Fauquier County Tapscotts - Murray Selby Tapscott

Murray Tapscott has a middle name, “Selby,” that has been found in no record contemporary with him, but is claimed factual by many of his descendants. His death certificate gives a Fauquier Co date of birth of 5 May 1874, but this is obviously incorrect. He would have been eleven years old when he was married. Other records, in particular the 1900 census, indicate that his date of birth was actually 5 May 1865. It is said that he started his adult life as “an itinerant evangelist, but eventually became pastor of Little Zion Baptist Church.” Tapscotts have connections to this Nokesville, VA, church. Murray’s daughter Geneva is buried there. But reliable records or sources (e.g., close relatives) have not yet been found showing his roles as evangelist and pastor.

On 9 Sep 1885 Murray obtained a license in DC to marry Katherine Bell Colvin. Katherine, who nearly always went by “Kate” or “Katie,” had been born 2 Feb 1869 to James Colvin and Aletha “Pehn.” Aletha, who sometimes went by her mother’s name “Penn,” was Aletha Ann Preston, and she and James were also the parents of James Tasco Tapscott’s first wife, Mary E. Colvin.

Murray and Kate lived out their lives in Fauquier Co, where they had thirteen children: Bertha Mae (9 Apr 1886-16 Apr 1957), Douglas Robert (7 May 1889-31 Oct 1960), Mary Elinor (14 Jul 1891-30 Jul 1963), James Murray (19 Mar 1893-10 Jul 1982), Pearl Katie (2 Apr 1895-11 Oct 1944) Ida McKinley (11 Nov 1896-25 Apr 1985) George Gilbert (28 Jun 1898-4 Jun 1960), Alethia Elizabeth (23 Jul 1899-15 Jul 1964), Nannie B. (c1903-17 Jun 1960), Geneva Alyce (1 Feb 1906-8 Nov 1977), John Harnsburger (18 Jan 1908-17 Aug 1967), Selby Samuel (23 Jul 1909-25 May 1981), Pauline Adelia (10 Jul 1913- 2 Mar 1987). In several cases, birth years do not agree with years on death records or grave markers; however, such records are not reliable for birth dates and other records give a more reliable or more realistic birth year.

Please let me know of mistakes, suggestions, comments, and additional information. And have you seen a reliable source (not someone's family tree) for Murray Tapscott's middle name? Do you know of a record showing that Murray was once a pastor of Little Zion Church or that he was an evangelist?