When Daniel Piper died in 1823 at Augusta County, Virginia, I knew about six of his children. After his death, a flurry of documents would reveal four more youngsters.
Henry Stofer administered what little remained from Great Grandfather’s personal estate. Henry was Daniel’s son-in-law and the husband of Polly Piper. Henry and Polly were Augusta County residents too.
April 1, 1823, a guardianship bond in Rockingham County, Virginia named William K. Piper an ‘orphan of Daniel Piper’. William was a minor under the age of 21 years. George W. Piper petitioned Rockingham County Court to be his younger brother’s legal representative. He married Evaline Walters July 1, 1839 in Albemarle County, Virginia. They had seven children and resided in Augusta County.
In October 1823 another son-in-law, John Joseph, purchased ¼ acre at a public auction in Staunton that Daniel mortgaged in 1813 to Adam Shuey. I haven’t yet found what John Joseph did with the ¼ acre.
Several months later guardianship bonds in Augusta County identified three of Daniel Piper’s younger daughters—Fanny, Sarah, and Eliza. December 22, 1823, Joseph Piper, Christian Echard, and Henry Stofer appeared in Augusta County Court on behalf of the three sisters.
Joseph became guardian to his sister Fanny. A few years passed, and Frances married Lawrence Snapp August 1, 1827 in Rockingham County. I couldn’t locate Fanny or Lawrence in 1850 but found three of their children in her sister Sarah’s household.
Eliza Piper’s guardian, Christian Echard, was the husband of her older sister Margaret. Eliza married John Hartigan March 10, 1825 in Rockbridge County Virginia. I don’t know much about Eliza and John. They were living in Botetourt County, Virginia when the 1850 federal census was taken with seven children.
Henry Stofer became Sarah Piper’s guardian. Sarah and Henry’s wife, Polly Piper, were sisters. Sarah and Isaac Craver wed in Augusta County June 6, 1826. She died Feb. 28, 1869 at Barterbrook (Augusta Co.).
The siblings lost a sister April 21, 1825 when Polly Stofer died. Polly’s husband Henry seemed to be a trusted family member when he acted as Great Grandfather’s administrator and became Sarah Piper’s guardian. The year after Polly’s death, Henry remarried. It wasn’t until 1827 that a hint of trouble surfaced.
Rockingham County, Virginia Chancery cause 1829-0002 Daniel Piper vs. James F. Patterson documented a new sibling, Daniel A. Piper. Henry Stofer played a role in this suit. Daniel’s bill of complaint explains:
“To the worshipful the County Court of Rockingham in Chancery Sitting humbly complaining Sheweth to your worship your orator Daniel Piper that sometime in the year 1827 when your orator was confined by severe illness and totally incapable of attending to business a certain Henry Stofer who was considerably indebted to your orator on various accounts came to the Town of Harrisburg and under pretense that he had consulted your orator and obtained his consent to the arrangement called on your orators Brother and stated to him that your orator himself had agreed on a settlement of their accounts to execute his note to your orator for the sum of $100 and that the said Stofer was to have a note executed by your orator to him for the sum of $50. Your orator denies that any such arrangement took place between your orator and said Stofer. Notwithstanding which your orators Bro. G. W. Piper gave to the said Stofer a note for fifty dollars to which he signed your orators name and took at the same time the said Stofers note to your orator for the sum of $100. On the day after the said fifty Dollar note was executed to Stofer assigned your orators note to a certain J. F. Patterson who sued our orator on such note in the County Court of Rockingham . . .”
Edward T. Schultz’s book Maryland Commandery, No. 1, Knights Templar, Stationed at Baltimore, State of Maryland contained a biography and portrait of Daniel A. Piper. He was born in 1802 and moved to Baltimore, Maryland in 1838. Daniel A. Piper filled several positions in the Grand Lodge of Masons of Maryland and was a member of the group for almost 50 years. He was initiated into the Order in Rockingham Co., Virginia. He died June 25, 1875 survived by a wife and two daughters. The wife passed five days after Daniel.
Now I would like to turn my attention to the older siblings:
Joseph Piper was born in Virginia about 1789. On April 1, 1812 he married Lydia Lowman, a daughter of Barnhard Lowman. Joseph Piper remained in Augusta County for some years before relocating to Hawkins County, Tennessee by 1840. His known children were George M. Piper, Albert M. Piper and William Piper.
Elizabeth Piper born on Oct. 26, 1790 married John Joseph in Staunton, Virginia Feb. 2, 1809. They became parents to nine children—Alfred, Eliza, Mary Ann, Julia Ann, John Andrew, William Wilson, Daniel Piper, Mary Jane, and Elizabeth Eve. Elizabeth died March 22, 1873 in Churchville, Augusta County.
George W. Piper, probably born in Shenandoah County Dec. 7, 1792 married Jane Young Rutherford June 3, 1816. When a young man, he lived in Harrisburg, Rockingham County. I found the family in Washington County, Virginia when the 1850 federal census was enumerated. According to Find-A-Grave.com, George and Jane’s children were Caroline Helen, Elizabeth Miranda Jane, Archibald Rutherford, Jane Ann Burgess, Maria Elizabeth, Daniel Robert, Mary Frances and George Elbert Piper.
Polly Piper born about 1794 married Henry Stover Feb 4, 1814 in Augusta County. She died a young woman April 21, 1825 and is buried in Bethel Presbyterian Church Cemetery located at Middlebrook. Polly and Henry’s home place was at Middlebrook per the 1820 census. Young children were in the home so perhaps Polly was a mother.
Margaret Piper was born Feb. 10, 1796. She married Christian Eckart (also known as Echard) in Rockbridge County, Virginia July 6, 1818 where they made their home and raised eight children—John C., William King, Elizabeth E., Martha Ann, Francis Catherine, Caroline H., Joseph, and Mary Virginia. Margaret died Jan. 4, 1842.
Although Daniel Piper is still my brick wall ancestor, I’m glad I was able to add some details to Great Grandfather’s life story. Piper family feel free to contact me. Maybe we’ll break down that brick wall.
Note to Reader:
Tough Nut to Crack, Daniel Piper, Brick Wall Ancestor began my recent blog post series about my 4th Great Grandfather Daniel Piper from Augusta County, Virginia. I told of his marriage in Shenandoah County, Virginia to Elizabeth Acker. By 1800 they had moved to Augusta County. Constable Daniel Piper, Brick Wall Ancestor, Part 2 continued his work history in Staunton, Virginia beginning in 1805 lasting until 1815. The City of Staunton’s land records prompted me to write Daniel Piper’s Staunton, Virginia Properties, Brick Wall Ancestor, Part 3.
