RESEARCH REPORT NO.

15 Whitaker and William Redd of Nansemond County, Virginia Rachall Reade of Norfolk County, Virginia 14 May 2012 Prepared by Carolyn J. Nell, Accredited Genealogist 3126 Juniper Lane, Falls Church, Virginia 22044-1814 for Jan V. Garbett, Redd Family Organization 273 E. Capitol Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 84103-4623 Telephone: (801) 456-2428

REVISED RESEARCH OBECTIVE as of 5 May 2012: The multiple research objectives are: (1) to identify relatives of William Redd and Rachall (possible maiden name Jordan) particularly living in Nansemond County, Virginia; (2) to identify the maiden name of Martha Jordan; (3) and to learn when and where Martha Jordan died leaving probate documents. Surnames of interest are Cohoon, Jordan, Redd, and Hodges. RESEARCH REPORT On the north side of the National Archives are two statues carved with the following wording: (1) Study the Past and (2) What is Past is Prologue. In this research project, the studying of the past helps us to understand the future. The previous research continues to offer clues to relationships. Because with the identification of additional information, it is possible to see relationships forming when combined with the newly acquired dataconnecting the dots is a good way to explain it. At the beginning of this researchas far back as 1988 when this genealogist reluctantly began the project for the Redd family, it was a famine when it came to the availability of record resources in which to research. Without the early records of Nansemond County, that county is a genealogical black hole to genealogists. This situation explained to the client; however, the stewards of the Redd family research wanted to proceed with the understanding the research would be a real commitment to time and financial resources since the usual research resources were non-existent. In 2012, approximately twenty-four years later, there seems to be answers to relationshipsa reward for all concerned. There seems to be answers to relationships is an important statement because there continues to be weak links in the family chain due to the need to establish the relationships on circumstantial evidence. All the relationships fit perfectly, but for the want of solid documentation, circumstantial evidence is the best to be offered at this time. On 15 March 2012, an interim report transmitted to Jan Garbett. Most of the report will be included with this report as it is not practical to continually rewrite and restate things.

The is Past is Prologue 1

(Taken from Interim Report dated 15 March 2012) Much information acquired during the years researching the Redd family, especially in Nansemond County where William Redds neighbors lived; the procession records of the Upper Parish were the prime source. In researching in Nansemond County, relatives of neighbors were living in Accomack County, particularly with the Scarburgh surname. There was the apparent relationship between William Redd and the Scarburghs in both Accomack and Nansemond Counties. The same may be true for the surnames of interest, Cohoon, Jordan, Redd, and Hodges. What if William Redd is related to the Redds in Norfolk and Nansemond Counties, and he was living in that area before moving to Accomack County? Wouldnt it be possible he married Rachall because he knew her from the time when he was living in Norfolk or Nansemond Counties? Wouldnt it be possible he moved to Accomack County thinking the move would offer prime opportunities for him? Consider he moved back to Nansemond County from the Accomack County area because of the property owned by a Mr. Scarburgh became available which afforded the opportunity to be near extended family again. RECOMMENDATION: The surnames researched and analyzed, Cohoon, Jordan, Redd, and Hodges, to determine if there is a relationship to William Redd. The same research techniques recommended as used at the beginning of William Redds research. SAMUEL CAHOON (Son of Martha (Jordan) Hodges) Samuel Cahoon was the son of Martha Jordan, formerly known as Martha Cahoon, of Nansemond County, Virginia. Apparently Mr. Cahoon, the father of Samuel Cahoon, died, and Martha remarried to Thomas Jordan of the same county. At some time, Thomas Jordan died leaving Martha, his wife, a widow with children. Eventually, Martha wanted to remarry to Francis Hodges of Norfolk County, Virginia. Martha wanted to protect the inheritance of her children by gifting them real property before she remarried to Francis Hodges.1 The deed associated with the gifts given to her children is the foundation from which the research begins: researching from the known to the unknown concept. The marriage of Martha to Mr. Cahoon presents interesting scenarios associated with her recognized son, Samuel Cahoon. Martha might not be the birth mother, but she married Mr. Cahoon after his wife died, and the young Samuel never knew his birth mother, or he was too young to remember her. There is more than one absolute way in which Martha became the mother other than the birth mother. At this time in the research, she is the birth mother until proven differently. The deed transferring real property to her children proven in court on 19 July 1734. From this document, we know Marthas husband Thomas died before that date. Without actually knowing the death date, perhaps it is safe to consider Thomas died after 1730. Also, consider it takes time to
1 Norfolk County, Deed Book 11, 1730-1734, Virginia State Library, Richmond, Virginia, microfilm reel #6. (Refer to Report No. 13, dated 20 February 2008, Reference No. 13:2) Note: The abstracted information should be reformatted to place the second entry in the number one position. Also, it might be most beneficial to search the microfilm again to read the document from the film rather than from a photocopy. Better yet, would be the reading of the original documents from the actual deed book should it be available. All of the information in this document is valuable to the research.

probate a will with an executor/executrix or an administrator/administrix. Unknown is whether Thomas Jordan died testate or intestate. Samuel Cahoon is the oldest identified son of Martha, and according to the law of primogeniture for inheritance to the eldest son, he would inherit the property of his birth father, Mr. Cahoonunless Mr. Cahoon had other male children by prior marriage(s). Therefore, the abstract made from the document states, she dispose[s] of that part of her own estate as she __said Martha__thinks fit to her three children. If there was property bestowed to another unidentified son prior to Thomas Jordans death, James Jordan, his son by Martha, would not be eligible by law to inherit the real property. At the time of his death, Martha was eligible for one-third of the property by marriage. Therefore, understanding the rights of inheritance during the colonial period, and identifying the land in Nansemond County, could be important to the research. Knowledge concerning how Mr. Cahoon and Thomas Jordan acquired their properties would help? Was it by land grants or purchases, inheritances, or through marriage to Martha whose maiden name we do not know? Also, it is not clear at this time in the research the actual ages of the children who had to be at least the age of majority before inheriting. Rachel was required to marry before she inherited. Known is that the childrenat least James and Rachel Jordanwere not of age in 1734. Not knowing the fine points of inheritance, what happened to the property of Mr. Cahoon at the time of his death raises numerous questions: (1) Did young Samuel Cahoon have claim on his fathers land when he turned of age; and (2) Was the Cahoon property inherited by Martha absorbed into the property owned by Thomas Jordan at the time of his marriage to Martha Cahoon? These are all probable scenarios for consideration. Samuel Cahoon became a medical doctor; however, please do not think his training was the same as that of the contemporary doctors. But his status in the Nansemond County area was one of importance; therefore, his name frequently identified in the Suffolk Parish Vestry Book, 17491784, Nansemond County, Virginia, and Newport Parish Vestry Book, 17241772, Isle of Wight County, Virginia.2 Likewise, his name listed numerous times in The Vestry Book of the Upper Parish, Nansemond County; however, this source not discussed in this report. This resource will require additional research time to properly analyze. In order to gain an insight as to the earliest Cahoon living in Nansemond County, the printed source, English Duplicates of Lost Virginia Records, researched for the Cahoon surname.3 Samuel Cahoon identified in Nansemond County as early as 1704 with 240 acres of land.4 This
2 William Lindsay Hopkins, Suffolk Parish Vestry Book, 1749-1784, Nansemond County, Virginia, and Newport Parish Vestry Book, 1724-1772, Isle of Wight County, Virginia (Athens, Georgia: Iberian Publishing Co., 1993), 21, 25, 31, 34, 45, 60, 63, 65, and 73. (Reference No. 01, Report No. 15, dated 14 May 2012) 3 Louis des Cognets, Jr., compiler, English Duplicates of Lost Virginia Records ( Princeton, New Jersey: Privately Published, 1958), 203.

4 QUITRENTS. This was a kind of land tax that the Crown originally imposed and that was regulated by acts of Parliament. The
basic English land laws under which the people of colonial Virginia gained title to their land required the owners to pay to the Crown a quitrent of two shillings for each hundred acres of land. If a landowner failed to pay the quitrent for a specified number of years, the Crown had the right to take back the land and grant it or sell it to another person. The money raised by this tax went into the royal treasury and was used to pay the expenses of the royal government in the colony. The county rent rolls, as they were

Samuel Cahoon is most likely the father of Samuel Cahoon (Doctor). Of course, there might be another unidentified generation. Martha was young enough to have children with her second husband. There are numerous considerations associated with this research. At this point in the research, http://www.new.familysearch.org was checked to learn if other genealogists are likewise interested in the Cahoon surnames of Nansemond County, Virginia. Learning that, yes, there are genealogists researching the Cahoon surname, and that much research has been completed; however, do not agree with some of the dates and localities cited on the Family Group Record. Apparently, Cahoon is a Scottish name and the research is extensive in Europe. If Samuel Cahoon is actually a descendant of this lineage, much research has already been accomplished. Only one Family Group Record was printed from the website for Samuel Cahoon.5 There are many unanswered questions about the credibility of this record, and additional research needed to establish Samuel Cahoons relationship within the Cahoon families. Please refer to the Research Calendar associated with this report to view the efforts to contact the genealogists to collaborateresults were nil as the emails returned due to outdated email addresses. Not much more will be considered at this time for Samuel Cahoon because he is not the bloodlineSamuel Cahoon would be a half great-uncle many generations ago. His descendants are half-cousins. The important aspect of this line of research is learning the maiden name of Martha when she married Mr. Cahoon. Samuel Cohoon is deceased before 22 September 1792 because an advertisement was published in the newspaper, Virginia Chronicle and Norfolk and Portsmouth General Advertiser, selling his saw and grist mills on branches of Nansemond River near Suffolk. . . The property was advertised by John C. Cohoon who is most likely a son of Samuel Cohoon.6 Also, not all of the sources with information for Samuel Cahoon are discussed in this report. Please refer to the research calendar and the enclosed documents. The report now focuses on the surname Jordan, the direct bloodline.

THOMAS JORDAN (Husband of Martha (Jordan) Hodges and the father of James and Rachel Jordan)
called, which were kept in the office of the royal auditor general of the colony in Jamestown or Williamsburg, no longer exist. This is the origin of the modern system of land taxes in Virginia. Some documents recording the number of landowners and the total amount of quitrents for each of the counties can be found in the records of the colonial governors and of the royal auditors general of Virginia in the Virginia Colonial Records Project microfilm of documents from the British Public Record Office. (information online at www.va.virginia.gov/public/guides) Viewed 5 May 2012 by CJNell.

5 Samuel Cahoon Family Group Record, online http://newfamilysearch.org . Viewed 14 April 2012 by CJ Nell who has a copy of the document. 6 Robert K. Headley, Jr., Genealogical Abstracts from 18th-Century Virginia Newspapers (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, Inc., 1987), 69, 326-327. (Reference No. 5, Report No. 15:3, dated 14 May 2012)

The Jordan surname identified in the Nansemond County Quaker records has vital statistics as early as 1789: the recorded information provided not only the vital statistics, but provided relationships as well.7 How early the Jordan families came into the area is unknown at this time. This is a valuable resource. At this time in the research, the Thomas Jordan, husband of Martha, is not identifed with the Jordan Quaker family members. The Quaker branch of the Jordan families could be a direct or collateral line. Either way, these Jordans are most likely related to your Thomas Jordan. A Record of Farms and Their Owners in Lower Parish of Nansemond County, Virginia, by William Turner Jordan, M.D. (1835-1922), provided additional information which most likely will lead to your direct lineage. On page iii: Beginning in 1907, Dr. Jordan, whose ancestors landed at Jamestown and who served the people of the Driver community as their friend and family physician for more than fifty years, recorded, as time would permit, both local history as he knew it and as it was told to him by those much older. 8 The early settlers who came to Virginia are listed in the book, Jamestowne Ancestors, 16071699, Commemoration of the 400th Anniversary of the Landing at James Towne, 1607 - 2007. Listed on page 9 is Samuel Jordan, 1610.9 Also, on page 10 are listed the Hereditary Societies Qualifying for Descent from Jamestown, 1607-1699. These societies may be important to the research because descendants are required to prove their ancestry with documentation. Proving means a paper trail, which leads to the possibility Thomas Jordan had descendants come through him. Now, gaining access to the membership records is not easythe DAR has the most open membership records. Another organization located in Washington, D.C., is The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America. With their headquarters here in the area, it might be possible to search their membership records.10 There is much information on the Internet about Samuel Jordan, and one such posting was entitled Samuel Jordan, of Jordans Journey (c. 1578-1623).11 The validity of the information is unknown at this time, but it is worth reading. If Thomas Jordan is a descendant of Samuel Jordan, much genealogy is available to aid this research. Another resource online, http://ww.new.familysearch.org, provided genealogical data for Samuel Silas Jordan who married Cecile Reynolds.12 According to other genealogists, there were sixteen
7 Martha A. Putnam, compiler, Early Quaker Records of Southeast Virginia (Westminster, Maryland: Family Line Publications, 1996), 42-45, 48-49, 52-53, and 62-63. (Reference No. 21, Report No. 15, dated 14 May 2012) 8 William Turner Jordan, M.D., A Record of Farms and Their owners in Lower Parish of Nansemond County, Virginia (1968; reprint, Suffolk, Virginia: Suffolk-Nansemond Historical Society, 1977), iii, 15, 17, and 18. (Reference No. 8, Report No. 15, dated 14 May 2012) 9 Virginia Lee Hutcheson Davis, author, Jamestowne Ancestors, 1607-1699, Commemoration of the 400th Anniversary of the Landing at James Towne, 1607-2007 (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2006), 9-10. (Reference No. 11, Report No. 15, dated 14 May 2012) 10 The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America, online http://www.nscda.org/site3/index2.php .Viewed 30 April 2012 by CJNell who has a copy of the document. (Reference No. 12, Report No. 15, dated 14 May 2012) 11 Samuel Jordan, of Jordans Journey, online http://www.geni.com/people/Samuel-Jordan. Viewed 30 April 2012 by CJNell who has a copy of the document. (Reference No. 14, Report No. 15, dated 14 May 2012) 12 Samuel Silas Jordan Family Group Record, [online database] http://www.new.familysearch.org . Viewed online 1 May 2012 by CJNell who has a copy of the document. (Reference No. 18, Report No. 15, dated 14 May 2012)

children recorded in the family. Those sixteen children would certainly have prolific numbers of descendants. This informationshould your Thomas Jordan be relatedwould require a validity check to prove accuracy. Realizing research needs to work from the known to the unknown, going back to the records focusing on Nansemond County, the earliest Jordan named in English Duplicates of Lost Virginia Records, was researched.13 Please note the frequent references to Thomas Jordan of Nansemond County; his earliest record as a sheriff was 28 April 1708: the Quit Rent Rolls for 1704 has a Robert Jordan with 850 acres and Majr Tho. Jorden with 700 acres landall in Nansemond County. In 1726, Tho. Jordan and Thos. Jordan, Jr., are listed as Justices of Peace (page 37). In 1729, only Thomas Jordan is listed as a Justice of the Peace (page 49). One of these two men may be the husband of Martha. At first glance the suffix appended to Thos. Jordan, Jr., makes one assume he is the son of the Thos. Jordan; however, this is not necessarily the case. The suffixes can mean one is younger than the other and living in the same areathis identification method helped to avoid confusion as to men with the same name. SUMMARY: Much accomplished during this research period to re-establish the genealogical project with a revised research objective. The previous data acquired focused extensively on the surname Redd, but since the county records were non-existent during the Colonial period, it was necessary to learn more about the neighbors and neighborhoods in order to establish any type of relationship. Hence, there are many possible clues buried within the previous reports and associated documentation. Research during this time primarily focused on the surnames Cahoon and Jordan. Since Thomas Jordan is the bloodline, the greater focus was given to the Jordan surname in Nansemond County. Samuel Cahoons genealogy is necessary to this research; however, he would be of the half-uncle status. It seems likely Marthas first marriage was to a Mr. Cahoon; therefore, her maiden name would be valuable to know. Martha plays an important role in this research: fortunately, she provided much information when she gifted her children property before she married a third time. Vital to the research is learning more about Martha Hodges after she married Francis Hodges of Norfolk County. A broad overview of the research project was establishedthe landscape is visible as to the possibilities of relationships being established that pertain to the Redd bloodlines. Even though the relationships thus far established were on circumstantial evidence, the conclusions were based upon good and solid deductions.

RESEARCH RECOMMENDATIONS:

13 English Duplicates of Lost Virginia Records, pages 4, 26, 37, 49, 207, 203, and 237. (See Footnote No. 3).

Focus on the Jordan surname by working with the Quaker records and establishing relationships. The information entered in a genealogical database for printout on Family Group Records. Search the Internet and published works of genealogists who compiled extensive records for the Quakers. Continue searching online records for information about the Jordan surname in Nansemond County. Search PERSI for information on the Jordan family but from sources possibly located in other repositories. Search the National Union Catalog of Manuscript Collections (NUCMC) online at http://www.loc.gov/coll/nucmc/. The purpose of this search is to locate manuscripts in repositories pertaining to the Jordan and Cahoon research. Determine when to locate an agent to represent the Redd family organization to avoid travel expenses. This discussion held with Jan Garbett, and she has considered who in the family might be the go-between in establishing the contacts. Since the Jordan and Cahoon surnames are so well established in the region, the historical societies located in Norfolk and Isle of Wight Counties might have more information. Also, Nansemond County will have societies and libraries with much information. Determine with the client, Jan Garbett, just how much the family members want to be involved in hands-on assistance. EXAMPLE: With caution, the Quaker records researched to enter the data into a genealogical program (do not change the dating system of the Quakers for it is not the same as we know it). There is the possibility of checking records at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Online research has not been completedthis needs to be completed.