Fauquier County Tapscotts - Lucy Wood Tapscott

Here is a transcription of Robert Tapscott’s marker in Old Chapel Cemetery:

ROBERT F. TAPSCOTT

Born

Mar 8th, 1817

Died

June 25, 1874

No known contemporary record gives a middle name for Robert; however, his descendants claim that it was “Francis.” That name will be used here, since some of those descendants had relatively close connections to Robert.

On 4 Apr 1843 in Clarke County an oath was made by Lucy F. Wood’s brother James in preparation for her marriage to Robert:

James T. Wood made Oath before me Clerk of the Court of the County aforesaid that Lucy F. Wood who is about to intermarry with Robert Tapscott of the County of Fauquier is over twenty One years of age and an inhabitant of this county.

Robert and Lucy were wed that same day. As found for Robert, no dependable record gives Lucy’s middle name, but descendants, deemed reliable, claim it to be “Frances,” and we will use that name. Lucy Frances Wood is believed to be the daughter of Alexander Wood Sr. and Elizabeth Kirk. And there is evidence for this. Following his marriage to Elizabeth around 1799 (based on age of oldest child), Alexander and his bride settled down in Frederick Co, Va. In the 1830 census, Alexander was replaced by Elizabeth as the household head. Alexander apparently died that year as a bond was issued on 2 Aug 1830 for administration of his estate. No cemetery marker is found for Alexander, who is said to be buried in Tilthammer Mill Cemetery a little south of Old Chapel Cemetery. A marker is, however, found for his wife. She was interred at Old Chapel, where her presumed daughter Lucy is said to have been buried, though no stone is found, and where her presumed son-in-law Robert was laid to rest. Elizabeth’s stone reads

Our Mother

ELIZABETH

Wife of

Alexander Wood Sr.

Died

April 3, 1853

in the 76th year of

her age

Lucy’s parentage is further evidenced by the 1850 census for Clarke County, which shows 73-year-old Elizabeth Wood, living with Robert and Lucy. Residing next door is James T. Wood, Lucy’s brother. Elizabeth would die three years later. All in all, it appears that Lucy was a daughter of Alexander and Elizabeth Wood. But what about Robert Francis? Who were his parents?

That’s the subject of our next blog.