Tough Nut to Crack, Daniel Piper, Brick Wall Ancestor

“Tough Nut to Crack” describes 4^th Great Grandfather Daniel Piper. So far, he’s proven hard to know. For many years I’ve been stymied in my efforts to find Daniel’s origins. My blog’s been quiet while I mull over my research. Still, I can’t tell who Great Grandfather’s parents were, but I’ve added a few details to his story. It’s time to share what I know.

Daniel Piper’s last known residence was Augusta County, Virginia where he died in the spring of 1823. I don’t know when or where he was born but I estimate his birth about 1760.

The earliest record I have for Great Grandfather is a record of his marriage bond to Elizabeth Acker.

     Piper, Danl. --- Acker, Eliz. Sept. 19, 1786. Bondsman: George Wetzel.
         Shenandoah County, Virginia Marriage Bonds, 1772-1850,

            Compiled by Bernice M. Ashby, page 13

According to several family trees on Ancestry.com, Elizabeth Acker, daughter of Johan Heinrich Acker and Catherine Wehrly/Worley, was born Nov. 13, 1767, possibly in York County, Pennsylvania. She died before 1821 at the age of 54. Unfortunately, the family trees don’t include source citations for any of this information.

After their marriage, Daniel was included in the 1787 Shenandoah County, Virginia personal property tax lists. (Also 1788.) Daniel Piper and brother-in-law Michael Acre appeared in the same entry on a 1789 personal property tax list in Shenandoah County. The date was Oct. 16, 1789, and they were taxed for 2 white tithables with 2 steed horses.

A List of Tithables & Taxable property taken by Taverner Beale one of the Commissioners of Taxes for Shanandoah Co., page 19

The Shenandoah tax accessor had him in their sights again in 1790, 1791, and 1792. I lost track of Daniel in 1793 but found him in Shenandoah in 1794 and 1795.

 

March 10, 1794

Shenandoah Co. VA Personal Property Tax List

For the most part, Daniel was taxed for being a male over 21 years of age residing in Shenandoah County and the owner of a horse.

Sometime between 1795 and 1800 Daniel and Elizabeth relocated to Augusta County, Virginia. Great Grandfather was among those assessed on the 1800 Augusta County, VA personal property tax list.

During those years, Daniel acted as a surety when his sister-in-law Magdalena Acker married John Warley March 28, 1796.

       1796--March 28, John Warley and Daniel Piper, surety. John Warley and Magdalena Acker, daughter of Henry Acker, deceased.

     Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia, Marriage Licenses, Marriage Bonds, and Marriages;1793-1794, page 322

I don’t have land tax lists for the Piper’s but do have an abstract of Daniel’s land transactions in Augusta County, VA. My favorite Augusta County Genealogist, the late Mrs. Katherine Bushman, sent me a brief history of Great Grandfather’s land deals. I don’t feel comfortable discussing the transactions without viewing the deeds, but this is a beginning. I’ve requested the City of Staunton records via an interlibrary loan from the Library of Virginia and hope to have more details to share with you soon.

Deed Book 31, page 7, April 28, 1800
Michael Seyford and Catharine his wife, to Daniel Piper Lot #14, Newtown section of Staunton
Deed Book 33, page 251, Nov. 25, 1805
William Scott and Nancy his wife, of Middlebrook, to Daniel Piper Lot # 47, Middlebrook
Deed Book 44, page 4, April 10, 1819
Henry Stover and Polly his wife, to Daniel Piper Lot 35, Middlebrook [Son-in-law and daughter of Daniel Piper].
Deed Book 45, page 398, April 4, 1821
Daniel Piper to James Cosby, Lot #47, Middlebrook.

City of Staunton, Virginia, records, Circuit Court Clerk:

Deed Book 1, page 22, Sept. 19, 1803
Daniel Piper and Elizabeth, his wife, to Jacob Leas Lot #14, Newtown; to Piper from Seyford and wife, April 28, 1800.
Deed Book 1, page 41, Nov. 14, 1804
Archibald Stuart and Eleanor his wife, to Daniel Piper Lot #6, Stuart Addition, Staunton.
Deed Book 1, page 65, July 21, 1806
Daniel Piper and Elizabeth, to John McDowell Lot #6, Stuart Addition.
Deed Book 1, page 186, March 20, 1811
Archibald Stuart and Eleanor to Daniel Piper Lot 32, Stuart Addition.
Deed Book 1, page 228, April 20, 1812
Archibald Stuart and Eleanor to Daniel Piper part of lot #14, Stuart Addition
Deed Book 1, page 288, Nov. 30, 1813 Deed of Trust Daniel Piper of Staunton
Jacob Leas and Andrew Harouf Mortgage of lot #14, Newtown, where Daniel Resided.
Deed Book 2, page 262, Oct. 20, 1823
Jacob Leas and Andrew Harouf to John Joseph
sale of lot mortgaged by Daniel Piper in 1813 Lot #14, Stuart Addition (this deed reads Stuart Addition while the mortgage reads Newtown) [John Joseph was a son-in-law of Daniel Piper].

I’ll discuss the Piper children in my next post along with the few census enumerations I found for Daniel.