All brothers-in-law by marriage—the other father-in-law by marriage left 4 widows and about 30 fatherless children

Telling my 4^th Great Grandfather’s story has been a difficult chore. I knew very little of Henry Ackley aside from a few vital facts. He was born about 1780 in Middlesex County, Connecticut, married Ruth Purple in Chatham Dec. 26, 1801 and passed April 24, 1814.

When I read the following newspaper article published in May of 1814, I knew I found something unique.

Middlesex Gazette, Middletown, Connecticut, May 19, 1814

   Singular instance of Mortality in Chatham, East

     Hampton Society

DIED—At Chatham on Sunday the 8^th inst.

Mr. Nathaniel Gates, aged 50, being the 4^th head

of a family that has died within a short time past

out of three houses within the distance of about

20 rods, and all males, and near related by mar-

rage and family connections, three of whom with-

in one month, all brothers-in-law by marriage—

the other father-in-law by marriage to the three

and have left four widows and about 30 fatherless

children to mourn their loss; about 20 of them

young and unsettled in the world. A number

still remain sick in the different families with the

prevailing fever—Mr. Stephen Knowlton died

January 29^th, aged 83, left a widow and 7 or 8

children—Mr. Timothy Fielding died April 8^th,

aged 40, lived five days, left a widow and 9 chil-

dren—Mr. Henry Ackley died April 24, aged 34,

lived 7 days, left a widow and 5 small children—

Mr. Nathaniel Gates died May 8^th, aged 50, left a

widow and 8 children.

N. B. The widow of Timothy Fielding, and the widow

of Nathaniel Gates, are daughters of Mr.

Stephen Knowlton, deceased. The widow of Hen-

ry Ackley is daughter of Mrs. Knowlton.

The family connections need some explanation. I mentioned earlier Henry Ackley married Ruth Purple. Ruth’s parents were Edward Purple and Mary Hodge. Edward Purple died in 1794 and the following year Ruth’s mother married Stephen Knowlton.

Stephen Knowlton married three times. A daughter, Hannah, from his first wife married Nathaniel Gates. Sarah, who married Timothy Fielding, was Stephen Knowlton’s daughter by his second wife. Mary (Hodge) Ackley became his third wife in 1795.

Middlesex Gazette

Published Middletown, Connecticut

May 19, 1814

Daniel Piper’s Ten Children, Brick Wall Ancestor, Part 4

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 4^th 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.

Daniel Piper’s Staunton, Virginia Properties, Brick Wall Ancestor, Part 3

4^th Great Grandfather Daniel Piper bought a lot in Staunton’s oldest residential neighborhood in the Newtown section April 28, 1800 from Michael Seyford and his wife Catherine. Although I expected to find the deed in the City of Staunton documents, the sale was recorded in Augusta County Court (which I haven’t yet viewed). Staunton is an independent city physically located in Augusta County, Virginia and maintains their own deed books.

Courtesy Library of Congress

Edward Beyer, 1820-1865, artist

Woldemar Rau, 1827-1889, lithographer

I learned more about the property when Great Grandparents Daniel and Elizabeth Piper sold the lot to Jacob Leas Sept. 19, 1803 for 75 Pounds. The parcel was described as Lot No. 14 in Staunton known as Newtown containing ¼ acre being part of 25 acres that formerly belonged to Alexander St. Clair. The indenture noted this was the same parcel conveyed to Daniel Piper by Michael and Catherine Seyford April 28, 1800. I found a record of the indenture in Staunton Deed Book 1, pages 22-23.

The following year Archibald Stuart and his wife Eleanor sold a ¼ acre to Daniel Piper on Nov. 1, 1804. It was Lot No. 6 in the Town of Staunton and described as

   “One certain Lot or parcel of ground, lying and being in that part of the Town of Staunton, which from the Lands of the said Archibald Stuart, hath been surveyed and laid off into Lots and Streets, and by Law lately added to the said Town of Staunton”

The selling price was 35 Pounds and a margin notation indicates the sale was examined and delivered to the grantee April 25, 1805.

One-fourth of an acre is too small for much farming. Daniel Piper wasn’t yet a Staunton constable; perhaps he worked as a tradesman or merchant.

Daniel still owned a ¼ acre in Staunton when he purchased Lot No. 47 in Middlebrook, Augusta County from William Scott and his wife Nancy Nov. 25, 1805. I haven’t yet read the Augusta County deed and don’t know any details. Middlebrook is located 12 miles south of Staunton. By this date, Daniel had been working as a constable in Staunton a few months.

The following year he would sell Staunton Lot No. 6. Daniel and Elizabeth made a nice profit when they sold it for 100 Pounds to John McDowell July 21, 1806. The sale was presented the same day at the Court of Hustings held for the Corporation of Staunton.

Several years passed and on March 20, 1811 Archibald and Eleanor Stuart sold another small parcel to Daniel Piper containing 25 poles. The sale of Lot No. 32 was acknowledged in the Court of Hustings the same day.

Then on April 20, 1812 Great Grandfather acquired part of Lot No. 14 from the Stuart’s for 20 Pounds—another ¼ acre parcel.

Daniel Piper needed $300 and arranged to mortgage the most recent ¼ acre to Adam Sheuy Nov 13, 1813. Jacob Leas and Andrew Haroufe served as trustees in the arrangement. The following summer the indenture in trust with Adam Shuey was acknowledged in the Staunton Court of Hustings.

More family business occurred in Middlebrook when Daniel’s son-in-law and daughter, Henry Stover and Polly, sold him Lot No. 35. The Middlebrook sale was recorded with the Augusta County Court.

In April of 1821, Daniel sold his Middlebrook property (Lot No. 47 he acquired in 1805) to James Cosby. As was the case with the other Middlebrook, Augusta County deeds, I need to view the county clerk’s copies.

Daniel’s last Staunton transaction was dated October 20, 1823. This occurred after his death. It involved Lot No. 14 that he had mortgaged in 1813 and the debt owed Adam Shuey. It appears Jacob Leas and Andrew Harouf had to sell the ¼ acre for nonpayment. John Joseph, Daniel’s son-in-law, purchased the property at a public sale for $175.

While pleased to know more about my ancestor, I have new questions. What happened to the Middlebrook lot that Henry and Polly Stover conveyed to Daniel? And what did my 3^rd Great Grandfather John Joseph do with the ¼ acre lot he bought at the public sale?

An inventory of Great Grandfather Daniel’s personal estate didn’t answer my questions. However, it did reveal Daniel owned a German Bible and German books hinting at his origins. I know he couldn’t fulfill his mortgage commitment and his personal estate reflected his financial hard times valued at $35.20.

Son-in-law Henry Stover’s final accounting of Daniel’s estate showed only a $12.16 balance after his bills were attended to.

Excerpt Augusta County, Virginia

Will Book 15, page 137

I’ll post next time about Daniel Piper and Elizabeth Acker’s children.

Links to:

Tough Nut to Crack, Daniel Piper, Brick Wall Ancestor

Constable Daniel Piper, Brick Wall Ancestor, Part 2

Constable Daniel Piper, Brick Wall Ancestor, Part 2

I promised an accounting of Daniel Piper’s census records in my last post Tough Nut to Crack, Daniel Piper, Brick Wall Ancestor.

Great Grandfather was alive for the 1790 and 1800 federal census, but those enumerations have long been lost to Virginia researchers.

By 1790 Daniel and Elizabeth Acker had been married several years. A1790 personal property tax list reveals Daniel taxed in Shenandoah County, Virginia.

The 1800 personal property tax lists provide a new location for the family in neighboring Augusta County, Virginia. Nothing further can be gleaned from the document besides Daniel being required to pay a tax on himself.

The 1810 and 1820 federal enumerations added to Great Grandfather’s story.

Augusta County remained home to the Piper’s when the 1810 federal census was recorded. It breaks down the family into the following categories:

            1 white male under 10 years: son Daniel A. Piper

            1 white male 45 years of age and up: father Daniel Piper

            3 females under 10 years: the youngest daughters Frances, Eliza and Sarah

            2 females between 10 and 16 years: Polly and Margaret

            1 female 45 years of age and up: Mother Elizabeth (Acker) Piper

Three more children not included in the 1810 census round out the family. An older son, Joseph, born about 1789 was close to 21 years old in 1810. The second son, George W. Piper, would have been around 18 years of age. I couldn’t locate Joseph or George as heads of household in 1810 and don’t know where they were living. Daniel and Elizabeth Piper’s eldest daughter, Elizabeth, had already married. The youngest son, William K. Piper, had not yet been born.

The 1820 census surprised me. Daniel Piper’s household included just one male over 45 years engaged in manufactures. No doubt he was the one male but where were his wife and younger children? Had Grandmother Elizabeth died? The older children Joseph, Polly, George, and Margaret all had married in the intervening years.

In 2005 the Virginia Genealogical Society published Wesley E. Pippenger’s Index to Virginia Estates 1800-1865, Volume 6, Counties of Augusta and Rockingham, City of Staunton. Staunton is one of Virginia’s independent cities and maintained their own records. This is where I found five index entries for bonds titled “Piper, Daniel, constable” in Staunton will books.

Since I was borrowing Staunton land records from the Library of Virginia, I requested the will books too. Yes, the Staunton land transactions (which I’ll tell you about soon) and the bonds are for my brick wall ancestor Constable Piper.

To become a constable, Daniel needed to issue a bond promising the Corporation of Staunton two full years of service. If he did not, he would forfeit $500 to the Commonwealth of Virginia. Great Grandfather committed to five two-year terms beginning June 17, 1805, serving until June 1815.

I’m including a transcription of the1809 bond from Staunton Will Book 1, pages 125-126.

Know all men by these presents, that we Daniel Piper and Jacob Leas are held and firmly bound unto his Excellency John Tyler esquire Govvenor of Virginia and his successors, for the use of the Commonwealth, in the just and full sum of five hundred dollars, to which payment well and truly to be made, we bind our-selves, our heirs, executors and administrators firmly by these presents, sealed with our seals and dated the twentieth day of June 1809, and in the 33^rd year of the Commonwealth.

            The conditions of the above obligation is such, that whereas the above bound Daniel Piper hath been duly appointed Constable in and for the Corporation of Staunton for the term of two years from the date of these presents. Now if the said Daniel Piper shall well and truly make due return of all precepts and papers, that shall come into his hands by virtue of his Office, and shall in all other respects, well and truly discharge the duties of a Constable within the said Corporation for and during the term aforesaid, according to law, then the above Obligation to be void, otherwise to remain in full force and Virtue.

                                                                                    Daniel Piper

                                                                                    Jacob Leas

Signed, sealed and acknowledged

 in Open Court

            Teste.

                Vincent Tapp, C. C^k

Come back and visit soon. I’m planning a Daniel Piper, Brick Wall Ancestor, Part 3 blog post.

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.