Francis Wilkes b. Abt 1760 , Loudoun, Virginia, USA d. Aft 1840 , Lawrence, Ohio, USA: Albemarle to Callaway, a Herring Family Journey

1760 - 1841

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Birth	Abt 1760	, Loudoun, Virginia, USA
Gender	Male
Died	Aft 1840	, Lawrence, Ohio, USA
Person ID	I3294	Herring Family of Callaway County, Missouri
Last Modified	21 Aug 2005

Father	John Wilkes, Sr, b. Abt 1736, , , Pennsylvania, USA , d. Aft 1795
Mother	Elizabeth Mead, b. Abt 1740, , , Pennsylvania Or Virginia, USA , d. Yes, date unknown
Married	Apr 1758	, Loudoun, Virginia, USA
Family ID	F1319	Group Sheet

Family	Elizabeth Unknown, d. Yes, date unknown
Last Modified	21 Aug 2005
Family ID	F1326	Group Sheet

Notes	It appears that Francis and Elizabeth spent some time in Ohio after their marriage and some of their children were settled there in 1810. The 1840 Ohio Census lists Francis in Lawrence Co, however, he appears to have lived in southern Virginia before settling in Ohio. Francis appears to have owned a sizeable amount of land in Franklin County [formerly a part of Bedford and Henry countiies] on Gill's Creek which he disposed of over the years. In 1789 John [probably his father] and Francis were together in a deed concerning land on Gill's Creek. There were two Gill's Creeks in Franklin County. Francis' land was on the creek to the southwest. Wilkes of the Lunenburg County group lived on Gill's Creek to the northeast. In a 1789 deed between William Martin and Francis Wilkes, on both sides of Gill's Creek, the deed refers to Francis as "late of Franklin County" FCV 2 Deeds for Francis and land deals continued for some years, hoiwever, Francis appears to have moved into Patrick county before 1800. In 1787 Francis Wilks sold 180 acres of land to John Ozbin [Osburn] and 157 acres of land to Samuel Ozbin. Francis' brother, Benjamin Wilkes, was married to Sarah Osburn so these Ozbin men may have been near relatives. Other deeds in 1797 show Francis and Elizabeth Wilks selling land on Gill's Creek and on the Black Water River. Both husband and wife signed those deeds. In 1801 on March 23 Francis was named with his brother Samuel of Bedford County in a legal action. Francis was on the 1810 tax list for Patrick County, which showed two males and one female in the household. By 1810 Francis would have been fifty years old, thus most of his children would have been married by then. A deed of land was made in 1808 by Francis to Israel and Benjamin Wilks in Patrick and Montgomery Counties, and in 1815 Francis sold land to Benjamin Wilks in Patrick on the Middle Fork of the S. Mayo River. Francis Wilks was active in the local and legal affairs of Patrick County, serving on the grand jury in 1814 and 1815. In 1814 Francis was involved in some action concerning the courthouse. The last known record of Francis Wilkes is his letter, written in 1839, from Lawrence County, Ohio, to his nephew, Henry Wilkes, in Bedford County, Virginia, in which he described the long, 13 day journey from Virginia to the Ohio destination. He also mentioned that all of the good land had been taken up. The listed children are not exactly proven. A Francis Wilks married in 1819 to Lucy Dobyns in Bedford County, VA. for which there are deeds over the ensuing years. How was this younger Francis Wilkes related to "Old Uncle Francis" of the 1837 letter? Were Susannah Wikes and Nancy Wilkes, listed in the 1860 Ohio Census for Lawrence County, members of the family of Francis Wilkes, Senior? When Francis and Elizabeth journeyed to Union Township, Ohio in 1837, were they returning home or were they moving there to live out their few remaining years among beloved children and grandchildren? Francis was nearly 80 years old at that time and appears to have died sometime after 1840. ------------------------- Francis Wilks land grants - 19 May 1795 - Franklin County - 6182. Between Blackwater River and Gills Creek. - Grants No. 31, p. 626.