52 Ancestors #9: Benjamin Waldron (bef 1761-1811): Too Many Benjamins

Ancestor Name: Benjamin Walrond/Waldron, four times great grandfather
DNA Haplogroup: I-M253

This week we begin the stories about the families allied to my direct Jennings ancestors through marriage. My four times great grandfather, Benjamin Jennings, is the most distant ancestor in that line I can prove; however, I do not know definitively who his first wife (and the mother of my three times great grandfather) was, though many family histories list her name as Sally Dickerson/Dickinson. Benjamin's son, John W. Jennings, Sr., married Anna Mariah Walrond[1] on 19 January 1805 in Bedford County, Virginia. Her father was Benjamin Walrond, who was also a four times great grandfather.

Jennings and allied families for 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks; creating using
Microsoft PowerPoint

Based on Benjamin Walrond's Find a Grave memorial, he was born in Henrico County, Virginia. Thomas Dale founded the Citie of Henricus on a peninsula in the James River now known as Farrar's Island. He named the settlement after Henry Frederick, the Prince of Wales. The settlement was destroyed during the Indian Massacre of 1622, but was soon reestablished. The shire system was instituted in 1634 by order of King Charles I. It was based on the form of local government used in England and divided the colony of Virginia into eight shires. The shires were named by the House of Burgesses and one was named Henrico.

The best fix we have on the birth year of Benjamin Walrond is based on the 1782 Halifax County tax list, which included white men over 21 years of age who owned real and/or personal property. So we know he was born before 1761, likely well before then as his eldest known child was born in 1777. The 1810 federal census, which indicated Benjamin was over 45 years of age, supports that age range.

Marriages

Benjamin married a woman named Elizabeth sometime before 1777. Unfortunately, her maiden name is unknown. This has caused much confusion for future genealogists. (See Did John W. Jennings, Sr., (1776-1858) Marry His Niece?) At some point Benjamin moved to Halifax County, Virginia, which is about 130 miles southwest of Henrico County on the current border with North Carolina. Benjamin's four known children by his first wife were born in Halifax County. Elizabeth died sometime between 1784 and 1788. Nothing is known about Benjamin's occupation, but it is likely he was a farmer not of the the Virginia planter class and moved in search of more, affordable land.

On 6 August 1788 Benjamin married[2] Lucy Ellington, daughter of Jeremiah Ellington, in Pittsylvania County, which adjoined Halifax County's western border, and was formed from part of Halifax County. Her father died in 1796 in Abbeville County, South Carolina. Lucy (Ellington) Walrond received "one negro girl."

Receipt of "one Negro girl" by Lucy (Ellington) Walrond); courtesy of
Ancestry.com

August the eighth Day 1798 This day Received
This Day of Fanny Ellington one Negro girl about
fourteen or fifteen years of age By the consent of all
the Legetees now of age being personally togegether
Received the said negro girl at one hundred and seven-
ty Dollars as Received by me

Lucy [X her Mark] Walrond

In the list of cash paid to settle debts and heirs, there is a reference, "To cash paid Lucey Watson her legacy......217=00," and an acknowledgement she had been paid in full for her portion of the estate:

The acknowledgement of Lucy (Ellington) Walrond of the payment of her
portion of her father's estate; courtesy of Ancestry.com

Received of Leonard Ellington two hundred and
Seventeen Dollars in full of my part of the
Money Comeing from the estate of Jeremiah
Ellington Deceased. June the tenth 1800

Lucey [X her Mark] Wolrond

In advance of receiving the "Negro girl," Benjamin Walrond deeded her to two of his daughters by his second marriage to Lucy. The deed was dated 30 January 1797 and was recorded in the Pittsylvania deed book:

"Beloved children, Polly and Sally Walrond for the price of love and affection and good will...one negro girl named Milla about 13 years old and her increase, and whatever property may hereafter be allotted to me of the estate of Jeremiah Ellington, deceased, be the same land or other property."

From this deed we know that Benjamin and Lucy had moved a bit west into Pittsylvania County, which had been formed from Halifax County in 1766. On 19 February 1806 Benjamin Walrond received a grant of 6 acres of land in Campbell and Bedford Counties from the governor of Virginia.

Campbell County Land Grant

"John Page, esquire, governor of the commonwealth of Virginia: To all to whom these presents shall come greeting. Know Ye, that by virtue of a Land-Office Treasury warrant number two hundred thousand eight hundred and seventy two, issued the sixteenth of January eighteen hundred, there is granted by said commonwealth unto Benjamin Walrond, a certain tract or parcel of land containing six acres by survey [illegible] date the fifth of September eighteen hundred and three, lying and being in the counties of Campbell and Bedford and bounded as followeth to wit: Beginning at a white oak on the main road, corner to Samuel Scott -- and Wilkerson, thence along said Wilkerson's line, south thirteen degrees, east seventy five poles, then north twenty five degrees, east seventy five poles to a double red oak, a corner to said Wilkerson south fifty five degrees east fourteen poles to a post oak corner -- to said Wilkerson and Walrond, south forty degrees west twenty eight poles to a post oak, and thence south twenty five degrees west one hundred and twelve poles to the beginning with its appurtenances; To have and to hold the said tract or parcel of land with its appurtenances to the said Benjamin Walrond and his heirs and assigns forever. In witnesses whereof the said John Page, esquire governor of the commonwealth of Virginia, hath hereunto set his hand and caused the legal seal of said commonwealth to be affixed at Richmond on the first day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and five and of the commonwealth the twenty nineth."

This would be yet another move for the Walrond family to the counties adjoining Pittsylvania to the north. When the Walrond household was enumerated in the 1810 census, they lived in Campbell county and there seven people living in the home.

1810 Federal Census for the household of Benjamin Walrond; created using
Microsoft Excel

It should be noted there were three men living in Virginia named Benjamin Walrond/Waldron in 1810. My four times great grandfather, Benjamin Walrond lived in Campbell county as indicated above; his son, Benjamin Walrond, Jr., lived in Bedford County; and a third lived in Powhatan County. He was married to Elizabeth Jennings, hence many believing Benjamin Walrond's first wife's maiden name was Jennings. However, the Powhatan County Benjamin Waldron didn't marry Elizabeth Jennings until 1810, fully 30 to 40 years after my four times great grandfather Benjamin Walrond married his first wife, also named Elizabeth but maiden unknown.

Chart illustrating that Benjamin Waldron (<1765-1811) DID NOT Marry
Elizabeth Jennings; created using Microsoft Powerpoint

According to his Find A Grave memorial Benjamin Walrond died on 25 January 1811 and was interred in an unknown location.  I have not yet located a last will and testament.

Lucy (Ellington) Walrond's brother Dewey wrote his will on an unknown date in advance of "travel to foreign country and not knowing that I shall ever return." His will was proved in Abbeville County on 22 March 1814. He left his sister, Lucy, $200.

I have not been able find Lucy in the 1820 census so believe she went to live with a relative, perhaps one of her three daughters, who were all married by that time. According to her Find a Grave memorial, she died in 1821 at the age of 57.

A Word about DNA

Benjamin Walrond's parents are believed to be William Walrond and Nancy Elizabeth Wood, but this is not yet proven. A Benjamin Walrond is listed in the last will and testament of William Walrond, but I do not know definitively if it was same Benjamin Walrond. I have been able to resolve nine DNA matches with Benjamin Walrond as the common shared ancestor -- eight through his sons, Benjamin, Jr., Thomas, Samuel and Moses. The ninth match is the intriguing one. Based on the shared chromosome segments, we should be related between our fourth and six great grandparents. Her Waldron brickwall is "Frances Pamela Waldron."

In researching Frances Pamela Waldron, I found several records that indicated she was Permelia Frances Waldron (c1845-1911), who married twice to 1) Henry A. Kingery in 1861 and 2) Ezekiel James Mountcastle in 1864. She was listed in the 1850 and 1860 census living in the household of Isaac Walrond (1807-1910). There the online documents end. I believe Isaac was related to Benjamin Waldron and based on his date of birth he could be a nephew or, more likely, the son of a nephew.

This is my entry for Amy Johnson Crow's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. The theme for this week was "Where There's a Will," and I sure wish I could find one for this four times great grandfather!

Using the Ancestral Reference Numbering System, Benjamin Waldron is Ancestor number 66 on my family tree:

66.0 Benjamin Walrond (later spelled Waldron) born before 1761, likely between 1730 and 1740, perhaps in Henrico County, Virginia; died on 25 January 1811 in Campbell County, Virginia, near Lynchburg; married twice 1) to Elizabeth (maiden name unknown), who died before 1788 when he married 2) Lucy Ellington, daughter of Jeremiah Ellington and Frances "Fanny" Jones, on 6 August 1788 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia. Known children (though there may be more):

66.1 Benjamin Walrond, Jr., born 10 June 1777, according to the Walrond family bible; died 24 March 1839 in Franklin County, Virginia; married twice: 1) Patsey Wiley on 28 March 1796 in Amherst County, Virginia; (She died before 1804.) and 2) Martha "Patsy" Owen, daughter of James Owen and Elizabeth Russell, on 2 April 1804 in Bedford County.

33.0 Anna Mariah or Anna Marie Walrond born in 1782 in Virginia, likely Halifax County; died 24 October 1868 in Amherst County, Virginia; interred at the Jennings Family Cemetery in Willow, Virginia; married John W. Jennings, Sr., on 19 January 1805 in Bedford County, Virginia.

66.2 Thomas Walrond born 1782 in Halifax County, Virginia; died 4 January 1864 in Tazewell County, Virginia; married twice, first to Sally Tate, daughter of Nathaniel Tate and Rhoda Terry, on 12 June 1799 in Bedford County, Virginia, and secondly to Anna Rebecca Day, daughter of Edward M. Day and Ursula Sublett, on 17 March 1818 in Warren County, North Carolina.

66.3 Moses A. Walrond born 1784 in Halifax County; died after the Civil War in Bedford County, Virginia and interred at the Old Waldron Cemetery on Waldron's Knob Mountain; married Mary "Polly" St. Clair, daughter of Robert St. Clair, Sr., and Ruth (maiden name unknown), on 5 May 1804 in Botetourt County, Virginia.

66.4 Sarah "Sally" Walrond married George Haines on 7 October 1802 in Franklin County, Virginia. 

66.6 Mary "Polly" Walrond married John Pinckard on 3 June 1811 in Franklin County.

66.7 Nancy Walrond born about 1793 in Virginia; married Bailey Pinckard on 22 November 1811 in Campbell County.

_______________
[1] The name is now spelled Waldron.
[2] There is also a South Carolina marriage index record stating Lucy Ellington married Waldon between 1774 and 1790 in Abbeville District, South Carolina. In this narrative I have discounted this record. Based on research into the life of Jeremiah Ellington, it appears he did not move from Virginia until after Lucy was married.

Sources:
1790 U.S. Federal Census (Reconstructed), Virginia State Enumerations 1782-1785, citing Benjamin Walrond, 1782, Halifax County, page 99 (accessed 21 Feb 2016).
1810 U.S. Census (database with images), FamilySearch.org, citing Benjamin Waldron, Lynchburg, Campbell, Virginia,  United States; p. 6, NARA microfilm publication M252 (Washington, DC: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 68; FHL microfilm 181428 (accessed 20 Feb 2016).
Bedford County Marriage Bonds, (document copy provided by LaMona Waldron Phillips), citing Anna Walrond, John Jennings and Benjamin Walrond, father.
Bedford County, Virginia, Wikipedia (accessed 20 Feb 2018).
Campbell County, Virginia, Wikipedia (accessed 20 Feb 2018).
Did John W. Jennings, Sr. (c1777-1858) Marry His Niece?, Tangled Roots and Trees (accessed 20 Feb 2018)
Halifax County, Virginia, Wikipedia (accessed 20 Feb 2018).
Haplogroup I-M253, Wikipedia (accessed 20 Feb 2018).
Henrico County, Virginia, Wikipedia (accessed 20 Feb 2018).
John W. Jennings, Sr. (c1776-1858): War of 1812 Veteran, Tangled Roots and Trees (accessed 20 Feb 2018)
Land Grants, (database and images), Library of Virginia, citing Benjamin Walroud, Land Grant No. 200872, dated 16 Jan 1800, Land Office Grants Book 54, page 127 (Reel 120).
Last Name: Waldron, Surname Database (accessed 20 Feb 2018).
Pittsylvania County, Virginia, Wikipedia (accessed 20 Feb 2018).
Pittsylvania Deed Books, (transcription provided by LaMona Waldron Phillips), citing Benjamin Walrond and daughters Sally and Polly, Pittsylvania County, Virginia, dated 30 Jan 1797, Book 11, Page 97.
Releasing Milla, Tangled Roots and Trees (accessed 20 Feb 2018)
Shires of Virginia, Wikipedia (accessed 20 Feb 2018)
South Carolina Wills and Probate Records, 1670-1980, (database and images), Ancestry.com, citing Dewi Ellington, 1814, Abbeville, South Carolina, Index and Wills, Vol. 1, 1787-1815, page 624 (accessed 5 May 2016).
South Carolina Wills and Probate Records, 1670-1980, (database and images), Ancestry.com, citing Dewi Eillington, 1814, Abbeville, South Carolina, Probate Records, Boxes 31, Pages 692, 1814 (accessed 17 Apr 2016).
South Carolina Wills and Probate Records, 1670-1980, (database and images), Ancestry.com, citing Jeremiah Ellington, 1796, Abbeville, South Carolina, Probate Records, Boxes 32, Packages 704, 1796 (accessed 17 Apr 2016).
U.S. Find A Grave Index (database and images), Findagrave.com, citing Benjamin Walrond, Sr., unknown, Memorial number 141127809 (accessed 15 May 2015).
U.S. Find A Grave Index (database and images), Findagrave.com, citing Elizabeth Walrond, unknown, Memorial number 141320172 (accessed 15 May 2015).
U.S. Find A Grave Index (database and images), Findagrave.com, citing Lucy Ellington Walrond, 1770-1821, Memorial number 14129748 (accessed 15 May 2015).
Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940 (database), FamilySearch.org, citing Benjamin Walrond and Lucy Ellinton, 06 Aug 1788, Pittsylvania, Virginia; reference Page 11; FHL microfilm 33326 (accessed 11 Feb 2018).
Virginia Select Marriages, 1785-1940 (database), Ancestry.com, citing Benjamin Walrond and Lucy Ellinton, 06 Aug 1788, Pittsylvania, Virginia; reference Page 11; FHL microfilm 33326 (accessed 11 Feb 2018).

John W. Jennings (1776-1858): War of 1812 Veteran
Did John W. Jennings Marry His Niece?
Releasing Milla
Slave Name Roll Project