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Richard Bailey I & Elizabeth Belcher
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According to Mary E. Howe, Bailey researcher & author of Richard Bailey Volume I & II, Paton was not the middle name of Richard Bailey and Elizabeth Belcher did not have the middle name of Anne. Anne was the name of her sister. ------ Early Adventurers on the Western Waters Kegley 975.577 Vol 1 page 180 1787 Jan. 11 David McComas and Cloe Bailey, daughter of RICHARD BAILEY, sur. George Chapman; consent of father RICHARD BAILEY. -------- Abstracts of Court Orders of Wythe Co, VA 1790-1791 1795-1810 Kegley 975.5773 page 8 March 8, 1791 Persons appointed to view the grounds for a road from RICHARD BAILEY’s on Blue Stone to William Wyne’s on the head of the Clinch, report that a passable way may be had from said BAILEY’s to William Lasley’s mill and by James Shannon’s. Order that David McComas be appointed overseer of the same from BAILEY’s to the mill, and John Lasley from thence to the head of the Blue Stone, to a certain oak tree where the path from Samuel Ferguson’s old plantation intersects the mountain fork path, and Samuel Ferguson from thence to Wynne’s and that they clear out and keep the same in repair. Page 10 1795 John Stinson was appointed constable in Captain Davidson’s Company in place of John Cartmill. RICHARD BAILEY and John Bailey were paid for wolf heads. --------- Book titled - Samuel Ferguson Who married Mary Jameson page 16 Chapter 5 Sarah Ferguson, daughter of Samuel and Mary (Jameson) Ferguson…married Reuben Bailey, son of RICHARD BAILEY, Sr. ---------- Tazewell Co, Virginia John Newton Harmon Sr. 975.5763H Page 300 Deed Book 1 from 1800-1809 RICHARD BAILEY SENR to Eli Bailey 1807 pp327-8 ------- Mercer County History 1984 975.474M page 1 Early Settlers RICHARD BAILEY, the elder, was a Revolutionary War soldier who lived on the Black Water portion of Bedford County which later became a part of Franklin county. RICHARD BAILEY and his wife ANNIE BELCHER BAILEY had eight sons and two daughters: John, James, Eli, Micajah, Archibald, Reuben, Richard Jr., Henry, Chloe, and Sarah. The RICHARD BAILEY family settled near Beaver Pond Spring in 1780 and with John G. Davidson built the fort near the spring known as the Davidson-Bailey Fort. The many descendants of RICHARD BAILEY have made a great contribution to the growth and welfare of Mercer County, many being prominent in civic, governmental, educational, religious, and other areas of public service in the county. Page 135 RICHARD BAILEY RICHARD BAILEY, son of James Bailey of Henrico County Virginia, married ELIZABETH ANNE BELCHER. In September of 1764 RICHARD BAILEY sold his one hundred acres of land, which he had bought from John Skelton in 1760, and left with his family for the Black Water River portion of Bedford County, which later became Franklin County, Virginia. From Franklin County, BAILEY came with his family to the Beaver Pond Spring near Bluefield about 1780. RICHARD BAILEY and John G. Davidson built a block house over the spring, the structure being known as the Davidson-Bailey Fort. The fort was used as a place of refuge for protection against Indian marauders. RICHARD BAILEY was a soldier in the American Army during the war of the Revolution. He and his sons, especially the elder ones, were great Indian scouts and fighters, and were splendid specimens of physical strength and great personal courage. RICHARD BAILEY, his son John , and the Davidsons served at the fort on many occasions as the need arose. They served under Captain Moore, who at one time directed them to go to North Carolina because of word received of the approach of the British Army. RICHARD BAILEY the early settler, was known for owning many thousands of acres of land in Franklin County, Virginia and in the areas of Lashmeet, Matoaka, Rock, Montcalm, Lorton’s Lick, Bramwell, Spanishburg and possibly other areas of Mercer County and also large areas in the surrounding counties. Among earlier business transactions a man who had gone surety for a tract of land in Franklin County made the debt good by paying RICHARD in bar iron castings and steel. From the transaction RICHARD could now make iron utensils used for cooking and farm tools needed by pioneer settlers. RICHARD BAILEY, the early settler, and his wife are buried on the Leatherwood Farm near U.S. Route 460, South Bluefield. His grave is situated opposite Leatherwood Lane, near the West Virginia-Virginia State line. His son John is buried at Whitehorn School in Bluefield, West Virginia. RICHARD and ELIZABETH ANNE BELCHER BAILEY’s family consisted of eight sons and two daughters; John, James, Richard Jr., Chloe, Eli, Micajah, Reuben, Archibald, Sarah, and Henry. Page 159 BAILEY-LAMBERT Prior to 1760, RICHARD BAILEY came to America from England. He settled in Bedford County, Virginia, where he met and married ANNA BELCHER. He was a soldier in the REVOLUTIONARY War. Tradition has it that RICHARD traded a saddle blanket to the Indians for land around Bluefield, where he settled with his family. RICHARD is buried at Leatherwood Farms in Bluefield. RICHARD and ANNA’s children are John; James married Margaret Stinson; Richard married Isabel Ferguson; Chloe married 1. David McComas, 2. David Lusk; Micajah married Noami Shufflebarger; Reuben married 1. Sarah Ferguson 2. Milly Belsher; Archibald married Agnes _____; Sarah married Samuel Lusk; Eli married Agnes Clark; Henry married Elizabeth Peters. John eldest son of RICHARD, married Nancy Davidson, the daughter of John Goolman Davidson. … page 160-1 Elijah P. Bailey Family and George Wade Bailey Family RICHARD P. BAILEY, SR was born in Lancashire, England in 1735. He came from England, settling in Bedford County, Va. in 1760, where he married ANNA BELCHER. Later they …Davidson built the "Bailey Davidson Fort" located near his cabin. Three of RICHARD, Sr.’s sons went to Beartown on Micajah Ridge, Wyoming county, where Richard Jr. Married Isabel Ferguson. After her death he married Jane Harman and to his marriage Elijah P. Bailey was born. page 163 Richard Bailey, Jr. Richard Bailey, Jr., son of RICHARD and ANNIE BELCHER BAILEY was born in 1768 in Bedford (now Franklin County) County, Virginia… --------- Richard Bailey of Chesterfield and Tazewell Counties, Virginia and his Descendants by Mary Ellen Howe Vol 1 Chapter One - The Early History and the Line of Benjamin page 1-11 James Bailey’s three sons were Benjamin, James, Jr., and RICHARD. The youngest son, RICHARD, married ELIZABETH ANNE BELCHER. Thus the many descendants of Richard Bailey also carry the Belcher line. The Bailey family lived in very close proximity to John and Richard Belcher. It can be reasonably assumed that ELIZABETH BELCHER was the daughter of one of these two men. In 1764 her name appears on a deed as ELIZABETH BAILEY, and holding to the pronounced naming pattern the Belchers used, her name was probably ELIZABETH ANNE. In A History of the Middle New River Settlements and Contiguous Territory by David E. Johnston, she is referred to as "ANNE" BELCHER. (See Belcher appendix in Richard Bailey, volume II.) In deed book four, page 644 of the Chesterfield County, Virginia records, Isham Belcher sold the land of Richard Belcher deceased and may have been the son of Richard Belcher. Isham [the brother or cousin of Elizabeth] traveled to Franklin County, Virginia, after 1764 with a large migration of families from the Chesterfield area which included RICHARD and ELIZABETH BAILEY…. Signs of the decline of the plantation system had been apparent even as early as 1759. By 1763, men accustomed to dominating everything around them found themselves hounded by creditors. Perhaps these circumstances contributed to the migration or RICHARD BAILEY AND Isham Belcher from Chesterfield to Franklin County as they sought new land and fresh opportunities. James Bailey’s occupation remains unknown to us. There is no record of his ever owning land. There were, however, many mills in this area; some of the mills were owned by the Gates family. RICHARD BAILEY seemed to have knowledge of milling when he settled in Tazewell County, Virginia. James Jr.’s sons were lumbermen and sawyers, and Benjamin raised cattle and hogs. In 1759, James Bailey, Jr. Bought seventy seven acres of land from Peter Daniel. It is described as "adjoining John Skelton’s land on the south side of Skinquarter Road.: This land was originally part of a patent of 375 acres granted to Richard Belcher in 1754 and was the first piece of land owned by the Bailey family in Virginia. The next year, in 1760, RICHARD BAILEY bought one hundred acres from John Skelton who was granted a patent of 480 acres in 1746… Benjamin lived out the rest of his life on his property. But RICHARD and James, Jr. Sold their land after James, Sr. died and moved to other areas. These two parcels of land (one hundred acres and seventy seven acres) were sold numerous times and eventually became part of a large farm of 305 acres known as Cottage Grove by 1860. It was named and then owned by Dr. David Malcom Wilkinson. The mail house was photographed in 1933 just a few years before it burned to the ground. It was located almost in the middle of RICHARD BAILEY’s one hundred acres of land. … Who then would have built this earlier house? The land was described in John Skelton’s patent without mention of a house, and patents were usually unoccupied new land. In 1760, RICHARD BAILEY bought his one hundred acres for 20 pounds, and there is no mention of a house in the deed. However, when RICHARD sold the land in 1764 to Morgan Lester for 40 pounds, he made a good profit. The deed clearly states "to have and to hold the aforesaid 100 acres of land with all houses fences and orchards…" Information from the Historic Landmarks Commission of Virginia indicates it is almost impossible to date brick exactly. RICHARD BAILEY could have very possibly built this earlier house, and he must surely have lived in it. The surrounding acres lead up to a high well-treed knoll where the ruins are located. It would be a logical building spot for anyone owning this land. He also could have dug the well located near the house site. It is over two hundred years old and is still used today. Wells dug in colonial times were left with dirt walls. The red clay of Chesterfield County would have packed down hard and made a good well. The last fifteen to twenty feet to the top was lined with stone or brick. The Skinquarter area is partially on a rock shelf and has a lot of shale. Some current wells in the area have bone down three hundred or more feet to reach water, so a hand dug well in the old days would have been something of value. The land where the ruins are located on Route 360 is owned now by Mr. And Mrs. H. M. Chandler. The brick foundations in the ground can still be seen. 1. James Bailey… came to Virginia prior to 1736, and his will, recorded in the Chesterfield County, Virginia, Courthouse records (Will Book 1 page 331), states: In the name of God amen. This 16th day of March 1762, I James Bailey, being of perfect mind do make this last will and testament. Item: I give to my son, Benjamin, one shilling sterling. Item: I give to my son, James Bailey, one shilling sterling. Item: I give to my son, RICHARD BAILEY, one shilling sterling. Item: I give to my dau., Elizabeth Melton, one shilling sterling. Item: I give to my dau., Mary Daniel, one shilling sterling. I give the remainder of my estate after expenses are paid to my well beloved wife Lucy Baley. I also desire that there be no appraisement or inventory of my estate. Witnesses: Stephen Russell Jacob Ashwurt James IB Bailey Richard Moore his mark i. Benjamin ii. James iii. Richard iv. Elizabeth m. ______Melton (Thomas?) v. Mary -------- JAMES BAILEY AND LUCY SIMMS 1714+ of Chesterfield Co, Va & Tazewell Co, Va/Wva compiled by Donna Beers Generation 1 Page 1
iv. Bailey, Elizabeth, born at Chesterfield Co., Va. She married to Melton, ? (Archives of the Pioners of Tazewell Co. VA)(2nd gen/James/)
Generation 2 Page 2
Children of RICHARD 2 BAILEY and ELIZABETH ANN BELCHER were as follows:
16. Bailey, Henry -------- History of Middle New River Settlements by David E. Johnston page 73 John Goolman Davidson, … came with his family … and with him came RICHARD BAILEY and his family, from the Blackwater section, then in Bedford, now in Franklin County Virginia, and settled in the year of 1789 at the Beaver Pond Spring, a branch of Bluestone, now in Mercer County. A fort was built which was called and known as the "Davidson-Bailey Fort," … Both Davidson and BAILEY had considerable families, the later had eight sons and two daughters. RICHARD BAILEY had been a soldier in the American army. These men s well as their sons and daughters, were a brave and courageous people, and maintained their position on the border at the settlement they had made from the day they came in 1780, until the close of the Indian wars in 1795. … At the time of the settlement at Beaver Pond Spring by Davidson and BAILEY, their nearest neighbors, were … Mitchell Clay on Clover bottom, about the same distance [some twelve miles away]. … [others] about eight miles away. Page 87 So soon as Mrs. Clay ascertained that the Indians had departed, she took her children and carried the bodies of the dead ones to the house and placed them on a bed, left the cabin with her children and made her way through the wild woods six miles to the house of Mr. James Bailey (son of RICHARD, of Beaver pond) … Page 108 John Goolman Davidson, … had with his family resided for some time preceding his removal to the Beaver Pons spring with RICHARD BAILEY in 1780, at Smithfield (Draper’s Meadows). … RICHARD BAILEY, who has already been spoken of, had given his youngest son, whose name was Henry, a small calf, which had been turned out with the other cattle in the range to make their living off the young twigs and leaves that had begun to shoot forth. The calf failing to come up to the fort with the other cattle on the evening of the eighth day of March, 1793, MR. BAILEY told his son that it might have gotten mired in some swampy land down the creek, and that he must get up very early the next morning, which was on the ninth, and go look for his calf. … [He went looking & found bodies of men & horses. He told brother who reported it to Major Robert Crockett who gathered men for an attack. After the fight they found the body of Mr. Davidson.] … On October 17th, 1793, Major Robert Crockett and fifty others, among them … John Bailey, James Bailey, Reuben Bailey, RICHARD BAILEY, … sent a petition to the governor of Virginia, informing him of the defenseless condition of the border, and asking for assistance … -------- Virginia in 1760 975.5 BAILEY, RICHARD Chesterfield 33:94 Chesterfield Co, Va Order Book 3 1759-1767 LVA Reel 39 ------- Chesterfield Co, Va Wills 1749-1774 Weisiger 975.5594W page 36 p.331 Will of James Bailey 16 March 1762 To sons Benjamin, James, and RICHARD and to daughters Elizabeth Melton and Mary Daniel, each 1 shilling All the rest to wife Lucy Wit: Stephen Russell, Richard Moore, Jacob Ashurst page 137 4 February 1764 p.473 Will of James Bailey presented by Lucy Bailey and proved by Stephen Russell, Richard Moor, & Jacob Ashurst ------ Early Adventurers on The Western Waters by M. B. Kegley V. 975.577K Page 44 1781 Pge 68 …Joseph Upton, assignee of RICHARD BAILEY, military warrant, 50 acres on high land joining the low grounds below the mouth of Elk River and to extend down the Kanhawa to the first large creek that empties into the same. … -------- Franklin Co, Va A History Marshall Wingfield 975.568W page 196 Book H p 9 Stephen Heard 7 May 1783 460 acres On the south side of Blackwater River, adjoining RICHARD BAILEY. -------- 1790 Virginia Tax Payers 1790 Va Census destroyed when British Burned Washington 1812 Taxpayer BAILEY, RICHARD Pol 1 Slaves - County Bedford -------- Montgomery County, Virginia Circa 1790 975.575Y page 71
page 91 1790 February 22 …(Clear Fork Wolf Cr., heads of Bluestone and Clinch Rivers, Abbs and Wrights Valleys, Cove Spring) … James Bailey, John Bailey, RICHARD BAILEY, SR., Richard Bailey, Jr., … ---------- Calendar of Virginia State Papers - Microfiche 6C602 1793 Oct 17th p. 602 Because of Hostile Indian Attacks wanted present system of defense to continue: RICHARD BAILEY James Bailey John Bailey --------- Tazewell Co, Va. John Newton Harmon Sr. 975.573H Deed Book 1 1800-9 Page 300 RICHARD BAILEY SENR to Elil Bailey 1807 pp327-8 Page 301 RICHARD BAILEY SENR & ELIZABETH his wife to Hugh Tiffany of Monroe Co, Va 1807 p 344 ---------- 1815 Tax List of Tazewell County, Virginia Yantis 975.5763Y page I-3 Mar 22nd BAILEY RICHARD 3 # white males above 16 years 0 Slaves 10 Horses, asses, colts, mules and mares 2 Cattle One Mill - other Taxable Items -------- 1815 Tax List of Giles County, Virginia 975.5782 Y B-20 (308) Giles Deed Bk. A, pg. 134. RICHARD BAILEY, SR., of Tazewell Co. to John Toney l& John McClaugherty—one mile below Blacklick Cr. 90 a. Wit: Samuel Blankenship, Wm. Prince, Samuel Rains. 1809 ------- Archives of the Pioneers of Tazewell Co, Virginia Yantis 975.5763Y Page 13. Tazewell County Order Book No. 1. October 15, 1801
Page 19. Tazewell County Order Book No. 1. May 13, 1802
Page 21. Tazewell County Order Book No. 1. August 12, 1802
Page 24. Tazewell County Order Book No. 1. 1802 (77) Claims allowed against the county Richard Bailey, Jr. – one old wolf $2.80 RICHARD BAILEY, SR. – one old wolf 2.80 James Bailey – two young wolfes 2.80 October 14, 1802 (78) Grand Jury to wit: … Samuel Ferguson, Sr. Page 37. Tazewell County Order Book No. 1. 15 October 1803
RICHARD BAILEY – 2 old wolf heads Page 60. Tazewell County Order Book No. 1. 27 November 1805
RICHARD BAILEY – two old wolf scalps -- $4.16 Page 64. Tazewell County Order Book No. 1. 23 April 1806
Page 68. Tazewell County Order Book No. 1. 25 June 1806
Page 79. Tazewell County Order Book No. 1. 23 September 1807
Page 80. Tazewell County Order Book No. 1. 23 September 1807 (261) Isaiah Perdew vs. Reuben & Archibald Bailey. Debt. RICHARD BAILEY enters himself special bail for the defendants. Office judgment set aside, payment pled and issue.
Page 84. Tazewell County Order Book No. 1. 20 January 1808
23 Feb 1808
Page 107 Personal Property Tax List for 1801 +RICHARD BAILEY, SR +Richard Bailey Jr. 1 white males above 16 years 1 white males above 16 years 0 Blacks above 12 years 0 Blacks above 12 years 0 Blacks above 16 years 0 Blacks above 16 years 4 Horses, mares, colts & mules 4 Horses, mares, colts & mules + This name appeared in the 1800 Tax List of Wythe County, Virginia Also listed +Ealy Bailey 1001 +Archer Bailey 1003 +James Bailey 1002 +John Bailey 11012 +Henry Bailey 1003 +Reuben Bailey 1003 +Cager Bailey 1004 Page 111. Personal Property Tax List for 1802 Richard Bailey Jr. 1 0 0 4 White Males over 16 Ely Bailey 1 0 0 1 Blacks above 12 years Micajah Bailey 1 0 0 2 Blacks above 16 years Reuben Bailey 1 0 0 3 Horses, etc. RICHARD BAILEY, SR 1 0 0 5 James Bailey 1 0 1 3 Archibald Bailey 1 0 0 4 Henry Bailey 1 0 0 4 Page 115. Land Tax for 1802 Richard Bailey, Jr 86 acres John Bailey 160 Joseph Bailey 55 Cajah Bailey 150 James Bailey 252 Page 118. Personal Property Tax List for 1803 Archibald Bailey 1 0 0 5 Richard Bailey, Jr. 1 0 0 4 Reuben Bailey 1 0 0 4 RICHARD BAILEY, SR. 1 0 0 4 Henry Bailey 1 0 0 3 John Bailey 2 0 1 13 James Bailey 1 0 1 6 Micajah Bailey 1 0 0 3 Page 122. Personal Property Tax List for 1806 James Baley 1 0 1 7 Henry Baley 1 0 0 4 Reuben Baley 1 0 0 3 Ely Baley 1 0 0 1 Archibald Bailey 1 0 0 3 John Bailey 2 0 0 18 RICHARD BAILEY, SR 1 0 0 2 Richard Bailey, Jr. 1 0 0 9 Page 126. Land Tax for 1806 Richard Bailey, Jr. 86 acres John Bailey 160, 160 Joseph Bailey 87 Micajah Bailey 75 James Bailey 251 " " (grant) 100 " " (fr. Legatees of John Davidson) 138 RICHARD BAILEY, SR. 60, 40 Archibald Bailey (fr. Micajah Bailey) 75 Page 137. Land Speculation 5 - Wilson C. Nicholas, also assigned to Robert Morris, 500,000 acres. 4,000 in piror claims. Survey made September 9, 1794, recorded in Wythe Survey Book 1, page 95. Pilot: RICHARD BAILEY, …Following his purchase, Mr. Hector sold large pieces to the Godfreys, Belchers, Shrewsburys and BAILEYS. 10 - …Survey was completed on November 16, 1794, and is recorded in Wythe Survey Book 1, page 156. Corners of this survey, as indicated on the map, which mention names of residents - (c ) near lands of John Davidson, dec’d and BAILEY, (d) nearly south of RICHARD BAILEY on the Bluestone… Page 139. Land Tax for 1814 Distance from Courthouse Bailey, Richard Jr. Tazewell 86 Bluestone River 25 NW " Same 50 Same " " Same 36 Same " Bailey, John Sr. Same 160 Same " " Same 270 Same " " Same 200 Same " " Same 160 Same " Bailey, Joseph Unknown 87 Unknown Unknown Bailey, Micajah Tazewell 75 Bluestone 21 NE " Same 50 Same " Bailey, James Sr. Same 166 Mouth Milams Fork 30 NE " Same 151 Brush Creek " " Same 100 Same " " Same 138 Same " Bailey, Richard Jr Same 200 Waters of Lorton’s Lick Branch 30 NE Page 153. Personal Property Tax List for 1820 Eli Bailey 1 0 0 9 Ruben Bailey 1 0 0 4 Micajah Bailey 1 0 0 5 John Bailey 4 2 2 15 Jonathan Bailey 1 0 0 2 George Bailey 1 0 0 2 Dodridge Bailey 1 0 0 2 Samuel Bailey 1 0 0 2 Richard Bailey 4 0 0 7 William Bailey 1 0 0 2 Page 165. Tazewell County Land Grants – 1800 to 1820 52-112 Richard Bailey. 50 acres. 7 Nov 1803. Surveyed 27 Aug 1802. On Bluestone River. Bank Lorton Lick branch. Corner Archer Bailey’s land. 52-113 RICHARD BALY. 36 acres. 7 Nov 1803. Surveyed 27 Aug 1802. On Bluestone River. Page 172. Tazewell County Land Grants – 1800 to 1820 62-23 Richard Bailey. 200 acres. 6 July 1812. Surveyed 29 Apr 1809. On waters of Lorton Lick, a branch of Bluestone, adjacent to Alexander Stuart. Page 194. Abstracts of Tazewell County Will Book #1 – 1800 to 1832 Isam Belsher (page 280) February 1823 Sale bill. Purchasers: …Richard Bailey… Page 232. RICHARD BAILEY 1782-1789 b = 3 o = 1 s = 2 257, 262 Page 256 . Some Descendants of the Pioneers _RICHARD BAILEY__ | _Richard Bailey II 5____ |b. 1767-1770 |_ANNIE BELCHER___ |d. 1840-1844 | Mercer Co., Va. _Samuel Ferguson_____ | | |_Isabel Ferguson 6____ | b. ca 1776 |_Mary Jameson_______ cont. Page 258.
Page 257. Some Descendants of the Pioneers _James Bailey 7__ | d 1762 Chesterfield Co, VA _RICHARD BAILEY 6_____| |b. ca 1740 |_Lucy__________ | | | |_ELIZABETH BELSHER_ _
*****NEW***** Page 261. An Annotated Enumeration of Every Taxpayer 1801 to 1820 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 09 10 | 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Bailey, Archibald 7 x x x x x x x x x | x x x x x - - - - - Doddridge 8 - - - - - x x x x | x x x - x x x x x x Eli 9 x x x x x x x x x | x x x x x x x x x x George 10 - - - - - - - - - | - - - - - x x x x x Henry 11 x x x x x x x x x | x x x x x x x x x x James 12 x x x x x x x x x | x x x x x x x x x x John 13 x x x x x x x x x | x x 2 3 1 2 2 2 1 1 Jonathan 14 - - - - - - - - - | - - - - x x x x x x Micajah 15 x x x x x x x x x | x x x x x x x x x x Reuben 16 x x x x x x x x x | x x x x x x x x x x RICHARD 17 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 | 2 2 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 Samuel 18 - - - - - - - - - | - - - - - - x x 2 x William 19 - - - - - - - - x | - - - - - - - - - x 7 Moved to the part of Giles County which became Logan (Tax records, p. 219 this book). He was a son of RICHARD BAILEY, SR. 8 It is not proven whether this man is related to any of the other Bailey families of Tazewell County. He lived very near the RICHARD BAILEY family and married on 23 April 1812 Phebe Belcher (dau of Isham) who was a grandniece of RICHARD BAILEY, SR. He appears in the 1840 and 1850 census of Logan County, Virginia – in 1850 he is 63 years. The 1860 census of Calhoun County, Virginia lists Doodridge, 73, & indicates that he was born in Augusta County, Virginia. … 9 Son of RICHARD BAILEY, SR. Married Agnes "Nancy" Clark… 10 George was a son of John Bailey and Nancy Davidson. … 11 Son of RICHARD, SR. Married Elizabeth Peters… 12 Son of RICHARD, SR. Married Margaret Stinson… 13 The first John appearing in these lists is a son of RICHARD, SR…. Married Nancy Davidson… One of the Johns is a son of James. 14 Son of John (above) 15 Son of RICHARD, SR. Married Naomi _____. … 16 Son of RICHARD, SR. Married Sarah Ferguson… 17 RICHARD BAILEY, SR. and his son, Richard, Jr. Sketch in Johnston’s History of Middle New River Settlements, p. 377, 378. A publication on this family is planned which will document all relationships given on BAILEYS above – as well as bring lines down to present – see lineage of Lewis Bailey on page 257 of this book for information concerning this publication. All material pertaining to this family will then be placed in the Virginia Historical Society in Richmond, Virginia. 18 Son of Richard Bailey, Jr. … 19 the first William married Elly Shannon in 1806…The William who appears in 1820 is a son of Reuben, above. 120 (Joseph Davidson) …The nature of his services was to guard the Fort and go out occasionally on spying excursions. On these excursions his companion was RICHARD BAILEY. … 178(Absolem Godfrey) …Much of it will be included in th4e book on the Bailey family, RICHARD BAILEY of Tazewell county, Virginia – and some of his Descendants …; after publication all papers will be deposited in the Virginia Historical Society in Richmond, Virginia. 262 (Joshua Losson?) ,,,David McComas, son of the elder John, married Miss (her name was Chloe) Bailey, a daughter of the elder RICHARD. … 267 (Samuel Lusk) …Samuel Lusk married Sarah Bailey, daughter of RICHARD BAILEY, SR. The genealogy of this family will; therefore, be included in the book: RICHARD BAILEY of Tazewell county, Virginia – and some of his Descendants. … 279 (James McComas) …David McComas, son of the elder John, Married Miss Bailey, a daughter of the elder RICHARD. … Chloe (Bailey) McComas lived in Caswell County in 1827, at which time she signed a deed from the heirs of RICHARD BAILEY and was called Cloe Bailey (alias McComas)… The Baileys, McComases and Lusks intermarried relatively often… Page 294 Petition to Form Tazewell County - 1796 & 1797 RICHARD BAILEY, SR. Richard Bailey, Jr. Page 295 Petition to Form Tazewell County - 1797 Richard Bealey, Jr. RICHARD BEALEY Page 298 Petition to Form Tazewell County - 1798 RICHARD BAILEY, SR. Page 299 Petition to Form Tazewell County - 1799 Petition of Inhabitants of Wythe County to Form a New County from Parts of Wythe and Russell 1: Description same as in the law that was passed forming the county. 1 Virginia Legislative Petitions. Wythe Co. – Oversize Box 13, #3997, December 1799 RICHARD BAILEY, SR. Page 300 Petition to Form Tazewell County - 1799 RICHARD BAILEY Page 305 A Case Study in Research in Tazewell John Davidson told the tax commissioner he desired to have his entire allotment of 400 acres, for the first land tax records (in 1782) of Montgomery County designate he owned this amount. Taxes were paid upon 400 acres, but when surveyed the land only contained 330. It was for this amount that a patent was issued – an event which did not occur until 1793. In the meantime he had sold the land to RICHARD BAILEY. 27 As previously mentioned, one cannot deed property until he has a title, so this transaction does not appear in the court records at the time of transfer. John had died before the patent was issued, so it was his heirs who signed the property transfer in 1799 – twelve years after it had taken place. 28 There was no indication of this in the deed. Mr. Davidson acquired several other tracts of land, but through research has convinced me that he never owned the land upon which the cabin was built. After selling his "right of settlement" tract to RICHARD BAILEY in 1787, he moved to Walker’s Creek in what is now Bland or Pulaski County. 29 … 27 Proof of this transaction may be found in the 1787 Land Tax Records of Montgomery County which shows the transfer. Also, on August 30, 1787, RICHARD BAILEY had surveyed for himself 209 acres – shown as (1) on the map. In the patent for this property (Virginia Grant Book 27, p. 575) it states that it is "joining the land he now lives on." There was a mill on the 330 acres, whether built by John Davidson, or by RICHARD BAILEY, is unknown, but an entry made by RICHARD BAILEY on March 5, 1798, for land adjoining the tract, (Montgomery County Entry Book C, p. 133) specifies that this adjoining40 acres is to begin at his mill. 28 Wythe County Deed Book 2, p. 325 – On March 9, 1799 Andrew Davidson; John Davidson & Peggy, his wife; and George Davidson & Rebecca, his wife; all of Wythe County sell to RICHARD BAILEY, for L 200, 330 acres on a branch of the Bluestone, called Cove Spring. 29 John and Andrew Davidson’s list of taxable property was collected on July 12, 1787 by tax commissioner David McGavock. RICHARD BAILEY’S was collected the same day. The next year RICHARD BAILEY’S and Joseph Davidson’s were collected just one day apart – but John and Andrew did not even appear in the same list. Instead they appeared in Byrd Smith’s list, and those individuals whose tax assessments were made the same day were residents of Walker’s Creek area. John Goolman Davidson had no tracts of land enumerated in the land tax lists after selling his right of settlement tract to RICHARD BAILEY … ------- An Old Virginia Court by Marshall Wingfield 975.56 Page 15 Page Thirty-four August 1786 …RICHARD BAILEY vs William Mead, James Callaway A Granishee being Sworn, Sayith, that he hath Sufficient in his hands to Satisfy the Pllfs Demand, to be p’d in Bar Iron, Castings & Steel, Jud. Accordl. To Accol, for L13 10/ With Interest from January 1778 & Costs & O. C. … Page 74 Page One Hundred Thirty-Nine June Court 1787 ……Also RICH’D BAILEY to John Arthur Prov’d by One Witness & O. C…. Page 89 Page One Hundred Sixty-five September Court 1787 A Deed from RICHARD BAILEY to Jno Jones Proved & O R’d. … Page 92 Page One Hundred Seventy October Court 1787 … A Deed from RICHARD BAILEY to Jas. Hambrick Proved by 1 Wit. & O. C. Page 126 Page Two Hundred Thirty-Four May Court 1788 …Quigley vs Miles A Jury Sworn, to Wit, …John Jamison & RICHARD BAILEY…. Page 127 Page Two Hundred Thirty-six Bott vs Chitwood a Jury Sworn, to Wit, …RICH’D BAILEY… Page 130 Page Two Hundred Forty-three June Court 1788 …Also Joel Chitwood from RICH’D BAILEY same. Also John Arthur from RICH’D BAILEY further Pr’d by 1 Wits & O. C. ------- The Story of RICHARD BAILEY Chapter Four Journey to the Mountains pp 169-190
Lancastershire, England; however, there is no documented proof of this. His marriage to ELIZABETH ANNE BELCHER 1 would have been recorded in the early Dale Parish records that are missing in Chesterfield County, Virginia. Chesterfield County, Virginia On November 1, 1760, RICHARD purchased one hundred acres of land in the Skinquarter area of Chesterfield County, Virginia. 2 He moved there with his young wife and made enough improvements on the land to double its value in four years [see Chapter One]. A large number of Chesterfield families began to migrate to Bedford County, now Franklin County, Virginia. 3 Isham Belcher (the brother or cousin of Elizabeth) 4 was among this group and purchased land there. 5 In 1762 RICHARD’S father wrote his will. It was proven in court February, 1765. 6 One month later, in March, Isham Belcher sold the land of Richard Belcher, deceased. 7 The following September 29th, RICHARD BAILEY sold his one hundred acres and left with his family for Franklin County, Virginia. 8 What was the journey like and what route did they take? Many different paths laced the woodlands. Using only crude navigating techniques such as the sun’s direction and the river’s flow, mistakes were easily made. 9 The "trading path" that eventually became part of the "Wilderness Road" was probably the one they took, as it was well-traveled and well-known. It left Chesterfield through Amelia and Cumberland Counties. 10 RICHARD and ELIZABETH had one or two small children by this time. With all their possessions loaded on horses, they traveled through the brilliant days of October. The nights were cold and brisk. Rain would have been miserable and chilling, but during the time of Indian Summer, most of their days were probably filled with deep blue skies and gold and crimson woodlands. Wild game was plentiful along the way. Franklin County, Virginia When they reached Franklin County, Virginia, they may have stayed for a while with neighbors or friends until RICHARD could find land and build a house for his family. A periods of seven years passed before RICHARD acquired his first property in 1771 for twenty shillings. 11 This land was patented by him and contained 203 acres on both sides of Maple Branch, a north branch of the Blackwater River. He had probably occupied this land for several years prior to the patent. Improvements had to be made on new unoccupied land that a settler wished to acquire by patent. An example of what these improvements consisted of is shown in the court records of Peter Evans in 1755: …18 acres cleared and well fenced, under corn and rye, and 10 acres of clear meadow; 100 fruit trees (value 1 lb.), one hay house, 15 by 10 ft.; one corn crib 15 by 4 ft.; one spring house 18 by 12 ft.; five head horses and one breeding sow (value 40 lbs.); one wagon and gears, one axe and grubbing hoe, two plows and gears. 12 In January, 1778 RICHARD BAILEY loaned William Meade, his neighbor, thirteen pounds, ten shillings. James Calloway was the security. 13 About this time, RICHARD bought 445 acres of land located on both sides of the Blackwater River from James Chitwood. The exact date and cost of this land is unknown. The deed could not be registered until 1780, as no court house existed in Franklin County, Virginia, until then. 14 The term "assignee" was used to indicate the purchaser. RICHARD BAILEY was the assignee of James Chitwood and theirs was a "gentleman’s agreement." 15 The deed registration in 1780 cost forty-five shillings and was signed by the governor of Virginia – Thomas Jefferson. On April 12, 1778, a survey was done for RICHARD for another parcel of land containing 268 acres on the north side of Blackwater River. He paid thirty shillings to the treasury of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The deed was signed November 15, 1786, in Richmond, Virginia, by Governor Patrick Henry. 16 What was RICHARD’S occupation during this time? He must have done some farming with the help of his sons. His prowness as a hunter (also sons: John, James, and Richard, Jr.) was well documented in the Tazewell County, Virginia, Records by the great number of wolf heads he brought I for bounty. 17 In order to gain a better picture of what RICHARD and this part of his life was like, we can examine hunting during the 1760’s to 1780’s. Hunting was an important part of the employment of the early settlers. It was also considered a manly exercise and one which Virginians have always been fond of. They would brave every danger to enjoy the sport which was combined with labor and profit. 18 Sometimes the woods provided a settler’s great amount of substance and to some families in hard times, all of it. It was not uncommon for early families to live several months without bread, and frequently there was no breakfast until it was obtained from the woods. Fur, used as money, was given in exchange for salt, iron, and rifles. 19 As soon as fall came and light snow fell, the men became restless at home and ready to hunt, sometimes for weeks or months at a time. Frequently they went in companies of eight or ten. Their equipment consisted of a rifle, powder ball, knife, hatchet, blanket, tobacco, and a shirt. They carried salt and food for two days, after which the forest yielded plenty. 20 They word heavy buckskin moccasins and "leggins" and a cap made of beaver or otter skin. The hatchet was worn in the belt, and hunting knife in a sheath on the strap of the shot pouch. There was no more formidable person than a backwoodsman in full dress; especially if you reflect on his precision with the long black rifle, his skill and calculation, and his great power to endure the fatigue and hardships of the hunter’s life. 21 Dr. Dodderidge writes the following in DeHass’s History of the Early Settlements and Indian Wars: Although hunting was not the object of most of the old settlers, yet it was for a good part of the year, the chief employment of their time. And of all those who thus made their above in the dense forest, and tempted aggression from the neighboring Indians, none wee so well qualified to resist this aggression and to retaliate…as those engaged in this pursuit [hunting]…Those arts which enabled them, unperceived, to approach the watchful deer in his lair, enabled them likewise to circumvent the Indian I his ambush; and if not always punish, yet frequently defeat him in his object. Add to this the perfect knowledge which they acquired of the woods, and the ease and certainty with which they consequently, when occasion required, could make their way to any point of the settlements and apprize the inhabitants of approaching danger; and it will be readily admitted that the more expert and successful the huntsman, the more skillful and effective the warrior. In 1773, the Washington Iron Company was started by John Donaldson near Rocky Mountain in Franklin County, Virginia. 22 RICHARD may have worked there or sold cut lumber to them for their furnaces. (His brother James, Jr. Back in Chesterfield County, Virginia, sold cut lumber, and his sons became lumbermen and sawyers.) When Joseph Hambrick sold the land he had purchased from RICHARD BAILEY, a fish trap was mentioned located on the Blackwater River. 23 These traps were made of stones in such a manner that the fish swam in but could not swim back out. (Many can still be seen in Franklin today.) 24 Was this fish trap built and used by RICHARD earlier? He probably had a mill located on this riverfront property, for he shortly thereafter built one in Tazewell County, Virginia. He had an eye for good land, made improvements, and profited very well from the sale of his various properties. As to his occupation, the truth may well be that RICHARD did a little of all these things. It is obvious that he was an extroverted, energetic and adventurous man. Sometime before 1779 RICHARD had begun to cast his eye on the new frontier of Tazewell County, (known first as Montgomery County, then Wythe County) Virginia. Tazewell County, Virginia The climate of Tazewell County in those early years was extremely dangerous. The Indian attacks had been so fierce that in 1771, there was not a family on the northwest side of Clinch Mountain for ten miles. 25 IN 1774, the Indians became very hostile. This was the beginning of the Indian Wars, and times were frought with danger. Murders and tortures were committed upon the settlers. About this time, 1774, a man named John Goolman Davidson had come with his family into Tazewell County and settled on a four hundred acre tract of land "by right of Settlement" on the Bluestone Creek. 26 Somehow John Davidson and RICHARD BAILEY met, and this was to have a profound influence on RICHARD’s life. Because of the ever-present danger of Indian attacks, John Davidson and his son Joseph built a fort on their land around 1776-1777. 27 It has been stated in The History of the Middle New River Settlements that John Davidson and RICHARD BAILEY built this fort together. This may or may not be true. Certainly many neighbors and friends would have helped the Davidsons, but the fort was undisputedly John Davidson’s. Was RICHARD in the area this early? Was he possibly there on a hunting trip? By 1779, Joseph Davidson states in his pension application that he "was guarding the fort." He also states the following: …that a company of men in each of the aforesaid years [spring of 1779; April, 1780; 1783, and 1787] was sent from eastern Montgomery County to the assistance of the settlement due to scarcity of men in the settlement at that time, and part of this Company was stationed in Davidson’s Fort. That during the whole of the aforesaid periods he was stationed with an embodied Corps. That the nature of service was spying and RICHARD BAILEY accompanied him. That they generally went from Davidson’s Fort across the Bluestone River and from thence round the dividing ridge between the waters of the Bluestone and those of the Guyann and from thence round by the head of Bluestone River to Davidson Fort. 28 The Revolutionary War It was written in the History of the Middle New River Settlements that RICHARD BAILEY was a soldier in the Revolutionary Way. Many people have assumed that he was the same Richard Bailey attached to the Fifteenth Virginia Regiment of the Foot under Lieutenant Col James Innes, Major G. B. Wallace, and in Captain James Harris; company. 29 This assumption, resulting from inadequate research, in completely wrong. RICHARD was living in Franklin County, Virginia, and the "15th Virginia Regiment was raised in Princess Anne, Nansemond, Surry, Brunswick and Amelia Counties." 30 The Ensign was Thomas Turpin (a Chesterfield County, Virginia, name). 31 Some of the men were also recruited from Chesterfield County, Virginia, in 1777-1778. The names of those men probably from the Chesterfield -- Amelia area were: William Cocke, William Trabue, Benjamin Rucks, Willilam Cox, Abram Wooldridge, Joseph Ashbrook, John Nunnally, William Belcher, Francis Ashurst and Francis Moore. 32 One March 15, 1778, (this Company was a Valley Forge in April, 1778) 33 RICHARD BAILEY of the Fifteenth Virginia Regiment deserted the army. 34 During January , 1778 our RICHARD BAILEY was in Franklin county, Virginia, lending money to William Meade with James Calloway as the surety. 35 His association with James Calloway would not have been possible had he been a deserter, for James was a dynamic man who supported the Revolution, fighting bands of Tories who attacked the defenseless inhabitants of Franklin County. 36 James’ son became a bondsman for the sheriff in 1782 and clerk of the Franklin County Court. 37 RICHARD probably fought with James Calloway on the home front. RICHARD BAILEY of the Fifteenth Virginia Regiment had been on guard duty the month of February, 1778. 38 The time period involved would by itself indicate these were two different men. In April, 1778, our RICHARD BAILEY was having a land survey done for his patent of 268 acres in Franklin County, Virginia, 39 which meant he had to get a warrant for the land six months earlier. 40 It hardly seems feasible that he would desert the army and one month later be registering a survey for a land purchase. RICHARD was in the Revolutionary War at the Davidson Fort as a scout and spy. He was definitely in the Tazewell area sometime before October, 1779. His warrant for fifty acres of land on the Bluestone River was dated October 15, 1779, 41 and what better way to observe and pick out choice pieces of land than while traveling on spying expeditions? In his pension application dated March 28, 1834, Joseph Davidson stated that RICHARD BAILEY was his companion during spying expeditions and that he could "further support his declaration by the evidence of Eleanor Compton who was in the same fort with him…That he never received any written discharge for any of the services he rendered his Country." In Minute Book One of the Mercer County, West Virginia Justices’ Court on page 544, Joseph Davidson appeared in court, and the following was recorded:
Eleanor Compton was Joseph Davidson’s only witness. That fact proves that RICHARD BAILEY, SR. was Joseph’s companion during spying expeditions and not Richard Bailey, Jr. Richard Bailey, Jr. Would have certainly been called as a witness if he had been Joseph’s companion. Richard, Jr. Was living I the Tazewell and Mercer county area at the time of Joseph’s pension application. The pension application also stated that Joseph never received a written discharge, and the court records stated that he had "no documentary evidence." This would explain why there were no records of RICHARD BAILEY, SR.’s service. Because of the nature of frontier fighting, records were difficult if not impossible to keep. Men had to be called together quickly and on an irregular basis when the need arose. RICHARD BAILEY, SR. never applied for a pension, because they were not available until after his death. RICHARD’s Land in Tazewell County, Virginia On July 27, 1782, Charles Lumsden, who had previously gotten a treasury warrant number 13006 for 2, 594 ½ acres of land sold three pieces of this land to:
RICHARD also purchased through this same treasury note (number 13006) a total of 1,233 acres of land in Tazewell county, Virginia. 42 This is just under one-half of the amount of land issued to Charles Lumsden. Charles had land in Franklin County, Virginia, and appeared to be living there. 43 It could be possible that the one hundred acres of RICHARD BAILEY’s Franklin County Virginia, land unaccounted for was traded to Charles for part of this treasury warrant. It is not completely clear when RICHARD actually moved all of his family to Tazewell County, Virginia. Johnston’s History of the Middle New River Settlements states 180 but this is incorrect. RICHARD was listed in the 1782 Bedford County, Virginia (now Franklin County) tax list as owning one horse and five head of cattle, and there were no males over sixteen years of age living with him. His son John was listed separately. By 1786, RICHARD BAILEY was referred to for the first time in the deed books as RICHARD of Montgomery County, Virginia (now Tazewell). In 1787, he purchased 330 acres and the fort from John Davidson.
RICHARD BAILEY’s land purchases were so numerous and complicated that they will be listed in chart form. Warrant # & Date Acres Location of Land Survey Date Dte Rec Date Sold County Sold in Amt Acres Person Sold to: #117 Oct., 15 1779 50 Lorton’s Lick Br Apr 29, 1809 July 6, 1812 of Bluestone
#15729 36 Bluestone Aug 27, 1802 Nov. 7, 1803 Sept. 29, 1781
#13006 150 Big rock - 1 mi. Aug 19, 1787 Oct 23, 1797 Mar 12, 1799 Wythe L20 150 Micajah Bailey July 27, 1782 above Widemouth Vol 2 p 327 River on Bluestone
#13006 90 1 mi below mouth Mar 14, 1788 Feb 27, 1793 Feb 8, 1809 Giles 100L 90 John Toney Jul 27, 1782 of Blacklick Cr - John McClugherty S S Bluestone
#1006 or #20016 175 on Biklick Cr. & Mar 14, 1788 Sept 4, 1791 Feb 25, 1796 Montgomery 51 Geo. Paris July 27, 1782 joining lines of B p.231 Clover Btm.
100 Miltons Fork Aug 19, 1787 330 Cove Spring 1787 Mar 9,1799 Mar 9, 1799 Wythe pt of 187 John Bailey 209 Bluefield Aug 30, 1787 Mar 9, 1799 Wythe 55 Isham Belcher 1807 Tazewell 82 Eli Bailey 1, p. 32 183 N. Fork of Brush Cr. Aug 29, 1787 June 1, 1827 Tazewell 183 Heirs of RICHARD release to Archibald (son of John) 160 N. Side E Ri Mt Mar 6, 1789 Mar 9, 1799 Wythe 160 John Bailey 40 Cove Spring Feb 23, 1790 Dec 15, 1807 Tazewell 40 Hugh Tiffany 86 Crane Creek Feb 24, 1790 Mar 12, 1799 Wythe 86 Richard Jr Mar 22, 1813 Tazewell 65 John Bailey Vol 2 p 228 Mar 9, 1799 Wythe 251 (part of 330) James Bailey Return to Franklin County, Virginia That RICHARD BAILEY traveled frequently between Tazewell and Franklin County, Virginia, is well-documented. It is remarkable considering the difficulty of travel in those days, the mountainous terrain, bad weather, and ever-present danger of Indians. This must indicate to us something about the physical makeup of RICHARD. His three tracts of Franklin County, Virginia, land were sold s follows: The 203 acre tract --
The 445 acre tract –
The 268 acre tract –
In August, 1786, RICHARD appeared in the Franklin County, Virginia, Court. He swore out a warrant for Willilam Meade, who was indebted to him. William had left the county and James Calloway, who was the surety, had to make good the debt. He paid RICHARD in bar iron castings, and steel for thirteen pounds ten shillings with interest from January, 1778, plus cost of court. 48 RICHARD returned in April and October, 1787, to sell the above mentioned tracts of land. In My, 1788, he appeared in the Franklin County, Virginia, Court as a juror in two cases – Quigly vs. Miles" and "Bott vs. Chitwood." 49 Life in Tazewell county, Virginia Because of RICHARD’S wise decision to locate his family in and near the fort, they escaped the many fatal attacks made by the Indians on these early settlers. Indeed the BAILEYS seemed to live a charmed life safe, within a calm eye of the hurricane all round them. However, they were involved and greatly affected by all the tragedies suffered by their neighbors. We can imagine the sorrow RICHARD felt when told of his long-time friend John Davidson’s murder. The following account has been edited from David Johnson’s History of the Middle New River Settlements: John Goolman Davidson before his removal to Beaver Pond had lived at Smithfield (Draper’s Meadows). While living there a man by the name of Rice had stolen a hog from Davidson, for which he was apprehended and sentenced to 40 lashes on his bare back. Rice was so enraged that he vowed revenge. We shall soon see how Rice succeeded in having his revenge, even though ten years had passed before the opportunity came. Mr. Davidson had gone to Rockbridge county, Virginia on business and collected a debt of $800. As usual, it was "noised" about the neighborhood that the trip was to be made. In the month of February, 1793, he set out, reached his destination, completed his business, and started home, having an extra horse with him. He came over the usual route to rocky Gap and was seen to pass south of that by a family living there. The spring of 1793 is said by the old people to have been the earliest known by them, and leaves were budding the first of March. RICHARD BAILEY had given his youngest son, whose name was Henry, a small calf, which had been turned out to graze with the other cattle. The calf, failing to come up to the fort with the others on the evening of the eighth of March, 1793, MR. BAILEY told his son that it might have gotten mired in the swamp by the creek and the must get up early the next morning and look for it. The boy rose early, called his dogs, and set off down Beaver Pond Creek in the direction of where Graham, Virginia is now located. Not finding the calf, he left the buffalo trail on his return and was passing through swampy land when the dogs bristled. The boy rushed forward to see a body of men and horses. He fled to the fort and reported what he had seen. His older brother Micajah, gathered his rifle and followed the party long enough to discover it was composed of Indians. He returned to the fort and spread the alarm. Major Robert Crockett, then on the head of the Clinch, gathered a party of men and followed the Indians, whose camp he discovered late one evening, just across the river from where now stands Logan Court House, West Virginia. They decided to lay on their arms that night and attack at break of day. On the morning of March 15th, Major Crockett told his men that the Indians would be awake early, that while some made breakfast, others would round up the horses. His men were quietly to follow the horse drivers into camp and make the attack. When the advance began, a man by the name of Gid Wright became nervous, and without obeying orders, fired at an Indian, missing him. This alarmed the whole camp, and they fled. John Bailey, an active and quick man on foot, ran close enough as the Indians were fleeing to kill one of the; the rest escaped. Among the number of horses captured was one recognized as John Davidson’s, and on which was his saddle with one stirrup missing. They immediately thought that the Indians had killed Mr. Davidson and set out to look for his body. Samuel Lusk was with them. They searched along the path leading through BAILEY’s Gap in the East River Mountain and on to the Laurel fork of Clear fork of Wolf Creek and through Rocky Gap. With further investigation at the point where Laurel fork started up the mountain, evidence appeared that the blade of a hatchet had been struck into a oak tree, and that a gun had rested on it, and nearby on the bark of a tree was freshly cut the name "Rice," and under the root of the tree on the side of the creek, the nude body of Mr. Davidson was found, so far advanced in decomposition that it was buried near the place where it was found (according to Mr. Joseph Davidson and Captain John A. Davidson, two of his great-grandsons). The search party was satisfied that Mr. Davidson had been shot from the tree where the blade of the hatchet had been buried, fallen from his horse, which took fright and ran out into the brush where one of the brass stirrups had been pulled off. No doubt remains but that Rice got the $800 which Mr. Davidson had with him. On October 17th, 1793, Major Crockett and fifty others among them Joseph Davidson, John Bailey, James Bailey, Reuben Bailey, RICHARD BAILEY, William Smith and John Perry, sent a petition to the governor of Virginia, informing him of the defenseless condition of the border, asking for assistance, and stating the killing by the Indians of John Davidson on the 8th of March 1793, and that of Joseph Guilbert on the 24th of July 1792 and the capture of Samuel Lusk at the same time. Not only did these hardy pioneers cope with physical dangers, but they also lived, to say the least, without luxuries. Dwellings were log cabins, furniture consisted of homemade wooden tables, wooden bowls, trenchers and noggins, or gourds and hardshelled squashes. Perhaps a settler had a few pewter plates, but iron pots, knives, forks, and salt were brought in on horseback. (The iron, castings, and steel RICHARD received in Franklin County, Virginia, were probably invaluable to him on the frontier). 50 "Hog and hominey, Johnny cake and pone" were standard dishes along with milk and mush, frequently sweetened with molasses, or mixed with bear oil and gravy from fried game. For sugar, they tapped the maple trees and boiled down the water. The men tanned and dressed buckskin for their clothes. Plowshares were made of wood, and leaves or chaff were used for beds. Horses went unshod and were frequently ridden with only a small blanket for a saddle. Live was a long, dangerous struggle. They endured deep snows in the winter, and swarms of deer flies, gnats rendered life a torment in warm weather. Rattlesnakes and copperheads wee constant sources of danger. Each man carried a rifle and scalping knife as an essential to everyday life. 51. The American Backwoodsmen built and manned their own forts; each was his own commander. 52 they were hunters, builders, farmers, and soldiers. "They were generally persons of staid habits and sterling worth; possessed of great energy of character and incorruptible patriotism." 53 As far as social life went, there was no distinction of rank and very little of wealth. So the first impression of love resulted in marriage, and a family cost but a little labor and nothing else. A wedding was a time of high glee. Everyone gathered to dance and drink. They all chopped logs and erected a house for the young couple. 54 Newcomers were welcomed and help from neighbors was abundant. Even today, the gentle good manners and gracious hospitality are present in the mountain families of West Virginia. ELIZABETH ANNE BAILEY Much has been said about RICHARD BAILEY, but the woman, probably of noble English lines, who traveled to the frontier with him and bore him ten children had to be exceptional. Isham Belcher lived in proximity to them not only in Chesterfield County, Virginia, but also in Franklin and Tazewell Counties. 55 She probably had a close relationship with him (her brother or cousin). And if Phoebe Belcher Clay was her sister as she may well have been, we can only imagine ELIZABETH’s horror at the Indian attach on Phoebe’s family. Yet ELIZABETH put her fears aside and came to live on the hostile new frontier of Tazewell County, Virginia. The following account has been edited from the History of the Middle new River Settlements: Mitchell Clay and his wife Phoebe Belcher Clay (the aunt of Isham Belcher, Jr.) settled on the Bluestone at Clover Bottom in the year of 1775 and had not been bothered by the Indians until August of 1783. That month Clay had harvested his grain and put his two sons Bartley and Ezekiel to build a fence around the stacks of grain, while he went out hunting. His older sons were away from home. In the afternoon while the sons were building the fence and the older daughter with some of the younger girls was at the river washing, a marauding party of eleven Indians crept up to the edge of the field and shot Bartley dead. The gun alarmed the girls who ran for the house right by the path where Bartley had been killed. An Indian was attempting to scalp him, and the older girl, Tabitha, undertook to defend the body of her dead brother. In the struggle with the Indian she reached for his knife, which hung in his belt and missing it, the Indian drew it and stabbed her repeatedly, she however, several times wringing the knife from his hand cast it aside, but he each time recovering it continued cutting her with the knife, and stabbing her until he had literally chopped her to pieces before killing her. The small girls during the melee, had escaped to the house, and the brother Ezekiel, a lad of some sixteen years had been captured by another Indian. (The house of Mitchell Clay stood on a high point or knoll about three hundred yards due west from what is now the house of Mr. Daniel Day.) About the time of the attack a man named Liggon Blankenship was calling at the house and Phoebe begged him to help save her daughter, but he fled to the other settlements and reported that all of Clay’s family had been killed. The Indians after securing the scalps of Tabitha and her brother left with Ezekiel as their prisoner. As soon as they left, Phoebe carried the dead bodies of her children to the house and taking the small ones ran through the wild woods six miles to the house of James Bailey who lived at a place on Bush Creek waters about three-fourths mile north-west from where New Hope Church now stands, and who had settled there in 1782. Mitchell Clay was on the way home, little dreaming of the horrors enacted in his absence. When he reached the house, he discovered the bodies of his children and supposing that all had been killed or captured, left immediately for the fort. A party of men under Captain Mathew Farley was gathered and included Charles Clay, Mitchell, Jr., James Bailey, William Wiley, and Captain James Moore. They went to the Clay house and buried the bodies of Bartley and Tabitha. The pursuit then began. The Indians took the old trail from the Bluestone across Flat Top Mountain and down the divide where the trail forked. When Farley’s men reached the fork, they followed the horse tracks leading down the Pond fork, not suspecting that the Indians had split up. At day break the next day, they attacked the Indians. Two wee killed outright, and one, who was sounded, begged in broken English for his life, but Charles Clay, whose brother and sister had been murdered refused him quarter and killed him on the spot. The remaining Indians fled down the river. The stolen horses of Clay’s were recovered but not Ezekiel. He was carried by the other hunting party down the West fork. They took him to their town at Chillicothe and burned him at the stake. After the attack the family of Mitchell Clay moved to a form in Pearisburg (located today across the river from the Norfolk and Western Railway Station). Mitchell and Phoebe had fourteen children. The facts connected with the Indian attack and battle were written out by Mitchell C. and John Clay, grandsons of Mitchell and Phoebe. Every pioneer woman had to be able to take her husband’s place when he went away to hunt or take care of legal business. Judging from RICHARD BAILEY’s far and frequent travels, ELIZABETH mush have had to manage along on numerous occasions and rely on her own strength and resourcefulness. Most women could handle a rifle as well as a man. They had to be cook, tailor, shoemaker, weaver, and sometimes defender of the home. Their clothes consisted of linsey petticoats or linen bedgowns with coarse shoes and some went barefooted in warm weather. ELIZABETH probably made her cloth from sheep’s wool (her son John mentioned sheep in his will). 56 The Fort and Its People The fort that RICHARD and ELIZABETH lived in was built over top of a spring and located on the old Cumberland Road. 57 They must have encountered hundreds of travelers migrating to the West. The wood foundations of this fort that could be seen at one time have now been covered over with heavy brush. What did it look like, and how was it built? To get some idea, we quote Dr. Doodridge from De Hass’ History of the Early Settlements and Indian Wars of Southwestern Virginia: The Fort -- … not only a place of defense, but the residence of a small number of families belonging to the same neighborhood. As the Indian mode of warfare was an indiscriminate slaughter of all ages and both sexes, it was as requisite to provide for the safety of the women and children as for that of the men. The fort consisted of cabins, blockhouses, and stockades. A range of cabins commonly formed one side at least of the fort. Divisions, or partitions or logs, separated the cabins from each other. The walls on the outside were ten or twelve feet high, the slope of the roof being turned wholly inward. Very few of these cabins had puncheon floors, the greater part were earthen. The block houses were built at the angles of the fort. They projected about two feet beyond the outer walls of the cabins and stockades. Their upper stories were about eighteen inches every way larger in dimension than the under one, leaving an opening at the commencement of the second story, to prevent the enemy from making a lodgment under their walls. In some forts, instead of blockhouses the angles of the fort were furnished with bastions. A large folding gate, made of thick slabs, nearest the spring, closed the fort. The stockades, bastions, cabins and blockhouse walls were furnished with port holes at proper heights and distances. The while of the outside was made completely bullet proof. It may be truly said that necessity is the mother of invention, for the whole of this work was made without the aid of a single nail or spike of iron, and for this reason, -- such things were not to be had. In some places, less exposed, a single blockhouse, with a cabin or two, constituted the whole fort. Such places of refuge may appear very trifling…but they answered the purpose as the Indians had no artillery. The families belonging to these forts were so attached to their own cabins on their farms, that they seldom moved into their fort in the spring until compelled by some alarm…that the Indians were in the settlement…there existed in each settlement, a perfect unison of feeling. Similitude of situation and community of danger…stifled little bickerings, which disturb the quiet of society. Ambition and the pride of place…were unknown among them. Equality of condition rendered them strangers to the baneful distinctions created by wealth and other…circumstances. A sense of mutual dependence for their common security linked them in amity;…together they toiled and together suffered. …selfishness…was unknown to them. They were kind for kindness sake; and sought no other recompense, then the never failing concomitat of good deeds….Such were the pioneers…and the greater part of mankind might now derive advantage from the contemplation of "their humble virtues, hospitable homes and spirits patient, noble, proud and free – their self respect…days of health and nights of sleep—their toils by danger dignified, yet guiless—their hopes of cheerful old age and a quiet grave, with cross and garland over its green turf, and their grandchildren’s love for epitaph." The above picture, couched in such truthful, simple, but eloquent language, we have thought not inappropriate, or unmerited. It represents the sturdy pioneer in his true character; and could only be drawn by one who was an eye-witness to the scenes he so aptly, tersely and touchingly describes. The Last Records The BAILEYS seem to have been very active in county affairs. The last records we have of RICHARD are in Tazewell County, Virginia. In 1802 RICHARD was recorded as having received bounty payment for one wolf’s hear. 58 In 1805, he was paid for two wolves’ heads (this could have been Sr. or Jr.). On April 23, 1806, RICHARD proposed to the court a road change. After this time, his health must have begun to fail for in court on February 23, 1808, it was ordered that RICHARD BAILEY, SR. be exempt from payment of county levy and poor rates on account of old age and bodily infirmity. 59 The last record we have of RICHARD is on March 22, 1813, when he conveyed sixty-five acres of land to his son John. 60 He died sometime after this and in June of 1827, a deed is recorded by the heirs of RICHARD deceased releasing land to John’s son Archibald. 61 RICHARD was buried on Route 460 in Bluefield, Virginia. His grave is marked with a Revolutionary War stone. ELIZABETH was probably buried beside him. The silent bluegreen mountains ring the area like sentinels above the noise and bustle of the town of Bluefield, West Virginia, and their silhouettes the only thing left unchanged from the lifetime of RICHARD and ELIZABETH BAILEY.
The line of RICHARD BAILEY, SR.’s son, John, is recorded in this book. The lines of RICHARD BAILEY’s other children will be continued in RICHARD BAILEY, Volume II and will begin with the line of Richard Bailey, Jr. Notes Chapter Four – Journey to the Mountains – The Story of RICHARD BAILEY
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