Elizabeth's Children - Edmond/Edward Tapscott

One of the children of Elizabeth (Percifull) Tapscott is claimed to be named “Edmond Abraham Tapscott,” but we some problems with this.

1. Contemporary records show his name as “Edward” as often as “Edmond.” But that is a minor problem.

2. The middle name “Abraham” is found only in family trees, not in a single reliable record. (Does anyone know how this name arose?)

3. Edmond/Edward Tapscott is found in the 1850 census, living with his mother, Elizabeth, and his siblings, including Harriet. And he is found in the 1870 census as a married man. But Edmond/Edward cannot be found in the 1860 census -- at least until recently (see below). The 1860 census, however, does show a John Tapscott living with Harriet. 

Because Harriet and John are found together in the 1860 census, it has been assumed that they were mother and son. But Elizabeth had died by this time and it is likely that her unmarried children would be living together. Moreover, if John was Harriet’s son, why does he not appear with her in the 1850 census? The 1860 census, the only place John is found  John with an age corresponding to a birth year of about 1829, very near to that of Edmond/Edward, whose grave marker shows a birthdate of 3 Sep 1828. (Census data indicate a birth year for Edmond/Edward between 1827 and 1831.)

I once proposed that Edmond/Edward Tapscott and John Tapscott were one and the same. That Harriet had no son named “John.” Either the 1860 census enumerator had made an error in the name, as all too often happens, or Edmond/Edward’s middle name was “John” not “Abraham.” This nicely explains John's seeming absence in the 1850 census and in other records, and nicely explains Edmond/Edward's seeming absence in the 1860 census. 

But it turns out that I was wrong, wrong, wrong about John and Edmond/Edward. Edmond/Edward is found in the District of Columbia 1860 census, as "Edward Tapscoe" (a spelling he often used) living with 3-year-old "Mahaly A. Tapscoe," presumably a daughter from Edmond's first marriage to Frances Hughs (who was apparently deceased by 1860). A 10-year-old Nancy A. "Hues" in the household is probably a relative of Frances.

And who was the John Tapscott in the 1860 census? It is beginning to look like he was one of Cordelia's paramours and that "Tapscott" was just an assumed last name. But I am still working on that.

Elizabeth''s Children, the Fauquier Tapscott Lines

 Elizabeth Percifull (c1790 - c1855) had a large number of male companions, both before and after her short marriage with James E. Tapscott, who died young, around age 30. Her many descendants comprise the Tapscotts of Fauquier Co, Virginia. Below is my working chart showing origins of the various lines. Is it correct? Almost certainly it is not. That's why I call it a "working chart." There is very good evidence for the twins from her union with Richard Cundiff. Though we don't know what became of them. There is excellent evidence for Harriet being a daughter of James Tapscott, though many people believe otherwise. There is good DNA evidence for Robert Francis Tapscott being the son of a "Holder," though the evidence that it was Taliaferro Holder is weak. There is fair evidence for William Tapscott being a descendant of a "Phil Tapscott" though we know little about Phil, except that his birth name was almost certainly not "Tapscott." The other unions, particularly that involving Plato (who may not have even existed) are somewhat questionable. But this chart is a start. Now let's see if we can prove or disprove portions. Maybe we can name the "Unknown" partner, or more likely partners. But I need your help is doing so. Don't be afraid to criticize. I have very thick skin. But try to provide evidence. Trees produced by others without sources, are not evidence. And if you are a male descendant of Elizabeth or Harriett with the name "Tapscott," your yDNA might provide names or connections for the unknown(s).

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Elizabeth’s Children, The Tapscotts of Fauquier Co

Those I often term “Fauquier County [Virginia] Tapscotts” are not all descended from a male Tapscott. But they are all descendants of Elizabeth Percifull, either through her 1811 marriage to James E. Tapscott, son of Ezekiel, or through relationships with others, which produced children she named "Tapscott." Those not descended from James sometimes express disappointment since they feel they cannot claim Revolutionary War soldier ancestry.  (Ezekiel Tapscott was a Colonial soldier.) But that is not true. In fact all Fauquier County Tapscotts (or descendants thereof) are DAR- or SAR-eligible, for Elizabeth’s father, Elijah, was a Revolutionary War combatant. On 17 Jun 1779 Elijah signed an oath as an ensign (the lowest ranking military officer) in the Lancaster Militia.(1) The war would continue for well over two more years.

(1) John Hastings Gwathmey, Historical Register of Virginians in the Revolution, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, 1775-1783, The Dietz Press, Richmond Virginia, 1938, p. 617.