intersection of dirt road and Rd. 317 near Dutchman's Creek, Fairfield Co., SC, inscribed, "To the memory of Captain James ROCHELLE son of James and Margaret ROCHELLE, who was born 15 June 1789 and departed this life 6 April 1837, age 47 years 9 months and 21 days. To where this silent marble weeps a father friend and husband sleeps. A heart within whose peaceful cell affection virtue, loved to dwell. Nor pain, nor grief, nor anxious fear invade the bonds, no mortal woes can reach the silent sleeper here and angels watch his soft repose." The other graves there were his wife: Nancy E. [Harrison] ROCHELLE, d. 25 Feb. 1843 age 33 yr. And their son: Anderson ROCHELLE, d. 18 Sept. 1831 age 7 mo. Three lonely graves on the top of the ROCHELLE Hill in Fairfield County, SC. [From Faye WAKEFIELD of Lugoff, SC, to Sloan Mason to me]

Tombstones in Rochelle Cemetery, Hickman Co., TN, Lizzie Paulina Rochell Fortner (1875-1961), wife of John William Fortner; her mother Virginia "Jennie" Catherine Batson Rochell (1854-1901), wife of George Newton Rochelle (son of Tapley W. Rochelle, son of Alsey A. Rochelle, son of William Rochelle & Rachael Thomas, son of John Rochelle & Elizabeth Boone)

The name Rochelle (or du Rochelle, of Rochelle) is a place name, derived from where the family lived: La Rochelle in southwest France or some other place by a rock, and comes from the French word "roche" or Norman "roque" a rock. In colonial records the name was variously spelled Rochel, Rochell, Rochelle, Rotchell, or Rachael, but in most instances we will use the spelling Rochelle.

From 1624 when Virginia became a royal colony, to encourage colonization the Crown's policy was to grant 50 acres to every person who should Adventure to the new country in the Colony of Virginia. In 1634 Virginia's original shires were established, all along the James or York Rivers except one across the bay on the peninsula: James City, Charles City, Henrico, York (changed from Charles River), Warwick, Elizabeth City, and Isle of Wight (changed from Warrosquoyacke), with Northampton (changed from Accowmack) on the peninsula across the Bay. As settlement spread new counties were created. Unfortunately many of the early shires' records no longer exist.

The colony received some of its settlers as involuntary immigrants; they were exiled convicts. In the harsher penal system of that day, people could be imprisoned for lesser crimes such as debt, and were pardoned by the King before being transported to America. With opportunity for a new start in life, exiled convicts soon became respectable landowners. In 1670 the General Court of Virginia "ordered that no person bring jailbirds hither."

There was also a "continuing infusion of free English and women imported as servants under indenture. There was nothing servile about them socially or otherwise and they were soon graduated to planter class."

To induce the prosperous English to immigrate and to assure an adequate labor force to exploit the natural resources of the new land, those paying passage for the less prosperous were rewarded with 50 acres for each person transported. Transportees received 50 acres and were obligated to repay their passage money by working for the sponsor for a period of indenture, then rising from servitude to prosperity. This system was sometimes abused, however, as ships' captains went to county governments and claimed 50 acres for each passenger delivered to America (including both transporters and transportees), resulting in huge patents held for speculation rather than settled. This defeated the purpose of the Crown policy, although the counties were glad to receive the relatively small Quit Rents tax on the patented lands. Immigration of those listed on such patents sometimes spanned many years and some claims were outright fraudulent. The poor Adventurer whom the law was designed to aid and encourage was the least benefitted.

The earliest Rochelle in Virginia was Ralph (1st) who settled in Surry Co. -- directly across the James River from Jamestown, site of the first permanent settlement in North America. In time, some of his family moved just southwest to adjoining Sussex Co., VA. From thence, over the next generations, the family spread southward into North Carolina and ours to South Carolina. Notice on this modern-day map of Surry Co. that Hog Island, where other of our ancestors first settled, is across the James River from Jamestown and part of Isle of Wight Co.

Of at least six adult male Rochelles of uncertain relationship who came to Virginia by the mid-1600s, some were listed in the Virginia Patent Books and some were not. Proximity in Virginia -- five appearing in Surry and/or Sussex Counties – seems to indicate that they were kin:

• First, apparently, was Ralph Rochelle (1st), who was in Surry County by 1663, acquired 200 acres by patent in Charles City County in January 1670, resided in Surry, and died by December 1679, leaving his widow Elizabeth _____ as executrix. Ralph and his son George Rochelle (below) were well enough educated to act as attorneys for neighbors and for George to receive a legacy of a library of books from John King. Ralph resided in Surry County before its first extant tax list, and it is possible George arrived when Ralph did and was too young to be taxed. Both bought and sold a lot of land in more than one county.
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• Second was Robert Rachaell, one of 21 persons transported by Richard Sturman who was granted 1004 acres in Westmoreland Co., VA on 26 October 1666. Robert went from Virginia to Boston, Massachusetts, and married Judith Hart. He was not studied, since he left the colony.
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• Third was William Rochelle who came into Stafford Co., VA in 1670 (formed from Westmoreland in 1664). Of an age to be the 1st Ralph's son or brother, he is presumed to be the William in Surry list of tithables from 1672 through 1695, then in Prince George County by 1704 until his death in 1714, leaving a widow Mary, probable son George, and orphans William R. and Ralph.
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• Fourth was George Rochelle who witnessed a deed in Surry in 1668, and has long been considered the son of Ralph 1st, although according to descendants he came "about 1680" by way of Long Island, New York, where he was shipwrecked but continued the journey to Princess Anne County, Virginia, thence to Nansemond County, thence to Surry. He left no will in Surry records and there were other Georges there so his date of death has not been determined. His wife was Elizabeth _____. Their son John J. Rochelle married Mary Gilliam and seven children are known through Albemarle Parish birth records, John's and their son Nathaniel's wills in Sussex County, Virginia. John and Mary's son John, Jr., married his cousin Judith Gilliam and while a Capt. in the Virginia Militia, Revolutionary war, wrote a letter to his wife which has been preserved. Their residence "The Hermitage" was described by the landowner Mr. Blythe in 1979 as having a chimney with four fireplaces, a ceiling with open beams 16 inches square. He was a wealthy shipbuilder and merchant at South Quay, had storehouses there and imported goods from Europe, had a gristmill, fisheries on the Chowan and Meherrin Rivers, and plantations in Sussex County, Virginia, and Halifax County, North Carolina, and according to his will owned plantations in several counties. See his ROCHELLE BIBLE.
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• Fifth was John Rochelle, who came from Middlesex, England, at age 21, an indentured apprenticeship signed with (X) on 25 March 1683 to James Moore of London, Merchant, aboard the ship Katherine, bound for Jamaica, four years service, Capt. Emberly was ship's master. John signed the indenture before a Magistrate, Charles Osborne. Was he a sailor or a merchant? Or did he land in Middlesex Co., VA, which borders much of the southwest bank of the Rappahannock River? Believed to be the John in Surry County by 1695 who signed his mark with an "E," therefore illiterate, he married Ann Porter. John E. Rochelle gave a gift deed to his son John in Southampton County, Virginia, in 1751. His will probated in Southampton in 1753, mentioned his wife, sons John and George, and two daughters. His widow Ann was its administrator. George married Mary Boykin in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, and moved to Edgecombe County, North Carolina. John and wife Sarah _____ appear to have gone to New Hanover County (Wilmington), NC 1795-96. Sloan Mason, a descendant's web site: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~rochelle/
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• Sixth was Ralph Rochelle (2nd) before April 1686 when he was mentioned on a deed; was one of 20 persons transported by Ralph Wallis, who was granted 1000 acres in Lower Norfolk County in 1689; Ralph came as an indentured servant and appeared as a headright of Mr. Wallis in Lower Norfolk. He was likely a poor relation, since he came was an indentured apprentice and owned less property. He appears to have been in Surry County by 1746 and his last transaction was in 1748, when he may have died. His son Ralph Jr. received a land grant in Granville District, Northampton County, NC, by 1751, went from there to Bute County (abolished) which became Franklin, and had sons Miles, Robert, and probably William.

It is questionable whether or how William, John E., and Ralph 2nd were related to the 1st Ralph and George, but they all resided for a period of time in Surry County. John E. may have been Ralph 1st's son; George had a son known as John J. with different children, etc.

It is unlikely that we can ever be certain, but circumstantial evidence leads me to believe that we descend from Ralph 2nd (Sixth above), that he was closely related to the others, and that he was the father of the Rochelles in Wake Co., NC, from whence our James Rochelle came to Fairfield Co. SC.

Ralph Rochelle, 2nd was born ca 1665, assuming he was 21 when transported to Surry Co. in 1686. His wife's name was Elizabeth. They had a son Ralph born ca 1710, since he was exempted from taxes in 1770. Another son was, based on circumstantial evidence, John Rochelle our forebear. Ralph III was apparently the older, more prosperous brother.

Ralph Rochelle, 2nd remained in Surry Co., VA and there is no record of his death or a will. He was mentioned in Virginia patents as "adjoining Ralph Rochelle" as late as 5 Apr 1748, when he would have been about 83 years of age.

Ralph's 2nd's son Ralph, Jr. (III?), and his wife Ann had a son Miles Rochelle born 19 Jan 1744, in Albemarle Parish, VA. After the death of Ralph 2nd, Ralph III and wife and son moved out of Surry Co., southward into North Carolina. Ralph and Ann appear to have had three more sons in North Carolina: William, Robert, and James (only Miles' birth recorded in Albemarle Par., VA).

In 1751-1766, Ralph (III) had deeds in Greeneville Dist., Northampton Co., NC (which borders VA). In 1770-1779, he was in Bute Co., NC, where he was granted 640 acres. On 22 Dec 1779, Ralph Rochelle of Franklin Co., NC had two deeds in Franklin Co., including one to Miles Rochelle for 500 pounds.

John Rochelle moved with them. Our Rochelles were probably in Edgecombe Halifax Co., NC when John Rochelle married Elizabeth Boone. We have been unable thus far to trace her Boon or Boone parents or ancestry.

ROCHELLE FAMILY HISTORY By Evelyn Tyson MARTIN of Birmingham, Ala. about 1945, copy obtained in 1995 by Sloan Mason from records of Herschel Rochelle.  James Lemuel ROCHELLE married Mary Brown RUGALEY children: Joseph Pancoast ROCHELLE, John Rugely ROCHELLE, Elizabeth Whitaker ROCHELLE, and Emma Parthenia ROCHELLE. Joseph Pancoast ROCHELLE married Lou CARLETON; children: James, Mary, Kate, Polly, and John. Two children died. John Rugely ROCHELLE married Mollie CLARK and had issue: Charles, John, Edward, and Augusta. Elizabeth Whitaker ROCHELLE married Charles GRAVES; had issue, Lizzie, Annie, Elledie, Mamie and Sallie Emma Parthenia ROCHELLE married Martin LEE, Esq. and had issue Evie, Rugelley, Jennie, Martin, Sallie and Thenia (Parthenia). All reside in DeSoto Parish, Louisiana, near Keatchie, except Rugeley ROCHELLE, who lives at Gonzales, Texas. Charlotte E. ROCHELLE married Dr. G. V. WOOTEN; had issue, Garvin; she died in '88; ROCHELLE, who died at Mt. Jackson, Va. in '34; Ella, married J. Mark HOWARD; Ida, who died in '80; and Zoe, unmarried. (now deceased). Sarah Davis ROCHELLE (Alexis' grandmother) married Shemei GRESHAM; had issue, Otis Judgson (died in '81), Elizabeth Brown (single), James Rochelle, and Mary Evelyn. Mary Evelyn GRESHAM married John Chius TYSON; had issue, Mary Evelyn, John Caius, Jr., and Brownie ROCHELLE James Rochelle GRESHAM married Clara Hannah TARDY; had issue, Alexis Tardy, who married Julia BISHOP; had issue, Alexid Tardy, III. and Julian Gresham. George Evans ROCHELLE married Sarah THORNTON; had issue Helen Thornton, who married W.B.GREGORY and Estelle, who married Milton SNOFAS? and had issue, Norah and Robert Lee. They reside near Mulberry, Tennessee. Dr. Thomas Whitaker ROCHELLE married Lizzie HOLLINGSWORTH, had issue: James Wooten; two children died in infancy. Our grandfather, George ROCHELLE (who married Elizabeth WHITAKER) had two brothers and five sisters as follows: Anderson, James, Margaret, Isabelle, Dorcas, Helen, and Charlotte. Anderson married Nancy HARRISON; had issue: James, Mary, and Sarah. James died unmarried. Mary married a Mr. ROSS [Correction: Mr. Thomas BRYANT]. Sarah married Mr. CROWELL [Correction: Mr. James W. ROSS]. James married Mary RUGELEY and had three sons, Charles, Pinckney, and John now living at Clarksville, Texas. It is said that they have the original family tree. Margaret married Tom STARKE; their children were Martha, Tom, James, John, Margaret and Jane. Martha married Gov. Madison Starke PERRY, had issue, Starke (now dead), and Sallie, now living at Rochelle, Fla. Tom married Fannie HARRISON; had issue, Margaret, Fannie, Tom and Ruben. Dr. James STARKE married Mrs. FABER; had one child, Maggie, who married Perry ? and had three children: Irene, Douglass, and name unknown. They live at Gainesville, Fla.* Jane STARKE married Dr. NELSON; had issue, Maggie ?, who married Ed. BAWSKET?; had issue, Dan and Douglass BANSKET? Isabella ROCHELLE married John PEAY; Dorcas ROCHELLE married George PEAY; do not know names of their children. Helen ROCHELLE married her cousin, Allen ROCHELLE; had issue _____ ROCHELLE, who married a Mr. STONE and had one son, Allen STONE; Fannie ROCHELLE. Charlotte ROCHELLE (the aunt for whom my mother was named) married Rev. John KENNEDY; had issue, Margaret, Sallie, Andrew, (died unmarried), Thomas and Isabella. Sallie married a Mr. FARNSWORTH (FOXWORTH)?, Tom married Cornelia MCCALL and had issue, Andrew, Julia, Lottie, Pricilla, Lang, John, Mack, and Cornelia KENNEDY. (unable to read next line) This branch of the family lives at Rochelle, Florida. In fact the town is named for the family, ROCHELLE, Fla. and is the grand junction of four railroads. The Virginia Branch of the Rochelle Family--- John ROCHELLE, son of the old refugee, George de ROCHELLE, also settled in Sussex then Surry Co.,Va. He married Mary GILLIAM,, left issue: three sons and three daughters, John, Henchi, Levy, Jemima, Celia and Mary. John married Judith GILLIAM; left issue, three sons and three daughters, John, James, Clement, Mary, Lucy and Ellizabeth. John married Lucy THOMAS, Clement married Miss Nancy EVERETT; Mary died unmarried; Lucy married Joseph WILLIAMSON, Elizabeth married John THOMAS nd was the mother of the late Gen. George H. THOMAS, U.S. Army. James married Mrs. Martha GREY, widow of Dr. Henry Mills GREY, and daughter of W. HEIRS. Left issue: two sons and one daughter, John William, James Henry, and Martha Fanny Blow. John W. married Mrs. Cecil BOWIE, widow of Lieut. BOWIE, U.S. Navy, and daughter of Anthony COLLINS,Esq. He died many years ago; left a daughter Mary Antoinette ROCHELLE. Martha Fanny Blow ROCHELLE married John TYLER, Jr., son of President TYLER; left issue, one son and two daughters, James Rochelle TYLER, Letitia Christian TYLER (who married Gen. Wm. Briggs SHAW) and Mattie TYLER. James Henry ROCHELLE is unmarried. He was a Lieutenant in the U.S. Navy when the Civil War broke out, resigned his commission on the secession of Virginia, entered the Confederate Navy. He commanded the Confederate iron clad steamer, Palmetto State and several other vessels. Captain J. H. ROCHELLE wrote this sketch of his branch to Cousin Tom KENNEDY, a first cousin of mothers. This Captain ROCHELLE was a second cousin to my mother, Alexis' grandmother, Sarah Davis GRESHAM. Our great great grandfather ROCHELLE and the father of Daniel BOONE were brothers in law. A Few Descendants of George ROCHELLE, Who Settled in Kershaw District, S.C. I know of but very few descendants of George ROCHELLE, one of the three sons of the old refugee, George de ROCHELLE. A granddaughter of his, named Charlotte, married General BLAIR, member of the U.S. Senate, before the war, left a son, Rochelle BLAIR, and he left two daughters, one of them Eva BLAIR, is now living in Camden, S.C. There were also three sisters, Mrs. Dr. MITCHELLES, Mrs. ADAIR, and Mrs Judge TRIPPE, descendants of same George ROCHELLE. Rev. Dr. MITCHELL,whose first wife was a ROCHELLE, is now living in Summerfield, Alabama, and is quite a patriarch in the Methodist Church in Alabama. The old man is nearly a century old. He had two daughters by his first wife, Mrs. Jackson and Mrs. King. One of Judge TRIPPE'S sons, Rochelle TRIPPE, was a prominent lawyer in Atlanta,Ga. some years ago. Sarah Davis GRESHAM was a daughter of George and Eliabeth ROCHELLE. George ROCHELLE was the son of James and Margaret ROCHELLE. Elizabeth ROCHELLE was the daughter of Lemuel and Elizabeth Brown WHITAKER. Margaret ROCHELLE was the daughter of Josiah and Margaret EVANS. Elizabeth WHITAKER (wife of Lenuel WHITAKER) was the daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth BROWN. Major WHITAKER of the Continental Army, who gave a hundred head of cattle to the Army during the Rev. War, and for whom Whitaker Square in Savannah, Ga. is named, is our ancestor in direct line on the maternal grandmothers side. Grandpa ROCHELLE came to Alabama from Winnsboro, Fairfield District, S.C. in 1828. Sarah Davis ROCHELLE was born near Winnsboro on 6 Jan. 1826, I think. She married Shemei GRESHAM, 26 Jan. 1846; had issue; Robert, who died in infancy; Otis, who never married; Elizabeth BROWN, never married; James ROCHELLE, who married Clara H. TARDY; Mary Evelyn, who married John Caius TYSON; had issue: Mary Evelyn, who married Thomas Wesley MARTIN, 4 June 1919; John Caius, JR. who married Virginia Bragg SMITH, 27 June 1925 and had issue: John Caius III, Walter Bragg and Thomas Martin, twins; Brownie ROCHELLE, who died in infancy. Note: "I have the portraits of Charlotte B. Rochelle WOOTEN and Dr. Hardy Vickers WOOTEN." See Early Settlers of Alabama, by Saunders (Blairs) p. 396. See Historic Camden, Part 1, page 325, by Kirkland and Kennedy. See Part II (1926) for many references of the Blair family, p. 91, Chapter VII, History of Sen. James Blair.

John Rochelle and wife Elizabeth Boone had children: George, John, Amelia, Celia, Sally, James, William, Lovick, and Allen.

• Of these, the only exact birthdate I know was our forebear, James Rochelle, 15 July 1772 (a middle son), who died in Fairfield Co., SC 10 June 1802. He married (1st) Sylvia Jordan 16 Feb 1775 in Granville Co., NC; and (2nd) Margaret Evans. See James and Margaret's estate or will records in Fairfield Co., SC Wills.

James and Sylvia's son Anderson Rochelle is my forebear. Anderson Rochelle married Nancy Ann Harrison, daughter of Reuben Harrison. Anderson and Nancy's daughter Sarah E. J. Rochelle married Abner Ross and was my great-gr-gr-grandmother. Anderson and Nancy's daughter Mary Rochelle married Thomas Bryant. All James Rochelle's other nine children were by 2nd wife Margaret Evans (daughter of Josiah Evans and Margaret Larkins). James Rochelle, Jr. married Nancy E. Harrison Moores, daughter of Charles Moores (son of Henry Moores and Jean Ross Brown daughter of Isaac "the other Ross family" from mine) and wife Mary Harrison (daughter of Reuben Harrison and Sarah Burge). Mary Harrison and Charles Moores' daughter Sarah Harrison Ross Moores married Willis Whitaker, Jr. (see Whitaker Descendants). Many descendants settled in Texas, near Texarkana (see photos below), and have an annual August reunion.

• George, probably the oldest, was "of Edgecombe Co." in 1754 when he had dealings in Northampton Co., NC; in Johnston Co., NC in 1761 and was sued 1761 in Granville Co. In 1772 he was a plaintiff in Johnston Co.; mentioned in a Northampton Co. deed in 1772; and in 1776 took the oath of allegiance in Wake Co., NC. A Pvt. in the Revolutionary war, he was marked deceased in 1779 but later changed to "moved to southward." In 1790 census he was in Camden Dist., Fairfield Co., SC. Marriage, if any, unknown.
• John, born 1742, died 10 May 1802, Lexington, Richland Dist., SC. He married Patience Thomas, was a Capt. in the Revolutionary war. His heirs received a military land warrant in 1820.
• Celia married James Mar. Nothing more known about them.
• Nothing more is known about Amelia and Sally.
• William married (1st) Rachel Thomas, and (2nd) Mary "Polly" Ray. He remained in and died 1818 in Wake Co., NC.
• Lovick married Elizabeth Perkins and died 9 June 1809 in Kershaw Co., SC.
• Allen Rochelle married Nancy ____ and died bef 1840 in Carroll Co., TN.

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