Fauquier County Tapscotts - Robert Francis Tapscott

 

DNA test results have now revealed, at least to a limited extent, Robert Francis Tapscott’s origins. Two living male descendants (names are kept private here) of Robert Francis have yDNA matches showing conclusively that Robert Francis was not a descendant of Henry Tapscott, the Immigrant, at least by an all-male line. The name “Tapscott” may have come from Robert Francis’s mother, but not his father. In fact, the DNA results provide extremely strong evidence that Robert’s father was named “Holder.” The two descendants show strikingly close matches to a number of males with the surname “Holder,” with genetic distances as close as an exact match for 111 markers. Because yDNA follows only all-male lines, the same line that passes the family name, all yDNA matches are expected to have the same family name. Of course, owing to adoptions and births outside of marriage, that seldom happens.

In addition, four descendants of Robert Francis have autosomal DNA matches to eight different descendants of Elizabeth Percifull. And one descendant of Robert Frances Tapscott shows autosomal matches to the Percifull family of Lancaster Co, Va. Thus, DNA provides strong indication that Robert Francis Tapscott of Clarke Co was the son of Elizabeth Percifull and a Holder. And what about “paper-trail” data? It turns out that reliable records are consistent with the DNA results.

Robert Frances's 1843 Clarke County wedding license gives his residence as Fauquier County, a location verified by property tax records in which Robert Tapscott appears in 1839 (when he had just turned 22) and in 1840. In 1834 a Robert Tapscott, “child of Betty Tapscott” was indentured to Robert Gordon in Fauquier County to learn the trade of blacksmith. Robert Frances Tapscott was a blacksmith, among other things, when he was living as a married man in Clarke County. “Betty” is, of course, a name often used by those with the name “Elizabeth.” One concern about the contract is that in the database of indentures maintained by the AAHA, Robert Tapscott is listed as a “Free Negro,” which Robert Francis was not. But this was likely a transcription or clerical error.

An 1842 Chancery Court case shows “Bob Tapscott” running the blacksmith shop of James McLearen in Warrenton, Fauquier Co, Va. Court records reveal a most interesting story:

In 1840 James McLearen paid William Chichester $37.50 to hire a slave named Beverly with the understanding that Beverly would be taught the art of blacksmithing. Chichester claimed that he did not get what he contracted for. In McLearen's deposition he said

This respondent having in the year 1840 a Blacksmith shop in Operation in the Town of Warrenton was repeatedly applied to by the sd Complainant to take his boy Beverly in the sd shop as a stacker for Bob Tapscott with whom he wished him to work a year to require a better knowledge of the trade; sd Tapscott having bargained to carry on my shop for a year & whom I at length consented to take tho reluctantly sd Tapscot also seeming very desirous that i should take him & executed the Sd penal Bill for the price which was agreed on

The slave’s name, “Beverly,” is particularly interesting since that name was used by Robert Francis for one of his sons. Might there be a connection?

Thus, historical records and DNA results provide strong evidence that Robert Francis Tapscott was born in Fauquier Co to Elizabeth and a white male by the name of “Holder.” and later moved to Clarke County, where he raised a family and worked as a blacksmith. Among the ten or so male Holders living in Fauquier County at the time of Robert Francis's birth, only one stands out as having an appropriate age and location. Taliaferro Holder Sr., who would have been around 25 (date of birth c1792) when Robert was born and in later years was living in Turner's District, where many of Elizabeth's descendants were living. Taliaferro (who is also given the name “Toliver” in some War of 1812 pension file records) was married twice, both times in Fauquier County, to Sarah Hunton on 29 Dec 1816 and to Jane Ball on 1 Dec 1828. He had at least eight children, including Taliaferro Jr., from the second marriage. Taliaferro died around 30 May 1872, the date his will was probated.

In Clarke County, where they lived out their married lives, Robert and Lucy raised seven children, while Robert worked as a blacksmith, a wagon maker, and a farmer. Even with several sources of income, the family may have found difficulty in making ends meet. In 1871 Robert claimed homestead exemptions, which reduced property taxes and protected against creditors.

Robert died of “paralysis” in Clarke Co on 24 Jun 1874. (His cemetery marker gives a death date of 25 Jun.) Lucy is last seen in the 1880 census living with her son Henry in Battletown Twp, Clarke Co, Va  (i.e., near Berryville).

Robert and Lucy's P&P (Parentage and Progeny).

The next few weeks, we'll be looking at Robert and Lucy's kids.

Questions? Complaints? Suggestions? Contact me.

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.

Fauquier County Tapscotts - The Holders

Clarke Co, which borders Fauquier Co to the north, is the site of an historic Church of England, later Episcopalian, chapel, dating back to about 1747, though the structure has been rebuilt several times. In the adjacent cemetery stands a grave marker for Robert F. Tapscott, progenitor of an extensive line of Tapscotts centered in Clarke Co, mostly near the county seat, Berryville, initially designated “Battletown.” And who was Robert? That is a fascinating question, one which required years of research to answer.

We have already blogged about Robert and Robert Revisited. Now we need to add some new material and consolidate everything for the book Elizabeth's Children being written. And that is what we will be doing over the next few blogs.

Fauquier County Tapscotts - John Tnomas and Reburta

My previous blog showed how Reburta Tapscott and John Thomas Tapscott were first cousins once removed. But a Fauquier County cousin emailed me and said tne chart was confusing. Perhaps it was the representation of a vertical tree using a horizontal chart. I have redone it and added a lot. It may be more confusing now. I also added a 1700s British flag to Henry to show that he is the only England-born person in this chart. This was done because my cousin pointed out that many trees show Elizabeth Perciful as born in England. She was not. 

Years ago, Roberta Estes, a well-known genetic genealogist said  “Proof is not, not, 1000 times not someone else’s tree.” And over the years, I have found that to be correct. The multiplication of errors by “family historians” copying each other without hint of reliable sources is appalling. Elizabeth was born in Virginia, not in England. We have absolute proof of that. Numerous reliable records (not trees) show that Elijah was living in Virginia both before and after Elizabeth’s birth. Tax records and deed transfers show that her father, Elijah, was living in Lancaster Co Virginia in the years before she was born. Surely, he did not go to England so that his daughter could be born there and then immediately come back. And Elijah’s will names his daughter as “Betsey who into married with Tapscott” (Elizabeth was often called “Betsey”). So we know that he was her father. Moreover the 1850 census show that Elizabeth was born in Virginia, not England. A Gallaudet article stating the Tapscotts were from England is more or less correct since the first Virginian Tapscott was from England. Henry Tapscott arrived from England in January 1700, and his descendants through his great great grandughter Harriet formed many of the Fauquier Co Tapscotts. The Fauquier Co Tapscotts, at least those descended from Harriet, were indeed from England because that is where their ancestors had lived. But none of the Fauquier Co Tapscotts were born there.

Fauquier County Tapscotts - John Thomas Tapscott Sr.

John Thomas Tapscott Sr. was Cordelia’s final child, at least as far as we know. John was likely born 25 Dec 1871, a date derived from the year corresponding to his age in the 1880 census and from the day and month on his grave marker. Like many, John knocked some years off his age as he grew older, and a corresponding, but erroneous, birth year appears on his grave marker.

On 18 Aug 1896 John married Reburta Tapscott in Fauquier Co. She is named as “Roberta” in the Marriage Record; however, her name is given as “Reburta” in a number of other records, including newspaper articles and her grave marker. Reburta and John were first cousins once removed. Reburta was born to Edmond A. Tapscott, probably in April 1876, though her grave marker gives a year of 1877. But, as we noted before, grave markers and other death records often have inaccurate birth dates. Edmond, about whom we will hear more later, was a son of Elizabeth Percifull. 

John had to return to Fauquier Co to marry, for he had started working for the Columbia Institution for the Deaf and Dumb and Blind in Washington, DC in 1890. Chartered in 1857, the institute became known as Gallaudet College in 1894 and was renamed Gallaudet University in 1986. John, who started work as a janitor and ended up as the chief engineer, worked fifty-three years for Gallaudet, and was the first of at least nine Fauquier Co Tapscotts who worked at the college. And two of Reburta’s nephews went there as students.

To recognize the Tapscotts' contributions to the development of the College, a dinner was held in their honor 6 Feb 1981 on campus. Friends and members of the Tapscott family, as well as Gallaudet administrators, deans, and community relations personnel attended. The dinner was hosted by President and Mrs. Edward C. Merrill. To recognize the Tapscotts, a proclamation signed by President Merrill announced that the campus road in front of historic College Hall would be named “Tapscott Street.”

Certificate naming “Tapscott Street.” (Source: Angela Doores Robinson.) Later there would also be a “Tapscott Plaza Gateway.”

                  Tapscott Street                                      Tapscott Plaza Gateway

Members of the Tapscott family at the honorary dinner. Left to Right, Back Row: John Benjamin (“Jack”) Boyd Jr, Cheryl Tapscott Robertson, Norma Tapscott Boyd, Carolyn Tapscott Peoples, Theresa Tapscott Alston, Sandra Marie Tapscott Dupree, Karen Tapscott Vinson, Richard J. Alston Sr. Middle Row: Edmond A. Tapscott, Phyllis Jane Holland Tapscott, Elnora Maria Belcher Tapscott, Natalie Tapscott Wood, Tamara Tapscott, Raymond James (“Bo”) Tapscott, Elmer George Tapscott Sr. Front Row: Cynthia Anita Tapscott, Mary Elizabeth (“Momma Epie”) Colvin Tapscott, Dorothy (“Dot”) Logan Colvin Tapscott. (Gallaudet Today, Spring 1981),

In 1979 and 1981, the university magazine, Gallaudet Today, published three articles about the Tapscotts and their contributions.

John and Reburta lived out their lives in DC, where they raised five kids—Viola Adelia (31 Oct 1897–19 Jul 1956), John Thomas Jr. (16 Sep 1901-27 Dec 1961), Raymond James Sr., Isaiah Eugene (10 Apr 1908–6 May 1962), and Eugene Adolph (16 Feb 1910–13 Apr 1973).

Fauquier County Tapscotts - Elizabeth Tapscott

The previous biography for a child of Cordelia, William D. Tapscott, was short. This is even shorter. Elizabeth Tapscott, Cordelia's fourth child, is easily biographed since we have already done so. She married John Robert Martin, a child of Maria Ann Tapscott. John was Elizabeth’s first cousin and the subject of an earlier blog. 

Fauquier County Tapscotts - William D. Tapscott (Son of Cordelia)

 We are going through Cordelia’s children, as we did those of her sister Maria Ann, but you may have noticed that I skipped someone when I went directly from James Tasco Tapscott to Murray Selby Tapscott. Cordelia’s second child, William D. Tapscott is easily skipped since we know so little about him and he left no known descendants.

William grew up near Cedar Run.
(Ctizens for Fauquier County)

William, born c1860 to Cordelia and (it is said) Mark Russell, led a life difficult to unravel. A major problem is that the Fauquier County Tapscotts include another William D. Tapscott with a similar birth year, a child of Edmond A. Tapscott. (More on him later.) With careful investigation, however, records for the two William D.s can be separated. Doing so, one concludes that Cordelia’s son William appears in only two records that are contemporary with him—the 1870 and 1880 censuses for Cedar Run Distr, where he is found living in a household with his mother. William then disappears, apparently having died before the 1900 census and apparently without descendants.

Do you know anything about William, son of Cordelia? If so, contact me or leave a comment.