Navy Family compiled by Bill Brackett
Navey is thought to be of English derivation. This name is also spelled Navy, Nevie, Nevy, Neavy, Neveay and Navie. There was a William Navey in Dundee, Scotland as early as 1693 and a William Navie in Wetheral, England as late as 1837. The 1841 Census of Dundee Scotland shows a button maker named Peter Neavy, who was 50 years of age and his wife Ann who was 38 years of age. It appears the name may have been pronounced as Na-veigh and later Navy. This name is fairly rare and difficult to research. According to William Navey, who is also researching this name, the family was in this country as early as 1770 and possibly first arrived in Maryland?My research has revealed a group by the name of Navey/Navy in America about 1740-1800 in Dorchester County, Maryland. This family seems to have branched out into South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina and Pennsylvania.
1841 census of Dundee, Scotland:
- Peter Neavy, 50 years old, Button Maker, born in Ireland
- Ann Neavy, 38 yeas old, born in Dundee
- Margaret Neavy, 19 years old, born in England,
- Catherine Neavy, 17 years old, born in England
- John Neavy, 15 years old, born in England
- David Neavy, 12 years old, born in England
- Peter Neavy, 10 years old, born in Dundee
- Betty Neavy, 2 years old, born in Dundee
- Martha Neavy, 2 months old, born in Dundee
The names Peter, John and Martha show up in the North Carolina Navy families.
Maryland:
The Maryland Probate Records gives an indication that there was a James Navy and a John Navy in Dorchester County as early as 1737. They are found in a record in the Prerogative Court Abstracts, 1737-1744. This record is of a Rev. Thomas Thompson and indicates a payment to be made to several people and amongst them were John and James Navy. The record is dated 24 Jan 1737 and can be found on page 2 of these records. These same Prerogative Court Abstracts include:
The Marriage Index of Maryland includes:
- James Navey Abstracts dated 1750-1754 page 115
- James Navey Abstracts dated 1769-1772 page 116
- Henry Navey Abstracts dated 1769-1772 page 116
- Henry Navey Abstracts dated 1772-1774 page 65
- Mary Navey Abstracts dated 1769-1772 page 116
- Mary Navey Abstracts dated 1772-1774 page 65
- John Neavy married Mary Whitehead on 14 June 1783 in Anne Arundel County
- John Navey married Amelia Jones on 01 Jun 1786 in Dorchester County
- Elizabeth Navey married William Tall on 29 Jan 1790 in Dorchester County
- Thomas Neavey married Elizabeth Geoghegan on 18 Aug 1791 in Anne Arundel County
- William Navey married Sarah Mills or Wills on 25 Feb 1792 in Dorchester County
- John Navey married Ally Murphy on 02 Mar 1793 in Dorchester County
- Brigs Navey married Keziah Riggin on 29 May 1793 in Dorchester County
- George Washington Navy married Betsy Navy on 28 Jan 1802
- Alley Navey married Solomon Hubbert on 05 Jul 1809 in Dorchester County
- Keziah Navy married Elijah Tunis on 17 Jul 1810 in Dorchester County
- Mary Navey married John Bell on 20 Mar 1816 in Dorchester County
- Henry Navy married Elizabeth Dean on 22 Mar 1824 in Dorchester County
- Moses G. Navey married Sarah Hooper on 30 Dec 1824 in Dorchester County
- Mary Navey married John Mills on 28 Dec 1826 in Dorchester County
- Susan Navey married Richard Tall on 16 Oct 1826 in Dorchester County
- Elizabeth Navey married Caleb Griffin on 20 Dec 1826 in Dorchester County
- Howes Navy married Mary Tucker on 16 Jun 1828 in Anne Arundel County
- Eleanor Navy married John Taylor on 09 Oct 1841 in Cecil County
- Sarah Navey married Jeremiah Thomas Traverse on 10 Jun 1845 in Dorchester County
- Rebecca Navey married Caleb Griffin on 16 Oct 1846 in Talbot County
- Elizabeth H. Navey married Alexander Gould Jr. on 25 Dec 1846 in
- Mary E. Navey married Charles G. Frazier on 13 Feb 1847 in Dorchester County
- Moses Navey married Susan Caroline Tall on 24 Sep 1849 in Dorchester County
In Dorchester County, Maryland a William Navey married Sarah Wills or Mills on 01 Mar 1792. A William Navy was christened on 09 Jul 1797, in Great Choptank Parish, of Dorchester county and was the son of a John Navy. The mother’s name in this record is listed as “Alley”. This may have been the parents of the Alley Navy mentioned above.
A book, Settlers Of Maryland 1751-1765, by Peter Wilson Coldham was published by the Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. In this book you can find on page 201:
In the following volume of this work Settlers Of Maryland 1766-1783 you can also find on page 109:
- Nevey, John owning 54 acres in Dorchester County called “Gum Swamp” 31 Oct 1761
- Nevey, John owning 12 acres in Dorchester County called “Rich Branch” 10 Nov 1769
A book, Archives Of Maryland Muster Rolls and Other Records of Service of Maryland Troops In The America Revolution 1775-1783, was published in 1972 by the Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. in Baltimore, Maryland. In this book you can find:
- Matthew Navey enrolled on 10 Jul 1781 in the “Lower Battalion” Pages 383 & 411
- James Navy is listed as having deserted, regiments and dates unknown. Pg 416
- “Serjt. John Navey Dischd. 1 Apl ’83” having served between Jan 1782 & Jan 1783. Pg 549
- William Navy “Inlisted” 10 Jun 1782 with the Barge Fearnought under Capt. Spedding. William is described as 5’8 and of “Dark” complexion his enlistment went until 01 Jan 1783. Pages 612 & 613
It would appear from these Maryland records that the Navy/ Navey family first arrived prior to 1737 and lived in Dorchester County on the east side of the Chesapeake Bay. By 1783 this family is also seen in Anne Arundel County on the west side of the same bay. As far as I have been able to ascertain, John Navy and James Navy appear to have been the first two by this name in America. There were a John and James Navey born in Glamis and Dundee, Angus, Scotland in the proper time frame to have been this same John and James Navey.
Pennsylvania:
South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana and North Carolina:
- In Crawford County, Pennsylvania there was Christopher Navy, born on 03 Jan 1836 and Jane Navy married on 14 Nov 1839. These are likely descendants of the Marlyland Navy/Navey families mentioned above.
Cornish Navey was born about 1770, possibly in Maryland. There is some information that indicates his wife’s first name was Elizabeth. This family lived for a time in South Carolina. Cornish Navey may have died in Baldwin County, Georgia. His children are thought to be:
- The 1790 census of South Carolina shows Cornish Navy living in the Georgetown District in Prince Georges Parish. Living with him were: One “free white male of 16 years and upwards,” One “free white male of under 16 years,” Three “free white females including heads of families”
- James C. Navey b. 1791 in South Carolina d. 1849 in Burke Co., North Carolina
- Elizabeth Navey b. abt. 1792 married in Baldwin Co., Georgia
- Wilson Navey b. abt. 1794 married in Burke Co., North Carolina
- Nancy Navey b. abt. 1796 married in Rockingham Co., North Carolina
- John E. Navey b. abt.1805 of South Carolina living in Augusta, Georgia in 1850
- Mary Navey b. abt 1809 married in Rockingham Co., North Carolina
Nancy Navey married, William Pearson on 20 May 1828 in Rockingham, Richmond County, North Carolina. If you look at the 1790 census of South Carolina there must have been older children than those listed here?
There was a John Navy in Iberville Parish, Louisiana in 1835. This may be the John Navey listed above. There was an Elizabeth Navy who married in Baldwin, Georgia in 1811, an Ellen M. J. Navy who married in Hancock, Georgia in 1839 and a James Navey can be found in the 1820 census of Georgia. There was a Thomas Navy married in 1842 in Chatham, Georgia.
The descendants of Cornish Navey seem to have migrated from South Carolina into North Carolina and Georgia.
James Cornish Navey married Martha Rayfield Thurman. . Martha was the daughter of Peter and Martha (Rayfield) Thurman. They are seen in South Carolina with their children:
- Elizabeth Navey b. abt. 1823 in South Carolina
- James Peter Cornish Navey b. 25 Apr 1825 in South Carolina
- Mary Martha Navey b. abt. 1827 in South Carolina
- Winnie Precella Navey b. 18 May 1828 in South Carolina
- Rayfield Navey b. abt. 1830 in South Carolina
- Rosa Jane Navey b. 18 Apr 1832 in South Carolina
- John Jackson Navey b. abt. 1834 in South Carolina
- Elizabeth Navey married Joseph Hicks and died in Burke County, North Carolina on 24 Dec 1892.
- James P.C. Navey married Larue Hamey Chapman and died in Lincoln County, North Carolina on 03 Apr 1905.
- Mary M. Navey married William A. Keller and died on 10 Nov 1881 in Burke County, North Carolina.
- Winnie P. Navey married Jeremiah D. Smith and she died on 26 Nov 1908 in Burke County, North Carolina. Both Jeremiah and Winniw (Navy) Smith are buried in the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Cemetery in Enola, Burke County, North Carolina. The notation for Rayfield Navey is “went west”.
- Rosa J. Navey married William Orders and died on 13 Feb 1913 in Burke County, North Carolina.
- John J. Navey married Martha Mace or Maze and died on 10 Dec 1862 in Richmond, Virginia, as a result of the Civil War. There is some question as to Martha’s maiden name. James Cornish Navey died before 1850 and Martha (Thurman) Navey was living with her children to Burke County, North Carolina.
John Jackson and Martha (Mace ?) Navey had children:
- Elias Navey b. Aug 1853 in Burke County, North Carolina
- Susannah Navey aka Winnie b. in 1859 in Burke County, North Carolina
- William E. Navey b. in 1861 in Burke County, North Carolina
The 1840 census of Bertie County, North Carolina includes the family of William Neyvey or Neyney. The handwriting is very difficult to read but it could be Neyvey.
The 1850 census of Burke County, North Carolina reveals:
- Martha Navey 58 years of age
- Winney Navey 22 years of age
- Rayfield Navey 20 years of age
- Rosey Jane Navey 18 years of age
- Jackson Navey 16 years of age
This was the widow of James P. C. Navey, Martha Rayfield (Thurman) Navey. The Jackson Navey listed here was John Jackson Navey. They are all recorded as being born in North Carolina. No occupation is listed for Martha Navey although Rayfield Navey was recorded as a “Farmer”.
Also found in this census are:
This is probably James Peter Cornish Navey. Peter Navey’s occupation is recorded as “Farmer”. They are all recorded as having been born in North Carolina. The 1860 census of Burke County, North Carolina reveals:
- Peter Navey 22 years of age
- Loru (?) Navey 19 years of age
- John Navey 6 months old.
- John J. Navy 26 years of age
- Martha Navy 22 years of age
- Elias Navy 3 years of age
- Winny Navy 1 year of age
- Martha Navy 71 years of age
This is John Jackson Navey and his wife Martha (Mace?) Navey. He is recorded as being a “Farmer” and as having been born in South Carolina. His wife, mother and children are recorded as having been born in North Carolina.
Also in this census you can find:
- Peter Navy 31 years of age
- Louisa H. Navy 24 years of age
- John Navy 10 years of age
- George Navy 8 years of age
- Sarah A. Navy 7 years of age
- Infant Navy 1 year of age
I have not seen a child listed as “Infant” before? In the 1860 census of North Carolina both Navy/Navey families are listed as living under the Civil District of the “Morganton P.O.”.
Others found in the records from LDS ,of the Burke County, North Carolina branch of the Navey family are:
George Franklin Navy was born on 18 Oct 1851, in Burke County, the son of Peter C. and Mahaliah (Chapman) Navy. George Franklin Navy married Sarah Mulvina Brookshire and they had children:
- Wilson Navey married Charlotte Gordon on 10 Jul 1817, in Burke County.
- Jackson Navy was born about 1828 in Burke County. This is John Jackson Navey
- James Joshua Gillespie Navey b. 22 Dec 1865 in Burke County.
- Ardie Lee Navy b. 18 Nov 1879 in Burke County
- James Franklin Navy b. 03 Mar 1883 in Burke County
- Julia Adeline Navy b. 20 Nov 1885 in Burke County
- Clarence Lackey Navy b. 16 Mar 1892 in Lincoln, County
William E. Navey was born in Burke County, North Carolina on 01 May 1861. He married 1st, Emma Halbrook on 22 October 1889 and 2nd Augusta Rosella Mitchener on 13 May 1891 in Maynard, Randolph County, Arkansas. Their children were:
- Pearl Navy b. 05 Aug 1892 in Maynard, Arkansas
- W. Roy Navy b. 10 Dec 1896 in Maynard
- Horton Navy b. 03 Jul 1900 in Maynard
- Merle Navy
- Graydon Navy b. 16 Jan 1906 in Maynard
- Rose Navy
- Eloise Navy
William E. Navey died on 02 May 1924 and is buried in the Maynard Cemetery in Maynard, Arkansas.
Elias Navey, brother to William E., was also in Randolph County, Arkansas as early as 1880 and was living with the Sebron family at that time. It is not clear if he married.
According to William Navey there were two brothers by the Navey/Navy name in Randolph County, Arkansas in 1888-90. This is the county where Current River is located. Current River Township is where David and Susannah aka Winnie (Navey) Hambrick lived.
These two brothers went to Randolph County, Arkansas from Carter County, Tennessee between 1880 and 1890. Their father, John Jackson Navey, had died in the Civil War and their mother moved to Carter County, Tennessee from Burke County, North Carolina and remarried.
William Navey says these two brothers also had a sister but he does not know her name. I found she was Susannah Navey. They, William and Elias, were in and around the town of Maynard about the same time as David and Susan (Navey) Hambrick. Susannah Navey was probably the Winny Navy seen in the 1860 census of Burke County, North Carolina.
David Hambrick’s grave marker records his wife as Winney. I thought he had remarried but this may actually have been Susannah.
According to The Roster Of Confederate Soldiers 1861-1865, Volume XI, edited by Janet B. Hewett and published by the Broadfoot Publishing Company of Wilmington, NC in 1996, Jackson Navy served with the 16th Infantry of North Carolina in Company E. According to The Histories Of The Several Regiments And Battalions From North Carolina In The Great War 1861-’65, Volume I, edited by Walter Clark and published by the State of North Carolina in Raleigh in 1901, Company E was from Burke County and it’s Captain was E. J. Kirksey. Jackson Navy is John Jackson Navey.
Martha Navey remarried Harvy Justice in Carter County, Tennessee. The 1840 census revealed a David Hambrick in Carter County, Tennessee. There is a marriage record in Carter County, Tennessee for David Hambrick and Susannah Navey dated 11 Dec 1879. There is also a marriage record in Carter County, Tennessee for James H. Justice and Martha Navy dated 26 Dec 1869. This appears to have been Martha (Mace?) Navey. This James H. Justice is likely the Harvy Justice mentioned above. There were also Hambrick families, in the person of Robert Hambrick, in Burke County, North Carolina where Susan was born.
The 1870 census of Carter County, Tennessee on page 11 of Civil District # 3 in household # 79 reveals:
- Justus, Steven 62 years of age “Farmer”
- Justus, Harvy 25 years of age “At Home”
- Justus, Martha 34 years of age “Keeping House”
- Hipps, Peggy 90 years of age “At Home”
- Navy, Elias 13 years of age “At Home”
- Navy, Susan 12 years of age “At Home”
- Navy, William 9 years of age “At Home”
They are all recorded as having been born in North Carolina. This was Martha Navy and her second husband, James H. (Harvy) Justice. Civil District # 3 came under the Post Office of Hampton.
The 1880 census of Carter County, Tennessee on page 7 of District 5 in household # 65 reveals:
- Hambrick, David, 20 years of age, Day Laborer
- Hambrick, Susanah 21 years of age, Keeps House
This was David and Susannah (Navey) Hambrick. They were living next door to Joseph and Susanah Swanner. According to this census in household # 64 were Joseph Swanner who was a farmer and was 70 years of age and was born in TN. and his parents were born in Maryland. His wife, Susanah was born in TN as were her parents. Living with them was a grandson, James Douharty, age 10 years. This grandson was the son of Joseph and Rachael A. M. (Swanner) Douherty. Rachael and James Dougherty were married in Washington County, Tennessee on 01 Apr 1867. This Joseph and Susanah Swanner were David Hambrick’s grandparents. David Hambrick’s mother was Lucinda (Swanner) Hambrick and his father was Joel Hambrick.
This census also shows the Navey children living in household # 61:
- Jestus, Harvy, 39 years of age, Works on Farm
- Jestus, Martha M., 43 years of age, Keeps House
- Jestus, Isaac R., 9 years of age, At Home
- Jestus, Mary A., 5 years of age, At Home
- Jestus, Steven, 72 years of age (father of Harvy), Works on Farm
- Navy, Elias, 23 years of age, stepson, Works on Farm
- Navy, William E., 19 years of age, Works on Farm
This was Martha Navy and her second husband. This name may also have been Harry Jestus as the written name could be Harry or Harvy? It is interesting that the Jestus/Navy family is living just four houses away from David and Susannah (Navey) Hambrick in this 1880 census. The 1870 census puts Dictrict # 5 under the Post Office of Cave Springs. This may have changed by 1880 as I have seen reports that these families were living in “Hampton, Tennessee” in 1880 and this was under Civil District # 3 in 1870.
David Hambrick was born about 1859 in Tennessee and lived in Current River Township, Randolph County, Arkansas married Susannah Navey in Carter County, Tennessee on 11 Dec 1879. Susannah Navey was born on 18 Sep 1859 in Burke County, North Carolina. Their children were:
- William (Will) Hambrick b. Jan 1882 in Tennessee
- John Hambrick b. July 1885 in Tennessee
- Mac Hambrick b. Mar 1887 in Randolph County, Arkansas
- Thad Hambrick b. 21 Oct 1891 in Randolph County
- Addie Hambrick b. Feb 1894 in Randolph County
- Rhoda Hambrick b. May 1897 in Randolph County
Susannah also known as Winney (Navey) Hambrick died on 01 Apr 1922 and is buried in the Johnston Cemetery near Reyno, Arkansas.
In the 1900 census of Randolph County you find David and Susan and in the 1910 census you find David and Winnie. The tombstone in Johnston Cemetery, near Biggers, Arkansas, also has the name Winnie on it, not Susannah. As mentioned before Susannah and Winnie may have been one in the same as no second marriage record has been found for David Hambrick.
In the 1860 Burke County, North Carolina census she appears as Winny and in the 1870 census of Carter County, Tennessee she appears as Susan. Susannah may have been her given name and she may have been known by the name of Winnie?
Thad Hambrick married Gussie Rapert in Randolph County, Arkansas in 1913. Their daughter was Ula Arvena Hambrick.
Arvena Hambrick married 2nd Harold Earl Brackett in Berrien County, Michigan in 1947.
Their son William Brackett married Jane Hauch in Lakeside, Berrien County, Michigan in 1970.