One theory of origin concerning the line of William Terry and wife Rachel is that they connect back to a broad group of Quaker Terry's in Buck's County, Pennsylvania.
A Jasper Terry who married a Mary Hart, disappeared from Buck's County records as a group of Harts, Browns, and Terry's (along with some others) migrated southward into the frontier. This Jasper was born 1715 and md in 1735 in Philadelphia. His wife was the daughter and granddaughter of prominent Quaker leaders. The Brown family that came with them was also strongly linked to the Quakers. It is believed that this is the Jasper Terry who arrived about 1740 in the Augusta County region, attended a sale at Monahan's (along with Henry Brown and a William Terry) and acquired land abutting William Terry.
This theory suggests that the William Terry may have been a cousin of Jasper Terry. It is noted that there is a William Terry who married an Eleanor Holmes in Philadelphia and seems to "disappear" and possibly fathered a son William who remained in Pennsylvania. It is noted that this couple may have married "out of unity" in other words they did not marry in the Quaker manner and under its permissions. It is unlikely this is the same man.
Another theory suggests that the brother of that William, one Abraham Terry, about which very little is known, might be the father of William Terry, b circa 1724.
It is interesting to also note that the father of both that William and Abraham, one Clement Terry Jr. chose to marry in a Presbyterian Church and not the Quaker Meeting Houses of that area. This would seem to infer that he too married "out of unity" and this may have introduced a non-Quaker tradition of marrying in churches such as the great Christ Church in Philadelphia or such as Abingdon Presbyterian.
Religious heritage is an often ignored aspect of family history. Religion, however, shapes lives, attitudes, values, and conduct - no matter how distant the influences might have been. The influence of people with a strong faith, especially a strong and positive influence, can be long lasting despite shifts in locality or religious beliefs or social /political attitudes.
For that reason, a look at the Terry family of William and Rachel is very interesting because of the apparent lack of one common factor of southern life - slaves. Early tax records seem to indicate that most of the group associated with William and Rachel had no slaves, or if they did, their treatment of them was markedly different.
Miles Terry, 1783 Tax List, o slaves
Jasper Terry (believed to be a son) and William Terry , 1783 Tax List, both records showed o slaves
In comparison, the Terry groups along the eastern regions did own slaves, and when some of them appear in Botetourt County circa 1780's their records reflect slave ownership.
Of particular note is the WILL of William Terry Jr. in 1819, whose will proves a connection to Miles Terry above. He referred to them in the common parlance of the day as "negros", but some documents would clearly identifying person held in slavery as slaves, and so his designation may be of note or merely custom.
" All negroes at wife's deth be set at liberty which they are to have, two choice horses and gears and waggon and 2 plows and furniture sufficient to ceep house, one acre apiece and two best wheels.& provisions sufficient to take them to a free state and ten dollars apiece for all that is groon. To be taken out of my wife's estate at her deth. At my deth, the plantation where Frank lives to be sold to highest bidder and the money to my wife."
The influence of religion on one line of William Terry, his son John Terry, will include a long relationship to Methodism they encountered as they moved into Tennessee, Kentucky and then into Arkansas. Other lines also showed a long and strong relationship with the Church of Christ, Baptist faith, and others. A tradition of religious awareness and connectedness is something a family passes down through the generations. It can be interrupted but it can be seen.
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