I am researching Mary DONELSON HENRY and Hugh HENRY, Sr. Below is information that I have. Does anyone have any information about Mary Donelson or her family in Somerset Co., Md or Accomack Co., VA during the early 1700s. I would particularly be interested in information about her marrage to Hugh Henry. > Children of JOHN DONELSON and CATHERINE DAVIS are: > i. MARY3 DONELSON, m. HUGH HENRY, SR.. > > Notes for HUGH HENRY, SR.: > Hugh Henry, Sr. and Mary Donelson were married in the early to mid 1700's. > Hugh Henry, Sr. and Col. John Donelson were brothers-in-law and both > pattented land in Pittsylvania Co., VA in 1744 when the section was still a > part of Old Brunswick Co., VA. > Hugh Henry, Sr. was an overseer of Col. John Donelson's iron works known as > the Bloomery and located in eastern Franklin Co. on Pigg River and were the > earliest iron works in this part of Virginia. > Do not know the parents of Hugh Henry, Sr. but it is believed that they > were from Accomac, VA. > Some of my sources are: > "Henry and Donelson Families in Virginia", from "The Henry Family" by > Josephine Brown Ross in July 1991. > > Will of Hugh Henry, Sr. proven in open court by the oath of Samuel McMurry > and Andrew Irwin subscribing witnesses thereto, and ordered to be recorded. > Test Thos. Johnson C.M. > Robertson Co. Court July Term 1808. > > In the name of God Amen, > I Hugh Henry Cinor of North Carolina and Tennessee County, beith of sound > and perfect mind and memory & blessed by God, do this day of Feb. 7 and in > the year of our Lord one thousand and seven hundred and ninety make and > publish this my last will and testament in manner following that is to say, > > First > I will and bequeath to my sons Hugh, David, and Isaac a parcel or tract of > land laying on the South side of Cumberland River containing six hundred & > forty acres, and I lilkewise give and bequeath to my Daughter Mary our Bed > and furniture and her riding saddle and flax wheale, as for my son Thomas > he hath already received his portion, as for my son John he hath already > received his portion, and as for my daughter Catherine she hath already > received her portion. -- -- > Next > I will and bequeath to my wife Mary the residue of my estate during her > life and after her decease for my daughter Mary to have of my Estate one > Negro Boy named George, and further I will and bequeath to my three sons, > Hugh, David and Isaac and daughter Mary all the residue of my Estate - and > I do also constitute and appoint my two sons Hugh and David my Executors. > Signed sealed and published > in presence of Signed Hugh Henry (seal) > Jacob Tennington > Saml McMurry > Andrew Irwin > > Oath of Allegiance to the Revolution in Pittsylvania Co., VA. > Maud Carter Clement, "The History of Pittsylvania Co. VA", Baltimore > Publishing Co., 1973. > > "Tennessee Cousins A History of Tennessee People" by Worth S. Ray > Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc. Baltimore 1984 p690. > Lists Hugh Henry as one of the first members of the County Court (Justices > of the Peace). At this meeting held on July 18, 1796, at the home of Jacob > McCarty on Sulphur Fork, about a mile and a half West of Springfield, Hugh > Henry was also elected Sheriff. The Act establishing Robertson and > Montgomery Counties was passed April 9, 1796. > > Quoting from Jo Ross's book: It was some time in the early to mid 1700's > that Hugh Henry, Sr. and Mary Donelson were married. Some writers are of > the opinion that he was a member of the same family as that of Patrick > Henry, whose grandfather, Alexander Henry, migrated from Aberdeen, > Scotland. He is believed to have been from Accomac, VA. > > Hugh, Sr. and Col. John Donelson were brothers-in-law and settled in the > same year in the area that is now Pittsylvania Co., VA. Col. John Donelson > came to Pittsylvania County when he was about twenty-five years of age. > Perhaps Hugh, Sr. was about the same age. They both patented land in 1744 > when that section was still a part of Old Brunswick. John's land consisted > of 200 acres on both sides of Sandy Creek, between Robert Moon's line and > Joseph Cloud. He made his home on the banks of the Banister River for > thirty five years. Hugh Henry's land was in the same area. In 1746 Hugh > had a chestnut puncheon camp on the Banister River. This was a cabin > constructed of chestnut wood. > In the County Levy laid December, 1746, Hugh Henry was among the names > of those who were paid for a wolf's head. Hugh Henry's name was on the > list of tithables ordered to be taken in 1750. Halifax deeds show that > Hugh Henry and wife, Mary, sold lands in 1757 to Archibald Gordon. On the > tax lists of 1774, Hugh Henry was mentioned as an overseer of Col. John > Donelson's iron works. These iron works, known as the Bloomery, were > located in eastern Franklin County on Pigg River and were the earliest iron > works in this part of VA. > > ii. JOHN DONELSON, d. April 17863; m. RACHEL STOCKLEY. > > Notes for JOHN DONELSON: > >From Donelson, Tennessee, Its History and Landmarks by Leona Taylor Aiken, > Nashville, Tennessee, 1968 p.306-307 > > "When about twenty-five years of age, Donelson came to this section and > made his home on Banister River, near the mouth of Whitehorn Creek, where > the house is still standing with long sloping roof and wide rock chimneys. > Here was born in 1767 and grew up to a lovely girlhood his daughter Rachel, > who in later life was to become the wife of President Andrew Jackson. > > Colonel Donelson was a man of ability and education, filling with honor > the many positions of trust conferred upon him by his fellow countrymen. > He served as justice of the peace, vestryman, commandant of the military > forces of the county, surveyor of Halifax and Pittsylvania Counties, and a > member of the House of Burgesses. > > The following is from the County Court Note Book, Vol. VI, No. 4, > December, 1927: Donelson filed his bond as Surveyor for the county of > Halifax in 1764. (Hal Va V..130.) At the April Court he takes the oath as > Justice (Order, p. 439). At the November Court of Pitsylvania, 1767 (Vol. > 1-2), John Donelson, Gent., produced a commission from the President and > Masters of William and Mary College and took the usual oaths as Surveyor of > the county. At the July Court 1770 he takes the oath as a member of the > commission and as a justice of Oyer and Terminer (Vol. I-212). At the > March Court 1773, John Donelson, Jr., becomes assistant surveyor and takes > the oath (Pitts. I-111). > > John Donelson was not only principal surveyor of the county buy also was > colonel of militia. In 1769 he and Hugh Inness were chosen to represent > Pittsylvania in the House of Burgesses. He served in the House of Burgesses > from 1769 until the outbreak of the revolution, except when officially > engaged in making surveys for the colony of Virginia or holding treaties > with the Indians. > > While a Burgess he was thrown in close contact with such men as Thomas > Jefferson and Thomas Walker of Albemarle; Edmund Pendleton and Walker > Taliaferro of Caroline; George Washington and John West of Fairfax; > Patrick Henry, Jr. and William Mason, Jr. of Hanover; Henry Lee and > Fouchee Tebbs of Prince William, and Richard Henry Lee and Richard Lee of > Westmoreland. See Journals of the House of Burgesses of Virginia, > 1769-1774, edited by John Pendleton Kennedy. > > His position of county surveyor led him to know intimately all parts of > this section, and he first successfully developed here the mining of iron. > His iron works, known as the Bloomery, were located on Pigg River. In the > tax lists for the year 1774 John Donelson was listed at the Bloomery -- > Hugh Henry overseer, Thomas Bolton, John Howwoway, Aaron Tredway and seven > slaves. There is on record a deed of trust from John Donelson to Hugh > Innes in which Donelson agreed to furnish Innes forty tons of bar iron in > eight equal parts within two years time, and offered his home plantation of > 1,019 acres and eighteen slaves as security. > > When Donelson surveyed the State Line westward in 1772, the Indians told > him of the beauty and fertility of the Tennessee land and so aroused his > interest that he visited the Great Bend of the River in Middle Tennessee. > He found the country to be all that the Indians had represented and finally > determined to make his home there. He disposed of his properties in > Pittsylvania, selling his home plantation to Colonel John Markham, from > whom the place has taken its name, and is known today as 'Markhams.' His > lands of Pigg River, including the iron mine he sold to James Calloway and > Jeremiah Early for L4,ooo (Deed in Henry County, Book I, p.300), who with > laudable patriotism renamed the mine, calling it the Washington. In 1778 > Colonel John Donelson resigned his position of county lieutenant of all the > county's military forces. And in 1779 with his family, slaves and > household effects, Donelson set out for the Tennessee country. > > The Donelsons were a family of fine-looking people, with beautiful girls. > His daughter-in-law Mary Purnell described Colonel Donelson as being > "large, noble and dignified in his appearance -- well fitted for embassies > and negotiations." > In December of 1958 an article in the Nashville Tennessean told of > finding sketches of Colonel Donelson and James Rogertson in an old diary. > These sketches were drawn about 1772 and were "in the diary of a > planter-pioneer named John Cotten which is in the possession of the Rev. J. > W. L. Matlock, pastor of First Methodist church of Hendersonville and > great-great-grandson of Cotten. Cotten was a friend of Donelson and > Robertson." This is the only known picture drawn from life of Colonel > Donelson. > > 3. JEAN2 DONELSON (PATRICK1) died 1724. She married ? MCKEAN. > > Notes for ? MCKEAN: > In the name of God Amen I Jean MCKean of the Town of Greenhill on Wicomoco > River in the County of Somerset and province of Maryland being sick and > weak of Body but of perfect mind of memory blessed be God considering the > certainty of Death and mortality of uncertainty of time do hereby make this > my last will and Testament in form following > First I resign my soul to God that gave it asuredly trusting in Christs > merits for Salvation and my Body to be decently intered > Item after all my Debts and funeral charges is payed, I leave and bequeath > unto my two sons George McKean and Patrick McKean all my worldly substance > to be equally divided and if it shall please Gpd that one of them should > dye before they should come to years of maturity then the survivor of them > to enjoy the whold of my Estate > Item I leave my Father Patrick Donelson and my Brother Patrick Donelson my > whold and sole Executor of this my last will and Testament and the > care and oversight of my children - revoking all former Wills and > Testaments by me made and declaring this to be my Last Will and Testament. > In Witness where of I have here unto set my hand and seall this 22th day of > March 1723 > Signed Sealed and Delivered in presence of -- Jean McKean SEAL > Jn. Donelson, Catherine Donelson, Dath Donelson-- > > November y 25th 1724, When came John Donelson and Katherine Donelson > subscribing loved ones to the within will who made oath upon the holy > Evangellist of allmighty God that they see the within named Jane McKean the > Testator Signe and Seal the within Instrument as her last will and > Testament and that they heard her Publish and Declare the same so to be and > that at the time of her so doing she was of sound dispossing mind and > menory to the best of their Knowledge. > Sworn to before me the Day and Year above written. > Indorsed on the Original, Recorded Lib. WB No. 1 fol. 332 John Turnstall > Dept. > > Somer County > Recorded in Liber EB No 9, folio 94 > Examined Test. Ejme Bayly RegWse > > Children of JEAN DONELSON and ? MCKEAN are: > i. GEORGE3 MCKEAN. > ii. PATRICK MCKEAN. > > > Endnotes > > 1. Will from Stepany Parish, Somerset Co., MDSept 9, 1725 Written Nov 2, > 1725 Probated > 2. Milnor Ljungstedt, The County Court Note-Book, Vol. VI, No. 2 > 3. Donelson, Tennessee Its History and Landmarks by Leona Taylor Aiken, > Nashville, Tennessee, 1968 p. 309 > > > > David Henry