Fauquier County Tapscotts - Catherine Tapscott

 We are continuing to research Elizabeth Percifull Tapscott's descendants. We have just finished the Holder line and are starting work on three of Elizabeth's children who have totally unknown fathers: Catherine, Jackson, and Edmond Abraham. Today we begin with Catherine.

Unlike her siblings, probably all half-siblings, Catherine is not identified as a child of Elizabeth Percifull Tapscott by any reliable record. We believe her to be a child for three reasons. First, of course, is her name. Second, Catherine fits nicely into the unnamed people in Elizabeth Percifull’s 1840 census household. Third, following her marriage, Catherine is living just four residences away from Elizabeth in the 1850 census for Fauquier County.

Tracing the history of Catherine and her descendants proves exceedingly difficult. As one example, no grave marker, birth record, or death record has been found for Catherine, her husband, or any of her nine children. Census and a very few marriage records are available, but we all know how inaccurate such records are for birth dates.

Official records do provide strong evidence, bordering on proof, that Catherine and most of her descendants were white. This means that her father was not a father of most of Elizabeth’s other children. But he was also not James E. Tapscott, since legal documents state that Harriet was James’s only child. It is possible that Catherine was fathered by the same person that founded the Holder line, a person that we believe to have been Taliaferro Holder. Certainly, birth years indicated by census data for Catherine are, for the most part, near the birth year of Robert Francis Tapscott, the first member of the Holder line. Might Catherine and Robert Francis have been siblings, even twins? It is possible. Perhaps, someday, DNA will provide an answer, or, at least, some evidence, though that is unlikely since Catherine has left few identified descendants.

Catherine is first named in the 8 Jan 1848 bond for her Fauquier County marriage to Alexander Martin. A little later that year, Alexander’s brother, John, would marry Catherine’s niece Maria Ann. Unfortunately, Catherine did not leave good records of her birth date, which was around 1827 according to her marriage record, but closer to 1817 according to census data. Catherine was probably trying to hide the fact that she was likely considerably older that Alexander, who was born 3 Nov 1826.

Catherine and Alexander lived out their married lives in Fauquier County, where they parented at least nine children, most of whom vanished without a trace. Seven children are identified from the 1850 and 1860 censuses: Mary Virginia (born c1849), Robert William (c May 1850), Sarah R. (c1852), Eliza (c1854), Catherine L. (c1856), Harriet S. (c1857), and Plumb (c1859). Of these, only Harriet is found after the 1860 census. It is not unlikely that at least some of these died young. Two more children are found in the 1870 census, Georgiana (c1860) and Rosette (c1863). Both are also found in the 1880 Fauquier County census (as “Georgeanna” and “Rosann”), but Rosette is not seen again. Of Catherine’s seven children only Harriet S. and Georgiana have any significant known history, and even that is severely limited.

Catherine died sometime between 1880, when she appears with her husband in the Fauquier County census, and 1900 when Alexander, listed as widowed, is found living in Fauquier with his daughter Harriet and eight grandchildren, offspring of Harriet and Georgiana. Alexander is not seen again.

Harriet had six known children, all of whom had unknown, or uncertain fathers and were given the family name “Martin”: Lavinia (27 Oct 1877–6 Jul 1919), Sallie Lucy (9 Dec 1878–11 Jan 1962), Willie (May 1882–aft 1910), Frank (Aug 1888–aft 1910), George Cleveland Sr. (22 Mar 1889–11 Jul 1961), and Katharine Emily (23 Sep 1891–30 Nov 1983). Records name the father for only Katharine, and even then, two different names are given: Charles H. Martin and George Martin. Neither of these individuals can be identified and could be fictitious. Harriet is last seen living with her nephew Joseph Jeffries in Fauquier County in 1930 and is not found thereafter.

Georgiana Martin married John E. Jeffries in Fauquier County on 22 Oct 1884. Born to John Sr. and Catherine (Smith) Jeffries around 1839 in Fauquier County, John Jr. had fought in the Civil War, as a Confederate soldier in the 49th Infantry from 21 May 1861 to 18 May 1865, when he was captured near Fairfax, VA. Following his parole, he married Willie Virginia Claggett on 12 Oct 1865 in Fauquier County. Virginia died by 1880 leaving John Jr. a widower with seven kids. He probably still had those children living with him when he married Georgiana.

On 18 May 1865 John Jeffries signed a parole agreement swearing not to fight against the Union in the absence of a prisoner exchange. He had to sign the agreement with a mark since he was illiterate. (Fold3)

Both John Jr. and Georgiana had apparently died by 1900, when we find their four known children living parentless with their grandfather, Alexander Martin. The children were Joseph Baker Jeffries (2 May 1886–6 Oct 1963), Frank Lonnie Jeffries (3 Nov 1889–3 Feb 1973), Mary Virginia Jeffries (15 Jan 1892–18 Aug 1976), and Martha Jeffries (Aug 1894–?).

Mary's grave marker, Albuquerque.

Mary Virginia Jeffries is of particular interest to me since she spent much of her life working as a nurse in Albuquerque, which is where I live. Our residences here actually overlapped a few years though I didn't know that until very recently. (By the way, her relatives shown on Find A Grave are totally incorrect.)

Catherine's Descendants

I need your help. Catherine Tapscott and her descendants are by far the most complicated of the Fauquier County Tapscotts that I have researched to date. A shocking number of errors are found in published family trees for this line. Indeed, nearly all on-line trees for Catherine and her descendants are filled with "halucinations." If you find errors in my work (which I hope will not happen) or have comments or suggestions, please let me know.

Fauquier County Tapscotts - James Edward Tapscott

James Edward Tapscott, Robert and Lucy’s last child, was born 5 May 1857 in Millwood, Clarke Co, VA. James’s snappy wardrobe belies his occupation, which was always labor. He started out as a laborer on his parents’ farm, but by 1880 he was working as a farmhand in the Falling Waters area of Berkeley Co, WV.

On 27 Apr 1882 in Clarke County, James married another Clarke County resident, Henrietta Stickles. Henrietta, whose last name is spelled in a variety of ways (Stickle, Stickles, Stickel, Stickels) was born 7 Apr 1862 in Berryville, VA, to Henry C. (claimed without evidence by many to be “Henry Clay”) and Susan E. (Writt) Stickles. Henrietta’s father was a confederate soldier, having enlisted in the 11 Regiment Virginia Cavalry on 6 Nov 1862, just eight months after Henrietta was born.

James and Henrietta lived for a while in Wiehle, Fairfax Co, VA, and then in Dumfries Distr, Prince William Co, VA. By 1910, James and Henrietta had ten children all of whom lived to adulthood.

First-born was Cyrus Hanson, for whom records show birth dates of 26 Feb 1881, 26 Feb 1882, and 26 Feb 1883. The last is most likely as it agrees with the 1900 census and would be ten months after the marriage of his parents. Cyrus, who married Mary Agnes Mulroe in the District of Columbia on 2 Jun 1909, passed away 4 Oct 1947.

Robert Clay was born 11 Oct 1884 (cemetery marker gives a year of 1883) and married Violet Christabelle Amiss on 3 Jul 1907 in the District of Columbia. Robert died 11 Nov 1960.

Born in Mar 1885, Lucille (“Lucy”) Blanche married Thomas Brower Beach in Arlington Co, VA, on 8 Aug 1912.  She passed away in the District of Columbia on 18 Jan 1944.

Evalyn Thomas Tapscott (yes that was her name), who was born in Berryville, Clarke Co, 25 Feb 1888, married Eppa Hunton Williams 19 Jan 1910 in the District of Columbia.

Born 25 Feb 1889, Susie B. Tapscott married Karel Frederik deRooy 16 Aug 1927 in the District of Columbia. Susie passed 8 Nov 1960.

Harvey Neil was born 25 Mar 1892 in Berryville, Clarke Co. On 18 May 1923 in the District of Columba he married Anna Nora Hanley. Harvey died 13 Nov 1971.

James Edward Tapscott Jr was born 16 Jul 1894 and married Mary Beatrice White 16 Jul 1894. James died in Dec 1967.

Gertrude (“Gertie”) Tapscott was born 9 Aug 1898 and was apparently married to Frank Leary Davis around 1920 (based on the birth date of her oldest child), though no record is found., She died 7 Apr 1984.

Born 11 May 1900, Henrietta Tapscott married Sigsbee Lee Keyes 18 May 1923 in the District of Columbia. Henrietta died 21 May 1985.

The last child, Clarence Roscoe Tapscott, who was born 11 May 1904 and died 16 Feb 1962, never married.

Henrietta Stickles Tapscott passed away in Fredericksburg, VA, 24 Nov 1926 and her widowed husband James Edward Sr, in the District of Columbia on 15 Feb 1938.

And that is the end of the early history of the Holder Branch of the Fauquier County Tapscotts. There are many members of this line much more able than I am to continue the Holder Saga toward the present. Comments? Complaints? Errors? Let me know.