THE 1785 TAX LISTS OF BOTETOURT COUNTY AND THE TERRY FAMILIES

The Tax Lists of Botetourt Co., Va 1783-1790 presents insight into family groups. To date, no map of the taxation districts has been located, but using other maps such as those found in Kegley's Virginia Frontier some general assumptions can be made. 

It is clear, from an earlier post, that land dealings with one group are centered around the "Little River" Branch of the Roanoke. Those primarily selling land or acquiring land in that general area appear to be the family group headed by the Jasper Terry who married, assumed, Mary Morrison. Records mention a Jasper Sr. and a Jasper Jr. along with a Josiah Terry. Who would these elder and younger Jasper Terry's have been based on the time line? (The Jr. and Sr. in the day was not necessarily a title of son and father but often a means to distinguish between two men of the same name. See for more information on this Senior, Junior & Name Suffixes in General | Bob's Genealogy Filing Cabinet (genfiles.com))

We know from other sources, Kegley's and Chalkley's and the like, that there were in Augusta County, Virginia ca 1744 to 1783, two men (at least) named Jasper Terry and William Terry.  Those sources are not as consistent in identifying an elder from a younger or even establishing clear relationships (unfortunately). Contextual evidence has to be applied to begin to paint a picture of the relationship this Augusta County (and later Botetourt and Montgomery County) groups shared.

Item One: Relationship Via Association

From numerous other colonial and early national era documents it is clear that most people valued what they called "connection" to family, society, and church. They gathered to share news of life, economic events, development plans, dangers and enjoy the strength brought through having family together or close by. This clan or tribal mentality was common in the region, some of it a hold-over from the Scots-Irish who streamed into the Appalachian area and some from just the lessons learned by earlier pioneers into wilderness regions.

So, on the tax lists, when presumed family members are found being enumerated in the same taxation district, it supports the notion they would have stayed close. It supports the notion that there is a familial relationship, especially when backed up by deeds and the like. For efficiency sake the local Militia leaders were assigned the task of enumerating for the taxation process. These were often men who lived in the areas assigned adding an additional help in locating.

Consider the following:

1785 Botetourt Co., VA (they were counting Males Over 16, Slaves over 12, Horses, and Cattle)

Capt. Neely's District:

• William Terry Sr. (We can assume this is the William who arrived in 1744)
• Miles Terry (We can assume this is the Miles born circa 1760)

Capt. Easom's District:

• Jasper (We will assume this man was born circa 1755 to be on the tax roll as being 16+)
• William (We will assume this man to be born circa 1755 to be on the tax roll as being 16+)
• Josiah (We will assume this man was born circa 1755 to be on the tax roll as being 16+)
• Jasper Sr. (We will assume that this is man is born circa 1730)

In 1785 - the William Terry (1724-1792) who married Rachel - would have several children marrying, some ready to migrate out of the region, and some who might still have been at home but not working their own land but assisting with their father's. At this stage, William was aging and would soon be labeled exempt from taxes due to his age. Court records indicate William's children to be: William Jr., Jasper, John, Miles, Mercy (Harrison), Susannah (Brown), Rachel (Martin) and Jemima (Boucher). The Wm Sr. and Miles would be of an age to be taxed due to property they owned (and with few exceptions most seem to be noted in a head of house manner on the report). I believe, due to events later on, that staying at home were elder son Jasper and his wife Ruth.

In 1785 - the Jasper Terry Sr. could be the man who arrived in Botetourt with or at the same time as Wm Terry and purchased items at a local estate sale. 

a. It is possible that there was a Jasper Terry who migrated into Augusta with his in-laws the Harts from Pennsylvania. Since many of those Pennsylvania Harts (Aaron, Miles, etc.) are listed as working alongside William and Jasper Terry building roads in the early 1750's. Many of those Harts, however, appear to have continued southeast and ended up in Union County, South Carolina and related spots. There, the Hart Patriarch Thomas Hart, died. That Jasper Terry of PA who married a Mary Hart and disappeared from the records of Bucks Co., PA, may have appeared for a time in the records of Botetourt County before moving on with inlaws and friends. It is believed he had only one son, Joseph Terry, who was fostered into the care of his Uncle John Terry in Bucks Co., Pa. His line will carry, according to DNA work already done, the Haplogroup designation of I-02.

b. It is probable that another Terry group also migrated into the Augusta County area at some point before 1783.  This Jasper Terry, with wife Mary Morrison, has son identified as Josiah.  Josiah will marry a woman named Mary Lloyd and have a son Jasper Morrison Terry and an Aaron Burr Terry. I argue that that the Senior Jasper was the man known as the husband of Mary Morrison Terry and father of Josiah.  

I argue that the Jr. Jasper listed here is not, Josiah's son J.M. Terry but rather, the Jasper Terry who will die in 1819 in Montgomery Co., Va with wife Margaret (assumed Snidow) and sons Jonathan, Silas, Elijah, William, with daughters Keziah Terry Graham, Karon-Happuck Terry Rose, and Jemima Terry Deweese.  The marriage records indicate witnesses coming from inlaws and family of this group. So, in this tax record we see a probable listing for Jasper the elder, his two sons Jasper and Josiah (with a large body of horses and cattle). 

The odd-man is  the William Terry listed there with only 4 horses and 5 head of cattle. Is this Jasper and Margaret's son William (who will marry later an Elizabeth) or is this the "other" William, son of William Sr.? This line will carry, according to DNA work already done, the Haplogroup designation of G-02. This should make it easier to begin to untangle the lines and bring some final sense to the many Terry's in the region in this time period.

It is noteworthy, without continuing to explore the similar pattern of association within a specific taxation district, that the majority of the Jasper Terry group appear to leave the Botetourt Co. tax list about the time that Montgomery Co., is formed and almost all later records of deeds, wills, etc. will be found in that area. 

Both groups will see children migrate out of the area into Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and other regions.

It is also noteworthy to mention that in those later tax lists there is seen the appearance of some new Terry people. A Stephen Terry appears and, I believe, he will prove to be part of the eastern body of Terry's who exhibit the Haplogroup I-01.  This includes the line of the Revolutionary War hero Nathanial Terry, his father Benjamin and the brothers James and John who are coastal Virginia circa 1700. This is the group that will purchase the noted land of Elmwood Plantation and be prominent post civil war.