Fauquier County Tapscotts - Robert, the Coachman's First-Born Grandchild

Robert, Telem and Margaret’s (“Peggy’s) eldest, is the most informative and probably the most interesting of the Coachman’s eleven grandchildren.

He was born in Virginia, probably Fauquier Co, in Dec 1832 according to the 1900 Fauquier Co census; however, other records give approximate birthyears ranging from 1832 to 1835. Robert appears to have lived all his life farming in what is today the Cedar Run Distr of Fauquier Co, never marrying, or having any offspring. But, as the oldest, Robert took a leading role in looking after his siblings. He was one of the two children who helped obtain Reimbursement from the Southern Claims Commission for losses suffered by his father’s estate due to the war. And following the death of his parents, Robert headed a household containing four of his orphaned siblings, Ann Virginia, Elizabeth, William, and Maggie. Finally, on 26 Apr 1905, Robert wrote a will, something few early Fauquier Co Tapscotts did, leaving bequests to selected relatives, though the reasons behind those selections are uncertain.

I Robert Tapscott being of sound mind this 26 day of April 1905 & knowing the uncertainty of life do make this my last will and testament to wit - To my nephew Lee Chichester I give two (2) acres of land, my nephew Hamilton [sic] Chichester two (2) acres of land My niece Jennie Lewis Two (2) acres - Francis Russell my sister three & three quarters acres - and my sister Elizabeth Tapscott two (2) acres adjoining her land, all [unclear] land adjoins R W Darnell & Elizabeth Tapscott  To my nephew Robert Tapcott [sic] I give him all the land purchased of Turner Meeks. My niece Rose Tapscott I give the house in which I live and two (2) acres of land & all the fowles [?] & my sister Annie Tapscott & her daughter Mary Eliza to have a home with Rose as long as they live. To my niece Alice Tapscott I leave my large feather bed, bed pillow and bed clothes. Her son Robert I leave my gun & grey horse George. Archie Adderson [sic] to keep & take care of the ten horses now in his possession until the crop is saved the then turn them over to my Executor. I desire after all my just debts are paid the residue to be equally divided between my heirs. Witness my hand & seal this day & year above mention

Robert {his mark} Tapscott

Witness

Wm B. Tompkins

R. W. Daniell

Hampton's death record with his father listed as "Drdge."

Identification of some heirs is easy, others are challenging, particularly since two are given the name “Chichester” not “Tapscott.” Based on DNA evidence and a death record for Hampton Chichester son of “Drdge” (likely a scribble for “Doddridge”) and Nancy “Tabcot,” Nancy’s children were probably fathered by William Doddridge Chichester, a white farmer, who lived near Nancy, possibly next door, throughout her life. The children first took the name “Tapscott,” and later, “Chichester.”

One other individual named in the will was Archie “Adderson.” Archie Addison was a son-in-law of Annie Tapscott, one of the heirs.

On 8 Jan 1906, at the Clerks Office of the Fauquier Circuit Court, the following was recorded:

A paper writing dated the 26’day of April 1905 and purporting to be the last will and testament of Robert Tapscott deceased was produced before the Clerk of the Circuit Court for probate and R. W. Daniell one of the subscribing witnesses thereto was sworn and testified that the said testator Robert Tapscott signed and acknowledged said paper writing is ordered to be recorded as and for the time last will and testament of the said Robert Tapscott dec’d.

Sometime between the writing of the will on 26 Apr 1905, and the probate on 8 Jan 1906 (probably much closer to the latter date), Robert had died. The record goes on to state

And on motion of Robert Tapscott Jr - who made oath as the law requires and together with R W Daniell his security who justified as to his sufficiency entered into and acknowledged bond before said Clerk in the penalty of five hundred dollars payable and conditioned according to law

Robert Tapscott Jr. had made bond to be executor for the estate. But who was Robert Tapscott Jr.? Did Robert, Telem Plato’s oldest child, have a child after all? The answer is “No.” In the past, the terms “Sr.” and “Jr.” were used to differentiate between an elder and a younger man with the same name. Unlike today, the terms implied nothing about parentage. Robert Tapscott Jr. was undoubtedly the elder Robert’s nephew.

Robert signed his will with a mark.

It is amazing that Robert Tapscott, an illiterate man with no wife and no descendants, has provided us with records crucial in unraveling the descendants of Telem Plato.

Fauquier County Tapscotts - The Coachman's Descendants

We’ve discussed the Cundiff Line of Elizabeth's descendants and have introduced the Plato Line. It appears that Plato the Coachman had a single child with Elizabeth—Telem Tapscott/Plato. Actually, Telem appears with the surname "Plato" in only a single record, a Southern Claim Commissions Claim filed after his death.

Telem and his wife, Peggy Pinn, had a big family, eleven kids, the Coachman's grandchildren. The eleven children are all listed in the 1860 Fauquier Co census for the Telem and Peggy “Pearson” household. Even with the presumably incorrect surname, this record is particularly useful since it is likely that the children are listed in birth order, despite what might be found for their ages in other sources. The birth years for the children are remarkably varied in the various available records, probably because most were illiterate, as were their parents. The children order in the chart here is based on the 1860 census. The names and birth and death dates are compiled from multiple records and are subject to change as new records are found.

 

We are going to take a look at each of these eleven offspring in future blogs.

If you are a descendant of one of these eleven kids, we would love to hear from you. We are particularly interested in what you've heard about your ancestry. Even when not factual, as is often the case, family stories can provide valuable clues. 

And contact me if you disagree with anything or have suggestions, comments, or questions. Living well away from Fauquier Co, and from a rather distant Tapscott line, I need all the help I can get.

Fauquier County Tapscotts - Homelands

Map of Fauquier County Districts
 (Fauquier Co GIS Department).
 Most of Elizabeth’s descendants lived
in or near the area marked in Red

Sometime around 1811 Elizabeth Percifull moved from Lancaster Co to Fauquier Co, where she married James Tapscott and where she established a Tapscott dynasty. (See Elizabeth Percifull, an Overview.) We can’t give much credit to James since he died just a few years after he married. And where did Elizabeth’s descendants end up in Fauquier Co?

The 1870 Virginia Constitution required that each county in the state be divided into no less than three townships. A constitutional amendment in 1874 changed the townships into magisterial districts. Elizabeth and her descendants lived, for the most part, in what became Cedar Run Distr (sometimes called “Cedar Run Twp”), in an area just south of Cedar Run Creek between the village of Auburn and Double Poplars (today, “Poplar Forks”) Church. In the 1860 census, this area was part of the Northeast Revenue Distr.

Tapscott Lands lay between Auburn and Poplar Forks Church.

Prior to the Civil War, a settlement, Double Poplars, was established by free Blacks just south of the Old Auburn Road. The village was named for the double poplar trees that were used as a site for outdoor worship, probably held in secret since people of color were forbidden to congregate without a white minister present. Elder John Clark led the community in founding Double Poplars Baptist Church in 1870. The congregation purchased land from Philip and Susan Hughs (sometime “Hughes”) in 1874 and erected a sanctuary that doubled as a school in the early years. Later, they erected a schoolhouse on land formerly owned by Minor Grayson. Philip Hughs, about whom we will hear more later, eventually became a preacher at Double Poplars Church. A crude grave marker for “PhiliP houGh” is found in the cemetery alongside the church.

Double Poplar School. (AAHA)

Poplar Forks Church (2019)

Many of Elizabeth’s descendants are buried in one of two Cedar Run Distr cemeteries, just a mile or so apart.

The Poplar Forks Baptist Church Cemetery, which lies alongside and back of the church, is likely the oldest of the two cemeteries. The marker with the oldest date is that for Nancy M. Chichester, who died 14 Nov 1877, though there are undoubtedly many older, but unmarked, graves. Nancy, who took the name of “Chichester,” was Elizabeth’s granddaughter.

The Tapscott Family Cemetery, a beautifully maintained burial site, which lies at the end of Ecoganic Farm Lane (a recent name), is a second major resting place for Elizabeth’s descendants. The cemetery occupies a piece of land once owned by William Doddridge Chichester, but deeded by him on 29 Nov 1865 to Edmond A. Tapscott, one of Elizabeth’s children. Edmond is buried there with under a marker with the oldest death date in the cemetery, 4 Jun 1880, though there are likely older graves. The cemetery is now incorporated and is managed by the Tapscott Family Cemetery Association.

                  Poplar Forks Baptist Church Cemetery.                                                      Tapscott Family Cemetery.

Capt. Henry Line - Emily Tapscott Clark

I have sometimes mentioned Tapscotts who achieved notoriety owing to "skallawagery" (a noun I just invented). A good example is dear old Samuel Tapscott.  But there were also Tapscotts who were prominent in a good way. One of those was Emily Tapscott Clark, daughter of Nannie Tapscott and William Clark. From the Encyclopedia Virginia:

From Encyclopedia Virginia.

Emily Tapscott Clark was a writer and the founding editor of The Reviewer, a Richmond-based literary magazine that helped spark the Southern Literary Renaissance—a movement in southern letters that turned away from glorifying the Old South in sentimental narratives (by such writers as Thomas Nelson Page) and instead moved toward writing about themes of race, gender, identity, and the burden of history in the South. While Clark caused some uproar in Richmond society with the publication of Stuffed Peacocks (1927), a set of thirteen satirical character sketches with a biting introduction about the city of Richmond itself, she is known primarily for her contributions to and nurturing of the evolution of southern literature in the 1920s and 1930s.

Emily’s father, William Meade Clark, was for many years the rector of St. James Episcopal Church in Richmond, Virginia. Her mother, Nannie Douglas Tapscott, was a descendant of Capt. Henry Tapscott, the wealthiest and most socially prominent of Henry the Immigrant’s three sons.

The Daily Star, Fredericksburg, Virginia, Fri 7 Nov 1924

In 1924 Emily married Edwin Balch, a prominent Philadelphian explorer, mountain climber, scientist, and author. Emily was around 33 at the time (her birthyear, which she varied, is uncertain) and had not been married before. Edwin, on the other hand, was a 68-year-old widower. A 1924 news article describes the wedding as being between two prominent families, though some of the claims are a little questionable.

When he died shortly afterwards in 1927 (the same year his wife wrote her most famous book, “Stuffed Peacocks”), Edwin Balch left $1.16 million, worth over $21 million today.

The Philadelphia Inquirer, Fri 3 Jul 1953.

 

When Emily died in 1953, having lived as a widow for over a quarter century, obituaries were published in twenty-three newspapers. One is shown here on the left.

Wabash Valley Tapscotts - The Spurlington Witch

A witch in the family?

The Legend of Nancy Bass

Stories of Nancy Bass have been passed down through families in Taylor County, Kentucky. According to local legend, Aunt Nancy stumbled upon Jesse James and his gang while they were burying gold and silver in the Spurlington Tunnel. However, upon seeing her, they allegedly killed her and buried her above the tunnel. Since then, Nancy has become a haunting figure associated with the tunnel.

The Spurlington Tunnel

The Spurlington Tunnel was built in the mid-1800s as part of a 31-mile rail line from Greensburg to Lebanon. It took seven years to construct, with the excavation primarily consisting of blue limestone and a ledge of black flint. The tunnel spans 1,900 feet and features a 100-foot shaft hole in the middle to release exhaust from passing trains. 

The Witch’s Curse

Nancy Bass (drawing by Wesley Durham, 1974).

Legend has it that Nancy Bass was not an ordinary woman. She was believed to be a witch. It is said that she could make tables levitate and would cast spells on people if they did not do as she wished. She was not a particularly dangerous witch. Nobody died. But, if she disliked a family their children would come down with mysterious illnesses, their crops would fail, their milk cows would go dry and all kinds of misfortunes would befall. And it is said that her spirit now haunts the Spurlington Tunnel. Anyone who enters the tunnel or searches for the buried treasure is said to fall under her curse. Locals have long speculated that the hidden treasure remains somewhere within the tunnel, waiting to be discovered.

Despite the lack of a grave marker, Nancy’s legend persists, and her spectral presence continues to cast a chilling shadow over the Spurlington Tunnel.

A Tapscott Connection

And who was Nancy? Well she’s my second cousin three times removed. Her great grandfather Josiah Bass Sr. was my 4th great grandfather. Josiah Bass’s granddaughter Susan Bass married Henry Tapscott of Kentucky and the two founded the Tapscotts of the Wabash Valley [see Henry's Children ]. Confused? So am I. Perhaps this will help.

The Wabash Valley Tapscotts already have three murderers in the family: my GG uncle Samuel, my first cousin once removed Omer, and my second cousin once removed Everett. Is there now a witch in the family? Perhaps.

Wabash Valley Tapscotts - Henry's Children, 2nd Edition

 

I still have a few hardbound printed copies of the first edition of Henry's Children, The Tapscotts of The Wabash Valley (which starts with Henry Tapscott, a great great grandson of another Henry, Henry the Immigrant). Nevertheless, I have written a second edition, which is more detailed and provides additional clarification. Besides, I needed something else to do. I'm only working on two other books. Since there is always a chance that this second edition will never be printed (I am 85 years old after all), I am making available digital (pdf) copies of the book.

To get a free electronic copy just click on the link below and then press the download icon in the upper left of the screen. Leave a comment or, better yet, send me an email if you have problems.

Henry's Children, Download

As the sole author and copyright holder, I am granting downloaders an OK to distribute this digital copy to anyone they wish at no charge. No exceptions.

Questions or comments about Tapscotts or about how your line fits into those discussed in the book? Email me. There is nothing I like more than discussing family history.

And if you would like a hardbound, printed copy of the first edition, contact me. But it will cost you.

Henry the Immigrant - Digital Version

 

As many of you know, no more hardbound printed copies of Henry the Immigrant, The First Tapscotts of Virginia, remain. For that reason I have been making available digital (pdf) copies of the book. The 2nd edition includes the first four generation of the Tapscott line (counting Henry as first-generation), with names of fifth-generation descendants given in the text).

To get a free electronic copy just click on the link below and then press the download icon in the upper left of the screen. Leave a comment or, better yet, send me an email if you have problems.

Henry the Immigrant, Download

As the sole author and copyright holder, I am granting downloaders an OK to distribute this digital copy to anyone they wish at no charge. No exceptions.

Questions or comments about Tapscotts or about how your line fits into those discussed in the book? Email me. There is nothing I like more than discussing family history.