Archibald Dunlap Research Log Post 2

Last week I documented six children born to Archibald and Elizabeth Dunlap in Augusta County, Virginia. I closed my blog post wondering if Archibald and Elizabeth married in the early 1790’s. This is an estimate on my part, and base it on the birth of their oldest child about 1795.

Personal property tax lists place Dunlap’s in Augusta County in 1790, 1791, 1792, 1793, and 1794. Regrettably I don’t have access to later personal property tax lists.

           June 18, 1790 Personal Property Tax List B

             Joseph Dunlap     1 white tithe   3 horses

April 4, 1791 Personal Property Tax List A

             Robert Dunlap      1 white tithe   1 horse

April 6, 1791 Personal Property Tax List A

            John Dunlap          1 white tithe   4 horses

          April 7, 1791 Personal Property Tax List A

            Archibald Dunlap   1 white tithe    0 horse

          June 3, 1791 Personal Property Tax List B

            Joseph Dunlap      1 white tithe  3 horses     

May 14, 1792 Personal Property Tax List A

             Robert Dunlap      1 white tithe    1 horse

June 4, 1792 Personal Property Tax List A

             Robert Dunlap      1 white tithe   1 horse

             John Dunlap         1 white tithe  4 horses

             Archibald Dunlap  1 white tithe  0 horse

  

          April 28, 1792 Personal Property Tax List B

             Joseph Dunlap     1 white tithe    2 horses

March 16, 1793 Personal Property Tax List A

             Robert Dunlap      1 white tithe  2 horses

             John Dunlap         1 white tithe  4 horses

             Archibald Dunlap  1 white tithe   0 horse

          May 17, 1793 Personal Property Tax List A

             Robert Dunlap      1 white tithe   1 horse

          April 3, 1793 Personal Property Tax List B

             Joseph Dunlap     1 white tithe   5 horses

             Archibald Dunlap  1 white tithe   1 horse

I didn’t anticipate two Archibald Dunlap’s residing in the county. Hopefully, I’ll be able to distinguish one from the other.  

May 21, 1794 Personal Property Tax List A

             Jno Rob’t & Archibald Dunlap    3 white tithes   7 horses

             Robert Dunlap       1 white tithe  4 horses

What significance can I attach to John, Robert and Archibald Dunlap when I found the three listed together in the same entry on the May 1794 tax list? No doubt there's a relationship. Could they be brothers, father and sons, uncle and nephews, or cousins?

          March 26, 1794 Personal Property Tax List B

             Joseph Dunlap     1 white tithe    3 horses

          April 30, 1794 Personal Property Tax List B

             James Dunlap      1 white tithe    0 horse

After I found John, Robert and Archibald Dunlap on the May personal property tax lists, I recalled another instance when I saw the three connected. The 1885 ‘Historical Atlas of Augusta County, Virginia’ included a biographical section containing an article titled “The Kerr and Dunlap Families” on page 45. Three Kerr brothers arrived in America in 1763. One of the brothers, Robert, first resided in Pennsylvania before settling in Augusta County, Virginia. Robert Kerr’s daughter, Margaret, married Robert Dunlap in 1792. The biographer tells of John Dunlap’s three sons, John, Archibald and Robert of Augusta County, Virginia.  

I transcribed the section pertaining to the Dunlap family:

           “John Dunlap and his wife Nancy whose maiden

 name was Colvin, resided in Campbeltown, Ar-

 gyleshire, Scotland. They were the parents of

 five sons and two daughters, with all of whom

 they emigrated in the year 1775 to America, and

 settled in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Two of

 the sons settled in Tennessee and Kentucky.

 Three of them, John, Archibald and Robert settled

 on the head waters of Middle river, in Riverheads

 township, Augusta County, Virginia. John lived

 with Robert, and died unmarried, aged eighty.

 Robert married Margaret Kerr, who resided in

 same neighborhood at Summerdean. The children

 of Robert and Margaret were: Elizabeth,

 who married Levi L. Stevenson, of Staunton, Vir-

 ginia; Isabella, who married Robert Sterrett, of

 Rockbridge County, Virginia; John, who married

 Isabella North, of Staunton, Virginia and Isabella

 Blain, of eastern Virginia; he removed to Atchi-

 son County, Missouri; Nancy, who married James

A.    G. Youell, of Rockbridge County, Virginia;

Bailey, born in 1800, who married Sallie Baylor,

daughter of George Baylor; settled at Mount

Pleasant, near Spring Hill, on Middle river, on a

farm once owned by Moffat; Jane, married David

Kerr, of Summerdean, Virginia, grandson of

Robert and Elizabeth Kerr; Robert died at the

age of twenty-three, unmarried; Madison married

Martha McKee, of Rockbridge County, and settled

on Kerr’s creek in said county; William, the

youngest, married Mary J. Crawford, daughter of

Robert Crawford; his second wife was Mrs.

Amanda Blair, daughter of Dr. John McChesney.

William resides at the homestead of his father,

Robert Dunlap, who was born 1765 in Campbel-

town, Argyleshire, Scotland.”

The article provided a much-needed boost to my research. Joseph A. Waddell, who authored the article, was a lawyer, politician, newspaperman and author. I suspect a family member provided the information published in the atlas. I’ll see if I can document Mr. Waddell’s writings.

Historical Atlas of Augusta County, Virginia

Maps from Original Surveys,

By Jed. Hotchkiss, Top. Eng.

Its Annals,

By Joseph A. Waddell

Physiography

By Jed. Hotchkiss, C. & M. E.

1885

Archibald Dunlap Research Log

I’d like to find and document Archibald Dunlap’s parents and children. I’ll begin with what I know. Then gather what facts or information is available to me from internet resources. Hopefully, I will be able to add to the Dunlap family history. As with any research project, I’m uncertain what twists and turns I’ll encounter along my way.

3^rd Great Grandmother Margaret Dunlap married Grandfather Jacob Spitler June 14, 1824, in Augusta County, Virginia. I learned more of my Dunlap ancestry when Mrs. Katherine Bushman, a professional researcher, sent me a pedigree chart noting Archibald Dunlap was Margaret’s father.

  

Great Grandmother Margaret (Dunlap) Spitler’s death was registered in “The Virginia Deaths and Burials, 1853-1912” database online at Familysearch.org documenting her parents­­--Archibald and Betsey Dunlap.

Name: Margaret Spitler

Gender: Female

Death Date: 29 Oct 1858

Death Place: Augusta, Virginia

Age: 38

Birth Date: 1820

Birthplace: Augusta Co., Va.

Race: White

Marital Status: Married

Spouse's Name: Jacob Spitler

Father's Name: Archibald Dunlap

Mother's Name: Betsy Dunlap

Citing this Record

"Virginia Deaths and Burials, 1853-1912," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X5RK-BJX : accessed 29 February 2016), Margaret Spitler, 29 Oct 1858; citing Augusta, Virginia, reference LN 1529; FHL microfilm 30,416.

A problem cropped up when I noticed Margaret’s age and birth date (38 years and birth date 1820). Her first child was born in 1825 entirely ruling out an 1820 birth. The 1850 federal census noted Gram’s age to be ’45 years’ dating her birth to 1805. Depending on who talked with the census enumerator, it’s hard to say if she was really 45 years old at that date.

A tombstone photograph dedicated to Grandmother states she was 59 years old when she passed in 1858 indicating an 1799/1800 birth date. I’m betting the gravestone is the most reliable.

Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 27 February 2019), memorial page for Margaret Dunlap Spitler (1799–28 Oct 1858), Find A Grave Memorial no. 38713360, citing Bethlehem United Methodist Church Cemetery, Swoope, Augusta County, Virginia, USA ; Maintained by BKL (contributor 47026697) . Photo contributed by Marlin Diehl.

I turned to the “Virginia Deaths and Burials, 1853-1912” to find Great Grandmother Margaret’s siblings:

Nancy Dunlap born 1795 in Augusta County, VA and passed Oct. 29, 1879.

Name: Nancy Dunlap

Gender: Female

Burial Date:

Burial Place:         

Death Date:  29 Oct 1879

Death Place: Augusta Co., Virginia

Age: 84

Birth Date: 1795

Birthplace: Augusta Co.

Occupation: Housekeeper

Race: White

Marital Status: Single

Spouse's Name:   

Father's Name: Arch. Dunlap

Father's Birthplace:        

Mother's Name: Elizth. Dunlap

Mother's Birthplace:       

Citing this Record:

"Virginia Deaths and Burials, 1853-1912," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X5T5-4Y3 : 12 December 2014), Arch. Dunlap in entry for Nancy Dunlap, 29 Oct 1879; citing Augusta Co., Virginia, reference it 1 ln 17; FHL microfilm 2,056,974.

Robert Dunlap, born 1798 died at Valley Mills in Augusta County April 13, 1882.

Name: Robert Dunlap

Gender: Male

Burial Date:

Burial Place:         

Death Date:  13 Apr 1882

Death Place: Valley Mills, Augusta, Virginia

Age: 84

Birth Date: 1798

Birthplace:  

Occupation:

Race: White

Marital Status: Unknown

Spouse's Name:   

Father's Name: Arch. Dunlap

Father's Birthplace:        

Mother's Name: Elizbth. Dunlap

Mother's Birthplace:       

Citing this Record:

"Virginia Deaths and Burials, 1853-1912," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X5T5-8D7 : 12 December 2014), Arch. Dunlap in entry for Robert Dunlap, 13 Apr 1882; citing Valley Mills, Augusta, Virginia, reference it 1 ln 23; FHL microfilm 2,056,974.

James M. Dunlap, born in Augusta Co. 1801 and died July 4, 1879.

Name: Jas. M. Dunlap

Gender: Male

Burial Date:

Burial Place:         

Death Date:  04 Jul 1879

Death Place: Augusta Co., Virginia

Age: 78

Birth Date: 1801

Birthplace: Augusta Co.

Occupation: Farmer

Race: White

Marital Status: Single

Spouse's Name:   

Father's Name: Arch. Dunlap

Father's Birthplace:        

Mother's Name: Elizth. Dunlap

Mother's Birthplace:       

Citing this Record:

"Virginia Deaths and Burials, 1853-1912," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X5T5-4YW : 12 December 2014), Arch. Dunlap in entry for Jas. M. Dunlap, 04 Jul 1879; citing Augusta Co., Virginia, reference it 1 ln 18; FHL microfilm 2,056,974.

Archibald and Betsey’s daughter, Elizabeth (Dunlap) Palmer died March 8, 1856, with a birth date of 1806.

Name: Elizabeth Polmer

Gender: Female

Burial Date:

Burial Place:         

Death Date:  08 Mar 1856

Death Place: Valley Mills, Augusta, Virginia

Age: 50

Birth Date: 1806

Birthplace: Augusta Co.

Occupation:

Race: White

Marital Status: Married

Spouse's Name: Philip O. Polmer

Father's Name: Archibald Dunlap

Father's Birthplace:        

Mother's Name: Betsy Dunlap

Mother's Birthplace:       

Citing this Record:

"Virginia Deaths and Burials, 1853-1912," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X5RK-52N : 12 December 2014), Archibald Dunlap in entry for Elizabeth Polmer, 08 Mar 1856; citing Valley Mills, Augusta, Virginia, reference ln 1090; FHL microfilm 30,416.

FindAGrave.com has information for an Archibald Dunlap, Jr. The FAG contributor states Archibald Jr. was a child of Archibald and Elizabeth “Betsy” Baird Dunlap born in 1800 and died before 1850. Archibald Jr. married Margaret Minick August 31, 1830, and this marriage was confirmed in Familysearch’s Virginia Marriages database. 

Name: Archibald Dunlap

Birth Date:  

Birthplace:  

Age:  

Spouse's Name: Margaret Minick

Spouse's Birth Date:      

Spouse's Birthplace:      

Spouse's Age:      

Event Date:  31 Aug 1830

Event Place: Augusta, Virginia

Father's Name:     

Mother's Name:    

Spouse's Father's Name:

Spouse's Mother's Name:         

Race:

Marital Status:      

Previous Wife's Name:   

Spouse's Race:    

Spouse's Marital Status:

Spouse's Previous Husband's Name:

Citing this Record:

"Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XR7Q-NZW : 5 December 2014), Archibald Dunlap and Margaret Minick, 31 Aug 1830; citing Augusta, Virginia, reference; FHL microfilm 30,415.

An ancestry.com search provided another sibling, William Dunlap born about 1815 and died May 1862.

          Name: Wm Dunlap

          Birth Date: abt 1815

          Birth Place: Augusta County

          Death Date: May 1862

          Death Place: Near Buffalo Gap, Augusta, Virginia

          Death Age: 47

          Race: White

          Marital Status: Married

          Gender: Male

          Father Name: Archabald Dunlap

          Mother Name: Elizabeth Dunlap

          Spouse Name: Julia Dunlap

          FHL Film

          Number: 30416

Citing this Record:

Ancestry.com. Virginia, Deaths and Burials Index, 1853-1917 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Original data: "Virginia Deaths and Burials, 1853–1912." Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2010. Index entries derived from digital copies of original and compiled records.

Although Ancestry obtained the death from the Virginia Deaths and Burials, 1853-1912 index entries from FamilySearch, I couldn’t find William Dunlap’s information online. However, Margaret C. Reese, author of ‘Abstract of Augusta County, Virginia Death Registers 1853-1896’ confirms he died in May 1862, age 47.

I’m making progress with the family. Archibald and Elizabeth Dunlap are parents to six documented children. Nancy, the oldest child, was born 1795 and the youngest William about 1815. Perhaps Archibald and Elizabeth married in the early 1790’s before raising their family in Virginia. The younger Archibald Dunlap Jr. mentioned on FindAGrave could very well belong with the family, but further proof needs to be found.